Health Care For America Now

NEWS

Anthem Blue Cross dramatically raising rates for Californians with individual health policies - LA Times

Policyholders are incensed over rate hikes of as much as 39%, which they say come on top of similar increases last year. State insurance regulators say they'll investigate.

Obama's "next step": Go back to Republicans - Politico

Months after Congress abandoned any hopes of a broad bipartisan deal on health care reform, President Barack Obama said Thursday the "next step" on health care reform involves going back to the negotiating table with Republicans.

Progressives Look For Ways To Get Public Option Revived - Congress Daily

Progressives plan next week to reach across the Capitol and plot a strategy to revive the public option, the single provision in the healthcare overhaul that dominated the debate for weeks only to die in the Senate at the hands of …

OPINION

The Dems Need a Shove. Will Obama Give It? - Jon Cohn

In the last week and a half, Obama has rediscovered his voice on health care–telling audiences he is determined to achieve comprehensive reform, not some piecemeal version, and that he is willing to fight for it. And, administration officials say, the sentiments are genuine. Obama has instructed his staff not to abandon the pursuit of a full reform package, even though, it seems, that's what some advisers would prefer–and even though the Democrats no longer have the sixty votes necessary to break Republican filibusters in the Senate.

Obama Sends Congress Mixed Message On How To Move Forward With Health Reform - Think Progress

President Obama sent Democrats mixed signals about how to move forward on ahead health care reform during a question and answer session organized by Democracy for America. While he argued that the “key [is] to not let the moment slip away,” Obama did not pressure the House to accept the Senate health care bill or echo House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) call for the Senate to pass a package of ‘fixes’ through reconciliation.

It's just you, Democrats - Ezra Klein

There's been a lot about procedural impediments to moving forward on health-care reform: Can the Senate can pass a reconciliation bill before the House passes the Senate bill? Can Republicans delay reconciliation with amendments? Who should go first, House or Senate?

What's 19 cents worth to you in 2019? The rise and rise of health care costs - Health Populi

Here's a health economics riddle: what do one dime, one nickel, and four pennies get you in the year 2019? Health care costs' value carved out of every single dollar.

Why Is Aetna Forcing 650,000 Clients To Drop Their Coverage? - Think Progress

Sam Stein reports that “[h]ealth insurance giant Aetna is planning to force up to 650,000 clients to drop their coverage next year as it seeks to raise additional revenue to meet profit expectations.” One industry analyst told Stein, “[t]hey were surprised by an acceleration in medical costs in 2009 which pressured their earnings.” “In an effort to get back to a more profitable level, they are raising their prices to match cost trends. When you raise rates, you run the risk of losing your membership. Health insurance is a very competitive marketplace“: