Ctamlouis Health

A city firefighter involved in an off-duty motorcycle crash in June was denied health insurance coverage for his injuries because the city’s health insurance required him to wear a helmet.

Lt. James Baker waited to see if the city council would accept a negotiated settlement this evening that would pay a reduced amount.

The Sebring City Council will meet at 6:30 p. m. today at 368 S. Commerce Ave. to vote on this and several other issues.

Baker suffered injuries from a motorcycle crash on U. S. 27 for which the medical claim came to about $86,000. He was airlifted to the Tampa General Hospital’s trauma center.

“I was out for a little less than two months,” said Baker. “I returned to full duty around the first of August 2009. “

Baker’s insurance claim was initially denied because a clause added to the city’s health insurance policy in 2005 on “activities of a hazardous nature,” excluded from coverage motor cycle accidents without helmets.

Baker claimed he would have been injured regardless of whether he wore a helmet, and thus the claim should be paid. He suffered mostly abdominal injuries and no head injuries, he said Monday.

In 1998 when he was hired, Baker said he received a copy of his insurance policy, and at time the exclusion clause was not there. He had no recollection of being notified that it was added, he added.

Had he known of the exclusion, he would have been wearing a helmet, he said.

At a city Health Insurance Committee meeting, City Clerk Kathy Haley said she was not sure if the notice of the added exclusions were handed out to city employees, the minutes of the meeting show.

Mayor George Hensley said a committee or an employee might consider different activities “hazardous. “
City Administrator Scott Noethlich agreed, but asked how one defined “hazardous. “

Representatives of the city’s health insurance administrator, Anchor Benefit, negotiated a settlement of $46,750, which they will have to pay.

At a special meeting held Feb. 25, the committee recommended that the council accept Anchor Benefit’s negotiated discount with the understanding that Baker pays his remaining out-of-pocket maximum for the year of $734. 74 and a $745 fee to negotiate the claims.

The tentative agreement further concluded that the basis of the recommendation was that Baker did not receive any head injuries and that he would have been injured even if he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

However, it remains up to the city council to approve the deal.

Hensley said Monday that representatives of Anchor Benefit consulting had advised that this exclusion is not usually found in insurance policies, and Hensley believed the city would probably take a closer look at it.

Baker has since stopped riding a motorcycle, citing his love for his wife and five children.

He said that his wife told him while he was still in Tampa General Hospital that she knew how much he loved riding a motorcycle and she would not ask him to stop.

“That was a hobby,” said Baker. “I was ready to give it up, not to put my family through that again. “

On July 1, 2000, Florida exempted adult motorcyclists and moped riders from wearing helmets provided they have $10 000 in medical insurance, according to Andreas Muller, in the April 2004, American Journal of Public Health.

Since then, Florida statutes have required motorcycle riders younger than 21 years to wear helmets.

The statute was signed into law by former Gov. Jeb Bush.

Before that Florida had a helmet law that required all riders to wear safety helmets.

An Iowa health care provider is one of 85 community health centers nationwide to receive a significant monetary boost from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, President Barack Obama announced Wednesday.

“… Funding for construction, technology and a medical home demonstration project won’t just save more money, and create more jobs, they’ll give more people the peace of mind of knowing that health care will be there for them and their families when they need it. Ultimately, that’s what health reform is really all about,” Obama said.

Primary Health Care Inc. of Des Moines is slated to receive more than $2. 6 million. The nonprofit organization maintains dental and medical clinics in Des Moines as well as a community access pharmacy, HIV services and outreach project. It also operates a medical and dental clinic in Marshalltown.

Although the clinics provide services to patients who have insurance, they specifically cater to those who are uninsured or underinsured. According to their Web site, Primary Health Care Inc. strives “to find and successfully treat medical condition before they become serious enough to require hospitalization or emergency treatment. ”

It has also developed several specialized programs.

The Outreach Program specifically targets populations that often fall through the cracks in existing health care.

Health Care for the Homeless is a federally funded program that serves individual, families, street youth and homeless children in a non-traditional clinic setting. A federally-funded program called Enhancement provides mental health and substance abuse care for homeless clients.

The organization has also developed a four-point program for maternal child health that consists of a combination of state and federally-funded programs to provide service to pregnant women, newly expanding families and newborns up to age 6. Their Families in Transition program, which is funded through U. S. Housing and Urban Development, serves both prenatal or parenting families up to a child’s 15th birthday, and allows case workers to link homeless individuals to medical and mental health services as well as affordable and safe living environments.

