TOP STORIES
Senate Health Care Bill Faces Crucial First Vote
The New York Times
November 20, 2009
The Senate is expected to vote Nov. 21 on whether to take up health legislation that would cover five million fewer people than a companion bill passed by the House, but would cost less.
Additional Coverage:
Reid Pushes for Votes on Health Care Bill - The Washington Post
House Democrats Approve Doc ‘Fix’
The New York Times
November 20, 2009
The House has approved a $210 billion measure to avert steep cuts in Medicare payments to doctors.
Health Care’s ‘Public Option Would Cover Little of Population
USA Today
November 20, 2009
A proposed government-run health insurance program, among the most divisive issues in the health care debate, would cover less than 1.5% of the population, new estimates show.
The Washington Post - Op-Ed
November 20, 2009
The nation stands on the verge of achieving fundamental health-care reform, but health reform has an economic and fiscal dimension, too.
TRANSPARENCY/SAFETY
Hard Math for Dems and Middle Class
Politico
November 20, 2009
Next month, Reid’s Democrats face immediate new challenges, including a $925 billion debt ceiling increase and a social safety net that’s unraveling even as unemployment has topped 10 percent.
WELLNESS/CHRONIC CARE
Group Issues Clarification on Mammography Advice
The Wall Street Journal
November 20, 2009
Seeking to dispel confusion over some aspects of the new guidelines, a federal task-force said they never meant to convey that women in their 40s shouldn't get mammograms, nor that they sought to discourage women from examining their breasts for signs of cancer.
STATE NEWS
Illinois Launches Web Site with Hospital Prices, Quality Ratings
The Chicago Tribune
November 20, 2009
A new, state-sponsored Web site publishes data on Illinois hospitals and surgery centers that includes information about what these medical providers charge, how many procedures they perform, how often they deliver recommended care, and how consumers rate their care.
MEDICARE/MEDICAID
Medicare Tax on High Earners and Other Levies Stir Debate
The Wall Street Journal
November 20, 2009
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made a late change to his bill by adding an extra Medicare payroll tax, which would generate $54 billion over 10 years. Under the plan, wages over $200,000 for single people and $250,000 for married couples would be subject to a 1.95% payroll tax, up from the current 1.45%.
Dems’ Health Hits Medicare Third Rail
Politico
November 20, 2009
Forget Social Security as the third rail of American politics. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s new health care reform proposal is further proof that Capitol Hill Democrats are following an electorally suicidal strategy of turning Medicare into a political electric chair.
REFORM EFFORTS
Reid, as Legislative Tactician, Takes Ownership of Health Care Overhaul
The New York Times
November 20, 2009
The majority leader’s deep personal involvement in assembling the overhaul of the health care system, now on the brink of a historic Senate debate, has conferred ownership of the legislation on Mr. Reid.
Dems Stay Cautiously Optimistic
Politico
November 20, 2009
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and fellow Democrats projected confidence they could clear the first hurdle for health reform, a rare Saturday vote to open debate on the sweeping measure.
A Health Care Pep Talk for Senate Dems
Time
November 20, 2009
A platoon of top strategists met with Democratic Senators Thursday afternoon to impress upon those who might be wavering that everyone's political fate is now joined with the success or failure of President Obama's top domestic priority.
Democrats Woo Voters with New Benefits
The Wall Street Journal
November 20, 2009
Senate Democrats are touting the immediate benefits their health bill would bring to some Americans, although many of the benefits of the bill won't take effect for several years.
Sebelius’s Cave-In on Mammograms is a Setback for Health Care Reform
The Washington Post - Op-Ed
November 20, 2009
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius did a marvelous job this week of undermining the move toward evidence-based medicine with her hasty and cowardly disavowal of a recommendation from her department's own task force that women under 50 are probably better off not getting routine annual mammograms.
EMPLOYERS
Business Sours on Overhaul As Legislation Veers to Left
The Wall Street Journal
November 20, 2009
Chances of business supporting the Obama administration's health overhaul are fading fast, after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's bill took a liberal turn.
HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Electronic Medical Records Don’t Save Money Says Study
Healthleaders Media
November 20, 2009
The latest study, published today in The American Journal of Medicine, says that despite Congressional support to the tune of $19 billion, claims of efficiencies from computerizing hospital system records rest on scant data.