Shumlin To Sign Health Care Exchange Bill
Wednesday, 05/16/12 6:06am
Gov. Peter Shumlin is set to approve the next step in a multi-year effort to revamp Vermont's health care system.
A bill Shumlin will sign today calls for setting up a regulated health care marketplace - or "exchange" - in keeping with the federal health care reform law passed two years ago.
Vermont plans to use the exchange as a springboard to launch a system as close as possible to a single-payer health insurance program by 2017.
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/94518/shumlin-to-sign-health-care-exchange-bill/
A bill Shumlin will sign today calls for setting up a regulated health care marketplace - or "exchange" - in keeping with the federal health care reform law passed two years ago.
Vermont plans to use the exchange as a springboard to launch a system as close as possible to a single-payer health insurance program by 2017.
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/94518/shumlin-to-sign-health-care-exchange-bill/
37 comments:
Hooray, hooray for Vermont!!!!
Yep on the Yay! And Howie's first, too!
This is especially touching for me, as I've been struggling with the medical bills post Achalasia/Heller. Or sorta. I've been your proverbial deer in the headlights.
*Tomorrow* I have an appointment with the outreach person at my health care facility, who's going to help me open, sort, and communicate with those I still owe, post-medicare. I'm so grateful for the assistance, I simply wept after making the appointment.
I've never really had to deal with medical bills like this ever before, and need to say, it is just plain terrifying.
I think of myself as an enabled, bright, and competent person. That is NOT the person I've been for the past six months. Blubbering idiot comes closer to the trooth. Beyond sobering.
And bless my health care provider who has a BIG sign in the office: Medical care will not be denied because of inability to pay.
blessings puddle. I have felt the same about bills in general since I have been out of work/working pt due to the back and hip.
Sympathies, Jo. I'd always been able to make it work before by "downsizing" -- working it around so I *needed* less. I guess I've just hit that place where I *can't* any more: I'm right AT the bottom. Catfood might be attractive, but it costs more than what I DO eat, lol! And both animals, in fact, eat more and more what I eat. Eggs, cottage cheese, chicken. Occasionally cheese, and sometimes sausage. Cheesecake if cream cheese is on sale. Gasoline/town trips are rationed (no great loss, lol! I *hate* going to town, though I love the trip to and from). And the internets are the cheapest entertainment around. And gardening the best exercise. I normally don't feel *put* upon, but the rain of medical bills for the past few months has been beyond overwhelming. Action is going to feel *good.*
Puddle, hope this all works out for you. Also that you and Jo can both stay well.
All medical provider's should have your doc's sign!
this is just awesome - click over to listen to him!
Posted: May 15, 2012 10:41 PM EDT Updated: May 16, 2012 9:41 AM EDT
By WCAX News - bio | email
BURLINGTON, Vt. -
A big night for the Vermont state poetry champion-- Claude Mumbere came in second in the national finals in Washington, D.C.
Claude Mumbere is a Burlington High School senior. He recited Lord Byron's "She Walks In Beauty" in the last of three rounds Tuesday. The National Poetry Out Loud contest draws state champions from across the country together for two days of competition.
Mumbere was born in the Congo but moved to the U.S. eight years ago. His second place finish gives him some big bragging rights and a cool $10,000 in prize money.
http://www.wcax.com/story/18431002/vt-high-schooler-places-2nd-in-national-poetry-competition
oops!
geez! the Gov was in a crash yesterday!
... Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean was forced to cut a radio interview short on Tuesday when he got into a car accident.
Dean was visiting Montreal and talking U.S. politics with the city's CJAD radio from a car, when a loud crunch was heard on his end of the phone.
“I’m going to have to -- goodbye. We just got hit by a car,” Dean said, telling the host that everybody in his car was fine. Dean was reportedly not driving the vehicle he was in.
Rand told OpenFile Montreal the interview had just begun when the crash occurred.
"I heard a thud and I figured somebody had just dropped something in the car," he said. "Then I heard somebody say, 'Oh no!'"
