Press Releases

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- March of Dimes hosted the Fourth Annual Celebration of Babies luncheon to recognize prominent individuals who are celebrating the birth of their children and who are role models for March of Dimes commitment to improve the health of babies. As part of the March of Dimes November Prematurity Awareness Month campaign, celebrities and special guests were urged to join the fight for preemies!

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091108/DC07384-a )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091108/DC07384-b )

Held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, the Celebration of Babies luncheon honored Dr. Robert Katz M.D., obstetrician to the stars, with the Golden Rattle Award for his commitment to the March of Dimes mission. The March of Dimes Community Award was presented to Donna Holloran, MSW; Allison LaTona, MFT; and Shelley Reicher-Lawrence, CPE of BABYGROUP. To view video clips from this event go to http://public.me.com/endusermod.

The event also highlighted March of Dimes Stork Club: a group of celebrities and prominent individuals who have welcomed a baby or who are expecting a baby in 2009. This year's Stork Club, sponsored by Stride Rite, includes: Actor Hank Azaria & Katie Wright, Actress Julie Bowen & Scott Phillips, Musician Howie Dorough & Leigh Dorough, Marketing Director Mitchell Davis & Clare Davis, Lucky Magazine W. Coast Bureau Chief Marlien Rentmeester & John Phelps, Actress/Producer Nicole Richie & Singer Joel Madden, Actress Nicole Sullivan & Actor Jason Packham, Producer Jennifer Todd & Actor Chris Messina. March of Dimes celebrity volunteer parents who also attended the luncheon were Julie Bowen, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Kellie Martin, Elisabeth Rohm, Nicole Sullivan, Alimi Ballard, and Sean Patrick Thomas.

More than 300 guests were greeted with a luxury boutique shopping experience, which included the finest selection of designer clothes, accessories and gifts from vendors: Homemade Baby, Mustela, Heather Moore Jewelry, Bella Inspired, Terri Michele Fragrances, Dr. Peter's Child Identity Kit, Petit Bijou by Garcelle, Tough Cookies Boutique, Baby Eggi, The Silly Wagon and Dr. Fresh. Fundraising continued with a live and silent auction where guests bid on lavish gifts and luxurious vacations donated by the event's committee volunteers. News anchor Lauren Sanchez hosted the luncheon program and auction.

Through research, education, advocacy and community programs, the March of Dimes is a champion for the health of all babies. For more than 70 years the March of Dimes has enjoyed a rich history of Hollywood celebrity support. Stars like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and many others have volunteered for March of Dimes lifesaving campaigns. Proceeds from the Los Angeles Celebration of Babies luncheon benefit March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. November is Prematurity Awareness Month, when the March of Dimes calls on everyone who cares about babies to "Fight for Preemies." Premature birth, the leading cause of newborn death, has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., affecting more than half a million babies each year. Hollywood moms and dads are joining March of Dimes to celebrate their healthy babies and raise funds to ensure all babies have a healthy start. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com/fightforpreemies or nacersano.org.

SOURCE March of Dimes

AARP Praises House Passage of Health Care Reform Bill

Critical legislation would strengthen Medicare, improve coverage for all Americans

BALTIMORE, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SUMMARY: Tonight the United States House of Representatives passed critical health care reform legislation that would strengthen Medicare for seniors and end discrimination by insurance companies that prices millions of Americans out of affordable health coverage.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) makes prescription drugs more affordable for seniors by closing the dangerous gap in Medicare drug coverage and allowing the program to negotiate lower drug prices. It adds cost-free preventive services like cancer screenings and cracks down on waste and fraud to protect and strengthen traditional Medicare benefits. In addition, the legislation provides benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities by establishing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.

For all Americans -- especially those age 50 to 64 who often struggle to find affordable insurance -- this plan strictly limits how much more insurance companies can charge based on age, and stops insurers from denying coverage based on a person's health history or gender. For those who still cannot find affordable coverage on their own, this bill offers help so they can purchase insurance.

    MARYLAND                    VOTED YES ON THE           VOTED NO ON THE
                             AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE     AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
                                FOR AMERICA ACT            FOR AMERICA ACT
    --------------------     ----------------------     ----------------------
    Kratovil, Frank                                               X
    Ruppersberger, Dutch               X
    Sarbanes, John                     X
    Edwards, Donna                     X
    Hoyer, Steny                       X
    Bartlett, Roscoe                                              X
    Cummings, Elijah                   X
    Van Hollen, Chris                  X

How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also include such things as constituency services and committee work.

