Republicans in Congress weren’t able to “defund” Planned Parenthood last year, but some remain hopeful that they can in 2018.
While eyes fixate on Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — an agency packed with anti-abortion sympathizers — signaled it would approve efforts to withhold federal dollars to Planned Parenthood if states asked. Texas has already sought federal permission to do so and the green light could come any day now.
In June 2...
Month: January 2018
Oregon voters approve new taxes to pay for Medicaid costs
Oregon voters have voted to approve new taxes to pay for increased Medicaid costs in the state.Voters on Tuesday approved new taxes on hospitals, health insurers and managed care costs.The vote is noteworthy...
GOP rep connects Obamacare to his sexual harassment controversy
When it comes to controversies involving politicians accused of sexual harassment, Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) appears to be in the middle of a unique scandal.
Read more
Democracy’s lost decade
There is something profoundly wrong with the United States of America’s system of government.
For proof, briefly take stock of the last ten years in American democracy, in which a combination of factors — the filibuster, the way we draw legislative districts, Senate malapportionment, and the Electoral College — converged to rob American voters of a meaningful ability to choose their own leaders.
- In 2008, President Obama won a resounding victory, defeat...
Oregon approves new taxes to address Medicaid costs
The state approved taxes on hospitals, health insurers and managed care companies in an unusual special election
Bernie Sanders talks universal Medicare, and 1.1 million people click to watch him
The Vermont senator and nine guests discussed the need to bring about single-payer health care, its benefits to business and its implementation around the world.
Congressman argues Obamacare made him sexually harass a female aide
On Saturday, the New York Times published a detailed report about allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) by a former aide. In a subsequent interview on Tuesday, Meehan said his conduct was wrong but didn’t rise to the level of harassment, and offered a novel explanation for his boorish behavior: Obamacare made me do it.
According to the Times report, Meehan displayed unusual curiosity about the personal life of a female aide on his staff. W...
NY to guarantee Medicaid for DACA recipients regardless of federal action
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Tuesday that "Dreamers" will remain eligible for state-funded Medicaid regardless of whether the program expires.There are currently 42,000 recipie...
DREAMers in New York will continue to be eligible for Medicaid, even if DACA expires
New York recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will continue to be eligible for state-funded Medicaid — regardless if DACA is terminated.
“Information you give us will not be shared,” according to the website of the state’s health insurance marketplace NY State of Health. A common fear among undocumented immigrants is that their information could be shared with the Trump administration if they seek health insurance.
La...
Oregon voters to decide whether to tax insurers and hospitals to keep low-income people covered
There’s never been a ballot measure asking voters to weigh funding for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion until Oregon’s. On Tuesday, voters statewide will decide whether to keep taxing insurance companies and hospitals to pay for health insurance or tell the state legislature to return to the drawing board and think of something else.
Expanding Medicaid coverage to all people living in poverty has been a decades-long priority for Oregon. But coveri...