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More than 600,000 Medicare prescription drug benefit beneficiaries must apply for low-income subsidy

More than 600,000 low-income Medicare beneficiaries who were automatically enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug benefit and received a subsidy toward premium costs this year will have to apply to receive the subsidy for 2007 because their eligibility status has changed, CMS officials said on Thursday, the Washington Post reports.

22 Oct 2006

People living in highly Black concentrated neighborhoods more likely to report their health as poor

In a study examining the relationship between racial/ethnic neighborhood concentration and self-reported health, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that individuals living in neighborhoods with a high concentration of Blacks were twice as likely to report poor health when compared to their counterparts living in neighborhoods with a lower concentration of Blacks.

20 Oct 2006

Guaranteeing insurance for all kids should be a national priority

...with a national solution and a broad funding source," columnist Ronald Brownstein writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece.

16 Oct 2006

Group Health will reduce premiums for Washington State-subsidized health plan for low-income residents

Group Health Cooperative recently announced it would lower its monthly premiums for Washington's state-subsidized health plan for low-income working residents by as much as 80% beginning Jan. 1, 2007, the Seattle Times reports.

16 Oct 2006

Missouri tobacco tax proposal to appear on November ballot

The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled unanimously that a proposed constitutional amendment to raise tobacco taxes should be placed on the Nov. 7 ballot, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

16 Oct 2006

New guide to help countries prevent violence against children

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a practical new guide to help countries prevent violence against children. Children are the victims of startling levels of violence, often at the hands of those who should be protecting them.

16 Oct 2006

Simple sight test and glasses could make a dramatic difference to the lives of more than 150 million people

Children fail at school, adults are unable to work and families are pushed into poverty as a result of uncorrected visual impairment.

11 Oct 2006

Debate between antiabortion, abortion-rights supporters now focusing on contraception

"If you're among the millions of Americans who don't like the idea of abortion but also don't like the idea of banning it, good news is on the way" in the form of two bills recently introduced in the House, William Saletan, science and technology reporter for Slate magazine, writes in a Washington Post opinion piece.

5 Oct 2006

New Mexico considers expanding Medicaid enrollment after containing costs in recent years

New Mexico Medicaid spending has been contained enough to ease eligibility rules, New Mexico Human Services Department Secretary Pam Hyde told state legislators last week, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports.

5 Oct 2006

Socioeconomic improvement for poor women has little effect on risk of delivering low-birthweight infants among blacks

Although improvement of socioeconomic status for poor women might reduce a white woman's risk of delivering a low-birthweight infant by nearly 50%, such upward mobility seems to have little effect for black women with similar socioeconomic status, according to a study published in the Oct. 3 online edition of the American Journal of Public Health, CQ HealthBeat reports (Crowley, CQ HealthBeat, 10/4).

5 Oct 2006

Massachusetts announces universal health care coverage premium rates that are expected to cost the state 10% less than previous estimates

Massachusetts health insurance premium rates for low-income residents are in line with officials' predictions, and the state should have adequate funding to implement its new health insurance law next year, the Boston Globe reports.

3 Oct 2006

Massachusetts health insurance mandate does not include children

The new Massachusetts health insurance law "contains a little-known loophole: The mandate that all residents have coverage by next summer does not include children," the Boston Globe reports.

3 Oct 2006

Protein linked to heart disease found to be more prevalent in low-income people, minorities and women

Low-income adults are more likely to have very high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a risk factor for heart disease, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Southern California.

21 Sep 2006

House Democrats introduce bill that aims to reduce unintended pregnancies, abortions

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who opposes abortion rights, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), who supports abortion rights, and other House Democrats last Thursday at a press conference announced the introduction of legislation (HR 6067) that aims to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, Copley/Canton Repository reports.

18 Sep 2006

Fortune Magazine profile Clinton, the Clinton Foundation, Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative

Fortune Magazine recently profiled former President Clinton and his involvement in the global battle against HIV/AIDS, including the work of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative.

18 Sep 2006

HIV-positive Batwa in Democratic Republic of the Congo have little access to treatment

Although HIV prevalence among the Batwa, or pygmies, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is estimated to be lower than the rate for the entire country, "little help is available" for HIV-positive Batwa because of the community's poverty, undernutrition, "social isolation" and lack of health care services, PlusNews reports.

18 Sep 2006

Bill Gates puts hand in pocket and gives $70 million for research into tropical diseases

Bill Gates has once again put his money where his mouth is by donating almost U.S$70 million for research into fighting tropical diseases in the 'third world'.

18 Sep 2006

George Soros to donate $50 million to the Millennium Villages Project

Financier and philanthropist George Soros on Tuesday announced he will donate $50 million to the Millennium Villages Project -- which aims to fight poverty and diseases, including malaria and HIV/AIDS, in villages throughout Africa -- the New York Times reports (Dugger, New York Times, 9/13).

14 Sep 2006

India must enhance HIV/AIDS programs in Uttar Pradesh to defeat epidemic

India must scale up its HIV/AIDS programs in the densely populated state of Uttar Pradesh to accurately estimate the number of HIV-positive people and curb the epidemic, according to HIV/AIDS advocates, Reuters India reports.

14 Sep 2006

Congressional black caucus to promote plans to expand health coverage

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday during the group's annual legislative conference announced plans to promote expanding health care coverage and boosting the minimum wage in the 110th Congress, moves that CBC Chair Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.) said would contribute to the "alleviation of poverty" in the U.S., CongressDaily reports.

7 Sep 2006

Poverty News and Research

More than 600,000 Medicare prescription drug benefit beneficiaries must apply for low-income subsidy

People living in highly Black concentrated neighborhoods more likely to report their health as poor

Guaranteeing insurance for all kids should be a national priority

Group Health will reduce premiums for Washington State-subsidized health plan for low-income residents

Missouri tobacco tax proposal to appear on November ballot

New guide to help countries prevent violence against children

Simple sight test and glasses could make a dramatic difference to the lives of more than 150 million people

Debate between antiabortion, abortion-rights supporters now focusing on contraception

New Mexico considers expanding Medicaid enrollment after containing costs in recent years

Socioeconomic improvement for poor women has little effect on risk of delivering low-birthweight infants among blacks

Massachusetts announces universal health care coverage premium rates that are expected to cost the state 10% less than previous estimates

Massachusetts health insurance mandate does not include children

Protein linked to heart disease found to be more prevalent in low-income people, minorities and women

House Democrats introduce bill that aims to reduce unintended pregnancies, abortions

Fortune Magazine profile Clinton, the Clinton Foundation, Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative

HIV-positive Batwa in Democratic Republic of the Congo have little access to treatment

Bill Gates puts hand in pocket and gives $70 million for research into tropical diseases

George Soros to donate $50 million to the Millennium Villages Project

India must enhance HIV/AIDS programs in Uttar Pradesh to defeat epidemic

Congressional black caucus to promote plans to expand health coverage

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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