Health Reform.gov; Live Webcast on 5/20/10 to answer questions on Affordable Care Act benefit to Americans with disabilities.

HealthReform.gov, managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is online to answer consumer and stakeholder questions about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - H.R. 3590, signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010; now Public Law No: 111-148 (text of P.L. not yet posted at the Government Printing Office).

Besides answers to FAQs, there is also a map to check status reports on health reform implementation in each U.S. state, and the Health Reform Blog with a variety of posts by officials and administrators in the federal government on how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will proceed on such as state management of high risk pools, as well as corrections or explanations of items in the press .

There is also a weekly live web chat to answer questions and address various aspects of the law. Past chats are also archived for any unable to make the live chat.

"This Thursday, May 20, 2010 1PM EDT, the web chat topic is how the Affordable Care Act will benefit Americans with disabilities. Submit questions for the chat to healthreform@hhs.gov. You can watch the web chat live at: http://www.hhs.gov/live.

Do you have a disability or have someone close to you who does? Do you wonder if and how the Affordable Care Act can really help you?  We'll be taking your questions about how the Affordable Care Act will benefit people with disabilities, or those with loved ones affected by a disability. Join our WebChat this upcoming Thursday, May 20, at 1:00 P.M EDT at www.hhs.gov/live.

Henry Claypool, the Director of the Office of Disability at HHS, Jeffrey Crowley, Senior Advisor on Disability Policy at the White House and Meena Seshamani, Deputy Director in the Office of Health Reform at HHS will discuss and answer YOUR questions about how the Affordable Care Act will help those who have a disability. 

Send your questions to healthreform@hhs.gov and we'll answer as many as possible during Chat. We will also take questions live from twitter using our handle @HHSGOV.

This week's show is the eighth in the Affordable Care Act WebChat series. Tune in each week as we continue to talk about different aspects of the new health reform bill so that you, your family and friends can stay informed. You can find previous WebChats on healthreform.gov and browse the site to find all the latest information available from HHS on the new law.  Thanks for participating, and stay tuned to get your questions answered."

For further reading or reference
HealthReform.gov

H.R. 3590
Certified by Superintendent of Documents
United States Government Printing Office

Past blog post
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal legislation: H.R. 4872 Reconciliation Act rapidly passed by U.S. Senate and House on March 25, 2010 - goes to President for signature

An amended reconciliation bill H.R. 4872 passed in the U.S. House Thursday night, March 25, 2010 by a vote of 220 to 207 on the motion to concur with the Senate amendments after its return from the Senate earlier in the day. In the Senate, the vote was 56 to 42. The vote split approximately down political party lines, with Republicans in both chambers unanimously opposed.

H.R. 4872 now goes to the President for signature for implementation into law. The companion bill, which H.R. 4872 amends, H.R. 3950, was signed into law on Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

National Public Radio reports that the first task resulting from the new laws would be establishment of a federally funded "high-risk pool" program to cover those turned down for preexisting conditions by private insurance. Currently the law would call for 90 days to do so. NPR also describes some of the related details.

Among some of the questions still circulating is the cost of the laws.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently issued reports of their assessment and analysis of national costs/benefits of health care (and education) reform specific to this legislation (H.R. 4872 & H.R. 3950).

More media stories
It’s Done: House Passes Reconciliation Bill
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
March 25, 2010, 10:39 pm
NYTimes Prescriptions blog

Roll Call: House vote on second health care bill
Washington Post/Associated Press
The Associated Press
Thursday, March 25, 2010; 9:41 PM

The Health Law's First Test: Extending Coverage
by Mary Agnes Carey
National Public Radio
March 26, 2010

Past blog posts
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Federal legislation: Procedural technicalities will send H.R. 4872 reconciliation bill back to the U.S. House for final approval

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal legislation: Live video stream of President Obama signing the "Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act" into law

Live stream completed. Video of signing posted at Whitehouse.gov.

Live video stream March 23, 2010 11:15 AM EDT (8:15 AM PDT)

President Obama Signs the Health Insurance Reform Bill  27:07 minutes

The White House

Related posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

On Sunday, March 21, 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives passed by a vote of 219 to 212,

H.R. 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 

which is the Senate version of health care reform that was originally passed  by the Senate on December 24, 2009.  H.R. 3590 is scheduled to be signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010 at 11:15 AM EDT.

Within minutes of the passage of H.R. 3590, the House also passed by a vote of 220 to 211 a reconciliation bill,

H.R. 4872, Reconciliation Act of 2010

which encompasses amendments to H.R. 3590 proposed by the House. The U.S. Senate still has to deliberate and approve H.R. 4872; it is required to commence those deliberations after H.R. 3590 is enacted into law by the President's signature, to allot at least 20 hours of debate to the matter, and due to technicalities the reconciliation bill requires only a simple majority for passage. The Senate calendar shows deliberation on H.R. 4872 commencing Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 2:15PM EDT, although it is possible that could change.

