Posts Tagged ‘health’
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Well, after saying it was going to do so, the cell phone industry is actually suing us.
All the deets are below.
The friendly face of the Cellular Telephone Industries Association, aka CITA, The Wireless Association. This fellow has a big beef with our little town.
CITA Vice President of Public Affairs John Walls
“CTIA-The Wireless Association® Files Challenge to San Francisco’s “Cell Phone Right-to-Know” Ordinance
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2011 – Today, CTIA-The Wireless Association® asked a federal court to block the enforcement of San Francisco’s “Cell Phone Right-to-Know” ordinance. CTIA’s challenge argues that the Ordinance is barred under the First Amendment and conflicts with federal law governing the safety of wireless devices.
As CTIA explains in its motion, the Ordinance requires retailers to distribute misleading statements and graphics that send the false message that cell phones approved by the FCC are not safe. In fact, the FCC limits radiofrequency emissions from cell phones to ensure that phones sold in the U.S. emit RF energy far below levels shown in scientific testing to have any adverse health effects. The FCC’s standard includes a wide margin of safety for all users. Last year the FDA categorically concluded that there is “No Evidence Linking Cell Phone Use to Risk of Brain Tumors,” and earlier this year the Chairman of the FCC, Julius Genachowski, said that he was “confident that [the FCC's] standards are protecting the health of people.”
CTIA-The Wireless Association Vice President of Public Affairs John Walls released the following statement:
“The materials the City would require be posted and handed out at retail stores are both alarmist and false. The FCC and FDA have repeatedly found that cell phone use does not pose a danger to human health. The Ordinance recommends such things as turning the phone off when not in use, a suggestion that would render critical emergency communications unavailable to San Francisco residents.”
More deets after the jump
(more…)
Tags: 2010, 2011, association, bay area, block, board, boycott, california, cell phone, Cell Phone Right-to-Know, Cellular Telephone Industries Association, Cellular Telephone Industries Association Enterprise and Applications, chief, Chief Deputy Communications Director, cita, city attorney, communications, county, dennis herrera, Deputy, director, ed lee, emissions, enforcement, fcc, federal, first amendment, fromer, gavin newsom, green, health, John Walls, Julius Genachowski, Mayor, ordinance, radiation, rf, San Francisco, skateboard, supervisors, Vice President of Public Affairs, vote, VP, wireless
Posted in law | No Comments »
Monday, October 3rd, 2011
Here’s the news about today’s homicide from Mike Aldax:
“Police Chief Greg Suhr came to the crime scene. He will hold a community meeting about the incident Tuesday at the Richmond Recreation Center at 251 18th Ave. The meeting is set for [October 4th, 2011 at] 6:30 p.m.“
This is the now-standard community meeting that’s been promised for each and every SFPD officer-involved shooting.
And, per Eric Mar‘s office, our District One Supervisor will be on hand to ask and answer questions.
[UPDATE, October 4th, 2011
"Dear Neighbors,
Please join me in attending a Police Community meeting tonight. Yesterday morning at 7:30am, Richmond Station officers responded to a call of a stabbing on the 600 block of Funston Street. Officers encountered a wounded victim outside the home and was told the suspect was still inside. As they entered the home they found an elderly woman with life threatening injuries and began to render aid. The suspect, armed with two knives charged at the officers and an Officer Involved Shooting occurred. The incident is being investigated. Both the elderly woman and the suspect died from their injuries.
A community meeting will be held tonight, October 4, 2011, and Police Chief Greg Suhr will address concerns and answer questions about the incident. The meeting will be held at the Richmond Rec Center located at 251 18th Avenue, between California and Clement Sts at 6:30pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2011.
Regards,
Eric Mar
Supervisor Richmond District
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org
415-554-7410"]
And see what the SFPD has to say, below.
Click to expand
“Officer Involved Shooting at the 600 blk of Funston Ave.
11-107
Posted Date: 10/3/2011
On October 3, 2011 at approximately 7:18 a.m., San Francisco Police responded to a call of a stabbing at the 600 block of Funston Ave. Officers and paramedics arrived on the scene and discovered a 78 year old Chinese male victim in front of the residence bleeding profusely. The victim suffered a stab wound to his hand and forearm.
