Congress Leaves for Recess Without Addressing Key Health Policy Issues, CQ’s Goldreich Says
Federal lawmakers have left for the Thanksgiving recess without completing work on any of the "major health policy issues" that played a large role in last year's presidential campaign, Congressional Quarterly senior reporter Samuel Goldreich says in this week's "Congressional Quarterly Audio Report." Goldreich also says that "partisan squabbling" over the economic stimulus bill has "stalled" efforts to help the unemployed retain health care coverage in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Goldreich weighs in on several health policy issues, including the following:
- Economic stimulus: Serious talks on assistance to the unemployed "fell apart" before they even began, and the same fight will likely continue when lawmakers return, Goldreich says. Both sides do agree on the "need to help the unemployed with health insurance," but lawmakers remain "stuck" on how best to achieve that goal. Democrats want to subsidize 75% of premiums under former employers' insurance, while the Bush administration is calling for a block grant program without specific benefit mandates.
- Medicare prescription drug benefit: Although both parties made a "big show earlier this year" about allocating $300 billion in the budget for Medicare reform and the creation of a Medicare drug benefit, Goldreich says that the budget "was a fantasy that was wiped away by the recession and the $1.35 trillion tax cut." Goldreich adds that the ultimate debate on these issues will "come down to ... how much taxpayers should support Medicare beyond payroll taxes and how much seniors should be forced to pay in higher premiums and copayments."
- Bioterrorism: Although Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) have introduced a $3.2 billion measure to fight bioterrorism, how to pay for the measure remains "up in the air." Bush has said that he will veto any new spending beyond the $40 billion emergency spending measure that was passed after the Sept. 11 attacks.
