3.23.09  President Obama Signs Health Care Reform Bill into Law

President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on Tuesday after the House of Representatives passed the bill on Sunday. The full text of the law  is available here. The Senate is in the process of debating amendments to the related reconciliation bill (the "Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010"), which will make important improvements to the health care reform law in the areas of affordability and the Medicare Part D coverage gap. The full text of the reconciliation bill is available here.

3.21.09  House Passes Health Care Reform Bill

The House voted on Sunday to pass the Senate's health care reform  bill (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.R.3590) by a 219-212 vote. All Republicans and 34 Democrats voted against the bill. The full text of the bill as passed is available here. The House subsequently voted 220-211 to approve a package of changes to the bill that now go to the Senate for debate and votes on amendments (this is the reconciliation process). For the full text of the House reconciliation bill, click here.

12.24.09  Senate Passes Health Care Reform Bill

The Senate voted to pass the  Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.R.3590 by a 60-49 vote on Christmas Eve. The bill incorporates Majority Leader Harry Reid's Manager's Amendment, which eliminates the public health insurance option and makes modest increases in investments to health care workforce development and public health infrastructure. The full text of the bill as passed is available here.

12.19.09  Manager's Amendment to Senate Health Care Reform Bill Released

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released a package of amendments (called the Manager's Amendment) to the sweeping health care reform bill under consideration in the Senate (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.R.3590) over the weekend. Among other changes to the bill, the Manager's Amendment eliminates the public health insurance option and makes modest increases in investments to health care workforce development and public health infrastructure. The full text of the 383-page Manager's Amendment is available here.

11.30.09  CBO Releases Evaluation of Premium Costs in Senate Health Care Reform Bill

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report today evaluating the expected impact of the Senate's health care reform legislation, if passed, on health insurance premiums. The report predicts that premiums would decrease for most people who buy insurance in the individual market, and would remain more or less unchanged for those who have insurance through their employers. For a summary of the report, click here. To read the entire report, click here.

11.19.09  STI/HIV Screening Access Bill Introduced in House

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) and sixteen co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced a bill (H.R.4140) to increase access to voluntary screening for HIV/AIDS and STIs. The bill is aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and STIs and to improve individual health outcomes.

11.18.09  Senate Majority Leader Reid Unveils Unified Health Care Reform Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released a health care reform bill today that merges the bills passed earlier this year by two Senate committees (Finance and Health, Education & Labor). The Senate must vote to proceed with debate on the bill, now named the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, again to conclude debate on the bill, and a third time to pass the bill. Numerous amendments are expected during floor debate.  Read TAEP's analysis of the 2,074-page bill here.

11.07.09  House Passes Health Care Reform Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) by a vote of 220-215. The bill contains several provisions that will increase access to affordable care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS, including ETHA, ADAP as TrOOP, phasing out the Part D donut hole, creating an optional public health insurance plan, prohibiting discrimination based on health status by health insurance plans,  and providing financial assistance for the cost of premiums and cost-sharing in the private market. The Senate is expected to take up its version of a national health care reform bill over the next several weeks. The House and Senate must reconcile their two bills into one before health care reform legislation is sent to the President's desk. TAEP has analyzed the House bill according to our ten principles for health care reform. Click here to read our analysis.

10.30.09  President Signs Ryan White CARE Act Extension, Announces Lifting of 22-Year Long HIV Travel Ban

President Obama signed into law the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, extending the Ryan White program--the largest program solely dedicated to providing treatment and care to people living with HIV/AIDS--for four years. During the signing ceremony, the President also announced the lifting of the HIV travel ban. Originally enacted in 1987, the HIV travel ban prohibits foreign nationals with HIV from obtaining visas for travel to the US and prevents them from becoming legal permanent residents. The announcement will take effect after a routine 60-day waiting period.

10.29.09  House Speaker Pelosi Unveils Unified Health Care Reform Bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) released a comprehensive health care reform bill today that merges the bills passed earlier this year by three House committees (Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce). The bill, now named the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), was formally introduced by Ways and Means Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI). Among other things, the new legislation includes improved provisions around affordability for low-income individuals and families, and expands Medicaid coverage to those with income up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (about $16,245 for individuals and $33,075 for a family of four). The House is scheduled to begin debate on the bill on Friday, November 6, and to vote on the bill on Saturday, November 7 at 6:00 PM. Read TAEP's analysis of the bill here.

