Health Care Reform Interesting Facts
As the debate continues to address the constitutionality of national health care, 10 facts which are a part of the reform may impact your daily life.
Take a look at these 2 and read on for more.
A few little known facts about the health care reform law:
2. More breastfeeding rooms and breaks
Many working mothers now get a more appropriate place for expressing breast milk than they had before. Employers must provide “a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.”
Nursing mothers also can take “reasonable” breaks during the workday to express milk, as frequently as the mother needs. The exception is companies with fewer than 50 employees, which can claim it’s an undue hardship.Effective date: March 23, 2010.
The law requires restaurants with 20 or more locations to list calorie content information for standard menu items.
3. Caloric reality at every major chain restaurants
Under the law, you would walk into a place like McDonald’s and see calories listed under every menu item — Big Mac (540 calories), McNuggets (10 pieces- 470 calories) and medium fries (380 calories).
The law requires restaurants with 20 or more locations to list calorie content information for standard menu items on menus and drive-through menus. Other fun facts like fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and total protein would have to be made available in writing upon request.
So far, there is mixed evidence about whether calorie postings sway nutritional choices.
The rule also extends to vending machine operators who own or operate 20 or more vending machines. The FDA issued a report in April 2011, and left out movie theaters among those establishments required to post calories. So, if implemented, you can tell how many calories your sandwich has at Subway, but you won’t be able to tell how many calories your buckets of popcorn have at the movie theater.Effective date: The FDA has not yet issued a final rule, so there is no time line on its implementation.
These are just 2 of the provisions which will be put into place