Your Weekly Dose of Health September 25, 2015

Speaker John Boehner, amidst the growing pressure from the far right wing of his party, has decided to resign from Congress.

In preparation for the third enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act, which starts in six weeks, the Obama administration will work to expand coverage in several major cities according to the New York Times.

According to an annual survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, employer health insurance premiums have risen by 4% this year.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand continued to push for a federal medical marijuana bill called Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect State Act.

Senator Chuck Schumer advocated this week for the DEA to create a special unit to fight the sale of synthetic marijuana.

Step therapy 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 here to learn more about this dangerous policy.

Upcoming:

The United Hospital Fund will hold its 2015 Gala on October 5^th at the Waldorf-Astoria.

The United Hospital Fund will hold its 26^th annual symposium on Health care services in New York, on October 20^th at CUNY Graduate School and University Center.

Here is the New York State Legislature’s Public Hearing Calendar.  The Senate Standing Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities meets on September 28^th.