Health Care Blog

Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden Commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted by Megan Slack on October 25, 2012 at 2:59 PM EDT

Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden speak at a Breast Cancer Awareness month reception at the Naval Observatory Residence, in Washington, D.C., October 24, 2012. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

On Wednesday evening, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden hosted a reception at the Naval Observatory commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness Month for survivors, advocates and women’s health groups.

Vice President Biden said that he and Dr. Biden have long been committed to the cause of raising awareness for breast cancer, a disease he said had taken 40,000 lives this year. He thanked the survivors at the reception for their courage, which he said gives other women with breast cancer hope.

“The thing that amazes me is those of you who are survivors how you speak up,” he said.

Every time you speak up about what you’ve been through it takes you back to having gone through it. There’s nothing easy about that. I think people underestimate what courage it takes. But I know you do understand it gives so many other women hope. It means more in my view than anything that doctors can do or say to see you guys who actually went through what they went through and survived.

He said that the progress underway in detecting and treating breast cancer is incredible, thanks to more research and our nation's stronger focus on women’s health issues. He said that 35 years ago, breast cancer was "viewed as a death warrant," but today that is not the case.

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Observing National Latino HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Posted by James Albino on October 15, 2012 at 7:50 PM EDT

Today, we observe the 10th anniversary of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. It is a day where we recognize how far we’ve come, but also how much more work there is to do fighting HIV/AIDS in the Latino community. In commemoration of today, Mayra Alvarez, Director of Public Health Policy in the Office of Health Reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, posted a blog discussing the sobering HIV/AIDS statistics and this Administration’s commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS in the Latino community.

To read Mayra’s post, please visit aids.gov.

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From the Archives: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted by Megan Slack on October 9, 2012 at 12:16 PM EDT

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time to honor those lost to the disease and recognize the importance of prevention and early detection in the fight against breast cancer.

During last year’s Breast Cancer Awareness month, Dr. Jill Biden, Jennifer Aniston and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius visited Inova Breast Care Center in Virginia to meet with breast cancer survivors and discuss the role access to care has in breast cancer prevention.

With regular screenings, breast cancer often can be found early, when the chance of successful treatment is best. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, preventive benefits like mammograms and well-woman visits are now covered with no out-of-pocket cost for 20.4 million women.

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White House Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted by Megan Slack on October 2, 2012 at 9:30 AM EDT

The North Portico exterior of the White House is illuminated pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Oct. 1, 2012 (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

The White House was illuminated pink last night to mark the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During October, President Obama wrote in a Presidential Proclamation, “we honor those we have lost, lend our strength to those who carry on the fight, and pledge to educate ourselves and our loved ones about this tragic disease.”

This month, we stand with the mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and friends who have been affected by breast cancer, and we recognize the ongoing efforts of dedicated advocates, researchers, and health care providers who strive each day to defeat this terrible disease. In memory of the loved ones we have lost and inspired by the resilience of those living with the disease, let us strengthen our resolve to lead our Nation toward a future free from cancer in all its forms.

Read the full proclamation here

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Ashley-Care: Gaining Peace of Mind by Getting Coverage Through a Parent’s Health Plan

Posted by Dori Salcido on September 20, 2012 at 11:00 AM EDT

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from Healthcare.gov.

Ashley Matthews, recent graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, considers herself very aware of what is going on the world. But she admits, “Because I am so young, health care never entered my universe.” That is, until she got into a car accident one evening. That’s when she realized she didn’t have health insurance.

As she recalls: “I’m laying on the hospital bed … my shoes were knocked off my feet, my tooth is chipped and my knee is bleeding and I thought about the fact that I had just graduated from undergrad [and] I had no health care insurance because I wasn’t on my parents’ plan and this is right before the Affordable Care Act.” Although the doctor wanted her to stay in the hospital for treatment, Ashley and her friends quickly left because she would not be able to afford the care without health insurance. “The threat of the bills was enough to send me running from the hospital,” she says.

Because of the Affordable Care Act, Ashley was later able to be added to her parents’ insurance. More than 3 million young adults have been able to gain health insurance through their parents’ health plans until they turn age 26 as a result of the new health care law. “When I found out that I could stay on my parents’ insurance, it was like a blessing,” she says.

Watch MyCare: Ashley M. in Miami, FL here.

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The Health Care Law is Saving Americans Money

Posted by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on September 11, 2012 at 12:18 PM EDT

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from Healthcare.gov.

The Affordable Care Act holds insurance companies accountable and puts more money back into the pockets of Americans across the country. According to a new report, consumers saved over $2 billion because of new rules that protect people from insurance industry abuses.

As a former Insurance Commissioner, I’m familiar with how alone consumers can feel when dealing with their insurance companies. Under the health care law, insurers are finally being held accountable to their policyholders. For the first time ever, new rate review rules in the health care law prevent insurance companies in all states from raising rates with no accountability or transparency. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have received $160 million in grants to increase their oversight of premium hikes.

Some states, like Nevada, are using the funds to better educate consumers about the resources available to them. Others – like Mississippi and South Dakota – have used the money to add new consumer protections. In these states, officials can not only review rate hikes, but can also reject those hikes that are not justified.

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