What should health insurance pay for ?

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Dr. G

Would you let yourself get sick and risk chronic illness if your health insurance did not pay for you to intervene ?

This story has occurred countless times in my career and the thousands of practitioners like me who specialize in reversing chronic disease by instructing patients and clients to take the specific steps necessary to improve health, get off medications, get their health back and live the life they never thought was possible.

Last week I had a brief consultation with a very accomplished, successful, educated middle aged professional woman. She has worked as an executive for some of the biggest firms and corporations several of which are household names. She has traveled the world and is a graduate of the best schools. Let’s call her Mary for the purposes of privacy. Mary has a long history of chronic symptoms related to the onset of at least 3 separate autoimmune disorders. The first one manifested 20 years ago and resulted in excessive steroid use among other treatments not meant to be chronic but were necessary to suppress her immune system during a crisis. These medications cannot be used long term, because they will (not might, but will) cause disease and or death.

She has all of the classic chronic autoimmune symptoms of brain fog, fatigue, memory loss (now that she’s over 60 it is accelerating), poor sleep, acid reflux, abnormal digestion and bowel movements, generalized joint pain that involves every limb, her entire spine as well as chronic headaches. Her list of medications are too long and they are all medications for the symptoms and not for the cause (because there are none that address the cause, most medications knock back symptoms) or to counteract the side effect of other medications. Mary feels sick and she looks sick.

Contradiction: Over achieve on the outside while you underachieve on inside

I met Mary at a corporate health fair after have not been to one of those events in many years. A friend asked me to attend the health fair as this was one of the biggest firms of its kind in NYC and my service is a unique one that could impact a busy executive’s ability to produce, stay happy and healthy. I enjoyed speaking with the stressed out young and middle aged professionals. The over achieving type, the type that outwardly over achieve and inwardly under achieve. The under achievement is as it relates to their physical and mental health.

Generational differences

Those I spoke with spanned several generations, from boomers to Gen X’ers to millennials and anyone in between. The millennials, many of whom have thought quite a bit about where their health comes from, were surprisingly aware of the impact of sleep, nutrition, exercise and other lifestyle choices. Without data to prove my hypothesis, I believe the millennial generation is far ahead of previous generations when they were the same age.

Getting back to Mary, a member of the boomer generation. Quite possibly the most irresponsible of all living generations when if comes to the impact of their behavior on their health. I asked Mary the following questions:

Are any of the medications you are taking addressing the cause of your health problems. Her answer was a clear and confident “NO”
Will suppressing symptoms with medications improve your health? Her answer was a clear and confident “NO”
If you continue doing what you are doing will your health decline, making it difficult for you to enjoy life and continue to be productive. Her answer was a clear and confident “YES”
Are you willing to make specific lifestyle changes tailored to your history and biochemistry based on objective testing. Changes that have been clinically shown to dramatically reverse health conditions like yours to the point of turning the clock a decade or more. Changes that can reduce or eliminate dependence on medication. Changes that can prolong not only life but the also preserve the productive capacity of your most valuable asset, your brain. Her answer was a clear and confident “Only if my insurance will cover it”.

Consequences

This type of thinking is going to cost Mary her quality of life and make her a burden to society and her family. Health insurance will not (nor should they) pay for that which preserves and promotes improved health. My car insurance will not pay for my oil changes, tire rotations and tune ups. My homeowners insurance will not pay or me to pear back dying large trees from my house so the next storm doesn’t result in a tree limb smashing my roof or windows.

There is a belief in many circles that your health insurance company has your health in mind, they don’t, they have your future crisis in mimd (heart attack, stroke, hip replacement, etc.). We are the ones who should be concerned about never costing our insurance company any more than the routine wellness check and age appropriate diagnostic test, if they are spending money on you then you are not investing in yourself.

This type of contradictory thinking is what makes really smart people make colossal mistakes and irresponsible decisions about their health. 80+% of the American healthcare bill is caused by these mistakes and poor decisions. Mistakes and decisions cause cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroid, autoimmunity, stroke and Alzheimers; not bad genetics.

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