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Tracking The Overhaul "This is about as historic as it gets for all of us. One hundred percent of our fellow citizens will be affected by what we do in the area of health care. Every consumer, every business, every provider as well." Those words are from Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), member of the Senate health committee. A look at the proposals before Congress.

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Bipartisanship Runs Aground At Health Care Summit

President Obama was joined at Thursday's health care summit by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner, among others. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP hide caption

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Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Bipartisanship Runs Aground At Health Care Summit

February 25, 2010 • After nearly seven hours of televised debate, President Obama and fellow Democrats find little common ground with Republicans on how to salvage a health care overhaul.

Why Obama Can't Brush Off Health Care Protests

Protesters argue their positions on health care outside of President Obama's town hall meeting on Tuesday in Portsmouth, N.H. Robert Spencer/Getty Images hide caption

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Robert Spencer/Getty Images

Why Obama Can't Brush Off Health Care Protests

August 13, 2009 • Strategists on the left and right say health care protesters represent a growing problem for the White House: The passion seems to lie with opponents of the overhaul amid growing voter fears that the American Dream is slipping out of grasp.

Ad Wars Ramp Up As Health Bill Vote Draws Near

Ad Wars Ramp Up As Health Bill Vote Draws Near

March 18, 2010 • As health care overhaul legislation winds its way toward the finish line, both sides are working to get their opinions heard. As usual, some use fear and exaggeration to make their claims. How accurate are these 30-second attempts to boil down a year's worth of debate? We decided to put a few to the test.

Ad Wars Ramp Up As Health Bill Vote Draws Near

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Your Health Bill Questions Answered

March 25, 2010 • The health bill has been signed into law, and people have more questions than ever: Will my insurance premiums go up? What about pre-existing conditions? How will the government enforce the insurance mandate? NPR's Julie Rovner explains how the new health care law could affect you.

Your Health Bill Questions Answered

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Health Care Innovations

Consumers' Guide To The Health Bills

Kaiser Health News

November 19, 2009 • The health care overhaul debate in Congress now centers on two bills: the House measure and the Senate Democrats' version unveiled Wednesday. They differ in important ways. Here are commonly asked questions and answers about the bills.

Senate Health Bill Strives To Balance Many Interests

Kaiser Health News

November 19, 2009 • Majority Leader Harry Reid added new taxes and modified major provisions from earlier Senate committee bills. The bill is expected to go to the Senate floor.

Health Care Innovations

Health Overhaul Sparks Debate On Future Of CHIP

Kaiser Health News

November 18, 2009 • Some say moving kids from the Children's Health Insurance Program to health exchanges would add stability, but others fear they could lose benefits and their families could face higher co-payments for coverage.

Charting The Future Of The Health Overhaul Bill

December 24, 2009 • The Senate approved the landmark health bill early Christmas Eve, a key step for President Obama and the Democrats in moving forward with health overhaul. But the debate is far from over. The Senate and the House will have to reconcile their different versions.

Health Care Innovations

Doc Rejects Idea That Health Spending Is Excessive

Kaiser Health News

November 17, 2009 • Dr. Richard "Buz" Cooper doesn't mince words as he challenges highly-respected research that asserts hospitals and doctors waste up to $700 billion a year on unnecessary testing and treatment. He says the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care doesn't adequately account for the health care needs of poor people.

Health Care Innovations

Kentucky Model Shows Money Alone Won't Fix Health

Kaiser Health News

November 13, 2009 • The people in Southeastern Kentucky have the poorest health in the country. Since many people there already qualify for subsidies, some experts say the current health overhaul initiatives won't change much. Instead, a health care overhaul has to address the roots of the health problems.

How The House Abortion Restrictions Would Work

Kaiser Health News

November 11, 2009 • The House-passed health bill includes an amendment that bars insurers from selling policies that cover abortion to anyone who gets a federal subsidy. Many states already have similar policies.

The Debate Over Selling Insurance Across State Lines

Kaiser Health News

November 11, 2009 • A key principle of the Republican health care plan is that individuals should be allowed to buy health insurance from companies licensed in any state. Critics say this would erode consumer protections and not save money.

