In This Week's Edition of E-News…

House Passes Tort Reform, Repeals HC Rationing Board

Murphy Chairs Steel Caucus Hearing in Washington

Administration Proposes Raising Veteran Healthcare Expenses

Local Lawmakers Focus on Shale Gas Job Opportunities, Economic Growth

House Passes Tort Reform, Repeals HC Rationing Board

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a legislative package to stop junk medical malpractice lawsuits and repeal the new healthcare law’s Medicare rationing board. The legislation, which is known as the Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, was approved by a vote of 223 – 181 with Mr. Murphy’s support. The bill now awaits further action in the Senate.

The Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, is one of 159 boards, panels, and commissions in the healthcare law that empowers Washington political appointees instead of physicians to make decisions about Medicare treatments and standards of care. Beginning in 2013, IPAB will set prices for services from doctors accepting Medicare. Proposals from the 15-member board do not need to be approved by Congress, and fewer than half of IPAB’s members will have medical experience.

Murphy discusses IPAB repeal on CSPAN

Murphy took to the House floor on Wednesday to encourage his colleagues to support repealing the IPAB provisions (Watch Murphy’s speech HERE). And on Fox News Channel Friday morning, Murphy explained why IPAB needed to be eliminated (Watch the interview HERE).

On the second anniversary of enactment of the healthcare law, Rep. Murphy, who has now in total voted 27 times to repeal it, discussed the multiple problems experienced by providers, patients, and employers since it began back in March of 2010.

“The issues with the 1099 tax, the 20 different tax increases, the CLASS Act, the issues involving contraceptive drugs and requiring religious organizations to provide them, the issue with the Payment Advisory Board, are just a fraction of what is in these 2,000 pages. As we peel this and find out what is in here, it’s a massive bureaucracy between you and your doctor,” said Rep. Murphy.

With average healthcare premiums having risen by over $1,300 since the law’s passage, Congress has been looking for ways to reduce costs while ensuring patients have access to quality care. The legislation approved on Thursday also lowers medical liability rates and eliminates junk lawsuits; protects patient rights to recover the full cost of medical bills and lost wages and future income; caps the amount of non-economic, such as pain and suffering, damages at $250,000; and prohibits punitive damages unless other money is awarded. Fears of expensive liability lawsuits force many doctors to practice “defensive medicine,” by ordering unnecessary and costly tests and procedures. Defensive medicine adds anywhere between $70 and $246 billion a year to the nation’s $2.4 trillion healthcare system.

As a way to bring down consumer healthcare costs, Rep. Murphy, Chairman of the Doctors Caucus, has introduced legislation (H.R. 3988) to bring quickly to market more FDA-approved safe generic drugs.

In 1984, less than twenty percent of prescriptions were written for generic products. Today, generic pharmaceuticals account for nearly two-thirds of all prescriptions dispensed in the United States, but only 16 percent of all dollars spent on prescriptions. Expanding the use of generics will help drive down costs and ensure that all Americans have access to the lifesaving drugs they need.

Rep. Murphy’s legislation also imposes the same tough inspection standards for foreign factories that exist for US ones. Currently, the FDA inspects US factories once every two years but overseas facilities are checked out on average only once every 12 years. The tougher rules will help to put a stop to incidents like the 2007 heparin outbreak, which was traced back to tainted imports from China.

Murphy’s bill is expected to be marked up by the Health Subcommittee in the coming weeks.

To share your thoughts on IPAB, tort reform, or generic pharmaceuticals, please click here.

Murphy Chairs Steel Caucus Hearing in Washington

Congressional Steel Caucus Chairman Tim Murphy convened a hearing this week to examine the challenges US steelmakers are facing to grow and create jobs in a global economy where foreign competitors routinely violate international trade agreements.

Top industry executives, including US Steel CEO John Surma, who is also resident of the 18th congressional district, testified before 16 Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Mr. Surma and others lauded the work of the Steel Caucus on working with the International Trade Commission and Commerce Department to hold China, Russia, and other foreign nations accountable for violating international trade agreements.

Chairman Murphy said there was still work to be done.

“While the American steel industry stands at the forefront of quality, productivity, and environmental protection, the future of steel jobs in the USA are at risk,” said Rep. Murphy, who has supported legislation to encourage domestic steel industry job growth and stop China from gaining an unfair advantage for exporters through manipulating currency exchange rates (Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act, H.R. 639).

