| House Bill | Vote description | VoteMatch Usage | Candidate Voting |
|---|
Vote number 2003-669 limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients
on Nov 22, 2003
regarding bill HR.1 Bill sponsored by Hastert, R-IL
Results: Conference Report Adopted 220-215 |
Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003: Vote to adopt the conference report on the bill that would create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. Starting in 2006, prescription coverage would be made available through private insurers to seniors. Seniors would pay a monthly premium of an estimated $35 in 2006. Individuals enrolled in the plan would cover the first $250 of annual drug costs themselves, and 25 percent of all drug costs up to $2,250. The government would offer a fallback prescription drug plan in regions were no private plans had made a bid.Over a 10 year time period medicare payments to managed care plans would increase by $14.2 billion. A pilot project would begin in 2010 in which Medicare would compete with private insurers to provide coverage for doctors and hospitals costs in six metropolitan areas for six years. The importation of drugs from Canada would be approved only if HHS determines there is no safety risks and that consumers would be saving money. |
Voting N counts for 1 points on VoteMatch question 5: Health Care. |
Democrats:
YES 16; NO 189
Republicans:
YES 203; NO 25
Independents:
YES 1; NO 1 |
Vote number 2003-445 allowing reimportation of prescription drugs
on Jul 24, 2003
regarding bill HR.2427 Bill sponsored by Gutknecht, R-MN
Results: Bill Passed 243-186 |
Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2003: Vote to pass a bill that would call for the Food and Drug Administration to begin a program that would permit the importation of FDA-approved prescription drugs from Australia, Canada, the European Union, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Lichtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and South Africa. |
Voting Y counts for 1 points on VoteMatch question 5: Health Care. |
Democrats:
YES 155; NO 45
Republicans:
YES 86; NO 141
Independents:
YES 2; NO 0 |
Vote number 2003-64 capping damages in medical malpractice cases at $250,000
on Mar 13, 2003
regarding bill HR 5 Bill sponsored by Greenwood, R-PA
Results: Bill passed 229-196 |
Medical Malpractice Resolution: Passage of the bill that would cap the awards that plaintiff and their attorneys could receive in medical malpractice cases. The bill would limit non-economic damages, including physical amd emotional pain to $250,000. The bill would also limit punitive damages to $250,000 or double economic damages, whichever amount is greater. Punitive damages are only awarded if economic damages were found. A court would be required to find "substantial probability" that a plaintiff could be awarded punitive damages before a request for such an award could be filed. Punitive damages would be banned against makers and distributors of medical products if the FDA approved those products. The bill would call for all states to set damage caps but would not block existing state statutory limits. The bill would cap attorneys' contingency fees to 40% of the first $50,000 in damages; 33% of the next $50,000; 25% of the next $500,000; and 15% of any amount in excess of $600,000. |
Voting N counts for 1 points on VoteMatch question 5: Health Care. |
Democrats:
YES 16; NO 186
Republicans:
YES 212; NO 10
Independents:
YES 1; NO 1 |
Vote number 2001-329 allowing suing HMOs, but under federal rules & limited award
on Aug 2, 2001
regarding bill HR 2563
Results: Amendment adopted, 218-213 |
Vote to adopt an amendment that would limit liability and damage awards when a patient is harmed by a denial of health care. It would allow a patient to sue a health maintenance organization in state court but federal, not state, law would govern. |
(Not used in VoteMatch) |
Democrats:
YES 3; NO 205
Republicans:
YES 212; NO 6
Independents:
YES 1; NO 1 |
Vote number 2000-357 Prescription Drug Coverage under Medicare
on Jun 28, 2000
regarding bill HR 4680 Bill sponsored by Thomas, R-CA
Results: Bill passed: FOR: 217; AGAINST: 214 |
HR 4680, the Medicare Rx 2000 Act, would institute a new program to provide voluntary prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries through subsidies to private plans. The program would cost an estimated $40 billion over five years and would go into effect in fiscal 2003. |
Voting N counts for 1 points on VoteMatch question 5: More Federal Funding for Health Coverage. |
Democrats:
YES 4; NO 202
Republicans:
YES 212; NO 11
Independents:
YES 1; NO 1 |
Vote number 1999-544 banning physician-assisted suicide
on Oct 27, 1999
regarding bill HR 2260 Bill sponsored by Hyde, R-IL
Results: Bill passed: FOR: 271; AGAINST: 156 |
Vote on HR 2260, the Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999, would ban the use of drugs for physician-assisted suicide. The bill would not allow doctors to give lethal prescriptions to terminally ill patients, and instead promotes "palliative care," or aggressive pain relief techniques. |
Voting U counts for 0 points on VoteMatch question 0: [Future question]. |
Democrats:
YES 68; NO 135
Republicans:
YES 202; NO 20
Independents:
YES 1; NO 1 |
Vote number 1999-485 establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts
on Oct 6, 1999
regarding bill HR 2990 Bill sponsored by Talent, R-MO
Results: Bill passed: FOR: 227; AGAINST: 205 |
The bill allows all taxpayers to create a tax-exempt account for paying medical expenses called a Medical Savings Account [MSA]. Also, the measure would allow the full cost of health care premiums to be taken as a tax deduction for the self-employed and taxpayers who are paying for their own insurance. The bill would also allow the establishment of "HealthMarts," regional groups of insurers, health care providers and employers who could work together to develop packages for uninsured employees. Another provision of the bill would establish "association health plan," in which organizations could combine resources to purchase health insurance at better rates than they could separately. |
Voting N counts for 1 points on VoteMatch question 5: More Federal Funding for Health Coverage. |
Democrats:
YES 9; NO 198
Republicans:
YES 217; NO 6
Independents:
YES 1; NO 1 |
Abortion
Civil Rights