Campaign for an American Solution - Latest News

Politico: Insurance Outreach Will See 'How Public is Feeling'

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: "The unprecedented effort by America's Health Insurance Plans, called the Campaign for an American Solution, includes a nationwide listening tour, advertising and an intense recruitment effort aimed at signing up Americans who are satisfied with their private insurance coverage…"

"The let’s-all-play-together approach is a marked departure from the Dr. No persona that helped insurers kill President Bill Clinton’s health care reform plan nearly 15 years ago..."

"Group officials have been quietly briefing health care leaders about the coming campaign, including former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, who gave it a positive review. The industry’s efforts and others are crucial, she said, to push health care reform to the forefront of the presidential debate so that it becomes a top priority for the next administration. 'Look, [insurers] already have considerable clout. They don't actually need to do this. I think they believe that they're going to learn something by doing this,' Shalala said. 'They want to get a feel for how the public is feeling out there.'"

To read the entire article, click here.

Columbus Dispatch: Health-Insurance Industry Wants to Show It Is Reform-Minded

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Columbus Dispatch: "...Insurers know their industry will be front and center when the presidential candidates debate what to do about rising health-care costs and uninsured Americans. More important, they know that their industry will be front and center when a new president and new Congress will have the first real chance since 1994 to pass a comprehensive overhaul of the health-care system."

"That's why America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group, is launching a national campaign this week that will extend from the politics of the presidential race into next year's Washington public-policy debate."

"The group is going to do the only thing it can to participate in the debate with credibility: sit down with all comers at public events and take its lumps as it tries to persuade everyone that the industry is serious about helping more than its bottom line."

To read the entire article, click here.

Health Insurance Plans Kick Off Health Care Reform Campaign

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) today will launch the Campaign for an American Solution by participating in a roundtable discussion with people who are uninsured and community leaders in Columbus, Ohio.

The campaign is a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the Americans people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

“It is unacceptable that 47 million Americans are uninsured,” said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP. “We look forward to hearing directly from the people of Columbus about their personal experiences and to sharing ideas about fixing health care.”

Today’s discussion with uninsured Ohioans is the first of many events that will take place this year. The campaign will engage in conversations with Americans from all walks of life—those with coverage and those without, small business owners and employees, union leaders and members, physicians and other providers, and working families from diverse communities.

The campaign today also announced a new print and online advertising effort to call attention to the challenges facing the U.S. health care system and encourage Americans to join the campaign.

According to Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured estimates based on U.S. Census Bureau March 2006 and 2007 Current Population Survey data, slightly more than 1.2 million Ohioans are uninsured, or 11 percent of the state’s population. The same report estimates nearly 47 million Americans or 16 percent of Americans do not have insurance coverage.

Over the past two years, AHIP’s Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to cover the uninsured, make health care more affordable, improve the quality of care and guarantee access to coverage in the individual market.

AHIP’s plan to cover the uninsured is based on building on the strengths of the current system to make health insurance accessible to all Americans. Key elements of the plan include:

Making eligible for Medicaid every uninsured American living in poverty.
Strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program to include all children from low-income uninsured families.
Creating a health care coverage tax credit for working families.
Giving workers real portability with a new tax-free portable health account that can be used to purchase any type of health care coverage. Individuals, employers, the federal government and state governments could all contribute to the account.
Establishing a new federal performance grant program to assist states in expanding access to coverage, reducing costs and improving quality.

Today’s discussion in Columbus is unscripted, on-the-record and open to members of the news media. The uninsured Ohioans and community leaders participating in the roundtable are not being compensated.

About the Campaign for an American Solution
The Campaign for an American Solution is a non-partisan, educational and grassroots initiative of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national trade association whose members provide coverage to more than 200 million people. The Campaign’s goal to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles supported by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

AP: In Ohio, Insurance Industry Touts Health Reform

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Associated Press: "The health insurance industry is entering the campaign debate over how to make health care more affordable while retaining a large role for the private sector."

"America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry lobbying group, begins a nationwide tour in Columbus on Tuesday to seek comment on its ideas from uninsured Americans."

"The industry, whose famous "Harry and Louise" TV ad campaign helped scuttle President Clinton's efforts to reshape the health care system in the 1990s, says it wants to be less partisan."

To read the entire article, click here.

Campaign for an American Solution Announces Series of Ads

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Campaign for an American Solution announces the launch of its nationwide listening tour with a series of ads.

To view the new ads, click here.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Health Insurance Industry Launches Own Reform Drive in Ohio

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Cleveland Plain Dealer: The health insurance industry wants you to know it feels your pain before the next president makes it feel some pain.

To get ahead of the election debate on health-care reform, the nation's main health insurance trade group kicks off a nationwide health-care reform drive in Columbus today with a public meeting between its CEO and a group of uninsured Ohioans. America's Health Insurance Plans is planning events and TV ads throughout the country but picked Ohio to launch its campaign because it's a battleground state that demographically reflects the nation.

Health-care reform ranks just behind the economy and Iraq war as the most important issue to voters, according to a nationwide poll released last week by Quinnipiac University. Health care advocates believe the next president will make changes.

To read the entire article, click here.

CQ: AHIP Announces New Campaign to Provide Health Insurance for All

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Congressional Quarterly: Insurance lobby America’s Health Insurance Plans has entered the ensuing debate on how to overhaul health care with the launch of a new grassroots campaign designed to provide high-quality and affordable insurance for all.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

National Underwriter: AHIP Unveils Outreach Campaign

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From National Underwriter: America’s Health Insurance Plans representatives today traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to launch an effort to make its case to voters.

AHIP, Washington, introduced the AHIP Campaign for an American Solution initiative with a roundtable discussion that included community leaders and uninsured people from Columbus.

The campaign also includes new print ads and new Web ads.

AHIP has been trying to counter arguments in favor of a single-payer health system by supporting efforts to provide different types of help for different types of uninsured people.

To read the entire article, click here.

BNA: Insurance Association Launches Campaign to Increase Support for Reform Proposals

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Reproduced with Permission from BNA's Health Care Daily Report: America's Health Insurance Plans, a lobby group for the insurance industry, kicked off its Campaign to gain grassroots support for and get feedback on the association's proposals for health care reform July 22 in a discussion with uninsured individuals in Columbus, Ohio.

The "Campaign for an American Solution" stop was the first in a number of roundtable discussions with citizens across America about the association's plans for universal coverage and more affordable, higher quality care, which focus on the private sector and the government both playing a role.

"People are looking for a blend of the best of the public and private sector strategies," AHIP Chief Executive Officer Karen Ignani said in a teleconference with reporters about the campaign. "The issue of healthcare is front and center for regular people and they are going to be expecting the next president not only to prioritize it but to get the job done."

Protest

Health Care for America Now, a coalition of unions including the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union, and other organizations like MoveOn.org, protested the event in Ohio.

"Americans know that the last people we can trust to fix the health care mess are insurance companies," Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager for Health Care for America Now, said in a statement.

AHIP's proposal is to guarantee coverage by creating state-sponsored Guarantee Access Plans to cover the highest-risk individuals, those with expected claims that are two times the statewide average or more, and having health insurance companies guarantee coverage to all other applicants, according to the Campaign's Web site.

The plan would also limit rescissions, the retroactive cancellation of a holder's health insurance plan because of mistakes or misrepresentations on their application, and would create a third-party review process to resolve disputes about pre-existing condition exclusions and rescissions.

Strategies to repair the safety net, development of refundable tax credits for working families, and plans to address cost and quality issues will also be discussed during the campaign's meetings with consumers, Ignagni said.

Reproduced with permission from BNA's Health Care Daily Report, Vol. 13, No. 141 (July 23, 2008).
Copyright 2008 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
(800-372-1033)
http://www.bna.com

Modern Healthcare: Campaign for Reform

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: As the lobbying group for health insurers embarks on its coast-to-coast "listening tour" and launches an advertising campaign to build support for its healthcare reform ideas, providers said they were encouraged yet still skeptical about the industry's motivations.

The campaign started last week in Columbus, Ohio, where America's Health Insurance Plans held a roundtable discussion with uninsured Ohioans at a local YMCA. Those uninsured attending the hourlong session included a recent college graduate, a woman who lives at the YMCA and an attorney. Outside, about 200 protesters picketed the event.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Detroit Free Press: Health Insurance Trade Group Meets Detroiters

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Detroit Free Press: April Readus just had a child. She worked that Friday, she said, gave birth on Saturday, and was back to work on Tuesday to earn money for pediatrician visits.
Oneida Gorecki left her job in June. She said she kept her hours low to keep her husband eligible for Medicare. She relies on Mercy Primary Care Center, a facility on Detroit's east side that serves uninsured people.

Charilyn Goolsby is insured through her husband's work, but said she can't afford to give health insurance to the workers at her small business.

Readus, Gorecki and Goolsby were three of six women who met at Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit at the request of the health insurance industry group AHIP, America's Health Insurance Plans. They talked to Chief Executive Karen Ignagni about their health care and insurance issues. This was AHIP's second meeting on health care reform in its Campaign for an American Solution.

The women's message: We need better and affordable health care and coverage. We need to be treated equally, regardless of our insurance status. We need universal health care.

AHIP's response: We need more federal funding to shore up the safety net of public programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and MIChild.

We need better subsidies. We need to cap health care expenses. We need tax credits for working individuals who earn up to $80,000 to use toward health care.

To read the entire article, click here.

WJR Detroit: CEO of America's Health Insurance Plan on "The Big Story"

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From WJR AM760 Detroit: Karen Ignagni, CEO of America's Health Insurance Plan, was interviewed on The Big Story on WJR AM760 in Detroit, Michigan.

To download audio or read a transcript of the broadcast, click here.

Politico: They're Back...

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: Harry and Louise – that fictional Everyman couple that starred in ads widely credited with helping to kill health-care reform in 1994 – are returning to the small screen. This time, though, they’ll be urging that an overhaul of the health-care system be the nation’s top domestic priority.

The spots, featuring the same actors and kitchen table, will run through both Republican and Democratic national conventions, airing between August 24 and Sept. 7, said Stephanie Cathcart, spokeswoman for the National Federation of Independent Business.

To read the entire article, click here.

Politico: Harry and Louise II

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: The new Harry and Louise ad we told you about yesterday is now on the Web. In the 30-second spot, the two chat about "Lisa’s husband," who was diagnosed with cancer but can't afford coverage because he joined a startup.

"Too many people are falling through the cracks," Harry says.

"Whoever the next president is, health care should be at the top of his agenda. Bring everyone to the table and make it happen," Louise replies.

The original Harry and Louise ads were credited with helping to kill health care reform in 1994 and were paid for by the now-defunct Health Insurance Association of America, a forerunner of America’s Health Insurance Plans.

To read the entire article, click here.

Ignagni Joins Ad Sponsors at Press Conference

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) today welcomed a new ad campaign by a broad stakeholder coalition that urges the next president and Congress to put health care reform at the top of the national agenda.

Sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, Families USA and the National Federation of Independent Business, the ads feature the fictional characters Harry and Louise.

Appearing with the sponsor organizations at a news conference at the National Press Club, AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni applauded their focus on cooperation and consensus building.

"We fully support this campaign because the seeds of workable reform are planted in efforts like this: diverse stakeholders from across the spectrum working together to find common ground," Ignagni said.

"Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care. Our plan is coverage you can afford, coverage you can keep, coverage for all Americans," said Ignagni.

"While offering solutions is important, we know that real progress will not happen unless stakeholders reach out and work together. That’s why we are pleased to be here to lend our support as the AHA, the American Cancer Society, the Catholic Health Association, Families USA and NFIB come together to launch this new campaign," said Ignagni.

C-SPAN: Harry & Louise Healthcare Ads Return

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From C-SPAN: Harry and Louise, the fictional couple who helped to defeat the Clinton health reform program, return for Campaign 2008. A coalition of health associations and the National Federation of Independent Business, which created the original campaign, discuss the new ads at a National Press Club news conference.

To watch the discussion, click here.

CBS News: Health Care Ads Go Retro, With a Twist

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From CBS News: They were television icons back in the 1990s - a fictional couple starring not in a sitcom, but in political ads that transformed a very real national debate, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews.

Fifteen years ago, when President Clinton was proposing universal health coverage and First Lady Hillary Clinton was selling it to Congress, the Harry and Louise ads instantly unified the opposition by labeling the Clinton plan a government takeover.

"The government picks health plans, then we have to pick a plan from their list," Louise used to complain to her husband.

To read the entire article and view video from the CBS News piece, click here.

Modern Healthcare: Getting the Party Started

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: Healthcare interest groups, lobbyists and politicos are pumping millions of dollars and an untold number of hours into an effort to keep healthcare a major part of the agenda at the upcoming Democratic and Republican nominating conventions.

With the headlines currently dominated by the struggling economy, the lending crisis and military action by Russia, the conventions—the Democrats in Denver and the GOP in Minnesota's Twin Cities area—may be the industry's best chance to capture the attention of the country's leaders before the election. Both of the presumed major party candidates, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, have released plans for reforming healthcare, but the conventions will allow the nominees and the party to fine tune their messages for the final thrust before the November election.

