FLORIDA HEALTH INSURANCE

Today's Health Insurance News

August 16, 2007 -- West Palm Edition

Insurance News

While Democrats push for an overall health care plan for children, Republican leaders of the House and Senate are attacking proposals that call for a major expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program. Florida health insurance agent Morgan Moran says "the new plan will be paid for with higher taxes on tobacco."

(YahooNews) -- Health insurance chaos continues. In the House, Democrats are trying to bring health insurance coverage to 5 million children who are currently "uninsured" - "but it looks like Republicans will fight these proposals," said Morgan Moran, of www.FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com.

The top two Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Trent Lott of Mississippi, say they oppose the bipartisan bill that the Senate Finance Committee approved last week and the two senators would offer an alternative to the insurance plan on the Senate floor.

Top House Republicans object to the House Democrats' plan to finance their proposals. The Democrats want to fund the new insurance plan with increases in tobacco taxes, and cuts in subsidies for private health plans. Republicans say public coverage would in some cases replace private insurance. Insurance consultant Moran says "any additional health insurance coverage for Florida's children is a good thing".

Republican spin doctor's are saying things like, this plan is "Dragging people out of private health insurance to put them into a government-run programs" and "it is 'Hillary care' come back," referring to the Clinton administration plan for universal health coverage for all American's.

Moran said he "hoped that both chambers would approve the bills next week, before Congress begins a monthlong summer recess." The House bill, developed entirely by Democrats, would increase spending on children's coverage by $50 billion over five years, providing a total of $75 billion.

In a letter to colleagues, Mr. Mitch McConnell and Mr. Trent Lott said, that the measure "imposes an open-ended financial burden" on American taxpayers and takes a significant step toward a government-run health care system. The Democrats say, "Republican's have earmarked the funds for their own "open-ended financial burden" - the war in Iraq.

A Democratic Representative Diana DeGette, of Colorado, is a leading proponent of the House bill, she said: "For the longest time, I was mystified why Republicans would oppose expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program to kids who are eligible but not enrolled. "Unfortunately," Ms. DeGette said, "Republicans are pursuing this strategy on the backs of poor children."

Florida health insurance consultant, Moran said, "The Senate bill focuses on coverage for children." The House bill also calls for major changes in Medicare. It would, for example, halt a 10 percent cut in payments to doctors, scheduled for January, and would reduce payments for private insurance known as Medicare Advantage plans.

About Florida Health Insurance Web: Florida Health Insurance Web is an online source of health insurance agents and insurance carriers covering individuals in the state of Florida. Individuals can get insurance quotes, search rates online by city, read current insurance news and events. For a directory and archive of Florida Health Insurance Consultants, a listing of the best rates and free quotes, please visit www.FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com.

Florida Health Insurance Web -- Morgan Moran -- (800) 554-9142

The debate over health insurance continues in Washington. Florida Health Insurance Web reports House Democrats are hoping to pay for their new health plan by raising taxes on tobacco - and some minor cuts to Medicare insurers to pay for the proposed $50 billion expansion of a children's health insurance program.

(YahooNews) -- In the issue of Florida Health News (available at: www.floridahealthinsuranceweb.com/Florida_Health_News_Medicare.html ) consultant Morgan Moran reports the new health insurance proposal before the House and Senate could eliminate or lower the reimbursement rate for doctors who treat Medicare patients. The 10 percent cut which is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 would give doctors a 0.5 percent increase in their reimbursement rates each of the next two years when they treat Medicare patients.

Democrats point to tobacco as another way to pay for the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Health Insurance Consultant, Morgan Moran of Florida Health Insurance Web said, leaders want to pay for the plan with a 45 cent increase (excise tax) on every pack of cigarettes sold. They would also lower payments to many insurance plans participating in the Medicare Advantage program over the next four years.

Moran said, "When this bill hits the Senate, "they will consider the tax cigarettes" which could raise 60 billion over the next five years.

President Bush speaking at a press conference said "he would veto the insurance bill." The President has made his feeling clear about health insurance saying American's have health insurance, if they're sick, and need a doctor, they can go to the emergency room." Some members of Congress, like Pete Stark from California said, "historians will deal with that."

Insurance specialist Moran said, "more than 6 million people, including about 600,000 adults," get health insurance coverage ( www.FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com ) each year through SCHIP. The federal government pays for about 70 percent of the SCHIP program and the states like Florida pay the rest.

