?tis the season?

Very interesting article in American Medical News (Nov. 26, 2007) on the recent introduction of a health care gift card.  It’s no secret that gift cards are a wonderful way for retailers to siphon more money from consumers using a variety of methods.  First and foremost, is the fact that only about 90% of gift cards [...]

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Can you help?

Since Kevin has been so kind as to let me borrow his blog for a while, I’d like to ask you all for a favor. Can you help me understand more about “most favored nation” clauses, common to insurance contracts? I’ll be meeting with my states legislators soon and I’d like to be [...]

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Ex-united ceo still on the hook after giving up 0 million

“Like Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of options held by former UnitedHealth CEO Bill McGuire remain frozen,” the WSJ’s Law Blog reports today in its inimitable style.
McGuire was ousted last year in an options-backdating scandal, and the fate of his options, which have been valued at well over billion, have [...]

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Californians back hiking cigarette tax by –poll

California voters by nearly a 2-to-1 majority would support increasing their state’s cigarette tax by per pack to help raise cash for a state effort to provide health-care insurance to the uninsured, according to the latest Field Poll released on Friday. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape PublicHealth Headlines)

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Movie review and a stupid bitch

I went and saw the movie Juno recently. I absolutely loved it. The one liners, cutdowns, and internal commentary of Ellen Page as the title character, Juno, is flawless. She created the character and played her as if it were second nature. I recommend that everyone go and check this movie out as soon as [...]

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Forrest gump, zero-gravity thinker

Above, Cynthia Barton Rabe’s description of outsiders brought in to companies to encourage innovation.
Rabe’s 2006 book, “Innovation Killer: How What We Know Limits What We Can Imagine ? And What Smart Companies Are Doing About It,” elaborated on her term.
Too bad about the way too long title.
Anyway.
Janet Rae-Dupree’s December 30, 2007 New York Times essay [...]

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Free medicine

I was out to dinner with 3 of my Med School classmates a few months ago to celebrate being done with some class or another. In true Philly style, it was a BYOT (T is for TEQUILA) so that the restaurant wouldn’t have to pay the outlandish Pennsylvania liquor taxes, and it was also [...]

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In 2008 you can lose those extra pounds & live forever !

Or not.Here is a fascinating article from Jacob Sullum at Reason, reviewing two new books out about obesity (see the links at the bottom for the books). Here are three excerpts from this fascinating article:Gina Kolata says losing weight is nearly impossible. Brian Wansink says it?s easy. But they don?t really contradict each other, because [...]

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A complete guide to visiting a pharmacy ? for retards!

This was originally posted on 8-16-07. I have updated and perfected it on 1-6-08. It’s the longest post on www.TheAngriestPharmacist.com at 2,600 words, but it is completely worth it and should be required reading for all people having a prescription filled. Enjoy!
I take for granted how smart I am, how much common sense I?ve acquired over the [...]

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Why we need government health insurance

WashingtonCAN released the following press release today. It speaks for itself.
Washington Health Insurance Companies Making Record Financial Gains as Access to Quality Health Care Erodes
New data calls into question industry’s justification for rate-hikes
A Fact Sheet summarizing data is attached. For full report, visit: http://www.nwfco.org/pubs/2008.0110_Insuring.Health.or.Ensuring.Profit.pdf
Seattle, WA ? Washington’s major health insurance companies are making record [...]

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