Boehner Previews House GOP Plan on Healthcare

OEHNER PREVIEWS HOUSE GOP’S PLAN TO EXPAND AMERICANS’ ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE:
“We’re going to make sure that all Americans have access to high-quality health insurance. Part of the way of doing that is to make sure they get the same tax treatment as companies do today so insurance premiums are deductible for people, whether they get their insurance from their company or not. Bigger risk pools in states for those people who have pre-existing conditions. Help for those who can’t afford health insurance, in the private market. But we want to take the current system and improve it, to cover almost all Americans. We don’t want the government to come in and bigfoot this like they’ve done other things.”

BOEHNER CONTRASTS HOUSE GOP PLAN WITH DEMOCRATS’ COSTLY GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTH CARE:
“We agree with the President and want to work with the President, to make sure that all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable, health insurance. But we’re not for the government taking control of our health system. And if you look at the leading Democrat proposals in the House and Senate, they have this giant government bureaucracy that literally is going to take over private health insurance in America. And if you think the post office is the model of efficiency, can you imagine what they’re going to do to America’s health care? We’re going to unveil our plan today that will bring down costs, insure most Americans, and improve the quality of care that we have in our country.”

BOEHNER WARNS ADMINISTRATION’S FINANCIAL REGULATORY PROPOSAL MAY SLOW JOB GROWTH EVEN FURTHER:
“If you look deeply into some of what the President’s calling for, we’ll have the federal government deciding what interest ought to be charged on credit cards. We’ll have the President’s proposal having to decide what kind of financial products are available. And I just think that the government involvement in the financial industry is going to be too big of a foot, on an industry that’s already having problems. I think at the end of the day, what the American people want is they want to know, how do I get my job back? How do I hold on to my job? And these kinds of policies that we’re seeing out of the Administration are going to work to slow down job growth and prevent the private sector from growing and bringing people back to work."

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President Bush on Economy, Oct. 10th

Rose Garden

10:25 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Over the past few days, we have witnessed a startling drop in the stock market -- much of it driven by uncertainty and fear. This has been a deeply unsettling period for the American people. Many of our citizens have serious concerns about their retirement accounts, their investments, and their economic well-being.

Here's what the American people need to know: that the United States government is acting; we will continue to act to resolve this crisis and restore stability to our markets. We are a prosperous nation with immense resources and a wide range of tools at our disposal. We're using these tools aggressively.

The fundamental problem is this: As the housing market has declined, banks holding assets related to home mortgages have suffered serious losses. As a result of these losses, many banks lack the capital or the confidence in each other to make new loans. In turn, our system of credit has frozen, which is keeping American businesses from financing their daily transactions -- and creating uncertainty throughout our economy.

This uncertainty has led to anxiety among our people. And that is understandable -- that anxiety can feed anxiety, and that can make it hard to see all that is being done to solve the problem. The federal government has a comprehensive strategy and the tools necessary to address the challenges in our economy. Fellow citizens: We can solve this crisis -- and we will.

Here are the problems we face and the steps we are taking:

First, key markets are not functioning because there's a lack of liquidity -- the grease necessary to keep the gears of our financial system turning. So the Federal Reserve has injected hundreds of billions of dollars into the system. The Fed has joined with central banks around the world to coordinate a cut in interest rates. This rate cut will allow banks to borrow money more affordably -- and it should help free up additional credit necessary to create jobs, and finance college educations, and help American families meet their daily needs. The Fed has also announced a new program to provide support for the commercial paper market, which is freezing up. As the new program kicks in over the next week or so, it will help revive a key source of short-term financing for American businesses and financial institutions.

Second, some Americans are concerned about whether their money is safe. So the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union Administration have significantly expanded the amount of money insured in savings accounts, and checking accounts, and certificates of deposit. That means that if you have up to $250,000 in one of these insured accounts, every penny of that money is safe. The Treasury Department has also acted to restore confidence in a key element of America's financial system by offering government insurance for money market mutual funds.

