Health Care For America Now

NEWS

Studies Say Private Medicare Plans Have Added Costs, for Little Gain - New York Times

Private health insurance plans, which serve nearly a fourth of all Medicare beneficiaries, have increased the cost and complexity of the program without any evidence of improving care, researchers say in studies to be published Monday.

Kennedy set for major push on health bill - USA Today

When he endorsed Barack Obama for president in January, Sen. Edward Kennedy said it was because his young colleague "understands what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called 'the fierce urgency of now.' "

America's Looming Health Care Disaster - ABC News

Rising Unemployment Threatens Health Care of Even Those Who Keep Their Jobs

Three Dem sens, three healthcare plans - The Hill

A bipartisan group of senators led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is pushing its own proposal in the healthcare debate, potentially rivaling two powerful Democrats who are also working on comprehensive plans.

Health News Coverage in the U.S. Media - Kaiser Family Foundation

The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism conducted this study of how the U.S. news media covered health issues over an 18-month period from January 2007 through June 2008. The study finds that news about health and health care made up less than four percent (3.6%) of all news content from January 2007 through June 2008.

Health Status, Poverty Linked: Study: Black Kids Are the Most Affected By Inequities in Care - Richmond Times Dispatch

Black children in Virginia are 12 times more likely than white children to experience the double disadvantage of being poor and living in neighborhoods with a high level of poverty overall.

OPINION

How Tom Daschle Might Kill Conservatism - US News

The GOP strategist had been joking about the upcoming presidential election and giving his humorous assessments of the candidates. Then he suddenly cut out the schtick and got scary serious. "Let me tell you something, if Democrats take the White House and pass a big-government healthcare plan, that's it. Game over. Government will dominate the economy like it does in Europe. Conservatives will spend the rest of their lives trying to turn things around and they will fail."

5 Myths About Our Ailing Health-Care System - Washington Post

With Congress ready to spend $700 billion to prop up the U.S. economy, enacting health-care reform may seem about as likely as the Dow hitting 10,000 again before the end of the year. But it may be more doable than you think, provided we dispel a few myths about how health care works and how much reform Americans are willing to stomach.

THE RIGHT, HEALTHCARE, AND POLITICAL SURVIVAL…. - Steve Benen

U.S. News' James Pethokoukis and Cato's Michael Cannon believe that if Obama is successful in passing a national healthcare plan, Americans will not only like it, but will reward Democrats for having passed it. As a result, Pethokoukis and Cannon conclude, conservatives need to block the reform effort, whether it's a good idea or not.

Insurance Industry Proposal Fails To Control Costs - Think Progress

Earlier this week, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the BlueCross BlueShield Association issued statements agreeing to offer every applicant health insurance if all Americans purchased coverage. Insurance profits aside, a universal mandate makes sense. If the young and healthy avoid preventive care and only enter the health care system at the onset of sickness, they will require more expensive treatments or develop costly chronic diseases. To contain costs, better manage chronic diseases and improve preventive care, everyone has to be part of the system.

PETER ORSZAG TO BE HEAD OF OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. - Ezra Klein

If you're interested in health care reform, the appointment of Peter Orszag to be director of the Office of Management and Budget is second only in importance to the the elevation of Tom Daschle to health czar and HHS secretary.