FilmTVRisk

Kauai Photos

Recently spent ten days on Kauai consulting on an episode of Fantasy Factory.

Recent Events in Haiti Reminder of Travel Risk

The tragic events in Haiti should serve as a reminder to everyone who travels internationally to be aware of the potential risks. The potential for natural disaster, unrest, terrorism and other risks can affect travelers around the world. How can you help protect yourself?  Here are a few basic guidelines. 

Know Before You Go

It's always a good idea to do a little research before you travel. U.S. passport holders can check the State Department website travel.state.gov - read the consular information sheet, check the country, regional and worldwide cautions. For countries with higher risk, especially those where warnings or cautions have been issued - contact the regional specialist via the phone number provided on the website. These specialists can provide detailed information and guidance. Clients of CMM can check country risk ratings in the World Risk Guide. The Guide assigns risk ratings for Overall, Crime, Kidnap/Ransom, Terrorism, Disease and Medical Care.  For travel to countries with significant risks, obtain capable security advice and consider retaining the services of a security company that can provide trained driver, security personnel and crisis response.

 

Develop a Plan

You should always have a contingency plan.  What would you do in a crisis such as a terrorist attack, coup, or a major natural disaster?  If your company has a security, travel or risk management department they should be able to guide you on corporate policy and resources.  For an independent traveler or someone who works for a smaller firm, think about:

 

- How do a protect myself in the immediate aftermath?

- Is it possible to shelter in place at my hotel or other facility?

- Will it be necessary to evacuate?

 

Make sure you have an adequate supply of cash on hand.  In an emergency, banks, ATMs, credit card terminals, etc may be out of order.  Even if they are not, 'CASH ONLY' becomes the rule in most disaster zones...

 

Protect Yourself

Provide a copy of your itinerary, passport, prescriptions, doctor contact information and travel/health insurance information to a family member or trusted friend. Register with the US embassy so they know when you will be in the country and can add you to the warden message system.  The warden system is designed to notify US passport holders about potential threats, provide guidance in emergencies, etc.

 

It's also a good idea to contact the Consular Affairs office at the embassy and request a travel brief prior to arrival in country.  They can advise you on potential issues and threats as well as being a point of contact in the event of problems.

 

Make sure you have travel medical insurance. Most US health insurance does not provide coverage outside North America. Even where coverage is provided few foreign hospitals will bill or accept the insurance in lieu of immediate payment. Many medical facilities will deny treatment or transfer the patient to a charity hospital unless they are assured of payment in cash, wire transfer or local insurance. Many travel medical policies provide for immediate payment or guarantees that the hospital will accept. The policies also can provide medical evacuation, access to English speaking doctors, and even pay to have a family member travel to your bedside if needed. Individual and company policies are surprisingly affordable and can be purchased on a per trip or annual basis. You can contact me at CMM to learn more.

 

Medical Emergencies

While many countries have good quality medical care, in developing nations or in remote areas of even highly developed countries, medical care may be of poor quality or non-existent.    Where State Department and/or CDC information indicates that medical care is substandard, consideration must be given to how serious illnesses or injuries will be treated.  The embassy can provide names, addresses and phone numbers of English speaking physicians and clinics in the country.  This information should be obtained in advance and kept with the traveler at all times, since locating this information in an emergency may be difficult due to language barriers or incapacitation.

 

In some cases, local medical treatment may be inadequate for serious illnesses or injuries and medical evacuation may be necessary.  Again, the embassy usually has names and numbers for medevac companies and can recommend the nearest country with adequate medical facilities.  Insurance for medical evacuation (also called ‘repatriation’) should be considered, especially if the location is remote or if the traveler has significant pre-existing medical conditions.  The cost of repatriation can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Foreign Workers Compensation insurance often covers this expense for work related injury or illness - contact your risk management department or insurance broker for details. For individuals, there are also several insurance plans for this coverage - contact your travel agent or corporate travel department for information.

 

Equip Yourself

You should have a good travel first aid kit with medicines for pain, cold symptoms, diarrhea, as well as a good supply of any prescriptions you take. If you are traveling to a country with poor medical care, ask your doctor about prescribing a supply of emergency drugs such as antibiotics that you can take with you in the event of infection or illness. Fill any prescriptions before leaving home and carry a supply adequate for the duration of your trip since drugs may not be available at your destination or may not be of acceptable quality. For travel to countries with poor medical care, consider taking a more comprehensive medical kit that includes syringes and needles and other basic surgical equipment.  Be aware that to bring such equipment into many countries, you will need a letter from your physician authorizing your possession of hypodermic needles.

