The Christmas Rush is On

From press conferences, interviews, and events in Washington, D.C.
Senate Democrats are preparing to give the President an early Christmas present– passage of health reform legislation. A vote is scheduled for Christmas Eve and it appears that Democrats have the votes to pass the bill. It’s been a tough road. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D- [...]

Senate Plods Along on Health Reform

From hearings, press conferences, and interviews in Washington, D.C.
Senators were in Washington over the weekend, sloughing away on health reform legislation. Democrats are hopeful that with slow, but steady progress they can get a final bill by Christmas.
In this week’s Policy & Practice Podcast, we take a look at one of the first amendments made to [...]

Coalitions Splinter: The Policy & Practice Podcast

The House approves a health care reform bill, but Democrats splinter over an abortion provision. The bill receives support from the American Medical Association, but some surgeons’ groups beg to differ. And physicians of all specialties await a Congressional fix to the Medicare SGR formula.
It’s all in this week’s Policy & Practice podcast. Take a [...]

High Stakes for Physicians: The Policy & Practice Podcast

From press conferences, interviews, and more around Washington, D.C.
Physicians have a lot riding on what happens in Congress this year. After months of wrangling over health reform, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) will try to get her version of the health overhaul bill through the chamber. The bill includes a public plan whose rates [...]

Hurry Up… and Wait

From the American Academy of Family Physicians Scientific Assembly in Boston.
There was an awful lot of frustration and confusion from the family physicians who turned out for a session at the AAFP meeting about the federal funds available for doctors who adopt health information technology.
It was late afternoon and by my count more than 70 [...]

A Seat at the Table

From the American Academy of Family Physicians Scientific Assembly in Boston.
The new president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), Dr. Lori Heim, wants you to know that the AAFP is politically connected. During her presidential address at the AAFP’s annual meeting, she touted the organization’s advocacy credentials. AAFP leaders have met personally with [...]

No Room for the Huddled Masses

From the Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.:
I was excited to be covering the Oct. 13 meeting of the Senate Finance Committee. It was a historic occasion — the fifth and final committee of jurisdiction was about to pass a bill that could result in the first serious health reform in decades.
Having been to a [...]

The Price Tag for Reform: The Policy & Practice Podcast

From press conferences and events in Washington, D.C.
It was all about money on Capitol Hill last week as the Congressional Budget Office released its estimate of the 10-year cost of health reform — at least health reform as envisioned by the Senate Finance Committee. At $829 billion, the bill is expected to cover 94% of [...]

Nearing the Finish Line?: The Policy & Practice Podcast

From hearings and press conferences in Washington, D.C.
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on its health reform bill this week. Once out of the committee, there will be more merging, amending, and negotiating. And it’s anyone’s guess what will make it into a final package. In this week’s Policy & Practice Podcast, our [...]

A Time to Amend… the Policy & Practice Podcast

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)

From Washington, D.C.:

After a long summer of waiting, journalists, policy wonks, and the public can finally start poring over the details of the Senate Finance Committee’s version of health reform legislation. But the work is really just beginning for the committee’s chairman, Sen. Max Baucus (D.-Mont.), who this week will have to [...]