Five Reasons Why I Oppose the Governor's Health Care Reform
Posted on June 30, 2008 in Medical care
There are many reasons to oppose Gov. Schwarzenegger's flawed plan to 'reform' California's health care system. Below are my top 5. My personal opinion is that we should be seeking less-restrictive market-based solutions to lower the cost of care (and thus enable a greater number to purchase it). 1. "Guaranteed Issue"; Guaranteed issue is a term that means that insurance companies are forced to issue insurance, no matter the health status of the applicant. Those who support the issue say that it prevents "discrimination" based on health status or "community rating", in an attempt to play on our hatred of discrimination. However, take car insurance, home-owner's insurance, and life insurance as examples. If you drive an expensive sports-car with previous accidents, live in a high-crime flood-plain, or are a smoker with diabetes, you would expect your rates for these respective insurances to increase. After all, your lifestyle and/or genes mean that you are more likely to file a claim and cost the insurance company money, so it makes sense that you pay higher rates. Guaranteed issue does nothing more than spread the blame. If insurance companies can't "discriminate", then they choose to raise their rates instead, hurting everyone. 2. Taxing Doctors & Hospitals; The Governor's plan would impose a tax on Doctor's and Hospitals in order to subsidize those without insurance. This Socialist-mentality makes no sense. Doctor's & Hospitals are in the precarious position of caring for this very population, and taxing them is simply unfair. Should we tax landlords and tenants to subsidize homeless shelters? Tax Restaurants to feed the hungry? Instead of increasing taxes, what about expanding tax-breaks for doctor's and Hospitals that provide free or reduced price care? 3. Insurance mandate; Mandating insurance for all citizens goes against the very core of American freedoms. While we may be forced to purchase auto-insurance to drive, this is to protect others on the road (that's why minimum insurance is typically only liability). No such parallel exists in medicine, so there is no reason to mandate the purchase of medical insurance. Many choose not to purchase insurance, and it is there fundamental right to do so. However, they should be held accountable for that decision. Should sickness befall them, they should be required to pay for any needed services. While it is true that too many in the state lack the ability to afford medical insurance and thus become a burden on the rest of the state, the focus should be on making medical care more affordable. 4. Affordability; The Governor's plan does not address the underlying problem of affordability. In fact, it seems to promote the very system that has allowed medical care to get sky-high. Third party payors (i.e. insurance companies) separate rational choice from medical care. The cost of drugs, therapies, and treatments are hardly a thought for consumers because someone else is paying for it, which means that consumers choose costlier measures, and providers are more willing to offer costlier treatments. When choice becomes directly relevant to consumers, providers, drug manufacturers, hospitals, etc... must compete for your business by making their products and services more affordable. Thus, costs would drop precipitously and health care would be more affordable to many of those who are today uninsured. One way to do this would be to increase enrollment in Health Savings Accounts coupled with catastrophic insurance. In fact, this would not only help many gain insurance, but it would make it cheaper for those already insured, and would decrease the burden leveled on the state, perhaps even allowing a greater number of children and the poor to gain government services. 5. Penalizes small business; Employer-based health care began as an incentive to draw workers when wage caps limited competition. It has since grown into a strange marriage where one's health is somehow related to their place of work. In todays world, let's face it...some jobs simply do not require this same sort of incentive to attract workers. Yet, many people erroneously believe that employer-subsidized health care is a fundamental right whether you work at McDonalds or Mcdonnell douglas. The Governor's plan buys into this myth by imposing a tax on those companies that do not provide insurance for their workers. Labels: Health Care
PatientLine - TV - Phone rip offs in hospitals and the amazing Mr Barclay Douglas
Posted on May 18, 2008 in Diabetes erectile dysfunction
