Health-care Credit Unions

OK, so here is a thought for you. What if we had an institution like a credit union BUT it was for healthcare. This has been an idea that has been floating around in my head for the last few days. So, why not put my idea down on 'paper'. Really, what is the worst that can happen? I mean I would have the same amount of results that we have seen from the U.S Congress.

Now, when I had mentioned this idea on my LinkedIn status I got a response of 'How is this different than Kaiser?' Additionally, the member of my network mentioned I should listen to the NPR interview with George Halvorson, the CEO of Kaiser Permanente. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106853465)

It was a fairly interesting interview, and it does seem to give a direction of where we could go. However, I still see Kaiser as an insurance company first and then a provider of health-care services. Hey, that is just my impression. I think there are some very good aspects, and I see it as a starting point. But, all things can be improved even if it is just a little or a lot.

The biggest positive of the Kaiser model is the NOT-FOR-PROFIT position of the company. This really puts the focus of the company on the true customer, wait for it, drum-roll, the patients and not stock-holders. The whole not-for-profit concept gives the idea (or illusion) that it is about helping people right from the get go. Also, my experience with Kaiser has shown me a company that is focused on using technology to improve the efficiency of the services they provide to patients.

Now, here comes the fun part. How can we improve it? I really think some of the ways are to try expanding upon the financial credit union model. The biggest idea would be to involve the patients as a part of the overall institution. So, as the credit union improves then so does your investment. The reward would be realize in lower premiums, when in doubt always impact the pocketbook to get a response.

1. What if a current financial credit union expanded into being able to offer health-care insurance? This could be an additional benefit of belonging to the credit union, having another option to gain access to health insurance. The credit union could offer their 'clients/ customer base' to a company that is similar to a Kaiser to achieve the group rate price which is so important to our current system.

If this was used, then you could also include a Health Savings Account as you method of paying for you health insurance and related expenses. In addition, this system could help to foster a sense of community between physicans, patients, and the the insurance company.

2. An underlying assumption to this concept is 'no person can be denied coverage'. This is such a cornerstone to any change that occurs. Based on this, it almost seems that a more radical change will be required. So, with that said I think we will need to have a separate type of entity for health insurance. I think this is the 'Health Unions'. An entire community would be included, and would pay into the system. Funds would be used to pay doctors, new technology, etc. Savings would be given back to the health union members in the forum of premiums that don't increase or maybe decrease. The use of HSA's would allow people to see their account funds increased, if they don't expense all of their funds. Here is where the overlap with a financial institution would be of benefit.

Again, there would be the underlying idea that people are only getting the tests they need. Or, doctors are no longer practicing 'defensive medicine' because of fear of lawsuits. Also, the shift in medicine would be to prevention rather than reaction. The pay structure for physicians would need to shift away toward something similar to Kaiser, where doctors get a salary. Almost forgot, I think it is important to say that we are focused on primary-care physicians, as these are the front-line warriors and who would be the ones that a majority of folks would need to deal with.

Ok, I think that is enough for now. The beauty of this issue is there is some much room and opportunity for discussion and real change.

Feel free to give me your feedback.

Wow. You just never know.

It never ceases to amaze me, what I will take away from an encounter with somebody. The person can be a close friend, old friend, new friend, brief acquaintance, co-worker, parent, roommate, whomever; all that matters is that you come away with something positive and MORE IMPORTANTLY you give away something positive.

Before, if I gave something away to the other person it usually focused on humor. I made them laugh, and hopefully the humor wasn't to sarcastic or nasty. Often, it wasn't.

Now, it feels like I am capable or more importantly, willing to give away more. It can be some positive feedback, or as simple as just listening. I find that I have so much to learn and there are all these wonderful people in my life to learn from. For once, I am much more open to listening and hopefully learning. I hope that I never become INDIFFERENT again. It seems like that was my default setting before, NOW I feel like I have to really try to put myself in that mindset, if I want to. AND, I am learning that it does NOBODY any good to be there. You close yourself off to learning from others, AND more importantly you CLOSE yourself off to helping/ teaching others.

