Whether it began with employer required health insurance or when Medicare was signed into law, Government run healthcare created a “wedge” between patient and doctor. Doctors no longer deal directly with their patients for the cost of care. Patients are no longer encouraged to make their own choices of physicians but must choose from limited networks of employer chosen health systems. One major effect of this has been to drive up the cost of care. Why?
For one, doctors don’t know what procedures cost, either do patients, so there is no incentive by doctors or patients to keep costs low in spite of the endless reams of paper sent to us by our health insurance plans after the fact. Second, people feel that someone else is paying for it, but studies and markets show that when patients control their own healthcare dollars, they make thrifty choices. Those are our dollars anyway, right? This is the money we pay through our employer plans to buy health insurance or what we purchased independently in the market.
If people ‘did the math’ and reasonably considered the future, they would know that adding more people to a plan (who are not paying anything into the plan) is not going to bring the cost down. It will only increase demand (people always want more of what is ‘free’), increase costs and force limits on care. During a time of economic hardship, Government should turn to the private sector for solutions rather than take more control.
Voters would be wise to read up on our medical system before November and to tell their elected officials to make wise, reasoned choices. Your health and the lives of those you care about will all be affected.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Healthcare Freedom versus the Health Care Wedge
To ease the pain of the battle over healthcare fought in the House of Representatives on Mar 21, I listened to a telephone conference call by a group opposing the bill to find out what they were thinking. I had convinced myself that the health reform bill was going to pass, in spite of the opposition of a majority of Americans.
The Take Back Medicine group (http://www.takebackmedicine.com/) interviewed physicians who have opted completely out of third party insurance to deal directly with their patients. Not only has it given them direct control of their medical practice once again, but it has given patients the choice of who to see and when. They suggested that one option for patients under the new healthcare law would be to pay the fine and choose your own care. It felt like a way out until I wondered how I could afford a catastrophic event such as a bad car accident or major illness?
Dr. Jane Orient, MD and Member of the Assoc. of American Physicians and Surgeons (http://www.aapsonline.org/) suggested some of the following: Christian Medi-share (plans that exist now are exempt from the mandate), increased medical coverage on auto insurance, critical illness insurance, and offshore catastrophic insurance plans. These ideas gave me some hope.
Searching out Christian Medi-Share reveals a website full of testimonials and detailed information of their plan (http://medi-share.org/default.aspx?id=52). In my excitement, I posted it on Facebook to quickly find out that a friend has been using this plan for about 7 years and is very happy with it. Other searches found that Mutual of Omaha offers Critical Illness Insurance. This was a good start and gave us options that we are seriously considering. The cost of healthcare has been an increasing burden to my employer the last several years and I am fairly certain that eventually they will dump us all into the government plan.
Currently many employers offer a high deductible catastrophic type of insurance plan where individual employees can sign up for a Health Savings Account (HSA). The deductible could be $3,600 per person or more. Research has shown that when patients have control of their healthcare dollars they make thrifty choices and spend less. The HSA can be rolled over if there is a job change. The purpose of the HSA is to save pre-tax dollars to pay for the deductible or other medical expenses, as needed, with the employer often chipping in too. This has served as a ‘wake up call’ to some of us using this kind of system and given us the feeling of having more control, as well as, realizing the need to save for medical expenses.
Others, like Twila Brase of the Citizens Council on Healthcare (http://www.cchconline.org/), have noted the “double standard” when it comes to health costs. If a patient doesn’t have insurance the provider will charge the patient a lot less or in some cases alot more. What’s that all about? Why does insurance pay more? Rush Limbaugh in his April “Limbaugh Letter” states: “What’s wrong with the US Healthcare system has nothing to do with actual Medical care. It has to do with who’s running it”. Today there are a lot more American citizens who want to have control over their own healthcare as opposed to control by a ‘big government left wing progressives'.
