SHOULD HEALTH CARE BE A PROFIT MAKING BUSINESS?

http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/30/profitable-hospitals-hca-healthcare-business-mayo-clinic_slide_2.html

Flowers Hospital, Dothan, Ala.235 beds, $389, Del Sol Medical Center, El Paso, Texas, 304 beds, $243, Rochester Methodist Hospital, Rochester, Minn. 336 beds, $446, Saint Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 296 beds, $263, Swedish Medical Center,Englewood, Colo. 296 beds, $447, Doctors Hospital of Augusta, Augusta, Ga. 215 beds, $272, Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, 835 beds, $1.98 billion, Saint Mark’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, 250 beds, $283, Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Northridge, Calif. 335 beds, $458, Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne, Ind. 380 beds, $431, Erlanger Baroness, Chattanooga, Tenn. 521 beds, $400, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, Hudson, Fla. 268 beds, $185, Sutter Memorial Hospital, Sacramento, Calif. 627 beds, $688, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 242 beds, , $231.

• In 2009 these fourteen hospitals  boasted $6,716,000,000 (BILLION) in net patient revenues.
• In 2013, HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) had annual revenue of $34 Billion.
• Between April and June 2011, the five largest health insurance companies earned over $3.3 Billion (in one quarter!).
• In July 2013 Humana reported a net income o f$420 million.

• In 2012, the CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois made $16 million.

Medical and surgical product suppliers/manufactureres:

• For the quarter ended Dec. 27, Covidien reported earnings of $398 million 
• In the period ending Jan. 24,2014, Medtronic reported a profit of $762 million.
• In 2013, Baxter had over $2.3 Billion in profits.

These sums total $47,912,000,000 (BILLION) for 24 entities.

Maybe I’m wrong in my thinking, but I believe that health care should NOT be a FOR-PROFIT business.

State poverty levels, most to least, Red v Blue states

State poverty levels,  most to least, Red v Blue states

District of Columbia	20.7%
Mississippi	20.1%
Louisiana	18.3%
New Mexico	17.9%
Alabama	16.7%
Texas	16.2%
Arkansas	15.9%
Oklahoma	15.6%
West Virginia	15.4%
Arizona	15.2%
South Carolina	15.0%
Tennessee	15.0%
Kentucky	14.8%
New York	14.5%
Georgia	14.4%
Montana	13.8%
California	13.2%
North Carolina	13.1%
Maine	12.6%
Indiana	12.6%
Kansas	12.5%
Ohio	12.3%
Rhode Island	12.1%
Oregon	12.0%

Michigan	12.0%
South Dakota	11.8%
Missouri	11.6%
Illinois	11.5%
Colorado	11.4%
Iowa	11.3%
Pennsylvania	11.2%
North Dakota	11.2%
Florida	11.1%
Wyoming	10.6%
Nevada	10.6%
Wisconsin	10.2%
Washington	10.2%
Massachusetts	10.1%
Alaska	10.0%
Idaho	9.9%
Maryland	9.7%
Connecticut	9.7%
Nebraska	9.5%
Virginia	9.2%
Utah	9.2%
Delaware	9.2%
Hawaii	8.6%
Minnesota	8.1%
Vermont	7.6%
New Jersey	6.8%
New Hampshire	5.6%

WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?

WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?

2012 USA population: 316 Million

2012 Gross Domestic Product: $15.9 trillion

65,505 ultra-rich worth $9 trillion

Remaining 315,934,495 worth $6.9 trillion

2012 GDP per capita (using 316 Mil) = $49,922

2012 GDP per capita for ultra-rich (65,505) = $1,373,940

2012 GDP per capita for the rest of us (315.9 Mil) = $21,840

Resource links below:

Definition of 'Gross Domestic Product - GDP'

The monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period, though GDP is usually calculated on an annual basis. It includes all of private and public consumption, government outlays, investments and exports less imports that occur within a defined territory.

Investopedia explains 'Gross Domestic Product - GDP'

GDP is commonly used as an indicator of the economic health of a country, as well as to gauge a country's standard of living. Critics of using GDP as an economic measure say the statistic does not take into account the underground economy - transactions that, for whatever reason, are not reported to the government. Others say that GDP is not intended to gauge material well-being, but serves as a measure of a nation's productivity, which is unrelated.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdp.asp

The Countries with the Most Multimillionaires - 24/7 Wall St.