Clinics that participate in the Outreach Program are located in six different sites throughout Des Moines, placing them within the areas of the community that are experiencing the most need.

To qualify for funding, the health facility had to be a federally-qualified community health center. Grants of $508. 5 million were provided through the Facility Investment Program to address pressing health center facility needs. Also, as much as $88 million was made available to help Health Center Controlled Networks improve operational effectiveness and clinical quality in health centers by providing management, financial, technology and clinical support services.

The new Recovery Act funds are the latest in a series of grants awarded to community health centers, which deliver preventive and primary care services nationally at more than 7,500 service delivery sites around the country to patients regardless of their ability to pay.   Across the country health centers serve more than 17 million patients, about 40 percent of whom have no health insurance.

According to the U. S. Census Bureau, Texas leads the country in the number of people without Texas health insurance. Although nearly one in five Americans, are not insured, it is estimated that one in three Texans are uninsured. In Texas Medical Association report, “additional 5. 5 million Texans – including 1. 4 million children – lack health insurance”.

In a report published by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, “The uninsured are a diverse group that includes people who cannot afford private health insurance, working in small businesses that do not ‘ insurance, who simply choose not to buy health insurance, even if they can afford it, who are eligible – not registered – government-sponsored programs such as in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), and recent immigrants.

The most notable omission from these reports is that it is often difficult for people to navigate the selection of Texas get health insurance. There are a multitude of choices and decisions. Do I get an individual or family coverage? Should I go with a health organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO) or another type of plan? What kind of deductible should I choose?

The task to find Texas health insurance is even more daunting because, as you move from a health insurance company to another, you find that each offers a different set of options. Accordingly, it is difficult to compare apples with apples proverbial.

Most people do not realize that a full-service agency based in Texas health insurance can help every one of individuals and families to small business owners and Medicare beneficiaries understand the options that are their disposal to obtain insurance. Better still, these agencies offer their services and free support. It is because they are compensated by insurance companies, rather than the insured. Therefore, you can collect the benefits of their expertise impartial, free of charge.

Best of all, some of these agencies have implemented easy to use online systems that allow you to obtain quotes, compare Texas health insurance plans and even apply online – all from the comfort your home. In fact, you can view the plans of health insurance, life insurance, dental plans, health insurance plans and all in one place.

To obtain quotes for health insurance, for example, simply enter your details into an online form, and then provide some basic information about you and other family members you wish to insure. The system will then generate quotations from a variety of companies, which allows you to compare side by side. You can sort the results by a number of factors, including the health insurance company, plan type, deductible, co-payment, and the estimate of the premium. Once you decide which plan you prefer, you can apply online.

Every day, health insurance is a growing number of people with affordable health insurance Texas. In return, those who obtain health insurance rest easier know that their families and they are protected.

Oleta Fitzgerald, director of the Children’s Defense Fund’s Southern Regional Office, says she is concerned over the welfare of Mississippi children if either of the two health-care reform packages considered by the U. S. House and Senate ever make it into law.

The House passed H. R. 3962 earlier this month, and Senate Democrats managed to beat back the threat of a Republican filibuster a few weeks ago, allowing the Senate to move forward with debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H. R. 3590. Both bills promise big reforms in the health-care and health-insurance industries. The Association for American Medical Colleges states that nearly 15 million people will be newly eligible for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program under H. R. 3590, at an estimated cost of $374 billion over 10 years.

Fitzgerald says both bills contain huge holes regarding CHIP coverage for Mississippi children: “Right now, the fight over health-care reform in the House and Senate is all about abortion and the public option, but the children are getting lost in this discussion,” Fitzgerald said.

The issue, she said, centers on Mississippi’s unconventional requirement for CHIP eligibility.

Many states recently expanded their Medicaid program requirements to accept people who are a little further from the federal standard for poverty. Eleven states recently extended CHIP-eligible families’ income levels up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or higher. ($20,800 for an individual or $35,200 for a family of three).

But instead of expanding Medicaid, Mississippi set up a new health insurance program that contracts with private insurance companies. The states that expanded Medicaid will continue to receive federal support for those programs under both the bills under discussion in the House and Senate. But in Mississippi, all children and their families over 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($16,245 a year for an individual and $27,465 a year for a family of three) would go into an insurance exchange created by the House and Senate bills. The Senate bill plans to put CHIP-eligible kids in an exchange by the year 2019, while the House bill has them transferred by 2013.

