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Health Care

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT VIGIL

By Bea McManis

"We can't afford to wait" vigils  are organized nationwide just days before members of Congress return to Washington, to make sure they know that an overwhelming majority of voters are counting on them to act quickly to pass health care reform.

The vigils will put a human face on the urgent need for bold health care reform with a real public health insurance option. We'll deliver an unmistakable message to the media and members of Congress: We can't afford to wait: Public Option NOW!

7:30pm, Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Corner of Central & Walden Av. (Old Valero Station)
Lancaster, NY 14086

The Kennedys paid for Greg Ball's (AD-99) health care

By Bea McManis

Not only has Republican Assembly member Greg Ball (who's running for Congress against Democrat John Hall in NY-19) been getting government-paid, single-payer health care for most of his adult life via the Air Force and now the State Assembly, he also fondly recalls how the Kennedy family paid for his health care when he was a child.  (NYDems Dispatch )

Isn't it amazing how children and health care can cross the lines of party politics?

Everybody wanted health care reform. So what happened?

By Howard B. Owens

One of my favorite blogs about rural issues, the Daily Yonder, carries this:

What promised to be a consensus-building search for solutions for American’s unsustainable fragmented health problems has turned into a debacle. Make no mistake about it, this is the fault of the President — no one else.  I say this as a supporter of President Obama. I’m a lifelong Democrat. I voted for Barack Obama with enthusiasm and I still have his bumper sticker on my car and pickup truck.

And

I can tell you that his first mistake was to discount the good advice he was getting from rural Senators on both sides of the aisle. Obama is an urban president and he’s been looking to the coasts for direction. He should be looking more to the Plains.

Read the whole thing.  It's a disappointing and disturbing assessment. If the president really screwed the pooch on health care, it will cast a pall on the next three years of his presidency. That's not good for the country, whether you like the president or not or are a localist or a nationalist or not.

Fact Check: Does health care bill have 'death panel'?

By Bea McManis

From the very non partisan Batavia Daily News.

Fact Check: Does health care bill have 'death panel'?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:38 PM EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin says the health care overhaul bill would set up a "death panel." Federal bureaucrats would play God, ruling on whether ailing seniors are worth enough to society to deserve life-sustaining medical care. Palin and other critics are wrong.

Nothing in the legislation would carry out such a bleak vision. The provision that has caused the uproar would instead authorize Medicare to pay doctors for counseling patients about end-of-life care, if the patient wishes. Here are some questions and answers on the controversy:

Q: Does the health care legislation bill promote "mercy killing," or euthanasia?

A: No.

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Q: Then what's all the fuss about?

A: A provision in the House bill written by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., would allow Medicare to pay doctors for voluntary counseling sessions that address end-of-life issues. The conversations between doctor and patient would include living wills, making a close relative or a trusted friend your health care proxy, learning about hospice as an option for the terminally ill, and information about pain medications for people suffering chronic discomfort.

The sessions would be covered every five years, more frequently if someone is gravely ill.

Q: Is anything required?

Monsignor Charles Fahey, 76, a Catholic priest who is chairman of the board of the National Council on Aging, a nonprofit service and advocacy group, says no.

"We have to make decisions that are deliberative about our health care at every moment," Fahey said. "What I have said is that if I cannot say another prayer, if I cannot give or get another hug, and if I cannot have another martini -- then let me go."

Q: Does the bill advocate assisted suicide?

A: No. It would block funds for counseling that presents suicide or assisted suicide as an option.

Q: Who supports the provision?

A: The American Medical Association, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and Consumers Union are among the groups supporting the provision. AARP, the seniors' lobby, is taking out print advertisements this week that label as false the claim that the legislation will empower the government to take over life-and-death decisions from individuals.

Q: Should the federal government be getting involved with living wills and end-of-life questions -- decisions that are highly personal and really difficult?

A: It already is.

The government requires hospitals to ask adult patients if they have a living will, or "advance directive." If the patient doesn't have one, and wants one, the hospital has to provide assistance. The mandate on hospitals was instituted during a Republican administration, in 1992, under President George H.W. Bush.

Q: How does a living will work, and how is it different from a health care proxy?

A: A living will -- also called an advance directive -- spells out a patient's wishes if he or she becomes incapacitated. Often people say they don't want to be kept alive on breathing machines if their condition is terminal and irreversible.

