Program to Help Retired MDs Enter Primary Care Is Interesting But What All Does the “No Strings Attached” Cover?

<p>I’m sure there are probably quite a few MDs that would entertain <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="130" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sqWnA_55Dew/UitbnTcr1tI/AAAAAAABHpk/nxZWfdfHEgA/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="229" />this idea and there’s the cost of the program, but some <strong>doctors I have spoken to can’t wait to retire to get away from the red tape,</strong> that being the insurance side of it,<strong> the pay for performance metrics, the constant hounding and focus on analytics</strong>.  You do have to address side of it too and when you see articles like the AAFP finding carriers paying doctors less than Medicare and with having to pay $7500 for the course, is there incentive here?  Again as I said “the red tape” is probably a big factor here with making such a decision.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-aafp-confronts-united-healthcare-on.html">The AAFP Confronts United Healthcare On Reimbursements, Some Are Below Medicare Rates In Parts of the US–Payment Algorithms/Formulas Calculated Deep Within IT Infrastructures Do the Job</a></h5> <p>Then there’s also this with insurers looking at doctor’s pay for additional savings…</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/unitedhealthcare-looks-at-doctors-pay.html">UnitedHealthCare Looks at Doctor’s Pay for Savings, Nothing New There Been Doing It for Years But Keep In Mind We Have the Annual Medicare Cut Fix on the Floor Again with Congress–Timing?</a></h5> <p>One doctor in California who fought hard to get patient claims paid actually won a lawsuit against Blue Cross so he could be back in network.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/doctor-wins-38-million-dollar-law-suit.html">Doctor Wins 3.8 Million Dollar Law Suit Against Anthem Blue Cross In California–He Was Turned Away for Challenging Denial of Patient Claims</a></h5> <p><strong>You tell me, how many retired MDs would come back to work with the complexities, contracts and pressure we have out there today?</strong>  The idea of bringing some back of course to help with the shortage is a good ides but will it work?  As with anything too and this is all of us, with age we all have less patience as we age than we did when we are younger and that could be something else to think about here as far as having an impact on whether or not doctors will want to come out retirement if they don’t have to relative to their financial state.  Many independent physicians groups are no longer “independent” and are <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/united-healthcare-acquisition-of.html">either run or owned by an insurance company or one of their subsidiaries.</a>  Lot’s of action today with insurance subsidiaries and where a lot of the models and plans for the money side takes place with algorithms for profit today.  BD</p> <p> <hr />The idea seems to be novel in the medical continuing education sphere. </p> <p>After looking at the program’s website, Dr. George Mejicano, senior associate dean for education at Oregon Health & Science University, said he was not aware of any similar program in operation. </p> <p>“I believe it is unique. I have not heard of another program like that,” Mejicano said. </p> <p>He added that the direct involvement of Bazzo and Norcross, who are known for their work in the PACE program, help provide credibility. </p> <p>“This is a legitimate group with high experience in physician assessment and they’re very well-known,” Mejicano said. </p> <p>“A large percentage said they’d like to come back if they were part time, no nights, no weekends, no financial responsibilities such as paying for medical malpractice insurance, rent and overhead,” Glass said. </p> <p>Glass is betting that his program, which costs $7,500, will appeal to surgeons and other types of specialists who have kept their licenses current in retirement and are itching for a chance to start seeing patients again on their own terms. </p> <p><a href="http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Sep/04/tp-program-seeks-to-help-retired-docs-enter/2/?#article-copy">http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Sep/04/tp-program-seeks-to-help-retired-docs-enter/2/?#article-copy</a></p>

Program to Help Retired MDs Enter Primary Care Is Interesting But What All Does the “No Strings Attached” Cover?

I’m sure there are probably quite a few MDs that would entertain this idea and there’s the cost of the program, but some doctors I have spok...

Read more »

IBM To Move Retired Employees to a Private Health Exchange At the End of the Year, Run by A Public Investor Relations Firm

<p>IBM will give the retired employees a lump sum of cash to<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="78" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ief7oNfoOLI/UirUXzwSt1I/AAAAAAABHpM/ON6rMGIgDrA/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="152" /> spend with the exchange.  We certainly have a number of people in the insurance exchange business.  Here’s one example that was in news earlier this year where a former Humana executive started on, only took 3 employees to get it up and running.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/03/one-more-insurance-exchange-started-by.html">One More Insurance Exchange Started by Former Humana Executive–Currently There Are Over 100 Private Exchanges in Place To Compete With State Exchanges</a></h5> <p>Anyone who is eligible for Medicare fits into the new plan.  I took a quick look at the Towers Watson website who is running the exchange and they do a lot of things with consulting to include alternative capital for insurers, Responding to US Health Care Reform with consulting for employers, Faster and Better Financial Information for Insurers with actuary analytics (similar in math to what quants do) relative to pension funds to help manage hedging operations, controlling healthcare costs with data and analytics, incentive risk assessment, improving employee health and productivity, rethinking retirement financing, using social media to connect with employees, reinsurance needs…and they have the exchange.  I am guessing they have a “loaded” portfolio of all kinds of reports and studies:)</p> <p>In addition there are bids coming in for the re-insurance <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="49" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eKfnRukp_u4/UirUYRPYJ0I/AAAAAAABHpU/JgUxJuf7AmU/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="188" />division of the company at present and they work with actuary contracts, the equivalent of a quant that creates models for retirement funds.  The company is the largest private Medicare exchange  with thousand of of private Medicare plans from 85 insurance carriers.  They have a new web broker contract with the government with CMS, mainly focusing on the employer side.  </p> <p>Anyway, interesting to see a heavily consulting insurance firm in the exchange business , but you know there’s money there and with their actuary services maybe some of it gets rolled in to an over all consulting contract.</p> <p>Some current retirees are concerned as they don’t know what they are going to have to pay and how far the IBM cash provision will go.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=IBM"> <hr />International Business Machines</a> Corp. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=IBM?mod=inlineTicker">IBM -0.61%</a> plans to move about 110,000 retirees off its company-sponsored health plan and instead give them a payment to buy coverage on a health-insurance exchange, in a sign that even big, well-capitalized employers aren't likely to keep providing the once-common benefits as medical costs continue to rise.</p> <p>The move, which will affect all IBM retirees once they become eligible for Medicare, will relieve the technology company of the responsibility of managing retirement health-care benefits. IBM said the growing cost of care makes its current plan unsustainable without big premium increases.</p> <p>IBM told retirees that its current retiree coverage will end for Medicare-eligible retirees after Dec. 31, 2013, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by IBM.</p> <p>Privately run insurance exchanges are starting to find interest from companies looking to control health-care costs for active employees as well. The approach was adopted last year by Sears Holdings Corp. and Darden Restaurants Inc. Many insurers and benefits-consulting firms are setting up such exchanges.</p> <p>Few employees can now count on big companies to provide retirement health care. Only 28% of large companies that offer health benefits to employees offered retiree coverage in 2013, down from 34% in 2006 and 66% in 1988, according to a 2013 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.</p> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323893004579059393251153348.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323893004579059393251153348.html</a></p>

IBM To Move Retired Employees to a Private Health Exchange At the End of the Year, Run by A Public Investor Relations Firm

IBM will give the retired employees a lump sum of cash to spend with the exchange.  We certainly have a number of people in the insurance e...

Read more »

Samsung Adds RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal to Their Lineup on the Smartwatch–Collaboration Among Data & Data Profile Sellers For More Riches/Profits

