WASHINGTON -- A key Republican wants President Barack Obama to consider a more incremental approach on health care when he addresses Congress next week, while Vice President Joe Biden said the administration is still pressing for "something substantial."

Mr. Obama has long held back on the specifics he wants in health-care-overhaul legislation. In a speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, he is expected to flesh out some of those details, while stressing significant areas of agreement among lawmakers.

Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said in an interview Thursday that smaller initiatives have a better chance for success than a sweeping plan.

"It's something I've heard from my town meetings," said Mr. Grassley, a key player in negotiations on health care who has riled the White House.

Activists on both sides were gearing up for the speech. Leaders of a liberal group of House Democrats sent a letter to Mr. Obama calling on him to reiterate his support for a new public health-insurance plan to compete with private insurers. They threatened to vote against any bill lacking a "robust public option."

Conservatives plan to run new advertisements on Tuesday arguing that Democrats' health proposals contain no guarantees to prevent government from rationing health care and creating long waits for treatment. Democrats said their bills wouldn't lead to rationing or longer treatment delays.

White House allies on Capitol Hill expect the president will scale back some of his ambitions, without going as far as Republicans such as Mr. Grassley are seeking.

Backing away from the idea of a public-insurance plan could help win support from Republicans, who oppose the idea, and moderate Democrats, who have expressed concern about it. But it would irk liberals, including key backers such as labor unions, who call it a critical means of ensuring that all Americans can buy affordable health insurance.

Mr. Biden said he remains confident, despite a bruising August. "It's going to be an awful lot of screaming and hollering before we get there, but I believe we're going to get there," he said after a speech in Washington Thursday.

Democrats' health proposals would require nearly all Americans to carry health insurance, with exemptions for those who can't afford it. White House allies are watching to see whether Mr. Obama calls for a scaled-back version of that mandate.

During last year's presidential campaign, Mr. Obama opposed then-Sen. Hillary Clinton's proposal for such a mandate, arguing that it would burden low-income families. In June, Mr. Obama acknowledged that Congress was moving toward adopting a mandate, and indicated that he was open to it as long as the government granted hardship waivers to people who can't afford insurance.

Source : http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125202396087985241.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

WASHINGTON - As President Obama prepares to deliver a make-or-break address on health care to a joint session of Congress next week, he is expected to turn the focus away from controversial issues such as the “public option’’ plan and toward key areas of bipartisan agreement, including enabling anyone to buy insurance regardless of preexisting conditions, according to White House and congressional officials.

Nancy-Ann DeParle, Obama’s health care adviser, said that outrage over insurance company practices has grown so great that Congress could quickly pass legislation to fix the problem, with or without broader proposals such as requiring people to ob tain coverage.

“I don’t think there’s an appreciable portion of the American public that understands there are so many other things that are really important and for which there is a close to consensus,’’ said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. “But people don’t understand it because all they are hearing about are the controversial provisions like the public plan option.

Source : http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/09/04/obama_to_stress_common_ground_in_health_speech/

Mumbai, Sept. 3 If you buy a health insurance policy and realise that you are not agreeable with the terms and conditions then the same can be returned to the general insurance company within 15 days of subscription.

In a customer friendly move, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has introduced a 15-day free-look period for customers buying health insurance products of three years or more. The free-look facility will come into effect for all policies issued or renewed on or after October 1.

This free look period was so far offered only by life insurance companies.

The insured can return the policy within 15 days from the receipt of documents if the policyholder disagrees to any of the policy’s terms or conditions, IRDA said in a notification.

The policy holder will get a refund of the premium paid with only the expenses incurred by the insurer on medical examination of the insured person and the stamp duty charges deducted from the premium.

In cases where the policy has already come into force, the proportionate risk premium for the period on the cover will also be deducted from the premium refund.

Customers can return the policy if the specifications he wanted are missing from the policy, said Mr S.L. Mohan, Secretary General, General Insurance Council.

The free-look is only applicable on long term policies issued by general insurers, which is not very large in number, said Mr N.K. Kedia, Director, Marketing, IFFCO Tokio General Insurance.

Source : http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/09/04/stories/2009090451300600.htm