It’s time for a little truth. One that has probably eluded you for years- because your employer provides your health insurance. But, if you have to buy your own insurance- or, worse yet, have no insurance, you probably have an inkling of these insidious practices.
Continue reading What’s behind that curtain?
I’ve written about Obamacare often. (Here’s one such article– you can find more searching for Obamacare or PPACA via the search box to the right.) So have others. While the original goal of the concept was to improve the health of Americans, it seems that we settled for insuring most Americans and making health care more accessible. (A valid goal, but far less lofty.) But, there always is the hope that we can reduce the costs of healthcare, too.
Continue reading Sour Grapes, Low Hanging Fruit, and Fine Wine…
Imagine you’ve been in business for years. Imagine you’ve been successful. (Of course, you have been! Why else would you be in business!) Now, imagine the world is going to change overnight. What would you do now?
Most of you know that I believe in universal health insurance. Because in the long run it will save us (as a nation, and individually) money. Notice, I did not say universal “free” health insurance, even though I recognize that about 10% of Americans can’t afford it, another 10% will need help paying for all of it, and about 15% of Americans think they don’t need it. (Of course, about 15% – or more- of Americans don’t think they need car insurance, but that doesn’t mean we don’t demand they carry it.)
Continue reading What Medicare Needs?
I’ve written about family law before. You know- the fancy term for divorce law. I not only have experienced divorce (ok, I was one of the adults- I caused the divorce; my children experienced it), but I have served as the financial manager for a family law practice for more than a few years. This is a big business- there are about 800,000 divorces filed annually in the US (compared to the 2 million marriages begun).
Continue reading Divorce- Technology Style
While reading the New York Times (NYT) this past Sunday (What? You don’t?), I was struck once again how the law of unintended circumstances comes into play. [Ed: This was written 3 June 2012.] The Times’ front page article headline read: “The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill”, which really focused on just one medical procedure- colonoscopic exams.
Continue reading Another Example of Unintended Circumstances
We discussed uncompensated care a few days ago, where I mentioned the variation in health care costs across the US. But, is that variability related to the cost of living in the various regions of the US? Or, is it attributable to the relative health of folks in various regions?
Continue reading Healthcare Costs- Controversy and Data
Lately, data are indicating that the seemingly inexorable rise in our health care costs may be attenuating. Is this real? Or, just an artifact? Given that there are large variations in health costs across the US, what does this trend mean for our local, state, and federal taxes. And, given that these difference in regional costs will become exacerbated as more (Republican) states refuse to run their own health care exchanges, some of us are in for additional costs.
Continue reading Uncompensated Care
OK. It’s rant time. But, no, I have not lost power again- yet. Although, I must admit, having bought my house some 25 years ago, I have had the “opportunity” to experience a blackout- longer and more pervasive than the one that hit the Northeast when I was a young lad- enough times that I find it amazing that we consider ourselves to live in the “First World”.
Continue reading It’s way past time to bury these items
We’ve heard about this before- for years. Folks working in animal processing facilities are more prone to injury and poor working conditions than in other industries.
Continue reading Speed- at all costs