Article Contributed on: 11/3/2009 6:01:03 PM
I have read Congressman Dennis Kucinich's efforts to have the Kucinich Amendment (that allows states to set their own standard to have Single Payer coverage available for residents over and above whatever the fed reform bill allows) to be re-entered into the Health Care Finance Reform bill - in so-called development. Today, election day, after the Dems figure they have received the most they can get out of the voters this cycle, Sen. Reid has announced the Senate and full House may not have a health care finance reform measure this year. Maybe that is good; maybe not. That should take the wind out of any celebrations tonight everywhere but in D.C., if reported Dem reformers can fob us off for a season.
My question is -
Has there been discussion ever as to developing a whole other type of supplement coverage for those with Medicare who also carry supplemental insurance? It could apply to younger person's individual coverage as well. Has there been any talk of putting together a type of package unto itself that doesn't resemble an insurance supplemental policy, and that would allow effective alternative components; i.e., chiropractics, acupuncture, nursing home rehab of any length without having to first spend three overnights in a hospital, as is the rule now; nutritional supplement allowance, panel evaluations, actual hearing and eye exams for purchasing glasses or hearing aids - the type of care components that would make a complete package of what a person needs to function at a viably well level through principal coverage for their wellness needs, and have it endorsed and developed through professional medical provider associations, industries, amalgamations, co-ops, funds and so on?
I listened to a state of the art chiropractor explain recently that he had been able to move some people off of thyroid medication and cure underlying symptoms of various pains and distresses. He showed how the spinal column could be adjusted "back" to its normal state from maladjusted rigidities, and certain types of pressures and diseases reduced; seemingly, he could do more, faster, than some physical therapy allows; physical therapy now being covered by Medicare. I would think individuals might press for a wellness doctrine - to receive the wellness we really seek if we demand it and simply develop that type of packaging of wellness care for ourselves, with doctors groups supporting it, and fair prices paid.
The real problem in this "health care" reform is that it is not at all about availing ourselves of assistance to wellness. It is about dispensing medications, paying doctors for doing so, maybe receiving appropriate surgery (though less likely the more aged one becomes), having prescriptions foisted on one, being denied hospital or rehab care in time or expense, and being limited in therapy occasions. Those effects exacerbate ill health, and do little to eliminate it.
Maybe, if health care reform is delayed, the people who steward this nation, all of us, representing ourselves, might engage in more specific discussion as to what we would actually like in the way of wellness support, rather than continue being drawn down in discussions over that which corporatists, and those of our elected officials in service to them, will base health care.
Put another way, what if companies offered employees some contribution toward those suggested wellness cares listed above, and didn't bother trying to meet the demands of what government/health insurance corporatists want to encourage, which can prolong illness? Doesn't the employer want healthy workers on the job? Why suffer a burden of paying premiums to prolong illness in employees? It makes no sense.
If a small business owner says, I will offer my employees 35-40% coverage on a certain number of wellness features for a period of time and that's it, they would throw down the gauntlet for an incentive to be placed on wellness, and that would be that. And if they did, perhaps voters should back up such an effort.
I would like to know if there has been discussion as to same with candidates Michael Bennet and Andrew Romanoff for senate, their district congresspersons running for office every two years of any party affiliation and other real political leaders? The chiropractor I listened to, of course, did not believe in health insurance, and probably isn't about to be paid by health insurers to give the gift of feeling healthy to patients for fear they will then minimalize the health insurance coverage for which they pay out of pocket. Patients just want to feel better again and not have access to care denied them; even medical providers say, "Take vitamins."
Just wondering.