Officers and paramedics immediately rendered medical aid in attempt to control the bleeding. The officers continued up the stairway where they found a 78 year old Chinese female victim with what the officers believed to be life threatening stab wounds to the body. As officers were trying to pull the victim to safety and get medical treatment for the female victim, they were confronted by a 44 year old Chinese male suspect.
The suspect had two knives as he advanced towards the officers. One officer used an Extended Range Impact Weapon (ERIW) in an effort to subdue the suspect. The ERIW proved to be ineffective. A cover officer discharged his firearm on the advancing suspect and stopped the deadly threat. Officers continued to search the house for additional suspects and victims and found a 50 year old Chinese female hiding in the back of the house inside a locked bedroom, she was uninjured.
All victims and suspect are related. The suspect was the son of both 78 year old victims, and the uninjured female found by officers at the scene, was the sister of the suspect.
At approximately, 9:39 a.m. the suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 78 year old female victim was also pronounced dead a few minutes later at the hospital at 9:41 a.m
This is an active ongoing police investigation by the San Francisco Police Department’s Homicide Detail, Internal Affairs Division, District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of Citizens Complaints.
There will be a community meeting pertaining to the officer involved shooting tomorrow, October 4, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. Location will be at the Richmond Recreational Center at 251 18th Ave between Clement and California.”
Tags: $78, 2011, 251 18th, 251 18th Ave, 600, 634, American, anza, balboa, bay area, bean bag, block, blood, california, chief, Chief Suhr, chinese, clement, community, Community Meeting, crime, dead, death, department, dept., District Attorney’s Office, district one, dragged, eric mar, Family, funston, Greg Suhr, gun, health, homicide, Homicide Detail, illness, Internal Affairs Division, involved, knife, meeting, mental, morning, October 3, october 4, Office of Citizens Complaints, officer, old, park presidio, police, recreation center, richmond district, Richmond Recreation, richmond recreation center, S, San Francisco, SFPD, stab, Stabbed, stabbing, Supervisor, suspect, year, year's
Posted in crime | No Comments »
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
I mean, is this really such a no-brainer good idea?
No no, I can see how Bill Clinton benefits and I can see how the people running BAAQMD benefit and I can see how troubled PG&E or Chevron (or whomever the sponsors turn out to be) would benefit, but is this really such a no-brainer good idea?
(And isn’t former president Bill Clinton still on double secret probation for his relatively recent behavior?)
I would have thought he’d do this for expenses.
How naive I am!
Tags: air quality, BAAQMD, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Bill Clinton, Blueprint for Healthy Communities, City, Contra Costa, county, Craneway Pavilion, Executive Director, former, health, Health and Human Services, Jack Broadbent., John Gioia, Kathleen Sebelius, keynote, Nancy Sutley, pollution, president, public, public health summit, richmond, secretary, speaker, Sponsors, summit, Supervisor, Vice Chair
Posted in environment, paranormal, politics | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011
Well here’s the news of the day – it’s the launch of YesOnCNoOnD.com
And look who’s the headliner of this Fellowship, it’s “Civic Leader” Warren Hellman, who used to play for the other team, so to speak.
Anyway, all the deets, below.
That Warren sure loves his banjo:
Click to expand
“PAULSON, FALK TO CO-CHAIR YES ON PROPOSITION C PENSION REFORM CAMPAIGN - Top Labor Leader, Top Business Leader Tapped To Lead Consensus Coalition
SAN FRANCISCO, August 31, 2011 – San Franciscans United For Pension And Health Reform today selected Tim Paulson and Steve Falk to serve as co-chairs of the campaign supporting Proposition C and opposing Proposition D on the November ballot.
Paulson is executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, comprised of 150 local unions and representing 100,000 workers, and Falk is president and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, a 1,500-member organization representing the business community.
“We are pleased that San Francisco’s top labor leader and top business leader are working together to lead this coalition’s campaign for pension and health reform,” said Thomas P. O’Connor, president of Fire Fighters Local 798. “Unions and the business community don’t agree on everything, but on Proposition C, San Francisco is united.”
