Tag Archives: health insurance

The retirees of Collin County

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I too think of Collin County as a place that primarily attracts young people with its cheap real estate and all, but apparently that’s quite attractive to older folks, too. Affordable living, jobs and a Sun Belt climate have made … Continue reading →

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Dewhurst the deficit peacock

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst wants you to believe that he cares about deficit spending. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst warned Wednesday that new federal health care legislation will bust Texas’ budget, saddling state taxpayers with $27 billion in extra costs over … Continue reading →

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How much do kids count?

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In Texas, the answer is not much at all. Between 2000 and 2008, the number of Texas kids living in poverty grew by 240,000, accounting for 23 percent of the total child population. The national child poverty rate is 18 … Continue reading →

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Kaiser study on health care costs

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, state officials from HHSC Commissioner Tom Suehs up through Governor Perry have been claiming that the Affordable Care Act will cost the state of Texas a lot more than the CBO estimates. There’s quite a bit of … Continue reading →

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The big picture for health care reform in Texas

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The number you need to know is four point two million. Texas’ uninsured population will drop from 6.5 million this year to 2.3 million once the federal health care overhaul is fully implemented, and about a third of the remaining … Continue reading →

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No anti-health care special session

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Thank God for small favors. Gov. Rick Perry tamped out rumors today that he would call a special legislative session to consider whether Texas should seek to exempt itself from federal health care law. Harris County Republican Chairman Jared Woodfill … Continue reading →

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Who will administer Texas’ health insurance exchange?

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, one of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act is the creation of health insurance exchanges for those who are currently uninsured and need assistance in getting it. The states are supposed to operate these exchanges, and … Continue reading →

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Groups that support Republicans oppose health care reform

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I know, I know, quelle surprise. The uncertainty over the Congressional healthcare bill has incited fear among some small business associations in Texas. They gathered with U.S. Chamber of Commerce representatives on Tuesday to say they’re worried about ripple effects … Continue reading →

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More arguing over health care costs

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There are many things to say about this. The debate over how much federal health care reform will cost Texas put the state’s health and human services chief on the defensive on Wednesday, as he presented a budget estimate to … Continue reading →

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The question to ask

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From State Rep. Mike Villarreal’s blog, explaining the benefit of the Affordable Care Act for Texans: Beyond this next year, many of the six million uninsured Texans will have health insurance, improving their health and financial stability, and saving all … Continue reading →

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The effect of health care reform on Texas

Posted on March 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an email from the Legislative Study Group, via State Rep. Garnet Coleman, who has been a constant source of health care reform updates: LSG Policy Update: CBO Estimates of Impact of Healthcare Reform to Texas With the United States … Continue reading →

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Coleman sets Perry straight

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Thank God for Garnet Coleman. Sometimes, these things just need to be said. Click here to see what Rep. Coleman was responding to.

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Our healthcare system is great, if you ignore all those people who can’t afford it

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. John Zerwas demonstrates that being a physician doesn’t make you qualified to talk about health care reform. His article is as embarrassingly idea-free as his national colleagues’ plan was. After the usual paean to tort “reform” and invective … Continue reading →

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The cost of doing nothing

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, as the health care reform battle lurches towards the finish line, that doing nothing is not a viable option. A week after a Texas agency reported health care reform legislation would cost the state’s Medicaid program an … Continue reading →

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Election tidbits for 9/23

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

– KTRK has another round of candidate videos, this time answering the question “How can you help Houstonians get to work?” – Peter Brown sends out another mailer, this one all about his blueprint for an “Even Better Houston”. You … Continue reading →

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We’ve got uninsured people, yes we do

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

More than one out of four people in Harris County doesn’t have health insurance. One in three adults in Harris County lacked health insurance in 2008 while Texas continued to have the highest rate of uninsured residents in the nation, … Continue reading →

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Up, up, up…

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the direction your health insurance premiums have been going, at an ever-increasing rate. A national report that was released today says family health insurance premiums in Texas increased 91.6 percent since 2000 — 4.6 times faster than earnings. The … Continue reading →

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Can we call this a bipartisan agreement?

Posted on July 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

From last week. As Democrats in Congress push harder for a government-run health insurance plan that would compete with private insurers in some reform bills, Sen. John Cornyn said it remains a “deal-breaker” with Republicans. From this week, via Kos. … Continue reading →

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The lap bands of Collin County

Posted on January 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this story, which appeared in the print edition of Monday’s Chron but which I could not find on the chron.com site. About 150 obese Collin County employees have achieved dramatic weight loss with … Continue reading →

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