WinnDems News

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) released reports detailing the cost savings local families will see following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. The landmark legislation ensures access to lower health insurance premiums and more affordable prescription drugs for Medicare recipients. “For far too long, Americans have been forced to choose between paying for health care – including […] The post Bustos Releases Reports on Inflation Reduction Act Cost Savings for Local Families  appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SXYkkL

ROCKFORD — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, joined Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to announce that nearly $6.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation has been awarded to the Rockford Airport Authority for infrastructure improvements. The grants will be used to construct a taxiway and install taxiway lighting at Chicago Rockford International […] The post ROCKFORD: Bustos, Durbin & Duckworth Announce Nearly $6.8 Million in Infrastructure Funding for Rockford Airport Authority appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SXYFlj

WASHINGTON — This week, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement that $100 million in grants will be made available to increase the sale and use of homegrown biofuels. Bustos is Chair of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.  USDA is making the funding available through the Higher Blends Infrastructure […] The post Bustos Applauds USDA’s $100 Million Investment in Biofuels Infrastructure appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SXJ0Gp

The omicron variant has proved adept at finding hosts, often by reinfecting people who recovered from earlier bouts of covid. But whether omicron triggers long covid as often and severe as previous variants is a matter of heated study. http://dlvr.it/SXGc42

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a National Public Health System calls for a major overhaul of the way the U.S. organizes, funds, and communicates about public health, particularly in the harsh spotlight of the covid-19 pandemic. In this special episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” host Julie Rovner and KHN’s correspondent Lauren Weber interview the commission’s chair, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, about how to fix what ails public health. http://dlvr.it/SXDvjt

Lori McClintock, the wife of U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock of California, died after ingesting white mulberry leaf, according to the Sacramento County coroner. The plant is generally considered safe and is used in herbal remedies that claim to lower blood sugar, boost weight loss, and combat high cholesterol. Her death highlights the potential dangers of dietary supplements. http://dlvr.it/SXB4zV

A new California law requires timely follow-up appointments for mental health and addiction patients. But striking workers at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California say patients continue to wait up to two months. http://dlvr.it/SX8JWR

FREMONT, OH — Today, U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos and Marcy Kaptur joined the House Agriculture Committee in holding a Farm Bill listening session at Terra State Community College in Fremont, Ohio. The session was the third in a series entitled, “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Perspectives from the Field,” aimed at providing the House Agriculture Committee and its […] The post Bustos, Kaptur Hold Farm Bill Listening Session in Ohio appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SX6W0f

As public libraries morph into support hubs for homeless people with mental illness or addiction, librarians are struggling to reconcile their shifting roles. http://dlvr.it/SX55kt

Most women can already get free birth control. California lawmakers are debating whether to extend that perk to millions of men. http://dlvr.it/SX23ZD

KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances. http://dlvr.it/SWxgMG

Abortion access is shaping races for legal office across the country, from local district attorneys to attorneys general. But it’s also highlighting the boundaries of their offices. http://dlvr.it/SWw79H

Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indiana OB-GYN, was publicly vilified for providing an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim. That treatment and new abortion restrictions in the state have left some medical residents reconsidering whether they will practice in Indiana. http://dlvr.it/SWtq5K

President Joe Biden has signed the Inflation Reduction Act and Congress is gone until after Labor Day. But the administration and lawmakers left lots of health policy achievements behind, including new rules to facilitate the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids and a potential reorganization of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, for extra credit, the panelists suggest their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too. http://dlvr.it/SWsJGW

Los Angeles County is getting 60% fewer doses of monkeypox vaccine than officials expected, after the FDA said every vial could be split into five shots. http://dlvr.it/SWrfrL

Lucille Brooks, 74, Pittsford, New York Approximate Medical Debt: $8,000 Medical Issue: None. She was billed for her brother’s care. What Happened: Lucille Brooks was stunned to discover a nursing home in Monroe County, New York, was suing her. She had never been a patient there. Nor had her husband. “I thought this was crazy,” […] http://dlvr.it/SWqg4J

People talk about the sacrifices they made when health care forced them into debt. http://dlvr.it/SWp0vz

WASHINGTON — This week, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) published an op-ed in Elle with activist Tanuja Gupta, a leading organizer of the Google Walkouts, about her Ending Forced Arbitration for Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which was recently signed into law. The piece also discusses the recent launch of Silenced No More, an initiative focused on educating survivors, advocates […] The post BUSTOS IN ELLE: “Everyone Regained a Constitutional Right This Year—And Most People Don’t Even Know It” appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SWnrjk

Know-how gained through the covid pandemic is seeping into other public health areas. But in a nation that has chronically underfunded its public health system, it’s hard to know which changes will stick. http://dlvr.it/SWmcq3

The U.S. Labor Department investigates Noble Health after former employees of its shuttered Missouri hospitals say the private equity-backed owner took money from their paychecks and then failed to fund their insurance coverage. http://dlvr.it/SWjX9h

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17),voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, a transformative legislative package to lower families’ health care, prescription drug and energy costs; all while reducing the national debt by $300 billion to ease inflation. Having passed the Senate last week, the bill now heads to the White House for President Biden’s signature.  “For years, […] The post Bustos Votes to Pass Inflation Reduction Act appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SWgdLW

Nonprofit federally funded health centers are a linchpin in the nation’s health care safety net because they treat the medically underserved. The average profit margins is 5%, but some have recorded margins of 20% or more in three of the past four years. http://dlvr.it/SWfPCg

