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I'm forwarding two short reports on new health care proposals, from Kaisernetwork Daily Reports. The first is a discussion on Potential for Health care reform. The second "Bush Unveils $1B Plan to Help Disabled." Linda 1. National Health Policy Conference Participants Discuss Potential for Health Care Reform Under Bush Administration Unless President Bush "whittle[s] down" his $1.6 trillion tax cut plan, no money will be left over in the budget to address Medicare and managed care reform and other concerns, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) said on Feb. 1 during the First National Health Policy Conference, sponsored by the Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy. Rockefeller said, "If we don't make the proper approach with our tax cut, everything else we talked about at this conference won't happen." Former HCFA chief and current Chair of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Gail Wilensky added that while a tax cut likely will pass and "set the stage for other programs," the actual amount of the cut has "yet to be determined." She said, "My assumption, as with all pieces of legislation, is that it will be subject to negotiation and change." She enumerated Bush's health care priorities, including his "Immediate Helping Hand" prescription drug coverage program and his broader plan to model a prescription benefit for seniors after the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Furthermore, she said that the administration has also expressed interest in restructuring HCFA, giving tax credits to low-income individuals to purchase health insurance and developing community health centers. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair James Jeffords (R-Vt.) added that he was "optimistic" Congress could enact "several" health reforms this year, including a Medicare prescription drug benefit and managed care reform. On managed care reform, Jeffords said that he and other members of Congress had begun rehashing the issues of scope and liability the previous night. He added that along with Sen. John Breaux (D-La.), he intends to introduce a tax credit bill that would give a $3,500 voucher to low- and moderate-income families to purchase health insurance. In addition, Jeffords said that he plans to work on expanding the CHIP program and holding oversight hearings on the HHS medical privacy regulations (Fulton, CongressDaily, 2/1). 2. Bush Unveils $1B Plan to Help Disabled As expected, President Bush yesterday unveiled his $1 billion, five-year New Freedom Initiative, which would help individuals with disabilities to purchase homes and work at "challenging jobs," the Washington Post reports. The plan calls for a tenfold increase in federal funding for low-interest loans that help people with disabilities purchase technology to help them at work (Allen, Washington Post, 2/2). Such technologies include text telephones, infrared computer pointers for individuals unable to use their hands and lighter-weight artificial limbs and wheelchairs. Bush said he also intends to ask Congress to create a fund to help people purchase telecommuting equipment, to provide tax incentives to encourage businesses to offer such equipment and to provide federal funds for research on such "assistive technologies." In addition, the initiative would make federal funds available to churches, synagogues and mosques to meet requirements of the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act. Previously, such entities had been exempt from the requirements. Bush also signed an executive order creating a National Commission on Mental Illness Treatment Services, whose goal would be "improving the availability and delivery of services" (Chen, Los Angeles Times, 2/2). In a "show of respect" for those in wheelchairs who joined him at the White House ceremony, Bush sat behind a 37-inch-high podium as he introduced the initiative (McQuillan, USA Today, 2/2). Bush said, "I've often talked about the goal of a welcoming society, a nation where no one is dismissed or forgotten. Our progress toward that goal is really the great American story. It is a story of inclusion and protection, extending across our history to more and more Americans" (Washington Post, 2/2). He added, "We must speed up the day when the last barrier has been removed to full and independent lives for every American with or without disability" (USA Today, 2/2). Advocates for people with disabilities "warmly hailed" Bush's plan, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said, "This is great stuff. I'm very impressed." Alan Reich, president of the National Organization on Disability, added, "Having the president address our concerns in such a comprehensive way early in his administration augurs well for the one-fifth of the population who live with disabilities" (Los Angeles Times, 2/2). Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), the first quadriplegic elected to the House, said that he also was "pleasantly surprised" that Bush chose to address the issue so early. He added, "I still want to look at the details. But I'm encouraged" (Greene, Baltimore Sun, 2/2). --------------------------- Please come and visit our site for future daily reports, or sign up for our Email-Alert mailing list to automatically receive future reports at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/email Health Policy As It Happens http://www.kaisernetwork.org