A recent blog post at e-patients.net takes a critical look at the credibility and reliability of user-generated testimonials on health Web sites.

One high-profile example explored is the case of Lifestyle Lift, a cosmetic company which offers a face-lift procedure purported to be safer and less invasive than traditional plastic surgery. But, as it turns out, the "buzz" surrounding the revolutionary procedure was fabricated.

According to the New York's attorney general Andrew Cuomo, the company distributed an internal e-mail to employees which read: "I need you to devote the day to doing more postings on the Web as a satisfied client."

In 2009, the New York State Attorney General's office charged the company with paying employees to fabricate "real-life" testimonials on its internet homepage. The company paid $300,000 in penalties and costs, and claims it has removed the fake testimonials from its Web site. This "astroturf marketing" strategy aimed to create a false grassroots buzz for the Lifestyle Lift procedure, fueled of course by fabricated testimonials.

So, how much can you really believe on a health Web site, or any site for that matter?

An article in the The Philadelphia Enquirer looked at Virtua Health's new Health and Wellness Center, a brand-new luxury hospital in Washington Township, New Jersey. Here's an excerpt:

"The 225,000-square-foot Washington Township facility, which opened in January, includes a same-day surgery center co-owned by the doctors, an express-care center, and a fitness center with indoor track, trainers, and heated pools. The assortment of services is targeted to the region's baby boomers - and the well-insured, health analysts say - whose patronage has enhanced Virtua's bottom line."

Not surprisingly, the number of low-income patients Virtua handles is disproportionate to its market share.

Check out the full article at the Enquirer's website for more.

According to an article from the Raleigh News & Observer, it's an illegal maneuver in many states, but it's happening anyway: "It's a practice that's on the rise, says Kristin Milam with the state Department of Insurance. [North Carolina] law requires that companies give their workers 45 days notice if they're going to drop coverage. Milam says that employees of businesses that don't follow the law often find out their coverage has lapsed when they go to the doctor's office."

If a complaint is filed with the state's insurance department, the employer may be given an opportunity to reinstate benefits and pay the back premiums to fill any gap in coverage. If the employer fails to cooperate, the state will likely pursue a legal case against the company. State insurance departments will also help employees understand their options going forward.

The article briefly mentions a high-profile case of an airline CEO who terminated health benefits for over 300 employees without notification. He was charged with one count of willful failure to pay group health insurance premiums.

The Times article looked at a recent study by Families USA, a non-profit, non-partisan health care advocacy group.

Research has shown a correlation between a lack of health insurance and increased risk of death. Those without health insurance are more likely to skip routine physicals and other preventive care, which means their medical issues advance until they are more difficult--and expensive--to treat. The uninsured are also more likely to forego prescription drugs and routine surgeries.

Other findings from the study include:

• 68 adult Americans under 65 die each day because they are uninsured. With the current system in place, that number will climb to 89 by 2019

• Mortality rates for the uninsured are 25 to 40 percent higher than for those with coverage

• Between 1995 and 2009, lack of coverage was the catalyst for almost 300,000 premature deaths

The article also stated an important fact: thousands of Americans, perhaps millions, experience a lower quality of life and poorer overall health because they lack of coverage. Chronic fatigue, underactive thyroid, frequent sinus infections, severe arthritis, a fractured elbow that was never treated--these conditions won't always result in death, but without treatment, they can make for an agonizing life.

In all, 90,000 patients die each year as a result of hospital-acquired infections.

The major culprit? Health care workers don't wash their hands often enough, thus allowing germs to jump from patient to patient. The simple solution would be to require health care workers to wash their hands often, but studies have shown that it is extremely difficult to persuade health care workers to do this. So, the spread of disease marches on.

But there are other factors at work. Overcrowding, contaminated air conditioning systems, dirty ventilator tubes used in surgeries, overuse of antibiotics, etc. contribute to the problem. In fact, most patients who contract one or more staph infections while in a hospital were admitted to the hospital completely free of infection.

Beyond the pain and suffering of patients, superbugs cost the health care industry a fortune. For instance, a scheduled 4-day hospital stay for surgery that turns into a 40-day life-and-death struggle with a staph infection can end up costing a health insurance company hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional expenses.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a nasty bacterial infection that is resistant to a number of different antibiotics. Staph infections like MRSA are more dangerous (and far more difficult to treat) in persons with weak immune systems--making it especially dangerous for the ailing hospital population.

Republicans on the other hand seem to think this is another attempt by the Democratic administration to simply push them into a corner with a plan they feel just doesn't work.

So where does this leave the average American who hopes simply that health insurance will become more affordable? It's tough to say, but at some level I know I'm at least happy to know the dialog isn't completely dead. While some special interests out there are probably quite happy with the status quo, polls suggest that most Americans--while they may not agree on what should be done--feel that something needs to be.

