Health Care Reform Deal Struck in House Committee

The House leaves Friday for a 5-week recess. Is anyone else amazed at how much vacation these guys get?

The earlier deal cut subsidies to low- and middle-income families for insurance premiums. This caused a great deal of angst in the committee. However, the reduction was necessary to align the Blue Dogs.

The new deal would find savings in part by forcing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to pay claims electronically and by allowing the federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices under the Medicare program.

Additionally, the committee approved an amendment which outlines abortion policy. The amendment said abortion could not be included in the “essential benefits package” which will be defined by the government. However, while it added insurers would not be required or forbidden to cover abortion, in every part of the country, the government must ensure that there is at least one plan that covers abortion and at least one that does not.