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#basically i have so many ailments but they all cost money
lovestruckbear · 1 year
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ayo ive updated my comms sheet
i need money for a new glasses perscription (around £110), and a dentist checkup (around £50, possibly more if they need to do additional work)
if you have any questions dont hesitate to dm me
EDIT: new glasses paid for
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spywitch · 3 months
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Its so annoying when someone says “You should get pet insurance” and someone else is like “WELL NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD THAT AND VET CARE IS TOO EXPENSIVE NOT EVERYONE CAN SPEND $50k ON JUST ONE ANIMAL.”
Like, yes vet care is too expensive, theres a lot of complicated reasons why usually having more to do with corporate greed and very little to do with the doctors and other staff. They have to make money, they have to pay for the costs of the medicine, tests and machines and they have to pay their already critically underpaid staff. But so long as it is expensive you should be doing everything you can to plan for your pets future.
Like literally nobody is shaming you for not being able to spend over $10k on some treatment for a terrible cancer or ailment thats not even guarenteed to save your pet or give them a good quality of life. Believe me, the whole staff understands and is sad with you and many of us wouldn’t be able to afford that either. We also hate that care is so expensive, and don’t think pet ownership should be a luxury only the wealthy can afford.
But you NEED to plan for at least basic care and common problems and accidents that can happen. That means more than bare minimum vaccines. That means you should know you will need to pay for spay/neuter, that you should come to expect at least a couple routine dentals with possible extractions, that you shouldn’t be blindsided when your pet is old and needs something for its arthritis, etc. You should especially be planning if you have a breed known for more health issues, or thats known to get injured or into trouble more often. If you have a cat especially a less friendly one you should be prepared for needing anxiety meds and possibly sedation in the event they are too fearful and aggressive at the vet. All of that shit can be expensive as fuck, but still managable for most IF you have a good pet insurance, which is only like $20-50 a month. When we say “get pet insurance” its not about shaming you if you can’t afford that dental with 6 extractions and saying you shouldn’t have pets, we’re just trying to help you and warn you that its pretty inevitable especially as your pet ages to have to pay a lot to prevent your pet from suffering. Pet healthcare woes are just like human ones, they’re just expedited because they have shorter lives.
Its best to do it young before they have pre-existing conditions too. I should have insured my husky right away, I didn’t prioritize it because I was broke and she was young and healthy, but of course she had 3 emergency visits as a puppy, twice for getting into shit and once for a bee or something stinging her eye. It would have been so worth it to just pay the insurance fee, and it will be very worth it when she is old and needs supportive care for whatever the future may bring. Thats all we’re trying to tell you… the monthly fee is usually worth it. If you can’t even afford that that sucks and I hope you can find resources to help, but isn’t like other people who are trying to give helpful advice’s fault.
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What Type of Life Insurance Policy Should You Get
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The basic role for getting life insurance will constantly be to safeguard individuals you care about on the off chance that something were to happen to you. How much capital could you want to take care of obligations, support your friends and family, or to deal with every one of your issues?
After you comprehend what needs you might want to safeguard through life insurance deciding the right measure of coverage is genuinely simple.
What Type Of Life Insurance
The following inquiry is what type of inclusion will best serve your requirements. To get the perfect proportion of inclusion you likewise need to ensure that the expenses fit serenely into your budget.
Term Insurance Advantages
Term insurance is more affordable than entire life insurance, since you are leasing the insurance. Your inclusion is viewed as unadulterated insurance for this situation, since it doesn't foster money esteem or partake in organization profits.
Rather it permits you to get the perfect proportion of security for the most affordable expenses that anyone could hope to find. Term insurance brings additionally created over the course of the years to the table more exhaustive choices. You can get an arrival of-charges policy where you pay seriously during the life of the policy, yet the insurance organization discounts all of your expenses toward the finish of the proper term.
There are additionally term approaches that permit you to secure in your age and wellbeing until the end of your life, so you can have the inclusion and expenses secured until the end of your life. This is an incredible and modest method for getting long-lasting insurance.
How Long Should You Lock In Your Charges
The more you can secure your charges the more profitable it will be over the long haul. The insurance organization thinks about the mortality risk during the level time of the term. On the off chance that you are 35 and you get a level 20-term policy, the rates will be fixed until you are 55. Furthermore, on the grounds that you are securing the charges at a younger age, the typical gamble and rates will be not exactly if you somehow managed to secure your expenses at 55.
A great many people have an insurance need that will endure all through their other lives. In the event that you can for all time secure in a part of your insurance at a younger age this can save you significantly on expenses. It happens regularly where individuals should apply for new inclusion after the decent rates on their ongoing policy have lapsed, and on the grounds that they are currently more established and need to pay considerably more in expenses.
Your wellbeing is likewise secured when you first take the policy out. Many individuals searching for insurance in their fifties or sixties are managing some sort of ailment that makes the expense of life insurance twofold or triple in cost. The very rationale that applies to securing in your age is additionally great to remember while securing in your wellbeing. We don't have the foggiest idea what will happen to us, and on the off chance that we have our insurance secured in, our insurability and expenses will be unaffected by a clinical occasion.
Level Term Insurance
I generally suggest getting a level-term policy rather than one that will get going lower and increment expenses every single year. The level term arrangements permit you to secure in your age and wellbeing until the end of the term, though the expanding premium strategies become more costly consistently founded on your new age.
Since term insurance is a more affordable method for getting the perfect proportion of security, I accept that it is the best decision for a larger part of individuals checking out at life insurance.
Cash Worth Life Insurance: When To Think about It
Initial A Fair warning About How The Life Insurance Industry Works
A specialist who pushes one organization over the others is harming their clients. Each organization has its up-sides and negatives and each organization has zeroed in on specific socioeconomics to attempt to make an upper hand. There are 17 life insurance organizations in the fortune 500 alone. These organizations have fundamentally the same as speculation portfolios and direct business in manners that are more normal than not. Eight of these organizations are common, nine are stock organizations, and they all work to create a gain. The main thing that anyone can do is to have a specialist who can assist them with shopping the market for the organization that will meet their requirements best. Someone that is a smoker with hypertension will have better choices beyond the organizations that target nonsmokers without ailments. Finding the most affordable organization available for your age and wellbeing can save you great many dollars.
I used to work for an insurance organization where we just sold a solitary triple-A-evaluated insurance organization. At the point when I worked for this organization, my kindred specialists and I were particularly taught with the advantages of this organization's entire life insurance. This present circumstance isn't special.
Hostage organizations have chiefs that groom specialists to push one organization since they get paid commissions when their representatives sell these items. Kindly don't expect that life insurance specialists are specialists on the advantages of various organizations and types of insurance plans, in light of the fact that a large number of them know nothing about the advantages past their own organization. Rather than counseling their clients and shopping the market they promote a solitary item that doesn't necessarily coordinate well. Excessively many individuals are being offered guidance from specialists to think about entire life insurance, since they are prepared to introduce similar items to each client.
At the point when You Are Thinking about An Insurance Organization It Will Constantly Be Invaluable For Certain individuals And Misguided For Other people
Assuming that you plunk down with an over a specialist rundown of advantages about a solitary insurance organization, remember that most advantages are truly compromises. For example, in the event that an organization is a triple-An evaluated insurance organization than they are most likely likewise more moderate with whom they guarantee. A triple-A rating is perfect, yet it is truly just vital on the off chance that you anticipate partaking in the organizations profits, or at the end of the day purchasing for what seems like forever insurance. There is compelling reason need to pay additional cash for the honor of having a triple-An evaluated organization as numerous specialists demand. A.M. Best considers an organization with A-rating to be in brilliant monetary wellbeing and there are numerous A-evaluated organizations with more affordable insurance offers on the off chance that you are not anticipating taking part in entire life.
At the point when Entire Life Insurance is Smart
For certain individuals, entire life insurance can be an incredible supplement to their monetary security. I have sold entire life insurance in light of the accompanying advantages. 1) It has a dependable return that will reliably develop the money esteem in the policy. 2) It gives policyholders extremely durable insurance with the goal that they are guaranteed all through their lifetime. 3) It permits them to quit paying expenses following a specific number of years, in light of the fact that the profits from the organization will be sufficient to keep the policy in force. 4) It permits policyholders to take cash from the policy as a credit, so you have another choice in the event that liquidity is required. 5) The development of the policy is charge conceded and tax-exempt as long as lengthy as the policy is kept in force.
The issue can be that a large number of these advantages highlight life insurance as a resource or venture. Life insurance should continuously be considered for the passing advantage most importantly. On the off chance that you have proactively maximized both your Roth Ira and 401(k), have no less than 90 days of costs in open reserve funds, and are searching for another thing to develop reserve funds then entire life insurance can be a decent choice. The fact of the matter is that entire life insurance is a decent decision when you can maximize your certified retirement reserves and are hoping to supplement your investment funds with a moderate tie in to your life insurance. Click here 探亲保险
Entire life can be an error for several reasons
There are chances while placing your cash into entire life insurance. The dangers aren't generally obviously made sense of, in light of the fact that the specialists center around the reliable profits that will develop the money esteem consistently. Be that as it may, one critical endanger is becoming involved with entire life insurance, paying the charges for various years, and afterward not having the option to stay aware of the expenses not too far off. Life insurance organizations bank on this incident to a specific level of policyholders. Assuming this happens you are at risk for losing great many dollars in paid expenses without the advantage of aggregating any money esteem. At the point when a policy omissions or you can't stay aware of entire life expenses then the insurance organization will hold your charges without you having any money esteem developed or any insurance in force. These entire life polices are organized to have huge front end costs and it will require essentially several years prior to your expenses begin to develop cash esteem. It requires around a decade prior to how much charges you put into the policy will rise to the money esteem in the policy.
How Money Worth In Entire Life Insurance Works
The other endanger with entire life insurance isn't understanding the way that the money esteem in the policy works and taking out a lot of it. The money esteem in the policy is fluid, yet the insurance organization will allow you to take out around 97% of it to safeguard against the policy slipping by. Any money that is removed from the policy is advanced from the policy at premium.
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caidenisct797 · 3 years
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best bows for the money: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
How Much Can a Compound Bow Shoot an Arrow?
Compound bows are a favorite with quite a few differing kinds of archers. It truly is a much more very affordable choice than other types of bows in the marketplace currently. However, that does not indicate it can be utilized in exactly the same ways that other bows can be employed. Many individuals want to know how significantly they could shoot a compound bow. There is an easy way to find out just that.
To reply the dilemma; how far can a compound bow shoot, 1 ought to recognize what sort of arrow is needed to obtain this. The preferred style of arrow for archery is actually a double-headed arrow, or even a feather board arrow. This kind of arrow features many rewards when shooting from the compound bow. These rewards include; speedy draw, fantastic accuracy, and a very good destroy.
If an archer is Doubtful on how much can a compound bow shoot a particular arrow, they ought to evaluate from the bottom with the grip to the top on the bow. This would be the load in the arrow. They might also evaluate how significantly the arrow will travel whilst continue to during the bow's arbor. This length is generally known as the "no cost-throw" of your bow. Most arrows have a regular length that may be known by most archers.
Figuring out how significantly can a compound bow to shoot an arrow is crucial to taking pictures a far better archer. Each particular person arrow has another kinetic Strength. The heavier an arrow is, the more kinetic Electrical power it has. The shorter the arrow, the a lot less Power is retained throughout the vacation phase. For that reason, understanding the distance of an arrow will journey is important.
Quite a few knowledgeable archers will tell new compound bow hunters that prolonged shots are more practical than quick ones. It is because for a longer period photographs allow the hunter to engage and disengage their bow from a lot quicker prey. To evaluate how significantly can a compound bow shoot a certain arrow, a person will have to establish how considerably the arrow will vacation when entirely drawn. Most professional bowhunters shoot many pictures with an individual bow, so this length will likely be difficult to determine. A superb rule of thumb is always to shoot for around one particular tenth of the lawn through the string right before releasing the bow.
A longer arrow demands a lot less distance for the arrow to vacation, so a shorter arrow allows for greater successful range. One more factor to notice would be that the arrow is now touring at an increased velocity, which raises its kinetic Electricity. Which means the arrow will expend far more Power when achieving its greatest speed or distance. The equation to Learn the way much can a compound bow to shoot an arrow is: Effective Array in feet - kinetic Power of length/time. Certainly, the extended the arrow, the higher the Power used over the shot. Alternatively, the shorter the arrow, the more kinetic Vitality with the arrow has, plus the shorter it takes to reach its maximum variety or flight velocity.
Another element to notice is the attract body weight of the bow. Attract weights, which can even be referred to as archery tools, let with the angle from the arrow to become set though capturing. In case you draw using your fingers, the arrow can have a all-natural arrow bend within the knuckles when released, but a draw weight boosts the angle from the arrow that can set much more power about the arrow. As an example, a heavier arrow will fly straight and at a greater velocity than a lighter arrow. Lightest arrows are referred to as flies and therefore are applied principally for archery education or follow.
How considerably can a compound bow to shoot an arrow is determined by lots of aspects including the draw excess weight of the bow, the arrow's archery content, the archer's ability, and perhaps how good the weather conditions are. If 1 has no clue about how much their bow can shoot an arrow, they ought to question a specialist archer for help. Even if they know how far they are able to shoot an arrow, it is still imperative that you preserve fantastic type should they intend to make any money taking pictures arrows.
The best way to Retailer A Compound Bow In Your House - Basic Guidelines for Fantastic Archery Storage
For The majority of us archers, we previously understand how to keep a compound bow within our residence. It can be safe, simple to access and is on the market at any time from the calendar year. Even so, Were you aware that it's important that you should know how to store a compound bow in your property as well? A compound bow is a very large piece of kit and like every other large and high-priced instruments, it should be saved in a secure position the place It's going to be protected against The weather. You may not be aware about it but you will discover things that might cause harm to your products particularly if they're not effectively stored.
There are two major areas that you ought to retailer a compound bow in the house. A single is definitely the shooting location, which need to be dry and Secure. Another ought to be the storing location for just after use only. Here are a few tips on how to keep a compound bow in your home:
When looking at how you can retail outlet a compound bow in the house, the first thing that you've got to have a look at is its place. In an effort to hold it safe, It's important to set it far away from drinking water and heat sources. The exact same rule applies to the humidity amount also. This is because humidity has a tendency to deteriorate the issue of one's bow. Make sure that you keep it considerably from these sources of dampness or else it'd crack.
Another tip on how to retailer a compound bow in your property is how to shop it adequately. Which means It's important to get it in the ideal storage container so as to preserve it in best ailment. For this, you are going to 1st really have to evaluate the internal component of the archery bow after which you can buy a proper storage container for it. Remember that there are 3 varieties of storage containers which you could Select from. For instance, you may Opt for a bag or a rack, a box or simply a container. When you determine tips on how to retailer a compound bow in your property, it is possible to go ahead and buy the appropriate storage for it.
