I Just Don't Get IT – We have no personal identity!

Just yesterday it was reported that ChoicePoint, a major harvester of personal information, had its security breached. This sounds like something out of the move “The Running Man”, You know Arnold in the 80's. Well, this is not science fiction, it is the reality of the day. I am not shocked to hear that someone is mining all of this information from different sources and accumulating it in one MASSIVE data base. I am not shocked to hear they are selling this information, that is American capitalism at its finest. It sure is a lot cleaner than digging for gold, and appears to be much more profitable. What really shocks me is the fact that this information is only for CERTAIN clients. Yes, you heard me right, if you are not on the INSIDE, you will be left OUT.

It all started when ChoicePoint reported a security breach in California, exposing some 35,000 – 140,000 individuals personal data to unsuspecting criminals. This is where it gets real strange. The company reports that criminals were posing as businesses. Wow, that is something new, criminals and business, never thought of that before. This company is suppose to have the security of Fort Knox because they are storing 19 billion records of personal information and they have just found out they were duped by some con men. Not just a few, put a possible 17,000 of them. We should be scared that a company of this size, with so much information has such horrible security. My children's kindergarten has better security.

Americans, watch out because all of this is about money, yes ChoicePoint has almost a Billion dollars in sales and will continue to grow as American business continues to purchase information on YOU. Just to give you a little insight as to who gains from the harvesting of your information, just last year ChoicePoint, the single largest purchaser of information from the Georgia DMV, paid over 18 million dollars for 2.8 million records. Know you know where those records come from every time you do a search on switchboard. Yes they purchase for big bucks from OUR government and sell for even bigger bucks to YOU.

The clincher came yesterday, as reported on National Public Radio, saying that the company was going to correct the flaw in their system. They said that they would limit their data base to government agencies and large public companies because, I assume, there are no criminals in government or large publicly traded companies. Wake up Americans, do you believe that there are no criminals in the Government or large public companies. Where have your been; Enron, Health South, MCI, and many many more.

We are coming to a point where those that have the power will control the information and the rest of us get the shaft. This is only the beginning because politicians and experts nationwide are moving forward to create the same databases for MEDICAL RECORDS. Yes all of your health history will be stored in companies like ChoicePoint just waiting to be breached by some company wanting to make a buck. Yes, they just may have to pay for the information, but there is always a willing buyer and seller. If we every want to live a life with a personal identity, we must change the laws allowing for the harvesting, sale and distribution of our personal information by any business large or small or the government. It should be illegal to accumulate data regardless if it is public or private. We live in the land of the FREE and want to stay that way!

Local members of Teamsters Union adopts Health Savings Account (HSA) plan!

CashDoctor.com - Los Angeles, CA February 20, 2005 - This month a small crack has appeared in the dike and the water is about to come rushing through. The unionized employees of the township of Mt. Pleasant, PA just approved a contract that includes a new HSA healthcare option. The township members of Teamsters local 30 voted unanimously for the change in their healthcare benefits plan. Members voted to change from an expensive Point of Service (POS) plan to Major Medical plan tied to a health savings account. "We understand these are trying times with healthcare, and we know the situation with the supervisors not wanting to raise taxes, so we just wanted to do our part as employees. I'm an employee, but I'm also a resident, so if it
works out that the changes benefit both, then that's a plus." Union steward Wayne Bellew was quoted in the Tribune Review.

The decision for the members and the township of Mt Pleasant was EASY. Union members were offered a major medical plan with a $2500 deductible for individuals and $5000 employees with family members. The township saves approximately $118,000 in health insurance premiums. The Township has also committed to cover the union members deductible 100% representing a maximum outlay of $75,000, thus still saving the township $43,000. No one looses in this plan.. If
fact, everyone gains. More Americans, employers and union leaders need to do the math.

This Consumer Directed Healthcare Plan design is just another example of what Americans will see being adopted across the nation. Governments, One insurance company, Aetna has already enrolled over 330,000 employees in this plan type. Unions and business's alike will benefit from
consumer directed healthcare plans. The key to success in all “major medical” based plans is the funding of the HSA account. All groups can stop the first dollar abuse of the healthcare system and LOWER their healthcare cost if they give employees a financial reward for good stewardship. This can be accomplished by employers adopting HSA qualified plans and funding the employees HSA account with part or all of the savings associated with the change in healthcare plans. HSAs are also a great program for employers with self-funded plans to reduce cost and abuse and benefit their employees or members at the same time. Americans need to embrace this new healthcare system revolution and exercise their right to consumer directed healthcare.plan programs.

Americans need to do the MATH!

