The respect I held for Ezra Klein, as a health care analyst, went down several notches when he admits in his column that the reason our health insurance system sucks is because we pay too much for physicians services and drugs. Welcome to the real world Ezra. I hate to lay on the shit but how fucking stupid. It has taken you how long to come to this conclusion? Here are some others who agree Ezra Klein doesn't get it.
At least, that’s the conclusion I draw from this article by Ezra, which shows that we pay American doctors way too fucking much. I knew that already, but as Ezra says, you don’t usually see prices written down during the health-care debate. And now that I have...well, damn. Are American doctors so personable that they’re worth ten times as much as doctors in Spain?
TalkLeft:
What's fascinating to me is Ezra Klein has been one of the Village wonkers pooh poohing the central point of a public health insurance option - that the government does better negotiating health care prices than private insurance companies (for whatever reason you may want to attribute.) His focus on the exchanges and the "regulations" and his attempts to diminish the public option demonstrate that the one of the main wonkers not getting the whole "government does better at cost containment in health care" thing is - Ezra Klein. The irony of his post is rich.
By that measure, we have not had a very informed debate.
I can't believe after all his analysis and ink wasted he finally has come to this fucking conclusion. Why has it taken you so long to arrive to this point?
When you have filed bankruptcy due to high medical costs and have lived long enough to manage two chronic illnesses only then will you be an expert in health insurance policy.
Support The Troops...We Will Need Them To Overthrow The Government
Alter-Abled News
Mouse Virus Linked to Chronic Fatigue
For those people who have an unexplained case of chronic fatigue, a huge discovery has been made.
Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome are infected with a virus derived from mice, suggesting the germ may cause the mysterious and exhausting disease.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, which affects a million or more U.S. residents, causes chronic exhaustion, sleep and memory problems and general aches and pains. It is the second disease linked to xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus, or XMLV. Earlier studies have found evidence of infection by the same virus in a subset of cancerous prostate tumors. While finding the germ doesn't mean it causes those diseases, it suggests that possibility - and makes scientists wonder what other ailments might be linked to the newly recognized virus.
Researchers found evidence of XMRV infection in 68 of 101 tissue samples from chronic fatigue patients, or 67 percent of samples tested. In comparison, the germ was found in less than 4 percent of healthy people tested. While doctors had previously suspected some infection might cause chronic fatigue syndrome, this is the strongest link ever seen to a specific germ, said Judy Mikovits, who led the study, published online by Science magazine. Oregonian Link
It'snice to know that there is a biological cause for some cases of chronic fatigue. I am sick of hearing people suggest that it is all in your head. Here is the Science Link to the article.
It's The Law...Disabled and Owning A Companion Pet
Having a dog as my companion has made a huge difference in the quality of my life. Landlords are not supposed to deny disabled people the right to have a companion or service dog, as it should be. Being disabled in this culture is hard enough. Lets support people with physicial or mental challenges by letting them own a pet as long as its well taken care of and the owners pick up their poop.
A St. Helens landlord must let tenants with mental disabilities keep assistance dogs to help them cope with their conditions, according to the terms of a settlement reached Friday in a federal civil rights lawsuit.
The government sued Ronald A. Lucas and R.A. Lucas Developments LLC last year to ensure compliance with the federal Fair Housing Act after Lucas denied tenant Marilyn Dirks' request to own a dog to improve symptoms of her mental disabilities.
Friday's agreement requires Lucas to create and follow a policy that shows he adheres to the Fair Housing Act. The federal law requires landlords to make reasonable accommodations to people not only for physical disabilities, such as blindness, but for mental problems. Oregonian Link
Interesting article in the New York Times today on the health benefits of pets.....
“The human-animal bond bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart and emotions and nurtures us in ways that nothing else can,” said Karin Winegar, whose book “Saved: Rescued Animals and the Lives They Transform” (Da Capo, 2008) chronicles human-animal interactions. “We’ve seen this from coast to coast, whether it’s disabled children at a riding center in California or a nursing home in Minnesota, where a woman with Alzheimer’s could not recognize her husband but she could recognize their beloved dog.” NYT Link
Having a dog has alleviated my depression immensely. How? I don't know or can't find words to explain it. It just makes a difference. By the way, I am also working on making a park in Corvallis an official off leash dog area (Porter Park). The interaction between dog lovers and pets has given me a strong connection with others in my community that wasn't there before.
~Bumper Sticker Siting~
Save The Humans..Health Care For All
Kindness To Animals Makes The World A Better Place To Live
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Hillary
People Laugh At Me Because I'm Different, I Laugh At You Because You Are All The Same
Saturday was pool day at the Corvallis Aquatic Center. There were a lot of dogs playing in the pool before their yearly cleaning of the pool. Sera was a bit overwhelmed by so many dos but it was still a blast.
The World is a Very Stupid Place....
as if you didn't know. US Bank, where i am a regular customer, would not give me a roll of quarters thru the drive thru window today. I have been getting a roll of quarters there for years so I can do my laundry. Today a new teller told me she shouldn't be doing this because the roll of quarters was too heavy for her window thingamajiggy. Now, I did not ask her to send me a roll of quarters thru a pneumatic tube but thru the glass window. Now, all of a sudden they can't do it anymore? God, what a bitch.
