Health Care

It is one of the most widely quoted stats in the media today: '46 million in America are without health insurance.'   Is it true? Yes.   The latest numbers have just about 45.7 million people in America lacking health insurance. But there are some important details missing in this rather startling figure. An interesting article in American Spectator breaks down the health ... read more

As we continue to discuss the high cost of health care and $26 billion dollar budget gap in California, a new report again brings the two issues together though the national problem of obesity. The Center for Public Health Advocacy ties together the high cost of health care and its impact on California The study found that the cost of overweight, obesity and physical inactivity had ... read more

For decades the middleman has gone the way of the dinosaur in American business.    Companies used to make stuff, sell it to another company, who would often sell to yet another company before the product reached the store shelves.    Logistical improvements, just-in-time manufacturing, software and other productivity tools have largely slayed this outdated model, sending products directly ... read more

Need surgery in Canada?    Hopefully you can live with the pain for a few months. I came across this fascinating website from the government of the Province of British Columbia. It outlines various procedures, how many people are currently waiting for them and what the average wait time is for each operation. Some staggering figures here as of May 31st for these procedures, ... read more

No American should be without some kind of health care coverage ... and Im not talking about a free ride in the ER.    Preventative medicine and doctoring before illness is going to be more and more important going forward. That said, I find myself curious about the government plan but have two big questions that I need answered before I can truly come to any kind of conclusion on what will ... read more

First things first ... yes, I know it is rude to eavesdrop.   But with apologizes to etiquette gurus, a recent conversation I overheard (okay, eavesdropped) between two painters in a deli near my office may have given me some insight into feelings around the health care debate and a new angle to the story - is much of the 'support' for the overhaul plan not support for the plan itself, but ... read more

Nancy Pelosi seemed to confirm the sentiment held by the painter I overheard in a deli recently lashing out against the insurance companies. Reuters reports: "It's almost immoral what they are doing," Pelosi said to reporters, referring to insurance companies. "Of course they've been immoral all along in how they have treated the people that they ... read more

"No one will force you to be a part of the government plan." "If you have health care you like, you can keep it." Quotes we heard often today, as the President sold his health plan at a "town hall" meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The meeting was definitely a win for the President, who pushed his plan effectively, albeit to a (mostly) favorable crowd. That said, my biggest ... read more

Fascinating opinion piece in today's Wall Street Journal.   It lays out why the "public plan" will result in higher costs for those already insured, basing its findings on a few of the U.S. states currently implementing a similar plan to what the Obama camp is proposing. From the piece: Mr. Obama wants to wave away this reality with new regulations that prohibit "discrimination against the ... read more

Interesting interview with the head of Sac-Osage Hospital tiny Osceola, Missouri. Jeff Speaks details how they are underpaid vs. costs by about 7% by Medicare and Medicaid. ... read more