Repealing the Affordable Care Act would cost jobs in every state:
"Of course, the primary reason to oppose repeal (let alone build upon the ACA to reach a genuinely universal system of health coverage) is to protect the increased health and financial security that the ACA extended to tens of millions of Americans. But the macroeconomic effect of rapidly unraveling it is significant, and some states will suffer more than others."
3/3/17
Cancer survivors' message to Republicans: 'We literally live and die by insurance'
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/24/1637305/-Cancer-survivors-message-to-Republicans-We-literally-live-and-die-by-insurance
"Nearly 1 in 4 Americans has a pre-existing health condition—that's 52 million people under the age of 65. It's 52 million people who for the past three years had the peace of mind of knowing that they could not be denied health insurance. Among them are more than 15 million who are cancer patients or survivors, who are at the forefront of people speaking out against Republican efforts to repeal the law."
"Nearly 1 in 4 Americans has a pre-existing health condition—that's 52 million people under the age of 65. It's 52 million people who for the past three years had the peace of mind of knowing that they could not be denied health insurance. Among them are more than 15 million who are cancer patients or survivors, who are at the forefront of people speaking out against Republican efforts to repeal the law."
2/25/17
Republicans Are Making a Huge New Push to Block Essential Retirement Security @alternet
Republicans Are Making a Huge New Push to Block Essential Retirement Security @alternet:
"If Republicans succeed in rolling back the DOL regulations, they will destroy the best chance 63 million American workers have to get access to a retirement plan. These states took the responsible first step to save their residents from a retirement crisis defined by low coverage and inadequate savings, and protect their taxpayers from the fiscal crisis that would result if millions of elderly Americans became indigent. The 63 million workers without access to employer-based plans include: 23 million people who will lose coverage in the seven states that have enacted plans, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington, and about 40 million people who will lose coverage in the 28 states and two cities—New York and Philadelphia—considering similar universal retirement plans. The city and state plans, also known as Secure Choice Plans, are state-level retirement programs designed to provide retirement savings accounts to private-sector workers who do not have access to such plans at work. Under Secure Choice, designated private-sector employers are required to automatically deduct a percentage of their workers’ pay and forward it to state-sponsored individual retirement accounts (IRAs)—think of them as public option IRAs and 401(k)-type plans. Accounts are individually owned and professionally managed, and administered by independent boards headed by state-appointed trustees. Under these plans, employees would have the right to change their contribution rates or opt out of making contributions."
"If Republicans succeed in rolling back the DOL regulations, they will destroy the best chance 63 million American workers have to get access to a retirement plan. These states took the responsible first step to save their residents from a retirement crisis defined by low coverage and inadequate savings, and protect their taxpayers from the fiscal crisis that would result if millions of elderly Americans became indigent. The 63 million workers without access to employer-based plans include: 23 million people who will lose coverage in the seven states that have enacted plans, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington, and about 40 million people who will lose coverage in the 28 states and two cities—New York and Philadelphia—considering similar universal retirement plans. The city and state plans, also known as Secure Choice Plans, are state-level retirement programs designed to provide retirement savings accounts to private-sector workers who do not have access to such plans at work. Under Secure Choice, designated private-sector employers are required to automatically deduct a percentage of their workers’ pay and forward it to state-sponsored individual retirement accounts (IRAs)—think of them as public option IRAs and 401(k)-type plans. Accounts are individually owned and professionally managed, and administered by independent boards headed by state-appointed trustees. Under these plans, employees would have the right to change their contribution rates or opt out of making contributions."
Paul Ryan Is Fundraising Off Health Care While Working to Kill It for Millions
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/39552-paul-ryan-is-fundraising-off-health-care-while-working-to-kill-it-for-millions
"The Kochs are happy to throw their billions behind politicians like Paul Ryan. They're even happier when they can get a tax break for it. As for Ryan, one thing is clear: He's determined to raise as much money as possible to fuel his own rise, and his party's, no matter how many people's health may suffer in the process."
"The Kochs are happy to throw their billions behind politicians like Paul Ryan. They're even happier when they can get a tax break for it. As for Ryan, one thing is clear: He's determined to raise as much money as possible to fuel his own rise, and his party's, no matter how many people's health may suffer in the process."
Heads Up, Republicans Want Wall St. Investment Advisers to Lie and Pick Your Pocket @alternet
Heads Up, Republicans Want Wall St. Investment Advisers to Lie and Pick Your Pocket @alternet:
"While the headlines are dominated by White House leaks and personnel scandals, the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have been quietly helping the financial industry siphon off your retirement savings."
