HEALTHCARE

HEALTHCARE

If you or I were really serious about improving healthcare, what would we do? Let's see. First identify the problem. Health care costs too much. Uh huh. Annnnnd some people don't have access to healthcare. That's a start. So, problem identified, how to get more healthcare to more people at a lower cost. OK. If two heads are better than one, than four heads are better . . . and so on. Right? So, let's start a discussion (bureaucrats say 'task force').

Is it logical to include doctors and nurses in our discussion? Some folks from the insurance companies? Good start. Political leaders, of course. AARP? Business leaders? Teachers? Mix in some of us ordinary citizens and we're good to go.

Now we all contribute our two cents and I bet we could reach some conclusions:

1. TORT REFORM (Why do they call it this anyway - nobody knows what a tort is, let alone how to reform one):The cost of medical malpractice insurance is way too high - a cost passed onto the consumer (that's you, the patient). Why? Because lawyers sue at the drop of a hat. How many of us make mistakes (Torts)? All of us, and often. We're human and human beings make mistakes. Why should Doctors be any different? Yeah, if the paperboy throws your paper into the bushes instead of on your porch, the consequences are not the same as a Doctor, say, prescribing the wrong medicine.

Fully aware that predatory lawyers are waiting with a summons at the slightest mistake, medical practicianers are likely to be overly cautious in the treatment of patients. E.g. an emergency room patient complaining of chest pains is hospitalized for the weekend, and is run through a battery of expensive (and unnecessary) testing procedures - when the physician strongly believes the actual cause of his distress is the three pieces of pie the patient sheepishly admits having for dessert that evening.

In many areas of this country, pregnant women haven't access to good pre-natal care. Why not? Because fewer Medical Students are choosing the OBGYN Field. Whom may we thank for that? Remember Sen. John Edwards, John Kerry's Vice-Presidential running mate ? I know you do.

Before he was a Senator, Edwards was a lawyer who specialized in lawsuits against Doctors who allegedly caused cerebral palsy among newbornes because they were not delivered by Cesarean Section - those causing oxygen deprivation - thus Cerebral Palsey. At least that was Edwards argument.

As a result, C-Sections (far more dangerous to a mother's health than natural childbirth) tripled. But the incidences of Cerebral Palsy did not decrease one iota. Edwards got rich because of his voodoo analysis, and Medical Students decided Obgyn was no longer a specialty to go into.

So, if you can't get pre-natal care, thank John Edwards.

This Congressional Candidate concludes that there needs to be a cap on the dollar awards given to injured patients. Rein in the lawyers. Lower costs.

2. DOCTOR SHORTAGES: The average practicing physician makes about $325,000 per year. They work long, hard hours. But part of the high income is created by a shortage of doctors. With baby-boomers retiring now, we will need far more Doctors, not fewer. Why a shortage? One reason is the internecine battles between universities over which schools get to have a medical school. Universities pay lobbyists to persuade Universities and lobbyists funnel campaign money to legislators who in turn vote down applications for new medical schools. In most countries this is called bribery - Sean Hannity calls it a Constitutional Right.

This Congressional Candidate concludes that if, say, Florida Gulf Coast University wants to open a Medical School. the University of Miami or U. of Florida will just have to get over it. More medical schools, more doctors, lower costs.

3. COSTS: President Obama concludes that we can pay for his expensive Healthcare Program program by saving $90 Billion a year in Medicare waste and fraud. Really, Mr. Pres.? FYI: Dade and Broward Counties, Florida - population 4.5 million - provide more "free" power scooters than all of the State of California (pop: 33 million).

This Congressional Candidate has three suggestions. One: Supply the F.B.I., Homeland Security; whomever, with flashlights so they can get their heads out of their asses; Two: Use the $90 Billion the abovementioned will save (Obama's estimate) and pay for the medical costs of the 30 million people who are uninsured, and Three: That old lady on TV who "didn't pay a penny out of pocket" for her scooter scam. Where is Richard Widmark when you need him?

4. NURSING SHORTAGES: While Filipino nurses were a comfort to me when I had stents put in some years ago, why can't we have home-grown nurses in our hospitals? Our politicians tell us the working conditions scare potential nurses from entering the profession. Nonsense. In their analyses, politicians err. What else is new? Nursing schools, like medical schools, turn away 50% of qualified applicants. Why? Because unlike Freshman Sociology classes, Nursing Classes are small, like 7 - 8 to a class, because of the personal attention needed.

