Private Health Insurance

College is expensive enough without having to pay for something you're already getting. Yet many parents are spending hundreds of dollars more than necessary each year on health care for their student. Most students are covered under a parent's insurance. That's good, because even young adults can be hit with a medical emergency. Problem is, campus health centers rarely accept that insurance. "So parents are paying for insurance they're not able to use for their son or daughter," says James A. Boyle, president of the advocacy group College Parents of America.

Like most 3-year-olds, Mariah Venable is a climber and a jumper. And sometimes she lands on her face instead of her legs. Her acrobatic attempts have cost her two baby teeth already - and have left her mother thankful she has good dental insurance. "You have to start on their teeth early so they don't have issues when they get older," said Cheryl Venable, who recently took her daughter - smiling wide through the gaps - to a city clinic that offers dental care to low-income and uninsured families.

Like most 3-year-olds, Mariah Venable is a climber and a jumper. And sometimes she lands on her face instead of her legs. Her acrobatic attempts have cost her two baby teeth already - and have left her mother thankful she has good dental insurance. "You have to start on their teeth early so they don't have issues when they get older," said Cheryl Venable, who recently took her daughter - smiling wide through the gaps - to a city clinic that offers dental care to low-income and uninsured families.

March is observed across the nation as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Many survivors, patients, caregivers and others whose lives have been affected by colorectal cancer come together to generate awareness of the importance of getting screened and also encouraging loved ones to get screened. According to the American Cancer Society, excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States. In 2013, the American Cancer Society estimates 102,480 new cases of colon cancer and 40,340 new cases of rectal cancer will be reported.

WASHINGTON -- In an effort to shift federal costs to private health insurers, the Bush administration is proposing new measures to compel Medicare beneficiaries to file claims with any private insurers before the government pays anything for services provided by doctors or hospitals.That is what they are supposed to do under current law, but in practice Medicare pays many claims that have already been paid by private insurers or should have been.Several million of the 30 million elderly people enrolled in Medicare are also employed and have private health insurance through their employers.

WASHINGTON -- In an effort to shift federal costs to private health insurers, the Bush administration is proposing new measures to compel Medicare beneficiaries to file claims with any private insurers before the government pays anything for services provided by doctors or hospitals.That is what they are supposed to do under current law, but in practice Medicare pays many claims that have already been paid by private insurers or should have been.Several million of the 30 million elderly people enrolled in Medicare are also employed and have private health insurance through their employers.

The op-ed by Drs. Joshua M. Sharfstein and Laura Herrera and Charles Milligan ("Caring about costs, too," Sept. 27) offers a compelling set of recommendations to improve the quality of health care while reducing costs. Unfortunately, they neglected to describe the best single evidence-based practice - eliminating private health insurance. Private health insurance adds only costs, but no value, to the delivery of health services. A Cambridge Medical Care Foundation study found that 31 percent of health care spending in the U.S. - equal to more than $600 billion annually - pays for administration, marketing, and the profits of private insurance.

THE Clinton administration will soon find out why health-care reform is so difficult.The reason is that for most people the health system is satisfactory.Although about one in seven has no insurance, most of the uninsured are children or young adults, who use physicians and hospitals rarely.Another one in seven, on Medicaid, is likely to receive less than optimal care, but deficiencies also characterize his or her housing, income, food and education.A further one in seven may face serious trouble when confronting catastrophic illness or injury because of shallow insurance coverage.

Did you know that experts predict our children will be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? You ask, why? Today, children drink more sugar-sweetened beverages than their parents, as children. Too much sugar in the diet, especially in liquid form, has been linked to development of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many more diseases. Sugar-sweetened beverages supply half of the added sugar in the diets of 12-17-year-olds and one-third of the added sugar in diets of 2-5-year-olds.

James Burdick sanctimoniously dismisses the legitimate concerns of opponents of the Affordable Care Act and universal care as "dogmatic bluster" ("Universal care on the horizon," July 13). He then goes on to sugarcoat the rationing of health care, stating that "cutting overutilization is a major goal" and that "quality is precisely the clinically correct test or treatment chosen by the doctor and patient together - no more, no less. " That's what we already have under the current system.

