P.S. What about H.I.P.A.A.? For those of you not in the health industry, this abbreviation stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The legislation addresses the issue of privacy of protected health information. (e.g. name of patient, date of birth, social security number, address, diagnosis).
This law does not really apply to customer service representatives outside of the United States, and therefore this information could be used by unscrupulous foreign nationals for their own purposes.
Please share widely!
Obummah has not served the base on policy, so the base stayed home, and the GOP rallied and won.
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p>All of these politicans love trade deals where the jobs go to third world nations where they pay 25 cents per hour. Then, the corporations that own them can give them $$$$$ to put on idiotic campaign ads about how much they love mom and apple pie.
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p>And we are supposed to compete with 25 cents per hour? RIGHT.
Show some economic evidence to support these assertions? Low paid, low skilled jobs went to India. India now has a middle class, with a middle class they then need goods and services from American businesses, particularly high skilled jobs like computers, tech industries, and advanced manufacturing since there is still a lot their industries can’t make. Also it is vital our alliance with the worlds largest democracy is more than just economic. We need them as a reliable military partner, particularly with an assertive China and with a two-faced Pakistan right next door. This trip is far more about national security than it is about trade, this is an emerging power we need on our side. Notice the Gates visit to Vietnam, Obama is smartly winding down the GWOT and focusing on the real threat and containing it.
Are you saying that those insurance companies are outsourcing medical collection to India? In any case, the insurance companies must obey US law regardless of who they contract with and will be liable if their contractors break the law. Furthermore, you can bet that very few Indian contractors are going to risk their careers by stealing patient data. Your concern about competence is definitely warranted, but my own experiences with Cigna leads me to believe that at least in their case they already have a big problem.
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p>Regarding outsourcing in general, it is true that you can hire people in India for a lot less than an American, their are huge risks and overhead in doing so. The time and culture differences make it extremely difficult to effectively manage a remote operation in India, and at least in the field of software development have seen it fail on several occasions.
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p>While outsourcing is a threat to US jobs, I am not sure that protectionist approaches to the problem won’t cause more harm than good. If you think about it, productivity gains through greater automation are every bit as much of a threat to jobs – what do you do about that?
I was commenting on the use of insurance customer service from India, not collections. You said, “‘Your concern about competence is definitely warranted, but my own experiences with Cigna leads me to believe that at least in their case they already have a big problem.'” That was exactly my point. I stand corrected regarding Liberty Mutual, but AIG (Chartis)regularly uses provider service representatives based in India.
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p>I am not an expert regarding job creation in the advent of automation, but I fully believe that a real investment in generating renewable energy would create several hundred thousand well paying jobs in the United States. They would be jobs that would be difficult to outsource or automate.
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p>Respectfully Submitted,
Sincerely,
Wayne Wilson
Roslindale
I grant you that phrases like “a real investment in generating renewable energy” sound great.
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p>My day job is running an engineering group in the renewable (solar) energy industry.
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p>I invite you to offer some numbers about how you’re going to create “several hundred thousand well paying jobs in the United States”. Do you have any clue about the enormous investments European and Asian manufacturers and governments have been making in the renewable energy sector for more than a decade?
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p>The newly-elected majority party of the House is threatening to default on the US debt. We are already running a massive deficit, and these newly-elected representatives are talking about cutting taxes. I strongly encourage you to look hard at what the rest of the world is already investing. The cold hard reality is that the majority of new renewable energy jobs, if they happen at all, will be created by foreign sources.
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p>The window of opportunity for the US government to invest in creating renewable energy jobs was about ten years ago — when the federal government had a surplus (thanks to Bill Clinton). We chose to, instead, squander that investment on an illegal invasion of Iraq and a decade of profligate and completely useless spending on a pointless “war on terror.”
Since I am not an elected official, I do not have any power to get programs initiated. But, if I was in the position to do so, I would invest a portion of the state retirement fund in Massachusetts in new renewable energy projects across the Commonwealth. We would reduce our dependence on foreign fuel, create jobs here and give people more money in their pockets. By investing our money back into our Commonwealth, we all win.
