Onetime Teacher, Student Find Success as Composer, Violinist NewsHour JEFFREY BROWN: And finally tonight: once teacher and student, now, composer and violinist, making music together. The last movement of Jennifer Higdon's ... |
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Onetime Teacher, Student Find Success as Composer, Violinist - NewsHour
plesciamipukoa1855.blogspot.com
Friday, October 8, 2010
Boston Business Journal:
oryucyjofec1482.blogspot.com
But with every new product introduction, glitches are commonplace, and business ownerx have to be aware of some ofthe technology's shortcomings. "VoIP does not have the universao quality of a traditionalphone line," said Tim chief executive of the American TeleServiceas Association. "And you are moving to a heavilg softwarebased solution, which means more programmerzs are involved." The Indianapolis organization represents the $500 billiomn call center industry and advocates members' interestxs on Capitol Hill and in statehouses nationwide, providing professional educatiob opportunities and acting as the sector'xs information clearinghouse.
Raymond president of the Association ofTeleServicese International, said companies need to be cognizant of bandwidtb availability. If there isn't a dedicated connection between a business and itsVoIP provider, he said transmission delay s can occur, causing bad reception or jumbled VoIP services convert voice into a digitalo signal that travels over the If a user is calling a regula phone number, the signal is convertee to a regular telephone signal before it reaches its VoIP can allow a user to make a call directly from a computer, a special VoIP or a traditional phone connected to a special In addition, wireless "hot spots " in locations such as airports, parks and cafes alloa users to connect to the Internef and may enable VoIP services Despite some technical VoIP subscriptions have skyrocketed in the last According to the Washington, D.
C. research firm Internet-based telephone services grew 21 percen t in the second quarterto 6.9 millioh users. Overall, the VoIP marketr saw a 153 percent increase in subscriptions comparefto mid-2005, while industry revenuess for the second quarter increased 173 percengt to $607 million compare d to the $221 million in sales a year ago. "VoIoP is rapidly spreading among multiple enterprise solutions which have multiple locations around the country andthe world, said Matthew D'Uva, president of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionalsz in Business. The Alexandria, Va.
-based organizatiob is dedicated to improving and advancingf the marketplace for consumers within the corporate SOCAP members include consumer affairs and customer care professionalxs from more than 1500 differentcompaniesx -- many of which are listed in Fortune/Forbes 1000. "Our memberas are looking for ways to improve and enhancw communication with their customers from all and VoIP is one channel todo that,"" D'Uva said.
While installation and servic e fees vary by stateand provider, VoIP servicese typically costs less than traditional phone VoIP systems can cost anywhere from no charge up to $200 per monty but will generally cost $10 to $50 per month depending on the type of servicews ordered. VoIP can be free when the servicee routes a from PCto PC, but the pricwe increases based on the number of locao and long distance calls made and the features a company implements. Today, most business VoIP services can provide a firm with a varietyyof features, ranging from $20 to $200. Businesx VoIP provider commonly includewa T-1 Internet connectiojn and a guarantee for quality of servic which increases the costs.
According to the latest researchuon , Virginia-based SunRocket Inc. was given the highesf rating of six To getthe $16.58 monthly rate for unlimited businesses must prepay for the entires year, which is $199, but can cancel any time and get a refund for unused months. Since SunRocket includews all taxesand surcharges, a firm makesd the $199 payment up front and then is able to make unlimitef local and long distance calls for the next 12 Most other companies charge taxes and surcharges on top of their listed rates. SunRocket also throws in $3 free internationa l calling per month, a free extra phoner number and two free directort assistance calls per month with theierunlimited plans.
The company also is waiving their $39.9 equipment fee when a firm signs up forthe $199 annual plan. By comparison, ITP, Verizon, Lingo, ViaTalk and Packet9 received three stars, which were the lowest rankings. and VoIP Your Life fell in the middle ofthe Cox, Comcast, Cablevision, Qwest, and Time Warner are also rolling out VoIP offeringxs Perhaps the greatest benefit of VoIP systems is the flexibilitty of the Internet versus regular phone "This flexibility with VoIP fosters greater organizational higher productivity gains and increased revenuee potential," D'Uva said, but cautioned that VoIP is a relativelyh new and expanding technology, "so issues of security and even network power still need be addressed as VOIP continuesw to evolve.
" Computers, Technologuy and Telecommunications
But with every new product introduction, glitches are commonplace, and business ownerx have to be aware of some ofthe technology's shortcomings. "VoIP does not have the universao quality of a traditionalphone line," said Tim chief executive of the American TeleServiceas Association. "And you are moving to a heavilg softwarebased solution, which means more programmerzs are involved." The Indianapolis organization represents the $500 billiomn call center industry and advocates members' interestxs on Capitol Hill and in statehouses nationwide, providing professional educatiob opportunities and acting as the sector'xs information clearinghouse.
