U.S. health care costs nearly twice as much per person as that in other industrialized societies

Friday 29 August 2008 at 11:38 am Make U.S. healthier and wealthier: Provide health insurance for all Labor Day: Universal health care coverage
By James V. Bertolone - Democrat and Chronicle

This coming Labor Day, working people from coast to coast will be working for candidates who are ready to turn around our health care system, turn around our economy, turn around the decline of the middle class and turn around America.

Our polling shows that more than 80 percent of Americans think our country is heading in the wrong direction; that our health care system costs too much, excludes too many, covers too little and is getting worse. The drive for universal health care coverage is mobilizing thousands of working people in this year's election cycle. (more)

Obama discusses health care in his Democratic Presidential Nomination acceptance speach

Friday 29 August 2008 at 11:34 am Obama pledges to restore promise of the U.S.
By Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's eloquent "I Have a Dream" speech, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama addressed the nation Thursday as the first African American major party presidential candidate, vowing to restore the promise of the United States as the "last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom ... and who yearn for a better future."

"America, we are better than the last eight years. We are a better country than this," said Obama, speaking to a crowd of 84,000 on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention at Invesco Field at Mile High as he accepted his party's nomination. (more)

Cost increases incurred by hospitals in the U.S. slowed in 2006

Thursday 28 August 2008 at 11:48 am Report: Hospital costs slow under pressure by insurers
By Avram Goldstein - Bloomberg News

WASHINGTON — Cost increases incurred by hospitals in the U.S. slowed in 2006 as health insurers pressed for discounts and directed more people to outpatient care, according to a government report.

Expenses for providing care rose 0.9 percent in 2006, the latest year reviewed, compared with the average annual increase of 4.8 percent for 1997 through 2006, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said in a report Wednesday.

Inflation-adjusted costs climbed by more than half to $329.2 billion in 2006, from $216.3 billion in 1997, the agency said. (more)

Medicare overpaid for drugs that had generic versions

Thursday 28 August 2008 at 11:46 am Medicare overpaid on drugs with new generics, report says
From Bloomberg News, From Bloomberg News

Medicare overpaid for drugs that had generic versions because of a time lag in computing prices from when the cheaper medicines became available, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department's inspector general said.

Payments for cancer drug irinotecan, sold by Pfizer Inc. as Camptosar, remained at more than double the average manufacturer's sales price after the generic version was cleared for sale Feb. 20, said the report, released Tuesday. Medicare, the health insurance program for the elderly and disabled, would have saved $6.5 million in March had it factored the generic price into its rate. (more)

3,400 Californians whose health insurance was canceled to be offered new coverage

Wednesday 27 August 2008 at 12:08 pm Thousands of Californians whose health policies were canceled to be offered new coverage

About 3,400 Californians whose health insurance was canceled by Kaiser, Health Net, and PacifiCare after they got sick will soon receive notification that they may be eligible for new coverage and for compensation for medical bills they paid while they were uninsured.

In a deal with state regulators, the insurers agreed to offer former members new coverage regardless of preexisting medical conditions and to reimburse them for medical expenses. In exchange, the California Department of Managed Health Care will close investigations into the companies' rescission practices. Regulators began mailing out notices to individuals Tuesday. (more)

Health Net agrees to Settale a Claim by New Jersey Customers for $41 M

Wednesday 27 August 2008 at 12:03 pm HMO agrees to pay $41 million for shortchanging N.J. customers
by Susan K. Livio/The Star-Ledger

The health maintenance organization Health Net has paid $41 million in claims and fines for short-changing 88,000 customers in New Jersey, under an agreement announced today by Banking and Insurance Commissioner Steven Goldman.

The payments include a record $13 million fine, stemming from a state investigation into Health Net and its predecessors, First Option Health Plan of New Jersey and Physicians Health Services of New Jersey. (more)

The number of people in the US without health insurance fell

Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 11:53 am Health insurance coverage in U.S. rises
The Census Bureau says a drop in the number of uninsured in 2007 is due to expanded coverage for children.
By Lisa Girion, Times staff writer

The number of people in the United States without health insurance fell to 45.7 million in 2007 from 47 million a year earlier, primarily because of an expansion in government-provided coverage for children, the U.S. Census Bureau said today.

