What’s going on with Health Care Reform?

If you’re anything like me, you might be a tad bit overwhelmed with the news about health care reform. It is THE issue on the Obama agenda and Congress has been working away at their various plans for months.
It’s hard to keep up with all the news about amendments, single payer, etc. Here is a round up of some health care related links to get you up to speed on what’s going on.
First, tonight at 8pm EST Obama will be addressing the nation with a press conference that is likely to be centered on urging support for health care reform.
Abortion funding within health care reform continues to be a hot button issue. Jos wrote about this action alert a few weeks ago, and now Dana Goldstein has more on the Moderate Democrats opposing abortion funding.
Chris Hayes at The Nation puts the health care fight in perspective: “If there’s going to be a pivot onto a new path of progress this is it.”
The National Women’s Law Center has this graphic explaining the process and timeline for health care reform. They are predicting having a bill on Obama’s desk by October. You can download an expanded version of the graphic here.

If you’re interested in the topic I wrote about at TAP a few weeks ago, the efforts of Certified Professional Midwives to get recognized in the health care reform process, read this article at RH Reality Check. Amie Newman shares that the American College of Nurse Midwives is officially opposing their attempts.
Advocates of single-payer gained a small win last week, with an amendment co-sponsored by Kucinich that could open that door. John Nichols at The Nation has more on this, including the perspective that Canada didn’t actually start with a single-payer system.
Comprehensive sex ed won inclusion in one of the health care reform bills being considered. RH Reality Check has the details.
For a great weekly update on health care reform check out the Media Consortium’s health care Weekly Pulse, written by Lindsay Beyerstein and always cross-posted on the community blog!
UPDATE: Senator Durbin just admitted that a vote on health care reform before the August recess is unlikely.