Rand said the taping was put on hold until Dean called him back about 20 minutes later. When asked about the crash, Dean said a taxi had hit the car but that he laughed it off.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/howard-dean-car-accident-interview_n_1521989.html
YIKES! I watched Howard on Big Eddie last night and was thrilled that we decided to watch him instead of catching the last 10 minutes of Rachel that we had taped.
See, we go to the gym and walk on the treadmill from 6 to 7 which is when Rach is on here in WA. In the meantime, Burt is taping Rach just incase we can't get a treadmill with a tv screen. So since all we had missed was the last 10 min, I decided to go ahead and watch Eddie. Good instincts!
Oh, after the hour on the treadmill, we do 40 - 60 min of weight training, too. Other than losing weight, not seeing much difference in muscles.
According to Thom Hartmann and others it looks like the Repubs are intent on dragging us through another debt limit debate--playing,of course, by their rules only.
I am so glad for the discussion here about the difference
in Repubs and conservatives (brain) approach. Might help to keep my bp down--when I do feel obliged to read/listen to them.
It is hard enough to be around them when they are part of ones family or acquaintance group!
Thanks all for your explanations.
Hi Friends,
At a motel after 9 hours of driving. Dallas is a nightmare, like entwined grapevines, at least 10 highways intersecting and fanning out.
I'm so glad for the insurance exchanges, Jo. Colorado has one too, though our attorney general makes us one of the state suing to overturn the health care bill.
Medical bills are frightening. There's so little control over cost, and it was true that the major cause of bankruptcy was health care for families when something catastrophic occurred.
Medicare does negotiate with hospitals and laboratories, and sometimes most of the cost is forgiven. Take heart, Jo and Puddle.
We noticed much more integration in New Orleans, among couples, friends, and in establishments. One of the blessings Obama has brought is confidence and inclusion, a cultural factor but hugely important.
Sad note: according to our web page, Walker in Wisconsin is ahead of the recall effort at this point.
We're two tired drivers, but our trip was much needed. As always, we'll return home a little changed, with a new perspective.
Green cool day so far. Due for a high of 72º. Kind of gray, yet, but forecasted for clear. Off to town around noon for bookkeeping and grocery shopping. The fun never ends, eh?
Hallo all,
Mine was the last post on the last thread, so you may have missed it. We were away over the weekend at our son's PhD graduation. I'm still in "catch up" mode.
{{{ ♥ puddle ♥ }}}
Hoping your visit today goes super well. Please keep us posted.
Any more word on how Tanner and his Mom are doing?
I'm much relieved that no one was injured when the taxi hit the car that Howard Dean was driving!! Actually, the article said no one in the car that Dean was in was injured. Any word on the taxi driver and any passengers?
On April 27th, Howard changed his FB photo. It is now a photo from the Campaign with a mass of blue DEAN signs. Could he be considering running again?
Sounds like Tanner's still in need of candles!
Megan Nielsen
16 hours ago
I try so hard to chill when we are at the hospital, but every now and then i get irritated by certain people. Today it happens to be his nurse. She wanted to do new IV's in tanner since the two he has are 48 hours old. They are still working so i saw no need for it, and thought we should wait, at least until they actually went! So, I ran to get lunch, and get back 10 minutes later and she has him convinced to take them out! But she didn't tell him he had to get another one until they were out! Then he asks what will happen if he doesn't get another one (meaning, is there a medicine i can swallow, instead of IV)... and she says "well, then we would call someone and tell them you aren't cooperating. And then you wouldn't get better and your pneumonia would get worse and they would have to cut you open!" SERIOUSLY!!!!
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=tanner
congrats to your son, listener.
fyi, Howard was in the cab, not driving. it's great that they're all okay!
thank you for the update on Tanner.
Howard *wasn't* driving. But I 'spect if anyone in the taxi was hurt, he'd have reported it. Also 'spect that it's hard to get up enough speed inside Montreal to really hurt anybody. Sorta like NYC, lol! Pain in the butt to drive there, but not all that dangerous.
