House passes health system reform legislation

Late this evening, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," by a vote of 220-215. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the legislation would raise the percentage of legal, non-elderly American residents with insurance coverage from the current 83 percent to 96 percent. It also includes insurance market reforms that would eliminate exclusions for pre-existing conditions and lifetime limits on total health care spending, and it would provide subsidies for low-income Americans to help them purchase coverage in a health insurance exchange.

The legislation was supported by the AMA and a number of other national physician organizations, including the American Academy of Dermatology, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, American Thoracic Society, National Medical Association and Medical Group Management Association. AARP also supported the bill.

The focus now moves to the Senate, where a draft proposal has been submitted to the CBO for review prior to scheduling consideration on the floor.


House approves rule for considering SGR repeal bill

Earlier in the day, the House approved a rule for considering both the health system reform bill and H.R. 3961, the "Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009." The vote was 242-192, with all but 15 Democrats voting in support and all Republicans voting against. While the rule set parameters for debate on both bills, the imminent congressional recess for the Veterans Day holiday prevented a floor vote on H.R. 3961. That legislation would repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) physician payment formula and replace it with a new payment update system with two more generous spending targets. The House is expected to take up H.R. 3961 during the week of Nov. 16.