Misty can blog? She can't even spell.

Mom is still on her back….

2009-09-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

My mother’s kidneys still won’t cooperate, so she is in the hospital. I have subjected her to my nursing skills for 4 days and frankly, I think she is sick of me. I’ve had to firmly insist that the doctor come INSIDE my mother’s room and talk to us instead of just writing orders (and not signing the chart) then dashing to the next patient.

Let me tell you about a huge waste that I pointed out to the nursing staff this morning:

The doctor was on the fence about giving my mother blood transfusion yesterday. Her labs were right on the bubble so he asked the nurse to take blood, cross and match her blood type and have 2 units ready. This hospital requires an arm band be placed on the patient that is receiving blood. The nurse yesterday placed the band around her arm and sent the blood sample to the lab for processing. Then, in a sudden change of plans, the doctor decided not to give her the blood. I was told, by the nurse that they had 2 units of blood waiting for her downstairs just in case. The nurse cut off the “blood” band and went about the shift.

This morning, the doctor comes in and orders 2 units of blood (I still am not 100% sure WHY he ordered the blood….i wish doctors would explain things a little better). The nurse informs me that mom will need a blood draw to type and match and get the 2 units from downstairs ( I wonder what else they keep in this mysterious downstairs area). I tell the nurse that we already had that procedure yesterday. She said that because the nurse took off that little band….they have to redo the whole cross & match test. You know me; I asked the (VERY) nice nurse- “how much does that cost?” I just pointed out to her how wasteful it was to redo the whole test, how ineffective it was to waste the time of the lab because there isn’t a chance in hell that my mom’s blood type changed in the last 24 hours. She agreed, but said that because the last nurse cut the band off, it was hospital procedure to redo the test.

I will find out how much that test cost and report in once I get the EOB for this little stay. I wonder if I can dispute that charge, since it was hospital procedure. Heck, at this point, my mother has blown through her deductible and max out of pocket, I’m sure. Of course, I still can’t get a pillow. I’m not complaining.

My mother is getting better, slowly. Her mind is beginning to focus a little more and she is steadier on her feet.

PS- I DID get permission to discuss my mother’s PHI for my blog. Of course, she was taking large doses of pain medication at the time….hope it holds up in court if she sues me.

Making jokes, so I won’t cry,

Misty B.

2009-09-17T00:26:00.000-05:00

If ever I thought about giving up the fight for good health care in the country, today was not that day.

Let me start my story by saying that I spend 90% of my working life providing a way for people to finance their health care dollars when they get sick. Sometimes, I become involved with the claims processing when my clients needs some help, do administrative duties, like ordering ID cards, changing beneficiaries, etc….but for the most part- I deal with healthy people making a financial decision so that when/if they do become sick…they won’t go broke to feel better.
That mouthful being said, I find myself sitting in a hospital room at midnight listening to my sick mother snore. She has been admitted for an acute infection. We spent about 4 ½ hours in the ER, not bad at all and were finally moved to a private room where we have a color TV with cable, free wireless internet, state of the art, automatic blood pressure machine, a thermometer that reads her temp in about 5 seconds, private bathroom and a nurse that checks on my mother every few hours.

What we don’t have is efficiency. We had to fill out a dozen forms (in triplicate), most of which asked for the same redundant information (name, DOB, sex, etc). Why is it that we can send a man to the moon and take video with our cell phones-posting them to facebook in seconds but we can’t store and give our medical information to the people that need it the most in seconds?
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could walk into the ER, have all of your prescriptions, doctor’s names, phone numbers (including after hours contact information), your last height, weight, past surgeries, allergies and other important medical information loaded onto a credit type card? All they would have to do is swipe the card, ask you some additional information and off we go to the land of making you feel better.

What am I missing here? Why is this so hard to get done? Who is holding up this process? The American Medical Association? Hospitals? Insurance companies? The technology IS there….Don’t you think we could save valuable minutes, avoid harmful medical procedures and eliminate waste-therefore making people feel better faster?

Is an of this in HB3200? Or any other piece of legislation that is being floated around Congress these days? I know that $90 million was included in some stimulus money to advance electronic medical records…but where, when will all of this happen?

Maybe I am just a little frustrated or tired tonight…not to mention emotionally raw from the day. It is hard to see someone you love in pain-not to mention seeing a solution so clearly in your mind to innovate an industry.

Sleeping in a hospital cot,
Misty B.

2009-08-13T15:44:00.002-05:00

Mr. Axelrod –

While I recognize that the insurance industry needs change of some kind, I have a hard time swallowing your health insurance pill. In none of your bullet points do you mention the COST that my new insurance will set me back. If I am going to have to pay for everyone (we will all be in one health pool, right) then that means that my premiums will increase and I will be left without a choice in what coverage meets my needs

Can you give me a price estimate on what an average 36 year old female’s monthly premiums will be?

