Latest KFF Health News Stories
Health Policy Experts Urge Congress To Abandon Ideological Differences On Overhaul
Veteran health policy experts urged lawmakers to put aside ideological differences and take immediate action to create broad based changes in the nation’s health care system.
Douglas: State Governors Need ‘Time, Flexibility’ For Successful Health Reform
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas commented Thursday on the newly released Senate Finance Committee health reform measure, saying the parts of it that deal with insurance reforms and exchanges “still need work,” but that overall the bill is “headed down a path that seems workable.”
Transcript: Obama At Health Care Rally ‘Fired Up And Ready To Go’
The White House released a transcript of President Obama’s remarks to a rally at the University of Maryland. He encourages the enthusiastic crowd to support his health care proposal.
Chasm In Congress Over How Much Individuals Should Pay For Health Care
One of the central issues in the health reform debate is how much Americans should be expected to spend on insurance before getting help from the government.
Baucus Plan Gives A Nod To GOP Ideas
Democrats’ latest proposal includes some Republican-inspired provisions, though in a watered-down form.
Coburn Bill Would Create Panel to Oversee Quality
Bill raises questions among some Conservatives, who worry it creates a new bureaucracy.
The Indian Health Service Paradox
The Indian Health Service serves as an example of “big” government health care that is lean and efficient.
The Predicament of Near-Seniors And Health Reform
The differing interests and preferences of seniors and near-seniors reflect the perils of incremental reform in reaching universal coverage.
Highlights Of Senator Max Baucus’ News Conference
The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., discussed his health proposal at a Capitol Hill news conference today. He acknowledged the lack of Republican support, but expressed confidence that some members of the GOP would sign on, saying: “At the end of the day, we all share a common purpose, that is to make the lives of Americans better tomorrow than they are today, and to get health-care reform done, which means the time to come for action is now.”
Baucus Releases Bill: No Public Option
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus unveiled a health care bill today that would require most people to have health insurance and would bar insurance companies from discriminating against people with medical problems.
Video Highlights Of The News Conference | Mary Agnes Carey Discusses What The New Bill Means
Press Release: Baucus’ Plan To Lower Health Care Costs
The following is a press release on Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus’ new health care reform legislation.
San Francisco’s Universal Health Care Model
The Healthy San Francisco Plan, the city’s public health plan for the uninsured, has many of the elements currently under consideration in Washington, D.C. It was proposed as a stopgap measure until Congress moved ahead with universal coverage. Now, it’s being heralded as a public option that works and a model for reform.
Transcript: Health On The Hill – September 15, 2009
NPR’s Julie Rovner and KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Eric Pianin discuss recent and upcoming activities on the Hill.
Poll Finds Most Doctors Support Public Option
In the heated, political back-and-forth of the health care debate, doctors’ voices aren’t always heard. A new, comprehensive nationwide survey finds that 73 percent of doctors support the inclusion of a public option.
Senate Health Bill On The Floor Within Two Weeks
The Senate Finance Committee could begin work on a health overhaul bill as early as next week.
Will Long-Term Care Be Included In Health Reform?
The real challenge for long-term care reform remains indifference, rather than outright opposition.
Can Obama Pay For His Health Bill?
President Obama said in his speech Wednesday that most of his health care plan “can be paid for by finding savings within the existing health care system.” Economists say there are ways to squeeze savings out of the existing health care system, but they might not make people happy.
Several states are implementing “medical home” programs, which shifts the health care system from emphasizing acute care for emergencies, such as heart attacks and strokes, to one focusing more on treating – or preventing – chronic illnesses.
Experts To Obama: Here’s How To Keep Health Reform From Adding To Deficit
Health economists say their “failsafe” proposal would keep health care spending from growing.
Please Don’t Call It Health Reform
The President has said “the status quo is not an option,” but that is for the most part what these bills would give us.
