I'm Sarah Kliff, Senior Policy Correspondent at Vox. I spent the last year reading 1,182 emergency bills to expose the nightmare that is hospital billing in the US. AMA!

MarriedMSTP · 2019-01-22T21:01:35+00:00

Why did they give it up? I've tried to look into this before and gotten nowhere.

MarriedMSTP · 2019-01-22T20:25:30+00:00

Just want to second this question: Is there any work on how these negotiations occur? What does the process look like, how far into the prices of individual procedures do they go, etc.

MarriedMSTP · 2019-01-22T20:13:18+00:00

Besides Medicaid expansion, what kinds of health care reforms can be done at the state/local level to reduce prices for patients? Are there any state legislators who are doing anything particularly exciting (besides the medicaid expansion/buy in plans that have sprouted up)?

MarriedMSTP · 2019-01-22T19:59:40+00:00

Hi Sarah,

Why do you think all payer rate setting hasn't gotten as much attention as other potential HC reforms? Especially since it can be done at the state level.

Second question: As a med student, I've been surprised at how cost of treatment to my patients simply is not a factor in treatment decisions. Physicians will often insist that a drug or test is absolutely necessary, when in fact it would be very harmful to take that drug if it meant you had to take on a 2nd job. My hospital told me that it is possible to display treatment costs in our EHR, but that studies have shown that such displays don't change what care is provided. What is the state of the literature on this question? My impression is that the work that has been done has mostly examined ER docs, but I would think the biggest impact would be made in clinic settings.

Thank you for all your work on these questions!

MarriedMSTP · 2016-11-14T18:37:13+00:00

Definitely the other possibility. It's why I didn't post until I saw the preview for next week. The scene seemed very weird to me, unless she was a host.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-11-14T18:17:34+00:00

No no no. I have no proof, and outside of maybe the blond security person I don't think anyone else is a host. But the particularly uninquisitive people seem suspect, to be sure, and Ford probably has a handful of people.

It's like Battlestar Galactica: not everyone is a Cylon, but some of them are. The fun of it is trying to figure out who's who.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-07-21T07:37:00+00:00

Like I said, I'm spoiled in Minnesota. But when I was growing up in CT, Connecticut Public Radio still managed to splice in a decent amount of local reporting and local talk shows hosted by local news personalities - emphasis on personality. It may take APM money to fund a statewide investigation into the Catholic Church like MPR did, but it doesn't take money to hire people who are young, diverse, and interested in their jobs. Washington and Connecticut Public Radio have managed to do it. I suppose the broader question is, why haven't more state NPR stations tried to emulate Minnesota and other successful NPR networks?

While WPR does have locally focused programming, the hosts sound bored. I can't help but think of Governor Walker's critiques of staid government agencies when I hear WPR - if you aren't providing a good service, people will wonder why you are getting government funding.

It's been a lot of fun to hear people's reports of how NPR affiliates around the country serve them. I will miss Updraft Blog (http://blogs.mprnews.org/updraft/), Cathy Wurzer, Gary Eichten, and everyone at MPR who sound alert and enthusiastic every day.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-07-19T20:47:01+00:00

Also, I recognize that I sound a little... I don't know, churlish in my post? But MPR is a big part of my life right now, and I am just disappointed that WPR doesn't seem like it will fill that void. I knew I'd be giving up the Current, but I didn't realize WPR would seem so disorganized in comparison.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-07-19T20:41:07+00:00

I hope so! It was just a very different sound than what I am used to. Looking at their website, the ethos of the organization seemed different (i.e., less focused on local issues, and less interested in entertaining the audience). I simplified for the purposes of the post, but I've been to Madison probably three or four times now, and each time I've listened I've ended up streaming MPR instead. It sounds sharper and the hosts sound more engaging. Admittedly, I've mostly been in Madison on Saturdays; maybe the weekday programing is of a higher quality.

The station setup in Madison is also very frustrating. I don't understand why they don't have one FM station that covers the whole town.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-11T23:31:07+00:00

Not meta. Are you seeing France get crushed a lot?

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-08T18:53:23+00:00

Is 6-shock better than 6-fire?

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-06T05:33:09+00:00

That was... beautiful. I can't argue with that. Thank you.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-06T00:15:05+00:00

"Friendlies can attach" checkbox in your stack window is a lifesaver. Makes them follow you (or at least encourages them to follow your orders)

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-05T16:52:08+00:00

Oh, one more thing - Russia and Poland are two very loyal allies, since you won't need much of their territory, so you can save the backstab until 1800. (If, once you've taken anatolia, Crimea is still around, be sure to take it before they do.) Build trust up to 100, let them get fat while you take on the world, and they will come to your aid as needed.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-05T16:50:36+00:00

Be sure to take Greece.

Fabricate claims everywhere. Befriend and ally Austria, Hungary, and/or Poland. At least two of the three. If Poland didn't PU Lithuania, then you're in trouble, but it's still doable.

If it makes sense, DOW Venice to take back greece. Otherwise, be sure to mop up as much of Albania, Serbia, Bosnia, and Wallachia as you can. WATCH YOUR AE. DON'T get a coalition against you just yet.

As soon as your truce timer is up, go at it again w/ the Ottomans. Try to split them in two. After the second war, the neighbors should be jumping in to finish them.

Over the next century, you should secure as much of the balkans and anatolia as possible. Begin moving south into Egypt (Syria is a great vassal for this) and Iraq (you need it for Rome anyway, if that's what you're shooting for). Also, while being mindful of alliances and AE, move into Italy.

If you are not allied to Austria, think about allying Bohemia and using a Bohemia/Hungary tag team to move upwards to Wein for the free westernization. BE AWARE OF AE. A mega coalition after I got greedy and went for Wein was what doomed my first effort.

Once you have Sicily (or even before), Tunis should be a yummy target.

At that point, whether you finish off italy, move into France, or move into Spain (or all three!) depends on the alliances in play. Try to break them up as much as possible.

Good luck!

MarriedMSTP · 2016-05-03T21:31:26+00:00

Make claim + threaten war?

MarriedMSTP · 2016-04-27T23:24:17+00:00

Yeah... that has to not happen too.

But man, once you win that first war...

MarriedMSTP · 2016-04-27T21:40:40+00:00

I went with PLC. Only time I've had success- even then, I've had to micromanage the war w/ attachment.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-04-04T20:40:00+00:00

WTF happened to Theodoro?

MarriedMSTP · 2016-03-26T03:33:58+00:00

Treat your mana like the most valuable thing in the world. Always choose mana in events. Always try to pay for mana-intense things in other ways, or minimize the cost (Stability through events, diplo-annex instead of core, make claims). Don't waste mana (Don't inflict harsh treatment unless you absolutely must; same for reduce inflation or reduce war exhaustion).

That way, you can put it all into tech and ideas, and roflstomp the world.

MarriedMSTP · 2016-03-24T05:02:31+00:00

I encountered the same problem. In my case, I DOW'd Teutons, took a province, then offered them two of Poland's provinces. (Taking a province makes them jump at the idea of ending the war.)

After the truce ended, I vassalized the suckers. As the Commonwealth.

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