That's a Wrap

What a week! I am looking forward to some much-needed veg and recoup time.

A handful of random nuggets:

Lesson 1: If you have direct debit for anything, double check your account one in a while. My gym charged me $12 for two tanning sessions on Monday. Besides being a native Floridian and having an inherent distaste for the concept of fake baking, there is a very good reason why I don't tan anymore. I explained this to the gym rep who asked if I was positive I didn't charge tanning to my account. There is very little in this world I could be more sure of.

Lesson 2: CHIP is good for kids, but real, comprehensive health care reform is going to be so much better. Read this joint OpEd from the President of the Children's Defense Fund and my boss here at HCAN.

Lesson 3: There is no shortage of health care horror stories. A woman called this week and told me about when she had her gall bladder removed. The hospital billed her $35,000, including $80 for a disposable hospital gown. Here's the kicker: It wasn't $80 for her hospital gown. It was $80 for the gown the doctor wore during her surgery.

In other news and notes, Jason spent the last couple of days at the Families USA conference here in DC. His round-up is worth reading.

And before I duck out for the evening, the poem of the week's been updated, and you'll be able to read John's column here on Sunday. I can tell you he's decided to go for the Super Bowl theme. That's what you get with a poet who loves football. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Have a great weekend.

Poll Position

The first write is online about the poll results we released today. From Greg Sargent:

Celinda Lake’s Dem polling outfit, Lake Research, just conducted a new poll of 800 likely voters that, according to the firm, finds that the public strongly supports having the choice of a public health insurance plan and strongly rejects the insurance industry’s most cutting attacks on the idea.

(...)

62% of voters believe a public health insurance plan will spend less on profits and administration and force private insurers to compete while only 28% of voters believe the attack that a public health insurance plan would be a “big, government bureaucracy.” 60% believe that if private insurers are really more efficient than government, then they won’t have any trouble competing with a public health insurance plan. Only 23% believe a public health insurance plan would have an unfair advantage over private plans.

Here's the link to our full press release. And here are the percentages of people who support having the choice of a private or public health insurance plan:

Well Hi There

I made a failed attempt at mobile posting last night on my way home so as not to miss a day here, but somehow the "post" button on my berry was nowhere to be found once I'd completed my entry, and now the note's lost somewhere in the land of mysterious postings past.

As for today, I'll have some interesting health care reform news to share a little later. We're releasing the results of a new poll, and if you remember where public sentiment allegedly lay back in 1993/1994, you may be surprised by where we are now.

Until then...Happy Thursday.

Late Lunch Break

It's so late that it's now past dinner. I started this post in a self-imposed quick lunch break at 3pm, but something came up, I got distracted, and it's now after 9pm.

Posting's been lighter than usual here simply because work's been so heavy. But because we're fighting for comprehensive health care reform this year, I can't complain. Busy's a good thing.

That said, the blog will probably continue to suffer a touch, but I will do my best to keep it updated at least once or twice a day.

Today's contribution comes from last night's meal. There's a fast food chain in Miami called Chicken Kitchen that makes a mustard curry sauce that is nothing short of fabulous. We used to visit the original Chicken Kitchen back in the early 90's, but since then, the restaurant's popped up in spots all across South Florida. I introduced John to the mustard curry sauce over Thanksgiving break, and since then, he has taken it upon himself to recreate the magic. He found others online equally intrigued, and here's the recipe he's used:

2 tbsp Light Mayonnaise
1 tsp Yellow Mustard
1/2 tsp Curry Powder
2 tbsp water

Stir vigorously until water is well mixed into the mayo-mustard-curry mix. Add more or less water, depending on how "runny" you want the sauce to be. Curry is to taste!

I can attest to the fact that it tastes just like the real thing.

Venomous COBRA

We all know COBRA is unaffordable. If you lose your job, how can you afford to pay more for health insurance?

You can't. And the WSJ's got a write out today explaining just how few people take advantage of COBRA:

Fewer than one in 10 jobless workers extends their former employer's medical coverage, a new study has found.

An analysis by the Commonwealth Fund finds that while two-thirds of working adults would qualify to extend health-insurance coverage under a federal law after losing a job, only 9% of the unemployed do so.

Workers are guaranteed the right to extend their medical benefits for a limited period under a federal law called Cobra, short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. The law generally covers group health plans of private and government employers with 20 or more workers, according to the Labor Department.

