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Government
& Public Affairs Update
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Government &
Public Affairs Team
Reginald M. Turner
John
Van Fossen, Practice Group Leader
Lucius A. Vassar
Chris Wagner
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House Announces Health Care Reform
Legislation
Today, the
House Committees on Education and Labor, Ways and Means, and Energy
and Commerce announced H.R. 3200, America's
Affordable Health Choices Act. The legislation is the House
Democrats' effort to reform the country's health care system.
According
to its authors, "the bill will ensure that 97 percent of
Americans will be covered by a health care plan that is both
affordable and offers quality, standard benefits by 2019."
Some highlights of the bill include:
- Establishing
of a health care exchange where consumers can choose from a
number of options, including public and private health insurance
plans
- Ensuring
citizens will have access to health care regardless of whether
their employer does not offer coverage or if they lose their
jobs
- Ending
increases in premiums or denials of coverage based on
pre-existing conditions, age, race or gender
- Eliminating
co-pays for preventative care
- Capping
out-of-pocket expenses
- Guaranteeing
catastrophic coverage that protects every American from
bankruptcy
- Requiring
employers to offer coverage or pay a penalty
- Requiring
citizens to purchase coverage or pay a penalty
- Providing
affordability credits for low-income and middle-income
individuals and families
"I'm
pleased by the progress we've made on the [bill]. Across the
political spectrum -- from liberal to conservative with moderates in
between -- everyone knows health care is a major part of our current
economic crisis," said Energy and Commerce Chairman Emeritus
John Dingell (MI-15). "The bill will address many of the
problems we've heard from Americans whether they live in rural
communities, or are employed by small businesses and large factories."
Republicans reacted forcefully to the bill. "Speaker
Pelosi's $1 trillion government-takeover of health care will force
millions of Americans to lose their current health insurance,
increase premiums and impose massive new taxes and mandates on
employers, especially small businesses," said Ways and Means
Ranking Member Dave Camp (MI-4). Instead of what they deem as
excessive spending, Republicans are pushing for eliminating the
number of "unnecessary" medical malpractice lawsuits,
providing tax incentives for small businesses and individuals, and
eliminating waste and fraud in the Medicare and Medicaid systems.
Each of the House Committees intends to mark up the bill this
week. The Education and Labor Committee will hold its mark up
at 3 p.m. on July 15 and expects it to last throughout the day on
Thursday, July 16. The Ways and Means Committee will begin its
work on the bill at 9 a.m., Thursday, July 16. The Energy and
Commerce Committee could not confirm a date this week when contacted.
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If you have any questions concerning these issues,
please contact Chris Wagner at 202.772.0924 or cwagner@clarkhill.com.
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To find out
more about Clark Hill and our Government & Public Affairs
Practice Group, visit clarkhill.com
or call 800.949.3124
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