Showing posts with label healthcare reform. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthcare reform. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Hospital services overstretched by illegal immigrants

11/24/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


Supported by taxpayers to give medical care to Americans and illegal immigrants alike, Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia suffers like other hospitals in the country from budget crunch. Its services have reached breaking point because of high volume of charity patients and dwindling money support.

After decades of humanitarian work spanning more than a hundred years, the hospital which provides dialysis for patients with end-stage renal problems has started cutting down services for lack funds, worrying patients who come regularly without any means to pay for treatment. Approximately $50,000 dollars are needed yearly to keep a patient alive for a year.

In October 4, 2009, the public hospital stopped its outpatient service, putting uncertainty on the survival of its regular clientele, mostly undocumented aliens. They are left to figure their next move to get healthcare right in the US territory or in their homeland.

“With limited exceptions, illegal immigrants are ineligible for public insurance programs like Medicaid and Medicare and often cannot afford private coverage. When major illness strikes, they have few options but to go to emergency rooms, which are required by federal law to treat anyone whose health is deemed in serious jeopardy…

Officials at Grady, which will provide more than $300 million in uncompensated care this year, estimate that as many as a fifth of its uninsured patients are illegal immigrants. Although the numbers are elusive, a national study by the RAND Corporation concluded that illegal immigrants account for about 1.3 percent of public health spending. “---New York Times (11/20/09)

With the economic downturn, America is now experiencing financial difficulty in supporting the health needs of about 10 million illegal immigrants among the 46 million who don’t have medical insurance benefits. When they become covered by the healthcare system, available medical services may not be enough to accommodate them. The deluge of patients can precipitate doctor and nurse shortages, making Pres. Barack Obama’s healthcare reform more contentious.

Because of the huge number of new holders of insurance benefits, elderly Americans, the disabled, and those with rare diseases and needing chronic care may be marginalized as services become scarce or trimmed down --something that is likely to happen when patients flood the system and cost-saving measures are implemented.

It is no surprise then that the public is confused and fearful. Citizens find it hard to digest the almost 1 trillion cost of the proposed healthcare reform bill that awaits deliberation in Capitol Hill after the Thanksgiving holiday. (Photo Credit: Benedicte destrus) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Healthcare bill hurdles the senate

11/22/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


The democrat-dominated US senate has voted (60-39) to continue the healthcare bill debate towards making into a law on Satruday, November 11, 2009. There were 58 democrats and 2 independents who voted to clear the 2,074-page bill for the next stage of deliberations slated after the Thanksgiving holiday. All 39 Republicans rejected the bill.

Hailed by Pres. Barack Obama, the healthcare revamp which promises medical insurance coverage for 94% of the population needs about 1 trillion to finance is deemed too expensive. Those who oppose the bill worry more government control--- lesser Medicare services such as more taxes in insurances and payroll incomes, elective operations (cosmetic surgery,) and drug manufacture (i.e. H1N1 vaccine productin.) (Photo Credit: Hoffman, Brendan/ AFP/ Getty images) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon House passes US healthcare revamp bill

11/08/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


On late Saturday, November 7, 2009, in a vote of 220-215, the house passes the healthcare bill proposed by Democrats that will provide coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It will make healthcare “affordable and accessible” to most Americans at a price of greater than $1 trillion in 10 years. Hailed by Pres. Barack Obama, the bill’s approval is facilitated by excluding funding for abortion (240-194 vote) previously proposed in the bill.

“The Congressional Budget Office estimates that by 2019, the bill would leave about 96% of legal residents with health insurance, up from 83% now. To pay for expanding insurance coverage, the bill calls for hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare aimed at eliminating its wasteful spending.

It levies a 5.4% tax on the wealthy that targets individuals earning more than $500,000 a year and couples earning more than $1 million a year. All but the smallest employers would be required to provide insurance and pay for most of the premium, or they would face a fine of up to 8% of their payroll.”----Wall Street Journal (11/08/09. Adamy, J; Bendavid, N.)

The Democrats headed by Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) were jubilant. The passage was a victory of Pres. Barack Obama and party members who needed to advance their campaign promise to mend the broken healthcare system, a centerpiece project of the current administration which was left undone by those that preceded it.

Most Republicans voted against the bill and pushed their own proposal of improving healthcare that is far less expensive ---- $61 billion in 10 years. The resistance by the Republicans against the Democrat’s house version arise from many unresolved issues--- i.e. the soaring cost, high tax burden, government interference on doctorr-patient relationship and failure to drive down the budget deficit and come up with tort reform to curb lawsuits and control fraud in the system.

