Health care reform

I am someone who is lucky enough to have insurance. Despite this, insurance often refuses to pay for routine or necessary medical care, and I have to pay out of pocket. My husband has had to go without insurance, because we could not afford to pay private premiums. We had to hope that he didn't get hurt. My father's insurance was canceled as soon as he was diagnosed with cancer. My mother's insurance covered him briefly, then she was fired because she had to take time off work to care for him. Without the help of Emory University, we could not have paid for his care. In spite of this, my parents lost their home and could barely afford to pay their bills because of the overwhelming debt that ensued. THEY WERE BOTH EMPLOYED WITH INSURANCE COVERAGE WHEN HE WAS DIAGNOSED. My sister and her children cannot get health coverage. And I have had many friends who have been refused insurance because of "pre-existing conditions." As someone who has worked intimately inside the medical industry, while many doctors and nurses are very caring and do want to do the best they can for their patients, they often have to fight the insurance companies themselves to do what they know needs to be done. I have seen single-payer health care in action in Canada on many visits I have made, and IT WORKS. I am not afraid to pay more in taxes to get our country out of debt and provide assistance to those who need it. Our health system is broken, and badly. Why have the best doctors in the world, when none of us can afford to see them? For me, this a very personal issue. I believe that health care reform is critical for this country.

-April Shiflett

8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.
5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Learn more and get details: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/

8 common myths about health insurance reform

1. Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.
2. We can’t afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.
3. Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.
4. Vets' health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.
5. Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.
6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.
7. You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.
8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts. Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose. Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck/faq

8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance Reform Now

1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage when they became seriously ill. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html
2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html
3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women’s reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html
4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes
5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through a spouse. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline
6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction
7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html
8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. Learn more: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf

Fine, just smoky

Just a quick update for everyone who hasn't called us. The fires have not reached us, and it's not likely they would! We can see the enormous wall of smoke from our place, and we can certainly smell it, but no fires are putting us in danger. We're just trying to keep our breathing healthy since the air quality is terrible right now. We will be helping with recovery efforts as soon as things are under control. But we are doing fine.

Venice Blvd. Farmers Market

One of our favorite things about living in Los Angeles is the ready access to local farmer's markets. Because California is mostly abundant farm land that supplies much of the agricultural needs of the U. S., we can get almost anything grown locally. One of the nearest farmer's markets to our apartment is held each Sunday on Venice Blvd. Pictured above is the scene this morning after we biked there from our apartment.


Jay is very careful about selecting our produce. He does a lot of the cooking for us, and he loves the fresh ingredients. We usually have to eat our goodies pretty quickly so they don't spoil, so Sunday evenings often finds us making casseroles, soups, and other dishes to eat during the week. Our food doesn't spoil, and we have something healthy waiting for us when we get home from work during our busy weeks.


I love how colorful all the vegetables are; it makes eating healthfully that much more fun! We try to make our dishes as colorful as possible, and often when something catches our eye we will try to find a way to incorporate that food into our dinner. The peppers and eggplants above were so beautiful we had to bring some home with us. We will be having a stir fry with those lovely peppers this week! Jay also brought home some fresh green beans that we steamed tonight with carrots to go with our Ahi tuna steaks. (Meow approved of the tuna; not so much the veggies.) Another fun thing is the number of new vegetables and even fruits we have tried. I have no idea what those things above are; they didn't make it home with us. But we will often be adventurous when we spot some new and interesting food. I'm not showing the entire market; there's a D.J., nut vendor, flower sellers, and fresh food stands dotting the entire street. We enjoyed a fresh-squeezed lemonade while we wandered the stalls and debated what we would have this week. It's a fun way to spend our Sunday mornings, and the bike ride there and home ensures we get some exercise! Now remember, eat your vegetables this week! We certainly will.

Glacier pictures, days two and three

The second day of our trip we started out by going fly-fishing on the Flathead river. Our guide's name was Rob. Luckily for us he was a very patient and knowledgeable guy! He showed us the ropes, and then took us to the best fishing spots. Jay managed to hook both me and a fish, so he was obviously getting the hang of setting his hook (Rob had to use the pliers to get the hook out of my hand, luckily it was NOT barbed). I, however, while getting plenty of nibbles, did not catch anything. But I really loved being out on the river and trying! Below is Jay about to back cast.


After spending the morning on the river, we headed into the west entrance of the park for more hiking. This time we headed down the Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake. Below is a shot I took during the hike through the forest. The views were amazing, with enormous trees and mountains, and Avalanche Creek running busily next to us. On this hike we ran into a mule deer - almost literally!
We reached Avalanche Lake after about 3 miles or so. The lake is crystal clear with the beautiful green color provided by glacier flour carried by the melting snow from above. The lake is surrounded on all sides by steep mountains carved by a Pleistocene glacier long ago. Stunning. Jay took a panoramic of this one, maybe I can convince him to post it! We met a little chipmunk who found a bit of cracker at Jay's foot, decided he must be a god, and followed him around the lake while we explored. Cute little bugger. Jay got his picture, he was too fast for me! Below is the lake:
We headed east along Going to the Sun road this time, and stayed at the Rising Sun Motor Inn that night. The next morning, sadly, was our last in the park before we headed back to Great Falls for the wedding. We took a morning boat tour of St. Mary's Lake. Below is one of the pictures I took from the boat window:

Our boat captain was an avid hiker, and described many longer hikes we would like to take when we return one day. I highly recommend Glacier. Besides Yosemite, it is almost indescribable, and is easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I'm a big National Park fan though, and I guess it shows!

