Chamber to begin ads against health care overhaul; claims plan would force tax increases

October 6th, 2009 Health care issues: Medicare cutsA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Will seniors' Medicare benefits be slashed to pay for health care overhaul? THE POLITICS: Democrats are proposing to reduce the ballooning costs of Medicare to keep the program solvent. They want to root out waste to find the savings, and to reduce payments to some providers.

September 30th, 2009 Health fight TV ads pass $100 million for the yearWASHINGTON — Medical providers, businesses and other groups battling over a health care overhaul have spent more than $100 million this year on television advertising — an enormous sum that highlights the stakes involved. Evan Tracey, who heads a private data tracking company called the Campaign Media Analysis Group, says spending on TV ads on the issue hit $110 million as of Sunday.

September 12th, 2009 Obama to attend health care rallyWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is traveling to Minneapolis for a rally on health care reform. Minnesota is an example of where Obama wants the rest of the country to go on health care.

September 2nd, 2009 Correction: Health Care OverhaulWASHINGTON — In an Oct. 1 story about health care overhaul, The Associated Press reported erroneously that President Barack Obama repeatedly pledged last year that his health care plan would not raise taxes on any individual making more than $200,000 or a family with incomes over $250,000.

August 31st, 2009 Trumka warns lawmakers on health care overhaulWASHINGTON — The man expected to become the AFL-CIO's next president said Monday that lawmakers would pay a political price if they abandon a government-run option in any health care overhaul. "We need to be a labor movement that stands by our friends, punishes its enemies and challenges those who, well, can't seem to decide which side they're on," said Richard Trumka, currently the AFL-CIO's secretary-treasurer.

August 22nd, 2009 Obama challenges critics on health careWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is challenging his critics on a national health care overhaul, accusing them of making "phony claims" about the legislation. "This is an issue of vital concern to every American, and I'm glad that so many are engaged," Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address.

August 16th, 2009 Obama confident health care overhaul coming soonWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he's confident his drive to overhaul health care will succeed. The president writes in Sunday's New York Times about "health insurance reform" and says his attempt to overhaul the system is closer to reality "than we have ever been." Obama cites support from the American Nurses Association, the powerful American Medical Association and the AARP for big changes.

August 12th, 2009 Chamber of Commerce ads hit Obama on health careWASHINGTON — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will begin airing 30-second ads in about 20 states Wednesday criticizing the Democratic proposal to offer optional government health coverage.

July 20th, 2009 Obama: pass health overhaul by end of yearWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama pushed back hard against critics of his health care overhaul plan Monday, vowing to fight "the politics of the moment" and press for passage of legislation by the end of the year. "We can't afford the politics of delay and defeat when it comes to health care," Obama said after meeting with doctors, nurses and other health care workers at Children's National Medical Center.

July 19th, 2009 GOP leader: Health care overhaul too drasticWASHINGTON — The Senate's top Republican says the U.S. has the best health care in the world and the system doesn't need to be scrapped.

July 15th, 2009 Obama stepping up push for health care overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has scheduled an appearance in the White House Rose Garden today to talk about his top domestic priority: health care reform. The president wants the House and Senate to pass legislation overhauling the nation's health care system before lawmakers leave town for their annual August recess.

July 15th, 2009 Obama praises progress on health care overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says his administration will push through an overhaul of the nation's health care system and is urging Congress to finish the work before leaving for an August recess. Obama on Wednesday praised House and Senate versions of a bill to expand health care coverage to millions of Americans.

July 12th, 2009 Sebelius: All options on table for health planWASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the administration wants a health care overhaul this year but is still leaving the details to Congress. Sebelius said on Sunday that a health care overhaul "needs to be owned by the House and the Senate" and won't be dictated by President Barack Obama.

June 28th, 2009 Axelrod expects Senate to tackle health care firstWASHINGTON — A top presidential adviser says it probably will be the fall before the Senate deals with a major climate change bill that just passed the House. White House aide David Axelrod says he thinks health care overhaul will be the first thing on senators' agenda.

June 12th, 2009 Business groups to meet to plot strategy on healthWASHINGTON — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is convening business groups on Friday to plot strategy as alarm grows over the direction of Democratic health care overhaul proposals.