Data-Mi.ning

The aim of data mining is to make sense of large amounts of data

Data mining is the process of identifying valid, novel, potentially useful, and ultimately understandable patterns in data.

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Groups

Discussion Forum - AnalyticBridge

Segmentation for TEST & CONTROL strategies

The TEST & CONTROL strategy is a popular strategy of the Marketing world used to compare sales across different schemes to measure the effectiveness of each individual scheme/campaign.

I've got about 100 regions, which I'll need to split into 3 groups of similar characteristics in terms of sales, redemptions & transactions along with other factors if any, in the region.

What is the way by which I can make sure that I have at hand, three groups which are very similar in characteristics?…

Too Many Six Sigma Tools, Too Little Time

In short, we spend so much of our limited training time covering a multitude of Six Sigma tools, which one probably will rarely use, that we leave little time for skill practice, including the practice of group dynamics skills.

http://www.sixsigmaiq.com/article.cfm?exter

You Need More Than Just an Analytical Mind—Four Qualities That Identify a Successful Six Sigma Belt Candidate

How do you identify people who will make good Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt training candidates? This is a great question and one that has been discussed time and again. As the president of a consulting firm that educates and certifies many talented young men and women and a fellow practicing certified Black Belt since 1998, I will explore this question and provide some insight as to how one should go about identifying these special individuals.…

A Xerox Case Study: Using Lean Six Sigma Methodologies to Dream with Customers

Xerox has evolved its innovation process by focusing on customer pain points for research inspiration and product enhancement. The approach is called “dreaming with customers""; and it promises future technologies that reduce processes...

http://www.sixsigmaiq.com/artic

Regression analysis software

: parse_url(http://) []: Unable to parse URL in on line Soft name: DRS

Soft Ver: 2008

Soft language: Engish

Run environment: Win9x/NT/2000/XP

Soft size: 1901 KB

Soft presentation: Least Cubic Method is a new method for data regression analyse , it expanded Least Square Method, According to the principle, this program can be used to work out single factor linear data regression, multi factors linear data regression, single factor non-linear data regression, and multifactors non-linear data regression.

Soft d…

a question about rggobi

Hi,

I tried to use ggobi to display my data, and use the brush to select some data and calculate a particular value for the data points in the brush, then some points need to change the colour according to the particular values. Does anyone knows the way that I can change the colour of some of the points without redraw my current plot and reset the colour to default when the brush moves on?

Thanks A LOT!

Data mining Freebase

Has anybody experience with data mining Freebase data?

Pocket Stats, Part 3: Sample Size for Pass-Fail Tests

The meeting was tense. After a splashy release, users have complained about the uPod music player. Vibration from jogging or dancing tends to lock up the uPod, requiring the user to remove and replace the battery...

http://www.sixsigmaiq.com/Columna

A Painless Look at Using Statistical Techniques to Find the Root Cause of a Problem

The business press is not aware of it. Neither is corporate America. National magazines deny its existence. And public service organizations think it’s a process by which to extend the shelf life of milk.

http://www.sixsigmaiq.com/article.cfm?externalID=382&utm_source

DMEDI or DMAIC? That is the Question

As the acceptance of Six Sigma grows and penetrates deeper into common business culture, a question has arisen to determine when a process needs to be improved versus designed...

http://www.sixsigmaiq.com/article.cfm?externalID=877&utm_source=sixsigmaiq.com&utm_me
 

Forum

saradha sivakumar

projects on data mining 2 Replies

Started by saradha sivakumar. Last reply by Anuruddha Gamage 1 day ago.

Patrick Nicolas

Real time mining of social networks 4 Replies

Started by Patrick Nicolas. Last reply by Edith Ohri Nov 20.

Yi-Chun Tsai

credit scoring model

Started by Yi-Chun Tsai Nov 20.

