Healthcare
Daily Ramble
I’ve been traumatized by the US healthcare system. It was a realization that dawned on me as I rode my bike back from the acupuncturist clinic. A cough I’d picked up more than 2 weeks ago, likely from one of the adorable rugrats downstairs, wasn’t loosening its grip. Like any good American, I’d avoided seeking medical help until it was clearly needed. And like any good holistic medicine subscriber, acupuncture seemed the best route for my ailment.
I arrived at the clinic on time and was warmly greeted by the acupuncturist — one of several practitioners. I waited no more than 5 minutes before being brought into her office, where she spent a solid 20 minutes asking me questions about my health, family’s health, and health history. Then I was asked to get on the table, shirt and shoes off, for a full round of acupuncture, front and backside. While on my stomach, besides just the needles, she used various herbs, smoke, and cupping techniques to move the stagnant energy gumming up my gears. Getting off the table, the clinic's guru stepped in to check my pulse and tongue for a confirmation of the diagnose. Tomorrow I’ll go back for the specific tonic necessary to ungum my lungs.
€50! That’s it: 90 minutes and two professional healers’ time. I may have a fee for the tonic I pick up tomorrow, but I didn’t have the cajones even to ask. Now, your tastes in medicine may suggest all of this is a bunch of hogwash. But that’s not the point. The point is that for 90 minutes, I was taken into the hands of a health professional, asked for my history, given care and treatment, and walked away feeling like a respected human being. And before you say that’s because you went to an alternative medicine clinic, I’ve had the same experience going to traditional doctors here as well.
It’s not since I was a child going to the pediatrician that my medical appointments in the US were anything even comparable. Even the kindest of doctors who did their best to give me time and attention displayed their sadness and exhaustion in and under their eyes. Once the bills came in, even with insurance, I was at best glad I didn’t have to pay the other 80%, but at worst, disgusted by how much treatment cost and what I still had to foot. So, like many other Americans, I learned to get on without seeking medical treatment unless a bone was protruding.
For Americans reading this, I’m sorry you get the experience you do. Truly. But if you’ve got an expensive health care issue to take care of, seriously consider the costs of a medical vacation instead. You won’t be disappointed in the treatment you receive at a fraction of the cost — more than likely paying for your vacation.
Favorite Things on the Interwebs Today
007 level police evasion tactic.
Bitcoin Price Prediction
Yesterday: $55k - $60k
Today: $54.5k - $58k
Tomorrow: $54.5k - $60k
The consolidation continues. Much longer than I initially anticipated. The last time we consolidated this long was around the previous all-time high of $20k in December last year. Once $20k was breached, the price ran up more than 110% before a significant pullback. In other words, once this region breaks — and all signs point that direction — we’re going to experience some serious expansion. Do I think it’ll break today or tomorrow? Nope. It looks to me like we might need to see the price sweep below $55k before we begin our ascent, but if that doesn’t happen in the next day, the bulls will start driving the price back up towards $60k again. Each time the bears drive the price down a little less before the bulls step in to push back. That’s bullish consolidation as long as we stay over $50k.
Bitcoin Q & A
Q: Isn’t blockchain technology more important than Bitcoin?
A: Maybe, but not likely.
Bitcoin transactions are held in a data structure called a blockchain. While the innovative data structure is a disruptive force and can be applied to fix many business issues, it’s hard to see how it could be a more disruptive technology than Bitcoin itself.
Why? The total addressable market for Bitcoin is the total of all stores of value: gold, silver, real estate, equities, treasury bonds, other currencies, etc. While it’s impractical to think it’ll absorb all the value currently stored in these assets, the total is estimated to be approximately $100T. It’s hard to see where all potential blockchain applications in the world will have an addressable market of that size. I’m hard-pressed to think of any market in the world that’s of similar scope — may be air or water if we put a price tag on it?
Thanks for reading,
Kent
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