Who will get marijuana reduced price and how much it will cost, however, is what proportion.
Sorry I can't read content fromt on this page.
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Gosar House فلم Wants health law repealed
Capitol Hill has 85 new Republicans House, almost half of them political rookies. This week Morning Edition is profiles some beginners GOP incoming. Among them is Paul Gosar, a dentist from Arizona who wants health care law repealed.
Copyright © 2010 National public radio ®. For personal, non-commercial use. See terms of use. For other uses, the prior authorization required.LINDA WERTHEIMER, host:
Come January, the House will be 85 new Republicans. We have already been profiling many of them. Arizona public radio Daniel Scrubbing please new representative from Arizona in District 1.
DANIEL SCRUBBING: not more than 200 advocates in Congress (EN). When Paul Gosar is mandated, it will be one of two dentists.
GOSAR PAUL selected representative (Republican, Arizona): as this bite sense now-good? Select, select, select for me.
SCRUBBING: Gosar sold its small Flagstaff dental practice activities during the campaign until the full focus on the run for Office. But he is still wrapping to work with several to grace the patients. This magical time Gosar requires a for the dentist, headed to Washington.
Mr. GOSAR: this really think what our forefathers really wanted to see-is the width of the different people on different lifestyle marketing the value of their two cents, various prisms, that they are looking BILLS and legislation.
SCRUBBING: and he firmly believes that the establishment of the teeth has developed, they determine what he sees as an error in the country.
Mr. GOSAR: when the patient is supplied in my Office, I have to listen to what is their complaint. I have, and then gather information, develop some plans for treatment and share them with the patient, and then have to buy the patients in the treatment.
SCRUBBING: Gosar says Americans do not have an impact on the situation in the field of health care and, therefore, never brought to it. In fact this ??? is the substitution of someone who was chosen just two years earlier, Ann Kirkpatrick, moderate Democrat, which supports the rights of health care. Gosar wants to see its power and like the other candidates, parties, tea, also wants to rein in federal spending and balance the budget. But Gosar acknowledges, it may be difficult to hold on to these ideals.
Mr. GOSAR: there are several pressures from Washington to people are compatible. I think the challenge for our class ??? is as a group and kept this block. This is a very that linked the American people.
SCRUBBING: Paul Gosar was born in rural Wyoming to large family farming activities. It is the oldest of 10 children. He remembers, watch Senator U.S. sit with his parents in the kitchen table and actually mixing water policy. This is the kind of Congressman wants me. The challenge, "says, is to maintain close ties with its constituents, here in Northern Arizona, and it is located in Washington.
But it is a lot of help, "says Flagstaff small business man and supporter Gosar Rick Krug.
Mr. RICK KRUG: in fact has a Committee of us, is obliged to hold him to a fire, the introduction of the value of the conservative movement back to D.C., to say that the Government actually must be reined in.
SCRUBBING: and serve the people, Krug says, instead of simply spend People money. Gosar says that it will draw on its experience as a man of small businesses, both as a dentist, and as the owner-wife-antique store.
Mr. GOSAR: you know, as a man of small businesses, if I have a budget year, millions of dollars and next year is $ 500,000, you look to for each programme and the excision of fluff. But you must include the more eyes. This simply is not one set of eyes; using the public.
SCRUBBING: Gosar, considers that it is exactly what America said in the election day, when it voted in the Republican majority in the House USA-that American people are to be taken into account in these important decisions.
NPR News I'm Scrubbing Daniel in Flagstaff.
Copyright © 2010 National public radio ®. All rights reserved. Does not offer with the materials contained in this Regulation may be used in any medium without attribution to National public Radio. This entry is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use in accordance with our conditions of use. Any other use requires the prior consent OF THE NDP. Visit our permissions page for further information. NPR transcripts are created within the momentum by the contractor in the NDP and the accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Remember that the authoritative record of NPR programming is sound.Health Care Fight heats up over new report tax repeal effort
NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its website or in any medium now known or unknown e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit it for clarity or brevity and identification of authors by name and location. For additional information please consult our terms of use.
