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Local health care providers chime in on national debate
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| By Rod Daniel |
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As Washington lawmakers labor to put a national health care bill on the president’s desk before spring, the folks involved in providing health care to everyday Montanans are hoping for the best.
And even though Montana’s own Senator Max Baucus is a major player in health care reform in our nation’s capital, doctors and pharmacists in western Montana are resolved to wait on the sidelines as federal health care legislation is shepherded through Congress.
A pharmacist’s frustration
Paul and Lavone Brand own Florence Pharmacy, a small pharmacy in the Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula. Since their own livelihood as well as the health and well-being of their customers will likely be affected by this legislation, the Brands are monitoring the process closely.
“We’re definitely following it,” Paul Brand said of the legislative process. “And it’s nice to see them actually attempting health care reform. But I’m afraid the system is just too flawed to expect any meaningful change.”
Brand cites Medicare as a program that has benefitted millions of people, but he points to a binder of regulations five inches thick as an illustration of what he calls “a paperwork intensive system.”
“Any public option they come up with will be patterned after Medicare,” he said. “But that almost guarantees there will be a ton of red tape and regulations.
“I believe we need both public and private options, but I’m afraid it will just pit the incompetence of the federal government against the greed of the private insurance companies.”
Recent attempts to lower the cost of prescription medicine, for example, have not had the desired effect, he said, yet insurance companies are showing record profits.
“A pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) works for the private insurance companies and their job is to lower the price of medicine,” Brand said. “But they use all kinds of non-transparent tactics to maximize their own profits at the expense of the pharmacies and the patients.”
As an example, Brand explains how a PBM charges an employer an often inflated average wholesale price (AWP) for a drug only to reimburse the pharmacy at the “maximum allowable cost” – usually the AWP minus about 20 percent.
“We are reimbursed at close to our cost,” Lavone Brand said. “We might make $4 on a $120 drug.”
Other non-transparent scams are perpetrated on a daily basis by insurers, Brand said. For example, if the average wholesale price goes up on a given day, within hours the insurance company will start charging the employer group the higher price, but they don’t start reimbursing the pharmacy at that price for several weeks.
“They’re basically just pocketing the proceeds, and we don’t have anything to say about it,” he said. “Free-market forces don’t apply to insurance companies and drug makers.”
The current plan crafted by Baucus, Brand said, is flawed because it gives too much power to the insurance industry. And a government-run plan will be weighted down by bureaucracy.
“The public option is a good idea,” he said, “but Medicare reform has to be done first.”
Brand believes if reform of the insurance industry actually occurred and Medicare were reformed, then health care reform would be a good thing.
“Starting with coverage for the uninsured is a good first step, but reform of the entire industry is what’s really necessary.”
Healthy reform
Down the road in Missoula, Dr. Tom Roberts has had regular contact with Baucus and his staff, and has even made a few trips to Washington, D.C. to try to influence the legislative process. As president of the Western Montana Clinic, Roberts has unique insight into health care reform.
“My own feeling is we will likely get some form of legislation passed, but it’s likely to be watered down,” Roberts said. “I expect few dramatic changes.”
Roberts does expect to see changes in both who provides insurance and who gets it.
“Forty-six million people in the U.S. are not insured and many more are underinsured,” he said. “People without health insurance are not as likely to go to the doctor and are more likely to die. About 40,000 people die in this country every year who would not die if they had insurance. In Montana, about 140 people die because of lack of adequate insurance.”
New health care legislation, Roberts said, will make it easier for people to get and keep insurance, but it won’t change the way the system is organized.
“It still will be expensive and the process still will be controlled by special interests,” he said. “The only way it will change is slowly over time.”
The state of Massachusetts instituted universal health care three or four years ago, Roberts said, and now 98 percent of the people there have insurance.
“Health care costs (in Massachusetts) have risen dramatically, and they’ve figured out they can’t afford the changes,” he said. “They’re deciding now how to limit costs. It might involve into a managed-care system.”