Real median household income climbed for a third year in 2007, up 1.3% to $50,233, according to the annual census report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage. (more)

Report by Inspector General found "error rate" of almost 29 percent in a sample of claims paid in 2006 under Medicare's multibillion-dollar durable medical equipment program

Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 11:49 am Report Faults Medicare Audits
Agency Missed Many Payment Errors, HHS Review Finds
By Christopher Lee - Washington Post Staff Writer

The rate of improper payments, including fraud, in Medicare's purchases of wheelchairs and other home medical equipment is significantly higher than the government has estimated, according to a federal audit released yesterday.

The report by Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson at the Department of Health and Human Services found an "error rate" of almost 29 percent in a sample of claims paid in 2006 under Medicare's multibillion-dollar durable medical equipment program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had estimated a rate of 7.5 percent, or about $700 million in improper payments. (more)

That lack of oversight by CMS risks significant misuse of Medicare drug plan funds

Monday 25 August 2008 at 12:42 pm Investigators call for more audits of drug plans' fraud fighting efforts
By KEVIN FREKING | Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Nearly three years into the Medicare drug benefit, federal officials have yet to ensure that private drug plans enacted programs to deter fraud and abuse, government investigators say.

About 24 million people are enrolled in Medicare drug plans subsidized by the federal government. The plans are required to develop programs to stem improper spending, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not conducted audits to ensure those programs were up and running properly. That lack of oversight "risks significant misuse of funds in this $39 billion program," the Government Accountability Office said in a report to be publicly released Monday. (more)

Uninsured Americans will spend $30B out of pocket this year in addition to $56B goverment cost for unininsured

Monday 25 August 2008 at 12:37 pm Uninsured to Spend
$30 Billion, Study Says
By JANE ZHANG - The Wall Street Journal

Americans who lack health insurance will spend about $30 billion out of pocket on medical care this year, but others -- mainly the government -- will end up covering another $56 billion in costs, according to a new study.

The tab to cover all the uninsured would be $208.6 billion -- $122.6 billion more than this year's projected total -- mainly because people with insurance tend to use more health-care services, the study found. (more)

Obesity rate growing in America

Friday 22 August 2008 at 11:51 am Obesity ‘supersizes’ Kansans, county residents
Dave Bergmeier - Editor and Publisher - The Bilene Reflector-Chronicle

Kansas’ population has stayed constant at around 2.8 million residents over the past 28 years, but residents appear to have a “super size” approach to their eating habits.

In a story written by The Associated Press, it notes that Kansas was the 23rd-fattest state, with 25.8 percent of its adult population obese and 62.3 percent either obese or overweight. The figures were cited from the Trust for America’s Health, which ranks all of the states. Mississippi led the nation with a 31.7 percent obesity rate. Colorado is the leanest state with an obesity rate of 18.4 percent and is now the only state below 20 percent. (more)

Study looks at the effect of Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" effects beneficiaries

Friday 22 August 2008 at 11:40 am Medicare gap and drug lapses

Many people in Medicare with diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions stop taking their medicine when faced with picking up the entire cost of their prescriptions, researchers say.

About 3.4 million older and disabled people hit a gap, known as the doughnut hole, in their Medicare drug coverage in 2007. When that happened, they had to pay the full cost of their medicine until they spent $3,850 out of pocket. Then, insurance coverage would kick in again. (more)

Medicare's claim about reducing fraud appears misleading

Thursday 21 August 2008 at 9:01 pm Report Rejects Medicare Boast of Paring Fraud
By CHARLES DUHIGG

Medicare’s top officials said in 2006 that they had reduced the number of fraudulent and improper claims paid by the agency, keeping billions of dollars out of the hands of people trying to game the system.

But according to a confidential draft of a federal inspector general’s report, those claims of success, which earned Medicare wide praise from lawmakers, were misleading. (more)

Health Care no longer primary election issue for Presidential candidates

Thursday 21 August 2008 at 8:56 pm Health care no longer primary ailment
Economy, price of gas, war in Iraq have surpassed insurance as top election issue for candidates
By Jill Zuckman | Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — What happened to health care?

