Americans "Filching" Canada's Health Insurance System by the Thousands

A report, released by the Ontario Health Minister – and cited in the New York Times – indicated that thousands of Americans are illegally taking advantage of Canada’s health care system. According to the study, which was originally conducted from August 1992 to February 1993 (yet still holds a lot of water in the midst of a national health debate), 60,000 claims were made out on behalf of people who had American drivers’ licenses. Presumably Americans who are uninsured are finding affordable ways to bypass the high cost of health care in the U.S. The consumer site, Affordable Health Insurance states that over 45 million Americans are uninsured, and many of these uninsured Americans have apparently found the benefits of Canada's health care system. Canada's Health System The Canada government stipulates that legal residents qualify for free medical care as long as they are able to produce health cards for identification. The same report indicated that the lack of controls cost the health care system as much as $691 million annually. Although Americans are not the only ones taking advantage of Canada’s system, they are the most prevalent simply because of proximity (90% percent of Canadians are within 100 miles of the United States). Many Americans choose to avail of Canada’s system because of their dissatisfaction with the health insurance system of their home country. Changes in the Health Care System As a result, stricter policies are suggested to be put in place to save money. Canada’s officials have suggested the criminal prosecution of those committing fraud, monitoring of card use, and collection for medical services provided from ineligible users. A proposal to redesign the health card is also in place. One of the suggestions is to put pictures on the card to prevent them from being routinely borrowed by ineligible individuals. Finally, doctors are required to be tougher when it comes to screening potential patients. A new bill in the Ontario Legislature states that if a doctor has reasonable grounds to think that the health card is fraudulently used, liability on confidentiality grounds no longer applies. The Canadian government has indicated that the illegal use of its resources is a temporary phenomenon and will ease up once America successfully pushes for its health reform. Sources Affordable Health Insurance (for statistics related to uninsured Americans) New York Times (for information about the study) Health Canada (the federal department responsible for maintaining Canadians' health)

Congressional Black Caucus Members Under Investigation

The Washington Post is reporting that House ethics investigators have been scrutinizing the activities of more than 30 lawmakers and several aides in inquiries about issues including defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July. Dozens in Congress under ethics inquiry Ellen Nakashima and Paul Kane staff writers with the Washington Post are reporting the a number of members of the Congressional Black Caucus are being investigated for defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling, according to a confidential House ethics committee report prepared in July. Rep. Charles Rangel . (AP Photo) The document also disclosed that ethics committee staff members have interviewed House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) about one element of the complex investigation of his personal finances, as well as the lawmaker's top aide and his son. Rangel said he spoke with ethics committee staff members regarding a conference that he and four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended last November in St. Martin. The trip initially was said to be sponsored by a nonprofit foundation run by a newspaper. But the three-day event, at a luxury resort, was underwritten by major corporations such as Citigroup, Pfizer and AT&T. Rules passed in 2007, shortly after Democrats reclaimed the majority following a wave of corruption cases against Republicans, bar private companies from paying for congressional travel. According to Wapo Rangel said he has not discussed other parts of the investigation of his finances with the committee. "I'm waiting for that, anxiously," he said. There is more.. According to Wapo, Politico, and The LA Times, the committee did not detail the two newly disclosed investigations. However, according to the July document, Rep. Maxine Waters, a high-ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, came under scrutiny because of activities involving OneUnited Bank of Massachusetts, in which her husband owns at least $250,000 in stock. Waters arranged a September 2008 meeting at the Treasury Department where OneUnited executives asked for government money. In December, Treasury selected OneUnited as an early participant in the bank bailout program, injecting $12.1 million. AAPP: Voters in their congressional districts need to take a hard look at these Corrupt Congressional Black Caucus members. It just may be time to throw these folks out of office. I know if any of them were representing me, I would vote them out of office in a heartbeat. I guess Cathy Hughes would do the same thing. If I were Obama I would not meet with the Congressional Black Caucus until they stop standing up for crooks, get there act together and purged those who bring the group into disgrace. I'm also getting a bit tired of these Congressional ethics inquiries, that have been dragging on for sometime despite vows to end corruption. I guess I can understand why some democrats are worried that one of their own could cost them their jobs.