Or, please, give me a call so I can pick your brain about what changes are needed and a better, less expensive way to solve the uninsured crisis in the U.S. today. I want to be a part of the solution, not just another thorn in the side of the administration- I just need some face time to get the facts.

I appreciate your time,

Misty Baker
512-472-6733 phone
512-476-9161 fax
512-797-3631 cell
misty@mistybaker.com

Email from Mr. David David Axelrod Senior Adviser to the President

Dear Friend, This is probably one of the longest emails I’ve ever sent, but it could be the most important. Across the country we are seeing vigorous debate about health insurance reform. Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we know so well are back — even the viral emails that fly unchecked and under the radar, spreading all sorts of lies and distortions. As President Obama said at the town hall in New Hampshire, “where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed.” So let’s start a chain email of our own. At the end of my email, you’ll find a lot of information about health insurance reform, distilled into 8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage, 8 common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need health insurance reform now. Right now, someone you know probably has a question about reform that could be answered by what’s below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this email.

Thanks,
David David Axelrod Senior Adviser to the President

P.S. We launched www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck this week to knock down the rumors and lies that are floating around the internet. You can find the information below, and much more, there. For example, we've just added a video of Nancy-Ann DeParle from our Health Reform Office tackling a viral email head on.

REFORM” OF HEALTH“CARE?” WHY I RESIGNED FROM THE AMA

2009-07-22T18:35:00.002-05:00

By Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D. © July 21, 2009

Today I learned that the AMA has issued an “unqualified endorsement” of the House Bill for health insurance overhaul. In my opinion, the AMA has sold out doctors, and most importantly, our patients, in supporting this government take over of our most private and personal freedom – our choices about when, where, and with whom we will have medical care when we are sick.

As a protest against their support of the House Health"care" Bill, I have resigned from the AMA after nearly thirty years of membership.

Health “care” is a misnomer these days. It is more aptly called health “business” or services or insurance or policy. “Care” seems to have gone the way of the Dodo bird…every stakeholder in the game is looking out for their bottom line. Few seem to be looking out for patients. And reform? That's not accurate either. What's happening is a massive government "take-over" of all of your choices for your medical services.

In the current widespread concern about the health “care” proposals being pushed through Congress at the rate of a speeding bullet (and in my view, just as deadly), my patients have said to me over and over, “Can’t the AMA stop this government take over of our choices in medical services?" "Please write the AMA, they can help us!” Sadly, the AMA is not on the side of patients, or doctors either, for that matter when it endorses government run health care that outlaws private options. Surprisingly, only about one-third of the physicians in the United States are AMA members.

I used to think the American Medical Association, which I joined soon after graduating from medical school, was the “gold standard” of ethical guidelines for the practice of medicine dedicated to the care of patients. But the AMA as it functions now doesn’t really represent doctors or patients – it is in the business of medicine. Turns out the AMA is a gold mine, not a gold standard as I thought.

For example, one of its hugely profitable businesses is overseeing and selling the Coding Manuals doctors use to determine the insurance billing codes for procedures. It is so lucrative because they change the codes each year, and every doctor and hospital in the country has to buy new coding manuals and new computer software to use them or they can’t get reimbursements from insurance companies! The AMA wants to retain its revenues from its various businesses and data services, so it gave in and endorsed the House health “reform” bill. This “business” of medicine has co-opted the very values for which I originally joined the AMA.

I am only one doctor, and my membership fee makes little difference to such a massive organization. But the AMA endorsement of this take over of our health care system was the final straw. I no longer want to be a part of a professional group that has betrayed the people I care the most about, my patients.

Statistics from other countries with government run health systems make it clear how patients will be harmed under Washington’s draconian proposals. The House Bill clearly shows the big lie of the 2008 Democratic campaign promises: “If you like your health insurance, you can keep it.”

The 2009 House Bill specifically has a provision (see page 16) that would outlaw individual private health insurance coverage. Other proposals carry heavy financial or tax penalties for those who keep private insurance – if you can even buy it at all. The House Bill has specific language stating that no more new private policies can be written after the government plan “option” becomes law. That is a truly staggering violation of your freedom to choose your health care options for you and your family.

Most people will simply not have a “choice” about being in the “public” (meaning government run) plan. Various experts have estimated that 120 million Americans will lose their private insurance coverage as employers cut costs and send employees to the government plan that is 30-40% cheaper because taxpayers are providing the cost subsidies. Within two years, the private insurance market won’t have enough customers left to keep it alive. Another “dodo bird”…Extinct.

In order to pay for bringing more people into “free” care, Washington is already proposing 400-600 billion in further cuts for Medicare and Medicaid services. There is no way humanly possible that such massive dollar cuts can avoid causing long delays for access to care, rationing of services, and outright denial of certain treatments.

