Monthly Archives: October 2012

Medical charter school opens doors to first students

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Medical charter school opens doors to first students

While jobs are in short supply in many industries, that's not the case in the medical field.

A new charter school in Lehigh County is now trying to address that need. The Medical Academy Charter School in Catasauqua is the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley. It's goal is to better steer kids into the field of health care.

Between the algebra and history of the Jamestown settlement is an art class teaching students how drawing can turn to healing for the sick.

"This is an example of a Zen tangle art therapy method that psychotherapists may use to draw out emotions in patients," said teacher Carol Traynor.

The new school is using the promise of a career in health care to draw students in.

"This is where the jobs are going to be now and in the near future. It's ever growing," said Joanna Hughes, CEO and principal of the school, which opened in September to 9th and 10th graders.

The school, which will expand to 11th and 12th graders, infuses health care sciences into the general curriculum, Hughes said.

"We will provide the children with opportunities so that can be an x-ray tech or a phlebotomist or someone who works in the office doing billing," Hughes said.

Taylor Fullin, who wants to be anesthesiologist, transferred from Northampton Area High School.

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UC Riverside medical school clears hurdle

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A national accrediting agency has approved UC Riverside's long-embattled plan to open a full medical school and to start enrolling future doctors next summer, officials announced Tuesday. It would be the sixth medical school in the University of California system and the first to open since the late 1960s.

Last year, the same panel rejected the proposal because it looked too risky after the state refused to fund the school. But UC Riverside officials have since secured enough other public and private financing for a program that they say will help ease a doctor shortage in the Inland Empire and improve public healthcare there.

"Because we had tried and failed before, it is all the sweeter to have succeeded a year later," an elated UC Riverside medical school Dean G. Richard Olds said in a telephone interview.

The preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education allows UC Riverside to start recruiting students with the goal of enrolling 50 a year beginning next August, officials said. The agency's action was reported to be the first time in three decades that an American medical school was approved after previously having been denied.

Badly stung by last year's rejection, Olds and other UC Riverside leaders campaigned for and won about $100 million in donations and pledges to support a scaled-down school for 10 years. The donors included the UC system, Riverside County, the quasi-governmental Desert Healthcare District and affiliated hospitals.

However, Olds said the medical school will still need about $15 million a year in state general revenue funds if it is to expand and win full accreditation over the next six years.

Observers say that the state may find it hard to keep denying funding and to threaten the school's permanent future once the doors are open to students. Critics, however, contend that a new medical school is the kind of unnecessary expansionism that UC and the state can no longer afford while basic education programs have suffered large funding cuts and tuition has increased rapidly.

The school would be the only one in the UC system without its own hospital, an arrangement that vastly reduces costs through partnerships with local hospitals and clinics.

"This is a momentous decision for Inland Southern California and for UC Riverside," UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a statement. "This medical school is critically needed to address our region's physician shortage and stimulate the local economy."

Dan Hunt, the national agency's co-secretary, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Traditionally, the accrediting committee does not reveal details of the internal debate that may surround its decisions.

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UC Riverside medical school clears hurdle

Liberty boys soccer team looks for strong finish

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Liberty senior Ian Larimer remembers fondly the 2010 soccer season, and he hopes history repeats itself two years later.

Larimer was a sophomore on the Hurricanes' team that qualified for the District 11 Class 3A playoffs as the No. 10 seed with a 10-8 record. Liberty then went on an unlikely postseason run that ended in the district final with a 2-0 loss to Easton.

Now a captain on a Liberty team fighting for a district tournament berth, Larimer sees some similarities between this year's team and that one.

The Hurricanes are 5-6-2 overall and 5-4-1 in the Lehigh Valley Conference. They host Whitehall today.

"We started that year 0-6," said Larimer, a sweeper. "Leading into that season there were a lot of long faces because we thought we'd struggle. But we moved some guys around, some younger guys stepped up and Richard Guedes was our leader offensively. Everyone wrote us off and that ended up motivating us. I think this year could be very similar."