“China’s policies are specifically designed to undermine American steelmaking and our industrial defense base. For reasons of both national and economic security, we simply cannot allow American steelmaking and manufacturing to be hollowed out by a communist nation that not only breaks international agreements, but knowingly allows unstable and dangerous regimes in Iran and North Korea to sow the seeds of conflict,” he said.

Lawmakers listen to expert testimony at Steel Caucus hearing

The expert witnesses also informed lawmakers that energy and raw material costs are growing in costs because of costly new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Integrated steel producers anxiously await a massive new ‘global warming’ rule from the EPA. Other costly and unworkable new EPA regulations like the cross-state air pollution rule and air toxics rule will mean less coal-fired power, potential blackouts, and higher electric rates for mini-mills.”

Mr. Surma testified that the industry was growing and expanding due in part to expanded use of natural gas, and policies advanced by the Steel Caucus to support a level global playing field. Last month, members of the Caucus overwhelmingly supported legislation (H.R. 4105), which was signed into law, penalizing goods from China and other non-market countries where exporters receive hefty government subsidies (To read the statements from Mr. Surma and other witnesses, click here).

Other witnesses testified that foreign nations violate international trade agreements meant to ensure companies compete fairly in a free market. A vice president from TMK IPSCO, with plants in Ambridge and Beaver Falls, noted that 95% of the Chinese steel industry is state-owned or controlled, enabling Chinese competitors to benefit from government subsidies like free land and below-market borrowing rates.

ArcelorMittal CEO Michael Rippey praised Rep. Murphy’s Infrastructure Jobs and Energy Independence Act (H.R. 1861), which would dedicate new federal revenues from expanded offshore oil and gas production toward fixing America’s infrastructure, which the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates would cost $2.2 trillion.

To share your thoughts on holding China and Russia accountable for violating international trade agreements, or the state of American made steel industry, please click here.

Administration Proposes Raising Veteran Healthcare Expenses

In October the President announced that 40,000 troops will return home from Iraq by the end of the year. With thousands of armed forces members transitioning back into civilian life, Congressman Murphy has been working to ensure they receive the necessary care and attention they deserve.

Earlier this week, Murphy met with Penn Hills resident Joseph Dornbrock of Keystone Paralyzed Veterans of America (KPVA) to discuss actions Congress must take to support soldiers who have suffered injuries causing paralysis from combat.

Congressman Murphy and Joseph Dornbrock of Keystone Paralyzed Veterans of America (KPVA)

Rep. Murphy pledged to Mr. Dornbrock to continue supporting wounded warriors in Western Pennsylvania by opposing cuts to veterans’ healthcare and the TRICARE program, which provides additional insurance to military families. Murphy echoed the concerns raised by Mr. Dornbrock that President Obama’s 2013 budget plan would triple TRICARE fees and establish a new enrollment fee for Medicare-eligibles. The plan would also double pharmacy co-pays next year and triple them over five years. In many cases, these changes would raise annual costs for veterans by $2,000 or more.

Rep. Murphy shared with Mr. Dorbbrock that he signed onto legislation that will restrict the terms and conditions by which the President could raise TRICARE fees (H.R. 652).

“We have a lot of places in the government where we can cut wasteful spending without harming healthcare for veterans,” said Rep. Murphy. “Our soldiers put their lives on the line for our nation and freedoms. If anyone deserves the best healthcare in the world, it is them.”

Rep. Murphy and his staff stand ready to assist with VA claims, pay and benefits, and other issues. Anyone needing help is encouraged speak with a caseworker at Congressman Murphy’s offices in Mt. Lebanon (412.344.5583) or Greensburg (724.850.7312).

To share your views on the proposal to raise veterans’ healthcare costs, please click here.

Local Lawmakers Focus on Shale Gas Job Opportunities, Economic Growth

At the invitation of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, Congressman Murphy addressed a gathering of Southwestern Pennsylvanians who were in Washington, DC for a discussion on how federal policies can impact job growth created by exploration in the Marcellus Shale.

PA Shale Gas potential discussed at industry forum

At the event, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from shale and natural gas energy regions across talked about the potential for abundant gas resources to help secure energy independence and create jobs. In an effort to promote responsible exploration, expanded use, and safe transmission of natural gas, Rep. Murphy co-founded the Congressional Natural Gas Caucus with Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) in 2009. The Caucus will soon be holding a hearing to take a closer look at proposed EPA regulations that have the potential to halt half of all gas development in the United States.

To share your thoughts on responsible natural gas development, please click here.