Common Sense Hailed As Innovation.

To give everyone an idea how backward healthcare administration is in this country, read the following report touting the bold innovation instituted by CIGNA, making Quicken software available to some its members.

Only now, under the treat of regulation, does one the nation’s largest carriers make a step to help members organize their own healthcare records by offering access to a software program widely available to the public for decades. We’ve got a long way to go to fix this mess.

Story:

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/cigna-makes-quicken-software-available-health-plans

A Root of the Problem

Great article below uncovering a root of our current financial disaster.  The euphoria of prosperity clouded reason.  Despite the hysteria, a few were wise enough to see the inherent dangers and voice their dissent.

We must never forget that the past is a guide to our future.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/05/business/congress-passes-wide-ranging-bill-easing-bank-laws.html

Expanding Out By Dumbing Down

Expanding Out By Dumbing Down

NBC Universal is changing the name of its SciFi Channel to SyFy based on a myriad of considerations including everything but proper use of the English language.  In order to offer a “broader range of content,” and have trademark control of the brand, NBC Universal will make it easier for people to forget the proper origins of its (granted, abbreviated) name.  Just as doughnuts became donuts and drive throughs became drive thrus, sci-fi will only bear a scant trace of its original foundations, science and fiction. Soon enough, SyFy will enter the lexicon of blogs, texting, and likely find its own dictionary entry.  Make no mistake, this is entirely due to corporate policy, i.e. greed; the need for a brand to be “own-able, portable, extendable.”  And I have to say that I agree that it makes perfect business sense, you should be able to control your own brand.  But I have a problem with the collateral result of empowering a bunch of idiots who will have even further difficulty being able to spell properly.

I am not a fan of text-speak, questions beginning with contractions, or dumbed down abbreviations.  Moreover, I don’t find corporate creations legitimate additions to the language.  You will not ever see me describe something as gr8 when it is, in fact, great. Language is beautiful and sacred.  It is organic and evolving.  Lexicon changes based on oral expression, and further feed written language.  This is why we, mercifully for the sake of time, no longer express ourselves like Geoffrey Chaucer.  Just as “on the morrow” is replaced by the more direct “tomorrow”, slang terms like “trainspotting” and “hook-up” rightfully find their space in official dictionaries.  But corporate constructs and laziness do not represent linguistic evolution.  They serve to further devolve the language.  Though the trend will continue and be inconsequential to most, I will be happy to voice my opposition.

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSTRE52F34W20090316

Rather Then Let It Crumble, Take It Down Brick By Brick

Rather Then Let It Crumble, Take It Down Brick By Brick

These days it is hard to look at the news without feeling daunted, dismayed, or disgusted.  Most stories, particularly anything involving financial services, cause us to feel all three.  I have been rendered inert by the preponderance of bad news flooding our society.  Revelations of corruption, extortion, and moral ambiguity by what were once seen as conservative pillars of responsibility have become so extensive that it is hard to know where to start.  Yet it is therefore a time when it has become more important than ever to be engaged and voice opinions.  Otherwise these travesties will continue on, and in greater number than they already have.  That is the lesson learned from the fleeting outrage brought by the collapse of Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom earlier this decade.  After only 5 years, we have been besieged by the complete pollution of the American finance, auto, and insurance industries.  Corruption is inherent in mankind and therefore eternal, but it can be tempered by an active society.  Technology has enabled us to find more forums, this blog being an example, but it has also allowed us to withdraw further into isolation with ipods, blackberries, and cell phones.  With multiple outlets, it is increasingly difficult to find a wide audience.  Major media outlets are all controlled by large corporations and have their own agendas, and when a comedian like Jon Stewart provides the loudest voice for journalistic integrity it is clear we are living in a state of decay.  But rather than succumb to the pollution that surrounds us we should root it out, reconstruct, and build anew.  This is an unprecedented time that requires renewed and profound vigilance.  All is not lost, there is still positive to be found, Jon Stewart being an example.  His frustration should inspire greater concert to us all to speak up and become involved.  Let the outcry shake out the corrupt in our government and our industries.  Let them hear from us on the streets and in our offices, as well as on the web.  This November marked a major step for change in our political system, but necessary work ahead will not be done solely by who in office.  We have to remain engaged for anything positive to take shape.  Prosperity will not be delivered, it is up to us to create it.

