The Health Care Reform Debate Marches On. Key Questions are What’s the Cost and Who are Providers?
As more details are developed, the potential for national health care reform to have meaningful debate in Congress this year exponentially increases—and more questions arise as to its ultimate viability. Among the key questions that will have to be answered are what will it cost and who will provide the coverage.
Cost of the program and how to implement it will be a key driver. The first detailed plan to be released from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) chaired by Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, was based somewhat on the plan the state of Massachusetts enacted three years ago. This plan was taken back for rework after the Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost $1.6 billion dollars but only address coverage for a third of the nation’s uninsured.
Regarding costs, a few proposals have been floated. The one many feel is most viable is increased rebates by providers (who in theory would gain under the plan because of the near elimination of uncompensated care) combined with a tax on employers who currently provide health care benefits to their employees. This method, however, has run into significant opposition from both business groups and organized labor, which recognizes that such a scheme would lead to a lessening of health benefits for most employees who are currently covered.
Another key issue is that of a “public option.” Many Democrats and “consumer advocacy” groups support the government becoming an active provider of health care in direct competition with private companies, while more moderate Democrats, Republicans and business groups have expressed concern that a government plan would have unfair and overwhelming competitive advantages, and soon would squeeze out most of the private insurance market.
This will continue to evolve as the summer continues. For a copy of the original HELP Committee proposal, please click here.
For a copy of the House Democrats’ initial proposal please click here.
The Senate Finance Committee is widely expected to be releasing a draft of its proposal in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned to the BIOCOMMUNIQUE for updates on this process and how YOU can be involved.
Improving America’s Health V— a survey of the working relationship between the life sciences industry and the FDA
BIOCOM and PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) are pleased to announce that they are moving forward with conducting a 2009 FDA Survey, entitled “Improving America’s Health V—a survey of the working relationship between the life sciences industry and the FDA.”
As you may recall, our survey results over the past decade show an evolution of valuable insight into the relationship between life sciences companies and the FDA. The report that results from our 2009 survey are expected to provide an in-depth understanding of the interaction and communication between the FDA and the life sciences industry, as well as provide recommendations that can be implemented for improvements around the working relationship between the Agency and the industry.
We believe your participation in this survey will be highly valuable, to your organization, the FDA and to the life sciences community as a whole. BIOCOM urges you to get involved. Please send an email to PricewaterhouseCoopers.and.BIOCOM@us.pwc.com with “Life Sciences FDA Survey” in the subject line to obtain more information on how to participate. Thank you
Assembly Speaker Bass Reaches Out to BIOCOM Members
Last month, BIOCOM members had the opportunity to meet with California State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. Speaker Bass represents Los Angeles’ 47th State Assembly District, but as the Assembly’s leader, views her role as representing the entire state. In her role as Speaker, Ms. Bass leads the Democratic majority in the State Assembly, helping shape the Assembly’s policy direction both directly through her leadership and indirectly through her power to name committee chairs and individual committee members. It was a refreshingly open and candid session with one of the most powerful people in California.
In her efforts to educate herself on the life science industry, Speaker Bass reached out to BIOCOM and requested a meeting with our members. A wide variety of topics were discussed, from the health care to duplicative regulation. Speaker Bass shared with the audience that the legislature is taking a bi-cameral, bipartisan approach to attempt to address health care. She believes that the federal government is looking at California for a model, particularly in the area of health care for children.
BIOCOM members shared with Speaker Bass some challenges of doing business in California, such as, high taxes and duplicative regulatory standards at the federal and state level. Speaker Bass was very receptive to helping the life science industry with duplicative state/federal regulation issues if the industry will bring her specific duplicative regulations to review. She also indicated her belief that tax incentives gained in previous budgets would ultimately survive current budget negotiations.
We would like thank Speaker Bass for taking the time to meet with our members and become better acquainted with the life science industry. If you have specific example of duplicative regulations that you would like to bring to Speaker Bass’ attention, please email them to Faith Picking at fpicking@biocom.org.