|
|
| Information |
|
|
Top 10 Trends in Healthcare
America is undergoing a dramatic shift in healthcare. Actually, ten distinctly different shifts. Although the changes are unsettling, and will cause dislocations in our economy, the overall trends are positive and will help us all be healthier and wealthier when it all shakes out. Western Medicine Costs Continue to Rise It's hard to imagine, but the cost of going to a regular MD or hospital is going to get more and more expensive. This is not because doctors or hospitals are getting greedy, but instead because their own costs are rising every year. Malpractice insurance for risky surgical procedures, pharmaceutical drug reactions and deaths with accompanying lawsuits, complex medical equipment for diagnostic testing - everything is rising dramatically in cost. Pharmaceutical drug costs will continue to escalate also, leaving consumers holding the bag, because... Health Insurance Opt-Outs Surge For many years, corporations and small businesses have provided health insurance as an employee benefit. Often, employees would choose a job based on who offered the best health insurance. No longer. Small businesses have almost completely opted-out of the insurance game, and large corporations are not far behind. General Motors complains that health insurance costs them more per year than steel for their cars. In a few years, health insurance through your employer will be only a memory. Everyone will be buying health insurance the same way they buy home insurance or car insurance - independently. Because of this shift, consumers will begin treating health insurance the same way they treat car and home insurance. Which is to say, they will treat it like INSURANCE. Today, many Americans run to their doctors for even the smallest maladies, and they expect their health insurer should pay for everything. In fact, they're incensed when they don't. "What, you're not paying for this bottle of antibiotics for my kid's ear infection? How terrible!" This is opposite of how we treat car insurance. Imagine expecting your insurer to pay for oil changes, car washes, pockmarks in the paint job, a broken cupholder. Can you picture it? Of course not. It would be ridiculous. Yet, with health insurance, it's been okay. Why? Because the employer is picking up the tab. Not anymore, they're not. As a result, Americans will pay more attention to preventive healthcare, like regular exercise, good diet and meditation, etc. They will also do more cost comparisons between all their healthcare options, including a trip to the doctor, or... Alternative Medicine Becomes the Dominant Healthcare System in America I feel bad calling this a future trend, since this has almost already occurred. Alternative medicine, including naturopathy, hypnotherapy, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, yoga, etc. is fast overtaking Western medicine (drugs and surgery) as the dominant healthcare system of America. Several studies have shown that Americans spend more out-of-pocket on alternative medicine than on Western medicine. They've also shown that people are making more trips to these alternative practitioners than they are to regular MDs. These are positive developments. The downside is that people are reticent to mention their alternative therapies to their doctors, because they're afraid of disapproval by their doctor. But the trend is clear. Alternative medicine is often less expensive (especially outside of insurance), equally effective and produces less harmful side effects, as was evidenced by the flurry of pharmaceutical drugs this past year that were removed after being prescribed to hundreds of thousands of patients. People's trust in Western medicine is diminishing, and their relief in finding alternatives is rising. Major institutions are now doing large numbers of studies on alternative medicines, including herbal remedies, bodywork, meditation, dietary changes and many others. Randomized, controlled studies are available on almost every type of alternative healing practice, and they typically show good results. The rise of alternative medicine and the opting-out of employer-funded health insurance has led us inevitably to an era of... Consumer-Driven Healthcare People are making their own choices in healthcare and health insurance. They want to make their own decisions. This is extremely positive. One study after another shows that hospital patients who are disruptive, picky, nosy and non-compliant are the ones who fare best with any surgery or recovery from illness. The patients who are compliant and put their fates in the hands of their doctors are the ones who fare most poorly. Taking charge of one's health is part of consumer-driven healthcare. This term also refers to how people are deciding to use whatever treatments they think will work best, based on their own research. Fewer people simply accept their "doctor's orders" and instead they find out for themselves what is available and make informed choices. This also means they are deciding to use a different kind of health insurance, which is more compatible with their free-will healthcare style... High-Deductible Health Insurance