So, in the bowels of our Fed bureacracy, what's going on with health care reform? Two days ago there was an interesting article in the NYT informing readers just who in government is writing health care regulations and today I received an interesting piece of mail.
Mail Call: Ought oh, I thought, what is this postcard from the IRS about. I submitted my taxes along with the check for the money I owe them. Hmm..
Wait, oh, this is better:
The Recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could earn you a new tax credit this year for providing health insurance for your employee.
Well, yes, I remember that; I don't have any employees, but thanks for writing.
The notice from IRS continues:
If your small business or tax-exempt organization pays employee health insurance premiums in 2010, you may be eligible to claim a new credit on your 2010 tax return. Employers with fewer that 25 employees (more if you have part-time employees), and less that $50,000 in average wages, may be eligible.
How much you may receive
Eligible small employers could qualify for a credit worth up to 35% of premiums paid ni 210 (for businesses) or 25% of premiums paid (for tax exempt groups).
So, all small employers are receiving info from the IRS, now, about the tax advantage in the healthcare bill. I'm sure that all over America today, small employers, confused and baffled by Tea partiers, Republican politicians, Fox News and other misinformers (I'm too nice -- propagandists) must be thinking ... Huh? You mean some good things did happen with this bill?
Meanwhile, other government agencies have to dig in and write regulations. Here's the good news on that.
Three weeks ago when I wrote about the HCR reform law and its potential impact on providers, I commented a couple of times about waiting for the regs. Well, Monday's NYT reported on the rule writers and it is good news:
First Up: Jay Angoff
Jay Angoff,a longtime consumer advocate and nemesis of the insurance industry, will lead efforts to regulate insurers and insurance markets. Mr. Angoff began his career as an antitrust lawyer at the Federal Trade Commission and then worked as a lobbyist at Congress Watch, a Ralph Nader organization. Mr. Angoff worked for a nonprofit group, the National Insurance Consumer Organization.
Mr. Angoff said effective regulation of insurers 'could have a greater impact on costs and coverage' than the public insurance option.
And Mr. Angoff has made it clear that he means to be aggressive in setting 'marketplace rules.' He will enforce a section of the law that requires insurers to file detailed justifications for any 'unreasonable increase in premiums.'
Well, I'm not sure about effective rule writing having a bigger impact on costs and coverage than a robust public option (robust is what we said), but, Jay, go for it, man.
Next Up: Jeanne M.Lambrew
When President Bill Clinton's plan for universal health insurance collapsed in 1994, many Democrats, exhausted and disillusioned, turned to other issues. Ms Lambrew never wavered. She kept plugging away at efforts to expand coverage.
In Mr. Clinton's second term, she worked at the White House, as senior health analyst at the National Economic Council and as an associate director of the OMB. In those roles, she was an architect of the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Ms Lambrew is racing to meet a deadline set by the new law: Within 90 days, every state must have an insurance pool where uninsured people with medical problems can buy coverage at reduced rates.
Even people who disagree with her politics say Ms. Lambrew is a pragmatist, focused on results, not ideological purity.
A comiitted, experienced regulator, deeply serious about health care. Terrific. Can't ask for more than that.
Finally, Phyliss C Borzi
For 16 years, from 1979 to 1995, she worked for house Democrats on the subcommittee responsible for pensions and employee health benefits. She was a research professor at George Washington University and has extensive experience as a lawyer advising multiemployer health benefit plans.
Ms Borzi said her goal now was to write clear regulations that provide clear guidance to employers without being 'overly prescriptive.'
This is encouraging to me. As more work gets done on health care reform, as more info seeps into the public consciousness, the better off November looks, not to mention the better off most Americans will be.
Go Dems.