By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD Our legislators have been at their worst over the Supreme Court confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. What a shameful display: condescending, arrogant show-boating senators questioning him in a manner reminiscent of the Grand Inquisitor. The only things missing from this B-grade movie were the rubber hoses and interrogation lights. […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD During the Supreme Court oral arguments in the challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s mandate to purchase health insurance, people laughed when the late Justice Scalia asked whether the government could make you buy broccoli. Never happen? The laughable has become reality. A California bill awaiting the governor’s signature […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD The days of trusting your legislators to have your best interests at heart are in the rear view mirror. Apparently, their main interest is parroting the buzzwords of the moment to get elected and then being too busy banking lobbying money to listen to the voters. Our legislators have […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD: Kudos to the folks in D.C. who are advancing alternatives to the Affordable Care Act’s over-regulated and expensive health insurance policies. Small business association health plans and expanding health savings accounts (HSAs) are among several tools to increase health care choices. However, one element in the medical care cost analysis […]
In this special edition of Legislative Update, Marilyn Singleton, MD, JD breaks down the surge of opiate-related legislation under consideration on Capitol Hill. In response to the opiate abuse epidemic, Congress has put forth almost 60 bills, many of which are receiving votes by the full House this week (the week of June 11th). In […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD, @MSingletonMDJD “Disruptive innovation” is all the buzz. Repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is so last year. Well, disrupt this: repeal Medicare and Medicaid and get the government out of the medical care business. The federal government appropriately began its involvement in health care in 1798 when Congress established […]
By: Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD April 16th begins a week of National Healthcare Decisions Day. Hopefully this week will encourage honest discussions not only about a so-called “good death” but the value of an individual’s life. I am not optimistic, given the trend toward consciously or unconsciously steering patients toward “death with dignity” rather […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD In an entertainment venue called the “Escape Room,” participants are locked inside a themed adventure room, and they must figure out how to escape. Themes include prisons, KGB interrogation, and hostage situations. Perhaps a new theme could be ObamaCare. Despite a large majority of Americans reporting healthcare as their […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD Some pundits blamed algorithmic trading for the stock market’s recent wild ride. “Algo-trading” relies on computers programmed to follow defined instructions for placing trades. For example, the computer buys 50 shares of stock when its 50-day moving average goes above the 200-day moving average. Period. Algo-trading was popularized as […]
By Marilyn M. Singleton, MD, JD Black history month is a time to celebrate Americans whose accomplishments are sometimes overshadowed by the eye-catching negative news stories. It was discomfiting to watch the State of the Union address while black congresspersons churlishly sat with their arms crossed even as President Trump announced that black unemployment was […]