COVID-19 & Healthcare

Is the VA ‘scandal’ just a means to privatize the VA?

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I find some of the reporting on the Veterans Administration “scandal” suspect, i.e.,  The Arizona Republic. I would never rely on these reporters for the “facts.” Media pundits who rush to demand that someone be fired are premature, issuing their verdict before the evidence has even been presented — the Inspector General is still investigating, and has not issued a report.

It is not always wise to remove the individuals involved right away, they may have information needed by those stepping in to address the problem. It may be a case of “show me what you did and explain it to me,” so that it can be fixed quickly.

TucsonVAFurthermore, the vast majority of the media villagers who are using this for scandal mongering to bash the White House have never served in the military, are not veterans, and are clueless about VA care. (I spent 10 years taking my father for VA appointments at the veterans hospital here in Tucson (photo), and while there were waits for his doctor visits, he always received the utmost professional care).

One of the things the hyperventilating media villagers fail to point out is that there are long waits for care and shortages of medical specialists in the private health care system as well, the only difference being that the private sector (1) does not have a policy to reduce wait times, and (2) does not keep records whether it is meeting this metric. The VA does.

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Are you “Fed Up” yet?

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I’m frightened at the large number of overweight children (and adults) I see around town.  And not surprisingly the American Medical Association declared obesity a disease in  June 2013.

It’s time to see why we are becoming a nation of such large people.  Opening on May 23 at the Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway, co-presented by Community Gardens of Tucson.

Post-film Q&A with Fed Up associate producer (and former Tucsonan) Mary Beth Callie on opening night, Friday, May 23 at 7:30pm!

Fedup

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The GOP Clown Car Primary for Governor – Issues: Medicaid Expansion, Common Core, SB 1070

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ClownCarI don’t believe it! The media villagers are actually doing something besides reproducing campaign press releases and engaging in “horse race” reporting — they actually showed up at a debate and did some substantive reporting on the GOP candidates for governor.

Unfortunately, we learn that the GOP candidates for governor are lacking in substance. This is a GOP clown car primary for governor.

Joe Ferguson of the Arizona Daily Star attended the Saddlebrooke debate (Cap’n “Atomic Al” Melvin’s crazy base home turf) and filed this report, GOP governor hopefuls mostly of one mind in SaddleBrooke debate:

Unlike his rivals for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said he supports outgoing Gov. Jan Brewer’s push to expand Medicaid to take advantage of the federal government’s agreement to pay most of the cost.

With the exception of that break from the crowd, six Republicans running to replace Brewer largely agreed with one another during a debate in SaddleBrooke on Wednesday.

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Gov. Brewer appeals decision giving our lawless legislature standing to proceed with Medicaid expansion lawsuit

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gavelGov. Jan Brewer today filed an appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court seeking to overturn an appellate court ruling allowing legislators standing to proceed with a lawsuit against the hospital assessment that funds Brewer’s Medicaid (AHCCCS) expansion plan. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports, Brewer appeals Medicaid ruling to Arizona Supreme Court:

Douglas Northup, Brewer’s attorney, argued that the Court of Appeals’ ruling that the 36 Republican lawmakers have standing to challenge the hospital assessment flies in the face of years of judicial precedent. The lawmakers are asking the court to referee a political dispute in which they ended up on the losing end, Northup wrote in the appeal.

The lawmakers argue that the hospital assessment is a tax that should have required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature under Proposition 108, a 1992 amendment to the Arizona Constitution that mandates a supermajority vote for all tax increases. The budget bill that contained the hospital assessment passed only with a simple majority.

Brewer said she is hopeful that the high court will accept her appeal.

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Polling shows that only a majority of Republicans support repeal of ‘ObamaCare’

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ObamacareIn the latest CNN/ORC International poll released on Sunday, 61 percent of respondents said they wanted to leave the Affordable Care Act aka “ObamaCare” as is, or make some changes.

Only thirty-eight percent said they wanted to repeal the law and replace it with a new system, or go back to the bad old days before ObamaCare.

Greg Sargent of the Washington Post breaks it down in the Morning Plum: Are Republicans surrendering on Obamacare?:

A new CNN poll illustrates the situation nicely: It finds that far more Americans want to keep Obamacare than repeal it. At the same time, only majorities of Republicans want repeal and only majorities of Republicans think the law is already a failure.

The CNN poll finds that 49 percent of Americans want to keep the law with some changes, while another 12 percent want to keep it as is — a total of 61 percent. Meanwhile, only 18 percent want to repeal and replace the law, and another 20 percent want to repeal it, full stop — a total of 38 percent.  That’s 61-38 for keeping rather than repealing the law. Among independents, that’s 55-44.

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