Rush Holt took to the floor of the House (I think this is from this morning)(Just found out this was from late yesterday). to remind legislators caught up in the kind of frenzy over parliamentary procedure that only Congress could cook up, what the stakes are for the people who need the health care reform.
I'm as frustrated as the next progressive about the seeming lack of progress on getting Health Reform passed. I was upset that we're not going to get a single payer system, I was upset that we're not gong to get a public option. As an economist, I know that we're sending the wrong price signals to everyone involved with the employer-sponsored system we have inherited.
That said, what is emerging right now -- an adoption of the Senate bill by the House with agreement on how to fix it -- is what it's going to take to get HCR done in the current political environment.
This is not something trivial, not insignificant, and very complicated. We're talking about 1/6th of our economy here, not a resolution to create a postage stamp
So I'm amazed at all those who continue to harp on the point that this bill is 2700 pages long. As if the length of the legislation is related to it's merits. It's too long, too much government, too much legislation -- so it must be bad.
Since when did we measure the worth something by the page count?
1. "Overall, the job market for new physicians in New Jersey still appears to be good." Only 3% don't have job offers yet and 57% say they will be paid $160,000 or more in their first year. (So, that's why so many parents pushed their kids to be doctors.)
2. The bad news, though, is that fewer are staying in New Jersey, which worsens our local doctor shortage. (Admittedly I live in an out-of-the-way place, but I absolutely believe there is a huge doctor shortage.) Here's what the NJCTH says:
The new data would seem to further erode New Jersey's physician pool and underscores a projected shortfall of 2,800 physician shortage predicted by a 2-year study released earlier this year by the Council. The Council is now projecting a shortfall of 3,250 physicians.
"This year's exit survey is alarming," said J. Richard Goldstein, MD, President and CEO of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals. "Previous exit surveys have consistently shown that New Jersey's resident retention rate is lower than many states, hovering around 50% for graduating residents that intend to go into private practice. When the 2008 rate slipped to 47%, we were concerned, but last year we reached an alarming point where only 32%, less than one in every three residents, intend to establish a practice in New Jersey. Hopefully this will serve as clarion call for collaborative action by public policy makers and the leadership of our medical schools and teaching hospitals."
Of course I cannot tell you why this is happening, but the council points to better recruitment efforts by other states: "Richer loan repayment programs, better Medicaid rates, caps on pain and suffering, lower tax burdens, prompter pay laws for HMOs, less red tape." It seems to me that the new Cooper Medical School at Rowan University should help too.
As Hopeful notes below, a new poll by FDU shows (1) a dead heat between Senator Menendez and Tom Kean, Jr. for a race that is over two years from now, and (2) a very mixed bag on what people in NJ think about health care reform.
As Hopeful notes, 42% of New Jerseyans think that they personally will be worse off if the current health care reform bill passes, while 37% feel that they personally will be better off if the current health care reform bill passes. However, that 5% spread is reversed when the question is asked about the country as a whole, with a 45% - 40% margin indicating that the current health care bill will be better for the country. Adding to this, there is a 5% margin (40% against, 35% for, 25% don't know) when it comes to whether respondents would urge THEIR member of Congress to vote for or against ANY health care bill.
"Our United States Senators should finally listen to the majority of New Jerseyans and support a fresh approach to reforming our health insurance industry."
What's more, Kean said that the suspicious timing of his pontificating was merely "happenstance".
Now, say what you want about the current health care bill - there certainly is more than enough things to like and dislike about the bill on an individual level, but the one thing that can NOT be said is what Kean is asserting about "a fresh approach". It is either (1) is this bill good for me, (2) is this bill good for the rest of the country or (3) do you want your Congressman to vote for ANY bill. If Kean wants to be taken seriously, then he should actually say things that are accurate - especially when it comes to issues that he claims to represent "the majority of New Jerseyans" on and issues where he hopes to represent all of New Jerseyans.
When reached for comment, Adam L a/k/a clammyc noted that the timing of this post was merely "happenstance".
The players: President Obama, Vice-President Obama, and members of the House & Senate from both parties, including Rep. Rob Andrews, who chairs the House Education and Labor subcommittee on health.
The Location: Blair House, across the street from the White House, significantly at the President's end of the national Mall.
Interesting analysis of what the President's after today, from Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic.
Donor information for all the speakers is at Sunlight Foundation (info changes depending on who's at the microphone - turn off the sound at their site, if you're listening to our stream here).
Meeting started 10am, but I just grabbed the feed. Click the arrow to go LIVE.
