Paige Winfield Cunningham
Articles by Paige Winfield Cunningham
Supreme Court to hear health care suit in March
The Supreme Court has carved out March 26-28 to hear challenges to President Obama's Affordable Care Act, announcing Monday that it will hear oral arguments over the three-day period. Published December 19, 2011
HHS stays flexible in new guideline for states setting benefits
Announcing a preliminary guideline on the benefits that insurers must offer under the new health care law, the Obama administration surprised some health care advocates Friday by remaining vague on details, choosing instead to let states largely set their own benchmarks. Published December 18, 2011
Senate approves $1 trillion budget bill, payroll tax cut
The Senate cast its final votes for the year on Saturday morning, reaching agreement on a two-month payroll tax extension and a $1 trillion budget bill funding major government functions through September, ending a week of divide over the two bills that had led to more threats of a government shutdown. Published December 17, 2011
Administration gives states leeway on health rules
Announcing a preliminary guideline on the benefits insurers must offer under the new health care law, the Obama administration surprised some health care advocates on Friday by remaining vague on details, choosing instead to let states largely set their own benchmarks. Published December 16, 2011
GOP tries to reclaim overpayments
Looking for cash to pay for the payroll-tax cut, Republicans are trying to reclaim some of the funding going into President Obama's Affordable Care Act — a move that could make the law's signature health exchanges less attractive to the people Democrats were trying to help. Published December 15, 2011
House votes to repeal Obama’s CLASS Act
Acting with bipartisan support, a House committee Wednesday voted to repeal the CLASS Act, part of President Obama's health care law that the administration has said is unsustainable, but also said it didn't want to see ended entirely. Published November 30, 2011
Bipartisan effort launched to end earmarks
One year after the Senate rejected a moratorium on earmark spending, a bipartisan effort to permanently ban legislators from favoring pet projects is under way but faces an uncertain reception. Published November 30, 2011
No consensus among states on tack for health law
Love it or hate it, states across the country are facing a looming dilemma over whether to get to work implementing a key component of President Obama's massive health care overhaul. Published November 29, 2011
Altering health law by executive order a no-go, report says
Despite promises by Republican presidential candidates that they would gut key parts of President Obama's health care law on their first day in office, Congress' nonpartisan research agency says that trying to repeal major components of the overhaul through executive order just won't work. Published November 29, 2011
Money slated for health law gets detoured
In cash-strapped Washington, President Obama's $1 trillion health care law is presenting a tempting target for lawmakers seeking funds for other projects, as Congress last week raided the health care piggy bank for the third time in less than a year. Published November 24, 2011
Temporary Medicare, Medicaid director quits
Don Berwick is resigning his temporary appointment as director of Medicare and Medicaid at the end of next week, making way for the Obama administration to nominate a candidate with a better chance of Senate confirmation. Published November 23, 2011
Bushes plan Africa trip to spotlight health efforts
George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush are bound for Africa next month to highlight female cancers and diseases such as malaria in developing countries, advancing their plan to focus on global health in the post-presidency years. Published November 22, 2011
Obama tells insurer to reverse rate hike
The Obama administration on Monday called on a Mennonite-owned health insurance company to cancel its proposed 11.6 percent rate hike, marking the first time the government has tried to pressure a private company under the new health care law. Published November 21, 2011
FDA nixes approval of Avastin for breast cancer
The Food and Drug Administration has revoked Avastin as treatment for breast cancer, citing evidence that the controversial drug carries serious side-effects without offering demonstrable benefits. Published November 18, 2011
GOP hopefuls diverge on alternate health law
The top Republican presidential candidates have all called for repealing President Obama's health care initiative, but that unity breaks down when it comes to their plans for what should replace it. Published November 15, 2011
Republicans move to kill long-term care plan
House Republicans on Tuesday moved to strike from the books the long-term care insurance program originally included in President Obama's massive health care law, approving a bill to repeal the program even though the administration already said it was abandoning the idea as financially unworkable. Published November 15, 2011
Supreme Court will hear health care case
The Supreme Court said Monday it will take up challenges to President Obama's health care law next year, setting the stage for a ruling on the president's trademark achievement amidst his bid for reelection. Published November 14, 2011
Appeals court upholds Obama’s health care law
In a frank ruling upholding President Obama's new health care law, a federal appeals court said Tuesday the individual mandate requiring all Americans to buy health insurance encroaches on individual liberty, but is still constitutional because it allows the government to solve a national problem. Published November 8, 2011
House vote reaffirms ‘In God We Trust’
The House paused from its focus on job creation Tuesday to reaffirm the national motto "In God We Trust," making a rare return to social issues that a few lawmakers called a waste of time. Published November 1, 2011
Obama, lawmakers can’t give up special tax breaks
Even as the government's dim fiscal picture pushes all sides to try to sweat savings out of the budget and all sides say carve-outs should be on the table, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are proposing their own special breaks, known as "tax expenditures" in legislative-speak, for items such as clean energy and student-loan repayments for veterinarians. Published October 31, 2011
