Here’s a newsflash for those fretting that Democratic health reform will lead to a “government takeover of the health care system” – the feds will account for more than half of all U.S. health spending by 2012 even if nothing changes. According to a report out today from economists at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, …
Here’s the latest on the prospects of health care reform:
Despite Scott Brown’s victory, there’s still a lot of debate over the fate of health care reform around Washington and in living rooms across America. (There’s even some debate here at Swampland.) Every day we try to read the signs and report back how things are looking. Should supporters feel hopeful? Are Democrats just plotting their …
At a news briefing today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius talked about funding for her agency contained within President Obama’s proposed 2011 budget. She talked about more money for community health centers, information technology, and drug and cancer research, among other priorities. But toward the end of the …
President Obama just spoke before the House Republican caucus and then took questions from members – live. It was amazing television – watchable, interesting, feisty and even a little dramatic. I was reminded of the campaign when, in a single speech in Philadelphia, Obama neutralized the Jeremiah Wright issue that could have sunk his …
It’s nearly impossible to say, of course, but it looks like there is some momentum building. Ben Nelson, who apparently planned to filibuster the conference report, is asking Republicans to help him stop reconciliation. Nancy Pelosi says her members will pole-vault their way to a final bill. President Obama, in Tampa today to talk …
Democrats are still smarting from Scott Brown’s upset victory in Massachusetts last week. Health reform seemed inevitable and then, suddenly, it wasn’t. As Karen pointed out, Democratic lawmakers are still searching for a path forward that might include reconciliation. They may succeed, but certainly not because the American people …
Part of the deal the unions struck with the White House and congressional Democrats was a promise that their members would be allowed to shop in the health insurance exchanges. This could have a huge impact on the market within and outside these new insurance marketplaces that would be created by health reform legislation. (The Senate …
A small scandal is brewing in the health care policy world today concerning Jonathan Gruber, a health care economist at MIT. Gruber has been a source for many, many journalists covering the health care reform debate – including me. As Firedoglake’s Marcy Wheeler reports on her blog emptywheel, Gruber had been working as a government …
As Karen noted earlier today, she and I have a story in this week’s magazine about how much states will be on the hook if and when federal health reform passes.
The impetus for the story was, in part, the growing number of governors across the country publicly slamming the idea of expanding insurance coverage to millions of …
It’s becoming clear that, assuming it passes, Democratic health care reform will be a major issue in the 2010 congressional races. Several prominent Republicans – including Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey – are already advising GOP candidates to call for full repeal of the legislation. Democrats, meanwhile, are expected to campaign on …
I’m a little late on this, but had to share the latest evidence that investors in private health insurance companies feel they prevailed in their lobbying efforts over the Democratic health care bill. Here’s what happened after the Senate voted to break the Republican filibuster on Monday, according to the AP:
Word is that Majority Leader Harry Reid will unveil changes to the Senate’s health reform bill on Saturday morning. The timing is part of Reid’s effort to get a final vote on the legislation by Christmas Eve. Of course, even the most carefully plotted timeline means nothing without the 60 votes Reid needs to break an expected GOP …
