Rural communities have often been impacted adversely in historic economic systems based on centralized power and food production. The loss of environmental and human wealth has been costly, particularly in Native American communities, but other rural communities are similarly impacted. This historic pattern has buttressed an unsustainable way of life. The future must be sustainable in terms of environment, economics and social relations. Relocalizing food and energy systems as core elements of a rural economy indeed national and international economies has the potential to transform world social, economic and political relations. Our work at a local, national and international level describes how communities make change and the implications for larger society.
Kids are feeling the effects of the economy, too. How you can ease their fears. Plus, got a small space? Better reveals the top five design mistakes many people make and how to fix them.
Renowned poet and political analyst Peter Dale Scott joins The Corbett Report to discuss the deep history of the drug trade and its connections to the financial industry and intelligence agencies. Professor Scott will be speaking at an upcoming conference called “Understanding Deep Politics” in Santa Cruz, CA. For more information, please go to: understandingdeeppolitics.org
Renowned poet and political analyst Peter Dale Scott joins The Corbett Report to discuss the deep history of the drug trade and its connections to the financial industry and intelligence agencies. Professor Scott will be speaking at an upcoming conference called “Understanding Deep Politics” in Santa Cruz, CA. For more information, please go to: understandingdeeppolitics.org
The world is going through a crucial time. Recession has hit the world and all industries; more or less, are affected by it. All of a sudden, uncertainty has become a part of almost all the sectors. We have not experienced such a financial crisis since 1930s. The year 2008 was marked by uncertainty and volatility in the global financial environment. The consequences of the financial crisis have caused severe inflationary pressures. Such an environment has generated deteriorating conditions even for the pharmaceutical industry. On the other hand, pharmaceutical companies have never proven to be a vulnerable sector to volatility and are not completely sensitive to economy.
This is an industry which knows that their industry will not be severely hit as illness never understands financial crisis, even in the hour of recession. People need healthcare regardless of the economy. This is the reason that healthcare providers have been one of the top performers, till now. People are running to invest in healthcare sector as it is considered to be the safest in times like this. The pharmaceutical sector has done fairly well in the US stock market and has brought flow of money in the sector. It is not that pharmaceutical industry has escaped the recession; there is certainly a decrease in growth but not ruthless decline. The sector is not as severely hit as the banking and financial sector or the automotive sector.
Global healthcare spending is definitely going to expand as the life expectancy has grown in the past. Long lived consumers will increase the demand for pharmaceuticals. As per the US census bureau, 24% of the nation’s population is 55 years and older as of July 1, 2008. Further, it has forecasted that the number of people in this age group would increase to approximately 97 million by 2020. The growing population in US, combined with chronic disease will ensure continued growth of the pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmaceutical companies are also focusing on merger activities with biotechnology firms. Present economic slowdown has given an opportunity to big pharmaceutical companies; to focus on biotechnology companies, to boost their R&D pipeline. In today’s environment, when the Japanese Yen is rising against US Dollar, Japanese companies are in a better position to buy pharmaceutical or biotech companies.
During the economic downturn pharmaceutical companies are also facing challenges from generic drugs, expiry of patent of some of their blockbuster drugs and hesitance of FDA for new drug approval. In this time of recession, the pharma companies have shown great interest in online marketing. Few companies are taking the help of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and are witnessing successful results. The company may see strong online brand presence, if online marketing strategy is implemented in the right way. Pharmaceutical companies can also take advantage from various online portals.
In this context, Pharmaceutical Business Review has emerged as a provider of market analysis and business intelligence report on biotechnology, drug discovery, healthcare services, OTC, drug delivery, drug manufacturing, medical devices and CRO (Contract Research Organisation). It keeps the pharmaceutical companies informed on latest news and reports. This helps the companies in analyzing the latest trend of medical and pharmaceutical industries in this time of crisis.
It seems that this tough time is here to stay for all the industries including pharmaceutical sector, but the silver lining is that healthcare spending is going to increase. This will help pharmaceutical companies in growing and the focusing on online marketing which will eventually prove to be highly helpful for the economy.
If asked to name one thing that affects our life in most phases one would hardly say pharmaceuticals. But wait this is a fact that most of us since our birth depend on pharmaceuticals in one-way or other. Definitely by age our dependence on pharmacy products increases but even teenagers and young ones consume a big percentage of pharmaceutical derivatives.
Pharmaceuticals play a vital role in our day-to-day living. And hence their rising costs are destined to be our major concern. The ever growing prices of pharmaceutical products severely pinches one’s pocket, cause this is one area where there is no choice of take or leave. If a person is suffering from certain disease and the doctor prescribes him any medicines he must purchase it whether it suits his pocket or not. One is left with no choice but to pay the chemist. Hence there is a great need to regulate the prices of drugs, at least to watch that its price is not much above the cost incurred plus a marginal profit for the manufacturing company. As of now many market leaders are found to price their monopoly drugs at a very high rate. Even medicines or regular use are very costly. Drugs sold by prescription being much more expensive than those sold over the counter by the chemist. Hence, a person is often tempted to go for over the counter choice.
Big pharmaceutical players in the market also pay much attention to research and development of new medications possible. A big amount of money is invested in the R & D branch of the industry. Based on the market requirements and demands companies try hard to invent a suitable drug to cure any ailment. Millions are spend in this type of research. And once any company hopes to have created any new medicine it has to pass through many different stages to get the approval of the drug controlling authority, FDA. FDA governs the stages of research, development and manufacture that have been undergone for any new drug before being exposed to consumers. Only after it has approved and given its quality assurance any drug shall be sold to public.
