The U.S. Senate’s Democratic majority twice failed in its attempts Dec. 4 to extend Bush era tax cuts to people they described as middle-class Americans.

The U.S. Senate fell six votes short today (Nov. 30) in its bid to repeal the federal health reform law’s provision requiring businesses to report on 1099 tax forms anyone to whom they pay $600 or more in a year.

The U.S. Senate delayed for 30 days a proposed 23% cut in Medicare reimbursement payments to doctors that was scheduled to go into effect Dec. 1. The House is expected to vote on and pass the legislation by Nov. 30.

As reported by the New York Times, it’s no accident that President Obama will star in a dog-and-pony show this week to announce that Medicare will send $250 to seniors …  Read →

Facing a June 1 deadline for hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers to start footing the full cost for their health insurance, Congress has pitched a new plan to extend subsidies through the end of the year.

As part of a larger unemployment insurance benefits bill, the U.S. Senate approved an extension of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) through Dec. 31.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski joined a bipartisan effort to introduce an amendment to the Senate’s proposed health care reform bill, requiring all health plans to cover women’s preventive care, including mammograms and cervical cancer screenings.

After months of debate, Senate Democrats unveiled a comprehensive health reform bill that the president dubbed a “critical milestone,” but Senate Republicans warned is far from perfect.

Congress is in a state of confusion when it comes to what role states should play in insurance regulation. On one hand, Congress wants states to make a key decision …  Read →

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee approved its plan for health care reform, the last of five proposals before Congress.