Here is a little boring background for the following outlook.
Bear with me... :)
I began working in the hospital setting in 1976 when healthcare was gradually working toward utilizing the Diagnosis Related Group system (DRG) for billing purposes, which consisted of using the diagnosis codes for pricing; codes previously had primarily been utilized for indices (research).
This was when the Federal Government started to take control of the way Medicare dollars were spent, forcing the beginning of the practice of "cookbook" medicine; i.e., physicians had rules on what treatment they should render for certain diagnoses.
This was finally implemented around 1984.
Gradually insurance companies started utilizing similar plans for their payments.
In the late 80s and 90s insurance companies got on the band wagon and negotiated and made deals with hospitals, Doctors, Home Health Practices, etc. for each DRG, according to the amount the insurance company was willing to pay, and they each had their own rules about what treatments, etc. would be reimbursed for in each diagnosis -- this is when we started seeing HMOs and PPOs.
I retired in the late 90s and am on Medicare and supplemental Health Insurance; I have noticed that very subtly the insurance companies started opening (taking over/buying out) diagnostic centers, hospitals, physician's groups until they now have the whole ball of wax--seems like we have the fox not only in the hen house, but raising the chickens.
Medicare patients are given so many CT scans, Ultra Sounds, xrays, they cannot even keep tract of them..and these procedures do not come cheap..
Granted, I feel this probably is a good thing for the patient, however, I believe that there are a lot of unnecessary procedures done and that the insurance companies are loading up off Medicare....
Not to mention prescriptions for expensive drugs -- that, I know is not a good thing -- don't get me started on this...
Utilizing extensive endocrine studies (i.e., lab tests for blood, urine, etc..) initially, would probably cut down tremendously on the $ spent; as well as determining more specific and accurate diagnoses.
How did this happen??? Who, in their right mind, would allow the insurance companies, not only to make the rules, but to take over the facilities that were formerly the watchdog between Federal $ and the greedy insurance companies?
I have not read one word, or heard one thing in the media about this....????
The following article alludes to the beginning portion of my experience.
http://www.naturalnews.com/033881_health_care_profits.html
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
PARTISANSHIP
Our 2 party democracy has become so divided by partisanship and hate that it is worthless.
The politicians are so strangled by a few rigid ideological nonsensical issues that they will not proceed on anything, good or bad; they are only intent upon going against the other party, placing our Nation at a standstill. Those of us in the middle be damned.
Hard core (right/left) stubbornness on issues is causing hate/fear within each party.
Financial geniuses have figured out how to suck every extra penny out of the honest, hard working middle class.
Irresponsible, low life have figured out how to play the system to suck every penny out of the aid programs, paid for by the honest, hardworking middle class.
This collapse of our nation has come about via politicians being wined, dined (paid off) by lobbyists, big business, unions, powerful associations/organizations, and favoring their own financial ventures...
We all know this has to STOP.... but what are we willing to do other than complain??
Below are 3 actions available to all; in my opinion they can be utilized as nonpartisan and/or by either the RIGHT or the LEFT.
We "middle of the road" tax payers must get involved in available actions like these, rather than wasting our time gossiping and complaining.
I have found the following websites that allow THE PEOPLE something "akin to a vote" on issues prior to political action.
If you really want to make a difference, please look at each one of them in a NONPARTISAN way, as each may seem to be RIGHT or LEFT… don't let that keep you from using a tool that will work for us all.
http://www.getmoneyout.com/
http://www.americanselect.org/
www.networkamerica.org
http://www.meetup.com/about/
Action we can take:
1. Vote to "get the money out"
2. Take part in "americans elect"
3. Participate in Precinct Meetings
4. Start a MeetUp group
(I outlined steps to take, from the item copied below, to attend and/or run for office, i.e. Precinct meetings)
1. Call County Board of Elections
a. Request Precinct you reside in
b. Obtain meeting time and place of next Precinct meeting for your
residence
2. Attend meetings
3. Obtain petition to run for Precinct Executive
a. Collect signatures needed
b. Meet deadlines
4. Inform/educate others to do the same in their Precinct
*********************************************************************************
COPIED FROM:
Network America
10-Minute Lesson On How We Choose Leaders
The 10-minute lesson, only takes a few minutes to read! The goal -- very achievable -- is to get hundreds of thousands of people to read it and act on it!
This is the ten minute lesson that can be learned by hundreds of thousands of people in a few months in all corners of the country. Print it out and pass it out to your friends who do not have access to the internet. Anyone can go to a library and type in www.networkamerica.org to see more complete information. While rules vary from place to place, the general picture is about the same everywhere.
