Your Weekly Dose of Health September 11, 2015

In the latest partisan battle over the Affordable Care Act, a judge ruled that the House of Representatives can sue the Obama Administration over its spending on the program.

Almost 10 million people have health insurance that they bought directly through federal or state health care exchanges made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

Governor Cuomo led a delegation of leaders to Puerto Rico, and announced that he will urge the federal government to provide more funding for healthcare.

Yesterday was Suicide Prevention Day.  The theme this year is “Preventing Suicide: Reaching Out and Saving Lives.”  Learn more here.

Jon Stewart will team up with first responders and survivors to lobby congress to continue the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act.  The health program is set to expire in October.

A recent studied called “life-saving” may change how doctors and cardiologists view blood pressure and set goals for lowering it.

During the month of August, 677 New Yorkers used the Partnership for Prescription Assistance’s (PPA) website or hotline to find out if they qualified for any of the 475 public and private patient assistance programs offered by the PPA. Of these 677 New Yorkers, 99% were matched with the assistance program that’s right for them, giving them access to prescription medicines for free or nearly free. Too see if you qualify for any assistance programs, visit PPARx.org or call 888 4 PPA Now.

Step therapy policy in New York requires patients to try and fail one or more, typically lower cost, medications before the insurance companies allow them to “step up” to another, more expensive medication. Click on the video below to learn more about this dangerous policy.