Tag: Health Issues

On The Health Front

This issue has become dear to my heart with all the health issues I am dealing with it is good to keep an eye on who is doing what….

With an election looming I think two of the major issues for the mid-terms will be the economy and health care….with that said let’s look at what Uncle Don has promised us peons as a GOP plan.

Donald Trump is so lost on so many issues that he can’t even understand how lost he is. This is perhaps most evident with his “$20 trillion” in foreign investment. Trump’s wacky number is five times annual investment levels. It is two-thirds of GDP. But none of his aides can get him to stop repeating his imaginary number.

In the wake of the shutdown disaster, Trump seems intent on coming up with some alternative to the subsidies for people to buy insurance in the Obamacare exchanges. Not surprisingly, Trump has almost no knowledge of all the issues and complexities that have come up in the debate on health care reform over the last three decades.

Incredibly, he is completely unaware of his own ignorance. He proposes giving people money and letting them buy either their own health care or their own insurance. (It’s not clear what Trump thinks he is proposing.) Trump seems to think this is an original idea.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/11/19/trumps-new-ideas-on-health-care/

As per normal the GOP has half-baked ideas….

US President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress have made a show of criticizing insurance company greed as they stand firm against extending Affordable Care Act tax credits and offer ill-formed alternatives.

But a report published Wednesday by the office of Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) explains how a scheme endorsed by Trump and some top Republicans would further enrich insurance giants and big banks.

The report focuses on growing GOP support for a proposal that would give Americans money in tax-advantaged vehicles such as health savings accounts (HSAs) to help cover out-of-pocket costs. Last week, Trump championed the idea in the Oval Office, characterizing the proposal as a way to “forget this Obamacare madness.”

In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump railed against “BIG, FAT, RICH INSURANCE COMPANIES” and doubled down on the idea of funding health savings accounts instead of extending the enhanced ACA tax credits.

But Wyden’s report argues that “no matter how Republicans design their plan, their promise to take money out of the hands of big insurance companies and put it in the hands of patients will go unfulfilled, because the very arrangements they tout are administered by large financial institutions and the same big insurance companies.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/republican-healthcare-plan

Now some ideas from Dems….as most know I support the idea of Medicare For All and we know that will not happen for god forbid we become healthy people….

Bernie has offered up a few ideas for consideration….

The country’s current debate over ACA subsidies has sparked fresh calls for a shift to government-funded universal healthcare, for which Sanders has long led the fight in Congress. He acknowledged that “while I believe that the long-term solution to the healthcare crisis is Medicare for All, and I appreciate the 16 cosponsors we have on that legislation in the Senate, and the more than 100 cosponsors we have in the House, this bill does not yet have majority support in the Democratic Caucus.”

“The good news, however, is that there are a number of much-needed reforms to the healthcare system that we could offer now that would substantially improve the lives of the American people and are also incredibly popular,” he continued.

Specifically, Sanders called for:

  • Extending the ACA tax credits;
  • Repealing Trump and congressional Republicans’ $1 trillion in cuts to the ACA and Medicaid;
  • Expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing;
  • Cutting the cost of prescription drugs by at least 50% with legislation requiring pharmaceutical companies to charge no more for medications in the United States than they do in Europe or Canada;
  • Expanding primary healthcare with investments in the National Health Service Corps as well as community and teaching health centers; and
  • Banning stock buybacks and dividends, and restricting CEO compensation.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/us-healthcare-crisis

Just a few ideas to let my readers know that this is becoming a priority….something that should have been years ago….

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

Is There A Mutiny Afoot?

It is no surprise that I think the Donny band of thugs are as incompetent as anything…..but high on the incompetency list is the head of HHS….RFK Jr.

Something needs to be done to curb this idiot and his false information that he passes on to the public.

Something needs to be done….well maybe there is something brewing….a recently fired HHS employee is talking….

Steven Hatfill, a senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services, was fired over the weekend, according to both Hatfill and a senior agency official. Hatfill, known for his public support of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s move to end funding for mRNA vaccine research, claims his dismissal is part of a broader effort to undermine Kennedy’s leadership, per the New York Times. He alleges Matt Buckham, the secretary’s chief of staff, is orchestrating what he described as a “coup,” though he did not provide details to support this claim.