The problem is a shortage of teachers. Why? Because those with the qualifications (nurses) are not inclined to drop a $70,000 job to spend three extra years in college studying with like, you know, like stu' dents' like half their age (like - awesome), acquiring the advanced degree needed to teach at the University level.

This Congressional Candidate: the Federal Government, ever anxious to spend money on programs that have zero chance for success, can pay for the advanced training required. That would be money well spent. If the candidate has a family to support, provide a loan for an additional $30,000 per

5. Medicare Fraud. By all analyses, Medicare Fraud costs the American taxpayers at least $40,000,000,000 per year. That's $40 Billion. And it goes on right out in the open. In Miami, Medicare Mills advertise for their services - pick up homeless people, give them a few bucks, and fewer services. Then they bill Uncle Sucker.

How many times have you seen that litttle old lady spinning around in her 'free scooter.'? And she didn't have to pay a penny out of pocket. NO. You paid for it. Check out Craigs list to see where your scooter money went.

* This Legislative Candidate suggests: We now have about 14,000 F.B.I. Agents. It should cost about $100 - $200 thousand per year for each new agent (especially if they carry calculators and computers instead of Glocks). Hire 10,000 new Agents @$200,000 per = $ 2 Billion dollars spent, to investigate Medicare fraud .

Legislate mandatory prison time for anyone convicted of Medicare Fraud - steep sentencing.

These measures should save at leasr $40 Billion per year, for a $2 Billion investment.

HEALTHCARE con't

6. RECORD KEEPING: In our ever-mobile society, we switch doctors frequently.Our medical records follow reluctantly. Newt Gingerich suggests that all medical records be posted (privately) on the internet, making the records available at any time. Cost? About $30 Billion dollars. But what about hackers getting access to your personal records? What indeed?

This Congressional Candidate recommends: (Actually, this temporarily has been removed.)

7. COMMON SENSE: 7,500 Americans die each year because many physicians write their prescriptions in Pablo Picasso. Then Eckerds fills the wrong prescription, and a two-year-old keels over from an overdose of Coumadin.

It's a shame two-year-olds can't hire a lobbyist. Then our legislators could pass a 1,000 page law that requires doctors to TYPE their prescriptions which is what this panel recommends.

8. INSURANCE COSTS: Politicians cite the fact that there are 7 major insurance companies that write medical health insurance policies for 200 million Americans; the implication being price-fixing? Oh, horrors ! ! But does a paucity of insurance companies mean poorer service? There are only TWO software companies who provide the software for all of the computers on the planet ! ! And these two do a great job.

Yep, you guessed it. Insurance companies hire lobbyists too.

This Congressional Candidate recommends: Lift the legislative restrictions (bought and paid for by lobbyists) that prevent Healthcare Insurance Companies from selling policies in every state, just as auto insurance companies are allowed to do. What a no-brainer.

My solution has been temporarily removed while I investigate obtaining proprietary rights. This may be even better than I first thought.

If my way doesn't work out, you can always stick $30 Billion into a pay phone and dial Newt Gingerich.

9. COMMON SENSE: 7,500 Americans die each year because many physicians write their prescriptions in Pablo Picasso. Then Eckerds fills the wrong prescription, and a two-year-old keels over from an overdose of Coumadin.

It's a shame two-year-olds can't hire a lobbyist. Then our legislators could pass a 1,000 page law that requires doctors to TYPE their prescriptions which is what this panel recommends.

10. INSURANCE COSTS: Politicians cite the fact that there are 7 major insurance companies that write medical health insurance policies for 200 million Americans; the implication being price-fixing? Oh, horrors ! ! But does a paucity of insurance companies mean poorer service? There are only TWO software companies who provide the software for all of the computers on the planet ! ! And these two do a great job.

Yep, you guessed it. Insurance companies hire lobbyists too.

This Congressional Candidate recommends: Lift the legislative restrictions (bought and paid for by lobbyists) that prevent Healthcare Insurance Companies from selling policies in every state, just as auto insurance companies are allowed to do. What a no-brainer.

11. PREVENTION : Managed healthcare providers offer an affordable selection of medical services that were not available to the average person just 20 years ago. While many early providers offered poor services, competition has put most out of business. PPO's, that provide a Primary Physician and a virtual smorsgabord of specialists for the patient, have replaced the often - inefficient staff physicians available at the HMO.

My wife and I owe our lives to HMO's and PPO's. The mission of managed care is to detect and/or prevent illnesses before they become serious or fatal. Managed care provides frequent routine (and thorough) check ups - something many people, especially men, are reluctant to schedule.

