Posts Tagged ‘health’

In the midst of the U.S. healthcare debate, a minor provision appears to be stirring up some controversy. The provision, inserted by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) with the support of Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry and the late Edward M. Kennedy (both of Massachusetts, home to the Church of Christ, Scientist), would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as legitimate medical expenses. The church believes that spiritual healing in the form of prayer treatments is an effective alternative to conventional interventions. However, opponents of the measure are concerned that this could open the door for other groups to seek medical legitimacy for practices that lie outside of science. But, there is precedence for this. Namely, the IRS allows the cost of prayer services to be counted as tax-deductible medical expenses. Is this blurring the line between church and state? Should spiritual health and healing be overlooked as an integral part of physical and mental well-being?  [via LA Times]

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Poor education predisposes one to poorer health. Study after study has confirmed this link, and now experts are honing in on the reasons for it and what can be done.  “Persons with a higher education tend to have better jobs, and better income, better benefits,” said David R. Williams, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and staff director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission to Build a Healthier America. These “better benefits” not only include more accessible healthcare but can include factors such as the ability to take time away from work to see the doctor. As well, people with higher levels of education tend to have more resources to cope with stress and life, such as access to a health club to exercise during periods of stress. Being more educated also means that a person can better understand the complexities that go along with modern medicine. In fact, a report from May, 2009 found that adults who did not graduate from high school were 2.5 times more likely to be in less than very good health, compared with counterparts who have a college degree. Williams is advocating that health promotion should be taught earlier in schools and that improvement in literacy rates could better the health of people as they become adults. [via Businessweek]

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San Francisco is the first city in the US to offer a health plan for its uninsured citizens. The plan, called “Healthy San Francisco,”  was launched two years ago and has received high marks in independent studies. Currently, three-quarters of San Francisco’s uninsured adults have enrolled in the program which guarantees access to medical services. “Healthy San Francisco is not insurance,” and doesn’t function outside of the city limits. But ”any uninsured adult who lives in San Francisco and earns up to 500% of the federal poverty level annually is eligible. … Patients must pick a medical home out of a network of more than 30 public and private clinics, physician groups and hospitals within the city limits. The idea is that patients get consistent care and the system avoids duplicating services. … Preventative services, care for illness and chronic conditions, hospital stays and prescriptions are all covered.” The funding for the program comes from public funds as well as an employer mandate. Restaurants and businesses may also contribute to the fund by way of an additional “fee” added to their patron’s bills. [Los Angeles Times via Kaiser Health News]

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According to an analysis released by The Commonwealth Fund this week, private insurance premiums for employer-sponsored coverage will rise by 94% by the year 2020. This is on top of the 119% increase that has already occurred between 1999-2008. These premium increases were greater than four times the rise in family incomes during the same period, even prior to the current recession. And these are only the premiums alone, not including out-of-pocket costs – deductibles, co-pays, and miscellaneous fees – which have also risen. This is why medical bills have become the number one cause in 62% of bankruptcies. Yet, instead of reining in cost and saving us money, private insurance companies will continue to increase their premiums. Regardless of how we end up dealing with our current health care situation, any genuine reform must counter the rising cost of health insurance premiums. [via The Commonwealth Fund]

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Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. surprised US companies this week by backing President Obama’s health care plan which, in part, requires all but small employers to provide insurance coverage for workers. ”As a company, we believe the present health-care system is unsustainable and making the country’s businesses less competitive in the global economy,” said Wal-Mart. However, some believe this is simply Wal-Mart’s strategy to circumvent a measure that is being considered by the Senate Finance Committee which will result in more burdensome health insurance requirements for companies that employ lower-wage workers. Whatever the case may be, it is the rising cost of health care in this country that is hurting both businesses and workers – by restricting wages and growth of businesses. Good health is not a commodity, an economic product that can only be purchased by those with wealth. Companies should not be making money off of our health care needs.

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President Barack Obama addressed physicians this week at the 158th annual meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) in Chicago.  His goal was to gain the support of the nation’s doctors for his healthcare plan which he said for the first time will cost an estimated $1 trillion dollars, perhaps even more. To help fund the costs obama wants to cut federal payments to hospitals by about $200 billion and cut $313 billion from Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years, in addition to a new $635 billion in tax increases and spending cuts in the health care system. The goal is to formulate a streamlined health care system that costs less, yet delivers more. Whatever the cost – or the plan – reforming our broken health care system will not be cheap. With more than 50 million uninsured Americans something needs to be done.

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The health benefits of olive oil has been well documented. The US Food and Drug Administration says consuming 2 tablespoons of olive oil each day may reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. However, the time your olive oil sits on the shelf may reduce it’s health benefit potential. Researchers at the University of Foggia in Italy analyzed a variety of olive oils and found that after 6 months of shelf life, almost all of the oils had a 40% reduction in antioxidant activity level. That certainly doesn’t mean the bottle should go into the trash. The benefits of olive oil is attributed to its high content of monounsaturated fats, in addition to antioxidants.

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Studies have shown that moderate physical activity 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days of the week has beneficial effects on our health. But what exactly qualifies as “moderate” intensity exercise? University of California San Diego researchers are publishing in the May 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that taking 1000 steps in 10 minutes should be the target. This boils down to 100 walking steps per minute. A useful way to achieve this goal is to obtain an inexpensive pedometer and to try to accumulate 1000 steps in 10 minutes, since this is the minimum exercise time for producing health benefits. Then, when that pattern is well established and achievable, try to reach 3000 steps in 30 minutes.

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A new global arms race is happening – one with the goal of keeping us safe from mosquitoes. Scientists are devising methods to thwart the malaria-carrying bug by employing laser technology. Incidentally, some of these scientists were the original brains behind the Star Wars program that was to shield the US from Soviet nuclear arms during the Cold War. The eventual application of this technology may be to draw laser barriers around houses or villages that could kill or blind the flying critters, thereby reducing malaria transmission. Malaria remains a global health threat that kills one million people each year.

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With the US government trying to stimulate wider adoption of electronic medical records (EMR), Wal-Mart is diving in head first by marketing its very own EMR product. By using its buying power, Wal-Mart is combining Dell computers with EMR software from eClinicalWorks and offering the bundle as an affordable way for small medical offices to afford an EMR system. The EMR will allow medical professionals to digitally record patient charts, organize billing statements, and handle patient registration. Wal-Mart believes this product will appeal to smaller medical groups and practices since they have already successfully implemented the technology in their store-based health clinics that can be found now in 8 states across the US.

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