Insurance exchanges do not promise the reliability of a government health program, Fitzgerald warns.

“Going into the exchange could require co-pays and premiums, the children would get lumped in with adults, and it’s not clear what requirements the insurance companies would have for their benefit packages,” she said.

There is also the question of permanence. Exchanges like the ones proposed by the House and Senate bills have not always been long-lasting. Texas, Florida, North Carolina and California all attempted—and failed—to create enduring insurance exchanges, primarily because private insurers tampered with the market.

A July report issued by the California HealthCare Foundation tried to pinpoint some of the factors that killed the California insurance exchange, which closed its doors in 2006. According to the report, the California exchange became too expensive when the clients it served became too costly. An exchange requires a certain number of healthy individuals to complement the more sickly participants of the exchange’s customer base; otherwise the cost of participation becomes too high for all participants.

But insurance companies in California lured healthy customers with lower premiums and steered the more sickly individuals into the exchange, creating a disproportionately expensive customer base.

“People involved in operations of the California exchange agreed that when there is competition for the same customers within and outside the exchange, the exchange is in ‘extreme peril’ of becoming a victim of adverse selection,” the report states. “If an exchange attracts a disproportionate share of higher risk individuals and groups as the California exchange did at various times, it cannot succeed. “

Fitzgerald said Mississippi’s eagerness to boot CHIP-eligible children from the program to keep down state costs is another factor complicating the new bills.

“Another problem is enrollment. We need enrollment in the exchanges to be simplified, because enrolling in state health programs have a history of being anything but simple in Mississippi,” Fitzgerald said, referencing a Medicaid policy championed by Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, which requires Medicaid recipients to meet Medicaid personnel “face-to-face” to be considered for program renewal.

CDF is working with its national office in trying to insert an amendment in the Senate bill though Democratic Sens. Robert Casey and Jay Rockefeller, which would keep all children up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level in the CHIP program until the new insurance exchange is thoroughly vetted.

Why? Because Congress wants to levy a $6. 7 billion premium tax on all private health plans each year for the next decade to pay for reform.

That’s a $67 billion tax.

Health plans will have no choice but to pass these costs on to the consumer. This tax will make it tougher for families to afford coverage, increase the difficulty for small-business owners trying hard to insure workers, and stifle job creation.

In Florida, small businesses are the bedrock of our economy. This tax will hit our economy especially hard. It’s just not what families and small businesses need as they dig their way out of a severe recession.

The Congressional Budget Office evaluated this tax and found it will lead to “higher premiums for private coverage. ” The nonpartisan CBO estimated that premiums for individual coverage could rise by as much as 13 percent.

This tax also might be disruptive to policyholders, because it could damage the ability of health plans to deliver all the benefits that members expect.

That’s because Congress is ready to impose this health-insurance tax in 2010. That’s after families have already signed up for coverage for next year, and after small businesses have already negotiated coverage contracts.

The result? Health plans may not receive enough premium to cover the costs of the massive tax, and benefits might suffer.

Unfortunately, health plans have been demonized in the pursuit of reform. But in reality, it’s not true to claim that health plans make a lot of money; their profit margins are actually pretty small.

In 2008, private health plans made $8. 61 billion in total profits nationally, according to Forbes magazine. The industry’s profit margin was just 2. 2 percent, ranking health plans 35th out of 53 industries in terms of profitability.

As the president and CEO of SantaFe HealthCare — the parent company of AvMed Health Plans — I am truly concerned by this proposed tax. As one of Florida’s oldest and largest nonprofit health plans, AvMed reinvests its earnings each year to continually improve on the benefits and services it offers to members in Orlando and elsewhere.

Obviously, a health-insurance tax that wipes out most of our annual earnings is counterproductive to our mission. Surely, congressional leaders must grasp that this tax doesn’t make sense.

There are better ways to pay for the systemic health-care reform that AvMed and other health plans support.

Instead of taxing health insurance, Congress should focus on the underlying costs of medical care. We can achieve huge cost savings by ending unnecessary treatments and services, rooting out rampant fraud and ending frivolous medical lawsuits filed by trial lawyers.

Health reform shouldn’t hurt Florida’s families and small businesses. It shouldn’t hamper the ability of health plans to provide benefits.

Time’s running out.

Please contact your congressional representative and Florida’s two senators today. Ask them to vote against this harmful health-insurance tax. We can achieve true, lasting reform in better ways.

