Tag: medical

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Healthcare perspectives

Mark Cathcart

Although I’m tempted to write a blog post on the current debacle around the Texas legislature’s attempt to remove Women’s choice on abortion, by legislating abortion clinics pretty much out of existence in Texas. I won’t since thats not really healthcare, it’s basic human rights, freedom of choice and freedom of the individual. I’m heading, this time next week, to my last full distance aka Ironman Triathlon. It’s my last since my right knee is pretty much wrecked, some 36-years after smashing my leg to bits in a motorcycle accident, and some 40-years after having the meniscus removed following a … Continue reading Healthcare perspectives

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Guantánamo Adds Medical Staff Amid Hunger Strike – NYTimes.com

Mark Cathcart

This has been prime news in Europe today and yesterday, that 2/3 of the detainees are now on Hunger Strike, and more than 40 are being force fed. I’m sure this also more than news in many other countries. [BBC; Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany)] Whatever you think about the people being held, “terrorists that should rot in hell”, “that should be locked up forever” or “deserve their day in court”, the damage this is doing to the US reputation overseas is immeasurable, and it will be held against us.  Time to end this. The President promised 4-years ago to shutdown Guantanamo,  now is the … Continue reading Guantánamo Adds Medical Staff Amid Hunger Strike – NYTimes.com

Life, politics, PoliticsLeave a comment

Texas, It’s not like anywhere else

Mark Cathcart

Living in Austin it’s all to easy to think you are in Texas, but really like it’s often said “Austin is a liberal oasis in Texas“. More often, Austin isn’t in Texas, but you can see it from here! One of the first things I had to get used to is the Texas Legislator only being in town once every 2-years. That’s right, in what seems a total anomaly  the elected officials of the State of Texas are only in the capital to make/pass law every two years.  I’d guess this stems from the days when they had to ride horses to get to … Continue reading Texas, It’s not like anywhere else

politics, PoliticsLeave a comment

Death Panels open in US Health Insurance

Mark Cathcart

Americans were frightened out of a single payer, medical health care system similar to one in operation in many countries using a number of tactics, including by using the term “death panel”. Sarah Palin, who claimed “proposed legislation would create a “death panel” of bureaucrats who would decide whether Americans—such as her elderly parents or child with Down syndrome—were worthy of medical care.” Palins claim was totally debunked by fact check organizations, and it was named 2009 “Lie of the year” by Politifact. So a federal or national health care system, or single payer system passed into history and we ended … Continue reading Death Panels open in US Health Insurance

Life, PoliticsLeave a comment

All thats wrong with US Healthcare

Mark Cathcart

This article in Saturdays Wall Street journal was mostly about healthcare industry stocks, but what blew me away was the chart that was included. I’ve long felt the US Healthcare system aka “industry” was not only too expensive, you can’t have a balanced discussion about it, people immediately get very defensive. Once you’ve been treated a few times it becomes obvious that insurance is used as a blanket to cover a vast array of unnecessary services, loads of extra tests, samples, examples, scans and xrays. Often because upfront you’ve paid your co-pay, pre-pay etc. so what do you care? The … Continue reading All thats wrong with US Healthcare