On the State of the Union: Where Are We Going? A National Mystery

After watching the President’s State of the Union Address, I must confess that I am puzzled. I have no idea where our country is going.

Main Street Alliance Leader Testifies Against Rollback of Federal Health Law

On January 18, New Jersey Main Street Alliance leader Odette Cohen, a pediatrician and owner of Son Light Pediatrics in Willingboro, NJ jumped on a train down to Washington, DC to testify at a hearing on the proposed rollback of the Affordable Care Act. “The health care law throws a series of lifelines to smallContinue reading “Main Street Alliance Leader Testifies Against Rollback of Federal Health Law”

What Health Care Repeal Would Mean for People of Color

If you woke up tomorrow and discovered that you were a Member of Congress, what would be your first order of business? The economy is in the tank, so maybe you would endeavor to create a jobs program to curb unemployment. Poverty is on the rise, so you could consider options for strengthening the country’sContinue reading “What Health Care Repeal Would Mean for People of Color”

Around the Country, Organizations Show that Language Access in Health Care is a Human Right

During the week of December 6, organizations throughout the country hung banners with the message “Language = Life: Language in Health Care is a Human Right.”  They sent a clear message to the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services  that language access is right, not a privilege.

Health Insurer Lobbying, Sopranos Style

It’s been public knowledge for a while now that the health insurance industry secretly funneled money to the US Chamber of Commerce to fund its smear campaign against health care reform in 2009. What we didn’t know, though, was just how much money. Now, thanks to some good investigative reporting by Bloomberg News, we do.Continue reading “Health Insurer Lobbying, Sopranos Style”

Establishing State Exchanges that Serve People, Not Insurance Profits

Health care reform, if fully realized, will provide health insurance coverage for an additional 30 million people in America. One of the main ways this will happen is through the creation of centralized health insurance marketplaces, or “state exchanges.” If set up properly and well, people without insurance will be able to go to theirContinue reading “Establishing State Exchanges that Serve People, Not Insurance Profits”

Race Matters: Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy

It’s always been tough for working families in the Northwest to make ends meet. The recession has made it even harder – and harder still for people of color, who have historically faced racial inequities in the job market. The economic crisis has only worsened these disparities in employment, wages, and income. Race Matters shinesContinue reading “Race Matters: Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy”

A Victory for Health Care Implementation

Last week, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) finalized their recommendations to President Obama on how to implement a critical piece of health care reform: medical loss rations. Their recommendation is a significant victory because,  according to the Washington Post, it largely favors “the views of consumer advocates over those advanced by the insuranceContinue reading “A Victory for Health Care Implementation”

On Language Access, Holding HHS Accountable to People, Not Insurance Companies

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently creating the regulations that basically put the meat on the bones of this country’s health care reform law. It is the outcome of these rule-making decisions that will determine the success, or failure, of reform. NWFCO, with the Health Rights Organizing Project, has been weighingContinue reading “On Language Access, Holding HHS Accountable to People, Not Insurance Companies”

$75 Million: For the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, A Small Price to Pay for an Election

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been all over the airwaves recently–and not just with its hefty ad buys targeting candidates in the fast approaching November elections. Last week, the Chamber earned a wave of critical press when the story broke that it was funneling donations from international corporations and overseas affiliates into the sameContinue reading “$75 Million: For the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, A Small Price to Pay for an Election”