I had a 90% blockage in some arteries that was discovered by a routine treadmill test, and stents were implanted. Without the HMO physician nagging me, I likely would not have discovered the blockage until my first (and maybe last) heart attack.

My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer after her annual HMO mammogram. The spot was very small and an operation and radiation treatment eradicated the problem some ten years ago.

HMO's saved our lives (and we're grateful)

This Congressional Candidate recommends that the public ignore the cheap shots that Hollywood and comedians routinely make toward HMO's, thus cutting the mortality rate, and cutting the expenses involved with caring for those with catastrophic (and preventable) diseases. Emphasize PREVENTION. We now spend 93% of our total outlay for healthcare on diagnosing and treating illness. We need to prevent illness, rather than waiting for people to get sick and spending much more to treat them.

12. OTHER OPINIONS. While our national politicians think they know everything, my experience tells me that most don't even know a lot about the law, and 85% of them are lawyers.

If Healthcare needs reform, why would the elected lawyers discuss such an important issue behind closed doors, without soliciting the opinions of those in the healthcare industry (Doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, insurance providers, drug companies, medical schools, etc.)? In fact why don't they ask you and me, the patient, what we think of of the current system ?

Congressional politicians do not have the same healthcare that you and I do. I suspect some Senators and Representatives would be surprised to learn that in the real world, doctors no longer make housecalls.

The Congressional Candidate recommends that our elected leaders remember who works for whom, and remember who has the power to hire and fire them.

13. LIFESTYLE DIFFERENCES: Hey fatso. I appreciate your love for fat foods and ice cream (because I like them too). Druggie, feels great, doesn't it mayyyyyaaannn? Exercise? That wouldn't be today. Gay sex? Sure, especially without protection - Straight sex? Sure, especially without protection, AIDS? Why worry - Universal Healthcare "rights" will take care of it. I'm irresponsible. You pay. It's FAIR.

This Congressional Candidate recommends shooting all fat, promiscuous, homosexual people, drug and alcohol abusers, and lawyers. Of course then who will be left? Hmmm. The panel has its work cut out for it - we may have to reconsider the executions (except for the lawyers of course).

14. STRIVE TO PRESERVE YOUR HEALTH AND IN THIS YOU WILL THE BETTER TO SUCCEED IN PROPORTION AS TO KEEP CLEAR OF THE LIBERAL GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTHCARE SCHEMES, FOR THEIR DRUGS ARE A KIND OF ALCHEMY CONCERNING WHICH THERE ARE NO FEWER LIBERAL PROCLAMATIONS THAN THERE ARE MEDICINES.

15. TAKE EVERY THIRD TRIAL LAWYER OUT AND SHOOT THEM,

These are just some of the things that can be done to bring down healthcare costs, without tearing down the existing medical system and replacing it with a scatter-brained new program that will drive this country into bankruptcy.

If the goal of Mr.Obama and our other elected officials reallywas to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, they would have adopted these and other simple policies long ago.

1 Source: John Stoessel

2 Ok. So Windows

3. Leonardo Da Vinci

If the goal of Mr.Obama and our other elected officials really was to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, they would have adopted these and other simple policies long ago.

This letter was mailed to the Ft. Myers News-Press, New York Times, and Washington Post, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Bill O'Reilly. It was printed in the News-Press. I don't know about the others.

Subject Obama vs Facts

Sent Date 09-11-2009 10:29:43 AM

From "JOHN SAWYER" <knowitall6@lycos.com>

To <mailbag@news-press.com>

Re: HEALTH CARE “FACTS” – Illegal Immigration. Sept. 11

“The facts back up Obama?” You claim that “The House version of the health care bill explicitly prohibits spending any federal money to help illegal immigrants get health care coverage.” So what?

The Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1, states “ . . . nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” This is commonly called the “Equal Protection Clause”, and has been cited in previous cases concerning the right of even illegal immigrants to public education and hospital care.

The Fourteenth Amendment DOES NOT say citizens, liberals, or street people; it says person.

If this Health Care bill is passed and ALL citizens therefore are entitled to health care, it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL to deny illegal immigrants the full benefits entitled to ALL. President Obama is a Law Professor, and he KNOWS that the restrictions you glowingly cite in the House bill are unconstitutional.

In your analysis you err.

John W. Sawyer III

Ft. Myers

Knowitall6@lycos.com

SAWYER2012.COM

239-292-6470

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - A HEALTHCARE ISSUE (because I say so - and it's MY website)

Once again the local newspaper did a year end filler story on the poorly-named Domestic Violence issue. Mary Jones (not her real name) got the crap beat out of her by her first husband; divorced the jerk; married another wife-beater. After the latest beating wherein Mr. Desade threatened to kill her, Mary filed a complaint with the Lee County Sheriff's Department for battery.

