Health

Obama: ‘Feeling Pretty Good’ About Health Care

Published

11 years ago

July 1, 2015

President Barack Obama boards Air Force One, Wednesday, July 1, 2015, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., en route to Nashville, Tenn., and onto Taylor Stratton Elementary School, where he is to talk about the Affordable Care Act. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Fresh off a Supreme Court victory, President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he’s “feeling pretty good” about the state of his health care law but pleaded for bipartisan cooperation on ways to make the system work even better.

Obama said he wants to refocus on improving health care quality, expanding access and eliminating waste now that the Supreme Court has upheld a key element of the Affordable Care Act.

“I’m feeling pretty good about how health care is going,” Obama said before he removed his suit jacket and answered questions about health care from Tennesseans seated at tables in an elementary school cafeteria.

Obama’s choice to visit Tennessee was deliberate. The state’s Republican governor, Bill Haslam, tried to expand Medicaid under the health care law to cover more than 200,000 state residents — only to be stymied by state legislators of his own party.

Obama argued that health care coverage rates could be vastly improved if more governors and lawmakers would just accept the federal government’s offer of billions of dollars of federal money to pay to expand the Medicaid program in their states.

About 20 states, most of them led by Republican governors and including some heavily populated places like Florida and Texas, have refused to expand Medicaid to cover millions more low-income Americans. Obama has accused them of losing sight of what’s good for their constituents.

“I think because of politics not all states have taken advantage of the options that are out there,” he said. “Our hope is that more of them do.”

The Supreme Court handed Obama a major victory on health care last week when it upheld federal financial aid to millions of low- and middle-income Americans to help pay for insurance premiums regardless of where they live.

Obama declared immediately after the ruling that the law is “here to stay.” He cited progress under its provisions but said more work was needed to “make health care in America even better.” In Nashville, he talked about making sure people know about the law’s benefits, including free preventive care, help for seniors on prescription medication and prohibitions on insurers denying coverage based on a prior illness.

While Obama talked up what he says is good about the law, the law’s Republican opponents highlighted what they say is bad about it.

“The latest Supreme Court ruling won’t change Obamacare’s multitude of broken promises, including the one that resulted in millions of Americans losing the coverage they had and wanted to keep,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday. “And the ruling won’t change the skyrocketing costs in premiums, deductibles, and co-pays that have hit the middle class so hard over the last few years.”

Obama surrounded himself Wednesday with two women who shared their health care stories in letters to him.

Accompanying the president aboard the Air Force One flight was Natoma Canfield, an Ohio cancer survivor who wrote in 2009 about being forced to drop her health insurance after she could no longer afford the monthly premium.

After arriving in Tennessee, Obama saved a seat in his limousine for Kelly Bryant, of Nashville, who wrote about finding affordable insurance under the law to treat her breast cancer. He picked her up on the way to the event, even holding an umbrella to shield her from a pounding rain.

“I never imagined in my wildest dreams that anyone would read it, let alone him,” Bryant said to introduce the president. “I am living proof of a president who listens and cares about the American people.”

Asked about the lack of Medicaid expansion in Tennessee, Obama lamented the politics he said are at play and urged lawmakers to find a “uniquely Tennessee solution.”

“It is unfortunate that getting this thing done got so political,” he said. “Washington is kind of a crazy place. But that doesn’t mean every place has got to be crazy.”

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Associated Press writer Lucas Johnson contributed to this report.

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Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

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May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

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4 days ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

4 days ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.