For Liberty to be a district Cinderella, though, it needs to finish the season strong. Coach Jason Horvath's squad has five games remaining Whitehall, Bethlehem Catholic, Stroudsburg, Easton and Freedom and needs to win two conference games to qualify for the tournament.

Horvath and Larimer admit the season has been a disappointment to this point, but both coach and player believe there is still time to turn things around.

"It's been different than I expected the season would be," Horvath said. "We didn't get off to the best start and we've been clawing our way back slowly. We play to our potential in spurts. But we've made some changes in our lineup and in our formations, and I hope we're coming together now."

"This is a four-game week [Liberty lost to Northampton 2-0 Monday] and it's a big one," said Larimer, who moved back to his natural position of sweeper after starting the season at center midfield. "We're trying to win every game. From here on out is what counts."

Senior Sean McIntyre leads the Hurricanes in scoring with five goals and seven assists. Larimer has six goals and three assists while junior Tresor Butoyi has added six goals and an assist.

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Liberty boys soccer team looks for strong finish

FCC seeks input on Liberty bid to control Sirius

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WASHINGTON (AP) Federal regulators on Tuesday opened up a public comment period on an application by John Malone's Liberty Media Corp. to take control of satellite radio company Sirius XM Radio Inc.

The Federal Communications Commission said petitions to deny the application are due by Nov. 1. Responses to those filings are due two weeks later, with a final rebuttal to the responses by Nov. 20.

The FCC is looking into Liberty's proposed takeover of Sirius, in which Liberty already has amassed the equivalent of a 47.3 percent stake. If the commission approves, Liberty has said it will buy up enough shares within 60 days to give it majority control.

Liberty saved Sirius XM from near-bankruptcy in February 2009 by agreeing to lend it up to $530 million in exchange for preferred stock that amounted to a 40 percent stake.

Since then, Sirius recovered from its tailspin and as of the end of June it had more than 22 million subscribers.

Sirius shares rose 7 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $2.64 in afternoon trading. Liberty Media shares were up 34 cents at $105.11.

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FCC seeks input on Liberty bid to control Sirius

Liberty runs away with Rees Jones title at Haig Point

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Liberty's Niklas Lindstrom took medalist honors with a 3-under-par total of 213 for 54 holes and the Flames had the top four individual scorers as they cruised to a 24-stroke victory over East Carolina at the fifth annual Rees Jones Collegiate Invitational at Haig Point Club on Daufuskie Island.

Host South Carolina finished third in the 12-team standings.

Lindstrom, a junior who didn't make the travel squad for this tournament a year ago, shot a 2-under-par 70 Tuesday to finish ahead of his second-place teammates by six strokes. Ian McConnnell, a junior from Riverview, Fla., who led after the first 36 holes with a 2-under 142, finished tied with Max McKay, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., and Chase Marinell, a junior from Ft. Myers, Fla., at 3-over 219.

Liberty's team score of 6-over-par 870 in the play-five-count-four format was lowest in the tournament's short history. East Carolina rallied to overtake host South Carolina for second place with a total of 894.

The Gamecocks, who were led by Dykes Harbin, were third with 896. Harbin, a senior from Augusta, Ga., posted a 5-over total of 221 to take sixth place among individuals.

Defending team champion Kennesaw State (2010 and 2011 winner) finished eighth among the 12 teams with a 921 total.

"I wanted to break par today and finish with an under-par total," said Lindstrom, a 22-year-old who was a top-20 ranked amateur in Sweden before coming to school at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., sight unseen in August 2010. "I've been working on my short game and my driving, and that has been the key. I played well in my last tournament and I felt I had my game going.

"Last year, I didn't play good enough and I was outside the team for this tournament. Now I have rebounded and it feels really good."

