Sunday, August 23, 2009
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healthcare, health care, reform, healthcare reform, universal healthcare, one party payer, legal reform, malpractice reform, public education, Medicare, Medicare reform, HR 676, SB 840, House of Representatives, A Bill, congress, private health insurance, insurance companies, excessive profits, uninsured, working poor, homeless
Pre-existing conditions: Refers to illnesses or injuries experienced prior to an application for health care insurance. Utilized by the for-profit health care insurance industry to deny any insurance coverage, to deny coverage for the specific conditions listed as pre-existing or to increase insurance premiums for those with such conditions. Considered the most extreme form of health care rationing. Will likely be abolished in a final health care reform bill.
Public option: A health-insurance option financed by the federal government to be offered to persons not covered by employer-based health care insurance or Medicare-Medicaid-VA. Persons not covered by employer-sponsored insurance can select the public option or select a benefit plan from private insurers that offer non-group benefit plans.
Likely to be a middle-of-the-road benefit plan, critics claim that it would result in government officials meddling in the patient-provider relationship. Since such meddling already exists in the private insurance sector, we have a choice of evils — the bureaucrat or the profiteer.
Critics also claim the public option will destroy the private health-insurance industry. They're right. The public sector will not have a profit motive or shareholders to satisfy.
Will it be included in a final bill? Private health-care-sector political contributions are in the hundreds of millions. Private-sector health care employment is in the millions.
Do the math.
Employer-based health care insurance: Our unique method of financing health care insurance to the employed. It ties health coverage to employment except for the poor, who are Medicaid eligible. Its demise is long overdue. Choices and decisions regarding health care insurance should be between the insurer and the family unit.
Advanced directives: The legal means by which a person instructs family-legal trustees regarding end-of-life decisions of the individual in the event that the individual no longer has the capacity to make those decisions themselves. Also described as rationing, family style.
Death panels: An invention of Sarah Palin. Early intelligence suggested that the vision of a death panel was telepathically transmitted during a seance between Palin and her exorcist minister out of Africa. However, the rapid spread of this vision to both neoconservative and, heretofore, moderate congressional members of the GOP points toward a possible genetically linked virus. If confirmed, there is no known vaccine.
Tort reform: No. 1 on the reform list of conservatives (sometimes the only one). The focus is on restricting the types of suits to those deemed appropriate malpractice claims consistent with existing statutes and to cap or otherwise limit the amount of jury awards, particularly for punitive damages.
Keep in mind that the cost of malpractice insurance is a large percentage of the total costs of a physician's practice and a very small amount of the total cost of a health care insurer. If the health-insurance industry is successful in lowering its malpractice costs through tort reform, will the dollars saved flow to reducing your insurance premiums or to the profit line of the health-insurance industry? Think about it.
Pulling the plug on Grandma: A dartboard hit by the GOP in attempting to misrepresent the intent of advanced directives into a government plot to ration health care by withholding care from the elderly. Also known as rationing, geriatric style. Later discovered to be a nationwide plot by NAGFUG (National Association of Grandpas for Unplugging Grandmas).
Pulling the plug on Grandpa: Just leaked by Fox News! Grandma's revenge. You read it here first!
Allowing competition across state lines: Since all major health insurers are licensed in every state, one wonders what this is all about. If it's aimed at getting the individual states out of the business of regulating health care insurance within their borders, then that's a good thing.
For the uninformed, health-insurance plans (excluding indemnity insurers) require the state of permanent residency of its insureds. That is because the benefit plans, provider contract terms, marketing plans, claims administration, member service protocols, etc., are regulated by the individual states. Whatever, this reform concept doesn't have any opposition, which tell me
it doesn't do much to reform anything.
We can't afford it: Probably not, but let's not confuse affordability with priority. The U.S. has the finest military in the world bar none. In fiscal 2009, the U.S. will spend roughly $1 trillion on military-related expenses, about the same as the rest of the world combined. We can afford the best. It just depends on what priorities we put at the top.
