The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
A new study shows that, compared to last year, an additional 2.6 million children are now enrolled in the federal-state coverage programs, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
With health care legislation stalled, the GOP is touting its plan which includes allowing Americans to buy health coverage from another state. Democrats include a version in their bills. Critics say this would erode consumer protections.
A new study by federal officials finds that state, local and federal health spending has steadily increased. And, the nation’s health spending as a share of the economy jumped in 2009 by 1.1 points to 17.3 percent.
It’s not that President Obama and his advisors don’t recognize their budget problem. They speak frequently about the dangers of business as usual. The problem is that the president’s stated solution will never work.
With health care legislation stalled, the GOP is touting its plan which includes allowing Americans to buy health coverage from another state. Democrats include a version in their bills. Critics say this would erode consumer protections.
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.
President Obama’s budget request for fiscal 2011 would give states an additional $25 billion in Medicaid funding to help cover rising program costs.
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.
Families should be freed from the whims of politicians and the inevitable battles over government dollars by passing a national long-term care insurance program, such as the proposed CLASS Act.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kansas is trying to cope with surging applications for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program with a staff depleted by budget cuts.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
