Health Care Reform - Obamacare
Press Releases
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December 03, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health met last Wednesday to hear testimony on ways to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare system. While few deny the need to reform Medicare and cut payments based on fraudulent claims by common thieves, the lack of definitions around “fraud,” “waste,” and “abuse” are troubling, according to the Citizens' Council for Health Freedom (CCHF). A sample of the various definitions...
This document contains a sample of the various definitions of the terms “Fraud, Waste, and Abuse” from government agencies and health plans. There are more. The lack of a concrete definition in law should give pause as cost containment initiatives increase. Here are a few questions to consider:
Public Documents
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November 27, 2012
CMS has issued a request for comments, including a list of questions, on how to redesign health care through the Exchanges. It's under the rubric of Obamacare's "National Quality Strategy" (Section 3011) and it follows the Section 1311 requirement that Exchanges pay health plans more if they improve health outcomes through government reporting, case management, care coordination, chronic disease management, medication and care compliance initiatives, health IT, wellness activities, and reduction of "health disparities." Read the questions for clarity of intrusions to come.
Press Releases
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November 26, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker recently refused implementation of a Wisconsin owned and operated health insurance exchange, citing lack of design freedom and potentially undisclosed costs to taxpayers as impetus for his refusal. His decision letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius noted that Wisconsin is already able to provide healthcare to 90 percent of its citizen population without an exchange, and the new system would not improve coverage for state citizens.
Public Documents
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November 20, 2012
On November 16, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker sent a letter to Secretary Sebelius saying, "...we have determined Wisconsin will not develop a partnership or state-based exchange."
Press Releases
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November 19, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. – With Friday’s deadline for states to declare their intentions with regard to implementing an Obamacare health insurance exchange past, several states agreed to allow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to come into the state and “partner” with state officials in order to create a health insurance exchange. States like North Carolina, Arkansas, and Illinois will pursue such partnerships, seemingly unaware of the power they have handed to the federal government.
Public Documents
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November 19, 2012
On November 15, Texas Governor Rick Perry wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius refusing to install the Obamacare exchange: "It is clear there is no such thing as a state exchange. Instead, this is a federally mandated exchange with rules dictated by Washington...the notion of a state exchange is merely an illusion...Our state will not be a party to helping facilitate the taxastion of millions of Texans, at an unknown cost, to implement bad public policy."
Projects
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November 16, 2012
Press Releases
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November 12, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. – By Friday, November 16, 2012, each state has been asked to submit, in writing, their intention with regard to a state health insurance exchange as outlined in the Obamacare plan. To date, three states have told the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, or HHS, that they will not implement an exchange, and with good reason. Public exchanges are cost prohibitive, with an estimated price tag of anywhere between $10 and $100 million per year to operate.
National Reports
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November 08, 2012
Use this list to contact your governor, asking him or her not to commit to any kind of Obamacare health insurance exchange. More information can be found here, including our 15 reasons to oppose the exchange.
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