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Saving on medical bills through daily deal sites – smart money or taking a gamble?
I haven’t used a discount, daily deal or coupon site yet (although I see them in a fix-income future) and I’m not sure I’d use them for any sort of medical procedure, but it seems to be getting more common.
From Smart Money:
Daily deal sites, home of the half-off, limited-time-only, pre-paid coupon craze, are no longer content to sell low-cost dinners and dye jobs. Now on the discount table: laser eye surgery, dental checkups, and other medical services.
In the first quarter of 2011, there were more than 2,500 medical, health and dental offers published on daily deal sites in the U.S. — an eight-fold jump over the 300 offered during the same period a year ago, according to Dan Hess, CEO and co-founder of Local Offer Network, a daily deal aggregator. That’s a startling increase, even compared to the rapid growth of the sites themselves, which had a five-fold increase total deal volume over the first quarter. And, says Jack Vonder Heide, president of Technology Briefing Centers, “We’re seeing more of them coming onto the market every week.”
[SNIP]
But medical organizations say this is the wrong way to sell medical services. Consumers may pay too much attention to the low prices and not enough to the quality of care or the provider’s track record, says Greg Sterling, a San-Francisco-based Internet analyst with Opus Research. And the “limited-time only” nature of daily deal sites doesn’t encourage measured, thoughtful decision making, adds Malcolm Z. Roth, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “You shouldn’t be doing procedures on a whim,” he says.
Unlike a half-off dinner coupon, where the biggest risk is a wasted meal, the consequences of poorly-performed procedures are more severe, says Carolyn Jacob, an Illinois-based board-certified dermatologist. Any time anyone has an invasive procedure involving needles, there’s a risk of infection, she says. Laser and other skin treatments designed to zap blemishes or hair can burn a patient’s skin; Botox and other chemical lifts can cause lumps or droops, Jacob adds.
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Louis C. K. on gay marriage: it doesn’t have any effect on your (straight) life
You gotta take the sour with the sweet when it comes to Louis C.K. He’s bound to say something that offends you sooner or later, but overall he’s awesome, speaks the truth, and we need him in our world. Here’s what he has to say about gay marriage:
From Buzzfeed:
“It doesn’t have ANY effect on your life. What do you care?! People try to talk about it like it’s a social issue. Like when you see someone stand up on a talk show and say, “How am I supposed to explain to my child that two men are getting married?” . . . I dunno, it’s your shitty kid, you fuckin’ tell ‘em. Why is that anyone else’s problem? Two guys are in LOVE but they can’t get married because YOU don’t want to talk to your ugly child for fuckin’ five minutes?”
– Louis C.K.]]> -
New LINGO not the same without a Shandi
I’m watching the new LINGO with Bill Engvall. He’s nice enough and I wish him well, but he needs a sidekick. I used to love watching Chuck Woolery and Shandi Finnessey, that was a great game show (insofar as any of the GSN shows are great). Maybe the producers will figure this out and cough up the salary for a funny LINGO lady.]]> -
Archbishop Dolan leaves gay marriage out of sermon (for a change)
Don’t expect this imported Cheesehead to stay silent for long. He explains that he left well enough alone because he needed some grace and mercy, since he’s been “down a little lately as you can imagine.” It would never, ever, occur to any of these very prayerful people that God did indeed answer their prayers and they just don’t like what He had to say.
From the New York Times:
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan did not exactly hide his opposition to efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in New York.
Yet on Sunday, Archbishop Dolan made no mention of gay marriage during the 10:15 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He did not criticize state lawmakers, or offer an impassioned defense of the church’s view of marriage.
It was not until after services when the archbishop tackled the issue, and explained to reporters why he chose not to do so during his homily. “This is about prayer,” he said inside the cathedral. “I sort of needed a good dose of the Lord’s grace and mercy because I’ve been down a little lately as you can imagine.”]]> -
Dozens of tires slashed on Chicago Gay Pride floats
Classy.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
The 42nd annual Chicago Pride Parade marched forward Sunday, even though the tires on 30 to 50 floats were slashed hours before the event’s start.
