how to raise money for an expensive surgery

why not broadcast it online? viewers can pay a small fee and hospital and medical equipment suppliers will pay larger fees to advertise directly. if you don't have insurance and can't afford to pay for the surgery, there's nothing wrong letting the public watch. some viewers will be medical students and learn not to repeat mistakes when something goes wrong and you die. at least you won't die in vain or leave your family in debt.

http://www.thinkaloo.com

madoff hitman fund for companies

the name for a hitman fund after bernard madoff. basically investors and shareholders in a company set aside money to pay hitmen to take out swindlers, crooks and fraudsters. make it a requirement for banks, hedge funds, insurance and investment companies of any kind. benefits? delivers swift justice and guarantees efficient functioning of the markets as fraudsters must think about their life before they decide to swindle.

usually the real culprits behind big-time frauds tend to write books, give seminars, stay famous and continue to live in luxury a few years after the scandal. so instead of innocent investors who have been defrauded committing suicide, how about the real culprits get punished for a change? the current state of affairs is pitiful. hitmen contracts must be written in the bylaws of companies and kick-in automatically. if they don't prevent people from committing fraud, they will apply rightful justice after!

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Life insurance on the dead

Have you seen Ghost the movie? My idea is to insure people who are afraid someone they know who died will come back to life to haunt them. It's not fair that only the dead can play tricks on those alive. The alives and their families should be insured against people who can cause harm even after they die!

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Re-employment Ventures

Here's an idea on how the unemployed can help the unemployed start new businesses. The government will stop taxing unemployment benefit paychecks. Instead what is paid in tax will go to a Re-employment Ventures Fund that will invest in projects and business ventures started by people who lost their jobs and currently receive unemployment benefits. 

The initial pool of funds can be provided by the private sector in the form of charity contributions with additional money coming from the massive fiscal stimulus packages the government recently announced. 

Contributions to the fund will come from deducting a small amount of money from the unemployment benefit paycheck and deposit it with the Fund in the form of re-employment contribution. The tax is thus scrapped and replaced by the contribution amount that goes to the Fund. As a percentage, the amount will be no higher than the amount that was taxed.

The caveat will be that any new business start-up funded exclusively or partially by Re-employment Ventures must hire people who are unemployed. No option to hire people who already have jobs.

In order to turn the Fund into a prestigious institution that promotes social good, our President as well as national business icons such Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and their likes will sit on its Board.

In preparation for the G-20 summit in London, Gordon Brown called for a new global economic system that will have values and morals at the center of its markets. 

I think that values should be present at every aspect of economic activity, not just in markets. 

When those who lost jobs and careers that are not coming back are encouraged to start new businesses through networks of support they themselves create, then not only do we create economic growth and increase trade, we also make growth more sustainable in the long term

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Why is car insurance mandatory?

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 24 February 2008 by member ozsurfie

Visit www.thinkaloo.com, our new online community where you can share your thoughts and knowledge, discuss your ideas, ask questions and meet smart people

---

I can understand why you need a car diploma to drive and why you must always carry it with you. I don't understand why car insurance must also be mandatory to have. If the reason is to always pay for any damaged caused in an accident, then why doesn't the law ask us to have insurance for anything that we do that might cause damage?

For example if I go out on a dinner and I get poisoned because of the meal I ate, then under the car insurance logic why isn't the restaurant owner required to have food poisoning insurance and reimburse me for any hospital expenses I incur under the law?

I think car insurance should not be mandatory under the law. Does anybody know the reason for which it is? What do you think? Should it be mandatory?

Public Healthcare

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 25 February 2008 by member smartypants

Visit www.thinkaloo.com, our new online community where you can share your thoughts and knowledge, discuss your ideas, ask questions and meet smart people

---

H. Clinton and Obama are advocating more requirements to own/provide health insurance. As a teacher, public healthcare seems very reasonable and humane. As an economist, I question if we are prepared for the changes in the supply and demand of doctors?

Just thinking ahead to the future. . . If more people own health insurance, I expect there will be an increase in doctor visits due to accessibility. There is already a shortage of doctors in the US. In 2010, doctors will be required to have computerized records of all patients. These new mandates will probably drive doctors (not ready for change) into early retirement.


We will need to prepare for these changes by 1) Increasing the supply of doctors 2)Decreasing the demand for doctors.

My ideas:
1)Provide incentives or money refunds to people who do not frequent the doctor's office.

2)Allow doctor's assistants (nurses) to prescribe antibiotics for more common illnesses (flu, cold, strep). I'm not sure how practical or safe this would be, but would be interested to hear a professional's response.

3)Shorten the length of medical school for doctors who specialize in more common illnesses.

4) Government funding for students in med school.