Health Reform News and Research

RSS

Health reform: Good for small business, according to President's economic advisors

A report from President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers finds that "health care reform would be good for small businesses because it would enable them to obtain better insurance coverage for less money," The Denver Business Journal writes.

4 Aug 2009

Battles over insurance reform afflict House Democrats

"House liberals are offended that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) mocked their threats to oppose a Democratic healthcare bill, saying leaders are underestimating their frustration over a deal cut with centrist Blue Dogs," The Hill reports.

4 Aug 2009

Protesters disrupt Democrats' best-laid plans for health reform 'conversations'

Over the weekend, a series of protests at Democratic events meant to promote health reform "organized by loose-knit coalition of conservative voters and advocacy groups, were a raucous start to what is expected to be weeks of political and ideological clashes over the health care overhaul," the New York Times reports.

4 Aug 2009

Obama really does have best health care in the world!

"When President Barack Obama said at a recent news conference that he has the best health care in the world, he wasn't exaggerating," The Chicago Tribune reports.

4 Aug 2009

White House: 'No middle class tax hike'

"The White House tried Monday to douse speculation that it might raise taxes on the middle class in violation of President Obama's campaign promise, just a day after two of his top economic advisers left the door open to such a move to rein in spiraling deficits," The New York Times reports. "Mr. Obama told his economic team in a meeting at the White House that he intended to stand by his promise not to increase taxes on families making less than $250,000, aides said."

4 Aug 2009

For doctors and even patients, rationing health care is an everday occurrence

In an essay in The Washington Post, an infectious disease specialist writes that "the unspoken truth among doctors is that we objectively or subjectively ration care, and often don't tell patients or their families."

4 Aug 2009

Public baffled by health care arguments

As members of Congress head home for the summer recess, they will use the time to either sell to their constituents the national health care and insurance overhaul being fiercely debated in Washington, or deep-six it.

4 Aug 2009

Will emphasis on prevention bring health costs down?

If there is one thing that both parties can agree on in the health overhaul debate, it’s the need to build a health system that promotes prevention rather than just manages disease.

4 Aug 2009

Schumer: Sen. Democrats might approve health reform legislation without Republicans

"Senate Democrats will consider approving legislation overhauling the U.S. health-care system without Republican support if the opposition doesn't agree to a bipartisan plan by mid-September, Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said," Bloomberg reports.

3 Aug 2009

Ten exceptional health professionals have unique opportunity to influence health reform

Ten exceptional health professionals have been selected as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows for 2009-2010. The ten fellows will utilize their wide range of academic, public health, clinical and community-based experience to provide health policy leadership on Capitol Hill to improve health and health care.

3 Aug 2009

Senate Democrats in the 'hot seat' on health overhaul

In the final week of debate before the Senate recess, the Finance Committee continues talks on bipartisan legislation, but both Republicans and Democrats are ramping up their health care rhetoric and considering more drastic options.

3 Aug 2009

Lawmakers, officials distort the facts to support or oppose health overhaul

"Confusing claims and outright distortions have animated the national debate over changes in the health care system," the Associated Press reports.

3 Aug 2009

Doctor shortage and disparities after reform examined, nurses prepare for changing role

A former Clinton administration official said last week that there aren't enough doctors in America to handle the increase in patients if health reform covers more uninsured, NPR reports.

3 Aug 2009

House panel passes protection for drug makers

The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed an amendment to their broad health reform bill giving drug makers 12 years of exclusive rights to market new biologic drugs, "a setback" to the administration and consumer advocates who hoped to make generic drugs more widely available, the Wall Street Journal reports.

3 Aug 2009

House recesses, Democrats reflect on accomplishments and what's ahead

House Democrats celebrated late last week the passage of a health reform bill out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, but they still face a lot of work when they return in September, Roll Call reports.

3 Aug 2009

White House retools message as GOP opposition, public opinion push back

"[T]he White House team is retooling its message and strategy, hoping a more modest approach will reinvigorate Obama's signature domestic policy initiative and give him a first-year victory for Democrats to carry into the 2010 midterm elections," the Washington Post reports.

3 Aug 2009

Health care industry increases lobbying spending

Drug companies "boosted their lobbying in Washington during the three months (that) ended June 30 amid a flurry of congressional action on health care," while overall, "Washington's lobbying business continued to slump as the economy pinched budgets at some big companies and trade associations," The Wall Street Journal reports.

3 Aug 2009

Number of uninsured California kids may double

A new deal to balance California's budget may have serious repercussions for the health of the state's children, while South Carolina grapples with health cuts of its own. Meanwhile, New Jersey may become one of the first states to publically disclose hospital errors.

3 Aug 2009

California's struggle with insurance exchanges offers lesson for national reform

California's experience with insurance exchanges could prove a valuable lesson for the nation's flirtation with such pools for covering large numbers of people, The Wall Street Journal reports.

3 Aug 2009

Democrats hone August health care message, Republicans plan counter-offensive

Democrats are finding points they agree on in a tenuous accord for the message they want to relay to constituents during the August recess: The health insurance industry is the bad guy, The Washington Post reports.

3 Aug 2009