This is not just my personal opinion, nor is it hyperbole, as Democrats claim.

Rationing and denial of care are facts based on well-documented experiences of every country that has already been down this road of government controlling health insurance and access to medical services. Reams of published reports document these problems.

This House Bill will destroy excellence in American medical services as it substitutes committee decisions for private decision-making between patients and doctors.

As the government begins to further cut costs by denying and rationing medical services, we will see the outright harm to patients that British and Canadians patients have suffered for decades under their government owned health systems. Patients United Now, a grassroots patient advocacy organization, has many excellent videos of real people sharing stories about these problems.

Make no bones about it, governments always reduce costs by rationing your medical care. How? Examples from Canada and Britain abound: Bureaucrats in Canada and Britain prohibit use of new medicines that “cost too much.” Britain denies mammograms after age 70, dialysis after age 50, and Paps are only done after age 25. In Canada waits of 18-24 month for hip surgery are typical.

Even more alarming, I received this information from Arizona Congressman John Shadegg:
“Tonight, July 20th, in the Commerce Committee markup of the Democrats' Health Care bill the Democrats passionately argued against a simple amendment that would have prevented federal employees from ‘dictating how a medical provider practices medicine.’
Here is the actual text of the amendment the Democrats rejected: " (k) Construction.- Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow any federal employee or political appointee to dictate how a medical provider practices medicine." Democrats defeated this amendment! If you want your doctor to be able to practice medicine without being told how to do so by a federal employee, I urge you to get involved in this debate NOW!
Don't just communicate with your friends, family and members of Congress. Call your doctor today! Demand to know: 1) Is he or she a member of the AMA, which has come out in support of
the bill? 2) Is he or she aware that Democrats rejected this simple amendment? 3) Do they agree a federal bureaucrat should be able to tell them how to
"practice medicine?" 4) Have they spoken out in opposition to this outrageous bill? 5) Are they telling their patients they oppose the bill?”

The defeated Amendment means that the House health “care” bill will be in violation of the Hippocratic Oath every doctor takes when graduating from medical school, that says in part:
I SWEAR… that, according to my ability and judgment…I will keep this Oath and stipulation…I will follow that method of treatment which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.
In my view, it is “deleterious and mischievous” – and possibly deadly, to withhold care because a government bureaucrat has decided I cannot provide it because a person is “too old,” “too sick,” “too infirm” to be worth the cost.

Do you really want the government telling you what you can and cannot have for medical treatment if you are sick? For all its flaws, wouldn't you rather have the right to choose your doctor, your hospital, your type of treatment, and what type of health insurance best meets your needs?

Now is the time to speak out if you value your personal freedom. Contact your legislators and let them know you don’t want the government coming between you and your doctor. It may be the last chance to keep your choice.

For more information, I suggest two independent patient advocate Web sites on healthcare: http://www.joinpatientsfirst.com,%20www.patientsunitednow.com/

White House said to have all but abandoned August deadline.

2009-07-22T08:58:00.002-05:00

TODAY is the day to call your Congressman and Senators. Don't wait. Call them everyday and tell them to slow down on the healthcare bill. -mjb

ABC World News (7/21, story 5, 2:15, Gibson) reported last night that "White House officials have backed off their August deadline" for healthcare reform, "which they now say was a way to poke and prod Congress to act." NBC Nightly News (7/21, story 3, 1:45, Todd) also said the August deadline "is virtually gone. Expect to hear the President talk about just trying to get the committee work done by the August recess."
Likewise, McClatchy (7/22, Lightman, Douglas) reports, "Democratic leaders expressed doubts Tuesday that they can meet the deadline." Senate leader Harry Reid, for example, said, "The goal is not deadlines; the goal is comprehensive healthcare reform. Not piecemeal healthcare reform, comprehensive healthcare reform."
Rep. Jerrold Nadler said on Fox News' Your World (7/21, Cavuto), "I don't think we should be rushing this. We've only been talking about it for 60 years. I think we should be doing it. And you've got to understand about the CBO. The CBO did not say that the cost of this system would increase the deficit. They said it would be deficit-neutral. The increase in the deficit of about $239 billion over 10 years is from something that we're going to do with or without reforming the healthcare system, and that's stopping the otherwise scheduled reduction in Medicare reimbursement rate to doctors. And we're going to do that whether we pass a health bill or not. But the health bill will pay for itself."
Rep. Hoyer says lawmakers may recess before voting on health bill. Bloomberg News (7/22, Rowley, Jensen) reports that House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) "left open the possibility that House members may leave town this month without voting on healthcare legislation, saying lawmakers still need to reach a consensus." Rep. Hoyer said, "I don't think staying in session" is "necessary to continuing to work on getting consensus. ... We are continuing to talk about how to improve the bill." Roll Call (7/22, Newmyer) and The Hill (7/22, Soraghan) also cover the story.
Pelosi confident reform measure will pass. USA Today (7/22, Fritze) reports that Speaker Pelosi "said Tuesday she is confident Congress will advance an overhaul of the nation's healthcare system despite divisions within her own party and mounting opposition from outside groups over its cost." As House and Senate lawmakers "wrestle with how to pay the price of covering the nation's 46 million uninsured - more than $1 trillion in the first decade - the California Democrat told USA TODAY's editorial board that the best approach is to rely on savings rather than taxes." Pelosi said, "There's, I believe, more to be squeezed out. Many members think that there's more to be squeezed from hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and docs."

