The National Federation of Independent Business has warned politicians and policy makers not to impose new health-benefit obligations on small employers. In a statement, the group said that "a healthcare system built on employer mandates or on play-or-pay taxes is unacceptable." The group also called for universal healthcare, with a government safety net to help the neediest obtain coverage.
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine proposed an expansion Wednesday of the state's effort to subsidize healthcare for the uninsured, but a tight budget forecast kept the governor from expanding the proposal to hundreds of thousands of residents who lack coverage.
For the second time, President Bush has vetoed a bipartisan effort in Congress to expand government-provided health insurance for children. Bush said the bill was unacceptable because it allows adults into the program, would cover people in families with incomes above the U.S. median and raises taxes.
Beginning in 2008, Maryland will become the first state to give consumers independent evaluations of Preferred Provider Organization health plans offered by four of the state's largest healthcare providers. The report card will help consumers make informed decisions, say representatives from the Maryland Center for Health Care Financing and Policy.
A national insurance expert testified at a consumer hearing that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan used flawed, inappropriate methods to determine proposed rate hikes at issue in a consumer challenge.