Bad Example

Take a moment to read the article below and the corresponding study by the  PNHP expressing the numerous flaws in Masschusetts’ so-called “universal” health system.  The study reflects the reality of the faulty program in Masschusetts, which is already nearing bankruptcy and dramatically increasing healthcare costs for low-income families.  Despite these shortcomings, the soundbyte of offering a universal system is powerful on the political stage, and has led many to look to Massachusetts as a prototype for nationwide healthcare reform.  Such a suggestion is ludicrous, and any attempt would be a colossal waste of time and resources serving only to exacerbate the healthcare dilemma we face.  I am unfamiliar with the single payer system suggested by the PNHP, but as stated in an earlier post, any proposed solution has its shortcomings.  Nevertheless, the Massachusetts system is a mess, shortsighted and outrageously expensive.  Any solution for increased access to healthcare will require a drastic reshaping of the medical insurance industry, which must increase coverage, release control of information and increase transparency; all measures that would negatively affect their profit margins and have heretofore been rejected.  But considering that 31 cents of every healthcare dollar is spent on administrative costs, shouldn’t there be a universal outcry to restrict the control of insurers?  They are clearly inefficient.  The government is certainly no model of efficiency, but there needs to be a unilateral move for reform.  That means collaboration from insurers, physicians, providers, and both state and federal government.  Quite an undertaking to be sure, but let’s hope we move forward with a better plan than the one enacted in Massachusetts.

The Failure of the Massachusetts Health Care System:

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/pnhp-massachusetts-healthcare-system-failure

Closed? No, We Didn’t Mean It

It turns out the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University will not be closed after all.  After heated public outcry, and impassioned letters by Brandeis faculty and Rose Museum staff, University President Jehuda Reinharz is pulling back on the decision to close the museum.  Clarifying his position, Reinharz offers contrition for the expedition and miscommunication caused by the board decision to sell of the Rose’s art collection, and is now stating that the museum will remain open.  Though certain pieces may still be put up for sale, the “crisis of confidence” caused by the board’s actions has led to a new path.
President Reinharz’s letter is available below:

http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/exhibitionist/2009/02/brandeis_presid.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed3

Art For Sale

Art For Sale

 

 

As higher learning institutions across the country are facing receding endowments, Brandeis is combating their losses by selling off a primary asset, their fine art collection.  The Rose Art Museum, home to a significant collection of modern art will be closed by late summer and transformed into a teaching facility and exhibition center.  Roughly 8000 pieces, including works by Andy Warhol, Walter de Koonig, and Roy Lichtenstein will go onto the auction block, with all proceeds being reinvested into the school. 

 

The art world will alternately wince and rejoice at the relinquishing of so many fine works.  For the prices they will fetch, Brandeis will prosper.  The economy should not hinder the number of suitors; they will be purchased by an echelon that is likely no more than inconvenienced by the current recession.   Of course, that means that each of these pieces will have a greater likelihood of going into a private collection and hang on someone’s wall, though a few will certainly find their way into larger museums and exhibition spaces.  But how many of us truly get to gaze upon original works?  How many have the opportunity to visit El Prado, The Hermitage, The Louvre, the Getty Center, and the Met in their lifetime?  And for those fortunate enough to do so, it is clear that it is only scratching the surface of the world’s great works. 

 

Art is an infinite language, and a wealth of it is held in private collections and residences.   We are exposed to much of it through textbooks, the internet and other media.  I’ve been to half of the museums listed above, and endeavor to make my way to the remainder.  Many of the world’s great works will never illuminate my own eyes, but they are out there to be cherished. My past moments of discovery in the centers above as well as The Carnegie Museum of Art, in the Reina Sofia, or le Musée d’Orsay still resonate in my mind as if they were happened only moments ago.  They always will.  The Rose Museum will close, and its works will be scattered, but they shall all live on future generations.  The loss is sad, but transient.  The art remains timeless.  

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/us/27museum.html?ref=us

A Different Tune

A Different Tune

 

Chrysler is demonstrating a willingness to change through their proposed merger with Fiat.  The two companies produce vehicles at opposite ends of the spectrum, Chrysler producing large, gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs, and Fiat producing small, fuel-efficient economy cars.  The move is one of necessity, as Chrysler is fighting for survival.  But this represents an open-mindedness to find a new path in order to sustain its business. 