All three pension/health-care-benefits reform bills (S-2 Text and S-2 Statement, S-3 Text and S-3 Statement, and Senate Bill S-4 Text and S-4 Statement) passed today by votes of 36-0. I understand Turner, Rice, Allen and Baroni are the four non-voters. Click on the "Text" link to see the full legislative language or the "Statement" link for a more comprehensible summary. S-2 limits new enrollment in the pension system to full-time employees working at least 35 hours a week. Part-time employees making $5000 are eligible for a Defined Contribution Retirement Program, i.e. something like a 401(k). Benefits for future participants also go back to the old 1/60 formula. If you have multiple jobs, only the best counts towards the pension. Under S-3, current employees will have to contribute 1.5% of their salary to their health benefits, and newly hired employees will have to contribute 1.5% of their pension when they retire. S-4 limits sick leave payouts, you'll remember the recent outrages over some very large payouts.
Note that the most interesting reforms apply to future participants in the pension system, if you're already in the system you evade most of these reforms.
With 36-0 votes, we need to include both Republican and Democratic quotes, so here goes:
"These reforms are necessary to restore New Jersey's long-term fiscal footing and return sanity to a pension and benefits system that was allowed to spiral out of control," said Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). "Without these changes, the state would soon have no option but to break its promise to career public servants."
"New Jersey's pension system is on life support," said Senate Republican Leader Thomas Kean (R-Union/Essex/Morris/Somerset). "If we don't act now, it will be too late to avoid a crisis that would be costly to both taxpayers and government employees who depend on the system. These are common-sense reforms that have bipartisan support."
One imagines that future State Senators will have to get their health benefits from their full-time job, unless there is a loophole somewhere.
Arlen Specter, the formerly Republican Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania, became the 19th Senator to sign a letter to Harry Reid urging him to pass a public option for the health bill via reconciliation.
Frank Lautenberg signed it, but Bob Menendez hasn't. It's time for him to do so.
This was posted last Friday, but just before two big pieces of news broke, Sen. Lautenberg's cancer diagnosis and Bill Baroni's impending exit from the state senate. But it's absolutely worth time up on the frontpage. Cross posted at Daily Kos where it got more than 100 comments, and 222 hits for the Tip Jar. - promoted by Rosi
On Wednesday I headed over to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick to take part in a discussion with doctors, hospital administrators, and consumer groups about repealing the McCarran-Ferguson Act - a law giving health insurers anti-trust exemptions.
My position has always been that insurance companies shouldn't be left to their own rules - nor their own devices. For the past 65 years, the health insurance industry has been operating with special immunity from anti-trust laws. While this exemption may contribute to their profit margins, it's the patients and doctors who are ultimately forced to pay the price. Enough is enough. In Congress, I'm proud to say that Democrats will soon introduce the Health Insurance Industry Anti-Trust Enforcement Act - to finally ban price fixing, bid rigging and market collusion, once and for all.
Right now, insurance companies continue to rake in record profits, while consumer costs are skyrocketing. Most states remain dominated by a small number of competing insurance firms. Here in New Jersey, just two companies control 60% of the market. Even when states pass laws preventing the exemption, most insurance companies still simply continue to ignore them by citing federal law. We must stop this double-standard and give patients a fair choice. By creating more competition, we will lower prices and increase access to medical treatments that are often denied because they are not profitable for insurance companies to cover.
Healthcare should be about putting people first, not profits. We must promote a fair playing field in the insurance industry and make certain they operate under the same rules as every other sector. The sentiment I heard from leading voices in the medical profession was that we need to shine a light on the practices used to set rates. Currently, federal regulators do not have the power to investigate anti-competitive tactics used by the industry to control the market, leaving patients and consumers vulnerable to exploitation at the hands of insurance companies and big business.
As President Obama's health care summit with Congressional leaders approaches, we must not forget the reasons why we began the process of reforming health care in the first place. We must give a voice to those patients being denied much-needed care due to an obsession with profits on the part of fat cat insurance executives.
The profit driven mindset has severe consequences, such as private practitioners refusing to provide general care procedures like vaccinations just because insurance companies don't cover them. This is unacceptable and needs to stop. I will continue to work with leaders and medical experts to give patients the care they need and deserve.
Fair competition in the marketplace will keep the industry honest. Even more importantly, it will cut down on medical costs for patients and their families. Such reform all begins with breaking up the insurance monopolies by repealing McCarran-Ferguson.
Today marks the first day of Heart Disease Awareness Month. Often those who serve in elected office mark such events with proclamations or press releases. But for me, this isn't just a simple policy issue. To me, this is personal, as both of my parents suffered from cardiovascular disease.
