Infuriated by a deteriorating economy and blatant abuse of American taxpayers, the public is taking a strong stand to prevent banking executives from getting away with fiscal robbery. What many have failed to realize is that another industry — the health insurance industry — is getting away with murder, perhaps literally, by putting their bottom lines above your welfare, and this time it could be hazardous to your health.

Across the health care community from doctors to pharmaceutical companies to hospital organizations, steps have been taken to implement ethical standards. Codes of conduct are hardly a new idea. Most are self-imposed by professional organizations or trade groups on their members, often in an effort to voluntarily level up their members’ general behavior, especially in the wake of legal or political scrutiny. For example, the pharmaceutical industry substantially revised its code governing interactions with health care professionals after public and professional criticism. Managed care organizations, however, are the only remaining hold-outs that have not adopted a Code of Conduct, leaving them highly unsupervised. Sadly, the very companies Americans often think help pay their bills are undercutting the quality of American health care in their pursuit of a fatter bottom line.

The game works like this: Health insurers’ profits increase as outlays for patient costs decrease. One such way to keep patient costs down is by prescribing generic drugs over name-brand drugs. In a practice known as drug switching, patients are switched from more expensive, name-brand drugs to generics, even if the name-brand drug was working and the patient experienced no negative side effects.

Managed care companies go to great lengths to make sure the switch appears innocent — a doctor is trying to help a patient reduce his or her medical expenses, and therefore recommends the generic. However, behind the closed doors of invite-only dinners and receptions hosted by managed care organizations, many doctors are lured into drug switching programs that offer attractive fiscal incentives, and there is no mechanism in place to regulate these practices.

Doctors are paying the price as well. In a survey done by the Toledo Blade last year among Ohio doctors, ninety-five percent of respondents said insurers interfered with decisions about prescriptions, 91 percent with testing, 74 percent with referrals, and 69 percent with hospitalization decisions. Eighty-six percent said interference compromised patient care, 76 percent said it adversely affected their patients, and 65 percent said they were unable to successfully protest denials. Most shockingly, 14 percent believed interference from an insurer had contributed to the death or serious injury of a patient.

This prompted a response from our now President:

“I am deeply troubled by The Blade’s report of how insurance companies, not doctors and nurses, are making decisions about patient care,” said Senator Barack Obama in a statement to The Blade. “Medical decisions should be made based on what’s good for your health, not what’s good for an insurance company’s bottom line.”

As managed care organizations seek to maximize profits and survive the economic downturn, the public can likely expect increasing use of cost-driven practices. These aggressive tactics must stop, and a comprehensive Health Insurer Code of Conduct must be implemented by which managed care organizations agree to abide by ethical standards such as transparency, clinical autonomy and, most importantly, patient safety and welfare.

The best Rx for every American is access to quality health care and medicine. It’s time to ensure the health insurance industry puts your safety before profits.

For more information about the National Health Insurer Code of Conduct go to: www.insurepatientaccess.org.

Fox News Health Tips:

• Know your medicines. Talk to your doctor about your prescriptions. Are they generics or brand names? What are they supposed to do? Are there less-expensive options? What are the risks and benefits of taking the drug?
• Be on guard. If anyone wants to switch your prescription, ask why. Will the new drug interact with existing medications?
• Appeal. With your doctor’s help, use your health plan’s appeals process to seek coverage for your desired medication.

The troubled economy is on everyone’s mind. You can’t step into a nail salon, dry cleaner, or grocery store without hearing conversations about how bad times really are. Some say education is a recession-proof field, but those in it know this is not true. The budget votes are looming and everyone in the education world is on edge, waiting to see if their district’s budget will pass and for some, if their job will be safe. Core content classes such as mathematics, language arts and reading will always be offered, but “extras” such as art, music and physical education could be the first programs to be reduced or have their formats changed. Regardless of how each state and district handles their budget issues, here are some tips to make sure your child is not missing out on experiences that make them well-rounded and enhance their education.

