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Archive for the ‘Low-Income Families’ Category

Repealing Health Reform’s Maintenance of Effort Provision Could Cause Millions of Children, Parents, Seniors, and People With Disabilities to Lose Coverage

In health reform, insurance industry, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy, Retirement Security on February 13, 2011 at 6:10 pm
A number of Republican governors have asked Congress to repeal the maintenance of effort provisions of the Affordable Care Act, which generally requires states to hold coverage steady in their Medicaid and CHIP programs until 2014. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a paper that highlights the harmful effects such a repeal would have on children, working parents, and the economy.

 

[The full paper, released on February 10, 2011 from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, can be downloaded here.]

 

The Costs of Charging Our Way Through an Economic Crisis

In General, Low-Income Families on January 26, 2010 at 1:55 pm

In a downward economy, an increasing number of families rely on credit cards to cover daily living expenses.  While credit may be necessary to plug short-term gaps in income, it comes at a high price through soaring fees and interest rates, damage to credit scores, and burdensome debt that may take years to repay.  Read the rest of this entry »

Remember Free Venezualan Oil for the Bush?

In Low-Income Families, Oil and Energy on October 25, 2009 at 8:33 am

Bernardo Alvarez, Venezuela’s ambassador to the United States, is scheduled to travel to Alaska on Thursday and Friday on a mission to strengthen relations with the state’s indigenous tribes and promote cultural, commercial and academic links between the U.S. and Venezuela, according to the Venezuelan embassy. Alvarez plans to meet with elected officials, speak to students and faculty at the University of Alaska, and participate in some media interviews, the embassy said. He will also meet with the executive leadership of the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council and speak to a number of tribal chiefs that have benefited from a discounted heating oil program sponsored by the CITGO Corp., which Venezuela’s state oil company owns.

Alvarez has been Venezuela’s top envoy to the United States since 2003. He left the United States in September 2008 in a diplomatic dispute but returned to his post in June, the embassy said.

[Source: ADN]

New Study by ACPP: Alaskan Middle-Class in Trouble

In General, Low-Income Families on September 6, 2009 at 2:35 pm

State of Working Alaska 2009, a new report by the Alaska Center for Public Policy, reports data, trends and economic performance that can be taken in consideration by policymakers to address critical issues facing Alaskan families. Some of the findings the State of Working Alaska 2009 are:

  • A basic family budget includes only the amounts a family needs to spend to feed, shelter, and clothe itself, and get to work and school. It includes no savings, no restaurant meals, no funds for emergencies. In Anchorage a basic budget for a family of four is approximately $53,000.  It is higher in rural areas. Read the rest of this entry »

Advancing the Middle Class

In General, Low-Income Families on July 16, 2009 at 2:16 pm

Over the last thirty years, working members of Alaska’s and the nation’s families have worked longer hours, harder, and smarter. The result has been a huge increase in productivity. According to government statistics, from 1980 to 2008, nationwide worker productivity grew by 75%. This is impressive, but American workers never saw most of it in their wallets. Inflation-adjusted average wages increased by only 23%. Workers were compensated for less than a third of their productivity gains.

Read the rest of this entry »

110 Alaskans Lose Health Insurance Every Week

In General, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy on July 16, 2009 at 2:15 pm

110 Alaskans Are Losing Their Health Coverage Every Week, as the Steady Rise of Health Care Costs Drives More and More Working Families out of the Market

These Alaskans are part of a national trend that will cost an average of 2.3 Million Americans their Health Coverage each year between 2008 and 2010.

Rising like a deadly tide, escalating health care costs will have caused 17,360 Alaskans to lose their health coverage between January 2008 and December 2010. In that same period, the number of Americans without health coverage is expected to climb by an estimated 6.9 million.

Read the rest of this entry »

In General, Low-Income Families, Retirement Security, Tax Policy on November 21, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Cropped picture of Joseph Stiglitz, U.S. econo...

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[This letter, signed by 387 economists, including Nobel Laureates Joseph Stiglitz, Robert Solow, and George Akerlof, urges Congress to move quickly and decisively to pass an effective new economic stimulus package.]