Virginia Lawsuit challenging Key Health Law passes hurdle
NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its website or in any medium now known or unknown e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit it for clarity or brevity and identification of authors by name and location. For additional information please consult our terms of use.
HHS Chief takes Health Care challenges
Subscribe to Talk podcast Nation through:
The failure of which may be a lack of health repair with your name
Win McNamee/Getty ImagesThe signing ceremony In March the law overhaul health Vice-President Biden had the idea of what to call the historical legislation.
Some critics of the overhaul of the federal health does not leave the mandate requiring nearly all Americans by 2014. Their answers? Lawsuits.
Others, on the left side, saying the changes of the healthcare system in the country does not go far enough away. Their answers? Under the title.
But we think that both parties can probably agree on the central problems of law: what you should call it. Even the wonkiest among us rarely concern the rights according to its name: the protection of patients and affordable Care Act.
PPACA, you say? Or Kaiser Health News Marilyn Serafini returns in the Washington Post, "Puh packaging uh? This is some kind of Lama? "
The website of the Government to repair fell in parts of the "protection of patients ' and usually refers to the law as an act of affordable Care. ACA, anyone? Sounds a little like a man with a cold room next to the Metro this morning for me.
Many of the opponent's rights have been marked as Obamacare. Wall Street Journal opinion Pages are called ObamaCare mark (mark pending?) over 200 times in the past three months.
And centres of the democratic will that bit of the problem. "Joint offers, which contains the name of", Celinda Lake, Lake research partners, said President of Kaiser Health News. "When improves productivity with Obama, it will call it Obamacare fines. Currently this is polarizing. "
Still I'm kind of partial Joe Biden salty description turn off the microphone right as "deal with big f # @! ing!"
You have a better idea? Let us know in the comments.
Feds Propose to being Great health insurance rate hikes
Remember to increase the premium attractive last year proposed by the gigantic WellPoint health insurance? Brouhaha February in almost 40 per cent of the increases in California WellPoint helped push the right of health, at the end of the line.
Alex Wong/Getty ImagesHHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will watch the rates of health insurance.
Under pressure and after accept errors in its Declaration of State regulators have an important with WellPoint ultimately scaled increases.
Now 10 months later, the same federal officials, who were were outraged are ahead of the new powers allowed by the control of health to prevent duplication. The Secretary of health and human services, Kathleen Sebelius, presented the proposed rules, which would allow the Federal Government to help you decide, and if the proposed insurance premium increases company "reasonable."
Karen Ignagni, head of the trade group health insurance plans for America, not as one bit idea. "The Federal Government is not in a position to carry out these assessments," she said in a statement. The State should correspond with this kind of things.
Currently, there are many here warnings. Primarily rules (regulations part of the new law on health, affordable Care Act) apply exclusively to the markets of individual and small groups. Secondly, the Federal Government does not have the right in accordance with the law actually reject the growth premium considers "unfounded" perform a number of countries.
However, despite the Sebelius on the Conference of the messages to the reveal of the proposed regulation, "ultimately, we know that the clear light of the Sun convinces more insurers, think twice and check their math before high speed increments, which means the benefits of these policies will be felt by millions of Americans."
Under the proposed rules in 2011 insurers, find the rate increase of 10 percent or more would publicly disclose the volume growth and their justification and underlying assumptions.
Starting in 2012, separate threshold should be set for each Member. States which were the rate of "effective" review of the mechanisms shall examine the proposed increases of crossing thresholds; The Federal Government will perform the functions of the review for Member without the resources or the appropriate permissions.
Rules are still just a proposal, they may get tinkered with the bit. But it is unlikely to significantly change its course management.
Voters Reject mo.-Key Of Health Care Law
NDP tracks significant events and developments in the Obama administration.
Sorry I can't read content fromt on this page.The year in the principles of health care: A Topsy Turvy Ride-
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 3, position 8040.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 2, position 8831.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 8837.
Enlarge Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Health Care for America Act during a ceremony at the White House on March 23.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 2, position 8831.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 8837.
