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With falling public support, Obama's health reform strategy questioned

"The White House is facing uncomfortable questions about its strategy for selling President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul to Americans, after a series of opinion polls showed eroding support for it," a Reuters analysis says.

31 Jul 2009

Lawmakers dilemma: should tax increases pay for health care overhaul?

As lawmakers disagree over which taxes to raise to pay for health care reform, they "also face another problem: They're confronting the fear that's made it hard to raise taxes for more than 30 years.

31 Jul 2009

Industry lobby wars heighten as reform efforts progress

"Healthcare companies are spending millions of dollars and marshaling armies of lobbyists to influence a landmark debate in the U.S. Congress that could dramatically change the way they do business," Reuters reports.

31 Jul 2009

Abortion, end-of-life care fire up health debate, blogosphere

As the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up the health reform bill last night, "a series of amendments on both sides of the abortion debate [added] a political charge -- and a distraction -- to the progress of the legislation," Politico reports (Smith, 7/30).

31 Jul 2009

Health care costs for small businesses considered

"Health care costs are killing small businesses. Their insurance premiums are rising dramatically and unpredictably," NPR reports.

31 Jul 2009

High costs in McAllen prompt inquiries into physician ownership, self-referral and a major lobbying campaign

Lobbying efforts by Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, in Edinburg, Texas, have steered hundreds of thousands of dollars to key lawmakers in hopes of blocking reforms that would restrict ownership of hospitals by physicians, the Associated Press/Dallas Morning News reports in a follow up to an article in yesterday's New York Times.

31 Jul 2009

No Senate finance markup of health overhaul before recess

CongressDaily: "After a day of high emotions and partisan bickering, Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus announced Thursday the panel will not mark up a bipartisan healthcare overhaul bill before August recess.

31 Jul 2009

Obama’s former doctor: Not this 'bogus plan'

Dr. David Scheiner wants to make a house call to one of the most famous houses in the world. For 22 years, he was President Obama's doctor. Now, he would like to counsel his former patient and says the President should be doing more to heal the system's ills by holding out for a single-payer approach to health reform.

30 Jul 2009

Finance Committee stops short of the "edge"

"After being 'on the edge of a deal' earlier this week, the Senate Finance Committee has stalled in its health care negotiations, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is no longer promising that the committee will finish its work before the August recess," Politico reports.

30 Jul 2009

Pelosi defends agreement with Blue Dogs while movement continues on health overhaul efforts

Concessions made yesterday to House centrists have put Democratic leaders on edge, CQ Politics reports.

30 Jul 2009

House Democrats set to move bill after accord with Blue Dogs, Liberals objecting

House Democrats on Wednesday made a deal with fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats on a health reform bill that "would reduce the overall cost of the package and ensure more funding for rural hospitals, concessions that could allow the Energy and Commerce Committee to finish its consideration of the legislation," The Washington Post reports.

30 Jul 2009

Finance Committee gains momentum from CBO report, Dem pressure... maybe

"Congressional Democrats are determined to show progress on health care overhaul by pushing President Barack Obama's top domestic priority through two critically important committees before they head home for their August break," the Associated Press reports.

30 Jul 2009

GOP version of reform bill offers tax credits, doesn't require coverage

House Republicans Wednesday unveiled their version of health reform legislation. It offers tax credits to help people buy insurance and doesn't require individuals or businesses to carry coverage, The Associated Press reports. The plan costs $700 billion, less than current Democratic proposals in Congress.

30 Jul 2009

Obama on the road again, pitching health reform to middle class

President Barack Obama on Wednesday took his health reform pitch on the road again, with stops in Raleigh, N.C., and Bristol, Va., where he appealed to Americans who already have health insurance.

30 Jul 2009

Lobbyists continue pressing their cases on health reform

Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, advocacy groups and others with a stake in health reform continue to lobby in hopes of winning concessions in the overhaul, or at least surviving the changes unscathed.

30 Jul 2009

White House: Opponents misrepresent end-of-life issue in health reform debate

The White House says opponents of the President's health care reform effort are misrepresenting parts of the House and Senate legislation including a provision on end-of-life care. Critics say they fear health care reform could lead to excessive government intervention in end-of-life issues.

30 Jul 2009

Insurers struggle in downturn as Senators consider adding new tax

"Earnings from the nation's big health insurers show signs of a new uptick in medical costs related to the recession: As unemployment rises, people who have lost their jobs or are fearful of losing them are rushing to see doctors to get medical tests before their benefits expire," the Wall Street Journal reports.

30 Jul 2009

Recession-battered states cut funding for health services

Under economic pressure, states are slashing funding for health services from Connecticut to California. The cuts frustrate providers and lawmakers are looking for ways to limit harm.

30 Jul 2009

Health overhaul ads intensify emotional messages

"The healthcare overhaul fight in Washington is bursting into America's living rooms, and interests from many bands on the political spectrum are trying to transform an often wonky debate over 1,000-page bills into an emotional pitch that can be captured in 30 seconds," The Boston Globe reports.

30 Jul 2009

Dozens arrested in national Medicare fraud bust

The Associated Press reports: "Federal authorities arrested more than 30 suspects, including doctors, and were seeking others in a major Medicare fraud bust Wednesday in New York, Louisiana, Boston and Houston, targeting scams such as 'arthritis kits' - expensive braces that many patients never used.

30 Jul 2009