Immunization

March 30 at 5:25 PM Republicans have no intention of heeding President Trump’s urgent demands for a new health-care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, fearing the potential political damage that such a proposal could cause in 2020 and hoping he will soon drop the idea, according to interviews with numerous GOP lawmakers, legislative staffers and administration aides. Not only is there no such health-care overhaul in the works on Capitol Hill — there are no plans to make such a plan. Senate Republicans, who were caught off guard by Trump’s rapid shift to focus on health care last week, said the White House would need to make the first move by putting forward its own proposal. But administration officials said nothing firm is in the works. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — acutely aware of the perils that health care poses for Republicans — does not intend to wade extensively into the issue, senators and aides said, even as Trump has revived his fixation on a cam...

This week, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, a Republican, announced that his predecessor, Jeff Sessions, just hadn’t gone far enough when he asked a federal judge to kill the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions  — that is, stuff like asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. Barr told an appeals court that he does not want it to merely murder that one provision but, instead, will insist that it massacre the ACA’s entire 1,990 pages  — death to every clause protecting patients from insurance company abuses, every portion devoted to containing costs, every phrase extending health care to the nation’s young adults and working poor. Advertisement: It is essential, Barr contends, that the court rip insurance from 21 million people  covered by the ACA health insurance marketplaces and Medicaid expansion; that the court deny insurance to 2 million young adults  covered by their parents’ plans; that the court foreclo...

Posted: Mar. 31, 2019 2:25 am Dear Savvy Senior, I will be retiring in a few months and need to get some health insurance for my wife and me until we can enroll in Medicare. What are my options? -- About to Retire Dear About, There are several places early retirees can find health insurance coverage before Medicare kicks in, but the best option for you and your wife will depend on your income level and your health care needs. Here's where to look. Government Marketplace If your yearly income falls below the 400 percent poverty level after you retire, the Affordable Care Act (ACA aka Obamacare) marketplace is probably your best option for getting health coverage because of the premium subsidies they offer, which will reduce the amount you'll have to pay for a policy. ACA health insurance is major medical insurance that covers essential health benefits with no annual or lifetime coverage maximums. And they can't charge you more or deny you coverage because of a pre-...

Navigating health insurance can be treacherous. Premiums are high, deductibles are higher. Some plans have rules about referrals, most have penalties for going outside the network. So when a patient does everything by the book and still gets hit with an extra bill — often totaling thousands of dollars — something’s wrong. It’s also something the Texas Legislature can fix. Texas lawmakers are currently working to end the practice known as “surprise billing.” This primarily affects patients treated in the emergency room, where many doctors are out of network. It also occurs within network facilities when certain specialists, such as anesthesiologists, are not part of the network. In Texas, 1 in 3 ER visits results in a surprise bill compared with 1 in 5 nationwide, according to a study in Health Affairs magazine. Under a Senate bill that could have a committee vote this week, insured patients would be responsible only for their usual share of covered costs, such as deductible...

Gov. Tim Walz and the Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate are hurtling toward a big dollar showdown over dueling health care proposals to reshape the state’s insurance markets and check the rising cost of prescription drugs. For Walz and House Democrats, the most pressing issue is a 2 percent tax on health care providers that expires at the end of the year, leading to the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars for health programs, including Medical Assistance for low income and disabled people and MinnesotaCare for the working poor. Republicans, on the other hand, are focused on re-upping an important subsidy for health insurance companies that has driven down premiums for the 160,000 Minnesotans who buy their insurance on the open market. The debate is further complicated by President Donald Trump’s renewed push to kill the Affordable Care Act, which guarantees consumers can buy health insurance even if they have pre-existing conditions. Minnesota health progra...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Data shows Wash. counties behind in immunization goals    KOMO News As of Sunday, 74 confirmed cases of measles were confirmed in Washington, with 73 of those coming from one county, totaling more than half the nation's ... https://ift.tt/2CMTNSm

EUGENE, Ore. -- Dozens rallied in front of the Lane County Courthouse Saturday encouraging people to say no to a house bill that if passed, would require parents to vaccinate their kids. House bill 3063 cleared its first hurdle through the Oregon Legislature, and is now making its way to a committee. KEZI spoke with people at the rally who said the focus of the event wasn't being for or against vaccinations. “It's not a pro or anti vaccine issue for me,” said a Eugene resident who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s about freedom of choice because I believe that each parent and each person has a right to determine what they put in their bodies and what they don't put in their bodies." The bill would require children be vaccinated in order to attend school, and get rid of the state's non-medical exemptions. This means parents would no longer be able to claim religious or personal reasons for exemptions. The bill was introduced following a measles outbreak in sou...

