15 Aug 2012

President Obama: My Plan Strengthens Medicare, Their Plan Ends It

By Randy Stalsberg

In Dubuque, Iowa, this afternoon, President Obama laid out the clear choice in this election between his plan to strengthen Medicare and the Romney-Ryan plan to end Medicare as we know it.

 

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYzBOWrPV0o&feature=youtu.be

 

TRANSCRIPT

I think they know their plan's not very popular. You can tell that because they are being pretty dishonest about my plan. Especially, by the way, when it comes to Medicare. Now, this is something I've got to point out here because they are just throwing everything at the wall to see if it sticks. Here is what you need to know: I have strengthened Medicare. I have made reforms that have saved millions of seniors with Medicare hundreds of dollars on their prescription drugs. I've proposed reforms that will save Medicare money by getting rid of wasteful spending in the health care system - reforms that will not touch your Medicare benefits, not by a dime. Now, Mr. Romney and his running mate have a very different plan. They want to turn Medicare into a voucher program. That means seniors would no longer have the guarantee of Medicare, they'd get a voucher to buy private insurance. And because the voucher wouldn't keep up with costs, the plan offered by Governor Romney's running mate, Congressman Ryan, would force seniors to pay an extra $6,400 a year, and I assume they don't have it. My plans already extended Medicare by nearly a decade. Their plan ends Medicare as we know it. My plan reduces the cost of Medicare by cracking down on fraud and waste and subsidies to insurance companies. Their plan makes seniors pay more so they can give another tax cut to millionaires and billionaires. That's the difference between our plans on Medicare, that's an example of the choice in this election, and that's why I am running for a second term as President of the United States of America.
15 Aug 2012

American Lung Association Report Aims to Reduce Tobacco Use in Rural Communities

By Dona Wininsky

Des Moines, IA, (August, 15, 2012) –The American Lung Association's latest health disparity report, "Cutting Tobacco's Rural Roots:  Tobacco Use in Rural Communities," examines tobacco addiction and exposure to secondhand smoke in rural America, particularly among rural youth.

Tobacco use is higher in rural communities than in suburban and urban communities, and smokeless tobacco use is shockingly twice as common.  Rural youth are more likely to use tobacco and to start earlier than urban youth, perpetuating the cycle of tobacco addiction and death and disease.

"Tobacco use is often more socially acceptable in rural areas, especially chewing tobacco, making it more likely that kids living in these communities will also start to use tobacco," said Janice Jensen, Executive Director with Dallas County Public Health. "Dallas County and other rural community leaders and residents need to take a stand against the culture of tobacco use as part of life and empower our future generations to have healthy, tobacco-free lives."

There are a number of environmental and social factors that contribute to this generational cycle of tobacco use among youth and adults in rural America.

Increased tobacco use is associated with lower education levels and lower income, which are both common in rural areas where there may be fewer opportunities for educational and economic advancement.  Exposure to secondhand smoke is also higher as rural communities are less likely to have smokefree air laws in place and residents are less likely to refuse to allow smoking in their homes or other indoor places.

For decades, the tobacco industry has used rural imagery, such as the Marlboro Man, to promote its products and appeal to rural audiences.  Over the past several years, the tobacco industry's marketing of smokeless tobacco products has skyrocketed. Sadly as the tobacco industry spends millions of dollars targeting rural youth, these youth are less likely to be exposed to tobacco counter-marketing campaigns.  Rural tobacco users are also less likely to have access to tobacco cessation programs and services to get the help they need to quit.

Many rural states have low tobacco taxes.  Raising tobacco prices is a proven strategy to reduce tobacco use.  In Iowa, the tobacco tax is $1.36 which is lower than the current average state cigarette tax of $1.46 per pack.  Promotion of the availability of state quit-smoking counseling services by phone and online resources also lags.

