IHT World introduces medical tourism services to empower Americans with an alternative to the high price of health care, including non-emergency surgery.

Although many people have never heard the term "medical tourism", a growing number of Americans are finding it highly valuable to travel outside the United States for health care services. While medical tourism has been popular in many countries, Americans have only recently begun to understand the benefits of the medical tourism option.

Pam Brammann R.N., President and Managing Director of IHT World said, "As a nurse, I became extremely frustrated with our health care system. Upon discovering that American quality care can be obtained in other countries for a fraction of the cost in the United States, I decided to offer medical tourism as an option to save Americans a great deal of money on their health care costs."  Typical savings are 50 to 80 percent compared to medical costs in the United States - including travel expenses for two.

Individuals, employers and insurance companies are all experiencing the financial burden of American health care.  IHT World offers customized medical tourism services that will help reduce health care costs without compromising quality.

To discover more go to www.ihtworld.com

(Kansas City, Kan., Jan. 20, 2012) - Officials from EPA Regions 7 and 8 today hosted a meeting with the directors of state agriculture departments of  Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.  The meeting, held at EPA's Region 7 building in Kansas City, Kan., provided a forum for dialogue on EPA programs and regulations as well as specific issues, interests and concerns of the agriculture sector.

EPA staff participants in the meeting included: Karl Brooks, Region 7 Administrator; Jim Martin, Region 8 Administrator; Josh Svaty, Region 7 Senior Adviser; Damon Frizzell, Region 7 Agricultural Adviser; Jennifer Schuller, Region 8 Agriculture Adviser; and Howard Cantor, Region 8 Deputy Administrator.

"Agricultural producers deserve credit for taking significant steps to protect the environment while finding innovative ways to feed millions," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks. "American farmers and ranchers have such broad impacts on everything from daily food prices to widespread environmental impacts to emerging renewable fuel technologies that EPA needs to hear the views of state agriculture directors as part of our decision making process."

EPA recognizes that agricultural producers are on the frontline of environmental stewardship and are affected by many EPA programs.  Frequent meetings with state agriculture directors are a critical way for EPA to provide outreach and receive feedback on current issues and concerns. Specific topics of today's meeting included air quality standards for particulate matter, renewable fuels, nutrient management, water quality and concentrated animal feeding operations.

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Learn more about the intersections of agriculture and the environment:  www.epa.gov/region07/priorities/agriculture/index.htm

 

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/eparegion7

In case you missed it...

...there's another way to simplify regulations that may attract more consensus. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) introduced a bill this week that would require that all federal regulations be written in clear, simple language that their intended audience can understand, reducing compliance costs for the private sector. He helped pass a similar bill last year to promote plain language in government, but it didn't touch regulations.

"Sadly, gobbledygook dominates the regulations issued by government agencies, making it almost impossible for small businesses to understand the rules of the road," Braley said in a statement about the bill.

The congressman offered an example of that "gobbledygook" when I interviewed him this week: The 300-page Volcker Rule, he said, "seems excessive to me," arguing that regulators trained in plain language would be able "to produce a document that's much simpler and much easier to understand."

Simplifying regulations is not so simple

Washington Post

1/19/12

Opponents of government regulations typically complain about the burden they impose on private-sector firms that have to comply with them, burden that they say dampens economic growth.

Part of that burden has to do with the sheer complexity of the regulations themselves, especially when taken together as a whole.

One financial industry consulting firm describes that web of regulatory mandates as a "complexity risk." In a new industry report flagged by Joe Nocera, the consulting firm Federal Financial Analytics argues that "the sum total of all the U.S. and global rules aimed at preventing financial crises" can end up having unintended consequences.

The study points out that both regulators and industry players tend to look at regulations in a "silo" fashion, without considering how the individual parts may overlap, contradict or otherwise work against each other. Federal Financial Analytics emphasizes that it doesn't oppose many of the new regulations, per se, but that many critical pieces need to be streamlined.

For example, the firm proposes creating "a more uniform capital framework" to make it easier for firms to comply with new U.S. and global capital standards. It also wants CEOs to be responsible for monitoring only risks that truly threaten their own firms or the financial system instead of "the minutiae."

