Health and Election '08

According to NaturalNews, one of my favorite health sites, the only candidate left that is possibly going to help the natural health industry maintain freedom is Barak Obama.

They claim that Hilary is going to force everyone to get insurance that doesn't generally cover natural therapies or health.

Does anyone else have any ideas on who might be best for president when it comes to natural health?

Of course we need a solution for health care in case of emergencies. We also, as a wellness community, need to convince the health care industry to cover prevention as well as disease. In other words, people who workout and eat right don't have as many illnesses and emergencies as those who do. So, why doesn't health care cover gym memberships, personal trainers, and dieticians? In the long run, wouldn't that save a heck of a lot of money (and lives)?

I'd like to hear more about how farming subsidies affect our economy and the foods we have plentiful and available at low prices.

Great question, great answers. This one really made me think. I'm definitely on board with free wellness checkups, for everyone. If a disease or other serious health problem is caught early enough and can be readily treated, that's a positive for everyone involved obviously. But then, what happens if the person doesn't have insurance, or does but must still pay some costs out of pocket. It's amazing, even for me with some health issues but nothing serious, what kind of services aren't fully covered, or covered at all. Not to mention the prices of medication. It's clear, the insurance companies have to be reigned in, and soon. We need universal health care that's affordable and that cares for customers(patients). But it's true, working to keep yourself healthy is important, to hopefully avoid those costs and keep your every day costs down, and give provide yourself a longer, healthier, fulfilling life. I think major corporations should be required to offer wellness programs-like team sports or a gym, etc.

The only solution is to take control of your own health. I have lived in the UK where health care is free for everyone. While I love the idea of this, the practical reality is that this is great for people like me who are passionate about taking care of their health. But what about the person who eats loads of rubbish, doesn't exercise, and smokes. I believe that a National Health service should be put into place for car accidents and major health problems. The rest is up to you...taking control of your health is one of the first steps to being in control of you life!

I agree, Mary. I think that wellness checkups are a totally cool idea. It seems to me that community health clinics are the best route to do this because they tend to do outreach in underserved communities, so if they had better government funding, I think that would solve a lot of health issues and the crucial issue of health inequities and a lack of knowledge regarding one's health in a very immediate way.

Wellness Programs. I think we should have wellness checkups available to everyone with age approriate tests. Like it or not insurance is a huge issue. Many people wait to seek treatment because they lack insurance or have poor coverage. If free wellness checkups were available we would be able to catch illnesses earlier, and deal with blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity issues before they got out of hand. This would save lives and money.

Wow.... Stephanie, that's really interesting. I actually never thought of it that way, but it's true--I believe that health insurance IS a major scam. I know there are lots of people who have serious chronic health issues, so I agree with you that health insurance should cover those things. I would like to see the country consider alternative methods to approaching health issues and get more proactive about their health rather than depending on doctors' prescriptions, etc. Things like visits to the ER or major surgery should be covered for everyone, like in other countries, but the dependence on doctors when it comes to stuff like a minor cold, etc., seems a little bit silly and potentially dangerous. Personally, I'd like to see more candidates talk about holistic health methods as well as address the importance of stuff like pesticide-free foods and more localized farming solutions. Addressing major epidemics and stuff like AIDS research also is important to me.

No More Insurance. I am really sick and tired of people going on about how people don't have health insurance. I'd like to see someone come up with a plan where *no-one* would need health insurance. I think the health insurance industry is a big scam and only serves to increase health costs. Insurance, if anything, should only cover catastrophic events and should not be the first go-to for every trip to the doctor. Too many general practitioners have shut their doors due to insurance nightmares. I have not had insurance for over 10 years and when I did have it, they refused to pay for services they were supposed to cover. Then I was denied insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Well, barring major surgery it is actually cheaper to just pay for a doctor's visit once a year than pay $125 or more per month for insurance. As long as insurance companies run health care then health care will be bad in this country.