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Tuesday, 09 March 2010 05:55 |
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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 03, 2010
Statement by The Press Secretary on H.R. 4691
On Tuesday, March 2, 2010 the President signed into law:
H.R. 4691, the “Temporary Extension Act of 2010,” which provides short-term extensions of several authorities, including those related to: (1) unemployment compensation; (2)COBRA premiums; (3)Medicare physician payments; (4)Medicare therapy caps; (5) surface transportation programs; (6)flood insurance programs; (7)retransmission of television broadcasts; (8)Federal poverty guidelines; and (9) Small Business Administration loan guarantees
COBRA Subsidy and UI Extension Signed Into Law
On March 2, 2010, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 4691, the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 by a vote of 78-19. This Senate action follows House passage of H.R. 4691 on February 25, 2010. The President immediately signed this bill into law on March 2, 2010.
The Temporary Extension Act:
- Extends the COBRA subsidy program that was enacted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and
- Extends unemployment benefits through April 5, 2010.
COBRA
The law’s COBRA provisions:
- Extend the eligibility period for the 15-month 65 percent premium subsidy to those involuntarily terminated from March 1 through March 31, 2010.
- Allow employees to receive the subsidy if they first lost group coverage due to a reduction in hours and then were terminated after enactment of the bill.
Unemployment Insurance
The law’s unemployment insurance benefit provisions:
- Extend the period during which individuals may file applications for Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) from the current end date of February 28, 2010 to April 5, 2010 and the period during which individuals may claim and be paid EUC is extended from July 31, 2010 to September 4, 2010.
- Extend the period during which individuals may qualify for the Federal Additional Compensation (FAC), the extra $25 weekly benefit amount on state and federal unemployment compensation, from the current end date of February 28, 2010 to April 5, 2010 with weekly payment provided during the phase out period for weeks ending October 5, 2010 instead of August 31, 2010.
- Extend the period during which 100% federal reimbursement for weeks of regular federal extended benefit payments to April 5, 2010, with the state option to continue the extended period from July 31, 2010 to September 4, 2010.
Additional Extension
These “short-term” extensions of the COBRA subsidy and unemployment benefits are intended to give Congress more time to consider legislation to extend these programs through 2010. Under H.R. 4213, a bill the Senate is currently debating, both the COBRA subsidy program and unemployment benefits would be extended through December 31, 2010. |
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Friday, 11 December 2009 23:07 |
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I want to make you aware of the Kaiser Permanente Medicare for Friends and Family program, designed to inform KP employees and physicians about our Medicare plans and provide an easy way for you to order a Medicare information kit for your Medicare-eligible* friends and family.
Why Your Participation Is So Important
This is a great opportunity for you to help your family members or friends learn about the great health care and attractive Medicare benefits that we offer at Kaiser Permanente. Spreading the word about our Medicare plans is also good for our business because our Medicare plans greatly contribute to the overall success of Kaiser Permanente.
Medicare Marketing is Underway
The Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP) runs from November 15 through December 31, and the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) runs from January 1 through March 31. This is the time of year when most Medicare-eligible individuals can enroll in a new plan.
Learn More About Our Medicare Plans
To learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare plans or request an information kit for a family member or friend, please visit kp.org/medicare/myfamily
For More Information
If you would like more information or have questions, please contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
* In general, people are eligible for Medicare if they are 65 or older or under 65 and already receiving Social Security benefits or meet criteria for certain disabilities.
Claudine Salama
National Coordinator,
Coalition of KP Unions
Workplace Safety Co-Chair
cell: 510-421-9495 |
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Monday, 03 August 2009 07:55 |
- A National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Training Network Satellite Broadcast and Web cast.
- Provides 2.5 Free CE Credits
This live satellite broadcast/web cast was broadcast on July 30, 2009. But you can take the self-paced programs for 2.5 free CE throughout the month of August on the CDC site listed below. The Web cast will provide up-to-date information on the rapidly changing field of immunization. Anticipated topics include influenza (including novel H1N1 AND seasonal influenza), rotavirus, vaccine safety and vaccine supply. One so-called "alternative" vaccine schedule and other emerging vaccine issues will also be discussed along with changes in contraindications for certain vaccines and new scheduling of dosages. There is an incredible amount of new knowledge...so get ready.
