State and federal laws and regulations Essay Example for Free

State and federal laws and regulations Essay Beginning from January 1, 2006, individuals with incomes up to 150% of the federal state poverty level and with limited resources would be eligible for the subsidy. Unfortunately, the MMA also eliminated all Medicaid drug coverage for more than 6 million individuals who are dually-eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and required states to pay back to the federal government – through a mechanism known as the â€Å"clawback† – most of the savings that they would otherwise realize from the state. As a result of the legal mandate, states have attempted to respond by implementing their own State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAP) to provide cost-sharing and supplemental drug coverage for dual eligibles and other low-income residents. The SPAP makes payments on behalf of a Part D beneficiary, with such payments being counted toward to the beneficiary – true out-of-pocket costs which count toward meeting the astronomical threshold which leads to reduced or eliminated beneficiary cost-sharing (Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc., 2007). Despite such efforts by the states, however, the Center for Medicare Advocacy (2007) reports that dual eligibles will nevertheless find themselves with less prescription drug coverage under Part D than they had under Medicaid, and with far less protection to challenge denials, and other barriers to coverage. In addition to making co-payments for their prescriptions, dual eligibles also have to deal with predicted yearly increase of these co-payment amounts (Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc., 2007). As a result of Part D, the stop-gap emergency actions taken by numerous states was estimate to have cost between $500,000 to several million dollars, as it varies per state, and puts those states budgets at risk (Champlin, 2006). Unfortunately, by law, the federal government cannot reimburse the states for the costs they spent in order to fix the problem. Based on the data presented and analyzed in the previous sections, the thesis concludes with the following recommendations to minimize issues identified – the complicated CMS enrollment process, and the lack of information as to the dual eligible beneficiaries right to reimbursement – to the different parties involved, or affected, by Medicare Part D: The Business Environment †¢ Non-insurance companies, regardless of whether in the US or anywhere else in the world, and regardless of type of industry, should run their health care program like other parts of their business. Health care management should be deemed as a key business function as equally important as the other key business functions of the company such as marketing, sales, or operations (Watson Wyatt Worldwide, n. d. ) †¢ Private insurance companies offering Part D should make sure there is exhaustive communication with Medicare representatives in terms of eligibility information, and with companies and beneficiaries themselves. With regard to beneficiaries, private insurance companies should make sure there is full disclosure, and knowledge, as to the plans available to them, and as to the prescription drugs available in the plans they selected. Insurance companies need to work closely with physicians to ensure that the required drugs their beneficiaries need are included in each beneficiarys formulary. There may be a need to develop a formulary which is more flexible in incorporating the individual medication needs of each patient. Private insurance companies should also not bombard their prospective clients with too much plan options, and should perhaps start with what their clients need, instead of presenting them with a set of options, in order to help the beneficiaries determine which plan is most appropriate for their needs. †¢ Physicians and pharmacies should participate in keeping an eye on how private insurance companies implement Part D plans and regulations. Since these are the two parties or sectors which deal directly with the beneficiaries – either on how they get their medicine upon purchase, and in determining what medication they need – physician associations and pharmacies should lobby or solutions to the glaring loopholes of the Part D program. The Employer †¢ Employers have to emphasize employee productivity and overall health as key goals. Not only should they aim for longer-lasting and more efficient health care strategy planning cycles, but they must also engage their employees in health care decision-making (Watson Wyatt Worldwide, n. d. ) For instance, employers can help by including employee self-service features in their health care program, and should empower their employees to take responsibility for health benefits without the employees feeling that they are left on their own. The employer should provide assistance and information in helping their employees to select the best plans they need. To do so, employers should themselves be careful in their selection if the medical vendor they decide to tie up with, or have been tied up with, in providing employee health benefits. The employer has the responsibility to ensure that the insurance company is effectively transmitting eligibility information to Medicare. In other words, the employer should be vigilant for their employees sake †¢ The employer can also make use of information and technology investments to administer benefits and distribute health information to their employee. The Employee †¢ The employee should do his or her research on Medicare, and study carefully the plans available. The employee should figure