Archive | May, 2012

Access To Health Care: Neighboring Communities Suffer Differently

“For people lacking health insurance in the Washington [D.C.] region, where they live can make all the difference in getting affordable health care,” The Washington Post reports. In the District of Columbia, the city provides tax-payer funded health insurance to many; though 10 percent of eligible adults remain uninsured, the city is actively seeking them out.

China Seeks Its Own Health Reforms

The Chinese are also trying to change their health care system, but as the United States tries to extend insurance to all, “China is simply attempting to provide a modicum of coverage for its people,” Reuters reports. The Chinese are also trying to stop the hospital system’s “reliance on peddling drugs to earn revenue.

Cao Gives Dems Lone GOP Vote For Health Overhaul

Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao, R-La., was the only Republican to support the health reform bill, just a year after becoming a minor GOP celebrity for capturing a reliably Democratic congressional district in New Orleans, Politico reports. His defection – not his first since joining the House this year – has now made him “a bit of a cult hero on the left” and a sought-after media star.

Obesity Among Other Issues Debated In Health Reform

Among other issues making news in the health care reform debate are people’s weight, benefits for homosexual partners, the debate over interstate insurance and the timeline for implementing any changes. The New York Times on the weight issue.

With House Hurdle Cleared, Democrats Reflect On Health Bill Compromises

The Washington Post: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her leadership team won a hard-fought victory on Obama’s most critical domestic policy agenda item by neutralizing the most potentially toxic political issue well in advance of the final vote, siding with centrists on their preferred version of the public option.

Opinion Pieces Address Women’s Health Issues In Health Reform Debate

Opinion pieces in two newspapers addressed women’s health issues in the health care reform debate. Summaries appear below. Anne Davis,

More Battles Lie Ahead As Health Reform Debate Swings Back To Senate

The focus of the health care reform debate is expected to shift back to the Senate this week following the passage of the House reform bill (HR 3962) on Saturday, Politico reports. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.

Employees Face Rising Health Care Costs During Open Enrollment Season

Employees are facing rising health care costs during this open enrollment season. The Virginian-Pilot reports: “This is the season when employees learn how much their health care costs will change next year. Hewitt Associates LLC, a human-resources research firm outside Chicago, estimated in a recent survey that workers would see an average 10 percent increase.

Age Rating To Continue Under Health Care Bills

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Obama Applauds House Health Bill Passage, Urges Quick Senate Action

President Obama is pressing the Senate to pass health care legislation as soon as possible. “The White House, growing concerned that the Congressional timetable for passing a health care overhaul could slip into next year, is stepping up pressure on the Senate for quick action, with President Obama appearing Sunday in the Rose Garden to call on senators to ‘take up the baton and bring this effort to the finish line,’”