"We accept ALL cases..."

". . . regardless of their physical condition or ability to pay."

When I was first exposed to chiropractic, it was from the perspective that we were all designed to be healthy and to live a full and powerful life. Further, the concept was that we don't as much need so much help from the outside (doctors, medicine, etc.) as we simply need less interference. And knowing what we know about health, it is really immoral to withhold care from someone either because they might have been "diagnosed" with some incurable disease OR because they simply did not have the financial wherewithal at the moment to pay for their care.

While I consider myself a free enterprise advocate, I frankly appalled at our health care system in America. It's absolutely shocking to me that someone can be told that they MUST have a certain procedure BUT their insurance policy does not cover that particular procedure OR they have a "pre-existing condition" that nullifies their coverage. To me, it is simply unethical and immoral to withhold care essential to a person's health and well-being for any conceivable reason. Of course that presumes that the person doesn't have a death wish and is not continuing (or will not continue) to do those things that might have caused their health problem.

Because I practice from the premise that you are supposed to be healthy and that what I do can help your body function better REGARDLESS of what your diagnosis may be, I simply cannot withhold care from someone seeking it. Now, that doesn't mean that I promise a cure for any and all disease whatsoever. It also doesn't mean that mine is a free clinic. I do have a fee system based on a membership concept. You pay more by the visit than you would by the month or by the year. And, my fee system is designed to be more reasonable than those based on third party payment systems like insurance.

Obviously, there are a few problems with this mindset. Some folks will try to abuse the privilege and not want to pay when they can. Sometimes, I end up with more folks who can't pay than those that can and it puts a strain on the budget. And sometimes, because someone is not paying the true value of the care they're getting they don't take the care seriously and don't stick with the program long enough to get the full benefit of what I offer. But, I have found the intrinsic value of offering folks hope in the midst of their despair more than offsets any of these drawbacks.

I'm always reminded of the story in the Bible of the woman with the issue of blood. Everyone knows that she had no hope left and knew that if she could just touch the hem of the Master's robe she would be healed. Well, most folks overlook the beginning of that story where all her money had been consumed by doctors treating her condition.

I've always believed that this world would be a much better place if we each would simply do what we can for as many as we can whenever we have the chance. If you'd like to make a donation so that we can continue to help people live a better, fuller life. feel free to use Paypal or send your donation to Dr. Tim Langley, 2100 Roswell Road #200C-526, Marietta, GA 30062.

I'm not a fan of insurance, but...

... it has it's place.

Being a heath care provider, I used to have this love-hate relationship with insurance. You know, it's one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't things. It seems you can't afford to be without insurance. But, you can't afford to buy it, either. Small business owners and those in life transitions seem disproportionately affected. So in many cases, folks just don't buy it.

Well, there's a time and place for everything. Health insurance is NOT about health. In fact, I think it often creates more health problems than it either prevents or corrects. Insurance really is designed to protect you from catastrophic and unforeseen events that could cause you irreparable financial harm if you're not prepared for it. In fact, most bankruptcies in America are caused by either a health problem or a legal problem.

Health insurance costs could be reduced dramatically if folks would simply understand that their health is THEIR responsibility. Lose weight, exercise, eat better, drink water, work on your spiritual life, do more with your family, find effective ways of reducing (or managing) the stress in your life and, of course, find a good wellness chiropractor.

Here's the point. A good friend of mine had a massive heart attack at his gym on July 4th. Fortunately, the General Manager of the LA Fitness where he worked out, knew CPR and how to use the emergency defibrillator. My friend is still alive, but in a coma in the local hospital. There's not yet a prognosis. Regardless of what the prognosis turns out to be, the medical costs are going to be astronomical. Because my friend was between jobs (and had been for some time) he was without insurance. If he recovers physically, he might never do so financially.

So, find a way to get even a ca strophic hospitalization policy to protect yourself and your family financially should something unexpected happen to you. While not a fan of insurance, I do understand that it protects you from extremes. You can keep the costs to a minimum if you just cover the extremes. But by all means, cover at least that.

Stay healthy. Say "I love you" to those you love. And NEVER take life for granted.

American Healthcare: A Failed Paradigm

One of the overriding issues in America is health care. It affects virtually every aspect of domestic policy, including politics, business, the economy and personal lives of Americans from the poor to the very rich.

Sadly, in this current political season the answer seems to NOT be on solutions other than offer us more of the same with so-called "universal coverage" for everyone. In other words, the system we have now sucks, so everyone should suffer through it equally. When I discuss this, my Conservative and Liberal friends respond with something like, "What do you mean? We have the best health care system in the world!" But still, both sides simply approach the problem as an insurance problem. Too bad.