Anyways, that was just a little thought I had rolling around in my head. And, I wanted to get it down. Later.

You got to laugh.

yesterday, i had some drinks with some friends from networking.   we are all in the same boat of looking for our next  opportunity.   i am amazed at how comfortable we are with each other, and just how funny we all are.   maybe, that is what we all have in common...an ability to continue to laugh and find the joy in life.    at several instances all of us were in tears.   IS THERE A BETTER FEELING THAN LAUGHING SO HARD YOU CRY?   if there is, i don't know what it is.

last nite was a reminder of how important it is to take the time out to decompress, especially in this environment.   but, we all need remember that.   if you can't laugh, then what is the point of it all.

anyways, i just wanted to remind everyone to LAUGH every once and awhile.  it will help.  trust me.

-thanks

SO WHAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW

It has been awhile.  Maybe I just didn't have anything to say.  Not sure if I ever do.  Well, here is a speech I am giving to my Toastmasters group.  Maybe it can help somebody. Feel free to let me know what you think. 

This year has been a very educational and challenging year for me, both personally and professionally.   My focus, priorities, and energies have all shifted.  The shift has been of my own doing, as a response to  uncomfortable and albeit slightly painful situations.   Now, this is nothing specific to me, as everyone is dealing with uncertainty these days.  The most challenging part has been the uncertainty that hovers over me and clouds my thinking.   I like to picture it as a storm cloud, albeit not to far away.   Is it going to rain, is it going to thunder, will there be lightning?   I don’t know.

 

The unknown has always been a source of fear for humanity.  

How scary was it for Columbus and his crew to sail across a “flat world”?   OR, how scared is the little child of the monster that MAYBE under the bed?

 

Dealing with the unknown is a very scary thing because you MAY have to try new things, learn new skills, meet new people, or even take a good hard look at yourself and most folks are not going to like what they see.   When we get out of that comfortable space in our life, things look scary.   And, for the first time in my life, I know that I am in that unknown space.   But, it does not have to be scary.  It was, but I am getting more comfortable with it.

 

You never know what will happen, but something always does.   Spirituality has always been a way people have dealt with the unknown or fear.   Sometimes that has been in the form of religion.   I see spirituality as the process of finding your own being or essence. For me, I have found my spirituality through meditation.  Meditation can be defined as an attempt (and that is the important part, the attempt) to achieve a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.

 

My path toward mediation started when I wandering through the library, likely in a bit of a haze, stumbled across the book titled, “Comfortable with Uncertainty” by Pema Chodron.   It felt like a smack to the back of my head, like a HS teacher does in study hall to that sleeping student.   HEY, YOU.  WAKE UP!

It completely summarized where I was in my life, lots of questions and no real idea where to look for the answers.

The book deals with meditation and is a collection of concepts, themes, and practices of Buddhism. The main focus of the teachings is to help us cultivate mindfulness and awareness.   WE TRY TO BE MORE IN THE PRESENT, WHILE BEING AWARE OF OURSELVES AND OUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS.

Both IDEAS are key to helping us minimize the perceived impact of not knowing or uncertainty.  The real focus of Pema’s teachings is to become comfortable with the uncertainty, because UNCERTAINTY is all there truly is in life.

 

One concept that really struck me was tonglen.  This is a practice where you send out happiness to others and you take in any suffering that others feel.  In layman terms, think of it as allowing ourselves to be there to help others.  Everyone needs help, a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear, a hug, or a kind word.

 

A second concept that really struck me was ‘getting to know fear’.  They say that anyone who has stood at the edge of the unknown, without a reference point experiences groundlessness.   It is at this most vulnerable and unnerving place where we are able to possibly achieve a greater understanding.    Now we can start to get familiar with fear (not comfortable) and we start undo our old ways of how we sensed and experienced things; see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. We become humbled.  If we commit to that place, things will become very vivid. When there is nowhere to escape things become very clear.