"What did you do to provoke him" inquired the complaint-desk sergeant, who likely sees nothing wrong with setting the little lady straight in his own home? And so it goes.

First of all, "domestic violence" does not adequately define the situation. When we see or hear about a case of "domestic violence," the picture that pops in everyone's head is that of a sobbing, bruised, and bleeding woman cowering before the clenched fist of some guy, who invariably is bigger and stronger than she. Of course, there are cases of some women kicking the crap out of their husbands or boyfriends (eh, Tiger?), but we all know what really goes on here. N.O.W. nonsense notwithstanding, men are bigger, stronger, and a lot more aggressive. Men are hunters. Women nurture, Women are gatherers.

And what damn difference does it make why he teed off on her anyway ? What we know is that, given the opportunity, the asshole will do it again. So, the woman gets a restraining order and a shelter to hide out in. Tough guy gets out on bail, and a liberal judge orders counseling. Then he charges right through that restraining order and puts Mary in the Emergency Room or worse.

WHY?

I don't know and I don't care. I want it to stop. No liberal Judges, unsympathetic desk sergeants, overworked counselors and case workers, or well-meaning but useless government programs. When a woman gets assaulted, the court issues a restraining order. If the thug has any contact with the victim, ever, he is sent to jail for 90 days. The victim is issued a Glock 9mm handgun with a box of hollow point bullets ( hollow points won't pass through game and injure others ) and she is given an extensive 89 day course on how to use it. Then she is issued a license to bag ( limit one ) the abusive offender; anytime; any place, open season - shoot on site. If she nails him, she gets a $10,000 bounty from the government, and a coupon for 20% off from a taxidermist. Goodbye Earl.

Oh, you have a better idea? No? I didn't think so.

Update: April 11, 2011: Dr, Manny Alvarez tells us on Fox that people are healthier today than years ago, so we should raise the retirement age.The good Doctor should know better. Has HE looked in a mirrir lately? Obesity was fairly rare when I was a kid, and fat people were ostrasized. My cousin Bobby was (is) 6' - 3" and weighed 325 lbs when he graduated from High School. He was called "fat boy." Today he would be called "lottery pick."

When I visited Lansing recently and had breakfast with Bobby (250 lbs) and his brother Jimmy (340 lbs) at their fantastic restaurant (http://www.yelp.com/biz/sawyers-gourmet-pancake-house-lansing) , I was stunned to see how many Lansing residents were the same size or bigger - I mean tons of people. Similar trips to Colorado Springs, Washington D.C., and Trenton revealed the same startling discovery. Don't tell me, Dr. Alvarez, that people are healthier. No, they just have better healthcare - HMO's get people medical attention (in spite of what Hollywood tells you) BEFORE people have a heart attack or a stroke. They manage our sedentary lifestyle, and prescribe drugs that extend our lives - but in no way make us healthier.

Certainly the lawyers who run this country can work past 70 (after all, how hard is it to wobble to your feet and say "objection your honor?"), but getting up on a roof in 100 degree heat, or working on an assembly line, or in construction is darn near impossible at age 70. The Republican solution stinks, but the sad fact is that the sheltered lives our conservative leaders make them impervious to the truth - so we wind up with another dumb (and costly) solution to our problems.

THE GINGRICH WHO STOLED LEE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

A MILLION HERE, A MILLION THERE, PRETTY SOON LEE MEMORIAL IS BANKRUPT

(September 4, 2011)

In 2006, former U.S. House Speaker and current candidate for President, Newt Gingrich, testified before Congress on behalf of the proposed “Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.” At an expected cost of a mere $28 - 35 Billion, this legislation provided for funding to transform myriad medical records from paper files to an electronic database called Electronic Medical Records Systems (EMRS).

Enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the same Frankenstein American Government (ATF) that recently sold 50,000 high-powered rifles to Mexican drug lords; runs the Post Office; allowed 16 terrorists to (legally) carry box cutters onto three commercial airline flights; screwed up the printing of $1 Billion in new $100.00 bills; loses $50 Billion annually in Medicare fraud; and permits dead people to vote, now is tasked with keeping a central data base of 315,000,000 American Citizens’ medical records.

