Gov't: Spending to Rise Under Obama's Health Care Overhaul

The nation's health care tab will go up -- not down -- as a result of President Barack Obama's sweeping overhaul. That's the conclusion of a government forecast released Thursday, which also finds the increase will be modest.

20 States Prepare for Day in Court Against Health Care Law

The Obama administration will try to persuade a federal judge Tuesday to throw out a lawsuit by 20 states that claim the president's health care overhaul is unconstitutional.

FACT CHECK: Obama's tone shifts on health care

President Barack Obama told voters repeatedly during the health care debate that the overhaul legislation would bring down fast-rising health care costs and save them money. Now, he's hemming and hawing on that.

White House Warns Insurers Against Rate Hikes

The Obama administration on Thursday told health insurers that it will track those who enact "unjustified" rate increases linked to the health overhaul and may block those companies from a new marketplace for insurance coverage.

Changing Stance, Administration Now Defends Insurance Mandate as a Tax

When Congress required most Americans to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty, Democrats denied that they were creating a new tax. But in court, the Obama administration and its allies now defend the requirement as an exercise of the government’s “power to lay and collect taxes.”

And that power, they say, is even more sweeping than the federal power to regulate interstate commerce.

Obama Administration OKs First Tax-Funded Abortions Under Health Care Law

The Obama administration has officially approved the first instance of taxpayer funded abortions under the new national government-run health care program. This is the kind of abortion funding the pro-life movement warned about when Congress considered the bill.

The Obama Administration will give Pennsylvania $160 million to set up a new "high-risk" insurance program under a provision of the federal health care legislation enacted in March.

It has quietly approved a plan submitted by an appointee of pro-abortion Governor Edward Rendell under which the new program will cover any abortion that is legal in Pennsylvania.

Health care overhaul spawns mass confusion for public

Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how — and when — the sweeping measure will affect them.

"They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' " said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com. The California-based company sells coverage from 185 health insurance carriers in 50 states.

Florida says challenge to healthcare reform widens

The joint lawsuit led by Florida and now grouping 18 states was filed on March 23 by mostly Republican attorney generals.

It claims the sweeping reform of the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system, pushed through by Democrats in the Congress after months of bitter partisan fighting, violates state-government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments.

IRS chief: Buy health insurance or lose your tax refund

Individuals who don’t purchase health insurance may lose their tax refunds according to IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. After acknowledging the recently passed health-care bill limits the agency’s options for enforcing the individual mandate, Shulman told reporters that the most likely way to penalize individuals that don’t comply is by reducing or confiscating their tax refunds.

Young conservative asks WhiteHouse Spokesmouth Robert Gibbs "if he ever feels dirty defending this administration's lies and deception?"

Gov. Bob McDonnell signs Virginia Health Care Freedom Act

Governor Bob McDonnell (R) signed Virginia’s opposition to the Democratically led federal health care reform bill Wednesday afternoon.

The governor put his signature on the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act at a ceremony in Richmond.

“We all agree that we must expand access to quality health care and reduce costs for all Virginians. However, that should not be accomplished through an unprecedented federal mandate on individuals that we believe violates the U.S. Constitution. The Virginia Healthcare Freedom Act sets as the policy of the Commonwealth that no individual, with several specific exceptions, can be required to purchase health insurance coverage."

Timeline for Obamacare new taxes, insurance mandates and service cuts

See the timeline of major provisions in Democrats' health-care package

Rep. Dingell (D-MI): It will take some time for ObamaCare to "control the people"

"Let me remind you this [Americans allegedly dying because of lack of universal health care] has been going on for years. We are bringing it to a halt. The harsh fact of the matter is when you're going to pass legislation that will cover 300 [million] American people in different ways it takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people."

Sebelius: Obamacare Strategy Is to Reduce Company Profits | The FOX Nation

Sebelius: Obamacare Strategy Is to Reduce Company Profits | The FOX Nation

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, predicts that Obamacare will cost pharma companies $90 billion in profits over the coming decade. To the extent that this will prevent pharma companies from developing vital new live-saving drugs and treatments, Obamacare will literally kill people.

Posted using ShareThis

Al Sharpton: Americans 'voted for socialism when they elected President Obama'

Dem Senator: Health Legislation Will Address The "Mal-Distribution Of Income In America"

Sen. Max Baucus (D): "Too often, much of late, the last couple three years the mal-distribution of income in America is gone up way too much, the wealthy are getting way, way too wealthy, and the middle income class is left behind. Wages have not kept up with increased income of the highest income in America. This legislation will have the effect of addressing that mal-distribution of income in America."

Castro on Obamacare: It's "A Miracle"

HAVANA -- It perhaps was not the endorsement President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress were looking for.

Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Thursday declared passage of American health care reform "a miracle" and a major victory for Obama's presidency, but couldn't help chide the United States for taking so long to enact what communist Cuba achieved decades ago.

"We consider health reform to have been an important battle and a success of his (Obama's) government," Castro wrote in an essay published in state media, adding that it would strengthen the president's hand against lobbyists and "mercenaries."

House Votes to Pass Senate Health Care Bill

After a harrowing day that saw a bloc of pro-life Democrats agree to compromise on abortion language, House Democrats cemented a victory for President Obama with a 219-212 vote for the Senate's massive health insurance overhaul.

GOP Rails Democrats who Voted for Obamacare

House Minority Leader John Boehner warning against defying the American public.

"Can you go home and tell your senior citizens that these cuts in Medicare will not limit their access to doctors or further weaken the program instead of strengthening it? No, you can not. And look at how this bill was written. Can you say it was done openly, with transparency and accountability without backroom deals struck behind closed doors, hidden from the people? Hell, no you can't."

