Health Care

A National Crisis: Black Maternal and Infant Mortality

On Tuesday, November 19, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL) and Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (D-NC), co-chairs of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, partnered with March of Dimes and First Focus to bring attention to the significant maternal health crisis happening in America today. “Mothers in our country are more likely to die giving birth than in

Plans of Safe Care for Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure

On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) hosted a facilitated discussion with representatives from child welfare and healthcare agencies from Colorado, Delaware, and New York. The webinar provided an overview of the treatment needs of pregnant women with substance use disorders and the effects of exposure to

2020 Open Enrollment Continues Until December 15

Open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ACA-Obamacare) continues this week. People can get started or renew their policy by going to HealthCare.gov. HHS reported new enrollees of 196,005 for the second week of open enrollment (November 3 through November 9). Total new enrollments since November 1, 2019, is 244,000. When the new enrollments are

Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report, Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence, last week. Research and studies have proven that ACEs is a critical public health issue. The report estimates the number of Americans that are affected by adverse childhood experiences and provides strategies for

2019 Report Card: Maternal and Child Health

On Thursday, November 7th, March of Dimes held a briefing to discuss their 2019 Annual Report Card for Maternal and Child Health. Stacey Stewart, President and CEO of March of Dimes, opened by illustrating the ongoing and growing infant and maternal health crisis in the United States today. , There are significant geographical and race

2020 Open Enrollment Continues Until December 15

Open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ACA-Obamacare) continues this week. People can get started or renew their policy by going to HealthCare.gov. HHS reported increases in the enrollments the first week compared to last year at this time. Approximately 177,000 consumers successfully selected a plan on the first Saturday and Sunday of this year’s

Despite Progress, Dramatic Differences in Infant Mortality Rates, Teen Pregnancy

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its 42nd report on the country’s health status, Health, United States, 2018. The new report indicates progress in infant mortality and teen pregnancy rates but still highlights differences within subpopulations. While infant mortality was down by 14 percent between 2017 and 2007, the differences

House Hearing: Deferred Action Policy Change to Deport Critically Ill Immigrants

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019 the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hearing, “The Administration’s Decision to Deport Critically Ill Children and Their Families,” discussed the actions that lead up to the decision and the policy moving forward. The issue was a policy decision this past summer that would have

ACA: Health Insurance Prices Go Down, Availability Goes Up for 2020

Last week information from the Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in HHS indicated that health insurance premiums for 2020 would decrease by an average of 4 percent. At the same time, just 12 percent of ACA customers will be living in counties that will only have one insurer providing coverage. Additionally, 20 more

Teens and Children See Dramatic Increase in Suicide Rates

This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report, Death Rates Due to Suicide and Homicide Among Persons Aged 10–24: United States, 2000–2017. Among children and youth ages, 10 to 24 years old suicides climbed 56% between 2007 and 2017. Perhaps what is even worse is that the suicide rate

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