In the daily rat-a-tat-tat between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, the silence is deafening.

It was once the "it" topic of public policy that helped propel the Clintons into office, sparked open warfare among special interests, and then toppled a Democratic Congress. (more)

Options for health insurance when loosing group health coverage

Wednesday 20 August 2008 at 2:00 pm Health insurance options

Experts say workers who abruptly lose their health insurance when an employer files for bankruptcy can take several steps to try to get claims paid and find new insurance:

Ask the U.S. Department of Labor, 1-866-444-3272, to look into your case. It can investigate how your company handled worker benefits, says spokesman Richard Manning.

The Texas Department of Insurance, 1-800-252-3439, also has experts who can help guide you. (more)

CMS released Hospital's comparison report of death rates for heart attacks and heart failure

Wednesday 20 August 2008 at 1:40 pm Hospital death rates unveiled for first-time comparison
By Steve Sternberg and Anthony DeBarros, USA TODAY

Motorists heading through the Lehigh Valley from Allentown, Pa., earlier this year passed two giant billboards proclaiming: "Fast Heart Attack Care Saved My Husband's Life."
What the billboards didn't say was just how fast. It took 24 minutes for Richard Silverman's doctors at Lehigh Valley Hospital to clear a 100% blockage from his heart's most vital artery. That's a third of the 90-minute goal that hospitals strive for. (more)

Charlie Crist's health insurance plan draws low cost and guaranteed issue health insurance bids

Tuesday 19 August 2008 at 11:52 am Crist's health insurance plan draws low-cost bid
By PHIL GALEWITZ - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Uninsured adult Floridians could buy health coverage for an average $50 a month from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida under a plan the insurer submitted to the state Tuesday.

The bargain basement price is not the only plus. What makes this plan different from virtually every other health plan sold by Blue Cross and Florida's other health insurers is that it would be "guarantee issue" - Blue Cross won't turn anyone away. (more)

Harry and Louise return demanding health care reform

Tuesday 19 August 2008 at 11:43 am TV ad's Harry and Louise demand health care reform
Couple sunk Clinton plan 15 years ago
By TODD SPANGLER • FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

WASHINGTON -- Fifteen years ago, Harry and Louise helped sink the Clinton health care plan for the insurance industry. Tomorrow, they’ll return. And this time, they’re insisting on health care reform.

The resurrection of the couple from the iconic TV commercials of 1993-94 will be aired in a multimillion-dollar national advertising campaign to run through the Democratic and Republican national conventions. (more)

Complicated application process keeps eligable children with no health insurance, per The Kentucky Voices for Health

Monday 18 August 2008 at 1:17 pm Eligible children missing out on state insurance
By Deborah Yetter • dyetter@courier-journal.com

Tens of thousands of Kentucky children have no health insurance even though they are eligible for a state program that provides coverage for kids with low-income, working parents, according to a report released today.

The Kentucky Voices for Health reports that more than 60,000 children who are eligible for the Medicaid program known as Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program, or KCHIP, are not participating. (more)

John McCain's health Insurance plan more revolutionary, per Dallas Morning News

Monday 18 August 2008 at 12:28 pm McCain's health insurance plan: More radical than Democrats'?
By JASON ROBERSON / The Dallas Morning News

Democratic health care proposals may have gotten more attention during the primaries, but Republican John McCain's plan just might be more revolutionary.

The GOP nominee-to-be wants to tax workers on the value of the insurance they receive from employers.

At the same time, everyone would be offered a federal tax credit to help them pay for insurance – whether a company plan or one purchased on their own. Buyers could subtract up to $5,000 from their federal tax tab come April 15. Or they could simply sign over the credit to an insurer in order to purchase coverage. (more)

Medicare prescription drug premiums going up in 2009

Friday 15 August 2008 at 1:17 pm Medicare drug premiums up about 12%

By Kevin Freking, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — The typical Medicare beneficiary can expect to see about a $3 increase in their monthly premiums for prescription drug coverage in 2009, federal officials said Thursday.
Officials made the projection based on bids from private insurers that get the premiums along with a federal subsidy to administer the benefit. The increase of 12% will up the monthly premium to $28 for standard drug coverage. (more)

California considers Medicaid cuts due to budget defisits

Friday 15 August 2008 at 1:14 pm Medicaid bears brunt of states' budget crunch
Healthcare cuts in California and New York could affect thousands.
By Ron Scherer | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

New York - Low-income Americans, beware.

