• Ceiling on LTC deduction surpasses $4,000
• Judge sides with employer in lawsuit over health benefits
• Merging past and progressive
• Strength in numbers
• House passes parental leave bill for federal workers
• Medicare & You 2009
• Employers turn over every rock - and leaf? - to find health cost savings
• Mixing traditional wellness with a little Irish healing
• Exercise Corner: Do the Turkey Trot this Thanksgiving
• Recipe Corner: Turkey Pasta Casserole with Asparagus and Cheddar Cheese

Long-term care insurance received a shot in the arm when the Internal Revenue Service announced that deductibility levels for LTC policies purchased in 2010 would increase just as they did in 2009.

Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, recently noted that “for the first time, the maximum deductible limit for an individual exceeds $4,000.” He called the development “a positive sign,” adding that the IRS did not do the same for pension contribution limits.

In addition, Slome says a number of states now offer tax credits for the purchase of LTC insurance that lower a participant’s tax bill, dollar for dollar.

The deductible limits for eligible LTC premiums includable in the term “medical care” under Section 213(d)(10) will rise to $4,110 next year, from $3,980 this year for policyholders who turn older than age 70 before the taxable year ends, according to IRS Revenue Procedure 2008-66 (for 2009 limits) and 2009-50 (for 2010 limits).

For those in their 60s, the deduction increases to $3,290 from $3,180, while the figure rises to $1,230 from $1,190 for those in their 50s. The gap narrows for all other age groups, rising to $620 from $600 for those in their 40s and to $330 from $320 for those who are age 40 or younger.

This news bodes well for the worksite market, which Slome explains continues to grow in spite of individual market sales having declined in 2009. One reason is increased awareness of tax deductibility.

“A number of insurers now offer discounts to groups with as few as three participants,” he says. “This has opened doors especially among small businesses making the coverage more attractive as a benefit beyond just the key personnel.”

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, October 21, 2009

A federal judge ruled that Deere & Co. was in compliance with ERISA when it redesigned its health benefits for certain retirees who had argued that the company reneged on its promise of full health coverage.

In Brubaker et al. v. Deere & Co., U.S. District Judge Charles Wolle of the Southern District of Iowa concluded that the company and its summary plan documents made it clear to the plaintiffs that their retiree health benefits may be amended, modified or terminated.

In 2007, the Illinois-based farm-equipment manufacturer had notified retired management and nonunion workers that it had revamped their health benefits to include cost-efficient insurance options. In addition, Medicare laws have made it easier for employers to reduce, eliminate or alter health benefits to workers who are over the age of 65 and eligible for Medicare. The class-action lawsuit stemmed from about 5,000 retirees contending that the new benefits were not up to par with previous coverage.

“Although some retirees were not interested in making a change, we will continue to work to show how the new program supports the health care needs of John Deere retirees,” said Mert Hornbuckle, Deere's vice president of human resources, in a statement last week on the court ruling. “We have been encouraged that most of those who are covered by the benefit program found it to be reasonable, fair, and effective,” he added.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, October 22, 2009

Two strong forces are at work in the dental benefits market, creating new plan designs that are progressive on one hand, "retro" on the other and increasingly consumer-centric.

"It's very interesting to watch what's happening in the industry right now," says Karen Gustin, vice president of group and managed care products for Ameritas. "Employers and employees are looking for value in dental benefits, not just price. But at the same time, they want products at less cost. The result is that it's taking the industry back to the products of the 1980s."

The economy is at the top of everyone's mind, agrees Alan Hirschberg, head of Aetna Dental. "What we're seeing from our plan sponsors is concern over costs. They are returning to lower-cost options, such as dental maintenance products."

At the same time, employers that offer dental benefits want more for less: more coverage and more flexibility for themselves and their employees.

Dental-medical link
 
Nowhere is the demand for greater coverage more evident than in the integration of dental and medical care.

"Employers are increasingly focused on the link between good dental programs and the impact this has on medical costs," says Evelyn F. Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans.

When NADP surveyed 1,900 employers last summer for its 2008 Group Purchaser Behavior Study, it found that 75% wanted enhanced benefits for related medical conditions. Furthermore, among those that were planning to change dental insurance carriers, nearly half (42%) said they were looking for better coverage of dental treatments related to the detection and prevention of diseases and adverse medical conditions.

"There's real value to promoting the worth of dental care and the fact that regular preventive care can really save money in medical care costs over the long run," says Tom McInteer, second vice president in the Group Dental division of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. "Preventive care also will help save on dental bills in the future."

Dental plans increasingly are covering such things as oral cancer screenings, extra cleanings for those at risk, such as pregnant women, and periodontal treatment for diabetics. Hirschberg expects this trend to persist. "Payers and employers will continue to add benefits and other health conditions to what's covered now," he says.

Ortho and implants

For the majority of employers, dental benefits are no longer merely a differentiator; 62% surveyed by NADP said they are an "essential" part of their benefit program. In addition to enhanced benefits for medical conditions related to dental care, employers told NADP they are seeking the following plan features:

• Coverage of sealants (77%).
• Benefit rollover (76%).
• Adult orthodontia benefits (73%).
• Coverage for implants (72%).
• Coverage of cosmetic procedures (49%).
• Dental plan providers are definitely listening.