"While the headlines are dominated by White House leaks and personnel scandals, the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have been quietly helping the financial industry siphon off your retirement savings."
2/22/17
2/18/17
For Americans with disabilities, Trump’s policies are as dangerous as his rhetoric
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-disability-rights-d0b3c1a5b21#.cvitnd1qc
"Across the country, people with disabilities are continuing to lead the fight for inclusivity and recognition, with the support of their families, advocates, and human services professionals. But under a Trump administration, that fight is going to get a lot harder. Trump’s mocking of disabled New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski last year has been widely recognized, but his actual policies for people with disabilities are just as terrible."
"Across the country, people with disabilities are continuing to lead the fight for inclusivity and recognition, with the support of their families, advocates, and human services professionals. But under a Trump administration, that fight is going to get a lot harder. Trump’s mocking of disabled New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski last year has been widely recognized, but his actual policies for people with disabilities are just as terrible."
2/16/17
Of Course Trump's Health Secretary Is a Friend of Big Tobacco
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/02/tom-price-hhs-tobacco
"The man Donald Trump has chosen to direct health policy for the federal government has close ties to the tobacco industry he will be charged with regulating."
"The man Donald Trump has chosen to direct health policy for the federal government has close ties to the tobacco industry he will be charged with regulating."
Trump’s Plan for Medicaid Would Decimate Services for People With Disabilities
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/02/08/trumps-plan-medicaid-would-decimate-services-people-disabilities
"As Congressional Republicans careen face-first towards the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, another threat is taking shape that promises to devastate the services that seniors and people with disabilities need."
"As Congressional Republicans careen face-first towards the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, another threat is taking shape that promises to devastate the services that seniors and people with disabilities need."
2/12/17
The Trump Administration’s Two-Pronged Assault on Public Health
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2017/02/07/298183/the-trump-administrations-two-pronged-assault-on-public-health/
"The 115th Congress and the Trump administration have already set their sights on gutting the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other cornerstone protections that ensure that our air is safe to breathe and our water safe to drink. They have promised to get rid of pollution limits for power plants instead of shifting to clean energy and nullify pollution limits for oil and gas drilling—as they also promise to drill anywhere and everywhere. These actions alone would greatly endanger public health and environmental quality. If that was not enough, however, congressional Republicans and the administration are also set on eliminating health insurance coverage for millions of Americans. This extreme rollback of federal regulations and services would allow more pollution, affect public health, and, at the same time, remove health care options for treatment when people get sick."
"The 115th Congress and the Trump administration have already set their sights on gutting the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other cornerstone protections that ensure that our air is safe to breathe and our water safe to drink. They have promised to get rid of pollution limits for power plants instead of shifting to clean energy and nullify pollution limits for oil and gas drilling—as they also promise to drill anywhere and everywhere. These actions alone would greatly endanger public health and environmental quality. If that was not enough, however, congressional Republicans and the administration are also set on eliminating health insurance coverage for millions of Americans. This extreme rollback of federal regulations and services would allow more pollution, affect public health, and, at the same time, remove health care options for treatment when people get sick."
2/11/17
Say Goodbye to Your Life Savings (Again)
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a52809/trump-financial-deregulation/
"President Trump's team of Goldman Sachs alums are in the hen house."
"President Trump's team of Goldman Sachs alums are in the hen house."
Trump will roll back Obama rule that protected retirees from getting bilked by their advisers
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-executive-orders-wall-street-bc0d65ccc5f8#.qamnbo74r
"On Friday, President Trump plans to sign an executive order rolling back protections put in place by the Obama administration to ensure financial advisers can’t give retirees bad advice to enrich themselves."
"On Friday, President Trump plans to sign an executive order rolling back protections put in place by the Obama administration to ensure financial advisers can’t give retirees bad advice to enrich themselves."
Trump sells out retirees to Wall Street and removes protections against economic collapse
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/3/1629437/-Trump-sells-out-retirees-to-Wall-Street-and-removes-protections-against-economic-collapse
"Gary Cohn, White House Economic Council director, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published last night that the administration would also move against a regulation designed to force retirement advisers to work in the best interest of their clients, the “fiduciary rule,” set to take effect in April and designed to eliminate conflicts-of-interest among professionals dealing with those enrolled in qualified retirement plans and IRAs. Donald Trump is going to make sure that Wall Street can keep lying to clients and feeding off retirees—because that’s what makes America great. The fiduciary rule, which hasn’t yet gone into effect, was intended to make sure that financial advisers were actually giving their best advice. That’s because giving bad advice can be very good for unscrupulous advisers who milk their clients by making hundreds of unnecessary trades and pocketing the fees, or pushing clients into high-cost funds from which the adviser gets a kick back. The basic idea was to make sure that when people were investing in retirement funds, the experts they paid to advise them and manage those funds were actually working for the people who were supposed to be their clients, rather than fattening themselves at their client’s expense. Naturally, Wall Street hated this rule."
