HMO Regulation Essay -- essays research papers

HMO Regulation Health Maintenance Organizations, or HMO’s, are a very important part of the American health care system. Also referred to as managed care programs, HMO's are combinations of doctors and insurance companies that are formed into one organization. This organization provides treatment to its members at fixed costs and decides on what treatment, if any, will be given based on the patient's or doctor's current health plan. Sometimes, no treatment is given at all. HMO's main concerns are to control costs and supposedly provide the best possible treatment to their patients. But it seems to the naked eye that instead their main goal is to get more people enrolled so that they can maintain or raise current premiums paid by consumers using their service. For HMO's, profit comes first- not patients' lives. HMO’s are groups of doctors hired by insurance companies and are usually controlled or regulated by the hospitals who facilitate them. The majority of this limitation is due to pressure from within the organization or government pressure. The government influences hospitals into denying treatment in order to cut federal costs. These government actions generally result in a revision of private employee health care claims, and in turn certain businesses can no longer afford to provide health insurance for their employees. Consequently, approximately 50 to 60 million people go without insurance for at least one month each year. Many HMO’s constantly evaluate their services to "ensure" the best care and coverage. But in many cases, what is happening is the exact opposite. HMO's can and do conduct their business quite ruthlessly. Patients are continuously unable to receive the necessary treatment due to the insufficient HMO coverage. Many HMO's actually make more money if their doctors see or treat fewer patients. According to the Associated Press, â€Å"Consumers who have been denied a treatment that the HMO says is not covered, or who inadvertently fail to follow HMO guidelines in seeking treatment and are therefore denied reimbursement, will continue to have little recourse.† (2) Many people must drive for hours, generally sick or injured, simply to receive treatment from a doctor that will be covered by their HMO. Another downfall to HMO coverage is selective-contracting. This is a process where hospitals deny treatment to patients because their... ...ts to cover their mistakes. This is the exact opposite of what the country needs. Why should costs go up because of denied treatment? The big concern is whether or not government really understands the great difficulty in trying to control HMO’s and other health care programs without a nationalized program. Since there are some 6 million people using Medicare in HMO’s something needs to be done to ensure these patients the treatment that they need. In conclusion, there still needs to be a lot of work done to health care in the United States. Other nations provide universal health care to their citizens, but this would cause dilemmas in balancing two often conflicting policy goals: providing the public with equitable access to needed pharmaceuticals while controlling the costs. Universal health care probably would not work in the U.S. because our nation is so diverse and our economy is so complex. The system we have now obviously has its problems, and there is a lot of rom for improvement. HMO’s will still create problems for people and their medical bills, but they definitely should be monitored to see that their patients are receiving just treatment.