The department official, who spoke anonymously about the personnel issue, offered a different explanation, saying Hatfill was fired for misrepresenting himself as the “chief medical officer” for the assistant secretary for preparedness and response, and for not coordinating policy decisions with department leadership. “Firing a staff member for cause does not add up to a coup,” the official added. Hatfill disputes these accusations and says the department itself issued business cards listing him as both senior adviser and chief medical officer.

When he appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast in August to claim, without evidence, that mRNA COVID vaccines are more dangerous than the disease itself, his title was listed as chief medical officer at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Bloomberg reports. The virologist promoted hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as early treatments for COVID during the pandemic, a position widely disputed by medical experts. Some two decades ago, he was wrongly targeted in the 2001 anthrax investigation, for which the Justice Department later paid him a $4.6 million settlement.

WE can only hope that this ‘mutiny’ will be successful and rid the nation of this fake…..this country deserves so much better from the HHS than RFK.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Making America Healthy Again?

Seriously?

+++Before I go any further…..today I start the next round of treatment…..today is labs and doctors so I have no idea how long this will take ….this may be my only post today and I thought one of health issues would be a good one+++

For few decades now we have been warned about the evils of saturated fats….and the health problems that they could contribute to in one’s lifetime.

I know this is not TikTok so I will assist you and the understanding of these….

Saturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the unhealthy fats, along with trans fat. These fats are most often solid at room temperature. Foods like butter, palm and coconut oils, cheese, and red meat have high amounts of saturated fat.

Too much saturated fat in your diet can lead to heart disease and other health problems.

Saturated fats are bad for your health in several ways:

Heart disease risk. Your body needs healthy fats for energy and other functions. But too much saturated fat can cause cholesterol to build up in your arteries (blood vessels). Saturated fats raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Weight gain. Many high-fat foods such as pizza, baked goods, and fried foods have a lot of saturated fat. Eating too much fat can add extra calories to your diet and cause you to gain weight. All fats contain 9 calories per gram of fat. This is more than twice the amount found in carbohydrates and protein.

Cutting out high-fat foods can help keep your weight in check and your heart healthy. Staying at a healthy weight can reduce your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000838.htm

Like I stated this is common knowledge and has been for decades

If the research is solid then what is our incompetent head of HHS up to?

U.S. dietary guidelines could soon undergo another overhaul under the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, and the proposal has already drawn criticism.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to unveil new guidance encouraging the consumption of more foods previously considered unhealthy, including those high in saturated fats.

Kennedy has argued Americans need more trans and saturated fats, not less, saying foods like butter, cheese, milk and red meat have been unfairly demonized for decades. The updated guidance could be released as soon as this month.

“New dietary guidelines that are common sense, that stress the need to eat saturated fats of dairy, of good meat, of fresh meat and vegetables … when we release those, it will give everybody the rationale for driving it into our schools,” Kennedy said.

(newsnationnow.com)

What is this idiot up to?

Does he want us to live shorter lives?

Does he wan t us ‘peasants’ to die off?  Sure seems like it to me.

Is that the plan?

Please if you have any idea what this moron is up to let the rest of us know.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

MTG Is At It Again

There have been some wild swings in the stands that MTG grapples with and they swing from batcrap crazy like chem trails to her newest thing….healthcare…..the later being a question for the rest of the GOP.

Republicans did not vote to extend the subsidies in July’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). And if they are allowed to expire at the end of 2025, KFF estimates that the average recipient’s insurance premiums will more than double, from $888 to $1,906 per year, which will result in about 4 million people losing their insurance due to unaffordability, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

This is on top of the roughly 10 million expected to lose insurance coverage due to the GOP’s massive cuts to Medicaid and other ACA marketplace spending in the Republican budget law.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have maintained that they would not negotiate on extending the subsidies unless Democrats vote to reopen the government, thereby sacrificing their main point of leverage.

…

In a blistering post on X, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said that while she was “not a fan” of the ACA and blamed it for “skyrocketing premiums,” she was “going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hardworking people in my district.”

“No, I’m not [toeing] the party line on this, or playing loyalty games,” Greene continued. “I’m carving my own lane. And I’m absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year.”

Greene lamented that “not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!”