When investigating how to retail outlet a compound bow, the same rules use to its sight also. In actual fact, It's important to just take additional care together with your sights if you wish to preserve its integrity all of the time. Contrary to other bows, compound bows include fiberglass or carbon fiber sights. And to protect the previous, you could area them within a case even though storing the latter in the scissor-folded bag.
Apart from storing your bow inside a proposed fashion, An additional suggestion regarding how to store a compound bow in your home is making certain that You usually have its situation with you. This could ensure that you do not take the bow outside of the situation for just about any motive. Even if you are traveling, it is best to always carry its case along. Try to remember, the last thing that you'd want is to lose your bow since you forgot to pack it in its circumstance.
The following tips regarding how to retail outlet a compound bow in your own home are by no means an exhaustive list. Nevertheless, they are a lot of the Principles that you may want to consider. When you comply with them diligently, you can find that you'll be a lot more ready to keep up your compound bow in pristine situation for an exceptionally very long time. Just in case you forget about any of the following pointers regarding how to shop a compound bow in your own home, you can also check with the assistance of your pals which have a penchant for archery.
A lot of the folks you understand would suggest which you retail outlet your bow with your garage. If you have the Place and In case you have the spending plan, then by all implies go for it. You'll be able to keep it in the sturdy crate that will guard it very well. If you're on a tight spending plan, you could select a simple plastic box that will function your storage box. It can be your choice how you can keep a compound bow in your house.
How to Hang a Compound Bow Effectively
Are you currently trying to find how to hold a compound bow over the wall? It's not as tricky as you might think. In fact, It is really really uncomplicated and can preserve you numerous of time in the long run.
Initially off, you have to decide on a significant place for your new bow. An excellent spot to hold a compound bow is over your head. You don't need to acquire it hanging out of your nose. This may result in an damage, especially if your bow comes off accidentally. Apart from, it's probably not a safe solution to retail outlet your bow.
The second move in how to hang a bow over the wall is to locate a very good wall hanger. Now I really know what you're contemplating... a wall hanger is simply a basic previous hanger that you just use to hang up shots or apparel. Completely wrong. There are actually wall hangers specifically made for individuals such as you who're capturing bow and arrows and wish to safe the limbs for the wall. They also are available in many additional possibilities than an everyday hanger would.
One example is, you can find motorbike hook and bike hook mounted hanging kits which make mounting your bow uncomplicated and rapid. Hooks on the back again with the legs within your taking pictures bench or simply a wall hanger, or maybe mounted on your door or windowsills. In addition they look excellent. And they assist your compound bow stays continuous for the duration of tense times. They are often altered up and down also, retaining your bow from shifting during a nervous instant.
So the place do you get a established of such? Very well, hanging a bow is just not tough to do but obtaining the excellent setup, specifically for your compound bow, is usually challenging. This is why I wrote this informative article. In this post I'll Supply you with a few easy methods that will let you mount your bow and setup your taking pictures bench so that you could dangle your bow thoroughly. Try to remember, all you may need are pliers, some thread, a drill, and screwdriver. Let's start.
Step one in how to hold a compound bow is to secure a couple of low-priced pliers and screws. Put a person screw in Each individual gap that retains your limbs in place and screw them up limited. This will Be certain that your limbs cling straight when they cling in the wall.
The second stage in how to hold a compound bow hanger is always to use your bike hook and bicycle hooks mounted package. Use this package to hang your bow hanger in precisely the same way that you choose to connect a scope on your rifle. This will reduce the vibration in the string causing misalignment of your respective limbs and can help you save a lot of funds around the life span within your bow. Also, do not forget your rubber mallet!
Final, and most important, the third stage in how to hold a compound bow hanger would be to screw the legs onto your wall, getting the screws several inches past the corner and into your drywall. It is possible to verify which the legs are screwed in by thinking about them by way of a little hole while in the corner. With all the legs on the wall, use your bicycle hooks and cling the bow up as higher as you happen to be snug with. This can stop the burden within your bow from warping the wall, and it will also make sure your bow stays place When you're hanging it!
The final action in how to hold a compound bow hanger will be to established your cable ties in between The 2 bicycle hooks. To do that, it's essential to very first put in some cable ties in between the cable rings on the wall. Once you have carried out this, take the hanger and little by little tighten the cable ties up into placement. Future, reduced your hanger into put, and after that connect it to your wall. Ensure that the cable ties are securely tied to stay away from harm to your walls.
Ideally soon after looking at this text you'll know how to cling a compound bow hanger accurately. Ideally you'll give your bow that little bit of extra assistance and ensure it won't change or go When you're shooting it. If you should swap a bow hanger, you should definitely Examine the maker's instructions. On top of that, several makers give no cost hangers along with your get. Which is A further fantastic motive to buy online - you can get to cut down your delivery expenditures.
Ideally now you know how to hold a compound bow hanger effectively. Ideally you can give your bow that little bit of extra assistance and ensure it will not shift or change while you're shooting it. If you need to replace a bow hanger, make sure you Look at the producer's Guidance. Moreover, several manufacturers provide cost-free bows with your buy.
Just how long Does a Compound Bow Very last?
A compound bow is a pricey piece of kit that you need to not get for granted particularly when you may have just gotten 1. Having said that, there remain loads of people who find themselves not using them but only watching what they spend on their own products. The amount of cash that you shell out will identify how much time does a compound bow final you.
In accordance with the science Supported by true user suggestions and scientific details, a compound bow basically lasts for approximately fifteen to eighteen several years. This is certainly raise by about a few to 4 periods if you change various elements of the identical compound bow. One other variables incorporated the attract excess weight, the sights, the limbs, the axle nut as well as the wrap about knobs. The length of time that it takes relies on the way you keep your bows And the way you shoot them in addition.
The 2nd factor viewed as in how much time does a compound bow previous is just how long does it basically keep a complete load. This issue is predicated on the idea that you get enormous draw power from it every time you utilize it. It's important for you personally to make sure that the attract power that you simply apply to it really is a minimum of equivalent to that of a completely loaded bow with an analogous draw pounds. You can reach this by practicing on an vacant compound bow along with on an entire-attract bow loaded with arrows. The test of chronograph as opposed to arrow is The ultimate way to gauge this.
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The third element is the quality of the string that you use for it. The components that happen to be accustomed to make your bowstring will determine how long does a compound bow string very last. You'll want to Get the strings from dependable companies to prevent acquiring faulty merchandise that won't give you the high quality that you just count on.
In answering the concern how long does a compound bow previous, the durability of its axle can be an important component. This aspect connects The pinnacle of your arrow to the rest of the shaft. Because of this, if this axle is damaged, the arrow will have issue in shooting straight. The top types of axle are produced from carbon or aluminum which provide the shaft plenty of toughness to resist impact as well as offer stability for a longer time.
The other point that you ought to look at when Finding out how much time does a compound bow previous is exactly how much drive it gets while in use. Most modern compound bows have stiffer shafts which decrease the level of wrist action that it activities even though in use. Moreover, some of them function more robust and heavier products earning them additional immune to impression at the same time. When picking an arrow, generally check for its stiffness to know how it responds to a sharp blow.
How much time does a compound bow lasts also is dependent upon how much time its string stays undamaged. Because the string is connected into the limbs, the string is checked for its durability employing a strain gauge. The gauge's numbers usually show how long it requires right before a string breaks immediately after pulling a string.
The final facet of a compound bow is its mechanical launch. A good a person really should have the ability to lock right after Just about every attract despite how hefty the string is pulling. Its lock really should be independent of just how long the string is getting pulled. The mechanical launch also determines just how long a compound bow will last because it determines how properly it may be used.
Taking suitable care of the compound bow is usually vital that you how much time it'll very last. Though the string is locked, it is actually very important that it's stored from tangling While using the limbs. This will likely be accomplished by thoroughly keeping the string employing a wrench on when you are taking it out and by hardly ever wrapping the string within the limbs in almost any way. Additionally, the string really should hardly ever be compelled far too much since this can cause breakage. And lastly, it is actually very important the string isn't subjected to really large temperatures considering the fact that This tends to influence its lifespan.
The final aspect to take into account when thinking about how long a bow will final is how very well it really is preserved. Most compound bows have an instruction manual or maybe a highlighted guarantee that information all routine maintenance processes. Preserving the string clean up and utilizing Exclusive cleansing components like compressed air to eliminate corrosion and mildew is essential on the longevity with the string and the bow by itself.
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Compound bows are truly great resources for archery since they allow their end users to shoot stronger and speedier than ever before ahead of. They also enable consumers to exercise with their expertise without worrying regarding how prolonged it is going to consider them to improve their muscles back or simply how much dollars they will have to expend For brand new bows. Taking right treatment of these and making certain they remain in very good form is the best way to get essentially the most Additional resources out of them also to get pleasure from them For many years to come back. These tips will make certain that your arrows usually do not quickly crack aside or do not halt Operating also rapidly, that is what most really serious archers attempt for.
How to Carry a compound bow
Learning how to hold a compound bow will not be generally a sure bet. On the other hand, Studying how to hold a compound bow does not have to generally be a disheartening knowledge. Should you understand how to carry a compound bow as part of your back again pocket, It'll be reasonably simple to get for the wilderness with no fatigue carrying your archery products. This article will deal with some practical recommendations and knowledge for carrying your compound bow and the proper approach for carrying your bow.
Prior to deciding to even try and find out how to carry a compound bow, you are going to want to make sure that you may have your products jointly. Very first you will have to acquire off your arrows or other shooting equipment, then you'll want to wrap up your coat or another substance that you are feeling at ease carrying with your arms uncovered. You should wrap the material up in the cloth so that it is not obvious by your coat, and It's also advisable to Guantee
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rawgardencarts56 · 3 years
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Health care Cannabis - The Debate Rages On
Cannabis is also recognized as pot, grass and weed but its formal title is in fact cannabis. It will come from the leaves and flowers of the plant Cannabis sativa. It is considered an illegal substance in the US and a lot of nations around the world and possession of marijuana is a criminal offense punishable by legislation. The Food and drug administration classifies marijuana as Plan I, substances which have a quite large possible for abuse and have no established medical use. In excess of the a long time numerous studies claim that some substances discovered in marijuana have medicinal use, specially in terminal illnesses this sort of as cancer and AIDS. This started out a intense debate more than the execs and cons of the use of healthcare marijuana. To settle this discussion,raw garden carts  the Institute of Medication published the popular 1999 IOM report entitled Cannabis and Drugs: Assessing the Science Foundation. The report was comprehensive but did not give a distinct reduce sure or no answer. The opposite camps of the health-related cannabis issue often cite element of the report in their advocacy arguments. Nevertheless, although the report clarified a lot of issues, it never ever settled the controversy once and for all. Let us seem at the concerns that assistance why healthcare marijuana should be legalized. (one) Cannabis is a normally occurring herb and has been used from South The us to Asia as an organic medication for millennia. In this day and age when the all organic and organic and natural are critical well being buzzwords, a by natural means taking place herb like cannabis might be a lot more desirable to and safer for buyers than artificial medicines. (two) Marijuana has robust therapeutic prospective. A number of scientific studies, as summarized in the IOM report, have noticed that cannabis can be utilised as analgesic, e.g. to handle discomfort. A handful of research confirmed that THC, a cannabis component is successful in managing chronic ache experienced by cancer sufferers. However, studies on acute discomfort this kind of as people skilled during surgical treatment and trauma have inconclusive reviews. A number of studies, also summarized in the IOM report, have demonstrated that some marijuana components have antiemetic properties and are, therefore, effective in opposition to nausea and vomiting, which are common aspect consequences of most cancers chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Some researchers are convinced that hashish has some therapeutic prospective from neurological ailments such as several sclerosis. Particular compounds extracted from cannabis have robust therapeutic prospective. Cannobidiol (CBD), a key ingredient of cannabis, has been revealed to have antipsychotic, anticancer and antioxidant homes. Other cannabinoids have been demonstrated to prevent substantial intraocular pressure (IOP), a key chance element for glaucoma. Medicines that contain energetic components existing in marijuana but have been synthetically made in the laboratory have been accepted by the US Fda. A single example is Marinol, an antiemetic agent indicated for nausea and vomiting associated with most cancers chemotherapy. Its lively component is dronabinol, a artificial delta-nine- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). (3) A single of the main proponents of medical marijuana is the Marijuana Plan Project (MPP), a US-based mostly firm. Numerous health care expert societies and businesses have expressed their assistance. As an example, The American School of Physicians, advisable a re-analysis of the Routine I classification of marijuana in their 2008 situation paper. ACP also expresses its powerful support for investigation into the therapeutic role of cannabis as nicely as exemption from federal criminal prosecution civil liability or expert sanctioning for doctors who prescribe or dispense health-related marijuana in accordance with state legislation. Likewise, defense from criminal or civil penalties for individuals who use health care marijuana as permitted underneath condition laws. (four) Health care cannabis is lawfully utilized in a lot of produced nations The argument of if they can do it, why not us? is yet another strong stage. Some nations, like Canada, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, and Finland have legalized the therapeutic use of marijuana beneath rigorous prescription management. Some states in the US are also enabling exemptions. Now below are the arguments from medical marijuana. (one) Deficiency of information on basic safety and efficacy. Drug regulation is based on basic safety first. The protection of marijuana and its components nevertheless has to 1st be established. Efficacy only comes next. Even if marijuana has some advantageous overall health consequences, the positive aspects need to outweigh the risks for it to be regarded for healthcare use. Except if marijuana is confirmed to be better (safer and far more powerful) than drugs at present obtainable in the market, its acceptance for health care use may be a long shot. According to the testimony of Robert J. Meyer of the Section of Well being and Human Services getting obtain to a drug or medical therapy, with out knowing how to use it or even if it is powerful, does not reward anybody. Simply getting entry, without getting basic safety, efficacy, and sufficient use data does not help patients. (2) Mysterious chemical factors. Health care cannabis can only be very easily obtainable and affordable in herbal kind. Like other herbs, marijuana falls underneath the class of botanical goods. Unpurified botanical goods, nevertheless, encounter several problems including lot-to-lot regularity, dosage perseverance, efficiency, shelf-life, and toxicity. In accordance to the IOM report if there is any long term of marijuana as a medicine, it lies in its isolated factors, the cannabinoids and their artificial derivatives. To fully characterize the diverse components of cannabis would price so much time and cash that the costs of the medicines that will arrive out of it would be too higher. At the moment, no pharmaceutical company appears interested in investing money to isolate much more therapeutic factors from marijuana over and above what is already available in the market. (three) Possible for abuse. Cannabis or hashish is addictive. It may not be as addictive as difficult medicines these kinds of as cocaine nevertheless it cannot be denied that there is a prospective for material abuse connected with marijuana. This has been demonstrated by a number of research as summarized in the IOM report. (4) Absence of a secure shipping technique. The most frequent form of supply of marijuana is by way of smoking cigarettes. Considering the existing traits in anti-smoking cigarettes legislations, this type of supply will in no way be authorized by wellness authorities. Reputable and protected delivery systems in the form of vaporizers, nebulizers, or inhalers are even now at the testing phase. (five) Symptom alleviation, not remedy. Even if cannabis has therapeutic consequences, it is only addressing the indicators of certain conditions. It does not take care of or heal these sicknesses. Provided that it is effective towards these signs, there are currently medicines offered which perform just as nicely or even greater, without the side effects and threat of abuse connected with cannabis. The 1999 IOM report could not settle the debate about health care cannabis with scientific evidence offered at that time. The report absolutely discouraged the use of smoked marijuana but gave a nod in direction of cannabis use by means of a health care inhaler or vaporizer. In addition, the report also recommended the compassionate use of marijuana below rigorous healthcare supervision. Moreover, it urged much more funding in the analysis of the protection and efficacy of cannabinoids. So what stands in the way of clarifying the questions brought up by the IOM report? The wellness authorities do not seem to be to be fascinated in having an additional assessment. There is minimal information offered and whatsoever is available is biased toward security problems on the adverse outcomes of smoked cannabis. Knowledge offered on efficacy largely appear from scientific studies on artificial cannabinoids (e.g. THC). This disparity in data helps make an goal chance-advantage assessment challenging. Medical scientific studies on marijuana are number of and tough to perform thanks to limited funding and rigorous regulations. Due to the fact of the difficult legalities associated, extremely few pharmaceutical businesses are investing in cannabinoid research. In several situations, it is not distinct how to define health-related cannabis as advocated and opposed by many teams. Does it only refer to the use of the botanical product cannabis or does it include synthetic cannabinoid factors (e.g. THC and derivatives) as properly? Synthetic cannabinoids (e.g. Marinol) obtainable in the market place are incredibly costly, pushing folks in direction of the far more reasonably priced cannabinoid in the sort of marijuana. Of training course, the problem is more clouded by conspiracy theories involving the pharmaceutical sector and drug regulators.