The Letter Glenn Beck Read on National TV...

2009-06-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

The following letter, read on Glenn Beck's show, is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you will want to forward it to all of your friends... GLENN BECK: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership:

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why -- what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try -- please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

2009-05-15T13:00:00.002-05:00

Let me ask you a question....

If(when) the government takes over the health care system, who do you think is going to pay for it?

Yeah....YOU are.

a few ways the government can raise the kind of money we are talking about to pay for everyone's health care:

-doctors will have to cut their fees. No way can a doctor tell the government what the price is...the government will the tell the doctors EXACTLY what they can can charge. Why are doctors okay with this?

-YOUR taxes will increase.

-Services & drugs that might save your life will be unavailable to you. A new cancer treatment, a breakthrough drug or fancy MRI machine will not be made available to you because you might be too old, too overweight, too far "gone" to save. Seriously- you want a board of government employees telling you and your family what treatment that they will pay for?

I am not saying that our system is perfect, it is far from perfection....BUT....a government run system is not what most Americans want.

Email me some solutions that you think could change the system for the better.

Get out your checkbook,

Misty B.

The $50 Lesson

2009-05-05T09:57:00.001-05:00

I recently asked my friends' little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day.
Both of her parents,liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"
She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."
Her parents beamed with pride."Wow...what a worthy goal."
I told her, "But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house.
"She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"
I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party."
Her parents still aren't speaking to me....

Tea party

2009-04-15T13:34:00.003-05:00

My first rally! It was fantastic. I am inspired. I am proud.

Today was my very first political rally and it might have changed me. I think the first thing that i discovered is that I am not the last free standing Republican, free market, Constitution waving American in this land. Sure I know of some politicians that run on a Republican platform but today I saw some of them walk the walk and talk (shout) the talk. These people were...dare I say...more Republican than I am.

I am a free market kind of woman. I like the private industry, and the good old fashioned work for everything you can mentality. I WANT to work hard for every dime I earn, it makes me feel like a better human.

Today's events inspired me to do more and get involved with grass roots efforts to elect the kind of people that I want in office. Heck, maybe someday I will run for office, God knows my heart is in it.

Now I have to run to the bank and make a deposit...so I can cover my TAX bill,

Misty B.

Drinking the Kool aid

2009-04-02T10:07:00.004-05:00

Onmy recent visit to Washington DC i was warned about drinking the Kool aid. While I didnt find the city to have chaned since President Bush was in office, I did notice more talk on street about the "rock star" qualities of President Obama and the impending change that was afloat. During these discussions with taxi drivers, locals and shop owners, I found myself slowly deciding that there is some amount of change that needs to happen.

So, here is what I said, outloud: I am fine with a government run system, as long as agents remain a vital part of the system.

Yep....me, the mother of all free market systems may have been won over by the sweeping change. I'm still not sure how we are going to pay for it, where doctor;s will find the extra time to see all of us and how the hospitals will expand to find bed's for us all.

I'm reminded of a story....when you go to a buffet and there is steak, chicken, shrimp and lobster. Most people get the most expensive thing (and lots of it) cause they all paid one price. Who wants to eat chicken when you can have lobster? Who is going to skip dessert and extra bread? No one. The same thing translated into medical care. If everyone is playing for it...we are all going to start using it. No more home remedies, herbs, and living with something. We are all going to rushing to the health care buffet.

I just made myself hungry,

Misty B.

If I have EVER helped you as your agent......

2009-03-27T14:02:00.001-05:00

Here is a note received today from the Janet Trautwein, Executive Vice-President and CEO of the
National Association of Health Underwriters:

As you can tell from all the recent events reported in Washington Update, there is a flurry of activity surrounding health care reform, with a strong emphasis on health insurance reform. I want to assure you again that we are at the table and a part of the important discussions going on. We are committed to finding a solution that will include things that will really help you and your clients. We are determined to be sure that private health insurance coverage will not only continue to be the primary means of coverage for health care, but also be improved upon and available to more people. We are determined to be absolutely certain that you will be able to continue to provide your clients with the outstanding service they receive now in obtaining and maintaining their health plans.We’re going to need your help with that. Although we have a great deal of support from both sides of the aisle, it would help to have some more solid evidence that agents and brokers do more than just help with the initial sale. Here in Washington, DC, legislators want proof that what they’re doing is right. We need some real stories, and we need them now. If you can tell your own story, that’s great. If your client can tell it, that’s even better. Either way, please tell us how you serve your clients.