Lindstrom's went 73-70-70 and his final round was good enough to tie for low score on the day. It was one of just four scores under par for the third round. Overall, there were only seven scores under par for the three rounds on the 7,380-yard, par 72 Rees Jones-designed course and Lindstrom had two of them.

"I'm excited about how well the guys played," eighth-year head coach Jeff Thomas said. "This team has a lot of potential. I think we can be even better if everyone starts playing well. If they start pushing each other, the sky's the limit."

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Liberty runs away with Rees Jones title at Haig Point

Sirius XM and Liberty Media Play Nice

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There will be an interesting speaker at Liberty Media's (Nasdaq: LMCA) annual investor meeting next week.

Mel Karmazin -- Sirius XM Radio's (Nasdaq: SIRI) opinionated CEO -- will be a presenter at the Oct. 10 powwow.

The move makes sense at first. Liberty Media is nearing majority control of the satellite radio provider. It's simply a matter of time before John Malone's eclectic media conglomerate bumps its stake in the satellite radio provider above 50%, a move that will likely result in a shareholder spinoff. If Liberty Media wants to get its investors excited about the appendage, having Karmazin sell them on Sirius XM's potential is smart. If Karmazin doesn't want to see Sirius XM's stock take a hit after the spinoff, it's in his best interest to encourage Liberty Media investors to hold on to their eventual shares.

Karmazin speaking at the meeting makes sense for both sides. However, weren't the two factions in a war of words just last month?

Karmazin started things up recently.

"My instincts today are that Liberty does not need me at the company," he said at an investor conference three weeks ago, pointing out that he has historically been expensive to keep.

Karmazin's current deal as Sirius XM's CEO ends this year, and there has been no public chatter as to where things stand in terms of negotiating an extension.

"It's very clear to me that if I were Liberty, I would sit there and say, 'I'm not sure we need Mel.'"

Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei seemed to agree a week later.

"The business will not fail without Mel," Maffei said at a different investor conference. "Graves are full of replaceable people."

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Sirius XM and Liberty Media Play Nice

Libertarian White House hopeful in Salt Lake City for town hall

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In this Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 file photo, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson speaks at a news conference during which he announced he is leaving the Republican Party in favor of seeking a presidential nomination as a Libertarian, at the State Capitol in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Eddie Moore)

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson in Salt Lake City for town hall

Politics Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson to appear at Challenger School.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson will be Salt Lake City on Tuesday to stage an interactive town hall meeting at an appropriately named locale: Challenger School.

The former New Mexico governor, whose campaign is headquartered in Utahs capital, faces a big challenge this November in taking on the two presidential ballot heavyweights: Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

Tuesdays town hall is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Challenger School, 1325 S. Main, according to a news release. Viewers can ask Johnson questions in person or participate online at http://www.garyjohnson2012.com.

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Libertarian White House hopeful in Salt Lake City for town hall

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson in Salt Lake City for town hall

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In this Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 file photo, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson speaks at a news conference during which he announced he is leaving the Republican Party in favor of seeking a presidential nomination as a Libertarian, at the State Capitol in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Eddie Moore)

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson in Salt Lake City for town hall

Politics Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson to appear at Challenger School.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Libertarian presidential hopeful Gary Johnson will be Salt Lake City on Tuesday to stage an interactive town hall meeting at an appropriately named locale: Challenger School.

The former New Mexico governor, whose campaign is headquartered in Utahs capital, faces a big challenge this November in taking on the two presidential ballot heavyweights: Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

Tuesdays town hall is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Challenger School, 1325 S. Main, according to a news release. Viewers can ask Johnson questions in person or participate online at http://www.garyjohnson2012.com.

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson in Salt Lake City for town hall

Libertarian VP Candidate Visiting Reno

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RENO, NV - Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate Judge Jim Gray will visit northern Nevada this Thursday to speak to two groups.

