HEALTH REFORM: House Says Try It, You'll Like It

Several of us will be attending various health related events around town this afternoon at the very time that the House unveils its bill, so we're going to give you a sneak preview courtesy of the POLITICO and the AP's Erica Werner.

The three House panels (Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor Committee) are trying to address the rising concern over the price tag of reform with some good old fashioned appeals to self interest. To paraphrase Miss Piggy,  "What's In It for Moi?"

The committees have a 12 part answer including: Lower Costs. Affordable monthly premiums. Cap on out of pocket spending. Protection if you have been sick in the past (pre-existing conditions). Greater Choice. And "peace of mind,"  which is a big part of what we're paying for when we buy insurance.

AP's Erica Werner says the draft

would require all individuals to obtain health insurance and force employers to offer health care to their workers, with exemptions for small businesses. A new public health insurance plan, strongly opposed by Republicans, would compete with private companies within a new health care purchasing ‘exchange' where Americans could shop for coverage. Government subsidies would help the poor buy care.

Financing isn't set. AP lists some of the options on Ways and Means' radar,  including higher taxes for wealthy Americans, the nation's employers, or anyone who pops the top on a soft drink. Also under consideration are higher alcohol taxes, increases to the Medicare payroll tax and a value-added tax, a sort of national sales tax, of up to 1.5 percent or more.

Senate Finance is still trying to get its cost jigsaw puzzle assembled. Ezra Klein has the latest version (or at least the latest as of yesterday, by definition these things change from hour to hour).

.