U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor called the rates at which Tampa Bay veterans hospitals turn away sick patients "unbelievable" Thursday, and urged the man slated to take over the Department of Veterans Affairs to address the problem. Read more »

Castor is championing issues she has long favored - health care, the physician's shortage, education - and she's working with Republicans to get things done. Read more »

“Unnecessary, bureaucratic barriers to enrollment harm the health of our kids. The Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act ensures that kids across Florida and my neighbors in the Tampa Bay area have access to affordable health care and preventative care. This important investment will pay dividends down the road and reduce the strain on crowded local emergency rooms.” U.S. Representative Kathy Castor Read more »

There is no requirement for companies to quickly repay pharmacies for the cost of medications. Castor called that "disastrous for our seniors and our community pharmacists." Local pharmacists joined Castor on Wednesday. They said often 40 days pass before they are reimbursed for the cost of their medications, sending their businesses into debt. Read more »

Funding for projects in the Tampa Bay area to advance electronic medical records, cancer research and brain injury are included in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008. U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa) said in a release that the initiatives would improve basic health care for the underserved, veterans and working people in the Bay area. Read more »

Florida risks losing millions of federal dollars if state lawmakers fail to fix the state's health insurance program for poor children during next month's legislative session, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said Tuesday. Read more »

"We've got to get to work here in Florida. We've got more than 700,000 children in the state of Florida that do not have health insurance. And that means the ability to go into the doctor's office and get immunizations and checkups," explained U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor. Read more »

– U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor will introduce a bill in the U.S. Congress this week to simplify access to health care and the doctor’s office for children and tap the over $450 million of federal funds left unspent by Florida Kidcare (under the Medicaid program and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (“SCHIP”)). Read more »

Now comes U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, who is leading the charge for a $50 billion, five-year reauthorization of the federal program that pays 71 percent of the cost of caring for children whose families meet a certain income test. The state pays the rest. Read more »

NY TIMES EDITORIAL The House has acted swiftly to deal with some of the shameful conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center... worthy provisions would mandate more physicians for the system and a moratorium on outsourcing medical needs to private contractors. Read more »