Hospital Costs 4-2-25

In the 1950s, Hospital Room and Board was $24 per day and included diagnostic lab fees. Most Hospitals were owned by Catholic Orders of Nuns who lived in convents, provided with room and board, medical insurance, transportation and $50 per month.  All were Nurses. They had a lot of fundraising drives. Doctors did “house calls” and some had “charity practices”. Rural family farmers paid my grandfather in produce to reimburse him for the medicine he brought them every Saturday.  

In 1962, the 2^nd Vatican Council encouraged Nuns to do social work. In 1965, Medicare was established for US Retirees.

In the 1970s. The Nuns sold their hospitals to accountants and costs began to rise.

Hospitals were legally obligated to treat indigent patients in the US in 1986 when the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) was passed. Hospitals began “cost shifting” to have paying patients pay for non-paying patients.

Prior to the 1990s, Medical Insurance had a $1 million lifetime cap. After the 1990s, the cap was removed and became “unlimited”.

In 2009, Obama passed Obamacare. Prior to Obamacare, Medical Insurance was limited to “medically necessary”, rescue and repair.

U.S. total medical care costs have increased significantly from 1990 to 2025, with projections estimating $5.3 trillion in 2025, a substantial rise from the $666.2 billion spent in 1990. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

·       1990: Total health care expenditures reached $666.2 billion. 

·       2000: Health expenditures reached about $1.4 trillion. 

·       2022: The amount spent on health tripled to $4.5 trillion. 

·       2023: U.S. health care spending grew 7.5 percent, reaching $4.9 trillion or $14,570 per person. 

NIH Funding:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a major public funder of biomedical research, saw significant growth in its budget from 1995 to 2022.  In 1995, the NIH budget was around $6.021 billion, while by 2022 it had grown to $24.200 billion. 

Medical Insurance Fads

While the concept of private plans in Medicare existed before, President Bill Clinton signed the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which created Medicare Part C (later renamed Medicare Advantage), allowing beneficiaries to choose HMO-style plans instead of traditional fee-for-service Medicare. 

Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. In 2023, Becker's began reporting on hospitals and health systems nationwide that dropped some or all of their Medicare Advantage contracts. Dec 26, 2024

NIH Grants increased from $10 billion in 1995 to $45 billion in 2024.

https://report.nih.gov/nihdatabook/category/1

Comments

The history of allowing medical insurance costs to go out of control began in 1965. We need to repeal Obamacare to return to “rescue and repair” insurance for necessary medical treatment. This would cover hospital and surgical costs and annual physical exams. All other coverage would be optional. The average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health insurance in 2024 is $25,572. 

In 2023, approximately 25.3 million people ages 0 to 64 were uninsured, and the uninsured rate for this population was 9.5%. KFF estimates that this number remained statistically unchanged from 2022. Medical Insurance is unaffordable.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Healthcare Costs 4-2-25

President Donald J. Trump Announces Actions to Make Healthcare Prices Transparent

The White House, February 25, 2025 

EMPOWERING PATIENTS THROUGH RADICAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to empower patients with clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing information.

The order directs the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to rapidly implement and enforce the Trump healthcare price transparency regulations, which were slow walked by the prior administration.

The departments will ensure hospitals and insurers disclose actual prices, not estimates, and take action to make prices comparable across hospitals and insurers, including prescription drug prices. The departments will update their enforcement policies to ensure hospitals and insurers are in compliance with requirements to make prices transparent.

LOWERING COSTS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES: When healthcare prices are hidden, large corporate entities like hospitals and insurance companies benefit at the expense of American patients. Price transparency will lower healthcare prices and help patients and employers get the best deal on healthcare.

·       Prices vary widely from hospital to hospital in the same region. One patient in Wisconsin saved $1,095 by shopping for two tests between two hospitals located within 30 minutes of one another.

·       One economic analysis found that President Trump’s original price transparency rules, if fully implemented, could deliver savings of $80 billion for consumers, employers, and insurers by 2025.

·       Employers can lower their healthcare costs by an average of 27% on 500 common services by better shopping for care.

·       The Biden Administration was sued in 2023 for not enforcing the prescription drug transparency requirements. The Trump Administration will work to hold health plans accountable for making drug prices transparent.

DELIVERING ON PROMISES TO PUT AMERICAN PATIENTS FIRST: President Trump is delivering on his promise to once again put American patients first by holding the healthcare industrial complex accountable for delivering transparent prices.

·       In his first Administration, President Trump took historic action by mandating that hospitals and insurers make prices public.

·       While the prior Administration failed to prioritize further implementation and enforcement of these requirements, President Trump is delivering on his promises to make the healthcare system more affordable and easier to navigate for patients.

