from Verse One Hundred SevenTo cause trouble not to arise is easy, to act helpfully in trouble is hard. People today do not strive to cause trouble not to arise, they strive to help out in trouble. Even sages could not devise a plan for them.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries~
When we look at the health care system in the United States, it's amazing to think that this isn't what Lao Tzu was specifically referring to!
Our supposedly vaunted system is set up more to cure disease than to prevent it. In fact, if we look at the entirety of western culture practiced in the US of A, our society is built on the edifice of creating calamity so that someone can ride to the rescue at a handsome profit.
It's a sad fact that many health insurance companies refuse to cover the costs of acupuncture, naturopaths, osteopaths, massage and other forms of alternative care that seek to balance the body and ward off disease before it can take hold.
In place of these practices that stress better health through prevention, billions of dollars are funneled to companies who produce a cornucopia of pharmaceuticals -- substances that typically ONLY help once someone is already sick!
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Our supposedly vaunted system is set up more to cure disease than to prevent it. In fact, if we look at the entirety of western culture practiced in the US of A, our society is built on the edifice of creating calamity so that someone can ride to the rescue at a handsome profit.
It's a sad fact that many health insurance companies refuse to cover the costs of acupuncture, naturopaths, osteopaths, massage and other forms of alternative care that seek to balance the body and ward off disease before it can take hold.
In place of these practices that stress better health through prevention, billions of dollars are funneled to companies who produce a cornucopia of pharmaceuticals -- substances that typically ONLY help once someone is already sick!
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
"You unpatriotic, rotten, doctor, commie rat!"
ReplyDeleteBoB Dylan.
That particular snippet is very good.
ReplyDeleteSome carriers do provide coverage for alternative therapies...but only in the face of a diagnosis (at which point it may be too late).
ReplyDeleteMy Chinese dermatologist, who is always trying to "save my money" (despite coverage that pays all my costs) recommended a massage therapist for something unrealted to my skin...not covered.
We should take responsibility for our own preventive care...and many carriers encourage that through their health education programs (or propaganda, if you will.) What I expect is that the carriers will start to enforce such things as part of the deal. Maybe that would be a good thing. But I doubt it...it would only benefit the insurers.
Commenting on my own comment-- in my mail tonight was the slick magazine from my health insurer, one of the Blue Plans, (for whom I used to work, and who NEVER would have published such a magazine back then, too flashy, too expensive) and one of the features was an article on ...meditation...and the health benefits of mindfulness, tai chi, qi gong and yoga. The insurer is offering classes.
ReplyDeleteAlso today, we started our little work unit competition (very Chinese, really) for healthy changes in 2010...points for various activities. Not interested in marathon training, weekend hiking with coworkers, or basketball, I convinced the committee to approve qi gong (yoga had been included as one of the activities.) So now we have a qi gong group in the office...I am sharing shifu duties with the only other person who has any clue as to what this is all about. (Once we master breathing, I hope to encourage meditation in the dark...on company time.)
The last innsurance company-health educator to visit our office told us to eat healthy for the holidays...it was kind of a downer. I wonder if they'll send around a guru next.