Congress Will Consider Health Care After August Recess

Despite the congressional recess, the President and Congress continue to work on health care. Just today, Senate Finance Committee members sat down with the President to discuss how to deliver a bipartisan bill. Prior to the traditional summer break, the House was able to finish marking up H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, which will now be readied for floor debate in September.  The Senate is moving slower on health care but is expected to resume consideration in September.  As concern over the creation of a public option and the rising costs mount, Democrats are feeling pressure from voters on the principles in the House version of the bill, which may result in a Senate bill that is more bipartisan.  The House bill creates health insurance exchanges, essential benefit packages that will mandate the benefits that must be offered, and insurance reform. It also expands Medicaid and includes a payroll tax for firms not offering minimum benefits. The bill also includes surtaxes on individuals to help offset the cost of the bill. Finally, the most controversial and expensive portion of H.R. 3200, is the public option, which is designed to compete with private insurance. Based on AGC's analysis, AGC members and their employees will face a nearly impossible task of keeping insurance coverage, paying for coverage and maintaining an acceptable level of coverage without being pushed into a national plan. As such, AGC currently opposes the health care reform proposals in Congress and encourages members to use the Legislative Action Center to write their congressional delegation and urge them to oppose the bill.