The bottom line, Roberts said, is providing insurance to everyone is expensive, so eventually, they may have to reform the system. Many people, he said, see this as a first step.
A physician’s prescription
A practicing physician for 26 years, Roberts believes what’s missing most in our country is good access to primary care. Chronic illnesses often go untreated because people cannot afford to see a doctor.
“Untreated high blood pressure leads to strokes,” he said. “Getting in and getting it treated is the key to staying healthy.”
The current system doesn’t pay primary care doctors well so many doctors choose to specialize. Encouraging specialty care has a detrimental effect on primary care, Roberts said.
“Eighty percent of health care dollars get spent on 20 percent of the population,” he said. “Having lots of specialists doesn’t really help people with diabetes, arthritis and other chronic illnesses.”
Current legislation, he said, is expected to reduce the number of uninsured people by 50 percent, and that will make a big difference for that particular group. But for the eight in 10 people who already have insurance, but who have high deductibles, this legislation may not make it more likely that they will see a doctor.
“The legislation being suggested doesn’t do very much for the underinsured,” he said. “Some members of Congress are trying to set some bottom limit to coverage, which might help.”
As one who has been involved with the legislative process for the past few years, Roberts believes we have passed the point where an individual can have much impact on health care reform at the national level. Instead he’s been focusing his efforts on what can be done at the local level.
Roberts said he’s trying to promote the use of primary care to individuals, especially those with higher deductibles.
“I really think as a community we need to figure out how to get people basic care,” he said. “That can happen both with the insurer and the clinics working with the employer. We’re trying to go to local employers to encourage primary care – to make it more available.”
Change on the horizon
Despite their frustrations with our current system, as well as their skepticism about health care reform, both Dr. Roberts and the Blands are optimistic that positive change is in the works.
“(Health care reform) is not something that would have been possible under the previous administration,” Roberts said. “The fact that this administration is addressing the problem is a big step. In that respect, I’m very much supportive.”
Lavone Bland concurs. “I think it’s great that we are having this discussion,” she said. “Do I like all the options? No. Am I happy to see progress? Yes.”
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HISTORY: Drawing a Line In the Sand
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By Wm. W. Whitfield
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The way we communicate says a lot about who we are and why we do the things we do. I’m not sure that the pen is actually mightier than the sword, but oftentimes a few firmly written words of warning can serve to avert an unnecessary act of aggression. Still, in early Native American culture there were no written words, and thoughts that could not be conveyed face-to-face had to be transmitted through a more visual system involving symbols similar to those found in pictographs and petroglyphs. Sometimes messages were even drawn out in the sand in a less permanent but equally effective fashion. In the summer of 1805, when Meriwether Lewis was seeking out geographical information from the Shoshoni Indians in the Lemhi Valley, Chief Cameahwait built him a little model of the surrounding country, cutting rivers in the dirt, and piling up mounds of earth to represent mountain ranges. The Shoshoni Chief appeared to have a perfect grasp of the natural barriers that encompassed his environment, and with the aid of an improvised map on terra firma, and the use of sign language, he was able to perfectly describe the local terrain to the famous American explorer.
More than twenty-five years later another American witnessed the amazingly intricate details that the natives could demonstrate with their primitive maps drawn out on the ground. When Warren Angus Ferris struck out from St. Louis as an employee of the American Fur Company in 1830, he decided to keep a comprehensive journal of his adventures in the Indian fur trade. A native of New York, Ferris, like many other young men of the day, was seeking his fortune on the new frontier of the far west. Upon his return home he shared his extraordinary five-year-long experience with an eager and attentive audience in the east. His stories were originally published as an adventure series in a small weekly periodical called the ‘Western Literary Messenger.’ The magazine was printed in Buffalo, New York, and Warren’s brother, Charles D. Ferris, was a partner in the publication, and undoubtedly played a prominent role in promoting his brother’s literary contributions. Unfortunately, it seems that the original Ferris journal was somehow lost in the process, and it was only through the exhaustive efforts of various rare book collectors and historians, nearly a century later, that the complete series was eventually located and put into book form.