The Commonwealth Fund analysis, based on 2007 health-insurance survey data, found that most workers can't afford to pay for Cobra coverage. It costs an average $13,000 a year for a family, compared with the average annual worker contribution of $3,200 for family coverage while employed.

That is because the employer usually is picking up three-quarters of the cost of health insurance. Under Cobra, employees must pay the total cost, plus a 2% administrative fee.

"In other words, you have to pay an extra $10,000 because you have lost the amount your employer was contributing to the coverage, and people who are newly unemployed find it very hard to afford," said Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that supports health-care research.

I've been there. It's the final straw that pushed me into fighting for reform. When I lost my job, I had severance for a while, and then COBRA kicked in. It was more than $400/month. That's a lot of money when you have no money coming in.

Making Good

I realize I dropped the ball on the usual Friday links to the poem of the week and John's Sunday column so I'm playing catch up now. If you enjoyed the Inaugural poem on Tuesday, you'll want to check in on what John put together for tomorrow.

Have a good weekend.

Friday Funny

It's entirely possible this has been kicking around online for a while, but I'd never seen it before so it's post-worthy in my book. H/t my brother.

Why you should always check you child's homework:



(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)

Dear Mrs. Jones,

I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer. I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.

From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

No Consolation

NBC4 reported this morning that all those stranded in the Purple Tunnel Of Doom on Inauguration Day will be receiving a whole slew of commemorative crap:

Those with blue, silver and purple tickets who didn't make it in will receive copies of the swearing-in invitation and program; photos of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden; and a color print of the ceremony, committee spokeswoman Carole Florman said.

Sorry for the mix up. Here's the program from and a picture of the historic moments you missed.

And just in case you think I'm being too hard on the JCCIC, the normally reserved Associated Press used the same snarky title and took the same "thanks but no thanks" tone.

Today's Must-Read

It's a New Yorker piece so it's longer than the usual news blurb, but take a moment and read it all the way through (or print it out and read it when you have a little downtime). It talks about how other countries came to their health care systems - all of which are better than ours - and explains how we can effectively be moving forward towards quality, affordable health care for all here in the U.S. Here's an excerpt explaining why we can't just scrap the system we've got and start all over:

Over and over in the health-reform debate, one hears serious policy analysts say that the only genuine solution is to replace our health-care system (with a single-payer system, a free-market system, or whatever); anything else is a missed opportunity. But this is a siren song.

Yes, American health care is an appallingly patched-together ship, with rotting timbers, water leaking in, mercenaries on board, and fifteen per cent of the passengers thrown over the rails just to keep it afloat. But hundreds of millions of people depend on it. The system provides more than thirty-five million hospital stays a year, sixty-four million surgical procedures, nine hundred million office visits, three and a half billion prescriptions. It represents a sixth of our economy. There is no dry-docking health care for a few months, or even for an afternoon, while we rebuild it. Grand plans admit no possibility of mistakes or failures, or the chance to learn from them. If we get things wrong, people will die. This doesn’t mean that ambitious reform is beyond us. But we have to start with what we have.

This is the approach advocated by President Obama and by us here at HCAN. We both believe you should have a choice of public or private health insurance, and your plan should include standard benefits that meet your needs and be affordable based on your family's ability to pay.

Wednesday Night Rerun

Since there are some new readers here these days, and HCAN's gearing up to take on the insurance lobby (AHIP) as they continue to claim they're all about "hearing your needs," I thought now might be a good time to revisit this little gem which is now close to 120,000 views:

Purple People Eaters: Update

Via David at TPM, an apology from the JIC:

Many of the problems appear to have been due to the unprecedented crowds, and a huge flow of unticketed people toward the U.S. Capitol and into the 3rd Street Tunnel from the National Mall, after it had reached capacity very early that morning and was closed to additional unticketed entries.

Let's not leave out the total lack of signage and personnel. I don't believe organizers couldn't have anticipated and prepared for record crowds since everyone's been talking about them for weeks. John suggested yesterday that authorities should have had an outer barrier that only let ticket-holders into a certain area and then had a second barrier to do security screenings once ticket-holders had been able to move past the general masses. At least that way when the Mall hit capacity, a "huge flow" wouldn't have mattered because it would have flowed right around the cordoned off areas.

Again, I'm not all that bothered personally because our tickets were a last-minute pleasant surprise, but if I had flown across the country or had gotten my tickets as a thank you for hard work invested in getting Obama elected, I would have been devastated by what appeared to be a complete disregard for making sure ticket-holders got access to where they were supposed to be.