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betterhealthvalues · 4 years
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Health Care Reform - Why Are People So Worked Up?
Why are Americans so worked up about health care reform? Statements such as "don't touch my Medicare" or "everyone should have access to state of the art health care irrespective of cost" are in my opinion uninformed and visceral responses that indicate a poor understanding of our health care system's history, its current and future resources and the funding challenges that America faces going forward. While we all wonder how the health care system has reached what some refer to as a crisis stage. Let's try to take some of the emotion out of the debate by briefly examining how health care in this country emerged and how that has formed our thinking and culture about health care. With that as a foundation let's look at the pros and cons of the Obama administration health care reform proposals and let's look at the concepts put forth by the Republicans?
Access to state of the art health care services is something we can all agree would be a good thing for this country. Experiencing a serious illness is one of life's major challenges and to face it without the means to pay for it is positively frightening. But as we shall see, once we know the facts, we will find that achieving this goal will not be easy without our individual contribution.
These are the themes I will touch on to try to make some sense out of what is happening to American health care and the steps we can personally take to make things better.
A recent history of American health care - what has driven the costs so high?
Key elements of the Obama health care plan
The Republican view of health care - free market competition
Universal access to state of the art health care - a worthy goal but not easy to achieve
what can we do?
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First, let's get a little historical perspective on American health care. This is not intended to be an exhausted look into that history but it will give us an appreciation of how the health care system and our expectations for it developed. What drove costs higher and higher?
To begin, let's turn to the American civil war. In that war, dated tactics and the carnage inflicted by modern weapons of the era combined to cause ghastly results. Not generally known is that most of the deaths on both sides of that war were not the result of actual combat but to what happened after a battlefield wound was inflicted. To begin with, evacuation of the wounded moved at a snail's pace and this caused severe delays in treating the wounded. Secondly, many wounds were subjected to wound care, related surgeries and/or amputations of the affected limbs and this often resulted in the onset of massive infection. So you might survive a battle wound only to die at the hands of medical care providers who although well-intentioned, their interventions were often quite lethal. High death tolls can also be ascribed to everyday sicknesses and diseases in a time when no antibiotics existed. In total something like 600,000 deaths occurred from all causes, over 2% of the U.S. population at the time!
Let's skip to the first half of the 20th century for some additional perspective and to bring us up to more modern times. After the civil war there were steady improvements in American medicine in both the understanding and treatment of certain diseases, new surgical techniques and in physician education and training. But for the most part the best that doctors could offer their patients was a "wait and see" approach. Medicine could handle bone fractures and increasingly attempt risky surgeries (now largely performed in sterile surgical environments) but medicines were not yet available to handle serious illnesses. The majority of deaths remained the result of untreatable conditions such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, scarlet fever and measles and/or related complications. Doctors were increasingly aware of heart and vascular conditions, and cancer but they had almost nothing with which to treat these conditions.
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This very basic review of American medical history helps us to understand that until quite recently (around the 1950's) we had virtually no technologies with which to treat serious or even minor ailments. Here is a critical point we need to understand; "nothing to treat you with means that visits to the doctor if at all were relegated to emergencies so in such a scenario costs are curtailed. The simple fact is that there was little for doctors to offer and therefore virtually nothing to drive health care spending. A second factor holding down costs was that medical treatments that were provided were paid for out-of-pocket, meaning by way of an individuals personal resources. There was no such thing as health insurance and certainly not health insurance paid by an employer. Except for the very destitute who were lucky to find their way into a charity hospital, health care costs were the responsibility of the individual.
What does health care insurance have to do with health care costs? Its impact on health care costs has been, and remains to this day, absolutely enormous. When health insurance for individuals and families emerged as a means for corporations to escape wage freezes and to attract and retain employees after World War II, almost overnight a great pool of money became available to pay for health care. Money, as a result of the availability of billions of dollars from health insurance pools, encouraged an innovative America to increase medical research efforts. More Americans became insured not only through private, employer sponsored health insurance but through increased government funding that created Medicare and Medicaid (1965). In addition funding became available for expanded veterans health care benefits. Finding a cure for almost anything has consequently become very lucrative. This is also the primary reason for the vast array of treatments we have available today.
I do not wish to convey that medical innovations are a bad thing. Think of the tens of millions of lives that have been saved, extended, enhanced and made more productive as a result. But with a funding source grown to its current magnitude (hundreds of billions of dollars annually) upward pressure on health care costs are inevitable. Doctor's offer and most of us demand and get access to the latest available health care technology in the form of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic tools and surgical procedures. So the result is that there is more health care to spend our money on and until very recently most of us were insured and the costs were largely covered by a third-party (government, employers). Add an insatiable and unrealistic public demand for access and treatment and we have the "perfect storm" for higher and higher health care costs. And by and large the storm is only intensifying.
At this point, let's turn to the key questions that will lead us into a review and hopefully a better understanding of the health care reform proposals in the news today. Is the current trajectory of U.S. health care spending sustainable? Can America maintain its world competitiveness when 16%, heading for 20% of our gross national product is being spent on health care? What are the other industrialized countries spending on health care and is it even close to these numbers? When we add politics and an election year to the debate, information to help us answer these questions become critical. We need to spend some effort in understanding health care and sorting out how we think about it. Properly armed we can more intelligently determine whether certain health care proposals might solve or worsen some of these problems. What can be done about the challenges? How can we as individuals contribute to the solutions?
The Obama health care plan is complex for sure - I have never seen a health care plan that isn't. But through a variety of programs his plan attempts to deal with a) increasing the number of American that are covered by adequate insurance (almost 50 million are not), and b) managing costs in such a manner that quality and our access to health care is not adversely affected. Republicans seek to achieve these same basic and broad goals, but their approach is proposed as being more market driven than government driven. Let's look at what the Obama plan does to accomplish the two objectives above. Remember, by the way, that his plan was passed by congress, and begins to seriously kick-in starting in 2014. So this is the direction we are currently taking as we attempt to reform health care.
Through insurance exchanges and an expansion of Medicaid,the Obama plan dramatically expands the number of Americans that will be covered by health insurance.
To cover the cost of this expansion the plan requires everyone to have health insurance with a penalty to be paid if we don't comply. It will purportedly send money to the states to cover those individuals added to state-based Medicaid programs.
To cover the added costs there were a number of new taxes introduced, one being a 2.5% tax on new medical technologies and another increases taxes on interest and dividend income for wealthier Americans.
The Obama plan also uses concepts such as evidence-based medicine, accountable care organizations, comparative effectiveness research and reduced reimbursement to health care providers (doctors and hospitals) to control costs.
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The insurance mandate covered by points 1 and 2 above is a worthy goal and most industrialized countries outside of the U.S. provide "free" (paid for by rather high individual and corporate taxes) health care to most if not all of their citizens. It is important to note, however, that there are a number of restrictions for which many Americans would be culturally unprepared. Here is the primary controversial aspect of the Obama plan, the insurance mandate. The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided to hear arguments as to the constitutionality of the health insurance mandate as a result of a petition by 26 states attorney's general that congress exceeded its authority under the commerce clause of the U.S. constitution by passing this element of the plan. The problem is that if the Supreme Court should rule against the mandate, it is generally believed that the Obama plan as we know it is doomed. This is because its major goal of providing health insurance to all would be severely limited if not terminated altogether by such a decision.
As you would guess, the taxes covered by point 3 above are rather unpopular with those entities and individuals that have to pay them. Medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors and insurance companies all had to "give up" something that would either create new revenue or would reduce costs within their spheres of control. As an example, Stryker Corporation, a large medical device company, recently announced at least a 1,000 employee reduction in part to cover these new fees. This is being experienced by other medical device companies and pharmaceutical companies as well. The reduction in good paying jobs in these sectors and in the hospital sector may rise as former cost structures will have to be dealt with in order to accommodate the reduced rate of reimbursement to hospitals. Over the next ten years some estimates put the cost reductions to hospitals and physicians at half a trillion dollars and this will flow directly to and affect the companies that supply hospitals and doctors with the latest medical technologies. None of this is to say that efficiencies will not be realized by these changes or that other jobs will in turn be created but this will represent painful change for a while. It helps us to understand that health care reform does have an effect both positive and negative.
Finally, the Obama plan seeks to change the way medical decisions are made. While clinical and basic research underpins almost everything done in medicine today, doctors are creatures of habit like the rest of us and their training and day-to-day experiences dictate to a great extent how they go about diagnosing and treating our conditions. Enter the concept of evidence-based medicine and comparative effectiveness research. Both of these seek to develop and utilize data bases from electronic health records and other sources to give better and more timely information and feedback to physicians as to the outcomes and costs of the treatments they are providing. There is great waste in health care today, estimated at perhaps a third of an over 2 trillion dollar health care spend annually. Imagine the savings that are possible from a reduction in unnecessary test and procedures that do not compare favorably with health care interventions that are better documented as effective. Now the Republicans and others don't generally like these ideas as they tend to characterize them as "big government control" of your and my health care. But to be fair, regardless of their political persuasions, most people who understand health care at all, know that better data for the purposes described above will be crucial to getting health care efficiencies, patient safety and costs headed in the right direction.
A brief review of how Republicans and more conservative individuals think about health care reform. I believe they would agree that costs must come under control and that more, not fewer Americans should have access to health care regardless of their ability to pay. But the main difference is that these folks see market forces and competition as the way to creating the cost reductions and efficiencies we need. There are a number of ideas with regard to driving more competition among health insurance companies and health care providers (doctors and hospitals) so that the consumer would begin to drive cost down by the choices we make. This works in many sectors of our economy but this formula has shown that improvements are illusive when applied to health care. Primarily the problem is that health care choices are difficult even for those who understand it and are connected. The general population, however, is not so informed and besides we have all been brought up to "go to the doctor" when we feel it is necessary and we also have a cultural heritage that has engendered within most of us the feeling that health care is something that is just there and there really isn't any reason not to access it for whatever the reason and worse we all feel that there is nothing we can do to affect its costs to insure its availability to those with serious problems.
OK, this article was not intended to be an exhaustive study as I needed to keep it short in an attempt to hold my audience's attention and to leave some room for discussing what we can do contribute mightily to solving some of the problems. First we must understand that the dollars available for health care are not limitless. Any changes that are put in place to provide better insurance coverage and access to care will cost more. And somehow we have to find the revenues to pay for these changes. At the same time we have to pay less for medical treatments and procedures and do something to restrict the availability of unproven or poorly documented treatments as we are the highest cost health care system in the world and don't necessarily have the best results in terms of longevity or avoiding chronic diseases much earlier than necessary.
I believe that we need a revolutionary change in the way we think about health care, its availability, its costs and who pays for it. And if you think I am about to say we should arbitrarily and drastically reduce spending on health care you would be wrong. Here it is fellow citizens - health care spending needs to be preserved and protected for those who need it. And to free up these dollars those of us who don't need it or can delay it or avoid it need to act. First, we need to convince our politicians that this country needs sustained public education with regard to the value of preventive health strategies. This should be a top priority and it has worked to reduce the number of U.S. smokers for example. If prevention were to take hold, it is reasonable to assume that those needing health care for the myriad of life style engendered chronic diseases would decrease dramatically. Millions of Americans are experiencing these diseases far earlier than in decades past and much of this is due to poor life style choices. This change alone would free up plenty of money to handle the health care costs of those in dire need of treatment, whether due to an acute emergency or chronic condition.
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Let's go deeper on the first issue. Most of us refuse do something about implementing basic wellness strategies into our daily lives. We don't exercise but we offer a lot of excuses. We don't eat right but we offer a lot of excuses. We smoke and/or we drink alcohol to excess and we offer a lot of excuses as to why we can't do anything about managing these known to be destructive personal health habits. We don't take advantage of preventive health check-ups that look at blood pressure, cholesterol readings and body weight but we offer a lot of excuses. In short we neglect these things and the result is that we succumb much earlier than necessary to chronic diseases like heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure. We wind up accessing doctors for these and more routine matters because "health care is there" and somehow we think we have no responsibility for reducing our demand on it.
It is difficult for us to listen to these truths but easy to blame the sick. Maybe they should take better care of themselves! Well, that might be true or maybe they have a genetic condition and they have become among the unfortunate through absolutely no fault of their own. But the point is that you and I can implement personalized preventive disease measures as a way of dramatically improving health care access for others while reducing its costs. It is far better to be productive by doing something we can control then shifting the blame.
There are a huge number of free web sites available that can steer us to a more healthful life style. A soon as you can, "Google" "preventive health care strategies", look up your local hospital's web site and you will find more than enough help to get you started. Finally, there is a lot to think about here and I have tried to outline the challenges but also the very powerful effect we could have on preserving the best of America's health care system now and into the future. I am anxious to hear from you and until then - take charge and increase your chances for good health while making sure that health care is there when we need it.
