(From Tor Dahl & Associates - www.tordahl.com )
The industrial revolution started with James Watt's invention of a
commercially viable steam engine in 1776.
Over the roughly one million years of human development, the industrial
age constitutes only 233 years. Were we to force that time span into 24
hours, we would only have been industrialized for 20 seconds.
In nature, it seems that everything either grows or dies. But nature is
not simple. Farmers know that for a field to regenerate, it must be
allowed to fallow. For the farmer, fallowing forsakes current income in
order to produce higher future yields. That is actually a definition of
investment. The problem is that we confuse no-growth fallowing with lack
of progress - because continuous growth has also become synonymous with
progress in the public mind.
But much happens during fallowing. Farmers plow the ground so that weeds
can be brought to the surface and removed and the soil structure
improved so that it can better absorb water and nutrients. Earthworms
enrich the soil, microorganisms flourish, and when the fallow field is
planted again, rising yields more than compensate for the pause.
For 235 years, we have harvested more from the Earth than we did over
the entire period prior to the industrial revolution. We have learned
some important lessons from that experience:
1. Not all growth is good for us.
There used to be abundant water, abundant breathable air, abundant
fisheries, and abundant energy for our daily needs. New scarcities have
emerged relating to groundwater, fossil fuels, world fisheries and
recently, world harvests. And in many cities, breathable air is still
lacking.
2. New scarcities emerged because we have been consuming beyond our
means.
Starting in 1973 growth in wages fell below our growth in consumption.
Household debt between 1973 and today increased 13 times, government's
debt increased 20 times, but wages grew by only 1.86 times. We became
overextended, and the only way to finance the debt was by hoping for
continual increases in the prices of the assets that we had acquired at
a time when we thought we could afford them. The private savings rate
turned negative in 2005. Asset prices entered a free fall in 2007:
Prices of housing, stocks and commodities all dropped dramatically.
3. The economy was like a field that had been exploited without
pause. To meet our needs, we even consumed part of the seed corn: What
we should have invested, we consumed.
A real field is restored through fallowing. So is the real economy.
The pause that is now imposed on us forces the regeneration that is
needed.
How does a real economy fallow?
We see it all around us: People cook at home instead of eating out.
People are going to the library again. People are staying home rather
than vacationing in distant and expensive places. People are repairing
their shoes, mending their clothing, remodeling their homes, going for
walks, shopping at local farmers' markets, attending school at night,
staying healthy, postponing cosmetic surgery - maybe canceling it
altogether.
But does not all this make us poorer?
No. The Gross National Product is a poor measure of our wealth. The
early economists measured our wealth in satisfaction, and satisfaction
in the U.S. peaked in the fifties. Beyond the necessities of food,
clothing, shelter, education and health, satisfaction does not increase
with additional wealth accumulation. In fact, our current stress and
insecurities largely stem from the very possessions we accumulated at a
time when we lived beyond our means.
What is the New Growth referred to in the headline?
It will be a shift of focus from investing to meet human needs rather
than human wants.
There is no limit to human wants. Human needs, however, signal when
they are met. Meeting these needs often doesn't cost any money.
So - what are the human needs that also increase human capital? How can
we improve our yield of life satisfaction by forsaking excessive
consumption?
The first priority is to increase our ability to contribute both to the
satisfaction of others and to that of ourselves. This could happen
through serving as volunteers in organizations we support, learning new
skills, teaching others the skills we have, and helping people in need.
Then, take care of our own health so that we do not become a burden to
others: A healthy diet, long walks, attending to weight and blood
pressure, and dropping unhealthy habits would all do wonders for our
health.
Keep in mind that the eternal scarcities are time, space and human
interaction. An economist's advice to you would be to allocate your time
so that it maximizes satisfaction with life, organize your space so it
is not an obstacle to what you need to live, and be with people who make
you happy.
None of this is measured and included in the GDP. We have only the
vaguest idea of how much human capital we add to our collective wealth
each year.
But we know it when we are investing in our own human capital.
We know it, because we see how we can contribute more, how we can help
more, and how we can build a richer community life.
One day some bright scientist will find a good way of measuring our
increased capacity, our increased human capital, and make it visible to
all.
In the meantime, let the economy fallow for a while. Let us bring back
the sense of security of living within our means. For those who may be
laid off for awhile: Rethink what you most would like to do on this
Earth. Then start it. You will find a way. And for all the rest:
Find out how you can help!
During World War II, Norwegians were healthier than ever. They could
not buy tobacco, and sugar was in short supply. Refined flour was
severely rationed. But the ocean teemed with fish, vegetable gardens
flourished on city lots, and people picked fruit and berries to preserve
them for the long winters.
We certainly had become poorer measured in money. But I cannot recall a
time when the community was more united, friendships and will to
sacrifice were stronger, and ingenuity in making do with what we had was
more prevalent.
Now Norway is one of the richest countries in the world in per capita
income. Norway also has no government debt and owns the third largest
sovereign fund in the world. What could they work on now in that
beautiful and well-run country? Well, Norway ranks No.27 in freedom,
No.9 in safety, No.12 in justice, No.13 in competitiveness, and No.19 in
happiness compared to other nations.
It is a challenging agenda to make every citizen freer, safer, more
justly treated, more competitive, and happier. Economists can estimate
the wealth increase that will follow from moving forward all these
areas, except maybe happiness.
Happiness is elusive. It is summoned by reaching out rather than
turning inward. What we do for others is more strongly satisfying than
what we do for ourselves. From an evolutionary perspective, that is
what helps us survive as a species - whether it is barn raising on the
North Dakota prairie or fighting disease in Africa.
In our final hours we are not likely to focus on our possessions - we
shall probably think about what made our lives richer and more
fulfilling. We shall remember those moments when we experienced what
Thomas Hood described as 'a happiness that made the heart afraid'. We
shall visit memories of both happiness and sorrow, both victories and
defeats, and we might ponder how we could have lived an even better
life.
But if we have learned, and grown, and loved, and contributed, I know
the feeling we would all have: What a splendid ride! What a glorious
life!
But why did life put us through all these tests before we had learned
life's lessons? And could we not have learned those lessons before we
faced the tests?
I think we could have. That is precisely what would have changed our
lives, and the world, for the better.
How about acting on life's lessons now? Before it is too late?
.
________________________________
Tor Dahl & Associates
Productivity Improvement Seminars, Projects and Tools
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
HEALTH CARE REFORM/DENTAL CARE REFORM?
We have been hearing and reading about health care reform. I was talking to a 'wise old man' the other day and he stated that dental care is critically important to overall physical health care but it appears costs are escalating to the point that people cannot afford to 'pay upfront' for dental services so dental care is ignored.
Over 47 million are without health care insurance so over 47 million are without dental insurance. Millions more have health care insurance but do not have dental insurance.
Do we need to begin to think about DENTAL CARE REFORM ?
(you will hear more from the 'wise old man' in the near future-an engaging thought provoking individual)
Over 47 million are without health care insurance so over 47 million are without dental insurance. Millions more have health care insurance but do not have dental insurance.
Do we need to begin to think about DENTAL CARE REFORM ?
(you will hear more from the 'wise old man' in the near future-an engaging thought provoking individual)
MN Requirements for Electronic Health Care Remittance effective December 15, 2009
(From Minnesota Medical Group Management Association)
New state requirements for standard, electronic health care remittance advices effective Dec. 15
Exchanges between Minnesota health care payers and providers must be done electronically; reforms are part of effort to save $60 million annually
As of Dec. 15, health care group purchasers (payers) and providers in Minnesota must exchange remittance advices electronically, using a single, standard data content and format. The requirement is part of a first-in-the-nation law that state officials say will help save millions of dollars in health care administrative costs each year.
The requirement focuses on the electronic exchange of remittance advices, or RAs, which payers send to providers to explain the payment, adjustment or denial of billings. Earlier this year, Minnesota implemented similar requirements for the electronic exchange of other information between payers and providers, including health care billing claims and queries to confirm patients' health coverage and benefit levels.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) estimates that when fully implemented, Minnesota's law requiring the standard, electronic exchange of these three types of routine health care business transactions will save the state's health care system more than $60 million per year.
The requirements are part of Minnesota's Vision, a set of broader statewide health reforms that aim to improve the health of all Minnesotans, the individual patient experience and the affordability of health care. "Electronic RAs will reduce the amount of paper flowing in the system and speed up millions of routine transactions to help reduce overall health care administrative costs and burdens," said James Golden, MDH Health Policy Division director and the state's health information technology coordinator.
The law applies to insurance carriers, including workers' compensation, auto and property-casualty carriers, as well as third-party administrators that are licensed or doing business in Minnesota. The regulations also apply to HMOs, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, which administers the state's Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare programs, and other payers.
In addition, the law covers over 60,000 health care providers, including doctors, hospitals, dentists, chiropractors, pharmacies and others providing services for a fee in Minnesota and who are also otherwise eligible for reimbursement under the state's Medical Assistance program.
For further information about Minnesota's statewide health care e-billing initiative please go to www.health.state.mn.us/asa or contact the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-657-3793, or health.clearinghouse@state.mn.us.
New state requirements for standard, electronic health care remittance advices effective Dec. 15
Exchanges between Minnesota health care payers and providers must be done electronically; reforms are part of effort to save $60 million annually
As of Dec. 15, health care group purchasers (payers) and providers in Minnesota must exchange remittance advices electronically, using a single, standard data content and format. The requirement is part of a first-in-the-nation law that state officials say will help save millions of dollars in health care administrative costs each year.
The requirement focuses on the electronic exchange of remittance advices, or RAs, which payers send to providers to explain the payment, adjustment or denial of billings. Earlier this year, Minnesota implemented similar requirements for the electronic exchange of other information between payers and providers, including health care billing claims and queries to confirm patients' health coverage and benefit levels.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) estimates that when fully implemented, Minnesota's law requiring the standard, electronic exchange of these three types of routine health care business transactions will save the state's health care system more than $60 million per year.
The requirements are part of Minnesota's Vision, a set of broader statewide health reforms that aim to improve the health of all Minnesotans, the individual patient experience and the affordability of health care. "Electronic RAs will reduce the amount of paper flowing in the system and speed up millions of routine transactions to help reduce overall health care administrative costs and burdens," said James Golden, MDH Health Policy Division director and the state's health information technology coordinator.
The law applies to insurance carriers, including workers' compensation, auto and property-casualty carriers, as well as third-party administrators that are licensed or doing business in Minnesota. The regulations also apply to HMOs, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, which administers the state's Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare programs, and other payers.
In addition, the law covers over 60,000 health care providers, including doctors, hospitals, dentists, chiropractors, pharmacies and others providing services for a fee in Minnesota and who are also otherwise eligible for reimbursement under the state's Medical Assistance program.
For further information about Minnesota's statewide health care e-billing initiative please go to www.health.state.mn.us/asa or contact the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-657-3793, or health.clearinghouse@state.mn.us.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
A SUMMARY OF HEALTH CARE IN OTHER COUNTRIES
Belgium: Has a compulsory health care system based on the social insurance model. Patients have free choice of provider, hospital, and sickness fund. A comprehensive benefit package is available to 99% of the population. The federal government regulates and supervises all sectors of the program. It is financed through employer and employee contributions.
Canada: Known as the Canada Health Act, it is Canada’s federal legislation for publicly funded health care insurance. Its aim is to ensure that all eligible residents of Canada have reasonable access to health services on a prepaid basis, without direct charges at the point of services. It is comprehensive in its coverage, insisting that a province or territory must cover all insured health services provided.
Japan: Has a system of universal health coverage, however, there are criteria to how it is applied to any given individual. The factors are whether or not the person is working, visiting or a student, and age. There are two main systems and both have different subcategories. Basically, there is the National Health Insurance or there is the Employees’ Health Insurance. One must belong to one plan or the other.
France: Health system is an important aspect of the French social security program. As a result, everyone received protection through the program, regardless of age, gender, income, or state of health. In some cases, the person pays a part of the charges out of their pocket, but in the case of the needy, they pay nothing. The program is financed by employer and employee contributions.
Italy: Has a governmental medical service, which encompasses all citizens. There are three tiers to the program: national, regional and local. The program if financed through public resources (37.5%), employer (48.8%), and the balance from private payments.
Austria: Guarantees medical treatment in case of illness or accidents, if not covered by the accident insurance. While there are 94 insurers, they are not allowed to strive for profit. Every person has to be insured. It is based on the American system of managed care.
Britain: Put in place more than 50 years ago (after WWII), all citizens are entitled to have access to health care. Medical treatment by a doctor is free, with no co-pays or deductibles. Citizens can also choose a private insurance plan. More that 70% of the financing is paid through taxes.
Denmark: State-run health system. All financing, planning and management are fully subject to the authorities. The services area financed through taxes, and there is only one legal state-run insurance.
Germany: Has a system of compulsory health insurance companies that are responsible for compulsory health insurance, and are considered public corporations. Decisions are made by legislation. Everyone gets the same benefit.
Switzerland: Guarantees medical treatment for illness or accident, unless covered through accident insurance. Program is similar to Austria.
IF YOU HAVE VALUE-ADDED COMMENTS FOR ANY INFORMATION LISTED FOR A SPECIFIC COUNTRY, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT FOR REVIEW
Canada: Known as the Canada Health Act, it is Canada’s federal legislation for publicly funded health care insurance. Its aim is to ensure that all eligible residents of Canada have reasonable access to health services on a prepaid basis, without direct charges at the point of services. It is comprehensive in its coverage, insisting that a province or territory must cover all insured health services provided.
Japan: Has a system of universal health coverage, however, there are criteria to how it is applied to any given individual. The factors are whether or not the person is working, visiting or a student, and age. There are two main systems and both have different subcategories. Basically, there is the National Health Insurance or there is the Employees’ Health Insurance. One must belong to one plan or the other.
France: Health system is an important aspect of the French social security program. As a result, everyone received protection through the program, regardless of age, gender, income, or state of health. In some cases, the person pays a part of the charges out of their pocket, but in the case of the needy, they pay nothing. The program is financed by employer and employee contributions.
Italy: Has a governmental medical service, which encompasses all citizens. There are three tiers to the program: national, regional and local. The program if financed through public resources (37.5%), employer (48.8%), and the balance from private payments.
Austria: Guarantees medical treatment in case of illness or accidents, if not covered by the accident insurance. While there are 94 insurers, they are not allowed to strive for profit. Every person has to be insured. It is based on the American system of managed care.
Britain: Put in place more than 50 years ago (after WWII), all citizens are entitled to have access to health care. Medical treatment by a doctor is free, with no co-pays or deductibles. Citizens can also choose a private insurance plan. More that 70% of the financing is paid through taxes.
Denmark: State-run health system. All financing, planning and management are fully subject to the authorities. The services area financed through taxes, and there is only one legal state-run insurance.
Germany: Has a system of compulsory health insurance companies that are responsible for compulsory health insurance, and are considered public corporations. Decisions are made by legislation. Everyone gets the same benefit.
Switzerland: Guarantees medical treatment for illness or accident, unless covered through accident insurance. Program is similar to Austria.
IF YOU HAVE VALUE-ADDED COMMENTS FOR ANY INFORMATION LISTED FOR A SPECIFIC COUNTRY, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT FOR REVIEW
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
HEALTH CARE REFORM? NOT REALLY
FDR wanted health care reform but decided social security was a more important issue. Since the time of the FDR administration, multiple attempts have been considered related to health care reform resulting in many 'minor' adjustments to address issues (DRG's anyone?). Unfortunately, no substantial beneficial change occurred that would benefit the citizens of the United States of America.
