Allies in Action

IRS Issues Favorable Small Business Tax Credit Guidance

May 21, 2010

Small Business Majority applauds IRS guidance on the small business tax credit for small businesses that offer health insurance.

Congressional Hearing Hosts Supporters of Health Cost Transparency

May 10, 2010

Congressman Steve Kagen noted that while the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides some consumer protections, it did not create a transparent medical marketplace to foster competition between caregivers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and health insurers. Therefore, On May 6, 2010, The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on health care pricing transparency which centered on 5 bills, some with bipartisan support, one of which was sponsored by Congressman Kagen. Terry Gardiner of Small Business Majority testified that without information on the cost of care, businesses and individuals lack the information to make informed choices about coverage and care. US PIRG expressed its support for Congressman Kagen’s proposal, HR 4700, calling it “the most comprehensive attempt to bolster transparency across the health care sector.” 

Click here for a blog post about the hearing

Click here for the Energy and Commerce hearing announcement and bill summaries

Click here for US PIRG’s statement. 

Health Reform Advocates Push for Completion of Temporary Insurance Pool

April 21, 2010

AARP and the American Heart Association, both organizational members of National Coalition on Health Care joined with other health reform advocates to urge HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to ensure timely and effective rulemaking about the temporary high risk insurance pool. Designed for those who lack insurance due to a pre-existing condition, the high risk programs under the health reform legislation must be in place by June 21, 2010.  The groups pressed HHS not only to meet the deadline but also for a transparent administrative process, uniform rules for eligibility, clearly defined rates and premium assistance for those who need it.  They also expressed concern about the states being able to meet related deadlines.  For the full text of the letter, click the link above.

AARP Creates New Website to Explain Benefits of Health Reform

April 8, 2010

AARP has developed a new website as part of their effort to help educate the public on the benefits of health reform. The “Get the Facts” website is designed to provide informative and up-to-date responses to questions on the specific impacts of reform and the expected timeframe for the implementation of reform measures. To access the website, click here.

In Advance of Health Reform Summit, Key Organizations Push for ‘Meaningful’ Reform

February 22, 2010

Washington, D.C. – As a prelude to the Health Reform Summit this week, nine national organizations sent joint letters to the President and bipartisan congressional leaders urging the passage of “meaningful health care reform this year.”

After an explicit description of what constitutes “meaningful health care reform,” the joint letters indicate that “in their entirety, we believe the bills that the Senate and House have passed would achieve meaningful reform. They move close to securing quality, affordable health coverage and care for all Americans.”

Embracing the “Reconciliation” Option for Reform

February 10, 2010

Some have argued that using the budget reconciliation process to pass federal health care reform legislation would be an improper use of the legislative process. Henry Aaron, the highly respected economist at the Brooking’s Institution, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, disagrees.

Allies In Action – Unprecedented Coalition of Coalitions Supports Comprehensive Health Care Reform

January 26, 2010

On Wednesday, January 27th at 10:30am, the NCHC Action Fund will be sponsoring a press event featuring a “Coalition of Health Care Reform Coalitions”.

“Building on the Foundation: Consumer Advocacy’s Role in Successful Health Care Reform”

January 25, 2010

The United States is in the process of enacting historic health care reform legislation that could have the most profound impact on our health care system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. Consumer advocates have played a critical role in making this possible through their work on incremental national, state and local health care reforms that paved the way for comprehensive federal reform.

Allies in Action – Health & Human Services, Department of Justice

January 25, 2010

The day after Obama delivers his State of the Union address, the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services will hold a joint summit at the National Institutes of Health to highlight the problem of health care fraud.  The all-day session will put law enforcement officials in the same room with private practitioners and public sector officials to discuss what both sides can do to limit a persistent problem that costs Medicare and Medicaid billions each year. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will both participate.

Several organizations send letter to Leader Reid & Speaker Pelosi

January 22, 2010

 AARP, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Consumers Union, and others sent a letter on January 21^st urging Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi to move forward with health care reform.