Recently in Health Care Category
The free market works best, right? Supply and demand set the correct prices for goods and services. The consumer chooses the best options and thereby makes the best supplier successful.
This actually works for a lot of things - even for health care providers. For example: consumers will continue to use providers who offer a good ratio of quality care vs price. If the price goes too high, consumers will choose a cheaper provider. If the quality of care goes too low, consumers will choose a better provider.
Likewise, providers have an incentive to keep consumers (patients). It doesn't matter whether the patient sees the physician annually for a checkup, or weekly for chemotherapy: it is profitable to retain the patients you have and, when possible, add new ones.
Where this doesn't work is with insurance.
This actually works for a lot of things - even for health care providers. For example: consumers will continue to use providers who offer a good ratio of quality care vs price. If the price goes too high, consumers will choose a cheaper provider. If the quality of care goes too low, consumers will choose a better provider.
Likewise, providers have an incentive to keep consumers (patients). It doesn't matter whether the patient sees the physician annually for a checkup, or weekly for chemotherapy: it is profitable to retain the patients you have and, when possible, add new ones.
Where this doesn't work is with insurance.
Continue reading Why For-Profit Insurance Doesn't Work for Health Care.
When Tyra Hunter was 24 years old, she was riding in a car in Washington, D.C. Her car was broadsided by another car.
She was knocked unconscious due to the collision, but regained consciousness by the time emergency crews arrived. She was still dazed and had respiration problems because some of her teeth had been knocked into her airway.The paramedics went to work on Tyra, but in assessing the injuries they discovered she had male genitals.
At this point, one of the caregivers said "This ain't no bitch. It's a nigger. He's got a dick and balls." The paramedics ceased treating Tyra and instead laughed and joked about her while onlookers demanded they get back to work on her.
Later, after treating another injured passenger, other emergency workers found Tyra gagging and trying to move away from the insulting paramedics. Finally, a supervisor demanded that her airway be cleared.
In addition to these insults and lack of care, she was received at the hospital as "John Doe", given a contraindicated medication, and was not given blood that had been ordered for her. She died from lack of oxygen in her blood.
This is the kind of health care some transgender persons can expect. Value judgments can override common decency and mercy - and the basic job requirements. Amazingly, the District of Columbia defended the paramedics on the basis of their first amendment rights to free speech.
Time and again, I come back to what Jesus taught about how we treat others: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". "Love your neighbor as yourself" . The parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the person who acted as a neighbor to a victimized person was the one who didn't even get along with people of his kind. The parable of the sheep and the goats, where Jesus says that as you do to others, you do to him.
And yet, this is what we can expect from some of the people who choose a career in caring for others.
This is not how to do health care.
This is not how to do emergency care.
This is not how to be a Christian.
This is not how to be a human being.
Whatever one's opinion of transgender people, they are people. There is no excuse for allowing people to suffer while we laugh.
My prayer is that the paramedics learn to care for all others, and that they do not need to experience what Tyra did in order to learn it. I would not wish that on my enemies - because I love them.
Trial notes: http://www.gpac.org/im/tyra/tyindex.html
Remembering our dead: http://www.gender.org/remember/.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is November 20.
At this point, one of the caregivers said "This ain't no bitch. It's a nigger. He's got a dick and balls." The paramedics ceased treating Tyra and instead laughed and joked about her while onlookers demanded they get back to work on her.
Later, after treating another injured passenger, other emergency workers found Tyra gagging and trying to move away from the insulting paramedics. Finally, a supervisor demanded that her airway be cleared.
In addition to these insults and lack of care, she was received at the hospital as "John Doe", given a contraindicated medication, and was not given blood that had been ordered for her. She died from lack of oxygen in her blood.
This is the kind of health care some transgender persons can expect. Value judgments can override common decency and mercy - and the basic job requirements. Amazingly, the District of Columbia defended the paramedics on the basis of their first amendment rights to free speech.
Time and again, I come back to what Jesus taught about how we treat others: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". "Love your neighbor as yourself" . The parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the person who acted as a neighbor to a victimized person was the one who didn't even get along with people of his kind. The parable of the sheep and the goats, where Jesus says that as you do to others, you do to him.
