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Politics : Al Gore vs George Bush: the moderate's perspective -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (925)	9/26/2000 4:29:31 PM
From: ColtonGang	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10042

Census Bureau: U.S. poverty rate lowest in 20 years President Clinton attributes the decline in poverty to a course of fiscal discipline Median income at record high September 26, 2000 Web posted at: 1:22 p.m. EDT (1722 GMT) WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The number of people in the United States living in poverty in 1999 dropped to its lowest level in 20 years, while the median household income last year reached a record high, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Two reports released on Tuesday showed that 11.8 percent of U.S. residents were living in poverty -- a nearly 1 point drop -- while the nation's median household income rose 2.7 percent to $40,816 per year, the highest level recorded by the bureau since data was first gathered in 1967. The Census Bureau defines its annual poverty threshold for a family of four at $17,029. INTERACTIVE Patterns of Growth Chart ALSO State-by-state breakdown of population estimates MESSAGE BOARD America's changing face "The rising tide of the economy is lifting all boats," President Bill Clinton said Tuesday in trumpeting the new reports. "Every income group is seeing economic growth, with the greatest gains in percentage terms being made by the hardest-pressed Americans." Racial gaps But the 1999 data also showed a large gap between median incomes among racial groups. Non-Hispanic white households earned a median income of $44,366 while African-American households reported a median income of just $27,910. Hispanic households showed a median income of $30,735, according to the bureau. Despite the racial income gaps, Clinton said increases in income among minority groups had increased significantly in 1999. Daniel Weinberg, chief of the bureau's housing and household economics statistics division, said the drop in poverty was widespread among all groups. "Every racial and ethnic group experienced a drop in both the number of poor and the percent in poverty, as did children, the elderly and people aged 25 to 44," Weinberg said. According to the bureau's poverty report, 2.2 million fewer people were living in poverty in the United States in 1999 than in 1998. Regional income The income report's regional data showed that the median income level did not drop in any of the 50 states, while increasing in 14 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin. "Declines in poverty were concentrated in metropolitan areas, particularly central cities. And, on the income side, this was the fifth consecutive year that households experienced a real annual increase in income," said Weinberg. Clinton, speaking in Washington, took credit for the positive numbers in the Census reports and promised similar results in the future. "The most important thing we can say about our economy is that it works for working families," Clinton said. "Its success belongs to all the American people. If we stay on the path that got us here, the path of fiscal discipline, we can reach even greater heights of prosperity." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (925)	9/26/2000 5:13:38 PM
From: Cage Rattler	Respond to of 10042

Fair points Ron; interesting; thought provoking. A few worrisome assumptions concerning GWs intentions and the current healthcare delivery system -- albeit Gore's has mustered-up a few tall tales I must admit, he's not Bill Clinton and has spelled out praiseworthy specifics. I will digest your comments and get back with my rebuttal.

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (925)	9/27/2000 3:50:30 PM
From: Cage Rattler	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10042

<<private physicians are profit oriented as well, so they tend to want to keep THEIR OWN costs down.>> This statement is on target but out of context. With few exceptions, specialists have suffered reimbursement shortfalls due to reduced gate-keeper referrals, deep discounts required for HMO affiliation, and reimbursement delays with cost of opportunity loss. Consequently, the specialty physician's bottom line is being eroded while his operating costs keep pace with the "booming economy." <<under a Bush administration, we would see the same actions taken against price gouging or denial of service actions by HMOs>> Well that sounds reasonable, but is it a realistic expectation when insurance companies control the food chain? Believe me, the insurance is no more honorable than the trial lawyers. Which bring us to the next point... <<tort reform has driven many doctors into the "safety net" of the HMO system.>> You have lost me on this one. "HMO safety net," boy that's a belly laugh. For example, we just tossed an American Specialty Health Networks plan into the trash. Unbelievably, their contract among other things required the physician agree to pay for diagnostic procedures or consultations that he recommended if the HMO adjustor denies the claim. In some jurisdictions, if a doctor recommends a diagnostic procedure, the HMO denies it, the patient can't or wont pay for it, and the patient is avoidably injured because the test was not performed - guess who is held liable? - the doctor. Does that sound like a safety net to you? <<Were tort reform enacted, then maybe individual physician networks could re-establish the previous level of personal care that seems to have been lost in the current "assembly line" HMO system. I would be curious to know if you concur.>> I agree that tort reform should be enacted not only for the sake of healthcare but for general well being of society. Let me conclude by saying that In the future I see interlinked non-emergency, diagnostic screening and referral centers. Entry into the healthcare delivery system, for routine medical problems, will be via this conduit. The patient will be diagnosed and referred to qualified specialists and treating physicians. Such medical centers, will be staffed by physicians who have completed competitive-residence programs, not C- and D-grade medical-school graduates. Such residence curriculums will emphasize computerized diagnostic and referral decision models. Gore's healthcare proposals are on target. At least that's the way I see it from here.

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (925)	9/27/2000 3:51:41 PM
From: Cage Rattler	Respond to of 10042

<<private physicians are profit oriented as well, so they tend to want to keep THEIR OWN costs down.>> This statement is on target but out of context. With few exceptions, specialists have suffered reimbursement shortfalls due to reduced gate-keeper referrals, deep discounts required for HMO affiliation, and reimbursement delays with cost of opportunity loss. Consequently, the specialty physician's bottom line is being eroded while his operating costs keep pace with the "booming economy." <<under a Bush administration, we would see the same actions taken against price gouging or denial of service actions by HMOs>> Well that sounds reasonable, but is it a realistic expectation when insurance companies control the food chain? Believe me, the insurance is no more honorable than the trial lawyers. Which bring us to the next point... <<tort reform has driven many doctors into the "safety net" of the HMO system.>> You have lost me on this one. "HMO safety net," boy that's a belly laugh. For example, we just tossed an American Specialty Health Networks plan into the trash. Unbelievably, their contract among other things required the physician agree to pay for diagnostic procedures or consultations that he recommended if the HMO adjustor denies the claim. In some jurisdictions, if a doctor recommends a diagnostic procedure, the HMO denies it, the patient can't or wont pay for it, and the patient is avoidably injured because the test was not performed - guess who is held liable? - the doctor. Does that sound like a safety net to you? <<Were tort reform enacted, then maybe individual physician networks could re-establish the previous level of personal care that seems to have been lost in the current "assembly line" HMO system. I would be curious to know if you concur.>> I agree that tort reform should be enacted not only for the sake of healthcare but for the general well being of society. Let me conclude by saying that In the future I see interlinked non-emergency, diagnostic screening and referral centers. Entry into the healthcare delivery system, for routine medical problems, will be via this conduit. The patient will be diagnosed and referred to qualified specialists and treating physicians. Such medical centers, will be staffed by physicians who have completed competitive-residence programs, not C- and D-grade medical-school graduates. Such residence curriculums will emphasize computerized diagnostic and referral decision models. Gore's healthcare proposals are on target. At least that's the way I see it from here.