OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Dems await Ryan's latest Medicare plan

By Sam Baker and Elise Viebeck - 03/05/13 07:30 PM ET

Congressional Democrats were practically salivating Tuesday at the news that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) might propose bigger Medicare cuts in his next budget outline.

Ryan might change his plan to affect more people who are near retirement, which skeptics see as abandoning the promise to protect anyone 55 or older. That has been a key part of the sales pitch for the Ryan plan, and the primary weapon against Democratic charges that the proposal would hurt seniors.

Bringing more people into the new system would likely help Ryan save more money from Medicare, potentially moving his proposal closer to balancing the budget without deep cuts to defense or discretionary spending. But it could also open up a new line of attack from Democrats, who have already hammered the Ryan plan in campaign ads.

Centrist Republicans are unhappy with the potential change, because they've defended their votes for the Ryan plan largely by noting that it wouldn't affect anyone 55 or older.

Senate Democrats on Tuesday released a list of statements Republicans have made defending the Ryan plan, including this one from Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio): "We’ve put forward our plan. And our plan said that no one 55 or older would have any changes to their current plan.”

Boehner was noncommittal about the possible changes during a Tuesday news conference, saying only that "we’ll let them work it out and see what outcome they get."

The Hill has the story on Ryan's considerations and the discord within the GOP.

Tavenner's talk: The acting administrator of Medicare and Medicaid addressed a conference of hospital executives Tuesday where she discussed implementation of the healthcare law and electronic health records. Marilyn Tavenner described the administration as "full bore into implementation" of the Affordable Care Act, and suggested that hospitals establish liaison positions with Medicaid and the future state-based insurance exchanges.

Tavenner also said her agency will "spend 2013 pausing and reflecting" on electronic health records.

"We've seen great success," she told the Federation of American Hospitals, adding that there has also been an increase in upcoding that will prompt "targeted audits" and education efforts in the coming year.

Opening her talk, Tavenner thanked hospital executives that have supported her nomination as official chief of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

"I know that many of you have been involved in calls and visits and personal letters," she said.

One shot at repealing ACA taxes: The business and industry groups pushing Congress to repeal new taxes in President Obama's healthcare law will have to get in line with the rest of the taxpaying world as Congress considers a comprehensive overhaul. Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.), a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, told reporters on Tuesday that any effort to repeal new taxes on medical devices and insurance plans will likely be part of a comprehensive overhaul. Healthwatch has more.

'Massive increases': House and Senate Republicans are projecting that President Obama's healthcare law will substantially increase health insurance premiums — the premise of an upcoming House hearing. In a report out Tuesday, the GOP staff with the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee compiled the results of more than 30 studies and analyses of the law.

"Upon implementation, Obamacare will make coverage dramatically more expensive and unaffordable for individuals and families," the report said.

Democrats point out that the law will give many people subsidies to buy coverage and say projections of increased premiums are exaggerated. Read more from the report here.

Wednesday's agenda

The House Ways and Means Committee will mark up its bill blocking the Obama administration's welfare waivers.

The House Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee will hold a hearing on seniors and the long-term cost growth in U.S. entitlements.

The Partnership for a Healthier America will launch its Building a Healthier Future summit in Washington.

The American Health Care Association will hold a fly-in to urge Congress to protect Medicaid funding for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

State by state

No precedent for feds dialing back Medicaid dollars

Conn. lawmakers forward mental health proposals

Brewer, Medicaid expansion backers rally at state Capitol

Texans rebut Rick Perry on Medicaid expansion

Lobbying registrations

The Federal Group / Home Care Association of America

Reading list

GOP goal to balance budget could mean deep healthcare cuts

CDC presses hospitals to fight spread of superbug [free registration required]

Despite free treatment, Britain lags behind others on health

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