Thomas S

Why are the Republicans trying to stop this bill? Who are they?

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Article published Oct 9, 2013

Stop abandoning elderly in need of help

At a time when bipartisan has somehow become a four-letter word in Washington, Democratic Congressman Joe Courtney of eastern Connecticut's Second District and Congressman Tom Latham, an Iowa Republican, deserve credit for doggedly reaching across party lines to try to correct a senseless and unfair Medicare rule.

For the third consecutive year, Reps. Courtney and Latham have cosponsored the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. If passed into law, it would end a rule that in 2012 prevented more than 600,000 senior citizens from getting Medicare coverage for their doctor-ordered convalescent stays. That statistic is contained in a recent report filed by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The denial of Medicare coverage forces these seniors to choose between spending tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket for their convalescent care or returning home or to family, without getting the level of care the doctor advised.

At issue is the "observation status" designation. A patient admitted to a hospital for three nights or more is eligible to have follow-up, doctor-ordered care in a convalescent home paid for by Medicare. The exception, however, is if the patient is in the hospital for "observation." In those cases, there is no subsequent Medicare coverage.

Observation is a frequent designation when an elderly patient is very sick and in need of hospitalization, but the precise cause of his or her problems is not apparent and takes time to ascertain.

Increasing the likelihood of these designations is the potential Medicare penalties hospitals face when, in an effort to drive down costs, a subsequent government audit finds the medical staff declared someone an "inpatient" who should have qualified as under "observation."

"Hospitals have become increasingly concerned about these audits so they tend to come down on the side of observation status," Rep. Courtney said.

A federal judge last month dismissed a lawsuit challenging the rule. Legislation is necessary.

The Courtney-Latham bill would allow for the time patients spend in the hospital under observation status to count toward the three-day hospital stay requirement for convalescent home or skilled-nursing care under Medicare. A matching bill, introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is pending in the Senate.

The bills enjoy broad support among various advocacy groups, including the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Retired People (AARP) and the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

The Commission on Long-Term Care, created by Congress in 2012, included in its recent report support for the legislation. The commission focuses on the status of long-term care in this country for the elderly and for people with special needs.

Three years ago, the legislation had little support. It now, however, features 104 cosponsors in the 435-member House, including nearly two dozen Republicans. The potential cost of the rule change, which the Congressional Budget Office has yet to estimate, has limited Republican support.

To be fair, any such calculation should consider the cost of increased re-hospitalizations when patients, ruled ineligible for Medicare compensation, do not get the convalescent care they need and end up back in the hospital.

In any event, it is a breach of faith to deny so many elderly the financial support necessary to get the care doctors say they need.

Congress and the Senate should adopt the Courtney-Latham-Brown bills and President Obama should sign the legislation into law.

Who are the Republican Tea Party Activist? Let us publish a list so we know who they are and we can vote them out if we wish.

Who are the politicians that are shutting down the government?

Who are the "Tea Party" activist that are keeping anything from getting done in Washington? How about the ones who are trying for the 41st time to get the Health Care Bill defunded? How about all these people who should be voted out so that we could get people into government that are a part of the solution and not part of the problem?

Who are they?

Additional Details

Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Walter Russell Mead, Michele Bachmann (House R MN), Jeff Duncan, Connie Mack IV,

Jeff Flake, Tim Scott, Joe Walsh, Steve King (House R IA), Allen West, Jason Chaffetz, Jim Demint (Senate R SC), Mike Lee, Michael Crapo, Dennis Kucinich, Dick Armey, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz

2 days ago

Thomas Coburn (Senate R OK)

2 days ago

We fought how many three unfunded wars. We are paying for practically everyone in this country without health insurance to go to the emergency room for their health care. Health care that the WHO ranks as 37th in the world. We don't make ANYTHING in this country anymore. Clothes, electronics, autos and everything we gave away. The housing market where I live is so overpriced that it is ridiculous. We charge everything in this country, much more than any foreign country that I have been in. Runaway spending?

The republicans stated publicly when Obama was elected that they were going to block everything he did and that he was going to be a one term president and that is what they attempt to do with everything. How does Harry Reid change that thinking?

