American Survival Newsletter:
Combining the World of Finance, Health & Politics
1/9/15

American Gold

A weekly newsletter brought to you by
Discount Gold & Silver 800-375-4188
Edited by Alfred Adask
Friday, January 9th, A.D. 2015


MARKETS
	Between Friday, January 2nd A.D. 2015 and Friday, January 9th A.D. 2015, the bid prices for: Gold rose 2.6 % from $1,189.80 to $1,220.60 Silver rose 4.2 % from $15.79 to $16.46 Platinum rose 2.4 % from $1,200 to $1,229 Palladium rose 0.9 % from $793 to $800 DJIA fell 0.4 % from 17,832.99 to 17,756.89 NASDAQ fell 0.3 % from 4,726.81 to 4,710.85 NYSE fell 1.0 % from 10,830.90 to 10,725.80 US Dollar Index rose 0.9 % from 91.16 to 91.96 Crude Oil fell 8.7 % from $52.81 to $48.21

"Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold

if the market shut down for 10 years." --Warren Buffett

"If the markets shut down for 10 years, what investment would you dare to hold--

other than gold"? --Alfred Adask

Consumer-borrowers vs producer-lenders

by Alfred Adask

In every society, everyone who breathes is a "consumer"-but only some people are producers. (For example, we all need to eat, but only some of us actually grow any food.) All of us are "consumers" but only some of us are "producers".

More, a majority of American "consumers" borrow currency from banks by means of loans or credit cards that allows them to consume-now-pay-later. These are "consumer-borrowers".

Only a minority of Americans: 1) produce more wealth than they consume; 2) store their excess production in the form of monetary savings; and 3) sometimes make their savings available to be borrowed by others. These are "producer-lenders"

If only because of non-productive children, sick, unemployed, welfare recipients and elderly, there are always more consumer-borrowers than producer-lenders.

Consumer-borrowers tend to be dependents. Producer-lenders tend to be self-sufficient "independents".

* Politicians normally cater to the political majority who consume-borrow and therefore favor inflation (which is "good" for borrowers).

However, politicians also know that they dare not kill the "geese" (producer-lenders) that're laying the "golden eggs" (producing and saving capital) that can be loaned to the consumer-borrowers. In the end, the consumer-borrowers are dependent on the producer-lenders.

Therefore, while politicians openly provide bread, circuses and inflation for the cheering masses of consumer-borrowers, they must also secretly provide a source of funds, tax-breaks, etc. to the producer-lenders to keep them from losing all their capital to inflation, going broke. Once the producers go broke or are otherwise rendered non-productive, the economy will collapse for lack of more funds to sooth the savage consumers (borrowers) and the consumers will tend to starve or even die.

Politicians must therefore openly favor the majority of consumer-borrowers and secretly favor the minority of producer-lenders. We see this dichotomy in congressmen and senators who openly favor the majority of Americans who are consumer-borrowers but secretly take bribes ("political campaign contributions") from the wealthy producer-lenders.

But where's the "line" between favoritism for borrowers and favoritism for lenders? How do politicians know how to properly balance the interests of borrowers against those of lenders?

And what happens if a particular group of politicians vote to grant too much favor to one side or the other? Is there a level of imbalance between consumer-borrowers and producer-lenders that, once exceeded, can tip the whole economy into collapse and thereby ruin both creditors and borrowers?

* Inflation encourages and allows consumer-borrowers to rob producer-lenders. Inflation subsidizes borrowers and is sometimes even viewed as a borrower "entitlement".

Deflation encourages people to save rather than borrow or even lend. Money saved is usually money not spent. By discouraging people from borrowing and spending, deflation slows the economy, decreases profits, increases unemployment, makes the fiat currency even more deflated (more valuable) and the existing loans less payable.

But the fact remains that both inflation and deflation are a kind of lies and a means to rob people. Given that both inflation and deflation encourage some sort of robbery, both inflation and deflation are immoral.

* Could it be that at least some of the public eventually senses this immorality and therefore refuses to play the fiat currency "game"? Does the public understand that, by means of inflation, they're being led, manipulated, and taught to do "tricks" (borrow and spend fictional currency) much like dogs are taught to do tricks by giving them "doggy treats"?

Is the government currently less able to cause the consumer-borrowers to perform "tricks" (borrow currency to buy a house) with inflation (the "doggy treat" of repaying their loans with "cheaper dollars") because consumer-borrowers don't want to live like dogs that are being "tricked" into stimulating the economy by robbing their creditors?

Or could it be that the producer-lenders are sick of being robbed, and are quitting the fiat currency game by refusing to lend to consumers who expect to pay their debts with cheaper dollars?

Or . . . could it be that the producer-lenders are now so nearly broke that they no longer have savings to lend-unless those "savings" are just freshly-printed fiat dollars recently provided by the Fed?

Whichever answer (or answers) explains our current economic condition, it appears that the economy has slowed because:

1) consumers are refusing to borrow;

2) lenders are refusing to lend to ordinary consumers and preferring to lend to major corporations; and/or

3) producer-lenders are finally so broke, that they can't afford to lend their own currency to consumers.

