Andrew Chung | Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected appeals by Louisiana and Kansas seeking to end their public funding to women’s healthcare and abortion provider Planned Parenthood through the Medicaid program, with President Donald Trump’s appointee Brett Kavanaugh among the justices who rebuffed the states. The justices left intact lower court rulings that prevented Louisiana and Kansas from stripping government healthcare funding from local Planned Parenthood affiliates. The case was one of a number of disputes working their way up to the Supreme Court over the legality of state-imposed restrictions involving abortion. Three conservative

Open enrollment for health insurance in 2019 on the New York State marketplace is open. The Healthcare Education Project spoke with NY State of Health regarding key information you should know to sign up for healthcare. Q: What makes NY State of Health unique, compared to the federal healthcare exchange that many states use? NY State of Health is a one-stop shop for health insurance, both subsidized and unsubsidized. Consumers can compare many health plan options, check eligibility, apply for financial assistance, and enroll all in one place. This can be done online, in person or over the phone. NY

Securing Healthcare Funding in the State Budget HEP played a key role in securing additional healthcare funding in the New York State budget. The Secure Our Care campaign energized constituents to urge their representatives to increase healthcare funding, in response to cuts from Washington HEP and GNYHA held a series of budget forums for legislators and healthcare leaders about the importance of adequate healthcare funding in the budget. HEP joined thousands of 1199 members at their Code Blue Rally in Albany ahead of the budget. The Tax Bill Windfall profits for insurance companies, but higher premiums for consumers! HEP campaigned

The people have spoken! Here are three of the biggest takeaways on healthcare from the midterm elections last Tuesday: Healthcare really matters to voters. Twenty-six percent of voters said that healthcare was the most important issue in deciding their vote last Tuesday, making it the most important issue overall for voters this year (Associated Press). Many campaigns made specific healthcare issues central to their message. Healthcare was a key argument for many campaigns. Two issues that were highlighted were the attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and rolling back protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions. These resonated

On September 5th, a judge will hear oral arguments in a lawsuit filed by a number of states, led by Texas, arguing that the ACA should be made invalid. This is one of many attempts by the Trump Administration and the Republican majority in Congress to undermine the ACA and the protections that millions of Americans depend upon. Should the plaintiffs win the lawsuit, Americans with pre-existing conditions may lose their access to affordable healthcare, ending a critical protection offered by the ACA that, among others, would end. The ACA has been attacked on multiple fronts – from enrollment to