Did you know that experts predict our children will be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? You ask, why? Today, children drink more sugar-sweetened beverages than their parents, as children. Too much sugar in the diet, especially in liquid form, has been linked to development of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many more diseases. Sugar-sweetened beverages supply half of the added sugar in the diets of 12-17-year-olds and one-third of the added sugar in diets of 2-5-year-olds.

The op-ed by Drs. Joshua M. Sharfstein and Laura Herrera and Charles Milligan ("Caring about costs, too," Sept. 27) offers a compelling set of recommendations to improve the quality of health care while reducing costs. Unfortunately, they neglected to describe the best single evidence-based practice - eliminating private health insurance. Private health insurance adds only costs, but no value, to the delivery of health services. A Cambridge Medical Care Foundation study found that 31 percent of health care spending in the U.S. - equal to more than $600 billion annually - pays for administration, marketing, and the profits of private insurance.

James Burdick sanctimoniously dismisses the legitimate concerns of opponents of the Affordable Care Act and universal care as "dogmatic bluster" ("Universal care on the horizon," July 13). He then goes on to sugarcoat the rationing of health care, stating that "cutting overutilization is a major goal" and that "quality is precisely the clinically correct test or treatment chosen by the doctor and patient together - no more, no less. " That's what we already have under the current system.

With a far more contentious hearing than expected before the Supreme Court, President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act (ACA) could be struck down by a sharply divided court when it rules in June. If that happens, insurance will continue to be priced beyond the means of many. It is therefore prudent to look at possible alternatives for these Americans. Fortunately, a proven model exists today in Howard County: the Healthy Howard Health Plan. With some changes to its financing structure, it could emerge as a viable option for Americans who will not be able to afford to buy insurance should the ACA be struck down.

Politicians and presidents of both parties have occasionally suffered from open-mic syndrome, saying something when they thought the microphone was turned off they wished had not been made public. The latest to fall prey to that amplification of the mouth is President Barack Obama. The president told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during their Monday meeting in Seoul, South Korea, that once re-elected, he would have "more flexibility" to deal with missile defense. The president asked Mr. Medvedev to relay to incoming President Vladimir Putin his request for "patience" and "space.

Rush Limbaugh is the reigning shock jock of conservative political punditry - insults, outrage and outsized bluster are his stock in trade - so it takes quite an uproar for him to apologize. But that's what he has done at least twice now, if unconvincingly, after calling 30-year-old Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and "prostitute" for testifying to a Congressional panel in favor of the Obama administration's birth control mandate. Last week's personal attack was outrageous, particularly given that Ms. Fluke's testimony was never about her desire to have "recreational sexual activities" as Mr. Limbaugh continued to describe the matter in his on-line apology.

WASHINGTON -- An unusual coalition of major corporations, labor unions and consumer groups today was to announce a radical plan for health care reform, including mandatory medical contributions by businesses and a national health care budget with tough cost controls on payments to doctors and hospitals.Under the proposal, major segments of the big business community, where health insurance coverage is routine, are demanding for the first time that all companies -- large and small -- provide insurance to employees or else contribute to a public program.

Bell's RecordWhile reading John P. Greenspan's letter (Oct. 30) concerning Judge Robert Bell, I was struck by what seemed to be an obvious misstatement of Judge Bell's record.Although Mr. Greenspan did not identify the four-month period to which he had reference, I reviewed Court of Appeals cases for the period May, 1991, when Judge Bell joined the court, through August, 1992, and I could find no four-month period during which Judge Bell did not vote to affirm a conviction in an appropriate case.

College is expensive enough without having to pay for something you're already getting. Yet many parents are spending hundreds of dollars more than necessary each year on health care for their student. Most students are covered under a parent's insurance. That's good, because even young adults can be hit with a medical emergency. Problem is, campus health centers rarely accept that insurance. "So parents are paying for insurance they're not able to use for their son or daughter," says James A. Boyle, president of the advocacy group College Parents of America.

Wow, if you dare speak out in favor of a government program, your kitchen cabinets better not have glass fronts. Heaven forbid you cry poor but your wedding merited an announcement in The New York Times. And for God's sake, don't live on the same block as someone whose house sold for $485,000. I've often wondered when all the pent-up sanctimony that has collected in the blogosphere over the years would reach the point of explosion. Well, beware of flying shards of indignation and toxic clouds of righteousness -- the Graeme Frost hysteria may finally make the whole gasbagosphere go kablooie.