Posts from — February 2010

First Lady, Michelle Obama has set her focus on reduction of childhood obesity as her top priority.  Read more http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10041/1034739-84.stm

As the debate and decision-making in regard to health care reform slogs on, President Obama has proposed the idea of a Health Care Summit that would invite both the “D’s” and “R’s” together to present ideas and solutions.  Read more on this storyhttp://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10039/1034314-84.stm

Education and empowerment of consumers is where it’s at. To build a strong, lasting, and impacting consumer movement one needs a solid base of consumers who speak of and from their experience and serve as mentors.

This past Sunday, 31 January 2010, we launched the ACADEMY OF EMPOWERED CONSUMERS to rave reviews and enthusiasm for what will come of this endeavor.

Ultimately, our goal is to have persons educated about our “Being a Proactive Patient Guidebook” go out and speak to groups about how the guide has helped them be proactive in regard to all of their health care needs and to share stories of times when they displayed outstanding proactivity in dealing with medical professionals who fail to listen, seek to segment care, and rush through appointments leaving little time for questions or dialogue.

As the ACADEMY moves forward the impact a class of empowered consumers will have upon both peers and physicians is outstanding.

Courage:  According to the Cowardly Lion it “makes the muskrat guard his musk in the dusk-ity dusk” and it “makes the flag to wave on high.”

Courage is the leader who does what is right, not what is popular.

Courage is the leader who listens to the people…all the people.

Courage is the leader who cares for the common good.

Courage is what is needed in this rough budget season of not enough revenue and the need to provide for the most vulnerable in our society.

Courage — can you name me five (5) leaders who currently display it?

As they say in local diners, “Somthin’ ain’t right.” 

As of 1 February, 340,000 of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens, the impoverished elderly and persons with disabilities are dealing with a 24% cut to their monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI). 

 For folks who rely on this modest $27 a month to supplement, the $5 cut is significant.  Persons will be deciding between eating and neglecting necessary medical care.

 Understanding that in this age of greed rewarded and wallet wisdom, it may be thought imprudent to veer from the economic argument, let me jump to the larger issue of what this says about who we are and where we are heading.

 In what is being labeled a brutal budget year, we have targeted those most in need of governmental support. Call me uninformed, yet I believe government can and does do good things.  Ever hear of Medicare? Medicaid? Social Security? Free public education?

 In bureaucratic bully fashion we have picked on those most unlikely to be able to defend themselves. As we shouted for months during last year’s budget impasse, we are better than this.

As a new budget is announced and in the months that follow, may we follow the counsel of Lincoln and call “on the better angels of our nature.”