"In a democracy you can only defy the will of the people for so long and get away with it," he said.

Idaho first to sign law aimed at health care plan

Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.

Similar legislation is pending in 37 other states.

Pelosi's "Short Cut" Tactic for Health-Care Vote Raises Big Legal Questions.

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may be creating new grounds for a court challenge to the proposed U.S. health-care overhaul as she considers using a mechanism that would avoid a vote on the full legislation.

Pelosi said this week she might use a parliamentary technique that would “deem” House members to have passed the Senate’s health-care plan by voting for a more politically palatable package of changes.

Some legal scholars question whether that approach can be squared with the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s 1998 declaration that the two houses of Congress must approve “precisely the same text” before a bill can become a law.

FACT CHECK: Premiums would rise under Obama plan

Buyers, beware: President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul will lower premiums by double digits, but check the fine print.

Premiums are likely to keep going up even if the health care bill passes, experts say. If cost controls work as advertised, annual increases would level off with time. But don't look for a rollback. Instead, the main reason premiums would be more affordable is that new government tax credits would help cover the cost for millions of people.

Without The Needed Votes, Dem Leadership in House Looks to Avoid Vote and Still Pass Bill

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer declined to say Wednesday if Democrats have enough votes to pass historic health care legislation, but hinted that they're poised to use an arcane parliamentary process to get it done.

Hoyer's Republican counterpart, Rep. Eric Cantor, acknowledged that such a process is permissible under House rules. Under the procedure, a Senate-passed health bill would be "deemed" to have passed if House members voted in favor of a rule governing a separate bill with amendments to it.

Cantor, R-Va., said he couldn't understand why Democrats would use such a parliamentary detour with a bill of this magnitude and reach.

House Phone Lines Frozen After Barrage of Calls Over Health Care Reform

House phone lines were frozen Tuesday afternoon following a barrage of calls on the health care reform debate, with congressional opponents of the legislation crediting talk radio host Rush Limbaugh for the flood of opposition while the bill's supporters said they were getting calls of support

Do Pelosi and the Democrats Have the Health Care Votes? Here's the Math

If every sitting House Democrat who voted for the health care bill in November, voted for it again this weekend, Nancy Pelosi would have the 216 votes she needs to pass it.

However, because of resistance to the Senate bill overall and (for several anti-abortion rights Democrats) specifically its abortion language, Democrats know they will not be able to get all their previous YES votes to vote YES again.

Nearly One-Third of Doctors Could Leave Medicine if Health-Care Reform Bill Passes, According to Survey Reported in New England Journal of Medicine

Nearly one-third of all practicing physicians may leave the medical profession if President Obama signs current versions of health-care reform legislation into law, according to a survey published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Can Nancy Pelosi Get the Votes?

Are there enough votes in the House to pass the Senate's health-care bill? As of today, it's clear there aren't. House Democratic leaders have brushed aside White House calls to bring the bill forward by March 18, when President Barack Obama heads to Asia. Nevertheless, analysts close to the Democratic leadership tell me they're confident the leadership will find some way to squeeze out the 216 votes needed for a majority.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indeed shown mastery at amassing majorities. But it's hard to see how she'll do so on this one. The arithmetic as I see it doesn't add up.

New York Congressman Says Democrats Blackmailed Him Because of his "no" on Obamacare

Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) says the House ethics committee is investigating him for inappropriate comments he made to a male staffer on New Year's Eve — and that he's the victim of a power play by Democratic leaders who want him out of Congress because he's a "no" vote on health care reform.

"Mine is now the deciding vote on the health care bill," Massa, who on Friday announced his intention to resign, said during a long monologue on radio station WKPQ. "And this administration and this House leadership have said, quote-unquote, they will stop at nothing to pass this health care bill. And now they've gotten rid of me, and it will pass. You connect the dots. "

President Obama attacks insurance companies in bid for public support on health overhaul

President Barack Obama ratcheted up his attacks against insurance companies Monday in a last-ditch attempt to get a reluctant public and skittish Democrats behind his health overhaul legislation.

Obama contended that insurers have calculated that they'll make more money by denying coverage to some and jacking up rates on others.

Maybe no health care bill vote by Easter

House Democratic leaders are pushing to finish far-reaching health legislation and hold a climactic vote in the next three weeks, aiming to overcome reluctance from rank-and-file lawmakers. But they conceded Thursday they may not meet President Barack Obama's challenge for swift action.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the Democrats would like to get a final vote by Congress' Easter break, which begins March 29. But he also said "the world doesn't fall apart" if that timeline isn't met — a nod to the many missed deadlines that have characterized the health overhaul effort so far.

Scott Brown Reacts To Democrats Using Reconciliation To Pass Health Care

McConnell: Republican candidates will call for repeal of health bill

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that Republicans running in this fall's midterms will campaign on repealing the Democrats' healthcare reform bill should it pass.

McConnell held a press conference at the Capitol soon after President Barack Obama urged lawmakers to take a final "up-or-down vote" on the health bill, but did not use the word "reconciliation."

"I assure you that if somehow this bill is passed, it won't be behind our Democratic friends it will be ahead of them because every election this fall will be a referendum on this issue," McConnell said. "And there's an overwhelming likelihood that every Republican candidate will be campaigning to repeal it."

Obama renames "reconciliation" as "up-down vote" as he tries to avoid filibuster on health-care reform

President Obama's endorsement Wednesday of a risky legislative maneuver to complete health-care legislation sent Democratic leaders scrambling to settle policy disputes and assemble the votes necessary for passage in the coming weeks.

