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Tag: Health Care

The Nuclear Option

But I set out to learn, as the data became unclassified, about just what I had seen. Here is what I found out. Operation Plumbbob was a series of twenty nine tests nearly all above ground. They had begun on May 28, 1957 with “Boltzmann” and ended on October 5 that year with “Morgan.” The series, which was the most extensive ever done at Mercury, put 58.3 million curies of radio-iodine into the atmosphere. One-thousandth of a curie is what would be used in a liver scan. The radioactivity went all over the United States, with clusters in places like Maine. It is estimated that these tests caused some 38,000 thyroid cancers leading to about 2,000 deaths. The health burden of these tests put enough pressure—despite the protests of people like Edward Teller—to bring a halt to them. The same information can be gathered from an underground test witnessed only by mechanical devices.

From: http://blogs.nybooks.com/post/467905029/a-mushroom-cloud-recollected

Much has been made over the past year and a bit over any attempt to level the playing field in the States between the haves and the have-nots.  Strangely, a number of the have-nots have spent a large amount of time working against their own interests.  This should come as no surprise from a people who would kill thousands of their own people in the name of “defense” .  That said, it seems that when a country is actively irradiating it’s people and leaving ne’er expiring death spores across itself it would at least take time out to say, hey let’s make sure that everyone can afford decent medical care.

When you see an actual medicare user rally against “government health care” you understand how insane the Generation that did this to itself really is.

The Nuclear Option

But I set out to learn, as the data became unclassified, about just what I had seen. Here is what I found out. Operation Plumbbob was a series of twenty nine tests nearly all above ground. They had begun on May 28, 1957 with “Boltzmann” and ended on October 5 that year with “Morgan.” The series, which was the most extensive ever done at Mercury, put 58.3 million curies of radio-iodine into the atmosphere. One-thousandth of a curie is what would be used in a liver scan. The radioactivity went all over the United States, with clusters in places like Maine. It is estimated that these tests caused some 38,000 thyroid cancers leading to about 2,000 deaths. The health burden of these tests put enough pressure—despite the protests of people like Edward Teller—to bring a halt to them. The same information can be gathered from an underground test witnessed only by mechanical devices.

From: http://blogs.nybooks.com/post/467905029/a-mushroom-cloud-recollected

Much has been made over the past year and a bit over any attempt to level the playing field in the States between the haves and the have-nots.  Strangely, a number of the have-nots have spent a large amount of time working against their own interests.  This should come as no surprise from a people who would kill thousands of their own people in the name of “defense” .  That said, it seems that when a country is actively irradiating it’s people and leaving ne’er expiring death spores across itself it would at least take time out to say, hey let’s make sure that everyone can afford decent medical care.

When you see an actual medicare user rally against “government health care” you understand how insane the Generation that did this to itself really is.

The Nuclear Option

But I set out to learn, as the data became unclassified, about just what I had seen. Here is what I found out. Operation Plumbbob was a series of twenty nine tests nearly all above ground. They had begun on May 28, 1957 with “Boltzmann” and ended on October 5 that year with “Morgan.” The series, which was the most extensive ever done at Mercury, put 58.3 million curies of radio-iodine into the atmosphere. One-thousandth of a curie is what would be used in a liver scan. The radioactivity went all over the United States, with clusters in places like Maine. It is estimated that these tests caused some 38,000 thyroid cancers leading to about 2,000 deaths. The health burden of these tests put enough pressure—despite the protests of people like Edward Teller—to bring a halt to them. The same information can be gathered from an underground test witnessed only by mechanical devices.

From: http://blogs.nybooks.com/post/467905029/a-mushroom-cloud-recollected

Much has been made over the past year and a bit over any attempt to level the playing field in the States between the haves and the have-nots.  Strangely, a number of the have-nots have spent a large amount of time working against their own interests.  This should come as no surprise from a people who would kill thousands of their own people in the name of “defense” .  That said, it seems that when a country is actively irradiating it’s people and leaving ne’er expiring death spores across itself it would at least take time out to say, hey let’s make sure that everyone can afford decent medical care.

When you see an actual medicare user rally against “government health care” you understand how insane the Generation that did this to itself really is.

Could Canadian “Tea Party” folks be far behind?

For those of us who cannot affored to travel to the United States for private health care are left with only one choice, the government’s health care. And when you only have one choice, you really have no choice whatsoever.

