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Obama for America


Early this morning, the Senate made history and health reform cleared its most important hurdle yet — garnering the 60 votes needed to move toward a final vote in that chamber later this week.

I’m grateful to Senator Harry Reid and every senator who’s been working around the clock to make this happen. And I’m grateful to you, and every member of the Organizing for America community, for all the work you have done to make this progress possible.

After a nearly century-long struggle, we are now on the cusp of making health insurance reform a reality in the United States of America.As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I’m pleased that recently added provisions have made this landmark bill even stronger. Between the time when the bill passes and the time when the insurance exchanges get up and running, insurance companies that try to jack up their rates do so at their own peril. Those who hike their prices may be barred from selling plans on the exchanges.

And while insurance companies will be prevented from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions once the exchanges are open, in the meantime there will be a high-risk pool where people with pre-existing conditions can purchase affordable coverage.    

A recent amendment has made these protections even stronger. Insurance companies will now be prohibited from denying coverage to children immediately after this bill passes. There’s also explicit language in this bill that will protect a patient’s choice of doctor. And small businesses will get additional assistance as well.

These protections are in addition to the ones we’ve been talking about for some time. No longer will insurance companies be able to drop your coverage if you become sick and no longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for treatments that you need.

Under this bill families will save on their premiums; businesses that would see their costs rise if we don’t act will save money now and in the future. This bill will strengthen Medicare and extend the life of the program. Because it’s paid for and gets rid of waste and inefficiency in our health care system, this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade.

Finally, this reform will extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who don’t have it.

These are not small changes. These are big changes. They’re fundamental reforms. They will save money. They will save lives.

And your passion, your work, your organizing helped make all of this possible. Now it’s time to finish the job.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

On This Day ~~ Haiti … In memory


Massive earthquake strikes Haiti, 2010

On this day in 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastates the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. The quake, which was the strongest to strike the region in more than 200 years, left over 200,000 people dead and some 895,000 Haitians homeless.

The earthquake hit southern Haiti at 4:53 p.m. local time. The nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, a densely populated city located about 15 miles from the quake’s epicenter, suffered widespread devastation. Countless dwellings were reduced to rubble, while hospitals, churches and schools collapsed and roads were blocked with debris. Numerous government structures were heavily damaged or destroyed, including the presidential palace, parliament building and main prison. (At the time of the quake, Haiti lacked a national building code, and many structures were shoddily constructed.) In the aftermath of the quake, amidst fears that victims’ decomposing corpses could spread disease, trucks picked up thousands of bodies and dumped them into mass graves.

Even before the earthquake, Haiti, which occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic occupies the other two-thirds), was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80 percent of its 9 million residents existing in poverty. Political corruption and violence, disease, malnutrition and limited access to education were a way of life for many in Haiti, which gained its independence from France in an 1804 slave revolt.

A large-scale, international relief operation was launched soon after the quake hit, with the United States taking charge and sending thousands of military troops to Haiti to deliver supplies, assist with search-and-rescue efforts and help maintain order. Relief efforts initially were hampered by earthquake damage to roads, communication systems and the Port-au-Prince airport and main port.

Governments and individuals around the world made donations and pledges of aid to Haiti totaling billions of dollars. However, on the first-year anniversary of the disaster, reconstruction efforts were still in their infancy. Thousands of people left homeless by the quake were living in tents, and only a small portion of the heavy debris resulting from the disaster had been cleared.

resource: history.com

i would like to add that the problem is getting access to education due to dollars and the fact that they are mostly privately run least we talk about the limited jobs in public schools and wages tend to be lower in non-public schools.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

drug benefit expands to 1million more Seniors…the program is called Extra Help


Electronic Publication …  www.socialsecurity.gov

“It’s extra help,” Checker said in an interview, “and this is what I’m all about.”   To help promote the new twist in the law, Astrue enlisted Chubby Checker, who danced and sang “The Twist” to the top of the pop charts in the early 1960s. Those too young to remember Checker probably don’t qualify for the 65-and-up .

Who can get Extra Help?

Anyone who has Medicare can get Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Some people with limited income and resources are eligible for Extra Help to pay for the costs–monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments–related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. To qualify for Extra Help:

  • You must reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
  • Your resources must be limited to $12,510 for an individual or $25,010 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources; and
  • Your annual income must be limited to $16,245 for an individual or $21,855 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help. Some examples where your income may be higher are if you or your spouse:
    • Support other family members who live with you;
    • Have earnings from work; or
    • Live in Alaska or Hawaii.