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transcriptroopers · 5 years
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Why wouldn’t the military give u money to go to college if you join? That’s basically the selling point of recruiters at my school right now. It’s a very rural, middle class town. Even if u had good grades and were able to get into good colleges, no way would anyone be able to pay for it... unless you join the military, who promises to take up all expenses for college tuition.
Unfortunately, your story is the same as so many others, including my own. Based on your recruiter’s main selling point being free college, I’m willing to bet your town isn’t actually middle class, but working poor. The recruiters in your town know they’re facing hundreds of kids with no money and no options, which gives them a distinct bargaining tool. The shrinkage of the middle class is blurry subject now that anywhere between 50% and to 70% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, in a system where a modest emergency (
So for reference there are two types of G.I. Bills: the Montgomery G.I. Bill and the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. The differences between them are technical and tedious, but the bottom line is that the 9/11 one is newer (installed 2009 I believe) and gives more stipends for books and housing and such. So while you only get $20,000 in total for tuition, you could be receiving up to $2,000 more per month for housing and cost of living. Assuming you use up the G.I. bill in three years, that’s $72,000. Until recently, the Montgomery G.I. Bill expired after 10 years of leaving service and the Post 9/11 expired after 15 years. This made the G.I. Bill a “use it or lose it” benefit that could be rendered useless if you took too long. It’s easy to say you’ll use it right away as soon as you get out, but a 2015 poll by the Washington Post reported that half of veterans polled didn’t use their educational benefits. 50% of veterans appeared to just ... not take a free $92,000. Why?
The military really does break you in ways that are hard to describe. They aren’t offering you “free” college; they’re asking for a transaction. They want your body in exchange for an IOU. That sounds dramatic until you’ve actually been in the military and been broken down into an object the government owns. They make service sound fun and adventurous but don’t tell you we have significantly higher rates of murder, suicide, sexual assault, substance abuse, domestic abuse, and an absolute legion of mental and physical ailments, many of which don’t fully hit us until after we’ve left service, i.e. when the trauma-inducing environment is left, meaning... when you plan on going to college.
The articles that describe these symptoms act as if it’s because of the turmoils of war-torn heroes returning from the front lines; to quote this article, “These men and women stepped up and sacrificed to protect our country and population,” but that’s horse shit. The fact is that veterans develop life-long illness just from being in the military. Even those who never see combat, never see deployment and don’t complete their full service. 
This isn’t about “the war” damaging our veterans, it’s about the military itself being traumatic to its personnel. Kids in their twenties with chronic knee pain and slip discs. Eating, sleeping, and addiction disorders. Exposure to toxic waste, burn pits, and radiation. Rocketing rates of opioid abuse. I can’t stress enough that even if you pick the most boring, safest job in the military and barely even touch a weapon, you’re going to endure completely needless mistreatment and substantial risk to your health. 
Meaning, even if you only put in four years, you might not be physically or mentally able to start cashing in on your G.I. Bill. You can’t take classes part-time, not if you want all of your benefits. At least one of your classes must be in a physical classroom, unless you want your benefits cut. All of your classes must be pre-approved by the VA as being relevant to the major you declare upon activating your G.I. Bill, otherwise you will be responsible for the tuition. Should the VA be late to pay the tuition for your school, you are responsible for the amount and late fees. If you fail a class, you must pay the tuition cost yourself, and if you owe the school money, you can’t receive your benefits. 
To be quite honest, G.I. Bill fuckery is what started our slow decline to near  homelessness: my husband got a D in a class, which is a fail, so he had to pay for the class himself. We were in a tight financial spot, so we couldn’t pay back what he owed. Because we couldn’t pay for the class he failed, he couldn’t take more classes, so he couldn’t get more benefits, so we couldn’t afford to pay back what he owed, etc. I developed agoraphobia after leaving service and took the hit to my benefits to take only online classes. Unfortunately, there was some paperwork mistake at the VA with my G.I. Bill, and I was asked to come in to address it. Being agoraphobic and with my husband working full time, I delayed far too long until I got a letter saying that I was financially responsible for the online classes. When I couldn’t pay for them, I couldn’t take classes, thus I couldn’t get benefits, etc.
The “Forever GI Bill” signed in 2017 eliminated the time restrictions, which did seem to address some issues. They acknowledge that for whatever reason, veterans may not go to college right after leaving service, which saves a lot of benefits from simply expiring. But unsurprisingly, the VA has been struggling to implement the changes. Innumerable veterans report their payments being less than usual or worse: being late, or not arriving at all. There are government agencies that exist just to write emergency checks to veterans whose benefits are not working. The VA’s inefficiency has been a joke for decades and the last few years we’ve seen wave after wave of VA corruption and disorganization being brought to light for the first time. So even if you do successfully enroll in college after service, there’s no guarantee that your promised payments will be there.---
To succinctly answer your question, it’s hard to predict when you might suddenly lose access to the education benefits you sacrificed so much to get. But most of all, I think, you should not consider college to be something you should feel compelled to get at all costs. The finality of saying something like “a poor kid who couldn’t go to college otherwise” as if a life ends because of it... even highly qualified people with four year degrees struggle to find jobs. The idea that college is salvation from poverty is a lie that corporations, including the military, use to exploit children fresh out of school. 
And even if it were the salvation they say it is, it’s still not worth joining any branch of the U.S. Military. Not only because of how poorly you will be treated, but because your participation in an organization committing war crimes and human rights violations is not justifiable. I realize I’m a hypocrite for having this point of view as I too was a penniless kid who joined for money and college, but no individual’s upward mobility is worth serving what is rightfully a terrorist organization. 
- Kingsley
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imuktadul-blog · 4 years
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The Next Big Thing in Health Care Reform - Why Are People So Worked Up?
Why are Americans so aroused about health care reform? Statements like "don't touch my Medicare" or "everyone should have access to state of the art health care regardless of cost" are in my opinion uninformed and visceral responses that indicate a poor understanding of our health care system's history, its current and future resources and therefore the funding challenges that America faces going forward. While we all wonder how the health care system has reached what some ask as a crisis stage. Let's attempt to take a number of the emotion out of the talk by briefly examining how health care during this country emerged and the way that has formed our thinking and culture about health care. thereupon as a foundation let's check out the pros and cons of the Obama administration health care reform proposals and let's check out the concepts put forth by the Republicans?
Access to state of the art health care services are some things we will all agree would be an honest thing for this country. Experiencing a significant illness is one among life's major challenges and to face it without the means to buy it's positively frightening. But as we shall see, once we all know the facts, we'll find that achieving this goal won't be easy without our individual contribution.
These are the themes i will be able to touch on to undertake to form some sense out of what's happening to American health care and therefore the steps we will personally fancy make things better.
A recent history of yank health care - what has driven the prices so high? Key elements of the Obama health care plan The Republican view of health care - free market competition Universal access to state of the art health care - a worthy goal but tough to realize what can we do? First, let's get a touch historical perspective on American health care. this is often not intended to be an exhausted check out that history but it'll give us an appreciation of how the health care system and our expectations for it developed. What drove costs higher and higher?
To begin, let's address the American war . therein war, dated tactics and therefore the carnage inflicted by modern weapons of the age combined to cause ghastly results. Not generally known is that the majority of the deaths on each side of that war weren't the results of actual combat but to what happened after a battlefield wound was inflicted. to start with, evacuation of the wounded moved at a snail's pace and this caused severe delays in treating the wounded. Secondly, many wounds were subjected to wound care, related surgeries and/or amputations of the affected limbs and this often resulted within the onset of massive infection. So you would possibly survive a battle wound only to die at the hands of medical aid providers who although well-intentioned, their interventions were often quite lethal. High death tolls also can be ascribed to everyday sicknesses and diseases during a time when no antibiotics existed. In total something like 600,000 deaths occurred from all causes, over 2% of the U.S. population at the time!
Let's skip to the primary half the 20th century for a few additional perspective and to bring us up to more times . After the war there have been steady improvements in American medicine in both the understanding and treatment of certain diseases, new surgical techniques and in physician education and training. except for the foremost part the simplest that doctors could offer their patients was a "wait and see" approach. Medicine could handle bone fractures and increasingly attempt risky surgeries (now largely performed in sterile surgical environments) but medicines weren't yet available to handle serious illnesses. the bulk of deaths remained the results of untreatable conditions like tuberculosis, pneumonia, scarlatina and measles and/or related complications. Doctors were increasingly conscious of heart and vascular conditions, and cancer but that they had almost nothing with which to treat these conditions.
This very basic review of yank medical record helps us to know that until quite recently (around the 1950's) we had virtually no technologies with which to treat serious or maybe minor ailments. Here may be a juncture we'd like to understand; "nothing to treat you with means visits to the doctor if in the least were relegated to emergencies so in such a scenario costs are curtailed. the straightforward fact is that there was little for doctors to supply and thus virtually nothing to drive health care spending. A second factor holding down costs was that medical treatments that were provided were purchased out-of-pocket, meaning by way of an individuals personal resources. There was no such thing as insurance and positively not insurance paid by an employer. apart from the very destitute who were lucky to seek out their way into a charity hospital, health care costs were the responsibility of the individual.
What does health care insurance need to do with health care costs? Its impact on health care costs has been, and remains to the present day, absolutely enormous. When insurance for people and families emerged as a way for companies to flee wage freezes and to draw in and retain employees after war II, almost overnight an excellent pool of cash became available to buy health care. Money, as a results of the supply of billions of dollars from insurance pools, encouraged an innovative America to extend medical research efforts. More Americans became insured not only through private, employer sponsored insurance but through increased government funding that created Medicare and Medicaid (1965). additionally funding became available for expanded veterans health care benefits. Finding a cure for nearly anything has consequently become very lucrative. this is often also the first reason for the vast array of treatments we've available today.
I don't wish to convey that medical innovations are a nasty thing. consider the tens of many lives that are saved, extended, enhanced and made more productive as a result. But with a funding source grown to its current magnitude (hundreds of billions of dollars annually) upward pressure on health care costs are inevitable. Doctor's offer and most folks demand and obtain access to the newest available health care technology within the sort of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic tools and surgical procedures. therefore the result's that there's more health care to spend our money on and until very recently most folks were insured and therefore the costs were largely covered by a third-party (government, employers). Add an insatiable and unrealistic public demand for access and treatment and that we have the "perfect storm" for higher and better health care costs. And by and enormous the storm is merely intensifying.
At now , let's address the key questions which will lead us into a review and hopefully a far better understanding of the health care reform proposals within the news today. is that the current trajectory of U.S. health care spending sustainable? Can America maintain its world competitiveness when 16%, heading for 20% of our gross national product is being spent on health care? What are the opposite industrialized countries spending on health care and is it even on the brink of these numbers? once we add politics and an election year to the talk , information to assist us answer these questions become critical. we'd like to spend some effort in understanding health care and checking out how we expect about it. Properly armed we will more intelligently determine whether certain health care proposals might solve or worsen a number of these problems. What are often done about the challenges? How can we as individuals contribute to the solutions?
The Obama health care plan is complex needless to say - I even have never seen a health care plan that may not . But through a spread of programs his plan attempts to affect a) increasing the amount of yank that are covered by adequate insurance (almost 50 million are not), and b) managing costs in such a fashion that quality and our access to health care isn't adversely affected. Republicans seek to realize these same basic and broad goals, but their approach is proposed as being more market driven than government driven. Let's check out what the Obama plan does to accomplish the 2 objectives above. Remember, by the way, that his plan was gone by congress, and begins to significantly kick-in starting in 2014. So this is often the direction we are currently taking as we plan to reform health care.
Through insurance exchanges and an expansion of Medicaid,the Obama plan dramatically expands the amount of usa citizens which will be covered by insurance .
To cover the value of this expansion the plan requires everyone to possess insurance with a penalty to be paid if we do not comply. it'll purportedly send money to the states to hide those individuals added to state-based Medicaid programs.
To cover the added costs there have been variety of latest taxes introduced, one being a 2.5% tax on new medical technologies and another increases taxes on interest and dividend income for wealthier Americans.
The Obama plan also uses concepts like evidence-based medicine, accountable care organizations, comparative effectiveness research and reduced reimbursement to health care providers (doctors and hospitals) to regulate costs. The insurance mandate covered by points 1 and a couple of above may be a worthy goal and most industrialized countries outside of the U.S. provide "free" (paid for by rather high individual and company taxes) health care to most if not all of their citizens. it's important to notice , however, that there are variety of restrictions that many Americans would be culturally unprepared. Here is that the primary controversial aspect of the Obama plan, the insurance mandate. The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided to listen to arguments on the constitutionality of the insurance mandate as a results of a petition by 26 states attorney's general that congress exceeded its authority under the commerce clause of the U.S. constitution by passing this element of the plan. the matter is that if the Supreme Court should rule against the mandate, it's generally believed that the Obama plan as we all know it's doomed. this is often because its major goal of providing insurance to all or any would be severely limited if not terminated altogether by such a choice .
As you'd guess, the taxes covered by point 3 above are rather unpopular with those entities and individuals that need to pay them. Medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors and insurance companies all had to "give up" something that might either create new revenue or would scale back costs within their spheres of control. As an example, Stryker Corporation, an outsized medical device company, recently announced a minimum of a 1,000 employee reduction partially to hide these new fees. this is often being experienced by other medical device companies and pharmaceutical companies also . The reduction in good paying jobs within the se sectors and in the hospital sector may rise as former cost structures will need to be addressed so as to accommodate the reduced rate of reimbursement to hospitals. Over subsequent ten years some estimates put the value reductions to hospitals and physicians at half a trillion dollars and this may flow on to and affect the businesses that provide hospitals and doctors with the newest medical technologies. None of this is often to mention that efficiencies won't be realized by these changes or that other jobs will successively be created but this may represent painful change for a short time . It helps us to know that health care reform does have an impact both positive and negative.