Glacier pictures, day one

I finally got around to downloading the pictures from my Canon powershot SD790 IS. These are not nearly as good as the pictures that Jay takes with his Nikon D300 (he has a lot more resolution and skill than I do) but I thought they could convey some of the beauty of the park. The only problem I had with this particular trip was lack of time. I love long hikes and camping, and we didn't get to do either. Just short day hikes (5 - 10 miles) and fly fishing. The fly fishing was awesome, even though I didn't actually get any fish on my hook! Lots of nibbles, but setting the hook was something I was having trouble with. Here are a few shots below:

Jay at St. Mary's Lake just after we entered the park. We took a short 3 mile hike to Baring Falls, pictured below:
From there we took Going to the Sun road to Logan Pass. Here we hiked all the way through the alpine meadow to Hidden Lake. We hiked through the snow (Jay is below) and saw plenty of animals, including big horn sheep and mountain goats. The goats you could usually smell before you saw! That was a full day, and we headed back to Glacier Park Lodge where we stayed.

Another busy L. A. weekend

I had meant this weekend to be one where I got caught up on long-neglected housework and just rested, but that just doesn't seem to be a possibility in our lives! As soon as Friday approaches, about a dozen plans present themselves to us and the next thing I know our quiet weekend at home has turned into circus trips, museum visits, afternoons with friends, and enjoying a new restaurant. What a wonderful life! We really live a charmed life, and have made so many cool friends.

So, on to our weekend: Jay finally got a replacement printer for his photography work. He had an enormous wide-format high-quality photo printer that got trashed in the wreck. Our insurance was enough to cover a computer and our furniture, but that was it. Since we also had to buy a new car, there was no way we were going to be able to replace the printer. Now, 2 years later and after much hard work and planning, Jay has his new baby! It's so large (30 inch by 12 inch footprint) that we had to move our computer into the spare bedroom. We spent most of Saturday cleaning out and reorganizing, and now we have a functional office. We got rid of a lot of clutter in the process, and that makes me so happy! We even got to squeeze in a trip to the Container Store, and now my gift wrap and all my cards are perfectly organized. It's enough to give a girl with OCD like myself an organization orgasm. So happpyyyyy! Not that any of you were probably interested in hearing that, but darn it I just cannot contain my joy.

That evening we had dinner with several of Jay's friends from Ikon. Stephanie Wong, a sales rep that Jay often spent time with, is going to graduate school to become a high school guidance counselor. We wanted to give her a good send-off, and I think we succeeded. We met at their former boss's apartment off Le Brea Ave. The building was built in the 1920's, just before the depression hit. The architecture and art deco touches were conserved by the building's current owner, and the apartment is stunning with wood paneling, old tile work, preseved hard woods, even the old ice box is intact and used as storage in the kitchen. We walked from there to a restaurant called Amalfi. Another great restaurant here in L.A. We had shots there called chocolate cake (so yummy) and they had my favorite wine, a riesling from Gainey Vineyards. Jay had the gnocchi and I had smoked salmon fettucini. We had a lot of fun, and didn't get home until 3 am.

That meant we slept in, and got up just in time to make it to the 1 pm start of the Dodgers vs. Braves. Jay got to attend two of the Braves games here, which made his week. We enjoyed Dodger dogs and caramel popcorn, and I got sunburned BIG TIME. Good game, with the Braves winning the third out of four games. We ended our evening back home where we ordered in Indian food, watched True Blood, and swore to finally have a quiet weekend, "next week." Yeah, I'll believe it when it happens!

A big gap

Wow, I've let an entire month go past without a single post! Now that I've learned how to post pictures, I feel like I'm not living up to my potential to post without any. But we've been so busy we haven't been able to download any photos and process them yet!

This past month we have had quite a bit of travel, and I'm looking forward to telling and showing you all where we have been and what we have been up to. Our first trip was to Hamilton, Ontario in Canada to visit the wonderful McArthur - Wilson clan. Andrew and Joanna are among our most beloved friends, and it had been far too long between visits. Visiting with them is like visiting home, we always feel so relaxed and welcome. Galen and Raynham are both taller, cuter, smarter, and even more charming than ever. They hold such a special place in our hearts.

After this relaxing interlude, we headed to the wilds of Montana for a week. The first part of the week we got to enjoy Glacier National Park. It has been by far one of our favorite parks. It is full of stunning vistas, and we tried to take in as much as we could in three days. I got to fulfill one of my major life to-dos when we went fly fishing on the Flathead river. We hiked somewhere around 20 miles in 3 days, and there was still more we both wanted to do.

From Glacier we headed back to Great Falls, where Jay's family was awaiting us. We got to spend some time with our grandmother, dad, step-mom, and brother and sister-in-law when everyone gathered for our niece's wedding. Jay and I have been flying Jess (our niece) in for a week-long visit with us every summer for the past 7 years. This is the first summer we haven't had her with us. It has been exhilirating watching her grow into a beautiful young woman from a little girl. This year she graduated from high school, and decided to get married. She and her new husband Tom are moving to Germany as I type this post, where Tom is stationed with the Air Force. While we feel that she has grown up far too quickly to suit us, we love her and wish her much happiness. We have already decided that next summer we will be heading to Germany to see her. So watch out Jess, you haven't gotten rid of us yet!

Between all of this we have both been very busy with work. I got an NIH NRSA award that will fund the next 2 years of my post-doc, and Jay has been working some lucrative deals in the business world. At least I assume that's what all those phone calls, emails, business meetings, and so on mean. And then there is the usual work associated with travel, we are behind in laundry, house work, shopping, you name it!

In fact, some of our friends have had children in the last month without me getting a single baby gift in the mail! A big welcome to the world to Lily Fox and Amelia Lerch - I am looking forward to many pictures. But no worries, I still have another 5 children on the way to buy gifts for... wow, the world is really growing!!