The health insurance bill is quite long and deals with much more than SCHIP. It would eliminate cost-sharing for preventive services in Medicare, such as cancer screenings. In addition, it reduces the co-payment on mental health outpatient services from 50 percent to 20 percent.

The insurance bill would also freeze reimbursement rates for some Medicare providers next year, such as: home health agencies, nursing homes and long-term care hospital. Moran said, "the new insurance bill takes on the new Medicare drug benefit." Currently, Medicare recipients must have less than $11,700 in assets to qualify for extra help in paying for their medicine. The new House bill would increase that payment threshold to around $17,000.

Moran estimates, "the overall cost of the bill at about $90 billion over five years." On Fox News, Republican leaders have made it clear that "they believe the proposed expansion of SCHIP is too large."

The ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, Jim McCrery who is against the measure released a statement saying "The health insurance bill will continue to increase taxpayer-funded coverage for adults and middle-class children and move the United States toward a system of completely government-controlled health care". Democrats said the bill would allow 5 million uninsured children to become insured and deny that the proposal would expand eligibility for the program.

About Florida Health Insurance Web

Florida Health Insurance Web is an online source of health insurance agents and insurance carriers covering individuals in the state of Florida. Individuals can get insurance quotes, search rates online by city, read current insurance news and events. For a directory and archive of Florida Health Insurance Consultants, a listing of the best rates and free quotes, please visit www.FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com.

Florida Health Insurance Web

Morgan Moran --- (800) 554-9142

Medical insurance costs have doubled in the last few years, and because of that a lot of people think they can't afford to be covered. Other people feel they don't need it because they're healthy and won't be stricken with a major medical problem. Wrong on both counts.

Fact is, we all need medical insurance and there are ways to get a cheap medical insurance rate.

Cheap Medical Insurance

Medicaid

If you're in a low income bracket, your state has a Medicaid program that will provide medical insurance for you and your family if your qualify. Medicaid medical insurance provides coverage for dental care, eye care, health care, and prescription drugs. For information on Medicaid medical insurance, call or visit your nearest Division of Family Services office for details.

If you don't qualify for Medicaid, your next step is to go shopping for an inexpensive health care plan. There are two types of insurance that offer the most benefits for the least amount of money - HMOs and PPOs:

HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations)

HMOs charge a fixed monthly fee for which they provide medical services that include doctor visits, hospitalization, surgery, and prescription drug coverage. Members must choose a primary car physician who oversees their health care, and they can only receive medical treatment from doctors and facilities that are part of the HMO's network.

PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations)

PPOs are similar to HMOs in that you receive medical services through a prescribed network of physicians and facilities. But unlike HMOs, members do not need to get permission from their primary care physician to see a specialist. PPOs cost about 5% more than HMOs.

Cheap Medical Insurance Rates

You can call local insurance companies or go to individual insurance sites to get medical insurance rate quotes, but the easiest way to get quotes is to go to an insurance comparison website.

Insurance comparison sites let you get quotes from a number of insurance companies. You want to get at least three quotes, then choose the quote that's best for your circumstances. If you have any questions about health insurance, the better comparison sites have insurance professionals on hand who can answer them.

Facing growing consumer concern over soaring costs, America's health insurers are more eager to participate in reform now than in the 1990s, but they will still fight any attempt to reduce their profits, policy experts say.

"If reform means requiring insurers to be much more efficient and would affect their bottom line, they'd probably oppose it," said Robert Laszewski, a health-care consultant at Alexandria, Virginia-based Health Policy and Strategy Associates who has covered the sector for three decades.

"Like any stakeholder in reform, the industry would resist any demand that they change their behavior."

The spiraling cost of health care has risen to the top of voters' domestic concerns in national polls, and health insurers have been lambasted in filmmaker Michael Moore's new documentary, SiCKO.

Unlike a decade ago, big business, consumers and unions say the growing crisis in America's health-care system, which is dominated by the private sector, must be dealt with. And the insurance lobby has stepped forward with a plan that includes tax credits and subsidies, which it says will cover 45 million uninsured Americans.

It's a stark contrast to 1993, when former first lady and current Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's sweeping universal health-care plan was roundly rejected after she failed to elicit critical feedback from those outside the administration or from the industry.

