Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
The Bipartisan Trap – And How Democrats Fell Into It
Every special interest knew that the Democrats had a razor-thin margin for success–and that gave them maximum leverage. They understood early on that, by trying in good faith to reach deals with Republicans and conservatives, Democrats were falling into a trap–the one that’s ensnaring them now.
Many Still Hope For Insurance Reform
Some lawmakers are considering a scaled-back health bill in place of the comprehensive legislation now stalled in Congress. But there’s debate about whether popular insurance reforms, such as requiring insurers to accept applicants with health problems, can be successful without an unpopular individual insurance mandate.
Health Care Overhaul May Be Mortally Wounded
A political change of temperature has lawmakers scrambling for a new strategy on a health overhaul. This story comes from our partner NPR News.
A Smaller, Bipartisan Health Care Bill: Where to Start
A few modest first steps could do a lot to begin to build some bipartisan trust — and actually help some Americans who need it.
Audio: Health On The Hill – January 21, 2010
The fate of congressional health overhaul legislation is uncertain after Republican Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts’ special election on Monday and Democrats’ loss of a filibuster-proof majority.
How The Budget Reconciliation Process Works
Democrats, who no longer have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, are weighing the use of a budget rule called reconciliation to pass at least part of the long-debated health overhaul package with a simple majority.
Who Really Understands ObamaCare?
Voters understand what’s in the bills. They just don’t like it.
Why Public Support For Health Care Faltered
The Democrats’ health overhaul legislation is in trouble for many reasons, including key policy decisions that led many Americans to wonder whether they would wind up worse off.
Give Nurses A Bigger Role In Improving Health Care
Poll after poll finds that nurses are either the most trusted group of professionals, or one of the most trusted groups, in the country.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – What The Massachusetts Senate Race Could Mean For Health Reform
The outcome of the Massachusetts Senate race could play a pivotal role in efforts by President Obama and congressional Democrats to pass a health care overhaul bill this year.
