Healthcare-NOW

Where We Are Now on Health Reform

By Dr. Quentin Young – With the passage of the Democrats’ health bill, Congress and President Obama have created a new (and not so new) legislative framework for health care finance in the United States. Now that we’ve officially entered the post-legislative period, it’s worth noting how we got to where we are. The for-profit…

Big Pharma Wins Big With Health Care Reform Bill

By Alan Fram for AP – Chalk one up for the pharmaceutical lobby. The U.S. drug industry fended off price curbs and other hefty restrictions in President Barack Obama’s health care law even as it prepares for plenty of new business when an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans gain health coverage. To be sure, the…

Texas newborn denied health insurance over pre-existing condition

By Jan Jarvis for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram – At birth, Houston Tracy let out a single loud cry before his father cut the cord and handed him to a nurse. Instantly, Doug Tracy knew something was wrong with his son. “He wasn’t turning pink fast enough,” Tracy said. “When they listened to his chest,…

Health Care: What Did We Get? Where Are We? And, Where Do We Go From Here?

By Kevin Zeese for Prosperity Agenda – A year ago health care was in crisis. Its cost burdened individuals, businesses, and all levels of government. Americans were dying at a rate of 45,000 per year due to lack of access to health care, health care bankruptcies were rising. Change was urgently needed. The crisis was…

Progressives debate health care “victory” (Video)

From the Real News Network – On Tuesday, President Obama signed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. The bill has been proclaimed historic, and the media, following administration’s lead, called the House vote a victory. But supporters of the health reform are divided on the merits of the legislation. A day before the…

Tonight: Live Broadcast of “Common Folk: Voices on Health”

Please join us tonight for a special creative-arts presentation that gives voice to the need for true, universal reform… the kind that will only be achieved by expanding and improving upon Medicare, and making it available to all: Single-Payer!!! One Common Unity, Inc. presents “Common Folk: Voices on Health”, tonight at 8:30pm at Busboys &…

Diary of a Wimpy Health Care Bill

By Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive Director, National Nurses United – Passage of President Obama’s healthcare bill proves that Congress can enact comprehensive social legislation in the face of virulent rightwing opposition. Now that we have an insurance bill, can we move on to healthcare reform? As an organization of registered nurses, we have an obligation…

A Cloward-Piven Strategy for Single Payer?

By Chris Maisano for The Activist – With yesterday’s passage in the House of the Obama administration’s health care reform bill, it would seem at first glance that the movement for national, single-payer health insurance has been seriously derailed. After all, if all of the hype and adulation surrounding the bill’s passage is to be…

A false promise of reform

Pro-single-payer doctors: Health bill leaves 23 million uninsured The following statement was released today by leaders of Physicians for a National Health Program, www.pnhp.org. Their signatures appear below. As much as we would like to join the celebration of the House’s passage of the health bill last night, in good conscience we cannot. We take…

Fact Sheet: The Truth About the Health Care Bill

Firedoglake released this fact sheet that exposes some myths about the bill passed on Sunday. By Jane Hamsher for Firedoglake – The Firedoglake health care team has been covering the debate in congress since it began last year. The health care bill will come up for a vote in the House on Sunday, and as…