10.21.09  Ryan White CARE Act Extension Passes Congress

The House today passed S.1793, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, by a vote of 408-9. The bill extends the Ryan White program--the largest program solely dedicated to providing treatment and care to people living with HIV/AIDS--for four years. The Senate unanimously passed an identical bill on Monday (10/19/09). The completed bill will now go to the President for his signature. 

10.13.09  House Members Urge Speaker to Include ADAP as TrOOP

Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) sent a Dear Colleague letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) requesting that a provision to count AIDS Drug Assistance Program payments towards Medicaid enrollees' Part D TrOOP requirements be included in the final version of health reform legislation.  Twenty-one other members of Congress joined him on the letter. Click here to view the letter. This measure was added to the Senate Finance Committee's bill during markup and is consistent with TAEP's top ten policy priorities to make health care reform work for people living with HIV/AIDS. Currently, the House health care reform bill does not contain this provision, but the House bill would gradually close the Part D coverage gap.

10.13.09  Finance Committee Passes Health Care Reform Bill

The Senate Finance Committee today voted to approve health care reform bill it has been considering over the past weeks by a vote of 14-9. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) was the only Republican to vote for the bill; all Democrats on the Committee voted for it.

10.11.09  California Governor Schwarzenegger Signs HIV Testing Bill

On October 11, the Governor signed AB 221 (Portantino-D), a bill co-sponsored by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, designed to expand access to HIV rapid screening and increase the number of Californians being tested for HIV. The bill eliminates unnecessary training standards for HIV counselors who administer the finger stick rapid test. Because existing California law demands excessive training for the simple finger-stick test, community-based organizations across the state struggled to get their HIV testing counselors certified. As a result, many clinics have had to rely on the more costly oral fluid rapid HIV test exclusively. AB 221 allows HIV test sites greater flexibility in choosing which test to offer and saves the state money that can be directed to increasing HIV testing, which is especially critical due to the state’s budget crisis.

10.01.09  Finance Committee Passes Amendment to Help PLWHA in the Part D Donut Hole

The Senate Finance Committee today unanimously approved an amendment crafted by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and offered by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) that would allow expenditures by state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) to count towards Medicare enrollees' true out-of-pocket (TrOOP) spending requirements to regain coverage for prescription medications under Part D. This amendment to the Senate Finance committee's health care reform bill is consistent with TAEP's top ten policy priorities to make health care reform work for people living with HIV/AIDS.

9.24.09  Finance Committee Rejects Amendment to Close the Donut Hole

The Senate Finance Committee today rejected an amendment offered by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) that would have gradually phased out the prescription drug coverage gap in Medicare Part D during markup of Chairman Max Baucus's (D-MT) plan for health care reform.  The measure failed to pass by a vote of 13-10. Instead, the Finance bill contains a provision effectively reducing the donut hole for middle-income Part D enrollees by 50%.

9.22.09  Finance Committee Begins Markup of Baucus Health Care Reform Proposal

The Senate Committee on Finance began its markup of Chairman Max Baucus's (D-MT) plan for health care reform today. Committee members from both parties have submitted some 564 amendments relating to health care delivery systems, expanding coverage, and financing for the overhaul. The Committee must consider these amendments and vote on the proposal before it can be merged with the bill created by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (considered to be the late Senator Ted Kennedy's health care reform bill).

9.21.09  House Committee on Energy and Commerce to Continue Markup of H.R.3200

The House Committee on Energy & Commerce will convene this week to consider several outstanding amendments to H.R. 3200 (America's Affordable Health Choices Act). Numerous amendments that appear to have bipartisan support in the Committee will be considered together as a manager's amendment; others will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The final version to come out of the Committee will need to be reconciled with bill language that was passed in July by the Committees on Ways & Means and  Education & Labor.

9.16.09  Senator Baucus Releases Chairman's Mark of  Health Care Reform Bill to Finance Committee

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) released a plain-language document today detailing the proposal for a national health care reform bill ("America's Healthy Future Act of 2009") developed over three-plus months of negotiations with the bipartisan "Gang of 6." The so-called chairman's mark includes reforms of the private insurance market, expanded rules for Medicaid eligibility, creation of state-level health insurance exchanges, and subsidies for low-income individuals and families to purchase insurance in the individual private market. It also provides funding for the creation of state-level health insurance co-ops (in lieu of a national, publically-administered health insurance plan as proposed in competing bills) to compete with private insurance plans. The plans outlined in the chairman's mark depart--with respect to some details significantly--from the White Paper for health reform released by Senator Baucus last Fall. And despite weeks of bipartisan negotiations on the proposal, neither Senate Republicans nor Democrats have stepped forward in support of the chairman's mark. Committee markup is scheduled to begin next week. Members of both parties are expected to offer amendments. TAEP's analysis of the chairman's mark is based on our ten principles for national health care reform.

