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What the New Health Law Means for You and Your Family

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Health Care Blog

  • White House Hosts Meeting on Global Health Security

    Posted by Laura Holgate on June 15, 2012 at 10:58 AM EDT

    Yesterday, U.S. Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan hosted a roundtable discussion with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan and senior officials from across the U.S. Government. This was a first of its kind meeting, with high-level leadership from the National Security Staff, U.S. Federal government agencies and departments, and the WHO to discuss common areas of interest in the area of global health security. Attendees included a wide range of stakeholders from across the U.S. Government, including those representing the fields of health, defense, law enforcement, international development, foreign affairs, security, animal and agriculture health, and science. 

    Participants discussed the steps needed to advance key elements of a U.S. Government - WHO memorandum of understanding on global health security, signed last year on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. The discussion included topics such as the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) — a key framework for WHO Member States in the detection, reporting, and response of public health emergencies of international concern. At the 2011 United Nations General Assembly, President Obama signaled the importance of IHR in meeting the challenge of fighting all biological dangers, noting: “Today, I urge all nations to join us in meeting the WHO’s goal of making sure all nations have core capacities to address public health emergencies in place by 2012. That is what our commitment to the health of our people demands.” 

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  • Five Is a Magic Number

    Posted by Gayle Smith on June 13, 2012 at 5:34 PM EDT

    In one of the greatest humanitarian achievements of the past 50 years, child mortality has dropped by 70 percent world-wide. Tomorrow, the U.S., led by the U.S. Agency for International Development and in partnership with UNICEF and the Governments of Ethiopia and India, is launching a global effort to build upon these dramatic successes and end preventable child deaths. 

    How will we save five million children’s lives each year by 2035?

    First, by focusing our efforts on those places where the most deaths of children under five-years-old occur. That includes the five countries that account for 50 percent of child deaths worldwide (India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan and Ethiopia) and the 19 other countries that account for the next 30 percent of deaths. And, within those countries, targeting the populations most in need -- often rural, low-income and marginalized groups.

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  • Seventh Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

    Posted by Kathy Greenlee on June 13, 2012 at 3:00 PM EDT

    Elder abuse comes in many forms. It is recognized by experts as a public health crisis for which there are no socio-economic borders. Millions of older Americans are abused, neglected, or exploited each year, and estimates suggest that a large majority of these cases go unreported.

    To shed light on this problem, June 15th has been designated as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, with 2012 marking the 7th anniversary of World Day.

    This year, on June 14th, the White House Office of Public Engagement, in collaboration with federal partners from the Administration for Community Living/Department of Health and Human Services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Department of Justice, is hosting a day-long symposium to highlight the problem of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

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  • More Good News for Women and Families

    Posted by Kathleen Sebelius on June 8, 2012 at 2:27 PM EDT

    Today we got more good news showing the difference the health care law is making in people’s lives. A new report from the Commonwealth Fund found that 6.6 million young adults are getting health coverage on their parents’ plans. And according to new data from Gallup, the percentage of young adults who are uninsured continues to decline, indicating that the law is helping families across the country get better access to health care and more peace of mind. 

    These and other issues came up when I had the privilege to be part of a town hall meeting to discuss the very important topic of women’s health and how the health care law is making the system fair for women and their families across the country. 

    Joining me were: senior members of the Administration including Valerie Jarrett, Tina Tchen,  and Cecilia Muñoz, fellow health experts from HHS including Mayra Alvarez and Caya Lewis,  Judy Waxman from the National Women’s Law Center, and a few members of the media including Margarita Bertsos from REDBOOK and Kelly Wallace at iVillage. 

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  • Join Us for an Online Seniors’ Health Town Hall

    Posted by Dori Salcido on June 8, 2012 at 9:30 AM EDT

    This past Thursday, officials from the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services held a town hall meeting to discuss how the health care law is helping women and families acros the country. On Monday June 11, we will turn our attention to America’s seniors when we host a a Seniors’ Health Town Hall. The event will be streamed live from the White House from 10 am to 11:30 am ET.

    Similar to our Women’s Health Town Hall, this event will be an interactive, open dialogue about how the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, is improving the health and quality of life for the nation’s senior citizens by strengthening the Medicare program:

    • It makes preventive services available for free. This includes mammograms, colonoscopies, and an annual wellness visit where seniors can spend more time with their doctor.
    • It makes prescription drugs cheaper. Seniors who hit the donut hole get a 50 percent discount on their prescription drugs and the donut hole will be closed completely in the years ahead. It cracks down on waste, fraud and abuse.

    Submit questions using the Twitter hashtag #SeniorsHealth or on the HealthCareGov Facebook page.

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  • Join Us for an Online Women’s Health Town Hall

    Posted by Dori Salcido on June 5, 2012 at 11:28 AM EDT

    As part of our focus on women’s health, the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would like to invite you to participate online in a Women’s Health Town Hall on Thursday, June 7, 2012. The event will be streamed live from the White House and the HHS websites from 10 am to 11:30 am ET. 

    The event will be an interactive, open dialogue about how the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, is improving the health of women and their families. 

    Do you know how the law affects you, your mother, and your daughter? Here are some highlights:

    • The law requires insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions, and means the end of women being denied or charged more for coverage just because they’re women.
    • It also zeroes in on ensuring access to preventive services like mammograms and blood pressure screenings by making them available without a co-pay.
    • It strengthens the Medicare program by cracking down on fraud, waste and abuse and closing the prescription drug gap known as the “donut hole,” which means lower prescription drug costs for all seniors.

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