tagged w/ Universal Healthcare
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Physicians for a National Health Program is a non-profit research and education organization of 15,000 physicians, medical students and health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance.Physicians for a National Health Program is a non-profit research and education... more
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Excerpt: "The project, dubbed 'MedFICO' in some early press reports; will aid hospitals in assessing a patient's ability to pay their medical bills. But privacy advocates are worried that the notorious errors that have caused frequent criticism of the credit system will also cause trouble with any attempt to create a health-related risk score. They also fear that a low score might impact the quality of the health care that patients receive......The idea sounds ominous to Pam Dixon, who runs the World Privacy Forum, which studies medical privacy issues.
'This is a bad idea and I don't think this benefits the consumer at all,' Dixon said. 'And what about victims of medical ID theft? Are we going to deny treatment to these people because they have a terrible MedFICO score?' Here's my take on this ridiculous idea: medical services are NOT CONSUMER PRODUCTS and should not be treated as such. Chemotherapy is not a fun option that people splurge on the same way they would go to a Wal-mart and splurge on a plasma TV. Nobody goes to a bank to get a "medical mortgage" for $500,000 because they think giving themselves a triple bypass operation would be a good investment. We need to flip the script and destroy the Conservative idea that illness can be regulated by free market forces or that illness is in anyway a "consumer choice." No one on earth wants to get cancer or have a stroke -- these are tragedies that cannot be planned for or budgeted for in the exact same manner that rapes or muggings cannot be budgeted for or scheduled. One of the comments on the articles homepage made the following observation about the "need" for a Medical Credit Score. The commenter wrote: "If a persons 'credit score' or their 'ability to pay' is not going to have an effect on their medical care, then why go to the expense of doing it?" Exactly!
Excerpt: "The project, dubbed 'MedFICO' in some early press reports;... more
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by Nicole
Michael Moore's documentary Sicko, about the unhealthy state of healthcare in the United States, has made the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' shortlist for an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. Also on the list is another Daily Mantra favorite, The Price of Sugar, about the scandal that lies behind almost every spoonful of sugar. The final five nominations from this shortlist of fifteen will be announced on Jan 22nd, with the 80th annual Oscar ceremony taking place on February 24th.
Sicko was released on DVD earlier this month, with the Special Edition (available at Amazon.com and Blockbuster) featuring over 80 minutes of additional footage. Even if you've already seen the movie, it's well worth getting your hands on the DVD just for the extras.
One of the choice clips from Moore's excellent bonus material covers a foray to Norway, which Moore deemed to "scary" to include in his original film. The Daily Mantra has visited Norway, and can understand why; In Norway 97% of the wealth generated from the country's state controlled oil reserves goes into a fund for the welfare and betterment the people. The revenue pays for arts programs, a years-worth of maternity leave for mothers, and two week tropical vacations for those whose health is compromised by the country's long winters.
Rather than being (mis) managed by greedy corporate moneymen or corrupt politicians, this fund is looked after by a state appointed philosopher whom Moore interviews. "The idea is we don't spend this money now, we can spent the surplus, but the capital itself should be kept for future generations, because basically this has been built up over two to three million years, and we shouldn't spend it in fifty years," explains State Philosopher Hynrik Syse. "This is something I see cutting across the political spectrum, in that all emphasize this need to pull together, to take of those that are weakest, and at the same time preserving a tolerance and respect for difference."
Wow. Imagine if America's oil wealth was used to fund our education, health, and social services. Imagine if our politicians planned for the future good of the people, rather than merely for short term political gain. Imagine if the ill could concentrate on getting better rather than how they're going to bear the financial burden of their sickness, and the old could look forward to a worry-free retirement after a lifetime in the workforce. Sicko shows it's possible. There are alternatives, if we could only stop fearing the unknown -- and two simple but scary words -- universal healthcare. An Oscar-worthy endeavor indeed.
http://www.dailymantra.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedailymantraby Nicole
Michael Moore's documentary Sicko, about the unhealthy state of... more
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In the New Rules segment on Friday nights Real Time with Bill Maher, he starts out by criticizing Barack Obama for saying he was going to take the gloves off during the Democratic debate earlier this week, only to get caught checking out Hillarys backside as they passed on stage. He also takes aim at the income disparity in the U.S. and the Dittoheads who are being had by the Republicans and has a fine idea for the upcoming holiday season.
Thanks goes out to Crook and Liars.In the New Rules segment on Friday nights Real Time with Bill Maher, he starts out... more
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