healthcare
The Pump Handle
Tag archives for healthcare
The rationing that already happens: drug shortages in the US
Posted by Liz Borkowski on October 3, 2011 One thing that drove me nuts during the healthcare reform debate was the scare tactic of claiming that proposed legislation would result in rationing of healthcare. The problem with making such a claim is that healthcare is already rationed in the US. We ration healthcare based on insurance status and ability to pay. And, as…
Physician Administrative Costs in the US vs. Canada
Posted by Liz Borkowski on August 12, 2011 The US spends far more per capita on healthcare than any other developed country — $7,538 per person, compared to $3,129 in the UK, $4,079 in Canada, and $5,003 in Norway (the second-biggest spender), according to 2008 totals compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation. One contributor to our high healthcare costs is high administrative costs,…
Senator Sanders on the New Healthcare Law
Posted by The Pump Handle on December 23, 2010 United States Senator Bernard Sanders, Independent of Vermont, received this year’s Paul Wellstone Award at the Activist Dinner on 7 November in Denver, during the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association. Dr. Anthony Robbins presented the award “for his principled support for a universal comprehensive health care system…” Senator Sanders prepared this video…
KFF Explains New Healthcare Law – In 9 Minutes, with Animation
Posted by Liz Borkowski on October 7, 2010 If you feel like you could use an overview of the new healthcare law – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – head over the the Kaiser Family Foundation’s website and watch their nine-minute animated video. Cokie Roberts narrates, explaining the problems the law’s designed to address and its major provisions. If you want…
Hard Choices Made Harder by the Healthcare System
Posted by Liz Borkowski on June 24, 2010 If you haven’t already, go read Katy Butler’s powerful New York Times Magazine piece about her aging father’s years of decline and the hard decisions she and her mother had to make about his care. Butler’s father suffered a stroke at age 79, and she writes of its effect:
Time to Retire the “Rationing” Talking Point
Posted by Liz Borkowski on June 9, 2010 President Obama has nominated Dr. Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and he sounds like a great guy for the job. Julie Rovner reported for Morning Edition earlier today that Republicans are stalling his nomination, which isn’t out of the ordinary these days. But the part of her story that…