The Honorable Henry Reid           The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Senate Majority Leader                 Speaker of the House
Washington, DC 20510                 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Mitch McConnell          The Honorable John Boehner
Senate Minority Leader                        House Minority Leader
Washington, DC 20510                       Washington, DC 20515

Dear Sen. Reid, Sen. McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, and Rep. Boehner:

We, the undersigned economists, urge Congress to pass a new stimulus package as quickly as possible. The need to deal with financial turmoil has directed attention away from the “real” economy. But the latest data clearly show that the economy is entering a serious recession, initiated by the collapse of homebuilding and intensified by the paralysis of credit markets. Without a fast an effective response by government, the economy could continue to spiral downward, leading to a large increase in unemployment and a sharp decline in GDP. Read the rest of this entry »

Commonwealth Fund Compares Candidate Health Plans

In General, Low-Income Families, Public Health Policy, Tax Policy on October 23, 2008 at 6:12 pm

The following is the executive summary of a longer analysis of Obama’s and McCain’s health plans. The analysis was conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, a widely respected foundation that analyzes national and international health plans. The full report is available on their website.

INTRODUCTION

With the 2008 presidential election just weeks away, health care reform is at the top of the nation’s domestic policy agenda. The soaring costs of health care, along with a faltering economy and lackluster wage growth, are leaving many working families without insurance or with medical expenses that consume a large share of their incomes. A recent Commonwealth Fund study found that nearly two-thirds of working-age adults—an estimated 116 million people—either were uninsured for a time during 2007, were insured but had such high medical costs compared with their incomes that they were underinsured, reported a problem paying medical bills, or did not get needed care because of its cost. Over the past seven years, such problems have crept up the income scale among people with and without health insurance. Consequently, voters are calling for change: eight of 10 adults said in a May survey that the health care system is in need of a major overhaul or fundamental reform. Read the rest of this entry »

Economic Crisis: Where to find Information – Part II

In General, Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on October 17, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Elaborate marble facade of NYSE as seen from t...

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The Center for Economic Policy (CEPR) – The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) was established in 1999 to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people’s lives. In order for citizens to effectively exercise their voices in a democracy, they should be informed about the problems and choices that they face. CEPR is committed to presenting issues in an accurate and understandable manner, so that the public is better prepared to choose among the various policy options.

Toward this end, CEPR conducts both professional research and public education. The professional research is oriented towards filling important gaps in the understanding of particular economic and social problems, or the impact of specific policies. The public education portion of CEPR’s mission is to present the findings of professional research, both by CEPR and others, in a manner that allows broad segments of the public to know exactly what is at stake in major policy debates. An informed public should be able to choose policies that lead to an improving quality of life, both for people within the United States and around the world. Read the rest of this entry »

The Economic Crisis: Where to Find Information

In General, Low-Income Families, Retirement Security on October 10, 2008 at 11:56 am

By now it is indisputable that we are headed for difficult financial times around the world for low- and medium-income families.  Alaska, of course, is tied into the world economy and we will be hard hit.  I would like to just reference a few resources that I think are very good on these issues, but resources which you may not be familiar with.

Nouriel Roubini’s Global EconoMonitor is an excellent source of very serious and detailed analysis of the emerging international economic crisis.  a word of warning–this is not easy reading, but if you are patient your efforts will be rewarded. Note also that this is a huge site, so take some time to poke around.

Democracy Now! offers a one-hour video/audio broadcast five times per week, all of which are archived on their site for playback any time on your computer or as a podcast. This program features in-depth interviews of economists, legislators, and other experts about the economic crisis (as well as many other issues of importance).  Typcially the information is offered in an easy to understand manner.  Written manuscripts usually accompany each interview.

Stateside Dispatch is a twice-weekly email newsletter with a tremendous amount of information on a variety of policy issues. Recently they have had quite a few articles about the economic situation, particularly as it affects states and families.  I advise signing up for the newsletter and checking out the archives. This is a very readable and comprehensive resource.

Your comments invited!

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