Health Care

In an effort to reduce a long backlog of psychiatric patients in emergency rooms, Concord, New Hampshire, will open the state’s first 24-hour mental health treatment center. The new contract with Riverbend Community Mental Health was approved by the facilities Executive Board for $4.4 million. Behavioral Health Crisis Treatment Center The new facility will be known as the Behavioral Health ... Read Full Article ›

In early January 2019, New York City announced the launch of a $100 million program designed to offer health insurance to 600,000 residents. Coverage would be available to those who were unable to afford health insurance on the marketplace as well as illegal immigrants. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who is serving his second term, has been a proponent of universal ... Read Full Article ›

Healthcare workers who object to performing medical services based on religious or moral beliefs will now find some recourse for refusing service under the Trump administration. On Thursday, January 18, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it would be creating a new division under its Office for Civil Rights called the Division of Conscience and Religious ... Read Full Article ›

On Wednesday, January 17, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) clarified its position on a special enrollment period created for victims of the 2017 hurricane season in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The CMS announced in September that people in hurricane-impacted areas would be given a special enrollment period (SEP) until December 31, 2017 to sign ... Read Full Article ›

Healthcare now employs more Americans than any other business sector. Throughout the 20th century, the top employers in the U.S. were consistently in retail and manufacturing sectors. While it’s unclear what this increase in the number of healthcare workers will mean for individual patients, the trend doesn’t seem to be in danger of reversing any time soon. How It Happened ... Read Full Article ›

The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services announced on January 11th that states have the authority to require anyone who has or applies for Medicaid benefits to prove that they have a job before receiving or continuing to receive Medicaid coverage. Medicaid is a health coverage funded by the State and federal government that is available to low income earners. ... Read Full Article ›

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in late September that if you were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma or Maria, you will receive an extension to make changes to your health insurance if you purchased it through the federal health insurance exchange. Medicare recipients were also given an extension to make changes to their plans. Federal Exchange ... Read Full Article ›

On September 13, four Republican senators released a last-ditch healthcare reform proposal that’s been taking conservative Congress members by storm. The effort, dubbed the “GCHJ bill” after its sponsors – Lindsey Graham (SC), Bill Cassidy (LA), Dean Heller (NV) and Ron Johnson (WI) – will face significant challenges as it races its way through the Senate. That’s because the upper ... Read Full Article ›

The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson ( GCHJ ) healthcare bill is the latest Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare). On September 20, President Donald Trump endorsed the bill, saying it was the best option for replacing the ACA. What is the GCHJ Bill? The GCHJ plan proposes block grants given to states in lieu of the ... Read Full Article ›

In a press release issued on August 22, 2017, Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Patty Murray of Washington announced that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) would hold hearings in September on how to stabilize the health insurance market for the 2018 enrollment season. Alexander and Murray are ranking members of the committee, and enrollment for ... Read Full Article ›