Jeff Belle

By Jeff Belle

The value Americans place on having choices, extending life and ensuring quality of care are critical considerations in how the U. S. health care delivery system meets the needs of its citizens. Failure on part of policymakers to recognize this will result in lack of support for “radical changes” in the health care system—even if its intent is noble. In order to discover new oceans, one has to leave the shore. In 2010, we boarded a new voyage-“ Affordable Care Act” (ACA) with the intent of improving health care for all U. S. citizens. The ship has left shore and headed into deep waters beginning next year (2014). Medicare and Medicaid as we know it today will never look the same beginning 2014. Are we on the right course? Is the U.S. health care system treading into dangerous waters? Have we gone too far to turn the ship around? Is our health care system headed into uncharted territories?

Let’s go on board and look at Medicare-the nation’s health insurance program for Americans 65 and older, and for young adults with permanent disabilities. As the U.S. population grows older, 52 million people currently relying on Medicare will increase drastically. Medicare has four parts, each covering different benefits. Part A-Hospital Insurance (HI) program covers inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and hospice care. Part A is funded by a tax of 2.9 percent of earnings paid by employers and workers (1.45 percent each). Obamacare increased the Medicare HI payroll tax from 1.45% to 2.35% for higher-income taxpayers ($200,000/individual and $250,000/couple) and businesses. This tax went into effect last January. Most individuals do not pay a monthly premium for Part A services, but are subject to a deductible before Medicare coverage begins.

Beneficiaries are generally subject to a coinsurance for benefits covered under Part A. Although Medicare Part A imposes tax increases on those earning $200,000 or more and businesses, there is no such thing as a free lunch. In fact, BIG, BIG changes occur in Medicare Parts B, C, & D.

Unlike Part A, Part B deals with outpatient hospital care, physician visits, and other medical services. There are significant changes in Medicare Part B. I will devote next month’s entire column on Medicare Part B. If you think that Medicare changes are confusing, we dare not open the door to Medicaid changes! Now that you have boarded the voyage-ACA, you are well on your way to a new destiny. Today, skies are sunny and blue; however, forecast indicates thunderstorms are ahead and some are even predicting a tsunami over the horizon. One thing that’s certain– you will never see the shores of yesterday’s health care system again.

Source: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Jeff Belle is a senior fellow at Institute for Public Policy and Leadership Development. He researches, writes and lectures on health policy and leadership development issues.

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Jeff Belle

By Jeff Belle

In the midst of so much political turmoil and economic uncertainty, there’s one thing that is for certain- Change! The Affordable Care Act of 2010 will bring about drastic changes to our health care, as we know it today. This article sheds light on the facts regarding basic health care cost and expenditures. It is necessary to get the facts straight about our current health care system and then dive into Obama Care. Unfortunately, the purview of this article doesn’t afford me the opportunity to discuss both issues at this time.

How much does the U.S. spend each year on health care? For 2010, the U.S. spent $ 2.59 trillion dollars. If you were to spend a million dollars per day, it would take approximately 5,000 years to spend what the U.S. spends yearly on health care. Wow! That’s a lot of money spent. In fact, health care grows faster than many other sectors of the economy. Today, health care cost is about 16% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP); however, by 2018 it will be about 20.3 percent of GDP. So, let’s look at a few facts about where and how health care dollars are being spent.

1. What percent of total health care costs go to prescription drugs? Fact: 10.1% or $ 259 trillion dollars

2. What percent of total costs go to hospital care? Fact: 31.1% or $ 814 billion dollars

3. What percent of total costs go to physician /clinical services? Fact: 21.4% or $ 516 billion dollars

Now that we have an idea as to where the money for health care goes, let’s see just who pays for it?

1. What percent of total health care costs does the Federal government pay? Fact: 27% or $ 699 billion dollars.

2. What percent of total health care costs does State and Local government pay? Fact: 16% or $414 billion dollars.

3. What percent of total health care costs do households pay? Fact: 28% or $ 719 billion dollars

4. What percent of total health care costs do private businesses pay? Fact: 21% or $ 544 billion dollars

Over the next few months, I will share the facts of The Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) with you. We will look ahead to what’s changing and when? How will Medicare and Medicaid be affected by Obama Care? This information will help you better understand The Affordable Care Act and how it fits into our health care system and affects your daily lives.

