pic PBS Hawaii.org

The rate by Medicare is about 2-3 years behind current costs and always will be.  The collection of data on the true costs of procedures is time consuming.  The way to resolve the complaint about the rate is that the rate should be retroactive for the dates the rate represents.  If the rate comes in higher any procedure paid below the new rate effective for the dates of service should require an additional payment to the organization for the differential.

In addition, the Veteran Hospital system and the Armed Forces Medical system both provide most if not all services.  The cost each system incurs for the services is a second level of data collection of a public run hospital system which can be used for comparision of results and costs.

There is not a creative science behind setting rates, just the facts!! True costs built on reasonable budgeting.

There is no need to create a new system.

From The Wall Street Journal:

The government is not taking our privledge to living a healthy life away because of the health care reform. The whole purpose of Obama’s health care plan is to provide all citizens of the US affordable health care. America was built on the idea of choice. And living a healthy life is the smartest choice we can make for our familys future and our country’s. 

pic via Robin Hutton

Each day decisions are made on thousands of children in a system of child welfare that is risk adverse.  This aversion to risk is contrary to how most parents balance promoting healthy experiences, independence and growth in their children.  While it might seem heartless by using an insurance risk analysis but every decision carries risk and statistically someone will get hurt.  However, it does not mean that all children have to suffer to decrease risk.  In fact this aversion to risk is harming more youth than helping.  As parents we take into consideration our child’s wants, wishes, feelings, need to learn and balance it to our interpretation of its level of risk.

Since Child Welfare systems are incapable of acting as a parent I would promote that each child have a court appointed child advocate who has the right to challenge decisions that go against what seem to be reasonable goals or preferences by the child.  This should especially be mandated for those children where parental rights have been terminated and the child is 13 or older.

What I’d really like to know is the actual terms and benefits the proposed federal health insurance coverage will provide to citizens. There has been much speculation over how citizens will leave their employer’s health coverage for federal health coverage since it will be so much cheaper. But with a cheaper coverage, are people really getting the same benefits as private insurance companies offer? Before we all decide to go for the cheaper coverage the White House needs to come up with a coverage plan. Maybe by that time people will see that the federal plan isn’t nearly as good as the one they have now.

Let us know your opinion.

Regarding an Article from the Wall Street Journal:

Wasn’t one of the major selling points for the stimulus package to help people who were falling behind in their mortgage payments? Apperently some of the major banks didnt receive the memo until last month. And even when they did get the memo, the time it takes to get your mortgage modified may take three months if not longer. Congress’ new plan for modifying mortgages Doesnt seem to be much of a relief, seems more like of a headache at the moment.

pic from Mental Health Humor

Nonprofits missions are leading the way for those without a voice to take more control of their lives.

pic by Bearman 2007

It is healthy for Nonprofits as a business to promote people getting out there to vote.  It does not take much to education for people to realize that they do have the power to make change and be represented. The fact that nonprofits can be a major source to turn out the vote makes it a business industry for elected officials to be more accountable too.  This is just another example of how communication and not money, from lobbyist or others, can make an impact on the election system.

pic by Crabz

Nonprofits are looking to control their business outcome.  As nonprofits look to use evidence base practices and technology to promote themselves and the services they offer they risk losing control.  The main loss of control is really about controlling what anyone can see. However, use negative results to show positive results.  It can show where improvement has occurred and over what period of time.  The hiding of data and letting technology become the obstacle to controlling a nonprofits direction shows an organization in need of change first. 

pic via Graela

Nonprofits who work with youth and provide mentoring need to provide better evidence base tracking to show the results of their services. (assuming they have created the best outcomes.)  The lack of evidence causes mentoring programs to be adversely hit during times of economic recessions. The number of youth in the country who lack a father due to the high incidence of divorce is shocking.  Divorce is above 56%.  The science has shown that most youth need a connection to their fathers to be able to develop to their full potential.

Fatherhood comes with responsibility and being accountable to the never ending questions.  Mentoring programs just might be what insurers to cover to make more successful, healthy, well adjusted youth.

pic by diamondmountain

It takes hard labor for most nonprofits to not be associated with the the pension enhancements which seems to be the norm for some.  Several areas where compensation and retirement enhancements seems to be a concern are:

• Serving as an elected official
• Serving as a CEO of a health care provider
• Serving as a CEO of a donor advisor fund
• Serving as a CEO of a foundation
• Serving as a President of a College/University
• Serving as a CEO of a large nonprofit

The actions exhibited by legislation for elected officials has created voter angry and a lack of support for tax increases.  The actions by nonprofit community boards of allowing lucrative compensation and retirement bonuses hurts the nonprofit industry.

It is a shame that the high profile action of a small number of nonprofits creates a perception that nonprofits do not need the funds for servicing their mission.  These actions have provided to the elected officials the support from the voters to make changes to the nonprofit community.

Transparency, clarity and the norm are what 80% of the donors want to see.  The statement; “Our organization needs to pay the compensation to recruit the best candidate” is often used to justify compensation and retirement packages; however, this is an empty statement since 90% of the workforce works for less.

It is time to stop letting a few nonprofits dig a ditch sidelining the rest of the nonprofit community message.   Here is a simple formula: tie compensation and retirement packages received as the norm by 90% of the work force in accordance to the Department of Labor findings.