The American Lung Association in Iowa is calling on government agencies, the research and funding community, health systems and insurers, community leaders, schools and families to take steps now to cut tobacco's rural roots.  "The rural community clearly requires special attention if we hope to end the epidemic of tobacco use in this country.  We must all work together as neighbors to overcome this health disparity," said Kimberly Horn, Ed. D., Associate Dean of Research, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

The American Lung Association offers smoking cessation resources to help people quit smoking for good.

  • Freedom From Smoking® is a program that teaches the skills and techniques that have been proven to help hundreds of thousands of adults quit smoking. Freedom From Smoking is available as a group clinic, an online program and a self-help book.
  • Not-On-Tobacco® (N-O-T) is a group program designed to help 14 to 19 year old smokers end their addiction to nicotine. The curriculum consists of ten 50-minute sessions that typically occur once a week for 10 weeks.
  • The Lung HelpLine, 1-800-LUNG-USA, offers one-on-one support from registered nurses and respiratory therapists.  Individuals have the opportunity to seek guidance on lung health and find out how to participate in and join the Lung Association smoking cessation programs.

In addition to expanding the Lung Association's capability to provide its programs and services to the rural community, there are also several other action steps to reduce rural tobacco use.  These steps are detailed in the full report, and include that state and federal tobacco control programs must make a concerted effort and dedicate funding to reach rural communities; the research community should focus attention and resources on identifying effective cessation treatments for smokeless tobacco use; and school, health and employment systems in rural areas must all implement effective tobacco control strategies including smokefree air policies and access to cessation services.

Micki Sandquist, Micki.Sandquist@LungIA.org. To download a copy of the report, visit:

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About the American Lung Association: Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungia.org. 
14 Aug 2012

Use a Gasoline-Powered ATV Wheelchair to go into the Outdoors

By John Phillips

When Chet Dyreson crashed his motorcycle in a motocross race and injured his T1 through T5 vertebrae in his spinal cord, he became paralyzed. Once he realized he would have to spend the rest of his life in wheelchair, he was devastated. However, Dyreson was not a man made for self pity. Little did he know then that his accident would enable him to free many outdoor enthusiasts from their wheelchairs and give them the ability to take themselves into the outdoors and participate in outdoor sports.
After his injury, Dyreson began to build gasoline-powered all-terrain vehicle (ATV) wheelchairs that would cross creeks, climb mountains, travel through mud and snow and take a wheelchair outdoor enthusiast into the back country to hunt and fish. Dyreson explains, "Because I'd been riding motocross bikes most of my life, I understood how much power and speed small gasoline engines could deliver. When I built my first ATV wheelchair, I used a 250cc Kawasaki engine designed and built for a John Deere ATV to power it."

But, what Dyreson didn't know was how-much gas mileage he could get out of the engine, how reliable these small engines could be, and how fast they could push a wheelchair. "Reliability is the first priority a person in a wheelchair needs to consider if they're planning to go off-road," Dyreson says. "We can't just hop out of our wheelchairs and walk back to camp.

To test the dependability of the ATV wheelchair with all-terrain tires, Dyreson decided to take a road trip from Perris, California, to Washington D.C. and learned:

  • his ATV wheelchair would get 100 miles per gallon with a range of 350 miles;
  • his ATV wheelchair could run-up to 55-miles per hour on the highway. "That's the speed a highway patrolman clocked me at, before he pulled me over," Dyreson says.
  • a gasoline-powered wheelchair running on major interstates and highways was not illegal; and
  • he could make a 4,000-mile trip in his ATV wheelchair without a single breakdown.

 

 

To learn more about this amazing man and the ATV wheelchairs he creates for adventures in the outdoors, go to Chet Dyreson's website at  www.wheelingtocuresci.org.

To read more stories about amazing people who have overcome their injuries, get the new Kindle eBooks, "Moving Forward: The Stories of Hometown Heroes" and "Courage: The Stories of Hometown Heroes," both by John E. Phillips. Go to http://www.amazon.com/kindle-ebooks, type in the names of these books, and download them to your Kindle and/or download a Kindle app for your iPad, Smartphone or computer.