1 day ago

Runaway spending? What runaway spending. Your listening to too many Republicans. We're not spending on research for industry because we don't make ANYTHING. We're not spending it on infrastructure, as our bridges and roads are the worst. We're not spending it on education because our kids are not the smartest kids on the block. We're not spending it on mental health. We're not spending it on the poor. We're not spending it on medical as the World Health Organization rates the U.S. 37th in the world. We're not spending it on mass transit as our transit system does not compare to other countries. We're not spending it on environmental issues. So where is the runaway spending?

1 day ago

Yes John Boehner (R-OH House) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY Senate) lets look at the spending! Lets really look at it and see exactly where it is instead of a bunch of sound bites.

18 mins ago

I see Obama is spending some money again on the Climate Action Plan! We probably don't want to spend anything on that do we?

15 mins ago

Additional Details

Add Steve Lonegan (Senate R-NJ), Tim Griffin (House R-AR) to that list.

See this previous post about publishing a list of the politicians that are causing government gridlock. Let's vote these people out and vote people in that are willing to work together despite different points of view.

Who are the "Tea Party" activists that are keeping anything from getting done in Washington? How about the ones who are trying for the 41st time to get the Health Care Bill defunded? How about all these people who should be voted out so that we could get people into government that are a part of the solution and not part of the problem?

Who are they?

Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Walter Russell Mead, Michele Bachmann (House R MN), Jeff Duncan, Connie Mack IV,

Jeff Flake, Tim Scott, Joe Walsh, Steve King (House R IA), Allen West, Jason Chaffetz, Jim Demint (Senate R SC), Mike Lee, Michael Crapo, Dennis Kucinich, Dick Armey, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz

Thomas Coburn (Senate R OK), Steve Lonegan (Senate R-NJ), Tim Griffin (House R-AR), Louie Gohmert (House R-TX),

Marsha Blackburn (House R-TN), Doulglas Lamborn (House R-CO), Randy Weber (House R-TX), Kelly Ayotte (House R-NH)

We fought, how many, three unfunded wars. We are paying for practically everyone in this country without health insurance to go to the emergency room for their health care. Health care that the WHO ranks as 37th in the world. We don't make ANYTHING in this country anymore. Clothes, electronics, autos and everything we gave away. The housing market where I live is so overpriced that it is ridiculous. We charge everything in this country, much more than any foreign country that I have been in.

The republicans stated publicly when Obama was elected that they were going to block everything he did and that he was going to be a one term president and that is what they attempt to do with everything. How does Harry Reid change that thinking?

Runaway spending? What runaway spending. You’re listening to too many Republicans. We're not spending on research for industry because we don't make ANYTHING. We're not spending it on infrastructure, as our bridges and roads are the worst. We're not spending it on education because our kids are not the smartest kids on the block. We're not spending it on mental health. We're not spending it on the poor. We're not spending it on medical as the World Health Organization rates the U.S. 37th in the world. We're not spending it on mass transit as our transit system does not compare to other countries. We're not spending it on environmental issues. So where is the runaway spending?

Yes John Boehner (R-OH House) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY Senate) let’s look at the spending! Let’s really look at it and see exactly where it is instead of a bunch of sound bites.

I see Obama is spending some money again on the Climate Action Plan! We probably don't want to spend anything on that do we?

My LDL cholesterol was OK while I ate Cheerios (soluble fibre- oat bran) every morning. I switched to Kellogg's Raisin Brand Crunch (insoluble fibre- wheat bran) and my LDL went too high. I see that soluble fibre is good for lowering LDL and insoluble fibre good for regularity and bulking up. My question is it is wise to have both or is one fighting the other? I feel a lot better, regularity wise, with the raisin brand but LDL was lower with the Cheerios, I believe. I might add that I take two Citrucel tablets each morning.

Any opinions?

Thank you,

TomS

Who are the “Tea Party” activists keeping anything from getting done in Washington?

• Thomas S asked 2 days ago -

6 days left to answer

Who are the "Tea Party" activist that are keeping anything from getting done in Washington? How about the ones who are trying for the 41st time to get the Health Care Bill defunded? How about all these people who should be voted out so that we could get people into government that are a part of the solution and not part of the problem?

