Archive for May, 2009
We’re paying already
If you think we’re not paying for people who don’t have health insurance, think again. A new study by Families USA shows a family with health insurance paid $1017 in extra premiums in 2008 to cover the costs of people who can’t afford care; individuals paid $368. Families USA calls it the hidden health tax. The [...]
Drink for Health Care
Congress is considering raising the tax on alcohol to help fund health care. The beer tax would go from 33 cents to 81 cents a six pack. Wine would go from 21 cents per bottle to 70 cents per bottle. Tax on a fifth of liquor would go from $2.14 to $2.54. Considering federal cigarette [...]
At least somebody’s getting colonoscopies
U.S. Rep. James Inhofe said the other day, in defense of keeping the prison at Guantanamo Bay open, that any prisoner over age 55 could get a colonoscopy, admitting that the prisoners there get better health care tham most Americans. In defense of Gitmo, Inhofe has admitted that our health care system is in shambles. [...]
My way or no way? No way!
I went to a meeting of the Health Access Coalition today in Raleigh. The coalition is a group of organizations seeking to get health care for all Americans. We’re a diverse group with diverse opinions. There were some single-payer-system advocates who were truly angry about the idea being rejected out of hand by Congress. They were [...]
We was misunderstood
Just days after a so-called “watershed moment ” (President Obama’s words, not mine), the people who promised to cut costs by 1.5 percent a year for the next 10 years, thus saving the country $2 trillion, have backed off. “There’s been a lot of misunderstanding that has caused a lot of consternation among our members,” [...]
Health care rationing?
Several people have told me they’re afraid of health care rationing if the government gets involved in fixing the system. In fact, rationing is one of the words Frank Luntz has said will work to derail meaningful reform. “You’re not going to get what you want,” he told conservatives, “but you can kill what they’re [...]
I don’t trust it
The health care industry has sait it can cut costs 1.5 percent a year for 10 years, thus saving $2 trillion. My question is: Why couldn’t they do it before they were threatened with reform? The answer, I assume, is that they didn’t think they had to. Now they’re afraid their profits will fall by [...]
Watch your words
Pollster Frank Luntz has published a memo to Republicans telling them what language to use in killing efforts at federal health care reform. He advises people to ask, “Do you want bureaucrats to make decisions on your health care?” My answer to that is another question: Who do you think is making the decisions now? [...]
From Kathy Squires
“My niece, who worked all of her adult life and was very independent, became ill at her last job under which she had no insurance. (Sound familiar?) She delayed seeking health care, and when she finally agreed to some help she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer (called GIST) with a 17 cm tumor, and [...]
29 months in limbo
I got a call from a panicky woman the other day, not knowing what to do about her mother, who is 53 years old, very ill and has lost her health care. Once I calmed her down a little, I got the story. Her mother finally got Social Security Disability three years after she stopped working [...]
Have a beer in May
Stop into Altamont Brewing, 1042 Haywood Road, West Asheville, any time in May and ask for their "charity" beer of the day. Buy one and Life o' Mike gets $1. In fact, we get a buck for each one sold. So go in every day and have one to support Life o' Mike.
Thanks, Altamont!
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
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.
Start From Seed
Life o' Mike has a new program- Start from Seed (SFS).
SFS is a volunteer doula program aimed at providing non-medical, comprehensive support to low income, high-risk women and families of Buncombe County focusing on three areas:
1. We help new doulas with certification and training in return for their participation as a volunteer doula for SFS
2. We mentor volunteer doulas with their first few clients
3. Our volunteer doulas provide birth and postpartum doula services to low income, high risk moms, providing support and tools to empower them as a new parent.
A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; a postpartum doula provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
Start from Seed clients are referred to us from the Buncombe County Department of Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Western North Carolina Community Health Services, and Mission Hospital. The Program is intended and designed for growing clients’ inner strength and helping them gain empowerment to help them cope with the emotional, physical and mental challenges of childbirth, labor, and motherhood.
Our new moms and their infants have many needs. If you would like to help them get off to a good start, please visit our Start from Seed web site: Start from Seed, or call Program Director Chelsea Kouns at 804-814-9946.