Single-payer is better for businesses, says one expert
Dr. James Cowan has seen how health insurance works from multiple angles and both sides of the pond, consulting for the National Health Service, the United Kingdom’s public health-care system, to serving as an expert for the health-care insurer Aetna here in the United States. Now acting as an advisor for the Rhode Island Health […]
Governor Raimondo pledges to defend Dreamers
“Rhode Island was founded on the principles of tolerance and diversity. Those values mean nothing if we abandon them in times of difficulty. Dreamers are in our schools in every community. They are Rhode Islanders. As long as I am Governor, Rhode Island will stand with Dreamers and DACA recipients.”
Trump tax cuts a massive giveaway to the richest one percent of Rhode Islanders says report
In Rhode Island, the top 1 percent of the state’s residents would receive an average tax cut of $86,610 compared with an average tax cut of just $430 for the bottom 60 percent of taxpayers in the state.
Senate TrumpCare bill is a disaster, say Senators Reed and Whitehouse
Standing with fellow Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Jack Reed said that passing TrumpCare would be “a disaster for Rhode Island and the United States.”
The Sheldon Whitehouse healthcare policy Inception
Though lacking in sci-fi pretense and cutting edge special effect visuals, there’s evidence that US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse had an idea planted in his head some weeks ago, an idea with important healthcare policy implications.
Sen. Whitehouse dishes to South Providence on healthcare, immigration, Trump
Judging from the questions asked at US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse‘s “Saturday with Sheldon” event, healthcare is on the minds of a good portion of his constituents. About 85 people came out to see the Senator and ask difficult questions about the future of Rhode Island under President Donald Trump. Whitehouse was at times optimistic, for […]
Single payer and public option the stars at rally to save Obamacare
“This is their long standing opposition to Medicare [and] Medicaid” said Whitehouse, “We thought we had those zombies buried, but they’re coming back out of the earth again and they walk the planet, and we need to put them back in the ground where they belong.”
Not a ‘chance in the world’ Whitehouse will vote to confirm Price as head of DHHS
“I don’t think I’ve announced anything yet,” replied Whitehouse, “but I don’t think there’s a chance in the world of that happening.”
Hundreds join congressional delegation to defend Obamacare
“We depend on this,” said Gina Rombley, “We are a small business. My parents depend on this, my daughter depends on this… You can’t take something away from so many people that need it.”
Federal funds help Raimondo reinvent Medicaid, but the future is uncertain
Raimondo’s “Reinventing Medicaid” paid off today with the announcement of nearly $130 million in federal funds that will help facilitate health care professional training and alternative payment models. But questions remain: Are we training students for good paying jobs or poverty? Will Medicaid survive Trump?
People to RIPTA: raising bus fares on the elderly, homeless, disabled is immoral
As William Flynn, executive director of the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI said, “Isolation kills, and transportation is a vital part of fighting isolation.” He thinks as many as 4500 Rhode Islanders may be affected by the plan.
Healthcare workers fight for $15 in Rhode Island
The rally was also just two miles from the Massachusetts border, where home care workers recently won a minimum wage of $15 to be phased in over the next few years. Rhode Island does not pay nearly as much.
‘Doc Fix’ law brings permanent changes to Medicare
Congress put aside its fierce partisan bickering and came together to pass H.R. 2 –the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). This week President Obama took the opportunity to sign the legislation package into law. The congressional fix repeals and replaces the flawed Medicare physician reimbursement system known as the sustainable growth […]
Obama’s budget addresses issues of interest to seniors
President Obama released his 141 page ‘policy and wish list” when he unveiled his politically ambitious FY 2016 budget on Feb 2, not having to worry about running for president in the upcoming 2016 presidential election cycle. Yes, even inside the Washington Beltway a picture is truly worth a thousand words. Gone is the budget’s […]
Minimum wage opponents warn of robots, false economic logic
“There’s already massive movement towards technology that will eliminate the need for labor,” said Bob Bacon of Gregg’s Restaurants, “In many restaurants now you have touch pads. Guess what’s next? Pretty soon you’re placing your order on that thing and it’s going to take ten less people to serve you your dinner.”
‘Medicare for All’ advocates focus on Rhode Island
“What will happen if we don’t do this?” asked Dr. Oliver Fein, “By [the year] 2038 a person’s entire household income will have to pay for health insurance. A condition that’s not compatible with life.”
The wage gap for older women, in Rhode Island and nationally
Following on the heels of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released last week, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing to put a Congressional spotlight on the alarming increase of older Americans becoming impoverished. The GAO policy analysts concluded that a growing number of the nation’s elderly, especially women and minorities, […]
The Brendan Doherty, Paul Ryan Relationship
Earlier this month, Bill Fischer, spokesman for the Rhode Island Democratic party, prophetically said in a statement to the press: “Paul Ryan may not be a household name to everyone in Rhode Island, but if you’re a senior citizen who relies on Medicare, you should know who he is and what he stands for, because […]
Fighting for Rhode Island
The last few years have been tough for our great Ocean State. Across Rhode Island, I’ve organized community dinners, main street tours, and coffee hours where I’ve heard firsthand from so many people struggling to find work, seniors worried about their Social Security and Medicare, families being crushed by unfair credit card rates, and students […]
Fighting for Our Future
This is bound to be an exciting year for our state, and I know I speak for many when I say that the return of RI Future to the Ocean State’s blogosphere is a welcome one. From Netroots Nation coming to Providence – something Mayor Taveras and I worked particularly hard to ensure – to […]
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