My father passed away from a heart attack when he was only 51 years old. I was a 19-year old freshman at Montclair State University at the time. The suddenness and timing of his death forced me to grow up very quickly and defined who I became as an adult. Then, a decade ago, my mother suffered a stroke. This inspired me to write New Jersey's Stroke Centers Law requiring designation of hospitals as primary or comprehensive stroke centers.
Here in the United States, heart disease is the number one killer of women. The statistics are simply staggering, and we need to take every level of precaution. The American Heart Association is working to change the perception that heart disease primarily affects men and has set a near-term goal of reducing incidents by 25% in women over the course this year.
There are a number of ways to pitch-in during the AHA's Go Red for Women campaign. This Friday, February 5th, I hope you'll join me - and thousands of others all across the country - by wearing the color red. Together, we can raise awareness of heart disease and show solidarity with the millions of families who have been affected.
In the legislature, I will continue doing my part to combat heart disease. I was a proud sponsor of laws extending a business tax credit to provide employees with benefits promoting physical fitness and well-being. However, in addition to a public policy agenda that promotes awareness and prevention, each of us can make healthier lifestyle choices that reduce the risk of heart disease - lowering health care costs and, even more importantly, saving lives in the process.
Also, while cigarettes are legal and adults have the right choose whether they want to smoke, I firmly believe they don't have a right to impose their unhealthy habit upon the non-smoking public. In 2005, I sponsored the law banning smoking in college and university dormitories. Some of you might already know that I am now pushing for legislation banning smoking in New Jersey parks and beaches. These public areas are paid for by taxpayer dollars and should be available everyone to safely enjoy without worrying about the effects of secondhand smoke. Even slight exposure has been found to pose a serious health risk.
I had the honor, privilege and good fortune of seeing then-Senator Obama speak in Hoboken, on November 2, 2006, at a campaign event for Senator Menendez. Afterwards I called my father and said "I think I just saw the next President of the United States." Two years later, November, 4, 2008, he and the American voters proved me right; I attended a victory party for President Obama, Senator Lautenberg, for "Change we can believe in," for the American people, and for, I think, the world.
I felt like that watching the State of the Union; less euphoric, more focused and disciplined.
As long as I've known him, Frank Pallone has been willing to jump in and try new ways of talking to people. This Twitter Town Hall - which you can read along with here - was pretty cool, no doubt about it. Follow him here. - Rosi
I want to thank everyone who took part in my first Twitter Town Hall - I had a great time doing it and I'm looking forward to coming back again to answer questions on different issues. Congress is truly making history by reforming the health care system. Seven presidents tried - none were successful. We are now on the verge of sending President Obama reforms that will lower premiums, increase competition, and increase access to near universal levels.
But this would not have been possible without you. Citizen participation is important, so when a new technology like Twitter comes along and gives me a new medium to reach constituents and activists - I am happy to embrace it.
We had a lively discussion about the effects of the bill on Medicare, how mandates may affect students and what people can expect when the bill is law. We dispelled myths about the bill and clarified the bill's intentions.
After health care reform is passed and nearly 30 million more Americans are covered there will still be challenges ahead. Climate change, Afghanistan, financial regulation, and a slew of other issues need to be tackled - and we need all of you helping us to combat the special interests. I know some progressives are disheartened by the Senate stripping the public option out of the reform package and so was I. But we must keep our eyes open to the big picture. The public option would only affect approximately 5 million Americans;whereas, the health exchanges we are creating will affect over 30 million. In addition, this bill ends discriminatory practices such as pre-existing conditions and expands Medicaid, among other important reforms. This is real progress on an important American issue.
Thank you again for participating. I hope you'll enjoy some behind the scenes photos and video from the Town Hall and if you have any other questions please visit Pallone for New Jersey . And if you aren't already, please follow me on Twitter so you can participate next time.
Rep. Frank Pallone's Twitter Town Hall on health care starts at 1pm today, Monday, Dec. 21, and with the Senate's first vote on reform coming late this weekend, his timing couldn't be better.
How to participate: Sign onto Twitter and direct a question to @FrankPallone with the hash tag "#ttpallone" at the end. The congressman will answer as many questions as possible and respond directly to your Twitter account. Keep your questions to 140 characters. - promoted by Rosi
As the Senate continues its debate on the long road towards reforming America's health care system the end is in sight. Over the past year, there has been discussion, thought, compromise and ideas to get the best solutions to lower costs, reduce premiums, and make sure everyone has access to insurance. This debate has focused on the needs of everyday Americans - those struggling beneath a mountain of debt from medical bills - forced into impossible decisions between filling a prescription bottle or stocking their refrigerator.
