This Blog is created to stress the importance of Peace as an environmental directive. “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.” – Harry Truman
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Updated 8/17/2009 12:14AM ...They check in daily to the Forest Service's (click title to entry - thank you) command center in this north-central Texas town, no days off, waiting for the call that puts them into the teeth of another galloping, 1,500-degree wildfire. A typical summer wildfire season begins in June. This year, they've been fighting fires since early February.... A worker points to a map of Texas with locations for fire staging areas at the Fire Operations Center. The Texas Forest Service, which set up a command center in this Texas town, about 75 miles west of Dallas, has brought in 229 firefighting personnel from around the country, from Oregon to Arizona and Florida, to help fight the fires.
The charred remains of a car which started a 20-acre grass fire sits alone in Steele Creek, Texas. Gov. Rick Perry has issued disaster proclamations for 167 counties due to wildfires and issued burn bans on 152 counties. Gov. Rick Perry has issued disaster proclamations for 167 counties due to wildfires and issued burn bans on 152 counties.
Property owner Ray Fahnders walks aside a smoky ravine on his ranch in Steele Creek, Texas. A drought that started in late 2007 and has broiled central and southern Texas has been the main impetus for the wildfires, said John Nielsen-Gammon,. the state climatologist. Record-breaking, triple-digit heat combined with low humidity and very little rainfall has created the tinderbox conditions, he said.
A piece of construction equipment that was used in preparing fire breaks ultimately fell victim to the grass fire in Steele Creek. "Texas has the perfect storm lined up for fires," says Stewart Turner, a fire behavior analyst working with the Texas Forest Service. "We're looking at extreme fire conditions."
One hundred and seventy-three people died in the Australian fires in February. Facing continued drought, the report about the inadequate fire response is due today. There is no doubt the fires were fueled by extreme drought of which the Australian people have yet to see any relief.
Australia's fire system 'flawed' (click title to entry - thank you) By Nick Bryant BBC News, Sydney An official investigation into Australia's wildfires earlier this year has called for sweeping changes to the warning system and evacuation policy. The fires, which swept through a number of towns in Victoria state, killed 173 people. Many died trying to defend their homes from the flames. The report urges a rethink of the stay-and-defend approach and identifies failings in the emergency response....
Evacuate children from fire zones (click here) Darren GrayAugust 18, 2009 CHILDREN should not be involved or present during the defence of a property under attack from a bushfire, the Bushfires Royal Commission has recommended. In recommendations concerning the controversial ''stay or go'' policy, the commission's interim report said that ''families with young children, older people, and disabled people'' should plan to relocate to safety early. During the hearings the commissioners were clearly saddened by the number of children who were killed in the fires. Royal commissioner Bernard Teague told a hearing in June that more than 20 children had been killed. A further 17 children under 18 lost one or both of their parents in the blazes. To help protect the safety of school children during future bushfires, the royal commission has urged the Department of Education to review all refuges in schools located in areas that are at risk of bushfires. This was one of three important recommendations made in the interim report concerning schools, kindergartens, childcare centres, preschools and early learning centres....
Climate change fuels forest fires: Greenpeace (click here) August 14, 2009 Greenpeace has warned of an imminent "global emergency" as climate change fuels forest fires that have already destroyed tens of thousands of hectares in southern Europe this year. "Climate change is driving a new generation of fires with unknown social and economic consequences," said Miguel Soto, Greenpeace Spain forests campaigner. Spain, Italy, France, Greece and Portugal have been among the countries worst hit by wildfires that swept across southern Europe in July amid sizzling temperatures and fierce winds. Europe as a whole has lost some 200,000 hectares of forest to fires so far this summer, far more than the whole of 2008, when 158,621 hectares were destroyed, the EU said on Monday. In Spain, fires have ravaged about 75,000 hectares of land this year, almost double the number for the whole of 2008, the Government in Madrid said. "Forest fires are becoming more intense and out of control in Spain and across southern Europe, as well as in other semi-arid regions such as California and Australia," Soto told reporters on Thursday at the launch of their report on the issue....
Scientists: Australian Aboriginal Knowledge Could Curb Carbon Emissions (click here) By Phil Mercer Sydney12 August 2009 ...Since the European settlement of Australia the aboriginal fire management practices have faded. But Scott Heckbert, an environmental economist at Australia's national science agency, the CSIRO, thinks that aboriginal knowledge can help reduce carbon pollution. "Being able to go out in the early dry season when fires that are lit don't turn into massive infernos, they can create a mosaic of patchiness in the fuel that exists on the ground. In the late dry season, large wild fires that will inevitably start do not carry for thousands of kilometers across the landscape, as would happen in a completely unmanaged situation," he said. Heckbert notes that wildfires account for about three percent of Australia's carbon emissions. Scientists have estimated that the widespread use of traditional fire management methods could cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions by up to five million tons. Offsetting these reductions under a proposed carbon trading system could generate millions of dollars for indigenous communities, which are some of Australia's most disadvantaged. Some aboriginal groups are considering renting out their woodlands and plains to store carbon as part of giant sequestration programs. Those plans aim to harness the ability of trees and soil to soak up carbon dioxide....
In addition to the tropical storms in this late season, Des Moines, Lincoln and Topeka are getting some significant weather today. There is also a significant low pressure system that has formed in the last 12 hours in the Gulf of California. Maybe there will be relief from those western fires after all. "Ana" is taking a path along the islands without a well defined 'eye.' Both these storms will bring the Gulf Coast of the USA considerable flooding. Bill is skirting a bit north, but, unless it finds a better source of water vapor, the eye will not contract enough to sustain a strong storm. The 'eye' is wobbling a bit, but, that has become standard for these storms. They struggle to maintain their velocity due to sparcity of water vapor.