The powerful insurance lobby reacted with a now-infamous television campaign using actors portraying a middle-class American couple, "Harry and Louise," who were perplexed and annoyed at the perceived complexity of the plan.

"The health insurance industry paid a big price for that campaign," said Nancy Chockley, head of the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation. "They didn't get reform of the system and came to be seen as the enemy."

The problem of spiraling health-care costs has worsened since then. Some 44.8 million Americans, or about 14 percent of the population, lacked health insurance in 2005, up from 39.7 million in 1994. Meanwhile, Americans have seen double-digit annual increases in their health insurance costs.

Health Insurance Expert Darlene Kaitlin recently said at a conference on health insurance, " We all have often heard and quoted the adage 'health is wealth'. But, what exactly is the essence behind this popular and commonly used saying? Its essence can be best explained by a person who has all the money in the world, but at the same time is afflicted with an incurable disease. All his wealth cannot give him the satisfaction or the contentment that comes from living life to the fullest and in the bets of health. In today's fast paced modern lifestyle, we often ignore God's most precious gift to us, our health. With medical facilities advancing, but the cost of availing them hitting the roof, a medical insurance policy is the best way to deal with medical exigencies.

The main requirement in order to avail the best medical facilities and attention, apart from well equipped hospitals and good doctors is finance. Sometimes due to a sudden health problem or complication developed by a person, or even an unfortunate accident or mishap may require immediate medical attention, a surgery or even a prolonged treatment. In all these cases immediate arrangement of finances is extremely necessary to ensure and facilitate medical aid. A medical insurance policy makes sure that the necessary financial help is available to the insured in times of need.

Most medical insurance policies cover small and minor ailments, while there are a few that do touch upon critical illnesses. The policy covers all the expenses incurred staying in a hospital room and all other expenses of medication as well as the doctor's personal visitation and consultation fees. The best part is that medical insurance can even be used by the insured to bail out his family members and other relatives out of health issues as well. These days insurance companies also provide travel medical insurance to cover any medical problems that may occur while travelling.

People are becoming increasingly aware of their health issues and wish to avail the best facilities available in medical care. The assistance rendered by a medical insurance policy has been proven, hence this is the reason that more and more people are availing the policies that cover medical needs and expenses.

Having health insurance is important, not just because it's designed to save money, but also to guarantee that a patient can even be treated. The growing trend for doctors and hospitals is to only take patients who are insured.

If a patient doesn't have insurance they are often sent home. In addition, health insurance often covers prescription medicines. Prescriptions can cost thousands of dollars a month for people who aren't lucky enough to have insurance.

Universal health care is not in place in the United States, so having the right insurance cover is absolutely essential to ensuring that people are covered medically and dentally in case of emergencies.

Affordable Health Insurance - Where To Get Quotes

There are plenty of places to get insurance quotes. A simple search on Google will find thousands of pages of companies promising to offer great value schemes to give you health cover. Sadly, a quite a few of those pages are scams.

The best way to get affordable health insurance is to go through an insurance ratings program to decide which program is right for you. Also, checking with local city and state resources can turn up several leads to reputable companies.

Some states have state-wide benefits in place for people who meet certain income requirements.

Affordable Health Insurance - The Big Players

Arguably, the most respected insurance company is Blue Cross Blue Shield. Blue Cross Blue Shield is a nationwide insurance corporation and is probably the most widely accepted health insurance nationwide. It offers medical coverage, dental coverage and even vision coverage. There are plans available for even the most financially strapped individuals. Also, Blue Cross Blue Shield helps patients avoid the rigmarole often encountered when trying to get less well respected companies to cover them.

Affordable Health Insurance is certainly on the mind of many Americans, and insurance companies (particularly HMOs) have gotten a bad reputation in the last couple of decades. Unfortunately health insurance is one of those things that people just have to have, to guarantee that in an emergency they can be seen, treated and sent home (hopefully) without owing tens of thousands of dollars to practitioners.

Choosing an Insurance company should not be a snap decision. Potential subscribers should weigh all of their options before making a decision on the affordable health insurance they buy.

Dental Insurance - Look Upon It As An Investment

It all feels like such a chore. The brushing, the flossing, the stinging mouthwash swirling around in the mouth - all of it needing to be done at least twice if not three times a day in order to keep a mouth healthy. The alternative though, hours in a dentist's chair, the smell of the drill being used to excavate cavities, having teeth pulled - it makes the daily grind of mouth maintenance feel worth it.