Small government: A desire of traditional conservatism, small government was achieved through minimal regulation of the private sector, not involving government in activities more effectively pursued by the private sector, reducing government redundancy and bureaucracy and limiting government to large but focused areas that serve the public good such as national security, roads, bridges, water and sewer projects, foreign relations, public health, education and welfare, environmental protection and other such endeavors in which there is little or no private-sector interest.
Anti-government: Where small-
government advocates seem to be headed.
This movement is not new and was epitomized by a Minnesota congressman many years ago who described what he wanted from the federal government as “Protect my shores, deliver my mail, and stay the hell out of my life.” Today, he would probably drop mail delivery.
The most conservative side of this movement sees government not only as undesirable but evil, invoking a
quasi-religious connotation to its
argument.
Anti-government devotees would terminate Medicare and Medicaid. Major pieces of health care legislation such as COBRA and HIPPA would be repealed.
Government takeover of health care: From what has been proposed so far, it is a tremendous stretch of the imagination to assert that this represents a government takeover of health care.
The problems we have with our health care system are largely, but not wholly, a function of private health-insurance-industry failures of the past. It is hardly surprising that the reforms necessary to correct these failures would lead to greater government involvement in the system.
Unlike some, I have no fear of increased government involvement perhaps because I believe I have some ability to influence government (through activism and the right to vote) and have no ability whatsoever to influence the private industry (except perhaps through government).
Further, I believe our federal government is a reflection of our society.
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That government imperfectly represents my interests.
The private sector doesn't represent my interests at all.
THE SITE DEDICATED TO INFORMING HEALTH CARE DEBATE
Recent Visitors
About Health Care
Over the last 25 years I have lived in a number of countries including the UK, Australia and the United States. I have visited more than 1,000 cities in 40 countries traveling and working on projects. I have experienced most of the types of health care systems that exist.
In recent months there has been a growing debate on US health care reform. Much of the discussion featured in US media is not based on directed experience of different health care system. There are few places on the net where a person wishing to inform themselves about health care systems can find comparative information. In order to help bring a more informed health care debate , I have put together this site where information is available because I believe that through discussion the best direction will prevail.
I challenge visitors whatever your political point of view to look through the information here in order to better inform your understanding of health care and the best way forward.
Please let me know via comments if you are aware of additional comparative data that you think should be on this site.
Health.Care.Information.USA@gmail.com
In recent months there has been a growing debate on US health care reform. Much of the discussion featured in US media is not based on directed experience of different health care system. There are few places on the net where a person wishing to inform themselves about health care systems can find comparative information. In order to help bring a more informed health care debate , I have put together this site where information is available because I believe that through discussion the best direction will prevail.
I challenge visitors whatever your political point of view to look through the information here in order to better inform your understanding of health care and the best way forward.
Please let me know via comments if you are aware of additional comparative data that you think should be on this site.
Health.Care.Information.USA@gmail.com
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ngress, government, earmarks, grants, investigative, citizens,, For those of you who are getting tired of squinting at the same old scripted cue cards while keyboarding your letters of outrage over health care reform, please feel free to plagiarize from this brief compendium of terms of engagement. We will start with some of the more contentious concepts.Pre-existing conditions: Refers to illnesses or injuries experienced prior to an application for health care insurance. Utilized by the for-profit health care insurance industry to deny any insurance coverage, to deny coverage for the specific conditions listed as pre-existing or to increase insurance premiums for those with such conditions. Considered the most extreme form of health care rationing. Will likely be abolished in a final health care reform bill.
Public option: A health-insurance option financed by the federal government to be offered to persons not covered by employer-based health care insurance or Medicare-Medicaid-VA. Persons not covered by employer-sponsored insurance can select the public option or select a benefit plan from private insurers that offer non-group benefit plans.
Likely to be a middle-of-the-road benefit plan, critics claim that it would result in government officials meddling in the patient-provider relationship. Since such meddling already exists in the private insurance sector, we have a choice of evils — the bureaucrat or the profiteer.
Critics also claim the public option will destroy the private health-insurance industry. They're right. The public sector will not have a profit motive or shareholders to satisfy.
