How Would Default Affect Social Security and Medicare?

The word from Washington is that the U.S. is hours away from defaulting on its public debt, because Congress is unwilling to raise the debt ceiling. If the debt ceiling is not raised, the Treasury Department will be unable to raise money to pay all of the government’s current obligations.

By some estimations, if the debt ceiling is not raised on August 2, the Treasury Department will have $306.7 billion in expenses in August but will receive only about $172.4 billion in revenue. The government will be forced to slash spending by as much as 40 percent.

America’s seniors must be especially worried. Will Social Security checks arrive next week? Will the Medicare program still pay for health care? Since most mesothelioma patients are in their seniors years, many must worry whether they will be able to continue mesothelioma treatment.

We do not yet know what might happen. But here is what some experts say might happen:

Social Security. The Social Security Administration appears to have enough funds to pay Social Security checks through August. The SSA also is still receiving money from payroll (FICA) taxes. As long as revenue from FICA is at least enough to cover current expenses, seniors should still receive their Social Security checks.

That said, it is possible that the government will be forced to divert some of the FICA revenue to pay for other needs, such as national security. That would probably be a last-resort move, but it is not out of the question. If that happens, Social Security checks would stop much sooner.

Assuming the Social Security Administration is still receiving its usual share of FICA taxes, what might happen when FICA income isn’t enough? When there is a shortfall, as there was for a time last year, the Social Security Administration normally would turn to the Social Security Trust Fund.

And what is the trust fund? When Social Security receives more money in revenue than it needs to meet current obligations, the “extra” money is invested in U.S. Treasury interest-bearing securities, such as bonds. These securities are the trust fund. When Social Security has a shortfall, it can redeem some bonds to make up the difference.

However, some experts warn that default could affect the value of those securities. In particular, the Treasury Department might stop paying interest on the bonds. If that happens, the Social Security Administration could be short the money it needs to issue checks. And if playing politics with the national debt brings the value of U.S. securities into question, the health of Social Security could be permanently impaired.

And if you are about to become eligible for Social Security, your application may have to wait on someone’s desk for a long time. The Social Security Administration may be forced to lay off employees or even shut down.

Medicare. Medicare appears to be a bigger question mark than Social Security. The Medicare programs also is funded by FICA taxes, and as long as those taxes are not diverted elsewhere, it ought to be able to continue for a time. But Medicare is in a bigger danger of future shortfalls than is Social Security.

In a worst-case situation, rising interest rates caused by default could drive companies out of business and increase unemployment, which would also mean a serious reduction in the amount of payroll taxes the government is receiving. Even if the programs do not shut down immediately, a default could cause both programs to be less secure in the future.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 30th, 2011 at 10:22 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

View the original article here

Waiting for the Call: Is it Cancer?

I sit in front of the computer…mind oscillating between being seemingly numb to running a million thoughts a minute.  The office is unusually quiet today, none of the usual whispered gossip, expressions of frustration, jovial camaraderie at lunchtime.  We are waiting for a call from the doctor, who will tell us if our office manager, Merilou, has terminal stage IV cancer.    Merilou also happens to be my mom.  My dad, the founding attorney at our law firm, Clapper Patti Schweizer & Mason, is all too familiar with advanced cancer and the prognosis it carries.  We all are.  My sister and niece work here at the office, the family loyalty strong.  The other partners in the firm are solemn.  Everyone is.  Even Buddy and Barnum – the small dogs who somehow have become a part of the office staff – are unusually lethargic.

Our firm specializes in mesothelioma lawsuits.  Mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos that is almost always diagnosed in very advanced stages, with short survival times, often less than a year.  We are all too familiar with incurable cancer, and the devastation and loss that come with it.  We have mourned the loss of many clients and done all we could to support bereaved family members after the loved one has passed.  We have researched every possible clinical trial, specialist, hospital, and alternative treatment that might keep our clients living longer with better quality of life.

Now, everyone in the office is acutely reminded of the impact of terminal cancer.  We wait.  We try to occupy our minds with work.  We try to eat, but there is no real appetite.  We move through the motions.  And wait.

I decide that since I can’t seem to wrap my mind around the latest asbestos headline news, that I will write this. I think of how many thousands of others are out there in the world, also waiting for that call from the doctor.  I pray, not just for my mom, but for all our clients, for their families, and for all the others in the world who are in the same situation.

Lawyers get a bad rep.  Lots of bad jokes about chasing ambulances and the like.  But, at least at our law firm, the attorneys really want to help, and see justice.  Unlike with my mom, who is possibly facing Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), our clients cancer could have been avoided if manufacturers of asbestos had just given warnings, trainings and protections when they first found out that asbestos caused serious illnesses.    My mom’s diagnosis, IBC, accounts for only 1-5% of all breast cancers, yet is the most aggressive and lethal.  Like IBC, mesothelioma is rare, affecting about 3000 people in the United States each year.