The running mate of former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson will speak on women's issues, eliminating the IRS, and other topics, at a luncheon hosted by the National Association of Professional Women, Reno. That will be 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Siena Hotel Spa Casino, Terraza Room, 1 Lake Street, Reno.

Later Thursday, Judge Gray will attend a Candidates Night hosted by PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) in Carson City. Time is 7-8:30 p.m. at 108 East Proctor Street in Carson City.

The public is invited to both events.

Judge Gray is a former California Superior Court judge and the running mate of Libertarian presidential nominee and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.

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Libertarian VP Candidate Visiting Reno

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson open to running for president again in 2016

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Gary Johnson (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson would run for president again in four years if he's not elected in November, the candidate announced during a town hall meeting Tuesday night.

"As long as I'm relevant, I will continue this through 2016," Johnson said during the meeting, which was simulcast live online.

A former two-term governor of New Mexico, Johnson initially sought the Republican nomination for president in 2011, but he switched to the Libertarian Party in May after struggling to gain traction in state and national polls. Through the Libertarian Party, Johnson's name will be included on ballots in 47 states on Election Day, and a CNN/ORC poll in early September suggested that he could take as much as 3 percent of the vote.

Johnson has been excluded from the upcoming debates and last month filed an antitrust lawsuit against the Commission on Presidential Debates to gain access. The effort failed, but Johnson plans to answer questions online during Wednesday night's debate between President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney, much like he did when he wasn't invited to most of the Republican primary debates last year.

During the town hall Tuesday, Johnson joked about people who say that a vote for anyone other than Obama or Romney was a "waste."

"Waste your vote!" he told the crowd. "Vote for me."

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Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson open to running for president again in 2016

International observers to oversee Falkland Islands vote

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STANLEY, Falkland Islands The pending referendum to decide the political future of the Falkland Islands will be done under the scrutiny of a "whole series of international observers" come early 2013, Legislative Assembly member Dr Barry Elsby has said.

Dr Elsby, who has responsibility for oil, the environment, historical buildings, mining and demining, told a group of Caribbean journalists yesterday that "the referendum is to try to send a signal to the world about the wishes of the Falkland Islanders as to what they want and how they wish to determine their own future".

The question of the status of the self-governed British overseas territory has occupied centrestage since the British and Argentine war in 1982 after the Argentines invaded the islands originally discovered by the British. Since then, Argentina, even though it had retreated and surrendered, has argued that the islands were rightly theirs. However, Britain has held that the Falklanders have a right to determine their status.

Yesterday, Dr Elsby said that the all-important question to be put to the voters has not yet been set due to the delicate nature of the issue.

"...That is because we want the referendum to be seen as totally fair, totally above board and not in any way biased. And so it might seem that the question is very easy to ask but what we don't want is for someone to come back and say that question was leading... so we are asking organisations that are experts at setting questions to ....phrase the question. These are going to be world-respected groups," Dr Elsby explained.

"...It's taking a little longer than we thought but we are determined to have this referendum in a totally free and fair way and be validated so that we can stand up in the international forum and say, look this is the wish of the Falkland Islanders, if you believe in a people having the right to determine their own future the Falklands had spoken and that's all we are trying to say to counter the whole barrage of misinformation from the Argentines," he added.

He said the intention is to send a signal to the democratic world of what the islanders want.

"We are not looking for independence at this time. That's an option but I don't think there is any move at the moment to be independent. We are very certain as to who we are now which is a self-governing British Overseas territory," he said.

"We are absolutely not a colony; we are absolutely self-governing," he emphasised further.

The Falkland islands, located in the south Atlantic, is home to some 3,000 persons comprising 30 different citizenship.

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International observers to oversee Falkland Islands vote

Tiwi Islands seek help as drug use takes hold

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Chief Minister Terry Mills says the Northern Territory Government is assessing the need for alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs on the Tiwi Islands.

The Tiwi Shire Council says cannabis use is rampant in the islands' communities.

One Aboriginal elder says cannabis use is contributing to a mental health crisis on the islands.

