Health Care Reform

Health care reform is a topic that has dominated political headlines for months. Several key parties agree on the need for reform. The political challenge remains how health care legislation can be implemented successfully, including how to pay for it. With President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress on September 9, 2009, the debate has picked up speed, and many believe that the most significant health care reforms since the creation of Medicare in the 1960s will pass in some form this year.

House Passes Affordable Health Care For America Act - 11/7/2009
On Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 11:16 p.m., the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, a bill the Congressional Budget Office says would extend coverage to 36 million more Americans at a cost of approximately $1.2 trillion in the first 10 years. The bill was passed by a vote of 220-215, with Rep. Joseph Cao (LA) as the lone Republican joining 219 Democrats in supporting the bill. Thirty-nine Democrats joined 176 Republicans in opposing it.

The vote also shifted the battle over health care reform back to the U.S. Senate. With less than seven weeks left on its calendar, the Senate timeline to start debate on the Senate floor on a final bill is uncertain. Even if the Senate passes a bill, lawmakers will have to work out differences with the House proposal. While both bills would require Americans to carry health insurance, expand Medicaid to cover more people, provide subsidies to help families afford premiums and prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions, the bills still differ on a number of issues, including details associated with the public option.

Health care reform will impact every business, family, and individual in a variety of ways. Such as, the delivery of care, the structure of benefit plans and employer-sponsored insurance, and the payment for any new benefits (including, perhaps, higher taxes for certain individuals). Given the breadth of this reform effort and the importance of understanding the issues, Ice Miller's Health Law group is monitoring the debate and advising clients on key developments. One step in this effort was a presentation Ice Miller made through the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce on August 27. The speakers focused on the status of the political debate as of the August recess, the key aspects of the proposed health care reform legislation, including the various options under consideration, and the potential impact on employers, benefit plans, providers, Medicare and Medicaid, and taxpayers.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Greg Pemberton, Kevin Woodhouse or Sarah Cotterill.