The Independent

This week, President Obama embarked on a public relations offensive hoping to convince skeptical Americans that the Democrats’ health care overhaul is good for them.  First up, the President held a nationally televised question-and-answer session with seniors to highlight the one-time, $250 rebate check that relatively few seniors will receive if they reach the Medicare Part D donut hole this year.  In fact, more than 9 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries will never receive one of these checks. Despite the PR campaign, the problem remains in the policy.  According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the $250 one-time check pales in comparison to the $8,980 per senior cut in Medicare spending under the law over the next ten years.  Because the new health care law harms seniors by slashing Medicare, Congressman Miller and his Republican colleagues will continue to fight to repeal the law.   

California single-payer plan advances Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau Friday, January 22, 2010 (01-22) 04:00 PST Sacramento - As national health care reform grew more uncertain, the California Legislature on Thursday pushed forward a controversial proposal to create a single-payer health system in the state. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 6-3 along party lines, with Democrats in favor of the proposal, which will be considered by the full Senate next week. The vote came two days after Massachusetts voters elected a Republican U.S. senator to fill the seat long held by Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy - putting President Obama's national health bill in jeopardy. Backers of the California plan said the timing was coincidental and due to legislative timelines. But political observers said the vote could come back to hurt state Democrats in November and viewed the move as motivated by the turmoil in Washington, D.C. Similar incarnations of the Cali...

November 25th, 2009, 5:00 am · Post a Comment · posted by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer There were 2,386 reports of adult abuse in Orange County in 1994. There were nearly triple that many - 6,380 - in Orange County last year. And 2009 is on track to break records, with 21 new reports every day, or some 7,500 this year. The vast majority of these involve seniors being taken advantage of in their own homes, by friends or family members who are supposed to be protecting them. “Often, the people being abused and neglected don’t want their family member to get in trouble, so they’re hesitant to report anything,” said Carol Mitchell, program manager for Orange County Adult Protective Services. “That’s the biggest threat people get - ‘If you call them to complain, they’re going to put you in a nursing home.‘ But that can’t happen. We don’t have the authority to do that. Our goal is to maintain people in their homes.” Abuse investigations fall into Mitchell’s lap when people live in pr...

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According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Senate Finance Committee’s health care mark, like the House health care bill, would mandate health insurance.  Specifically, beginning in July 2013, the proposal would establish a requirement for individuals to obtain insurance and would in many cases impose a financial penalty on people who did not do so.  Moreover, the Senate mark would allow the government to decide what health care insurance policies are acceptable, thereby limiting consumer choices and increasing government intrusion in personal decisions.  Although CBO estimates the modified Senate Finance Committee healthcare overhaul bill would cost $829 billion over 10 years and will decrease the deficit by $81 billion, this is accomplished by raising taxes by $500 billion on employers and those who already have insurance, as well as by cutting Medicare and Medicaid benefits by over $400 billion.  Furthermore, according to CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation, at l...

Q: I take several medications that need to be refrigerated. Should I be concerned about ordering them from Web sites and having them sent in the mail? A: Order only from sites that carry the VIPPS seal, indicating that they are Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites. Most major national chains, such as CVS and Walgreens, carry this seal. All these sites ship medicines requiring refrigeration on a rush basis, with cold packs to keep them at the right temperature. This is the same way drugs are shipped to pharmacies by wholesalers and manufacturers. Verified sites also require that someone be home to receive and sign for the refrigerated package -- this ensures that the medication will not sit outdoors and get too warm. If you are in doubt, check the shipping information listed on the Web site or call to confirm the shipping methods.

Mark Hyman, MD The UltraWellness Center The aging American population is facing a sharp increase in diagnosed cases of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia affect about 10% of people 65 and older. Among those in their mid-80s and older, up to half have a significant degree of cognitive impairment. Millions of younger Americans suffer from less obvious mental impairments, including mild memory loss and diminished alertness, as well as brain-related disorders, such as depression and chronic anxiety. Neurologists now believe that most mental impairments are caused by lifelong exposure to toxic agents, including pollution and tobacco, and to naturally occurring molecules that damage brain tissue and impair circulation to the brain. Research clearly shows that some foods can improve mental performance and help prevent long-term damage. Best choices... Sardines. They have two to three times more omega-3 fatty acids than most other fatty fish. Our bodies use omega-3s...