A look at various healthcare alternatives

American healthcare is of good quality, but it is expensive and not available to many people. Individuals pay (with premiums, copay and deductions) and governments pay (with tax money or deficit) and 17% of GDP is on healthcare and at least half of that is overhead. Here is the summary of five healthcare alternatives.

It is completely philosophical and ethical stand where you stand on healthcare. Some believe in free market to bring quality, progress in medicine and service innovation. Some believe healthcare is right and every one deserves and government needs to provide it.

Before Obama:

• 15% of the population is people with over age 65 and they get insurance with Medicare. 15% of them are poor and disabled and they get insurance from Medicaid program. Payments for these polices are funded by taxes on income and payroll.
• 60% of the population have employer sponsored or group insurance. 10% of population buy insurance themselves in individual market.
• After considering overlap of some having both medicare/medicaid and private/employ insurance, 85% of the people have some insurance. Many of these people are under insured as insurance companies can have limits and caps on payments.
• Overall 15% of the people have no insurance either because they are poor, they do not want it or they are denied by insurance companies. They do not go to hospitals unless they are really sick. If they can not pay, the system absorbs by raising costs and taxes on every one.
• Insurance companies may also charge women more, sick more, not cover existing diseases, put more premiums, deductibles and copays for trading with quality, or different rules for different hospitals depending on which state they operate.

Obamacare:

Tries to bring more people under insurance without replacing private insurance plans. It brought new 9% of the population under insurance.

• Insurance offerings should not deny based on health, gender or age and should cover all preexisting conditions. They should not have caps on total payment.
• Improve coverage by extending medicaid up to 138% of the poverty line, allowing people to stay on parents' plan till age 25, forcing all companies with 50 people to sponsor insurance or pay additional tax, providing exchanges/government run websites where insurance companies compete for individual buyers, providing subsides on those websites who are below 400% of poverty line. Subsides and medicaid grants are funded from more taxes on rich and federal deficit.
• Reducing costs - Keeping people healthy by forcing insurance companies to not charge copay for preventive care, incentives to keep elderly people healthy, paying for health care based on output per person instead of per treatment or per test or per visit in medicare, regulating insurance companies to not have more than 20% overhead on healthcare or send rebate back to clients.
• All of the above fairness and coverage ideas cause loses or reduce profits for insurance companies. Solution is to mandate every one including young and healthy to have insurance or pay small tax.

Why it became infamous despite having so many good things?

• Some are philosophically against mandate and think it is against freedom.
• Supreme court allowed states to reject extensions to medicaid and twenty states rejected.
• It is gradual roll out and some are phased out.
• Insurance premiums increased because more payments need to be done and insurance companies are mainly business oriented and tried to extract more or retain profits.

Clintoncare:

It tried to extend Obamacare more.

• Reduce out of pocket expenses by allowing three doctors visits without copay, limiting max responsibility of individual to 250$ for medicines per year, tax credit 2500$ per year for out of pocket expense is more than 5% of income
• Increasing competition by offering public insurance in addition to allowing private insurance companies in exchange. Payment is from federal deficit and indirectly from federal taxes.

Sanderscare:

It tries to replace Obamacare with single payer or government insurance. Payment is from additional 2% income tax and capital gains tax and additional 6% payroll tax and the rest is from federal deficit.

Trumpcare:

Though it is claimed as repealing Obamacare, it may end up like some additions and some removals.

• Keep preexisting conditions coverage and young adults coverage under parents.
• Reducing premiums by giving more medicaid grants to states, removing regulations for cross state business for insurance companies. Funding for grants is minor federal deficit.
• Reducing taxes by allowing premiums as tax deductions.
• Remove the individual mandate as it is disliked philosophy for some people.
• Possibly removing many regulations Obamacare got and give freedom to insurance companies again on policies and offerings. This may cause increase in out of pocket expenses for some clients.

Vicks cold medicine

Was bit by cold from yesterday and just bought "Vicks Nyquil" and did some work on what it is and how is it different from other similar products.


Nyquil Flu and cold liquid caps ingredients are

• Acetaminophen - 325mg (Pain reliever/Fever reducer)
• Dextromethorphan Hbr 15mg (Cough suppressant)
• Doxylamine 6.25mg (Antihistamine)
• Inactive ingreditents: D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Blue No. 1, gelatin, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, providone, propylene glycol, purified water, sorbital special, titanium dioxide.

