Advanced Alternative
Medicine Center
320 Robinson Ave Newburgh, NY 12550
Serving All Your Heath Care Needs ... Naturally!
(845)561-BACK
(2225)
Dr. Richard A. Huntoon
Newburgh Chiropractor
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMA CARE
On October 1, 2013, open enrollment for National Healthcare Reform will begin and everyone is questioning what is going to happen, what it is going to look like, and what it is going to cost. The powers that be have not fully worked that out yet. In fact, it is the open-enrollment that will determine what people are signing up for, and then the cost of the most popular plan will be determined and the cost will then be established. This is so the Insurance Industry can continue making large profits off of their product at the expense of you, the consumer.
The following are the Four Things You Need To Know About Obama Care:
1) Insurance Exchanges – every state will have an insurance exchange where health insurance is sold. This creates competition and is already lowering the cost of premiums. Both Chiropractors and Acupuncturists legally should be included. The American Medical Association (AMA) through its political connections will, in some states, try to block inclusions of others.
2) Non Discrimination Rule – Thanks to the efforts of the Chiropractic Summit and Dr. David Singer, a paragraph was entered into the Obama Health Plan that says: “Any Healthcare Provider, who has a license to practice and practices within the scope of their license, cannot be discriminated against by any insurance company.” It is this paragraph that provides a legal basis for Chiropractors, Acupuncturists and Naturopaths to be included in the insurance exchanges.
3) Affordable Care Organizations (ACO’s): There are already 17 of these organizations set up in the country. They can be owned by doctors, HMO’s and Insurance companies. The Obama plan is pushing these to replace insurance as we know it as far as the delivery of health care. An ACO works this way: If the government has on their tables that a procedure costs $7,000 and an ACO can “correct it” for $5,000 there would be a $2,000 savings. The government would now split the savings with the ACO. The ACO in this example would get a check from the government for $1,000. An HMO makes money by keeping costs down. This is similar in that every dollar the ACO saves the government, they receive 50 cents.
4) Are Chiropractors included in the government plan? 28,000,000 Americans without insurance must have it by January 1, 2014. The majority will go into Medicaid. If your practitioner is not covered by Medicaid (Medicaid does not currently cover Chiropractic Care in New York State), you will not be able to get Chiropractic Care. The people who buy the government health plan that is competing with the other insurances in the states will cover Chiropractic in a manner we expect to be similar to Medicare. Medicare currently in New York covers 12 visits a year at a reduced rate and does not cover examinations and has a $200.00 deductible that must be met before any benefit applies. Acupuncture could be included based on the Non Discrimination Rule outlined in item # 2 above, but they will have to fight their way in.
What this means to you?
Appreciate that your health is your responsibility. That means that regardless of what program they require you to have, the policy will not cover you to be healthy. It will allow you access to doctors who will agree to take less money in an effort to keep their doors open and will ultimately cause the doctors’ offices to squeeze as many people in as possible to get their piece of the pie. And, the “Gate Keepers” of the ACO will begin to reduce the fee for different services causing the providers to cut corners, prescribe more and to ultimately skimp on the care you may need. The lower the cost to treat you, the more money the ACO can make. Is it in their best interest to do this, meaning save costs and cut back on care? Of course it is. And at what cost to you with regards to your health?
So you have a decision to make:
1) You can continue to allow your insurance company dictate what your health is going to be with different medications and different reduced fee surgeries and a battery of tests to be done regularly to monitor your health;
OR
2) You can begin to become proactive with your health and determine what you can do to maintain and improve your health for both yourself and your loved ones. Health can be a family affair.
If you would like to pick option number 2, please call my office and let the two of us sit down and discuss your health, what is occurring currently and what you would like to do with your health going forward. Our phone number is (845)561-BACK or 561-2225. My promise to you is to develop a plan you can live with.
Dr. Huntoon has a single mission:
To support as many people as possible in their quest for health and enable them to improve and maintain their health to the highest level possible, while educating them about the benefits of Chiropractic, Natural Healthcare and Holistic Living, so they in turn can teach others to support us having a healthy community.
Your Choice
Health concerns are a major source of lost happiness and lost joy in all of our lives. Finding a solution that is agreeable and enables you to get back to your life is important. Please appreciate that you always have the more invasive surgery and prescription medication available to you as a last resort. What many Traditional Medical Doctors may not share is, many times, once you begin that journey into medication and/or surgery, it alters your original body from the one that you were born with. Unfortunately, at that time, more conservative and natural treatments may no longer be viable. I encourage you to consider that before making any decisions about treatment for your health. As always I am here to help.
Your Choice:
- Continue doing the same thing and nothing changes or it may get worse
OR
- Try something different and get a different result that makes you happier and healthier.
The Choice is Yours
Please call Dr. Huntoon at 845-561-BACK (2225) to discuss your options or click on our E-Visit to do it via e-mail.
Thank You for your consideration.
Copyright 2014 Advanced Alternative Medicine Center