Sources:

Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured/Health Management Data, 2010.

McKinsey Global Institute, Accounting for the cost of U.S. health care, December 2008.

U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditure Projections 2008-2018, Feb. 2009.

Jeff Belle is a Senior Fellow in Health Policy, Institute for Public Policy and Leadership Development. Mr. Belle has a bachelor’s degree in political science, graduate work at Johns Hopkins and American Universities and completing a Master in Public Administration from Grand Canyon University. He is an advisory board member to Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Care Committee and lives in Antioch.

Antioch resident Jeff Belle is a graduate student and does extensive research and lectures in public policy and health care issues.

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By Brandon Roberts, D.C.

Unhealthy lifestyles have caused too many members of the baby boom generation to be in worse health compared to their parents during the same stage of life. 

A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine reported only 13% of today’s baby boomers are in excellent health while their parents’ generation was 32%. Comparatively speaking, 39% of today’s baby boomers are obese and 16% have diabetes. The previous generation’s numbers for these same conditions are 29% and 12% respectively. 

According to Dana King, a professor at the West Virginia School of Medicine and the study’s lead author, today’s baby boomers are twice as likely to use a cane or walker than the previous generation. “It’s not too late to adopt new, healthy lifestyle habits and make a difference in your health,” said King.

Don’t Wait for a Crisis

What will it take for you to make the lifestyle changes you know you need to make to improve your quality of life? Will you wait for a severe crisis that leaves you with permanent damage and a future of disability or will you make a quality of life, Lifestyle Care, choice that will ensure your quality of life for the remainder of your years. 

Easy FitNESS Acronym to Remember

The acronym FitN2ESS can get you on the right track immediately. To get and stay healthy and fit you need neurology, nutrition, endurance strength and structure. 

Neurology: Every cell tissue and organ needs innervation, nerve supply, to function properly.

Nutrition: Choose quality calories over empty calories every time you make a food choice and drink plenty of good clean water.

Endurance: Cardiovascular exercise including walking, running, riding a bike or swimming will prepare you for the marathon of your extended life.

Strength: We have all seen an older person struggle to get out of a chair. Don’t wait until you lose your strength to try and get it back. Strength train now.

Structure: The health and function of your posture, spine and nervous system will determine how active and healthy you can be as you age. 

If your posture appears to be changing don’t waste another minute and schedule a chiropractic check-up. Lifestyle Care can improve your health dramatically. It is very important that today’s baby boomers learn from our current generation of seniors and super-seniors who were blindsided by their extended lives. You cannot blame your genes for your current health condition. Adjust your lifestyle and optimize the expression of your genes so that you can enjoy the quality life you deserve. 

Roberts is a Chiropractor at Deer Valley Chiropractic, a 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Office. This newsletter is reprinted with permission of The Family Practice, Inc. Deer Valley Chiropractic is located at 3381 Deer Valley Road, Antioch. Dr. Roberts can be reached at 925-757-7571. For more information visit www.drbrandonroberts.com

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Fitness Coach Dion Powell is holding his Boot Camp, every Saturday from April 6 through May 4.

The first Saturday in April, is a must attend orientation registration meeting.
- Four Weeks and if the demand is there, he will extend it another four weeks
- $50, cash, check, or major credit card.
- Space is limited; 5 spots minimum with a cap of 12 spots.
- $15 for drop ins (pre-registration, with credit card required)
- Coach Powell’s facility is located at 4525 Ohara Ave, Brentwood
- MEET 9-10 am
To reserve a spot contact coach Powell via email, coachpowell42@comcast.net or via www.Facebook.com/CoachPowell42.

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By Andrea Ginacola, MPH RD

Looking for someone who will look out for your kid’s health during the school day? Look no further than the registered dietitian (RD). As food service directors and nutrition specialists, RDs across the country are doing great things to ensure kids eat healthful meals at school. Although new meal standards, set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, went into effect July 1, 2012 requiring more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and less sodium, school based RDs were already employing innovative techniques (from salad and taco bars to fruit-and-yogurt parfaits) to entice kids to eat right.