Facing budget deficits, two of the nation's most populous states, California and New York, are proposing changes in Medicaid that could affect the eligibility of hundreds of thousands of people or decrease funding for hospitals, doctors, dentists, and pharmacists.

Last month, California cut reimbursements to providers by 10 percent. With the legislature deadlocked over the budget, some healthcare facilities are now close to bankruptcy since no money is flowing to providers. (more)

Back to school health check-up time may be a good time for health insurance check-up

Thursday 14 August 2008 at 12:53 pm Your Health Insurance May Need a Back-to-School Check Up Too

MILWAUKEE, Aug 13, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Around the country, millions of kids are getting their back-to-school physicals. But many of their parents also could benefit from a check-up -- by checking into their health insurance coverage! Make sure your health coverage is "fiscally fit" by going to HSAInsights.com.
Taking your health insurance coverage for granted can cost your family thousands of dollars each year. A check-up can help you understand what you're spending and, more importantly, what you could be saving if you switched to a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account (HSA). An HSA is a consumer-managed, tax-favored alternative to traditional health insurance, created for the purpose of paying medical expenses. (more)

There's more evidence drugs should be tried first before costly Angioplasty for non-emergency chronic chest pain

Thursday 14 August 2008 at 12:46 pm Drugs often rival angioplasty, study finds
Marilynn Marchione, Associated Press

People with chronic chest pain who are not in big danger of a heart attack now may have even less reason to rush into an artery-opening angioplasty: There's more evidence drugs should be tried first and often are just as effective.

The slim early advantage for angioplasty at relieving pain in these nonemergency cases starts to fade within six months and vanishes after three years, according to a new report from a landmark heart study. (more)

Americans have reduced their doctor visits, per suvery

Wednesday 13 August 2008 at 2:19 pm 22% of Americans surveyed cut visits to doctor
by Victoria Colliver, Chronicle Staff Writer

Nearly a quarter of Americans have reduced the number of times they see their doctor because they want to save money in these tough economic times, according to a survey released Tuesday by the country's state insurance regulators.

The poll of 686 consumers, fielded in July for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, found that 22 percent of respondents weren't visiting the doctor as often as a result of today's economy. (more)

Hispanics are less likely to regularly see a doctor, per study

Wednesday 13 August 2008 at 2:15 pm Study finds many Hispanics forgoing routine health care
By Vianna Davila - Mercury News

The last time Robert Verceles went to the doctor for a regular physical was four years ago - and that's only because his job required it.

Verceles, 41, has health insurance, and he has a doctor. But he only visits him when "I can't take care of it myself," said the San Jose man.

That attitude isn't uncommon among Hispanics - especially young men - living in the United States. One of the largest surveys of Hispanics on health found that they are less likely to regularly see a doctor, even when insurance and language are not factors. (more)

Health care cost growth will slow down, per Aon Consulting report

Tuesday 12 August 2008 at 11:12 am Health care cost growth expected to slow
Victoria Colliver, Chronicle Staff Writer

A new survey predicts that health care costs will increase more than 10 percent next year, a rate that - while it far outpaces inflation - is significantly lower than similar hikes in recent years.

A report released by Aon Consulting Worldwide estimates employers will spend about 10.6 percent more in 2009 for the same health benefit package they're offering this year. This price bump is similar to last year's, but a far cry from increases of 15 percent and 16 percent in 2001 and 2002. (more)

There are shortages of primary care doctors and nurses in U.S., per report of National Association of Community Health Centers

Tuesday 12 August 2008 at 11:07 am Family doctors called scarce
Shortage is worst in rural, poorer areas, report contends
By Euna Lhee | Sun Reporter

When his colleague departed in December, family doctor Charles Bennett thought he would soon find a new partner for his private practice in Lusby. But he has had no luck for the past eight months.