* All three answers point to a single conclusion: the ordinary consumer-borrowers have become less willing to borrow. Unable or unwilling to borrow, the "consumers" have become less able to maintain their previous standard of living and are tending live lives that of lower income levels.

That's consistent with a diminishing middle class and growing lower classes.

Does answer #3 (producer-lenders have gone broke) explain why (since the Great Recession of A.D. 2008) the Federal Reserve printed trillions of fiat dollars and basically gave them to the "too big to fail" banks? Did the Fed suppose that decades of inflation had left those banks too broke to lend? Did the Fed try to compensate for the loss of many of our "producer-lenders" by giving banks "free money" to lend?

Was Fed's QE strategy was intended to "stimulate" the great unwashed (consumer-borrowers) to borrow and spend? If that strategy failed and the consumer-borrowers are substantially refusing or unable to borrow, what strategy remains for the Fed to "stimulate" the economy?

Increasingly, the answer appears to be None.

Fed failed to create "inflation expectation"

by Alfred Adask

The Economist recently wrote:

"If a central bank is deploying QE over a long period of time, that means it has not paired QE with a commitment to higher future inflation."

In other words, if a central bank wants inflation, it can't go at it half-way. The central bank must demonstrate real commitment to causing inflation. Mere "tweaking" of the economy won't suffice.

When the Federal Reserve aims at 2% inflation, everyone yawns. 2% is barely noticeable by the majority of people. If there's only going to be 2% inflation, the public won't "expect" any inflation at all. Inflation is built more on public expectations than mathematical "tweaking" of the economy by the Federal Reserve. Without the public "expectation" of inflation-of serious inflation; say, 10%, maybe more-there may not be much inflation.

In seeking to cause just 2% inflation (and complaining that the official rate of inflation-1.6%-is just a teensy bit too low) the Fed fails to inspire public expectation of inflation. After all, if the Fed only wants to actually increase inflation from 1.6% to 2.0%-less than one-half of a percent-who will notice? Who will care if the price of groceries rises by 0.4% over the next year? Who will complain? Who will expect inflation? Who will fear inflation?

It's like telling your wife that you're going to change the temperature on your home's thermostat from 68 degrees to 67.5 degrees. Your wife may not say so, but she's probably wondering why you waste her time with such insignificant announcements.

The Economist article implies that, if the Fed wants to cause real inflation, it can't rely on mathematics and economic formulae. Inflation is, to a large degree, psychological. The Fed can't cause real inflation without scaring the public into "expecting" more and more inflation.

But once the public succumbs to fear (and possible panic), the Fed loses control of inflation and of the economy. If the Fed can cause the people to fear and expect 10% inflation, that emotional expectation could drive inflation up to 20% or even more. That public "expectation" might be beyond the Fed's capacity to control.

However, if the Fed truly aims to increase inflation by only 0.4%, no one will care and there'll be no "emotional" support for more inflation.

The Fed is caught between the rock and the hard place.

On the one hand, if the Fed tries to cause just a little bit of inflation with mathematics and tweaking, the public won't notice, care or become fearful. Without the emotional energy provided by some underlying public fear, the Fed probably can't conjure up enough inflation to stimulate the economy.

On the other hand, if the Fed dares to inspire enough public fear to motivate noticeable inflation, the Fed risks losing control of the economy as the over-emotional public stampedes one way or another.

The Economist is suggesting that, so far, the Federal Reserve and other central banks have failed to stimulate their national economies because their Quantitative Easing (QE) strategies have each been too tepid to inspire much public emotion. Without that public emotion, it's at least difficult and perhaps impossible to cause enough inflation to stimulate the economy.

* More, the Economist implies that QE is not about causing inflation, per se, but rather about preventing deflation. In fact, the fundamental threat after (perhaps even before) the post-2008 crash, has been deflation. The Federal Reserve has used QE's 1, 2 & 3 to offset and prevent deflation by trying to cause inflation.

Inflation was not the objective. Inflation was the means to achieve the real objective: preventing deflation.

But, so far, the Fed has only stabilized the economy and prevented it from falling headlong into an era of deflation. That stabilization is a kind of success, but it's not evidence of the result the Fed wanted and needed to "stimulate" the economy: significant inflation.

Thus, the Economist implies that the facts of QE 1, 2 & 3 are evidence of that the Federal Reserve has failed to demonstrated a sufficient "commitment higher future inflation". The Fed wanted inflation, but they didn't want it bad enough. Each subsequent episode of QE is not only evidence that the previous episodes failed, but also evidence that the Fed lacks the will and/or power to cause significant inflation.

If the public no longer believes that the Fed can cause significant inflation, can the Fed cause inflation? Have the Fed's repeated but largely unsuccessful attempts to cause significant inflation caused it to assume the role of the "little boy who cried 'wolf'?"

If the public no longer believes Fed can cause inflation, does that loss of "inflation expectation" increase the prospect of deflation?

* "Prolonged QE is effectively a signal that the central bank is unwilling to commit to higher inflation."

Exactly.

