BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION for BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Medigap first-dollar coverage; S1789 "21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012" sections pertaining to wraparound plan for postal workers with medigap Part A & B; Delivery System Reforms; Physician Payment Alternatives

Contacted: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

IRC section 833(b) tax provisions; Health Savings Accounts; Medical Loss Ratio definition to qualify for 833(b) tax deduction; MLR Broker Fees: HR1206 "Access to Professional Health Insurance Act of 2011"; Health Insurance Tax: HR1370 "To Repeal the annual fee on Health Insurance Providers Enacted by PPACA" and S1880 "Jobs and Premium Protection Act"

Contacted: SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1206 (112th), H.R. 1370 (112th)

Health Issues HCR

See attached addendum for General Lobbying Issue Area: HCR - Healthcare Successful Insurance Industry Implementation of Health Reforms: good faith compliance standard, reasonable regulatory implementation timeline for compliance with PL 111-148 Affordable Private Health Care: Health Insurance Tax; Affordable Essential Health Benefits; Inextricable link between Individual Mandate and Insurance Reforms; Healthcare Delivery System Reforms; BCBSA's proposal "Building Tomorrow's Healthcare System: The Pathway to High-Quality, Affordable Care in America" State-based regulation: State Oversight of Rates; Properly designed state based health insurance exchanges to improve competition and maximize choice; federal exchanges; existing state regulatory functions; Selling Health Insurance across state lines: HR371 "Health Care Choice Act of 2011" Medical Loss Ratios: MLR Broker Fee; State Innovation Waivers; Quality improvement definition; Consistent reporting requirements for all insurers; Transition for smaller states and Plans; include benefits for individuals as well as populations Health Care Quality: Delivery System Incentives to Promote Better Care; Payment Reforms; Patient-centered Primary Care/Medical Home; Comparative Effectiveness Research; Evidence Based Care; Health Disparities; Wellness; Chronic Care Management; Telemedicine Health Information Technology Standards; Health Information Privacy; Electronic Health Records; Administrative Simplification; ICD10 implementation; Data Sharing; Data Aggregation; Centralized All-Payer Database Insurance Market Reform; Individual Market Reform; Small Group Market Reform; Small Business Healthcare; Guaranteed Issue; Community Rating; Health Status Rating; Health Savings Accounts: HR5858 "Health Savings Accounts Improvement Act of 2012"; Individual Mandate; Association Health Plans Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) regarding proposals to allow additional types of carriers including regional PPOs to be included in the coverage options offered by OPM; HR 2309 "Postal Reform Act of 2011" sections pertaining to FEHBP; S1789 "21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012" sections pertaining to Postal Benefits carveout; OMB Postal Benefit Carveout; OPM IG's Statement on FEHBP audits

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 2309 (112th), H.R. 5858 (112th), H.R. 371 (112th)

Pharmacy PHA

HR 5651 "FDA Reform Act of 2012" sections pertaining to generic drugs and online pharmacies; S 1882 "Fair and Immediate Release of Generic Drugs Act"; HR5842 "Restoring Access to Medication Act of 2012"

Contacted: SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 5842 (112th), H.R. 5651 (112th)