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NAVIGATOR STORY OF THE MONTH
Rachel's complicated and worsening physical symptoms and multiple hospitalizations did not fit into any of her doctors' boxes. None of many specialists she saw offered a diagnosis, treatment or hope. Patient Navigator is now helping Rachel to seek treatment at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C.
Do you need help finding care? As always, please call or write for a free consultation! |
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Volume 2 Issue 2
| February 2011 |
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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Welcome to the February 2011 issue of "Navigator Notes," a monthly newsletter designed to inform our readers about important health topics.
Patient Navigator's mission is to bring health care and life care together through advocacy, education and a patient-centered approach to solving problems and overcoming obstacles in the health care system. Founder and President Patient Navigator, LLC Guiding your journey through illness .... |
| Rising Cancer Care Costs vs. Cancer Prevention |
A new study from researchers in the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) published January 12 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute projects that the cost of caring for the U.S. population of cancer patients and survivors will increase substantially over the next 10 years. The researchers used data on cancer incidence and survival and on care costs by phase of care to develop estimates of the overall cost of care. They found that even if medical costs, cancer incidence, and survival remain static, the rapid aging of the U.S. population will cause the overall cost of care to rise from $125 billion in 2010 to $158 billion by 2020. If costs of care rise by only 2 percent annually, the overall cost of cancer treatment would rise to $173 billion by 2020, an almost 40 percent increase over the course of 10 years. Dr. Angela Mariotto, lead author of the study, and Dr. Martin Brown, chief of the Health Services and Economic Branch in DCCPS answer questions about the report.
At the same time, researchers from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) estimate that about a third of all common cancers in the United States, China and Britain could be prevented each year if people ate healthier food, drank less alcohol and exercised more. Estimates suggest that making simple lifestyle changes could prevent some 40 percent of breast cancers alone in Britain and the United States, as well as tens of thousands of colon, stomach and prostate cancers. The researchers concluded that in the United States, about 35 percent or 340,000 cancers each year are preventable. Their recommendations are published in this year's Expert Report. You can also read an excellent Executive Summary of the report's policy recommendations.
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| What's on the Health Reform Horizon? | There are several important changes on the horizon this year as additional provisions of the health care law are implemented. Here are a few.
Seniors are affected by several of the provisions. They will get big discounts on prescription drugs. Prescription drug costs (Medicare Part D) could go down by $700 for a typical Medicare beneficiary in 2011.
Several provisions of the law promote prevention of disease, especially for seniors. Medicare enrollees will be able to get many preventive health services - such as vaccinations and cancer screenings - for free starting in January.
Medicare is increasing up payments for primary care by 10 percent from Jan. 1 through the end of 2015. It's an incentive for doctors and others who specialize in primary care - including nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants - to see the growing numbers of seniors and disabled people covered by the program
Beginning soon after the Food and Drug Administration finalizes rules in 2011, chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, and owners of 20 or more vending machines, will have to display calorie and fat information on menus, menu boards and drive-thru signs.
Consumers with flexible spending accounts (FSAs), in which pre-tax income can be used for medical purchases, can no longer spend the money on over-the-counter drugs, including ones that treat fevers or allergies and acne, unless they have a doctor's prescription. The new restrictions, which lawmakers included in the health overhaul to raise more revenue, also apply to health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) and Archer medical savings accounts (MSAs).
Starting this year, health insurers must spend at least 80 percent of their premiums on medical care, or face the possibility of giving rebates to consumers. (Editorial note: don't hold your breath for any rebates).
For a useful timeline of all the changes coming this year, check the Kaiser Family Foundation website. The U.S. Government's timeline of what's changing and when is also helpful. Bottom line: Stay Informed!
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Food Science Part 5 - Why Today's Food is Less Nutritious
| In September, we began our series focused on the science and research of nutrition to help you become more informed about food choices. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. If you missed Part 2, you can read it here. If you missed Part 3, you can read it here. If you missed Part 4, you can read it here.
Today, we'll explain why foods aren't as nutritious today as they were in the past. Our fruits and vegetables are now grown in depleted soils. Plants are selected for firmness and the ability to pick before ripe. Chemicals used in farming leave residues on food. Significant changes have occurred in meat as animal feed has changed from a pasture fed grass diet to a feed lot diet of corn and chemicals. We'll also explain how we can improve on the nutrients present in our foods. Read More...
Guest "Food Science" Columnist Deborah Roney holds a degree in Biology and received her certification from the Food as Medicine program at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. in May 2010. |
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