• Monday, April 8 at First English Lutheran Church, 17 Main St NW, Menahga, call for an appointment. Please bring your immunization record if available. All minors must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian. The suggested cost is $15 per immunization administration. Persons eligible include Minnesota Health Care Program enrollees, and people uninsured or insured without vaccine coverage. This should not replace your regularly scheduled medical provider appointments. For further questions or information, contact Wadena County Public Health 218-631-7629. https://ift.tt/2CLmOOn

SANTA FE — The state Children, Youth and Families Department has received a $5 million federal SAMHSA grant to expand its capacity to serve youth in transition with serious emotional disturbance and serious mental illness through the Healthy Transitions Expansion Program, or HTEP. The CYFD program expansion will serve individuals aged 16 through 25 in both Doña Ana County and San Juan County with high-fidelity wraparound services, trauma-informed care and peer and family support services. Two selected clinical programs — La Clinica de Familia in Doña Ana and Desert View Family Counseling Services in San Juan — have demonstrated histories in providing high-quality community-based mental health services to youth in transition. The grant is expected to fund screenings of 300 youth over the course of five years and enroll 200 youth in such community-based services. CYFD will establish a memorandum of understanding with the state Behavioral Health Services Division creating poli...

Gamalier Felicie CLEVELAND, Ohio – A licensed social worker with the Centers for Families and Children has been indicted on felony charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a client and telling her it was necessary for mental health treatment. Gamalier Felicie, 44, has been charged with rape, sexual battery, attempted rape and attempted sexual battery. The indictment said that on Jan. 25, 2019, Felicie told the 37-year-old victim “sexual conduct was necessary for mental health treatment purposes.” According to a statement from facility administrators, Felicie was immediately placed on leave when the allegations surfaced. Administrators reported it to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Cuyahoga County’s Addiction, Mental Health (ADAMHS) Board. The allegations were also reported to Cleveland police and other state officials. A check of online records showed Felicie had no history of discipline with the Ohio Counselor Social Worker and Marriage and Fa...

Alaska health care giant Providence Health and Services made overtures to the state about taking over management of the troubled Alaska Psychiatric Institute before a lucrative no-bid contract was awarded to Wellpath , a Tennessee-based company that sprouted from the private prison industry, a letter between hospital executives and lawmakers shows. In early February, Wellpath was awarded a roughly $43 million-per-year contract to operate API, the state’s only psychiatric hospital. State officials declared an emergency and circumvented the usual government procurement rules, saying the hospital was unsafe and about to lose federal funding. Ever since, questions about how the deal came together have dogged state health officials. Some lawmakers, like Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, an Anchorage Democrat, have asked why in-state providers like Providence were not considered. “Given that Providence has been operating in Alaska since 1902 and has a proven track record providing in-patient p...

The Cambridge-Guernsey County Health Department celebrates the 2019 National Public Health Week with 100 years of public health. National Public Health Week is April 1-7 and health officials said, "We want to highlight the history of public health and success stories from our clients. Over the years, public health has grown with the needs of our population. Today, our agency holds a mission to improve quality of life for Guernsey County by promoting health, preventing disease, and assuring a safe environment. "In order to deliver the best services to our community, we hold values of respect, compassion, equality, confidentiality, and teamwork. Our mission and values are not that different from those held 100 years ago, but services today look a little different." In 1948, an environmental health sanitarian would regularly inspect dairy farms and collect milk samples. This process was conducted in order to prevent contaminated milk reaching the public. Polio and Tuberc...

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has struck down a small-business health insurance plan widely touted by President Donald Trump, the second setback in a week for the administration’s health care initiatives. U.S. District Judge John D. Bates wrote in his opinion late Thursday that so-called “association health plans” were “clearly an end-run” around consumer protections required by the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. On Wednesday, another federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s Medicaid work requirements for low-income people. The legal setbacks came as Trump unexpectedly pivoted back to health care this week, promising a new plan to replace the ACA, commonly called “Obamacare.” But many congressional Republicans don’t want to have that fight again. Democrats are gleeful, seeing a chance to shift the national conversation to one of their top issues. Justice Department spokeswoman Kelly Laco said in a statement Friday the Trump administration disagrees with the judge’s ruling on as...

Daniel Axelrod Times Herald-Record @dan_axelrod TOWN OF WALLKILL — Crystal Run Healthcare will seek state approval to eliminate its health plans, the company announced Friday, while faulting a key Affordable Care Act provision for the decision. Company leaders said they will ask the state to allow Crystal Run to wind down the doctor group’s 4-year-old health insurance lines due to what it calls the ACA’s faulty risk adjustment methodology. Crystal Run, a giant mid-Hudson doctor group based in the Town of Wallkill, has insurance products serving 6,401 members, including 3,723 in health maintenance organization plans and 2,678 in exclusive and preferred provider organization plans. Nearly all the members are in Orange and Sullivan counties. Pending approval from state regulators, Crystal Run hopes to wind down its health plans in six to nine months. Company leaders added that the practice is otherwise healthy, with a projected 300,000-plus patients in 2019; 2,700 employees, incl...

