* Medical liability reform: Rep. Doyle (D-Pa.) offered and the committee adopted a block of amendments (not available for review this morning) that included language drafted by Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) that provides financial incentives to states that enact certificate of merit and/or early offers programs in medical liability cases.
* Health savings accounts: An amendment to clarify that health savings accounts are qualified health benefits plans that may be offered through the Health Insurance Exchange, sponsored by Rep. Michael Rogers (R-Mich.) was defeated.
* Insurance reforms: An amendment by Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) was adopted addressing limitations on preexisting condition exclusions in group and individual coverage. The committee rejected an amendment by Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) that would have allowed providers and health insurers to offer premium discounts, rebates, or modified copayments or deductibles to individuals who participate in health promotion or disease prevention programs.
* Health Benefits Advisory Committee: An amendment by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) was adopted that would require at least 25 percent of the members of the Health Benefits Advisory Committee to be health care practitioners who practice in a rural area and have done so for at least the previous five years. It also requires that the proportion of Medicare Payment Advisory Commission members who represent rural providers be proportional to the total number of Medicare beneficiaries who reside in rural areas.
* Medicaid and CHIP: Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio) sponsored an amendment, which was adopted, that prohibits payments under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for undocumented immigrants. An amendment by Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) was adopted that would eliminate copayments for certain Medicaid preventive services. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) successfully offered an amendment to ensure Medicaid coverage of non-emergency transportation to medically necessary services. An amendment by Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) was adopted that would allow a limited exception to the maintenance of effort requirement for Medicaid. An amendment by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) was adopted to clarify Medicaid coverage for citizens of freely associated states (Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau). Another amendment authored by Rep. Donna Christensen (D-V.I.) that would have increased Medicaid payments to the U.S. territories was withdrawn.

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