Will it be included in a final bill? Private health-care-sector political contributions are in the hundreds of millions. Private-sector health care employment is in the millions.
Do the math.
Employer-based health care insurance: Our unique method of financing health care insurance to the employed. It ties health coverage to employment except for the poor, who are Medicaid eligible. Its demise is long overdue. Choices and decisions regarding health care insurance should be between the insurer and the family unit.
Advanced directives: The legal means by which a person instructs family-legal trustees regarding end-of-life decisions of the individual in the event that the individual no longer has the capacity to make those decisions themselves. Also described as rationing, family style.
Death panels: An invention of Sarah Palin. Early intelligence suggested that the vision of a death panel was telepathically transmitted during a seance between Palin and her exorcist minister out of Africa. However, the rapid spread of this vision to both neoconservative and, heretofore, moderate congressional members of the GOP points toward a possible genetically linked virus. If confirmed, there is no known vaccine.
Tort reform: No. 1 on the reform list of conservatives (sometimes the only one). The focus is on restricting the types of suits to those deemed appropriate malpractice claims consistent with existing statutes and to cap or otherwise limit the amount of jury awards, particularly for punitive damages.
Keep in mind that the cost of malpractice insurance is a large percentage of the total costs of a physician's practice and a very small amount of the total cost of a health care insurer. If the health-insurance industry is successful in lowering its malpractice costs through tort reform, will the dollars saved flow to reducing your insurance premiums or to the profit line of the health-insurance industry? Think about it.
Pulling the plug on Grandma: A dartboard hit by the GOP in attempting to misrepresent the intent of advanced directives into a government plot to ration health care by withholding care from the elderly. Also known as rationing, geriatric style. Later discovered to be a nationwide plot by NAGFUG (National Association of Grandpas for Unplugging Grandmas).
Pulling the plug on Grandpa: Just leaked by Fox News! Grandma's revenge. You read it here first!
Allowing competition across state lines: Since all major health insurers are licensed in every state, one wonders what this is all about. If it's aimed at getting the individual states out of the business of regulating health care insurance within their borders, then that's a good thing.
For the uninformed, health-insurance plans (excluding indemnity insurers) require the state of permanent residency of its insureds. That is because the benefit plans, provider contract terms, marketing plans, claims administration, member service protocols, etc., are regulated by the individual states. Whatever, this reform concept doesn't have any opposition, which tell me
it doesn't do much to reform anything.
We can't afford it: Probably not, but let's not confuse affordability with priority. The U.S. has the finest military in the world bar none. In fiscal 2009, the U.S. will spend roughly $1 trillion on military-related expenses, about the same as the rest of the world combined. We can afford the best. It just depends on what priorities we put at the top.
Small government: A desire of traditional conservatism, small government was achieved through minimal regulation of the private sector, not involving government in activities more effectively pursued by the private sector, reducing government redundancy and bureaucracy and limiting government to large but focused areas that serve the public good such as national security, roads, bridges, water and sewer projects, foreign relations, public health, education and welfare, environmental protection and other such endeavors in which there is little or no private-sector interest.
Anti-government: Where small-
government advocates seem to be headed.
This movement is not new and was epitomized by a Minnesota congressman many years ago who described what he wanted from the federal government as “Protect my shores, deliver my mail, and stay the hell out of my life.” Today, he would probably drop mail delivery.
The most conservative side of this movement sees government not only as undesirable but evil, invoking a
quasi-religious connotation to its
argument.
Anti-government devotees would terminate Medicare and Medicaid. Major pieces of health care legislation such as COBRA and HIPPA would be repealed.
Government takeover of health care: From what has been proposed so far, it is a tremendous stretch of the imagination to assert that this represents a government takeover of health care.
The problems we have with our health care system are largely, but not wholly, a function of private health-insurance-industry failures of the past. It is hardly surprising that the reforms necessary to correct these failures would lead to greater government involvement in the system.
Unlike some, I have no fear of increased government involvement perhaps because I believe I have some ability to influence government (through activism and the right to vote) and have no ability whatsoever to influence the private industry (except perhaps through government).
