Conspiracy in the Health Industry?

Jeffrey A. Sachs, left, and Andrew M. Cuomo in 2006. Mr. Sachs is a leader of Governor Cuomo’s Medicaid redesign team.

To gain a political standpoint, a person needs copious amounts of their own money or funding from groups. In Jeffrey Sachs' case, he started as a dentist and worked his way up as a paid consultant for big health companies. At the same time, he is the advisor of Governor Cuomo from New York. His political position allowed him to be on the administration for controlling the Medicaid cost. The worry is that his two occupations will crossover in scandalous ways.

But at the same time, Mr. Sachs, known to many in Albany as “Andrew’s best friend,” is working as a paid consultant to some of the biggest players in the New York health care industry, including Mount Sinai Medical Center, NYU Langone Medical Center and the state’s largest association of nursing homes, all of which have financial interests at stake in the coming Medicaid changes.

Maybe Sachs is indeed a straight and narrow politician, but if his career was predicated on a good turnout for those who fund him, then the decision will be easy for Sachs. Evidence suggests he has lobbyist involvement without declaring it.

“As you explained — and I appreciate your candor — you have been pressured by NYU through Jeff Sachs to have me resign as a condition for your reappointment as commissioner of mental health,” Dr. Koplewicz wrote in the letter.

The delay startled officials at both hospitals, in part because Mr. Cuomo’s budget, released earlier in the month, had already authorized other financing related to the merger. The decision threatened to imperil the merger, without which LICH would be forced to close. But the delay had one potential beneficiary: Brooklyn Hospital Center, a Sachs client, which stood to absorb most of LICH’s patients should that hospital close down. 

The following day, a spokesman for Mr. Cuomo said that the administration had decided to hold up all the grants as part of a review likely to take two to three weeks. After local officials protested the decision and after inquiries from The Times, the administration announced three days later that the LICH grant would proceed.

 If incidents such as this persist, the people will have problems trusting those in power, not to mention the health care ideal will suffer. The actions of those who wish to make a profit should not damage the future of coming generations.

Third Judge Validates Obamacare

Immediately after President Obama signed the health care bill, there were several lawsuits considering people being fined or penalized if they were not going to buy healthcare. Currently, the decision on whether or not this act is constitutional is in the federal courts. The contradiction between states has caused confusion.

One of those judges, in a case filed in Florida, ruled that the rest of the law could not be severed from that provision, and suggested that the entire act was therefore invalid. The Justice Department, which represents the Obama administration in the cases, has asked the judge for clarification of his ruling, which left states confused about whether to continue carrying out the law.

 It is in everyone's best interest long-term that this health care reform is passed. Despite the small speed bumps presented by Republican opposition, the US citizens should be entitled to health care, just like schooling, police, and the fire department.

The Republican Party: Strengths and Weaknesses

The free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice. Fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government. The federal government must preserve individual liberty by observing constitutional limitations. Peace is best preserved through a strong national defense.

The Republican Party, or GOP, has received much criticism in the recent years. After George W. Bush, the stereotype of old, stupid, and greedy Republicans has pursued through the young generation. Although there are some individuals who are affiliated with the Republican Party that are extremist, like the Tea Party, there are good core values. Republicans recognize that spending is not without its consequences and they also have a strong national pride which is evident in their defense policy. Some areas of bad lighting for the Republicans include attacking the right to unionize and same-sex marriage. These examples present a hypocritical aspect because what their actions are saying is that "they will defend your right to lower taxes, but you cannot marry who you wish or fight for rights in your work place".

Democrats: Strengths and Weaknesses

Democrats believe that each of us has an obligation to each other, to our neighbors and our communities. Each of us has a role to play in creating our future—and while we have made great progress as a nation, we know that our work is never done.

Democrats have great qualities when it comes to social and environmental subjects. Defending Planned Parenthood  is a great example of Democrats defending their ideals. Growing up in a semi-religious home, there are certain beliefs that abortion is murder, but telling a woman what to do with her body, robs personal rights and seems unethical. My view is that the rights of the people are greatly defended by Democrats, an example being President Obama ruling the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. Although having a social advantage, the Democratic party overall has a problem when it comes to spending. I am in support of higher taxes on the rich and a slight increase overall, but how that money is spent is more important. 

