H1N1 National Emergancy

I read the NY times article on Obama declaring the H1N1 out-break a National Emergency. Three thoughts occur to me. My heart goes out to the families of those that have died as a result of this illness. I also feel for those who have friends and family suffering from swine flu now.

Then my brain turns to the following quote:

It also addresses a financial question for hospitals -- reimbursement for treating people at sites not typically approved. For instance, federal rules do not allow hospitals to put up treatment tents more than 250 yards away from the doors; if the tents are 300 yards or more away, typically federal dollars won't go to pay for treatment.

Why does the federal government have rules about how far away from the doors a treatment tent is located? In the part of the country I live in 300 yards from the door wouldn't even be off of hospital property. Why is the federal government micromanaging hospital care? Even if they are going to have rules, why set an arbitrary distance? Rules should be based on quality of care and if hospital personal provided the care.

Notable Quote

This story has been around the tech. circles and is now hitting main stream media (NY Times article). See quote from NYT article below:

Mr. Ardia said that a far more chilling scenario, in his view, is a case involving Horizon Realty Group, a real estate firm in Chicago that filed suit in July seeking $50,000 in damages from a former tenant, Amanda Bonnen, who tweeted about mold in her apartment.

In an interview with The Chicago Sun-Times, Jeffrey Michael, an executive at Horizon, said the tenant’s tweet was untrue, adding, “We’re a sue first, ask questions later kind of organization.” He later apologized for the comment and, in a press release, explained Horizon was involved in another legal matter involving Ms. Bonnen.

Emphasis is mine.