<p>Here we go again and like I keep saying, this is an epidemic that is cutting at the roots of our economy at some point.  It’s not only in the Healthcare business but it lurks around the financial industry too as it’s such “easy money” and when their data has errors, well they have a never ending pool of free labor, you, to fix their errors after they have made their millions or billions selling your data.  Recently<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="143" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IRGxStJTiLM/Uioj6HXOZWI/AAAAAAABHo8/vysTdPYLlXc/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="192" /> the Financial Times addressed this as well so now I don’t feel so alone and the article was syndicated on a few other place too like Yahoo.  </p> <p><strong>How big of a business is this?  Big enough for all to unite and figure some new math models and algorithms to make even more money.</strong>  This is not an attack but simply stating some facts and it’s up to you as it always to make your decisions today.  Here’s a post I did a while back where SAP wants to unite with Verizon and pretty much do the same thing, run some additional queries to create more “value” or create more buyers you could say, and split the profits on the extra revenue with Verizon, take a look, it’s all around you.  I wrote this post back in June.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/06/so-much-money-and-profit-in-data.html">So Much Money and Profit in the Data Selling, Epidemic, SAP Now Coming in as a Middleman Broker to Interpret Data & Share Profits With Wireless Carriers- Banks/Companies Making Billions</a></h5> <p>So now we have the hardware folks wanting cut perhaps and adding the software.  I really don’t know what the revenue cuts are here but as the old saying goes, “follow the money”..in today’s world you can’t go wrong with that concept for sure. </p> <p>It really is too bad that it seems that the apps and devices either can’t stand alone and make a profit or there’s little bit of greed here too.  If you have watched the news of late, you are seeing that the money in cell phone handsets is decreasing rapidly so income has to come from somewhere, the data.  The marketing has been great and the tools are fine for consumers but there’s that back end action that takes place too.  </p> <p><a href="http://mhealthwatch.com/runkeeper-confirms-unexpected-integration-with-myfitnesspal-20841/">Back in June</a> RunKeeper integrated with MyFitnessPal, and people were amazed that competitors would do this but when they can make money, anything is possible.  Insurance companies want some of this action too and they contribute funding, here’s <a href="http://newshub.aetna.com/press-release/aetna-chairman-and-ceo-mhealth-summit-sneak-peek-passage-virtual-fitness-app-eight-new">Aetna and their “private label” plan called CarePass</a> that has a ton of these folks in there, again they want data.  Insurers are probably both the biggest consumers and<img align="right" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJsy5_-1cPjzaPKJ1bNbOsyA0E5vLocojVTXPwC_UMW1X2avqTmg" style="float: right; display: inline" /> sellers in the data world today.  Data as such is queried to create new “behavioral analytics” and whether or not they are marketed properly and have value is still up in the air as you get the combination of combining credible data with non credible with quants usually using some non linear models looking for connections amongst billions pieces of data.  Inequality by segmentation does exist today and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/modeling-for-inequality-with.html">here’s a great video from Cathy O’Neill</a> who talks about this in her lectures called “Methods of Math Destruction”…good stuff.  Stay tuned for the Q and A for some bonus information on Larry Summers, she used to do his models at DE Shaw.  </p> <p>On the topic of addictive behaviors I thought the timing was pretty good with HHS looking yet one more “app cure” for consumers that they probably won’t use along with the fact that HHS folks don’t touch this stuff themselves with this inpatient addiction treatment.  Apps and and the internet “are” the addiction so an app to help with that?  It’s kind of an oxymoron if you ask me and a bit of <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping</a> present here.  </p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/hospital-in-pennsylvania-opens-first.html">Hospital in Pennsylvania Opens First Inpatient Treatment for Internet Addiction–Was I Correct Back in 2010 When I Stated “Data Addiction Was The Next Upcoming 12 Step Program”</a></strong></h5> <p>There is value out there and I just try and show both sides of it as the value for making profits is definitely there for the data sellers too.  Moving along a little farther with this we end up seeing articles like this with people “my data is out there on the web and I don’t know how it got there”…well here you go for some of the answers.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/data-floating-around-web-and-you-dont.html">Data Floating Around the Web and You Don’t Know How It Got There? Time to License and Excise Tax Data Sellers–Identify “Flawed Data” Epidemic At The Root of the Problem</a></h5> <p>Sadly it kind of comes back to the fact that in the process of trying regulate any of this that the government is no threat to the process as they are still trying to produce low tech solutions to address high tech problems.  If want to venture beyond healthcare a little, this is exactly what you find with Glass-Steagall too.  It’s a band aid partial solution for an epidemic of data selling.  As a side note when it comes to data knowledge I couldn’t help but address the fact that Congress needs help in this area of education and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/senator-john-mccain-another.html">John McCain is the perfect poster child.</a></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/glass-steagall-revival-presents-low.html">Glass-Steagall Revival Presents a “Low Tech” Partial Solution for an Industry that Needs “High Tech” Regulation-Consumers Get 5 More Years of Bank Modeling For Inequality With Segmentation - No Real Regulation In Sight</a></h5> <p>In the finance area and when I look at companies like The Lending Club too I have to look at the impact on data selling there too.<img align="right" height="168" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-09nXp_fAG8Y/UeTR73S6oMI/AAAAAAABHQw/rwg7I_DNvjw/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="178" />  Everyone’s doing it and when you look at their privacy policy, well it’s long, lengthy and confusing and why would they not do it when the banks are making billions doing it. </p> <p> Look at the health insurers buying your Visa and MasterCard records here to see if you are buying a size larger clothes?  Blue Cross said that, not me as their reason for buying the data and experience tells me there’s a lot more analytic going on there more than just to get an idea if you are getting fat.  A data base of such detailed information is not going to be wasted with just one type of query…come on.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/banks-are-actually-just-software.html">I said a while back that banks and insurance companies are just software companies any more</a> with a conversation I had with an incognito banker, he’s on the inside track and knows:)  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/03/insurance-companies-are-buying-up.html">Insurance Companies Are Buying Up Consumer Spending Data-Time is Here to License and Tax the Data Sellers-As Insurers Sell Tons of Data, Gets Flawed Data When Data Buyers Uses Out of Context Too</a></h5> <p>While all of this is going on in the healthcare side about the best we get is <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/speed-up-rate-of-change-in-health.html">“hurry up Health IT”</a> so see what I mean about government and their knowledge being no contest to the math models and algorithms created by private industry and the banks today.  </p> <p><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kBA-dLfLLGU/UIepz3XA3GI/AAAAAAAA_Kk/8WllR3a7ChM/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /></p> <p>Theoretically by hiding and downplaying the revenue derived from data selling and with the efficient use of quant to model and create some algorithms that would do such with marketing only one side of it, this is yet one more opportunity to play around with risk with adding this income to the bottom line as far a better income or in the case of healthcare it could be modeled to show that thing are reducing risk..again it all depends on how it is modeled and marketed out there and we see a ton of marketing.  If you want to see how some of this works, scroll on down to the footer and watch the first video as Professor Siefe does a good job explaining how it works and he also wrote a great book called “Proofiness, the Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception”…just the title of that book could be an alert to let you know this exists:)</p> <p>So with all of this we circle back around to the<img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Do-oIMwDJus/UPoHTSdiyDI/AAAAAAABDMo/H0VlP6da4dA/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> FTC and what they are not doing about it and that would be add a path to regulate.  If you have read this far then you should understand that you need IT infrastructure to regulate anything today and we don’t have it here nor do we have any transparency here and you can pretty much be assured there are lobbyists protecting this interest, it’s a lot of money that goes to corporate profits, easy money when modeled for profit and marketed in such a way that generates usage.  Addiction can make big profits with that type of consumer action.  It’s been done for years now.</p> <p>Not everyone sells data though in this arena and the<img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7DxR57thcZw/UcJrTGpGzVI/AAAAAAABHCI/cujgOS7cBcw/image12.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> Tri-Coder is one as well as <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-computer-is-in-your-sockssensors_2007.html">Sensoria</a> who both relied on crowd funding to move forward.  Sensoria has a sensor that work with the accelerators so you get the best of both worlds without your date being sold.  It’s actually kind of cute with their slogan saying “we sell socks, (with sensors) not your data).  I also understand that their patented sensor will work in all types of other fabrics and clothes and there’s work in progress there.  The folks at Tri-Coder are working not to sell data to further strengthen the doctor-patient relationship as well so both get a tool that is helpful and yet doesn’t doesn’t demand you sell your data soul.  I’m sure there’s a few more out there I have not seen yet.  Sensoria received an unsolicited review from Guy Kawasaki about their product so tech folks are paying attention too.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/06/scanadu-tricoder-scoutone-mhealth.html">Scanadu Tricoder Scout–One mHealth Device Not Selling Data For Profit Goes To Crowdfunding, Will the FDA Consider Privacy in Their Mobile Device Approval System</a></h5> <p>I have had my informal campaign here to excise tax and license the data sellers and I write to the FTC about this too.  With a license, we can identify who the data sellers are as it would require all to identify the kind of data they sell and who they sell to and what<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-94mbf7iq-sQ/UaojZ7zlbUI/AAAAAAABGzc/N8iRiLdWQwc/image%25255B13%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> consumer wouldn’t want to know this, healthcare or the financial business.  A federal website could be set up and the FTC has had some “casual” conversations incorporating some of this.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/one-more-good-reason-to-tax-data.html">Funds raised from excise taxing these folks could be used to supplement funding the FDA and NIH</a> who are all over the news crying for more money and these are “consumer” agencies so keep that in mind. </p> <p>As the epidemic spreads companies and banks are exploring all kinds of routes and here’s an interesting new one with Humana and Eli Lilly partnering up…and the Humana subsidiary page at least says they are in the data selling business.  <strong>Almost gives a new meaning to “drug money”:)</strong></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/pharma-and-health-insurance-companies.html">Pharma and Health Insurance Companies Pairing Up, Humana’s Analytics Subsidiary and Lilly To Figure Out How to Save (Make) Money and Provide Better Patient Care–Selling Research Data That Competes With FDA Sentinel Initiative</a></h5> <p>Anyway stay tuned for even more marketing announcements on how some of these companies will integrate and they may in the process provide you with some addictive data you want and that’s the plan as the consumer sell of this feeds the “quantified self” movement well, which is not all bad but there’s some cross overs to the “over quantified self” in all of it as with anything you have those who take it to the extreme. <strong> When you compare the data sellers apps and devices to those that don’t, the privacy statements of those that don’t sell data are pretty simple…a few lines basically saying “we don’t sell your data” versus looking through 1-10 pages of a complex privacy statement.</strong></p> <p>I try to offer education here as best I can rather than promote “bliss” or create OMG or Soap opera type articles so they are not as exciting as what else you might read out there and some of this stuff is scary too, scare me enough to write about it:)  There’s also this <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/algo-duping-plos-one-journal.html">Plos One study,</a> <img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DmIYGUUAP2w/Ud4kW_e7eyI/AAAAAAABHNA/e24ZgG3M9hU/image%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />which I wrote about kind of tongue and cheek but the more I see today with <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping</a>, it really does confirm what a lot of mathematicians say, consumers don’t like math and this study one step further and says is gives you real physical pain..so something to it..maybe:)  We know one thing is that Wall Street feels no pain and got over it a long time ago, dollar show it:)</p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/data-selling-game-now-exploits-non.html">Look at this game called Data Dealer,</a> created by someone in the know to exploit and educate all on what’s going behind closed server doors.  The folks that did this are technologists conveying a message ; like I’m doing here, you can clearly see that in how they created the video.  Well done and to the point.</p> <p><strong>So this the the call of action for the FTC  and Congress to get out of low tech solutions and maybe get some knowledgeable Quants on board that can enlighten them and the rest of the government entities</strong> (besides the NSA as they have themselves already covered:) and get with the program of less bliss, more education and better consumer efforts that <img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9yH5tRIAip0/Uc-Kpm6i8LI/AAAAAAABHIc/e2V2CizVTWo/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />will use some high tech solutions here instead of partial band aid<strong> low tech solutions that private industry just models the heck out of to find loopholes and keep the data selling game alive.  You get some real action looking for high tech solutions and you won’t have <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/senator-john-mccain-another.html">John McCain siting around bored playing poker</a> as often.   </strong></p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/ftc-tries-to-bring-strong-case-for.html">FTC Tries to Bring Strong Case for Consumer Protections With Use of Data–But Nothing About Creating IT Infrastructure Path to Allow Regulation–Gov Can’t or Won’t Model?</a></strong></h5> <p>Anyway with this current announcement (and no picking on Samsun directly as the cast of characters here with data selling is so large) this is what to expect, more of this and more of your data and data profiles out there and private industry socking more money away with bigger profits…software builds on software and in this case it’s money building on intangible algorithms with more money.  BD</p> <p><a href="http://mobihealthnews.com/25240/samsung-adds-runkeeper-myfitnesspal-to-smartwatch/">http://mobihealthnews.com/25240/samsung-adds-runkeeper-myfitnesspal-to-smartwatch/</a></p>

Samsung Adds RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal to Their Lineup on the Smartwatch–Collaboration Among Data & Data Profile Sellers For More Riches/Profits

Here we go again and like I keep saying, this is an epidemic that is cutting at the roots of our economy at some point.  It’s not only in th...