Democrats Confront Challenges After House Vote

Kaiser Health News

November 9, 2009 • Democrats get new momentum from House passage of a health care bill, but face new tests in bridging differences within the party — and between the chambers — on cost, financing and coverage.

Health Care Passes House With Abortion Amendment

November 9, 2009 • House lawmakers on Saturday passed a sweeping bill that would overhaul the nation's health care system. The measure, supported mostly by Democrats, contained an abortion amendment that required the party to make a significant shift to the right.

Health Care Passes House With Abortion Amendment

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Injury Upon Injury: Californians Losing Jobs Find State Health Safety Net Is Badly Frayed

Kaiser Health News

November 6, 2009 • Californians wait in line for Orange County's emergency dental clinic. Since the economic crisis, the state has cut back on services for people who would have been covered by Medi-Cal, the insurance program for the poor.

Ahead Of Debate, Health Care Battle Lines Drawn

November 6, 2009 • Democratic House leaders are keeping lawmakers in town over the weekend to work on their health care bill. President Obama is expected to rally support on the Hill on Saturday. With every step this legislation takes toward becoming law, the fervor — on both sides — gets stronger.

Ahead Of Debate, Health Care Battle Lines Drawn

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Could Delays Jeopardize Health Overhaul?

Kaiser Health News

November 5, 2009 • Those who want a health bill passed by Christmas fear that if that doesn't happen, there could be a repeat of the brutal August town hall meetings. Others don't think the situation is so dire and say that Democrats could deliver the bill to Obama by the spring.

GOP Unveils Health Care Bill

November 3, 2009 • House Republicans on Tuesday produced a health care bill as an alternative to legislation by majority Democrats. The 230-page measure focuses more on lowering costs than on expanding coverage. The Democratic bill is 1,990 pages.

GOP Unveils Health Care Bill

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Health Care Innovations

Medicare Cost-Lowering Experiments Rarely Acted On

Kaiser Health News

November 3, 2009 • Successful demonstration projects are often derailed by objections from hospitals, doctors and other providers — or caught up in political fights as control of Congress shifted.

Abortion Language Creates Snag For Health Bill

November 3, 2009 • Lawmakers thought they had crafted "abortion-neutral language," essentially maintaining the status quo, but neither side of the debate is happy. And the issue is causing headaches for the Catholic Church, where opposition to abortion is running headlong into support for a health overhaul.

Abortion Language Creates Snag For Health Bill

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Public Option Role In Health Care May Be Minor

Kaiser Health News

November 2, 2009 • Despite all the controversy, a new CBO estimate indicates that relatively few people would be helped by a public health insurance plan. Any "opt-out" provision means at least some states are likely to bar a government-backed plan within their borders.

Democrats Unveil Health Care Bill

October 29, 2009 • House Democrats bowed toward their more conservative members with their new health care overhaul bill, which was unveiled Thursday. Throughout the negotiations, Republicans remained firmly on the sidelines, leaving Democrats to cobble together a bill that can satisfy enough of their own members to make a majority

Democrats Unveil Health Care Bill

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Finance Bill's Fine Print May Cause Sticker Shock

Kaiser Health News

October 29, 2009 • Legislation seeks to limit the amount low-and middle-income people pay for health insurance. But a shift in the way their share of the premium is calculated in the second year of the program may make it more expensive.

S.D. Governor On Health Care Opt-Out Provision

October 28, 2009 • Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid included a public option in the Senate's version of a health care bill. But because of opposition from Senate Republicans and conservative Democrats he said states would be free to opt out. South Dakota's Republican Gov. Mike Rounds discusses the opt-out provision.

S.D. Governor On Health Care Opt-Out Provision

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Unemployed Worry As COBRA Subsidy Runs Out

Kaiser Health News

October 28, 2009 • As part of the economic stimulus, the government offered subsidies so laid-off workers could keep their health insurance. For some, the subsidies are running out.

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