Children's Health Bill Headed to Floor

A major legislative package that would overhaul and expand a children's health insurance program is headed to the House floor after an exhausting two days of parliamentary maneuvering in a pair of committees. Read more »

House Dems Say SCHIP Plan Would Cover Five Million More Uninsured Children

House Democrats unveiled a $90 billion legislative package that would expand a children's health program by cutting Medicare payments to private insurers and raising tobacco taxes, including a 45-cent-a-pack increase in the federal tax on cigarettes. Read more »

Kids' Health Gets Political

President Bush summoned six health care experts reflecting conservative and liberal views to the Oval Office to discuss a popular program that provides health coverage to children from poor families and to think out loud about how to cover more uninsured people. Read more »

Premier Launches Hospital Quality Project

Premier Inc., a hospital consortium, announced a three-year program aimed at improving hospital quality and reducing costs. Read more »

Reports Find Medicaid Citizenship Regulations Causing Coverage Disruptions, Higher Costs

New Medicaid citizenship documentation requirements have caused a drop in Medicaid coverage nationwide for eligible individuals—including U.S. citizens—and have increased the program's administrative costs rather than saving money, according to two reports. Read more »

Study: Cost of Health Insurance Still a Concern for Massachusetts Residents

Massachusetts' attempt to establish nearly universal health coverage may be limited by the costliness of health care, which threatens to discourage individuals and small business from participating, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change. Read more »