Read more »

Doctor From New Jersey Identified As The Tip Off in the SAC Insider Trading Investigation-Alzheimer Clinical Trial Information

<p>In reading this article if they have tracked what is said here, this looks like a pretty strong case, especially as the old saying goes,<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oTCpQmCZlWE/Uik8aelWC0I/AAAAAAABHos/9nZOwX2PTt0/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="116" /> you follow the money.  One of the advisers from SAC is charged with Inside Trading and now the sources of where his information came from is rolling out.  </p> <p>Doctors, when they get involved with investors seem to have a big way of getting in trouble.  If you go to the doctor’s website, <a href="http://www.memorycenternj.com/drross">Memory Enhancement Centers,</a>  here’s his brief profile as listed:</p> <p><em>“Joel S. Ross, MD, FACP, AGSF, CMD, CPI, is a primary care geriatrician, Principal Investigator, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer at the Memory Enhancement Center of America, Inc. in Eatontown, New Jersey. He is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Mt Sinai School of Medicine, and at the School of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey in Stratford. He is also President and Founder of the Memory Enhancement Center of New Jersey, Inc. in Toms River and of the Memory Center of New Jersey in Monroe Township. Dr. Ross received his medical degree from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. He then completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Nassau County Medical Center in East Meadow, New York, where he was Chief Resident, and a fellowship in the Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, New York. Dr. Ross is a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners and of the American Board of Internal Medicine with added qualification in Geriatric Medicine.</em></p> <p><iframe style="height: 274px; width: 426px" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1z0d3fBGWTo" frameborder="0" width="420" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>It sounds like he has years of work related to Alzheimer's research and treatment.  Kind of sad if this is all true as his future may not be so bright. </p> <p><strong>There’s also a second doctor or researcher Sid Gilman and he’s agreed to work with the government and has a non prosecution agreement and is a neurologist overseeing trials who worked at the University of Michigan.</strong>  Gilman passed the information along to the SAC broker that it was going to fail, so what does a hedge fund do?  The sold the stock short, almost all $700 million the fund owned.  This stands to be one the biggest cases of inside trading against an individual filed.  BD  </p> <hr />Former SAC Capital Advisors LP manager Mathew Martoma, charged with trading on illicit tips on an Alzheimer’s drug, got some of his information from New Jersey physician Joel Ross, two people familiar with the matter said. <p>Ross is the physician identified in the revised indictment against Martoma filed Aug. 22 as Doctor-2, who prosecutors said provided confidential information to Martoma about a drug trial in July 2008, said the people with knowledge of the investigation who weren’t authorized to speak because it isn’t public. </p> <p>Ross, a geriatrician and clinical associate professor of medicine at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, is the founder and chief executive officer of Memory Enhancement Centers in Eatontown, New Jersey, according to his website. </p> <p>The U.S. alleged Martoma used the information from the two doctors, who were involved in the trial of bapineuzumab, or “bapi,” to help the hedge fund make $276 million by trading in shares of Elan Corp. (<a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=ELN:US">ELN:US</a>) and Wyeth LLC. The government has called it the biggest criminal insider-trading case against an individual in history. </p> <p>In the SAC indictment, prosecutors claimed that two unidentified SAC health-care analysts exchanged e-mails with Cohen on April 11, 2008, and the next day about information they’d gotten through a paid consultation with an unidentified clinical investigator on the trial of the Alzheimer’s drug. </p> <p>In mid-July 2008, Gilman passed Martoma secret data showing that bapi failed to halt progression of Alzheimer’s in patients in the clinical test, the U.S. said. </p> <p>When Martoma learned that Wyeth and Elan would report negative data on the drug, Martoma had a 20-minute phone call with Cohen, according to the government. The hedge fund owner, at Martoma’s recommendation, sold almost all of the fund’s $700 million position in Elan and Wyeth, then sold the stock short, prosecutors said. </p> <p><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-05/sac-insider-case-second-tipper-said-to-be-new-jersey-doctor-1">http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-05/sac-insider-case-second-tipper-said-to-be-new-jersey-doctor-1</a></p>

Doctor From New Jersey Identified As The Tip Off in the SAC Insider Trading Investigation-Alzheimer Clinical Trial Information

In reading this article if they have tracked what is said here, this looks like a pretty strong case, especially as the old saying goes, yo...

Read more »

Doctor Sings the Obamacare Blues, Talking About “The Elephant in the Exam Room”…Video

<p>This is actually pretty good and yes there’s a couple flashes of ads in here for <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pkw-TJT7yG8/Uiido_KnjII/AAAAAAABHoc/WiXP-M4vy4k/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="148" />his book called Elephants in the Exam Room , we all know doctors are looking for extra income today since their compensation is being cut right and left and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-aafp-confronts-united-healthcare-on.html">some even get paid less than Medicare</a> by some insurers…cute song! </p> <p> I like the “jump start” of the doctors at the beginning of the video.  The book is said to focus on all the standards doctors have to meet today and how they get kicked around and it’s those analytical algorithms (aka the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms</a>)  doing the segmentation for payer approval and compensation.  If you don’t know what inequality is with segmentation <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/modeling-for-inequality-with.html">watch this video</a> as insurers are “supposed” to be doing in reverse but they don’t.  </p> <p>I think probably a possible message here with Obamacare to ask is<strong> “what in the world have these insurance companies evolved to be”</strong> that we are going to required to pay for our healthcare, you think? <strong> Are they just software companies like the banks?</strong>  <u>Maybe this is what is upsetting us more than Obamacare you think?</u>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/banks-are-actually-just-software.html">Banks Are Actually Just Software Companies and the Same Can Pretty Much Be Said for Health Insurance Companies As Well-5 Unspoken Reasons Tech Projects Fail</a></h5> <p>How many <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/health-insurance-business-under-radar.html">subsidiary companies</a> do insurers own and what do they do, breathtaking?  You can almost pretty much safely say the insurance business is not the way it was a few years ago and granted technology <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iAYIxCUQzBg/UV2UCP7NHQI/AAAAAAABGWM/TQKKLzd0GCk/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />affects every business but<strong> when will segmentation obtain some balance and accountability of the math models and formulas used in healthcare </strong>as insurance companies have hundred of Quants they hire to build them and accountability is rarely questioned.</p> <p> Sadly the government has been no match for the math and formulas being used as first of all they don’t even publicly admit it exists, scary and we keep getting pushed on the <strong>app delusion</strong> that they can cure all, just <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/sebelius-has-bees-in-her-bonnetgiving.html">shove more apps out there to consumers as a fix,</a> Algo Duping at HHS is somewhat accelerated.    Just look at want ads anywhere for insurers…jobs for tons of analytic folks working off of who knows what kind of math models, they are hidden in code:)  </p> <p><iframe style="height: 261px; width: 458px" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/S86P5ejdsqU" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>If you get confused by all the reports and marketing and other things <img align="right" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJsy5_-1cPjzaPKJ1bNbOsyA0E5vLocojVTXPwC_UMW1X2avqTmg" style="float: right; display: inline" />you see out there today, <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">visit the Algo Duping page</a> or scroll to the footer of this page for a few of the same videos for a look from a different perspective and and become a skeptic if you think something is not right, never hurts to ask for sure.  </p> <p>It is fact today that we lack the number of people required<img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DmIYGUUAP2w/Ud4kW_e7eyI/AAAAAAABHNA/e24ZgG3M9hU/image%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> that know how to efficiently deal with the “flawed data” that is on the rise, basically due to the data selling epidemic we have in the US, where everyone wants their algorithms to make easy money for them.  It’s been exploited too with a game called <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/data-selling-game-now-exploits-non.html">“Data Dealers”</a> and this too impacts a lot of the analytics you see out there today, <strong>so become a skeptic when you need to be.</strong> </p> <p> The video is done well with some parodies (buy medical records from a disgruntled nurse and sell them, set up websites, hack the other data brokers on so on). BD</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S86P5ejdsqU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S86P5ejdsqU</a></p>

Doctor Sings the Obamacare Blues, Talking About “The Elephant in the Exam Room”…Video

This is actually pretty good and yes there’s a couple flashes of ads in here for his book called Elephants in the Exam Room , we all know do...

Read more »

New Non Surgical Procedure “Zeutering” Sterilizes Male Dogs–Is This a Michelson Prize Contestant Or At Least an Honorable Mention From Dr. Gary Michelson?

<p>I have written about Gary Michelson here a few times and he’s a bit of a hero as well as a wealthy man these days for taking on Medtronic years ago<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="129" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-s-8i2F2T-Ms/UieOn5Lr9XI/AAAAAAABHoM/IL6z0qNvUFw/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="124" /> for violating his patents, and he won big.  When I read this article I immediately thought of his prize contest for non surgical sterilization of animals.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/dr-gary-k-michelson-with-philanthropy.html">Dr. Gary K. Michelson With Philanthropy, Pets and One Who Won over Big Business</a></h5> <p>Here’s my original post from 2008 which at the time I found it entertaining as it came the day after the Wellpoint/Blue Cross X-Prize  farce wanting to hand out $10 Million to solve healthcare and it doesn’t take a brain surgeon today to see how much of a farce it was, but I did back then and thought the $25 million prize as Dr. Michelson offered was great and he said himself $10 million was not enough to get people<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4TmknRP4YCw/TjmtxqOnV3I/AAAAAAAA2uk/4tfoeRb_Qr8/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> interested but $25 million, they get interested:)  <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/michelson-prize/michelson-prize-criteria">Here’s a link</a> to the full criteria for the prize.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/75-million-prize-for-way-to-sterilize.html">$75 Million Prize for a way to sterilize pets – a one-time non-surgical means to sterilize male and female cats and dogs</a></h5> <p>Now this story says they only do male dogs so far so that leaves female dogs and both sexes of cats still needing a solution.  If these folks are not a full on winner they deserve something at least for their progress in this fields.  It mentions that the dogs may still show aggressive behavior and such though and I had dogs that have been neutered too where that doesn’t go away, both male and female so there’s no perfect answer on that one and it works the same way for humans come to think of it:)</p> <p>The video below gives more details on how this works, good stuff and as the article states, the male dogs can cosmetically still look like they have balls so we have that side addressed with our pets now:)  BD</p> <p><embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" scale="noscale" salign="lt" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&&contentValue=50154325&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57601362/new-non-surgical-procedure-zeutering-offers-alternative-to-neutering-for-dogs/" /></embed></p> <p> <hr />A new non-surgical procedure to sterilize male dogs is gaining attention in the Inland Empire, but some say it may not offer the same benefits as surgical neutering.</p> <p><a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/09/03/new-procedure-offers-alternative-to-surgical-neutering-for-male-dogs/">CBS Los Angeles reports</a> that the Humane Society of San Bernardino is the first place to offer the procedure called "Zeutering." It provides chemical sterilization to male dogs by injecting the chemical Zeuterin into their reproductive organs.</p> <p>"The reason that we started using it here at the Humane Society and offering it to clients is for those clients who like the cosmetic appearance of an intact male dog," said Dr. Amy Raines.</p> <p>The procedure is non-invasive, according to Dr. Raines, and dogs are lightly sedated but do not require general anesthesia. The procedure costs about the same as surgical neutering.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57601362/new-non-surgical-procedure-zeutering-offers-alternative-to-neutering-for-dogs/">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57601362/new-non-surgical-procedure-zeutering-offers-alternative-to-neutering-for-dogs/</a></p>

New Non Surgical Procedure “Zeutering” Sterilizes Male Dogs–Is This a Michelson Prize Contestant Or At Least an Honorable Mention From Dr. Gary Michelson?

