Now that he's back in the atmosphere with drops of Jupiter in his hair, hey, hey
He acts like summer and walks like rain reminds TSB that there's a time to change, hey, hey
Since the return from his stay on the moon, he listens like spring and talks like June, hey, hey
Yes fellow bloggers whom else is TSB talking about than the man that leads the Cheetah Nation who single handedly has been able to make spine surgery "nearly" an outpatient procedure through rapid technological innovation over the past decade. It seems that our dear friend, Alex Lukianov had the opportunity to participate in a conference call with Representatives Erik Paulsen (MN-R), Medtronics shill and Phil Gingrey (GA-R) addressing how medical device manufacturers will be effected by the medical device tax.
The parties involved in this call cited that 80% of the jobs affected will be within the small companies, those same "ankle-biters" that Pat Miles made reference to in his recent debate where he was TKO'd by Dr. Steinmann. The Bear claims that if the tax is not killed it will cost Nuvasive $14-15 million translating to 200 jobs. Is this a threat by the Bear? Say it ain't so. Nyet. On the contrary, TSB believes that if Nuvasive cut 200 jobs it would hinder their ability to become the next billion dollar baby in the spine market. In addition, TSB knows that Alex is pushing for his candidate, Vanilla Ice Romney. If Alex is so concerned about the tax, forgo your salary and stock options and take it on the chin like a man. What other way can he keep Cheetah Nation moving at supersonic speed. But then again if Globus has their way, they just may surpass Nuvasive in the next few years if one prognosticates based on the Glo-bus' CAGR.
Contrary to what companies like Nuvasive, Zimmer, Orthofix, Biomet, DePuy/Synthes, Globus and K2M say, they would love to see many of the so called "ankle biters" disappear since they are creating havoc within the industry. Who is innovating? Custom Spine? Eminent Spine? X-Spine? Choice Spine? Phygen? Northcutt and Johnston (haven't they started a new company?), VTI, Life Spine? Lukianov would be respected if he admitted that his motivation behind using his bully pulpit are selfishly driven. If Lukianov is concerned about innovation, what has Nuva innovated since the XLiF? When pressed about Obamacare, aka Romneycare of a different color, Lukianov cites anecdotal evidence from colleagues in Massachusetts. But then many of the surgeons that bitch about Obamacare in Massachusetts are confused since it was Vanilla Ice that created the circus atmosphere that exists in that state.
Interestingly, Lukianov states that under Obamacare the new customers would be the young and we all know that young people don't need back surgery as much as the elderly, those on Medicare, the government sponsored entitlement program that companies like Alex and his surgeon buddies financially benefit from. Money is money, no matter how you cut it. The paradox is what will Alex do if Atlas shrugs and cuts those Medicare entitlements? Where will the dollars come for innovation? And who will pay for Medicare? In closing, confusion reigns supreme this election year since many aspects of Obamacare has been at the heart of Republican healthcare reform for over two decades. Don't believe it? Just read the Heritage Foundations "Assuring Affordable Healthcare for All Americans." Politics, elections and the quest for power and control can result in a schizophrenic mentality. Isn't the platform on which the Foundation is built upon to build an America of opportunity, prosperity, freedom and a civil society?
In closing, extraction equals subtraction and sometimes you have to feed the beast or the beast ends up looking like Greece, or Spain, or Ireland for that matter. You know what TSB says, it's just another day in spine paradise.
TSB, amigo, manufacturers will not "be effected by the medical device tax." Manufacturers will be "affected" or, if you prefer, the device tax will have an "effect on" manufacturers.
ReplyDeleteYou can use Word's grammar-checking feature to automatically check your grammar prior to posting a blog. Let me know if you need instructions using it.
Before you know it, somebody will come out with the next great innovation in spine. They shall call it Effect One....or mini Effect....or the Alan Parsons Project.
DeleteThanx Mr.Lexicographer I'm waiting for your dissertation,
ReplyDeleteMM are you or are you not against the Medical Device tax?
ReplyDeleteInnovation? LOL!
ReplyDeleteKnowing when to use affect or effect in a sentence can be a challenge. These words are examples of homonyms. Homonyms are words that are similar, but have very different meanings. Other examples of homonyms are two/to/too, accept/except, and there/their/they're.
Affect
In order to understand the correct situation in which to use the word affect or effect, the first thing one must do is have a clear understanding of what each word means. According to yourDictionary.com, the word Affect means:
To have an influence on or cause a change in: Inflation affects the buying power of the dollar.
To act on the emotions of; touch or move.
To attack or infect, as a disease: Rheumatic fever can affect the heart.
Effect
The word effect has a different meaning. Here is the meaning according to yourDictionary.com:
Something brought about by a cause or agent; a result.
The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence: The drug had an immediate effect on the pain. The government's action had no effect on the trade imbalance.
A scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon: the photovoltaic effect. |
Advantage; avail: used her words to great effect in influencing the jury.
The condition of being in full force or execution: a new regulation that goes into effect tomorrow.
Something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention: The lighting effects emphasized the harsh atmosphere of the drama.
A particular impression: large windows that gave an effect of spaciousness.
Production of a desired impression: spent lavishly on dinner just for effect.
The basic or general meaning; import: He said he was greatly worried, or words to that effect.
This is off topic.
ReplyDeleteMSM, In your opinion why are the shock absorbing motion constraining ADR still not allowed in the US in spite of the fact that they have proven themselves in the rest of the world?
