New Feature: Guest Posts

As part of its effort to engage interested people and groups in discussions about health reform topics, the editors of Talk Health Reform have asked groups engaged in reform to participate in the blog through guest posts.  Guests are asked to write about topics of interest to their organizations, which may be as narrowly or broadly focused as they would like. 

Tomorrow we'll debut this feature with our first guest post, from CareOregon.  CareOregon is a Medicaid managed care plan serving 95,649 Oregon Health Plan members in 16 counties across the state. 

Over the coming weeks and months we will feature guest posts by other organizations around the state. If you work with an organization engaged in health reform work in Oregon and would like to write a guest post, please email the Talk Health Reform editors. 

Comments

[freidaMae]

Patients who transition to the Medical use of Cannabis Reduce costs to Ins Co., Social Services and self.

Oregon allows for the rights of the ill to die with dignity, yet continues in its fight against the right to Live with dignity.

For many, Medical Cannabis accomplishes improvements in the quality of life.
For some, it is a literal link to survival.

The Proposals below address the waste of Tax Monies spent on the eradication of Cannabis in the U.S. and the New tax revenue, at least in part, could be diverted towards health care coverage for many.

This would/could be a Brand new source of Tax revenue and is worth Billion's.

A 2005 analysis by Harvard visiting professor Jeffrey Miron estimates that if the United States legalized marijuana, the country would save $7.7 billion in law enforcement costs and could generated as much as $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like alcohol or tobacco.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=2735017

Milton Friedman, 500+ Economists Call for Marijuana Regulation Debate; New Report Projects $10-14 Billion Annual Savings and Revenues

http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/

Special Report

Lost Taxes and Other Costs of Marijuana Lawsby Jon Gettman

http://www.drugscience.org/bcr/

Hanging on to the "60's mentality/stereotypical Cannabis consumer" is counter-productive and very costly to Oregonians. The greatest price to pay, is the lack of available treatment.

Oregon is a leader of many good things, Let us lead the way to utilize the Heath Care benefits of this Most controversial alternative herbal treatment.

When will Medical Cannabis become a matter of Health care and Not a political issue?

[freidaMae]

here is a perfect example of the reduction of standard health care costs that tax payers support.
"No, marijuana would not completely address all his pain, but it made a tremendous difference in the quality of his life when he tried it for over a year. It helped him regain 38 pounds he had lost. It calmed his muscle spasms and helped him sleep. In short, it alleviated many side effects and greatly reduced his need for other expensive medications. Mr. Forss estimates that being allowed to use medical marijuana would save taxpayers at least $12,000 a year in medications he would no longer need. He would also be able to work occasionally and attend some church services."
http://www.borderfirereport.net/guest-authors/politicizing-pain.htmlhttp://www.borderfirereport.net/guest-authors/politicizing-pain.html

[freidaMae]

so sorry, the link was "dbl" posted, this one will work.
http://www.borderfirereport.net/guest-authors/politicizing-pain.html

[freidaMae]

so sorry, the link was "dbl" posted, this one will work.
http://www.borderfirereport.net/guest-authors/politicizing-pain.html

[Merv Johnson]

After all is said and done, the best answer to health care for all is to go with the single payer system. We are the only first world country that does not have any type of universal health care system.

That can be done by:
1. Setting up the requirements for what the system will cover, then allow the insurance companies to bid on it, resulting in one company with the lowest bid for the entire state. Or
2. Setting up the requirements for what the system will cover, then allow the insurance companies to participate, resulting in several companies. Or
3. Dump the insurance companies completely and bill the state health care system.

In all three choices, the doctors and hospitals become free agents, deciding upon what is best for the patient, but only allowed to charge according to a state-wide schedule. No more insurance companies making health decisions, and much less bureaucracy.