| October 2004 WMU News Archive
Tom Knific honored as 'hometown hero' (Oct. 15) Professor of music honored by Convention & Visitor's Bureau for bringing international music convention to Kalamazoo. Communication's Julie Apker wins writing award (Oct. 15) Communication faculty member earns Nursing Economics Margaret Sovie Writer's Award. Open enrollment begins for WMU employees health insurance (Oct. 15) During open enrollment, through Oct. 29, eligible employees can change plans, add dependents. Employees can sign up for Flexible Spending Accounts (Oct. 15) FSAs allow use of tax-free dollars to pay for qualified medical expenses or for dependent care expenses. Miller Auditorium goes 'Full Monty' for five shows (Oct. 14) Broadway smash hit musical makes its Kalamazoo debut for one weekend only Oct.
House Subcommittee Holds Hearing To Review Efforts To Expand SCHIP In ...
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on Tuesday held a hearing to review efforts in 2007 to pass legislation to reauthorize and expand SCHIP, CQ Today reports.
During the hearing, witnesses said that the number of uninsured children will increase because of the current economic recession and the inability of Congress to expand public health insurance programs or prevent changes to programs by President Bush. Cindy Mann, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, said that the number of uninsured children increases by about 2,000 daily and that the "weakening economy will inevitably push these numbers upward unless action is taken by Congress to put the nation back on track."
In addition, Dennis Smith, Medicaid director at CMS, during the hearing defended an Aug.
HealthMarket critiqued
A multi-state market conduct review of health insurance company HealthMarkets Inc. by state insurance departments was critical of the company's consumer disclosures, oversight and training of agents, claims handling and complaint handling practices. .
OSI's anti-cancer drug Tarceva launches in Japan next week
The anti-cancer drug Tarceva will be launched and covered under Japan's National Health Insurance starting Tuesday, the Melville-based drug maker OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced Friday. The drug is now available in 83 countries, including the United States and European Union.
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved Tarceva in October for patients with some forms of lung cancer where chemotherapy has failed. "We are pleased that lung cancer patients in Japan will now have access to Tarceva, which has been proven to offer a survival benefit with a well-described side-effect profile," said Gabriel Leung, president for oncology at OSI.
OSI manufactures and distributes Tarceva through partnerships with Genentech and Roche. The drug will be marketed in Japan by Roche affiliate Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
Weak housing market forces County sawmill closures
Wanda Campbell of Washburn is losing her job of eight months at the Fraser-owned sawmill at Masardis. It's not closing, but a worker from the Ashland mill slated for closure has seniority and will take her job. Her husband, Ron, works at the same mill and may get bumped from his job too. "This affects everything," Wanda Campbell said. "We are still thinking [about] what we will do. Everything is costing more — food, fuel, the possible loss of health insurance. It will be an even tougher winter than we were facing [already]." A total of 72 Fraser workers will lose their jobs in Ashland for up to four months because of low lumber prices caused by the weakened U.S. housing market and lumber imports, according to an announcement made Jan. 16. The duration of the closure will be determined by the market conditions.
Extra! UIdaho Student Found Shot to Death
How many in our county are paid $30.00 to $45.00 or more an hour, including benefits? A number of them are two teacher families, and have an RV and boat parked in their driveway. The IEA is a UNION!
While, there are many dedicated, excellent teachers, a lot only look at the bottom line, and are able to hold our children hostage until they get more salary and benefits. Arpie: I just got out my December 06 pay stub so I could tell you what last year looked like. At age 48, having taught since 1981, my gross pay was a little less than $46,000 last year. Subtract from that $7,000 in taxes, including social security: $6,000 for my familys health insurance, and $3,000 for my half of my retirement, and the total dwindles quickly as it does for anyone that is trying to support a family.
DFLers advance health insurance plan
A bold plan to provide health insurance coverage for all Minnesotans through a government run program was advanced today by DFL legislators, who say they expect to wage a three or four year battle for such a system. The proposed Minnesota Health Plan was touted as the most effective way to transfer savings resulting from lower insurance overhead and other costs to provide coverage for an estimated 400,000 uninsured Minnesotans. The effort is being led largely by new House members, who say they are responding to numerous complaints about health insurance while campaigning in 2006. "Health care was either number one or number two as a primary concern," said Rep. David Bly, DFL-Northfield. The single-payer plan will compete with less dramatic proposals for health coverage reform during the upcoming legislative session.
NHS privatisation: the ‘sicko’ firms who are after your GP surgery
Multinational firms have got their eyes on your local doctors surgery. The companies that have plundered health service budgets, forcing the NHS to buy their private services, now want to extend their reach. After the government invited the private sector to provide GPs, some of the biggest names in US health insurance are being joined by other multi-nationals, like the Virgin group, in an attempt to muscle in get contracts. GPs from across Tower Hamlets, in east London, were joined by patients in a 150-strong protest on Thursday of last week against a decision by the local primary care trust (PCT) to hand the St Pauls Way medical centre to Atos Healthcare. Atos Healthcare is a subsidiary of a French-based computer firm with only a limited experience of healthcare, much of which has been gained helping institutions "manage absenteeism".
Smith says Oregon vote not an argument against S-CHIP expansion
PORTLAND, Ore. The vote against a cigarette tax in Oregon isnt a good argument against a similar effort nationally to expand health insurance for children, Republican Sen. Gordon Smith says. Opponents of expanding the federal State Childrens Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP, have pounced on the Oregon vote. They say its evidence raising the federal tobacco tax by 61 cents to insure four million more children nationally will never fly. President Bush, who vetoed the S-CHIP bill, referred to the Oregon vote in speeches and in a call to U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., the only member of the Oregon delegation to vote against the bill. Smith said Thursday he thought Bush misunderstood the Oregon vote. Oregonians were impatient that legislators hadnt handled the matter themselves, rather than putting it to a statewide vote, Smith said.
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