Chiva-Som stress management specialist Paul Emery has a new pioneering consultation called ‘Bio-feedback Stress Management’.   These are fun sessions that take you through a variety of stress management techniques, so you can assess for yourself which one benefits you most by way of instant feedback from the computer software that you are linked to via a simple ear sensor.

Paul first outlines the damaging emotional and physiological effects stress has on you, and then demonstrates several techniques that can transform that stress into a feeling of calm and serenity.

These stress management techniques that are easily performed lead to better overall health, reduced aches and pains and increased levels of the anti-ageing hormone DHEA in the body, so it helps you live a healthier, longer life.  And, in day-to-day terms, at work or play, you’ll start to notice the benefits immediately.

Anti-stress techniques lead to mental and emotional clarity, which means you’re less prone to general anxiety, and quicker to recover when you do get stressed.  You’ll discover a new sense of inner control that helps you develop emotional balance and more patience with other people.   Other benefits include more day to day resilience against stress and improved sleeping patterns.

As a therapist Paul Emery has forged an international reputation for helping people from all walks of life. He’s appeared on the Australian TV show Celebrity Overhaul and been featured in many publications such as the Financial Times, Women’s Health and the Sunday Independent.

10 Easy Steps to Detoxify Your Body and Improve Your Health

The environment we live in is full of toxins. We inhale them in the air we breathe, ingest them with our food and water, and absorb them through the pores in our skin. Even the personal care products and cleaning supplies that we take for granted are full of poisons that are harmful to our bodies.

While we are surrounded by pollutants from the environment, the human body produces its own toxins. Our metabolic processes result in chemical wastes which can compromise our health.

The accumulation of these harmful substances in the body is known as “toxic load” – sometimes referred to as “body burden. ” Over time, the buildup of environmental toxins in our systems can lead to chronic or severe health problems.

Some medical researchers estimate that nearly 75% of the diseases that afflict us are largely due to the toxicity of our systems. Headaches, chronic respiratory illness, cancer, and even autism have been linked to the accumulation of unsafe chemicals in the body.

The good news is that, although it is impossible to completely isolate ourselves from these harmful substances, we can reduce our exposure to them and decrease their impact through a simple detoxification program. By following these 10 easy steps, you will rid your body of many harmful chemicals, putting yourself on the path to a healthful lifestyle and greater sense of well-being.

1. Get plenty of restorative sleep. Adequate rest is critical to your body’s ability to heal itself and perform its many biological functions properly.

2. Plan your meals with good nutrition in mind. Be sure to eat plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables; avoid processed and pre-packaged foods, refined flour and sugar products, trans-fats, and red meats. Proper nutritional balance is important for maintaining healthy organ function, especially the excretion of toxic elements through the liver.

* A cleansing diet designed to flush toxic matter from your digestive system may be incorporated into your detox program. Keep in mind that these diets are meant for the short term only, and people who are being treated for a medical condition should not undertake a restrictive diet without the approval of their physician.

3. Adapt a stress management technique that suits your lifestyle, such as yoga, meditation, or another soothing activity that you enjoy. Stress is responsible for the production of hormones which can be harmful, leading to heart disease and other severe illness; stress management reduces levels of these hormones and boosts your ability to cope with the challenges of life.

4. Physical activity heightens your body’s ability to excrete toxins, as well as providing an overall health benefit. Exercise is important to the success of your detoxification efforts, in addition to being necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

5. Avoid behaviors that are detrimental to your health, like smoking, drinking alcohol in excess, and recreational drug use; stay away from artificial stimulants like caffeine. These substances will inevitably slow down your detoxification progress.

6. Take herbal supplements. There are several detoxifying herbs which are available in either tea or capsule form. These include dandelion, milk thistle, burdock, and red clover. Ginger root and the popular acai berry are also known for their detoxifying properties, as is Vitamin C.

7. Purchase a body cleanse or liver and colon cleanse kit. These consist of natural detox products that flush toxins from your liver and colon, restoring optimal function.

8. Drink plenty of water. Adequate hydration is needed to remove toxic elements from your body.

8. Massage therapy is not only relaxing and restorative; it allows your body to excrete toxins up to 200 times faster than on its own.

9. Take a sauna or a hot bath regularly. The skin is a major excretory organ, and the heat of a sauna or bath opens the pores and increases your body’s rate of natural detoxification.

