International Study of Healthcare Paints Ugly Picture of Affairs in the U.S.

A study of physicians in 11 countries around the world paints a pretty sorry picture of the state of U.S. healthcare.

Fifty-eight percent of primary care doctors in the U.S. report their patients often have difficulty paying for medications and care, and half of U.S. doctors spend substantial time dealing with restrictions insurance companies place on their patients' care.

The study of 10,000 primary care physicians found areas where the U.S. could stand major improvement.

Notably, the U.S. could look to improve by using financial incentives to improve quality and efficiency, expanding access to health care and simplifying insurance, expanding the use of health information technology to prevent medical errors, and using a medical home approach to primary care where patients have options for care at any time of day or night, teams of health care providers to manage conditions, and continuity of care.

The report is a worthy read in its entirety. The conclusions include the following recommendations for improvement in the U.S.:

* Covering everyone, with a set of benefits that emphasizes primary care and prevention and which remove financial barriers and support primary care physicians as well as their patients;
* Providing financial incentives focused on value and health outcomes;
* Supporting primary care practices and their capacity to serve as "medical homes" with 24-hour access, use of teams of health professionals, and continuity of care;
* Accelerating the adoption and use of health information technology, including electronic medication prescribing to reduce risks of errors;
* Simplifying insurance to reduce complexity and paperwork for doctors and their staff;
* Investing in information systems with quality reporting and feedback to spread improved care and safety.

The current healthcare reform bills may make some steps in the right direction but I fear we may fall short. We need dramatic reform very soon if we as a nation are to rise to a reasonable level in healthcare for our citizens.

Peace.

Democrats, Listen Up

Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos and I often find room for disagreement but last night he hit the nail right on the head. In considering the Virginia, New Jersey, and other elections yesterday Markos summarizes points for us Democrats to understand.

1. If you abandon Democratic principles in a bid for unnecessary "bipartisanship", you will lose votes.

2. If you water down reform in favor of Blue Dogs and their corporate benefactors, you will lose votes.

3. If you forget why you were elected -- health care, financial services, energy policy and immigration reform -- you will lose votes.

We as a party need to return to our base and begin to look out for the people. If party leadership continues to pander to the right and to corporate interests more and more elections may be lost in the future.

Peace.

Shauna's Hope

Shauna Kaufman died in an automobile accident in June of this year. In her honor a new program is being put in place in Delaware.

New Policy Supports Life-Saving Donations in Delaware

Shauna Kaufman recently wrote a poem where she compared her actions to ripples in the water, noting how they seem to continue endlessly and how they can affect others. She hoped that her actions, in turn, would produce positive ripples.

On June 18, 2009, Shauna’s life was tragically cut short, following a car accident that occurred in southern Delaware. But legacy of the 17-year-old will in fact create positive outcomes for countless others, thanks to a policy aimed to facilitate the life-saving opportunity of organ donation.

“Shauna’s Hope” is a new policy enacted by Delaware’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), in cooperation with the Kaufman family – her parents Ian and Amy, and sister Holly – along with Gift of Life Donor Program – the nonprofit organ procurement organization that covers Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.

At the time of her death, Shauna’s family looked to honor her wishes to be an organ donor, but unfortunately, the call to Gift of Life was made too late for the donation opportunity to occur.

As part of this new policy, the OCME mandates that Gift of Life be contacted in the instance of every scene death that meets certain criteria. This collaborative effort will ensure that a timely referral is made and will therefore preserve the donation opportunity for every person.

“Shauna was a remarkable young woman who always looked to help others and treated every person equally,” Amy Kaufman said. “The ‘Shauna’s Hope’ policy continues her passion by making the world a better place not only through organ and tissue donation but through the kindness and compassion that the policy allows for the newly bereaved.”

The OCME has shown a tremendous amount of support toward this measure, signifying its commitment both to those who have made the decision to be organ donors, and those who are waiting for the gift of life.

“Our primary responsibility is to be a voice for the deceased and to ensure that medical and legal issues are appropriately addressed. However, we have a societal responsibility to enhance the health of citizens and administer a key role in the transplantation process,” OCME Deputy Director Hal Brown said. “Enabling increased levels of transplantation through ‘Shauna's Hope’ is one of the few opportunities we have to directly save and improve lives.”

