Remember when health care reform was supposed to make life better for Coloradans? Well, reform efforts have taken an unexpected, and unfortunate, turn in recent weeks.

As two studies recently released by noted international consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Oliver Wyman, Inc., show, major provisions in the current legislative proposals will cause health care costs to increase far faster and higher than they would even under the current system. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield followed with another actuarial study that looked at what legislation would do to Coloradan’s premiums, and found much the same.

Many elected officials are expressing outrage and indignation that the studies dared be published and have vociferously questioned their veracity. But, the truth is, consumers would be well-served by taking a more reasoned and less political approach to this new information by familiarizing themselves with the findings and then deciding if they ring true.

All of these studies identify a major flaw in the recently passed Senate and House bills around the issue of guaranteed coverage for everyone – regardless of whether or not people have preexisting medical conditions.

To set the record straight, it was the insurance industry that came to the table back in November 2008, offering to sell insurance to any individual who requested coverage, regardless of any pre-existing medical condition – with the caveat that these insurance reforms be coupled with an effective mandate that all Americans purchase insurance. The mandate is essentially the linchpin between expanding coverage and premium affordability.

Instead of creating an enforceable individual mandate, however, both the House and Senate bills establish a clear disincentive for healthy people to secure or maintain coverage. As a result, people will buy coverage only when they get sick and cancel it when they don’t need to pay medical bills. This would be the same as allowing people to obtain auto insurance after they have had an accident or secure homeowner’s insurance after their house has burned down.

The studies findings in this area have played out in real life. For example, in New York and Vermont, where guaranteed issue was adopted in the individual market without a mandate, average premiums are approximately 60 percent higher than the national average. In New Jersey and Maine, thousands dropped coverage after state health care reform was enacted, resulting in individual markets that were slashed by more than half in both states-markets in which it is now very costly to obtain coverage.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers study showed that a weak individual coverage requirement coupled with a guarantee issue requirements, no pre-existing condition limits, and no rating adjustments based on health status would result in an increase of premiums by 41-54 percent for the average individual premium.

The Oliver Wyman study illustrated that the watering down of individual coverage mandates could result in the ultimate failure of reform by causing premiums to spiral out of control for all those who responsibly purchase coverage.

And, Anthem’s study showed that health insurance costs would rise dramatically in Colorado if current federal reform proposals become law. For example, a healthy 25-year-old man in Denver would face an increase of 140 percent.

Are these biased studies commissioned by the insurance industry, that say only what the industry wants you to hear? Read the reports and judge for yourself.

It is critically important that we hold our elected officials to the highest standard and ask that their efforts to reform health care are more than just political theatre. Reform needs to incorporate the very best thinking on these complex issues in order that the final legislation serves to lower the cost of health insurance, improve the quality of health care and increase access to all Americans. Passing health care reform is an enormously difficult political challenge, getting it right is the only point of doing it

President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress claim that government-run health care will remedy skyrocketing medical costs and improve access to quality health care coverage.

After drafting a bill behind closed doors without input from the public, the Senate majority produced a bill that raises taxes, drastically cuts Medicare, and increases premiums to create a new government program: the so-called public option. On Nov. 21, the Senate voted 60-39 to proceed to consideration of this legislation. I opposed this measure because I believe the public option is simply socialized medicine and expanded government disguised as greater choice.

I believe that we have the best health care system in the world — the finest doctors, first-rate treatments, cutting-edge innovation, and low wait times. Our current system is not perfect, but we must seek to build upon rather than tear down these strengths.

I do not believe the American people desire or deserve higher taxes and rationed care, which would result from government-run health care. As the Senate resumes consideration of health care legislation this week, I will continue to support steps that will decrease costs without diminishing quality.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that Senate Democrats’ proposal will cost $849 billion over 10 years. While Americans will be hit immediately with new taxes and government mandates, the actual services and coverage promised will not be implemented until 2014.

The Senate Budget Committee estimates the true 10-year cost of the proposal to be $2.5 trillion once fully implemented. Even the authors of this legislation concede that approximately 20.4 million people will lose insurance while waiting for new programs to take effect. Moreover, according to the CBO, once fully implemented, 24 million people will still remain without health insurance.

