If the Senate health bill becomes law, the government will start a program to help Americans get insurance coverage for nursing home care. The private insurance industry scoffs at the notion that the government can pull this off. Full story »

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, the government could use its size to negotiate lower payments to doctors and hospitals, who in turn might demand eventually that private firms make up that difference -- forcing hikes in enrollees' premiums.  Full story »

The bill introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would cut what the government says are excess subsidies from Medicare Advantage. But the cuts would not be as deep as those proposed by the House of Representatives. Full story »

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus of Montana has predicted his committee will pass the $829 billion health care reform plan he has spent months drafting. But even if Baucus gets his way, health care reform legislation faces many more hurdles.  Full story »

Health-care reform bills would shield consumers — even those with insurance — from sky-high personal expenses. But there are exceptions. Full story »

A parliamentary maneuver may allow Senate Democrats facing a possible filibuster to pass their overhaul plan with a simple majority vote. But leaders say that would be a worst-case scenario. Full story »

Q: Is it true that the proposed health care reform plans won't actually take effect until 2013? I realize planning is required, but if this is true, what's the rush to get the bill signed? A: If any of the bills currently before Congress become law, some reforms would take effect promptly while others would be put off for... Full story »

Q: President Barack Obama said in his speech to Congress on Wednesday night that he wants high-risk insurance pools to help certain people in advance of insurance reforms that would not kick in until 2013. How would these pools work? A: Details must be worked out with Congress, and this is an area where variations could easily emerge. If... Full story »

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's address to Congress this week guaranteed that the debate over health-care reform is far from over -- August was just a warm-up -- and immediate responses from lawmakers showed little movement on the partisan map. Still, the president offered some new proposals while trying to reinvigorate his health-insurance platform. He also presented a new price... Full story »

Q: I am a senior on Medicare Advantage and I like my plan, which covers some services not provided by traditional Medicare. But President Obama has said that he will eliminate Medicare Advantage to pay for his health care overhaul, which means I must go to a new plan. Does that mean I will have to pay the 20 percent... Full story »

Q: Will there be anything in the health-care bill to encourage young physicians to go into primary care? A: All health-care bills under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate contain incentives to encourage more medical students to go into primary-care fields like internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine and geriatrics, where physicians handle patients' routine checkups and... Full story »

Q: Is it true that if I lose my job I will not lose my health insurance under the reform plans? A: Currently, people who lose their jobs for reasons other than gross misconduct can use COBRA to retain their health insurance, provided their old employer had 20 or more workers. COBRA is a catchy acronym for the 1986... Full story »

Q: As a 55-year-old retired public servant, our family pays $600 per month for health insurance. We receive a $300 benefit in lowered premiums. Without the benefit, we would pay about $900. There is a $1,500 deductible for each of us, then a maximum $2,500 out-of-pocket expense before the insurance pays the rest. How does the current proposed legislation help... Full story »

Q: Lots of terms are being thrown around in the health care debate. What do they mean? A: CHIP: The Children's Health Insurance Program, a federal-state program that provides health care coverage for uninsured low-income children who are not eligible for Medicaid. The federal government matches state spending for the program, but federal funds are capped. Doughnut hole: Medicare... Full story »

Q: If the president's health-care overhaul extends Medicaid to more people, won't that drive up expenses for states? Is this a new unfunded mandate from Washington? A: You raise a concern shared by governors and state legislators, all waiting to see how Medicaid expansion would play out. Many share President Barack Obama's goal of covering more people, but they... Full story »