Articles tagged as

Healthcare

“Silent Majority No More” anti-propaganda rally at WMUR tonight at 9 PM!

This evening, ABC will be airing an “infomercial” for Obama to sell us his Nationalized Health Care Plan. They have billed this as a “Conversation on Healthcare” and yet they are not allowing the other side of the “conversation” to be heard. Just like the Russian Government run news organization TASS, ABC is becoming a … Read more

Feds funding COBRAs. No, Carroll Shelby’s NOT in on the automakers’ bailout…

I got an email this week from the person that handles some of the benefit package offered by our company regarding changes to employee health insurance thanks to the recently passed bailout stimulus recovery law. Now if you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what health insurance has to do with economic recovery. Well, apparently, plenty. What’s also incredible is the fact that, despite the bill having been debated and discussed by Congress, nearly a month since its passage, people are STILL analyzing it to gauge its full meaning and what it requires. Of course, the fact that the federal government is going to basically go on the hook for 65 percent of the premium costs for every laid-off employee eligible to recieive health insurance continuation (COBRA) benefits is also of note as well.

Ray has given me permission to share this information with ‘Grok readers. I am including the email as written so that you can get the flavor of what just one little facet of a 1,000 page law can do. Can you imagine what all these "little" pieces must add up to in manhours and costs of analysis, forms creation, communication, and administration? What if all such manhours had been spent on something actually PRODUCTIVE instead of simply trying to comply with the law?

To My Valued Clients,

I am sending this e-mail to you, to discuss briefly what I know about the recent law changes that affect your group insurance. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The law, in its final form, exceeds 1,000 pages length. Part of the law provides a subsidy for COBRA benefits.

COBRA Subsidy

Eligible workers will receive a 65% subsidy toward their COBRA continuation premium for up to 9 months.  The subsidy will begin March 1st and will be administered by the Treasury Department as a credit against payroll taxes.  The subsidy will terminate the date the individual becomes eligible for any new employer-sponsored health care coverage or Medicare.  The subsidy is also available for state provided comparable continuation coverage.

Eligible Individuals

An assistance eligible individual must meet the following qualifications:

 

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Guest Post: Only one question need be asked of homosexual behavior…

gay men

Warning: Some of the supportive material in the following post is somewhat graphic, and definitely not for small children. Let this be a note of caution as to what medical conditions we’ll be enabling subsidizing paying for should we adopt universal healthcare as a nation… (although we probably already pay for much of it, now that I think about it Frown)

“A Logical Medical Choice”

by Donna Garner

Should our country be moving as fast as we can to encourage homosexual behavior?  Why or why not? Some states seem to want same-sex marriage and are passing all kinds of laws that will encourage even more people to participate in homosexual activities. The debate rages on.

However, there is one way to settle the whole issue by answering a single question.

What are the medical consequences of homosexual behavior? 

Our society uses that same standard to make decisions about whether it is healthy to smoke, use drugs, take steroids, eat high-cholesterol foods, or saturate meals with sugars and fats. Why not use that same medical standard as a tool by which to decide whether our nation should encourage or discourage homosexual behavior?   

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released its latest data last week:  HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, Volume 18: Cases of HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2006.

Only one logical conclusion could possibly be drawn from CDC’s report: 

HIV/AIDS is still largely transmitted through the CHOSEN behaviors of male-to-male sex and/or drug use.  These diseases are not caught from casual contact but are primarily spread by people who are making very bad choices that are sure to produce negative consequences not only for them but for  society as a whole.

Hey, don’t shoot the messenger! Here are the facts:

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“Live Free or Die” state or the nanny state? Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

John Sark..nanny
          John Stark: Live Free or Die!         NH Dems & RINO Republicans: We’re all gonna die!
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Every once and a while, you’ll hear somebody say that some particular movement or other to ban something somewhere in America "would never fly here in the Live Free or Die State." I’m almost positive one of the newsreaders on WMUR stated just that earlier this week in commenting on the story of lawmakers in Mississippi putting forth a bill banning obese people from restaurants in that state. And of course, when you learn the details, you can’t help but agree. "It could never happen here!" Check out the language in the Mississippi bill, as provided by a USA Today story:
House Bill No. 282, which was introduced this month, says: Any food establishment to which this section applies shall not be allowed to serve food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health after consultation with the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management established under Section 41-101-1 or its successor. The State Department of Health shall prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese, and shall provide those materials to all food establishments to which this section applies. A food establishment shall be entitled to rely on the criteria for obesity in those written materials when determining whether or not it is allowed to serve food to any person.
The penalty? Again from USA Today:
The proposal would allow health inspectors to yank the permit from any restaurant that "repeatedly" feeds extremely overweight customers.
"Yeah, but Doug, the wags are right. That wouldn’t fly here in NH!" Really? Are you sure about that? What about when we consider the rise of walk-in medical care centers across America? While it’s not throwing fat people out of restaurants, NH isn’t exactly ready to welcome the latest innovation in personal health into our state without the state regulators’ stamp of approval, either. While you might think that opening a business in the "Live Free or Die" state would be easy, think again…

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MAKING MONEY??!! In the Cradle of Liberty? Whaddayuhnuts?