Earlier: Parties and Purple People Eaters

Super See-Through

Is there such a thing as too much transparency?

Don't get me wrong. I like knowing what's going on. And after 8 years of secrecy and abuse of power, it's certainly refreshing to know the new Administration is wholeheartedly committed to keeping business on the up and up. However, since 9:45am, I've received approximately 17 emails from the White House Press Office.

UPDATE: It's 10:38pm, and we're now up to 26 emails. Granted I wasn't on the Bush White House press list so maybe this is the norm, but considering the emails are chock full of details, I doubt it.

Having A Ball

A fun write this morning from Seth Stevenson over at Slate:

I think I might be able to Segway straight through the checkpoint, but I'm stopped short when a Secret Service agent steps into my path and halts my forward progress, sticking his massive, barrel chest in front of my handlebars. He says nothing, appraising me with cold eyes. I suddenly realize I am dressed entirely in black, wearing a ski mask, and attempting to barge a Segway through a Secret Service blockade.

Tunnel Vision

So it turns out our Inauguration ticket experience was the norm rather than the exception. Here are some examples of other people's experiences trying to get into the event.

We actually headed down into this very same tunnel and walked quite a ways before finding a cop who told us to go in a different - albeit just as useless - direction. As we were exiting the tunnel, John had the foresight to say to me, "You know, if we're going to get stuck somewhere, I'd rather it be outside than in a tunnel. This is eerie. Like a bad zombie movie."

I know the magic of the moment will undoubtedly overshadow any of the negativity, but there is something to be said for getting people all hyped up about having Inauguration tickets and then stranding them on street corners and in tunnels so they don't just not get in, but they get nothing.

I feel really lucky that John and I gave up when we did and made it home in time to witness history, but in solidarity with those who decided to stick it out, I'm linking to other accounts of the morning.

The Washington Post Inauguration Watch has police reaction tonight, and I, too, believe they're not telling the truth. Scroll through the comments. This wasn't just a case of too many tickets. It was a case of bad logistical planning and no personnel. The cops had absolutely no command of the scene. Two police officers sent us in two different directions within 5 minutes of one another. It was chaos, and an apology rather than an excuse would probably be more appropriate and somewhat appreciated.

image courtesy Lonnee Hamilton via Facebook group "Survivors of the Purple Tunnel of Doom"

Parties and Purple People Eaters

We went to The Huffington Post party last night at the Newseum. We saw Val Kilmer, Ron Howard, Diane Von Furstenberg (whom John recognized and named before I even saw her appear), John Cusack, Isaiah Washington, The Jonas Brothers, Richard Schiff, and Kevin Johnson. Sting was incredible but only played a couple of songs. It was a fun night. Crowded and supertough to get a beverage, but all in all, not a bad soiree.

This morning was a different story. We had tickets to the Inauguration (thanks to John Aravosis who unfortunately is fighting a flu and couldn't go). We hopped on the Metro and expected smooth sailing down to Judiciary Square considering there was no one around by the time we got on the train. However, one stop later, the conductor announced a customer had been hit on the tracks at Gallery Place and the train wouldn't be going any further than two stops from where we were. So we got out at Dupont Circle and started walking. We walked for more than an hour (we think about three miles) towards where we expected the purple gate entrance to be.

However, there were no signs, no volunteers, and no indication of where ticket-holders were supposed to go. There were massive crowds and arbitrary pseudo-lines. People with purple tickets like us were blending into large groups of just general revelers, and without any official organizers in sight, it started to look increasingly unlikely we were going to be able to get in.




I managed to take a couple of pictures (click on the images to see them larger) before we made an executive decision to turn back around and head home in time to catch the ceremony and speech on TV from the comfort of our warm and cozy couch.

What we did notice in the couple of hours we spent downtown was the enthusiasm and general good spirit of the masses. It was cold, and there were a lot of people packed into tight spaces, and yet everyone seemed to be staying upbeat and positive. There is definitely a spirit of hope and optimism in the air here in D.C.

It's about time.

Know Thy Enemy

Robert Pear had an article in yesterday's NYT about the privacy concerns inherent in putting health records online. He explains some of the safeguards Members of Congress and consumer rights groups are advocating:

One of the proposed safeguards would outlaw the sale of any personal health information in an electronic medical record, except with the patient’s permission.

