Saturday, April 30, 2011

Day 11

We are right now in our State, right where Massachusetts was six years ago. It was either raise taxes or fix one of the major broken systems. Mitt Romney a Republican decided to fix the problem and viola no cuts, no raised taxes, everyone getting healthy, lots of people working, and lots of taxes flowing in.

Granted Massachusetts is a tiny state compared to California, but waiting for Federal Exchanges to come in three years, is why we are at the problems we have. Benefits for health insurance will continue to escalate upward until the Governor realizes the magnitude of this problem, and does something similar to what Mitt Romney did six years ago.

Today Massachusetts gets the Federal Money going to it in 2012 not 2014. We can do much better in our state, but all we talk about is infighting and bickering. Lets agree on this one thing and start to fix our states problems. The insurance companies are laughing all the way to the bank.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Day Ten

Most in California would argue that the Federal Exchanges coming about in 2014 are sufficient and why mess with something that is going to work. That is like betting on a horse you have groomed and are promised a win from. In my rational world that is fool hardy speculation.

Massachusetts said lets create our own race track, our own horses, and let the Federal Program when it comes in to manage the finances.

California simply cannot wait for the phone to ring, but must act with prudence and surety that we will embark on a states rights universal health insurance program. Universal health insurance will enable the healthy worker and reduce unemployment; increasing consumer confidence. All a ripe recipe for success and reducing the wicked problems in society. Again this is a moral imperative.

The danger in not doing anything, will be trusting that the Federal Program will be in place successfully in three years. A lot can happen in three years. Are we to be fools?

Milton Freedman precepts on sustainability and the idea of Commonwealth type insurance care in California or as I have dubbed it The Golden State Care.

Does this make lives better?

• Workers: Costs go down per employee for the same level of healthcare, no more deductable limits making fully engaged health care. Less out of pocket expenses for the average worker.

• Employers: Costs go down for same level of healthcare, healthier employees due to no deductable limits. Costs go down because more people are subscribed into the insurance companies.

• Small Business Owners: Costs at a level they can afford to offer insurance as a benefit thereby can attract from a larger pool of employment candidates, helps to level the playing field. Unemployment reduces, consumer confidence rises and with low inflation the great society is back running at full steam again making real estate values increase at a normal pace where today the status quo is depressed real estate values statewide.

• Unemployed: Sliding scale to zero cost based on income levels. Cost to pay for this are born out of the savings seen in non emergency room payments and from the Federal Government paying into the system as it is with Commonwealth Care in Massachusetts.

• Homeless: They will get a level of care that is no longer rationed, and are helped with becoming healthier gotten off of substance abuse and put into welfare to work training to become employable. Again this cost will be born out of savings seen above and from Federal payments as above.

• Immigrants: Same holds true as with the poor above as with any immigrant they must get into the system to use health care services and huge amounts of savings are seen as now the payments are reconciled properly. Push for citizenship by offering incentives in the health care at this level.

• Insurance Companies: Having a larger pool of people by an increase of about seven million, will make their bottom line manageable, as insurance risk and premium cost is a direct function of the population of the pool of insured individuals.

Is there equal pay parity between classes of people?

• There is complete equality here amongst all people of the state ensuring 14th amendment rights are preserved for all people and that the precept of equal protection under the law is preserved.

Free market?

• The insurance companies will flourish with free market functionality under acceptable limits of insurance invoicing as currently defined under the Insurance Commissioners purview. Free markets for a much larger pool of insured will enable healthy competition and price stabilization. It is the notion that we currently are in where there is an artificial market created that is functionally small that leads to spiraling of costs. The market is not free in our current design and has led to costs that are no longer affordable for a whole host of local governments, employers have to seek out inflationary pricing structures to justify the spiraling costs, in short what we have now is the perfect storm of economic non sustainability and is why we see taxes looming on the horizon and why layoffs and department reorganization are happening. We do nothing be prepared for out of sight insurance premiums, with our status quo systems.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Day Nine Golden State Care

Many would ask why does this matter. Just get a job and stop complaining. The reality is a very simple truth. If California were to accomplish a monumental task of a comprehensive universal health care system with easy coupling to the Federal system slowly being put into place, it would mean that all other states would have zero excuse. Massachusetts being a small state was the perfect place to start this, now it is time to do this in a very large state, and California is that state.