To access:
Broadcast at www2a.cdc.gov/TCEOnline
classes: WC1527 or WC1528
http://www2a.cdc.gov/phtn/webcast/immupdate2009/default.asp
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/ACIP-list.htm
There will also be community satellite feeds to different sites in Hawai'i for both morning and afternoon sessions of this update. Registration for these seminars must be made by August 14, 2009 to Lee-Ann Choy of the Hawai'i Department of Health at 808-864-9812. She will also be able to give you more information on these sites on the different islands. |
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Friday, 10 July 2009 09:11 |
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By Diane C. Peterson, on behalf of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit
Dear Colleague:
Most vaccine manufacturers are on schedule to have significant supply of
seasonal influenza vaccine for the 2009-10 vaccination season and are
currently working on the production of pandemic influenza vaccine. A
decision about administering pandemic influenza vaccine will be made
later this summer. While awaiting this decision, CDC stresses the
importance of providing pneumococcal and seasonal influenza vaccines to
all persons indicated to receive them.
To facilitate vaccination against seasonal influenza, the National
Influenza Vaccine Summit is once again producing a laminated influenza
vaccination pocket guide to assist healthcare professionals in
vaccinating patients against seasonal influenza. Other than the dates
and the insertion of the word "seasonal," the information in the
proposed 2009-10 pocket guide will be basically the same as that found
in the 2008-09 version. Therefore, healthcare providers may continue to
use the "2008-09 Influenza Vaccination Pocket Information Guide" or use
the proposed 2009-10 version. Please note that we won't be able to make
a decision about the production of a pandemic influenza pocket guide
until later this summer.
In addition, the Summit is seeking funding for the production and
distribution of a laminated "Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination
Pocket Guide" as a companion to the influenza pocket guide. CDC
continues to recommend vaccination against pneumococcal infections with
either pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) or, for children
younger than 5 years, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Indications
for use of these vaccines have not changed in response to the
circulation of the pandemic influenza virus; however, a greater risk of
community-acquired bacterial pneumonia following influenza infection has
been reported to be greater during influenza pandemics. Healthcare
providers should therefore be alerted to the importance of administering
PPSV to all people for whom it is recommended: unvaccinated people age
65 years and older, as well as younger people who are at increased risk
for pneumococcal disease.
These pocket guides are intended for use by healthcare providers only,
not by patients. Please discourage your members from ordering individual
copies from the National Influenza Vaccine Summit or the Immunization
Action Coalition as we have neither staff nor the funding to fill such
orders.
Both pocket guides will be available at no cost to your agency or
organization. To estimate the quantity of both pocket guides that we
need to print, we need you to please place your order as early as
possible but no later than July 31. If we are unable to secure funding
for the PPSV guides, we will notify you via email. To order either or
both pocket guides in quantity, go to
http://www.preventinfluenza.org/pocketguides From this page, you can
view the current drafts of full-sized images of each pocket guide. We
hope to begin shipping in August.
For up-to-date information on both seasonal and pandemic influenza,
visit the website of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit at
www.preventinfluenza.org
Diane C. Peterson, on behalf of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit
Associate Director for Immunization Projects
Immunization Action Coalition
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Monday, 09 March 2009 17:51 |
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Signals from the House of Representatives continue to point toward a reintroduction of the Protecting America's Workers Act, the package of Occupational Safety and Health Act reforms introduced in the previous two sessions of Congress, according to a congressional aide.
On Feb. 26, an aide with the House Education and Labor Committee told a Washington, D.C., gathering of safety and health lawyers and practitioners, organized by the law firm Ogletree Deakins, that the bill's reforms—increasing penalties for violations, making felony charges available for certain worker safety violations, expanding whistleblower protections for workers, and extending federal workplace safety and health protections to public sector and government employees—rank as the committee's top legislative priority. The aide said there was “general agreement that there is a problem” but no consensus on how to rectify it.
The remarks echo those of Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), chair of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, who told BNA Jan. 28 that she would reintroduce the reform legislation this year (39 OSHR 93, 2/5/09).
Points under discussion are whether the legislation should be proposed in a single bill or as separate pieces of legislation; whether felony charges should be made available for OSHA violations; and whether any action should be taken on ergonomics legislation.
Source: Excerpts by Stephen Lee condensed from a UAN H&S Bulletin |
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