Another would allow patients to impose additional controls on certain particularly sensitive information, like records of psychotherapy, abortions and tests for the virus that causes AIDS. Patients could demand that such information be segregated from the rest of their medical records.

Under other proposals being seriously considered in Congress, health care providers and insurers would have to use encryption technology to protect personal health information stored in or sent by computers. Patients would have a right to an accounting of any disclosures of their electronic data. Health care providers and insurers would have to notify patients whenever such information was lost, stolen or used for an unauthorized purpose. And patients — or state officials acting on their behalf — could recover damages from an entity that improperly used or disclosed personal health information.

Seems pretty reasonable, right? Well, here's Ms. Karen Ignagni - the CEO of the health insurance lobby - arguing against protecting your privacy:

In a letter to Congressional leaders, Karen M. Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, a trade group for insurers, expressed “serious concern about privacy provisions being considered for inclusion in the economic stimulus bill.”

She criticized, in particular, a proposal that would require health care providers to obtain the consent of patients before disclosing personal health information for treatment, payment or “health care operations.”

Such a requirement, she said, could cripple efforts to manage chronic diseases like diabetes, which often require coordination of care among many specialists.

Ladies and gentleman, meet the head of AHIP. This is the same woman who is going to claim to be listening to you as she lobbies for health reform legislation that makes more money for health insurance companies and recommends a federal bailout should you fall into medical debt.

Health insurance companies exist to profit by denying you care when you need it most. As this fight heats up, don't forget whom we're up against no matter what convenient-in-the-moment claims they make to the contrary.

In The Papers

Our PA crew got noticed trying to get noticed. From The Philadelphia Inquirer:

As Obama's arrival at the station drew near, the guessing game began. What route would he take to the station? About 40 volunteers of Health Care for America Now veered this way and that, trying to position their banners so Obama would see them.

Using Protection

I went shopping with a friend for a couple hours last night, and as we waited in line at one store, we heard the saleswoman ask the shopper in front of us for a whole slew of personal information. Name. Zip. Phone. Etc. It's been abundantly clear since stores started collecting personal information that it all goes towards marketing so I always decline.

When we got up to pay, the woman started to go through the routine with me. I explained I didn't want to give any personal information and then turned to my friend and commented that I get too much excess email as is. The saleswoman turned back from where she was folding my shirt and remarked, "It's not for that. It's for your protection."

I looked at her. I looked at my friend. We shrugged, and then I replied, "Um. How...exactly?"

The saleswoman then launched into some corporate template talking point about how their system protects me if I use my credit card because they can pull my information up by my name and my phone number. I must have looked completely baffled because she then added this doozy:

"Like, for example, if you forget your credit card, we can call you and you can get it back."

The saleswoman looked totally content with herself as if she had just delivered the definitive answer.

I, of course, couldn't let it lie.

"Couldn't you just call my credit card company, and they would let me know?"

The saleswoman looked like she wanted to stab me with the plastic security pin.

"Yes. But our system is faster."

Congratulations. You win the award for most creative yet nonsensical excuse for trying to collect and sell my personal data. I really just wanted to buy a shirt and move along.

Anyway, since I was clearly preoccupied with less-than-pressing issues last night, I forgot to post the poem of the week which has been updated and reflects our current adoration of all things Spain.

John's column will be up Sunday morning here and takes a slightly different form than columns past. Let's just say he got clever with a certain impeached Illinois governor and a certain poet quoted by said governor.

Have an excellent weekend.

New and Of Use

Morning. Wind chills here in DC are below 0 this morning. I'm not sure I own enough layers to make a dent in that kind of cold. We shall see. There may be a fashion disaster on the horizon.

Speaking of fashion, the HCAN website went though a makeover recently, and there's a new section to the website you should definitely check out. It's our Steps To Win, and in addition to explaining how health care reform is going to move through Congress, it has very specific ways you and your friends can get involved. Plus the image above is actually an interactive graphic on the site. Roll over it with your mouse, and it will explain the different House and Senate committees, and who's important in having a say in the process.

Happy Friday.

Just Plain Insulting

There's a plane down in the Hudson River in NYC. I'm watching CNN, listening to Rick Sanchez flounder through coverage, and I'm thinking, "Gosh, Miles O'Brien's aviation expertise sure would be useful just about now."

I posted that sentiment on Facebook and then scanned down the page to see the following note sent from a CNN booker to Miles:



G-d I hope he says no.

