Washblog || Health Care in The Harbor

Health Care in The Harbor

By The Country Doc
Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 06:34:21 AM PST
Section: Grays Harbor County Topic: Health

The Daily World reported this week that the Hoquiam Plywood Mill temporarily closed its doors due to the slumping housing market. The lay offs will effect 120 workers and their families for an unknown length on time during which workers will not receive any health care benefits.

"As workers wait to return to the plant, they and their families will not receive benefits." Writes Jacob Jones for The Daily World. "McFeely said the company has faced increased medical costs and cannot continue coverage through the closure, but managers are working on insurance programs."

The day after this story The New York Times` Robert Pear ran a piece about this not often addressed implication of increasing national unemployment rates. The article sites Bureau of Labor Statistics which show that for each job loss a spouse and one child also lose health insurance. All of this brings home the point of how non-sensical it is to have health care linked to employment.

"This shows why -- no matter how bad the condition of the economy -- we can't delay pursuing comprehensive health care," said Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio to The Times. "There are too many victims who are innocent of anything but working at the wrong place at the wrong time."

The Country Doc
(http://thecountrydocreport.wordpress.com)

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Health Care in The Harbor | 4 comments (4 topical)

Healthcare Has to be Front and Center

on any economic package I think.

A group of laid off workers in Chicago are sitting in the factory:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-workersoccupyfact,0,1928458.story

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/republic-windows-doors-120508.html

They don't seem to say anything about health care in the articles, but CNN interviewed the leader and he said that their health care has been canceled as of a few days ago and he has small children due for their immunizations, for example.

I am a bit frustrated as I cannot find that video on the CNN site. Is MSM trying to make sure that these kind of important details and demands are hidden?

by ktkeller on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:22:32 PM PST

* 1 none 0 *

Can State afford to pick up these hidden costs?

The laid off workers can likey look at applying for help with medical via the Basic Health program offered in WA state. Other help with food program, not likely money as they will more likely be eligible for unemployment benefits. No way to know if they would or would not be eligible for the Basic Health - that is for the benefit specialists to determine, but they should apply, and it is better than no medical at all.

I had not thought about it, except that Country Doc wrote this article, but this would be one of those 'hidden costs' that could forseeably get passed on to the State, which is already suffering shortfalls and cutbacks. Kind of creates one of those vicious circles.

'Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them? ~ Abraham Lincoln

by Lietta Ruger on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 02:16:16 PM PST

* 2 none 0 *

Basic Health being cut by Cherisse, 12/10/2008 06:12:28 PM PST (none / 0)

Oh - not good. Basic Health was back up by Lietta Ruger, 12/13/2008 09:05:33 PM PST (none / 0)

Health Care in The Harbor | 4 comments (4 topical)

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