Movie Showing: “Triangle Fire”

Posted by admin on 6th March 2011

Movie Showing: “Triangle Fire”
From the PBS American
Experience series, 1 hour
Commemorating the 100th
Anniversary of the Triangle
Shirtwaist Factory Fire where
148 young immigrant women
lost their lives.
The Triangle Fire forever
changed the relationship
between labor and industry in
the United States, a
relationship that is still in
question today as Americans
re-examine the balance
between the welfare of citizens
and the motivations of global
capitalism.
Date:
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Time:
6:30 pm
Where:
Rock Hill Bake House,
19 Exchange Street,
Glens Falls, New York 12801
Sponsored By the Adirondack Labor-Religion Coalition
working for social and economic justice for all

trianglefireflier

Categories: Uncategorized
3Mar

Breast Pumps Now Reimbursable Medical Supplies in HCFSA

Posted by admin on 6th March 2011

breastfeeding_momIn good news for nursing mothers, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced recently that breast pumps and lactation supplies may be deductible medical expenses. Breast pumps and supplies can also be reimbursed under flexible-spending accounts such as the PEF Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA).

The ruling is effective immediately, and expenses incurred between January 1-December 31, 2010 can be reimbursed as 2010 plan year expenses through the regular deadline of 3/15/11.

Until now, nursing mothers couldn’t use flexible-spending accounts to pay for breast pumps and other nursing supplies because the IRS said that breastfeeding didn’t have enough health benefits to qualify as medical or preventive care.

The new ruling means that families can use pretax funds from their flexible spending accounts for pumps and other supplies. Medical expenses, meanwhile, are not deductible until they exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. Breast pumps typically cost more than $200 and, along with supplies, can run as high as $1,000 in the first year of a baby’s life.

American Academy of Pediatrics president O. Marion Burton praised the IRS decision.

“The American Academy of Pediatrics hails the Internal Revenue Service ruling today that recognizes breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies as medical expenses worthy of reimbursement through flexible spending accounts,” said Dr. Burton in a statement. “Today’s IRS ruling providing favorable tax treatment for the purchase of breast pumps and breastfeeding equipment marks an important victory for the health of women and children across the country by making breastfeeding a more practical option for new and working mothers. For years, the AAP has been urging the IRS to recognize that breast milk is not just the best and most natural food for infants; it confers well-documented health benefits on both baby and mother that cannot be obtained any other way. The IRS has finally acknowledged this medical fact, and we applaud them for changing their regulations accordingly.”

Categories: Health Benefits
3Mar