Why I choose Alternative Health Care

Last Updated on June 29, 2022 by Rebecca Huff

What is Alternative Medicine?

Alternative medical practices are generally not recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional medical approaches. Think of acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupressure, aromatherapy, reflexology.

You may hear “holistic health care” as a term meaning that the focus is on health and wellness. Prevention is top priority in holistic or alternative health care Whereas in conventional medicine, treating disease is more important (and more profitable) than prevention.

Alternative and complementary therapy have been my go-to for treating just about everything that has been an issue with my mind or body for more than a decade now. 

So far, I have no complaints.

What do you think of when you hear “alternative medicine?”

Alternative medicine therapies that I have tried include:

• dietary changes
• supplements
• earthing/grounding
• megadose vitamins such as Myers Cocktail
• fasting
• sauna and red light therapy
• herbal preparations
• special teas
• massage therapy
• acupuncture
• Tai Chi and Yoga.

Alternative Medicine Works for My Family

There are multiple reasons Alternative medicine has worked for my family.  I have been able to avoid conventional doctors for many years.  In the past when I did end up seeing them it was almost always a bad experience. 

In my experience, doctors who practice conventional medicine are often in a huge rush. A hurried doctor means you end up not feeling heard.

Another problem: if you have an opinion of your own your doctor may be unsettled. When I ask questions, conventional doctors are offended. Just my personal experience, but most practitioners of alternative therapies seem calmer and less rushed.

I prefer to avoid the whole hospital scene and many doctors offices feel too much like a hospital-y environment. You may feel this way too if you've been the recipient of doctor error like me and many others.

Factors that caused me to start exploring Alternative Healthcare include:

• poor bedside manners
• borderline malpractice
• doctor error/nurse error
• receiving the wrong prescription
• being prescribed medication with the wrong instructions
• and more

Don't get me wrong, if I'm broken or bleeding, give me some doctors and an Emergency Room! For everything else, I choose Alternative Medicine…

Never Pay the First Bill

Update 2022: Still paying more for health insurance in America than we do for a house payment. You can fight the system with help from this book (also available as an audiobook):

Never Pay The First Bill And other ways to fight the healthcare system and win by Marshall Allen.

Marshall Allen is a reporter for ProPublica. He investigates why we pay so much and get so little. Sharing relevant stories about people who got screwed by Insurance Companies, including his own parents. He solves those problems and more.

Before he became a journalist he was in full time ministry. I bought his book just by the title alone. This, after decades of fighting with our health insurance company who denies first and hopes you won't ask questions later.

The reviews alone will make you want to read the book! One review is by a 12 year old reader who saved their parents $$ on a medical bill!

Upon reading the book you will learn:

• billing codes to contest inaccurate or unfair charges
• how to create limits when you sign financial consent forms
• when a hospital is price gouging and how to take them to small claims court.

Clearly, this is the book that the health care industry doesn't want in your hands. Screw them, do yourself a favor, and read this book.

Why health insurance isn't working…

In 2016 the average cost of insurance for a family of four is over $17,500. (1) This is just the cost of the insurance. If you’re like us you might have a high deductible to lower your monthly out of pocket. That means IF anyone needs medical attention you are also paying those expenses out of pocket.

Read more about how the Affordable Healthcare Act is considered a failure by both political parties here. How Aetna opted out here. Read about dropped coverage and bankruptcy here. See news coverage of a woman who was on hold with customer service with Blue Cross Blue Shield for 20 hours plus 10-15 more hours “talking” here…(how is this even possible!?)   

There are other options out there that we are beginning to look into as our health insurance rarely covers bills.

I'm not alone.

A friend recently canceled their family insurance plan because,

We never use it and it is very expensive. It doesn't cover any course of treatment I would be likely to follow if I did get a serious illness. The same goes for our children.

While I do not suggest canceling your insurance policy, I believe better options must be available but what are they?

One friend of mine who works for the city is very happy with her insurance. Although, she has to go in for preventative medical tests. Those tests are some that have a high risk. I refuse to do some of those. My friend with great insurance doesn't opt for Alternative and isn't bothered by taking multiple prescriptions.

My personal health insurance policy leaves much to be desired.  

I have an exclusionary rider on my insurance policy. (An exclusionary rider is an amendment permitted in individual health insurance policies that permanently excludes coverage for a health condition, body part, or body system).

What's even worse is the fact that the rider was a complete misunderstanding in the first place.  (I kind of feel like a prisoner who cries “not guilty” just saying that.)  A rider, as explained by health insurance companies is there to provide coverage for otherwise “uninsurable” patients. Let me tell you why my insurance policy has an exclusionary rider.