Some unpublished material was also collected for his book ‘Life in the Rocky Mountains’ and in one of these additional articles Ferris described a ‘Curious Indian Letter’ that he and his group of traders came upon while passing through the Deer Lodge Valley on their way to the Three Forks of the Missouri. As usual, the expedition was traveling with a large band of Salish, or Flathead Indians, and the message that had been drawn out in the sand was left there especially for the benefit of the natives. Ferris says that the diagram was “interesting from its rare novelty, and the ingenuity with which it was devised.” He also pointed out that the intricate communication revealed a number of distinct facts, “with illusions to past events, and present intentions, combined with warnings, threats and boastings. This singular document with its date, signature, and superscription excited our astonishment not less from the novelty of its appearance and the skill with which it was prepared, than from the number of ideas it imparted and the unequivocal character of the information it expressed.”
Ferris goes on to explain that a small plot of ground had been smoothed out, and a map of the junction of the Three Forks of the Missouri had been drawn on it. Near the junction of the three rivers the composers had placed several little dirt mounds, along with a small square enclosure made of pointed twigs planted close together. In the center of the enclosure a stick considerably longer than the others was fixed upright in the ground with a bit of rag fastened to the top. A large number of conical mounds were placed around the enclosure, with bright red earth scattered across them. Standing at the entrance of the enclosure were two men. One of the men had on a hat and was smoking a pipe. Behind him was a small bundle of rolled up horsehair placed upon a piece of tobacco. Lying at the feet of the other man were four tiny wooden pipes, and next to him was a bit of dressed animal skin with a few grains of gunpowder on it. Near the two men were a pair of sticks stuck in the ground crossing each other at a right angle, and a small twig was sticking out of the earth at a forty-five degree angle at the foot of each man and pointing towards the other.
Ferris completes the picture by adding, “There were also a magnitude of little figures of men clustered around them. Eight or ten paces off were thirty little sticks painted red, lying on the ground. Bits of scarlet blankets and cloth were scattered about, and finally, seven small figures representing horsemen facing the north, were arranged at a little distance.” Apparently neither the Salish nor the traders with them had any trouble deciphering the crude communication. The message was obviously arranged with great care and left there for the specific purpose of intimidating the opposing tribe. As Ferris puts it, “The situation of the three rivers, and the mounds near them, made it at once certain that they were intended to represent the Three Forks of the Missouri. The little square enclosure or pen, presented a fort in miniature, the central stick and rag indicating its flagstaff and banner. The little conical mounds gave us at first sight a lively idea of an Indian encampment with its numerous lodges, and the red earth scattered among them made it equally evident that the Indians composing the village were of the Blood tribe.”
“The two figures of men, one wearing a hat, represent the Indian Chief and the white trader. The pipes are emblematic of peace and intimacy. The tobacco, horsehair (representing horses), powder, and skin, show that such articles have been exchanged between them. This is confirmed by the two sticks forming a cross, which represents a sign understood by all the mountain tribes, made by placing the two forefingers in such a position, and meaning ‘to trade.’ The two other sticks pointing from the feet of each to the breast of the other, indicates a sign made by pointing with the forefinger from the breast obliquely upwards, which is the Indian mode of declaring that it is ‘the truth.’ The multitude of little figures show evidently a large number of Indians in attendance, and the numerous bits of cloth, blankets, etc. are offered as incontestable proof of the abundant supplies they have at hand. The thirty small red sticks lying some paces off, represent as many Flatheads who were killed last spring, and the seven horsemen are the persons who have prepared this epistle, and who, proceeding northward, have now gone to their own country.”
