Posted by: AtlasMD

December 27, 2013

There’s Red Tape, And Then There’s “Cinnamon” Tape…

Just in time for the New Year, a new kind of red tape strolled into town. This story of government interference originates in Denmark, where the quantity of cinnamon has been regulated, to prevent instances of liver cancer. Bakers can now only use 50 milligrams per kilogram of dough, if it’s a traditional or seasonal pastry, or 15 milligrams per kilogram if used in regular pastry. They are concerned about cassia’s high levels of coumarin, a natural substance that can cause liver damage, if you eat too much.

If this isn’t government playing mommy, we don’t know what is. How about we let people regulate their own diets?

READ MORE ABOUT “CINNAMON” TAPE IN DENMARK

Posted by: AtlasMD

December 4, 2013

This Is The Best Advertisement For Direct Care (And We Didn’t Even Come Up With It)

Stop what you’re doing and read this article from The New York Times. In a piece called “As Hospital Prices Soar, a Stitch Tops $500” writer Elisabeth Rosenthal relays multiple stories of outrageous hospital charges. California Pacific Medical Center’s tidy emergency room treated Deepika Singh who had cut her knee at a barbecue and a toddler named Orla Roche who had sliced open her forehead on a coffee table. Here’s what their bills looked like: Ms. Singh’s three stitches were billed for $2,229.11; Orla’s forehead was sealed with a dab of skin glue that cost $1,696.

And great job, investigative journalists, researchers, everyone who’s fed up with the arbitrary nature of pricing. According to government statistics hospital charges represent about a third of the $2.7 trillion annual United States health care bill, the biggest single segment. These charges are the largest driver of medical inflation, too, a new study in The Journal of the American Medical Association found.

Read more

Posted by: AtlasMD

November 8, 2013

There’s More Than One Way To Cut The Red Tape

Have you heard of Palmetto Proactive Healthcare?

They are an urgent care-type of cash-only practice. They charge cash for individual services but also offer an inclusive package for $60/month.

They’ve taken the red tape cutting to a new level. They’re offering a “Pay Penalty Promotion” for the next 30 people who sign up for a membership. What that means is that they will pay the $95 tax penalty assigned to people who ignore the ACA mandate.

Not bad, Palmetto. Not bad.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR PROMOTION HERE

Posted by: AtlasMD

August 20, 2013

UPDATE: Dr. Josh’s Interview With The Objective Standard Now Available Online

Head over to TheObjectiveStandard.com to read Dr. Josh’s recent interview with Ari Armstrong. We sent out a PDF copy last week to our subscribers, but if you missed it, you’re in luck. You can check it out right there on the website, or download it as a PDF.

In the interview, Dr. Josh fleshes out his vision of direct care, one that’s taken the interest of influential parties, including patients, doctors, insurance companies, and even members of the state congresses. Yes, direct care sounds utopic, and therefore unrealizable, but if you remove the bias and look at the data and listen to its success stories, it’s clear that healthcare wins when doctors spend time with patients and not paperwork. Of course, direct care doctors see many fewer patients than those operating inside the red tape, and Dr. Josh addresses this issue with honesty and conviction.

Ari Armstrong is the assistant editor of The Objective Standard, and a writer/blogger based in Colorado. Besides purveying the philosophy of Ayn Rand, his book Values of Harry Potter: Lessons for Muggles explores themes contained within J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter novels. Obviously, Ari’s well-rounded. Thanks to him for conducting such an insightful conversation about direct care.