Related: Miles To Go (12/4/08)

Things I Learned in Spain (part III)

Beer and wine can be cheaper than water



Europe has better coffee than we do



And ham can be tastier yet more expensive than you ever thought possible

Inaugural Fashion

Me: I heard the attire for one of the parties next week is "festive." What do you think that means?

(brief pause)

John: Hats

Drop In The Bucket

So UnitedHealth Group is out $50 million because it got caught overcharging millions of people for health care. From MSNBC:

The New York attorney general’s office launched an investigation after receiving hundreds of complaints about Oxford Insurance and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, which claims to rely on “independent research from across the health care industry” to determine reimbursement rates. In actuality though, it relies on Ingenix, a research firm owned by UnitedHealth Group.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says Ingenix has been manipulating the numbers so insurance companies pay less.

Despicable, right?

One of my colleagues - Julie - had this response:

My thoughts on the United Health settlement.

Fifty million dollars may seem like a lot to those of us who are being crushed by thousand-dollar deductibles.

But a giant like United Health Group probably looks at this sum as part of the cost of doing business. (How much did they profit from these underpayments and leaving their enrollees with the bill?) United Health has been racking up fines and settlement payments in the thousands and even millions across the country. And still they had profits of more than $4 billion in 2007.

With companies like United Health running roughshod over the minimal rules we have -- and racking up fines like traffic tickets -- shouldn't we have a public alternative to private insurance companies?

Read Me

USA Today:

Give consumers alternative to private medical insurance

...Obama — and former senator Tom Daschle, his point man on health care — want to provide a government-run option, modeled after Medicare, as a choice for people who don't get insurance through their employers. This public plan — presumably to be offered at cost — would compete with commercial insurers to provide better service and benefits.

Such a plan is a compelling idea for the simple reason that it tests the notion that private health insurance plans operate more efficiently than government.

To its critics, however, the public plan would put private insurers at a disadvantage because, unlike the government, they have to earn a profit. What's more, critics argue, it could lead to an unraveling of employer-provided plans. That, too, is an interesting argument because many conservatives are trying to do just that, by ending the tax deduction enjoyed by employer-based plans...

Read the whole article. It's worth it.

Awfully Suspicious

I got woken up at 5am, 6am, and then 7am this morning by the horrific sound of fire trucks, emergency vehicles, and helicopters swarming our general neighborhood. The local news said there was a suspicious vehicle in the area, streets were closed off, and authorities were on the scene.

As John pointed out this morning, we live in a pretty strange area for there to be a suspicious vehicle. In fact, we're not convinced that a truck with the words "I have a bomb inside of me" would generate much concern. People would probably assume it was an art project or a protest of some sort and just go about their business as usual.

So with that in mind, we have come to two conclusions about this alleged suspicious vehicle. Either someone did see something and called it in, or - and this is more likely - DC law enforcement and emergency response are practicing. We suspect this morning was a dry run in preparation for inauguration. And if we're correct and that's the case, then I can report with confidence it's shaping up to be one extremely noisy and congested week in our humble little neck of the country.

Things I Learned In Spain (part II)

You can meet some of the nicest people when you least expect it:

Last Lines of Defense

I'm listening to President Bush give his very last press conference right now, and he just went off on an incredibly defensive rant. Something about popularity versus tough decisions, Kyoto, and September the 11th.

January 20th cannot come soon enough.

UPDATE: Is he seriously defending the federal response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? Bush isn't just defensive. He's delusional.

Things I Learned In Spain (part I)

If it has eyes...



Even if it's fried...



It may not agree with you.

Good Jeans

Quote of the Day:

Coworker 1: How many days a week do you think it's ok for us to wear jeans?

Coworker 2: I'm transitioning from Casual Fridays to Casual Always.

I so need this weekend.

As for housekeeping 'round these parts, John hasn't updated the poem of the week yet, but he will. Be sure to check out his column online here on Sunday, and I intend to have at least some Spain stuff posted over the weekend.

Until then, have a good one.

Friday Funny

On a serious note, this is actually why we advise against using the terms "universal coverage" when we talk about winning quality, affordable health care for everyone. It's not that we think people will assume we want to cover ETs (although I am sure there is someone somewhere out there who thinks that's what it means), but many people hear the word "universal" and think "bigger than me," and that's not the scope we need to convey.

Google's on IT

Obama mentioned health IT as an urgent investment during his big speech today. He said we will have computerized medical records within 5 years, and the move will reduce errors and save lives.

