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When I began Schwartzreport my purpose was to produce an entirely fact-based daily publication in favor of the earth, the inter-connectedness and interdependence of all life, democracy, equality for all, liberty, and things that are life-affirming. Also, to warn my readers about actions, events, and trends that threaten those values. Our country now stands at a crossroads, indeed, the world stands at a crossroads where those values are very much at risk and it is up to each of us who care about wellbeing to do what we can to defend those principles. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to SR, particularly those of you who have scheduled an ongoing monthly contribution. It makes a big difference and is much appreciated. It is one thing to put in the hours each day and to do the work for free, but another to have to cover the rising out-of-pocket costs. For those of you who haven’t done so, but read SR regularly, I ask that you consider supporting it.

— Stephan

SCHWARTZ REPORT PODCAST

Schwartz Report Episode 52: Secrets of Happiness

The profit-obsessed monster destroying American emergency rooms

Stephan: 

If you read SR regularly you know I have written papers in peer-reviewed journals, and published multiple articles in SR describing how about a third of the emergency rooms in the United States are not owned by the hospitals in which they are located. They are owned by non-medical equity funds, and the doctors and nurses are employees of those financial entities. This article describes just how evil this is, and how it is destroying the already inferior healthcare Americans get.

An illustration of a doctor running in three different directions with timers floating above her head. A giant orange monster is seen just behind her.

John didn’t start his career mad.

He trained as an emergency medicine doctor in a tidily run Midwestern emergency room about a decade ago. He loved the place, especially the way its management was so responsive to the doctors’ needs, offering extra staffing when things got busy and paid administrative time for teaching other trainees. Doctors provided most of the care, occasionally overseeing the work of nurse practitioners and physician associates. He signed on to start there full-time shortly after finishing his residency.

A month before his start date, a private equity firm bought the practice. “I can’t even tell you how quickly it changed,” John says. The ratio of doctors to other clinicians flipped, shrinking doctor hours to a minimum as the firm moved to save on salaries.

John — who is being referred to by a pseudonym due to concerns over professional repercussions — quit and found a job at another emergency room in a different state. It too soon sold out to the same private equity firm. Then it […]

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Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing U.S. Health System

Stephan: 

You and I are enmeshed in the worst healthcare in the developed world, and the MAGAt Republicans are making it clear that if they get majorities in Congress they will get rid of Obamacare. If you vote Republican for any Congressional candidate you are condemning yourself and your family to healthcare that is worse than some developing countries. It has gotten so bad that we already have what researchers are calling “medical deserts,” regions in the U.S. that have little or no medical care available.

Abstract

  • Goal: Compare health system performance in 10 countries, including the United States, to glean insights for U.S. improvement.
  • Methods: Analysis of 70 health system performance measures in five areas: access to care, care process, administrative efficiency, equity, and health outcomes.
  • Key Findings: The top three countries are Australia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, although differences in overall performance between most countries are relatively small. The only clear outlier is the U.S., where health system performance is dramatically lower.
  • Conclusion: The U.S. continues to be in a class by itself in the underperformance of its health care sector. While the other nine countries differ in the details of their systems and in their performance on domains, unlike the U.S., they all have found a way to meet their residents’ most basic health care needs, including universal coverage.

Introduction

Mirror, Mirror 2024 is the Commonwealth Fund’s eighth report comparing the performance of health systems in selected countries. Since the first edition in 2004, our goal has remained the same: to highlight lessons from the experiences of these nations, with special attention to how they might […]

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Trump initially refused to give California wildfire aid because it’s a blue state, ex-aide says

Stephan: 

Traitor Trump is lying at a level of evilness never before seen in American history. He is claiming that Biden and the Democrats are sending FEMA money to immigrant murderers instead of sending it to the states damaged by hurricane Helene. And he is just one of the many MAGAt Republicans lying at a level of evil fantasy I have never seen before. Here is reality, showing Trump did, indeed, attempt to stop aid from going to Democratic areas damaged by climate events.

 Traitor Trump prepares to give remarks during a visit on Monday to Valdosta, Georgia, which was damaged by Hurricane Helene, where he lied endlessly.
Credit: Michael M. Santiago / Getty

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, former President Donald Trump has blasted the Biden administration for its handling of the disaster — going so far as to accuse Democratic leaders of ignoring the needs of Republican storm victims.

But a review of Trump’s record by POLITICO’s E&E News and interviews with two former Trump White House officials show that the former president was flagrantly partisan at times in response to disasters and on at least three occasions hesitated to give disaster aid to areas he considered politically hostile or ordered special treatment for pro-Trump states.

Mark Harvey, who was Trump’s senior director for resilience policy on the National Security Council staff, told E&E News on Wednesday that Trump initially refused to approve disaster aid for California after deadly wildfires in 2018 because of the state’s Democratic leanings.