But there can be big differences between how regulators and industry leaders would simplify byzantine regulations. The suggestion to reduce the number of risk factors that bank chiefs are responsible for monitoring which might concern regulators. But giving more discretion and power to regulators would likely concern industry. And finding a compromise between the two can often make a law even more complex.

Federal Financial Analytics blames such regulatory complexity on "over engineered standards" produced by a host of expert regulators. But industry lobbyists are also driving these deliberations to carve out exceptions if things aren't moving in their direction. As a result, achieving "simplicity" can be harder than it sounds in the abstract.

That said, there's another way to simplify regulations that may attract more consensus. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) introduced a bill this week that would require that all federal regulations be written in clear, simple language that their intended audience can understand, reducing compliance costs for the private sector. He helped pass a similar bill last year to promote plain language in government, but it didn't touch regulations.

"Sadly, gobbledygook dominates the regulations issued by government agencies, making it almost impossible for small businesses to understand the rules of the road," Braley said in a statement about the bill.

The congressman offered an example of that "gobbledygook" when I interviewed him this week: The 300-page Volcker Rule, he said, "seems excessive to me," arguing that regulators trained in plain language would be able "to produce a document that's much simpler and much easier to understand."

With the cow herd at its lowest level since 1973, drought in the southern range states and optimism for increased export demand, the stage is set for heifer retention increases into the next few years. To aid in this process, Iowa Beef Center (IBC), Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Cattlemen's Association are working together to host a series of heifer clinics over the next few weeks.

The series focuses on currently available technologies and management to increase productivity and longevity of heifers. Specific topics include health protocols, ration recommendations, heifer development budgets, AI practices and synchronization recommendations, and reducing calving difficulties. Ultrasound demonstration and Q&A also are part of each session.

Cost is $15 per person which includes resource materials and meal. Contact and registration information is included for each location. Preregister by date shown for the desired location to ensure adequate material and meal count.

Session dates, times, locations

Jan. 25, Rockwell City, Expo Building at Calhoun County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Register by Jan. 18 by calling 712-297-8611 (snow date Feb. 1).

Jan. 26, Iowa Falls, Ellsworth College Equestrian Center, 6 p.m. Register by Jan. 18 by calling 641-923-2856.

Feb. 6, Spencer, Clay County Regional Events Center at Clay County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register by Jan. 30 by calling 712-262-2264 (snow date Feb. 8).

Feb. 7, Postville, Postville Vet Clinic, noon to 4 p.m. Register by Feb. 1 by calling 319-472-7939.

Feb. 7, Richland, Keokuk County (formerly Richland) Veterinary Clinic, 6 p.m. Register by Feb. 1 by calling 641-472-4166.

Feb. 7, Stuart, Stuart Vet Clinic, 6 p.m. Register by Feb. 1 by calling 641-203-1270.

Feb. 9, Chariton, ISU McNay farm, 6 p.m. Register by Feb. 1 by calling 641-203-1270.

Feb. 9, Maquoketa, Jackson County Extension office, noon to 4 p.m. Register by Feb. 1 by calling 319-472-7939.

Feb. 9, Bloomfield, Bloomfield Livestock Auction, 6 p.m. Register by Feb. 1 by calling 641-472-4166.

A listing of all series session dates, times, locations and contact information also is available on the IBC website.

Additional series sponsors are ABS Global, Accelerated Genetics, Elanco Animal Health, Genex, Hawkeye Breeders Service, Innovative Ag Services, Land O'Lakes-Purina, Nichols Cryo-Genetics, Pfizer Animal Health, Quality Liquid Feeds, Select Sires and Stuart Veterinary Clinic-Ultrasound Services.

Site specific sponsors are Collison Embryo, Collison Veterinary Services, Innovative Ag Services, Maquoketa Embryos, Novartis Animal Health, Postville Vet Clinic, Spencer Ag Center LLC, Spencer Livestock Sales, and Valley Veterinary Center, PLC.

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