Part I: The System by which We Choose Leaders
Our country is set up to elect leaders by the vote. Leaders set policy and pass laws. Leaders also direct the police departments and the armed forces. Therefore it is essential that we have good candidates and an honest vote count. If we don't have both, then we are in deep trouble.
After reading this ten minute lesson, you can go to The Greatest Cover-up of All: VoteFraud in America for a primer on how the Ruling Elite have now made it, in effect, a crime for citizen to exercise checks and balances over local elections. These elections are now potentially easy to rig in secret in 99% of the nation's 3100+ counties (the lone exceptions being about 70% of the counties in New Hampshire, and a few other very small counties here and there).
Both how votes are counted and who is groomed and nominated for office are determined by the same process: the precinct system which elect the local party county organizations.
There are 50 states in the United States of America. These 50 states are divided into 3100+ counties. Each of these 3100+ counties are divided into precincts. A precinct is usually about five or six streets around your house. There are usually between 200 and 500 voters in an average precinct. There are about 300,000 precincts in the United States of America. In each precinct is one voting place at election time. All the registered voters in your neighborhood precinct vote at this same place.
Here's the "secret" -- which is basically kept from the general public. Every two years, usually around March to May, there is a precinct leader elected in YOUR neighborhood precinct for each party recognized in your state as an official party. (Unfortunately, in most states that means only the Democratic and Republican Parties, thanks to the extremely unjust rules which the Dems and Repubs have put in place -- making it almost impossible for third parties to qualify for any extended period of time.)
Why is the elected Precinct leader elected for your party in your neighborhood important? For this reason: the elected Precinct Leaders for your party proceed -- a few weeks after they are elected in the primary election (such as in May, 2006 in Ohio) -- to meet at the county organizational meeting for your party. At this party organizational meeting, the elected precinct leaders for each neighborhood -- elect the county Party leaders.
Why Are the Party Leaders in your county important? Because county Party Leaders have decisive influence over HOW the votes are counted in your county. County Party Leaders also usually have decisive influence over who gets the party's endorsement for office -- AND the candidate who wins the party endorsement almost always wins the primary.
NOTE: Almost always, the Democrat or Republican who wins the spring primary -- wins the election in November --- and therefore goes to the state house or Washington D.C. and makes the laws and other government policy.
At a little later time, County Party leaders for your party also get together and elect the State Party leaders for your state, who in turn get together somewhere and elect the national party leaders for your party. The national Party leaders then, among other things, set the rules for the presidential primaries in their party.
When you realize all this, you realize why the essay in our archives about the Precinct Executive is entitled The Most Powerful Office in the Land.
Part II: How to Run for Precinct Executive
It is extremely easy to run for Precinct for most people. For instance, in Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Ohio we need only 5 valid signatures from registered voters who a) live in our precinct, b) are registered in the party in which we are running, i.e., the signatures of 5 registered Republicans in my precinct qualify me to run for precinct. In Ohio it is also valid to get voters who are not registered to either party to sign your petition when you are running for precinct.
Then on primary election day (again, usually held in March, April, May, or June of even numbered years) the precinct election is held, and is usually the last. No one makes much noise about it, and it is usually the last spot on the ballot. (This precinct system is there, but it hardly ever mentioned in the newsmedia or anywhere else. Until a friend of mine explained this system to me in 1986, I had never noticed the precinct election in my precinct, and I was deeply involved in political activity.)
Furthermore, one third of the precinct positions are vacant at any given time. So, in one third of the precincts, if you qualify for ballot position, you virtually win automatically provided you go and vote for yourself.
If there is a contest, then often the final vote tally looks like a football score, or even a baseball score: 20 to 9, or 9 to 5, or 48 to 37, 3 to 1, and so forth. It is relatively easy to win and become a precinct leader.
It's extremely easy for most people to make an impact in the precinct system. It would take about 20 to 40 hours per year in the even years (2006, 2008, etc.) for each person who decides to get involved, run for precinct executive in their neighborhood, and attend their party's county organizational meeting in their county.
Part III: The All-Important County Party Organizational Meeting
As stated above, at present, the Republican and Democratic party organizational meeting in your county is a virtual secret. Most people reading this have probably never been to one, have probably never heard where one was held, nor have heard anything about their local party county meeting on the electronic media or in the newspapers.
It is essential that hundreds of thousand of citizens descend upon their next county party organizational meeting, which at this point will be from March to June in 2008 for most counties. Whether you are elected or not, you can attend the county organizational meeting of one, both, or all parties in your county. Pick your county Democratic party meeting, or pick your county Republican meeting, or both.
County party leaders in both the Democratic and Republican parties need to see hundreds of determined local citizens who show up and make it known that an informed body of citizens are on to the way the system works and are determined to change it.