We are now in a position, decades later, to see substantial change regarding America's ability to provide access to health care for all citizens - or perhaps we were in a position to see positive change. Suddenly we are reading about issues that are not focused on health care reform or reform of the insurance industry. We are now reading not about a 'public option' to allow all citizens to be covered, but a watered down 'public plan,' but private insurers - not the government - would offer coverage. We are now reading not about coverage for pre-existing conditions, but an amendment to restrict insurance coverage of abortion. We are now reading not about coverage for elderly, but reductions in medicare/medicaid services. We have lost our focus.
Perhaps it is the hope of some to get 'something' passed and begin cleaning it up in future years. Perhaps it is the greed and ethical lapse in corporate American that has been transferred like a virus to the leadership in the United States Congress to place party ideology before the concerns of citizens of the United States. Former Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey noted that the moral test of a government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of their life, its children; those who are in the twilight of life, its aged; and those who are in the shadow of life, its sick, needy, and handicapped. For a government that can neither educate its children, care for and sustain its elderly, nor provide hope and meet the needs of its infirmed, sick, poor, and disabled, is a government without compassion and a nation without a soul.
May we hope our nation finds it's soul.
We are now in a position, decades later, to see substantial change regarding America's ability to provide access to health care for all citizens - or perhaps we were in a position to see positive change. Suddenly we are reading about issues that are not focused on health care reform or reform of the insurance industry. We are now reading not about a 'public option' to allow all citizens to be covered, but a watered down 'public plan,' but private insurers - not the government - would offer coverage. We are now reading not about coverage for pre-existing conditions, but an amendment to restrict insurance coverage of abortion. We are now reading not about coverage for elderly, but reductions in medicare/medicaid services. We have lost our focus.
Perhaps it is the hope of some to get 'something' passed and begin cleaning it up in future years. Perhaps it is the greed and ethical lapse in corporate American that has been transferred like a virus to the leadership in the United States Congress to place party ideology before the concerns of citizens of the United States. Former Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey noted that the moral test of a government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of their life, its children; those who are in the twilight of life, its aged; and those who are in the shadow of life, its sick, needy, and handicapped. For a government that can neither educate its children, care for and sustain its elderly, nor provide hope and meet the needs of its infirmed, sick, poor, and disabled, is a government without compassion and a nation without a soul.
May we hope our nation finds it's soul.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A DOC'S PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH CARE
a link to The Sun Magazine.
http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/407/who_will_heal_the_healers
The Sun Magazine
http://www.thesunmagazine.org
http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/407/who_will_heal_the_healers
The Sun Magazine
http://www.thesunmagazine.org
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
THE HEALTH CARE BUBBLE IN THE U.S.: HOW TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING
FROM TOR DAHL AND ASSOCIATES
Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 9:
For health care premiums for 2010 price increases are now estimated to be in the range of nine to eleven percent – about five times higher than inflation. Outcomes will be about the same – we’ll still be 41st in life expectancy, 33rd in infant mortality, and 37th in health system effectiveness.
And the productivity improvement in the health sector will be a negative two percent.
Americans apparently don’t want this to change. Why? Because about 70% of the US population get their health insurance from their employers or through self-paid plans, and they are more afraid of losing it than paying 10% more. The 15% who are uninsured have no voting power, and the remaining who are insured are mostly people on Medicare, Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans (military, VA, federal employer), so most people fear that proposed changes may put them in a worse position than they are now. And this fear has produced the most emotion-laded debates that we have ever witnessed.
Yet almost all Americans are just one step away from losing their health insurance. That insurance may disappear if the employer lays off people or goes broke. If may disappear if you have a pre-existing condition, or you have a ceiling on how much the insurer will pay, or you have co-payments that you cannot afford, or the insurance company drops you because you are considered a poor risk.
So the average American is only two steps away from bankruptcy. If you lose your health insurance, you enter a twilight zone where 62% of all personal bankruptcies are caused by staggering health care bills.
This is what people prefer over a change in our system of health care financing? A change that promises to remove the pre-existing condition problem, makes your insurance non-cancelable and insures everybody? The reason, they say, is that it will cost too much.
Give me a break!
Is the 62% of bankruptcies not costly enough? The shift from going to your own doctor to waiting six hours in an emergency room? A system that will consume the entire Gross National Product of the US in 2060 if cost increases continue on the same path as they have since 2000? This is, without a doubt, the largest and most dangerous economic bubble we have ever encountered.
Here is the solution, and I cannot imagine why no one has advocated it during the entire debate that now has raged over nearly 5 years. The solution is to raise the productivity level of the health sector to be comparable with that of the average American worker.
That’s it.
That’s the solution.
If we do that, we do not have to hire even one additional healthcare worker over the next ten years. Over that period, everyone in the health sector will be paid the same pay increases as they received in the past decade. All Americans will be treated, whether insured or not, and the cost will not increase in total -–it will be offset by higher productivity.
And ten years from now, health care costs will be 10% less than they are today, in real dollars.
This is what the productivity of the average American can do for the rest of the economy.
If the health sector does as well, we shall have solved the cost problem, and the problem of the uninsured, all while continuing to provide the newly effective health care workers with the same high annual pay increases they received in the past.
Now, tell me again: Why don’t we do this? And now?
Newsletter Volume 6, Issue 9:
For health care premiums for 2010 price increases are now estimated to be in the range of nine to eleven percent – about five times higher than inflation. Outcomes will be about the same – we’ll still be 41st in life expectancy, 33rd in infant mortality, and 37th in health system effectiveness.
And the productivity improvement in the health sector will be a negative two percent.
Americans apparently don’t want this to change. Why? Because about 70% of the US population get their health insurance from their employers or through self-paid plans, and they are more afraid of losing it than paying 10% more. The 15% who are uninsured have no voting power, and the remaining who are insured are mostly people on Medicare, Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans (military, VA, federal employer), so most people fear that proposed changes may put them in a worse position than they are now. And this fear has produced the most emotion-laded debates that we have ever witnessed.
Yet almost all Americans are just one step away from losing their health insurance. That insurance may disappear if the employer lays off people or goes broke. If may disappear if you have a pre-existing condition, or you have a ceiling on how much the insurer will pay, or you have co-payments that you cannot afford, or the insurance company drops you because you are considered a poor risk.
So the average American is only two steps away from bankruptcy. If you lose your health insurance, you enter a twilight zone where 62% of all personal bankruptcies are caused by staggering health care bills.
This is what people prefer over a change in our system of health care financing? A change that promises to remove the pre-existing condition problem, makes your insurance non-cancelable and insures everybody? The reason, they say, is that it will cost too much.
Give me a break!
Is the 62% of bankruptcies not costly enough? The shift from going to your own doctor to waiting six hours in an emergency room? A system that will consume the entire Gross National Product of the US in 2060 if cost increases continue on the same path as they have since 2000? This is, without a doubt, the largest and most dangerous economic bubble we have ever encountered.
Here is the solution, and I cannot imagine why no one has advocated it during the entire debate that now has raged over nearly 5 years. The solution is to raise the productivity level of the health sector to be comparable with that of the average American worker.
That’s it.
That’s the solution.
If we do that, we do not have to hire even one additional healthcare worker over the next ten years. Over that period, everyone in the health sector will be paid the same pay increases as they received in the past decade. All Americans will be treated, whether insured or not, and the cost will not increase in total -–it will be offset by higher productivity.
And ten years from now, health care costs will be 10% less than they are today, in real dollars.
This is what the productivity of the average American can do for the rest of the economy.
If the health sector does as well, we shall have solved the cost problem, and the problem of the uninsured, all while continuing to provide the newly effective health care workers with the same high annual pay increases they received in the past.
Now, tell me again: Why don’t we do this? And now?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
WOMAN OF WISDOM
We are fortunate when we have the chance to listen and learn from someone who possesses the strength of wisdom. A recent conversation with a woman taught me that wisdom is a scarce commodity in our society today. The wisdom possessed by this woman was not developed through formal education but through first hand life experiences.
The woman of wisdom expressed her concern to me about what is happening in society today and specifically her observation that America is “imploding” – referring to internal self-destruction. The woman of wisdom talked about the depression and the “acceptance” of children not finishing their high school education because they were needed to work on the farm or find work to help support the families. “Families” referred to not only to the immediate and extended families, but neighbors and people and individuals in the small rural communities they supported. The woman of wisdom explained how people would butcher farm animals and share the meat with others in the community. The depression was a difficult time, but people did not blame each other or their neighbors or their leaders. The people came together and supported each other.
The woman of wisdom married and bore eight children. It was a new era but not without hardships. World War II produced anxiety, a call to duty, shortages, and rationing. Again, people came together, supported each other to the extent that ration books and tokens were issued to each American family, dictating how much gasoline, tires, sugar, meat, silk, shoes, nylon and other items any one person could buy. The point of the woman of wisdom was rationing (sugar is an example) provided equal shares of a single commodity to ALL CONSUMERS. If another family had an issue or emergency, commodities were shared or given to them by other families.
The woman of wisdom expressed gratitude that out of the depression and the experiences of WW II, she felt blessed that social security became available for her generation, especially since her husband died at an early age. The woman of wisdom also expressed gratitude that she had Medicare and Medicaid in her ‘twilight’ years. The woman of wisdom expressed disappointment that the lessons of her generation appears to be lost in current discussions of helping people, and especially children, have access to “medical” insurance. The woman of wisdom said she was confused why people verbally attack each other on difference of opinions regarding “medical” insurance, and wanted to know why “these people” cannot work together for the good of the people, and for the good of each other.
The woman of wisdom passed away at the age of 92. I love you Mom.
The woman of wisdom expressed her concern to me about what is happening in society today and specifically her observation that America is “imploding” – referring to internal self-destruction. The woman of wisdom talked about the depression and the “acceptance” of children not finishing their high school education because they were needed to work on the farm or find work to help support the families. “Families” referred to not only to the immediate and extended families, but neighbors and people and individuals in the small rural communities they supported. The woman of wisdom explained how people would butcher farm animals and share the meat with others in the community. The depression was a difficult time, but people did not blame each other or their neighbors or their leaders. The people came together and supported each other.
The woman of wisdom married and bore eight children. It was a new era but not without hardships. World War II produced anxiety, a call to duty, shortages, and rationing. Again, people came together, supported each other to the extent that ration books and tokens were issued to each American family, dictating how much gasoline, tires, sugar, meat, silk, shoes, nylon and other items any one person could buy. The point of the woman of wisdom was rationing (sugar is an example) provided equal shares of a single commodity to ALL CONSUMERS. If another family had an issue or emergency, commodities were shared or given to them by other families.
The woman of wisdom expressed gratitude that out of the depression and the experiences of WW II, she felt blessed that social security became available for her generation, especially since her husband died at an early age. The woman of wisdom also expressed gratitude that she had Medicare and Medicaid in her ‘twilight’ years. The woman of wisdom expressed disappointment that the lessons of her generation appears to be lost in current discussions of helping people, and especially children, have access to “medical” insurance. The woman of wisdom said she was confused why people verbally attack each other on difference of opinions regarding “medical” insurance, and wanted to know why “these people” cannot work together for the good of the people, and for the good of each other.
The woman of wisdom passed away at the age of 92. I love you Mom.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
THE COST OF FAILURE TO ENACT HEALTH CARE REFORM
FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION
September 30, 2009
By: Garrett B, Holahan J, Doan L and Headen I
Researchers from the Urban Institute used their Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model to estimate how coverage and cost trends would change between now and 2019 if the health system is not reformed.
The report shows that under the worst-case scenario, within 10 years:
The number of people without insurance would increase by more than 30 percent in 29 states.
In every state, the number of uninsured would increase by at least 10 percent.
Businesses would see their premiums increase—more than doubling in 27 states. Even in the best case scenario, employers in 46 states would see premiums increase by more than 60 percent.
Every state would see a smaller share of its population getting health care through their job.Half of the states would see the number of people with ESI fall by more than 10 percent.
Every state would see spending for Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) rise by more than 75 percent.
The amount of uncompensated care in the health system would more than double in 45 states.
http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/49148.pdf
September 30, 2009
By: Garrett B, Holahan J, Doan L and Headen I
Researchers from the Urban Institute used their Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model to estimate how coverage and cost trends would change between now and 2019 if the health system is not reformed.
The report shows that under the worst-case scenario, within 10 years:
The number of people without insurance would increase by more than 30 percent in 29 states.
In every state, the number of uninsured would increase by at least 10 percent.
Businesses would see their premiums increase—more than doubling in 27 states. Even in the best case scenario, employers in 46 states would see premiums increase by more than 60 percent.
Every state would see a smaller share of its population getting health care through their job.Half of the states would see the number of people with ESI fall by more than 10 percent.
Every state would see spending for Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) rise by more than 75 percent.
The amount of uncompensated care in the health system would more than double in 45 states.
http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/49148.pdf
Monday, August 31, 2009
Five Biggest Lies in the Health Care Debate
The Five Biggest Lies in the Health Care Debate
By Sharon Begley NEWSWEEK
Published Aug 29, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Sep 7, 2009
To the credit of opponents of health-care reform, the lies and exaggerations they're spreading are not made up out of whole cloth—which makes the misinformation that much more credible. Instead, because opponents demand that everyone within earshot (or e-mail range) look, say, "at page 425 of the House bill!," the lies take on a patina of credibility. Take the claim in one chain e-mail that the government will have electronic access to everyone's bank account, implying that the Feds will rob you blind. The 1,017-page bill passed by the House Ways and Means Committee does call for electronic fund transfers—but from insurers to doctors and other providers. There is zero provision to include patients in any such system.
Five other myths that won't die:
You'll have no choice in what health benefits you receive.The myth that a "health choices commissioner" will decide what benefits you get seems to have originated in a july 19 post at blog.flecksoflife.com, whose homepage features an image of Obama looking like heath ledger's joker. In fact, the house bill sets up a health-care exchange—essentially a list of private insurers and one government plan—where people who do not have health insurance through their employer or some other source (including small businesses) can shop for a plan, much as seniors shop for a drug plan under medicare part d. The government will indeed require that participating plans not refuse people with preexisting conditions and offer at least minimum coverage, just as it does now with employer-provided insurance plans and part d. The requirements will be floors, not ceilings, however, in that the feds will have no say in how generous private insurance can be.
placeAd2(commercialNode,'bigbox',false,'')
No chemo for older medicare patients.The threat that medicare will give cancer patients over 70 only end-of-life counseling and not chemotherapy—as a nurse at a hospital told a roomful of chemo patients, including the uncle of a NEWSWEEK reporter—has zero basis in fact. It's just a vicious form of the rationing scare. The house bill does not use the word "ration." Nor does it call for cost-effectiveness research, much less implementation—the idea that "it isn't cost-effective to give a 90-year-old a hip replacement."
The general claim that care will be rationed under health-care reform is less a lie and more of a non-disprovable projection (as is Howard Dean's assertion that health-care reform will not lead to rationing, ever). What we can say is that there is de facto rationing under the current system, by both medicare and private insurance. No plan covers everything, but coverage decisions "are now made in opaque ways by insurance companies," says dr. Donald Berwick of the institute for healthcare improvement.
