Senate Democrats have disclosed their plan to begin marking up health care reform legislation on June 16, aiming to complete it by June 25, according to an article by The Hill.
The Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, chaired by Sen Edward Kennedy (D-Mass), will discuss the to-be-released legislation on June 2 to 3. A bipartisan walk-through is scheduled on June 5 and 9. Possible hearings for the bill are expected either on June 10 or 11, according to the American Physical Therapy Association, Alexandria, Va.
In a recent op-ed article in the Boston Globe, Kennedy outlined five major elements of health care reform legislation: choice of health insurance, cost reduction, an emphasis on prevention, supports that encourage the elderly and people with disabilities to live at home and function independently, and investment in the workforce for a modern and responsive health care system, APTA says.
The Washington Post reports that the Senate plan closely resembles Massachusetts reform law, the APTA says. The plan, which does not detail how Congress might pay for universal coverage, also includes an expansion of the Medicaid program and creates a Federal Health Board modeled after the Federal Reserve Board.
[Source: APTA]