Let’s dissect this notion as it presented:

  1. For those of us who cannot afford to travel to the United States for private health care…So, if there was Private health care in Canada you imagine you could afford it?  The last time I checked the cost of a flight into the USA was the gas to cross the border then 99 bucks on southwest to pretty much anywhere.  So minus those 300 or so dollars the rest of the (20 to 30 thousand dollars) are totally in reach?
  2. The Government’s health careChosen by an elected government and easily changed by wide complaint.  When the people (as a majority) are unhappy those folks in Ottawa are fairly quick to react as public opinion really does shape policy.
  3. When you can only have one choice…
    See point one; if someone cannot afford the new special private tier” they are stuck with the public (possibly underfunded due to the Private Clinics stealing funds from the public coffers like they do in the States) system anyway, how is that more “fair”.
Face it; with few exceptions, ensuring that every Canadian has access to the same level of care is at least more equitable than allowing the more affluent to bypass the line.  There’s nothing like a Queue to level the playing field.
Photo Credit to Ivy Dawned

Remember: Socialized Health Care will KILL YOUR GRANDMA!

1 Macau
84.36
2009 est.
2 Andorra
82.51
2009 est.
3 Japan
82.12
2009 est.
4 Singapore
81.98
2009 est.
5 San Marino
81.97
2009 est.
6 Hong Kong
81.86
2009 est.
7 Australia
81.63
2009 est.
8 Canada
81.23
2009 est.
9 France
80.98
2009 est.
10 Sweden
80.86
2009 est.
11 Switzerland
80.85
2009 est.
12 Guernsey
80.77
2009 est.
13 Israel
80.73
2009 est.
14 Iceland
80.67
2009 est.
15 Anguilla
80.65
2009 est.
16 Cayman Islands
80.44
2009 est.
17 Bermuda
80.43
2009 est.
18 New Zealand
80.36
2009 est.
19 Italy
80.20
2009 est.
20 Gibraltar
80.19
2009 est.
21 Monaco
80.09
2009 est.
22 Liechtenstein
80.06
2009 est.
23 Spain
80.05
2009 est.
24 Norway
79.95
2009 est.
25 Jersey
79.75
2009 est.
26 Greece
79.66
2009 est.
27 Austria
79.50
2009 est.
28 Faroe Islands
79.44
2009 est.
29 Malta
79.44
2009 est.
30 Netherlands
79.40
2009 est.
31 Luxembourg
79.33
2009 est.
32 Germany
79.26
2009 est.
33 Belgium
79.22
2009 est.
34 Saint Pierre and Miquelon
79.07
2009 est.
35 Virgin Islands
79.05
2009 est.
36 United Kingdom
79.01
2009 est.
37 Finland
78.97
2009 est.
38 Jordan
78.87
2009 est.
39 Isle of Man
78.82
2009 est.
40 Korea, South
78.72
2009 est.
41 European Union
78.67
2009 est.
42 Puerto Rico
78.53
2009 est.
43 Bosnia and Herzegovina
78.50
2009 est.
44 Saint Helena
78.44
2009 est.
45 Cyprus
78.33
2009 est.
46 Denmark
78.30
2009 est.
47 Ireland
78.24
2009 est.
48 Portugal
78.21
2009 est.
49 Wallis and Futuna
78.20
2009 est.
50 United States
78.11
2009 est.

America, All you can eat

Agustin Carstens / secretary of treasury
Agustin Carstens / secretary of treasury

The biggest industry beneficiaries were Japanese automakers Toyota, Honda and Nissan, which accounted for 41 percent of the new vehicle sales. That outpaced Detroit automakers General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, which had a share of nearly 39 percent. Toyota Motor Corp. led the industry with 19.4 percent of new sales, followed by General Motors Co. with 17.6 percent and Ford Motor Co. with 14.4 percent. — Clunkers Sold bunches

Proof positive that Americans will continuously attempt to find new ways to screw their neighbors.  Buying foreign made cars using a program designed to help the local economy (I know that a majority of those cars are built in America, but my point stands)

The health care scream-ate is a good example of this.  While there are some malcontents who will never be happy in Canada until they can pay money to push a dying patient off of an operating patient because they can afford to, people in countries were universal health care is already set in at least mushy concrete can’t understand why Americans don’t want it.

In this brilliant article Mary Dejevsky correctly points out that Americans simply cannot fathom the idea that their tax dollars would be used to help out someone other than themselves.  As if they should see the benefit of every dollar in taxes that are spent.  This same mindset supported pre-emptive war because they could be sure that someone was getting fucked over using “their” dollar, and that warmed their cold, shriveled hearts.

