Dr. Government

This Wins the “Booby Prize” for Great Moments in Government-Run Healthcare

"I confess to being a bit skeptical of this story. Then again, who would have guessed that the government in the United Kingdom would provide taxpayer-financed sex trips to Amsterdam? Or that the bureaucrats at the European Commission would be able to get penile implants at public expense? Closer to home, let’s not forget that Obamacare allows taxpayer-subsidized viagra for sex offenders! And Medicare pays for penis pumps, which creates frightening visual images. So even if this specific story isn’t true, I have no doubt that the British government has squandered money in similar ways." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThis Wins the “Booby Prize” for Great Moments in Government-Run Healthcare

Government sale of personal gene data condemned as ‘unethical and dangerous’

"The government is keen for Britain to be at the forefront of the genetic revolution, a potential multibillion-pound industry. Last year David Cameron launched a £100m scheme to map the genomes of up to 100,000 people, saying it would help to save lives by delivering new treatments. Under the scheme, firms would be able to access the information at a cost, but ministers insist that all data will be strictly anonymous. However, material released under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that firms can invoke an appeal process to demand 'patient-identifiable data', such as age and postcode." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment sale of personal gene data condemned as ‘unethical and dangerous’

Tax Prof: ObamaCare Tax Increases Are Double Original Estimate

"The Joint Committee on Taxation recently released a 96 page report on the tax provisions associated with Affordable Care Act. The report describes the 21 tax increases included in Obamacare, totaling $1.058 trillion – a steep increase from initial assessment, according to the Tax Prof Blog. The summer 2012 estimate is nearly twice the $569 billion estimate produced at the time of the passage of the law in March 2010." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTax Prof: ObamaCare Tax Increases Are Double Original Estimate

Why Obamacare Will Result in a Decline in Cash Wages

"The least-skilled workers are seeing their wages fall over time, largely because they are out of work and failing to acquire the skills that come with working. Moreover, the new health care regulations going into effect in January are expected to reduce cash wages, as many employers of low-skill workers are hit with per-employee fines of about $3,000 per employee per year, as the law mandates new fringe benefits for other employers and low-skill workers have to compete with others for the part-time jobs that are a popular loophole in the new legislation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhy Obamacare Will Result in a Decline in Cash Wages

IRS facing class action suit for medical records theft

"A HIPAA-covered entity of the Southern District of California announced today that it is suing 15 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents for 'an unlawful search and seizure conducted on March 11, 2011.' Courthousenews.com reports that IRS agents have been accused of improperly accessing and taking 10 million medical records, such as the personal health records of all California state judges. The covered entity, called John Doe Company, states that the IRS agents stole more than 60,000,000 medical records of more than 10,000,000 Americans, including at least 1,000,000 Californians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIRS facing class action suit for medical records theft

IRS facing class action suit for medical records theft

"A HIPAA-covered entity of the Southern District of California announced today that it is suing 15 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents for 'an unlawful search and seizure conducted on March 11, 2011.' Courthousenews.com reports that IRS agents have been accused of improperly accessing and taking 10 million medical records, such as the personal health records of all California state judges. The covered entity, called John Doe Company, states that the IRS agents stole more than 60,000,000 medical records of more than 10,000,000 Americans, including at least 1,000,000 Californians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIRS facing class action suit for medical records theft

Federal judge strikes down Missouri’s Obamacare birth control coverage exemption

"A federal judge has struck down a Missouri law exempting moral objectors from mandatory birth control coverage because it conflicts with an insurance requirement under President Barrack Obama’s health care law. Some backers of Missouri’s law said the court ruling could result in churches and other religious organizations having to accept insurance policies that include contraception coverage. The Missouri law requires insurers to issue policies without contraception coverage if individuals or employers assert that the use of birth control violates their 'moral, ethical or religious beliefs.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFederal judge strikes down Missouri’s Obamacare birth control coverage exemption

Federal judge strikes down Missouri’s Obamacare birth control coverage exemption

"A federal judge has struck down a Missouri law exempting moral objectors from mandatory birth control coverage because it conflicts with an insurance requirement under President Barrack Obama’s health care law. Some backers of Missouri’s law said the court ruling could result in churches and other religious organizations having to accept insurance policies that include contraception coverage. The Missouri law requires insurers to issue policies without contraception coverage if individuals or employers assert that the use of birth control violates their 'moral, ethical or religious beliefs.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFederal judge strikes down Missouri’s Obamacare birth control coverage exemption

CVS requires employees to report weight or pay a fine under new health care rules

"CVS pharmacy company is requiring all employees to submit detailed health profiles to their insurance company or pay a monthly fine to continue receiving health coverage. According to ABC News, all employees must submit their weight, body fat levels, blood glucose levels and other vital statistics before May 1, 2014, or face a monthly $50 fine — $600 per year. Employees who comply with the testing, the company said, will see no change in their monthly insurance rate. Those who do not will pay the fine or risk being dropped from their health plan." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCVS requires employees to report weight or pay a fine under new health care rules

CBO: Up to 20 Million Could Be Pushed Off Employer Health Insurance Because of Obamacare

"In February, the Congressional Budget Office said that 7 million will likely lose their employer coverage thanks to ObamaCare — nearly twice its previous estimate. That number could be as high as 20 million, the CBO says. In December, state insurance commissioners warned Obama administration officials that the law's market regulations would likely cause 'rate shocks,' particularly for younger, healthier people forced by ObamaCare to subsidize premiums for those who are older and sicker." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCBO: Up to 20 Million Could Be Pushed Off Employer Health Insurance Because of Obamacare