As the presidential candidates respond to increasing economic anxiety about many issues, some of the sharpest differences in this fall’s debate are expected to involve health care. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘health care’
Proposal to drop adult SCHIP coverage sooner draws ire
Saturday, November 10th, 2007WASHINGTON – The debate over expanding the children’s health insurance program has run into another battle: the coverage of adults.
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, currently covers about 6 million people, including nearly 700,000 adults.
Negotiators in Congress who are working out details about the expansion of the decade-old initiative are considering a timetable to phase adults out of the program. (more…)
State promoting health insurance program for the working poor
Saturday, November 10th, 2007There’s a certain comfort, not to mention pride, that comes from providing for your family. That includes meeting your children’s medical needs, something Karen Brailsford wasn’t confident she could do – until recently. The mother of five is among a small number of Utahns taking advantage of an experiment to help the working poor buy health insurance. Utah’s Premium Partnership for Health (UPP) encourages low-wage workers to enroll in their employer’s insurance plan by offering a monthly rebate to help pay the premiums. Successful in other states, the year-old program has been a “life-saver” for Brailsford. But it hasn’t proved very popular. (more…)
Senate approves health insurance plan
Friday, November 9th, 2007Legislation that would expand government-funded programs to provide medical coverage to more of the state’s 800,000 uninsured residents won Senate approval today, clearing a key hurdle for the measure championed by Gov. Martin O’Malley and health advocates.
The chamber voted 30-17 for the bill; the House of Delegates is expected to act on heath care legislation in the coming days. Both versions allow more adults to be eligible for Medicaid and extend insurance premium subsidies to small businesses and their employees. It would cost more than $600 million, including federal matching funds and more than $250 million in new state revenue, when fully implemented. (more…)
DeLay: ‘No American Is Denied Health Care In America’
Friday, November 9th, 2007Speaking in the UK yesterday, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) predicted that if a Democrat is elected president in 2008, he or she would seek to install a universal health care, similar to the system in Britain. This possibility “received thunderous applause.” DeLay claimed that, under the U.S. system, “no American is denied health care”:
By the way, there’s no one denied health care in America. There are 47 million people who don’t have health insurance, but no American is denied health care in America. (more…)
Health reform negotiations moving forward in state capital
Friday, November 9th, 2007SACRAMENTO – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is moving toward a possible deal with Democrats on health care. The two sides have compromised on key issues, such as how much employers should pay toward their workers’ health coverage, although there is still significant distance between them when it comes to small businesses.
Movement came suddenly this week, after months of deadlock. On Monday, Democrats agreed to a requirement that all Californians obtain health insurance, the cornerstone of the reform plan Schwarzenegger unveiled in January. (more…)