Ensuring Quality Care for Medicare Patients

A major issue in health care right now is the quality of ensuring care for Medicare patients. Medicare provides health insurance for older Americans and the disabled. There are 42 million Americans age 65 or older who receive Medicare benefits. This increased amount of benefits accounts for 50% of the federal budget. Medicare patients pay a first deductible and then Medicare covers there remaining hospital expenses. Health care expenses have increased over the years due to the growth of an older population due to the baby boomers.

Due to this, there is an expansion of insurance companies paying medical bills. Most insurers use a "after-the-fact" payment policy that results in a cost screen. There is two sides to this issue. One side agrees that doctors will need to face cuts of 5 to 10% in their reimbursements. They also will get paid based on their quantity of patients instead of their quality of treatments. The other side disagrees with this by saying that the government is undermining doctors' judgement. They do not believe that pay-for-performance should be allowed.

I would have to agree with the side that opposes the government led pay-for performance. Representative Pete Stark from California states that federal officials "do not have the capability, the understanding, the knowledge, or the training" to set standards for the quality of medical care. The government plan pays doctors for compliance rather than performance which I believe is not right. The federal government believes that this after-the-fact payment will lead to a 1.5 bonus. This in return will not fulfill the needs to cover the deficit.

Pete Stark repitches health care plan:

http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2009/01/06/pete-stark-re-pitches-universal-health-care-plans/

Comprehensive vs. Incremental Health Care Reform

http://thevoiceoftim.blogspot.com/2009/11/issue-1-comprehensive-vs-incremental.html

Safe to Eat?

http://caitlin-canavati.blogspot.com/

Baby survives after falling under train

This article summarizes a stupid accident of a baby falling under a train. His reckless mother was not paying attention and the baby fell into the pit of the train track. Thankfully the baby was strapped into its stroller and that there was no train running at the time. This took place in Austria were it was recorded on tape. The mother momentarily let go of the stroller to talk to a friend when the baby fell. Seconds later after the baby was saved, a train came through.

I learned about this story from Caitlin Canavati's blog. She thinks that the mother is very lucky and will have a story to tell the rest of their life. I would have to disagree that the mother is just lucky. If her child were to get run over it would be her fault and only her fault. Some parents obviously need to go to a class before they have a kid. She needs to learn how to put the breaks on the back wheels of strollers.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/16/australia.baby.train.escape/index.html

Softball Team

This article summarizes the tragic accident of three girls, Ashley, Kyrstin, and Afton, who recently passed away in a drowning accident. The three girls, who played on the Dickinson State University softball team, went stargazing a few miles from Dickinson, North Dakota. These girls called some of their teammates late Sunday night in panic and repeating the words "water" and "help." Kyrstin's truck was found on Tuesday with the three girls in it and pronounced dead. The truck was submerged in a farm pond and caused the girls to drown.

This story gives me goosebumps. If i received a phone call from one of my friends asking for help, i wouldn't know how to contain myself. The stress of not knowing where they are or what kind of trouble they were in would be unbearable. I feel for the family and friends of these three girls. It's a hard case to solve quickly because there is little evidence of what the girls were doing or where these girls were. This was a tragic accident.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/05/softball.players.profile/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

7th person arrested in gang rape

This article summarizes the arrest of another suspect of the gang rape. This gang rape took place on October 24th outside of Richmond High School in northern California. As many as ten people were involved in this gang rape while another ten people witnessed it and walked away without calling 911. Authorities say the rape was crucially two hours long and the victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. She was released last Wednesday and her parents and the community are working hard to make sure that an attack like this never occurs again.

This article was presented to me when i was reading Caitlin Canavati's blog about this issue. She states that she is absolutely appalled that people could simply walk away without calling 911. I agree with her 100% and think that the ten people that did walk away should be punished as well. Throughout this unit we have learned about our role as a citizen and part of that role is to stand up for the rights of others. These people did not protect this girls rights and simply let her suffer for something that no one should ever have to suffer through.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/03/california.gang.rape/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

A- Rod

This article summarizes the Yankee's win thanks to Alex Rodriguez's heroics. This 16 year veteran is currently playing in his first world series. Last night he hit an inside fastball that went to the leftfield corner for a double and a go ahead on an RBI. The Yankee's won the game 7-4. With one game away of winning the world series, the Yankees could obtain the title. They have not had this title since 2000. This next game will be tough because they are playing defending champions, the Phillies.

I personally would love to see the Yankee's win! Both teams are very close as shown in last night's game. They were tied in the top of the ninth inning. Alex Rodriguez has potential to continue playing great for the Yankees and lead them to another win. I think his new girlfriend, Kate Hudson, has made a positive affect on his playing :) I hope for good things for the Yankees.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/11/01/world.series.game.4/index.html?eref=rss_topstories