A related myth is that health-care reform will be financed through $500 billion in medicare cuts. This refers to proposed decreases in medicare increases. That is, spending is on track to reach $803 billion in 2019 from today's $422 billion, and that would be dialed back. Even the $560 billion in reductions (which would be spread over 10 years and come from reducing payments to private medicare advantage plans, reducing annual increases in payments to hospitals and other providers, and improving care so seniors are not readmitted to a hospital) is misleading: the house bill also gives medicare $340 billion more over a decade. The money would pay docs more for office visits, eliminate copays and deductibles for preventive care, and help close the "doughnut hole" in the medicare drug benefit, explains medicare expert Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Illegal immigrants will get free health insuranceThe house bill doesn't give anyone free health care (though under a 1986 law illegals who can't pay do get free emergency care now, courtesy of all us premiumpaying customers or of hospitals that have to eat the cost). Will they be eligible for subsidies to buy health insurance? The house bill says that "individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States" will not be allowed to receive subsidies.
The claim that taxpayers will wind up subsidizing health insurance for illegal immigrants has its origins in the defeat of an amendment, offered in July by republican rep. Dean Heller of Nevada, to require those enrolling in a public plan or seeking subsidies to purchase private insurance to have their citizenship verified. Flecksoflife.com claimed on july 19 that "hc [health care] will be provided 2 all non us citizens, illegal or otherwise." Rep. Steve king of Iowa spread the claim in a usa today op-ed on aug. 20, calling the explicit prohibition on such coverage "functionally meaningless" absent mandatory citizenship checks, and it's now gone viral. Can we say that none of the estimated 11.9 million illegal immigrants will ever wangle insurance subsidies through identity fraud, pretending to be a citizen? You can't prove a negative, but experts say that medicare—the closest thing to the proposals in the house bill—has no such problem.
Death panels will decide who lives.On July 16 Betsy Mccaughey, a former lieutenant governor of New York and darling of the right, said on Fred Thompson's radio show that "on page 425," "congress would make it mandatory … That every five years, people in medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline nutrition." Sarah Palin coined "death panels" in an Aug. 7 facebook post.
This lie springs from a provision in the house bill to have medicare cover optional counseling on end-of-life care for any senior who requests it. This means that any patient, terminally ill or not, can request a special consultation with his or her physician about ventilators, feeding tubes, and other measures. Thus the house bill expands medicare coverage, but without forcing anyone into end-of-life counseling.
The death-panels claim nevertheless got a new lease on life when Jim Towey, director of the White House office of faith-based initiatives under George W. Bush, claimed in an Aug. 18 Wall Street Journal op-ed that a 1997 workbook from the department of veterans affairs pushes vets to "hurry up and die." In fact, the thrust of the 51-page book, which the va pulled from circulation in 2007, is letting "loved ones" and "health care providers" "know your wishes." Readers are asked to decide what they believe, including that "life is sacred and has meaning, no matter what its quality," and that "my life should be prolonged as long as it can...using any means possible." But the workbook also asks if readers "believe there are some situations in which I would not want treatments to keep me alive." Opponents of health-care reform have selectively cited this passage as evidence the government wants to kill the old and the sick.
The government will set doctors' wages.This, too, seems to have originated on the Flecksoflife blog on July 19. But while page 127 of the House bill says that physicians who choose to accept patients in the public insurance plan would receive 5 percent more than Medicare pays for a given service, doctors can refuse to accept such patients, and, even if they participate in a public plan, they are not salaried employees of it any more than your doctor today is an employee of, say, Aetna. "Nobody is saying we want the doctors working for the government; that's completely false," says Amitabh Chandra, professor of public policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
To be sure, there are also honest and principled objections to health-care reform. Some oppose a requirement that everyone have health insurance as an erosion of individual liberty. That's a debatable position, but an honest one. And many are simply scared out of their wits about what health-care reform will mean for them. But when fear and loathing hijack the brain, anything becomes believable—even that health-care reform is unconstitutional. To disprove that, check the commerce clause: Article I, Section 8.
With Katie Connolly, Claudia Kalb, and Ian Yarett
Find this article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/214254
By Sharon Begley NEWSWEEK
Published Aug 29, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Sep 7, 2009
To the credit of opponents of health-care reform, the lies and exaggerations they're spreading are not made up out of whole cloth—which makes the misinformation that much more credible. Instead, because opponents demand that everyone within earshot (or e-mail range) look, say, "at page 425 of the House bill!," the lies take on a patina of credibility. Take the claim in one chain e-mail that the government will have electronic access to everyone's bank account, implying that the Feds will rob you blind. The 1,017-page bill passed by the House Ways and Means Committee does call for electronic fund transfers—but from insurers to doctors and other providers. There is zero provision to include patients in any such system.
Five other myths that won't die:
You'll have no choice in what health benefits you receive.The myth that a "health choices commissioner" will decide what benefits you get seems to have originated in a july 19 post at blog.flecksoflife.com, whose homepage features an image of Obama looking like heath ledger's joker. In fact, the house bill sets up a health-care exchange—essentially a list of private insurers and one government plan—where people who do not have health insurance through their employer or some other source (including small businesses) can shop for a plan, much as seniors shop for a drug plan under medicare part d. The government will indeed require that participating plans not refuse people with preexisting conditions and offer at least minimum coverage, just as it does now with employer-provided insurance plans and part d. The requirements will be floors, not ceilings, however, in that the feds will have no say in how generous private insurance can be.
placeAd2(commercialNode,'bigbox',false,'')
No chemo for older medicare patients.The threat that medicare will give cancer patients over 70 only end-of-life counseling and not chemotherapy—as a nurse at a hospital told a roomful of chemo patients, including the uncle of a NEWSWEEK reporter—has zero basis in fact. It's just a vicious form of the rationing scare. The house bill does not use the word "ration." Nor does it call for cost-effectiveness research, much less implementation—the idea that "it isn't cost-effective to give a 90-year-old a hip replacement."
The general claim that care will be rationed under health-care reform is less a lie and more of a non-disprovable projection (as is Howard Dean's assertion that health-care reform will not lead to rationing, ever). What we can say is that there is de facto rationing under the current system, by both medicare and private insurance. No plan covers everything, but coverage decisions "are now made in opaque ways by insurance companies," says dr. Donald Berwick of the institute for healthcare improvement.
A related myth is that health-care reform will be financed through $500 billion in medicare cuts. This refers to proposed decreases in medicare increases. That is, spending is on track to reach $803 billion in 2019 from today's $422 billion, and that would be dialed back. Even the $560 billion in reductions (which would be spread over 10 years and come from reducing payments to private medicare advantage plans, reducing annual increases in payments to hospitals and other providers, and improving care so seniors are not readmitted to a hospital) is misleading: the house bill also gives medicare $340 billion more over a decade. The money would pay docs more for office visits, eliminate copays and deductibles for preventive care, and help close the "doughnut hole" in the medicare drug benefit, explains medicare expert Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Illegal immigrants will get free health insuranceThe house bill doesn't give anyone free health care (though under a 1986 law illegals who can't pay do get free emergency care now, courtesy of all us premiumpaying customers or of hospitals that have to eat the cost). Will they be eligible for subsidies to buy health insurance? The house bill says that "individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States" will not be allowed to receive subsidies.
The claim that taxpayers will wind up subsidizing health insurance for illegal immigrants has its origins in the defeat of an amendment, offered in July by republican rep. Dean Heller of Nevada, to require those enrolling in a public plan or seeking subsidies to purchase private insurance to have their citizenship verified. Flecksoflife.com claimed on july 19 that "hc [health care] will be provided 2 all non us citizens, illegal or otherwise." Rep. Steve king of Iowa spread the claim in a usa today op-ed on aug. 20, calling the explicit prohibition on such coverage "functionally meaningless" absent mandatory citizenship checks, and it's now gone viral. Can we say that none of the estimated 11.9 million illegal immigrants will ever wangle insurance subsidies through identity fraud, pretending to be a citizen? You can't prove a negative, but experts say that medicare—the closest thing to the proposals in the house bill—has no such problem.
Death panels will decide who lives.On July 16 Betsy Mccaughey, a former lieutenant governor of New York and darling of the right, said on Fred Thompson's radio show that "on page 425," "congress would make it mandatory … That every five years, people in medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline nutrition." Sarah Palin coined "death panels" in an Aug. 7 facebook post.
This lie springs from a provision in the house bill to have medicare cover optional counseling on end-of-life care for any senior who requests it. This means that any patient, terminally ill or not, can request a special consultation with his or her physician about ventilators, feeding tubes, and other measures. Thus the house bill expands medicare coverage, but without forcing anyone into end-of-life counseling.
The death-panels claim nevertheless got a new lease on life when Jim Towey, director of the White House office of faith-based initiatives under George W. Bush, claimed in an Aug. 18 Wall Street Journal op-ed that a 1997 workbook from the department of veterans affairs pushes vets to "hurry up and die." In fact, the thrust of the 51-page book, which the va pulled from circulation in 2007, is letting "loved ones" and "health care providers" "know your wishes." Readers are asked to decide what they believe, including that "life is sacred and has meaning, no matter what its quality," and that "my life should be prolonged as long as it can...using any means possible." But the workbook also asks if readers "believe there are some situations in which I would not want treatments to keep me alive." Opponents of health-care reform have selectively cited this passage as evidence the government wants to kill the old and the sick.
The government will set doctors' wages.This, too, seems to have originated on the Flecksoflife blog on July 19. But while page 127 of the House bill says that physicians who choose to accept patients in the public insurance plan would receive 5 percent more than Medicare pays for a given service, doctors can refuse to accept such patients, and, even if they participate in a public plan, they are not salaried employees of it any more than your doctor today is an employee of, say, Aetna. "Nobody is saying we want the doctors working for the government; that's completely false," says Amitabh Chandra, professor of public policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
To be sure, there are also honest and principled objections to health-care reform. Some oppose a requirement that everyone have health insurance as an erosion of individual liberty. That's a debatable position, but an honest one. And many are simply scared out of their wits about what health-care reform will mean for them. But when fear and loathing hijack the brain, anything becomes believable—even that health-care reform is unconstitutional. To disprove that, check the commerce clause: Article I, Section 8.
With Katie Connolly, Claudia Kalb, and Ian Yarett
Find this article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/214254
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
HEALTH CARE REFORM?...THINK ABOUT IT
Think about the following:
1) There will be no health care reform without reforming the insurance industry, since health care system is currently insurance driven.
2) Fee for service is what drives health care costs up. The more tests conducted the more charges submitted, the more revenue
3) There will be no health care reform or insurance system reform without a government option.
4) If there is not a government option and the 47 million without insurance are require to ‘purchase’ health insurance – and they will get a tax credit – how can we expect someone to pay for the monthly health insurance costs if one can barely pay monthly rent – and income now is minimal that tax credit will not help.
5) “socialized” medicine comment used is misleading since all hospitals, clinics, etc would need to be owned by the government to be ‘socialized’ – it will not happen.
6) We have had a ‘single payer “ system for over 47 years with an overhead of 3% (compared to 24% in the insurance industry). It has worked very well and is called Medicare. It is a government option and it does not restrict one from seeing “their” doc.
7) Think about it………
1) There will be no health care reform without reforming the insurance industry, since health care system is currently insurance driven.
2) Fee for service is what drives health care costs up. The more tests conducted the more charges submitted, the more revenue
3) There will be no health care reform or insurance system reform without a government option.
4) If there is not a government option and the 47 million without insurance are require to ‘purchase’ health insurance – and they will get a tax credit – how can we expect someone to pay for the monthly health insurance costs if one can barely pay monthly rent – and income now is minimal that tax credit will not help.
5) “socialized” medicine comment used is misleading since all hospitals, clinics, etc would need to be owned by the government to be ‘socialized’ – it will not happen.
6) We have had a ‘single payer “ system for over 47 years with an overhead of 3% (compared to 24% in the insurance industry). It has worked very well and is called Medicare. It is a government option and it does not restrict one from seeing “their” doc.
7) Think about it………
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
WHY MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS NEED HEALTH REFORM
FROM SLIDESHARE
Why Middle Class Americans Need Health Reform
Middle class Americans across the country are demanding health reform. Businesses and families are struggling under the increasing financial burden of rising health care costs, and even middle class Americans with health insurance are struggling as their out of pocket health care costs continue to rise. Some employers are facing a decision between scaling back on coverage and laying off workers, and many—especially small businesses—are dropping coverage altogether.
Middle class families often find themselves without adequate protection against a major illness and have difficulty obtaining the care they need, and an increasing number are now uninsured. Even among those able to get insurance through their job, middle class Americans are less likely to have a choice in their plan or provider compared to higher-income workers. This report highlights the struggles that middle class Americans face in the current health care system. By examining cost, coverage, access, and choice, this report shows how the current system has failed the middle class and why we must enact health reform this year. Rising Financial Burden Middle class Americans and their families are facing escalating financial burdens from health care costs.
On average, middle class families with private health insurance spend $4,400 a year on health insurance premiums, deductibles, and copayments, or 9% of their household income.
1 Compared with higher-income Americans, middle class Americans are more likely to face a high financial burden from these out of pocket health care costs. In fact, 22 percent of middle class Americans with private health insurance are in households that spend more than 10 percent of their income on health care, compared with 8 percent of higher-income Americans.
2 This burden is growing over time. From 2001 to 2006, the percentage of privately insured middle class Americans facing a high financial burden from health care costs increased from 14 percent to 22 percent
3 The burden is also worse for middle class Americans purchasing health insurance directly from the individual insurance market. A middle class family with individual coverage spends on average 22 percent of household income on health care – and some spend up to 50 percent. A similar middle class family with employer based coverage spends an average of 8 percent of their income on health care costs.
4 Diminishing Coverage Middle class Americans and their families are facing a growing challenge in obtaining or maintaining their health insurance coverage. Over a quarter of the uninsured are middle class Americans.
5 The number of non-elderly middle class Americans who are uninsured has grown over time, from 11.1 million in 2001 to 12.5 million in 2007.
6 Looking forward, without health reform, the number of middle class Americans without health insurance could be as high as 18.2 million in 2019.
7 In part, high rates of the uninsured among middle class Americans arise because middle income workers have a higher chance of not being offered health insurance through their job. In fact, of the 10.7 million non-elderly adults in the middle class bracket who are uninsured, nearly 90 percent are employed.
8 Nearly one in four middle class employees are not offered health insurance by their employers – and of those that are not, more than half remain uninsured. In comparison, only one in six high-income employees are not offered health insurance by their employers.
9 Part of the reason that middle income Americans are less likely to be offered coverage is because they are more likely to work in small businesses – 53 percent of middle income Americans work in small businesses, compared with 46 percent of higher income Americans. Of those who work in small business, 40 percent are not offered insurance.
10 Reduced Access to Care Shrinking coverage and rising costs mean middle class Americans are finding it difficult to obtain the care they need. Eleven percent of middle class adults reported delaying needed care and 8 percent reported avoiding care altogether because of high cost in 2007.
11 Middle class adults are also more likely to avoid care because of rising costs compared to higher-income adults, where only 5 percent reported delaying and 3 percent reported avoiding needed care.
12 The problem is particularly worse for those middle class adults who are uninsured, where more than one in five delayed or avoided needed care because of cost in 2007.
13 Regular visits to the pediatrician are important for healthy child development, and yet too many middle class children do not see a physician regularly. Twelve percent of middle class children did not have a health care visit in the past year, compared to 8 percent of high-income children.
14 Lack of Choice Even among those able to get insurance through their job, middle class Americans are less likely to have a choice in their plan or provider compared to higher-income workers. Forty percent of middle class workers are given a choice of health plans through their job, compared with 52 percent of higher-income workers.
