Wed, May 28, 2008 (HealthDay News) — The quality of children's healthcare in America varies widely from state to state, as does their access to insurance and care and the likelihood of living long and healthy lives.
That's the conclusion of a new scorecard produced by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that seeks to promote better healthcare for all Americans.
According to the scorecard, if all states performed as well as the top few states:
• an additional 4.6 million children nationwide would have health insurance;
• 11.8 million more children would get their recommended yearly medical and dental check-ups;
• 10.9 million more children would have a "medical home" — a regular source of care;
• 1.6 million fewer children would be at risk for developmental delays;
• and nearly 800,000 more children would be up-to-date on their vaccines.
Iowa, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are the top performing states, according to the report, while Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada and Texas are at the bottom.
"States and the federal government have a very high stake in ensuring that children are healthy," Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis said during a teleconference Tuesday. "In fact, more than one-third of children in the United States receive healthcare funded by the federal government as well as the 50 states and the District of Columbia."
The report, U.S. Variations on Child Health System Performance: A State Scorecard was released Wednesday. Read more.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Complying with H1B to Change Status or Change Employers
Atty Michael Gurfinkel's Q&A:
I have an H-1B visa, valid for 3 years. Although I worked for the employer who petitioned me for a short while, I left for another job.
I have now found another employer who is willing to again petition me for an H-1B visa. Will I encounter any problems in changing employers or extending my H-1B visa if I’m no longer working for the original employer?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are not working for the employer who originally filed your H-1B petition, or were not being paid the wage called for in that petition, you will definitely encounter problems in either extending your H-1B visa or changing employers.
An H-1B visa is a temporary working visa for college graduates, who will be working in a college level job (“specialty occupation”). In addition, the H-1B visa holder can only work for the employer who petitioned them. Working for wages lower than the wage specified in the petition, or for another employer, could constitute a violation of status. Even if the H-1B visa is valid for up to 3 years, if you are not working for the petitioning employer, it is considered a violation of status, even if there is still time left on your H-1B visa. (It is like having a student visa, but no longer going to school. Although you have a visa, you are violating your visa status).
If a person has violated his or her H-1B visa, and then files for either an extension of H-1B status or for change of employer, the USCIS may ask for evidence (or proof) that the person had been in compliance with their initial H-1B visa. In fact, the USCIS put out a press release noting that the law “requires that an applicant for extension of status have maintained his or her nonimmigrant status. In situations where an H-1B worker is changing to an employer other than the one for which the initial H-1B was approved, USCIS will require that the worker changing employers demonstrate that he or she actually did perform meaningful work for the original petitioning employer under circumstances not reflective of fraudulent intent in the original petition.”
In other words, in seeking an extension of status or change of employer, the USCIS may ask for documents, such as your pay stubs, tax returns, etc. to make sure that you were actually working for the original petitioning employer at the wages specified in the petition. If you are no longer working for that employer, or being paid less than the wage, USCIS may consider that to be a violation of status, and thus you may be considered “out of status”. It doesn’t matter if you now have a new employer willing to petition you, or that you now intend to comply with your H-1B obligations.
When seeking immigration benefits, you must make sure that you are in full compliance with all the applicable rules, regulations, and requirements. If you are not playing by the rules (i.e. not working for the petitioning employer, working in a non-specialty occupation, and/or being paid less than the prevailing wage), then your case could be denied, which would only be the start of your immigration problems.
I have an H-1B visa, valid for 3 years. Although I worked for the employer who petitioned me for a short while, I left for another job.
I have now found another employer who is willing to again petition me for an H-1B visa. Will I encounter any problems in changing employers or extending my H-1B visa if I’m no longer working for the original employer?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are not working for the employer who originally filed your H-1B petition, or were not being paid the wage called for in that petition, you will definitely encounter problems in either extending your H-1B visa or changing employers.
An H-1B visa is a temporary working visa for college graduates, who will be working in a college level job (“specialty occupation”). In addition, the H-1B visa holder can only work for the employer who petitioned them. Working for wages lower than the wage specified in the petition, or for another employer, could constitute a violation of status. Even if the H-1B visa is valid for up to 3 years, if you are not working for the petitioning employer, it is considered a violation of status, even if there is still time left on your H-1B visa. (It is like having a student visa, but no longer going to school. Although you have a visa, you are violating your visa status).
If a person has violated his or her H-1B visa, and then files for either an extension of H-1B status or for change of employer, the USCIS may ask for evidence (or proof) that the person had been in compliance with their initial H-1B visa. In fact, the USCIS put out a press release noting that the law “requires that an applicant for extension of status have maintained his or her nonimmigrant status. In situations where an H-1B worker is changing to an employer other than the one for which the initial H-1B was approved, USCIS will require that the worker changing employers demonstrate that he or she actually did perform meaningful work for the original petitioning employer under circumstances not reflective of fraudulent intent in the original petition.”
In other words, in seeking an extension of status or change of employer, the USCIS may ask for documents, such as your pay stubs, tax returns, etc. to make sure that you were actually working for the original petitioning employer at the wages specified in the petition. If you are no longer working for that employer, or being paid less than the wage, USCIS may consider that to be a violation of status, and thus you may be considered “out of status”. It doesn’t matter if you now have a new employer willing to petition you, or that you now intend to comply with your H-1B obligations.
