Hospitals, insurers fight bid to ease penalties in health bill

Hospitals and insurance companies are pushing back against changes to the latest Senate healthcare bill that ease the penalties for Americans who don't carry health insurance. Hospitals say the changes leave too few people covered under the bill—a shortfall that could undermine a cost-cutting pledge by the industry. Chip Kahn, president of the Federation of American Hospitals, said the deal was based on lawmakers passing a bill that would leave 94% to 95% of Americans with health insurance.