Popping In

Good morning!  Sorry I've been AWOL -- I'm just exhausted, so I've been sleeping a little later, moving a little more slowly, this week, and trying to stay on top of things here in Connecticut.  It's also a really slow time in the political world -- people on vacation, the Olympics about to start, the August recess around the corner.  So this is a good time to take a break from the blog here and there.  But there are a few items worth noting, so here you go:

Due to the Supreme Court ruling regarding the Medicaid expansion, roughly 3 million fewer people will become insured in 2014.  This number represents the number of poor people who will not have the benefit of the Medicaid expansion because their Governor opposes health reform.  We should all be outraged.  For a state to turn down 100% federal funding out of spiteful hatred of President Obama, sacrificing the poor in the bargain, is wrong in every way.  The Attorney General of Virginia, who's been leading the charge against health reform, says states should not even set up exchanges.  He says a federal exchange can't impose penalties for failing to purchase insurance -- a point that, legally, is wrong.  But even so, what's so wrong with making it easier for consumers to shop for and buy insurance?  According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, repealing health reform would cost $109 billion.  How is that a good thing, according to the deficit hawks?

Thirteen states are cutting Medicaid to balance their budgets.  Here in Connecticut, officials are trying to tighten eligibility requirements for low income adults, but thankfully, due to our legislative leaders, it's a tough sell to the legislative committee that would have to approve it.

Is it good that patients can now get their own test results, or should we be concerned that patients may misinterpret the results?  Or even worse, scare patients to death?

Believe it or not, that's all I can find that's noteworthy.  No news is good news, right?  I hope so.  Have a great day!  Jennifer