According to the Centers for Disease Control, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15. The journal Pediatrics has reported that 15% of American girls are expected to begin puberty by the age of 7 (with the number closer to 25% for African American girls) and a growing number of American children struggle with obesity. On top of that, the rate for having food allergies is 59% higher for obese children, with the Centers for Disease Control reporting a 265% increase in hospitalizations related to food allergic reactions. And while not all of those hospitalizations are for our children, what is becoming increasingly obvious is that the health of our children is under siege.
Read the entire article here.
The changing landscape of our children’s health | Robyn O’Brien | Prevention

Kaiser Permanente comes out against GMOs | Willamette Live

It has come to our attention that Kaiser Permanente, the largest managed healthcare organization in the United States, has advised its members against GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in food.

In its Northwest Fall 2012 newsletter, Kaiser suggested membership limit exposure to genetically modified organisms.

“GMOs have been added to our food supply since 1994, but most people don’t know it because the United States does not require labeling of GMOs,” according to the newsletter.

Sounding like a radical organic health proponent, the huge corporate Kaiser continued, “Despite what the biotech industry might say, there is little research on the long-term effects of GMOs on human health.

Independent studies have shown GMOs to cause organ damage in rats and the inability to reproduce, the Kaiser article said. Kaiser gave tips on how its members can avoid GMOs, including buying organic, looking for the “Non-GMO Project Verified” seal and to download the “ShopNoGMO” app.

Since corporations are required, by definition, to augment their bottom line, we think Kaiser’s efforts to encourage GMO avoidance for the members for whose health costs they must (sometimes!) pay – is telling.

***My comments: I’m wondering what the catch is here… a multibillion dollar corp just doesn’t come out with this dagger unless they’re getting well on the way. We’ll see. As I commented, would’ve been nice for Prop 37 to have this support a few months ago.*** 

Let the buyer beware in a free-market health care system | Truthout

Interesting take on the system as a whole. It’s also interesting to note that our quasi free market has indeed resulted in higher prices with poor outcomes. While it may be accepted our emergency care is the world’s best, at what cost? No one ever seems to question why the cost of our healthcare is out of control… and more importantly, WHO BENEFITS!? Certainly not us, the people.

More thoughts on the ACA

***EDIT: A summary of reasons for my opinion on the matter, discounting nefarious government control***

I also have a few lingering questions concerning the Affordable Healthcare Act. A majority of opinions I’ve read thus far applaud the supreme court’s ruling on the matter, often pointing to anecdotal numbers such as “now 50 million Americans will have access to doctors!”, bla bla bla, etc etc. That number fluctuates between 30 and 80 million people as well. The same folks will claim that millions of Americans with preexisting conditions will now be able to receive the quality of care they deserve, of which they were unable to obtain previous to this act. I posted a previous opinion on the initial ruling and have had a few days to ponder reactions and to organize a few ancillary thoughts. My questions are as follows, then followed by my opinion and how it personally relates:

1.) Who do you think will be paying for this “care”? 
First, consider my question, which I ask myself of every single action our government takes- Who benefits? Once again, do you honestly think this ACA is about the health and wellbeing of the population? Either way, who will pay? Second, before answering, consider that this “care” will not come free by the good nature of insurance companies, an oxymoron if there ever was one. Do you think prices, premiums, and prescription drugs are going to miraculously going to drop or be given away? 

If you’re having trouble thinking of an answer, I’ll answer for you. We will pay. I will pay. So once again, I am punished as an individual who chooses to live a healthy lifestyle. BS you say… how’s about a TRIPLING of my health insurance premiums. That’s before the act was even voted on. This is a fact. The system will be designed so Johnny Hillbilly has the freedom to clog his arteries with McD’s 3x a day, get fully covered and care paid for when his heart explodes, and I will be left with the bill. There in-lies the “Broccoli Tax” fear. NO, I do not fear Uncle Same “mandating” I eat healthy. Why? Two reasons: One, the broccoli (and the like) farmers are not greasing the palms of those calling the shots. Two, a healthy American population is not a revenue generating American populace. This system is a cycle of money flowing from us to the industries that makes us unhealthy to the industries that heal us, all passing through the wallets of legislators. Except now we’re forced to partake. If anything, I fear a “Big Mac Mandate”! 

2.) What level of “care” are you expecting, exactly?
So here’s what’s going to happen. Everyone is “mandated” to purchase healthcare insurance. Healthcare insurance companies will raise premiums and deductibles, as they see fit to compensate for alleged losses from having to insure folks with preexisting conditions. I call bullshit here, and liken it to oil speculation, ala prices raised over nothing more than assumptions based on opinions and predictions. Again, these insurance companies aren’t going to accept losses! We will float the bill. Eventually, the gouging will overwhelm us. Much like my being forced to look elsewhere for coverage as I cannot afford a TRIPLING of my premium. In steps Uncle Sam, who says, “What I’ve got here is a new service…a federally owned and operated insurance, folks…just sign right here and good ole Uncle Sugar will take care of you!” This change will be welcomed by many, as it will be far cheaper, but probably more expensive than we pay now, than the inflated offerings from Big Insurance. This will eventually lead to a downfall of the illusion of “choice” we have in insurance companies. Essentially what I expect is that the larger insurance corporations will survive, become a government contracted insurance conglomerate, which eventually will “cover” us all, because let’s not forget, we’re “mandated” to buy coverage and this will be the only viable option. NOW, we have a fully government controlled healthcare system. Which are nothing more than the big insurance/pharmaceutical corporations under the guise of government control, but government controlled nonetheless. 

