AP sources: FTC could look into health insurance industry under House bill

October 22nd, 2009 House health bill to address antitrustWASHINGTON — The Obama administration declined to state a position Thursday on eliminating the health insurance industry's exemption from federal antitrust law, a legislative move quickly gaining strength in the Democratic-controlled Congress. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the administration's National Economic Council "is undertaking a review of that legislation," and will make a recommendation to Obama at an unspecified time.

October 21st, 2009 Health care issues: Who's insured, and howA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: How many people have health insurance now, and how would that change if the system is overhauled? THE POLITICS: One of the driving causes behind the longtime effort to overhaul health care is the desire to reduce the number of families that lack health insurance. The number of people without insurance rose to 46.3 million in 2008, or about 15 percent of the population, according to the Census Bureau.

October 21st, 2009 House committee votes against antitrust protectionWASHINGTON — A House committee has voted to strip the health insurance industry of its exemption from federal antitrust laws as senators announced plans to take the same step. The moves Wednesday signaled a growing determination by Democrats to punish the insurance industry for its criticism of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul agenda.

October 21st, 2009 Health insurers may lose antitrust exemptionWASHINGTON — A House committee has voted to strip the health insurance industry of its exemption from federal antitrust laws as senators announced plans to take the same step. The moves Wednesday signaled a growing determination by Democrats to punish the insurance industry for its criticism of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul agenda.

October 21st, 2009 Dems eye insurance industry's antitrust protectionWASHINGTON — Top Senate Democrats intend to try to strip the health insurance industry of its exemption from federal antitrust laws, according to congressional officials. It's the latest evidence of a deepening struggle over President Barack Obama's effort to overhaul the health care industry.

October 20th, 2009 Obama urges Democrats to unite around health careNEW YORK — President Barack Obama is telling Democrats to stay focused on the reason the health care system needs an overhaul, which he says is extending insurance to millions of people who don't have any. At a Democratic Party fundraiser Tuesday night in New York City, Obama told party members that even the least popular health care bill would extend coverage to 29 million Americans.

October 19th, 2009 Adviser: Obama waits on finished health care billWASHINGTON — The White House is waiting for Congress to settle on a final health care bill, even though President Barack Obama has a clear preference in favor of at least one specific — the much-debated public option, advisers said. Obama, however, will not demand that legislation include a government-run insurance plan intended to drive down costs through competition with private insurers, they said.

October 18th, 2009 Aides: Obama not demanding government-run optionWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama isn't demanding that health care legislation include a government-run insurance option even though he believes it would best meet his reform goals, White House advisers said Sunday. The White House and lawmakers are trying to blend five House and Senate committee versions of health care legislation into a bill that will pass both houses, where near unanimous Republican opposition was expected.

August 20th, 2009 Pelosi: House health bill needs public planSAN FRANCISCO — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there's no way the House can pass a health overhaul bill that doesn't include a new public insurance plan. Her comments at a news conference Thursday in San Francisco come as the White House faces a liberal backlash for indicating openness to leaving a public plan out of a final health bill.

August 18th, 2009 Liberals push for public health insurance planWASHINGTON — Congressional liberals are telling the Obama administration that a health overhaul bill cannot pass unless it includes a new government-run insurance option. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, made up of more than 80 liberal House members, wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing opposition to her weekend comments suggesting a public option was not essential to a health overhaul.

August 4th, 2009 WH uses Web to fight misleading health care effortWASHINGTON — The White House is turning to the Internet to hit back at a Web posting that claims to show President Barack Obama explaining how his health care reform plans eventually would eliminate private insurance. The 3-minute White House video features Linda Douglass, a former network television correspondent and now White House Office of Health Reform communications director, sitting in front of a computer screen showing the Drudge Report Web site.

August 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Raising the foreign equity cap in the insurance sector to 49 percent will not lead to losing management control, the government informed parliament Monday. "Increase in foreign equity holding limit to 49 percent in the insurance sector would not result in change in management control automatically," said Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament.

July 17th, 2009 House committee agrees to longer COBRA benefitsWASHINGTON — Lawmakers have amended a far-reaching health care overhaul bill to allow workers who lose their jobs to hang onto their employer-provided care until they get new coverage. The measure agreed to by voice vote in the House Education and Labor Committee affects the program known as COBRA.

July 16th, 2009 Democrats push quicker access to health coverageWASHINGTON — House Democrats want to guarantee people with pre-existing health conditions faster access to insurance coverage. Democrats on the Education and Labor Committee passed the amendment as they got to work Thursday on their portion of a sweeping health overhaul bill.

May 11th, 2009 Obama lauds industry offer to contain health costsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has praised health industry groups for coming forward with an offer to reduce the growth of spending by $2 trillion a year to overhaul the system. Obama appeared at the White House with an array of industry figures, including union representatives, and called it the occasion "historic." Industry figures pledged that they would voluntarily slow their rate increases over the next 10 years.