Thursday Themes

Hurricane Isaac is battering the coast of Louisiana.  These folks have lived through Katrina.  I can only imagine what it must feel like to watch the waters rise again and know that there is nothing you can do -- until it's over, and then you face cleaning up, again.  I'm very sad for them.

The US tops France, Germany and the UK in potentially preventable deaths.  The lack of timely health care is the cause of this.  Yet more proof of the need for universal coverage.

President Obama and VP candidate Paul Ryan have very similar goals when it comes to controlling Medicare spending, but they would get there in very different ways.  You really should read this.  It's a clear choice between a voucher to help you buy health insurance, after which you're on your own, versus making cuts to reimbursement rates, more fraud investigations, eliminating waste, and so on.  Paul Ryan's speech last night also talked about health care, his determination to repeal health reform (leaving people with pre-existing conditions without insurance) -- here's a run down of what he said about health care and what he didn't.

Another installment from the NY Times blogger who's been going through a bone marrow transplant.  She's now undergoing chemotherapy.  This young woman's courage is remarkable.

Calorie limits might not extend your life, but you might be healthier, says a new study.  I'm sort of confused -- how does being healthier NOT extend your life?  Oh, well -- bottom line is that less is more when it comes to calories, at least for most of us.

In California, if you're on Medi-Cal (Medicaid in California), and if you want to keep attending adult day centers, you have to enroll in managed care.  This is sort of a "money or your life" proposition, if you ask me.

The number of West Nile cases is increasing.  This makes me nervous.  Especially for those of us with suppressed immune systems, if you start feeling sick, don't wait before seeking medical attention.

And that's that for this morning.  Have a great day!  Jennifer