Reform Proposal #1

Our first reform proposal for outpatient and primary care will focus on the integrating of contemplative and alternative methods of care into what is offered for health care services and is covered by insurance companies. According to Medline Plus, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard care. “Alternative medicine means treatments that you use instead of standard ones. Complementary medicine means nonstandard treatments that you use along with standard ones” (Complementary).

Currently, most forms of CAM are not covered under health insurance plans. Individuals have to pay out-of-pocket for these methods of care. Because of this, many individuals don’t even think about taking advantage of the methods because they don’t want to pay full price, even if it would be beneficial to their health. While most of these types of medicine aren’t ridiculously priced, the continuous use of them could rack up the overall price. But, if they were covered under health insurance, the individuals would pay the smaller co-pay price and be able to use more outpatient care, which in the long run, is cheaper.

Some methods of care that should be covered under health insurance are massage therapy and acupuncture, chiropractic care, disease prevention and education, meditative practices, and psychiatric therapy. The benefits of massage therapy have been shown to include the treatment and relief of many chronic conditions along with relieving stress and tension of everyday living. Acupuncture has many benefits and it can be used with many other methods for treatment and relief. Some of the benefits of acupuncture include the treatment and relief of mild to moderate depression and some types of back pain and relief from nausea, arthritis, and some migraines.

Often times, chiropractic care can offer relief from problems that other methods of care are unsuccessful at. Some benefits of chiropractic care are decreased arthritis and joint pain along with pain relief from all areas of the body and greater mobility. When the body is realigned it relieves pressure throughout, allowing the body to begin to heal on its own.

The education and early prevention of disease is beneficial because it works towards catching and treating the issue before it is too late. Individuals need to be better educated when it comes to their health and more needs to be taught so they know what they can do to try and prevent the disease or detect the disease at an early stage.

Although meditative practices are not widely popular in the United States, they have been shown to be beneficial to health. Meditative practices, such as yoga and Tai Chi, enhance the immune system, help lower blood pressure, and lead to extreme relaxation. The types of movement that are involved in these practices are very good for the body, not only because of what has already been stated, but they also can increase mobility in individuals.

Finally, by allowing individuals to visit a psychiatrist that is covered by their health insurance, they are able to talk about their problems and issues, which could benefit the individual’s mental health. Depression is such a huge issue in the United States and many people who suffer from it lack proper treatment for it. By providing health insurance to see a psychiatrist, individuals are able to have their mental health problems diagnosed and treated properly so they can work towards better health as a whole.

The use of these methods will benefit the hospitals and insurance companies in the long run because by using these less expensive methods in the beginning health care providers can prevent or detect a problem early on. This way the patient doesn’t have to wait until a more severe issue arises where their only option is to be admitted to a hospital and go through numerous tests and/or procedures to try and take care of the issue. Once the patient is admitted to the hospital, the expenses that will be accrued could be astronomical depending on the types of testing and procedures that need to be done. But, if the individual would be allowed covered access to complementary and alternative outpatient care, they would have the opportunity to fix the issue early on and end up with less expenses.


Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2009, February 25). Medline Plus. Retrieved February 26, 2009, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativemedicine.html