·       American patients are fed up with the status quo – 95% deem healthcare price transparency an important priority, with six in ten saying it should be a top priority of the government.

·       President Trump has long pushed for radical price transparency to ensure the healthcare system puts American patients first:

President Trump: “Our goal was to give patients the knowledge they need about the real price of healthcare services.  They’ll be able to check them, compare them, go to different locations, so they can shop for the highest-quality care at the lowest cost.  And this is about high-quality care.  You’re also looking at that.  You’re looking at comparisons between talents, which is very important.  And then, you’re also looking at cost.  And, in some cases, you get the best doctor for the lowest cost.  That’s a good thing.”

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-announces-actions-to-make-healthcare-prices-transparent/

Comments

Patients need to take control of their own “preventive” program. They can avoid becoming obese and avoid Diabetes II.

They can schedule annual physical exams and get their bloodwork to tell them what vitamins and minerals are lacking.

They can read up on Nutrition and change their Diets. They can be more careful to avoid injuries. Healthcare is now unaffordable.

In 2025, expect a 7% rise in average private health insurance premiums, reaching $7,452 per year or $621 per month,

In 2025, U.S. healthcare spending is projected to reach $5.3 trillion, with an average cost of $16,000 per employee for employer-sponsored health care coverage, reflecting an 8% to 9% increase from 2024. 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

College Costs 4-1-25

When I graduated from St. Louis University in 1965, tuition was $1000 per year. In 1965, 10% of high school grades had BS degrees. High ACT scores were required for entry and all courses were “occupational”. I commuted to class from home, worked as a musician 6 nights per week throughout my college years from 1961 to 1965 and paid my own tuition. The classrooms were in 100 year-old buildings that were well maintained. I was allowed to take graduate courses for undergraduate credit and graduated a semester early in January 1965. 

In 1980-81, the average total cost for tuition, room, and board at a private 4-year institution like Saint Louis University was approximately $3,617. 

In the 1989-1990 academic year, the average full-time graduate tuition and required fees were $4,135.

In the 1999-2000 academic year, Saint Louis University's undergraduate tuition was $16,138. 

For the 2010-2011 academic year, Saint Louis University's undergraduate tuition was $31,342. 

For the 2020-2021 academic year, Saint Louis University's undergraduate tuition was $54,250. 

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Saint Louis University's undergraduate tuition is $55,760. 

In the 1970s St. Louis U began spending $billions expanding their campus and replacing old buildings. This allowed them to double enrollment. Students were more interested in a plush 4 years in a vacation resort.

42.7 million Americans have federal student loan debt. The total federal student debt balance is $1.64 trillion dollars, which has roughly tripled since 2007. Including private student loans, the total student debt balance is $1.77 trillion dollars.

In 1965, Saint Louis University (SLU) had a total enrollment of 4,629 students, Saint Louis University (SLU) anticipates a total student enrollment of around 15,000 for the 2025 academic year.

In 2025, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has a total enrollment of 729,

Student Loan Debt

42.7 million Americans have federal student loan debt. The total federal student debt balance is $1.64 trillion dollars, which has roughly tripled since 2007. Including private student loans, the total student debt balance is $1.77 trillion dollars.- Feb 11, 2025.

The average student loan debt per borrower is $38,883. The average student loan interest rate is 6.53% (for federal undergraduate Direct Loans for the 2024–25 school year).Feb 24, 2025. Students with “non-occupational” Degrees are not able to repay their Student Loan Balances. 

Comments

College is now unaffordable. High School Grads are looking at Trade Schools. Scholarship Winners work part-time, live “off-campus” and some have their parents buy a home near the college and they rent out rooms.

Many High School Grads join the US Military to attend “Electronic School”. Some Pre-Med Students sign up to serve in the Military for 4 years after they graduate to get tuition aid. Those who serve 4 years in the Military get Veterans Education Benefits and go on to Law School and Med School.

Americans' total credit card balance is $1.211 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the latest Federal Reserve data.

Americans owe $12.61 trillion on 85.10 million mortgages. That comes to an average of $148,120 per person with a mortgage on their credit report. Single Family Home Owners should be able to recoup this cost in rising home equity.

US consumers are swimming in debt.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Georgia Education Plans 4-1-25

Closing the US Department of Education and the transfer of Education to the States under the 10rh Amendment will give Republican-led States to focus on basic skills and occupational paths for K-12.  

Georgia’s K-12 English Language Arts Standards Update: What Schools Need to Know

Georgia is making a significant shift in K-12 English Language Arts (ELA) education with the adoption of new state standards for the 2025-2026 school year. Much like the previous overhaul of math standards, these updates are designed to provide a more rigorous and tailored approach to literacy instruction. The revised ELA standards will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year, replacing the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for ELA.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing, what it means for educators and students, and how Progress Learning is ready to support schools through the transition.

