WinnDems News

Our crowdsourced investigation of the high, confusing and arbitrary medical bills generated by our health system is set to begin its fifth year in 2022. http://dlvr.it/SG0r6d

Families who believe their loved ones contracted covid-19 while hospitalized are finding they have little recourse following a wave of liability shield legislation pushed by business interests. http://dlvr.it/SFyTwL

Predominantly Black and Hispanic urban areas are more likely than white neighborhoods to see local pharmacies close and are more likely to be pharmacy deserts. In Chicago, one pharmacist is bucking the trend, operating the drugstore his father opened in the 1960s in a Black neighborhood. http://dlvr.it/SFvPK2

Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) dashed the hopes of President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats for passage of the giant “Build Back Better” bill before the end of […] http://dlvr.it/SFsrKW

In this episode, host Dan Weissmann talks to reporters who investigated the shortage of tests and traced the U.S. rapid-testing problem back to government agencies. http://dlvr.it/SFrCRT

“This is about rebuilding America” MOLINE – This week, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) held a Facebook live with Lonnie Stephenson, International President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), to highlight how the bipartisan infrastructure law supports our workforce. “Whether it’s getting high-speed internet for, say, family businesses, for kids who now have to […] The post Bustos Holds Facebook Live with IBEW International President to Highlight Bipartisan Infrastructure Law appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SFpbhm

After baby Dorian Bennett arrived two months early and spent more than 50 days in the neonatal ICU, his parents received a bill of more than $550,000 — despite having insurance. The Florida hospital had a not-so-helpful suggestion: monthly payments of more than $45,000 for a year. http://dlvr.it/SFmr3w

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) voted to pass the Combating International Islamophobia Act, which will address the rise in incidents of Islamophobia worldwide.  “Today, more than 70% of American Muslims report experiencing anti-Muslim hate. This is shameful,” said Congresswoman Bustos. “Standing up for those who experience discrimination and oppression is our duty — […] The post Bustos Votes to Combat Global Islamophobia appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SFk0hC

There were variants, vaccine hesitancy and messaging mix-ups. And, despite campaign promises, Biden and his administration sometimes took actions or made statements without waiting for full scientific evidence to back them up. http://dlvr.it/SFjT8B

Gunnison paramedics cover the largest response zone in Colorado. Because of covid and the lack of nearby hospital beds, patients increasingly are transported long distances, leaving few ambulances to respond to emergencies. http://dlvr.it/SFYLYZ

Facility fees, designed to help hospitals cover the high cost of staying open 24/7, have long rankled consumers. Now, some patients are assessed the fees while sitting at home for a telehealth appointment. http://dlvr.it/SFY8db

Even before the omicron variant of covid starts to spread widely in the U.S., hospitals are filling up with post-holiday delta cases. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court signals — loudly — that 2022 will be the year it rolls back abortion rights in a big way. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. http://dlvr.it/SFWLg1

Although covid vaccines have been available to children as young as 5 for more than a month, they’re not being offered in some rural Montana counties, and parents don’t know where to find them in others. http://dlvr.it/SFTTnF

Patients with other ailments are frustrated, and nurses and doctors are stressed and burned out, as unvaccinated covid-19 patients fill ICU and acute care beds. http://dlvr.it/SFPtX1

Law professor Jackie Fox looks at health insurance policies like any other contract, and she has spent 30 years making sound legal arguments to help patients get the care they need. http://dlvr.it/SFL6Rh

ROCKFORD — This week, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, announced that Winnebago County will receive more than $1.2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grants will be used for the expansion of services at the Resource Intervention Center, to fund Project Safe Neighborhoods and […] The post ROCKFORD: Bustos Announces More Than $1.2 Million in Department of Justice Funding for Winnebago County appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SFHL6j

The federal government is putting up $7.2 million for a study into the correlation between war trauma and dementia in Vietnamese immigrants. Oahn Meyer, an associate professor at the University of California-Davis who is leading the study, wonders whether her mother’s dementia is linked to trauma she suffered during the Vietnam War. http://dlvr.it/SFGRlS

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) voted to pass the Protecting Our Democracy Act — a sweeping package of democracy reforms that will strengthen America’s democratic institutions against future presidents, regardless of political party, who seek to abuse the power of their office for corrupt purposes. “The American people deserve accountability and transparency no […] The post Bustos Helps Pass Protecting Our Democracy Act to Restore, Strengthen and Protect Our Democracy appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SF6XwJ

A record number of hospitals closed in rural America last year. For the residents of Cuthbert, Georgia, the loss has meant many problems, including delayed care for emergencies that can turn deadly. http://dlvr.it/SF67rN

A San Francisco-area group that pushes for healthier internet behavior aims to show that being mean isn’t sexy and can lead to mental anguish and unsafe sexual encounters. http://dlvr.it/SF60CS

