Immigration Reform

Regardless of the outcome of the coming debates on immigration reform, everyone needs some exposure to immigration law in order to stay abreast of this evolving chapter in our nation's history. Just browsing through the glossary of immigration terms alone can be mind boggling, but imformative at the same time. Learn the paths by which immigrants may seek entry into the United States. If you are as poorly informed as I was when I first researched data for my newest novel, THE IMMIGRANT, I think you will be impressed with the myriad categories and options that are availaable today for residents of foreign countries to attain entry into this country. I was fortunate to have had the invaluable assistance of from a family member who was a former ICE attorney when I wrote THE IMMIGRANT. For that I am eternally grateful. 

Many of us have become awestricken by the many immigrant athletes and entertainers that we view and listen to. Who are the examples? I'm sure you will recognize the few that I can name: Dirk Nowitzky, Antonio Banderas, Tony Parker, Hakeem Obajuwon, Martina Navratilova, CelineDion. The list goes on and on. We welcome them all, don't we? They perform for us, they entertain us. We're glad they are here, aren't we? Have you ever wondered by what provision in our immigration policy they get here and work here? Probably not.

What about the worker who paints your house or repairs your roof--the yard man who does your yard--the household employees in the hotel you stayed in--the restaurant worker you encounter when you go out? Probably you know about as much about them as most people: you know they come from somewhere because you can't understand their accent.

I know a restaurant chain owner in Dallas who is very active in the Restaulrant Association of Texas. He told me that 60% of restaurant workers are immigrants. He wouldn't say how many are undocumented. He developed a program for language education and offered it to his employees. The result: he has had illiterate immigrants improve themselves to the extent that they can take over a management position in his restaurant chain. What an opportunity in this country for other employers.

I guess my whole theme here is: let's get away from the "hate" mode and go into the "help our neighbors" mode. I can think of few endeavors that would be more personally rewarding than that whilch my friend in Dallas has accomplished.

Elizabeth Edwards and Mandates

Mandated enrollment into the present healthcare system as a means to achieve universal healthcare, as suggested by Elizabeth Edwards in a recent interview by ABC News' Molly Hunter, will not work unless measures are put in place to control cost and to improve quality of health care. Without cost control measures, premiums, deductibles, and co-pays will continue to escalate. Without quality control we will still have suboptimal outcomes of treatment which in turn leads to increased cost.

Basic health care for everyone is essential, but reimbursement should be denied for medically unnecessary procedures and diagnostics above that which is basic. For a definition of "basic" healthcare, read my blog titled: Basic Healthcare. There are two major initiatives which, if ever launched, would reduce medically unnecessary utilization of health care benefits. One is stringent practice guidlines,created from a concensus of opinion by medical specialties, for treating the most frequently occurring illnesses . The other is denial of reimbursement for referral by physicians and other providers to entities in which they have a financial interest (imaging centers, laboratories, home health agencies, hospice services, and day surgery units, for example).

Quality Improvement is a must. The CMS has already initiated "core measures" in four areas at present--heart failure, heart attacks, pneumonia, and surgical complications--to achieve better quality of care. There will be more measures added in the future that will demand more attention to preventing medication errors, to the appropriate treatment of diabetes, and to infection control in health care facilities, to name a few. All healthcare providers will have a financial incentive to improve.It's the "Pay for Performance" concept.

Without Utilization of Benefits Control and without Quality Control, costs go up which, in itself, leads to increses premiums and deductibles. The payers (the health insurance entities) and the health professionals, with our present system, have no incentive to control costs and to improve quality of care other than integrity. And unfortunately integrity is often missing.

It is encouraging to see that a few of the political leaders in the country are taking a lead roll in taking action to repair the present healtcare system in the United States.

Immigration Raid at a Houston Plant

160 Arrested in Immigration Raid at a Houston Plant

It’s difficult to comprehend the mentality that drives the hate groups in America–over 880 in 2007! And even more distressing is to realize that the public in general is so apathetic toward any organizaion that might remotely resemble a “white supremacy” group. Has everyone forgotten the turmoil we went through during the “desegregation” years.