Undoubtedly, the scene had been constructed in an attempt to terrify the Salish, and prevent them from entering the area of the Three Forks. Ferris says that if it were all put into words it would roughly translate as follows. “Flatheads, take notice, that peace, amity, and commerce have at length been established in good faith between the whites and our tribe. That for our benefit they have erected a fort at the Three Forks of the Missouri, supplied us with everything necessary for trade that our comfort and safety require. That we have assembled in great numbers at the fort, where a brisk trade has been opened, and that we shall henceforth remain on the headwaters of the Missouri. You will please observe that we scalped thirty of you last spring, and that we intend to serve the rest of you in the same manner. If, therefore, you consult your own interests and safety, you will not venture on our hunting grounds, but keep out of our vicinity. You may depend upon the truth of what we now tell you. Done by a party of seven Blood horsemen, now on our way home to the Forks.”
The Blood Indians are a branch of the Blackfoot Nation, who for countless generations were the traditional enemies and rivals of the Salish Indians. Even though the producers of the unusual dirt and twig diagram had put an impressive measure of imagination and a considerable amount of time into the construction of the message, the overall effect was undeniably anticlimactic. Ferris says that the Chief of the Flatheads, who was a brave man in the fullest sense of the word, closely examined the strange declaration until he had completely satisfied himself of its true meaning. The eyes of the great Chief suddenly flashed with the unconquerable courage and firm defiance that had distinguished him among his peers. He deliberately drew up his fine frame to its full manly height, and calmly shrugged his shoulders with the casual air of one who routinely encounters, and subsequently scorns, idle threats. Then, in a tone of voice that somehow managed to express far more than mere words could ever possibly hope to convey, the Chief simply said “Maybe!”
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ROADSIDE CHATS
Lisa’s 13,288-miles-in-33 day’s trucking adventure:
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| How she changed her view of truckers as being an annoyance, to them being highway heroes. |
| By Shannon Selway |
Lisa became interested in the nomadic lifestyle that her ex-husband had entered into for the last year and a half as a long haul flatbed truck driver. Her ex, Brad, would come through Missoula about every five to six weeks to enjoy his precious accrued time off (one day off for every week on the road). He’d come home to surround himself with familiar and loving company –something most of us take for granted. Brad always came back with a fascinating story or two, and would share his impressions of his latest long, long journey.
Upon such time off in August, Brad extended an invitation to Lisa to join him for his next round of trucking adventures. He wanted to know what it would be like to have some companionship on the road. Lisa decided, “why not?” She had the time off and wanted to see for herself what the life of a long haul trucker entailed. Besides, she always wanted to see more of the United States. So, on August 15th, Lisa officially became Brad’s sidekick – or, as what truckers would refer her as, “a nice seat cover,” a role she kept until her return on September 16th.
Lisa packed logical items that one might take along on a long vacation. Some of the things she packed were only used a few times. Her naturally curly locks disobeyed her flattening iron as humidity outside of Montana dictated otherwise. She packed her passport just in case Brad had an assignment in Canada, as he often does.
Sightseeing, Lisa learned, is something to be strictly done from the vantage point of the truck’s cab, typically with the view of an interstate highway. A “driver” (a trucker’s term for their kind) might be by the world’s largest frying pan, but would have to skip such an attraction, as a driver’s schedule simply doesn’t allow for detours.
“There are no detours on the journey; you go as many miles as possible in a day. You just don’t have time. Those guys are on a schedule…they have loads to pick up, and at the same time they need to get so many miles in a day in so much time. It doesn’t matter whether or not they are going 45 or 75 [mph],” Lisa stated.
Lisa’s trucking education began with Brad’s first assignment, delivering countertops to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with the starting point being in Missoula. It took an entire day to travel through Montana, not only because of Montana’s vast size, but also because Brad’s rig is governed with a top speed of 67.2 miles per hour. They made it to North Dakota that first day, which provided Lisa her first truck stop experience.
Lisa’s truck stop experiences left her with a deep impression of what a driver’s life is like.
