Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Under the House bill, the Part D donut hole will be reduced by $500, and over a period of several years entirely eliminated. | | Health Resources |
At The Time This Daily Dose Was Sent the Hidden Health Tax On Insured Americans Was $30,081,178,670 Under the Microscope The first week back in session ended with lawmakers still fired-up and ready to go from the President’s Joint Address to Congress. Apparently they weren’t the only ones as national polls from CBS News and CNN continue to show an increase in already strong support for health insurance reform. Reminding us again of the need for reform, a new business leader poll came out today showing that nearly 9 out of 10 business leaders cite rising health care costs as the single biggest economic concern facing American businesses today. Meanwhile, the Census released the 2008 numbers on health insurance coverage and the uninsured yesterday and the number continues to climb. Congress is committed to passing reform this year as clearly there is an urgent need for the sake of our families and our businesses.
Health Care Headlines Dems Say Health Care Bill to Pass This Year
Democratic congressional leaders predicted passage of health care legislation within a few months despite undimmed Republican opposition, claiming momentum Thursday from President Barack Obama's speech and renewed commitment from lawmakers fresh from a month of meetings with constituents. [Associated Press, 9/11/2009] Democrats Seem Unified By Obama's Speech
President Obama’s speech on health care failed to bridge the gulf with Republicans, but Democrats said on Thursday that the president had largely succeeded in unifying his own party by making a cogent, persuasive pitch to the American public and by casting his plan to overhaul the health care system as a political and moral imperative. [New York Times, 9/11/2009] See related headlines in the L.A. Times, Politico, and CQ Today. Moderate Senators Huddle With Obama at White House
Seeking to unify his party behind his health care reform plans, President Barack Obama on Thursday met with a group of centrist Democratic Senators and was also scheduled to confer with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). [Roll Call, 9/11/2009] See the list of Senators here. House Liberals Ask for Obama Meeting
Leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus are asking for some face time with President Barack Obama as they continue to lobby for a strong public insurance option in a health care overhaul.
[Roll Call, 9/11/2009] Overhaul No Government Takeover of Medicine, Urban Institute Analysts Say
Reliable and objective analysis disproves the claim that pending health overhaul proposals would lead to a government takeover of American medicine, asserts an analysis by two researchers at the Urban Institute.
[CQ HealthBeat, 9/10/2009] Percentage of Uninsured Children Declines, But Adults on an Upswing
The percentage of children lacking health insurance declined in 2008 due to increasing enrollment in public programs and hit its lowest rate since comparable data first was collected in 1987, the U.S. Census Bureau reported in estimates released Thursday. [CQ HealthBeat, 9/10/2009] Baucus: Gang Considering Citizen Verification Under Health Care
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) indicated Thursday that bipartisan negotiators are considering a potentially controversial citizen verification component for their health care reform bill.
[The Hill, 9/11/2009] EDITORIAL: Health Care Speech Yields a Test for Assessing Reform ...
Judging by the reaction Thursday, President Obama’s health care speech didn’t do much to shift the polarized, partisan debate. [USA Today, 9/11/09] EDITORIAL: Immigrants, Health Care and Lies
Illegal immigration is an all-purpose policy explosive. [New York Times, 9/11/2009] OPINION: Obama's Purpose Was to Seize the Autumn
By E.J. Dionne
After a listless summer during which his opponents dominated the health-care debate, President Obama used a dramatic appearance before Congress on Wednesday to seize control of the autumn, the season of decision for the initiative he has turned into the central test of his presidency. [Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/11/2009] LETTER: Health-Care Providers In Trenches Want Reform Now
By Andrew P. Loehrer, MD, state director, Doctors for America
We are reaching a critical point in the debate on health-care reform and far too much coverage has focused on misrepresentations and myths of proposed policies. [Indiana Star-Tribune, 9/11/2009] | 