Health Care Reform - Pain and Suffering in America

TodayThe Oregonian ran a story headlined "Medical mistakes kill 200,000 a year in U.S., inquiry finds." Why the death toll? Partly because secrecy of medical records and non-disclosure prevents improvements. Who objects to mandatory disclosure? The AMA and American hospital association of course. The article does not make the connection to the current health care debate, or the AMA's understandable concern the full disclosure could result in lawsuits. On another front, we continue to hear from conservatives that the real reason health care costs so much is the cost of malpractice lawsuits, (frequently using the term "frivolous lawsuits" as though a doctor could never make a mistake) malpractice insurance and defensive medicine. As a part of health care reform, let's deal with both of these problems. First, we completely eliminate jury awards for "pain and suffering" in a medical malpractice lawsuit. But as we do that, let's remember that a pain and suffering award is often a poor surrogate for the lifetime of medical care that will be required for the injured patient. For this scheme to work, there may need to be other limits on malpractice awards as well. Second, As a condition of the first one, a patient injured by a doctor's mistake, would be entitled to free health care related to the injury for life. That may sound like too much to give, but remember, if we have universal health care, this should cost nothing, or very little as insurance carriers would need to be prevented from ever imposing a "lifetime limit" on the cost of care for that patient. Finally, mandatory reporting by doctors. Don't report or get caught in a lie, it could cost you your license. But if you report, take responsibility for your actions? As long as there is universal coverage and no incentive for a lawsuit, there would be little reason for defensive medicine and little or no reason for malpractice insurance. If we want doctors to be medically responsible for their mistakes, then let we need to give them a break from the financial responsibility. If we want all patients to be made whole, then a malpractice claim can't be a windfall for the few who win a lawsuit. And if we want the costs of care to go down, then we need to remove the need for unnecessary - defensive medicine. As for the insurance companies? Well I'm sure they will find some other kind of insurance we just can't live without.

Transformers, games and whatever

The time has come to prove myself to be an old curmudgeon again. All because of a radio commercial. Loosely paraphrased . . . "Summer's here, the kids have been home for two days, and already they're complaining 'were bored...' Well don't despair mom, come to and get the transformers, X-box, video game or other gadget to keep you kid entertained all summer." Oh, and since also sells groceries, make sure you get them some twinkies, a tub of icecream and poptarts. (Ok, I made up that last bit.)

No NO NO and NO!@&% It is summer and it is gorgeous outside, take them to the park, to the mountains, the beach, or just kick them out into the yard with all the other kids. Or send them to the neighbor's house to drag their kids away from the x-box.

But it's dangerous out there! I can hear you thinking it. There are child molesters and gangs and drugs and whatnot. Yup, and most of those things existed 40 years ago when I was 10. And every time a kid is molested or hit by a car it is a tragedy for that family. But the reason that it is "news" is that the chances of it happening to your kid is small . . . really small. Teach them to stay out of the street, stay away from strangers, don't get separated from friends and who's mom or dad is home.

But it's hard, you say, things have changed and both parents have to work two jobs to support the family. Yes, i know that's true for some families. Especially in these times, some of your neighbors have one or the other spouse out of work right now. Maybe get out of your backyard, onto the front porch, meet these people and see who IS home this summer. And I don't think it has to be every parent in the neighborhood or even a majority. But little Jimmy and Mrs. Smith both need to know something. When mom hears from Mrs. Smith what Jimmy was doing and with whom, Jimmy and Mrs. Smith both need to know that Mom is going to believe Mrs. Smith (not "protect" her "baby") and that Jimmy is going to get in trouble for it.

As for gangs, well more of the same. I'm not saying ignore your kids, the other moms and dads have a role too and you have to educate them and keep an eye on them. You certainly can't throw the kids outside and sit at the computer surfing blogger posts eating twinkies. The best defense against gangs are involved parents. And like I said, just a few neighbors who will get involved, and who know that "Mom and Dad" have got their back, can make all the difference.

Is all of this harder than sending the little darlings to the veg in front of the glowing rectangle? Sure, but these are your kids. Pull the plug and send them outside.

Why when I was a kid, the daytime TV was "soaps" so we had to entertian ourselves with nothing but a piece of string and a grasshopper we caught, for hours at a time, uphill, in the snow, both ways . . . .

Grumph, curmudgeon signing off.

Camp Fire Girls in Iraq

So the other day, I was at the grocery store picking up a few things for dinner. On the way out, I discovered that it is that time again. Some kids with a table . . . "Hello! would you like to buy some____?" You fill in the blank depending on the kid. The Girl Scouts have cookies, the Boy Scouts have popcorn and nuts, the middle school band has whatever was a deal this year. The other day it was Camp Fire candy that was being charmingly pitched.

I have two usual responses. About 1/2 the time I donate a buck or two for the box of candy I really don't need. (Except for the Girl Scout "Samoas", I like them needed or not!) They get the profit they would make off of me, and they still have the box to sell. The other 1/2 I will say no thanks and move on.

This very close to being a "no thanks" day. In fact the words were said and I was out the door when I realized what it said on the sign near the table: "You Can Donate Your Candy To Troops." Huh!? I went back and asked what the deal was. This Camp Fire group has a dad in the military who is serving in Afghanistan. What they do is collect candy that people donate. When the box is full , off it goes to his units as well as others where he can give a connection to send it to.

How easy was this? It cost me five bucks, I don't have to eat the candy, the kids raise their funds, and there is a bonus day for soldiers half way around the world. I don't think that anyone loses in this transaction.

Now I know that folks have a lot of different feelings about the war(s). It is either a colossal mistake, or necessary to defend our freedom, or something else. But hopefully we all realize that these young men and women left their kids and are sticking their necks out for us. I think we can all support them regardless of how we feel about the politics that sent them there.

So here is a question to ponder. Don't you think that just about EVERY Girl Scout, Boy Scout, Camp Fire or middle school band group has some connection with our men and women in uniform? Isn't this an idea that should be spread around? Ya Think?

Cheers,
Patton