Enlarge Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Health Care for America Act during a ceremony at the White House on March 23.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Health Care for America Act during a ceremony at the White House on March 23.If someone wrote a novel with as many ups and downs as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has experienced this year, it would almost certainly be rejected as implausible.
From its dramatic passage to efforts to repeal it or have it declared unconstitutional, the most sweeping change to federal health law in more than 40 years roiled the nation's politics in 2010. And it promises to continue to do so into 2011.
The year actually began relatively smoothly for backers of the measure. The Senate had passed the bill in dramatic fashion on Christmas Eve. Most observers assumed President Obama and Democratic lawmakers would work out a compromise that would quickly be approved by both houses and become law.
But all that was turned on its head Jan. 20, with the upset election of Republican Scott Brown in the special election to fill the remaining term of the late Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, who had occupied the seat for half a century.
"It was shocking that a Tea Party darling would get elected to Ted Kennedy's seat, but you could see it coming," said Theda Skocpol, a Harvard government and sociology professor and co-author of the new book Health Care Reform and American Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know.
Democrats Forged Ahead
The most immediate impact of Brown's victory was that it deprived Democrats of their 60th Senate vote, the supermajority they needed to guarantee passage of the health care bill without a Republican filibuster.
For a moment, Skocpol said, it looked like the end of the road for the measure.
"You could see the panic spreading among the Democrats in Washington, as they realized the beginnings of the electoral wave that ultimately submerged them in the Congress," she said, "and Washington isn't a courageous place, particularly when people feel their re-election is at stake."
Eventually, however, Democrats realized that they were so far into the effort they basically had no choice but to push ahead. Overcoming last-minute controversies and exploiting every procedural rule they could, they were able to get the bill passed and to President Obama's desk by the end of March.
But that was hardly the end. In fact, it was hardly the end of the beginning.
Republicans Take To The Courts
While President Obama and Democrats were celebrating in Washington, Republicans around the country were filing the first of what ultimately would become more than 20 lawsuits against the measure's so-called "individual mandate." That's the provision that requires nearly every American to have health insurance or pay a penalty starting in 2014.
"This lawsuit is not essentially about health care, it's about liberty" said Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, whose filing specifically addressed a Virginia state law that seeks to shield its residents from having to buy insurance against their will. "It's about whether we'll lose our liberty and allow the fed government to dictate to us what we must buy in the name of its policy goals."
In December a federal district court judge ruled in Cuccinelli's favor, finding that Congress had overreached in imposing the insurance requirement. But two other federal district court judges have ruled the other way, finding the insurance mandate is within Congress's authority under the Constitution's Commerce Clause. Most experts on both sides agree the matter is likely to be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.
While the lawsuits started their slow slog through the judicial system, Republicans in Congress — and those running for election to Congress — launched a concerted effort to demonize the measure. Ads by candidates and outside groups criticizing it flooded the airwaves.
A Divided Public
By Election Day, Republicans retook the House and gained six seats in the Senate. They vowed to make undoing the health care law the centerpiece of their agenda.
"Our first goal is to repeal it and replace it, and if we have the votes to put it on his desk we're gonna do that," Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell told Fox News.
Yet for all the massive campaigning against the measure, public opinion about it did not take a big nosedive. On the other hand, it also didn't take the big jump many Democrats predicted after benefits started to take effect in the summer and fall.
Drew Altman, president of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, which has been conducting monthly polls of the public's view of the health law, says not that much has changed since the debate began.
"If you look back, the public was split and this was a divisive issue before the legislation passed, it was split during the legislative debate, and it remains split today," Altman says. "And it has been divided on pretty traditional partisan, ideological grounds."
At the same time, however, polls show that while support for the law overall is weak, support for many of its specific provisions, even among Republicans, is quite strong.
Delays Are Likely
Skocpol says there's a longstanding academic explanation for that: "Americans are ideological conservatives but operational liberals. That's been an established principal in political science and the study of American public opinion for 50 years."