10. Reduce exposure to toxic elements. An air filter in your home will drastically improve the quality of the air you breathe; use natural cleaners and personal care products whenever possible to prevent the absorption of toxins through your skin. Sticking to organic foods lowers your risk of ingesting dangerous pesticides.
Watch out for foods wrapped in plastic wrap; plastic contains chemicals called phthalates which are known to cause cancer and developmental problems, including early-onset puberty.

While it is impossible to completely eliminate your exposure to dangerous chemicals in the environment, by following these steps you can greatly diminish their harmful impact on your health.

Nowadays, it is becoming quite an uphill and unmanageable task to take care of your family’s health care needs, especially when they are not covered under any insurance plans. The inflated medical bill is the main factor which has raised awareness among people towards importance and benefits of health insurance policy. The benefits and facilities provided under insurance plans differ from policy to policy and company to company. Therefore, factor like the company from which you have purchased the policy is equally important besides factor like which insurance policy you have selected.

In America, people in a large number prefer purchasing various health insurance policies of Golden Rule Insurance Company. Golden Rule is a reputed name of the insurance industry which is providing preventive healthcare measures to the Americans through its diverse policies from over 60 years. Affordability and ability to deliver the desired benefits are two main propelling factors which are increasing popularity of Golden Rule Insurance plans among masses. Availing quotes and information about Golden Rule Insurance Company is a cakewalk for the U. S. citizens as HealthInsurance. net proficient online advisory services will help every citizen to get the desired insurance coverage within his limited budget.

Types of plans offered by Golden Rule Insurance Company

Golden Rule is well-admired for offering three kinds of healthcare plans, Saver plans, Medical Supplement and Short Term Medical insurance plans, etc. Health Saving Accounts or HSA, high deductible plans and Co-pay plans are three kinds of plans classified under the healthcare plans. HSA plan combines the benefit of tax advantage saving account and network discount, High deductible plans are the most suitable for those who are interested in receiving high healthcare benefits by paying low premiums.

Similarly, those who like the benefits offer under co-pay feature obtain Co-pay plans. Safer plans are purchased by those individuals and families who are interested in covering the cost of bigger medical expenses instead of routine healthcare expenses. Majority of the plans of the company provide coverage for dental expenses, prescription drug expenses, expenses related to organ transplants, hospitalization expenses, etc.

joining several states across the nation, Republicans in the Pennsylvania House held a rally Jan. 27 to introduce a pair of bills aimed at opposing possible federal health mandates.

House Bill 2053, dubbed the Health Care Freedom Act, was introduced by Rep. Matt Baker (R-Bradford/Tioga) and would preserve individual rights to not take part in a government-run health care program, citing preservation of the patient-doctor relationship.

Whether a public option will be a part of a single piece of Congressional health reform legislation is still up for debate, but many think the endeavor will fail due to lack of support.

In a statement, Baker said that health insurance controlled by the government, “means that we will have less freedom to make the health care choices that are best for us and our families.

“My legislation will protect our right to pay directly for medical service and prohibit any individual from being penalized for not purchasing federally sanctioned health insurance,” said Baker, Republican chairman of the House Health and Human Service Committee.   “A government requirement to purchase health insurance is ineffective, costly and arguably an unconstitutional infringement upon states’ rights. ”

Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester County) also introduced House Bill 2179, a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state’s constitution protecting a citizen’s right to chose their own health care and purchase coverage from the company of their choosing.

The bill also rejects any law that would “penalize a person, employer or health care provider for declining to participate in a health care system. ”
Schroder said his bill “recognizes the importance of health care” while also protecting Pennsylvania residents “from a massive government intrusion.

“By amending our state constitution, as proposed in House Bill 2179, we get the hand of the federal government out of our pockets and ensure the right of all Pennsylvanians to make their own health care decisions,” he said.

At the rally, Rep. Stan Saylor (R-York) said that state governments “have a deep understanding of the health care problems their residents face.

“Any health care legislation coming from the federal government should recognize that states can craft innovative, effective solutions to their own health care problems without intervention from Washington,” he said.

Both bills are before the House Insurance Committee and are part of the House Republican Policy Committee’s Health Care Task Force.

JANUARY 29, 2010

This Week in Health Care Reform

Following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Massachusetts State Senate last week and the resulting loss of Senate Democrats’ supermajority, lawmakers continue to pave the way for health care reform – with limited progress. In addition, polls indicate that the public would rather lawmakers focus more on the economy than on health care.

