Efraim Acker Policy Memo TO: Senator Charles E. Schumer, United States Senator for New York FROM: Efraim Acker, Student at Hofstra University Masters in Healthcare Administration Program SUBJECT: Requiring special insurance for skiers DATE: 10/21/2013 This memo is being written in response to an issue which I believe requires your attention. When citizens cannot take care of their own best interests I believe it is government’s responsibility to step in and require citizens to take measures to protect themselves. As a senator of one of the major states that hosts many visitors to its ski slopes, action to require special insurance for skiers is vital. In one day at Vail, Colorado, more than 100 skiers per day may be hospitalized for injuries. The number of injuries has increased to over 20,000 per year, resulting in as many as 40 deaths per year, plus over 40 serious head injuries, spinal injuries, comas, paraplegics, and quadriplegics. Doctors now perform more than twice as many knee surgeries on skiers as on football players. The surgical team at Vail had increased its surgeries on skiers from around 1,500 in 1985 to 2,406 in 1995, to over 3000 in 2012. Additionally, many skiers leave the slopes not realizing the extent of their injuries until later, when what was thought to be a "sprained knee" is diagnosed as actually something more serious and requiring surgery. The United Ski Industries Association reports that catastrophic ski injuries have tripled in the U.S. since 1985. Injuries are three times more likely to occur than they were 10 years ago. Expenses to patients and insurance companies come to over $200 million per year. Most people do not live near ski slopes, so people must have a certain level of affluence... ... middle of paper ... ...e because of inadvertent illness, and not for those medical expenses that occur because of neglect. When a whole industry is to blame for injuries resulting from dangerous behavior, it is incumbent upon the individuals participating in the sport, and the companies profiting from the sport, to contribute to the costs that result from the injuries. Skiing is just one glaring example of the government foolishly spending money, where it is wholly unnecessary and unwise. Let our tax dollars help those afflicted with life threatening illnesses lead less painful lives, and let the negligent among us take care of themselves. Hopefully after reading my memo, Senator Schumer, you will realize how necessary legislative action is with regard to the sport of skiing. Having special insurance for individuals and making the ski slopes safer will prevent many unnecessary tragedies.
A few winters ago, some friends invited my family and me to go snow skiing at Paoli Peaks, Indiana. I did not know how to snow ski, and I leaped at the thought of trying this new sport. On the first morning we entered the pro shop to rent all the gear and make decisions about whether or not to take lessons or go it alone. We decided to be adventurous and go it alone—no lessons. Kent and Celeste, the friends who invited us, knew how to ski and snowboard. He assured us that he could show us the basics, and we would be on our way down the slopes. All of us, after a few minutes learning how to wedge our skis started down the family trail. Although the family trail had smaller hills and appeared safe, to me it seemed way
After a great night of sleep we headed out to the world renown mountain of Jackson Hole. It is known for being the steepest mountain on which a ski resort is set up. It is also know for having a great view of Grand Teton, one of the highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains. We could not have asked for a better day of riding. there was a fresh 14” of snow under our boards and after a little bit of exploring we found some great out of bounds and woods riding.
Considering that the United States ranks low in health status, the percentage of its population covered by health insurance is also low. Health care should be a right that all Americans has, not a privilege. (McGovern) With this in mind, everyone should work to extend that right to every American. “To succeed at it, we must find common principles that unite us and move beyond what divides us.” (Sweeney) We must work together to make coverage accessible to everyone. As a nation, we are all facing a crisis of the uninsured, and if it doesn’t get fixed, then the problems will never go away and the percentage of uninsured people will keep going on a rise. (McGovern) Preventative care, total overall costs, and morality are just some of the few arguments for getting coverage for everyone.
Our healthcare system has developed into a burden for most people and has terrible consequences for others. It consists of everyone paying for healthcare as a whole, instead of people paying for themselves. This system of healthcare has burdened the people who take care of themselves and have money, but extends the life of people who do not take care of themselves and live in poverty. This is not pleasant for the one’s who decided to go to school and make well over minimum wage. In turn, they are the individuals who end up paying for the people who decided to make bad decisions in their life that put them in the minimum wage position. Clearly, laws regulate the insurance companies but these regulations do not make any sense to many. Balko explains that, “More and m...
Avoid Accidents. The excellent manner to save you a head damage from skiing or skiing is to keep away from accidents. Hitting the floor is the primary motive of snowsports-related loss (74% compared to ten-thirteen% from beating bushes, people or different stationary gadgets).
Many employers have been baffled as they attempt to sort through the overlapping obligations created when a sick or injured worker's medical condition triggers the different rights and responsibilities under new federal laws. If businesses want to avoid costly lawsuits from disgruntled employees it is essential to understand their responsibilities under the laws. Employers must make a tw...
