Health Insurance

Ryan Carter Legislation that would require small business owners to provide their employees with health- insurance coverage has passed through a conference committee headed by Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Burbank) and was expected to wind up on the governor's desk Friday night. A six-member committee of legislators agreed earlier this week on the bill, which the Senate passed and the Assembly was expected to pass late Friday, the final day of the 2003 legislative session.

Laura Sturza BURBANK -- Health insurance premium hikes of up to 25%, on the horizon for city employees, probably are a precursor to rising costs for everyone else. About 790 city employees and 1,300 Burbank Unified School District employees will be affected beginning Jan. 1. Some monthly out-of-pocket expenses will climb more than 25%, based on the number of family members covered. The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)

Ryan Carter Legislation that would require small businesses to pay health insurance could be put on hold if another bill to reform California's workers' compensation system is not worked out by Friday, a local legislator said Tuesday. With just three days left before the end of the Legislature's session, a six-member conference committee led by Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Burbank) and state Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco)

Regarding Will Rogers column Sept. 20 ("Voters doomed if they cast vote for him"). I also attended the candidates forum in La Canada Flintridge on Sept. 15. It was unfortunate that the Libertarian candidate was not invited, however, his supporters were ejected from inside the auditorium because they were disrupting the meeting. Rogers failed to mention that the Libertarian supporters picketed and chanted loudly outside the auditorium throughout the entire meeting.

More Burbank residents were unemployed and without health insurance last year than in 2007 and 2009, respectively, according to 2011 census estimates released this week. Unemployment among Burbank workers reached 8.4% in 2011, up from 5.2% in 2007, highlighting the crippling effects of the economic crisis, which has cost millions of Americans their jobs and homes. But Burbank workers proved to be better off than Americans nationwide, as the national unemployment rate reached 10.3% last year, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Maya Kukes MEDIA DISTRICT NORTH -- Finding out her son was deaf was hard enough for Susan Grafman. Finding out her insurance company wouldn't pay for his hearing aids was infuriating. Grafman's 6-year-old son, Jake, was diagnosed as deaf almost four years ago. She was told by her provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield, that her policy did not cover hearing aids, which typically cost $2,500 to $5,000 per pair. Her second son, Justin, now 3, is also deaf.

Roughly a dozen activists and union members gathered outside the Burbank office of Rep. Adam Schiff's Wednesday, urging the congressman to protect federal health insurance programs, while blasting what they called the nation's “rigged tax system.” Local constituents joined event-organizer American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations to protest cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, as well as tax loopholes for...

America is facing a health-care crisis caused by a combination of skyrocketing costs and an insurance system that leaves 47 million of us without any coverage. The current health-care system is endangering both our economy and our health, and voters have made it clear that they want change. According to a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, 70% of Americans surveyed believe the health-care system needs major changes, if not a complete overhaul. Health-care reform legislation must guarantee quality, affordable health care to all U.S. residents.

If you?ve been following the scandalous actions taken by certain health insurers lately you will enjoy this story. There has been a reprehensible approach taken by several major health insurers to try to find a way out of paying the medical bills of their insured when the person insured needs it most. This is the story of Patty Bates, who was deserted by Health Net Insurance Company when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. Bates was receiving chemotherapy when she was informed that Health Net was dropping its coverage of her and was not going to pay any more of her bills.

Roughly a dozen activists and union members gathered outside the Burbank office of Rep. Adam Schiff's Wednesday, urging the congressman to protect federal health insurance programs, while blasting what they called the nation's “rigged tax system.” Local constituents joined event-organizer American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations to protest cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, as well as tax loopholes for...

More Burbank residents were unemployed and without health insurance last year than in 2007 and 2009, respectively, according to 2011 census estimates released this week. Unemployment among Burbank workers reached 8.4% in 2011, up from 5.2% in 2007, highlighting the crippling effects of the economic crisis, which has cost millions of Americans their jobs and homes. But Burbank workers proved to be better off than Americans nationwide, as the national unemployment rate reached 10.3% last year, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

There used to be a time when the only people who cared what junk-food companies did were health advocates. How I long for those days. Can we not have our artery-clogging pizzas, breaded chicken filet sandwiches and crème-filled cookies without stressing over the political or religious positions of those who serve them up to us? The latest munchies magnate to step into the food court of public scrutiny is John Schnatter, chief executive of Papa John's Pizza, and a Mitt Romney fundraiser.

Good morning, readers. Today is Wednesday, Aug. 1. It appears a search for a missing Burbank FBI agent has come to a tragic close.  Authorities on Tuesday pulled a body from an area behind St.Francis Xavier Church that they believe is that of Steven Ivens , who went missing on May 11. Ivens' wife, who led search efforts last month, did not comment on the discovery Tuesday . Burbank Leader A 29-year-old Toluca Lake man is...

CITY HALL — About one-third of Burbank’s 1,600 workers earned $100,000 or more last year — a figure that has grown steadily over the last decade, according to city records. The number of city employees paid at least $100,000, including overtime, cash benefits and cashed-out leave, totaled 543 last year. The calculation excludes the cost of pension-related benefits and some health insurance.     Read the full list here [PDF] The data obtained by The Leader show that several six-figure earners added to their base pay with overtime and “other pay,” which includes payouts for unused vacation days and cash benefits toward heath plans, professional development, uniform allowance and other perks.

In December 2003 I noticed my urine was dark red. I knew this was serious, and immediately drove to my doctor’s office. A nurse had me give a urine sample and, when she saw the red liquid, took me to a waiting room. The doctor performed a sonic bladder exam, which brought up a black-and-white image on a computer screen. He explained that the large curve was the lining of my bladder, but that the small indentation in the curve could represent a problem. He scheduled an MRI to determine the status.

Area representatives were split along party lines Saturday when they cast votes on a sweeping health-care-reform plan that was approved by the House. Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) joined the majority of Democrats in the House to vote in favor of the bill, while Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) opposed the legislation, calling it a ?divisive, unworkable, enormously expensive proposal? pushed by the majority party. The plan, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, would reduce the deficit by $109 billion during a 10-year period and insure 36 million more Americans.

On Sept. 28, the Read & Practice Peacemaking Group at Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church will be discussing Harvard divinity graduate Chris Hedges’ latest book, “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and Triumph of Spectacle.” Hedges challenges the tendency to be more interested in “Octomom” than in the health insurance reform bill, and observes that we are more likely to vote for an American idol than for a public official. He asks: Are we being lured by the overwhelming multimedia assault into retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic?

Brilliant move highlighting “Porn star karaoke night” at a local Burbank restaurant (“Their naked talent,” July 25). Thanks for featuring such an inspiring event for the young people and families of Burbank. There was actually a time in Burbank when celebrating the pornography business on the front page would have been an incredible insult to our community. Apparently not anymore. One of these days, perhaps you can tell us all what in the world you were thinking?