Legislation
Asking for specifics
We had an hourlong conversation with U.S. Rep. John Barrow, Democrat, of Georgia’s 12th District. I was on speakerphone, but Rep. Barrow was in his Savannah office with Janet, Danny and Christian, who had Shannon on speakerphone. It was a good conversation, and he offered us specifics and reasons for his views. I don’t think [...]
California considers state-wide medical coverage
California may be the next state to offer health care to all of its residents. Their state assembly recently passed SB 840, a bill that will offer Californians health care through a single-payer system. SB 840 still needs to go for a final vote on the state assembly floor and needs to withstand a likely [...]
More Americans have insurance now
A recent article from NPR’s All Things Considered reports that the number of Americans with health insurance went up this year. According to a recent Census Bureau study, in 2006, 47 million didn’t have insurance; only 45.7 million didn’t have coverage in 2007. The 1.3 million who now have coverage are mostly children under Medicaid [...]
One in three uninsured people have a chronic illness
According to a study from The Annals of Internal Medicine, out of 36 million people without health insurance, 11 million have been diagnosed with a chronic illness. How many more suffer with chronic disease that don’t know because they haven’t even been able to get to a doctor to get diagnosed? How much more will [...]
Emergency Room is the only option for many
This report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation documents, state-by-state, the rates of people without insurance, the percentage of people who could get care if they needed it. In several states, that number barely tops 80 percent. That means one-fifth of the population has no access whatsoever to health care except for the emergency room, [...]
Deregulating insurance
Here’s something interesting. A woman who has had one Caesarean gets rejected by a health insurance company because they don’t want to risk having to pay for another one. Check it out here Now remember, John McCain’s healthcare fix is to turn all the insurance over to the marketplace. No more employer-based coverage. “Competition” should [...]
Dying for coverage
Wonder how many people are dying because they don’t have insurance? Check out Families USA’s study on state-by-state numbers f0r the years 2000 to 2006. http://familiesusa.org/issues/uninsured/publications/dying-for-coverage.html The total is a little shy of the study by the Institute of Medicine and the Urban League, but it’s chilling nevertheless. Statistics always lag two to three years [...]
Good, but not good enough
This wouldn’t give affordable healthcare to everyone, but it’s a start. According to the newspaper, The Hill, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D.-Ill.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R.-Maine) are working on a bill that would allow business associations such as the National Association of Realtors to offer group insurance plans that would put the cost [...]
Healthcare Crisis
Since the federal government hasn’t moved in providing healthcare to all its citizens, states are starting to make moves to do it. The problem here is that not every American citizen gets equal care. Check out this information on what some states are doing: http://www.kff.org/uninsured/kcmu_statehealthreform.cfm Be sure to look at the PDF to see individual [...]
Second annual Eat at Mike’s
Reserve now
Life o' Mike sponsors its second annual Eat at Mike's, an evening of good food prepared by local chefs, at Tingles Cafe in downtown Asheville. The event also features silent and live auctions with items from Highlands Brewing, artist Angela C. Alexander and more.
Tickets to the dinner are $25; $20 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3.
To reserve, e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com. For more information, call 828-243-6712.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a new peer support program for people newly diagnosed with chronic or serious illness or with a new disability and their caregivers.
Patient Pals are people who have experience with various illnesses and disabilities, who can help someone newly diagnosed or with a new disability work through the fear, frustration, confusion and grief often experienced in the first few months.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
People with new illness or disability fare better when they have a role model -- someone who can help them negotiate their new path in life.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.