Look who's already working on the infrastructure:



I just stumbled on the BETA from my Gmail. Here's another screengrab:



Here's a WSJ write on Google Health and its competitor - Microsoft Health Vault:

Google Health (google.com/health) and Microsoft Health Vault (healthvault.com): The rival sites offer a number of health-management tools. Google's site, for instance, allows users to refill prescriptions online at participating local drugstores and to seek a second opinion on a medical question via an online consulting service from partner The Cleveland Clinic (for a $565 fee). Microsoft's features include programs that can link to home devices such as a blood-glucose meter or a heart-rate monitor to track readings and provide them to physicians.

But the sites' main benefit is that it allows individuals and families to create their own free online medical records, and to share these with physicians if they choose. Despite concerns about security and privacy, there is something pretty appealing about having your medical history, medication lists and lab reports on a secure Web site that you can get to in an emergency, particularly since most doctors still haven't switched to electronic medical records in their offices. But for backup, I still advise my mother's strategy: keeping paper copies of everything.

And finally, more good advice from the same write:

While many health Web sites have enriched their offerings, privacy issues remain a concern as users are able to enter personal information and receive customized alerts and health messages. Consumers should read the privacy policies of the sites carefully and be sure to opt out of any features that share personal information with marketers if they don't want to be contacted.

MythInformed

Think Progress' Wonkroom has got a good resource out today debunking some of the conservative arguments against comprehensive health care reform under President-elect Obama.

They tackle 10 myths. Here's a sample:

1. Health care reform will limit patient choice. In an editorial published in the Washington Post, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) argued that what health care reform really “means is limiting freedom - the freedom to choose a doctor, to take your health care with you when you switch jobs, to make personal medical decisions.” [Washington Times, 11/19/2008]

REALITY: Progressive reforms would provide more choice, not less. Under progressive proposals, Americans will have the choice to keep the employer plan they currently have or buy an affordable plan from the national insurance exchange. Individuals and small businesses will be able to “compare private coverage options and a public plan and to purchase the policy that would work best for them.” [Wonk Room, 11/12/2008]

If you feel so inclined, pass the post around. It's worth getting the truth out there before the lies and talking points take hold and are harder to pry loose.

Re: Confirmation

My apologies for neglecting this little neck of the web for the past few days. It's been a combo of getting readjusted to work, a dead home computer, and residual vacation jetlag/sleeplessness due in large part to a cat determined to punish me for leaving her for a week. She's got the relentless 4am meow down to a science.

Anyway, right now I'm watching Sen. Daschle's confirmation hearing online here. If you've got some time, tune it. Should be interesting to see what comes from Republicans in this one.

Also, it's worth taking a moment to read Robert Pear's write today in the NYT. The arguments against the public plan option are laughable. You've got to ask yourself why private insurers are afraid of a little competition. If they're truly doing their best and are on the up-and-up, then it shouldn't affect them one bit to have to compete with a public plan. And yet, they protest...

p.s. The Mac's back up and running now so I should be able to upload vacation photos in the next 24/48. It needed a ridiculous amount of work including a new battery and a new casing in addition to a revamp of the System folder which apparently threw up and shut down when I tried to download a security update. Here's hoping the fixes stick for a while.

Back...Sort Of

Hola! Happy New Year.

We flew back to the States yesterday, and after an expected delay at JFK, we are now home in DC safe and sound. Spain was amazing. I've got pictures and video and tons of good stories, but unfortunately, they're going to have to wait a couple of days.

My Macbook died again last night, and until I can get out to the Apple store (again), I won't have a chance to tend to the blog. Work time is all work now. I'm currently sifting through hundreds of emails and slowly but surely returning missed calls.

But I promise once my home system is back online, you'll get the full Debrief de Espana.

Meanwhile, I can justify blogging from the office if I promote HCAN's print ad out today. It's in The Hill, Roll Call, and Politico, and it thanks President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and the 170 Members of Congress who support the HCAN principles. Some HCAN staffers went up to the Hill today to thank Members in person. Here's Jason's account plus some interesting news about why health care spending slowed in 2007. Jason explains:

The slowdown was caused primarily by two factors:

1. A drop in prescription drug spending, with much more spent on lower cost generics as opposed to brand-name drugs.

2. Decreased costs of Medicare overhead.

Yep. The slowdown in health care cost growth was caused in part because Medicare, a public health care plan that is already more efficient than private insurance, made itself even more efficient!