Most people fear going to the dentist and is it any wonder why? The experience is almost never pleasant ant it is always expensive.

Don't Be Shy - Get Your Dental Insurance Now!

Having dental insurance is something that nobody should shy away from. In fact, it is something a person should be able to get from his or her employer. Employers often offer dental insurance as part of their health care packages.

In the event that a person's employer does not offer a sensible dental plan, there are still options available. The first place to check is with the person's state of residence. Some states offer great dental coverage for a fraction of the cost that they would pay for private dental insurance. It is also a great way to make sure that finding a dentist goes smoothly. Most dentists will take the state issued insurance.

Internet Rates Are Great Dental Insurance Value Another place to look is the internet. There are several websites available to compare and contrast private dental insurance plans. Simply put in the zip code of residence and the software will present a variety of local providers and their plans to choose from.

Yet another way to go is with a discount dental plan. These can also be found on the internet. Unlike dental insurance, the discount dental plan offers discounts on certain dental procedures, and will provide people with lists of where the discounted procedures are available to them.

Save Money On Procedures - Look After Your Teeth And Gums Yourself

Most importantly, the best way to make sure that an entire paycheck isn't spent on paying the dentist bill is to take care of those teeth and gums. In addition to regular brushing (with toothpaste that contains fluoride), daily flossing and the use of mouthwash on a regular basis, it's important to eat a healthy diet.

A regular intake of calcium can help increase the strength of the teeth. Staying away from sugary foods and drinks (like soda) and foods that have a high acidity (certain fruits) is also important.

Following a few simple dietary rules and daily routines will ensure that the need for dental insurance is minimal. Dental insurance can help people make sure that they don't end up spending their entire paychecks on dental bills. It can also provide peace of mind that in the event of a dental emergency, care can be provided at an affordable cost with the right dental insurance plan.

Healthcare News & FAQ

Have you recently suffered from excessive thirst, frequent urination, constant hunger, and rapid weight loss? Do you also suffer from dry mouth, itchy or dry skin, fatigue, random aches, blurry vision, recurrent infections, and frequent vaginal yeast infections if you're a woman or impotence if you're a man?

You may have diabetes and should make an appointment with your physician for diabetes testing. You may even have diabetes if you don't suffer from any of these symptoms at all! It's important even if you're not exhibiting any of these symptoms that you have a regular annual check-up with your physician and request diabetes testing.

Ask your doctor about diabetes testing that takes data stored in your red blood cells to present you with a chart of your overall blood glucose level over the past three months. This kind of diabetes testing, called the A1C test, can be useful in determining whether or not you have diabetes, as some mild forms of diabetes can be difficult to catch in traditional diabetes testing of the blood sugar levels in one blood sample.

If you already know that you suffer from diabetes, your physician and dietician are sure to have told you that the most effective way of managing your diabetes is with regular diabetes testing. Aim to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level by religiously following your meal plan, exercising regularly, and performing diabetes testing of your blood sugar levels as your doctor prescribes--between once and four times a day.

If you suffer from vomiting, fast breathing, and an overall feeling of weakness--especially if your diabetes testing shows that your blood glucose level is over 240--you might have high levels of ketones in your blood, which is detrimental to your long-term health. You should go to a hospital immediately and request diabetes testing for ketones in the form of a urine test.

Diabetes testing supplies are typically found in pharmacies and the health sections of general stores. These diabetes testing products include insulin and syringes, as well as glucose monitors, meters, and test strips.

You can also order your diabetes testing supplies online at a discounted rate, like at diabetesstore.com or diabetes-testing-supplies.com. Be sure to tell your chosen diabetes testing supplies store about your medical insurance or Medicare, as diabetes testing supplies may qualify for a discount under your plan.

Diabetes is a debilitating disease that affects approximately 18.2 Americans. It's disheartening to be diagnosed with diabetes, but it can nonetheless be for the most part controlled with a regular schedule of proper diet and exercise as well as frequent diabetes testing.

