| Blagojevich says "corporate fat cats" oppose his plan
Blagojevich says the companies that raised electric rates are part of the opposition to a massive tax increase that would pay for his health program. He calls them -- quote -- "the same corporate fat cats." The Democratic governor made the comment in Decatur at a stop on his four-day tour to promote the health plan. He wants state government to make sure everyone in Illinois has access to health insurance. Blagojevich proposes an eight-point-six (B) billion dollar increase in business taxes to pay for it. But anger over skyrocketing electric bills has distracted attention from Blagojevich's plan. There have been calls for the governor to take more action on electric rates. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Concurrent Health Problems Take Heavy Toll On Seniors
In the later years of life, chronic diseases and other health problems tend to accumulate and negatively affect an individual's health, according to reports published in the latest issue of The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences (Vol. 62A, No. 3). In a special section devoted to the presence of coexisting medical conditions - known as comorbidity - this edition of the journal features four separate articles on the topic.
New diagnoses of common health problems add complexity to an older person's health status, which is usually characterized by preexisting problems. In 1999, 24 percent of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 or older had four or more chronic conditions. The proportion was 31.4 percent among those 85 or older.
The authors outline a need to improve the understanding of the role of multiple comorbid conditions in the health of older adults.
Low-cost dental clinic to close
Akron Community Health Resources announced Wednesday that it can no longer afford to operate its cash-strapped dental center, which caters primarily to low-income people without any dental insurance. The Arlington Street facility has stopped scheduling new appointments and is notifying current patients about the impending closure. ``It's a sad day for our patients and the community members who need access to oral health care,'' said Joyce Tate, chief executive of Akron Community Health Resources. ``There aren't many options out there for them.'' The group's adjacent, federally funded health clinic will stay open, Tate said. The city of Akron started the state-of-the-art dental clinic in 2003 with money from the state's Tobacco Settlement Funds.
Small Cut Turns into Life-Altering Condition
(Bishopville) - From a distance, Kenneth and Amyie McCullough look like a typical, married couple. After more than a decade together, though, it's apparent problems are growing with their love.
Amyie has keloids, a special type of scar that forms when a wound doesn't heal properly. The first one developed from a cut on her leg when she was 14-years-old. In the past decade, new lesions have formed and old ones have grown larger. The keloids now cover the majority of her body.
"I'm very depressed," Amyie said. "I cry all the time. I don't want to go anywhere. I just wanna be home."
Amyie hopes part of that will change tomorrow when doctors remove the large lesions covering her neck.
"The doctor told her they're critical," her husband, Kenneth explained.
Congress seeks more money for children's health insurance
WASHINGTON -- Congress took the first step Thursday to double the budget for a program running out of money that provides health insurance for 6 million low-income kids. The Senate Budget Committee voted 12-11 to approve $50 billion over five years for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, up from $25 billion. That would allow the program to cover an additional 6 million children. .
Saving for the Future is Easier Than You May Think
If you're one of the millions of consumers receiving a tax refund or bonus this time of year, you may be uncertain about the best way to spend or save your hard-earned dollars. What's the best way to begin a savings plan or invest for the future? According to experts, the appropriate course depends upon life circumstances, including financial condition, short-and long-term goals, and the needs of your dependents. "Many people think of their tax refund as extra spending money, but they should consider setting at least a portion aside for the future," said Donna DeMaio, president of MetLife Bank. "Extra money represents an opportunity to start planning for a retirement or saving for a child's education. Saving is a critical issue, because financial advisors warn that many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, and endangering their ability to live comfortably in their golden years."
Here are some options to consider: Pay off debt.
Silver lining in dark cloud of real estate
It's not true that reporting upbeat stories on the real estate beat is, for me, akin to Maynard G. Krebs' trying to say the word "w-w-w-w-work." However, since some readers continue to blame the messenger (me) for the message (home sales and prices are slowing; inventory is growing), it's time to empty our inbox of all of the pleasant news in residential real estate. .