A health care proxy empowers another person to make medical decisions should the patient become incapacitated.

There's also a power-of-attorney, which authorizes another person to make financial decisions for someone who is incapacitated.

Such legal documents have become standard estate-planning tools in the last twenty years.

Q: Would the health overhaul legislation change the way people now deal with making end-of-life decisions?

A: It very well could.

Supporters of the provision say the main consequence would be to formally bring doctors into a discussion that now takes place mainly among family members and lawyers.

"When you execute a legal document with your lawyer, it ends up in your files and in the lawyer's files," said John Rother, a senior policy and strategy adviser for AARP. "Unless the doctor is part of this discussion, it's unlikely that your wishes will be respected. The doctor will be the one involved in any decisions."

The American Medical Association says involving doctors is simple common sense.

"There has been a lot of misinformation about the advance care planning provisions in the bill," AMA President Dr. James Rohack said in a statement. "It's plain, old-fashioned medical care."

Q: So why are some people upset?

Some social conservatives say stronger language is needed to protect seniors from being pressured into signing away their rights to medical treatment in a moment of depression or despair.

The National Right to Life Committee opposes the provision as written.

"I'm not aware of 'death panels' in the bill," said David O'Steen, executive director of the group. "I'm not aware of anything that says you will be hauled before a government bureaucrat. But we are concerned ... it doesn't take a lot to push a vulnerable person -- perhaps unwittingly -- to give up their right to life-sustaining treatment."

The White House...we are looking for a few good snitches.

By Jeff Allen

This is a quote from our President speaking on those who attempt to expose the realities of the healthcare plan.

“There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end-of-life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain e-mails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an e-mail or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”

What exactly is the White House going to do with the information they gather on these e-mailers and website creators?  This is not about clarification of the facts, this is about building a database of dissenters.  This should put to rest all the talk about former presidential abuses of power.  This president has overreached his authority more in 6 months, than any other president in history.  Mr. President, members of both houses, please stop the rhetoric and give the American people the transparency promised during the campaign.

Obamacare

By Peter O'Brien

Here are a few items brought to my attention by Neal Boortz about the democrat health care proposal.

- Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf said "The health care overhauls released to date would increase, not reduce, the burgeoning long-term health costs facing the government,"

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"According to that assessment [from the CBO], enacting the proposal would result in a net increase in federal budget deficits of about $1.0 trillion over the 2010-2019 period."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"A new report by the Lewin Group (commissioned by the Heritage Foundation) finds that the House Democrats' health care bill would shift more than 83.4 million Americans from private health care coverage to the government plan. To put that in perspective, that would mean that nearly half (48.4 percent) would lose their private health coverage."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"Currently, the top rate is 35 percent. But in his budget President Obama proposed raising the top two income tax rates from 33 and 35 percent to 36 and 39.6 percent. Families in the top 20 percent of income earners already pay 94% percent more income taxes than middle-income families. The new surtaxes would extend progressivity at the top of the income spectrum and raise the disparity in taxes paid between middle- and low-income families and high-earning families."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"In the six highest-taxed states, Oregon (11 percent top income tax rate), Hawaii (11 percent), New Jersey (10.75 percent), New York (8.97 percent), California (10.55 percent), and Rhode Island (9.9 percent), the top rates would be higher than all but Denmark among OECD countries if the Obama plan and surtax become law."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"Under these higher taxes, families and small businesses making over $350,000 in every state would face higher top rates than 21 OECD countries--including France, Italy, and Spain. Even the nine states with no state income tax at all would have higher rates than these social democracies that are typically regarded as countries with punitively high taxes. Taxpayers in all 41 states that do levy an income tax would pay a top rate that is higher than all but seven of the 30 OECD countries."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"The Senate version of President Obama's government health care overhaul contains a mandate that all businesses provide their employees with health insurance or pay a fine, unless the business employs fewer than 25 people. Critics say the 25-employee benchmark could stifle small business growth by prompting companies to limit themselves to 24 employees."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee's health care legislation will give the Health and Human Services secretary the authority to develop "standards of measuring gender" -- as opposed tousing the traditional "male" and "female" categories -- ina database of allwho apply or participate in government-run or government-supported health care plans."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"More than a million small business owners and about two-thirds of the profits earned byU.S. small businesses would behitbythe income taxincrease onthe "rich"that House Democratic leaders want to enact to pay for the health-care reform plan President Obama wants passed this summer, a taxpayer watchdog says."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) found that 20 percent of its respondents would simply shut down if they were faced with this choice of being forced to offer health insurance. They couldn't afford it. One out of four said they would replace full-time workers with part-time workers in order to avoid having to pay anything."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"According to the National Tax Foundation, the top total tax rate on Americans -- that is, state, local and federal taxes -- will top 50% in 39 states" if the Democrats pass their healthcare legislation.