• Take advantage of free programs! Check your local paper or library for extra-curricular events that are free of charge. Some local businesses offer “demo” classes or free workshop days. Exposing your child to a new activity without making a long-term financial or time commitment is also a good way to make sure he really likes it, without wasting your money.
• Hire a private instructor. Ask a friend (or a few friends!) if they would like to split the cost of at-home sessions, whether it be art classes, karate or music lessons. This could save you money in the long run, especially if you can provide the supplies the instructor may need, which cuts down on her overhead, and in turn your out-of-pocket expenses.
• Go on a family field trip! Depending on your budget and availability, this could be a weekly or monthly event. You can visit museums or galleries to expose your child to famous works of art they would otherwise only speak about in school. You don’t have to be an expert on the subject, either! Many museums offer guided tours or audio recordings to lead you through the experience. Does your family enjoy the outdoors? Take a day trip to a local beach and you have an instant science lesson, complete with a hands-on experience. Discuss the animals that live there, how erosion affects the beach, and how pollution affects the water. Remember, family field trips can be free, or at least only cost you the gas it takes to get there!
• Start a sports club in your community. Call some friends and meet at a local park once a month (or once a week if everyone’s schedule allows) to engage in some stress-free, just-for-fun games. The children can vote on the sport they play that day; this prevents burn out from playing the same sport every time and will limit those “Not again!” complaints you hear from your child so often. Less structure can be beneficial and this opportunity teaches your child about flexibility and compromise. All you need is a ball and some friends!
• Create a book club for your child and her friends. Have everyone put the name of a book they would like to read in a hat and pull out the next selection. Parents can take turn hosting the events, complete with healthy snacks. Parents should read the book ahead of time or consult the librarian to ensure the book is age-appropriate. Have a few questions in mind to get the conversation going. You may have to mediate the first few meetings to get the ball rolling, but once your children have gotten used to the format, they will have no trouble sharing their opinions!

America’s economic troubles are widespread and far from over. From boardrooms to classrooms, staff are looking for ways to cut costs and save jobs, while still maintaining the level of excellence they have created in the past. Your district’s budget is public knowledge and you should take the time to look it over.

Attend local board of education meetings to hear presentations about the budget and what programs will be impacted. Don’t be afraid to ask the board of education or your administrators questions; you have the right to speak up and be a part of the discussion about your child’s education.

Don’t forget about your school’s PTO. Many parent-teacher organizations sponsor fundraisers throughout the year that support school-based programs, after-school activities, or assemblies your child may participate in for free. Remember to volunteer for some of these events as it helps make you an active member of your child’s learning community.

Jennifer Cerbasi teaches at a public school for children on the autism spectrum in New Jersey. As a coordinator of Applied Behavioral Analysis programs in the home, she works with parents to create and implement behavioral plans for their children in an environment that fosters both academic and social growth. In addition to her work both in the classroom and at home, she is also a member of the National Association of Special Education Teachers and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

In some cultures, as soon as a baby is born, the father whispers a message into the child’s ears. I’ve seen it done with some of the babies I’ve delivered, and while I never ask what was said, I’m sure it’s a massage of hope and love.

I don’t know if my father did anything like that when I was born, but he did make sure to tell me early on in my life, that America was the land of hope and opportunity. And I believe that it was then, and it always will be.

I know that for many people right now this seems like a difficult concept to believe in, but for some of us, today’s troubles are the challenges that will continue to make our future great.

The stresses that most Americans are experiencing right now are overwhelming. I see it in my own practice — unfortunately these days it seems even the joy of a new baby is sometimes overshadowed by the financial strain of a growing family.  I tell some of my patients that are dealing with these feelings of anxiety to reflect on their past and see how America has always been there for them.

It’s human nature to survive, and throughout history, we have seen people survive through much worse conditions than we are in today. This isn’t the first time a nation has faced hardship, and history has shown us that even at the lowest points, through two world wars, depressions, the Holocaust, famine and terrorism, just to name a few, the human spirit has prevailed. And today, we as Americans will not surrender.

As a kid, I grew up in a communist dictatorship where our survival was predicated on dealing with a black market economy. My father came to America with just a coat and $150 in his pocket. America made him a new man and allowed him to work hard and build up his family. He stopped thinking about the worst-case scenario, and focused on making an honest living.

America will never fail — just look back in our history. The world has seen many terrible things. But rather than surrendering to your worries about the present, think of the past and remember the words of Winston Churchill, who in his most desperate moments, rallied those around him, by saying “We will fight in the hills, we will never surrender.”

These are interesting times we’re in ― to say the least. Over the past couple of weeks, we have all been concentrating on “Octomom” from California, and with new developments in the story everyday, it’s easy to see why she’s been the topic of conversation. I was following the story too, calling for an ethical investigation of the fertility clinic from day one, but with the state of our economy and the country experiencing what could be one of the most pivotal moments in American history, I want to move past that story.

I think it’s time the media starts concentrating on the changes that the Obama administration will be proposing in the future and some of the ideas that have already been approved.

Now, let’s look at the facts … The American health care system needs help! Why? Well, because it is filled with inefficiencies and overpriced operational costs.