Tiwi Islands leader Marius Puruntatameri says it's not uncommon to find children as young as 10 smoking cannabis in his community.

He says a lot of young people wander the streets at night looking for drugs and says many have been left psychologically affected

Mr Mills says he's turned his attention to rehabilitation services after hearing similar stories from communities across the Territory.

Tiwi Islands Shire Council chief executive Alan Hudson estimates at least 50 per cent of teenagers on the islands are smoking cannabis and he says it's causing them to be aggressive and paranoid.

"Nine times out of ten, when we have problems on the community, the kids have started a fight," he said.

"We are talking about very early teenage kids ... (who) will start a fight, then the older brothers will get into it and the parents will get into it.

"Next thing, we've got families fighting.

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Tiwi Islands seek help as drug use takes hold

6 private islands under $100k

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Sometimes you just need to get away from it all. Only problem is that once you get there, there'll probably still be people there. Don't get us wrong, people are great! BUT they come with hang-ups and annoyances: They're all like "you can't park there," "will you help me move next week?" and "you didn't respond to my link on Facebook."

Who needs that nonsense?

If only there was a way to have your own private secret place where you made the rules and were the only person allowed. As it turns out, such oases do exist! You, my exasperated friend need your own private island!

And we're not talking about some kumbaya "happy place" private island of the mind. We're talking about an actual, literal, plot of land surrounded by water where you are the sole inhabitant.

Click here for Bundle's ratings of 15 travel agencies near you. Of course, most private islands are prohibitively expensive, costing in the multi-millions. BUT, as with all things, there is a far edge of the bell curve that places the dream of owning your own island into your more realistic grasp.

After searching through the listings of various island real estate brokers, we were able to locate exactly six available islands that you can own for less than US$100k. Not cheap, but not unreasonably costly. Consider that the median price for a home sold in the US in 2010 was $221,800. So, a new island home for under $100k is a pretty good deal.

Note: while you may harbor visions of Fantasy Island, life on these plots will probably be a bit more like Lost. You'll be forced to rough it a little as these are completely undeveloped plots devoid of any infrastructure or amenities. BUT it is all yours to do with as you please. Build a new house of your design. Name the island after yourself. Make your own laws, you are the president now!*

15 outdoor supplies merchants to visit before your big move

So, whether you are looking to pick it all up and begin anew in a fantastic new location (or, if you just want to probe through some real estate porn) click through our slideshow of available private islands, all for sale at recession prices.

*You will, of course, be subject to your host nation's laws and regulations

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6 private islands under $100k

China and Japan face off: Tiny islands, big dispute (+video)

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The China and Japan face off over five islands has sunk relations to a 40-year low - the worst since diplomatic relations began. But the sabre rattling is just for show, say analysts.

The Great Hall of the People, the heart of Beijing's ceremonial political life, should have been ringing last month with toasts and speeches to fete the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Japan.

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But the banquet rooms sat silent, the celebrations canceled.

The two neighbors' ancient enmity had ensnared them again, this time in a territorial dispute over a handful of remote islands.

Hotheads on both sides of the East China Sea were calling for war. Even the coolest heads could not rule that prospect out.

"Relations are worse than they have ever been in 40 years," says Liu Jiangyong, a professor of Japanese politics at Tsinghua University in Beijing. "I don't see much chance of a war; but I think Japan is preparing for one, and we should, too."

The possibility of armed conflict between the world's second- and third-largest economies is enough to scare governments around the globe. It is especially alarming to the United States, whose alliance with Japan would draw it into any fighting.

Beijing and Tokyo both claim sovereignty over five islands in the East China Sea, known as the Diaoyu in China and as the Senkaku in Japan, which administers them.