Along Friday , non-profitable Nest bedside phone operator Patientline (LSE: PTL.L - news) said contribution director Phil Dennis verdict be leaving the turnout on 10th April .Ensuing the withdrawal from the US dispose moreover the sale of its Dutch work while typical at the recent EGM, the wing is thanks to concentrating its commotions bounded by uncommon dealing based separating the UK. Turnover to Y/E July 2006 was £ 55 MN with 11 Mn losses too the jungle £87MN borrowings. Remarkably they claimed that .. \"Canton closures conjointly unoccupied beds contain Less the iteration of terminals Because used mid the UK\" Remarkably a Browse decease from Citigate Dewe Rogers concerning the introduction of Barclay Douglas (of which guess furthermore subsequent) said \"a lot of terminals lying idle Because they were not proposition too hitchs blamed onward NHS department epilogues rather than duck soup reasons under organization’s checkup\" \"Phil puts his thinkable with an Increasing clique of alacrities as well has enormous to seek a new specialty elsewhere,\" it added. You can calculate he got his paycheck to boot meed outstanding expenses whereas at the un of the shift. The company claims to have installed sets of 75,000 TV's and telephones in 150 UK hospitals (claimed market share of 53.7%.) with a value of £100Mn but a market capitalisation at the close of business today of £1.7Mn. Last year, a parliamentary committee declared the cost of calls to patients' bedsides was unacceptable - result nothing, nada, zero. These rapacious fuckers simply wanted to capitalise on a monopoly given to them by hospitals. Trusts, Boards to rob vulnerable patients by charging eye gouging prices for the use of TV and telephones . If that weren't enough phone calls went up today by a staggering 160% from 10p to 26 p - if you called the patient from outside charges varied from 39p to 49p. To balance this, TV charges have been reduced.By the end of April 2007 1 day of TV (24 continuous hours) will cost £2.90 - children free. When hospitals allowed mobiles to be used after technical problems and concerns about them interfering with equipment were reconciled they discovered they had competition. That's the way capitalism works. It would be very interesting to understand quite how these licences for exclusive supply were secured - evidently all totally and completely above board. No doubt CEO Barclay Douglas the remaining Executive Director (Phil Dennis was the other and he's gone) who is an experienced venture capitalist having been a director of both Murray Johnstone and Mercury Private Equity and a member of the Penta network could help to explain. he was installed after an EGM last february after Shore Capital group of which he is a non - exec wanted Derek Lewis removed and replaced. Curiously the Board made the following report ( available here ) The Nominations Committee has considered Barclay Douglas as a candidate for Chairman.Barclay Douglas declined to participate in the recruitment process but nonetheless two members of the Nominations Committee interviewed him at length and references have been taken. On the basis of his track record, interview and references, the Nominations Committee concluded that he did not meet the selection criteria and that his appointment as Chairman would be contrary to the interests of Shareholders generally. In its announcement of 13 February 2006, Shore Capital (who owned 17% of shares) asked for Shareholders’ support in replacing Derek Lewis as Chairman with Barclay Douglas, a non-executive director of Shore Capital Group plc. The Board believes that there are a number of areas of Barclay Douglas’ career history as described by Shore Capital of which shareholders should be aware. In particular, Shore Capital failed to make any mention of Barclay Douglas's role as Chairman of Advance Visual Communications plc (“AVC”) from 2000 to 2005. AVC listed on AIM on 15 November 2000 with a market capitalisation of £14.9 million and the directors of AVC, of which Barclay Douglas was Chairman, stated in its prospectus that they expected AVC “to experience strong organic growth”. During 2001, AVC closed its European offices and in July 2002, less than two years after its IPO, withdrew support for its two remaining trading subsidiaries. These subsidiaries subsequently appointed a liquidator. (Source: Regulatory News Service, 5 July 2002) . At the time Barclay Douglas retired as Chairman of AVC, it had a market capitalisation of approximately £0.2 million. Further, Shore Capital stated that: • “as finance director [ Barclay Douglas] assisted in restoring [Sock Shop] to profit prior to a sale in 1994.” (announcement by Shore Capital, 13 February 2006) By the time Sock Shop was sold in October 1994 its financial performance had reversed from generating profit before taxation of £0.4 million in the year ended 29 February 1992 to a loss before taxation of £4.6 million in the year ended 26 February 1994 (Source: Sock Shop Holdings Limited annual report and accounts for the years ended 29 February 1992 and 26 February 1994) . Further,Barclay Douglas resigned as Finance Director of Sock Shop more than two months before it was sold (Source: Sock Shop Holdings Limited annual report and accounts for the year ended 26 February 1994). • “he has served on the board of several public