"We applaud those members of the House who supported this historic legislation," said AARP Maryland Interim State Director Tiffany Lundquist. "This bill will help hundreds of thousands of older Marylanders get the health coverage they need, while strengthening Medicare for today's seniors and future generations. We look forward to working with these lawmakers to pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act this year."

"It's disappointing that some lawmakers voted against this bill and the opportunity to fix our health care system," Lundquist added. "When millions of older Americans are struggling to afford quality insurance and millions of seniors must choose between their prescriptions and other necessities, we know this legislation must move forward. We hope they will reconsider their votes when a health care bill returns to the House for final approval."

AARP notified the 111th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its nearly 40 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members.

AARP members can see how their representatives voted on health care reform by going to www.aarp.org/governmentwatch. AARP's Government Watch is a one-stop online portal that will be tracking and publicizing every designated key vote on issues facing Americans age 50-plus. A "Key Vote Summary" highlighting votes on these issues will be published at the end of each congressional session.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's nearly 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

SOURCE AARP Maryland

Health Care Vote Shows Who Sides With Working Families vs. Insurance Companies

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On the heels of an historic late night vote in the House of Representatives for a good, balanced health care reform bill, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO released its scoring of how our state's U.S. representatives voted on HR 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

The legislation, which passed Saturday evening by a vote of 220 to 215, takes America another step closer to bringing security and stability to our nation's health care system. Working families would get much needed relief from skyrocketing health care prices by being able to choose between a public option and private for-profit insurance.

Pennsylvania Congressional Health Care Scorecard

A+ /Sided with Working Families

Robert Brady (D-PA-1), Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA-3), Joe Sestak (D-PA-7), Patrick Murphy (D-PA-8), John Murtha (D-PA-12), Christopher Carney (D-PA-10), Paul Kanjorski (D-PA-11), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA-13), Mike Doyle (D-PA-14)

F-/ Sided With Insurance Companies

Jason Altmire (D-PA-4), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-5), Jim Gerlach (R-PA-6), Bill Shuster (R-PA-9), Charles Dent (R-PA-15), Joseph Pitts (R-PA-16), Tim Holden (D-PA-17), Tim Murphy (R-PA-18), Todd Platts (R-PA-19)

"This is an historic victory that moves Pennsylvania's working families one step closer to the passage of real health care reform," said William George, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. "And it was a huge test of who will stand with working families versus the moneyed special interests. While some of the Commonwealth's members passed with flying colors by standing up for the people who sent them to Washington, others failed by voting to keep the status quo. Make no mistake: Working families will remember who fulfilled the promises they were elected on and they will continue to stand with their Representatives who delivered."

The legislation would also help small businesses access quality, affordable health care with lower rates and stable pricing from year to year. And it would lessen the burden of covering the uninsured by requiring employers to provide health care for their employers or pay into a common fund.

The House bill is also financed in a responsible way -- it is fully paid for and would reduce our nation's rising deficits. Furthermore, it does not attempt to pay for health care on the backs of middle class working families by increasing taxes on the health care that families are already struggling to pay for.

Once the Senate votes on its own bill, the two bills will be reconciled into final health care reform legislation.

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

AARP Praises House Passage of Health Care Reform Bill

Critical legislation would strengthen Medicare, improve coverage for all Americans

CHICAGO, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the United States House of Representatives passed by a vote of 220-215, critical health care reform legislation that would strengthen Medicare for seniors and end discrimination by insurance companies that prices millions of Americans out of affordable health coverage.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) makes prescription drugs more affordable for seniors by closing the dangerous gap in Medicare drug coverage and allowing the program to negotiate lower drug prices. It adds cost-free preventive services like cancer screenings and cracks down on waste and fraud to protect and strengthen traditional Medicare benefits. In addition, the legislation provides benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities by establishing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.

For all Americans -- especially those age 50 to 64 who often struggle to find affordable insurance -- this plan strictly limits how much more insurance companies can charge based on age, and stops insurers from denying coverage based on a person's health history or gender. For those who still cannot find affordable coverage on their own, this bill offers help so they can purchase insurance.