Each person must decide whether they will operate low-key, and to some extent keep the current party leadership guessing, - or whether to lead the way for others in your county by firmly making it known to all what you believe and why you believe it. In my judgement, we need at least a committee of responsible, outspoken leaders in each county. Whether or not you are elected to precinct executive, whether or not you even run for precinct executive - go to one or more of the party organizational meetings in your county.
The first step is to get onto the field of battle -- the precinct system. After enough everyday citizens are comfortable being on the playing field, then it will become natural to elect the leaders for your party in your county, and this in turn will empower the everyday citizen to determine the direction of the nation once again.
Part IV: Call Your County Board of Elections, Find out what Precinct you live in, and get the petition to run for precinct executive. Collect the signatures needed, be sure to turn it in by the deadline, and inform your friends and acquaintances how they can do the same.
They were so strong in their beliefs that there came a time when it hardly mattered what exactly those beliefs were; they all fused into a single stubbornness. (Louise Erdrich)
(the logo above is from the site of Tina Crumpacker Owner at TMC Productions)
The politicians are so strangled by a few rigid ideological nonsensical issues that they will not proceed on anything, good or bad; they are only intent upon going against the other party, placing our Nation at a standstill. Those of us in the middle be damned.
Hard core (right/left) stubbornness on issues is causing hate/fear within each party.
Financial geniuses have figured out how to suck every extra penny out of the honest, hard working middle class.
Irresponsible, low life have figured out how to play the system to suck every penny out of the aid programs, paid for by the honest, hardworking middle class.
This collapse of our nation has come about via politicians being wined, dined (paid off) by lobbyists, big business, unions, powerful associations/organizations, and favoring their own financial ventures...
We all know this has to STOP.... but what are we willing to do other than complain??
Below are 3 actions available to all; in my opinion they can be utilized as nonpartisan and/or by either the RIGHT or the LEFT.
We "middle of the road" tax payers must get involved in available actions like these, rather than wasting our time gossiping and complaining.
I have found the following websites that allow THE PEOPLE something "akin to a vote" on issues prior to political action.
If you really want to make a difference, please look at each one of them in a NONPARTISAN way, as each may seem to be RIGHT or LEFT… don't let that keep you from using a tool that will work for us all.
http://www.getmoneyout.com/
http://www.americanselect.org/
www.networkamerica.org
http://www.meetup.com/about/
Action we can take:
1. Vote to "get the money out"
2. Take part in "americans elect"
3. Participate in Precinct Meetings
4. Start a MeetUp group
(I outlined steps to take, from the item copied below, to attend and/or run for office, i.e. Precinct meetings)
1. Call County Board of Elections
a. Request Precinct you reside in
b. Obtain meeting time and place of next Precinct meeting for your
residence
2. Attend meetings
3. Obtain petition to run for Precinct Executive
a. Collect signatures needed
b. Meet deadlines
4. Inform/educate others to do the same in their Precinct
*********************************************************************************
COPIED FROM:
Network America
10-Minute Lesson On How We Choose Leaders
The 10-minute lesson, only takes a few minutes to read! The goal -- very achievable -- is to get hundreds of thousands of people to read it and act on it!
This is the ten minute lesson that can be learned by hundreds of thousands of people in a few months in all corners of the country. Print it out and pass it out to your friends who do not have access to the internet. Anyone can go to a library and type in www.networkamerica.org to see more complete information. While rules vary from place to place, the general picture is about the same everywhere.
Part I: The System by which We Choose Leaders
Our country is set up to elect leaders by the vote. Leaders set policy and pass laws. Leaders also direct the police departments and the armed forces. Therefore it is essential that we have good candidates and an honest vote count. If we don't have both, then we are in deep trouble.
After reading this ten minute lesson, you can go to The Greatest Cover-up of All: VoteFraud in America for a primer on how the Ruling Elite have now made it, in effect, a crime for citizen to exercise checks and balances over local elections. These elections are now potentially easy to rig in secret in 99% of the nation's 3100+ counties (the lone exceptions being about 70% of the counties in New Hampshire, and a few other very small counties here and there).
Both how votes are counted and who is groomed and nominated for office are determined by the same process: the precinct system which elect the local party county organizations.
There are 50 states in the United States of America. These 50 states are divided into 3100+ counties. Each of these 3100+ counties are divided into precincts. A precinct is usually about five or six streets around your house. There are usually between 200 and 500 voters in an average precinct. There are about 300,000 precincts in the United States of America. In each precinct is one voting place at election time. All the registered voters in your neighborhood precinct vote at this same place.
