SZD Health Law Scan : Health Care Lawyers & Attorneys : Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Law Firm : Strategic Planning, Managed Care, Insurance : Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Central Ohio

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President Obama’s 2010 Budget includes historic commitments to health care reform and a down payment on the principle that every American should have quality, affordable health care. The Budget provides $76.8 billion in support of the missions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”). This Budget is in addition to President Obama’s decision to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program by providing health care to 11 million children, including 4 million previously uninsured children and the funding provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

Below are some significant highlights from the 2010 Budget Blueprint:

• Invest $630 billion of reserve funds over 10 years to finance a fundamental reform of the Nation’s health care system to bring down costs and expand coverage. The Budget also calls for an effort beyond this down payment in order to put the Nation on a path to health insurance coverage for all Americans. 
• Invest over $6 billion within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support cancer research as part of the Administration’s multi-year commitment to double cancer research funding. This initiative is built upon the $10 billion already provided in the Recovery Act.
• Accelerate the adoption of health information technology by building upon the $19 billion investment under the Recovery Act. The Recovery Act offers physicians and hospitals participating in the Medicare program temporary incentive payments starting in 2011 for using a certified electronic health record (EHR), followed by financial penalties starting in 2015 for failure to use such a system. It also offers incentive payments to Medicaid providers, including physicians and children’s hospitals, to assist with the purchase, implementation and use of certified EHR technology. These incentives are expected to result in a dramatic increase in the percentage of health care providers using health IT within five years.
• Dedicate additional resources that will initially be targeted to improving oversight and program integrity activities for the Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D), Medicare Advantage and Medicaid Program. These resources will enable the CMS to identify excessive payments and establish new processes for correcting problems.
• Strengthen the Medicare program by encouraging high quality and efficient care and reducing excessive Medicare payments.
• Invest $330 million to address the shortage of health care providers in certain areas, by expanding loan repayment programs from physicians, nurses, and dentists who agree to practice in medically underserved areas.
• Invest over $4 billion for the Indian Health Service to support and expand the provision of health care services and public health programs for the American Indians and Alaska Natives.
• Builds upon the down payment made in the Recovery Act for the President’s “Zero to Five Plan” for early childhood education and development and creates a new Nurse Home Visitation program for first-time low-income mothers and mothers-to-be.