15 Middle class Americans are more likely to need a referral to see a specialist, more likely to have to select their doctor from a list given by their health plan, and less likely to be able to get health care coverage if they go outside of that network than higher income Americans.
16 The Need for Health Reform Rising costs, rising rates of uninsured, and reduced access to care all demonstrate that the current health care system does not work for middle class families. Health reform is needed to ensure high-quality care is accessible for all Americans.
Sources Prepared by Kurt Herzer and Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD, Office of Health Reform, Department of Health and Human Services Data analysis provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Department of Health and Human Services 1 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 2 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 3 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2001-2006. 4 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2003-2006. 5 Current Population Survey, 2007. 3
6 Current Population Survey, 2001-2007. 7 Holahan J, Garrett B, Headen I, et al. Health Reform: The Cost of Failure. The Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: May 21, 2009. Available at http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/costoffailure20090529.pdf 8 Current Population Survey, 2007. 9 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 10 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 11 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997-2007. 12 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 13 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 14 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 15 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 16 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 4
Why Middle Class Americans Need Health Reform
Middle class Americans across the country are demanding health reform. Businesses and families are struggling under the increasing financial burden of rising health care costs, and even middle class Americans with health insurance are struggling as their out of pocket health care costs continue to rise. Some employers are facing a decision between scaling back on coverage and laying off workers, and many—especially small businesses—are dropping coverage altogether.
Middle class families often find themselves without adequate protection against a major illness and have difficulty obtaining the care they need, and an increasing number are now uninsured. Even among those able to get insurance through their job, middle class Americans are less likely to have a choice in their plan or provider compared to higher-income workers. This report highlights the struggles that middle class Americans face in the current health care system. By examining cost, coverage, access, and choice, this report shows how the current system has failed the middle class and why we must enact health reform this year. Rising Financial Burden Middle class Americans and their families are facing escalating financial burdens from health care costs.
On average, middle class families with private health insurance spend $4,400 a year on health insurance premiums, deductibles, and copayments, or 9% of their household income.
1 Compared with higher-income Americans, middle class Americans are more likely to face a high financial burden from these out of pocket health care costs. In fact, 22 percent of middle class Americans with private health insurance are in households that spend more than 10 percent of their income on health care, compared with 8 percent of higher-income Americans.
2 This burden is growing over time. From 2001 to 2006, the percentage of privately insured middle class Americans facing a high financial burden from health care costs increased from 14 percent to 22 percent
3 The burden is also worse for middle class Americans purchasing health insurance directly from the individual insurance market. A middle class family with individual coverage spends on average 22 percent of household income on health care – and some spend up to 50 percent. A similar middle class family with employer based coverage spends an average of 8 percent of their income on health care costs.
4 Diminishing Coverage Middle class Americans and their families are facing a growing challenge in obtaining or maintaining their health insurance coverage. Over a quarter of the uninsured are middle class Americans.
5 The number of non-elderly middle class Americans who are uninsured has grown over time, from 11.1 million in 2001 to 12.5 million in 2007.
6 Looking forward, without health reform, the number of middle class Americans without health insurance could be as high as 18.2 million in 2019.
7 In part, high rates of the uninsured among middle class Americans arise because middle income workers have a higher chance of not being offered health insurance through their job. In fact, of the 10.7 million non-elderly adults in the middle class bracket who are uninsured, nearly 90 percent are employed.
8 Nearly one in four middle class employees are not offered health insurance by their employers – and of those that are not, more than half remain uninsured. In comparison, only one in six high-income employees are not offered health insurance by their employers.
9 Part of the reason that middle income Americans are less likely to be offered coverage is because they are more likely to work in small businesses – 53 percent of middle income Americans work in small businesses, compared with 46 percent of higher income Americans. Of those who work in small business, 40 percent are not offered insurance.
10 Reduced Access to Care Shrinking coverage and rising costs mean middle class Americans are finding it difficult to obtain the care they need. Eleven percent of middle class adults reported delaying needed care and 8 percent reported avoiding care altogether because of high cost in 2007.
11 Middle class adults are also more likely to avoid care because of rising costs compared to higher-income adults, where only 5 percent reported delaying and 3 percent reported avoiding needed care.
12 The problem is particularly worse for those middle class adults who are uninsured, where more than one in five delayed or avoided needed care because of cost in 2007.
13 Regular visits to the pediatrician are important for healthy child development, and yet too many middle class children do not see a physician regularly. Twelve percent of middle class children did not have a health care visit in the past year, compared to 8 percent of high-income children.
14 Lack of Choice Even among those able to get insurance through their job, middle class Americans are less likely to have a choice in their plan or provider compared to higher-income workers. Forty percent of middle class workers are given a choice of health plans through their job, compared with 52 percent of higher-income workers.
15 Middle class Americans are more likely to need a referral to see a specialist, more likely to have to select their doctor from a list given by their health plan, and less likely to be able to get health care coverage if they go outside of that network than higher income Americans.
16 The Need for Health Reform Rising costs, rising rates of uninsured, and reduced access to care all demonstrate that the current health care system does not work for middle class families. Health reform is needed to ensure high-quality care is accessible for all Americans.
Sources Prepared by Kurt Herzer and Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD, Office of Health Reform, Department of Health and Human Services Data analysis provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Department of Health and Human Services 1 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 2 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 3 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2001-2006. 4 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2003-2006. 5 Current Population Survey, 2007. 3
6 Current Population Survey, 2001-2007. 7 Holahan J, Garrett B, Headen I, et al. Health Reform: The Cost of Failure. The Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: May 21, 2009. Available at http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/costoffailure20090529.pdf 8 Current Population Survey, 2007. 9 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 10 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 11 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997-2007. 12 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 13 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 14 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 15 Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006. 16 Unpublished data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. 4
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
House Bill Introduced on Affordable Health Choice
I found this article on the Modern Healthcare website and thought that it should be shared with everyone.
Mark Krebs
Health Care Management Student
Globe UniversitySioux Falls
House bill would cost $1.04 trillion: CBOBy Matthew DoBiasPosted: July 15, 2009 - 9:00 am EDTThe Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday said that the House's version of a health reform bill would cost $1.04 trillion over a 10-year period, but cautioned that its analysis is preliminary and did not take into account a plan to raise taxes or savings from Medicare and Medicaid.
Looking at the health insurance provisions, the CBO said that the House bill would cover between 94% and 97% of the nation's population by 2019.
House Democrats introduced the so-called America's Affordable Health Choices Act yesterday, calling it “landmark” legislation and lauding provisions that include a mandate that all persons have some level of coverage, an expansion of the Medicaid program and the establishment of a public health plan option.The bill has been hashed out by three different committees: Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce. Leaders from those committees plan to pay for the bill with a new tax on the nation's highest income earners, which they say will raise $540 billion over the next decade. The balance of the bill is expected to come from savings wrung from Medicare and Medicaid
Mark Krebs
Health Care Management Student
Globe UniversitySioux Falls
House bill would cost $1.04 trillion: CBOBy Matthew DoBiasPosted: July 15, 2009 - 9:00 am EDTThe Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday said that the House's version of a health reform bill would cost $1.04 trillion over a 10-year period, but cautioned that its analysis is preliminary and did not take into account a plan to raise taxes or savings from Medicare and Medicaid.
Looking at the health insurance provisions, the CBO said that the House bill would cover between 94% and 97% of the nation's population by 2019.
House Democrats introduced the so-called America's Affordable Health Choices Act yesterday, calling it “landmark” legislation and lauding provisions that include a mandate that all persons have some level of coverage, an expansion of the Medicaid program and the establishment of a public health plan option.The bill has been hashed out by three different committees: Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce. Leaders from those committees plan to pay for the bill with a new tax on the nation's highest income earners, which they say will raise $540 billion over the next decade. The balance of the bill is expected to come from savings wrung from Medicare and Medicaid
FUTURE JOBS IN HEALTH CARE???
Many changes are being discussed in the United States regarding health care. We don’t know yet what the changes will be, but certainly there will be opportunities for Health Care Managers. What do you think , in terms of new positions, will be created to address the future service needs in health care?
OUTSOURCING MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION WORK
Annette Hoffman from Rochester shared the links below related to outsourcing medical transcription work, and HIPAA related issues. Scary stuff !!
Here are the two articles that I have regarding outsourcing transcription of medical records. I think it is going to become a bigger issue as more people actually become aware that this practice exists. I tell everyone that I can about it. You may have to cut and paste the links into the browser to read the article.
http://www.fortherecordmag.com/archives/ftr_012604p20.shtml
http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_022546.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_022546
Here are the two articles that I have regarding outsourcing transcription of medical records. I think it is going to become a bigger issue as more people actually become aware that this practice exists. I tell everyone that I can about it. You may have to cut and paste the links into the browser to read the article.
http://www.fortherecordmag.com/archives/ftr_012604p20.shtml
http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_022546.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_022546
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
WORST 10 RESUME PHRASES
thought this was interesting – and may be of value……fyi
The 2009 job market is very different from job markets of the past. If you haven't job-hunted in a while, the changes in the landscape can throw you for a loop.
One of the biggest changes is the shift in what constitutes a strong resume. Years ago, we could dig into the Resume Boilerplate grab-bag and pull out a phrase to fill out a sentence or bullet point on our resume. Everybody used the same boilerplate phrases, so we knew we couldn't go wrong choosing one of them -- or many -- to throw into your resume.
Things have changed. Stodgy boilerplate phrases in your resume today mark you as uncreative and "vocabulary challenged." You can make your resume more compelling and human-sounding by rooting out and replacing the boring corporate-speak phrases that litter it, and replacing them with human language -- things that people like you or I would actually say.
Here are the worst 10 boilerplate phrases -- the ones to seek out and destroy in your resume as soon as possible:
Results-oriented professional
Cross-functional teams
More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
Superior (or excellent) communication skills
Strong work ethic
Met or exceeded expectations
Proven track record of success
Works well with all levels of staff
Team player
Bottom-line orientation
You can do better. What about adding a human voice to your resume? Here's an example:
"I'm a Marketing Researcher who's driven by curiosity about why people buy what they do. At XYZ Industries, I used consumer surveys and online-forum analysis to uncover the reasons why consumers chose our competitors over us; our sales grew twenty percent over the next six months as a result. I'm equally at home on sales calls or analyzing data in seclusion, and up to speed on traditional and new-millennium research tools and approaches. I'm fanatical about understanding our marketplace better every day, week and month -- and have helped my employers' brands grow dramatically as a result."
You don't have to write resumes that sound like robots wrote them. A human-voiced resume is the new black -- try it!
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new millennium workplace. Contact Liz at liz@asklizryan.com or join the Ask Liz Ryan online community at www.asklizryan/group.The opinions expressed in this column are solely the author's.
The 2009 job market is very different from job markets of the past. If you haven't job-hunted in a while, the changes in the landscape can throw you for a loop.
One of the biggest changes is the shift in what constitutes a strong resume. Years ago, we could dig into the Resume Boilerplate grab-bag and pull out a phrase to fill out a sentence or bullet point on our resume. Everybody used the same boilerplate phrases, so we knew we couldn't go wrong choosing one of them -- or many -- to throw into your resume.
Things have changed. Stodgy boilerplate phrases in your resume today mark you as uncreative and "vocabulary challenged." You can make your resume more compelling and human-sounding by rooting out and replacing the boring corporate-speak phrases that litter it, and replacing them with human language -- things that people like you or I would actually say.
Here are the worst 10 boilerplate phrases -- the ones to seek out and destroy in your resume as soon as possible:
Results-oriented professional
Cross-functional teams
More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
Superior (or excellent) communication skills
Strong work ethic
Met or exceeded expectations
Proven track record of success
Works well with all levels of staff
Team player
Bottom-line orientation
You can do better. What about adding a human voice to your resume? Here's an example:
"I'm a Marketing Researcher who's driven by curiosity about why people buy what they do. At XYZ Industries, I used consumer surveys and online-forum analysis to uncover the reasons why consumers chose our competitors over us; our sales grew twenty percent over the next six months as a result. I'm equally at home on sales calls or analyzing data in seclusion, and up to speed on traditional and new-millennium research tools and approaches. I'm fanatical about understanding our marketplace better every day, week and month -- and have helped my employers' brands grow dramatically as a result."
You don't have to write resumes that sound like robots wrote them. A human-voiced resume is the new black -- try it!
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new millennium workplace. Contact Liz at liz@asklizryan.com or join the Ask Liz Ryan online community at www.asklizryan/group.The opinions expressed in this column are solely the author's.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The SOLULTION to national health care issues
I have "listened" to many high level health care managers in the field, as well as politicians. ALL of them related that the simple single solution to reduce health care costs is: SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM.
Unfortunately, they all also stated it would not be accomplished due to the STRONG financial and lobbying efforts of PHARMA and the INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
It is so sad - that our politicians cannont do what is good for the people - rather than themselves or the corporations.
Unfortunately, they all also stated it would not be accomplished due to the STRONG financial and lobbying efforts of PHARMA and the INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
It is so sad - that our politicians cannont do what is good for the people - rather than themselves or the corporations.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
TOR DAHL Wisdom...
Tor Dahl is the Founder, President and CEO of Tor Dahl & Associates. He is an economist, consultant, and associate professor in public health at the University of Minnesota. A Fulbright Scholar in Economics, Professor Dahl has published works on health care, economics, management, productivity, and behavioral change
Changing Lives
I have not been a student in any school or university where I did not know who the good teachers were. We all did. Good teachers are born good teachers, and if we are lucky enough to be among their students, they will change our lives.I have never been in a company or an organization where I did not know who the good leaders were. Every one knew. It isn't as if good leaders hide in thewings, or do not display their talents. Good leaders are born good leaders;those who are not, are different.This is not meant as a criticism. Any organization needs both leaders and followers. Too many of either kind is not good for any company.As for leaders, I cannot recall any group that I have been part of where I had not spotted the true leader of the group, and very quickly. The leader is theone whom the others look to for reactions, input and guidance. The leader is the one who decides to continue or close the discussion. Dress, manner of speaking and placement in the room may reveal the leader; so may the placement of the others in the room in regard to the leader. But it is the personal and behavioral qualities that are key in identifying a true leader.
Try this experiment if you don't believe me: Just listen to the voices of thepeople in the room. How long will it take you to decide who the leader is? Respect, deference, humility, caution - all these qualities are present in the human voice. I think you will know within 15 minutes who the real leader ofthe group is - even in a group of leaders.Leaders come in all varieties, all colors, all ages and all classes. There isusually an aura of self assurance in a leader's posture, an openness tosuggestion, and a humility that comes from decisions that should not have beenmade. If there is one quality that most characterizes a good leader it isintegrity. A good leader says what he means, and means what he says. A goodleader is trusted, and returns the trust.It is a pleasure and a privilege to be taught by a good teacher.The good teacher is also a good leader in the classroom. Like a CEO, he has avision and a mission to accomplish, and the class must decide if they want togo where the teacher's vision will take them.
This is the mystery of leadership: How do you achieve the consonance between a teacher's lines ofsight and the student's decision to go there? The born leader has a thousandways that could be used, but only some of them will be used in any onesituation. A good teacher reads the class like an open book - he divines thedirections and the forces of the students and sees where the resultant must go.And that will be his chosen path.Is there a more important task than to find those who can teach, and those whocan lead?