The Economist implies that the Fed should've done more, immediately after the A.D. 2008 crash, to stop deflation by causing significant inflation. The Economist implies that the Fed "under-reacted" to the A.D. 2008 crash. If the Fed had done more-if it had combined the forces of QE 1 and 2 (and maybe even 3) into a single economic thunderbolt in A.D. 2008, it might've caused sufficient inflation to prevent deflation and "snap" us out of the recession/depression. But, by doing so, the Fed might also have a caused a panic sufficient to collapse the economy.

Maybe so.

But we can't fault the Fed for under-reacting in A.D. 2008. I remember the idea that the government would provide $800 billion to the "too big to fail banks" was initially viewed as unprecedented, incredible, radical and shocking. In retrospect, we might view $800 billion as insignificant. At the time, $800 billion was monumental. But we probably needed $1 trillion. Maybe $2 trillion.

Nevertheless, in A.D. 2008, I doubt that the Federal Reserve and/or federal government could possibly have done more. No one "expected" that the economic recession would be so intractable.

More, most people agree that even if the Fed and government failed in A.D. 2008 to truly "stimulate" the economy, they did succeed in preventing an all-out economic crash.

* Unfortunately, QE is like welfare. You can receive welfare (or unemployment compensation) if you're having a hard time, and no one minds or jumps to any conclusions. But, once you receive welfare (or QE) over a "prolonged" period, you may become "institutionalized" and come to believe that you can't live without it.

Welfare recipients can become so addicted to welfare that they come to claim they're "entitled" to receive it. Economies can become similarly addicted to QE and also argue that they're "entitled" to QE. ("If you don't give major banks and markets more QE, they'll riot and burn Wall Street to the ground!") Once addicted, corporations and markets don't think they can survive without QE.

The world comes to believes they're right.

Look at Janet Yellen. She recently said the Fed would exhibit "patience" before it cut the subsidy provided by low interest rates. The markets (addicted to Fed support) cheered and the Dow rose to record heights. So long as the markets can "expect" the low-interest-rate subsidy provided by the Fed, they are happy and prone to set new records.

But the Fed had to be extremely cautious about cutting the QE3 of printing more money for the banks et al. The Fed wouldn't dare cause the addicted markets to quit their addiction "cold turkey". They had to "taper" the supply of easy money that supported the markets, and even then, the markets nearly rioted.

The Fed's handling of QE is evidence that by receiving "prolonged" QE (the Wall Street equivalent to welfare), the recipient banks and markets are deemed to be too weak, ignorant and unintelligent to make it on their own.

Now, after prolonged and multiple doses of QE, no one really believes/expects that more welfare (or more QE) will make much difference. And so, when the Fed began QE3, nobody believed it would make much of a difference-and it didn't. In the world's eye, QE3 was just throwing good money after bad. QE3 wasn't a solution. It wasn't a remedy. It was just another episode of "kicking the can down the road."

In a monetary system based on public confidence, once the public doubts that another dose of QE will make any difference, another dose of QE won't make a difference. There's little point to QE4 at this time because nobody "expects" it to make much difference. If QE4 is going to have any positive impact, it may have to wait another year or two-until after the public has forgotten that QEs 1, 2, and 3 didn't really work.

* That's where we are today: in a world where more QE won't work because the last three installments of QE haven't worked very well and the people don't "expect" QE4 to cause much inflation. Because QEs 1, 2 & 3 failed to achieve much, the public has little confidence that QE4 will have a greater positive effect.

If so, what can the Fed do? If it can't inspire more confidence (or more fear) in the pubic (not just Wall Street) with more QE, does the Fed have any more "doggy treats" in its pockets to make us roll over and shake hands?

Yes, the Fed can continue to suppress interest rates down near zero, but who does that help besides major corporations with impeccable credit ratings? The banks don't want to lend money at irrationally low interest rates to Joe Sixpack because they know that, in this economy, Joe has a high probability of defaulting on his loans.

That means that banks that lend their capital to ordinary people at low interest rates are assuming great risk without much opportunity for profit (higher interest rates).

What've the banks done? They've primarily loaned their currency to major corporations that have much less chance of going broke and defaulting on their loans. If the banks can't be paid a rate of return (interest) that's proportional to the risks they take, they won't make risky loans. That means fewer relatively high-risk loans for Joe Sixpack and more relatively low-risk loans to major corporations.

Result?

The corporations are enriched by low interest rates, ordinary people tend toward poverty, and newspaper headlines warn of rising "income inequality". (I wonder why, hmm?)

Worse, the consumer- (that is to say, "borrower-") based economy tends to slow into recession or depression.

QEs 1, 2 & 3 tend to prove the Fed's apparent inability to increase the "official" rate of inflation. As a result, the economy is stagnating, the rich (those who have savings) are getting richer, and the poor and middle class (who have no savings) are getting poorer.

How long do your suppose that trend can continue?

What will happen when the poor and middle class are as broke as Lehman Brothers-and the federal government is too broke to bail them out?

We can "expect" poverty and economic depression for sure.

We might even "expect" a little chaos.

Unemployment drops to 5.6%...