She then turned her attention to the tens of billions of dollars worth of military aid sent to Israel and Ukraine in recent years: “All our country does is fund foreign countries and foreign wars, and never does anything to help the American people!!!”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/mtg-scolds-gop-over-healthcare

I agreed with her on the Israel stand she took and now I find myself thinking that she has learned a thing of two since joining Congress.

Yet deep down I feel that this is just a temporary thing for her that the batcrap crazy will return and return with a vengeance.

But if it actually starts a real conversation on the subject then I say bully for her.

What say you?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Mississippi Declares An Emergency

I have written a lot about my state of Mississippi how it is always at the bottom of good things and the top of bad…..and we are having a rise in infant mortality and the state reacts….

Mississippi has declared a public health emergency as its infant mortality rate climbs to the highest level in 14 years, highlighting urgent concerns about healthcare access and deepening racial disparities. The state counted 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, nearly double the national average, per CBS News. State officials say that over 3,500 infants have died before their first birthday since 2014. The emergency declaration is rare, but health leaders argue it’s necessary to treat infant deaths as an urgent crisis.

The declaration is meant to speed up efforts to close gaps in care, including expanding prenatal services in underserved counties, improving emergency transfers, and boosting programs that offer home visits and community health support. “Every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted, and a future cut short,” said State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney, per CBS. “We cannot and will not accept these numbers as our reality,” he added, per ABC News, which reports the leading causes of infant death include congenital malformations, premature birth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome.

Racial disparities loom large. Black infants in Mississippi are more than twice as likely to die before turning one compared to white infants, and the gap is growing. National data show similar trends even in cities with better healthcare, highlighting the role of broader social factors—poverty, housing, and healthcare access—beyond clinical care.

What can we expect when every year the state legislature cuts spending especially to the poor and rural hospitals and clinics cannot stay afloat and close….and now some of the leadership of the state…..Mississippi is a deep red State….is scrambling to try and curb a disaster of their own making.

I am looking forward to reading about their solutions for this problem and trend…..I will bet that some other needed program will take the hit so the goofs that run this state can pretend to repair the disparities.

This is what we get when we elect idiots and Repubs….it sucks….but nearly as bad as their fake certain.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Is A Collapse Imminent?

***This is just an FYI post I do not necessarily agree and is only one person’s opinion/prediction***

Social media has been alight with comments flying back and forth on Dear Donny’s health issues and/or his mental health…..and this is Alex Jones’ prediction…..

Famed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones commented on the “crisis” Donald Trump faces as his health continues to visibly decline.

On Wednesday, August 20, Jones spoke about the president on his “Infowars” podcast, where he suggested Trump could face deadly consequences if he “doesn’t take his foot off the gas pedal” and get much-needed rest.

He insisted that “at the current trajectory” of Trump’s health, the president “is going to have some sort of collapse within the next 12 months.”

As Trump’s swollen ankles and bruised hand continue to raise concern, Jones compared the 79-year-old to a “light bulb starting to go out.”

“I’ve seen a lot of signs of Trump declining,” he said. “And so he’s on a lot of the time, but like a light bulb is starting to go out. It gets brighter, it gets dim; it goes in and out.”

Jones commented on Trump’s notorious late nights, suggesting that if he took the necessary rest, he would be in better health.

“He’s hyper-competitive and hyper-aggressive. So, you talk about in the zone, folks. It’s fair to say that Trump is unconscious, basically, for periods of the day now,” he stated. “Because there are times where I’m exhausted and working entirely on adrenaline, up for two days, and I make pretty good decisions — sometimes better than when I’m conscious — but I think back and I don’t remember what I did.”

(okmagazine.com)

Any thoughts you would like to share?

Like I stated earlier….this is just one person’s opinion….a person who is notorious for is lame ass conspiracies.

I am by no means a fan of Jones I just wanted to include this because of the massive amounts of traffic on social media about Donny’s possible health issues.

Do not shoot the messenger….just letting you, my reader, know what is being said and why.

This does it for me today I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

He Lowered Drug Prices By 1500%

I am an old fart and I have lots of meds that are not always cheap….especially cancer drugs but not to worry Dear Lovable Donny has lowered drug prices by 1500%.

Are you reading this?

Seriously?  1500%

President Donald Trump bragged on Sunday that he had lowered drug prices by up to 1500 percent—an arithmetical absurdity, even by his standards.