 

Stay Informed

One of the most important ways of protecting yourself is to be well informed about conditions in the country and developing threats.  In many countries local media may be unable or unwilling to provide detailed information on unrest, natural disasters such as approaching hurricanes or other threats.  Your business contacts, hotel management, embassy personnel or friends can be valuable resources in helping you identify which media sources can be relied upon.  I always travel with a shortwave radio so that I can obtain news and information from multiple sources.  It's also a good idea to check in with the embassy when potential problems are developing.  Consular Affairs can guide you in your decision process of sheltering in place, evacuating or other precautions.

 

More in Part Two - Kidnap/Ransom and Crisis Response

 

 

  

 

Know Before You Go

It's always a good idea to do a little research before you travel. U.S. passport holders can check the State Department website travel.state.gov - read the consular information sheet, check the country, regional and worldwide cautions. For countries with higher risk, especially those where warnings or cautions have been issued - contact the regional specialist via the phone number provided on the website. These specialists can provide detailed information and guidance. Clients of CMM can check country risk ratings in the World Risk Guide. The Guide assigns risk ratings for Overall, Crime, Kidnap/Ransom, Terrorism, Disease and Medical Care.  For travel to countries with significant risks, obtain capable security advice and consider retaining the services of a security company that can provide trained driver, security personnel and crisis response.

 

Develop a Plan

You should always have a contingency plan.  What would you do in a crisis such as a terrorist attack, coup, or a major natural disaster?  If your company has a security, travel or risk management department they should be able to guide you on corporate policy and resources.  For an independent traveler or someone who works for a smaller firm, think about:

 

- How do a protect myself in the immediate aftermath?

- Is it possible to shelter in place at my hotel or other facility?

- Will it be necessary to evacuate?

 

Make sure you have an adequate supply of cash on hand.  In an emergency, banks, ATMs, credit card terminals, etc may be out of order.  Even if they are not, 'CASH ONLY' becomes the rule in most disaster zones...

 

Protect Yourself

Provide a copy of your itinerary, passport, prescriptions, doctor contact information and travel/health insurance information to a family member or trusted friend. Register with the US embassy so they know when you will be in the country and can add you to the warden message system.  The warden system is designed to notify US passport holders about potential threats, provide guidance in emergencies, etc.

 

It's also a good idea to contact the Consular Affairs office at the embassy and request a travel brief prior to arrival in country.  They can advise you on potential issues and threats as well as being a point of contact in the event of problems.

 

Make sure you have travel medical insurance. Most US health insurance does not provide coverage outside North America. Even where coverage is provided few foreign hospitals will bill or accept the insurance in lieu of immediate payment. Many medical facilities will deny treatment or transfer the patient to a charity hospital unless they are assured of payment in cash, wire transfer or local insurance. Many travel medical policies provide for immediate payment or guarantees that the hospital will accept. The policies also can provide medical evacuation, access to English speaking doctors, and even pay to have a family member travel to your bedside if needed. Individual and company policies are surprisingly affordable and can be purchased on a per trip or annual basis. You can contact me at CMM to learn more.

 

Medical Emergencies

While many countries have good quality medical care, in developing nations or in remote areas of even highly developed countries, medical care may be of poor quality or non-existent.    Where State Department and/or CDC information indicates that medical care is substandard, consideration must be given to how serious illnesses or injuries will be treated.  The embassy can provide names, addresses and phone numbers of English speaking physicians and clinics in the country.  This information should be obtained in advance and kept with the traveler at all times, since locating this information in an emergency may be difficult due to language barriers or incapacitation.

 

In some cases, local medical treatment may be inadequate for serious illnesses or injuries and medical evacuation may be necessary.  Again, the embassy usually has names and numbers for medevac companies and can recommend the nearest country with adequate medical facilities.  Insurance for medical evacuation (also called ‘repatriation’) should be considered, especially if the location is remote or if the traveler has significant pre-existing medical conditions.  The cost of repatriation can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Foreign Workers Compensation insurance often covers this expense for work related injury or illness - contact your risk management department or insurance broker for details. For individuals, there are also several insurance plans for this coverage - contact your travel agent or corporate travel department for information.

 

Equip Yourself

You should have a good travel first aid kit with medicines for pain, cold symptoms, diarrhea, as well as a good supply of any prescriptions you take. If you are traveling to a country with poor medical care, ask your doctor about prescribing a supply of emergency drugs such as antibiotics that you can take with you in the event of infection or illness. Fill any prescriptions before leaving home and carry a supply adequate for the duration of your trip since drugs may not be available at your destination or may not be of acceptable quality. For travel to countries with poor medical care, consider taking a more comprehensive medical kit that includes syringes and needles and other basic surgical equipment.  Be aware that to bring such equipment into many countries, you will need a letter from your physician authorizing your possession of hypodermic needles.