She says that means if you ask people if they prefer the government or the market to tell individuals what to do, they will always give the more conservative answer, "but if you ask Americans specific things — do you want aid for the poor to buy affordable health insurance? Do you want tax credits for small business to help them insure their employees? They will always give the more liberal answer."
Meanwhile, Skocpol says she thinks that Republican vows aside, it will be very difficult to make the new health care law go away, although "that's not to say that there can't be all kinds of mischief and delay in carrying through the intended combination of cost controls and expanded coverage."
All of which means the new Republican-led House next year will hold lots more hearings and take lots of votes to try to de-fund parts of the law. And more judges may declare the individual insurance requirement in the bill unconstitutional.
But experts say that the more new benefits of the law become entrenched, the harder they will be to take back.
Health CareSubscribe to Health Care podcast via:
Salmonella has turned up again in the nation's food supply. Fresh produce is the problem this time.
Bing and Google data predict that lots of us will be searching for help with weight-loss soon.
A contest to find the best essays about how doctors affect health costs has named its winners.
Individual Health Insurance Companies
Individual health insurance is that health insurance coverage provided to individuals, not to a group of people. The premium for such policies is usually higher than a group health insurance policy. However, not all individuals can apply for group insurance policies, as not everyone qualifies for a group plan. The individual health insurance company caters to the insurance needs of self-employed individuals and professionals.
There are many individual health insurance companies available, both online and offline. It is up to you to decide which individual health insurance company is better for you. Get different health insurance quotes from the different health insurance companies. When applying for your quote, the health insurance company makes you answer a health questionnaire and undergo a medical examination to provide proof of your insurability. The company has the authority to decline your coverage on the basis of your personal habits, health, age, medical history, income or other factors that bear on risk acceptance. There is also a chance of the individual health insurance company issuing you a policy with limitations on coverage.
Upon comparing the different quotes of the different individual health insurance companies, you can choose the company whose rates best meet your needs. Most individual health insurance companies have different options like fee-for-service insurance, association-based health insurance, managed care plans, high-risk pools and open enrollment in managed care plans. They differ in the criteria they follow to issue policies. You then choose the best plan from the best individual health insurance company, according to your needs, health position and budget.
Health Insurance Company provides detailed information on Health Insurance Company, National Health Insurance Companies, Health Insurance Company Ratings, Individual Health Insurance Companies and more. Health Insurance Company is affiliated with Affordable Health Insurance.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Will reading the document Notes Blog their Health?
Subscribe to Talk podcast Nation through:
\CartyStudios Corporation\WebMagnates - Auto Blogging Software\data\Buying Individual Health Insurance\health1\icon_itunes.gif){kind=small}
\CartyStudios Corporation\WebMagnates - Auto Blogging Software\data\Buying Individual Health Insurance\health1\icon_zune.gif){kind=small}
\CartyStudios Corporation\WebMagnates - Auto Blogging Software\data\Buying Individual Health Insurance\health1\icon_pod.gif){kind=small}
Battle State Attorneys against Health Care legislation
NDP tracks significant events and developments in the Obama administration.
Sorry I can't read content fromt on this page.Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Despite evidence patients Want more health care
Categories: Hospitals, rules, Doctors04: 40 pmJune 3, 2010E-mail share print comments () Facebook stumble Upon Reddit Twitter Feed what's this? participation By Julie Rovner istockphoto.com 
tu HensleyPolitical Editor appears Scott--> text.--> What is ' Shots '?
When the experts say about effective medical treatment, patients are not listening.
However, it was articulated inartfully theme Central Administration Obama push for health care and health experts on the lips for years: more healthcare is not necessarily better care.
However, far from being satisfied patients.
Health Affairs Journal just tested more than 1,500 patients with insurance offered by the employer, including dozens of thematic groups and individual interviews.
"Pervasive Themes" from respondents, according to the authors, were "better is more newer is better, you get what you pay for (I) Guidelines restrict My doctor provide me with caution and need and deserve."