Further, I believe our federal government is a reflection of our society.
maps hotels yahoo google jokes hotmail lyrics ebay mapquest hotmail yahoo games song lyrics jobs red cardinal hotmail driving directions weather yahoo dictionary music search engines car morpheus
mp baby names people search kazaa snes roms free music downloads clip art travel american idol april fools warez zip codes parent chat wallpaper kelly blue book blank airline tickets used cars
worldcom free games ask jeeves american airlines recipes white pages hair styles music downloads aol boy issues movies winzip home depot Consolidate Debt free clip art msn google map job search
tattoos cheats free fonts dogs map quest ebay birthdays Daniela Hantuchova sublime directory southwest airlines clipart britney spears directions free ringtones freeones free greeting cards area codes www.google msn yellow pages tommys bookmarks harry potter aol sublimedirectory holiday inn monster buddy icons chat rooms mapquest greeting cards cnn consumer reports free e-cards mortgage calculator airlines thumbzilla pictures e-cards fireworks Avril Lavigne winmx currency converter yahoo mail ebay horoscopes free clipart desktop themes wimbledon las vegas
screensavers kids walmart Wschools world cup amazon free screensavers quotes sears Road Maps free music anime Pictures Maps car rental online games screen savers pogo author pledge of allegiance Lyrics funny pictures eminem free ecards cnn weather cracks guitar tabs neverwinter nights birthday cards cheat codes news aol poems bangbus flowers free mp employment ecards kazaa lite
richards realm anna kournikova online dictionary sublimedirectory cheap airline tickets ringtones house plans literotica fishing download music car rentals blue book freeware mp midi auto parts Song Lyrics
time zones resume cell phones roms web hosting health insurance spiderman fonts checks free health Free Clip Art free samples nba draft best buy desktop wallpaper cell phone accessories free wallpaper amtrak Anna Kournikova apartments free screen savers game cheats expedia free people search imesh nes roms dogpile stock quotes northwest airlines avril lavigne free online games Free Download Music love poems poison ivy lesson plans free ring tones rotten verizon yugioh travelocity continental airlines books genealogy backgrounds pics expedia wifelovers mortgage rates free graphics
exchange rates playstation cheats credit report freeones morrowind www msn free email poetry wallpapers computers elephantlist the huns yellow pages martha stewart stories divx Free Desktop Wallpaper
e cards neopets amazon free downloads lowes world cup soccer work at home united airlines Online Dictionary diabetes thong love quotes tires microsoft wedding cakes free movies cats music lyrics
jjj zip code rental cars engagement rings auctions free nokia ringtones pp tatoos the hun's yellow pages elephantlist nelly social security audiogalaxy cheap tickets napster fabric Yahoo sybian target delta airlines free mp downloads jennifer lopez drivers sailor moon digital cameras netscape Britney Spears amtrack realtor American Idol free credit report winamp match better business bureau American Airlines Free Mp Downloads credit cards icons shoes escorts insurance quotes weight watchers geneology playstation cheats nick lord of the rings viagra lavalife time
That government imperfectly represents my interests.
The private sector doesn't represent my interests at all.
The obvious reason for this drastic increase in health cost is that our health care system is broken. However, I say we look a little harder.
ReplyDeleteIn the '40s, the opportunity for health care was not available the way it is today. CAT scans did not exist. Multi-year treatment programs for diseases and cancers were not the norm. Average lifespans were shorter.
The most dramatic change on the graph is not health care, it is food. Why did food costs plummet? Why does the rise of health care costs seem to directly coincide with the fall of food costs?
After WWII our food supply began a several decades long process of industrialization. Food production soared which lead to lower prices. The negative is that our food supply has become nutrient deficient. Also, we consume much more food per person. The lower cost of food has lead to obesity (I bet that line looks just like the health care line).
Above the graph states "...costs continue to rise, millions... unable to afford care." But in 1950 it appears about 50% of disposable income was spent on these essentials (which makes it not disposable income in my book, I assume they actually mean total income). Currently, it seems slightly less is spent on essentials. Housing costs have dropped recently. I guess some people might have to cut Cable TV out of their budget.