BUT Wages fall...

AND Record 92,898,000 Americans Out of Workforce...

WITH Record Number Of Women...

A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 54% of those with the greatest financial security believe that "poor people today have it easy because they can get government benefits without doing anything in return."

Only 36% of the wealthiest say "poor people have hard lives because government benefits don't go far enough to help them live decently."

Those struggling the most financially believe that the poor need more help by more than a two-to-one margin.

The two groups also hold opposite views about the role of government. More than 60% of the well-to-do say that government can't afford to do more for the needy, while 60% of those struggling say the government should do more -- even if that means taking on more debt.

The wealthy and the poor also disagree on corporate profits. The rich say most corporations make a "fair and reasonable amount of profit," while 65% of the poor believe corporations make "far too much."

There's more common ground between the two groups when it comes to immigration. About 65% of the rich say immigrants strengthen the country with their hard work and talent, while 27% say immigrants are a burden on the country. Most poor people surveyed agree that immigrants have a positive impact on the U.S., but by a smaller margin, just 51%, while 44% of low-income respondents said immigrants have a negative impact.

More than three in five Americans wouldn't have money in their savings accounts to pay for an unexpected car repair or medical emergency, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Only 38% of those polled said they could cover a $500 repair bill or a $1,000 emergency room visit with funds from their bank accounts, a new Bankrate report said. Most others would need to take on debt or cut back elsewhere.

"A solid majority of Americans say they have a household budget," said Bankrate banking analyst Claes Bell. "But too few have the ability to cover expenses outside their budget without going into debt or turning to family and friends for help."

The survey found that an unexpected bill would cause 26% to reduce spending elsewhere, while 16% would borrow from family or friends and 12% would put the expense on a credit card. The remainder didn't know what they would do or would make other arrangements.

Venezuelans Grocery Stores Under Military Protection

Long lines, some stretching for blocks, formed outside grocery stores in the South American country's capital as citizens search for scarce basic items such as detergent and chicken.

"I've visited six stores already today looking for detergent -- I can't find it anywhere," said Lisbeth Elsa, a 27-year-old janitor, waiting in line outside a supermarket in eastern Caracas. "We're wearing our dirty clothes again because we can't find it. At this point I'll buy whatever I can find."

A lack of foreign currency made worse by collapsing oil prices has led to shortages of imports from toilet paper to car batteries, and helped push annual inflation to 64 percent in November. The lines will persist as long as price controls remain in place, Luis Vicente Leon, director of Caracas-based polling firm Datanalisis, said today in a telephone interview.

The price for Venezuela's oil, which accounts for more than 95 percent of the country's exports, has plunged by more than half from last year's peak in June to $47 a barrel this month.

"This is the worst its ever been -- I've seen lines thousands of people long," Greisly Jarpe, a 42-year-old data analyst, said as she waited for dish soap in eastern Caracas. "People are so desperate they're sleeping in the lines."

For the first time in its 100-year history of oil production, Venezuela is importing crude - a new embarrassment for the country with the world's largest oil reserves.

But 19 months after Ch�vez's death, the country can't pump enough commercially viable oil out of the ground to meet domestic needs - a result of the former leader's policies.

The dilemma - which comes as prices at U.S. pumps fall below $3 per gallon - is the latest facing the government, which has been forced to explain away shortages of basic goods such as toilet paper, food and medicine in the past year.

Venezuela has cratered oil exports to the U.S. as well, dropping from 1.5 million barrels a day to less than 800,000 barrels a day as a result of a deal where Venezuela borrowed money from China that was repayable only in oil.

President Barack Obama's "America's College Promise" seeks to make two years of community or technical college "as free and universal as high school.

President Barack Obama on Friday announced an ambitious, multibillion-dollar proposal to pay for two years of community college for any American, saying education "should not be a privilege that is reserved for a few." Obama said the plan, which the White House estimates would cost the federal government about $60 billion over 10 years, would help the U.S. compete with other countries with a 21st century workforce.

The White House says details on how the president proposes to pay for the plan will come next month. "I want to make it free," Obama said at a community college in Tennessee, where he described such schools as a "central pathway" to the middle class. "Community college should be free for those willing to work for it because, in America, a quality education should not be a privilege that is reserved for a few," he said.

The release of the Fed minutes from December might be interpreted as a non event but look at the follow through in stocks yesterday and today. Because it was a non event we are seeing the strength in the paper markets but for gold it is performing stronger than I think most were expecting.

Gold's near-term resistance for the closing price is expected at $1,220, while a close above that would shift the focus to further gains, with a target of $1,250,

The dollar rose 0.6 percent against a basket of major currencies, trading close to a nine-year peak and making dollar-denominated gold more expensive for holders of other currencies.

FCC would like to make Internet service a public utility, placing broadband under Title II regulation of the Communications Act of 1934. This move would make broadband subject to New Deal-era regulation, and have significant consequences for U.S. taxpayers.

