Diligent.ME - Latest Comments

Re: America the Diligent (Weeks 4&5)

Hornet Stories — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:03:38 -0000

Miss you!

Re: Be Brave!

morgli — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:09:31 -0000

Listen to Joel Burns. In what country and world is it OK to behave this way toward a group of people?

Re: Watch! Kele – Everything You Wanted

Sam Mosh — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:32:02 -0000

I love him. Remember when you made out with him? Ish.

Re: What? Best Dance Scene Ever

Persa Verance — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:18:09 -0000

Oops

Re: What? Best Dance Scene Ever

Persa Verance — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:17:06 -0000

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: What? Best Dance Scene Ever

Persa Verance — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:17:01 -0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKlub5vB9z8

MOSES SUPPOSES - Singing In The Rain - Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor

Re: May 2010: Running On Empty

Mindelements — Wed, 26 May 2010 09:10:24 -0000

Where can i download the hole thing

Re: On Blast! Hey Champ - Cold Dust Girl

DENNIS — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:21:01 -0000

I am definitely hooked. They're pretty good. Now, I just have to find a place to download them...

Re: Watch! Powerlifter – Buffalo

Kevin — Sun, 02 May 2010 18:58:39 -0000

thanks for the kind words marquise! - kevin

Re: Watch! Powerlifter – Buffalo

DENNIS — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:54:49 -0000

Well, I always wanted to throw a cuddle party. Where we all cuddle, tons of guys, but no sex. Or just a naked hipster party (actually, I've been to one already)

Re: Watch! Powerlifter – Buffalo

diligent — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:56:50 -0000

Dennis, u need to throw a party like this... Stat!

Re: Watch! Powerlifter – Buffalo

DENNIS — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:52:57 -0000

Yeah agreed. The video definitely makes the song better :-p

Re: Watch! M.I.A. – Born Free

diligent — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:26:58 -0000

is that a good thing or bad... or? "it is what it is"

Re: Watch! M.I.A. – Born Free

Sam — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:06:58 -0000

That was the most fucked up think I've been exposed to in a very long time.

Re: SXSW! 2010 Retrospective

Alex — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:35:35 -0000

I think Emo's is predicated on being an all-ages club...could be wrong, but that's what the rumors are.

Re: Diligent! Visits New Orleans

diligent — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:14:40 -0000

i did ask and found this interesting. i'm with you... i just don't see how anyone can be for this damn thing, and yet i look at my friend's cheering for this. Even the one's i'd consider smart on these kind of issues. I think it's like you said, the Repubs pissed off the libs so much that people would have voted for shit on a plate just to see republicans lose. And that is sad!

Re: Diligent! Visits New Orleans

kgb1172 — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:28:49 -0000

I'm surprised to see you agree with my statements on "health insurance reform". I had thought you turned to the dark side ;)

Anyway as far as doctors are concerned things will be significantly altered. There are some good sides. For example, because the bill puts a high priority on primary care and related services, certain specialties like Psychiatry will be woven into the primary care infrastructure. This has the possibility to help payments to those groups. However, it's not estimated that primary care docs will be paid much more than they already are.

As for specialists- because medicare is going to be highly regulated, they will begin to arbitrarily pay less reimbursement than they do now "to constrain costs". In some ways, this will have the effect that the congress wants- more primary care doctors and fewer specialists because there is simply no pay-out for specialists who spend more years in training and often work many more hours.

So yes, reimbursement will be a big problem from medicare.

Another reimbursement problem will come from patients with private health insurance. As we know, there is no public option (not that I support that anyway) and all people will be ensured privately (unless they are poor/old). This is VERY bad with the current model. Insurance companies are necessarily going to have to take on more high-risk patients. As you know, insurance depends on the expectation that most people don't use many services.... If the proportion of people draining away resources (the new sign-ups) rises then doctors will necessarily be paid less in order for insurance companies to absorb the cost.

You might ask- what about insurance companies raising premiums? Well, you'd be right, they will raise premiums but high-risk individuals will pay no more than anyone else (that is mandated). There will be no way around it. Some people will have increased premiums, and reimbursement for docs will go down.

It's not all about money, either. As you know, Tort reform is not part of the package. And while liberals are correct when they say that Tort is low-yield (that is, not much cost savings will occur) they are being hypocrites by not including it in their bill. Their bill is based on a moral argument that more people be covered. This has to be true because the cost savings of their plan pale in comparison to some other proposed changes. Thus, while tort reform might not save much money there's simply no reason not to include it in the bill considering it would be a big relief to physicians.

Call me a nut-job but there is also one other big issue with this bill, and it relates to something I've already said.

Consider this analogy. You are a business and you make a widget. Would you rather build the widget in a place of low cost and low regulation or would you rather base your company in a beautiful paradise (except the fees and regulations are strangling)? The choice is obvious.

Here's the deal. Medical School leaves most grads with something like $150,000 in debt. That may seem like a lot, but if you work hard and match into a lucrative specialty you might be able to make say 350,000 a year, right? This makes up for all the costs you endured (not to mention a long residency with low pay). However, now imagine that not only does your reimbursement go down by 10-20%, but you are also paying higher taxes on the money you earn because you need to pay for everyone else's insurance. To add insult to injury, doctors with less training and less hours at work suddenly make a little bit more than they used to. Further, you're caught in all this red tape of increasing regulation and "performance-based" pay.

Frankly, who'd want to be a doctor? I know liberals like to say that being a doctor should only be to "help others" but we're sacrificing a lot. We train longer than virtually any other profession but we get paid the least. JD's and MBA's train far less, pay less, and earn more. We are willing to do the work because it's a calling. But at some point there needs to be some kind of reward.

I can't wait to see the kinds of folks who end up in medicine in 10 years.

Sorry for the rant, but you asked for it :)

Re: RIP! Les Anderson

McJeni — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:29:41 -0000

Corey Haim, 38, Found Dead:Former teen star Corey Haim was found dead early Wednesday, police in Los Angeles confirmed. Mr. Haim was pronounced dead at 2:15

Re: March 2010: Set Fire to the Sky

diligent — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:54:04 -0000

hey now... that's quite the compliment considering the source. I'm quoting you on that one! thanks travis

Re: March 2010: Set Fire to the Sky

travis — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:21:12 -0000

nice party starter...

Re: Philly! Eh Tu Greyhound?

diligent — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:55:21 -0000

good point!

Re: Philly! Eh Tu Greyhound?

Alex — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:05:41 -0000

but is the $5 fare good for a return trip?

Re: Watch! EFFF You Snow

brandon sargent — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:02:11 -0000

HA! looks like some things dont change in this city!

Re: February 2010: This Is Inspiration

diligent — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:30:29 -0000

I'm down to check it out! Hey, check the calendar I added to the navigation on the top right. Let me know if you're interested in any of that.

Also... that lo-fi-fnk... you should see their music video... BUDGET! but cool still.

Re: February 2010: This Is Inspiration

seth — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:21:39 -0000

That nosaj remix is sick. He's coming to KFN at the end of the month with Daedalus...i'm down to check it out.

Lo-Fi-Fnk sounds like some weird Postal Service cover made on a toy casio....just sayin.....