"Conventions and the presidential debates, that's when the public pays attention," said Allan Lichtman, professor of history at American University in Washington.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Press Release: Uninsured Report Highlights Urgent Social and Economic Challenge for the Nation

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release – Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), today released the following statement on new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau showing that more than 45 million Americans are uninsured:

"Today's report showing that 45 million Americans are uninsured highlights a critical social and economic challenge that the nation must address. While the Census Bureau reports a modest decline in the uninsured rate, this does not reduce the urgency of the crisis. Over the past two years, our community has put forth a series of proposals to cover the uninsured, improve quality, and reduce skyrocketing health care costs. We need coverage for all Americans, coverage they can afford, and coverage they can keep."

L.A. Times: Number of Americans Without Health Insurance Falls

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Los Angeles Times: Thanks mostly to expanded government health coverage for children, the number of people without health insurance fell in 2007 for the first time since President Bush took office, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday.

In all, the number of people without health insurance dropped last year to 45.7 million, from 47 million in 2006, according to the bureau's annual report on income, poverty and health insurance. That's a drop to 15.3% of Americans from 15.8%.

Some healthcare experts had expected the number of uninsured to increase as the long-term erosion of private, employment-based coverage continued. Instead, the figures showed a shift toward government coverage that added fuel to the debate over how to best expand access to healthcare.

To read the entire article, click here.

Modern Healthcare: Census Bureau Finds Decline in Ranks of Uninsured

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: The number of uninsured people declined 3.2% to 45.7 million, or 15.3% of the population, in 2007 from 47 million, or 15.8% of the population, in 2006, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

"We haven't completely evaluated the causes" for the drop in the number of uninsured, although expansion in public health insurance is a likely reason, David Johnson, chief of the bureau's housing and household economic statistics division, said during a news conference.

The percentage of those covered by government health programs increased to 27.8%, or 83 million, in 2007 from 27%, or 80.3 million, in 2006, the Census Bureau found in its report Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007. In other findings, the number of uninsured children declined 6.9% to 8.1 million from 8.7 million. The numbers of those covered by private or employer-based coverage did not change much from 2006 to 2007.

While some healthcare experts were encouraged by the report, Karen Ignagni, president and chief executive officer of America's Health Insurance Plans, cautioned that a modest decline in the uninsured rate does not reduce the urgency of the healthcare crisis. "Today's report showing that 45 million Americans are uninsured highlights a critical social and economic challenge that the nation must address," she said in a written statement.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

KCPW News: Small Business Owners Share Health Care Frustrations

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From KCPW News: Small business owners gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Wednesday afternoon to share their frustrations about health insurance. Rocky Snow, who owns a small confection broker, discussed the problems he faces with Utah's Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool.

"The premium I face with this particular program is $648 a month and basically covers nothing. I've got to be just about dead before they're gonna step in and do anything. My wife, because she is on two different medications, was denied coverage," said Snow. "I finally worked with SelectHealth on that, and got them to where they will cover her, but it's basically after a $3,000 deductible. Basically, she's gotta be dead, too, before she gets any coverage."

Snow said he still pays much higher premiums than he did a decade ago even though he's much healthier.

Karen Ignagni is the CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade association representing 1,300 health insurance companies. Her organization has launched the Campaign for An American Solution, which is collecting health care stories across the country. She addressed Snow's concerns, along with several others.

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Listens to Health Care Concerns of Utah Small Business Owners

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) today met with Utah small business owners at a roundtable discussion on health care issues at the Salt Lake Chamber.

The roundtable is part of the health insurance industry's Campaign for an American Solution, a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

"Health system reform is our top priority," said Lane Beattie, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. "By employing private market principles and expanding accountability at all levels of the health system we can contain costs and improve quality of life."

"Affordable coverage for small businesses must be at the center of health care reform," said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP, the national association of health insurers. "We have offered a reform plan that would not only make coverage more affordable for small businesses, but would also make it easier for their employees to accept coverage when it is offered."

Today's discussion with Utah small business owners is the latest in a series of conversations the health insurance industry is having with Americans from all walks of life — those with coverage and those without, small business owners and employees, union leaders and members, physicians and other providers, and families from diverse communities.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the employer-paid portion of health insurance premiums for a Utah family was $10,975 in 2006, or double the rate in 2000. In 2006 alone, health care costs in Utah increased by twice the rate of earnings and more than double the rate of inflation. In Utah, 60% of businesses offer coverage to their employees today, down from 70% eight years ago. Gaps in coverage exist between large and small firms. While 90% of companies with 50 or more employees provide coverage, only 32% of firms with fewer than 50 employees provide health care for their workers.

AHIP's Board of Directors has developed comprehensive health care reform policy proposals that would ensure access to coverage for all Americans, reduce its cost and improve quality. Small businesses would benefit from AHIP proposals for health care reform that would:

Create a health care tax credit for working families. This proposal would help employees contribute to the cost of employer-sponsored coverage, thus reducing the number of workers who forego such benefits because they cannot afford to pay their share of the premium. Tax credits could also prompt more small businesses to offer employee health benefits in the first place.
Give workers real portability with a new tax-free portable health account that can be used to purchase any type of health care coverage. Individuals, employers, the federal government and state governments could all contribute to the account. This proposal would also assist individuals in taking up employer-sponsored coverage and help them keep their coverage when they are between jobs.
Encourage states to allow product flexibility so health insurance plans can offer a wide variety of affordable coverage options to small businesses. If state regulators allowed more flexible products more small business owners could afford to offer coverage.
Provide $50 billion for a new Federal Performance Grant to assist the states in expanding access to coverage. These funds would be used to support a wide range of innovative initiatives, including reforms targeted to help small employers.
Invest in comparative effectiveness to give all employers and employees better information about the safety, quality and cost-effectiveness of competing medical treatments and technologies.
Reform the medical liability system to help control costs.

The Salt Lake Chamber actively engages in health system reform. To further the objectives of H.B. 133, Health System Reform, and at the request of the state legislature, the Chamber is working with the business community to form a consensus and present specific recommendations on health system reform.

About the Campaign for an American Solution
The Campaign for an American Solution is a non-partisan, educational and grassroots initiative of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national trade association whose members provide coverage to more than 200 million people. Our campaign is grounded in reform principles that are shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability. Please visit www.americanhealhsolution.org for more information.

About the Salt Lake Chamber
The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah's largest business association and Utah's Business Leader. With roots that date back to 1887, the Chamber has been standing as the voice of business, supporting its members' success and championing community prosperity for over 100 years. The Chamber represents over 4,200 businesses statewide and one in every three jobs in the Utah economy. Chamber affiliate organizations include the Downtown Alliance and World Trade Center Utah.

Deseret News: Lawmakers, Executives Discuss Health Care Reform

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Deseret News: In an effort to show they are part of the health-care crisis solution, not the problem, a contingent of medical insurance executives spent Wednesday in Salt Lake talking with a contingent of small business executives and state lawmakers.

Invoking the historic natural alliance of the insurance industry and business — the most common source of insurance coverage for Utahns and all Americans is workplace-endorsed medical plans — options for fixing the numerous gaps in health-care access, quality and affordability were on the lunch menu at the Salt Lake Chamber offices.

"Health-system reform is our top priority," Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the chamber said after the meeting. "By employing private market principles and expanding accountability at all levels of the health system we can contain costs and improve quality of life."

To read the entire article, click here.

KCPW News: Health Insurance Industry Executive Advocates for Federal Policy Changes

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From KCPW News: Local business owners and care providers who are aggravated by the state of health insurance coverage shared their struggles with an industry executive this week. They gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday to speak and listen to Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade association representing 1,300 insurance companies.

To read the entire article, click here.

To download the complete audio of a conversation with Karen Ignagni, right-click here.

To download audio excerpts of a conversation with Karen Ignagni, right-click here and here.

KUER News: Small Business Owners Gather at Salt Lake Chamber

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From KUER News: A handful of small business owners gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber today, worried about the high price of health care and access to insurance.

Rocky Stone runs a local confections company in Salt Lake. He says health care providers and insurance companies need to be more flexible on who they insure and how much they charge.

To hear Rocky Stone speak about the cost of health care, click here.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 32 percent of Utah businesses with fewer than 50 employees provide health care for their employees.

Today's meeting was organized by a national health insurance association which is pushing for national health care reform.

To visit the KUER site, click here.

Mainstreet Business Journal: Health Insurance Industry Listens to Small Business Owners

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Mainstreet Business Journal: America's Health Insurance Plans last Week met with Utah small business owners at a roundtable discussion on health care issues at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.

The roundtable is part of the health insurance industry's Campaign for An American Solution, a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

The discussion with Utah small business owners was the latest in a series of conversations the health insurance industry is having with Americans from all walks of life - those with coverage and those without, small business owners and employees, union leaders and members, physicians and other providers, and families from diverse communities.

To read the entire article, click here.

Michigan Chronicle: Detroit Families Target of AHIP Campaign

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Detroiters recently shared their personal healthcare stories during a roundtable discussion held at Second Ebenezer Church.

It was moderated by New York Times journalist Dirk Johnson and hosted by the America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution. Karen Ignagni, president and CEO, will take these stories back with her to Washington.

"There's going to be a lot of discussion in Washington in this campaign season as well as post November about where healthcare should rank on the priority list," Ignagni said. "What I'm going to try to do is reflect the personal stories here about why healthcare has to be one of the (foremost) issues. I think it has to be a (top) priority."

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Health Care Reform in Albuquerque

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution today hosted a roundtable discussion in Albuquerque at which local government, business, health care and community leaders shared ideas about health care reform and reducing the disparities in care experienced by diverse communities.

"Reducing health care disparities needs to be a part of the health care reform discussion," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "In addition to offering reform proposals, health insurance plans are working with all stakeholders to close the gap in the quality of care experienced by culturally diverse populations across the country."

The roundtable discussion, which was held at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, was the sixth stop on the listening tour of AHIP' Campaign for an American Solution, a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

"The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (AHCC), the Association of Commerce and Industry and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce joined together to advocate a balanced solution to reducing the disparities in health care delivery. We see this event as an opportunity to continue the discussion around health care without endorsing one approach over another. In the end, our goal is to help find a way to reduce the costs for small businesses to provide quality care for all of their employees," said Alex Romero, President and CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Reducing health care disparities is a top priority in New Mexico, where chronic conditions such as diabetes disproportionately impact the state's Hispanic population. The New Mexico Department of Public Health's 2007 Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Report Card shows that New Mexico's diabetes mortality rate is higher than that of the United States and that a large percentage of New Mexican minorities have not received recommended vaccinations.

In addition, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 22% of New Mexicans were uninsured in 2006, compared with 16% nationally. Of non-elderly uninsured individuals, 45% were Hispanic, compared to 33% nationally.

By 2050, racial and ethnic minorities will represent 50 percent of the U.S. population. This demographic shift will make it even more important to focus on strategies for delivering high-quality, linguistically and culturally appropriate care. For the past five years, AHIP has led a multi-faceted initiative, Addressing Disparities in Health, which provides technical support for health insurance plans and other health care organizations. The initiative focuses on:

the collection of data on race, ethnicity and primary language;
cultural competency training as a foundation to improve care;
model designs for quality improvement activities to reduce disparities; and
communication approaches that address the cultural diversity of America's growing racial and ethnic population.

To learn more about these efforts visit www.ahip.org/disparities.

Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to provide all Americans with greater access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage. These proposals can be viewed at www.AHIPBelieves.com.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Insurance Giants Have Own Ideas on Reform

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch: If Wall Street ever rights itself, the next president might shift his attention to fixing the nation's health care mess.

Until then, the nation's top medical insurance companies will be waiting with their ideas. The industry's trade group has been working on this issue for two years, promoting a plan to cover all Americans, holding roundtable discussions across the country and trying to prepare for whomever moves into the White House in January.

"The reason we're doing that is we're recognizing that the current system is not working for everybody," said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for AHIP, the Washington-based trade group. "People are falling into the cracks."

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Rhode Island Working Families and Small Business Owners

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: Working families and small business owners today shared their health care stories and their priorities for health care reform at a roundtable discussion in Providence, Rhode Island, hosted by America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution.

"Families and small business owners in Rhode Island and across the country are urging policymakers to make health care reform a top priority," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "We presented our health care reform proposals and received valuable feedback from concerned citizens in Providence. Rhode Islanders agree that we need coverage for every American, coverage they can afford, and coverage they can keep."

The roundtable discussion, which was held at the Rhode Island Quality Institute, was the seventh stop on the listening tour of AHIP's Campaign for an American Solution, a national grassroots and educational initiative launched in July to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to cover the uninsured, improve the quality and safety of health care, reform the individual health insurance market, and reduce rising health care costs. At each stop on the listening tour, AHIP is sharing these proposals and soliciting feedback from the participants to ensure they are addressing the key health care challenges facing Americans across the country.

To learn more about AHIP's health care reform proposals, visit www.AHIPBelieves.com.