In 1960 over 75% of national healthcare costs were paid for privately (either directly by the patient or private insurance). By 2007, the trend of public funding meant that less than 54% of total national healthcare was paid for by the private sector with over 50% being paid for by the public sector (government). In its study “The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: a Minnesota Perspective”, the Freedom Foundation defines the “healthcare wedge” that came between the doctor and patient with the inception of government run health insurance systems like Medicare. It means that patients no longer monitor their costs nor are they or their healthcare providers “incentivized” to keep costs low because they don’t know what it costs – someone else is paying for it. People think ‘it’s
free’.
We need to focus on repeal and seriously considering opting out, but if the ‘Big Government left wing progressives’ in Minnesota have their way even opting out will be prohibited. Please go to Citizens Council on Healthcare at http://www.cchconline.org/petition/ObamaCareMN.php to sign a petition. Get involved—your friends & family will thank you.
The Take Back Medicine group (http://www.takebackmedicine.com/) interviewed physicians who have opted completely out of third party insurance to deal directly with their patients. Not only has it given them direct control of their medical practice once again, but it has given patients the choice of who to see and when. They suggested that one option for patients under the new healthcare law would be to pay the fine and choose your own care. It felt like a way out until I wondered how I could afford a catastrophic event such as a bad car accident or major illness?
Dr. Jane Orient, MD and Member of the Assoc. of American Physicians and Surgeons (http://www.aapsonline.org/) suggested some of the following: Christian Medi-share (plans that exist now are exempt from the mandate), increased medical coverage on auto insurance, critical illness insurance, and offshore catastrophic insurance plans. These ideas gave me some hope.
Searching out Christian Medi-Share reveals a website full of testimonials and detailed information of their plan (http://medi-share.org/default.aspx?id=52). In my excitement, I posted it on Facebook to quickly find out that a friend has been using this plan for about 7 years and is very happy with it. Other searches found that Mutual of Omaha offers Critical Illness Insurance. This was a good start and gave us options that we are seriously considering. The cost of healthcare has been an increasing burden to my employer the last several years and I am fairly certain that eventually they will dump us all into the government plan.
Currently many employers offer a high deductible catastrophic type of insurance plan where individual employees can sign up for a Health Savings Account (HSA). The deductible could be $3,600 per person or more. Research has shown that when patients have control of their healthcare dollars they make thrifty choices and spend less. The HSA can be rolled over if there is a job change. The purpose of the HSA is to save pre-tax dollars to pay for the deductible or other medical expenses, as needed, with the employer often chipping in too. This has served as a ‘wake up call’ to some of us using this kind of system and given us the feeling of having more control, as well as, realizing the need to save for medical expenses.
Others, like Twila Brase of the Citizens Council on Healthcare (http://www.cchconline.org/), have noted the “double standard” when it comes to health costs. If a patient doesn’t have insurance the provider will charge the patient a lot less or in some cases alot more. What’s that all about? Why does insurance pay more? Rush Limbaugh in his April “Limbaugh Letter” states: “What’s wrong with the US Healthcare system has nothing to do with actual Medical care. It has to do with who’s running it”. Today there are a lot more American citizens who want to have control over their own healthcare as opposed to control by a ‘big government left wing progressives'.
In 1960 over 75% of national healthcare costs were paid for privately (either directly by the patient or private insurance). By 2007, the trend of public funding meant that less than 54% of total national healthcare was paid for by the private sector with over 50% being paid for by the public sector (government). In its study “The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: a Minnesota Perspective”, the Freedom Foundation defines the “healthcare wedge” that came between the doctor and patient with the inception of government run health insurance systems like Medicare. It means that patients no longer monitor their costs nor are they or their healthcare providers “incentivized” to keep costs low because they don’t know what it costs – someone else is paying for it. People think ‘it’s
free’.
We need to focus on repeal and seriously considering opting out, but if the ‘Big Government left wing progressives’ in Minnesota have their way even opting out will be prohibited. Please go to Citizens Council on Healthcare at http://www.cchconline.org/petition/ObamaCareMN.php to sign a petition. Get involved—your friends & family will thank you.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Brainwashing or 'Don't drink the Kool Aid'
This week I was able to hear Maria 'Hansi' Hirschmann at the Woodbury Prayer Breakfast and the Intellectual Takeout Event held the next day. Hansi truly captivated the audience with her story of struggle and faith. One aspect I could relate to was that she said she had been "brainwashed" by those working for Hitler. That's a term we haven't heard for a while.
