Wish I Were in Seattle

I had the best trip to LA, but I must admit that not being there for the Flight to Mars "home" show tonight at the Showbox in Seattle is a bit of a bummer.  If you haven't caught one of the shows and you're in the Pacific Northwest, don't miss it.  Flight to Mars, Lazy Susan, the Friel brothers (not sure which of their bands they're playing with), maybe even a little Star Anna?  It's going to be a great night of great music and great people for a great cause.

But I'm not there, so I guess I'd better get to work.  Here's the news:

What's it like to be sick in America?  Here's a new poll that may not tell you anything new, but it may help to vindicate you a bit.  Those who are sick are really worried about costs.  Many of these are folks with insurance, but they're worried about out-of-pocket expenses.  I think people who aren't sick don't realize the extent of the financial burden those of us who are sick have to deal with.  Here's a link to the poll itself.  I really don't think people understand how much it costs us to be sick.  But even more, look at the extent to which patients have had negative experiences with the health care system. A great and important piece of work.

We're all worrying about what the Supreme Court will do.  Senator Sheldon Whitehouse says that, no matter what, the delivery system reforms are here to stay.  I suspect that's true -- and that even more of the law will survive.  The question for me is coverage of people with pre-existing conditions.  But there's been a lot of good already, so we'll have to wait and see what sticks.

So many of us have said the words "Katie Beckett waiver," a way to get Medicaid to cover profound health needs at home.  Sadly, Katie died.  But she lived a whole lot longer than anybody thought she would, and as a result, thousands of sick kids have lived, as well.  Thanks, Katie.

Ever think about alternative medicine?  I get emails from strangers telling me they know how to cure me.  I'm pretty sure most of them are bunk, but you never know.  Here are some things being recommended by doctors.  I got excited about the em wave2 until I looked at the price. 

In Connecticut, delays in processing applications for a program to provide home care to seniors are causing scary delays in providing care.  This follows tales of delays in processing applications for Medicaid, food stamps -- and this is what happens when budgets are cut on the backs of the poor and the elderly.  Shameful.

And on that note, off I go with a long to-do list and not enough time.  Have a great day!  Jennifer