I'm trying something new. On Monday, December 21st at 1:00 pm I will hold my first Twitter Town Hall. As the Chairman of the House subcommittee and one of the chief authors of the House reform bill, I want you all to stay engaged in this issue. I want your input; your thoughts and ideas; your hopes and goals; even your criticisms. I hope you will join me.
I am optimistic that the Senate will vote out a bill shortly. After that, we will head into a Conference Committee to merge and reconcile the two bills before it goes to the President.
The process for the Twitter Town Hall is simple. At 1:00 pm, sign onto Twitter and direct a question to @FrankPallone with the hash tag "#ttpallone" at the end. I will work to answer as many questions as possible and respond replying directly to your Twitter account (in 140 characters or less). Please visit Pallone for New Jersey and RSVP.
Without the activists and bloggers in the netroots community staying involved with this issue I doubt we would have made as much progress in this time frame. We all worked hard to get a reform plan in line with our basic principles of lowering costs and covering every American. Please join me on December 21st at 1:00 pm so I can answer your questions and provide an updated perspective on the reform process.
I look forward to answering your questions and opening up a lively discussion on what we need to move forward and get a comprehensive bill to President Obama's desk and be signed into law.
To sum things up, on Monday, December 21st at 1:00 pm, sign on to Twitter and ask me a question about the health care reform legislation by using the following formula in your tweet:
@FrankPallone - "question" "#ttpallone"
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my update, but only because it is from the Congressman to us. A Tweet thanking us for liveblogging: Thanks to the folks at @BlueJersey for live blogging the town hall: http://tinyurl.com/ygmswa5 #ttpallone ---thanks to you for taking the time, Congressman --- Adam/clammyc
This whole issue has left women hearing conflicting things. We had a little technical problem trying to live-stream this yesterday, so it's good to have the congressman's own wrap-up of what happened. Thanks, Rep. Pallone - - promoted by Rosi
Many of you have been following the recent controversy about the US Preventive Services Task Force's new breast cancer screening recommendations - in the news, at the watercooler and around the family dinner table. The implied suggestion that screening should start at age 50 rather than the previous recommendation of 40 is a legitimate cause for concern.
I hope that the yesterday's Health Subcommittee hearing will put some of these concerns to rest. Task Force vice-chair Dr. Diana Petitti put it best, explaining that "communication was poor" on the matter, and that their original statement has "been misconstrued." Most importantly, the hearing clarified that decisions on mammograms for patients between 40 and 50 should be made by women and their doctors, and no one else. Under no circumstances should mammograms be denied to women younger than 50.
However, many opponents of health care reform have stoked the fires of controversy on this issue and are continuing to do so. The most dishonest among them are working hard to mislead the public, implying that the task force recommendations were a product of recent efforts to enact health care reform. They were not. In fact, the task force developed its suggestion while George W. Bush was still in the White House.
My colleague and friend John Dingell of Michigan pointed out these tactics for what they are - scare tactics. Even though the Obama administration was extremely proactive when the task force recommendations were released, affirming that government-backed health programs would not stop covering mammograms for women between the ages of 40 to 49, opponents of health reform have claimed otherwise. In fact, health reform will require mammograms. Now, there are no requirements for mammograms for women at any age. So health reform will make more mammograms available and covered by insurance. And even yesterday, as task force members put our fears to rest, anti-reform Republicans made outlandish statements about reform harming women's health, when clearly the opposite is true. They are trying to exploit the fears of women about breast cancer in a dishonest attempt to score political points on health reform.
As the health reform debate comes to a close, it's more important than ever for those of us who believe in real health care reform and a strong public option to be vigilant against the lies and obfuscation of those who would seek to defend the broken status quo. The only way to do that is to ask questions and uncover the truth, just as we did in yesterday's hearings. The health and safety of American women - our mothers, our sisters, our wives and our daughters - is too important an issue to be turned into political fodder by the opponents of reform.
To learn more about what I'm doing to further the health care reform debate in Congress, visit my website at PalloneForAHealthyNJ.com.
DNC is keeping up the pressure on Leonard Lance and Frank LoBiondo, two of the 32 GOP congressmen in America whose District voted for Obama - and his health care reform platform - but who betrayed the interests of their constituents by voting against reform 9 days ago in the House. Full list here.
Promoted by Jason Springer: An interesting exchange with Congressman Garrett talking healthcare and more great work by rmfretz keeping an eye on the Congressman at Blog the Fifth.
Representative Scott Garrett chats with Fox 5 about his vote against the health care bill. Garrett talks almost exclusively about Medicare Advantage as his reason, which as I've written before can currently charge taxpayers up to a 40% mark up on services.