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p>Respectfully Submitted,
Sincerely,
Wayne J. Wilson, Jr.
Roslindale
First, I think we should remember that “jobs” — as in high-wage manufacturing jobs, such as working a production line at Necco Candy or making fabric in Lowell, Lawrence, or Haverhill — are gone for good in Massachusetts. No amount of local (non-Federal) government funding is going to bring those back.
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p>It seems to me that if our goal is create sustainable prosperity for middle-class residents of Massachusetts, we should then look for the maximum return, measured in personal income generation, for each dollar invested.
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p>Now we get to a very sticky question: suppose we are choosing between two programs, both with equal likelihood of success:
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p>Which option do we pursue as a matter of public policy?
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p>Having made that choice, are we sure that renewable energy projects provide the highest return in new compensation created for each dollar we invest? Are we sure that the same job creation funds might not be better spent in:
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p>I strongly support renewable energy investments for Massachusetts. I strongly support investments in building prosperity (including jobs) for Massachusetts residents. I am not at all sure that those two directions are related to each other.
You said, “‘I strongly support renewable energy investments for Massachusetts. I strongly support investments in building prosperity (including jobs) for Massachusetts residents. I am not at all sure that those two directions are related to each other.'”
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p>We have to make an investment in renewable energy if we are to survive and remain economically viable. That does not ring true regarding the other types of investment you mentioned.
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p>The time for hesitation has passed. There is serious discussion about a sea level rise of several yards within the next fifty years if we do nothing. That would put most of downtown Boston and Cape Cod underwater. That is not what I want for my children.
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p>Massachusetts has lead the way regarding insuring all of its’ residents, and that plan still has much to be desired.
Let’s lead by example once again, and when our energy costs are the lowest in the nation, others will follow.
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p>Respectfully Submitted,
Sincerely,
Wayne J. Wilson, Jr.
Roslindale
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p>P.S. What is wrong with investing a portion of the retirement funds for federal employees in a massive renewable energy generation project?
I enthusiastically agree that we need to make a major investment in renewable energy. I think the arguments supporting that (some of which you summarize very nicely) are compelling.
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p>It was the jobs connection that I question, I fear it weakens (rather than strengthens) the case.
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p>If the goal of renewable energy investment is to reduce our carbon load and reduce our dependence on fossil fuel sources (foreign and domestic), then energy conservation still offers, far and away, the best return.
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p>Let me offer a micro-example of a straightforward way to dramatically reduce the energy consumption of Massachusetts households: stop heating our sewers. That’s right.
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p>In the overwhelming majority of Massachusetts households, we use energy to heat ambient-temperature water from the street to 120-140 degrees F. We then take our showers or wash our dishes, and dump that hot water (filled with expensive BTUs) down the drain and directly into the sewer. A relatively simple heat recovery unit on each drain can significantly reduce our domestic energy consumption, without forcing us to take cold showers.
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p>I’m only attempting to encourage us to keep our focus on the problem we’re trying to solve. Our “jobs” problem is different from our energy problem.
Our jobs problem is definitely linked to our energy problem. President Obama said that “‘We are giving away our money to people who don’t like us very much.'”
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p>Conservation goes hand in hand with renewable energy so we get the most out of the dollars spent. The sad thing is that no one besides us in this forum seems interested in this discussion.
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p>Moreover, this is not being discussed in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, nor the State Senate or the U.S. House of Representatives. They are too busy bickering over a myriad of other issues to address this one. Time is wasting and the youth of our world will pay a horrible price for our inaction.
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p>Respectfully Submitted,
Sincerely,
Wayne J. Wilson, Jr.
Roslindale
I called Governor Patrick’s office today and spoke with one of his aides. She was very accomodating. I made the suggestion that a portion of the state retirement fund (say 25%) be used to create a large new renewable energy project in Massachusetts. Let’s see if my suggestion has legs.
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p>Respectfully Submitted,
Sincerely,
Wayne J. Wilson, Jr.
Roslindale
…try getting in touch with our Treasurer-elect Steve Grossman. He would be responsible for investing our funds and may very well be receptive to something like this.