Because it doesn't matter what Europe or the rest of the world has approved for use in their patient populations. Just like all products sold in Europe must go through their submission process and receive CE clearance so too do products sold in the US have to go through FDA to receive approval to market and sell within the US.
ReplyDeleteCE is not as corrupt and the FDA. There are 3 really good ADRs. They are the M6 by NuVasive, NeoDisk by Spinal Kenetics and DCI by Paradigm Spine. All have the CE Mark.
DeleteFDA approval is BS. They approve junk. The FDA is an industry lapdog
You have no idea what you're talking about. CE-mark is a rubber stamp, and Europeans are guinea pigs for products that will need several design changes before they are safe enough to market in the US. Instead of posting insults, you should give thanks to FDA that your penis pump has not maimed you yet.
DeleteM6 is spinal Kinetics
DeleteMy mistake. I have spoken with all three companies.
DeleteCE is not a rubber stamp particularly when it comes to foreign products. The fact is Americans are harmed far more by drugs and devices than Europeans.
When it come to disk hernias they Europeans have far better and safer treatment. Americans are leaving the US in droves to get ozone diskectomies, DiscoGel, and the good ADRs.
In the US the devices are junk and the surgeons are sloppy and poorly trained. Go onto any non industry sponsored spine forum and read what patients are saying. Americans who went to the late Nick Boeree in Eanland, India and Beta Klinic in Germany are happy. The ones who get fusions or the junk FDA approved ADRs and other Frankenstein instrumentation are not pleased to say the least.
I know that you flimflam salesmen have to lie yourselves to believe in your product but know this junior, you are doing great harm to a lot of people. I guess it's worth the 30 pieces of silver. Aren't you glad you have Ambien?
Maybe you will get a job with the FDA through its revolving door. Hopefully the next Tim McVeigh will pick a target that really is responsible for harming Americans and hopefully you and your ilk will be there.
You may want to check the poll results on Medical Holocaust. The people would like to see you industry thugs in front of a firing squad.
FB, as I am writing this, I am being slowly poisoned by the nickel, cobalt and chromium that were the metal components in the defunct Stryker Spine CerviCore Disc. The disc has subsided and C5 C6 are destroyed with necrotic bone. The metals are leaching into my spinal cord and bloodstream. I recently had a full metal panel MELISA test and learned that I am extremely allergic to nickel. No surgeon in my area will touch me and I had to go on disability. Ironically, Medicaid will not cover anything relayed to unapproved experimental procedure and the adverse events. I may not make it to years end, due to the advance nickel poisoning. My kidneys, liver, lungs and heart are damaged. On top of all of this, a contaminated implant was used and I have a severe infection that cannot be treated while the disc remains implanted. Stryker Spine destroyed my life - and I now have severe toxemia with my face swollen the size of a bowl g ball. I live on massive amount of opiates. I recently learned that when I was deceptively lured into this trial, that the original disc that received a "conditional approval" by the FDA never complied with the terms for full approval and the trial device ended up in the FDA Black Lock Box in 2007. I was recruited into the CerviCore Trial in 2008, and a metal on metal device was used that was not the original device designed by Thomas Errico, MD. His archaic piece of crap was dumped by SS and a 3 rd prototype that was never fully approved was used instead. And the surgeon who claimed to have designed this 3rd prototype (CerviCore) was the surgeon who covertly recruited me after the trial device was halted by FDA. Stryker (MacMillan) ordered the surgeons to omit disclosing all of the metals in the CerviCore metal on metal disc. By doing this, Stryker was in direct violation of Federal regulations and FDA mandatory safety protocol requiring prescreening for metal allergies and sensitivities. Stryker implanted the disc into numerous recruits who had allergies to one or
Deletemore of the metals. Now, many of the trial subjects are suffering numerous adverse effects and Stryker is burying the data, while continuing to keep most of the recruits in the dark about the metal poisoning as well as the severe risks paralysis during the extraction and revision surgery.
Tell me I am wrong to call out these sociopathic bastards! I may not live out the year due to septic shock in combination to the nickel poisoning. I do have children and they assure me that they will see that justice is done.
I'm not in sales, Fat Bastard. I'm in regulatory affairs, and I don't care if you've spoken with Jesus himself, you still don't know what the f*ck you are talking about. CE marking is indeed a rubber stamping process governed by industry.
DeleteOn a related note, I took a course on developmental psychology back in community college that tells me you are a psycho, and your Tim Mcveigh rant will likely get your dumb ass institutionalized.
9:25AM Are you aware of how many human lives ave been destroyed by Medical Devuces that were approved thru a thoroughly corrupted process? Can you give me back my cervical spine without it being destroyed due to metal poisoning and contaminated device? Do you look the other way when you have knowledge thar a mega medical device corporation is conducting illegal spinal implant surgeries that contain metals known to be toxic and carcinogenic, yet you fail to disclose these outright flagrant violations of federal regulations for safety to your research subject victim? And when your research subject victim figures out that the surgeon and the devise corporation's CEO conspired to conduct these covert metal spinal implant trial on an unwitting subject because they KNEW the implant had already been sent to the FDA Black Lock Box for trial device Not Approved or Cleared by USFDA for any use, do you orchestrate an assault on the subject in the guise of a consultation?
DeleteFreedom of speech does get someone institutionalized. FB was just stating the obvious of what happens in society when the balance of power and justice sinks to the level of the corruption that exists in this industry at the expense of innocent human beings who are preyed upon so that the real sociopaths not only get the thrill of getting away with torturing and maiming patients in the name of science, and then profit to the level of vulgarity that no person with a conscience or any common decency can tolerate to be in their arrogant presence. There is something in the air - and whether by chance, fate or human design, there is going to be retribution for those who have abused their power to enrich their bank accounts. I may die before I see it - but I promise you, my death due to the CerviCore disc is going to be the lightning strike that brings this corrupt industry to it's knees.
