… forces on Capitol Hill continue to hash out details regarding a national plan of attack for rising health care expenses, local governments are looking to find ways of their own to help their residents cope with the current healthcare and economic crisis.  CBS 11 reported today that Forest Hill will begin offering free prescription drug discount cards.  Forest Hill City Manager, David Miller, explained the need for the program, “Whether or not an individual had prescription coverage, this …

Tags: Capitol Hill Health care National League of Cities Prescription drug United States

Permalink: /lawsuits/health-care-relief-through-city-of-forest-hill/

The Obama administration and legislators are currently debating the feasibility of health care reform. Senate majority Leader Harry Reid made an interesting observation about how medical debt often influences a debtor’s decision to file for bankruptcy :

“In 2008, about 750,000 bankruptcies were filed. About 70 percent of those bankruptcies were filed because of health care costs. Eighty percent of the people who filed for bankruptcy because of health care costs had …

Permalink: /medical_bills/can-a-health-care-overhaul-reduce-medical-bankruptcy/

According to an article in the Star-Telegram, Texas Health Resources is implementing its third round of job losses this year.  More than 100 Texas Health Resources employees have suffered job losses this year, including 23 workers at the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.

The article said:

“The layoffs, announced to employees on Sept. 8, are an attempt to adjust the company’s work force to changing demands for patient …

Tags: Health care Texas Health Resources United States

Permalink: /medical_bills/texas-health-resources-implements-more-job-losses/

Costs of out-of-pocket health care projected to increase.

As if the current crisis of rising healthcare costs weren’t enough to stress most of us, the Employee Benefits Research Institute announced the results of a study regarding the savings that a person will need upon retirement to pay for expenses not covered by Medicare and Medicaid.  The results are different for men and women, because of longevity issues.  …

Comment by Jacob Decker: … right information. Health care in this country should take …

Tags: Employee benefit Health care Retirement Unemployment

According to an article in the Dallas-Morning News, health care reform is at the top of the new administration’s list of priorities.

The article said:

The statistics explain part of the reason for the urgency:

•The U.S. spent an estimated $2.4 trillion on health care in 2008, or $7,900 per person – about twice the average of other developed nations.

•More than 45 million Americans lack health care coverage, and 25 …

Permalink: /dallas_attorney/health-care-reform-tops-nations-agenda/

According to a story by the Star Telegram Dallas- Fort Worth ’s job losses grow as Texas Health Resources lays off 49 healthcare workers throughout Texas. Texas Health Resources, which operates 13 hospitals and employs more than 18,000 people, says the layoffs were caused by a drop in the number of people seeking medical care because of the economic recession. According to Texas Health Resources, people are delaying non-urgent medical tests and elective surgeries because of rising …

Comment author: Health

Permalink: /job_loss_unemployment/texas-health-resources-lays-off-49-healthcare-workers/

… an article this Sunday in the Dallas Morning News, “It’s open season, and time to rethink your health plan,” this is the year to rework and review your health insurance coverage. Over the last several months, many workers crammed in last minute medical care in anticipation of job loss and thereby insurance coverage.  As a result, insurance companies paid out a higher numbers of claims and incurred more expenses.  Those same companies are now passing the expenses on to consumers like …

Tags: Flexible spending account Health care Health insurance

… “Now with high unemployment, consumers have to reach into their pockets even more to fund their health care.” Americans spend an estimated $294 billion on annual out-of-pocket medical costs annually, to cover everything from doctor’s office co-payments to surgeries and prescription medications. About 25% of that — around $74 billion — is already being charged to regular standard credit cards, according to Kalorama. McKinsey Consulting expects that $150 billion worth of health care …

Permalink: /fort_worth_bankruptcy/in-the-hospital-with-no-health-insurance-whatever-you-do-dont-charge-it/

The Dallas Morning News reports that in 2009 Texas will allow senior citizens with long-term healthcare insurance to keep more of their personal savings if they need to use Medicaid. Texas insurance officials will offer “private partnership policies” that will offer asset matching protection for those who purchase long-term healthcare insurance. For every dollar an individual uses in …

Permalink: /breaking-news/texas-gives-seniors-a-break-with-long-term-health-care-insurance-partnerships/

… Out bill passed last week, is a provision known as the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requiring employers to equally cover mental health costs in their health coverage plans. The provision states that financial requirements and treatment limitations for mental health care, if covered, cannot be any more restrictive than those put on the group plan’s other medical and surgical benefits. What that could mean is that employees …

Permalink: /dallas_bankruptcy/bail-out-bill-covers-mental-health-medical-bills/

… this country’s infrastructure, safety and educational institutions are critical to our long-term health and stability, we really need an approach that will address all of the issues driving this recession.  Currently, there is an unemployment rate of 10.2 percent, a foreclosure crisis that’s out of control and debt crisis that has over a million Americans filing bankruptcy.  It may be prudent for us to provide some type of direct bailout for homeowners facing foreclosure due to a job …

Tags: Barack Obama foreclosure Health care Mortgage modification Nancy Pelosi Small business Unemployment

… increases are faulty because seniors use a large portion of their income to pay for medical care costs, especially prescriptions.

The article said:

“The lack of a cost of living increase triggers several provisions in the law. Among them, the amount of wages subject to Social Security payroll taxes will remain unchanged. The first $106,800 of a worker’s earned income is currently subject to the tax. Also, Medicare Part B premiums for the vast majority of Social Security …

Tags: Cost of living Health care Medicare Social Security