HemaBlog apparently is the bleeding disorder community’s first dedicated blog to all things related to hemophilia and VWD. For me, it’s a fun way to bring my observations to you weekly, in an informal manner. While we enjoy being a company that provides so many firsts, I must give credit where it is due–the blog was the brainchild of our webmaster Amanda Wendt. Amanda is president of Mandalin Design, and is an excellent web designer, webmaster and member of our team.
We originally called this “Laurie’s Blog,” but for me this wasn’t really accurate. I don’t want this to be only about my personal observations, but also as a way to nonintrusively keep you all up to date with things in our community. I changed the name to HemaBlog, in a play on words, for those of you who recall the former HemaLog, published by Materia Medica with funding from Centeon. It is no longer in print, sadly, but its name lives on (sort of).
Well, here’s a way HemaBlog can keep you informed. Recall that for the past two years we’ve been alerting the community to massive changes in how factor is being delivered–in the quest by insurance companies and the government to lower healthcare costs. These changes have impacted the finances and lifestyles of families with hemophilia. The number one concern we have heard from families is that they wake up one morning, and their factor provider has been bought, sold, consolidated… you name it. Well, it has happened again. CVS is buying Caremark Rx for $21 billion. Read about this latest buyout in the newswires and we will surely write about this in the next issue of PEN– how this will affect you who use Caremark’s services, and all of us who use factor. The Coming Storm is now the Current Storm–and the fallout from this storm continues to affect us all.
PS. Book I read this week: “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America” by Barbara Ehrenreich. Journalist writes a scathing expose on the working poor after getting herself hired as a maid, waitress and Wal-Mart employee in three different cities in one year. Offers no solutions, but tons of empathy for and insight on those in America who serve us. THREE STARS (out of four)