… . . When we debate the health care "crisis" we tend to miss what the real battle involves. To me it’s clear: we are caught in a tug-of-war between our free market (capitalist) system and socialism. The private sector in which people "profit"– which is then split between the earner keeping the fruits of … Read more

Attention WalMart Shoppers: The Doctor is IN.

Redi Clinic
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In prior postings on the subject, I noted that the delivery of health care services in my local region is controlled in total by a single monopoly. I wrote
…the local "non profit" health-delivery institution is, for all intents and purposes, a monopoly. Through the years, they have worked all the machinations of government regulations to stifle any and all competition that has attempted to make its mark in the area. They have now either driven from business or purchased any effectively competing health-care delivery service that would bring any alternative choices to the area. With no market forces working against the costs, they rise exponentially.
When a person has catastrophic insurance to cover "the big stuff", it’s "pay as you go" for the sore throats and other various "minor" medical needs– coming straight from the wallet. That describes many people I know. Dittoes for those with huge deductibles on their insurance policies. When paying out of pocket, it goes without saying that whatever is saved for the health care service is money left for food and other life needs.
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No one will deny that when Wal Mart showed up on the scene, people were able to spend less money for life’s necessities like toilet paper and food storage containers. This left more to spend on other things, thus increasing the standard of living for consumers of all stripes. Wouldn’t it be good if, instead of being left at the mercy of a monopolistic system with no incentive to control costs to the consumer, somebody like a Wal Mart could offer low-cost alternatives for some of the more mundane medical matters of life?
Guess what? The time is now. Ever hear of something call RediClinic? If you haven’t, you will, I hope. Check this out, from the RediClinic website:

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But I thought they NEVER did anything good…

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Even though there are millions of people here in the US that are able to live quality lives thanks to the many breakthrough medicines provided by the nation’s pharmaceutical companies, most of the time when we hear about them is when they are being railed against by some politician or special interest group. These "evil" drug companies offer nothing but pain and misery, if the detractors are to be believed. Never mind that, thanks to the free market system we enjoy in America, companies constantly strive to bring ever-improved products to market that make life better as time moves on, benefiting everybody. Nothing motivates like the profit incentive. "No," say those sworn to attack the industry’s players, "that would be greed." As a believer in the American system, this type of attitude offends me. Are there bad people? Of course. Bad companies? Of course. To paint an entire industry that provides many of the things people WANT as bad, whether the drug companies, oil & gas, or Wal Mart, is not right.
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The good news is that despite the naysayers, there are people, companies, and entire industries that really DO want to help people. They really DO engage in activities that are meant to help the less fortunate in our society. Here’s one example of something happening right here in our backyard in Central NH:

“Help Is Here Express” Bus Tour Coming to Laconia
To Help Patients in Need Access Prescription Medicines

Laconia, N.H. (Nov 5, 2007) – The “Help is Here Express” bus tour will be in Laconia today, stopping at American Legion Post #1, 849 North Main Street to help uninsured Americans find programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. The bus tour is part of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), a national effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies.  The PPA has helped more than 4.3 million patients, including more than 18,000 in New Hampshire.  Since its launch in April 2005, the PPA bus tour has visited all 50 states and more than 1,500 cities to raise awareness about patient assistance programs. 
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The “Help is Here Express” is staffed by trained specialists able to quickly help low-income, uninsured or underinsured patients access more than 475 patient assistance programs, including more than 180 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. When the “Help is Here Express” moves on, patients in need can visit PPA’s easy-to-use Web site (www.pparx.org) or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) where trained operators field calls in more than 150 languages.
Terrible, isn’t it? How dare they do this– why this is HELPING people! This doesn’t fit the template! Exactly, which is the root of the problem when it comes to the typical anti-corporate, anti- business, anti-free market movements we find in today’s political landscape. Unfortunately, programs like the aforementioned one offered by the PPA get little to no attention by the mainstream media. But then again, whether it’s stuff like this, or success stories in the Iraqi front of the war, if it’s good news, it gets overlooked. Check out the rest of the details of the PPA’s "Help is Here Express" effort, which is a pretty neat thing they’ve got going:

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Universal Health Scare . . .

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We frequently hear politicians bemoaning the fact that there are about forty seven million people without health insurance. Most Democrat Presidential candidates are espousing a national health care system, and one, John Edwards, is further demanding that everyone be required to see a Doctor at least once a year. The public is being led down a path to possible disaster.

