WASHINGTON – July 31 – NOW is outraged to learn that the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed an amendment excluding abortion services from the “essential” health benefits package as defined by the government. Under this amendment, subsidies used to help pay insurance premiums for low-income people could not be used for abortion services. The [...]
Congress Looks to Lift Two-Decade Ban on Federal Needle Exchange Funds
July 31, 2009 — adminThe Washington Independent
By Mike Lillis
When the House of Representatives last week passed legislation lifting a 21-year-old prohibition on federal funding for needle exchange programs, some ban critics cheered the move as a long step toward curbing the spread of blood-borne diseases like HIV. Yet the proposal moving through Congress, according to many health and human [...]
Italy ok’s abortion pill despite church opposition
July 31, 2009 — admin
By Stephen Brown
Reuters
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s drug regulation agency has authorized the use of the abortion pill despite protests from the Roman Catholic church which threatens to excommunicate doctors who prescribe the drug and patients who use it.
The Italian Pharmaceuticals Agency (AIFA) announced its decision late on Thursday after a long meeting during which [...]
Twitter Updates for 2009-07-30
July 30, 2009 — adminReading: Schwarzenegger signs budget, makes major cuts to programs
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_12932155 via @addthis #
Reading: Schwarzenegger signs …
July 30, 2009 — adminReading: Schwarzenegger signs budget, makes major cuts to programs
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_12932155 via @addthis
Weekly Pulse: Healthcare Bill Poised to Suck
July 30, 2009 — admincommunity.feministing.com
The Senate Finance Committee is reportedly very close to finishing its healthcare legislation. But as the bill’s details leak, anticipation is quickly turning to dejection in progressive healthcare circles. Early word has it that the almost finished a bill includes no public option, no employer mandate, and no insurance exchange. Steve Benen of the Washington [...]
Abortions Surge in China; Officials Cite Poor Sex Education
July 30, 2009 — adminThe New York Times
By MARK McDONALD
HONG KONG — More than 13 million abortions are performed each year in China, according to statistics disclosed by Chinese health officials on Thursday, a marked increase from 2003, the most recent statistics available.
When unreported and medication-induced abortions are counted, the actual number is substantially higher, according to physicians and [...]
The Best Birth Control
July 30, 2009 — adminWhy more young women should start using IUDs.
Slate.com
By Kate Klonick
IUD
Ask an American woman in her 20s or 30s to define an IUD, and she might tell you about a roadside bomb instead of one of the oldest forms of FDA-approved contraception. PRINT DISCUSS E-MAIL RSS RECOMMEND… SINGLE PAGE Yahoo! Buzz FacebookMySpace Mixx Digg Reddit del.icio.us [...]
Twitter Updates for 2009-07-29
July 29, 2009 — adminPlease join Tapestry Health's cause on Facebook. Click this link to join http://bit.ly/10G7I5 #
Reading: Teen pregnancy and disease rates rose sharply during Bush years, agency finds http://bit.ly/3Zo4bV #
Please join Tapestry Health’s …
July 29, 2009 — adminPlease join Tapestry Health’s cause on Facebook. Click this link to join http://bit.ly/10G7I5
Reading: Teen pregnancy and di…
July 29, 2009 — adminReading: Teen pregnancy and disease rates rose sharply during Bush years, agency finds http://bit.ly/3Zo4bV
Senate Fiscal Year 2010 Spending Bill Excludes Abstinence-Only Education Funding, Needle Exchange Language
July 29, 2009 — adminThe Senate Appropriations Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday approved by voice vote its fiscal year 2010 spending bill draft, which excludes funding for abstinence-only sex education programs and, unlike the House bill, does not include language lifting the ban on the use of federal funding for needle exchange programs, CQ Today [...]
HOUSE PLANS TO PUT $80 MILLION BACK INTO BUDGET
July 29, 2009 — adminIn addition to $40 million for immigrant health care funding, the House on
Wednesday afternoon will consider a supplemental budget that restores $40
million in funds for programs vetoed by Gov. Deval Patrick in the fiscal
2010 budget. The restorations include about $1.5 million for the
Legislature itself. The expected restorations come even as revenue
collections continue to fall short [...]
Helping gay teens to be themselves
July 29, 2009 — adminJamie Kelly with his sister Lesleyanne and parents Vera and Michael: "Jamie being gay wasn't ever an issue. The only issue I think most parents would have from the outset is how are other people going to deal with your child? Would other people be homophobic? Could people be cruel?"
Irish Times
PARENTING: THE KELLY family had just [...]
What’s it like being a gay Muslim?
July 29, 2009 — adminThe Guardian
By Homa Khaleeli
EastEnders’ current romantic storyline featuring a gay Muslim character has caused a stir. But what is it really like to be gay within Britain’s Muslim communities?
Simmering passion: EastEnders characters Christian Clarke and Syed Masoor get physical. Photograph: BBC
Pav Akhtar is not usually a fan of soaps. But the 30-year-old local councillor and [...]