Federal news:
Trump suspends entry for migrants who will ‘financially burden the United States healthcare system’ [The Hill, 10/4/2019]
“Migrants will be considered people who will burden the system if they are not covered by approved health insurance within 30 days of entering the country unless they have enough money to ‘pay for reasonably foreseeable medical costs.'”
Trump admin shifts family planning funds from Planned Parenthood to other providers [The Hill, 9/30/2019]
“The Trump administration says it has reallocated $34 million in federal funds given up by Planned Parenthood and other providers that did not want to comply with new abortion restrictions on a federal family planning program.”
Trump Is Trying Hard To Thwart Obamacare. How’s That Going? [NPR, 10/14/2019]
Summarizes “five of the biggest changes to the federal health law under President Trump.”
CBO: Pelosi bill to lower drug prices saves Medicare $345 billion [The Hill, 10/11/2019]
“A preliminary analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) finds that the core provision of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) signature bill to lower drug prices would save Medicare $345 billion between 2023 and 2029.”
Trump executive order to focus on modernizing Medicare [Roll Call, 10/3/2019]
“An executive order President Donald Trump will sign this afternoon will focus on modernizing Medicare by increasing access to telehealth and innovative therapies, according to senior officials.”
Federal health officials propose loosening anti-kickback laws [Roll Call, 10/9/2019]
“The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled plans to loosen two anti-corruption laws for doctors, in a bid to promote new ways of delivering coordinated health care while attempting to preserve the laws’ core aim of combating fraud and abuse.”
Dismissed EPA science advisers gather in ‘unprecedented’ challenge to Trump administration [Science, 10/10/2019]
“Its 20 members, almost all of them from academia, had previously served on a comparable advisory panel for EPA, only to be summarily fired last fall by the agency’s then-acting administrator, Andrew Wheeler.” The meeting will address air quality standards for fine particulate matter, which are tied to health-related issues of the heart and lungs.
State news:
1.3% hike in Bloomington Public Library tax levy proposed [Pantagraph, 10/15/2019]
“The Bloomington Public Library again will seek a tax levy increase as it continues to face $2 million in needed repairs while awaiting a financial commitment from the city to expand at its current site.”
ALPLM gets book collection of Lincoln biographer [State Journal-Register, 10/15/2019]
Video and article about the recent acquisition.
Info on the Chicago Public Schools Strike [Chicago Teacher’s Union website]
They were offered a raise but what do the teachers really want: a full time librarian in every school for one thing!
- Chicago teachers’ strike continues, leaving about 300,000 kids in limbo [CNN, 10/17/2019]
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Chicago Teachers Union strike updates: CPS teachers continue strike as sides remain far apart on contract [Chicago Tribune, 10/18/2019]