Sebelius vows implementation of health law will be clear, transparent

"U.S. health officials aim to move swiftly and clearly to implement newly enacted healthcare reforms, the nation's health secretary said in remarks on Tuesday aimed at selling Americans on the benefits of the controversial changes," Reuters reports. In excerpts of a speech to be delivered today at the National Press Club, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius explained health officials would work "to be as clear and transparent as possible" as the law is implemented. "Calling the U.S. Health Department 'a nationwide health insurance reform Help Desk,' Sebelius pledged to help consumers wade through the new reforms recently passed by the Democrat-controlled Congress" (Heavey, 4/6).

MarketWatch: "Sebelius used the Press Club speech to explain the sprawling, 10-year law, which aims to remake the U.S. health-care system. ...  Republicans, meanwhile, continue to urge a repeal of the health-care law. So far, 67 lawmakers have signed the Club for Growth's pledge to 'Repeal It!'" (Schroeder, 4/6).

The Associated Press: Also on Tuesday, in letters to state insurance commissioners and state attorneys general, Sebelius warned of "a proliferation of scams involving phony health insurance policies," in the wake of the passage of the new health insurance law. "Some of the hustlers are going door to door claiming there's a limited open-enrollment period to buy health insurance now. But the big expansion of coverage won't come for another four years, and door-to-door salespeople are unlikely to be part of the plan then" (Alonso-Zaldivar, 4/6).