Email your stories to brokersmakingadifference@nahu.org.

If you value the service of an agent, please send a note to the e-mail address above. If you have anything specific in an area that I have helped you, please elaborate in your e-mail. Please copy me on your e-mail. Thanks – I appreciate you!

FIGHT NATIONALIZED HEALTH CARE!!!

Misty B.

Live from the house insurance committee!

2009-03-24T17:09:00.000-05:00

3zve seen bloggers do 'live' reports from legislative meetings or other cool even...so I thought I would give it a try myself!

ok, so I am sitting her in house insurance committee and Rep.Larry Taylor SO gets insurance. he asks really good questions and makes so much sense! he knows what an agent does. another huge bonus...he asks the tough questions! he makes these meetings so exciting. today we are hearing about minimum loss ratio's.

I have to give huge props to will haff & joanna a. (sorry didn't want to butcher your last name) for driving to austin and sitting with us for more than 3 hours (we are still in the meeting, so it could be 5 hours...remember this is live). plus Will is testifying on a bill for TAHU!

MLR's could cut agent commissions, so I am pretty interested in this bill (& the others i've seen this session)...my boys are hungry.

OMG! Will is up now! he is doing great...I will let you know what happens to the bill.

I need an I love Larry Taylor t-shirt,

Misty B.

Aged....like a fine wine.

2009-02-15T22:08:00.000-06:00

So, today is my 36th birthday. I still feel like I am 25, a little smarter-perhaps. While I feel like I have embraced some amazing opportunities in my life, I know there is change on the horizon. Not just change for me personally but also change for the nation.

Change isn’t bad. Well, not ALL change is bad.

But I have had the National Health Care debate at least 5 times in 4 days. My family, friends, heck, even one of my most entertaining bartenders debated with me over cards. It is a bit unnerving.

It has taught me a few things…first, people want “free” health care. Second, Doctor’s don’t care if the government pays the bill or if patients-but be certain—they are NOT taking a pay cut. Next, every part of the health care continuum will be touched by the government-nothing is safe.

ather than run around with a sky is falling mentality, I will work harder everyday for the things I believe in. I will remain vigilant with information gathering and share facts with people who care. I will let the people I voted for know what they will destroy with their vote. I will also try and listen to the problems of others and look for solutions. I know that we don’t have to trash the whole system in order for it to be better.

So, yes, I am another year older but also another year wiser,
Misty B.

The recession hits home...

2009-02-13T17:20:00.002-06:00

The recession hits my house. A few weeks ago my home was a victim of my 9 year water heater. It busted and ruined carpet, wood floor, drywall and some wallpaper (yes, I have wall paper in my house!). Anyway, State Farm came out, did their estimate and cut me a check ...well, it wasn't THAT easy but none the less, I have a check. They recommended a company called Image Tile and Carpet. So, I connect with Image and get an estimate. All is well and after a few weeks I get on with it and decide to hire these guys.

Thursday afternoon I get a call and discover that Image has filed bankruptcy. So...my house repair plans are on hold.

Know any good floor guys?

Misty B.

All I want for my Birthday....

2009-02-10T15:38:00.002-06:00

1. The entire economic stimulus bill, with the health care stuff highlighted.

2. Tom Daschle's book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.”

3. A lighter

I love this crazy tragic, sometimes almost magic, awful, beautiful Government (life),

Misty B

PS- 2 posts in one day? What was I thinking?

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan Commentary by Betsy McCaughey

2009-02-10T07:18:00.003-06:00

Are you really ok with this? Seriously? If you aren't- Call your Senator TODAY and tell them not to pass the stimulus plan! use this link to look up your US Senator: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Do something and make your voice count!
Misty B.

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan
Commentary by Betsy McCaughey

Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Republican Senators are questioning whether President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill contains the right mix of tax breaks and cash infusions to jump-start the economy.
Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.
S enators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version).
The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.
But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Dasc hle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”
Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.
New Penalties
Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties. “Meaningful user” isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose “more stringent measures of meaningful use over time” (511, 518, 540-541)
What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment? The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make.
The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle’s book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs. He praises Europeans for being more willing to accept “hopeless diagnoses”20and “forgo experimental treatments,” and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system.
Elderly Hardest Hit
Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of trea ting them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.
Medicare now pays for treatments deemed safe and effective. The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost- effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464).
The Federal Council is modeled after a U.K. board discussed in Daschle’s book. This board approves or rejects treatments using a formula that divides the cost of the treatment by the number of years the patient is likely to benefit. Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly, such as osteoporosis.
In 2006, a U.K. health board decreed that elderly patients with macular degeneration had to wait until they went blind in one eye before they could get a costly new drug to save the other eye. It took almost three years of public protests before the board reversed its decision.
Hidden Provisions
If the Obama a dministration’s economic stimulus bill passes the Senate in its current form, seniors in the U.S. will face similar rationing. Defenders of the system say that individuals benefit in younger years and sacrifice later.
The stimulus bill will affect every part of health care, from medical and nursing education, to how patients are treated and how much hospitals get paid. The bill allocates& nbsp;more funding for this bureaucracy than for the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force combined (90-92, 174-177, 181).
Hiding health legislation in a stimulus bill is intentional. Daschle supported the Clinton administration’s health-care overhaul in 1994, and attributed its failure to debate and delay. A year ago, Daschle wrote that the next president should act quickly before critics mount an opposition. “If that means attaching a health-care plan to the federal budget, so be it,” he said. “The issue is too important to be stalled by Senate protocol.”
More Scrutiny Needed
On Friday, President Obama called it “inexcusable and irresponsible” for senators to delay passing the stimulus bill. In truth, this bill needs more scrutiny.
The health-care industry is the largest employer in the U.S. It produces almost 17 pe rcent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Yet the bill treats health care the way European governments do: as a cost problem instead of a growth industry. Imagine limiting growth and innovation in the electronics or auto industry during this downturn. This stimulus is dangerous to your health and the economy.
(Bets y McCaughey is former lieutenant governor of New York and is an adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. The opinions expressed are her own.)
To contact the writer of this column: Betsy McCaughey at Betsymross@aol.com

In all fairness....here is what I received from a Texas Congressman's office this morning:

For the record, this article is inaccurate in many ways . There are many reasons to oppose the stimulus bill, but we need to be sure to not spread inaccurate information. · For example, this is simply made up: "But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective." The National Coordinator sets standards, they cannot "monitor" your health information. · The discussion of penalties for providers is also completely misleading. Penalties kick in only after a number of years and after significant incentives have been offered to providers to encourage them to adopt electronic records. We can argue the incentives are far more than the actual cost of an EHR systems and completely non-simulative spending, but the argument in this editorial is incomplete. · And finally, this is simply not true: "The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost- effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464)." As you know, language was inserted in the Senate to limit what the board can consider to "clinical" effectiveness. We obviously have very strong concerns over what this board can do, but you cannot say that the board applies a cost-effectiveness standard. We will continue to work with the stakeholder community to limit how far this board can reach, but we must do it a smart and targeted way. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need anything else. Thanks! K

You paid for it.

2009-01-28T14:41:00.003-06:00

One of the best uses of Texans taxpayer money has got to be the Legislative website.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

From this website you can watch the session in process, committee meetings, look up bills, find out who represents you (and what they are all about), get stock pictures of the Capitol and so much more.

Since I watch the House of Represenatives for fun, I wanted to spread the joy around and let you know that you can too!

Before you know it, you might be a legislative junkie too. Check it out!

Just trying to teach you a little something today,
Misty B.

Giddy, like a school girl.

2009-01-26T09:27:00.001-06:00

When I joined the Texas Association of Health Underwriters (TAHU) almost 10 years ago I was a wide eyed, excited girl. I was mesmerized by the full board of 40+ people shaping the history of our professional association. I was also nervous about what, if anything, I would be able to contribute to this massive body of seasoned veterans. These people had worked tirelessly for years to form what I consider to be the best functioning health insurance organization in the US.
Upon joining the Association, I first wanted to find out exactly what they were all about. Despite what you have heard I am not a joiner. I learned that TAHU is a professional organization for health insurance agents and carrier representatives who educates, stimulates, lobbies and supports professional agents. It is a playground for professional agents: here you can join, participate and change the industry for the better.

I have been blessed in the last 10 years to serve this organization. I have eagerly served on committees like convention planning, newsletters, website and my fiery passion-legislation.
For the last 5 years of so, I have been knee deep in the TAHU Legislative world. I am honored to be a part of it. Here I find challenges that have made me grow into a better person. I can debate, articulate my opinion and formulate policy that changes my industry. Do you get to do that in your job or volunteer service?

So, for the last 24 hours I have been in TAHU Board Meetings. Yes, my butt hurts from sitting here all day but my heart is so warm with the process in which this board moves. I have made some incredible friends, some enemies and the most amazing opportunities. As i walk into this latest assignment, TAHU Treasurer, I am filed with pride. TAHU is an amazing organization; I am just the lucky girl that gets to be a part of it.

…and yes, I still get giddy when I walk into the board meeting,
Misty B.

Insurance: the good, the bad and the ugly.

