Health

Coverage Worries Persist Amid Relief Over Health Care Ruling

Published

9 years ago

June 26, 2015

Affordable Care Act participant Kim Jones poses for a photo in her home in Wake Forest, N.C., Thursday, June 25, 2015. Jones said the Affordable Care Act has been a blessing to her who could not have otherwise afforded the medical care she has received during treatment for a tumor on her brain. The Supreme Court decided Thursday to uphold the Affordable Care Act subsidies. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Throughout the country, relief was the dominant emotion among consumers who get help from the government to lower their health insurance costs following Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the subsidies underpinning President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Many consumers expressed somewhat conflicting views: They were happy their monthly premiums would continue to be affordable but exasperated by the coverage the policies purchased on the new health care exchanges provide.

“I don’t particularly care for Obama. I didn’t vote for him,” said Salt Lake City resident Paige Preece, whose subsidy allows her to buy insurance for $137 a month. “But, honestly, if it weren’t for this, I would be absolutely lost.”

The court’s 6-3 ruling upheld the federal financial assistance to millions of low- and middle-income Americans to help pay for insurance premiums regardless of where they live. An estimated 6.4 million people in the 34 states that used the federal health care exchange were at risk of losing the subsidies because their home states did not set up their own insurance exchanges.

The case turned on just a few words in the mammoth Affordable Care Act that suggested the federal subsidies could go only to consumers in states that operated their own health insurance marketplaces. Consumers in those states or in ones that fell back on the federal exchange when their own exchanges faltered were not affected by the case.

“Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them,” Chief Justice John Roberts declared in the majority opinion.

Polls taken before Thursday’s ruling suggested that most Americans wanted the court to uphold the subsidies. In an April Associated Press-GfK poll, 56 percent preferred that the court rule in favor of the Obama administration, while 39 percent wanted the court to rule for the other side.

Lydia DeJesus, who helps people sign up for coverage in Dickinson, North Dakota, said she has noted that division among consumers concerning the health care law, even among those receiving significant subsidies that make their policies more affordable.

“There are people who have services who never had services,” she said. “But there are people who were forced to have insurance and really don’t consider it affordable. Some people have told us they’d rather pay the fine as opposed to having health insurance.”

In Gresham, Oregon, Anna Mar, 28, said she is still no fan of what she calls “Obamacare.” She is a stay-at-home mom with two young boys. Her husband works in construction.

“The plan hardly covers anything, so I avoid going to the doctor,” Mar said. “I love the idea of everyone having health care, but it’s not affordable for us.”

For herself, Mar bought the cheapest plan on the exchange she could find: $134 a month, with a high deductible and high co-pays. Her government subsidy is $40. The couple’s children qualify for Medicaid, the state-federal health program for those with lower incomes.

Other consumers said they were grateful for the health care reforms and for Thursday’s ruling allowing the subsidies to continue.

Kim Jones, a substitute teacher in Wake Forest, North Carolina, said she once used the emergency room for her care. With the health insurance plan she purchased on the federal exchange, she now can afford follow-up treatment after surgery last summer to remove a brain tumor.

Jones, 60, said she was without health insurance for about a decade because of the part-time jobs she took to allow her to care for an elderly parent. Her current coverage costs her about $27 a month, after the government subsidy of more than $500. She continues to take medication and had worried about losing coverage.

“I know it helped so many people, and a lot of folks like myself who had fallen through the cracks were finally getting some kind of help with health issues,” Jones said after the ruling.

In Norman, Oklahoma, Kelli Nicole Smith, a 26-year-old baker who earns $11 an hour at a candy shop, said she was relieved to learn she would still receive the $99 monthly subsidy that she used to purchase a health plan. Without it, Smith said she probably would have considered buying less healthy food or downgrading her mobile phone plan.

“I would have choices, but they wouldn’t be comfortable,” said Smith, who ends up paying about $60 a month for a plan with relatively high co-pays, including $500 for an emergency room visit. “Or I would have to consider finding a job that maybe pays more that I don’t really want to do.”

Advocates such as Walter Davis of the Tennessee Health Care Campaign, used the Supreme Court decision to urge lawmakers in Tennessee to increase Medicaid access, an expansion that was made optional by an earlier Supreme Court ruling.

“Tennessee has failed to expand Medicaid and is falling further behind, leaving thousands of people unnecessarily uninsured and without access to affordable health coverage,” he said in a written statement. “Now Tennessee policymakers should recognize health reform is working, abandon efforts to undermine it, and instead take advantage of the opportunities that health reform offers to improve lives.”

Those with medical issues took the most comfort in the Supreme Court’s ruling and Obama’s assertion afterward that “the Affordable Care Act is here to stay.”

“I’m starting to cry just talking about it,” said Susan Halpern, a 55-year-old breast cancer survivor from Columbus, Ohio, who immediately posted the news to Facebook.

With an irregular income as a freelance contractor, she said the subsidy makes a huge difference. Without it, she said the only way she could continue to pay the premium would be to drain her retirement savings.

“This has saved my ability to retire someday,” Halpern said. “I know tens of thousands of Americans were looking at it the same way.”