We will deal with unemployment because small business will be able to have inexpensive health insurance mandate and be able to compete with large corporations for qualified talent. The poor will become healthier and become employable. The homeless will receive plenty of healthcare in dealing with their significant health issues. Crime will be reduced, and drug and alcohol abuse will cease. In short, all the wicked problems we currently have in society get a little better. That is this moral cause, an undying belief that we now have what it takes to start to begin a new chapter in our fine state.

We must begin this hard work today.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Day Eight

Today I have an appointment, finally, one month from today. That is the best that is happening right now in government run health care. I heard from those inside the county health system that some of the new buildings are only 50% occupied, That being said the capacity of the system is seen, but the rationing of labor within the professional ranks sit squarely with the Board of Supervisors decisions and bear out the facts that doctors are overworked and anytime they go over their contracted allowances it is uncompensated. What doctor would ever deny care if it is direly needed. Sickness uncertainty kills and doctors well know that their calming hands and soothing bedside manner leads to faster recovery. Additionally all doctors know it is a moral imperative to act ethically in treating their patients.

We must support our doctors as well and gaining universal health care insurance helps to stabilize the system and warrant better care overall. How that happens is choice so that people like myself can go outside the government run healthcare system and in doing so relieves the pressures on that government run system. I am not alone in this, I am sure at least 20% of the people seen are people like myself with no other alternatives, seek out the government system because it is the last and only stop before no health care is seen. It is time California embark on health insurance for all as Commonwealth Care has successfully accomplished in Massachusetts.

Someone I need to publicly thank is the honorable Congresswoman Anna Eshoo which without the honorable Congresswoman's input I would not know where to turn today. I owe the Congresswoman a huge debt of gratitude.

I also owe Rose, my life partner, a huge amount of thanks. Without her love and support, I would be lost.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Day Seven

Today the news decries government worker layoffs in cities like San Jose. San Carlos is making news by last year outsourcing police thereby canceling jobs, to now outsourcing fire thereby cancelling jobs. One common denominator with these jobs is not only wages but I am sure the spiraling costs of health insurance. Again I point out the leverage Massachusetts created with their commonwealth care program in controlling these costs. It is not only the fact that the poor get health insurance, but that the costs of workers insurance are also contained. Here in California thanks to failed leadership on this issue, we have spiraling health insurance costs.

All we would have to do is copy and paste the majority of what Massachusetts has done and the legislature adopt it. Failing that it goes in front of the people to vote on. We are desperate now in this state as more government cuts are happening yet insurance costs keep rising. When will we awake from this dream to the reality of universal health care. I hope sooner rather than snails paced later.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Day Six

My lovely Rose took me to the ball game yesterday. We took the train. I am astonished how under-knowledge and not caring people are commuting. We should electrify the CalTrain and leave high speed rail (HSR) out of it. Fact: we build HSR down the CalTrain line it will mean short term jobs but the cost will be completely disrupted CalTrain service for many years. If we electrify CalTrain it is far cheaper and far less disruptive and gets to the same ends.

As far as health care insurance, soon I will start an initiative drive to putting something on a future ballot. Timing has to be right so there is no waste of time, the initiative has to be filed and so forth. I know I have asked for monetary help, and maybe it is too early for that. So I could use some volunteers for this effort as millions of signatures are needed.

The goal will be California Care in the form of universal health care insurance. We know the facts, they are indisputable, we know the outcomes they are indisputable, the rationale of the initiative then is carved out of these facts and outcomes as seen in Massachusetts.

Lets get 7 million people insured, healthy, and ready to work. Lets get 12 million more with sustainable costs involved with healthcare insurance. To do nothing and hide ones head in the sand gets nothing and lest I remind all Californians, we are almost dead least in every economic sector, and the divisions between rich and poor are ever widening. We can put a stop to all that, become the 8th economic powerhouse we once were; it can start as Massachusetts did, and begin with reigning in the costs of healthcare insurance.

