Archives: Morning Breakouts

"Facing a squall of condemnation from aid groups and opposition politicians," following statements by Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon that Canada's G8 maternal and child health initiative would not include family planning, Prime Minister Stephen Harper "disavowed his foreign minister Thursday, promising that the federal government would include contraception programs in its maternal-health foreign-aid initiative," the Globe and Mail reports.

"An assessment [for rebuilding Haiti after the January earthquake] prepared by foreign experts for the U.N. ... calls for a system that guarantees universal access to primary care, quality services and essential medication," the Wall Street Journal reports.

There were an estimated 440,000 cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) around the world in 2008

News outlets provide several explainers on the health care battle so far and how it might proceed.

Democrats are setting their sights for a health care overhaul vote Sunday after favorable scores from the Congressional Budget Office boosted the bill's chances at passage.

In a gaffe that could cost it millions of dollars, the drug maker Medicines Company, which makes the blood thinner called Angiomax, missed the application deadline to extend its patent back in 2000 by a day or two. That patent expires on Tuesday.

Student loan reform provisions tucked into the reconciliation bill are helping to offset the cost of the health care overhaul.

As the overhaul bill approaches an expected vote this weekend, House members are feeling the personal side of health care.

A previously steadfast coalition opposed to abortion

As vote draws near, interest groups hit high gear on health care reform.

As lawmakers seek to challenge Democrats' health overhaul legislation, GOP activists are also encouraging states to oppose the measure and seeking to energize conservatives for the upcoming election.

Pelosi calls questions about voting procedure a "nonissue," and White House says President Barack Obama has no constitutional concerns about signing a bill passed that way.

The legislative package would close the doughnut hole in the Medicare prescription drug program, boost subsidies for lower-income individuals to buy insurance and push back the implementation date of the tax on Cadillac insurance plans.