ILLINOIS HOUSE MEMBERS VOTE:

    ILLINOIS                   VOTED YES ON THE            VOTED NO ON THE
                             AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE     AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
                                FOR AMERICA ACT             FOR AMERICA ACT
    ----------------------   ----------------------     ----------------------
    Bobby Rush (D)                    X
    Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D)            X
    Daniel Lipinski (D)               X
    Luis Gutierrez (D)                X
    Mike Quigley (D)                  X
    Peter Roskam (R)                                              X
    Danny Davis (D)                   X
    Melissa Bean (D)                  X
    Janice Schakowsky (D)             X
    Mark Kirk (R)                                                 X
    Debbie Halvorson (D)              X
    Jerry Costello (D)                X
    Judy Biggert (R)                                              X
    Bill Foster (D)                   X
    Timothy Johnson (R)                                           X
    Donald Manzullo (R)                                           X
    Phil Hare (D)                     X
    Aaron Schock (R)                                              X
    John Shimkus (R)                                              X

"We applaud those Illinois members of the House who supported this crucial legislation," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois Senior State Director. "This bill will help millions of older Americans get the health coverage they need, while strengthening Medicare for today's seniors and future generations. We look forward to working with these lawmakers to pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act this year."

"It's disappointing that some lawmakers voted against this bill and the opportunity to fix our health care system," Gallo added. "When millions of older Americans are struggling to afford quality insurance and millions of seniors must choose between their prescriptions and other necessities, we know this legislation must move forward. We hope they will reconsider their votes when a health care bill returns to the House for final approval."

AARP notified the 111th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its nearly 40 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members.

AARP members can see how their representatives voted on health care reform by going to www.aarp.org/governmentwatch. AARP's Government Watch is a one-stop online portal that will be tracking and publicizing every designated key vote on issues facing Americans age 50-plus. A "Key Vote Summary" highlighting votes on these issues will be published at the end of each congressional session.

SOURCE AARP Illinois

AARP Praises House Passage of Health Care Reform Bill

Critical legislation would strengthen Medicare, improve coverage for all Americans

BOISE, Idaho, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the United States House of Representatives passed critical health care reform legislation that would strengthen Medicare for seniors and end discrimination by insurance companies that prices millions of Americans out of affordable health coverage.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) makes prescription drugs more affordable for seniors by closing the dangerous gap in Medicare drug coverage and allowing the program to negotiate lower drug prices. It adds cost-free preventive services like cancer screenings and cracks down on waste and fraud to protect and strengthen traditional Medicare benefits. In addition, the legislation provides benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities by establishing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.

For all Americans -- especially those age 50 to 64 who often struggle to find affordable insurance -- this plan strictly limits how much more insurance companies can charge based on age, and stops insurers from denying coverage based on a person's health history or gender. For those who still cannot find affordable coverage on their own, this bill offers help so they can purchase insurance.

    IDAHO             VOTED YES ON THE          VOTED NO ON THE
                    AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE    AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
                       FOR AMERICA ACT           FOR AMERICA ACT
    -----         ------------------------- -------------------------

    Minnick, Walt                                     X
    Simpson, Mike                                     X

    *Did not vote
    ** How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating
    his or her legislative performance, which should also include such
    things as constituency services and committee work.

"It's disappointing that Representatives Minnick and Simpson voted against this bill and the opportunity to fix our health care system," said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho. "When millions of older Americans are struggling to afford quality insurance and millions of seniors must choose between their prescriptions and other necessities, we know this legislation must move forward. We hope they will reconsider their votes when a health care bill returns to the House for final approval."

AARP notified the 111th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its nearly 40 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members.

"When Americans understand the issues and where their lawmakers stand, they can make smart decisions," added Wordelman. "AARP will be there to give our members, as well as all Americans, the most accurate information we can."

AARP members can see how their representatives voted on health care reform by going to www.aarp.org/governmentwatch. AARP's Government Watch is a one-stop online portal that will be tracking and publicizing every designated key vote on issues facing Americans age 50-plus. A "Key Vote Summary" highlighting votes on these issues will be published at the end of each congressional session.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's nearly 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

SOURCE AARP Idaho