How did it get like that? Well, it’s possible the American health care system has seen a lot of the same issues as our financial sector ― which we all know by now is quite a mess. Our financial experts have given us many explanations for the current economic crisis: Many blame the banks for recklessly handing out loans and credit, some blame the public for borrowing more money than they could ever repay, then there’s all the greedy Wall Street executives making profits off back of funds that don’t even exist, and who can forget those elaborate Ponzi schemes that went unnoticed by federal agencies for years.

Well, believe it or not, we have a lot of the same things happening in health care. We have some patients that demand every test in the book on the basis of what they’ve read or seen on television, hospitals that have been enamored with demands because of technological advances and profit margins, and doctors that have concentrated on sub-specialty service, rather than primary care and prevention.

So now, we are all looking to President Obama’s stimulus bill to see how he will resolve these problems. Some of his proposed ideas are very interesting. Electronic medical records, for instance, provide us with computerized data entry on patients, a way to track symptoms, disease processes, a way to dramatically decrease the overutilization of certain tests, minimize medical mistakes both by physicians and hospitals. And down the road, it might even decrease costs.

But many critics worry about privacy issues. I totally agree that patient confidentiality should always be protected. I remember when the new HIPPA laws came into effect under President Clinton, I could not even discuss a patient’s medical condition or get a second opinion from a colleague without getting a written consent from the patient.

But I think that before we start throwing good money in to solve the problems bad money got us into, the way previous financial stimulus plans have, we need to really understand how our current health care system is working, and address the issues that got us here in the first place.

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The brazenness of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich allegedly attempting to sell a U.S. Senate seat and securities trader Bernie Madoff allegedly bilking investors (including charities) of about $50 billion in a Ponzi scheme may seem inexplicable.  But having evaluated dozens of white-collar criminals and very violent offenders over the past decade (and having testified about them in local, state and federal courts), I’ve realized many of them share recognizable psychological characteristics with convicted murderer Scott Peterson.  Peterson, you will recall, is the Modesto, California man who murdered his wife Laci and his unborn child Conner in the midst of an affair with massage therapist Amber Frey, then helped lead the search for his victims.

Like Scott Peterson, Blagojevich and Madoff (if guilty) have to possess a sense of narcissistic entitlement that allows them to feel justified in manipulating others to their ends.  Probably to hide internal feelings of unworthiness, weakness, or impotence, such men (or, in other cases, women—including, perhaps, Blagojevich’s wife) create an over-inflated sense of self.  Their minds build towering fortresses of ego immune to the reticence most of us would feel about putting ourselves first and everyone else second.  

The narcissistic traits of Peterson, Blagojevich and Madoff (none of whom I interviewed) mean that they not only feel entitled to live special lives that don’t include following rules — they may well believe they are so intelligent or clever that they will never be caught breaking those rules.  That partly explains the outlandish nature of each man’s behavior.

Peterson fashioned his own cement anchors to weigh down his wife’s body in the San Francisco Bay.  It didn’t occur to him that making anchors and taking his boat out on the bay might implicate him in the disappearance of Laci. 

Blagojevich challenged authorities to monitor him and even reportedly wheeled and dealed on a telephone he knew was tapped.

Madoff delivered outsized returns to his clients every year, apparently not worried about the fact that doing so seemed impossible to some.  In his own mind, he was that special.  He never lost — until it was all over.

Narcissism, however, doesn’t explain all of Scott Peterson’s murderous violence or Blagojevich’s and Madoff’s alleged schemes to sell a piece of the United States government or steal money.  There also has to be a failure to recognize both the importance of the rule of law and a failure of empathy.  All three men were seemingly unmoved by the rights or the suffering of others.  To steal a life may seem wholly unrelated to stealing someone’s life savings or someone’s vote, but they are closer cousins than you might believe. 

Unfortunately, the outsized nature of what is likely the Peterson-Blagojevich-Madoff brand of personality structure attracts, rather than repels people.  Peterson had no shortage of women.  Blagojevich had no shortage of voters.  And Madoff had no shortage of investors.  They seem so certain of everything, so much larger than anything that might contain them, that they seduce mere mortals, burdened as we are by self-doubt and respect for others — and a respect for our society and the rule of law.

Dr. Ablow is a Fox News contributor and the author of the New York Times bestseller “Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson.”

I am very disappointed with Saturday Night Live’s depiction of governor Paterson.

For years I have watched the show admiring its originality and satire. SNL is a strange animal — it can make us laugh or even cry, but it should not hurt. Making fun of someone’s disability is not creative, it’s downright hurtful.

I think that even Howard Stern — who is known for pushing the limits of comedy, and many times makes my friends and me laugh — would not consider this skit on Governor Patterson humorous. Of course, I could be wrong.

