CIGARETTE SMOKING

Pride Surveys reports cigarette smoking is increasing among students ages 11 to 18. The 2009 Survey found that 30-day prevalence of cigarette smoking by students in grades 6-12 rose from 19.4% in 2008 to 19.8% in 2009. This group is composed of kids 13-18 years of age. In broad terms, this means 20% of teen agers are smoking at some rate.

Adults are smoking at about the same rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports cigarette smoking increased slightly for the first time in 15 years among adults. According to the CDC, the percentage of adults who were current cigarette smokers rose from 19.8% in 2007 to 20.6% in 2008 (National Health Interview Survey).

In a country under siege with health care costs, this statistic does not bode well. Cigarette smokers face numerous smoking related diseases. Those who start when they are 13 are almost certain to develop some of these diseases. In addition, those who suffer these diseases often cannot work and go on welfare. Smoking is not a vice whose effect is limited to the participant, the smoker. The rest of us pay dearly for the habit, in money, in time caring for family members with these diseases, and the effects of cigarette smoke on the non-smoker's health, including allergies and cancers caused by second hand smoke.

Even the Washington Post has reservations about the cost of Obamacare. Today’s paper runs an editorial by Robert Samuelson that captures the problem succinctly.

Here is the home run:

"The disconnect between what President Obama says and what he's doing is so glaring that most people could not abide it. The president, his advisers and allies have no trouble. But reconciling blatantly contradictory objectives requires them to engage in willful self-deception, public dishonesty, or both."

Ouch.

HOUSE HEALTH CARE BILL

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a health care bill (everyone says "reform", but we'll see; I prefer Orwellian nightmare). It is charitably called the "Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009 (H.R. 3962)".

The vote was very close, 220-215.

Only one Republican, Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana, voted for the bill.

39 Democrats voted against the bill.

Representative Chet Edwards of Waco, Texas, was one of those. He said, "Given the huge federal deficits facing our nation, I believe there is too much new spending in this bill … I also have concerns about a government-run 'public option' insurance company and question whether this bill goes far enough in actually reducing health care costs for working families and businesses."

The process also showed that Roman Catholics are more influential in congress than Southern Baptists. The RCC favors universal health care and opposes abortion being part of it. They prevailed in both areas. The original bill included money to subsidize abortions, but an amendment to prohibit it, with some exceptions, passed 240-194. Otherwise, the bill would likely have failed.

The House says its bill will cover 96 percent of the nation's eligible population. It will cost $1.2 trillion over 10 years. It includes the controversial public option and will require employers to provide coverage. Many business owners are unhappy about this. I provided health insurance to my employees when I had my own business, at least after I realized its importance. I believe employers should try to do that, as group plans are cheaper than individual plans. Very small employers may just not be able to afford it.

Hospitals have actively lobbied for the bill, because it means revenue to them. Treating the uninsured and non-paying public is a big drain on every hospital's resources. People without insurance generally never pay a penny on their bill.

However, hospitals are now worried that the rates will be based on Medicare rates, which are very low. States are worried that the expanded eligibility for Medicaid
(150 percent of the federal poverty level) at a time when states are struggling with severe budget shortfalls.

Republicans in the senate do not intend to roll over. They say they will start from scratch, not using the House bill as a starting point. Even some moderate Democratic senator think the House bill is unacceptable.

This may take a while. Senators have repeatedly said they would not deliver a bill by the end of the year despite urging from the president. No floor debate has even been put on the calendar.

All of those with opposition to the House bill will intensify lobbying in the Senate. Abortion advocates will surely be all over the Senate, seeking to make taxpayers pay for abortions even if they oppose abortion. Those who think the whole thing is too expensive will also be noisy.

Democracy is messy even when it tilts toward socialism.

The Democrats health care bill is now at 1,990 pages and growing. That is so typical it keeps the stereo type going. This will be so complicated and create so much bureuacracy it will make the European socialist governments look steam lined.

HAVE A HEART

I always thought of heart disease as a man's thing. Any time you see a heart attack on television, for instance, it is a man.

However, cardiovascular disease happens to be the leading cause of death in the United States. 500,000 people die from it every year. But here is the kicker: more women in the United States die of heart disease than of any other cause.

Myocardial infarction, one form of this, claims the majority of these deaths. In every year since 1984, MI has killed more women than men. The mortality rate for women following a heart attack is 8% in the first month. This is more than double the rate for men. Women who do survive myocardial infarction have high risk for repeated heart attacks.

Women are also more likely to have diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure (CHF), and hypertension prior to myocardial infarction (MI) than men.

So, ladies, don't neglect your heart in health care, assuming only the men die from heart disease.

Interesting article on health care from the Atlantic.

If you go here and click on the pink button, a sponsor will pay for a mammogram for someone who cannot afford it. You can donate without spending money, a Scotsman's dream.

ORGANOMICS

The Texas Department of State Health Services has launched a revised online organ donor registry to make it easier for Texans to register as organ, tissue and eye donors. You can access it at http://www.donatelifetexas.org/

Government Health Care

If you had any doubts about universal health care, which is to say, health care furnished and managed by the government, examine the complaints about the health care furnished our veteran's by the government.

If they can't get it together to furnish decent health care to our veteran's, what chance do the rest of us have?

Keep it private if you want to keep it.