Dear Friend,

This is probably one of the longest emails I’ve ever sent, but it could be the most important.

Across the country we are seeing vigorous debate about health insurance reform. Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we know so well are back — even the viral emails that fly unchecked and under the radar, spreading all sorts of lies and distortions.

As President Obama said at the town hall in New Hampshire, “where we do disagree, let’s disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that’s actually been proposed.”

So let’s start a chain email of our own. At the end of my email, you’ll find a lot of information about health insurance reform, distilled into 8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage, 8 common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need health insurance reform now.

Right now, someone you know probably has a question about reform that could be answered by what’s below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this email.

Thanks,
David

David Axelrod
Senior Adviser to the President

P.S. We launched www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck this week to knock down the rumors and lies that are floating around the internet. You can find the information below, and much more, there. For example, we’ve just added a video of Nancy-Ann DeParle from our Health Reform Office tackling a viral email head on. Check it out:

8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.
5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won’t be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Learn more and get details: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/

8 common myths about health insurance reform

1. Reform will stop “rationing” – not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a “government takeover” of health care or lead to “rationing.” To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.
2. We can’t afford reform: It’s the status quo we can’t afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.
3. Reform would encourage “euthanasia”: It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.
4. Vets’ health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans’ access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President’s budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.
5. Reform will benefit small business – not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.
6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare “doughnut” hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.
7. You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.
8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts. Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose. Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck/faq

8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance Reform Now

1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage when they became seriously ill. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html
2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html
3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women’s reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html
4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes
5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through a spouse. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline
6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction
7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people – one in every three Americans under the age of 65 – were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html
8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance – projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. Learn more: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf

I’m with that woman who wrote the president complaining about “socialized medicine” and added: “Now keep your hands off my Medicare.” That’s the spirit!

People’s blind ignorance can be just as bad as their blind faith!

The White House has taken a little initiative and started a new program called Reality Check – a resource “to help you separate fact from fiction and share the truth about health insurance reform.” Here’s the highlights from their first distribution:

• CEA Chair Christina Romer details how health insurance reform will impact small businesses.
• Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes tackles a nasty rumor about euthanasia and clearly describes how reform helps families.
• Matt Flavin, the White House’s Director of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy, clears the air about Veteran’s benefits.
• Kavita Patel, M.D., a doctor serving in the White House’s Office of Public Engagement, explains that health care rationing is happening right now and how reform gives control back to patients and doctors.
• Bob Kocher, M.D., a doctor serving on the National Economic Council, debunks the myth that health insurance reform will be financed by cutting Medicare benefits.

The White House also has a blog post out countering the claims that an “uncovered video” shows proof that Obama wants to eliminate private health insurance.

FactCheck.org took notice that the White House has decided to jump into the industry; and they have pledged to continue their fine work, and Fact Check the Reality Check.

Fact Check does have a few recent health care or health insurance related posts worth checking if you are interested:

• Canadian Straw Man and Dying on a Wait List? both address misconceptions about Canada’s health care.
• Insurance Co. Profits addresses Obama’s overstatement of insurance company profits; but the real number still illustrate the companies are making plenty.
• Health Care Nostrums takes on the RNC’s advertisements that seem to criticize any-and-all health care reform.
• Surgery for Seniors vs. Abortions? addresses yet another crazy claim; that the new plan will require abortions and not cover surgery for seniors.

Finally, I’d like to relay some great points from a blog post I Stumbled Upon.

• All the people in the industry know it needs reformed; but none of them have any personal incentive to initiate reform. Unfortunately that leaves “a regulatory entity with the rule of law (i.e. the government)” as the only one powerful enough to initiate reform.
• This truly is not “government health care” but “government health insurance” – and too few realize this, or even know the difference.
  The argument of “Do I want a government bureaucrat deciding if I get [insert medical care here]?” is complete bull.

  The question with government health insurance will not be if you can get the care you want, but who will pay for the care. Same as today, you’ll still have the option to go outside your coverage and pay for it out of pocket yourself.

• The government is already running a health insurance program: “46% of health care is currently paid for by government insurance policies known as Medicare and Medicaid.”
• The current path (if there is no reform) is illogical, destructive to the economy, and immoral.

