Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day The United States leads all industrialized countries in the share of national health care expenditures devoted to insurance administration.
(The Commonwealth Fund) | Health Resources |
Under the Microscope NEW POLL: Most Americans Continue to Support Moving Ahead With Health Care Reform Now Despite Town Hall Fights and Ad Campaigns
According to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 53 percent of the public believes that tackling health reform is more important than ever, compared to 42 percent who say we cannot afford to take on health care reform right now. The August poll was conducted during a period in which politically active members of the public vented their fears and hopes about reform plans in fiery and widely-publicized town hall meetings with elected officials, and at a time when an increasing number of Americans (45% compared to 31% in July) reported seeing advertisements having to do with proposed changes in the health care system.
[Kaiser Family Foundation, 8/20/09] Interview with Senator Tom Daschle
As part of its “Ask the Expert: Why We Need Health Reform” series, the Center for American Progress tapes an interview with Senator Tom Daschle on why we need health care reform. A second installment of the interview is expected to be posted on August 25. [Center for American Progress, 8/19/09]
Health Care Headlines Obama Insists Health Plan Will Pass
President Obama said Thursday that he “would love to have more Republicans engaged” in the health care negotiations under way in Congress, but expressed doubt that a bipartisan compromise could be reached because he suspected the party’s leadership was intent on defeating his signature domestic priority. [New York Times, 8/21/2009] Obama Faults GOP in Health Debate
President Barack Obama, seeking to rally his base, accused Republican leaders Thursday of trying to block a health-care overhaul from the start and again threw his weight behind a government-run insurance plan.
[Wall Street Journal, 8/21/2009] Obama Stands By Public Option At OFA Event
President Obama reiterated his support of a public option as part of health care reform today in a forum hosted by Organizing for America, the advocacy wing of the Democratic National Committee.
[National Journal, 8/20/2009] No Breakthrough Yet as Senate Talks Resume
Senate Finance Committee negotiators met for about 90 minutes Thursday evening via teleconference in their continuing effort to craft a bipartisan health care reform bill, with the discussion focusing on affordability and reducing costs. [Roll Call, 8/21/2009] Key Senators Discuss Trimming Health Bill
Senate health-care negotiators agreed late Thursday to ignore the increasingly strident rhetoric from Republican and Democratic leaders and to keep working toward a bill that can win broad support from the rank-and-file in both parties, according to sources familiar with the talks. [Washington Post, 8/21/2009] U.S. to Dole Out $1.2 Billion for Health Records Technology
The Obama administration unveiled $1.2 billion in federal grants for electronic health records systems on Thursday, the first wave of funding under a health-care reform plan to create vast records-sharing networks aimed at cutting costs and improving care in the coming decade. [Washington Post, 8/21/2009] The Summer of Astroturf
The August recess may not have done much to clarify the health care debate, but it has shined a bright light on one of Washington, D.C.’s secrets: The town is paved with Astroturf. [Politico, 8/21/2009] |