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Health Care

Question of the Week: Will I have to pay taxes on my family's health insurance?

November 4, 2010
Health Reform Question of the Week: I have heard that beginning in January 2011, I will have to pay taxes on my family’s health insurance, which I now obtain tax-free through my employer. My family and I are proud to pay our fair share of taxes, but our budget is already tight and we have little...

Give Pundits a Time Out!

November 4, 2010
Political pundits are spinning away in the wake of the elections, making guesses about what the election results say about the will of the voters. But it's too critical a time for our country to let the paid pundits have the last word. Moms (and dads!) know more than any political pundit about what...
Kristin's picture

The Ballot Box and Health

November 2, 2010
The 18th biannual Institute of Politics survey is out. It reports that Millenials (18-29 year olds) are significantly less enthusiastic about the electoral process now than they were just nine months ago. Only 35 percent of students report that they will definitely express themselves when 100...

ELECTION 2010: Governor Schwarzenegger's Legacy--Successful “welfare to work” program to ineffective “work to welfare program”

October 28, 2010
The lives of low-income working mothers and children are hanging in the balance with California Governor’s economically irresponsible and morally reprehensible line-item veto to eliminate the Stage 3 child care program . Despite having a bi-partisan “hand shake deal” that would have protected child...

Really, IRS? Agency doesn't recognize breastfeeding as form of preventive medicine

October 28, 2010
In my year-plus of writing for the Scope blog at Stanford's School of Medicine, and in my numerous years of covering medical and health issues before that, few things have enraged me as much as something I encountered in yesterday's New York Times . But David Kocieniewski, if you're reading, it's...

Insurers View Pregnancy as Pre-Existing Condition

October 24, 2010
An investigation conducted by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce confirmed that major insurers consider pregnancy to be a pre-existing condition that would result in an automatic denial of coverage, and that insurers typically exclude maternity coverage from the plans they offer individuals who are not pregnant.
Say Ahhh's picture

Health Reform Question of the Week: How will the penalties for not having coverage be enforced?

October 21, 2010
Health Reform Question of the Week: How will the penalties for not having coverage be enforced? I already can't pay for coverage now—will I be fined or sent to jail if I don’t have health insurance? ANSWER: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (or “Affordable Care Act”) is designed to...

Stand up for my son, Wesley. Say NO to going back to pre-existing condition exclusions!

October 21, 2010
"Everything is covered. Your family is fully covered." I could hardly believe it. My son Wesley has an eye condition called strabismus, and I'd been worried because we already had one insurer drop us and another exclude Wesley's condition from coverage. Then, as the new patient protections under...
Dawn Josephson's picture

Insurance Commissioner Kreidler Stands Up for Children in Washington State

October 21, 2010
"Hundreds of consumers have contacted my office, upset over Regence refusing to cover kids and for blaming its recent rate increases on health reform," said Commissioner Kreidler in a statement. "I can understand why they're confused and mad. I'm sick and tired of the insurance industry pulling these stunts and misleading the public about health reform. I expect better of companies wanting to do business in Washington."
Say Ahhh's picture

Galacta-what?

October 20, 2010
Recently I was testing recipes for the galactagogues chapter of Parents Need to Eat Too . I see you scratching your head—either you were never a nursing mom with supply problems, or you’ve blissfully erased that episode from your memory. A galactagogue is something that stimulates or promotes the...
Debbie Koenig's picture

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