In a speech at the White House, Obama urged Congress to "finish its work" on health care and indicated support for a strategy that includes the budget maneuver known as reconciliation, which would protect the final product from a Republican filibuster in the Senate. Obama told an audience of medical professionals that Congress "owes the American people a final vote on health-care reform."

Michigan House Rep Stupak (D) Says "Nope"

Rep. Bart Stupak doesn’t plan to vote for Congress’s latest health overhaul package – and abortion isn’t the only reason why.

The Michigan Democrat became a pivotal player in the health debate last fall when he threatened to sink the bill because it didn’t exclude insurance coverage of abortion from government-subsidized health plans. In recent days, he’s reiterated that he objects to the Senate’s more-lenient treatment of abortion coverage that would almost certainly be part of any final health legislation.

“It’d be very hard to vote for this bill even if they fixed the abortion language,” he said. Asked whether there was any way he would vote for the current package, he had one word: “Nope.”

Senate gearing up to use rare budgetary maneuver to push through a Democratic-supported health care plan

The Senate appears to be gearing up to use a rare budgetary maneuver to push through a Democratic-supported health care overhaul, but even the Senate Democrat's top budgeter says it can't be used for wholesale reforms.

Pelosi: Lawmakers Should Sacrifice Jobs for Health Care

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged her colleagues to back a major overhaul of U.S. health care even if it threatens their political careers, a call to arms that underscores the issue's massive role in this election year.

US Rep: "Answers do not lie in Washington. No Washington Mandates"

Bottom line on health care summit: Dems push ahead

President Barack Obama strongly signaled that Democrats will move forward on a health care overhaul with or without Republicans, preparing his party for a fight whose political outcome will rest with voters in November.

Delivering his closing argument at a 7-1/2-hour televised policy marathon Thursday, Obama told Republicans he welcomes their ideas — even ones Democrats don't like — but they must fit into his framework for a broad health care remake that would cover tens of millions of uninsured Americans.

Canadian Premier Gets Heart Surgery in FLA. Skips his National Socialized Doctors.

"This is my heart, it's my health, it's my choice."

With these words, Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams defended his decision to hop the border and go under the knife for heart surgery in Florida.

The minimally invasive mitral valve surgery he needed is not available in Newfoundland, he told his province's NTV News channel in the first part of an interview aired last night.

Is Obama's Health Care Meeting a "Charade"?

President Barack Obama said Saturday the health care meeting he's holding next week with Democratic and Republican lawmakers will test their ability to solve not just this problem, but other problems, too.

Republicans said lawmakers must scrap current proposals and start over, lest the meeting turn into a charade.

"After debating this issue exhaustively for a year, let's move forward together," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address.

Speaking for Republicans in their weekly address, Michigan Rep. Dave Camp said "if the starting point for this summit is more of the same backroom deals and partisan bills, then this meeting will likely be a charade."

Reid Signals Backing of Gov't-Run Health Option if GOP Barrier Fails

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he will support allowing the government to sell insurance in competition with private industry if the White House and Democratic leaders push a health care bill with no Republican backing.

Obama Writing Health Bill to Skirt GOP Filibuster

President Obama is working on health care legislation intended to reconcile differences between House and Senate Democrats that could be attached to a budget bill and avoid a Republican filibuster, according to a published report.

The president's proposal, which is still being written, will be posted on the Internet by Monday morning, senior administration officials and Congressional aides told the New York Times.

By piggybacking the legislation onto a budget bill, Democrats would be able to advance the bill with a simple majority of just 51 votes, averting a Republican filibuster in the Senate.

Back from The Dead: Obama to spell out new healthcare plan

The legislation the White House will post on its website is expected to reflect common ground negotiated over the past several weeks by House and Senate Democratic leaders.

Those agreements are likely to be combined as a privileged budget reconciliation bill, which only needs a simple 51-vote majority to pass the 100-member Senate instead of the 60-vote supermajority that has become routine in the Senate and gives Republicans power to block the healthcare bill.

61% Says it Time for Congress to Drop Healthcare

Sixty-one percent (61%) of U.S. voters say Congress should drop health care reform and focus on more immediate ways to improve the economy and create jobs.

President Obama Moves Forward on Health Care, Invites Republicans to the White House for Televised Meeting

President Obama signaled Sunday he is not ready to let the issue of health care reform go away, planning a meeting at the White House with both Democrats and Republicans later this month to discuss the issue. He also promises it to be more open and bi-partisan.

The president said he wants " to consult closely with our Republican colleagues" and ask them “to put their ideas on the table,” during an interview Sunday with CBS News anchor Katie Couric.

Democrats confused as White House Wavers

President Barack Obama has left Democrats as confused as ever over how the White House plans to deliver a health care reform bill this year, following two weeks of inconsistent statements, negligible hands-on involvement and a sudden shift to a jobs-first message.

Obama admits health care overhaul may die on Hill

No, maybe he can't. President Barack Obama, who insisted he would succeed where other presidents had failed to fix the nation's health care system, now concedes the effort may die in Congress.

Obama's words fail to bridge health care divide

President Barack Obama exhorted Democrats to "finish the job" on a health care overhaul Wednesday, but his comments failed to bridge deep divisions within his party.

Addressing a gathering of Senate Democrats, Obama insisted that lawmakers have an opportunity to remake the nation's system of medical care.

Pelosi vow for all-out health war

Despite polls showing adamant voter opposition to Democratic health-care legislation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said yesterday she's determined to jam a bill through Congress.

Republicans, meanwhile, relished the idea of Democrats sticking with their unpopular plans.