Who are they?

Additional Details

Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Walter Russell Mead, Michele Bachmann (House R MN), Jeff Duncan, Connie Mack IV,

Jeff Flake, Tim Scott, Joe Walsh, Steve King (House R IA), Allen West, Jason Chaffetz, Jim Demint (Senate R SC), Mike Lee, Michael Crapo, Dennis Kucinich, Dick Armey, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz

2 days ago

Thomas Coburn (Senate R OK)

2 days ago

We fought how many three unfunded wars. We are paying for practically everyone in this country without health insurance to go to the emergency room for their health care. Health care that the WHO ranks as 37th in the world. We don't make ANYTHING in this country anymore. Clothes, electronics, autos and everything we gave away. The housing market where I live is so overpriced that it is ridiculous. We charge everything in this country, much more than any foreign country that I have been in. Runaway spending?

The republicans stated publicly when Obama was elected that they were going to block everything he did and that he was going to be a one term president and that is what they attempt to do with everything. How does Harry Reid change that thinking?

1 day ago

Runaway spending? What runaway spending. Your listening to too many Republicans. We're not spending on research for industry because we don't make ANYTHING. We're not spending it on infrastructure, as our bridges and roads are the worst. We're not spending it on education because our kids are not the smartest kids on the block. We're not spending it on mental health. We're not spending it on the poor. We're not spending it on medical as the World Health Organization rates the U.S. 37th in the world. We're not spending it on mass transit as our transit system does not compare to other countries. We're not spending it on environmental issues. So where is the runaway spending?

1 day ago

Yes John Boehner (R-OH House) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY Senate) lets look at the spending! Lets really look at it and see exactly where it is instead of a bunch of sound bites.

18 mins ago

I see Obama is spending some money again on the Climate Action Plan! We probably don't want to spend anything on that do we?

15 mins ago

I have had two WeedEater lawn mowers that I have bought from Walmart. They have both had the 500 series 158cc 5.00ft.lbs. Briggs and Stratton engine. Both of these lawn mowers in a very short period of time have started to run really lousy. The RPMs pulsate up and down while you are cutting the grass to the point where you think it is going to stall on the down RPM. This last lawn mower did stop running and would not start. I changed the plug, which was black with soot but the gap OK, and it started OK. The lawn mower had started using more gas for the same lawn. It would run out while I was mowing. When it was just about to run out the RPMs would go up and it would run fine (like it was getting more air and less gas). It seemed to me the lawn mower has been running to rich. A friend mentioned the diaphragm under the carburetor had gone bad. He said it was pulsating because it was getting air and then gas. Another friend mentioned the gas cap. He said it should have vent holes. I took the cap off, which has three vent holes. Inside I fine a cork gasket, round and taking up the whole inside of the cap. It had four vent holes which did not line up with the holes in the cap. It didn’t make any difference if the holes lined up as the cork was loose in the cap and would just spin and misalign anyway. The cork had been sucked outward and it seems like it is sealing off the holes in the cap. I looked at my brother in laws exact lawn mower which he brings to a lawn mower shop to have serviced and there is no cork inside his cap. I don’t know if he took it out or it did not come in the mower or the shop took it out at service time. Has anyone else had this trouble?

Thank you,

TomS

Who are the "Tea Party" activist that are keeping anything from getting done in Washington? How about the ones who are trying for the 41st time to get the Health Care Bill defunded? How about all these people who should be voted out so that we could get people into government that are a part of the solution and not part of the problem?

Who are they?

I am taking 10MG of Atorvastatin because my LDL had gone to high. It had gone up to 160 after always being borderline 100-120. After one month it dropped to 80. I have been on it for lets say four months now. I am getting a lot of aches and pains and don't know if it can be attributed to the statin or just old age. I am 71. Has anyone had issues with splitting the pill in half? Not a good idea? Doesn't make any difference if you take daily or every other day? Pharmacist told me to take at night. My doctor said I could take in the morning if I wanted. I take in the morning with my other pills. Does it make a difference?

