The debate has gotten hot and heavy in the last few weeks and I am amazed at the misinformation that is being disseminated by the shouters and disrupters at the Town Hall meetings across the country. I realize there are a lot of legitimate beefs with healthcare reform. You certainly have a right for your voices to heard. Just like you guys, I want my voice to be heard. But, I am not interested in shouting down my Congressional Representative or my Senator. My political views not withstanding, I am most interested in what is best for America and American Business.

First, let me say, that I have health insurance and I am satisfied with my coverage and my provider. I can go to the doctor of my choice for a small co-pay and get my prescriptions filled for a small co-pay. Being an old guy, and a very active one at that, I feel very fortunate to have this insurance. In the last year or so, I have had my knee scoped, my cholesterol checked, my wrist operated on, and several other examinations and consultations. I have been seen by my family doctor, my cardiologist, my orthopedist, and an endocrinologist. 

I can understand why a lot of you guys are skeptical of the government becoming more involved in our healthcare. Based on the government's ability to manage other areas of our lives, you have good reason to be skeptical. Given the fact that the U.S. government has mismanaged numerous projects and contracts over the years from defense to building bridges to nowhere, it stands to reason that you should be concerned about them getting involved in the healthcare business.

That said, I would remind you that the government has been running Medicare for the past forty five years. And they have done a pretty good job with Medicare. Ask any senior if they would give up their Medicare coverage and I am quite confident you wouldn't find any takers.  Is it perfect? Not really, but it is better than a number of private plans. So what does Medicare have to do with healthcare reform? It demonstrates that the government can manage a healthcare program and do it well for the long term. It also dispels a number of myths that many of the dissenters have raised about government run healthcare.

With Medicare you can choose your doctor.  Yes, there are small percentage of doctors who don't participate, but most do. Medicare pays for your prescriptions. Medicare will take you regardless of pre-existing conditions. There are no death panels determining who gets to live and who doesn't. Most private insurance providers want you to convert to Medicare when you turn 65. The older you get the more healthcare you require and the more it would cost those private providers. Medicare doesn't ration treatments or procedures. Medicare doesn't require that you drop your current plan when you turn 65, if you are satisfied with your coverage.

Current private healthcare is responsible for a lot of waste and inefficiencies.  There are many physicians that will recommend tests and procedures that you might not necessarily need just to protect themselves from potential medical malpractice suits. As long as the costs of these procedures and tests fall within provider guidelines, the private providers pay for them with no questions asked. So litigation definitely is a factor in rising healthcare costs. The lack of online universal record keeping systems translates into redundant tests, missed diagnoses, prescription interactions and lots of other problems that result because those practitioners don't have access to your complete medical history. Private providers don't encourage or pay for preventative procedures in most cases. That raises healthcare costs as well.  

 AARP has come out in favor of healthcare reform. Obviously, they want to see the final bill before they endorse it, but they know that the system is broken and needs fixing. They also know that Medicare has been good for Americans and will cost taxpayers less if people received better healthcare before they turn 65. Can the government fix healthcare without putting our great grand children in debt? I certainly hope so. Cost will be a concern, but I believe they can accomplish this through better efficiencies and preventative care. Plus, if there is a public option, that will cause the current providers to become more efficient, put more pressure on the drug companies to be more realistic in their pricing, and in turn make private sector healthcare more affordable. That will be a win/win for everyone concerned.

I would also like to point out, that one of the reasons American businesses have not been able to compete with their foreign competitors is partially the result of skyrocketing healthcare costs they are paying to keep their workers insured. In fact, that is certainly one of the problems our automakers have had to deal with for the last couple of decades. Add to that, the rise in litigation in America relating to corporate, product and service liability and you can see why American business has lost its competitive edge. Tort reform should be next after healthcare reform if America is to regain its competitive position in the world of business.  

What's your take on this issue? Inquiring minds want to know. Comment on Linkedin and/or on my web site, www.BoomerOpinion.com. We are always looking for Baby Boomers with an opinion that don't mind speaking out and can successfully complete a sentence.

Every day 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 50 years of age. Baby Boomers are those Americans born between 1946 and 1964. Do they think they are old? No way. In fact, according to a recent study by MetLife Mature Market Institute, the average age at which a Baby Boomer expects to be "old" is 78. The Boomer Project surveyed Baby Boomers and found that the average Boomer feels 10 years younger than their age would indicate.

Defining old is becoming more difficult every year. The late Warren Zevon, the famous rock singer once said that he didn't believe that he could consider himself as middle aged because he didn't know anyone that was 110 years old. He believed he was way passed the middle aged segment of his life. That said, most Boomers don't act or behave like they are old. Descriptions like middle aged, senior citizen, old fogey are all terms that seem to be falling by the wayside.

Even though I am in my sixties, I don't seem to let the age thing get to me. In the last four years, I have driven open wheeled race cars at the Jim Russell Racing School at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. I bought a new Specialized full suspension mountain bike and I routinely fly thru the air and bounce off rocks at my favorite riding area in Austin. I sail my catamaran on Lake Travis. In fact, if you go to my profile page at Boomer-Insight.com,  http://www.boomer-insight.com/profile.php?ID=6 , and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There you can view Is Life Over When you Turn 60, a short video I made of my latest exploits.

So the question is: Are most Boomers maintaining their youth or just refusing to grow up? My wife would argue the second point in my case. She doesn't believe I will ever grow up. And hey, if that works for you then more power to you. The single largest segment in the population buying healthclub memberships are Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers are putting themselves out there much more than previous generations.

