Stop Patching Education!

This is the first in a series of rants from a frustrated educational writer. At the intersection of politics and education the refrain is always the same.



via Pocket http://ift.tt/1joCo3q

Why? My thoughts on health insurance

Uncertainty clipart

from Clker.com

Why?  Why is there this huge law known as the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”?  For those that don’t know, this is also referred to as “Obamacare”.  What was the purpose of this law?  If it was to provide insurance for people who do not have it, well, it’s not working.  Actually it is doing the opposite.  Also, where is the “affordable” part?  Many people are talking about premiums that have drastically increased.  We are not talking about a couple of dollars, we are talking about 78% increases. Others are seeing a 90% increase.  

But nothing I have heard has told me “why” we need such a law.  We keep hearing about rising healthcare costs and how people can’t afford it…… what?  Rising healthcare costs?  This leads me to exactly what I have been saying for the last 5 years:  Why does health care cost so much?  Rather than trying to find a way to have everyone pay the high cost of healthcare, why not look at WHY it is so expensive to begin with?!?!?  

Let me provide an example.  I have an explanation of benefits from my insurance company in which they list some claims for routine blood work.  The total amount billed by the provider (the lab) was $371.21.  Guess how much of that bill I owe? All of it?  Half of it?  No, I am responsible for $17.67.  That is $17.67!!!  How is this possible?  Well, this is because the provider “has agreed to the plan discount” of $353.54!!!!!  So, because I have insurance, I only need to pay $17.67.  If I did not have insurance then I would be responsible for $371.21!!!!  This is outrageous!!!  Why is the billed amount so high?  Apparently the tests only cost $17.67, so why not just bill me for that amount!!!!?!?!?

Another quick example.  My wife had an MRI at a medical imaging office.  The total cost was roughly $2500.  The doctor who ordered it said that it was “blurry” and she needed to have another MRI done at his office.  Well, after several phone calls and hoops to jump through the insurance company agreed to pay for the other MRI.  We get the explanations of benefits for that MRI, guess how much it cost?  Nope.  It cost $3800!!!   Why the difference?!?!?

I have many, many, many other examples like theres.  I just really want to know “why”.  Why do certain procedures, tests and office visits cost what they do.  If an MRI really costs $3800 then, OK, I will pay $3800.  If a test costs $300 then, OK, bill me for $300.  But if the test only costs $15 dollars do not charge me 2000% of the actual cost!

So I am pleading for anyone to listen to me…. STOP the madness of trying to find a way to pay for the outrageous health insurance premiums and lets find a way to get some truth in medical billing!!  I thoroughly believe if we force the medical industry to support why they are billing what they are, we might see some drastic billing changes….. And we might get to a point where we have affordable health care.  Besides, isn't it supposed to be  the “affordable care act” and not the “affordable insurance premium act”?

Some references:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111hr3590enr/pdf/BILLS-111hr3590enr.pdf

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/05/obamacare-price-hikes-hit-red-states-hardest/

http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/10/18/why-some-are-seeing-premiums-go-up-as-affordable-care-act-goes-into-effect-obamacare/

5 Ways to Blow the Top Off of Rubrics

This is a guest post from Shawn McCusker of EdTechTeacher.org which is an advertiser on this blog.



via Pocket http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/04/5-ways-to-blow-top-off-of-rubrics.html

Beginnings, and their educational importance

“You know that the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing.” – PLATO, The Republic, Book II. Where to begin? – an essential question in all story-telling and thus, also, in curriculum writing.



via Pocket http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/beginnings-and-their-educational-importance/

Developing Students' Higher-Order Thinking

This article shows how different types of teacher feedback affect students’ capacity for self-directed learning. Instead of telling students what they need to know, help them uncover information and make sense of things for themselves.



via Pocket http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol8/818-toc.aspx

Flipped Learning Network / Homepage

The mission of the Flipped Learning Network™ is to provide educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources to successfully implement Flipped Learning. Provide professional learning opportunities on Flipped Learning.



via Pocket http://flippedlearning.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1

Practicing with Picasa

While looking at my blog stuff, I used Live Writer to insert a picture… I then discovered upon posting that the pic was uploaded to Picasa!

I am going to see if it happens again.

From Windows Live Writer