What’s Changing in Georgia’s K-12 ELA Standards?

The new standards are a departure from the remnants of Common Core, reinforcing a more structured approach to literacy.

Key changes include:

A Stronger Literacy Foundation: The new standards emphasize early literacy through a dedicated Foundations domain that focuses on phonics and the science of reading​.

Clear Learning Progressions: Built-in learning progressions across grades allow for targeted remediation or acceleration based on student needs​.

More Teacher Input: The revised standards were developed with direct input from Georgia teachers, parents, and community members to ensure they are “Georgia-grown” and developmentally appropriate​.

New Assessments Aligned to Standards: Georgia Milestones assessments will reflect the new ELA standards starting in the 2025-26 school year​.

Why Are These Changes Happening?

The push for updated standards comes as only about one-third of Georgia third-graders scored proficient or better in ELA on the 2022 Georgia Milestones assessment​. Recognizing that early literacy is critical to future success, the state aims to ensure all students develop strong reading, writing, and communication skills.

Additionally, the General Assembly has prioritized reading instruction, passing two literacy-focused bills that reinforce

evidence-based reading practices, such as phonics-based learning​.

How Progress Learning Supports Georgia Schools

Progress Learning is fully aligned to Georgia’s evolving standards and is committed to supporting schools as they transition to the new ELA curriculum. Here’s how we help:

Standards Aligned Content: While the transition happens, schools still need resources aligned to the current Georgia Standards of Excellence and will continue to need GSE aligned content in all other subject areas, excluding math and ELA. Progress Learning provides custom and pre-built assessments, targeted remediation, and progress monitoring for all Georgia state standards.

Support for All Subjects: We don’t just cover ELA—we also support math, science, and social studies in Georgia, including the recently updated math standards, for elementary, middle, and high school.

Individualized Learning Paths: Our platform ensures that students receive targeted intervention to bridge learning gaps as they adapt to new standards.

Actionable Insights: Our robust reporting and progress monitoring tools help educators track student mastery and adjust instruction accordingly.

https://progresslearning.com/news-blog/new-georgia-ela-standards-25-26/

Comments

School Districts are managed by County and each County has a School Superintendent. These County Schools will be required to comply with State Laws and State Education Department requirements. Rural Counties have already developed more useful courses, but Democrat-led Big-City County Schools are likely to resist and continue to support “activism”. School Choice Vouchers will be needed to allow parents to move their school taxes to private schools in the Big Cities.

I look forward to seeing the actual curriculum for K-8 and 8-12. This should include reading, writing and math in K-8 and occupational courses and life-skills for 9-12.

School Boards have had little to no say on curriculum. School Boards have always been limited to tearing down schools and building new schools. It’s cheaper to keep schools well maintained. They routinely fund these schools funded by Bonds and this costs double. A $20 million school funded by Bonds costs $40 million when the 30 year Bond pays 5%. Schools should be maintained to last 100 years. School Boards need to use “accrual”, not Bonds. Inflation should be limited to 1% to slow down this wasteful spending. In 1965, a good family income was $10,000 per year. In 2000, a good family income was $100,000 per year. In 2050, a good family income will be $1,000,000 per year.

I was home-schooled from 1943 to 1949. I attended Catholic Schools from 1949 to 1965 in 100 year old, well maintained and upgraded buildings. In grade school, there was no tuition. It was funded by the Parish. Nuns lived in Convents on the premises. Funding was provided by gifts to the Church. My Catholic High School tuition was $500 per year. Christian Brothers lived on campus. My Catholic University tuition was $1000 per year. Jesuit Priests lived on campus.

My Grandparents bought their large family home in 1907 for $5,000. It was well maintained and upgraded. It now belongs to my cousin and is 118 years old. It continues to be well maintained and upgraded.

In Europe, family homes are typically hundreds of years old. They continue to be well maintained and upgraded. I rest my case.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Single Family Home Ownership 3-31-25

Home ownership has secured family generational wealth. Over the past 60 years, Home Value Appreciation has allowed home owners to keep all of their mortgage payments and leave enough inheritance to allow their children to pay off their own homes. Renters have no home equity. 

Mortgage lenders have typically used 28% of income as the limit they will lend.

A single person earning $60,000 per year, with no other loans should be able to qualify for a mortgage payment of $16,800 per year or $1400 per month.

A married couple earning a total of $80,000, with no other loans should be able to qualify for a mortgage payment of $22,400 per year or $1867 per month.

Here's a breakdown of the states with the lowest median home prices: 

·       West Virginia: Median home value around $143,000.

