AirTalk for September 8, 2010

Mercer 10199

California Department of Insurance seeks $9.9 billion from UnitedHealth Group

Is it a case of corporate greed or an insurance department overreaching? California’s Department of Insurance says PacificCare lost thousands of patient documents and failed to pay doctors. They also charge that PacifiCare violated state law nearly 1 million times from 2006 to 2008. What’s going on here? Do these charges have merit? Have you had problems with PacificCare?
Mercer 10200

Empowering patients

Any kind of medical problem, even a minor one, takes a psychological toll. It’s a time when we entrust ourselves to trained medical professionals. Or do we? More and more, people are hitting the Internet and learning everything they can about what ails them. Many doctors bristle at the idea of getting second-guessed by patients and family members in medical decisions. Some find it dangerous for people with no medical training to be looking at unsubstantiated articles on the web for medical advice. Although others welcome the idea of patients getting more familiar with their diseases and working along side physicians in the exploration of treatment options. What’s the right way to empower and advocate for patients, without making a doctor’s job more difficult?
Mercer 10198

Obama is a terrorist-coddling, warmongering, Wall Street-loving, socialistic, Godless, Muslim President – or is he?

Barack Obama has served as President for nearly two years now, but Americans still seem unaware of who Obama truly is, or what his beliefs are. Amongst all the latest polls, his approval rating stands at 47 percent, and as of late, a surprising number of people are questioning his religion. The results from an August Pew research poll showed 18% of Americans believe Obama is a Muslim, even though he has repeatedly stated he is a Christian. Who is the real Obama and what are your thoughts on his presidency so far? Should he do more to control his image?
Mercer 10194

Buck Owens: Inside the private, sensational world of a country star

Buck Owens was the top-selling country artist of the 1960's, and his musical style- called the Bakersfield Sound after his adopted hometown- countered the slick overproduction of Nashville country with electric guitars and a rock and roll backbeat. Later, Owens solidified his celebrity as the co-host of the variety show Hee Haw for 17 years. But behind the "bumpkin" persona perceived onscreen, Owens was a controlling, shrewd businessman with a scandalous appetite for women. In her new biography, Eileen Sisk takes a behind-the-scenes look at the life and career of the country superstar.