[QUAD-L] Re: Medicare Benefit Redesign Proposals Could Hurt More than Help

[Dana Wray]

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 4, 2013, at 2:46 PM, Matthew Shepard  
wrote:

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> Medicare Benefit Redesign: Proposals to Restructure Could Hurt More than Help
> 
> The Medicare program can be confusing for those trying to navigate the 
> differences between Parts A, B, C, and D.  Since the program's inception in 
> 1965, changes made to the program have made it a more complex system for 
> beneficiaries, particularly with the introduction of private insurance plans 
> to the Medicare program.  Medicare beneficiaries can also face significant 
> out-of-pocket costs for premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.  
> Simplifying the program, including how the benefits are structured, could, in 
> theory, reduce this confusion and ease beneficiaries' financial burdens 
> depending on how the restructuring is modeled.
> 
> However, over the last few years, there have been several proposals that seek 
> to alter Medicare's benefit structure, under the guise of streamlining or 
> simplifying the program.  Upon closer inspection, however, these proposals 
> would actually harm the majority of beneficiaries.  Many of these proposals 
> have similar elements, including creating a single, combined deductible for 
> Parts A and B, a uniform coinsurance rate of 20% for all covered services, an 
> out-of-pocket cap on beneficiary expenses (which does not currently exist in 
> Traditional Medicare) and various other piecemeal changes, including 
> introducing home health copayments.  Often these proposals to redesign 
> Medicare's benefits are coupled with proposals to restrict Medigap 
> "first-dollar coverage", in other words, policies that provide coverage for 
> Medicare deductibles and co-payments.
> 
> Redesigning the Medicare benefit structure is receiving increased attention 
> in Congress and by the President.[1]   As noted by the New York Times, the 
> goal of bipartisan proposals to restructure Parts A and B "is to discourage 
> people from seeking unneeded treatment, shrink health spending and offset the 
> costs of a cap on beneficiaries' total out-of-pocket costs."[2]   Often lost 
> in discussions about benefit redesign proposals, though, is how they would 
> actually impact Medicare beneficiaries.
> 
> Current Redesign Proposals Would Save Federal Dollars by Increasing 
> Beneficiary Costs and Discouraging Access to Care
> 
> While details are lacking in most proposals to redesign the Medicare 
> program's benefit structure, the broad outlines of proposals currently under 
> discussion would increase costs for most people with Medicare, and do so most 
> significantly for those who can least afford it.[3]  Under these proposals, 
> the burden of health care costs would be redistributed onto the most 
> vulnerable, including those with low- and moderate-incomes and those with 
> persistent and chronic health needs.[4]
> 
> For example, a Kaiser Family Foundation report analyzed the impact of a 
> benefit redesign proposal modeled on one offered by the Bowles-Simpson 
> deficit reduction committee and found that 71% of beneficiaries in 
> Traditional Medicare would have higher out-of-pocket spending – even with a 
> spending cap.  Only 5% would have lower out-of-pocket spending.  Roughly five 
> million beneficiaries would experience cost increases of more than $250 
> annually, with a total average increase of $660 per year.[5]  Similarly, the 
> Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC's) analysis of its own 
> redesign proposal reveals that combining the deductibles for Parts A and B 
> would increase costs in a given year for the majority of beneficiaries who 
> use only physician and outpatient services.[6]
> 
> The additional upfront cost of a higher deductible for Part B services, as 
> well as any higher ongoing costs, such as new and/or higher coinsurance 
> amounts, will make needed care unaffordable for many beneficiaries – 
> particularly those who live on limited incomes, but incomes that are just too 
> high to qualify for low-income subsidy programs.  Because care will be less 
> affordable, increased cost-sharing will also, in turn, limit access to 
> necessary health care services.
> 
> Many redesign proposals are based on the premise that increased cost-sharing 
> will reduce "overuse" of health care services and encourage individuals to 
> make better decisions about their health care services because they have more 
> "skin in the game."   However, shifting additional costs onto Medicare 
> beneficiaries will deter people from obtaining medically necessary care, thus 
> increasing long-term costs.  As concluded by the National Association of 
> Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) following a review of potential changes to 
> Medigap plans, research demonstrates that increased cost-sharing for health 
> care services