The truck stop is where drivers wrap up their day. It’s their “home away from home,” and they seek to make the most of it. Many stops have amenities such as pay-per-view movie subscriptions and electricity to run AC. Like most drivers, Lisa’s sleeping quarters was in the back of the cab, which is quite small. If she needed a bathroom, she needed to go inside the stop.
Lisa found out that there’s much chatter – usually via CBs - about women who are using the truck stops…how hot they were, etc., and some of that could be quite vulgar. However, there seems to be a rule: never say anything disrespectful about another driver’s partner. But, if you were by yourself (like exiting the cab to seek a restroom), you were fair game. That was why no matter what, Brad always accompanied her – regardless of the hour- to the restroom.
Having the gift of a shower was precious. A normal cost of a shower is $10, but can be mitigated to free with a 50 plus gallon purchase of fuel. Regardless of how the shower was tendered, it didn’t guarantee its cleanliness. Lisa always wore flip-flops in the shower.
Lisa was also floored by the lack of postal services at truck stops. When she left town, she brought stamps with her; she wanted to send postcards of her journey and perhaps pay a bill or two. She only found two places with secure postboxes, and those with some sort of mail drop off amenities were not only unsecured, they had reputations of mail theft. That was a rather surprising detail for such an enormous nomadic population.
During the 5-week journey, Lisa became savvy about truck stop’s amenities, especially when it came to nourishment.
There were places to embrace. Stops with fresh delis or fresh anything was sought after. From time to time there’d be a friendly voice coming through the CB radio waves indicating home-cooked food was available at a certain spot in a truck stop parking lot. At one such spot, there was a fellow in Texas called the Barbeque Man. $15 purchased the “best barbeque” Lisa ever had, complete with coleslaw and all the fixings. It was enough food for two or three meals and was absolutely wonderful. Other such characters surfaced occasionally on the trip.
There were also places to avoid eating at. There’s a saying in the drivers’ world about a rather well-known truck stop restaurant that indicates a driver partook eating there, and suffers lower bowel challenges. It’s called “the Flying J’s.” That was a place Lisa didn’t experience, and happy to have avoided.
There tends to be the assumption of “ladies of the night” being prevalent at truck stops. This is mostly – per Lisa’s perception – untrue. Lisa’s journey covered over 13,000 miles in multiple truck stops in 24 states and 3 Canadian provinces. She only found that the “ladies” were in Texas, where they were called “lot lizards.” She was saddened when she saw them; they were very pretty and very young girls – about her daughter’s age.
Although drivers heavily rely on the services of truck stops, they also seek self-sufficient and cost savings means on the road.
A Wal-Mart is a huge find on the road for supplies as having fresh food can be a luxury. However, even if you can see one, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s accessible. It has to be accessible for those truckers bringing supplies to the store, but it may not have adequate access for other truckers. It must have easy on/off access, and how many miles of a detour are factored in as well. Unless you know, you don’t just pull off. The accessible Wal-Mart means refreshment of supplies: fresh water, bread, fresh fruit, and the basics. Most truckers restock their dorm-like refrigerators or plug-in coolers. Brad, Lisa said, is pretty big on backpacker meals (which don’t require refrigeration).
Long-haul drivers live a nomadic life, and don’t know anyone. Still, there’s an exchange of valuable chitchat that is done, like: What’s down the road? Where is a good place to eat?
“A long haul driver traditionally lives a lonely life. Truckers are strangers to everyone and everyone is a stranger to the driver,” Lisa said.
The road can be a safer place for “4-wheelers” by learning about what happens on a “drivers’” road.
The top speed of 67.2 miles per hour is predetermined by the trucking company Brad works for (a Missoula trucking company). Top governed speeds allowable for other companies can vary, but what his company bears in mind in determining the governed speed are factors of economics, safety, and legal speed limits. We “4-wheelers” (a trucker’s term for “other” drivers) can see it come into play if we pay attention.
