JawsBlog

IF you’ve not seen the Penn & Teller’s most recent episode on vaccines do yourself a favor and watch it!
[Note: contains NSFW images and language]

The Sister and I couldn’t stop laughing with it.

Priceless!

Got a call today from the office of the Endocrinologist who I saw last week (and was hardly thrilled with).

I’d placed a call the day before (Tue) to inquire about getting a records release form so the results of my blood work could be shared with my PCP’s office. The answering service for the office [you don't get to speak to anyone in the office] said a form would be faxed to me today..but it’s yet to arrive.

That aside, so I got the call from the office and it went to my voicemail. The message that was left said:

“Mr. Jaws, please call our office at 212-555-1212 to inform us of where you had your blood work done.”

Here’s the thing–the physician himself ordered the blood work, on a carbon copy form, from the affiliated hospital itself. The blood draw was done at the phlebotomy suite in the same building as the doctor’s office (the building is owned by the hospital group). Yet they didn’t know where the results of my tests were?!?!?! Needless to say I wasn’t happy.

Then I got a curt message on my phone later in the day from the doctor saying “all your labs came in within range…you’re normal”. That was it.

To say that I was unhappy with the physician is an understatement. He didn’t even order all the proper tests.

/grumble
//still symptomatic

The Complexity of ObamaCare [Note: this is from a Republican Congressman's site]

That chart looks just about as confusing as the processing for submitting a Medicare Provider Enrollment Application! Or better yet, getting to speak to a human at the local Medicare Contractor.

With the hopes of finding out why I’ve been feeling like crap, and freezing cold all the time (significantly worse when in air condiitioning0, I had an appointment with a specialist today.

I go in, and the doc asks why I’m there. I explain that my Primary care thinks I have a certain problem. He cuts me off and asks if my PCP did blood work. I respond yes, and that according to my PCP it was “normal”. So he asks, so why are you here? My simple response was that my PCP said that since the symptoms have continued I should see a certain kind of specialist. Made the doctor pause.

The doctor did his basic physical (needed for billing an E&M visit), asked me some questions, the usual. The doc then theorized that my problems could be related to other conditions–but as I pointed out to him, my symptoms do not match any of the other concurrent conditions. (I got the impression more so that he was just trying to pass me off–sigh).

He did order some blood work, so I’ll await the results of that and take it from there I suppose. Quite disappointed to say the least.

Will wait for the results of the labs to come in before taking any further steps.

Called to get a patient prior-authorization for a medication the physician prescribed. Standard routine. Went through fun with IVR system, and I ultimately get a human.

Do the routine identification verification thing and it turns out the patient’s insurance doesn’t cover the prescribed drug. I ask the CSR if an alternate medication would be covered, he says he can’t tell me but that I should contact the patient’s insurance.

Fair enough.

I ask the CSR, when I call the insurance, should I guide my call to the “Medical” option or the “Pharmacy” option?

The CSR proceeds to tell me that “In his personal experience, dealing with Major Medical Insurer is nothing but a headache. They have been unhelpful to him on a personal level”/

Alas, that failed to answer my inquiry, so I politely said thank you and hung up. I proceeded to call the insurer and get the pharmacy department, and we able to get the patient a suitable alternative medication. (With no hassle I may add).

SO thank you Mr. Random CSR at Major Medical Prior-Approval group…

Sure, it may save the insurance companies money to limit the physicians that a patient can see, but what about the doctors? Fewer patients coming thru the doors means less revenue…

/Just saying

Okay, so it’s a Fark Headline, but I still like it:

Dozens of genetic mutations linked to autism and Jenny McCarthy discovered (LGT: Fark)

Moral of the story: It’s not vaccines (still!)

From Drudge (no link yet)

THIS WEEK: Obama public-relations offensive timed to $250 rebate checks for Medicare…

Hey Mr. President (and Congress)–that’s nice an all that you’re sending our rebate checks to Medicare beneficiaries….but what about the recent rate cut that took effect for providers?