Gift of Life, as an organization, remains committed to facilitating every possible donation opportunity, as the means of helping those waiting for a life-saving transplant. Currently, in this region alone, nearly 6,000 people are waiting for the gift of life – joining the more than 100,000 people nationwide.

“We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to be a donor, no matter what the circumstances are,” said Richard D. Hasz, Gift of Life’s vice president of clinical services. “The state’s OCME and coroner’s offices have been dedicated partners in our efforts for many years, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration with the new policy. We hope that other medical examiners and coroners throughout our region see this as a stellar example and enact similar policies.”

About Gift of Life Donor Program: Since 1974, Gift of Life has served as the link between donors and patients awaiting life-saving transplants in the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. In that tenure, the OPO has coordinated more than 28,000 life-saving organ transplants and hundreds of thousands of tissue transplants.

For more information on organ and tissue donation, please call the Gift of Life at 1-800-DONORS-1 or visit its website, www.donors1.org.

What better way could there be to honor the life on one so young but so very wise? The gift of life is one we all should revere.

Peace.

Healthcare Resolution--Progressive Democrats of Sussex County

The following resolution was drafted by the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County, DE and is supported by the State Executive Committee of the Party along with various other organizations and individuals. Please consider submitting the same or similar resolution to your own organizations and to your own Congressional members.

Many thanks.

WHEREAS, 20,000 die each year in the
United States because they cannot afford to see a doctor, 700,000 go bankrupt because of their medical bills, almost fifty million Americans lack any health insurance at all, and millions more who do have private coverage pay increasingly unaffordable premiums; and

WHEREAS, every developed country except the United States has concluded that providing health care for all their citizens is a right not a privilege; and

WHEREAS, health care in the United States is now in major crisis and affordable health care for all Americans is a matter of the utmost urgency in our time; and

WHEREAS, despite efforts by well funded extremists to disseminate false and misleading information about health care reform, public polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans want health care reform to include, as a matter of choice, a robust public option similar to Medicare in order to create, as President Obama has said, significant competition for the medical insurance industry; and

WHEREAS, co-ops or so-called "triggers" are inadequate in and of themselves to generate either the kind or the amount of competition needed to keep medical and insurance costs down;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County urge
Senator Thomas Carper, Senator Edward Kaufman and Representative Michael Castle to vote for only such healthcare reform proposals as contain a robust public option at all stages of the legislative process including conference and reconciliation, and encourages legislators to use any available parliamentary means to pass such reform;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County shall send a copy of this resolution to all members of Congress who represent its members.

Peace.

Health Care in Hawaii

The NYT today has a front page article in the dead tree edition concerning state mandated healthcare.

Hawaii law requires employers to offer standardized health plans with low co-pays, no deductibles and few out-of-pocket costs. Cliff Cisco, a senior vice president at the Hawaii Medical Service Association, said that having a standardized and popular benefit has helped keep administrative costs to just 7 percent of revenue, among the lowest in the nation.

If Hawaii can do this why not the nation?

Peace.

Real People for Real Health Reform

As the healthcare debate continues day by day the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County are leading the parade for real reform. In the News Journal today is a Delaware Voice piece signed by Joanne Cabry entitled "Real People for Real Health Reform".

However, just as our resolutions have grown stronger by gathering more supporters, we are resolved to work until all Americans have affordable, quality health care. In 2010, 45,000 of us will die because we didn't have insurance that would pay for a cholesterol screening or a mammogram. We are resolved to see this is the last year we watch as 45,000 of us die.

The writing makes me proud to both a Progressive Democrat and a member of the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County. Wonderful stuff, Joanne. Keep up the good work.

Peace.

Healthcare Snowe Job

The Senate Finance Committee passed its long awaited measure yesterday with the support of one Republican Senator, Olympia Snowe. Now the conference committee must reconcile the House version (which will likely contain a strong public option) with the Senate option which more likely contain a "trigger" instead of a public option. All this in order to keep the support of a single Republican and claim bipartisan support.

The noise in response to Senate Democratic Party fail on this one should be loud and clear. The majority of Americans today know enough to support a public option. All the ongoing conversation about "triggers" and other ways of killing real reform need to be buried in an avalanche of public outcry. If we fail to get real reform with a robust public option from day one we may not have another chance in our lifetimes. We have waited too long for this reform. People are dying on a daily basis as a direct result of delay.

Peace.

State Legislators Support Healthcare Reform

Across the nation nearly a thousand state legislators signed a letter to the President urging healthcare reform.