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altabrisa2 · 4 years
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Benefits of Being a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
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That Financial Rewards Including a Company Car A career in pharmaceutical sales offers some of the best benefits and perks anyone may well ask for in a job. Typical starting salaries are in the low $30, 000s and established representatives can have base wages in the $90, 000s. Bonuses on top of that for high sales performers can easily push incomes into the six figure selection. But in addition to the money, there are numerous other attractive perks in pharmaceutical sales. One of the nicest perks that pharmaceutical business representatives enjoy is the use of recent model company cars. These are usually midsize sedans that are leased under an organisation fleet program. Some pharmaceutical companies even offer minivans to their sales forces and I've seen reps get sport utility vehicles as company cars too. Company car leases are usually short term with durations of a decade only so the sales representatives end up driving relatively new vehicles all the time. Once a company car's lease expires, that rep gets a new vehicle! All the maintenance costs such as tune ups, oil changes, gas and insurance are generally paid for by the company so basically the sales reps get to drive their cars for free (although for taxation intentions, the company's payroll department may report a taxable benefit for sales force staff). Some companies have been known to give vehicles that are near the end of lease terms for sale at significant market discounts. Representatives have been able to get relatively good condition used cars for other family members and friends at very attractive prices through such software programs. Some have even resold these vehicles on the used car market for a tiny profit. In addition to a company car, some sort of fda dmf list representative also has access to an expense account which enables him or her to entertain customers such as physicians on a company level whether it is for meals at nice restaurants or other for business social activities such as golf gathering or attending sporting events. Of course, the rep is expected to participate with their customers at these business social pursuits. The Freedom and Independence For those individuals who do not like the idea being stuck inside with an office job, a prescription drug sales position offers the opportunity to spend most working hours out in the field visiting customers like physicians, nursing staff and pharmacists. Pharmaceutical reps have the freedom to set and organize their own working schedules. No single day is exact same as different customers at different locations are visited each working day. Pharmaceutical sales involve a lot of independence, as being the pharmaceutical reps' bosses or district sales managers are usually not around 95% of the time. Therefore , there is nobody to help constantly look over your shoulder most of the time for this line of work. The Travel Opportunities Pharmaceutical companies usually conduct income meetings for their sales forces at nice locations, sometimes even at exotic foreign spots which give employees opportunities to travel at the companies' expense. Accommodations, meals and entertainment during these meetings are usually top notch. I've stayed with five star resorts, been on a Mediterranean cruise, took a sightseeing plane ride through the Grand Canyon, skied inside Rockies, attended live theatre in New York City, toured the ancient city of Pompeii and experienced many other exciting activities that were all paid for while working for pharmaceutical companies. There are also opportunities for pharmaceutical representatives to attend large professional medical conferences which are often held at nice locations as well. Some representatives have been able to bring along spouses, partners together with relatives to combine business trips with personal vacations. Again, all or a large part of the travel costs were now paid for by the company. I utilized company paid flights and extended some stays before or after corporation meetings for personal vacations. I was able to go scuba diving in the Egyptian Red Sea this way. I know reps which extended trips in Europe and the Caribbean in combination with company meetings. The Satisfaction of an Important Role in Healthcare Of course along with these perks, there are other factors involved in pharmaceutical sales which can be very satisfying. Pharmaceutical reps will be in a position to help educate doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical students about their drug products along with the associated medical ailments they treat. There is some great satisfaction when a medical professional tells you that your product has made a positive difference in a person's health, especially when the professional never used your product before your introduction of it to him or her. It would are generally your selling efforts that caused the doctor to change prescribing habits which ultimately helped treat the patients far better. This makes a pharmaceutical representative feel like an important part of the overall medical health care team. It's a good feeling really when one knows that he or she is part of a company responsible for bringing a much needed medical product to society.
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sharkcopper6-blog · 4 years
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Acquiring Beauty Companies Coming From Trusted Salons.
What Perform Beauty Parlor Offer?
Salon are actually fairly prevalent and many in urban areas throughout the planet. They are using numerous companies to individuals as well as it falls to the personal to make use all of them.
The best common services used by a beauty salon include manicures, pedicures, eye and makeup, as well as hair therapy. These services are actually offered at practical rates, as well as they could be comfortably gotten from the various salons that exist.
For those that perform certainly not possess really good hair, using a wig or a fabricated hair is fairly excruciating. This is actually why they go to salons in order to improve their hair troubles. They additionally see them so as to find a particular hair care item.
Nevertheless, possessing a hairless face would also be painful. This is why they need to go to beauty salons to get effective facials as well as tanning. It is really crucial for them to go with a good treatment to remove all the pigments that lead to white places in their skin.
Most people usually tend to see salons if you want to make use hair or even nail procedure. It is vital for the beauty salon to deliver all of them with these solutions as they will have the ability to get rid of the pigments.
Folks typically pay for additional money to salon as they are using several services. This is a benefit due to the fact that the service they are actually using is in fact extremely essential. If Salon-15 documentation carry out certainly not possess a great skin and also hair, you require to go to beauty salons if you want to look younger.
The kind of companies that beauty parlor deliver are actually quite varied. If you want to appear better, they have to use several treatments to enhance the ailment of their skin layer as well as hair. Lots of people check out salon for elegance therapy which is actually likewise called laser device hair extraction. This is actually a popular treatment among folks who intend to remove undesirable hairs on their physical body or in their face.
Although several salon provide facials as well as tanning therapies, it is crucial for them to offer premium massages too. They must likewise make use of oils that will rejuvenate their skin layer.
There are actually lots of people who possess different skin layer types. For that reason, they require to visit beauty parlors so as to observe if they have acne or not.
Organic cosmetics are actually extremely necessary as they offer nutrients to the skin as well as revitalize it. It is actually additionally crucial for salons to become capable to provide the necessary items for a charm therapy.
All these are crucial so as for folks to possess a gorgeous skin. Beauty salons should use the necessary products that people need if you want to remain younger as well as look healthy and balanced.
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What Perform Beauty Salons Offer?
Many men are enticed to the appearance of a healthy and balanced body, yet exactly how performs this very same attraction translate into health club as well as relaxation? This is an inquiry that has actually been talked to through numerous males considering the beauty and sensuality of a lifestyle along with healthy and balanced pores. A popular male fad has been actually found to be the choice of male facial shaving which provides males the odds to decrease the appeal of facial product lines, expand the pores and also take out the appearance of getting older and sun harm. It is certainly not unexpected at that point that our company have actually started to view even more individuals picking male face waxing procedures for their body and face skin layer.
Nonetheless there is actually one significant variable that numerous guys might not know. In the UK several beauty parlor will definitely use an easy men's waxing procedure as well as it performs not include a new look or even abdominoplasty. What most guys might be actually unaware of is actually that most of these treatments involve regimen visits to the very same body-shaping and also rejuvenating facial treatments.
The male physical body has more flexibility than the women body and also delivers an option to obtain tranquility and also wellbeing. Men's body system therapies can easily feature renewal procedures such as facial purifying or even facials. Along with the development of a stable of relaxing, revitalizing facial procedures these body types have been redefined, providing men a very exclusive and also customized spa expertise.
Massage treatment is actually another traditional therapy that delivers males a straightforward and incredibly relaxing health spas therapy. By supplying a variety of massage therapy techniques, you can offer guys along with a stable of perks consisting of an overall body massage therapy, targeted lip and also neck massage therapy, and relaxation from scalp to toe.
Men have been known to enjoy a basic massage therapy as aspect of their guys's treatment. The perks consist of a wide variety of results that include restoring lost electricity, lowering worry, alleviating discomfort, and also enriching relaxation.
Dimpled skin decline and also toning are one more place of issue for a lot of men. As men have a raised body fatty tissue portion, it is a quite usual complication, especially in the mid-section where cellulite is commonly found.
A lot of males recognize the value of staying away from body fat, but what few might recognize is actually that liposuction can likewise be actually used to decrease unappealing fats from the physical body. Liposuction surgery on guys, whilst uncomfortable, must not create lasting concerns.
Muscle mass toning is actually additionally a region of concern for numerous guys. If you have actually been blessed with a tough six-pack or even if you want to get a firmer stomach, you could desire to look at servicing your primary muscle mass.
Men possess various muscle kinds and also when exercising it is actually absolute best to combine all the muscular tissue teams for maximum perk. Extending, strength training and also power yoga are actually simply a number of the great physical body workouts on call for guys.
The massage therapy services given are actually a mixture of traditional chinese medicine, aromatherapy and bath therapy. These massage therapy therapies will definitely aid with relaxing and soothing the mind and body while delivering a pathway for a massage therapy to boost the hair follicles, skin layer, glands.
For a total health spas experience that supplies the pledge of tranquility and also wellbeing it is regularly required to choose a beauty shop that understands and provides the variety of various solutions that all guys need. Whilst I carry out not support purchasing an "pro" company when I can easily get results at home on my own, there are actually absolutely a number of health facility and beauty parlor specialist that understand what they are doing as well as are going to provide excellent quality as well as professional solution for a very affordable cost.
By keeping in mind words "encounter it - You need a face lift and also Tonics operate better than facials" our team may begin to comprehend the significant development our company have made around the world of males's care as well as face lifts. Our team should remain to pay attention to dealing with ourselves so as to appear our ideal and also preserve calmness and well-being.
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Hearing Loss Protocol Review
Hearing Loss Protocol Review
Do you want to hear clearly without wearing uncomfortable hearing aids? Worry not and take heart. There is a time-tested and proven way to make you hear naturally once more. Help is at hand to bring back your hearing abilities. Hearing Loss Protocol, an eBook containing an secret and all-natural ingredients cure for the problem through dietary modification and nutritional intervention through targeted vitamins and minerals is here. This eBook has been penned by Richard Mather who has himself regained his lost hearing through this effectively proven method.
Actually not just Richard Mather, this age-old and cheap secret formula-based cure has helped 96,623 people hear better once more. Without surgery, without medicines & without hearing aids. And now it could be your turn to get back the joys of hearing very naturally. Let’s know more about this wonderful eBook is and how it helps you regain your sense of hearing.
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What Actually Is Hearing Loss Protocol?
This is a 117-page downloadable eBook penned by Richard Mather (a pseudonym as the author does not wish to reveal his identity) who reversed his own hearing loss by using the age-old secret ingredients that’s actually a complete recipe or formula that you can prepare by using simple grocery store-bought food ingredients.
Actually this very detailed eBook offers a complete curative step by step program in a very user-friendly, easy to understand and easy to implement manner. Its basic premise is simple – give your ears all the nutrients they need and they will get back to working order and your hearing will see marked improvement.
It’s not just one secret ingredient, it’s a secret formula that has been kept secret until now. Now you can make this formula at home so you too can improve your hearing with this simple 3 weeks Hearing Loss Protocol program, naturally , without any help from hearing aids or surgery.
All you need to do is follow the instructions in the 3-week plan and you will be able to improve your hearing , even if your problems were caused, in some cases, by old age, loud noises, ear infections or a terrible accident.
How Does Hearing Loss Occurs And How Hearing Loss Protocol Helps?
To understand how hearing loss occurs, we first must understand how hearing happens.
The human ear is divided into three parts – outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. All three parts work to enable hearing.
The Outer Ear – also called the auricle or the pinna, it is visible from outside. Its job is to collect sound waves, channel these into ear canal for amplification by vibrating the eardrum, a membrane that separates outer ear from the middle ear.
The Middle Ear – When the eardrum vibrates, three very tiny bones named hammer, anvil and stirrup start vibrating that further amplifies the sound. The stirrup bone is attached to the joining portion between the middle ear and the inner ear.
The Inner Ear – The amplified sound waves then travel into the inner ear or the cochlea and vibrate the fluid therein. This moves the tiny hair cells in cochlea that convert these vibration into electrical impulses that then travel through the auditory nerve to the brain to be heard as specific sounds.
As we mentioned earlier, in the inner ear lay thousands of very tiny neural receptor cells called hair cells. These are called hair cells because these have little projections that look a bit like tiny hair sprouting. These hair cells receive more blood flow from the outer ear.
Excessive noise from traffic, industry, electronic media, personal media devices with headphones all contribute to inner ear hair cell damage and hearing loss.
As you can understand, if these hair cells were to get damaged, the brain will not receive enough signals that make it ‘listen and decipher what’s being said’.
This most common type of hearing loss afflicting as many as 80% of all such cases is called the sensorineural hearing loss which occurs when hair cells within the inner ear or cochlea get damaged. The damage to hair cells can be inflicted by exposure to high decibel noises, injuries, ailments, toxic drugs, or the most common cause, aging. As hair cells are essential for hearing, their absence weakens hearing.
This Hearing Loss Protocol special formulated diet rich in hair cell building nutrients repairs damaged cells in the inner ear and thus restores hearing.
Are There Any Precautions Or Contraindications To Hearing Loss Protocol?
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Tens of thousands of hearing ailment afflicted people have used this formula without any problems whatsoever and 96,623 have actually benefited by regaining their power to hear using Hearing Loss Protocol guide.
You prepare this ingredients yourself through store-bought everyday food ingredients so there is no risk involved. As this ingredients uses 100% natural food ingredients available from regular grocery stores, there are no precautions or contraindication to using it. Whatever you age or gender, whatever your health history, you can use it easily, comfortably and without any reservations at all.
The only precaution required here is that you should have no allergic history to any of the ingredients listed in the Hearing loss Protocol guide. Plus, you have to take the ingredients strictly as advised to get the best results.
Hearing Loss Protocol Pros And Cons :
Pros:
100% natural program. This e-guide advocates for use of natural ingredients and formulas to cure hearing loss.
Offers a safe approach to hearing loss.
No side effects associated with Hearing Loss Protocol, reason being because it is an all-natural ingredients.
It offers immediate (3 week) results. Once you have gone through the book, purchased the ingredients from a grocery store, and used them in as few as 17 days, you will be able to gain a crystal clear hearing.
An instant downloadable Pdf. Once your payment has been processed, you can now access your copy.
You are getting a 60 Day Money-Back Guarantee that protects your investment 24/7.
Cons:
This would not be an objective Hearing Loss Protocol Review if I never mentioned something about it being only accessible by people with internet connectivity. Since it is an online program which has to be downloaded first, internet connectivity is a must.
How And Where Is Hearing Loss Protocol Available?
The publisher of this amazing health boon of a book has not made it available in print so as to keep the production and distribution costs limited to keep the prices low and within affordability range of everyone. It is available only and only as a downloadable eBook.
Due to the company’s policy of not taking out paper print versions, the price is a very reasonable, and that too with a 60-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the eBook for any reason.
Log on to the site, make the payment and you will get an instant download link for your copy of the Hearing Loss Protocol eBook. You can then simply click and download it onto your home computer or laptop or tablet or smartphone to read at leisure and benefit from the formula in the privacy of your own home.
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mindmusicspirit · 4 years
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Sick, tired and broke...
While it took the coronavirus to get people to genuinely realise this : our healthcare system is trash when it truly doesn’t have to be.
That technically feels like the end of my Ted talk, but I’ll go into some slightly repetitive data about it, because what I ultimately discovered is that this healthcare system is costing the most financially and humanely for Millenials.
Let’s start out with 2019 when 137 million Americans faced financial hardship due to medical costs. Scary part is, regardless of age, high healthcare bills are the number one reason people would consider taking money out of their retirement accounts or filing for bankruptcy, while 66.5% of all personal bankruptcies are tied to medical issues. ( CNBC).
According to the NYTimes, Americans borrowed $88 billion in 2018 in order to pay for their healthcare. If we’re borrowing $88 billion to pay for healthcare, imagine the profit that these healthcare companies are enjoying!