Blog Posts

Bhaskar

Cloud Computing

I am doing research on cloud computing, Scientific workflow and cloud analytic. Currently I am doing my MS thesis on cloud computing. If you are interested on cloud computing and want to discuss on these stuffs, you are always welcome.

Posted by Bhaskar on September 18, 2009 at 1:27am — 1 Comment

Ian Ma

Machine Learning for Beginners

Just wanted to share a blog from my wordpress: http://ianma.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/machine-learning-for-beginners/

Lately, I got huge cravings to learn about machine learning seriously. I don’t get these curious attacks often but when they do, they’re quite extreme. I touched on basic machine learning algorithms at the end of my A.I course at UW. I ended up auditing a graduate machine learning… Continue

Posted by Ian Ma on September 3, 2009 at 3:45am

Archana MV

McAfee, Inc Looking for Research Scientist

Hi All, Am looking for Research Scientist who has work experience in Datamining & Machine learning with 5-10yrs of experience. If interested pls send your CV to acchumv@gmail.com

Responsibilities:
Datamining of large messaging, web and malware data sets
Developing classifier code and working on integrating new algorithms into the TrustedSource framework
Design of efficient real-time classifiers working on large data sets Transformation of large scale data and feature selection

Requirements… Continue

Posted by Archana MV on August 21, 2009 at 4:30am

John Himoff, Ph.D.

Hello

Hello Ladies and Gents,

Some of you already know me and my research group at the University of Calgary.

We are interested in theoretical aspects of data-mining and machine learning.

Please feel free to get in touch and ask questions about our research.

Good mining !

--
Prof. John Himoff
Department of Computer Science
University of Calgary

Posted by John Himoff, Ph.D. on August 15, 2009 at 11:00pm

Laura Builds

How do I learn more about data mining?

I'd like to buy some teaching software to compliment my home school Learning software. I know this is a complex subject, but wondered if anyone has developed a self-paced Education software type package for home learning. Thanks!

Posted by Laura Builds on August 4, 2009 at 2:55am — 2 Comments

Photos

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White House.gov Blog Feed

The First State Dinner: President Obama Welcomes His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh of India

In honor of the arrival of His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, and his wife, Mrs. Gursharan Kaur, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will hold the first official State Dinner of the Presidency. The event promises to be a celebration of President Obama’s deep respect for India and its people, setting the tone for a long-lasting relationship between the nations.

Earlier today during the Arrival Ceremony, President Obama spoke of the enduring bonds shared by the US and India, and looked forward to continued cooperation rooted in strong democratic values:

And as the world's largest democracies, we can keep faith with our common values -- speaking out and standing up for the rights and dignity to which all human beings are entitled; and showing that nations that respect the rights and aspirations of their people are ultimately more stable, more secure and more successful. 

This is the India that America welcomes today -- a leader in Asia and around the world.  (Applause.)  These are the challenges we are summoned to meet in partnership.  This is the progress that is possible -- today and in the days and years ahead. 

And, Mr. Prime Minister, as we build our common future, we can draw strength from our shared past.  For it was exactly 60 years ago, in a ceremony not unlike this, that an American president welcomed to the White House the first prime minister of an independent India.  And while the decades that followed were not without their challenges, the spirit of that first visit is with us today -- the same sense of possibility, the same hope for the future.

The State Dinner will be streamed live at 8:15 PM EST, so make sure to tune in.

Watch it through WhiteHouse.gov/live Watch, discuss and engage through Facebook

Streaming at 2 p.m.: The History and Protocol of State Visits

As the White House prepares for tonight's State Dinner in honor of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mrs. Gursharan Kaur of India (see the Press Preview pdf), First Lady Michelle Obama hosts young women from the White House Leadership and Mentoring Program to discuss the history and protocol that surround State and Official Visits. The First Lady discusses how protocol and hospitality can help foster good relations and build strong friendships.

Joining the First Lady are White House Curator William Allman and Tanya Turner, Protocol Officer for the Visits Division at the U.S. Department of State.