2009-01-22T14:45:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am alive. Many of my loyal readers have been begging me to start writing my blog again. Peer pressure works folks, so here is my best new rant.

This week a friend of mine called me and said that her brother was in the hospital and needed to have blood clot removed from his foot due to diabetes. This man worked for a small company and his employment was terminated while he was in the hospital. The man’s doctor advised him that since he did not have insurance, they would need to amputate his foot instead of breaking up the blood clot in a last ditch effort to save his foot.

I explained to my friend that her brother did in fact have insurance….state continuation (being a small employer under 20 lives) was available to him. So, the poor guy had to call his carrier, Principal, and enrolled in the 6 months of State Continuation. The doctor was able to save his foot and do the more expensive blood clot removing surgery…but only because he had insurance.

Who is at fault here, if you believe in fault. The doctor for not wanting to make money? The patient for not taking care of his health and getting diabetes? The employer for terminating the guy cause he wasn’t showing up for work? The insurance company for not offering him State Continuation right away? Who knows, and since the man still has two feet…who cares.

Not to pat myself on the back here, but when it comes to specific health insurance issues- you need a good, educated agent. Did you know that State Continuation is available? Does the average person know about SB 51, COBRA, or how to contact their insurance company? Possibly not….but a good agent does.

Always looking out for consumers,
Misty B.

Stop reading this and go VOTE!

2008-11-04T16:30:00.000-06:00

Today is your chance to have your voice heard. Don’t think, for a second, that it won’t matter or count. It does.

Get out and vote, you will feel like a better human.

More tomorrow, after the election.

Misty B.

Family Vacation-Disney Cruise

2008-10-03T21:59:00.007-05:00

Even an insurance agent needs a little time off.

I just returned from a 5 day vacation with my family (above are my boys Austin & Alec). We went on a Disney Cruise with my entire family: mom-Joy, Sister-Michelle, Nephew-Benjamin, Brother-Eddie, Sister in law- Courtney, Nephew-Ryan, Niece-Mackinzie.

Now, if you know me, you know that I am not a Disney type person....but I did this for my brother. He is a Marine and will be deployed to Iraq in January. I could'nt pass up the chance to spend time with my whole family. Of course, I carried lots of luggage, made them crazy by rushing them to dinner on time and fell asleep sitting up at the pool...I was SO tired at the end of the trip. But I had fun.

I discovered a few things about myself along the way too. Family is #1. My kids are so very special to me and even though they are not perfect they are still make me laugh. I look forward to watching them grow, learn and smile. I want them to be happy, healthy and kind to others. It is up to me to teach these things to them-through my words and actions.

Here we all are....one one of my favorite parts of the trip. We got to swim with dolphins at Atlantis. This was a huge thrill for all of us. We also got to snorkel and feed sting rays-WOW...that part was amazing. The lagoon contained about 50 sting rays with their barbs removed. I felt one with nature swimming around with them.

So, when you tuck your kids in tonight or kiss your husband or wife goodnight-think about how blessed you are. Family really is the most important thing in life and you dont have to be on vacation to discover that.

So, watch out world! My batteries are recharged, I am feeling the love from my family and I am ready to rock-n-roll. Time to get back to selling INSURANCE!

Misty B.

I need a bailout

2008-09-25T09:48:00.000-05:00

I am going to start this little gem of an article by saying that I am not a financial expert. I can barely spell economy much less know how it works. So, please- don’t take a word of what I am writing seriously….well, take it a little seriously and send spare change to bail me out.

So, I own this little company- Lonestar Benefit Solutions. I make a fair living and feed my 2 growing boys. I save a little, own a home and lease a nice car. I’m not rich, but choose to pay my bills on time and live (mostly) within my means….but in the gloom and doom of the economy I am a little worried about a recession and another great depression. My company is no AIG but do you think I could talk the US Congress (and taxpayers) into bailing my company out if it all went south? And, no I don’t make $22 million a year to run my little slice of the American pie.

I need a financial scholar here (Krueger & Catalano to the rescue) to explain to me why in the heck taxpayers are footing the bill for fortune 500 company’s mistakes?

An idea that I stole from the internet….why don’t we just give American’s the $700+ billion and let us spend/save/invest it? Are we too stupid to take care of our own financial matters? What happened to personal responsibility? Why does anyone want to suck the government tit?

I have no idea what a bailout will do or will not do for our country. But I’m going on the record to say that if my little company (and the only profession that I am good at) goes under….my hand is out and I will be looking for a bailout too. I hope you vote yes to helping out small business on Main Street, USA.

Looking for loose change under the sofa,

Misty B.

I love Lobster.

2008-09-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

Am I the only person on the planet that gets this? The McCain and Obama camps both keep saying that lobbyist are the root of all evil and on the surface you may nod your head in agreement….but take a step back and examine what a lobbyist really does (besides rack up huge bar tabs).