The Yanomamo and the Fierce Anthropologist

The Fierce Anthropologists The controversy revolving the tribe of the Yanomamo and the professionals linked to anthropology has caught the world’s attention. Rapid and unforeseeable events have set the tone for the controversy. The study of these Amazonian Indians, who live in regions of the Venezuela and Brazil border, has turned in western exploitation. Accusations about of unethical anthropologist are abundant, but little facts about such accusations are evident. The grand attention that these events have attained has turned into a focus on larger issues in anthropological practices.By comparing the approach and relationships of other research projects, we can identify just ethical standards. Most of the controversy stems from the publications about the Yanomamo tribe by anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon. His 1968 volume Yanomamo: The Fierce People made the tribe famous due to good writing and extensive interaction with one of the most isolated people on the planet. But ultim ately, the way that he portrayed them–violent and fierce–is what attracted wide audiences.Much of his books and his video productions are centralized around the theme that the Yanomamo have an immutable trait of violence. According to Chagnon, he collected data, interacted with opposing Yanomamo villages, and received testimony to arrive to his findings. His researched was very lucrative; his book sold more than 4 million copies, which is well beyond the average of other ethnographies. He not only gained financial benefits, he began to be praised and attacked by people around the globe. People accused Chagnon of exaggerating the fact that violence is a part of their culture.For instance, French anthropologist Jacques Lizot, who lived with the Yanomamo for more than twenty years, said that violence is periodic; it does not govern their social life for long periods of time. It is worth noting that Lizot was accused of homosexual acts with young Yanomamo and distributing guns. Others, like Kenneth Good, accused Chagnon of sensationalizing violence, which he elaborated in his book, New Yorkers: The Mugging and Murdering People. He explains that just because violence occurs within the Yanomamo, does not mean they should all be generalized as violent.Good also received backlash for his research because he married a young Yanomamo girl, whom he now has three children with. Another compelling argument came from the studies of Brian Ferguson. He identified Chagnon’s representation of violence as a historical situation. He states that there is a spike in violence during contact with Westerners. As it relates to Chagnon, because he brought western manufactured goods, such as steel and iron tools, he disrupted trading relationships, which lead to inter-village violence for the unequal access of those scarce and desired tools.Among all the accusers, journalist Patrick Tierney gave the controversy the most attention. Tierney’s book, Darkness in E l Dorado: How Scientist and Journalist Devastated the Amazon, explored the affects of Yanomamo’s exposure to the outside world. Published in 2000, the book accuses Chagnon of misrepresenting the Yanomamo as fierce people, being responsible for warfare by interrupting trading relationships, staging film scenes, fabricating data, giving unsupported claims of being the first to contact with the Yanomamo, violating Venezuelan law, and overall unethical practices.The next set of accusations involves geneticist James Neel, who joined Chagnon in the fieldwork of the Yanomamo in 1968. He accuses Neel of helping the measles epidemic worsen because he provided outdated vaccines and misadvised the Yanomamo, which resulted in the deaths of thousands. Many of these accusations were prevalent since Chagnon’s work in the 1960’s, but Tierney’s publication brought them together for mainstream audiences. Subsequently, the American Anthropological Association (AAA) was comp elled to launch an investigation on the controversy.After investigating the abundant accusations, the AAA exonerated Neel from worsening or causing the measles epidemic, found insufficient evidence to charge Chagnon with all of Tierney’s accusation, but did find that he did not have the Yanomamo’s best interest in mind. It is undisputed that this controversy is repelling. Even if all of the accusations were false, the mere accusations show that ethical standards were broken. Surprisingly, the controversy does reap some positive consequences; it encourages personnel–within and outside the field–to consider the appropriate standards that anthropologist should be held to.Ethical questions arise, such as: how an anthropologist explains and gains consent from the targeted group, what is just compensation, or the dynamics and limits of ‘doing no harm’ to the subjects. The unbalance of power between the anthropologist from developed societies and th eir isolated subjects is a relationship that needs to be treated with delicacy to avoid exploitation. We can compare the relationship that researcher and filmmaker John Marshall had with the Juhoansi people of the Kalahari Desert for ethical analysis.John Marshall first went to the Kalahari in 1950 and researched the Juhoansi for fifty years thereafter. His relationship with the Juhoansi was one of friendships. He, alike other anthropologist, compensated the Juhoansi for their cooperation with western goods, but he did not stop there. During one of Marshall’s visits, he found the Juhoansi living in government settlements, which provided food relief and low wage jobs, but also inflicted alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and the lack of independence.In the late 1970’s, Marshall began to advocate for more water access and agricultural opportunity from the government. Because there was such a significant interruption to the traditional way of Juhoansi life, desired changes beset different challenges. Marshall justly compensated the Juhoansi and kept their best interest in mind to avoid causing harm to them. The latter characteristic is one that is of greatest importance because harm can come in direct and indirect ways that are temporary or permanent.The American Anthropological Association standard, labeled the ‘do no harm’ rule, is one that anthropologist often have little ability to prevent. At bare minimum, anthropologists almost always interrupt a group’s way of life when doing research and compensating with goods that are scarce to their environments. Interruptions in general, require adjustment and adaption, and when dealing with groups that have customs and traditions that have not changed for possibly hundreds of years, those adjustments are problematic and often prove to be vitally harmful.For instance, Chagnon’s and other Yanomamo researchers brought western goods and weapons into their community, which created a n interruption in trading and likely contributed to their state of warfare. Further, John Marshall also unintentionally created a significant interruption when his tire tracks that he created during his visits facilitated the contact with government entities, which ultimately changed most of the Juhoansi traditional ways of life.The difference between the two examples is that Marshall actually returned and improved their situation by advocating to their interests. Chagnon not only used more coercive techniques in gaining cooperation, there is also no trace of tangible efforts made to improve the harm he contributed to in the Yanomamo community. If the AAA standards were altered to ‘do not harm only while researching’ or compensate for cooperation, little ethical analysis would be needed, but that is not the case. Doing no harm to the group is indefinite and needs to be examined even after research is complete.Additionally, a â€Å"just† amount of compensation mea ns that it needs to be fair, not just in the context of the region researched, but also that of the western entities benefiting from it; i. e. ten machetes given to the Yanomamo for an ethnography research is not equivalent $500k and advancement in the anthropologist respective career. Alike the Yanomamo, the Juhoansi continue to face challenges due to outside interference. However, their interference mostly comes form governmental entities, and the Juhoansi have been assisted by Marshall and treated ethically by other anthropologists, like Richard Lee.On the other hand, the Yanomamo face problems from miners camping in their territories, destruction of the environment by mining and other outside forces, along with other governmental issues, but it is also clear that the Yanomamo have been significantly exploited by the western world. This could be because of the lack of oversight and/or due to little ethical standards. In any case, these unfortunate chain of events should serve a g reater purpose to the ethical standards of practicing anthropologist and aspiring students.

