– President Obama pledged Tuesday night to cure Americans from what he called “the crushing cost of health costs,” saying the country could not afford to put health-care reform on hold.
“This is a cost that now causes a bankruptcy in America every 30 seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes,” Obama said in his speech to a joint session of Congress.
Obama pointed to the increasing number of uninsured Read the rest of this entry »

With February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month upon them, academic, industry and government leaders can point to improvements. They formed a Dental Action Committee that has won aid for local health centers; streamlined the Medicaid program; and sent hygienists into the community to provide screenings. They’ve been gaining commitments from dentists to treat poor children. They worry, however, that the bad economy will set back efforts and Read the rest of this entry »

It just got a little easier to find health-care services closer to home.
On Thursday, the Ontario government launched two new initiatives to improve access to health care, and hopefully relieve stress on the province’s emergency rooms.
Health Care Connect aims to help people find a family health-care provider.
Dr. Mark Mensour, emergency department lead with the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), said the program aims Read the rest of this entry »

Pain, Suffering, and Early Death
, provisions have been tucked into the Obama s
timulus package that would, in effect, take the ability of making medical decisions away from doctors and grant them to the federal government.
provisions of the Obama stimulus package would create a national database that would track every person’s medical records, including
they are taking and treatments they are receiving. This, so far, is actually a good thing. Read the rest of this entry »

When the UAW and the Detroit Three agreed to create a health-care trust in 2007, the move was heralded as a victory for the automakers, who would get to wipe billions of dollars in liabilities off their money-losing balance sheets at a huge discount.
But now, just two years later, the VEBA, which stands for voluntary employee beneficiary association, has become a major sticking point for the union and automakers as they try to finalize a deal that Read the rest of this entry »

Re “U.S. to Study Effectiveness of Treatments” (front page, Feb. 16):
Well-intentioned people differ about the role of the federal government in health care, but who can argue about the need for transparency?
My article, which you referred to, called the public’s attention to numerous health provisions in the stimulus bill that had nothing to do with jump-starting the economy.
These changes will affect all of us, at the least Read the rest of this entry »

I am fortunate to be the longest serving Member in the history of the United States House of Representatives. I’ve been a witness, a participant, and a leader in some historical and important moments in our country’s history, including the civil rights movement and the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act, the 1973 Endangered Species Act, and Medicare in 1965. Yet I believe today we face one of the most important decisions in our Nation’s Read the rest of this entry »

10:17 PM CST on Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Texas Medical Association said Wednesday that a survey of doctors found that health insurers and government bureaucracy are hurting their ability to care for patients.
The survey of 850 Texas doctors underscores core problems with the health care system: Doctors are struggling to get paid and insurers are wrestling to keep costs under control.
The area’s largest insurers Read the rest of this entry »

SEIU head Andy Stern predicts quick action on health care, card-check
Andrew Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, visited USA TODAY this morning and said he expects action soon on two top SEIU priorities: health care reform and a bill that would make it easier for workers to form unions.
SEIU, with 2 million members in health care and other fields, is the country’s largest and fastest growing union. Stern said its top Read the rest of this entry »

Still, Paterson noted the deficit reduction plan sliced the 2009-10 deficit by $800 million, largely through the Power Authority money and higher insurance fees and tuition.
The plan was the fourth round of cuts to this year’s $121.7-billion budget since its adoption on April 9. Faced with declining revenue from Wall Street, Paterson has twice trimmed state agencies and reached agreement with lawmakers in August on $427 million in savings.
“These Read the rest of this entry »