“Guaranteed” Health Coverage May Cost Lives

Almost 15% of patients in Great Britain must wait more than one year to receive treatment, after they have been referred to a specialist by a doctor. As much as 50% of patients getting government care must wait between 18 to 52 weeks for treatment. Over three-quarters of Canadians must wait about three months for an MRI under government-operated health care.

You can imagine how their governments put dental teeth at the bottom of their preference list when they must cut costs.

More than 75% of National Healthcare Service British patients waited four or more weeks for admittance into a hospital, as reported in May, 2009.

The average survival rate for all types of cancer for patients in the United States is 60%. Canada’s survival rate is at 55%; Europe’s is at 48%. About 80% survive the prostate cancer diagnosis in the USA , as compared to about 43% in the U.K., under their nationalized service.

Americans are not all familiar with this. The media tends to overlook such facts and continue to spout ObamaCare without much analysis. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

The Dream of Starting a Business

Everyone dreams of starting a business. Only a few bother to do so. Perhaps it's wise the number of doers is less, because there is more to the effort than just a dream.

Lots of work goes into the effort of starting the smallest of business. Please refer to my previous reports on business and work on the subject.

There is planning needed for the smallest of business and, especially, start-up efforts. Moreover, I disapprove of most franchises as the solution. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole(r) Commentaries.)

Jobless Figure Chicanery

Look for two methods used to massage unemployment numbers, being used by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau Of Labor Statistics.

One is “seasonably adjusted” numbers. It can be easily fudged, at best arbitrary, and meaningless. The other is factually reported but the media is complicit by not openly disclosing the total labor force when unemployed are reported.

When less people are in the labor force, the unemployment numbers look better, and those diminished numbers are being overlooked by the media.

In short, there are less jobs around, so the unemployment numbers appear better. (See the Earl J. Weinreb Newshole(r) Commentaries.)

Drug Cost Manipulation by Uncle Sam

Overseas government sponsors of public health insurance always set standards for doctors to treat patients. This is what is being done to reduce costs under government-sponsored programs in England, Canada, and Europe.

But what you are not told by U.S. public health enthusiasts, for example, is that cheaper drugs dispensed are often the older versions. They are older generics, whereas newer, more costly branded versions are not dispensed.

That saves money for the government health system.

However, in many instances, older drugs are not better. In fact, they may not do as good a job as the newer, branded drugs.

The government saves money at the expense of the patient’s health or life. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Government Health Standards Are An Alternative

The Harvard School of Public Health says that about twelve health style abuses account for over one million American deaths each year. Cut down those statistics and you have remedied the health care problem.

It’s been estimated that smoking costs about 467,000 American lives a year. High blood pressure from unhealthy lifestyles causes about 395,000 lives per year. There is some overlapping as bad health habits are the cause of multiple afflictions.

An emphasis on such changes can save the American economy an enormous amount of money, while keeping its capital infrastructure intact.

But that may be too simple for many of our health care grandstanding politicos. They would rather change the entire structure of a sixth of the economy. By having government controls. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Media Inaccuracy

The media is often inaccurate in their business and financial information and idea comments. Always question the accuracy and slants you get.

There are three basic reasons for my doubt about the accuracy and slant of the media.

One is the fact that most of the actual reports are not in-depth. Reporters and columnists may not have the time to devote to the topic or they are simply too lazy to get into details.

Secondly; many do not know their subject. It is difficult to adequately discuss business or finance without real hands-on business or financial experience. Few in the media meet these requirements.

And thirdly; the slant of most reporters and columnists who have learned from their college professors, have had a left-leaning bias thrust on them for a number of years. It shows in their career work. They have no idea how the real, day-to-day business and financial world works. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

U.S. Government Show Trials Have Occurred

Government show trials, comparable to those in the Soviet Union, have happened before our eyes, They serve the purpose of populist politicians.

Under the administration, the previously-elected Congress organized a union chase after Toyota, which is non-union, in a huge show trial with the cameras and the finger pointing. No suggestions were made that it was confused victims who sometimes stepped on gas pedals instead of brakes, which jammed sensitive equipment. And occasionally high-tech equipment went bad.

The government and union conflict-of-interest with its ownership of competing General Motors and Chrysler, of course may have had much to do with this extravaganza showcase. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)