Where do I start?
Delete@ AnonymousJune 21, 2012 9:25 AM
An American "medical device FDA regulator" criticizing C.E. ROTFLMAO! You should just STFU bribe taker. This year the medical industry will kill more Americans than were killed in all of our wars combined.
Don't be surprised in the loved one of victims like Philomena hunt punks like you down and exact some do it yourself justice.
@ Philomena, This stuff is heart breaking. There may be some good news for you. There may be chelation therapy for nickel poisoning. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6260008
Nickel is a known carcinogen. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14643413
You can contact me on my Medical Holocaust and maybe I can point you in the right direction for getting help.
Back at AnonymousJune 21, 2012 9:25 AM: The Soviets used to lock up dissidents. Patriots like the ones in the French revolution marched punks like you to the guillotine. After WW-2 Her Majesty's Secret went into Germany and when they found Nazis they pulled out their Walthers and implanted heavy toxic metals into the bases of their skulls.
Patriots kill tyrants. That's how it works.
As to devices. Doctors are not the sharpest cheddar and the are not engineers nor are most capable of learning mechanical engineering. Regular guys know how to fix things, build stuff ect.. A kid in 8th grade metal shop could come up with something better than Strykers Cervicore contraption. Even if this piece of crap didn't shed metal, the fact that it is not motion constrained is a recipe for disaster. What is going to stop flexion, extension and rotation? Answer.. BONE!
Here is how to design an ADR.
Learn how the spine functions.
Be a certified ME.
Create a device that functions like a real disk.
Make sure it is safe and durable.
Test it.
Test it in animals.
Test it in humans.
Creating a functional and safe ADR is not rocket science. We have many suitable materials.
IMO the best cervical disk is NeoDisk. It was probably designed by an engineer.
Dingleberry @10:15 PM,
DeleteI work in regulatory affairs for a device company; I am not "a medical device FDA regulator," as you so psychotically put it. As a result, I am intimately familiar with the differences in the processes required to get product on the market here versus in the EU. Europeans are our guinea pigs because, since the Regen scandal, FDA now reads our 510(k)s where they used to rubber stamp them. Although Europe's barrier to market entry is still a rubber stamp, this is changing too now that the EU has suffered their own high-profile implant failures. The fact that you defend the CE marking process during a time when Europeans are up in arms over its inadequacy indicates how utterly clueless you are.
Tsb everyone knows paradigm spine didnt hire you. Please give th respect as the next innovative spine technology or don't do your job. One more negative post before or after pma approval and your true colors show John.
ReplyDeletewho is John?
DeleteWhat a joke! Paradigm is a bottom feeder with a portfolio of me too technologies that are indistinguishable from the countless entities like it.
DeleteIt has done NOTHING to deserve anyone's respect in this industry.
The only people who think that it's product are novel are the Paradigm employees and you are obviosuly one of those.
Who is John (Galt)?
DeleteJohn Galt was a fictional character like Paradigm Spine
DeleteParadigm makes decent products.
DeleteFB do you distribute Paradigm
DeleteNo. I am not a member of the medical industrial complex. I'm a patriot.
DeleteEl- love the enthusiasm but if docs can't get paid for the procedure they won't use the device. After all they need to keep their practices alive. In America medicine is a business.
ReplyDeleteUS doctors are the highest paid in the world. Orthopedic surgeons top out at 1.5 million.
DeleteYes but also because in Western Europe Med School are free... Therefore surgeons do not go out of school with a 1M loan
DeleteBOO HOO Skinny Bastard. When American doctors cry poor mouth is want to beat the crap out of them.
DeleteEurope is doing things right. They have better medical care and better doctors and they do it at less than 1/2 the costs. In the US any bum with enough money and a rich doctor parent can get into Med school. My cousin graduated from Cornell with a 3.9 GPA. He was unable to get into vet school but he could have gotten into Med School. Today he's an engineer. He can read medical books but doctors don't have the grey matter to read his books and salesmen like you can barely read the Wall Street Journal.
I wish I was first...FYI: vanilla shakes are delicious.
ReplyDeleteWhere did the rumor come from that Nuvasive has been purchasing lower quality raw materials to cut input costs?
ReplyDeleteNot sure, I heard that the other day.
DeleteThat is not true at all
DeleteThat is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
DeleteYou're an idiot. NuVasive does not manufacture its own products. Each product is contracted out to multiple 3rd party manufacturers so as to prevent any one partner from gaining a competitive advantage. This is the exact same thing that Apple does with Foxconn, Samsung, Sharp, etc...
DeleteAnyway, the point is that NuVasive doesn't buy its own raw materials. How desperate are you for business that you use a tactic such as disparaging another company's raw materials? Pathetic...
This post sounds like the trolls at Synthes-DePoo. Pathetic. Everyone knows NUVA has the best quality implants in spine. Read a book, guy.
DeleteThere are some oxymorons. The biggest used to be military intelligence but since Obama is the commander in chief that's no longer true. The biggest oxymoron now is medical ethics.
DeleteThis may be true about NuVasive. 70% of drugs and their inGREEDients come from outside the US. In China pig pharma has 200 factories and only 2 FDA inspectors. There has been a syringe scandal. Seems that Chinese syringes break off in patients/victims/cash cows. Now American can be certain that they are getting their FDA recommended daily dose of metal ions and pathogens.