Just saying….

Uncertainty over Medicare pay sets doctors on edge

Is this a repeat from the past couple of months? Sure seems like it.

This is a brilliant comic strip style presentation of the fraud physician Andrew Wakefield and the MMR controversy which he stirred up.

Even with pictures, I highly doubt the likes of Jenny McCarthy will comprehend the error in her ways of thinking.

Then don’t use the computer before bed

Something known and often talked about in fitness circles has now been backed up with clinical findings:

Male Obesity Linked to Low Testosterone Levels, Study Shows

In short, in men most of our estrogen comes form either external/environmental sources or via the enzyme aromatase. Aromatase is very often more present in fat cells. A high quantity/concentration of fat cells will thus result in more aromatase present, leading to a larger conversion of testosterone to estrogen in these males. This is then “relayed” to the HTPA in the brain and less testosterone is produced–thus lower T levels.

The other problem in the group studied is that they’re type 2 diabetics–which means their bodies are insulin resistant. Since insulin and growth hormone are interrelated (and yes, testosterone ties in to the loop too0–that could skew the data a bit. [A full discussion o that subject matter is a bit over my head and beyond the scope of this blog]

My simple solution to fixing this problem–drop the excess body-fat (easier said than done–but it’s a gradual process). HRT/TRT won’t do too much as the individiauls will still have high levels or aromatase. The only other medical idea I could think of would be to use an aromatase inhibitor or SERMs. (But this should only be done under the supervision of a qualified health care professional!)

Now this is just beyond silly…

FDA plans to limit amount of salt allowed in processed foods for health reasons

Seems just a wee-bit to nanny-state-esque for me.

Really–going after salt?

LAT: Healthcare overhaul won’t stop premium increases

Of note–it appears that one reason for the rate increase is the fact that hospitals are pushing for larger reimbursements.
(Alas, little chance of physicians getting such a rate increase for their practices, but that’s a different matter).

No, not in the US or the UK…but this time it maybe the result of poor handlings/QC in China

Yes, I used the quotations on purpose–as I’m not sure what the recent bills passed by Congress should be called. Is it “HCR” or “ObamaCare”? Can we just call it the “health care bill”?

I’ve said before and I”ll reiterate it–that working in the trenches in healthcare gives me a different perspective than the average person on the issue (let alone the clueless DC politician).

My biggest question–how is the bill going to manage to lower health care costs at all?
That’s what I’ve failed to understand.

Sure, insurance premiums are going to go up–but are payments to physicians also going to go up accordingly (not likely–IMHO).

What if anything did this bill actually accomplish?

The VICP has once again reiterated what ts known: Vaccines do not cause autism!

LA Times: ‘Vaccines court’ rejects mercury-autism link in 3 test cases

ABC News:
Special Court Says Connection Between Vaccines and Autism is ‘Scientifically Unsupportable’

We now return to our regularly scheduled quality science…

A state legislator from Brooklyn wants to have salt banned in NY eateries

Granted, many chefs can tell you that salt is used as a seasoning and a tool to bring out flavors. It’s not an evil diaboilical conspiracy tool.

People would serve themselves better by cutting out junk food if they want to lower their sodium levels.

Bought a bad of navel oranges at Trader Joe’s on Sunday morning. (I”ve had a craving for oranges as of late–dunno why).

This evening as I’m packing my food for tomorrow I’m looking for my oranges–which have myseriously dissipated from the counter.

BBM’d the sister who said she pitched the whole bag because “they were moldy”.

I’m quite dissapointed to say the least. Seeming that I’d only picked up the fruit on Sunday and by Tuesday it went bad. Not to mention the fact that she totally pitched a whole bag of fruit! (Note: I’m very sensitive to my proteins and produce).

Maybe I’ll find a bodega with decent fruit tomorrow en route to the gym (not too likely though–as the good ones aren’t on my usual commute).

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate–is it even a question?

The answer is to of course vaccinate!

/End of discussion