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Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Chapter 21, of A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess Essay
Part 21, of A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - Essay Example He doesn't prefer to impart his cash to them and even says, ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know, I donââ¬â¢t know. What it is I donââ¬â¢t like simply discarding my well deserved pretty polly, thatââ¬â¢s what it is.â⬠(Thrawn). His desire for the substantial old style music has changed for milder tunes. He goes to the acknowledgment that adolescent had quite recently been a passing stage, something misleadingly captivating like an energized toy, â⬠¦like one of these malenky toys you viddy being sold in the boulevards, similar to little chellovecks made out of tin and with a spring inside and afterward a twisting handle outwardly and you wrap it up grr and off ititties, such as strolling, O my siblings. In any case, it itties in an orderly fashion and strikes straight into things blast and it can't help what it is doing. Being youthful resembles resembling one of these malenky machines. (Thrawn) What's more, as he attempts to impart his simply out-of-high school intelligence to his fanciful child in a discussion that he shapes in his brain, he even understands that his child won't get it and carry on precisely the manner in which he did, given the conditions, in his growing up years. His sonââ¬â¢s child won't comprehend it either, whenever clarified by the child, and that is the basic idea of youth that Alex appreciates in retrospection. The way that Stanley Kubric chose not to utilize Chapter 21 in his film rendition of the novel has raked a great deal of discussions in regards to the exclusion of this section in the American distribution. Nonetheless, it very well may be contended that a film, being an alternate vehicle of craftsmanship that is reliant on its creatorââ¬â¢s vision, might not have prevailing with regards to communicating and passing on this incredible section the manner in which the novel did. In any case, for a thoughtful peruser, the account style that has some stun an incentive with the sheer utilization of nadsat, and the whimsical method of narrating on account of the particular mental condition of the storyteller hero and the odd cutting edge occasions
Saturday, August 22, 2020
United States Economy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
US Economy - Research Paper Example Presentation: History of the economy of United States We will get on an excursion to take a gander at the economy of United States. This curiosity will lead us to examine the economyââ¬â¢s tasks, structures, and execution at a given time and its progressions after some time. We are going to take a gander at the businesses that have gotten moreover significant in the United State economy and how the administration is assuming control over the portion of the nationââ¬â¢s yield. The development of peopleââ¬â¢s pay, the conveyance of peopleââ¬â¢s pay among a lot more will be tended to. For quite a while, the way to United States economy had been southern agribusiness. Yet, the common war which started in April 1861 about annihilated everything. Nonetheless, the nation came out of the war with monetary devices to set up the most grounded economy on the planet. Inside 30 years, the United States drove the entire world in assembling. Following 80 years, it contained portion of t he worldââ¬â¢s business. From 1871 to 1890, United States encountered the second modern unrest. These are social and financial changes that outcome from wide utilization of machines underway. Developments made work simpler and more secure and this made the entire business. Processing plants began working utilizing large scale manufacturing and this prompted development of the economy. Somewhere in the range of 1861 and 1941, the economy of United States had ascended from blast to bust. This was a period between the common war and II universal war. In the preeminent or resulting decade, the United States financial market development occurred in a situation where approaches set by controllers were significantly changing and conditions in the market were shaky (Garcia, 2011). This... For quite a while, the way to United States economy had been southern agribusiness. In any case, the common war which started in April 1861 almost decimated everything. Nonetheless, the nation came out of the war with financial devices to set up the most grounded economy on the planet. Inside 30 years, the United States drove the entire world in assembling. Following 80 years, it contained portion of the worldââ¬â¢s business. From 1871 to 1890, United States encountered the second modern upset. These are social and monetary changes that outcome from wide utilization of machines underway. Innovations made work simpler and more secure and this made the entire business. Manufacturing plants began working utilizing large scale manufacturing and this prompted development of the economy. Somewhere in the range of 1861 and 1941, the economy of United States had ascended from blast to bust. This was a period between the common war and II universal war. In the principal or ensuing decade, the United States financial market development occurred in a domain where strategies set by controllers were drastically changing and conditions in the market were temperamental (Garcia, 2011). This came about to disillusioning and unstable gainfulness of budgetary division. Monetary division recorded 1.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product from 1960 to 1970s however after wards diminished to 1 percent in 1980s. In 1990s, the Gross Domestic Product started to rise and inside ten years, it was up to 3 percent.
