plus 3 more “Alternative health fair is Saturday in Silverthorne - Summit Daily News” |
- Alternative health fair is Saturday in Silverthorne - Summit Daily News
- Nicola Roxon replies to John Brumby's alternative ... - Australian Broadcasting Corp.
- Alternative health care 101 - canada.com
- How has health care reform changed Medicare Advantage ... - Plain Dealer
| Alternative health fair is Saturday in Silverthorne - Summit Daily News Posted: 08 Apr 2010 11:15 PM PDT
SILVERTHORNE — To compliment the 9Health Fair, Alpine Earth Center is planning its own free gathering to teach locals about alternative medicine and healing practices — it's set for Saturday, April 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The long-running local 9Health Fair, which took place last Saturday, provides mainstream health information, including inexpensive blood tests and wellness screenings. "(The alternative health fair) will generate exposure and interest in holistic and alternative medicine, which is not generally done by the mainstream," said Dr. Justin Pollack, a locally practicing naturopathic doctor. Professional homeopath Caroline Falkenburg agreed — Such an event is a great opportunity for locals to visit with a collection of wellness providers all in one place, she said. People will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one about various healing practices and how they can be used. Information stations on yoga, Qi Gong, pilates, homeopathy, naturopathy, nutrition, acupuncture and massage therapy will be available to health-fair visitors. Yoga, Qi Gong and pilates sample sessions will run in the upstairs fitness room. "People can actually walk into a session and participate," said Alpine Earth Center co-owner and event host Sherie Sobke. She also noted that Alpine Earth Center already puts on regular yoga sessions, and various clinics and talks. Wellness topics being presented "aren't as mainstream," Sobke added. Even so, something as simple as a yoga class could help someone with a lot of issues and make them feel better. "There are a lot of different health modalities out there that could help just with general health," she said. "You could come to something like this to address health concerns and learn about something that may be less expensive and less invasive." Depending on local enthusiasm and attendance levels, the alternative health fair may become an annual event. "Check it out," Pollack said. "There's an awesome tea shop, the river's right there. It's a neat place to visit." For more information, call (970) 468-8189 or e-mail kbreunig@alpinesolardesign.com. To learn more about Alpine Earth Center, visit www.alpineearthcenter.com. Caitlin Row can be reached at (970) 668-4633 or at crow@summitdaily.com.
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| Nicola Roxon replies to John Brumby's alternative ... - Australian Broadcasting Corp. Posted: 08 Apr 2010 03:15 PM PDT  Health Minister Nicola Roxon The Victorian premier, John Brumby, has announced his own alternative health plan just days before Kevin Rudd sits down with state and territory leaders at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The alternative scheme threatens to derail the meeting, which was originally desigend to deliver a deal on the PM's health reforms. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Alternative health care 101 - canada.com Posted: 08 Apr 2010 04:19 PM PDT When the economy is down, there's always one safe investment: your health. If you've struggled to manage your diet or a chronic condition, you may want to enlist some help beyond our overstressed health-care system. But who, exactly, does what? Here's a breakdown of a few of the alternative health-care practitioners available, explaining the basics of what they offer and tips about their trade. To find one, ask your friends and family for names of practitioners they like. And always ask the practitioner for references, says holistic nutritionist Barb Thomas. "You don't want to just see their licence or ask where they've studied; you want to know if they've actually helped people," says Thomas, owner of Love2Eat Nutritional Consulting in Calgary. Discuss your plans with your regular doctor to ensure there'll be no conflicts with current treatments or medications. Some alternative treatments may be covered by third-party insurance, so check with your provider. Dietitians What they do Assess the foods you eat, develop better nutrition strategies, help you implement them and evaluate your success. The goal is to improve health and, in some cases, to treat illness through nutrition. Must have a bachelor's degree specializing in foods and nutrition, as well as a period of practical training in a hospital or community setting. In Alberta, a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Registered Nutritionist (RN) have the same education and training. However, use of the term "nutritionist" is not protected by law in Alberta, so anyone can use it. Qualifications Look for these titles or initials: Registered Dietitian, Registered Nutritionist, Dietitian or RD. To find one Visit Dietitians of Canada at dietitians.ca and click on Find a Nutrition Professional. Source: dietitians.ca and collegeofdietitians.ab.ca Naturopathic doctors (or naturopaths) What they do Primary care using natural medicine to help the body heal itself. Practitioners are trained in herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition and supplementation, among other things. Qualifications Must have graduated from an accredited naturopathic college or university and passed the Naturopathic Licensing Exams, which are standardized in North America. To find one Visit the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors at cand.ca. Source: naturopathic-alberta.com and Bruce Lofting, ND Holistic nutritionists What they do Assess your lifestyle, emotional well-being, activity level, supplementation and nutrition. Practitioners use food -- especially locally grown, whole foods -- to correct imbalances in the body. They do not diagnose or treat disease. Qualifications Most holistic nutritionists are graduates of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, but