August 17, 2009 1430z UNISYS water vapor GOES East satellite (click here for 12 hour loop) PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Bill picked up strength (click title to entry - thank you) in the open Atlantic as it churned on a path toward Bermuda, while what was left of Claudette brought rain to the southern U.S.... August 17, 2009 1217 gmt Tropical Atlantic Map
...It's an epic brawl between the heaviest of heavyweights (click title to entry - thank you). As in 1945, when Harry S. Truman first proposed a national health-care system, the battle is on between a Democratic White House that wants changes, and conservatives and health-care industries that oppose them....
A lot of the anger expressed by right wing voters is cultural. A man isn't a man unless he's out to kill off the opposition. No lie.
On a right wing radio station they are now playing this as their theme, "...I hope this sparks a revolution...."
Today, going down the road was a black pick-up truck with North Carolina license plate CN1761, with a slogan written on the rear cab window of the truck stating, "When the revolution begins you better remove the Obama bumper sticker from your Subaru."
The issues surrounding the loud mouths at the town halls have to do with culture and not politics. It is why no one can ever 'reach' these people while expecting any American to be reasonable. They are 'locked into' a culture they want and will live within that culture forever. It is about masculinity and femininity and the roles they play in their own lives.
No sense to try. Nothing will move them and they will be a ball and chain on the USA forever. The people that are the movers and shakers in this country that want health care reform, climate policy and are brave enough to stand up for change will have to overcome the 'old culture' of the Republican mind speak. They will never change. They love to hate and they love to think about killing other people that aren't rubber stamped out of the same mold. I would not under sell their ability to actually kill others either. I believe some of these bubbas and that's what I wrote, bubbas are so 'invested' into their cultural roles and identity they would be forced into carrying out their threats, form militias and seek to demonize the government.
Yep.
They are cowards, hide behind an identity rather than living a real life and are too scared to allow change to enter their lives. These same jokers will bankrupt a country in order to save their sorry hides for the greed they sought under a 'user friendly' president.
Real 'jerks' that wouldn't know compassion or logic if it big them in the behind actually still do live and thrive in the year 2009 in the USA. Morons. Basically. They are easily swayed and follow any populous moment they can identify while stereotyping everyone along the way. Amazing this is the year 2009 and we still have Americans that can't get out of their own way to find progress to the future. Absolutely amazing.
"PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION.—The term ‘‘public health insurance option’’ means the public health insurance option as provided under subtitle B of title II.
I think Senator Specter has it mostly right. The town hall sessions with screaming people are not representative of the people of the country. (click here) His town hall sessions were completely shameful. There were people there that acted as if they were persistent enough the Senator would have to speak the words they wanted to hear. It was a beautiful moment when after being brow beaten by a participant in the town hall session he stated, "I won't sign a health care reform bill that adds one dollar to the deficit." The brow beater expected a groveling explanation after his fit, what he got was sanity. Didn't expect that.
I mentioned yesterday the particulars of 'cost sharing' in that an individual's maximum would be $5000.00 and a family's maximum would be $10,000.00. I should have listed the definition that appears on page 8, lines 11 and 12 and 9, lines 1 through 3.
COST-SHARING.—The term ‘‘cost-sharing’’ includes deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and similar charges but does not include premiums or any network payment differential for covered services or spending for non-covered services.
So that is the limit on any 'fees' a health insurance company can apply to an insurance policy. It is important to address cost sharing because it limits today and in the future the extent a subscriber will have to pay. It makes it reliable. Cost sharing is necessary to contain the price of health insurance, but, also to deter abuse. So, these are additions to the cost of the health insurance coverage itself, such as deducibles and copayments no different than most policies that are employer based today.The primary differences are the limits on cost and the lack of cost of preventive care. Most folks won't notice any changes in their coverage or costs except for the lack of charges on preventive care and new limits on their copay or deductible responsiblity. Most folks will want to keep their current coverage, but, with greater assurances that costs will not increase in the future.
I wanted to be sure I mentioned that and didn't gloss over it. I think it is important for Americans to realize their legislators are making definitive moves to construct a health insurance reform that is realistic and not idealistic. The 'tone' among the 'angry' in the country is that this is 'another' big Democratic spending bill.
You know, they are trying to 'sterotype' the legislation as a big spending program that will cause all kinds of problems to the country's deficit. That is not the case. The bill sets limits on what insurance companies can expect from their members in the way of 'out of pocket' expenses. But, the bill also holds accountable Americans to carry their own weight in subscription fees and copays, etc. up to the limit the law allows.
The legislation for Health Care Reform is not a give away program, however, it will take care of people and allow for expenses beyond the 'preventive medicine' that is to be without cost. It allows for reasonable cost sharing of services that are needed if diagnosis require same. The legislation is no joke and should be taken seriously. We need this in this country to 'STABLIZE' a grossly unstable industry that robs people of their right to treatment to enhance their profitability. This bill will require health insurance corporations to treat their members with respect and not as if they were chattel.
With that reality comes the understanding, at least from my perspective, as to why there needs to be a public option. We don't want health insurance companies forming cartels and acting in unison against the citizens of the USA so to effect increased profits. A Public Option hinders such exploitation and keeps costs reasonable.
Changing the subject just a bit is the 'idea' of portability of health insurance coverage. No. I don't see that any health insurance company should have a corner on the market. As things stand now, each state has their own companies that provide coverage to people. That is not a bad idea. The differences will become more homogenous with the passage of federal laws, but, there is no reason for any one company to hold the entire market in one state while conducting business in all fifty. That will remove competition. Not only that, but, if everyone bought health insurance from a South Carolina company it would reek havoc with economies on other states where companies would be closing their doors and laying off workers. The entire delivery system would be bogged down by only a few insurance carriers. I do not believe in cross border insurance reform. I don't believe portability is a good idea. It will slow down care and damage economies. Just for the record.
I also wanted to mention this 'thing' the press has against Hillary speaking her mind while in Africa. I thought she was great. It was a demanding schedule, but, I simply loved her remarks about the 2000 Election in the USA. Is there anyone besides Walker Bush and Jeb that can state it was a fair election? I mean really. The Secretary of State of Florida, what's her name, disenfranchised thousands of black voters before the elections. She did it deliberately to effect the vote in favor of Walker Bush. Somebody had to say it. I loved the moment Hillary took to 'example' the way a democracy can be derailed by corruption at the highest levels of government. I love that Al Franken is a Senator, too. You know what I mean?