[QUAD-L] Re: Webinar on Air Travelers With Disabilities & the TSA

[Dana Wray]

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 4, 2013, at 5:34 PM, "NSCIA/United Spinal Association" 
 wrote:

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> Add us to your contact list or safe sender list
> NSCIA Webinar
> A program of United Spinal
> 
> Air Travelers With Disabilities & the TSA: What You Need to Know
> Wednesday, Apr 10, 2013 
> 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
> 
> Please join us for this webinar.
> 
> Register for this webinar
> 
> Program Overview:
> This one-hour webinar will provide information on the various programs and 
> services of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to support air 
> travelers with disabilities. You will also be provided with tips on security 
> screenings from your mobility device, to medicines and respiratory equipment 
> to service animals. 
> 
> Presenter: Jeremy Buzzell, Senior Policy Advisor  - Office of Disability 
> Policy & Outreach
> Please join us for this informative webinar.
> 
> 
> Ziggi Landsman
> VP of Online Relations
> NSCIA, a program of United Spinal Association
> 
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> 
> United Spinal Association
> 75-20 Astoria Blvd.
> East Elmhurst, NY 11370
> 718-803-3782
>  

Re: [QUAD-L] Funny Story

[bobbie299]

I love that story! I have a silly/funny story I just thought of. A few 
years ago Pete, my husband, and I went to an opening of a Art gallery I 
helped plan in the next town. It was Valentine's Day and the weather 
was really crapy but the turn out was big.


Pete and I started slowly strolling as we looked at each painting. 
There was a younger women who was by herself standing next to me. She 
had on pants with wide bell-bottom's. She must have steped close to my 
tire because when she tried to move … she couldn't because my tire 
was on the Conner of her bel-bottom. She didn't say anything p, she 
just gave me a "look" that I can't really describe. As she is trying to 
get away from me, I was trying to move off her pant leg but the place 
was jammed packed. Pete knew what was happening and we started laughing 
but trying to hide it at the same time. This lady was getting madder 
and madder which made us laugh even more. Finally she was set free, and 
she took off to the other side of the room.


All throughout the night as Pete and I made the rounds and got a snack 
and were talking to different people, this lady was trying to stay as 
far away from me as possible. We felt bad for her because she was a sad 
person, all she had to do was laugh at the situation.  Bobbie

Smile Everyday



-Original Message-
From: Don Price 
To: quadlist 
Sent: Thu, Apr 4, 2013 5:59 pm
Subject: [QUAD-L] Funny Story

Someone's comment earlier today reminded me of a funny incident from 
last Summer.



We were out at a local tavern and I introduced my girlfriend to one of 
my best friends who happens to be a quad. We all talked for a few 
minutes and my buddy was brimming with excitement. He explained that he 
had just returned from touring some beautiful high-rise condos and he 
was interested in purchasing one. Handing his iPhone to my girlfriend 
he explained: "The condos were amazing! Here's a photo of the living 
room."



My girlfriend held up the phone and we both looked at an amazing photo 
of a beautifully furnished living space with a huge window overlooking 
the city.



"The next picture on the phone," my buddy said eagerly, "is the amazing 
view from that condo's window!"



With that my girlfriend scrolled to the next picture only to be 
completely surprised by a full-screen close-up picture of my friend's 
pasty-white ass. After the initial shock we both burst out in laughter, 
thinking he had pranked us!



My friend looked at us strangely and then turned beet red as 
realization hit him. My girlfriend had gone the wrong direction in his 
photo album, scrolling backward instead of forward. 