When seeking immigration benefits, you must make sure that you are in full compliance with all the applicable rules, regulations, and requirements. If you are not playing by the rules (i.e. not working for the petitioning employer, working in a non-specialty occupation, and/or being paid less than the prevailing wage), then your case could be denied, which would only be the start of your immigration problems.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Taking Care on the Road
You're a healthcare traveler because you enjoy new places, faces and experiences. But at times it's still tough to maintain a positive attitude and keep your energy level high. After all, you're always the new kid on the block who has to prove yourself, and you're far from your support network of family and friends. Lynn Blissard, an ICU nurse and veteran healthcare traveler, and John-Henry Pfifferling, an expert on the well-being of healthcare professionals, offer tips on how you can take care of yourself emotionally and physically despite the rigors of your profession.
Make Yourself Comfortable
You can't create a permanent "nest" when you're on a temporary assignment, but you can carry items or symbols with you that make you feel at home anywhere. A concrete item, like your favorite bathrobe, could address your nest-building needs while you're away from home. So could colors, tastes or smells, says Pfifferling, director of the Center for Professional Well-Being, a nonprofit educational organization devoted to promoting well-being among healthcare professionals.
Make Connections
Don't be a hermit outside of work. On one of Blissard's assignments, she made friends immediately by visiting the same coffee shop every day her first week. "Because you're in an isolating situation, you have to reach out more," Pfifferling says. Visiting a church, hooking up with your college's alumni association or meeting fellow fans of your favorite sports team will bind you with an "extended family," according to Pfifferling.
Take Advantage of Your Free Time
Don't lose sight of the reason you chose to travel. During her years as a traveler, Blissard has explored South Carolina, Arizona, California and Illinois. Your days off can also be used to cultivate your hobbies. Blissard scuba dives and takes piloting lessons.
Stay Active and Eat Right
The more fit you are, the better able you'll be to handle the stress of your job, Pfifferling says. Exercise regularly, avoid too much caffeine and eat nutritiously. Shift workers should take special care to prepare healthy meals rather than indulge in readily available junk food. Try to eat with others, as people who eat alone are more vulnerable to overeating, Pfifferling says.
Say No
It's easy for healthcare travelers to become run down from overworking. "People want you to overwork -- you don't have to go home to your family so it's expected that you can work a double or triple shift," Pfifferling says. "Be very careful. Sometimes saying 'no' means saying 'yes' to your own health." You should also have realistic expectations -- you won't always be received warmly at new facilities. You must realize that "you are a guest in someone else's home," Blissard says.
Stay in Touch
Call and email your family and friends regularly. Plan to visit or host your loved ones, even if only for a few days. The holidays could be an especially rough time for novice travelers, so plan ahead for them. Pfifferling recommends sending cards, letters and emails well in advance of the holidays, guaranteeing you'll receive more correspondence the week of the actual event. If rituals are important to you, make sure you observe them by decorating or building a shrine, for example. If all else fails to ease your loneliness on a holiday, count your blessings the way Blissard does. "It's been very easy for me to get through it," she explains. "I just think as long as I'm on this side of the critical-care bed I'm OK. What can I complain about?"
by Megan Malugani
Source: Monster.com
Make Yourself Comfortable
You can't create a permanent "nest" when you're on a temporary assignment, but you can carry items or symbols with you that make you feel at home anywhere. A concrete item, like your favorite bathrobe, could address your nest-building needs while you're away from home. So could colors, tastes or smells, says Pfifferling, director of the Center for Professional Well-Being, a nonprofit educational organization devoted to promoting well-being among healthcare professionals.
Make Connections
Don't be a hermit outside of work. On one of Blissard's assignments, she made friends immediately by visiting the same coffee shop every day her first week. "Because you're in an isolating situation, you have to reach out more," Pfifferling says. Visiting a church, hooking up with your college's alumni association or meeting fellow fans of your favorite sports team will bind you with an "extended family," according to Pfifferling.
Take Advantage of Your Free Time
Don't lose sight of the reason you chose to travel. During her years as a traveler, Blissard has explored South Carolina, Arizona, California and Illinois. Your days off can also be used to cultivate your hobbies. Blissard scuba dives and takes piloting lessons.
Stay Active and Eat Right
The more fit you are, the better able you'll be to handle the stress of your job, Pfifferling says. Exercise regularly, avoid too much caffeine and eat nutritiously. Shift workers should take special care to prepare healthy meals rather than indulge in readily available junk food. Try to eat with others, as people who eat alone are more vulnerable to overeating, Pfifferling says.
Say No
It's easy for healthcare travelers to become run down from overworking. "People want you to overwork -- you don't have to go home to your family so it's expected that you can work a double or triple shift," Pfifferling says. "Be very careful. Sometimes saying 'no' means saying 'yes' to your own health." You should also have realistic expectations -- you won't always be received warmly at new facilities. You must realize that "you are a guest in someone else's home," Blissard says.
Stay in Touch
Call and email your family and friends regularly. Plan to visit or host your loved ones, even if only for a few days. The holidays could be an especially rough time for novice travelers, so plan ahead for them. Pfifferling recommends sending cards, letters and emails well in advance of the holidays, guaranteeing you'll receive more correspondence the week of the actual event. If rituals are important to you, make sure you observe them by decorating or building a shrine, for example. If all else fails to ease your loneliness on a holiday, count your blessings the way Blissard does. "It's been very easy for me to get through it," she explains. "I just think as long as I'm on this side of the critical-care bed I'm OK. What can I complain about?"
by Megan Malugani
Source: Monster.com
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