Connect with us

Featured

Rep. Moore Reveals Cancer Diagnosis and How the ACA Saved Her Life

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In a televised interview, Moore revealed her cancer diagnosis and where she believes she’d be if it weren’t for former President Barack Obama’s signature piece of legislation which allows her to afford the treatments and necessary medication to fight the deadly disease.

Published

on

Photo: U.S. Representative Gwen Moore. (Photo: Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association/flickr/cc)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore has made a strong and very personal case for lawmakers to keep the Affordable Care Act.

In a televised interview, Moore revealed her cancer diagnosis and where she believes she’d be if it weren’t for former President Barack Obama’s signature piece of legislation which allows her to afford the treatments and necessary medication to fight the deadly disease.

“If I had to pay $15,000 a month for this medicine, I’d be here writing my obituary perhaps instead of talking to you,” Moore told MSNBC in an interview this week.

She said her oral medication, Imbruvica, helps to keep her in remission.

Without the insurance coverage, she’d be on the hook for $15,000 per month.

Prior to taking Imbruvica, Moore said she had intravenous therapy twice a month at a whopping $20,000.

“The GOP is always talking about the costs of the ACA: the cost of protecting pre-existing conditions, the cost of essential health benefits, the cost of the individual mandate,” Moore said.

“But what about the value of life? The lives of your kids? Your parents? That’s the core of this debate,” she said, adding that she’s “alive today because of comprehensive insurance that covers most” of the money in medication costs per month she now needs.

First diagnosed last summer with small lymphocytic lymphoma – a non-Hodgkin lymphoma where the cancer originates in the lymphatic system – Moore said the disease is manageable because she caught it early and she takes her medicine every day.

After her MSNBC appearance, Moore spoke before the House Ways and Means Committee in which members held a hearing on protecting those with pre-existing conditions – a major component of the Affordable Care Act which President Donald Trump and most Republicans have fought against.

Moore and other Democrats, who’ve now taken control of the House, have said they want to reverse the GOP’s decision to take away the individual mandate in the health care law.

A decision late last year by a Texas judge who ruled the individual mandate unconstitutional, is currently being appealed and Moore said she hopes Congress will act to protect the law.

In their attempt to maintain the law that’s commonly known as Obamacare, Democrats have also pushed a “Medicare-for-all” proposal that NPR noted has gained in popularity.

Several Democratic presidential hopefuls are getting behind the idea, according to NPR which cited California Sen. Kamala Harris who said her aim would be to eliminate all private insurance.

“Who of us has not had that situation, where you’ve got to wait for approval and the doctor says, well, ‘I don’t know if your insurance company is going to cover this,’” Harris said during a CNN Town Hall event. “Let’s eliminate all of that. Let’s move on,” she said.

Harris was a co-sponsor of a 2017 bill written by Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vermont), that would have created a national, single-payer health system, eliminating the private insurance system.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., both presidential hopefuls, also co-sponsored the Sanders Bill, according to NPR.

Everyone would get a Medicare card and doctors would have to sign annual agreements to participate.

For Moore, that would be ideal, particularly for those who suffer with life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

“The mere suggestion that it could be cancer was anathema to me because nobody ever wants to hear the C-word,” Moore said.

“All of the while that I was going through the diagnosis and the care that I was getting, I thought about the number of people that I knew who die needlessly from cancer because they didn’t get early diagnosis.”

Moore continued:

“It’s our job as legislators to ensure that no American has to choose between seeking treatment & providing for their families.

“I personally know people who marched into the emergency room two weeks before they died because they didn’t have health insurance. I am just a grain of sand on a beach.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Comments

Featured

Obama Urges Democrats to make AI a Priority

Obama calls for Democrats to prioritize AI. Tune into Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the full breakdown.

Published

on

Obama speaks at BlackPressUSATV urging Democrats to prioritize AI development and regulation.

This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Mr. Mo’Kelly as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

Continue Reading

Featured

Obama Urges Democrats to make AI a Priority 📱

Obama is calling on Democrats to prioritize AI. Tune into Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the full breakdown of this and other crucial headlines impacting the Black community.

Published

on

This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Mr. Mo’Kelly as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

Continue Reading

Featured

Spades the Play – Marcus Callender

Tune in today at 4 PM for an inside look at Spades the Play! Discussing theater, culture, and community with creator Marcus Callender.