But Harvey said Trump changed his mind after Harvey pulled voting results […]

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Trump FEMA Claim Debunked: Agency Not Running Out Of Money Because Of Migrants

Stephan: 

This is copied from the FEMA website:

https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-helene/rumor-response#:~:text=Fact%3A,help%20available%20for%20different%20needs.&text=Rumor%3A%20FEMA%20is%20asking%20for%20cash%20donations%20and%20turning%20away%20volunteers

Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response

Rumor: FEMA distributes aid based on demographic characteristics.
Fact:
FEMA provides assistance to survivors regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.

October 4, 2024
Rumor: FEMA is in the process of confiscating Helene survivor property. If I apply for disaster assistance and my land is deemed unlivable, my property will be seized.
Fact:
FEMA cannot seize your property or land. Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land. When you apply for disaster assistance a FEMA inspector may be sent to verify the damage on your home. This is one of many factors reviewed to determine what kind of disaster assistance you may be eligible for. If the results of the inspection deem your home uninhabitable, that information is only used to determine the amount of FEMA assistance you may receive to make your home safe, sanitary and functional.

October 4, 2024
Rumor: FEMA is no longer accepting applications for housing assistance.
Fact:
FEMA is still accepting assistance applications throughout areas affected by Helene. For current application timelines, visit disasterassistance.gov. You can also see if applications are being accepted on FEMA’s state specific Helene disaster webpages; Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

October 4, 2024
Rumor: FEMA does not have enough money to provide disaster assistance for Helene.
Fact:
FEMA has enough money right now for immediate response and recovery needs. If you were affected by Helene, do not hesitate to apply for disaster assistance as there is a variety of help available for different needs.

October 3, 2024
Rumor: FEMA is asking for cash donations and turning away volunteers.
Fact:
This is false: FEMA does not ask for or generally accept any cash donations or volunteers for disaster response. We do encourage people who want to help to volunteer with or donate cash to reputable voluntary or charitable organizations. After a disaster, cash is often the best way to help as it provides the greatest flexibility for these reputable organizations working on the ground to purchase exactly what is needed.

If you encounter someone claiming to represent FEMA and asking for donations, be careful as that is likely a scam. Government employees will never solicit money.

Rumor: Funding for FEMA disaster response was diverted to support international efforts or border related issues.
Fact:
This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.

October 3, 2024
Rumor: FEMA is confiscating donations for survivors.
Fact:
Rumors about FEMA turning away donations, stopping trucks or vehicles with donations, confiscating and seizing supplies often spread after a disaster. These are all false.

FEMA does not take donations and/or food from survivors or voluntary organizations. Donations of food, water, or other goods are handled by voluntary agencies who specialize in storing, sorting, cleaning, and distributing donated items.

FEMA does not conduct vehicle stops or handle road closures with armed guards — those are done by local law enforcement.

October 3, 2024
Rumor: FEMA will only provide $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.
Fact:
This is false.

This is a type of assistance that you may be approved for soon after you apply, called Serious Needs Assistance. It is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. There are other forms of assistance that you may qualify for to receive and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses your eligibility for additional funds. As your application continues to be reviewed, you may still receive additional forms of assistance for other needs such as support for temporary housing, personal property and home repair costs. If you have questions about your disaster assistance application and what you qualify for, contact us at 1-800-621-3362 to speak with a FEMA representative in your language.

FEMA Logo

Former President Donald Trump and his allies have claimed the Federal Emergency Management Agency can’t respond well enough to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene because it’s diverted so much money to helping migrants—but that’s not true, as FEMA’s funds for handling disaster relief efforts are separate from money given to immigrant communities.

Trump has repeatedly alleged that FEMA is having money issues because of funds spent on migrants, claiming at a rally Thursday that “Kamala spent all her FEMA money—billions of dollars—on housing for illegal migrants” and quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters as saying, “FEMA is now out of money, because Joe Biden and Kamala spent over a billion dollars of FEMA cash on migrants.”

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did say Tuesday that FEMA’s disaster relief efforts are facing a dire cash crunch, warning that while the agency is “meeting the immediate needs” of Hurricane Helene recovery “with the money that we have,” it “does not have the funds to make it through the [hurricane] season.”

But those financial issues aren’t because of money going to migrants: While FEMA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have […]

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US, Microsoft seize more than 100 websites used by Russian hackers

Stephan: 

Yet another report on Russia’s attempt to rig the election outcome in favor of traitor Trump, who Putin knows he can manipulate. If you derive your information about politics from social media you may become a victim of this weaponized misinformation.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

The US Justice Department and Microsoft said Thursday that they seized 107 internet domains used by hackers linked to Russian intelligence to target US government employees, defense contractors, and civil society organizations.

