When Medicare was signed in to law by President Johnson in 1965, it was intended to serve as a central funding resource for persons over 65 years, and people with disabilities. Over the years millions of people have benefited from the financial medical pool that Medicare is — providing healthcare resources to innumerable people in need. There is no denying that the founders’ vision and efforts are truly commendable. However, every coin has two sides to it, and of late the ugly side of Medicare has been rearing its head. Fraudulent healthcare practices by healthcare companies and individuals abusing their benefits have contributed greatly to the depletion of Medicare reserves. Senate Republicans estimate that frauds cost Medicare and Medicaid approximately 60 billion dollars annually. Read more →

America is arguably one of the most diverse nations in the world. While such diversity can provide opportunities for unique social and cultural interactions, it can also present opportunities for poor medical care. Many studies show that ethnic and cultural minorities do not receive the same level of care as patients in majority groups. The mental health care system, in particular, is susceptible to cultural insensitivities that may lead to substandard, inappropriate, or ineffective treatment. Read more →

I previously posted a few times about conflicts of interest within the medical profession. A friend of a friend who reads my posts posed the simple question to me:

Isn’t the entire medical profession in conflict because it is profit driven?

This is an interesting question. After all, doctors make their living either seeing patients or doing procedures. No office visits, consultations, or surgeries then no income is generated. Thus wouldn’t doctors all benefit from making sure that patients keep coming back and that more procedures are done? Unfortunately this is true. Read more →

Why am I writing this article? I admit, even to myself it seems a little random. But a combination of recent events and articles I’ve read lately lead me to write this, my pleading to doctors if you will. Let me brief you.

Recently I wrote Acknowledging Vaccine Concerns. The main point of the article was to note that doctors who acknowledge their patient’s vaccine concerns would help increase the vaccination compliance number more than any other method. Read more →

It seems that as of October 1, 2008, Medicare will no longer be reimbursing hospitals for eight conditions that befall patients who are hospitalized, and that might have been reasonably prevented using certain evidence-based measures.

These eight conditions include:

* Pressure ulcers (bed sores)
* Objects left in patients during surgical procedures
* Falls suffered by patients while in hospital
* Blood incompatibility Read more →

On July 25, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger made it official — California would be the first state to ban trans fat. Food providers have been given a year after which the law requires them to replace hydrogenated oils with healthier, naturally occurring oils such as soya, palm, and vegetable oils. The ban was prompted after the link between consumption of trans fat and diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and high levels of cholesterol was confirmed. A similar, but less publicized dietary villain exists — High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Read more →