You would face a host of new state and local taxes and fees that apply to public utilities. These new levies, according to the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), would total $15 billion annually. On average, consumers would pay an additional $67 for landline broadband, and $72 for mobile broadband each year,

Critics of Obama's position point out this would reduce investment in infrastructure and lead to inferior service for consumers. Reclassifying broadband as a telecommunications service would also stifle innovation and restrict the openness of the Internet.

You would think it to be foolish for government to discourage the significant investment required to maintain, expand and improve this infrastructure by subjecting broadband to circa 1930s regulation.

And you could go as far as to conclude with the higher taxes and fees it would leave individuals, families, and employers with less disposable income, a wealth of research indicates it would be bad for the economy.

After the more than 20 tax increases signed into law during Obama's six years in office, the last thing American taxpayers need is a gusher of new taxes and fees triggered by bureaucrats

in Washington. But get use to it...more and more taxes are here to stay.

America has lost 1 million corporations since their height during the Reagan era, in part driven out of business by the industrialized world's highest corporate tax rate, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

The just-issued research revealed that the number of traditional "C" corporations has fall to a "historically low level" and wiped out the corporate tax base, resulting in the federal government relying much more on individual income taxes to fund its operation.

"There is now more net business income taxed under the individual income tax system than the traditional corporate tax code, a trend that does not appear to be stopping any time soon," said the report provided to Secrets.

It said that corporate closings have recently picked up steam and now 60,000 a year are shut down

A LITTLE ABOUT GOLD.....

Although called "common dates," classic PRE 1933 U.S. gold coins are actually very scarce . Of the many millions originally minted, almost all were heavily used in circulation during the 1800s and early 1900s. Only a small fraction survives today in the grades we recommend.

Are the pre 1933 Coins Better than Bullion? Personally I don't think one coin is better than other however each has a purpose and a place in a portfolio.

In my opinion the common date U.S. gold coins can be better (at times) than bullion for bulk gold buyers especially when the spread between bullion and a pre 33 gold piece is only $80. This spread as recently as 2010 was as much as $1000 in various grades.

True scarcity of a coin or anything can mean higher premiums during periods of increased demand. Unlike most forms of gold bullion they offer all the benefits of gold bullion plus extra benefits like limited supply, demand, complete financial privacy, and extra premium potential because of scarcity.

All of our certified U.S. gold coins are graded and authenticated by NGC or PCGS, the most widely trusted independent coin certification firms providing a guarantee of the coin.

For MS61 $20 Gold Pieces total certified populations for NGC and PCGS as of last year is only 265,000 for both the Liberty and St. Gaudens. That's all. You own pre 33 gold and silver as insurance against inflation risk and an investment for scarcity and gold content free of confiscation under current law.

An investment means increasing what you own....with a gold bullion coin....all you will ever have is a gold bullion coin. BUT with a Mint State graded coin you at least have opportunity of taking advantage of the increased premium and trade at a later time bullion multiplying the number of ounces you own.

We are going to continue our MS61 $20 Gold Liberty or MS61 $20 St. Gaudens certified by NGC or PCGS for $1375. Buy two or more for free shipping. As with all specials, the price can change based on available and volatility of markets, but we will try to accommodate all who are interested.

Since the price of gold and silver turned to the downside during the past few years I continue to hear of the imminent default at the COMEX, shortages in both gold and silver, price below production costs, loss of Dollar as reserve currency vs. the Chinese Yuan overtaking that privilege and so on and so on.

Even though many of these arguments and discussions may be true, the eventual possibility of these events doesn't seem to have any positive impact on gold and silver pricing or negatives to the U.S. stock market as it continues to reach record highs. Even as we look to the various conflicts around the world it seems the paper markets appear impervious to these risks, for now.

So many of gold and silver agents focus on certain extreme elements to promote awareness in the gold and silver markets but I believe these agents create conflicting conclusions and therefore alienating prospective buyers as these wild predictions of prognosticators fail to materialize. Keeping many people in the paper markets instead of protecting their wealth.

For 20 years I have heard all kinds of warnings and predictions, time frames for imminent attacks of various kinds, messages from the "elite" along with dates involving all kinds of disasters, messages released from an elite or from an anonymous source all of which NEVER happened.

As simple as it might seem focusing on government expenditures and governments ability to grow without any accountability provided by the current adopted fiat monetary system IS the reinforcement needed by anyone to understand the importance of converting those fiat dollars into real money.

First, your future power will depend on your current savings. If you have no savings, your only power will be to riot on the streets. To the extent you have savings, you may have sufficient power to survive or even prosper.

Second, your future power will depend on the medium you employ to save your wealth. Are you saving in a paper medium like stocks, bonds, bank accounts, pension funds, paper dollars? You're taking a great risk.

If you're saving in something tangible like guns, bullets, land, tools, silver or gold, your risk is reduced and your savings are safer.

There is no perfect solution to deal with the problems that might be headed our way. But there are betters solutions. Preferable solutions. Safer solutions.

Saving your wealth in a medium that can't be destroyed is a safer solution.

