Acupuncture was once relegated to the pseudo-science realm, but a recent discovery final provides proof that it actually provides health benefits.

Until recently, acupuncture was a treatment method dumped in the “pseudo-science” basket by many. Those who had experienced acupuncture first hand often held the practice in high regard, whilst medical professionals and pharmaceutical giants were somewhat hesitant to lend their support to the activity.

That view might be about to change however, with the May 2010 release of a report analyzing the molecular effects of acupuncture on in the online journal: Nature Neuroscience.

A team lead by neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc, has, for the first time, shown a direct link between acupuncture and the levels of adenosine (a naturally occurring compound) in the body.

The Proven Benefits of Acupuncture

Following a single acupuncture session, levels of adenosine were seen to rise significantly, meaning that a patient could expect a number positive health benefits following such a treatment.

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The results are in… patients suffering from depression will probably be treated with an antidepressant medication at some point. This groundbreaking revelation (which ultimately is a surprise to nobody) was uncovered in a recent survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

The results concluded that over 78% of people who actively request treatment for acute or long term depression will be prescribed a pharmaceutical drug, such as Celexa, Prozac, or Zoloft (to name just a few) – and many of these drugs have contributed to higher costs for prescription health plans.

But after digging away at the results and delving slightly deeper in to the data, more profound findings come to light. For example, only 50% of patients taking an antidepressant medication (both the older SSRI range and the newer SNRI drugs) were willing to admit that the pills were helping them to feel better.

A look at the negative aspects of antidepressants.

Contrast this to the staggering 91% of people who reported that non-pharmaceutical treatment options, such as counselling, were vastly improving their condition – and you certainly have an interesting dilemma.

Are Antidepressants Worth The Cost or The Risk?

In 2009, almost $10 billion worth of antidepressants were prescribed to depressed patients – up 3.0% from a year earlier. With a success rate of just 50%, however, that means that five billion dollars literally went up in smoke.

And the results don’t stop there. Older medications (SSRI’s) scored a 53% combined treatment success rate, whilst the newer medications (SNRI’s) lagged behind with just 49% – worse than the toss of a coin.

Finally, adverse side effects were experienced by up to 36% of users, which surely begs the question – are antidepressants really worth the cost, risk, or hassle?

It seems like Maryland, “The Free State,” is working hard to provide health care for all its residents. Lawmakers in the state outlined a $1.6 billion proposal in March of 2009 that was designed to help the state’s 760,000 residents, of whom 14% don’t have individual health insurance. What are the details of this revolutionary sounding proposal, is it the right choice when you get past the glitz and glamour, and should the nation be following Maryland’s example – considering all the recent hoopla surounding universal health care on the federal level?

Health Insurance for All becoming a Reality in MD

What are lawmakers in Maryland suggesting for this come one, come all health care proposal? According to Kaiser’s Daily Reports, the legislation would build on a plan approved in 2007 by the legislature that expanded Medicaid eligibility and extended funding to small businesses to compensate for the cost of providing coverage. The current bill would provide an insurance plan for residents with premiums of about $250 per month, as well as sliding-scale funding for low-income individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. Residents who do not get insurance would pay an additional tax of as much as $1,800 annually, while low-income residents would be exempt from the penalty.

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photo credit: swanksalot

America’s health care system is pretty political. There’s Medicare and Medicaid, tax cuts for employer-funded health insurance, and an upcoming election in which health reform policy has been under much debate.

None of that is bad. America’s government takes some responsibility for the health of its people, and that’s a good thing. But how good is it when the pharmaceutical industry buys TV advertisements that back lawmakers who back the industry?

The Ties Between Political TV Spots and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs

Over the last five or six weeks, the drug industry has spent a total of $13 million to buy TV time for advertisements that praise lawmakers who voted to expand a program called the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

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photo credit: Brooks Elliott

Getting more employers to provide healthcare benefits for their workers isn’t simply a matter of making health coverage cheaper.

A recent report from consulting group Mercer has found that most employers who don’t offer health benefits to employees say that they could not – or would not – pay more than $50 per month per employee to cover healthcare insurance.

Much of the national health reform debate is centered on the question of how to encourage more employers to provide their workers with healthcare benefits. An additional question is whether this should be done at all.

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