·       Mississippi: Median home value around $147,800.

·       Iowa: Median home value around $157,200.

·       Alabama: Median home value around $142,700.

·       Oklahoma: Median home sale price around $148,000.

·       Ohio: Median home sale price around $145,100.

As of January 2025, the median home sale price in the U.S. was $396,900. This includes home prices in and near expensive large cities. 

Home prices are high in large cities on the East and West Coast. Manufacturing jobs will be available in Right to Work States in the South and Midwest.

The median home price by state in 2024 is listed by state on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_median_home_price

Condos are a bad deal and are difficult to sell because of Condo Association Fees and unstable foundations. A single family home is the best route.

Couples with home improvement skills that allow them to upgrade their homes themselves will make money on the homes they buy and upgrade.

Where we work controls where we live. The locations of reshored employers will produce opportunities for families to move to these locations. Investments to reshore or expand manufacturing are being covered on news channels.

The industries expected to increase jobs include steel, aluminum, pharma, auto, pipeline, oil and natural gas drilling and AI Data centers. Also mining and lumber jobs will add to the list. Improved air filters are enabling the US to resume coal mining.

US Families continue to leave California, New York and other Democrat led States.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

 

Stock Market Slump 3-31-25

The US Stock Market has been overvalued since 2021. The “correction” has been severe. US Federal Spending has been excessive since 2021 causing cumulative Inflation from 20% to 30%. The US is also experiencing its recovery from excessive Federal Spending from 1965, high inflation and offshoring manufacturing in the 1990s. 

The US Stock Market Dow Industrial Average has risen by 21543 and has doubled since 2016.

Year     December

2016     19945

2017     24837

2018     23327

2019     28455

2020     30391

Gain     16357 Trump Economy

 

2021     36302

2022     30027 Inflation

2023     37689

2024     43325

Gain      5186 Biden Federal Overspending

 

2025    41488 March 2025

https://www.macrotrends.net/1358/dow-jones-industrial-average-last-10-years

Inflation of 20% to 30% occurred due to Fed Money Printing reacting to Federal Overspending on the Climate Change Hoax.

The Stock Market overreacted in 2023 and 2024 in anticipation of the AI Productivity Growth Promise.

The election of Trump in November 2024 resulted in DOGE discoveries of Federal Overspending in fraud, waste and abuse, closing the Borders to Illegals, Deportation of Criminal Illegals and Tariffs to force Fentanyl interdiction. Trump’s Agenda includes increasing oil and natural gas production for export to off-set the $1 trillion U Trade Deficit.

Tax reductions are required to help low paid US Citizens and secure manufacturing jobs for U Citizens. Biden added $3 trillion to the US National Debt that now sits at $36.5 trillion. Tariffs will be used to pay down the National Debt.

Comments

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been bouncing between 41,000 and 43,000. Stocks go high so investors can cash in on “gains” and Stocks go low so investors can buy “low”. This market has already included inflation.

401k participants take the ride in the 500 Index to protect their balances from being eroded by inflation.

In 2025, the Investment Company Institute estimates that there are approximately 70 million active 401(k) plan participants. 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Identifying US Citizens 3-30-25

Congress needs to pass a law to ensure that the US will have Election Integrity. 

The Census Bureau needs to count US Citizens in order to ensure that non-citizens cannot vote. This can be accomplished by creating a Citizen Database and using AI to do the counting. This would allow Congressional Districts to be established based on Citizen count instead of Population counts. Birth and Death Certificates can be used as source documents to add and subtract names along with newly sworn-in citizens minus deportations. The USPS database of addresses could verify Congressional Districts.

US Federal Voting Laws need to be enacted to ensure that “Citizens Only” be required in all elections in cities, counties and states. Candidates for all elected positions would need to include their Political Party and Positions on Issues and fully vetted resumes on their websites. All Judges should be Elected and the scope of their authority limited to their jurisdictions.

Photo ID should be required for all Voters. Voting by mail needs to include tight controls.

All votes need to be cast by the end of Election Day. Some large cities may need up to 3 Voting Days. Paper Ballots should be required until electronic voting machines can be made “Hack Free”. All voting days should require heavy monitoring. All States should be required to comply with these Federal Laws.

Legal Non-Citizens with Visas allowing them to work should be recorded in their own databases and counted separately.

The US will need to increase Visas like H1b until our US Education System can produce enough engineers.

Students who are not proficient in English should not be admitted to K-12 schools. They should attend 2^nd language schools with their own curriculum as needed and then integrate into US schools.

The Supreme Court will need to support restricting voters to “citizens only”, support E-Verify for all employers and support Immigration Laws.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader