Posts Tagged ‘aetna’

President Obama Meets With Healthcare Industry

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

Healthcare reform has moved a step closer to reality with a successful meeting of the President and representatives from the healthcare industries. There was discussion from both parties regarding what has to be done.

The meeting was very useful in looking at some issues such as reducing costs in health care nationally and ridding policies of pre-existing conditions. The health care representatives and the President communicated well.

President Obama and his staff are very positive due to the pledge of $2 trillion savings over ten years given by the healthcare industry leaders. Their expectation is that we will all see this.

Going forward it is wonderful that the Administration is open to talking to the healthcare industry and that the healthcare industry is willing to make concessions. But there are a lot of details to be hammered out in the future.

Knowing from the past healthcare solution attempts during President Clinton’s era that lack of cooperation with the healthcare industry doesn’t work. All involved must be part of the process so there are some creative solutions laid out.

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South Carolina Officials Squash Health Care Tax As Wrong Path

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

The South Carolina Senate recently squashed a bill that would have raised cigarette taxes. The revenue from the tax was to be used to help cover health care costs.

It would have raised the cigarette tax in South Carolina from the current low of 7 cents to 50 cents per pack. This would’ve created a revenue increase of $145 million.

The majority of the money from the tax would be applied toward a maximum of $3,000 for individual health care plans for low income uninsured residents. Employers who contributed would also receive a credit of 67% for their contributions.

The bill was a waste of time, proclaimed John Land, the Senate Minority Leader. He thinks the tax revenue should be put in the Medicaid state plan to have a more efficient impact.

Senator Land was not a fan of the bill, saying it was a silly proposal for the state.

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A Look Into Our Lifestyles and Medical Issues

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

There are many diseases that cause death in this country. Some of these people would have survived if they were covered with a health insurance plan. All citizens have the right to have health insurance, this should not be a item available only for those with jobs and money.

In Africa, they cant give their people the care they need, because quite frankly they dont have the access to the lifesaving medications and treatments that we do in this country. Therefore many of their population die each year of diseases that have cures.

There is so much medical care in the US that we are casual in regards to our health. Our eating patterns are gradually destroying our bodies. Even as we do this as a wealthy nation, we still don’t have the health industry in such a place that people without health insurance can afford to get life preserving medication.

Honestly, we all need to start taking care of ourselves and begin eating and exercising as if we want to live instead of die. Many of the diseases in this country that require medical treatment are diseases like Diabetes, Heart Attack, Stroke, Cancer, and other vascular diseases. All of which by the way come from the lifestyle that we lead. It is not the equivalent of having a society overcome with AIDS or stricken by Swine Flu (H1N1).

It is crucial that we come to a realization that we are in control of how to continue our health. If that happened then medical care would only be necessary for odd injuries and illnesses here and there. This would reduce the strain on our medical system and expenses would decline.

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Hawaiian Lawmakers Angling to Revive Keiki Care

Saturday, May 9th, 2009

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle shut the Keiki Care plan down last year. This was a free health insurance program for the children of Hawaii. Some people have been choosing the free plan over their available individual plans and this caused budget problems according to Governer Lingle.

Linda Smith, the governor’s senior policy advisor said this plan basically provided a public subsidy for families that could afford their own health insurance. They were able to get health insurance at no charge, with the public paying for it.

The Democrat controlled state Legislature plans to raise Keiki Care back into reality, as reported by the Associated Press. As opposed to a single funding bill which Governor Lingle would veto, there will be funding added through separate spending bills to provide the funding for the childrens health insurance program.

Those who can afford insurance on their own should purchase it, according to Governor Lingle, she doesn’t want to give free insurance if they can buy it. The money in the spending bills can still be held back by her.

Health insurance philosophical conflicts continue to go on and on.

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Public Health and Health Insurance

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Health care is taking a careful look at the current swine flu issue, while many of us are wondering how to protect ourselves if there is an epidemic or pandemic of this flu. In America, the opinion is we have the most highly functioning health care system anywhere, so that’s where the explanation is as to why Mexico is facing such a huge problem in preserving life for it’s people. Here in the US we have good medical care access and health insurance so are preserved from facing the Mexican issues. But why do we still maintain health better right now than the Mexican people?

There certainly is a high regard for the health care in our country but a huge piece of the puzzle that we have that other countries do not is the Center for Disease Control. This organization stands between us and the many illnesses that could do damage in our country. The CDC cooperates with the World Health Organization to detect, zero in on, and track the rise of any contagious disease, and then helps in reducing the outbreak while quickly looking or creating treatments, cures and vaccines. Our medical system is more forward thinking than others in that the reporting to the CDC is greater than in third world countries.

Other countries have some difficult issues to overcome in order to keep them healthy, safe from something such as the current swine flu. Some of these are poor nutrition, no clean water supplies, communal living, lack of personal hygiene and little to no disease education.

There are serious questions in our country right now regarding health care issues and our whole health insurance system. But that system does include government involvement by supplying clean water, nutritious foods and an agency who’s fully resourced in order to monitor disease and keep us informed.

This crisis is really important but there are many health care issues the government provides for us, even though there are pieces and parts of this system that need work. We have the health insurance and medical coverage to keep us healthy but public health provides much more. While staying abreast of this current crisis, keep in mind we have a wonderful public health system in place to keep us all as healthy as possible.

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