Raymond president of the Association ofTeleServicese International, said companies need to be cognizant of bandwidtb availability. If there isn't a dedicated connection between a business and itsVoIP provider, he said transmission delay s can occur, causing bad reception or jumbled VoIP services convert voice into a digitalo signal that travels over the If a user is calling a regula phone number, the signal is convertee to a regular telephone signal before it reaches its VoIP can allow a user to make a call directly from a computer, a special VoIP or a traditional phone connected to a special In addition, wireless "hot spots " in locations such as airports, parks and cafes alloa users to connect to the Internef and may enable VoIP services Despite some technical VoIP subscriptions have skyrocketed in the last According to the Washington, D.
C. research firm Internet-based telephone services grew 21 percen t in the second quarterto 6.9 millioh users. Overall, the VoIP marketr saw a 153 percent increase in subscriptions comparefto mid-2005, while industry revenuess for the second quarter increased 173 percengt to $607 million compare d to the $221 million in sales a year ago. "VoIoP is rapidly spreading among multiple enterprise solutions which have multiple locations around the country andthe world, said Matthew D'Uva, president of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionalsz in Business. The Alexandria, Va.
-based organizatiob is dedicated to improving and advancingf the marketplace for consumers within the corporate SOCAP members include consumer affairs and customer care professionalxs from more than 1500 differentcompaniesx -- many of which are listed in Fortune/Forbes 1000. "Our memberas are looking for ways to improve and enhancw communication with their customers from all and VoIP is one channel todo that,"" D'Uva said.
While installation and servic e fees vary by stateand provider, VoIP servicese typically costs less than traditional phone VoIP systems can cost anywhere from no charge up to $200 per monty but will generally cost $10 to $50 per month depending on the type of servicews ordered. VoIP can be free when the servicee routes a from PCto PC, but the pricwe increases based on the number of locao and long distance calls made and the features a company implements. Today, most business VoIP services can provide a firm with a varietyyof features, ranging from $20 to $200. Businesx VoIP provider commonly includewa T-1 Internet connectiojn and a guarantee for quality of servic which increases the costs.
According to the latest researchuon , Virginia-based SunRocket Inc. was given the highesf rating of six To getthe $16.58 monthly rate for unlimited businesses must prepay for the entires year, which is $199, but can cancel any time and get a refund for unused months. Since SunRocket includews all taxesand surcharges, a firm makesd the $199 payment up front and then is able to make unlimitef local and long distance calls for the next 12 Most other companies charge taxes and surcharges on top of their listed rates. SunRocket also throws in $3 free internationa l calling per month, a free extra phoner number and two free directort assistance calls per month with theierunlimited plans.
The company also is waiving their $39.9 equipment fee when a firm signs up forthe $199 annual plan. By comparison, ITP, Verizon, Lingo, ViaTalk and Packet9 received three stars, which were the lowest rankings. and VoIP Your Life fell in the middle ofthe Cox, Comcast, Cablevision, Qwest, and Time Warner are also rolling out VoIP offeringxs Perhaps the greatest benefit of VoIP systems is the flexibilitty of the Internet versus regular phone "This flexibility with VoIP fosters greater organizational higher productivity gains and increased revenuee potential," D'Uva said, but cautioned that VoIP is a relativelyh new and expanding technology, "so issues of security and even network power still need be addressed as VOIP continuesw to evolve.
" Computers, Technologuy and Telecommunications
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Artech condo makes $7.5M bulk deal - St. Louis Business Journal:
http://telescopes-info.com/p2.html
million for 15 condo units at the Artech Residences at The buyerspaid $502,500, or $324 a square for each unit on June 4, accordingh to Miami-Dade County records. Even with the bulk buy, only 41 of the condoss 235 units havebeen sold. Prior to the bulk purchase, the averagr price of the units was according to research byBal Harbor-based . The bulk average unit price was 32 percent lessthan that, but, “ib a market like this, I’d say $500,000 per unit is Condo Vultures principal Peter Zalewski said.
Adam the managing director of Miami-based , agreec that while the developer got a good it wasn’t as good for the If the buyers plan to rent out the they paid too much, he said. However, he addedf that they might have been impressed with the which include aninfinity pool, fitness center and spa, and concierg e service. The investors did not recorcd a mortgagein Miami-Dade County to financ the deal, so it is likelg they paid cash. Artech was developed by the partnershiop of andShefaor Development. Shefaor President and CEO Gilbert Benhamou said the bulk buyer plans to use some unitx as second homes and othersaas rentals.