The born teacher, and the born leader, are a nation's greatest gifts.An educated work force that leads the world in its chosen pursuits is thesingle most important asset of any country.Knut Kloster built a great cruise line many years ago: The Norwegian CaribbeanLine. He was the first to envision the mega-sized cruise ships that laterfollowed, approaching the size of floating cities. He was very interested inleadership. He didn't think that leaders could be made or trained. In fact,he was convinced that they were born. He thought the qualities of futureleadership were visible in children, and that they were honed in thousands ofinitiatives taken over the years.My first university level education took place at the Norwegian UniversitySchool of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway. There, theschool's understood mission was to educate the future leaders of Norway.
During my second year I was elected president of the Student Club and for the17th of May, Norway's Independence Day, I was asked to pick a number ofstudents to participate in varying ceremonies around town. I decided to pickthose who had had at least some experience with leadership tasks. "How many ofyou have been class presidents?" I asked. A surprising number of people raisedtheir hands. I knew I had to add more criteria. "How many of you classpresidents have also been Scout leaders?" Pretty much the same hands came up.I ran upstairs and burst into the office of the Rector of the school, thelegendary Professor Rolf Waaler. "You are admitting scout leaders and classpresidents!" I shouted at him.He laughed. "You have found me out!" He continued, "This is a young school -we have been in existence for only about twenty years. It takes time to puttogether a superb faculty, so we have to make sure that we get superb students.And since our mission is to educate the future leaders of Norway, why not pickfrom among those who already have proven leadership talents?"
For many years the school supplied the CEOs of Norway's finest companies.Rector Waaler had met the expectations of the founders of the school.There is no law that says good leaders and good teachers must be likable, kind,friendly or personable. I have seen leaders and teachers who were hard tolike, unreasonable, difficult and prickly. But somehow they caused thestudents to perform at their highest levels, they brought companies to globalleadership in many industries, and they made everyone who knew them feelprivileged for having had the experience of being taught by them, or of workingfor them.These are the teachers, and leaders, who changed my life. They are not many innumber, but enormous in influence. Due to them, my world is immensely betterthat it would otherwise have been. Due to them, I have been privileged to livea good life.
This is my message to them:Thank you! It was the best gift I could have received when you became myteachers. And it was the most useful education I could have received in laterlife, when I went to work for leaders like you.I remember my teachers, because when they taught, lightning flared through mymind; for one brilliant moment I was transported by the sudden understandingthey created in me.I remember, too, the leaders who took me to places where I never would havegone by myself.And that is why, when we are asked about those who have transformed our lives,teachers and leaders will always come to mind.And each time I see them again - those who are still here - my day is made.
http://www.tordahl.com/newsletters.html
http://www.tordahl.com/
_____Tor Dahl & Associates
Changing Lives
I have not been a student in any school or university where I did not know who the good teachers were. We all did. Good teachers are born good teachers, and if we are lucky enough to be among their students, they will change our lives.I have never been in a company or an organization where I did not know who the good leaders were. Every one knew. It isn't as if good leaders hide in thewings, or do not display their talents. Good leaders are born good leaders;those who are not, are different.This is not meant as a criticism. Any organization needs both leaders and followers. Too many of either kind is not good for any company.As for leaders, I cannot recall any group that I have been part of where I had not spotted the true leader of the group, and very quickly. The leader is theone whom the others look to for reactions, input and guidance. The leader is the one who decides to continue or close the discussion. Dress, manner of speaking and placement in the room may reveal the leader; so may the placement of the others in the room in regard to the leader. But it is the personal and behavioral qualities that are key in identifying a true leader.
Try this experiment if you don't believe me: Just listen to the voices of thepeople in the room. How long will it take you to decide who the leader is? Respect, deference, humility, caution - all these qualities are present in the human voice. I think you will know within 15 minutes who the real leader ofthe group is - even in a group of leaders.Leaders come in all varieties, all colors, all ages and all classes. There isusually an aura of self assurance in a leader's posture, an openness tosuggestion, and a humility that comes from decisions that should not have beenmade. If there is one quality that most characterizes a good leader it isintegrity. A good leader says what he means, and means what he says. A goodleader is trusted, and returns the trust.It is a pleasure and a privilege to be taught by a good teacher.The good teacher is also a good leader in the classroom. Like a CEO, he has avision and a mission to accomplish, and the class must decide if they want togo where the teacher's vision will take them.
This is the mystery of leadership: How do you achieve the consonance between a teacher's lines ofsight and the student's decision to go there? The born leader has a thousandways that could be used, but only some of them will be used in any onesituation. A good teacher reads the class like an open book - he divines thedirections and the forces of the students and sees where the resultant must go.And that will be his chosen path.Is there a more important task than to find those who can teach, and those whocan lead?
The born teacher, and the born leader, are a nation's greatest gifts.An educated work force that leads the world in its chosen pursuits is thesingle most important asset of any country.Knut Kloster built a great cruise line many years ago: The Norwegian CaribbeanLine. He was the first to envision the mega-sized cruise ships that laterfollowed, approaching the size of floating cities. He was very interested inleadership. He didn't think that leaders could be made or trained. In fact,he was convinced that they were born. He thought the qualities of futureleadership were visible in children, and that they were honed in thousands ofinitiatives taken over the years.My first university level education took place at the Norwegian UniversitySchool of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway. There, theschool's understood mission was to educate the future leaders of Norway.
During my second year I was elected president of the Student Club and for the17th of May, Norway's Independence Day, I was asked to pick a number ofstudents to participate in varying ceremonies around town. I decided to pickthose who had had at least some experience with leadership tasks. "How many ofyou have been class presidents?" I asked. A surprising number of people raisedtheir hands. I knew I had to add more criteria. "How many of you classpresidents have also been Scout leaders?" Pretty much the same hands came up.I ran upstairs and burst into the office of the Rector of the school, thelegendary Professor Rolf Waaler. "You are admitting scout leaders and classpresidents!" I shouted at him.He laughed. "You have found me out!" He continued, "This is a young school -we have been in existence for only about twenty years. It takes time to puttogether a superb faculty, so we have to make sure that we get superb students.And since our mission is to educate the future leaders of Norway, why not pickfrom among those who already have proven leadership talents?"
For many years the school supplied the CEOs of Norway's finest companies.Rector Waaler had met the expectations of the founders of the school.There is no law that says good leaders and good teachers must be likable, kind,friendly or personable. I have seen leaders and teachers who were hard tolike, unreasonable, difficult and prickly. But somehow they caused thestudents to perform at their highest levels, they brought companies to globalleadership in many industries, and they made everyone who knew them feelprivileged for having had the experience of being taught by them, or of workingfor them.These are the teachers, and leaders, who changed my life. They are not many innumber, but enormous in influence. Due to them, my world is immensely betterthat it would otherwise have been. Due to them, I have been privileged to livea good life.
This is my message to them:Thank you! It was the best gift I could have received when you became myteachers. And it was the most useful education I could have received in laterlife, when I went to work for leaders like you.I remember my teachers, because when they taught, lightning flared through mymind; for one brilliant moment I was transported by the sudden understandingthey created in me.I remember, too, the leaders who took me to places where I never would havegone by myself.And that is why, when we are asked about those who have transformed our lives,teachers and leaders will always come to mind.And each time I see them again - those who are still here - my day is made.
http://www.tordahl.com/newsletters.html
http://www.tordahl.com/
_____Tor Dahl & Associates
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Careers at Health East Link
http://healtheast.org/careers/index.cfm
Requisition Number:
PS-6494
Job Title:
OPERATIONS EXEC CLINIC OP
Site Overview:
Clinics - PS (Staff) - Spanning across the St. Paul area, HealthEast Clinics allow for the capability and diversity to offer a full range of services for patients of all ages. Services include, family and internal medicine, pediatrics, Osteoporosis Care, Endocrinology, Podiatry, Geriatric Care, Certified Nurse Midwifery, and Osteopathic Care. The staff comprised of board certified physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, nurses, certified medical assistants, lab and x-ray technicians as well as other staff members are dedicated to providing the high quality compassionate care that makes the HealthEast Clinics the East Metro’s primary care network.
Department Overview:
ADMINISTRATION
Work Location:
Corporate Bethesda - 6
Contract:
Non-contract
Job Category:
Management
Specific Area of Interest:
Non Clinical
City:
St Paul
Shift:
Day
Authorized Hours - Minimum: Per Two Weeks
80
Authorized Hours - Maximum: Per Two Weeks
Work Hours: Work Hours/Schedule (For Example: 7:00am-3:30pm or Every other weekend)
Monday through Friday - Variable Schedule. May include occasional evenings and weekends
Primary Function: & Major Responsibilities
Provides general management oversight for all HealthEast owned clinics/departments. This position is responsible for the development of leadership teams at each site for continuous progress toward the Clinic vision and successful achievement of strategic initiatives and goals.Position also includes overall responsibility for ensuring implementation, measurement, and learning when department policy, procedures, services, or personnel are changed.The position, in partnership with medical and operations leaders, sets strategy for short- and long-term success at individual sites and specialty service lines consistent with division goals and vision. The position provides the leadership and management necessary to insure the success of the Clinic in the areas of operations, compliance, employee engagement, turnover, financial results, customer satisfaction, and quality. Provides management for Clinic that ensures proper utilization of human resources.Provides fiscal management for Clinic to ensure proper utilization of financial resources.Promotes ongoing leadership development for Clinic Managers.Collaborates with Physicians in Clinic and patient care decisions.Participates in developing and facilitating strategic plans for Clinic in order to carry out the HealthEast Mission and Clinic Vision.Supports and facilitates the implementation of standardization of Patient Care.Manual policies and procedures, standards of care and standards of practice. Coordinates the development and continued growth of Clinics.Communicates with Site Leadership Team, Physicians and Staff. Performs all other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION:- Bachelor’s Degree in business or health-related field or equivalent combination of education and experience. - Master’s in Healthcare or Business Administration preferred. EXPERIENCE:- Minimum seven years of clinic management experience required. - Minimum of ten years progressive leadership experience required. SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:- Demonstrated physician and employee relations experience;- Demonstrated leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills;- Change management;- Talent management & development;- Ability to balance and prioritize multiple priorities;- Strong partnering skills with organizational leaders and physicians;- Demonstrated ability to problem solve and make decisions regarding specific problems;- Excellent verbal and written communication skills;- Extensive PC knowledge and skills;- Servant Leadership, Planning and Organizing, Analytical and Evaluation skills, Business Acumen, Financial Management, Change Management, Performance Management, Collaboration and Communication, Conflict Management, Project Management, Process Improvement, Role Model Leadership and Public Speaking abilities are all key success factors.- Ability to stand, walk, or sit for an extended period of time. Reaching by extending hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction. Finger dexterity required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hand(s) or arm(s). Communication skills using the spoken word. Ability to see within normal parameters. Ability to hear within normal range. Ability to stoop, bend, push or lift 40 pounds;- Ability to transport self independently to multiple physical locations;- Generally day hours with flexibility to meet the demands of the position which regularly involve early morning and/or evening meetings;
Regular/Temporary Status:
Regular
If Temporary, Start Date:
If Temporary, End Date:
Position Status:
Full Time
Employee Referral Bonus Eligible:
No
Requisition Number:
PS-6494
Job Title:
OPERATIONS EXEC CLINIC OP
Site Overview:
Clinics - PS (Staff) - Spanning across the St. Paul area, HealthEast Clinics allow for the capability and diversity to offer a full range of services for patients of all ages. Services include, family and internal medicine, pediatrics, Osteoporosis Care, Endocrinology, Podiatry, Geriatric Care, Certified Nurse Midwifery, and Osteopathic Care. The staff comprised of board certified physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, nurses, certified medical assistants, lab and x-ray technicians as well as other staff members are dedicated to providing the high quality compassionate care that makes the HealthEast Clinics the East Metro’s primary care network.
Department Overview:
ADMINISTRATION
Work Location:
Corporate Bethesda - 6
Contract:
Non-contract
Job Category:
Management
Specific Area of Interest:
Non Clinical
City:
St Paul
Shift:
Day
Authorized Hours - Minimum: Per Two Weeks
80
Authorized Hours - Maximum: Per Two Weeks
Work Hours: Work Hours/Schedule (For Example: 7:00am-3:30pm or Every other weekend)
Monday through Friday - Variable Schedule. May include occasional evenings and weekends
Primary Function: & Major Responsibilities
Provides general management oversight for all HealthEast owned clinics/departments. This position is responsible for the development of leadership teams at each site for continuous progress toward the Clinic vision and successful achievement of strategic initiatives and goals.Position also includes overall responsibility for ensuring implementation, measurement, and learning when department policy, procedures, services, or personnel are changed.The position, in partnership with medical and operations leaders, sets strategy for short- and long-term success at individual sites and specialty service lines consistent with division goals and vision. The position provides the leadership and management necessary to insure the success of the Clinic in the areas of operations, compliance, employee engagement, turnover, financial results, customer satisfaction, and quality. Provides management for Clinic that ensures proper utilization of human resources.Provides fiscal management for Clinic to ensure proper utilization of financial resources.Promotes ongoing leadership development for Clinic Managers.Collaborates with Physicians in Clinic and patient care decisions.Participates in developing and facilitating strategic plans for Clinic in order to carry out the HealthEast Mission and Clinic Vision.Supports and facilitates the implementation of standardization of Patient Care.Manual policies and procedures, standards of care and standards of practice. Coordinates the development and continued growth of Clinics.Communicates with Site Leadership Team, Physicians and Staff. Performs all other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION:- Bachelor’s Degree in business or health-related field or equivalent combination of education and experience. - Master’s in Healthcare or Business Administration preferred. EXPERIENCE:- Minimum seven years of clinic management experience required. - Minimum of ten years progressive leadership experience required. SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:- Demonstrated physician and employee relations experience;- Demonstrated leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills;- Change management;- Talent management & development;- Ability to balance and prioritize multiple priorities;- Strong partnering skills with organizational leaders and physicians;- Demonstrated ability to problem solve and make decisions regarding specific problems;- Excellent verbal and written communication skills;- Extensive PC knowledge and skills;- Servant Leadership, Planning and Organizing, Analytical and Evaluation skills, Business Acumen, Financial Management, Change Management, Performance Management, Collaboration and Communication, Conflict Management, Project Management, Process Improvement, Role Model Leadership and Public Speaking abilities are all key success factors.- Ability to stand, walk, or sit for an extended period of time. Reaching by extending hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction. Finger dexterity required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hand(s) or arm(s). Communication skills using the spoken word. Ability to see within normal parameters. Ability to hear within normal range. Ability to stoop, bend, push or lift 40 pounds;- Ability to transport self independently to multiple physical locations;- Generally day hours with flexibility to meet the demands of the position which regularly involve early morning and/or evening meetings;
Regular/Temporary Status:
Regular
If Temporary, Start Date:
If Temporary, End Date:
Position Status:
Full Time
Employee Referral Bonus Eligible:
No
Centracare Job Link-St. Cloud, MN
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT COORDINATOR website
sleep center - CENTRACARE HEALTH SYSTEM
We are seeking a Coordinator in St. Cloud to be responsible for sales and operations of medical equipment utilized by sleep study patients. Responsibilities include building relationships with vendors, developing and implementing marketing plans, purchasing, and maintaining inventory levels. The coordinator ensures compliance with all appropriate regulations and carrying out the collective organization’s goals and policies. Must demonstrate follow through and effective problem-solving activities with staff, customers, physicians, and other departments. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Marketing or related field required. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package as well as significant career growth opportunities. Apply online today, see the "Coordinator, Sleep LLC" position on our website:
www.centracare.com
Or contact the Employment Dept at (800) 835-6608. EOE/AA
sleep center - CENTRACARE HEALTH SYSTEM
We are seeking a Coordinator in St. Cloud to be responsible for sales and operations of medical equipment utilized by sleep study patients. Responsibilities include building relationships with vendors, developing and implementing marketing plans, purchasing, and maintaining inventory levels. The coordinator ensures compliance with all appropriate regulations and carrying out the collective organization’s goals and policies. Must demonstrate follow through and effective problem-solving activities with staff, customers, physicians, and other departments. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Marketing or related field required. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package as well as significant career growth opportunities. Apply online today, see the "Coordinator, Sleep LLC" position on our website:
www.centracare.com
Or contact the Employment Dept at (800) 835-6608. EOE/AA
State of MN Job Link
Health Program Rep Sr careers.state.mn.us
State of MN Health Program Representative, Senior
Licensing & Certification $40,361 - $59,195
Position provides quality assurance, coordination of survey and inspection activities, consultation and interpretation of State and Federal policies, rules and regulations governing licensed and certified health care facilities and services. Eligible candidates must have a minimum of 3 years of experience working with licensing and/or certification regulations governing health care facilities.