 

The 2 ideas of mediation that I mentioned have helped in my journey.  They have helped to quiet my mind, and allow me to hear my real voice.   Just like normal “conversational” listening, it is much more difficult than one would expect.  But, I truly believe it is about the journey rather than the actual destination.   I see my Toastmasters as an extension of my meditation.   Maybe, because their starting points are similar OR maybe because both are helping me to express my true self to others and more importantly to myself.

 

I hope that I was able to pass along abit of knowledge.  They say when you can teach something, and then you truly understand it.  I hope that has been the case today.

Good luck.

My first time leading a Toastmasters Meeting

Today, was a really good day.   It was the first time that I got to run the weekly session of my Toastmasters group.   It was a really great experience.   Leading meetings isn't a completely new experience for me, but it was definitely with a different purpose.   Before, it was about how to fix a problem, collect some data, or generate some sort of consensus with other engineers or managers.    Today, was a pure joy.   It was just to keep a meeting on track,  introduce speakers, and just have a good time.  I almost felt like Chuck Barris, but I was dealing with people who had talent.     

It was really quite an enjoyable experience, and I look forward to doing it again.    

So, with that said.  Let me talk the time to plug Toastmasters.   It is a really great venue to work and develop leadership, public speaking, and listening skills.   God knows, we need more people in this world that know how to truly listen.

Well, let me get back to watching my Detroit Tigers...who are getting worked as I type.

 

Improvement comes after pain, unfortunately.

I find it hard to believe that I am actually glad that this year has been tough for me.     Getting knocked down was a really good thing, it caused me to REALLY evaluate myself and where I currently was.   And, I wasn't really happy with what I say.   The best part has been making changes for the better, and not just accepting where I was.    But, based on my experience in manufacturing, things never get fixed/resolved until the pain level of doing nothing becomes to much.  You see it everywhere, business, government, squeaky hinge, piles of dirty laundry...you get the idea.

My pain has been both professional and personal, and the changes I have been making have been dealing with both.   It might have been better to deal with my issues before but I am not sure the lessons would have truly stuck.   We humans have to feel that pain... take the hand on the stove..ouch... but you learn and remember.

So, I am glad that I am making the changes.  I feel like I have made just a minimal amount of progress but that is good because it is just a start.  The other thing has been getting feedback from new friends, old friends, and family that there is a new side of me.  And, the feedback is good.   All I hope to do is continue my growth, and pass on what I can to others who want it.

I guess that is it.   Just wanted to get a thought down.   Later.

Gotta stay positive

It never ceases to surprise me how my mindset effects my day.   When I feel good, I have a good day and vice-versa.  Now, that in no way means it is easy to have a positive outlook...it is hard, but you just have to try.    Look to friends, family, or even that new acquaintance you meet at some networking event.  

For me, I have tried to do something that is new for me.  I feel that it has been really helpful and educational for me.   I have started to read about meditation, and started yoga.   And, I have also started to try and put my thoughts to virtual paper.   

Well, I think that is what I have for today.   

My first day as a 36 year old.....

Good news, I was able to get out of bed and I did not feel like I was senile.   All kidding aside, it just seemed like another day to me.   But, it got me to thinking about some of the changes I have gone through in the year so fall.   I have to admit, this has been a pretty bad year  BUT it really is all about how you choose to deal with it.   So, I have looked at those events as chances to recognize areas within myself to make changes.   And, I feel that I have been making real progress, and I guess that is what it is all about.  You only have to answer to yourself, but that also means that you have to take responsibility for yourself (and that includes your actions).

