House Dems seek to speed up health bill ban on denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions

October 9th, 2009 A look at Congress' legislative languageHere's a look at how three issues are described in the legislative language of the House's initial health care bill compared with the "conceptual" — or plain English — language used by the Senate Finance Committee. The issues are: Coverage for pre-existing conditions and denial of coverage; a requirement for all individuals to obtain health insurance; and how subsidies to help low-income people purchase insurance are distributed.

September 30th, 2009 A look at the Senate Finance health care billThe Senate Finance Committee pushed ahead Wednesday on a comprehensive health care bill. The panel hopes to finish the legislation by week's end.

September 15th, 2009 House Dems aim to reframe debate on health billWASHINGTON — House Democrats tried Tuesday to reframe the debate over their health overhaul bill as negotiators in the Senate urgently sought elusive bipartisan compromise a day ahead of their planned bill release. House Democratic leaders summoned a panel of friendly witnesses to a public hearing on Capitol Hill where they solicited testimonials aimed at dispelling opposition to their legislation.

September 10th, 2009 FACT CHECK: Health coverage for illegal immigrantsWASHINGTON — Rep. Joe Wilson is wrong.

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 14th, 2009 Obama assails health insurance companiesBELGRADE, Mont. — President Barack Obama says Americans are being held hostage by health insurance companies that deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions or cancel coverage when people get sick.

July 31st, 2009 House lawmakers endorse measure opposing abortionWASHINGTON — Lawmakers have amended a sweeping health overhaul bill to ensure it does not require coverage of abortions. The anti-abortion measure was approved late Thursday in the House Energy and Commerce Committee as conservative Democrats banded with Republicans to support it.

July 24th, 2009 House Dems clear one hurdle in health care billWASHINGTON — Key House Democrats agreed Friday on steps designed to cut the growth of Medicare, clearing one of numerous obstacles blocking an early vote on health care legislation. But even as Speaker Nancy Pelosi hailed the agreement as a "giant step forward" on President Barack Obama's top domestic legislation, leaders struggled without success to ease the concerns of moderate to conservative Democrats who have held up progress on the bill for a week.

July 23rd, 2009 Obama: Lots of agreement on health overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says lawmakers and he are in general agreement on important parts of a potential health care overhaul. Obama planned to say Wednesday night that the proposals would add stability to existing plans.

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 Republicans vow to fight health care tax increasesWASHINGTON — House Democrats shouldn't expect votes from Republicans in passing a bill that increases taxes on the rich to pay for health care reform. Republicans opened a committee meeting Thursday morning vowing to fight a Democratic plan to impose a surcharge on families making more than $350,000.

July 16th, 2009 A look at the Senate health committee billA look at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: WHO'S COVERED: Aims to cover 97 percent of Americans. COST: About $615 billion over 10 years, but it's only one piece of a larger Senate bill.

July 16th, 2009 House Dems move to votes on health billWASHINGTON — Health care legislation would raise costs, not lower them, Congress' top budget cruncher said Thursday, complicating President Barack Obama's push to overhaul the system. Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf warned lawmakers based on calculations of the various bills in the House and Senate.

July 14th, 2009 House Dems to unveil health care billWASHINGTON — House Democrats pushed ahead Tuesday with sweeping health care legislation that would raise taxes on the wealthy, require Americans to buy affordable insurance and penalize large companies that don't provide insurance to their employees. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other top Democrats planned to introduce legislation later in the day that would dramatically revamp the health system and fulfill President Barack Obama's goal of slowing rising costs and providing coverage to nearly 50 million uninsured Americans.

June 19th, 2009 Senate Dems pare back health billWASHINGTON — Key Senate Democrats, bidding for bipartisan support on health care, pared back subsidies designed to make insurance more affordable on Thursday and floated a compromise that rules out direct government competition against private insurers. Despite the cost-cutting, the proposal backed by Sen.