Nyquil sinus liquid caps ingredients

• Acetaminophen - 325mg (Pain reliever/Fever reducer)
• Doxylamine Succinate - 6.25mg (Antihistamine)
• Phenylephrine HCI - 5mg (Nasala decongestant)
• Inactive ingredients: FD&C Blue No. 1, gelatin, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, providone, propylene glycol, purifiled water, sorbital special, titanium dioxide.

Nyquil Flu and cold relief liquid ingredients

• Acetaminophen - 500mg (Pain reliever/Fever reducer)
• Dextromethorphan Hbr - 15mg (Cough suppressant)
• Doxylamine Succiante - 6.25 mg (Antihistamine)
• Inactive ingredients: acesulfame potassium, alchohol, citric acid, D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Yellow No. 6, flavour, high fructose corn syrup, polyethylen glycol, propylene glycol, purified water, saccharin sodium, sodium citrate,

Vicks dayquil flu and cold liquid caps ingredients are below.

• Acetaminophen - 325mg (Pain reliever/Fever reducer)
• Dextromethorphan Hbr - 15mg (Cough suppressant)
• Phenylephrine - 15mg (Nasal decongestant)
• Inactive ingredients: FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Red No. 40, gelatin, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, providone, propylene glycol, purified water, sorbital special, titanium dioxide etc.

Vicks dayquil sinus liquid caps ingredients are below.

• Acetaminophen - 325mg (Pain reliever/Fever reducer)
• Phenylephrine HCI 5mg (Nasal decongestant)
• Inactive ingredients: FD&C Yellow No. 6, gelatin, glycerin, polyethlyne glycol, providone, propylene glycol, purified water, sorbital special, titanium dioxide etc.

Acetaminophen (APAP or also called paracetamol) is common pain reliever in cough, cold, fever and sleep aid products. Liver stays right near the stomach and breaks down the toxics and chemicals entering body. Taking too much drug (more than 4000mg) a day loads liver and causes damage.

Dextromethorphan(DXM) is cough suppressant. As FDA approved it as cough suppressant in 1958, it replaced older drug codeine phosphate. Over dosage causes brain damage, seizure, loss of consciousness and heart beat irregularities.

Doxylamine is antihistamine used in night time cold medicines. It causes dizziness and lightheartedness. It is not advised to use during day because it impairs to work on machines or drive a vehicle.

Phenylephrine is nasal decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in nasal passages, as dilated blood vessels cause nasal congestion or stuffy nose. It may interact with blood pressure and diabetes medications and antidepressants.

Chocolate facts

Watched this video today:

Wonder how much of that is true. Video provides the following information.

* Chocolate comes from a plant that is native to central america. Cacao beans or coco beans are processed to get coco butter and sugar will be added. white chocolate is sugar added to cocoa butter. Milk chocolate is milk plus sugar and coco butter.
* History of chocolate goes back to 1400 BC. Aztecs made a drink out of coco beans. Chocolate comes from the Aztec word XOCOLaaTL, which is actually two words that mean bitter water. They brew coco beans like a coffee and so name is from its taste.
* Average american consume about 22 pounds of chocolate every year. That is equivalent to 2.8 billion pounds every year for entire country.
* 92% of them eat milk chocolate that does not have any anti-oxidants.
* Hershey produce 45%, Mars produce 15%, Nestle produce 15% and most chocolate is produced from America.
* It takes 27000 square miles of land to produce that chocolate. That area is equivalent to three times size of NJ, a little larger than west Virginia or little bit smaller than south Carolina.
* Hershey standard bar has 20% coco. Coco percentage goes down, when sugar percentage goes up.
* Dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has anti-oxidants.  Anti oxidants help fight cell damage, fight cell deterioration and combat stress. They have benefits.
* Most chocolates on the market are processed with alkalites that causes loss of anti-oxidants.
* Consuming 40gm of dark chocolate causes anti oxidants to stay in blood for six hours.
* Chocolate contains stearic acid, a fatty acid. Stearic acid does not cause to rise cholesterol level. It is similar to coconut ingredients.
* Dark chocolate has also some minerals in it, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.
* Chocolate has readdictive drugs and substances, out of which two are drugs, sugar, caffeine and theo-bromine.
* Caffeine and Nicotine are natural pesticides developed by some plants to keep bugs from eating those pants.
* Theo-bromine is stimulus substance deadly to horses, dogs, cats, parrots and rodents.
* There is no living animal on earth that would eat raw coco bean.
* Humans have ability to metabolite and eliminate theo-bromin.
* Giving little bit of chocolate to pets make them sick and too much of them can cause them to die.
* Pet clinics are overwhelmed during the Halloween times because owners gave their Halloween candy to their pets.
* It is outlawed to give chocolate to race horses, because it causes unfair advantage and is going to speed up the racing ability.
* Plants have bitter flavor in taste as survival mechanism.
* Theobromine is considered to be a contributing factor to acid reflex, since it relaxes the muscle between stomach and aciphex.
* Chocolate has high calorie content. Standard Hershey milk chocolate with serving size 55gm contains 270 calories, 140 calories from fat and 16 gms of total fat which is equal to 25% of total fat for the day.
* Milk chocolate has 33gm of carbohydrates and 31gm of those are from sugar, that is equivalent to 7.5 tea spoons of sugar.
* Chocolate has no vitamins, fiber and enzymes.
* Average chocolate has 220 calories. That is equivalent to calories from one whole apple, one and half oranges or a cup of whole strawberries.
* Chocolate has very few healthy benefits but is not as good as eating fruit.