"If Nancy Pelosi wants to spend the coming weeks and months discussing a budget-busting health-care bill, then Democrats will have much more to worry about than a lost Senate seat in Massachusetts," said Ken Spain, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Dems lack workable plan and retreat on health care

Democrats retreated Tuesday from a quick push to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, lacking a workable strategy to salvage the sweeping legislation that has consumed Congress for more than a year.

Dems 'Hysterical' as Obama Retreats on Health

President Barack Obama suggested he's open to Congress passing a scaled-back health-care bill, potentially sacrificing much of his signature policy initiative as chaos engulfed Capitol Hill Wednesday.

Top Democrats said they would press ahead despite growing doubts among rank-and-file members that they can pass a bill they've been laboring over for nearly a year. A host of ideas offered in recent days have lost favor.

Pelosi: House lacks votes to OK Senate health bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she lacks the votes to quickly move the Senate's sweeping health overhaul bill through the House, a potentially devastating blow to President Barack Obama's signature issue.

Pelosi, D-Calif., made the comment to reporters after House Democrats held a closed-door meeting at which participants vented frustration with the Senate's massive version of the legislation.

Not So Fast.

"To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated."

Democratic Senator Jim Webb puts out a statement that puts the notion of a quick Senate vote out of reach and pretty much makes a certification fight moot

The fallout: Democrats rethinking health care bill

Republican Scott Brown’s upset win in Massachusetts threatened to derail hopes of passing a health reform bill this year, as the White House and Democratic leaders faced growing resistance Tuesday night from rank-and-file members to pressing ahead quickly with a bill following the Bay State backlash.

Federal health care foes plot for state opt-outs

Lawmakers in 30 states are pressing for constitutional amendments to exempt individuals from the requirement to purchase health care, a pivotal piece of the legislation under debate in Congress.

Pelosi: We Will Have Health Care – One Way Or Another

"Let's remove all doubt, we will have health care -- one way or another," Pelosi told reporters in San Francisco.

But how? The Speaker was less clear on that question.

"Certainly the dynamic would change depending on what happens in Massachusetts," Pelosi said. "[It’s] just a question about how we would proceed. But it doesn't mean we won't have a health care bill."

Rep. Weiner: Health Care "Dead" If Scott Brown Wins

"Fully Transparent"

Health Care Overhaul Bill Is 'Hanging by a Thread': Dodd

Health care reform is "hanging on by a thread," and one or two votes could determine the outcome of the heavily-debated bill, Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd told CNBC Monday.

Poll: Obama Health Care Marks Hit New Low

President Obama's approval rating on handling health care is at an all-time low, according to a new CBS News poll, something that is helping to drag down his overall approval rating. Just 36% of Americans approve of Mr. Obama's handling of health care, according to the poll, conducted from Jan. 6 – 10. 54% disapprove.

Economist Was Under Contract With HHS While Touting Health Reform Bill

MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, one of the leading academic defenders of health care reform, is taking heat for failing to disclose consistently that he was under contract with the Department of Health and Human Services while he was touting the Democrats' health proposals the media.

The Risk of Catastrophic Victory

Passage of the health-care bill will be, for the administration, a catastrophic victory. If it is voted through in time for the State of the Union Address, as President Obama hopes, half the chamber will rise to their feet and cheer. They will be cheering their own demise.

If health care does not pass, it will also be a disaster, but only for the administration, not the country. Critics will say, "You didn't even waste our time successfully."

-- Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal

Obama Reneges on Health Care Transparency

President Obama wants the final negotiations on health care reform - a reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the bill - put on a fast track, even if that means breaking an explicit campaign promise.

"The House and Senate plan to put together the final health care reform bill behind closed doors according to an agreement by top Democrats," House Speaker Nanci Pelosi said today at the White House.

The White House is on board with that, too, reports CBS News political correspondent Chip Reid. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stressed today that "the president wants to get a bill to his desk as quickly as possible."

The C-SPAN Lie See Eight Clips of Obama Promising Televised Healthcare Negotiations

AP sources: Obama OKs taxing high-end health plans

President Barack Obama signaled to House Democratic leaders Wednesday that they'll have to drop their opposition to taxing high-end health insurance plans to pay for health coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.

Senate Dem Asks South Carolina's Top Attorney to 'Call Off the Dogs'

In a phone call Thursday, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., urged South Carolina Republican Attorney General Henry McMaster, the head of a group of 13 GOP state attorneys general who are threatening to file a lawsuit against the Senate health care bill, to reconsider, Politico reported.

Why the Health-Care Bills Are Unconstitutional

If the government can mandate the purchase of insurance, it can do anything.

By ORRIN G. HATCH, J. KENNETH BLACKWELL AND KENNETH A. KLUKOWSKI

President Obama's health-care bill is now moving toward final passage. The policy issues may be coming to an end, but the legal issues are certain to continue because key provisions of this dangerous legislation are unconstitutional. Legally speaking, this legislation creates a target-rich environment. We will focus on three of its more glaring constitutional defects.

Efforts already underway in Colorado to blunt federal health care reforms

Coloradans will likely be asked in November to blunt the impact of federal health-insurance reform with a state constitutional amendment that would attempt to undo some of what Congress is trying to pass.

Health Care Vote Puts Nelson 30 Points Down in Reelection Bid

The good news for Senator Ben Nelson is that he doesn't have to face Nebraska voters until 2012.

If Governor Dave Heineman challenges Nelson for the Senate job, a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows the Republican would get 61% of the vote while Nelson would get just 30%. Nelson was reelected to a second Senate term in 2006 with 64% of the vote.

