Yesterday, we spoke about how PPACA (Obamacare) has been attenuating the US healthcare cost spiral. Over the past few years, the overall cost growth has dropped dramatically. But, many of us don’t feel the love- because our employers and our insurance companies have been playing the “cost shifting” game. They’ve changed our co-insurance, they’ve raised our deductibles- claiming that when we have ‘skin in the game’, we are more attentive to the costs of our healthcare.
Monthly Archives: July 2016
Slowing down- finally?
The health care cost spiral is slowing- finally. Prior to 2008, the increase averaged at least 8% a year- for two decades! Over the past 5 years (up to 2014), total healthcare costs have growing by less than 3% annually. That trend is up for grabs through, as the last year’s(2015) increase seems to 5.5%- but the current year’s increase will be a little less at 4.8%. Except, these numbers still don’t tell the whole story….
This Hack Will Cost Consumers Big
Operator, Operator…
So, you all do know that this year the number of traffic accidents and fatalities has increased- for the first time in a long time. (35,200- a 7.7% increase over 2014- despite the fact that cars are getting safer.) It shouldn’t come as a surprise, because with the precipitous drop in the price of gas, we are driving more. And, as any cogent being realizes as they traverse this great land, too many folks should not have a driver’s license (maybe they don’t- but are behind the wheel anyway). At the very least, many (most?) should be barred from getting behind the wheels of the ridiculous large vehicles they own, since they can’t handle them properly at all.
NO!!!!!!!
NO!!!!! You can’t do this to me- or to anyone else!
I just went out and bought a new one. Because the old one didn’t work very well. (Plus, SONY decides that certain programs can’t be copied. They inserted the ‘copyright police’ into the DVD portion of device. That’s despite the Supreme Court ruling that recording TV shows for home use does not constitute copyright infringement!)
Bacterial Fatigue?
I have written before how our intestinal flora (bugs in our guts, in the vernacular) affect our general health. And, how they tamp down our inflammatory responses. And, how fecal transplants can help many a sick patient or improve patients well-being during chemotherapy.
Can’t Stand Still!
So, you know I drive my car to and from Philly. And, let’s not forget the trip between Charlottesville and DC. So, I’ve developed two favorite vendors for my stops. One is WaWa. This company has the best food, great coffee, fantastic shakes (we have to rely on my son for this fact), clean bathrooms, and great prices. Oh- and they treat their employees really well. Which is why service is fantastic.
Print me an ear????
I bet you thought I gave up on 3D printing. I mean, the last time I published a blog discussing this intriguing technology was more than 14 months ago! Never fear- it was only because most of what is going was not for public consumpiton (or repeating what had already been done).
Eschew Obfuscation
I spoke the other day how our government lies to us. And, continues to do so. (That is true for the Executive and Legislative Branches. Although the legislative branch is working very hard to win the battle on lying and obfuscation.)
Debtbusting?
One of the big issues this year has been the burgeoning student debt load. OK. To be honest, it’s the repayment failure rate that has made the news more often. You do recall that about 1 in 4 of these student loans are in default- or that the student is behind in payments.