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Health Care

Victory for nursing moms: IRS now says breastfeeding is a medical expense

February 11, 2011
Yippee! That may sound less-than-professional (and forgive me if it does), but that's the first word that came to mind when I heard the big news from the IRS today. In a reversal, the agency is now saying that breastfeeding supplies are eligible for reimbursement through flexible health spending...

Victory for Moms, Babies & Breastpumps: Good job, IRS!

February 11, 2011
Hearing the phrase, “ The IRS has reversed its decision! ” is a great way to start the day – any day. The MomsRising team celebrated this morning as we got word that the Internal Revenue Service had reversed its decision and will now let women pay for breast pumps with pre-tax money from health...
Ashley Boyd's picture

Health Care Coverage for California Kids!

February 10, 2011
Parents in California, now is the time to seek health care coverage for your children – no matter what their health status or if they’ve been previously denied coverage. Thanks to a new federal law, private health insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children due to a pre-existing...
Elisa Batista's picture

I showered every third day.

February 7, 2011
When I was pregnant with my first baby, I spent a fair amount of time daydreaming about what maternity leave would be like: Leisurely walks in the park, spending time gardening in the back yard while my baby slept peacefully in her bouncy seat, restful hours spent cuddling a smiling gurgling cooing...
Ruth Martin's picture

The Gift of Health

February 5, 2011
Two years ago this week, Congress and President Obama delivered bipartisan legislation to strengthen the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known here in California as Healthy Families. We are offering a birthday observation for the new law, and we can all celebrate the gift of health this law...
Childrens Defense Fund's picture

Making Progress Towards Covering All Uninsured Children

February 4, 2011
Today is an important day for kids and their families all across the country. On this day, we celebrate the second anniversary of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, which President Obama signed into law, making it possible for this program to continue providing health...
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius's picture

A Parent’s Decision to Empower thru Sports

February 3, 2011
Getting a child into sports and keeping them there is one of the best decisions a parent will make. While your kids do it for the fun, research on the life-long benefits of a sports experience gives parents even more motivation to schlep kids to those practices. Contrary to the “dumb jock” myth,...
Nancy Hogshead-Makar's picture

Real Family Values

February 2, 2011
By Portia Wu, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families , and Megan Renner, executive director of the United States Breastfeeding Committee . Every year roughly four million women give birth in the United States, and most of them (more than three-quarters) start out...

CA Gov. Brown Proposes Deep Cuts to Health & Human Services Programs, Includes Some New Revenues

February 1, 2011
On January 10th, Governor Jerry Brown released an 18-month proposed budget plan aimed at closing a $25.4 billion shortfall for fiscal years 2010-11 and 2011-12. The plan calls for a 5-year extension of tax increases previously approved under the Schwarzenegger Administration as well as $12.5...
Ellen Wu's picture

Stop Socializing the Downside and Privatizing the Upside

January 31, 2011
Cross-posted from New Deal 2.0 . I have been watching Clint Eastwood films lately and thinking about his role in fueling the belittlement of government. In Dirty Harry , for example, the Eastwood character is a loner who stands up to lily-livered bureaucrats who lack the cojones to do what needs to...
Joan C. Williams's picture

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