Improve physicians access to medicine information

This National Bureau of Economic Research explains that expanding physicians access to drug and pharmaceutical information lowers costs and makes drug treatment more effective.  So one easy, common sense way to improve healthcare and health costs. Instead of letting pharma companies make the decisions, let them focus on R & D and let the doctors figure out what to do with the drugs. Doctors have a lot of education with which to make decisions. It is like letting teachers decide how to teach, not dictate the latest gadget or trend.

Koch Brothers against Trump?

Politico reports that the Koch Brothers promise to help fund Republicans who vote against AHCA. What does this mean exactly? I don't know.

Republican Healthcare modifications

Three articles: WaPo reports Trump stumped on Capitol Hill for the plan, threatening to "come after" Repubs who oppose the bill . Wow. Just wow. Can you imaging any of the previous presidents doing that? I get it; people wanted different. But don't you think this is a little threatening and authoritarian? Wa Po also reports on some of the budgetary adjustments that are supposed to help Medicaid and older people . This is far from a finished piece of legislation, and it doesn't do all that it is supposed to. I am still just shaking my head about it because it falls far short of the changes that need to be made to go either in a true free market direction or in a single payer direction. NYT has a great graphic on how the Repubs will vote in the HOuse and a NYT Upshot that explains the changes that were made and an article that explains the role of upstate NY in these changes . These changes definitely turn control over to states. Whether that is good or not, ??? Probably not, I don't think.

Solution to Medicaid?

WaPo ran an opinion piece by Robert Samuelson states that Medicaid is out of control, but there is a way to respond.  This is a compelling argument to streamlining costs and putting the right government agencies in charge of the right spending. Disabled and elderly long term care would got to Medicare and the federal government while impoverished aid and medical coverage would go to states to respond to their poverty needs. It would control some of the oversight issues and make the system more responsive. Government doesn't need to be cut, but rather changed.

Remember the Healthcare Promises Trump Made? Yeah, He Lied.

Huff Po reports Mulvaney stating clearly that this healthcare plan will not cover everyone.  They are claiming they want a free market but the insurance companies thwart the free market.

Mulvaney, however, was more direct Sunday, just admitting that “insurance for everybody” is impossible, since Republicans refuse to put in place a mandate to buy insurance. (And they’re not interested in a single-payer system, which would also offer universal insurance access.)

Alert on Healthcare

The last thing I want is the GOP Healthcare bill to gain support from anywhere . Contact your representative by phone and register your disapproval if you are so inclined.

Healthcare Pinocchios

WaPo Fact-checked the White House Spin on Healthcare provides a good analysis on the CBO and how the spin is generating.

As Trumpcare advances through the House, Brookings released a stinging rebuke

So WaPo reported that the House Budget Committee advanced Trumpcare to the House Floor even though the Freedom Caucus (Tea Partiers) voted against it. Brookings published a story from Fortune on the Pure Fantasy of Trumpcare by Henry Aaron, economist. What this tells us is that we as a country must have a real conversation about our expectations for health care.

Withholding?? Not the Trump Admin! Or Yes. Or Maybe.

WaPo cites the Senate Judiciary Committee for pushing back against Trump over Russian connections and the wiretap claim. Some of this is insider BS. Some is real S***. In Texas, who knows what is what. But the Trump claim on GOP control is weakening. Email, mail, call you Representative and Senators. It is worth it. I do so roughly every 7-10 days to let them know I watch, read, listen. I created a spreadsheet, form letter, and PDFs of both. I email, I send letters. I am done letting someone else set the agenda. I work, have a family, and created a way to be politically engaged regardless. Whatever you do matter. One email. One letter. Own It. Do It! If you want tips, comment. I will tell you what I do. Most probably gets me on a watch list, but I don't care. #Whateves.