Why is healthcare so expensive? The best answer I could find is due to a “free” market and lack of regulation by our government as well as a lack of transparency when it comes to medical billing. According to Public Health Policy Professor Marty Makary of John Hopkins, the healthcare marketplace is “irrational”-- though I prefer the term uncontrolled-- where price gouging has become the norm. Heart surgery at one hospital may cost $44,000 while the same surgery will cost $500K at another facility, and the kicker here is, despite the disparity in price, there is no marked difference between the quality of care in the different facilities (CNBC).
As for lack of transparency for medical billing, I can personally attest to that ( though clearly I’m not a unique case). Last year I was hospitalized at Tulane University Medical for Diabetic Ketoacidosis, brought on by food poisoning, and I received 3 seperate bills for that one stay. One bill was about $350, the second bill was for $2200 , and the third bill was for $14.99 with no thorough explanation about what I was being billed for ( no general explanation provided either). The bills were just medical coding with no legend of what the coding represented, leaving me angry and confused. How does one hospital stay, at one facility come with 3 seperate bills? Sad thing is, I had health insurance, and seeing as health insurance comes with deductibles and out of pocket limits, I figured those hospital bills hit that, at the very least. Apparently it did not for reasons not even the health insurance reps could explain to me. How do I spend $2500 out of pocket, when my limit is $1500, and you’re telling me that that $2500 doesn't count toward my out of pocket? A clear lack of transparency in not just medical billing, but health insurance as well.
The general high cost of medical care is another reason we’re just out here remaining sick and in debt: The average hospital stay in the US costs about $5220 per day, whereas in Australia where the nation's wealth is comparable to the US, it’s about $765 per day. It is not even hospital stays that are the initial causes/starting causes of medical debt either: 65% of medical debt started out with either diagnostic testing or a doctor’s visit followed by Lab fees, ER visits, drug prescription costs and outpatient services (SingleCare.com). Why would something/someone whose job it is to cure or heal you be what brings you into debt? Even more so, why does something as primary and preliminary such as diagnostic testing or seeing the doctor be the main cause of medical debt? We’re in debt before we can even know what’s ailing us? Drug prescriptions are no different either. About a month and a half ago I lost insulin vials and needed to get replacement vials from the pharmacy: I’ve never actually lost insulin before in my twenty years as a diabetic, so you think that my pristine record would count for something. It didn't. Health insurance was not going to cover it, and the cost of one vial was going to be $900. Keep in mind, one vial will last me about two weeks. Maybe three if I make sure to not eat. $900 is more than my half of rent to put that cost into perspective relative to my monthly bills, and it was only going to last me half the month. If prescription costs are that drastic, I can only imagine the average cost of the diagnostic or doctors visit that affect the 65% that fall into debt because of it.
In addition to costing us financially, high medical care and medical costs affect our quality of life and ability to accumulate wealth, especially Millennials. According to a 2016 study published by Health Affairs, Millennials carry the most medical debt in the US as well as incur it more frequently: the article focused more on the fact that the debt starts at the age of 27 once the medical care/insurance for young adults under their parents insurance ends at age 26. The age group that ended up accumulating the most debt was also age 27 ( PBS.org) The Millenial age group also accounts for 35% of the overall population, so that could be another reason why we hold the most medical debt as well ( Single Care).
Quality of life is also affected in that Americans are foregoing medical treatment or medical visits due to cost. In fact, 21% of Americans had to do that in 2016 alone. That is 21% of people not getting the necessary healing treatment they need, or living in the dark of what’s ailing them.
32% have postponed medical care due to cost. When I hear “postpone”, I assume that the only reason they end up getting medical care is because their ailment got worse or to a point where they couldn’t avoid not getting the medical care that they needed.
40% of adults ages 18-64 have relied on at home remedies or over the counter drugs instead of going to the doctor due to medical cost ( Singlecare.org)
I have fallen into all 3 categories: In fact, once , in order to avoid a hospital visit, I treated my own onset of ketoacidosis. For those of you not sure what that entails, it basically includes taking my insulin through my veins as opposed to subcutaneously ( injecting my arm or stomach) while avoiding any liquids or food, including water for at least 24 hours. The reason you have to do that is because your body’s acid level is falling to a dangerous level so it won’t react to insulin being delivered into your fat stores or beneath the skin: It has to be delivered directly to your bloodstream to have an effect. This acidity level will also cause your blood sugar to rise to dangerous levels, and potentially even lead to a heart attack if not treated in a timely manner.The low acidity level is also why the body won’t tolerate any food or liquid, as it tries to purge every possible foreigner from the body in order to normalize its pH level. Imagine not being able to drink water without violently vomiting it up. So there I was at home, a young twenty year old, injecting insulin into my veins, every hour for at least twenty four hours, until my body was on the mend again. I had to be my own doctor in order to avoid a $2k-$3k plus bill that I knew I couldn’t afford. Was it risky? Yes. But, I was forced to be concerned not only for my life but for my financial well being simultaneously. Sad fact of the matter is, I’m confident that I’m not the only type 1 diabetic with a story like that, and I’m not the first to have to weigh my life versus my finances.
In order to pay for medical costs:
53% work out payment plans with their provider. That’s probably the best option, although it ends up being one more bill to add to the list at the end of the month. I’m still paying off that $2500 hospital bill I previously mentioned.
37% have had to borrow money from family or friends
34% have increased their credit card debt
70% say they cut back spending on food, clothing, or other basic household items.
41% say they took an extra job or worked more hours.
59% say they used up most or all of their savings.
35% say they have been unable to pay for basic necessities like food, heat, or housing. (Singlecare.org)
The statistics at the bottom are exceptionally high and staggering. 70% have to cut back on basic household items/comforts in order to pay medical bills: Is it really a succesful or efficient healthcare system if you have to choose between food or medicine?
In addition to our quality of life/quality of health being impacted, I mentioned our ability to accumulate wealth, which for Millenials have proven more difficult than prior generations: According to Caroline Ratcliffe, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute who studies asset building and poverty, wealth is stagnating for younger generations compared to their parents and grandparents. For people under 40 years old: their wealth has only inched up compared to their parents in the 1980’s, and many factors affect that: Credit cards ( see prior posted article on credit card debt), Student loans ( future article) and of course medical debt:
When one in six Americans have past due medical bills on their credit report, it affects their ability to secure a good interest rate on a home or auto loan. ( PBS.org) We’re constantly told how real estate is one of the best ways to accumulate wealth, yet these unnecessary and predatory forms of debt make it harder for us to do so. A lot of these past due bills average about $600(CNBC), but when most of us have credit card bills, monthly living expenses, student loans, and living paycheck to paycheck, how easy is it to pay $600, realistically?
The additional injury to injury ( because we’re long past insults to injury), is the fact that medical care is slated to become even more expensive. It’s expected to hit $6 trillion by year 2027, and it’s already 2020!
When individuals, the federal and state government, and private business seem to share an equal balance of overall medical expenditures ( be it through medicare, the cost of employee covered insurance etc etc), why then would medical costs go up?
It goes back to the beginning of the article, where we pointed out how unchecked the healthcare industry is. Despite the fancy words and round about explanations we may get from lobbyists and those in healthcare, in addition to being gaslit by them that rising costs are unavoidable, it most certainly is avoidable.
Don't forget, compared to other countries that have comparable wealth to us, everything is more expensive here in the US, and there doesn’t seem to be a disparity in the actual quality of care. For example, the total health spending per capita is 84.8% more expensive in the US than in Canada.
In America, they perform 322 C-sections for every 1000 live births, which average a cost of $16,000. In the UK, it’s 264 C-sections per 1000 live births with an average cost of $6k.
An MRI averages about $1115 in America, yet averages to about $215 in Australia. (Singlecare.com).
These countries are comparable in wealth to us, so is affordable and universal health care really that far fetched or radical of an idea in America? Especially when it’s driving such a staggering amount of people into debt? The answer is NO. Based on the medical cost and quality in other countries, not only is it possible, but easy to make it affordable and universal. There are so many different models that are currently working that we can choose from to emulate even.
Health insurance, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies need to be governed or regulated here in the US. Otherwise, the health care system is just another player in the systemic debt traps that seem to be set for the poorer masses, and it’s a problem that’s only projected to get worse, especially for Millenials. It’s grossly affecting our overall quality of life and ability to generate wealth. These statistics show that while the sick get sicker and entrapped by debt, the healthcare industry and those at the top will benefit the most financially from our plight. This current system is neither logical, nor sustainable for the masses, the greater good, or for the economy.
What ever happened to the Hippocratic oath to do no harm?
References:
137 Million Americans are struggling with medical debt. Here’s what to know if you need some relief.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/10/americans-are-drowning-in-medical-debt-what-to-know-if-you-need-help.html
2020 Medical Debt Statistics
https://www.singlecare.com/blog/medical-debt-statistics/
Millennials rack up the most Medical Debt and most frequently.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/millennials-rack-up-the-most-medical-debt-and-more-frequently
Americans borrowed $88 billion to pay for healthcare last year, survey finds
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/health/americans-health-care-debt-borrowing.html
Survey: 79
million Americans have problems with Medical Bills or debt.
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletter-article/survey-79-million-americans-have-problems-medical-bills-or-debt
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1-1snailxd-art · 5 years
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Libraries are for Meetings
Master List --- Chapter 1 
Chapter 2 - The Librarian in the Closet 
Warnings: mild panic
Summary:  Logan wants to repay Virgil for his help with the laptop.
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Virgil had been at the library for three months, and in that three months it had never occurred to him that Roman was gay. Heat rose to Virgil’s cheeks as he pictured Roman dancing in the library, and he shook his head to erase the thoughts.
“Are you ok, Virgil?” Logan questioned, watching the other jolt out of their thoughts.
“Ah, I’m fine. A tad overloaded, but fine.” Virgil turned to check on the computers progress, eager to return to some normality after recent events. “It’ll take around 20 minutes for the files to finish copying. You’re welcome to use the kitchen at the back to make yourself something to drink while you wait. I’ve gotta get back to work.”
 Virgil left the office, expecting Logan to head towards the back, so he was surprised to sense the man still following him.
“Um, the kitchen is that way.” He gestured to the room behind the reading area, but Logan shook his head.
“I would feel terrible if I were to sit and relax while you work. I did distract you from your usual tasks. Allow me to help.”
“That isn’t necessary,” Virgil started busying himself by searching through books on a random shelf. “I can handle everything. Tuesday’s are quiet and I can’t start the actual cleaning for another 40 minutes when the library officially closes.”
“Oh, well, um…” Logan knew nothing about the role of a librarian and didn’t want to cause any more trouble for Virgil. “Would you like something to drink while I’m back there?”
“Coffee, please. Black.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
   Logan turned towards the kitchen, pausing in the reading area to lay his lab coat on the couch before continuing. Finally alone, Virgil lent on a support beam and allowed himself to relax. His hands trembled slightly, and he closed his eyes to try and steady his suddenly irregular breathing. In the span of 20 minutes he had gone from preparing to defend an acquaintance from a vicious deviant, to salvaging a ruined laptops data, to watching a friendship crumble before him. That was a lot of social events for one person to deal with in a short time span.
 ********************
 The kitchen was set out for basic communal use. The fridge was covered in notices about an honesty system and ensuring money was deposited in the jar to cover the cost of what was used. Logan opened a cupboard to retrieve two mugs and set to making two cups of instant coffee. Curiosity itched at Logan, and he found himself opening and inspecting the contents of all the cupboards. Plates, platters, cutlery. The kitchen was clearly capable of presenting a large array of foods, though none could be cooked without a stove or oven. In the final cupboard, Logan was shocked to find a collection of old phone books.
“Odd place to store these.” Logan whispered aloud as he pulled one of the books out to inspect it.
He was shocked to find the space behind the books was full of instant noodles, granola bars and biscuits. Logan’s mind ticked over as he recalled the items in the office. Suddenly the number of boxes of materials and duffel bags in Virgil’s office appeared suspicious, and the hidden food had Logan questioning. He knew Katie and she was not the sort to eat food like that. Returning the book, Logan finished making the coffees and headed back to find Virgil.
 “Virgil?” Pausing at the main desk, Logan was surprised to see the librarian on the floor behind the desk. “What is going on?”
Virgil had been so focused on trying to maintain control of his breathing, that he hadn’t heard Logan approach him.
“You’re shaking.” Logan dug into his jean pocket and pulled out a roll of candies. “Here, take one of these. I’ve found sugar helps in cases of many ailments, and I think it applies to your case.”
Gratefully taking the candies, Virgil felt his cheeks heating as he realised how close Logan was to him.
“Ahem, thanks.” Keeping his gaze low, Virgil tentatively stretched before attempting to stand.
“Was that a result of the overload you mentioned earlier, or something else?”
Virgil stared up at Logan before turning away, shaking his head and taking a sip of his coffee. “It’s nothing.”
“You’re a skilled person, Virgil, but lying isn’t one of your skills unfortunately.” Logan made no attempt to move as he watched Virgil’s back, carefully reading his body language. “Is there any way I could assist you with your predicament?”
 Virgil almost choked on his coffee at Logan’s words.
“What are you talking about? Why do you care? You don’t even know me?”
The words came out harsher than he had intended, and Virgil was glad he still had his back to Logan.
“I understand that my earlier behaviour may have led you to believe otherwise, but I am a rather caring person. You come across as the sort of person who gives plenty to others and expects very little in return, which is what has led to your cur-“
“Stop. Please, just stop.” Virgil pushed away from the desk and headed back into the aisles of the library.
 Logan didn’t follow. He merely watched the young man as he wondered the aisles, finding all manner of jobs to distract himself. It was like looking in a mirror, only when Logan had been avoiding all manner of help, he was younger than what Virgil was now. Taking a page from Patton’s book, Logan sat back and gave Virgil his space to process.
 ********************
 Finally, a clock chimed, marking the closure of the library. Virgil jumped at the sound, realising that time had slipped away from him. After locking the front door, he headed back to his office to collect the USB for Logan.
The sound of a vacuum starting had Virgil scrambling to grab the USB as it jumped from his hand. Exiting the office, he found Logan was in the process of vacuuming the reading area.
“What on earth are you doing?” Virgil called over the sound.
Logan looked back and smiled at Virgil before returning to his work, until the vacuums power plug was pulled, and the library was plunged back into silence.
 “Well that was incredibly rude,” Logan remarked, “I was working.”
“A, you don’t work here and B, here’s your USB.” Virgil tossed the drive to Logan and pointed towards the door. “You can go now.”
“Oh, I’m not going anywhere. I still have to repay you for your efforts.”
“You’ve already paid me. I asked you not to dissect anyone and you haven’t.”
“A service deserves payment. So, allow me to pay you, Virgil.”
 “Logan? It’s great to see you.” Katie’s voice echoed from the front of the library as she locked the door and headed towards where Logan and Virgil were.
“Always a pleasure to see you too, Katie. How’s the main library?”