Watch live here through WhiteHouse.gov/live Watch and chat with others through Facebook

[UPDATE: This event has now concluded]

The Smart Grid and You

Today, I announced a $620 million investment in the "Smart Grid" -- building on a $3.4 billion investment announced by President Obama last month as part of the Recovery Act.  So what is a "Smart Grid?"  How will it save your family money?  Check out this video:

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Steven Chu is Secretary of Energy

Giving Thanks to Our Heroes This Holiday

There is nothing like the warmth of home during the holidays.  In this spirit, the Vice President and I hosted an early Thanksgiving Dinner last night for servicemembers and their families at our home, the U.S. Naval Observatory.  It was the Biden family’s small way of saying thank you to these heroes, and we could not have been more honored to share a table with this group.  As my husband said, “Never before has this place been accorded such an honor as tonight. No individual group has walked through that door that has lent more dignity than you.”

Dr. Jill Biden Thanksgiving Dinner

Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host a dinner for the Fisher House at the Naval Observatory Residence, Monday, November 23, 2009. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Our guests were from the Fisher House, an organization that provides the comfort and care of a “home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers 365 days a year. The houses allow for family members to be close to their loved ones during trying times.  I visited the Fisher House at the Walter Reed Medical Center earlier this spring and I was so touched by every person I met and the courage and patriotism of all the residents and families. 

Jill Biden Thanksgiving Dinner

Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host a dinner for the Fisher House at the Naval Observatory Residence, Monday, November 23, 2009. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Our entire family knows first-hand the challenges that military families face every day.  Our son Beau recently returned from a year-long deployment in Iraq and we are so grateful to have him safely home.  However, there are many families who are missing a loved one who is serving abroad or who is recovering from an injury and cannot make it home for the holidays.   This year, and every year, we want to thank the many servicemen and women and their families across the globe for their sacrifices.

During the holiday season, enjoy the warmth of your home and consider reaching out to all of those who have given so much for our country.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Dr. Jill Biden is the Second Lady of the United States

Reality Check: Health Insurance Reform and Guns

It’s amazing that after so many months debating health insurance reform, sometimes a myth we see being spread about it can still surprise us. In October, for example, we saw a rather shocking claim that one bill being debated in the Senate "could be used to ban guns in home self-defense." Politifact appropriately dismissed that claim as false, and we thought we could all move on from bizarre claims that reform was related to the 2nd Amendment in any way whatsoever.

But apparently the Gun Owners of America, the same group that propagated that ridiculous claim, had simply gone back to the drawing board.  Today they sent out an alert misleading their members again, raising the specter of some massive government database of  "gun-related health data" despite the fact that there is no mention "gun-related health data" or anything like it anywhere in either the Senate or the House bills.

RHETORICGUN OWNERS OF AMERICA CLAIMS THAT HEALTH REFORM LEGISLATION WILL "DUMP YOUR GUN-RELATED HEALTH DATA” INTO A GOVERNMENT DATABASE WHICH CAN BE USED TO "PRECLUDE YOU FROM OWNING FIREARMS."  The Gun Owners of America (GOA) claim that "the mandates in [the Senate's health reform] legislation will most likely dump your gun-related health data into a government database that was created in section 13001 of the stimulus bill.  This includes any firearms-related information your doctor has gleaned... or any determination of PTSD, or something similar, that can preclude you from owning firearms." [Gun Owners of America Alert, 11/20/09]

REALITYNOTHING IN THE SENATE BILL WOULD RESULT IN "GUN-RELATED HEALTH DATA" BEING SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT.  There is no mention of "gun-related health data" anywhere in the Senate’s health reform bill and there is nothing in the bill that would result in any such data being reported to the government.    The bill does provide guidelines for reporting of anonymous statistical information to help with research, but none of this would lead to gun ownership or “gun related health data” being included in reporting to the government.  [Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]

