Federal Government To Stop Enrollment For Coverage Of Pre-Existing Conditions: Who Will Be Left Out of The Affordable Care Act?

One in every two Americans can be affected by a “pre-existing medical condition.” As reported in an analysis from the Department of Health and Human Services, 50 to 129 million non-elderly Americans currently have some type of pre-existing condition, which could range from the life-threatening — such as cancer and high-blood pressure — to the chronic […]

Frederick Reese
By Frederick Reese

One in every two Americans can be affected by a “pre-existing medical condition.” As reported in an analysis from the Department of Health and Human Services, 50 to 129 million non-elderly Americans currently have some type of pre-existing condition, which could range from the life-threatening — such as cancer and high-blood pressure — to the

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The State Of Disability In The US: Misguided Politics Interfere With Progress

On Dec. 4, Bob Dole (R-Kan.) — World War II veteran, former senator from Kansas, former Republican Party nominee for president and former Senate Republican leader — sat in his wheelchair on the Senate floor. He watched his onetime political rival, former Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), give an impassioned, stirring speech about the treaty Dole […]

Frederick Reese
By Frederick Reese

On Dec. 4, Bob Dole (R-Kan.) — World War II veteran, former senator from Kansas, former Republican Party nominee for president and former Senate Republican leader — sat in his wheelchair on the Senate floor. He watched his onetime political rival, former Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), give an impassioned, stirring speech about the treaty Dole came to

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Bloomberg & His Sugary Drinks Ban: Machiavelli Of Our Time?

(MintPress) – New York City’s campaign against sugary drinks hit a snag recently when allegations of economic racism surfaced. The New York State Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Hispanic Federation have filed a joint brief complaining that the ban — which would make it a fineable offense […]

Frederick Reese
By Frederick Reese

(MintPress) - New York City’s campaign against sugary drinks hit a snag recently when allegations of economic racism surfaced. The New York State Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Hispanic Federation have filed a joint brief complaining that the ban — which would make it a fineable offense in

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Money Fears Versus Real Benefits In Medicaid Choice

President Barack Obama thinks his health care law makes states an offer they can’t refuse. Whether to expand Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor and disabled, could be the most important decision facing governors and legislatures this year. The repercussions go beyond their budgets, directly affecting the well-being of residents and the finances of […]

Associated Press
By Associated Press

President Barack Obama thinks his health care law makes states an offer they can't refuse. Whether to expand Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor and disabled, could be the most important decision facing governors and legislatures this year. The repercussions go beyond their budgets, directly affecting the well-being of residents and

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In Mass. Law, States Get A Health Overhaul Model

When Massachusetts adopted its landmark health care law in 2006, the goals were ambitious and the potential solutions complex. More than 90 percent of its residents already had health insurance, but the state hoped to cover nearly everyone by plugging as many holes as possible in its system, short of a so-called single payer option. […]

Associated Press
By Associated Press
In this April 12, 2006 file photo, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, shakes hands with Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Timothy Murphy after signing into law a landmark bill designed to guarantee that virtually all Massachusetts residents have health insurance at Faneuil Hall in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

When Massachusetts adopted its landmark health care law in 2006, the goals were ambitious and the potential solutions complex. More than 90 percent of its residents already had health insurance, but the state hoped to cover nearly everyone by plugging as many holes as possible in its system, short of a so-called single payer option. What

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Insurers Prod Doctors, Hospitals To Stop Elective Early Deliveries

This story was produced in collaboration with the Washington Post. Jenn McCorkle still regrets giving birth early. McCorkle was 37 weeks pregnant when her obstetrician scheduled her for a Caesarean section the following week, saying there was no reason to wait. But when her son, Maverick, was born in August 2008, his lungs were not […]

Phil Galewitz
By Phil Galewitz
A newborn baby is seen on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2005. (AP Photo/Pool/Maartje Blijdenstein)

This story was produced in collaboration with the Washington Post. Jenn McCorkle still regrets giving birth early. McCorkle was 37 weeks pregnant when her obstetrician scheduled her for a Caesarean section the following week, saying there was no reason to wait. But when her son, Maverick, was born in August 2008, his lungs were not fully

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