Health care reform update: What to expect from morphing health care bills

We at USDemocrazy aren’t health policy wonks so we’re having a bit of trouble keeping up the congressional health care bills in the making…

especially since these bills seem to change every other minute!

But we are sure of one thing: Things are not going according to Democrats’ plans.

Here’s what we have learned…

First, we know the health bills on the table will lack a couple aspects Obama REALLY hoped for including:

- mandates for businesses to offer coverage to their workers.

- A government insurance option.

Secondly, despite Democrats’ attempts to get Republicans to link arms with them and sing Kumbaya , senators who wished to remain anonymous have announced,

“That no agreement has been reached…and…there is no guarantee of one…numerous key issues remain to be settled, including several options to pay for the legislation.”

It appears that much of what Democrats have at present is a significantly watered-down version of their original health care plan.

And speaking of water, it looks like the Democrats’ health care bills will have to wait till after summer vacations at the beach– and maybe lose some steam in the process.

While the House is ready for a vote according to Speaker Nancy Pelosi the Senate is not. The Senate has decided to postpone a vote on top health care bills to September.

While Congressional bill-writing sessions have remained very private. Here is what we found out about the bi-partisan healthcare reform bill in the making:

- Democrats hope to expand the ranks of non-profit health care insurers (these would not be government run) to provide competition to the current largely for-profit health insurance industry.

- As part of a compromise plan: potential health care legislation would not penalize businesses who refused to provide health care insurance to their employees but would provide incentives to those who did.

- The bill’s crafters hope to create of a commission which would recommend long-term savings in Medicare and expand Medicaid.

The cost of the plan will be according to Congressional leaders will be under 1 trillion dollars.

How will we pay for this? The following options are in consideration:

- An excise tax of as much as 35 percent on insurance with very high annual premiums (perhaps over $25,000).

- Fees on the manufacturers of medical devices and on the makers of both brand name and generic drugs coming onto the market.

- Limiting Flexible Savings Accounts to $2,000 annually.

So that seems to be the plan so far…but looking at the changes made ALREADY to Obama’s original health care plan, we’re sure more changes are on the way.

Stick with us and we’ll keep you updated with news on this STICKY health care mess.