RWJF News Digest - Coverage

Report: Feds to Pay More than Half of Health Costs

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

For all the hue and cry over a government takeover of health care, it's happening anyway.

Health Official Can't Guarantee Openness in Talks

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, told Congress on Wednesday that she could not guarantee greater openness in negotiations over legislation to remake the nation's health care system.

Nancy Pelosi Heads for a Two-Track Plan for Health Care Reform

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

With the broader health care bill still perilously close to collapse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to take a shot at the health insurance industry next week by scheduling a vote on a smaller bill to revoke its half-century-old exemption from antitrust laws.

States Restart Health-Care Push

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

With the fate of a national health care overhaul unclear, state legislators are pushing their own bills aimed at expanding coverage, though tight budgets are likely to hinder many of these efforts.

Virginia Senate Bills Say No to Requiring Health Insurance

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Virginia's Democratic-controlled state Senate passed measures Monday that would make it illegal to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a direct challenge to the party's efforts in Washington to reform health care.

White House Budget Offers Backup Plans for Health Overhaul

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Barack Obama’s federal budget proposal assumes that the embattled health bill will pass – but contains some back-up plans if it doesn’t.

Analysis: Dems' Missteps Led to Health Breakdown

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Democrats say they never saw it coming, but the breakdown of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul was abetted by their own mistakes.

Senate Dem: Health Care Bill 'On Life Support'

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Barack Obama's health care appeal failed to break the congressional gridlock Thursday, dimming hopes for millions of uninsured Americans. Democrats stared down a political nightmare — getting clobbered for voting last year for ambitious, politically risky bills, yet having nothing to show for it in November.

After Obama Speech, Democrats Confused About Path Ahead

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

A day after President Obama called on them to renew efforts to pass his ambitious agenda, congressional Democrats remained in disarray Thursday about how to move forward, with at least some pointing at the White House as the cause of the legislative standstill gripping Capitol Hill.

Health Care Gives Way

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Obama drew sustained laughter from Congress, especially Democrats, on Wednesday when he declared in his State of the Union speech that “by now it should be fairly obvious that I didn’t take on health care because it was good politics.”

Backroom Health Care Deals Fuel Voter Anger

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Special legislative favors, especially one designed to secure a Nebraska senator's vote for the embattled health care package, ignited so much public outrage that President Barack Obama is calling them a mistake and House leaders say the bill can't be resurrected unless such sweetheart deals are scrapped.

Democrats Woo Snowe, Collins in Hope of Saving Health Reform Legislation

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Centrist Democratic senators have circumvented party leadership to approach Maine GOP Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins about reviving healthcare talks.

Poll Shows Growing Fears on Health Care Overhaul

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Fears about President Barack Obama's health care overhaul increased significantly in December, according to a new poll released as the legislation's future hangs in doubt.

GOP Struggles for Consensus on Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Now that Democrats have lost their 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, Republicans have some ideas for how their stalled health overhaul can get started again: Find some bipartisanship.

Narrower Targets Set for Health Overhaul

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The White House, with its health-care initiative in doubt, on Sunday zeroed in on several elements it hoped would survive, including measures to extend the life of Medicare, lower prescription drug costs for seniors and cap consumers' out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Pelosi: House Won't Pass Senate Bill to Save Health-Care Reform

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

As Democrats continued to grapple with the consequences of their loss in Massachusetts, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday eliminated the most obvious avenue for completing health-care reform, saying the House will not embrace the version of the legislation already approved by the Senate.

A New Search for Consensus on Health Care Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Even as Speaker Nancy Pelosi affirmed her commitment to pass far-reaching health care legislation this year, members of Congress and health policy experts began Thursday to deal with the reality that a smaller bill would have a better chance.

Obama Weighs Paring Goals for Health Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Obama signaled on Wednesday that he might be willing to scale back his proposed health care overhaul to a version that could attract bipartisan support, as the White House and Congressional Democrats grappled with a political landscape transformed by the Republican victory in the Massachusetts Senate race.

The Fallout: Democrats Rethinking Health Care Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Republican Scott Brown’s upset win in Massachusetts Tuesday threatened to derail any hopes of passing a health reform bill this year, as the White House and Democratic leaders faced growing resistance from rank-and-file members to pressing ahead with a bill following the Bay State backlash.

White House Admits Poor Job of Selling the Health Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Obama may have come up short in making his case to the American people for his sweeping health-care overhaul, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs acknowledged yesterday.

Obama, Labor Reach A Deal on Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Gripped by a building sense that its window of opportunity could be closing, the White House on Thursday broke the last major logjam blocking enactment of far-reaching health-care legislation.

Health Talks in Overdrive With Obama Pushing

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats stand within days if not hours of striking final deals on historic health care legislation after key labor unions won concessions and pledged their support.

Proposals Clash on States' Role in Health Plans

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Should someone in Idaho or Nevada have significantly different health care coverage from someone in Massachusetts?

Report: Health Costs Up Slightly Under Senate Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Americans would see only a modest rise in health care costs under the Senate's plan to extend coverage to 34 million people who currently go without health insurance, government economic experts say in a new report.

Obama: Health Bill Will Create Jobs

webmail@rwjf.org — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Barack Obama used his weekly radio address to tout the economic benefits of overhauling the health care system, saying that reform would help build a "new foundation for our economy to create the good, lasting jobs and shared prosperity of tomorrow."