out how much he or she can afford to spend, and a make a list of the drugs currently taken. For questions, the employee can turn to the Medicare website or call their 1-800 hotline. Some state assistance programs can also help them enroll, and articles and reports, featured online or in newspapers, which investigate the choices available in their local areas may also provide useful information. Should the beneficiary be taking a large number of prescription drugs, he or she should look for a plan that does not have a doughnut hole or get multiple plans to cover the gap, if they can afford it. Lastly, the employee could also try talking to his or her pharmacist, who fills prescriptions every day and may be able to name plans that provide the best coverage (McWhinney, 2006). †¢ The above recommendations are applicable to retirees or plan-holders who may want to shift to another plan. To beneficiaries however who have not yet retired and are still currently enrolled, they should then strive to take a more active part in taking responsibility for their health care. Understanding the ins and outs of their companys health care program is a first step, as is availing of seminars, and other information dissemination campaigns that their organization may offer. In other words, employees should not be merely passive recipients, but should participate as engaged and informed consumers in making cost-effective decisions with their employers about the type and amount of health care that they need (Watson Wyatt Worldwide, n. d. ) The Government †¢ CMS should require PDPs to notify beneficiaries about their right to reimbursement, and monitor implementation of its retroactive payment policy (U. S. General Accounting Office, 2007). CMS should work with state governments in determining where the deficits arise, and in assisting state-sponsored programs to subsidize low-income beneficiaries by reimbursing at least a percentage of what states spend to make up for what Medicare was unable to provide. This may perhaps require an amendment to the actual MMA law, to encourage states to participate more actively in prescription drug subsidies for their low-income constitutions without the fear of depleting their state coffers. CMS should also require PDPs to transmit eligibility information to Medicare within a prescribed period, with a penalty imposed should such information not be communicated, or be wrongly communicated. In the same vein, CMS must ensure that the assignment of dual eligibles into appropriate plans involves communicating to the PDPs of these beneficiaries dual eligibility. The point is that beneficiaries should not be turned away at pharmacies simply because they were not identified or classified correctly by their PDPs. Otherwise, the MMA would not be serving the original objective of the law: to provide prescription drug benefits, and ultimately, to improve the quality of health care in the country. Part IX: References Camillus, J. C. (November 1999). Putting Strategy to work. Praxi, Business Line’s Journal of Management. Vol. 2, No. 4. Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. (2007). Medicare Part D. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://www.medicareadvocacy. org/FAQ_PartD. htm Champlin, Leslie. (January 13, 2006). Family Physicians Grapple with Medicare Part D Glitches. American Academy of Family Physicians. Retrieved May 12, 2007 from: http://www. aafp. org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/archive/medicarepartd. html Employee Benefit Research Institute. (July 2004). Health Care Expenses in Retirement and the Use of Health Savings Accounts and Appendix. EBRI Issue Brief # 271. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://www. ebri. org/publications/ib/index. cfm? fa=ibPrintcontent_id=3502 McWhinney, Jim.(January 9, 2006). Getting Through The Medicare Part D Maze. Investopedia. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://www. investopedia. com/articles/06/MedicarePartD. asp Medicare-PartD. com. (April 1, 2007). The Background and Basics of Medicare Part D. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://www. medicare-partd. com/PartD-History-MedicarePartD-ProgramPDP. php Rovner, Julie. (January 11, 2006). Problems Plague Rollout of New Medicare Drug Plan. National Public Radio. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=5148817 Slaughter, Louise M.(June 1, 2006). Medicare Part D – The Product of a Broken Process. The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 354: 2314-2315, No. 22. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://content. nejm. org/cgi/content/full/354/22/2314 Stebbins, Marilyn. (January 20, 2006). Confused by Medicare Part D? UCSF Expert Offers Advice. University of California, San Francisco. UCSF School of Pharmacy. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://pub. ucsf. edu/today/cache/news/200601203. html Watson Wyatt Worldwide. (No date). New Rules for Managing Health Costs – Seventh Annual WBGH/Watson Wyatt Survey Report. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://www. watsonwyatt. com/research/resrender. asp? id=W-532page=1 Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. (2007). Medicare Part D. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Medicare_Part_D U. S. Government Accountability Office. MEDICARE PART D – Enrolling New Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries in Prescription Drug Plans. Testimony by Kathleen M. King, Director, Health Care, before the Committee on Finance, U. S. Senate, May 8, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007 from BenefitsLink. com Website at: http://www. gao. gov/new. items/d07824t. pdf.

