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 both the House and Senate. Details are still being negotiated and any final bill would have to meld proposals from both houses. A look at various proposals:

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