The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) was approved by the federal government in 1985, but in the intervening 23 years thousands of Americans have found that the scheme isn’t as useful as it seems. Now, with the economic crisis putting millions out of work, the failings of COBRA are beginning to be revealed, in all their dubious glory.

Under COBRA, workers who lose their jobs can still retain the employer healthcare that job provided. They can retain the healthcare for up to eighteen months, but they must pay for the full price of upkeep once their employment terminates. While employed, they pay only a portion of the premium, with their employer footing the bill for the remainder. But after their employment is terminated, they’ll pay both shares.

It sounds like a great idea – and it works in theory – but the reality is that to maintain their healthcare after losing their jobs, the average worker must pay as much as 30% of their unemployment check. When a family, rather than a single person is involved, that figure can rise to an astonishing 84%.

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Universal healthcare could be useful in more ways than one. With more than half a million jobs lost in America in November (the biggest decline in a single month in more than thirty years), the country is in dire straights. Nearly 7% of the nation is wholly unemployed, and a total of 12.5% are either unemployed or barely working. That’s 19.3 million Americans who have little or no work.

The incoming administration is preparing a stimulus package to be introduced in the New Year, intended to get the economy ticking over again by investing billions in infrastructure. The package may include upgrading school buildings, upgrading public buildings to improve energy efficiency, building of bridges and roads, extending the reach of broadband internet, and improving electronic record keeping for medical billing.

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AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, but now known more commonly by its acronym) is a non-profit, non-government interest group which, according to its web site mission statement, is “dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all as we age,” by providing “a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for our members.” AARP acts as a member advocate, and is a powerful lobbying group. It also sells insurance, investment products, and endorses certain insurance companies.

Sounds good, yes? But by virtue of its habit of endorsing insurance companies, AARP has recently come under fire. The Kaiser Family Network recently revealed that AARP’s endorsements don’t come cheaply – 43% of the revenue the supposedly non-profit, independent advocacy group collected in 2007 came from royalties and fees the organization took from insurance companies – as payment for endorsements.

Doesn’t sound too much like consumer advocacy, does it.

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Barack Obama, our new President-elect, used an ambitious health care reformation plan as an important part of his running campaign. The core of the plan is intended to provide insurance for a big chunk of the 46 million Americans who don’t have it.

So congratulations, Mr. President – and just how soon are we likely to see any changes in health care?

Obama’s Health Insurance Plan

Obama’s universal health care plan is certainly ambitious, aiming to provide insurance for millions of uninsured Americans, and to cut health care spending at the same time.

What are the finer points of this plan?

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Healthcare was a hot topic in the recent election, and with Barack Obama’s election, many women’s health advocates hope to see a reversal of some of the policies added or modified during the Bush administration.

Some of the recent election results may point towards a new policy towards women’s health care. But these policy changes are entirely dependent on the cooperation of Congress. Don’t forget, too, that the supreme court is now filled with a few new pro-life judges. What might we see changed?

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Times they are a changing. We have a new President Elect who promises to bring change and renewal to our struggling country. Unfortunately, change takes time, and the economy is still in a weak and fragile state. As much as we would like to see things change over night, that is unrealistic. We are still in the grips of one of the greatest financial crises of all time, and pulling this nation out of from under that will take the work of many months, and probably years. You may be cringing as you watch your stocks and bonds plummet, but the repercussions happening across the nation are more than just financial. Health, in so many facets, is taking just as hard a hit as your pocketbook.

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Proposed health and health care changes on ballots all over the state haven’t received much press, either before or after the recent presidential election. But there are some important changes, even though they have been overshadowed by the election itself!

Abortion Limitations Defeated in All Three States

In California, Colorado, and South Dakota, propositions which would have limited the circumstances under which a woman could seek an abortion were defeated.

Children’s Health Insurance Approved in Montana

The Healthy Kids Plan Act was approved. This initiative approves the establishment of a health insurance plan for all uninsured children in Montana, estimated at around 37,000.

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Health care is understandably on of the hottest topics in the 2008 Presidential Election. Everyone needs and deserves to know what the two main party candidates believe will be the best health care system to suit this country’s needs, but then again, not everyone is planning on voting for one of the Big Two. Some believe that the third parties need more attention and focus, and regardless of your party affiliation, it is always good to have a firm understanding of what every candidate in this election thinks about health care.

The Green Party on Health Care

Cynthia McKinney and the Green Party may have the most radical changes to our current health care system of any party in the election, but radical does not equal bad news. The Green Party wants to introduce a “single-payer,” universal healthcare system. This would be given to every single person living in the United States. Single-payer is a term used to describe a type of financing system. It refers to one entity acting as administrator, or “payer.” In the case of health care, a single-payer system would be setup such that one entity—a government run organization—would collect all health care fees, and pay out all health care costs. All Americans would have all of their healthcare needs covered, regardless of pre-existing conditions, status, employment, income, housing or age. They also encourage expanded care by public clinics as well as the practice of traditional and alternative medicine.

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photo credit: DerrickT

The shocking truth is that nursing homes in America are not safe, and for-profit nursing homes are even less safe.  This comes from the latest report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

In fact, 2007 saw a number of states report unprecedented rates of nursing home violations – Idaho, Alaska, Washington D.C. , and  Wyoming had a %100 violation rate. The most common violations included infected bed sores, inadequate treatment of urinary tract infections, deficient housekeeping, and improper nutrition. One in six nursing homes, posed “actual harm or immediate jeopardy” to residents.
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photo credit: pingnews.com

Few items on any political agenda today affect as many people as the subject of healthcare costs. Publicly-funded health insurance systems are being debated back and forth between all parties with both sides trying to retain their views about the best course of action for the nation. Many people aren’t content to simply sit back and wait for the healthcare system in this country to fix itself; they have taken it upon themselves to purchase health insurance through work or on the private market.

With health care costs rising at three times the rate of the average wages in this country (and over 105% since 1999), many people are already realizing that their future health care costs will be out of reach if matters are left unchecked. While health insurance plans won’t cover every eventuality, they will help to offset the rapidly-rising costs of health care services in this country. (more…)