State of the Union Address

President Obama Gives State of the Union Address: On Wednesday evening, President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. Having hoped to have a health care reform bill on his desk prior to his address, the President instead used his speech to encourage Congress to push forward on health care reform. Yet, he did not give specific guidance as to how to proceed with the legislation. Instead, he made it clear that his primary focus would be on jobs and the economy.

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Health Care Reform Negotiations

Democrats Still Seek Way Forward: While vowing not to give up, Democratic Senate leaders indicated Tuesday that they no longer felt pressure to move quickly on health care reform; and, in the wake of the Massachusetts election and in reaction to public opinion, they shifted focus to jobs and the economy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) commented that there is “no rush” on health care and said that he and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) were working to map out a way to complete health care reform in the coming months. On Wednesday, Sen. Pelosi floated a two-pronged strategy to pass incremental changes now and pursue comprehensive reform later.

Some lawmakers have considered breaking up the legislation into smaller pieces that have bipartisan support. However, this option will prove challenging given the complexities and interdependencies of the measures. For example, lawmakers would like to include a measure that requires all insurance companies to insure those with pre-existing conditions; however, premiums will most likely increase unless there is an individual mandate.

Earlier this week, Democrats appeared to be coalescing around a different strategy through which Senate lawmakers would make changes to their bill to appease members of the House. The Senate would then pass the revised bill via reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes. Following that, the House would approve the revised bill, giving it to President Obama for his review. However, movement on this strategy stalled Tuesday when two centrist Senators, Sens. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AK), indicated that they would oppose using reconciliation to bypass Republican support. Others, including Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), have suggested a “time out” on health care reform until there is a clear path forward.

In the GOP response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell said that Republicans share the Democrats’ desire for health care reform, but do not agree with their proposed solutions. Republicans suggest that Democrats scrap the current proposals and start over with more Republican input on issues such as medical malpractice reform and selling insurance policies across state lines.

Republicans Call for Transparency: On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up a resolution presented by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) which requested that the administration divulge documentation regarding the health care reform deals made with trade associations and a labor union. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) said that while details remained to be worked out, he would support a narrowed version of the Republican request for White House records.

President Obama to Speak with House Republicans: President Obama will meet with House Republicans on Friday in response to an invitation to speak at their annual retreat in Baltimore that begins Thursday and ends Saturday. The meeting comes just after the President’s State of the Union address, and members of the news media speculate that the meeting may spur more bipartisanship or potentially lead to even more tension between the two parties.

Interest Groups Call for Reform: With health care reform’s fate in jeopardy, interest groups have voiced their support, encouraging Democrats to push forward with legislation. The AARP, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Consumers Union, Families USA and Service employees International Union sent a joint letter last Thursday urging Congress not to abandon comprehensive health care reform. Further, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also sent a letter to Congress urging a push for reform.

Public Opinion

Polls Show Concern with Health Care Reform; More Focus on Jobs and Economy: Several polls were released this week that highlight the public’s disenchantment with health care reform and anxiety around the struggling economy.

A new CNN/Opinion Research poll released Tuesday shows that only three in ten Americans say they want Congress to pass legislation similar to the bills currently being discussed in Congress. Forty-eight percent of Americans would like lawmakers to start again on a new bill, and 21 percent believe Congress should not work on bills that would change the current health care system. Further, a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of Americans believe President Obama has paid “too little attention” to the economy and that 44 percent feel he has paid “too much attention” to his proposed health care overall.

In addition, a new USA Today/Gallup poll released late last week finds that most Americans call for a more bipartisan effort in health reform. A 55 percent majority of Americans say that President Obama and Congressional Democrats should suspend movement on health care reform and consider alternatives that would increase Republican support.

A poll released last weekend by the Washington Post , Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University’s School of Public Health indicated that dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, including the Democrats’ health care reform proposals, drove the outcome of the Massachusetts election. The post-election survey of Massachusetts state voters showed that overall 43 percent say they support the health care reform proposals advanced by President Obama and Congressional Democrats, while 48 percent oppose them.

A new poll released Monday from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that fears regarding the health care reform package increased significantly in December as members of the Senate finalized their bill. Thirty-three percent of respondents said they believed their access to care would worsen if the legislation passed, up from 25 percent in November. Forty-two percent said the country’s finances would suffer under reform, compared with 34. 6 percent in November.

Looking Ahead

Next week, the President will present his Budget to Congress (which includes health programs), after which Congressional hearings will commence. We expect health reform to be discussed in these sessions. While there remains no clear path forward for health care reform, Congressional leaders will continue to work to find a solution.