“National insurance giant UnitedHealthcare plans to cut up to 700 Massachusetts doctors from its physician network for seniors enrolled in its private Medicare plan as a way to control costs.”
Looks like Medicare Advantage doesn’t have an advantage is Massachusetts.
This is how they have been making it for hundreds of years with no issue. Now a government entity is trying to change this with no reason because they do not understand the sanitation process of these wooden boards.
There is a reason wood has been used to age cheese for hundred of years. Wood has naturally-occurring antimicrobial properties. It can be sterilized using steam or vinegar. Plus, cheese tends to have beneficial bacteria that creates a defense against bad bacteria. The reason yogurt tastes tart and doesn’t spoil is because the bacteria that is purposely added creates an antimicrobial defense against other bacteria. Blue cheese has penicillin, which everyone knows was the first mass-produced antibiotic.
The FDA seems to have now actually retracted its statements about ageing cheese on wooden boards, apparently:
“Recently, you may have heard some concerns suggesting the FDA has taken steps to end the long-standing practice in the cheesemaking industry of using wooden boards to age cheese. To be clear, we have not and are not prohibiting or banning the long-standing practice of using wood shelving in artisanal cheese. Nor does the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) require any such action. Reports to the contrary are not accurate.” (Found here: http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2014/06/12/the-fda-retracts-its-stance-on-aging-cheese-on-wood-boards/)
They say that “The communication was not intended as an official policy statement, but was provided as background information on the use of wooden shelving for aging cheeses and as an analysis of related scientific publications.”
The thing I find weirdest about this situation is that the FDA doesn’t seem to have any real reason to suddenly turn its attention towards artisanal cheese-making, makes me wonder why they would release that statement in the first place.
The FDA recanting its anti-wood statement is at http://tinyurl.com/o3bl62f. Apparently, although it was a letter from the FDA to a state department of agriculture (New York), it is not to be considered an official statement:
“Further, we recognize that the language used in this communication may have appeared more definitive than it should have, in light of the agency’s actual practices on this issue.”
I wonder if wooden shelving for aging cheese will soon be regulated as a medical device?
This is an egregious case, but it is unique only in how extreme it is. In most other respects, it is not unique. I suspect many of the recent people gaining disability status are marginally disabled at worst. The definition of disability is lax — mental anguish, muscular skeletal pain, fibromyalgia, letting your weight get away from you, etc. If you have just a little of everything, that still counts. It’s called getting old.
Especially when the man accused of fraud is 27 years old. And the disability is from an injury 4 years ago. He has been milking his marginal disability for some time now.
It challenges federal law. The federal government opposes it, and asserts jurisdiction because it is potentially against the federal law against murder. (The Canadian constitution grants all criminal jurisdiction to the federal government.)
Quebec asserts that it is within the realm of heath care, an exclusively provincial jurisdiction.
The Canadian constitution draws thicker black lines between federal and provincial jurisdiction than the U.S. one does (at least in practice, and when judges decide).
“National insurance giant UnitedHealthcare plans to cut up to 700 Massachusetts doctors from its physician network for seniors enrolled in its private Medicare plan as a way to control costs.”
Looks like Medicare Advantage doesn’t have an advantage is Massachusetts.
It is just going to limit access to care for many seniors. Wait times are already at their highest in Massachusetts, this will delay them even longer.
“KIA dancing hamster accused of disability fraud.”
And he thought the dancing hamster was the perfect disguise.
Who knew there was disability insurance for rodents?
“FDA outlaws American artisanal cheese.”
The government is trying to change the way we have our cheese too. When will it end?!
This is how they have been making it for hundreds of years with no issue. Now a government entity is trying to change this with no reason because they do not understand the sanitation process of these wooden boards.
There is a reason wood has been used to age cheese for hundred of years. Wood has naturally-occurring antimicrobial properties. It can be sterilized using steam or vinegar. Plus, cheese tends to have beneficial bacteria that creates a defense against bad bacteria. The reason yogurt tastes tart and doesn’t spoil is because the bacteria that is purposely added creates an antimicrobial defense against other bacteria. Blue cheese has penicillin, which everyone knows was the first mass-produced antibiotic.
The FDA seems to have now actually retracted its statements about ageing cheese on wooden boards, apparently:
“Recently, you may have heard some concerns suggesting the FDA has taken steps to end the long-standing practice in the cheesemaking industry of using wooden boards to age cheese. To be clear, we have not and are not prohibiting or banning the long-standing practice of using wood shelving in artisanal cheese. Nor does the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) require any such action. Reports to the contrary are not accurate.” (Found here: http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2014/06/12/the-fda-retracts-its-stance-on-aging-cheese-on-wood-boards/)
They say that “The communication was not intended as an official policy statement, but was provided as background information on the use of wooden shelving for aging cheeses and as an analysis of related scientific publications.”
The thing I find weirdest about this situation is that the FDA doesn’t seem to have any real reason to suddenly turn its attention towards artisanal cheese-making, makes me wonder why they would release that statement in the first place.
The FDA recanting its anti-wood statement is at http://tinyurl.com/o3bl62f. Apparently, although it was a letter from the FDA to a state department of agriculture (New York), it is not to be considered an official statement:
“Further, we recognize that the language used in this communication may have appeared more definitive than it should have, in light of the agency’s actual practices on this issue.”
I wonder if wooden shelving for aging cheese will soon be regulated as a medical device?
KIA dancing hamster accused of disability fraud.
This is an egregious case, but it is unique only in how extreme it is. In most other respects, it is not unique. I suspect many of the recent people gaining disability status are marginally disabled at worst. The definition of disability is lax — mental anguish, muscular skeletal pain, fibromyalgia, letting your weight get away from you, etc. If you have just a little of everything, that still counts. It’s called getting old.
Especially when the man accused of fraud is 27 years old. And the disability is from an injury 4 years ago. He has been milking his marginal disability for some time now.
“Quebec passes first euthanasia law in North America.”
It will be interesting as for what will come out of this and if it has any influence for any other provinces or states to consider such a law.
It challenges federal law. The federal government opposes it, and asserts jurisdiction because it is potentially against the federal law against murder. (The Canadian constitution grants all criminal jurisdiction to the federal government.)
Quebec asserts that it is within the realm of heath care, an exclusively provincial jurisdiction.
The Canadian constitution draws thicker black lines between federal and provincial jurisdiction than the U.S. one does (at least in practice, and when judges decide).
It will be interesting to follow.