Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sunlight Foundation Blog: Criticizes Baker-Dole-Daschle Plan for Health REFORM

 

The actual reform proposal is available at: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/10782  The major point of criticism is that the law/lobbying firm which Dole-Daschle work for receives half of its revenue from medical corporations.

 

Today, former senators Tom Daschle and Bob Dole released a plan for health care reform that is being hailed a bipartisan way forward. Headlines blare about the Daschle/Dole plan for health care. But were these two to not have had illustrious careers in the Senate, the headlines would tell a far different story: “Health Care Lobbyists Release Health Care Plan.”

Both Daschle and Dole work for a major Washington, DC lobbying firm, Alston & Bird. Many of Alston & Bird’s major clients are from the health care sector including the American Hospital Association, HealthSouth Corp, and pharmaceutical companies Abbott Laboratories, Bayer, Celgene, and Mylan Laboratories. In total, Alston & Bird is currently representing 31 clients from the health care sector. Of the $2,730,000 reported income received from clients, nearly 50% of that, $1,070,000, comes from these 31 health care clients.

This looks like another benefit of the revolving door. You can release a legislative proposal from outside of Congress and the first thing anyone thinks of is your previous job and not your current one.

The following 31 companies and organizations are listed as health care sector clients of Alston & Bird:

Abbott Laboratories
$30,000.00

Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care
$40,000.00

American Assn of Nurse
Anesthetists
$30,000.00

American Clinical Laboratory Assn
$10,000.00

American College of
Gastroenterology
$50,000.00

American Hospital Assn
$20,000.00

American Orthotic & Prosthetic
Assn
$30,000.00

Anthem Inc
$0.00

Bayer AG
$30,000.00

Celgene
Corp
$90,000.00

Cltn of Full Service Community Hospitals
$40,000.00

Covenant Health System
>$10,000.00

CSL Behring
$30,000.00

CVS/Caremark Corp
$20,000.00

Endo
Pharmaceuticals
$0.00

Fresenius Medical Care
$40,000.00

Fundamental Health
>$0.00

Generic Pharmaceutical Assn
$50,000.00

Giner Inc
$20,000.00

Health
Management Assoc
$30,000.00

HealthSouth Corp
$110,000.00

Humana Inc
$0.00

Kidney Care Council
$90,000.00

Lifescan
$30,000.00

Mylan Laboratories
>$50,000.00

National Assn for Home Care
$50,000.00

National Assn of Behavioral Health
>$20,000.00

Roche Group
$30,000.00

Roho Group
$50,000.00

Tennessee
Hospital Assn
$20,000.00

Vision Service Plan
$50,000.00

Click on the following to read the rest of the story:  Sunlight Foundation Blog

Health Care Reform’s Moment Arrives — Again - NYTimes.com

 

Any package that emerges will preserve the country’s private insurance system, at least for now. But it could nonetheless bring sweeping changes, requiring that everyone be insured, creating a government health plan to compete with commercial carriers, and perhaps taxing employer-provided health benefits.

the influential Finance Committee — delayed the release of its proposal until after the Fourth of July because of emerging concerns about its cost. In the House, hearings on a draft proposal are scheduled for next week.

Health Care Reform’s Moment Arrives — Again - NYTimes.com

Unpaid furlough no longer needed for Chrysler salaried workers | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

 

About 10,000 salaried Chrysler workers no longer face the threat of taking a two-week unpaid furlough this summer because the company’s expenses throughout its 41-day Chapter 11 bankruptcy were less than anticipated.

Unpaid furlough no longer needed for Chrysler salaried workers | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Belvidere to stay closed as 7 Chrysler plants reopen - - BusinessRockford.com

The update from this morning maybe saying that the status of Belvidere plant is still be up in the air.

All Chrysler plants will be on summer shutdown the weeks of July 13 and 20; Gates said more information will be available afterward on Belvidere’s production status.

Click on the following to read the entire story:  Belvidere to stay closed as 7 Chrysler plants reopen - - BusinessRockford.com

Northwest Herald | County gets $45.8M in bonding power

So what are the elected officials in Boone County or Growth Dimensions doing regarding this “recovery program” ?

All 102 Illinois counties and eight cities divided up $1.67 billion in federal bonding power. McHenry County received the sixth largest chunk, behind Chicago and Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties, according to IRS figures. Cities and counties nationwide have until Dec. 31, 2010, to issue the bonds.

The Internal Revenue Service informed [McHenry] county last week that it could issue up to $18.3 million for government projects and $27.5 million for private projects. The bonds can be used for capital projects or equipment purchases, Munaretto said.

Click on the following for more details:  Northwest Herald | County gets $45.8M in bonding power

Daily Herald | Push begins to extended tax incentives to all home buyers

This maybe the answer to the current housing crisis. 

later this year, you can bank on it: There will be a significant push to extend the housing tax credit - and maybe even open it up to everybody.

Click  on the following for the rest of the story:  Daily Herald | Push begins to extended tax incentives to all home buyers