Health Care For America Now

NEWS

Democrats steam toward Sunday vote - Politico

The Democrats’ yearlong health reform push picked up unmistakable momentum Thursday as the votes began to fall into place for a history-making roll call Sunday that could achieve the party’s decadeslong goal of expanding health care.

AFL-CIO Urges House to Approve Health Care Bill - Roll Call

The AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor federation, is the latest lobbying heavyweight to formally give its seal of approval to Democrats’ $940 billion health care reform legislation, urging House Members on Thursday to vote for the measure.

Senate Democrats Building Broad Message Campaign - Roll Call

Senate Democrats are planning an aggressive message campaign between now and November focusing on jobs, national security, the immediate impact of health care reform and their party’s efforts to “take on Wall Street.”

Democrats Say Health Bill Will Pay for Itself in the Long Run - New York Times

House Democrats initiated a 72-hour countdown Thursday on their yearlong effort to overhaul the health care system, unveiling a nearly final version of the legislation that promptly won additional support with a promise that the bill would more than pay for itself over the next decade.

Eric Cantor’s Office Endorses Mythical ‘New England Journal of Medicine Report’ - Washington Independent

Dayspring doesn’t mis-attribute the study to the New England Journal of Medicine, but I think Peter Lipson at Forbes does a good job unspooling the unscientific Medicus poll that’s at issue here.

Nine Major Changes In The Democrats' New Health Reform Bill - Kaiser Health News

In their attempt to pass a sweeping health care overhaul this weekend, House Democrats are pushing a package of legislative fixes to lure undecided or opposed members of their party to the "yes" category.

NEWS

WellPoint's giving for uninsured falls short, records show - LA Times

The firm had pledged in 2007 to spend $30 million over three years to help those who lack health coverage, but its tax records and website show it gave only $6.2 million. The company disputes that.

Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage - Reuters

In May, 2002, Jerome Mitchell, a 17-year old college freshman from rural South Carolina, learned he had contracted HIV. The news, of course, was devastating, but Mitchell believed that he had one thing going for him: On his own initiative, in anticipation of his first year in college, he had purchased his own health insurance.

The Early Word: Health Care Score - New York Times

Washington has spent many a morning during the year-long health care debate, awaiting the Congressional Budget Office score on one iteration of the bill or another.

Democrats Stress Immediate Effects Of Health Bill - NPR

Republicans have threatened to make the controversial health care overhaul a central issue in every congressional race next fall. So Democrats want to have something to show for their efforts — before the November elections. And President Obama has begun telling voters not just what the overhaul will do for them, but what it will do for them right away.

Democrats frustrated with ‘no’ health votes - The Hill

Democratic strategists are growing frustrated with some members from safe districts who are threatening to vote against the healthcare bill.

Catholic opposition to health bill fades - Boston Globe

Roman Catholic opposition to the health care overhaul package is crumbling, with some church officials and lawmakers concluding that their long-sought goal of health care overhaul trumps the desire to adopt the severest restrictions on abortion funding.

Democrats Seeking Health Care Votes Get "Yes" From 200 Groups - Kaiser Health News

As Democrats worked feverishly Wednesday to corral votes in support of a health care overhaul, they picked up the endorsement of more than 200 advocacy groups and medical associations who urged lawmakers to pass the bill.

NEWS

Big Insurance Rate Increase for Pennsylvania Poor - New York Times

Facing a sharp rise in costs, Pennsylvania has almost doubled the monthly bill for a state health insurance program for poor people who do not qualify for Medicaid and are on a waiting list for a less costly option.

Obama, aides don't take 'no' for an answer - USA Today

President Obama was calling from Air Force One while flying back from Cleveland, but second-term Rep. Jason Altmire was in his car and couldn't be reached.

Drug Prices Rise For Seniors Who Reach Medicare Part D Coverage Gap - Kaiser Health News

Seniors who hit the coverage gap in their Medicare prescription drug plans and must use their own money to buy drugs are facing price increases that are far outpacing inflation, a new study finds.

Nervous Tea Partiers See Possible Democratic Win on Health Care - Washington Post

“Might as well not even be here,” grumbled Georgia Holliday. “I can’t believe that Dick Armey screwed up like this!”

Kucinich to hold news conference on health care vote - WFMJ

Cleveland Congressman Dennis Kucinich (koo-SIN'-ich) holds a news conference this morning on Capitol Hill to announce how he will vote on health care.

Perriello: Senate bill won’t fund abortions - GoDanRiver

Opponents of Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th District, are accusing him of flip-flopping on abortion funding in federal health care reform after he issued a statement Tuesday supporting the language in the Senate bill.

OPINION

More Alarming News from California - The New Republic

For weeks, President Obama has not mentioned health reform without invoking the premium rate hikes of up to 39% of Anthem Blue Cross of California, my state’s largest insurer. It’s an explicit reminder that however uncertain voters and elected officials may be about health reform, the current health system is far scarier.

