Lott on Healthcare

Urgent Rehab Needed For Bioterrorism and Disaster Preparedness in California

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:46:00 GMT

Few regions in the United States have the appropriate hospital surge capacity to cope with a major disaster, according to a recent report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Funding on the national level has been relatively low: "The federal government spends less than $5 per person annually to pay for health systems and agencies to be prepared for a disaster. More money is now spent to stockpile drugs and supplies than to hire and train health providers to treat disaster victims," the report states.
The study notes that California received far more federal disaster preparedness funding than any other state - $143.2 million in 2007. Yet that works out to $3.93 per capita, significantly below the nationwide average of $4.30. By contrast, rural - and far less populated - states such as North Dakota, Alaska and Wyoming received $11.24, $10.73 and $13.40 per capita, respectively.

Managing Care For Acute Mentally Ill Patients In California Is Insane

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:30:00 GMT

California's emergency rooms are becoming increasingly crowded with mentally ill and often disruptive patients, partly the result of inadequate mental health care and sometimes injudiciously written "5150 holds." Acute care facilities lacking psychiatric beds sometimes have to hold these patients for days, at significant expense. Medi-Cal reimbursement for psychiatric patients is inadequate; compensation for uninsured patients is all but non-existent.

The move toward involuntary outpatient treatment shows some promise, but its funding has often been uneven. Chronically understaffed and underfunded rural counties are unlikely, if ever, to implement such comprehensive reforms. Many observers consider it a single step in a gradual reform that may never completely occur.

He's baaaack! L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo renews fight with hospitals over homeless patient dumping

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 08:20:00 GMT

Having suffered defeat over his attempt to get a state law enacted, Rocky Delgadillo has turned to the L.A. City Council to get a local ordinance adopted that would give him a bigger stick to punish hospital operators whom he believes are not using the right protocols for discharging homeless patients.

Lott on Michael Moore's SICKO

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:35:00 GMT

After only two weeks in limited release, Michael Moore's Sicko achieved the rank of being in the top five documentaries of all time. That's too bad, because a documentary it is not. Rather, it is one long campaign commercial for replacing our pluralistic, market-driven health care delivery system with a government-run, single-payer system. Once you understand that, any problems you might have with the film's authenticity or integrity will seem less important. Your willingness to suspend your disbelief will get a boost and you can enjoy the movie for what it is - a public policy advertorial.

Retail Clinics: The Next New Thing

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:41:00 GMT

Within a year or two, thousands of retail clinics may be hard-by the neighborhood Starbucks or nestled inside Targets, Wal-Marts and major pharmacy chains - as ubiquitous to the 21st century American shopping experience as pre-washed jeans and organic produce.