WASHINGTON – A proposal by Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy to replace the Affordable Care Act would increase the number of uninsured nationwide, cut Medicaid and have a particularly costly impact on Connecticut and a handful of other states, a new study says.
Medicaid
Posted inHealth, Politics
Head of CT medical society says fix, not repeal, the Affordable Care Act
Dr. Jeffrey Gordon, president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, sees the effect of the Affordable Care Act on doctors and patients every day. He knows what’s good about it and bad, and in this Sunday Conversation says why he wishes the nation’s legislators would include physicians in their healthcare debate.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Even with Obamacare’s survival, a shakeup in CT healthcare system threatens
WASHINGTON – Even though the U.S. Senate failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, some Connecticut residents might lose subsidies that would help pay their premiums while others could see sizable increases in their premiums or a smaller choice of plans.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal, Murphy join Dem chorus on bipartisan ACA fix, but that may be elusive
WASHINGTON — After the collapse of GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare, Democrats, including Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, called for bipartisan efforts to shore up the ACA. “Now we have an amazing opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to actually work together …” Murphy said. But whether bipartisanship can grow out of the bitter partisan fight over Obamacare remains to be seen.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Senate fails to repeal Obamacare
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans failed early Friday to win approval of a “skinny” bill they hoped would grow into a full-fledged repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, putting an end to efforts to eliminate Obamacare, at least for now. The dramatic vote in the middle of the night is a boost to Connecticut Democrats who fought the GOP campaign to repeal the ACA.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Covered at the job? Obamacare repeal could change your plan — or end it.
WASHINGTON — Most Connecticut residents receive health care coverage through their employers – but that doesn’t mean they won’t feel an impact if congressional attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare succeed. They could lose coverage, face higher premiums or a loss of benefits, analysts say.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CBO: Obamacare repeal bill would result in 32 million additional uninsured
WASHINGTON — Federal auditors said Wednesday a Senate plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement would increase the number of uninsured by 17 million next year and by 32 million in 2026.
Posted inHealth, Politics
McConnell tweaks health care bill to win conservative support
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell rolled out a new health care bill that is broadly similar to the one that foundered in the Senate last month, but contains a few new provisions aimed at winning over recalcitrant Republican senators. The new bill was excoriated by Connecticut Democrats, and increased Democratic opposition to the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Posted inHealth, Politics
GOP still trying, but Blumenthal says Obamacare repeal in ‘total disarray’
WASHINGTON — The Senate returns from its Fourth of July break this week without a firm strategy on how to move forward on a health care bill that has little public support and has split Republicans. GOP leaders hope to fashion a bill that would win 50 votes, but that appears harder than ever now.
Posted inHealth, Justice
Growing number of states press opioid suits against Stamford’s Purdue Pharma
Updated at 10:15 a.m. with industry comment
WASHINGTON — Stamford-based Purdue Pharma, the maker of pain-killer OxyContin, is the target of an increasing number of suits by states, counties and cities alleging it is partly to blame for the nation’s opioid epidemic. The lawsuits are all different and some include other pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies as defendants. But Purdue is nearly always a main defendant.
Posted inPolitics
DeLauro fights political winds with book making case for social safety net
WASHINGTON — Three years ago, veteran Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro felt compelled to do one of the few things she had never done before – write a book. The result is “The Least Among Us: Waging the Battle for the Vulnerable,” a smooth read about her fight to protect the social safety net and her battles with both Republicans and Democrats who disagreed with her position or her approach. We talk to her about it in this week’s Sunday conversation.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Malloy: Senate bill would cost CT billions, end health care for thousands
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate’s health care bill would result in “devastating” Medicaid cuts to Connecticut, reaching $2.9 billion per year by 2026 and stripping tens of thousands of state residents of health care, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Tuesday. “Plain and simple — the Senate Republican version of Trumpcare is a greater disaster for the people of Connecticut…and needs to be stopped in its tracks,” Malloy said.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Federal auditors say 22 million additional uninsured under Senate health bill
WASHINGTON — Federal auditors determined the Senate plan to replace and repeal the Affordable Care Act would result in 22 million additional uninsured people by the year 2026. Opponents like Sen. Chris Murphy, who called the bill a “humanitarian catastrophe,” seized on the Congressional Budget Office analysis as new ammunition in their fight to kill the legislation.
Posted inHealth, Money
Malloy stands by pledge to aid Planned Parenthood despite cost
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is maintaining his commitment to fully fund Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood in Connecticut if the federal government ends its financial support as part of the Republican plan to dramatically reshape the Affordable Care Act, a spokeswoman said.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal says EpiPen maker gouged CT, wants the money back
Washington – A year after it was embroiled in scandal for jacking up the price of EpiPen injectors of a life saving anti-allergy medicine, the company that makes them is accused of overcharging state and federal governments, too, by $1.27 billion. Sen. Richard Blumenthal wants some of that money returned to Connecticut