Such findings are frustrating for experts, who have spent years trying to communicate that these things are not met and they actually endanger its efforts to change hospital and physician payments to reward quality. they also consumers from seeking higher quality and more cost-effective care, say researchers.
"For those who believe that all healthcare meets minimum standards and that more care is better, the distinction between physicists, hospitals or other suppliers on the basis of quality and efficiency of profiles is likely to meet with resistance," they write.
Your own study shows that only 41% of respondents agree that workers should pay less if they doctors who rank highly in quality measures.In addition, only 47% thought that workers should pay less for treatment, which has been shown.
Of course, doesn't help their education efforts that the Republicans have been hammering on new health rights "comparative effectiveness" provisions, call their democratic efforts to ration health care.
Still those pushing use of evidence-based medicine are resigning.
Examination by the authors have developed toolkit communications to help employers and unions, better clarify concepts related to health care quality and cost-effectiveness of patients is available in the business group, national Health's website.
tu HensleyPolitical Editor appears Scott--> text.--> What is ' Shots '?This blog covers news about health and medicine; it is written and submitted by NPR's Science Desk.
For more information about blog check out Shots FAQ and be sure to read our rules before joining the discussion on the conversation here.
You can drop the team goes to note using our contact form.
Detailed reports on medicine, staying healthy and the major issues surrounding health care.
SubscribePodcast + RSS RSS Podcast Shots-Blog Health NewsSubscribe to Shots-Health News Blog podcast by:
Subscribe to podcast Julie Rovner through:
Gates Foundation Pledges $1.5 Billion To Child And Maternal Health
Categories: International Health, Women's Health, Public Health & Prevention, Children's Health 03:00 pm June 7, 2010 E-mail Share Print Comments () Facebook Stumble Upon Reddit Twitter Digg What is this? Share by Whitney Blair Wyckoff June 7, 2010 Listen to the Story All Things Considered [5 min 7 sec] Add to Playlist Download Transcript 
Enlarge Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP 
Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP Melinda Gates discusses maternal and child health at a womens' health conference in Washington on Monday. Scott HensleyPolitical Editor -->Text goes here. --> What Is 'Shots'? On Health Podcast 
Enlarge Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP Melinda Gates discusses maternal and child health at a womens' health conference in Washington on Monday.
Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP Melinda Gates discusses maternal and child health at a womens' health conference in Washington on Monday. What's the next big focus of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? Maternal health.
Melinda Gates announced today the Foundation will invest $1.5 billion over the next five years in programs promoting maternal and child health, family planning, and nutrition in developing countries.
"We said AIDS is important, we said malaria is important, we're saying now maternal and child deaths are important — and guess what? It's actually possible to fix them," Gates told NPR All Things Considered Host Michele Norris.
The move comes at a time when AIDS activists are expressing concern that the U.S. is stretching foreign aid programs without putting a lot more dollars into the pot.
Gates said that in a lot of the communities she's visited, women are very vocal about wanting access to birth control.
She doesn't think there is as much of a cultural obstacle as it might seem to some Americans.
"I actually think the biggest barrier is sometimes the American public," she said. "The way we think about reproductive rights is pretty different than the European women do or the women I meet in Africa and even the governments in Africa."
"We make it a big debate, and it really shouldn't be," she said. (Click here for Gates on birth control in her own words.)
Researchers funded by the Gates Foundation recently found that the number of maternal deaths has declined from 526,300 in 1980 to 342,900 in 2008. They attribute the improvement to a decline in birth rates, better educated women, higher incomes and better care at the time of delivery.
But there's still work to be done. Ninety-nine percent of maternal deaths happen in developing countries, according to the World Health Organization. The worst? In Afghanistan, the maternal death rate is 1,575 deaths per 100,000 births. (See a spreadsheet with recent country rankings here.)
Gates tried to steer clear of the abortion issue when she announced the grant at the "Women Deliver" conference in Washington, D.C., although Norris noted the conference calls for safe and legal abortions.
"We don't want to be part of the controversy or stem that controversy," Gates said. Giving women family planning tools can reduce the demand for abortions, she added.