US Government payments to agriculture businesses

These are just a few examples of the US Department of Agriculture  subsidies in only eleven states.  Small farmers and large agribusiness are eligible for these sums. The list below explains the different types of subsidies.

STATE	TOTAL SUBSIDIES	TOTAL RECIPIENTS	AVERAGE / RECIPIENT / YEAR
TX	$26,632,723,884	729,226	$36,522
FL	$1,781,488,415	54,588	$32,635
GA	$6,320,550,495	202,736	$31,176
NJ	$196,991,169	7,259	$27,138
WY	$745,239,752	31,612	$23,575
OH	$7,480,604,101	359,320	$20,819
MA	$108,922,544	5,319	$20,478
WI	$6,755,109,332	333,575	$20,251
SC	$1,779,360,299	96,544	$18,431
VA	$1,748,685,456	116,559	$15,003
KY	$3,597,462,678	438,939	$8,196

COTTON SUBSIDIES

The subsidies paid by the US government to its farmers distort the world cotton market, deflate the world price and enable the US to sell its cotton cheap. Despite being relatively inefficient producers, the US is the largest exporter of cotton. This makes it impossible for efficient producers in Africa and other poor countries to compete on equal terms. A number of developing countries have been calling on the US to reform its subsidy programme. The World Trade Organisation has twice ruled that the US subsidies are illegal – contravening world trade rules – but the US has failed to act.

AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE

Weather variability is one of the largest sources of risk in agricultural production. Congress has recognized the impact of weather variability on crop production and the resulting variability to farm income by implementing a special tax provision.

Code Section 451(d) provides that, under certain circumstances, crop producers reporting on the cash method of accounting may elect to include crop insurance and disaster payments in income of the tax year following the taxable year of crop destruction or damage. To qualify for this election, the taxpayer must establish that the income from the destroyed or damaged crop would have been included in income for a taxable year following the year of destruction or damage under his or her normal business practices.

Additionally, crop disaster program payments received from the federal government qualify for Code Section 451(d) election if a natural disaster prevented a farmer from planting crops, or it destroyed or damaged crops that had already been planted.

CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10-15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.

FARM SUBSIDIES

What are farm subsidies?

Farm subsidies are payments made and other support extended by the U.S. federal government to certain farmers and agribusinesses. Farm subsidies are also known as agricultural subsidies.

The original intent of U.S. farm subsidies was to provide economic stability to farmers during the Depression to ensure a steady domestic food supply for Americans.

LIVESTOCK SUBSIDIES

Livestock compensation program

Emergency livestock feed assistance

Livestock forage disaster program

Livestock indemnity payments

Livestock emergency assistance program

Cattle feed program -non-fat milk

Small hog operation

American Indian livestock feed program

Livestock relief

Emergency feed train donation

Livestock indemnity-contract growers

Livestock indemnity program - authorization

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

Promotes agricultural production, forest management, and environmental quality as compatible national goals and optimizes environmental benefits on eligible land with farmers, ranchers, and non-industrial private forest land owners. It is a voluntary program using partnerships with local, State, Tribal and Federal agencies, producer associations, and nonprofit organizations to provide flexible technical and financial assistance to install and maintain conservation practices include those related to organic production, that sustain food and fiber production. The purpose of this program is achieved through the implementation of structural, vegetative, and land management practices on eligible land. This program is funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). NRCS provides overall program administration and management.

Congressional Health Care

ASK FACTCHECK

Health Care for Members of Congress?

Posted on August 25, 2009 | Updated on August 6, 2012

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/08/health-care-for-members-of-congress/

I’ve taken information from this article and summarized.

Members of Congress have good health insurance by any standard, but it’s not free and not reserved only for them – and it’s not government insurance.

The FEHBP  (Federal Employees Health Benefits Program) offers about 300 different private health care plans, including five government-wide, fee-for-service plans and many regional health maintenance organization (HMO) plans.