I have written about Gary Michelson here a few times and he’s a bit of a hero as well as a wealthy man these days for taking on Medtronic ye...

Read more »

Senator John McCain: Another Demonstration of Why Congress Should Reinstitute the Office of Technology Assessment, When Education Takes Place, Less Distractions With Boredom And More Respect for Consumers…

<p>Yes it has been all over the news and yesterday when I saw the tweet, I tweeted and thought his Twitter account had been hacked..nope…it was him, bragging on how he got busted.  What a discourtesy to all of us and we keep seeing it but maybe not quite as outrageous as this, the response “bragging” is what the real impact was, like a kid who got busted, so what do we have in DC, a bunch of kids at heart?  Is this as good as it gets?  </p> <p><img align="left" alt="McCain" border="0" height="157" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NsDpALgLGqE/UidtJqcuTMI/AAAAAAABHn8/YqWfYrr21wo/McCain%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="McCain" width="467" /></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>The Office of Technology Assessment is non partisan tool that Gingrich and his bunch got rid of a number of years ago and now with complexities at an all time high and education being the focus, it boggles my mind why we have role models like this, you think?  This is why you can’t expect  more than “low tech partial band aid solutions” for high tech problems that need to be solved.  The folks are out of touch.  A good example of this is the Glass Steagall bill to bring it back and certainly it’s better than nothing but it’s low tech problem solving that is inadequate for high tech problems. <strong>These folks on the Hill are no competition for the thousands of Quants and Business Analytics experts out there modeling for profit, it shows big time.</strong></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/glass-steagall-revival-presents-low.html">Glass-Steagall Revival Presents a “Low Tech” Partial Solution for an Industry that Needs “High Tech” Regulation-Consumers Get 5 More Years of Bank Modeling For Inequality With Segmentation - No Real Regulation In Sight</a></h5> <p>Part of the issue too lies with what I call “non participation” and I have been using the term “non participants” for a number of years and<strong> it goes hand in hand with the old paradigm of “its for those guys over there”,<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKYXI9HNaQI/AAAAAAAAh1M/7da7_nnWx-c/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />  </strong>I read it loud and clear in the news all the time.  Might the fact that 84% of the Senators still use all paper methodologies for all their work when the Senate makes digital systems available?  I assume McCain is a “paper senator” from what I read.  This gets really interesting though when “Paper Senators” discuss doctors transitioning to electronic medical records…oh the gap shows big time:)  The Daily Show report on this….</p> <p><iframe height="288" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=4br0ulgc3oh0bjjcv2khda&partner=aol&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.hulu.com%2fwatch%2f529633" frameborder="0" width="422" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><strong>We hear the conversation all the time about “paper doctors” who have not moved on to electronic medical records and now we have “paper senators” discussing “paper doctors” and how to improve things, sounds like big oxymoron to me:)</strong></p> <p>The Office of Technology restoration is a project of the Sunlight Foundation and boy have I written about it, tweeted it and more, because it’s needed and Congress could certainly entertain sharing it too with executive heads out there as it would be a huge tool to help educate those in DC.  Here’s where I first wrote about it back in February of this year.  Why overlook and discount such a valuable tool I ask?  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/congress-needs-bigger-brainrestore_18.html">Congress Needs a Bigger Brain–Restore the Office of Technology Assessment And Truly Assess What is Useful And Remove The Algo Duping Permeating In Government–Fantasy Perceptions That Are Not Real Can Be A Dangerous Thing</a></h5> <p>I would like to see a government that doesn’t get <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duped</a> as often as it affects all of us and the result is the Attack of the Killer Algorithms as I call it with every day examples of how it hurts<img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CsUU6wynxX4/UKnavD-v1UI/AAAAAAAA_9M/80h6yd2nemA/image%25255B17%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> consumers.  There is a reason for a lot this though as this PLOS One study pointed out and yes I published my opinion with a little satire in there just due to the nature of the study with math causing real physical pain to humans..full on study with MRI images and all.  I think there’s a lot of pain in Washington, do you?  I feel their pain everyday in how it affects me as a consumer:)  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/algo-duping-plos-one-journal.html">“Algo Duping” – PLOS One Journal Publication Explains Why The Fear of Math Plays a Big Role As One Underlying Reason We All Get Duped And Those Who Don’t Fear Math Take All the Money, Gradually, Using “Mathematical Formulas & Algorithms”</a></h5> <p>This professor agrees with me about Algo Duping….a tweet…</p> <p><img height="132" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kBA-dLfLLGU/UIepz3XA3GI/AAAAAAAA_Kk/8WllR3a7ChM/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="477" /></p> <p>If we could get some folks educated in DC maybe they would have a better understanding of how more sophisticated Algo Duping takes place..another PLOS One on the manipulation of “P” values with research…how many Senators know what a “P” value is..this explains a bit at the link below..do they need to know about what it is, sure they do as they make laws regarding such topics. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/11/plos-one-abstractmethodology-for.html">PLOS One Abstract–Methodology for Detecting Manipulation of “P Values” To Show Significant Statistical Value, “Inappropriate Fiddling” Which Can Lead to “Algo Duping” Situations And Numbers</a></h5> <p>This entire scenario is really sad as it was like school child that got caught..I would like to think that mentalities are higher in DC, but stuff like this kind of sets me back with my perceptions.  Let’s embed one of the best education videos I have on the Algo Duping page and take a look at this will explain how it works and how all get duped…the old saying of “throw numbers at them” still prevails, whether the numbers are correct or skewed either on purpose or by accident.  The topic of the video is it’s all about context and the context in DC is pretty scary as the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/sebelius-has-bees-in-her-bonnetgiving.html">duping continues in way too many areas.</a>  </p> <p><iframe style="height: 274px; width: 458px" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qiQwZ6inbOM" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>I always say education is the best cure and what’ wrong with more of that taking place with lawmakers?  We might see more interests in many topics discussed on the floors of the House and Senate if they were armed with more education instead of having to guess or get bored as again most lawmakers are no competition for all the Quants, analysts and other mathematical model builders employed by the banks and corporate structures..boy does it show, again just read the title of this blog post:)  </p> <p>A long time ago and there are several posts on this blog about the idea of Congress using IBM Watson to search and get the<a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html"><img align="right" border="0" height="90" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6HDDm04lOwA/Ts0zq-EuFHI/AAAAAAAA4d8/nMT-KL0JEDY/image_thumb%25255B12%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" width="193" /></a> information they need.  They didn’t see it as a tool to help them either, but Citibank did and is making more money than ever-see any correlation here with how data is used?  This post was from 2012 and there several more before that one on the same topic.  Watson would allow for speech recognition to let the paper senators and representatives to also participate and get them up to snuff even though they are still stuck on paper.  This post was Chapter 22 of <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">my Attack of the Killer Algorithm series.</a> </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/ibm-watson-going-to-work-at-citigroup.html">IBM Watson Going to Work At Citigroup on Wall Street–Congress Didn’t See Big Data As A Tool (Hadoop Framework) When They Had Their Chance…For Consumers The Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Chapter 22</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/ibm-watson-capabilities-being-pitched.html">IBM Watson Capabilities Being Pitched to Financial Industry-Congress Must Not Have Felt They Needed This So Further Behind We Fall With Effective Intelligent Lawmaking</a></h5> <p>In the footer of this blog I feature some basic education videos that explain the IT infrastructures used today and when you read the news, hardly any journalists discuss this intelligently from the education side, we just get the OMG, witch hunts, drama queens/kings, and soap opera versions, which I get as journalists today are graded on the read they get and this sucks people in so they need their jobs to meet those “hit” goals on their stories for a lot of it.  </p> <p>So in summary I guess this is as good as it gets,<img align="right" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTmQCQK-KLTS53DO5NRDgnVJnvbZij8gQTou-YVM2Dy6Lg6HSWrtQ" style="float: right; display: inline" /> right?  In my own heart of trying to help consumers with education material I look at what I saw yesterday as a real set back and basically exposed some attitudes and paradigms that get hidden from us most of the time.</p> <p>Would it be nice if Senator McCain after this would drive an effort for better education in DC?  Again he was not even embarrassed and bragged about it…big disappointment to me as that’s not what I expect from the people we elect and appoint to represent us…kind of a slap in the face and the reality of what’s there it appears.  So we can count on a future of continued “low tech solutions for high tech problems” I guess. </p> <p>Sad it has to be this way but the role models we have not been very effective, and that is non partisan.  Math models that “behave badly” (his book)to quote Emanuel Derman (former Goldman Sachs quant, now a university professor) and the “Weapons of Math Destruction” (Cathy O’Neil former quant for Larry Summers” will continue to prevail.  </p> <p><strong>It’s a fixable problem, education but nobody seems to be interested.  (Videos in the footer)  BD</strong></p>

Senator John McCain: Another Demonstration of Why Congress Should Reinstitute the Office of Technology Assessment, When Education Takes Place, Less Distractions With Boredom And More Respect for Consumers…

Yes it has been all over the news and yesterday when I saw the tweet, I tweeted and thought his Twitter account had been hacked..nope…it was...

