| Review of H. Doyle Smith's "Budget Your Goals Not Your Silver" |
[May. 23rd, 2012|10:28 am] |
Sometimes, you reach times in your life when you realize that things have changed - these times can be quite jarring for those of us that live the life of the young academic.
When you're in graduate school, you're used to being the low man on the totem pole. You're a grad student - so every faculty and staff member has you beat, more or less. If you're teaching, you have the lowest position in that, too - though you are technically in authority over some students. But, "grad student" is not a position that really commands much respect from anyone.
Then, you graduate and get a professorship, and suddenly you're an expert - at least in the eyes of others. At least, that's been my experience (which may be colored by the fact that I'm one of the few economists in my county...). So, reporters call and ask about things that you're only marginally knowledgeable about - in fact, things where most of your knowledge comes from reading the Wall Street Journal.
Another thing that - apparently - happens is that people who live in your area who have an interest in your subject will contact you to get your opinions on things that they're thinking about.
( Like being asked to review self-published books by local authors... )
My impression of the book, overall, is that it has a good approach - but that it stumbles into error on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the errors that it stumbles into happen to be most of the book's main conclusions. |
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| Political Polarization: A Game Theoretic View |
[Apr. 24th, 2012|03:54 pm] |
Many people seem to be mystified and disturbed by the increasing (or at least high) polarization present in the current political climate. I'm neither. I like gridlock (no change is better than bad change - and most political change seems to be bad). And I understand game theory, which I think is key to understanding the current level of polarization happening in American politics. Ironically, it's the desire of the individuals that compose the general public to appear "moderate" that leads to polarization of the parties.
How so?
( One explanation )
In the end, we shouldn't really be mystified by what's happening here. It's a consequence of trends that have existed in the US for about 50 years - an abandonment of the parties to extremists leads the parties to be more extreme - which in turn creates an inability to compromise. The big question is how to get back out... |
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| One Bad Argument for Universal Health Insurance Coverage |
[Apr. 23rd, 2012|03:26 pm] |
There are lots of arguments for universal health insurance coverage. Oddly (I know), I've made some myself (though that's not the side of the issue that I ultimately come down on).
( Cut for length )
Long story short: there are lots of reasons to favor universal health care coverage, but let's stop arguing that it's going to decrease medical expenses - the evidence suggests that it won't - the insured spend more per person than the uninsured do. |
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| Pres Obama's Jobs Plan |
[Apr. 19th, 2012|04:07 pm] |
So, President Obama has announced a new jobs plan.
I'm typically critical of any idea that comes out of Washington, so when I read the headline I thought "Yay! Snarky blog post material!"
( Sadly not )
So, yeah, I have relatively few objections to this plan - it might actually be an improvement over the current system... |
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| Insurance Co Update |
[Apr. 13th, 2012|08:55 am] |
Ends up the frustrated email worked its magic.
Anthem got back to me a week ago saying that the claims were rejected because of the procedure codes that were used, and that they had gotten in touch with the doctor's office about the issue, asked them not to bill us until everything was resolved, and such.
I hopped on the Anthem website today and it looks like everything has been approved.
I'm kind of curious whose mistake it was... Looking at the approved procedure codes, I don't think they're any different than they were before - but I'm not sure. (My memory is far-less-than-photographic.) Sadly, I didn't write them down and they're not on my old explanation of benefits with all the rejections on it...
Anyway, looks like it all worked out! |
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| Letter to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield |
[Apr. 4th, 2012|08:57 pm] |
The following is an email that I just wrote to my insurance company. Thought I'd share.
I just received an Explanation of Benefits and it included a claim that was rejected for my newborn son, Isaac (born 2/27/2012).
Upon checking the website, I see that three claims have been rejected for him in his just-over-month of life. Being puzzled by this, I called the number on my Explanation of Benefits that was for if I had "Any questions". This led me into an entirely automated system that was completely incapable of answering the questions that I had: WHY these claims were all rejected, and what I need to do to ensure that no further claims are rejected. The menu on the automated system, as far as I could tell, provided no option of talking to a real person who could actually answer these questions.
So, I just want to say two things. First, I am QUITE dissatisfied with the service that I have received in this matter. Rejecting claims for someone's newborn son for no apparent reason is the kind of behavior that gives health insurance companies a bad name. (I recognize, of course, that the claims weren't rejected because Anthem hates babies or anything so silly. But, at the same time, I have no real proof that these claims were rejected for any better reason.) In addition, making it something between difficult and impossible to find out WHY these claims were rejected further adds to the public's impression that health insurance companies care nothing whatsoever about their customers. Though, rationally, I know that I am better off with health insurance than without, this kind of nonsense makes me (irrationally) jealous of those that live without having to deal with this kind of treatment.
Second, I would obviously appreciate an answer to the questions: Why were these claims rejected? and What can I do to ensure that no further claims are rejected?
(For full disclosure's sake: I will be posting a copy of this message on my blog, along with updates as the situation resolves.) |
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| Thanks to the Speculators! |
[Mar. 24th, 2012|05:17 pm] |
So, I just got an email from my Senator about how evil speculators are. Those jerks! Driving up the price of oil and gas! HOW DARE THEY!!! How DAAAARE they!!! (Insert shaking fists here.)
Except, of course, that the claim is basically nonsense.
Today, I hope to explain why.
( My attempt... )
President Obama has said that he doesn't mind high gas prices - he just wishes they wouldn't rise so fast.
To which I say - if he believes that, I hope he'll join me in saying thank you to the speculators! "Not rising so fast" is exactly what speculation ends up doing. |
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| Crying Babies |
[Mar. 13th, 2012|11:15 pm] |
As you probably know if you read my blog, I'm an academic.
As you probably also know, I have a two week old son.
( And he cries )
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| *sigh* Wal-Mart |
[Mar. 3rd, 2012|10:26 pm] |
Wal-Mart made me sad today.
As those who read my blog regularly know, I'm generally a fan of Wal-Mart. I'm not saying that they are perfect. But, to me, they are exactly what I want a business to be. They provide what I want as a customer. That's all I ask.
( And today WalMart failed me )
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| The Evil "Reply" Button |
[Feb. 24th, 2012|05:13 pm] |
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I've discovered a new pet peeve.
It's not something that used to bother me. But, for whatever reason, it does now.
( Read more... ) |
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