7.31.09  House Energy and Commerce Committee Passes Health Care Reform Bill

The House Energy and Commerce Committee--the last of three committees to mark up the House health care reform bill (H.R.3200) before it goes to the floor--passed its version of the bill late Friday (July 31st) by a 31-28 vote. All Republican members of the Committee and 5 Democrats voted against the bill. The Committee's final version of the bill after its markup can be found here. The public health insurance plan option in the bill continues to draw the strongest criticism from opponents of the bill. For more coverage of the vote, click here. TAEP strongly supports a robust, national public option as a measure to increase consumer choice and access to comprehensive, quality care as well as combat rising health care costs. TAEP's analysis of the bill is based on our ten principles for national health care reform.

7.30.09  House Energy and Commerce Committee Rejects Proposal to Strip Public Plan Option from Health Care Reform Bill

As it continued its markup of the House health care reform bill, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act" (H.R.3200), the Committee on Energy and Commerce defeated an amendment that would eliminate a section of the bill that would create a public health insurance option by a vote of 35 to 24.  Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have been working to resolve an in-party impasse between conservative Blue Dog democrats and progressive democrats over the public plan option. The New York Times is reporting that an agreement reached Friday afternoon (July 31st) garnered enough support to allow the Committee to pass the bill, but progressive Committee members have expressed strong reservations about changes to the public plan option. TAEP strongly supports a robust, national public option as a measure to increase consumer choice and access to comprehensive, quality care as well as combat rising health care costs. For more information on TAEP's priorities for health care reform, see our ten principles for national health care reform.

7.30.09  House Republicans Introduce GOP Health Care Bill

Representative Tom Price (R-GA) introduced H.R.3400, a bill crafted by the Republican Study Committee (RSC) relating to health care reform. The bill makes modest investments in the clinical workforce, but does not significantly address TAEP's other priorities for national health care reform, such as a public insurance plan option for consumers, strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, and advancing HIV prevention and treatment. TAEP's analysis of the bill is based on our ten principles for national health care reform. 

7.17.09  Two House Committees Pass Health Care Reform Bill

Both the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Ways and Means Committee passed the "America's Affordable Health Choices Act" (H.R.3200). The third committee of jurisdiction, the Energy and Commerce Committee, continues its consideration of the bill and is expected to wrap up before Congress breaks for August recess.

7.15.09  Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) Passes Senator Kennedy's Health Care Reform Bill

The Senate HELP Committee passed the "Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" after a month-long markup of the bill. The bill will have to be merged with the Finance Committee's health reform bill--which remains in committee markup--before being taken up by the full Senate. TAEP's analysis of the bill is based on our ten principles for national health care reform.

7.14.09  Tri-Committee Health Care Reform Bill Introduced in House

Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY, Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee), Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA, Chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee) and Congressman George Miller (D-CA, Chairman of House Committee on Education and Labor), introduced a bill to overhaul the nation's health care systems. Key aspects of the "America's Affordable Health Choices Act" (H.R.3200) include establishment of a national health insurance exchange, a public plan option, a federally-funded expansion of Medicaid, incorporation of the Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA), measures to address health disparities, private market reforms and a universal coverage requirement with subsidies for individuals and families with income up to 400% of the federal poverty level.   Many of these issues are of critical importance to low income people living with HIV disease.

6.17.09  Senator Rockefeller Introduces Bill Detailing Public Health Insurance Option

Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee's subcommittee on health care, along with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Consumers Health Care Act of 2009 in advance of the Finance Committee's markup of a health care reform bill. The Rockefeller-Brown bill would establish a public plan that would be available to consumers alongside private plans through a new national health insurance exchange. Read the text of the bill here.

6.08.09  Senator Bingaman Introduces Helping Fill the Medicare Rx Gap Act of 2009

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), along with Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Mark Begich (D-AK), introduced a bill (S.1201) to protect Medicare beneficiaries facing gaps in their Part D prescription drug coverage. Under the bill, expenditures for prescription drugs made on behalf of an individual by state drug assistance programs, AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), and other sources would count toward the individual's True Out Of Pocket expenses (TrOOP) in the so-called doughnut hole. This simple measure will help people living with HIV/AIDS and any Medicare beneficiaries with complex health conditions access the prescriptions they need without interruption.  This measure is consistent with our ten principles for national health care reform. A similar bill (H.R. 2777) was introduced by a group of nineteen members of the House of Representatives, led by Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) on June 9, 2009.

