Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced a health reform proposal Wednesday. The Senate Finance Committee is the last of five committees with jurisdiction over healthcare to report in on a reform package.
According to Baucus, his $865 billion plan would lower healthcare costs, provide quality and reduce the federal deficit over 10 years.
"America’s Healthy Future Act," he said, would make it easier for families and small businesses to buy healthcare coverage, ensure Americans can choose to keep the healthcare coverage they have if they like it and slow the growth of healthcare costs over time. It would bar insurance companies from discriminating against people based on health status by denying coverage because of preexisting conditions or imposing annual caps or lifetime limits on coverage.
The bill would improve the way the healthcare system delivers care by improving efficiency, quality and coordination, Baucus said.
"The cost of America’s broken healthcare system has stretched families, businesses and the economy too far for too long," he said. "For too many, quality, affordable healthcare is simply out of reach. This is a unique moment in history where we can finally reach an objective so many of us have sought for so long."
Baucus was part of a bipartisan group of six senators who had worked over the past few months to design a bill that might gain support from Republicans. The bill left out the most contentious aspect of the Democrats' plan – a public health option. House Democrats have said a public option is "non-negotiable."
Baucus and some Senate Democrats have said they instead would only support non-profit organizations called "co-ops," which are part of the Baucus package.
The new bill must gain approval from the Senate Finance Committee before it can be melded with a House bill and onel sponsored by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). Observers expect some battles ahead as Congress strives to gain some Republican support for health reform bills on the table. President Barack Obama has vowed to try and pass a health reform bill this year, and hopes to do so with some Republican support.
Members of Doctors for America Montana applauded the Baucus bill, calling it "a direct result of the bipartisan efforts of committee members," and said it would provide "hope for real reform."
"In the last month, Montana's physicians from Doctors for America have urged Senator Baucus to use his position of leadership to advance health reform. Today's unveiling of a bill in the Senate committee is another victory for that effort," the group said in a statement Wednesday.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said the bill is an improvement over the House bill and Kennedy's bill in the Senate. She said she is pleased to see Baucus drop the public option.
"I do, however, continue to have concerns about the overall size and scope of the proposal and that it does not do enough to lower healthcare costs for all Americans," Collins said.
J. James Rohack, MD, president of the American Medical Association, said the AMA backs the bill, but it would like to see an overhaul of the Medicare physician payment formula, as found in the House bill.
"Without permanent repeal of the current formula, physicians face cuts of 40 percent over the next few years that will erode access and choice for America's seniors," Rohack said. The AMA will continue discussions with the Senate Finance Committee on the bill regarding policies of concern to physicians, he said.