Health Care Reform Proposals Remain Underdevelopment

The debate over health care reform heats up with the both the House and Senate beginning to outline policy priorities. Congressional leaders in the House and Senate remain committed to finalizing legislation before the August recess.However, neither body has released a legislative proposal and they must compete for time to debate the legislation with other priorities such as climate change. The Senate Finance Committee has released broad policy options to set the outline of comprehensive health care reform. The policy options in the reports covered costs in the health care delivery system, expanding coverage to all Americans and the financing of health reform. This week the financing of health reform policy options was the last report to be released prior to the drafting of the legislation.  The options by the committee include: 1) reductions in current spending by reducing waste and inefficiencies; 2) modifying current tax treatment of health-related expenses including modifying the tax-free status of employer provided health coverage, modifying Health Savings Accounts and even the option of eliminating Flexible Spending Accounts; and 3) changing non-health tax provisions to promote wellness and health choices trough lifestyle changes.  While the Finance committee has released broad policy options,it must be worked in with other committees before it can be formally introduced.   AGC and the AGC Health Care Task Force continue to await the release of legislative language before making formal recommendations to Congress.