Latest KFF Health News Stories
Florida Officials Say They Will Resist Some Requirements In Health Overhaul
Florida’s Republican attorney general opposes the individual mandate and a state insurance official says significant changes in state laws would be needed to meet federal requirements if overhaul passes.
Chamber Of Commerce Says Health Fight Over – But Sees Room To Maneuver
Officials at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce predict that House and Senate negotiators would finish their work and get a final bill to President Barack Obama by mid-to-late February.
House, Senate View Health Exchanges Differently
One key element of both the House and Senate health bills would create health insurance “exchanges” where individuals and small businesses could purchase health insurance. However, the House and Senate versions would work in very different ways. This story comes from our partner NPR News.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – January 11, 2010
With House members returning to town, negotiations continue between House and Senate Democrats over differences in the two chambers’ health care bills.
Unemployment Report: Health Care Jobs Grew As Other Sectors Withered
Friday’s unemployment report revealed that since Dec. 2007 the health sector added 631,000 jobs, even as the economy tanked.
IRS Faces Tough New Duties Under Health Overhaul
Tax agency would be responsible for checking whether individuals get required insurance, distributing billions of dollars in subsidies and collecting new taxes and penalties.
Congress Doing Health Care The Hard Way
Congress is still on holiday break, but President Obama and Congressional leaders are at work starting to merge the House and Senate health care overhaul bills. Congress watchers say looking back at how the debate got to this point may provide some important clues as to where it might lead. This story comes from our partner NPR News.
Caught In The Middle: Making Too Much – And Too Little – To Benefit From Health Care Changes
Reforms in the pipeline would leave millions of Americans with too little government help to buy insurance, some experts say.
House Health Care Bill Offers Insurance Help To Some Migrants From Pacific Islands
Legislation would restore Medicaid rights to citizens of the Marshall Islands and two other nations who have the unique ability to travel and work freely in the U.S.
Pregnant African Tourist Gets Support, Costly Treatment From U.S. Health Care System
Don Emmanuel Kayembe, 2, was born with heart defects and congenital developmental issues while his mother, Jeanne d’Arc Kayembe, was in the United States on a tourist visa. She struggled to oversee his medical care while also trying to find a way to stay here.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – January 4, 2010
House and Senate lawmakers are beginning to resolve differences between the two chambers’ health care overhaul plans. Those differences include the size of the bills, language governing abortion funding and how the bills would be financed. While the House bill includes a government-run health insurance option the Senate bill does not. Negotiations are expected to continue throughout January.
The High Price of FDA Approval
The Food and Drug Administration is trying to get some unapproved drugs off the market. But sometimes the brand-name replacement is much more expensive.
Health On The Hill – After the Senate Vote
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey calls in from Capitol Hill to discuss next steps, now that Senators have passed a health care bill.
The House, Senate and You: A New Guide to Health Reform
Now that the Senate has passed a hotly debated health care bill, Congress is headed to the next step: House-Senate negotiations in January to try to hammer out a final version. Here’s where things stand and how you might be affected.
Analysis: Health Care Polls Don’t Tell Whole Story
Polls show opposition and unease about the Democrats’ health overhaul bills, but these snapshots of public opinion aren’t necessarily good indicators of how voters will feel later about the legislation and the politicians who are trying to push it through Congress.
On Health Bill, Reid Proves The Ultimate Deal Maker
All 60 members of the Democratic caucus closed ranks behind the bill. And the man getting the credit for bringing them on board is the leader of the Democrats’ supermajority, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – December 22, 2009
The Senate continues to debate health care reform with passage of the Democrats’ health care bill expected by Christmas Eve.
When Senate’s Done, Health Bill Work Continues
As the Senate lurches towards a final vote on its health overhaul bill, some people are daring to look ahead to the last step in the painstaking process: marrying the Senate and House bills.
Requirement For Americans To Get Insurance Is Central To Health Overhaul
Both the House and Senate health care overhaul bills require most Americans to carry health insurance or pay a penalty. Yet government mandates don’t necessarily ensure compliance: Not all Americans buckle up, or get their children vaccinated.