Transgender opera singer settles into new identity
When a roommate introduced the works of black classical vocalists and composers, "I fell in love with the voice," Tona says. The eventual discovery of her own true voice, she says, helped her accept who she really was. At college, she started going to class in high-heeled boots, earrings and hair that was big and long. "I was just naturally me," says Tona, who now routinely changes her hairstyle, from curly to straight to braids. She was still known as Thomas then, but out in public she was increasingly being greeted by strangers with "ma'am" or "miss." Cashing paychecks became a problem because name and gender didn't seem to match. On nights out dancing at hip-hop clubs near Shenandoah, friends began calling Thomas "Tenacity." That's a name he used in online chat rooms and a nickname friends used until he legally adopted Tona a few years later.
Jury Awards $17 Million Against American Family in Aftermarket ...
American Family Mutual Insurance Co. was ordered to pay $17 million as part of a class-action lawsuit over aftermarket vehicle parts in Missouri. Following a 3 1/2-week trial, a Jackson County jury determined American Family wrongly paid auto damage claims based on the use of non-original replacement parts. The verdict covers 315,000 Missouri customers who filed claims between May 1990 and December 2004, said Ted Pintar, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys. "Plaintiffs think this is a resounding victory for insurance customers throughout Missouri,'' Pintar said in a telephone interview. "It sends a clear statement to insurance companies who continue to force inferior aftermarket parts on insureds as part of their claims practices.'' Pintar said it was too soon to say how much class members would receive and how much of the award will go to attorneys' fees.
Crawford residents slowly patching their lives
The monster roared to life east of Knoxville, out over Causey Road on the outskirts of what locals affectionately call L.A. - the "Lizella Area." It is where blooming twin cherry trees at the junction of Hamlin Road have since brightened the sandy, hardscrabble farmland. But where, in spots, spring has turned to rust. Whipped dead by a tornado 38 days ago, pine boughs that crash-landed across the countryside lie crumpled in their reddish-brown demise. Yards have taken on the gray of uprooted soil. Spirits have been plowed. The gnats are bad. Even the dogs aren't right. Some cower at the slightest breeze. Lucky, a yellowish mutt taken in seven years back by James and Patricia McCarty, rode out the storm in her tin-roofed doghouse at 723 Hamlin Road.
Church Community Organization optimistic about children's health ...
Church Community Organization members and supporters joined about 400 in Washington in mid-March to rally support for the Missouri health insurance plan that aids poor and uninsured children.The plan is part of the federal program called State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. The program is up for renewal this year and speculation is a reduction in poverty guidelines could eliminate hundreds of thousands of children nationally from the program and at least 40,000 Missouri children could lose coverage.Long-time CCO leader, the Rev. Rayfield Burns, Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, 2310 E Linwood Blvd., said he joined 75 other clergy as part of the People Improving Communities through Organizing national network. Then about another 325 active community members joined."We did not know how we would be received because it was a pretty big task," Burns said.
One-Size Plan Doesn't Always Fit All
Stellar Solutions Inc.'s compensation program isn't rocket science, but even the firm's aerospace engineers need help figuring it out. Most job candidates at the Palo Alto, Calif., company have never seen a compensation and benefits package resembling Stellar's -- a flexible arrangement designed to maximize tax-free savings. .
Historic Harmony Heritage Awards branch out to Zelienople, Jackson
Robert Householder believes supporting historic renovation on Zelienople's Main Street not only makes aesthetic sense but also makes environmental and economic sense. His latest project, a new facade for the 1930s structure that houses the Kountry Kitchen restaurant, has won him his second Heritage Award from Historic Harmony, a nonprofit preservation association. In a previous life, the building housed an Isaly's restaurant. Alan Miles and Beth Nicklas, of Jackson, are this year's other Heritage Award winners for their restoration of an early 19th century bank barn at their home on Textor Hill Road. In 1999, Mr. Householder won a Heritage Award for his renovation of the former First National Bank of Zelienople into "The Corner Building." The landmark structure on North Main Street, which dates to 1906, had been boarded up, and the project included replacement of 48 windows.
Insurance firms agree to merge
People walk past the entrance to Independence Blue Cross headquarters in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The company, which currently serves 3.4 million members and employs 9,500 people, is hoping to merge with Highmark Inc. of Pittsburgh. AP/MATT ROURKE .
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