Wisconsin's new BadgerCare Plus insurance program is an affordable way for uninsured families to get health care for their children, officials said Thursday.Today is the first day for people to enroll in BadgerCare Plus, which state Rep. Jennifer Shilling said will help extend health insurance to 98 percent of Wisconsin residents. .

House Subcommittee Holds Hearing To Review Efforts To Expand SCHIP In ...

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on Tuesday held a hearing to review efforts in 2007 to pass legislation to reauthorize and expand SCHIP, CQ Today reports.

During the hearing, witnesses said that the number of uninsured children will increase because of the current economic recession and the inability of Congress to expand public health insurance programs or prevent changes to programs by President Bush. Cindy Mann, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, said that the number of uninsured children increases by about 2,000 daily and that the "weakening economy will inevitably push these numbers upward unless action is taken by Congress to put the nation back on track."

In addition, Dennis Smith, Medicaid director at CMS, during the hearing defended an Aug.

Obama Hits Below the Belt in New Ad

While I've been critical of Barack Obama, especially there being so little substance behind his hope-and-change message, I've been far more critical of Hillary Clinton.

The Obama ads claim that everyone will be forced to buy insurance under the Clinton plan even if they can't afford it, which is plain old fear mongering since her plan offers subsidies to lower-income families and Obama himself has conceded that under his own plan people who don't buy insurance might have to be penalized.

Extra! UIdaho Student Found Shot to Death

How many in our county are paid $30.00 to $45.00 or more an hour, including benefits? A number of them are two teacher families, and have an RV and boat parked in their driveway. The IEA is a UNION!
While, there are many dedicated, excellent teachers, a lot only look at the bottom line, and are able to hold our children hostage until they get more salary and benefits.

Arpie: I just got out my December 06 pay stub so I could tell you what last year looked like. At age 48, having taught since 1981, my gross pay was a little less than $46,000 last year. Subtract from that $7,000 in taxes, including social security: $6,000 for my familys health insurance, and $3,000 for my half of my retirement, and the total dwindles quickly as it does for anyone that is trying to support a family.

Perry Brown: Sali's vote shows lack of compassion for uninsured ...

Congress recently once again failed to stand up for children. On Jan. 23, U.S. Rep. Bill Sali joined with 151 other U.S. representatives to uphold President Bush's veto of legislation that would have provided health care coverage for millions of children across the United States, including 12,479 children in our own state (2005 census), who have no health insurance at all. For these million-plus families across the United States, the new year doesn't bring new opportunities. For them, 2008 is beginning to look a lot like 2007. Sali's vote to uphold the veto, means these families - our neighbors, our children's friends - will continue to hope daily that their children won't become ill or get injured, and that even a minor illness won't spiral their family into financial disaster.Just today, I cared for an uninsured child whose family could not afford asthma medications that cost $100 per month; as a result of not having these medications, the child is now hospitalized, at the cost of several thousand dollars.

Scientists, artists and artistes head the field in the New Years ...

Griffiths, now 60, was born in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, and grew up caring for his deaf mute parents.OBE for top film producerIAIN Smith, the Scottish film producer behind such movies as The Fifth Element and Seven Years in Tibet, which starred Brad Pitt, was appointed an OBE for his services to film.Born in Glasgow, and educated in film technique in London, Smith, 58, began his career working with the late Bill Douglas on My Childhood, before going on to work with David Puttnam and Hugh Hudson on Chariots of Fire.He acted as line producer on Local Hero, The Killing Fields and The Mission before then going on to produce Entrapment, starring Sean Connery and Alexander starring Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie.Mr Smith is a board member of the UK Film Council as well as Scottish Screen and was recently appointed to the board of Creative Scotland.He is currently producing a film called Wanted for Universal Pictures.Kylie tells of her joy and surpriseKYLIE Minogue's battle against breast cancer inspired millions around the world and her return to the music scene was met with delight by her army of fans.Now the Australian pop princess's achievements have also been recognised by the Queen with an OBE.Minogue was among an A-list cast of stars of stage and screen to be honoured in this year's New Year Honours list.Others include chat-show supremo Michael Parkinson, actress Julie Walters and sports commentator Des Lynam.Speaking from Australia, where she has been spending Christmas with her family, Minogue, 39, said: "I am almost as surprised as I am honoured to be awarded an OBE."I feel deeply touched to be acknowledged by the UK, my adopted home, in this way."This last year I have felt so much love and support from everyone as I took greater steps back into the public domain, and it is with absolute gratitude and joy that I say farewell to 2007 and look forward to what the New Year will bring."Minogue's OBE for services to music seals her reputation as one of pop's most enduring icons after she first hit No 1 in the charts with I Should Be So Lucky almost 20 years ago.In 2005, fans were shocked by the news that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.