To pay for this massive yet ineffective expansion of government control, the bill includes more than $493 billion in new tax increases and another $464 billion in Medicare cuts, thereby placing the burden of reform squarely on the shoulders of the middle class, small businesses and the elderly.Nearly half a trillion dollars in Medicare reductions will result in cutting seniors’ care through hospitals, nursing homes, hospice and home health care, and Medicare Advantage programs. The bill imposes $28 billion in new taxes on employers who do not provide government approved health plans, and it charges a penalty of $750 per uninsured individual — a form of double taxation.I do not believe massive tax increases and a reduction in coverage are what the American people have in mind as a way to improve access and create affordable, quality health care.

Medical rationing is inevitable under government-run health care. Supporters of government-run medicine often cite Canada or Great Britain as models for the U.S. Yet these countries are forced to ration care or have long waiting lists for medical treatment. More than 750,000 Britons are currently awaiting admission to the National Health Service hospitals. Last year, more than half of Britons waited more than 18 weeks for care.

The Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian research organization, reported in 2008 that the average wait time for a Canadian awaiting surgery or other medical treatment was 17.3 weeks, an increase of 86 percent since 1983. Access to a waiting list is not access to health care. Simply put, government financing means government control, and government control means less personal freedom.

While we need to enact reforms to our health care system that will reduce costs and improve access, our nation cannot withstand the deep deficits this colossal health care entitlement program would create. Instead, we need a system that restores the patients and doctors as the center of every health care decision rather than the government and insurance companies.

By making insurance portable, expanding health savings accounts, reducing frivolous lawsuits that provide only marginal assistance to injured patients and drive up our health care costs, emphasizing preventive care, reducing administrative costs, and making insurance more affordable to small business and individuals, we can efficiently decrease the costs that currently burden Americans while expanding coverage — thus improving quality and making health care more affordable.

Allowing the government to have a heavy hand in how we manage our health care will lead to a decrease in flexibility and options for both patients and doctors. As Congress works to improve our health care system, it is important to remember that there is a difference between government-run health care coverage and actual access to medical care. The goal of rational health care reform should be to decrease costs and increase access. The bill before the Senate does exactly the opposite.

This is not reform. This bill is simply bad medicine.

When the world was young, life was simple. If someone bright found that a sharpened stick could be used during a hunt to kill animals for food, that’s what it was used for. No-one would dream that, in the future, a smaller version would be used as a pen for writing. So it was that the little blue pill started off its life during clinical trials for the treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) – problems in the arteries in the chest. When the accident of excitement among the male participants was noted, a new train of thought left the station. Who would have thought that a mere ten years later, the Italian mafia would be feeding the same medication to racehorses to fix the races. Life has become so much more complicated as time has passed.

So where are we with this apparently magic substance that cures human ills and makes money for the Mob? Well, no matter which sport you now look at, everyone is talking about whether it is cheating to use the little blue pill. And we’re not just talking about the Sex Olympics where men naturally shine and win gold medals from their girl friends and wives. But serious athletes in all major sports have noticed the pills turning up in locker rooms. It has become a hot topic among those who regulate these sports. Should an “everyday” drug used by many men become a banned substance? The answer comes down to its supposed effect. What advantage do athletes believe they are obtaining by using this drug? We have to go back to 2004 when a team of German researchers tested mountaineers on their endurance at altitude. The results were surprising, showing there was a general improvement in everyone’s ability to absorb more oxygen from “thin” air and transport that oxygen more efficiently to the muscles. Moving on to 2006, a team from Stanford University demonstrated that cyclists working at altitudes in excess of 3,000 metres were on average 15% faster than the placebo group. As one might expect, there was a rapid move by mountaineers, skiers, bobsleigh, luge and other alpine sportsmen to experiment. The cycling profession was soon hard on their heels.

The current situation is that the Cycle Union of France is to ban the use of viagra. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has commissioned two research projects. If these results confirm the earlier studies, the likelihood is that viagra will be added to the list of banned substances almost immediately and that the new list will be enforced in time for the Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver. However, other professional athletes can sleep soundly in their beds (assuming the wives and girlfriends are not in a demanding mood). There are no plans to extend the ban to baseball, basketball or football. Italian stallions can also look forward to night mares, so the world remains a happy place.

The world is full of experts on acne. After all, most people suffer from it at some point during their teenage years. This gives everyone the right to pass on traditions. Unfortunately much of this conventional wisdom is wrong.

