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Over more than half a century of working on health legislation, Edward Kennedy scored many victories, missed some opportunities and never realized his dream of universal health care.
When the big California health insurer Wellpoint sought rate increases up to 39 percent this year, some wondered if they were unusual. But in a new national survey consumers who buy their own policies report the most recent rate requests averaged 20 percent.
Without big budgets, developing nations have to be creative and flexible when it comes to health care. As a result, some interesting new technologies and techniques have emerged that Westernized countries have adopted.
Consumers Union added its voice to the congressional health care debate by airing a 30-second television ad supporting reform. Although the group is known for taking public positions on consumer products and services, it has never before broadcast a television commercial on a public policy question. KHN talked to the group's president and CEO about the decision to air the ad as well as the results from a recent telephone survey the organization conducted.
As a part of our "Are You Covered?" series, KHN and NPR examine how a health overhaul would affect the individual insurance market.
A study comparing U.S. treatment outcomes and other indicators among 30 developed nations found "no hard evidence" that American system stands out.
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."
For the tens of thousands of individual insurance agents nationwide, proposed changes to the health care system could radically alter how they do business.
In interviews, two agents talk about how they are bracing themselves for the post-reform environment. One thinks her fellow agents are too complacent, the other says "in every adversity, there is opportunity."
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