… Across the country, states were forced to make massive budget cuts in 2010, in order to balance budgets that have been running historic deficits. Collectively, the states' deficits came in at $174 billion last year; the National Conference of State Legislatures estimates the collective budget gap for 2011 at $89 billion. The cuts included a lot of blunt, across-the-board tactics like California's furloughs because they could be implemented quickly. “ … But core programs have been cut, as well — quite deeply in many states. The pain has reached nearly every corner of government, including higher education, corrections, K-12 education and Medicaid reimbursement rates to providers — anything states can slash without jeopardizing their eligibility for federal stimulus funding. And more cuts may be imminent, especially for the 30 states that balanced their books in anticipation of $24 billion in additional federal Medicaid assistance that appears increasingly tenuous. Read More »
Senate Democrats and Republicans are focused on gradually phasing out increased federal Medicaid payments to states to reach a deal on a tax extenders package. The two parties have wrangled over the bill for over eight weeks, with Republicans balking at the cost of the package. The Senate failed to move forward on a version of the bill last week that cost $118 billion and added approximately $60 billion to the deficit. Read More »
Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, are under pressure to break ranks with their party and help pass a jobs bill that would extend unemployment benefits. AFSCME’s Blaine Rummel discusses. Read More »
Reforming this country’s broken health care system is an urgent and essential task. Given all of the fabrications and distortions from Republican critics, and the squabbling among Democratic supporters, it is no surprise that many Americans still have doubts. President Obama and Democratic leaders have a strong case. They need to make it now. Here are compelling reasons for all Americans to root for the reform effort to succeed and urge Congress to complete the job: Read More »
NEW HAVEN — A group of nurses and health care reform advocates from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees rallied outside Yale-New Haven Hospital Saturday morning, calling on Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., to lift his opposition to a government-run health care plan. Read More »
Local physician Hershey Garner voiced his support for reformed health care in Arkansas on Saturday during a news conference outside of the Fayetteville Town Center. “As someone who works in Northwest Arkansas, I see first-hand how broken the system is,” he said. “It’s embarrassing that we are the only industrialized country that doesn’t have universal coverage. As a result, patients aren’t getting the care they need.” (Full text available at University Union Voice) Read More »
A dozen registered nurses collected about 120 signatures in Shreveport's Caddo Heights neighborhood Saturday morning in support of health care reform — an effort that happened simultaneously in Louisiana and five other battleground states. Read More »
President Barack Obama said Monday that America has no choice but to overhaul the health care system to make insurance cheaper for families, businesses and the government. Read More »
Mainers who support President Barack Obama's health care reform plans are hoping to put pressure on Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, to try to get her to change her mind on a public option. The proposal for a government funded program for the uninsured has virtually no Republican support in the U.S. Senate. But both Senators Snowe and Susan Collins are seen as potential swing votes on any health care reform legislation. Read More »
CINCINNATI — President Obama delivered a rousing campaign-style pitch on Monday for his proposed health care overhaul, telling thousands of cheering union workers at a Labor Day picnic here that Congress should stop debating because “it’s time to act and get this done.” Read More »
