Benefits of President Obama’s Health-care Information System Plan
The benefits of a fully computerized health record system in President Elect Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan President-elect Barack Obama recently spoke at George Mason University on the economy and his plans for it. One of his main promises was that he would take steps to computerize paper health records ...
Source: newyorkdocumentscanning.info
Mr. Man-ners: Am I profound or what?
Dear Mr. Man-ners:
I just thought up the most profound saying. “Sometimes you’ve got to believe that God knows what he’s doing.” What do you think?
Believer
Dear Believer:
Just one question: Do you sometimes feel like a nut, and sometimes you don’t?
Mr. Man-ners
Source: feedproxy.google.com
The smear campaign continues
If you can't beat them on the issues, try to destroy your opponent's name by attempting to scare voters into voting for you. That seems to be the McCain campaign's strategy. Sadly, I'd never bet against that strategy. The Democrats have lost on it twice before, and we'll see if it happens again. Will they regret not pulling out every skeleton in McCain and Palin's closet? Strategically, the Obama campaign seems far superior to Kerry and Gore, but still, negativity can be very effective. The polling continues to look good for Obama, but this race is pretty unprecedented, so we'll have to wait until Tuesday/Wednesday to see if they hold any water. It'll be interesting, to say the least.
Source: brettdalypolitics.blogspot.com
The 2008 Presidential Race
It keeps getting more and more interesting. Clinton and Obama are the clear front runners among the Democrats right now. Perhaps Edwards will become more of a factor as things progress and Richardson is trying to get into the thick of things too. McCain and Giuliani seem to be receiving the most mention from the GOP, while Gingrich is also being mentioned.
Obama seems capable of giving Clinton a run--especially since some question Clinton's chances if she is their candidate. I don't think Giuliani stands a chance--gun control supporting candidates with a pro-choice stance don't tend to do well with the GOP's core. McCain may not appeal to the far right, but I think he has a better shot. We'll see if age is tossed into the equation though. Romney is another possibility.
So, it's really any one's guess right now. I still believe Obama v. McCain would make for a refreshingly civil campaign. Gingrich v. Clinton could be a little deja vu and quite the battle. We'll have to wait and see what unfolds.
Source: brettdalypolitics.blogspot.com
Iomega StorCenter ix2 Network Storage Hard Drive
The Iomega StorCenter ix2 1TB (2HD x 500GB ) and 2 TB (2HD x 1000GB) is a network attached storage solution for small office networks. The StorCenter ix2 is a cost effective solution for data protection or increasing network storage capacity. This network hard drive offers RAID 1 (Mirroring) ...
Source: newyorkdocumentscanning.info
Bush Healthplan Update
This is just a quick update on my previous post. This Christian Science Monitor article summarizes things well. Ultimately, it sounds like this plan has no chance as it was presented. But, I'm happy the president finally addressed the issue and put it on the table. I agree that it doesn't seem fair that those without health care are forced to spend their after-tax dollars if they want health care while those receiving discounted plans from their employer are more fortunate. So, I think he made a good point there.
However, I see two primary issues. First off, it penalizes those in states where it costs more for coverage because the cap is the same for all. That number should be adjusted so someone in a more expensive state isn't further penalized (with taxes) for receiving essentially the same plan as someone in a lower cost state who actually receives a deduction. Secondly, it sounds like they are pushing people to deductible plans. In other words, you pay the first $500 or $1, 000 out of pocket, and then they start covering you. The problem with this is it discourages preventative care. I know I'd be less likely to get a checkup if I knew it would be $500 out-of-pocket after the visit and blood work. And, we know preventative care is cheaper in the long run. Of course, unnecessary visits should be penalized.
So, kudos to the president for finally putting this on the table. Ultimately, given the efficiency and positive health indicators in other industrialized nations with national health care, I'd like the nation to examine something along those lines. In India, surgeons perform several times as many surgeries per day as American doctors. This "manufacturing-like" process sounds like a bad thing right? Well, it isn't. Their doctors make fewer mistakes during surgery. Obviously, that's an extreme example. But, despite the scare tactics, many western nations with "socialized medicine" spend half as much per capita while boasting better health statistics.
And, maybe some progress is being made at a state level in the United States. Massachusetts requires coverage, while California looks like they are going to do the same. Hopefully this will force cost reductions so America is no longer a cash cow for much of the pharmaceutical and health care industries.
Source: brettdalypolitics.blogspot.com
An All New York Presidential Race?
As I read this article about Michael Bloomberg leaving the GOP and potentially entering the presidential race as an independent, it got me thinking about the possibility that the three leading nominees (Republican, Democrat, and Independent) for president in 2008 could have received their most recent political experience in New York. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is one of New York's representatives in the United States Senate, Rudy Giuliani is New York City's previous mayor, and Bloomberg is New York City's current mayor. While I haven't looked into it, I have to believe that would be a first.
Of course, Clinton and Giuliani have lots of work ahead of them. Clinton still holds a solid lead and I expect her to emerge, but I think Barack Obama is a strong candidate too. Giuliani might be a bit "too liberal" to get through the GOP's primaries, although he still holds a narrow lead according to most polls. Thompson, a long-time lobbyist, seems to be gaining ground. I'd be a little surprised if Rudy survives the smear tactics that are sure to occur to him due to his beliefs on gun control and abortion.
Source: brettdalypolitics.blogspot.com
Sobering United States Healthcare Statistics
Strategy + Business has two interesting health care articles in the spring issue. The article titled "Does Health Care Have a Future" summarizes points from eight different books. I really think the opening paragraph is telling:
It is no secret that health care in the U.S. is in crisis. Americans share a sense of impending catastrophe, and for good reason. Health care in the United States consumes some $2 trillion per year — 16 percent of the GDP, and four times the expenditure for national defense. Yet U.S. health care’s performance is ranked 15th globally by the World Health Organization; American life expectancy ranks 22nd in the world, and infant mortality ranks 39th. The U.S. spends more on health-care insurance than any other nation, yet 46 million Americans do without — a number that increases every year. The out-of-pocket costs of those who have insurance have nearly tripled in the last six years, as health-care premiums continue to rise at nearly three times the general inflation rate. Unpaid and unpayable health-care bills account for the majority of all personal bankruptcies in the country. (Flower & Knott, 2007)
One of the suggested solutions is to make health care costs and quality more transparent. It cites that those parts of the industry that must really compete for the health care dollar--like plastic surgery and laser eye surgery--generally perform better. It's a valid insight. I may give my opinion on the other article in the business blog as it discusses a retail system.
Source: brettdalypolitics.blogspot.com
Post a Comment