One of my favorite quotes: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Day Five

Here we are its Easter. With all the promise of helping the poor, California is mired in a broken system of health care insurance. To so many mothers who struggle with their children self medicating because there is no other good choice, I ask you to have understanding and patience; it is not your children's fault. It is the lack of health insurance from day one that sustains through life evenly, no matter the financial situation.

I wish California the love and affection that Easter brings; and a hope that this time next year the sad stories related to health care insurance are a thing of the past.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Day Four

7 million people wake up today with no health insurance in California. 19 million people, over 1/2 the population of California, wake up today with under-insurance. That is rationed health care due to high deductibles that begging to be mitigated. For someone who is underemployed that reality sets in with also using emergency services and being a burden to the system.

Again the Massachusetts plan mitigates all of these issues and we can do much better here. Contact your state representatives and tell them you want universal health care now as a state system similar to what Massachusetts offers.

I will also be working closely with crafting simple legislation that I will post here over the course of this next year. In there you can comment and I will see if there is a way to address the issue. This is novel no where is there any precedence where ordinary people can have their say in crafting legislation. I will then take it whomever will listen and push this legislation. Again this will take a year to accomplish and I am your dedicated servant in this urgent matter. I will start by pulling apart the original bill 58 in Massachusetts that got this whole thing started for them. We have unique needs here divided into two groups. One migrant farm workers, and the other immigrant care. These groups need the same level of opportunity. It will be up to the individual or an offering form all business large or small to purchase what they need. If I cannot gain the "kings ear", I will need money to lobby a king. To do that I have to ask for your help.

What has happened with me is the need to see a hematologist. I wasted no time, once I was in the system, I immediately called to get an appointment. I was told the next appointment isn't until July. That is the reality of not having universal coverage where I have the choice where I can go. The filtered single place of doctor has a 3 month wait. I hope I have that long and needless to say have to organize my unique needs precisely and make demands precisely because that limits me to only four visits in a year.

Over time I will set the links over to the top right where all these facts can be plainly reviewed. I tell you now we are in a dire situation in this state even for those with health insurance, the costs are quickly becoming too much to bear.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Day Three of Golden State Health Care

One of the biggest issues facing both the State of California and business is the cost of health care. For business it is the need to control variable costs of health care insurance. For the state it is to control the cost of uncollectable emergency services. 19 million people are underemployed and under insured. A family of four can cost upwards of $1000 a month and higher, and have rationed care deductibles per year that have to be satisfied. Those insurance fees drive wages.

In Massachusetts they have controlled those costs by implementing a universal insurance for everyone and gaining cost concessions from insurance companies. That is the answer to so much that is driving Silicon Valley profits yet we do not discuss it.

Healthy workers are more productive and allowing small business to offer benefits makes for lowering unemployment. Massachusetts has proven it works.

I am saying this today because Silicon Valley leaders are meeting today to discuss their discontent with State leaders.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Day two of Golden State Health Care

Over seven million people in California are waking up today with no health insurance.

Their options are either stay well and roll the dice, if they get sick wait until they are on deaths door and use emergency room services which they pay the “retail rate” and may not pay the bill, or use welfare based services where health care is rationed and wait times are the name of the game.

California health care for uninsured Californians is broken.

This morning I go to the county to wait for about an hour with other impoverished Californians. I propose to you that being impoverished includes not having health insurance. The purpose is to get into a system called APD and see what the welfare based system has to offer. So far all I can see is that APD is an intervention for drug and alcohol. If that is the case, this case worker is way off base as I do not drink, and I do not use drugs. I have an iron toxicity level that kills nerves cells, and can kill the liver, and irritates bowel and brain cells.

I will let everyone know later today what the system in California has to offer which thus far I am very suspicious of.

Again if I lived in Massachusetts, I would already have health insurance at no cost to me and appointments made and achieved. The cost in California for me with a $5000 deductible (they do not pay until I pay out of pocket $5000) PPO plan is $166 per month with $40 copay. That is what 7 million people in California woke up today to with their health insurance plans.

So until later today.......

