Reuters reports that Obama plans to hold a health care summit next week.........and with good reason.
There is a "Perfect Storm" if you will, of problems affecting our health care system.
For instance:
Today's DJIA closed at it's lowest since 1997.
People are seeing their retirement vanish quicker than you can say Jack Robinson.
Health insurance premiums are rising at almost double the rate of inflation (see recent story).
Thousand of people are losing their jobs every day and people lucky enough to have a job are seeing their companies cancel their retirement plans.
I believe we are living in one of the most pivotal times in American History (possibly in all of recorded history).
It seems that we stand on the razors edge, waiting for our fates to be decided by the flick of a pen.
What do we do?
My biased opinion is:
In these and almost all situations, a good proactive approach seems suitable.
Maybe, we all need to focus on our own health.
Eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, etc.
Preventative measures could limit our Dr visits, increase our energy/vitality, and make us more productive at work and with our families.
I would be very interested in reading your thoughts as well.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Bailout #1 Goes Mental
For years, mental health advocates have worked diligently to level the insurance payout field. For years, those seeking mental health services have had to pay higher copay's, or have no coverage at all, be denied services, or have their treatment services cut short. However, this will be a thing of the past thanks to Bailout #1 back in October of 2008. This wonderful addendum was attached like a barnacle to the side of the bailout.
I have taken this from a post on the Pituitary Network Association webpage.
The Parity Requirement. The bill amends the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 to require that a group health plan of 50 or more employees (or coverage offered in connection with such a plan)¬that provides both medical and surgical benefits and mental health or substance use benefits ¬to ensure that financial requirements and treatment limitations applicable to mental health/substance use disorder benefits are no more restrictive than those requirements and limitations placed on medical/surgical benefits.
• Equity coverage will apply to all financial requirements, including deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket expenses, and to all treatment limitations, including frequency of treatment, number of visits, days of coverage, or other similar limits.
• Mental health and substance use disorder benefits are defined broadly to mean benefits with respect to services for mental health conditions and substance use disorders, as defined under the terms of the plan and in accordance with applicable Federal and State law.
• A plan may not apply separate cost sharing requirements or treatment limitations to mental health and substance use disorder benefits.
• If a plan offers two or more benefit packages, the requirements of this Act will be applied separately to each package.
• As under the current Federal parity law, mental health or substance use benefit coverage is not mandated. However, if a plan offers such coverage, it must be provided at parity in accordance with this Act.
Out-Of-Network Benefits. A group health plan (or coverage) that provides out-of-network coverage for medical/surgical benefits must also provide out-of-network coverage, at parity, for mental health/substance use disorder benefits.
Benefits Management and Transparency. As under the 1996 Mental Health Parity Act, a group health plan (or coverage) may manage the benefits under the terms and conditions of the plan. A plan will make mental health/substance use disorder medical necessity criteria available to current or potential participants, beneficiaries or providers upon request. A plan must also make reasons for payment denials available to participants or beneficiaries on request or as otherwise required.
This is wonderful for person's working in the mental health field (as we are not paid enough just like teachers, policeman, etc.). This will also be great for person's seeking mental health services.
Thank you Bailout #1 for recognizing the importance of mentally healthy individuals and families! :)
I have taken this from a post on the Pituitary Network Association webpage.
The Parity Requirement. The bill amends the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 to require that a group health plan of 50 or more employees (or coverage offered in connection with such a plan)¬that provides both medical and surgical benefits and mental health or substance use benefits ¬to ensure that financial requirements and treatment limitations applicable to mental health/substance use disorder benefits are no more restrictive than those requirements and limitations placed on medical/surgical benefits.
• Equity coverage will apply to all financial requirements, including deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket expenses, and to all treatment limitations, including frequency of treatment, number of visits, days of coverage, or other similar limits.
• Mental health and substance use disorder benefits are defined broadly to mean benefits with respect to services for mental health conditions and substance use disorders, as defined under the terms of the plan and in accordance with applicable Federal and State law.
• A plan may not apply separate cost sharing requirements or treatment limitations to mental health and substance use disorder benefits.
• If a plan offers two or more benefit packages, the requirements of this Act will be applied separately to each package.
• As under the current Federal parity law, mental health or substance use benefit coverage is not mandated. However, if a plan offers such coverage, it must be provided at parity in accordance with this Act.
Out-Of-Network Benefits. A group health plan (or coverage) that provides out-of-network coverage for medical/surgical benefits must also provide out-of-network coverage, at parity, for mental health/substance use disorder benefits.
Benefits Management and Transparency. As under the 1996 Mental Health Parity Act, a group health plan (or coverage) may manage the benefits under the terms and conditions of the plan. A plan will make mental health/substance use disorder medical necessity criteria available to current or potential participants, beneficiaries or providers upon request. A plan must also make reasons for payment denials available to participants or beneficiaries on request or as otherwise required.
