http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/04/29/slowing-the-rise-in-health-care-spending Comments On: Slowing the rise in health care spending by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Tue, 21 May 2013 05:00:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
The problem is that the American peole think all their food comes from McDonald's and thus a "pink slime" issue sounds like a new twist. There is a recall on tuna on meat mechanically stripped from bones going on. People need to find out where the food comes from and it isn't WALMART!
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 22:05:01 -0500 Arkansas Times
It's not so straight forward. Imagine you market an electric drill, it has the "seal of approval for safety". Then you "improve" it, lengthen the cord for 2 to 4 feet, add a holder for a second bit, change the color." How much testing do you have to do to show it is "the same in terms of safety?

Problem is that testing is mega expensive, whether done on animals and then humans, or just in humans. The costs of the testing will be added into the cost of the product. So yeah, if the changes APPEAR to be non functional (3 screw holes in a plate instead of 4) then full testing isn't required. Sometimes that is a mistake, but requiring a totally new set of clinical trials when minor changes are made would have the net effect of making new changes far too expensive to incorporate quickly
Posted by olddoc]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:40:56 -0500 Arkansas Times
“It would be cheaper to take these patients and send them to the Ritz Carlton,” said Harvard University School of Public Health Professor Ashish Jha. “They could get room service all day, and that would be cheaper.”

http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012…


Posted by NeverVoteRepublican]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:16:22 -0500 Arkansas Times
or tested...

"(CBS News) Some popular medical devices, including hip replacements, lap-bands and defibrillators may not be as safe as the people implanted with them may think, according to a new eye-opening investigation.

According to Consumer Reports, the majority of medical implants are not tested to make sure they are safe. In fact, much of what medical implant or high-risk device manufacturers have to do to get their product sold is file some paperwork and pay the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a fee of about $4,000 with minimal testing."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-574…
Posted by bejeeus]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:27:00 -0500 Arkansas Times
"We spend a huge amount on end of life care without adding any quality to that life. "

Not only on end of life care, but on all heath care. There is a huge swath of medical procedures where it is simply not known if they work.
Posted by Gylippus]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:11:48 -0500 Arkansas Times
We spend a huge amount on end of life care without adding any quality to that life. These are hard issues and no one wants to talk about them. Democrats are hog-tied on the issue because conservatives will start screaming about death panels. I remember the anguish in a doctor friend's face as he told of resuscitating a 96 year old patient in the hospital after her heart stopped. His hands were tied because he had no instructions from her or her family.
Posted by the outlier]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:47:21 -0500 Arkansas Times
"US Navy Veteran Suffers Humiliation At VA Hospital: His Representative, Congressman Steve Womack (R) Shows Little Concern"

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/04/26/us…

"Meet Lynn Carter, a US Navy veteran from Fort Smith, Arkansas who has served his nation honorably. He is one of many examples of veterans across this nation who have earned and deserve our utmost respect. It is, after all, the service of Lynn and veterans like him that ensures the freedom and prosperity that America has enjoyed throughout our nation’s history. Yet respect has eluded Mr. Carter and his wife Kathleen for nearly a year now."
Posted by bejeeus]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:27:21 -0500 Arkansas Times
Austerity for the lower 90 percent will go into bipartisan hyper-drive after the election. (if they wait that long)
Posted by Eureka Springs]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:35:21 -0500 Arkansas Times My primary care doctor did not order an X-ray during my last several visits for which I'm glad. I was beginning to think I would glow in the dark.
Posted by Verla Sweere]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:30:31 -0500 Arkansas Times
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/20…
Posted by Eureka Springs]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:15:06 -0500 Arkansas Times http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2012/04/how…

Do you go buy a new car ... demand to pay double to triple the sticker price of anywhere else in the world, specifically ask for a lemon... and smile like cheshire cat because the price didn't rise this year as much as last? Do your friends praise you for inviting them down to join you in knowingly buying a lemon for double to triple the price?

Because this is the old republican now democratic sales ponzi model. You are a sucker for making excuses for any of them! Especially since both are determined to keep tens of millions of people from access to care at all. All the bipartisan "accountable care" numbers in the world should never be able to escape such barbaric inhumane facts as this.

We need to establish health care as a human right, cut prices in half ta boot.... before we begin to compete with 37 other countries who do all of this far better than we.
Posted by Eureka Springs]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:09:04 -0500 Arkansas Times