The floats were damaged overnight at a storage facility, Associated Attractions Enterprises Inc., near 48th and Halsted streets, and an employee discovered the damage about 5 a.m., police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said.
A parade official said tires were being replaced and all of the floats were expected to be repaired in time to be in the parade, which began at noon, though several did not proceed in the planned order.]]> -
Will NY marriage equality have a ripple effect?
From the Christian Science Monitor: The passage of a same-sex marriage bill in New York State was a landmark event in one of the most profound and contentious issues in US politics today. But what comes next? And will it have any impact on the 2012 elections, especially President Obama’s reelection bid? [SNIP] As the Hill newspaper points out, the issue could rise to political significance early next year when Republican leaders in New Hampshire hope to repeal the state law allowing same-sex marriage – right around the time of New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary election. But beyond 2012, Columbia Law School professor Suzanne Goldberg tells Reuters, “Having same-sex marriage in New York will have tremendous moral and political force for the rest of the country – in part because New York is a large state, and in part because it hasn’t come easily.”]]>
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NOM thugs print hit list of New York senators
What’s next for these criminals? Printing the home addresses and phone numbers of our senators? Publicizing where their children go to school?
The ever-inflating Maggie Gallagher, her straight man Brian Brown and their cadre of hate have reacted to the victory for equality (peace be upon it) with predictable thuggery. If they can’t extort and lie their way to winning they simply threaten, threaten, and threaten some more. Sad and dark are the souls of these people.]]> -
A marriage equality celebration in pictures
38 great photos of people celebrating equality. From Buzzfeed – see all here.]]> -
'Sounds of Asteroth' free digital download available!
I posted a video the other day of Travelicious Rick’s favorite band, ‘Sounds of Asteroth.’ Their 11-song album, ‘The Inventors,’ is available as a free digital download. You can see an ad in the sidebar here and at MadeMark.net. Listen up!]]> -
Watching history (part II) – going to the chapel
Cross-posted from MadeMark.net Last night was the second time in less than a year when Frank and I were at the house in New Jersey watching something we thought we’d never see. The first time it was the historic vote in the United States senate repealing DADT (the implementation of which will hopefully be done very soon). Last night was just as significant, and just as unexpected for me. I was so accustomed to defeat, helped by the cruel gloating of the anti-marriage forces and the relentless dehumanization of lgbt people by the forces inequality that I had long ago grown skeptical and cynical. I would not believe the marriage bill in New York would pass until I saw the vote, until I heard for myself that this had been achieved. This matters enormously. We are getting married, now that we can do it in our own great big home town of New York City. I suggested August 14, the third anniversary of our NYC domestic partnership. We can trade it in for a marriage license. I will no longer feel like I’m committing perjury when I check the “married” box on forms, and I’ll be goddamned if I allow any bureaucracy to tell me Frank is my domestic partner when the answer is no, he is my spouse, my husband. “Domestic partnership benefits?” Not anymore. While I reflect with joy on this accomplishment, I can’t forget the people of Minnesota and Indiana, both states recently seized by their Republican parties intent on scarring their state constitutions with discriminatory marriage amendments. I can’t forget Iowa, where theocrats are determined to forcibly divorce all the same-sex couples there and make sure they can never marry again. My hope and my prayer is that this stand for equality in the great state of New York will help move this country forward to a day when love is recognized as love, when people of different beliefs, faiths, non-faiths and choices, can simply live together without the toxin of hate and the poison of power. This progress in New York feels like maybe, just maybe, peace is possible. Congratulations to everyone who supports dignity and equality, and eternal thanks those New York Republicans who did the right thing. You make me proud and you make me think things aren’t so fixed after all.]]> -
San Francisco celebrates 41 years of Pride with Sandra Bernhard
I’ve seen Sandra Bernhard on Broadway twice and would love to be there when she hits the Main Stage at San Francisco Pride this weekend. Alas, we’ll be in New Jersey with family, but if you’re in the neighborhood . . .