HEALTH

Health predictions for 2015

by Herbalist Wendy Wilson

In this day-and-age anything can happen. So, what are health and economic experts predicting for 2015? The New Jersey Business Journal attempted to get a picture of what healthcare holds for Americans in 2015 and they asked hospital executives, physician groups, insurance executives, think tanks, law firms, and the brains in business academia. I have to say some of responses from these so-called experts seem to border on denial. Let's take a look at what they think and compare it to how it will affect our health.

HEALTH NETWORK EXPERT

The CEO of the Hackensack University Health Network, Robert Garrett, says that for 2015 everything is coming up roses. He praises the ACA for helping expand affordable care, helping hospitals to merge, evolve and create innovative care practices while improving the quality of care. Another expert, Betsy Ryan, of the NJ Hospital Association also sings the praises of the ACA, calling it a "population management model." She is aware that most enrollees are in the expanded Medicaid program which will create a serious fiscal issue for hospitals. It seems that her attitude is no pain no gain. Dr. David Shulkin is the president of Morristown Medical Center and vice president of Atlantic Health System and he sees the ACA as creating 'super regions" in the healthcare marketplace. He feels it will narrow health network products and improve pricing, while virtual visit technology will "produce disruptions" in the current business model.

HERE COME THE JUDGE

In the legal area the experts of Seton Hall Law School were asked to offer their healthcare predictions for 2015. John Jacobi and Dorothea Dix (both professors) feel the ACA will transform the country from "silly privatization" system to "systemic reform" to improve care and contain costs. They see the ACA as the holy grail of healthcare where it will prevent illness, and address homelessness and substandard housing and prevent substance abuse. They are not concerned with any new Supreme Court rulings with repealing the ACA because local and federal governments will "work around invalid subsidies." When asked about how the ACA could be sustained they said the reality is that consumers will have higher deductibles and co-pays or denied treatment as part of them having "skin in the game." These lawyers felt that the legal system will need to jump in and redesign the coverage and care issue.

STATE HEALTH REPS

It is amazing that these experts are bent on salvaging the unsustainable ACA. Here we have Joel Cantor, director of Rutgers Center for Sate Health Policy and he says that the mental health area will be improved. He mentions the large scale mergers of hospital systems that must take place as well as smaller physician practices must fall to acquisitions in order for this large scale health program to work. He explains that "system integration brings benefits but also includes consolidation risks." He expects healthcare entities to explore and exploit all loopholes making patients pay more out-of-pocket. However, here is one expert that seems to have a realistic view of what is expected to happen in 2015.

"The biggest trend in 2015 is the narrowing of patients' choice in healthcare services. Patients will be squeezed as the insurance benefits get paper thin offering less physician and facility options. Patients will be self-financing a big chunk of their healthcare. In 2015, the patient will be paying more and the insurer will be paying less."

Larry Downs, chief executive at Medical Society of NJ

THE SPIN

Mr. Downs is telling it like it is and others spin words to deceive to describe the ACA as a good thing. For instance, it is described as a new healthcare model moving away from a fee-for-service to a value-based payment focusing on patient accountability. What some may not notice is the ACA puts doctors on notice that the insurance payments are tied to patient outcomes. This forces the physician to make the government part of his healthcare team or a partner.

THE ANALYST

Many remember Nancy Pelosi (then Speaker of the House) who informed the American people and Congress that the ACA would need to be passed and then find out what is in it. A senior analyst for the New Jersey Policy Perspective, Raymond Castro, says the insurance offered on the exchanges have no cost transparency and patients have no idea how much they are going to be charged until after they receive healthcare services.

LACK OF CYBER-SECURITY

According to healthcareitnews.com the new healthcare of 2015 has significant security risks. The technology model for healthcare (a.k.a. third platform) has very hack-able risks. The mobile tools, the virtual visits, social channels, the cloud storage IDC, the ICD-10 codes dictating treatments and coverage, the paperless doctors' offices and government ACA computers have the security experts concerned. The ACA requires huge IT investments. The operational inefficiency of hospitals and doctors' offices is predicted to be at least 25%. More IT precautions and software development means higher costs passed onto patients. The healthcare system is about to get personal - custom treatment plans for patients based on patient profiling. No stone unturned is the motto for 2015 as patient personal information will be stored in the cloud. We are talking about patient personal data being accessible by an enormous infrastructure of data collection and stored, which will be under continuous analysis by the year 2020. More than half (65%) of patient transactions will be mobile requiring omni-channel strategies for consistency via all communication channels by 2018. Mobile apps, wearable devices, remote monitoring tools and virtual care will manage chronic conditions. Only the most economically stable institutions in healthcare will be able to afford to implement this IT technology (a.k.a. big data) and to also meet patient care expectations. Better patient outcomes and lower costs dictated by the government healthcare will rule over the North American and European Union continents over the next thirty-six months. By the year 2020, nearly half (42%) of the patient profile data will be unprotected due to the size of big data.

