Senate Democrats talk of repealing antitrust exemptions for health insurers

October 14th, 2009 Health care issues: The 'trigger' public planA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Would a so-called "trigger" or "fallback" public plan win enough votes to get some sort of government-run insurance option in any health care legislation Congress may pass? THE POLITICS: The trigger option is seen as a possible compromise that would replace the idea of allowing the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurance. Many Democrats want the so-called public option but Republicans oppose it.

September 30th, 2009 Public plan goes down in Senate Finance CommitteeWASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee has voted against creating a new government health insurance plan to compete with the private market. The 15-to-8 vote could forecast the fate of the public option in the Senate as a whole.

September 30th, 2009 Leahy: Congress should make agencies be more openWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants new measures to clamp down on special exemptions that federal agencies are using to avoid disclosing information to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. Democratic Sen.

September 22nd, 2009 DOJ, FTC to consider updating antitrust guidelinesWASHINGTON — The federal government's antitrust enforcers said Tuesday they will update the 17-year-old guidelines used to determine whether a proposed corporate acquisition threatens competition. The Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department, which share antitrust enforcement powers, said they will hold a series of five workshops in December and January to discuss potential changes to the guidelines.

September 18th, 2009 Health insurers trade mixed as debate continuesNEW YORK — Shares of health insurers traded mixed Friday as the debate over a Senate committee's health care-reform proposal continues. On Wednesday, Sen.

August 23rd, 2009 Talk of Senate voting maneuvers on health careWASHINGTON — A Republican senator predicts Democrats will turn to a little-used voting procedure to try get around GOP opposition and pass health care legislation. It takes 60 votes to shut down GOP opposition and move ahead to an up-or-down vote on a bill.

August 4th, 2009 Reid: Democratic senators united on health careWASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says his party's caucus has "absolute unity" on the need to pass health care reform this year. The Nevadan, joined by other lawmakers, spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon on a White House driveway after Senate Democrats met over lunch with President Barack Obama.

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.

June 30th, 2009 Senate health panel readies gov't insurance optionWASHINGTON — Senators on a key committee are putting the finishing touches on a government health insurance option that they hope will win broad support among Democrats and the public. According to a draft summary circulating Tuesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee proposal calls for a nationwide plan to be run by the federal government.

June 14th, 2009 Conrad says gov't insurance plan short of supportWASHINGTON — The Democrat who heads the Senate Budget Committee says he doubts there are enough votes in the Senate to support President Barack Obama's plan for a government health insurance option. Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota says that there are good arguments for the proposal but probably not the votes it needs in the Senate.

June 8th, 2009 GOP senators respond to Obama on health careWASHINGTON — Republicans on a key Senate committee are warning President Barack Obama that he's making a mistake on health care by supporting a government insurance option for the middle class. In a letter to Obama released Monday, all but one of the Republican senators on the Finance Committee reaffirmed their opposition to a public plan, suggesting that differences on the issue could doom chances for a bipartisan bill.

June 5th, 2009 Public plan threatens bipartisan health dealWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's hopes for a bipartisan health deal seemed in jeopardy Thursday as GOP senators protested his renewed support for a new public health insurance plan, and a key Democratic chairman declared that such a plan would likely be in the Senate's bill. A public plan that would compete with private insurers is opposed by nearly all Republicans.

May 30th, 2009 Top Democrats pledge cooperation on health careWASHINGTON — The two Senate Democrats leading the drive to overhaul health care say they will work together to come up with legislation. Sens. Max Baucus and Edward Kennedy said in a joint statement Saturday they intend to cooperate so their committees pass similar bills that can be combined into a single piece of legislation before the Senate leaves for its August recess.

May 11th, 2009 AP Source: Justice plans new antitrust effortWASHINGTON — An Obama administration official says the Justice Department is going to more aggressively investigate big companies that improperly dominate markets. The official said the administration is abandoning a set of legal guidelines put in place by the Bush administration.

May 5th, 2009 Health insurers try to head off public planWASHINGTON — The health insurance industry offered Tuesday to end its practice of charging higher premiums to women. It was the latest concession from health insurers as Congress works to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.