The problems here are countless. But let me break it down to a lower common denominator as it has applies to me. As you may or may not know, I worked for Uncle Sam, in a few different capacities, for the better part of 13 years, much of that as a USAF airman. As a military member, somethings, such as healthcare, are taken care of. Others, like pay, are automatic, according to scale, and are changed by nothing more than a few codes typed in by other airman as changes come across their desk. For instance, when I made a certain rank, my pay increased according the USAF enlisted pay chart. Every year, the president would dictate what the annual percentage “cost of living” increase would be, usually around 1-3% of base pay. So here’s where it relates: there was not a year, a move, a pay grade (rank) change, or a temporary duty assignment (TDY) where they did not either mis-pay, forget to pay, or completely bollocks up that transaction. Folks, this is something so very basic, and automatic, and should be seamless, and they fucked it up every single time. My father, now a 34-year government employee will tell you the very same thing, just over a much longer period of time. So if the federal government can fuck up something so simple as paying someone according to a pay scale, what should make me believe they’re going to provide a proper healthcare system to 300 million people? SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER ME THIS!? This doesn’t even begin to explain the problems I had with my government-run, military healthcare. And I’m healthy!

People, if I’ve said this once, I’ve said this a thousand times: if you want something done, in a completely inefficient manner, all-while costing 10x more, and still receive a piece of shit product as a result- have the federal government do it. I cannot express this point enough. Whatever system comes out of this will be so utterly FUBAR. I would laugh if I could.

There it is, in a nutshell. Two simple questions to consider. I didn’t get into my other concerns about precedence of mandates, government power, etc. These are simple, down to brass tacks, healthcare questions. I’ve stated my part as to why I think it’s SNAFU as history as shown to me.

This is a great story and something as simple as this gives me a little bit of hope; just a little. Guess what you didn’t hear one thing about? Insurance. There are a handful of culprits I believe are the origin of what will eventually bring this country down, insurance is one of them. I’ve mentioned this before in a different capacity. Think about how ridiculous this industry has gotten. You can literally buy insurance for your insurance. Goddamned pet insurance? There may be nothing more asinine in this country as insurance… scratch that, it’s our complete stupidity in buying into the notion that we cannot exist without it.

Here’s a theory of mine, sans evidence, just my own theory. Health care costs are through the roof, we all know this. You can go to another country, receive the same procedure at a small percentage of the cost we’re charged here in the U.S. Superior care my ass. So what if no one had health insurance? My thought is that no one carries insurance, no one is able to pay the extreme costs. How long before prices drop? Do you think physicians and practitioners would be for it? My guess is a great many of them would.

It will never happen, in fact, it’s only going to get worse when the Supreme Court decides on the Healthcare mandate. I suspect whichever way they decide we’ll get screwed. Yay, for obvious reasons, nay, Congress will only go back to the drawing board.

Insurance! Paying someone for “what-ifs”… chaps my ass like nothing else!

Cure for sick health care?

Good article. Robin O’Brien gets it and she’s done well spreading the word. You’d be better off paying attention as well. The only disagreement I have with her is that I have a much more sinister view of the nefarious relationship between government, Big Ag/Food/Pharma.

I can sum it up simply using the small picture located on that page: I believe the food industry and the healthcare industry pay very close attention to each other. In fact, I believe they do much more than that. Wouldn’t that be a great business model? You feed them shit, get them sick, and we’ll pick up the pieces. All while we overpay for the chemically enhanced food, we overpay for the diagnosis, we overpay for the treatment, and we overpay for the drugs. Meanwhile we overpay them to pay the government to not only look the other way, but ensure we keep coming back for more.

And you call it a conspiracy theory? 

Question Re: Healthcare Mandate

This is an issue, even with the traffic it is receiving, I don’t think people are realizing the significance here. The question is this simple:

If our “representative” congress can MANDATE that I enter into a financial contract with a private entity (in this case a health insurance company) for no other reasons than being a United States citizen and being alive, what then can they NOT mandate? 

Please, someone, please answer this question. Disregard political rhetoric. I know it’s rampant right now only because this was an Obama act. I can assure you we’d hear nothing from the right if this were a Bush plan, and same goes for the arguments from the left if it were a Bush plan. Turn off your red and blue blinders for one second and look at this question objectively. This extends far past the intentions of the Commerce Clause, folks. The precedent this sets is yet another monumental blow to our personal liberties. 

Just another tidbit to think about when you blindly walk through life as though none of this matters. It does. You matter. You knowing how this affects you and your children and your grandchildren’s future, matters. WAKE UP!

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