I'm not alone in thinking that nurse should be canned and disbarred. To do that to a sick child as a way of working around a mother is unconscionable! Nursing is a field she does NOT belong in.
Lol! Recent facebook convo:
Toscha Ladd
58 minutes ago via Mobile ·
Facebook provides everyone a way to publish their story, and I find it very interesting to observe the narratives people choose to promote. (Even if you post nothing about yourself, you are making editorial decisions every update, like, share that says something about you.) And by interesting I mean depressing.
Like · · Unfollow post
Mimosa Shah likes this.
Julie Li Toascha, most of my friends narratives actually make me pretty hopeful for the human race. . . Loves ya!
9 minutes ago · Like · 1
Toscha Ladd Gonna go friend all Julie's peeps...
7 minutes ago via Mobile · Unlike · 1
Julie Li Jeepers, lol! Let's try again: *Toscha* and *friends' narratives*. . . . (Main problem is I *think* of you as "poemless". . . .)
5 minutes ago · Like
Julie Li Lotta Deaniacs on that list!
3 minutes ago · Like
Toscha Ladd Haha, I almost wrote "puddle's peeps" but was afraid non-bfa types would think I were mad!
3 minutes ago via Mobile · Unlike · 1
Toscha Ladd Deaniacs do indeed make me hopeful for the human race.
about a minute ago via Mobile · Like
Julie Li ME too!
A few seconds ago · Like
Tanner's nurse should CERTAINLY be off his case--and immediately disciplined. I would report her to every
known authority at the facility he is in and to nursing orgs--and state authorities. Had five
young 'uns in and out of hospitals for serious and not so serious situations--never heard of such horrible treatment. Do we have a new generation of non-caring and non- respectful nurses?
Puddle, they do that to more than just children. That's the way my dad was treated before they sent him home with hospice. That's the way they treated my friends mother for 2 months before she finally passed. What has become of the caring nurses represented by Nurse Teri???
Julie Li
Meg, that woman sounds sociopathic! At *minimum* she needs to be kept from *any* children. Might be a better thing if she returned to clerking at a drug store. That is SO FAR BEYOND WRONG I can hardly find a label to describe it. A few years ago, I had a patient on hospice, and her visiting nurse wanted to inspect between her toes. Since she was a heart patient, she didn't see the need, and refused. On the basis of that refusal, the nurse recommended withdrawal of support. Angie contested, and even her primary care physician showed up at the hearing, suggesting it was insane to file such a report. Last I heard, the woman was working at Drug Fair. And pity her customers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also need to say that one of Angie's trips to ER, she refused to let them do a blood gases (her experience had been that she lost feeling in the hand of the wrist they did it in for about four months after). *They held her down and did it anyways.* She filed a suit against the hospital, which was resolved when all *seven* people were disciplined. They *never* gave her any guff after that.
She also lectured the head of cardiac surgery when, on rounds, he walked in, tossed her gown over her head and began the routine. She slammed the gown back down and told him: Dammit! I'm NOT a doll! I'm HUMAN and I deserve some respect!! He apologized on the spot, and told his med students to take note: The patient was *absolutely* right!
Loved that woman! I sometimes used to think she lived so long, and went through so much in order to help others. And I think she did.
I'm back but having a hard time posting.
that nurse is NO nurse! that was cruel and uncalled for!
I'm off! Bookkeeping mercies, please!
xox
Bookkeeping Mercies
coming up, Puddle!!!
Best, best wishes.
Well, done. And now the wait. I ended applying for Medicaid, which I've evidently been eligible for for ten years, or so. Feels like defeat, but I don't really see any way around it. The upside? If I get it, my kids can throw me in a nursing home with no wait, lol! Retaining the last scraps of tattered dignity, I turned down (for the time being) a handicap hanger for the car.
Bette Davis was right: Getting old is *not* for sissies!
Adjusting from being the helper bee to the helpee bee is no damn fun, fer shur.
not easy to do puddle but goodonya!