Monday, August 10, 2020
Wolfram Alpha Tonight!
Wolfram Alpha Tonight! I dont know how familiar you are with Wolfram, but Ill assume you arent familiar with it at all and enlighten you. Wolfram makes a software called Mathematica that is pretty much my savior. Its the smartest software Ive ever seen. What does it do? It does math. Easy math. Hard math. Black-magic math. It graphs, it makes music, it maps, it decrypts, it slices, it dices, and itll take your dog for a walk. I wrote about it a while back on my personal blog so if youre interested in more details about Mathematica, be sure to check it out. Today though, Wolfram is debuting something else, something new. Theyve created a search engine called Wolfram Alpha. Its not like Google in that it doesnt search for websites, in fact its all a closed system, but what it does search for is information. Any information. It will tell you the GDP of any country youd like, graph it against any country youd like, or tell your the history of that countrys GDP. It can tell you about scales in music, it can teach you about genetics, it can give you material properties, and blah blah blah blah blah. But Google can do this too! No. Google can not do this. Wolfram Alpha is so much beyond Google in terms of comprehension. It interprets what you search for and gives you exactly what you want to a ridiculous degree of accuracy and depth. I cant get into too much detail describing this now because I need to study for my final on Monday, but heres the important stuff. 1) Watch this video NOW: Click to watch video 2) Salivate 3) Be online tonight at 8 PM Eastern to watch the live webcast of Wolfram Alpha going live. Be here tonight at 8 PM Eastern! Thats all for now!
Saturday, May 23, 2020
The Two Party System Of The United States - 1931 Words
Ryley Burch-Burns Research Paper: The Two Party System In the United States In the United States, we have a majority rule type of system where only one person represents an entire district of people. This system is extremely pluralized, which means that people will favor either extreme on the view of an issue. Due to these reasons, only two parties can coexist, and it is difficult for a third party to gain favor in the masses, which is Duvergerââ¬â¢s Law. In the history of the United States, there has usually been two political parties that represented the views of the masses. Each of these parties had a certain way that they believed about the major issues of the time that were brought up or could be influenced by the government. The reason that only two parties have ever been able to establish themselves in government is because of the majority ruled system that our government has, and the love people have for having a definite answer rather than an indefinite one. One of the reasons we only have two major parties is because of how our government is. When our government was formed in the days of the founding fathers, there were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, which was essentially the beginning of our two party system. As they formed and wrote the constitution, they made it so that there could only be a two party system. In the system they created, ââ¬Å"two empirical regularities are prominent: that only two candidates compete (famously encapsulated by Duverger sShow MoreRelatedWhat Is The Shortcomings Of The Two Party System In The United States?1133 Words à |à 5 PagesThe United States is currently facing an enemy older and stronger than any civilization in the world today. Adversity amongst the different cultural groups has caused an immense amount of chaos among the population of the Land of Liberty. Different extremist groups have caused civil unrest to spread throughout the country like wildfire, and there is going to be no end to it anytime soon, it seems. Groups like ISIS, AntiFa, the Alt-Right, BLM, among others are carelessly destroying this great countryRead MoreThe USA and The UK in terms of Two Party System Essay examples1559 Words à |à 7 PagesThe USA and The UK in terms of Two Party System Yaßmur AKAR Political parties are indispensable part of the governments and the democracies. Parties provide capturing control of the governments and shaping of the democracies. Every state has different party system types. Even though these systems are the same, they can approve differently from each other in some countries. The purpose of this essay to compare the USA and the United Kingdom in terms of two party system and also discuss their differencesRead MoreTwo Party System802 Words à |à 4 PagesWhy the United States has a Two-Party System Beginning in its infant stage, the United States has consistently maintained two dominant political parties that initially included the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists who debated the ratification of the Constitution. Although the Federalists and the Ant-Federalists eventually gave way to the Republicans and Democrats, they set a precedent for the continued dominance of the two-party system that remains in effect. There are several reasons supportingRead