Health Care

Robert Shaffer BURBANK -- There's a health-care debate in the district, and it involves bills and amendments and seniors and one Republican congressman. Critics of Rep. James Rogan (R-Burbank) held a newsconference last week to protest the congressman's choice of one HMO bill over another, and charge him with misleading the public in a series of television advertisements promoting his position on health-care reform. Rogan's staff struck back, pointing out that one of the event's sponsors, Americans for Democratic Action, gave $1,000 to Rogan's opponent in an upcoming election, state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank)

Demand for health services is rising at area hospitals, a trend that is likely to continue and increase the need for workers in the industry, according to a report from the Verdugo Workforce Investment Board. Health care is the second-largest industry in Burbank and Glendale, employing about 24,000 workers at area hospitals and clinics, according to the report. The entertainment industry, which accounts for the employment of about 50,000 area workers, generates the majority of the region’s economic activity, according to the board.

Area congressmen are getting heat from lobbyists on both sides of the national debate on health-care reform as the representatives arrive back in their districts for their August recess. Rep. David Dreier, who opposes the nearly $1-trillion plan in the House of Representatives that includes a public health insurance option, is one of 25 Republicans being targeted in a national ad campaign by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which supports the House proposals. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who has said he would be hesitant to vote for a health-care-reform plan that did not include a public option, is in the crosshairs of a lobbying effort by fiscally conservative group Americans for Limited Government.

Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami (“Couple takes on Prop 8,” Feb. 6) wish to change the definition of “marriage” despite the centuries-old one in most of the world that recognized it as a legal union between a male and female. (I trust I don’t have to go through the reasons for the importance of the sexes being different in the union.) They claim that Proposition 8, meant to finally get something in law as to what this long-accepted definition was, violates the U.S. Constitution.

Gretchen Hoffman Candidates for the 27th and 29th Congressional districts and the 43rd Assembly District tackled tough questions, including health care and education, in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank. The candidates faced off in front of about 30 spectators at Burbank City Hall on Wednesday. The forum will be re-broadcast at 6 p.m. today, 1 p.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. Monday on Charter Communications Channel 6. Check www.BurbankUSA.

CITY HALL — Thousands of low-income children across the region are expected to lose health insurance coverage this year as a result of steep state budget cuts. The California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board voted last week to begin terminating coverage to more than 60,000 low-income children enrolled in Healthy Families as of Oct. 1 in order to cope with a projected $112.6-million budget gap. About 229,000 of the program’s nearly 1 million participants are Los Angeles County residents.

P residential candidate Hillary Clinton reportedly says universal health care is a moral imperative, while Rudolph Giuliani says this is just socialization of medicine and that reform should come by way of a market-based solution. What do you think? Is universal health care a moral imperative? Or should it be based on the free market?   Judaism teaches us that we all have a clear moral responsibility for one another’s welfare. This obligation to help the needy extends to the monetary, spiritual, emotional and of course, medical realms.

Lolita Harper BURBANK VILLAGE -- Partners in Care Foundation, formally Visiting Nurse Assn., has moved to a bigger and "more professional-looking office," Chief Executive Officer June Simmons said. The organization is still at 101 S. 1st St., but has moved from suite 407 to 1000. In addition to the new office space, Partners in Care received $46,000 in new equipment from local businesses who support its mission, Simmons said. Had the equipment not have been donated, it may have been awhile before the organization updated its look.

Michael A. Rembis will be the new chief executive of Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, according to an announcement from the hospital Monday. Rembis, 58, will take his new role in mid-September. He leaves his post as president and chief executive of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, where he oversaw a range of specialty programs similar to those at Providence Saint Joseph. Rembis replaces Barry Wolfman, who left the Burbank hospital earlier this year to return to his alma mater, George Washington University, where he is the medical center's top administrator.

We are in 100% agreement with the May 8 editorial “Give Gordon a chance.” It is undeniably wrong that Councilman David Gordon’s fellow council members should be allowed to treat the council office as a childish popularity game and continually vote to deny him the opportunity to represent those who twice voted him into office. This is, however, not the first time that this has happened. In the past, others such as Tim Murphy and Ted McConkey were denied the position because their council peers voted against them.

Venomous rhetoric, irrational ranting, disappearing civility, vandalism, hate outbursts and death threats — was I asleep (“Bill takes away freedoms,” March 26)? What happened? Did President Obama and Congress unilaterally initiate a new war that will go on for many years with minimal international support and with a justification that is a lie? Will thousands of American sons and daughters in the military be sent to early graves and many, many thousands more mentally and physically maimed?

Candidates for a vacant seat in the 43rd Assembly District clashed Thursday in the final forum before the Tuesday election, taking positions on tax increases, spending cuts and the Legislature’s procedure for approving a budget. The forum, televised and hosted by “The Larry Zarian Show” and co-sponsored by the Glendale News-Press, brought all four hopefuls onto a panel to answer questions that delved into each candidate’s background and stance on state issues.

The health-care-reform measure passed by the House and signed into law by President Obama this week is being challenged by religious-rights groups who claim that ?the law treats religions unequally and forces adherents to be part of a health-care system that violates their religious beliefs on abortion.? One lawsuit has been filed that claims ?that forcing individuals to participate in a health-care system that supports abortions violates their 1st Amendment right to freely follow their sincerely held religious beliefs.

Depending on the route, I pass up to three hospitals on my way home from work. Not bad for a commute that clocks in just short of seven miles. Passing by those August steel and glass buildings used to make me feel safe. Now, it just makes me sad. Just about everyone I know has had an issue of some kind or another with health care. The mother of a friend of mine got hit with a six-figure bill for end-of-life care of her husband — and they were insured. My own stepmother died in a San Diego hospital bed following supposedly uncomplicated neck surgery.

I have great respect for Herbert Molano. His letters have offered many important insights into local government. But he is incorrect in saying the Republicans in Washington are interested in controlling health-care costs (“Control expenses first before reform,” March 12). Republicans lead the way in prohibiting Medicare from negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies to lower prices. Canada’s Medicare program, which covers everyone, not just the elderly, regularly negotiates drug prices, which is why they are much lower in Canada.

Demand for health services is rising at area hospitals, a trend that is likely to continue and increase the need for workers in the industry, according to a report from the Verdugo Workforce Investment Board. Health care is the second-largest industry in Burbank and Glendale, employing about 24,000 workers at area hospitals and clinics, according to the report. The entertainment industry, which accounts for the employment of about 50,000 area workers, generates the majority of the region’s economic activity, according to the board.

MEDIA DISTRICT — Hotel and restaurant workers brought their fight from Orange County to the Walt Disney Co. headquarters in Burbank this week, staging a spirited rally and public hunger strikes to highlight a bitter two-year contract dispute over health care. The demonstrations, which lasted nearly three days and involved five fasting workers, came after eight employees of Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel and Grand Californian Hotel & Spa held a weeklong hunger strike over a company proposal to require Unite Here Local 11 members to pay for their health-care premiums.