We offer a competitive salary and benefit package. There are two current opportunities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. You must apply on-line via the State of MN website: www.careers.state.mn.us. See website for detailed qualifications & posting under Health Program Representative Senior-Licensing & Certification classification. Refer to posting #09HEAL000114. EOE
State of MN Health Program Representative, Senior
Licensing & Certification $40,361 - $59,195
Position provides quality assurance, coordination of survey and inspection activities, consultation and interpretation of State and Federal policies, rules and regulations governing licensed and certified health care facilities and services. Eligible candidates must have a minimum of 3 years of experience working with licensing and/or certification regulations governing health care facilities.
We offer a competitive salary and benefit package. There are two current opportunities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. You must apply on-line via the State of MN website: www.careers.state.mn.us. See website for detailed qualifications & posting under Health Program Representative Senior-Licensing & Certification classification. Refer to posting #09HEAL000114. EOE
allina hospitals and clinics jobs information
Company: Allina Hospitals & Clinics Job ID: 416293 Title: Team Assistant City: St Paul State: MN Province: Zip: 551141451 Country: United States
http://www.allina.com/ahs/careers.nsf/
Description:
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics and other health care services with more than 23,500 employees, 5,000 physicians and 2,500 volunteers dedicated to meeting the lifelong health care needs of patients and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Allina is a vibrant, growing organization with opportunities to suit your professional skills and a diverse work environment to match your specific interests. We believe employees are our greatest asset and are dedicated to helping you develop and maximize your professional skills.Allina Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care is the trusted provider and expert resource in delivering patient-centered care and services for patients and families needing rehabilitation, advanced-illness or end-of-life care. With headquarters located in St. Paul, Minn., services are provided in 19 Minnesota counties, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Staffs assigned schedules with appropriate personnel. Communication/Customer Service. Responding to patient/family and field staff phone calls, answering or directing to appropriate party. Process charts, orders, labs and team meeting information. Education: High school diploma or Equivalent.Experience: One year healthcare experience preferred, Home Care/Hospice experience preferred. At least one year customer service experience (current - within past 3 years). Staffing experience preferred. Competent business computer skills.Skills: Customer service/sales knowledge and skills. Proper phone etiquette. Ability to communicate effectively. Computer skills/Windows environment, Excel. Accepts change and responds positively. Critical thinking and problem solving. Ability to work in a fast paced environment. Medical Terminology required.CNA, LPN, HUC Certification Preferred. Full time position (40 hours per week).Day shift.Every 4th weekend rotation.
We have a place for you at Allina Hospitals & Clinics. If you are interested in becoming part of our award winning team of professionals, please apply online today. Allina Hospitals & Clinics is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities to all employees and applicants.EEO / AA Medical
http://www.allina.com/ahs/careers.nsf/
Description:
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics and other health care services with more than 23,500 employees, 5,000 physicians and 2,500 volunteers dedicated to meeting the lifelong health care needs of patients and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Allina is a vibrant, growing organization with opportunities to suit your professional skills and a diverse work environment to match your specific interests. We believe employees are our greatest asset and are dedicated to helping you develop and maximize your professional skills.Allina Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care is the trusted provider and expert resource in delivering patient-centered care and services for patients and families needing rehabilitation, advanced-illness or end-of-life care. With headquarters located in St. Paul, Minn., services are provided in 19 Minnesota counties, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Staffs assigned schedules with appropriate personnel. Communication/Customer Service. Responding to patient/family and field staff phone calls, answering or directing to appropriate party. Process charts, orders, labs and team meeting information. Education: High school diploma or Equivalent.Experience: One year healthcare experience preferred, Home Care/Hospice experience preferred. At least one year customer service experience (current - within past 3 years). Staffing experience preferred. Competent business computer skills.Skills: Customer service/sales knowledge and skills. Proper phone etiquette. Ability to communicate effectively. Computer skills/Windows environment, Excel. Accepts change and responds positively. Critical thinking and problem solving. Ability to work in a fast paced environment. Medical Terminology required.CNA, LPN, HUC Certification Preferred. Full time position (40 hours per week).Day shift.Every 4th weekend rotation.
We have a place for you at Allina Hospitals & Clinics. If you are interested in becoming part of our award winning team of professionals, please apply online today. Allina Hospitals & Clinics is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities to all employees and applicants.EEO / AA Medical
Monday, May 4, 2009
MN HC ASSOCIATIONS AND SYSTEMS
Minnesota Health Care Associations (a partial list)
Life Science Alley: www.lifesciencealley.org
MN Chapter, American College of Healthcare Executives: http://minnesota.ache.org
Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA): www.mnhospitals.org
Minnesota Medical Association (MMA): www.mmaonline.net
Minnesota Medical Group Management Association (MMGMA): www.mmgma.org
Minnesota Organization for Leaders in Nursing (MOLN): www.moln.org
Minnesota Chapter, Healthcare Financial Management Association: www.mnhfma.org
Minnesota Council of Health Plans: www.mnhealthplans.org
Care Providers of MN (Long-term care trade association): www.careproviders.org
Aging Services of MN (formerly Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance): www.mhha.com
Women’s Health Leadership Trust: www.whltrust.org
National Health Care Management Associations (a partial list)
American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE): www.ache.org
American College of Physician Executive (ACPE): www.acpe.org
American Hospital Association (AHA): www.aha.org
American Medical Group Association (AMGA): www.amga.org
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA): www.mgma.com
Strategic Business Associations with Health Care Membership (a partial list)
The Collaborative: www.collaborative.net
Association for Strategic Planning - Minnesota: www.strategyplus.org/chapters/Minnesota.php
MAP for non-profits: Will match you with volunteer management consultant and/or Board service opportunities in local non-profit organizations: www.mapfornonprofits.org
Regional Health Systems (a partial list):
Allina Hospitals and Clinics: www.allina.com
Aurora Health Care (WI): www.aurorahealthcare.org
Avera Health (HQ in Sioux Falls, SD): www.avera.org
CentraCare Health System (HQ in St. Cloud): www.centracare.com
Fairview Health System: www.fairview.org
Gundersen Lutheran (Western WI): www.gundluth.org
HealthEast Care System: www.healtheast.org
HealthPartners: www.healthpartners.com
Mankato Clinic (south-central MN): www.mankato-clinic.com
Marshfield Clinic (WI): www.marshfieldclinic.org
Mayo Health System: www.mayoclinic.org
MeritCare (HQ in Fargo, ND): www.meritcare.com
Olmsted Medical Center (southeast MN): www.olmmed.org
Park Nicollet Health Services: www.parknicollet.com
Sanford Health (HQ in Sioux Falls, SD): www.sanfordhealth.org
SMDC (HQ in Duluth): www.smdc.org
Veterans Health Administration: www.vacareers.va.gov
Life Science Alley: www.lifesciencealley.org
MN Chapter, American College of Healthcare Executives: http://minnesota.ache.org
Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA): www.mnhospitals.org
Minnesota Medical Association (MMA): www.mmaonline.net
Minnesota Medical Group Management Association (MMGMA): www.mmgma.org
Minnesota Organization for Leaders in Nursing (MOLN): www.moln.org
Minnesota Chapter, Healthcare Financial Management Association: www.mnhfma.org
Minnesota Council of Health Plans: www.mnhealthplans.org
Care Providers of MN (Long-term care trade association): www.careproviders.org
Aging Services of MN (formerly Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance): www.mhha.com
Women’s Health Leadership Trust: www.whltrust.org
National Health Care Management Associations (a partial list)
American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE): www.ache.org
American College of Physician Executive (ACPE): www.acpe.org
American Hospital Association (AHA): www.aha.org
American Medical Group Association (AMGA): www.amga.org
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA): www.mgma.com
Strategic Business Associations with Health Care Membership (a partial list)
The Collaborative: www.collaborative.net
Association for Strategic Planning - Minnesota: www.strategyplus.org/chapters/Minnesota.php
MAP for non-profits: Will match you with volunteer management consultant and/or Board service opportunities in local non-profit organizations: www.mapfornonprofits.org
Regional Health Systems (a partial list):
Allina Hospitals and Clinics: www.allina.com
Aurora Health Care (WI): www.aurorahealthcare.org
Avera Health (HQ in Sioux Falls, SD): www.avera.org
CentraCare Health System (HQ in St. Cloud): www.centracare.com
Fairview Health System: www.fairview.org
Gundersen Lutheran (Western WI): www.gundluth.org
HealthEast Care System: www.healtheast.org
HealthPartners: www.healthpartners.com
Mankato Clinic (south-central MN): www.mankato-clinic.com
Marshfield Clinic (WI): www.marshfieldclinic.org
Mayo Health System: www.mayoclinic.org
MeritCare (HQ in Fargo, ND): www.meritcare.com
Olmsted Medical Center (southeast MN): www.olmmed.org
Park Nicollet Health Services: www.parknicollet.com
Sanford Health (HQ in Sioux Falls, SD): www.sanfordhealth.org
SMDC (HQ in Duluth): www.smdc.org
Veterans Health Administration: www.vacareers.va.gov
WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON A BOARD?
United Way helps here.
e-mail: info@mapfornonprofits.org
website: www. mapfornonprofits.org
2314 University Ave W Suite 28
St Paul MN 55114-1863
Phone 651-647-1216
Fax 651-647-1369Nonprofit Board Service through MAP
MAP for Nonprofits
MAP provides management and board recruitment services to meet the needs of large, medium and small nonprofit clients in the Twin Cities Greater Metro Area. Services provided to nonprofits by MAP’s staff, management consultants, and volunteers, include:
Accounting
Leadership Circles
Board Recruitment
Legal Counsel
Board Training & Development
Marketing Planning
Business Planning
Strategic Planning
Financial Operations Assessments
Technology
Fundraising Planning
Nonprofit Board Service through MAP
MAP recruits volunteers to serve on nonprofit Boards of Directors and Committees. Individuals interested in joining the pool of board candidates at MAP are encouraged to visit MAP’s website and complete an online registration form. After your form is submitted, you will be contacted for an initial interview with MAP and then will be added to the Volunteer Database, along with information regarding your skills, interests and more.
Helping Nonprofits Find Board Members
When a nonprofit contracts with MAP for board recruitment services, MAP:
· works with the nonprofit to analyze their board and define the skills and qualifications needed in new board members;
· researches qualified candidates from among our database;
· discusses the potential opportunity and the organization’s expectations of board members with qualified candidates;
· refers qualified and interested candidates to the organization.
To learn more or to sign up to become a volunteer, please visit MAP’s website at www.mapfornonprofits.org or contact Tina Gonzales, Board Recruitment Specialist, tgonzales@mapfornonprofits.org, (651) 632-7233.
e-mail: info@mapfornonprofits.org
website: www. mapfornonprofits.org
2314 University Ave W Suite 28
St Paul MN 55114-1863
Phone 651-647-1216
Fax 651-647-1369Nonprofit Board Service through MAP
MAP for Nonprofits
MAP provides management and board recruitment services to meet the needs of large, medium and small nonprofit clients in the Twin Cities Greater Metro Area. Services provided to nonprofits by MAP’s staff, management consultants, and volunteers, include:
Accounting
Leadership Circles
Board Recruitment
Legal Counsel
Board Training & Development
Marketing Planning
Business Planning
Strategic Planning
Financial Operations Assessments
Technology
Fundraising Planning
Nonprofit Board Service through MAP
MAP recruits volunteers to serve on nonprofit Boards of Directors and Committees. Individuals interested in joining the pool of board candidates at MAP are encouraged to visit MAP’s website and complete an online registration form. After your form is submitted, you will be contacted for an initial interview with MAP and then will be added to the Volunteer Database, along with information regarding your skills, interests and more.
Helping Nonprofits Find Board Members
When a nonprofit contracts with MAP for board recruitment services, MAP:
· works with the nonprofit to analyze their board and define the skills and qualifications needed in new board members;
· researches qualified candidates from among our database;
· discusses the potential opportunity and the organization’s expectations of board members with qualified candidates;
· refers qualified and interested candidates to the organization.
To learn more or to sign up to become a volunteer, please visit MAP’s website at www.mapfornonprofits.org or contact Tina Gonzales, Board Recruitment Specialist, tgonzales@mapfornonprofits.org, (651) 632-7233.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
RED FLAG RULES IN HEALTH CARE
Red Flag Rules Leave Health Care Industry Wondering
The health care industry has been waiting for resolution of the question: Do the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Red Flag Rules apply to health care providers? With the May 1st compliance deadline looming, health care providers need to know. The answer seems to depend on whom you ask. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the American Medical Association (“AMA”) have been in discussions regarding this point for the last several months.* Most recently, in a February 4th letter to the AMA, the FTC reiterated its earlier position stating that the Red Flag Rules apply to health care providers who regularly defer payment for medical services. In a February 23rd letter responding to the FTC, the AMA “strongly objected” to the FTC’s interpretation and alleged that the FTC failed to comply with the Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”) since it did not explain in advance its rules’ application to health care providers nor provide the public with notice and opportunity to comment. In summary, the AMA asked the FTC to either withdraw its interpretation or conduct a new rulemaking procedure that complies with the APA.
The Identity Theft Red Flag Rules require covered entities to implement a program to detect and respond appropriately to signs of identity theft. For a health care provider, this would mean, as an example, detecting situations in which a patient may be attempting to obtain medical services using another person’s identity and medical insurance policy. Since the FTC’s position on this issue has been firm, unless and until the AMA obtains a stay on enforcement of the rules, medical care providers should gear up for compliance. According to the FTC, for many providers of medical care, compliance may not be too burdensome since their programs need only be scaled to the level of risk of identity theft faced by their patients. So if the risk is low, the identity theft program can be streamlined commensurate with such risk. As examples, a health care provider could implement a program that includes, among other things:
Checking patients’ photo IDs when medical services are sought
Responding appropriately when notified by a consumer or law enforcement agency that the consumer’s identity has been misused
Isolating suspect medical records from the victim’s medical records
Suspending collection efforts against the medical identity theft victim relating to services provided to the unauthorized individual
(Posted from privacy law blog)
The health care industry has been waiting for resolution of the question: Do the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Red Flag Rules apply to health care providers? With the May 1st compliance deadline looming, health care providers need to know. The answer seems to depend on whom you ask. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the American Medical Association (“AMA”) have been in discussions regarding this point for the last several months.* Most recently, in a February 4th letter to the AMA, the FTC reiterated its earlier position stating that the Red Flag Rules apply to health care providers who regularly defer payment for medical services. In a February 23rd letter responding to the FTC, the AMA “strongly objected” to the FTC’s interpretation and alleged that the FTC failed to comply with the Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”) since it did not explain in advance its rules’ application to health care providers nor provide the public with notice and opportunity to comment. In summary, the AMA asked the FTC to either withdraw its interpretation or conduct a new rulemaking procedure that complies with the APA.
