Indicium Brevis IX

The Axis Shifts!– The 8.8 Richter Scale quake which hit close to Chile’s second-largest city, Concepción, was so powerful that it was felt throughout the region, even causing a small effect on Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana – nearly 4,700 miles away.  Seismologists indicated it had shortened the length of the day by 1.26 microseconds and moved the earth’s axis of rotation by 3 inches. It just shows how incredible Mother Nature can sometimes be…

On the Healthcare Front – As a healthcare person, I’m continually finding snippets of information that should get our attention and cause us to pause, including:

• Every 38 seconds, someone dies from cardiovascular disease number one. As America’s No. 1 killer, the two biggest causes of heart disease are?  Smoking and obesity.  As I said, last week, perhaps we’re focused on the wrong “reform” issues…
• In a study reported in late summer 2009 from the University of Pennsylvania (I’m obviously behind on my reading), it was reported that those possessing a gun in an assault situation are 4.5 times more likely to be shot than those not possessing one.  I know, this gets into one of those issues where emotion becomes involved, but if you’ve care for an 18-year-old kid who was shot by a handgun like I have, it brings up emotions as well…
• Anthem Blue Cross precipitated a rancorous debate on health insurance rates with its announcement of a 39 percent increase in California.  Other proposed Anthem increases?  Anthem (Connecticut) announced a 24 percent increase last year, which was rejected by the state.  Anthem (Maine) had an 18.5 percent premium increase rejected by the state last year as being “excessive and unfairly discriminatory” but is now requesting a 23 percent increase this year.  In 2009, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan requested approval for premium increases of 56 percent.  Regency Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon requested a 20 percent premium increase. UnitedHealth, Tufts, and Blue Cross requested 13 percent to 16 percent rate increases in Rhode Island. Rates for some individual health plans in Washington increased by up to 40 percent until Washington State imposed stiffer premium regulations.

And, The Economy – The US unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent in February when employers cut 36,000 jobs – fewer than the 50,000 analysts expected.

The Polls Can Change – Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in a miraculous turnaround, seems to be gaining in the UK polls.  The economic turnaround is contributing to a new polish on the Prime Minister.  Many were predicting just weeks ago that the Tories would regain control.  Perhaps they will, but it seems to be a more open game at this point.

Kevin Fickenscher, MD

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