David Vitter Wants to Destroy Canadian Health Care

Vitter was asked at a town hall meeting about the fact that he opposes government health care, but supports re-importing prescription drugs from, as a constituent said, “countries that have socialized medicine.” Vitter has campaigned in the past on re-importing drugs from Canada.

My ultimate goal,” Vitter explained, “is to use that (re-importation) to cause that (pricing) system to collapse.

Dear Ms Mathyssen,

Congratulations on your election last fall, I am very glad that you were elected in my riding as your responses to my questions of last summer were very persuasive and matched my own values and goals well.

As I’m sure you are aware, politics to the south of us often dominate our news cycle; often to the detriment to coverage of local and national Canadian politics.  The healthcare debate south of the border is of particular interest (having lived in the US for a number of years on a work visa, I have a strong appreciation of our local system).  However, this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1-X_J2qAGE) shows a Senator from the US discussing attempting to damage the Canadian Health Care system directly.  I feel very strongly that this demands and apology from the senator and would hope that the Prime Minister could be motivated to request an official apology from the Senator.  This is a serious affront to relations between our two nations and was not said in jest or to make a point, Sen. Vitter is making a direct threat to Canada’s sovereignty and this should be redressed.

Again, I thank you for your service on behalf of London-Fanshawe and Canada as a whole and wish you the very best of days forthcoming.

When even fact checking won’t save you

People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.
–Investors Business Daily commenting about the Health Care of Lifelong Brit Stephen Hawking

People in the US who have no real exposure to Universal Health Care of any stripe always want to tell you about how bad it is; and therefore by comparison how awesome (51st in the world) American Health Care ™ is.

It’s just that it’s so not the case.  The only advantage one achieves in the States over a place with Universal Health Care is the CashKey system.

The CashKey system works like this; with enough cash no door is locked to you and no barrier can really stand in your way.

So if you want a new knee or some extra skin cut loose; toss some money at a doctor (or a hospital board member) and you’ll get right into an operating theatre that day.  Maybe you have a benign (but painful) tumor, cash money, cash money.  Money money, dolla dolla bill y’all!

That’s all well and fine; but doesn’t that set up a tiered system that places profit over health care?

Well, yes.  Yes it does.

So, what about Sir Hawkings?  What about him?

Had Mr. Hawkings been born into a family without cash or to Middle Class parents without Health Insurance, how would Stevie Hawkings be doing now?  Why not ask a disabled homeless person about their life?  How about all those folks in Appalachia with no doctor (because there’s no profit in serving those poor areas, get it)

How about this mind-blowing statement;  if your school received government money to educate you; you have an obligation to serve society as a whole.  It’s as simple as that.  If your education was in any way funded by cash from taxes or public funds; then you spend at least the first part of your career serving the public good and paying back society.

But there’s no money in that, is there?

Candian Politics: How to fix health care in Ontario (and the rest of Canada)

I like the ontario health care system; it has shown repeatedly that in a crunch; Ontario Doctors and Health Care workers can save your life and heal your ills.  Both of my parents are repeat Cancer survivors at zero cost (save gas) to them, I don’t think anyone south of the border can claim that save rare beneficiaries of other’s largess.

However, as some people have noted; the health care system in Ontario (and Canada) needs to change in order to maintain services.

Here is my Simple, if at times expensive, plan to save Health Care in Ontario:

No more paying for Medical Training

New doctors face long years of instruction and ongoing education costs; it’s expensive to become a doctor and then face paying for that education on a government paycheck.  Let’s make Education for ONTARIO doctors free.

  1. Fund education for General Practitioners at 100% if they sign a 10 year contract upon graduation that they will stay in Ontario and practice in one of the under serviced rural areas.  These are assigned via a lottery, rather than by any kind of relative need.
  2. Fund education for Specialists at 100% if that sign a 15 year contract upon graduation that they will stay in Ontario and practice in a central rural location.

These education benefits will ensure that Ontario will have a constant cycle of new doctors entering the system, these new doctors will be given a reason to settle in the various rural areas that they end up assigned to.  These contracts will be binding and contain penalties for early termination like the doctor having to pay back all granted funds plus earned interest at the prevailing rate when the contract was started.

At the end of the contract period doctors will be free to move on or stay in Ontario; however local incentive programs in the municipalities can be funded to retain those doctors (if necessary).  Ongoing education can also be funded as a further inducement to extend the medical service contracts.

The alternative is to continue to allow these same new grads to be lured away by the same material needs to other countries.

Imagine, 20-30 new doctors in Ontario’s rural areas each year, bringing the latest techniques and fresh enthusiasm to the job.   They will cut their teeth in Ontario and become the leaders of tomorrow.

What do you think?