The Identity Theft Red Flag Rules require covered entities to implement a program to detect and respond appropriately to signs of identity theft. For a health care provider, this would mean, as an example, detecting situations in which a patient may be attempting to obtain medical services using another person’s identity and medical insurance policy. Since the FTC’s position on this issue has been firm, unless and until the AMA obtains a stay on enforcement of the rules, medical care providers should gear up for compliance. According to the FTC, for many providers of medical care, compliance may not be too burdensome since their programs need only be scaled to the level of risk of identity theft faced by their patients. So if the risk is low, the identity theft program can be streamlined commensurate with such risk. As examples, a health care provider could implement a program that includes, among other things:
Checking patients’ photo IDs when medical services are sought
Responding appropriately when notified by a consumer or law enforcement agency that the consumer’s identity has been misused
Isolating suspect medical records from the victim’s medical records
Suspending collection efforts against the medical identity theft victim relating to services provided to the unauthorized individual
(Posted from privacy law blog)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
MN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATIONS
Minnesota Health Care Associations (a partial list)
Life Science Alley: www.lifesciencealley.org
MN Chapter, American College of Healthcare Executives: http://minnesota.ache.org
Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA): www.mnhospitals.org
Minnesota Medical Association (MMA): www.mmaonline.net
Minnesota Medical Group Management Association (MMGMA): www.mmgma.org
Minnesota Organization for Leaders in Nursing (MOLN): www.moln.org
Minnesota Chapter, Healthcare Financial Management Association: www.mnhfma.org
Minnesota Council of Health Plans: www.mnhealthplans.org
Care Providers of MN (Long-term care trade association): www.careproviders.org
Aging Services of MN (formerly Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance): www.mhha.com
Women’s Health Leadership Trust: www.whltrust.org
National Health Care Management Associations (a partial list)
American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE): www.ache.org
American College of Physician Executive (ACPE): www.acpe.org
American Hospital Association (AHA): www.aha.org
American Medical Group Association (AMGA): www.amga.org
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA): www.mgma.com
Strategic Business Associations with Health Care Membership (a partial list)
The Collaborative: www.collaborative.net
Association for Strategic Planning - Minnesota: www.strategyplus.org/chapters/Minnesota.php
MAP for non-profits: Will match you with volunteer management consultant and/or Board service opportunities in local non-profit organizations: www.mapfornonprofits.org
Life Science Alley: www.lifesciencealley.org
MN Chapter, American College of Healthcare Executives: http://minnesota.ache.org
Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA): www.mnhospitals.org
Minnesota Medical Association (MMA): www.mmaonline.net
Minnesota Medical Group Management Association (MMGMA): www.mmgma.org
Minnesota Organization for Leaders in Nursing (MOLN): www.moln.org
Minnesota Chapter, Healthcare Financial Management Association: www.mnhfma.org
Minnesota Council of Health Plans: www.mnhealthplans.org
Care Providers of MN (Long-term care trade association): www.careproviders.org
Aging Services of MN (formerly Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance): www.mhha.com
Women’s Health Leadership Trust: www.whltrust.org
National Health Care Management Associations (a partial list)
American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE): www.ache.org
American College of Physician Executive (ACPE): www.acpe.org
American Hospital Association (AHA): www.aha.org
American Medical Group Association (AMGA): www.amga.org
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA): www.mgma.com
Strategic Business Associations with Health Care Membership (a partial list)
The Collaborative: www.collaborative.net
Association for Strategic Planning - Minnesota: www.strategyplus.org/chapters/Minnesota.php
MAP for non-profits: Will match you with volunteer management consultant and/or Board service opportunities in local non-profit organizations: www.mapfornonprofits.org
HEALTH CARE CONSULTING FIRMS
Consulting organizations with health care practices (a partial list): In addition to career information, these organizations’ websites often have insightful research reports and publications regarding the health care industry.
Accenture: http://www.accenture.com/
Deloitte & Touche: http://www.deloitte.com/
Ernst & Young: http://www.ey.com/
Grant Thornton: http://www.grantthornton.com/
KPMG: http://www.us.kpmg.com/
Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA): http://www.kurtsalmon.com/
LarsonAllen: http://www.larsonallen.com/
McKinsey & Company: http://www.mckinsey.com/
Price Waterhouse Coopers: http://www.pwc.com/
RSM McGladrey: http://www.rsmmcgladrey.com/
Stockamp & Associates: http://www.stockamp.com/
VHA: http://www.vha.com/
Wellspring Healthcare: http://www.wellspring-healthcare.com/
Wipfli: http://www.wipfli.com/
Compirion Healthcare Solutions: www.compirion.com
Accenture: http://www.accenture.com/
Deloitte & Touche: http://www.deloitte.com/
Ernst & Young: http://www.ey.com/
Grant Thornton: http://www.grantthornton.com/
KPMG: http://www.us.kpmg.com/
Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA): http://www.kurtsalmon.com/
LarsonAllen: http://www.larsonallen.com/
McKinsey & Company: http://www.mckinsey.com/
Price Waterhouse Coopers: http://www.pwc.com/
RSM McGladrey: http://www.rsmmcgladrey.com/
Stockamp & Associates: http://www.stockamp.com/
VHA: http://www.vha.com/
Wellspring Healthcare: http://www.wellspring-healthcare.com/
Wipfli: http://www.wipfli.com/
Compirion Healthcare Solutions: www.compirion.com
JOB SEARCH TIPS
Job Search Tips Provided at the University of St. Thomas MBA in Health Care Workshop
April 9, 2009
Networking
Over 80% of jobs are secured utilizing a ‘networking’ process
Set up ‘networking groups’
Best ‘network’ is to know someone within the company – to promote your application
Be careful what you put on social networks such as ‘facebook’ – employers look at these networks
“Informational interviews” are good to expand your network – ask for a 15 minute interview
Be honest why you want the informational interview – must be passionate that you want to spend a lifetime in heath care.
Resumes
Resumes are computer scanned – must have key words in resume that uses words in ‘qualifications’ section of job announcement
Customize cover letter to the organization on job with key words (research the diversity of the company)
NEVER state “I don’t have experience.” Use life skills that allow you to transfer to the position – community service, educational goals, volunteer opportunities. HR spends 30 seconds looking at a ‘story’ you need to tell – you must stand out. HR spends 15 seconds reviewing a resume.
Identify top 3 skills; identify ‘significant results;’ identify you are comfortable with change; you are comfortable with new technologies; and believe in data driven processes. You a leader who can assemble quality teams and motivate teams
Track your progress – follow-up every week; track sending thank you notes (HR does remember thank you notes).
Some people create charts for their resume to identify skill level they possess for job qualifications (that will catch attention!).
Equally important, always have a current resume ready; have others review; and create and identify your significant results and your desire for continuous learning.
Persevere – never give up- work 10 minutes longer than your competitor – and you will be successful. Going after a job is very hard work. Be positive, positive, positive.
April 9, 2009
Networking
Over 80% of jobs are secured utilizing a ‘networking’ process
Set up ‘networking groups’
Best ‘network’ is to know someone within the company – to promote your application
Be careful what you put on social networks such as ‘facebook’ – employers look at these networks
“Informational interviews” are good to expand your network – ask for a 15 minute interview
Be honest why you want the informational interview – must be passionate that you want to spend a lifetime in heath care.
Resumes
Resumes are computer scanned – must have key words in resume that uses words in ‘qualifications’ section of job announcement
Customize cover letter to the organization on job with key words (research the diversity of the company)
NEVER state “I don’t have experience.” Use life skills that allow you to transfer to the position – community service, educational goals, volunteer opportunities. HR spends 30 seconds looking at a ‘story’ you need to tell – you must stand out. HR spends 15 seconds reviewing a resume.
Identify top 3 skills; identify ‘significant results;’ identify you are comfortable with change; you are comfortable with new technologies; and believe in data driven processes. You a leader who can assemble quality teams and motivate teams
Track your progress – follow-up every week; track sending thank you notes (HR does remember thank you notes).
Some people create charts for their resume to identify skill level they possess for job qualifications (that will catch attention!).
Equally important, always have a current resume ready; have others review; and create and identify your significant results and your desire for continuous learning.
Persevere – never give up- work 10 minutes longer than your competitor – and you will be successful. Going after a job is very hard work. Be positive, positive, positive.
Monday, March 30, 2009
APRIL 9TH SYMPOSIUM ON HEALTHCARE CAREERS
Panel presentation on 'Careers in Health Care' to be held April 9
"Careers in Health Care: Industry Trends and Career Fundamentals," a panel presentation, will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in Room 201, Opus Hall. This free event is part of the Health Care UST MBA Workshop Series.
The health care industry has been labeled the one "recession-proof" sector of the economy. Despite this reputation, many health care organizations are facing large budget shortfalls and even downsizing. A panel of experts from the health care industry will discuss short- and long-term industry trends and the fundamentals of career management that are critical in any economy.
Panelists include:
Brad and Cindy Chandler, the Chandler Group: The Chandler Group, a leader in executive recruitment for the health care industry, conducts senior-level search assignments for health plans, integrated delivery systems, hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device OEMs and more.
Liz Swanson, vice president of human resources, HealthPartners: Founded in 1957, HealthPartners is a nonprofit health care organization providing health care services, health plan financing and administration, research and medical education. HealthPartners has about 10,000 physicians, dentists and staff in 70 locations in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Duluth and western Wisconsin.
Linda Sloan, director, UST's Graduate Business Career Services, Opus College of Business: Graduate Business Career Services cultivates industry relationships throughout the region and provides career-skills coaching, networking opportunities and guidance regarding qualifications employers expect and for which they ultimately hire – in any economy.
Dr. Jack Militello, program director of the Health Care UST MBA program: Militello will moderate the panel.
A question-and-answer session will provide an open forum to discuss questions, observations and personal experiences from the audience.
Learn more and register on the Health Care UST MBA Web page. For more information contact the Health Care UST MBA, (651) 962-4135.
"Careers in Health Care: Industry Trends and Career Fundamentals," a panel presentation, will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in Room 201, Opus Hall. This free event is part of the Health Care UST MBA Workshop Series.
The health care industry has been labeled the one "recession-proof" sector of the economy. Despite this reputation, many health care organizations are facing large budget shortfalls and even downsizing. A panel of experts from the health care industry will discuss short- and long-term industry trends and the fundamentals of career management that are critical in any economy.
Panelists include:
Brad and Cindy Chandler, the Chandler Group: The Chandler Group, a leader in executive recruitment for the health care industry, conducts senior-level search assignments for health plans, integrated delivery systems, hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical device OEMs and more.
Liz Swanson, vice president of human resources, HealthPartners: Founded in 1957, HealthPartners is a nonprofit health care organization providing health care services, health plan financing and administration, research and medical education. HealthPartners has about 10,000 physicians, dentists and staff in 70 locations in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Duluth and western Wisconsin.
Linda Sloan, director, UST's Graduate Business Career Services, Opus College of Business: Graduate Business Career Services cultivates industry relationships throughout the region and provides career-skills coaching, networking opportunities and guidance regarding qualifications employers expect and for which they ultimately hire – in any economy.
Dr. Jack Militello, program director of the Health Care UST MBA program: Militello will moderate the panel.
A question-and-answer session will provide an open forum to discuss questions, observations and personal experiences from the audience.
Learn more and register on the Health Care UST MBA Web page. For more information contact the Health Care UST MBA, (651) 962-4135.
Minute Clinic Position
Payer Financial Coordinator (Posted on: 3/25/2009)
Description
MinuteClinic is an innovative health care company that integrates simple, high quality healthcare solutions into consumers’ lifestyles. We offer patient education, rapid exams, diagnosis and treatment for a number of common family illnesses in convenient locations where people live, work and play.
We are currently seeking a Payer Financial Coordinator to be responsible for conducting payer contract implementation research and maintaining contracts in various administration and revenue cycle databases. The coordinator works to maximize the accuracy and efficiency of payer identification and manages daily reports and issues related to payer set-up, as well as working to resolve payment trend problems with various internal staff.
Essential Accountabilities:
Research payer contract implementation details, working with internal staff to receive information needed to set up payer in MinuteClinic operational and financial systems.
Acquire payer policies, procedures and secured web site access.
Determine and document payers’ claim filing requirements.
Load payer contracts and other information into applicable systems.
Identify, manage and resolve issues related to payer financial and operational interfaces, such as issues related to patient eligibility transactions and reporting.
Participate in cross-functional work groups.
Create and maintain content for insurance training modules.
Requirements:
High School diploma or equivalent. Bachelor’s preferred.
2 years experience in healthcare contract administration required.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Ability to effectively interface with key internal and external stakeholders regarding payer contractual terms and implementation details.
High level of experience with Microsoft Office suit and claim/billing systems and databases.
Demonstrated research and analytical skills.
Speed and accuracy when entering data.
Well-developed multi-tasking skills.
Must be an effective team-player and able to coordinate with various internal departments.
REWARDS
We’re looking for innovative individuals who enjoy a fast paced, ever changing environment to be actively involved in our company’s strategic growth. Expect a competitive salary and benefits package including the option for a company paid bus pass and the opportunity to grow your career. To fill out an online application, please visit our website at www.minuteclinic.com
MinuteClinic is an Equal Opportunity Employer
This position is located at the MinuteClinic corporate office in downtown Minneapolis, MN.
Company
MinuteClinic
Salary/Rate
not available
Contact
Human Resources920 Second Ave. S.Minneapolis, MN 55402 USA
Phone
877.MIN.CLIN
Email
jobs@minuteclinic.com
Description
MinuteClinic is an innovative health care company that integrates simple, high quality healthcare solutions into consumers’ lifestyles. We offer patient education, rapid exams, diagnosis and treatment for a number of common family illnesses in convenient locations where people live, work and play.
We are currently seeking a Payer Financial Coordinator to be responsible for conducting payer contract implementation research and maintaining contracts in various administration and revenue cycle databases. The coordinator works to maximize the accuracy and efficiency of payer identification and manages daily reports and issues related to payer set-up, as well as working to resolve payment trend problems with various internal staff.
Essential Accountabilities:
Research payer contract implementation details, working with internal staff to receive information needed to set up payer in MinuteClinic operational and financial systems.
Acquire payer policies, procedures and secured web site access.
Determine and document payers’ claim filing requirements.
Load payer contracts and other information into applicable systems.
Identify, manage and resolve issues related to payer financial and operational interfaces, such as issues related to patient eligibility transactions and reporting.
Participate in cross-functional work groups.
Create and maintain content for insurance training modules.
Requirements:
High School diploma or equivalent. Bachelor’s preferred.
2 years experience in healthcare contract administration required.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Ability to effectively interface with key internal and external stakeholders regarding payer contractual terms and implementation details.
High level of experience with Microsoft Office suit and claim/billing systems and databases.
Demonstrated research and analytical skills.
Speed and accuracy when entering data.
Well-developed multi-tasking skills.
