Sen. Hagel, Rep. Moore Host Health Forums During Congress’ August Recess
During Congress' August recess, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Rep. Dennis Moore (R-Kan.), who both are running for re-election in November, participated in health care forums in their home states:
- Hagel assembled a panel discussion on health care issues, which ranged from Nebraska's shortage of health care workers to the rising cost of health insurance, the Omaha World-Herald reports. The "most intense exchanges" among panelists focused on prescription drugs, the World-Herald reports. Dr. Richard Raymond, Nebraska's chief medical officer, said many of the medications featured in drug companies' direct-to-consumer advertisements are "little more than copycats," noting that when a drug's patent is about to expire, companies generally create a "similar" version and aggressively market it. Consumers then press doctors to prescribe the new drugs and often are successful in doing so, even if they do not need the medications, which creates "unnecessary cost," Raymond said. Panelists discussed ways to rein in drug costs, including requiring prior authorization for some prescription drugs, forming cooperatives to give the state "bulk buying power" and instituting price controls. The panelists, however, "agreed that the public needs to bear more responsibility and cost" and be more "selective" when choosing between name-brand and generic drugs, the World-Herald reports (Olson, Omaha World-Herald, 8/28).
- In Kansas, Moore participated in a health forum in which he outlined his proposal, the Small Business Health Insurance Availability Act (HR 2082), to help small businesses obtain health insurance for their employees, the Kansas City Star reports. Moore said that health insurance has become "less available" for small businesses, which in turn has "contributed to the ranks of the approximately 43 million uninsured," the Star reports. Moore's bill, which he introduced June 6, would give small businesses that have not offered health insurance in the last two years a temporary tax credit to allow them to purchase health plans; would create a five-year, $500 million grant program for state demonstration projects that increase health insurance though market innovations, such as group purchasing; and would create a five-year, $50 million grant program for demonstration programs to "promote information about health benefits" to owners of small businesses (Karash, Kansas City Star, 8/28).