and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) As corporations drop their employees' health plans, the employees are choosing to buy high-deductible health insurance policies, which are much cheaper. In fact, a high-deductible policy ($2,500 deductible or higher) is almost always so much cheaper, that even if you had to pay the entire deductible yourself every year, you'd still save thousands of dollars. The monthly premiums are reduced MORE than the amount of the deductible. Along with high-deductible policies, people are choosing to use the Health Savings Account (HSA), introduced in 2003. This is a tax-deductible savings account that can be used for any medical treatment (Western medicine, actually), which is basically a tax savings for everyone who buys their insurance independently. High-deductible policies and HSAs allow people to have Western medicine waiting in the wings when they have serious health problems that require expensive drugs, tests and surgery. But until then, they are able to use alternative medicine as the best service for prevention and small day-to-day health problems. Alternative medicine provides a "first line of defense" while Western medicine provides the expensive, dangerous, but necessary backup. Since alternative medicine has taken such a major role in healthcare, the state and federal laws have had to adjust, which has meant... The Rise of Health Freedom Laws Health freedom is a term applied to a particular kind of legislative bill. It is a bill that allows alternative medical practitioners to practice their healing arts, as long as they stay out of the areas where extensive Western medical training is required:
This bill is needed in many states, because current laws state that no one can practice medicine except medical doctors, and the definition of practicing medicine is anything that helps people with their health! This means that if someone has a cold, and they go to a massage therapists who recommends echinacea, that massage therapist is breaking the law! Ridiculous? Practitioners have been shut down in many states for doing less. Health Freedom laws are common sense. They've been passed in four states already - Minnesota, Rhode Island, California and Idaho. These states have had excellent results from these bills, including patients from neighboring states making trips to their states to seek relief from health problems. Can you say "boost to the economy?" For more information about Health Freedom initiatives, visit the National Health Freedom Website. With Health Freedom information, and alternative medical options available, it is only natural that people turn to... The Internet As a Healthcare Information Resource The Internet has become the first stop for someone who has a health concern. Feeling low? Do a search on depression remedies on the Internet. Just been diagnosed with cancer, and the doctor says it's chemotherapy or die? Jump on the Internet and see what your other options are. Of course, the Internet has its benefits and its problems. There is a tremendous amount of misinformation about healthcare on the Internet. Much of it comes from well-meaning entrepreneurs who have been sucked into a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme and are trying to pitch some health elixir or other. A second source of health misinformation comes from the Western medical establishment, who seek to discredit alternative medical therapies that could take significant revenues away from their invested therapies. A third source of misinformation comes from the anecdotes of individuals who experienced relief from one therapy or another, but who do not (and cannot) actually represent a proven cure to a particular health problem. Even with all these caveats, the Internet's influence in healthcare decisions will gain momentum. People will understand the "good sources" and "bad sources" of information and new portals will crop up that separate the wheat from the chaff. The reason people are turning to the Internet in such numbers is due to a lack of trust... Distrust in Existing Medical Institutions At one time, you could hold no position of higher trust than to be a doctor. My wife's father was a doctor in a small town in Ohio. When he died, the funeral was packed with his patients over the years. People appreciated his caring and his dedication to keeping them healthy. Now, doctors are viewed with suspicion. Will my doctor let me die by not revealing an alternative therapy that could help me? Is my doctor getting kickbacks from the cute, young, female pharmaceutical rep who visits him twice a month? The system has gained the pallor of corruption, even when it's not really true. Big medicine has become big business, and the number one concern is no longer the patient, it's dollars and cents. But hospitals and doctors are not the only things that Americans distrust... Distrust of Socialized Medicine People in government and in society seem to feel that some brand of socialized medicine will be the magic solution for America's healthcare problems. The "single payer system" of healthcare, successful in other countries, must be implemented here, they say. But America is a different kind of country, from its very