Value Based Purchasing and Health Care Reform

House Unveils Health Reform Bill

On Thursday, Oct. 29th, House Democrats unveiled the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).  The 1,990-page bill blends three versions of previous bills passed by the House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Labor (see prior posts).  Committee press releases state that H.R. 3962 will "ensure that 96 percent of Americans will be covered by a quality, affordable health plan. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost of expanding coverage at $894 billion, consistent with the $900 billion coverage mark laid out by President Obama." 

View the text of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962)

See a Summary of H.R. 3962

House Committee on Energy and Commerce Press Release

House Committee on Ways and Means Press Release

House Committee on Education and Labor Press Release 

Senate Finance Legislation Update

Last week, the Senate Finance Committee released the Legislative Language of S. 1796, the America’s Healthy Future Act, and an accompanying Committee Report regarding the bill.  These documents are available on the Senate Finance website and can be accessed at the links below.

S. 1796 Legislative Language

Committee Report (S. 1796)

Senate Finance Committee Passes Health Reform Bill

Yesterday, the fifth Congressional Committee approved its version of health reform legislation.  By a vote of 14 - 9 (which included only one Republican Senator voting in favor of the bill), the Senate Finance Committee passed the America's Healthy Future Act.  Today, Senators began meeting to discuss how to merge this bill with the HELP health reform proposal in order to present a single bill for consideration by the full Senate.

See Chairman Baucus' Press Release

See the Text of the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009 (as amended)

For additional information, see the following articles:

New York Times

Washington Post

Reuters

Senate Finance Committee to Vote Next Week

After considering the 564 proposed amendments to Committee Chairman Max Baucus' Mark, the Senate Finance Committee plans to vote on the amneded version of the bill during the week of Oct. 5th.  Committee members will have an opportunity to review the CBO's official cost estimate of the Mark prior to the vote.  The CBO is expeted to complete the score on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

For a discussion of the amendments being incorporated into the Mark's latest version, see the following articles:

TheHill.com

Washington Post