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Logo from a North Carolina campaign advocating for paid sick day legislation.

As panic spread last month about a potential swine flu epidemic, Americans were advised to stay home if they were feeling ill. But for millions of workers who receive no paid sick days — including large percentages of direct-care workers — taking a day off from work can be a hard decision as it directly affects their income.

For example, 55 percent of the nation’s full-time personal and home care aides were not offered sick days in 2006 (“Women and Paid Sick Days: Crucial for Family Well-Being,” IWPR, 2007, pdf).

In response to this problem,  Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) have introduced the Healthy Families Act, which would allow  workers up to seven paid sick days a year to recover from their own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to seek diagnostic and preventative care.  Several states and cities have introduced similar bills. Read the full story

Senators Max Baucus and Charles Grassley

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the committee’s ranking member, have released a trio of papers addressing options for the overhaul of the U.S. health care system.

“Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs” (pdf), released on April 29, presents proposals for “revis[ing] payment systems and policies in the Medicare program to promote higher-quality, and more cost-effective care and to reduce fraud, waste and abuse throughout the health system.” Read the full story

President Obama speaks at a White House health summit on March 5

A report from the Senate committee charged with drafting U.S. health reform legislation shows a strong commitment to including long-term care services and supports in the overall plan.

Meanwhile, President Obama has indicated his support for a national health reform plan that reduces costs, guarantees choice, and provides affordable coverage. He has publicly urged the Senate to press forward on the legislation so that it can reach his desk by October. Read the full story

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An innovative program in Pennsylvania is giving state officials a firsthand look at the daily lives of direct-care workers and broadcasting the message that these workers suffer from low wages and a lack of health insurance.

Read the full story

New York State Capitol

By Carol Rodat, PHI New York Policy Director

Now that the state budget has passed, the governor and the New York state legislature have turned their attention to a variety of other issues, notably health insurance coverage.

The most sweeping proposal is that which was introduced in both houses by the chairs of the health committees, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and Senator Thomas Duane. These bills (A7854/S4884) would create universal coverage for New Yorkers under New York Health Plus, a program based on Family Health Plus and Child Health Plus.

Under the proposal, New Yorkers would have a choice of plans including a publicly sponsored plan and would pay no premiums. A payroll tax, modeled on that which Medicare uses, and surcharge on upper bracket non-wage and salary taxable income would finance the proposal.

A full report describing New York Health Plus is available at Assemblyman Gottfried’s website.

Senator Neil Breslin, chair of the New York State Senate Insurance Committee, has introduced a bill (S5742) in the State Senate on behalf of Governor Paterson that takes more moderate steps towards coverage. This proposal would:

• Extend COBRA from 18 to 36 months, helping those individuals who have lost their jobs retain coverage if they can afford the premiums;
• Permit coverage of unmarried young adult dependents up to age 29 under the parent’s employer-sponsored coverage; and,
• Require health plans to get permission from the Superintendent of Insurance before increasing premiums; and,
• Institute a variety of managed care reforms that providers and consumers have requested such as setting a requirement for the number of providers in a network and reducing the time to review post-hospital authorizations from managed care companies to one business day.

PHI’s recent survey and report on the coverage status of home care aides in New York sheds additional light on the New York Health Plus proposal and its effect on home care workers. For example, many home care employers do not currently offer coverage due to premium costs and would likely oppose a payroll tax.

In addition, those personal care aides who are currently using Family Health Plus have found the eligibility process to be onerous and one which resulted in fewer individuals being covered.

Senators Max Baucus and Chuck Grassley (l-r)

Eager to have a bill to introduce in June, the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Max Baucus (D-MT) with Charles Grassley (R-IA) as the Committee’s ranking member, has released  three papers with options for health reform and invited public comment.

The first paper is on transforming the delivery system, the second on expanding health care coverage, and the third on financing comprehensive reform. Read the full story