 


# # #
10 Aug 2012

Hijacking the Brain How Drug and Alcohol Addiction Hijacks Our Brains

By Ginny Grimsley

When Bill W. and Dr. Bob created Alcoholics Anonymous 77 years ago, they borrowed principles learned from a Christian fellowship called the Oxford Group to create their 12-step recovery program.

"They knew that their spiritual program was effective where other 'cures' had failed, and over the years, there have been many theories as to why," says Dr. Harry Haroutunian, physician director of the Betty Ford Center in Palm Springs, and collaborator with Dr. Louis Teresi on the book, Hijacking the Brain: How Drug and Alcohol Addiction Hijacks our Brains - The Science Behind Twelve-Step Recovery (www.HijackingTheBrain.com).

"Now we know that stress is the fuel that feeds addiction, and that stress and drug and alcohol use cause neurological and physiological changes," Haroutunian says. "The changes are primarily in the deep brain reward centers, the limbic brain, responsible for decisions, memory and emotion. These centers are 'hijacked' by substance abuse, so that the addicted person wants the booze or drug over anything else. "

As a scientist and physician applying the 12-step program to his own life, Teresi studied the physiological changes triggered by this seemingly non-scientific treatment.

"One response is that elements of 12-step programs reduce stress and increase feelings of comfort and reward through chemical changes in the brain and body. These changes allow for neuronogenesis - the birth of neurons in the brain," Teresi says.

"As substances of abuse affect the limbic brain, so do 12-step recovery practices."

Teresi says the 11th step in the program, which emphasizes spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation, works for the following reasons:

• Chilling out: Addiction is a cycle of bad habits. When something bad happens, an alcoholic drinks to feel better. When something good occurs, he drinks to celebrate. After years of this behavior, a person needs a way to step outside of himself to maintain sobriety. Regular prayer or meditation achieves that and becomes "that other habitual option" for responding to emotions, he says.

• "Mindfulness" meditation: While certain forms of prayer are effective, meditation may be a more direct way to achieve the kind of beneficial self-regulation that makes the 11th step so crucial, Teresi says. Mindfulness meditation incorporates active Focused Attention and the more passive Open Monitoring to raise a person's awareness of his impulses, leading to better self-control.

• The three-fold manner: A successful 11th step tends to have the following benefits: First, stress is relieved in both cognitive and emotional reactivity, as evidenced by reduced cortisol (stress hormone) levels and other biological indicators. Second, some forms of meditation are shown to stimulate the brain's reward centers, releasing dopamine - a mood elevator -- while improving attention and memory. Third, an increased sense of connectivity and empathy to others is achieved, satisfying our natural need for social connection and reducing stress.

Sobriety is not so much about not drinking or drugging, Teresi says.

"It's about developing an attitude and lifestyle that brings sufficient serenity and personal reward that drinking, or taking any mood-altering drug, is simply unnecessary."

About Dr. Teresi & Dr. Haroutunian

Louis Teresi earned his medical degree from Harvard, where he completed honors concentration courses in neuroscience. In more than 24 years of practice, Teresi has authored numerous peer-reviewed papers, winning 14 national and international awards for his research, and is a senior member of the American Society of Neuroradiology. He is a grateful recovering alcoholic.

Dr. Harry L. Haroutunian, known as "Dr. Harry," is an internationally known speaker on addiction who has created the "Recovery 101" lecture series. As physician director of the Betty Ford Center, Dr. Haroutunian has contributed to the development of a variety of programs. He is the author of the soon-to-be-published book "Staying Sober When Nothing Goes Right" and collaborated with Dr. Louis Teresi, author of "Hijacking the Brain: How Drug and Alcohol Addiction Hijacks our Brains - The Science Behind Twelve-Step Recovery."