After realizing there are now limits to copays and deductibles and all that mess the government has taken the 'cost' of membership seriously and doesn't leave it to chance. Page 21, beginning with line 1 there are "Insurance Rating Rules" that will help the health insurance companies ask fair market prices for their services.
On page 24, beginning with line 4 the government states that in order to be called a health insurance company there has to be a sufficient provider network. As example, with a health insurance company named Great West, the nearest primary care physician might be seventy miles away. That's ridiculous and places undo expense on the insured to find an 'in network' primary care physician. Well, that mess is going to stop or the consumer has the right to find other insurance even with pre-existing conditions.
On Page 24, line 17 the bill starts to address an understanding of establishing 'value' and 'lower premiums.' It is based upon a medical loss ratio that insures the company is meeting expectation of its subscribers while providing for reasonable costs to their members in the way of subscription costs. There will be entities within the government to assist in that reality. If it is found the insurance company is charging too much for their actual loss by its enrollees there might have to be an annual rebate of costs. Imagine that, a healthier group of enrollees that didn't occur the costs the company anticipated and actually provided a lucrative bottom line for the year. Well, those savings would be passed on. That's how I read that one. So much for exploiting the American consumer based on their wellness. It keeps a check on costs in the face of better health of the insured. Contains costs to consumers.
See the costs to Americans isn't going to be served 'straight up.' The bill provides a 'dynamic' of cost to care. It is a very fluid bill whereby people that are well actually will be rewarded in their premiums. It's interesting. The bill is a living dynamic. There are no hard and fast costs here EXCEPT where maximums will apply. This bill is not an easy spread sheet kind of thing. There are a lot of aspects to it that are as dynamic as their subscribers. It's pretty cool stuff.
It's nearly 11:00 PM my time, so I think I'll end it for tonight and pick up again somewhere around page 35 if there is anything significant to note.
This weekend the new media has decided the National Health Insurance Bill is dead. They decided that President Obama no longer was standing firm on The Public Option and there would be no more change in the health insurance industry.
At the title to the entry is an article by CBS which seems the least offensive of the media services. Secretary Sebelius never stated there would not be a Public Option. She stated it is 'not the essential element.' She never stated it wasn't to be an element at all. The media is not trustworthy. They are more scared than the people of the country are and it shows.
They hear what they want to hear. They write what they want to write. They say what they want to say. I have said it over and over. The people of the country are so confused as to the truth regarding this bill there is no getting through that barrier. The media is responsible for a good part of that confusion. Darn shame.
Is that amazing or what?
I waited to see David Gregory with the assistance of Rachel Maddow set the record straight and he didn't. He screwed up worse than anyone in the business. Meet the Press will never be the same.
I thought Representative Rangel had a lot to say and his focus was never addressed by Gregory. Instead, Gregory was trying to get concessions to his point of view and that was that the health care debate was dead and the President was retreating.
Whatever.
President Obama trying to make a point at a town hall meeting (the last of the three) stated, "...with or without the Public Option there was still a lot to this bill. He stated, the Public Option was a small piece of the legislation."
Well. That is all the press needed to hear and they were off and running. It went like this, "Obama is conceding there is no public option that will be a part of the health insurance reform bill."
"W"rong !!!!!!! Everyone got it "W"rong. But, then I really thought media was interested in the truth, not the manipulation of the truth. I forgot they struggle with their own inability to achieve 'ratings' without highly exploitive behavior. There was not one media service yesterday or today that didn't fail at bringing the 'real' message to the American people. Not one. I've lost complete faith in them.
What President Obama was saying is that the Public Option is only a small piece of this legislation. He stated the words, 'with or without' as a point of discussion to the degree the public option was a piece of the legislation. He never, ever implied there would be no public option in the legislation. He was attempting to illustrate how 'over blown' the concern of that aspect of the legislation was being portrayed in the media and otherwise. He never stated he was waving a flag of surrender.
How come I know that and no one that is holding a microphone, or camera or pen and paper knows that?I have absolutely no faith in the media services of this country anymore. They are exploitive and want to cause harm to political careers even where there is nothing to cause harm. They absolutely hate President Obama and are attempting to drive him into oblivion. They don't belong anywhere near him, yet alone have the right to set in ink an analysis of something as complicated at The National Health Insurance/Health Reform Bill. Their grappling for power in a struggle against a great President is shameful.
With that said, I need to continue to review the bill that is tenatively written by the House of Representative.
There is one thing I believe about the health insurance/care legislation now being written by the House and Senate, and that it is vitally important to achieve a bill to protect the people of the USA. If one more year goes by there will never be legislation written and that would be tragic for this country. The media circus alone is doing incredible damage to a vital part of the American Landscape. We need health care legislation and we need it now. I do believe there are powerful people that want to stall this long enough to stop it. We must be doing something right.
It is almost an injustice to go through this bill page by page, line by line, because the beauty of it that there is considerable ground covered. There are rules about a Health Insurance Exchange, there are parts of the bill that address Medicare and Medicaid, Shared Responsibility with health insurance companies, improving health care value, reducing health disparity and on and on. How many people understand the 'idea' of 'reducing health disparity?' How much has that been in the media? Not at all.
Okay. Let's see if we can make sense of this vast bill. Not that we should, really. We elected people to office to work to protect the people of this nation, not to cower to their frenzied state of mind following eight years of an administration that never deserved trust.
Last week everyone was fixated on Hurricane Guillermo in the Pacific above. It is still there. Hawaii will probably some larger than average waves. Surfers will have a good time.
August 16, 2009 2117 gmt Tropical Atlantic Ocean Map
There is another 'tropical wave' behind Bill. Bill could be headed for the South Carolina coast. Not as far north as Wilmington. I don't know about the velocity. I don't have a lot of confidence in higher velocities with northern moving storms. There isn't enough surface water vapor at those latitudes to support higher category storms. I'll venture a guess of Cat 1 - 2 to the South Carolina coast.
