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Show oe Sg er INTERMOUNTAIN ag ela HEALTH CARE What's New in National Health Care Reform Legislation? Education and Labor, chaired by Rep. William some significant reform legislation this fall. Ford (D-Mich.). @ The Senate Committee on Labor & Human chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). @ The Senate Committee on STEVE KOHLERT SENIOR Vick PRESIDEN INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE Finance, chaired by Sen. Daniel P Moynihan (D-N.Y.). Ultimately, a bill will emerge from the House or the Senate (or both). A joint n our previous column, we discussed how health care organizations are scrambling to adapt to changing market conditions. Elected officials and other policy-makers are also engaged in a scramble: to pass legislation changing the incentives and rules of the game in American health care. Resources, _ CURRENT PROPOSALS Several reform proposals have been considered by lawmakers in the last few months. At this point in the process, nothing is set in stone. Everything is in motion, and virtually no pro- posal is categorically dead or alive yet. We can really only alliances. Many fear these alliances would burden our health care system with even more red tape and bureaucratic inefficiency. Other elements of the White House package appear to live—in their original form and in alternative plans. At the heart of the debate is the such a proposal is championed by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wa.). SUSU} CIN reforms, and influences the market through tax incentives, but it otherwise leaves the health care marketplace relatively unregulated. Several other proposals, including the Clinton plan, are somewhere in between. Currently, the prevailing mood in Congress seems to be that the White House proposal is excessively regulatory. If Congress has definitely rejected any point of view, it is the view that there is no problem with our current health care system. THE PROCESS The White House and Americans have made it clear most members of Congress that the status quo of our wish to see comprehensive nation’s health care system is unacceptable and that at least health care reform legislation passed during 1994. Bills can be put together either in the some change must occur. In the coming months, House or the Senate. Five committees are the sites of most of IHC Dialogue will continue to report on developing reform legislation. If you have the deal-making that will lead to the ultimate legislation: @ The House Ways and a question related to health care, please call or write. Means Committee, chaired by Rep. Dan A Rostenkowski (D- Rep. Fortney “Pete”. Stark (D-Galif).: @ The House Fla.). This plan requires individuals to buy health insurance, insti- Much has changed Ill). An important Cliff Stearns (R- tutes Insurance since last fall, when President Clinton announced his proposal for reform. This IHC Dialogue column is an update on recent national legislative efforts—the details of which change almost daily. Congressional com- NOTHING subcommittee on health is chaired by On the other end of the spectfum is the more anti-regulatory notion embodied in the Nickles-Heritage @ plan promoted by Sen. Don Nickles as (R-Okla.) and Rep. TEA eS § Committee on ~ SU eas mittee will undoubtedly be necessary to resolve the differences - between the two houses. After pas- sage by the Senate Energy and Commerce, chaired by Rep. John Dingell and the House, the final bill (D-Mich.). @ The House Committee on Most observers still will be sent to the president. believe Congress will pass speak of specific proposals as being currently in or out of vogue. (See chart.) For example, some ele- ments of the White House package seem definitely — doomed. Most legislators now tend to teject-the presidents proposal that most Americans purchase their health insurance through mandatory purchasing over the role of government THC DIALOGUE ON HEALTH CARE 36 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 in America. 1-800-889-3337 classic difference of vision Some believe more government involve- _ ment is necessary to achieve | social goals; some believe less government is better. «On. ¢ one end of the spectrum is the proposal that the U.S. should adopt a single-payer, government-administered, Canadian-style health system; ate IHC INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH CARE |