Published

on

Marcus Callender performs in Spades the Play, presented by Washington Informer

🔥 DON’T MISS IT! TODAY AT 4 P.M.! 🔥
Get ready for a lively conversation about theater, culture, friendship and community!
Jada Ingleton, Content Editor for The Washington Informer, sits down with Marcus Callendar, creator of Spades the Play, for an inside look at the inspiration, storytelling and creative vision behind this exciting stage production.
🃏 What inspired Spades the Play?
🎭 What stories are being brought to the stage?
🔥 And what can audiences expect?
Tune in TODAY at 4:00 P.M. on WIN-TV!
📲 Watch, share and enjoy the conversation!
The Washington Informer | WIN-TV
Community. Culture. Conversation. Connection.

Continue Reading

Black Press

OP-ED: How Does Your State Rank for Pre-K?

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”

Published

on

Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA.
Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA.

Georgia’s state-funded pre-k program for 4-year-olds was recently recognized as the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation to meet all 10 quality benchmarks, and the first universal program to do so. Georgia’s recognition is the top finding in the National Institute for Early Education Research’s new 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook. The yearbook provides an annual snapshot of state-funded preschool across the country. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia fund preschool programs.

Only five additional states meet all 10 of NIEER’s research-based benchmarks for quality —Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island—in this year’s report. None of those programs have the reach of Georgia Pre-K. NIEER’s benchmarks measure essential preschool quality indicators, including teacher qualifications, class sizes, early learning standards, and program assessments.

“Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”

Nationally, state support for preschool education hit record highs in enrollment and funding in 2024-2025. The pace of growth slowed, however, compared to the prior year, and many states continue to lag behind pre-pandemic enrollment levels. Preschool enrollment increased by 44,000 children nationally, reaching almost 1.8 million, including 37% of U.S. four-year-olds and 9% of three-year-olds. California, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri contributed the most to increased enrollment, adding more than 52,000 new seats.

States spent nearly $14.4 billion on preschool in 2024-2025. Including federal and local dollars, total spending was almost $17.7 billion. Three states each spent more than $1 billion last year: California ($4.1 billion), New Jersey ($1.2 billion), and New York ($1 billion). Together, these three states account for 45% of all state preschool spending. Texas adds almost another $1 billion.

Spending increased by $434 million, or 3%, adjusted for inflation. Twenty-eight states increased preschool funding, including Michigan and New Jersey, which each added more than $100 million. “Not only does preschool access vary by which state a child happens to live in, but so does the quality of that preschool experience,” said Allison Friedman-Krauss, lead author of the report. “Only high-quality early care and education programs support children’s development enough to result in lasting academic and other gains that ultimately deliver savings for taxpayers.”

A record six states met all 10 of NIEER’s recommended quality standards, with Alabama doing so for the 20th consecutive year. Georgia joined this list this year after improving its teacher-to-child ratio from 1:11 to 1:10 and lowering maximum class sizes to 20. Several states met 9 of 10 benchmarks, including New Mexico, which is working toward universal access for both three- and four-year-olds. Once New Mexico requires all lead teachers to have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, it will be on par with Georgia in terms of both quality and quantity.

Not all states moved forward. Twenty states enrolled fewer preschoolers in 2024-2025 than the prior year, with enrollment dropping by more than 1,000 children in Arizona, Florida, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. Seventeen states spent less on preschool than the prior year, adjusted for inflation, with Arizona, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas seeing the largest percentage declines. Additional information about the State of Preschool Yearbook, including individual state profiles and maps, graphs, and state rankings, can be found at www.nieer.org.

Continue Reading

Featured

Headlines and Hot Topics

Join Niele Anderson and Rodney Perry on Black Press USA’s Morning Show as they dissect trending headlines in politics, culture, and the Black community. Get the context and conversation behind the news.

Published

on

BlackPressUSA TV discusses current headlines and hot topics.

This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Rodney Perry as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

Continue Reading

Featured

Headlines and Hot Topics 📱

Niele Anderson and Rodney Perry break down the day’s hottest topics in politics, culture, and the Black community. Tune into Black Press USA’s Morning Show for essential news and conversation.

Published

on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbEpYmuEhFw

This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Rodney Perry as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

Continue Reading

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NEWS UPDATES IN YOUR INBOX

Subscribe

* indicates required

Like BlackPressUSA on Facebook

Advertisement

Advertise on BlackPressUSA

advertise with blackpressusa.com

Latest News