Newscast for Friday, April 30, 2010

Democrat plan for immigration reform focuses on border security
In Washington, Senate Democrats officially released their proposal to overhaul the immigration system. It's become a priority for Democrats since Arizona passed its harsh immigration law. As FSRN's Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, the plan has a prominent focus on border security.

Health care reform fixes for pre-existing conditions, high premiums to go into effect
In health care reform news, today is the deadline for states to tell Health and Human Services whether they want to run their own high-risk insurance pools or let the federal government establish a program in the state. There’s $5 billion in federal funding for the programs, which would help people with pre-existing conditions get coverage.

At a teleconference today, lawmakers and healthcare advocates looked at other aspects of the law that will soon take effect, including what’s called medical loss ratio, or how much insurance companies spend on services.

Under the law, companies must bring medical loss ratio up to 85 percent or rebate the difference to enrollees. Democratic Senator Al Franken says that’s a big jump from the previous low of 30 percent.

"Medical loss ratio is a strong way of limiting insurers profits, putting the brakes on skyrocketing premiums and reinforcing the idea that a health insurer should focus on, guess what, health care."

Meanwhile, Represenative Jan Schakowsky introduced a bill along with Senator Diane Feinstein, that would give authority to HHS to stop or change insurance rate increases that are considered unreasonable.

"Now premium increases are going to be exposed by having to post them online and requires justification for rate increases before they go into effect.”

Schakowsky pointed to the giant insurance company Wellpoint, which just posted first quarter profits of $877 million dollars, an increase over the same period last year.

Wellpoint said earlier this week that customers will no longer risk losing their coverage if they become sick, a pratice known as "rescissions." The industry-wide ban will go into effect in May.

On 35th anniversary of end to Vietnam War, toxic legacy continues
Today marks the 35 anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War but the toxic legacy of that war continues. From 1961 to 1971, the US dropped tens of thousands of liters of dioxin chemicals, known as Agent Orange, on the mountains and fields of Vietnam. This week, Activists are stepping up efforts to bring attention to the millions of people – both in the US and in Vietnam – still suffering from exposure.

Azadeh Shahshahani is co-chair of the International Committee with the National Lawyers Guild and she's part of the delegation that visited lawmakers this week to push for legislation.

Surge of participants in immigrant marches after Arizona legislation
Tens of thousands of immigrants and their allies will attend May Day events across the country tomorrow. An estimated 80 marches and rallies are taking place across in the United States, but the biggest may be in Los Angeles. Event coordinators expect to see a surge of people marching this year due to the immigrant legislation that was passed in Arizona. Dolores M. Bernal brings us this report.

Women in rural India take larger role in agriculture
May Day, or International Workers Day, will also be celebrated internationally to recognize the achievements of the labor movement and the ongoing struggle for workers rights. In honor of May Day, today we’re going to India to look at a growing women’s movement in the countryside. Nearly 60 percent of Indians depend on agriculture for their livelihood. But government investment and young workers have flowed to more lucrative industries in the country’s expanding urban centers. The result is that women are stepping in to take larger roles in villages that have been traditionally dominated by men. From Uttar Pradesh, reporter Alissa Figueroa has the story.