Medical Care at Home

Michael Nowling is the President of FHCH said in a recent interview, "Perhaps you're not old enough to remember, but it wasn't that long ago that the sight of a man carrying a small black bag up the walk to your front door could mean only one thing. Can you guess? No, it wasn't an IRS auditor. Not an insurance salesman. It was not even someone selling Amway or running for mayor. It was the doctor coming to your house.

Back in those days physicians would often visit patient's homes to render care. Most everyone thought it was good idea, but this convenience seemed to vanish as doctors became increasingly inundated with patients during the baby boom.

This might be a pretty short story except for Family Home Care and Hospice (FHCH), a home health agency headquartered in Spokane, WA. FHCH currently serves home care patients in Eastern Washington State and in Northern Idaho. FHCH has now launched a new service providing primary care medical services in patient's homes. Known as "House Calls" the new service will offer patients a generous selection of medical services including routine check-ups, prescribing medications, monitoring medications, blood draws, and more. After the first visit and diagnosis, patients can continue with their House Calls provider or they may also do any follow-up with their normal physician.

FHCH providers are Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) who have been specially trained and licensed to provide in-home medical services. The ARNP staff at FHC prefers to visit a patient in their home rather than in a clinic or hospital setting.

"We love the chance to spend as much time as necessary with our patients," noted Carol Charles, ARNP. "We like to get to know our patients on a personal basis and see how they live. Often our observations will give us an advantage in recommending treatments that may be more effective for the patient. We wouldn't have that if we were at a clinic."

While the new House Calls service is ideal for bed ridden or home bound people, it is not meant only for them. Anyone who would prefer to receive their primary care medical services at home can make use of the service.

"Certainly the greatest need for the service is among the elderly," said Alicia Bowman Primary Care Coordinator for FHCH, "but the service is not restricted that group alone. We also see a goodly number of younger patients."

In many communities throughout the nation, services which will deliver primary medical care in the home are non-existent. Without a House Calls style service, many people in the community will postpone medical care until their condition deteriorates enough to require emergency treatment. Even under the best conditions, some bed ridden or immobile patients postpone their care long enough that their problems have become significantly more serious. Having a service like House Calls available in a community is critical to the health of these people.

The demand for a House Calls style service in the Spokane area is vigorous. The situation is likely much the same in other markets. The increasing population of elderly patients across the nations means that such in-home services will be required in most communities across the country.

The expertise and systems for programs like House Calls are found in the many home health agencies in communities throughout our country," added Michael Nowling, President of FHCH. "If home health agencies throughout the nation took on this challenge, it would be a tremendous help to our elderly residents and would also represent a significant decrease in the load currently being experienced by hospital emergency rooms and ER staff."

Family Home Care and Hospice is the largest privately owned home health agency in the Inland Northwest and has been serving the Spokane area market for more than 40 years. They have recently been recognized by Medicare as one of the top 1% of all home health agencies in Washington State as well as one of the top 5% of home health agencies in the US.

Life Insurance

Whether or not you are the main bread-winner for your family, your death can leave them in financial trouble. It's easy to compare life insurance rates and find a good policy at a great rate. Then you'll have peace of mind knowing your family is protected if anything happens to you.

Choose Term

To get the best rate on life insurance, you'll want to choose a term life insurance policy. Term life policies are the least expensive choice for life insurance. However, if you want to use your life insurance as an investment vehicle, you should also consider a whole life policy.

Find the Best Rate

The Internet is a great resource when you want to compare life insurance policies to get the best rate available.

Poverty Rate & Insurance

The U.S. poverty rate fell for the first time this decade but more people are living without health insurance and the bulk of the nation's poor are children, government data released on Tuesday showed.

The national poverty rate in 2006 was down to 12.3 percent from 12.6 percent a year earlier, the Census Bureau's report on Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States said. Children represent 35 percent of those living in poverty and make up a fourth of the total U.S. population.

The national median income, now $48,200, rose for the second straight year as the United States entered an economic slowdown but it was mainly because more Americans within each household have jobs.

Some 36.5 million Americans, or 12.3 percent of the population, lived below the poverty line, defined as having an annual income of about $10,000 for an individual or $20,000 for a family of four.

The latest data come at a key time as the economy has slowed and with just more than a year left in the presidential campaign. "These statistics show what most Americans know: tens of millions of our fellow citizens are completely left out of the economic progress enjoyed by the individuals and corporations on the very top," said Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards.