FAHRENHEIT 911 Essay -- essays research papers

The title of "Fahrenheit 9/11" is a play on the title of the famous Ray Bradbury novel, "Fahrenheit 451" in which society has been transformed into an authoritarian, repressive regime, in which subversive ideas are crimes and books are burned. In the book, a lonely protagonist is awakened to this reality and joins the struggle to keep underground dissidence alive. In Michael Moore's movie, he leads an above-ground assault on the Bush Presidency, questioning his legitimacy, his character, abilities and, most of all, his attempt to fight terror through the war in Iraq. And similarly, his method of attack is by trying to bring to light the facts that those in power have tried to suppress. Just like every Moore movie, it shows people looking stupid to humorous effect and it shows the heroic tales of common people who have suffered tragedy. And Moore blames their plight on the rich and powerful. In his other movies, the presidents of General Motors and the National Rifle Association, for instance, bear the brunt of his blame. In this movie, it's George W. In its best moments, the movie is a strong, anti-war documentary. It has truly moving moments of bereaved loved ones, mangled bodies in the streets, incredulous soldiers in Iraq, angry Iraqis and innocent teenagers being manipulated into enlisting. In this way, the movie presents a version of the war on Iraq that isn't shown much in the media. It improves our understanding of the war by giving it a human face. Asking members of Congress to enlist their children in the war was a good idea, as it emphasized an important point of his: that it's the poor and uneducated that fight the wars that politicians vote for. But it was probably one of those things that should have remained just a neat idea - the actual confrontations are just embarrassing for Moore, the politicians and the audience. Perhaps it's an embarrasing reality we all ought to face, but maybe it's just tasteless. Either way, the point remains forceful: the heroism of all these disadvantaged young people should only be used as a last resort. But Moore's movie isn't just an anti-war movie. Part of the movie is an attempt to question and expose the political images being projected. This starts off with a dreamy sequence of Al Gore celebrating victory in Florida that, Moore says, was manipulated by Fox television into a Bush vict... ... understandable to a wide audience, inviting citizens from all walks of life and levels of education to be engaged. But his arguments are, without a doubt, simplifications and he doesn't even bring up arguments that challenge his own, let alone take them seriously. Moore insists that all his facts are correct and even hired an old fact checker for the New Yorker to make sure. But this, of course, doesn't come to grips with the fact that much of the Bush statements he objects to are also, strictly speaking, factually correct. The truth about facts is not self evident, as he knows; the significance of facts can be manipulated by those with just a camera just as easily as by those in power. In an era of mass-media politics-a far cry from the original political debates in Athens-"Fahrenheit 9/11" is an uneasy compromise between populism and propaganda. The things it has to say are relevant and important and should be heard - but hopefully, they are just part of a larger, more even-handed discussion. Perhaps, the success of this movie is a recognition of the fact that the way this discussion gets carried out in the modern age is by turning it into a form of entertainment.

The thrill of reading Essay

Education is an important asset to any one’s life and should be available to every one of all ages. Certain levels of education should be available to people of different levels and should be easily accessible. We need a basic form of education in our everyday lives. If we did not learn simple arithmetic such as how to count or if we did not learn how to read, we would suffer in the real word. If we bought something, people could rob us of our change simply because we cannot count. We would not be able to learn if we cannot read. We would rely on pictures to describe things for us and to convey the message to us. We would lose the thrill of reading. All these basic skills are taught in primary school and everyone should have access to primary school education. It is essential that everyone goes to school and if money is what is stopping them, then the government needs to make a plan to help correct that. Primary education should be made free as it allows people to develop their brains and gain a basic knowledge of the world. The government should provide institutions which learners can attend to be educated which they currently do and they are called government schools. These schools should be subsidised by the government for people who really can’t afford school fees. If people have enough money and choose to attend a private learning institution and have to pay school fees, they should do that at their own will. School should be made compulsory from age six when children are able to understand and grasp concepts more easily until about the age of sixteen where they will have a broad knowledge of the world and can decide whether they want to further their studies in a more specialised way. The quality of learning should be of a good quality at all levels of education. Secondary education expands on the knowledge that learners have received from primary school. It is still a broad range of knowledge but more important knowledge is given to learners especially in terms of career choice paths. It should be free or subsidised by the government for people who are really underprivileged or who really can’t afford school fees. School gives children a basic knowledge in problem solving skills that they may need in their everyday lives. Secondary education is compulsory up until grade 9 since grade 10 is when learners choose specific subjects which they feel may help them later on in life or in the career they are interested in. School should be compulsory till the end of matric. It would keep young people off the street and they would be doing something constructive such as improving their education. Nobody wants to hire a sixteen-year-old which is the age you are allowed to leave school at. Those sixteen-year-olds end up jobless, sitting at home or can become involved in gangs or drugs. Instead of wasting their time, they should rather attend school. They choose not to go to school because they are lazy and need that push to make them do something. They stand a much better chance of getting a job with a matric certificate. Finishing school up until matric level also allows you to explore new areas in your life and so that you can help find yourself, your talents and your interests.