They were given a discount on Artech’s normal price because they boughtin bulk, he said. Artecu started closing units atbetween $600 and $700 a square but has closed most of them at about $400 a squares foot since the credit crunchj made it difficult for buyers to get Benhamou said. “We are touching the bottom and things can only get bette r fromnow on,” he said. The entities that bought the 15 unita inArtech are: Bayview U.S. Giga Apartments, Golden Federal and Sorlib. In statee records, they all have their address at9130 S. Dadelandf Blvd., Suite 1600, in Cesar Halpern, of Buenos Argentina, is listed as a manager for allfour companies.
Three of those companies also have ZulemaDe Halpern, Daniel Halperj and Mark I. Glanz, all of Buenos Aires, as managers. Fortune International Presidenf Edgardo Defortuna is from This isn’t the first bulk buy at Artech. In a compan y managed by four executivesof Artech’s constructionh lender, Chicago-based , bought four units for a combined $5.5 million – a price that many real estate expertss said was high. Several month later, Corus (NASDAQ: CORS) was hit with several shareholderr class action lawsuits that questioned whether that transaction causedd a material misstatement or omission on itsfinancial statements.
which made a $130 million mortgage to Artech’as developer, reported that only $49 million of its Soutu Florida condo loans were performing outof $955 million in condo loans here as of Marcyh 31. Benhamou said the developers are workinvg closely with Corus to achieve the highest price per square foot possible at Once they sell a fewmore units, they will have approvakl for -backed loans.
million for 15 condo units at the Artech Residences at The buyerspaid $502,500, or $324 a square for each unit on June 4, accordingh to Miami-Dade County records. Even with the bulk buy, only 41 of the condoss 235 units havebeen sold. Prior to the bulk purchase, the averagr price of the units was according to research byBal Harbor-based . The bulk average unit price was 32 percent lessthan that, but, “ib a market like this, I’d say $500,000 per unit is Condo Vultures principal Peter Zalewski said.
Adam the managing director of Miami-based , agreec that while the developer got a good it wasn’t as good for the If the buyers plan to rent out the they paid too much, he said. However, he addedf that they might have been impressed with the which include aninfinity pool, fitness center and spa, and concierg e service. The investors did not recorcd a mortgagein Miami-Dade County to financ the deal, so it is likelg they paid cash. Artech was developed by the partnershiop of andShefaor Development. Shefaor President and CEO Gilbert Benhamou said the bulk buyer plans to use some unitx as second homes and othersaas rentals.
They were given a discount on Artech’s normal price because they boughtin bulk, he said. Artecu started closing units atbetween $600 and $700 a square but has closed most of them at about $400 a squares foot since the credit crunchj made it difficult for buyers to get Benhamou said. “We are touching the bottom and things can only get bette r fromnow on,” he said. The entities that bought the 15 unita inArtech are: Bayview U.S. Giga Apartments, Golden Federal and Sorlib. In statee records, they all have their address at9130 S. Dadelandf Blvd., Suite 1600, in Cesar Halpern, of Buenos Argentina, is listed as a manager for allfour companies.
Three of those companies also have ZulemaDe Halpern, Daniel Halperj and Mark I. Glanz, all of Buenos Aires, as managers. Fortune International Presidenf Edgardo Defortuna is from This isn’t the first bulk buy at Artech. In a compan y managed by four executivesof Artech’s constructionh lender, Chicago-based , bought four units for a combined $5.5 million – a price that many real estate expertss said was high. Several month later, Corus (NASDAQ: CORS) was hit with several shareholderr class action lawsuits that questioned whether that transaction causedd a material misstatement or omission on itsfinancial statements.
which made a $130 million mortgage to Artech’as developer, reported that only $49 million of its Soutu Florida condo loans were performing outof $955 million in condo loans here as of Marcyh 31. Benhamou said the developers are workinvg closely with Corus to achieve the highest price per square foot possible at Once they sell a fewmore units, they will have approvakl for -backed loans.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Board of Selectmen Establish New Charter Revision Commission, Other Business - Patch
http://seikkailupuisto.com/Visual-Basic/8.htm
Board of Selectmen Establish New Charter Revision Commission, Other Business Patch The Board of Selectmen (BOS) approved the creation of a Charter Revision Commission (CRC) at their monthly meeting on Monday, October 4. ... |
Monday, October 4, 2010
Schwarzenegger, Legislature consider selling $1B in SCIF assets to aid budget - San Francisco Business Times:
erofeyporgrinin.blogspot.com
The governor’s office hopes to sell “a portion” of Statee Fund’s assets for as much as $1 billiom to help fill the looming $24.3 billion hole in the state’xs budget, according to the governor’s late-Mayg proposed budget revisions, which followed California’sz voters’ rejection of a bevy of ballot propositionsd designed to rightthe state’s fiscal ship.