 

This is exactly what companies need to do at all times.  However, American auto-makers have been particularly stubborn and resistant to change.  Their obstinance has led them to the point of collapse.  Forced to plead Congress for bailout funding, the government rightly imposed upon the automakers a quick deadline for a revised business model.  In order not to forfeit the $4 billion they received, Chrysler has until March 31 to implement plans for a new business model offering innovation, reduced debt and reduced labor costs.  Again, that is the general goal of any business worth their salt, but clout and power corrupt.  And we are witnessing the price that must be paid.  While the auto-makers appealed to the government for assistance, they were unprepared on their first attempt to face reality.  Looking like a bunch of spoiled brats expecting a blank check, trying to be certain they still had a chair once the music stopped, they had no refined vision, no plan to lift their companies out of the morass they had presided over. The government wisely learned from the mistakes made by the vagaries of the financial bailout, and sent the automakers home to do some reflecting and number crunching.  Their return plea was accepted, their funds granted, but with clear accountability. 

 

Chrysler is responding to the challenge.  Fiat offers them wider distribution, and more efficient vehicles.  Sales should increase, allowing debt to decrease.  The impending collaboration should help Chrysler catch up with the times, and not rely solely on hulking trucks and SUVs.  The world is getting smaller, and is no longer the United States’ oyster.  Cars are getting smaller too.  The demand for broad, powerful trucks will always be there.  But is not the vehicle of choice for the masses.  By expanding its offerings and opening itself to more foreign markets, Chrysler is making a move that is right for the times.  What is more encouraging is that the government bailout seems to have made a positive impression on the corporation.  Let’s hope that’s contagious for all businesses receiving federal funds. 

 

Fiat to Claim 35% Stake in Chrysler:

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/01/21/fiat_to_give_chrysler_technology_markets/

 

The Work Begins

The Work Begins

 

Today begins the reality of a new administration, in a very daunting time for the U.S.  The top priorities are stabilizing our economy and restructuring our military operations.  Though there are a myriad of additional challenges, one area that will soon come into focus is healthcare, which was a prime focus of Americans before the economic downturn.  In fact, the economy’s rapid deterioration is raising our healthcare crisis back to the surface. 

 

Since World War II, the majority of healthcare in this country is employer sponsored.  The skyrocketing costs of healthcare premiums have somewhat limited the prevalence of employer sponsored benefits, but employers still provide the vast majority of health insurance and healthcare is an employer’s second highest expense after payroll.  Beyond that, Americans still expect healthcare as a priority of their compensation.  What companies have had to do is share premium costs with their employees; one hundred percent coverage sliding down to ninety, seventy five, or even sixty percent, with the employees paying the remainder as a payroll deduction.  But as more and more companies falter, the ranks of the unemployed are increasing.  And as Americans lose their jobs, they are also losing their healthcare.  Although a former employee was used to paying a share of their healthcare premium, the true cost of health insurance is largely shielded from Americans.  The cost is staggering.  The average cost of family health insurance in 2009 is over $12,000.  Does paying over $1000 a month in premium seem reasonable?

 

Over the past decade, healthcare premiums have risen over 90%.  With no signs of slowing down, our healthcare is simply becoming unattainable for most Americans. The cost is driving many of our corporations into the ground, causing more layoffs, leading to fewer insured individuals who have no choice but to seek care in emergency rooms, which then makes the costs of healthcare premiums rise even higher for those who are insured.  What is truly sad is that, for spending more than any other country, our level of care is average compared to the rest of the world. 

 

Something must be done.  Healthcare insurers need to realize that a sea change is coming.  There needs to be a unified effort on behalf of the insurers and our government to find a solution.  The task is overwhelming, but the need is critical.  There are a variety of theories and approaches being discussed, all of which have their flaws as well as merits.  Highlighted here is Nobel-Prize winning economist Paul Krugman’s assessment and outline for a solution. (Story, http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/story.cms?id=9173 ).

 

Please offer your own thoughts and join the discussion. 

 

 

Americans Want Healthcare Addressed

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/story.cms?id=9174

 

Workday #1

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hJWeCOYuQewzuUL02wnZAZwFScgwD95RJ1Q80

Initiative

Initiative

 

Today is certainly a day of change and progress in the United States of America.  President Obama’s unprecedented victory is cemented.  Now is the time for leadership and action.  Our new president made a bold step by immediately addressing the myriad of challenges facing our nation.  He did not shy away from a crippled economy, overtaxed military, and tarnished global reputation.  Yet he did relent in his pledge to lead this nation in overcoming these factors.  Change will not come overnight, and will not be single handed.  Our lethargy and pride have enabled captains of industry to hollow out our economy with their greed, and our previous leaders to dupe us into believing in an immediate military threat.  Now comes a time for shared vigilance.  Our new president has addressed these challenges, and asked us, as a nation, to respond in concert.   Progress will take time, and require maximum effort, but with that effort hope can overturn despair.  This is the promise of leadership.  There are no guarantees.  But the goal is outlined.  Today we begin anew.