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Small Biz Health Care Roundup (10/30)
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Friday, October 30, 2009
Posted by Kristin Oberlander - Happy Halloween! Here is the latest news on health reform as it relates to small businesses. Submit articles for consideration at media@NASE.org. - Democrats Push For Health Benefits To Start By 2010 (Politico) - Under the Democratic wish list, senior citizens would receive discounts on brand-name drugs next year. Small businesses that provide insurance would see tax credits. And a $5 billion high-risk pool would cover people with preexisting conditions.
- Should The Feds Keep Subsidizing COBRA Health Insurance? (WSJ Health Blog) - A bill introduced recently in the House of Representatives would allow laid-off workers to get COBRA subsidies for 15 months (rather than the original nine), and it would extend the program to cover workers who are laid off through June 30, 2010.
- Senate Health Care Reform: Two Huge Problems, One Giant Red Herring (Health Care Blog) - Huge Problem #1 is the conflict between mandated coverage and consumer affordability. Even with penalties of $750 or more per person, and with subsidies that limit premiums to 13 percent of income, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 16 million eligible individuals will fail to be insured. (Rather than paying $4,000 for coverage, a $750 penalty may seem a good risk for someone earning $30,000 a year.) Huge Problem #2...
- Pelosi Backs Off Set Rates For Public Option (NY Times) - The 10-year cost of expanding coverage would be less than the $900 billion ceiling suggested by President Obama. The cost would be offset by new taxes and by cutbacks in Medicare, so the bill would not increase the federal budget deficit in the next 10 years or in the decade after that.
- Nancy Pelosi Starts Clock On House Health Bill (Politico) - The long-awaited introduction of a combined House health care bill that totals 1,990 pages produced few major surprises. After weeks of public hand-wringing, leaders – and party liberals – bowed to political reality by allowing doctors and hospitals to negotiate their rates with the government under the public plans.
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health care, health care reform
reform
health care
Nancy Pelosi
COBRA
public option
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Meet the NASE Staff Bloggers 
Keith Hall - My official title at the NASE is COO, which I think is Latin for “do what everyone tells me to do.” I’m also behind the NASE TaxTalk program,
although I often feel like I’m under the NASE TaxTalk program. One of
my favorite things to do is laugh, second only to making a difference.
 Keith on Twitter
 Keith on LinkedIn
Molly Nelson - I help out with the NASE’s legislative advocacy, communications, and
public relations. From attending hearings on the Hill to helping select
the cover design for the member magazine, I’ve always got something new
going on. I like practicing yoga, running through different parts of
the city, and I’m an admitted etymology/grammar nerd.
Molly on Twitter
Molly on LinkedIn
Kristin Oberlander - In public affairs, my job is to serve as a link between the
association, micro-businesses and the media. When I have down time, I
enjoy drinking large quantities of coffee, contemplating how I will
cram one more pair of (un)needed shoes into my closet and finding
creative ways to remove my dog’s hair from my clothes, car, own hair
and food. My biggest pet peeve is drivers who don’t understand 4-way
stops.
Kristin on Twitter
Kristin on LinkedIn
Maureen Petron - I cover communications for the NASE, which means everything from the
member magazine to programs like our achievement award and college
scholarships (yes, I actually get to show up like Ed McMahon with a big
check twice a year!). In my fantasy world, I’d be a master chef, wine
snob and fast runner.
Maureen on Twitter
Maureen on LinkedIn
Kristie Arslan - I head up the advocacy efforts for the NASE, thus I spend most of my time on Capitol Hill educating legislators on how key issues such as health care, tax, and the lagging economy affect the self-employed. When I am not running around trying to convince policymakers to pay attention to micro-business, I spend my time singing nursery rhymes to my daughter and helping my husband with his small business.
Kristie on Twitter
Kristie on LinkedIn
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