Rhode Island -- and New England -- has fewer uninsured residents than the rest of the country, with 10% of Rhode Islanders and 11% of New Englanders lacking coverage, according to the 2008 National Health Statistics Report. In 2006, the average Rhode Island family paid 20% of the premium for health insurance coverage offered through work, or $2,387, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This was nearly $500 less than the national average. Among small businesses in Rhode Island, 57% offer health coverage to employees, as opposed to the national average of 43%.

WLNE-TV: Healthcare Reform in Rhode Island

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From WLNE-TV: We begin with talking about healthcare reform in Rhode Island. Members of the insurance industry are meeting today to discuss ways to provide more Rhode Islanders with health insurance. The discussion is part of the group's campaign for workable healthcare reform. The meeting is set to take place at Foundry in Providence at 12:45 this afternoon.

To read the entire transcript and view the video, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Discusses Strategies to Lower Costs and Expand Coverage with Arkansas Governor’s Roundtable on Health Care

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni today met with the Arkansas Governor's Roundtable on Health Care to discuss the health insurance industry’s proposals to reduce health care costs, improve quality and ensure that every American is covered.

"I'm pleased to join this distinguished panel of leaders to exchange ideas and solutions on how we can make the health care system work better for all Arkansans and all Americans," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "Health plans have made specific proposals to ensure that all Americans have quality, affordable health care. I look forward to discussing these proposals with the roundtable and hearing their feedback and discussion."

Ignagni's participation in today's discussion is the latest stop of AHIP's Campaign for an American Solution national listening tour. The Campaign is a grassroots and educational initiative launched by AHIP in July to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

"The Governor's Roundtable on Health Care embodies the approach that is needed across the country." Ignagni said. "We also believe that the only way to solve our health care challenges is to work together to build consensus. The partisan politics of the past won't work," Ignagni continued.

Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to provide all Americans with greater access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage. These proposals can be viewed at www.AHIP.org.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 17% of Arkansans are uninsured, compared to 15% nationally. Fifteen percent of Arkansas's gross state product is expenditures for health care, and these costs are growing by 9% per year on average.

The Arkansas Governor's Roundtable on Health Care was formed to help improve Arkansans' health and productivity through optimal program development, community support, and empowerment of individuals.

The Roundtable has been meeting bi-monthly to identify, develop, and implement strategies to improve health, deliver care, and enhance both worker productivity and the business climate to advance the state.

National Journal: Tax Changes for Health Care?

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From National Journal: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni is among the experts offering an answer to this question - "Is there a sensible way to change the tax treatment of health care that would be palatable to both Republicans and Democrats?"

To read the entire article, click here.

CNN: Health Reform: What's Next?

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From CNN: A look at President-elect Obama's health care plan and the medical community's response. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.

To watch the clip, click here.

Washington Post: Senators Hurry to Keep Health Care in Forefront

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Post: Two of the Senate's most influential leaders are working separately behind the scenes on legislation that would dramatically alter the way Americans get health care, hoping their early efforts -- including the release today of a position paper -- will push President-elect Barack Obama to move rapidly on the issue and spare the incoming administration some of the missteps that killed Bill Clinton's health reform initiative in 1994.

To read the entire article, click here.

MarketWatch: Senator Outlines Health-Reform Proposal

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From MarketWatch: A prominent Democratic senator released a much-anticipated framework for health-care reform Wednesday that would eventually go one step further than President-elect Barack Obama's health proposal in guaranteeing coverage for all Americans.

Max Baucus of Montana, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, released an 89-page "Call to Action" that he said represents his vision for reform.

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: AHIP Statement on Senator Baucus’ Health Care Reform Proposal

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Press Release: Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), today issued the following statement in response to the new health care reform proposal released by U.S. Senator Max Baucus:

"Now is the time for health care reform. We commend Senator Baucus for putting forth a comprehensive reform proposal that addresses the key health care challenges facing the nation. We look forward to reading the plan and participating in the discussion to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage."

To read a summary of the proposal, right click here and select save.

To read the full proposal, right click here and select save.

Press Release: Health Plans Propose Guaranteed Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions and Individual Coverage Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Press Release: Health plans today proposed guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions in conjunction with an enforceable individual coverage mandate.

Under the new proposal, health plans participating in the individual health insurance market would be required to offer coverage to all applicants as part of a universal participation plan in which all individuals were required to maintain health insurance.

Health plans also said that premium support for moderate-income individuals and broad spreading of risk was necessary to promote affordability and maintain premium stability in the individual health insurance market.

To ensure that all Americans can access coverage, health plans also reiterated their long-standing support for making eligible for Medicaid every uninsured American living in poverty and strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

"No one should fall through the cracks of our health care system," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). "Universal coverage is within reach and can be achieved by building on the current system."

The announcement follows a nationwide listening tour conducted by AHIP as part of its Campaign for an American Solution. Concerns about coverage for pre-existing conditions, continuity of coverage for those between jobs and maintaining affordability for those with insurance were raised repeatedly across the country.

"AHIP's Board of Directors is responding to the concerns of the American people by offering a workable solution to ensure that no one is left out of the health care system because of their health, age, income or employment status," said Ignagni.

The new proposal builds on the series of comprehensive reform plans that AHIP's Board of Directors began releasing in November 2006. Further reform proposals addressing the affordability, accessibility and quality of health care are anticipated in the weeks ahead.

Summary of AHIP's Proposal to Guarantee Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions and Promote Affordability in the Individual Insurance Market:

Guarantee-issue coverage with no pre-existing condition exclusions;
Establish an individual coverage requirement with an insurance coverage verification system, an automatic enrollment process and effective enforcement of the requirement that all individuals purchase and maintain coverage;
Promote affordability by: providing refundable, advanceable tax credits for moderate-income individuals and working families; and promoting tax equity whether coverage is obtained through an employer or the individual market; and
Ensure premium stability for those with existing coverage through a broadly funded reimbursement mechanism that spreads costs for the highest-risk individuals.

Background on the Individual Market and Guarantee Issue

AHIP's survey of the individual market shows that individually purchased health insurance is far more affordable and accessible than is widely known. The survey found that 9 out of 10 applicants undergoing medical underwriting were offered coverage. The plans commonly purchased by consumers provided substantial financial protection and a wide range of benefits, including coverage for behavioral health, prescription drugs and preventive services.

Some individuals are unable to purchase individual health insurance coverage in the private market because of their health status. One approach taken by states to address this issue has been the enactment of guarantee issue legislation requiring health plans to offer coverage to all applicants. These well-intentioned reforms have often resulted in severe unintended consequences, including significantly higher costs for all policyholders.

A report by Milliman, Inc. found that enactment of guarantee issue laws in the absence of requirement that individuals purchase coverage may incentivize people to defer seeking coverage until they have health problems – a situation which unfairly penalizes those who are currently insured. According to the report, states that implemented these laws saw a rise in insurance premiums, a reduction of individual insurance enrollment and no significant decrease in the number of uninsured. To learn more about the individual market survey and the Milliman report, please visit www.ahip.org.

AP: Insurers Make Pitch for Health Coverage Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Associated Press: The health insurance industry said Wednesday it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage.

Lawmakers have signaled their intent to craft health care legislation early next year, and the insurance industry's support would make passage easier. That legislation is expected to closely track the proposals of president-elect Barack Obama. However, Obama separated himself from his Democratic challengers by opposing an individual mandate for adults to buy health insurance.

More lawmakers may agree to a mandate if it means the insurance industry will back those efforts. They'll remember it was the industry's opposition 15 years ago that helped scuttle former President Clinton's health plan.

The board of directors for America's Health Insurance Plans agreed to the trade-off Monday night. The board endorsed the proposal after a series of hearings in various states.

To read the entire article, click here.

C-SPAN: Karen Ignagni on C-SPAN's Washington Journal

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From C-SPAN: On November 12, 2008, Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, was interviewed on C-SPAN's Washington Journal program.

Please view the video of her interview:

CongressDaily: Health Insurers Group Backs Universal Coverage With Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From CongressDaily: Health. Health insurers lined up today behind a proposal to guarantee coverage of pre-existing conditions as long as Congress arms them with a mandate for everyone to purchase insurance. Both proposals are part of Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus' plan to overhaul the healthcare system and provide universal coverage. "No one should fall through the cracks of our healthcare system," Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, said.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

AP: Mandate May Spur Insurer Revenue; Profit Less Sure

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Associated Press: A government plan mandating insurance coverage for all Americans could rake in revenue for commercial health insurers, but whether that revenue would trickle down to robust profit growth remains to be seen, according to Wall Street analysts.

The insurance industry has told Congress that it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage.

That mandate is crucial, analysts say. It would keep both healthy and sick people in the coverage pool for insurers and allow them to spread risk over a larger population. That makes a universal plan "palatable" to the industry, said Ana Gupte, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.

To read the entire article, click here.

BestWire: Health Industry Proposes Coverage for All, Along with Individual Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From BestWire: The U.S. health insurance industry has proposed guaranteeing coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions coupled with an enforceable mandate that everyone buy coverage.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Business Insurance: AHIP Proposes Universal Coverage Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Business Insurance: Health plans support the use of so-called guaranteed-issue policies for all Americans, including those with pre-existing medical conditions, as long as the federal government mandates that everyone must purchase coverage.

AHIP previously opposed guaranteed issue, which requires health insurers to cover anyone regardless of health status. This change of stance, formally announced today by America's Health Insurance Plans, was first mentioned by Karen Ignagni, president and chief executive officer of the Washington-based insurance industry trade group, during a panel discussion held last week at the 13th annual meeting of National Business Coalition on Health.

"We are for guaranteed issue—we're going to be saying that in a number of forums—as long as the government does its part," Ms. Ignagni said at the meeting, which was held Nov. 9-11 in Washington. "We think government has a strong role."

To read the entire article, click here.

Columbus Dispatch: Insurers Bend on Pre-Existing Illness

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Columbus Dispatch: The health-insurance industry says it will support a requirement that insurers guarantee coverage to those with pre-existing conditions -- if all Americans are mandated to have health insurance.

America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group, says if all individuals are covered, risks will be spread and insurance will be more affordable.

Yesterday's announcement comes as Congress is working on health-care legislation and states grapple with rising numbers of uninsured.

To read the entire article, click here.

Investor's Business Daily: Health Mandate Builds Support As Insurers Endorse Approach

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Investor's Business Daily: Political momentum is growing to make everyone buy health insurance — or else.

Private health insurers on Wednesday said they could accept laws requiring them to accept all customers — regardless of pre-existing medical conditions — if lawmakers mandate that all Americans purchase coverage.

Support from America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry trade group, is notable because the group's "Harry and Louise" ads helped doom HillaryCare in 1994.

To read the entire article, click here.

National Journal: Fixing the Insurance Market: Solutions for a Serious Problem

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From National Journal: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni is among the experts offering an answer to this question - "How should policy makers fix the current insurance market for individuals?"

To read the entire article, click here.

National Underwriter: As Panel Meets, AHIP Makes Guaranteed Issue Offer

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From National Underwriter: America's Health Insurance Plans today introduced a major coverage proposal as witnesses convened for a Senate Finance Committee hearing on health care reform.

AHIP, Washington, is starting by proposing that insurers agree to offer coverage to applicants with pre-existing conditions if the government also imposes a well-enforced requirement for individuals to own health coverage.

AHIP also is calling on policymakers to create a refundable, advanceable health insurance tax credit for individuals and working families; give purchasers of individual health coverage the same tax breaks that purchasers of group coverage get; and create a system for spreading the risk involved with insuring individuals with health problems.

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: Health Insurers Offer to Accept All Applicants, on Condition

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The New York Times: The health insurance industry said Wednesday that it would support a health care overhaul requiring insurers to accept all customers, regardless of illness or disability. But in return, the industry said, Congress should require all Americans to have coverage.

The proposals, put forward by the insurers' two main trade associations, have the potential to reshape and advance the debate over universal health insurance just as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office.

In separate actions, the two trade groups, America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, announced their support for guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions, in conjunction with an enforceable mandate for individual coverage.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: This Time Around, Health-Care Revamp Has Wings

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Wall Street Journal: The effort to overhaul the nation's health system will begin next year with one clear advantage over previous attempts: A wide variety of interest groups are rooting for it to succeed rather than plotting to kill it.

That is a stark contrast to the last big health-care initiative in the early 1990s, when many of the same groups helped block any major change.

In addition, Barack Obama's choice of Tom Daschle, a former Senate Majority Leader, as Secretary of Health and Human Services, puts a skilled navigator of Capitol Hill in charge of the president-elect's bid to establish universal health care, which he has made a top priority.

To read the entire article, click here.

NewsHour: In Weak Economy, Obama May Face Obstacles to Health Care Reform

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer: Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, appeared on the November 20th episode of PBS's The Newshour with Jim Lehrer to discuss the health care challenges President-elect Barack Obama will face when he takes office.

To watch the interview and read a transcript, click here.

Bloomberg: Memo to the President-Elect: Advice for Obama on Health Care

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Bloomberg: Insurance industry offers to ignore pre-existing conditions in coverage; Industry wants new administration to mandate coverage for all; Poll: 3/4 of Americans expect reform in Obama's first term; Health Care spending is 4.3 times amount spent on National Defense; Obama says he'll tackle health care, despite financial crisis; AHIP represents 1,300 insurance companies; Sen. Baucus proposes plan mandating health coverage; Analysis by Karen Ignagni of America's Health Insurance Plans.

