NEW YORK – When Congress returns from recess, repealing the Affordable Care Act could be back on the table, with some changes that critics say would cost New York billions of dollars.

Republicans in Congress have been drafting a new bill to replace the ACA, commonly known as Obamacare.

Opponents say that, like the American Health Care Act, or AHCA, that failed last month, the new bill would give tax breaks to the rich, take health care away from 24 million Americans, slash Medicaid, and raise health care costs.

Elizabeth Benjamin, co-founder of Health Care for All New York, says it would be bad for the country, and even worse for New York.

"The budgetary impact on New York state would total nearly $7 billion in the first four years alone, causing a loss of coverage, jobs and other negative impacts on New Yorkers," she points out.

Republicans say their bill would return control of health care to the states and restore the free market. But Benjamin says 2.7 million New Yorkers would lose coverage.

According to Helen Schaub, New York state director of policy and legislation for 1199 SEIU, one amendment to the bill, sponsored by two New York Republicans, would affect New York alone by withholding federal funds from the state equal to the amount of Medicaid costs the state shifts to counties.

"So it was essentially a $2.3 billion cut to Medicaid financing in the state, which we know would have very significant consequences," she explains.

Schaub adds that a study by George Washington University found New York would lose 33,000 jobs under the AHCA as health care institutions dealt with the loss of funding.

Benjamin notes that before the Affordable Care Act, there were only 19,000 people enrolled in New York's individual insurance market. With Obamacare, that increased to 360,000 and premiums dropped an average of 53 percent.

"Under their proposal, not only will those premium reductions be wiped out, we can expect to see 15 to 20 percent or more premium increases," she stresses.

On Tuesday President Donald Trump once again said repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act is a top legislative priority.


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Extreme heat kills about 700 people in the United States each year, but a new toolkit and weather alerts can protect folks in Texas and beyond.

According to an analysis by Climate Central, the annual number of risky heat days has increased in 232 U.S. locations since 1970.

Saqui Maleque Cho, president of the health and development nonprofit Americares, said the new Heat.gov pilot project will help frontline clinics and the patients they serve better prepare for and respond to climate shocks.

"For example, our hurricane resources remind patients to refill their medications before a major storm," she said. "For diabetic patients who depend on insulin, we remind them to keep icepacks and a cooler in the event of a power outage."

From 1970 to 2022, Reno, Nevada, reported the highest number of what Climate Central called "minimum-mortality temperature" days. However, three Texas cities - Austin, Houston and McAllen - were in the top ten for hottest temps.

The toolkit is available in Spanish and English at Heat.gov.

Kimberlyn Clarkson, chief advancement officer at Texas' San Jose Clinic, said doctors already are seeing health impacts to patients from high heat, including life-threatening dehydration. Those are often people, she said, who work in the agribusiness industry or construction.

"They don't have the option of not going in when it's a 99-degree day, or not reporting for work if there's some sort of inclement weather," she said. "They need the work. They don't have PTO; if they don't go to work, they don't earn income."

To create the Climate Resilience for Frontline Clinics Toolkit, said Caleb Dresser, a physician and director of Harvard University's climate program, a needs assessment was conducted of 450 physicians and clinicians to learn what would help them better respond to their patients affected by heatwaves, hurricanes, floods or wildfires.

"As we look both short-term, medium-term and long-term at what climate change is," he said, "it means greater exposure to climate-responsive hazards for a whole lot of people, all over the country."


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A new report cites a pressing need for better health-care support and better internet access for older adults in Alabama.

The United Health Foundation's 2023 Senior Report found that older Alabamans' health challenges range from inadequate internet access and health-care worker shortages to early death rates.

Despite an increase of 5% in the number of personal care and home-health-care workers between 2020 and 2021, Dr. Michael Stockman, market chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare, said the report demonstrates that many older adults aren't receiving the assistance they need.

"As we try to support people in their homes, either people who have long-term disabilities or people who are recovering from surgery and need to be at home," he said, "having that low home-healthcare worker rate presents a challenge."

Stockman said the early death rate is a major concern. The report said factors such as smoking rates, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep and multiple chronic health conditions all are high among Alabama seniors, but it also showed a rise in early death rates in other states as well, reversing longer-term improvement.

Experts have said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults also has heightened the need for community support. Stockman said Alabama ranks fairly well in that regard, promoting stronger connections and active community involvement.

"Alabama seniors have a lower prevalence of excessive drinking," he said. "There is a high level of community support expenditures within the state, and then there is a low prevalence of severe housing problems among seniors."

The report also noted significant progress nationwide in combating food insecurity among older adults, with a noticeable 6% reduction in the nationwide rate from 2019 to 2020.

Two-thirds of adults are dealing with gut issues.

A new survey from healthcare provider MDVIP found a majority of Americans aren't keeping their gut health in check and are experiencing recurrent digestive issues such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain - but very few actually seek medical care.

Chief Medical Officer with MDVIP Dr. Andrea Klemes said many in Nevada and across the country know very little about how important good gut health is.

She said gastrointestinal issues are linked to other serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and even Alzheimer's disease.

"Now, the gut has good and bad bacteria in it, and that bacteria is a balance," said Klemes. "That's what makes you have a healthy gut or an unhealthy gut. That unhealthy gut can make you have bigger disease issues like the heart attack, but also can cause symptoms like brain fog or fatigue, moodiness or even eczema or psoriasis."

Klemes said their survey found more than half of participants have used over-the-counter digestive products such as fiber supplements and laxatives.

She added that "people are looking for a magic pill," but says the best way to a have a healthier gut is through the food you eat.

She said probiotic foods such as yogurt and pickles can really go a long way. Prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, asparagus and oats feed the good bacteria.

Klemes added that most adults believe the myth that healthy people should have a bowel movement every day. She said that simply isn't true.

She said the number of times you visit the restroom in a day or week varies from person to person. She said one should understand what is "normal for you" - and when something is abnormal, she said you should visit your doctor.

Klemes said women are also more affected by digestive woes than men, with three in four experiencing symptoms a few times a month or more.

"It is interesting because women said they felt more dismissed by their doctor," said Klemes. "So it is hard, if you have a GI issue, you shouldn't suffer in silence. If your doctor doesn't take it seriously, then you need to find another doctor."

Klemes said stress, daily activity and other lifestyle habits can also have an impact on gut health. She encouraged everyone to take her group's "Gut IQ" quiz to learn more about proper gut health.




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