Julie Rovner

Congress holds hearings to determine how the nation wound up facing a shortage of influenza vaccine. About 40 million doses -- roughly half the anticipated U.S. supply -- were impounded in Great Britain amid fears they were contaminated with bacteria. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

During a campaign stop in the battleground state of Missouri, President Bush faces criticisms over the new Medicare prescription-drug discount card. Critics say the program is too confusing and unlikely to attract those it could benefit the most -- low-income seniors. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has published the first peer-reviewed study of an abortion procedure Congress banned last year. The study has the potential to shift the debate over the law. Contrary to claims by opponents in Congress, the study finds the procedure is no more dangerous than others used in the second trimester of pregnancy. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Confusion continues to grow over Medicare's discount-drug program, which had its official start Monday. The new plan provides seniors with a choice of discount drug cards, but reports arose late last week that many of the discounts listed on the government's Web site were not accurate. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

The number of Americans without health insurance grows in 2002 to almost 44 million. It's the biggest increase in a decade. The Census Bureau report says rising insurance costs and increased unemployment are behind the jump. Hear NPR's Julie Rovner and Princeton University health economist Uwe Reinhardt.

Senate lawmakers begin discussions on a bill to add a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program. The plan would pay about a third of the $3,000 a year that the average senior spends on prescription drugs. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

A Senate panel will unveil the details of a bipartisan plan that provides prescription drug coverage to Medicare recipients and calls for the creation of new private health plans. Supporters say the new plans will provide better and more cost-effective health care, but critics say Congress should find ways to add new benefits to the traditional Medicare program instead. Hear NPR's Julie Rovner.

President Bush's budget proposal calls for significant changes to Medicare and Medicaid.

The Bush administration is developing a new plan to add prescription drug coverage to Medicare. This time, it's likely the new coverage will be connected to sweeping reform of the Medicare system -- including a look at what role managed care might play. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Thirty years after the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, the abortion debate continues. The White House focuses on curbing abortions abroad and on giving stronger legal rights to fetuses, while Democrats blast the Bush administration on its abortion rights record. NPR's Julie Rovner and Mara Liasson report.