When you encounter a truck coming down a hill, the trucker will likely be trying to gain speed with the advantage of gravity. This is the only time a trucker can go outside of the governed speed. A trucker is likely trying to “make up” for time lost when his rig is forced to take on a hill or pass that greatly reduced his speed. Making up for lost time/miles means making more money. Drivers earn by the mile, and can also enjoy bonuses for fuel efficiency.
“I can’t impress enough the importance of ‘keeping a cushion’ between you [as a car] and the truck. I mean, the truck and its cargo can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. An 80,000 pound truck can’t stop on a dime. If you dart out in front of the truck – say on an on ramp – you’d better accelerate fast. You can accelerate a whole lot faster than the truck can stop or slow down. Better yet, hold up and allow the truck by. We can wait 3 seconds for us to pull out behind them rather than in front of them” Lisa warned.
“When the trucker is in the left hand lane, don’t pass them in the right hand lane. There’s a reason...maybe there’s wreck. It’s not their intention to cause us angst; they know what’s ahead on the road. Then there’s this mentality of 4-wheelers that can’t stand to have a truck in front of them, so they pass them only to have the truck come up on them when they decelerate. Also, there’re those cars that are on cruise control and take their time passing the truck. Just pass them! Things can happen, like a truck blowing a tire into the car’s path. Now, that’s enough force to cause a bad accident…Also, if you can’t see the truck’s mirror, they can’t see you!”
Lisa’s journey educated her much. She used to hold a different kind of respect for the drivers on the road.
“Seriously, before I went on the road, I had the impression that truck drivers drove too slowly or too fast, and drove erratically. My experience has changed that kind of thinking. The one thing I want to share is respect for the semi truck driver – these are people who travel across the country to supply the stores we shop at. Now, I feel that instead of cursing truck drivers on the road…you should be blessing them. Everything we have is delivered by truck drivers…shoes, clothes, food…anything you have in your house was brought to you by truck.”
Lisa has returned home safe and sound, and she’s enjoying the benefits of a queen-sized bed, a shower without wearing flip-flops, the freedom to wander about at will and homemade meals. Brad, on the other hand, left for Edmonton, Canada shortly afterwards, and began yet another long, long journey.
Some tidbits of interesting facts about our trucking industry:
How big is the trucking industry?
The trucking companies, warehouses and private sector in the U.S. employs an estimated 8.9 million people employed in trucking-related jobs, with nearly 3.5 million truck drivers. Of this figure, UPS employs 60,000 workers, and 9 % are owner-operators. LTL shippers account for around 13.6 % of America’s trucking sector.
How many trucks operate in the U.S.?
Estimates of 15.5 million trucks operate in the U.S., of this figure, 2 million are tractor trailers.
How many truckers are there?
It is an estimated over 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S. Of that, one in nine are independent, a majority of which are owner-operators. Canada has in excess of 250,000 truck drivers.
How many trucking companies are there in the U.S.?
Estimates are that there are over 500,000 companies in the U.S. Of that figure, 96 % operate 28 or fewer, while 82% operate 6 or fewer trucks.
How many miles does the transportation industry transport goods in a year?
In 2006, the transportation industry logged 432.9 billion miles. Class 8 trucks accounted for 139.3 billion of those miles, up from 130.5 billion in 2005.
What is the volume of goods transported by the trucking industry?
The United States economy depends on trucks to deliver nearly 70 percent of all freight transported annually in the U.S., accounting for $671 billion worth of manufactured and retail goods transported by truck in the U.S. alone. Add $295 billion in truck trade with Canada and $195.6 billion in truck trade with Mexico. Statistics compiled by Truckinfo.net
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| REAL ESTATE: Taxation without Representation |
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| By Darwin Ernst |
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“No taxation without representation” began as a slogan that summarized a primary grievance of the British colonists in the original thirteen colonies in America. In short, the colonists believed the lack of representation in the distant Parliament was an illegal denial of their rights, and therefore laws taxing the colonists were unconstitutional. The right to access sales data, which is collected and used by the Montana government to determine property taxes, is not a right available to the taxpayers within Montana.