"We are seeing more of our competitors trying to expand the breadth of what the dental contract covers," McInteer comments. "There's high interest in covering what's important to employers, including teeth whitening, adult fluoride treatments, oral cancer screening and periodontal maintenance as a preventive service. Dental insurance is such a competitive environment; companies are trying to distinguish themselves and compete on product innovation."

Despite cost pressures, that's not likely to change, industry experts maintain.

"Dental is in a fantastic place because, unlike disability or life, it never became a commodity product where everything is alike so you have to compete on price," saysGustin. "With commodity products, companies start cutting back on benefits just to get a less-expensive product on the street."

Consumer-driven focus

About four years ago, leading-edge dental benefit providers began rolling out what they called "consumer-driven" products, designed to be more flexible and to reward employees who get preventive care and kept expenditures down.

"When I think of 'consumer-driven,' I think of a plan where the consumer participates in the financial decision and there are rewards and penalties," says McInteer. "There's an economic incentive to seek out good, appropriate care. Dental has always been that way. Preventive care is typically paid at 100%, and as things get more expensive, insurance drops down."

One of the most popular of the consumer-driven dental plan features is the maximum rollover, introduced by Ameritas and also offered early on by Guardian.

"Four years ago, Ameritas came out with a product that rewarded people who took care of their teeth," Gustin says. "If they had one visit to the dentist and used less than half of their maximum, we would roll over a portion of the remainder to the next year. This feature was criticized by carriers initially as being a big administrative burden, but almost all have copied it."

Aetna developed a consumer-driven plan a couple of years ago that uses financial incentives to encourage use of preventive care benefits.

"We see it as consumer engagement — getting members involved in their overall health," says Hirschberg. "When you go for preventive care, you are rewarded with higher-level benefits the next year. Depending on how the employer sets up the plan, the employee can get either a higher annual maximum or higher coinsurance coverage."

There has been an uptick in quoting and sales activity around this product lately, he continues. "A lot of people are looking at this because it overlaps with medical engagement."

Plan providers are also making products increasingly customizable. For example, Ameritas offers Fusion, a product for groups of 10 or more that covers dental and vision care. Employees can use their benefit schedule toward either or both types of care. Employers can tailor the plan to combine any or all of the following: annual maximums, deductibles and exam frequency. "This is very consumer-driven because a family can decide exactly how it wants to use the benefits," Gustin says.

Last November, Aetna introduced i.Choose,a "personal benefits solution" initially offered for dental, life, accident and disability insurance purchased on either an employer- or employee-paid basis. Traditionally, voluntary plans are defined as benefits where employees pay at least 50% percent of the total premium; however, i.Choose can support any contribution percentage.

Dental FSA

The dental plan that perhaps most closely mirrors consumer-driven plans on the medical side is a new offering from Pendant Health in Dallas, a company launched last year by three dentists. Pendant Health uses debit-card technology to provide employees with prefunded debit cards that are used to pay for dental care.

"The company founders saw a couple of things going on in the dental market," says President Nick Partridge. "Insurance is a pain to deal with and reimbursement rates are low, so dentists are leaving insurance networks or demanding high fee reimbursements. Second, with health care premiums increasing at double-digit rates for most of the decade, a lot of employers have responded by shifting premium costs to employees. Those scenarios create problems for individuals and families looking for coverage."

At the same time, the founders were excited by consumer-driven trends in medical benefits. "We thought: what if we took these principles to dental?'"

A high-deductible plan with an HSA didn't make sense for dental, says Partridge, becausethe average employee only spends about $300 a year for dental services, and only 5% of employees reach the maximum in their benefits in any given year.

"So given that, we felt that the best vehicle would be a flexible spending account with a debit card. Employers and employees contribute pretax dollars to card, and all dollars that are unused at the end of the year go back to the employer."

Pendant Health has partnered with a network of 85,000 providers who provide discounts to card holders.

"The debit card isn't a schedule of benefits," Partridge asserts. "There's no stack of papers with limits and exclusions. The card sits in the employee's wallet with $500 or whatever amount has been put in, and there's a greater likelihood that person will use it."

Kevin Whitney, COO of Flexible Benefit Group, a third-party administrator in McKinney, Texas, agrees. He's impressed with the Pendant Health program.

"I've never been a strong proponent of dental benefits," Whitney remarks. "I believe that if people were to take their money and put it in a FSA, they would get more bang for buck. Too many times, people forget they have a dental benefit. To pay $20 to $30 a month for something that costs $90 year is not a smart tradeoff."

Tamela Southan, a benefits broker and owner of Benefit Solutions By Design in Dallas says the most appealing thing about the FSA-debit card approach is its flexibility. "It's a custom design. You're not going to an employer and saying, 'Here's A, B and C. Which plan do you want?' You're saying, 'Mr. Employer, tell me what you want to spend, and then we'll back into this.'"

Despite their enthusiasm for the Pendant Health plan, Whitney and Southan admit that it hasn't been an easy sell.

