Health

Poll: Most Say Restore Health Aid if Court Kills Subsidies

Published

9 years ago

January 28, 2015

This Nov. 29, 2013, file photo shows a part of the HealthCare.gov website, photographed in Washington. The administration is warning hundreds of thousands of consumers they risk losing taxpayer-subsidized health insurance unless they act quickly to resolve issues about their citizenship and immigration status. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File)

ALAN FRAM, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans including significant numbers of Republicans would want lawmakers to restore federal aid for buying coverage under President Barack Obama’s health care law if the Supreme Court annuls some of the subsidies, according to a poll released Wednesday.

Overall, the 2010 revamping of the nation’s health care system remains broadly unpopular, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation’s survey. The public disapproves of the law by 46 percent to 40 percent, with most Democrats supporting and Republicans in opposition.

But should the Supreme Court strike down subsidies for millions of people who buy coverage on the federal government’s HealthCare.gov, people in the poll say lawmakers should fix it.

The finding suggests that a complex political landscape might await Republicans, who want to repeal and replace the law, should the court invalidate a crucial part of it later this year.

The court will hear arguments in March in the case, in which critics of Obama’s law say the statute allows federal subsidies only in states that have established their own health insurance marketplaces, and not in states whose markets are run by Washington. The federal government runs the marketplace in 37 states.

A decision is expected in June.

People’s views of the federal subsidies could change over time because few in the poll — just 14 percent — said they know a lot or something about the Supreme Court case.

But in the Kaiser survey, 64 percent said if the court rules that subsidies should be available only in states running their own markets, Congress should make people in all states eligible for federal aid. Those favoring congressional action included 82 percent of Democrats, 40 percent of Republicans and 63 percent of independents.

In addition, 59 percent of those in states whose markets are federally run said their state should create its own marketplace if the court invalidates subsidies there. People holding that view included just over 6 in 10 Democrats and independents and about half of Republicans.

Should the court strike down the subsidies, Obama and Congress would have to decide how to respond.

Hoping to ramp up pressure on the administration, House Republicans wrote Wednesday to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell that the court decision could have “a profound impact” and asked her to detail federal preparations for a ruling.

Burwell has sidestepped such questions in the past, while expressing confidence that the administration’s position will be upheld. Congressional leaders have not decided what they would do, but groups of top lawmakers in both the House and Senate have started considering options.

Democrats say a reading of the entire law makes plain that the authors meant people in all states should qualify for the subsidies.

“We don’t think there’s anything that needs to be fixed,” Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., said Wednesday.

Across the country, 9.5 million people have so far signed up for 2015 coverage under the law.

Of those, 7.1 million are in states whose markets use HealthCare.gov and could be affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling. And of that group, most are low- and moderate-income people who stand to lose subsidies.

The Kaiser Health Tracking Poll was conducted Jan. 15-21 and involved cell and landline interviews with 1,503 randomly chosen adults. Its overall margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

___

Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

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Report: Black Women Doctors are Underrepresented in Health Care Sector

Physician retention in California has decreased over the years for women doctors of color, a report by the Physicians for a Healthy California stated. According to the report, women physicians are more likely to experience burnout than their male counterparts, a trend that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

The report states that Black and Latino physicians are underrepresented in the healthcare industry. Only 2.8% of physicians are Black and 5.5% are Latino across the state of California.

By California Black Media

Physician retention in California has decreased over the years for women doctors of color, a report by the Physicians for a Healthy California stated.

According to the report, women physicians are more likely to experience burnout than their male counterparts, a trend that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report states that Black and Latino physicians are underrepresented in the healthcare industry. Only 2.8% of physicians are Black and 5.5% are Latino across the state of California.

It also noted that women doctors of color are often assigned to serve in vulnerable and under-resourced communities.

“It is critical for health care organizations to implement effective strategies focused on the retention of this important group of clinicians,” the report stated.

Women doctors of color face career dissatisfaction, contributing to the low retention rates in California’s healthcare industry. The burnout particularly experienced by female doctors of color stems from workplace harassment and perceived lack of value at work.

Additionally, moral injury was another key factor driving women physicians of color away from the workforce. Unlike burnout, moral injury is defined as “the betrayal of what’s right by someone who holds legitimate authority in a high-stakes situation.”

Currently, two of the nine California regions used in the framework of the report — the Inland Empire and San Joaquin Valley — have less than 50 primary care doctors. Physician shortages are projected to get worse over the next few years.

By 2030, the report indicates, the demand for physicians will exceed the supply by at least 12%.

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Gov. Newsom, Attorney General Bonta Back Bill to Allow California to Host Arizona Abortion Care

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced last week that they are backing a bill introduced by the state legislative women’s caucus that would allow Arizona-based doctors to provide abortion care in California to patients from Arizona. Senate Bill (SB) 233 was authored in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision on April 9 that an 1864 ban on abortion in the state is enforceable.

Published

3 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta.

By California Black Media

Senate Bill (SB) 233 was authored in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision on April 9 that an 1864 ban on abortion in the state is enforceable. The bill also aims to counter growing support for anti-abortion legislation in states with Republican-majority legislatures since Roe v. Wade was overturned, according to supporters.

“California will not sit idly by. We’re urgently moving legislation to allow Arizona doctors to provide safe and reliable reproductive care to Arizonans here in California,” Newsom said.

Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus said that abortion bans are based on laws that set women back to a time when they had limited human rights.

“Anti-abortion forces have resurrected a dead law passed at a time when women couldn’t vote and husbands beating their wives was lawful,” Skinner said.

On April 24, the Arizona House of Representatives voted to repeal the 1864 abortion ban. It now moves to the Arizona Senate for deliberation.

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Mind, Body, and Spiritual Well-Being for Women Addressed in NAACP Forum in Oakland

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church. Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental and emotional well-being and relationships. iStock photo by Jorge Elizaquibel.

Special to The Post

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church.

Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66^th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

The forum will feature renowned experts, healthcare professionals, and advocates from Genentech, John Muir Health, Sutter Health of The East Bay, Kaiser Permanente, and the Alameda County Public Health Department.

Our expert panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and healthy relationships. The forum will encompass a wide range of topics such as breast cancer, menopause, reproductive health, nutrition, mental health awareness, preventive care, and much more.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend informative sessions, interactive workshops, and panel discussions led by experts in their respective fields. Additionally, there will be wellness activities, screenings, and informational booths offering valuable resources and support.

This forum is open to women of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging inclusivity and diversity in the conversation surrounding women’s health. Whether you’re seeking information for yourself, a loved one, or simply looking to connect with other women, this event promises to be enlightening and empowering.

For more information and to register for the Total You Women’s Health Forum, please visit https://www.naacpoakland.org/ or contact Dr. Delores Thompson. WIN chairwoman at (510) 328-3638.

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is dedicated to empowering women, and young teen girls. We look forward to your participation in this important event.

To register, go to https://www.naacpoakland.org/events/the-total-you-womens-health-forum