• About
  • Contact
  • Editorial
  • Policies
  • Archives
Angry Bear
Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.
  • US/Global Economics
  • Taxes/regulation
  • Healthcare
  • Law
  • Politics
  • Climate Change
  • Social Security
  • Hot Topics
« Back

Open thread Jan. 6, 2011

Dan Crawford | January 6, 2012 4:43 pm

Tags: open thread Comments (9) | Digg Facebook Twitter |
9 Comments
  • save_the_rustbelt says:
    January 6, 2012 at 11:05 pm

    News on a quiet Saturday evening:

    Item #1:

    More research indicating that annual PSA screening for prostate cancer does not cut mortality.

    My own doc put me on an every four year testing schedule due to good numbers. I still get the annual invasive exam, as it costs nothing extra. Ouch.

    Item #2:

    The Department of Labor is starting to issue citations for violation of the breast pumping regulations in 2010 health care bill. I’m guessing most employers do not have a clue, unless in a state with previous regulations.

    Item #3:

    Multiple news reports this week on physicians in financial trouble. I’ll do a post next week.

    Item #4:

    More problems in the US with drug shortages. No easy solution in sight.

  • ilsm says:
    January 7, 2012 at 8:47 am

    Pyongyang funk……………..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lwoSFQb5HVk 

    Thanks to Brad De Long.

  • Jack says:
    January 7, 2012 at 9:11 am

    rusty,
    If so that has to be regional.  Specialties count.  It’s hard to imagine that in metro urban regions (remember, ” ’cause that’s where the money is”) doctors are hurting.   I’m seeing opthos, cardios, dermos, etc. reporting well over $500K annually.  Granted that others make less, but they’re still in the top fraction of the 1% as a group, in those regionals.

  • Jack says:
    January 7, 2012 at 9:20 am

    Here’s a point that has been on my mind for a while now.  Think about it.  I assume that many of you out there know a good number of the poor as well as a substantial number of the very wealthy.  I’m not talking about your friends, but, instead, the people you may be acquainted with enough so that their ideas are occasionally shared.  Here’s the point.  I have rarely, if ever, met a poor person who cried for more than they have.  Wish they had better circumstances?  Sure!!  But complain frequently about what they don’t have as opposed to what they ight need?  Rarely. 

    Now think about the frequent topics of conversation amongst your very wealthy acquaintances.  The point?  They never have enough so that they didn’t wish either that they had more or, and more frequently, that someone like the poor and the government, that ally of the poor, was always looking to take away what they have.  It seems to be a fact of their existence, their collective mind set, that the government is always looking to give their money to the poor, that they could always use more in income or less taxes. 

    Those of us in the middle are a mixed bag on this point.  Always tasting the good life nearly enough to want some more, but happy not to be down there at the lower rungs with the poor.

  • Jack says:
    January 7, 2012 at 11:29 am

    Sorry, but I meant to indicate that my reply is to point #3.

  • ilsm says:
    January 7, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    With the bluster going on in New Hampshire, and all little is making news about the impending hand wringing by the generals and their future employers over the tiny cuts to the bloated war department.

     

    The attached chart is from OMB historical tables 3-1 and 10-1.

     

    Notes the cuts imposed by the debt deal are about $1000B over $7800B expected business plans going out 10 years.

     

    Less than 15% reduction while reductions after Korea, Vietnam and the cold war ran over 30% off peak.

     
    See the chart.

  • save_the_rustbelt says:
    January 8, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    It is both regional, by specialties and sometimes by sub-specialties.

    CArdiologists with heavy Medicare practices are suffering, certain oncologists have a broken business model, etc.

    Family practice is getting whacked most places.

  • Jack says:
    January 9, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    Pity the poor internal medicine practitioner.  The insurance industry is hanging them out to dry.  The insured are pouring a fortune of premium payments into a system with a perculairly high over head some someone has to suffer the loss. 

    “Cardiologists with heavy Medicare practices…”?  Is there some other kind?  Would that be the opposite of an oxymoron?  There are cariological studies that differentiate between young and old patient groups by those under and over 70 years of age.  http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/738954.  And what physician doesn’t have a Medicare practice, and why would such a practice prove to be sub-par financially speaking.  I hear lots of physicians complain about intended cuts in Medicare rates, but I don’t hear any cardios looking for an under 65 patient group.  That might be the equivalent of Diogenes and his search for an honest man.

  • Jack says:
    January 9, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Pity the poor internal medicine practitioner.  The insurance industry is hanging them out to dry.  The insured are pouring a fortune of premium payments into a system with a perculairly high over head so someone has to suffer the loss.   
     
    “Cardiologists with heavy Medicare practices…”?  Is there some other kind?  Would that be the opposite of an oxymoron?  There are cariological studies that differentiate between young and old patient groups by those under and over 70 years of age.  http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/738954
    .  And what physician doesn’t have a Medicare practice, and why would such a practice prove to be sub-par financially speaking.  I hear lots of physicians complain about intended cuts in Medicare rates, but I don’t hear any cardios looking for an under 65 patient group.  That might be the equivalent of Diogenes and his search for an honest man.

Featured Stories

Labor has gained and Corporations have been sucking up the lion’s share of all gains

NewDealdemocrat

Why are so many long-shot Republicans running against Trump?

Eric Kramer

You May Be Wondering About Angry Bear’s Dan

run75441

Scenes from the April employment report: the Fed just can’t kill the employment “beast”

NewDealdemocrat

Contributors

Dan Crawford
Robert Waldmann
Barkley Rosser
Eric Kramer
ProGrowth Liberal
Daniel Becker
Ken Houghton
Linda Beale
Mike Kimel
Steve Roth
Michael Smith
Bill Haskell
NewDealdemocrat
Ken Melvin
Sandwichman
Peter Dorman
Kenneth Thomas
Bruce Webb
Rebecca Wilder
Spencer England
Beverly Mann
Joel Eissenberg

Subscribe

Blogs of note

    • Naked Capitalism
    • Atrios (Eschaton)
    • Crooks and Liars
    • Wash. Monthly
    • CEPR
    • Econospeak
    • EPI
    • Hullabaloo
    • Talking Points
    • Calculated Risk
    • Infidel753
    • ACA Signups
    • The one-handed economist
Angry Bear
Copyright © 2023 Angry Bear Blog

Topics

  • US/Global Economics
  • Taxes/regulation
  • Healthcare
  • Law
  • Politics
  • Climate Change
  • Social Security
  • Hot Topics
  • US/Global Economics
  • Taxes/regulation
  • Healthcare
  • Law
  • Politics
  • Climate Change
  • Social Security
  • Hot Topics

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial
  • Policies
  • Archives