Six months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, residents of the coastal towns hit hardest by the storm are still suffering. On the morning of September 20, 2017, the eye of Hurricane Maria passed over Maunabo on the southeast coast of Puerto Rico. In this rural town where 56% of the population lives below the … Continue reading Powerless
After reports emerged that the Pentagon is working on plans for a “really great” military parade at the behest of President Trump, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement explaining that the parade is meant to be “a celebration at which all Americans can show their appreciation.” I’d like to suggest an even better … Continue reading Instead of a “Really Great Parade,” How About We Don’t Kick Veterans Off Medicaid?
Today, representatives of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across the country are in Washington, DC, to advocate for restoration of federal funding for the community health center program. The National Day of Demonstration is part of the Red Alert for Health Centers campaign. Funding for FQHCs expired on September 30 of last year. Yesterday, 105 Republicans … Continue reading Red Alert: Time is Running Out for Community Health Centers
When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on January 11 that they will now allow states to implement work requirements for Medicaid recipients, they made a point of saying those requirements could only apply to “able-bodied adults”—in fact, they put it in the headline of their press release. The problem is, the … Continue reading The Problem with “Able-Bodied”
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman because it often results in physical death. I see no alternative to direct action and creative nonviolence to raise the conscience of the nation.” These words were spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on March 25, 1966, … Continue reading The Most Inhuman Inequality
Plus the Continuing Resolution passed by Congress yesterday and a few words on self-care. It has been a nerve-wracking time for community health centers, whose funding expired on September 30. Even though yesterday's Continuing Resolution provides for short-term funding, they could still use your support. Watch my video to learn more about community health centers, … Continue reading Making a Last Minute Donation? Consider Community Health Centers
Systemic racism and relentless stress heighten Black women’s risk of life-threatening complications—and death—during and after pregnancy. About a year ago, I was among some public health professionals talking about the recent election when the conversation inevitably turned to race. One population health researcher, a Black woman, took a deep, ragged breath. Her tears spilled … Continue reading Pregnant While Black
Lawmakers who oppose the Affordable Care Act often cite the effect on small business owners as one reason to repeal it. They say it costs small businesses too much and discourages them from growing. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported on the results of two polls showing that 60% of small business owners … Continue reading Health Insurance & the American Dream
Obamacare, ACA, insurance exchange, marketplace—whatever you call it, the time to enroll is right now! Here are some tips and resources: Don’t wait until the last minute, because the last minute is coming sooner than you think. The enrollment period for the federal marketplace, Healthcare.gov, as well as multiple state marketplaces, is only six weeks—that’s … Continue reading Online Health Insurance Marketplaces are Open NOW!
In 1917, Woodrow Wilson bestowed on Puerto Ricans a class of U.S. citizenship that was decidedly less than what residents of the mainland enjoyed. It was the start of a long history of inequitable treatment by the U.S. government, which today has left Puerto Rico with a weakened infrastructure, a tattered healthcare safety net, and … Continue reading Puerto Rico’s Public Health Crisis Has Its Roots in a Law Signed 100 Years Ago
