Who Caused The Problem?

Los Angeles-based Health Net is one of the largest health insurers in Oregon. On March 14, the company announced that data servers containing personal finance information for nearly two million former and existing customers went missing. According to officials, Social Security numbers may have been compromised.

According to Cheryl Martinis, a representative for the Oregon Insurance Division, 33,000 Medicare members and 87,000 commercial policyholders have been affected by the data breach. Martinis said, “We’ve been working with the company to make sure that Oregon’s policy holders are protected and that consumers are properly notified.”

Why Weren’t The Customers Alerted?

An advocacy group known as OSPIRG wants to know why the customers were not alerted to the breach sooner. A health care advocate for the group, Laura Etherton said, “It’s bad enough that this breach happened in the first place, but it’s outrageous that consumers are only finding out about it now.”

How Long Had They Known?

Martinis says the division learned about the possibility of a data breach as early as late February, but did not alert customers because the affected had not yet been identified by Health Net. She said, “The insurance company had to locate the backup tapes, hire forensic experts to determine whether they could access the data, and then produce a list of the some 1.9 million consumers nationwide who might be affected.” Martinis also said, “Health Net started mailing notices as soon as they identified the members and had a plan in place for credit monitoring.”

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Some of the many health topics that appeared on state ballots include the process of fluoridation which allowed a small quantity of fluoride to be added to the drinking water to help strengthen teeth. As a huge step forward in dental health, fluoridation is backed by all the major dental associations but is still a topic of contention among some skeptics who are against adding any chemicals to drinking water. Because of this, the topic of fluoridation is always one of contention on many ballots across the country. Proponents of the process realize that education is the key to getting the vote passed in their favor and information packages are usually sent out just before each election.

Medical marijuana use will always be a point of contention on many ballots due to the volatile nature of the topic among proponents and opponents alike. While many states already have laws allowing the use of medical marijuana in cases where patients have debilitating pain conditions, many states still find it hard to deal with the issue come election time.

Election Topics that Were Controversial

While many election issues cause some form of debate in many cases, the controversy surrounding embryonic stem cell research is one that causes some of the most troubling questions among many voters. The procedure allows research to be done using discarded embryonic stem cells left over from in vitro fertilization.

Proponents come out in favor of the research that can be carried out using these methods while opponents bring up the hazards of private stem cell harvesting and research problems that may arise. In other news, Washington State citizens are voting on an assisted suicide bill that will allow patients with less than six months to live to have the choice of clinical suicide procedures in which doctors would prescribe a lethal dose of medication – but not administer the dose themselves.

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photo credit: Mary-Lynn

In Oregon, things are happening when it comes to politics and health insurance. With the current state of the economy, labor unions in Oregon are beginning to realize that a 20 percent increase in health care costs means that there will be a reduction in worker’s total compensation. In a situation like this, both the employees and the employer find it in their best interest to move the debate further. The new political arena revolves around this notion of affordable health care for Americans and the initiative begins in Oregon.

The Politics of Health Care

In an interview with Oregon’s John Kitzhaber, MD, he states that “The politics of health care continue circling around health care as an economic commodity, not around the benefits that flow to us as individuals and as a society from health care.” Dr. Kitzhaber believes that the political debate on health care has shifted over the years toward making sure that no one is denied coverage. The question of value comes to the forefront as Dr. Kitzhaber analyzes the Oregon health insurance carrier benefits. Economics plays a role in all of this and with the current state of the economy ten million more Americans may lose health care coverage.

Health Insurance Looks to President Obama for Answers

Under the new administration, health care will be available to all Americans and controlled by the government. If the economy does not turn around by January, President Obama may have to put his health care promises on hold in order to take care of the economy.

He may have to cut federal health spending in order to pay for his tax cut plan for 95% of Americans leaving very little money to move around for anything else. President Obama is walking into an office full of uncertainty and has the opportunity to make some real change to America. Will he be able to keep his promises on health care or will his hands be tied behind his back by the state of the economy?  Only time will tell.

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photo credit: youngthousands

Considering all the fuss about the hole in the ozone layer, ultraviolet rays, and melanoma, you’d think sunscreen manufacturers would use accurate labels on their sunscreens to let consumers know what type of protection they can expect from the products they buy.

Last year, the Federal Drug Administration issued new regulations for sunscreen, saying that manufacturers would have to begin labeling their products with greater detail. The new system will involve a star rating for UVA protection, ranging from one star (very little protection) to four (the highest possible protection for an over-the-counter product).