Falk praised Proposition C, which was developed with input from the community, introduced by Mayor Ed Lee, and passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors.
“Proposition C saves taxpayers at least $1.3 billion over the next decade,” said Falk. “This measure is fiscally responsible and it will help keep us solvent.”
Paulson emphasized the measure’s fairness.
“Proposition C provides a safety net for hardworking city employees who earn lower wages,” said Paulson. “It keeps pension contributions stable for those making less than $50,000 a year. Those who make more pay more.”
O’Connor drew a contrast between Proposition C and Proposition D, a rival pension measure.
“Proposition C has widespread support because it was conceived in the light of day, with a public process that encouraged input and ideas from everyone,” said O’Connor. “On the other hand, the backers of Proposition D bought their way onto the ballot with signature gatherers who were paid five dollars a signature and repeatedly got caught on tape lying about what the measure would do.”
Today, San Franciscans United For Pension And Health Reform also announced the other members of its campaign committee. In addition to Paulson, Falk, and O’Connor, the committee includes other business and labor leaders, along with the measure’s sponsor at the Board of Supervisors:
Warren Hellman, Civic Leader
Gary Delagnes, President of the San Francisco Police Officers Association
Sean Elsbernd, Member of the Board of Supervisors
Steve Fields, Co-Chair of the Human Services Network
Larry Mazzola, Business Manager and Financial Secretary Treasurer of UA Local 38
Rebecca Rhine, Executive Director of the Municipal Executives Association
Bob Muscat, Executive Director of IFTPE Local 21
Sean Connolly, President of the Municipal Attorneys Association
Please visit www.yesoncnoond.com for more information.”
Tags: 2010, anti, assemblywoman, B., bad medicine, badmedicine, ballot, baord, bay area, bay citizen, bevan dufty, board, Bob Muscat, c, california, care, carmen chu, chamber of commerce, city family, Civic Leader, copy, D., David Chiu, ed lee, election, eric mar, f warren hellman, fiona ma, Gary Delagnes, health, horse, Human Services Network, IFTPE, irving, jeff adachi, Labor Council, laguna Honda, Larry Mazzola, leland yee, Local 21, Local 38, mark leno, Mayor, Municipal Attorneys Association, Municipal Executives Association, nate ballard, nathan ballard, no, pension, premiums, president, pro, prop, prop b, Proposition, Proposition c, Proposition D, public defender, rally, Rebecca Rhine, Reform, San Francisco, San Francisco Police Officers Association, Sean Connolly, Sean Elsbernd, Senator, sheep's clothing, State Senator, Steve Falk, Steve Fields, Supervisor, tim paulson, trojan, union, unions, warren hellman, wolf, workers, yes
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 12th, 2011
Two-star(!) rated Dick Lee Pastry at 716 Jackson in Chinatown is getting spanked by City Attorney Dennis Herrera over wage theft issues today.
But first a word from our health department, which, you know, has employees who would like the City to require letter grades to be posted outside of every joint in town. You know, the way that San Diego, that Progressive bastion, does it. But our Golden Gate Restaurant Association said no so that’s that, no Department of Health letter grades posted at restaurants in the 415.
Check it:
Violation descriptions:
- 009 Rodents – Immediate Risk Each food facility shall be kept free of vermin: rodents, (rats, mice), cockroaches, flies.(114040)
- 014 No Water – An adequate, protected, pressurized, potable supply of hot water (120F) and cold water shall be provided at all times. (114095)
- 019 Shell Eggs – Maintain raw shall eggs at or below 45F (113995, 113997)
- 024 Ready-To-Eat-Food – Exposed to Possible Contamination from Raw Meats/Poultry/Fish/Eggs All food shall be manufactured, produced, prepared, packed, served so as to be pure, free from contamination, adulteration and spoilage. All food must be stored in an approved facility. Food shall be covered and stored as to be protected and kept free from contamination. Food shall be stored in approved containers and labeled as to contents. Food shall be stored at least 6” off the floor on approved shelving. (113980, 114010, 114020, 114080)
- 031 Improperly Cleaned/Not Maintained Clean -All utensils and equipment shall be clean, fully operative and in good repair. (114050, 114090)
- 033 Backflow/Back Siphonage -The potable water supply shall be protected with a backflow or back-siphonage protection device, as required by applicable plumbing codes. (114095)
- 045 Shellfish Tags/Records – Facility shall maintain tags/records from shellfish for a at least 90 days. (114003, Title 17, CCR)
I’ll tell you, small business owners who ignore one set of rules, tend to ignore other sets of rules, that’s been my experience.
