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Short-Timer Whitehouse Has His Say
"While Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is expected to be on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee only for a short time, he should have a major effect on health reform," Roll Call reports. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) chose Whitehouse to temporarily take the place of former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), now secretary of State, on HELP because of his experience with health care policy at the state level." But when Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., takes over "the long-vacant Minnesota seat, Whitehouse"s time on the committee will soon be coming to an end -- but not before the health debate is finished."

What Is Astigmatism? What Causes Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is an eye condition with blurred vision as its main symptom. The front surface of the eye (cornea) of a person with astigmatism is not curved properly - the curve is irregular - usually one half is flatter than the other - sometimes one area is steeper than it should be.
News of the day
One Stop Breast Clinics Best For Women
High-quality one-stop breast clinics could be the most effective way to spot breast cancer early, a study published in the British Journal of Cancer * reveals today (Wednesday).
Sexual Health

GM Bankruptcy Plan Would Use Stock Worth 39% Of Firm To Fund Half Of VEBA Obligation

General Motors and United Auto Workers on Thursday agreed to a tentative deal that would allow the automaker to use company stock to fund half of its obligation to a retiree health care fund, the Washington Post reports (Cho et al., Washington Post, 5/22). According to the terms of temporary loans granted by the government in 2008, GM must present a plan for restructuring its finances by June 1 or else enter bankruptcy protection (Krisher, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/22).UAW in 2007 agreed to establish a voluntary employees" beneficiary association, totaling $35 billion, that would cover health care costs of retired GM workers and their spouses starting in 2010. GM so far has paid about $15 billion into the fund (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/15). Under the potential deal, GM would fund its remaining $20 million obligation to the VEBA with $10 billion in cash paid over time. The rest would come in the form of company stock that would give UAW as much as a 39% stake in the restructured firm (Merx/Green, Bloomberg, 5/21). The deal is similar to one at Chrysler, in which UAW agreed to accept 55% of Chrysler"s stock in exchange for about $6 billion of the $10.6 billion the automaker owed to the VEBA (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/22).Under the GM deal, the union also would get a seat on the company"s board (Stoll/Terlep, Wall Street Journal, 5/22). Retirees would lose coverage of dental care and some prescription drugs, according to people with knowledge of the talks (Bloomberg, 5/21).UAW officials on Tuesday will meet in Detroit to discuss terms of the agreement and are expected to give their approval. The plan would then be presented to the union"s 60,000 GM workers for ratification (Wall Street Journal, 5/22). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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