The brainwashing she experienced was total, being trained at age 14 to be a 'Hitler Youth' leader. She became a true believer to the very end. When Germany lost WW2 and Hitler killed himself, she was totally devastated. You see, Hitler had chosen her, a poor orphan from her village and paid for her education. She lost her faith in God during that time and believed the lies she was told of the "Master Race" and the "Arian Nation".
Another example of brainwashing was Jonestown, where Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple cult, caused the 1978 mass suicide-and-murder, in Guyana. He convinced his followers to drink poisoned Kool aid. The world was shocked to see the bodies of over 900 members covering the ground from aerial photos of the compound. Thus the saying: "Don't Drink the Kool aid".
Youth who grew up in 1960's America through present day are a captive audience to professors and teachers, at all levels, and there is a tendency to believe what is taught without question.
During my college years, we were taught: "war is always bad", "corporations are greedy". Industries supporting South Africa, where Apartheid forced strict segregation, were boycotted. Feeding into our white guilt, we believed them.
One of the worst lies I came to believe was that the Vietnam War was wrong - that we had no right to be there. It took over 20 years to finally learn the other side of the argument: the truth of dedicated enlisted soldiers, the most highly educated in history, who themselves were devastated when we abandoned the South Vietnamese and reneged on our promises, leading to the Communist take over and the holocaust of the Cambodian 'Killing Fields'.
Wasn't this also brainwashing? Many other untruths were taught and I never bothered to look at the other side. Can we honestly say we look at both sides today? or are we led like sheep - the Hitler Youth of our day?
Hansi's message at the Prayer Breakfast was clear: after she found the Truth she was freed to love (not hate) and inspired to serve. Freedom is a privilege, a precious commodity, and a choice. Let us choose not to be brainwashed into giving up our freedom due to our own ignorance and refusal to hear both sides.
As Hansi said: "Be careful what you pray for, God may put your own feet under those prayers!" Thank you Hansi for coming out of retirement at age 83 to spread your message to seekers of the truth.
The brainwashing she experienced was total, being trained at age 14 to be a 'Hitler Youth' leader. She became a true believer to the very end. When Germany lost WW2 and Hitler killed himself, she was totally devastated. You see, Hitler had chosen her, a poor orphan from her village and paid for her education. She lost her faith in God during that time and believed the lies she was told of the "Master Race" and the "Arian Nation".
Another example of brainwashing was Jonestown, where Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple cult, caused the 1978 mass suicide-and-murder, in Guyana. He convinced his followers to drink poisoned Kool aid. The world was shocked to see the bodies of over 900 members covering the ground from aerial photos of the compound. Thus the saying: "Don't Drink the Kool aid".
Youth who grew up in 1960's America through present day are a captive audience to professors and teachers, at all levels, and there is a tendency to believe what is taught without question.
During my college years, we were taught: "war is always bad", "corporations are greedy". Industries supporting South Africa, where Apartheid forced strict segregation, were boycotted. Feeding into our white guilt, we believed them.
One of the worst lies I came to believe was that the Vietnam War was wrong - that we had no right to be there. It took over 20 years to finally learn the other side of the argument: the truth of dedicated enlisted soldiers, the most highly educated in history, who themselves were devastated when we abandoned the South Vietnamese and reneged on our promises, leading to the Communist take over and the holocaust of the Cambodian 'Killing Fields'.
Wasn't this also brainwashing? Many other untruths were taught and I never bothered to look at the other side. Can we honestly say we look at both sides today? or are we led like sheep - the Hitler Youth of our day?
Hansi's message at the Prayer Breakfast was clear: after she found the Truth she was freed to love (not hate) and inspired to serve. Freedom is a privilege, a precious commodity, and a choice. Let us choose not to be brainwashed into giving up our freedom due to our own ignorance and refusal to hear both sides.
