March 26, 2010

Obama coming to
Portland area April 1

By John Richardson jrichardson@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

President Obama plans to visit the Portland area April 1 to take part in an event focusing on the health care reform law he signed this week, according to U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.

click image to enlarge

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about health care reform at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, Thursday. He will travel to Portland, Maine, and Boston on April 1.

AP

Pelosi sends final piece of health bill to Obama

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is marking her 70th birthday by sending to President Barack Obama the final piece of legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system.

The measure contains fixes to the sweeping health bill that Obama signed into law on Tuesday, including better benefits for seniors and low-income families.

Pelosi praised the legislation during an enrollment ceremony, the last procedure before a bill goes to the president.

The legislation includes a far-reaching transformation of college education aid, taking away the middleman role of banks in federal student loans and putting the government in charge. The savings will increase Pell Grants to needy students and make it easier for many college graduates to repay loans.
 

Obama is making campaign-like stops around the country to tout the new law, which will be phased in over the next several years.

Some of the more immediate changes, such as forbidding insurance companies from dropping sick subscribers, are already law in Maine. The Obama administration also recently cited the proposed 23 percent rate increase for some Mainers who buy their own insurance as evidence that the reform was needed.

No further details about the visit were available.

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