 

Stay Informed

One of the most important ways of protecting yourself is to be well informed about conditions in the country and developing threats.  In many countries local media may be unable or unwilling to provide detailed information on unrest, natural disasters such as approaching hurricanes or other threats.  Your business contacts, hotel management, embassy personnel or friends can be valuable resources in helping you identify which media sources can be relied upon.  I always travel with a shortwave radio so that I can obtain news and information from multiple sources.  It's also a good idea to check in with the embassy when potential problems are developing.  Consular Affairs can guide you in your decision process of sheltering in place, evacuating or other precautions.

 

More in Part Two - Kidnap/Ransom and Crisis Response

 

 

  

 

Clyde

My buddy Clyde has been battling anemia but is feeling better. He'll be 16 in March.

Stimulus and Debt

Quick quotes: " you can't borrow your way to prosperity" - Chris Palmer Jim Rogers: "adding more debt to get out of this recession is like telling Tiger Woods to solve his problems by getting more girlfriends"

CMM Entertainment Continues to Grow

Building on the acquisition of USI Entertainment, CMM continues to grow. The largest privately-held entertainment insurance broker in the United States , CMM is focused on the needs of the client, not some faraway home office. Founded in 1934, CMM maintains an impeccable reputation and the strongest market relationships in the industry. Our clients include film and television productions, commercial producers, media companies, entertainers, concert pronoters, studios, business managers, post production and ancillary companies. In a world filled with uncertainty and turmoil, CMM provides clients with stability, unsurpassed expertise and exceptional service. To learn more about CMM, visit our website - cmmentertainment.com or call me at +1 818 224 6142.

Healthcare Reform Ideas

Here's an idea. There are many costs that are driving the need for reform - the costs of care for uninsured people, malpractice, and problems of economies of scale.

Uninsured People

Those without insurance drive up the costs for those who have insurance. Because hospitals are not allowed to turn away those who cannot pay, those costs are absorbed when hospitals charge everyone more for their services to make up the losses. Real reform should compartmentalize those costs.

People who are in the country illegally should not have their medical care provided at no cost. From a humanitarian standpoint, we should not allow people to die needlessly. My suggestion is that illegal aliens should be deported but in the meantime, whenever they receive treatment, they should be required to pay in cash.  The federal government should pay for only the most essential life-saving care and then charge these costs plus any administrative expenses to the person's home country. If the host country does not pay, these costs should be recovered by siezing assets of that country and cancelling any US foreign aid to that country. Any income or assets of the illegal resident should be taken to pay for the cost of their care. Legal residents and citizens without insurance should be required to pay up to 20% of their income towards their Medicaid premiums and coinsurance. That percentage would be withheld in the form of payroll taxes. The uninsured who could afford health insurance but have chosen not to buy it should be restricted to selected public hospitals. Medical and nursing students who receive government funding (grants or government backed loans) would be required to intern at one of these public hospitals for six months to a year based on the amount of taxpayer funding the student receives. The uninsured would lose any right to sue for malpractice. Would the care they receive at these public hospitals be of lower quality than elsewhere? Undoubtedly it would be, but the inconvenience of long waits and less attentive care - which we all experience now at an emergency rooms now thanks to this burden - would encourage those without insurance to obtain it.

Economies of Scale - Buying goods or services in quantity allows a company to obtain them at a lower cost. Health insurance companies are only allowed to write coverage in their home state. This stifles competition because a company must go through the cost of establishing a presencevib each state, dealing with fifty different state insurance department regulations and administrative filings. The laws need to be changed to allow each company to write nationwide.

Malpractice - As with all tort reform, runaway jury verdicts and defending frivolous lawsuits drive  insurance costs higher and those costs are passed on to the consumer. Punitive damages need to be capped at a multiple of proven economic loss. Contingent legal fees should also be capped to reduce the incentive of the lawyer to 'swing for the fences' for a large verdict.

These ideas seem more prudent than creating another federal bureaucracy. 

On stage at Radio City Music Hall

The mushroom cloud

A view of the mushroom cloud from thevStation fire near Glendale last Friday.

9/11 remembrance

Heading to NY Thursday to work on the video music awards at radio city. Going to Ground Zero on the 11th for my friends Norm, Alan, Cheryl, Bill, George and the other 193 coworkers at 2 WTC who died that day.