08 Aug 2012

Davenport Nursing Home Welcomed U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack; He Discussed Value of Quality Care in Iowa's and Nation's Healthcare Delivery System

By Rick Martin

Davenport, IA - In thanking U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) for touring ManorCare Health Services - Utica Ridge today, Davenport's local skilled nursing facility (SNF) care community demonstrated why facilities like this across Iowa are vital to Iowa seniors, the Davenport-area's local economy and workforce, and a key piece of the policy puzzle in terms of helping to improve care quality and reduce healthcare costs.

"Our patients and staff appreciate the time Congressman Loebsack took to visit our facility, and to see first-hand how nursing homes like ours are evolving to meet the needs of a more diverse patient population," stated Kim Hufsey, administrator at ManorCare Health Services - Utica Ridge. "We welcome the opportunity to meet with lawmakers so that they can more fully understand why nursing homes of the 21st Century, like ours, are vital to helping more seniors return home more quickly, and why it has never been more important for our lawmakers to preserve, protect and defend the Medicare funding our patients depend upon for quality care."

Hufsey pointed to a new study finding Iowa nursing homes and the patients under their care face a $30 million cumulative reduction in Medicare funding in 2013-14 as a result of several different federal budgetary actions and regulatory payment changes made by Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) since 2009. Nationally, nursing homes and their patients face nearly $4 billion in reductions in 2013-14, and a $65 billion reduction over 10 years, according to the independent health policy advisory firm, Avalere Health.

"It was great to meet with all of the patients, employees and administrators at ManorCare Utica Ridge and see all the wonderful work that is being done there.  Facilities like these are important pillars in our community, providing jobs as well as important services to local residents," said Congressman Dave Loebsack.  "Having been raised in part by my grandmother, I know first-hand how critical Medicare is to our seniors, which is why I will always fight to preserve and protect it.  I also know how essential it is to help our seniors return home quickly to their families.  It is places like ManorCare that can serve as an example toother healthcare providers when it comes to providing the quality, affordable care that our seniors need."

ManorCare Health Services - Utica Ridge treats primarily post-acute care patients in need of short-term rehabilitation or therapy care before returning home to independent living. Participants in today's tour stressed the increasingly important role of nursing homes in the nation's evolving healthcare system, particularly among high-acuity, short-stay patients.

"Unfortunately, our current post-acute care system relies on a siloed payment structure that does not achieve efficiency in spending, or do enough to help us sustain our quality improvement initiatives," Hufsey continued.  "We encourage lawmakers to advance policies that improve patient care and foster stability in a healthsector already under stress due to recent Medicare funding cuts and regulatory payment changes ? changes which directly impact our vulnerable nursing home patients, our fragile front-line care workforce, and economically-stressed facilities across Iowa."

"It will be essential for our Washington leaders to help sustain Medicare funding levels in a manner that ensures the ongoing stability of our facility," added Hufsey.  "We look forward to working with Congressman Loebsack to ensure his elderly constituents always have access to the quality long term and post-acute care they deserve, and can continue to return homeafter successful rehabilitation as soon as possible."

The Avalere study projects the 2013-14 budgetary impact on Iowa based on the following major government actions since 2009: Affordable Care Act (ACA) productivity adjustment ($10.8 million cut in 2013); Case-Mix Adjustment in FY 2010 CMS Rule ($11.2 million regulatory reduction in 2013); Forecast Error Adjustment in FY 2011 CMS Rule ($2 million regulatoryreduction in 2013); Sequestration provision of Budget Control Act ($6.6 million cut on January 1, 2013); Bad Debt provision in March 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act ($3.1 million cut 2012-14 beginning October 1, 2012). Additional information and methodology notes available at www.aqnhc.org

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08 Aug 2012

Research Shows PSA Test Saves Lives

By ZeroHour

Newly published research from the University of Rochester Medical Center shows that the PSA test has life-saving benefits to men of all ages. Without routine PSA testing, the number of men diagnosed with an incurable form of advanced prostate cancer, also referred to as metastatic prostate cancer, would triple.