MoreVoting System Of A Democratic Government1141 Words à |à 5 Pagesgovernment. The voting system that a country uses has a substantial impact on how the government of that country is run, and how well the concerns of the electorate are addressed. There are many important factors to weigh when selecting a voting system, but an efficient voting system needs to consistently address a few key issues. These include producing a government that represents the electorateââ¬â¢s political views as closely as possible, preventing gerrymandering, and preventing two party rule. What votingRead More third parties Essay1483 Words à |à 6 Pagesunderdog and loser in major elections third parties make some significant contribution to the political spectrum in the United States. Third Party Agendas are taken serious by the Democratic and Republican Parties and specific pieces of the Third Party Agendas are sometimes adopted by the two major parties. Third parties give discontented voters other alternatives. The Republican and Democratic Parties have been known to operate in similar styles and third parties give the voter the opportunity to expressRead MoreThe Democratic Party And The Republican Party1238 Words à |à 5 Pages Two political parties have dominated the United States: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The term ââ¬Å"Third partyâ⬠is used in the United States to describe any political party besides the well-known Republican and Democratic parties. Examples of third parties include the Libertarian Party, The Green Party, and the Constitutional Party. Unfortunately, these third parties have a hard time gaining political representation at the federal level. The historic route Democrats and RepublicansRead MoreEmergence of a Two-Party System 1789-18081405 Words à |à 6 PagesEmergence of a Two-Party System 1789-1808 A two-party system is a political system in which the electorate gives its majority of votes to only two major parties and in which one or the other party can win a majority in the legislature. An example of a two-party system is the United States of America, which has the Republicans and the Democrats. For the candidacy to be president, the person must have a majority of the party supporting him or her. An advantage to having a two-party system is that itRead MoreThe United States Vs. United Kingdom1256 Words à |à 6 PagesThe United States and the United Kingdom have both become industrialized democracies, however by saying that it may seem as though they have many similarities which is true, but there are many more differences in the political systems they use and the way the states are governed. Just because United States and the United Kingdom share these similarities and differences in their Presidential System, and the formation of their democracies, the United States is vi ewed by far as a much weaker state dueRead MorePlurality Voting And Voting System1444 Words à |à 6 Pagestheyââ¬â¢re going to vote for someone they donââ¬â¢t really like, because he/she is the ââ¬Ëlesser-of-two-evilsââ¬â¢.â⬠(Ossipoff) Many take the United Statesââ¬â¢ voting system with an ââ¬Å"it is what it isâ⬠attitude, assuming it could be no better. This is certainly not the case. The United States uses what is known as plurality voting, meaning the candidate with the largest percentage of votes wins. This is also a ââ¬Å"winner-takes-allâ⬠system, where losers of the election receive no representation. This leads voters to compromiseRead MoreThe Causes And Cons Of The United States Congress?711 Words à |à 3 PagesThe United States Congress has been on a downward spiral in the past decade, in 2009 their approval rating was at 37% compared to a mere 13% as of this week. This begs the question of whether our electoral laws for Congress are t ruly working in our current political climate. The house of representatives currently divided at 240 Republicans to 194 Democrats and 1 independent. This clear divide has been seen in the inability to pass legislation and the clear lack of partisanship within the house.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Society Has Many Different Views On A Manââ¬â¢S Influence Over
Society has many different views on a manââ¬â¢s influence over a vulnerable woman. Individuals who lived in the 1800ââ¬â¢s particularly, had a certain image that they sought to reflect, which is evident in the novel Dracula. Dracula by Bram Stoker showcases the superior role that men had over women in the Victorian era because they are illustrated as being dominant and controlling. The novel begins with Jonathan Harkerââ¬â¢s journals that narrate his relationship with Mina. In the very first chapter of the novel, Jonathan makes a stereotypical comment about who readers can infer might be his significant other. Since Johnathan finds himself in a new country, he discovers foreign food that tastes delicious enough to want to obtain the recipe, but notâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Trade unionistsâ⬠¦hoped that restrictions on the hours women could work would disqualify them from key jobsâ⬠(Magraw 13). Even