Measures Worth Mentioning

With September 2010, new health care reform measures are set to be implemented. There are a few worth mentioning and discussing.

“Beginning with health plans that start on or after September 23, 2010, there will be no lifetime limits  on coverage”. For the many people in our society dealing with the devastating effects of multiple chronic illnesses, they hopefully will find comfort in knowing that they are not going to be dropped if they utilize the previous maximum allotted benefits.

Free preventative care – this “requires new private plans to cover preventative services with no co payments and these preventative services will be exempt from the deductible.  This means that people can get the screening tests and procedures, like mammography, colonoscopy (not on all health plans, however), and blood tests that monitor diabetic risks and cardiovascular risks.

This is all great news! One in which this writer has discussed before. Let’s look deeper at what real preventative care could mean.  The tests mentioned, and that are listed in our reform bill as preventative screenings, are absolutely beneficial and important!   These tests look for problems, and are catching “markers” or “risk indicators”. This information is important for planning for and obtaining better outcomes for ones’ health.

Employers, insurance companies, health care providers can do a great deal of service by providing the information and education on how to lower both your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, through making a few easy dietary and lifestyle changes along with, taking a prescribed medication.  There are people who are put on multiple medications for the same problem (or the dose keeps getting larger), instead of integrating lifestyle changes along with the medications, which could make the difference needed.

I am not naïve in thinking that if you live your life eating organic and healthy foods in comparison to processed chemical laced foods that you will not ever get sick.  There are many factors why someone gets ill, but I am strong in knowing that making better lifestyle choices WILL improve your health outcomes and decrease the risk of the developing these chronic illnesses.  For example, removing ALL high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and partially hydrogenated oils from your diet is known to improve both Diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This is why MANY restaurants have heeded the request of consumers and food advocates  and removed trans fat from their foods, and HFCS is becoming less and less the main ingredient. However, you will still find it in many food products.  The other advantage to eating differently, over taking multiple medications is that there is far less risk in having an untoward side effect from food.

If Obama care and insurance companies really want to provide reform, we need to start at the ground level and provide coverage for things like nutrition counseling, supporting our bodies with proper nutrients, and allow people to use alternative therapies, if they choose to do so.  This writer did read a document that would begin providing 3 hours of nutrition counseling for diabetics and renal patients.  (But it’s not covered 100%.  There is no copay, but you need to have used your deductible, before it’s covered).  Well, that’s wonderful but what about providing it for everyone!  Why aren’t cardiac patients included in this?  Or people without any diseases who simply want to learn a better way to do things, to minimize the risk of developing any problems.   Nutrition counseling will benefit everyone no matter what their health status or age!

But three hours is not near enough time to erase old and integrate new habits in eating. Most people have taken their whole lives to develop bad eating habits, and three hours will not be enough to reverse those!  But again, this writer is very excited by this small first step.  Having said that, this writer feels that there are times when giant leaps need to be taken, and in the arena of healthcare reform, we need to make GIANT Leaps in thought!  We need to open to viable options and study different rules of thought like this quote from Dr. Gabriel Cousens - "You can be totally healthy on a plant source diet, and in fact you're healthier and stronger: When I was playing American football when I was 20 years old, I could do 70 push-ups; at the age of 60, having been 25 years on a live food diet, I could do 600 push-ups. You have more strength and a 1/10 amount of heart disease, 1/4 amount of diabetes."

Government doesn’t seem to recognize alternative thinking as viable so they don’t participate in subsidizing fruits and vegetables, and feeding these foods to our children and seniors and those who are on food stamps.  Instead the government is trying to pass laws that make buying supplements without a prescription, against h the law! (Codex Alimentarius – www.codexalimentarius.net) The school breakfast and lunch programs should be feeding the children healthier meals to support their developing brains, and it also will help them stay more interested in what they are learning. It will improve their grades and they will learn better.  (http://www.feingold.org/PF/wisconsin1.html)

This writer could stay on this subject much longer, but I don’t want to neglect including this next provision being implemented as we speak (or read).

FOR SENIORS

BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE.Provides a $250 rebate to those Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010. Beginning in January 2011, there is a 50% discount on prescription drugs in the donut hole. (Also completely closes the donut hole by 2020.)

Prescription medication costs have long been out of control, and its not getting any better.  Our elderly population takes 25% more medication than the rest of us, and they live on a fixed income and they are being charged outrageous money for them.  This is one of America’s most shameful practices.  This writer has seen over and over in working with this population how they are many times, deciding on whether to eat, or get their medications, because they can’t do both.  The 250.00 is again a great start, but its not enough.  250.00 might cover one medication for one month, for someone.  What about the rest of the year, as many people go into the donut hole as early and May !

The 50% percent discount is great too, and some people will not be effected by this, but even 50%, off is not enough! But think about it, if the costs were being contained, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. (costs of medications isn’t the only area that costs are out of control – but that is a whole different conversation!

Come on, lets get it going. If we are going to do this reform, then lets jump in with both feet and do it all the way! Seniors should get their meds at just over cost for the pharmaceutical companies, but our government doesn’t seem to be doing anything to control Big Pharma for continuing to charge outrageous money for their medication.

Reform has to include everyone involved!  Period .  Consumer, healthcare provider, insurance company and pharmaceutical company, and hospitals.  Everyone has to do their part.  Or it really isn’t reform, is it?  It’s just more of the same old placing a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. It just isn’t enough.

Submitted by: Theresa Healy, RN, CHC

About The Author

Theresa Healy

Founder-Rx: Food Let food be your medicine; Co-Author, 11 Weeks to Discover Nutrition

Theresa has been a Registered Nurse for more than 25 years, with wide range of experience. She always knew, she would be a nurse, in order to fulfill her purpose of being of service. She loved it, and was passionate about it. In 1990, with the emergence of her own health challenges, her path took an unexpected turn. She met a nutrition counselor. Using food as medicine, and experiencing the benefits of eating fresh whole foods she realized there was a void, in our health care system’s approach to health! Why isn’t nutrition a component of everyone’s goal for health? Her question was laughed at by most of her colleagues.

This is when the path veered and Theresa accepted that she had to enter into the new territory of alternative and complementary medicine. In the year 2000, she was given a new challenge. It became necessary for her to combine her experience, medical knowledge and passion and faith in food toward her former husband and oldest child. They witnessed profound healing and the only medicine was food. She prevented her son from having to take pharmaceutical drugs for ADD and her former husband recovered from severe Gulf War Syndrome. What better testimonial do you need then this amazing personal experience to set your passion on fire!

Theresa is Certified as a Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and Columbia University, in New York City. She also has Certification as a Colon Hydrotherapist, specializing in cleansing and detoxification and a Chelation and IV therapy Technician. Add to that, her Registered Nurse credentials; the result is a recipe for healing.

Theresa’s passion continues to be of service and guiding people to be happy and healthy through food and lifestyle. She believes that health and well-being depends upon both good nutrition and healthy lifestyle. She LOVES her work and lives in gratitude every day for the opportunity to combine both her passion for food and her medical knowledge into a program for well being.

Theresa is available for: Company Wellness Programs, Youth Programs, group or individual counseling, and education talks and experiences.