Bob Lake and Jeff Essman, the Montana Taxation Committee Chairs for the Montana House and Senate respectively, published an article in the Ravalli Republic on October 13th entitled: “Reappraisal Mitigation Requires Accurate Information”. Needless to say, the title captured my attention as an independent real estate appraiser in a non-disclosure state. I could not agree more with their statement, but I do wonder why the sales data should only be available to the government and not to the taxpayers of the government.
Accurate real estate sales information is the foundation for quality real estate appraisals, whether completed by the State assessor appraisers or independent property appraisers. It also is essential for Real Estate Agents that complete “market analysis” studies and for any taxpayer that questions the legitimacy of their property tax assessment. However,
Montana currently does not allow the public access to the same real estate sales data the assessor uses to determine a property owner’s real estate tax.
In fact, because of the absence of disclosure through the State government, the Realtors are the keepers of the real estate data in Montana. This organization of real estate agents understands the value in collecting and maintaining the real estate sales data in what is called the “Multiple Listing Service” or “MLS”. The MLS shares real estate sales data among its members. Access to this valuable closed sales information is limited to those individuals who are paying members.
Therefore, the independent real estate appraisers in Montana must become members of the Realtor association to obtain access to the real estate sales data maintained within their MLS. Access to accurate sales data is extremely important to the real estate professionals, but the accuracy and availability of data is sometimes limited depending on the willingness and/or ability of the person who enters the data. Even the smallest omission or inaccuracy within this data will ultimately result in inaccurate valuations and/or market analyses.
Closed sale data reflected within the MLS does not always match the State’s geographic information system (GIS) information or the Realty Transfer Certificate (RTC), which is the form used within the Montana Department of Revenue (MDOR) to collect the details regarding the sales price of a real estate transaction.
Although the RTC data is required by law to be reported to the MDOR, the public is not allowed access to this data. Therefore Montana is referred to as a “non-disclosure” state. There are thirteen other “non-disclosure” states: Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
Montana legislators consider the property sale price to be private and confidential information, so they do not allow access to the public. The State’s cadastral mapping website uses the combination of geographic parcel mapping and the information system used by the State assessor, which together create the geographic information system, or “GIS”. The basic concept is to assure proper taxation through mapping, which is termed “cadastral mapping”.
Each mapped parcel contains an attribute called a geocode, which is linked to the MDOR’s Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) database. This includes information such as the owner’s name, address, legal description, MDOR’s appraised value, as well as deed reference, size of improvements, and year built. This website is available to the public using the URL http://gis.mt.gov. It is interesting to note that while Montana Department of Administration (MDOA) maintains a website available to the public with this specific data for residential properties, it does not disclose the sale prices.
As an original member of the Montana Cadastral Technical Advisory Team charged with implementing a plan to complete the State’s cadastral mapping and a member of the local MLS Technology Committee for the past three years, I have strongly supported the use of this government-gathered data by all taxpayers and especially the Realtor association.
Recently, through the efforts of some members within the MLS technology committee, Realtors enjoy the use of County tax records to match addresses used within the MLS with the same address used by the emergency response teams within the County. This is an additional service to the public recently implemented and paid for by the Realtors within Ravalli County. Those who supported the Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors decision to integrate the County tax data should be applauded for their efforts. The public will definitely benefit from the use of this data that has historically been unavailable from the County.
I believe the committee chairs of the Tax Committees are also committed to helping the public by asking for accurate appraisal data from MDOR. I also believe it is time for these same legislators to support legislation that requires sales price disclosure to the public, so that the public has access to the same data as the State’s government tax assessors. The price paid for real estate is not private or confidential in 72% of the United States of America and property owners within those states have access to the same data as the tax assessors.