This has been a public service announcement brought to you by Medical Holocaust and Fat Inglorious Bastard. I think that the FDA needs a visit from the Bear Jew and his baseball bat. "Hey Donny, we have another corporatist who wants to die for his greed. Please oblige him."
Depoo/J&J and Medtronic share ownership of the FDA along with Pig Pharma and Monsanto.
NuVasive seems to be making some decent stuff. http://www.morningstar.com/topics/t/55836804/spinal-implant-maker-nuvasive-nuva-17-pops-after-its-q1-results-easily-beat-estimates-coming-in-at-the-high-end-of-the-expected-range-revenue-jumped-21.htm
What are Northcutt and Johnston doing now? Is it innovative or me too?
ReplyDeleteis that a serious question?
Deleteps take a look at Brent's new LI photo...the only thing he's innovating is how his shirt company makes ever-expanding collars.
Fat guy in a little coat...
DeleteISP plates that code for fusion and have FDA clearance for the whole spine.....
DeleteBS!!! I checked the FDA website. There is no approval. You guys just making this up...
DeleteIt is true Trent and I have formed a new spine company called Aurora Spine, based in Carlsbad CA. Aurora feels the spine industry needs to make proactive changes in order to deliver better and less invasive treatment options. Aurora Spine is dedicated to bridging the gap between patient satisfaction and clinical success thru innovation, dedication and science. Aurora will be the catalyst for that change. Stay tuned...
DeleteBrent
LOL...no FDA approvals yet and I appreciate all the FAT jokes... I am assuming all of the anonymous comments are from guys who have completed their 7-8th Ironman. Why are all of the comments on this blog anoynmous? No one wants to stand behind their words...hmmm
Delete"Aurora feels the spine industry needs to make proactive changes in order to deliver better and less invasive treatment options. Aurora Spine is dedicated to bridging the gap between patient satisfaction and clinical success thru innovation, dedication and science. Aurora will be the catalyst for that change. Stay tuned..."
Deletein other words, you have nothing.
Nothing is too big a word for what they don't have.
DeleteI think an even better song to head this post would be Lola by the Kinks: boys will be girls and girls will be boys, etc. etc. etc. For make no mistake our gracious host is absolutely right that Obamacare is Romneycare by any other name. And if the SCOTUS throws it out, what was it Louis XVI said? Oh yeah, apre moi--le deluge.
ReplyDeleteThe companies that you derisively call ankle biters have gotten all the way up to femoral arteries of the legacy companies. You need to respect, bitch.
ReplyDeleteWhat is there to respect about a bunch of me too companies, bitch? Where does there innovation come from? At least some of the other ankle biters are honest there in it for the buck whether its a POD, POC up to the femoral arteries? You will be crushed by the tax because you have no access to capital.
ReplyDeleteInnovation is not always about the next titanium toy. It may be about things like gainsharing, vending, even the much maligned PODs represent a certain innovation in distribution. Innovations in getting the product into the patient as cheaply as possible will be the winners. No one cares about the next greatest implant. It's all been played. The small companies understand this, while the big guys waste money on developing the next great thread profile for a pedicle screw.
DeleteIf this is the attitude of our country we are doomed. Implant costs are a tiny pimple on the huge obese ass of healthcare.
DeleteYou know what they say if you believe it then it must be true. How pathetic of a society have we become
Deleteso now we are redefining innovation in a technology driven industry, aren't the ankle biters also guilty of developing the next pedicle screw so what you are saying is that we have commoditized the market and we are at the stage of who can come up with the best deal. a vending machine is innovation? getting rid of salespeople, innovation? cutting commissions, innovation? Starting a POD, innovation? cutting medicare reimbursements, innovation? implementing a medical device tax, innovation? come on you must be kidding.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was kidding, actually. But it's true. In fact every example in your comment has the potential to drive profits. Product innovation rarely drives profit in today's reality. FDA won't approve it. CMS won't pay for it. Docs won't use it (without being paid). PODs on the other hand, DO drive profits, rightly or wrongly. Sad but true.
DeleteIt is a sad day when inducing physicians is referred to as innovation. I see PODs as neither new or innovative. There have been people and companies willing to pay surgeons for their business for some time.
DeleteTo help cut costs hospitals should eliminate scrub techs. Surgeons can grab everything they need themselves. If your going to cut reps out, might as well ax other positions that can be done away with...
DeleteIn addition to PODs being neither new or innovative, the products are used at the expense of the patient. I hardly think Danek, Depuy and Synthes make the best products but most of us would agree that there is a significant drop off when you go to some of the tier 3 and tier 4 companies. Most these surgeons would not use these products if they were not being paid to use them by being a member of the POD. I have been distributing small companies for some time and have worked my way up to one of the tier 2 companies. You know how many surgeons laughed and were dismissive of some of the products I sold. Flash forward and I am now distributing for one of the larger companies and those same surgeons (now members of PODs) are using products from companies that I represented like Alaphatec, Choice, Aesculap etc. Tell me what has changed, I know their getting paid to use them, which I wouldn't do. Now is that good for the patient, if that is your grandmother do you want some POD's screws going in. Let me ask if the POD buys the screws and implants them who is liable? Does the doctor at that point assume the physician and manufacturer liability? I am guessing their malpractice insurers would like to know about this!
DeleteThis is a myth. As long as the implants are made in the USA (excluding Texas) or Western Europe, the quality will be just as good. You just need to do your research - many of the smaller companies use the exact same contract manufacturers as the big guys.