Los Angeles, CA February 18, 2005 - The citizens of our great nation are on the brink of a healthcare revolution and they may not even know it. Recent report shows that in 2004 Americans spent over $1.9 TRILLION on healthcare expenses. Television, radio, newspapers and magazines across the country are sharing reports and printing articles daily on how healthcare costs are out of control. Articles talk about how President Bush's plan of Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are going to save or destroy health care. Democrats and Republicans,agree that something has to be done. If we do nothing, costs will
continue to spiral up out of control.

President Bush signed into law the permanent creation of HSAs as part of the ConsumerDirected Healthcare Plan (CDHP) system in December 2003, thus allowing individuals, employees and self-employed to purchase high deductible health insurance plans combined with the tax advantaged savings accounts. The difference over current managed care plans is the fact that the insured does not have co-payments for doctor visits or prescriptions. The insured pays for these services from the tax favored Health Savings Account. This new style of plan engages the consumer in the cost of healthcare from the first dollar. Managed care pre-payment plans (HMO, PPO& POS) with co-pays insulate the insured from the actual cost of healthcare. The knowledge of the real cost is one of the keys to successfully reducing the cost of healthcare today and into the future.

Currently, political spin machines are devising reports and studies to support their theories that HSA plans are bad for Americans. In order to cut through all of the hype, Americans need to do the math. Take, for instance, the healthcare options being offered to ALL state employees in Florida and South Carolina and Federal employees. This plan is becoming the national model for all governments, unions and businesses large and small. The Florida plan helps bring out the true strength of consumer directed healthcare plan. CashDoctor.com has concluded that there must be two essential criteria for a plan to succeed:

1. The employee or individual must take ownership and responsibility of the savings contribution at time of deposit regardless if the employee, employer or both make the contribution

   
   

2. There must be a significant savings in monthly premiums over the current
   managed care plan.
   

   
   

   
   With the right ingredients, Americans either rich or poor, healthy or sick, will all benefit from a properly designed Consumer Directed Healthcare Plan. The most recent estimate is that there are over 3.2 million employees already participating in CDHP plans across the nation. Healthcare organizations and insurance companies are introducing the HSA qualified plans faster than any other plan type in history.
   
   The Florida plan, developed and implemented by Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his advisers, has the two ingredients needed to be successful. First of all, the state has committed to contribute to the employees' savings accounts, on a matching basis, up to $500 for an individual and $1000 for a family. This money is fully vested to the employee at time of deposit. Secondly, the state plan offers significant monthly premium savings for the employee. For a family, the savings is $138 per month or $1656 per year. The Florida plan is faced with one challenge...insuring that employees understand just how the plan works.
   
   Florida state employees are faced with the following choices in healthcare. Do a comparison and choose the plan that makes the best financial and health sense and the best decision for the employee and their family. Here are five questions Americans and their families must ask themselves:

   
   

1. Would you like the option to choose your own provider or be restricted by having to access healthcare via only a primary care provider and limited network of specialists?
   

   
   

2. Would you like to spend $2088 out of your paycheck or spend $0 and receive a check from the state for $256 because you did not use your plan during the year? State employees receive free healthcare if they stay healthy. (Yes, there are healthy Americans. Actually 80% of the population does not spend more than $500 per year on their health care).

   
   

3. What if your family was to become very sick? Would you want a plan that could cost you out-of-pocket over $10,000 or a plan where the out-of-pocket would not cost more than $4750?

   
   
   
   

4. Would you like a plan that allowed you to pay all out-of-pocket expenses with untaxed dollars or would you like to spend $8000+ in after tax dollars?

   
   

5. If your family remained healthy, would you like the potential to accumulate, at no additional cost, an extra $125,000 or more for retirement over 25 years?

   
   

   Now “Just do the math”. If you picked CHOICE, control of your money, tax deductions, retirement benefits and limit to your out-of-pocket expenses, you choose the new Florida HSA plan over the current managed care (HMO) option.
   
   Now citizens across the USA can have this empowering healthcare plan. They need to know this and they need to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to care for themselves and their family today and into
   the future. Federal, state, local governments, individuals and businesses across the nation are moving forward to empower the citizens of this great nation with the personal responsibility for their health and healthcare. Americans need to embrace this new system and they will reap the benefits if they take action today!
   

There is A PROBLEM IN FLORIDA

Cash Doctor found this quote today in an article from the Palm Beach Post says it all

"Florida had 32,683 licensed physicians last year, down from 50,003 in 1999, according to state health deparment figures. But the county's exploding population means it needs more doctors than ever" Current GROWING population is 16.7 million or 1 doctor for every 510 Floridians.

We have a PROBLEM NATIONWIDE and we must ACT TODAY!