Like many of you I sat in my living room, listening to the debates, the rhetoric, the political spin placed on Obama’s Healthcare Reform; often referred to as “Obamacare”.
I decided to distance myself and wait for the air to clear a little and read for myself. And what I read, there are actually some really, really awesome aspects of this act. So sit back, open your mind, and be prepared for a few “ahhhhhh” moments. I am looking at this at not only the perspective of a consumer but also a licensed clinician in the state of Wisconsin….
1. Alternative Medicine is Now Covered!! Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who authored the anti-discrimination provision, in an e-mail. “Patients want good outcomes with good value, and complementary and alternative therapies can provide both.” What does this mean for you? If you decide to seek treatment from a clinician licensed within the state, insurance companies cannot say it is not a qualifying procedure. They now have to pay for your acupuncturist, chiropractor, structural integrationist, massage therapist… Section 2706 — is widely discussed in the alternative medicine community because it requires that insurance companies “shall not discriminate” against any health provider with a state-recognized license. That means a licensed chiropractor treating a patient for back pain, for instance, must be reimbursed the same as medical doctors. In addition, nods to alternative medicine are threaded through other parts of the law in sections on wellness, prevention and research.
2. It’s All About YOU! The law's focus on "patient-centered medical homes," a team-care approach to coordinating doctors and specialists around a patient's needs. The law specifically states (section 3502) that care teams may include licensed CAM (complementary, alternative, integrative medicine) practitioners. Medical homes are a method for helping patients make decisions, find enough time to speak with doctors, avoid unnecessary tests and keep up with preventive care. It puts the patient at the center of care. It allows patients to identify their own health goals. It helps them identify barriers to health, it's prevention-oriented, and it deals with chronic illness.
3. It’s Now More About Getting You Better, Faster!! New "accountable care organizations," which pay care providers based on outcomes rather than the amount of service provided, could reward practitioners who use cost-effective natural approaches to avoid surgery and hospitalization. That could lead large health care companies to hire more wellness practitioners or make more referrals to them. As large health providers get organized, they could be looking for more and more of these professionals. There's a push in that direction, and it's quite a push.
I don’t know about you but I am pretty excited. The clinic has always been covered by health savings accounts and covered by insurance with a doctor’s referral but this means more access for you and giving you more control over your own health decisions!
We are still waiting to see how Wisconsin is going to interpret some of these federal laws. As of today all of Wisconsin is waiting to see if Governor Scott Walker will notify the federal government if he plans to set up a state-run health care exchange, right now we are under the federal provisions.
What it boils down to is there is good and bad with everything in life….we need to make a choice to see the good whenever possible. While there are some not-so-great things about Obama’s Healthcare Reform Act, as you can see, there are some pretty exciting things for each of you who want to have more control who you see, how you are treated, and what information you receive.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend…I’m off to do homework and watch all the recorded commercials of the Superbowl!!
Yours in Health,
Lisa
I decided to distance myself and wait for the air to clear a little and read for myself. And what I read, there are actually some really, really awesome aspects of this act. So sit back, open your mind, and be prepared for a few “ahhhhhh” moments. I am looking at this at not only the perspective of a consumer but also a licensed clinician in the state of Wisconsin….
1. Alternative Medicine is Now Covered!! Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who authored the anti-discrimination provision, in an e-mail. “Patients want good outcomes with good value, and complementary and alternative therapies can provide both.” What does this mean for you? If you decide to seek treatment from a clinician licensed within the state, insurance companies cannot say it is not a qualifying procedure. They now have to pay for your acupuncturist, chiropractor, structural integrationist, massage therapist… Section 2706 — is widely discussed in the alternative medicine community because it requires that insurance companies “shall not discriminate” against any health provider with a state-recognized license. That means a licensed chiropractor treating a patient for back pain, for instance, must be reimbursed the same as medical doctors. In addition, nods to alternative medicine are threaded through other parts of the law in sections on wellness, prevention and research.
2. It’s All About YOU! The law's focus on "patient-centered medical homes," a team-care approach to coordinating doctors and specialists around a patient's needs. The law specifically states (section 3502) that care teams may include licensed CAM (complementary, alternative, integrative medicine) practitioners. Medical homes are a method for helping patients make decisions, find enough time to speak with doctors, avoid unnecessary tests and keep up with preventive care. It puts the patient at the center of care. It allows patients to identify their own health goals. It helps them identify barriers to health, it's prevention-oriented, and it deals with chronic illness.
3. It’s Now More About Getting You Better, Faster!! New "accountable care organizations," which pay care providers based on outcomes rather than the amount of service provided, could reward practitioners who use cost-effective natural approaches to avoid surgery and hospitalization. That could lead large health care companies to hire more wellness practitioners or make more referrals to them. As large health providers get organized, they could be looking for more and more of these professionals. There's a push in that direction, and it's quite a push.
I don’t know about you but I am pretty excited. The clinic has always been covered by health savings accounts and covered by insurance with a doctor’s referral but this means more access for you and giving you more control over your own health decisions!
We are still waiting to see how Wisconsin is going to interpret some of these federal laws. As of today all of Wisconsin is waiting to see if Governor Scott Walker will notify the federal government if he plans to set up a state-run health care exchange, right now we are under the federal provisions.
What it boils down to is there is good and bad with everything in life….we need to make a choice to see the good whenever possible. While there are some not-so-great things about Obama’s Healthcare Reform Act, as you can see, there are some pretty exciting things for each of you who want to have more control who you see, how you are treated, and what information you receive.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend…I’m off to do homework and watch all the recorded commercials of the Superbowl!!
Yours in Health,
Lisa