13 state Attorney Generals threaten suit over health care deal

Republican attorneys general in 13 states say congressional leaders must remove Nebraska's political deal from the federal health care reform bill or face legal action, according to a letter provided to The Associated Press Wednesday.

"We believe this provision is constitutionally flawed," South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster and the 12 other attorneys general wrote in the letter to be sent Wednesday night to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Top House Democrats Signal Willingness to Drop Government Insurance Plan

Two House Democrats who favor a government insurance plan, a central element of health care legislation passed in their chamber, acknowledged Sunday it might have to be sacrificed as negotiators work out a final agreement with the Senate.

Health Care Bill Passed by Senate

Health Care Reform Overhaul Approved in 60 to 39 Vote; Bill Must Now Be Reconciled With House Version

Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill in a climactic Christmas Eve vote that could define President Barack Obama's legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for the first time in the country's history.

Senate Prepares Thursday Morning Vote on Health Care, Fast Exit for Christmas

Senators will be home for Christmas after they agreed late Tuesday to change the schedule to allow an 8 a.m. ET vote Thursday on health insurance reforms that kept the chamber debating in a record-breaking session that hasn't been matched since 1917.

Health Care Bill Could Face String of Legal Challenges

Organizations and lawmakers opposed to the health care reform package are getting their legal briefs in a bunch, threatening to challenge the constitutionality of the sweeping overhaul should it make its way to President Obama's desk.

Wall Street Journal: Change Nobody Believes In

A bill so reckless that it has to be rammed through on a partisan vote on Christmas eve.

And tidings of comfort and joy from Harry Reid too. The Senate Majority Leader has decided that the last few days before Christmas are the opportune moment for a narrow majority of Democrats to stuff ObamaCare through the Senate to meet an arbitrary White House deadline. Barring some extraordinary reversal, it now seems as if they have the 60 votes they need to jump off this cliff, with one-seventh of the economy in tow.

Sen. Whitehouse: foes of health care bill are birthers, right-wing militias, aryan groups

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) today took shots at those who are not supporting the health care legislation. During a floor speech, he excoriated Senate GOP members for holding up the pending health care bill and accused their supporters of being birthers and fanatics in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups. He started off by citing an editorial from the Manchester Journal Inquirer, which used the insult "lunatic fringe.":

While You Sleep: 1:00 AM Monday Vote Set on Obamacare

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has set the stage for a major vote Monday morning at 1:00 AM – one that would require the support of 60 Senators. That would, if all goes according to Senator Reid’s plan, set up a late-night Christmas Eve vote on final passage. Senator Reid also used a rare procedure to block any further amendments from being offered, debated or voted upon.

When it comes time for Senators to cast their vote at 1:00AM Monday morning, shortly after Sunday Night Football ends and most Americans are in bed, they will have had less than 38 hours to understand a 383-page amendment

CBO: Senate Health Bill Won't Reduce Deficits Quite as Much

The Congressional Budget Office said Sunday that the Senate health care bill would not reduce long-term federal deficits as much as previously estimated, acknowledging that it made an "error" in its original analysis.

Senate Democrats Warn House Not to Toy With Health Bill

Do not mess with this bill.

That was the message Senate Democrats sent to their colleagues on the House side over the weekend, warning them not to make any significant changes to the health care package heading toward a vote in their chamber if they want the bill to survive past Christmas.

US Catholic Bishops: ‘Compromise’ would make citizens pay for others’ abortions

Responding to reports of a new “compromise” proposal on abortion in the U.S. Senate’s health care reform bill, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo today reaffirmed the position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the legislation will be morally unacceptable “unless and until” it complies with longstanding current laws on abortion funding such as the Hyde amendment. Cardinal DiNardo is Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and Chairman of the Conference’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.


Click here for a comment on this "abortion fee" from Republica House Leader, John Boehner

Stupak aims to sink 'unacceptable' abortion compromise

An aide to Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) coordinated opposition to the Senate health bill’s abortion compromise this morning with the Republican Senate leadership, according to a chain of frantic emails obtained this morning by POLITICO.

Stupak, in an interview with POLITICO, called the Senate bill’s abortion position "unacceptable" – but disavowed his staffer’s collaboration with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

McCain: GOP can't stop health care

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) conceded Republican Senators won’t be able to stop Democratic health care reform plans from passing the Senate before Christmas Eve.

“We will fight until the last vote,” McCain told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace. “We owe that to our constituents, because we must do everything – we must look back and say we did everything to prevent this terrible mistake from taking place.”

SOLD: Sen. Nelson's Bribe

Exhibit A is the outright bribe extracted by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Corn Huckster State) from Sen. Harry Reid. As a result of Nelson’s performance in his role of Hamlet in the health care deliberations, we will have two health care systems in this country; one for Nebraska and one for the other 49 states.

Comprehensive List of Tax Hikes in Reid-Obama Health Bill UPDATED

Comprehensive List of Tax Hikes in Reid-Obama Health Bill UPDATED

click for the list.

With Nelson on board, health-care bill could pass by Christmas

Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his colleagues Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas of President Obama's top domestic policy priority.

Asked if he had secured the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) told reporters, "It seems that way."

GOP threatens to delay health care vote with bill read-a-thon

Republicans threatened to delay Senate business with a health care read-a-thon this weekend as Democrats searched for 60 votes to advance President Barack Obama's signature issue. A forecast of heavy snow added to the list of complications.

At a news conference Friday in the Capitol, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., accused Democrats of trying to ram the health care bill through with dozens of changes as yet unseen, and promised to do all they could to prevent it.

