Is there truth in government y2k reporting?

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My husband is a nurse anesthetist who is incorporated and contracts out his anesthesia services. In the mail today he received a letter from the Health Care Financing Administration(HCFA)dated January 12, 1999. The first three paragraphs of the letter gave a brief explanation about the Year 2000 computer problem, or the "Y2K bug". The fourth paragraph begins in bold letters: "HCFA will be ready to process acceptable claims. We have made substantial progress in correcting our own systems in recent months and, despite earlier concerns, we will be ready on time. We are confident that all Medicare claims processes will be ready and able to function come January 1, 2000, so that you can be paid promptly." The fifth paragraph in bold letters states: "You must also be ready if you wish to be paid promptly. It is urgent that you act now so your systems will be ready." Contrast that with the statements by Joel Willemssen on January 20,1999 to the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology: http://www.house.gov/reform/gmit/hearings/testimony/990120jw.htm In September 1998, "we concluded that it was highly unlikely that all of the Medicare systems would be compliant in time to ensure the delivery of uninterrupted benefits and services into the year 2000." Now, do you think that some miracle occurred here or that it is simply more expedient to declare oneself y2k ready rather than y2k compliant? Also, don't you think it would be advantageous for them to request documentation concerning their y2k status?

Y2K Puzzled????

-- Carol Dufrene (jdufrene@laci.net), January 24, 1999

Answers

According to the following January 11 article, "...it is unlikely that all HCFA systems will be ready in time."

http://www.ntgov.com/gcn/gcn/1999/january11/13a.htm

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 24, 1999.


"Is there truth in government y2k reporting?"

Depends on your definition of the words "truth" and "is."

Sorry, couldn't resist.

-- Noah (Webster@dictionary.com), January 24, 1999.


" "Is there truth in government?"

Sorry, that's the dumbest question ever asked! How do you think this world got into this mess? And thousands of others! Messed up minds, messed up ....

-- fly . (.@...), January 24, 1999.


I think realistic questions are like, how much will they be able to actually do at all, with what error rate, and how quickly can these errors be dealt with?

My best guess is that claims will be handled late and often improperly, that the errors will be frustrating to try to get corrected, and that there will be a lot of finger-pointing about just whose system caused the problems. Expect headaches.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 24, 1999.


Once again, flint can not resist spreading the Pollyanna mindset.

'expect problems' ROTFLMAO

Every tired, sorry pollyanna comes up with the same tired sorry line. "There will be 'problems'."

Do people get off their butts and make very serious preparations for 'mere' problems? No they do not. You 'muddle' through problems.

flint lives in a world where cognitive dissonance strike shard.

First, he has two irreconcilable problems. But, if he can not find a way to harmonize them, he would have to admit that he is in great danger and that he is jeopardizing his family.

First, he lives in a very populated area. Second, he will not or can not leave.

Now, can he accept that their will be more than 'problems'? NO. Why? If he did so, he would have to admit that his family is in very bad shape. He will not admit this. Therefore, he MUST find a way to reconcile this. The CORRECT thing would be to look at the evidence and RECOGNIZE the trouble that he is in and either , move, if he can, or ADMIT, that he is in deep trouble if he reamins in a populated area.

But he will do NEITHER. He reconciles the conflict with a lovely bout of cognitive dissonance.

"There will be 'problems'. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. That feels better, 'problems'. 'problems' don't kill people. 'Problems' don't over run families in populated areas. 'Problems' can be muddled through.

But no matter what, he CAN NOT admit the truth. That living in his populated area is a grave danger. Nope. Then he could not slepp at night and would have to admit the consequences for his family.

This is the ENTIRE essence of flint. He is *THE* prime example of cognitive dissonance.

-- Paul Milne (fedinfo@halifax.com), January 24, 1999.



"He is *THE* prime example of cognitive dissonance." I disagree with you there. Most of the public is completely ignoring the issue. They are the ones that are prime examples. From what I understand, Flint is preparing for what he believes will happen. That's a heck of a lot better than 95% of the population. I am preparing for something quite a bit worse, but that's my perogative.

-- d (d@dgi.com), January 24, 1999.

Is there truth in government re Y2K? You've got to be kidding! Name ANYTHING where ANYONE with any power or influence in or with government gives you the truth.

There are a few isolated politicos like Ron Paul, but they have no policy influence or power.

When are you people going to get it (GI) re government! The republic of our constitution is DEAD. Our government is now like every other government in the world. They are the rulers; you are the niggers on the plantation. You don't need to know nothin'. Just like the slaves in the old South, you don't need to know no readin' writin' 'rithmatic; you'll just get uppity ideas. That's why the public school sytstem sucks (doesn't teach anyuthing worthwhile). It's by DESIGN!

-- a (a@AisA.com), January 24, 1999.


"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. " ____Ben Franklin

Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state. ____Thomas Jefferson

Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. ____Thomas Jefferson

Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth. ____George Washington

If you listen closely, you can hear them spinning in their graves.

-- d (d@dgi.com), January 24, 1999.


"Is there truth in government?"

Yes. Just not all in one place. Think of government "truth" as a treasure hunt, and we are all looking for buried treasure. (What a pain! But it's the only way to find "Da Truth" these days).

And Paul ...

BACK OFF!!! QUIT ATTACKING THE PERSON AND FOCUS ON THE INFORMATION! YOU ARE INCREDIBLY TROLL-LIKE IN YOUR BEHAVIOR! STOP IT!!!

There, I feel better.

Some people see life "half full" others "half empty." Both Flint and Paul are a prime example. From what I can tell, they aren't all that far apart on their Y2K assessments. Now, in the personal style arena ... how wide is wide?

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 25, 1999.


To Diane,

BITE ME, you menopausal witch.

Furthermore, you must be a major league RETARDO to even THINK that flint and I are close in our assessments of the situation.

And anytime flint continues to post sub-moronic pollyanna crap, I'll be all over him like white on rice.

-- Paul Milne (fedinfo@halifax.com), January 25, 1999.



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