Category: Health Care Reform Forum - 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.

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

Review the Covid 19 toolkit - What You Can Do Now

1/31/2023

Covid 19 toolkit

Health Care Reform Forum

You can learn a lot about Covid on this informational link provided by the U.S. government.

Scroll through some tips below before clicking on the link: https://www.covid.gov

Put in your county to find out if the Covid levels are low, medium, or high. (As of Jan 23rd, Scott Co, IA and Rock Island Co, IL were low.) Low, medium and high Covid ratings are based on hospitalizations, cases, and patients in hospital beds. If your county is in the medium range, the local health system is starting to feel the strain.

They post a “Covid-19 Toolkit” with links to resources to keep yourself and others safe:
1. find masks
2. vaccines or boosters
3. test-to-treat locations
4. order free tests from the federal government.

There are two phone numbers listed if you need to speak to someone about your status. Watch for an informational link on “Long Covid,” the long terms effects some people can experience after having the Covid virus.

Don’t stop scrolling; at the bottom you will find more resources:
1. Symptoms and care for the immunocompromised
2. Travel
3. At-home testing
4. Air ventilation
5. Long COVID Study

Frank Samuelson

Free Covid tests available again - What You Can Do Now

1/6/2023

Free Covid tests available again

Health Care Reform Forum

The Biden administration has decided to once again offer free Covid tests for households. From CNBC: The relaunch of the free at-home test program is part of the Biden administration’s preparedness plan for Covid this winter. Covid infections are increasing again as hospital emergency departments are already battling a surge of patients sick with the flu and respiratory syncytial virus.

There is a limit of one order per household, which includes a total of four tests. Check this webpage for a link to participate in this offer.

Frank Samuelson