Health care reform: It's time to get the job done - Houston Chronicle

As president and CEO of the Houston Area Urban League, I personally experience the daily challenge of working with individuals seeking help in becoming more productive. We all benefit when these individuals seize opportunities to improve their status in life. At the Urban League, we focus on bringing personal and community economic empowerment to the most vulnerable Houstonians by hastening their pace toward self-sufficiency. The sooner people become self-sufficient, the more independent they become. The moral imperative of having a just and equitable health insurance system is one of the cornerstones of that empowerment.

Was Medicare popular when it passed? - Ezra Klein

For some time, I've been trying to find good polling from the passage of Medicare. According to Greg Sargent, though, the Democrats beat me to it.

NEWS

Health care proponents launch massive ad campaign - CNN

Proponents of health care reform Tuesday are launching a sizable television ad campaign in an effort to sway undecided House Democrats to get them to vote in favor of the legislation.

Wavering Dems in Obama's sights on health vote - AP

Days away from a make-or-break vote on his health care overhaul, President Barack Obama is turning up the pressure as only presidents can, as Democratic leaders make a desperate scramble for votes.

House may try to pass Senate health-care bill without voting on it - Washington Post

After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate's health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt to pass the measure without having members vote on it.

Anthem Blue Cross should reimburse California man for transplant, jury says - LA Times

The insurer had refused to cover the liver surgery after Ephram Nehme decided to go out of state to face a shorter waiting list. Panelists in L.A. also say Blue Cross should pay Nehme's legal fees.

Obama Tries to Personalize the Health Care Bill - New York Times

Declaring that “every argument has been made” on his health care overhaul, President Obama sought to seal the deal with Congress and the American people Monday by focusing on a single patient: a self-employed cleaning woman who dropped her costly insurance plan and just discovered she has leukemia.

Liberals warn Dems on health care - Politico

Labor and progressive leaders are threatening House Democrats who oppose health care legislation with potentially destructive third party challenges in November.

NEWS

Democratic leaders say health bill will pass - Washington Post

Democratic leaders scrambled Sunday to pull together enough support in the House for a make-or-break decision on health-care reform later this week, expressing optimism that a package will soon be signed into law by President Obama despite a lack of firm votes for passage.

Obama officials confident health bill will pass House this week - LA TImes

Senior White House officials predicted Sunday that President Obama's healthcare initiative would pass the House this week and warned Republicans that if they made it an issue in November elections, they did so at their own political peril.

Millions Spent to Sway Democrats on Health Care - New York Times

The yearlong legislative fight over health care is drawing to a frenzied close as a multimillion-dollar wave of advertising that rivals the ferocity of a presidential campaign takes aim at about 40 House Democrats whose votes will help determine the fate of President Obama’s top domestic priority.

NEWS

Democrats seek healthcare consensus - LA Times

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill worked throughout the day Thursday seeking intraparty agreements over abortion, federal insurance subsidies and other issues in a healthcare package they hope to send President Obama before the end of the month.

Pelosi: 'The choice has to be made' - Politico

Congressional Democrats embarked on the final push for an historic health care bill on Thursday with no guarantee that they have the votes to pass it.

A New Face in the Health Care Debate - New York Times

Senate Democratic leaders on Thursday sought to put a human face on the health care debate, and a cute face at that.

Marcelas Owens, a fifth grader from Seattle who turned 11 on Wednesday, joined the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and other senior Democrats at a news conference on Thursday.

Hoyer Confident Health Care Will Pass Without Abortion Changes - Roll Call

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Thursday he believes House leaders can get the votes for President Barack Obama’s health care reform package without changing the abortion language in the Senate bill.

Huge Majority Of MoveOn Members Supports Passing Senate Bill - Greg Sargent

Here’s a pretty clear indication that the left, whatever its disappointment with the Senate health bill, still overwhelmingly sees passing it as by far the best course of action.

Alexander, Gregg threaten war over reconciliation fixes - The Hill

Two senior Republicans on Thursday said they will use a grueling parliamentary process to chip away at healthcare reform legislation if Democrats decide to use reconciliation.

NEWS

Nancy Pelosi: ‘We’re going to get started’ - Politico

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will start walking her members through major components of the final health care package Thursday as Democrats inch ever closer to a climatic vote on the landmark legislation.

Health plans may have to submit rate hikes to regulators - Chicago Tribune

A bill that would require health plans to submit their rate increases to government regulators before they take effect is gaining momentum in Congress.

Face-off: Kathleen Sebelius confronts insurers - Politico

In a sharply focused snapshot of the bitter fight over health care reform, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confronted insurance executives Wednesday at their annual conference, challenging them to divert millions in anti-reform advertising dollars toward cutting premiums.

Powerful Catholic Quietly Shaping Abortion, Health Bill Debate - Kaiser Health News

Richard Doerflinger doesn't look the part of a high-powered political strategist. Bearded and bespectacled, he works in a small, cluttered office out of one of Washington’s less fashionable neighborhoods, far from the lobbying bastions of K Street.