As Hansi said: "Be careful what you pray for, God may put your own feet under those prayers!" Thank you Hansi for coming out of retirement at age 83 to spread your message to seekers of the truth.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Book Review: Going Rogue
I was pleasantly surprised when Sarah Palin’s book Going Rouge: an American Life was found under the Christmas tree this year. It was a great choice, considering how much I like her, and it kept my interest to the very end.
It was nice to finally have a better understanding of this attractive, charismatic, former Governor of Alaska. Her passion for her home state shines through the pages. The beauty and respect for the treasure of the Alaskan wilderness is very clear. Her daughter, Bristol, was named after Bristol Bay where Todd Palin's family started a commercial fishing business in Dillingham. Sarah’s fierce independence, an Alaskan characteristic, and found among the Yupik Alaskan Eskimos of which Todd Palin is a part, was another revelation to me.
At their home in Wasilla, on Lake Lucille, Todd and Sarah Palin raised their 5 children. Her rise from ‘soccer mom’ to PTA to City Council to Mayor, showed how she could use common sense to reduce the size of government. Next stop was her appointment as Chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC). Here she learned the ins and outs of the oil and energy resources of the state. During this time she witnessed corruption in government which eventually ended in indictments. Next she challenged the Republican establishment and became Alaska’s Governor in 2007. During her first year they completed the gas pipeline, a project that had been on hold for over 30 years.
A major theme throughout the book is Palin's desire to unlock Alaska’s oil reserves to ensure American prosperity and oil independence through jobs and improved security.
Another fascinating and enlightening aspect of the book was the behind the scenes look at the 2008 McCain – Palin campaign. Though McCain is labeled a ‘maverick’, Palin gives the direct impression that his campaign staff did not appreciate any variance “off script”. Disagreement on policy or procedure eventually led campaign staff to describe her as “going rogue”. Palin’s disappointment that the campaign gave up too easily toward the end of the race is very clear.
Following the election, her opponents refused to give up digging for chances to trip her up, slow her down and bury her in false ethics charges and red tape, which eventually led to her resignation as Governor. But as her father said…”Sarah’s not retreating, she is reloading”. Always a fighter, she hasn’t stopped calling the current President to account. If you would like a better understanding of Sarah Palin, read this book. It is well worth your time.
It was nice to finally have a better understanding of this attractive, charismatic, former Governor of Alaska. Her passion for her home state shines through the pages. The beauty and respect for the treasure of the Alaskan wilderness is very clear. Her daughter, Bristol, was named after Bristol Bay where Todd Palin's family started a commercial fishing business in Dillingham. Sarah’s fierce independence, an Alaskan characteristic, and found among the Yupik Alaskan Eskimos of which Todd Palin is a part, was another revelation to me.
At their home in Wasilla, on Lake Lucille, Todd and Sarah Palin raised their 5 children. Her rise from ‘soccer mom’ to PTA to City Council to Mayor, showed how she could use common sense to reduce the size of government. Next stop was her appointment as Chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC). Here she learned the ins and outs of the oil and energy resources of the state. During this time she witnessed corruption in government which eventually ended in indictments. Next she challenged the Republican establishment and became Alaska’s Governor in 2007. During her first year they completed the gas pipeline, a project that had been on hold for over 30 years.
A major theme throughout the book is Palin's desire to unlock Alaska’s oil reserves to ensure American prosperity and oil independence through jobs and improved security.
Another fascinating and enlightening aspect of the book was the behind the scenes look at the 2008 McCain – Palin campaign. Though McCain is labeled a ‘maverick’, Palin gives the direct impression that his campaign staff did not appreciate any variance “off script”. Disagreement on policy or procedure eventually led campaign staff to describe her as “going rogue”. Palin’s disappointment that the campaign gave up too easily toward the end of the race is very clear.
Following the election, her opponents refused to give up digging for chances to trip her up, slow her down and bury her in false ethics charges and red tape, which eventually led to her resignation as Governor. But as her father said…”Sarah’s not retreating, she is reloading”. Always a fighter, she hasn’t stopped calling the current President to account. If you would like a better understanding of Sarah Palin, read this book. It is well worth your time.
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