Monthly Archives: May 2005

Here’s something new. Sen. Ron Wyden from Oregon last year championed the passage of legislation to create a Citizens Health Care Working Group to “provide for a nationwide public debate about improving the health care system to provide every American … Continue reading →

This week will mark the official closing of eligibility for the part of MassHealth known as MassHealth Essential, which will reach its statutory enrollment cap of about 43,000 poor, long term unemployed individuals. The State will begin collecting names on … Continue reading →

Back in March, bipartisan groups of US senators and reps called for a commission to study ways to achieve savings rather than cutting Medicaid by $16 billion over 5 years, as Pres. Bush and Republican leaders in the Senate and … Continue reading →

HCFA Board President Chip Joffe Halpern has written another keeper article in his series for the North Adams Transcript. Here’s how it starts: Americans are consistently inconsistent when it comes to their attitudes toward health care. This observation, from a … Continue reading →

ast night, about 1,000 persons attended a health care action rally organized by the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, backed more than 65 churches, synagogues, temples and other organizations. The rally was held at Temple Israel in Boston and was noteworthy … Continue reading →

Spent yesterday in Washington DC catching up on health reform activities around in other states around the nation. Some tidbits: In Maine, the Dirigo health reform plan is being implemented, though national conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation and … Continue reading →

A new report on reforming the nation’s health care system projects savings as much as $182 billion annually within 10 years, according to an analysis released May 23 by a coalition of businesses, unions, consumer groups, and health care providers. … Continue reading →

This Thursday evening from 7-9pm at Temple Israel in Boston (Riverway and Longwood Avenue) the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) hosts a public meeting on health reform in Massachusetts. GBIO is a grassroots, church/synagogue/temple based social justice organization with a … Continue reading →

For an amusing take on the Romney Administration’s “tough love” on hospital billing, check out Blue Mass Group by clicking here.

Here’s the text of a letter published in today’s Boston Globe in response to comments by Gov. Romney’s aide on hospital billing practices (see May 18 post): TIM MURPHY, Governor Romney’s policy director, has said that hospitals should be more … Continue reading →