Latest KFF Health News Stories
HELP Committee Postpones Day Of Reckoning
Senate Democrats release health care bill leaving out–for the moment–two of the most contentious items, while promising more talks with Republicans. Meanwhile, in the House, chairmen of three committees brief fellow Democrats on the contours of their bill.
DeParle, Sebelius: Time To Tackle Health Care Disparities
Officials said Tuesday that the time is now to tackle ethnic, economic and gender disparities in health care as they ready a major overhaul of the nation’s health care system.
Baucus: Comp Effectiveness Will Be In Health Reform Bill
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus says the bill soon to come out of his committee will include comparative effectiveness requirements.
Lawmakers Pick Up Pace on Health Legislation
House and Senate Democrats are gearing up for what could be a crucial, month-long drive to craft health care legislation before the July 4 recess.
Health On The Hill — June 8, 2009
Kaiser Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey discusses recent and upcoming activities on the Hill — part of a weekly series of video reports.
The Risks And Rewards Of Taxing Health Benefits
Taxing employee health benefits might fund a health care overhaul, but could sink its political chances.
Health Care Reform or Just Expensive Entitlement Expansion?
While we desperately need a sustainable health care reform in America to cover all of our people, Congress getting ready to send the president little more than a health care entitlement expansion that will give us a health care system even more unsustainable then the one we now have.
How Congress Might Tax Your Health Benefits
Lawmakers are considering varied approaches to taxing employer-provided health insurance as a means of paying for an overhaul of the health system, Kaiser Health News reports. Proposals include taxing benefits above a certain premium amount, taxing the benefits only of high-income earners, or combining both approaches.
‘Draft Of A Draft’ Of Kennedy Bill Surfaces
A partial draft of Sen. Edward Kennedy’s HELP committee health reform legislation is circulating in Washington.
How The Opposition Might Emerge In Health Care Debate
It’s almost crunch time: Influential senators involved in drafting health care legislation say they will begin unveiling bills within days. That means the real debate is about to begin. The big question: Where will the opposition come from and how intense will it be? We consulted policy and political experts to find out what they think will happen next.
GOP: Public Plan Option Big Obstacle To Health Reform
Democrats and Republicans moved further apart this afternoon over the possibility of including a public plan in any health care reform legislation.
I was on a phone call with fellow health policy types back during the presidential primary season when the conversation turned to pay-for-performance.
A Consumer’s Guide to Health Care Reform
How Congress decides several important issues could affect how millions of Americans get and pay for insurance and medical care.
Transcript of President Obama’s Remarks On Health Reform
President Barack Obama urges reform of the U.S. health care system in a meeting at the White House with Senate Democrats.
Why Higher Taxes Will Improve Your Health
Already, you can hear the opponents of health care reform making a familiar argument: It will mean huge new taxes. Although they’re exaggerating–the tax hikes wouldn’t be “huge”–you should be willing to pay these new taxes. Happily.
NJ Hospital Fight Foreshadows Health Reform Challenges
A battle over whether to build a new hospital in northeastern New Jersey illustrates the formidable obstacles confronting President Obama and Congress as they try to mine savings from the $2.5 trillion health care system.
Big, Small or Nothing At All? Three Scenarios For Health Reform
With the health care debate about to erupt on Capitol Hill, a look at three ways it could turn out.
Don’t Ignore Long-Term Care During Health Debate
Sen. Ted Kennedy is vowing to make long-term care insurance part of health reform. But even he has an uphill struggle to make sure it’s included in any broad-based bill.
Is Universal Coverage Comparatively Effective?
As congressional Democrats prepare to deliver on President Barack Obama’s goal of “expanding coverage to all Americans” an important question remains unanswered: is universal coverage worth the money? Not only is there “no evidence” to show that universal coverage is the most cost-effective use of our $2 trillion, the benefits may not exceed the costs at all.
Message From Massachusetts: Insurance Requirement Can Provoke Anger
If Congress wants all Americans to get health insurance, it will have to win over people like Gary Cloutier, owner of Cloots Auto Body Shop in Westfield, Mass. He says he just can’t afford it.