RHETORIC:  GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA CLAIMS THAT SECTION 2717 OF THE SENATE HEALTH REFORM BILL WOULD ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO OFFER LOWER PREMIUMS TO EMPLOYERS IF THEIR EMPLOYEES DO NOT OWN GUNS.  Gun Owners of America (GOA) claims that "Special ‘wellness and prevention’ programs (inserted by Section 1001 of the bill as part of a new Section 2717 in the Public Health Services Act) would allow the government to offer lower premiums to employers who bribe their employees to live healthier lifestyles -- and nothing within the bill would prohibit rabidly anti-gun HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius from decreeing that 'no guns' is somehow healthier."  [Gun Owners of America Alert, 11/20/09]

REALITY:  NOTHING IN THE SENATE HEALTH REFORM BILL WOULD LEAD TO HIGHER PREMIUMS FOR GUN OWNERS OR A "DECREE" THAT GUN OWNERS ARE LESS HEALTHY THAN OTHERS.    Section 2717 section creates guidelines for insurers to report on initiatives that  improve quality of care and health outcomes, and it specifically lists what types of programs would be involved – such as smoking cessation, physical fitness, nutrition, heart disease prevention.  There is no mention of guns, and there is no language that could result in higher premiums for gun owners or lower premiums for people who do not own guns.  Section 2705 of the bill does permit employers to provide premium discounts for employee participation in health promotion and disease prevention programs, and it prohibits insurers from discriminating against individuals for specific reasons such as health status, medical history, and genetic information.  It allows the Secretary to add other “health status-related” factors to the list.   But again, there is no mention of guns,  or any possibility that owning or not owning guns would ever be considered a "health status-related" issue.   [Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]

Celebrating National Adoption Day

This past Friday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and key leaders on adoption issues marked the 10th anniversary of National Adoption Day. The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships was proud to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to organize this exciting event. 

Adoption Day

Secretary Sebelius, Senator Landrieu and others celebrate National Adoption Day on November 20, 2009. Photo by Chris Smith, HHS

National Adoption Day is an opportunity for courts across the country to open their doors and finalize adoptions for children out of foster care. There are currently over 500,000 youth in foster care and over 125,000 legally separated from their parents and waiting to find permanent, loving families.

Secretary Sebelius participated in a ceremony to finalize the adoptions of two D.C.-area foster children, the first two adoptions of National Adoption Day in the District.  Two-year-old Emma, who has a chronic inflammatory condition of her esophagus, lit up the stage as her adoption was processed and she officially joined her lovely family.  Sixteen-year-old Dominique was adopted by her mom Karen, with whom she has lived since she was 11. Dominique and her mother share similar interests, even down to their favorite colors of purple and pink.

In her remarks, Secretary Sebelius sought to “draw attention to the hundreds of thousands of children around the country who don’t have permanent families.” The Secretary noted that the “evidence is clear: Children who don’t have stable, permanent homes are more likely to drop out of school, more likely to be unemployed, more likely to go to jail, and more likely have kids out of wedlock.” The Secretary highlighted several HHS initiatives that work to promote adoption and connect children with the families they deserve, including:

AdoptUSKids.org, The Adoption Incentives Program, A Public Service Announcement campaign with the AD Council, and National Child Welfare Resource Centers.

Also on stage and delivering remarks were Senator Mary Landrieu (LA); Representative Jim McDermott (WA); Joan Lombardi, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood, Administration for Children and Families; D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield; Rita Soronen, National Adoption Day Representative; and Kathleen Strottman of Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. 

For additional information on Administration efforts around adoption and foster care, you can visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov .

Joshua DuBois is the Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Streaming at 3:30 pm on Flu.gov: H1N1 Briefing for Bloggers and Blog Readers

Today’s Know What to Do about the Flu webcast has a special focus on bloggers and their readers.  The series, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), was launched to deliver accurate and timely information directly to the public.  This episode’s focus on bloggers recognizes the power of this new medium and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to using innovative communication channels to deliver health information.