As leaders in state legislatures across the country, we urgently call on President Obama and the U.S. Congress to take up and pass comprehensive health care reform in 2009.

Key priorities for reform are reflected in recent state initiatives and public opinion polls which show that Americans want more choices and options for quality health care. Americans recognize that the private sector alone has proven incapable of creating a high-quality, fair, and accountable health care system that works for all families. Therefore, a key priority for reform is the choice of a public health insurance plan that is available to businesses, individuals, and families. Another key priority is strengthening and expanding the Medicaid program with the help of enhanced federal support so that it can serve all low-income Americans. Related priorities include: guaranteeing affordability for individuals and businesses; preserving consumer choice of doctors; eliminating racial, ethnic, gender, and rural health disparities; ensuring shared responsibility among employers, individuals and government in financing health care; and, cost containment strategies that eliminate waste and inefficiency and improve quality, especially for people with chronic illnesses.

From Delaware only Representative Brad Bennett is a signer. Where are the rest of our elected officials when we are in such dire need?

Peace.

Coal Ash Ponds Leaking in North Carolina

Analysis of ground water surrounding coal ash ponds in North Carolina

revealed that all of them are contaminating groundwater with toxic metals and other pollutants — in some cases at levels exceeding 380 times state groundwater standards.

Does anyone care about Indian River and its coal ash storage? Will DENREC ever get around to sampling the river and surrounding ground water to check?

Peace.

John Kowalko on Healthcare Reform

Health Care Reform

I think it’s important to make a few things crystal clear in defining the Health Care reform debate.

I’ve been actively engaged in the discussion at the state level and the federal level for more than 4years now. I testified on behalf of HB 62, (a State Single Payer bill), authored by Dr. Floyd McDowell and sponsored by State Rep. Dennis P. Williams. It was presented before a Banking/Insurance Committee chaired by former Rep. Donna Stone and had about 60 people in attendance although the numbers dwindled as the committee continued with an agenda of innocuous items until approximately 6PM. At that time most committee members had left. There was not a quorum present for further action and that seemed to be the point of the delay. However as the testifier on behalf of A Philip Randolph Institute and joined by those steadfast supporters of “true” Health Care Insurance Reform it was apparent that this was a significant moment since this type of legislation had never before, nor since, been given a public vetting before a Delaware legislative committee. As a civilian activist this moment gave me a distinct perspective of how public enthusiasm can be dampened and disregarded and may have been the deciding moment of commitment to politics for me. With Rep J.J. Johnson I have sponsored a resolution in support of the Federal legislation known as HR 676, a Medicare like single payer program to insure all Americans from cradle to grave. This resolution did not get out of committee either.

The point I’m trying to make now is that we must not succumb to the false and misleading positions that are the munitions of the pharmaceutical and insurance industry waging a life or death struggle for their overpaid executives, over-compensated shareholders and politically connected supporters.

The “public option” is not “single-payer” but it may be a way-station on the track to single-payer. This is a politically palatable risk that probably should be taken.

But make no mistake about it, “Non-Profit Health Insurance Cooperatives” are nowhere near the tracks and are devoid of wheels even if they are forced onto the tracks. They would impede all traffic.

Consider that the Blue Crosses and Blue Shields are “non-profit” entities that exist as cooperatives, (consumers being the members of the co-op, contributing the co-op fee in the form of skyrocketing premiums). These fee amounts are not reflective of the needs of expenditures benefitting the co-op members nor are they regulated or controlled in any way to protect the investments being demanded of these members.

You see we already have “non-profit co-ops” in our Health Care delivery system and they are bankrupting Americans and their families. They are bankrupting American businesses and putting those businesses at such a global disadvantage that revitalization and stabilization of the United States economy is rapidly approaching the undoable stage.

The worst possible scenario is that false messaging and irresponsible alternatives cause a stagnation of real discourse and debate and we are left with the status-quo of guaranteed failure.

Go, John. Keep up the good work. Some of us are at your back pushing hard.

Peace.

The Climate Debate

While healthcare takes much of the forefront in the media today a second problem, climate change, is on the table and must be met by Congress this year. We are already very late in this game if we are to preserve a future in which humankind is able to survive.

Bill Becker gets it right in a recent posting on his blog, Solve Climate.

1. Climate Change is Not a Matter of Belief

Climate change is a matter of science. All the current evidence points to real changes in our world climate. Congress and the public in general must not be allowed to ignore the facts in order to live their personal beliefs.

