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House GOP discuss health care alternative
House Republican leaders took a small step on Friday toward pulling together a viable alternative to President Barack Obama’s four-year-old health care law but faced deep divisions over whether the GOP caucus can coalesce around a comprehensive proposal. Majority Leader Eric…
Health care act no more a ‘job killer’ than Social Security or Medicare
People change their behavior in response to incentives. That is what economics is all about. So no one should be surprised that when a new law makes health care more accessible, some people will change their behavior, perhaps by working…
The Issue: Year of action? Doubtful.
U.S. President Barack Obama may have declared 2014 a year of action in his State of the Union address but lawmakers last week moved quickly after returning from their recess to knock down expectations. Even Obama seems to be rethinking his ambitions, deciding…
Actress with MS helps others with same disability
A Chicago actress with multiple sclerosis is on a mission to help other artists with the same disability. It has been 23 years since Mierka Girden, 44, was diagnosed with MS. She dealt with depression and sadness but realized that she had…
The dysfunctional debate on debt
Yes, annual deficits are falling dramatically. But the long-term debt isn’t. And both are projected to resume a northward trek in a few years. But lawmakers are not talking seriously about how to put the federal budget on sounder footing for the…
New bill would tighten restrictions for duty disability
A bill proposed by Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) would dramatically alter the way the duty disability benefit program operates for public safety personnel under the Wisconsin Retirement System. Grothman said his measure would, among other things, give municipalities more control…
Functional Disability Ups Risk of Developing Diabetes
Functional decline and disability increase the risk for developing diabetes, a large observational study of adults aged over age 50 years shows. The findings, from over 22,000 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), were published online February 18 in Diabetes Care by Barbara…
Disability rights advocate to give public talk
Former Congressman Tony Coelho, primary author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, will speak March 19 in the latest installment of Wilmington University’s Speaker Series.The Americans with Disabilities Act provides regulationsand guidance for businesses, government and others for providing accommodations for people…
Social Security Smarts
I turned 62 a few months ago. As birthdays go, this one was nothing special (champagne doesn’t flow for birthdays that end in 2). But it did represent one milestone: I’m now eligible for Social Security benefits.That doesn’t mean I…
5 Excuses that Can Ruin Your Retirement
With more than half of workers reporting less than $25,000 in savings, according to 2013 data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the reality of retirement saving is unpleasant for many Americans today. Worse yet, some of these savers may…