males during the same time that the novel takes place sexualized women and sought to keep them away from careers and instead have them at home. Jonathan Harker is not the only man that personifies the idea that males are above females. As the reader continues to uncover the truth about Draculaââ¬â¢s control over Lucy, it becomes evident that the acts are degrading towards women. The first piece of evidence is witnessed by Mina. While Mina watches over Lucy, as she declines in health, Miss. Murray notices the act of Draculaââ¬â¢s power when the two friends and the vampire see each other around town. The novelââ¬â¢s main female character voices, ââ¬Å"I slewed around a little, so as to see Lucy well without seeming to stare at her, and saw that she was in a half-dreamy state, with an odd look on her face that I could not quite make outâ⬠(Stoker 102). This statement hints that Lucy is completely under Draculaââ¬â¢s trance. In the act of Miss. Westenraââ¬â¢s faraway status, Mina notices Draculaââ¬â¢s red eyes that have bewitched her friend. Mina is not the only one who observes Lucyââ¬â¢s lack of self-control. Seward becomes the next spectator that witnesses the effects of vampirism bestowed by Dracula. He says in his journal, ââ¬Å"It was certainly odd that whenever she got into that lethargic state, with the stertorousShow MoreRelatedHybridization Theory of Globalization Essay1711 Words à |à 7 PagesPieterse states that ââ¬Å"since culture is a battleground, hybridity is a matter of mapping no manââ¬â¢s land.â⬠(Pieterse, 117) While this argument is sound in many ways, I do believe that ââ¬Å"battlegroundâ⬠conveys far more violence than is involved in most cultural mixing. However, Pieterse tempers his argument somewhat as he continues, saying that ââ¬Å"hybridity does not preclude struggle but yields a multifocus view on struggle and by showing multiple identity on both sides, transcends the ââ¬Ëus versus themââ¬â¢ dualismRead MoreWestern Imperialism Influence on African Culture1132 Words à |à 5 PagesAlex Benson Dr. Yixin Chen HST 104-001 5 February 2013 Impact of Western Imperialism on the African Community Western imperialism, though it has its good qualities, essentially led to the breakdown and ending of the African community. Their religion, new language, and political knowledge and power make it impossible for both communities to exist together. The most apparent form of cultural imperialism from the West in Things Fall Apart are the differences in the law making systems of theRead More The Necessity of Autonomy (Free Will) in Society Essays787 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Necessity of Autonomy (Free Will) in Society à à à à à ââ¬Å"Human nature is not a machine to be built after a model, and set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree, which requires to grow and develop itself on all sides, according to the tendency of the inward forces which make it a living thing.â⬠John Stuart Mill explicitly describes the necessity of autonomy or free will in society to insure the happiness of all. From this perspective one can recognize that autonomy should not onlyRead MoreThe State Of Nature Is An Important And Relevant Philosophical Idea1238 Words à |à 5 Pagesphilosophical idea that has been discussed and debated for a long time. The reason it is such a key topic in philosophy is it delves into the reasoning behind why man had to create political society. In order to properly understand the philosophy of the state of nature it is important to look at conflicting viewpoints about it in order to understand it with less bias. Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rosseau both have differing viewpoints regarding the state of nature. Hobbes feels that manââ¬â¢s natural stateRead MoreThe Role Of Gender During The Renaissance Period1466 Words à |à 6 Pageslearning from Greek and Roman classical writing. Recent exploration by historians into the Renaissance period has seen a fixation on the discussion of the role of gender during the Renaissance. A variety of historians, such as Joan Kelly and Merry E. Weisner, believe that women didnââ¬â¢t experience any form of a Renaissance during this period. It can be widely acknowledged that during this period society did experience a ââ¬Ërebirthââ¬â¢, especially in terms of the role of the men in Europe. Women, on the other handRead MoreLiterature Is The Expression Of The Thoughts Of Society941 Words à |à 4 Pagesthoughts of society. Books are specimens of the conversations of an age, persevered in the spirit of taste and of geniusâ⬠. In other words, literature conveys an understanding of society and books are a gateway into the themes and culture of other time periods. Culture is the traditions, convictions, and state of mind of a specific group of people. The beliefs of one group of people to another often differentiate the groups; and over the course of time, has led to a plethora of different cultures withRead MoreShrugging Off Positive: Ayn Rand Essay1687 Words à |à 7 Pagesimagines a positive person in society, many people may come to mind. Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and many more are positive influences on the society of the world today. A positive influence in the society is someone who lets his or her beliefs be known in a respectful way, are non-violent, and do not force opinions on anyone else. Ayn Rand is a positive influence on society because she was an author who wrote philosophical novels that showed her views in a non-violent manner,Read MoreThe Pain Of The Form-, Beloved, And Man s Search For Meaning Essay1622 Words à |à 7 Page sSuffering ââ¬âregardless of the formââ¬â has the ability to mentally and physically destroy an individual. One cannot measure the amount of pain an individual has sustained, but each personââ¬â¢s meaning of life can be easily observed. Despite death being the ending result of life, one can either dwell on this ending result or live in the here and nowââ¬âmaking the best of every situation for a happier outcome. When asked by a doctor to describe the pain on a scale from one to ten, one individual may considerRead MoreSocial Contract Theory: Natural Rights and Personhood Within Democracy 1387 Words à |à 6 Pagesman should be treated and/or to what rights he is so entitled must begin with what ââ¬Ëmanââ¬â¢ is. There is no doubt man has an inherent value that entities such as flies and trees lack. This value does not come from mere physical form, but from what comprises personhood; because these things can be separated from our physical form they can fail to b e developed or instantiated within manââ¬â¢s physical form. Natural rights, and the debate about what they are and where they come from, have been long-standingRead MoreThe Difference Between Emotion and Reason1517 Words à |à 7 PagesEmotion is an internal decision. It is ones mind, sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously, balancing, integrating and juggling various different, and often conflicting, facts, experiences and concepts. It is a subjective, psychological experience, correlated with a group of physiological reactions arising in response to some situation. It is often held that one can have no emotional self-control, that an emotion cannot be consciously willed to occur at any particular time, that emotions
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Anti-Competitive Behavior The Case Of Allcare Ipa Free Essays
Free Trade Commission (FTC). The main role of FTC, created in 1914, is outlined in its website ââ¬Å"Federal Trade Commissionâ⬠(http://www. ftc. We will write a custom essay sample on Anti-Competitive Behavior: The Case Of Allcare Ipa or any similar topic only for you Order Now gov/ftc/about. shtm) which states that ââ¬Å"It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economyâ⬠. As such, it ââ¬Å"pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement, advances consumersââ¬â¢ interestsâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . The FTC was originally created to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce, but through the years, its role has widened to cover consumer protection in broad terms. It must be noted that FTCââ¬â¢s Bureau of Competition promotes and protects vigorous competition by seeking out and challenging ââ¬Å"anticompetitive conduct in the marketplaceâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ and ââ¬Å"â⬠¦promotes competition in industries where consumer impact is high, such as health careâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ((http://www. ftc. gov/ftc/about. shtm). The very nature of health care, a very basic need, explains why practices in this field is a major concern for FTC. AllCare IPA is comprised of independent physicians that have joined together to provide a comprehensive network of multiple specialties, developed specifically for the patientââ¬â¢s health plan. (http://www. allcareipa. com/faqs/default. aspx). Its main office is found in Modesto, California. ââ¬Å"Since its formation, AllCare and its physicians have contracted with Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) to provide fee-for service care. In PPO arrangements, the payer compensates the physicians for services provided under agreed-upon fee schedules. Such arrangements may or may not entail financial risk-sharing or clinical integration. â⬠((ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠). In February 2009, FTC found AllCare IPA guilty of price-fixing and violated anticompetitive laws by ââ¬Å"orchestrating and carrying out agreements among their members to refuse, and threaten to refuse, to deal with insurance providers, unless they raised the fees paid to the groupsââ¬â¢ doctorsâ⬠. FTC ruled that AllCareââ¬â¢s conduct in setting fees for payers and refusing to deal with payers constitutes illegal price-fixing, and violates federal law. In addition, the FTC contends AllCare engaged in any activity that might justify collective agreements on the prices its members would accept for their services. The groupsââ¬â¢ physicians did not share financial risk in providing medical services, did not collaborate in any program to monitor