A federal appeals court boosted San Francisco's hopes of reviving its plan to extend health coverage to all uninsured residents. The city's program provides care at a network of hospitals and clinics for uninsured adults who are not covered by a state program for the poor or Medicare for the elderly. The annual cost is to be paid from state and local taxes, patient payments and contributions by employers who don't offer insurance.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services has released a request for proposals for a plan designed to provide health insurance for as little as $75 a month and as much as $250 for those earning higher incomes. The request moves Connecticut one step closer to offering affordable healthcare coverage to uninsured residents who don't qualify for public assistance.
The Bush administration is imposing restrictions on the ability of states to expand eligibility for Medicaid. The move is in an effort to prevent states from offering coverage to families of modest incomes who, the administration argues, may have access to private health insurance. The restrictions mirror those the administration placed on the State Children's Health Insurance Program after states tried to broaden eligibility for it as well.
Delray (FL) Medical Center and Jupiter (FL) Medical Center are spending about $10 million to nearly double the size of their emergency departments. Jupiter is spending another $4.2 million to add a "progressive care unit" for critically ill patients who do not need intensive care. The growth in population was the stimulus to expand for both towns. The first phase of Jupiter's construction has been completed, and will add anywhere from 17 to 26 beds. Delray's construction will end in February and also add anywhere from 17 to 35 beds.
The shutdown of a major highway near St. Louis could result in a serious impediment for patients seeking care. The hospitals and organizations most affected are those in St. Louis County, which often sees up to 60 percent of patient traffic from neighboring counties under normal conditions. Other area hospitals have begun to stock up for the influx of new patients, but are unsure exactly how the highway closures will be handled.
Under the federal law known as COBRA, employees and their dependents who lose health coverage as a result of a job loss or other qualifying occurrences can remain on the same health plan for up to 18 months. COBRA can be more appealing than buying an individual health plan because costs in a group plan are often lower than what an employee would pay under an individual plan, where all the risk is borne by the employee alone. Yet, it is the former employee--not the employer-- who is typically responsible for up to 100 percent of the cost of the premium, as well as a 2 percent administrative fee, both of which continue to climb, making the service less desirable for some and too expensive for others who remain unemployed.