Not enough information regarding the new wave off Africa. It might be that Bill will dissipate quickly as it moves north. That would lend to higher velocity to the new tropical wave off Africa.
This season is similar to 2007. The season started very late as the sun was traveling back toward the Southern Hemisphere. There were two late season hurricanes that devastated Central America. Both Dean and Felix manifested intoCat 5 storms using the water vapor off the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Both Dean and Felix started east of the Antilles to gain their higher level of vorticity.
There were two late season hurricanes that devastated Central America. Both Dean and Felix manifested intoCat 5 storms using the water vapor off the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Both Dean and Felix started east of the Antilles to gain their higher level of vorticity.
This year is a little different. The near shore storm in the Gulf of Mexico is not really new for this 'heated' troposphere. We have seen these 'near shore' storms before. They are powerful storms even as a Tropical Storm or Cat 1. The problem has been when the near shore storms occurred along the eastern USA they lingered and repeatedly battered the shore line. It was the temporal element that prolonged the damage to the shoreline.
It currently looks as though TS Claudette has the potential of being a prolonged storm at the Florida panhandle if it is pinched between a vortex system easily noted on water vapor to the east of Florida and a ridge of colder air from the north. Currently, it is that air ridge from the north that is fueling the water vapor as the two temperature air masses meet. The air turbulence along that ridge is probably signficiant.
These 'Heat' storms that manifest almost overnight are different than a '? regular ?' storm or regular hurricane in that they tend to oscillate. In other words they wax and wane in vorticity depending on available heat. So, even if Claudette seems to be moving on, it might 'skip' back again only to continue its dynamics. These unusual storms have to completely dissipate from any collective structure before citizens can let their guard down.
Don't sell Ana short. Ana will probably follow the island chain into the Gulf. Once there Ana can take a more northwest path and make landfall over the Gulf Coast, possibly Louisana. There is a north west 'injection' system coming through the Yucatan Channel. If that air mass is still present when Ana finds the Gulf it will drive the storm northwest.
August 16, 2009 2140z UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite of southeast USA (click title to entry for 12 hour loop - thank you)
August 16, 2009 0916z UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite of southeast USA (click title to entry for 12 hour loop - thank you)
Right there on the "Committee for Education and Labor" website is full access to not only the House bill, but, all the standard questions regarding the bill. The link to the bill is entitled, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act." Not hard to find. I think it is called transparency.
As expected with any 'document' that is legal and binding, this one starts with an enormous effort to 'define' terms. The reason that occurs is to be 'clear' to the understanding of the law and who it impacts. It is responsible legislation and it is done quite well. I am not saying it makes it easy to read, I am simply saying it is a comprehensive legal format that anyone reading such documents recognizes. There are no attempts to confusion the issue or provide a barrier to understanding, these early words in the bill are standard and necessary.
The numbers in the left hand column of any page are there for only one purpose and that is to reference a written phrase or paragraph. There is no other reason for those numbers. It is correct and concise use of 'space' on a page quite frankly. Literally, a legislator can speak to a particular subject within the legislation by stating, "Page 14, lines 14 through 24." Easy. That by the way is the citation for the statement that begins this historic document as noted below.
Right off the top, the legislation states clearly the purpose of this lengthy document. It sets 'the tone' of the legislation. I preceive it as a benevolent tone.
TITLE I—PROTECTIONS AND STANDARDS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS
Subtitle A—General Standards
SEC. 101. REQUIREMENTS REFORMING HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this title is to establish standards to ensure that new health insurance coverage and employment-based health plans that are offered meet standards guaranteeing access to affordable coverage, essential benefits, and other consumer protections.
Establishing standards is what government does.
Some of the most historically significant legislative acts in the USA were regarding health, a long time ago. The first legislative venture to protecting American's health began with The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955. It later was modified and tightened up over the decades to The Clean Air Act. Some of the legislation regarding this act took us to the place we find ourselves today regarding dangerous carbon dioxide levels. The Clean Air Act Amendments provided for protections from acid rain, tropospheric ozone depletion, prohibited high levels on ground ozone and even entertained the idea of emissions trading.
So, when an American stops to think about health care and setting standards it can be realized we have been at this a long, long time and it has been successful. American legislators know their business and pass very effective legislation on behalf of the people of this country.
There are going to be some changes to the way Health Insurance Companies will be writing their policies to whomever their members are. It is provided for under the "American's Affordable Health Care Choice Act." Such changes has several sound reasons. The "American's Affordable Health Choices Act" (let's just call it AAHCA) demands that affordable health care for all is not simply 'coverage' but 'qualifies' as health care at all. I think the bill says it better than I. Page 15, Lines 1 through 6.
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS.—On or after the first day of Y1, a health benefits plan shall not be a qualified health benefits plan under this division unless the plan meets the applicable requirements of the following subtitles for the type of plan and plan year involved:...
Those six lines on Page 15 tell me I can't be conned into believing I am paying for health coverage only to find out later, when I need it, that the policy has a huge gap from what I expected.
Those six lines will provide for 'qualifications' to call a health insurance policy to be what it is.
That 's never been done before.
Nowhere in any legislation in the history of the USA has a legislative body set pen to paper to DEFINE what QUALIFIES as health insurance. Do you know how valuable that is? Six lines when voted into law in the United States of America will demand EVERY health insurance carrier to qualify as to what they actually claim they are. That is priceless, to us, to our children. We cannot be conned by a company that will take money right up to the point where you need coverage, but, 'Ooops, it doesn't cover that.'
Think about it. There is NOTHING in any legislation in this country that protects citizens from exploitation right to the point where denial of coverage sends a subscriber to the grave. Nothing on the books that will protect anyone in this country. Six lines on Page 15 of the AAHCA will set the demands for identifying a health insurance company according to qualifications by their government. Invaluable and that is just the beginning of this document.