Against our howls of laughter he tried to explain that the butt 
pictures were take for tracking the healing of a pressure sore (which 
I'd already surmised.) The more my friend stammered to explain, the 
harder I laughed! Eventually he stopped explaining and started laughing 
with us. Even thinking about it now brings a smile to my face.



I'm sure there's a moral to this story but I'm not sure what it is.


True story!


Don. 

Re: [QUAD-L] Funny Story

[donald scott]

The moral of the story is "Beware of the beautiful view you seek, you may end 
up seeing nothing but a pasty white ass".
This happened to me when a friend of mine was scrolling through pics on my 
camera. Great story Don.
 


 From: Don Price 
To: quadlist  
Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2013 2:59 PM
Subject: [QUAD-L] Funny Story
  

Someone's comment earlier today reminded me of a funny incident from last 
Summer.

We were out at a local tavern and I introduced my girlfriend to one of my best 
friends who happens to be a quad. We all talked for a few minutes and my buddy 
was brimming with excitement. He explained that he had just returned from 
touring some beautiful high-rise condos and he was interested in purchasing 
one. Handing his iPhone to my girlfriend he explained: "The condos were 
amazing! Here's a photo of the living room."

My girlfriend held up the phone and we both looked at an amazing photo of a 
beautifully furnished living space with a huge window overlooking the city.

"The next picture on the phone," my buddy said eagerly, "is the amazing view 
from that condo's window!"

With that my girlfriend scrolled to the next picture only to be completely 
surprised by a full-screen close-up picture of my friend's pasty-white ass. 
After the initial shock we both burst out in laughter, thinking he had pranked 
us!

My friend looked at us strangely and then turned beet red as realization hit 
him. My girlfriend had gone the wrong direction in his photo album, scrolling 
backward instead of forward. 

Against our howls of laughter he tried to explain that the butt pictures were 
take for tracking the healing of a pressure sore (which I'd already surmised.) 
The more my friend stammered to explain, the harder I laughed! Eventually he 
stopped explaining and started laughing with us. Even thinking about it now 
brings a smile to my face.

I'm sure there's a moral to this story but I'm not sure what it is.

True story!

Don. 

[QUAD-L] Funny Story

[Don Price]

Someone's comment earlier today reminded me of a funny incident from last 
Summer.

We were out at a local tavern and I introduced my girlfriend to one of my best 
friends who happens to be a quad. We all talked for a few minutes and my buddy 
was brimming with excitement. He explained that he had just returned from 
touring some beautiful high-rise condos and he was interested in purchasing 
one. Handing his iPhone to my girlfriend he explained: "The condos were 
amazing! Here's a photo of the living room."

My girlfriend held up the phone and we both looked at an amazing photo of a 
beautifully furnished living space with a huge window overlooking the city.

"The next picture on the phone," my buddy said eagerly, "is the amazing view 
from that condo's window!"

With that my girlfriend scrolled to the next picture only to be completely 
surprised by a full-screen close-up picture of my friend's pasty-white ass. 
After the initial shock we both burst out in laughter, thinking he had pranked 
us!

My friend looked at us strangely and then turned beet red as realization hit 
him. My girlfriend had gone the wrong direction in his photo album, scrolling 
backward instead of forward. 

Against our howls of laughter he tried to explain that the butt pictures were 
take for tracking the healing of a pressure sore (which I'd already surmised.) 
The more my friend stammered to explain, the harder I laughed! Eventually he 
stopped explaining and started laughing with us. Even thinking about it now 
brings a smile to my face.

I'm sure there's a moral to this story but I'm not sure what it is.

True story!

Don. 

Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax

[Quadius]

mag citrate works great if your constipated.  3/4 of a bottle if it is bad.