In my mind, the problem with health care in America is that the entire paradigm is flawed. From birth, we're indoctrinated into the disease model and that drugs can prevent or cure any mallady. In other words, we must prevent and fight disease.

So, we start babies off with "their shots". While I believe vaccination should be a matter of choice, the number and types of shots recommended for babies and toddlers really is an assault on their developing immune system and is downright scary. Then throughout their early school years, many kids are "diagnosed" with ADD/ADHD and given narcotics grade drugs to force them to sit still so they can do better in school. And then (ironically) complain about athletes taking drugs to enhance their performance. Strange.

As we enter adulthood, we're convinced that giving birth is a traumatic and dangerous event that must be handled strictly in a medical setting. Why aren't women in modern America told that giving birth is a natural, beautiful thing for which they were uniquely designed. Instead of empowering women to do what they were naturally designed for, we scare them into compliance with a pathological, allopathic model of childbirth.

Further into adulthood, Americans are checked routinely for cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and a host of other chronic conditions. And when measures creep outside established norms, they're put on medications to force that particular reading to what the doctor thinks is right. Unfortunately, every drug has a side effect. And, we Americans hardly ever ask our doctors "What is in this drug?" or "What are some potential side effects of this drug?" or "How will this affect me with the other drugs I'm taking?" Instead, we simply comply.

Then as we enter middle age, we start seeing problems like liver and kidney failure, congestive heart failure, etc. and become regular visitors to the local hospital. As the drugs either no longer work or our bodies start to shut down from weird symptoms that can't easily be classified, we begin to "doctor shop" to find someone who can come up with an accurate diagnosis.

Eventually, we end up in a nursing home being given dozens of different drugs and put through untold numbers of tests until our bodies finally give in and give up. From birth to death we are taught to fear and fight fever, vomit and diarrhea. And because our focus is on disease, we create disease. Two of the largest and most profitable industries in America just happen to be insurance and drug companies. have you noticed all the new "diseases" being advertised on TV, like "Restless Leg Syndrome", GERD and a host of others? And, have you checked to see how much money those industries invest in advertising and political lobbying?

So, what's the solution? Well first, we must recognize that our entire premise is wrong from the start. Just like our education system and tax code, we need a whole new way of thinking. Maybe it was Einstein who said "No problem can be solved with the same level of thinking that created the it in the first place".

Instead of a system that makes someone else responsible for finding or preventing a disease; or your employer (or worse, the Government) paying for your "health" insurance; or expecting Medicare/Medicaid to pay for your dying care, we should give individuals responsibility for their own health.

In a wellness paradigm, you start with the premise that you're supposed to be healthy! Instead of sitting around watching TV, eating junk food and smoking cigarettes, we encourage folks to exercise, stay fit, eat better and do those things that keep them healthy and out of harm's way. Instead of a mangled care system that minimize the time you spend with "a" doctor, you find the doctor that's right for you and develop the kind of relationship that makes you healthier and gives you greater control over your health and your life.

After all, this is STILL America, "home of the FREE and land of the BRAVE"! The American pioneer spirit has always been responsible for our strength and prosperity. We should get rid of this "plantation mentality" where the Government or an employer should take care of us. As one writer wrote, "you are endowed with the seed of greatness". By realizing and pursuing that greatness in every aspect of life in America, we can restore our nation's health and vitality and reduce our dependence on drug makers and insurance companies.

Live the very best life you can. Don't give your freedom and power to anyone!

Self-medicating

I thought about titling this article “Aleve” because that was the reason I’m writing today. But, I decided the problem of people self-medicating themselves with what they think are harmless over-the-counter drugs is much more dangerous than one specific dangerous drug.

My friend Jerry, whom I’ve known now for 40 years, called me recently to explain why he had been out of touch for a while. It seems that Jerry had been in the hospital recovering from an apparent reaction to the OTC painkiller Aleve. He did what the average American does and picked up a bottle of the painkiller at his local drugstore. After taking recommended doses for about a week, Jerry began to have a pretty serious nosebleed. When the bleeding didn’t stop, he headed to the Emergency Room. The bleeding stopped ONLY after he lost FOUR units of blood, a significant loss under any circumstance. A little more and he could have died. It’s taken several weeks, but he’s just now starting to regain strength.

Over the last few years, I’ve steered away from talking about symptoms and the risks associated with medicating away symptoms. Mine is a wellness practice and most of my clients come to me because they either want to get and stay healthy or they want to opt out of the “old way” of waiting until something’s broke to try to fix it or mask its symptoms with drugs. But, when you see a friend critically injured or hear of someone killed by what is purported to be a harmless drug, it’s hard NOT to speak out.

