Remember Watergate and the down fall of President Richard Nixon? Well, this might not be quite as good but it is going to be interesting!
For nearly 20 years, Wendell Potter, 57, had a six-figure job inside the health insurance industry, most recently as Vice President of Corporate Communications for the CIGNA Corporation. He left last year and is now a Senior Fellow on Health Care with the Center for Media and Democracy, a nonprofit group dedicated to uncovering the corporate and public relations influences over government, opinion, and public policy.
As insurance industry lobbyists flock to the nation’s capital to keep the lucrative industry alive, Potter is going public. He talks to Bill Moyers on PBS tonight (Friday, July 10).
My Take: Potter tells it like it is...health insurers only priority is making money...and they will do whatever they need to do to make sure they make a lot!
A little preview of his appearance is found in this interview with Jane Akre of InjuryBoard.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
WHO IS TAKING CARE OF YOUR LOVED ONE?
Who is taking care of your loved one in a Virginia Nursing Home?
Well - other than the 20 minutes a month a physician will see them for Medicare/ Medicaid certifications, and the few minutes a day an RN will review their chart, they are being primarily cared for by CNAS - Certified Nursing Assistants.
Now let me begin by saying, I know some excellent CNAs... but are they trained to care for someone with complex medical needs? To notice changes in behavior or condition that reflects a more serious problem? To perform wound care or notice changes in wounds, skin condition, etc?
According to the April 2009 issue of The Gerontologist , the median hourly wage for a CNA is $10.04; almost two-thirds of CNAs lived on an annual family income of less than $30,000; 16 percent had no health insurance and more than half were injured on the job at least once during the previous year.
Is it right that these first line care givers are busting their rears to take care of 30 residents, for $10 an hour, with no health insurance, and are struggling financially at home?
Is it right that many have no more training than a GED and a six week CNA course sponsored by the nursing home?
Should we pay them more? YES.
Hire more of them? YES.
Make sure they have health insurance so they don't come to work sick? YES.
Either require more RN or MD direct care? YES.
Just a thought - would happy employees make for better care? What about more employees?
Well - other than the 20 minutes a month a physician will see them for Medicare/ Medicaid certifications, and the few minutes a day an RN will review their chart, they are being primarily cared for by CNAS - Certified Nursing Assistants.
Now let me begin by saying, I know some excellent CNAs... but are they trained to care for someone with complex medical needs? To notice changes in behavior or condition that reflects a more serious problem? To perform wound care or notice changes in wounds, skin condition, etc?
According to the April 2009 issue of The Gerontologist , the median hourly wage for a CNA is $10.04; almost two-thirds of CNAs lived on an annual family income of less than $30,000; 16 percent had no health insurance and more than half were injured on the job at least once during the previous year.
Is it right that these first line care givers are busting their rears to take care of 30 residents, for $10 an hour, with no health insurance, and are struggling financially at home?
Is it right that many have no more training than a GED and a six week CNA course sponsored by the nursing home?
Should we pay them more? YES.
Hire more of them? YES.
Make sure they have health insurance so they don't come to work sick? YES.
Either require more RN or MD direct care? YES.
Just a thought - would happy employees make for better care? What about more employees?
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