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China and Japan face off: Tiny islands, big dispute (+video)

Healthcare Up 4.6%; New Star Nutrition Distributor; Munson Adopts EMC’s IT – Health Min 10/1/12 – Video

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01-10-2012 22:56 Healthcare spending was up by 4.6 percent in 2011, according to a new report by the Health Care Cost Institute. That's higher than the 3.8 percent increase reported for 2010. The report is based on claims data of more than 40 million insured, about 25 percent of all those with employer-sponsored health insurance, ESI. 2011 healthcare spending for people with ESI averaged $4547 per person for the year. Star Nutrition, a California-based health and wellness industry company, has added Peak Performance Products as the newest Canadian distributor for its Incrediwear brand. Incrediwear products, including socks, insoles, and braces, provide benefits such as additional blood flow, thermal regulation, and wicking moisture to allow users to train harder and longer, and recover faster from workouts while aiding pain relief to injured body parts. Other companies working with Peak include Nogii, Dymatize, BPI Sports, Organique, and other athletic, lifestyle, and beauty products. EMC's IT has been adopted by Munson Healthcare, a regional group of eight hospitals and five clinics in Michigan, to transform the system's IT infrastructure and deliver new IT services. Munson has created a Health Information Exchange to enable providers to facilitate a high level of patient care through a private cloud enabled by EMC and VMware technologies. For more information on these and other stories, go to http://www.csrminute.com. The Health Minute is produced for 3BL Media by Video4Good

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Healthcare Up 4.6%; New Star Nutrition Distributor; Munson Adopts EMC's IT - Health Min 10/1/12 - Video

Health 2.0 Advisors Announce 10 Industry Leaders Seeking Health Care Innovation Partnerships

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SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Health2.0 Advisors announced today the ten leading health care organizations that will be participating in the third series of Matchpointmeetings, October 10th at the Cooley LLP offices in San Francisco. At Matchpoint, leading health care organizations (Matchpoint Hosts) meet face to face with the most promising early-stage companies (Matchpoint Innovators) in 15 minute, focused meetings to discuss potential partnerships, pilots, and acquisitions. The Industry Leaders are Aetna, United Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medtronic, Cigna, Premera Blue Cross, Cooley LLP, Ziegler, and The Packard Foundation.

"The quality of the companies we met exceeded our expectations and we have initiated follow-up conversations with more companies than we had anticipated. Hosting the Matchpoint sessions was very valuable [to UnitedHealthcare]," said previous Matchpoint Host Vidya Raman-Tangella, Vice President, Product Innovation and Innovation Resource Group at UnitedHealth Group.

Health 2.0 Advisors uses a proprietary database and unique industry insights to identify the best matches between young companies and established industry leaders. In its first year, Matchpoint has already facilitated more than 250 highly curated meetings.

"Health 2.0 Advisors recognizes which potential partnerships have the best chances of success in a rapidly evolving market," said Marco Smit, Senior VP of Health 2.0 and President of Health 2.0 Advisors. "Our ability to make assessments of fit -- based on technology needs, clinical benefits, business objectives, and cultural match -- between established and start-up companies has been a great asset for the Matchpoint participants."

Matchpoint San Francisco marks the first time a series of educational workshops will be offered to participants. Innovators will learn how to broker business partnerships and make their startups both financially and technologically viable.

The next Matchpoint meetings will be in New York on November 28th. Pharmaceutical companies, providers, and payers are expected to be among those taking advantage of this unique opportunity to meet with selected innovators from New York's burgeoning health technology ecosystem.

About Health 2.0 The conference. The media network. The innovation community. The Health 2.0 Conference is the leading showcase of cutting-edge innovation transforming the health care system. Health 2.0 has served as a community resource for search and online tools to help consumers manage their health and connect to providers. Now that the industry has caught up, Health 2.0 covers the entire cloud, web, mobile and unplatforms technology revolution that is shaking up every sector of health care. Health 2.0 Advisors puts its market intelligence and network to work for innovators who want to build tomorrow's winning organizations. For more, visit http://www.health2con.com.

