Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Americans spend more on health care every year than we do educating our children, building roads, even feeding ourselves—an estimated $2.6 trillion in 2009, or around $8,300 per person.
(AARP) | Health Resources |
Under the Microscope President Obama's Weekly Address: Real Conversations about Health Insurance Reform
In his weekly address to the nation on Saturday, President Obama cut through the health reform myths and the contentious debates reported in the news to discuss the benefits and real conversations happening around health insurance reform throughout the country. Read coverage of the address in USA Today
Read the President’s op-ed that ran in Sunday’s Washington Post: Why We Need Health Care Reform Health Care Headlines Health Concession Fuels Blowback
House Democratic officials say a public option will remain in their version of a health-reform bill, even now that the White House has acknowledged it may later get dropped.
[Politico, 8/16/2009] Obama Reacts to ‘Death Panel’ Claims
At the end of a week filled with angry voters and sharp attacks on his health care reform plans that seemed to be tossed around everywhere but inside his own town hall meetings, President Barack Obama got the last word. [Politico, 8/16/2009] Dems Use Personal Touch to Sell Healthcare
Democrats seem to have a new strategy for fighting the “death panel” charges about healthcare reform legislation. They’re telling their personal stories. [The Hill, 8/16/2009] Health Care — What Else? — Dominates Sunday Shows
Sens. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) discussed on Sunday morning the merits of the highly charged town-hall meetings that have come to dominate the health care debate over the past week. [Roll Call, 8/16/2009] Specter: Town Halls Shouldn’t Dominate Process
Lawmakers are debating along party lines whether the outrage expressed at town hall meetings around the country is representative of wide opposition to healthcare reform. [The Hill, 8/16/2009] Conrad Says No Deadline for Health Talks
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), perhaps creating another wrinkle in the bipartisan health care negotiations in the Senate Finance Committee, insisted Sunday that there is no deadline for the talks to conclude or be abandoned — putting him in direct conflict with Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.).
[Roll Call, 8/17/2009] Dick Armey Calls Medicare ‘Tyranny’
While seniors across the country are worried about cuts to Medicare under health care reform, Dick Armey thinks that the popular program is "tyranny." [Politico, 8/16/2009] AMA Defends Support of Healthcare Bill
The American Medical Association is telling members that even though it backs the House’s healthcare reform bill, it will seek improvements to the legislation. [The Hill, 8/15/2009] Indies Not Lost to Dems
As support for health care reform has eroded over the summer, Americans' views on the issue have started to harden along partisan lines. That leaves independents in the enviable, and familiar, position of being potential kingmakers in the court of public opinion. So what do indies want from reform? [Congress Daily, 8/17/2009] Competing Ads on Healthcare Plan Swamp the Airwaves
Interest groups on all sides of the healthcare reform debate have spent more than $57 million on television advertisements in six months, most of it in the last 45 days, said Evan Tracey, chief operating officer of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks television advertisements. [New York Times, 8/17/2009] |