DeleteThe manufacturing might be the same, the design and instruments are not.
Delete6:38 - youre dead right on the design and instruments being different. Even down to the level that the fundamental design can be very good but messed up through poor tolerancing meansing some parts are fantastic and others near useless.
DeleteDesign, Instruments, Tolerances, Quality Control, Rep Knowledge, Sterilization Testing, Liability and Performance, after that everything is the same.
DeleteMM - No need for Alex to forgo his salary or options, simply eliminate all of the other excess & waste that he spends money on. Start w/ the NSM & mid year meetings, followed by the entry at the BBQ festical in Memphis, the company plane, the quarterly meeting webcasts.
ReplyDelete$14-15M should be nothing for a company that spends as frivolously as Nuvasive & the Bear.
Alex is a genius and built up an amazing company from nothing. Keep hating bro.
DeleteBro? You must be from Joisey or are an adolescent using the word bro, bro.
DeleteJust eliminating his choice of wine should save the company at least $100 thou per year
ReplyDeleteWhen you work at Nuvasive..you become bored and stare out windows;
ReplyDeletewhen you stare out windows..you see things you shouldn't see;
when you see things you shouldn't see..you need to fake your own death;
when you fake your own death..you need to change you identity;
when you change your identity..you attend you're own funeral as a guy named Alex;
don't attned your own funeral as a guy named Alex;
Don't work for Nuvasive!!!
4:36,
ReplyDeleteWhat an IGMO you must be! Enjoy your Tier 2 status and quota till you get your pink slip for lack of sales!
LMAO...
Lukianov pulls in more than most in industry, in 2011 $6,148,370. He certainly deserves a competitive pay out for his sucess in bringing the company as far and long as he has. On a recent innovation note (May 29th), does anyone think the new SI-Fix system by Medtronic is of any interest?
ReplyDeleteThe CEO of the nation's second largest bank (BoA), Brian Moynihan, received $8.1 million. Luk is about to top that...wow!
DeleteThis MM post confirms that MM is a flat-out SOCIALIST. Taxing our metal is a good idea? Having an undisputed leader in our industry tell Obama to fuck off is a bad thing? Having Alex L give his hard earned money away to so Obama and the rest of these ass-clowns can pay for their votes with his money is a good idea? Funding Obamacare at the expense of THOUSANDS OF JOBS in the medical device industry is a good thing? WTF? MM, put down the bong and step away from this blog.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
A former devotee who hopes you're screwing with us.
MM,
ReplyDeleteSeriously? If you TAX something you will get LESS of that thing. Please refer to your freshman Econ 101 textbook (unless you've already used it for rolling your fatties).
So having Obama use the tax code/regulation to run small businesses out of business is good for America and good for the patient. Wow, you haters out there make a lot of sense!
ReplyDeleteSpinal USA purchased? http://www.marketwatch.com/story/precision-spine-acquires-spinal-usa-llc-precision-medical-of-mississippi-llc-2012-06-19
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is you can't even find a precision spine website. I guess the Heat was closing in.
DeleteSo what did PRECISION buy? Do the Spinal USA surgeons cash out now and move on?
DeleteJim Pastena's leadership
Delete"Precision Spine" looks like just a paper company for an equity shuffle. Its likely that they used this as a vehicle to move the surgeon equity off the books. In other words, polishing the turd.
DeleteI would agree that they are trying to put lipstick on a pig or polish a turd. But the question is why now? You know what they say about rats on a sinking ship. When the rats start jumping off you better find you a life preserver quick because it is going down.
DeleteHow come when we had some of the lowest taxes historically under Bush for 8 years the country went into one of the worst economic down turns of all time? How come some of the highest taxed industrialized countries have some of the best economies. Maybe your economic textbooks are wrong?
ReplyDeleteWe have very low taxes today by historical measurements and still the economy sucks, what gives? I am in no way a proponent of the device tax or increasing taxes I just get sick of hearing that lowering the taxes is the miracle answer and putting a new tax on is sure to bring impending doom. In case anyone hasn't noticed this industry is in a free fall and I would love to see some one come up with a solution other than lowering taxes to fix it.
Do you really think our government spends our tax dollars wisely? Do you really think the medical device tax would be used in a manner that helps people, or will it be used to have hot tub parties in Vegas? I want the waste minimized, when you do that, I will gladly pay more in taxes than I already pay.
DeleteIf you earn more than $175k, you already pay 30%+ in income taxes. Add to that your medicare and social security taxes PLUS sales tax, property tax, and all of the other BS taxes that we pay on a regular basis ($10-20 cell phone taxes per month and about the same or more for cable tv/internet taxes each month just to name a few). When it's all said and done, people who earn over $175k end-up giving about 60% or more of that back in taxes one way or another. Someone, please tell me how these hard working individuals are being under-taxed. I would love to hear that explanation. I really would.
DeleteIf you earn more than $175k, you already pay 30%+ in income tax. FALSE. That is your base tax rate before write offs. You write off your mortgage, your work related expenses, capital losses, your kids, etc. Most wealthy peoples taxes are in the 15-20%. When you add in sales tax, cell phone taxes and all the other "BS taxes" most peoples effective tax rate is closer to 305% total, which is low compared to other industrialized countries. Add in corporations pay taxes like people and the majority of the biggest corporations paid little or no taxes, in fact many got a tax break.