E-mail Share Print Comments () Facebook Stumble Upon Reddit Twitter Digg What is this? Share Comments Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information. Recent First Oldest First Most Recommended View all comments » < previous post next post > Search Shots - Health News Blog Blog HostScott HensleyPolitical Editor -->Text goes here. --> What Is 'Shots'? This blog covers news about health and medicine. It is written and reported by NPR's Science Desk.
For more about the blog, check out the Shots FAQ. And be sure to read our discussion rules before joining in on the conversation here.
You can drop the Shots team a note via our contact form.
On Health PodcastIn-depth reports on medicine, staying healthy and the major issues surrounding health care.
Subscribe Podcast + RSS Feeds Podcast RSS Shots - Health News BlogSubscribe to Shots - Health News Blog podcast via:
Subscribe to World Health podcast via:
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Obama, Democrats Launch Health Care Push
by Scott Horsley June 8, 2010 Listen to the Story All Things Considered [3 min 54 sec] Add to Playlist Download text size A A A June 8, 2010 
With a speech on Tuesday, President Obama rolls out the first stages of implementing the health care overhaul. The public remains ambivalent about the new law, but polls suggest most are willing to let it play out before judging it. The administration and its Democratic Party allies are launching a campaign to sell it to the American people.
Copyright © 2010 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
From NPR News, it's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. Im Robert Siegel.
Remember health care? More than two months after passage of a sweeping overhaul, many Americans are still skeptical of or downright opposed to the law.
As NPR's Scott Horsley reports, President Obama and his allies are now mounting a major effort to defend the measure.
SCOTT HORSLEY: President Obama held a telephone town hall meeting today for seniors, who are the most concerned about health care and any changes to their own coverage.
He was introduced by Fran Garfinkle, a cancer survivor whose costly drugs have put her into the so-called donut hole - thats the gap in Medicare's prescription drug benefit, where seniors have to pay for their own medication.
Ms. FRAN GARFINKLE: It's pretty scary. I understand now how just one serious medical setback can cause one to lose their home, and to use their savings and their retirement fund.
HORSLEY: The president promised some relief for Garfinkle and the estimated four million seniors who will find themselves in the donut hole this year. Under the new health care law, theyll each receive a $250 check to help cover the cost of their medication. The first of those checks go out later this week.
President BARACK OBAMA: Beginning next year, if you fall into the coverage gap you'll get a 50 percent discount on the brand name medicine that you need - 50 percent.
(Soundbite of applause)
HORSLEY: The administration is actively promoting the drug rebate checks and other benefits for seniors. The White House hired campaign strategist Stephanie Cutter to oversee its sales push. She admits it's an uphill battle, given Republican success in characterizing the law as too costly and risky.
Ms. STEPHANIE CUTTER (Assistant to the President, Special Projects): We may be starting from a couple of steps back from where we need to be, but we're going to get it done. We're going to communicate with seniors all the things they need to know under the law.
HORSLEY: The administration is getting some help from groups like AARP, which lobbied for the new law and has now sent mailings about it to nearly 40 million members. The group's vice president, Nancy LeaMond, says for many seniors ideological opposition is giving way to practical questions about how the law will work.
Ms. NANCY LEAMOND (Executive Vice President, AARP): Particularly for America's seniors, the focus now really is on finding out what it means to them.
HORSLEY: LeaMond knows it took years to educate seniors about the Prescription Drug Benefit, and the health care overhaul is considerably more involved.
Supporters are also launching a new non-profit group to defend the law and the politicians behind it. The Health Information Center is being organized by veteran Democratic strategists and bankrolled with up to $25 million this year, from unions, foundations and corporate contributors.
If all this sounds a little defensive for what is, after all, the law of the land, Harvard analyst Robert Blendon says there's a good reason.
Professor ROBERT BLENDON (Health Policy and Political Analysis, Harvard University): There is a continuing debate around this law because the majority of Americans have not come to the judgment that it's the right thing to do.