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Health 2.0 Advisors Announce 10 Industry Leaders Seeking Health Care Innovation Partnerships

National Leaders Share Perspectives on the Election and Future of Health Care

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Nashville Health Care Council hosted an exclusive panel discussion today with nationally-known thought leaders to discuss the upcoming election and its implications for health reform and the broader national economic and political landscape.

Special guests included Judy Feder, Ph.D., former dean and professor of public policy, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University and institute fellow, Urban Institute; Senator Bill Frist, M.D., partner, Cressey & Company and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Alberto R. Gonzales, Doyle Rogers Distinguished Chair of Law, Belmont University, of counsel, Waller and former United States Attorney General; Jon Meacham, executive editor and executive vice president, Random House, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former editor, Newsweek. The discussion was moderated by John Seigenthaler, Jr., CEO, Seigenthaler Public Relations New York and former anchor, NBC Nightly News.

As the elections approach, its very fitting to have this discussion here in Nashville. The newly-elected President and Congress will have a number of complex issues ahead of them, including the direction of health care reform, said Senator Frist.

Panelists agreed that certain elements of health care reform will move forward no matter who is elected in November, such as insurance companies eliminating exclusions for preexisting conditions and providers moving toward population health management as opposed to the fee-for-service model. However, they were also in agreement that the election results will heavily affect the future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as a whole.

View panel member interviews on YouTube and event photos on Flickr. Photo credit: (c) 2012, Harry Butler.

Though the polls seem to be breaking President Obamas way, its still quite possible that this election will go late into the night in November. Historically speaking, the 2012 race, like 1980 or 1992, is unfolding in a climate that is largely hostile to incumbents, said Jon Meacham.

No matter who wins, Congress has to address the complex fiscal cliff which is approaching at the end of the year when significant tax cuts expire and spending cuts are triggered.How we address the deficit has enormous implications for the future of Medicare, Medicaid and health reform, on which the two parties, as well as President Obama and Governor Romney, have vastly different positions.The outcome of the election will make a big difference to the future of health care, said Judy Feder.

Health care is a very important and complicated issue in this election. There is still a lot of uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act, which is why health care companies have held off on some of the changes that were outlined in the legislation. The election results will determine how we all move forward, Alberto R. Gonzales said.

Nashville is a natural venue for this discussion, considering the citys impact on the health care industry on both a national and international level. Nashville-based health care companies account for $70 billion in annual revenue and more than 400,000 jobs globally. Nashville-based hospital management companies own or operate more than half of the investor-owned hospitals in the United States.

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National Leaders Share Perspectives on the Election and Future of Health Care

Museum hosts health care reform talk

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By Sally Voth svoth@nvdaily.com

Three hundred guests dining at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley Business Forum Luncheon on Tuesday had a lot to digest.

Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of the journal Health Affairs, spent more than an hour presenting her reasons why the Affordable Care Act was necessary, and its merits.

"It's hard to conjure up an issue in American politics that has really elicited so much divisiveness among the parties," she said. "What we might be able to agree on, however, are those things inherent in what we call the triple aim."

The triple aim is to strive for better health, better health care and lower costs, Dentzer said.

"That's it," she said. "We just have to pursue that agenda."

Individuals' health is impacted by a variety of factors, according to Dentzer's presentation. These include obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, stress and aging. There are other contributors to early death, such as genetics, social factors and a lack of health insurance.

The latter leads to the premature death of 18,000 Americans annually, Dentzer said. She said that's about half the number of women who die of breast cancer each year.

According to a RAND study from 2003, patients received recommended health care about 55 percent of the time, Dentzer said.

"Basically, it was almost a coin toss whether we get recommended care," she said. "We also have another very troubling issue, which is do we know what works in health care? More than half of the treatments that we deliver in the U.S. health care system do not have clear evidence of effectiveness. That's an awful lot of health care that is being provided without people understanding whether it works or it does not."

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Museum hosts health care reform talk