Just recently, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended stronger warnings on both prescription and over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, more commonly referred to as NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. BUT, how many people EVER read the label warnings of over-the-counter drugs? My guess is a precious few.

Obviously, we live in a drug culture in America. We seek relief and comfort from a bottle. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to consider a new way of thinking. One of the things I try to get folks to do is to realize that they were designed to be healthy and that design did not include a shortage of drugs or a surplus of defective or unnecessary parts. Once we realize that health is part of the design and that symptoms are our friend and are NOT to be ignored, we can start to approach health matters a little more rationally. Another, thing that we work on in my office is helping people become responsible for their own health and not relying so much on a doctor or drug manufacturer to make important health decisions for them.

If I could convince you to change one thing as a result of reading this article, it would be to learn more about your own body, how it works and how specific drugs are supposed to work and the risks (side effects) they carry. When you work to build health instead of simply avoiding disease, your health and your life will take on a whole new meaning.

If you know someone that routinely takes NSAIDs (or any pain medication) please forward this article to them. Encourage them to explore other options for dealing with their symptoms.

Corporate Wellness: Bottom Line Strategies for Effective Healthcare Reform

It is clear to virtually every American (especially those of us in business) that healthcare costs are skyrocketing out of control. No one doubts that either the market will solve the problem OR the government will impose one on us. Managed care has failed from either a cost containment or quality of care perspective. Companies have reached the point where the cost of providing health insurance is almost as burdensome as government regulation. It’s time for some new thinking on healthcare and its impact on business and vice versa. “Corporate wellness” as an operational perspective instead of merely window dressing is one way to deal effectively with rising healthcare costs.

The Insurance Problem

The first step in correcting the problem is to realize that an employee’s health is their own responsibility. Expecting employers to provide unlimited health insurance coverage is simply unrealistic and unreasonable. It’s time for employers (on a broad scale) to reconsider their role in providing health insurance coverage. Instead of providing complete coverage for all employees through group plans, companies should begin to shift the burden of health coverage to those covered.

Here’s the approach. Provide catastrophic health insurance as a group benefit to all employees with a large enough deductible (say $5000 per employee) to make the cost affordable for the company. Then, allow employees to buy their own health insurance policies (based on their own needs) and pay for them through payroll deduction with pre-tax earnings. There are numerous insurance companies that sell individual plans on this basis. Everybody wins. Employees can tailor their coverage to their own needs and circumstances using their own doctors. Companies win by stopping the endless cycle of rising costs and ever-changing plans. And when individuals become responsible for the cost of their own insurance, they become more attentive to their own health. Besides, if an employee is interested in working for you ONLY because your company offers great insurance benefits aren’t they telling you they’re going to cost you more money in the future?

Develop a “Wellness Culture”

Our current “sickness culture” perpetuates the healthcare crisis and hastens the demise of market-based solutions. By sickness culture, I mean our focus on health problems instead of on having a healthy workplace and performance culture.

So, what would a “wellness culture” look like? First, instead of paid sick days, employees might be rewarded at year’s end with an attendance bonus. Employees would be reimbursed for successful completion of smoking cessation and weight-loss programs. Companies would invest in corporate memberships at local health clubs so every employee can participate. Employees would be offered in-house wellness programs on a variety of issues ranging from ergonomics to stress management. Finally, companies would commit to hiring and retaining healthy employees. Simply put, healthy employees cost less and are more productive than unhealthy ones. Applicants should be screened for health habits and practices that limit their productivity and increase the likelihood of future expense. While this may seem harsh, it rewards those employees whose personal lifestyle and habits ensure the best Return on Investment by the company committing to hire, train and pay them.

Be open to “alternative and complementary” approaches

Studies published in major medical journals reveal that individuals who use “alternative and complementary” health modalities (including chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga and massage) are generally healthier, better educated, take fewer medications and miss fewer days from work than the average American. Since these individuals look for ways to stay healthy without drugs and surgery, they end up being a net benefit in terms of attendance and productivity. Old prejudices in this area should be discarded in order for companies to improve productivity and increase profitability

Conclusion

Healthcare costs are increasing at a staggering pace. Managed care is an abysmal failure. Companies are buckling under the pressure of providing health coverage to their employees. American competitiveness in the market is sagging. These times call for extraordinary solutions. It’s time for American companies to consider some out-of-the-box solutions to the healthcare crisis. Corporate wellness is an approach that is timely, achievable and reasonable given the alternatives. All options should be considered while we still have a chance.