Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Section 311 of H.R. 3962 makes it clear that nothing in the bill interferes with the existing authority of the VA or DOD. | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At The Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $38,008,099,002 This Year In Additional Premium Costs To Cover Care For The Uninsured. Under the Microscope AMERICA’S HEALTH RANKINGS America’s Health Rankings is the longest-running annual comprehensive analysis of U.S. health on a state-by-state basis. Find out your state’s health rankings or health strengths and how health indicators have changed over the last 20 years. Health, environmental, socio-economic data are all used to determine benchmarks and rankings. The report, accompanied by an interactive web site, also highlights the importance of health promotion citing $1.8 trillion in annual U.S. health care expenditures are associated with the treatment of chronic disease. Read more about how H.R. 3962 seeks to improve the public’s health. Other state health facts are also available at statehealthfacts.org.
Health Care Headlines Deep Divisions Linger On Health Care
As the Senate prepares to take up legislation aimed at overhauling the nation's health-care system, President Obama and the Democrats are still struggling to win the battle for public opinion. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Americans deeply divided over the proposals under consideration and majorities predicting higher costs ahead. [Washington Post, 11/17/2009] Read more on the poll here. House Health Bill Includes Medicaid Relief For States
The barely debated pot of money would allow Congress to continue pumping billions in new short-term aid to states to cover Medicaid costs that have increased with rising unemployment in the past year.
[Washington Post, 11/16/2009] Reid Seeks to Unify Democrats Split on Health Care
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is trying to craft health-care legislation that will bridge divisions within his own party over issues such as whether to set up a public insurance program and how to pay for the plan. [Bloomberg News, 11/17/2009] Time Crunch Looms For Health Bill
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pressing to advance his version of health-care legislation past a key juncture this week in a bid to avoid a timing crunch that could otherwise kick the proposed revamp into next year. [Wall Street Journal, 11/17/2009] Test Vote May Come Before Holiday
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has yet to introduce a health care reform bill, but he is still aiming to schedule a key test vote by the end of the week, Senate aides said Monday. [Politico, 11/17/2009] Reid Can't Afford Any Defections
A number of centrist Democrats in the Senate are turning what normally is a simple procedural vote into a cliffhanger. [The Hill, 11/16/2009] When The Budget Director Talks, People Will Listen
Most people have never heard of Douglas W. Elmendorf. But all of official Washington is waiting to hear what he has to say. Mr. Elmendorf, a mild-mannered economist with a Harvard Ph.D., runs the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan agency charged with assessing how legislation, like President Obama’s proposed health overhaul, would affect the federal budget. [New York Times, 11/17/2009] Limited Effect Seen In Abortion Clause
Restrictions on abortion coverage approved in the House version of the health-care bill likely will affect the affordability of the procedure for only a small minority of women. [Wall Street Journal, 11/17/2009] | 