Trump floated the impossible figure just days after he fired a top government statistics official over numbers he didn’t like.

Trump told reporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, that his administration had brought about a “tremendous drop in drug prices.”

“You know, we’ve cut drug prices by 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500 percent,” Trump said. “I don’t mean 50 percent, I mean 14, 1500 percent.”

He added, “We want the same prices Europe gets, we want the same prices other country gets.”

“So we’ll be dropping drug prices,” he said, before throwing out another confusing set of figures. “It’ll start over the next two to three months. By 1200, 1300, and even 1400 percent. And 500 percent.”

Reducing the price of something by more than 100 percent would mean that not only does it become free—the consumer would be getting paid to take the product.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-says-hes-lowered-drug-prices-by-1500-after-firing-stats-boss/

My degrees are not in math or economics but a savings of 100% would mean my meds would be free….so far my wallet does not see the 1500% savings….how about yours?

This absurdity goes unnoticed by his semi-literate supports….what does it take for these mindless dipshits to realize how bad they are being screwed by this self-absorbed idiot?

Just wondering!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Good News!

Had my 6 weeks update from the oncologist….scans showed the cancer in my left lung is a bit smaller so infusions will continue….the tumor in the prostrate is nearing remission….treatment for that one will continue as well and will be re-evaluated in 3 months.

The news was so good I have decided to stop for a few beers to celebrate.

I want to thank all my readers that have been so supportive…..you guys have help me get through the loss of Sue and my struggle with cancer…I do not think I would have made it without your support and please know that it is all much appreciated.

I should be ready to get back to regular writing and posting tomorrow.

Thanx again for everything you guys have done.

 

Retirees And Their Money

As a retired old fart I keep my eyes on news that would impact new retirees and those near retirement….just my way to impart some FYI to help them navigate the complexities of retirement.

Regardless how attractive the ads are for some of these Medicare plans they are most likely a money trap that provides little in the way of help.

Plans like ‘Zero’ premiums and free dental, vision and hearing…..they are a trap and should be avoided….but here is why….

Choosing the right Medicare plan is one of the most important financial and health decisions older adults make. With so many plans promising lower premiums, free perks, and wide coverage, it’s easy to get drawn in by attractive marketing. But all too often, these plans hide critical limitations in the fine print, from unexpected out-of-pocket costs to restrictive provider networks. Knowing which plans to approach with caution can save retirees from serious financial and medical headaches. Here’s a look at 10 Medicare plans that seem helpful at first glance but often leave enrollees feeling misled.

https://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2025/06/03/10157823_10-medicare-plans-that-look-helpful-until-you-read-the-fine-print.html

It is common knowledge that I do not support these so called Medicare Advantage plans because to me they are a money trap and provide little…..but I am not alone….many retirees dump these plans once they see just how bogus they are….

Medicare coverage doesn’t just mean signing up for government insurance. In fact, more than half of Medicare recipients now get their coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, or Medicare Part C plan, which is offered by a private insurer.

Advantage plans are an alternative to original Medicare, replacing Part A (hospital coverage), Part B (outpatient care coverage), and sometimes Part D (prescription drug coverage).

Enrollment in these plans is expected to grow to 60% of the eligible population by 2030, with many people drawn to them because they’re often marketed as “zero premium” plans with out-of-pocket limits, while Medicare Part B has uncapped spending and charges premiums. The Trump administration strongly favors the expansion of Medicare Advantage plans.

Yet, while Advantage Plans seem like a good alternative, a substantial number of older Americans who sign up for them don’t stick with them. In fact, among those who signed up between 2011 and 2022, around half left their plans within five years.

Recent research published in the journal Health Affairs helps demonstrate why so many are opting out of their Advantage Plan during open enrollment, either by switching to a different Part C plan or by returning to traditional Medicare instead. Since these Advantage plans are less likely to attract beneficiaries over the long term, the study warns that such plans will likely have less incentive to cater to participants with chronic conditions.

https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/should-you-ditch-your-medicare-advantage-plan-most-people-do

Please do not fall for the BS do your research before you retire and do not be swayed by promises that will not be fulfilled.