NEWS

Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington - Washington Post

Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform.

Rally backs health plan - LA Times

In a reverse twist on the old protesters' tactic of getting arrested to make a point, union leaders and other backers of President Obama's healthcare plan issued "citizen's arrest" warrants for health insurance executives Tuesday — accusing them of exploiting consumers.

Health Care Protesters Face Off Against Insurance Lobbyists - Huffington Post

Hundreds if not thousands of protesters and labor activists descended upon the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington today to try to make things a little more difficult for the health insurance lobbyists and executives gathered inside.

Business Buys Ads vs. Health Overhaul - Wall Street Journal

Some of the largest U.S. business groups announced a multimillion-dollar television advertising campaign aimed at defeating the Democrats' pending health-care legislation, as both backers and opponents of the initiative sought to target wavering lawmakers in what is expected to be the final phase of the legislative process.

Parliamentary Hurdle Could Thwart Latest Health Care Overhaul Strategy - New York Times

The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could revise it through an expedited budget process.

Obama pushing on health care end game - AP

President Barack Obama is making his closing arguments for a health care overhaul, pushing a new anti-fraud plan as he cranks up the pressure on skittish Democratic lawmakers to act fast.

Chamber Of Commerce Couldn't "Afford" To Buy Any Facts For Their New Ad - Media Matters

The Chamber of Commerce's health care group, Employers for a Healthy Economy, has created a new anti-health care reform ad.  Titled "Afford," the Chamber of Commerce clearly didn't pony up the dough for any actual facts in the short spot.

Gibbs: House Should Take Note That 50 Senators Support Reconciliation - Huffington Post

The Obama administration made the case on Tuesday that enough senators are now committed to passing reconciliation fixes to their own health care bill that House Democrats should feel comfortable passing that legislation as well.

Democrats: No thanks to new 'Gang of 14′ - Politico

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wants to revive the bipartisan Gang of 14  — this time for health care reform, not judicial nominees.

NEWS

Obama Wields Analysis of Insurers in Health Battle - New York Times

To bolster the case for a far-reaching overhaul of the health care system, the Obama administration is seizing on a new analysis by Goldman Sachs, the New York investment bank, recommending that investors buy shares in two big insurance companies, the UnitedHealth Group  and Cigna, because insurance rates are up sharply and competition is down.

Obama to appeal for public support on health care - AP

On Tuesday, a coalition of labor unions and activist groups under the umbrella of Health Care for America Now are planning what they've billed as a "massive protest" at the health insurance industry's annual Washington policy conference.

Individual health-care premiums to soar up to 60% - Chicago Sun Times

Individual health-insurance rates in Illinois will rise this year up to 60 percent, according to Michael McRaith, director of insurance for Illinois.

How Blue Cross Became Part Of A Dysfunctional Health Care System - Jon Cohn

When Alma Dickson slipped on an icy sidewalk in Dallas, Texas, she knew she was hurt. But she wasn’t sure that she could pay for the medical care she needed. The year was 1929 and Dickson, a schoolteacher, didn’t make enough money to pay for x-rays and treatment on her own. But Dickson had recently signed up for something new: A plan under which she paid a monthly premium in exchange for a promise of care at a local Dallas hospital. Dickson went, had her broken ankle set, and left without paying a penny.

Abortion could be health bill deal breaker in House - Politico

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  keeps insisting that the abortion  fight isn’t relevant in the health care debate.

NEWS

White House Confronts Insurers on Premiums - Wall Street Journal

Obama Cites Rising Rates in Push for Health Overhaul, as Industry Executives Say Hospitals, Drug Makers Are to Blame

Obama Takes Health Care Deadline to Democrats - New York Times

President Obama, beginning a full-court press for his health care overhaul, met Thursday with insurance industry executives and House Democrats as party leaders on Capitol Hill struggled to figure out whether they could meet the president’s timetable for enacting legislation within a few weeks.

Liberals grill Obama on health reform - The Hill

House liberals pressed President Barack Obama on healthcare reform Thursday and left the White House without making any commitments to vote for the final bill.

NRCC "Code Red" Robocalls Spread Debunked Health Care Smears - Media Matters

In a last ditch attempt to derail Democratic efforts to expand health care coverage, the National Republican Congressional Committee is launching a robocall campaign to spread lies and scare voters.  In contrast to the NRCC's lies, health care reform will lower health insurance premiums and create up to 4 million American jobs.

A Brief History of Senate Reconciliation Votes - Sunlight Foundation

As Democrats move forward to pass health care reform attention has focused on a key piece of Senate rules known as budget reconciliation. This post takes Senate vote records covering 13 key reconciliation votes from 1990 to 2007 to show how senators in both parties voted–and how sitting senators voted in the past–on a variety of reconciliation bills.