Several of my friends, independently, have told me their stories about their experiences with Obamacare. All the stories are similar in many ways and entail recounting of large deductibles and small coverage. The news media has recounted different stories, each with a different problem, but basically all with the same theme. My favorite of the most recent ones in my realm is of a wife … Continue reading Are We Sinking Ourselves in Medical Debt?
It was reported last week by CNN that at least 40 veterans have died waiting for treatment at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System. They revealed the secret list that patients were shuttled to when they didn’t have time nor room to serve them They did this to hide the fact that thousands of veterans were waiting months to get an appointment. The whistleblower … Continue reading Broken Trail of Promises at the VA Hospitals
I wonder how many patients Elizabeth Agnvall has sent to an early grave today? The latest AARP Bulletin screams the headline- Doctors say: Skip These Tests! “Doctors warn that some of the common medical tests routinely taken by Americans do more harm than good, waste billions of dollars and could endanger your health or even your life…” Are you kidding me? On page 12 she … Continue reading AARP Bulletin Advises Members Against Medical Tests
The debate rages on in the media about the benefits and complications of legalizing medical marijuana. We have seen the long lines in Colorado already for those buying for recreational use. I have never used medically or recreationally but many of my friends and acquaintances have done so. I recently lost my sister-in-law to stage IV breast cancer and I tried to convince her to … Continue reading The Medical Marijuana Debate or Do You Need a Reefer?
I received my notice that the HealthGrades Report on hospital quality outcomes for 2014 was online. If you are not well versed in the HealthGrades ratings, it may come as a shock that your hospital is not as good as you think it is. Their hospital rating reports for specific procedures and diagnoses are compiled primarily from Medicare claim data, and it includes all hospitals … Continue reading HealthGrades Report to the Nation for 2014
Why is it that I believe certain truisms? Did I learn them as a child or was I taught by the television ad? We are much more likely to believe an anecdote or story than we are to believe the scientific evidence. Mothers that believe they know the cause of a child’s illness are unlikely to be swayed by hundreds of scientific studies that say … Continue reading Influences and Perceptions: How our intuitions deceive us
The media is finally addressing one of the most important and interesting societal changes happening in our country today. When we are not reading about the violence our society has encountered, the whole world is changing its mind about marijuana. Just last month Dr Sanjay Gupta, medical expert for CNN, broadcast his special about “Why I Changed My Mind on Weed”. Conservative Senator John McCain … Continue reading Marijuana Laws Collide