There are other similarities between IBC and mesothelioma.  For instance, the symptoms, which often are similar to other common ailments, are often not accurately diagnosed until the cancer has reached stage IV and then there is little that can be done, even with the most advanced treatments.  Neither is curable.  When I look on-line and at the information sent on IBC from MD Anderson, one of the leading cancer treatment facilities in the U.S., there is no mention that a simple red rash that is completely painless with no lumps or any other noticeable changes on the breast could be a symptom of cancer.

Likewise, symptoms of mesothelioma are very similar to pneumonia, the flu, a severe cold, digestive problem, etc.  Because of this, by the time an accurate diagnosis is made, there are few options for treatment and no chance of a cure.

When I asked why they don’t put out more information about IBC, the response is that they don’t want every woman who has a spider bite or slight rash to be rushing to the doctor seeking expensive tests to see if it’s cancer.  I can understand this.  We get lots of emails every day from people who have coughs or hard time breathing and want to know if they have mesothelioma and what should they do.

So here are some basic facts about mesothelioma:

It is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos.  You can read our website to see what products most likely contained asbestos, what occupations are most at risk, and most common ways to be exposed outside of work.   If you have known prior exposure to asbestos, you will need to tell your doctor and be more aware of symptoms.Long latency period of anywhere from 10 to 50 years.  This means that if you think you were exposed in the last year or two and are experiencing symptoms, it most likely is not due to mesothelioma or your exposure since it takes decades for the disease to develop.Mesothelioma diagnosis is usually done by an oncologist who takes a pathological review of tissue taken from a tumor.Symptoms can mimic many less serious ailments.  They include but are not limited to:

Shortness of breathChronic coughChest and back painLoss of appetiteDifficulty sleepingWeight lossAbdominal painFeeling of fullness or nausea

You can see by how common the symptoms are how easy it would be for one of two things to happen:  either the symptoms are misdiagnosed as something else OR people who have these symptoms incorrectly think they have mesothelioma when in fact they have something quite treatable.   This is the challenge with mesothelioma.  Many of our clients are in their late fifties to eighties, become ill, see their doctor or enter the hospital, and in short time, are diagnosed with stage IV mesothelioma.

If you think you might be at risk, just as you think you might be at risk of breast cancer, it’s best to educate yourself as much as possible about the disease as well as have the proper screenings to try to detect it early.  Early diagnosis of any cancer leads to the best possible survival.

My mom has no prior history of breast cancer in her family.  She has had regular checkups and is in good health.  She did not have typical symptoms of breast cancer.  This came as a complete surprise, as it does to many of our clients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma.

So why do I share all this with you, as the writer of our law firm?  It’s so you know that if you or a loved one in your life has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, we truly understand what you are going through.  We are dedicated to helping you in any way we can.  You are not just a case to us.  As with a family member, we will do all we can to support you, help guide you, and fight for justice.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 29th, 2011 at 10:44 am and is filed under Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

View the original article here

Prayer Can Treat Strokes

Lecturer of the Faculty of Nursing and Community Padjadjaran University (Padjadjaran University) Bandung, Setiawan, introduced the treatment of stroke by means of complementary therapies prayers.

"Alhamdullilah cure the patient using the methods of treatment and healing prayers reach 90 to 97 percent," he explained in a seminar at the College of Health Sciences (Stikes), Bengkulu, recently.

According to him, the world of health and treatment of many of today combines the medical and spiritual approaches, with some research done by scientists there is a correlation between prayer of Tahajjud on the immune system.

"The foreign scientists believe spiritual approach significantly influenced. Movement prayer can influence the performance of blood to the brain and this is very useful for health, especially in improving immunity to diseases," he added.

In Science, wake up at night ablution and prayer will trigger the positive energy of several important molecules in water and the body.

"Prayer solemn notes because that's a direct relationship with the creator, lead concentrations of the brain," he explained.

In addition to prayer, he also introduced several methods of treatment that has been done experimentally in UNPAD educational institutions.

He said there are 10 methods of treatment which he did them, anatomy physiology, flower aroma therapy, massage, acupuncture, therapeutic environment, water treatment systems, full-blooded, hypnosis and bio energy.

Until now he has opened several treatment areas of complementary therapy research at the institution which he did not just stroke UNPAD even includes 120 kinds of other diseases.

"Science is a unique, blend of intellectual and spiritual importance and rarely get students," said Lidya one of the students participating in the seminar.

Do Not Underestimate The Fatigue

Hepatitis B is one of the highest virus transmission in the world. It is estimated that approximately 350-400 million people suffer from chronic hepatitis B, resulting in higher chance of getting cirrhosis (hardening of the liver), liver failure and liver cancer.

