Saturday, August 1, 2009

In D.C.: Health-care reform clears key hurdle...

Good overview and update in the New York Times this morning:

House members headed home on Friday, leaving behind the outlines of a nearly $1 trillion health care overhaul that is sure to draw fire from a variety of interests, but also shows the beginnings of a consensus that would provide insurance for more Americans and give them new rights in dealing with insurers. Click here to read the story.

Politico tries to peer a little further into the future:

But the bill's turbulent passage widened longstanding rifts within his party, rifts that imperil his landmark push for vastly expanding health care coverage when Congress returns to session in the fall. Click here to read more.

And in Slate, there's an interesting -- really -- look at declining insurance enrollments and what it means to insurers and national health care reform. A key point, from writer Daniel Gross:

...(I)t turns out the current arrangement, through which employers are supposed to buy coverage from large insurance firms and enlist their employees to cover the costs, isn't working so well for the insurance industry, either. Click here to read Gross' piece.