DeleteOnce more it is difficult to discuss these things with people who have no appreciation for facts and lie to themselves so much they believe it.
that's 30%
DeleteAre you paying 30-35% after your tax rebate. Pretzel logic at its best. No one said you guys were mathematicians
DeleteYour using different arguments from separate issues. No I don't think the government uses our tax dollars wisely but that doesn't make your argument for taxes stifling economies or industries. For that matter what government does spend their tax dollars effectively, unfortunately that question is always going to have people on both sides of that argument. That argument for waste or for taxes does not prove that economies or industries perform better with little or no taxes. There is very little evidence to support that theory in fact if anything the evidence (at least recent history) is to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteOn to the device tax. The device tax is set up to better fund agencies like the FDA that I do believe are underfunded so that new approvals for products that I believe patients need are sped up, which would be a good thing if accurate. So yes it is possible that people are helped although I am sure some will be spent on "hot tub parties." No doubt Alex and the rest of the private sector has spend some of their investors hard earned money on "hot tub parties" as well or wasted it on wine parties and hookers.
By the way Socialism refers to or means common ownership and not high taxes. America, even under this President's term, is anything but Socialist. The richest ten percent own over 80% of the countries wealth not counting what they own of other countries wealth or what the wealthy have overseas so the the country can't tax it. I hardly think a 2% device tax or 5% increase in taxes is going to throw the country into Socialism. Do you?
The BIG difference is that Alex is spending his 'employer's' money IE the shareholder's not the taxpayer's. If I don't pay for the douchebag Obama's healthcare tax I can go to jail... if Alex pisses my money away I just lose my money that I willingly gave Alex.
DeleteAlso, the richest 10% also produce most of the jobs in this world dumbass! It's not like they sit there and stare at their gold coins all day, they put it to work in ventures like... Medical Devices, get it?
Finally, do you really think it takes 26 million dollars to run a study that's already been proven in Europe for 5 years? You are a useful idiot for Barack Hussein.
Obviously your arguments aren't' very persuasive, you feel like you have been called out and now you have to resort to insulting those that don’t share your uninformed opinions. Perfectly understanding response from someone so scared, immature and unintelligent.
DeleteWhether you agree with the amount we are taxed or how it is used taxes are set up for the betterment of society and to create an environment whereby citizens can excel and thrive. Due to overspending and under taxing we have done considerable harm to that environment and faced with an aging population, soaring deficits and retards like you it is going to be difficult to figure out and agree with how to solve these serious issues.
“The wealthiest 10% produce most of the jobs in this world dumbass.” FALSE, like most of your statements. Small businesses still produce a majority of jobs in the US and the average small business owner makes less than $250,000 and is considered part of the shrinking middle class and not part of that 10%. I would guess that a majority of the top ten percent is like Mitt Romney and that wealth is in paper and provides very little fuel to keep capitalism chugging along or provide jobs, which is the whole problem with the conservative approach to these problems. Simply trying to keep every cent you have is not going to help provide jobs, in fact it is going to do the opposite and is about the least patriotic position I could imagine a person have.
I am not sure what study your referring to but I do know that the US is ranked #37th in the world in Healthcare and we spend the most. Surely someone as smart as you can agree that it would be nice to get more for less healthcare dollars?
Besides what are you so fired up about, I suspect you cheat on your taxes and don’t pay your fair share of your insignificant income. You remind me of all the redneck tea baggers. I assume you know Obummer wasn’t born in the US either. Good grief.
I am sure you are very proud of our tax dollars spent on Solyndra, and how our federal government is picking the winners and losers of private enterprise. I am also sure you are very understanding of the politicians who enter into politics with very little money and then retire as multi, multi millionaires. Why do you despise someone like Romney who has succeeded in the private sector and then give a pass to the politicians and government regulators that are so full of themselves that they feel they know much better than we do how to run our lives?
DeleteSolyndra is a drop in the bucket compared to what was wasted and fraudulently spent/appropriated to Haliburton and government contractors friendly to Bush/Cheney during the Iraq war. Forget what happened to the price of gas the benefited both of them as well. So don't even go there. Obama didn't make you a loser, you did! Romney made more of his money through investing it with the help of insider trading that Republicans made legal for politicians that he ever did in the private sector. Still I don't hate Romney like you do Obama. In fact, I have voted Republican more times than I have Democrat but consider myself a moderate Independent. I also served in the Army and idiots like you push me away from the Republican party. Try using some facts instead of sound bites you picked up from Rush Limbaugh. Just a guess but I am sure you don't believe in Global Warming either. Just stick your head in the sand, be a pawn of talk radio and count your pennies.
Deleteyou are the ignorant one here. How many companies in the world do you think have the ability to do the jobs awarded to Haliburton? Right just one- Haliburton. Oh yes and I love how when Bush is in office you say he is jacking up the price of oil up to benefit his buds, and when it goes up while Obama is in he has no control over the price of a gallon of gas. You friggin genius. Your damn right I am disgusted by Obama, he is ruining this country and all he cares about is his personal success, and buying as many votes as possible. YOU stick your head up your ass, and are just a Kool aid drinker
DeleteRetard there are lots of companies that can do the job of Haliburton including the US MIlitary at least before it was privatized so wealthy individuals close to the administration could make more money. I do think Obama has influence over the price of gasoline like Bush and Cheney and that is probably why it is near it lowest costs since 911. Idiots like you are ruining the country and don't need leaders to do it for you. I am the kool aid drinker, why don't you back up one of your arguments with a fact. The lies you here from talk radio aren't persuasive to anyone with a high school education or greater. Go home to your fat wife, tv dinners and natty lights and stop exposing your intellectual deficit on this blog.