Even with two years of increases, household income levels still are down from a 1999 peak and the poverty rate remains one percentage point above the 2000 level. Individuals actually are earning less with earnings per worker falling for the third year in a row. "It's welcome news that poverty is down and household income is up but there is too much evidence in this report that the growing economy is not reaching middle- and low-income households the way it ought to be at this stage," said Jared Bernstein, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington.

U.S. News said, "Huge number of Americans are without health insurance, according to new U.S. Census Bureau statistics released Tuesday. Some of the trend can be explained by employers who are curtailing coverage or making it too costly for lower income workers to afford, the report said. "The number of people without health insurance coverage increased from 44.8 million in 2005 to 47 million in 2006," David S. Johnson, chief of the bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, said during a teleconference Tuesday.

The percentage of Americans without health insurance rose to 15.8 percent in 2006 from 15.3 percent in 2005, Johnson added. "This is the second consecutive year of increase," he said.

At the same time, the number of people with health insurance increased to 249.8 million in 2006, from 249 million in 2005. The number of Americans covered by private health insurance and government insurance remained about the same, according to the report, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006.

The problems of the uninsured are particularly acute among children. The percent and the number of children under 18 without health insurance increased to 11.7 percent from 10.9 percent from 2005 to 2006, and to 8.7 million from 8 million, respectively.

"The number of children covered by private insurance decreased from 65.8 percent in 2005 to 64.6 percent in 2006," Johnson said. "The increase in the uninsured rate can be attributed to the decline in private coverage." Moreover, 19.3 percent of children in poverty had no health insurance.

The percentage of people covered by private employer or privately purchased insurance declined only slightly, from 68.5 percent in 2005 to 67.9 percent in 2006, Johnson said. "Persons covered by government-provided health insurance declined from 27.3 percent in 2005 to 27 percent in 2006," he added.

The percentage of people covered by employer health insurance plans dropped to 59.7 percent in 2006, from 60.2 percent in 2005. There was no change in the number of people covered by Medicaid, the federal insurance program for low-income people -- 38.3 million.

Uninsured rates for whites remained constant at 10.8 percent but rose among blacks -- from 19 percent in 2005 to 20.5 percent in 2006. The percentage and the number of uninsured Hispanics increased to 34.1 percent and 15.3 million in 2006.

Commenting on the report, Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, said the increase in the number of uninsured Americans was surprising, given the relatively low unemployment rates and a stable economy. She said she fears a dramatic increase in the number of people without health insurance should the economy weaken. "It's a surprising jump in the numbers of uninsured," Davis said. "To get a 2.2 million hike in one year is pretty disturbing. We are getting a middle-class squeeze -- it's not just families in poverty."

Davis added that employers were dropping coverage of dependents. "It really varies by the income of the family," she said. "Either employers aren't covering the kids, or the premium share is too high for families to afford."

There is urgency in getting people -- especially children -- covered, Davis added. "We need to get more comprehensive solutions on the table," she said. "There is a case for action to deal with uninsured children, and we need a comprehensive strategy that insures health insurance for all."

Kathleen Stoll, director of health policy at the consumer advocacy group Families USA, also expressed shocked at the rise in the number of uninsured Americans. "The numbers took my breath away," Stoll said. "The increase is more dramatic than we've seen." Stoll thinks the report will spur the debate over health care and serve as a catalyst for some form of universal health insurance.

"When you consider how large this increase is, I would think this would build momentum, feed the fire for the health care reform debate that we hope we will see in 2009 under leadership from the White House and the Congress," she said.

Gail Shearer, health policy director at Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, said Congress and the Bush administration should immediately "rededicate" themselves to expanding health insurance coverage.

"This substantial increase in the uninsured should get everyone's attention," she added in a prepared statement. "We should not have to wait until the next president takes office to deal with this very real problem. Congress and the President ought to commit to expanding coverage now." The American Medical Association also said the new numbers on uninsured Americans demand legislative action.

"Today's announcement on the increase in the number of uninsured Americans is a forceful reminder that action is desperately needed. Currently, 47 million Americans, including nearly nine million children, don't have health insurance coverage," AMA board member Dr. Joseph Heyman said in a prepared statement.

"It is unconscionable that the number of uninsured children has substantially increased over the past year. Children are our future, and for kids to get a good start in life, they need access to regular visits to the doctor," he added.