DeMint promises to delay health bill, force Christmas Eve vote

Sen. Jim DeMint said Thursday he is prepared to use every procedural tool to delay a vote on the Democratic healthcare legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is planning to schedule votes around the clock over the next week to meet a deadline of passing the bill by Christmas. Without the cooperation of Republicans, the marathon schedule would end with a vote on Christmas Eve.

Nelson Could Support Filibuster of Senate Health Care Bill, Spokesman Says

Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson -- the moderate Democrat whose opposition is holding up the Senate's health care bill -- said Thursday that new language on abortion doesn't satisfy his concerns.

Democrats in the Senate still face a filibuster threat from within their own party as they try to push health care legislation to a vote, though the key holdout says he's merely interested in "getting it right."

Obama faces healthcare insurrection from left flank

The White House worked on Thursday to tamp down an insurrection from some of President Barack Obama's liberal backers who feel he has been too willing to compromise away their priorities on a healthcare overhaul.

Howard Dean, Former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, says he would not vote for legislation in current form.

Victory by Democrats on health care could turn sour

O, the irony: The Democrats -- who run the Congress and the White House -- have to pass health care to prove they can govern. If it falls apart, after all this time, they will look weak and ineffectual. Yet while they toil long days and nights trying to put together the votes, the bill itself has morphed into something the public fears. So passage could well become a short-lived political victory.

Some numbers: According to CNN polls, almost 8 in 10 believe it will add to the deficit. When asked whether the Senate bill would help your family a resounding 75 percent said no. And will it increase your taxes? Eighty-five percent said you bet it will.

By Gloria Borger, CNN Senior Political Analyst

The Price to You Under ObamaCare: Increased Premiums, Especially for Young

A detailed analysis of the Obama health care program now before the 
Senate indicates that it will force big premium increases for all families 
especially for those under 30 years of age.

The study, by the consulting firm of Oliver Wyman, 
concludes that premiums for individuals will rise by $1,576 and $3,341 for 
families by under the bill.   Young people will be hit the hardest.  
The study predicted that premiums for new health insurance policies purchased by 
the youngest third of the population would rise by 35% under the bill.

White House using base-closure process to extort Nelson’s vote on ObamaCare?

How desperate has the White House become to get anything passed under the name of health-care reform? According to Michael Goldfarb’s source on Capitol Hill, the Obama administration has targeted the last remaining Democratic holdout, at least among moderates — and they’re willing to damage national security to extort his support. The White House has threatened Ben Nelson (D-NE) with the closure of Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska if he opposes Reid’s latest version, despite its status as the headquarters of US Strategic Command:

Obama summons Senate Dems to White House

President Barack Obama will meet with Senate Democrats at the White House Tuesday to press for action at a make-or-break moment for his health care overhaul.

Dems against Dems in health care vote struggle

The end game in sight, Senate Democrats coped with stubborn internal differences as well as implacable Republican opposition on Monday in a struggle to pass health care legislation by Christmas.

A liberal-backed call to expand Medicare as part of the legislation drew strong opposition from Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn. and quieter concerns from a dozen Democrats, raising significant doubts about its ability to survive.

Lieberman Rules Out Voting for Health Bill

In a surprise setback for Democratic leaders, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, said on Sunday that he would vote against the health care legislation in its current form.

Rising costs predicted in health care bill

Report finds Senate plan to cut Medicare a threat to seniors

Dealing an unexpected blow to Senate Democrat's health care bill, administration economists on Friday predicted the overhaul would accelerate rising costs of health insurance and medical services, and that its proposed Medicare cuts could reduce care for senior citizens.

Marriage Penalty Hidden in Health Care Reform

A closer look at premium payments in both the House and Senate health care bills shows higher premiums that might discourage couples from tying the knot.

For instance, in the House version, an unmarried couple each making $30,000 a year would pay $1,320 combined each year for private health insurance. If that couple chose to marry, their premium would jump to $12,000 a year, a difference of $10,680.

Feinstein: “Morally correct” to force taxpayers to fund abortions

As the Senate was debating the Nelson amendment Tuesday, CNSNews.com asked Feinstein: “Is it morally right to use tax dollars from pro-life Americans to cover insurance plans that cover abortion?”

Feinstein said: “Is it morally correct? Yes, I believe it is. Abortion is legal, and there (are) certain very tragic circumstances that a woman finds herself in. Married, with an unborn baby that’s unable to survive outside of the womb, her doctor tells her it’s a threat to her health. I think she ought to have a policy available to her.”

"Behind the Lines" Update from Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

Here’s the latest update on the $2.5 trillion Reid health care bill provided by Senator John Cornyn, Republican Senator from Texas.
More of the same. News outlets are reporting that some Senate Democrats have reached an agreement on the health care plan. This new ‘agreement’ is nothing more than a repackaged government plan that will reduce competition and raise health care premiums for hard-working Americans. Senate Moderates have yet to voice their support for this ‘deal.’

Job-killing Policies. I participated today in a press conference with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and executives from 70 major U.S. corporations who have come out in opposition to the Reid health care bill because of its job-killing mandates. If signed into law, the Reid bill will penalize employers, especially small businesses, in fines totaling $28 billion if they do not meet Washington’s new mandates and regulations. The economic evidence is undisputed; these types of mandates on American businesses will simply result in lower wages, reduced hours, and job cuts.

Subsidized Abortions. Senate Democrat Leaders refused to even allow a fair up-or-down vote on an amendment offered by fellow Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska that would have prevented any federal funding of abortions under the Reid health care bill. As it stands, if the Reid bill is signed into law, millions of taxpayers will be forced to fund procedures that go directly against their personal beliefs and convictions.

If you like your current health care plan, you may not be able to keep it. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has concluded that the Reid health care bill will result in 9-10 million Americans losing their current health care coverage. This breaks the President’s promise that, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.”