Join the live webcast at 3:30 pm to hear the latest update on H1N1 and seasonal flu and learn about resources bloggers can use to share this information with their readers.  Detailed information about influenza prevention and treatment, warning signs for parents, anti-viral medications, and vaccinations will also be included.  The question and answer session provides you the opportunity to engage directly with leading communication and public health experts, including:

Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services Anne Schuchat, Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Participants are invited to submit questions in advance and during the event using either email or Twitter (by including the hash tag #FluCast). To learn more about the event, visit Flu.gov, your one-stop resource for information on the flu.

Making A List, Checking It Twice

Today we’re launching a “list” on the official White House account on Twitter which will make it easier for people to follow U.S. Government Twitter feeds. We’ve included a variety of accounts from Cabinet Secretaries, Agencies and Departments. If there are other U.S. government accounts you’d like us to add, please dm us @whitehouse.

UPDATE: In addition to a dm, you can also send suggestions by replying to @whitehouse.

The Next Generation of Innovators

President Obama today helped launch a new campaign, “Educate to Innovate,” designed  to energize and excite America’s students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  It builds on the President’s pledge that he would use his position to help encourage students to study and consider careers in science, engineering, technology, and innovation—fields upon which America’s future depends—and elevate those students from the middle to the top of the pack worldwide.

At today’s kick-off event, President Obama announced the launch of five major public-private partnerships that have committed to helping unleash the power of media, interactive games, hands-on learning, and community volunteers to reach millions of students over the next four years, inspiring them to become the next generation of engineers and scientists, inventors and innovators.

The new campaign builds on the President’s Inaugural Address, which included a vow to put science “in its rightful place.” One of those rightful places, of course, is the classroom. Yet too often our schools lack support for teachers or the other resources needed to convey the practical utility and remarkable beauty of science and engineering. As a result, students become overwhelmed in their classes and ultimately disengaged. They lose, and our nation loses too.

The partnerships launched today aim to change that. They respond to a challenge made by the President in April, when he spoke at the annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences and asked the nation’s philanthropists, professional and educational societies, corporations, and individuals to collaborate and innovate with the goal of reinvigorating America’s STEM educational enterprise. The partnerships announced today -- dramatic commitments in the hundreds of millions of dollars, generated through novel collaborations and creative outreach activities -- are just the first wave of commitments anticipated in response to his call.

Think about how you or your organization can build on this momentum. And let’s pull together to open our children’s eyes to the countless ways in which science, engineering, and math can help America and the world find solutions to the many challenges we face.

John P. Holdren is Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and the Director of White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Melody C. Barnes is an Assistant to the President and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council

 

Streaming Live at 11:40 – President Obama Launches "Educate to Innovate" Campaign

At 11:40 AM EST, President Obama will launch the "Educate to Innovate" campaign, a nationwide effort to help reach the administration's goal of moving American students from the middle of the pack to the front in science and math achievement over the next decade.  The President will announce a series of partnerships involving leading companies, universities, foundations, non-profits, and organizations representing millions of scientists, engineers and teachers that will motivate and inspire young people across the country to excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  Afterwards, make sure to join Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren at 1:00 PM for a live chat on Facebook.

Watch it through WhiteHouse.gov/live Watch, discuss and engage through Facebook

 

Health Insurance Reform vs. Medicare Part D

Opponents of health insurance reform have spent hours on the Senate floor today attacking the Senate's efforts to provide stability and security for those with insurance, affordable coverage for those without, and lower costs for families, small businesses and the government. To provide a little perspective on these attacks, let’s compare today's legislation with the 2003 Medicare Part D effort, which many of these same critics supported:

 
Senate Health Reform
Medicare Part D
Effect on the Deficits over First 10 years
Decreased by $130 billion
Increased by $395 billion
Cost from 2010-2019
$848 billion
$600 billion
Length
2,074 pages
1,044 pages

Continue

Weekly Address: Traveling Abroad for Our Economy at Home

In an address recorded in Seoul, South Korea, the President discusses his trip to Asia. He talks about his push to stop nuclear proliferation in North Korea, Iran, and around the world. He talks about promoting America's principles for an open society in China while making progress on joint efforts to combat climate change. And talks in-depth about the primary objective of his trip: engaging in new markets that hold tremendous potential to spur job creation here at home.

