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RODALE NEWS, LENOX, PA—I like the health care reform bill that was passed two weeks ago. But not for the reasons you might think.
The main reason I like the bill is not because it extends care to 30 million uninsured Americans, or because it eliminates exclusions for preexisting conditions, or because it bans lifetime coverage limits, or because it guarantees issuance and renewal of health insurance.
No, the major reason I like the bill is because of its emphasis on prevention and wellness. The legislation attempts to shift our current system from its narrow focus on sick care to a broader focus on actual health care. It provides funding for prevention and wellness services and incentives for individuals and organizations to engage in wellness activities such as healthy eating, exercise, and stress management. These services will promote health, save lives, and, in the long run, may save us and our children over a trillion dollars in the decade after the legislation is fully enacted.
THE DETAILS: Prevention and wellness services target one of the primary causes of our runaway health care costs: preventable chronic illnesses. Our current health care system is straining under the weight of often-preventable illnesses: obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, depression. Every dollar we spend on health assessments, wellness education, and preventive care saves multiple dollars in high cost diagnostic procedures, surgery, hospitalization, chemotherapy, and disability.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi put it this way, saying that the health care reforms that are in this legislation create "a healthier America through prevention, through wellness and innovation." The bill has several provisions to promote prevention and wellness:
• It calls for creation of a Prevention and Wellness Trust to fund prevention activities and develop a national prevention strategy.
• It calls for grants for health teams to counsel patients about prevention, and for state prevention programs, community programs, and technical assistance to employers for wellness programs.
• Medicare will cover an annual visit that creates a "personalized prevention plan."
• It eliminates co-pays and deductibles in private health insurance plans for prevention services.
I am very interested about
I am very interested about this new health care bill because I am following a mba healthcare online. This bill can be a revolution to the current health care system. The system is corrupt, the Government redirected the money that supposed to change the health care system, I hope that new law is better than the last one.
Some of the changes were part
Some of the changes were part of the bill in its various permutations as it dragged through the legislative process, but others were relatively new additions that many affected parties may be unaware of. installment loans
I work at a local hospital
I work at a local hospital and I had a friend that used to work at one of those drug rehab centers in New York and we both agree that this new health care bill is not in the best interest of the people. Our health care system needs some serious changes and I don't think that will happen in the near future. We should be ashamed that there are 2nd world countries that have a better health care system than ours.
health
This is a courageous act and I am glad to hear that authorities decided to follow the idea: is easier to prevent than to cure. I have a brother who worked in a Rehab in Florida and he told me that the doctors there organize courses and trainings in order to sensitize the population about the problems related to addiction. I hope to view the effects of this new health care bill very soon.
Regarding Cynthia's comment
I couldn't have said it better, Cynthia.
Prevention health care
It's about time!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Prevention medicine has been going on for over 5000 years in the EAST- China has practiced herbal and health medicine for centuries, but here in the West--------We have had a mockery type regard for Holistic medicine. The insurance companies don't even respect the Dr.'s who are ongoing and proven practioners of preventitive medicine, since most of them won't cover expenses from such a Dr.
Only one who has knowledge and courage has led the way in recent years to openly encourage both practices come together for the benefit of the patient. Dr. Oz who is one of the most respected Dr's of heart surgery in New York, has his own show on tv, and written several books has promoted, talked about and encouraged those with open minds, to practice preventetive medicine by eating, exercising, and healthy daily choices for those who want to stay healthy. Those he has encountered through mail, in person meetings or by reference, have found a very unusual, careing and intellegent Dr who uses all means of treatment for the best results for his patients.
Preventative medicine is indeed the way to go. This government has been so ignorant about health care for so many years it is pathetic. Now maybe the new generation has a chance. Only those who have had an open mind, and used common sense and proper reading in the over 60 group will have already combined the two med treatments and now find they are healthier now, than many were 20 years ago.
I have lost two sons, and my husband, had breast cancer and treatment, back implant due to Osteoarthritis, and degenerative disease. I have Fibromyalgia and hurt a lot of the time.I use natural products for my body, same with supplements, very few meds , and at 73, I am one of the elders who have kept myself in better shape, less Dr. calls and am in excellent condition and enjoy daily life now more than I ever have. I am proud that I am an open minded person, and respect All proven preventetive, treatment and ways of keeping healthy. No pre-judgemnets or scoffing at things I may never have heard of= Facts, people, facts. Don't judge, because your personal doctor hasn't heard of or approves of a new item to come out. Face it===the majority of Doctors up until the last 10 years or so, didn't even know about proper nutrition!!!!!!!!! They were overweight themselves, and most wouldn't even suggest their overweight patients STOP and start to eat properly, start exercising ( if only just to walk more each day) and think of their children if that was the only thing to wake them up!
Soon this whole country will be the highest in the world for obesity, and all the diseases to go with it.
Now we have a chance-----President Obama had the intelligence and the courage to stick to his guns about Preventitive Medicine and if the Congress doesn't over ride it===Finally- politics and back door big money won't stop the American people from finally getting help to live and breath healthier. The Green movement will save the future--It is the fat cats who only want more and more money, who have ruined this country, and we finally have a man who is trying to give it back to us.
Cynthia Willis
Bantam CT