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missouri news
St. Louis Beacon: For many rural Missourians, you just can't get to health care from here, 8/16/09
Every Monday morning, primary health care arrives on a bus in Oran, a town of 1,264 in southeast Missouri that hasn't had a doctor for at least 15 years, or maybe 30, depending on who you ask.
St. Louis Beacon: For many rural Missourians, you just can't get to health care from here, Part 2, 8/18/09
Lesley O'Daniel, a nurse who works in rural Missouri, shook her head as she contemplated the nation's emotional debate over health-care reform.
Springfield News-Leader: Health care reform debate about more than catch phrases, 8/16/09
Through the storm of words and catchphrases that fly in the name of "health care reform," there are real people.
national news
New York Times: Alternate plan as health option muddies debate, 8/18/09
The White House has indicated that it could accept a nonprofit health care cooperative as an alternative to a new government insurance plan. But the co-op idea is so ill defined that no one knows exactly what it would look like or how effectively it would compete with commercial insurers.
Los Angeles Times: Health coverage for all, and what that means, 8/16/09
A centerpiece of President Obama's healthcare agenda -- and of the bills being developed on Capitol Hill -- is extending insurance to all Americans. Here is a rundown of the basics about what health coverage looks like now and what may change.
NPR: What health overhaul means for you, 8/14/09
How exactly would new health care overhaul legislation affect you? Click on the category below that best fits your situation and see what the major proposals currently before Congress would mean for you.
Washington Post: Deficit plays into health reform, 8/14/09
With polls showing rising concern over the government's grim financial situation, key Republicans and a growing number of Democrats say it will be hard to push an ambitious health reform bill through Congress unless it reduces projected federal spending on medical care and begins to bring the national debt under control.
The latest news is available at
www.CoverMissouri.org
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cover missouri feature
A Frank Discussion on Health Care Reform
Part II - Where are we in the process?
Congress has been drafting bills to reform health insurance and to address making health care more affordable. Currently, there is no single health care bill moving through Congress. Proposed legislation is being drafted in both the House and the Senate.
Where are the bills in the legislative process?
Three committees in the House have drafted health reform proposals. One Senate committee has drafted a proposal, and a second committee will resume working on a proposal when they return from the August recess on September 8.
The three House drafts will need to be merged into a single bill before going to the House floor for debate. The full House will have an opportunity to debate the bill and offer amendments prior to voting on it. A similar process will also take place in the Senate. For more on the legislative process, click here.
When will there be a final bill? When will I know what is and is not included?
It is not clear how long this process will take. We should have a better idea of what will be included in health reform after merged bills are sent to the House and Senate for debate.
How can I be heard on health reform?
You can talk with your friends and neighbors to clarify some of the misinformation about health reform.
You can speak with or write to your Representative and Senators about which health reforms you think are needed and questions you want answered. Your Representatives and Senators should be in Missouri through Labor Day weekend.
Learn more
FactCheck provides non-partisan analysis of commercials, speeches, and questions from the public on health reform.
Frequently Asked Questions about U.S. Health System Reform provides a basic overview of health reform issues.
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