Health Care Pricing

Today the Senate is going to hold hearings on how drug prices are set in this country.  Apparently the incredible rise in prices has finally gotten their attention.  Does anyone really believe the BS from the drug companies that they need all of our money for "research" today?  But not money from every other industrialized country that has a national health program?  The United States pays more for drugs than anyone else in the world.

But drug prices are just the tip of the iceberg.  Total spending on health care increased 5.3% last year, the biggest increase since 2007.  Health care now consumes 17.5% of our country's GDP.  Sure, drug price increases jumped 12.2% last year but that was just part of the equation.

When is America going to figure out that we don't have to spend more money on health care than any other nation on earth?  When are we going to accept the fact that all of our money doesn't produce better results?  After all, we're still pretty much at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to longevity and almost every other measure of health care.  The bottom line is when you have a health care system based on profit (in other words, capitalism) then you're going to have the most expensive health care in the world.  It's just that simple.

We don't have a profit incentive for our police, do we?  Or firemen?  Or any of our armed forces?  No, expect them to perform at a reasonable level of pay from our taxes.  Why shouldn't our medical system perform in the same way?

Susan's Search Now Available

It seems like it's taken forever but my novella, Susan's Search, is now available for Kindle on Amazon.  To learn more about it please visit:
http://alltiedupproductions.com/2015/10/susans-search-new-book-by-alan-smith-takes-readers-on-a-journey-for-reclaiming-health/

Enjoy!

Free Novella

My novella, Susan's Search, is finally published on Kindle!  Best of all, it's going to be available FREE several days during October as part of its kick-off promotion during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

Mark your calendars (and tell all your friends) to download Susan's Search on October 2nd and 3rd, then again on October 14th and finally on October 25th and 26th.  It's only 99 cents any other time but those five days it's FREE!

Susan's Search is the story of one woman's search for answers, not knowing that her family is searching for her.  Diagnosed with breast cancer she listens to lots of mainstream doctors but then starts searching for treatments in the world of complementary and alternative medicine.  Her life changes one night when she decides to drive to Arizona with a friend to visit a doctor.  The note that she left her family is blown away so her husband hires a private investigator to find her.  Everything works out in the end but there are lots of twists and turns along the way.

Enjoy!
Alan

Susan's Search

My new novella, Susan's Search, will be coming out in October, just in time for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

May 6th Radio Interview

On May 6th I'm going to be a guest with Miriam Knight at 11:45 PDT (2:45 EDT) talking about the world of complementary and alternative medicine!  Please join us at:

http://omtimes.com/iom/2015/04/breast-cancer-victor-unbreak-your-health-love-or-limitation/

Media Bias Against Dr. Oz

Why is it newsworthy that some doctors in this country are so controlled by Big Pharma that they're threatened by anything outside of their narrow field of vision?  I'm talking about the doctors who submitted a letter to Columbia University asking that Dr. Oz, probably the best-known doctor in our country, be removed.  I'm not surprised that they sent the letter.  I'm pleased that Columbia basically ignored it. 

What surprises me is the incredible amount of media coverage against a doctor trying to lead Americans to a healthier life.  Apparently all of those drug commercials buy a little cooperation!  It's sad to see but just part of life today, I suppose.

Hang in there, Dr. Oz.  Lots of us enjoy your show and the wide variety of information you bring into our homes.

Strange New Idea in Medicine: Customer Service

It's sad when an old concept like "customer service" is considered a hot, new idea in medicine.  There's a great article in the New York Times that illustrates that it does have advantages.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/upshot/small-company-has-plan-to-provide-primary-care-for-the-masses.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1

This is one of the secrets of complementary and alternative medicine!

Living Well Talk Radio

On Monday, February 16th I'll be a guest on Living Well Talk Radio!  If you'd like to tune in I'm scheduled to be on from 2:15 - 2:30 Central time.  The entire show is about health so it should be fascinating, entertaining and educational.