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"So we can all keep our coverage, just as promised -- with, of course, exceptions: Those who currently have private individual coverage won't be able to change it. Nor will those who leave a company to work for themselves be free to buy individual plans from private carriers."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

-"A quick review of the legislation shows that it calls for two new government agencies, three trust funds, three advisory panels, two task forces, a research center, a medical device registry, an ombudsman and many pilot and demonstration programs."

Don't believe me? Here's the link.

Jamestown Veterans Clinic will move to a new location

By Philip Anselmo

From the VA Healthcare System:

Beginning Monday, March 2, 2009, VA Western New York Healthcare System’s Jamestown community based out-patient clinic will be moving to a new location; 610 3rd Street.  The clinic, under a new contract with Sterling Medical Corporation will be serving Veterans only at this location.  Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with free parking. Veterans have had the opportunity to get VA health care in Jamestown since 1995, the first of seven community based outpatient clinics under VA Western New York Healthcare System.

Primary care, behavioral health services and on-site laboratory services will continue to be available at the new site.  In addition, nutritional counseling, social work, and urgent care services will be available with prescriptions to be mailed directly to Veterans’ homes.  “We want Veterans to stay healthy and encourage them to receive VA care available in Chautauqua county.  It is an opportunity to be a provider of choice for almost 2,000 Veterans in Jamestown last year and we look forward to serving more,“ said Dr. Bradford Mersereau, Primary Care Service Chief.

To enroll in VA health care call 1-888-823-9656 and to make an appointment at the Jamestown clinic, call 716-338-1511 after February 23. 

Last year VA Western New York Healthcare System provided care to more than 40,000 veterans at medical centers in Buffalo and Batavia as well as community-based outpatient clinics in Niagara Falls, Lockport, Lackawanna, Dunkirk, Jamestown, Olean, and Warsaw.

Veterans benefits event to be held at VA clinic

By Philip Anselmo

From the Batavia VA Medical Center:

Veterans in Dunkirk and surrounding areas can learn about their VA health care and other veterans benefits at an event being held at the VA clinic in Dunkirk, 166 East Fourth Street, Saturday, January 24 from 10am to 1pm. Staff and veterans benefits counselors will assist veterans with eligibility for VA health care, and other state and federal benefits that veterans may have coming to them that often go unused. Benefits have recently been extended for veterans returning from combat that includes five years of free medical care for most conditions from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  The five year window is also open to activated Reservists and members of the National Guard, if they served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998 and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. The five year limit has no effect upon veterans with medical conditions related to their military service. Veterans may apply at any time after their discharge from the military, even decades later for medical care for service-connected health problems.

Representatives from the VA Dunkirk Clinic, NY State Division of Veterans Affairs, Chautauqua County Veterans Service Office and VA Western New York Healthcare System will be available to answer questions. Photo identification cards will be provided to eligible veterans.  Bring discharge papers and financial records for accurate benefits counseling.  For more information, you may contact the VA clinic in Dunkirk at 203-6474.

Health Care Meeting: Wednesday Night!

By Daniel Jones

From December 15th-30th, communities across the country will be holding meetings to discuss local ideas for improving health care policy.  December 17th at 7PM at the Batavia City Centre (in the community meeting room) Genesee County will get its chance to be part of the effort.  Those who attend will be part of a group that will come up with a set of reccomendations which will be turned into a position paper.  That position paper, like the others being submitted nation-wide, will be reviewed by the Obama-Biden transition team and will help shape national health care policy in the next administration.

The event is free and all in the community are welcome to attend and share their ideas, stories and thoughts.  This is our chance to make a difference on a pressing national issue.

Check out www.change.gov or contact me at djones14020@gmail.com for more information.

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