When Democracy Weakens - NYTimes.com

When Democracy Weakens - NYTimes.com: This column covers what is at the heart of why we can't move faster to reform our health care payment system. If this link to the NYT doesn't work for you, try this link to a copy.

15 Executives Who Get Paid Millions To Deny You Health Care Coverage | Wall St. Cheat Sheet

15 Executives Who Get Paid Millions To Deny You Health Care Coverage | Wall St. Cheat Sheet:
[If that link doesn't work, the article can be viewed at this url.]
This shows the exorbitant salaries insurance execs are getting. Even the so called non-profit HMO ones are at our health care trough way too big time. You can search and find examples in your area like this:

Michael Morrow, Blue Plus (subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of MN): $1,800,962

Mary Brainerd, HealthPartners: $1,583 ,080

David Tilford, Medica: $1,198,541

Nancy Feldman, U Care: $658,027

Then look at how administrative costs/salaries at hospitals and clinics have skyrocketed. That cost of health care has risen much, much faster than the pay of doctors and other providers. Salary at even small non-profit hospitals often exceeds half a million. These high exec. salaries seem driven by the corporate culture in the country which says you have to pay them like pro-athletes and movie stars in order to make money for the company. Reform of CEO pay levels is right up there with the need to reform campaign contribution laws.

Rationing is not the only alternative | StarTribune.com

Rationing is not the only alternative | StarTribune.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
This is a good response from a PNHP doc regarding whether and how we ration medical care.
An excerpt: "

It is highly misleading to tell the public that our choice is between continued high numbers of uninsured people or rationing. Our choice is continued high numbers of the uninsured vs. cutting the enormous administrative waste and corporate profit out of our system with a single-payer system that allows us to lower the prices we pay for medical services, drugs and devices to levels paid in other countries."

In case the article is dropped from the Trib. website it is available here.

HMO Ripoff

PMAP Presentation (11.17.10) on Vimeo: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

PMAP Presentation (11.17.10) from PMAP Reform on Vimeo.

Review of Impact on Medicare Program for Investment Income That Medicare Advantage Organizations Earned and Retained From Medicare Funds in 2007

Report Office of Audit Services Office of Inspector General

This report could help with information concerning how the insurance companies are wasting our Medicare money and how Congress keeps screwing up the simplicity of how Medicare was intended to operate.