There are two areas of concern. The first is what would a universal plan do to an already over regulated and under staffed health care system? The second has to do with the makeup of 47 million uninsured number.

Back in 1980, a study commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services predicted that there would be a surplus of doctors by the year 2000. That disastrous prediction resulted in reductions of openings in medical schools and a diversion of young people to other professions. Other governmental regulations literally drove United States trained foreign doctors, who used up some of those medical school seats, back to their homeland, further draining our physician resources. And the medical shortage isn’t limited to doctors. According to an article by Dr. Jack Cochran in the Denver Business Journal, the Government is now predicting a shortage of 800,000 nurses by 2020. Recruitment of doctors and nurses has become a big business. Doctors fresh out of their residency are receiving over fifty job offers each.

If John Edwards were to implement his medical wish list…

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Issue Advocacy Awareness– Campaign season is a great time to get the message out. This week, it was Chronic Disease.

Hallie rallies to promote chronic disease prevention before Wednesday’s GOP presidential primary debate. . As I’ve noted before, presidential campaigns create a nice opportunity to discuss a wide variety of issues. Many important causes, things that matter to ordinary people, get to compete for the attention of those who are involved– both candidates and the … Read more

The Rising Cost of Healthcare: Chronic Disease

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As the presidential campaign heats up, so does discussion of the issues. While I believe that at the time the votes are cast, most will be based on feelings and perception rather than purely on the important issues of the day, the primary still allow for a good amount of actual discussion on matters that otherwise might never get any real consideration. As we follow the various campaigns during their visits here in the still first in the nation primary state of NH, we have observed at most of these events supporters of the numerous causes vying for "collateral attention" that might be gained as the candidates interact with the regular folks of the Granite State.
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The interest groups and causes are not strictly from one end of the political spectrum. Indeed, they come from every possible political stripe. The Ostrich Girl (YouTube here) promotes social security reform from what I would characterize as a decidedly conservative point of view, while others I’ve run into come from the farthest reaches of lefty-looneyville.
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I’m pretty sure I don’t agree completely with these folks, but I have to give them credit, they are present at every event. Like it or not, the subject of health care is important, and these folks are raising it…
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health care voterhealth care voterhealth care voter
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It is my personal belief that the main issue first and foremost that must concern the next President is that of the war followed by homeland security and an element of border control that must be a part. Many Americans, I’m sure for the most part, agree. There is no doubt, however, that right on the heels of those is the matter of escalating health care costs. Liberal or conservative, the ever growing amounts of hard-earned dollars consumed by basic medical/health needs hurts. Whether it can be said an American President should somehow "control" one seventh of the US economy– the health care industry– is an argument I’ll hold for another day.
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As a conservative, from a global perspective, I see this debate as a struggle between traditional American free-markets versus a socialist model found in some European countries and Canada. This is one part of the debate that remains pretty much in the open and can be almost always heard discussed by the various candidates. Hillary, Obama, Richardson, Kucinich and the rest all promise one variation or other of "universal" health care while Rudy and other Republican wannabees want to increase free market involvement by independent consumers with maximun choices available. This is where I come down. I am sure that this aspect will be debated over and over again as the season rolls along.
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Beyond the grand debate over what shape the health care industry and delivery system might take, there are other points to ponder and consider,

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What’s Healthcare gotta do with war?

   Is this Ghoulish? I was wondering about the word choice then actually pondering some of what this letter to the editor states and forgot about the word choice after I read the last paragraph: "We need to stop thinking in terms of killing and how to make us even more lethal. We need to think in … Read more

About those healthcare costs… Part 3. What if Wal Mart got in the act? (GASP!)

    . In prior postings on the subject, I noted that the delivery of health care services in my local region is controlled in total by a single monopoly. I wrote …the local "non profit" health-delivery institution is, for all intents and purposes, a monopoly. Through the years, they have worked all the machinations … Read more

About those healthcare “costs”– Part 2. The Empire Strikes Back

    . Last week I posted a piece about Hillary Clinton visiting Laconia and having a private meeting with the leaders of the local health-care monopoly. I wrote: As they lament rising costs that hurt "little people", do you suppose anyone will ask why the LRGHealthcare CEO’s salary rose nearly $134,000 in the span of … Read more

About those “healthcare” costs…

      . AT the very last minute, we find out that Mrs. Bill Clinton, NY Senator and Democratic presidential wannabee will be in our neck of the woods tomorrow (Laconia, NH) for a private meeting with the head of the local nonprofit medical industrial complex hospital and our local Democrat State Senator Kathy Sgambati. … Read more

Bush to tackle 2 tough issues… and looks forward to the Dems working with him. Sure they will…