To watch the interview, click here.

Inside Health Policy: Insurance Industry Weighs in on Debate About Health Insurance Mandate

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Inside Health Policy: The insurance industry Wednesday backed lawmakers' calls for an individual health insurance mandate, weighing in on an issue that appears to be the biggest philosophical difference, at least on paper, between President-elect Barack Obama's health platform and the health reform legislation expected to emerge from the Senate. America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced separately that they would support legislation forcing insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions if the government mandates all Americans get health insurance.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Modern Healthcare: AHIP Alters Stance on Pre-Existing Conditions

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Modern Healthcare: The trade group for major health plans is now endorsing guaranteed coverage for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, provided the move goes along with an enforceable mandate requiring everyone to purchase health insurance.

America's Health Insurance Plans said the change came after a nationwide "listening tour" where top officials met with consumers in town hall-like settings in recent months. "AHIP's board of directors is responding to the concerns of the American people by offering a workable solution to ensure that no one is left out of the healthcare system because of their age, income or employment status," Karen Ignagni, AHIP's president and chief executive officer, said in a written statement.

Under the new proposal, health plans offering coverage through the individual health insurance market would be required to offer coverage to all applicants as part of a universal participation plan in which everyone is required to maintain health insurance. Massachusetts has such a mandate, and levies fines on residents who don’t have health insurance.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Bloomberg: Health Insurers Want Mandatory Coverage for Americans

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Bloomberg: The health insurance industry proposed guaranteeing coverage for every American, regardless of medical condition, in return for an enforceable requirement that everyone have a policy.

The proposal also calls for the government to subsidize premiums for moderate-income people, according to a statement today by the Washington-based trade group America's Health Insurance Plans. AHIP speaks for 1,300 companies that provide public or privately funded benefits, led by UnitedHealth Group Inc. and WellPoint Inc.

The insurers' plan is similar to ideas offered by President- elect Barack Obama, except Obama hasn't supported making insurance mandatory for everyone. During his presidential campaign, Obama proposed expanding government health programs, giving subsidies to low-income families and requiring insurers to cover all applicants.

"No one should fall through the cracks of our health care system," said Karen Ignagni, the industry group's chief executive officer. "Universal coverage is within reach and can be achieved by building on the current system."

To read the entire article, click here.

CQ HealthBeat: Baucus: Health Overhaul Must Be Part of Economic Recovery Package

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Congressional Quarterly HealthBeat: As some health care analysts express concern that the nation's economic problems will hurt chances next year for passage of major health care legislation, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said Wednesday that any economic recovery package must include health care overhaul legislation.

"Comprehensive health reform legislation must be part of any successful economic recovery plan," the Montana Democrat said at a hearing to discuss the economics of health care overhaul. "Health care costs and the economy are linked: The key challenges of our health care system are high costs, low quality and insufficient access," and those factors affect family budgets, businesses' ability to compete abroad and also impact government spending, he said.

Separately Wednesday, two major health insurers announced they would support covering individuals' pre-existing medical conditions if individuals were required to purchase health insurance, known as the "individual mandate." Both America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade group representing health care insurers, as well as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association announced their support for the idea. Baucus also included an individual mandate in a health care overhaul proposal released Nov. 12.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

U.S. News & World Report: Health Insurers Propose Coverage for All

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From U.S. News & World Report: Representatives of the insurance industry told Congress yesterday that they support an overhaul of the healthcare system that would call for them to accept any customer who applies for coverage, regardless of health status, the Associated Press reports. But insurers also favor a requirement for all Americans to have health insurance. Requiring health insurance for all is needed, according to industry analysts, because mandatory inclusion of both healthy and sick people would allow insurers to distribute risk over a larger group of people.

To read the entire article, click here.

HealthDay: Health Insurers Would Accept All Customers if Congress Mandated Coverage

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From HealthDay: Health insurers would agree to accept all customers, regardless of illness or disability, if Congress required all Americans to have coverage, two main industry trade associations said Wednesday.

If people aren't mandated to have coverage, many would wait until they suffer health problems before they buy insurance, said America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, The New York Times reported.

To read the entire article, click here.

Washington Post: U.S. 'Not Getting What We Pay For'

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Post: Talk to the chief executives of America's preeminent health-care institutions, and you might be surprised by what you hear: When it comes to medical care, the United States isn't getting its money's worth. Not even close.

"We're not getting what we pay for," says Denis Cortese, president and chief executive of the Mayo Clinic. "It's just that simple."

"Our health-care system is fraught with waste," says Gary Kaplan, chairman of Seattle's cutting-edge Virginia Mason Medical Center. As much as half of the $2.3 trillion spent today does nothing to improve health, he says.

To read the entire article, click here.

Boston Globe: Lobbies Backing Health Reforms

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Boston Globe: Powerful special interest groups that helped torpedo healthcare reform 16 years ago are now advocating significant changes in the nation's health insurance and delivery system. They are participating in regular discussions about how to expand health coverage and lower costs, key commitments that President-elect Barack Obama made in his campaign.

Significant differences over policy remain unresolved, and even the most optimistic proponents of reform think passing major legislation next year would be difficult. But two key factions, the business lobby and the health insurance industry, are talking seriously about substantial changes that would ideally help cover the nation's 47 million uninsured, improve the quality of care, and tame the growth of healthcare spending.

Today, the nation's largest health insurance lobbying group will present its own proposal for a version of universal health insurance. The group, America's Health Insurance Plans, has put up a website featuring man-on-the-street video interviews of people complaining about the lack of affordable healthcare: "I'm disgusted, I'm frustrated, I don't know what to do about it," a blonde woman with glasses says in one of the interviews. "It's time for the government to step in."

To read the entire article, click here.

Bloomberg: Health Insurers Pitch Plan to Curb Costs, Premiums

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Bloomberg News Service (via The Asbury Park Press): The U.S. health insurance industry urged Congress to create a public-private advisory panel on health costs and a uniform national coverage plan exempt from state requirements on benefits.

The changes would curb costs and enable families and small businesses to buy coverage for less money, according to a statement today by the Washington trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans. The group speaks for 1,300 managed-care companies, led by UnitedHealth Group Inc. and WellPoint Inc.

To read the entire article, click here.

CongressDaily: Insurance Group Unveils Overhaul Aimed at Cutting Costs

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From CongressDaily: The health insurance industry's trade group laid out a plan today to cut growing healthcare costs by $500 billion over five years, to streamline administrative paperwork, and provide universal coverage. "As an integral part of the delivery system, our members felt they had a responsibility to offer proposals, not to react to other proposals," said Karen Ignani, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans. The proposal comes after AHIP garnered suggestions from around the country. AHIP did not offer specific cost-containment proposals to reduce the growth in spending by $500 billion, around 30 percent of the current total. It suggested Congress appoint a commission to determine saving options. "The heart of our proposal is a public-private partnership that builds on the employer-based health coverage that 170 million Americans rely on today," said James Roosevelt, co-chairman of AHIP's policy committee and president and CEO of Tufts Health Plan.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Dow Jones: Health Insurance Trade Group Proposal Praised by Sen Kennedy

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Dow Jones (via CNN Money): A proposal unveiled Wednesday by the health insurance industry would provide universal health coverage and hack away at medical costs through an outside group, and it has seen initial praise from an unlikely source.

The proposal, offered by the America's Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP, trade group, comes on the heels of a universal health care proposal offered by Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., as well as pledges by Sen. Ted Kennedy, D- Mass., to move quickly on the issue in 2009.

The keystone of the AHIP proposal is a goal to reduce growth in health care expenses throughout the U.S. market by 30% - a target Ignagni said would reduce health care costs by more than $500 billion from 2010 to 2014.

AHIP's plan won a positive remarks from Kennedy, who figures to play a large role in the debate next year as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

To read the entire article, click here.

L.A. Times: Insurers Propose Universal, Centralized Health Care

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From Los Angeles Times: Reporting from Washington — Sharpening the emerging debate over how to reshape the country's healthcare system, the major group representing insurers unveiled a proposal Wednesday for covering all Americans in a more centralized insurance market.

The plan offered by America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group representing companies that together insure more than 200 million people, comes a decade and half after the industry helped kill the last major healthcare reform campaign -- pushed early in the Clinton administration.

And Wednesday's proposal for a form of universal insurance coverage reflects the intensifying interest among groups like insurers, businesses and healthcare providers in having an active role in shaping the reform effort.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: Insurers Group Proposes Universal Health Care

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Wall Street Journal: The trade group for health insurers on Wednesday offered its own universal-coverage proposal that calls for Congress to slow the growth of health-care costs by 30% in five years, envisioning a total savings of more than $500 billion.

The money could be used to fund coverage of the uninsured and to cut costs for those with insurance, said officials from America's Health Insurance Plans. The group called on Congress to establish a public-private advisory group to recommend action in three areas: reducing wasteful spending, changing how doctors and hospitals are paid, and reducing administrative costs.

In 2006, health spending in the U.S. reached $2.1 trillion, consuming 16% of the nation's gross domestic product, according to economists at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

To read the entire article, click here.

Boston Globe: Editorial - Goodbye, Harry and Louise

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Boston Globe: During the democratic presidential primaries, the key domestic policy disagreement was over the candidates' health reform plans. Should the government require every individual not covered by employers or a public plan to buy health insurance? Hillary Clinton and John Edwards said yes; Barack Obama said no. Now the insurance industry has announced its support for an individual mandate, a move that could bring the country closer to universal healthcare.

Favoring a mandate that everyone must have insurance would seem like a no-brainer for insurers - it guarantees them more customers who can spread the costs around. But the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association have added a major concession from their side: In exchange for the mandate they would agree to provide coverage to all comers, whatever their age or preexisting conditions. This could lead to a debate in which insurers are not working to sabotage agreement, as they did with the Harry and Louise ads in the 1990s.

The insurance industry's unwillingness to cover everyone has always been a great hurdle to reform. The industry has resisted any requirement from government that it cover everyone for fear that only the sick would enroll in the new plans, driving up the cost of premiums for all. With an individual mandate, the companies are assured they will also have healthy customers buying policies - because they have to.

To read the entire article, click here.

Washington Times: Health Insurance Lobby Urges Public-Private Reform Panel

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Times: The nation's largest health insurance lobbying group is urging Congress to create a public-private advisory board to develop a plan to cut growth in national health care spending by almost one-third - savings that could be used to help pay for universal medical coverage for all Americans.

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), which Wednesday announced a comprehensive health care reform plan three years in the making, said its goal to reduce growth in health care spending from 6.6 percent per year to 4.7 percent could save more than $500 billion over five years, the group said.

"We need to move forward with health care reform, and it needs to be comprehensive and it needs to include quality improvement, value improvement, cost containment and access," said AHIP President and Chief Executive Officer Karen Ignagni.

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Plans Offer Comprehensive Reform Proposal

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Press Release: Health plans today offered a comprehensive health care reform proposal to achieve universal coverage, reduce the growth of health care costs, and improve the quality of medical care.

Please view the video from the reform proposal press conference:

"Today our board is making a strong statement that now is the time for health care reform," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). "Reducing health care costs, improving quality of care, and bringing everyone into the system must be done in tandem to maximize the opportunity for success on all fronts."

The new proposal is the culmination of three years of policy development by AHIP's Board of Directors to develop workable solutions to the health care challenges facing the nation. It reflects the concerns and incorporates the ideas that were raised by the American people during a nationwide listening tour as part of AHIP's Campaign for an American Solution.

"AHIP's Board and membership are committed to working with policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure that all Americans have affordable, high-quality health care coverage," said James Roosevelt, Jr., President and CEO of Tufts Health Plan and Co-Chair of AHIP's Policy Committee.

The new proposal outlines strategies to achieve four main objectives: controlling costs; helping consumers and purchasers; achieving universal coverage; and adding value.

Controlling costs: A financially sustainable and affordable health care system can only be achieved by bringing underlying medical costs under control. If health care costs are allowed to continue rising at rates far exceeding economic growth, they will thwart all efforts to improve coverage and care.

Health plans are urging Congress to set a bold target of reducing the future growth in health care costs by 30 percent over the next five years. Based on the current projected growth rate of 6.6 percent, this could produce a cumulative savings of more than $500 billion over five years.

To achieve these goals, health plans are proposing that a public-private advisory group be created to provide specific policy recommendations to Congress on reducing health care costs. This new advisory group would include input from a wide variety of stakeholders to provide objective, independent recommendations.

Helping consumers and purchasers: Insurance market rules need to be reformed to help individuals and small businesses access affordable coverage while avoiding duplication of administrative and regulatory responsibilities. These reforms must be coupled with initiatives to provide one-stop access to coverage options and clear, consistent information on quality and cost of care.

Health plans propose that a new portable health plan be available to individuals and small businesses in all states. This affordable "essential benefits plan" would provide coverage for prevention and wellness as well as acute and chronic care. To maintain affordability, the essential benefits plan would not be subject to varying and conflicting state benefit mandates.
The essential benefit plan would also be made available to workers who are going through a job transition or are eligible for COBRA to ensure they are able to maintain health care coverage.

