The hardest working Americans are struggling, and there truly is no end in sight. We thought that perhaps healthcare reform would bring some relief to those middle class Americans who continue to fall through the cracks, but, alas, that is far from the truth. In fact, the latest version of the healthcare reform bill, according to Politico, places a tax on the middle class. Will it ever end?

continue reading "Will The Middle Class Be Paying The Bill?"

Healthcare, insurance, co-pays, deductibles, premiums, coverage; this is what applicants are asking about in interviews. Applicants aren’t asking about wages, nor bonuses or raises; they are asking about health insurance and healthcare. This is what our job market has come to. It’s become so twisted, so distorted that American workers are willing to work harder and make less if it means they and their families are medically insured.

continue reading "American Dream Lost To Healthcare Fears"

The Fry’s and Safeway strike in Arizona has been averted, for now. Breaking news this morning claims that union talks have been successful, and some sort of agreement has been reached. But what was the whole debacle about anyways? Health care, of course.

continue reading "Arizona Strike for Healthcare Averted"

Looking for the H1N1 vaccine? Well, if you’re looking online you’re probably running into a lot of headlines that read “H1N1 Vaccine Shortage” or “Flu Shot Clinic Canceled Due To H1N1 Shortage.” It’s not so much those headlines that are making people scratch their heads, it the headlines right next to those that say “Guantanamo Bay Detainees To Get H1N1 Vaccines.”

continue reading "Guantanamo Bay Getting H1N1 Vaccine Before US?"

Senator Joe Lieberman sure knows how to keep things interesting. Just when we thought the healthcare debate might be simmering down for a few moments, Senator Lieberman stands up and rocks the boat. But, honestly, did we expect anything different from him? I should hope not.

The internet is a buzz with how Lieberman shot down the Public Option to save the insurance companies and secure his position with them. Being that Lieberman isn’t running for any seats next year, many are saying that he is thinking for himself and his future and not the people of Connecticut. It’s no surprise that Connecticut houses some very large insurance companies.

continue reading "Hello Joe - Lieberman Soaks Up Public Option Spotlight"

Farmers and ranchers. You don’t often hear about that category when it comes to medical insurance and this healthcare crisis. But, farmers and ranchers are struggling more than many, and are in some serious need of some kind of healthcare change.

In a recent study conducted by the Access Project, farmers and ranchers are at greater risk for medical debt than any other population. They are also at greater risk for taking out loans to pay for medical expenses, using up life savings, and maxing out credit cards. Farmers and ranchers with children, which is the majority of them, are at the greatest risk for accruing medical debt.

continue reading "Farmers Being “Nickeled and Dimed” Into Medical Debt"

Healthcare and bankruptcy are two terms that, unfortunately, these days go hand in hand. Did you know that out of everyone who filed bankruptcy in 2007 (already on track to hit 1.4 million bankruptcies nationally in 2009), 62% of them were medically related. And of those healthcare bankruptcies, 78% of them had some form of health insurance! On top of that, bankruptcy stemming from medical issues rose an incredible 50% from 2001 to 2007!

In 2005, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was passed to keep consumers from taking advantage of the system. It was meant to slow down the process of bankruptcy so that those in debt couldn’t simply look for an easy way out. And it worked, for about a year-and-a-half. In 2007, bankruptcy rates began to rise again, and in the first four months of 2009 bankruptcy numbers have risen 40% as compared to the first 4 months of 2008, according to Bills.com.

continue reading "Healthcare, Bankruptcy and Proposed Changes To The Game"

This morning I got an email from No Insurance Club’s CEO asking me to take a look at a blog that he had just written. So, I jumped over to his website (FranchiseWhale.com) to take a gander. If nothing else, Chad sure knows how to make you laugh, and in the end think about this healthcare crisis that we find ourselves in. Truthfully, as the strongest and most pwerful country in the world, you’d think we’d have this healthcare thing down. You’d think that we’d be smart enough to figure out how to spend 4% of GDP on health care like Singapore, instead of the 17% of GDP that we spend.

But, alas, here we are, stuck in this never-ending battle where for a moment we thought healthcare reform was moving forward, only to find that approval ratings for reform are dropping and American’s are getting even more frustrated with the entire situation.

continue reading "No Insurance Club’s Curry Fish Healthcare Idea"

Sure, it might be not be a scientific fact, but how can it not be? They should start doing research on the health factors of those who have concierge medicine as compared to those who still run with the old model of medicine. You know, the one that involves waiting a month or two before you get to see your family physician, then spending less than five minutes with him before he runs to his next appointment.

Last night, I was having a conversation with my grandmother about doctors in her time. She broke into this story about when my mother was younger and sick. Grandma called the doctor in the evening (back then it wasn’t called concierge medicine, it was just your family doctor) to get some advice.

continue reading "Can VIP Medicine Keep You Healthier Than Healthcare Reform?"

“Now it’s time to make sure the voices of people of color are heard loud and clear.”

There was an extremely interesting article in The Huffington Post this afternoon regarding Americans of color and health care reform. It’s something that we don’t talk about much, something that maybe we’re still afraid to talk about, which shouldn’t really be the case considering we elected an African American president.

continue reading "People of Color and the Health Care Reform Disconnect"