http://www.oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-01-08-00280.pdf

Provides information about appeals made by beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage health plans. Reports that MAOs make the vast majority of organization determinations in favor of beneficiaries but that fewer than 1 in 10 adverse determinations were appealed. From the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st266/stat266.pdf

Discusses both changes in health insurance offers by private sector employers and changes in enrollment by their employees from 1998 to 2008. Reports that the percentage of eligible employees who chose to enroll in health insurance plans fell from 85.3% in 1998 to 78.7% in 2008. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st265/stat265.pdf

Describes trends in access to health care over a ten year period for those in poverty or without health insurance. Reports that the percentage of the population with a usual source of medical care slipped from 82% in 1996 to 80% in 2006 and that the decline was concentrated among those without health insurance. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10641/10-09-Tort_Reform.pdf

Attempts to estimate medical cost savings based on both lowered medical malpractice insurance premiums and reduced use of diagnostic tests and other forms of defensive health care to avoid potential exposure to lawsuits. Estimates that about $11 billion in medical costs in 2009 might have been saved if tort reform proposals like those in the illustration had been enacted. From the Congressional Budget Office.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur200909.pdf

Reports that 44.9 million persons of all ages or 14.9% were uninsured during January-March 2009. Also reports that 57 million persons or 19% had been uninsured for at least part of the year prior to the survey. Provides statistics on lack of insurance coverage by demographic and economic characteristics. From the National Center for Health Statistics.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10642/10-7-Baucus_letter.pdf

Estimates that adoption of the Max Baucus sponsored Senate health reform plan would result in a net reduction in federal budget deficits of $81 billion over the 2010-2019 period. Also provides estimates of the change in the number of nonelderly people in the U.S. who would have health insurance under the proposed bill. From the Congressional Budget Office.

http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2009-22504_PI.pdf

Federal Register notice about interim final rules in partial implementation of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008. Prohibits group health plans, health insurance companies, and issuers of Medicare Supplemental policies from discriminating based on genetic information and from collecting such information. From the Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies.

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st261/stat261.pdf

Full title: Offer Rates, Take-Up Rates, Premiums, and Employee Contributions for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance in the Private Sector for the 10 Largest Metropolitan Areas The report compares these values to national averages for the private sector. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st260/stat260.pdf

Provides a summary of the attitudes adults have regarding the need for health insurance coverage and its cost over the time period 2006-2007. Reports that 11% of adults agreed with the statement that they were healthy and didn't need health insurance. 25% of adults agreed that health insurance is not worth the money it costs. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/medicare/index.html

Presents the Obama administration's explanation for how proposed health care reform will improve the Medicare program for senior citizens. From the Department of Health and Human Services.

http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/docs/final-hc-report092009.pdf

Argues that one-time snapshots of the number of uninsured Americans understate the magnitude of the problem and that over a ten year span nearly half (48%) of non-elderly Americans go without health insurance coverage at some point and would benefit from measures enhancing coverage for the uninsured. From the Treasury Department.