The proposal also calls for protecting low-income individuals and working families from medical bankruptcy by making available tax credits to those who spend a set percentage of their income on out-of-pocket health care expenses, including premiums and cost-sharing.

Achieving universal coverage: By addressing rising costs, reforming insurance market rules, and enhancing value in care delivery, the nation can provide all Americans – those with and without coverage today – affordable coverage they can keep.

Health plans propose guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions in conjunction with an enforceable individual coverage mandate. To help working families afford coverage, advanceable and refundable tax credits should be available, phasing out as income approaches 400 percent of the federal poverty line.

The plan also calls for shoring up the health care safety net by making eligible for Medicaid every uninsured American living in poverty and strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Adding value: The nation must create a 21st century system where quality and effectiveness are rewarded, administrative efficiency is achieved, and primary care and wellness are encouraged.

Health plans commit to streamlining administrative processes and propose making targeted investments in our public health infrastructure. The plan also calls for refocusing our health care system on keeping people healthy, intervening early, and providing coordinated care for chronic conditions; adopting uniform standards for quality, reporting, and information technology; and investing more in research to better understand which treatments and therapies work best – for the nation as a whole and for specific patients.

AP: Insurers Like Obama Health Plan, with Reservations

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Associated Press: The insurance industry embraced many of President-elect Barack Obama's ideas for better health care coverage Wednesday, though it opposes a key piece of his plan to require employers to help pay for that coverage.

The industry said it opposes Obama's plan to require medium-sized and large employers to contribute to their workers' health coverage or pay a percentage of their payroll for operation of a national, public insurance plan.

"Given the economic disruption in the country, ... we don't think now is the time to recommend an employer-mandate," said Karen Ignagni, president and chief executive officer of the largest trade group for insurers, America's Health Insurance Plans.

To read the entire article, click here.

Plain Dealer: Health Insurance Industry Unveils Own Reform Prescription

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Cleveland Plain Dealer: Facing virtual certainty that lawmakers will put the nation's health-care system on the operating table in 2009, the health insurance industry Wednesday unveiled its own reform prescription.

America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group whose members insure more than 200 million Americans, said it wants to achieve universal health insurance coverage, reduce the growth of health care costs by 30 percent, and guarantee insurance coverage for pre-existing medical conditions as long as individual coverage is mandated.

"Reform needs to be comprehensive and it needs to happen now," said the industry group's chief executive officer, Karen Ignagni, adding that a "listening tour" the group conducted this summer in Ohio and other states made it recognize "the status quo is unacceptable" and devise alternatives.

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: Insurers Seek Presence at Health Care Sessions

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The New York Times: When supporters of President-elect Barack Obama hold house parties to discuss ways of fixing the health care system over the next two weeks, they may find some unexpected guests.

The health insurance industry is encouraging its employees and satisfied customers to attend. A trade group representing some of the nation's largest health care businesses, including drug companies, is organizing several meetings. The American Medical Association and other medical societies are encouraging doctors to get involved.

The Maine Medical Association will convene a community discussion on Dec. 30. Group Health Cooperative of Seattle has sent e-mail messages to 35,000 subscribers encouraging their participation, and one of its doctors plans to lead a session next Tuesday.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: The Obama Health Care Express

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Wall Steet Journal: A charismatic Democratic President takes office promising to extend health insurance to all Americans. His party enjoys majorities in Congress, and the GOP is at sea. The press corps finds policy a bore and instead files stories that draw facile analogies to the heyday of FDR.

Yes, all that will be true next year -- but it was also true in January 1993. Fewer than two years later, the grand health care ambitions of Bill and Hillary Clinton were reduced to tatters. No one is more attuned to this memory than today's Democrats, who aren't about to let history repeat itself. And since the lessons they learned from the HillaryCare fiasco are political, and not substantive, they are already moving full-speed ahead.

This mentality is nicely captured by Tom Daschle, the former Senate Majority Leader who Barack Obama has tapped to run Health and Human Services. "I think that ideological differences and disputes over policy weren't really to blame," he writes of 1994 in his book "Critical," published earlier this year. Despite "a general agreement on basic reform principles," the Clintons botched the political timing by focusing on the budget, trade and other priorities before HillaryCare.

To read the entire article, click here.

Tennessean: Health Care Reform May Help Economy

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Tennessean: Crushing economic problems will crowd out all other issues as Barack Obama takes office as the 44th president, says the collective wisdom.

But will they?

Some outside observers are beginning to see a connection between solving credit and unemployment problems and reforming health care. Meanwhile, there are signs that Obama already is moving on the issue.

To read the entire article, click here.

San Francisco Chronicle: A New Momentum for Health Care Reform

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The San Francisco Chronicle: The prospects for comprehensive health reform seemed dim for the foreseeable future when the California legislature failed last year to pass the universal coverage plan sponsored by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.

But today there is renewed hope as a national movement for health care reform is emerging in Washington, D.C. President-elect Barack Obama, congressional leaders and a growing number of business and provider groups have acknowledged the urgency and importance of providing health coverage to everyone, despite the alarming economic problems facing the country.

Obama has stated repeatedly that we can't solve our economic problems without reforming the health care system. Why? Because by guaranteeing that every person has health care coverage, we can improve health care quality and reduce costs over the long term. Preventive care, better management of chronic disease and expanded use of health information technology are all made easier if everyone has coverage.

To read the entire article, click here.

AP: Daschle Also to Oversee New Health Reform Office

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From the Associated Press: Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will pull double duty in the Obama administration, where he will serve not only as the Health and Human Services secretary but also oversee a new White House Office of Health Reform.

A Democratic official familiar with the plans — to be announced Thursday in Chicago — said the additional appointment makes it clear that Daschle will coordinate efforts within the administration to overhaul the nation's health care system.

"He will be the White House's voice on this critical issue," said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the development.

To read the entire article, click here.

Providence Journal: Karen Ignagni - Insurance Firms Want Health Reform Now

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From the Providence Journal: Amid all the concern and uncertainty over how the nation should grapple with the economy, including the financial crisis, hopeful signs are emerging on another critically important issue that affects every American: health care reform. After 15 years of polarized debate and inaction, a consensus is beginning to take shape that we can cover all Americans, improve the quality of care, and begin slowing the growth of costs — while preserving what works best about our health care system.

Our optimism is based in part on what we heard from people in Rhode Island and across the country over the past year.

During a nationwide listening tour, we, representatives of the health insurance industry, came to Providence a few months ago to meet with working families, small-business owners, labor leaders and health care advocates. We heard what is on the mind of Rhode Islanders, starting with affordability for small business, portability for those changing jobs, improved quality and more transparency.

To read the entire article, click here.

Fox Business: Health Care a Priority

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Fox Business Network: Fox Business Senior Washington Correspondent Peter Barnes discusses President-elect Obama's push to make health care a priority under his administration.

To view the video, click here.

A.M. Best: AHIP President Karen Ignagni on Affordable Health Insurance Coverage

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From A.M. Best Company: Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), is interviewed about affordable health insurance coverage on the BestDay program.

To listen to an audio version of the interview, click here.

AP: Seniors Give Daschle Health Reform Ideas

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Associated Press: Note to President-elect Barack Obama: Health reform doesn't have to be all about expanding health insurance. It can be about the little things too, such as shorter waits in the doctor's office and putting in place incentives such as free checkups that catch little problems before they became big ones.

That was the message Tuesday from two-dozen seniors who gave their views about what ails America's health care system to former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Obama's choice for secretary of health and human services. They listed a broad range of concerns, from four-hour waits to see a doctor, to the high cost of prescription drugs, to lack of Medicare coverage for certain treatments and medical devices.

Daschle said conversations like Tuesday's will put the new administration "on the right track" for overhauling the nation's health care system next year.

To read the entire article, click here.

NBC Nightly News: America's Agenda - Obama's Health Care Proposals

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The NBC Nightly News: It was one of the promises Barack Obama made before getting elected--reforming health care in this country. Then along came a colossal and worsening economic meltdown. Now the president-elect has an enormous challenge, just like a lot of Americans. Chief science corespondent Robert Bazell looks at health care reform as part of a series of special reports on AMERICA'S AGENDA.

To view the video, click here.

New York Times: Senate Confirmation Hearing - Tom Daschle

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The New York Times: The following is a transcript of the senate confirmation hearing nominating Senator Tom Daschle as Secretary of Heath and Human Services, as provided by CQ Transcriptions.

KENNEDY: We have a wonderful turnout of the members of the committee, and we have an extraordinary panel here that has had an incredible life and commitment to health and human services, and we are just delighted that they're here.

We'll look forward to what their statement or testimony, and then we'll -- we'll proceed with Senator -- our senators right after that. So we will recognize Senator Dole first.

To read the entire transcript, click here.

New York Times: House Votes to Expand Children’s Health Care

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The New York Times: With enthusiastic support from President-elect Barack Obama, the House on Wednesday passed a bill to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program. President Bush twice had vetoed similar legislation.

Mr. Obama will probably be able to sign the bill within days of taking office on Tuesday. The Senate might take action within a week.

The House vote was 289 to 139. Supporters never mustered more than 273 votes for similar legislation in the last two years.

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: Relief Seen for Jobless and States in Health Care Plan

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From the New York Times: The stimulus bill working its way through Congress is not just a package of spending increases and tax cuts intended to jolt the nation out of recession. For Democrats, it is also a tool for rewriting the social contract with the poor, the uninsured and the unemployed, in ways they have long yearned to do.

With little notice and no public hearings, House Democrats would create a temporary new entitlement allowing workers getting unemployment checks to qualify for Medicaid, the health program for low-income people. Spouses and children could also receive benefits, no matter how much money the family had.

In addition, the stimulus package would offer a hefty subsidy to help laid-off workers retain the same health plans they had from their former employers.

To read the entire article, click here.

Reuters: Health Info Technology Saves Lives, Costs: Study

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Reuters: Hospitals in Texas that used computers to keep track of patient records and manage care had lower rates of deaths, complications and costs, U.S. researchers said on Monday, offering a strong argument for hospitals to go "paperless."

They said patients treated in hospitals that ranked highest in use of health information technology to manage patient records and physician notes were 15 percent less likely to die compared with patients in hospitals that ranked lower.

"If these results were to hold for all hospitals in the United States, computerizing notes and records might have the potential to save 100,000 lives annually," Dr. Neil Poe of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, who worked on the study, said in a statement.

To read the entire article, click here.

USA Today: Studies - Surgeons Could Save Lives, $20B by Using Checklist

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From USA Today: Eight hospitals reduced the number of deaths from surgery by more than 40% by using a checklist that helps doctors and nurses avoid errors, according to a report released online today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

If all hospitals used the same checklist, they could save tens of thousands of lives and $20 billion in medical costs each year, says author Atul Gawande, a surgeon and associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The 19-point checklist has nothing to do with high technology, Gawande says. Instead, it focuses on basic safety measures, such as ensuring that patients get antibiotics to prevent infection and requiring that all members of the team introduce themselves.

To read the entire article, click here.

Washington Post: Senate Passes Health Insurance Bill for Children

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Post: The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation yesterday to provide health insurance to 11 million low-income children, a bill that would for the first time spend federal money to cover children and pregnant women who are legal immigrants.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program, which is aimed at families earning too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance, currently covers close to 7 million youngsters at a cost of $25 billion.

Lawmakers voted 66 to 32, largely along party lines, to renew the joint state-federal program and spend an additional $32.8 billion to expand coverage to 4 million more children. The expansion would be paid for by raising the cigarette tax from 39 cents a pack to $1.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: Obama Signs Children's Health Bill

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Wall Street Journal: President Barack Obama signed an expansion of the government's children's health insurance program into law Wednesday, calling the measure a "down payment" on his plans to provide coverage for all Americans.

"I refuse to accept that millions of our children fail to reach their full potential because we fail to meet their basic needs," Mr. Obama said at a White House signing ceremony. "In a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to tradeoffs or negotiation, and health care for our children is one of those obligations."

The measure, which renews the state children's health insurance program, or Schip, for four-and-a-half years and expands it to cover four million more children, was quickly sent to Mr. Obama after passing the House of Representatives earlier Wednesday. It was approved by the Senate last week.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: Stimulus Makes Cobra Coverage a Better Bet

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From the Wall Street Journal: Congress has just given a big assist to millions of jobless Americans facing a tough decision: Do they reach into their wallet to continue health insurance coverage with their old employer or not?

As part of the economic-stimulus package signed into law this week, the federal government will provide a nine-month subsidy covering 65% of the Cobra premium for people who qualify. Eligible workers who originally opted not to take Cobra but who now want the subsidized version have 60 days after they receive notice from their employers to sign up, says Richard G. Schwartz, a benefits lawyer in New York.

Fewer than one in 10 eligible workers recently opted for continuing insurance coverage in 2007 under Cobra, the federal law that allows many workers to continue group health insurance when they leave a job. The big reason: Cobra is expensive. Under the law, workers must pay the entire premium -- plus a 2% administrative fee -- even though employers typically picked up the lion's share of the cost. The average cost of Cobra coverage for a family is $13,000 a year -- big money for someone who is unemployed.

