The Fine Print

 

The trust Americans have in our government’s handling of our health care has long been a topic of conversation. It was before COVID, during, and has been ever since. But are we having the right conversation? Is the issue really about trust? Or is it actually about our, the public’s, lack of awareness. Maybe the government has been very clear about where it stands on public health. Perhaps we just haven’t read the fine print. 

Read for Yourself

The current Medicare Guidelines, Section 2251.3, were revised and re-published on June 27, 2003. That section specifically addresses chiropractic treatment coverage. A portion of that section of the document states:

2251.3 Necessity for Treatment.– 

1. Maintenance Therapy.—Chiropractic maintenance therapy is not medically reasonable or necessary and is not payable under the Medicare program. Maintenance therapy include services that seek to prevent disease, promote health and prolong and enhance the quality of life, or maintain or prevent deterioration of a chronic condition.

Not Medically Necessary

So the actual words on the page, the position of our government regarding the health of its citizens, is that intervention for the prevention of disease, the promotion of health, and the enhancement of quality of life is not medically necessary or reasonable. 

While this language may or may not appear elsewhere in the full Medicare Guidelines, it appears in this section. Why? Because chiropractic care is all about the prevention of disease, the promotion of health, and the enhancement of quality of life. 

What constitutes medically necessary and reasonable, what Medicare will pay for, is having the patient functioning, not thriving. To spell it out, the government doesn’t care about the health of the people.

Private Insurance

In fairness, Medicare isn’t alone. Many if not most private insurance companies have these same guidelines. But private insurance isn’t the government. It isn’t our elected officials. It isn’t our tax dollars. 

But then the government that created the Medicare Guidelines doesn’t appear to be the government Abraham Lincoln was speaking about when he said, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people…”

A Bad Risk

Many people are aware of Medicare. Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 30, 1965, Medicare was originally conceived 20 years earlier as a health insurance for senior citizens. At the time, the biggest proponents of the program were private insurance companies that found “illness-prone” seniors to be a “bad risk” that fell outside of their business model. 

Today, Medicare coverage can be obtained not only based on age, but also by disability, specific medical conditions, and work history. Perhaps not bad risks, but individuals who are vulnerable and generally at risk. According to most recent data, nearly 66,000,000 people are enrolled in Medicare. With Baby Boomers turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day, that number will grow considerably over the coming years. 

A Question for Us All

So now you’ve seen, in writing, the government’s highest hopes for its citizens. It hopes that as we age, we function – without concern for quality of life. Our government feels no sense of responsibility to support a long and healthy life for its citizens.

The question, therefore, is, what are we going to do about it? 

The Answer

The answer that will have the most impact for each and every one of us is that we take responsibility for our own health. Right now. 

The answer is that we seek out health providers who aren’t versed in government standards and Medicare and private insurance claims processing. Instead, we seek out providers who understand the body’s innate ability to heal and believe in our right to a healthy life from our first breath to our last.

The answer is we trust ourselves, and find a health provider for ourselves, our family, and friends. Someone who is willing to be a healthcare leader for you and your community. Someone willing and able to help you live at 100% for 100 years or more.

The answer is you start living your 100 Year Lifestyle today, and find a provider near you, regardless of your age. You’re never too young or too old to start living your best, healthiest life.