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    ‘health care reform’


    By: Kristin Andrews

    News Round-Up: Monday, February 28, 2011

    Monday, February 28th, 2011

    Once you’ve scoped out Anne Hathaway’s seven outfit changes from last night’s Oscar bash, you’ll be pleased to learn it’s a major news day! Not only is Karl Rove launching a serious comeback, the Justice Department has made an eyebrow-raising move in a Florida judge’s ruling against healthcare reform, blogger extraordinaire Andrew Sullivan is ditching The Atlantic for The Daily Beast, and Idol finally trumps Simon Cowell by announcing Gaga will perform at the season’s finale. Talk about star power.

    CRUCIAL:

    Demonstrators Can Continue Overnight Stays in Wisconsin Capitol, http://nyti.ms/feasPO

    Protesters continue to stay around the clock in Wisconsin despite orders by those who oversee the Capitol police that protesters must leave and increased restrictions, such as no food and no sleeping bags.

    Republicans Win Round One of Budget Fight, http://politi.co/i4ZuOl

    It is likely that the House and Senate will pass a bill to cut $4 billion in the next two weeks in order to keep the governement open.

    War on Voting: Wisconsin Fights From the Front Lines, http://huff.to/hFQKzN

    Rock the Vote President Heather Smith speaks out against politicians using voter rights and voter ID laws as a political bargaining chip.

    Obama’s Risky move in Florida, http://politi.co/fc0E4Y

    A Florida judge that ruled the law surrounding health care was unconstitutional will file a brief on the motion and then rule on it. This ruling could be another big hit to Obama’s bill.

    Google Glitch Disables 150,00 Gmail Accounts, http://on.mash.to/hCJwEC

    A glitch in the Gmail system caused some users entire inbox’s to be wiped. Google engineers are working to bring back the deleted mail, but it is unclear if it will all be recovered.

    Obama chooses first gay man as social secretary:  http://bit.ly/hXufFh

    Revolutions in the Middle East show how repressive regimes are ideologically weak: http://bit.ly/dSw3D4

    The President gets employees into tip top physical shape: http://nyti.ms/hWV9pS

    The Daily Dish moves from Atlantic Wire to Daily Beast: http://bit.ly/eyeksy

    CULTURAL:

    Oscar’s spoilers land Deadline in hot water: http://bit.ly/gPgQlW

    Anne Hathaway’s 7 Oscar costume changes: http://bit.ly/hGLYYw

    Jelena is finally official…kind of: http://bit.ly/eQk6pq

    Charlie Sheen to sue CBS: http://bit.ly/eXrMzx

    Gaga slated to perform at American Idol finale: http://bit.ly/epwqKw

    Last American WWI vet dies at 110: http://ti.me/fvVfSh

      Kristin Andrews
      Bio: Kristin is Rock the Vote's Communications Intern

      Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

      Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
      Posted in News Round-Up | 1 Comment »


      By: Thomas Bates

      New health care rules (not as boring as it sounds)

      Monday, November 22nd, 2010

      If you love lingo, acronyms, transparency and perhaps a bit of jargon, then this post may be for you. If you love not getting screwed by insurance companies, then this post is definitely for you.

      Let the health care reform wonkiness begin!

      Short version: new rules announced today will require insurance companies to spend at least 80 to 85 of your health insurance premiums on actual medical care. Rather than spending a ton of money on administrative costs, executive salaries, overhead and marketing or hording profits, insurance companies now have to spend money on direct care for patients and efforts to improve care quality. And if they don’t, you get a rebate.

      This is happening because of the health care reform law that passed this year.

      Long version: Re-read the short version. And for the jargon and acronym lovers, this regulation is called “medical loss ratio” or MLR. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS!), the MLR regulation outlines disclosure and reporting requirements, details how insurance companies will calculate their MLR and provide rebates, and how changes can be made to the MLR standard to guard against market destabilization. So starting in 2011, we be able to see how insurance companies spend the money you pay on premiums.