It is now later today and I have health insurance. A wonderful over worked lady in the county financial services, looked over my bank statements and my taxes for last year. From that they identify what the copay will be. In order to have no copay, one has to be homeless. So as far as comparison to the Massachusetts system of 100% of FPL (Federal Poverty Level)having no copay and no monthly cost there is no real equivalent other than complete destitution. The other issues are being only able to see the County doctors. According to Dr. Dean Edell, the care seen in county services is far and above the services in the private sector for terminal or close to terminal patients. Therefore the issue of only seeing county doctors almost becomes moot. My health care insurance is good for a year. I have 2 to 3 weeks to wait now to see the specialists. That time rationing cannot be helped, the county is not prepared for the onslaught of people in the coming years. They are completely understaffed and overworked and it will only get worse with time as 2014 approaches.

Again it is my imperative to seek out a legislator and to lobby for a bill passage that can reach the Governors desk this year and sign into law for 2012 a new health care insurance for California that is equivalent to the Massachusetts system and tweaked as needed to meet inclusively what the counties currently have in place.

Again it takes money to lobby. We have 19 million people in the State that are underemployed and under-insured to the point of unemployed and no insurance. If everyone looked at my blog and hit the donate button and contributed $1.00 each think what that could lobby.I do not like the lobby system but to beat them you have to join them. I want to raise enough capital to pay my meager needs of food lodging and transportation up to Sacramento and lobby with a little above the going rate to ensure a quality bill and successful passage to the Governors desk. That takes money so please spread the word around and please contribute what you can. Once I reach a reasonable amount in my PayPal account I will transfer that into my Fidelity account and purchase gas food and lodging to start this process off in Sacramento.

Please donate generously. Use only one donate button click and please be patient. PayPal does keep a very small portion of the donation providing this service.

Until tomorrow, The California People whom I love.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Golden State Health Care

This blog begins today and is dedicated to my travels through the stone age health care of California. A bit of background:

I am an unemployed real estate broker. I have rescinded my fees to the state because real estate is still toast. Better to not spend the money right now. I have a hereditary blood issue that precludes me from working properly. I have much uncertainty because of no proper diagnosis as this involves educated opinion post a gene test.

I do not have health insurance and living in Santa Clara County am endeavoring to see what the process is involved in the State of California to gaining some form of health care in some way shape or form of treatment.

I will post here my trials and tribulations with a comparison if I lived in Massachusetts what that same level of care would be.

To date I have contacted Anna Eshoo's office on my disorder with what help the Feds could provide. The honorable Congresswoman gave me a link to a foundation's website. In there I have all the information I need to tell doctors and have that all written down in advance to make the conversation short and to the point. From there, I went and contacted the County to see what they can do for me. A nurse contacted me and gave me the phone number for RotoCare a charity based medical care at El Camino Hospital. I ask everyone that views my blog to please donate what you can to this organization. The doctors work for free.

I got a blood test showing false positives on 7 of the 9 possibilities leaving the hereditary gene base diagnosis the only one left to be answered. The issue is my father bless his soul, died of complications to ALS. ALS kills nerves making the mussels atrophy. Eventually one loses the ability to breath. My father had a declaration where he would not get a respirator. The issues I have uncovered something else. Pophyria has a hereditary form which exhibits ALS characteristics and kills the same way. I discovered a link to iron toxicity in my family and Pophyria. Cutting out iron has kept my iron levels normal and I feel better for it. Vegetable based iron is very toxic and I have to be careful. That is all I know for now. The doctors at RotoCare gave me a referral at the county specialists. Now the issue of health care insurance plays a major role.

I went to the county gave them my financials and tomorrow I meet with them for what the State can offer someone like me. Someone like me is 7 million people uninsured and 19 million under or unemployed.

Compare that so for to Massachusetts, all I would have had to do is sign up at a government website and take my financial information and for someone like myself no cost to me at all just get insured and choose a doctor. No rationing of health care and thus far miles ahead of the California stone age welfare system which is rationed; I cant get needed genetic testing.

This will be the longest blog (I will try real hard). I am asking for donations as I plan to be a champion for California Care in our Golden State. The law suits in Massachusetts are done with the Supreme Court saying the opposition to their state health care insurance as no case, meaning MA is going full speed ahead. The Federal Administration has said they will fund the costs next year. We need that here. We rank last as the most people without health insurance. A case also is made that unemployment is tied to the health of a population. MA is 8% unemployment with 98.1% of the people insured.

I hope this will be a short blog.

Until tomorrow, The California People whom I love.