Category: Health Care - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

Town Hall on cuts to Social Security and Medicare - Of Interest to Our Forum Members

5/9/2023

Town Hall on 22% cuts to Social Security & Medicare
Wednesday, May 17th at 12:30 pm via Zoom

Alliance for Retired Americans

Join the Alliance for Retired Americans Retiree Town Hall on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 12:30 PM, via Zoom. Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), will discuss the impact on beneficiaries of Social Security and Medicare if the 22% SSA budget cut, passed by the House this week, becomes law. Please register for this event.

"Abortion IS Healthcare - A Public Health Discussion" - Of Interest to Our Forum Members

4/29/2023

Abortion IS Healthcare - A Public Health Discussion
Thursday, May 11th at 6:30 pm

The Village Theatre
2113 E 11th ST
Davenport, IA (map)

Quad Science

Join us for a community-building event to hear from field experts who will provide evidence-based information about abortion and its role in healthcare. “Abortion is Healthcare: A Public Health Discussion,” will take place Thursday, May 11th at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Theatre in Davenport, IA.

This free event will feature a talk by Dr. Lena Hann, an associate professor of public health at Augustana College and abortion researcher. Following the talk, there will be a discussion and Q&A session with a panel of experts including Allie Wampler, a women's health nurse practitioner, abortion nurse, and sexual assault nurse examiner.

We, the organizers of the event, are local nursing students. We were inspired to put together this evening of speakers after representatives from a local crisis pregnancy center came to speak at our school. Their presentation included several points of misinformation about abortion. We wanted to take action to make evidence-based information on this topic available to members of the public, as well as to future members of the healthcare professions

Facebook event link: https://tinyurl.com/abortionishealthcareqc

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at abortionishealthcareqc@gmail.com

We appreciate your consideration and hope to see you on May 11th.

Lara Lee Paxton, M.P.H.

Lobby Day for Abortion - After Action Report

4/10/2023

Lobby Day in Des Moines for Abortion Rights -
After Action Report
Tuesday, March 21st

PAG Gender Equity Forum

Two Gender Equity Forum facilitators, Dr. Alta Price (me) and Dr. Carolyn Martin, traveled to Des Moines for the Planned Parenthood Lobby Day on March 21st. A van of folks came from the Iowa Quad Cities as well. There were well over a hundred activists talking with their legislators.

Although none of the anti-abortion restrictions proposed so far this year has a chance of passing, this is only because Republican leadership is waiting on a case before the Iowa Supreme Court that could reinstate a 6 week abortion ban passed in 2018 that was enjoined by the Iowa Supreme Court. Governor Reynolds has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its injunction. So we lobbied our legislators to support “over-the-counter birth control pills” (actually pharmacist-prescribed oral contraceptives) and expanding Medicaid coverage for pregnant people to extend for 12 months after delivery. There were two other legislative proposals we asked them to oppose.

For me the most interesting part was meeting the other activists. I was especially impressed by the medical students from the University of Iowa.

It was also great to meet and talk with my new Iowa State Senator, Scott Webster. He was very friendly and receptive. He was in support of the over-the-counter birth control pills; in fact, he had already voted in favor of that proposal. Carolyn did a great job of explaining that people need insurance coverage for at least 12 months after delivery to deal with any pregnancy complications. He seemed to appreciate the information she gave him.

Here is some WHO 13 television coverage of the event.

Alta Price

Celebrate Minority Health month with free screening - Of Interest to Our Forum Members

4/7/2023

Celebrate Minority Health month with free screening
Saturday, April 22nd from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Community Health Care Rock Island
2750 11th ST
Rock Island, IL

Health Care Reform Forum

To celebrate National Minority Health month, these free screenings will be available to people of all ages. Let Metro know you are headed to this event and your ride will also be free!

You do NOT have to be a minority to get a screening! Undocumented people will also be screened. All are welcome!

Frank Samuelson

What's a PBM? (and why you should care) - Of Interest to Our Forum Members

3/12/2023

What's a PBM? (and why you should care)

Health Care Reform Forum

The Health Care Reform Forum continues to search out good information about health care in the US. Kaiser Health News is a great nonpartisan health care source. Watch their video Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Companies in The Thick of Prescription Drug Pricing here.

Frank Samuelson

Our abortion reading list - Of Interest to Forum Members

3/3/2023

Abortion reading list

Gender Equity Forum

Health care discrimination for queer people - No Hate In Our States

2/21/2023

Queer people face discrimination in health care - Here are the people changing that

No Hate In Our States

LGBTQ Nation

LGBTQ Nation is an online news magazine, reporting on issues relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer community.

Many barriers exist for queer people and health care discrimination causes serious harm to the LGBTQIA+ community. Happily, things are changing for the better. This article dives into a range of queer people inspired by their experiences to become health care advocates and providers. Read it here.

Dee VanThournout

Medical help without insurance - Of Interest to Our Forum Members

2/21/2023

Get medical help without insurance: An Arm and a Leg

Health Care Reform Forum

This Kaiser Health News podcast discusses ways people can get medical help when out of a job or when they lack the money needed for health insurance. It’s titled ‘An Arm and a Leg’: No Money, No Job, No Health Care? Not Always.

It runs about 26 minutes, but there’s also a transcript of the episode available at this link.

Frank Samuelson

Avoiding hospice fraud - Of Interest to Our Forum Members

2/21/2023

How to avoid hospice fraud

Health Care Reform Forum

Frank Samuelson’s Letter to the Editor was published in the Quad City Times on February 12, 2023. Our forum believes this is an important article in that it helps us understand Hospice fraud and how to avoid it. Read it here.

If you’d like to learn more, please go to this ProPublica link for three articles:
1. Congress and Industry Leaders Call for Crackdown on Hospice Fraud
2. How to Research Your Hospice and Avoid Hospice Fraud
3. Endgame: How the Visionary Hospice Movement Became a For-Profit Hustle.

Frank Samuelson

Federal bill to lower drug prices - What You Can Do Now

2/20/2023

Bi-partisan federal bill to lower drug prices

Health Care Reform Forum

PACG’s Health Care Reform forum works to promote the idea of health care as a right for all, not a privilege for a few.

Currently, we are working to inform the community of critical federal legislation being moved through the Senate that would help lower drug prices. This is a bi-partisan effort involving Senator Chuck Grassley, (R-IA), and Senator Amy Klobuchar, (D-MN). Contact your Senators and encourage them to support this life saving legislation.

“Our bipartisan legislation deters practices such as pay-for-delay and sham petitions that undermine competition and limit Americans’ access to affordable and life-saving drugs...," said Senator Klobuchar.

"...I’m glad to see these bipartisan bills receive committee approval, and the full Senate ought to take action on them without delay,” said Grassley.

Read more from a recent news release here.

Past efforts of our Health Care Reform Forum have included the Make Meds Affordable campaign. Click here to read more.

Frank Samuelson