From San Diego Gay & Lesbian News:
SAN FRANCISCO — This weekend marks the “official” anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which helped launch the modern LGBT civil rights movement and why many of our pride celebrations began.
While celebrations of LGBT pride happen almost year round with events like Phoenix Pride taking place in April and Palm Springs Pride each November, many major cities in the United States have historically commemorated that summer night in New York City 42 years ago with events happening on the weekend closest to June 27.
This weekend, large Pride celebrations will be happening in a number of cities, including St. Louis, Seattle, Chicago, New York City and what is considered by many to be the “gay mecca of the world,” San Francisco.
While all of these celebrations attract people from around the world, a number of San Diegans will make the trek up to the northern part of the state to partake in San Francisco’s event, which is said to be one of the largest pride celebrations in the world.
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South Dakota church becomes open and affirming to LGBT faithful
Sometimes the march of progress is more of a slow stroll. With the marriage of politics and religion in America what we mostly hear is division, but just as there have been churches serving the lgbt community for many years now (Metropolitan Community Churches comes immediately to mind), there are also many churches that welcome us. Even in South Dakota!
(One of the greatest harms done to lgbt people, from young kids to seniors, is telling us the lie that we have no place in church, that the bible is essentially our enemy and that there is no such thing as a gay Christian (or gay Jew or gay Muslim). This is a false conflict, a political conflict that has nothing to do with our access to loving congregations and everything to do with power. Fight it, with love if at all possible.)
From the Mitchell Republic:
A Mitchell church has declared itself a welcoming place for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
The Mitchell Congregational United Church of Christ voted Sunday to become “Open and Affirming,” a policy that the national UCC denomination adopted in the 1970s. Each individual church can pass such a resolution as it sees fit, said the Rev. Kristi McLaughlin, of the local UCC. The Mitchell congregation is the fourth UCC congregation in South Dakota to become Open and Affirming.
“Open and Affirming basically means we believe that all people, regardless of sexual orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic background or status, faith tradition or belief, gender identity or expression, we believe that you can be any of those and you are welcome to enter the full life and ministry of our church,” McLaughlin said. ]]> -
Mark's Cafe Moi: An evolution on marriage (and I don’t mean Obama’s)
It’s Friday, June 24, and we are still waiting for the New York Senate, specifically the Republicans in control, to determine if and when they will bring the marriage equality bill to a vote. To my mind, and to the minds of many Americans, this is a very simple matter. The only people wringing their hands over completely unnecessary “religious exemptions” are those who will use this to kill the bill, to vote against the bill, or to stall the bill, as has been done for over a week now.
My own perspective on marriage has changed over the last seven years or so. I was originally opposed to the push for marriage rights because I saw it as a property issue, a privilege that poor lgbt people were unassisted by. You can still hear this from some queer activists and trans activists and far-leftists who think marriage is bourgeois. I thought there were more important things, especially for low-income and poor lgbt people. Things like universal healthcare, housing, and jobs. But then I began to realize that the very protections that are part of the marriage package could do a great deal for couples at all income levels.
I hate it that I worry when Frank and I travel to one of the many states where one of us could be denied access to the other in the event of an emergency. We are strangers under the law in most states, and as I age this becomes ever more important to me. I hate it that if I die he will have to pay taxes on my estate. I hate it that when I check the “married” box I am not just being rebellious, but committing perjury. And I can’t check it on federal forms anyway, since our relationship is not recognized by the federal government.
My view on marriage has evolved. Ultimately, if a marriage license came with no special rights and privileges I would say it doesn’t matter, but that’s not the world we live in. Choosing not to marry is a valid and equal choice, but not being able to marry is a violation. I’m tired of being violated. If New York passes this bill we will get married. And when DOMA is overturned we may just go to Greenwich, since the federal rights are where the legal goodies really are. But one way or another, some day, I’ll get married just because I finally can.]]>