Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yesterday (November 18, 2009) unveiled the text of his proposed 2,074-page “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.R. 3590” health care reform bill that he indicated that he and certain other key Senate Democrats now back.
Based on text of the legislation shared by Senator Reid yesterday available for review here, the public insurance option provisions in H.R. 3590 would offer states the opportunity to opt out of the program rather than the mandatory public option provided for in the “Affordable Health Care for America Act, HR. 3962 passed by the House of Representatives on November 7, 2009. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, H.R. 3962 costs at just over $1 trillion. In comparison, CBO estimates the cost of H.R.3590 at $848 billion. For more details of the Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost of H.R. 3590 as proposed by Senator Reid, see at here.
Meanwhile, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) today (November 19, 2009) introduced his latest health care reform proposal, the America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009 (S.1796).
Many perceive that substantial negotiation and compromise may be necessary before Senate Majority Leaders will be able to craft a health care reform bill that can both garner the necessary votes to pass the Senate and have a viable chance of surviving the required negotiation with House leaders necessary to reconcile that legislation with the provisions of HR 3962. As was the case with HR. 3962, members of the Senate are likely to debate and weigh a variety of amendments and refinements to the provisions of S.1796 as it deliberates its enactment. If you or someone else you know would like to receive updates about health care reform proposals and other related legislative, regulatory, and enforcement developments, please:
- Register for this resource at the link above;
- Join the Coalition for Responsible Health Policy group at linkedin.com to share information and input and join in other dialogue with others concerned about health care reform;
- Share your input by communicating with key members of Congress on committees responsible for this legislation and your elected officials directly and by actively participating in and contributing to other like-minded groups; and
- Be sure that we have your current contact information – including your preferred e-mail- by creating or updating your profile at here.
If you have questions about or need assistance evaluating, commenting on or responding to health care or other legislative or regulatory reforms, or any other employment, compensation, employee benefit, workplace health and safety, corporate ethics and compliance practices, concerns or claims, please contact the author of this article, Curran Tomko Tarski LLP Labor & Employment/Employee Benefits Practice Chair Cynthia Marcotte Stamer.
Ms. Stamer has more than 22 years of experience advising and assisting business, government and other clients to evaluate and respond to health care, pension reform, workforce and other proposed or adopted changes in federal or state health care, employee benefit, employment, tax and other federal and state laws. A member of the leadership council of the American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits, Chair of the ABA Real Property, Probate & Trust Section and Employee Benefits & Compensation Group and past Chair of the ABA Health Law Section Managed Care & Insurance Interest Group Ms. Stamer is highly regarded legal advisor, policy advocate, author and speaker recognized both nationally and internationally for her more than 20 years of work assisting U.S. public and private employers, health care providers, health insurers, and a broad range of other clients to respond to these and other health care, employee benefit and workforce public policy, regulatory and compliance and risk management concerns within the U.S. as well as internationally. Her work includes extensive involvement providing input and assistance about health care, workforce, pensions and social security and other reforms domestically and internationally. In addition to her continuous involvement in U.S. health care, pensions and savings, and workforce policy matters, Ms. Stamer has served as an advisor on these matters internationally. As part of this work, she served as a lead advisor to the Government of Bolivia on its social security reform as well as has provided input on ethics, medical tourism, workforce and other reforms internationally.
In addition to her extensive work on health and other employee benefit matters, Ms. Stamer also is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has continuously has advised and represented employers and others on labor and employment, compensation, employee benefit and other personnel and staffing matters throughout her career. Ms. Stamer is experienced with assisting employers and others about compliance with federal and state equal employment opportunity, compensation and employee benefit, workplace safety, and other labor and employment, as well as advising and defending employers and others against tax, employment discrimination and other labor and employment, and other related audits, investigations and litigation, charges, audits, claims and investigations by the IRS, Department of Labor and other federal and state regulators. Ms. Stamer is a widely published author and popular speaker on health plan and other human resources, employee benefits and internal controls issues. Her work has been featured and published by the American Bar Association, BNA, SHRM, World At Work, Employee Benefit News and the American Health Lawyers Association. Her insights on human resources risk management matters have been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Business Journal, Managed Care Executive, HealthLeaders, Business Insurance, Employee Benefit News and the Dallas Morning News.
If your organization needs assistance with monitoring, assessing, or responding to these or other health care, employee benefit or human resources reforms, please contact Ms. Stamer via e-mail here, or by calling (214) 270-2402. For additional information about the experience, services, publications and involvements of Ms. Stamer specifically or to access some of her many publications, see here. For additional information about the experience and services of Ms. Stamer and other members of the Curran Tomko Tarksi LLP team, see here.
Other Information & Resources
We hope that this information is useful to you. If you or someone else you know would like to receive future updates about developments on these and other concerns, please be sure that we have your current contact information – including your preferred e-mail – by creating or updating your profile here or e-mailing this information here or registering to participate in the distribution of our Solutions Law Press HR & Benefits Update distributions here. Some other recent updates that may be of interested include the following, which you can access by clicking on the article title:
SHRM Tells Members Say “NO!” To Pelosi-Backed Health Care Reform
OSHA Proposes To Change Hazard Communication Standard
EEOC Prepares To Broaden “Disability” Definition Under ADA Regulations
OSHA Final Rule Updates OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standards
New Study Shares Data On Migrant Health Care Challenges Along The Border
HHS Reassignment Of HIPAA Enforcement Duties Signals Rising Seriousness of Enforcement Commitment
Speak Up America: Where & How To Read & Share Your Feedback About The Health Care Reform Legislation
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©2009 Cynthia Marcotte Stamer. All rights reserved.
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