It's good to see Garrett using the full term, as opposed to earlier, but I still can't understand how someone who claims he is a fiscal conservative can defend taxpayers paying up to 40% more than something actually costs for anything.
Although the House bill is dead in the Senate, taking the 40% mark up will be out no matter what bill comes back to the House for reconciliation.
While Garrett claims the program will be taken from those enrolled, nothing in the bill eliminates the program. What it eliminates is the 40% mark up. Now should insurance companies only participate due to their ability to gouge taxpayers, one could see them cease to offer the program, as the Chief Actuary for Medicare and Medicaid noted.
That aside, Garrett's interview is interesting in that it shows his true feeling on the Bill and overhaul in general.
Of the many heroes today, is my former boss, Rep. Rush D. Holt of New Jersey's 12th congressional district. Hopeful has his full statement from the floor of the House in Comments. Here it is on vid:
Thanks for giving us a better understanding of how your union sees this election. You're right; there are challenges ahead of us. - promoted from the diaries by Rosi.
Everyone knows that Governor Corzine and Loretta Weinberg lost the race for Governor and Lt. Governor on Tuesday. Ultimately, it is the residents of New Jersey who were losers, too. Because, we may have also lost any opportunity to advance health care in this state, and to challenge the narrow, false choices that too many politicians make between taxes and services.
Late yesterday, Hopeful posted a diary asking that you contact Rep. Adler's office with respect to the House "robust public option/Medicare+5" bill that Speaker Pelosi was hoping to bring for a vote.
We also found out that Reps. Steve Rothman (NJ-9) and Albio Sires (NJ-13) may also be on the fence, so we are asking that if at all possible, can you call all three of their offices and urge them to support the Speaker and 70% of Americans for REAL healthcare reform.
Here are their numbers, both in DC and here in NJ:
John Adler:
DC-202-225-4765
NJ-856-985-2777
NJ-732-608-7235
Steve Rothman:
DC-202-225-5061
NJ-201-646-0808
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I'm told we may have until around 2PM today, so anything you can do this morning is extremely helpful. And as Rosi said last night:
If you live in their congressional district be sure to tell the staffer.
If you don't live there, but work there, or spend vacation time or money there, tell them that. And of course, be brief and polite to the staffer who takes your call.
If you know somebody in the district, please shoot them an email with the phone number - you can make a difference this morning.
Also, if you could tweet this and post to your Facebook status, that would be great too. After all, elections have consequences, right?
If you're in John Adler's district, this is the time to call his offices. Blue Jersey is hearing rumors that there will be a vote, perhaps as soon as tomorrow morning, on a public option "Medicare+5." That is, Americans who currently do not have health insurance will get the option of choosing a private health insurance plan or a government-run plan that reimburses doctors 5% more than they get from Medicare. It's a great idea. Nancy Pelosi is asking John Adler to vote for this plan and if you can call him you can add to the pressure to do the right thing. Recently Representative Adler said he could support a public option. Frankly, it's clear that every other NJ Democrat will vote yes and every NJ Republican will vote no. John Adler's contact information is:
DC Phone:202-225-4765
DC Fax:202-225-0778
Toms River Phone: (732) 608-7235
Toms River Fax: (732) 608-7268
This is a crucial moment. There are also reports that Harry Reid is leaning towards including a public option in the Senate bill, though it would be be weaker than the House. Every positive vote in the House will strengthen the progressive side in the upcoming conference committee negotiations.
I am receiving new information tonight that the House DOES NOT have 218 "solid' yes votes for health care reform with a Medicare +5% public option. Representative John Larson's claim earlier today that the House had the votes appear to have included at least 12, and as many as 15, Representatives who are "lean yes" votes.
Further, I am told that if the leadership does not confirm 218 "solid" yes votes by the end of the 9:30 a.m. Democratic caucus meeting tomorrow morning, they will probably include the negotiated rate public option in the bill that is sent to the floor, not the Medicare +5% public option. At the very latest, we have until 2 p.m. to get the votes.
Three of NJ's Democratic congressional delegation are being targeted to firm up or gain their support of the Progressive robust public option (Medicare +5 rate).
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is closing in on the support needed to pass a Health Care Reform bill with a robust public option. Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs the strongest bill possible to give her a strong negotiating hand when she goes to conference committee with the Senate.
Congressmen Steve Rothman, John Adler and Albio Sires are all listed as either lean yes, undecided or lean no on Health Care Reform with a robust public option that sets reimbursement rates at Medicare levels plus 5% instead of a weaker negotiated rates level.
Please reach out to these Congressmen and let them know we need the strongest most progressive version of the bill possible!
