In 2008, 6.5 percent of the U.S. population failed to obtain needed medical care due to cost at some time during the year.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Stories by FactCheck.org
August 13, 2009
For 2009, there are a reported 1,544 pharmaceutical and health products company lobbyists.
Source: Center for Responsive Politics
August 12, 2009
The Federal Employee Health Benefits program, which contracts with 111 health plans and offers 269 health plan options, covers approximately 8 million federal employees, retirees and their dependents.
Source: Office of Personnel Management
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Aug. 4-Aug. 10
This week, readers sent us comments on Canadian Shona Holmes, employer health care and Nazi symbols.
In the FactCheck Mailbag we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.
August 11, 2009
Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and the disabled, covers 46 million Americans. Medicare spending totaled $455 billion in 2008.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation
August 9, 2009
There were 2.6 million children who lived with both a grandmother and a grandfather in the U.S. in 2008.
Source: Census Bureau
August 8, 2009
There were 6.6 million children living with a grandparent in the U.S. in 2008. That’s 9 percent of all children in the country.
Source: Census Bureau
August 7, 2009
In 2007, 2.5 million grandparents were responsible for most of the basic needs of one or more of the grandchildren living with them.
Source: Census Bureau
August 6, 2009
The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game took place during the World Fair in Chicago on July 6, 1933.
Source: MLB.com
August 5, 2009
Maine Gov. John Baldacci has declared August Maine Lobster Month.
Source: Maine Lobster Council