Quoted from Roche Indonesia, hepatitis B is estimated one million people die every year due to Hepatitis B, causes this disease ranks 10th in the world's deadly diseases.

Hepatitis B is highly infectious - 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. The virus is found in body fluids of infected people (in the blood, sweat, tears, breast milk and semen).

This virus can be transmitted from mother to infant during childbirth, through unprotected intercourse, or through blood contact that may occur during the use of needles, tools. razors and toothbrushes together. Similarly, the hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis B virus can survive up to a week outside the body.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that most often occurs in the world, and is the type of viral hepatitis are the most widely spread.

As many as two billion people worldwide are infected with hepatitis B. Nearly 350 million people living with chronic hepatitis B or long-term infection, and those at high risk for liver damage.

Forty percent of people who suffer from chronic hepatitis B will have advanced liver disease. Hepatitis B is endemic in China and part of other Asian countries where 80-10% of the adult population suffering from chronic hepatitis B.

Approximately 500,000 to 1.2 million people die each year because of serious liver disease caused by chronic hepatitis B infection, which put him in position ten causes of death in the world.

The symptoms appear in about 70 percent of adults infected with Hepatitis B. The symptoms may not begin until several months after the person is infected. Fatigue is one of them.

Do Not Underestimate The Child's Bedwetting Habits

Do not underestimate the child's bedwetting habits. Incontinence but a lot of drinking can be an early symptom of diabetes mellitus in children.

Bedwetting is not just a lazy child factors urinate before going to sleep or fatigue after a day of activities. Bedwetting is also considered a marker of diabetes in children, namely diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1.

Chairman of the Pacific Association of Children's Endocrinology Expert Dr. Aman Bhakti Pulungan, SpA said that children who frequently drink but also frequently wet the bed are the early symptoms of type 1 DM.

In addition, easily hungry and tired is another symptom. Children with type 1 diabetes eat lots of food, but not accompanied by increased body weight.

On the contrary, the weight will continue to decline gradually for no apparent reason, although food intake exceeds the size of the average daily consumption.

Children with type 1 diabetes who experience complications may have symptoms similar to appendicitis such as stomach pain, vomiting, decreased consciousness or coma, and so forth.

"People are encouraged to be alert, especially for parents whose children show symptoms like the above, plus shortness of breath, breath smelling boy acid / acetone, a fungal infection of the skin, blurred vision, vomiting or abdominal pain," he explained.

If such symptoms are found, it is advisable to seek immediate medical experts and blood sugar checks. If it's too late can cause death.

"Beware the symptoms of type 1 DM who did not appear suddenly, as soon as possible treatments can reduce the risk of disability and death," he added

Do Not Underestimate symptoms of Typhoid

The introduction of typhoid fever or symptoms of a disease known as typhoid fever is very important in order to prevent more serious infections. If delayed, typhoid fever can be fatal.

Experts in the disease, tropical diseases, and infections of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Prof. Djoko Widodo, said, typhus is often preceded by mild symptoms. Family sufferers usually difficult to recognize the symptoms early on.

"In typhus, the fever rises slowly. In the first week of fever up and down. It was not until the second week of high fever, to be severe, "he said in a symposium entitled" Handling of Typhoid Fever in Everyday Practice "on Saturday (25/06/2011) pecans ago in Jakarta.

Symptoms of typhoid is usually a pain in the gut, stomach, and muscle. In addition, patients experience diarrhea, headache, nausea, to vomiting.

This acute condition will not occur if handling is done early. Therefore, once the initial symptoms appear, people are advised to immediately consult a doctor.

According to Djoko, typhoid fever primarily affects the population at productive age.

At that age, a person eat more meals outside the home so that cleanliness is not guaranteed. Bacteria Salmonella typhi, the cause of typhoid can enter the body through food and beverages consumed by a person. Germs will get into the intestines and multiply.

Considering Correctly

Considering the body seem trivial. But, in order to obtain maximum results, there are some things to watch.

1. Always use the same scales. Each scale must be different, it will be difficult for us in determining the rise and fall of our weight. The period of calibration of each scale was different.

2. Always place the scales in the same place. Differences in temperature, air pressure, humidity, and even gravity will give different calculations on the same scales.

3 Considering at the same time. The best time is the morning after waking. While the ideal frequency is once a week.

4. Wearing the same clothes. Wear clothes as possible. Better yet, if no dressing to determine the net weight.

5. Stood quietly during weighing. Even the slightest movement can affect the rate scales.

6. Make a note: to aid memory, attach a small note near the wall where the weighing. It could be tips on maintaining your weight, or a record rise and fall of body weight.