Even before any drug is presented to FDA it undergoes intensive testing which is carried on animals and even humans. These tests confirm about the effectiveness of the medicine and makes sure that the invented drug does not have any serious side effects. Animals that are used to carry these tests often raise a controversy among the environmentalists. They strongly object about animals being tortured for the benefit of mankind. While the companies defend by saying that it is important to save mankind and those animals can easily reproduce. Whatever be the case this controversy goes on forever without a suitable solution. All this research work is necessary so that the ultimate consumer gets nothing but the best.
With the high growth rate in the pharmaceutical industry all the companies employed in this sector are facing though competition. There is a constant endeavor to attract the consumers by direct marketing and efficient advertising plans targeted towards customers. We all need to be aware of what types of drugs are available in the market and take our judgment meticulously and not get carried away by advertisements.
In this economy, many people have lost their jobs or are in fear of losing them. Retirement savings are down and no one seems to know when the economy will turn around. In times like these we must pay close attention to how every dollar is spent. If you’ve lost your health insurance or otherwise need to get health insurance, it’s more important than ever to get the coverage you need to protect your family’s finances without paying for coverage you don’t need.
PPO, HMO, HSA…with so many health insurance plans to choose from, how do you know which health plan is right for you? With hundreds of health plans available it can be difficult to decide which health plan is best for you and your family.
The following guidelines are provided by Jeff Breazile, owner of Benefit Studio Health Insurance Services (http://www.benefitstudio.com), a California based independent insurance agency.
To help narrow down the many choices available and find the right plan for you and your budget, it’s important to compare premium quotes from different health plans. But what benefits do you get for your monthly premium? Look beyond just the quoted premium of a health plan and consider what benefits in a health insurance plan are most important to you.
Focusing on the benefits you need most is the first step in finding a Califorrnia health insurance plan that not only offers the protection you need, but is affordable as well. The health plan with the lowest premium may not give you the financial protection you need if you get sick, have an accident or otherwise need to seek medical attention. A comprehensive health plan that covers a wide range of services and benefits may cost more in premium, but could actually save you money over a basic or “catastrophic” plan on the other end of the spectrum where you would pay a much larger share of the costs when you receive medical care.
Here are some tips to help you narrow down the list of health insurance plans when deciding which plan will be the best fit. Start by deciding which type of benefits are most important to you. What benefits have you used most in the past? How much of the medical expenses could you reasonably pay yourself if you have a major medical event? Use the following list to focus on the most important benefits. Then you can compare the plans with the benefits that best fit your needs.
PPO – Is it important to you that your plan offer a large network of participating doctors and hospitals? Do you want to be able to see a specialist without having to obtain a referral from your primary doctor? Preferred Provider Plans (PPO) offer the largest networks of participating doctors and hospitals. With a PPO you also have the option of getting medical care outside of your PPO network, although you will usually pay more if you receive care from a provider that is not in your network.
HMO – Another option is a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Although not as popular as PPO health plans, many people prefer them due to their simplicity. You can obtain most services for a low copayment and usually no coinsurance requirement. The tradeoff with an HMO is you must stay in network to receive covered medical services. HMO networks are normally smaller than PPO networks and generally a referral is required from your primary care doctor to see a specialist.
Maternity Benefits – While the cost of health insurance plans vary widely, and it’s important to choose a health plan that has the benefits you need, you may be able to save money by choosing a plan without certain benefits. If maternity benefits are not important to you, look for a health plan without maternity benefits. This alone could save you hundreds of dollars annually on your health insurance plan.
Deductible Amount – Except for services where you are only responsible for a copayment, the deductible is the amount you pay before the insurance plan pays anything. If you’re willing to pay more of the upfront costs when you need medical care, choosing a higher deductible can help keep your insurance premiums lower.
Copayment (Copay) – The copay is a flat fee you pay at the time of service. After paying the copayment, the plan usually pays 100 percent of the balance of covered services. Some California health insurance plans allow you to visit the doctor’s office for a low copay without having to meet your annual insurance deductible.
Coinsurance – In addition to the deductible, when comparing health insurance plans, pay attention to what coinsurance amount you will be responsible for after your deductible is met. Coinsurance is the percentage of the charges you are responsible to pay for covered medical services apart from any copays or your deductible.
Out of Pocket Maximum – The out of pocket maximum is the maximum amount per year you’ll have to pay for covered medical services. After reaching your out of pocket maximum, your health insurance plan pays for any additional covered medical expenses up to the plan’s lifetime benefit amount.
Prescription Drug Coverage – When it comes to prescription drug coverage, some health insurance plans keep the premiums lower by covering only generic prescription drugs. Keep in mind that while there are many generic prescription drugs available, not every prescription drug is available in generic form.
Preventive Care Services – In order to encourage healthy lifestyle habits and thereby reduce future medical expenses, many California health insurance plans offer low or no copayments or other financial incentives for preventive care services such as physical exams, immunizations, annual gynecological exams, mammograms, prostate exams and cancer screenings.
Health Savings Account (HSA) – Are you interested in a health plan that will help you save money on your tax bill? Consider a Health Savings Account (HSA) compatible health plan. A Health Savings Account (HSA) combines high deductible health insurance with a tax-advantaged medical savings account. Withdrawals that are used to pay for qualified medical expenses, including your insurance deductible, coinsurance and co-payments are federally tax-free.
By focusing on these nine plan benefits when shopping for California health insurance, you’ll find a plan that fits your healthcare needs and your pocketbook.