When I researched for my recently released novel, THE IMMIGRANT, I was appalled at the atrocities and inhumane behavior on the part of the ICE that I found. And still today we have raids in Postville, raids in Houston–ight in my own backyard.

Maybe it’s the heat of summer, or the Iraq war, or the economy that is responsible for this reprehensible hate. Read the novel, THE IMMIGRANT by Charles Clark, for a look at how a couple of caring attorneys dealt with one immigration issue.

Basic Healthcare

Healthcare

What is Basic Healthcare?

The great healthcare debate is, and will continue to be, staged by lawmakers, health professionals, and academic scholars for months to come. The public has spoken insofar as the welfare of the uninsured and the underinsured are concerned. I think most everyone agrees that our present healthcare system is broken and needs to be restructured. We can’t continue to ignore the masses of people in this country who are victims of this national disaster, any more than we CAN if we are faced with any other national catastrophe. We have 47,000,000 uninsured and countless others underinsured. Taking steps to repair our healthcare system is simply the humane thing to do.

How do we fix it?

I’ll throw my “opinion-hat” in the ring, for whatever good it will do. I strongly believe that BASIC, affordable, accessible healthcare is the right of every resident in our nation. In today’s world there are enough dollars expended every year to provide basic healthcare universally. But saying that means that BASIC healthcare must be defined.

First, the determination of what is basic healthcare must come from a consensus of opinion of healthcare delivery professionals from multiple disciplines that must include physicians, nurses, hospitals, and ancillary services representatives. Input from the Health Insurance Industry payers really is not necessary. For reform measures to achieve cost containment, we must get away from basing premiums, deductibles, and co-pays on utilization experience. Otherwise cost and premiums will continue to escalate as it has in the past.

Here is my own opinion of what is considered BASIC healthcare:

(1) Statistically proven preventive care measures such as immunizations, wellness check-ups, and patient education regarding life-style habits, such as dietary discretion, alcohol/substance abuse, and exercise. Where indicated, patient education should be expanded to include genetic factors that are linked to illnesses.

(2) Prompt and timely treatment of acute illnesses, injuries and emergencies. Far too often there is an economic reason why individuals delay seeking medical care for illnesses and conditions that, if not treated promptly, lead to greater than expected morbidity, cost, and even death.

(3) Appropriate, medically necessary treatment for chronic, degenerative, and malignant diseases, such as diabetes, arterial disease, arthritis, and cancer. This group of infirmities probably consumes 80% of the healthcare dollar. Patients with pre-existing conditions should never be denied health insurance coverage or basic healthcare.

Can we afford BASIC Healthcare? The answer is yes, if we put into effect a simple system: Provide no frills basic Healthcare for everyone and look to the Health Insurance Industry to offer coverage that is not basic to those individuals who have the financial means to purchase.

A new, re-structured healthcare system will take time to evolve:

· It must disallow reimbursement for medically unnecessary procedures and diagnostics

· Incentives to provide medically unnecessary benefits must be removed.

· Quality of care must be a top priority

· Medication errors must be reduced to near zero

· All health care providers must be held accountable for cost, utilization, and quality of care.

Are our lawmakers and government leaders courageous enough to ignore the healthcare lobbyists and make these much needed drastic changes? They will if the public demands it.

Dulce Mia-Immigration Issues

May 26, 2008 11:51 AM

charlesclarknovels said...

I wholeheartedly agree that the term "Illegal" is humiliating, demoralizing, and downright insulting. We live in south Texas (No one has to translate Dulce Mia for us) and I see a pressing need to provide immigrants--who have proven themselves to be good citizens--anmesty and a "fast-track" to citizenship.

The immigrants that I have worked with over the years can contribute immeasurably to our culture: their work ethic, their family values, their music and art. Why can't we take advantage of this opportunity to assimilate these residents into our communities and give them the social support that they need?

When I did the research for my new novel, THE IMMIGRANT, I was appalled at the inhumane, calloused treatment given our immigrant neighbors: raids, yanking children out of school, separating families, unreasonable deportation and detention.

We have to deal with the underprivileged in this country with compassion if we are to measure up to the standards we've always portrayed in this "Nation of Immigrants".

charlesclarknovels

May 26, 2008 3:33 PM