The Idea Of Perfection In Grendel By John Gardner

The Idea of Perfection in an Imperfect World Society has become addicted to achieving perfection. Its precedence can be seen in every aspect of life from sports to appearance. The illusion of human perfection motivates great feats yet it can also be the cause of infamous failures. Famous coach and commonly quoted motivator John Wooden once said â€Å"Perfection is impossibility but striving for perfect is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts.† Working for an idea or belief that is unreachable or in some cases may not even exist seems futile, but the success of the attempt does not outweigh the presence of the effort. The idea of perfection is unachievable because everything has flaws, but the path to perfection is walkable. In his†¦show more content†¦Along with this comes the authoritative voice, but also the ability to public speak. The point that Grendel focuses on is Beowulf’s eye contact or lack thereof. He pinpoints each aspect of Beowulf that d oes not fit the expectation and obsesses over it the same way one fixates on their own imperfections. These minuscule oddities are the only faults Grendel finds which serves to his discomfort because he is not able to understand Beowulf since he is so wholesome. The peculiarities Grendel preoccupies himself with are faults that in society are often not even counted as actual flaws. Grendel is so blinded with his misunderstanding of Beowulf that he cannot see his humanistic flaws or interior flaws, and since Grendel is the narrator the absence of these shows the tendency to look for any possible errors. Perfection is so sought after that even the closest attempts to it are ripped down by criticism. The problem with perfection is that there is no definition, an individual or even a majority does not truly know when perfection is even achieved. Gardner’s verbal irony highlights Grendel’s fear for the unknown, establishing that because of the discrepancy perfection creates among individuals it will never be attained. While Grendel examines Beowulf he undergoes a fit of horror, once it passes he proclaims, â€Å"Except for his curious beardlessness, there is nothing frighteningShow MoreRelatedJoker and Batman Essay9227 Words   |  37 Pagesofficial credit for the character. Batmans secret identity is Bruce Wayne, billionaire industrialist, playboy, and philanthropist. Witnessing the murder of his parents as a child leads him to train himself to the peak of physical and intellectual perfection, don a costume, and fight crime. Unlike most superheroes, he does not possess any superhuman powers or abilities; he makes use of intellect, detective skills, technology, and physical prowess in his war on crime. Contents [hide] 1 Publication

Should the Government Protect American Jobs by Imposing...