The American Medical Association and American Hospital Association are not arguing to halt the law that protects patients from unexpected bills from providers they didn’t know were outside their insurance network. Instead, they want to change the rules for the mediators who will settle the dispute between insurers and providers. http://dlvr.it/SF4fdH

The fight over covid vaccines continues to intensify, with Republicans on Capitol Hill pushing — with some success — to cancel President Joe Biden’s “test regularly or vaccinate” requirement for private employers. Meanwhile, abortion is not the only health issue before the Supreme Court this term. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. http://dlvr.it/SF4bmg

Montana nonprofit hospitals receive millions of dollars in tax exemptions as charities each year in exchange for giving back to their communities. A KHN review found that some of Montana’s richest medical centers are falling behind most state and national hospitals. http://dlvr.it/SF2SFM

The Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act combats sexual assault in the military, boosts pay for servicemembers & makes a robust investment in national defense programs WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Among key Bustos […] The post Bustos Helps Pass Strong National Defense Bill appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SDzNbc

Package will save Farm Bill payment programs, avoid cuts to Medicare  WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), helped pass the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, legislation to address the debt limit and protect the full faith and credit of our nation. The package will help the country meet obligations previously […] The post Bustos Helps Pass Bill to Protect Full Faith and Credit of the United States appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SDzG9S

The Community Oncology Alliance is targeting the prescription drug provisions of the Build Back Better Act, saying they will trigger deep cuts in oncologists’ pay, causing clinics to close and health care costs to rise. But it leaves out some important details. http://dlvr.it/SDytX8

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Angie Craig (D-MN) and Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative (DALCI) Act to preserve the ecologically-unique region between Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The legislation would re-establish efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve management of working […] The post Bustos, Hinson, Craig & Kind Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Preserve the Driftless Area Between Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota & Wisconsin appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SDwyrd

Fresno County, one of California’s persistent covid-19 hot spots, is experiencing an autumn surge that once again has overwhelmed area hospitals. KHN spoke with Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra about leading the charge in a region where many people remain anti-mask and vaccine-wary. http://dlvr.it/SDv9v4

Last week, on the same day the Supreme Court heard a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling on abortion rights, Texas enacted a law that creates criminal penalties for anyone who prescribes medication abortions via telehealth or mail. http://dlvr.it/SDqn5M

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17),Chair of the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee, held a roundtable with stakeholders of the federal crop insurance program. During the roundtable, Members and stakeholders discussed crop insurance, the efforts undertaken by USDA and industry leaders to enhance products available to producers […] The post Bustos Holds Ag Roundtable With Crop Insurance Stakeholders appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SDjR30

Experts weigh in as the federal government urges everyone to get boosted amid concerns over omicron, a new covid variant. http://dlvr.it/SDjK6f

Nearly 2,000 terminally ill Californians have used a 2015 law to end their lives with a doctor’s assistance. A revision of the law will make it easier to do so. http://dlvr.it/SDgVMT

Voters in Missouri and Oklahoma approved Medicaid expansion to begin in 2021. But while Oklahoma has enrolled over 200,000 people so far, Missouri has enrolled fewer than 20,000. Why are two such similar states handling the public insurance rollout so differently? http://dlvr.it/SDgVGb

MOLINE — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that more than $33 million in federal and state funds will go to airports in Illinois’ 17th Congressional District. Statewide, $94 million will be awarded to revitalize public airports through the Rebuild Illinois capital program. The funding represents the largest statewide capital investment […] The post Bustos, Pritzker Announce more than $33 Million in Funding for Local Airports appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SDcMp3

After her son's death by suicide, a mother promotes mental health for environmentalists. It's part of a larger push to address the burnout and psychological stress that can affect activists. http://dlvr.it/SDbrt6

Hospitals in Montana and Idaho reported threats and harassment from public officials and family members of patients who were denied treatment with a drug not authorized to treat covid-19. http://dlvr.it/SDbrpG

MOLINE — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) joined Governor J.B. Pritzker, Former United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and other local leaders for a ceremony marking the completion of the new I-74 bridge. Bustos released the following statement marking this historic day:  “The Mississippi River is one of the most iconic and important waterways […] The post Bustos Statement on Opening of the New I-74 Bridge appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SDZ4DB

A majority of the members of the Supreme Court seemed sympathetic Wednesday during arguments to Mississippi’s assertion that the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized the procedure throughout the country, was wrongly decided. http://dlvr.it/SDYxx9

The loss of smell is a common issue for many seniors and is often overlooked. Yet it can have serious consequences. http://dlvr.it/SDX5qY

Grieving children face grave risks to their well-being, both in the short and long term. But there is no concerted government effort to help the estimated 140,000 children who have lost a parent in the pandemic. http://dlvr.it/SDX5lW