To read the entire article, click here.

Employee Benefit News: Obama - Health Care Reform 'Will Not Wait Another Year'

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Employee Benefit News: President Barack Obama last night reaffirmed his priority to provide universal health coverage and reduce health insurance costs, declaring before the joint session of Congress that "health-care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

For the most part, the health insurance community's reaction appears to be supportive, yet cautious. A statement from America's Health Insurance Plans concurs that insurers "strongly agree that comprehensive health care reform cannot wait. We will continue to offer workable solutions to ensure that all Americans have quality, affordable health care."

Other health care experts say the president needs to offer more concrete details on his plans."This was a solid commitment to changing health care, but the part on how you solve the health-care cost puzzle while covering everyone is still missing," Paul Keckley, director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions in Washington, D.C., told Bloomberg. "He's got to start giving specifics."

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: Ideas for Fixing Health Care

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The New York Times: President Barack Obama said in his speech to Congress that the nation must address “the crushing cost of health care,” with premiums having grown four times faster than wages in the past eight years and one million more Americans having lost health insurance each of those years. Reform won’t be easy, he said, but it cannot wait another year.

We asked some health care experts, who have seen attempts at comprehensive reform founder over the years, what might make a difference this time.

...

Set a Cost-Cutting Target
Karen Ignagni

Karen Ignagni is president and chief executive of America’s Health Insurance Plans, a national association representing nearly 1,300 companies providing health insurance.

For the past hundred years, the country has tried and failed to reform health care. Ever since the false start on reform fifteen years ago, political insiders have cautioned against trying it again. But circumstances have changed and now, rather than mobilizing to oppose reform, a wide group of diverse stakeholders — employers, health plans, consumers, doctors and hospitals — is working together to help the nation get to yes.

We’ve learned that we can work together on important issues, like children’s health care, safety net improvement, privacy protection, mental health parity, and genetic nondiscrimination.

To read the entire article, click here.

Reuters: Groups Agree and Disagree on U.S. Health Overhaul

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Reuters: President Barack Obama is pushing an ambitious overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system to help contain soaring costs and provide coverage for an estimated 46 million uninsured Americans.

There is widespread agreement among consumer and business groups that the current system is broken. But there is plenty of disagreement on how to fix it.

Here are some of the major groups involved in the debate and what they are seeking:

To read the entire article, click here.

USA Today: 360-Degree Health Care Forum Has Rousing Start

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From USA Today: President Obama kicked off the first serious effort to overhaul the nation's health care system in 15 years Thursday with a pledge to include Republicans and consider opposing views — and a vow to get it done this year.

In a White House session that brought disparate factions together, Obama elicited promises of cooperation from lawmakers and stakeholders who in the past have been at loggerheads over how to fix the system. He and others emphasized areas of agreement and said they would work amicably on their differences.

At the same time, participants in the half-day forum, which included five "breakout" sessions, acknowledged that sticky issues remain to be worked out. Among the toughest: how to pay for the overhaul, how to bring down costs, whether health insurance should be mandated and whether the government should compete with private plans.

To read the entire article, click here.

NBC Nightly News: Fixing Health Care

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The NBC Nightly News: President Barack Obama convened his health care summit as both supporters and opponents of government reform talked about how to reduce costs and increase access to quality care. Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd reports.

To watch the video, click here.

ABC News: Dr. Tim's Wrap on Health Care Forum

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From the ABC News: ABC News medical editor discusses the tone at the health care summit.

To watch the video, click here.

NPR: White House Takes On Health Care Overhaul

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From NPR Morning Edition: President Obama hosts the White House Forum on Health Reform Thursday. The last time Democrats tried to overhaul the nation's health care system was in 1994.

That's when, with a Democratic majority in Congress, President Bill Clinton laid down a challenge in his State of the Union address: "If you send me legislation that does not guarantee every American private health insurance that can never be taken away, you will force me to take this pen, veto the legislation, and we'll come right back here and start all over again."

Clinton never had to veto a health care bill because Congress never sent him one. The Clintons' health care reform effort failed.

To listen to an audio version of the interview, click here.

Politico: Clinton's Presence Felt at Summit

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Politico: Hillary Rodham Clinton may have been on another continent Thursday, but she was very much a presence at the White House health care forum.

The gathering of allies and foes of Clinton’s failed effort 15 years ago resembled a therapy session at times. Some sought absolution, others felt the need to relive the past and remind the group of everything that can go wrong. And at least one among the 150 people who gathered at the White House was unapologetic about the events of 1993-94.

“I don’t consider what happened in the 90s a failure,” Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) said. “I’m one of the ones who worked very hard to kill Hillarycare.”

To read the entire article, click here.

Roll Call: Kennedy Steals the Show at White House

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Roll Call: Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Thursday made a dramatic appearance at the conclusion of President Barack Obama’s White House health care conference, delivering brief remarks on an issue he has come to symbolize during his many years in the Senate battling for wider health coverage.

Kennedy, who has brain cancer, stood as he spoke in the East Room and delivered extemporaneous remarks without notes. Sounding firm, though in a tone that was perhaps a bit more wan than is customary, Kennedy promised to be part of Obama’s effort.

“I join with all of those who feel that now is the time for action,” Kennedy said. “I’m looking forward to being a foot soldier in this undertaking, and this time we will not fail.”

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

Med City: Morning Read

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Med City News: Pres. Barack Obama got mostly support from attendees of his health care reform summit Thursday afternoon.

Several foes of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s reform efforts during her husband’s presidency said they would support Obama’s efforts to right the nation’s health care situation, according to the Washington Post.

Rep. Joe L. Barton, a Texas Republican, proudly reminded the crowd of 150 that he helped kill “Hillarycare” in the 1990s, then said he supported the principles outlined by Obama, according to the Post.

To read the entire article, click here.

Boston Globe: Obama Steadfast on Health Care

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Boston Globe: President Obama yesterday presented his goal of fixing the healthcare system as a political imperative, as well as a moral and economic one: Americans, he said, will no longer stand for soaring costs that have bankrupted millions of families, hobbled businesses, and crowded out other public needs.

At a White House summit, Obama acknowledged that providing quality, affordable healthcare for everyone has eluded politicians for decades. But he described a kind of popular uprising, citing heart-wrenching letters he received from the public, painful stories he heard on the campaign trail, and comments, condensed into a glossy 120-page report, from more than 30,000 people who attended community meetings late last year. With such swelling demand for Washington to act, he said, "entrenched interests" can no longer stand in the way.

"This time, the call for reform is coming from the bottom up, and from all across the spectrum - from doctors, from nurses, from patients; from unions, from businesses; from hospitals, healthcare providers, community groups," the president said in opening the gathering. "This time, there is no debate about whether all Americans should have quality, affordable healthcare - the only question is, how?"

To read the entire article, click here.

National Journal: Panel - 'Food Fight' Possible On Cost Of Health Reform

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The National Journal: Reforming the U.S. health care system will be frustrating and costly, but it will have to be high on the government's agenda, according to an expert panel assembled this morning as part of National Journal's Policy Breakfast series.

The panel, which included Republican Sen. Robert Bennett of Utah and SEIU President Andy Stern, spoke with Atlantic Media Co. Political Director Ronald Brownstein and National Journal staff correspondent Marilyn Werber Serafini today in Washington about how President Obama and the Democrats can pay for the far-reaching reforms they've proposed.

The current health care system will need comprehensive reform, said Liz Fowler, senior counsel to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., who released his own health reform plan last November and is positioned to oversee reform efforts in the Senate. The panelists all voiced support for Fowler's three core principles of any future overhaul: providing universal coverage, increasing quality of the care and blocking its rising cost. And they agreed fundamental changes would be necessary.

To read the entire article, click here.

Roll Call: Health Care Summit Is Hottest Ticket in Town

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From Roll Call: With the White House remaining tight-lipped on its invite list for today’s health care summit, business groups continued to scratch their heads Wednesday, wondering whether their invitations perhaps got lost in the mail.

“I’d actually like to know who’s going, but I’m completely in the dark,” said Larry Gage, chief executive officer of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. Gage will be attending.

Exactly one week after releasing an ambitious $3.6 trillion budget blueprint, President Barack Obama this afternoon will convene the “White House Forum on Health Care Reform.”

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

The Hill: Discord Lurks Beneath Health Summit

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From THe Hill: President Obama sounded all the right notes Wednesday as he hosted 120 lawmakers, interest group executives and experts at a summit on comprehensive healthcare reform.

Obama touted the meeting as an open-door, open-ears event to bring all sides to the table, and other participants sounded the right notes on cooperation and common purpose. Obaama said the plan was to reduce the costs of healthcare, improve its quality and get all Americans covered.

But amid those notes were faint hints of the discord to come as Republicans made clear they were willing to talk — but not willing to roll over.

To read the entire article, click here.

CQ Health Beat: Summit - Dog and Pony Show or Start of Something Real?

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Congressional Quarterly Health Beat: The notion that the groundwork could be laid for overhauling something so complex as the U.S. health care system in a three-hour summit meeting might seem absurd, but if bipartisan good will is built up slowly through a series of small face-to-face encounters and exchanges, then the breakout sessions on a sunny afternoon at the White House may have been a start.

The event was an attempt by President Obama to get the health overhaul debate off to a markedly different start than the one that many analysts say marred the attempt by President Clinton to enact universal coverage. Shut out of early deliberations by the Clinton administration, representatives of the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry and organized medicine joined the nation’s top lawmakers at the Thursday afternoon event.

Breakout sessions to begin the discussions in earnest were bookended by remarks from the president who emphasized the high stakes involved and what a huge accomplishment it would be if participants could pull off an overhaul after decades of failed attempts by previous national leaders to guarantee coverage and control costs.

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

CQ Health Beat: At Summit, Obama Says He Wants Health Care Overhaul Finished This Year

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Congressional Quarterly Health Beat:President Obama said Thursday that he wants an overhaul of the nation’s health care system completed by the year’s end, calling it a “fiscal imperative” vital to restoring the economy. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, who will write any overhaul, meanwhile announced a series of meetings intended to result in compromise legislation.

In opening remarks to a “Forum on Health Reform” at the White House, Obama told an audience of about 150 lawmakers, health care industry lobbyists, labor union leaders, consumer advocates, policy experts and journalists that his administration and Congress must overcome “special interests” that have prevented sweeping health care overhauls in the past. Many of those same special interests had representatives at the forum.

Obama said that circumstances are different from the last time a full-scale health care overhaul was attempted in 1993 and 1994 by President Bill Clinton. That effort failed, done in by fierce lobbying against it by insurers and businesses and a lack of commitment within Congress, including among members of Clinton’s own party.

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

Washington Post: Ex-Foes of Health-Care Reform Emerge as Supporters

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Post: Surrounded by men and women who made their careers killing health-care reform, President Obama yesterday reiterated his pledge to enact comprehensive legislation this year, an ambitious undertaking many say is further complicated by the nation's dismal economy.

"When times were good, we didn't get it done. When we had mild recessions, we didn't get it done," Obama said at a White House summit launching his effort to treat the nation's ailing health system. "There's always a reason not to do it. Now is exactly the time for us to deal with this problem."

In the room was Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-Tex.), who proudly reminded the crowd of 150 that he was instrumental in killing "Hillarycare" in the 1990s. Yesterday, he announced that he supported the principles that have been outlined by Obama.

To read the entire article, click here.

Washington Post: In Health Plan, Industry Sees Good Business

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Post: Just four months ago, the pharmaceutical industry was prepared for the worst. Drugmakers feared that Barack Obama would press for price controls on prescription drugs and readied plans for a multimillion-dollar ad campaign against the idea.

Instead, Obama chose a more modest approach after becoming president, proposing to extract bigger discounts on medications bought through Medicaid. The plan could save the drug companies billions a year compared with price controls.

"This is a great start," said W.J. "Billy" Tauzin, a former House member from Louisiana who now runs the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), referring to Obama's health-care plan. "There are things we don't like about it. But there's time to discuss all that."

To read the entire article, click here.

LA Times: Obama Holds Forum on Health Care Reform

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Los Angeles Times: Reporting from Washington — Under the banner of consensus and cooperation, President Obama on Thursday brought industry leaders, lawmakers, doctors and consumer groups to the White House for a healthcare forum to build momentum for his effort to reduce costs and expand insurance coverage.

But the largely symbolic event also showcased the political maneuvering -- and potential conflicts -- that is intensifying as the president moves forward on his reform initiative.

Liberal activists stepped up their campaign against the insurance industry, which many of them blame for scuttling the Clinton administration's efforts to reshape the healthcare system in the early '90s

To read the entire article, click here.

Providence Journal: Sen. Kennedy Helps Launch Obama Administration’s Health Care Effort

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From The Providence Journal: President Obama yesterday launched his campaign to overhaul the nation’s medical system at a White House conference that featured expressions of support from across the industry and the political spectrum.

Mr. Obama declared after the half-day gathering of about 150 public officials, medical experts and business leaders from around the country that it had produced “a clear consensus that the need for health-care reform is here and now.”

The gathering also featured an emotional welcome for one of the nation’s most persistent champions of health-care reform, the ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. There were hints, however, of battlelines forming among the dozens of interested groups represented at the event.