The revisec budget proposal, now being considered by the Legislature, woul d include finding a private entity to buy part ofState Fund’sd book of business, with State Fund remaining as the state’ds comp insurer of last resort, according to the governor’s Rachel Cameron, a spokeswoman for the governor, said late Tuesdat that Schwarzenegger’s office is “evaluating assets to determine what is best for the but is determined to maintain a sound workers’ comp systejm in California, continue with some versionb of the State Fund as an insure of last resort, “and achieve the highest value for the Separately, spokesman Darrel Ng of the Departmentt of Insurance said that the DOI hasn’t receiveds or seen a proposal from the governor’x office and won’t comment until it has.
“Before he said, “it would just be wild speculation.” The Statde Fund was established by the Legislature 95 yeards ago asa self-supporting quasi-public nonprofit insurancd company. Some critics say its assets belongto policyholders, not the In the proposal sent by the governor’ office to the Legislaturer last week, the state’s director of finance woulfd be responsible for selling the Stated Fund assets, without requiring approval from the statd Attorney General or Insurance Commissioner.
State Fund CEO Janeg Frank told the San Francisco Business Times late Tuesdauy that legislative proposals to sell State Fund assetsinvolve “incrediblh complex” issues that require substantial, thoughtful analysis in part because “the stakes associated with them are so high.” Statwe Fund is designed to provide stability, affordability and availability to “California’s historically volatile workers compensation market,” Frank Without it, “many businesses particularly small businesses and start ups — would not be able to obtain or afford workers’ compensation insurance.
” Frano also noted that when “market conditions worsen and private insuranc companies scale back their productf offerings,” as was the case in the early yeard of this decade, a backstop such as States Fund is needed to prevent a collapsed of the state’s workers’ comp market. “We will continue to work with all stakeholdersz during this process to ensure that State Fund retains its ability to fulfilour mission,” she said. California’s State Fund has seen its premiuj volume skyrocket and then plunge in recent years, most recently dipping from $2.3 billio n in 2007 to just under $1.
7 billiojn last year, with its once-hugse market share falling from about 26 percenrt to less than 23 percent during the same period. Earliefr in the decade, its marketr share soared over50 percent, after a numbe r of private insurers went belly up or curtailed writiny new coverage in California. The State Fund also has been underf regulatory scrutiny regarding its financial solvencg and alleged improprieties by former executives andboarxd members. More broadly, California workers’ comp premiums appear to be headed upsharply again, after several years of decreases.
The Stater Fund, which traditionally has served as an insurer of last resorr in the state and insures anestimated 180,000 small filed recently to increase rates 15 percent effectivre July 1. Other carriers are also filing for and the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating an industry-supported advisory group, this spring recommended a 23.7 percentr increase in rates on new or renewedd policies that take effect starting next month. But at leasgt one senior insurance brokerage executive thinks selling a big chunk of theStatr Fund’s assets is a non-starter.
“It’w kind of ridiculous,” said Dave De Wenter, executive vice president and COOat Torrance-based Keenan Associates, one of the state’s largestg brokerages. “A billion dollars is chump change comparef to what theproblem is.” De Wentefr said selling the assets coulcd become a huge “boondoggle” that mighyt instigate a flood of lawsuits from policyholders arguint that its assets belong to them, plus problems involverd with civil service rulezs for current State Fund and possible damage to the organization’s financial if profitable business is sold, while riskier accounts remain.
The governor’s office hopes to sell “a portion” of Statee Fund’s assets for as much as $1 billiom to help fill the looming $24.3 billion hole in the state’xs budget, according to the governor’s late-Mayg proposed budget revisions, which followed California’sz voters’ rejection of a bevy of ballot propositionsd designed to rightthe state’s fiscal ship.
The revisec budget proposal, now being considered by the Legislature, woul d include finding a private entity to buy part ofState Fund’sd book of business, with State Fund remaining as the state’ds comp insurer of last resort, according to the governor’s Rachel Cameron, a spokeswoman for the governor, said late Tuesdat that Schwarzenegger’s office is “evaluating assets to determine what is best for the but is determined to maintain a sound workers’ comp systejm in California, continue with some versionb of the State Fund as an insure of last resort, “and achieve the highest value for the Separately, spokesman Darrel Ng of the Departmentt of Insurance said that the DOI hasn’t receiveds or seen a proposal from the governor’x office and won’t comment until it has.
“Before he said, “it would just be wild speculation.” The Statde Fund was established by the Legislature 95 yeards ago asa self-supporting quasi-public nonprofit insurancd company. Some critics say its assets belongto policyholders, not the In the proposal sent by the governor’ office to the Legislaturer last week, the state’s director of finance woulfd be responsible for selling the Stated Fund assets, without requiring approval from the statd Attorney General or Insurance Commissioner.