5.20.09  Senator Coburn Introduces the Patients' Choice Act

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced a bill (S.1099) to reform public and private health care systems in the United States. The bill does not meet any of TAEP's ten priorities for health care reform, and does not represent meaningful progress in increasing affordable access to comprehensive care for low-income people living with HIV. TAEP's analysis of this bill is based on our ten principles for national health care reform. See how this bill compares to other plans for health care reform with our at-a-glance scorecard. 

July 30--Center on Budget and Policy Priorities releases economic analysis of Coburn bill detailing bill's impact on health care affordability.

4.20.09  Bipartisan Group Introduces ETHA in Senate

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), along with ten other senators, introduced the Early Treatment of HIV Act (S.833) in the Senate. ETHA would give states the flexibility to readily amend their Medicaid eligibility rules to include low-income people living with HIV--before they progress to an AIDS diagnosis, as is now required in most states. TAEP strongly supports this bill as a vehicle to dramatically increase access to health care for people living with HIV.  [read more about ETHA]

3.25.09  Senator Sanders Introduces the American Health Security Act

Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) has introduced a sweeping bill (S.703) to reform the delivery of health care in the United States. The bill provides for universal coverage through state-level plans administered by state boards and funded largely by federal tax dollars. It would eliminate several existing public health insurance programs (Medicaid, Medicare, and S-CHIP).  TAEP's analysis of the bill is based on our ten principles for national health care reform. See how this bill compares to other plans for health care reform with our at-a-glance scorecard. 

3.25.09  Bill to End 2-Year Medicare Waiting Period Introduced in Congress

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Representative Gene Green (D-TX) have introduced a bill (S.700, H.R.1708) in the Senate and House to phase out the 2-year waiting period for Medicare that people with disabilities face once they are approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. TAEP strongly supports eliminating the waiting period. The 2-year wait before Medicare coverage begins presents an unreasonable barrier to lifesaving care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS and other complex, chronic health conditions. Eliminating the waiting period will promote earlier access to care and help avoid more costly medical interventions that result when people with serious illnesses put off getting treatment or stop taking their medications because they cannot afford the care.

3.19.09 Bipartisan Group Introduces ETHA in House of Representatives

Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), along with 42 co-sponsors from both parties, introduced the Early Treatment of HIV Act (H.R. 1616) in the House of Representatives. ETHA would give states the flexibility to readily amend their Medicaid eligibility rules to include low-income people living with HIV--before they progress to an AIDS diagnosis, as is now required in most states. A companion bill in the Senate was introduced on April 20, 2009 under the leadership of Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).  TAEP strongly supports the passage of ETHA and encourages you to tell your Representatives and Senators that you do, too. [read more about ETHA]

2.17.09  President Obama Signs the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

The economic stimulus package contained several provisions that will help maintain or improve access to health care for low income people living with HIV/AIDS, including:

• Temporarily increases federal funds for states' Medicaid programs during times of economic crisis. This move should help states avoid cutting their Medicaid budgets at at time when high unemployment means the need for Medicaid coverage is greatest.

• Extends COBRA eligibility for workers who have lost their jobs, and helps minimize workers' out-of-pocket expenses for COBRA premiums.

• Provides additional funding to grow the primary care clinical workforce through the National Health Services Corps and training under the National Health Services Act.

Read more about ARRA's health care provisions or read the text of the Act. 

2.6.09  Senator Wyden Introduces the Healthy Americans Act

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with a bipartisan group of senators, has introduced a sweeping health care reform bill, the Healthy Americans Act (S. 391), that proposes to change Medicaid as it exists today and requires all individuals to buy private health insurance through state-level plans. TAEP's analysis of the bill is based on our ten principles for national health care reform. See how this bill compares to other plans for health care reform, including Senator Baucus's (D-MT) White Paper on national health care reform with our at-a-glance scorecard. 

Read more about TAEP's principles for health care reform or read the text of Senator Wyden's bill.

11.12.08  Senator Baucus Introduces Plan for National Health Care Reform

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) unveiled a plan ("A Call to Action: Health Care Reform 2009") to reform the nation's health care delivery systems. This plan addresses several of TAEP's key priorities, including eliminating the 2-year waiting period for Medicare for people with disabilities and increasing the federal contribution to states' Medicaid programs during times of economic crisis. Senator Baucus has not yet introduced this plan as as a bill. See how this plan compares to other plans for health care reform with our at-a-glance scorecard.

Read more about TAEP's principles for health care reform or read the text of this plan.