CQ's Schuler Discusses Medicare, Senate Association Health Plan Legislation

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 04 May 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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Congressional Quarterly reporter Kate Schuler previews the Social Security and Medicare trustees' report and Senate health legislation, including association health plan legislation in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ." Schuler says that the trustee's report, which had been delayed because of a dispute between Senate Finance Committee members and the Bush administration, is expected to be released this week. Finance Committee members and the administration had disagreed over two trustee nominations, whom the committee members refused to consider because they already had served a term. President Bush in April gave the nominees recess appointments, and Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking Democrat Max Baucus (Mont.) have said they will introduce a bill that would limit all future public trustees to a single, four-year term. Schuler discusses other issues related to Medicare, including the May 15 deadline for beneficiaries to enroll in the drug benefit without incurring a financial penalty, legislation that would alter the 2003 Medicare law and the concentration of drug benefit enrollment in a few health plans. In addition, Schuler says that the Senate's planned health week likely will be delayed because Republican leaders need more time to debate the fiscal year 2006 emergency supplemental spending bill. Senators instead intend to bring to the floor health bills during the week of May 8. Finally, Schuler talks about legislation (S 1955) sponsored by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.). Schuler says that Enzi has been working to gather enough support to push the bill through the Senate, noting that some Democrats, Republicans and advocacy groups have objections to the legislation (Schuler, "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ," 5/1).

The complete audio version of "Health on the Hill," transcript and resources for further research are available online.

"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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