To read the entire article, click here.

Hardball: Can President Obama Fix Health Care?

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

From MSNBC Hardball with Chris Matthews: President Obama has vowed to fix the health care system, and he has the support of some key people who rebuffed President Clinton's efforts. A Hardball panel debates: Will the current President be able to do what Clinton couldn't?

Mike Tuffin of America's Health Insurance Plans discusses how the health plan community is coming to the table with solutions for health care reform and making sure everyone has guaranteed access to coverage.

To view the video, click here.

USA Today: Survey Looks at the Big Picture on Health Care

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The USA Today: A massive, ongoing survey of Americans' daily lives — from how they are treated on the job to whether they had access to fresh fruits and vegetables — is designed to create a sort of Dow Jones Industrial Average for policymakers dealing with health care.

The Gallup-Healthways project includes polling of more than 1,000 people almost every night of the year, building an unprecedented database that scrutinizes physical and emotional health, social interactions, personal behavior and attitudes toward work and life.

A summary of the first year's findings, including a ranking of states and congressional districts, is being released today.

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: Insurers Ease Stance on Pre-Existing Conditions

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the New York Times: The health insurance industry said Tuesday that it was willing to end the practice of charging higher premiums to sick people if Congress adopted a comprehensive plan that provided coverage to all Americans.

The industry’s flexible position on the issue came as a surprise to lawmakers, and could make it easier to reach an agreement in Congress because it narrows the issues on which insurers are ready to fight the Democrats who control Congress and the White House.

Insurers said they were still staunchly opposed to creation of a new government-run health insurance plan, which, under many Democratic proposals, would compete directly with private insurers.

To read the entire article, click here.

LA Times: Health Insurers Offer Shift on Premiums

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Los Angeles Times: Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington — The country's leading health insurers Tuesday offered to end their long-standing practice of charging sick customers higher premiums, a significant concession in the face of mounting criticism of the industry in Washington.

The offer from America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Assn., whose member companies cover more than 200 million people, comes as lawmakers on Capitol Hill debate a proposal to create a government-run insurance program.

It underscores the pressure the industry faces from Congress and the Obama administration as policymakers move ahead with plans to reshape the nation's healthcare system.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: Insurers Offer to End Prices Tied to Illness

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Wall Street Journal: The health-insurance industry said it would be willing to stop charging sick people more for coverage if all Americans were required to buy insurance.

Tuesday's proposal, included in a letter to Senate leaders by the industry's two main trade groups, is the latest move by health insurers to position themselves as constructive participants, rather than obstacles, in the debate over how to overhaul the U.S. health-care system.

Insurers hope to prove the private sector can fix problems on its own. Most urgently, the industry wants to head off momentum for a government-run program that would compete with private carriers.

To read the entire article, click here.

Newsday: Insurers Lay Groundwork for Health Care Reform

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From Newsday: Two key insurance groups said yesterday for the first time they would consider phasing out high premiums for people with medical problems if the government requires all Americans to get coverage.

The offer signals a potential move toward health care reform, a priority of the Obama administration.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and America's Health Insurance Plans made their offer in a letter to several key senators, including Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Max Baucus (D- Montana).

To read the entire article, click here.

LA Times: Help for Healthcare Reform

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Los Angeles Times: The prospects for reforming the U.S. healthcare system brightened this week when the country's top insurers made a significant concession to consumer advocates: They offered to stop basing premiums on a policyholder's medical history. Although the concession came with strings attached, it removes one of the hurdles facing lawmakers as they struggle to overhaul the system.

Once the main opponents of sweeping reforms, health insurers now insist that they have the same objectives as consumer groups, doctors, hospitals and the government. The lobbying group America's Health Insurance Plans says insurers want universal coverage, lower costs and higher-quality care. Moving past those broadly shared goals, however, the factions continue to fight over many of the details, including whether to let federal health insurance programs compete directly with private industry, whether and how to rate the effectiveness of different treatment strategies, and how to squeeze overhead costs and inefficiencies out of the system.

One point of the whole exercise should be to close the loopholes insurers use to restrict coverage, revoke it or make it unaffordable for those most in need. These include such practices as rescinding coverage after a policyholder files a claim, denying coverage for preexisting conditions when someone applies for a new policy, and raising premiums on those who fall ill. Recognizing the momentum that's building, the insurers have been offering to end some of those practices in return for a requirement that every individual have health coverage. In particular, their lobbyists offered in December not to exclude coverage of preexisting conditions, and on Tuesday, they pledged to stop charging sick policyholders higher premiums than healthy ones pay.

To read the entire article, click here.

Associated Press: Groups Find Common Ground on Health Care Overhaul

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Associated Press: Groups representing consumers, businesses, insurers, doctors, nurses and hospitals said Friday they have reached agreement on how they would like to see the nation's health care system overhauled.

Calling themselves the Health Reform Dialogue, the 18 groups have been meeting for six months. Although their long-awaited report avoided most of the contentious issues, it could serve as a starting point for lawmakers trying to craft a plan that will win broad support this year.

The groups said the uninsured should be covered through a combination of expanded government programs and subsidies to purchase private health coverage. They called for savings from making the health care system less wasteful and urged that prevention become the foundation for medical care.

To read the entire article, click here.

Boston Globe: James Roosevelt - Healthcare: Let's Build on What We Know

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Boston Globe: An Article in The New Yorker earlier this year by Dr. Atul Gawande explained the rationale for creating a national healthcare system based upon the fundamentals of existing programs. Gawande provided a terrific overview of the origins of healthcare systems in other parts of the world, and it is instructive for us as we embark upon our own journey toward universal healthcare. His premise is that every nation that has a successful national health plan has built it upon what existed in its own borders - imperfect and patchworked, but foundational nonetheless. I agree with him that that is what America must do rather than create a government-run health plan, or any system that reproduces what is done in Canada or Great Britain, or elsewhere. Building upon employer-based, private health insurance has proven merit.

The advocates of a government-run plan claim that it will control costs. I am not convinced. The allure of a government-run health plan is distracting and unproven, and brings a high risk of unintended consequences such as reducing competition and consumer choice. Moreover, even if a government-run plan could be designed in a way that preserves choice for most Americans, it would delay the start of universal coverage for years. As a nation, we simply cannot afford to wait for the kind of accessible, portable, universal healthcare coverage that we have available to us today in Massachusetts, or to employees eligible for coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan, which was touted during President Obama's campaign.

Our experience offers a real-time example of what can be achieved when there is a successful public/private partnership. The Commonwealth's citizens have long enjoyed the promise that healthcare won't be denied due to a prior health condition. We haven't had to make the choice between bankruptcy and treatment for serious disease; endure waiting periods before receiving healthcare coverage; or pay hospitals upfront for life-or-death care. The lack of this protection elsewhere contributes to the sense of urgency felt in most of the country.

To read the entire article, click here.

Associated Press: Obama Lauds Industry Offer to Cut Health Costs

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The Associated Press: President Barack Obama on Monday portrayed the health care industry's promise to cut $2 trillion in costs over 10 years as "a watershed event" in the long search for a solution to the millions of uninsured. Whether that is true won't be readily known as debate begins in Congress over sweeping health care legislation.

What is known now is that the move puts the industry groups involved firmly inside the process of expanding coverage, with the hope they can steer the final product toward something that doesn't restrict their profitability.

"I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is achieved in the United States of America," Obama declared in the White House's State Dining Room as he announced the voluntary offer made to the White House Monday by a consortium of hospitals, insurance companies, drug makers and doctors.

To read the entire article, click here.

The Washington Post: Obama Praises Health Industry for Pledging Savings

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The Washington Post: Volunteering to "do our part" to tackle runaway health costs, officials from leading groups in the health-care industry met today with President Obama and offered to squeeze $2 trillion in savings from projected increases over the next decade.

Obama, calling the meeting "remarkable," noted that some of the groups making the offer "were among the strongest critics of past plans for comprehensive reform." Some were involved in the "Harry and Louise" ad campaign that helped derail health care reform efforts during the Clinton administration.

What prompted the meeting, he said, "is a recognition that we can't continue down the same dangerous road we've been traveling for so many years, that costs are out of control, and that reform is not a luxury that can be postponed, but a necessity that cannot wait.

To read the entire article, click here.

Politico: Barack Obama Touts Health Care Cost-cutting Pledge

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The Politico: President Barack Obama on Monday touted a health industry cost-cutting pledge as a breakthrough in his push to provide coverage for all Americans – but some health reform advocates remained deeply skeptical, saying they fear the industry is trying to shortcut a public insurance plan.

"This is a historic day, a watershed event in the long elusive quest for health care reform," Obama said during a speech in the State Dining Room, where he was flanked by leaders of the groups. “All Americans must have quality, affordable health care. These are principles that I expect to see upheld in any comprehensive health care reform bill that's sent to my desk.”

The groups that joined Obama at the White House today are vowing to reduce the rate of projected growth in health care costs by 1.5 percentage points a year over the next decade for a total savings of $2 trillion.

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: At White House, Industry Leaders Pledge to Reduce Health Care Costs

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The New York Times: A range of leading health-care providers joined President Barack Obama on Monday in announcing their promise to sharply reduce the growth of national health spending, a move that could ease the path toward his goal of comprehensive coverage for Americans.

Mr. Obama welcomed the pledge, following a White House meeting with representatives of hospitals, doctors, insurance companies and drug makers, as an “unprecedented commitment.” He was joined for the announcement in the State Dining Room by several of his top health, economic and budget advisers.

By giving such prominence to a promise that lacks many specifics, or any sort of enforcement mechanism, the president appeared eager to give the pledge greater substance through his strong embrace, while building momentum for his broader ambition to make health care available to every American.

To read the entire article, click here.

Roll Call: Conditions Seem Right for Some Type of Health Reform to Pass

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From Roll Call Contributing Writer Norman Ornstein: Back in March 1993, when we were just beginning the Clinton journey toward health care reform, I wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post on the prospects for success. My central point was that there is a universal public definition of reform: I pay less.

Thus, any plan built around insuring the 37 million Americans then without coverage would violate the basic principle. The message to 250 million insured Americans would be: Congratulations, you are going to pay more so that they can pay less. I also noted the difficulty of enacting major change at a time when nearly three-fourths of Americans were happy with their health care, meaning overcoming the principle above would be even more difficult.

There were many reasons health care reform subsequently flamed out in 1994, but that principle was near the top of the list. What is different now? The answer is a whole lot, as underscored by the remarkable meeting at the White House on Monday with President Barack Obama shoulder to shoulder with the leaders of the insurance community, the hospital community, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical device companies and the Service Employees International Union, pledging to work together to cut skyrocketing health costs by 1.5 percent a year over the next 10 years. That might not sound like much, but thanks to the miracle of compound interest, reducing the base that much means $2 trillion in savings.

[...]

I have met and spoken regularly over a number of years to leaders of these industries, including especially the American Association of Health Plans. The three representatives from the insurance industry, George Halvorson of Kaiser Permanente, Jay Gellert of Health Net and Karen Ignagni, the tough-minded and farsighted long-time leader of AHIP, all have seen the change coming and all have been preparing to be leaders and participants, rather than trying to deep-six a reform plan or just sit back and wait for the wagon wreck to happen. They have been joined by other leaders from hospitals and big pharma, and by the major figures in the medical device community and a key labor entity, SEIU, to create this unlikely alliance.

To read the entire article, click here.

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Groups Outline Ways to Attack Costs

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: The American Hospital Association told President Barack Obama that it would focus on short- and longer-term measures, as well as initiatives that require commitment from a host of other providers in order to help lower overall annual healthcare expenditures over the next 10 years.

In a 28-page letter sent to the White House and backed by five other healthcare groups, the AHA said it would immediately focus on reducing common infections from surgeries. Longer term, the association said it would encourage its members to improve how care is coordinated, use a variety of health information technology tools and boost overall efficiency. Many initiatives require the participation of providers of care both at the bedside and elsewhere.

The steps are meant to be taken in concert with a host of other groups, including America’s Health Insurance Plans, the Advanced Medical Technology Association, the Service Employees International Union, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the American Medical Association. In short, the groups today identified three main areas where savings can be met. Those areas are in the utilization of care, where up to $180 billion in savings are projected; chronic-care management, which could yield $850 billion in savings; and in administrative simplifications, which at the high end are predicted to save $700 billion.

To read the entire article, click here.

The Hill: Healthcare Groups Detail Cost-Containment Plans

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The Hill: The six interest groups that promised President Obama last month they would vastly reduce national healthcare spending put some meat on the skeleton of their plan Monday.

In a three-page follow-up letter to Obama and 25 pages of proposals, health insurers, physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers and a labor union say their recommendations could save the United States between $1 trillion and $1.73 trillion over 10 years.

Quoting from their original May 11 letter to the president, the interest group leaders vow, “As restructuring takes hold and the population’s health improves over the coming decade, we will do our part to achieve your administration’s goal of decreasing by 1.5 percentage points the annual health care spending growth rate — saving $2 trillion or more.”

To read the entire article, click here.

