A compromise on the public option?; protests renewed in Iran; can stem cells fight HIV?; scams for dental work; Twitter founder Jack Dorsey on his new venture; and Lee Eisenberg explains why American consumers won't stop buying.
Senate public option compromise
Senate Democrats are weighing a compromise on the public option to secure the 60 votes needed to pass filibuster-proof health care legislation. Under the plan, the government would yield the administration of public health insurance to a private company operating as a non-profit. Meanwhile, Medicare would expand to cover those as young as 55. Does the compromise cut costs, gain votes, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies? Or, have Senate Dems sold out the uninsured?
Guest:
Noam Levey, Los Angeles Times, Staff Reporter based in Washington DC
Shana Alex Lavarreda, Director of Health Insurance Studies, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Iran protests revived
Iran erupted in protest yesterday, reviving this summer's unrest over the disputed election of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. While the protests were not as large in scale as those that followed the June election, people took to the streets in a greater number of cities and towns. The occasion was National Student Day, a commemoration of three students killed while protesting the Shah in 1953. We talk about the latest developments with Borzou Daragahi.
Guest:
Borzou Daragahi, staff writer and Middle East correspondent, Los Angeles Times
Genetic AIDS vaccine?
Researchers at the UCLA AIDS Institute have found a way to engineer stem cells to turn them into T-cells, the “killer cells” that fight infection. The engineered cells can be designed to recognize and target HIV-infected cells, effectively creating a “genetic vaccine” to fight HIV from within. The new study shows that reprogramming cells could be an effective weapon in the battle against AIDS and other viral diseases.
Guest:
Scott Kitchen, Lead Researcher on the Study for UCLA AIDS Institute; Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Hemotology and Oncology Division, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA
Dental payment abuses
There’s a way for people without a lot of money to pay for health care needs – from eyeglasses to root canals. It’s called a CareCredit card. In theory, this approach to financing medical costs allows patients to visit doctors when they want to and pay for care using a designated credit account. But one Inglewood woman says her dentist misused the credit card to rip her off. Patricia Nazario joins Larry to talk about CareCredit and how some dentists might be misusing it.
Guest:
Patricia Nazario, KPCC Reporter
Twitter creator launches new venture
Twitter was only the beginning. After shaking up the world of online communication, Jack Dorsey is now aiming to disrupt our entire payment ecosystem. Dorsey’s new start-up - Square - will allow anyone with a cell phone or iPod to accept credit card payments quickly and easily.
@Jack talks with @KPCCairtalk about @Square, which is already valued at $40-million. Watch a customer pay for his coffee with a credit card, Square, and an iPhone in the video below (2:00).
Guest:
Jack Dorsey, creator of Twitter, co-founder of Square
America's favorite pastime: shopping
Despite hard economic times, author Lee Eisenberg says Americans still have the urge to spend, spend, spend. In his new book "Shoptimism," the former Esquire editor explores why we buy things, how we shop and the sorts of tricks the advertising industry plays on consumers. What kind of shopper are you? Do you only buy what you need? Or are you easily swayed by your heart?
Guest:
Lee Eisenberg, author of "Shoptimism: Why The American Consumer Will Keep On Buying No Matter What" (Free Press), and former editor-in-chief of Esquire