Speaking of Page Numbers...

Since some opponents of reform seem too obsessed with the length of the Senate health insurance reform bill to even bother looking at what's in it for American families, we thought we'd make it a little easier for them to find some key of provisions they're working so hard to kill:

On page 78 you’ll learn that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ends discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. On page 17, it makes preventive care completely free, with no cost-sharing.  (This might be of particular interest to those who have chosen to seize on concerns about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on mammograms to spread baseless myths and advance their own political agenda.) Flipping back to page 16, you’ll find that insurance companies are prohibited from dropping your coverage or watering it down when you get sick and need it most. Also on page 16, you might notice that it puts an end to lifetime caps on coverage. Page 18 is where the bill extends family coverage eligibility for young Americans through the age of 26. On page 83 it requires insurance companies to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full – that means they can’t refuse to renew your coverage just because you get sick. Page 307 is home to tax credits for small businesses to help them afford insurance for their employees. And folks looking to scare our senior citizens about what reform means for them might be interested to check out page 923 and learn that it provides a 50% discount on drugs for seniors in the so-called donut hole.

The 540th Anniversary of the Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

On Friday we hosted a reception commemorating the 540th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first guru in Sikhism.  It was the first time that this holiday has ever been celebrated at the White House.  Members of the Sikh community from around the country were invited to celebrate the occasion with traditional hymns led by the Sikh Kirtani Chanters from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India.  Several administration officials were in attendance, including Dr. John Holdren (Office of Science & Technology Policy), Tina Tchen (Office of Public Engagement), Michael Strautmanis (Chief of Staff to Valerie Jarrett), Adolfo Carrion (Urban Affairs), and Nancy Anne DeParle (Health Reform). 

Representatives from the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, United Sikhs, and other grassroots leaders came together to recognize the important contributions of Sikhs to our national life.  The first Sikhs arrived as laborers in the western United States around 1899 and gradually moved around the country.  They went on to become owners of successful businesses, serve honorably in the U.S. military in both world wars and other conflicts, lawyers, doctors, bankers, and members of many other professions. 

Sikh Leaders

Photo Credit: Yvonne Miller

Sikh Musicians

Photo Credit: Yvonne Miller

Sikh Gathering

Photo Credit: Yvonne Miller

 

Darron P. Monteiro is the Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement

Prosperity, Peace and Opportunity: The Legacy of American Service in South Korea

In a particularly moving address to troops at Osan Air Base in Osan, South Korea, the President thanked American troops for their continued sacrifice and service, and took the opportunity to a share a short anecdote with the crowd. The story reminded troops of America's great responsibility and privilege to protect freedom and promote democracy around the world, and offered rare historical insight from a longtime ally:

I want to deliver, actually, just a quick story, go a little off script.  President Lee talked to me about what it was like when he was a young child here in Korea, this country having been torn by war, and the poverty that still existed in the country.  And he said, I hope the American people understand how grateful we are for what you've done, because we would not be the extraordinarily strong, prosperous nation that we are, had it not been for the sacrifices of your armed services and the continued contributions that you've made.

And I thought, when the President of a country that's become so successful says that America, and America's armed services in particular, had something to do with the extraordinary success of their country -- he said, that's something you should take great pride in.  And I want all of you to know that, because you are carrying that tradition on right here at Osan.

I couldn't come to the Republic of Korea without coming to see you to deliver a simple message -- a message of thanks to you and your families.  Because of all the privileges of serving as President, I have no greater honor than serving as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military that the world has ever known.  (Applause.)  

