Having a health insurance card in America is no guarantee of medical care without the risk of financial ruin. One must take care to choose a doctor or hospital that is part of a pre-approved network. Estimate how much would be paid out of pocket after hospital bills that can reach tens of thousands of dollars. And, for Americans covered by their employers, be careful about any change in jobs and try to avoid risky gaps in health insurance coverage. The complexity of this public-private system, the continuing climb in prices and the fact that 27 million people go without health insurance have led numerous Democratic candidates for a White House bid in 2020 to propose a radical solution: a European-like system. Except they don't say it quite in those words. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who came up with the idea, California Senator Kamala Harris and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are among those calling for "Medicare for all," or offering everyone in the nation the type of public … [Read more...] about In the US, dreams of a ‘Big Bang’ for health insurance
New york group health insurance
New York strengthens abortion rights on anniversary of Roe vs. Wade
Joseph Spector and Jon Campbell Albany Bureau Published 12:57 AM EST Jan 23, 2019 ALBANY, NY - A long-stalled effort to strengthen abortion rights in New York became reality Tuesday evening when the Legislature easily approved the measure after Republicans stymied it for years. Gov. Andrew Cuomo immediately signed the Reproductive Health Act into law after Democrats pushed its passage for years. The vote Tuesday came on the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade court case in 1973. The Senate passed the measure 38-24, while the Assembly passed it 92-47. "We’re saying that here in New York, women’s health matters," said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers. "We’re saying here in New York, women’s lives matter. We’re saying here in New York, women’s decisions matter." Approval in the Senate was made possible by Democratic victories at the ballot box in November, when the party was able … [Read more...] about New York strengthens abortion rights on anniversary of Roe vs. Wade
Politicians, doctors say new Trump rule will punish immigrants for using “bread and butter” services
Washington — When she moved from Thailand to the U.S. as a teenager with her father and brother in 1984, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, and her family faced financial hardship. "We showed up in Hawaii with like $300 to our name," Duckworth told CBS News. Because her father, Franklin Duckworth, who had served in the U.S. Army in World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam, struggled to find a job in America, Duckworth said her household was "essentially destitute" and relied on government food stamps to get by. Exacerbating their predicament was the absence of her mother, who remained in Thailand because she could not legally travel to the U.S. with her family, despite being the wife of an American veteran and mother of two U.S. citizens. Her father's work with refugees after his army service had taken them around the world, but the family had not lived in the U.S. before they moved to Hawaii."If my family did not have access to food stamps, I would've dropped out … [Read more...] about Politicians, doctors say new Trump rule will punish immigrants for using “bread and butter” services
POLITICO Brussels Playbook, presented by EPP Group: Theresa May clings on — No escaping Brexit — Europe spooks Google
Press play to listen to this article By FLORIAN EDERwith ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY EPP GROUP Send tips here | Tweet @florianeder | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON BREXIT: NO RENEGOTIATION. EU27 leaders will affirm after dinner at their meeting in Brussels today that the EU stands by the Withdrawal Agreement “and intends to proceed with its ratification,” according to draft summit conclusions obtained by Playbook. That means, as the text discussed by EU ambassadors says, the Brexit deal “is not open for renegotiation.” Leaders are also expected to offer yet another/the same interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration, and are expected to say that “the backstop is not a desirable outcome” and is “only intended as an insurance policy” to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland. They may even go as far as to say that the backstop intends to be a … [Read more...] about POLITICO Brussels Playbook, presented by EPP Group: Theresa May clings on — No escaping Brexit — Europe spooks Google
Transgender health care: Patients, advocates call for improvements
Kristin Lam USA TODAY Published 6:31 AM EST Dec 11, 2018 LOS ANGELES – Grayson Russo desperately needs a surgery similar to a double mastectomy. Although someone with a breast tumor is able to promptly schedule such a surgery, Russo fought more than three years simply for approval. That's because Russo experiences gender dysphoria, a discomfort or distress caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and sex assigned at birth. Their exhausting battle is not atypical for transgender people, who account for about 1.4 million American adults, according to a 2016 report by a UCLA think tank, and that's despite organizations such as the American Medical Association recognizing treatment for gender dysphoria as medically necessary. From routine check-ups and emergency room visits to medical and mental health services for gender dysphoria, transgender people face barriers to accessing health care. Experts and … [Read more...] about Transgender health care: Patients, advocates call for improvements