Updated at 4:19 p.m. on Monday 6/3
(CNN) – In closing remarks at the White House's National Conference on Mental Health Monday, Vice President Joe Biden delivered an emotional plea to those struggling with mental illness and their families.
"Let's use this moment to send a message to tens of millions of Americans especially the young people and the parents of young people all over this country," Biden said, speaking quietly. "There is nothing, nothing to be ashamed of if you are struggling with mental issues or if your child is or your spouse or your friend. It's okay. It's okay to talk about it. It's okay to ask for help. It is okay to acknowledge that it is frightening."
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) – Several Republican senators are calling for an investigation into whether the head of Health and Human Services violated appropriations and ethics rules when she reportedly tried to raise funds for a group that is working to help put Obamacare in place.
"Major news outlets in recent weeks have reported that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is raising money from the private sector-including from health care executives-for use by a private entity, Enroll America, that is helping to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," the Republicans, who are the ranking members on several key committees, wrote the HHS inspector general on Thursday.
FULL POST
(CNN) - The House of Representatives passed a measure to repeal Obamacare entirely on Thursday - a move the GOP-led chamber has done twice already.
But the latest scandal involving the IRS, one of the key agencies charged with enforcing the health care law, is adding fuel to the political fire over the controversial new law.
FULL POST
(CNN) - The Office of the Special Counsel on Wednesday announced it was citing Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius for illegally making political comments at an official event, which is a violation of the federal Hatch Act.
The counsel found that she made the comments when delivering the keynote speech at the Human Rights Campaign Gala in February.
FULL POST
Charlotte, North Carolina (CNN) - Kathleen Sebelius ripped into Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare plan on Tuesday, telling the Ohio delegation in town for the Democratic convention that the GOP-backed proposal would mark the death of the program.
"There is no question," the Health and Human Services secretary said. "It ends Medicare as we know it."
FULL POST
(CNN) - One day after a Virginia judge ruled a key part of President Barack Obama's health care reform law was unconstitutional, two members of Obama's administration spoke out publicly defending the law.
In an op-ed piece that appeared on The Washington Post's website Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius say that insured Americans carry an unfair burden in paying for those who don't have health insurance.
FULL STORY
Washington (CNN) – The Obama administration is wasting no time beginning its implementation of the new health care legislation.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a letter Monday to the insurance industry regarding a key feature of the Democratic health care plan – the prohibition on denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. She cautioned the industry not to try to find loopholes in the new law that would ‘preserve a broken system.’
Later: Insurers agree to comply with law's intent
In an interview on CNN’s John King, USA, Sebelius explained why she sent the correspondence.
Some media reports, Sebelius said, suggested the insurance industry was looking closely at the language in the new law.
Related video: Sebelius reaches out to insurance industry
“And we just thought it was appropriate as we are in the process of developing regulations for the policy that will be the law in September of this year, to make it very clear that parents shouldn’t worry,” Sebelius said. “The law is that children with pre-existing conditions must be covered under their parent’s policies. The services that they need for those pre-existing conditions must be covered.”
FULL POST
(CNN) - In the Obama administration's push to finally get its health care proposals through Congress, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius hit the Sunday talk shows to hammer home the costs of failure.
"I think we know what doing nothing looks like, and it looks pretty scary. Fifteen thousand people a day lose their insurance, and some of those folks are being actually priced out of the marketplace," Sebelius told NBC's "Meet the Press."
Fact Check: Are 15,000 people a day losing health insurance?
(Get the facts and the bottom line after the jump)
Washington (CNN) - Health insurance premiums have skyrocketed in recent years and a new government report says the increases are likely to continue, underscoring the need for reform.
In releasing the report Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius pointed to the recent announcement by Anthem Blue Cross of California that it plans to raise individual insurance premiums up to 39 percent - a move that could affect nearly 800,000 customers - as an example of excess.
According to the report, titled "Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer: Our Broken Health Insurance System," Anthem is not the only company raising rates.
"Over the last year," Sebelius said, "America's largest insurance companies have requested premium increases of 56 percent in Michigan, 24 percent in Connecticut, 23 percent in Maine, 20 percent in Oregon, and 16
percent in Rhode Island, to name just a few states.
"Premium increases have left thousands of families that are already struggling during the economic downturn with an unpleasant choice between fewer benefits, higher premiums, or having no insurance at all. Hard-working families deserve better."
Both Maine and Connecticut rejected the premium increases requested in those states. Sebelius said some states have the authority to take a hard line against rate increases and some do not. In California, insurance companies do not need prior approval. They can put a rate increase in place and then file it with the state insurance commissioner.
Sebelius contacted Anthem Blue Cross of California, asking them to publicly justify raising rates. As a result, Anthem is delaying the rate hike for two months so that the Department of Insurance can review the request, but the company says it is in "full compliance with all requirements in the law."
FULL POST
Washington (CNN) – A man flashed bogus credentials and was permitted to reach the outer office of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius over New Year's weekend, agency officials confirmed Friday.
Sebelius was not in the building during the incident January 2, but a spokeswoman issued a written statement saying "this was a troubling incident" and acknowledged that the man was on a list of people barred from entering the building.
The man is considered an intruder and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing next week, according to documents filed at U.S. District Court in Washington.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Recent Comments