Anyway, here’s the news, it goes on and on:
“Wage theft lawsuit seeks to recover $440K in back pay, interest for cheated workers
Dick Lee Pastry paid well below minimum wage, demanded long hours with no overtime, falsified payroll records, retaliated against workers
SAN FRANCISCO (July 12, 2011) — City Attorney Dennis Herrera today sued Dick Lee Pastry, Inc. and its owners and operators for violating state and local laws intended to ensure minimum wages, overtime compensation, and lawful competition by failing to pay more than $440,000 in wages plus interest to seven of their employees. The litigation comes as the result of an investigation by San Francisco’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement under the direction of Division Manager Donna Levitt. Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are Peter Yu and Ada M. Chiu, who own the restaurant at 716 Jackson Street.
Herrera’s lawsuit, which was filed in San Francisco Superior Court today, seeks to recover compensation for the cheated workers that would include all unlawfully withheld wages, plus ten-percent interest, plus penalties of $50 per day for the duration of their employer’s wage violations. Herrera is additionally seeking penalties of $50 per day per employee as compensation to OLSE under San Francisco’s Minimum Wage Ordinance; potentially severe civil penalties under California’s Unfair Competition Law; and attorneys’ fees and costs associated with the action.
“Robbing employees of wages to which they’re entitled doesn’t just hurt working families — it also hurts honest businesses and their employees by corrupting a competitive marketplace,” said Dennis Herrera. “Dick Lee Pastry stands out even among the most egregious perpetrators of wage theft in San Francisco. They paid wages well below the legal minimum, demanded long hours with no overtime, instructed workers to lie to labor investigators, and retaliated against those who sought to protect their rights. I hope today’s lawsuit sends a strong message to other would-be wage cheats about the seriousness of our resolve to protect working men and women in San Francisco. I applaud the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement for their investigation of this case, and I’m grateful to the Chinese Progressive Association for their community outreach efforts.”
See you after the jump
(more…)
Tags: 2011, Ada Chiu, Ada M. Chiu, back pay, bay area, california, chinatown, city attorney, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, dennis herrera, dick lee, dick lee pastry, Donna Levitt, ggra, golden gate restaurant association, health, jackson, Labor Standards Enforcement, lawsuit, minimum wage, office, overtime, pastry, Peter Yu, restaurant association, San Francisco, street, throws down, Wage theft, workers, yelp
Posted in food and drink | No Comments »
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
[Oh, here we go, it's the Citizen of Tomorrow Awards, just posted.]
Now, the problem I had last night was being too ambitious, thinking I could drop by the First Birthday Celebration of The Bay Citizen and then hustle it uphill to the Specfic Whites neighborhood by nine-ish, thinking that this year’s party would be like last year’s, you know, the one they had in the Twitterloin. That one was off the hook.
Anyway, here it is at the stated 8:00 PM starting time. (A dozen people to park your car, but only one to check you into the place.)
(Why, yes, Terra _is_ 200 feet away from a bridge and two miles away from a tunnel – why do you ask?)
And here are your food trucks. (Everything seems to taste better when it’s from a truck, non?)
Click to expand
I guess things got going later in the evening. But I’ll tell you, if you skipped the first hour of last year’s soiree, which was off the hook, you would have missed a lot.
The good thing is that The Bay Citizen produced, as designed, a lot of good stuff the past year.
Anyway, Bon Anniversaire, The Bay Citizen.