BA 390 Notes 04-01-13 (Lecture 1) * Integrated marketing program is a comprehensive plan that communicates and delivers the intended value to chosen customers. 04-03-13 (Lecture 2) * Downsizing: Reduction of the business portfolio by eliminating products and businesses units that aren’t profitable. * Market segment: Group of consumers who respond in a similar way to a given set of marketing efforts. 04-08-13 (Lecture 3) * Publics: Group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on an organization’s ability to achiever its objectives (Financial publics, media publics, Government publics) 04-10-13 (Lecture 4) * Marketing intelligence: Systematic collection and analysis of publicly available information†¦show more content†¦* This store is now a little too big. * Angels is 80% of people who purchase products from best buy. * Demons are the 20% of people who only buy stuff from best buy that are on sale. * What is your experience with a black heater? * I’ve used a block heater * I’ve heard of a block heater but have never had occasion to use one * What’s a block heater? * Gor-tex : Rain coat * United States Census data by states and city website. * Lake Oswego’s cost of a home is $507,000. * Corvallis has a high percentage of Asian population 7%. * Over 50% graduated 4 years degree. Half of the population graduated college 4 years degree. * Knowing this about my daughter is going to give you the most information about her actual shopping behavior: * Her age * Her education * Her marital status * She thinks she is Emo * In terms of bo th exports and imports which country is the number one trading partner with the U.S? * China * Japan * Mexico * Canada * The U.K. * Most of the class is right handed. * Left-handed people are different from right-handed people. They tend to like different thing. * Quiz answers: * 1. 5 * 2. 1 * 3. 4 * 4. 2 * 5. 1 04-29-13 (lecture 8) * HispanicShow MoreRelatedFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pageswritten permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, website www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, (201)748-6011, fax (201)748-6008, website http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. To order books or for customer service please, call 1-800-CALLRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesDefining the Project 4.1 Project charter 5.1 Gather requirements 5.2 Defining scope 5.3 Creating a WBS 5.4 Tools and techniques 6.1 Define activities 9.1.2. Responsibility matrixes 10.1 Communication planning (.2.3.4) [App. G-4] Chapter 12 Outsourcing 12.1.1 Procurement requirements [G.8] 12.1.2.3 Contract types 9.4.2.3 Conflict management 12.2.7 The art of negotiating 12.2.3.5 Change requests Chapter 13 Monitoring Progress Chapter 5 Estimating Times and Costs 6.4 Activity duration

