US Senate c'tee prepares for health reform laws

US Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (Democrat, Montana) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (Republican, Iowa) have released  policy options for financing reform of the US health care system for  discussion before the Finance Committee marks up legislation during  June. The options for financing health reform follow the release of  policy options for reducing costs in the health care delivery system and  for expanding quality, affordable health care coverage to all Americans.  Three areas of potential funding sources explored in the financing  options are: savings achieved internally from reductions in current  levels of spending; re-evaluating current health tax subsidies; and  changing non-health tax provisions.

"Health care reform must preserve the things Americans like about our  health care system. But it must also begin to slow the rapid increases  in health care costs that take up more and more of the budget for  American families and businesses. Reforming the system will likely  require an up front investment, but I'm confident it will pay dividends  in the future for our health, our economic competitiveness and our  federal budget. The bottom line is that we can't afford not to act.  Without health care reform, health care spending will reach [$4,400.0  billion] by 2018. These policies lay out a wide variety of options for  making that investment, and I look forward to working with my colleagues  to determine the best way forward," said Sen Baucus.