Myth 1. Only people who don’t wash get acne
There is no link between “dirt” and acne. The myth says that the pores of the skin get blocked by dirt. The reality is that the glands produce too much sebum oil in the follicles which are then plugged by dead skin cells. Excessive washing to remove surface “dirt” can actually make the problem worse, particularly if you rub your skin too hard.

Myth 2. Too much sex or masturbation causes acne
This is a myth invented by puritans parents who want their children to ignore the pubescence and live celibate lives. It is simply a coincidence that hormones are related to acne.

Myth 3. Stress causes acne
Again, it is a coincidence that there is a link between stress and hormone levels. Indeed, the causation is the wrong way round. It is acne that causes the stress.

Myth 4. Acne is caused by diet
There have been a significant number of clinical trials attempting to identify cause and effect between different foods and acne. The theory has been that greasy or fatty foods are responsible for the excess oil production in the skin, but there is absolutely no evidence for this. That said, eating a diet with less fat is good for you and you should do that anyway.

Myth 5. Acne is not a disease. You do not need to treat it
Yes, it is true that people do not die if they have acne. Except that physical appearance is often a key to identity and, if that identity is threatened, self-confidence can be lost. Depression is a resulting disease with a very small number being so demoralized they commit suicide. Given that acne is treatable, it is sensible to do so.

Myth 6. Going out in the sun will clear up acne
This is playing with the truth. If you go out in the sun, your face will redden and this will hide the red blemishes. In fact, excessive exposure to the sun will damage the skin and can make the acne worse. This is not to say that you should avoid the sun. It is a useful source of vitamin D and, so long as you avoid burning, you can safely go out in the sun. But if you are on medication, check with your doctor. Some drugs increase the risk of skin damage.

All myths are a mixture of facts and misunderstandings, making no distinction between cause and effect, and coincidence. But there is one truth. Accutane is the most effective treatment for acne on the market. Despite the inconvenience of the precautions that have to be taken, it is worth the effort, almost always clearing up severe cases the first time. If acne returns, a second round of treatment completes the job. Accutane is not a myth.

Xanax represents the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which comes together with such prescription drugs as Valium, Klonopin, and Ativan. These drugs are central nervous system depressants and are recommended in the treatment of anxiety disorders for those who suffer from it. Xanax gives quite simple addiction signs. Most of the time you won’t find a difference between those of signs simple street drugs give from those of Xanax. The Xanax addict will feel apathy towards everything, feeling dizzy and confused, switching his mood on and off. Xanax addicted people will find it problematic to communicate with others and will avoid talking about their issues with health, pretending nothing is going on. It is hard to admit you are hooked on the drug that is why the only explanation you will really hear from the Xanax addict is the prescription explanation. However, many people that end up in hospitals with an overdose didn’t follow the prescription and decided to stick to their own treatment rules. Most family members find it extremely difficult to deal with their relatives addicted to drugs as they are unable to see the sense of the problem and stop others from giving them a helping hand.

There is a special treatment program for those who are Xanax addicted. Don’t you ever let anybody tell you it is easy to let go of your Xanax addiction as it is totally not true. It takes time to examine the patient and analyze how to get him out of the state he is in. Most intervention processes consist of several steps that one must take in order to feel “free” from his Xanax addiction. Here are these 6 steps that will help you feel normal again:

Dial the specialist. If you do not take the initiative in your hands, your loved ones may not realize they are in trouble until it is too late. If you really want to help somebody – do not let them go on taking drugs that harm them – call the doctor.

Get a consultation. You need to have your friend or family member consulted. Make sure the specialist is renown and famous his good achievements with patients.

Be the reliable help. This step is the most important one. Those who will be involved in the actual intervention process should be chosen wisely. Everyone involved must love and respect the person, and have their best interest at heart. Without support nothing is possible.

Plan your treatment well. The treatment itself should be well planed. You should not hold the questions unasked. You and your loved one, who is Xanax addicted should go together and have a good consultation. The final result should be satisfactory to everyone – you, doctor and most important, your loved one.

Interfere. On the actual intervention day, you are required to stay extremely focused. You need to prepare yourself for it. Be cool about what you should do and should not do – say those things that you decided to. Act wisely and you will succeed.

On the way to recovery. Hopefully now your loved ones agreed and accepted the help you are willing to show. This is when you need to take them to hospital and start treating. Now you finally made some progress and it looks like it is going to get better. If something is unclear to you about the whole treatment please ask as many questions as you can. At the end of the day you know you do exactly what it takes to help those who need help.