Read more »

United Protesting Yet Another Contract Award–State of Georgia Where They Claim “It Was Rigged”…

<p>Here we go again and there sure seems to be quite a few of these contract stories in the news of late.  You know folks might be afraid to ask the company to bid?  The contract was awarded to Blue Cross, <img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GPn1iE76d3k/T5D3QJ8PWFI/AAAAAAAA6jk/kMvDzt1Smc0/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />which by the way seems to be the competition where United seems to be protesting.  We all remember United sued the DOD to get the west coast Tri-Care contract a short while back and we have never heard as to why and what the outcome was other than DOD gave United the contract.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/update-unitedhealthcare-sues-department.html">Update: UnitedHealthcare Sues Department of Defense Over Tri-Care Contracts–They Said They Would Do This – Is This A Case Of My Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?</a></h5> <p>A couple weeks ago, they filed suit against the City of Birmingham.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/united-healthcare-files-lawsuit-against.html">United Healthcare Files Lawsuit Against the City of Birmingham Disputing Contract Award To Blue Cross</a></h5> <p>Louisiana rejected the United protest  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/state-of-louisiana-rejects-united.html">State of Louisiana Rejects United Healthcare’s Protest Over Awarding Blue Cross/Blue Shield Contract To Manage State Employee Health Insurance–Battle of the Insurance Algorithms Continues..</a></h5> <p>This case was different but it’s a dispute between a government contractor and United for non payment of premiums..</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/united-healthcare-sues-government.html">United Healthcare Sues Government Contractor, Paragon for Unpaid Health Insurance Premiums</a></h5> <p>Last year a protest in Texas over a contract award where Blue Cross was protesting as the contract gave members literally no out of Network with United</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/blue-cross-protesting-award-of-texas.html">Blue Cross Protesting Award of Texas Employee Retirement Health Plan to United Healthcare–Price Cut by $25 Million With Little or No Out of Network Coverage for Members</a></h5> <p>This was from last year as well in Nebraska…</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/blue-cross-and-united-healthcare-duking.html">Blue Cross and United Healthcare Duking It Out In Nebraska Over State Health Insurance Contract–We Have More Subsidiaries My Cost Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?</a></h5> <p>This is interesting as United Contracts are tested all the time and complaints arise and AAFP found out that United  by use of complex contracts was <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-aafp-confronts-united-healthcare-on.html">paying doctors less than Medicare in several states.</a>  BD</p> <p> <hr />UnitedHealthcare has filed a strongly worded protest of the awarding of a state employees benefits contract, alleging that Georgia officials “rigged’’ the bid in favor of a competitor.</p> <p>A letter from United and its attorneys at law firms Alston & Bird and McKenna, Long & Aldridge asks the Department of Community Health’s commissioner to review the award made to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, which was formally announced Friday.</p> <p>The attorneys’ letter, dated Monday, alleges the agency engaged in “state-sponsored bid-rigging.’’</p> <p>Blue Cross was the single insurer selected to deliver health plan administration and medical management services to the more than 650,000 state employees, teachers, other school personnel, retirees and dependents in the State Health Benefit Plan.</p> <p>United’s protest letter accuses the Department of Community Health (DCH) of engaging “in a biased, unfair, opaque, and uncompetitive process more like the ‘old Georgia’ of backroom deals and shady politics than a state government that, at least on the surface, claims to value free and open competition.</p> <p>Separately, he said, United has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and an injunction in Fulton County Superior Court. </p> <p><a href="http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2013/08/united-claims-blue-cross-special-favors/">http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2013/08/united-claims-blue-cross-special-favors/</a></p>

United Protesting Yet Another Contract Award–State of Georgia Where They Claim “It Was Rigged”…

Here we go again and there sure seems to be quite a few of these contract stories in the news of late.  You know folks might be afraid to as...

Read more »

Sebelius Has Bees in Her Bonnet–Giving A Contract to Good Data to Mine HHS Employees Data So We Can See What They Think? Who Cares…Algo Duping Strikes Again…

<p><strong>HHS is </strong>using Yammer, a good internal social networking program for sure and it’s very helpful, but this is waste of time and if you want to know, why not use Yammer’s analytics…oh well such is life when you have someone in charge with little or no tech in their background. <img align="right" height="183" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TdYNiZF0RQI/AAAAAAAAxks/UEJVJ2qMb7Y/image%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="149" /> Wonder how the 75,000 employees feel about this…silly.  <strong>She’s been over taken by the NSA stories and hopefully she doesn’t want a little bit of the action (grin), right?</strong></p> <p>I read stuff like this in the news while the pressure is tremendous for doctors and hospitals today and when see this nonsense, all I can say is it time for a change?  Back in June of 2012 we had this…oh gosh technology is going to save us type of new article..</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/06/hhs-secretary-sebelius-still-looking.html">HHS Secretary Sebelius Still Looking for Tech Breakthroughs To Save the Day</a></h5> <p>I’ve said it before and time to say it again we have no substantial role models at HHS, the old paradigm of “its for those guys over there” still permeates.  Don’t these folks think about public perception and images?</p> <p>A couple years ago we had this big deal Facebook contest…for a “disaster app”…I said bees in the bonnet there too and at that time I don’t think she had a clue what Twitter was but has told us now it took her long enough to learn in tweets:)  Everyone else was well into using Twitter for disasters…it’s not that hard to figure out.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/hhs-seems-to-be-confused-on-social.html">HHS Seems To Be Confused on Social Networks–Facebook for Disaster Support Contest, Give Me a Break Use Twitter Like Everyone Else Does</a></h5> <p><strong>Then we had this the request to “hurry up Health IT”<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKYXI9HNaQI/AAAAAAAAh1M/7da7_nnWx-c/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />…everyone wants to do that but it takes time, as HHS has now learned with IT projects with the health insurance exchanges.</strong>  There were a <strong>lot of IT vendors in healthcare that rolled their eyes that bit of brilliance</strong> as every programmer and data project manage want to get done sooner but you can’t water board them to speed it up.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/speed-up-rate-of-change-in-health.html">Speed Up Rate of Change in Health IT?–“Short Order Code Kitchen Burned Down a Few Years Ago and There Was No Fire Sale”..IT Infrastructure Chance and Revisions Takes a Lot of ”Code”, “Time” and “ Most Importantly Money”</a></h5> <p>Then we had this letter sent out to all the hospital associations insinuating all were cheating on their billing just before the election..a lot of people took offense to that with even dragging Holder in there too, I guess to show more teeth, best I could figure <strong>but it was an over all slap in the face to the industry, so I guess they don’t think about perception and how people view things as such</strong>.  Even some folks at Harvard complained on that one.   No example was brought to the table either, just kind of saying “you all better not lie”…sad.  <strong>Holder had his own issues with <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-untouchables-too-big-to-jail.html">digital Illiterate Lanny</a> going too and all you had to do listen for 5 minutes to the Untouchables and you could see and hear the lack of confidence as he was over his head with not knowing how to investigate high tech crimes</strong>.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/hhs-and-doj-send-letters-to-hospital.html">HHS and DOJ Send Letters to Hospital Trade Associations Warning of Gaming Billing System Via Use of Electronic Medical Records–Hospitals Just Learned How to Bill Better & Hired Consultants–Case of Being Algo Duped With Numbers?</a></h5> <p>In the meantime we had HCA bragging about their billing and how it was gaining profits for them…but nobody looking around over there though..</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-is-hca-for-profit-hospital-chain.html">How is HCA a For Profit Hospital Chain, Making All That Money–Billing in the ER a Contributing Factor for Reimbursements–The Algorithms Move Money and Created Some Very Large Profits And Others Generated ER Care Parameters for the Facilities</a></h5> <p>Here’s what I said with my tiny observations back in 2010…this how I saw it and still see it…”no role models at HHS”…it is what it is..</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/06/hhs-national-plan-to-improve-health.html">HS National Plan to Improve Health Literacy – Not Going To Happen Until We Focus on Using Technology (The Tool for Literacy) Which Includes Role Models at HHS And Other Places in Government</a></h5> <p><strong>This is kind of sad as I call it a lot of Algo Duping here to where folks get mislead or basically are just addicted to collecting data.</strong>  I questioned these 2 back in 2009 (link below) wondering if they had enough or just a tiny bit of tech<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-K1o4j65QeXM/USKdyCUkMnI/AAAAAAABFRI/_fd174NJuUY/image9.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> or business intelligence to be able t determine what has value and what does not and in addition to the quantified self today, we also have the over quantified self.  Good data, the company chosen for analytics markets the fact that they can give you better analytics than Yammer itself, which is owned by Microsoft.  We all need cheerleaders but we also need logic and business intelligence as well.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/nancy-ann-deparle-and-kathleen-sebelius.html">Nancy-Ann DeParle and Kathleen Sebelius – Business Intelligence?</a></h5> <p>This is nothing personal and tech folks besides me sit and shakes their heads too and just don’t talk about it.   I thought this rather proved that point with wanting an app to help with addictions, well internets and apps are addictions too..there you go and algo duped oxymoron for sure.  There is not app for internet/app addiction and 65 to 69% of mobile apps are dead anyway.</p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/hospital-in-pennsylvania-opens-first.html">Hospital in Pennsylvania Opens First Inpatient Treatment for Internet Addiction–Was I Correct Back in 2010 When I Stated “Data Addiction Was The Next Upcoming 12 Step Program”</a></strong></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/apps-aps-everywhere-but-nobody-caresway.html">Apps Aps Everywhere But Nobody Cares–Way Too Many Software Programs and Contests For Programs That Only Do “One Thing” In Healthcare</a></h5> <p>When you look at the hundreds of quants and professional folks doing analytics to cut costs and save money, creating math models to do so by the minute, this kind of nonsense looks silly as we all know that all models don’t tell the truth and they hurt consumers and again this kind of stuff just points to the fact that all of this seems to way over their heads. Watch the 4 videos in the footer if you want to understand more of how that works, it’s just the flat out truth and reality and a bit about how we all get duped.  <strong>Some folks think every query, or piece of code has value, it does not, and that’s where the easy duping comes in</strong>.</p> <p>With the insurance exchanges too I guess Deparle didn't find enough fun in healthcare either and wanted to go back to PE where the fun was according to the interview given.  <strong>It was embarrassing to hear her state in the news that “the IT work is all done for the exchanges”…see how out of touch.</strong>  When you don’t know, better to be quiet as it hurts credibility.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/nancy-deparle-returns-to-what-she-knows.html">Nancy DeParle Returns to What She Knows, Private Equity-Technology Experience, Knowledge And Being In Touch With Reality Is What Government Needs Today</a></h5> <p>Yes Indeed a new focus here, let’s dig in here and find some data…and you can see how the epidemic of data selling has it’s impact too, everyone thinks they need all this data…and nobody seeing the real damage done.  This HHS thing is a prime example of a lot of <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping</a> going on.</p> <p><img height="128" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTE55s0FvLA3I00pwBrYjdN2lOJm6Wn7sGG_hGYajZvQBFvII6soA" width="449" /></p> <p>We have had other blunders too like John Kerry saying we have the right to be stupid…sounds like a George Bush comment…laughable yes, makes sense..nope.  On the hill we can’t even get the folks to educate themselves..<strong>and we have this bragging tweet today from John McCain that he got busted playing poker on his phone during a Senate hearing.</strong>  Is it all just about games in DC?  </p> <p>This is pathetic and I don’t even think they care about how they are viewed and what they all really do in public service today.  This is what we are somewhat stuck with.   <strong>84% which is 84 senators still use all paper methodologies for this reporting and McCain must be one of the cavemen I guess.</strong>  The link below has a lot to say too as good suggestion to help educate Congress.  BD</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/congress-needs-bigger-brainrestore_18.html">Congress Needs a Bigger Brain–Restore the Office of Technology Assessment And Truly Assess What is Useful And Remove The Algo Duping Permeating In Government–Fantasy Perceptions That Are Not Real Can Be A Dangerous Thing</a></h5> <p> <hr />The Health and Human Services Department plans to mine data from its internal social network, including deducing employee’s emotions and sentiments, <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=92b1fe70d85593e4aab72d8585924bdc&tab=core&_cview=0">contracting documents</a> show.</p> <p>Health and Human Services began using the internal social networking site Yammer in late 2012, according to a department <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/working-better/social-networking-internal-communications.html">blog post</a>. The Facebook-like network is open to all the department’s 75,000 employees, the post said. It’s focused on helping employees better engage with each other across divisions and informally crowdsourcing solutions to workflow issues.</p> <p>HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ office plans to award a three-month contract to the California-based business intelligence company <a href="http://www.gooddata.com/what-is-gooddata/">GoodData</a> to sift through information posted to Yammer to determine employees’ sentiment on particular topics and to learn which topics are trending on the site. </p> <p><a href="http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2013/09/what-do-hhs-employees-really-think-agency-will-pay-data-miners-find-out/69864/" title="http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2013/09/what-do-hhs-employees-really-think-agency-will-pay-data-miners-find-out/69864/">http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2013/09/what-do-hhs-employees-really-think-agency-will-pay-data-miners-find-out/69864/</a></p>