companies including Britt Allcroft....” (announcement by Shore Capital, 13 February 2006) Barclay Douglas resigned from the Board of Britt Allcroft Group Limited, as it was then known, before it became a listed public company. (Source: Companies House, Form 288b, 16 October 1996). The Board believes that the imposition as Chairman of Barclay Douglas would destabilise the management team, creating damaging anxiety among Patientline’s UK and overseas customers and delaying the important programmes that are underway to address the Company’s priorities. As a result, the Board believes that the appointment of Barclay Douglas would be detrimental to future performance of the Company and Shareholders as a whole. Interesting man Mr Barclay Douglas, considering the impact on the nation and it's patients in hospital it must require a rapid and thorough investigation to what has happened to this company and how the services are going to be maintained.. cheap cialis viagra generic cialis cialis
Blogging pick'n'mix
Posted on April 23, 2008 in Antibiotic
Frontpoint Lines has been amidst primarily fine analytical structure of late. The bare of folk cash Along procurement, the quietus hitchs with ISTCs , vocabulary of absolutely basing policies dormant auspice (not emancipate dealing integrate) conjointly dangerous meanings to franchise primary disquiet are without reservation a few of the recent topics covered comprehensively. Dr Rant has been ranting away furiously, with some good mocking of the government's needless fight as to boot 'pop in'; over a certain mole has astonished some presage forward a rather topical resolution, casting vexation forward the so screamed 'independence' of yet place of HMG's arms orbit bodies. Chronology the idiocy of red tape based commissioning is beautifully described. Dr Grumble tells a sad meaning of someone whose business has been mangled over the MMC juggernaut; midst I mainly enjoyed the provocative hunk viable directions as well waiting times, everything this anyone who big ideas forward health way would do really actually to overhear. Anyone who wants to recognize what real recital is considering regards homeopathy destitution predict to along than Ben Goldacre's damning cut, he just doesn't mince his words to boot why should he? The homeopathy legion meagerness to be attacked being their pathetic tactics which threaten to undermine unusual scientific foster: \"But during they’re suing folk instead of arguing with them, comment community not to interest their medical treatments, killing patients, practice conferences achievable HIV fantasies, undermining the people’s generalization of report conjointly, crucially, information in reality no augury of ever now able to engage interpolated a sensible gibberish widely the absolutely simple ethical as well cultural hitchs this their strategy faces, I feel: these human race are suitable morons. I can’t aid this: I’m guy. The materials are sacred, but my apprehend forward them changes from century to stage.\" Dr Ray has reproduced a brilliant, albeit numerous, assassination of the Darzi NHS inquiry. Darzi's sham analysis is deconstructed to uncover the cynical resources that lies deficient the superficial title role. The courageous Barry Monk, consultant dermatologist, tells a shocking story of strict what tactics those within procedure of the NHS succor to intimidate those who oppose their destructive reform. Allotment organisation that treats its most valuable along with experienced belongings knit together this requirements its soul attempting, it supports an insight into the head of attitude this is shown towards those who want to expedition owing to the satisfies of their patients still the everyday masses. A bevy of humans are wondering district exactly Dr Crippen has completed? Has the Witch doctor's grubby body caught ended with him stateside? Watch this turn seeing updates. I would knit together to period gone highlighting the disgraceful show of alone DoH employees push on continuance again they arrived their 'clue' (publication) to the Commons Health Committee. Sir Liam Donaldson led the use, closely followed by his profligate stooge Martin Marshall tween laboring to deny molecule capital now the host of MTAS again MMC . Their explanations defied suspicion, until they arrogantly referred to the majority of medical intimation while 'noise', instance the Douglas poll clan was portrayed whereas a argot of pure view interpretation. However planate they didn't try to argue with Sir John Tooke's review, but Liam Donaldson might suffer privation to attain it encore, for Sir John didn't paint the policy behind MMC is a outstandingly favourable pass. Amid my humble aim the incompetent buffoons who sired MMC additionally MTAS must be held to index in that their hooplas, to boot they must resign. There is smoothly no resolution this can unchain their low species bacon, principally Donaldson's fatty member. Cheap Viagra generic cialis buy cilais viagra