Must be an effective team-player and able to coordinate with various internal departments.
REWARDS
We’re looking for innovative individuals who enjoy a fast paced, ever changing environment to be actively involved in our company’s strategic growth. Expect a competitive salary and benefits package including the option for a company paid bus pass and the opportunity to grow your career. To fill out an online application, please visit our website at www.minuteclinic.com
MinuteClinic is an Equal Opportunity Employer
This position is located at the MinuteClinic corporate office in downtown Minneapolis, MN.
Company
MinuteClinic
Salary/Rate
not available
Contact
Human Resources920 Second Ave. S.Minneapolis, MN 55402 USA
Phone
877.MIN.CLIN
jobs@minuteclinic.com
Thursday, March 5, 2009
HEALTH IT CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
Health IT Certification Offers Complimentary 69-Page Online Course on the Federal Stimulus Bills Impact on Health Information Technology
Since 2005 Health IT Certification Has Offered Training and Testing for Certified Professional in Health Information Technology (CPHIT) and Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records (CPEHR)
Launched New Certified Professional in Health Information Exchange (CPHIE) in September 2008
Over 600 individuals are currently certified and over 1,400 have taken courses
For more information go to www.HealthITCertification.com
PRESS RELEASEContact: Steven S. Lazarus or Jean Van Horn Phone: 303-488-9911Email: sslazarus@aol.comWebsite: www.HealthITCertification.com
NOW AVAILABLE
A COMPLIMENTARY 69-PAGE COURSE ON THE FEDERAL STIMULUS BILL'SIMPACT ON HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-- Click here to access the course --
WASHINGTON DC, USA -- HIT/HIPAA UPDATE NEWS SERVICE™ -- MARCH 3, 2009: Health IT Certification, www.HealthITCertification.com, announced today that it is offering a complimentary 69-Page online course on the Stimulus Bills Impact on Health Information Technology.
BECOME A HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL:
Today's EHR, HIE and HIT applications are focused on the core business of health care: providing information and decision support for clinicians at the point of care. Such clinical transformation requires new knowledge and skills for all stakeholders. Whether you are a practice administrator, information technology steering committee member, information systems analyst, or clinician evaluating electronic prescribing systems, clinical messaging, electronic health records, or any of the myriad of other options - making the right decisions can be a daunting task.
Health IT Certification provides professional training and certification for those responsible for planning, selecting, implementing, and managing Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Exchange (HIE), and other Health Information Technology (HIT). Professional certification will enhance your career opportunities in the fast growing field of healthcare technology.
THE NEW CPEHR, CPHIE, AND CPHIT CURRICULUM:
Health IT Certification is pleased to announce six new courses for its professional certification program and a revision of the curriculum to reflect the specific knowledge needed by advanced users of Health Information Exchange (HIE) to achieve data standards, governance structure, telemedicine and personal health records goals. In addition, the new and updated curriculum reflects changes in the healthcare industry over the last six months.
THE CPEHR, CPHIE AND CPHIT CREDENTIALS:
Health IT Certification provides professional training and certification for those responsible for planning, selecting, implementing, and managing Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Exchange (HIE), and other Health Information Technology (HIT).
The designation of Certified Professional in Health Information Technology (CPHIT) indicates that the holder has mastered the Common Body of Knowledge covering planning, selecting, implementing, using, and managing Health Information Technology (HIT). In addition to the four Core content courses, CPHIT includes six courses designed to prepare the individual to plan, select, and implement HIT. It is designed primarily for individuals responsible for HIT (including EHR) planning and selection.
The designation of Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records (CPEHR) indicates that the holder has mastered the Common Body of Knowledge covering planning, implementation, operation of EHR for knowledge management, quality improvement, e-prescribing and patient safety. The CPEHR curriculum addresses strategies to make the most of an EHR investment, enhancing capabilities, using new technologies, and building value. In addition to the Core content, six courses are offered that address the advanced ongoing management and use of EHR applications in provider organizations. It is designed primarily for individuals responsible for EHR ongoing operations, enhancements and advanced utilization.
The designation of Certified Professional in Health Information Exchange (CPHIE) indicates that the holder has mastered the Common Body of Knowledge covering planning, governance, information architecture and stewardship, personal health records, telehealth and home monitoring and other exchanges of electronic information among organizations. It is designed primarily for individuals responsible for managing RHIOs, HIEs, and similar electronic information exchange organizations, as well as users/participants of these information exchanges.
HEALTH IT CERTIFICATION TRAINING FACULTY:
To view Health IT Certification's Training Faculty click here.
DISTINGUISHED ADVISORY BOARD:
To view Health IT Certification's Advisory Board click here.
FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Call toll-free (888) 599-4583, send e-mail to registration@HealthITCertification.com, or visit the Health IT Certification website at www.healthitcertification.com/regonsite.html.
Since 2005 Health IT Certification Has Offered Training and Testing for Certified Professional in Health Information Technology (CPHIT) and Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records (CPEHR)
Launched New Certified Professional in Health Information Exchange (CPHIE) in September 2008
Over 600 individuals are currently certified and over 1,400 have taken courses
For more information go to www.HealthITCertification.com
PRESS RELEASEContact: Steven S. Lazarus or Jean Van Horn Phone: 303-488-9911Email: sslazarus@aol.comWebsite: www.HealthITCertification.com
NOW AVAILABLE
A COMPLIMENTARY 69-PAGE COURSE ON THE FEDERAL STIMULUS BILL'SIMPACT ON HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-- Click here to access the course --
WASHINGTON DC, USA -- HIT/HIPAA UPDATE NEWS SERVICE™ -- MARCH 3, 2009: Health IT Certification, www.HealthITCertification.com, announced today that it is offering a complimentary 69-Page online course on the Stimulus Bills Impact on Health Information Technology.
BECOME A HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL:
Today's EHR, HIE and HIT applications are focused on the core business of health care: providing information and decision support for clinicians at the point of care. Such clinical transformation requires new knowledge and skills for all stakeholders. Whether you are a practice administrator, information technology steering committee member, information systems analyst, or clinician evaluating electronic prescribing systems, clinical messaging, electronic health records, or any of the myriad of other options - making the right decisions can be a daunting task.
Health IT Certification provides professional training and certification for those responsible for planning, selecting, implementing, and managing Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Exchange (HIE), and other Health Information Technology (HIT). Professional certification will enhance your career opportunities in the fast growing field of healthcare technology.
THE NEW CPEHR, CPHIE, AND CPHIT CURRICULUM:
Health IT Certification is pleased to announce six new courses for its professional certification program and a revision of the curriculum to reflect the specific knowledge needed by advanced users of Health Information Exchange (HIE) to achieve data standards, governance structure, telemedicine and personal health records goals. In addition, the new and updated curriculum reflects changes in the healthcare industry over the last six months.
THE CPEHR, CPHIE AND CPHIT CREDENTIALS:
Health IT Certification provides professional training and certification for those responsible for planning, selecting, implementing, and managing Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Exchange (HIE), and other Health Information Technology (HIT).
The designation of Certified Professional in Health Information Technology (CPHIT) indicates that the holder has mastered the Common Body of Knowledge covering planning, selecting, implementing, using, and managing Health Information Technology (HIT). In addition to the four Core content courses, CPHIT includes six courses designed to prepare the individual to plan, select, and implement HIT. It is designed primarily for individuals responsible for HIT (including EHR) planning and selection.
The designation of Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records (CPEHR) indicates that the holder has mastered the Common Body of Knowledge covering planning, implementation, operation of EHR for knowledge management, quality improvement, e-prescribing and patient safety. The CPEHR curriculum addresses strategies to make the most of an EHR investment, enhancing capabilities, using new technologies, and building value. In addition to the Core content, six courses are offered that address the advanced ongoing management and use of EHR applications in provider organizations. It is designed primarily for individuals responsible for EHR ongoing operations, enhancements and advanced utilization.
The designation of Certified Professional in Health Information Exchange (CPHIE) indicates that the holder has mastered the Common Body of Knowledge covering planning, governance, information architecture and stewardship, personal health records, telehealth and home monitoring and other exchanges of electronic information among organizations. It is designed primarily for individuals responsible for managing RHIOs, HIEs, and similar electronic information exchange organizations, as well as users/participants of these information exchanges.
HEALTH IT CERTIFICATION TRAINING FACULTY:
To view Health IT Certification's Training Faculty click here.
DISTINGUISHED ADVISORY BOARD:
To view Health IT Certification's Advisory Board click here.
FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Call toll-free (888) 599-4583, send e-mail to registration@HealthITCertification.com, or visit the Health IT Certification website at www.healthitcertification.com/regonsite.html.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
DO YOU WANT TO CREATE AN INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE? NOT REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION BUT COULD BE DESIGNED UNDER HM475
Local, National, & International Internships/Field Experiences
If you are looking for local, national, or international internship/field experience opportunities, these links might offer helpful information and current openings.
While this may not be an exhaustive list, we hope it will give you a good start as you explore possibilities in public health.
Local, National, and International Internship Resources:
American Association of University Women (AAUW)Explore internships, grants, and annual awards through one of the largest funding sources for graduate women.
American Refugee CommitteeInternship opportunities by country.
Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH)The ASPH manages several regular internship programs throughout the year.
CARE InternationalSearch internships with this leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.
Centre for Development and Population ActivitiesInternships with a focus on mobilizing women to achieve equality.
Doctors Without BordersInternships with a focus on international medical humanitarian aid and advocacy.
Family Health InternationalSearch for internships in this international public health organization.
Foundation for International Medical Relief of ChildrenInternships with a focus on providing health services to millions of underprivileged children around the world.
InterExchange FoundationEstablished to provide grants to young Americans who wish to help further cultural awareness through meaningful work abroad experiences. Also provides resources for finding internships, work abroad programs, and seasonal job placements.
Intern BridgeIntern Bride conducts the largest internship-focused research projects in the country, develops resources for employers and universities, delivers seminars, workshops and presentations, and staffs organizations with highly qualified students.
KaiserEDU.orgThis database summarizes, and provides links, to internships in health policy and related fields.
LandIt.orgThe job and internship listing site of the MN College & University Career Services Association. Students must register before beginning their search.
Learning Abroad CenterLook up programs, internships, and scholarship information for international experiences. Opportunities for graduate students.
Minnesota Studies in International DevelopmentLearn about development theories and gain hands-on, grassroots development experience through MSID, available in five countries: Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya, India, and Senegal.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and EducationExplore internships, scholarships, and research opportunities for students and faculty.
PeerCorpsAn NGO that advocates for favorable policies and programs for youth, women and children, offering internships in Tanzania.
U.S. Food & Drug AdministrationInternship opportunities with congressional hearings, drug importation investigations, and novel disease outbreak issues are just some of the past opportunities focused on.
Fellowship Resources:
The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) These fellowship programs, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prepare laboratory scientists for careers in public health and environmental health laboratory practice.
The Association for Prevention Teaching & Research (APTR)APTR fellowships give recent graduates and early career professionals an opportunity to work in public health and preventative medicine interest areas.
Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH)The ASPH manages several regular fellowship programs throughout the year.
The Commonwealth FundThese fellowship programs are designed to give promising young researchers the opportunity for in-depth study of various health care policy topics, working with investigators, policy analysts, government officials, and others in a number of U.S. and international settings.
Emerging Leaders in Public HealthThe Emerging Leaders in Public Health (ELPH) Fellowship is designed to prepare minority public health professionals in the field by identifying and training those individuals with the talent to serve in significant leadership capacities in the next decade.
IWMF Public Health FellowshipThis fellowship program offers female newspaper editors and radio producers who cover public health issues in eligible countries the opportunity to receive on-the-job training with top media companies in the United States. The fellowship also requires that a fellow conduct a public health journalism project in her home country.
KaiserEDU.orgThis database summarizes, and provides links, to fellowships in health policy and related fields.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and EducationExplore fellowships, scholarships, and research opportunities for students and faculty.
PfizerA guide to fellowships, grants, and professorships.
The Public Health Informatics Fellowship ProgramThis fellowship program develops leaders skilled in the integration of public health information systems and development of data standards, policy and quality control measures to advance the practice of public health informatics.
If you are looking for local, national, or international internship/field experience opportunities, these links might offer helpful information and current openings.
While this may not be an exhaustive list, we hope it will give you a good start as you explore possibilities in public health.
Local, National, and International Internship Resources:
American Association of University Women (AAUW)Explore internships, grants, and annual awards through one of the largest funding sources for graduate women.
American Refugee CommitteeInternship opportunities by country.
Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH)The ASPH manages several regular internship programs throughout the year.
CARE InternationalSearch internships with this leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.
Centre for Development and Population ActivitiesInternships with a focus on mobilizing women to achieve equality.
Doctors Without BordersInternships with a focus on international medical humanitarian aid and advocacy.
Family Health InternationalSearch for internships in this international public health organization.
Foundation for International Medical Relief of ChildrenInternships with a focus on providing health services to millions of underprivileged children around the world.
InterExchange FoundationEstablished to provide grants to young Americans who wish to help further cultural awareness through meaningful work abroad experiences. Also provides resources for finding internships, work abroad programs, and seasonal job placements.
Intern BridgeIntern Bride conducts the largest internship-focused research projects in the country, develops resources for employers and universities, delivers seminars, workshops and presentations, and staffs organizations with highly qualified students.
KaiserEDU.orgThis database summarizes, and provides links, to internships in health policy and related fields.
LandIt.orgThe job and internship listing site of the MN College & University Career Services Association. Students must register before beginning their search.
Learning Abroad CenterLook up programs, internships, and scholarship information for international experiences. Opportunities for graduate students.
Minnesota Studies in International DevelopmentLearn about development theories and gain hands-on, grassroots development experience through MSID, available in five countries: Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya, India, and Senegal.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and EducationExplore internships, scholarships, and research opportunities for students and faculty.
PeerCorpsAn NGO that advocates for favorable policies and programs for youth, women and children, offering internships in Tanzania.
U.S. Food & Drug AdministrationInternship opportunities with congressional hearings, drug importation investigations, and novel disease outbreak issues are just some of the past opportunities focused on.
Fellowship Resources:
The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) These fellowship programs, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prepare laboratory scientists for careers in public health and environmental health laboratory practice.
The Association for Prevention Teaching & Research (APTR)APTR fellowships give recent graduates and early career professionals an opportunity to work in public health and preventative medicine interest areas.
Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH)The ASPH manages several regular fellowship programs throughout the year.
The Commonwealth FundThese fellowship programs are designed to give promising young researchers the opportunity for in-depth study of various health care policy topics, working with investigators, policy analysts, government officials, and others in a number of U.S. and international settings.
Emerging Leaders in Public HealthThe Emerging Leaders in Public Health (ELPH) Fellowship is designed to prepare minority public health professionals in the field by identifying and training those individuals with the talent to serve in significant leadership capacities in the next decade.
IWMF Public Health FellowshipThis fellowship program offers female newspaper editors and radio producers who cover public health issues in eligible countries the opportunity to receive on-the-job training with top media companies in the United States. The fellowship also requires that a fellow conduct a public health journalism project in her home country.
KaiserEDU.orgThis database summarizes, and provides links, to fellowships in health policy and related fields.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and EducationExplore fellowships, scholarships, and research opportunities for students and faculty.
PfizerA guide to fellowships, grants, and professorships.
The Public Health Informatics Fellowship ProgramThis fellowship program develops leaders skilled in the integration of public health information systems and development of data standards, policy and quality control measures to advance the practice of public health informatics.
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