“Back on track now. Thanks for taking over, Virgil, but I can take it from here. You’re free to go home now.”
It suddenly occurred to Virgil that with Katie staying back to clean, he wouldn’t be able to stay, and he hadn’t arranged to stay with anyone else.
“Oh, um, yeah. Thanks, Katie.” He quickly went back to his office to start packing his things and make a plan for the evening.
 “Roman filled me in on the afternoons events,” Katie commented as she took the vacuum from Logan’s hand. “Honestly, Lo, don’t you think you went a little overboard.”
“Considering my general demeanour, it would appear so, but I assure you it was entirely justified.”
“Sure, it was, sweetie. So, what do you think of Virgil?”
“What do you mean?” Logan squinted at Katie in confusion as he took in her mischievous look.
“You missed out on Professor Keils extra tutorial to hang out in a library. You’ve never missed a lecture or tutorial for anyone. So, what do you think of Virgil?”
 Logan was at a loss for words as he considered why he had stayed with Virgil. He needed the data from his laptop, that was important, but he didn’t have to stay to retrieve it. He could have gone to the tutorial and come back later to collect his things, there was no reason to stay. So why had he?
“I think he… is lost.”
“Sound familiar.” Katie smiled and pulled Logan into a hug. “I’ve given Virgil space, but I think he needs someone to give him guidance.”
“I hardly know him, and he sees me as a stranger.”
“Jason hardly knew you.”
“That was different. We were younger and Jason was-“ Logan choked on his words thinking of the person he had lost.
“Don’t over think it, Lo. Just act.”
 “See you tomorrow, Katie.” Virgil called from the front as he left.
Logan looked down at Katie, who nudged her head to the side and mouthed “go”.
“You are a very manipulative and quick-witted woman.”
After planting a kiss of thanks on Katie’s forehead, Logan grabbed his coat and rushed out the door to catch up with Virgil.
 “You’d be proud of him, Jason.” Katie spoke to the echoes of the empty library. “Admittedly, you would also be jealous, and a little concerned at how he reacted, but proud nonetheless.”
 ********************
 Pulling his hood up to block out the evening breeze, Virgil headed down the road; his mind ticking through his possible options for the evening. So far, his best option was to find a place to chill until Katie finished at the library so he could return to do his usual process. The reading area couch wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but it was better than any outdoor options.
 “Virgil!”
Logan’s voice snapped Virgil out of his thoughts, and he turned to see the man jogging towards him.
“You have a very swift walking pace,” he noted, quickly catching up to where Virgil had paused. “I never expected you to be so far away.”
“What happened to cleaning the library?” Virgil questioned, adjusting the straps of his backpack and duffel bag. 
“A, I don’t work there and B, I was only cleaning to repay you.” Logan mimicked Virgil’s earlier body language and noticed the slight smile pulling at the other's cheeks. “Can’t repay you if you aren’t there, so allow me to treat you to dinner instead.”
“Wha-What?” The duffel slipped off Virgil’s shoulder and hit the ground with a soft thud.
“Dinner.” Logan replied, reaching down to pick up Virgil’s bag, “The meal you eat in the evening.”
“I-I know what dinner is but-“
“Well then, let’s go. My car is on the other side of the University; it will be necessary to take you to make favourite restaurant.”
 Patton wouldn’t approve of Logan’s methods; talking over Virgil and forcing the man to follow him as he walked away with his bag. Initially, Virgil didn’t move, stunned into silence, but he soon found his feet and was following Logan towards the University. The pair walked in silence, Logan slightly ahead and Virgil a step behind and trying to work out what Logan’s endgame was. He couldn’t work the man out and he seemed to be going to a lot of effort over repaying him for a simple data transfer.
Slipping his phone out of his pocket, Virgil quickly typed out a message to Katie.
 Virge: spill. What is this guys deal?
Reelest: what ever do you mean?
Virge: Im serious. Im currently walking the streets with a guy who was threatening to dissect someone earlier today.
Reelest: Logan is harmless.
Virge: what is his fascination with repaying me.
Reelest: you just saved months worth of research for him. He’s grateful. Let someone do something for you for a change.
Virge: I don’t know how I feel about this, Katie. This is all just so weird.
Reelest: trust me, Sparks. Logan is a good guy. Relax and enjoy yourself. I expect pictures and for you to fill me in tomorrow.
Virge: you’re acting like this is a date. This isn’t a date!
 Virgil sent the message but felt his breath catch in his throat. His mind raced with cruel thoughts and memories. The vibration of his phone pulled him back to the present, and he gasped; realising he had stopped breathing altogether.
 “Are you ok back there?” Logan questioned, realising that Virgil had fallen more than a few steps behind.
“Um,” Virgil quickly cleared his throat and pulled his hood down to hide his face. “I’m fine. I was just distracted by my phone.”
“Well, we are almost there. Sorry I parked so far away.”
“No worries, it’s fine.”
Virgil looked down at the message in his phone and felt confusingly calmer.
  Reelest : don’t worry. Logan doesn’t date. I still want all the details though.
 ********************
 "Um, isn't the car park that way?" questioned Virgil, as Logan suddenly veered towards a nearby building.
"I need to collect my bag from the lab."
Pulling a keycard from his pocket, Logan let himself into the building and stepped inside; letting the door swing back to Virgil's outstretched hand. Virgil remained nervously in the entry as his mind reminded him of the furious man he had met hours earlier. He couldn't shake the feeling that he would do something wrong and make Logan just as mad at him.
 Peering over his shoulder, Logan noticed Virgil's hesitation and decided not to push him to follow. His footsteps echoed through the halls as he headed up the stairs and swiped his card again to enter the first room on his left.
Sighing, Logan stood in the doorway and took in the mess that he and Patton had left behind. A microscope was still set up on a bench with a box of slides set out, Logan's notebook hadn't moved from where it had been laid open and was thankfully safe from the pool of coffee that had spread from a fallen mug. Wiping his hand down his face, Logan groaned at the reminder that he would have to clear the lab to ensure his access wouldn't be revoked.
 "Honestly," Virgil suddenly appeared behind Logan, "I expected it to be worse."
Logan chuckled, "It seemed a lot worse to me at the time."
"Care to point me in the direction of a cloth or something. Cleaning is kind of what I do."
"No." Logan started walking to the storeroom to collect some supplies, "I'm the one repaying you, remember?"
Shrugging, Virgil hoisted himself up onto another bench and looked down at the laptop power cable snaked across the floor.
"I'm guessing Patton pulled your laptop down by the power cord?"
"Precisely," Returning, Logan dumped a handful of paper towel on the coffee spill to soak the liquid up. "He was practicing some dance Roman had taught him when his foot snagged on the cord. I can't count the number of times I've told him labs weren't a place for dancing."
 “I imagine he’s not as graceful as Roman.”
Logan chuckled, “No, he isn’t. You watch Roman dance often?”
“Yea-no. Not rea-. Well…” Virgil stumbled over his words, thankful that Logan’s back was too him. “I usually -um- only see the end when I’m shutting up the library. I don’t, like, watch him or anything.”
 Logan nodded and took no more than a side glance at Virgil. The man was on edge, barely able to keep still and there was a slight blush to his cheeks. He recognised that look and that talk. It was painfully familiar.
‘Katie said he needed guidance. Perhaps it is in more areas than I thought.’
Returning the microscope to the cupboard, Logan turned to find Virgil had packed his notebook and slides in his bag and was using a cloth to wipe the bench top down with disinfectant.
“You didn’t have to do that,” he commented, taking the supplies out of Virgil’s hands to return them.
“Annoying, isn’t it,” Virgil gave Logan a smug smile and picked up his backpack and duffel. “Can we get this dinner over with now so that we are all squared up.”
“Aren’t you enjoying my company?”
“No offence, or anything,” Virgil was working hard to come across as nonchalant and hide his true feelings. “I don’t enjoy the company of people in general.”
“Relatable.”
 Logan strode out of the lab, leaving Virgil lingering alone for a moment.
‘Who on earth is this guy?’
Virgil had never experienced anyone quite like Logan. It didn’t make sense that he could be irrationally emotional and quick witted one second, and then deadly serious the next. As Virgil caught up and continued to follow Logan out towards the carpark, he considered the way he was presenting himself.
‘Mentally unstable, antisocial, loner, computer freak. Why hasn’t this dude run for the hills yet?’
 “Here’s my car”
The lights of a scratched-up Honda Civic flashed as Logan unlocked the car. Considering how professional Logan came across, Virgil had pictured a modern, well-kept car. The grey machine before him was anything but well kept.
“You can put your stuff in the boot if you want.” Logan offered, placing his own bag in and walking around to the driver’s side.
Slamming the boot shut, Virgil slid into the passenger seat just and the engine spluttered to life.
 ********************
 “So where is this elusive restaurant?” Virgil asked, glancing over and noticing how the streetlights reflected on Logan’s glasses.
“It’s on the east side. Considering how quiet it is on the roads right now, we should be there in 10 minutes.”
Virgil paled slightly, realising he would have to make the journey back to the library later. He only hoped the weather was on his side.
“I will of course be able to drop you back at your place afterwards,” offered Logan, quickly sensing Virgil’s discomfort. “I wouldn’t whisk you away and then expect you to find your own way back.”
“Oh, no. That’s fine. You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. But I will.”
 Virgil turned to stare out the window, reassessing his plans. He couldn’t get Logan to drop him off at the library; that would scream “I’m homeless and illegally living where I work.” He instead settled on using his old address; it was only a 5 minute walk to the library from there.
 For some, the silence of the drive would have been uncomfortable, but both Logan and Virgil found it comforting. They each had their own thoughts to process. Virgil focused on his housing dilemma and trying to understand Logan’s motives. While Logan on the other hand, was thinking about what Katie expected him to do and wondering how Patton was. The two were so different and yet shared much in common. Logan was starting to see it, but it would take time for Virgil to feel the same.
____________________________________________
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Let me know if you have any feedback, questions or concerns. 
💜🐌
____________________________________________
Chapter 3   ---  Master List
What else have I done:
The Perfect Ring (oneshot - analogical proposal)
You Promised (oneshot - prinxiety angst/injury/near death) 
Sides of a Hero (Completed Fic - sides are fusions of impulses and aspects of Thomas. Virgil has a depressing past that he is forced to face thanks to Deceit and Rage. Was canon compliant at the time of completion)
The Shield to your Sword (WIP - A fantasy/magic au - Prinxiety (Royal Roman and orphan Virgil - they’ll admit to their love eventually), Virgil angst, non binary, healer Logan, *spoiler* Patton) 
Check out my other blog for random fandom reblogs and stuff @snail-giggles
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saguusa · 5 years
Text
Medicare for All vs Medicare for All
Yeah, that's right. Andrew Yang is still running on Medicare for All. There's a lot of flak for it and I totally understand why.
Here's the deal. Medicare for All is the original intent of Medicare. We've been fighting for it since we first passed it over 50 years ago. It's not a recent thing, and to pretend that it is, is very dismissive and rude to the generations of progressive advocates that have been fighting for Medicare for All until this point.
That means, no it's not Bernie's bill. It's our bill and I think Bernie could have done a better job at addressing the real problems of our Healthcare system.
So what's broken?
Gosh what isn't broken? The first thing is how we compensate Doctors in US. It's dumb, inefficient, and most of the problems with the system we have today is thanks to attempts to fix the original system.
Traditional Medicare
Traditional Medicare has a major issue in that its expensive. When you go to the doctor, they make a claim with insurance. Traditional Medicare approves most claims. That sounds good, but there are a lot of bad things attached to it.
Medical providers (the entire practice/clinic/hostpital/etc) are compensated per procedure. This is called the fee-for-service payment model. This sounds cool, except it just incentivises providers to recommend as many procedures as possible. They're paid better per procedure done, not per healthy patient, not for quality outcomes, not for improvements or failures, just per procedure done.
This is bad, as providers go for the carrot, and the carrot is to recommend a fuck ton of procedures. So they recommend a fuck ton of procedures. This makes providers happy, but insurance sad. Primarily Medicare.
Medicare Advantage
So how did we fix this? Well, we created Medicare Advantage and created an alternate model of accepting claims. We decided that the best option to cut costs was to cut down on the procedures that providers recommend. We started to determine if claims were "Medically Necessary."
Sounds good, and I agree with the spirit of what they were trying to do, I don't like the results. In fact most problems people have with private insurance companies stem from this stupid little term.
Determining if procedures are "Medically Necessary" is where we started to deny claims for an array of reasons. It was now insurances job to determine how a patient was to be treated, what was the schedule to proper health for the patient. It was the job for insurance to determine whether if they should pay for a claim that was improperly coded. It was time to be overly scrupulous for every claim that comes in and start to deny claims.
Medicare Advantage achieves its goal of being cheaper, and it's downside is the Healthcare system we have today. It makes insurance happy and providers sad.
Traditional vs Advantage
So now you see these two Medicare systems. One is expensive because it pays for every procedure. The other saves money by denying claims and passing on costs to either the provider or patient.
Bernie's Medicare for All retains language under Article II to deny claims under the fee-for-service payment model.
If Medicare for All is closer to Traditional Medicare and claims aren't denied your taxes will go up each year to compensate for all the additional procedures providers recommend if Bernie plans to have a system more like Traditional Medicare which his language is closer to. This means Biden's argument (though not the number) that it would be expensive to implement it is unfortunately true. That's a gross feeling in my mouth to say that.
If Medicare of All is closer to Medicare advantage as is what is in the text for Bernie's bill, and as such that he's boasting a governmental cost savings (yes you technically save with admin too, we'll get into that later as well). Then claims will be denied and we'll have a system much closer to what we have now, and Medicare will be the only option with single payer to top it off.
Can we find a happy medium? Maybe? I mean what would that look like? Are we going to deny every other claim? Create a lottery for accepted claims? That's what it would basically be if we "adjust" the level of how scrupulous we are with "Medically Necessary" claims. This all comes down to the fee-for-service payment model. Either way, the medium fucking sucks and Bernie isn't clear where his medium will be. I'm disappointed with that, but I'm even more disappointed well be keeping fee-for-service.
Fee-For-Service
This is the payment model I was talking about earlier. It's how most providers are compensated (it's very important that you don't think of Doctors because yes, most Doctors make a salary of some sort). Basically for each service done, a fee is charged. This is great because it's easy to keep track of which procedures are done. As discussed earlier it's really bad because of the incentives. It encourages more procedures because that's how providers make money.
With less claims accepted, that just means investing in an admin to make sure more claims are accepted, not less procedures.
It's a very quantity > quality system. It sucks. It's wasteful, and our particular system is even more wasteful than the rest of the world. How much? Andrew Yang says it costs us Hundreds of Billions in additional costs. The world is trying to move past it. Australia is looking into the Bundling payments model. Andrew Yang is looking towards the Capitation payment model.