Five or six years ago, I went to a new doctor. I hadn't been in years. The appointment was after experiencing pain similar to when I had a kidney stone a decade earlier. I wanted to rule out the possibility it might be another kidney stone.

The Physician's Assistant performed tests, and my kidneys were deemed completely healthy. Since she couldn't find anything wrong with me at this visit, she asked more questions. It was then that we had  the following conversation:

PA: “Your kidneys are fine. Is there anything else that could be causing you to have pain in  your side or back?”

Me: thinking….”no not really”

PA: “have you ever fallen?”

Me: thinking back… “once a long time ago, I fell on roller blades. I didn’t even go to the doctor for that.” It was more than eight years prior to this appointment. (At the time, I believed health care was caring. That's perhaps why I searched the depths of my memory.) I'm also an honest person. So when she asked if I’d ever fallen, I thought about it and told the truth.

Of course, I hadn’t been schooled in the rules of insurance at the time  — rules like like don't bring up things that do not apply!

Exclusionary Riders and Other Clauses

*BAM*  At this point, the PA wrote my response in her chart. A few months later when I applied for health insurance, the people that screw you over, ahem, I mean the insurance company, found this statement and said I had a pre-existing back condition.  At this point an exclusionary rider was added on my coverage.

This is the insurance saying they will not pay for any treatments that are “back pain” related.  “They say” I had a pre-existing back injury. One that I didn't have. She asked if I ever fell, not if I'd even injured my back. Yes, I've fallen. No I haven't ever injured my back. The two were completely unrelated. That is, until I made them related by talking about it at an appointment where my back was hurting.

That's like saying I can't get coverage for anything foot related because one time I stubbed my toe.

Therefore anytime I went to the doctor if the word “back” or anything related to my back is brought up, nothing is covered because of the rider.

For example, the pain I had which caused me to go to the PA in the first place back then (which was really on my side, not my back but because I described it as pain similar to a kidney stone it was labeled “back pain”) caused me to go to a Physical Therapist to receive treatment that cost me thousands out of pocket.

How does this happen?

Claim Adjustor Jobs Require No Experience

Insurance companies hire employees with no experience or education and “train” them to work claims in an office environment much like a factory. I have a friend who went through the process and then worked for a large insurance company in Chattanooga. The process is hard to believe… it’s incredible how they decide what gets denied.

Next time you're on the phone with your insurance company, start asking questions. It won't be long before you're on hold. Ask for things in writing. Write down the name of the person you're speaking to. Also, include the time you called, how long you talked, and any other details.

Loopholes in Health Insurance

As I was doing some searching to come up with a better solution for health coverage, I came across this info:

“In the context of healthcare in the United States a pre-existing condition is a medical condition that started before a person's health insurance  went into effect. Before 2014 some insurance policies would not cover expenses due to pre-existing conditions. These exclusions by the insurance industry  were meant to cope with adverse selection by potential customers. Such exclusions are prohibited after January 1, 2014, by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”

I immediately sent this info to my husband. He typically deals with all the stressful issues like this one. I asked him if he knew about this, which he did not. At this point, we decided a conversation with our insurance provider was in order.

What I found out was that this “rule” is only applicable on the plans considered Obamacare. Plans considered compliant with the federal government.

I also asked what were the ways that I could appeal the exclusionary rider. My insurance company suggested I visit the physician who made the note and then appeal the decision. Sounds like a snowball's chance in hell to me.

Like most people who give up and just pay their own medical bills even though they have health insurance, I was unwilling to create stress in my life. Especially considering I didn't stick with the doctor who wrote this in my file. She was no longer at the practice. Finally, I didn't have back pain to speak of and have no need of medical care that my insurance company is willing to cover.

Avoid Medical Treatments and Tests You Don't Need

This is a tricky area. Your doctor should decide when you have tests and what treatment you receive. However, much of the time, your healthcare plan does the deciding.

“Many women still get annual cervical cancer testing when it's recommended for every there to five years.”

Never Pay the First Bill page 99

Part of the reason health care costs are so out of control is that an obscene amount of money is wasted. Your money.

I decided to stick to taking care of myself, listening to my body and practicing good health.

So that’s where I am. I’ve run out of words for this rant. The bottom line is I’m pretty fed up. I know I'm not the only person with horror stories from simply going to the doctor. Nor am I the only one with a insurance woes.  

Read Never Pay the First Bill, as I mentioned above. You won't regret it.