AP Interview: Collins says health bill possible within 6 weeks if bickering can be put aside

January 29th, 2010 Bill Gates makes $10 billion vaccines pledgeDAVOS, Switzerland — Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda say their foundation will donate $10 billion over the next decade to research new vaccines and bring them to the world's poorest countries. Bill Gates said in a statement issued on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos that "we must make this the decade of vaccines." Gates added that "innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before."

January 28th, 2010 NEW DELHI - The government Thursday approved a bill for bringing all clinics in the country under one law that would go towards creation of a "national registry" and boost health services in the country. This is a path-breaking measure that has been in the pipeline for long.

December 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama scored a major political victory Thursday with the Senate passing a $871 billion healthcare reform package, a key domestic goal that has eluded several presidents before him. Senators voted 60-39 shortly after 7 a.m.

December 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama stands at the cusp of a major victory with the Senate poised to adopt a $871 billion health care reform package, a key domestic goal that has eluded several presidents before him. The Senate Wednesday voted 60-39 along party lines to clear a third and final procedural hurdle by limiting remaining debate time and setting a final vote at 8 a.m.

December 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has rejected criticism that he has compromised too much in order to secure healthcare reform legislation, his top domestic priority, due for a Senate vote Thursday. Challenging his critics to identify any "gap" between what he campaigned on last year and what Congress is on the verge of passing, he said in interview with The Washington Post: "Every single criteria for reform I put forward is in this bill." "Nowhere has there been a bigger gap between the perceptions of compromise and the realities of compromise than in the healthcare bill," Obama said in the interview published Wednesday.

December 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - With the last Democratic holdout on health care throwing his support behind a reform bill, hopes were raised for final passage by Christmas of President Barack Obama's top domestic policy priority that its Republican critic said "will reshape our nation and our lives". Senator Ben Nelson's support Saturday assured the party the crucial backing it needed to avoid a Republican filibuster that would prevent a Senate vote.

December 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The HIV/AIDS bill, aimed at preventing discrimination and protecting the rights of people living with the disease, is "under finalisation", union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Tuesday. Azad informed the Rajya Sabha that the government proposes to introduce the HIV/AIDS bill but there were no firm dates yet.

November 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Three years after a bill to protect the rights of people living with HIV-AIDS was drafted and cleared by the health ministry, it is yet to be introduced in parliament. A group of experts and victims Monday demanded that the bill be presented in the current winter session.

November 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Senate has unveiled a health care reform bill that was estimated to cost nearly $900 billion. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told a press conference Wednesday that the overhaul health care reform bill would expand health insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans, Xinhua reported.

November 18th, 2009 Reid's bill raises payroll tax for upper incomesWASHINGTON — Health care legislation headed for the Senate floor includes higher payroll taxes for upper income wage earners. According to an outline of the bill, the tax is designed to extend health care coverage to the uninsured as well as lengthen the life of the trust fund that finances Medicare.

November 5th, 2009 Doctors' group supports House health care bill WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association says it supports the House Democratic health care bill, but it can't give a full endorsement yet. AMA President Dr.

October 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A key Senate panel Tuesday approved a major overhaul of US health care coverage, moving President Barack Obama's top domestic priority one step closer to fruition. The Senate Finance Committee's 14-9 vote, which was largely along party lines, comes after months of fierce disputes between lawmakers and interest groups and paves the way for the entire Senate to consider the reform plans in the coming weeks.

October 7th, 2009 Bill increases funds for food stamps, nutritionWASHINGTON — Nutrition, food stamp and dairy aid programs were among the winners as the House on Wednesday approved a $121 billion agriculture spending bill for the 2010 budget year. Reflecting the growing number of people scrambling to get by in tough economic times, the bill provides $58.2 billion for the food stamp program, a jump of $4.3 billion from last year.

September 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama warned that health care in the US has reached a "breaking point" and called for a serious effort to overhaul the system in the coming months, according to excerpts of a speech he is to deliver to Congress. Obama is looking to regain some momentum as Congress returns from a month-long summer recess, during which many legislators were shouted down by angry opponents at townhall meetings on the issue in their home states.

September 9th, 2009 Obama says it's 'season for action'WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is telling Congress that it is the "season for action" on health care. In prepared remarks for delivery Wednesday night, Obama says that "the time for bickering is over," and that it's "time to deliver on health care." Obama is telling lawmakers that there's agreement on "about 80 percent of what needs to be done." Spelling out the goals of his health care overhaul, Obama said it would provide security to those who have insurance, and would provide coverage to those who don't now have it.