If the government really wanted to expand coverage for 30 million people all they would have had to do was expand Medicaid/Medicare. It would have been a lot cheaper than the cost of blowing up the private insurance market. Empowering independent doctors instead of the hospitals, the insurance companies and Big Pharma would have been a much cheaper fix.
Does the government have the right to potentially risk the health of men, women and children who travel in the name of national security? Now that the body scanners have been deployed in many us airports, it is time to take a second look. We were told by the government that they were necessary to secure our safety after the attempt by the underwear bomber. Some have theorized that the scans can damage the DNA. Unfortunately, very little is known about the effects on the human body because no long term studies have been done. Therefore, it is hard to say with certainty that the benefits out weigh the risks. Now that they have been deployed in many airports throughout the country, it is time to ask whether they are safe. Do the facts jibe with what we have been told?
It has been almost three months since the oil spill in the gulf. However, there has been little attention given to the health effects of exposure to the various components present in the spill or the chemical used to disperse the oil. The contents of the oils spill contain several components. Each has the potential to cause health risks to those who are exposed to them. These are some facts of some of the most toxic substances
It can also be argued that evidence-based medicine has exponentially increased the cost of health care. In theory, the essence of evidence-based medicine is science. However, in practice it has become more about money. The system has led to a game where players like the pharmaceutical industry are given an edge. Over the past 10-15 years there has been a change in the parameters of our most common diseases such as hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol that has led to an exponential rise in the prevalence and the number of prescriptions written. These changes have led to a dramatic increase in both the number of people who meet criteria for treatment with prescription drugs and by extension the rising cost of healthcare. The question that has yet to be answered is why are we less healthy despite taking ever increasing amounts of prescription medication?
If we really want to get serious about decreasing the cost of healthcare, we need to have a conversation about the root cause. There is something intrinsically wrong about government policies that make it cheaper for us to buy junk food than it is to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. We will only be able to limit our costs by promoting prevention and wellness. Neither can exist until something is done about an industry that is given free reign to pursue profit over our health.
Since the passage of the Senate’s healthcare reform bill, those in favor of the bill have emphasized the fact that it will expand insurance coverage to approximately 30 million new people who currently are uninsured, stop insurance companies from dropping insurance to those who get sick, and prohibit caps on coverage in cases of catastrophic
Instead of waiting for the outcome of the healthcare debate to decide your fate, use some simple common sense strategies to take back the power to control your own health. 1. Start exercising An increase in activity of as little as 20 minutes 3 times a week can make a difference in your risk of
‘Michael Jackson did not have a chance’ was my first thought when I read the report that just came out about what caused his untimely and tragic death. I was unprepared for the absolute disregard for the first tenant of the doctors’ Hippocratic Oath – First do no harm. There was no way that harm