Plastic Surgery Essay - 1925 Words

How Plastic Surgery Helped Reshape the World As we see throughout the years, plastic surgery also known as cosmetic surgery has become more and more popular every year. Plastic surgery has increased to nine percent from 2000 to 2001. There are many various types of procedures that could make the body the way the person prefers it to be. The most popular surgeries that are performed include facial reconstruction, liposuction, breast implant, arm, thigh, and many more. The word plastic in plastic surgery does not mean artificial, but it comes from the Greek word plastikos, which means to give shape or to form. Though the revolution of plastic surgery is very well known in todays society, the invention of plastic surgery can not†¦show more content†¦No other dressing but this cement is used for four days. It is then removed, and cloths dipped in ghee are applied. The connecting slip of skin is divided about the twentieth day, when a little more dissection is necessary to improve the appearance of the new nose. For five o r six days after the operation, the patient is made to lie on his back, and on the tenth day, bits of soft cloth are put into the nostrils to keep them sufficiently open. This operation is always successful. The artificial nose is secured and looks nearly as well as the natural nose, nor is the scar on the forehead very observable after a length of time. (Prasar 2) Without the invention of plastic surgery, the punished individuals in India would not be able to have their bodies reconstructed after they served their punishment. The beginning of plastic surgery helped create the first technique of skin grafting, which helped change the appearance of individuals with disfigurations. Therefore plastic surgerys primary purpose was to help repair awful and quite serious injuries and as time progressed plastic surgery found its way to help war victims during World War I and World War II. During the late 1800s and the early 1900s the World War begun. The war left behind many injured soldiers with shattered jaws, blown-off noses and lips and skull wounds caused by the weaponsShow MoreRelatedPlastic Surgery And Cosmetic Surgery1496 Words   |  6 PagesPlastic surgery has become an extremely popular trend throughout the past years of the American culture. There are many reasons why people get plastic surgery, however, our society is the first to judge an individual for getting a procedure done. The controversy regarding plastic surgery is extremely relevant and has received major attention through celebrities, television, and social media. However, many individuals are unaware that there is a difference between both plastic surgery and cosmeticRead MoreCosmetic Surgery : Plastic Surgery1836 Words   |  8 PagesNorfolk, Va.† (Goleman, 1991). I know many of you have heard of cosmetic surgery, also known as â€Å"plastic surgery†. Many people have considere d cosmetic surgery in order to feel better about their self. This topic really interested me because I know there are many different viewpoints on it. What I wanted to focus on most is how the media portrays cosmetic surgery, how they portray women, the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery, the cost, and ways that we can get more people to be comfortable in theirRead MoreCosmetic Surgery : Plastic Surgery2001 Words   |  9 Pages In most sources about cosmetic surgery, they explain the good or bad about it and also give examples of people that have gone through cosmetic surgery. For most people that go through cosmetic surgery, it takes around 6 months for the swelling to go down and for most of the scars to heal and begin to go away. The majority of people that have an opinion of cosmetic surgery, think that it’s the worst part of the new society and feels like the people that get the procedure done are weak and are easilyRead MorePlastic Surgery Essay1296 Words   |  6 PagesWhen you hear the phrase â€Å"Plastic Surgery† what comes to mind? Maybe dangerous, and risky, or do you think about the scalpel and all the cutting and all the blood? I myself think about how it’s only for rich celebrities who have a couple extra hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend. We have a bad habit of overlooking all the good things that plastic surgery can achieve. From life altering surgeries and saving lives, by highly qualified surgeons, to giving people more confidence and getting ridRead MoreIs Plastic Surgery Worth It?638 Words   |  3 Pagesour children that Hey! Its ok to not love who you are, You should change to meet everyone elses standards.† Plastic Surgery gives Children a false sense of self image in society. When you think of plastic surgery, what do you think of first? Im sure it isnt the risk involved with the procedure that will undergo to become a â€Å"new you† No one ever thinks of the true risk of plastic surgery, or even the cost of undergoing the procedures. For Breast implants, Face lifts, Mastopexy, Breast reductionRead MoreThe Image Of Plastic Surgery Essay1396 Words   |  6 Pageshave lasting effects on millions of Americans who are unhappy with their body image. Plastic surgery has become common amongst middle class women, and a rapid increase in male plastic surgery has been noted in recent years. Constant exposure to the â€Å"perfect† body image in the media puts harm in the very idea that the human body comes in all shapes and sizes. Despite the temptations of a perfect body and plastic surgery to fix imperfections, it is completely possible to maintain a positive sense of selfRead MorePlastic Surgery : Cosmetic And Cosmetic Surgery879 Words   |  4 PagesI) Definition Cosmetic and plastic surgery According to the merriam-Webster website, plastic surgery is another common word for Cosmetic Surgery which means, in general, a type of operation to improve parts of the body. The medical term of Plastic Surgery comes from Greek in 1638. Cosmetic is a type of ornamental surgery which helps patients to reform and rebuild part or demonstrative of their body in order to embellish their appearance and be beautiful. The defect for that could be congenitalRead MorePlastic Surgery Essay1788 Words   |  8 Pagesare paying thousands of dollars to have plastic surgery done to enhance this unreal beauty. Sadly, reality is that beauty is now seen as having the bigger breast, the perfect smile, zero body fat, and the perfectly chiseled nose. More and more people are turning to plastic surgery as a way to make them happy about their appearances and boost their self-esteem in a quick and easy process. But reality is, plastic surgery has major side effects. Plastic surgery causes more physical an d emotional damageRead MoreTeen Plastic Surgery2711 Words   |  11 PagesTeen Plastic Surgery Cosmetic plastic surgery has been increasing rapidly in the medical field, and making its way to the top of the beauty spectrum when it comes to what is important. Teenagers, especially adolescent girls, have been exploring the new ways to enhance their external appearance, and not with just lipstick and eye shadow. In the past three decades, surgeons, magazine editors, and book authors have been investigating the consequences, good and bad, of having cosmetic surgery at suchRead MoreCosmetic Surgery : Plastic Surgery And Teenagers2046 Words   |  9 PagesAccording to â€Å"Plastic Surgery Teenagers†, â€Å"teenagers who want to have plastic surgery usually have different motivations and goals than adults† (â€Å"Plastic Surgery For Teenagers Briefing Paper†). Thus, meaning that most young adults get cosmetic surgery, which is the reshaping of body parts to improve their physical characteristics. However, changing your physical appearance just because you wan t to or do not feel pretty enough should not be the case of spending all that money and time on a non-matured

