Washington Watch

Senate Confirms Former Nurse to Run Medicare

Posted on 05/16/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Medicare | PoliticsBy Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar of The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A former intensive care nurse with a businesslike approach to a politically divisive public policy area won Senate approval May 15 to run Medicare and other major health insurance programs. By an overwhelming 91-7 vote, the Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner to oversee Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health insurance and coverage for the uninsured under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. Together, the programs under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …

Deep Divide in Congress Over Domestic Food Aid

Posted on 05/16/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Food | PoliticsBy Mary Clare Jalonick of The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The House and Senate Agriculture Committees have laid the groundwork this week for reducing the size of the federal food stamp program, approving farm bills that would shrink the food aid and alter the way people qualify for it. The two chambers are far apart on how much the $80 billion-a-year program should be cut, however — reflecting a deep ideological and at times emotional divide on the role …

Newt Gingrich Asks: Just What Is That Thing in Your Pocket?

Posted on 05/13/2013 by | News, Culture, Sights and Sounds | Comments

Bulletin Today | TechnologyNewt Gingrich is turning his attention from outer space to your mobile phone. In a video uploaded to YouTube by the team at Gingrich Productions (no joke) just last week, the former House speaker and presidential candidate announces a contest of sorts to name that phone/camera/web-surfing thingy you carry around and to celebrate its vast potential to change the world. Smartphone? He doesn’t mention the word. Up until recently, he’s been partial to “handheld personal computer.” Or maybe he’s smart …

Gun Murders Down, But You Might Not Know It

Posted on 05/13/2013 by | Washington Watch | Comments

Bulletin TodayGun murders have plunged in the United States, and the rates are lowest for older Americans, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center. In 2010, the rate of firearm homicides was 8 per million for people 65 and older (down from 14 per million in 1993) and 23 per million for people ages 41-64 (down from 42 per million in 1993). The firearm-homicide rate for all ages was 36 per million, still a lot better than the …

Obama Wades Back into the Health Care Debate

Posted on 05/10/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin TodayBy Julie Pace, White House Correspondent, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is launching a new effort to rally the public around his hotly disputed health care law, a strategy aimed at shoring up key components of the sweeping federal overhaul and staving off yet another challenge from Republicans. The president will specifically target women and young people, groups that backed him overwhelmingly during his presidential campaigns. During a Mother’s Day-themed event at the White House on …

4 States That Snubbed Health Law Gaining Jobs From It

Posted on 05/10/2013 by | Health | Comments

Bulletin TodayBy Phil Galewitz, Senior Correspondent, Kaiser Health News Four states that have snubbed the federal health law by defaulting to the federal government to build new online insurance marketplaces and not agreeing to expand Medicaid are getting new jobs at call centers that will help consumers understand their new coverage options this fall. Up to 9,000 jobs are expected to be created at call centers to support the new federally run marketplaces. A Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said some of them …

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