Tags: $25, 2010, 2030 Media, 26, 501c3, 511 harrison, Anne Stuhldreher, Annette Fuentes, Anthony Bernhardt, Anthony Moor, Arthur Rock, awards, bamp, Bay Area News Project, bay citizen, Bay Citizen editor-in-chief, Bay Citizen managing editor, beats, Berkeley, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, bloggers, Brock Keeling, business, Citizen of Tomorrow, civic, Community Editor, core, crime, culture, Dede, Diane Wilsey, didi, don, Douglas McGray, editor, editor in chief, Elizabeth Lesly Stevens, Elizabeth Stevens, environmental, eve batey, Family, Fellow, finance, fisher, gamh, Gerry Shih, government, Graduate School of Journalism, great american music hall, hardly strictly news, health, in chief, interns, Jeanne Carstensen, jeff, Jim Daly, Joe Payne, Jonathan Weber, Jr. Foundation, Kate McLean, Katharine Mieszkowski, kickoff, Knight, Knight Foundation, land use, launch, Laura Fraser, Laurie, Lisa Frazier, Lois Beckett, Lynn Feintech, managing, Marie McIntosh, Maureen Fan, may, Michael Stoll, Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig, Neil Henry, New America Foundation, news, Newsroom, nonproft, o'farrell, Owen Thomas, paid, Partner Program, party, photographs, photos, pics, politics, Polk, post, project, Queena Kim, regional, Reyhan Harmanci, Richard Parks, S.D. Bechtel, salaries, San Francisco, san francisco appeal, San Francisco Foundation, science, SF Public Press, sfist, Shoshana Walter, soma, Staff, stanford, Steve Fainaru, street, students, Tasneem Raja, terra anniversary, the bay citizen, Ubben, uc berkeley, university of california, VentureBeat, warren hellman, washington post, Wilsey, Writer, yahoo, Zoe Corneli, Zusha Elinson
Posted in media | No Comments »
Saturday, May 7th, 2011
[This event turned out to be a huge success, with a bigger turnout than a recent effort in the Mission District. This one's all over but I'll post about the next one when it happens.*]
Our UCSF Department of Dermatology is bringing it today in C-Town. Check out all the deets below.
Drs. Ortiz and Wei and UCSF professionals and volunteers are waiting to see you right now – no appointment necessary:
Click to expand
In Chinese first:
(本報訊)
五月是全國皮膚癌關注月，加州大學三藩市分校皮膚病學系於明日(星期六)上午8時30分至下午4時在華埠舉辦一項免費皮膚癌檢查活動。皮膚癌是一種最常見的癌症，每年有超過百萬人被診斷患上這病。任何人仕，無論膚色或健康狀況，都可能罹患上皮膚癌。
＊皮膚癌和黑色素瘤約佔所有診斷出癌病的50%
＊皮膚癌是一種比較可以預防的癌病
＊超過90％的皮膚癌是由於過度暴露在陽光下所造成
＊五分之一的美國人患上皮膚癌
＊每小時有1人死於皮膚癌
＊亞裔比白人有較大機會被診斷出患有晚期黑色素瘤。
及早檢測對診斷潛伏的黑色素瘤非常重要。這次檢測毋須預約，整個過程約30分鐘。華埠公共衛生局地址： Mason 街1490號 (夾 Broadway 街)。
欲知詳情，請致電加州大學三藩市分校，電話：415-467-3206。
And now back to English:
UCSF to Offer Free Skin Cancer Screenings in Chinatown
WHAT: The UCSF Department of Dermatology, in partnership with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Chinatown Public Health Clinic, will offer free skin cancer screenings in Chinatown to mark National Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
UCSF faculty and residents will perform the screenings. Translation services will be provided.
Early detection is key to diagnosing potential cases of melanoma. No appointment is necessary and screenings will take approximately 30 minutes.
WHEN:
Saturday, May 7, 2011
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE:
Chinatown Public Health Center
1490 Mason Street @ Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133
WHY: Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, with over one million people diagnosed each year. Anyone can develop skin cancer, regardless of their skin color or general health.
- Skin cancer and melanoma account for about 50 percent of all types of cancers diagnosed;
- Skin cancer is one of the more preventable types of cancer;
- More than 90 percent of skin cancer is caused by excessive exposure to the sun;
- One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime;
- Each hour, one person dies from skin cancer;
- Asian American melanoma patients have a greater tendency than Caucasians to have advanced disease at diagnosis.
See you there!
