[Missouri-l] Fw: [Modisabilaw] National Health Reform Proposals

[Chip Hailey]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Marty Exline 
To: MO Disability Policy/Law Listserv 
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 1:13 PM
Subject: [Modisabilaw] National Health Reform Proposals


    The action in Congress for national healthcare reform has reached its first crossroads this week.  Senator Kennedy circulated his draft proposal which includes an insurance program to provide home-and community-based care for an estimated 10 million Americans with disabilities.  

 

The disability-insurance plan in the bill would provide participants a cash benefit of $50 or more each day if they cannot participate in certain functions of daily living such as eating, bathing, transferring, toileting, or dressing.  Cognitive issues that impair the ability to accomplish these activities would also be covered.  

 

Workers would be automatically charged premiums for the disability insurance.  In some cases, the premiums would be automatically deducted from workers' paychecks, but individuals could choose to opt out.  This disability proposal is a part of the overall healthcare proposal called the "American Health Choices Act".  It is only one of several proposals being generated in Congress.  

 

In the Senate, there are two committees that are working on bills - one is the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which Senator Kennedy chairs, and the other is the Senate Finance Committee.  The proposal in the Finance Committee is being drafted jointly by Senator Baucus, a Democrat and Senator Grassley, a Republican.  The Finance Committee could take up its bill and begin voting on June 23rd.

 

The Congressional Budget Office is expected to release its cost estimates for some proposals next week and price tags are expected to be hefty.  You'll receive updates on some of the key elements of the proposals, particularly those impacting persons with disabilities, over the next few weeks.  

 

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