Patricia Said:

Are you a physician, healthcare administrator or executive?

We Answered:

You'd probably have much better luck, if you contact your own doctor's office.

I discussed it with my kid's pediatrician, and his idea, was that the government should just open up free clinics, LOTS of 'em.

As far as restructuring the health care system, I have plans, if I'm ever made Queen of the World, but they're too long to spell out in detail here.

A quick abbreviation, is:

Transparent, set pricing from providers, so you know how much they're charging - and so that they charge EVERYONE the same price. Otherwise, how can you shop around? Every insurer and third party payer of every stripe, including Medicare and MediCaid, may determine for itself the level of payment it will provide with patient to pay any amount beyond this that provider requires.

All medical records to be kept in one central database, accessible by all providers. patients who opt out of the database may be assessed by providers for such added costs as the provider believes necessary in the circumstances and insurers need not cover such costs.

Physicians are required to prescribe generic drugs unless there is a medical reason not to and pharmacists shall fill all prescriptions with generics unless physician has indicated the name brand is medically necessary. Continuing prescriptions may be filled by pharmacists for up to 2 years without a new Rx. Revise the patents process. Making the same formula of drug, into a delayed release for a different number of hours, should NOT be granted new patents – thus facilitating the entrance of generics into the market for that particular formulation.
Precription drug advertising has to STOP. Not in magazines, not on the radio, not on the television.

All citizens are entitled to have, own and use an HSA [health savings account].

For every abusive substance as determined by medical research, explicitly including tobacco and alcohol, plus illegal drugs and perhaps calories [obesity and diabetes are fast growing medical problems in America], a separate fund to provide medically needed care shall be established by the industry producing the abusive substances. All sales of the abusive substance shall be taxed at equal rate for all industry participants.


Tort reform: nonmonetary damages should be limited to $100,000 or 3X actual damages, whichever is LESS. Attorney contingencies are EXEMPT from puntative damages – they only collect their percentage of the ACTUAL monetary damages. This will stop the vast majority of nuisance lawsuits, as the biggest financial incentive for attorneys would be eliminated.

Pedro Said:

I am Canadian citizen and would like to work in USA as an Administrative/Executive Assistant.?

We Answered:

Try a dental or doctor office

Jason Said:

Many of our best jobs are government jobs, better healthcare, retirement etc... why do you think that is?

We Answered:

Years ago, government jobs paid a little less that the equivalent job in private industry. This was because govt. jobs were more secure. If you had a job in the govt. sector you were pretty much assured that you would stay there all your life, and get a govt. pension.

What I think has happened is that over the years jobs in the private sector have gone downhill while govt. jobs have stayed more the same. We used to have a 'social contract' that said that as long as your company was doing okay, and you were doing a good job, you would keep your job, get raises, benefits, etc. But a few years ago that changed. Companies announcing a layoff used to see their stocks go down because it was a sign that the company was in trouble, but these days when a company announces a layoff its stock goes -up-. Nobody associates layoffs with trouble, they are just a way to save money by getting rid of part of the workforce and making the rest work harder.

Pay inequality in the private sector is worse every year, but it grows much slower in the public sector. Put it this way: If the minimum wage in the US had kept pace with the compensation of Fortune 500 top execs, the min. wage in the US would be around $40/hr.

Personally, I think the problem is that we have a distorted view of capitalism. The purpose of capitalism is to create wealth so as to raise the standard of living, a rising tide that lifts all boats. Profit and return on investment are not an end in themselves but a means to an end. But we have come to see profit and ROI as the be-all and end-all. Declining wages and benefits and job security are seen as good things because they enhance profits. So in the US, capitalism only concentrates wealth more and more. 95% of us have to face a slow, steady decline in our standard of living so that 0.1% can double their wealth every few years. On the -average- we are all doing better, but in fact most of us are doing a little worse every year. Work in the govt. sector is a safe haven from this rat-race.

(You know, it just astonishes me that the first answerer blames Obama for this. GW Bush bragged for years that our economy was growing by leaps and bounds, even though 99% of us saw no improvement, and the entire pre-existing national debt was being doubled. How can you possibly blame Obama for that?)

Marie Said:

Does this seem like a reasonable proposal for Executive Compensation?

We Answered:

I believe it is up to the board of directors of a corporation to determine the compensation for their CEO and CFO. If they take seriously their obligations to their stockholders, they will be reasonable. Stockholders should pay attention to the actions of the board and make their opinions known.

It is not the job of the federal government to micro-manage corporations.

Vickie Said:

Do you think national healthcare is the way to go?

We Answered:

Yes, look at the facts.

FACT - the USA spends more on healthcare PER PERSON than any other nation on the planet.

FACT - the US has higher death rates for kids aged under five than western European countries with universal health coverage.

That means that a dead American four year old would have had a better chance of life if they were born in Canada, France, Cuba, Germany, Japan etc, all of which have universal health coverage.