beginnings. Americans praise the independent spirit, the entrepreneur, the underdog. Socialized medicine will not work in America. And Americans know it. They do not want a government-run system. What is the least efficient organization you can imagine? It's the government. Do you really want a government worker making decisions for you about healthcare? Yes, America needs to find a way to insure every single person in this country. But socialized medicine is not the cure for this illness. Having been born in Canada and living there for the first twenty-eight years of my life, I can say that Canada's socialized medicine program leaves much to be desired. It does cover every person, but in a way that benefits no one. I understand that the person in the middle of this entire crisis, the professional who has the most to gain or lose, is the doctor, the general practitioner. They will be devastated by a socialized medicine system, and they will also be affected greatly by the other trends in this article. Because of this, I see the emergence of a final trend... Doctors Incorporate Alternative Medicine Into Their Practices Doctors will have no choice but to use pieces and parts of alternative medicine in what they do day-to-day with patients. "The customer is always right," as they say, and the customer definitely wants a choice. Although doctors are increasingly using alternative medicine in their own practice, and hiring alternative practitioners to work in their offices, the independent alternative practitioner will still be the rule, not the exception. There are just too many alternative practitioners (massage therapists, chiropractors, yoga instructors, etc.) for doctors to absorb everyone. And people will want a choice. A Western medical experience, or perhaps an alternative medicine experience. And a choice they will receive. The Western medical practitioners who are clearly leading the way are nurses. Nurses are much more open to alternatives than doctors, and they are increasingly opening their own offices, as nurse-practitioners sometimes, and treating patients with a wide variety of healing methods. Patients appreciate the nurses Western medical knowledge, and also their openness to a new set of options. Overall, the outlook for healthcare is extremely positive for everyone involved. Tremendous change, yes. But upheaval can create some wonderful new circumstances. Daryl Kulak is the author of Health Insurance Off the Grid, a book that provides a simple, effective plan to reduce insurance costs for the self-employed and underinsured. The book puts the new Health Savings Account (HSA) together with alternative medicine to create a workable, cost-effective plan for many Americans. The book is available at the Website http://www.healthoffthegrid.com
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news ABC News hammering out Palin interview plans (Reuters via Yahoo! News) ABC News is spending more time trying to assemble the logistics of its exclusive interview with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin than it did negotiating with the McCain campaign itself. UAL shares walloped by new posting of old news (Reuters via Yahoo! News) A nearly 6-year-old news story on the 2002 bankruptcy filing of UAL Corp resurfaced on the Internet on Monday, clobbering the airline's shares as some traders mistook the report as current and plausible news. Game news: 'GTA IV' hits 10 million, EA meets ESPN (AP via Yahoo! News) Real news from the virtual world: News and notes on the PGA Tour's top 20 golfers (USA Today) Get the latest news and notes on the top 20 golfers on the PGA Tour. These rankings are based 2006-07 PGA Tour results. UAL shares walloped by new posting of old news (Reuters via Yahoo! News) A nearly 6-year-old news story on the 2002 bankruptcy filing of UAL Corp resurfaced on the Internet on Monday, clobbering the airline's shares briefly as some traders mistook the report as current and plausible news. Young adults want less election news (UPI) EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. young adults say there is too much election-related news on Internet news sites, a university study indicates. Good news for Saltalamacchia (MLB.com) Good news for Saltalamacchia Asyncast delivers custom news to hands-free mobile devices (CNET) The company's Rocketron service allows users to set preferences for the kinds of news stories they want to hear, as well as filter controls for news they don't want. CNET News Daily Podcast: The new Zune plays its tune (CNET) Microsoft lets "slip" Zune news one day before Apple's big shindig. Big ad group says Google-Yahoo is a bad idea. Who says real spies don't dig social networking? ABC News gets first Palin interview (Reuters via Yahoo! News) ABC News' Charles Gibson has snagged the first interview with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin since she was named the GOP's vice presidential pick on August 29. Site: news - Google News Apple disappoints: No Jobs or big news at Macworld - Reuters