ON THE HORIZON

In 2013 eighteen hospitals closed in the US. Many of these facilities were rural based, 28 to 70 bed size hospitals. For the most part it was due to the changes the ACA especially with regards to Medicaid. Since 2010, nationwide 43 rural hospitals have closed according to the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program and experts expect this trend to continue. The smaller hospitals will not have the resources to adapt to the demands of the ACA, which is restructuring a third of the US economy. Because of the restructuring, doctors will be forced to work for very large specialty groups or healthcare systems employing about 75% of physicians. Any shortfall with regards to MD's will fall on physician assistants, physical therapists, RN's and nurses aids (CNA's).

WAL-MART

Wal-mart is not rolling back but is rolling on when it comes to health insurance. They are launching their own brand of coverage and will also cover their own 1.2 million employees. It is advertised to save the patient out-of-pocket expenses on surgical procedures and cancer treatment at some of the US top medical centers. This entity may upset the ACA model as Wal-mart has stores with five miles of 95% of the US population. This insurance program is also claiming to be able to prevent diabetes and heart disease.

NEW TREND

Healthcare is not about health as it is about making money. The sweeping changes have reversed how hospitals make their money. It used to be that the first dollar a hospital earned on patient care came from the insurance company and now it comes from the patients. The projections are $17,000 will first come from the patient before insurance is even considered. The average patient earns $55,000 annually and can't afford to pay for the exchange insurance premiums and the medical bills. Hospitals are typically financed by debt and when patients can't pay there is the inevitable trickle effect. Therefore, patients will be severely pressured and harassed to pay and will become not only cash poor but property poor.

OVERSEAS

If you find yourself traveling and are overseas the prediction is that healthcare is expanding globally and some countries are pouring billions into the healthcare technology. For example, countries such as China and Qatar are investing in what is called the "international healthcare partnerships". MIT has a Hacking Medicine Team and Qatar spent $7.9 billion on their Sidra Medical Research Center to equip it with high-tech gadgets such as smart beds which keep patients moving to avoid bed sores and palm scans to store patient records. Qatar is recruiting Sidra staff from the US.

THE OUTCOME

It seems that the outcome of the new healthcare can be a myriad of changes and will not look like anything it was advertized to be. It will come with more monitoring on both the patient and care end. One thing will remain the same, which is it provides few cures and disease management. What we learn from a social healthcare system is that the liberals who designed it are generous with other peoples' money and the ACA is liberal with the tax payers' and the patient's money. As a self-employed individual the ACA jacked-up my once affordable health insurance premium and everything went to the deductable. My 80/20 plan went to catastrophic plan overnight. The free annual eye exam went away. The low hospital deductible rates went way up and there were no payments to a general practitioner until the deductable of $5,000 was met. For a healthy person this plan is useless. So, I prayed about it and found Christian Healthcare Ministries www.chministries.org. It is a body of people (the church) who help one another as the Bible instructed. Very affordable and it qualifies as insurance under the ACA. You can request an information packet online or call 800-791-6225.

GOD'S INSURANCE

Another healthcare option is God's herbs, which I use daily. Herbs are loaded with powerful nutrition to help the body resist illness and fight disease. If used properly they can become a powerful tool to protect health in a time when medical treatments are cut back to protect the big data healthcare system. God says His herbs are here for the service of man (Psalms 104:14) and herbs are meat (Gen 1:29-31). God's assurance trumps the ACA any day. If you would like to learn how you can use herbs to boost your immune system, or recover from an illness quickly then call the experts in immune boosting. If you would like to learn how you can remove more toxins to protect your body from disease then call the experts in organ cleansing. Call Apothecary Herbs 866-229-3663, 704-885-0277 http://www.thepowerherbs.com, because if you're serious about herbs you need Apothecary Herbs. Now save up to $27 on their Pandemic Kit now through 1/10/15 with coupon KIT15. Can use the kit for colds & flu too and flu season runs through March 1th. Coupon cannot be used with Redemption Points or other discounts. Don't forget to pick up a copy of The Power Herbs e-book (13 Herbs Every Medicine Cabinet Should Have) for just $14.99 www.thepowerherbs.com (under books & newsletters).

Sources:

http://www.njbiz.com/article/20150105/NJBIZ01/150109985/Health-care-predictions-f

or-2015

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/top-10-health-it-predictions-2015

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/hospitals-t

hat-closed-in-2013.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/12/rural-hospital-closings-federal-r

eimbursement-medicaid-aca/18532471/

http://www.joepaduda.com/2015/01/2015-predictions-health-care-insurance/

http://www.idc.com/research/Predictions15/index.jsp;jsessionid=5

C4DDEECA989D009EDFE02C47963FE23

http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/27/top-5-healthcare-predictions-for-2015/

http://vectorblog.org/2015/01/15-health-care-predictions-for-2015/

COMING UP ON HERB TALK LIVE

Herbalist Wendy Wilson on Herb Talk Live

Saturday morning show:

7 am EST on GCN

1/10/15 Dr. Rebecca Carley

Weekday show:

7 pm EST on AVR

1/20/15 Dr. Rebecca Carley

Shortwave show 8 pm EST WWCR 4840

Go to http://www.thepowerherbs.com Herb Talk Live & Radio Archive area for network link access and past shows to download and share. For Android users you can download a FREE app for Herb Talk Live on GCN. See the download link under radio archives at top of page at http://www.thepowerherbs.com.

