Psoriasis News; DoD and Healthcare; Medicare Tax Cheats
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A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
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Regarding the photo, no animals were harmed in the production of this picture. Strictly machine generated. I find small fuzzy creatures calming in the face of the daily outrage.
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Psoriasis Good News
A derivative of the diuretic drug amiloride (Midamor) blocked key inflammatory pathways in mouse models of psoriasis, including xenografts of psoriatic human skin, as well as in cultured patient skin samples, researchers said.
Skin cells taken from human psoriasis patients, reconstructed into tissue and grafted onto immunodeficient mice, "showed pronounced psoriasiform hyperplasia" when treated with a placebo solution, but when benzyl amiloride was applied, no such abnormal growth was seen.
In addition, experiments with cultured psoriatic skin cells showed that the agent prevented cell growth driven by epidermal growth factor, the group reported in Science Translational Medicine. The live-animal studies also showed that benzyl amiloride, also known as benzamil, effectively inhibited skin inflammation when given systemically as well as topically. (MedPage Today)
This is really hopeful.
Defense Funding Bill of Shame
The House on Wednesday passed an $895.2 billion defense policy bill that includes a provision to prohibit the military’s health-care system from providing specialized treatments to the transgender children of U.S. service members.
The National Defense Authorization Act passed 281-140, with fewer than half of House Democrats backing the traditionally bipartisan legislation. The Senate must also approve the bill before it can be sent to President Joe Biden.
I spent 40 years of my life supporting the the US government and the military but by denying care to a tiny minority in such a hateful way is wrong and I recommend letting your senators know.
PS It also prohibits DoD from doing anything about climate change.
ACTION
Let’s tell our senators not to vote for the defense authorization bill that contains anti trans and anti climate change language. You can call/email them and let them know. Here is their contact info, https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
Or on your cell phone you can text SIGN PRCYFQ to 50409 (RESISTBOT) to send the message below. If it is the first time you’re using RESISTBOT it will ask for your name, address, phone number and email to make sure it locates your elected officials correctly.
Here is the message you’ll send.
“As a constituent I want you to know that the defense authorization bill coming to you contains language prohibiting the military from paying for transgender care for the children of service members We should be doing all we can to support those who voluntarily choose to protect us not deny coverage for those that need it. I strongly urge you let everyone know you stand for fairness and equality and vote NO. P.S. the bill also prohibits the DoD for doing anything positive about Climate Change as well.”
Medicare Tax Loophole
Social security taxes are only taken from income up to $168,860. Medicare taxes apply to all earned income. Well not quite all. These taxes are generally applied to wage or self employment income.
Hedge fund billionaires, that direct the investments of gigantic funds are skipping paying Medicare taxes - legally. Steve Cohen, a controversial hedge fund manager, avoided $11 million in Medicare taxes.
Background
Many government employees pay into a pension system different from social security. Fifty years ago some clever investment firms noticed that if you were in a limited partnership (an investor is a limited partner) then that income you made was subject to social security and Medicare taxes. If those government workers invested in those partnerships, they could collect social security and their government pension.
Well, Congress was offended and so closed the loophole so that if your are part of a limited partnership investment (general or limited partner) that income is NOT subject to social security or Medicare taxes.
Hedge fund managers noticed this and they arranged for their income for managing the fund to come from a limited partnership investment. Sometimes only the hedge fund and the manager are the only partners in the Limited Partnership that pays the manager.
One manager, Steve Cohen, had an income of well over $100 million and avoided paying $11 million in Medicare taxes.
The IRS is investigating that one. We can pressure Congress to do two things.
First make sure the IRS is well funded to go after these kinds of cheats and collect the money owed to we the people. Second - they can work to close loopholes like this that allow the rich to skate by without paying their fair share. Here is the ProPublica investigation into this problem.
ACTION
Let’s tell our senators and members of Congress to make sure the IRS has all the funding needed to go after wealthy tax cheats so our government is sufficiently well funded. Second, ask them to look into the Limited Partnership loop hole that is allowing wealthy partners in these investments to avoid paying Medicare taxes. Here is their contact info, https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
Or on your cell phone you can text SIGN PQVTOS to 50409 (RESISTBOT) to send the message below. If it is the first time you’re using RESISTBOT it will ask for your name, address, phone number and email to make sure it locates your elected officials correctly.
Here is the message you’ll send.
“I am your constituent and I want you to know that there is a loop hole in the tax code that allows wealthy Limited Partnership managers to avoid paying Medicare taxes on the income they make advising the partnership or other funds. Here is a link to the ProPublica investigation, https://www.propublica.org/article/medicare-tax-loophole-steve-cohen?utm_campaign=wp_the_health_202&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
I am writing to ask you to do two things. First make sure the IRS has enough funding to go after wealthy tax cheats and second, work to close this loophole to help make sure that Medicare taxes are really paid. After all these people are cheating all of us. Thank you.”
RESOURCES
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All, Physicians for a National Health Program, One Payer States, Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision, Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Library of Advice, Specific Advice
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
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