2. There Is No Such Thing as Business as Usual

Business as usual to protect coal and other industries got us into much of this mess. We must not continue the current course. Compromises must be made to insure real change in the way we do business these days or there will be no business left to do.

3. We Are Not An Island

The U.S. is part of a world economy and global climate. We must accept responsibility for all our actions and move to insure the entire world changes. We may lead this process only if we begin to act with purpose and move to benefit the entire world.

Each of us would do well to read the report, Regional Climate Change Impacts, issued by a consortium of Federal agencies. The facts are scary enough. If our Congress critters were to pay real attention to the truth instead of listening to the words of far too many lobbyists maybe they could find the strength to take evasive action. Otherwise we will continue down the failing path of climate change that appears on our horizon today.

Peace.

WINNERS!!!!!

somethingstartedcrazy, Flickr, Creative Commons

For the third straight year the Phillies won the National League East title. Now on to the playoffs. Congratulations, Phillies. Keep up the good work.

League of Women Voters Considers Public Option Essential

From the League of Women Voters today:

Public Option Essential to Health Reform
Senate Finance Committee Fails to Protect Consumer Choice and Control Costs

WASHINGTON - September 30 - Today League of Women Voters national President Mary G. Wilson expressed disappointment with the Senate Finance Committee votes defeating amendments to include a public option in health care reform legislation in the following statement:

"The public option is the key to consumer choice and to lowering health care costs. Both are essential elements of health care reform. The Finance Committee’s failure will hurt consumers and result in higher costs. How could they be so short-sighted?

“The current health care system is endangering our economy, our health, and our national security. Congress needs to pass comprehensive health care reform and the public option is vital. It is universal coverage that will determine the humanity of our system and a public option will make that possible for Americans who cannot obtain coverage through the traditional employer-sponsored plans. We believe that health care reform legislation must guarantee access to comprehensive and essential benefits to all U.S. residents.

“But the possibility of universal coverage is not the only advantage of the public option. We must control costs and the public option is the best chance to bring costs into line with reality. As a nation, we are spending $1 out of every $6 we earn on health care. Offering everyone the choice of a government administered health insurance plan like Medicare that would compete with private health insurance plans is key to lowering costs and providing real choice to consumers.

"The public option is critical to health care reform. Congress and the President need to demonstrate real leadership and move forward, not backward, with true health care reform."
###
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, has fought since 1920 to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy. The League's enduring vitality and resonance comes from its unique decentralized structure. The League is a grassroots organization, working at the national, state and local levels.

Well said.

Peace.

Carper Fail on Healthcare Reform

Yesterday Senator Carper cast his vote on two amendments to the pending healthcare bill in the Senate Finance Committee. The first amendment offered by Senator Rockefeller and offering a robust public option failed when Carper and other Democrats voted against the amendment. Seeing his chance to play the minds of the voting public, Senator Carper voted to support the second amendment offered by Senator Schumer knowing full well the amendment would fail. But he still gets to tell the unknowing public he voted for the public option.

The behavior of some politicians is disgraceful. Senator Carper's actions in supporting the corporate healthcare system at the expense of real reform to benefit the people is unforgiveable.



Peace.

Cluster Bombs, The Gift That Keeps on Killing

Children continue to die in Lebanon and other parts of the world as a result of remaining cluster bombs. These weapons are delivered by a single device carrying many small bomblets. Some of these bomblets fail to detonate on arrival and remain on the ground or in trees and bushes to kill or maim the unwary.

In August alone, six children were hurt in cluster bomb explosions in Lebanon.

How many more must die before we as a civilized world put an end to these weapons?

The U.S. continues to be the largest manufacturer of military hardware around the world. Cluster bombs and their delivery systems are part and parcel of this manufacture. We must stop. These weapons have no place in a world claiming any measure of humanity.

Peace.

AFSCME Carper Event

Not that it will change Senator Carper's mind, but many will be in place to show him how we feel about real healthcare reform. Join in if you can. The more the better. Carper needs to feel the heat for his failure to support real healthcare reform.

Sen. Carper:
Real Health Care NOW



Join us

Thursday, October 1 at 4:00 PM
The Circle, Georgetown, DE



To tell Senator Carper

Health Care reform must include:



· A Strong public option!

· Big Corporations pay their fair share!

· No taxes on our health care benefits!