Many prostate cancer experts believe widespread availability and usage of the PSA test contributed to a prostate cancer death rate reduction by nearly half. Dr. David Samadi, a leading robotic prostatectomy surgeon from The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, points out the precision with which this data supports that claim.

"Today, roughly 8,000 men are diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. To triple that number would, in fact, double the number of men who succumb to the disease each year," he explains.

ZERO has partnered with Dr. Samadi, Vice Chairman, Department of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, to help educate and answer questions from our readers. Look for more content from him in future issues of ZEROHour!

Click Here to Read More from Dr. Samadi on PSA Testing

Prostate Cancer Among African American Men Reaches Epidemic Proportions

The U.S. Senate recently passed a resolution acknowledging that awareness and prevention of prostate cancer is as critical as it's ever been for African American men. The resolution, which was introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), urges federal agencies to address what they're now calling an "epidemic" by supporting education, awareness outreach and research specifically focused on how prostate cancer affects black men.

African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world, with one in five men getting the disease during his lifetime. Want to know more about your risk? Read ZERO's fact sheet Ten Things African American Men Should Know About Prostate Cancer.

Click Here to Read the Full Story

07 Aug 2012

Congressman DaveLoebsack to Visit Davenport Nursing Home to See First-Hand the Value of SNFCare in Aiding Seniors' Rehabilitation

By Joe Hand

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) will visit a local Davenport skilled nursing facility (SNF) this Wednesday to meet with patients, residents, family members and staff to discuss how and why nursing home care is vital to local seniors' rehabilitative care, important to the local jobs base, and an essential part of the equation to help bring about efficiencies in federal health care spending.

Representatives from the Iowa SNF community will detail how facilities across the state are evolving to meet the growing needs of an increasingly diverse, rehabilitation-oriented patient population and how Medicare and Medicaid payment policies are impacting post-acute and long term care for the state's elderly and disabled.

WHO:                           Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA)

Kim Hufsey, Facility Administrator

 

WHERE:                         ManorCare Health Services -Utica Ridge

3800 Commerce Blvd.

Davenport, IA 52807

563-344-2000

 

WHEN:                          Wednesday, August 8, 2012

10:15 - 11:00 a.m.

07 Aug 2012

Genesis Is Building Physical Therapy And Sports Rehabilitation Facility

By Craig Cooper
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Aug. 7, 2012 -- Genesis Health System and development partner Build To Suit, Bettendorf, have broken ground for a 10,500-square foot building that will house the Genesis Center for Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation at Eastern Avenue and 53rd Street.

Treatment options new to the region will include underwater and anti-gravity treadmills to expedite recovery after surgery or injury.

"This facility will have features unlike any now available in the region for recovery from injury or surgery,'' said Doug Boleyn, outpatient rehabilitation services director, Genesis Health System. "We will also have an emphasis on recovery of athletes or anyone who has suffered an injury while participating in sports.''

The underwater treadmill allows individuals to maximize their recovery potential by returning to functional training, such as walking, running and swimming much earlier in their recovery process and, with significantly less pain. Having the ability to adjust water temperature will allow for muscle relaxation and reduction of joint stiffness with warm temperatures and swelling control with cooler temperatures.

The underwater treadmill will be equipped with video analysis. Swimmers will be able to swim against resistance and runners will be able to train while having mechanics videotaped to decrease the possibility of future injuries and maximize performance.

An anti-gravity treadmill, developed by NASA, uses air pressure in a chamber to gently lift the user and is used primarily for rehabilitation of lower extremity injuries and athletic training.

The facility will have higher ceiling height, a pitching mound, golf net, running lanes and a lounge called the Chill Zone for cool down after workouts. The features will allow athletes greater opportunity for a quicker return to competitive athletics. Sports-specific training will be available.