HORSLEY: Blendon says it's hard for people to reach that judgment because most of the law hasnt taken effect yet. The administration is trying to speed up some of the more popular early provisions, like the ban on lifetime insurance limits and the requirement that insurance companies cover sick children.
Prof. BLENDON: I think the administration is trying to put facts on the ground. But much of this legislation does not take effect for years, and that makes it harder for people to be absolutely supportive of its continuation.
HORSLEY: Republicans are actively campaigning for repeal of the health care law. But even though more Americans disapprove of the measure than support it, a Wall Street Journal poll last month found most want to give the overhaul a chance to work and make changes as needed.
In order to sell the new law as a major accomplishment, Democrats need to build public support for it. And the White House is convinced that as people grow accustomed to the benefits in the law, it will be harder for opponents to take them away.
Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
Copyright © 2010 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio. E-mail Share Comments Print Facebook Stumble Upon Reddit Twitter Digg What is this? Share Health Care Rising Costs: A Health Care Challenge For DemocratsMoney Worries Keep Cancer Survivors From Getting CareBoth Parties Try To Score Points Off Health Care Law Podcast + RSS Feeds Podcast RSS Health CareSubscribe to Health Care podcast via:
Health Insurers Ante Way Up For Speakers At Vegas Conference
Categories: Policy, Insurance 06:49 pm June 10, 2010 E-mail Share Print Comments () Facebook Stumble Upon Reddit Twitter Digg What is this? Share by April Fulton and Julie Rovner 
Enlarge iStockphoto.com 
iStockphoto.com Health insurers welcome Bill Clinton, Donna Shalala, David Gergen and others as conference speakers. Scott HensleyPolitical Editor -->Text goes here. --> What Is 'Shots'? On Health Podcast 
The high rollers in health care love Las Vegas, too.
Enlarge iStockphoto.com Health insurers welcome Bill Clinton, Donna Shalala, David Gergen and others as conference speakers.
iStockphoto.com Health insurers welcome Bill Clinton, Donna Shalala, David Gergen and others as conference speakers. Attacks on insurers' premium hikes and profits didn't crimp their spending on big name speakers for a conference on the Strip this week.
Who's headlining the annual leadership meeting thrown by America's Health Insurance Plans? Not Celine Dion or Barry Manilow. Try ex-President Bill Clinton. Former Senate GOP leader and transplant surgeon Bill Frist and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala are also in the parade of pricey politicos and wonks speaking.
By our estimate, the insurance group shelled out at least $250,000 for the all-star lineup.
AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach declined to say exactly how much the speakers are being paid, but he didn't dispute our calculation. "They're doing a fantastic job," he told us by phone from Ceasars Palace. Clinton "was really entertaining," Zirkelbach said.
Here's the lowdown:
Isn't it overkill, we wondered. "Now more than ever it's important that we have these types of discussions about where health care is heading," Zirkelbach said. "These are the types of discussions we need to be having and perspectives we need to be hearing about. They're the brightest minds in their field."
If it were up to us, we'd probably head for the Sgt. Pepper Live show featuring Cheap Trick at the Paris Las Vegas, just up the Strip. Tickets start at $89.25.
E-mail Share Print Comments () Facebook Stumble Upon Reddit Twitter Digg What is this? Share CommentsPlease note that all comments must adhere to the NPR.org discussion rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login | Register More information is required for you to participate in the NPR online community. Add this information Post this comment to Facebook, too?NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.
Recent First Oldest First Most Recommended View all comments » < previous post next post > Search Shots - Health News Blog Blog HostScott HensleyPolitical Editor -->Text goes here. --> What Is 'Shots'? This blog covers news about health and medicine. It is written and reported by NPR's Science Desk.
For more about the blog, check out the Shots FAQ. And be sure to read our discussion rules before joining in on the conversation here.
You can drop the Shots team a note via our contact form.
On Health PodcastIn-depth reports on medicine, staying healthy and the major issues surrounding health care.
Subscribe Podcast + RSS Feeds Podcast RSS Shots - Health News BlogSubscribe to Shots - Health News Blog podcast via:
Subscribe to Health Care podcast via:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)