It has taken many years for society to become cognizant of the fact that people with disabilities deserve respect and support. We’re living in difficult times. Because of the current economic strain, budget cuts will be made that will affect healthcare and programs that many disabled citizens so desperately need.

Being in the media, I know that television production is in dire need of good content, however, we must keep in mind that respect for others is of utmost importance.

Governor Paterson is a decent man trying to do his best during some of the most difficult times this generation will see; a generation that includes many of the writers and actors on SNL. Therefore mocking those with disabilities is neither appropriate nor funny.

Let’s face it; that is not creative comedy.

The holiday season is a stressful time of year, and this year many families are feeling the crunch, making it even harder for those who are limited in their resources for giving gifts to their loved ones. In an attempt to help ease the stress, many writers and bloggers have published articles aimed at helping people by giving them suggestions on everything from books to make-it-yourself holiday baskets.

Yes, I know that gifts are optional. But let’s be real, it doesn’t matter who you are, Christmas means presents — especially for kids. Now most families will try to make sure that they have something for their little ones, but parents will also feel the guilt of not being able to give something to each other.

Now, I thought about this scenario for a while and then told my wife I did not want any presents. Not because of the money, but because I am so sad about some of the current problems we are all facing.

I sat there and reflected on the sad state of affairs this holiday season, when just like in the movie, Moonstruck, she hit me on the side of my head and said, “Snap out of it!”

So then I began to think about the perfect gift for me this Christmas. And that’s when it came to me…the perfect gift for me would be something that would bring me joy, make me feel young, and last for a long, long time. Now I know what you’re thinking — but that’s not exactly what I had in mind. My perfect gift this year would be to reconnect with a long lost friend.

I told my wife that if she wanted to give me a great gift this year, it would be to find my best friend from high school. Now this guy was my buddy, who for all four years was always at my side, and with whom many of my fondest high school memories were shared. But somehow college, medical school, residencies and life in general had separated Joe and me for almost 30 years. Let’s face it — I had forgotten about Joe. But this Christmas season, while thinking about my perfect gift, I remembered him.

Three days later, my wife called me up and said, “I found him and it only cost me $9.95.” She had gone on the Internet and tracked him down through one of the many Web sites, that for a small fee, offer a lifetime of priceless memories. So she got his number and left a message, and for the next few hours, all of my kids waited around with me to see when Joe would call.

Later that evening, Joe called me back and for those 15 minutes of conversation with my old friend, I felt like I was in high school again.

Memories are good, but when you can make those memories a reality, they make you feel the way all holidays should make us feel: Great.

Markets move not just on financial realities, but on perception.  Our hearts, not just minds, determine which stocks rise or fall, whether banks stay viable because we stay confident in them, or close because we rush to empty our accounts.

Now, more than ever, it seems the future depends on our collective optimism or collective pessimism about our standing in the world, the creativity and resourcefulness of our people, and the underlying strength of our financial institutions.

Here’s the truth:  We are in a better position than in recent memory to rely on our institutions as the delusions that created the housing bubble and propelled flawed investment banking strategies get wrung out of our system.  The pain being endured by those who turned their personal finances or business financials into fiction is sure evidence that we are headed back to solid ground.

Make no mistake:  The ground in America is still crisscrossed coast-to-coast by economic highways paved with gold.  If you read the story of this nation from its first page to the page we are now turning, you will understand that tides have surged and retreated, but our riches have only grown.  That predicts they will continue to, especially now that we are editing the fake stuff out of future chapters.

Here’s how to use psychology to recover faster.  It’s called True Confidence, and it has a self-fulfilling force of its own:

– Plan a trip, even if it’s 12 months from now. 

– Put something you don’t really need, but really want on your shopping list for Christmas — and buy it now. 

– Open a tiny stock account for your kids. 

– Start looking for a house that will make you happy; your income and prices will ultimately make your dream a reality. 

– Think about how to take your performance at work to the next level, as economic tides start to turn for the better. 

Take note of the fact that with all the criticism of America, a Democratic African-American senator and a maverick Republican former-POW senator are squaring off to lead us to better times.  We should be hopeful about that and everything it says about who we are and where we are headed.

This economy needed a detox from the intoxicants of false financials that made us euphoric.  But it is an economy that turns out to be one that self-corrects, because it is ultimately based on market forces that have real and genuine power.

If America is a stock, believe me:  People are going to buy again.  Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines. 

Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatry correspondent for FOX News Channel and a New York Times bestselling author. His newest book, “Living the Truth: Transform Your Life through the Power of Insight and Honesty” has launched a new self-help movement. Check out Dr. Ablow’s website at livingthetruth.com.