Sebelius Has Bees in Her Bonnet–Giving A Contract to Good Data to Mine HHS Employees Data So We Can See What They Think? Who Cares…Algo Duping Strikes Again…

HHS is using Yammer, a good internal social networking program for sure and it’s very helpful, but this is waste of time and if you want to ...

Read more »

Cigna Buys Alegis Care aka Home Physicians Management From Private Equity Firm Triton Pacific, Senior Home Care And Hospital Discharge Home Services

<p>You can kind of figure out what this one is about as when you look at ACOs today the insurers are in the driver’s seat so Cigna is no different and the focus here is to also reduce readmissions to the hospital.  You can read on their website about their <a href="http://www.alegiscare.com/managed-care-services">marketing targets for HMOs</a>.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="45" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d01XCw604WY/UiaDjP76BRI/AAAAAAABHms/EFBRpMKIRS8/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="173" />  Their focus is the elderly to offer home service care.  </p> <p>They also offer <a href="http://www.alegiscare.com/medical-professionals/hospice">services to help with hospice care</a> follow up so gee will they be working with United’s Hospice for profit along the line?  As you can see all the actions are taking place with insurer subsidiaries.  At some point one subsidiary of an insurers works with a subsidiary or more from another insurer these days. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/hospice-in-for-profit-sector-as.html">Hospice In the “For Profit” Sector As Subsidiaries of Health Insurance Companies-Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>The physicians are managed by Alegis and offer primary care, wound care, and a list of other chronic conditions.  I wonder how the contract are here and they might change with an insurer owning the company now, that’s what all the doctors are wondering.  From the website: </p> <p><em>“Founded and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Alegis Care and its providers deliver direct patient care in the home from locations across the country, including Illinois, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennslyvania, Utah, Washington, Washington, D.C.,  and Wisconsin. Alegis Care is currently expanding to new locations.”</em></p> <p>Back in 2011 Cigna purchased this group…</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/cigna-buys-healthspring-inc-for-38.html">Cigna Buys HealthSpring Inc For $3.8 Billion, Who Bought Bravo Medicare HMO Who Had Profits of a Billion in 2010-Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>And bought some business in Texas from Humana last year…and in 2011 they <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/07/cigna-to-relocate-us-headquarters-from.html">relocated their corporate offices</a> to Connecticut.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/06/cigna-to-purchase-medicare-advantage.html">Cigna To Purchase Medicare Advantage Plans In Texas and Arkansas From Humana To Satisfy Purchase of Arcadian Medicare Advantage Business & More Plans Left To Sell –Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>Alegis personnel  will also go to the home and provide a health assessment to work on keeping the costs down as well as providing care.  No mention of what Cigna paid.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/articles?tagID=755"> <hr />Cigna Corp.</a>, Bloomfield, Conn., has acquired Chicago-based Alegis Care, a portfolio company of private equity firm Triton Pacific Capital Partners since 2006. </p> <p>Alegis Care, founded in 1995, specializes in serving chronically ill and elderly patients in their homes and will continue to do so as a Cigna company. This year, Alegis Care will provide physician services and comprehensive care coordination to nearly 31,000 seniors across 10 states, including customers in the Cigna-HealthSpring plan.</p> <p><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20130903/NEWS/309039962/cigna-acquires-home-healthcare-company-alegis&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" title="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20130903/NEWS/309039962/cigna-acquires-home-healthcare-company-alegis&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20130903/NEWS/309039962/cigna-acquires-home-healthcare-company-alegis&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter</a></p>

Cigna Buys Alegis Care aka Home Physicians Management From Private Equity Firm Triton Pacific, Senior Home Care And Hospital Discharge Home Services

You can kind of figure out what this one is about as when you look at ACOs today the insurers are in the driver’s seat so Cigna is no differ...

Read more »

Cardiac Rhythm Bracelet Selling for $79 To Provide Digital Security for Computer Access, Opening Doors and More..

<p>The bracelet uses Bluetooth and connects to your phone and you wear it around your wrist.  Wrists, necks, ankles, what’s next (grin) to be having some kind of visible device hanging on your body. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nCN3DsSa6VU/UiZVu6_35oI/AAAAAAABHmc/OAEyV-_IJ1Q/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></p> <p><strong>The video is very good and it even shows where transactions in the financial areas can be given solid ID protection.</strong>  Ok I’m going to mention this and probably everyone else will think of it too, what happens if you have heart issues…will it still work or what if you have a heart attack, do you get disconnected?  You can always have the passwords as a back up and I have not seen anything yet that replaces them fully as they still need to be around as a back up, interesting product.  </p> <p><em>“The benefit of the </em><a href="http://getnymi.com"><em>Nymi's</em></a><em> new and exciting ECG authentication is that it is highly secure without compromising convenience. The Nymi has a 3-Factor system ensures that you and only you have access to your </em><a href="http://getnymi.com"><em>Nymi</em></a><em>, and control of your identity. To access the Nymi you must first have possession of the wristband. Second, you must possess your unique heart rhythm, and finally, you must have access to the secure application on a registered smartphone. Once you've authenticated, you will remain authenticated so long as the wristband is not removed.”</em></p> <p>For their privacy policty they direct you to the website “Privacy by Design” which I looked at and will have dig a little deeper there as well.  You can see one of my favorite browsers on there as a supporter, Duck-DuckGo, which does not track your data.  </p> <p><iframe height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jUO7Qnmc8vE" frameborder="0" width="420" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Here’s a little information on Privacy by Design and video that states their purpose. Just think if Edward Snowden would had one of these (grin)..just kidding.   BD  </p> <p><iframe height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ezaO7r51Tq8" frameborder="0" width="420" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p> <hr />The sleek silicone bracelet you see above isn’t yet another fitness tracker. It’s a new “wearable authentication device” called Nymi, and its creators think it can replace your passwords and keys — or at least make them a whole lot more secure.</p> <p>Clasp the <a href="http://www.getnymi.com/">Nymi</a> around your wrist, press your fingertip to the sensor on the top, and it springs to life. Built-in LEDs and a vibration motor let you know it’s active, and you can also program them to deliver notifications from your smartphone (Nymi supports Bluetooth 4.0).</p> <p><a href="http://www.geek.com/mobile/79-nymi-bracelet-aims-to-replace-passwords-and-keys-with-your-heartbeat-1569351/">http://www.geek.com/mobile/79-nymi-bracelet-aims-to-replace-passwords-and-keys-with-your-heartbeat-1569351/</a></p>

Cardiac Rhythm Bracelet Selling for $79 To Provide Digital Security for Computer Access, Opening Doors and More..

The bracelet uses Bluetooth and connects to your phone and you wear it around your wrist.  Wrists, necks, ankles, what’s next (grin) to be h...

Read more »

Treating Prostate Cancer in the Future Could Become A Lot More Affordable And Less Toxic–Allspice in Lab Testing Shown to Substantially Slow Tumor Growth Of Cancer Cells

