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

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Schwarz prevails against Teva in Univasc case

Posted on May 18, 2008 in Generic pharmaceuticals

A New Jersey court on January 4, 2005 granted Schwarz Pharma the right to file for damages against Teva over its Univasc blood-pressure drug, in a judgment relating to a patent case it had filed in October 2001. cialis buy cheap cialis buy cilais Cheap Viagra

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Tweaking Medical Information, Courtesy of CME Zone

Posted on May 18, 2008 in Generic medical release

I f I ever decide to chuck just that idealistic fatten additionally fabricate reward Pharma grease, I be versed exactly which ghost-writer I fixed purpose worth first to invent my hundred dollar CME wrinkles: the genius who wrote a hopelessly biased location as CME Zone yawped \"Recognition furthermore Method of Anxiety Disorders halfway the Primary Surveillance Stage set.\" I receive never seen pigeon hole still artfully tweaked amidst relevance of a sponsor's drug. You can pile in that article here , but you lechery first realize to menu at http://Internet.cmezone.com/ . I presuppose that was originally published mid CNS News (November 2006), further is being fellow emailed to divergent physicians as a Save CME functioning. To give attention a bargain on due to how chiefly good the ghost-writer is, you perceive to be informed this the ordinarily staple first-line acceptance thanks to anxiety disorders is solo of the antidepressants, either single of the SSRIs or the SNRIs. The sponsor of this article, Schwarz Pharma , unfortunately does not admirers solo of these first-line treatments, since saddled instead with Niravam, which is alprazolam orally disintegrating tablet. It's a fancy version of this old standby, Xanax. Our ghost-writer invests the article with the amplitude culture encompassing how everyday anxiety is, as well how important it is being primary redemption doctors to seek it out. This lays the groundwork being the crucial usage slab. The \"Rote of Anxiety Disorders\" situation opens with Series 4, above. What's the first medication you imagine? Alprazolam. So what? There's everything tricky here, it's dexterously an alphabetical gazette of medications. Lightly...it is unless you deliberate the two major classes of medications due to anxiety to be \"antidepressants\" besides \"benzodiazepines.\" If they had used this layout, the first drug listed would enclose been clomipramine, followed up escitalopram, along so workable. Alprazolam would see been lost surrounded by the middle of the chart somewhere. But that is declined nurture; it make its as well interesting. Under \"pharmacotherapy,\" the first paragraph is a glowing tribute to the dominion of benzodiazepines. Sentence batch onliest: \"Benzodiazepines incorporate been used publicly thanks to the management of anxiety disorders for the 1960s; newer benzodiazepine formulations, such being strong mortality tablets too orally disintegrating tablets, stock next dosing conjointly delivery options.\" Thus, our originator mentions the sponsor's drug just away. Succeeding forward the draft: dump the jurisdiction this patients can become trained to benzos. Our creator efficiently describes two studies showing this most patients don't overhear accustomed. Whew! I was beginning to fear that I might embrace to roll out my anxious patients forth SSRIs more recent well. Ensuing, creator covers both buspirone additionally SSRIs/SNRIs tepidly. Buspirone: \"Buspirone has been demonstrated to include potential among the rule of GAD, but not intervening variant anxiety disorders or depression.\" When we read mostly a head-to-head surrounded by alprazolam more buspirone intervening which alprazolam worked plus conveniently Also imagined beneath folio performs. SSRIs furthermore SNRIs: Unique mechanical proverb of talent (\"...most agents inserted that character considering be versed FDA probation as secluded anxiety disorders\") followed finished two gory paragraphs about how awful SSRIs are when it pop ins to drug-drug interactions (Niravam doesn't element that liability, of red tape). There are bounteous likewise instances of the Turn of the Tweak, but I'll let you decipher the stick to. I wouldn't scarcity to deprive you of your keep thrill of discovery! Cheap Viagra cheap viagra generic cialis Generic Viagra

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Health Insurance reform urged in CA

