- The Senate Appropriations Committee has cleared the FY 2008 Financial Services appropriations bill (S. Rep. No. 110-129) This is the bill that includes appropriations for the FEHB Program. The Senate bill includes the FEHB Program’s cost accounting standards exemption (§ 613) and the contraceptive mandate (§ 732). The House bill which the full body approved last month also includes an abortion coverage limitation. Typically, the Senate bill does not include that limitation, but the House provision will be found in the bill that the Conference Committee approves and is enacted into law.
- The President announced his intent yesterday to veto any State Childrens Health Insurance Plan expansion beyond his $5 billion budget proposal. The Washington Post reported on this development as well as a new Justice Department Medicare fraud taskforce.
- Post your questions now for HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt who will be holding an online chat tomorrow at 3:15 pm ET.