<p>One thing nice is Allspice is non toxic and if you read the article in full the researchers were kind of astonished themselves to see it work and target the androgen receptor.  The University of Miami hopes not too far down the road to start clinical trials for men being treated for prostate cancer.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QI-mOxYed1k/UiVybF7Q_XI/AAAAAAABHmM/s11cSevCMsY/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="141" />  They are not far enough along yet but in one statement in the article is says they are also curious if this could help even “prevent” some cancer development.</p> <p>This is kind of amazing with the finding as look at the millions and billions spent on developing prostate cancer drugs and this in no way is saying it would be a full on replacement, too early to tell.  I can find some Allspice in kitchen with my other spices.  Again the lack of toxicity here is a real plus for sure.  The clinical trials they hope to begin would be for men who have not reached the point of needing treatment yet, so a safe place to start with just using it as a daily supplement.  </p> <p>Now for a little more good news, they have also shown that the extract also slows the speed of breast cancer too, a double win for both sexes but researchers are not as far along and there’s a different polyphenol.  BD</p> <p> <hr /></p> <p>“Androgen receptor, or AR for short, is the principal drug target for the treatment of prostate cancer, but there is no drug that completely eliminates AR. This complex compound in allspice seems to do that,” Lokeshwar said. “The most interesting data shows that it actually kills tumor cells which express the very specific prostate cancer marker, the androgen receptor. That is not to say that people should start eating allspice with every meal, but there exists the potential that the slow and steady consumption of this chemo-dietary agent may slow or even prevent prostate cancer.”</p> <p>Essential to jerk seasoning, allspice is known for flavoring Jamaican and other cuisines around the world with a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper but, according to a new study by Miller School researchers, the aromatic spice could be known one day for impeding the growth of, or maybe even preventing, prostate cancer, the No. 2 cancer-killer of men in the U.S.</p> <p>In the <a href="http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/05/08/carcin.bgt123.abstract">study</a> published online May 8 in the Oxford Journals’ <em>Carcinogenesis</em> and led by Bal L. Lokeshwar, Ph.D., professor of urology and radiation oncology and Co-Director of Research in the Department of Urology, researchers demonstrated that Ericifolin, a complex compound in the allspice berry, significantly slows the growth of prostate cancer tumors by suppressing the androgen receptor (AR). A molecule central to the growth and metastasis of prostate cancer, AR enables prostate cancer cells to survive even after hormone therapy, which along with surgery and radiation is the standard treatment for prostate cancer.</p> <p>They also hope to begin a clinical trial in the near future with UHealth patients who are under active surveillance for early-stage or slow-growing prostate cancer, which does not yet warrant treatment. Since allspice is not toxic, Lokeshwar reasons those patients would be ideal candidates to take Ericifolin as a daily dietary supplement.</p> <p>They are not sure yet which one but, in Lokeshwar’s mind, that discovery raises the possibility that allspice may have many anticancer properties worth exploring.</p> <p><a href="http://med.miami.edu/news/miller-school-researchers-discover-prostate-cancer-fighting-compound-in-all/">http://med.miami.edu/news/miller-school-researchers-discover-prostate-cancer-fighting-compound-in-all/</a></p>

Treating Prostate Cancer in the Future Could Become A Lot More Affordable And Less Toxic–Allspice in Lab Testing Shown to Substantially Slow Tumor Growth Of Cancer Cells

One thing nice is Allspice is non toxic and if you read the article in full the researchers were kind of astonished themselves to see it wor...

Read more »

Microsoft Buys the Nokia Device Business for Over $7 Billion-My New Nokia WindowsPhone Lumina 928 Is Now Official Microsoft Hardware, Best Cellphone I Have Ever Owned

<p>I just got my new phone less than a week ago and I do have to say this the best cellphone I have ever owned.  I’m with Verizon and the upgrade from my old Windows Phone didn’t cost a cent for the phone. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="126" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sN4zllkKwKg/UiVogoMXXNI/AAAAAAABHlk/9cAB6LL9opI/image%25255B17%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="225" /> So where can you not get a deal like this one.  I was going to do a blog post this week and talk a little bit about it but its seems a few words right now would be appropriate in post.</p> <p>A full press conference is to be held Tuesday September 3rd EEST so if you are here in the US you will have to get up real early, especially California, or just stay up.  </p> <p><em>“Nokia will host a press conference today, Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 11 a.m. EEST in Dipoli, Espoo (Otakaari 24). Registration will start at 10 a.m., and the doors will open at 10.40 a.m. Due to space constraints, only media who show valid press credentials at the registration will be admitted. Media are encouraged to watch a live webcast of the press conference at: </em><a href="http://press.nokia.com/"><em>http://press.nokia.com/</em></a>”</p> <p>This continues to affirm the Microsoft commitment to the hardware business for sure.  The Windows Phone has been a bit of a sleeper but I have stayed with them as I like security and it’s the best out there in that department.  32,000 employees from Nokia will become Microsoft employees world wide.  I guess with all the press about Ballmer retiring, he’s not doing too bad.  All companies go through cycles and I just read the other day in Germany that Windows Phones surpassed the number of IPhones, not here in the US yet by a long shot.  </p> <p>I also read some reviews to where some people commented on switching from their IPhones.  If you like pictures the Nokia 928 has about the best camera on a phone out there and it works well.  I like too how the Windows software as integrated the camera with “tiles” to connect to other apps that use the camera, like the scanner.  I have used it a couple times, lines and works well.</p> <p>Stephen Elop is stepping aside as Nokia CEO to become executive VP of devices and services. Nokia Chairman Risto Siilasmaa will serve as interim CEO</p> <p><em>“As part of the transaction, Nokia is assigning to Microsoft its long-term patent licensing agreement with Qualcomm, as well as other licensing agreements.</em></p> <p><em>Microsoft is also acquiring Nokia’s Mobile Phones business unit, which serves hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, and had <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="146" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RNwkAO2z6Ak/UiVohP0aLOI/AAAAAAABHls/YCAGVn40WOk/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="214" />sales of 53.7 million units in the second quarter of 2013. Microsoft will acquire the Asha brand and will license the Nokia brand for use with current Nokia mobile phone products. Nokia will continue to own and manage the Nokia brand. This element provides Microsoft with the opportunity to extend its service offerings to a far wider group around the world while allowing Nokia’s mobile phones to serve as an on-ramp to Windows Phone.”</em></p> <p>Finland has been selected as the new data center for Europe and there’ more than a quarter of a billion dollars to be spent there.  </p> <p>I go way back with Microsoft Mobile products to being one of the original Windows Mobile User Group members in Los Angles and we are the oldest group out there for over 15 years and we still meet. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="142" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9qBgo4Dv5XI/UiVohlmlTrI/AAAAAAABHl0/YVB73pQ2yPA/image%25255B15%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="130" /> When I think back to the early days and scratching out a few of the old antique VB apps that the early phones had, boy have we come a long way.  A couple years ago Microsoft actually came out and did some pictures on the group.  </p> <p>The Lumina 928 phone is bigger too and I like that as the older I get, the bigger screen I like and I’m sure a few share that sentiment with me no matter what phone you use.</p> <p>The battery life is great and it’s now in the 4G area for Verizon coverage so speed is great with the data.<strong>  Of course on thing the WindowsPhone has that the others don’t is “Mobile X-Box” and I have never used a regular X-Box but being it is on the phone I have tried my hand at a few games when I have a few idle minutes. </strong></p> <p>On item I complain about once in a while is “app overload” and the phone didn’t come overloaded with useless apps so I appreciate that quite a bit.  I can access Drop Box, Sky Drive (and that mobile interface is pretty neat).  The Home Page program tiles are simple and easy to use and I like new “smaller’ tiles you can mix in with the big ones. </p> <p>Email works great and again the fastest most responsive cellphon<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="127" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-O-hKrBO093g/UiVoiII23aI/AAAAAAABHl8/vMQCqFwGtFo/image%25255B16%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="130" />e I have owned.  The only thing I have not tried yet is Skype (also owned by Microsoft) and that’s next on my list.  Nokia and Microsoft have built a good product hardware wise and software wise for the operating system.  </p> <p>If you want a super 4G phone, the Nokia Lumina 928 is it!  BD  </p> <p><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/Sep13/09-02AnnouncementPR.aspx">https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/Sep13/09-02AnnouncementPR.aspx</a></p>

Microsoft Buys the Nokia Device Business for Over $7 Billion-My New Nokia WindowsPhone Lumina 928 Is Now Official Microsoft Hardware, Best Cellphone I Have Ever Owned

I just got my new phone less than a week ago and I do have to say this the best cellphone I have ever owned.  I’m with Verizon and the upgra...

Read more »

Hospital in Pennsylvania Opens First Inpatient Treatment for Internet Addiction–Was I Correct Back in 2010 When I Stated “Data Addiction Was The Next Upcoming 12 Step Program”

