Democrats approved platform draft with Sandersa imprint

Democrats approved a draft of the party platform early Saturday that includes steps to break up large Wall Street banks, advocates for a $15 an hour wage and urges the abolition of the death penalty, reflecting the influence of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Supporters of presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton defeated measures pushed by Sanders' allies that would have promoted a Medicare-for-all single-payer health care system, a carbon tax to address climate change and impose a moratorium on hydraulic fracking.

Democrats approved platform draft with Sanders’ imprint

Democrats approved a draft of the party platform early Saturday that includes steps to break up large Wall Street banks, advocates for a $15 an hour wage and urges the abolition of the death penalty, reflecting the influence of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Supporters of presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton defeated measures pushed by Sanders' allies that would have promoted a Medicare-for-all single-payer health care system, a carbon tax to address climate change and impose a moratorium on hydraulic fracking.

Candidates avoid Medicare, Social Security finance woes

The nation's framework for economic security and health care in retirement is financially unsustainable, but you wouldn't know it from listening to the presidential candidates. This week the Social Security and Medicare trustees warned of tough choices ahead to keep the two programs solvent over the long run.

National Briefs: Ryan unveils rival health plan

House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled new proposals to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law, as Speaker Paul Ryan seeks to showcase a GOP governing agenda amid the tumult of the presidential campaign. "Obamacare is fundamentally flawed," Mr. Ryan told reporters at an event rolling out the GOP plan.

Feds will use tax penalty data to find uninsured millennials

With time running out for the Obama administration to prove the success of the Affordable Care Act, officials are aggressively targeting a group that could help turn things around: young people. Federal health officials announced Tuesday they will comb tax records to find 18-34 year-olds who paid the penalty stipulated under President Barack Obama's health act for not buying health insurance and reach out to them directly with emails to urge them to avoid even higher penalties scheduled for this year.

Americans Overwhelmingly Prefer This Presidential Candidate’s Healthcare Plan, Study Shows

We're now officially less than five months away from Election Day, and voters are turning their attention to where the candidates stand on specific issues. Among the issues expected to garner a lot of attention this election season is what should be done with healthcare in America.

Senate Panel Kills Medicare Program That Offers Help On Enrollment, Billing Issues

A program that has helped seniors understand the many intricacies of Medicare as well as save them millions of dollars would be eliminated by a budget bill overwhelmingly approved last week by the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program , or "SHIP," is among more than a dozen programs left out of the bill by the committee.

California regulator urges Anthem-Cigna merger be rejected

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is urging the U.S. Department of Justice to reject Anthem Inc.'s proposed acquisition of rival insurer Cigna Corp. He says the $54 billion transaction would likely lead to lower quality health care and more expensive coverage. He says Anthem would control more than half the health insurance market in 28 counties.

June 4: Beth Israel, bathrooms and baseball

Manhattan: Re your May 29 editorial "Prescription for Bill": Though there has been much discussion about the proposed restructuring of Beth Israel Hospital, absent from the discussion to date is an answer to this simple and self-evident question: If Mount Sinai is committed to this transformation to outpatient care at its facilities, including a reconfigured Beth Israel, who is geographically poised to meet the inpatient needs of this community? The obvious answer geographically is Bellevue Hospital Center - and that should add even more urgency to solving the funding crisis that New York Health + Hospitals finds itself in. According to the most recent data, 57.25% of Beth Israel patients are either uninsured or recipients of Medicaid.

Zika highlights Puerto Rico’s fiscal woes

Puerto Rico is facing three converging crises demanding congressional attention: hundreds of cases of Zika, a $72 billion fiscal disaster and growing financial concerns about its Medicaid program. As lawmakers consider a $1.1 billion package to combat the spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus that causes birth defects, the territory's long-standing problems with funding its joint federal-state health insurance program for the poor are coming to a head.