Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2002)
May 08,2002 Page A7 Oregon Health Plan Expansion Supported ( AP) - The Legislature’s interim budget committee has approved a proposal that could lead to a size able expansion o f the Oregon Health Plan. T h e p ro p o sa l w as u n a n i mously endorsed in a phone meet ing of the Emergency Board and now goes to the federal govern ment. That’s because changes in the plan are subject to approval of federal Medicaid officials. Gov. John Kitzhaber and legis lative leaders have been arguing over details o f the plan. The go v ern o r’s office says w hile Kitzhaber does not agree with all the details, he’ll seek federal ap- proval o f the package so the plan can cover as many as 50-thosuand more low-income people. The changes would trim ben efits and raise copayment charges to patients to cover more people without added cost to the state. Up to 25-thousand more working people could qualify for govern ment subsidies to buy private health insurance offered by em ployers. And the income limit for health plan coverage would rise from 100 percent to 1 lOpercentof the federal poverty level. The current poverty level in come for a family of three is $ 15,000 a year. Sickle Cell Disease Confronted by Board Area residents can get more information, testing and counsel ing about sickle cell disease by calling the Sickle Cell Board at 503-249-1366. Sickle cell disease is a term used to characterize a group of inher ited blood disorders for which hemoglobin S is the dominant hemoglobin, afflicting pain and frequent hospitalizations to its victims. Sickle cell is found throughout the world and affects primarily Afro-Americans, but frequents A fric a n /H isp a n ic -C a rib b e a n , South American and Greek popu lations. This silent predator can cause pain as early as 4-6 months of age, but can be treated if diagnosed early. Symptoms are jaundiced eyes, sudden onset of pain in part of the body, painful swelling of the hands or feet, fever, difficulty berating, low hemoglobin and hematicrits, pallor and unwanted erection in males. Linda Hoof o f Annie M ae’s Unique Gifts and Collectibles is a local entrepreneur on a mission during Thursday's Oregon Association o f Minority Entrepreneurs tradeshow a t the Oregon Convention Center. A business incubator workshop and contractors' meeting was also held in conjunction with the event. (Entrepreneur en a cECission 4 Insurance Premium Costs Soar (A P) — H ealth care subscribers in O r egon and southw est W ashington are hav ing more trouble paying their prem ium s as insurers hike up costs to stabilize their busi ness. M ost health insurers last year increased prem ium s more steeply than the increase in payouts for m edical care. On a per-m em ber basis, the average m onthly prem ium went up 12 percent, com pared w ith an 8 percent increase in m edical spending, according to a new analysis. Benefit consultants and industry ana lysts say em ployers and health plans are looking for ways to shift m ore health costs to w orkers, hoping they will curtail their use o f services because o f the increase. “January 2003 is going to bring the m other-of-all-cost-shifting to em ployees,” predicts lan M orrison, a health care indus try consultant in M enlo Park, Calif. Nationwide, 40 percent of large companies, those with 500 or more workers, said they will require employees to pay a higher percentage o f costs this year, according to the latest survey by Mercer, the benefits consulting firm, which gathered responses last year from 2,800 large and small employers. M ore than a third o f large com panies said they w ill raise w orkers’ out-of-pocket ex penses, such as co-paym ents for doctor visits and hospital care. Advertise with diversity in (1 he j . l n r t l a u i ' i ( O h s e r iie r / Owner/Managei call 503.288.0033 < 2631 N.E. Alberta Street 4 Portland, Oregon 97211 o r em ail: ads@portlandobserver.com 4 E-Mail: lchoof@qwesl.nel Business: 503.528.2933 Cell: 503 309.4637 Fax: 503 493.1483 Im a gine this: You're p ro u d o f the children you raised. Your grandkids are talented and beautiful, too. The reality of retirement has finally arrived and it's even better than the fantasy should receive compensation as a consequence of the slave labor trade. The first suit, in which a woman filed a $ 1.4 trillion claim against Aetna, Fleet Boston, and CSX Railroad, among oth ers, says the firms profited from their ties to slave labor, including through claims on life insurance policies for slaves in their employ. Barber, a resident of Somerset, asserts that there is no time limit on justice for crimes against humanity. His lawyers say their client and up to 37 million others whose ancestors were slaves lag behind whites as a result of the earlier era of discrimination. Blacks “lag behind whites according to every social yardstick: literacy, life expect ancy, income and education,” the lawsuit said. 4 4 4 L in d a R H o o f 4 Second Slave Reparations Lawsuit Filed (AP) — An insurance company, a railroad and a bank are the latest defendants named in a lawsuit that seeks slave reparations. A New Jersey man has filed suit against the three companies asserting that they benefited from slave labor. Richard E. Barber, Jr., a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, said his ancestors lived in Tren ton, N.J., where Norfolk Southern Railroad, New York Life Insurance and private bank Brown Brothers Harriman and Company in New York all profited from their unpaid ser vice. His is the second suit in as many months arguing that descendants o f African slaves < Annie Mae’s Unique Gifts & C ollectibles ’J Ethnic Clothing, Porcelain Dolls. Figurines, and Jewelry ou have family behind you. You couldn't have done it w itho ut family b e h in d ’you. American Family Mutual Insurance. When it comes to y o u r fu tu re , over 70 years in th e insurance business is experience you can trust. W ith over six million policies in an operating area of 14 states and a consistent rating of A+ (Superior, from insurance rating authority A M . Best, we've got the kind of stability that invites you to relax. A n d isn't th a t precisely w h a t you had in mind? So, call today and talk to a helpful, friendly agent. Then dive right in. We ll be close behind you. % d e > se c o n d g s s w i l l hiost i t t h A n n u a l M othe ’e a a t M a r tin Luthl in g , Jr. E le m e n ta r y h o o l o n F rid a y , May O th i n R oom 14OD. R oses a re red V io lets a r e b lu e; ay t h i s day b r in g lov< A n d H a p p in e s s to you . AM ER IC A N FAMILY N S U R A N C E AUTO HOME BUSINESS HEALTH LIFE All Your Protection Under O ne Roof. American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries, Madison, Wl 53783*0001 www amfam.com V I 1