RIP Donna Summer - what a sweet lady with a beautiful voice.
As you may, or may not, recall, I have never supported Timmy's appointment to
and retention of the Sec Treas office.
PBS Frontline revealed that even Larry Summers was advocating for some
Government regulatory fire and brimstone to
fall on Wall Street after the meltdown and bailouts:
Dig Deeper: What You Need to Know About the Financial Crisis | Money, Power and
Wall Street | FRONTLINE |
PBShttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/business-economy-financial-crisis/money-power-wall-street/dig-deeper-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-financial-crisis/
But, the President was persuaded to go Timmy's way and be nice and generous to
the banks - for stability's sake I suppose.
Robert Reich found it incredible that so much public money good be shoveled out
without any explicit, widely shared, public benefit from banking policy changes
being negotiated in return. And, indeed, it was thus far the 21st century's
biggest loss in the squandered opportunities department.
But we live in the present, and based on tonight's Newshour interview:
Geithner: Again With the Debt-Limit Debate? 'I Don't Understand it' | PBS
NewsHour | May 17, 2012 | PBS
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june12/geithner_05-17.html
I find Timmy-boy has matured and found some footing as a politician.
He could be an asset for Obama and the Democrats if they put up a serious
election year fight dismissing concerns over the current annual deficit and
arguing that hyper budgetary cuts to reduce it cannot be the tail wagging the
fragile economy dog.
First, Beat the GOP.
No worries...I fixed a key typo...
So, puddle. Here's a story to share with Megan.
Back when I was a chaplain on a cardiac unit, I followed patients from the cardiac intermed unit pre-surgery through the cardiac step-down unit post-surgery. They had different nurses on each unit, but their docs followed them. Once, I got beeped by a local clergy person around 5:30am, asking for my help. A member of his parish had just been condescended to in a very bad way by a doctor. I went to visit the patient and saw that she was a certain very sweet woman I'd met before her surgery. We'll call her Mary. Mary was now being labeled "a complainer." I knew that wasn't true. So I got up early the next day and was present when the offending doctor made rounds. He was not an MD but a PA. He responded to Mary's questions with impatience and derision, using medical terminology she couldn't possibly understand.
I was so infuriated that it took three fellow chaplains to calm me down.
Then I did what needed to be done. The first thing I did was speak with Mary. I learned that she was a diabetic and worried because her leg hurt unbearably even though her surgery was two days before. Next I went to the Head Nurse and explained the situation, asking what she might do to help. Within 15 minutes she'd sent a Pediatric Cardiologist to speak with Mary. He came in wearing a Sesame Street scrub shirt and red sneakers, and was so compassionate and calm. Upon examination he discovered that the woman's leg was infected at the site where the docs had removed vein from Mary's leg to use at her heart!! She was in great danger unless something was done.
So Mary got taken care of and went home doing much better.
Meanwhile, I went to Patient Relations and reported the PA. They were super professional and believed everything I told them. Soon afterward they told me that the offending PA had been sent off for remedial training in bedside manner...!
Patient Relations has real power. The are highly respected by everyone at the hospital because their work saves the hospital a lot of money in potential lawsuits.
I hope Megan has access to Patient Relations and a Chaplaincy Office.
Prayers ensuing!
Thanks for that, publius! Interesting read. Hope it takes. . . .
And thank you, too, listener. Will send it along. xox
I've been mulling this, and feel strongly that the hospital needs to send a skilled pediatrician in to talk with Tanner and tell him that nurse was wrong. He needs to hear it from a higher authority than a nurse, and he needs to hear it from a medical person and not just Mom. He needs to get well and sleep well at night, without the fear of not getting well or being cut open...! He also deserves an apology from the nurse, and so does Megan. If it isn't tended fast enough, Megan should take it to the hospital Administrator. In fact, buy a local paper and see which journalist would best champion the story, just incase.
Holler if LTEs would help!
Done, listener!
AND
well done listener!
and lmao over Americans Elect!
New thread!!
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