DeleteGasoline was $1.95 the day Obama took office, it was a $1.55 the day W took office and around a $1.53 on 9/10/01. Obama has gas prices no where near that of 9/11. He has allowed prices to go up in order to support the BS "Green" agenda. Get your facts straight before spouting off.
DeleteAs to Haliburton, do some more research. They've been around for decades and have been instrumental in wars and nation building as far back as Vietnam. LBJ used them in Vietnam and he was an investor. The Obama administration still uses them today. Their profits are still sky high. Are W and Cheney still pulling the strings? You sound like an imbecile that watches too much MSNBC.
Where can I pick up a lateral plate besides Nuva
ReplyDeleteAnywhere you want, Joel! Just do a search online....dipshit!
DeleteCongratulations to Spinal USA's surgeons/owners!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1462841/000146284112000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml
$72 Million, you gotta be yanking my tallywhacker! Is this a shell game to divert some heat in some other direction? Spinal USA's product line and customer base isn't worth 1/10th of that price. Somebody's playing a trick on us!
DeleteUnless it is Mob laundering their money or someone wanting to take a loss I tend to agree with 10:50.
DeleteAnother example of the results of socialized medicine:
ReplyDeleteTop doctor's chilling claim: The NHS kills off 130,000 elderly patients every yearProfessor says doctors use 'death pathway' to euthenasia of the elderly
Treatment on average brings a patient to death in 33 hours
Around 29 per cent of patients that die in hospital are on controversial 'care pathway'
Pensioner admitted to hospital given treatment by doctor on weekend shift
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2161869/Top-doctors-chilling-claim-The-NHS-kills-130-000-elderly-patients-year.html#ixzz1yMiCYYFK
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2161869/Top-doctors-chilling-claim-The-NHS-kills-130-000-elderly-patients-year.html#ixzz1yK7gbr7D
If the medical device tax is levied on PROFITS, explain the insanity that some of you people have when salaries and commissions fall under GS&A, how do you justify laying off people. To suck more money out of the system. When has an investment into R&D become an part of net profits? Does anyone understand how to read a financial. Now if you tell me that all you want to do is suck as much profit out of the company, I'll buy that. The MDET is not in effect until 2013, where is all the innovation in the last five years considering that corporate taxes at are an all time low? 1:08 if you are a shareholder you are an idiot. You keep drinking the kool aid.
ReplyDelete1:08 is an idiot whether he is a shareholder or not!
DeleteMy guess is Spinal USA changed its name to Precision Spine and spun off the assets into a newly formed Spinal USA, formed Precision Medical as the merger company in a tax free, cashless triangular tax-free merger. Probably to get more compliant with anti-kickback statutes. And had the gall to announce it as a $72 million acquistion. Just a guess.
ReplyDelete+1 Solid Theory
DeleteWhy should any company want to pay a tax when the system is gamed. But who will pay for Medicare? It's funny how the wealthy alway complain about the government yet a friend who is wealthy is not willing to give up his Medicare because as he says it, "I paid into it and I'm entitled to it." Bitch, bitch bitch bitch, the system is collapsing and Lukianov fiddles while Rome burns, oh I know he's important
ReplyDeleteit is also funny how the libs and democrats are so obsessed with growing government, but then do not trust the government (can you say warrentless wiretaps?) Why is it you think it is okay to have the government demand you pay into a system (medicare and Social Security) with the promise that it will be there for you when you need it, and then not give it to you? How and why is that fair? Why would you ever condemn anyone who is asking fo what is rightfully theirs? Why do you hate the wealthy so much and give a free pass to the politicians that frivolously waste our money?
ReplyDeleteHow large did the government grow under W? How much did that administration spend on two senseless wars? You're all tough guys until somebody informs you that your panzie ass is going to have to report to Parris Island or Fort Benning and then you start crying for you mama. Tough Guys, my ass, go hide behind your lapel pins.
Deletewhy don't you answer the question idiot? You are actually agreeing with me. Its the assholes in congress that approved the war, and your buddy O'Bama who said "Afghanistan is the right war". Now go cry to your mama and ask her why she raised such a fool
Deletelibs and democrats are not obsessed with growing government. Republican Presidents in the last twenty five to thirty years have grown government more than all the other presidents combined. Try selling crazy somewhere else because that is why social security and medicare are now endanger. Wiretaps are nothing new from either party and I don't hate the wealthy I just resent the ignorant and uniformed. Why do you hate so much?
ReplyDeletewhat planet are you living on??
DeleteEarth, what about you. What is factually incorrect in my response?
Deleteit is the libs that create and continue to expand the government's role in our lives. Yes W. did act like a lib at times, but many of the initiatives we see out of congress are geared towards what legislation can we pass so that this special interest, or that minority, or that union will vote for our party. The democrats rely much more on offering handouts and feigning compassion towards "helpless" groups that makes it appear as if they are the "white knights" riding in to save the day. If they really want to help the people of this country we would work much harder to make them self sufficient versus dependant upon handouts. But they do not, it is so much easier to pander and buy some votes.
DeleteMr. Libertarian, so you don't want government in your life, quite simple, legalize marijuana, legalize what anyone wants to do in their bedroom and stop telling everyone what to do as long as suits your needs, wants and beliefs. You are truly confused, considering that you probably hire illegals to cut your lawn and baby sit your kids, you know what I mean
DeleteI am fine with marijuana, I do not give a shit if you are straight or gay, social issues do not interest me. I do however, hate my tax dollars being wasted, and I especially hate hypocricy, but I do have Mexicans cutting my lawn, but only because they bug the shit out of me if I don't!