CLEVELAND — Ohio’s Republican attorney general said Thursday he will file a court brief opposing a federal judge’s ruling that declared the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, potentially leaving nearly 2 million state residents with pre-existing medical conditions without health insurance should the decision be upheld. Attorney General Dave Yost told The Associated Press that U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in December “got it wrong” when he struck down former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law after Congress eliminated the “individual mandate.” The mandate required people without health insurance to pay fines. O’Connor, based in Fort Worth, Texas, ruled on a case brought by a group of Republican state attorneys general. Democratic attorneys general from 17 states appealed O’Connor’s ruling in January at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where Yost said he planned next Monday to file an amicus brief in support of requiring insurers to provide coverage fo...

BOISE — Legislation to extend the length of short-term health insurance plans for Idahoans, addressing a gap in coverage, unanimously passed the Senate on Friday. “This simply just provides one more option for our Idaho residents to get health care that maybe fits in their budget,” said Nampa GOP Sen. Jeff Agenbroad, the bill’s sponsor. HB 275 creates an “enhanced” short-term health insurance plan for Idahoans, increasing the amount of time one can be on the plan to comply with new federal rules. With the bill, Idahoans could receive renewable health insurance plans for up to three years. Agenbroad said it’s projected the plans could be offered at up to 50 percent less than standard insurance plans. Currently, Idaho offers short-term health insurance plans to address the needs of people who are in between jobs, coming off their parents’ insurance, or missed an open-enrollment period, among other circumstances. These plans, however, have a maximum of 10 months and aren’t ren...

California would give state public health officials instead of local doctors the power to decide which children can skip vaccinations before attending school under legislation proposed Tuesday to counter what advocates call bogus exemptions. The measure would also let state and county health officials revoke medical exemptions granted by doctors if they are found to be fraudulent or contradict federal immunization standards. The proposal comes amid measles outbreaks in New York, Washington and elsewhere that are prompting states including Maine and Washington to consider ending non-medical exemptions. California eliminated all non-medical immunization exemptions in 2016, as have Mississippi and West Virginia. The lawmakers want California to now follow West Virginia's lead in having public health officials rather than doctors decide who qualifies for medical exemptions. Doctors would send the state health department the reason they are recommending the exemption and would have t...

A New York county's ban on unvaccinated minors in public is working, an official told CNBC on Friday. Rockland County Executive Ed Day said more than 500 immunizations have been administered since he announced the ban on Tuesday. "We've gotten their attention," he said in an interview with " The Exchange ." And that was the point. "We're not enforcing it by having people check people and things of that nature. But basically people simply understand now that we are serious about this," said Day. The county, located in the northern suburbs of New York City, is one of six locations in the U.S. experiencing a measles outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been 157 reported cases in Rockland County since October 2018. In response, government officials declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and banned unvaccinated children in public places, including shopping malls, schools and restaurants, for 30...

Video Player Close MANILA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday that recent measles outbreaks in the Western Pacific region are putting babies, children and young people at risk again and threatening progress in efforts to wipe out the most contagious human disease. "In recent months, we've seen how swiftly and easily measles can make a comeback in communities where not enough children have been immunized," WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai said. The U.N. health agency recorded a 250 percent increase of measles cases in the region in 2018, and more than two-thirds of cases were in the Philippines. "The resurgence of measles around the world has resulted in increased importation of the virus to several countries in our region," Kasai said. "What we want to stop is large-scale outbreaks resulting from those importations," Kasai said, stressing the need to aggressively implement a vac...

This article was contributed by Samela Perez with San Benito County Public Health Services. This year’s flu season is already a long one, with illness activity still widespread in 44 states, including California and is expected to continue for several more weeks. "Typically influenza activity reaches its highest levels between December and February, and may continue through May, however we are now seeing a spike in flu infections due to the H3N2 strain, " said Dr. Gail Newel, health officer for San Benito County Public Health Services . People at highest risk for severe complications from influenza include adults 65 years of age and older, children less than five years old, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions like asthma, heart disease, and weakened immune systems. Public Health recommends that all individuals six months of age and older be vaccinated against influenza. "Influenza vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect you and...

“In the aftermath of Parkland, there was a lot of attention on this but yet you have this. So, we want to hear from folks and figure out what the state can be doing more, what the local communities can be doing more, you know to try to fight it," Gov. Ron DeSantis, R- Florida. https://ift.tt/2Yyhrey

WAVERLY, Iowa (KWWL) – If you live in a rural community, you may not have access to mental health care. But one program is trying to change that. SERVING RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS Pathways has an outreach program called ‘School Mental Health Services.’ Six social workers travel to about 15 schools in rural areas. Without their help, some kids may not get the counseling they need. Many of the schools have grants to fund the clinicians’ work. They won’t turn a child away from services due to funding. If a community doesn’t have grant money, parents pay for the care through insurance. Some school districts will even pick up a small fee. One mom, Nikki Schneider, said school is difficult. Expectations are high. “For kids just nowadays, things are a lot harder,” she said. “They expect a lot more out of you.” Schneider’s daughter, Lexi, sees Wendy Kepford, a clinical social worker, through the program. Kepford helps treat many different mental health issues in children. “A lot of anxie...