The way things are going you will need all your retirement to just exist so do not fall for the BS that could eventually put you into the poor house.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

“Make America Healthy Again”

What an absolutely pitiful acronym, MAHA, apparently the brain (I use the term loosely) child of HHS leader RFK,Jr….an idiot at best.

The new report was issued last month and it was not met with glowing approval….

During his election night party, President Trump promised to let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. do whatever he wants to “make America healthy again.” With Kennedy as America’s top health official, that process is now well underway. The Make America Healthy Again Commission that Trump established after taking office released its first report on Thursday and Kennedy, the commission’s chair, described it as a “diagnosis” of what the report calls America’s “chronic childhood disease crisis,” USA Today reports. He said the commission will now work on policy recommendations for the White House. “The prescription comes in 100 days,” he said. At a White House event, Kennedy said the report was a “call to action for common sense,” adding that America has “relied too much on conflicted research, ignored common sense, or what some would call ‘mother’s intuition.'”

  • A “unifying theory.” Axios describes the report as seeking to set out a “unifying theory around what’s causing conditions like obesity, autoimmune conditions, and behavioral disorders in kids”—though it also seeks to strike a balance with economic interests, especially when it comes to pesticides.

  • The 69-page report was split into four sections dealing with ultra-processed food, chemicals in the environment, children’s screen time, and the “over-medicalization of our kids.” Health experts praised the report’s focus on the importance of whole foods, the Washington Post reports. But the widely anticipated hard line against pesticides was watered down after pushback from farm groups and chemical companies, the Post reports. The report did, however, say an updated assessment on the herbicides glyphosate and atrazine will be released next year, USA Today reports.

    The “overmedicalization” warned of possible long-term risks of psychiatric and weight-loss drugs. It also criticized the growth of the childhood vaccine schedule and said parents are worried about the “appropriate use of vaccines and their possible role in the growing childhood chronic disease crisis.”

  • More criticism. The report “reflects some of Kennedy’s bugbears where science is unsettled, but argues research ‘demonstrates the need for continued studies,’ such as on fluoride in water and electromagnetic radiation,” Jessica Glenza writes at the Guardian. She notes that the report compares US life expectancy and healthcare costs to other wealthy nations, but “it does not mention how other nations typically finance healthcare for all citizens: often at minimal or no cost.”

This report like I stated was not met with open arms and after the document was analyzed more BS has been detected….

The Make America Healthy Again commission led by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued an exhaustive report last month prescribing changes for Americans’ health. It was crammed with more than 500 footnotes citing studies to buttress its findings—but multiple outlets have found that many of those studies don’t actually exist. The best guess is that the MAHA report made use of artificial intelligence that hallucinated them into existence, or morphed them with actual studies. Some examples from coverage:

  • The news outlet NOTUS first reported on the nonexistent studies, finding at least seven of them. It even tracked down some of the supposed authors. “The paper cited is not a real paper that I or my colleagues were involved with,” Columbia University epidemiologist Katherine Keyes tells the outlet when asked about a study cited from JAMA Pediatrics on adolescents and anxiety that she supposedly authored.
  • The Washington Post counts 522 footnotes but finds that 37 were repeated multiple times. “Other citations include the wrong author, and several studies cited by the extensive health report do not exist at all,” per the story. The Post also notes that the report includes the word “oaicite” in some of the reference URLs, a telltale sign of the use of OpenAI.
  • The White House acknowledges the mistakes but characterizes them as minor gaffes that will be cleaned up. “I understand there was some formatting issues with the MAHA report that are being addressed and the report will be updated,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday, per the AP. “But it does not negate the substance of the report, which, as you know, is one of the most transformative health reports that has ever been released by the federal government.”
  • However, the NOTUS analysis also asserts that some of the legit studies cited were mischaracterized. For example, the report cites a study asserting that therapy is better than psychiatric medicine, but a study author says they made no such comparison. Kennedy has long criticized the use of medication for mental health.
  • All in all, outside experts say the multiple mistakes call into question the report’s credibility. “It makes me concerned about the rigor of the report, if these really basic citation practices aren’t being followed,” Keyes tells the New York Times.

This report is full of BS just like most anything that is released by Donny and/or his minions that will do whatever it takes to brown nose the prez.

Nothing about this man nor his policies/reports is going to make America healthy again….if anything it will just increase the chances of death by disease.

Turn The Page!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”