The Politico Examines Five ‘Crucial Harbingers’ in Health Care Reform Debate
The Politico on Tuesday examined the "five ... crucial harbingers of where insiders see the health care reform debate headed." According to The Politico, the economy likely will "play an outsize role in health care reform," and the "bad news for reformers is that, no matter what it does, it could spawn trouble." An improvement in the economy could allow members of the House Blue Dog Coalition and other fiscally conservative Democrats to "cause mischief as their party leaders work to pass what are sure to be expensive reforms," and a lack of improvement after the passage of an economic stimulus package could leave President Obama without the "political capital needed to pass tremendously complicated reforms," The Politico reports.Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), who last week withdrew his nomination as HHS secretary and resigned as director of the White House Office of Health Reform, was "widely viewed as uniquely qualified to handle both the political and policy challenges of health care reform," The Politico reports. According to The Politico, "[r]eformers are working hard to ensure that the Daschle dropout doesn't slow their momentum."
In addition, any health care reform legislation will have to pass the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and whether Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and HELP Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) will partner on one bill or work on separate legislation remains uncertain. Aides for both committees have indicated that Baucus and Kennedy plan to partner on one bill, but those "looking to slow reform are eager for the duo to introduce separate bills that create a turf war -- a distraction that could encourage more competing proposals," according to The Politico.
Questions also remain about whether business, labor, consumer and health care industry groups will continue to support health care reform legislation in the event that they have to make concessions. In addition, although some "believe creating a public health insurance option is crucial to ensuring universal coverage," some health insurers and businesses "believe it will lead to the rise of government-run care and the dissolution of private insurance," The Politico reports (Frates, The Politico, 2/10). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
