On June 22, 2009, President Obama enacted bipartisan legislation that gives the federal Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate the sale and marketing of tobacco products. It is hoped that this law will advances public health efforts to significantly reduce addiction to, and disability associated with, tobacco use in America.
House Committees of Jurisdiction Release Healthcare Reform Bill
The three House Committees with jurisdiction over health care reform, House Ways and Means, House Energy and Commerce, and House Education and Labor (the Tri-Committees) collaborated on one health care reform bill and introduced it on Friday, June 17. The three Committees each plan to hold hearing on the "Tri-Committee health care reform bill" the week of June 22, 2009.
Senate HELP Committee Introduces "Affordable Health Choices Act"
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee introduced its version of health care reform legislation on June 9, 2009. This bill includes an employer mandate and a public insurance option. The HELP Committee has already begun its mark-up of the bill and expects to do so through the week of June 22, 2009.
Senate Finance Committee Issues Proposals for Healthcare Reform
Senators Max Baucus and Charles Grassley, Senate Finance Committee Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, issued three separate healthcare reform policy proposals that, together, offer healthcare reform policy alternatives. The first was offered on April 28 and addressed delivery reform. The second, issued on May 12, included policy options for expanding healthcare coverage. The third and final proposal, released on May 20, covers the financing aspect of helathcare reform. One of the finance options is an increase in the alcohol excise tax. ASAM sent a letter to Senators Baucus and Grassley endorsing this tax increase. A bill incorporting all three proposals is expected following the Congressional July 4 recess.
On Wednesday, February 4, 2009, President Obama signed into law a bill that reauthorized the government-funded State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In addition to extending children’s health insurance to an additional 4 million children, this law also extends mental health and addiction parity to the SCHIP program. While the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this expanded coverage will cost the government an additional $32.8 billion, a 62 cent-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax should offset most of this.
Parity Regulations Under Development
Three federal agencies (the Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services) share the responsibility for developing the rules and regulations that will determine how the parity law is implemented. While the process has been slowed down by the delay in nominations at these agencies, Labor Secretary-nominee, Rep. Hilda Solis, has committed to the swift development of patient-friendly parity regulations once she’s confirmed. The Department of Labor has the lead in this regulatory process.
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