I believe that the reason this is true has to do with higher quality healthcare, more effective drugs for cholesterol and heart disease, more emphasis on fitness, vitamins and other natural remedies, and better nutrition and diet. Your body will obviously perform better and age more gracefully if you take care of it. Oh really? Shut up and eat your granola.

Of course, that doesn't mean that your parts will last indefinitely.  I have no ACL in my right knee and will no doubt need a knee replacement in the next few years. I have moderately severe arthritis in my right wrist joint and it hurts like hell when I bend it. There is no wrist joint replacement available to fix it at this time. So I just yell a little louder when landing off a jump on my mountain bike.

So what's your story? Have you found your inner child? Are you reliving your youth? Or do you ride your couch and do your best imitation of a potato? Inquiring minds want to know. Comment on this blog.

Here's the newest candidate for the 2009 WTF award. You can't make this stuff up. Reminds me of when John McCain was running for President and they asked him if he preferred boxers or briefs. His purported response was "depends". Kimberly-Clark announced recently that it is launching a new ad campaign for the Depend brand that will be targeting Baby Boomers. One of the new features being promoted is gender specific versions of the product.

According to K-C's press release:

"K-C's marketing campaign supporting the gender-specific launch is highlighted by three 30-second TV spots developed by JWT Chicago and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Errol Morris. Shot in the personal and intimate style Morris used in his famous short film, which opened the 2002 Academy Awards, the ads are 100 percent unscripted and feature real people being interviewed on various differences between men and women against a simple, white backdrop. As a result, each spot offers an honest, authentic and comedic interpretation of the uniqueness of each gender."

I thought we had reached the bottom, pardon the pun, when Viagra, Cialis and Levitra began bombarding the airwaves with unrelenting ED treatment advertising on television, the web and even sponsoring Nascar teams. You want to be sure you are ready for that special moment, right? If it only takes a moment, why do you need those products? Now we can expect Depends commercials to be overwhelming the airwaves.

Don't get me wrong. I realize that there are a lot of folks out there who have issues with incontinence and erectile dysfunction, but having to endure the advertising for these products will drive a person crazy over time. Maybe in a few years we will be watching commercials for medical alert products that you attach to your heart rate monitors so that when you run an extra mile or ride your road bike 10 extra miles the EMS team will automatically appear. Or maybe when we turn 80 we can buy a high performance walker made from carbon composites or titanium. 

In the immortal words of Rosanne Rosanna Dana, "It's always something". To which I say, "That's great, I will always have material for my blog.

At 83%, Baby Boomers strongly expressed that they would like to look younger than their age. According to an American Laser Centers survey, when is comes to looking old, Baby Boomers believe they look younger than their actual age. Quick, alert the media!

At least 62% stated they are sure that they do look younger. More women than men said they look younger than their actual age. Whoa...I didn't see that coming. About one third of the survey respondents believe they look at least 10 years younger. According to the book, Boomer Consumer, on average boomers feel some 14 years younger than they actually are. Bottom line - Boomers don't feel nearly as old as they are and they believe that they look much younger than they are.

So how do the Boomers do it? First of all, you have to believe in your own mind that you look younger. 66% of the survey respondents of the American Laser Centers study cited a healthier self image. All those miles on the treadmill and circuit training must be paying off. Don't forget mall walking. Can you think of a better place to workout than at the Mall?  Gyms don't have shoe stores or ice cream vendors, right? Admittedly, more and more Boomers are getting out on their bikes, putting in the miles or hitting the walking and hiking trails.

Of course, as we get older our taste in fashion and grooming becomes considerably more sophisticated. Yes, those pants suits and jump suits are definitely the current rage in Paris and Milan.  Lots of models wear workout pants, right? 50% of the sample said they were definitely more stylish.  I suspect the younger, more hip generations might dispute that point.

Given America's preoccupation with diet and nutrition, 28% of the group cited weight loss as a contributing factor. I wonder about all those folks that are classified as obese and where they fit into the study. They probably weren't looking for a cosmetic procedure and didn't get to participate in the Laser Centers research study.

There is a more rational explanation as to why Boomers believe they look younger and more stylish. The real truth in this matter is that 46% of the respondents said they care less about what people think than they did earlier in their lives. Finally, the truth emerges. It's certainly easier to believe you look younger if you don't care what others think about your appearance. Don't forget, we are legends in our own minds.

Okay, I think there is a point to be made here. American Laser Centers certainly want you Baby Boomers out there to feel compelled to look younger than you are since that is their business.  A nip here, a tuck there, a little unwanted hair removal and voila...You look like you just stepped out of your wedding album.

For those of you who are more concerned about your health and fitness, I applaud your efforts at staying young. I work out, I hike, I ride my mountain bike and play golf. Yeah, I know most of you don't believe golf is much exercise, but if you spent your time navigating the forests, ponds, cactus groves and rock formations like me, you might think otherwise.

Do I think I look younger? Whenever I look in the mirror I routinely jump back and exclaim, "Who is that old guy and how did he get in my mirror?"  Yet when I am out on my mountain bike flying over a jump or traversing a difficult section, I brag to those young people I meet on the trail. I tell them just how old I really am and how they will be lucky to still be engaging in such dangerous activities when they are my age. If I can just get some new titanium, carbon fiber knee and wrist joints, I can do this until I am ninety.

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined www.Boomer-Insight.com, please take a minute to sign up and join. You can weigh in on all the most pressing issues facing Boomers and America. You can even blog about how young you think you look and feel. Thanks for your support...Mac