That tends to get me thinking about stuff, especially with our current crisis.  But, it really seems to me that the problems stem from people (individuals, political parties, companies, governments...) not being accountable for their actions.   Mistakes happen.  Really they do, and it sometimes drives me crazy how we think that nothing will ever go wrong.   We get so caught up in perfection, that we forget that it is really about how you deal with those problems or mistakes.   I know we would be much better off, if we could just say, 'OOPs, I F*'d up.'   And, then we start the process of fixing the problem or better yet the root cause.

I guess the process engineer in me came out.   But, I really do think if we applied some of those basic concepts (including common sense) we could really get this country back on track.

Thanks for your time.

Power BACK to the People...The Founders Party

The goal is to rise awareness, and hopefully generate a groundswell to pull the power back to the people of this country. So, let's see how this goes. I really need to get a job...

Our Positions:

1. Find the middle ground on the issue, and start on a solution from there.

2. Be aware that each solution will NOT be the homerun ball.   Small but constant improvements are what we need.

3. Let's address the issues that impact all of us: Education, Health care, Economy (jobs), and National Security.

4. Every citizen, and this includes our corporate-citizens (businesses) as well, need to be both morally and fiscally accountable.

The idea is to get the ball rolling.  We the people are starved for real leadership, and even more for real results.   If our given elected officials can not or will not do the job, then we must do something to change the process or the leadership.   I don't feel that we need to take to the streets, like an angry mob hunting Frankenstein, but we do need to do something.

So, it is my hope that this can generate some interest, and get people thinking and talking...not yelling like the pundits on television.   Ideally, it would be great if the ground swell became so much that a current third party would take notice and incorporate the ideas here.    

With that said, I welcome ANY of your feedback.  I have also created a Cause on Facebook, so if you like maybe you can join there.  That is how I hope we can track the impact.

Washington is broken, and needs to be fixed.

i figured that i needed to get these ideas out of my head. putting my thoughts here at least would get them documented somewhere. i read a few books this last week that really seemed to showcase the broken system that is our national political circus. i read a book by lou dobbs, and one dealing with senator john mccain. both men, at least in my opinion, are examples of where we need to move this country. moving away from the political left or right and moving toward a centrist platform. this country seems to be controlled by the vocal fringes of both parties.

so, how do we fix this country? well, let me list a few of the things that need to happen. the list below is in no particular order, and likely most of them would need to be done simultaneously.

1. a legit third political party. this can't be some wild, fringe element group. this really needs to be something that would probably lie between the 2 'knuckle-head' parties we currently have. they would need to leverage real and viable candidates and have a platform that makes sense and really impacts people's lives. initially, i would think they would want to focus on health care, new employment opportunities, and education. maybe, take the 'average' approach to define their positions. as progress and results are generated, more 'sticky' issues could be tackled.

2. term-limits for all politicians. this would prevent our representatives from getting out of touch with their constituents. in addition, hopefully this would also prevent the impact of lobbyists.

3. real and meaningful campaign finance reform. this has been started with mccain-feingold, but it still needs to be updated and enhanced to deal with new issues that arise. this will go a long way to reduce the impact of lobbyists and their big money clients. in addition, rules need to be clearly defined on when campaigns are to start for a specific office.

4. politicians needs to really understand the plight of people they represent. so, salaries would be the median salary of the company. if you want to really impact change, then you effect a person's wallet. to often it seems like we have career politicians, and why not. they get great health care, a fantastic salary, and incumbents have a much higher election success rate.

i have to admit that these ideas are not relatively new. they have been around (in some form) since the founding fathers created our government. first, no where in the constitution are political parties discussed and george washington warned of these entities. second, the rules that define how officials are elected clearly indicate that no all officials are chosen at the same time. this would prevent all knowledge from being 'removed' at the same time. third, the elected officials were not to be full time politicians. they were meant to keep their 'day-jobs', and be in touch with the people of their community.

this is just my take on it. who knows, maybe some political consultant will take a look and find my ideas pretty interesting. i know this is not completely error free, but i am sure that we can work through any issues. let's get the ball rolling.