The news is, ultimately, about people—individual life stories that make up the story of America.  Nowhere is that fact more evident than in news of economic pressures that translate into personal stress and even psychological disorders.  When those pressures include foreclosures, the stress can “hit home” especially hard, bringing insomnia, marital discord, major depression, even suicidal ideation.

Our homes are more than financial assets.  They have deep emotional meaning.  For those of us fortunate enough to have grown up in houses owned by our parents, they were the backdrop for our childhood memories—the places we played and argued and hung our artwork and marked the door jamb with pencil lines as we grew taller.  For better or worse, the houses of our childhoods represented to many of us a good measure of the success our parents had attained, an outward expression of how hard work had paid off in comfort and safety and the respect of the community.   The lawn got cut.  The paint got freshened up.  Maybe a pool was added out back.  When things went well, our houses grew with us.

With the home foreclosure rate in America skyrocketing, our economic conditions translate into a true public health concern.  Losing one’s home can feel like losing one’s self.  Those being foreclosed upon can feel they have let down their families, that they have been “exposed” as failures in the eyes of the community and that the road back to stability is too full of twists and turns to even begin to think about navigating it.

This perfect storm of lowered self-esteem and perceived loss of face is indeed the growing place for divorce, panic disorder, major depression and stress-related medical conditions like hypertension.  That’s why a national program that would offer a kind of “outplacement” psychological counseling to those who are losing or who have lost their homes is needed.  Our community hospitals, academic medical centers, family physicians and community mental health centers should be prepared in a special way for the special burden that home foreclosure represents.

During my 16 years practicing psychiatry, I’ve worked with many people facing financial reversals, including home foreclosure.  Some were anxious or felt hopeless.  Some had developed symptoms of major depression.  Here’s some of what I learned. I hope can be of help to those who have lost their homes or are at risk of losing them:

·         Trying to white knuckle your feelings and fears can leave you feeling alone with them.  Voicing them puts them in context—as things happening in your life, not life itself.  Talk more about your feelings and fears, not less.

·         Every difficult chapter of one’s life story offers the chance to rise above it by showing grit or grace in the face of uncertainty.  Our loved ones and the community measure us by assessing our characters, not by calculating our finances.  The way you react in adversity is what defines you, not adversity itself.

·         Our financial circumstances are never entirely under our control.  The economic realities of the day truly impact what is possible for many of us.  Millions of Americans are losing their homes.  If you would not judge them as weak or unwise, try not to judge yourself.

·         Seek more information about the economy, not less.  You’ve learned the impact that financial markets can have, in personal terms.  Become an even better student of them.

·         When people look back at their lives, almost all can identify periods of great turmoil, personally or professionally or financially.  If this is one of yours, you are in pain now, but the overall arc of your life story can still be in the direction of success and happiness.  Abraham Lincoln, for example, suffered severe financial reversals and several political losses before his great successes.

·         No patient has ever described the real assets provided by his or her parents by the kind of house or apartment the family lived in.  To a person, the accounting has always been emotional:  Did he or she feel well-loved?  Was he or she listened to?  Were his or her dreams encouraged?  If you want to put something that lasts “in the bank” for your kids, tell them that whether you live in a big house, a little house or an apartment (or even in temporary housing) that you will always be a family and that you will think about them every day and kiss them goodnight wherever they go to sleep.

·         There is great power in shifting from seeing oneself as a victim to seeing oneself as a survivor.  Thinking like a survivor helps you marshal the resources needed to sure up your family now and your finances over time.

·         Conditions like major depression and panic disorder and symptoms like insomnia are among the most treatable in psychiatry.  If you are suffering in these ways, tell your family doctor or a mental health care provider.  Psychotherapy and medication (when indicated) work in over 90 percent of cases.

·         It’s important to take stock of your “assets.”  Are you healthy?  Are your children healthy?  Are they attending school without serious difficulty?  Again, while home ownership is a wonderful part of life, it pales in comparison to other gifts of stability your family may be enjoying right now. 

·         You can train your vision to look past today’s crisis to a better future.  Start planning how you are going to own a home again—today.  This can mean something as simple as opening a new savings account with a tiny deposit.  The concrete intention to begin rebuilding your financial position can help you feel like you have psychological momentum on your side, or will again soon.

If you know someone who is facing home foreclosure (or whose home has been foreclosed upon), please print out this blog and share it with him or her.  I hope the words I’ve written will be helpful, but I am certain that your show of concern will be.  Ultimately, the news is all about people.  And, ultimately, it turns out to be about help and hope and seeing that a better future is always possible in America.