Category Archives: Health care

Cotton right about virus’ importance

Health care, U.S. Congress

Feb. 27, 2020

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Looks like Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton was on track Jan. 30 when he called the COVID-19 coronavirus “the biggest and most important story in the world.”

Time will tell if it’s actually the biggest and most important story, but it’s definitely big and important.

As of Thursday, the virus has killed nearly 3,000 people, mostly in China where it originated, and led to widespread quarantines in that country. More than 80,000 people have been infected globally. Outbreaks are happening in South Korea, Italy, and elsewhere. The leader of Iran’s virus task force tested positive one day after telling his country not to overreact to the disease. The International Olympic Committee’s longest serving member this week suggested the Tokyo Summer Olympics could be cancelled. Probably not coincidentally, Japan is closing all its schools for a month.

President Trump on Wednesday announced he was appointing Vice President Mike Pence to head the nation’s anti-coronavirus efforts. Only 60 Americans have been infected so far, most coming from a single cruise ship. But the latest person hasn’t traveled or come in close contact with anyone known to be infected. That’s concerning. On Tuesday, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the virus will spread here, though the CDC can’t know how much. Regardless, she said Americans should “prepare for the expectation that this might be bad.” Life here could be disrupted and marked by “social distancing measures” such as closing schools. There’s no vaccine, yet. Continue reading Cotton right about virus’ importance →

Cotton goes to war against a virus

Health care, U.S. Congress

By Steve Brawner, © 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Feb. 4, 2020

Sen. Tom Cotton, the ex-combat infantryman, tends to see the world – and describe it – in terms of threats and adversaries: Iran, terrorists, illegal immigrants, legal immigrants who take Americans’ jobs, the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei, President Obama and other Democrats, etc. He often uses strong, uncompromising language.

Lately, he’s focused on a new, developing threat, the coronavirus that China says has killed more than 400 of its people, and which has started spreading to other countries. As of Monday, there were 11 confirmed cases in the United States.

On Jan. 30, Cotton said in a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting that the coronavirus is “the biggest and most important story in the world” and something that “could result in a global pandemic.” He called for banning all commercial air travel between China and the United States and for a “Manhattan Project-level effort” to develop a vaccine. The Manhattan Project created the atomic bomb in World War II.

Cotton’s remarks are notable because this time the threat he’s talking about isn’t a person or group of people, but a virus.

Viruses are microorganisms that invade the body and reproduce by attaching to cells and reprogramming them to create more viruses. They can mutate, frustrating our efforts to stop them. Continue reading Cotton goes to war against a virus →

As flu season nears, officials say shots help

Health care

By Steve Brawner, © 2019 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

You think your job is hard? Dr. Nathaniel Smith is trying to convince 3 million Arkansans to let someone stick a needle in their arm – or use a mist – to fight the flu.

Smith, Arkansas’ secretary of health, and Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the Department of Health’s medical director for immunizations, held a moderately attended press conference last Monday. He got better coverage this week when he and Gov. Asa Hutchinson publicly received their flu shots.

Last year, 48.8% of Arkansans ages six months and older and 49.2% of Americans were vaccinated.

There were 113 reported influenza deaths in Arkansas last flu season and 228 the season before, which was a really bad one that saw 79,400 die nationwide. Most Arkansans who died last flu season were age 65 and older. Two were children. Five children died the previous season.

Continue reading As flu season nears, officials say shots help →

Everyday low doctor bills at Walmart

Business and economics, Health care

By Steve Brawner, © 2019 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Neither lawmakers nor insurance companies apparently can (or will) find a way to control health care costs, so now we’ll see if the company founded by Sam Walton can help.

Walmart on Sept. 13 opened its first Walmart Health clinic in Georgia, offering primary care, mental health, dental, optical and hearing services. More clinics are coming.

The company that promises “everyday low prices” in its stores says the clinics will offer more affordable health services with upfront costs. Located beside a Walmart Supercenter, the Georgia clinic offers services such as adult physicals for $30 and dental exams with X-rays for $25, as reported by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Patients are told roughly what their visit will cost when they make the appointment.

The nation’s largest private-sector employer, which already subsidizes business and technology college degree paths for employees, also will help them earn health care-related degrees and diplomas. Some of those employees eventually will staff those clinics.

Walmart exists to make money, and there’s a lot to be made in health care. Continue reading Everyday low doctor bills at Walmart →