Latest KFF Health News Stories
The Health Reform That Scares Both Parties
Twenty-seven years ago, President Ronald Reagan and a Congress split between Republican and Democratic control agreed to a radical new payment scheme for Medicare. The resulting legislation trimmed billions of dollars from the federal budget and caused medical inflation to plummet, yet still maintained quality of care.
Will Health Care Savings Be Used To Reduce The Deficit?
As health care legislation falters, health groups worry that proposed spending cutbacks might be used to narrow the budget gap, not expand coverage.
Republicans Spurn Once-Favored Health Mandate
The last time Congress debated a health overhaul, when Bill Clinton was president, several senators who now oppose an individual mandate actually supported a bill that would have required it. In fact, says Len Nichols of the New America Foundation, the individual mandate was originally a Republican idea.
Too many Democrats seem not to grasp the choice before them – the legislation simply has too much to offer to believe for a minute that doing nothing is the better choice.
How Health Overhaul Would Affect The Uninsured
As a part of our “Are You Covered?” series, KHN and NPR also examine how the health overhaul would impact the uninsured.
Sebelius To GOP: ‘Don’t Get Wrong Impression’ About Obama Health Summit
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that President Obama’s Feb. 25 bipartisan summit is to “get Republicans to re-engage in the process. It is not acceptable that half the legislative body pushed away from the table months ago and said ‘we do not want to participate.'”
Yes, Let’s Talk About Those Republican Ideas
For most of last year, Republicans spent their time attacking Democratic plans for reform, rather than describing their own. But now they’ve put a plan on the table. Showcasing that plan–and comparing it to what the Democrats have proposed–might help clarify a few things.
Should Health Insurance Companies Be Allowed To Sell Individual Policies Across State Lines?
With health care legislation stalled, the GOP is touting its plan which includes allowing Americans to buy health coverage from another state. Democrats include a version in their bills. Critics say this would erode consumer protections.
The President’s Budget and Health Care Reform
It’s not that President Obama and his advisors don’t recognize their budget problem. They speak frequently about the dangers of business as usual. The problem is that the president’s stated solution will never work.
The Debate Over Selling Insurance Across State Lines
With health care legislation stalled, the GOP is touting its plan which includes allowing Americans to buy health coverage from another state. Democrats include a version in their bills. Critics say this would erode consumer protections.
Obama’s Budget Increases Funding for Medical Research That Compares Treatment Options
The president has long championed comparative effectiveness research, saying it would provide crucial information to determine which regimen or drug should be used. But critics fear that could lead to an effort to cut costs and restrict patients’ choices.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – Obama’s Budget Proposal, Continuing Negotiations On Health Reform
President Obama’s budget request for fiscal 2011 would give states an additional $25 billion in Medicaid funding to help cover rising program costs.
Health On The Hill – February 1, 2010
President Obama’s budget request for fiscal 2011 would give states an additional $25 billion in Medicaid funding to help cover rising program costs. Meanwhile, House and Senate Democratic leaders continue negotiations on how to pass health care overhaul legislation this year, although lawmakers’ focus has shifted in part to finding ways to improve the economy and increase jobs.
Florida Health Insurance ‘Safety-Net’ Plans Falling Short
Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, a candidate for U.S. Senate who is critical of President Obama’s ideas on health reform, says the nation should instead adapt a plan he helped to enact: Florida Health Choices.
High-Ranking House Democrat Predicts Health Bill Approval This Year
House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller says Congress will pass health overhaul legislation this year even though Democratic leaders are increasingly focusing on the economy and jobs.
Obama On Health Care: What A Difference A Year Makes
In his first State of the Union speech, President Obama called on Congress to get health reform “done.” While he acknowledged obstacles, his call for health reform was just as impassioned as his first address to a joint session of Congress 11 months ago.
Highlights From Obama’s State Of The Union
President Barack Obama gave his first State of the Union address on Wednesday, reiterating the country’s need for health care reform and stating Congress “should not walk away” from the issue.
Lessons From Massachusetts: Campaigning Beats Governing Into Submission, Again
Legislators should gather together to pass health reform legislation, even with all the structural impediments to governing created by our separation of powers and frequent elections.
GOP Struggles For Consensus On Health Care
Republicans have some ideas for how their stalled health overhaul can get started again: Find some bipartisanship. The problem is that most Republicans don’t agree on many of the proposals fellow party members are shopping around Capitol Hill. This story comes from our partner NPR News.
Health On The Hill – January 25, 2010
Congressional Democrats continue to debate their next step on health care overhaul legislation, with some urging that Congress move quickly on a scaled-back approach. President Obama and administration officials have stressed that they do not want Congress to abandon the issue and the president is expected to discuss health care during his State of the Union address.