*Assuming I survive the Great San Francisco Blog War of 2011.
Tags: 1490 Mason, 2011, 7th, Albert Yu, American, asian, asian american, bay area, board of supervisors, broadway, california, cancer, center, chinatown, David Chiu, director, district 3, doctors, fair, free, health, may, Mayor, MD, President San Francisco, public health, residents, San Francisco, screening, Siegrid Yu, skin, sun, tunnel, UC, ucsf, UCSF Department of Dermatology, university of california
Posted in free, health | No Comments »
Thursday, March 17th, 2011
First off, check this out at the CitiReport.
I mean, who’s doing this with the black Sharpie? What’s it say under there? LGBT? GLBT? LGBTQ? GLBTQ? BLTA?
That’s what I think might be there but I don’t know for sure. Srsly.
Click to expand
Tags: asian, black, citireport, commission, female, Gay, GLBT, health, larry bush, latino, lbgt, Lesbian, letter, male, memo, privacy, redacted, steve kawa, white
Posted in paranormal, politics | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
Did you know that the state of California subsidizes movie production Down Hollywood Way to the tune of $100,000,000 a year? Well, some people want the Sacramento to cut off this source of movie funding for films that depict smoking, that’s the news of the day.
Did The Social Network glamorize smoking as far as you remember? I don’t recall, but it will win a few Oscars on Sunday so it’s as good a target as any, I s’pose. Here’s the closest I could find to a still that has somebody smoking:
(Hey, why does California subsidize film production in the first place? Shouldn’t Jerry Brown or somebody cut off this kind of corporate welfare tout de suite?)
All the deets, here and after the jump:
California Health Experts Fault State’s $100 Million Movie Subsidy, Ask for Reform - L.A. County’s health chief and the chair of California’s expert committee on tobacco control want future film projects with smoking made ineligible for millions in California tax credits
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2011 — Should California taxpayers invest millions of dollars to prevent youth smoking, then hand millions to studios whose films promote youth smoking?
That’s the contradiction spotlighted in separate letters to the California Film Commission released today from Jonathan Fielding, MD, director of L.A. County’s Department of Public Health, and Michael Ong, MD, chair of the Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee, which is mandated by the legislature to guide state tobacco prevention efforts.
Dr. Fielding’s letter, dated January 14, notes that two recent Sony blockbusters, The Social Network and Burlesque, both rated PG-13 and featuring tobacco imagery, qualified for more than $12 million in California tax credits through a $100 million a year program that began its payouts on January 1, 2011. (The two films have grossed $135 million so far.) “Any benefit that tobacco-related subsidies for films might have for California’s interstate competitiveness must be balanced against proven, catastrophic ‘collateral damage’ to young audiences and long-term health costs to the state,” the letter says.
Dr. Ong’s letter, dated February 18, reports that “approximately 44 percent of adolescent smoking initiation can be attributed to exposure to onscreen smoking” and 100,000 high school students in California are currently smokers as a result of this exposure. “It is unconscionable that one state program threatens to undermine our state’s public health achievements and goals, our investment in tobacco prevention, and our savings in health care costs, particularly in a time of declining state revenues,” the letter says.
Both letters urge that future film projects with smoking be made ineligible for taxpayer subsidies in California. Similar reforms are advocated by health groups in New York, New Mexico, Ontario and British Columbia, all major sources of film production subsidies. In 2008, U.S. states granted an estimated $500 million in production subsidies to youth-rated films with smoking, rivaling the $518 million they will spend for tobacco prevention in 2011.
Also today, the Smoke Free Movies campaign based at University of California, San Francisco, published a full-page ad in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter noting that two-thirds of Oscar®-nominated films this year include smoking and forty percent of these are rated PG or PG-13. The ad centers on the new animated film Rango (Viacom: Paramount and Nickelodeon) opening March 4. Headline: “How many studio execs did it take to OK smoking in a ‘PG’ movie?” California already makes animated films ineligible for public subsidy. The ad can be seen at www.smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu/ourads/index.html.