Here's the "secret" -- which is basically kept from the general public. Every two years, usually around March to May, there is a precinct leader elected in YOUR neighborhood precinct for each party recognized in your state as an official party. (Unfortunately, in most states that means only the Democratic and Republican Parties, thanks to the extremely unjust rules which the Dems and Repubs have put in place -- making it almost impossible for third parties to qualify for any extended period of time.)
Why is the elected Precinct leader elected for your party in your neighborhood important? For this reason: the elected Precinct Leaders for your party proceed -- a few weeks after they are elected in the primary election (such as in May, 2006 in Ohio) -- to meet at the county organizational meeting for your party. At this party organizational meeting, the elected precinct leaders for each neighborhood -- elect the county Party leaders.
Why Are the Party Leaders in your county important? Because county Party Leaders have decisive influence over HOW the votes are counted in your county. County Party Leaders also usually have decisive influence over who gets the party's endorsement for office -- AND the candidate who wins the party endorsement almost always wins the primary.
NOTE: Almost always, the Democrat or Republican who wins the spring primary -- wins the election in November --- and therefore goes to the state house or Washington D.C. and makes the laws and other government policy.
At a little later time, County Party leaders for your party also get together and elect the State Party leaders for your state, who in turn get together somewhere and elect the national party leaders for your party. The national Party leaders then, among other things, set the rules for the presidential primaries in their party.
When you realize all this, you realize why the essay in our archives about the Precinct Executive is entitled The Most Powerful Office in the Land.
Part II: How to Run for Precinct Executive
It is extremely easy to run for Precinct for most people. For instance, in Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Ohio we need only 5 valid signatures from registered voters who a) live in our precinct, b) are registered in the party in which we are running, i.e., the signatures of 5 registered Republicans in my precinct qualify me to run for precinct. In Ohio it is also valid to get voters who are not registered to either party to sign your petition when you are running for precinct.
Then on primary election day (again, usually held in March, April, May, or June of even numbered years) the precinct election is held, and is usually the last. No one makes much noise about it, and it is usually the last spot on the ballot. (This precinct system is there, but it hardly ever mentioned in the newsmedia or anywhere else. Until a friend of mine explained this system to me in 1986, I had never noticed the precinct election in my precinct, and I was deeply involved in political activity.)
Furthermore, one third of the precinct positions are vacant at any given time. So, in one third of the precincts, if you qualify for ballot position, you virtually win automatically provided you go and vote for yourself.
If there is a contest, then often the final vote tally looks like a football score, or even a baseball score: 20 to 9, or 9 to 5, or 48 to 37, 3 to 1, and so forth. It is relatively easy to win and become a precinct leader.
It's extremely easy for most people to make an impact in the precinct system. It would take about 20 to 40 hours per year in the even years (2006, 2008, etc.) for each person who decides to get involved, run for precinct executive in their neighborhood, and attend their party's county organizational meeting in their county.
Part III: The All-Important County Party Organizational Meeting
As stated above, at present, the Republican and Democratic party organizational meeting in your county is a virtual secret. Most people reading this have probably never been to one, have probably never heard where one was held, nor have heard anything about their local party county meeting on the electronic media or in the newspapers.
It is essential that hundreds of thousand of citizens descend upon their next county party organizational meeting, which at this point will be from March to June in 2008 for most counties. Whether you are elected or not, you can attend the county organizational meeting of one, both, or all parties in your county. Pick your county Democratic party meeting, or pick your county Republican meeting, or both.
County party leaders in both the Democratic and Republican parties need to see hundreds of determined local citizens who show up and make it known that an informed body of citizens are on to the way the system works and are determined to change it.
Each person must decide whether they will operate low-key, and to some extent keep the current party leadership guessing, - or whether to lead the way for others in your county by firmly making it known to all what you believe and why you believe it. In my judgement, we need at least a committee of responsible, outspoken leaders in each county. Whether or not you are elected to precinct executive, whether or not you even run for precinct executive - go to one or more of the party organizational meetings in your county.
The first step is to get onto the field of battle -- the precinct system. After enough everyday citizens are comfortable being on the playing field, then it will become natural to elect the leaders for your party in your county, and this in turn will empower the everyday citizen to determine the direction of the nation once again.
Part IV: Call Your County Board of Elections, Find out what Precinct you live in, and get the petition to run for precinct executive. Collect the signatures needed, be sure to turn it in by the deadline, and inform your friends and acquaintances how they can do the same.
They were so strong in their beliefs that there came a time when it hardly mattered what exactly those beliefs were; they all fused into a single stubbornness. (Louise Erdrich)
(the logo above is from the site of Tina Crumpacker Owner at TMC Productions)
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