Important Stuff Newsletter September 2019

The Next Mini-Medical School, October 5, 2019, will be on Energy Medicine.

Summary: Energy Medicine has been used worldwide for thousands of years.  All the Asian medical practices understand life energy, which is variously called Prana or Qi/Ki. It is difficult to measure scientifically, but it is immediately apparent when it is gone.

There are also contemporary Energy medicine practices such as sound healing, Therapeutic Touch and Western applications of Qi Gong theory.  All will be discussed at our next Mini-Medical School on Energy Medicine.  We look forward to seeing you.

Important Office News

The Office Visit

Why you need an annual exam? In 2018, the US Preventive Services Task Force stated that Women do not need cervical cancer screening after age 65. The American College of Physicians (which represents ONLY Internists) backed up that statement and added that a pelvic exam was unnecessary. This policy was widely repeated on the news media. This is deeply misguided policy. In a 2017 research paper, US cervical cancer death rates were analyzed. In women aged 40-44, cervical cancer death rates were 3.3/100,000 women. The death rate from cervical cancer in women aged 65-69 was and 8.6/100,000. The cervical cancer death rate is 2.6 times higher in women 65-69.

Not only do women need more risk adjusted pap smears, they also need a physical exam. In other research, women who were regular about their exams and took their medications as prescribed had a much lower death rate.  We need you to come for your annual exam and actively participate in optimizing your health.

Let me review the core principles of A Woman’s Wellspring which are summarized on our website:

The First Community is You:

Each person is a composite of their own life experiences and their own circle of support. Every factor needs to be evaluated to develop a picture of the whole person. Each element can then be recruited into the healing process.

The Second Community is where you live:

Most of the public health research shows that the health of individuals is not separate from the health of the community. We have an obligation to ourselves to care for our community. This means taking the ecological initiative and supporting the small businesses that are based in our community, especially our local farmers. Over time the community that you care for will also care for you.

The Center of the Program is the Office Visit:

We offer 30- and 60-minute patient visits. This gives us enough time to really get to know you. The relationship does not end at the office visit. You will enter a supportive community linked by regular newsletters and educational programs. You will have the opportunity to re-discover yourself and the joys of living on the Monterey Peninsula. See how this unique holistic program can benefit you and assist you in achieving your life’s purpose.

New Challenges:

Prior Authorizations At this time of the year, you should receive an electronic or paper copy of your FORMULARY for 2020. This is an important document as it determines the cost of your medications for the coming year. We are experiencing very high prescription drug costs, especially for hormone replacement therapy. We need your help. Please keep a copy of your formulary and bring it to the office for your annual exam especially if you anticipate a change in medications. Please be aware that medication coverage changes every year. Your insurance company or Medicare PDP annually makes the most profitable contracts. They do not have a fiduciary obligation to you.

It takes the office at least 15-30 minutes to file a PA. Many offices in San Francisco are charging $50 per Prior Authorization. If you can help us with the background research, we may not need to charge for this service, or if we do, it will be much less. Background research means knowing what medications you have tried and failed, the dates, and the adverse effect.  This information, in conjunction with your 2020 FORMULARY, is essential to a prior authorization or appeal.

Cybersecurity

A Woman’s Wellspring has always invested heavily in cybersecurity, with monthly costs over $1,000. We currently have a state-of-the-art system. However, we now need to invest further to upgrade hardware for 2020.

Why? Your social security number, name, and bank account numbers sell for $25.00 on the black market. Health information (insurance info and medical records) sell for $1,000 (AARP, Sept 2019). If you have ever been burglarized and sought advice on avoiding another assault, the best recommendation is “harden the target”. These thieves are opportunists. If the job is difficult, there is always an easier job nearby. We need to make it as difficult as possible for your information to be breached. Our costs to further harden our target will be about $10,000 in 2020. I am considering adding $20 to everyone’s annual fee to cover the expense. I will keep you posted as we progress.

Additional advice from the AARP Fraud Watch is:

1. Monitor insurance benefits statements (EOB= Explanation of Benefits) for costs you did not incur. You are probably already doing this for your bank account.
2. Treat your insurance numbers as you would your Social Security Number and keep them secure.
3. Shred any medical paperwork you do not need to retain, including prescription drug labels.
4. Do not reveal on social media any surgery, medical procedure or visit to a specialist. Post vacation pics after you get home.

When we work together to keep our community safe, we will have the best health and the most fun.