<p>I wrote that post to a degree with a little satire, but what do you know..folks that see how data mechanics work and are hybrid enough to understand humanity as the same time can see this stuff coming.  Everyone keeps telling me I’m ahead of my time and I’m not meaning to brag at all but I get that from readers all the time, so I guess this time I’ll take the feather.  Medical Quack where humanity and data meet and collide!   Here’s the original post.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/data-addiction-and-abuse-up-and-coming.html">Data Addiction and Abuse –The Up and Coming Next 12 Step Program Is On the Horizon–Side Effects Include Lack Of Data Quality, Integrity And Spasmodic Algorithms</a></h5> <p>I don’t have any hidden expertise to brag about either, it’s just the way I’m wired as I am a hybrid as before I learned how to code I spent 25 years in outside sale, the people business so I mesh the two together and that’s what you see here, common sense and lot of logic in how I blog.  Ok so now what are the insurers going to do with this, will they cover it?  The reason I ask is that so many want to gamify you to scrape your data, in other words keep playing while we scrape you data…here’s a couple posts to that effect..and hey are they contributing to this process (grin).  </p> <p>For me anyway, the certainly insult my intelligence with these methodologies for sure.  <strong>We have a conflict of interest here and I wouldn’t expect to see a CPT code for this for a while (grin).</strong>   Time for a new model to scrape your data I guess.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/05/aetna-to-offer-online-game-social-game.html">Aetna To Offer Online Game Social Game For Personal Wellness- Joins Humana As They Have An Online Game Called FamScape</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/health-insurer-humana-introduces-new.html">Health Insurer Humana Introduces a New Game Called FamScape–Making It Fun to Get And Maybe Mine Your Data?</a></h5> <p>Here’s another old post where I asked the question as well if you have sucked in to play games…</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/12/have-you-been-suckered-in-by-facebook.html">Have You Been Suckered In by FaceBook to Play Games To Support Employer and Insurance Company Reform Initiatives?</a></h5> <p>The reason these games insult me is that my <img align="right" height="266" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DmIYGUUAP2w/Ud4kW_e7eyI/AAAAAAABHNA/e24ZgG3M9hU/image%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="301" />healthcare is not a game and I’m up there for education and spreading good word and technology but I do call foul on the games that are there to scrape data.  The data selling epidemic is so bad and so profitable it is an epidemic and that’s why you see these games..there’s even a game to exploit the games…great video at the link below..</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/data-selling-game-now-exploits-non.html">Data Selling Game Now Exploits the Non Regulated Billion Dollar Epidemic–”Data Dealer” The Attack of the Killer Algorithms Gamified</a></h5> <p>Sure there are other games that are played against each other online too that don’t scrape data and that are just as addictive and the video again shows how corporate US uses it to get your data to copy some of this.  If you want to know more about <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping and the Attack of the Killer Algorithms</a> check the collection here and get educated.  This collection is a group of very smart folks, smarter than me that have taken the time to tell how it is, like I try to do.</p> <p>To be fair we all have a bit of addiction to the web, self included but when does it become obsessive to where other things<img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mtdDy9u8k2U/Ud4kTrJgNyI/AAAAAAABHMw/yUkzusEoDug/image%25255B14%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> don’t get done.  Believe me with the time I spend on the web I’m doing a self check all the time to make sure I don’t wing out too:)  After all I can’t be the kettle calling the pot black either. </p> <p><strong>New term “digital detox”..no internet for 72 hours and believe this is a good idea here and there.</strong>  I recently had that experience when I was moving and no internet for a few days, felt great and then I had a better outlook when I came back as it reminded me not to forget the human world.  I try not too but we all become absorbed at times.  Marketers play on it to make money.  In addition though to the addiction process we also have another issue out there and that is the fear of math and it does make a difference on how your perception runs and those on Wall Street over came this fear a long time ago, why they have all the money.</p> <p>I just wrote a post kind of blasting HHS on their new contest about an app for mental health and addictions, well this article substantiates that easily enough on where the focus need to be, there’s not an app to cure everything!  HHS has some folks as duped as anywhere else out there.  <strong>You can’t be the “over quantified” self by all means and maintain your sanity:)</strong>  As people address and fight their addictions, mobile apps become dead as “enough is enough” too much glut out there!  </p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/onc-has-another-new-contesttoss-another.html">ONC Has Another New Contest–Toss Another App Out to the Consumers, But Hey Around 69% of all Mobile Apps Have Just Been Reported “Dead”…</a></strong></h5> <p>Let’s see how many other hospitals entertain this idea too as I think it’s a good idea and again it brings an awareness around on the duping <img align="right" height="85" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TI_7OOB1zrI/AAAAAAAAhV8/AI93zFqzOXE/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="161" />side of things we have out there today.  A few years ago I kind of hinted around at this will PHRs too..like what are folks going to do, work on their personal health records or play World of Warcraft…from back in 2010…see I was tracking it then with logic and common sense…everyone has both so just us them and become a skeptic when things don’t seem right.  BD</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/whats-on-agenda-tonightworld-of.html">What’s On the Agenda Tonight–World of Warcraft or Work on My Personal Health Record</a></h5> <p><a href="http://kevinjroberts.net/cyber-addiction/"> <hr />Roberts</a><img src="http://global.fncstatic.com/static/v/all/img/external-link.png" />, now 44 years old, would sit eight to 12 hours a day in front of the pale blue glow of his computer, playing a videogame. During holidays, he "binged," spending nearly all his waking hours at his keyboard. Finally, a friend who had been through Alcoholics Anonymous told him he displayed all the same characteristics of an addict.</p> <p>"Like most addicts, I went through a series of self-deception," said Roberts, who documented his struggle with addiction in his book,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cyber-Junkie-Escape-Gaming-Internet/dp/1592859488"> "Cyber Junkie: Escape the Gaming and Internet Trap</a><img src="http://global.fncstatic.com/static/v/all/img/external-link.png" />."  </p> <p>The story of Roberts, who came to grips with his addiction through years of therapy and spiritual retreats, is not unique. Treatment facilities have sprung up in recent years, but a psychiatric hospital in central Pennsylvania is now set to become the country's first facility of its kind to offer an inpatient treatment program for people it diagnoses with severe Internet addiction.</p> <p>The voluntary, 10-day program is set to open on Sept. 9 at the Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional Medical Center. The program was organized by experts in the field and cognitive specialists with backgrounds in treating more familiar addictions like drug and alcohol abuse.</p> <p>Read more: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/09/01/pennsylvania-hospital-to-open-country-first-inpatient-treatment-program-for/#ixzz2df9MhZEn">http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/09/01/pennsylvania-hospital-to-open-country-first-inpatient-treatment-program-for/#ixzz2df9MhZEn</a></p>

Hospital in Pennsylvania Opens First Inpatient Treatment for Internet Addiction–Was I Correct Back in 2010 When I Stated “Data Addiction Was The Next Upcoming 12 Step Program”

I wrote that post to a degree with a little satire, but what do you know..folks that see how data mechanics work and are hybrid enough to un...

Read more »

FTC Accuses Medical Lab Of Not Adequately Protecting Data-Lab Says Data Was Stolen–Why Is Data Stolen, To Sell, Duh! A Real Connection to the “Data Selling Epidemic” in the US

<p><strong>It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out why people steal data, to sell it, duh!</strong>  Now we have the FTC accusing this company of not adequately protecting patient data; however, the owner says it was stolen.  Duh again for the digital literacy of the FTC?  Data for 9000 consumers was put at risk.  This is the statement I keyed in on here…the owner says it<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9yH5tRIAip0/Uc-Kpm6i8LI/AAAAAAABHIc/e2V2CizVTWo/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> was stolen so more information is needed to know if the cyber security firm was in fact looking for a list or data base of people to market for something else maybe.  </p> <p><em>“He claims on his personal website that the document was stolen by a cybersecurity firm trying to sell LabMD services.”</em></p> <p><strong>Ok once again, data breaches…they steal because they want to sell the data or solicit the folks in the data for something else..duh!</strong>  What does it take to miss this correlation?  </p> <p>I keep my campaign going for a law to require all data sellers to be licensed so if a law of such were in place and the data was stolen, law enforcement has a to leg to stand on, “stealing data to sell without a license”…and of course it would need to be proven which comes with investigating any case as such.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/time-has-come-to-license-and-tax-data.html">Time Has Come to License and Tax the Data Sellers of the Web, Companies, Banks, Social Networks..Any One Making a Profit-Latest Microsoft/Google Privacy War Helping the Cause –Consumers Deserve to Know What Is Being Sold and To Who in a Searchable Format</a></h5> <p><strong>Again, how can the FTC document this?  I guess we have to wait for more information to come out.</strong>  IT infrastructure runs everything today, no matter what business you are in and the FTC has done nothing so far to allow for any kind of regulation with the data selling epidemic we have in the US and I am not sure if this is yet another case of trying to find “low tech partial band aid solutions” for high tech problems?  In the financial areas, we have <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/glass-steagall-revival-presents-low.html">Glass Steagall as a prime example of a partial low tech solution for high tech intelligence problems</a>, so it’s all over.  </p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/ftc-tries-to-bring-strong-case-for.html">FTC Tries to Bring Strong Case for Consumer Protections With Use of Data–But Nothing About Creating IT Infrastructure Path to Allow Regulation–Gov Can’t or Won’t Model?</a></strong></h5> <p><strong>I don’t know how many quants the FTC may have on the payroll but I hope they have some</strong> and maybe even entertain hiring a few from private industry that could catch them up on the power of modeling and how some use math models for profit and hide risk.  FTC is there to protect consumers so how about jumping up to the plate maybe?  </p> <p>The only lame effort we have seen is this “Reclaim your data thing” which puts more efforts on the backs of consumers again to have to “fix” and on their own dime all the flaws out there with data selling, while those selling it have made billions selling the data, no accountability<strong>.  It’s a consumer dump once again with no protection and a low tech band aid with few teeth to it</strong>.  I was not the only one who wrote about it, others in security attacked it as well all over the web.  That’s the problem today with too may lawyers running government departments, they are out of touch and to have some dynamic technologists running government departments would be a huge help.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/06/ftc-reclaim-your-name-campaign-not-good.html">FTC “Reclaim Your Name Campaign” Not Good Enough–No Path for Regulation Identified–All Data Sellers Including Banks, Insurers, Etc. Should Be Required to Buy a License</a></h5> <p>Lawyers are basically “reactive” and they do research and that is what their job is for a lot of after the fact incidents but they can’t see the battle ahead with technology so again<strong> this makes yet one more case for having a technologist at the top of the helm, backed up of course with all the lawyers one would need to ensure that in identifying high tech problems, that they are pursued properly too.  </strong></p> <p><strong>So again in this case, let’s see where the additional information comes from and find out what happened here and if we have some weak areas with digital literacy here at the FTC.</strong>  I’m not picking on the agency, just stating the mechanics as they are and how they get interpreted.  <img align="right" height="115" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Egtq6OJ0O_g/TfaWpBYw97I/AAAAAAAAzRk/a445GNw2Cx4/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="143" />We don’t have enough folks trained out there today to work with “flawed data” for sure and way too many are still thinking everything that shows up in the news and on computer screens has value or is accurate.  </p> <p><strong>There’s a group of videos I collected that explains this phenomena and I call it “Algo Duping”</strong> and have had a lot of good comments here as the folks in the videos are smarter than me and take time to explain how this occurs and how you get duped.  Thanks much for the many readers I see that are taking time to educate themselves by watching the videos for a greater awareness of how this is functioning out there today, it’s not the same old world and combined in many areas this leads to <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/modeling-for-inequality-with.html">“inequality by modeling with segmentation”.</a>  </p> <h5><a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping 101 and with the Attack of the Killer Algorithms Follow</a> </h5> <p>So stay tuned here as this story evolves and I’m glad if in fact the data was stolen and the lab was taking the proper security precautions that they are making a case of this as someone needs to wake up the FTC when it comes to privacy and consumer protection. <strong> This is important more so today than ever because what we all worry about is data being used “out of context” against us and there’s plenty of history on that with health insurers that has been in the news over the years on their segmentation efforts.  BD</strong>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/11/big-dataanalytics-if-used-out-of.html">Big Data/Analytics If Used Out of Context and Without True Values Stand To Be A Huge Discriminatory Practice Against Consumers–More Honest Data Scientists Needed to Formulate Accuracy/Value To Keep Algo Duping For Profit Out of the Game</a></h5> <p> <hr />The Federal Trade Commission is accusing a small Atlanta-based medical lab that specializes in cancer detection of not doing enough to protect its patients' online records.</p> <p>The federal regulators filed a formal complaint Thursday against LabMD alleging that the company's lax security controls led to a billing sheet being leaked to a public file-sharing network. The billing sheet contained the personal data on more than 9,000 consumers. The FTC says California police later discovered that identity thieves had acquired personal data from at least 500 LabMD consumers.</p> <p>Reached by phone on Thursday, LabMD founder Michael Daugherty said he objects to the allegations and plans to release a full statement soon. He claims on his personal website that the document was stolen by a cybersecurity firm trying to sell LabMD services.</p> <p><a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/aug/31/us-medical-records-privacy/" title="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/aug/31/us-medical-records-privacy/">http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/aug/31/us-medical-records-privacy/</a></p>

FTC Accuses Medical Lab Of Not Adequately Protecting Data-Lab Says Data Was Stolen–Why Is Data Stolen, To Sell, Duh! A Real Connection to the “Data Selling Epidemic” in the US

It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out why people steal data, to sell it, duh!   Now we have the FTC accusing this company of not ad...

Read more »