As a congressman from the state of Oregon that currently has a regulated physician assisted suicide program for the terminally ill, I am writing to you today, Mr. Blumenauer, to possibly convince you to draft a national law to legalize PAS for the United States specifically for the terminally ill. As you may know, the talk within this issue has been going around quite some time. Many americans fear that by legalizing PAS that it might create problematic issues that could lead to abuse as well as lack of advancement for medicine. Due to this fear, I feel as though you are the best person to draft this bill because you know what works and what does not. This also makes you adequate to advance this conversation currently going on about legalizing PAS. With three other states currently trying to approve a bill that will grant ill patient with the choice of assisted suicide, as well as the statistical finding that majority of Americans have no problem with PAS when it ties in with terminally ill patient, I think it is time for it to be legalized all over the states. The reason i want this to be accomplished is due to the patient’s right of life and death, it is perfectly legal for patients to legally refuse treatment so PAS should not be illegal, and in a way is a humane way to end someone life. To appease both side, I believe there should be tough restriction when it comes with PAS. I think the model from your home state (the Death with Dignity Act) sets up a perfect compromise because it has restrictions such as an age limit, only allowing patients with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months, and the capability of the patient to make sound decision that will clearly make both sides satisfy. As a congressman ...
Snowboarding, one of the hardest snowsport to learn but easy to master, it's also one of the most enjoyable snowsport on the planet. Even though it’s fun, you can really injure yourself if your not careful. In this narrative you’ll witness the pain I had to go through trying to learn snowboarding but also witness me mastering this incredible sport. It was a cool afternoon in the frosty month of January, the time was around 5:30 pm and my dad just dropped me off at Snow Valley hill in his black Mitsubishi Lancer. I took my blueish green Burton Custom snowboard from the back of the car, grabbed my helmet, gloves, jacket and snowpants and went to the bottom of the hill. There I placed my board on the soft snow and put on my gear. I was wearing a blue jacket with dark
It’s hard to believe that back in the early 1980’s people “perceived [snowboarders] as daredevil adolescents who posed a threat to skiers” (Shipley). Though the sport was banned from almost every resort, it grew to be so popular that the resorts could no longer ignore the moneymaking possibilities. Resorts realized that the average young person was abandoning the sport of skiing, and learning the new trend of snowboarding. Not only that, but the younger generation who was taking up a new winter sport would choose snowboarding over skiing. These days, resorts spend thousands of dollars to attract snowboarders to their resorts with claims of the biggest halfpipe or the best board park. But how did this sport explode onto the scene? To answer this question, a brief history is in order.
To prove my thesis in this paper I will discuss how our senior citizens and the chronically ill have been hurt by recent cuts their HMOs have made. I will discuss the many reports of HMO negligence and the issues concerning the patient doctor relationship. I will also go into what actions, or lack thereof, our government has taken in response to HMO woes. All of these points will show that HMOs have lost the concept for caring for their patients including our elders who are one genre that are being hit hard by the actions these HMOs have taken.
...f expensive unanticipated medical events that could impair their quality of life. This will help maintaing the work force knowing that 81% of the uninsured are from working families. This proposal will also help creating a healthier America and establishing a new culture of following a healthier behavior. According to Cockerham "an important fact of health behavior includes contact by healthy people with physicians and other health personnel for preventive care".
Skiing, as a sport has existed since the early 1800’s, although depictions of skis have been discovered throughout Europe dating back thousands of years. Skiing as a recreational activity became popularized in the mid 1800’s however it did not arrive in the United States until around 1841. Once the concept of skiing reached the states, it took off. The United States continued to power advances in skiing for decades, with the introduction of rope tows, then actual ski lifts. By the 1950’s several ski areas had begun snowmaking and trail grooming, two American born inovatio9ns which ensured better skiing conditions and launched the US far ahead of Europe in ski technology (Fry 38). Skiing continued to evolve throughout the 1900’s, constantly changing and adapting to improve athlete performance and recreational experiences. Skis and equipment changed quickly and frequently, ski bindings, which...
Dubois, Mikael. “Response to Should People with Unhealthy Lifestyles Pay Higher Health Insurance Premiums.” Journal of Primary Prevention. New York: Penguin, 2011 32-27. Print.
All alone, I glance downhill and notice my left ski ensnared in distant undergrowth. One of my ski poles lies casually near the summit, trapped in a mogul crevice. The lonely winter atmosphere bestows little comfort; I am aware that the trail will stay empty until eight o'clock the next morning and therefore undertake immediate action. As I painfully peel off my left glove to inspect the damage, the monotone drone of the ski lift ceases. I stand up and detach my right ski, then ascend the powdery snowdrifts that flank the trail in search of my missing equipment. Upon attaining the altitude of my missing pole, I re-enter the steep slope.
Challenge plays an essential role in defining a sport; it provides the individual with the feeling of achievement in success. Skiing poses challenge even in its simplest foundations. Skiing on a poor quality hill, with icy snow and poor upkeep can sometimes create more challenge than a well-groomed slope. Skiing in the backcountry away from lifts and other people in freshly fallen snow provides an opportunity for the best of skiers to test t...