Archive for April, 2009
How will it look?
Christian and I talked for a long time last night, and Janet and I the night before. We each have a different vision of how health care reform might look. Janet and Christian both want as little government intervention as possible; I think the government has to be very involved. I try to blog about [...]
Bobby Butterworth
My Friend, Bobby Butterworth had some chest pains a month ago, on a Thursday. We told him to go to the ER. He decided to wait the evening, because he had no insurance – He felt a hospital bill would bankrupt him and leave him on the street (the ER asks for money up front [...]
What’s the fix?
I didn’t mean to bury this the other day. It’s a powerful story. http://lifeomike.org/2009/04/26/charitable-groups/ Please remember that it’s written by Christian — I never hurt my sister with a golf ball. Mine was with a gold CLUB. I have to say I worry about the charities, since so many of them are losing money, and [...]
More on the insurance companies
Dean Baker, a widely respected economist, published a column today on why the insurance companies don’t want to compete with the government. There is a history here: Privsate insurance companies compete with the government for Medicare recipients, and most opt for the government plan, not a private plan. To the argument that people who work [...]
A look at one option
This was from a couple weeks ago, but I think it’s is of interest. Think of it this way: The government is involved in ensuring care to people over 65, and with the expansion of the States’ Children’s Health Insurance Program, people under age 18. The only group left without fair access to care is people [...]
Public versus private
The Center for American Progress, admittedly a liberal think tank, has some great thoughts on how we combine public and private to build a health care system that works. What most of us think when we debate the issue is about what’s wrong with each one. What’s real is that we already have government involvement, [...]
The Shriners
Christian mentioned the Shriners in his post. It reminds me that in these very hard economic times, the Shriners likely will have to close several of their hospitals. So, as the need grows, the help available shrinks. Here in Asheville, we have Project Access, which coordinates the charity care that doctors and hospitals give so [...]
Charitable Groups
Happy Sunday to you all. I was sitting in a coffee shop and reflecting on the amount of help given to my family through the years. My sister was born with a cleft lip/palette. Shortly afterward, my father broke his back when he fell off a building he was working on. I try to remember [...]
Oh-No moments
It still hits me like a ton of bricks now and then. I was having a great day yesterday, with our old friends Craig and Cindy visiting from New Jersey. We were at Merlefest, waiting to see Doc Watson and the Frosty Mon Reunion — always my favorite part or Merlefest, and a woman behind [...]
Jobs Associated with the Insurance Industry
I just read a study that attributed over One Million sales and marketing jobs to the insurance industry. Obviously, if a compromise is not reached in our governments’ legislature, those jobs are in jeopardy of being lost. I have spent some time in the direct sales workforce. It should be noted that if private groups [...]
Second annual Eat at Mike’s
Reserve now
Life o' Mike sponsors its second annual Eat at Mike's, an evening of good food prepared by local chefs, at Tingles Cafe in downtown Asheville. The event also features silent and live auctions with items from Highlands Brewing, artist Angela C. Alexander and more.
Tickets to the dinner are $25; $20 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3.
To reserve, e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com. For more information, call 828-243-6712.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a new peer support program for people newly diagnosed with chronic or serious illness or with a new disability and their caregivers.
Patient Pals are people who have experience with various illnesses and disabilities, who can help someone newly diagnosed or with a new disability work through the fear, frustration, confusion and grief often experienced in the first few months.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
People with new illness or disability fare better when they have a role model -- someone who can help them negotiate their new path in life.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.