In studying the healthcare crisis and proposed reform that is being bantered around in Congress, we have heard from a variety of political voices. Many of those voices have agendas attached that create very subjective opinions on the matter.
The New American Foundation, however, gets it. They seem to have identified the issues facing this crisis and present an unbiased plan of action aimed at correcting the problems. I encourage everyone to check out their site at: http://www.newamerica.net/programs/health_policy#
The Compassion Revolution has detailed its stance on the issue on at: www.thecompassionrevolution.net/action.htm or on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/The-Compassion-Revolution/122544667347
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Healthcare post updated on Facebook, website and blog
Healthcare Crisis
According to the 2004 Census Study, 45.8 million Americans are without health insurance. Further, paying medical expenses is not only a struggle for the uninsured. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation Study, 62 percent of those struggling to pay medical bills have health insurance. The study showed premiums to have risen 57 percent since 2000, which highlights how increasing premiums, deductibles and gaps in coverage are affecting all of us. Such statistics showcase how healthcare costs have skyrocketed to the point of unfairly turning medical treatment into a luxury item.
Reasons are numerous: Pricing established by healthcare providers (doctors, hospitals, etc.) and pharmaceutical companies and technological advancements which have caused cost spikes are two of the biggest issues.
Let's address these:
PRICING--healthcare as an industry is emerging as a monopoly in which costs defy reason and consumers (and at times their insurance companies) have no choice but to pay such outlandish costs. People are shuttled from test to test--amassing outrageous bills, many of which are unnecessary. With healthcare prices out of control, the healthcare industry needs to be held accountable for its outrageous pricing and be severely scrutinized for such strategies. Further, industry pricing standards should be adopted "across-the-board" for tests and procedures (with possible slight variances market-to-market to account for different cost-of-living indexes). Also, consumers need cost-control measures with better understanding of the need for various tests and procedures versus the resulting costs.
TECHNOLOGY--"Would you be willing to go back and pay 1976 prices for 1976 medicine?" asks Robert Helms, a resident scholar in health policy at the American Enterprise Institute. Mr. Helms' point, as quoted from USA Today, is well taken. However, business strategies that create unreasonable prices and mesh with technological advancements that do the same while making healthcare exclusive to the wealthy is not consistent to principles of the age-old medical industry, nor is it consistent with a compassionate humanity. The answer, Mr. Helms, is simple: "No, I'm not willing to '76 prices for '76...nor am I willing to give a blank check to a used car salesman for the purchase of my next car"--which is what we often do with our healthcare providers.
The first step is to call for a limited-price freeze on all medical and health related services and products. The price freeze would last for a period of 2-3 years while proper adjustments are made in the industry. Yes, I realize this would mean a potential wage-freeze across the board, thus, the “Limited”. Wages would continue to meet national increase averages with pricing adjustments made to match such an increase.
Hopefully, Congress will address this issue with more than the pharmaceutical, healthcare and insurance companies in mind. A government run option is a solid start…and NO…such an option is not socialism. I’m baffled by those who oppose such an option for such reasoning. After all, Medicare and Social Security are also government run programs that people would not want to give up. We need to think through this issue with an eye toward responsibility and fairness that transcends greed. As always…any feedback is welcome!
According to the 2004 Census Study, 45.8 million Americans are without health insurance. Further, paying medical expenses is not only a struggle for the uninsured. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation Study, 62 percent of those struggling to pay medical bills have health insurance. The study showed premiums to have risen 57 percent since 2000, which highlights how increasing premiums, deductibles and gaps in coverage are affecting all of us. Such statistics showcase how healthcare costs have skyrocketed to the point of unfairly turning medical treatment into a luxury item.
Reasons are numerous: Pricing established by healthcare providers (doctors, hospitals, etc.) and pharmaceutical companies and technological advancements which have caused cost spikes are two of the biggest issues.
Let's address these:
PRICING--healthcare as an industry is emerging as a monopoly in which costs defy reason and consumers (and at times their insurance companies) have no choice but to pay such outlandish costs. People are shuttled from test to test--amassing outrageous bills, many of which are unnecessary. With healthcare prices out of control, the healthcare industry needs to be held accountable for its outrageous pricing and be severely scrutinized for such strategies. Further, industry pricing standards should be adopted "across-the-board" for tests and procedures (with possible slight variances market-to-market to account for different cost-of-living indexes). Also, consumers need cost-control measures with better understanding of the need for various tests and procedures versus the resulting costs.