In pursuit of unpaid bills, nursing homes across Rochester, New York, have been suing relatives and friends of their residents. This CBS News report, done in partnership with a KHN-NPR investigation, takes a look at the practice and tells the stories of some of the people affected. http://dlvr.it/SWXckN

The legislation, which the House is expected to pass Friday, would allow the federal government, for the first time, to negotiate the price of some drugs that Medicare buys. It also would extend the enhanced subsidies for people who buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. http://dlvr.it/SWVjkj

Congress is leaving for its annual summer break having accomplished far more than many expected, including, barring unforeseen snags, a bill to address the cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries and extend the enhanced subsidies for insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the abortion issue continues to roil the nation as Indiana becomes the first state to ban the procedure in almost all cases since the Supreme Court overruled the constitutional right to abortion in June. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. http://dlvr.it/SWT8q8

EAST MOLINE — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) joined Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to announce that the City of East Moline will receive nearly $24 million in federal infrastructure funding for its downtown revitalization project.  “Our downtowns are the heart and soul of our communities, where small businesses grow and folks come together. With this transformative investment of nearly $24 […] The post Bustos, Durbin, Duckworth Announce Nearly $24 Million for East Moline Downtown Revitalization Project appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SWSqV6

Under the Medicare drug negotiations provisions in the reconciliation bill, the federal government would see its outlays reduced by about $300 billion. That reduction wouldn’t result from cuts in benefits. Instead, Medicare would be empowered to leverage its market power to pay lower prices for certain drugs. http://dlvr.it/SWRNW7

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) applauded President Joe Biden for signing into law historic, bipartisan legislation to expand access to care for veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty. The life-saving Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act extends critical VA benefits to as many as 3.5 million veterans […] The post Bustos Applauds Signing of Bipartisan Toxic Exposure Legislation appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SWPZqg

A TV and social media ad offers a reason to check on the enforcement of a sweeping rule that requires hospitals to post information about what they charge insurers and cash-paying patients. http://dlvr.it/SWN5nB

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) applauded President Joe Biden for signing into law a historic, bipartisan bill to address inflation, strengthen Illinois families’ financial future, boost America’s research advantage and safeguard our economic and national security for generations to come.   The CHIPS and Science Act will deliver a powerful investment in America’s global competitiveness – creating jobs, slashing […] The post Bustos Applauds Signing of Bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SWLcdS

Exploitative practices in medical research have contributed to the underrepresentation of Native people in clinical trials. Episode 10 explores the efforts of Indigenous scientists to rebuild this broken trust through tribally controlled research. http://dlvr.it/SWJmsH

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, ER doctors say they — and their patients — are trapped between state anti-abortion laws and the federal law requiring that care be delivered in emergency situations. Women’s lives hang in the balance. http://dlvr.it/SWFQSM

Republicans say Democrats are wrong to claim that birth control could be the Supreme Court’s next target. But Democrats have plenty of evidence that it might be. http://dlvr.it/SW5gLq

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, announced that Knox College has been selected to receive a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The funding was awarded through the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.  “The potential our students hold is boundless – their opportunities to advance […] The post GALESBURG: Bustos Announces $300,000 Federal Grant for Knox College appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SW4LHJ

In the first official test vote since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, voters in Kansas’ primary said in no uncertain terms they want to keep a right to abortion in their state constitution. Meanwhile, the Senate is still working to reach a vote before summer recess on its health care-climate-tax measure, but progress is slow. Tami Luhby of CNN, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Bram Sable-Smith, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment about a very expensive ambulance trip. http://dlvr.it/SW43JN

WASHINGTON — Beginning this month, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) is accepting applications from high school students in Northwest and Central Illinois seeking a nomination to a U.S. Service Academy for fall 2023. The deadline for applications will be September 30, 2022, at 5:00 p.m., which is earlier than previous years.  “Whether following in the footsteps of a loved one […] The post Bustos Accepting Applications for Military Academy Nominations appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SW3y4S

A Bay Area man described himself as “delirious” from the pain of a quickly spreading rash, but it took six telehealth appointments, one urgent care visit, and two emergency room trips before he was finally diagnosed and treated for monkeypox. http://dlvr.it/SW2QWN

EAST PEORIA — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $14.7 million from the American Rescue Plan Good to Illinois Central College to create an information technology training program in partnership with local companies.  This project will train low-income residents as early as high school. Partner employers […] The post EAST PEORIA: Bustos Announces $14.7 Million for Illinois Central College appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SW0z3K

Tennessee expects to soon disenroll about 300,000 people from its Medicaid program. But families like the Lesters have suffered when bureaucracy and clerical mistakes caused them to unfairly lose coverage under the same program. http://dlvr.it/SVz4sw

Despite concerns about making abortion legal in the states and strong interest in the issue, three-quarters of Americans say economic matters are top of mind as they consider voting in the fall, according to a new KFF poll. http://dlvr.it/SVxBHC

The federal government is stepping in to assist student loan borrowers. But little public attention has been focused on what is — statistically, at least — a bigger, broader debt crisis in our country: An estimated 100 million people in the U.S., or 41% of all adults, are saddled with pernicious health care debt. http://dlvr.it/SVvk55

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) voted to pass the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act – legislation to invest in wildfire prevention, response and resiliency efforts for communities impacted by drought. The bill also includes a provision supported by Congresswoman Bustos to increase pay for federal structural firefighters – including those at the Rock Island Arsenal.  “As extreme […] The post Bustos Votes to Pass Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/SVt526

Legislators are considering two bills that address online addiction among children by taking aim at website features such as push notifications and targeted posts. But Big Tech is fighting the effort, saying companies are already taking steps to protect children. http://dlvr.it/SVrX2c