"Covering America's kids is the first step toward covering all Americans. The AMA just launched a three-year, multi-million dollar campaign called "Voice For The Uninsured" to spur action to cover the uninsured," Heyman said.

Insurance News

Gov. Eliot Spitzer said yesterday that the state might sue federal officials who last week imposed rules that would prevent expansion of the state-administered children's health insurance program.

"We are calling on President [George W.] Bush to abolish these troublesome roadblocks to insuring our nation's children," Spitzer said in a statement. The new rules contradict the federal law creating the program and were imposed without notice or time for comment, he said.

The rules unveiled Aug. 17 by Dennis G. Smith, director of the Centers for Medicaid and State Operations, set new requirements for states seeking to offer the federally funded State Children's Health Insurance Program to families earning more than 250 percent of the poverty level, or $51,625 for a family of four.

Under the new eligibility rules, a state must show that a child whose family earns more than 250 percent of the poverty level must have been uninsured for a year. To make families earning more than 250 percent of poverty qualify, a state must also show that 95 percent of children in families making less than 200 percent of the poverty level are enrolled in the child health program or Medicaid.

State lawmakers wanted permission to cover children whose family income was as much as 400 percent of the poverty level, or $82,600. It estimates the extended coverage could add 60,000 children to the program.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said last week that the rules would keep the program from becoming "essentially a middle-class entitlement." New York officials said they want a higher income limit so they can insure children in families whose parents' jobs lack insurance and who can't afford private insurance.

Presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) on Friday before the Florida Medical Association outlined his health care proposal, which would allow states to develop their own plans to expand access to health insurance and make coverage more affordable, the Washington Times reports. The proposal would not mandate that individuals or employers purchase health insurance, both provisions included in the Massachusetts health insurance law enacted when Romney served as governor (Dinan, Washington Times, 8/25).

Under the proposal, states could use federal funds currently provided to help cover the cost of care for the uninsured to help purchase private coverage for low-income residents who do not qualify for public health insurance programs (Madkour, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/25). The proposal also would use federal funds as an incentive to prompt states to revise health insurance regulations to reduce the cost of private coverage (Washington Times, 8/25).

In addition, the proposal would make Medicaid into a block grant program with fewer federal rules to provide states with more flexibility to administer their programs and help residents purchase private health insurance (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 8/24). The proposal also would provide tax deductions for individuals who purchase private health insurance and would cap damages in medical malpractice lawsuits (Alonso-Zaldivar, Los Angeles Times, 8/25).

Romney said, "A one-size-fits-all national health care system is bound to fail. It ignores the sharp difference between states, and it relies on Washington bureaucracy to manage. I don't want the people who ran the Katrina cleanup to manage our health care system."

Edwards Response

Presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) released a statement that criticized the proposal. He said, "Romney's cure is worse than the disease." According to Edwards, the proposal would not "take on" the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries and would "make a dysfunctional health care system even worse."

In addition, he said that the tax deductions included in the proposal in large part would benefit higher-income and healthy individuals and that "taking money away from emergency rooms is downright dangerous".

Editorial

The proposal, which would allow states to "work out their own approaches" to health care with some "crucial free-market assistance" from the federal government," represents a "step forward for Mr. Romney on health policy, largely because it doesn't take Massachusetts as its model," a Wall Street Journal editorial states.

According to the editorial, the Massachusetts law, which "is now praised by liberals as a prototype for national policy," has "done a great deal to set back the kind of tax reform" included in Romney's current proposal, and the "issue for GOP primary voters to consider is why he went such a different direction in Boston" and "how far and easily he'd bend to a Democratic Congress" on "core matters of principle."

The editorial concludes, "Romney's conversion to free-market health care thinking is nonetheless welcome -- assuming he believes it" (Wall Street Journal, 8/27).

Huckabee on Obesity In other election news, presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) on Saturday at a meeting of the Southern Governors' Association in Biloxi, Miss., discussed the effects that increased U.S. obesity rates could have on the economy and national security, the AP/Boston Herald reports.

Huckabee said that 61% of active duty military personnel are overweight. "You've got a serious situation with a generation of kids coming up so unhealthy they won't be able to pass the military physical," Huckabee said, adding, "We keep talking about the war on terror -- who's going to fight it if we don't have enough people who are healthy enough to show up and pick up a backpack."

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