In this week’s radio address, President Bush spoke about the two biggest issues, other than the war, that affect every American man, woman, and child: energy and health care costs…
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, I appeared before Congress to report on the state of our union. I asked members of the House and Senate from both sides of the aisle to join me in confronting the great challenges before us, so we can build a future of hope and opportunity for all Americans.
Does President Bush really think that the Democrats will work with him on anything for the good of the country? That would take too much from their most immediate goal: destroying any last shred of possible successful Bush initiatives. To allow him success at ANYTHING at this point that might bring a positive "legacy" is the last thing Democrats want, regardless of what’s good for the Nation as a whole. This has been their S.O.P. for the last six years. Why change now?
Two key challenges we face are reducing our dependence on oil and expanding access to affordable health care. I have asked Congress to take several vital steps to address these issues. And while some members gave a reflexive partisan response, I was encouraged that others welcomed this opportunity to reach across the aisle. One Democratic Senator said the initiatives I put forward were "serious proposals" and encouraged his fellow Democrats to "respond in a constructive way." Another Senate Democrat pledged to work toward these goals "through sincere bipartisan efforts." This is a good start, and I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reform our health care system and increase energy security.
Again, this reminds me of Lucy offering to hold the ball for Charlie Brown. Other than Joe Lieberman, who isn’t a Democrat anymore, I don’t see any Dems sticking up for President Bush— only sticking it to him.
Our Nation’s dependence on oil leaves us vulnerable to hostile regimes and terrorists who can hurt our economy by disrupting our oil supply. To protect America against supply disruptions, I have asked Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We also must diversify our Nation’s energy supply, and the way forward is through technology. On Wednesday, I visited DuPont’s Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware, where researchers are developing new methods of producing cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels using everything from grasses to cornstalks to agricultural wastes. By expanding our use of renewable and alternative fuels like ethanol, we can become less dependent on oil, and confront the serious challenge of climate change.
Yeah, that stuff really helped the Germans in WW2- synthetic oil. This sounds like it will be good for farmers. Climate change?

Message to President Bush: the whole "man (American ones, that is) causes global warming" mantra remains unproven. Don’t you know that this issue is nothing more than the latest attempt by America’s global competitors (aided by an army of unwitting dupes) to somehow destroy our economic abilities once and for all? If the global warming acolytes were at all serious about carbon emmisions and the like, they would be after Russia, China, and India, where emissions controls and caring about the environment are all but nonexistent…

Bush went on…

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Bush on health care… Think Congress will go along? Hah!

This week President Bush discussed what I believe is the number one issue on people’s minds after the war: health care. Well, not health care per se, but PAYING for health care…
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. For many Americans, the new year began with a resolution to live a better and healthier life. Whatever goals you have set for yourself this year, one goal we can all share is reforming our Nation’s health care system.
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Americans are fortunate to have the best health care system in the world. The government has an important role to play in our system. We have an obligation to provide care for the most vulnerable members of our society — the elderly, the disabled, and poor children and their parents. We are meeting this responsibility through Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. We must strengthen these vital programs so that they are around when future generations need them.
Of course where it gets dicey is how one defines "poor". I know many healthy, working individuals who have no health insurance because they choose not to– "It’s too expensive," they say, as they run into the liquor store for a $40 bottle of spirits, followed by a trip to the store for a $35 carton of smokes. But I digress. President Bush continues:
For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs. But rising health care costs are making insurance too expensive for millions of our citizens. Health care costs are growing more than two times faster than wages, and this is making it harder for working families to buy insurance on their own. Rising costs are also making it harder for small businesses to offer health coverage to their employees. Our challenge is clear: We must address these rising costs, so that more Americans can afford basic health insurance. And we need to do it without creating a new Federal entitlement program or raising taxes.  
Amen! Of course, someone needs to clue the President in on one contributing factor to rising costs, especially in the Southern states: providing medical care to illegal aliens. Fixing that problem would help too, but that’s a whole other topic for a separate post…
Our Nation is making progress toward this goal. We created Health Savings Accounts, which empower patients and can reduce the cost of coverage. We are working to pass Association Health Plans, so that small businesses can insure their workers at the favorable discounts that big businesses get. We must pass medical liability reform, so we can stop the junk lawsuits that drive costs through the roof and good doctors out of practice. We’ve taken important steps to increase transparency in health care pricing, and give patients more information about the quality of their doctors and hospitals.
"Medical liability reform?" Not with Dems in control. Who loves lawsuits and big jury awards more than Democrats? Many of their constituents earn their living by suing "rich" people. I think the President will be sucking swamp water on that one.
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The next point he made in his radio speech is something, however, that will undoubtably be popular with many Americans of all political stripes:

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And you think universal health care is good?

"Universal Healthcare" seems to be a mantra we hear – millions without health insurance!  "How can we, the lone superpower, do this to our people!" are splayed across the pages. All we have to do is look at other Anglosphere countries that have it.  Look at Canada – their medical professionals are coming here to … Read more

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