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Congress Losing Interest in Bills to Follow up on Health Reform Law

Written by  Leigh Page | May 17, 2010
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Democrats in Congress are losing interest in several healthcare bills meant to follow up on the reform law, as members of both chambers face challenging fall election campaigns, according to a report by the Hill.


Key committees have not marked up and sent to the floor three separate bills that would:

  • Require price disclosure by hospitals, physicians, drugmakers and pharmacies.
  • Direct HHS to review rate increases in states where insurance commissioners don’t have that authority.
  • Remove health insurers' exemption from the federal antitrust law.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she wanted to focus on "jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs."

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) acknowledged House members "would be wary of major health legislation after we’ve spent so much time [on the reform law]. We do have other priorities."

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) suggested the antitrust measure wasn't necessary because "every state has an antitrust law. Why do you need a federal antitrust law?"

Read the Hill's report on health reform.


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