This blog is a place for journalists to discuss their experiences covering poverty. It works in tandem with onpoverty.org, a site run by Washington and Lee University's American Poverty Journalism Center.
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Failing economy influences medical debt
Higher medical debt is affecting not just the poor or uninsured. Millions of other Americans are spending more money for fewer benefits and higher co-pays, and face huge out-of-pocket costs for injuries and serious illnesses. Some consumers are so embarrassed by unpaid medical bills that they put off seeking care until their illnesses become truly serious and, ironically, more expensive to treat.
Original story
Labels: medical bills, medical debt, uninsured
Michigan shelter occupancies rise as temperatures fall
As mid-Michigan is hit with subzero temperatures, homeless shelters are reaching fire code capacity. Lansing officials continue to monitor the situation to determine whether an emergency shelter will be needed. Extreme weather conditions pose numerous problems beyond shelter, including medical treatment for frostbite or hypothermia, and unpaid bills prompt utilities to cut off services.
Original story
Labels: emergency shelters, homeless shelters, medical treatment, Michigan, weather
Rhode Island Medicaid agreement criticized as meager
Rhode Island’s congressional delegation says a plan to cap Medicaid spending at $12 billion over five years would leave an $842 million shortfall in the health care program for the elderly, poor and disabled. The cap is part of a deal reached last month between Gov. Don Carcieri and the Bush administration, which would have freed the state to use Medicaid funding in new ways.
Original story
Labels: health care, Medicaid, Rhode Island
Increase in Washington-area families seeking government health insurance
Growing unemployment and a faltering economy are pushing more families in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to apply for state health insurance for their children. Applications in September and October were up 40 percent from the previous year. Officials say that many of the people who are applying would not need the help in a stronger economy.
Original story
Labels: health insurance, unemployment
Job losses greater for men than women during recessions
Until this recession, women remained less than 49 percent of the work force, but that percentage may increase. The decline in the number of women working so far has been proportionately smaller than the decline for men. Because of the larger male job losses, women’s share of the work force has increased 0.5 percent in each of the three most recent recessions. If this recession lasts as long and is as severe as expected, women may surpass the 50 percent mark of the work force.
Original story
Labels: job losses, recession, women, work force
Rural states have country’s lowest unemployment rates
Five contiguous rural states -- Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Utah and Nebraska – have the lowest unemployment rates in the country. These states escaped some of the effects of the economic downturn by avoiding the housing boom and bust and evaded job losses in the financial sector because their lenders were cautious, some economists say. The states also continue to produce commodities that are in high demand, including crops, coal and natural gas.
Original story
Labels: Nebraska, North Dakota, rural states, South Dakota, unemployment rate, Utah, Wyoming
New unemployment in Colorado hits record high
The 25,000 new unemployment claims in Colorado for December topped the previous record of 21,000 set in October 2001. The state’s unemployment rate was up to 5.8 percent in November, 4 percent higher than a year earlier. Economists predict the rate will be 6.4 percent in 2009. Only half of the estimated 5,000 people seeking unemployment claims each day are able to get help.
Original story
Labels: Colorado, new unemployment claims, unemployment rate
Relief agencies better in face of storm
Portland relief agencies and citizens responded heroically to emergency conditions spawned by the recent storm by keeping shelters open longer and donating blankets and jackets to help the homeless. The demand was unprecedented, and despite the lack of a plan when the storm first hit, the city found beds for all who wanted them and saved dozens of lives. Still, some critics claim there was more chaos than coordination and complain that food supplies were inadequate.
Original story
Labels: emergency shelters, homeless shelters, relief agencies, storms
Jobless benefits soon to expire
The unemployment insurance system in New York and several other states will stop providing benefits this week for thousands of jobless people. According to the State Labor Department, about 50,000 New Yorkers who had been collecting checks for 11 months will stop receiving weekly payments. Congress is considering legislation that would extend the benefits program until the end of the year.
Original story
Labels: benefits extension, unemployment, unemployment benefits, unemployment insurance system
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