TECHNOLOGY--"Would you be willing to go back and pay 1976 prices for 1976 medicine?" asks Robert Helms, a resident scholar in health policy at the American Enterprise Institute. Mr. Helms' point, as quoted from USA Today, is well taken. However, business strategies that create unreasonable prices and mesh with technological advancements that do the same while making healthcare exclusive to the wealthy is not consistent to principles of the age-old medical industry, nor is it consistent with a compassionate humanity. The answer, Mr. Helms, is simple: "No, I'm not willing to '76 prices for '76...nor am I willing to give a blank check to a used car salesman for the purchase of my next car"--which is what we often do with our healthcare providers.
The first step is to call for a limited-price freeze on all medical and health related services and products. The price freeze would last for a period of 2-3 years while proper adjustments are made in the industry. Yes, I realize this would mean a potential wage-freeze across the board, thus, the “Limited”. Wages would continue to meet national increase averages with pricing adjustments made to match such an increase.
Hopefully, Congress will address this issue with more than the pharmaceutical, healthcare and insurance companies in mind. A government run option is a solid start…and NO…such an option is not socialism. I’m baffled by those who oppose such an option for such reasoning. After all, Medicare and Social Security are also government run programs that people would not want to give up. We need to think through this issue with an eye toward responsibility and fairness that transcends greed. As always…any feedback is welcome!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Getting ready...
Hey!
Just getting everything ready to launch the website and officially kick everything off! Hopefully, by the end of the month all systems will be go! Stay tuned and thanks for your patience and support!
One thing that I've been getting e-mails on is this horrible situation in Florida where five kids (ages 13-15) set a classmate (15-year old Michael Brewer) on fire in retaliation for reporting that they had tried to steal his father's bike.
This is an unspeakably sad situation. First and foremost, my heart goes out to Michael and his family. There are no words to describe the pain that they are feeling--if I'm hurting this much just reading about it and watching the interviews--wow...I simply can't imagine. I feel a painful combination of helplessness and anger. Feelings I am sure they are constantly engrossed in as well.
Whenever these types of feelings emerge, I draw on three stories told by Eckhart Tolle in his book A New Earth. Each has a moral that poses an ultimate question to help one maintain a sense of peaceful perspective. One story promotes non-resistance that, regardless of the nature of the "life situation", the question of "Is that so?" is posed. It encourages us to see things for what they are--to stop creating emotional pain by railing against what is. Another story promotes non-judgment by posing the simple thought of "maybe"--encouraging us to see each event as neither an ultimately positive nor negative experience, but rather one that is full of the promise that we put forth into it. Finally, the third story promotes non-attachment to a negative life situation by posing the thought of "This, too, will pass."
All are comforting in their own way and applicable for all involved in this terrible ordeal. I would be happy to e-mail the stories to anyone so just ask...or pick up that book--it's very inspiring.
As for the boys who did this to Michael--I've been asked for a compassionate stance on their punishment, should they be found guilty. People are seemingly under the impression that a compassionate mindset is a soft mindset. Not at all, a compassionate mindset is a Just and Loving mindset for all involved. The kids charged with this crime: Matthew Bent, Denver Jarvis, Steven Shelton and Jesus Mendez and Jeremy Jarvis need to be handled with love as well, to insure that they come closer to realizing a love and compassion that was evidently missing in their lives prior to this horrific incident. This, however, does not mean that such a violent act is swept under the rug with a boy's will be boys mentality. On the contrary, this is a horrific and inexcusable act of violence.
Usually, I'm not a fan of the prison system. Typically, my simple stance on prison is that you are taking a person with 2-3 problems and putting them in a system that will create 4-5 more problems before they return to society. What ultimate good does this serve?
Prison is far more understandable in cases of violence--especially extreme violence such as this case with Michael. With American society, however, prison has been iconicized. Our society seems to love the idea of someone going to prison as payment of a crime. It seems to feed a collective ego. However, I don't see the rationale, especially from the victim's point of view. A victim should be the one receiving tangible benefits for someone's wrong-doing. There are few tangible benefits for the victim under a prison scenario. For the victim, it merely fosters a sense of justified revenge, which only feeds negative emotion and prompts them to rail against more healthy ideas such as forgiveness.