Back Door Plan Trojan Horse For Government Takeover. According to new analysis requested by my office, there is vague language in the 2,074-page Reid health care bill that creates a loophole to allow states to ban all private insurers from the insurance exchange under the Reid bill, thereby eliminating competition and only offering government-run health care to their residents.

Higher Taxes. The non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation has concluded that under the Reid bill, 42 million individuals and families with income under $200K will pay higher taxes. If President Obama signs this bill into law, he will have broken his promise: “I can make a firm pledge: under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase – not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.”

Poll: Only 38 percent support health care bill

The second leg of Quinnipiac's big national poll dropped this morning -- and it shows a serious erosion of support for Congressional health reform efforts and the president's performance on the issue -- along with an all-time low 46 percent approval rating for the POTUS.

Most ominously for Dems: Nearly two-thirds of registered voters polled said extending coverage to 30 million-plus people will result in a decline in the quality of their own health care. That gives plenty of room to the GOP to personalize attacks on the plan, Obama and Congress.

Senate rejects Nelson amendment on abortion

The Senate narrowly rejected an amendment that would have restricted abortion coverage in the pending health-care bill, leaving in question whether Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) has the 60 votes needed to move the bill toward final passage.

The measure, which failed 54-45, addressed the scope of restrictions on coverage of abortion services for people who receive subsidies to buy insurance. The outcome was expected, but could cost the support of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who has threatened to filibuster the $848 billion bill unless abortion restrictions are tightened.

10 Million Could Lose Employer Coverage Under Senate Health Bill, CBO Says

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that up to 10 million people could lose their employer-based insurance coverage under the Senate's health care reform bill.

In new figures out Monday, the nonpartisan office said the net loss would add up to about 5 million -- the anticipated loss of employer coverage on one end would be offset in part by the expectation that a new mandate would drive other employers to cover millions more workers who are not currently covered.

Health Bill Will Saddle Employers With Mountains of Paperwork

Employers will face the mother of all migraines when Congress passes a health care bill, probably early next year in a very close vote. Many new problems are in store for federal and state regulators as well. They’ll need to write rules to flesh out the law, set guidelines for implementation and create a mechanism for oversight and enforcement.

Reid Compares Opponents of Health Care Reform to Supporters of Slavery

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took his GOP-blasting rhetoric to a new level Monday, comparing Republicans who oppose health care reform to lawmakers who clung to the institution of slavery more than a century ago.

Obama Seeks to Rally Senate Democrats on Final Health-Care Plan

President Barack Obama plans to head to the U.S. Capitol to press Senate Democrats to agree on health legislation as lawmakers struggle to resolve disputes over issues including a proposed government-run insurance plan.

Health bills fail to block illegals from coverage

Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants could receive health care coverage from their employers under the bills winding their way through Congress, despite President Obama's explicit pledge that illegal immigrants would not benefit.

Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) says bill "at end of day it may be just imperfect."

"We want to cover the uninsured, yes, but we don't want to do it in a way that's going to drive up the costs for folks who currently have it," said Senator Evan Bayh, one of a number of centrist Democrats whose support will be crucial to pass the overhaul in the face of solid Republican opposition.

"I don't think we can afford to do nothing with costs going up 10, 15 percent a year," Bayh said. "My objective is to try and make that alternative of doing something as positive as we possibly can, realizing that -- at the end of the day it may be just imperfect."

Federal Department of Health and Human Services would become giant under Senate plan

A quick search of the Senate health bill will bring up "secretary" 2,500 times.

That's because Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius would be awarded unprecedented new powers under the proposal, including the authority to decide what medical care should be covered by insurers as well as the terms and conditions of coverage and who should receive it.

Sebelius, left, former governer of Kansas and Current Secretary of HHS

Dems look for deal as Sen. debate begins

After months of buildup, the historic debate on health care reform opens on the Senate floor Monday — but the C-SPAN cameras won’t see the real action. The next phase in the Democrats’ health care push will be waged in the privacy of the Senate leadership office, where Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will attempt to do something that has eluded him all year: negotiate a compromise on the public insurance option that can garner 60 votes and win over a public still leery of reform.

Senator: Delay health care to focus on Afghan war

Postpone the health care overhaul until next year so Congress can concentrate on how to pay for President Barack Obama's expected plans for expanding military operations in Afghanistan, a leading Republican senator said Sunday.

Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said a sharp focus is needed for Obama's new strategy for the 8-year war and how much it will cost. Many issues should be considered, he said, including the possibility of raising taxes to pay for operations in Afghanistan.

Poll: Americans no longer believe in health 'crisis'

49% of Americans now rate the quality of the U.S. health-care system as good or excellent, to only 27% percent that still argue it's poor.**

** The favorable numbers reflect a 20-point jump from prior to the presidential election, when a June 2008 Rasmussen poll showed only 29 percent rated the health-care system so well and 37 percent rated it poor.

While a majority of those under 30 favor the plan, a majority in all other age groups are opposed. Among senior citizens the disparity is 34 percent in favor to 60 percent opposed.

Proponents of federal health-care legislation have also lost support among moderates, as 70 percent of unaffiliated voters now stand in opposition. By comparison, 83 percent of Republicans also oppose the plan, while most of the support comes from the 73 percent of Democrats who favor it.

Senate opens health care debate

With the Senate set to begin debate Monday on health care overhaul, the all-hands-on-deck Democratic coalition that allowed the bill to advance is fracturing already. Yet majority Democrats will need 60 votes again to finish.