Troops in Osan

People in the crowd listen as President Barack Obama rallies the U.S. troops at Osan Air Base in Osan, South Korea, Nov. 19, 2009. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

Reality Check: The "Rationing" Smear... Again?

Reality Check

When people use arguments they know are bogus, it's probably because they know they don't have any valid arguments at their disposal. So it would seem with opponents of reform in the Senate spending today obsessed with arguments about "rationing" that were debunked months ago.

Their attacks are focused on the fact that the legislation supports research into what treatments work best for patients. Before we go any further, let's just say this as plainly as possible:

Under health insurance reform, this research cannot be used to dictate coverage.

In fact, this objective medical research empowers doctors and patients and helps them fight insurance company decisions to deny treatment and ration care.  Maybe this is why opponents of reform are trying so hard to keep updated medical information out of the hands of our nation's doctors.

What this patient-centered health research does specifically is provide doctors and patients with the best medical information to help them make the best decisions, and it is even written into the law that the Secretary of Health and Human Services cannot deny coverage of a treatment based solely on this research. When you consider that this research is intended only to make sure you get the most effective care, opposition seems outright bizarre, and twisting it into some "rationing" attack seems outright low.

In case anybody wants an objective source on this, the independent watchdog Politifact gave such claims an unambiguous “False” rating back in August. Yes, August:

But in this case, there actually are provisions in the bill about comparative research to make sure it is not used for rationing. Language in the House version of the health bill specifically states: "Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the Commission or the Center to mandate coverage, reimbursement, or other policies for any public or private payer."

And let's be clear, comparative effectiveness research has been done by the government for years and years. The Obama administration wants to greatly expand the amount of research. The economic stimulus package also included more funding for comparative effectiveness research. And the bill included a similar disclaimer that it would not mandate insurers to cover or reimburse one treatment or medication over another.

Need more?  Politifact had a couple more reliable sources up their sleeve:

AARP, the leading advocate for seniors, has long been a strong supporter of such research.

"It boggles the mind" said AARP spokesman Jim Dau, how comparative effectiveness research has been portrayed by opponents of the health care plan as government rationing of care.

"It's just good common sense," Dau said of the research. "It's giving individuals and doctors better evidence-based research so that they can make better decisions."

Gail Wilensky, who ran the Medicare program under President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s, is another big advocate of comparative effectiveness research. She views it as lobby-free information that can be used to empower patients.

A New York Times editorial out today also touches on one of the recent news hooks opponents of reform are attempting to twist for their own purposes, the bogus links between a recent study on mammograms and health insurance reform (previously debunked here as well). They rightly boil the issue down to this:

The only part of the reform bills that could affect mammography would only make them more accessible.

This could be said of preventive care across the board as well.

Watch, Discuss, Engage at 10:00: Clean Energy Forum on Public Health

At 10:00 AM EST today the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services will host another Clean Energy Economy Forum. A group of stakeholders, business and community leaders will discuss clean energy and climate legislation work, and the benefits towards public health. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will be answering questions, including some taken live from our Facebook chat application.
 

Watch it through WhiteHouse.gov/live Watch, discuss and engage through Facebook

Ben Rhodes on the Ride Home

We sat Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes down on the front couch of Air Force One to get a wrap-up of the trip before landing in Washington, DC.  He may seem a little sleepy and dehydrated, but I can personally attest that he got a decent amount of rest on the way back. He was firmly in the “stay up at first, sleep later” camp for combating jet lag. Maybe we can have him attest to the success or failure of that endeavor tomorrow.

It’s been an honor and a privilege to bring you these video updates on our travels through Asia, and we hope it’s given you a new perspective on what it’s like to travel with President.

You can find more information on the President's trip and on the President's policies in Asia on our Asia page.