Thirdly, we are concerned that some investors could take advantage of the crisis to illegally manipulate the stock market. So the Securities and Exchange Commission has launched rigorous enforcement actions to detect fraud and manipulation in the market. The SEC is focused on preventing abusive practices, such as putting out false information to drive down particular stocks for personal gain. Anyone caught engaging in illegal financial activities will be prosecuted.

Fourth, the decline in the housing market has left many Americans struggling to meet their mortgages and are concerned about losing their homes. My administration has launched two initiatives to help responsible borrowers keep their homes. One is called HOPE NOW, and it brings together homeowners and lenders and mortgage servicers, and others to find ways to prevent foreclosure. The other initiative is aimed at making it easier for responsible homeowners to refinance into affordable mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. So far, these programs have helped more than 2 million Americans stay in their home. And the point is this: If you are struggling to meet your mortgage, there are ways that you can get help.

With these actions to help to prevent foreclosures, we're addressing a key problem in the housing market: The supply of homes now exceeds demand. And as a result, home values have declined. Once supply and demand balance out, our housing market will be able to recover -- and that will help our broader economy begin to grow.

Fifth, we've seen that problems in the financial system are not isolated to the United States. They're also affecting other nations around the globe. So we're working closely with partners around the world to ensure that our actions are coordinated and effective. Tomorrow, I'll meet with the finance ministers from our partners in the G7 and the heads of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Secretary Paulson will also meet with finance ministers from the world's 20 leading economies. Through these efforts, the world is sending an unmistakable signal: We're in this together, and we'll come through this together.

And finally, American businesses and consumers are struggling to obtain credit, because banks do not have sufficient capital to make loans. So my administration worked with Congress to quickly pass a $700 billion financial rescue package. This new law authorizes the Treasury Department to use a variety of measures to help bank [sic] rebuild capital -- including buying or insuring troubled assets and purchasing equity of financial institutions. The Department will implement measures that have maximum impact as quickly as possible. Seven hundred billion dollars is a significant amount of money. And as we act, we will do it in a way that is effective.

The plan we are executing is aggressive. It is the right plan. It will take time to have its full impact. It is flexible enough to adapt as the situation changes. And it is big enough to work.

The federal government will continue to take the actions necessary to restore stability to our financial markets and growth to our economy. We have an outstanding economic team carrying out this effort, led by Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, SEC Chairman Chris Cox, and FDIC Chair Sheila Bair. I thank them and their dedicated teams for their service during this important moment in our country's history.

This is an anxious time, but the American people can be confident in our economic future. We know what the problems are, we have the tools we need to fix them, and we're working swiftly to do so. Our economy is innovative, industrious and resilient because the American people who make up our economy are innovative, industrious and resilient. We all share a determination to solve this problem -- and that is exactly what we're going to do. May God bless you.

County Officials Hit Capitol Hill for Support of Legislation to Restore the Federal Partnership for County Jails

National Association of Counties’ (NACo) rallied on Capitol Hill last week for support of legislation introduced in the House of Representatives which would save counties hundreds of millions of dollars in medical expenses for individuals who immediately lose their federal health insurance benefits while being detained in county jails.

“The Restoring the Partnership for County Health Care Costs Act of 2008” (H.R. 5698) was introduced recently by Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.), Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.) and Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R-Texas). All three members spoke at today’s rally pledging to work with NACo to secure additional Congressional support.

The bipartisan bill would prohibit the federal government from stripping individuals of their Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) benefits prior to actually being convicted. As a result, this would ensure that local governments, mostly counties, would not be required to cover the medical expenses of jailed individuals who have not yet been convicted of any wrongdoing.

NACo President Eric Coleman, commissioner, Oakland County, Mich., said that restoring the partnership “is more than the name of this particular piece of legislation. It’s a call to Congress and the administration – especially the new administration in January – to restore the partnership between the federal government and counties. I believe H.R. 5698 will go a long way to restore the partnership for the costs of health care in our county jails and reduce the unfair burden placed on our local property taxpayers.”

Rep. Hastings said for the federal government to “stick local governments with the tab for this contradictory policy is just plain wrong. We are excited to work with NACo to get this bill passed and are appreciative to have the support of the National Sheriff’s Association as well.”NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC), which represents the collective interest of 100 of the nation’s largest counties, rallied today on Capitol Hill and visited members of Congress seeking cosponsors to the legislation.