Tasers, Taser International and messages of the Heart

Well it looks like Taser International has said Uncle. The Makers of TASER devices say don't aim at chest. As reported by many bloggers, including the Electronic Village, news outlets and internet sources, Taser maker Taser International is advising police agencies across the nation to avoid aiming the devices at a suspect’s chest. The Arizona-based company says such action poses an “extremely low” risk of an “adverse cardiac event.” The Atlanta Journal reports that Law enforcement in Atlanta, Gwinnett and Clayton County said they are in the process of scheduling training for their officers who carry Tasers. “It won’t be a huge change. It’s a difference of a few inches,” said Sgt. Tony Kessler, a training officer for the Clayton County Sheriff. “We still have the back and other parts of the body.” Gwinnett Police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli said the Taser manufacturer only “recommended aiming lower towards the abdominal region,” but said the 279 officers who have Tasers will be retrained. Cobb County Police are already ahead of the game, spokesman Officer Joe Hernandez said. Cobb’s 100 Tasers are carried by only veteran patrol officers, the Tactical Team, Burglary Apprehension Team and robbery interdiction squad. More HERE The advisory, issued in an Oct. 12 training bulletin, marks the first time that Taser has suggested any risk of ill effects on the heart from the use of its 50,000-volt stun guns. More HERE Electronic Village reports, Taser International, the maker of taser guns is advising police officers to avoid shooting suspects in the chest with the 50,000-volt weapon, saying that it could pose an extremely low risk of an "adverse cardiac event." The advisory, issued in an Oct. 12 training bulletin, marks the first time that Taser has suggested any risk of ill effects on the heart from the use of its 50,000-volt taser guns. Electronic Village goes on to report that critics, including civil-rights lawyers and human-rights advocates, called the training bulletin an admission by Taser that its guns could cause cardiac arrest. For years, Taser officials have said in interviews, court cases and government hearings that the stun gun is incapable of inducing ventricular fibrillation, the chaotic heart rhythm characteristic of a heart attack. More HERE There have been more than 400 deaths in the U.S. and 26 in Canada since 2001, according to a study by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Tasers have contributed to more than 30 of those deaths, according to medical examiners. Three of those occurred in the Gwinnett County jail after deputies used a Taser on combative inmates. Autopsies showed two of those deaths were the result of heart attacks, but did not cite what caused the cardiac arrest. The other death was ruled the result of “excited delirium” – a combination of cocaine, alcohol and physical exertion that excited his heart too much, according to the medical examiner. A spokeswoman for the Gwinnett sheriff said Taser International's training bulletin has already been sent out to all of the deputies who carry Tasers. More HERE "All future training will have it incorporated too," sheriff's spokeswoman Stacey Bourbonnais said Thursday. Tasered While Black Publisher: Well it looks like this announcement by Taser International is having major impact on law enforcement standard operating procedures. Let's see if it make any difference on the streets of Amderica, or will cops actually aim at the chest in the future, as a way of killing people? Boulder, Colorado ACLU wants Tasers holstered New Guidelines For APD On Taser Gun Use - Albuquerque News Story Metro Police Change Taser Policy Police rethink stun-gun policy Read more on tasering at the following blogs. Tasered While Black Police Brutality Blog Electronic Village a. cameron ward & company, barristers and solicitors canadian civil rights movement cbc - a deadly landing cbc - taser database cbc - taser tests cbc - the truth about tasers charly miller - tasers creekside don't tase me bro educate-yourself electronic village evidunce (new) excited-delirium feral cops (new) getting it right it all goes here no more tasers petition - outlaw law enforcement use of tasers prevent dangerous harm RAIDH (France) setting fantino straight stat - stop taser abuse today taser nation taser org uk tasered while black tasered while latino (new) taserfilm (new) taserwatch the duck shoot - taser-watch (new) the taser deaths blog Taser of The Day/ Gizmodo Truth Not Tasers Taser Watch Excited-Delirium Tasered While Black