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How does the new law change what is counted as income and resources?

Beginning January 1, 2010, when determining your eligibility for Extra Help:

  • We will no longer count as a resource any life insurance policy; and
  • We will no longer count as income the help you receive regularly from someone else to pay your household expenses—food, mortgage, rent, heating fuel or gas, electricity, water, and property taxes.
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What else should I know about the new law?

If you already receive Extra Help, you will not need to reapply in 2010. Social Security will see if you are entitled to any additional Extra Help because we no longer count your life insurance or help with household expenses.

Beginning January 1, 2010, when you file your application for Extra Help, you also can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Programs—state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. Social Security will send information to your state unless you tell us not to on the Extra Help application. Your state will contact you to help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program. These Medicare Savings Programs help people with limited income and resources pay for their Medicare expenses. The Medicare Savings Programs help pay for your Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premiums. For some people, the Medicare Savings Programs also may pay for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) premiums, if any, and Part A and B deductibles and co-payments.

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How do I apply for Extra Help?

It is easy to apply for Extra Help. Just complete Social Security’s Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Here’s how:

After you apply, Social Security will review your application and send you a letter to let you know if you qualify for the Extra Help. Once you qualify, you can choose a Medicare prescription drug plan. If you do not select a plan, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will do it for you. The sooner you join a plan the sooner you begin receiving benefits.

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Why should I apply for Extra Help online?

Our online application is secure and offers several advantages. It takes you through the process, step by step, with a series of self-help screens. The screens will tell you what information you need to complete the application and will guide you in answering the questions fully. You can apply from any computer at your own pace. You can start and stop at any time during the process, so you can leave the application and go back later to update or complete any of the required information. We are careful to protect your personal information

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How can I get more information?

For more information about getting Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Social Security representatives are available to help you complete your application.

If you need information about Medicare Savings Programs, Medicare prescription drug plans, how to enroll in a plan, or to request a copy of the Medicare & You handbook, please visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY, 1-877-486-2048). When you call, you also can request information about how to contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In addition, you can find your local SHIP contact information on the back of your Medicare handbook or obtain the information online at www.medicare.gov/contacts/staticpages/ships.aspx.

~ Culture & History, ~ In the Library

The Story of the Horse


The Story of the HorseIn any discussion of the history of humankind, it becomes quickly apparent that this narrative would be utterly different without the inclusion of horses.

In our July/August 2015 issue, executive editor Jarrett A. Lobell and online editor Eric A. Powell bring us a special section, “The Story of the Horse,” in which they explore the unique roles that this animal has played in diverse areas of the human experience, and the evolving relationship we have had with horses across the millennia.

to get the complete article click on the link above!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Cyclosporiasis: Most U.S. cases reported in warmer months


Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the protozoan (unicellular) parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis.

Cyclosporiasis can occur at any time of the year, but most of the reported cases and outbreaks in the United States occur during the spring and summer months, particularly from May through August. About half of all U.S. cases that are not associated with a known outbreak occur in people with a recent history of travel outside the United States and Canada.

Cyclosporiasis is acquired by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with human feces. In the United States, cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been reported almost every year since the mid-1990s and have been associated with various types of imported fresh produce.

Symptoms of cyclosporiasis begin an average of seven days after ingestion of sporulated oocysts (eggs), the infective form of the parasite. The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. Other common symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal cramps, weight loss, fatigue, and myalgia (muscle pain); vomiting and low-grade fever also may occur.

Cyclospora infection is diagnosed by examining stool. A special test is required to detect the parasite, so health care professionals should specifically request testing for Cyclospora. Patients might need to provide up to three stool samples collected on different days because even people who show symptoms might not shed enough oocysts in their stool to show up in laboratory testing.

Cyclosporiasis is treated with a common antibiotic. If the infection is not treated, symptoms can last for several weeks to a month or more. There is no vaccine for cyclosporiasis. People can lower the risk of getting cyclosporiasis by avoiding food or water that may have been contaminated with feces. Rinsing fresh produce can reduce—but may not eliminate—the chances of getting cyclosporiasis. Treating food or water with chlorine or iodine is unlikely to kill Cyclospora oocysts. Safe food and water habits are recommended when traveling