“Reps. Hastings, Holt and Burgess are to be commended for their leadership on this issue and we look forward to securing more Congressional support for the bill,” said LUCC Chairman Burrell Ellis, commissioner, DeKalb County, Ga. Also speaking at the rally were Broward County Commissioner Ilene Lieberman and Tarrant County, Texas Judge Glen Whitley.

Governor Announces Healthcare Reform to Insure More Georgians

1/30/08 Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced in a press conference today his support of health insurance reform legislation that will be filed by Senator Judson Hill and Representative Mickey Channell . The legislation will insure more Georgia citizens by expanding the availability and affordability of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Care Savings Accounts in Georgia.

“Insuring more Georgia citizens is our goal with this reform legislation,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “More insured citizens means lower costs for all taxpayers, and preventative care means a healthier population. This legislation will incentivize small business owners to provide low cost health insurance to employees and their families.”

“This is a market-based solution focused on empowering individuals and rewarding them for making healthy choices. This plan will make affordable health insurance more accessible for the uninsured and working families,” said Senator Hill. “I have been working on this issue for years with various health care leaders, so I greatly appreciate the Governor's leadership that will make policy ideas a policy reality for our families.”

“This legislation makes a real difference for Georgia’s families and would make quality, affordable healthcare coverage affordable for nearly half a million Georgians,” said Representative Mickey Channell. “By harnessing the power of the free market, we’ll see more Georgians able to purchase and maintain their own healthcare coverage.”

A High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is a health insurance plan that offers consumers lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. A Health Savings Account (HSA) allows consumers to set aside funds for future qualified medical health expenses on a tax-free basis.

The health insurance reform legislation announced today has several provisions to make HDHPs paired with HSAs more affordable and available in the Georgia insurance market. The legislation will incentivize small businesses to provide HDHPs with HSAs. According to the Center for Health Transformation, approximately 500,000 Georgians could become insured if the reform legislation is passed through the 2008 Georgia General Assembly.

Provisions of the health insurance reform legislation include:

Insurance Regulation Changes:

Rebates for Behavior Modifications: Allows for rebates for consumers who have HDHPs with HSAs when they make behavior modifications, such as smoking cessation, weight loss or controlling diabetes and blood pressure. The rebate could be deposited into the consumer’s HSA or be demonstrated through a lower deductible.

Reduced Restrictions on Reimbursements to Non-Preferred Providers: Gives flexibility to insurance companies to reimburse at lower rates when a patient chooses an out-of-network provider. This flexibility allows the insurance company to offer lower premiums to the consumer.

Remove Restrictions on Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA): HRAs are arrangements that allow an employer to reimburse an employee for certain medical expenses. This legislation would allow companies that provide HRAs to reimburse employees using pre-tax dollars.

Premium Tax Exemption:

Currently HDHPs are subject to state and local premium taxes. This legislation would remove state and local premium taxes in Georgia, saving consumers $11.4 million in 2009 in state tax savings alone.

Income Tax Deduction:

Allows consumers to deduct HDHP premiums from state income taxes, if they are not already deducting premiums from federal income taxes. This would apply to consumers who purchase an HDHP insurance plan as an individual, or through an employer.

Small Business Tax Credit:

Allows employers with 50 employees or less to take a tax credit of $250 per employee that enrolls in a HDHP through a Section 125 plan.

In August 2007 Governor Perdue unveiled the Health Insurance Partnership (HIP), a program that incentivizes small businesses to provide health insurance to employees under 300 percent of the poverty level by sharing the costs between the employee, employer and the state and federal government. The regulatory and tax proposals announced today compliment the HIP program by stretching state and federal dollars further, resulting in more insured Georgia citizens.

Governor Perdue also recognized the efforts of Senator Hill and Representative Channell to bring together the Georgia Hospital Association, Medical Association of Georgia, Georgia Health Underwriters Association and the Center for Health Transformation to put together the ideas that he endorsed today.