Health Care

news roundup
For Thanksgiving, Some Heavy News For Reflection And Fluff For Dessert
- Armed gunman in India today attacked 7 different sites in Mumbai in a reported attempt to kill as many Americans and Brits as possible, not that they spared any Indians while they were killing. At least 78 people lost their lives. [Huffington Post]
- In addition, the FBI has information that al Qaeda may have discussed attacking subways and trains in and around New York City this holiday weekend. People in New York should expect an increased security presence. [Huffington Post]
- On the eve of a holiday dedicated to stuffing one's face with rich food, it is important to note that the number of Americans on food stamps is expected to reach an all time high this month. It's something to chew on with your turkey, and then give thanks that you're either not one of those Americans, or, if you are, that the anti-government Republicans didn't manage to dismantle at least that part of our important but much-maligned "welfare" state. [Washington Post]
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6:30 PM on Wed Nov 26 2008
By Megan
4,605 views, 63 comments

Most discussed littlebunnyfoofoo: Am freaking out. Best friend in India currently. Last heard from him on his Blackberry on a train more »
interesting conversations
Elizabeth Edwards Talks About Issues Unrelated To Infidelity
Have you sort of had enough of watching a woman in a position to influence the course of important national issues wink and the camera, promise not to answer questions and yell "Drill, baby, drill" to evince her support for an issue? If you are, than Elizabeth Edwards is a breath of fresh wonky air. She joined The American Prospect's Ezra Klein this week in Washington, D.C. to talk about health care in America. Her last outing was at the New Yorker Festival where, despite the hour-long discussion about serious issues, the final question of the panel and the audience was about her personal life. This time, though, it was all about health care, right? Not according to the Washington Post. More »

4:00 PM on Wed Oct 29 2008
By Megan
5,076 views, 95 comments

Most discussed JinxyMcDeath: ff tpc, bt s sh stll wth tht cd? more »
with great privilege
Elizabeth Edwards: "I Think We Have The Capacity With Great Leadership To Change Things"
This weekend, I attended Elizabeth Edwards' discussion on health care with author and surgeon Atul Gawande as part of the New Yorker Festival. Edwards came to talk about the problems with (and some possible solutions for) the health care system in this country and — like me — isn't exactly a fan of John McCain's so-called reform ideas. One would think that 90 minutes to talk about health care wouldn't leave Gawande and the audience with enough time to talk about much else. One would be wrong. More »

6:00 PM on Mon Oct 6 2008
By Megan
5,938 views, 45 comments

Most discussed PilgrimSoul: I don't know what to say, in some ways, except that sacrificing buying clothes or microbrews - and I'm really more »
crappy hour
Dear Sarah Palin: Cute Wink, But What About The Issues?
You know that feeling, the morning after, when you look back and regret things from the night before? Things like, say, winking at America in lieu of making any substantive statements on mortgages so that you could keep hammering on how awesome you are at energy policy? Ms. Palin, if you wanted to be Energy Secretary, I'm assuming you could've mentioned that to McCain a little earlier and allowed him to talk to Christine Todd Whitman or Olympia Snowe or Kay Bailey Hutchison . But Kay Steiger of Pushback and I don't have designs on the Vice Presidency or a Cabinet position, so we're free to actually about, you know, the issues. Like what your hype man ought to play after you tell someone to go fuck himself and why McCain's health care policy sucks ass for the Joe Sixpack you want to represent. That's right, this morning, we're wonking out with our... well, you know what would be hanging out if we had 'em. More »

10:00 AM on Fri Oct 3 2008
By Megan
14,895 views, 561 comments

Most discussed kelsium: I'll admit it guys, when she said "team of mavericks" I poured myself a big glass of wine and walked more »
Weighty Issues
Woman Denied Bariatric Surgery By Insurance Company. Is Size Discrimination To Blame?
Johnna VinZant's family has gone into debt recently, but not because they defaulted on their mortgage like so many other Americans. Johnna's family has gone into $30,000 worth of debt to pay for the lifesaving gastric bypass surgery that her insurance company denied. According to ABC News, Johnna's obesity is caused by a hormonal imbalance that no amount of dieting or exercise will fix, but instead of green lighting the bariatric surgery that would relieve the diabetes, sleep apnea, spinal disc disease, arthritis and incontinence Johnna's suffered, "her insurance company suggested a diet program and rejected her request for surgery coverage." More »