St. Patrick is considered as the Patron Saint of Ireland. There are many, though, in Ireland that hold him in disdain. These people will never celebrate his legacy or life.

There was an Irish documentary writer who looked into the theory that St. Patrick may have killed a lover on the island in Lough Derg. In 1998, the writer had a team sent into the water to fish around for evidence. I woman’s mummified remains were found in the muck under the water.

Found here.

Being of Irish decent myself and an avid beer connoisseur, I’ll be celebrating for different reasons obviously.

Bill Nye, the harmless children’s edu-tainer known as “The Science Guy,” managed to offend a select group of adults in Waco, Texas at a presentation, when he suggested that the moon does not emit light, but instead reflects the light of the sun.

As even most elementary-school graduates know, the moon reflects the light of the sun but produces no light of its own.

But don’t tell that to the good people of Waco, who were “visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence,” according to the Waco Tribune.

Nye was in town to participate in McLennan Community College’s Distinguished Lecture Series. He gave two lectures on such unfunny and adult topics as global warming, Mars exploration, and energy consumption.

But nothing got people as riled as when he brought up Genesis 1:16, which reads: “God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.”

The lesser light, he pointed out, is not a light at all, but only a reflector.

At this point, several people in the audience stormed out in fury. One woman yelled “We believe in God!” and left with three children, thus ensuring that people across America would read about the incident and conclude that Waco is as nutty as they’d always suspected.

This story originally appeared in the Waco Tribune, but the newspaper has mysteriously pulled its story from the online version, presumably to avoid further embarrassment.

Pulled from here.

Thanks to MissAnn & Kathy for some additional details!

WacoTrib.com repost:

The Science Guy is entertaining and provocative at MCC lecture
By Tim Woods Tribune-Herald staff writer
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Waco Tribune-Herald on April 6, 2006

Audience members who expected to see Bill Nye “The Science Guy” conduct experiments and wow their children received quite a surprise Wednesday when Nye spoke at McLennan Community College.

Nye instead addressed such topics as Mars exploration, global warming and energy consumption, particularly oil and gas. He even ruffled a few religious feathers along the way.

The scientist with a background in stand-up and sketch comedy kept spectators interested, entertained and at ease with his funny, sometimes hilarious, delivery.

Speaking as part of MCC’s Distinguished Lecturer Series, Nye spoke to two audiences, one at 1:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m., of about 600 each. He said the first audience, though littered with young children listening to some rather adult scientific topics, “was very supportive.”

The second group also was rapt from the beginning, greeting the scientist with a raucous standing ovation upon his introduction.

“You haven’t heard the presentation yet!” Nye told them.

Opening with a discussion of Mars and his hopes for further discovery on the neighboring planet, Nye encouraged the audience to take interest in discovery and “change the world,” a mantra he repeated throughout.

Nye indicated that the presence of water in Mars’ atmosphere – evidenced by the planet’s ability to form frost – leads him to believe that there is a strong possibility that the planet once supported life.

The Emmy-winning scientist angered a few audience members when he criticized literal interpretation of the biblical verse Genesis 1:16, which reads: “God made two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.”

He pointed out that the sun, the “greater light,” is but one of countless stars and that the “lesser light” is the moon, which really is not a light at all, rather a reflector of light.

A number of audience members left the room at that point, visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence.

“We believe in a God!” exclaimed one woman as she left the room with three young children.

Nye also was critical of what he said was governmental agencies’ lack of action, even lack of understanding, in protecting the Earth from global warming and wasted resources.

Nye ‘s educational science show won 28 Emmy awards during its television run from 1992-98.

It seemed most in attendance were pleased to hear Nye speak, and some were even awed by the presence of a childhood icon.

“How cool is that, to be face to face with the man, Bill Nye ?” said Jared McClure, who worked sound and video for the event. “And he’s funny, too.”

twoods@wacotrib.com

For me personally it’s a day to do something special for my sweetheart. I do also feel that it is a bit too commercialized, and another Hallmark-Holiday used to guilt people (more often men) into parting with their hard-earned money. I typically get flowers for my wife, but usually for-go roses. I always try to do something special though. This year my wife told me she wanted something that cost me less than a dollar (I might have spent a little more than that on ingredients and parts; but there is something special about making something for your sweetheart).