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for alternative Money at work: Liontamer Alternative Energy fund (The New Zealand Herald) What is it called and what sort of savings product is it? The Liontamer Alternative Energy fund is a capital protected fund with a socially responsible theme. Croton bike week to promote alternative transportation (The Journal News) CROTON-ON-HUDSON - Village residents are being asked to trade in four wheels for two next week, part of a larger effort by the village administration to promote alternative transportation. Alternative fuels hit Norman (The Norman Transcript) Those buses may look normal, but their diet is a bit different. Instead of diesel, they use the vegetarian vehicle fuel, compressed natural gas.The University of Oklahoma and the City of Norman are adding more alternative-fuel vehicles each year, and this fall OU will open a new CNG and biodiesel refueling station for both university and city vehicles. House speaker pushes for alternative energy (The Oklahoma Daily) The number of natural gas pumps in the state could double if Oklahoma?s speaker of the House of Representatives has his way. Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, announced Sept. 2 the first phase of his energy plan, which is intended to make alternative fuel cars more affordable for Oklahomans. Pershing Won't Back CVS-Longs Deal, Seeks Alternative Buyer (Fox News) Pershing Won't Back CVS-Longs Deal, Seeks Alternative Buyer Seeking Federal Loans, Automakers Cite Alternative-Energy Goals (New York Times) A proposed $25 billion federal loan program to help retool the auto industry would speed the development of alternative-fuel vehicles, a Chrysler executive said Wednesday. Wind Power--An Alternative to America?s Energy Needs (Cook County News-Herald) Alternative energy has been talked about and implemented for at least thirty years, with the concept instigated by the energy crisis of the 1970s. In the mid-seventies, wind and solar power started to develop for users who wanted to be independent of utility companies. GR teen escapes alternative jail, carjacks car (The Muskegon Chronicle) Press Photo/Lance WynnDerek Allen Guyton, center, speaks with his attorney, Valerie Foster, during his sentencing in the Kent County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon. Derek Guyton GRAND RAPIDS -- A young man who police say walked away from an alternative jail... Adnan makes case for alternative broadband network (The Star) KUALA LUMPUR: Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and High Speed Broadband Sdn Bhd (HSBT) yesterday made the case for an alternative high-speed broadband network costing RM10.5bil that will connect 2.5 million premises nationwide over five years. GreenMan Technologies creates alternative fuel subsidiary (Energy Business Review) GreenMan Technologies, a tire recycler, has announced the formation of a new subsidiary, GreenMan Renewable Fuel and Alternative Energy. Site: alternative - Google News Sunrise Solar tapped for alternative energy project in Brazil - Bizjournals.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Traditional Chinese Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine, over 2000 years old, is an ancient form of medicine. Consisting of acupuncture, moxibustion (moxibustion - using material made up of "moxa-wool," in a form of a cone or stick; moxibustion is used to treat and prevent disease by applying heat to pints or certain locations of the human body), herbal medicine, acupressure, cupping, therapeutic exercise and nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine is notated by its principle of internal balance and harmony, or "chi," (life force) regulation through energy channels. Alternative Treatments For Arthritis Pain Relief Natural, herbal remedies can help arthritis sufferers who have tried traditional pain medications without success. Many natural remedies and supplements have been found to actually reduce cartilage deterioration and even rebuild a patient's lost cartilage. Fraicheur DAgrume (Citrus Fruits): Freshness in a Bottle Citrus oils are perhaps one of the more popular essential oils for perfumery. They provide a fresh, invigorating and stimulating aroma that is indispensable in fragrances. Kokoro no Kaze: Does Your Soul Have a Cold? Feeling sad? Have you lost interest in things you used to enjoy? Perhaps you're suffering from a cold of the soul.That's the concept that has taken Japan by storm in the last five years, thanks to a culturally savvy marketing campaign launched by pharmaceutical companies to turn mild depression into an acceptable malady that a simple prescription can cure. MSM: Enhance Your Overall Beauty, Your Hair, Nails, And Skin While Reducing Allergic Reactions Welcome to another exciting issue of "The Home Made Medicine e-zine".This time you are going to be blown away by the article I'm about to put in your hands, if you are really serious about your health, you will jump and run to your health store as soon as you finish reading this piece. The Raindrop Technique Massage Raindrop Technique is a procedure for applying therapeutic grade essential oils to the feet, back and spine. It is a form of aromatherapy. Mental Anchors Have you ever noticed when you remember something pleasant in your past, that your current mood changes to a happy mood? Or when you remember a troubling