Congress left Washington, D.C. this week for the July Fourth recess without a deal on health care reform.  In the Senate, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) said he has developed a way to pay for the legislation that would cost less than $1 trillion.  Whew, that makes me feel better!

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The health care debate hit a speed bump on Capitol Hill last week as policy makers tried to get their arms around the trillion dollar price tag of the President's plan.  Slowing down the process is not a bad thing, change this big is going to require more thought, debate and input from the people who are going to be most impacted including consumers, small businesses, medical professionals, insurance carriers, and large companies.

In an effort to prop up the President's plan to provide health care coverage for all, through a massive government run system, MIT economist Jonathan Gruber released a study that argues the President's government run plan will benefit small to midsize businesses http://www.smallbusinessmajority.com/.

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The new Administration is trying to make good on their campaign promise to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) from companies that employ 50 or more workers to cover businesses with as few as 25 employees. 

Who is this going to hurt?  Most small businesses who are struggling to keep their doors open during the current economic downturn.  And, it will have a devastating impact on our non-profit sector, many of who can least afford these new mandates.

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H.R. 626 (sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney/Oversight and Government Reform Committee) passed the House by a vote of 258-154 last week.  Congresswoman Maloney is an advocate for federal employees to have paid parental leave. While this is not directly one of NCPA's Family Policy Center issues, it may mean the whole "leave" issue/debate will get traction which could include the private sector being mandated to do the same.

Currently, federal employees are guaranteed 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child.  HR 626 would allow federal employees to substitute 4 weeks of paid leave and expands coverage to foster children as well.  It is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office that this bill will cost roughly $1 billion over the next five years.  This bill pertains ONLY TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.  At a time when all families are struggling to find and keep jobs, should the private sector be asked to pick up the tab for a benefit that many of them do not have?  This bill now heads to the Senate. 

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What will it be?  A federal soda pop tax? Taxing some health insurance benefits?  Higher fees on beer, wine and hard liquor?  These are just some of the options being tossed around in the Senate.

How do we pay for expanding coverage to over 40 million uninsured people?  The Senate Finance Committee recently released 40 pages of revenue raising options.  They include cuts to providers and new taxes.   

The Finance Committee report says, "Many proposals expected to reduce health spending in the long run may not produce sufficient savings in the short run to finance reform.  Other proposals to generate revenue for health care reform could include taxes that affect lifestyle choices and taxes that generally target loopholes.

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