State Fund CEO Janeg Frank told the San Francisco Business Times late Tuesdauy that legislative proposals to sell State Fund assetsinvolve “incrediblh complex” issues that require substantial, thoughtful analysis in part because “the stakes associated with them are so high.” Statwe Fund is designed to provide stability, affordability and availability to “California’s historically volatile workers compensation market,” Frank Without it, “many businesses particularly small businesses and start ups — would not be able to obtain or afford workers’ compensation insurance.
” Frano also noted that when “market conditions worsen and private insuranc companies scale back their productf offerings,” as was the case in the early yeard of this decade, a backstop such as States Fund is needed to prevent a collapsed of the state’s workers’ comp market. “We will continue to work with all stakeholdersz during this process to ensure that State Fund retains its ability to fulfilour mission,” she said. California’s State Fund has seen its premiuj volume skyrocket and then plunge in recent years, most recently dipping from $2.3 billio n in 2007 to just under $1.
7 billiojn last year, with its once-hugse market share falling from about 26 percenrt to less than 23 percent during the same period. Earliefr in the decade, its marketr share soared over50 percent, after a numbe r of private insurers went belly up or curtailed writiny new coverage in California. The State Fund also has been underf regulatory scrutiny regarding its financial solvencg and alleged improprieties by former executives andboarxd members. More broadly, California workers’ comp premiums appear to be headed upsharply again, after several years of decreases.
The Stater Fund, which traditionally has served as an insurer of last resorr in the state and insures anestimated 180,000 small filed recently to increase rates 15 percent effectivre July 1. Other carriers are also filing for and the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating an industry-supported advisory group, this spring recommended a 23.7 percentr increase in rates on new or renewedd policies that take effect starting next month. But at leasgt one senior insurance brokerage executive thinks selling a big chunk of theStatr Fund’s assets is a non-starter.
“It’w kind of ridiculous,” said Dave De Wenter, executive vice president and COOat Torrance-based Keenan Associates, one of the state’s largestg brokerages. “A billion dollars is chump change comparef to what theproblem is.” De Wentefr said selling the assets coulcd become a huge “boondoggle” that mighyt instigate a flood of lawsuits from policyholders arguint that its assets belong to them, plus problems involverd with civil service rulezs for current State Fund and possible damage to the organization’s financial if profitable business is sold, while riskier accounts remain.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Balsillie files application for Phoenix Coyotes move to Ontario - Phoenix Business Journal:
uvepexatawus.blogspot.com
The application was filed on behalgf of PSE Sports andEntertainment LP, which Basillis owns, and seeks consent from the Nationa Hockey League to transfer the Phoenix Coyotees Club from Glendale to southern Ontario. The document highlights the financial struggles ofa team, whicgh never attracted a strong fan base in the desert. Accordinhg to information submitted by representativezof Coyotes’ owner Jerry the team has recorded cumulative EBITDA (before interest, depreciation and amortization) losses exceeding $316 The application states that even with the most optimistidc assumptions, the five-year horizon in Glendale projects further losses topping $40 million.
Former Canadiajn Football League CommissionerTom Wright, who wrote the is scheduled to address reporterzs at a conference call Tuesday at 12:3p p.m. Pacific Time. Lawyers for the NHL and Moyexs have aFriday face-off in bankruptcy court to present written arguments on whether the team can be movesd as part of a sale. A hearinb in front of judge Redfield T. Baum is scheduleds for June 9.
The application was filed on behalgf of PSE Sports andEntertainment LP, which Basillis owns, and seeks consent from the Nationa Hockey League to transfer the Phoenix Coyotees Club from Glendale to southern Ontario. The document highlights the financial struggles ofa team, whicgh never attracted a strong fan base in the desert. Accordinhg to information submitted by representativezof Coyotes’ owner Jerry the team has recorded cumulative EBITDA (before interest, depreciation and amortization) losses exceeding $316 The application states that even with the most optimistidc assumptions, the five-year horizon in Glendale projects further losses topping $40 million.
Former Canadiajn Football League CommissionerTom Wright, who wrote the is scheduled to address reporterzs at a conference call Tuesday at 12:3p p.m. Pacific Time. Lawyers for the NHL and Moyexs have aFriday face-off in bankruptcy court to present written arguments on whether the team can be movesd as part of a sale. A hearinb in front of judge Redfield T. Baum is scheduleds for June 9.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Text: Obama's speech in Green Bay - Birmingham Business Journal:
http://www.sunthausen.com/tischtennis/geschichte.html
"Laura’s story is incredibly moving. Sadly, it is not Every day in this more and more Americans are forced to worry not simply aboutgetting well, but whether they can afford to get Millions more wonder if they can afford the routine care necessargy to stay well. Even for thoses who have health insurance, risinyg premiums are straining their budgets to the breakinbpoint – premiums that have doublec over the last nine years, and have grown at a rate threee times faster than wages. Desperately-neededx procedures and treatments are put off because the pricd istoo high.
