Tag: health insurance

Court Rules Georgia Sheriff Department Discriminated Against Deputy for Denial of Insurance Coverage for Sex Change

Addison Basurto

United States District Court Chief Judge Marc T. Treadwell has ruled a Houston County Police Department’s exclusion of a worker’s insurance coverage request for gender reassignment surgery to be “facially discriminatory,” and that her equal protection claim “will proceed to trial.”

“I have devoted more than a decade of my life to a job that I love with the backing of supervisors and colleagues who truly respect my work,” said Houston County Sheriff Deputy, Sergeant Anna Lange. “Despite my dedicated years of service, the County has singled out and excluded the medically-necessary care that I need simply because I’m transgender. I just want to be treated fairly and earn the same benefits as my co-workers who serve on the force.”

Read More

‘Effectively Overcharges Seniors’: AARP Rakes in Record Profits Selling Brand Royalties While Overcharging Members

Admin
old man and woman walking outside together

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) raked in massive profits in 2020, mostly from royalties on branded health insurance policies, not memberships, according to company financial documents.

AARP’s 2020 Form 990 shows that the organization reported $1.6 billion in revenue, with roughly $1 billion, or over 60%, from royalty revenue. Meanwhile, membership dues contributed under 20% of total revenue.

AARP’s 2019 Form 990 reported $1.72 billion in revenue, with royalties making up nearly 56% of revenue while membership dues contributed just 17%.

Read More

Florida Lawmakers Looking to Expand Health Insurance for Children

Grant Holcomb

Florida’s lawmakers are considering expanding state-funded health insurance for children. The idea has gained traction among Republicans and Democrats, and two competing proposals would increase the amount of money beneficiaries can make.

Currently, families making less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the state’s program, KidCare. However, the same families do not qualify for Medicaid.

Read More

Tennessee Rheumatology Society Calls on Congress to Focus on Access to Precision Medicine

Bradley Vasoli
Doctor with arms folded, holding stethescope

In a recent letter, the Tennessee Rheumatology Society and similar organizations from elsewhere in the U.S. have urged members of Congress to prioritize the development of predictive drug-response testing and other elements of precision medicine.

The model of precision medicine, also referred to as personalized care, calls for collecting and assessing information specific to a patient’s condition, including genetics, health history and living environment. Treatments and preventive measures prescribed after such analysis can then be better suited toward each individual. Heretofore, healthcare prescription has usually followed a one-size-fits-all paradigm that doesn’t work best for every patient.

Read More

Michigan Medical Group Calls on Congress to Increase Access to Precision Medicine, Targeted Therapeutics to Combat Autoimmune Disorders

Bradley Vasoli

In a recent letter, the Michigan Rheumatism Society and similar organizations from elsewhere in the U.S. have urged members of Congress to prioritize the development of predictive drug-response testing and other elements of precision medicine.

The model of precision medicine, also referred to as personalized care, calls for collecting and assessing information specific to a patient’s condition, including genetics, health history and living environment. Treatments and preventive measures prescribed after such analysis can then be better suited toward each individual. Heretofore, healthcare prescription has usually followed a one-size-fits-all paradigm that doesn’t work best for every patient.

Read More

Insurance Company Drops $5 Million for University of Minnesota’s Anti-Racist Health Center

Admin

The University of Minnesota is mobilizing a $5 million donation to launch an antiracist health center.

According to a February 24 announcement from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, the “Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity” is dedicated to “addressing and uprooting structural racism’s impact on health and healthcare.”

The center will “develop education and training on structural racism and health inequities,” “foster authentic community engagement to address the root causes of racial health inequities and drive action,” “change the narrative about race and racism to one that does not hold up whiteness as the ideal standard for human beings,” and “serve as a trusted resource on issues related to racism and health equity.” 

Read More

Virginia Senate to Vote on Legislation Giving Certain Health Insurance Plans Abortion Coverage Option

Jacob Taylor

The Senate of Virginia on Friday will vote to pass legislation out of the body that would allow for private health insurance companies offering plans through the state exchange to have the option for abortion coverage.

Senate Bill 1276 was introduced by Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond City), who is also a gubernatorial candidate seeking the Democratic nomination, and co-sponsored by three other Democratic legislators.

Read More

Report: Millions Lose Health Insurance Because of COVID-19 Shutdowns

Admin

More than 5 million people lost their health insurance coverage over the past several months because of COVID-19 restrictions as costs for lifesaving medications and treatments for cancer also skyrocketed.

A new study by Families USA found that more than 5.4 million people who lost their jobs are uninsured, compared to 3.9 million who were in a similar situation during the Great Recession.

Read More

Insurer Centene Plans 3,200 Jobs at New N.C. Regional Hub

The Associated Press

Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. said on Wednesday it will build an East Coast campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, developing a $1 billion construction project that’s expected to create more than 3,200 new jobs by 2032.

Gov. Roy Cooper described the expansion as the state’s largest single jobs announcement by number in nearly two decades.

Read More

Tim Ryan Distances Himself from Eliminating Private Health Insurance Despite Being Cosponsor of Bill That Does Just That

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), now a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, said in a recent CNN interview that he doesn’t support the elimination of private health insurance. Ryan, however, is cosponsoring a bill that would eliminate most private insurance, which is one of the explicit goals of the…

Read More

Sen. Lamar Alexander Says ‘Unlikely’ Supreme Court Would Rule Obamacare Unconstitutional Despite District Court Decision Ending It

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said he believes that the Supreme Court will not find Obamacare to be unconstitutional – but even if it did, the federal government can swoop in and provide protections for people with pre-existing health conditions. Tennessee’s senior senator made the remark Saturday following the historic…

Read More

States Have a New Opportunity to Lower Health Insurance Premiums and Expand Options

Admin

by Mary Fishpaw   The Trump administration is offering welcome relief to Americans struggling with high premiums under Obamacare premiums and a lack of insurance choices. The administration has taken a series of regulatory actions to do the following: Make short-term, limited duration policies widely available and give consumers the…

Read More

Ocasio-Cortez Likens Private Health Insurance to ‘Death Panels’

Admin

by Jason Hopkins   Democratic Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez compared the private health insurance market to “death panels” during a back-and-forth exchange on Twitter Sunday. “Actually, we have for-profit ‘death panels’ now: they are companies + boards saying you’re on your own bc they won’t cover a critical procedure or medicine,” Ocasio-Cortez…

Read More

Bredesen’s Socialized Healthcare Plan Endangers Insurance, Medicare, Ad Says

Jason M. Reynolds

Senate Leadership Fund on Tuesday launched a new advertising campaign discussing U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen’s support of single-payer health care, saying it “threatens our healthcare.” The $1.2 million buy will run statewide on a combination of broadcast and cable television, radio and digital.  It is available to watch here. Bredesen,…

Read More