Personal Statement - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 854 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? In the text below a lot has been stated that is in accordance to the invitational fellowship. My goals both long-term, as well as short-term goals, have been said, my research interests relative to cancer prevention and control. My career goals have been stated below as well as how the cancer prevention fellowship program will aid in the achievement of my goals. My research interests are centered on the understanding of the genomic and epigenetic changes that are associated with endocrine and central nervous system cancer growth and metastases. My goal is to identify novel molecular and genetic markers that would aid in the development and optimization of diagnostic techniques and treatments for endocrine cancers. I aim to contribute to the implementation and adoption of novel diagnostic techniques through future clinical trials. Advancing on our understanding of the molecular basis of brain tumors will not only allow the development of new diagnostic and prognostic markers but also contribute to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets with the goal of developing new treatment methods Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Personal Statement" essay for you Create order My research interests also extend to study the long-term effects of cancer treatment and endocrine-therapy order to improve the quality of life of brain tumor survivors.My goals are to commit to the research about the early detection and recognition of neuroendocrine disturbances to increase the quality of care and efficiency of treatment of cancer survivors that are at a higher risk of premature death. Also, I would like to further our understanding of the correlation of genetic background with predisposed genetic susceptible towards specific cancer treatments.I would like to commit to efforts to further elucidate the role of genetic variability in the occurrence of related neuroendocrine disturbances My educational and research experience have provided me with a solid basis in multiple biological disciplines including biochemistry, pathology, plant biology, cancer biology, microbiology, and genetics. I have attended graduate school at Cornell University. I will graduate in 2017 with my Ph.D. in Plant Pathology with concentrations in Microbiology, Plant-Microbe Biology, and Plant Biochemistry. My graduate research has been centered on the characterization and identification of novel hormone receptors in Arabidopsis thaliana and has led to two publications as the primary author.   Upon entry to my graduate program, I was awarded the State University of New York Graduate Diversity Fellowship. Additionally, I was awarded the National Science Foundation (NSF) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes fellowship in 2015. The joint NSF and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) fellowship allowed me to develop an international research project in Japan. I believe internationa l research collaborations are essential in resolving global health issues. My volunteer experience in the American Cancer Society and Umass Memorial HealthAlliance Hospital has been an enriching experience and has helped cement my decision to pursue biomedical research. During my final year of my graduate studies, I was awarded the National Cancer Institutes Cancer Research Intern Summer Fellowship. My research project at the NCI was granted an extension allowing me to stay at the NIH until the fall. My current project is centered on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of chromosome segregation. High fidelity chromosome segregation is essential for cell growth. Errors in the process result in aneuploidy, developmental disorders, and cancers. My research goal to uncover the mechanism by which polo-like kinase Cdc5 regulators the cellular and physiological function of centromere-specific histone H3 variant Cse4. My aim is to define the role of Cse4 phosphorylation by Cdc5 in chromosome segregation. I am completing my internship at the NCI. After the completion of my internship, I will be taking a position at the American Cancer Society. My graduate student research project has allowed me to mentor multiple student interns through the NSF-funded Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) at Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell University. My research project included interns of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and genders. The PGRP internship program allowed me to help students develop their semi-independent research project. It was an enriching opportunity to help students pursue higher education. Through seeking this fellowship, I wish to continue my commitment to mentorship programs at the NIH to educate the next generation of scientists. The Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program offers a unique avenue in which I can begin my career in biomedical sciences and cancer biology. My future career goals pertain to being a research director and professor in the fields of oncology and neurobiology. I hope to one day lead a laboratory in brain tumor research. I firmly believe that I can contribute to advancements in the field of cancer biology if given the opportunity and the tools to do so.   The program will give me a chance to expand on my research experiences. Collaborative research environment of the NIH will further my leadership skills and communication skills, which are vital skills in the field of medicine. Through my work at the NCI, I aim to generate research worthy of publishing in the highest quality of journals, which would not only help me further my long-term goals to pursue a successful career in biomedical research but also allow me to contribute to the field of neuro-oncology.