and modify clinical practice patterns or otherwise integrate the delivery of their services. According to the FTC, between 2005 and 2006, AllCare acted to restrain competition on fee-for-service contracts by facilitating, entering into, and implementing agreements to fix the prices and other contract terms with PPO payers; to engage in collective negotiations over the terms and conditions of dealing with such payers; and to have members refrain from negotiating with such payers on terms other than those approved by the group. â⬠. (ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠). Penalties against AllCare. AllCare has been barred to enter into similar agreements because according to FTCââ¬â¢s Acting Director of the Bureau of Competition David Wales, ââ¬Å"when health care providers decide to purse personal gain through unlawful price-fixing, consumers are often forces to either pay higher prices or forgo vital treatments they can no longer affordâ⬠. (ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠). The Commissionââ¬â¢s proposed consent orders are designed to eliminate the illegal anticompetitive conduct alleged in the complaints. They would prohibit AllCare from entering into or facilitating agreements between or among physicians: 1) to negotiate on behalf of any physician with any payer; 2) to refuse to deal, or threaten to refuse to deal, with any payer; 3) to designate the terms, conditions, or requirements upon which any physician deals, or is willing to deal, with any payer, including, but not limited to price terms; 4) not to deal individually with any payer, or not to deal with any payer through any arrangement other than one involving AllCare, respectively. The order prohibits AllCare from exchanging information among physicians concerning whether, or on what terms, to contract with a payer and from encouraging, suggesting, advising, pressuring, inducing, or attempting to induce anyone into any actions otherwise prohibited by the order. I believe that there must always be balance in any decision that affects two opposing parties, in this case the doctors and their patients. While FTC must protect the welfare of the consumers and must do so vigorously and vigilantly, it must also take into account the needs of the doctors to protect themselves and their livelihoods against threats from the same persons who come to them for treatment. Already, many doctors are discouraged to practice their profession for fear of lawsuits, such as medical malpractice, and the tremendous cost implications these lawsuits bring. I agree that physicians practice must be subject to regulation as it is prone to abuse. However, while medical care is a very basic commodity and patients, as consumers, have every right to be protected against unjust and unlawful practices in the health care industry, so do Doctors have rights to protect themselves and their livelihoods. I personally believe that that FTC ruling was too biased in favor of the consumers/patients. But of course, this is America, and the customer is always king. Works Cited ââ¬Å"AllCare IPA: Frequently Asked Questionsâ⬠. 2005. 6 August 2009. (http://www. allcareipa. com/faqs/default. aspx) Copy of the FTC Decision on AllCare. February 2009. August 6, 2009. (http://www. crowell. com/pdf/ManagedCare/Independent-Practice-Associates-Medical-Group. pdf) ââ¬Å"Free Trade Commissionâ⬠. Free Trade Commission. 6 August 2009. (http://www. ftc. gov/ftc/about. shtm) ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠. 24 December 2008. 6 August 2009. (http://www. ftc. gov/ftc/about. shtm) How to cite Anti-Competitive Behavior: The Case Of Allcare Ipa, Papers
Anti-Competitive Behavior The Case Of Allcare Ipa Free Essays
Free Trade Commission (FTC). The main role of FTC, created in 1914, is outlined in its website ââ¬Å"Federal Trade Commissionâ⬠(http://www. ftc. We will write a custom essay sample on Anti-Competitive Behavior: The Case Of Allcare Ipa or any similar topic only for you Order Now gov/ftc/about. shtm) which states that ââ¬Å"It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economyâ⬠. As such, it ââ¬Å"pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement, advances consumersââ¬â¢ interestsâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . The FTC was originally created to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce, but through the years, its role has widened to cover consumer protection in broad terms. It must be noted that FTCââ¬â¢s Bureau of Competition promotes and protects vigorous competition by seeking out and challenging ââ¬Å"anticompetitive conduct in the marketplaceâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ and ââ¬Å"â⬠¦promotes competition in industries where consumer impact is high, such as health careâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ((http://www. ftc. gov/ftc/about. shtm). The very nature of health care, a very basic need, explains why practices in this field is a major concern for FTC. AllCare IPA is comprised of independent physicians that have joined together to provide a comprehensive