___

Associated Press writers Emery P. Dalesio in Raleigh, North Carolina; Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee; James MacPherson in Bismarck, North Dakota; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; Michelle L. Price in Salt Lake City; and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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California Black Media

Gov. Newsom Goes to Washington to Advocate for California Priorities

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation. During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

Published

1 week ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Newsom visits the White House on Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of Gov.Ca. Gov

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation.

During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

“California is continuing our work to secure additional tools and resources to improve access to health care, clean air and water, and secure critical funding to support communities recovering from disasters,” said Newsom.

At the White House, Newsom met with President Joe Biden and key officials, advocating for disaster relief funding, healthcare expansion, and environmental protection. He also engaged in discussions with senior Biden-Harris officials, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, to address water quality improvements and the San Luis Dam project, which will support water supplies for two million Californians.

“Building on our strong partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, California is working closely with the White House over the next two months to deliver the critical protections and resources our communities need,” Newsom said.

On Capitol Hill, Newsom met with California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with other Congressional leaders, to emphasize the need to approve pending disaster funding, healthcare programs, and environmental protections. He also previewed California’s upcoming special session to proactively address potential federal challenges when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

Newsom’s discussions also focused on securing Medicaid waivers from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to enhance behavioral health services and reduce homelessness. The state seeks approval for the BH-CONNECT waiver, which would address behavioral health and homelessness, and the MCO Tax Waiver, which would provide over $20 billion for Medi-Cal to improve healthcare access.

Additionally, California is pushing for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are crucial for enforcing air quality regulations. These measures are projected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths and provide $116 billion in health benefits over the next three decades, according to the Governor’s office.

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California Reports First Case of Mpox in the United States

On Nov. 16, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), reported the first known case of clade 1 Mpox, previously known as Monkeypox, in the United States. However, the risk to the public remains low, according to the CDPH.

Published

1 week ago

November 26, 2024

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

On Nov. 16, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), reported the first known case of clade 1 Mpox, previously known as Monkeypox, in the United States.

However, the risk to the public remains low, according to the CDPH.

“This case was confirmed in an individual who recently traveled from Africa and is related to the ongoing outbreak of clade I mpox in Central and Eastern Africa,” reads a statement the CDPH released.

According to the DDPH, “The affected individual received health care in San Mateo County based on their travel history and symptoms. The individual is isolating at home and recovering.”

Public health workers are also conducting a contact tracing exercise and reaching out to people who have been in close proximity to the affected person.

“The mpox specimens from the traveler are being sent to the CDC for further laboratory testing,” the CDPH press release continues.

Californians can take a number of steps to prevent Mpox. Here’s more information:

Preventing Mpox Infection

It appears clade I mpox spreads in a similar manner as clade II mpox, through close (skin-skin), intimate and sexual contact. The identification of a potentially more severe mpox version in the United States is a good reminder for individuals who have certain risk factors to take preventive action, including:

Getting vaccinated if you may be at risk for mpox. For the greatest protection, make sure you get both doses of the vaccine. Find mpox vaccine (JYNNEOS) near you.
Taking precautions if you were exposed to mpox. Get the mpox vaccine before symptoms develop and consider avoiding intimate contact with others for 21 days. Watch yourself for symptoms and get tested if they develop.
Preventing spread if you have been told you have mpox. Avoid contact with others until the rash is healed, clean and disinfect shared areas in the home, and notify people who may have been exposed.
Talking to your sexual partner(s).
Avoiding skin-to-skin contact with those who have a rash or sores that look like mpox.
Not sharing items with someone who has mpox.
Washing your hands often.
Protecting yourself when caring for someone with mpox by using masks, gowns and gloves.

Visit the CDPH website to learn more about Mpox with Sexual Health Toolkits and a Campaign Materials Page.

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California Department of Aging Offers Free Resources for Family Caregivers in November

In honor of National Family Caregivers Month this November, the California Department of Aging (CDA) is spotlighting a range of free resources to support caregivers of older adults and individuals with disabilities. Through its extensive network of Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), the state provides essential tools to help caregivers manage their responsibilities while prioritizing their own health and well-being.

Published

1 week ago

November 26, 2024

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

“Caregiving is a great act of love, and this month — and every day — we uplift California’s caregivers as the under-recognized backbone of our families and communities,” said Susan DeMarois, director of the CDA. DeMarois emphasized the need for caregivers to access available support to better balance their roles without compromising their own health.

California is home to more than 4.5 million unpaid family caregivers, who contribute an estimated $81 billion annually in economic value through their care. Most caregivers are women who balance work, family, and caregiving responsibilities, often at the cost of their physical and emotional health. Given California’s aging population, the demand for caregiver support is rapidly growing, underscoring the importance of these free resources.

Thousands of caregivers accessed these services in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, benefiting from tools like professional care management and respite support. The Aging in California Resource Guide, available in six languages, offers additional information on caregiver support.

Caregivers can learn more about available resources by visiting the CDA website at aging.ca.gov and connecting with local CRCs or AAAs to discover personalized services to support them in their caregiving journey.