health care debate

GOP leaders will plead for the benefits of repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, bringing arguments and numbers to support their viewpoint, while House Democrats will continue their counterpush, throwing very different numbers at the American public.

As health-care costs skyrocket, the ranks of uninsured Americans are growing at their fastest rate ever. A new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finds that 50.7 million people, or 16.7% of the population, had no health coverage in 2009, up from 46.4 million, or 15.4%, in 2008.

An survey of 11 industrialized nations finds adults in the U.S. are by far the most likely to go without health care or skip filling a prescription because of costs, due to a high-cost health care system that lags behind those of other modern countries.

Senate Democrats have lined up the 60 votes they need to pass sweeping health-care reform, and they're set to vote on the bill on Christmas Eve. The Senate version will extend health insurance coverage to over 30 million Americans and also reduce the federal deficit.

Depending on the party, there's a lot of talk about what should or shouldn't fall under the health care reform umbrella. And depending on who you talk to, a few items the Senate wants covered may -- or may not -- be beneficial to Americans. The "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" --...