Healthcare-NOW

Why Medicare Isn’t the Problem, It’s the Solution

By Robert Reich for RobertReich.com – I hope when he tells America how he aims to tame future budget deficits the president doesn’t accept conventional Washington wisdom that the biggest problem in the federal budget is Medicare (and its poor cousin Medicaid). Medicare isn’t the problem. It’s the solution. The real problem is the soaring…

When It Comes to Quality, New Poll Shows Americans Give U.S. Health Care Low Grades

Those with incomes less than $50,000 most likely to view the quality of their care as low. From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – A new poll shows most Americans believe the quality of U.S. health care is average at best—sober news for the nation’s health care leaders. More than half of American adults surveyed…

Listen: The Threats to Dismantle Medicare and Medicaid

Thanks to everyone who participated in the national discussion on the threats to privatize Medicare and Medicaid on Monday, April 11th. If you missed the call, you can listen to it here. [audio:https://www.healthcare-now.org/wp-content/uploads/mp3/privatizemedicare.mp3] Or download an MP3 file of the call here (right click and save as). Featured speakers included: DeAnn McEwen, California Nurses Association/National…

Paul Ryan’s Plan to Destroy Medicare

Editorial from The Nation – As an opening salvo from Republicans in the 2012 budget debate, the plan offered by Wisconsin’s Paul Ryan—supposedly a model of “seriousness” and “courage” next to overzealous Tea Partiers and Democrats silly enough to want to keep the government minimally functional—is remarkable mostly for its cynicism. Consider Ryan’s approach to…

Vermont Senate expected to take up health reform legislation this week

From the Republic.com – MONTPELIER, Vt. — A committee of the Vermont Senate is expected to work an extra day Monday — and a long one at that — as lawmakers push to finish work on a bill that would move the state toward Gov. Peter Shumlin’s goal of universal, single-payer health care. Lawmakers usually…

Discussion on Threats to Privatize Medicare

The Republican 2012 budget eliminates Medicare. If successful, Medicare will change from a guaranteed set of benefits to limited vouchers to buy private insurance, as well as reduce Medicaid funding by turning it into a block grant system. This is outrageous. Healthcare-NOW! and Physicians for a National Health Program invites you to join a national…

Republicans dodge downside of Medicaid plan

By David Nather for Politico – Republicans talk a lot about how Medicaid block grants could help governors bring down their costs, but they don’t talk as much about what, exactly, the states would do with them. It’s not that they have no answers. Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi has said he’d like to provide…

CBO Says GOP Medicare Plan Would Double The Cost Of Health Care For Seniors

By Rick Ungar for Forbes – Despite Rep. Paul Ryan’s suggestion that the independent and bi-partisan Congressional Budget Office had signed off on the numbers he has presented in his 2012 budget proposal, it is now emerging that Rep. Ryan has failed to tell us the entire story. One of the key provisions contained in…

Ryan Turns Knife on Medicare, Medicaid

By Margaret Flowers – Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the Republican chairman of the U.S. House Budget Committee, unveiled two proposals this week which if enacted would constitute a mortal threat to our nation’s health – particularly to the health of our seniors and our most vulnerable populations. The first proposal, Senate Joint Resolution 10,…

Riding the Wave

Why the HIV community (and everybody else) should support single-payer health care. By Sue Saltmarsh for Positively Aware – As a peer-led agency, the Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) has always been staffed by many HIV-positive people, as well as others who have diabetes, heart problems, sleep disorders, cancer, and a variety of other ills…