Blogs

Post date:: Monday, August 6, 2007 - 2:00pm

"It's not the responsibility of the federal government to provide womb-to-tomb health care for America. " -- Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, Aug. 5, 2007 debate in Des Moines.

Which reminded me of what an Irish tour guide told me when I asked why taxes there were so high (currently a 20% rate on the first roughly $47k earned by a single person, and 41% on anything earned above that).

When stupid becomes dangerous

Post date:: Friday, August 3, 2007 - 9:17am

You're an insider, friends tell me. If something needs doing in health care, you know the people who can get it done. You've got an edge. Wrong.

The following have occurred in recent months to me or my family at hospitals, doctors offices, care facilities and pharmacies around the Valley:

Wrong prescription medications delivered by local drugstore.

Prescription medications lost/misplaced/taken during transit from rehab facility.

Feast your eyes on this

Post date:: Friday, July 27, 2007 - 2:34pm

Been a tough week if you like to eat. Studies show diet sodas are as bad as regular ones, and that hefty people hang with other hefties. The World Health Organization says 1 billion adults around the world are overweight. But if you want the real down and dirty on chow, go to www.ifoce.com (Hint: it's the International Federation of Competitive Eating.) Enjoy your weekend b-b-Q.

What the state's budget limbo means

Post date:: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 - 8:08am

It's such an annual ritual that it's almost ho-hum, except it's not. California is now 25 days into its fiscal year without a state budget. Imagine skipping your mortgage payment for 25 days -- with no seeming accountability. Imagine the electeds, waiting for proposals, conjuring up compromises while also drawing down about $113,000 in annual salary, plus $162 per-diem, tax-free pay.

Shooting the messenger

Post date:: Friday, July 20, 2007 - 8:26am

Understanding health care is a little like writing a book about the history of China, a tad overwhelming.

So as the news business, particularly newspapering, is either reinventing or cannibalizing itself, it's getting tough to find reporters and editors who a) are allowed to specialize and given the time to learn health care; b) aren't carrying a grudge over a crowded waiting room or a high co-pay and therefore slanting their coverage; or c) aren't overlooking the good because miscues make better headlines (the old TV adage being, "if it bleeds it leads.")