Thank you,

TomS

Is anyone as sick of politics in this country as I am? Why not circulate a list on social media of the politicians that back a resolution to withhold funding on the Health Care Law for the funding of the government. Social media seems to get things done! I do not know exactly who these politicians are do you? I do not want to check on every politicians voting record to find them either. Social media?

Thanks, Tom S

I have a friend in a nursing home that has some sores that are not healing or healing slowly. They are using a pump to pump his bodily fluids into a filter to get rid of the infection. The nurse told me this technology has been out for ten years. Does anyone know what it is called?

Thank you,

TomS

Where is the address that a spam email is from in the message source?

Can anyone tell me exactly where you find out who a supposedly junk email is from. I am enclosing a sample "message source" where I would like to find out who it is from.

Thank you,

TomS

part of a sample message source:

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Authentication-Results: hotmail.com; spf=pass (sender IP is 161.170.248.191) smtp.mailfrom=bounce@bounce02.walmart.com; dkim=pass header.d=walmart.com; x-hmca=pass

X-SID-PRA: newsletters@walmart.com

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Could anyone tell me the name of the song in the Hallmark movie "Remember Sunday"? I think it goes "see that girl" .......

Thank you,

TomS

I have a 2008-P Liberty nickel. Can anyone tell me if it is worth anything?

Thank you,

TomS

Can anyone tell me where I can find Queen/Full fitted sheets with 9 inch pockets? Everything I find has deep pockets that are too baggy.

Thank you,

TomS

ThomasSpero asked on

April 13, 2013

Can anyone explain the Adobe Flash Player privacy controls?

Can anyone tell me what most settings most people use for the Adobe Flash Player privacy controls? here is what the Adobe Flash Player settings are;

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Local storage settings

Local storage settings let you specify whether websites can store information using Flash Player. Sites can use local storage to save viewing history, game progress, preferences, or information about your computer. A site can only access local storage information that it previously saved (it cannot access data stored by another site).You can allow all sites, allow only certain sites that you specify, or block all sites from saving information on your computer using Flash Player.

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Allow sites to save information on this computer

If you want to allow any site to save information on your computer without prompting you, select this option.

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Ask me before allowing new sites to save information on this computer

If you want to let some websites save information on your computer, and want to decide on a case-by-case basis for each site, select this option.

•

Block all sites from storing information on this computer

If you don't want to let any website save any information on your computer using Flash Player and never want to be prompted, select this option.

Note: Selecting this option also deletes all existing local storage on your computer. You are prompted to confirm that you want to delete existing local storage in addition to blocking sites from saving information in the future.

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I feel as though I would like to use the block all site option. Is this wise? what do most people do?

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Thank you,

•

TomS

Can anyone tell me if the email address cassiehgp047@gmx.us is spam, where it is from, and what it is all about , and where and how do you report it so it is posted on search engines? I did report it as spam to my email provider already. Is that enough?

Thank you,

TomS

Can anyone tell me if airlines have a policy of reducing the price you pay for a flight, or a refund on that flight if the price goes down from the price you payed? This would all take place before your flight.

Thank you,

TomS

I tried to send this question to American Express. Can anyone answer it for me?

I have a friend that has your American Express Platinum Card. He tells me he flies to Europe free using his AE card and his Delta Reward Points. I told him in my experience the flight might be free if you have enough points but you have to pay the taxes. I checked on a flight to Europe that was $1200.00. Using 40,000 of my points the flight was paid for but I had to pay $600.00 in cash as that was what the taxes were. He insists that he flies free and American Express pays for the whole thing. Could you tell me if he is correct?

Thank you,

Thomas Spero

Java

I have seen all the news about disabling Java on your computer so I decided to remove it on both of my computers. Now I am reading that you need to disable it by going to the Java control panel and doing so. I used “Add and Remove Programs” in Windows 7. Would that not be the way to remove Java completely from your computer rather than using the Java website control panel?

Thank you,

TomS

Has anyone ever heard of plastic dental night guards for both top and bottom teeth? I have night guards for either top or bottom teeth in hard or soft material but not for both top and bottom at the same time.

Thank you,

TomS