Category: Health

Paul Ryan: ‘We are hosed’ if we don’t tackle entitlements like Medicare

President Donald Trump ran on a vow to not cut benefits for Medicare, but House Speaker Paul Ryan said he thinks that is still an “open question.” “From all my conversations with the President, he says ‘I don’t want to change Medicare benefits for people in or near retirement,’ and we agree with that,” the Wisconsin Republican told reporters in his Capitol suite Tuesday morning.

Trump urges insurers to work together to “save Americans from Obamacare”

President Donald Trump met with major health insurers Monday morning, in the midst of intensifying public pressure to preserve the law and political divisions over how to best dismantle and replace former President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement, the Affordable Care Act. The meeting included leaders from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Anthem, Kaiser Permanente and the industry lobbying group, America’s Health Insurance Plans.

Cost of the Cadillac: The Obamacare story reporters are missing

In the deluge of recent media stories about who will lose if Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act , one crucial provision has received short shrift from journalists: the so-called Cadillac tax, written into the law as a way to raise money for government subsidies for the uninsured. The Cadillac tax, which will affect nearly everyone with employer-sponsored coverage when it takes effect in 2020, is currently the target of bipartisan repeal efforts.

Report warns of gaps if federal health care dollars are cut

A sobering report to governors about the potential consequences of repealing the Obama-era health care law warns that federal spending cuts probably would create funding gaps for states and threaten many people with the loss of insurance coverage. The Affordable Care Act has two main components for expanding coverage: subsidized private health insurance available in all 50 states, and an optional Medicaid expansion that has been accepted by 31 states and the District of Columbia.

Report: State money fallout from law repeal

A sobering report to governors about the potential consequences of repealing the Obama-era health care law warns that federal spending cuts probably would create funding gaps for states and threaten many people with the loss of insurance coverage. The Affordable Care Act has two main components for expanding coverage: subsidized private health insurance available in all 50 states, and an optional Medicaid expansion that has been accepted by 31 states and the District of Columbia.

Democrats: GOP Medicaid reform plan is really about tax cuts

Tensions emerged Saturday between Democratic and Republican U.S. governors over a GOP-led proposal for a major overhaul to Medicaid, with Democrats saying the changes would take away people’s health coverage to finance tax cuts for the wealthy. GOP governors intend to present Congress with a plan that they say would give states more flexibility to administer health coverage for poorer residents while protecting states from absorbing the costs of repealing the Affordable Care Act.

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Tosher, like countless other Americans, likes the subsidized healt… . In this Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, photograph, Vicki Tosher, a breast cancer patient, is shown outside her home in the south Denver suburb of Englewood, Colo.

GOP proposal aims to end insurance mandate in ‘Obamacare’

A draft Republican bill replacing President Barack Obama ‘s health care law would end its Medicaid expansion, scrap fines on people not buying insurance and eliminate taxes on the medical industry and higher earners. Instead, it would create tax credits worth up to $4,000, allow bigger contributions to personal health savings accounts and impose a new levy on expensive health coverage some employees get at work.

Leaked ObamaCare bill would defund Planned Parenthood

A leaked draft of the ObamaCare repeal bill from House Republicans would defund Planned Parenthood, fulfilling their long-held goal cutting off federal money to the organization. Specifically, the language in the draft would block Planned Parenthood, and other health organizations that provide abortions, from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for a year.

House Democrats’ listening post in Decorah Saturday

Iowa House Democratic Leader Mark Smith and State Representative Abby Finkenauer of Dubuque will visit Decorah for a legislative listening post Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Decorah Public Library. Representatives Smith and Finkenauer will listen to local concerns regarding the recent efforts of House Republicans including State Representative Mike Bergan, State Representative Jane Bloomingdale and State Representative Kristi Hager to lower Iowa’s minimum wage, underfund public schools, raise property taxes and close down women’s health clinics, Smith said.

Bankrate glossary: Medicaid

Medicaid is a government-sponsored health program designed to ensure that low-income citizens receive quality health care. It caters to over 72.5 million U.S. citizens, including children, senior citizens, parents, pregnant women and people with disabilities.

Scientists Identify Chain Reaction That Shields Breast Cancer Stem Cells From Chemotherapy

Working with human breast cancer cells and mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins say they have identified a biochemical pathway that triggers the regrowth of breast cancer stem cells after chemotherapy. The regrowth of cancer stem cells is responsible for the drug resistance that develops in many breast tumors and the reason that for many patients, the benefits of chemo are short-lived.

It turns out Obamacare has staying power

House Speaker Paul Ryan listens to questions from reporters during news conference on Feb. Questions included the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. What’s the holdup, House Republicans? During the Obama administration, you passed literally dozens of bills to repeal all or part of the Affordable Care Act – knowing that none had any chance of being signed into law.

