deficit committee timeline

here is timeline from Congressional Quarterly

•  Sept. 8: Organizational meeting of joint committee.
• Sept. 13: First hearing of joint committee.
• Oct. 14: Deadline for standing committees to forward their recommendations to joint committee.
• Nov. 23: Deadline for joint committee to vote on legislative proposals, with a 10-year deficit reduction goal of $1.5 trillion.
• Dec. 2: Deadline for joint committee to formally report proposals.
• Dec. 23: Deadline for House and Senate to vote on proposals, without amendment.
• Jan. 15, 2012: Deadline for enactment of at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction, or across-the-board spending cuts will be triggered.
• Jan. 2, 2013: If triggered, across-the-board cuts will take effect.

State-federal review of health insurance rate increases begins, double-digit price hikes must be justified

http://tinyurl.com/3d3sesq

another important benefit of Affordable care act. 

also, see

Check out this short video about the new rules that protect consumers from double-digit rate hikes: http://youtu.be/V8DIwK33TDA

National health expenditures hit historic low

see

http://tinyurl.com/3seb3l3

"Hospital at Home" Programs Improve Outcomes, Lower Costs But Face Resistance from Providers and Payers

http://tinyurl.com/42elfrx

A win for the individual mandate

http://tinyurl.com/4xccrgc

from washington post's ezra klein.  

birth control & other preventive services for women

from kaiser

66% of public supports HHS decision to require insurers to pay for birth control & other preventive services for women
http://ow.ly/6e6Ss

this link also has overall poll results on health reform. overall not much change.  and various other provisions.  see also drew altman's piece on this site.

important article on comparative effectiveness research

see this link from washington post

http://tinyurl.com/3ml4l33

comparative effectiveness research is a key to health reform and making our system more cost-effective,