Obama says Congress progressing, must stick with hard work to overhaul US health care system

October 13th, 2009 Obama: Senate panel OK 'critical milestone'WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says passage of legislation by a key Senate committee is "a critical milestone" toward getting a health care overhaul this year, but that "now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back." Obama spoke in the Rose Garden on Tuesday about two hours after the Senate Finance Committee approved its version of health care reform. Obama praised the bill but didn't endorse it over the others that have passed other committees.

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 19th, 2009 White House: Obama would go to moon for his goalWASHINGTON — How far is President Barack Obama willing to go for a deal on overhauling the health care system? Try all the way to the moon. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs joked Wednesday that Obama would orbit the moon if he thought it would help get a deal on a bill Congress can vote on after it returns from summer break.

August 17th, 2009 Obama: VA care not affected by health overhaulPHOENIX — President Barack Obama says a proposed overhaul of the nation's health care system is not going to change how veterans get their medical services. Obama on Monday told a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that no one in Washington is talking about taking away their benefits.

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.

July 23rd, 2009 Obama open to finance plans for health careWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he is open to the proposals emerging in Congress to pay for health care overhaul. At a prime-time news conference Wednesday, Obama said few lawmakers had embraced his proposal to limit itemized deductions for the wealthiest Americans.

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 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 16th, 2009 Obama pushing hard for health care overhaulWASHINGTON — With votes set in the House, President Barack Obama is still pounding away hard for a bill overhauling the health care system before Congress takes a summer recess. In a nationally broadcast interview, Obama acknowledged a controversy over the cost of reinventing the system at a time when the economy remains hobbled, but declared: "There is no free lunch." In one of a series of network interviews, he said it's time to stop "putting money into things that aren't making people healthy." Obama has proposed increasing taxes on well-off people to help underwrite the cost.

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 Obama adviser: No ultimatums on health careWASHINGTON — Presidential adviser David Axelrod on Sunday said the White House hasn't issued ultimatums over its proposed health care overhaul because that approach kills grand ideas. Axelrod said the White House has made progress on a health care plan and is working with Congress.