"I'm still trying to find someone, but I don't think it will get any better in the foreseeable future," said Bennett, whose Calvert County practice employs four staff members. "The process is very time-consuming, and I am already very busy as it is." (more)

Bush administration will expand access to online health records

Monday 11 August 2008 at 11:29 am Medicare expands online health records programs
By Jeffrey Young - The Hill

The Bush administration is not waiting on Congress to pass legislation that increases access to online personal health records.

Beginning in January, the administration will expand access to online records in Arizona and Utah as part of an ongoing effort to encourage greater use of health information technology. (more)

Democrats agreed on set of principles that includes guaranteed health care for all Americans

Monday 11 August 2008 at 11:24 am Dems agree on a health care guarantee for all
Calvin Woodward, Associated Press

Democrats shaped a set of principles Saturday that commits the party to guaranteed health care for all, heading off a potentially divisive debate and edging the party closer to the position of Barack Obama's defeated rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The party's platform committee moved smoothly through a range of issues for the fall campaign and approved a document that will go to the Democratic convention in Denver later this month for adoption.

There was little dissent - or room for it - in the day's meeting and a compromise on health policy took one flash point off the table. (more)

U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux proposes legislation to help small businesses offer health insurance to their employees

Friday 08 August 2008 at 11:54 am Bill targets health insurance
Cazayoux plan would create pool to offer coverage
By SARAH CHACKO

U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, unveiled legislation Thursday aimed at helping small businesses offer health insurance to their employees.

The legislation, called the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP Act, would establish a nationwide health insurance purchasing pool for small businesses and the self-employed. (more)

Drug companies are increasing prices of some drugs 100% or more

Friday 08 August 2008 at 11:49 am Prices for some drugs skyrocket
By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY

Drug companies are quietly pushing through price hikes of 100% — or even more than 1,000% — for a very small but growing number of prescription drugs, helping to drive up costs for insurers, patients and government programs.

The number of brand-name drugs with increases of 100% or more could double this year from four years ago, researchers from the University of Minnesota say. Many of the drugs are older products that treat fairly rare, but often serious or even life-threatening, conditions. (more)

Nursing homes seeking to evict frail and ill residents, per Wallt Street Jouranal report

Thursday 07 August 2008 at 1:20 pm To Be Old, Frail And Evicted:
Patients at Risk As Nursing Homes Shift Focus To Short-Term Rehab Care, Families Must Look Elsewhere

By THEO FRANCIS

Since Jasmine Nguyen collapsed nine years ago, apparently from a seizure, the 32-year-old has lived in a nursing home in Lodi, Calif., dependent on a ventilator to breathe and the facility's staff for her daily needs.

But since early this year, the nursing home has been seeking to evict Ms. Nguyen and a dozen other residents in similar situations, potentially replacing them with shorter-term residents likely to bring more revenue. (more)

Emergency rooms are becoming the only option for insured as well as uninsured people - CDC report finds

Thursday 07 August 2008 at 1:13 pm Insured patients using ER for primary care
Victoria Colliver, Chronicle Staff Writer

(08-06) 18:45 PDT -- Hospital emergency departments, typically the medical providers of last resort, are becoming the only option for insured as well as uninsured people who are unable to get care elsewhere, leading to a record rise in emergency room visits over the past decade, a federal government report found.

Emergency room visits jumped more than 32 percent from 90.3 million in 1996 to 119 million in 2006, the most recent year statistics are available, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (more)

Low-Cost Health Insurancec - Is it Worth it?

Wednesday 06 August 2008 at 12:07 pm Is Low-Cost Health Insurance Worth It?
Premiums look low, but you give up a lot of expensive medical coverage—that is, you transfer the risk from the insurer to yourself
by Karyn McCormack

Infomercial king Billy Mays, known for screaming about the wonders of cleaning solutions Kaboom!, OxiClean, and other household products, is now starring in a commercial for what he calls "the most important product I've ever endorsed:" health insurance. The bearded salesman started pitching iCan Benefit Group's "health insurance that you can actually afford" in May 2008, pointing to the need for its health plans given that 47 million Americans are uninsured. In the commercial, Mays says iCan's plans include guaranteed acceptance, starting as low as $160 per month for individuals and $260 for families, and can allow you to lower your monthly premium, increase coverage, or both. Concludes Mays: "You can't afford not to make this call." (more)