network of multiple specialties, developed specifically for the patientââ¬â¢s health plan. (http://www. allcareipa. com/faqs/default. aspx). Its main office is found in Modesto, California. ââ¬Å"Since its formation, AllCare and its physicians have contracted with Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) to provide fee-for service care. In PPO arrangements, the payer compensates the physicians for services provided under agreed-upon fee schedules. Such arrangements may or may not entail financial risk-sharing or clinical integration. â⬠((ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠). In February 2009, FTC found AllCare IPA guilty of price-fixing and violated anticompetitive laws by ââ¬Å"orchestrating and carrying out agreements among their members to refuse, and threaten to refuse, to deal with insurance providers, unless they raised the fees paid to the groupsââ¬â¢ doctorsâ⬠. FTC ruled that AllCareââ¬â¢s conduct in setting fees for payers and refusing to deal with payers constitutes illegal price-fixing, and violates federal law. In addition, the FTC contends AllCare engaged in any activity that might justify collective agreements on the prices its members would accept for their services. The groupsââ¬â¢ physicians did not share financial risk in providing medical services, did not collaborate in any program to monitor and modify clinical practice patterns or otherwise integrate the delivery of their services. According to the FTC, between 2005 and 2006, AllCare acted to restrain competition on fee-for-service contracts by facilitating, entering into, and implementing agreements to fix the prices and other contract terms with PPO payers; to engage in collective negotiations over the terms and conditions of dealing with such payers; and to have members refrain from negotiating with such payers on terms other than those approved by the group. â⬠. (ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠). Penalties against AllCare. AllCare has been barred to enter into similar agreements because according to FTCââ¬â¢s Acting Director of the Bureau of Competition David Wales, ââ¬Å"when health care providers decide to purse personal gain through unlawful price-fixing, consumers are often forces to either pay higher prices or forgo vital treatments they can no longer affordâ⬠. (ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠). The Commissionââ¬â¢s proposed consent orders are designed to eliminate the illegal anticompetitive conduct alleged in the complaints. They would prohibit AllCare from entering into or facilitating agreements between or among physicians: 1) to negotiate on behalf of any physician with any payer; 2) to refuse to deal, or threaten to refuse to deal, with any payer; 3) to designate the terms, conditions, or requirements upon which any physician deals, or is willing to deal, with any payer, including, but not limited to price terms; 4) not to deal individually with any payer, or not to deal with any payer through any arrangement other than one involving AllCare, respectively. The order prohibits AllCare from exchanging information among physicians concerning whether, or on what terms, to contract with a payer and from encouraging, suggesting, advising, pressuring, inducing, or attempting to induce anyone into any actions otherwise prohibited by the order. I believe that there must always be balance in any decision that affects two opposing parties, in this case the doctors and their patients. While FTC must protect the welfare of the consumers and must do so vigorously and vigilantly, it must also take into account the needs of the doctors to protect themselves and their livelihoods against threats from the same persons who come to them for treatment. Already, many doctors are discouraged to practice their profession for fear of lawsuits, such as medical malpractice, and the tremendous cost implications these lawsuits bring. I agree that physicians practice must be subject to regulation as it is prone to abuse. However, while medical care is a very basic commodity and patients, as consumers, have every right to be protected against unjust and unlawful practices in the health care industry, so do Doctors have rights to protect themselves and their livelihoods. I personally believe that that FTC ruling was too biased in favor of the consumers/patients. But of course, this is America, and the customer is always king. Works Cited ââ¬Å"AllCare IPA: Frequently Asked Questionsâ⬠. 2005. 6 August 2009. (http://www. allcareipa. com/faqs/default. aspx) Copy of the FTC Decision on AllCare. February 2009. August 6, 2009. (http://www. crowell. com/pdf/ManagedCare/Independent-Practice-Associates-Medical-Group. pdf) ââ¬Å"Free Trade Commissionâ⬠. Free Trade Commission. 6 August 2009. (http://www. ftc. gov/ftc/about. shtm) ââ¬Å"FTC Settles Price-Fixing Charges Against Two Separate Doctorsââ¬â¢ Groupsâ⬠. 24 December 2008. 6 August 2009. (http://www. ftc. gov/ftc/about. shtm) How to cite Anti-Competitive Behavior: The Case Of Allcare Ipa, Papers
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