So, I get home and call the bank manager and complain about the crappy customer srvice I got as a disabled person. He apologized and said that was incorrect I should be able to get a roll of qurters thru the drive thru window drawer. He said he would talk to his teller staf and correct the problem. Sheeesh.
Thank you Ron Wyden for voting yes on the public option amendment even if it didn't pass. Here is a statement from his website.
The legislation before us currently does not offer enough real competition to keep Americans from continuing to be abused by health insurers and held captive by large employers. Without the ability to hold insurers accountable for their costs and quality of service, without the ability to get a better deal and stop the ongoing erosion of wages, most working families will be no better off after this bill passes than they are today. While I have some concerns about using Medicare reimbursement rates for the public option, I have far deeper concerns about the current shortage of real choice and real reform in this health bill. I cast my vote for public option as a vote for choice and reform.
On Democracy Now today, Paul Hochfeld, an emergency room doctor from Corvallis, Oregon was featured. Dr. Hochfeld and a group of Oregon doctors are on a "Mad as Hell Tour" promoting single payer health insuance. Why is he mad as hell?
Well, a group of Oregon doctors are really dismayed and disgusted by the healthcare reform debate that’s not happening in Washington. And what we’re mad about is that our legislators are partnering, really partnering, with the industry to manipulate public policy so it’s more about profits than health. We have a completely dysfunctional healthcare system, that to the—non-system. To the extent that it’s designed, it’s designed to service the insurance industry and the drug industry. And we waste 20 percent of all of our healthcare dollars on insurance activity, manipulating money, and fighting over money, and it doesn’t add anything to the product. The insurance companies don’t add anything to health. They complicate the lives of providers. They waste 20 percent of all of the money. DemocracyNow Link
The Mad As Hell Doctors, "where the rubber gloves meet the road" will be hosting a Rally in Washington DC on Septemebr 30th. Link
Picture was taken at Martin Luther King Dog Park in Corvallis today..where the dogs get along better than the people. A few days ago I was sitting on the grass there watching the dogs runa nd play ...when a Corgi came over to see me...he then lifted his leg and peed on me. The bummer was the dog owner didn't reprimand the dog.
US White House, Here We Come Just the place we'll dictate from Where bowers of birthers Teabag in the House We'll make sure - no Health Care Cause the GOP lies and then they grouse The rightwing loonies say, "You Lie" That's why we get the media's eye Open up your purse so high US White House, Here We Come
One of my favorite science magazines (besides Science Daily) has a great article on the benefits of legalizing all drugs. The article's conclusion:
Unfortunately, the idea that banning drugs is the best way to protect vulnerable people - especially children - has acquired a strong emotional grip, one that politicians are happy to exploit. For many decades, laws and public policy have flown in the face of the evidence. Far from protecting us, this approach has made the world a much more dangerous place than it need be. New Scientist Link
I Almost Got Dropped From My Supplemental Medicare Plan
I got a letter several weeks ago from Samaritan Advantage Health Plan, my supplemental Medicare Insurance provider. They wanted me to join a "Special Needs Plan" a new health insurance plan that has no premiums. It was offered to folks who are eligible for the low income subsidy. It sounded too good to be true. After scouring their web site for more information I could not believe what I discovered..
Unless you are a member of a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (SNP) for chronic conditions, we cannot ask you to leave your health plan for any health-related reasons. Link
Ummm, so i join up but you can ask me to leave because I have chronic conditions. Like WTF? I am sure glad I read this web page, damn insurance companies. And some people say we have the best health care in the world. Bullshit.
No Cost of Living Raise For Economically Challenged Folks on Social Security
I'm going to have to learn how to live on a stagnant income for another two years or find a part time job that doesn't mind hiring someone who uses too much sick leave and who is chronically fatigued.. A blue moon is more likely to happen in this poor economy.