Your doctor needs a copy of last week’s cat scan? The ER orthodontist wants your dental records to repair the broken teeth you received after telling Little Black Sambo jokes to Mike Tyson in the corner bar? An emergency ambulance medical professional wants to know what your allergies are before injecting your dormant heart with Atropine? No problem. Just call the U.S. Government Emergency hotline - set up just for such an occasion by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“reinvestment” is supposed to make you feel good about all this - a $35 Billion ‘investment‘, you see).

Operator, operator, I need the records of . . . . “If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 9-1-1.” intones the recording. “If you are inquiring about medical records, please push ‘1’ followed by the * sign.” Etc. But if this a real emergency, try the Internet. The same Congressmen who so ably use the Internet to garner donations for their re-election campaigns, think this is the wave of the future, if their Internet service provider doesn’t disconnect you in the process.

The adoption of this regulation was expected to improve overall efficiency by 6% per year, and to save money in the process. Much like the current herd of presidential candidates, neither the Congress who passed this bill, nor its champion, Newt Gingrich, bothered to explain exactly how the EMR Act will accomplish either. But the process has begun, and eventually according to the Ft. Myers News-Press, it’s expected to cost Lee County’s largest Healthcare provider, Lee Memorial Health Systems, a whopping $55 million to make the switch and millions more for Hospitals and Doctors in monthly fees for the software and upkeep required from outside systems providers (with great political connections, you can bet).

So now all of our medical history, right down to previous flu attacks or clap infections, will be available on the Internet. With password safeguards, no doubt. Trying to get a password from an ER patient with a stab wound in his chest, reminds me of the serial western movies they used to show on TV after school in the 50’s (or so my dad told me). As the bad guy, ‘Red’ (with the Adolph Menjou mustache and black hat), with his newly-found conscience was about to reveal the identity of the bad guys, inevitably somebody shoots him through an open window.

As the sheriff goes running after the gunman, Ken Maynard, Rex Allen, Bob Steele, Gabby Hayes, Buffalo Bob or some other guy in a white hat, bends over ‘Red’ (the movie being in Black and White, we can only wonder why they called him Red), and asks “who did this to you, Red? Replies the wounded ‘Red’: “It was . . . Gasp, choke, wheeze, it was . . . Ahhhhhh.

(Well, can you at least give us the password, Red? Red, Red . . . ?).

Whereupon, the aforesaid “Red” inconveniently expires - at least until tomorrow‘s show, wherein Red gets plugged in a saloon for teasing Hopalong Cassidy or Roy Rogers about ordering milk (or was is Sarsaparilla, Dad?).

The increased portability and accessibility of electronic medical records certainly will increase the ease with which they can be accessed and stolen by unauthorized persons or unscrupulous users. This problem, while currently minimal for paper medical records, is a big problem for Internet transactions. Recent hacking into e-mail, phone records, and credit card accounts bears this out. But then, what have we got to hide? Besides, with the best interests of the people they represent always first and foremost, I’m sure Congress has put safeguards in place to protect our privacy. Maybe ATF can handle it.

But I digress. Is a centralized data bank costing billions of taxpayers dollars and subject to security breaches the prudent approach? Is there a better plan? I think so. Attached to my keychain is a small device called a ‘flash drive.’ At 4GB of memory, it is capable of storing all the files, pictures, and spreadsheets that I care to put on it. Larger ’flash drives’ are available. One also could easily store all of one’s medical records, complete with x-rays, and cat scans on one pocket sized ‘flash drive.’

Here‘s how my plan works: before a patient leaves his doctor’s office, hospital, medical clinic, or rehab center, a summary of his treatment for that visit, including any x-rays, prescriptions, etc. is entered into the office computer records, and a copy is downloaded onto the patient’s ‘flash drive.’ My primary care physician does that now, while I wait briefly for a printed copy. Instant update. If your doctor needs yesterday’s test results from some lab somewhere, or if ambulance personnel or ER Doctors need information about your medical history, or blood type, they can access your updated medical information from your flash drive.

Of course, you may not want to store your pornography collection on that drive. Nor should you password-protect it. Red? Red? What’s your password. Ahhhhh . . . . .

If Lee Memorial wants to ‘share’ records, as the News-Press headline implies, no problem. If the information requested is not urgent, then old channels will suffice. If urgency is an issue, providers can contact the patient (how urgent can it be if the patient isn‘t present?). If the patient wants to view his own medical records (something he presently cannot do), he can pop that ‘flash drive’ into his home computer’s standard USB slot. No incompetent government; no nosey Internet. No prying computer hackers..

Of course, the cost wouldn’t be $35 Billion, Mr. Speaker. My ‘flash drive’ cost $8.99. Chump change.

http://www.sawyer2012.com/lee-county.html