2 Democrats Spearheading Health Bill Are Split (NY Times, 5/29)
A significant split has developed between the two Democratic senators leading efforts to remake the nation’s health care system. They disagree over the contours of a public health insurance plan, the most explosive issue in the debate.
Insurer’s Role Key to Health System Overhaul, CBO Says. (The Washington Post, 5/28)
In a report, the Congressional Budget Office said a government mandate requiring people to buy health insurance would not necessarily be considered a new form of federal taxation so long as people had a variety of private plans from which to choose and a government entity was not in charge of collecting their insurance premiums.
Uninsured cost families extra $1,000 in annual premiums (Baltimore Sun, 5/28)
The average family with health insurance shells out an extra $1,000 a year in premiums to pay for health care for the uninsured, a new report finds.
Massachusetts, Model for Universal Health Care, Sees Ups and Downs in Policy (NY Times, 5/28)
Despite a weakening economy, Massachusetts continued to measure gains in the share of residents who reported having a steady source of health care in 2008, its second year of near-universal coverage, a new study has found. The annual survey raised red flags regarding the ability of residents to actually use that care, with growing numbers saying they could not afford needed treatments and many reporting shortages of primary care physicians.
Good luck with that 401K! Medicare and Social Security are in terrible shape. Unfortunately, private-sector health and pension plans are doing worse (Slate, 5/23)
People in the business community often argue against expanding public health care and pension benefits, arguing that this would raise taxes and that the private sector can do a better job providing those benefits than the government. But the evidence is mounting that the private sector can’t.
Rochester family battles insurance, cancer (Democrat and Chronicle, 5/28)
Cancer is never kind and always turbulent — that much was understood. What Melanie and Glenn couldn’t justify was that trying to keep him alive would literally bankrupt them.
Racial Disparities Found Under State HealthPlans (NY Times, 5/18)
A detailed analysis of state-provided data has found racial disparities in health care among the three million New Yorkers in the state’s public insurance programs.
Buying Health Insurance Begins with Homework (NY Times, 5/15)
“When you’re self-employed, you’re straddling two distinct markets: the individual and the group market,” notes Janet Trautwein, chief executive of the National Association of Health Underwriters, an organization of health insurance agents, brokers, and consultants.
Racial Disparities in Health Plans (Crain’s Health Pulse, 5/14)
Extended health care for young adults passes in PA (philly.com, 5/13)
The State House yesterday overwhelmingly approved, 192-2, a bill that would extend health insurance coverage to dependent children up to the age of 30. The legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously in March, would allow adult children to be covered under their parents’ insurance plan. Read the bill here.
Tax health to pay for health care (SeattlePI, 5/13)
Senators are considering limiting – but not eliminating – the tax-free status of employer-provided health benefits to help pay for President Barack Obama’s plan to provide coverage to 50 million uninsured Americans.
Lessons of Medicare for the New Public Health Insurance Plan (Health Affairs Blog, 5/12)
I Support the Public Option: An Essay from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (Daily Kos, 5/11)
“I believe that by opening up a not-for-profit public health plan like a “Medicare for all,” we can ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare regardless of his or her income. In the world’s wealthiest nation, it’s unconscionable that people are turned away from coverage because of a pre-existing condition and that families are just one illness away from bankruptcy.”
Raising Women’s Voices for Health Care (Huffington Post, 5/11)
Getting mobilized on health insurance (Albany Times Union, 5/11)
Residents taking sides in the national debate.
Health Insurers Agree to End Higher Premiums for Women (NY Times, 5/6)
Insurance companies offered Tuesday to end the practice of charging higher premiums to women than to men for the same coverage.
Governor Paterson Announces Legislation to Make Timothy’s Law Permanent (5/5)
Timothy’s Law, which took effect January 1, 2007, requires insurers issuing group or school blanket health insurance policies or contracts in New York to provide a minimum of 30 inpatient days and 20 outpatient visits (30/20 benefit) for the treatment of mental health conditions. Timothy’s Law also requires large group health insurance policies (with more than 50 employees or members) to provide coverage for adults and children diagnosed with biologically based mental illnesses and children diagnosed with serious emotional disturbances at the same level of coverage as is provided for other health conditions.
Schumer Offers Middle Ground on Health Care (NY Times, 5/5)
In an effort to defuse the most explosive issue in the debate over comprehensive health care legislation, a top Senate Democrat has proposed that any new government-run insurance program comply with all the rules and standards that apply to private insurance.
The five faces to watch for in debate over care (Politico, 5/3)
A Maze of Options on Health Insurance for College Students (NY Times, 5/1)
The acceptance letters are in, decisions are being made and another horde of parents is getting ready to send children to college in the fall. Because college-age people are young and most often healthy, they’re likely to be tempted to fly without a medical safety net–here are some tips to make sure your college student has coverage.
