Health Care Update as of the Beginning of October 2009

Through various means, both web based and print, we are monitoring as best we can discussions related to the ongoing health care discussions. Below is an edited and excerpted version of some information we received recently from GalleryWatch in Washington, DC. We would like to share it with you. This updates our earlier posting on the Criminal Law Library Blog
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You might have noticed over the past little while that the Senate Finance Committee has been marking up a bill to reform our health care system.( see links following this discussion to the October 1 version of the bill from the Finance Committee and to a list dated October 5, 2009 of technical corrections to that bill).

This week,[last of September and beginning of October 2009] the last regular committee markup session on health care reform legislation wound down in the Senate Finance Committee. A conceptual draft proposal offered by Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) was amended with over 40 changes as of Thursday evening. CongressNow reported Thursday that the committee adopted an amendment offered by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) that creates optional state-level public insurance plans.

The committee started its session with more than 500 possible amendments and considered over 100 amendments. There were reports Tuesday on the adopted amendments from last week’s sessions and the committee defeated proposals to add a public insurance option offered by Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday afternoon. Roll Call reported Wednesday morning that Rockefeller and Schumer are optimistic about the chance of new amendments on a public insurance option on the Senate floor.

On Wednesday, the committee rejected several amendments (view first and second amendments) restricting abortion coverage offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and another amendment requiring identity verification offered by ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Also on Wednesday the committee adopted an amendment by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) that allows senior citizens to deduct health expenses. CongressNow also reported Wednesday on Democratic efforts to tweak the tax treatment of high-end insurance plans.

TEXT OF AMERICA’S HEALTH FUTURE ACT OF 2009, AS AMENDED 10-02-09

TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO AMERICA’S HEALTH FUTURE ACT OF 2009, OCTOBER 5, 2009.

As Gallerywatch also notes: “With all the activity by the Senate Finance Committee, don’t forget about the two other health care bills out there, HR 3200 from the House and the Senate HELP Committee’s bill S 1679, named in honor of the late Senator Kennedy”