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"NEW" from Apothecary Herbs POWER GREENS FOR PETS - Keeps you away from the vet. Natural herbs for dogs and cats. Because we want organic pets

Power Greens is a blend of organic plants and natural herbs containing vitamins, minerals and 22 amino acids found naturally in these whole-food plants. Easy to digest with healthy digestion enzymes. You will notice the vibrant color of the greens and other ingredients in Power Greens for Pets because it is made with certified organic herbs grown to Tilth Standards (the highest organic standards in the industry). Compared to Dinovite�, Power Greens for Pets is made with superior grade ingredients and will produce much faster and better results in the health of your pet. No need for large scoops of our Power Greens for Pets to get results. Depending on the size of your pet 1/2 teaspoon to one tablespoon is all you'll need. Your pet will be healthier and you'll save money. For more info call 866-229-3663 http://www.thepowerherbs.com/herb/Natural-Pet-Food.html

MORE HERB SECRETS IN THE POWER HERBS e-BOOK. By popular demand The Power Herbs e-book is available with symptom/herb reference guide, information on organ cleansing and how to make your own herbal tinctures plus a whole lot more. Go to http://www.thepowerherbs.com/Books-And-Newsletters/The-Power-Herbs-e-Book-cleansing-immune-boosting.html and click on Books. You must have email to order and receive the e-book a PDF version of The Power Herb book for just $14.99. At this time, we do not offer this title in hard copy.

NEW DANDELION ROOT LIQUID

Try Dandelion Root Tincture for inflammation, blood purification, respiratory infections, digestion and cancer protection at http://www.thepowerherbs.com/herb/Dandelion-Inflammation-Blood-Purifier.html.

HERB KITS EXTEND YOUR FIRST AID KITS

Do you have your Pandemic Kit yet? Here is what folks are saying about the 100% organic Pandemic Kit made by Apothecary Herbs. "I have this kit and recommend everyone have at least one on hand (or more depending on family size) for a pandemic." Rebecca Carley, MD, Hickory, NC and "I have one and glad I do; just in case. I like the long shelf life." Melody Cedarstrom, Port Matilda, PA (more customer feedback at http://www.thepowerherbs.com) or call 866-229-3663 to order your kit today.

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DETOX PRODUCTS

Apothecary Herbs has released a new product called Liver Detox Tea. You can layer this tea with Milk Thistle Tincture for a gentle yet effective liver cleanse. This is a nice option if you can't do the Liver/Gall Bladder Flush using olive oil. You will find this new product under Herbal Teas at http://www.thepowerherbs.com. Also new is the Liver & Gall Bladder Tincture with dandelion root for more anticancer protection. This formula is available in 1 oz, 2 oz and 4 oz sizes. You will find this item under Organ Body Cleanses at http://www.thepowerherbs.com. You can layer this tincture with the Liver Detox Tea and be well!

BE PREPARED

Being prepared is never a waste of time. Get your own organic garden growing and stock as much healthy foodstuffs as you can. You'll also need backup medicine but the over-the-counter and prescription medicines have a limited shelf life of two years or less. However, your organic medicines have a ten year shelf life without side effects. Call the folks at Apothecary Herbs for their Natural Medicine Starter Stock-up Package or make sure you get one of their many herb kits for boosting immune system and protecting you from viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. Call Apothecary Herbs 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277 online http://www.thepowerherbs.com, where your healthcare options just became endless.

ALLERGY RELIEF

If you suffer from allergies (sneezing, itchy watery eyes, stuffy or runny nose, sinus pressure or sinus infections) try the Echinacea Deluxe formula and Herbal Eyewash both around $20.00 from Apothecary Herbs. Call now toll free 866-229-3663 http://www.thepowerherbs.com.

APOTHECARY HERBS VITAMIN VAULT - STOCK UP AND SAVE!

You already know that you can save on the half and full case discounts in the Vitamin Vault area at http://www.thepowerherbs.com. Apothecary Herbs has added a new item called the Natural Medicine Starter Stock-up Package. This package is designed for those preparing for their medical future and contains immune boosting, pain & inflammation, organ cleanses, vitamin, mineral, amino acid and protein products plus a Pandemic Kit and it comes with a savings. Visit http://www.thepowerherbs.com or call toll free to order your Starter Stock-up Package 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277.

MALE & FEMALE ORGAN CLEANSES KITS - Don't give disease a foothold. You will have the power to cleanse the bowel, urinary, liver, gall bladder and blood system with this cleanse package. For added cleansing, ask about how you can upgrade your order to include the prostate cleanse for men or the Kidney/Bladder cleanse for females. Go to http://www.thepowerherbs.com or call their 24-hour live customer service line 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277.

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See Apothecary Herbs One Year Supply of Herbal Medicine at http://www.thepowerherbs.com or call 866-229-3663, 704-885-0277. Call for a customized year supply or to set up installment payment for this package.

The information contained herein is not designed to diagnosis, treat, prevent or cure disease. Seek medical advice from a lincensed medical physician (if you dare) before using any product or therapy.

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