"Democrats Drop Plan to Expand Medicare"
- Senate Democrats dropped a plan to expand Medicare, after it was obvious that the proposal did not have the support of all 60 senators needed to bring the bill for a vote.
- The idea of letting people ages 55 to 64 buy into Medicare, announced just last week, had threatened to explode the Democrats' hopes of getting a bill through the Senate when Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) came out against it.
- Lieberman has signaled he will likely support the bill now that the provision has been dropped. This would make Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) the only known holdout among the 60 members who caucus (tend to vote) with the Democrats.
- Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) signaled he would announce the final healthcare compromise as soon as Wednesday, with a target of final passage by Dec. 23.
- Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126083637029991305.html
"One-Third of Healthcare Dollars Wasted"
- According to a new study from Thomson Reuters Healthcare Analytics, fraud, paperwork, unnecessary care and other forms of waste combine to cost around $700 billion a year, about one-third of the total U.S. healthcare expenditure.
- The study cites administrative inefficiency and redundant paperwork as two of the causes, totaling between $100 billion and $150 billion.
- Read more: http://ebn.benefitnews.com/blog/bythenumbers/-2682671-1.html?ET=ebnbenefitnews:e467:2048774a:&st=email
"Reform Bills Would Force Employers to Cover Dietary Counseling for 27-Year-Old Dependent"
- According to Spencer’s Benefits Reports, the healthcare reform proposals in Congress would require employers to cover a number of new preventive and evidence-based care services.
- Employers would be required to cover in full:
- Certain evidence-based items in line United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, the same panel that lit a firestorm of controversy last month with its guidelines on mammography. These services include depression screenings, dietary counseling and substance abuse counseling/interventions.
- Immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Evidence-based preventive care and screenings for children within guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
- Additional women’s preventive care and screenings in comprehensive guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
- Read more: http://ebn.benefitnews.com/blog/daily_diversion/reform-could-force-dietary-counseling-27-year-old-dependents-2682674-1.html?ET=ebnbenefitnews:e467:2048774a:&st=email
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