To just contrast as to 'what goes on' now? The health care insurance people now have a 'contract' with its members. It falls under contract law. Consumer protection agencies can act to protect citizens when insurance companies aren't living up to the letter of the 'contract' but any state or federal agency or court cannot provide coverage or demand it regardless of circumstances if it is not written in the contract.
The AAHCA ends all that and provides means for health insurance companies to 'qualify' as such and then provides standards for 'quality, affordable health care.' It is a necessary bill. Vital actually.
Page 19, beginning with line 15 the bill states clearly the 'guarantees' Americans can expect from their health insurance companies. It guarantees people with pre-existing conditions can obtain affordable health insurance, it guarantees people will keep the health insurance of choice through renewal processes. Those pre-exisiting conditions also include mental health and substance abuse rehabilitation.
The bill also protects health insurance companies stating they can reject claims that are fraudulent. This is not completely a one-sided, consumer takes all bill. AAHCA protects health insurance companies as well, recognizing fraud can occur within the health care industry and where it occurs it won't be tolerated.
Within AAHCA there is recognition of the need for studies that provide profiles of consumers. The bill looks to find where services are used, where they are needed and how that impacts cost. In other words the bill provides for continuous quality improvement. I am sure everyone that works in this world understands that concept. Well, the bill doesn't drop the ball at the fifty yard line for a lucky punt in hopes that its length will cover all necessary topics, it remains a 'living' document to follow Americans in their needs and access. It seeks improvement and doesn't leave it to chance. The bill actively wants to be a partner to any health insurance company to assist in containing costs while supplying coverage.
Page 26, lines 16 through 20. An American will receive appropriate and necessary care.
(c) NO RESTRICTIONS ON COVERAGE UNRELATED TO CLINICAL APPROPRIATENESS.—A qualified health benefits plan may not impose any restriction (other than cost sharing)unrelated to clinical appropriateness on the coverage of the health care items and services.
This removes the health care insurer from making decisions best left to a doctor and patient. The health care insurers cannot state what is appropriate or inappropriate when a physician/surgeon is treating a patient. The health insurers can seek cost sharing initiatives to bring down cost, but, not to the point where it is detrimental to the patient's outcome as perscribed by a physician.
Page 26, line 21 begins to describe "ESSENTIAL BENEFITS PACKAGE" which has to include hospitalization, physicians, medications and basically everything an average American would expect to find in a health care policy.
Page 28, line 22 begins to discuss 'cost sharing' in regard to what the limits are for any health insurance company and any 'insured entity' be it an individual, family, parent and child, partner, etc. The Cost Sharing isn't as generous as one might expect. There is to be absolutely no cost for preventive items and services. That is significant, because, it is the entry point where costs are reduced and quality of care is improved. By supplying a cost free service to all Americans at this basic level it opens the door to improving our health care system at every turn. It is vital and necessary.
Page 29, lines 9 through 16 definitively gives everyone a reason to maintain their health with wellness check ups. Page 29, lines 9 through 16 also sets a limit on the cost anyone is expected to pay on an annual basis for their 'interventional medicine' (my words, not theirs). It ain't cheap, but, it is affordable if people are prepared for the worst.
(B) APPLICABLE LEVEL.—The applicable level specified in this subparagraph for Y1 is $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a family. Such levels shall be increased (rounded to the nearest $100) for each subsequent year by the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (United States city average) applicable to such year.
It is the kind of thing that one needs a savings account for and NOT necessarily a health care savings account UNLESS one knows there are certain procedures expected in any given year. It is a prudent measure to contain costs to the government and provides for an incentive to save monies with anticipation of perhaps needing them someday. No one will lose their homes over an illness either.
I have to say, I approve of these parameters. It prevents abuse of our health care system while containing the cost to any individual. If a family were 'in need' I can easily see myself running a community benefit to help those that cannot afford the $10,000. It is a reasonable amount. It is not open ended. And here again, it is not mandatory depending on the health insurance company one subscribes to. It is just that it cannot go any higher on any given year.
Page 30, line 11 is the beginning of discussing "The Health Benefits Advisory Committee." It is chaired by The Surgeon General. Thinking back, I wouldn't mind someone like C. Everett Koop setting standards and expectations of our health care system.
It is NOT a 'Death Panel.' As a matter of fact...well, I want to review the words first. These are the words from Page 30, lines 11 through 21:
(b) DUTIES.— (1) RECOMMENDATIONS ON BENEFIT STANDARDS.—The Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall recommend to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this subtitle referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) benefit standards (as defined in paragraph (4)), and periodic updates to such standards. In developing such recommendations, the Committee shall take into account innovation in health care and consider how such standards could reduce health disparities.
In reading these words, it is my opinion the Health Benefits Advisory Committee will go to every means possible to prolong life. Let me explain.
The new President has made his mark in many areas of health care already, besides this bill. He has opened up the field of 'investigational' areas of medicine. He has authorized the investigation of genetic medicine to stop diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimers. Etc. Etc. Etc.
How many times in my lifetime have I heard a patient say, "I can't get that procedure because my health insurance won't cover it." Lots. Americans have died when a procedure such as a bone marrow transplant would have saved them.
It is my opinion The Health Benefits Advisory Board will 'require' certain investigational procedures and medications to be covered by any health insurance provider. In other words, when a child with leukemia can be saved by the transplant of bone marrow there won't be the ability of a health insurance company to say 'no' to proven treatments or those treatments currently engaged in places such as The Cleveland Clinic under the auspices of the CDC.
I don't believe we need to be afraid of The Health Benefits Advisory Board. It will be a benevolent addition to our health care system and will reassure nervous insurace providers that indeed the procedure or medication has been reviewed by the CDC and is proven to have a benefit. It is the extent of the benefit of the medication or procedure that is in question and is why more use of investigational medicine is better than less.
It isn't the kind of thing where people will be required to be guinea pigs either.
In the world as it exists today for Americans that are faced with desperate health outcomes, the 'option' of trying an investigational medication or procedure already approved by the CDC is a matter of consent. It is like going into surgery. The consumer has to be made aware of any and all side effects or dangers linked to the investigational procedure. It is frequently the frustration of physicians or surgeons to be limited in their scope of possibilities in providing care to patients. It is my firm opinion, The Health Benefits Advisory Board will enhance the quality of care in the USA. I like it.
