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Weekly News Digest
Consensus on Universal Health Care Emerges but Many Questions Remain
"After decades of failed efforts to reshape the nation's healthcare system, a consensus appears to be emerging in Washington about how to achieve the elusive goal of providing medical insurance to all Americans," but the details of such a plan remain vague, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Source(s): Levey, Los Angeles Times, 12/1/08
More Americans Must Choose Between Paying Medical Bills and Paying Mortgage
The economic crisis, collapse of the housing market and rise in unemployment are forcing some Americans to choose between paying their medical bills and paying their mortgage, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Source(s): Rubenstein, Wall Street Journal, 11/25/08
States Ask Federal Government for Help in Maintaining Health Programs for Poor
The economic downturn is causing more Americans to turn to public programs such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for health care, leading states to turn to the federal government for help in maintaining these programs and avoiding cutting benefits, reports Stateline.org.
Source(s): Vu, Stateline.org, 11/26/08
New Rule Allows States to Charge More for Medicaid Services
A new federal rule allows states to charge higher premiums and co-payments for doctor’s visits, hospitalizations and prescription drugs to those covered under Medicaid, something that will save money for the government but may cause low-income people to "delay or forgo care because of the higher charges," reports the New York Times.
Source(s): Pear, New York Times, 11/27/08
More Children Gain Health Insurance After Falling Into Poverty
A report by Families USA found that the number of uninsured children in America declined by about 6 percent last year, "but that's largely because the child poverty rate increased, so more children qualified for government-sponsored insurance," reports the Boston Globe.
Source(s): Wangsness, Boston Globe, 11/26/08
Experts Call American Health System Wasteful and Suggest Improvements
A variety of health care experts, including providers, insurers, academics and corporate executives, agree that the United States system is "fraught with waste" and should be reconfigured "around the central goal of paying for results," reports the Washington Post.
Source(s): Connolly, Washington Post, 11/30/08
OPINION: Health Insurers Are Right to Demand That Everyone Must Be Insured
The two biggest groups representing the health insurance industry have stated that they would be willing to provide coverage to anyone, no matter their pre-existing condition, as long as the government requires everyone to purchase insurance, but that will require President-elect Barack Obama "to embrace a key strategy he rejected during the campaign," according to a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial.
Source(s): Editorial, Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/26/08
OPINION: Democrats’ Health Care Reforms Are Fiscally Irresponsible
Describing their health care reform plans as irresponsible, a Washington Times editorial states that President-elect Barack Obama and the Democrats "are poised to make the fiscal burden much worse--while jeopardizing the ability of private citizens to choose the best health care solutions for their families."
Source(s): Editorial, Washington Times, 11/26/08