AARP seeks to protect Medicare

AARP has launched a campaign to protect Medicare in the face of proposals by some in Congress that would hurt West Virginians who have paid into the program their entire working lives, AARP officials said in a news release. Congressional proposals to change Medicare into a voucher system would dramatically increase health care costs and risks for current and future retirees, AARP said.

Three ways Republicans want to replace Obamacare

House GOP members met Thursday to hear more from committee leaders about efforts to replace the massive health reform law. In a presentation, Representatives Greg Walden of Oregon and Kevin Brady of Texas explained how the party wants to overhaul America’s health care system through the use of tax credits, health savings accounts and changes to Medicaid funding, among other measures.

GOP bill would allow states to defund Planned Parenthood

The House voted Thursday to make it easier for states to deny federal family-planning funds to groups such as Planned Parenthood that also perform abortions. A rule imposed by the Obama administration says that states cannot deny funding to clinics for reasons unrelated to their ability to provide basic family planning services.

Emerging GOP plan would replace parts of Obamacare as it’s repealed

Developing House Republican legislation to repeal the 2010 health care law would also include replacement provisions that are controversial among GOP rank and file, like a refundable tax credit to help individuals purchase insurance and a plan for dealing with Medicaid expansion. Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden, and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady on Thursday presented to the Republican Conference their vision for a “repeal plus” health care bill that would undo most of the Affordable Care Act and set up some pieces of a yet undeveloped Republican replacement.

Aetna, Humana call off $34 billion deal

Aetna and Humana called off a $34 billion proposal to combine the two major health insurers after a federal judge, citing antitrust concerns, shot down the deal. The announcement Tuesday comes several days after another federal judge rejected a tie-up between two other massive insurers.

Editorial: Kansas should expand Medicaid

Kansas is one of only 19 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and it’s long past time for the Legislature to extend health coverage to 150,000 low-income Kansans by passing House Bill 2064. After three days of testimony from advocates and opponents of expansion in front of the House Health and Human Services Committee, one thing is clear: There are far too many uninsured Kansans who have to live with the grim knowledge that any serious health issue could ruin them.

Even If You Expect Obamacare To Be Repealed, Don’t Skip Paying Tax Penalty Now

As Republicans move to overhaul the health law, should people bother paying the penalty for not having health insurance when they file their taxes this year? Or will they be able to sign up on the exchange for 2018 after their COBRA benefits end? I didn’t have health insurance for part of last year and thought I’d get stuck paying a penalty. Now the new administration is talking about not enforcing the insurance requirement.

NFL concussion hearing Wednesday to be aired live online

A federal judge in Philadelphia will live-stream a hearing Wednesday in the NFL concussion case so retired players can learn what’s ahead as the estimated $1 billion settlement rolls out this year. The NFL this week is moving the first $65 million in payments into trust funds that cover injury claims, baseline testing and education.

What Republicans must decide on Obamacare

We don’t often see eye-to-eye with the right-wing Heritage Action, but in this case we agree with Dan Holler , vice president of communications and government relations, who is quoted as saying, “I think the longer this drags on, the more people are starting to understand the chance of a repeal is slipping away. Certainly it’s becoming harder and harder with each passing day.”

Obamacare hits slump, falls short of 2016 pace

After years of steady growth Obamacare’s sign-ups slumped in 2017, according to early numbers that suggest the law is struggling now that President Obama is no longer in office to give it a boost. The number of people selecting plans on the federal HealthCare.gov website dropped 4 percent this go-around compared to the 2016 season, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said.

New reports suggests La. could be doing more to help smokers quit

According to the recent State of Tobacco Control 2017 report from the American Lung Association, Louisiana received an F grade in several categories when it comes to helping smokers in the state. “While the report states that the State of Louisiana’s Tobacco Control programs are failing Louisiana smokers, it does not adequately reflect the service made available for no charge to Louisiana residents by the New Orleans-based Smoking Cessation Trust , that are successfully helping smokers quit.

Indiana seeks to continue Medicaid expansion program

Gov. Eric Holcomb has requested the renewal of a federal waiver that allows Indiana’s Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 to serve hundreds of thousands of low-income Hoosiers. The request begins an eight-month process with the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that is expected to go smoothly under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Women could take big hit if ACA is tossed

From a return to higher premiums based on gender, to gaps in coverage for birth control and breast pumps, experts say women could end up paying more for less if the Obama-era health care law is repealed. The 2010 law ended a common industry practice of charging women more than men for policies purchased directly from an insurer.

Michael Burgess will lead the GOP charge on unwinding Obamcare

U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville, speaks to a reporter in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 1, 2017. WASHINGTON – In a delegation packed with chairmen and some of the most bombastic members of Congress, one of the quieter Texas members this week took on one of the most daunting U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess , a Lewisville Republican, led his first hearings this week to unwind the Affordable Care Act, the Democrats’ 2010 health care overhaul.