Let’s Make A Deal…With Your Money

Let’s Make A Deal…With Your Money

Interesting Provisions That Recently Appeared In Senate Health Bill





$100,000,000 For “Health Care Facility” “At A Public Research University In The United States That Contains A State’s Sole Public Academic Medical And Dental School.” “(a) APPROPRIATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated, and there are appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, to remain available for obligation until September 30, 2011, to be used for debt service on, or direct construction or renovation of, a health care facility that provides research, inpatient tertiary care, or outpatient clinical services. Such facility shall be affiliated with an academic health center at a public research university in the United States that contains a State’s sole public academic medical and dental school.” (Manager’s Amendment To H.R. 3590, Pg. 328)



NEBRASKA



“As Part Of The Deal To Win Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson's Support, The Federal Government Will Fund Nebraska's New Medicaid Recipients.” (“Ben Nelson's Medicaid Deal,” Politico, 12/19/09)



“In Addition To The Medicaid Carve Out, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) Negotiated An Exemption From The Insurance Tax For Non-Profit Insurers Based In His State. The Language Was Written In A Way That Only Mutual Of Omaha Insurance Company, As Well As Blue Cross Blue Shield Nonprofit Plans In Nebraska and Michigan, would qualify, according to a Democratic Senate aide.” (“Nelson Wins Insurance Tax Exemption, Too,” Politico, 12/19/09)



VERMONT



“The Health Care Overhaul Taking Shape In Congress Includes A Provision Pushed By Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy To Increase The State’s Medicaid Payments By $250 Million Over Six Years. The Provision, Also Supported By Sen. Bernie Sanders, Is Included In An Amendment Of Negotiated Provisions Offered By Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid On Saturday. The bill would require all states to expand their Medicaid programs to cover more low-income individuals and would increase Medicaid payments to cover the expansion. Leahy, Sanders and others have argued that Vermont would have been penalized because it already has expanded its coverage.” (“Health Bill Boosts Vt. Medicaid Payments,” The Associated Press, 12/19/09)



FLORIDA



Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) Negotiated A Deal To Grandfather Medicare Advantage Enrollees In Florida. “A fiery John McCain took to the Senate floor to offer a health care amendment -- and tweaked Bill Nelson in the process. The Arizona Republican said his amendment would send the Senate health care bill back to committee to grandfather in all enrollees in the Medicare Advantage programs -- Nelson and a number of Democrats successfully negotiated grandfather clauses for seniors in their states in exchange for supporting the bill.” (“John McCain Takes On Bill Nelson,” The Miami Herald’s “Naked Politics” Blog, 12/7/09)



57 Democrats Vote To Defend Special Deal For Florida Medicare Advantage Program. (S.Amdt.2961 To H.R.3590, Roll Call Vote #370, Motion To Recommit Failed 42-57: R: 40-0; D 2-55; I 0-2, 12/8/09)



LOUISIANA



“And Reid Already Has Established A Dangerous Precedent, By Dangling $300 Million In Medicaid Funding For Louisiana To Win Landrieu's Support For Bringing The Bill To The Senate Floor. Months Earlier, Reid Had Carved Out His Own Medicaid Exemption For Nevada. One addition he made to the Senate bill, an increase in the Medicare payroll tax for high earners, has raised concerns with Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (Maine). Snowe, the only Republican who has been at least somewhat supportive of Democratic reform efforts, cited its potential to harm small businesses.” (“Reid's Recipe For Getting Health-Care Deal Done,” The Washington Post, 12/4/09)



MONTANA



“The Secretary Shall Establish A Pilot Program In Accordance With This Subsection To Provide Innovative Approaches To Furnishing Comprehensive, Coordinated, And Cost-Effective Care Under This Title To Individuals Described In Paragraph … [An Individual] Is An Environmental Exposure Affected Individual Described In Subsection (E)(2) Who Resides In Or Around The Geographic Area Subject To An Emergency Declaration Made As Of June 17, 2009.” ‘‘(A) PRIMARY PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish a pilot program in accordance with this subsection to provide innovative approaches to furnishing comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective care under this title to individuals described in paragraph (2)(A). … ‘‘(2) INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED.—For purposes of paragraph (1), an individual described in this paragraph is an individual who enrolls in part B, submits to the Secretary an application to participate in the applicable pilot program under this subsection, and— ‘‘(A) is an environmental exposure affected individual described in subsection (e)(2) who resides in or around the geographic area subject to an emergency declaration made as of June 17, 2009.” (Manager’s Amendment To H.R. 3590, Pg. 195-196)



· “On June 17, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Issued A Public Health Emergency (PHE) Finding At The Libby Asbestos Superfund Site In Northwest Montana. Over The Past Several Years, Hundreds Of Cases Of Asbestos-Related Disease Have Been Documented In The Communities Of Libby And Nearby Troy.” (EPA Website, Accessed 12/19/09)