"Gary Cohn, White House Economic Council director, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published last night that the administration would also move against a regulation designed to force retirement advisers to work in the best interest of their clients, the “fiduciary rule,” set to take effect in April and designed to eliminate conflicts-of-interest among professionals dealing with those enrolled in qualified retirement plans and IRAs. Donald Trump is going to make sure that Wall Street can keep lying to clients and feeding off retirees—because that’s what makes America great. The fiduciary rule, which hasn’t yet gone into effect, was intended to make sure that financial advisers were actually giving their best advice. That’s because giving bad advice can be very good for unscrupulous advisers who milk their clients by making hundreds of unnecessary trades and pocketing the fees, or pushing clients into high-cost funds from which the adviser gets a kick back. The basic idea was to make sure that when people were investing in retirement funds, the experts they paid to advise them and manage those funds were actually working for the people who were supposed to be their clients, rather than fattening themselves at their client’s expense. Naturally, Wall Street hated this rule."
2/9/17
Too Many People Have Health Insurance. Republicans Will Fix That.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gop-health-insurance-gallup-survey_us_589a5d97e4b0c1284f2941fe?nzhq6w29
"President Donald Trump and the Republicans who control Congress have a major problem to solve: The uninsured rate has never been lower."
"President Donald Trump and the Republicans who control Congress have a major problem to solve: The uninsured rate has never been lower."
Trump’s Plan for Medicaid Would Decimate Services for People With Disabilities
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/02/08/trumps-plan-medicaid-would-decimate-services-people-disabilities
"As Congressional Republicans careen face-first towards the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, another threat is taking shape that promises to devastate the services that seniors and people with disabilities need."
"As Congressional Republicans careen face-first towards the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, another threat is taking shape that promises to devastate the services that seniors and people with disabilities need."
2/7/17
Paul Ryan Plans To Use Trump’s Chaos To Destroy Medicare, Medicaid And Social Security @alternet
Paul Ryan Plans To Use Trump’s Chaos To Destroy Medicare, Medicaid And Social Security @alternet:
"Paul Ryan always gets more credit than he deserves. During Ryan’s time as House Budget Committee chair, DC pundits lavished praise and attention on him, portraying him as a sensible budget wonk pushing “serious” policy ideas. In fact, he has always been a far-right, highly ideological politician with one goal: Slash taxes for the super-rich and corporations, and pay for it by destroying Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Now that Ryan is Speaker of the House and Donald Trump is president, DC conventional wisdom is settling on a new image of Ryan: A spineless coward unwilling to condemn Trump’s outrageous actions. That’s a much less flattering image than his very serious budget wonk persona, but it’s still far more than Ryan deserves. It takes for granted that deep in his heart, Ryan opposes Trump’s behavior and that if only the Speaker could find the courage, he would disavow the president. The truth is far more sinister. Ryan is just fine with Trump’s Muslim ban, and his nomination of a racist for attorney general, and all the rest of the horror show. In fact, all of that is extremely useful to him. While the nation is focused on the Bannon White House’s disgusting policies and actions, Ryan can slip his own agenda, which is equally deplorable but more mundane, under the radar. Ryan himself is not the agent of chaos, but he’s happy to thrive on it."
"Paul Ryan always gets more credit than he deserves. During Ryan’s time as House Budget Committee chair, DC pundits lavished praise and attention on him, portraying him as a sensible budget wonk pushing “serious” policy ideas. In fact, he has always been a far-right, highly ideological politician with one goal: Slash taxes for the super-rich and corporations, and pay for it by destroying Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Now that Ryan is Speaker of the House and Donald Trump is president, DC conventional wisdom is settling on a new image of Ryan: A spineless coward unwilling to condemn Trump’s outrageous actions. That’s a much less flattering image than his very serious budget wonk persona, but it’s still far more than Ryan deserves. It takes for granted that deep in his heart, Ryan opposes Trump’s behavior and that if only the Speaker could find the courage, he would disavow the president. The truth is far more sinister. Ryan is just fine with Trump’s Muslim ban, and his nomination of a racist for attorney general, and all the rest of the horror show. In fact, all of that is extremely useful to him. While the nation is focused on the Bannon White House’s disgusting policies and actions, Ryan can slip his own agenda, which is equally deplorable but more mundane, under the radar. Ryan himself is not the agent of chaos, but he’s happy to thrive on it."
