Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Thirty-seven percent of low-income people and 22 percent of middle income people with private coverage spend more than 10 percent of their household income on health care, compared with 8 percent of high-income people. (Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality) | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $47,484,595,922 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured. Under the Microscope SECRETARY SEBELIUS: TIME TO FINISH THE JOB Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a video this week reiterating the President’s message to Congress in the State of the Union Address last week that it’s time to get health insurance reform passed. She states that both the House and Senate bills are strong: they would end insurance company abuse, cover tens of millions more people, slow rising premiums costs, and lower the deficit by as much as one trillion dollars over the next two decades. Watch the Secretary’s video.
Health Care Headlines Stalled Health Care Bill Leaves Drug Makers in Regulatory Limbo
With the possible demise of health care legislation, getting back to business as usual may not be the best thing for the nation’s drug makers. [New York Times, 2/5/2010] Anthem Blue Cross Dramatically Raising Rates for Californians with Individual Health Policies
California's largest for-profit health insurer is moving to dramatically raise rates for customers with individual policies, setting off a furor among policyholders and prompting state insurance regulators to investigate. [L.A. Times, 2/5/2010] Seniors Aren’t Getting Vital Vaccinations, Study Finds
The report, "Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives," says that millions of Americans forgo routine vaccinations for preventable diseases. Some 40,000 to 50,000 adults die every year as a result. [McClatchy Newspapers, 2/4/2010]
Read the report. Millions More Children Added To Medicaid, CHIP Rolls In 2009
Just because Congress hasn't passed a health overhaul bill doesn't mean there hasn't been any expansion of health coverage. [Kaiser Health News, 2/4/2010] Illinois Court Nullifies Medical Malpractice Caps
The top court in President Obama's home state just struck down a law that capped malpractice awards against doctors and hospitals. [NPR, 2/4/2010] OPINION: We Can't Turn Away From Health Care Reform
Rep. Frank Pallone
The goal of health care reform is rather simple: to insure those who don’t have coverage, to hold down costs for those who do, and to abolish the abuses of the insurance industry. [The Star-Ledger, 2/5/2010] OPINION: What Happens If Nothing Happens to Change U.S. Health Care?
By Candy Sagon
Whether older Americans think the latest health care reform bill belongs on the “Do not resuscitate” list, or they still hope that it can be taken off life support and recover, few dispute one key point: Ignoring the growing problems of health care will only make it worse. [AARP Bulletin, 2/5/2010] OPINION: Obama's Struggle with Health-Care Reform Echoes Clintons' Failure In 1994
By Abigail Trafford
Obamacare in trouble? I've seen this story before. It may not end in the way the Clinton effort imploded in 1994. But a look back helps answer this question: How does health-care reform go from being an apple pie issue with voters to a lightning rod for discontent? [Washington Post, 2/5/2010] | 