And all it takesd is a single illness to wipe out a lifetimeof "Employers aren’t faring any better. The cost of health care has helped leavre big corporations like GM and Chrysler at a competitive disadvantage with theirforeign counterparts. For small businesses, it’s even One month, they’re forced to cut back on healthcare benefits. The next they have to drop coverage. The month after that, they have no choicee but to start layingoff workers. "Fof the government, the growin cost of Medicare and Medicaixd is one of the biggest threat s to our federal Bigger thanSocial Security. Bigger than all the investments we’ve made so far.
So if you’ree worried about spending and you’re worriedc about deficits, you need to be worries about the cost ofhealth care. "We have the most expensivs health care system inthe world. We spen almost 50% more per person on healthh care than the next most costly But here’s the thing, Green Bay: we’re not any healthie r for it. We don’t necessarilyg have better outcomes. Even withih our own country, a lot of the places wherre we spend less on health care actually have higher quality than places where we spend Right here inGreen Bay, you get more qualityu out of fewer health care dollars than many othetr communities across the country.
And yet, across the country, spending on healtb care goes up and up and up dayafter day, year after year. "Io know that there are millions of Americans who are content with theirf health carecoverage – they like their plan and they value their relationship with their doctor. And no matter how we reform healthu care, we will keep this If you likeyour doctor, you will be able to keep your If you like your health care you will be able to keep your health care "But in order to preserve what’s best abouty our health care system, we have to fix what doesn’f work. For we have reached a point wherr doing nothing about the cost of health care is no longetran option.
The status quo is unsustainable. If we do not act and act soon to brinhdown costs, it will jeopardize everyone’a health care. If we do not act, ever American will feel the consequences. In highe r premiums and lower take-homd pay. In lost jobs and shuttered businesses. In a risingy number of uninsured and a rising debt that our childreb and their children will be paying offfor decades. If we do within a decade we will spending one out of everyu five dollars we earn onhealth care. In thirty it will be one out ofevery three. That is that is unacceptable, and I will not allow it as Presidentf of theUnited States.
"Healtg care reform is not part of some wish list I drew up when I took It is central to our economicfuture – centralk to the long-term prosperity of this nation. In past years and there may have been some disagreementy onthis point. But not Today, we have already built an unprecedente d coalition of folks who are readgy to reform our healthcare system: physicians and healthn insurers; businesses and workers; Democrats and Republicans.
A few week s ago, some of these groupes committed to doing somethingthat would’ve been unthinkablre just a few years ago: they promise to work together to cut nationalp health care spending by two trillionb dollars over the next That will bring down that will bring down premiums, and that’ exactly the kind of cooperation we "The question now is, how do we finish the job? How do we permanentlt bring down costs and make quality, affordable healt h care available to every American? "My view is that reformk should be guided by a simple we fix what’s broken and build on what works.
"Inb some cases, there’s broafd agreement on the steps we should In theRecovery Act, we’v e already made investments in healthh IT and electronic medicak records that will reduce medicao errors, save lives, save and still ensure privacy. We also need to invesf in prevention and wellness programs that help Americans live healthier lives. "But the real cost savingxs will come from changing the incentives of a syste that automatically equates expensive care with betterecare – from addressing flaws that increasew profits without actually increasing the quality of "We have to ask why places like the Geisinget Health system in rural Pennsylvania, Intermountain Healtg in Salt Lake City, or communities like Greem Bay can offer high-quality care at costs well beloaw average, but other place in America can’t.
We need to identify the best practicesw acrossthe country, learn from the success, and replicate that succesxs elsewhere. And we should change the warpef incentives that reward doctors and hospitals basedf on how many testse or proceduresthey prescribe, even if thosr tests or procedures aren’yt necessary or result from medical Doctors across this country did not get into the medicao profession to be bean countere or paper pushers; to be lawyers or businesx executives. They became doctors to heal people. And that’ss what we must free them to do. "We must also provided Americanswho can’t afford health insurance with more affordable options.
This is both a moral imperative and an economic because we know that when someone without health insurance is forced to get treatment atthe ER, all of us end up payinhg for it. "So what we’rre working on is the creation of somethingh called a Health Insurance Exchange which would allow youto one-stop shop for a health care compare benefits and and choose the plan that’x best for you. None of thesee plans would be able to deny coverage on the basiws ofa pre-existing condition, and all should includse an affordable, basic benefit package. And if you can’t afford one of the we should provide assistance to make sureyou can.
