NEWS

Key Senator Says He Will Alter Health Proposal - New York Times

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus, said Monday that he would modify his health care bill to provide more generous assistance to moderate-income Americans, to help them buy insurance.

Supporters of Public Option Plan Nationwide Protest - New York Times

When the Senate Finance Committee takes up its health-care bill on Tuesday, activists who favor a public option plan to stage demonstrations nationwide against the health insurance industry.

Pelosi wants House to pass healthcare bill ‘within weeks’ - The Hill

Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to make final decisions this week on the healthcare reform bill that will hit the House floor, but some centrists in the lower chamber want her to hold off until the Senate Finance Committee acts.

The Burden of Health Insurance Premium Increases on American Families - White House

Letter from AHIP to Baucus - AHIP

Kennedy successor bill nearing debate in Senate - Associated Press

Massachusetts could have a new U.S. senator by the end of the week.

Baucus Bludgeons Humana - Wall Street Journal

Political intimidation has always been part of the current Congress's health-care strategy: "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu" is tattooed on every lobbyist and industry rep in Washington. But Max Baucus's latest bullying tactics are hard to believe by even these standards, as the Senate Finance Chairman has sicced federal regulators on the insurer Humana Inc. for daring to criticize one part of his health bill.

Baucus healthcare bill 'worth serious consideration,' says Rep. Mike Ross - The Hill

Sen. Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) proposed healthcare compromise is "an idea worth serious consideration," a key centrist Blue Dog Democrat said Monday.

Grassley, Harkin approval ratings decline amid health talks - Des Moines Register

Iowans’ approval of Sens. Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin has dipped sharply in the past five months, a time when both have taken lead roles in controversial health care reform in Congress, according to The Des Moines Register’s new Iowa Poll.

OPINION

Senate Finance, Health Care Markup: Day One, 9/22/09 - Congress Matters

We are Finally Here: The 0900 birthday edition

Republicans Amend Baucus Bill To Lower Affordability Standards, Stop Funding For ACORN - Think Progress

Members of the Senate Finance committee have submitted 534 amendments to Sen. Max Baucus’ (D-MT) health care mark. Democrats introduced several amendments re-instating the public insurance option, expanding Medicare to Americans 54 to 65, striking the network of consumer driven cooperatives, and improving affordability standards. Multiple amendments lowered the threshold for subsidies, limited out-of-pocket expenses, increased subsidies for individuals making 300-400% of poverty and narrowed the so-called ‘age-band’ (the variation that allows insurers to charge older beneficiaries higher rates).

Why Do So Many Grassley Amendments Benefit The Health Care Industry? - Think Progress

Most of the Republican amendments to Sen. Max Baucus’s (D-MT) mark seek to obstruct legitimate debate, but Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) amendments suggest that the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee won’t support reform legislation that undermines interests of the health care industry.

Olympia Snowe's Amendments - Ezra Klein

It's becoming pretty common for Hill and administration sources to tell me that "Olympia Snowe is more of a Democrat than some of the Democrats." What they mean by that is that she's pushing for a level of affordability and subsidies and consumer protections that far surpass what the Democratic swing votes are interested in. But is it true?