Tag Archives: health

ICYMI: Russians, Pharmacies, Elections; IRS and Millionaires; Toxic Sludge; Nurses at Risk

A few important stories from the week’s news–just in case you missed them.

The Russians are coming after your prescriptions—and your vote. 

UnitedHealth owns Change Health. Change Health and CoverMyMeds route most insurance claims from most pharmacies. So when Russian-speaking ransomware ring known as Black Cat or AlphV hacked Change Health (and other medical facilities) on February 21, pharmacies and patients across the country saw snarls, delays, and denials of coverage. UnitedHealth “estimated that more than 90 percent of the nation’s 70,000-plus pharmacies have had to alter how they process electronic claims” because of the hack. 

While UnitedHealth tried to downplay the impact on patients, people around the country told stories of being denied coverage and required to pay full price for their prescriptions.  

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Cheating the caregivers

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You might think that kindness and care for people who are elderly or disabled should be rewarded. Not in this state. Not in this country. Instead, the low-paid personal care attendants who serve on the front lines of home health care face the awful choice of neglecting the  people they care for or working without pay. Continue reading

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Getting the lead out — in Flint, in St. Paul and across the country

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Twenty-some years ago, my kids tested with high lead levels. Ron and I were shocked and horrified. Before our oldest was born, we had tested the paint in the house – no lead. Tested the water – no lead. Tested for radon – no radon. Tested for every single thing we could think of, and everything came back safe. And now our children had high lead levels. Continue reading

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Reforming health care – and the Senate

In two sunrise votes on Tuesday morning, Senators continued the march toward approval of their version of health care reform. Republican opponents can delay a final vote until Christmas Eve.  Paul Krugman says the Senate needs reform, too (below). Continue reading

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NOT writing about …

NOT writing about health care or COP15 today. No, I’m not. Not going to write about the minute-by-minute, breathless coverage of the cloture vote in the Senate, now dramatically scheduled for Christmas Eve on a watered-down bill that will give big new profits to insurance companies — or about the fact that this bill, once passed by the Senate, heads to conference committee for compromises with the House bill, so we really don’t know what will end up on the President’s desk. The nastiness of the final debate, rather than the substance of the bill, was the focus of much coverage. With one Republican Senator calling for prayer that a Democrat would get sick or die to prevent the final vote.

And NOT going to write about COP15, or how it fizzled to a close with an unenforceable sort-of-agreement that might or might not make any difference, after Denmark showed that its cops could compete in the worldwide bash-a-demonstrator competition. If you want to see what happened, go to The Uptake, and if you want to read about it, BBC sums it up.

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H1N1 shots – for everyone

St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health announced that everyone can come and get an H1N1 flu shot, beginning with a clinic on Saturday, December 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at North Heights Christian Academy, 2701 North Rice Street, Roseville. According to the Ramsey County Public Health website, “The vaccine is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.” Pubic health officials said they are opening the shots to everyone because there is more vaccine than is needed for high-risk groups. The website also lists clinics earlier in the week for high-risk groups – call 651-266-2440 for further information. Continue reading

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Health and Human Rights Day

December 10 is International Human Rights Day and, in observance of that day, the Minnesota AFL-CIO is sponsoring a forum on health as a human right. Then, at 12:30, three DFL legislators will present their plan to save GAMC – General Assistance Medical Care, which serves as a safety net for the poorest, most marginalized people in our community. MinnPost reports that about 36,000 poor adults are currently enrolled in GAMC. Governor Tim Pawlenty cut all funding for GAMC as part of his unallotment strategy for solving the state budget deficit in the current biennium. Continue reading

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Now is the time: H1N1 shots

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Today’s Star Tribune editorial lays it out – while the second wave of H1N1 may be fading, the third wave is just over the horizon and now is the time to get vaccinations: Continue reading

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Health care debate, Minnesota-style

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The issue: will a future governor and legislature be able to opt out of a federal health care plan? According to the Star Tribune:

The stakes are high. According to federal estimates, 875,000 Minnesotans could be directly affected: the 519,000 uninsured, plus another 356,000 with nongroup coverage who could be eligible for health insurance through a federal exchange that includes the public option. Continue reading

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World/National news – Black women and breast cancer, Iraq elections, Pakistan bomb, Iran protests

Black women and breast cancer Black women would be disproportionately affected by changes in mammogram practices, report the TC Daily Planet and NPR.  The TC Daily Planet reports:

According to the National Cancer Institute’s Snapshot of Breast Cancer, the incidence of breast cancer is highest in whites, but African Americans have higher mortality rates. In fact, African Americans have higher mortality rates from breast cancer than any other racial or ethnic group, and the gap is widening.

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