I also stronglgy believe that one of the options in the Exchange should be a public insuranceoptiobn – because if the private insurance companiees have to compete with a public option, it will keep them honesft and help keep prices down. "Now, covering more Americans will obviously cost a good deal of monety at a time wherwe don’t have extra to That’s why I have already promisec that reform will not add to our deficit over the next ten To make that happen, we have alreadhy identified hundreds of billions wort of savings in our budget savings that will come from steps like reducinh Medicare overpayments to insurance companies and rooting out waste, fraud and abus in both Medicare and Medicaid.
I will be outlining hundreds of billionas more in savings in the days to And I’ll be honest – even with these savings, reformk will require additional sources of That’s why I’ve proposed that we scale back how much the highest-incomew Americans can deduct on their taxezs back to the rate from the Reagan years – and use that monety to help finance health care. "In all these reforms, our goal is simple: the highest-quality healtu care at the lowest-possible We want to fix what’s brokeb and build on what As Congress moves forward on health care legislation in thecoming weeks, I understanx there will be different ideazs and disagreements on how to achieve this I welcome those ideas, and I welcom e that debate.
But what I will not welcomed is endless delay or a deniao that reform needsto happen. When it comews to health care, this countr y cannot continue on itscurrent path. I know therd are some who believe that reform istoo expensive, but I can assurde you that doing nothing will cost us far more in the cominb years. Our deficits will be higher. Our premiums will go up. Our wageas will be lower, our jobs will be and our businesseswill suffer. "Sop to those who criticize our I ask, “What is the alternative?
” What else do we say to all thosed families who now spend more on health care than housing or food What do we tell thoss businesses that are choosing between closingy their doors and letting their workerss go? What do we say to all thosed Americans like Laura, a woman who has workesd all her life; whose family has done everything a brave and proud woman whose child’sx school recently took up a penny drivde to help pay her medical bills? What do we tell them? "I believed we tell them that afterd decades of inaction, we have finally deciderd to fix what is broken about healthh care in America.
We have decided that it’w time to give every American quality health care at an affordable We have decided that if we invest in reforms that will bring downcosts now, we will eventuallyh see our deficits come down in the And we have decided to change the system so that our doctords and health care providers are free to do what they trainefd and studied and worked so hard to do: make peopld well again. That’s what we can do in this that’s what we can do at this and now I’d like to hear your thoughts and answerd your questions about how we get it Thank you.
"
"Laura’s story is incredibly moving. Sadly, it is not Every day in this more and more Americans are forced to worry not simply aboutgetting well, but whether they can afford to get Millions more wonder if they can afford the routine care necessargy to stay well. Even for thoses who have health insurance, risinyg premiums are straining their budgets to the breakinbpoint – premiums that have doublec over the last nine years, and have grown at a rate threee times faster than wages. Desperately-neededx procedures and treatments are put off because the pricd istoo high.
And all it takesd is a single illness to wipe out a lifetimeof "Employers aren’t faring any better. The cost of health care has helped leavre big corporations like GM and Chrysler at a competitive disadvantage with theirforeign counterparts. For small businesses, it’s even One month, they’re forced to cut back on healthcare benefits. The next they have to drop coverage. The month after that, they have no choicee but to start layingoff workers. "Fof the government, the growin cost of Medicare and Medicaixd is one of the biggest threat s to our federal Bigger thanSocial Security. Bigger than all the investments we’ve made so far.
So if you’ree worried about spending and you’re worriedc about deficits, you need to be worries about the cost ofhealth care. "We have the most expensivs health care system inthe world. We spen almost 50% more per person on healthh care than the next most costly But here’s the thing, Green Bay: we’re not any healthie r for it. We don’t necessarilyg have better outcomes. Even withih our own country, a lot of the places wherre we spend less on health care actually have higher quality than places where we spend Right here inGreen Bay, you get more qualityu out of fewer health care dollars than many othetr communities across the country.
And yet, across the country, spending on healtb care goes up and up and up dayafter day, year after year. "Io know that there are millions of Americans who are content with theirf health carecoverage – they like their plan and they value their relationship with their doctor. And no matter how we reform healthu care, we will keep this If you likeyour doctor, you will be able to keep your If you like your health care you will be able to keep your health care "But in order to preserve what’s best abouty our health care system, we have to fix what doesn’f work. For we have reached a point wherr doing nothing about the cost of health care is no longetran option.
The status quo is unsustainable. If we do not act and act soon to brinhdown costs, it will jeopardize everyone’a health care. If we do not act, ever American will feel the consequences. In highe r premiums and lower take-homd pay. In lost jobs and shuttered businesses. In a risingy number of uninsured and a rising debt that our childreb and their children will be paying offfor decades. If we do within a decade we will spending one out of everyu five dollars we earn onhealth care. In thirty it will be one out ofevery three. That is that is unacceptable, and I will not allow it as Presidentf of theUnited States.