Sun Path Chart for Orbital Mechanics- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theSun Path Chart for Orbital Mechanics. Answer: The maximum angle of the sun above the horizon in my hometown (Ottawa) is 68 degrees. The minimum angle of the sun above the horizon at noon in my hometown is 21 degrees. The number of hours of daylight is 12hours and 9 hours on March 20th and December 21st respectively. The sun is at the maximum height angle (68 degrees) on one day only. That is, on 21st June. According to orbital mechanics, the earth rotates on its orbit while revolving around the sun. The earths ecliptic plane is tilted by 23.5 degrees relative to the earths celestial equator during the summer solstice and 23.5 degrees during the winter solstice. Evidently, the difference between the maximum and minimum angles of the sun above the horizon is 68-21=47 degrees. Meaning the difference is twice the earths tilt (Physical Geography, 2014). However, along with the equator, the difference between the maximum and the minimum angles is equal to the earths tilt. That is 23.5 degrees. Moreover, the equator receives daylight of 12hours from December through June. References Physical Geography. (2014). 6(h). Earth-Sun Geometry. Retrieved from https://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/6h.html

Lao Zi - The Founder Of Taoism Essays - Taoism, Chinese Philosophy

Lao Zi - The Founder of Taoism Lao Zi, was born in the Chinese state of Chu, but his date of birth is unknown. He was the founder of Taoism, but very little is actually known about him. According to some historical works, his original name was LiEr. He was the keeper of archives in the Zhou court. Zhou was the name of the dynasty that ruled the states during the time period between the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period that followed. When he saw the decline of the Zhou dynasty, he left his post to live the life of a hermit. On his way out he had to pass a gate. It was here that the gatekeeper, who had heard of his teachings, begged him to write a book before he left. He agreed to do so, and he wrote a book of about 5,000 words that is called the Dao De Jing, or generally called the Lao Zi. After he finished the book, he went away, and nobody knows exactly where he went or when he died. There is only a record of him having a discussion with Confucius after he left. The small book that he wrote, the Dao De Jing or Lao Zi, is written verse, it is said to contain great wisdom. It has been studied by Chinese scholars of all ages after him, and many notes and commentaries have been written to attempt to explain the meaning of every line in the book. It goes over many different philosophical and practical questions, such as the origin and working of the universe, the correct way to live and behave, the laws that govern the change and movement of things, and the way to govern a state. This book is split up into two main sections, the Dao and the De. Out of the total 81 chapters the Dao part is 37 chapters long while the De contains 44 chapters. Dao translated means the way or path. It is the source of all, it is the eternal, invisible, and indescribable energy that gave birth to the universe. In other words it is the way everything in the universe is. This shows that Lao Zi, did not believe that the universe was created by a God. Instead it was created by a mysterious force which he called Dao, but he said that the name itself was inadequate. De translated means virtue or power. It is the power of something to be whatever it is and to do whatever it does. For example, the De of a cup lets you hold liquid without it spilling on yourself and staining your clothes. Or De can also be seen as the virtue of something that makes it uniquely whatever it is and to do whatever it does. This means that the De of an uncarved block of wood is not to just be a block of wood, but it is it's inherent ability to be shaped or formed into anything, maybe even a cup. Lao Zi held that all things and concepts are relative. The long and the short, the high and the low, what is in front and what is behind, what is beautiful and what is ugly, must exist in pairs. In each pair one side produces the other. The two sides are opposite to but dependent on each other. It is from this that he drew his conclusion: "turning back is how the Way (Dao) moves". In other words, things always go from one extreme to the other. What is strong may become weak, and what is weak may become strong. It is not difficult for one to name facts that show this theory is true. There have been innumerable stories of the collapse of conquerors. Lao Zi praised weakness and softness, which, he said, will eventually overcome the strong and hard. Another concept that Lao Zi stresses over and over again in the Dao De Jing, is Wu Wei. Wu Wei means action non-action. This is when someone does something, and it is an authentic part of that person. As to feel, to seem, and indeed to really be effortless. It must come from deep within.