The Genesis Rehabilitation staff will continue to provide one-on-one individualized care for both acute and chronic pain. Services include treatment for muscle, bone and joint pain, return to work training, pre- and post-operative recovery, balance/dizziness dysfunctions and TMJ/headache pain. A certified hand specialist will continue to restore maximal upper extremity function regardless of the degree of the injury.

Paul Boffeli, vice president and project manager for Built To Suit, said he believes the Genesis facility could stimulate additional development in the area.

"There is a lot of opportunity for additional development on 53rd Street and Eastern Avenue. So far, commercial development has been limited, but we think this project may open the area to other projects,'' Boffeli said.

The building is scheduled to be completed by Jan. 1.

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07 Aug 2012

The Right Choice For Iowans?

By Cassandra Furlong

If you were offered more health coverage for less money, would you take it?

That's the question before Iowa policymakers right now. They have the choice to expand the Medicaid program starting in 2014, extending health coverage to nearly 200,000 more Iowans - or they can refuse.

If they do expand coverage to some of our state's most vulnerable citizens, they could save the state $72 million over the next eight years.  What's more - the federal government has even agreed to pay 100 percent of the costs to expand the program for the first two years, and no less than 90 percent after that!

Yet Governor Terry Branstad has said he'd rather not.

Tell Gov. Branstad and legislative leaders (Sen. Gronstal, Rep. Paulsen, Rep. Upmeyer) you want the Medicaid expansion to help more hard-working, low-income Iowans gain access to care - including potentially life-saving cancer prevention and early detection screenings.

Expanding the program is a win-win for the state - saving lives and dollars.

Take action today to let policymakers know this is a common-sense solution and a step in the right direction in the fight against cancer.

07 Aug 2012

Art from the Heart: Four Local Students Explore Healing with Horses

By Brittany Marietta

While the start of the school year finds many reminiscing about lazy summer days of play and relaxation, four young local artists spent a week of their vacation exploring the unique healing powers of horses.  As part of the Murals course at Rivermont Collegiate Summer Camp 2012, four students created a truly impressive 5' x 7' mural on canvas drop cloth to be displayed in the arena/pole barn at Juan Diez Rancheros in Davenport.

Before beginning, students spoke with Juan Diez Rancheros about their mission and explored the purpose of their mural.  Juan Diez Rancheros is a non-profit program offering free horse therapy for children who have been abused or emotionally traumatized, with the use of rescued horses.  The program is unlike any other horse therapy offered in the Quad Cities, with testimonials describing children who have become more conversational, trusting, expressive, and patient after interacting with the horses.

Rivermont Mural Presentation at Juan Diez Rancheros.JPG

Rivermont students Dwira Nandini (5th grade), Asha Alla (5th grade), Adam Chamberlain (6th grade), and Maryam Rasheed (6th grade) chose to paint a young girl interacting with a horse with the Centennial Bridge in the background.  This was an ambitious project - work was completed in only about two days!  Dwira, Asha, Adam, and Maryam chose the bridge to represent the Quad Cities and symbolize "bridging the gap" - connecting the child's heart with the horse's heart.  They chose to paint silhouettes so that any child could picture themself as the subject of the mural.  The group brainstormed for the ideal words to encircle the image, with each student ultimately selecting one of the four - caring, hope, friendship, and healing.  Maryam explained the soft, cool colors were chosen to express a mood of friendship and bonding.  Her favorite aspects of the project included painting the figures - the girl and the horse having "a moment" - and learning how horses can connect to children and help them overcome trauma.

Students delivered the mural to Juan Diez Rancheros on Friday, August 3rd and it has been described as an "incredible display of inspiration."  Tremendous thanks go out to the leaders of the Murals course, Dominic Velando and Laura Klavitter, without which this project could not have been completed.

For more information on Juan Diez Rancheros, visit http://juandiezrancheros.org

For more information on Rivermont Collegiate, visit http://www.rvmt.org

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