4:00 PM on Tue Sep 30 2008
By Jessica
8,035 views, 167 comments

Most discussed SmallbutMighty: OK, so I have a question, if "no amount of dieting or exercise will fix" her obesity, I'm not sure more »
news roundup
John McCain Can Pry Obama's Health Care Reform From My Cold Dead Hands
- Good news first: Obama is up in the polls in Pennsylvania and Iowa and tied in Minnesota and Nevada. Also, most people blame Republicans for the current economy crisis. Unfortunately, he's pulling staff from North Dakota, Georgia, Idaho and Alaska. That can't be good. [CNN, CNN, CNN]
- A new poll shows that, since putting Palin on the ticket, McCain now polls evenly with Obama on the question of who understands women and what's important to us. Obama used to have a 34 point lead. [Politico]
- Obama's got a new ad in which he (rightly) accused McCain's health care plan of being a massive program of deregulation, sort of like how McCain used to love the deregulation of financial markets, too. That the kind of change even an NRA member might fear more than an ammo tax these days. [Huffington Post]
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6:30 PM on Mon Sep 22 2008
By Megan
4,248 views, 111 comments

Most discussed SinisterRouge: It makes sense to me that Obama is pulling staff frm those states. They're unwinnable. I mean, GA? That was more »

A recent study has revealed that the American Amish population has increased by 86% since 1992, with population numbers now around 231,000. The incredible rate of growth within the community has occurred due to the Amish insistence that members always marry within their group and an average family size of 5 to 6 children. Although it would seem odd that insular marriages would actually help a community grow, it has kept the Amish group's values strict and uninfluenced by us pesky members of the 21st-century. The study also said that longer life spans thanks to better health care contributed to the increased population. [Reuters]

152 comments
The Goddess Lifestyle Remember how religious authorities in Nepal were looking for a new "living goddess"? Now Nepal's Supreme Court has ordered the government to ensure health care and education for the young female goddesses, or kumaris, after the girls are forced to retire their position once they reach puberty. Critics claim that goddess life can be hard on the children, who are kept in temples from as young as 4-years-old and are worshiped by visitors. Nepal recently became a republic after lawmakers abolished the monarchy and now many cultural traditions are being challenged. [Reuters]

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"Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbell and other fictional fixtures of modern-day childhood were handcuffed, frisked and loaded into police vans Thursday at the culmination of a labor protest that brought a touch of reality to the Happiest Place on Earth," reports CNN. Sounds funny, but the costumes were actually a great way for workers to call attention to their plight. Maids, bell hops, cooks and dishwashers from three Disney-owned hotels claim that Disney's latest proposal makes health care unaffordable for hundreds of employees and creates an unfair two-tier wage system. Also, Disney allegedly wants to create a new category of part-time employees who would receive greatly reduced benefits. Life is not Fantasia, you can't expect a broom to sweep itself and not need a primary care physician. [CNN]

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Dying To Be Thin Janell Smith was hospitalized for an eating disorder which she battled for months and was left at 68 pounds and in need of a feeding tube to sustain herself. After a month of treatment, Janell's father claims that her insurance company, Magellan, discharged her prematurely, which resulted in Janell committing suicide a few days after her release. Her death was nearly five years ago but her father's case against the insurance company is still continuing. The insurance company claims that Janell discharged herself after they had said they planned to review her insurance case, and that she showed no signs of suicidal tendencies. The claims against Magellan and the fact that many insurance companies do not cover treatment for eating disorders may reveal the lack of understanding of the seriousness of eating disorders. Is it any coincidence that a disease not taken seriously is also most prevalent in young women? [ABC News]

128 comments