      Finally, MLR is fine as a name (and sounds great as a concept), but couldn’t HHS have called this regulation the “Spend My Health Care Money on Actual Health Care or Give Me My Money Back” rule, even if SMHCMOAHCOGMMMB is a bit of a mouthful? Just a thought.

        Thomas Bates
        Bio: Thomas is Rock the Vote's Vice President of Civic Engagement.
        @BatesThomas
        Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

        Tags: , , ,
        Posted in health care | 1 Comment »


        By: Thomas Bates

        Health Care Reform Starts Today

        Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

        Hey, do you remember that big ol’ fight about passing health care reform legislation? The Affordable Care Act was signed into law earlier this year and today several of the provisions are going into effect, including the provision that allows young adults to stay on your parents health insurance until the age of 26.

        Want more information about it? Check out www.gettingcovered.org, a site is designed to educate young adults and parents about this new provision, also known as dependent coverage. By taking a short quiz, you can get your “prescription” to find out if dependent coverage is right for you. The site also has links to useful info like FAQ’s on dependent coverage, profiles of real stories getting coverage, and state fact sheets on the impact of dependent coverage by state.

        There are a number of other provisions that are kicking in today. Starting now, insurers will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to young people because of pre-existing conditions or put lifetime limits on benefits. You’ll be able to get preventive services like screenings and vaccinations without incurring out-of-pocket costs and go to an OB-GYN without a referral from another doctor. Check out the official government website for the full overview: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/overview.html

        Of course, in Washington, it seems like legislative fights are never over. Republicans have unveiled their plans for next year if they win back Congress, and it includes repealing the health care law. Democrats are digging in. Will it be a factor in the elections? We’ve asked candidates for the U.S. Senate their views on the law and will get those posted over the next several weeks so you can decide how you want to vote. Stay tuned.

          Thomas Bates
          Bio: Thomas is Rock the Vote's Vice President of Civic Engagement.
          @BatesThomas
          Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

          Tags: ,
          Posted in health care | 2 Comments »


          By: Jason

          A Word From Blue Cross

          Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

          Rock the Vote is pretty proud that we pushed for – and eventually got – an extension for people ages 21-26 to stay on their parents’ health insurance. So we were more than happy to receive this letter from our health insurance company telling they are participating in the program BEFORE it goes into law in September.

          Click here to read the letter from CareFirst BlueCross.

            Jason
            Bio:

            Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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            Posted in health care | Comments Off


            By: Jason

            Develop a Fever in Haiti?

            Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

            Nearly one-third of uninsured American are between the ages of 19 and 29. But because Rock the Vote and other organizations worked with the White House and Congressional leaders during the Health Care Reform discussions, language was written into the affordable care act that allows people up to the age of 26 can stay on their parents’ insurance. Since the President signed the bill into law, the number of uninsured young people has already started to drop. This NY Times story points out that millions of Americans under 26 will become insured or reinsured under their parents’ plans and in 2014, when the entire law goes into effect, millions more young people, those with a higher chance of not receiving insurance at their jobs because they are likely to be temporary or entry-level positions, will benefit from lower prices brought on by the open-market. So when people like Eric Heininger, who got sick in Haiti while doing relief work gets sick, he can be covered when he comes back to America.

            From the NY Times:

            “The affordable care act is, in many ways, a graduation gift to young adults,” said an author of the report, Sara R. Collins, a vice president at the Commonwealth Fund.

            Relief will come sooner for 1.2 million young people whose parents have health coverage but who fell off family policies when they graduated from high school or college.

            Beginning in late September, health insurers will be required to cover children on family health plans through age 25, and many companies are making the change now so new college graduates do not face gaps in coverage.

            In the past, three-quarters of adult children who were insured under their parents’ employers’ plans either lost their insurance or had to switch policies when they graduated from college, with some going uninsured for two years or more, according to the Commonwealth Fund report.

            Families will not have to pay extra for the adult child, Dr. Collins said, explaining that the benefits should cost no more than “if they’re 5 years old.”

              Jason
              Bio:

              Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

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              Posted in health care, young voters | Comments Off

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