And yet, this is what we can expect from some of the people who choose a career in caring for others.
This is not how to do health care.
This is not how to do emergency care.
This is not how to be a Christian.
This is not how to be a human being.
Whatever one's opinion of transgender people, they are people. There is no excuse for allowing people to suffer while we laugh.
My prayer is that the paramedics learn to care for all others, and that they do not need to experience what Tyra did in order to learn it. I would not wish that on my enemies - because I love them.
Trial notes: http://www.gpac.org/im/tyra/tyindex.html
Remembering our dead: http://www.gender.org/remember/.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is November 20.
In Colossians, Paul speaks of marriage: "And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly."
So what of same-sex relationships? There are some who refuse to recognize same-sex relationships, but a failure to acknowledge something has not effect on whether it exists.
There is abuse in some same-sex relationships - both Lesbian and gay. Unfortunately, few domestic abuse shelters are equipped to deal with women abused by women, or men abused by anyone.
In the case of women abused by female partners, shelters rarely have programs to help a woman deal with physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological abuse by a female spouse. The assumption that women are beaten by men often runs high, and a Lesbian may find such a shelter to be a poor fit. The offender programs are generally geared toward men, and often - for the comfort and openness of sharing - do not allow women to attend.
In the case of men abused by male partners, the options are almost universally non-existent. It is rare indeed to find a shelter for abused men - whether the offender was male or female. And an offender program for men who abuse women may be hostile to a gay man.
Fortunately, awareness of this problem is increasing. As reported in the Miami Herald, training for health care professionals has begun. Knowing that domestic abuse can happen in any kind of relationship is the first step toward recognition and intervention - and eventually, recovery.
Am I my brother's (or sister's) keeper? While Cain asked that about the very brother he killed, we can all ask that about any person who is abused. We must recognize our connectedness as God's creations and work to protect each other.
And for persons being abused by a same-sex partner: please seek help. Although help may be scarce, it does exist. Do not give up hope. Tell your physician, police, hospital workers, therapist - tell someone.
We are all created in God's image. Do not allow anyone to be abused.
References: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2007/10/doctors-shed-li.html
So what of same-sex relationships? There are some who refuse to recognize same-sex relationships, but a failure to acknowledge something has not effect on whether it exists.
There is abuse in some same-sex relationships - both Lesbian and gay. Unfortunately, few domestic abuse shelters are equipped to deal with women abused by women, or men abused by anyone.
In the case of women abused by female partners, shelters rarely have programs to help a woman deal with physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological abuse by a female spouse. The assumption that women are beaten by men often runs high, and a Lesbian may find such a shelter to be a poor fit. The offender programs are generally geared toward men, and often - for the comfort and openness of sharing - do not allow women to attend.
In the case of men abused by male partners, the options are almost universally non-existent. It is rare indeed to find a shelter for abused men - whether the offender was male or female. And an offender program for men who abuse women may be hostile to a gay man.
Fortunately, awareness of this problem is increasing. As reported in the Miami Herald, training for health care professionals has begun. Knowing that domestic abuse can happen in any kind of relationship is the first step toward recognition and intervention - and eventually, recovery.
Am I my brother's (or sister's) keeper? While Cain asked that about the very brother he killed, we can all ask that about any person who is abused. We must recognize our connectedness as God's creations and work to protect each other.
And for persons being abused by a same-sex partner: please seek help. Although help may be scarce, it does exist. Do not give up hope. Tell your physician, police, hospital workers, therapist - tell someone.
We are all created in God's image. Do not allow anyone to be abused.
References: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2007/10/doctors-shed-li.html
The war will pay for itself, or so we were told... Iraq would pay for its own rebuilding with its own revenues.
We now know that isn't true, but what could we buy with what we're spending?
According to the American Friends Service Committee:
Those numbers are per day.
The numbers are based on what we're spending plus what we will spend to replace equipment and provide care for wounded veterans. For more information, see the Washington Post article.
We know how much suffering this war is causing. Now we know how much suffering we could have alleviated with the same money.
We now know that isn't true, but what could we buy with what we're spending?
According to the American Friends Service Committee:
- homes for almost 6,500 families
- health care for 423,529 children, or
- renewable electricity equipment for 1.27 million homes
Those numbers are per day.