So what is Capitation
Under capitation, the entire idea of individual claims goes away. It's not necessary. The role of any insurance being overly scrupulous and denying claims because they don't deem a procedure to be "Medically Necessary" goes way completely.
That's because it pays providers differently. Instead of paying per procedure. It pays per patient enrolled for a specific provider. Each patient will have a value attached to them based off of a variety of factors that insurance would be willing to pay to providers each month indeterminate on whether or not that patient visits the physician or not.
Andrew Yang wants to go even further and calibrate the payments in a way to discourage providers from accepting more patients than they can handle while also encouraging small providers in rural areas. This is pretty easily done. You just offer a bonus to the first few patients enrolled that goes away a small ammount for each subsequent patient enrolled. This discourages the patient quantity > quality issue that some may have an issue with.
This gets rid of the procedure production line and aligns incentives on wellbeing. You see providers only have a flat ammount to work with, so they're discouraged for recommending too many procedures. They'll have some wiggle room to do so when necessary, but they determine what's necessary, not insurance. They're incentivised to offer quality care too as good outcomes for the patient means more patients enrolled, and a steady flow of income.
This saves on admin, headaches with claims, negotiations, going into debt because of medical bills. With capitation you're value will be relatively the same whether or not you visit a provider. Without all that mess, a Doctor can focus on what's important to him, you and making sure you have your best outcome.
Wholistic Healthcare
Yeah, there's more! You see Yang likes the Cleveland Clinic Model, and their model is to treat the whole patient, not just whatever ailment they have. This is great for preventative medicine, because it encourages your doctor to share specific health info that you grant, with other specialists of your choice, or that they recommend.
Think of a Doctor noticing that there's an issue with your cholesterol after your psychologist or therapist reported that you've been depressed lately and he can prescribe more than just a healthy diet regement that includes outdoor activities and ways to naturally stimulate your seratonin. They can get to the root of the problem, instead of just treating your symptoms.
This also drives down costs, because these visits are cheaper than visiting the emergency room because you waited too long. Preventative medicine is important, and it's difficult to invest in it with fee-for-service without massive cultural shifts.
Enrollment Mechanism?
Are you really still stuck on this? After reading all that? Fighting over the enrollment mechanisms has allowed the establishment to argue over minor details with their proposals instead what's really broken.
What's broken is the fact insurance denies claims. Let's fix that.
What's broken is the fact that that we're more reactive instead of proactive with medicine. Let's fix that.
What's broken is that doctors don't have enough info to know how your mental state might be affecting your health. Let's fix that.
What's broken is expensive prescription drugs. Let's fix that.
Not enough people can afford insurance. Let's fix that.
Not enough people trust the government or doctors. Let's fix that.
Just changing the enrollment mechanism is cool and all, but fighting over it just distracts from what's really broken with our system.
It's not just insurance providers. It's the very insentives we've put in place.
[Andrew Yang's Medicare for All]
[A New Way Forward for Healthcare]
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byobossworld · 5 years
Text
The Japanese Model of Success Written & brought to you by Ken Crause – Business Transformation Coach. The war in Japan had ended in chaos and destruction. Nothing could look bleaker for the Japanese. Their country had recently been bombed with an atomic bomb and life in Japan had become one of survival. How does one take a country in such ruin and turn it into the economic giant it has become? It has little land base – it’s a small island country. It has minimal resources in terms of material things and was broke after spending so much on the war which ended in disaster. Their pride caused them to make the stupid mistake of trying to take on the giant America and they paid dearly for it. What did they have left? Well the only real resource they had left was people. As manufacturing began to revive slowly because of lack of capital, products they produced soon earned the reputation of “Jap crap”. Things made in Japan were inferior in quality to American or European made. How would they survive and thrive? It is often in the place of desperation that we give up our notion of grandeur and pride. It is often at this place that we realize we don’t know it all and need help. This is where the Japanese found themselves. But what of America? Well the bombing of Hiroshima and decisive end to the war caused Americans everywhere to be proud, believing they knew it all and needed nobody to make them better – they were the best. This same foolish attitude has shown up throughout history in many countries and empires – all of which ultimately lead to their demise. The same attitude has caused many great companies such as IBM to fall from their once place of leadership in their industry. There was at that time an American by the name of Dr. W Edwards Deming. In 1950 Deming was a renowned quality control expert who General McArthur had commissioned to go to Japan to help improve things there since America itself was having trouble doing what it needed to do in the country they had just defeated. Nobody really gave Dr. Deming any serious consideration but the Japanese who were willing to learn now, did. Dr. Deming devised 14 “Principles” of success which he faithfully taught the business owners and government in Japan and soon from practicing these principles, the rise of Japan became meteoric and they soon became the country to be reckoned with in trade. This lesson is not designed to cover the extent of what he taught them, but I would like to point two of those principles I consider vital to success. “PRINCIPLES ARE THE RUDDERS THAT GUIDE OUR SHIPS THROUGH CALM AND STORMY SEAS, METHODS ARE SECONDARY. “ It is for this reason I am passionate about and teach fundamental principles of success and without being prideful in any way, I believe every business person would do well to seek to learn and implement success principles – many of which I teach. One of the key principles Deming taught. I call it “SID. So what is SID? It’s an acronym for “Small Improvements Daily”. What Deming taught the Japanese to do is simply this. 1. Find a product or service that interests you. 2. See who is making the best product or offering the best service in the world in that area – 3. Work daily on finding ways to improve on it. The Japanese soon became criticized for “copying” the American, British and German manufacturers, but that did not last long. Once they were able to duplicate them, they went about applying SID which they in fact called “Kaizen”, and a revolution soon took hold in Japan. Instead of greedily focusing on how to cut costs and make more profit, the Japanese focused on how to produce the best product and services in the world... period. Years ago I had started a greeting card company and when I went to print my cards I learned something very interesting. Most printers in North America do a 10% over-run which is to cover off any mistakes or poor product – it happens in all manufacturing in North America. They then pass it on to us and we have to sort out the bad from the good. The Japanese however do not do this. They sort the quality and do not permit anything inferior to leave their plant to a buyer. Their commitment to quality and improvement to this day still sets them apart from many. However, today successful companies around the globe are finally implementing this very basic yet profound principle. So where are you at today with your business? Are you in as bad a shape as Japan was? Do you have as little resources at your disposal as they had? Zimbabwe, where I was born and raised currently has a 90% unemployment rate. They lack resources as badly as Japan did excepting one – people. This country can become a powerhouse just as easily as Japan did, if the government were to wake up there and bring in business teachers to teach these principles of success to their people instead of greedily bleeding every last penny they can for themselves and their friends. In fact many countries in Africa today suffer from the same ailment. But what about you? Why not commit yourself today to make “SID” a way of life for your business. Why not teach this to your staff and hold them accountable to look for ways they can improve what they do in your business daily. A plant in nature does not grow overnight. It takes time, water and sun. By feeding your mind and the minds of your staff daily with positive and exciting stuff, you will cause yourself to grow and along with it you will grow your business – one small thing every day. The Bible says, “Do not despise the day of small beginnings” It’s usually the small things done consistently that either make or break a great business. HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT? – ONE MOUTHFUL AT A TIME. Sometimes we become so overwhelmed at the huge job ahead of us. The goal seems so far away and so far out of reach. But if you will learn the lesson the Japanese did, making small improvements Daily (SID), in time you will find that you have risen to greatness and will remain a leader in the years to come. Make a difference and learn what the Japanese learned – commit to excellence through Small Improvements Daily. Focus on one thing at a time (each day) and consider how you might improve it - today. The second principle Dr. Deming taught is equally as important. – “Perfection is NOT optional” For years I have observed what I always considered to be a very strange behaviour in education. That behaviour is how arbitrarily, passing marks are set for considering someone to pass a test or exam. Of particular concern to me is the fact that a doctor only has to get 70% right on his or her exams to pass. Would you really want to be treated by someone who could be wrong 30% of the time? When I took my training as a commercial helicopter pilot I was subjected to the same passing percentage. Yet, what it meant is that 30% of my knowledge or ability as a pilot could be wrong. Would you seriously want to fly with someone who could make a mistake as a pilot 30% of the time? Okay I got 81% so I could be wrong only 19% of the time. PEOPLE WILL RISE TO WHATEVER STANDARD IS EXPECTED OF THEM When South Africa changed to a black government, one of the things that they did was immediately lower the passing grade in all professions to allow more black people to pass and qualify as professionals. They did not even believe in themselves or that they could do as well or better than the whites did. Pretty sad isn’t it? From what I have learned they are not the only ones who have done this. LOWERING STANDARDS OR “GOOD ENOUGH” IS A SURE PATH TO FAILURE AND DISASTER Deming was a quality control expert and as such had taught manufacturers and other business people that if they wanted to succeed it was critical that they adopted immediately the attitude that the only acceptable standard is “perfect”; No defects whatsoever, no short cuts, no “good enough”. Today a new phrase has taken root to motivate people to a higher standard. This started with the publication of a book entitled “Pursuit of Excellence” by Terry Orlick, a sports phsycologist. There is a saying, “the devil is in the details”. Over the years I have observed that the difference between mediocre and excellence is the attention to details. The difference between the person who finishes first and the one who comes second is in the details. This is why SID – Small Improvements Daily is fundamental to attaining perfection and why without the application of both these principles you will simply never rise to greatness or success. Walt Disney was a classical example of this. He paid so much attention to every detail of his productions that he was the best in all key elements of his productions – music, volume, color, speed transitions, story, characters, lesson etc. etc. In order to pursue perfection it is a matter of attention to the details. So what is “good enough” for you? When you buy a product are you okay with less than perfect? The truth is we all want the perfect “whatever” but we are not prepared ourselves to make the perfect “whatever”. The focus of many business failures has been money or profit rather than a commitment to make the best or do the best. I wonder how much better a standard we could achieve – especially in areas like professions where a mistake could spell death or injury to someone else. What would happen if our schools or universities raised the bar or standard for passing? Is our goal to pass as many people as possible or is it to train the best to be the best? I challenge everyone reading this to raise the bar or standards in your personal life and especially in your business. Your staff will rise to the level you expect of them. There have been teachers who have gone into schools where kids were failing miserably, raised the standard and inspired the students and seen their classes filled with 100% grade “A” students. It’s all a matter of what we accept as “good enough” and how committed we are to perfection. Failure as we grow does happen, but we should never quit, only strive to do better next time. PERFECTION IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO NOT TRY, IT IS THE GOALPOST WHICH WE STRIVE TO REACH. Failure is only our aid to show us we need to improve. It is not an indicator that you are by nature useless or a failure. On the contrary the most successful people in life have usually failed more than anyone else. Failure means you are striving to be better and have successfully learned what does not work, so by all means embrace failure as a friend on your path to perfection. Ken Crause – Business Transformation Coach Email: [email protected]
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Health Care Reform - Why Are People So Worked Up?
Why are Americans so worked up about health care reform? Statements such as "don't touch my Medicare" or "everyone should have access to state of the art health care irrespective of cost" are in my opinion uninformed and visceral responses that indicate a poor understanding of our health care system's history, its current and future resources and the funding challenges that America faces going forward. While we all wonder how the health care system has reached what some refer to as a crisis stage. Let's try to take some of the emotion out of the debate by briefly examining how health care in this country emerged and how that has formed our thinking and culture about health care. With that as a foundation let's look at the pros and cons of the Obama administration health care reform proposals and let's look at the concepts put forth by the Republicans?
Access to state of the art health care services is something we can all agree would be a good thing for this country. Experiencing a serious illness is one of life's major challenges and to face it without the means to pay for it is positively frightening. But as we shall see, once we know the facts, we will find that achieving this goal will not be easy without our individual contribution.
These are the themes I will touch on to try to make some sense out of what is happening to American health care and the steps we can personally take to make things better.
A recent history of American health care - what has driven the costs so high?
Key elements of the Obama health care plan
The Republican view of health care - free market competition
Universal access to state of the art health care - a worthy goal but not easy to achieve
what can we do?
First, let's get a little historical perspective on American health care. This is not intended to be an exhausted look into that history but it will give us an appreciation of how the health care system and our expectations for it developed. What drove costs higher and higher?
To begin, let's turn to the American civil war. In that war, dated tactics and the carnage inflicted by modern weapons of the era combined to cause ghastly results. Not generally known is that most of the deaths on both sides of that war were not the result of actual combat but to what happened after a battlefield wound was inflicted. To begin with, evacuation of the wounded moved at a snail's pace and this caused severe delays in treating the wounded. Secondly, many wounds were subjected to wound care, related surgeries and/or amputations of the affected limbs and this often resulted in the onset of massive infection. So you might survive a battle wound only to die at the hands of medical care providers who although well-intentioned, their interventions were often quite lethal. High death tolls can also be ascribed to everyday sicknesses and diseases in a time when no antibiotics existed. In total something like 600,000 deaths occurred from all causes, over 2% of the U.S. population at the time!
Let's skip to the first half of the 20th century for some additional perspective and to bring us up to more modern times. After the civil war there were steady improvements in American medicine in both the understanding and treatment of certain diseases, new surgical techniques and in physician education and training. But for the most part the best that doctors could offer their patients was a "wait and see" approach. Medicine could handle bone fractures and increasingly attempt risky surgeries (now largely performed in sterile surgical environments) but medicines were not yet available to handle serious illnesses. The majority of deaths remained the result of untreatable conditions such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, scarlet fever and measles and/or related complications. Doctors were increasingly aware of heart and vascular conditions, and cancer but they had almost nothing with which to treat these conditions.
This very basic review of American medical history helps us to understand that until quite recently (around the 1950's) we had virtually no technologies with which to treat serious or even minor ailments. Here is a critical point we need to understand; "nothing to treat you with means that visits to the doctor if at all were relegated to emergencies so in such a scenario costs are curtailed. The simple fact is that there was little for doctors to offer and therefore virtually nothing to drive health care spending. A second factor holding down costs was that medical treatments that were provided were paid for out-of-pocket, meaning by way of an individuals personal resources. There was no such thing as health insurance and certainly not health insurance paid by an employer. Except for the very destitute who were lucky to find their way into a charity hospital, health care costs were the responsibility of the individual.
What does health care insurance have to do with health care costs? Its impact on health care costs has been, and remains to this day, absolutely enormous. When health insurance for individuals and families emerged as a means for corporations to escape wage freezes and to attract and retain employees after World War II, almost overnight a great pool of money became available to pay for health care. Money, as a result of the availability of billions of dollars from health insurance pools, encouraged an innovative America to increase medical research efforts. More Americans became insured not only through private, employer sponsored health insurance but through increased government funding that created Medicare and Medicaid (1965). In addition funding became available for expanded veterans health care benefits. Finding a cure for almost anything has consequently become very lucrative. This is also the primary reason for the vast array of treatments we have available today.
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