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For the Week Ending March 3, 2006 Senate consideration of S.310, a “consensus” bill containing initiatives with broad bipartisan support, was brief and the bill passed easily with no dissenting votes. S.310 now moves to the House, where a health reform proposal (H.861) to offer subsidized health benefits to the uninsured and to create state oversight of chronic health care was also approved. The House vote fell along partisan lines and prompted contentious and sometimes acrimonious debate. The House spent many hours discussing H.861 over a two-day period before passing the bill on a 77 to 58 vote. Republicans put up a spirited assault on the Democratic reform proposal, offering many amendments, all meeting defeat in the Democrat-controlled chamber. A motion to substitute the governor’s health reform proposal was among the amendments that failed. Republicans even walked out of the chamber at one point, forcing a halt in the proceedings. The walkout was to protest that some of their members were prevented from participating in the debate because they were tied up in meetings off the floor in several committees that were rushing to push out legislation to before a legislative deadline. House rules require two-thirds of its members be present to approve a tax proposal. H.861 relies on an increase in the cigarette tax as one part of its funding. A compromise was reached and the proceedings continued. A summary of both health reform bills S.310 and H.861 as well as other information on the legislature’s health reform efforts can be accessed at www.leg.state.vt.us and by clicking on the health care section in the boxed column on the right side of the screen. In other health benefits activity last week, the Senate Finance Committee on Friday afternoon amended and approved S.285, a bill that would require continuation of coverage for adult students on medical leave for up to 24 months. And the committee declined to require continuation of coverage for adult children and spouses following divorce or dissolution of civil unions as the original bill proposed, opting to form a study of the issue in the off-session. There will be no Legislative Report next week due to the legislative recess this week. The next report will be issued the following week. For more information on legislative proposals, visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont website at www.bcbsvt.com or call Leigh Tofferi at (802) 223-6131 or Kathy Parry at (802) 371-3205. If you wish to discontinue receiving these updates or know of anyone else who would like to receive it, please call Kathy Parry or send an e-mail to webmail@bcbsvt.com |
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