My Political Compass

After taking one of the political quizzes provided, my result was a Democratic, economic view and a libertarian , social view. Although one of my parents is a Democrat and the other has no party affiliation, my own personal view is reflected in this graph. The particular issue that I support is Obamacare. Certain episodes of resistance by the Republicans, previously blogged about, have made the solidification of the new plan much harder. I am not completely naive to say that the plan does not need some fine tuning. Rather, the money we are spending is indeed borrowed and should be handled in the best way possible. This means cutting some pieces here and there to make a compromise, like the committees are doing for Medicaid expenditure. Even though the battles are increasing, it is looking as if my generation will indeed have extended healthcare. Hopefully the rulings so far of the federal court judges will result in a landslide against the Republican challenge of the Affordable Care Act. 

States Show Resistance to Obamacare

Fred Upton

Even though Obamacare was passed, it has reached significant resistance from Republicans. Their argument is that the new laws will cut people's current insurance plans. On February 16th, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Tennessee were given waivers on some of Obama's healthcare laws. 

Representative Fred Upton, Republican of Michigan and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the waivers showed that the law, approved by Congress without any Republican votes, was “fundamentally flawed.” Without the waivers, Mr. Upton said, hundreds of thousands of people would have lost insurance or experienced a reduction in benefits.

Upton makes a valid point about the reductions, but this may create a ripple effect. If four states want exemption, then others may follow, overturning what has been put into place. From the Democrat side,

Representative Henry A. Waxman of California, the senior Democrat on the committee, said the limited-benefit plans were clearly inadequate. But he said the waivers would allow “a smooth transition between now and 2014,” when insurers and employers will be forbidden to impose limits on the dollar value of benefits.

 Personally, I feel the democrats are allowing this small compromise as not to create more friction when the time comes for all states to accept the change. The misconception is that everything will change overnight, but it takes multiple compromises such as this.

Health Insurance Falls Short to Other Countries

Recent surveys have revealed how Americans really feel about the current state of health insurance. Compared to other countries, citizens are hesitant because of monetary challenges.

In the United States, 33 percent of adults went without recommended care or drugs because of the expense, compared with 5 percent in the Netherlands and 6 percent in the United Kingdom, according to the report.
In addition, 20 percent of U.S. adults had problems paying medical bills, compared with 9 percent in France, 2 percent in the United Kingdom, 3 percent in Germany and 4 percent in the Netherlands.

Although much of Europe provides healthcare for its citizens, the Single Payer system would not work in America due to the grip that HMO companies have on the US government. It is important that new laws like Obamacare continue to adapt and pass, because the current system isn't working.

Retirement Health Care Benefits Dwindling



Ken Allen, a union official in Portland, Ore.,

says workers sacrificed to keep fully paid health care.



Although elderly citizens have bought their way into health insurance throught payments over the years, the rising debt is bigger than just one generation. If we are to stay afloat among the billions of dollars of debt, then there must be radical change. One alternative that states have created is to extend the age requirement to receive full benefits. One of the biggest surprises that I found interesting was,



Richard O’Gara, Omaha’s director of human resources, put the numbers in perspective. “We’re going to reach a point where in five years, retiree health care will cost us more than employee health care,” he said, adding that was partly because the city was shrinking its work force and partly because retirees used far more medical services than active workers.

The expensive payments are becoming 'astronomical' and without a cap or restriction laws, new generations will suffer from the debt and retirement plans will be cut altogether.

Richard Johnson, national public sector health practice director at the Segal consulting firm, said cutting retirees’ health coverage raised moral and legal issues. “It’s a tough group to deal with,” he said. “You have to remember that state and local governments have routinely catered to them and often promised them being able to retire with full benefits. Those are huge promises.”

On a personal level, I want my parents to retire as soon as they can, but as a statistical value, it would not be practical. The current longevity of senior citizens will only increase, and at this rate, so will the debt.