The Latest: The President recently outlined his vision for reform, building upon the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), and called on Congress to act quickly to pass a legislative package before its Easter recess. Congressional Democratic leaders are working on a legislative strategy that calls for the House to pass H.R. 3590, followed by a smaller “sidecar” bill that would make certain changes, including those outlined by the President, to the Senate bill. The Senate would then take up the “sidecar” bill on a simple up-or-down vote through a process known as reconciliation. HAP members are urged to contact their member of Congress as outlined in HAP Memo 10-34 .

• White House Releases Summary of Health Reform Proposal - February 22, 2010
  President Obama released a summary of his health care reform proposal , which the White House says will attempt to bridge the gap between the House and Senate bills. The proposal will include a targeted set of changes to the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) that reflects policies from the House-passed bill and the President’s priorities, according to the White House.

Background: After a year of crafting health care reform legislation, the movement came to an abrupt halt resulting from an upset victory in the special election for the late Senator Edward Kennedy’s (D-MA) U.S. Senate seat. During early March, President Obama called on Congress to take swift action to enact health care reform legislation. He specifically called for an “up or down vote,” which is another way of referring to the reconciliation process. In this scenario, the House would take up the Senate-passed bill, and then the House and Senate would move to make adjustments to the bill through reconciliation. The President’s proposal includes many concepts found in both versions of the House and Senate health care reform legislation and has added several Republican-supported proposals. It is unclear if the House and Senate will have the votes to move legislation via the reconciliation process. HAP and its member hospitals and health systems are committed to reforms that improve access to cost-effective health care coverage and quality health care, and want to work with others, including government, to find real and lasting solutions.

AHA Comparison of Senate Health Care Reform Bill and Presidents Proposal – March 8, 2010
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AHA Letter to Congressional Leaders about Recommendations for Health Care Reform Compromise - January 7, 2010
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HAP Comment Letter to Senate Finance Committee on Financing Comprehensive Health Care Reform: Proposed Health System Savings and Revenue Options

HAP Comment Letter to Senate Finance Committee on Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to all Americans

HAP Comment Letter to Senate Finance Committee on Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs

HAP Summary of U.S. Senate Finance Committee Description of Policy Options
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HAP Principles of Health Care Reform
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AHA Health Reform Policy Initiatives and Key Issues for Hospitals
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• Important Contact to the Pennsylvania Delegation on Health Care Reform
  HAP Memo
• HAP Comments on Health Care Reform
  HAP Memo