All things considered, I think it is far more logical to force the perpetrator to provide a type of compensation for damages suffered, while, and especially in this case, being forced to stay away from their victim--we certainly have the technology for that. As for compensation, yes, I realize this is what civil suits are for, however, I think the two should begin to merge in certain situations in one legal swoop. Therefore, whatever the punishment a guilty verdict would yield for these boys, (and in other cases) I hope that a sentence would also include a provision for lifelong restitution to be paid (directly from their wages when they enter the workforce perhaps?) to Michael.
It's a sad situation with few easy answers. My best and most heartfelt wishes go out to the entire Brewer family and all involved...
True
Just getting everything ready to launch the website and officially kick everything off! Hopefully, by the end of the month all systems will be go! Stay tuned and thanks for your patience and support!
One thing that I've been getting e-mails on is this horrible situation in Florida where five kids (ages 13-15) set a classmate (15-year old Michael Brewer) on fire in retaliation for reporting that they had tried to steal his father's bike.
This is an unspeakably sad situation. First and foremost, my heart goes out to Michael and his family. There are no words to describe the pain that they are feeling--if I'm hurting this much just reading about it and watching the interviews--wow...I simply can't imagine. I feel a painful combination of helplessness and anger. Feelings I am sure they are constantly engrossed in as well.
Whenever these types of feelings emerge, I draw on three stories told by Eckhart Tolle in his book A New Earth. Each has a moral that poses an ultimate question to help one maintain a sense of peaceful perspective. One story promotes non-resistance that, regardless of the nature of the "life situation", the question of "Is that so?" is posed. It encourages us to see things for what they are--to stop creating emotional pain by railing against what is. Another story promotes non-judgment by posing the simple thought of "maybe"--encouraging us to see each event as neither an ultimately positive nor negative experience, but rather one that is full of the promise that we put forth into it. Finally, the third story promotes non-attachment to a negative life situation by posing the thought of "This, too, will pass."
All are comforting in their own way and applicable for all involved in this terrible ordeal. I would be happy to e-mail the stories to anyone so just ask...or pick up that book--it's very inspiring.
As for the boys who did this to Michael--I've been asked for a compassionate stance on their punishment, should they be found guilty. People are seemingly under the impression that a compassionate mindset is a soft mindset. Not at all, a compassionate mindset is a Just and Loving mindset for all involved. The kids charged with this crime: Matthew Bent, Denver Jarvis, Steven Shelton and Jesus Mendez and Jeremy Jarvis need to be handled with love as well, to insure that they come closer to realizing a love and compassion that was evidently missing in their lives prior to this horrific incident. This, however, does not mean that such a violent act is swept under the rug with a boy's will be boys mentality. On the contrary, this is a horrific and inexcusable act of violence.
Usually, I'm not a fan of the prison system. Typically, my simple stance on prison is that you are taking a person with 2-3 problems and putting them in a system that will create 4-5 more problems before they return to society. What ultimate good does this serve?
Prison is far more understandable in cases of violence--especially extreme violence such as this case with Michael. With American society, however, prison has been iconicized. Our society seems to love the idea of someone going to prison as payment of a crime. It seems to feed a collective ego. However, I don't see the rationale, especially from the victim's point of view. A victim should be the one receiving tangible benefits for someone's wrong-doing. There are few tangible benefits for the victim under a prison scenario. For the victim, it merely fosters a sense of justified revenge, which only feeds negative emotion and prompts them to rail against more healthy ideas such as forgiveness.
All things considered, I think it is far more logical to force the perpetrator to provide a type of compensation for damages suffered, while, and especially in this case, being forced to stay away from their victim--we certainly have the technology for that. As for compensation, yes, I realize this is what civil suits are for, however, I think the two should begin to merge in certain situations in one legal swoop. Therefore, whatever the punishment a guilty verdict would yield for these boys, (and in other cases) I hope that a sentence would also include a provision for lifelong restitution to be paid (directly from their wages when they enter the workforce perhaps?) to Michael.
It's a sad situation with few easy answers. My best and most heartfelt wishes go out to the entire Brewer family and all involved...
True
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