Business Roundtable Shines Light on U.S. Health Care Shortcomings

I imagine the Business Rountable to very similar to depictions of the Knights of the Round Table: Large, well dressed men sitting around a round table (who would have thunk) discussing how powerful and wonderful they are and then getting down to solving the problems of the world. In reality, the Business Roundtable is a group of modern-day powerhouses-the CEO's of America's largest corporations, in fact. The purpose of the Business Roundtable (to be referred to as BT throughout the rest of the article) is to unite these bigwigs and hope they can churn out some good solutions to the world's problems. I mean, who better to address all the poverty and despair in the world then some of the wealthiest folks in America, right? Sarcasm aside, I find myself impressed with a recent study that the BT released, comparing the success/cost of health care in the United States with that of European countries. Considering that the recent economic malaise has sent numbers of former employees to the ranks of the uninsured - or even, gasp, resorting to self-employed health insurance - the findings are grim, a little nauseating. Still, there may be nuggets of wisdom the U.S. Government can take to make some much needed changes. The U.S. Health Disadvantage Here is a little bit on what the BT's study found regarding the United States health care system. It's estimated that the United States spends nearly $643 billion more every year on health care than other industrialized countries like France, Germany and Japan. The BT rounded up 19 different metrics of looking at a method for measuring the impact of health care spending on U.S. global economic competitiveness. What did the BT find? "The United States stands at a 23% disadvantage relative to five leading economic competitors: Canada, France, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom (the so-called G-5 group); and a 46% disadvantage relative to the emerging competitors of Brazil, India and China (BIC).” To continue, the report states “As a group, workers and employers in G-5 countries spend approximately 63 cents for every dollar we (U.S.) spend on health care. The gap is even wider when we look at the BIC (Brazil, India, China) group; they spend just 15 cents for every dollar we spend on health care. These health spending gaps persist after adjustment for our higher per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product).” Take a minute to let all of that sink in. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll recall that a few months prior I wrote a piece about the different health care models in large countries around the globe, how much they cost for the country in a given year and how much they cost consumers. Most industrialized nations have something similar to a universal or nationalized health care system. There are variations, of course, but they all stand in a similar ilk. The United States really stands all alone in it's little corner while those in European countries not only spend less, but get more thorough, easily accessible and affordable care. What is wrong with this picture? One thing I did read that lightened my spirits a bit is this: the study "has had profound influence on the thinking of Obama’s White House staff of economists and analysts." Let's make some changes here people. photo credit: hans s

The Next Great Depression Is Just Around The Corner

U.S. Job Seekers Exceed Openings by Record Ratio Despite signs that the economy has resumed growing, unemployed Americans now confront a job market that is bleaker than ever in the current recession, and employment prospects are still getting worse. Job seekers now outnumber openings six to one, the worst ratio since the government began tracking open positions in 2000. According to the Labor Department’s latest numbers, from July, only 2.4 million full-time permanent jobs were open, with 14.5 million people officially unemployed. And even though the pace of layoffs is slowing, many companies remain anxious about growth prospects in the months ahead, making them reluctant to add to their payrolls. “There’s too much uncertainty out there,” said Thomas A. Kochan, a labor economist at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management. “There’s not going to be an upsurge in job openings for quite a while, not until employers feel confident the economy is really growing.” Duh. What the fuck do people expect? The United States wilingly destroyed its manufacturing base and outsourced most of the jobs. We all can’t be cashiers at WallyWorld. The last I heard, capitalism only works if folks got the money to buy shit. Hey, somebody tell that commie rat Marx to stop laughing. And lately, the only thing a Visa card is good for is cutting your throat. Maybe I’m wrong, but wouldn’t it be a great idea if this country made a serious investment in our infrastructure? Besides creating jobs, it would make me (and a bunch of other people) feel a lot better knowing the bridge I’m driving on ain’t gonna fall down. Fat chance. If the Republicans and the treasonous Blue Dog Democrats are able to kill the public option in Obama’s timid, not-so-ambitious health care plan, did you think they’ll let keep any of his other empty promises? No wonder my father idolized FDR. That was a president who knew how to get things done. As he told opponents of the New Deal, “They hate me, and I welcome their hatred.” Bipartisanship, my ass. In enacting sweeping social reforms, Roosevelt was more of a gangsta than Obama will ever be. Anyway, at least it'll be easy to find the unemployment office. Just follow the long long line over there.