Health Finance Reform - The Missing Link

Throughout his campaign and subsequently during the initial period of his term, President Obama has made taking action in health policy reform a priority for his administration. In his most recent weekly Presidential address he again stressed the necessity for paying attention to healthcare and promised the imminency of congressional action. (Obama, 2009) There exists extensive research and statistical reporting indicating President Obama’s analysis of necessity for reform is spot on. Furthermore, Gallup indicates that the political climate for making wide reaching health reform is ripe; reporting over 55% of Americans surveyed listing ‘access’ and ‘cost’ to be the most urgent health problems facing the nation. (Jones, 2008) For reasons unknown, the national media has not fully shared the juxtaposition of health care reform with economic and foreign relations issues. In light of this it should not be surprising that information concerning specific measures for reform has generally been absent from the public forum and thus those who are unwilling or unable to research more deeply.

Perhaps due to the complexity or innocuous nature of the topic at hand, legislatures at the state level, with exception, seem no better equipped than their brethren at the federal level. In response, The National Conference of State Legislatures has compiled a list of suggested or previously enacted health reform measures in an attempt to provide an information source for the consideration of their members. (”Health Care Cost Containment,” 2003). It should be noted that this list was compiled several years ago prior to the effects of newer policies set forth in The Medicare Modernization Act and thus is limited in scope; however, it still serves as the most recent…

Tom Daschle, America’s Healthcare Jesus?

Today CNN reports that President-Elect Obama has chosen former Senator Tom Daschle to head the Department of Health and Human Services. His primary objective will be to write the much anticipated, highly publicized, “Obama Healthcare Overhaul” which will be presented to Congress next year. As a key component of this plan, Daschle intends to create an independent oversight committee similar in structure and autonomy to the Federal Reserve. The goal of this board will be to evaluate the cost vs. efficacy ratio of current and future therapies in order to determine a specific formulary of clinical and therapeutic best practices. These best practices will represent the finite standard of care the government will be willing to provide for recipients of its health delivery systems, namely Medicare and Medicaid. Compare that mission statement with the mission statement of an already existing government agency, taken directly from its website:

The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.

Sounds similar. In fact, the establishment of the FDA by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 came during a time of similar economic and political pressure. According to the FDA website, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 was a response to the death of 100 people…

November 4th Marks the Closing Chapter of the American Dark Ages. Today, We Forge Ahead in Hope!

November 4th, 2008 marks the close of a dark chapter in American history. All across the country today, Americans woke up with elation and renewed hope as our united conviction for change becomes one step closer to reality.

This is a historic moment; not just because Obama is African-American, but also because the American people have spoken again with a loud and resounding voice “We will not put up with Tyranny, Corruption, and Greed”.

We are at the dawn of a new era of reform and monumental change in the way our government operates. As President-Elect Obama said last night, “…for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women, students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors found the courage to keep it alive.”

It’s our relentless courage to stand together in difficult times–because we believe we can–that defines us as Americans. We have proven to the world that America is not another corrupt regime, and the spirit of the founders is still alive.

A long and difficult road awaits us, but “We The People” will prevail, because “Yes We Can.”

-Michael Down

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Springtime In November: Beaver County Heads to the Polls

Ambridge - Beaver County, PA

Shortly after polls opened in Southern Beaver County, PA at 7:00 am, voters have reported lines at all eleven polling precincts stretching anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. While a few voters have complained that polling machines in some precincts are confusing to operate adding time to the process, most voters we’ve spoken with have enjoyed the excuse of waiting to vote in order to spend some quality time outside on this sunny, 70 degree November day.

Tucked along the Southwestern part of the Ohio-Penn border, Beaver County and its 122,000 residents typically vote Democrat. Recently, however, polls have indicated that John McCain enjoys an 6-8 point lead. Considered a key county for John McCain to win if he is to carry Pennsylvania, both the Obama and the McCain Campaigns have spent lots of effort over the last few days wooing local residents and turning out the vote.

Local organizers for Obama feel that despite increased negative ads and fear mongering by the Republican campaign, their grassroots ‘Get Out the Vote’ movement combined with the warm weather will make this county win-able for Obama. Local campaign volunteers report reaching roughly 15,000 registered voters over the last four days and that morale amongst supporters is very high. Everyone is anxious to see how the hard work will have paid off.

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Letters to a Young Republican

Or - “Why the Arizona Republic is the world’s most asinine newspaper”.

They endorsed John S. McCain III yesterday, with the most duplicitous commentary I have ever read published by a major paper. Oh sure, blogs can be silly to a degree of ridiculousness that would astound the average bear, but newspapers generally like to put their best face before the public. I would recommend against reading the drivel they published and to protect your from their mendacious meanderings, I have presented below - for your reading pleasure - a brief but deadly assault on their methodology.

Your “revived form of welfare” comment is as misleading as your professed confusion over those votes of “Present” Obama made as a state legislator. Since I have no hope of teaching you Robert’s Rules of Order in the width and breath of this post, I will leave that to your further study.

To claim that Obama wants to give a tax credit to people who pay no federal income tax is accurate - albeit inauthentic. Since you are making this endorsement at the end of an almost two-year long campaign season, you have had ever opportunity to learn to be authentic, but I will endeavor once more in the hopes that you might still be encouraged to sip from the stream of knowledge.

This tax credit is going to go to 95% of working families; your attempt to tie it to welfare implies a subsidy to people who are home, sitting on couches, watching televisions and adding to the population more dependents as opposed to being productive citizens.

That is inauthentic on your part.

While it has been many years since my last trip…