Message-ID: <20210729172321.BBC9873C@telecom2018.csail.mit.edu>
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2021 17:23:21 +0000 (UTC)
From: Moderator <telecomdigestsubmissions@remove-this.telecom-digest.org>
Subject: With TeleOncology, VA stands shoulder-to-shoulder with
Veterans in rural areas to reduce disparities in cancer care
Providing specialty care access to Veterans who need it most
Veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system
are two and a half times more likely to live in rural areas. According
to an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) workforce report,
66% of rural counties have no oncologist. The same report notes that 4
in 10 Americans living in rural areas who have or had cancer say there
are no cancer specialists near their home.
https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/91061/va-stands-shoulder-shoulder-veterans-rural-areas-reduce-disparities-cancer-care/
***** Moderator's Note *****
I'm surprised: I thought the Health-Maintenance Industry would sell
long-distance medical care as a benefit "for the children," or "for
the elderly," while they are busy hiring "doctors" in foreign
countries that can be had for maybe a tenth of what a licensed
physician makes here in the good-old-US of A.
I didn't expect it would be sold as a benefit for Veterans. Of course,
this tiny sideways step is a good demonstration of the more subtle
touch or a Democratic President, and at the same time, confirmation
that Joe Biden owes a lot of favors to his wife's colleagues. No
matter: so much money is floating around Washington, D.C. right now
that it's not the vehicle that we need to watch, but the destination:
no matter which group of NOCD working men and women is supposedly
going to "benefit" from long-distance medicine, the real recipients of
all our tax money will be, as always, the ruling class and their
political errand boys.
If you think I'm lost in the ozone, just wait: your father's next
Colonoscopy will be handled by a task-trained menial who will
sort-of-know how to insert the automatic probe without tearing the
patient's anus. If your father is lucky, the low-rent, easily
replaceable menial will remember to use some KY Jelly.
Bill Horne
Moderator
Message-ID: <20210729165048.62FA473C@telecom2018.csail.mit.edu>
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2021 16:50:48 +0000 (UTC)
From: Moderator <telecomdigestsubmissions@remove-this.telecom-digest.org>
Subject: Democratic Senators Push Fcc To Scrutinize Verizon's
Tracfone Acquisition & Secure Commitments To Prioritize Consumers
"History has shown that positive pledges and good intentions without
binding commitments has been insufficient to protect consumers and
workers."
Washington (July 21, 2021) - U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.),
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Dianne
Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore) pressed the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) today to probe Verizon's proposed
acquisition of TracFone and secure specific commitments from the
company to ensure that this acquisition will not harm consumers. In
the $6.9 billion transaction, Verizon would acquire one of the largest
operators of the Lifeline program which provides free or discounted
internet and affordable prepaid mobile phone services to low-income
Americans. TracFone's SafeLink Wireless Brand supports 1.7 million
Lifeline subscribers in 43 states and approximately 21 million
customers overall.
"We are concerned that Verizon does not have a sufficient record on
supporting Lifeline for its current wireless services and has provided
few enforceable commitments to the FCC within the proposed TracFone
transaction," wrote the senators to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica
Rosenworcel. "While we note Verizon's stated goal of maintaining these
services, Verizon would have significant incentives and opportunities
to push subscribers from Lifeline and inexpensive prepaid services to
higher revenue plans."
https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/democratic-senators-push-fcc-to-scrutinize-verizons-tracfone-acquisition-and-secure-commitments-to-prioritize-consumers
