Health

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

November 05, 2009 -- THE PRESIDENT: Hey! Hello, everybody. Please sit down. Good afternoon, everybody. I wanted to come down and just talk a little bit about health care before Robert gives his regular briefing.

I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to a vote in the House of Representatives.    » read more »

November 5, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced contract awards for up to 120,000 treatment courses of intravenous (IV) antiviral drugs to help treat hospitalized 2009 H1N1 influenza patients.

Patients hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza are evaluated to determine if antiviral drugs will be useful; some patients are not able to take the drugs that are currently available as pills or liquid and may benefit from intravenous antiviral medications.    » read more »

In Speech on Senate Floor, Udall Points to Colorado Example of Coordinated, Streamlined Care, which Saves Money and Emphasizes Ways to Keep Patients Healthy

November 5, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall, delivered a speech on the Senate floor emphasizing ways health insurance reform would reduce wasteful spending and increase efficiency - putting the focus of the health care system back on patients where it belongs. The U.S. spends over $2 trillion per year on health care - nearly one fifth of the economy - yet between 30 and 50 percent of these dollars are not contributing to better patient health. That's unsustainable and unhealthy, Senator Udall said.    » read more »

A column by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

November 4, 2009 -- Thousands of Missouri seniors, like my mother Betty Anne, rely on Medicare for their health care. However, if Medicare remains on the same course as it is today, it will run out of money by 2017 and seniors may be without coverage.

Additionally, without adequate reforms, Medicare is on track to cut payments to physicians by as much as 21 percent starting next year, which may cause some doctors to drop Medicare patients.

By rooting out more than $400 billion in identified waste, fraud, and inefficiencies, we can make sure Medicare remains solvent for years to come, ensure doctors are paid fairly so that seniors can keep their doctors, and not cut benefits for seniors.    » read more »

Proposal Will Reduce the Number of New Diabetes Cases

Washington, D.C. [Nov 5, 2009] – Today, U.S. Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) introduced the Diabetes Prevention Act of 2009, which will reduce the number of new diabetes cases in the United States, resulting in significant health care savings and better health for Americans.

The legislation is being introduced in connection with American Diabetes Month, which is November.

Video of Sen. Franken’s statement of introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn8gDPVtkEw    » read more »

Proposal Will Keep More Unemployed Minnesotans Insuread

Washington, D.C. [Nov 5, 2009] – Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) joined his colleagues Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) to support the COBRA Subsidy Extension and Enhancement Act (S.2730).

COBRA allows jobless workers to keep their health care as they look for new employment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that seven million workers and their dependents will use the COBRA subsidies in 2009. Tens of thousands of Minnesota families won’t be able to stay insured without this extension. This act addresses the short-term crisis facing so many families by extending the COBRA subsidy another six months through June 30, 2010.    » read more »

Bill Would Extend and Expand COBRA Subsidy Included in Recovery Act; Subsidy Set to Expire on December 1 without Legislative Action

November 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced a bill today to extend the “COBRA” subsidy which helps unemployed workers and their families afford temporary health care coverage. Many Families will lose this temporary assistance which will begin to expire on Dec. 1, 2009, if Congress fails to act. The bill is also cosponsored by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN).    » read more »

In Remarks, Bennet Tells Story of Colorado Man Denied Coverage Because His Wife Was Pregnant - Even Though She Had Her Own Insurance

November 5, 2009 -- Urging health care reform that provides stability for working families, Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, today spotlighted the story of a Coloradan who was denied health insurance coverage because his wife was pregnant, even though she had her own insurance. Bennet said the story was an example of the absurd waste of time caused by the health insurance system and the current lack of stability for Colorado's working families.    » read more »

Executive Order gives public health director clear authority to respond as needed

Nov. 5, 2009 -- (Salem) - Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski today issued Executive Order 09-17 to grant the state’s public health director, Dr. Mel Kohn, additional authority to respond proactively to pandemic H1N1 influenza. By issuing the order now, Governor Kulongoski has provided Dr. Kohn with the ability to implement quickly public health protections provided by state law.

“In order to do all we can to protect the public, I have provided Dr. Kohn with the ability to take additional steps to protect the health of Oregonians,” said Governor Kulongoski. “These measures are not needed now, but should that change, Dr. Kohn can take action without delay.”    » read more »

3,000 Bottles of Pediatric Anti-Viral Arrive Today

November 5, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that the state has received 3,000 bottles of pediatric Tamiflu from the federal government to help medical personnel at hospitals and clinics treat the growing cases of H1N1 influenza among children.

“We continue to see a marked increase in the number of confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in both children and adults,” Governor Rell said. “But any parent who has ever stayed up all night with a sick child knows how difficult and heartbreaking it can be. It is important to treat the symptoms as soon as possible and so we must ensure that the medication is available.”    » read more »

November 2, 2009 -- Q. When will the 2009 H1N1 vaccine be widely available in my community?

All states and the District of Columbia have placed orders for vaccine, and more orders are expected daily. Orders are coming in throughout the day; they're being processed and shipped, and vaccine is arriving in thousands of places across the country.

The vaccine situation changes rapidly and we are slowly seeing the gap between supply and demand begin to close. Because the vaccine distribution system varies by state, the vaccine situation on the ground may differ from community to community.    » read more »

Affordable Health Care for America Act holds massive benefits for rural Colorado

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman John Salazar released the list of benefits the Affordable Health Care for America Act is estimated to bring to the 3rd Congressional District of Colorado. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday, October 29. The analysis was compiled from data by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Health and Human Services, the House Committee on Ways and Means and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Last week, in a statement announcing his support for the health care reform bill, Congressman Salazar said:    » read more »

November 3, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Congressman David Price (D-NC) issued the following statement today supporting H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act:

Over the past few months, I have attended town halls and roundtable discussions, met with a wide variety of constituent groups, conducted two telephone town halls with hundreds of participants, and read thousands of letters and emails from Triangle residents about the complex issue of health care reform. I have heard a lot of different views on how to improve our health care system, but nearly everybody agrees on one thing: Maintaining the status quo is not an option.    » read more »

GOP proposal is a bailout for insurance companies, congressman says.

November 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8) today said he was underwhelmed by the health care legislation advanced by the House Republicans as an alternative to the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The congressman pointed out that the historic effort of the past 10 months incorporates items that were proposed by Republicans in Congress.    » read more »

House Democrats Introduce H1N1 Flu Emergency Sick-Leave Bill

WASHNGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, announced emergency temporary legislation today that will guarantee five paid sick days for a worker sent home or directed to stay home by their employer for a contagious illness, such as the H1N1 flu virus. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation the week of November 16.    » read more »