A lobbyist is nothing more than a mouth piece for the people. When you join an association (a fine one is the National Association of Health Underwriters) or a union….YOU have a lobbyist. Your dues dollars go to fund a “hired gun” for your special interest group. Do you belong to a credit union? Guess what…you have a lobbyist! Is your profession a doctor, lawyer, car salesman, small business owner, CPA, financial planner……YOU have a lobbyist.

So, how can the lobby be so bad if they are speaking for the common people like you and me? Good question. Maybe the politicians are the ones screwing up here. What if…and stay with me on this little conspiracy gem….what if the politicians said- “Mr. lobbyist- if you take me to a fancy dinner, or on a trip to Hawaii, I would be happy to pass your legislation” Think about it.

I’m not sure I understand why the presidential candidates keep throwing the poor lobsters under the bus! They simply speak for we the people…..

Lettin’ the lobbyist speak for me,
Misty B

Wait till it's free

2008-09-14T20:21:00.002-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to go to a USAAA (US Autism and Asperger Association) conference here in Austin, TX. My 11 year old son, Austin, has Asperger’s Syndrome…..they hate the syndrome part….and I wanted to gain some fresh new idea for his treatment. While my son is very high functioning and extremely bright he has some difficulty in social settings and adjusting to new situations. So, I go to the conference to get some help, find other parents to talk to and maybe meet some new doctors with exciting treatments.

I found some of that and I also found some other, more disturbing items. I’m not going to talk about the bio-medical treatments that have helped lots of kids. As a mother, some of these just don’t sit right with me but I am SURE that treatments like Kilation, Hyper barrack chambers, enzymes and diet have helped other kids…I am not-for a second-putting down these treatments.

What I did have a problem with is some of the insurance related comments that were made during the conference, so I am going to focus on that, instead. (a special thank you to Lee for responding to my obscene text messages during the conference…the insurance person in me wanted to scream when some of these comments were made)

Picture this: me in a room with a few hundred other parents, teachers, clinicians and doctors. A well respected doctor is talking to us about the violent environmental toxins poisoning our kids and the treatments for these things. I am with her when all of the sudden she starts talking about what is not covered by insurance plans. She actually made the comment that the big, money hungry insurance companies would rather charge a ton of money in premium than cover treatments of your children and that the best thing for “us” parents to do is contact our legislators and ask them to make the companies cover EVERYTHING!

I almost fell out of my chair.

Let me, briefly explain why this is so (SO) wrong.

In the most simplified form- if insurance companies covered EVERYTHING, you couldn’t afford the insurance premium. (and you think insurance is expensive now)….let me give you an example.

You and your family pay $3,500 a year in premium for insurance. You have a $2,000 family deductible. Your son falls out of a tree and breaks his leg. He needs x-ray, surgery, casting and an overnight stay in the hospital. His total bill is $11,000. You paid $2,000 in deductible + your annual premium $3,500 = $5,500…….the insurance company paid $11,000….so- they lost $5,500 on your family and it is just the beginning of the year. What if your wife needs her appendix removed, or you need a ACL repair, God forbid you take a regular Rx for heartburn.

If insurance companies paid for everything (every cancer treatment, experimental drugs, acupuncture, herbs & minerals, etc) then your premiums would be unaffordable. Think of it this way…if you go to the grocery store and all of the meat is free-are you going to stuff your cart with steaks or chicken?

Healthcare is expensive…that is why health insurance is expensive. Until the doctors, hospitals and therapists take a pay cut, the financing of their services (health insurance is nothing more than a way to finance your healthcare) will remain expensive.

Any questions?
Misty B.

PS – Austin and I will be raising money for Autism Speaks on November 15th. Click here to donate to the cause and read a little more about my awesome son: http://www.walknowforautism.org/c.mrKQIWPAImE/b.3620419/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=mrKQIWPAImE&b=3620361&sid=hwJWIbPXJoL5KgPUKsG

I am in LOVE!

2008-09-04T08:35:00.001-05:00

Sarah Palin is an amazing woman. She gives hope to woman of all party lines that you can honor your family responsibilities and your career choices. I’m hesitant to edge politics in the discussion so, let me just say that the gloves are off. Palin is just the push that the Republican Party needed to stay on top.

Palin’s politics aren’t Washington as usual, either. Her impressive speech spoke the heart of many American’s last night. I respect that, in fact I wasn’t even aware that I was opposed to the status quo in DC till I thought about what Palin said last night. She is a bull dog, she is a mother, a politician, a shining example of what a human can do when they get involved, care about the issues and put family first.

I won’t, for a second, hesitate to vote for McCain/Palin in November. And I can’t wait to learn more about Sarah Palin. I think that she will knock the socks off the American public and shine a light on the career politicians.

You go girl!

Misty B.