The reality is that both sides of the aisle still consider this issue a bellwether, and neither wants to be seen to fail in the eyes of their constituencies.

But based on Obama's proposal and Cantor's comments, it appears as if a successful compromise isn't in our immediate future.

In a delightful post at KevinMd.com, Dr. Edwin Leap muses about this subject in detail. But after being put on 'standby' by patients, he's developed a measure of revenge: When a patient gives him the 'wait a minute' finger, an insult he equates to being shown the middle finger, he walks away without seeing the patient, figuring they must not be in such bad shape if they aren't willing to put down the phone. He recalls a particularly notable conversation from one patient: "'yeah, Clarice, the doctor is finally here. What? Sure, Lasagna will be great.'"

At first reaction, his response seems a bit harsh. But think about it this way: The emergency room exists to treat patients facing life and death conditions, not a chatty Cathy who, in all likelihood, suffers from little more than a sore ankle and an overactive voice box.

So, as I see it, the takeaway from the blog post is this: Showing a busy doctor the 'wait a minute' finger is just as offensive as showing them the middle finger, so if you want to get treated, don't do it.

Unless Americans make an effort to eat a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise, schedule routine checkups and take preventive steps against illness, even the greatest health care system in the world won't be able to dig the United States out of its current health care crisis.

With this in mind, an article from LiveScience.com recently compiled a list of common health tips that are, well, bogus. In one example, the article argues that multivitamins, once thought to be the answer to everyone's prayers, aren't necessarily good (or bad) for the general population.

Give the article a look--it could help you stay healthy.

As a post at ECHealthInsurance.com reports, young resident doctors are slammed with unimaginable workloads. The newest resident surgeons regularly work 30 hour shifts and put in upwards of 90 hours per week.

Not surprisingly, high rates of depression and suicide have been noted among resident doctors. Auto accidents are incredibly high, too. One resident noted that after his shift, he puts his car into park at every red light should he fall asleep at the wheel.

Meanwhile, Americans are dying each day as a result of fatigue-induced medical errors. Some reports estimate that half of post-op deaths and major complications are avoidable. As the blog post notes, the majority of medical errors are caused by physician fatigue and sleep deprivation, not inexperience.

In his book The Checklist Manifesto, surgeon and columnist for The New Yorker Atul Gawande states: "The knowledge exists. But however supremely specialized and trained we may have become, steps are still missed. Mistakes are still made."

In How Lack of Healthcare Reform Kills the American Dream, Dr. Davis Liu of GetBetterHealth.com argues that the health care crisis has left the American Dream dead on the table.

Definitely worth a read if you're interested in a broader look at the impact of health care reform.

Offenders could be charged with up to $2,750 in fines and penalties.

Research has found that truck drivers regularly look away from the road when sending and receiving text messages, increasing the likelihood of an accident significantly. Some companies ban employees from texting while driving a company vehicle.

The National Safety Council estimates that 200,000 crashes are caused each year by drivers who are text messaging.

Nearly half of all states have banned text messaging while driving, and other states are considering similar legislation.

The Democrats, and even some Republicans, are considering their options. According to most experts, those options are limited, but there are a few. The Democrats may choose to push ahead with existing legislation, though that certainly faces many hurdles. Dems may also choose to scale back efforts in the hopes of garnering at least some Republican support.

No matter what happens from here on out, it does seem safe to say that the massive health insurance overall President Obama had originally sought is probably not going to happen.

What do you think Congressional leaders should do at this point? Are you disappointed that reform efforts may not succeed?

The article, Car Insurance: Proof It Really Pays to Shop Around, was posted earlier this month on Time magazine's "It's Your Money" blog.

If you're ready to search for savings, get a free car insurance comparison.

Data from an Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study, which followed 8,800 male and female participants, found a strong correlation between sedentary television viewing and premature death.

According to the study, for each hour per day spent in front of the television, the risk of developing fatal cardiovascular disease increased 18%, the risk of deadly cancer rose 9%, and overall risk of death jumped 11%.

The study also found that those who watch more than four hours of television per day were 80% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 46% more likely to die from any cause than those who watched two hours or fewer per day.

The good news? Television watching in itself is not dangerous, but a predominantly sedentary lifestyle is. You can watch as much television as you want, but you have to get your blood pumping while you do it. For starters, try riding an exercise bike while watching your favorite program, or taking a stroll on a treadmill while watching the news.

If you're not yet ready to get off the couch, you can get healthier by substituting the bag of potato chips and pork rinds for a stick of celery or an apple.

If you won't give it a try for your health, how about your pocketbook? You'll be amazed how much you'll save on health insurance--and your grocery bill--by shedding a few pounds.