Some Democratic senators say they'll jump ship from the bill without tighter restrictions on abortion coverage. Others say they'll go unless a government plan to compete with private insurance companies gets tossed overboard. Such concessions would enrage liberals, the heart and soul of the party.

Total 10-Year Cost of Reid Bill is $2.5 Trillion

The Senate Republicans' chart demonstrates that the total for all of these costs -- based on CBO projections for the bill's true first 10 years -- is $2.5 trillion. And costs would only skyrocket from there, as the chart's trajectory suggests. In the 5 years to follow (2024-28), spending on "expansions in insurance coverage" alone would be $1.7 trillion, making the bill's total costs in its real first 15 years well over $4 trillion -- based on CBO projections.

The Answer is NO. Lieberman Digs In on Public Option

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, speaking in that trademark sonorous baritone, utters a simple statement that translates into real trouble for Democratic leaders: "I'm going to be stubborn on this."

Support for Health Care Plan Falls to New Low

Just 38% of voters now favor the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s the lowest level of support measured for the plan in nearly two dozen tracking polls conducted since June.

60-39. Senate Votes to Begin Debate

Senate Democrats on Sunday sparred with each other over how to fix the nation's troubled health care system, the moderates threatening to scuttle legislation if their demands weren't met and the more liberal members warning their party leaders not to bend.

The dispute among Democrats foretells of a rowdy floor debate next month on legislation that would extend health care coverage to roughly 31 million Americans. Republicans have already made clear they aren't supporting the bill.

Final passage is in jeopardy, even after the chamber's historic 60-39 vote Saturday night to begin debate.

Sen. Reid’s Government-Run Health Plan Requires a Monthly Abortion Fee

Just like the original 2,032-page, government-run health care plan from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) massive, 2,074-page bill would levy a new “abortion premium” fee on Americans in the government-run plan.

Beginning on line 7, p. 118, section 1303 under “Voluntary Choice of Coverage of Abortion Services” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run health plan. Leader Reid’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions (line 13, p. 120).

Health bill could get 34-hour reading in Senate

The 2,074-page Senate health care bill would take 34 hours to read cover to cover -- and that's just what Sen. Tom Coburn wants done on the Senate floor.

The Oklahoma Republican has threatened to invoke parliamentary rules to force the Senate clerk (or more likely, a team of clerks) to read the massive bill before the full Senate begins formal debate on the legislation.

Senate bill: 2,000 pages and $849 billion

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scrambled Wednesday to pull together 60 votes for his health reform bill – and his effort got a boost from congressional scorekeepers, who said his plan would cost $849 billion over 10 years, comfortably below the president’s $900 billion limit.

Reid said Tuesday that he is "cautiously optimistic" he can secure the 60 votes he needs to move forward on the bill by this weekend. Reid's bill is expected to include a national government insurance plan with a provision for states to opt out. Reid is also expected to adjust a 40 percent excise tax on high-value insurance plans by raising the threshold at which insurers would pay the fee. He's expected to make up for that lost revenue by proposing an expansion of the Medicare payroll tax.

Axelrod Signals Obama Will Try to Strip Abortion Language From Health Care Bill

The amendment, authored by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., went beyond preventing the proposed government-run plan from covering abortion to restrict federal subsidies from going toward private plans that offer abortion coverage. David Axelrod says the amendment changes the 'status quo,' something the president cannot abide.

Senate won't rush health bill: top Republican

"We know it's [the proposed Senate bill] been in Harry Reid's office for six weeks and the other 99 senators have not seen it," McConnell said of the Senate healthcare bill, referring to the Senate majority leader. "I think we ought to at least have as much time for the other 99 senators and all of the American people to take a look at this bill as Majority Leader Reid has had."

"There will be a lot of amendments over a lot of weeks. I mean, the Senate is not the House. You saw in the House three votes and it was over in one day," McConnell said.

Pelosi on Fines and Jail Time

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax.” [page 1]

“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…” [page 2]

Criminal penalties
Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses. Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

Reid Considers Payroll Tax Hike for Health Care

Officials say the Senate majority leader is considering a plan to raise the payroll tax that goes to Medicare on Americans earning more than $250,000 a year.

The Democrats who can stop the Senate healthcare bill

Preserve your health care freedom by embracing the moderate Democrats who we need to do the right thing on health care reform. The Republican Senators will unify and vote this legislation down. These are Moderate US Senators who are also able to stop the Healthcare Reform movement, as they are moderate, and very cautious to support a bloated $1 trillion government takeover of healthcare.

Call them today and let them know their votes will affect you.

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) 202-224-5623
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) 202-224-2043>
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) 202-224-4843
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) 202-224-4041
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) 202-224-2551
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) 202-224-6154
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) 202-224-5824

American Life League chief asks "Are Catholic Bishops becoming political pawns? "

"What Cardinal Rigali has permitted, by way of political maneuvering, is to allow an amendment to be heard and, we fear, later watch it be defeated. While our Catholic bishops will scramble to define their opposition to abortion in the aftermath, Pelosi will wave Cardinal Rigali’s support for health care reform as evidence that lay Catholics would somehow be wrong in opposing her bill.

In endorsing Pelosicare, our Catholic bishops have risked making themselves political pawns in advancing a culture of death that treats human beings as disposable.

Once again, this incrementalist approach to abortion will serve to enshrine in law grave injustices condemned unequivocally by the Catholic Church. Among these are rationed health care, in vitro fertilization, embryonic stem cell research, human experimentation, euthanasia and birth control.

Our Catholic bishops, when they negotiate for anything less than the full protection all human beings deserve, undermine the very principles of the Catholic faith and destroy the confidence of faithful Catholics across America."

Judie Brown, President, American Life League