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Senate Finance Committee Holds Second Closed-Door Meeting On Health Care Reform; Details Of House Energy And Commerce Committee Overhaul Plan Leaked
The Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday both worked on health care proposals aimed at overhauling the U.S. health care system, CQ Today reports. In its second of three closed-door meetings, the Finance Committee came to "early, broad agreement" on some issues but continued to disagree over a public option as part of a reform bill. Meanwhile, portions of an overhaul plan being developed by the Energy and Commerce Committee were leaked on Thursday, after Democrats on the committee held a closed-door session on the topic earlier this week (Armstrong, CQ Today, 5/14). Finance Committee
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Prevalence Of Multiple Sclerosis In The United Kingdom - Study Estimates Now 100,000 People With MS In UK
Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom - study estimates now 100,000 people with MS in UK.
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Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Feature Highlights Recent Blog Entries
"Blog Watch" offers readers a roundup of health policy-related blog posts.The blogosphere is buzzing about the GOP "alternative" health reform proposal from Sens. Richard Burr (N.C.), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.), and Reps. Devin Nunes (Calif.) and Paul Ryan (Wis.). Known as the Patients" Choice Act (.pdf), it would create state-based private health insurance exchanges and provide U.S. residents tax credits to subsidize coverage premiums. Yuval Levin of conservative stalwart The Corner calls the plan "the best comprehensive health care proposal Republicans have produced to date, and shows that at least some in the party understand the need to engage the issue with a grasp of the differences between underlying problems (like cost control) and symptoms of those problems (like access to coverage), and with an actual appreciation for economic incentives and pressures." Marguerite Higgins of the Heritage Foundation"s The Foundry says the plan "features several important conservative principles for health care reform that would allow free-market solutions to take root in the broken U.S. health care system, and give patients more decision-making power with their health care dollars."But Michael Cannon of the libertarian Cato@Liberty blog says he is "troubled" by aspects of the plan that are "self-contradictory." He writes, "On the one hand, it lists "No Tax Increases" as a core concept. Do its authors not know that imposing price controls on health insurance premiums imposes a tax on healthier-than-average consumers? And where do they think the money for "risk-adjustment" payments will come from? Heaven?" The New Republic"s Jonathan Cohn seems to agree, saying, "The details are pretty unappealing, except where there are none; and the whole thing is presented as the antithesis of big government when, in fact, it too would require at least some government intervention." Overall Cohn thinks the plan indicates good news for Democrats, concluding, "Passage of a bill seems ever more likely, to the point where potential opponents feel they must offer alternatives that embrace some of the same concepts."The Washington Post"s Ezra Klein examines the structure of the plan, calling it "the bastard child of the Massachusetts health reforms and the McCain campaign proposal." He also seems to think it"s positive news for reformers, adding, "But it"s still a step forward for the Republican Party. It"s an admission that individuals can"t go it alone. That the state has a large and important regulatory role to play. The business model of insurers is not simply broken but actively cruel. A Republican Party that accepts the principles of this plan is a Republican Party that is much likelier to accept the principles of Obama"s eventual plan." He notes that GOP leadership was not involved in the proposal.Interesting elsewhere:
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Family Planning Industry In Massachusetts Thriving During Recession

The family planning industry in Massachusetts is flourishing during the economic recession, according to state medical experts, the Boston Herald reports. Planned Parenthood has reported a 77% increase in the state for procedures to insert intrauterine devices, and physicians are seeing higher numbers of vasectomy procedures. In addition, condom sales are increasing.A recent Gallup survey conducted for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that 17% of married women said the economy has affected their plans to have children, and 33% of women who are in a relationship but not married said they are now more concerned with unintended pregnancies compared with the previous year.Jesse Mermell, vice president of external affairs for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said that NuvaRing and long-term IUD use has increased by 77% in the past year. Mermell said, "The universal reaction to that spike has been "wow.""According to Nelson Bennett, director of male sexual medicine at the Lahey Clinic, there was a 30% increase in vasectomies in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008. Emanuel Friedman of MetroWest Urology -- who has performed about 1,500 vasectomies -- said, "People who wanted four children might now stop at two," adding, "Last year I was doing four to six surgeries weekly, now I"m doing six to 10."Davin Wedel, president of Glob Protection, a Boston-based condom manufacturer, said that condom sales "are up, even in retail, which is rare." His company has seen a 35% increase in online traffic from its flagship brand"s Web site. He added that the increase is not only because of couples being more careful. "People are out of work, and sex is a cheap form of entertainment," he said.According to the Herald, area hospitals have not yet seen a steep drop in the number of newborns, but representatives say it is still too early to forecast how the economy will affect birthrates. August marks the ninth month since the start of the recession (Jordan, Boston Herald, 8/2). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women"s Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women"s Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company. © 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.


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