Federal investigators said hackers associated with an element of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) used 41 domains in a spear phishing campaign targeting US-based companies and current and former employees in the US intelligence community, Pentagon, State Department, and Energy Department as well as US defense contractors, according to court documents unsealed Thursday.

Investigators believe the hackers were seeking to obtain “information of value to the Russian government, especially in its efforts to engage in malign foreign influence operations within the United States,” authorities said.

The Justice Department indicted two Russian intelligence officers last December in connection with the hacking campaign.

A federal court in Washington, D.C., also granted Microsoft permission to seize 66 internet domains used by the same cyberespionage group — known as the “Callisto Group” or “Star Blizzard” — to steal information from journalists, think tanks, and […]

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The menstrual police are coming: Inside the GOP’s plan for total control over women

Stephan: 

Yesterday, you will remember, I did a report on how the Republicans who control the government of Louisiana basically outlawed Mifepristone for the women of that state. But that is just a part of what is going on to supress woman’s rights and let MAGAt Republicans control their body. Thoma Hartmann lays it all out very accurately. If you are a woman who votes for a Republican you should be aware that you are voting to become a handmaiden.

Police Car Credit: Dreamstime / TNS

“Menstrual police?” you may be thinking. That’s not possible! Not in America!

The Comstock Act is an 1873 law that, if enforced, would outlaw all abortions in America by banning the shipping via mail, UPS, FedEx, etc., of any device, drug, or instrument that can be used to produce an abortion. It would even shut down hospital abortions.

It could also be used to empower new state or even federal police agencies specifically overseeing women violating its provisions. Like the menstrual police, which a Trump senior advisor just said was a very real possibility.

First the background.

It’s the opinion of the Biden Administration that the Comstock Act — which is still on the books — is no longer enforceable, and the Biden DOJ (along with those of every president since Richard Nixon) refuses to enforce it.

Senator JD Vance disagrees.

He (and a few other Republican senators) sent a letter to […]

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Depression and Anxiety Among US Children and Young Adults

Stephan: 

I think there are both conscious and unconscious reasons for the growing depression amongst young people, as reported in this JAMA paper. The consciousn reasons are the trends I cover each day in SR. The unconscious one is the precognition humans all over Earth are experiencing because of the catastrophe climate change is going to produce in human cultures around the world. The only thing that can assuage this feeling is to vote and support only those who are willing to make fostering wellbeing their society’s first priority. In the United States we have just over one month to make our choice. What are you going to choose?

Key Points

Question  What are the incidence, prevalence, and changes from 2017 to 2021 for depression and anxiety diagnosed clinically among children, adolescents, and young adults and are there disparities among subgroups?

Findings  In this cohort study of approximately 1.7 million individuals aged 5 to 22 years in Southern California, the overall incidence and prevalence of depression diagnosed clinically increased by approximately 60%, and anxiety diagnosed without depression incidence increased by 31% from 2017 to 2021. Rates increased across all subgroups and were greater during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meaning  These findings suggest the increased need for mental health services for youth.

Abstract

Importance  Data from surveys show increased mental health disorders in youths. However, little is known about clinical diagnosis over time.

Objective  To assess the incidence, prevalence, and changes from 2017 to 2021 for depression and anxiety diagnosed clinically among children, adolescents, and young adults and to identify potential disparities.

Design, Setting, and Participants  This cohort study included approximately 1.7 million individuals aged 5 to 22 years in Southern California. Data were extracted from electronic medical records; International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), […]

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‘It’s going to be a mess’: The flood insurance crisis following Helene’s wreckage

Stephan: 

Here is the latest on what is going on with the insurance industry and the people they insure in the states impacted by Hurricane Helene. And then there are the hundreds of thousands of home owners who have no or inadequate home insurance. I think we are going to see an increasing number of people leaving pasts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. This is al part of what I see as the growing internal migration I have been telling you about in SR.

Cindy White looks over the devastation inside her home in North Carolina caused by Hurricane Helene. Only a tiny number of households in North Carolina have flood insurance.
Credit: Kathy Kmonicek / AP

Hundreds of thousands of people across parts of the Southeast will struggle to rebuild their homes after Hurricane Helene for one reason: Hardly anyone has flood insurance.

In dozens of counties in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina that were flooded by Helene, less than 1 percent of households have flood insurance through the federal program that sells almost all of the nation’s flood policies.

“People never thought they would have a problem with flooding,” said Jimmy Isaacs, fire chief of Boone, North Carolina, a mountainous town in Watauga County, where less than 2.5 percent of households are insured. “It’s going to be a difficult recovery.”

Helene is highlighting the major gaps in U.S. flood insurance and their consequences as climate change amplifies flood risk both from coastal storm surge and rapidly overflowing rivers in Boone and other inland areas.

Flood insurance is sold separately from […]

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