Health Care

Brittney M. Walker  |   OW Staff Writer
Apr 15 2010

How does the bill affect you?

Since President Barack Obama was sworn into office, the nation has been on edge about his campaign promise, change. Health care reform has been high on his agenda, especially with the failing economy the previous administration (George W. Bush) so kindly established. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 45 million Americans are uninsured. Twenty percent include African Americans.
Historically, Black health care and coverage have been on the bottom of the totem pole, warranting Blacks to provide care themselves.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Apr 8 2010

Health care bill includes education funding

When President Barack Obama signed the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, not only did he approve a historic change in the way health care will be offered in America, but he also made a commitment that will mean Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black Educational Institutions (PBIs) will get financial resources badly needed to continue their respective missions.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Mar 25 2010

Blacks and Latinos not out of the woods yet on health care

Moments after House passage of the landmark health care reform bill, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele and House Republican Minority Leader John Boehner loudly sounded the war drums. Both pointed out three obvious and ominous facts: the bill passed by the narrowest of narrow margins; Americans are as deeply divided as ever on health care reform; should there be health care reform? The third point both made is the most ominous. They vowed to fight hard to repeal the law.

Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Mar 25 2010

The Back story on passing health care reform: Damn, the Democrats finally came through

The President of the United States of America, Barack H. Obama, signed into law a new health care reform bill that guarantees coverage for 32 million uninsured Americans.
It was a long time coming. Almost 100 years. The construction of health care reform in America started at the root with a need for the world’s richest nation to do something very fundamental in fulfilling a basic right to provide treatment for the sick, the infirm and the aging.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Mar 25 2010

Health care reform poised to go from idea to reality

More than 365 days, seven presidents and one signature later, America has health care reform that proponents say is the beginning step to providing all uninsured residents with affordable, quality care.
According to Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Barack Obama, this victory is a very personal one for the chief executive, whose mother battled with her health insurance as she lay dying.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.