The ambitious healthcare overhaul will need to clear several hurdles before it transforms into law. There will be more debates and uncertainties in the coming weeks to streamline the bill’s stipulations. The senate needs to approve its own bill to reconcile with the house version before Pres. Obama can sign it into law. (Photo Credit: www.techimoto) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Opposition to healthcare reform rises to 56%

9/22/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


At the end of the week, Rasmussen poll released its new number on Obama’s campaign to sell his healthcare proposal---the nationwide opposition against the measure climbed to 56% compared to only 43% in favor. Contrarians dominate over those who approve of the plan since the last week of June 2009 when opposition registered at 50% and approval at 45%. This is in spite of Obama's aggressive promotion of the healthcare bill, undoubltedly one of the centerpieces of his administration.

The overhaul of healthcare became more unacceptable to the doubting public as the details are laid bare in the on-going debate. The confusion, lack of transparency, and truthfulness at the onset were partly to blame. Top leaders of the government react to criticism sorely as they wanted to ram their proposal to the public's throat--- hook line and sinker. Rasmussen revealed that for August, the public perception of protesters (wrongfully accused by being rabble-rousers and Nazis for airing their concerns) improved, making the Obama administrtion to pay more attention.

“If the plan passes, 26% of voters say the quality of care will get better, and 51% say it will get worse. In August, the numbers were 23% better and 50% worse. Fifty-one percent (51%) say passage of the plan will make the cost of health care go up while 20% say it will make costs go down. In August, 52% thought the plan would lead to higher costs, and just 17% thought it would achieve the stated goal of lowering costs.”---Rasmussen (09/18/09)

These numbers make Democrats worried. More people are speaking against the heathcare plan as much as they demonstrate their opposition to the bailouts of banks, financial institutions, and the auto industry at the expense of taxpayers’ money. These are on top of humongous spending by a government with trillions in budget deficit on its back. (Photo Credit: ctv.ca) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Sen. Edward Kennedy interred in Arlington Cemetery

8/30/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
Edward Kennedy 1932-2009



On Saturday, August 29, 2009, Sen. Edward (Ted) Kennedy who died this week of malignant glioma, a form of aggressive brain tumor was buried with full honors in Arlington Cemetery in Virginia beside his ill-fated slain brothers Pres. John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert Kennedy.

In a solemn sundown ceremony, the 77 year-old senator was carried to his final resting place attended by close relatives, friends, and millions of admirers who watched in TV. His death marked the closure of a chapter in a colorful life of the legendary Kennedy clan which awed the imagination of many Americans and people of the world.

Edward, the 9th child and youngest in the family of Joseph and Rose Kennedy served as a government official for almost 50 years, leaving with him a mixed legacy of successes and disappointments. His dream to be United States president was dashed by tragedies, personal foibles, and human limitations,

A towering influential figure in Capitol Hill, Edward, the “Lion of the Senate,” was a liberal democrat who reached out across party lines to tackle public issues so diverse as healthcare, immigration, wages, racial bias, gender discrimination, nuclear proliferation, and civil rights. No wonder there had been a lot to say about his contribution and legacy.

A remarried divorcee from Massachusetts, Ted had been a proponent of abortion which proved antithetical to Catholic Church teaching which he professed. Before he died, coinciding Pres. Barack Obama’s visit to Rome, he asked the president to personally deliver his letter to Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican acknowledged Ted’s outstanding contributions to society and the Holy Father prayed for his solace and comfort during his most difficult time. The plan to make his niece Caroline Kennedy as US ambassador to the Holy See didn’t materialize.

In support of Pres. Obama, his desire to overhaul healthcare is generally lauded for its scope to cover all Americans, but the contentious issues surrounding the bill have been the subject of heated debates. Aside from the cost of healthcare, the proposal has a tendency to “marginalize” the elderly, the chronically ill, and disabled.

There is the pervasive worry that the revamp will lead to more expenses, rationing of services, and the lack of doctors and nurses. Prolonged waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, and more government intrusion to the patient-and-doctor relationship are possible changes if the overhaul is implemented.

America’s healthcare system may end up faltering if funding is drastically cut, making it less possible to have the best medical services that Sen. Edward Kennedy used to extend his life. Because healthcare expenses can’t be sustained in the long haul, there is pressure to scrimp and dictate, endangering the quality of medical services particularly that of ordinary American citizens. (Photo Credit: dag.nl) =0=

RELATED BLOGS: Sen. Edward Kennedy, 77 dies of brain cancer Posted by mesiamd at 8/26/2009; Posthumous tributes to Sen. Edward Kennedy pours in from the world Posted by mesiamd at 8/27/2009; Sen. Edward Kennedy survives longer under the world’s best medicine available Posted by mesiamd at 7/07/2009



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PostHeaderIcon ADA not so happy about Obama’s healthcare bill

8/24/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


The American Dental Association (ADA) is not all smiles for the Obama healthcare reform. Reason? The new proposal doesn’t increase Medicaid payment rates and doesn’t decrease the administrative burden in taking care of indigent patients. The healthcare revamp doesn’t answer the dentist’s main concern--- the need to fix the Medicaid payment scheme which pays less than cost of keeping the business. ADA does not approve of a single-payer plan if it will mandate their compulsory participation.

