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Drew Armstrong, a wellness reporter for CQ HealthBeat, discusses House efforts to delay action on a Medicare "initiation" bill, health information engineering legislation, an FDA tobacco regulation measure and stairs toward passing mental health parity legislation in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."
According to Armstrong, House Democrats put a hold on a legislative process that would have forced them to take up Medicare legislation proposed by President Bush to slow spending. A preparation of the 2003 Medicare law requires the president to propose a nest egg measure if Medicare actuaries project that the syllabus will pull out a certain percentage of its financing from annual tax tax revenue. According to Armstrong, Democrats earlier this month approved Medicare legislating that rock-bottom Medicare outgo enough to meet the requirements of the trigger, but technically, the vizor was non considered below the induction law's requirements. Armstrong says lawmakers probable will possess to address the gun trigger again next year, as Medicare costs continue to rise.
Armstrong also discusses the House Energy and Commerce Committee's approval of a bill that would create loans and grants for physicians and hospitals to purchase health IT. The bill as well would want the federal government to begin establishing IT standards to insure the technology is interoperable. However, the legislation has been held up by privacy concerns, Armstrong says.
In addition, Armstrong says several House committees have compromised on a bill that would allow FDA to regulate baccy products and place rules on tobacco advertising simply that would not ban the sale of tobacco plant. According to Armstrong, it is expected that smoking rates would decline dramatically if the legislation is enacted. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), wHO sponsored the legislation, aforementioned the House could vote on the bill this week.
Lastly, Armstrong discusses congressional action on mental wellness parity legislating, which would require insurers to provide the like level of coverage for mental wellness conditions as physical conditions. The Senate Finance Committee added the mental health parity voice communication to a larger tax package. Armstrong says lawmakers generally support both bills and the mental health parity measure should move along with the tax bill.
The complete audio version of "Health on the Hill," transcript and resources for further enquiry are uncommitted online at kaisernetwork.org.
Reprinted with kind permit from hTTP://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can vista the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email rescue at hypertext transfer protocol://www.kaisernetwork.