H.R. 3590 does include a behavioral health provision for mental health and substance abuse treatment, however behavior analysts are not listed among those providers explicitly identified for reimbursement as part of a treatment team. It has also been noted by Autism Votes that the behavioral health clauses as enacted do not have sufficient reach to benefit more than a relative minority of families seeking ABA services, since this coverage is not required for all plans excepting,
(1) plans offered by state-based exchanges, through which individuals and small businesses can purchase coverage; and
(2) plans offered in the individual and small group markets outside the exchange.

The Arc struck a more optimistic note in changes that it sees as improvements in coverages, benefits and Long-Term Supports for those with developmental disabilities.

The reconciliation act, H.R. 4872 makes additional specification for covered professionals, under,
TITLE K--PROMOTING PRIMARY CARE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND COORDINATED CARE
Sec. 1308. Coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services. 

National Public Radio has produced a report outlining what would be "immediate" impacts vs. those which would be coming online in several years time, such as the 2014 requirement for all the requirement that all Americans acquire health insurance or face a fine. Another NPR story describes potential state Attorney General challenges to the legislation on the grounds that penalties for not having individual coverage and state requirements under the mandate are unconstitutional.

News reports and analysis will undoubtedly continue over the coming days clarifying the relative strengths and weaknesses of the enacted legislation, with some dependency on the outcome of the Senate actions yet to occur on H.R. 4872.

News and reports of interest
Obama to sign health care reform into law, then promote it on the road
CNN
March 23, 2010 -- Updated 0736 GMT (1536 HKT)

After Obama signs health care reform bill, why mess with reconciliation?
The Christian Science Monitor
March 23, 2010

States Opposed To Insurance Mandate Prepare Lawsuits
Scott Hensley
National Public Radio health Blog
March 22, 2010 3:15PM

The Arc Applauds House Passage of Health Care Reform Legislation             
3/22/2010
Washington, D.C. (March 22, 2010) - Press Release
Describes changes that The Arc sees as positive in coverages, benefits and Long-Term Services and Supports for those with developmental disabilities


U.S. House Passes Health Care Reform Bill Containing Provision For Autism Insurance Reform
Autism Votes
Autism Votes describes coverage gaps for those with autism, even given some behavioral health coverage in the legislation and the need to continue advocacy at the state and Federal level.

What Are The Immediate Effects Of Health Bill Passing?
Julie Appleby and Kate Steadman
March 21, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Education news: Obama administration proposes changes to education policy and law

The Obama administration has put forth a proposal of overhauling No Child Left Behind.

Some key points are,

• Changes to federal financing formulas with emphasis on school performance
• Changes to education law
• Elimination of the requirement deadline of 2014 to have all students be proficient, to be replaced by graduation from high school, "college or career ready",
• Possible elimination of school ratings systems based on making "adequate yearly progress" on student test scores.

Regarding new systems, proposals are

• Dividing schools into more categories to give recognition for success and increasing funding for improvement or closure of failing schools.
• Define learning goals in earlier grades

One proposal is that based on the results of programs such as the Race to the Top Fund, that similar strategies and conditions might be applied to the distribution of funding through the U.S. Department of Education so that the emphasis is on improvement of schools.

Such proposed changes to educational law would be subject to Congressional approval, and the Administration is reported to be soliciting input from Congressional leaders of both parties in coming weeks to create legislative language attractive to bipartisan support.

A remark on these proposals as part of the President's comments on the 2011 fiscal year budget.

Remarks by the President on the Budget 10:29 min

"...That's why I've proposed a more than 6 percent increase in funding for the Education Department. And this funding is tied to reforms that raise student achievement, inspire students to excel in math and science, and turn around failing schools which consign too many young people to a lesser future -- because in the 21st century there is no better anti-poverty program than a world-class education..."

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For more information/further reading
Obama to Seek Sweeping Change in ‘No Child’ Law
By SAM DILLON Published: January 31, 2010
New York Times

Budgeting for a New Era of Responsibility
Posted by Jesse Lee on February 01, 2010 at 04:34 PM EST
Whitehouse.gov

Education reform: Obama budget reboots No Child Left Behind
Amanda Paulson Staff writer / February 1, 2010
Christian Science Monitor

Five Ways Obama's Budget Will Change Education Policy
Feb 1 2010, 2:20 pm by Derek Thompson
The Atlantic

Hard choices to come with fiscal year 2011 budget
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Washington Post

New York Times stories on No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

NCLB U.S. Department of Education

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.