Health overhaul legislation amended to bar requirements for abortion coverage

September 30th, 2009 Senators reject stronger anti-abortion languageWASHINGTON — In a vote with far-reaching political implications, senators writing a health care overhaul Wednesday rejected a bid to strengthen anti-abortion provisions in the legislation — which could reach the Senate floor in the next two weeks. The 13-10 vote by the Senate Finance Committee could threaten support for the health care bill from some Catholics who otherwise back its broad goal of expanding coverage.

September 13th, 2009 Gibbs: Public option 1 way to meet coverage goalWASHINGTON — White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says it's not true that a health care overhaul will affect people who already have insurance. He says President Barack Obama is determined that health care legislation provides Americans with a choice of insurers and competition for the companies that now dominate the market.

September 13th, 2009 Sebelius: No abortion money in health overhaulWASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the president supports language in health overhaul legislation that explicitly prohibits money for abortions. Sebelius says President Barack Obama has made it clear that his health care goals do not include using public money to pay for abortions.

September 12th, 2009 Obama to push health care plan at Minnesota rallyWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, citing new government data showing that nearly half of all Americans live without health insurance in a 10-year period, says the situation will only worsen without the overhaul legislation he wants Congress to send him. Obama was testing his message — that losing health insurance can happen to anyone — at a rally Saturday in Minneapolis.

September 9th, 2009 Individuals would have to carry health insuranceWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says individuals would be required to carry basic health insurance under his overhaul plan and businesses would have to offer workers health care or pay for part of insurance cost for their workers. Obama said those who could not afford coverage would have a hardship waiver, and 95 percent of all small businesses would be exempt because of their size and narrow profit margin.

August 28th, 2009 CBO: House bill could raise drug costs for someWASHINGTON — Some seniors could end up paying 20 percent more for their Medicare prescription drug plans under health care legislation in the House. But overall prescription drug spending would decrease for seniors on average under the bill, the Congressional Budget Office said Friday in a new report.

August 5th, 2009 Gov't insurance would allow coverage for abortionWASHINGTON — Health care legislation before Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue. Federal funds for abortions are now restricted to cases involving rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother.

July 31st, 2009 Abortion measure passes, then fails, in HouseWASHINGTON — An anti-abortion amendment to a sweeping health overhaul bill was voted down in a House committee late Thursday — a dramatic reversal just hours after the measure initially was approved. The amendment said health care legislation moving through Congress may not impose requirements for coverage of abortion, except in limited cases.

July 21st, 2009 Abortion is latest controversy in health overhaulWASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers opposed to federal funding for abortions said Tuesday the House leadership's health care bill contains a "hidden mandate" that would allow taxpayer dollars to be used to end pregnancies. It's the latest controversy to hit the health care overhaul in a week that has seen Republicans sharpen their attacks and some Democrats start to waver on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

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 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 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 Lawmakers say health overhaul has been slowedWASHINGTON — Top members of Congress say it's unlikely they will meet President Barack Obama's August deadline for a sweeping health care overhaul. Lawmakers on Sunday said they will not rush on a health care overhaul that isn't even in final form yet.

June 25th, 2009 Falco urges health care overhaul at Capitol rallyWASHINGTON — Award-winning actress Edie Falco, cable television's no-nonsense "Nurse Jackie," delivered a stern message to lawmakers Thursday: fix health care. "I'm here because I've traveled through the health care system and there are some holes," Falco, a breast cancer survivor, told a Capitol Hill rally for health care overhaul.

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.