Durbin
WASHINGTON — They may have a filibuster-proof 60 votes, but finding agreement among themselves is proving to be a significant obstacle as Democrats plod toward pre-Christmas passage of their health insurance overhaul.
Dispute within their ranks over the public option is well-known but reaching consensus…
[...]
Yesterday, hoping to get the jump on an already-scheduled series of announcements by Gov. Jay Nixon, Sen. Scott Rupp and Sen. Eric Schmitt, Speaker Ron Richard held a "hastily announced" conference call to express his support for autism insurance legislation, and specifically, for a bill [...]
JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Jay Nixon wants insurers to cover $72,000 a year in “life-changing therapies” for the mounting number of autistic children in the state.
Flanked by a bipartisan group of legislators, Nixon held a press conference in his Capitol…
[...]Yesterday, the American Medical Association endorsed the thrust of the Senate Democrats' health care bill. Though they objected to a tax on "elective cosmetic medical procedures" and the creation of an Independent Medicare Advisory Board, they praised its health insurance regulation and new tax credits to help low- and' [...]
Scrambling to convince the public that he's actually interested in substantive autism insurance legislation, Speaker Ron Richard tried to get a jump on the issue today:
Richard, a Republican, today touted a bill [HB 1311] filed by Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst, R-St. Louis, in a phone [...]
Richard, left, and Nixon
JEFFERSON CITY — House Speaker Ron Richard and Gov. Jay Nixon have continued their battle to be the champion of families with autistic children today, with competing announcements concerning legislation in the upcoming session of the General Assembly.
Richard, a…
[...]WASHINGTON — For recently laid-off Missourians and Illinoisans, a federal subsidy for health insurance worth about $700 per month starts to expire today.
This year, an estimated 7 million people nationwide will benefit from a subsidy that eases the cost of maintaining…
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Update: Matthew Ygelsias has a powerful graph breaking down the findings of the study.
A new analysis by MIT economist Jonathan Gruber claims that the Senate health-reform bill will "make health insurance much more affordable for individuals facing purchase in' [...]
Sen. Bond
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats looked to be on the verge of advancing legislation to overhaul the nation’s health insurance system despite spirited protests today by Missouri Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond and a unified Republican Party.
With a a key procedural vote scheduled for…
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Roy Blunt wants to make sure insurance companies can keep discriminating based pre-existing conditions.
Allen Icet promises to serve a full term if elected Auditor, and ripped Thomas Schweich (rhymes with "bike") for short-sighted, selfish thinking and empty threats.
Roy Blunt and Kit Bond want people to know [...]
Why a small business owner isn't hiring right now
Discrimination protest at P&L District this Saturday
How gay marriage could help kickstart the economy in Missouri, an in-depth look at the system of health care insurance in Switzerland, and the difficulty in finding [...]
A recurring concern within our national health care debate has been about insurance, and how to make it work for our friends that don’t want, or cannot afford, to participate. This led some of us to examine how that problem is solved elsewhere. One approach is seen in Switzerland. As [...]
Durbin
WASHINGTON — As the No. 2 Democratic leader in the Senate, Illinois’ Dick Durbin has the task of marshaling votes for the health insurance overhaul championed by his party and his president.
Sounds like he might not see success any time soon.
“We’re…
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A short dispatch from The Star's Steve Kraske, posted here in full:
Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a Republican, tweeted today that President Obama told ABC that jail time is appropriate punishment for not buying health insurance.
Lt. Gov. Peter KinderMissouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a Republican, tweeted today that President Obama told ABC that jail time is appropriate punishment for not buying health insurance.
Except that Obama didn't say that.
Callahan
WASHINGTON — Throughout the months of health care debate, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has told stories of constituents fighting insurance companies.
On Monday, Durbin shared the story of Southern Illinois University baseball coach Dan Callahan.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Durbin implored colleagues…
[...]This tweet from the News-Leader's Chad Livengood about the House Democrats' health care bill got my heart racing yesterday:
Under House health care bill, failure to buy insurance will become a felony w/ 5-year jail time: [tinyurl.com]
This makes about as much sense as saying there are new criminal penalties' [...]
By DAVE HELLING and DAVID GOLDSTEIN
The Kansas City Star
A pounded gavel, the votes, then four words: “The bill is passed.”
With that, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced narrow passage Saturday of historic legislation that would fundamentally change American health care for decades.
Democrats erupted in weary applause and cheers after a day-long [...]