Back to the topic at hand… With the commercialization of the holiday some people aren’t even aware that it is actually “Saint Valentine’s Day” being named after one (or possibly several) Christian martyrs of ancient Rome. It was first commercialized in 1847 in Great Britain by Esther Howland who crafted hand-made cards, and turned it into a very lucrative business. But long before that the Catholic church took the holiday from a pagan celebration.

The Roman celebration was originally held during the ides of February (the 15th), when the goddess Juno Februata inflicted her ‘love fever’ on the young and unwary. It was a fertility festival known as Lupercalia, and involved sexual excess and the occasional orgy. Eligible young women wrote ‘love notes’ and placed them in container. Eligible young men would then draw a note from the container, and then socialize with the young women in an attempt to guess whose note they had drawn. A bunch of sexed-up young adults writing, reading, and discussing erotic notes (probably while drinking); you can see how this would naturally lead to sex.

For years the early Catholic church tried to stop the celebration. The funny thing though was that they did not look down on the sexuality of it, but instead condemned the people for celebrating pagan gods. Finally in in 496 C.E. the name and date were changed by Pope Gelasius. The goddess Juno Februata and the god Cupid were combined and recast as a cherub, and the church spent the next decade-or-so eliminating sex from the festival. But to this day some of the original traditions are still carried on. From adults down to grade-school kids, ‘love notes’ are exchanged, and often still dropped into a container anonymously. And lovers still ‘reward’ each-other with sex (I recall a comedian once saying Valentine’s and his birthday were the only days he could count on getting laid).

So no matter which way you celebrate it, Happy V-Day everyone!

Sources: my brain (from all the stuff I’ve read over the years), but also here, here, here, here, and here.

Think about the oddity of one having a birth date of December 31st, 2008 and the other with a birth date of January 1st, 2009. The Griffin twins were born in Michigan this past New Years; Tarrance arrived at 11:51pm on the last day of 2008, and twenty-six minutes later at 12:17am his brother Tariq arrived as one of the first babies of 2009.

Two years ago (2006/2007) the Hoenig family pulled off a similar feat in Boston, delivering a baby girl at 11:58pm and her twin brother a few seconds after midnight. Another pair of girls back in 1991/1992, the first at 11:56pm and the second at 12:14am.

Live Drive is a company currently in start-up; you can sign-up for a free beta account (not sure how this will transition once they are done testing, they will be charging for their service eventually – but I don’t know how much).

Once signed up you can download a small piece of software, once installed you will be able to access your online storage location by opening My Computer, and then opening the “LiveDrive” drive that appears there. It works like a USB drive, only its online. You can install the software on as many computers as you want, so you can access the files from anywhere.

Instead of uploading a backup like most storage sites, if you are accessing the “LiveDrive” drive and saving files there, it syncs automatically. According to CEO Andrew Michael, “It gives you a drive letter on your desktop – anything on that drive is then intelligently synched – it saves changes to documents. BT and other services are just web-based – you must upload the files yourself. This is like a USB stick but it is online.”

Another really cool feature is that you can share files you have uploaded (of course everything defaults to ‘secure unshared’). If you set them to ‘private share’ you enter an email address and it sends an email to that address providing a link to the file. If you set it to ‘public share’ anyone who knows your Live Drive address can access it (check mine: http://johnny.livedrive.com).

If this was a free service I would say it is the best online storage out there. I’ll reevaluate that opinion once they are out of beta and list their pricing plan.

Found via The Register.

In relation, the other thing that really irritates me is employer’s misconception of what a degree costs. Being in the IT field I can’t even remember how many interviews I’ve been on where the employer listed a bachelor’s degree as a requirement, and then during the interview informed me that the starting salary was $30,000 (or there-about). And don’t get me started on the ones that want you to have a degree, certificates, and experience, but want to pay less than $40,000.

I have witnessed second-hand an even worse under appreciation for degree value. My wife has a master’s degree; this really excites some employers during the interview process – they like the idea of that highly educated employee on their team. Then the lowball salary offer comes in; when questioned about it the typical response is that “the master’s degree was not a requirement of the job.”

