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New Report: Private And Public Insurance Choices Would Help Reduce Administrative Health Care Costs By $265 Billion Over 10 Years
As lawmakers debate how to pay for an overhaul of the nation"s health care system, a new report from The Commonwealth Fund projects that including both private and public insurance choices in a new insurance exchange would save the United States as much as $265 billion in administrative costs from 2010 to 2020. Congressional leaders are attempting to keep 10-year federal budget costs of health care reform legislation under $1 trillion.

Top 10 Tips For Staying Healthy When Money Is Tight
Several area health care organizations agree that today"s tough economic times can make staying healthy a challenge. The organizations provided tips for Ohioans to stay healthy.
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Sen. Grassley Pushes For Exclusion Of Abortion Coverage In Health Care Reform Legislation
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) have been privately negotiating over how their panel"s version of health reform legislation will address abortion coverage, Newsweek reports. According to Newsweek, Grassley has been pushing to include measures that would prohibit what he considers "taxpayer-subsidized abortion."Earlier this month, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Raising Women"s Voices and other women"s health advocates intensified efforts to ensure that abortion access was treated like access to all other services in health care reform, according to Newsweek. The article points out, "Though usually publicly debated in the language of personal liberty and morality, abortion is a medical procedure performed by a doctor. It"s currently covered by most private insurance plans and existing government programs, at least under some circumstances. This expanded federal oversight and use of federal dollars raises several thorny issues." Grassley is urging that federally regulated and subsidized plans be prohibited from covering the procedure. Lawmakers also could weigh whether religious organizations -- such as Catholic hospitals or health plans -- could opt out of the coverage.Jill Kozeny, Grassley"s spokesperson, said the senator "is opposed to mandating abortion coverage in health care legislation." According to his office, "At one point during the recent negotiations, there was a (compromise) solution that didn"t work out." Grassley -- who is known as a staunch opponent of abortion rights -- said in March, "I take a view that there is almost anything compromisable in public affairs. Abortion is about the only issue I know of that"s not compromisable."Baucus" office declined to comment on the legislation, citing "longstanding Finance Committee policy not to discuss the specifics of ongoing negotiations." Erin Shields, Baucus" press secretary, noted that the lawmaker has a 100% approval rating from NARAL. She added, "He has always fought for a woman"s right to choose and will continue to do so."According to Newsweek, the House"s and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee"s proposals do not specify covered benefits, instead leaving the decision to an independent commission or the HHS secretary. A recent National Women"s Law Center poll found that 62% of participants would oppose a provision excluding abortion and family planning coverage (Feder, Newsweek, 7/14).
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The National Committee To Preserve Social Security And Medicare - Protecting The Health And Economic Future Of Older Americans

"As the President himself has said, America does not face an entitlement crisis, we face a health care crisis. In light of this, proposals that single out Medicare for aggressive cost cutting are not only unwise but patently unfair. We believe that it is an imperative of health reform that cost growth throughout the entire health care system be addressed, not simply in the Medicare program." Barbara B. Kennelly, President/CEO Medicare Advisory Council Proposal Looks More Like a Permanent Entitlement Commission than "MedPac on Steroids" In a letter today to Congress and the President, former Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly, President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is urging members to oppose any effort to transfer Congress" authority to manage Medicare to an appointed Commission charged primarily with cutting costs. The Independent Medicare Advisory Council proposal being considered in the House includes many of the same flawed approaches seen in entitlement reform commission plans offered in the past, including; fast-tracked legislation which prohibits amendments and requires an up or down vote, statutory spending caps and sequestration of funding. These provisions put spending cuts as the Medicare commission"s top priority. That leaves little room for concerns about access to services or affordability, and could ultimately lead to a serious erosion of the benefits relied upon by millions of seniors and the disabled. "Submitting major changes to such an important program on a fast track through Congress with little opportunity for amendment runs counter to the Administration"s call for transparency and participation by the American public in policy decisions. Enacting procedures to push through changes of this importance to millions of Americans, especially senior Americans, ultimately disenfranchises the public and hurts the political process." Barbara B. Kennelly, President/CEO Medicare reforms can and should be a part of the national health care transformation. However, analysis by the Congressional Budget Office has shown that Medicare spending is only a portion of the cost growth trend seen system-wide; underlining the need to control the growth trend throughout the entire health care system, not simply in the Medicare program. The National Committee has worked hard to mobilize support for Medicare proposals that would improve efficiency and care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries while also providing savings for system-wide health care reform efforts. However, this Medicare Advisory Council proposal shifts the focus away from system-wide reforms in favor of cutting Medicare to reduce the cost of health care reform. A copy of the National Committee"s letter to Congress opposing the creation of a permanent Medicare commission is available on our website; see here. The National Committee


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