We will deliver thousands of letters from Delaware residents to Senator Carper’s office on the Circle.



Press conference begins at 4:00 pm.



Questions or RSVP:

Call Courtney @ 916-494-3325

Or Morgan @ 773-515-4093

Why Fight for Healthcare Reform

Here are a few good reasons from the United Steelworkers.

• Every 12 minutes an American dies because they lack health insurance (45,000 annually). This is more than the number of deaths due to drunk driving or homicide.


• The average health insurance plan for family coverage currently costs $13,375. Over the past decade, premiums have increased by 138 percent. If the current trend continues, by 2019 the average family plan will cost $30,083.

• 46.3 million Americans are uninsured. When they can’t pay, the costs for their care shift to the insured. On average, insured Americans are forced to spend an additional $1,100 in premiums due to this cost-shifting.

• Between 2000 and 2008, the percentage of employers offering health insurance coverage to their employees declined from 69 to 63; for firms employing less than 10 workers, the decline was even greater – from 57 to 49 percent.

• From 2000 to 2008, the percentage of employees with an annual deductible greater than $1000 increased from 1 percent to 18 percent. Among small businesses, more than one in three workers must spend at least $1000 out of pocket before their health benefits kick in.

• A recent study found that 62 percent of all 2007 bankruptcies were linked to medical expenses. Of those filing for bankruptcy, nearly 80 percent had health insurance.

• The cost of healthcare now causes a bankruptcy in America every 30 seconds.

How much more does anyone need to know? Call your Congress critters today. Write that letter-to-the-editor. Tell all your friends and neighbors. We must not let the opportunity for real reform pass by.


Jeff Parker, Florida Today

Peace.

Carper on Healthcare

And Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) said it

"just doesn’t seem fair" that Democrats would renege on the initial bargain with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA.

“Whether you like PhRMA or not,” Carper said, “we have a deal.”

That deal promises big pharma no price negotiations from the White House. Congress may press for such (and we all know that will not happen) but the administration promised not to pursue that course.

Deal or no deal we deserve better treatment than this from our elected officials. Senators should represent the voters not the corporate interests of our nation.

Peace.

Rising Concern Over U.S. Deaths in Afghanistan

Changes in the course of the Afghanistan occupation mean U.S. troops find themselves at increased risk these days.

In July and August, the number of Afghan civilians killed by coalition forces was 19, compared with 151 for the same two months last year. Over the same period, U.S. troop deaths in the war more than doubled -- 96 this year, compared with 42 last year.

Many see this change as reason to worry the new procedures may be giving the Taliban increased opportunity. Members of Congress, family members of troops, and others across the nation are seeing the increased risk and expressing concern.

The question remains how long will we continue to put our forces at risk for what appears to be a losing cause? Why cannot we leave the country or change to a course that promises much better results without all the military force? Democracy or any such change will not be instilled from outside the nation. That idea has not worked at any point in history and is not likely to work today. The Soviets failed once in Afghanistan and now the U.S. is following the same downward slide.

According to recent polls Americans support for continued use of troops in Afghanistan is waning with a majority of Democrats favoring bringing our troops home. I stand firmly in that corner. We have no more children to lose.

Peace.

Industry Loves the Baucus Faucus

President of American Health Insurance Plans, Karen Ignani, penned a letter (PDF) to Senator Baucus expressing her gratitude for his bill.

On behalf of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), I am writing to thank you for your leadership in the health reform debate, acknowledge the important contribution that you are making to advance the national reform discussion, and outline our views on your Chairman’s Mark for the “America’s Healthy Future Act.” We thank you for your efforts to lead an unprecedented and rigorous bipartisan process. We view the introduction of your proposal as an important milestone in this debate and stand ready to lend our technical expertise to help create proposals that are workable and sustainable over time.

Ignani is one of the lotter winning CEO's with a 7-figure salary who could care less about real insurance reform. She supports measures that force people to buy insurance from hers and other companies. She expresses opposition to any measure of taxation that increases the already exhorbitant cost of policies.

Ignani continues with a veritable laundry list of suggestions to make the Baucus bill more amenable to industry. Since the current bill is so very favorable to the insurance companies at the expense of consumers any more bending to the will of industry is purely unconscionable.

We are losing enough with the Baucus offering. We have lost too much and waited too long already. The time for honest reform including a strong public option available on day one is the only acceptable option remaining today.

Peace.