Minutus

Monday, May 19, 2003, 11:34:44 PM, Rochelle wrote:
Hi Rochelle,
Maybe some day self prescribing will no longer be necessary, when the
social security treat homeopathy the same way as regular medical
treatment (so that patient receive 2/3 back of payment)

Until that day im afraid that the majority of the people find
homeopath to expensive.
Marleen

Hi Marleen,

This is a really interesting issue, IMO.
On the one hand I too would *love* to see homeopathy reimbursed by
insurance. On the other hand, IMO there is a definite downside to that.
Just a couple of quick thoughts I've had on the topic:

(1) Any practitioner whose patients are expecting "reimbursement" will feel
a need to treat in a "reimbursable" fashion, i.e. treat according to
guidelines acceptable to the reimbursing parties (the insurance companies).
In the world of "traditional" medicine (sheesh, *whose* tradition???), this
situation has brought us the five-minute office visit, the doctor who
prescribes without examining (or, sometimes, even talking to!) the patient,
the glorification of drugs above, oh, lifestyle management etc., and all
sorts of other wonders which have made "traditional" medicine such a (ahem)
difficult experience for many (both patients and practitioners). Not sure
we really need to be tied into that... And also:

(2) There's something a little weird, IMO, about an attitude that something
as personal, and of such central importance, as one's own health, should be
subject to something as bottom-line-driven as reimbursement by an insurance
company!!!! I grant (emphatically) that for some people these costs are out
of reach, and I believe (emphatically!!!) that anyone in a serving
profession -- e.g. homeopaths! -- should make a part of their practice hours
available to those who need reduced rates, or even free treatment. (And I
mean those who *need* reduced rates, *NOT* those who would rather spend the
money on non-essentials...).

I think this is an area where further thought and discussion could be
fruitful. I don't think we *want* our personal healthcare decisions to be
determined by corporate interests -- do we?

Cheers,
Shannon
on 5/20/03 3:39 AM, Marleen at marleen.scheers@pandora.be wrote:

Hi Marleen,

(Re-sending with corrected date, sorry!)

This is a really interesting issue, IMO.
On the one hand I too would *love* to see homeopathy reimbursed by
insurance. On the other hand, IMO there is a definite downside to that.
Just a couple of quick thoughts I've had on the topic:

(1) Any practitioner whose patients are expecting "reimbursement" will feel
a need to treat in a "reimbursable" fashion, i.e. treat according to
guidelines acceptable to the reimbursing parties (the insurance companies).
In the world of "traditional" medicine (sheesh, *whose* tradition???), this
situation has brought us the five-minute office visit, the doctor who
prescribes without examining (or, sometimes, even talking to!) the patient,
the glorification of drugs above, oh, lifestyle management etc., and all
sorts of other wonders which have made "traditional" medicine such a (ahem)
difficult experience for many (both patients and practitioners). Not sure
we really need to be tied into that... And also:

(2) There's something a little weird, IMO, about an attitude that something
as personal, and of such central importance, as one's own health, should be
subject to something as bottom-line-driven as reimbursement by an insurance
company!!!! I grant (emphatically) that for some people these costs are out
of reach, and I believe (emphatically!!!) that anyone in a serving
profession -- e.g. homeopaths! -- should make a part of their practice hours
available to those who need reduced rates, or even free treatment. (And I
mean those who *need* reduced rates, *NOT* those who would rather spend the
money on non-essentials...).

I think this is an area where further thought and discussion could be
fruitful. I don't think we *want* our personal healthcare decisions to be
determined by corporate interests -- do we?

Cheers,
Shannon
on 5/20/03 3:39 AM, Marleen at marleen.scheers@pandora.be wrote:

Dear Marleen
The problem is not that with the majority of my patients. They say that they don't want to disturb me at the weekend or evenings or whatever. I am continually explaining that if I am in I will pick up the phone and if I am not I will phone them back. My charges include any phone calls until the next visit provide they are regular patients and the ones that tend to do the self prescribing are. Others know that they can phone the Homeopathic Helpline and that I will provide any remedy that they don't have for a very modest fee. I would rather that they did that for acutes as I hate being put on the spot with them or having to spend time on them and call them back. The HH in UK is open from 9a.m. to midnight every day and charges £1.50 a minute but they prescribe in 3 or 4 minutes so it is cheaper than seeing me!!

I use to sit in on a low cost children's clinic in the next big town from me when I was a student and I can tell you that the majority of patients were middle class and could well afford to pay the usual prices. In fact the parents used to see the homeopath who ran the clinic. What we need to do is to educate the lower class families to their right to demand homeopathy and in UK you can get it on the National Health although you have to wait 3 months for an appointment at the Liverpool Homeopathic clinic ( there used to be a hospital) and former patients complain to me that they see a different person each time they go. I am also not happy at their long term prescribing which is often take a pillule a day until you return back in 3 months with no education on homeopathy.
Regards Rochelle
www.rochellemarsden.co.uk

Have you signed up with Alternative Link? They have
established
codes for alternative healthcare providers and seeking to enlist
insurance companies to use these codes for re-imbursement.
I agree it is a double edge sword. Most people choose their
healthcare with their pocketbook. From the perspective of M.D.
homeopaths in the U.S., the cost of just providing homeopathic
care (insurance, office, etc) coupled with the fact each patient
takes a significant longer time to take their case than it does in
the allopathic sector, it almost becomes essential to utilize the
insurance system if possible.
I, too, believe it is important to 'give back' - provide less
expensive or free care to those truly in need. But I also feel that
it
is each patient's duty (and part of their healing) to give (whether
money or otherwise) for the care they receive.
No easy answers.
--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, Robert&Shannon Nelson wrote:
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