there are other accredited schools in Canada. Many choose to register with the International Organization of Nutritional Consultants (IONC). Tips Find out where the practitioner studied and ask if he or she is registered with the IONC. To find one Visit the IONC site at ionc.org and click on Member Directory. Source: Barb Thomas, RHN, owner of Love2Eat Nutritional Consulting Chinese medicine practitioners What they do Beyond examining your background, including previous conditions and family history, practitioners examine your tongue and take your pulse on both arms to get an overall reflection of how the body is doing internally. To treat, they use a mix of herbology, acupuncture and other techniques, such as massage and energy work. Qualifications Most study at Canadian colleges that offer programs in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, such as the acupuncture program at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton or the Alberta College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Calgary. Tips Make sure the practitioner is registered for acupuncture by asking to see his or her licence. To find one Visit the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada at cmaac.ca. Source: Dennis Lee, dean of students at ACATCM Homeopathic doctors (or homeopaths) What they do Treat medical conditions using substances from plants, minerals and animals that are highly diluted in water and alcohol. Qualifications There are no regulations, so buyer beware. Homeopaths should have completed a three- to four-year homeopathy program from a recognized school that you can verify on the Internet. Ask practitioners where they studied, confirm that they graduated, and check the program online. Another good benchmark is to ask if they have at least 1,200 to 1,800 hours of homeopathic training. To find one Above all, seek referrals from other people. Conduct an Internet search for or check the Yellow Pages. Source: Helen Hardinge Field, president of the National United Professional Association of Trained Homepaths Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How has health care reform changed Medicare Advantage ... - Plain Dealer Posted: 09 Apr 2010 03:21 PM PDT By Brie Zeltner, The Plain DealerApril 09, 2010, 6:09PMHow has the health care reform bill changed Medicare Advantage plans? It hasn't. At least, not yet. The changes to Medicare Advantage, an alternative to traditional Medicare that allows the government to pay insurers to manage benefits to seniors, won't kick in until 2011. And then, the changes will be phased in gradually and depend largely on where you live, says Tricia Neuman, director of the Medicare Policy Project at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Advantage plans, used by about 23 percent of seniors nationwide and 25 percent of seniors in Ohio, were designed to save money for the government by acting like HMO's. They get subsidies -- 14 percent more than paid to providers through traditional Medicare -- because Congress in 2003 believed that the subsidies would encourage providers to expand the plans into rural and less profitable markets. "Medicare's current payment system has resulted in excess payments to Medicare Advantage," Neuman says. A George Washington University analysis quantified that excess at $1,138 per Advantage enrollee nationwide, or $1,166 for those in Ohio. The provisions in the healthcare reform bill are designed to bring payments to these plans more in alignment with payments to traditional Medicare, Neuman says. The changes will be phased in over three years -- payment rates will be frozen in 2011 and then gradually reduced. Because Medicare payments are calculated on a county-by-county basis, this will vary by area. The phase-in will make the transition a little easier for Medicare Advantage customers and insurance providers. "People should not be anxious that the sky is going to fall within the next few months or the next year," says Marc Steinberg, deputy director of health policy at Families USA, a consumer advocacy group. But, there will likely be changes, he says. Premiums may rise and some plans may reduce the extra benefits they provide as they adjust to lower payments from the government. And some insurance companies may stop offering Medicare Advantage altogether. Aetna, which serves about 101,000 Medicare Advantage customers in Ohio, said in a prepared statement that the company was "committed to continuing the successful growth of our Medicare Advantage business. We will continue to invest in this business, and our value proposition for Medicare Advantage (including our Medicare Prescription Drug plans) continues to be strong." The important thing to remember is that no one currently using Medicare Advantage is going to be suddenly without coverage, Steinberg says. "You always have options in Medicare," he says. "You can always switch to another plan if you want to stay in private plans or you always have the option of going to traditional Medicare." The bill also includes changes that will reward Medicare Advantage plans that are functioning well. Starting in 2012 plans that receive four or more stars -- out of a pre-existing, five-star rating system administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services that measures quality of care -- will receive a lower payment reduction. In 2014 Medicare Advantage plans that are paying less than 85 percent of their premium dollars towards their customers' medical care (as opposed to CEO salaries, advertising, or administrative costs) will have to remit some of those payments to the government. Nora Super, Director of Federal Government Relations for AARP, a nonpartisan, nonprofit interest group for the elderly, says the organization believes the quality incentives will be a net gain for seniors in Medicare Advantage plans. "We believe that beneficiaries should have choices available to them, but we want them to have high quality choices, and we think the changes that are in the law move the market in that direction," she says. -- Brie Zeltner Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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