Deletethe reason you have illegals cutting your lawn is because they provide cheap labor you are not paying a premium even if someone was better suited to do the job
Delete8:28 It wasn't just W, W1 and Reagan increased government and deficits while Clinton decreased government and ran surpluses and Obama has decreased government and is trying to decrease deficits.
DeleteDemocrats do pander to the poor and helpless while Republicans pander the the rich and special interests. Now that we have the constituencies down let's rain in the hand outs to the the poor and rich at the expense of the middle class so we can have a functioning capitalism. Capitalism needs a strong middle class so that there is demand (consumption) and policies that curb demand, make more people poor and uninsured don't help the economy or the device industry.
Try thinking of someone besides your miserable existence and it might improve your sorry situation as well. How is the doublewide and your fat toothless wife? Doesn't it suck that the libs get all the good looking wool, sorry dude your just not cool!
Republicans and democrats are both nuts. I want to have the freedom to not buy healthcare if I want. Adding new government programs has driven us to the situation we are in now. Income taxes were first imposed to pay for the civil war but later declared unconstitutional. The government needs to stay out of the way and allow the states to govern themselves......just how it was always intended. The Board of Education is a joke, the EPA is a joke, they all need to be shut down.
ReplyDeleteMy gosh TSB/MM or what ever name you are going by these days? After taking a much needed break from this "blog site" your articles along with your writing STILL suck ass!
ReplyDeleteI am going back to reading the funnies.
Yah let's let the States govern themselves that is brilliant. Solves all of our problems, except in California, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, etc.
ReplyDelete7:55 Your point makes zero sense.
DeleteIt makes sense. State should be allowed to override the FDA.
DeleteI think the song phrase says: "Drops of Juniper (as in Juniper essential oil) in his hair".
ReplyDeleteActually, the FDA should be disbanded! Any regulatory agency that primarily operates from guaranteed legislated "user fees" is a racket. This is a pay to play racket, plain and simple. This system guarantees the Big Device companies will get their products thru the FDA schizophrenic gauntlet, with cover of confidentiality for the "train wrecks" ( cover up the dead and permanently disfigured). Wherefore, every single patient then has a price on their head. The "user fees" system means that device companies can design and manufacture pure junk and they will be approved because they are the only ones who can afford to pay the high "user fees". And if the device paralyzes, poisons or kills a patient, than too G-D bad, the Big DCs paid the FDA in advance for their heads (mistakes). Once a device is in your body, the corporation that manufactured it, owns you. And if the device irreparably harms a patient, there isn't a thing that the patient-victim can do except rail against the system in vain. If the FDA were dismantled and every state had it owns regulatory sub station - with a Federal HQ as an over sight of how the devices are being regulated (can be uniform state regulations) but devise companies are still liable for manufacturing defective products, than this would be a reasonable and humane system. As it stands now, the FDA and Device Industry are illicit lovers - pretending by day to be strangers but in bed every night together deceiving their legitimate mates (the US public). The FDA needs to be decentralized and the device industry broken up as it is becoming a monopoly. The new "user fees" agreement will now guarantee that smaller, new innovative companies will have to go to the Big Boys to get their new devices thru the approval process. If you don't smell a huge rat in all of this than the bad karma that comes from harming innocent patients because you are too caught up in the delusion that your company puts patient welfare and quality control before profits. What rot! Absolute power corrupts absolutely and this is the state of affairs with the FDA and Big Pharm / Big 5 device corporations.
ReplyDeleteNothing lasts forever, no matter how powerful. Since we have seen our American democratic process and personal liberties dissolve before our eyes in incremental shifts, we will see the pendulum swing the other way in due time. All it will take is one bad device taking out someone very very rich and powerful and we will see the shift back to a kinder and gentler (conscientious) medical world.
Spine is going to go thru a very stagnant period - this is going to make heads more level before rushing crap junk to market. The metal on metal debacle is just rearing its head in US. It is not just with hip replacement, but cervical/lumbar/spine, knee replacement, shoulder, and heart devices with nickel. Just google nickel allergy as cause for adverse events in medical devices. It is no longer an "physician's secret" that nickel causes severe problems in implants and more so, with articulating implants.
The message you sales people aren't getting with these articulating metal devices is that once the damage is done, it can take anywhere from 2 to 11 surgeries to repair the damage. Insurance companies are getting it -- and they will stop reimbursing for metal devices that they will end up paying a quarter of a million in revision surgeries for one device. People are getting their stories out on the spine and injury boards because they have no where else to turn. Some writer is going to see a Pulitzer Prize story and start to investigate and research their stories. Freedom of Information letters will start unsealing clinical trial data life cycle master files to find out how much of the protocol was really followed after interveiwing victims of clinical trial medical mal practice and malfeasance.
The tipping point is here -- CEOs aren't thrown out on their butts because of shagging a mate on a flight - CEOs are ousted because their judgment calls caused the loss of millions if not billions of dollars once the bill comes in from the failed CTs, the legal fees and the huge fines are added up. MacMillan took a basically clean corporation like Stryker and turned it into a huge corrupted medical device slaughter house. Sending contaminated devices to hospitals without so much as a "sorry, we screwed up", is a bad play. Blaming doctors for the devices that destroy a patients spine or knee is another example of arrogance that learns after the fact - that no man is totally "above the law" or the wrath of the BoD.
ReplyDeleteJust my two cents!
how many are golfing today?
ReplyDeletehow many are going to be poolside?
If not golfing or going swimming, please share how you are spending your summer days?
I love this job!