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Health Co-ops Touted As Model For Lower Costs, Better Care

KFF Health News Original

One of the lesser-known parts of the new health law is a provision that provides federal loans to help fund health cooperatives. Advocates say these Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans, essentially insurers run by their members, encourage competition especially in the individual and small business health insurance market. Currently there are very few co-ops, but one that is considered a model of success is Group Health. It’s CEO, Scott Armstrong sat down with KHN’s Bara Vaida.

Text: GOP Governors Letter To Sebelius: ‘Flexibility On Exchanges’

KFF Health News Original

On Monday, 21 Republican governors sent a sharply worded letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, asking for six specific changes that would give states more control over the health law’s insurance exchanges.

Senate Debate On Health Care Law Repeal Falls Along Party Lines

KFF Health News Original

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., introduced an amendment to an unrelated bill today that would repeal the health law. Senators from both sides took to the floor, with Republicans arguing that the country wants repeal and Democrats maintaining that the benefits of the law are popular and outweigh any flaws in the legislation. Watch excerpts from the debate.

Health On The Hill Transcript: With State Fiscal Pressures Mounting, Medicaid Battle Looms

KFF Health News Original

As state fiscal pressures mount, governors are asking Washington to allow them to reduce their Medicaid rolls, something that’s barred under the health care law. Democrats generally prefer to give the states more federal money to help with Medicaid costs, but House Republicans are unlikely to support that, citing deficit concerns.

Video: With State Fiscal Pressures Mounting, Medicaid Battle Looms

KFF Health News Original

As state fiscal pressures mount, governors are asking Washington to allow them to reduce their Medicaid rolls, something that’s barred under the health care law. Democrats generally prefer to give the states more federal money to help with Medicaid costs, but House Republicans are unlikely to support that, citing deficit concerns.

Analysis: What Does Judge Vinson’s Health Law Decision Mean?

KFF Health News Original

Jackie Judd talks with legal analyst Stuart Taylor about the legal blow today to the new health care reform law. Federal Judge Roger Vinson, in Florida, declared the entire law void.

Chart: Lobbying On Health Care Issues Falls In 2010

KFF Health News Original

The passage of the federal health law last March brought an overall decrease in lobbying on health care from the massive effort during the heated congressional debate in 2009. Overall, 10 key health care players spent about $127 million on lobbying last year, down nearly 9 percent from 2009.

Analyzing Obama’s State Of The Union Speech: Health On The Hill

KFF Health News Original

During his State of the Union Address, President Obama pledged to work with Republicans to change some elements of the health care law, such repealing a provision that the president said placed “an unnecessary bookkeeping burden” on small businesses. But the president made it clear he would not accept any major changes to the law. In the GOP response, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said his party would work to repeal the law and replace it with more “fiscally responsible, patient-centered reforms.”

President Obama On Health Law: ‘Let’s Fix What Needs Fixing And Move Forward’

KFF Health News Original

In his State of the Union message, the president also said he’s “not willing … to go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition.”

Republican And Tea Party SOTU Response: ‘We Will Work To Replace’ Health Law

KFF Health News Original

Rep. Paul Ryan delivered the official GOP response to the president’s State of the Union address and Rep. Michele Bachmann separately added remarks geared to tea party concerns. Both called for repeal of the health law.

Insuring Your Health

KFF Health News Original

In a new KHN feature, Michelle Andrews writes about the coming changes to health care. Please send comments or ideas for future topics to questions@kffhealthnews.org See 2011’s Insuring Your Health stories.  Looking At The Changes 2011 Brings December 22, 2010 Michelle Andrews speaks with KFF’s Jackie Judd about changes in lifetime insurance limits, keeping children insured, […]

Video: Partisan Arguments Resonate In Health Law Repeal Debate

KFF Health News Original

As the House of Representatives got closer to voting on the health law repeal, members took to the floor to denounce the arguments from the other side. We have excerpts from Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind., George Miller, D-Calif., Steve Scalise, R-La., Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Health On The Hill: House Passes Health Law Repeal

KFF Health News Original

Republicans in the House delivered on their election-year promise to pass a bill to repeal the health care overhaul law signed by President Obama less than a year ago. Now GOP House leaders are trying to apply political pressure on the Senate to bring the bill up for a vote. Marilyn Werber Serafini covered the House debate and spoke with Jackie Judd.