For lack of monetary incentive, only about 15%-20% of dentists service Medicaid patients and some dentists opt to just give free treatment because of low and tedious reimbursement process.

Yet there are provisions in the bill that ADA supports. The group somehow agrees with the new house bill and the Senate Health Labor and Pensions (HELP) plan of expanding dental care---more for prevention treatment and infrastructure funding.

ADA supports greater patient access to dental services by increasing personnel in community health centers. The organization supports the bill’s proposal of eliminating out of the pocket payments for patients. (Photo Credi: Leannemichelle) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon AARP loses 60,000 members in July-August 2009

8/18/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


Parallel to the erosion of Pres. Barack Obama's approval rating, the Association of American Retired Persons (AARP) reported the withdrawal of 60,000 members from July to August 2009. Associated Press (AP,) disclosed USA's leading senior citizen organization attributes the attrition from the AARP’s position on the healthcare debate. Pres. Obama earlier said AARP supported some of the provisions of the reform bill, but was later debunked by AARP as inaccurate.

The organization of seniors supports the need for a healthcare revamp to rein on the expenses and make it more affordable. But its managers have not been keen in defending the sick nnd elderly from "rationing. high premiums, government intervetion, and “death panels”---things that worry the senior citizens. AARP instead helped the US president in claiming the association supports his proposed medical reform which mnny members rejected.

According to AARP, it is fighing for the following:

1.Stopping insurance companies from charging older Americans unaffordable premiums because of their age.
2.Ending the practice of excluding people from insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
3.Holding down health costs and making insurance coverage more affordable for all Americans.
4.Making prescription drugs more affordable by narrowing the Medicare doughnut hole, bringing generics to market faster, and allowing Medicare to negotiate better drug prices. Source: eCancerAwareness.com (08/06/09, Sacto, Eric )

A. Barry Rand, CEO of AARP underscored the need to stop the rise in healthcare expenses which accounts for 16% of the 2007 GDP. Deemed unsustainable, without healthcare reform, he said expenses is expected to climb to 25% and 49% of GDP in years 2025 and 2082 respectively. Yet, he didn't offer enough assurance that seniors will not be short-changed in medical services once the revamp is approved.

According to AARP spokesman Drew Nannis, with 40 million members, dropping from the AARP roll is expected. The group is watching how many members have opted to drop from the list because of their disapproval on how AARP represents them. (Photo Credit: boraeke) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Sen. Sarah Palin stirs the healthcare debate with her warning of the “death panel”

8/15/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




If Alaska Sen. Sarah Palin is dumb as her detractors have portrayed her all along, how come, in spite of her resignation from her governorship, she has been getting attention from the American public? In her recent indictment of the healthcare overhaul proposal of Pres. Barack Obama, she speaks of a “death panel” that looms when it is approved.

Sen. Palin refers to the effect of rationing that has to be done to rein over the cost of medical care. Rationing is almost inevitable in Obama’s healthcare reform for it plans to cover 47 million uninsured people including illegal aliens. There will be sharp need for doctors and nurses for the expected rise in the demand of medical services. Long waiting times may occur. Quality of care will suffer. Delays in diagnostics and treatments like what happens in Canada and other countries are likely. All these can result to an overall rise in the price of the whole healthcare services. And it can lead to the decline in the preeminence of US medical care which attracts patients worldwide.

There are sectors in society who boldly sell their judgment on who is worthy to avail of the resources of the government. If there will be any cost-cutting measures, the elderly, the disabled, the very young and handicapped are threatened to be denied of services in favor of the young and productive.

Healthcare Discrimination

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of the White House chief of staff, a radical adviser of Barack Obama believes that the life of Americans 15 to 50 years are more valuable and therefore deserving of services more than the old, the chronically ill, and the dying. Put in a compromising stance, Emanuel disavowed his previous support on rationing. Disguised as humanitarian, his scary point of view is an extension of the old debate that supposes that the unborn in the womb is expendable and it’s OK to abort them. Obama is pro-abortion.

After reversing the pro-life policy of Pres. George W. Bush, Obama has already started funding of abortion at taxpayers’ expense not only in the United States, but outside the country. One can see why the debate on “death panel” raised by Palin has morphed into a human rights and moral issue that casts doubt on the Obama plan. The selection on who may live may shift from fetuses in utero to those who are old and unproductive in society.