This is wonderful for person's working in the mental health field (as we are not paid enough just like teachers, policeman, etc.). This will also be great for person's seeking mental health services.
Thank you Bailout #1 for recognizing the importance of mentally healthy individuals and families! :)
Monday, February 9, 2009
V is for Vendetta
As I read many of your blogs and review my previous blogs, I have come to the conclusion that my Beef is really with the insurance companies, the American Medical Association, privately owned hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and their Greed.
Of course everyone wants to obtain and preserve a comfortable means of living. However, these insurance companies have taking their means to the next level......at our expense.
In looking at our current US economic situation, it seems as if we're spinning closer and closer downward towards what many in the 30's experienced as, "The Great Depression". I understand we have a ways to go before then, but I can't help sound a warning cry.
As I study what happened post-Great Depression, I am seeing some of the same cyclical trends occurring.
1. We have a serious economic down-turn, people lose their jobs and they need health care.
2. The president (at that time Truman) offers a National Healthcare plan.
3. People (with a vested interest mostly) start screaming Communist!
4. The plan is flushed town the toilet.
5. The AMA and Hospitals are able to continue to raise the price of health procedure expenses.
In the 70's national health care is again shot down and quickly in the 80's we see more and more privatization of health insurance coverage. This is good right?
In the 90's we see health care costs rising at double the rate of inflation.
By the end of the decade 16% of Americans are without health insurance.
Has our situation become any better? No, still, over 17% of Americans are uninsured. Of course this has a systemic effect on families that I have talked about before.
So, what if "We the People" got together and told the government we're sick and tired of all this? Can the government, with our input, devise a healthy healthcare plan that is free of obtrusive Greed? I think so. Other models to look at are right to our north (Canada) and our friends in Europe. They do not allow pharmaceutical ads to run on TV. They do not have CEO's of Insurance companies making millions. They have a system that wants its patients (people) to get better (incentives for Dr's with the healthy patients) and it seems to work.
But, everytime National Health Care is brought up, someone yells, "Communist!".
This is an easy way to led the masses.
Instead, we should think critically, and for ourselves, as to what should be done about the healthcare system.
Healthcare Crisis: An excellent view of the progression.
Of course everyone wants to obtain and preserve a comfortable means of living. However, these insurance companies have taking their means to the next level......at our expense.
In looking at our current US economic situation, it seems as if we're spinning closer and closer downward towards what many in the 30's experienced as, "The Great Depression". I understand we have a ways to go before then, but I can't help sound a warning cry.
As I study what happened post-Great Depression, I am seeing some of the same cyclical trends occurring.
1. We have a serious economic down-turn, people lose their jobs and they need health care.
2. The president (at that time Truman) offers a National Healthcare plan.
3. People (with a vested interest mostly) start screaming Communist!
4. The plan is flushed town the toilet.
5. The AMA and Hospitals are able to continue to raise the price of health procedure expenses.
In the 70's national health care is again shot down and quickly in the 80's we see more and more privatization of health insurance coverage. This is good right?
In the 90's we see health care costs rising at double the rate of inflation.
By the end of the decade 16% of Americans are without health insurance.
Has our situation become any better? No, still, over 17% of Americans are uninsured. Of course this has a systemic effect on families that I have talked about before.
So, what if "We the People" got together and told the government we're sick and tired of all this? Can the government, with our input, devise a healthy healthcare plan that is free of obtrusive Greed? I think so. Other models to look at are right to our north (Canada) and our friends in Europe. They do not allow pharmaceutical ads to run on TV. They do not have CEO's of Insurance companies making millions. They have a system that wants its patients (people) to get better (incentives for Dr's with the healthy patients) and it seems to work.
But, everytime National Health Care is brought up, someone yells, "Communist!".
This is an easy way to led the masses.
Instead, we should think critically, and for ourselves, as to what should be done about the healthcare system.
Healthcare Crisis: An excellent view of the progression.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Government funded Health Care?
At the turn of the year an estimated 11.1 million people in the US are unemployed (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). That's more than the combined population of LA, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia!
With unemployment comes a loss of health care as well.
So, the US gov't comes to the rescue (supposedly) with their "Stimulus Plan".
The DesMoines Register does a good job in explaining how the gov't will help people who have lost their job obtain health care.
If we like it or not, it looks like the gov't (tax payers) is/are going to be flipping the bill for many families' health care coverage. Doesn't this smell like Universal health care already? It will be interesting to watch the progression of gov't funded health care as our unemployment rate continues to skyrocket.
With unemployment comes a loss of health care as well.
So, the US gov't comes to the rescue (supposedly) with their "Stimulus Plan".
The DesMoines Register does a good job in explaining how the gov't will help people who have lost their job obtain health care.
If we like it or not, it looks like the gov't (tax payers) is/are going to be flipping the bill for many families' health care coverage. Doesn't this smell like Universal health care already? It will be interesting to watch the progression of gov't funded health care as our unemployment rate continues to skyrocket.
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