Congress To Address Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, Patients’ Rights, Uninsured When It Returns, CQ Reporter Carey Says
A Medicare prescription drug benefit, patients' rights and the uninsured are some of the top health care issues that congressional members will face when they return next week from their weeklong Memorial Day recess, Congressional Quarterly reporter Mary Agnes Carey says in this week's "Congressional Quarterly Audio Report."
- Prescription drugs: Although House leaders had hoped to bring their Medicare reform package, which includes a drug benefit, to the floor before Memorial Day, they now hope to approve such legislation in June, Carey says. However, even if the House approves the legislation, it is unlikely to be considered in the Senate, where Democrats have the majority and can stop the bill, she adds. The Senate is more likely to act on legislation that would increase payments to Medicare providers. Several Democrats also are pushing legislation that would allow U.S. residents to reimport from Canada U.S.-made medications, as well as a measure that would limit the deductions drug companies can take for the costs of direct-to-consumer advertising.
- Patients' rights: Even though Bush administration officials and congressional members have met on the issue over the last few months, there has been no progress on such legislation. The "key stumbling block," Carey says, is liability. Negotiators cannot agree on at what level to cap lawsuit judgements against insurers.
- The uninsured: Carey says 2002 will not likely be the year Congress takes action on the uninsured, despite the issue's bipartisan appeal. As usual, congressional members have gotten "stuck on the money and the mechanism" that would provide health coverage to the uninsured, deciding between tax credits or an expansion of existing public health programs. However, "in an era of federal budget deficits," it is unlikely Congress will "take either approach," Carey says (Carey, "Congressional Quarterly Audio Report," 5/28).