Misinformation - But it is not from the media

WaPo exposed White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney's misinformation, or shall I say outright lie??!! They rated it 4 Pinocchios. In essence, he took his unique circumstance and applied to people making 1/5 what he makes except those people would not have been in his situation. This is typical of the ACA misinformation campaign of the last 6 years. It isn't that I mind arguing about policy, or even taxes or what not, but rather let's start with a set of facts. But that never seems to happen with Repubs and Trump Loyalists. The alternative facts universe is ridiculous.

When you play with rattlesnakes, sometimes you get bit......

WaPo looked at the fracture within the GOP between Trump Loyalists (are we really having to use the term Loyalist in 2017??) and the Ryan GOP over Healthcare (Trump Loyalists sound the Alarm).  On one hand, this is classic Trump - bail out when the going gets hard. He is not a loser because he changes sides before the losing really happens. This is indicative of his shockingly amoral character (hello, Evangelicals who might have just elected the antichrist). It also tells us that the GOP doesn't get what  Populist revolution is. Ryan thought he could play with a rattlesnake in order to get his austerity measures passed. (What he thought was going to happen over the military budget, I don't know.) I am cynically amused.

CBO: What is it? What does it say? And why attacks on the CBO matter.

WaPo breaks down the CBO report and then questions why the White House is attacking it.

ACA Revision will leave millions without healthcare which is something I have already posted about.

Notably, the CBO states that defunding Planned Parenthood will lead to more births  which is ironic since the Repubs in Congress and the WH want to cut education and lunches and life expectancy in the US is lower than other developed countries. Huh? What is this about?

Lastly, what is the CBO and why do attacks matter?  It is non partisan and analyzes implications of Congressional policy - put in place in 1975 probably as a response to frustrations with Great Society programs and attempts to streamline those. Dems and Repubs are often at odds with it, and the ACA was targeted as well. (Repubs cited it as a source then!) Why do attacks on it matter? Because in this world of "fake news" there should be some sources we rely on. The Trump Administration wants to demonize any sources except the president and people, that is totalitarianism.

The Sad State of Healthcare in the U.S. and what the Republican plan does to ignore it

The WaPo has an op ed and NYT has 3 articles that are worth reading on the subject.

The first is an op ed that Being an American is Life Threatening . I lead with this because it points out the problem of healthcare in the U.S. It is an op ed though.

Next is a fact check piece by NYT on the Trump Administration's attacks on the ACA . This illustrates that the ACA faces a LOT of misinformation.

NYT also provided hypothetical cases on How the Republican Healthcare Plan will affect you , so if you want examples to visualize what the plan means this is it. It illustrates that the working poor suffer the most.

NYT also provided a CBO analysis with graphics that illustrate the CBO analysis. For more info on the CBO attack, see the CBO post. 😀

Healthcare - Millions will lose coverage

WaPo Trumpcare causes 24 million to lose coverage , Ryan won't repeat Trump's promise

I simply cannot agree with or begin to find a defense of this plan. It is reprehensible.

Politco White House analysis worse than CBO

It is a Brave New World!

WaPo House Bill to allow employers to conduct genetic testing.

Or their employees will face financial penalties. So let me get this straight - ACA is too much government, but this is okay?? Um, Bill of Rights, 4th Amendment?? It is hypocritical to refuse to provide national healthcare but then allow our employers to genetically test us. This is not about the Constitution, it is about laissez faire (and it is repulsive!). Not to mention the connections to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Wow.

Health Insurance - Winners and Losers

This has 3 articles shared. One, from Politico cites Anthem, a major health insurer that backs TrumpCare. Are we really surprised? Huff Po cites: "According to that analysis, which the Joint Committee on Taxation prepared this week and which the New York Times obtained, shows households with incomes of more than $1 million will get tax cuts that, over the next decade, would add up to roughly $157 billion." And finally, WaPo has an article on the poor in W. VA and how the loss of ACA will hurt them. Sadly, many in W. VA want coal jobs that won't come back. It is sad. 

We should be appalled by this. 

Here are the articles:

Politco Major Health Insurers Back Plan

Huff Po Millionaires Will get $157 Million Tax Cut

Wa Po Poor and Sick and Voted for Trump