The number of uninsured immigrants is growing, per study

Wednesday 06 August 2008 at 11:57 am Study: Uninsured population grows with immigration

The uninsured population is increasingly made up of immigrants, according to a study released today by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

The nonpartisan research organization, which doesn't take policy positions, tracked the increase in the uninsured population over the last 12 years. Native-born Americans still account for the majority -- three-fourths -- of the persons without health insurance, but the percentage of immigrants in those ranks has grown from 18.8 percent in 1994 to 26.6 percent in 2006. (more)

Senate candidate took aim at health insurance companies

Tuesday 05 August 2008 at 12:02 pm Senate candidate criticizes health insurance providers
By TOM LINDLEY World Capitol Bureau

OKLAHOMA CITY — U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Rice took aim Monday at some health insurance companies that he claims make excessive profits by not delivering on the product they sell.

"I want them to make money; it's America," said Rice, a state senator from Oklahoma City who focused on key provisions of his health-care plan at a news conference at the Capitol. "The problem is the consumers aren't getting everything they paid when they signed the contract, and they are trapped because they have some sort of medical condition that prevents them from getting insurance from another company." (more)

Millions of Americans with chronic disease are not getting adequate treatment because they are uninsured - Study finds

Tuesday 05 August 2008 at 11:54 am Millions With Chronic Disease Get Little to No Treatment
By REED ABELSON - The New York Times

Millions of Americans with chronic disease like diabetes or high blood pressure are not getting adequate treatment because they are among the nation’s growing ranks of uninsured.

That is the central finding of a new study to be published Tuesday in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine. (more)

Democratic committee drafted party platform for healthcare

Monday 04 August 2008 at 11:53 am Democratic platform embraces Obama's change theme
By THOMAS J. SHEERAN - The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's supporters lobbied Democratic leaders Sunday to include the failed presidential candidate's ideas on health care, even as officials fine-tuned the party platform for nominee-in-waiting Barack Obama.

The committee charged with updating the platform agreed to include suggestions from Clinton, whose campaign emphasized universal health care. Obama also campaigned on improved access to health care, although the two candidates often sparred over how to make it happen and whether it should be mandated. (more)

CMS is putting millions of Medicare dollars at risk, per Government Accountability Office report

Monday 04 August 2008 at 11:41 am Skimpy oversight endangers millions of Medicare dollars
Fictitious suppliers OKd for payment, investigation finds
Hope Yen, Associated Press

(08-04) 04:00 PDT Washington -- The government is putting millions of Medicare dollars at risk by authorizing fictitious sellers of wheelchairs, prosthetics and other medical supplies to submit reimbursement claims with only limited review, congressional investigators say.

The study by the Government Accountability Office, obtained by the Associated Press, sought to follow up on oversight gaps that have plagued the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since at least 2005. Roughly $1 billion of the $10 billion in annual Medicare payments the government makes for medical equipment is later deemed improper. (more)

Having Health Insurance Means a Better Chance of Curing Illness

Friday 01 August 2008 at 6:52 pm Most people are aware that having health insurance is extremely important. With the high cost of health insurance, many people in the United States still lack health insurance. Although many American's cannot find health insurance, more commonly individuals have simply been reluctant to purchase health insurance because of high cost.

From my perspective as a physician, I see so many of my patients confused about what type of insurance to get, and which plan is best for them. With such varied options available for health insurance, each person who is not insured should carefully consider calling a health insurance agent who can provide free information about possible insurance coverage. (more)

Small Businesses Struggle To Afford Health Insurance

Friday 01 August 2008 at 6:47 pm The R&M Corner Market sits on the quiet intersection of Castle and Main streets in New Haven's Fair Haven neighborhood, off the beaten path. Still, customers steadily came and went as Norma Franceschi (pictured) explained on a recent hot afternoon how, as a small business owner, her family's health needs and her insurance costs don't match up.

Franceschi immigrated to New Haven in 1971 from her native Argentina. Like many Argentinians, she is of Italian descent. She has run the store in Fair Haven since 1987. Her husband worked at Lender's Bakery for many years, where he had good health insurance that covered his family. (more)