02 May 2006
Lack of health insurance associated with decreased use of health care services

It's in 'Humor' but it really belongs in the 'Common Sense Apparently Isn't' file: a thousand dollars is a thousand dollars is a thousand dollars - it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, what matters is that the cash is coming out of your pocket directly rather than out of some pool of money to which you may have contributed something over the course of years.

What manner of fool doesn't understand this simple fact? Health care research fools, apparently! Perhaps the problem is not that people without insurance under-utilize health care services, but that people with insurance over-utilize them.

Higher-income adults without health insurance are nearly as likely as lower-income adults without insurance to not use recommended health care services such as cancer screening, cardiovascular risk reduction and diabetes management, according to a study in the May 3 issue of JAMA.

(link) [EurekAlert!]

23:00 /Humor | 0 comments | permanent link

Secrets of design prices revealed

If you do software development or web design or graphics for cash, read this now. It's one of the best discussions on a very tricky subject I've ever seen.

One of the great mysteries in the Web business is how design agencies charge for projects. But design firm Blue Flavor has decided...

(link) [CNET News.com]

23:00 /Technology | 0 comments | permanent link

U.S. Cautious About Mexico Drug Measure

With our northern neighbor moving in the same direction, I wonder how long it will be before the US decides to follow suit? And I wonder what the rationale will be when we do? It's painfully obvious to everyone that the "War on Some Drugs" is an abject failure, both financially and in terms of policy, but what kind of spin will have to be placed on the inevitable decision to decriminalize? It's going to be interesting, that's for sure.

AP - The United States reacted cautiously on Saturday to a Mexican measure that would make it legal to carry small amounts of cocaine, heroin and other drugs for personal use.

(link) [Yahoo! News: Top Stories]

Update: They wimped out. Under pressure from the US Government, of course.

23:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link