I am going to end here for today. I might simply take Sunday off. I wish you all well and keep your chin up. I trust President Obama. Sincerely. He's a good man, Charlie Brown.
Of course, this is just another bizarre twist to the life saga of Aung San Suu Kyi. It was something like three days before she was supposed to be released from her first house arrest, an American swam into her compound and she gave him refuge. In doing so it compromised her detainee status and she was tried for assisting the American. As a result she cannot take place in the upcoming elections and will be under house arrest for another 18 months. One can only wonder what will derail her next attempt at freedom?
At any rate, it brings to mind a recent film festival I attended. I wanted to review the films, but, with so much turmoil over issues originating in DC, how can one simply look the other way? I attended a film called "Burma VJ." It was a look at the inside of the struggle of the Burmese people. The film was made covertly by people they call journalists with small video devices. These digital images are then submitted to a somewhat central processing person and assembled to tell a story. I will review this film and its dire consecquences along with the many, many others I was priviledged to view sometime in the next week.
I don't mean to diminish the importance of the debate (then again maybe I do) regarding national health reform, but, 'for real' already. Americans have so much and to squabble over much needed reform seems a bit trivial to me. It's like ???? What's so hard to get your mind around? The USA health care delivery lacks access and equity. What is the big deal already?
Let's get it done.
I think when Americans show their 'idiot' side as they are with the issues 'created' that are obvious lies and defamation the people in countries like Burma lose that glimmer of hope for their own causes. Their need for recognition are far from trivial and health care insurance reform is so obvious how are they supposed to think about their circumstances and the potential for hope? It's all a little silly to me. Corrupt politics is shameful and no one can call it anything else in either country.
Supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi outside the Burmese embassy in Manila: she is said to believe that visitors might help draw attention to oppression Photo: AFP/GETTY
...When last quoted on the subject, in a BBC interview in 2002, she said: "We have not yet come to the point where we encourage people to come to Burma as tourists." She has since been silent on the issue. The news of her change of stance has been welcomed by the travel trade but left campaigners against the military regime unmoved....
The long and short of most Arab nations is the 'rights of women' are always on the chopping block. In Saudi Arabia, women driving is a hot topic and in Afghanistan allowing a woman to withhold herself from her husband is now part of the electorate venue. The entire 'status of women' in countries outside First World countries falls into doubt and disapproval by those women that enjoy freedom and autonomy, even within a marriage.
During the days of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan knew its first Bank for Women. Only women could belong to the bank. They could invest, make loans, etc. That was a big deal and a lot of men hated her for it. So while this 'sort' of law seems a bit outrageous it is not nearly as bad as it could be.
I can also imagine Afghan women forming 'women's shelters' where they receive all the sustanence they need while seeking divorce and/or counceling with their spouse. Allowing the law is a method of idenfying the dysfunction and it is a start, not an end to a woman's rights campaign.
Afghanistan (click title to entry - thank you) has quietly passed a law permitting Shia men to deny their wives food and sustenance if they refuse to obey their husbands' sexual demands, despite international outrage over an earlier version of the legislation which President Hamid Karzai had promised to review....
...In early April, Barack Obama and Gordon Brown joined an international chorus of condemnation when the Guardian revealed that the earlier version of the law legalised rape within marriage, according to the UN....
...Brad Adams, the organisation's Asia director, said: "The rights of Afghan women are being ripped up by powerful men who are using women as pawns in manoeuvres to gain power. "These kinds of barbaric laws were supposed to have been relegated to the past with the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, yet Karzai has revived them and given them his official stamp of approval." The latest opinion poll by US democracy group the International Republican Institute showed that although Karzai was up 13 points to 44% since the last survey in May, his closest rival, Abdullah Abdullah, had soared from 7% to 26%....
The entire idea that lies and defamation can actually exist in American discourse regarding health care is completely astounding to me. Perhaps I don't recall the debate of 1994 very well. It is hard for me to believe a health insurance plan that is paid for is causing Americans to leave their senses and join the ranks of 'the angry.' It's quite a show.
I also resent the statements that 'It is the "W"rong time for this bill." Or. "It is because of the economy." Those are both hideous statements. The bill is necessary and is needed now. The idea that a health insurance reform bill that takes care of its own costs will be reflected in a poor economic outcome is ridiculous. This bill will create more jobs while paying for itself. The entire oppostion to this bill is mute, they need to apologize to a nation waiting for relief from a broken health care system.
...Rather, it has a far more mainstream provenance, openly emanating months ago from many of the same pundits and conservative media outlets that were central in defeating President Bill Clinton’s health care proposals 16 years ago, including the editorial board of The Washington Times, the American Spectator magazine and Betsy McCaughey, whose 1994 health care critique made her a star of the conservative movement (and ultimately, New York’s lieutenant governor)....
I heard Ms. McCaughey speak last week. I was NOT impressed. She takes words out of context, changes their meaning and sells it as a government that is going to harm its people. I find her a mild distraction, but, I guess to people unable to discern their own minds and are willing to be lied to and allow slander of their President for the sake of bloodsport, then maybe she is somebody. But, she is NOT all that learned about what the true context of the bill is. Not at all. I just might review the whole mess right here.
To be more specific, she was stating that people were not going to be able to keep their current health care. What "I believe" is happening within the bill is to help 'standardize' what is considered a deductible, what is considered 'rejectionable' and what any health insurance company can do or not do to 'trim their costs.' Due to that reality there is going to be some change in any health insurance company.
The majors (click here) will have to come in line with what is 'defined' as acceptable health care. Those definitions are required in any bill and especially in a health care bill and it is those definitions that will help standardize not only 'the language' of health care, but, the way it is viewed from a legal stand point as well. In other words, 'basic wellness' will be defined for every member of the American family, from birth to death. That does not exist now.
