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Signs of racism occur in the midst of health care reform debate

NPR and Georgia Public Broadcasting report that Georgia congressman David Scott is dealing with signals of racism and heated passions in the midst of this summer's efforts toward health care reform.

18 Aug 2009

Obama pledges reform won't change veterans' health care

During his speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phoenix, Ariz., on Monday, President Barack Obama "noted that his administration was committed to increased spending on VA health care," The Associated Press reports.

18 Aug 2009

Cost-saving value of some medical tests challenged

The Boston Globe: "One of President Obama's favorite arguments for his health care overhaul plan is that he would require insurance companies to pay for tests and other preventive care that can determine whether a person has a life-threatening disease,"

18 Aug 2009

The White House backs away from public option

Obama administration officials are signaling their willingness to compromise on a public plan option in any health reform proposal.

17 Aug 2009

Obama in campaign mode on health reform

With three town hall meetings in the past in the past week, President Obama and Democrats are staying in campaign mode on their push for reform, The Washington Post reports.

17 Aug 2009

Health overhaul explainers and answers

NPR provides an interactive report on how a health care overhaul would affect different consumers such as the uninsured, employer insured and underinsured. It notes: "President Obama has challenged Congress to come up with a bill that provides quality, affordable health insurance to all Americans -- without adding to the deficit. See how key proposals would affect you" (Knox, 8/14).

17 Aug 2009

Health care adverts dominate airwaves

"By the time President Obama left Montana on Saturday, the Bozeman media market had been saturated with an advertisement opposing his health care plan — hard for anyone to miss since it ran 115 times in 36 hours on network [affiliate] and cable television channels," The New York Times reports.

17 Aug 2009

Florida: Confusion surrounds cost of Medicaid expansions included in reform proposals

Health News Florida reports on a flap over how much the proposed expansion of Medicaid included in some health reform proposals would cost the state of Florida. The news service examined a story published in the Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

17 Aug 2009

Congressman Chaka Fattah statement on public option to reform America's healthcare system

"We must not let the conversation about healthcare reform become derailed by confusion. If real reform is to take place it must include a public option.

17 Aug 2009

Transcript: "Health on The Hill" discussion of the public plan

Mary Agnes Carey: Hello and welcome to Health On The Hill. I’m Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News. Joining me today to discuss the latest in the health reform debate is Julie Rovner of National Public Radio. Thanks for being with us, Julie.

17 Aug 2009

Summary of key health care provisions

With so much turmoil surrounding the federal government's health care initiatives, the Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT) is attempting to create a summary of key provisions. The goal is to condense incredibly lengthy and convoluted language into something which all consumers can digest so that they can then decide which way they want their legislators to proceed.

17 Aug 2009

The President and White House officials try to debunk end-of-life care rumors

The Hill: "Democrats seem to have a new strategy for fighting the 'death panel' charges about healthcare reform legislation.

17 Aug 2009

Ad audit: Club for growth's anti-government message

An anti-tax group goes after health care proposals in Congress, alleging they would lead to health care rationing and crushing government deficits. But the campaign includes some dubious comparisons with the British health system, and the group’s recommended solutions are open to question.

17 Aug 2009

Obama administration officials soften stance on public plan

Associated Press: "President Barack Obama's administration signaled on Sunday it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run health insurance as part of his ambitious health care proposal.

16 Aug 2009

Grassley's doubts, coupled with cost control issues, could complicate Dems' overhaul efforts

Politico reports that, despite saying last week that he was "confident" President Obama was working towards a bipartisan health bill, Sen. Charles Grassley "told local voters, 'I'm not walking away from the table; I'm being pushed away from the table.' ... Grassley's Iowa road show shows just why Democrats feared this August recess.

16 Aug 2009

Lawmakers reconsider Town Hall format, continue to confront reform fervor

Some lawmakers are canceling town hall meetings or holding them over the telephone or with selected groups of people in an effort to avoid shouting confrontations over health care reform, which have greeted lawmakers returning home for the August recess, USA Today reports.

16 Aug 2009

Ratio of health lobbyists to lawmakers tops 6:1

"If there is any doubt that President Barack Obama's plan to overhaul U.S. health care is the hottest topic in Congress, just ask the 3,300 lobbyists who have lined up to work on the issue," Bloomberg reports, noting that the number amounts to six lobbyists for each member of Congress.

16 Aug 2009