Thetimesweekly.com A report just released by the University of California Berkeley Labor Center reveals that 39 percent of construction worker families nationwide are forced to enroll in one or more safety net programs to make ends meet. That is higher than the 31 percent of all workers enrolled in such programs. The yearly cost to state and federal governments is a staggering $28 billion. Additionally, 31 percent of construction workers lack health insurance coverage, compared to 10 percent of all workers. Researchers attribute their findings to low pay, wage theft and illegal employment practices in the construction industry.
health insurance
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Business, Commentary, Community, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Featured, Health, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, The Jackson Advocate
COMMENTARY: Mississippi’s Healthcare System is Failing Amid Covid
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The question remains: Is the Mississippi health system in failure mode? Dr. Alan Jones stated in a press conference, Tuesday, August 17, “In the systems of care right now, there are, across the state, makeshift ICUs. ICU patients in hallways. ICU patients being held in ERs. Med-surge patients on high flow oxygen and more invasive devices…in terms of the state of the hospital system, we’re standing in a garage with field hospitals. I think that speaks for itself.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Economy, Featured, Financial Management, National, News, NNPA, Politics, racism
A year of COVID-19 brought record consumer debt and collection complaints
NNPA NEWSWIRE – “Systemic racism has fostered a debt collection landscape in which people of color are more likely to be contacted by collectors and more likely to be impacted by lawsuits resulting in wage garnishment and bank levies,” states CRL. “State laws differ in terms of how much money is “protected,” or is unable to be seized by a debt collector, to leave money for a family’s basic needs. Federal protection is urgently needed.”
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Business, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Economy, Featured, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire
Medical Debt: The Other Part of the Pandemic’s Fallout
NNPA NEWSWIRE – “If you’re considering bankruptcy as a solution for medical debt, you’re not alone. Unmanageable medical care debt and the hardships that often come along with it – like loss of work or reduced access to credit – can be a recipe for financial ruin,” Sarah C. Brady, a San Francisco-based financial consultant, wrote for Credit Karma.
Brady warned that filing for bankruptcy isn’t always an ideal solution.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Health, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Press Room
PRESS ROOM: AARP Analysis Finds Nearly 11 percent of Black Older Adults Lack Health Insurance
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “While the Affordable Care Act has greatly reduced the number of older adults who are uninsured, coverage has remained unaffordable for far too many people aged 50-64, including many from multicultural communities,” said Edna Kane-Williams, Chief Diversity Officer of AARP.