So, when a 65 year old woman walks into a physicians office there will be a list of 'standards' that have to be met to standardize that woman's care. In doing so, there is automatically a 'wellness model' invoked which will no doubt include a mammogram screening, etc. If the woman is diabetic then there will be a 'diabetic model' to add to that. If she has other (dare I use the word) co-morbidities and there will be 'models of care' for those issues, too.
So, Ms. McCaughey is right, but, also very, very wrong and she is deliberately (that word was deliberately) adding to the apprehension of the electorate to 'stir the pot' as she did before. And she is getting plenty money for what she does.
But, to clarify. She is right in that no health care insurance will be exactly the same as they are today, they will be better. The care within the health insurance reform bill standardizes the care Americans get and there is a very good reason for that. The more 'routine' care is administered the more of a knowledge base is developed about the populous of the USA. There won't be any more guess work at the CDC, but, more than that; the care Americans will get will not allow (do I dare use this word) 'deviants' to be tolerated as they go undetected.
We all know that early detection and a health lifestyle adds years, if not decades, to an American's life. Why risk that happening no matter whom walks into a physicians office? Wife's won't have to nag their husbands to get their 'annuals' done anymore, routine tests will be recommended and followed up by MDs and nurses.
Today, there is little advocacy for wellness 'routines' in an American's life. The 'recommendations' are to taken seriously when an MD states, it is time for a mammogram. Those issues will be encouraged to the point of enforceable with phone calls when they go neglected. Why? Because as Americans we sincerely care about each other. Because early detection and treatment for disease has not only the best outcomes, but, the cost is far less.
So, in the long run, when Americans are exposed to good quality preventative insurance facilitated care accompanied by a good quality of life, including a healthy food supply, there is every reason to believe the 'impact' on our health care dollar will be less and less.
The point President Obama makes is that if neglected yet again this time, the quality of American's lives will suffer as health care becomes too expensive and more and more fall outside the 'ability' to pay for health care. More people will be sicker and more will die.
So, while some people such as Ms. McCaughey can 'buffalo' the American people with estranging statements about changes to their policies, she is "W"rong in general. She is exampling her understanding according to Merriam-Webster and NOT the context in which the words were written. Shame on her.
A wildfire that began Wednesday evening, Aug. 13, 2009 in the Santa Cruz Mountains quickly burned 1,000 acres and was threatening 250 structures. (Shmuel Thaler/Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrived in Abkhazia on Wednesday for a one-day working visit, confirming Moscow's pledges of financial aid to the former Georgian republic.
Georgia Blast Kills 2 During Putin Visit (click here) By VOA News 13 August 2009 Russian news reports say two people were killed and several others wounded in a bomb blast in Abkhazia during Wednesday's visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.Mr. Putin's one-day trip to the Georgian breakaway territory was the first by a top Russian official since Moscow last year recognized Abkhazia's independence after the five-day Russian-Georgian war. The reports quote authorities as saying the blast in the resort town of Gagra killed a 52-year-old woman and wounded four others. A second victim died later in a hospital.Authorities say no one was hurt in the second blast, which occurred in the Abkhaz capital, Sukhumi, shortly after Mr. Putin departed the city and returned to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Medvedev Says Georgian Army Buildup Causes ‘Concern’ (Update1) (click here) By Torrey Clark, Helena Bedwell and Denis Maternovsky Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Georgia’s actions, including a troop buildup on the borders of two separatist Georgian regions, are cause for “serious concern” a year after a war between the two countries. “Georgia’s actions continue to cause serious concern, from the unceasing threats to restore its ‘territorial integrity’ by force and daily warlike rhetoric to its concentration of armed forces on the borders with South Ossetia and Abkhazia and serious provocations in border areas,” Medvedev said in a letter to French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Excerpts from the letter were posted today on the Kremlin Web site....
MOSCOW, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia plans to increase the number of troops it has deployed in Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from around 1,800 to 3,000 by the end of the year, a deputy foreign minister said Wednesday. "Presently, there are some 1,000 Russian military personnel in Abkhazia and up to 800 in South Ossetia," Grigory Karasin said, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency. He said that by the end of the year there will be 1,500 troops in each region. Karasin also said Russia has verified reports that say Ukraine was involved in arm shipments to Georgia prior to the brief war between Georgia and Russia last summer. "We do hope that Ukraine, as a state near to us, will stop playing these dangerous games, creating problems in current relations, already problematical," he said....
Kindly thank all the companies that upheld the integrity of our President. I thank them. It is nice to have companies sensitive to issues without asking. Nice.
Fox News' "Glenn Beck" loses advertisers (click title to entry - thank you) Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:00pm EDT By Kenneth Hein NEW YORK (Nielsen Business Media) - Some of the nation's biggest advertisers are distancing themselves from Fox News host Glenn Beck after he called President Obama a racist during a July 28 broadcast. Geico has pulled its ads from Fox News Channel's "The Glenn Beck Program." Lawyers.com, which is owned by LexisNexis, also has vowed not to advertise during the program, according to Color of Change, an African-American online political organization that has been urging advertisers to stop supporting the show. Additionally, Procter & Gamble, Progressive Insurance and SC Johnson all said their ad placements during the broadcast were made in error and that they would correct the mistake. The controversy stems from Beck's comment that President Obama is a "racist" with "a deep-seated hatred for white people." Geico spent more than a half-billion dollars on ads last year, according to the Nielsen Co. It spent more than a quarter-billion dollars in the first half of 2009....
Chuck Grassley has exhibited over and over again, he has no conscience when making statements of what he believes is good policy. He is a political animal and nothing else. He doesn't care about Americans, he wants to win elections.
Ritual suicide would be too easy for them (click here) Interestingly, Grassley is up for re-election next year. He voted for the TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program), which allocated some money to AIG. Something tells me he won’t be re-elected. If he is, the voters of Iowa should get set to genuflect and work long days in the rice paddy fields for the great lord and his vassals of swift judgment. Here’s what I think. I believe in public service. Intense public service. If AIG executives refuse to give back the money, whether it be in the form of taxation or a simple handover to taxpayers, AIG executives give up their freedom and begin to work very hard doing the jobs that nobody else wants to do. Put your back into it, Edward Liddy. Or your spleen. You’ll live in a boarded up storefront off the same food children in destitute Third World countries eat. If we deem it necessary, we’ll tap into your organs as a power source. Keep pedaling that bike, Mr. AIG; power for a taxpayer’s foreclosed home depends upon it. You will be allowed to live.