Confronted with talking to constituents about health care, these GOP lawmakers chose to hide
https://thinkprogress.org/these-gop-lawmakers-really-dont-want-to-talk-to-their-constituents-about-obamacare-c5092a772b39#.lf1k8akoh
"Some members of Congress are even hiding from constituents trying to ask them questions about the future of their health care coverage."
"Some members of Congress are even hiding from constituents trying to ask them questions about the future of their health care coverage."
How would repealing the Affordable Care Act affect health care and jobs in your state?
http://www.epi.org/aca-obamacare-repeal-impact/
"Across the country, 29.8 million people would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were repealed—more than doubling the number of people without health insurance. And 1.2 million jobs would be lost—not just in health care but across the board."
"Across the country, 29.8 million people would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were repealed—more than doubling the number of people without health insurance. And 1.2 million jobs would be lost—not just in health care but across the board."
1/31/17
After meeting with pharma lobbyists, Trump drops promise to negotiate drug prices
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/1/31/14453740/trump-medicare-prescription-drugs
"The United States doesn’t have a nationalized health care system, but we do have Medicare for senior citizens, and since the USA is a very large country, that’s still a huge potential bulk purchaser. But a 2003 law written by congressional Republicans and signed by George W. Bush prohibits the federal government from using that negotiating power. As recently as January 11, President-elect Trump was promising to revisit this policy. “Pharma has a lot of lobbies, a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power. And there’s very little bidding on drugs,” he said at a press conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan. “We’re the largest buyer of drugs in the world, and yet we don’t bid properly.” Today he apparently changed his mind. According to Herb Jackson, the designated pool reporter for the day, Trump’s new policy on prescription drugs is that drug companies should get tax cuts and deregulation"
"The United States doesn’t have a nationalized health care system, but we do have Medicare for senior citizens, and since the USA is a very large country, that’s still a huge potential bulk purchaser. But a 2003 law written by congressional Republicans and signed by George W. Bush prohibits the federal government from using that negotiating power. As recently as January 11, President-elect Trump was promising to revisit this policy. “Pharma has a lot of lobbies, a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power. And there’s very little bidding on drugs,” he said at a press conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan. “We’re the largest buyer of drugs in the world, and yet we don’t bid properly.” Today he apparently changed his mind. According to Herb Jackson, the designated pool reporter for the day, Trump’s new policy on prescription drugs is that drug companies should get tax cuts and deregulation"
Repealing the Affordable Care Act will kill more than 43,000 people annually
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/01/23/repealing-the-affordable-care-act-will-kill-more-than-43000-people-annually/?utm_term=.7e18c840442e
"The story is in the data: The biggest and most definitive study of what happens to death rates when Medicaid coverage is expanded, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that for every 455 people who gained coverage across several states, one life was saved per year. Applying that figure to even a conservative estimate of 20 million losing coverage in the event of an ACA repeal yields an estimate of 43,956 deaths annually."
"The story is in the data: The biggest and most definitive study of what happens to death rates when Medicaid coverage is expanded, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that for every 455 people who gained coverage across several states, one life was saved per year. Applying that figure to even a conservative estimate of 20 million losing coverage in the event of an ACA repeal yields an estimate of 43,956 deaths annually."
Trump’s HHS nominee is mired in scandal
https://thinkprogress.org/tom-price-insider-trading-fffbd7fdf1e9#.lzbfilwfh
"The new revelations come on the heels of previous reporting about Price introducing separate legislation to benefit Zimmer Biomet shortly after he bought shares of the company."
"The new revelations come on the heels of previous reporting about Price introducing separate legislation to benefit Zimmer Biomet shortly after he bought shares of the company."
Trump's Health Secretary Pick Tied to Fringe Medical Group That Defends Doctors Accused of Misconduct
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/tom-price-health-secretary-fringe-medical-group
"AAPS got its start in the 1940s, with the help of members of the John Birch Society, the extreme right-wing group known for peddling outlandish conspiracy theories."
"AAPS got its start in the 1940s, with the help of members of the John Birch Society, the extreme right-wing group known for peddling outlandish conspiracy theories."
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