SOURCE University of California, San Francisco, Smoke Free Movies Initiative
University of California, San Francisco, Smoke Free Movies Initiative
(more…)
Tags: 2011, bay area, burlesque, california, California Film Commission, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, competitiveness, Credits, Department of Public Health., director, health, Hollywood Reporter, Jonathan Fielding, MD, medicine, Michael Ong, oscar, professor, Rango, San Francisco, Smoke Free Movies, smoking, social network, Sony, Stanton Glantz, studio, subsidies, tax, tax credits, tobacco, UC, ucsf, university of california, Variety
Posted in art, film, health | No Comments »
Friday, January 14th, 2011
[UPDATE: Not sure why Blue Cross pulled and then re-issued this press release. Some background on the rate increases here.]
I don’t know, here’s the release that Blue Shield of California sent out this AM, which wouldn’t be all that interesting excepting for the fact that they just went and called it back, they’re saying right now they want you to disregard it.
The Blue Shield, they want a Mulligan on this one looks like, but they don’t say why so that’s bad cricket, IMO.
I can’t decide that for you. You’re going to have to choose whether you wish to avert you gaze or not. Starting…. now!
As seen at AT&T Park during that whole Icer Air ski jump thing back in ought -seven. That’s a Blue Shield, right?
Blue Shield of California Agrees to Independent Actuarial Review of Rates. Company will make refunds to policyholders if rates are unsound
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2011 — Responding to concerns raised about rising individual health insurance rates, Blue Shield of California announced today that it will voluntarily subject its rates to an independent actuarial review and make refunds to policyholders if the actuary finds that the rates are unsound. David Axene, the respected actuary who discovered errors in other California rate filings last year, will conduct the independent review of the not-for-profit health plan’s rates.
Approximately 194,000 Blue Shield of California Life and Health Insurance Company members recently received notices of rate increases that averaged 15% annually. Due to a variety of factors, some members received increases much higher than the average.
“We regret that our members have received significant rate increases in recent months and want to be absolutely certain that the rates reflect our actual cost of providing medical care,” said Blue Shield Chairman and CEO Bruce Bodaken. “To establish trust and confidence in our rate-setting process, we have taken the unprecedented step of agreeing to be bound by the conclusions of an independent third party. If this independent review finds that the rates are not sound, we will hold our members harmless by refunding the difference with interest.”
Mr. Axene is president of Axene Health Partners LLC, and has worked as a professional actuary since 1971. Last year, he conducted independent reviews of individual rate filings for the California Department of Insurance, where he found errors that, when corrected, resulted in lower rates for hundreds of thousands of consumers.
Mr. Axene will be free to confer with the Department of Insurance on his review, which he hopes to complete in 30-45 days. He will evaluate Blue Shield’s rate filing to determine if its calculations are accurate and its assumptions are sound. He will determine if the rates are “excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory,” which is the standard suggested by recently proposed federal rate review regulations. Whatever conclusions he reaches, his report will be made available to the public.
Despite Blue Shield’s recent rate increases, the company expects to lose $10-20 million on its individual health plan business in 2010 and another $20-30 million in 2011. Blue Shield’s total costs for hospitals, physicians and prescription drugs have risen by an average of 15% annually for each of the past three years.
“Our premiums are rising because of the rapid increase in healthcare expenses for our members,” said Bodaken. “Reducing medical costs must be an urgent national priority for health coverage to be affordable for the vast majority of Americans.”
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health plan with 3.3 million members, 4,800 employees, and one of the largest provider networks in California. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California offers a wide range of commercial and government products throughout the state. The company has contributed more than $125 million over the past four years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation–which was named one of BusinessWeek’s 20 most generous corporate foundations. Contact your local agent or broker for more information about Blue Shield products and services, or visit the Blue Shield website at www.blueshieldca.com.
Tags: 2011, actuarial, actuary, Axene Health Partners, bay area, blue cross, blue shield, Blue Shield Chairman, blue shield of california, Blue Shield of California Life and Health Insurance Company, Bruce Bodaken, california, care, censor, CEO, Corporate Communications, David Axene, Department of Insurance, health, healthcare, hmo, Independent, LLC, Mary Taing, members, premiums, rate filings, rates, recall, recalled, refunds, release, review, San Francisco
Posted in health | 1 Comment »