Look to an RD for Expertise

RDs are crucial to school meal programs because they have the nutrition expertise and “vision to create a healthy food climate in the cafeteria that engages students not only in eating healthy, but in developing healthy behaviors,” says Dona Richwine, MS, RD, Nutrition Specialist for Santa Monica Malibu (Calif.) Unified School District. Debbi Beauvais, RD, SNS, Director of School Nutrition for Gates Chili & East Rochester Schools (New York) and Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics concurs, “Schools are a good venue to model good eating behaviors for kids.”

Healthier Menu Options

Beauvais’ mission is to provide healthy menu items for the 75 percent of her students who choose the school cafeteria over brown-bagging it. But, Beauvais says, “It’s not nutrition unless they eat it.” Beauvais finds that students make healthier choices with her “made fresh for you” and taco bar programs. “Children tend to consume more vegetables when they can add them. They pick more variety.”

Richwine agrees; for over 10 years she’s been getting kids excited about produce with a farmers’ market salad bar. Richwine says the favorite part of her job is to watch students walk away with their plates piled high with fruits and veggies. Schools are now also providing healthier versions of some of kids’ favorites. In Beauvais’ schools, chicken nuggets are baked with whole grain breading, and are lower in fat and sodium than typical restaurant versions. A healthier pizza comes with low- fat mozzarella and a whole grain crust. Leaner versions of hamburgers and hot dogs are served on whole grain buns.

Andrea Giancola is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters of Public Health. To learn more about her, click here. 

This article was published as part of the Kids Eat Right campaign. For more information visit www.eatright.org/kids.

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Tomatoes grow in abundance with the help of the Tower Garden.

On your patio or balcony

By Gwen O’Neill

Ask experienced gardeners about their secrets to success and they will tell you about the soil. Is it fertile, does it hold water and what is its structure? These are critical factors to succeed for traditional gardeners everywhere. Now take the soil out of the equation and you have another way of growing plants. Hydroponic and aeroponic gardening uses water and mineral solutions but no soil.

Hydroponics has been around for hundreds of years, but recent breakthroughs in technology have yielded new options for the home gardener. Many challenges such as busy home life, jobs, family commitments and other influences like weather and wildlife make what was at first enjoyable, a now backbreaking chore.

No more digging in the dirt.

Digging holes and tilling soil is not fun or easy. Protecting the plants from squirrels and other pests adds another level of

Tower garden

challenge.

A new system of gardening that anyone can do, virtually anywhere is a combination of container gardening and hydroponic gardening. This single unit holds a promise of success for the home gardener with less time involved, is an affordable investment and is moved easily.

Single unit portable system

The plant tower combines aeration technology with the flexibility and convenience of a container garden in a single unit. If you are tired of battling gophers and snails, digging in clay and hauling bags of compost and soil amendments into the garden only to have them break down over time and disappear, this advanced form of hydroponic gardening may be your new gardening passion!

Imagine a lightweight plant tower that assembles like a fountain with a reservoir and pump at the bottom, small enough to sit on a deck or porch, with castors to facilitate easy movement to take advantage of changing sun patterns as the seasons change. The tower garden® is a high quality unit made of food grade plastic with steel hardware for long-lasting durability, which uses closed system technology to recycle 90% of water and nutrients. Taking soil born pests and diseases out of your garden and growing your garden gets easier with the tower garden®.

Produce in Half the Time

This use of technology not only saves backs and pocketbooks, but it produces meals from seeds in half the time of conventional growing techniques. This system delivers the produce for only the cost of seeds and a modest amount of electricity to run the pump, producing a bountiful harvest that any professional farmer could be proud of!

Do you remember sprouting an avocado pit or Lima beans in a glass of water as a child? Do you remember how exciting it was to see that first bit of root emerge, and then a tiny sprout? That miracle of life emerges quickly through this unit in the form of lettuce, tomatoes, chard, herbs, beans, berries and more. The units can be stacked to create taller towers to maximize crop yield in a small area.

The seeds germinate in a day or two, and the seedlings harden off in a week or two, which makes this system easy to be a successful grower. The roots of your seedlings are continually bathed in nutrient solution in a highly oxygenated environment, which allows the plants to grow at an accelerated rate.

The uses for this system are wide and varied. Use them in a greenhouse, on a roof or a deck, for schools, food banks and shelters, restaurants, for commercial or for home use. Good health begins with good organic foods. You no longer need to rely on expensive commercially produced fruits and vegetables to support the needs of your family.

The towers were introduced to the market in April of 2012 and are available for purchase with an interest-free payment plan.

