East County News Service

March 23, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) announced his office will host a free webinar on April 5 at 10 A.M. PT with industry experts to discuss best practices and the various services of each section of the Medicare Program.

By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH

March 30, 2019 (San Diego) - Unfortunately, our media is dominated by misinformation designed to protect our private for-profit health insurance industry. One of the latest, by syndicated columnist David Brooks, was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on March 6th.  Since that newspaper reaches over 1 million San Diegans, I hope those reading this article will agree and share it with others. At the bottom I list several articles/papers that give a more comprehensive detailed discussion of why a single-payer system designed to benefit people trumps a for-profit health insurance industry designed first and foremost to enrich corporations.

By Miriam Raftery

October 15, 2018 (Washington D.C.) — A budget proposed by House Republicans would cut Medicare, the federal healthcare program for senior citizens and the disabled, by $537 billion.

That violates a campaign promise made by Donald Trump when he was running for President and pledged, “Republicans believe that a Medicare program that was created for seniors and paid for by seniors their entire lives should always be protected and preserved.”

By Cate Kortzeborn, Medicare’s acting regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories.

December 22, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Not long ago, I had dinner with a group of friends from college. One of the big topics of conversation was Medicare, for which we’ll all be eligible in the next several years. (Farewell, callow youth!) And one of the biggest questions about Medicare was, “How much is it going to cost me?”

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – Congressman Tom Price, a Republican from Georgia and medical doctor, is President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee to served as Health and Human Services Secretary.  But far from protecting the nation’s social safety nets, Price has pledged to dismantle them.

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com

July 31, 2015 (California)--Medicaid, or Medi-Cal as it's known in California, turns 50 years old this week – and a new study shows it has improved the lives of millions since its inception in 1965.

The Georgetown Center for Children and Families examined data on Americans who utilized Medicaid benefits as children, and found they are much healthier as adults. Participants tended to have lower blood pressure, and continue to make fewer emergency room visits, ultimately saving taxpayer dollars.

Update: The House has passed this measure, which now advances to the Senate.

By Miriam Raftery

April 16, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - This week, when most of us paid our taxes due on April 15^th, the Republican majority in Congress is trying to push through H.R. 1105, a bill that would repeal the estate tax for millionaires and billionaires.

March 12, 2013 (San Diego) – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA) and Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX) introduced legislation to prevent diabetes in seniors and rein in health care costs. The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Act (H.R. 962) would extend the proven benefits of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to seniors under Medicare.

“With thoughtful, responsible action we can get growing healthcare costs under control and make our country healthier at the same time,” said Davis. “In fact with targeted prevention initiatives, like the National Diabetes Prevention Program, Congress can achieve cost savings by preventing diabetes and its complications, meeting our goals of improving health and reining in spending.”

October 11, 2012 (San Diego) -- Are you new to Medicare?  Do you want to make changes to your existing Medicare plan?  Are you concerned about the future of Medicare?

Medicare Open Enrollment is October 15 – December 7, 2012.  Congresswoman Susan Davis invites you to join her at an informational event to hear from experts about what Medicare Open Enrollment means for you, how you can make changes to your existing Medicare plan and how policy discussions in Washington can impact current and future Medicare beneficiaries.  This event will feature presentations from issue experts and a Q&A session.

State to receive estimated $573 million in additional Medicaid funds.

September 5, 2012 (Sacramento) – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its approval today of California’s State Plan Amendment (SPA) to enact the Community First Choice Option.  The SPA approval will provide the state with an estimated $573 million in additional federal funds during the first two years of implementation in its effort to continue to prioritize an individual’s ability to reside in one’s community rather than in institutional care.

• Corporate political efforts don’t guarantee results—study (Reuters)
• Romney energy plan includes drilling virtually every part of U.S. – no protections even for national parks (Think Progress)
• Issa demands documents on green energy loans (Fox News)
• Presidential projections on wind power flawed according to new book (KXXV)
• Justice Department sues Florida over voter purge (Huffington Post)
• Mojave desert: Military wants to limit wind development (Riverside Press Enterprise)
• Sebelius:  Medicare stronger than ever due to healthcare law (The Hill)
• Family net worth drops to level of early ‘90s (NY Times)
• Colorado wildfire moving fast, not contained (BBC)
• California tribes suing to halt construction of wind factory on sacred land (Indian Country Today)
• Open letter asks Obama to meet with Tribal leaders on Ocotillo Express wind project (Indian Country Today)

• Russian protesters demand Putin resignation (CNN)
• U.N.: Syria children tortured, used as human shields (CNN)
• Syria in Civil War, says U.N. official (BBC)
• Solar-powered “super trees” breathe life into Sinagapore urban oasis (CNN)
• Scottish Power (a division of Iberdrola, developer of Tule Wind) tests U.S. tax breaks on interest (Reuters)
• Ruling on wind farm says countryside as important as climate change targets (UK Telegraph)

• Obama spending binge never happened (Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch)
• GOP Senators push for Medicare cuts (The Hill)
• Wall Street rebounds, but investors dump Facebook (Reuters)
• As NATO summit wraps, Romney and Obama trade attacks (USA Today)
• This terrifying amendment legalizes use of propaganda on the U.S. public (Business Insider)
• Republican-led House votes to allow military action against Iran (RawStory)
• CEOs who delivered the most and least bang for the buck (Wall Street Journal)
• Facebook users file class action over online tracking (RawStory)
• Romney, Obama in dead heat, new poll finds (Washington Post)
• Troops face same risk of brain-wasting disease as football players (KPBS)

• U.S. Senate approves bill to toughen Iran sanctions (BBC)
• Italy earthquake: Monti prepares for state of emergency (BBC)
• Suicide bomber kills 90 in Yemen (Reuters)
• Despite end to Afghan war in 2014, U.S. to shoulder burden of funding (Fox News)
• A look at ‘wind turbines of the deep’ (BBC)

 By Nadin Abbott

By Miriam Raftery

December 16, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – Final votes are expected today in both houses on a compromise funding measure to avoid a government shut-down--just in time for the holiday adjounrment.