Conservatives advocate fiscal responsibility and economic freedom, but change is not their forte. Progress in our society has been the result of slow political reform for centuries. Large alterations to our society have been met with much unrest for good reason. These transformations affect most everyone in one way or another, disrupt society's fluidity and have drastic outcomes on our future socioeconomic state. Nevertheless, change is an integral part of our society, and thankfully our economy and government allow these changes because these systems are quite malleable.
The health care bill that has been passed is all part of the process of reform and advancement. Now that the cogwheels are in motion our society, government and economy will adapt. This sweeping reform has come as a shock to conservatives across the country, but fear not conservatives, this process is not as radical as dysopia perceives it to be.
Now that liberals have enacted such daring reforms, conservatives will play their part in the process. Amending, repealing and adjusting aspects of the health care reform will be their role, and it is with their economic dominance this reform will work. As Republicans and Democratic conservatives return to congress, they will be more willing to work with the bill as an afterthought to their fortified stand produced as a result of the control liberals had maintained for over a year. Conservative thought will once again rule the land with these necessary changes to health care embedded in our society.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Holy Grail of Medicine
Only in the past few years have I realized the forward thinking demonstrated by all those episodes of Star Trek I watched as a child. To many of the followers, the show attacked more than just space exploration but incorporated limitless technological and sociological advances. When discussing this with a former Trekkie roommate of mine, he immediately rattled off many advanced thought processes the show promoted, particularly the arguably first interracial kiss aired on tv involving James Kirk and Lt. Uhura.
Many of the technologies from the tv show have come to fruition over the years including that of the cellular telephone based off of the Star Trek communicator. My hopes are that medicine will soon advance to that of Star Trek.
Many studies have been done involving stem cells over the past decade. Only recently has technology been able to create stem cells from human tissues, rather than use embryonic stem cells, to be used for regenerating various tissue types mostly still in the laboratory. In order to do this skin cells need to be cultured and bathed in chemicals and drugs to alter their growth and development abilities to act as stem cells. These cells in turn can be placed in vivo and respond to chemical signals from neighboring cells in order to differentiate to cells of the body's own form and function, potentially to restore cellular functions that have been lost. Results so far have been promising, but there are still many kinks to work out.
At some point in the future, I believe we will have the medical technology similar to Star Trek's healing laser in the form of an injection. Utilizing the methodology of turning our own body's cells into stem cells, chemicals may one day be locally injected into some damaged tissue. This would manipulate the remaining living cells into stem cells momentarily, only to be differentiated into cells reestablishing their normal form and function from our own body's cellular signaling. Medical practice such as this may be a long way off but will one day change medicine as we know it.
Many of the technologies from the tv show have come to fruition over the years including that of the cellular telephone based off of the Star Trek communicator. My hopes are that medicine will soon advance to that of Star Trek.
Many studies have been done involving stem cells over the past decade. Only recently has technology been able to create stem cells from human tissues, rather than use embryonic stem cells, to be used for regenerating various tissue types mostly still in the laboratory. In order to do this skin cells need to be cultured and bathed in chemicals and drugs to alter their growth and development abilities to act as stem cells. These cells in turn can be placed in vivo and respond to chemical signals from neighboring cells in order to differentiate to cells of the body's own form and function, potentially to restore cellular functions that have been lost. Results so far have been promising, but there are still many kinks to work out.
At some point in the future, I believe we will have the medical technology similar to Star Trek's healing laser in the form of an injection. Utilizing the methodology of turning our own body's cells into stem cells, chemicals may one day be locally injected into some damaged tissue. This would manipulate the remaining living cells into stem cells momentarily, only to be differentiated into cells reestablishing their normal form and function from our own body's cellular signaling. Medical practice such as this may be a long way off but will one day change medicine as we know it.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Health Care Overhaul
It is impossible to know all of the effects this bill will have on the health of American people. What we do know is that the health care system is quite broken and much of the system needs to be changed to result in a positive outcome. Patchwork will no longer work for everyone it's intended to help. Everyone from patients to insurance companies to government rely on each other in this system and each deserves their own share in benefits and sacrifices.