For information, contact Gwen O’Neill at 925-777-9780 or visit her blog at www.gwenoneillgarden.com. Additional information can be found at http://gwenoneill.towergarden.com.

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By Brandon Roberts, D.C.

On Saturday August, 18 about a dozen other chiropractors and I went to San Quentin State Prison to adjust inmates. It was the 9^th annual San Quentin TRUST Health Fair (TRUST stands for Teaching Responsibility Utilizing Sociological Training).

The event was sponsored by Centerforce, Bay Area Black Nurses Association, and the Alameda County Public Health Department. There were many other health care workers there including dentists, mental health, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure screens.

I wanted to get involved after hearing about it and talking to some of the chiropractors who went last year. One of the core principles of my chiropractic college (Life West) is Lasting Purpose: Give, Love, and Serve out of abundance. I thought this would be a great way to live that principle.

My thinking was only of maybe helping one person realize some people on the outside do care enough to donate their time and because of that, it might keep my family and community safer when these inmates get released. But after talking to a friend, who is a Sheriff, and hearing her thoughts on it, I had serious doubts if I wanted to be involved in helping these people who have done some very terrible, violent things to innocent people. Was it something cool to check off a list of things I’ve done in my life? Was it just about me?

I spoke with a friend who has participated for a couple of years and he told me he knows some guards who want us there. He said “after you chiropractors come we have a couple of the most peaceful days of the year.” I figured if the guards want us there then I wanted to be there.

We walked through the front gates of the prison and we searched and had out ID’s checked a couple times then had an orientation by some guards and TRUST fellows.

Then we walked out onto The Yard and were out there with the inmates working out, jogging, playing tennis and handball. It was scary and surreal. The inmates had an award ceremony and a keynote speaker. I couldn’t stop moving around I was too afraid to get comfortable listening to the speakers, I wanted to be totally aware of my surroundings at all times.

We then went to the gym and got to work. The inmates were let in about 100 at a time. The line was from one side of the yard to the other. The line to see us was probably the longest except for the dentist (they were giving out toothbrushes). There wasn’t much small talk and I didn’t even get most guys names. Usually a fist bump or maybe a hand shake. I told them “you experience your life through your nerve system, every human action or experience is through your nerve system. If you experience more stress than your body can handle it is like blowing a fuse and your body can’t work properly and you experience less life, if this happens in the spine it is called a subluxation. Chiropractors detect and correct these problems so you are more able to adapt to your environment and can have a better life experience” It doesn’t matter if they had pain or not, all I was doing was finding that stress and removing it.

It was much more calm, orderly and quite than I thought it would be, I kept having to say aloud “We’re inside San Quentin!” to my colleagues to remind myself where I was. The normalcy is what actually bothered me the most I think.

I checked some shoulders and knees from playing football and tennis on the yard. I saw some old bullet wounds that definitely reminded me were I was.

One thing I’ll never forget is a very buffed man probably in his fifties with 3 really long braids in his beard that had no expression, had his ‘Game Face’ on, looked tough as hell and was one of the only men that made me feel uncomfortable get a big grin on his face and giggle after I adjusted him.

I think I saw 45-50 inmates in the few hours we were adjusting.

We got our things together and were leaving walking back across the yard and many of the men were shouting thanks. The last man I talked to I told, I’ll see you next year he said” I hope not.” I smiled and said I hope I never see you ever again then.

There is an inmate newspaper and I adjusted the editor and he said friend me on Facebook. That’s something else I won’t forget.

There was a film crew, the guys were learning filming, editing, directing and they did a couple interviews with us.

The inmates were low to medium security and couldn’t have had any violations for at least a year to be involved in this event.

We are going to try and get chiropractic as a regular part of the inmate’s health care. Some might think, and I heard people say, “Great my tax dollars at work, what next, private chefs?” Chiropractic isn’t a luxury like a massage or a Mani Pedi. It can save the state a lot of money. Many of these inmates were saying they take Motrin, naprosyn or other NSAIDS every day.

These can cause ulcers and are one of the primary reasons for people having kidney failure and being on dialysis. If chiropractic can keep these guys off drugs and prevent these very serious, expensive side effects a lot of money will be saved. I adjusted more than one guy that had shoulder or knee surgery while in prison.

We’re also thinking about doing some kind of event for the guards also.

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