Dow Jones: Six Health Groups Detail $2 Trillion Cost-Saving Effort

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From Dow Jones: Six industry groups on Monday outlined their promise to cut $2 trillion from the growth of health-care spending over 10 years, with large savings envisioned through administrative cost-cutting and changes in the care of chronic diseases.

The groups caused a splash with a May 11 announcement of a pledge to President Obama to reduce $2 trillion from projected future medical costs over a 10-year horizon. The groups include the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, America's Health Insurance Plans, the Service Employees International Union, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Advanced Medical Technology Association.

Since then, the groups say they have held seven "all-day" meetings to flesh out how they would save the huge sum of money. In a statement Monday, they said they had made "solid progress" on their goal and would now pursue the changes they identified.

To read the entire article, click here.

Politico: Health Care Groups Outline Plan to Save Money

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: Six major health care organizations submitted a 28-page proposal Monday to President Barack Obama detailing how they could save $2 trillion over 10 years.

Some of the savings proposed Monday mirror ideas already under consideration in Congress, including reducing the number of hospital readmissions, increasing the use health information technology and preventing chronic diseases. They also propose streamlining administrative processes, reducing medical errors and promoting comparative effectiveness research.

“We have convened seven all-day meetings and multiple conference calls to discuss what we can contribute, both individually and collectively, to help achieve that challenging goal,” the groups said in a joint letter. “We have made solid progress. Individually and together, our organizations have developed initiatives that will help move the nation toward achieving the Administration’s goal and we intend to keep working.”

To read the entire article, click here.

CongressDaily: Coverage Mandate Gains Momentum

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From CongressDaily: The likelihood that healthcare overhaul legislation will include a requirement that individuals purchase health insurance appears to be getting closer to reality.

Although the Senate Finance Committee indicated they likely will include an individual mandate in their bill, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and President Obama had yet to come down definitively on the idea, particularly given that Obama did not include such a mandate from his health plan during the presidential campaign.

But Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., one of HELP Chairman Edward Kennedy's deputies on health care, told Senate Democrats Tuesday that health reform legislation being crafted by the HELP Committee will include an individual mandate.

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

InsideHealthPolicy: Obama Open To Individual Mandate; Will Work With Congress On Financing

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From InsideHealthPolicy: Although he rejected the idea of an individual mandate during his presidential campaign, President Barack Obama said in letter to Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and health committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-MA) that he is now open to the mandate as long as the law allows for a “hardship waiver” for those who cannot afford it. The insurance industry strongly supports an individual mandate but is less enthused by the waiver idea, and would prefer robust subsidies that would ensure that all Americans would be able to afford coverage in a reformed market, a spokesperson said.

“We need to get everyone covered,” the spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plan (AHIP) adds. “That is why it’s so important that there is adequate financial assistance available for working families and low-income individuals to help purchase coverage.”

AHIP on Wednesday released a poll showing 70 percent of respondents to a nationwide poll said that an individual mandate would be acceptable as part of broader health reform , while only 24 percent said that they would oppose “any health reform plan that requires individuals to have health insurance.”

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

New York Times: Obama Open to a Mandate on Health Insurance

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The New York Times: President Obama said Wednesday that he was receptive to Congressional proposals that would require Americans to have health insurance and oblige employers to share in the cost. But he said there should be exemptions for people who cannot afford insurance and for small businesses in general.

Mr. Obama set forth his views in a letter to the chairmen of the two Senate committees writing health care legislation, Max Baucus of Montana and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, both Democrats.

The president said he was open to proposals for “shared responsibility — making every American responsible for having health insurance coverage, and asking that employers share in the cost.”

To read the entire article, click here.

Washington Post: A Move Toward Requiring Health Coverage

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The Washington Post: One day after signaling a fresh willingness to consider taxing employer-sponsored health insurance, President Obama indicated yesterday a new openness toward a nationwide requirement that every American have health coverage.

In his push to enact sweeping health-care reform legislation this summer, Obama previewed what could be the outlines of a compromise on two of the thorniest issues confronting Congress. He said he could support mandates on both individuals and employers to contribute to the cost of health insurance if the bill provides protections to certain small businesses and poor people.

"If we do end up with a system where people are responsible for their own insurance, we need to provide a hardship waiver to exempt Americans who cannot afford it," he wrote in a letter to top Senate Democrats.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: Obama Shifts on Coverage Mandate

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The Wall Street Journal: President Barack Obama said he is open to requiring nearly all Americans to have health insurance, clearing one hurdle in Congress's effort to draft a health-care bill.

During his presidential campaign last year, Mr. Obama opposed then-Sen. Hillary Clinton's idea of a health-insurance mandate on individuals. He argued it would put too much burden on low-income families.

But in a letter to two top Democratic senators released Wednesday, the president said he understood that two Senate committees are moving toward mandating that individuals have health coverage and that employers help pay to provide it. "I share the goal of ending lapses and gaps in coverage that make us less healthy and drive up everyone's costs, and I am open to your ideas on shared responsibility," the letter said.

To read the entire article, click here.

New York Times: Doctors’ Group Opposes Public Insurance Plan

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The New York Times: As the health care debate heats up, the American Medical Association is letting Congress know that it will oppose creation of a government-sponsored insurance plan, which President Obama and many other Democrats see as an essential element of legislation to remake the health care system.

The opposition, which comes as Mr. Obama prepares to address the powerful doctors’ group on Monday in Chicago, could be a major hurdle for advocates of a public insurance plan. The A.M.A., with about 250,000 members, is America’s largest physician organization.

While committed to the goal of affordable health insurance for all, the association had said in a general statement of principles that health services should be “provided through private markets, as they are currently.” It is now reacting, for the first time, to specific legislative proposals being drafted by Congress.

To read the entire article, click here.

ABC News: President Confirms $1 Trillion for Health-Care Reform

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From ABC News: President Obama says he's found a way to pay for health-care reform. "Today, I am announcing an additional $313 billion in savings," he said in his weekly address, released Saturday. That's in addition to the $635 billion in other savings he has already identified, he said, making up the roughly $1 trillion it will take to overhaul the nation's health-care system.

"For example, if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance," Mr. Obama said. "If the drug makers pay their fair share, we can cut government spending on prescription drugs."

Critics say that is easier said than done. Most of the savings the president outlined would come from lowering payments from Medicare and Medicaid, which would reduce the payments to hospitals and drug makers, which are unlikely to accept less without a struggle.

[...]

Karen Ignagni, president/CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, told ABC, "If you look at the proposals that have been laid on the table thus far, it will bankrupt all of the major hospitals in the United States because it pays at public program rates, which are already significantly underfunding providers."

To read the entire article, click here.

NPR: Health Care Reform from the Insurer's Perspective

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From NPR: President Obama went to Wisconsin this week for a town hall meeting on his plan for a public health insurance system. His remarks drew applause from some, and denunciation from others who decried the plan as a step towards government control.

The other side includes opponents in Congress, the American Medical Association and private health insurers who argue that a government plan would draw customers away from private insurers.

Host Scott Simon speaks with Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans about her industry's perspective on health care reform.

To listen to the interview, click here.

NECN/ABC: Healthcare Reform Hits a Snag (VIDEO)

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From NECN/ABC News: President Obama's plan to overhaul the nation's health care system is being met with some harsh criticism from Republicans in Congress. They are concerned about how to pay for reform that is projected to cost much more than the president estimated.

The fight in the Senate has been all about costs. President Obama was banking on reforming healthcare for a trillion dollars, but preliminary estimates by the Congressional Budget Office put the price tag as high as $1 .6 trillion. Democrats are struggling to bring that down.

Even among Democrats, there is no consensus on how to pay for it.

To watch the video and read the entire article, click here.

LA Times: Senate Panel Approves Healthcare Overhaul Bill

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Los Angeles Times: The Senate Health Committee, approving major healthcare legislation for the first time in 15 years, put forward a sweeping plan Wednesday to provide nearly every American with insurance regardless of income or medical condition and to create a government program to compete directly with private insurers.

The bill also would place new requirements on many employers to provide coverage.

The committee vote, along strict party lines, marked what President Obama called "a major milestone" in his bid to revamp the healthcare system. But there were signs that the debate was moving into a more bruising phase in which insurance companies, hospitals and others fight to shape the details of legislative provisions that affect them.

To read the entire article, click here.

BBC: Living Without Health Insurance

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the BBC: President Obama wants to extend healthcare coverage to the 46 million uninsured Americans but can he push through reform on Capitol Hill where the previous Democratic Clinton administration failed?

The segment includes interviews with one person who was uninsured as well as a small business owner who shared his views on the government-run plan.

AHIP was also interviewed in the story.

To watch the full story, click here.

Washington Post: On Health Care, The Prognosis Is Compromise

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Washington Post: For the next five weeks, Congress will attempt the daunting feat of turning a mishmash of half-written proposals into health-care reform legislation that can pass the House and the Senate before the August recess.

Let the trade-offs begin.

Who would benefit from expanded coverage, who would pay for it, and how extensively the insurance and health-care systems would be restructured were a few of the big questions left unresolved when House and Senate negotiators took a break for the Fourth of July recess. In the Senate, Democratic leaders face the additional tasks of merging vastly different proposals from two committees and foiling efforts to shrink or derail the bill as it advances on the floor.

To read the entire article, click here.

Wall Street Journal: Senate Seeks to Pare Tab for Health Overhaul

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Wall Street Journal: A revamped Senate bill aimed at improving the nation's health system would cost $611 billion over a decade, congressional number crunchers estimate, down from $1 trillion two weeks ago.

But the total cost of the health-care overhaul is likely to increase substantially once a key element to expand insurance coverage is added in.

Senate leaders on Thursday unveiled fresh details of legislation aimed at carrying out President Barack Obama's plans to cover the nation's 46 million uninsured. The new provisions call for all but the smallest employers to provide workers with health insurance or to pay the government an annual penalty of up to $750 per employee. The measure also sketches out new details of proposed government health insurance that individuals and small businesses could buy.

To read the entire article, click here.

Politico: Ad Paints Insurers as Allies of Reform

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From the Politico: For the first time since Harry and Louise helped sink health care reform in 1994, the insurance industry is back on the airwaves Monday with a seven-figure, national cable television ad campaign.

The soft, feel-good commercial is unlikely to have the same resonance as the industry’s Harry and Louise spots, where a fictional couple’s kitchen-table gripes about a government-run health system helped doom reform 15 years ago. And that, it seems, is by design.

The 30-second spot pushes for bipartisan reform that includes providing affordable coverage for all that doesn't deny insurance to those with pre-existing health conditions. Industry insiders view covering pre-existing conditions as a significant, but needed, concession that, combined with a requirement that individuals own insurance, will ensure that everyone gets affordable coverage.

To read the entire article, click here.

USA Today: Obama to focus on insurance companies this week

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From USA Today: The Obama administration is starting a new phase in its health care campaign this week -- zeroing in on insurance companies.

Today in Portsmouth, N.H., Obama will criticize the practice of refusing coverage on account of pre-existing conditions.

Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, said her group has already proposed a plan to address Obama's concerns.

"Our proposal includes new consumer protections and market rules to guarantee coverage for pre-existing conditions, discontinue basing premiums on a person's health status or gender, and get everyone covered through a personal coverage requirement," she said in a statement.

To read the entire article, click here.

Roll Call: Insurers Try to Make Their Voices Heard in Health Debate

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From Roll Call: Chris Archibald spent almost an hour Tuesday morning in a line that snaked around several city blocks in this typically tranquil town surrounded by bucolic countryside.

The 29-year-old Archibald, who runs his own landscaping company in Hershey, Pa., left his business for a few hours to try to get into a town-hall meeting hosted by Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) on the hottest topic of the August recess: health care reform. Archibald was mobilized to attend the forum by grass-roots organizers who work for the health insurance industry.

But just as Democrats are having trouble getting their message out on their health care reform plans amid angry crowds that are stealing the show, Archibald didn’t make it into the meeting. The crowd inside was already at capacity, and hundreds of activists remained outside the Harrisburg Area Community College’s Lebanon building, holding signs and debating for the national news TV cameras that had gathered.

To read the entire article, click here. (Please note that the story is password-protected.)

New York Times: Survey Finds High Fees Common in Medical Care

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

From The New York Times: A patient in Illinois was charged $12,712 for cataract surgery. Medicare pays $675 for the same procedure. In California, a patient was charged $20,120 for a knee operation that Medicare pays $584 for. And a New Jersey patient was charged $72,000 for a spinal fusion procedure that Medicare covers for $1,629.

The charges came out of a survey sponsored by America’s Health Insurance Plans in which insurers were asked for some of the highest bills submitted to them in 2008.

The group, which represents 1,300 health insurance companies, said it had no data on the frequency of such high fees, saying that to its knowledge no one had studied that. But it said it did the survey in part to defend against efforts by the Obama administration to portray certain industry practices as a major part of the nation’s health care problems.

To read the entire article, click here.

AHIP Statement on Senator Kennedy

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released the following statement today from Karen Ignagni, President and CEO:

"Senator Edward Kennedy was America's health care champion. His contribution to health care policy is unmatched. AHIP and its members join the entire health care community in extending our thoughts and prayers to the Kennedy family."