I am surprised to find myself hopeful in the outcome of this bill. There would be no progress without the passing of a sweeping overhaul at this point because the production of smaller bills would never find their way through the politics of Washington. The health care system and the economy are not too fragile to withstand these changes. Though this bill may be imperfect, the bill will be under the scrutiny of repeals, representative elections, public opinion and all the pliability our great system of government and our economy allow.
I am surprised to find myself hopeful in the outcome of this bill. There would be no progress without the passing of a sweeping overhaul at this point because the production of smaller bills would never find their way through the politics of Washington. The health care system and the economy are not too fragile to withstand these changes. Though this bill may be imperfect, the bill will be under the scrutiny of repeals, representative elections, public opinion and all the pliability our great system of government and our economy allow.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
What are we reforming here?
I stole this off of Nick's facebook page. It's a quick overview of why malpractice reform hasn't been an issue in our health care debate. An argument I have heard is that this type of reform needs to be done on the state level.
Why medical malpractice is off limits.
It appears to me that the cost of medical care is skyrocketing and needs to be reduced by all measures leading to the increasing cost of care. The three factors as I see it leading to the immense cost of health care are malpractice insurance, compensation for low pay to doctors from government plans, and compensation caused by uninsured individuals not paying a dime. (by compensation I mean if one person doesn't pay anything or very little, people who do pay, pay more)
The health care bills as they stand will decrease the cost of care compensating for uninsured individuals by insuring more people, but government plans including medicare and medicaid and future government options do not and will not pay out enough to adjust for this compensation. These programs pay doctors next to nothing for their efforts which alone increase the cost of health care for those with private insurance. Adding on the additional cost of malpractice insurance, private insurance companies will not be able to afford to handle this burden.
A bill in congress, the medicare physician fairness act of 2009 bill 1776, which would have increased the amount paid to physicians as standardized payment from levels set in 1996(thats right 1996, everyone knows that health care costs much more now than it did in 1996), was shot down last month.
So of the three things in my mind leading to the insurmountable cost of health care, the only one addressed in these bills is insuring the uninsured, but this will not bring down the cost of health care alone.
Why medical malpractice is off limits.
It appears to me that the cost of medical care is skyrocketing and needs to be reduced by all measures leading to the increasing cost of care. The three factors as I see it leading to the immense cost of health care are malpractice insurance, compensation for low pay to doctors from government plans, and compensation caused by uninsured individuals not paying a dime. (by compensation I mean if one person doesn't pay anything or very little, people who do pay, pay more)
The health care bills as they stand will decrease the cost of care compensating for uninsured individuals by insuring more people, but government plans including medicare and medicaid and future government options do not and will not pay out enough to adjust for this compensation. These programs pay doctors next to nothing for their efforts which alone increase the cost of health care for those with private insurance. Adding on the additional cost of malpractice insurance, private insurance companies will not be able to afford to handle this burden.
A bill in congress, the medicare physician fairness act of 2009 bill 1776, which would have increased the amount paid to physicians as standardized payment from levels set in 1996(thats right 1996, everyone knows that health care costs much more now than it did in 1996), was shot down last month.
So of the three things in my mind leading to the insurmountable cost of health care, the only one addressed in these bills is insuring the uninsured, but this will not bring down the cost of health care alone.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Best news this week
the public option was actually the american medical association's baby in health care reform, which is why the AMA actually agreed to support this. the american medical association's idea behind giving everyone baseline crappy insurance would be that doctors receive less money per person, but more people would be able to pay something for their care and gradually the cost of health care would go down because hospitals will no longer be eating so much of the unpaid medical bills. the missouri state medical association has chosen not to support the public option plan probably for the sake of rural medicine not getting enough support.
white house ready to drop public option
white house ready to drop public option
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