In Weekend Radio Address, Bush Appeals to Congress To Approve His Economic Stimulus Plan

President Bush on Dec. 1 proposed an economic stimulus plan that would offer Medicaid benefits for unemployed workers, the AP/Miami Herald reports (AP/Miami Herald, 12/2). In his weekly radio address, Bush proposed a plan that would extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks and provide states with additional funding to provide Medicaid benefits to unemployed workers (Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 12/2). Democrats said that the plan "does not do enough" to help unemployed workers (AP/Miami Herald, 12/2). Democrats "want to ensure that [unemployed workers] get the unemployment insurance, that they get health care," Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) said on Dec. 2 on NBC's "Meet the Press" (NBC, "Meet the Press," 12/2). Earlier this month, Senate Democrats proposed a bill, blocked by Senate Republicans, that would have provided $14.3 billion to extend benefits for unemployed workers by 13 weeks in the states "hardest hit by terrorism" and $12.3 billion to help unemployed workers purchase health coverage through COBRA. COBRA, the 1986 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, allows unemployed workers to retain health coverage under their former employers' insurance plans by paying 102% of the premiums. In addition, the legislation would have allowed states to extend Medicaid coverage to unemployed workers who do not qualify for COBRA and provided $1.4 billion to boost the federal match to states for Medicaid (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/15). Democrats also "attacked" a bill passed by House Republicans (AP/Miami Herald, 12/2). The House in October approved a $100 billion GOP-sponsored bill, supported by Bush, that would increase by $3 billion funding for the Social Services Block Grant program to allow states to provide health insurance to unemployed workers and their families (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 10/29).

Thomas Shifts Stance
House Ways and Means Committee Chair Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), who drafted the House GOP bill, said that he plans this week to "push" for "more generous" unemployment and health insurance benefits for unemployed workers than were included in the legislation passed by the House in October. He plans to announce his support for the increased benefits on Dec. 4 (CongressDaily/AM, 12/3).

Negotiations to Begin?
House and Senate leaders late on Nov. 30 "tentatively agreed" on procedures for negotiations on an economic stimulus bill this week (Los Angeles Times, 12/2). Because the House has approved a bill but the Senate has not, "the traditional rules of working out an agreement in conference do not apply." As a result, "special procedures were necessary" to agree on the terms of negotiations on the bill (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/30). Lawmakers agreed to a conference with six negotiators -- three from both the House and Senate -- and a smaller group to study related health issues (Los Angeles Times, 12/2). House Republicans had proposed a conference with six negotiators, but Democrats "pressed" to expand the House delegation to include members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid. Democrats have proposed Medicaid provisions as part of their economic stimulus bill (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/30).