Millions of older people face shrinking Social Security checks next year, the first time in a generation that payments would not rise. The trustees who oversee Social Security are projecting there won't be a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for the next two years. That hasn't happened since automatic increases were adopted in 1975. Yahoo News Link
Heaven, a Brown Swiss cow with expressive eyes and a patch of curly hair, has three ID cards. The inside of her left ear is tattooed with one number; yellow plastic name tags with another number dangle from both ears; and a silver clip with a third number clings to the top of her right ear. The Obama administration thinks farm animals like Heaven should just have one number and one ID. Heaven's owner, dairy farmer Melissa Greenback of Durham, agrees. Some of Greenback's records refer to her 350 cows by one number, and some by another number, depending on the purpose. "One uniform system would be beneficial," she says. The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to require all farmers to register their animals with one unique identifier, buy and install microchips or radio frequency identification "buttons" in their animals and report their animals' movements to a national database. Hartford Advocate News
US: Ranchers say 'no' to mandatory animal ID
No. No. No. That was the resounding message that area ranchers delivered to federal agriculture officials here to gather their opinions on a proposed mandatory National Animal Identification System. More than 300 ranchers packed into a meeting room at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn for a U.S. Department of Agriculture listening session on the proposed NAIS. The system would use a combination of identification devices and computerized records to track livestock in the event of a disease outbreak. Of the approximately 60 people who spoke Thursday morning, only two voiced support for the proposed mandatory system of animal ID. Rapid City Journal Link
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) chemist Eric Nicholson and veterinarian Robert Kunkle have found a way to facilitate the diagnosis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), a deadly group of diseases that can develop in a range of mammals, including humans. USDA Link
BSE case confirmed in ALBERTA
OTTAWA -- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in an 80-month-old dairy cow from Alberta. No part of the animal’s carcass entered the human food or animal feed systems. The animal’s birth farm has been identified, and an investigation is underway. The age and location of the infected animal are consistent with previous cases detected in Canada. Canadian Food Inspection Agency
UK: 'Mad cow' disease kills 22-year-old Bilsthorpe man
A 22-year-old Bilsthorpe man has died from a suspected case of the incurable
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) — better known as 'mad cow' disease. Andrew 'Rew' Hawker died at King's Mill Hospital on 7th May after being struck down by pneumonia while he fought the degenerative neurological disorder. Chad.co.uk. Link
WEST VIRGINIA: Seven more deer test positive for CWD
Seven more deer sampled in Hampshire County test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. Since it was first discovered in a road-killed deer near Slanesville in 2005, the DNR has been aggressively targeting the dangerous virus. To date, 45 deer taken from the containment zone have tested positive.West Va Outdoor News
CANADA: Are we eating American beef raised on chicken manure?
When you think of cattle feed very few of us probably imagine chicken manure. Certainly it would be the last thing that would enter the mind of most of us from farmers to eaters. Some time ago the NFU was approached about the possible practice of feeding chicken litter to cattle in the United States, and potentially in other nations that export their beef to Canada. I say possible because it is really difficult for a farm organization in Canada to nail down what exactly is happening with this issue. Having spent a great deal of personal time trying to research this issue it has proven impossible to find the "smoking gun" of how widespread this practice is. Frankly it is going to take an enterprising news agency or journalist to follow this issue further. At this point it is hard to know where the truth really lies. Here's what we do know. Canada has banned this practice. The United States has not banned the practice of feeding chicken manure to cattle -- quite the opposite in fact. You can find the following recommendation from the University of West Virginia (as an example) on the web by simply Googling "feeding chicken litter":The following rations are based on free choice feeding and is adequate for both dry and lactating cows. Because chicken litter is high in minerals, no salt or minerals need to be fed with this ration -- 70% chicken litter and 30% hay. The Sun Times Link
CANADA: Protein linked to wasting disease found in elk antler velvet
New research shows that protein associated with chronic wasting disease can be found in antler velvet, a substance used to make nutritional supplements. The discovery is prompting one organization to demand an emergency recall of the products, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there is no reason to worry. Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, is a fatal disease that spreads among species in the deer family. Like mad cow disease, the killer involved is a prion. It is a tiny infectious agent that, unlike a virus or bacterium, is made up entirely of protein and contains no nucleic acid. Edmonton Journal Link
Tons of beef suspected of mad cow disease sold
About 13 tons of American beef were falsely sold as Australian products five years ago in defiance of a disposal order issued after a case of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was reported in the United States. Korea Times Link
Report on the investigation of the fifteenth case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
On November 3, 2008, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sampled a Holstein cow under Canada's National BSE Surveillance Program. Brain samples were received by the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands (BCMAL) Laboratory, where they were screened for BSE using a Prionics rapid test. The result of this preliminary test did not rule out BSE. In accordance with the prescribed testing protocol, the test was repeated and produced a reaction a second time. Brain samples were then sent to the National BSE Reference Laboratory in Lethbridge, Alberta. Additional testing for BSE (Prionics-Check PrioStrip, BioRad TeSeE ELISA, Prionics-Check Western and Hybrid Western Blot) was conducted at the National BSE Reference Laboratory to validate the result of the screening test and was positive on Nov 6, 2008. The Scrapie Associated Fibril Immunoblot procedure was positive on Nov 7, 2008 and the immunohistochemistry procedure was positive on Nov 14, 2008. The carcass was secured at the sampling site and will subsequently be transferred to CFIA’s Lethbridge laboratory for incineration. No part of the carcass entered the human food supply or animal feed chain. Canadian Food Inspection Agency
US: FDA announces confirmation of the effective date of the BSE final rule
The Food and Drug Administration today announced that the final rule entitled ‘‘Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed,’’ will become effective on April 27, 2009. However, to allow renderers additional time to comply with the new requirements, the Agency has established a compliance date of October 26, 2009. The additional 6 months will provide time for those affected to identify appropriate methods for disposing of material prohibited from use in animal feed by this rule. FDA is encouraging affected parties who are able to begin complying with the rule to do so as soon as possible. Veg Source Link