On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 8:59 PM, kw...@comcast.net  wrote:

>Has anyone ever taken miralax and did it take long to work? I've been
> constipated for day's. Normally, stool softeners would work fine.
> my  doctor made it sound like it would work fast and to stay home.
> Kathy
>

Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax

[bob quinn]

>I used to be reactive, using Milk of Magnesia when I got constipated, along 
>with daily stool softeners but that definitely was not working for me.
>
>
>
>Now I've had many months of success avoiding constipation by pro-actively 
>taking Miralax each night with Senna.
>
>
>The caveats are, I also try to drink a lot of fluids, and eat a lot of fiber 
>(especially non-carb fiber from fruits & veggies, and "good carbs" fiber from 
>beans).
>
>
>
>>
>> From: Derrick Winegardner 
>>To: quad-list@eskimo.com 
>>Sent: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 9:27 PM
>>Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax
>> 
>>
>>i drink mirlax every other morning.
>>it does not make me go, it binds water to stool.
>>
>>i take 4 senakote tabs the night before to go
>>drink milkofmagnesium. it  sill make you go.
>>derrick w
>>
>>On 4/3/2013 8:59 PM, kw...@comcast.net wrote:
>>
>> 
>>>Has anyone ever taken miralax and did it take long to work? I've been 
>>>constipated for day's. Normally, stool softeners would work fine. my  doctor 
>>>made it sound like it would work fast and to stay home. 
>>>Kathy  
>>>
>>> 
>>>  
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax

[bob quinn]

I used to be reactive, using Milk of Magnesia when I got constipated, along 
with daily stool softeners but that definitely was not working for me.

Now I've had many months of success avoiding constipation by pro-actively 
taking Miralax each night with Senna.

The caveats are, I also try to drink a lot of fluids, and eat a lot of fiber 
(especially non-carb fiber from fruits & veggies, and "good carbs" fiber from 
beans).



>
> From: Derrick Winegardner 
>To: quad-list@eskimo.com 
>Sent: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 9:27 PM
>Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax
> 
>
>i drink mirlax every other morning.
>it does not make me go, it binds water to stool.
>
>i take 4 senakote tabs the night before to go
>drink milkofmagnesium. it  sill make you go.
>derrick w
>
>On 4/3/2013 8:59 PM, kw...@comcast.net wrote:
>
> 
>>Has anyone ever taken miralax and did it take long to work? I've been 
>>constipated for day's. Normally, stool softeners would work fine. my  doctor 
>>made it sound like it would work fast and to stay home. 
>>Kathy  
>>
>> 
>>  
>
>
>

Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax

[Mike Mills]

I take a 1\4 to a 1\3 of a dose nightly, this keeps me regulated.
When I get constipated a full dosage is taken until bowel movement. 




 From: Danny Espinoza 
To: 'Derrick Winegardner' ; quad-list@eskimo.com 
Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2013 6:28 AM
Subject: RE: [QUAD-L] Miralax
 

It normally takes about a day to work for me but I have a colostomy
 
From:Derrick Winegardner [mailto:whe...@cvn.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 6:28 PM
To: quad-list@eskimo.com
Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax
 
i drink mirlax every other morning.
it does not make me go, it binds water to stool.

i take 4 senakote tabs the night before to go
drink milkofmagnesium. it  sill make you go.
derrick w
On 4/3/2013 8:59 PM, kw...@comcast.net wrote:
Has anyone ever taken miralax and did it take long to work? I've been 
constipated for day's. Normally, stool softeners would work fine. my  doctor 
made it sound like it would work fast and to stay home. 
>Kathy 

RE: [QUAD-L] Miralax

[Danny Espinoza]

It normally takes about a day to work for me but I have a colostomy

 

From: Derrick Winegardner [mailto:whe...@cvn.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 6:28 PM
To: quad-list@eskimo.com
Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Miralax

 

i drink mirlax every other morning.
it does not make me go, it binds water to stool.

i take 4 senakote tabs the night before to go
drink milkofmagnesium. it  sill make you go.
derrick w

On 4/3/2013 8:59 PM, kw...@comcast.net   wrote:


Has anyone ever taken miralax and did it take long to work? I've been
constipated for day's. Normally, stool softeners would work fine. my  doctor
made it sound like it would work fast and to stay home. 

Kathy