The Health/Medical Industrial Complex have been able to exert their control over our healthcare choices by refusing to pay for health care treatments they don’t agree with. We should have the freedom to choose how our health care dollars are spent.
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So true
Patients also need objective information to evaluate the potential benefits of natural health treatments, this is why the restrictions on research need to be drastically reformed
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I have been using alternative treatments for many years and see an Acupuncturist and a Chinese herbalist on a regular basis. Even my Medical Doctor, who promotes wellness, prescribes Bio-identical Hormones to prevent Osteoporosis, not covered by insurance. Alternative treatments, even ones that have a proven track record of helping me, have ever been covered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield or Medicare. Because I believe in the benefits of Integrative Medicine, I pay for these things out of pocket but I know that others are not so fortunate to be able to afford this. I believe the Health System currently endorsed by the American Medical Association is biased towards profit seeking pharmaceutical companies that do not have my best interests in mind. I believe the system inherently encourages doctors to violate the Hippocratic Oath because it is rigged for profitability rather than healing.
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Agreed. It happens way too often that my doctors request some testing or a medication and the insurance company in the infinite wisdom deny them stating they aren’t “medically relevant”.
My doctors are the ones that treat my conditions, not the insurance companies…
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I agree!! I have a mast cell disease and use many alternative therapies to control my condition. My monthly out of pocket expense is outrageous and in addition, I pay a small fortune for health insurance. I also wish that insurance companies had to cover compounded medications. I’m unable to take most pharmaceuticals due to the fillers they use in them. If I’m going to pay a fortune for insurance, they should cover traditional and non-traditional healthcare.
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I asked my doctor about blood testing for a certain issue and he snarked back, “Why? You wouldn’t take a pharmaceutical for it if it came out positive.” He’s the very best I can access. I was gobsmacked by the unfortunate honesty of his response.
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Agree completely, in a honest ethical system, I do not think anyone should have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for health care
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That is so sad, like taking a medication is the only option to get better, our system needs an entire overhaul
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This is important. But it would be imperative to have a mechanism for incorporating some guidelines in the medical school programs, focus of curriculum, methodology etc. That could be tied to funding incentives by government grants, or tax credits etc. “POWER OF THE PURSE”
Doctors are indoctrinated and then bought off/incentivized by big pharma to push the "poisons masquerading as cures- ie chemo etc.
They either simply have no understanding of what nature and the human body can do to heal itself OR they care more about $$$$$$$ than their oath and patients.
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HSA approval for gym memberships (or home gym build-outs) personal trainers when required, vitamins and supplements.
Doctors should be open to working with trainers and gyms on developing healthcare plans for their patients, not the sickcare model we are currently using.
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This is a very true thing, it also ties into the sick care system the insurance and pharmaceutical companies collude to keep you under. By not giving extra choice you are forced into the type of treatment they want to give you, not the other way around, with them also controlling the supply, they can jack up prices as a result.
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we need to look at WHY we call it alternative its not its integrative medicine and to be realistic we practice more science than the drugs companies as they only give us about 50% of the studies and who knows how accurate they are. Or call it complimentary but alternative makes it somehow less science when we actually do figure out to recover peoples health by going back to what is really wrong as there are no drug deficiencies.
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I agree! Naturopaths and Functional Medicine providers should be covered as well
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Huge! RN here 38 years. our system is sick! let’s turn to integrative and functional medicine !
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Health Insurance is expensive and inflexible in terms of treatments and care. Leaving people who need it most left to suffer financially. It doesn’t work. It wasn’t perfect before Obama care but since has become a mega money machine for insurance companies and hospital administrators at the expense of taxpayers. It needs completely revamped and simplified and should meet people’s needs whether it is catastrophic coverage, full coverage, or somewhere in between. Insurance of all kinds are contributing to the horrible financial strains that Americans are facing. $298.00 for a child’s sports physical at your local clinic is the result of these crazy inflated premiums that claim to cover everyone.
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Let’s go further. Get rid of the health insurance industry all together. A 2 trillion dollar middleman that siphons money from both sides. They dictate patient care, work against transparency, complicate Healthcare and create a system where some people have great insurance while others do not.
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The last I heard health insurance companies increase the cost of health care by about 30%. So yes, lets get the insurance middlemen out of the picture but still allow people to purchase additional insurance if they choose to. It used to be that people paid out of pocket when they went to see a doctor. I think it would be cheaper and better if we went back to that model. The only reason we would need insurance would be for major medical expenses, not the routine medical visits.
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Love the idea of doctors working with trainers/gyms. They could also work with therapists to help patients incorporate lifestyle changes or Marriage and Family Therapists to treat the relational dysfunction contributing to their health symptoms. Of course, this would entail training many many more doctors as we already have a shortage I believe. And existing doctors only have 10 minutes per patient (and they still don’t have the time to have normal lives let alone read up on current research).
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I also have these same issues. No insurance will pay for my detox. I pay out of pocket or suffer! I cant take medications so most drs get angry or wont see me anymore. My histamine allergy has me making fresh cooked meals daily an watching every bit of the food I eat which also cost me a fortune. I cant get SSD for it in PA so we r a 1 income family. We take the struggles over me being sick. Its insane how dts treat us that dont fit their criteria sadly.
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Yes, would love to see insurance cover safer natural medicine!
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