The News Review:
- GAO: Child-health action went too far
- Victoria’s Kooris battling a health crisis
- Child health-care grants
- HOUSE CALL WITH DR. SANJAY GUPTA
- Muskogee County Health Department schedule
- Coming apart at the seams
- Health & Fitness : Florida Health Insurance Advisor On Clinton…
GAO: Child-health action went too far
News & Observer – Apr 19, 2008
, that the administration’s policy changes amounted to a rule that should have been submitted to Congress and the comptroller general before going into effect. Instead, the administration sent a letter to state health officials informing them of the changes being made to the program, which it described as a clarification of existing law. Nearly a decade ago, Congress passed legislation that gives it the ability to disapprove of broad regulatory rules by passing a joint resolution of disapproval. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not follow the process that would allow Congress to take such action, the GAO told Rockefeller. “CMS now has a critical choice to make: rescind the rule or continue to spend taxpayer money defending a growing list of lawsuits it is unlikely to win,” Rockefeller said in a news release. All rights reserved.
Victoria’s Kooris battling a health crisis
The Age – Apr 19, 2008
But many services are operating on shoestring budgets. Thewomen’s and children’s unit at the Victorian Aboriginal HealthService in Fitzroy is treating more than 500 children but only hasa part-time midwife, two health workers and a pediatrician whovisits once a week. A maternal and child health nurse position hasbeen vacant for six months. A funding request was initially refused, with the Department ofHuman Services claiming Victoria’s baby boom had led to resourcesbeing redirected. The rejection came after the department’s ownreview found the service was “seriously under-funded” and staffwere suffering “burn-out”. But in response to queries from TheAge, the Government said last night that it would put $140,000into the service. Rod Jackson, the chief executive of the Victorian AboriginalHealth Service, said he was told last week by the department thatfurther funding had not been approved… Thewomen’s and children’s unit at the Victorian Aboriginal HealthService in Fitzroy is treating more than 500 children but only hasa part-time midwife, two health workers and a pediatrician whovisits once a week. A maternal and child health nurse position hasbeen vacant for six months. A funding request was initially refused, with the Department ofHuman Services claiming Victoria’s baby boom had led to resourcesbeing redirected. The rejection came after the department’s ownreview found the service was “seriously under-funded” and staffwere suffering “burn-out”. But in response to queries from TheAge, the Government said last night that it would put $140,000into the service. Rod Jackson, the chief executive of the Victorian AboriginalHealth Service, said he was told last week by the department thatfurther funding had not been approved. “I find it very interesting there was no money and suddenlythere is,” he said last night.
Child health-care grants
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Apr 19, 2008
Money is available to helpfamilies pay for child-health services such as speech orphysical therapy, prescriptions and medical equipment suchas wheelchairs and eyeglasses. Parents and legal guardiansmay apply for grants of up to $5,000 for child-medicalservices and equipment by completing an application atuhccf. To be eligible, children must be 16 years old oryounger. Families must meet income guidelines, live in theUnited States and be covered by a commercial health-benefitplan.
HOUSE CALL WITH DR. SANJAY GUPTA
CNN International – Apr 19, 2008
And presidential candidates are making big promises. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to make sure every child is eligible. The real answer is universal health care, quality, affordable health care for everybody. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To help Americans without health insurance acquire it without bankrupting the country.
Muskogee County Health Department schedule
Muskogee Daily Phoenix – Apr 19, 2008
No appointment needed for immunizations, family planning supplies, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted disease, head lice checks and pregnancy testing. Appointments are necessary for family planning check-ups, WIC, guidance, child health, chronic disease and TakeCharge. Tuesday — Evening clinic, walk-in until 6 p. for immunization, STD, head lice checks, family planning supplies, pregnancy testing; appointment needed for family planning annual exam. Friday — No medical clinics 9 a.
Coming apart at the seams
The Australian – Apr 19, 2008
I’ve heard of cases where up to 10 children have been left in a carers’ home because there was no other place for them to go. "
The system of child protection is coming apart at the seams. The Weekend Australian today reveals that a month-old baby died after a case worker in South Australia returned the child to her heroin-addicted mother. Behind the headlines about the case is the overwhelming reality for those working in the field: a sense of impending crisis grips a department when the death of a child known to child protection workers hits the headlines. The process is self-perpetuating. The tragic, isolated cases become part of a cycle spinning out of control as departments cast the net ever wider in case a child slips through. In South Australia in the past 18 years, one in every four children under 16 has been "notified"… Rather than restructuring its Department of Human Services again and again or adding layers and layers of management in the hope of insulating an intractable problem, the Victorian Government instituted reforms that would see the number of notifications of abuse and neglect hold fairly steady. Substantiated cases of abuse and neglect fell between 1999-2000 and 2006-07, even as they rose six-fold inNSW. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s annual report on child protection reveals that while the number of substantiated cases of abuse and neglect rose to 37,094 in NSW, it fell to 6828 in Victoria. And that was despite the fact that Victoria started off the eight-year period with more substantiated cases of abuse and neglect than NSW, Bromfield says. "They took what they called their killer statistics to Treasury and said we need to turn our system around now. "
Five years of consultations between the government and the non-government sector have resulted in what most regard as a model system. The Victorian Department of Human Services deals with the forensic side of child protection.
Health & Fitness : Florida Health Insurance Advisor On Clinton…
Prudent Press Agency – Prudent Press Agency (press release) – Apr 19, 2008
FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb. com, reporting on each of the presidential candidates positions on healthcare said, “Clinton and Obama are the latest to argue over healthcare. ‘The upcoming elections will impact Florida’s health care system as far as benefits and rates are concerned’ said Moran, ‘whichever candidate takes the White House in 2009, Florida residents may end up with better health care than they have today’. “Health insurance is finally on the bargaining table and we all may benefit from it. ” Clinton points to her web site where her position on healthcare is clearly stated… Families will have the security of knowing that if they become ill or lose their jobs, they won’t lose their coverage. (4) Nobody has worked harder or longer to improve health care than Hillary Clinton. From her time in Arkansas when she improved rural health care to her successful effort to create the SCHIP Children’s Health Insurance program which now covers six million children, Hillary has the strength and experience to ensure that every man, woman and child in America has quality, affordable health care. “Clinton has been criticizing Obama’s health care plan for falling short of universal health coverage” said Moran, because unlike her plan, “Obama’s (plan) would not require every American to buy insurance”. Obama claims “his plan would lower the cost of insurance and guarantee access”, removing the obstacles most often faced by people without insurance. This week Obama argued that his rival (CLINTON) has been unwilling to say how she would enforce the mandate to buy health insurance. Without enforcement, “Obama said, it is nothing more than an empty ‘political talking point’.
