The Alliance for Health Reform hosted a health insurance policy forum to consider the state of the industry and the future of health care in the U.S. This portion features a conversation with former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Tom Scully, followed by a panel discussion about the individual health insurance market.
After a break, the Alliance for Health Reform's health insurance policy forum resumed for two additional panels. The first featured policy experts who talked about the challenges facing Medicaid and how best to address them into the future. The second panel talked more broadly about trends in care and coverage, and made recommendations for national and state policymakers on how to improve the system for overall success.
Richard Cordray, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), appeared before a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee to discuss the agency's most recent semi-annual reports detailing its activities. Members questioned him about the role of his agency in various areas of the financial industry, including its investigation of Wells Fargo involving the opening of millions of unauthorized accounts. The committee is chaired by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX).
Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, testified about the programs and priorities of his command during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was asked about a wide range of issues including modernization, acquisitions, cybersecurity, and potential threats from Russia, China and North Korea. Gen. Hyten also addressed concerns about the potential effects of sequestration, and his desire for a more stable long term budget appropriation from Congress.
The top personnel officials from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force testified before a House Armed Services subcommittee on a pilot shortage affecting all four of the services. Members of the Military Personnel subcommittee asked questions about the severity of and potential solutions to the pilot shortage, and focused on what ways the military could better compete with private sector employers such as commercial airlines.
