That there has been an elevated level of interest in health care and health insurance across the country should come as no surprise. So it could be expected that 2008 brought an unusually large amount of legislation activity to the issues, clearly led on by public persuasion.
Health benefits occurred across the food spectrum, as dark chocolate finally got its day. It was determined that dark chocolate does contribute to better blood circulation, as well as lowering blood pressure. And in May, McDonald's decided to stop the use of oils containing trans fats in U.S. and Canada restaurants. Eating french fries won't quite be the same. And more regarding trans fats, the state of California became the first state in the nation to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants.
The year brought a lot of state level activity as well. For the second time in three years, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have provided a single payer system. Though a proponent of comprehensive health care reform, he stated that the plan would place too much of a financial burden on the state. Hawaii's Governor Linda Lingle axed the state's universal health care insurance program for children, citing budget constraints. And in Massachusetts, which already has a state subsidized health insurance program, lawmakers were forced to raise premiums. Meanwhile, Florida Governor Charlie Crist was able to pass a law for affordable insurance coverage through a new plan that stood out for its simplicity.
As the Obama transition team has been readying to take the reins of the White House, it was announced that former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle has been tapped to head the Department of Health and Human Services. During his 2008 campaign, Obama stated that health care reform would be one of his top priorities. U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy relinquished his seat on the Senate Judiciary committee in order to concentrate on getting a workable health care agenda passed. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I intend to make the most of it," he stated.
The health insurance industry agreed that so long as there is a universal health care mandate in place, they would not deny coverage to any person with pre-existing conditions. And lawmakers also passed a bill that will prohibit genetic information from being used to deny health insurance coverage. So 2008 did bring a host of new health care issues to the fore. And 2009 promises to bring even more, as the issue continues to grow in importance for Americans.
Health benefits occurred across the food spectrum, as dark chocolate finally got its day. It was determined that dark chocolate does contribute to better blood circulation, as well as lowering blood pressure. And in May, McDonald's decided to stop the use of oils containing trans fats in U.S. and Canada restaurants. Eating french fries won't quite be the same. And more regarding trans fats, the state of California became the first state in the nation to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants.
The year brought a lot of state level activity as well. For the second time in three years, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have provided a single payer system. Though a proponent of comprehensive health care reform, he stated that the plan would place too much of a financial burden on the state. Hawaii's Governor Linda Lingle axed the state's universal health care insurance program for children, citing budget constraints. And in Massachusetts, which already has a state subsidized health insurance program, lawmakers were forced to raise premiums. Meanwhile, Florida Governor Charlie Crist was able to pass a law for affordable insurance coverage through a new plan that stood out for its simplicity.
As the Obama transition team has been readying to take the reins of the White House, it was announced that former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle has been tapped to head the Department of Health and Human Services. During his 2008 campaign, Obama stated that health care reform would be one of his top priorities. U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy relinquished his seat on the Senate Judiciary committee in order to concentrate on getting a workable health care agenda passed. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I intend to make the most of it," he stated.
The health insurance industry agreed that so long as there is a universal health care mandate in place, they would not deny coverage to any person with pre-existing conditions. And lawmakers also passed a bill that will prohibit genetic information from being used to deny health insurance coverage. So 2008 did bring a host of new health care issues to the fore. And 2009 promises to bring even more, as the issue continues to grow in importance for Americans.
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