The Healthcare Coverage Post

What’s up with this guy? Steve King, a Representative from the 5th district in Iowa, voted againt a plan that would fund healthcare coverage for 26,000 kids. His reason? Because he was afraid the plan would provide benefits to children of illegal immigrants. In an article from the Sioux City Journal, Rep. King bragged about his efforts to block the Democratic legislation as one of his major accomplishments.

“That very well may be the best contribution that I have made in the 110th Congress, is slowing down, sometimes stopping Democratic-sponsored bills,” King said.

With people like him representing Iowans, who needs enemies? Give Mr. King’s office a jingle to let him know what you think of his reprehensible actions.

Rep. Steve King, 1609 Longworth Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: 202.225.4426
Fax: 202.225.3193
email: http://www.house.gov/steveking/email.shtm Read the rest

Although the Dutch are still working out the wrinkles, their health coverage system sounds promising. Our government officials should look into it (ahem… Hillary Clinton, anyone?). Their program has universal health coverage for all, along with a tightening of costs. The insurance services are delivered by private companies, not the government, which sounds good to me. It’s mandated that all citizens purchase coverage, and the best part is that no insurers are allowed to turn away applicants. From the www.takingnote.tcf.org article “The Dutch Health Care System” -

In the U.S., by contrast, if you don’t have employer-based coverage and must buy your own coverage, insurers can charge you more based on your medical history and risk profile. And in most states, if they consider you too risky, they can simply refuse to sell you insurance altogether.

Read the rest

Beth Broderick, television and movie actor (whom I fondly remember as Aunt Hildy from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, stars in“Insurance Jive”, an ad taking on the health insurance companies. The video is based on the story of Patsy Bates who was in treatment from breast cancer when she was kicked off her health insurance plan. The California Nurses Association and the Courage Campaign are trying to raise money to help put the TV ad on air.

Read the rest

I’ve been looking for awhile now for a resource that helps people with serious illnesses. Broadway producer David Landay, after dealing with serious illness and the healthcare system, created a web site called survivorshipatoz.org.  The practical, thoughtful site has loads of information about insurance, managing your care, finances, government benefits, employment issues, day-to-day living, and more.

“The idea would be to give people all the legal, financial and practical information they need; so that when you first got that diagnosis and all these questions come charging at you, the answers Read the rest

When filing State Income Taxes in Massachusetts this year, residents needed to show they had healthcare coverage. It’s not too bad a system for determining the number of people with coverage and the number of people who couldn’t afford it. But when it was determined that 100,000 people who could afford it chose not to, they were fined.  The AP reports:

The state’s first-in-the-nation universal health insurance law required everyone in the state to be insured by July 2007, except for those who secured a waiver proving they couldn’t afford insurance. Read the rest

Gotta love the out-of-the-box thinking behind this article. I’m not sure about the soundness of reasoning, but I’m glad people are looking for alternatives to solving the healthcare coverage quagmire.  In his moneycentral.msn article, Jim Jubak writes:

The discount retailer already has made major inroads into accessible, affordable care through lower drug prices, walk-in clinics and electronic record-keeping. Why stop there? Read the rest