Health Care Reform
President Barack Obama signed the sweeping federal health care overhaul into law on March 23, 2010, but the debate over it is as fierce as ever. Congress designed this framework for revamping the nation's health care system to phase in over the next decade. Over that time, it's expected to expand health insurance coverage to more than 30 million additional Americans; help consumers better understand and compare health insurance policies; require insurers to cover pre-existing conditions; require insurers to spend at least 80 percent of their premium dollars on health care; and help fill a gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors.
The law has drawn fire from critics who argue it does little to control the soaring costs of health care. They also contend that the law is unconstitutional because it requires all Americans to purchase health care insurance. It's likely the U.S. Supreme Court will settle that legal question.
Meanwhile, public attitudes about the law remain divided as well. Depending on the poll, Americans are split or a majority favors its repeal.
Writer: Elizabeth Stawicki
- Minn. insurance exchange changes hands
Gov. Mark Dayton is shifting responsibility for developing a key part of the federal health care law -- an insurance exchange -- from the Department of Commerce to Minnesota Management and Budget.September 18, 2012 - Business groups frustrated over lack of information on health exchange
Officials representing Minnesota health insurance agents and brokers are worried state officials are implementing the health reform law in ways that will hurt their business.September 4, 2012 - New Medicaid payment method will save money, MN officials say
Minnesota is the first state in the nation to receive federal approval for a new way of paying for health care in its Medicaid program.August 9, 2012 - Governors aside, feds building health care markets
Don't look now: The feds may be gaining on GOP governors who've balked at carrying out a key part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law.August 7, 2012 - 'No-cost' birth control starts today
Beginning today, most new and renewing health insurance plans must begin offering a broad array of women's preventive health services, most notably coverage of birth control, at no upfront cost.August 1, 2012 - Report: 7 percent of Minnesota children lack health insurance
The state was the only one in the country where researchers found the number of kids covered by health insurance has fallen.July 25, 2012 - Opponents push for health law's return to court
Some conservative scholars believe they may have discovered a flaw that could send the law back to court, or at least cause some big problems for its implementation.July 18, 2012 - States rejecting health care reform face downside
For Gov. Rick Perry, saying "no" to the federal health care law could also mean turning away up to 1.3 million Texans, nearly half the uninsured people who could be newly eligible for coverage in his state.July 17, 2012 - Firm chosen to build tech side of Minn. insurance exchanges
The state Commerce Department has chosen a Virginia company to build the technical part of its health insurance exchange.July 16, 2012 - Repealing Obama's health care law wouldn't be easy
Any realistic effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act is sure to get jumbled together with lots of other issues, including Medicare, taxes, food stamps and defense spending.July 16, 2012 - Dayton moves ahead with health exchange
The Dayton Administration has been working to create the exchange over the past ten months. The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last month upholding the federal health care law gave supporters more incentive to move forward.July 11, 2012 - Amid debate and uncertainty over health care, Mayo expands
There's a lot of jockeying for position in the health care market as medical centers prepare to implement the provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act.July 10, 2012 - Romney, Obama both squirm over health care 'tax'
It looks like a tax, smells like a tax, and the Supreme Court says it must be a tax. But politicians in both parties are squirming over how to define the Thing.July 3, 2012 - Fact Check: Health care reform
In promoting the health care law, President Barack Obama is repeating his persistent and unsubstantiated assurance that Americans who like their health insurance can simply keep it. Republican rival Mitt Romney says quite the opposite, but his doomsday scenario is a stretch.July 2, 2012 - Transcript: Mitt Romney reacts to health care ruling
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's response to Thursday's Supreme Court decision to uphold President Barack Obama health care law, as transcribed by Roll Call:June 28, 2012
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