thought, you become more agitated and your mood becomes full of negative thoughts?When you are in a highly emotional state of mental thoughts and feelings, your mind creates "links" or "anchors" to things that you may see, hear, feel, touch or any other sense you can imagine. If, for instance, you are in a loving, caring mood, feeling loved, feeling great and you hear a song a few times, your mind links or anchors that song to those feelings. Aromatherapy - Part III: Esoteric & Spiritual applications The Way Essential Oils Effect the Etheric Body or Psycho-spiritual LevelThe historical use of aromatic oils and resins goes back many thousands of years in human history and traverses many cultures and civilizations on our planet.In China, incense was burned to purify the atmosphere and rid the environment of evil spirits, in India, incense was and is used in all temples of all persuasions to sanctify the devotions; in Mexico, incenses were used in rituals to induce trance-like states in the participants to make them more accepting in their role of living sacrifice to the Gods; in Northern Europe the Druids used incenses which were sacred to the Earth Mother; the Greeks and Romans also used essential oils and fragrant herbs in all aspects of their daily lives, and many of their practices were learned from the Egyptians and Mesopotamians who were without doubt, the absolute masters in the Art of "Aromatherapy". Ginseng: Root of Immortality Translated to mean man root in Chinese, the name ginseng premises on the belief that the roots, with their attached limbs, resemble a human being. Due to its perceived kinship with the gods, the Chinese named it the root of immortality. Using Asian Herbal Combinations for Treating Hemorrhoids Asian HerbsI have found Chinese herb formulations quite effective in treating hemorrhoid symptoms. It is now easy to find these herbs, since there are Chinese herb store in most cities. Inflammatory Arthritis: Alternative Treatments There are two main types of arthritis: inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Inflammatory arthritis can be treated naturally without drugs. Tap Away Your Fears In my workshops we use energy techniques that involve tapping with your fingers on the ends of the energy meridians on your face, upper body, and hands. I would like to tell you why we do. Air Purifiers And Air Filters Can Help The Health Of Allergy And Asthma Sufferers Indoor air pollution in the form of dander, dust and pollen particulate matter can be a real irritant for suffers of asthma, allergies and other respiratory conditions. In addition to removal of all direct irritant sources and minimizing the irritant containment materials in your house, you should also consider the indoor ventilation and filtration system of home. Headache, Hypnosis, And Stress, A Case History Now, more that ever, concerned physicians are beginning to ask about and understand the role of non-drug therapies to assist patients with headache. These therapies, alone or in combination with medications can significantly impact on headache treatment. Your Home is a Toxic Waste Dump! Did you know that the household and beauty products that you purchase at your local store are unhealthy for your family? You probably don't know this because the chemical and manufacturing industries don't have to provide us with this information. Of course, many of these chemicals were originally intended to enhance our lifestyles. Once You Discover and Act on This 'Secret' to Health and Energy, You May be Changed for the Better I discovered something completely, 100% amazing about 5 years ago. The first thing it did for me health- wise was get rid of my back problem to the point that I no longer needed the chiropractic treatment that I would get once or twice per month. Mood Stabilizers & Mood Enhancers - A Remedy to Naturally Boost Mood & Alleviate Depression Depression and mood disorders are very prevalent mental health issues today. In an increasingly health conscious society, more options are being put forth in the realm of natural medicine, allowing people to stabilize and enhance mood naturally, without addictive and often harmful prescription antidepressants. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Infertility Although health and healing are the common goals of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and allopathic medicine, their ideas on the etiology of disease, disease itself and the process used to regain health are decidedly different. The allopathic physician learns that disease must be cured by prescribing medicine, which kills bacteria or renders a virus ineffective; at times surgical intervention is a necessity. Straddling the Science/Magic Line: A Look At Magnetic Therapy What's the difference between science and magic? It's our understanding of what makes something happen.If magic is hocus-pocus, science is simply well understood hocus-pocus. Anxiety Anxiety is a pernicious little devil; it can hold us back, freeze our creativity and diminish our ability to fight our way out of trouble. Anxiety leads to a 'vicious cycle' in which anxiety feeds poor performance which increases anxiety and .
|
| Home | Site Map | Resource Links |