World and India rice production

World produced 425 million tonnes of rice and consumed 424 million tonnes in 2008. Total world exports are around 27 million tonnes. India produced 92 million tonnes in crop year 2007 and 96 million tonnes in 2008. It consumed 85 million tonnes in 2005, 88 million tonnes in 2007 and 90 million tonnes in 2008. India exported 4.5 million tonnes in 2006, 5 million tonnes in 20007 and only 3 million tonnes in 2008.

China produced 129 million tonnes, consumed 128 million tonnes in 2007. It consumed 135 million tonnes in 2006, and the reason for decrease in consumption is because people started eating other food.

It is expected that India needs 128 million tonnes for domestic consumption by 2012. Indians consume 80 kg per year per person. In china, consumption is 90 kg per person per year.

In addition to India and china, U.S. exports 3.5 million tonnes, Thailand, the largest exporter exports 9 million tonnes of its 18 million tonnes production and Pakistan exports 2.9 million tonnes of its 5.5 million tonnes. India and China will not be able to export as their population is growing and their production is not increasing rapidly. India and china maintained carryover stock of 50 million tonnes for future use and the total world stock of rice is around 90 million tonnes.

India uses 5.6 million hectares or 13.8 acres of land for rice production, where as U.S. uses 2.6 million acres of land.

India banned export of rice since March' 2008 to mitigate effect of global food crisis on it. However this can contribute little more to global food crisis and price rises in rest of the countries.

Sources:
Bangladesh rice prices effected by India
Good forecast and rice export ban
India may lift ban on rice export in four to five months
India rice productivity analysis
Rice production by state wise in India
Rice production by country.
The truth of trade about rice

Salt production in India

Salt is not only a need for human body and tongue, but also is one of the reasons for human advancement. Salt seasoning made us independent of seasonal availability of food. It is used in textile, glass, soap, fertilizers, medicine, leather,  and many food industries. Accidents after snowstorms will be decreased because of the salt.

Saltpetre was only next bigger item to cotton and spices in East India company's business in India. There were times salt played role in politics and wars and even people are payed in salt instead of money. The word for salt comes from Latin word for salary. See salt history page at wikipedia.

India is the fourth largest country in salt production, with China and US contending for the first place and Germany being the second. [ update Jan 10th 2014: China is topper and produces 22% of the world production, US is second and produces 14%, India with 8% crossed Germany's 6%. ]

India produces 16 million tonnes yearly [update jan 10th 2014: India produces 24 million tonnes]. Households consume 8 million tonnes and the Industry consumption is 6 million tonnes and the rest is exported earning 2000 crores. Among the 11 salt making states, only three states, Gujarat, Tamilnadu(mainly because of Tuticorin) and Rajasthan(mainly because of Sambhar Lake) produce surplus salt than they consume. Gujarat produces 11 million tonnes or 71% , Tamilnadu makes 16%, Rajasthan makes 9% and the rest of other states make 4%.

Environmentalists say now that salt production will be in problems again. See video about pollution in Gandidham salt and news about salt going black. Gandhidham, salt capital of India, alone produces 5 million tonnes of salt every year. We do have Salt Institute and I do not know what their reaction is to the situation. I wish they publish annual statistics at least on their website.