First Edition: September 8, 2009

Sep 8 2009

It's going to be a big week as Congress returns to work and President Obama readies his speech to a joint session. High on everyone's list: health reform. 

A Market 'Fundamentally Changed': How Health Proposals Could Affect Americans Who Buy Their Own Insurance Who will benefit - and who won't - if Congress overhauls America's health-care system? So far, there are two main proposals being debated on Capitol Hill: one authored by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a similar one being put together by House Democrats. Still to act: the Senate Finance Committee, whose approach could differ significantly (Kaiser Health News and The Washington Post).

Democrats Are Tightening The Belt For Health Reform Over the weekend, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., proposed a health care overhaul "framework" for committee consideration that would cost under $900 billion over the next decade, according to a source close to the negotiations. The measure also would expand Medicaid coverage to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, provide tax credits for people with incomes up to 300 percent of poverty and establish a series of health insurance exchanges to help individuals find affordable coverage (Kaiser Health News).

Congress Returns To Health Care, And Tight Deadline Legislators get back to business on Capitol Hill this week after a tumultuous summer break, and all eyes will be on President Obama Wednesday night, when he addresses a joint session of Congress (NPR).

Key Week For Obama Starts On Feisty Note President Barack Obama kicked off a crucial week for his top domestic priority by pressing for a new government-run health-insurance program just as key senators moved closer to a bipartisan deal that leaves out the public plan (The Wall Street Journal).

Obama's Test: Quiet Right, Win Left After a summer of setbacks, President Barack Obama has a clear roadmap for salvaging health care reform: Convince skeptical Americans that a new system would actually help them, not limit their choices and care. Strike a compromise between liberals who demand a public option and cost-conscious centrists who call it a deal-breaker. Win over Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), an inscrutable moderate. And avoid Death Panels II, a rerun of the potent Republican attacks (Politico).

President Says His Critics Lack Health-Care Answer President Obama attempted to reinvigorate support for his struggling health-care agenda on Monday by giving a stirring, campaign-style speech to thousands of union members celebrating Labor Day (The Washington Post).

Obama's Labor Day Rallying Cry: 'Time To Act' On Healthcare Like Clark Kent stepping into a phone booth, President Obama discarded his mild-mannered alter ego on a Cincinnati stage Monday in an attempt to rally his Democratic base and turn the tide running against healthcare reform (The Christian Science Monitor).

As Obama Speech Nears, Details On A Compromise As President Obama and top advisers drafted his eagerly awaited health care speech to Congress, new details emerged Monday about fees and coverage limits under a proposal being floated by the chairman of a crucial Senate committee (The New York Times).

Deeply Divided House Democrats Return To Work -- And The Same Set Of Problems After a nearly 40-day recess that was anything but restful, House Democrats are returning to work Tuesday still unsettled over pending health-care legislation and sure only that the people have had their say (The Washington Post).

House Vs. Senate: How Healthcare Proposals Compare Returning from their summer recess, congressional lawmakers are facing a climatic showdown to the yearlong struggle over healthcare. At issue are scores of competing provisions scattered through half a dozen bills. And no final decisions have been made on any of them (Los Angeles Times).

Baucus Shares Health Proposal That's Cheaper, Taxes Insurance Companies Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus laid down his marker on healthcare reform over the Labor Day weekend in an effort to steer the policy debate before President Barack Obama delivers his landmark speech before Congress on Wednesday (The Hill).

Congress May Consider Tax On Executives' Health Plans As the chief executive of TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., John Plant received the company's generous healthcare benefits last year, as well as special "executive medical" coverage worth an additional $38,272 (Los Angeles Times).

Data Fuel Regional Fight On Medicare Spending For years, health policy experts have said health care spending is much higher in New York City and Boston because doctors and hospitals there provide more services, practicing medicine in a more intensive way (The New York Times).

'24 Hours In The ER' Shows Challenges Of Health System Dr. Robert O'Connor had taken charge of the emergency room only minutes earlier when the cellphone in his pocket rang: The Western Albemarle Rescue Squad was on its way with a 14-month-old girl who had suffered a possible seizure (USA Today).

When Your Insurer Says You're No Longer Covered The untimely disappearance of Sally Marrari's medical coverage goes a long way toward explaining why insurance companies are cast as the villain in the health-care reform drama (The Washington Post).

To catch up on the weekend's health policy developments, check out KHN's news summaries: Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

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