My Personal Experience

Sen. Palin knows so well because of Trig, her son born with disabling Down’s Syndrome. I can just sympathize with her because I too am handicapped with an unrelenting rare blood disorder. Under Medicare, I have been denied of diagnostic tests and treatments, an aftermath of cost-cutting and government rules interfering with my doctor’s medical judgment.

My doctor and I have to be contented with a medical regimen that is second in line (and probably less effective than what was originally planned.) Such insurance-mandated treatments may shorten my survival and that of other patients who are prevented to get the first line medical intervention.

I have to buy additional coverage from private insurances to help when my primary insurance falters. Speaking from experiene, by responsibly planning one's medical needs and spending for them, one can avoid devastating mistakes. Despite the imperfections of my coverage, my gut tells me problems in healthcare will worsen with what Obama is proposing.

End of Life Issues & Medical Reimbursement

In a push to “popularize” end of life decisions, a group of Obama supporters have inserted in the healthcare bill an end of life provision that will give reimbursements to doctors who discuss to their patients on how to decide on death issues. The provision somehow validates Palin’s “death panel” fears. It is a step closer to the door of euthanasia or something more sinisterly evil. Though optional, the proposed money incentive creates a pressure to direct a patient to decide. To avoid problems ahead, the congressmen decided to drop the provision.

Sarah’s liberal detractors labeled her assertions as “false rumors” and "alarmist" but the intent of the Medicare reimbursements are ominously suggestive. The provision they dropped has hints of selective triage on who deserves to live. That’s not unexpected for there those who won’t stop at anything---at a cost on trampling on age-old moral values---just to cut down the expense of healthcare.

The old and the very young and those with diseases requiring expensive treatments are vulnerable in these cost-saving measures. If they think certain persons are socially expendable, they want to throw the sanctity of life out of the window. Assurances to the contrary is offered by Obama, but will they hold when the right time comes?

Healthcare Intrusion to Private Lives

Plans are in the offing for a group of health experts in government to oversee the decision on who can avail of standard medical care and who will avail of them with what kind of doctor and where. The experts will have access to information of patients when electronic records are set up. Those who fall outside their regulations may be denied or be challenged to go on appeal, delaying treatment, without assurance of success. So we know why the healthcare debate has heated up all over America.

Bureaucrats are inching their way to ram into the throats of the public a social plan that tends to devalue the life of a certain segment of society. The town meetings across America are airing the voice of the angry opposition. Trying to snuff off dissent, those who want to push the healthcare reform have accused these meetings as disruptive handiworks of the mob. Obama blamed the media for paying attention to the protesters.

Foiling Effective Dialogue

Sen. Nancy Pelosi of California (D,) among other partisans, called protesters of the heathcare bill anti-American and pro-Nazi. Such immature accusations by a government official frustrates meaningful discussions to resolve the complex issues of the problem.

The healthcare proposal is promised to be cheap. But the calculations of expenses have run into trillions of dollars that compromise taxpayers’ money. The huge spending and debts scare ordinary Americans who believe it will be hard to come out solvent in this ambitious plan. There are so many promises to digest from Pres. Barack Obama and his self-avowed cognoscentis. Tempers rise. Frustration and confusion take over.

What Can be Done?

Reining on healthcare expenses can start with limiting bureaucracy and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid. Electronic records will bring savings. Personal healthcare accounts and aavings for expected medical needs must be encouraged. Give the people medical choice (not the single public payer which give the government too much control) to allow market forces to work with competing companies.

Implement tort reform in mediicine to discourage frivolous lawsuits that jack-up the overhead expenses of health professionals. Disease prevention must be emphasized to avoid expensive treatment when people get sick. Limit government intrusion on the freedom of doctors to treat their patients.

Palin as Victim of Media bias

Amazing! Sarah Palin whom the arrogant liberals and the biased media have demonized, cajoled, underestimated and labeled as dumbed now stands in the forefront of “activism." In her straightforward way, the victim of hate and scorn helps make the public aware of the other side of Obama’s healthcare proposal. She asks people to weigh on crucial issues that our health system, comprising a 1/6th of the US economy.

Sarah may be more informed than some of her political counterparts. Many lawmakers and their constituents don’t know the intricacies of the healthcare bill which comes in more than a 1,000 pages. Majority of lawmakers don’t know what is in the book. They haven’t read it. But Obama wants it approved in a snap of a hand, just like the $787 billion bailout that is hyped as the panacea of America’s financial problems. In bated breath, America is waiting with trepidation. (Photo Credit: infacinatorin; healthcare4every1) =0=

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