UPDATES:
20% co-pay overturned!!

Laboratory Fee (Baucus Bill)- switched to a 1.75% reduction in the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule for 2011-2015
Rational:
~ The lab tax was going to be in the range of 2.5%-- and could be higher in some cases-- on ALL lab revenue including Medicare (CLFS and Physician fee schedule) and non-Medicare revenue. EVERYTHING.
And no deduction for other taxes.
~ The lab tax would have started in 2010 and is PERMANENT and would be impossible to reduce or repeal.
~ the tax would have been assessed against virtually ALL independent and hospital laboratories, and any physician office labs that do more than $500,000 a year in revenue.
~All hospitals' outpatient and outreach revenue would have been taxed.

ASCLS-GAC now publishing a news letter to keep everyone up to date on current events.

Town Hall meetings- Grassley and Loebsack

Loebsack:
August 22nd- 10 am Iowa City Public Library
11:45 am Tipton County Extension Office

Grassley:

Senator Grassley’s Open Public Town Meetings August 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Humboldt County Town Meeting
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Rustix Restaurant
716 Sumner Avenue
Humboldt
Palo Alto County Town Meeting
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Ruthven Social Center
1503 Rolling Street
Ruthven
Pocahontas County Town Meeting
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Pocahontas Public Library
Community Room
14 2nd Avenue NW
Pocahontas
Calhoun County Town Meeting
4:15-5:15 p.m.
Rockwell City Community Center On the Square
424 Main Street
Rockwell City
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Plymouth County Town Meeting
10:15-11:15 a.m.
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor
24 5th Avenue NW
Business 75 & Highway 3
Le Mars
Cherokee County Town Meeting
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Sanford Museum
117 East Willow Street
Cherokee
Ida County Town Meeting
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Ida County Community REC Center
Community Room
311 Barnes
Ida Grove
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Emmet County Town Meeting
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Emmet County Farm Bureau
421 1st Avenue North
Estherville
Dickinson County Town Meeting
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts
612 28th Street
Spirit Lake
Lyon County Town Meeting
1:45-2:45 p.m.
George North Community Room
115 South Main Street
George
Clay County Town Meeting
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Administration Building
Conference and Board Rooms
300 West 4th Street
Spencer
Friday, August 28, 2009
O’Brien County Town Meeting
8:00-9:00 a.m.
O’Brien County Courthouse
Assembly Room
155 South Hayes
Primghar
Greene County Town Meeting
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Greene County Community Center
Meeting Room
204 West Harrison
Jefferson

Still putting together the reports and clarifying some details on the GAC report. The biggest thing from the GAC report is that we are looking to put Fee Scheduling as an amendment, the catch is that the Specimen Collection Fee would be dropped in the amendment. More to come as I get updates, however H.R. 1452 is still on the books and in Committees.

Now for the topic that is on every one's mind, Health Care Reform. Our Senators are back in the state and tempers are high! They are holding town-hall meetings and more and more impromptu meetings. Just yesterday Harkin opened a clinic here in Cedar Rapids and was met with thanks and insults. People showed their support for Health Care Reform and their distaste for the current bill.

As things heat up I want to stress the importance of making your thoughts known, but to do it a way that will make the best impact. If you want to make a point know the ins and outs of what is being discussed. Research your argument before taking it to the next level. The most important thing that must be kept in mind though is to keep your temper. Nothing stops people from listening to you faster then when you lose your temper and fling insults! The Golden Rule applies here; Speak to others as you would have them speak to you.

Use this knowledge when you go to the Town Hall meetings. Remember you catch more flies with honey then you do with vinegar!

Updates

Hi! Updates from the National Meeting will be posted within the next week: Goverment and Political Action Committee reports. Stay tuned and keeping pushing your representatives in D.C. to move on the National Health Care Bill!