Nelson to Fight for All States

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, has been under fire in recent days for winning some plum provisions for his home state in exchange for voting for his party’s big health care legislation.

Playing with House Money

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

If there’s one area in which the House health care reform bill is obviously superior to the Senate version, it’s coverage and affordability.

What Health Care Reform Means for the States

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

As the battle enters its final stage in Washington, a rebellion is taking shape in the states, which are alarmed about the new financial burdens they will face in a revamped system.

C-Span Seeks Live Coverage of Democratic Meetings

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

C-Span has asked Democratic leaders to open their negotiations on a final health care bill to live television coverage. But despite promises of transparency, Democratic leaders may be reluctant to agree.

Democrats Holding Final Intraparty Talks on Health-Reform Debate

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Democratic leaders in Congress began a final round of health-care talks Tuesday, pledging to overcome their remaining differences, with the aim of sending a bill to President Obama before his State of the Union address in late January or early February.

Obama Prods Congress to Pass Health Bill Quickly

webmail@rwjf.org — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

President Barack Obama is prodding House and Senate Democrats to get him a final health care bill as soon as possible, encouraging them to bypass the usual negotiations between the two chambers in the interest of speed.

Dems Intend to Bypass GOP on Health Compromise

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

House and Senate Democrats intend to bypass traditional procedures when they negotiate a final compromise on health care legislation, officials said Monday, a move that will exclude Republican lawmakers and reduce their ability to delay or force politically troubling votes in both houses.

Democrats in Final Push on U.S. Health Care Overhaul

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

A final push to deliver a sweeping U.S. healthcare overhaul to President Barack Obama begins this week as House of Representatives Democratic leaders prepare for difficult negotiations with the Senate.

Health Spending Rises in 2008, But At Slower Rate

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Health spending grew in 2008 at the slowest pace in 48 years as the recession throttled back the explosive growth of health costs, the federal government reported Monday.

Health Care Overhaul: Critics on Left, Right Unite Against Mandate

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

If there is one thing in the proposed health care overhaul that sets Michael Cannon's libertarian teeth on edge, it's the requirement that all Americans must get health insurance.

Senate Likely to Have Edge as Democrats Craft Final Health Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Senate Democrats will have the upper hand as U.S. lawmakers return to Washington this month to confront the last major hurdle in the effort to overhaul the nation’s health-care system.

It's now Democrat vs. Democrat on Health Care

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

It's one of the oldest spectator sports in American politics: Democrat vs. Democrat. Welcome to the health care overhaul edition. With just days remaining to prove that they can meet a self-imposed Christmas deadline and pass President Barack Obama's signature initiative through the Senate, Democrats seeking a rendezvous with history instead detoured to an intraparty brawl.

Labor Unions Oppose Senate's Health Bill

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Two politically powerful labor unions came out Thursday against the Senate's health care overhaul bill as Democratic leaders struggled to find a compromise on the measure's abortion language and lock down enough support among their party to move toward a final vote by Christmas Eve.

Senate Democrats block GOP Filibuster

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Senate Republicans failed early Friday in their bid to filibuster a massive Pentagon bill that funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an unusual move designed to delay President Obama's health-care legislation

Despite Flaws, Senate and House Bills Retain Necessary Elements

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

As they try to round up enough votes to pass a healthcare reform bill, congressional leaders have been forced to make concession after concession on provisions sought by liberal Democrats -- the lawmakers who've been the driving force behind the effort to remake the U.S. healthcare system.

Health-Care Bill Wouldn't Bring Real Reform

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

If I were a senator, I would not vote for the current health-care bill. Any measure that expands private insurers' monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. Real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. Real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all Americans a meaningful choice of coverage. The current Senate bill accomplishes none of these.

Senate Republicans Vow to Delay Health-Care Vote

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Senate Republicans vowed Wednesday to use every available tactic to delay voting on the health-care bill as Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) scrambled to unify Democrats in support of the legislation.

Lieberman's Health Care Shift Gets Mixed Reviews

webmail@rwjf.org — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

For a while this week, it looked like the opposition of Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, could doom the Democrats' attempt at passing health care. That changed when Majority Leader Harry Reid gave in to Lieberman's demands on the Medicare buy-in program and the public option.

Senate Health Bill Unlikely to Include Medicare Buy-in

webmail@rwjf.org — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Senate Democratic leaders appeared poised Monday night to abandon efforts to create a government-run insurance safety net in their push for health-care reform, as they attempted to close ranks around a bill they hoped would win the backing of all 60 members of their caucus.

Senate Dems May Change Health Care Compromise

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Senate Democrats are considering changing a proposed expansion of Medicare to address complaints from doctors and hospitals and defray costs for consumers, officials said Thursday, two days after party leaders hailed it as part of a breakthrough for health care.

Senate Tied in Knots Over Proposal to Allow Imported Drugs

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Debating an overhaul of the health care system, the Senate found itself tied in knots on Thursday over a bipartisan proposal to allow people to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and certain other countries.

Frustrated Workers and Employers Anxious for COBRA Extension

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Congress faces mounting pressure to decide the future of a popular but temporary health insurance subsidy program -- and not just from unemployed Americans who would benefit (Kaiser Health News).

Testing, Testing

webmail@rwjf.org — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Cost is the spectre haunting health reform. For many decades, the great flaw in the American health-care system was its unconscionable gaps in coverage. Those gaps have widened to become graves—resulting in an estimated forty-five thousand premature deaths each year—and have forced more than a million people into bankruptcy.