Democratic leaders voice confidence Obama will have a health care law to sign this year

WASHINGTON — Democratic congressional leaders predicted passage of health care legislation within a few months despite undimmed Republican opposition, claiming momentum Thursday from President Barack Obama’s speech and renewed commitment from lawmakers fresh from a month of meetings with constituents.

As employer-provided plans decline, gov’t health programs pick up slack to cover uninsured

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans covered by government-sponsored health insurance plans surged to 87.4 million last year — or 29 percent of the U.S. population — amid a fierce, national debate about whether to create a new U.S.-run plan that any American could join.

Obama keeps up the pressure for health care overhaul by lamenting a worsening toll of uninsured

WASHINGTON — Trumpeting nurses’ support for a health care overhaul while lamenting a worsening toll of uninsured, President Barack Obama kept up the pressure Thursday for congressional action.

FACT CHECK: Is Obama or Wilson right on health coverage for illegal immigrants?

WASHINGTON — Rep. Joe Wilson is wrong.

Number of uninsured rise to 46.3 million; poverty rate hits 13.2 percent, an 11-year high

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year as people began losing jobs and coverage in the current recession. The poverty rate hit 13.2 percent, an 11-year high.

Obama laments statistics showing millions have lost health coverage since recession started

WASHINGTON — Trumpeting nurses’ support for a health care overhaul while lamenting a worsening toll of uninsured, President Barack Obama kept up the pressure Thursday for congressional action.

Number of uninsured rises to 46.3 million; poverty rate hits 13.2 percent, an 11-year high

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year as people began losing jobs and coverage in the current recession. The poverty rate hit 13.2 percent, an 11-year high.

Text of Obama’s speech to Congress on health care reform

Text of President Barack Obama’s address to Congress on health care reform Wednesday, as prepared for delivery and provided by the White House.

Obama to appeal to Congress and the nation to keep alive his hope of a health care overhaul

WASHINGTON — Harsh realities are testing President Barack Obama’s “yes we can” ethic like never before as he appeals to Congress and the nation to keep alive his hopes for creating affordable health care for all.

Kennedys will be on hand for Obama’s health care speech, invoking the late senator’s life work

WASHINGTON — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy is gone, but his legacy is vital to President Barack Obama’s high-stakes case for health care overhaul as his party struggles on Capitol Hill to agree on its terms.

Obama’s chief spokesman says ‘public option’ remains on table in talk of health care overhaul

WASHINGTON — Chief White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says President Barack Obama will again cite a need for a public option on health insurance when he gives a prime-time speech to the nation.

Obama speech Wednesday to Congress offers details, tries to build momentum for health overhaul

WASHINGTON — Harsh realities are testing President Barack Obama’s “yes we can” ethic like never before as he appeals to Congress and the nation to keep alive his hopes for creating affordable health care for all.

Bipartisan Senate group to meet on health care as time winds down for compromise

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers returning to Capitol Hill a day ahead of President Barack Obama’s health care speech wasted no time Tuesday showing just how hard his selling job will be.

Safety net hospitals, last resort for the poor, may suffer under health care overhaul

CHICAGO — Janie Johnson has no health insurance, so when she cut her toe while giving herself a pedicure, she limped to the emergency room at one of Chicago’s safety net hospitals and waited her turn.

Senate Finance chairman proposes fee on insurance companies in post-recess health care plan

WASHINGTON — Sen. Max Baucus on Monday pushed a new health care plan including an industry fee to help pay for covering the uninsured as President Barack Obama said insurance companies must share accountability for the troubled system.

House liberals plead with Obama to push for creation of government-run health care program

WASHINGTON — House liberals pleaded with President Barack Obama on Friday to push for creation of a government-run health care program as the Senate’s chief negotiator said he won’t wait much longer for Republicans to compromise amid dwindling chances for a bipartisan bill.

Obama tries to grab control of health care debate, will address Congress next Wednesday night

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will deliver a major prime-time health care address to Congress next week, opening an urgent autumn push to gain control of the debate that has been slipping from his grasp under withering Republican-led attacks.

Waxman, Stupak probe whether insurers dump small businesses that become expensive to insure

WASHINGTON — A top House Democrat is investigating whether the nation’s largest health insurers have deliberately canceled coverage for small businesses after their employees became sick and sought expensive treatment.

As debate rages over public health plan, private insurers seem to be quashing competition

WASHINGTON — One of the most widely accepted arguments against a government medical plan for the middle class is that it would quash competition — just what private insurers seem to be doing themselves in many parts of the U.S.

Heath insurer stocks dip lower than market after Congress asks for financial information

INDIANAPOLIS — Managed care stocks dipped slightly lower than the overall market Wednesday, after insurers received more bad publicity with letters from Congress asking for executive compensation details and other financial information.

House Democrats request detailed records from industry opposed to health legislation

WASHINGTON — A spokesman for the health insurance industry accused Democrats of mounting a “fishing expedition” on Wednesday, as individual insurers decided whether to honor a request for financial records sought in a House committee’s investigation.

Details on health care legislation taking shape in Congress

WASHINGTON — Health care legislation is taking shape in the House and Senate as President Barack Obama pushes to overhaul the system to cover millions of uninsured Americans and contain rising costs. Details are still being negotiated and any final health care bill would have to meld proposals from the House and Senate. A look at various proposals: