May 30, 2009
The Arapahoe County fair will be Wed. July 22 through Sunday July 26. Hold the date!
May 30, 2009
Most people already realize that our current health care "system" is no system at all and isn't working. But I think below are some key statistics to understand the scope of the problem and therefore better inform how we solve it!
• 792,000 Uninsured Coloradoans (Co Health Institute 2006)
• We are getting sicker, not healthier
• We are spending more money for less coverage
• Insurance companies make their profit in over-charging premiums and denying necessary health care.
• Insurance industry can use people who are not licensed and qualified to interfere and deny necessary medical treatment in Colorado.
• Medical errors are now the 8th leading cause of death in the US with 98,000 preventable deaths every year.
• 2000 – 2007 Premiums Rose by 98% (Kaiser Family Foundation)
• Insurance Companies Spend $98 Billion in excess administration per year (McKinsey & Co 2007)
• From 1998 – 2007, Insurance Industry Spent over $1 Billion in lobbying, the Pharmaceutical industry spent over $1.3 Billion in lobbying, for profit Hospital and Nursing Homes spent $530 Million on lobbying (Open Secrets.org)
• That $3.95 Billion in lobbying activities would have been enough to pay for an entire year of insurance premiums for over 1 Million people. (Kaiser Family Foundation)
• The insurance industry is sitting on over $600 Billion in surpluses, which is more than the gross domestic product of 193 countries. (Consumer Federation of America 2007, CIA World Fact Book)
• The Insurance and pharmaceutical industries remain in the top 10 industries for making political contributions and for hiring and use of lobbyists to influence policy.
• Health Insurance companies made over $12 Billion in profit in in 2007 (not counting executive salaries, stock options, administration, reserves or surpluses) Forbes
• $ 3 Billion paid in insurance executive compensation and stock options (Forbes)
• U.S. spends $216.7 Billion in prescription drugs in 2006, 5 times the amount in 1990. (KFF, Prescription Drug Trends, 2008).
• From 1997 to 2007 the number of prescriptions purchased increased by 72%, where population growth was only 11%.(KFF, Prescription Drug Trends, 2008).
• The push to prescribe is driven as much or more by feeding the bottom line of pharmaceutical companies as for our health, has increased the number of medication errors, increased the amount of prescribed uses not approved by the FDA, and is consumed in such high numbers pharmaceuticals have now contaminated our drinking water.
• Drug companies spend $30 Billion per year in marketing and advertising controlled their controlled substances and $7 Billion per year in industry gifts to providers, hoping to influence prescribing.
• The top 12 pharmaceutical industries reported a combined profit of $79.4 Billion in 2007 and $78.6 Billion in 2008. (Fortune 500, CNN Money 2008)
• Consolidation of Ownership & For Profit Mergers are spiking costs and reducing choices for consumers.
• Hospitals have moved from non-profit to for-profit and there are now only 3 for-profit companies who own access to Colorado's hospitals.
• The concentration of ownership in few corporate hands in health care is triggering concerns by the US Department of Justice and is raising real anti-trust concerns.
• According to a Harvard study 54% of bankruptcies were medical bankruptcies caused by the high cost of health care.
This is not acceptable, this is not sustainable, this is not moral, this is not sane.
• It would cost $77 Billion to provide full medical coverage to ALL Americans (McKinsey & Co 2007)
Taxpayers are presently subsidizing these for profit- corporations in the form of tax breaks, deductions for advertising and deductions for their lavish salaries, costs and trips. If we removed the current tax breaks for these industries we could fund universal health care for all.
If we moved from for-profit to a non-profit delivery model of health care we could fund universal health care for all.
The amount of insurance surpluses alone could fund total coverage to every American for 8 years.
We have spent billions more on wall street bailouts that it would cost to provide health care to every single American for decades. The question is, where are our priorities?
Under the 208 Commision on Health Care report, The Colorado Single Payer Proposal was the only one of five state proposals evaluated by the Lewin Group in 2007 that demonstrated the ability to cut net state health costs – by $1.4 billion — and to provide comprehensive health coverage for all residents of Colorado. Savings include $2.8 billion reduced administrative costs and $2.6 billion reduced out-of-pocket expenses.
May 28, 2009
Some of you may recall when we passed the original Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act (HB 07-1331) which provides the education, specialties, malpractice history, disciplinary history, criminal history, and information about employment contracts, medical investments and loss of hospital or prescribing privileges.
Physicians renew their licenses every two years so while we have had the benefit of NEW physicians in the database up until now by May 31, 2009 the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners will have a complete data on Colorado physicians. To look up physician profiles click here.
Why should you care?
- Medical errors are the 8th leading cause of death in the United States
- There are 98,000 preventable hospital deaths that occur each year due to errors
- Make you pick a provider that is qualified and has a license in good standing
- A small number of physicians comprise the majority of medical malpractice claims
- It can mean the difference between life and death
Patty and David Skolnik's son, Michael, was killed as a result of an unnecessary brain surgery for a cyst that never existed, causing swelling and bleeding of his brain, leaving him unable to care for himself and eventually to organ failure.
May 27, 2009
National Day of Action – Universal Health Care Rally!
May 30, 2009
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
West Steps State Capitol Building
200 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver
Join Health Care for All Colorado and Arapahope Community Team and thousands of people around the country to address the national health care crisis in the United States.
Joining us will be:
- Music by Wurlitzer 45
- State Senator Morgan Carroll – Aurora
- Comedian Jon Jon Lannen of Fork Improv
- Pastor David Risendal of Saint Peter Lutheran Church
- Music by The Raging Grannies
- Cory Carroll, MD – Ft. Collins Family Physician
Unchecked corporate profiteering and interference with the doctor-patient relationship has increased costs, reduced care, driven families into bankruptcy and hurt the bottom line of our community businesses.
Had enough? Join us. The time for action is now.
May 27, 2009
Join us at the 2009 One PACE–Many Strides to Excellence Learning Fair on Wednesday, June 3.
This APS Learning Fair will:
* demonstrate what staff are doing to increase student achievement
* support our goal of being transparent and involving our community in the work we do
* highlight how staff are implementing VISTA 2010 in schools and support sites
* feature round-table discussions, presentations and school display
Because of construction at Gateway, we have changed the location to Hinkley High School, 1250 Chambers Road.
You are invited to join us at one or all of the sessions below:
* 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
* 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
* 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
A complete list of session topics will be available for your review on Friday, May 29 at www.aps.k12.co.us/staff/threedays.
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