Arun Chaundhary is the official White House videographer

Reality Check: Claims That Reform Will Encourage Abortions at School "Sex Clinics" are Absurd

Reality Check

Ed. Note: Opponents of health reform appear to have run out of fresh smears against health insurance reform and have started recycling old debunked attacks. In response to those that brought up this attack that Politifact proved false months ago, we simply bring back this classic Reality Check first published on October 1, 2009.

Last night Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann questioned health insurance reform, raising the spectre of school-based "sex clinics" that would take students to "have their abortion, be back and go home on the school bus that night":

It means that parents will never know what kind of counsel and treatment that their children are receiving.  And as a matter of fact, the bill goes on to say what's going to go on -- comprehensive primary health services, physicals, treatment of minor acute medical conditions, referrals to follow-up for specialty care -- is that abortion? Does that mean that someone's 13 year-old daughter could walk into a sex clinic, have a pregnancy test done, be taken away to the local Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, have their abortion, be back and go home on the school bus that night? Mom and dad are never the wiser.

The absurdity of this claim earns high honors from Politifact, a non-partisan research organization: Pants on Fire!

Critics of the Democratic health care proposal have been increasingly raising concerns that the plan would provide taxpayer-subsidized abortions (a claim we address here). The Liberty Counsel, a conservative group, puts a different twist on that concern, alleging that Page 992 of the bill "will establish school-based 'health' clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!"

The claim comes from a long list of items allegedly in the bill that is posted on the group's Web site and has been widely circulated in a chain e-mail. The list looks a lot like one that we checked in July, based partly on blog postings by Peter Fleckenstein on his blog Common Sense from a Common Man . In fact, the Liberty Counsel says it adapted its memo from Fleckenstein's original work.

We spoke with Sarah Speller at the Liberty Counsel, who told us that the group had been getting a lot of calls about the memo and that everyone there was very busy as a result. However, she assured us that "as far as our office can tell, everything in the overview is accurate. That's about all I can tell you," she said. "I'm just relaying what I've been told to say."

That's not persuasive. We see no language in the three main versions of the bill that would allow school-based clinics, which have a long history of providing basic health services to underprivileged students, to provide abortions. Nor would the clinics even be new — they have been around for three decades. So we rate the claim Pants on Fire!

Reality Check: Desperately Twisting the CBO Analysis on the Deficit

Reality Check

From the very beginning defenders of the status quo have held up the Congressional Budget Office as the gold standard for judging the impact of health reform legislation on the deficit. Indeed, as recently as two weeks ago, when alternative legislation based on insurance industry proposals was introduced, those opponents of real reform boasted of the CBO's declaration that it would cut the deficit by $68 billion over 10 years.

But that was a long time ago (two weeks ago), and now times have changed. Now that the very same CBO has declared that the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act cuts $130 billion from the deficit, those same defenders of the status quo seem to be saying that the CBO estimate is meaningless.

Their argument claims that because some aspects of the legislation don’t kick in for the first few years, such as the health insurance exchange, the CBO estimate is skewed. Here are the facts:

The suggestion that this bill pays for six years of coverage with ten years of pay-fors is simply false: Even in the six-year period when the exchange is operational (2014-2019) the CBO finds that the bill will reduce the deficit by at least $31 billion. The claim that early surpluses mask later deficits is also untrue: In 2019 alone, the bill reduces the deficit by $8 billion, and in the second decade the CBO finds that the bill will continue to reduce the deficit.   Taking the time necessary to launch the health exchange is responsible policy, not a gimmick. Republicans who supported the Medicare Part D program should remember that it took three years to stand up that program. In the run-up to launching the exchange in 2014, the Senate plan takes several important steps to improve the quality and affordability of care, including investments in: tax credits for small businesses, a high risk pool, reinsurance, and prevention programs and our health care workforce, along with saving seniors thousands on prescription drug costs.

No matter how you try to twist or distort its analysis, the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the Senate Health Bill is a solidly fiscally responsible approach to health reform.

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