Grassley Repeats ‘Death Panels’ (click here) The Iowa Independent’s Jason Hancock was trailing Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) as the senator made appearances across the state to talk about health care. Hancock reported yesterday afternoon that, at a rally in Winterset, Iowa, Grassley — the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, which is currently negotiating a much-anticipated health care bill — promoted the myth that proposed health care reforms would create government “death panels” that would decide whether the old and infirm would live or die.
"The debut ad is meant to shore up support among the conservative House Blue Dog Democrats, and to target swing senators. So it’s airing in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Virginia. The first buy is expected to run for two weeks, with a weekly spend of around $3 million....
August 12, 2009 1516gmt The Atlantic Ocean Satellite
There are two tropical waves currently 'off Africa' that could result in some kind of tropical storm. But here again, unless these storms track directly across the planet and stay within the Intertropical Convergence Zone, they won't amount to high vorticity hurricanes. As soon as they swing north across Earth, the tropospheric water vapor isn't available to sustain them, yet alone sustain a Cat 4 or 5 storm.
August 12, 2009 1430z UNISYS water vapor GOES East Satellite (click title to entry for 12 hour loop - thank you)
There is a tropical wave coming from Africa. This is the time of year for the strongest activity. Hurricane Andrew was spawned off the coast of Africa on August 14, 1992,Hugo began its treck across the Atlantic on September 9, 1989, Hurricane Floyd fromed out of Africa on September 7, 1999 and Hurricane Katrina was spawned over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005. Katrina was to be one of three deadly stroms that season.
The reason there 'can be' hurricanes and strong ones this time of year is the position of the 'direct' rays from the sun. "Sol" has its direct rays aimed directly at the Intertropical Convergence Zone. When sunlight that strong is added to reflection off the surface of Earth and drizzled with water vapor it is perfect conditions for Atlantic season hurricanes.
Contestants from 84 countries compete for the title of Miss Universe 2009 in Nassau, Bahamas. Miss France Chloe Mortaud dances during the national costume event in Nassau. (click title to entry for more photos from AP).
Sign outside the office of Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., is shown Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 in Smyrna, Ga.
According to what I understand Representative David Scott held a town hall meeting with a predetermined agenda. He convened the meeting to listen to residents within his district regarding a road that was proposed that would ultimately dismantle their homes and businesses.
During the course of the meeting a physician came to speak to him about health care. Having knowledge of the loud and disruptive incidents across the country, Rep. Scott cut the physician short in his address of health care to state the meeting was deliberately set up to hear from people regarding the egregious road construction.
What has occurred since is more of the same anger that has been leveled at elected House and Senate members. In the case of Rep. Scott, he has already set up a meeting for this weekend regarding health insurance reform and has asked the physician involved to a beer.
I think that is all fine and good, but, the desecration to the office sign of Rep. Scott is a different issue, I don't see it at vandalism. To say that a Swastika is vandalism is like saying graffiti is only art. That is a poor assessment of the danger within that symbol.
The Swastika is a the symbol for White Supremists. They embrace it as a symbol of power and White Supremists kill. It is my opinion that they have disabled a conversation between the people and their government by using this sensitive issue as a platform.
Don't tell me that White Supremists and the KKK aren't alive and well, because they are. I am sincerely concerned for Representative Scott and what could be a death threat. I am so concerned I'll go to say his offices need to be moved into a secure building whereby visitors to his office need to walk through metal detectors to gain entrance to his office. And, NO, I don't believe that is an over reaction.
I'll go as so far as to say, this is not just a simple citizen uprising against a topic they don't understand or honestly oppose, but, I believe the topic of National Health Insurance Reform has been hijacked by extremists groups as a method of achieving their purpose. I make this statement in reference to the Homeland Security Warning earlier issued that has been very correct in predicting the behaviors of White Supremists such as the killer at the Holocaust Museum.
Witnessed yesterday on the route President Obama took to his Town Hall Meeting was an armed individual displaying his weapon. That is legal in New Hampshire, but, it is too close for comfort when the President is in town for discussions regarding a sensitive topic. That is brash behavior. That unnecessary behavior is a show of force. It was a call for others to openly arm themselves as well.
I have heard people freely state on Talk Radio that they hope this descent will erupt into a full blown revolution. These folks want the violence.
I believe Rep. Scott is a wonderful elected official and takes his commitment to the people of his district seriously while being very sensitive to ethnic cultures that could be changed with so called advancements such as roads. I am concerned for him. I believe he is in danger. I strongly discourage any further town hall meetings by anyone without proper security at the entrance to any room. Even then the numbers of angry people pose their own potential for danger.
In a town hall meeting by Senator McCaskill, I witnessed a complete break down in the confidence of government. Practically everyone in the hall stated they did not trust her regardless of her honest and forthright answers. It was a dangerous circumstance that she handled exceptionally well.
People don't want to hear the truth and what is best for the country. I have said this before. They won't hear you. Senator Spector ran into the same phenomena at his town hall. People came prepared with elaborate statements of authority and wished him ill will on judgement day. His answers were also honest and forthright, but, they were not the answers those folks wanted to hear. They wanted to hear, what they wanted to hear and nothing was going to change that, not even the truth.
I believe the circumstances are unfortunate as they exist between constituencies and their elected representatives. Not all those elected suddenly changed overnight into monsters with two heads and six eyes. The undermining of authority of the USA government is of 'the same tone' and comes from nearly the same voice.
I believe continuing the conversation is important if the truth is to be heard at all, however, there is an undertone of murder and death including the symbols such as the Swastika from hate groups such as the White Supremists and the KKK that cannot be ignored.