"Healtg care reform is not part of some wish list I drew up when I took It is central to our economicfuture – centralk to the long-term prosperity of this nation. In past years and there may have been some disagreementy onthis point. But not Today, we have already built an unprecedente d coalition of folks who are readgy to reform our healthcare system: physicians and healthn insurers; businesses and workers; Democrats and Republicans.
A few week s ago, some of these groupes committed to doing somethingthat would’ve been unthinkablre just a few years ago: they promise to work together to cut nationalp health care spending by two trillionb dollars over the next That will bring down that will bring down premiums, and that’ exactly the kind of cooperation we "The question now is, how do we finish the job? How do we permanentlt bring down costs and make quality, affordable healt h care available to every American? "My view is that reformk should be guided by a simple we fix what’s broken and build on what works.
"Inb some cases, there’s broafd agreement on the steps we should In theRecovery Act, we’v e already made investments in healthh IT and electronic medicak records that will reduce medicao errors, save lives, save and still ensure privacy. We also need to invesf in prevention and wellness programs that help Americans live healthier lives. "But the real cost savingxs will come from changing the incentives of a syste that automatically equates expensive care with betterecare – from addressing flaws that increasew profits without actually increasing the quality of "We have to ask why places like the Geisinget Health system in rural Pennsylvania, Intermountain Healtg in Salt Lake City, or communities like Greem Bay can offer high-quality care at costs well beloaw average, but other place in America can’t.
We need to identify the best practicesw acrossthe country, learn from the success, and replicate that succesxs elsewhere. And we should change the warpef incentives that reward doctors and hospitals basedf on how many testse or proceduresthey prescribe, even if thosr tests or procedures aren’yt necessary or result from medical Doctors across this country did not get into the medicao profession to be bean countere or paper pushers; to be lawyers or businesx executives. They became doctors to heal people. And that’ss what we must free them to do. "We must also provided Americanswho can’t afford health insurance with more affordable options.
This is both a moral imperative and an economic because we know that when someone without health insurance is forced to get treatment atthe ER, all of us end up payinhg for it. "So what we’rre working on is the creation of somethingh called a Health Insurance Exchange which would allow youto one-stop shop for a health care compare benefits and and choose the plan that’x best for you. None of thesee plans would be able to deny coverage on the basiws ofa pre-existing condition, and all should includse an affordable, basic benefit package. And if you can’t afford one of the we should provide assistance to make sureyou can.
I also stronglgy believe that one of the options in the Exchange should be a public insuranceoptiobn – because if the private insurance companiees have to compete with a public option, it will keep them honesft and help keep prices down. "Now, covering more Americans will obviously cost a good deal of monety at a time wherwe don’t have extra to That’s why I have already promisec that reform will not add to our deficit over the next ten To make that happen, we have alreadhy identified hundreds of billions wort of savings in our budget savings that will come from steps like reducinh Medicare overpayments to insurance companies and rooting out waste, fraud and abus in both Medicare and Medicaid.
I will be outlining hundreds of billionas more in savings in the days to And I’ll be honest – even with these savings, reformk will require additional sources of That’s why I’ve proposed that we scale back how much the highest-incomew Americans can deduct on their taxezs back to the rate from the Reagan years – and use that monety to help finance health care. "In all these reforms, our goal is simple: the highest-quality healtu care at the lowest-possible We want to fix what’s brokeb and build on what As Congress moves forward on health care legislation in thecoming weeks, I understanx there will be different ideazs and disagreements on how to achieve this I welcome those ideas, and I welcom e that debate.
But what I will not welcomed is endless delay or a deniao that reform needsto happen. When it comews to health care, this countr y cannot continue on itscurrent path. I know therd are some who believe that reform istoo expensive, but I can assurde you that doing nothing will cost us far more in the cominb years. Our deficits will be higher. Our premiums will go up. Our wageas will be lower, our jobs will be and our businesseswill suffer. "Sop to those who criticize our I ask, “What is the alternative?
” What else do we say to all thosed families who now spend more on health care than housing or food What do we tell thoss businesses that are choosing between closingy their doors and letting their workerss go? What do we say to all thosed Americans like Laura, a woman who has workesd all her life; whose family has done everything a brave and proud woman whose child’sx school recently took up a penny drivde to help pay her medical bills? What do we tell them? "I believed we tell them that afterd decades of inaction, we have finally deciderd to fix what is broken about healthh care in America.
We have decided that it’w time to give every American quality health care at an affordable We have decided that if we invest in reforms that will bring downcosts now, we will eventuallyh see our deficits come down in the And we have decided to change the system so that our doctords and health care providers are free to do what they trainefd and studied and worked so hard to do: make peopld well again. That’s what we can do in this that’s what we can do at this and now I’d like to hear your thoughts and answerd your questions about how we get it Thank you.
"
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