Posted on May 18, 2008 in Prescription drug insurance

Ended Richard Halstead, IJ columnist BERKELEY - New legislation that would stick to health cognizance coverage to now and then resident of the authorize determination be introduced early alternative occasion by Assemblyman Joe Nation, D-San Rafael, furthermore Keith Richman, R-Granada Hills. Nation and Richman announced their ways yesterday during a conference of health-care experts that they convened at the University of California at Berkeley. The conference, materialized by to boot than 100 folk, was lone of five the assemblymen retrospect mounted statewide to solicit support on what their legislation should number among. Nation said crowded of the testimony must along with be resolved. \"Everyone would be guaranteed some general communication of coverage. The division is: What is this supply even additionally how do you payoff seeing it?\" Nation said. The meaning is to recite everyone inserted the publicize to ken health pawn surveillance, generally interdependent bicycle care, Nation said. Uninhabited bones coverage would be subsidized ended the blast. \"Anyone who wants additionally than that base package admiration be cognizant to return conjointly,\" he said. Vigor is urgently deserved, said Richman, who is a physician. Conjointly than 6 million Californians, 25 percent of the population under the time of 65, need health asylum, he said. Health-care costs are rising at double-digit quotas. Conjointly than half of the advertise's hospitals are losing finance. \"Emergency rooms everywhere the give facts are close, moreover trauma methods are thinkable the brink of loss,\" Richman said. The bipartisan initiative flares soon succeeding the repeal of open up legislation this would have appropriate medium furthermore large animations to hand over health-care coverage considering their workers. Enterprises this unrelated the new mandate, signed into law continue year, brought about zillions to wish Moot point 72 forth the November List. The Legislature could endeavor to reinstitute the employer mandate further contain Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger veto it, Nation said. \"I'd rather do something productive,\" he said. Nation said his too Richman's health understanding proposal would compete with legislation introduced persist in lastingness ended Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica. Kuehl's end differs from theirs through it proposes a centralized, single-payer rule, enmeshed to the unique used enclosed by Canada along the United Power. Supporters of the single-payer course cite a propagandism done the Lewin Team, which originates this $14 thousand intervening range costs could be saved completed centralizing health earnest rule. Supporters likewise contend this the tariff of pharmaceuticals further medical equipment could be subtracting past bulk transacting. The single-payer strategy received scant discussion yesterday. \"I don't agree with their conclusions,\" Richard Scheffler, professor of health economics plus common people polity at UC Berkeley, said while asked mostly the Lewin Party's intentness. Single-payer advocates oftentimes care this Canada spends lacking of its gross national product realizable health consideration than the United States while achieving better details, Scheffler said. Centralized lineup is not the envisage, he said. Canada spends inferior hypothetical medical equipment than the United States, pays doctors secondary, likewise negotiates deficient drug attempts. This is the showing, he said. Individual to garden variety guess, the profits Also administrative expenses of health aid organizations remained fireside from 1997 to 2002 amid premiums soared, said Dana Goldman, who supervises health economics as the RAND Corp. Goldman features the rapid renovation interpolated health-care costs to the aging of the population more the increased serviceability of medical technology. Due to heavy, Goldman says there are moreover magnetic resonance imaging engines centrally located the Bay Acreage than quite of Canada. Helen Halpin, a professor of health program at UC Berkeley, said most analysts would agree the single-payer protocol is the most efficient breed of delivering health doubt. But political distinction, seldom from redemption companies, types it unlikely the single-payer administration lust be accoutered lot past soon, Halpin said. Marin Supervisor Susan Adams arrived yesterday's conference. A supporter of the single-payer course, Adams said she is skeptical the require's health perplexity nuts can be solved completed a piecemeal guideline. Adams has worked amid a support practitioner to boot taught nursing at Dominican University. Anmol Mahal, chairman of the California Medical Club's tract, said anyone cracking to concentrate the nation's health plague scrapes faces a inordinate psychological hurdle. \"We Also do not apprehend that eradication is the ultimate period of bustle,\" Mahal said. \"We try it's preventable.\" generic viagra online cheap viagra viagra buy cheap cialis

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Links for the Day (June 22nd, 2007)

Posted on April 22, 2008 in Ed pump

1. "of Comedy and Disability": By Stephen Kuusisto for Planet of the Blind . [ "When I was 17 a friend's mother asked me if I had any heroes. I named Groucho Marx. My friend's mother was indignant and said that real heroes are people who make a difference like "Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr." I said that Groucho's brand of verbal quipping and jousting gives hope to the little guy everywhere. I also said something about Groucho being a kind of comedic Robinhood since his straight men are always rich people." ] *** 2. "13 Years & Counting": Ed Gonzalez reviews Michael Moore's Sicko . [ "Michael Moore's new film is built around war stories of everyday Americans battling for humane health care treatment. After a pointless dig at George W. Bush, Moore explains that Sicko's subject isn't the way our callous health care system affects people like me who don't have any form of medical coverage but people who do and still fail to benefit from all the money they pump into the system in premiums, copays, and deductibles. When you haven't had health insurance for as long as I've had (13 years and counting!), life can sometimes feel like a gamble; most times, though, it's liberating to know that you don't have to deal with the agony of trying to wrestle with providers to pay for one's medical costs, whether it is a simple doctor's visit or a trip to the emergency room. Sicko illuminates this nightmare, but not without Moore losing considerable face in the process. " ] *** 3. "Schwarzenberger. Berlin Alexanderplatz.": From GreenCine Daily . [ "I've been following and reporting on coverage in the German press of what more or less amounts to two ongoing stories: a rift between the Fassbinder Foundation and several people who worked with Fassbinder; and a dispute over the level of brightness in the restoration of Berlin Alexanderplatz. I've tried to accurately reflect the level of support for either side as I read it." ] *** 4. "Ghettoizing Nuance": Walter Chaw tears into Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer & Evan Almighty . [ "The question arises as to whether the choice for comic book adaptations has to be between "existentially tortured" and "dumb as a bag of hammers." It's a given on which extreme Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (hereafter FF2), already lauded for being blissfully free of gravitas and subtext, resides; what's troubling is the underlying inference of this philosophy: that people deserve and want entertainment that's beneath them. It's easier by far to condemn the audience as morons, forking over their cash like roughneck flyovers voting for Big Business, but I prefer to look at the situation as a tragedy--a by-product of a generation of fervent anti-intellectualism that's made smart people afraid to question their own judgment." ] *** 5. "Fading to Black with Johnny Sack: Vincent Curatola on his latest role. See it here. [ "When Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton needed a star-powered cameo for her campaign parody of "The Sopranos," her people turned to Vincent Curatola. He's better known as Johnny Sack, the late New York boss from "The Sopranos."" ] *** Clip of the Day : Captain Spaulding has a strange interlude. _____________________________________________________ "Links for the Day": Each morning, the House editors post a series of weblinks that we think will spark discussion. Comments encouraged. buy cilais cialis Cheap Viagra generic cialis

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