The numbers are based on what we're spending plus what we will spend to replace equipment and provide care for wounded veterans. For more information, see the Washington Post article.
We know how much suffering this war is causing. Now we know how much suffering we could have alleviated with the same money.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/17/health.care/index.html
With the Democratic candidates lining up to present their national health care plans, we might wonder what it will cost for everyone to be insured. Surely there will be some effect on the rest of us.
To be sure, basic health care coverage for all will mean longer lines in the waiting rooms of general and family practitioners. And there will certainly be an increased cost in either taxes or in premiums. So is it fair that those of us with access to health care be burdened with the costs for those who don't?
No, it is not fair. It is not fair that those who worked hard to get through school and get a job with benefits pay also for the benefits of those who may not have worked hard at school, or who may not have gone to college. It is not fair, but fairness is not the reason for universal health care.
There are self interests at hand. Although your wait at the doctor's office may be longer, the load on hospital emergency departments will be lighter as peoples' colds and influenza, stomach aches and fevers are cared for by a primary care physician rather than an ED staff. That means the waiting room at the hospital will be nearly empty when you arrive with chest pain or facial paralysis.
The cost of primary care is cheaper than ED care, so there will be savings there too. And many problems may be caught earlier, resulting in less drastic - and expensive - emergency care.
Crowded areas of poor people without health care access can be reservoirs of illness. The working poor may be unloading pallets of fruit, or washing dishes in your favorite restaurant, or delivering your newspaper. Although most businesses strive to keep their customers safe from disease, many of the poor are afraid to miss a day of work due to illness. And if the local viruses don't scare you, consider this: the most likely place for an epidemic of bird flu, or a terrorist's engineered disease, is in those who don't seek treatment for their symptoms.
Health care can reduce absenteeism among the working poor, reducing prices for products and/or increasing a company's profit. There's a definite financial benefit to keeping the poor as healthy as possible.
None of these are the reason for universal health care.
The reason is mercy. The reason is that we should have mercy on those who are suffering. They, like us, are human. Like us, they suffer. Unlike us, they suffer more. And that suffering is not fair.
The cost of mercy will not likely be high. The benefit in decreasing suffering will outweigh the cost.
That is far better than fair.
With the Democratic candidates lining up to present their national health care plans, we might wonder what it will cost for everyone to be insured. Surely there will be some effect on the rest of us.
To be sure, basic health care coverage for all will mean longer lines in the waiting rooms of general and family practitioners. And there will certainly be an increased cost in either taxes or in premiums. So is it fair that those of us with access to health care be burdened with the costs for those who don't?
No, it is not fair. It is not fair that those who worked hard to get through school and get a job with benefits pay also for the benefits of those who may not have worked hard at school, or who may not have gone to college. It is not fair, but fairness is not the reason for universal health care.
There are self interests at hand. Although your wait at the doctor's office may be longer, the load on hospital emergency departments will be lighter as peoples' colds and influenza, stomach aches and fevers are cared for by a primary care physician rather than an ED staff. That means the waiting room at the hospital will be nearly empty when you arrive with chest pain or facial paralysis.
The cost of primary care is cheaper than ED care, so there will be savings there too. And many problems may be caught earlier, resulting in less drastic - and expensive - emergency care.
Crowded areas of poor people without health care access can be reservoirs of illness. The working poor may be unloading pallets of fruit, or washing dishes in your favorite restaurant, or delivering your newspaper. Although most businesses strive to keep their customers safe from disease, many of the poor are afraid to miss a day of work due to illness. And if the local viruses don't scare you, consider this: the most likely place for an epidemic of bird flu, or a terrorist's engineered disease, is in those who don't seek treatment for their symptoms.
Health care can reduce absenteeism among the working poor, reducing prices for products and/or increasing a company's profit. There's a definite financial benefit to keeping the poor as healthy as possible.
None of these are the reason for universal health care.
The reason is mercy. The reason is that we should have mercy on those who are suffering. They, like us, are human. Like us, they suffer. Unlike us, they suffer more. And that suffering is not fair.
The cost of mercy will not likely be high. The benefit in decreasing suffering will outweigh the cost.
That is far better than fair.
