December 21, 2009 06:06 AM UTC

Conference Committee Here We Come!

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• by: MADCO

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

Conference call with Senator Bennet tonight.

He spoke briefly- mostly about healthcare. And then answered questions. He tends to ramble a little, but he does not dodge questions.

Highlights:

Senate is close to complete on health care. Another vote overnight tonight and then once more before Christmas, and healthcare should go to conference committee.

President expects conference committee to work over the break and be complete just after the recess.

Senator Bennet expressed frustration and disappointment that the public option is out.

And gave a quick summary of the better things that are in:

Immediate ban on pre-existing condition exclusions for children. Health insurers will be immediately prohibited from excluding coverage of pre-existing conditions for children.

Quality of care in Medicare is preserved. He co-sponsored an amendment that guarantees Medicare will not be cut and in fact is stabilized for an additional ten years based on current actuarials.

Multi-state option. Health insurance carriers will offer plans under the supervision of the Office of Personnel Management, the same entity that currently oversees health plans for Members of Congress. At least one plan must be non-profit, and the plans will be available nationwide to promote competition and choice.

Insurers will be required to spend 80% or more of premium revenues on clinical services with less going to administrative costs and profits or pay rebates to policyholders. These stricter limits will continue even after the Exchanges begin in 2011, and apply to all plans.

Health insurer’s participation in the Exchange will depend on performance. Insurers that jack up their premiums before the Exchange begins will be excluded.

Insurers will have to protect choice of doctors and ensure access to emergency care.

Ensuring access to care. Annual limits on benefits will be tightly restricted to ensure access to needed care immediately, and will be prohibited completely beginning in 2014.

Guaranteed opportunity to appeal coverage denials. All health insurers will be required to implement an internal appeals process for coverage denials, and states will ensure the availability of an external appeals process that is independent and holds insurance companies accountable.

Free choice vouchers. Workers who qualify for an affordability exemption to the individual responsibility policy but do not qualify for tax credits can take their employer contribution and join an exchange plan.

Vulnerable populations. A range of new programs will tackle diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and children’s congenital heart disease, will improve the Indian Health System, and will provide support for pregnant teens and victims of domestic violence.

Community Health Centers. A substantial investment in Community Health Centers will provide funding to expand access to health care in communities where it is most needed

It is not clear to me where portability fits nor how how involved the President will be in the conference committee.

The current health care bill has been scored by CBO as producing savings of $130B in the first ten years.

He didn’t talk about it, but what is not in the bill: No death panels, no cut to Medicare, no golden clinics in Nebraska, no weakening of Hyd Amendment, no gov’t intrusion into dr/patient decisions, no government take over of healthcare, no Medicare buy-in.

He concluded by asking for feedback to him and the campaign staff on what he could be doing better.  I saw him speak once last Spring – and he concluded the same way. If you think he could be doing something better, tell him. I believe he wants to hear from you.