Well apparently someone else noticed that college costs too much; a report released by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (PDF) indicates that on average the cost of college has risen 439% since 1982. What!? Inflation has only risen 95% since 1982.

Previously the maximum an undergraduate student could borrow in federal funding was $23,000; that’s not enough to cover a bachelor’s degree at most state schools. If you wanted to go to an out-of-state school or to a private school on federal funding alone you could forget it. Last year President Bush signed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 changing that. One of the many things that the CCRAA did was to raise the maximum that a student could borrow from $23,000 to $30,500. That is still only enough money for some state schools, which means you will need some other funding or will need to get a private student loan.

Another side effect of the CCRAA was that other lenders were no longer authorized to issue federally funded loans. The idea with this being that Direct Loans (aka: U.S. Department of Education Direct Loan Program) would be the only organization issuing federally funded loans, so costs would be kept down. A great idea in theory, but what it really did was eliminate all their competition.

Ever notice how a grocery store with horrible service will lose out to the grocery store with good service; and eventually force change or closer? Ever notice how service at most Post Offices is horrible, but we have no alternative? Direct Loans has some of the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced, and I have no alternate to choose from. Coincidence?

Currently about 8% of students seek private loans because federal funding isn’t enough. Last year in the US about $60 billion was issued in federal loans, and about $17 billion in private. A few months ago CNN covered a report by FinAid.org that showed 33 lenders have suspended their private student loan program since August 2007. Included in these are a few big-dogs, Wachovia, Bank of America, College Loan Corporation, and Campus Door. The current economic down turns have not helped; Sallie Mae is the county’s leading private student loan provider, and one of a very companies still offering private student loans.

Even President-elect Barack Obama has given the nod acknowledgment that this is a problem. On his campaign site (and still there after winning), under the Education section Obama states he “will create a new American Opportunity Tax Credit worth $4,000 in exchange for community service.” This would not only be a great boost for those struggling with tuition, but as noted on his page could almost make community college tuition completely free. The plan goes on to state that recipients would be required to conduct 100 hours of community service. It does not indicate if this will be a one-time credit or a renewable credit, but with the statement that it could “cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university” – it implies you could receive the credit more than once. He also wants to simplify the financial add application process, stating that it should simply be a check box on your taxes, instead of the six-page form.

Another statistic from the NCPPHE report that CNN sites: 40% of Americans age 35 to 65 hold an associate degree or higher, ranking 2nd in that statistic; Canada ranks 1st with 44%. For those under age 35 Canada ranks 1st again at 55%; but the US ranks 10th down at 39%. I thought we were supposed to be getting more educated.

Even if you do manage to get enough funding, and manage to keep your head above water to make it through school, and miraculously land a job in your chosen field (or close enough); will you be able to afford the payments? Can you afford two mortgage payments? Somehow we manage it; between my wife and me our monthly student loan payments come equal to our mortgage payment.

The cost of college in the US is getting out of control; it’s making it difficult for young Americans to afford higher education. Schools themselves cost too much, the economy makes borrowing enough funds difficult, and employers are unwilling to pay for the cost of the degree they demand. But who should change? Can schools actually lower their tuition costs? Should the government lend more money? I’m sure we can agree that many employers should be paying their employees what they are worth. Can Obama bring the change he has promised; and will it be enough to break out of this problem?

Genesysadmin

And the LORD formed the computer nerd of the dust off His keyboard, being mainly the powdered remains of heavenly Chee-tos, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, which wasn’t easy, given the computer nerd’s deviated septum; and the computer nerd became a living soul, if you can really call it living.

And the LORD set up a vast network eastward in Eden; and before it He put the computer nerd whom he had formed, saying “here, I need an admin, get thee to it.”

And the computer nerd set about exploring the many files and folders on the network, discovering various digital wonders and delights, but there was one machine the LORD forbade him to access, speaking unto him: “All of this is created for thee to use and master, My pasty-skinned, soft-bellied creation. Except stay away from the Apple, would you? I keep My personal files on it, and thou shalt poketh around in them not.

“Not that I’m going to password-protect it or anything, because I trust you.”

If you don’t check Woot daily you should; even if you don’t buy the item, shirt, or wine of the day – reading the caption every morning it one of my rituals to start the day right.