Like other large employers, the government pays a large share of the cost of coverage. On average, the government pays 72 percent of the premiums for its workers, up to a maximum of 75 percent depending on the policy chosen. 

A popular Blue Cross and Blue Shield standard fee-for-service family plan carries a total premium of $1,327.00 per month, the beneficiary pays $430.04 per month.

$1327.00 x 12 = $15,924 per year total premium.

$896.96 x 12 = $10,763.52 per year paid by the government.

$430.04 x 12 = $5,160.48 per year paid by employees.

Our Congressperson pays $5,160.48 a year for family coverage, I pay $8,913.84 just for myself.

Look at your pay stubs!  What do you pay as a co-pay and add what does your employer pays toward your insurance coverage.  That will be the total you pay for health insurance. The employer paid portion of your insurance is part of your benefits and is considered a business expense of your employer.

Congressional Retirement Plans

CONGRESSIONAL RETIREMENT PLANS

Alas, my knowledge of mathematical formulae and how to interpret them is way lacking. For those of you who are good at such things, this link will take you to how Congressional retirement benefits are calculated.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf

Examples of Congressional pay and benefits

The link below shows the document stating Congressional pay and benefits.

Our politicians get paid a nice amount, their office costs are covered by us, then they get campaign contributions.

http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid='0E,*PL%5B%3D%23P++%0A

NAME SALARY   OFFICE         TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Rep. P. Murphy $174,000  $2,574,939 $2,748,939 $167,185

John Boehner $223,000         $2,584,759 $2,808,259 $3,096,464

Sen B. Nelson $174,000  $3,528,792 $3,702,792 $452,745

Mitch McConnell $193,400  $3,907,702 $4,101,102 $2,389,565

Top Campaign Contributions from Beverage, Retail, Communications, Electronics, MDs, DDSs, Pharmacies, Finance, Insurance and Real Estate Lobbies

Cory Booker, Senate (D-NJ)	$5,291,297		Paul Ryan, House (R-WI)	$479,933
John Boehner, House, (R-OH)	$3,096,464		Scott Garrett, House (R-NJ)	$436,825
John Cornyn, Senate (R-TX)	$2,558,154		Patrick Tiberi, House (R-OH)	$435,650
Mitch McConnell, Senate (R-KY)	$2,389,865		Bill Cassidy, House (R-LA)	$422,032
Ed Markey, Senate, (D-MA)	$2,037,488		Mark Begich, Senate (D-AK)	$416,314
Gabriel Gomez, (R-MA)	$1,858,280		Alison Grimes, (D-KY)	$406,100
Eric Cantor, House (R-VA)	$1,666,150		Frank Pallone, House (D-NJ)	$399,322
Kevin McCarthy, House (R-CA)	$1,129,717		Tom Price, House (R-GA)	$380,323
Kay Hagan, Senate (D-NC)	$1,030,673		Jeanne Shaheen, Senate (D-NH)	$374,633
Tim Scott, Senate (R-SC)	$983,678		Lamar Alexander, Senate (R-TN)	$369,600
Mark Pryor, Senate (D-AR)	$899,890		Phil Gingrey, House (R-GA)	$360,325
Mark Warner, Senate (D-VA)	$859,792		Fred Upton, HOuse (R-MI)	$322,300
Harry Reid, Senate (D-NV)	$815,800		Al Franken, Senate (D-MN)	$302,927
Jeb Hensarling, House (R-TX)	$809,049		Kevin Brady, House (R-TX)	$281,492
Lindsey Graham, Senate (R_SC)	$804,204		Jim Matheson, House (D-UT)	$254,428
Pat Toomey, Senate (R-PA)	$653,514		Vernon Buchanan, House (R-FL)	$243,687
Dave Camp, House (R_MI)	$603,300		Susan Collins, Senate (R-ME)	$234,150
Gary Peters House (D-MI)	$544,250		Mary Landrieu, Senate (D-LA)	$220,067
Tom Cotton, House (r-AR)	$534,555		Rohit Khanna (D-CA)	$209,027
Mark Udall, Senate (D-CO)	$517,724		Bob Goodlatte, House (R-VA)	$170,355
Mike McFadden, (R-MN)	$487,265		Anna Eshoo, House (D-CA)	$143,390