A property owner who attempts to appeal a property tax in Montana must rely on data available from the MLS or other less reliable sources, whereas the State assessors have all of the verified sale data from RTC’s at their disposal. The property taxes assessed within Montana may be accurate; but without the public having access to the same sales data as the government, there is no fair appeal process available to the taxpayers. Is this not another form of taxation without representation?
e-mail: darwin@tekboys.com
Designated Residential Member of the Appraisal Institute, Montana Real Estate Appraiser Board Member, Montana Residential Certified Appraiser, Licensed Real Estate Agent, Realtor, and President of Independent Valuation Solutions, LLC
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| HEALTH: Help! My child is burning up! |
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| Submitted by Heather Harrington, PA-C Frenchtown Family Practice |
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Picture yourself two hundred years ago as a member of the Corp of Discovery. You have overcome many obstacles as you traverse unknown territory of rocky slopes and raging rivers. You have endured hunger and pain. And then it hits – a dreaded fever. You ingest random amounts of Peruvian bark praying to alleviate the fever before resorting to bloodletting.
Jump ahead to the late 1800’s. Your child has a fever and chills are racking his body. Despite the weather a neighbor willingly rides 40 miles to a small town in search of a doctor. After examination the doctor opens his black bag and pulls out three vials. Using a knife he carefully measures out the powders and wraps it in newspaper. He gives you instructions to administer every four hours. Then he is gone.
Thankfully we don’t face some of the obstacles of medical care that have been experienced in the past; however we have all experienced sickness and fever. Fever is part of our immune response in fighting viral or bacterial illnesses. Fevers are also commonly seen following immunization. Often the cause of the fever is not known until one or two days later when other symptoms begin to appear. A fever will usually resolve on its own within two or three days. Higher temperatures do not mean more severe disease.
As a parent it can be quite frightening to touch a sleeping child who is breathing rapidly and feels as if he/ she is burning up. Touch, though it may prompt us to investigate further, cannot determine an accurate temperature. Fever is generally defined as a core body temperature of greater than 100.4° F. This is best measured by ear. For infants a rectal measurement is more accurate. The cheapest thermometers are digital and can be used in the mouth or armpit, which run approximately one degree less than the ear. Keep in mind if your child has recently had a hot or cold drink this can alter oral measurements.
Most fevers in children will run between 100°F and 104°F. This is not harmful to the child. Temperatures need to reach a level of 108°F before brain damage becomes a concern. Remember that the fever is helping to kill off the invading infection. Generally, if the fever is less than 102°F and your child is comfortable, treatment is not necessary. Watching for changes in alertness and behavior is important.
Initially, increasing fluids containing electrolytes, such as popsicles or juice, can reduce the temperature and help avoid dehydration. Do not bundle or overdress your child. Heat is lost through the skin and piling on layers traps heat near the body. Next adding acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) is recommended. Either will begin to work in 30 minutes and decrease the fever by 2-3 degrees over two hours. Ibuprofen should not be used in infants less than six months old. Be sure to check the dose and monitor time between doses carefully. Dosing is based on weight, not age. If you are unsure of the correct dose, contact a medical provider.
“I gave ibuprofen 45 minutes ago and the fever is still above 103°F.” Sponging may be helpful. Have your child sit in a shallow lukewarm bath, warm enough to avoid shivering as this will cause the core temperature to rise further. Keep wetting the exposed skin. The evaporation of the water allows cooling.
As fevers are often caused by a virus antibiotics are rarely needed. Any fever lasting longer than three days should be evaluated, sooner for infants under 6 months old. A child should be seen if he or she is confused, not alert, having difficulty breathing, or acting very sick. Also, if the fever completely resolves and recurs after 24 hours evaluation should be considered.
Your child is ready to return to school once he feels well and the fever has been gone for 24 hours.
So the next time you are sitting by your child’s bedside in the middle of the night, remember that fever is helping your child. And if in doubt, help is just a phone call away.
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