When will we See the New Labels?

Unfortunately, it’s likely that consumers won’t see those new and improved labels right away, as the FDA hasn’t set a date to enact the new rules. Consumer advocates blame both the FDA and sunscreen manufacturers for the delay in implementing the rules – but are they right to do so? Perhaps.

However, cancer of the skin (melanoma) is a significant risk, and the government has stepped forward with legislation that requires cancer patients to be approved for health insurance. But we need more preventative measures to prevent future expensive medical care. Sunscreen labeling may help increase awareness of melanoma.

The FDA and You

In fact, the FDA has received more than twenty thousand comments on this issue. The agency must examine every comment before it can begin implementing the new rules, and sifting through twenty thousand comments is bound to take a significant amount of time.

Those are the rules the FDA must abide by. They agency isn’t trying to stall for time; it’s simply following the rules that keep it working effectively.

Imagine this: the FDA neglects to follow the rules—they ignore the comments and implement the new sunscreen labeling requirements. A couple of years later, there’s some kind of problem which results in products being mislabeled. Who gets blamed, then? The FDA? Government agencies tend to be held under suspicion regardless of what they do, and this case is no different.

The FDA expects to implement the rules within twelve months. In the meantime, choose sunscreen products that display their UVA and UVB ratings, and pick the one that offers the most protection.

More Research

• Find out more about cancer and health insurance at MedHealthInsurance.com
• Read up on the FDA’s new guidelines for sunscreen at the fda.gov website.

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The people you trust the most endorse Measure 50:

American Cancer Society
Oregon PTA
Oregon Medical Association
Oregon Business Association
Oregon State Fire Fighters Council
Oregon Alliance of Retired Americans
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems
Oregon Education Association
Children First for Oregon
Oregon Nurses Association
United Seniors of Oregon
Governor Ted Kulongoski
Oregon Pediatric Society
Oregon Academy of Family Physicians
Oregon AFL-CIO
Children’s Institute
March of Dimes, Greater Oregon Chapter
Medford Chamber of Commerce
United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon and SW Washington
Basic Rights Oregon
Willamette Dental Group
Kaiser Permanente
Oregon Academy of Otolaryngology – head & Neck Surgery, Inc
Oregon Academy of Ophthalmology
Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals
Social Action Committee, West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Nurse Practitioners of Oregon
Oregon Supported Living Program
Human Services Coalition of Oregon
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon
Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth-LCHAY
Portland City Club
Basic Rights Oregon
Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good
Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens
Mid-Valley IPA
The Urban League of Portland
American Lung Association of Oregon
Oregon Alliance of Children’s Program
Coalition for a Healthy Oregon
Northwest Health Foundation
UFCW 555
Pearl Buck Center
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Legacy Health System
Oregon Public Health Association
Juvenile Rights Project
American Federation of Teachers
American Association of University Women
National Council of Jewish Women, Portland Section
Community Action Partnership of Oregon
Oregon School-Based Health Care Network
SEIU, Local 503 and Local 49
Tuality Healthcare
American Jewish Committee
Oregon State Public Interest Research Group
CareOregon
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Community Health Advocates of Oregon
PeaceHealth – Oregon Region
The Oregon Rehabilitation Association
Our Oregon
Portland Habilitation Center
Save Oregon Seniors
Council for Children’s Expanded Physical Education
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Oregonians for Health Security
Women’s Rights Coalition
Albertina Kerr Centers
Lane Individual Practice Association
Upstream Public Health
Oregon Primary Care Association
Portland Business Alliance
Providence Health System
AFSCME Council 75
AFSCME, Local 328
Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids
Oregon Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Oregon Dental Association
Gray Panthers of Oregon
National Association of Social Workers – Oregon Chapter
Oregon Food Bank
Oregon Health Action Campaign
Stand for Children
Community Health Partnership
Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children

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The true face of Measure 50
The Oregonian

Confused about Measure 50?

The tobacco industry is counting on it. The makers of Camels and Marlboros have spent a staggering sum in a cynical bid to keep voters from passing the cigarette tax increase Oregon needs to provide health care for more than 100,000 uninsured children.

Cigarette makers in faraway states have jammed Oregon airwaves with a $10 million barrage of increasingly disingenuous ads. They show adult actors pretending to fume about constitutional amendments and “unsustainable government programs,” while carefully avoiding what Measure 50 is really about.

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