"I've gotten very close on several accounts," says Whitney. "But there is skepticism — employers look at projected savings and don't quite believe it. I relate it back to when we first offered HRAs; employers were very skeptical then, too. We'd show them savings of $20,000 to $40,000 a year with no reduction in benefits, and they would not believe us."

Notes Southan: "Many employers don't know what they want to offer in the way of dental, they just know they want a benefit. And they are used to the traditional approach. They don't know that less than 5% [of plan members] actually worry about that maximum benefit. When looking at renewals, most stay at the preventive level. We have to educate employers on benefit utilization."

What's the future look like in dental plan design?

"I think companies will continue to tweak existing products to offer at lower price points," says Hirschberg.

"Dental is no longer just take it or leave it," indicates McInteer. "Plans with choices for consumers are very, very popular. When I say 'choice,' I mean having a suite of products available that enables employees to upgrade coverage however they choose. For example, the employer might pay for a $1,000 maximum benefit, and the employee has the option to buy more coverage."

Choice — in benefits and cost, for employees and employers — is the key, dental experts agree.
"This generates lot of satisfaction," Mcinteer says. "one dental plan is not best for everyone."

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, March 25, 2009

As baby boomers begin to retire, the want and need for long-term care insurance benefit plans will doubtlessly grow. But employers often have reservations about this expensive and complicated benefit offering.

As of January 2009, more than half of all states (34, to be exact) have new LTC programs that intend to expand the reach and lower the cost of LTC. These opportunities, part of a program called Partnership, have been in existence since the late 1980s, but have only recently begun to make significant inroads in the LTC marketplace, with 19 state plans active by the end of 2008.

"The partnership is the greatest opportunity for the long-term care marketplace to penetrate the millions of cost-conscious consumers who have done some retirement planning and would benefit from this added protection," comments Jesse Slome, the executive director and co-founder of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.

What is partnership?

Partnership plans allow LTC policyholders to add the value of their policy to the minimum asset spend-down required to be eligible for Medicaid benefits, thus protecting personal and family assets in the case that a long-term care policy has been exhausted prior to end of life.

According to a white paper by the Center for Health Care Strategies, authored by Mark R. Meiners, Ph.D. at George Mason University in Virginia:

"The goal of the Long-Term Care Partnership model is to use Medicaid's safety net feature as an incentive for middle income people to buy private long-term care insurance and, by doing so, encourage them to prepare for the risk of needing long-term care. This, in turn, will help delay or avoid the need for Medicaid to pay for their long-term care. In the Partnership model, states offer the guarantee that if benefits under a partnership policy do not sufficiently cover the cost of care, the consumer will qualify for Medicaid under special eligibility rules that allow a prespecified amount of assets to be disregarded. The consumer must also meet other Medicaid eligibility rules."

For example, if the maximum personal asset allowed to qualify in one's state for Medicaid is $50,000, a person with a $300,000 long-term care insurance policy in a partnership state would only have to spend down assets to $350,000 before qualifying for Medicaid.

Someone without a partnership policy or in a nonpartnership state would have to spend down assets to $50,000 before qualifying.

More partnership details

Partnership plans also differ from other long-term care insurance offerings by the manner in which they are bought and utilized.

Plans are typically offered to employers and employees in one of three manners: true group plans, which are generally used by large employers across multiple states; multilife plans, which can be sold to any size employer and are essentially individual policies under a single underwriting umbrella; and individual policies, purchased by the employee through a voluntary worksite benefit or on the open market.

At present, partnership plans are not available in the true group marketplace (see "Partnership not always the answer" below) but are generally available to multilife and individual participants, depending on the state in which the plan is sold and the needs of the purchaser.

Because partnership plans require automatic inflation protection purchase options versus the more commonly seen future purchase-option-style benefit offered under true group-style plans, many brokers and advisers have been slow to bring to the table these offerings.

The typically recognized value in true group-style plans (always combined with future purchase-option-style plan purchasing) is the availability to purchase a guaranteed-issue benefit, wherein all employees, regardless of health status, are able to buy in to a benefit.

Automatic inflation protection plans are in general significantly more expensive at purchase for the employee, but over time they provide a steady amount of benefit and a lower risk of default than future purchase option plans.

However, future purchase option plans, which start out costing just a few hundred dollars each year, can easily spring to tens of thousands of dollars by the time the plan participants reach their 60s, the age at which many first long-term care insurance claims are made.

Benefit advisers and other sellers of LTC benefits are at odds over which method of purchase is actually most beneficial to employees.

Legal issues

No employer wants to be sued over a benefit.

Benefit adviser Brad Winnekins, of Legacy Services in Wisconsin, says that these long-term care plans are a "legal time bomb waiting to happen," but other experts are less aggressive on the topic.

Phil Beiluch, a private actuary based in Connecticut, acknowledges that "some companies have a natural aversion to automatic increase [style plans] because they have a very high potential liability moving forward."

While he recognizes that the "issue of litigation is a growing field," he says that the issue of partnership is only one of "many aspects" that makes long-term care a potential legal pitfall.

"I don't think employers are fully aware of what can go wrong in long-term care," he says, adding that "employees don't necessarily understand that long-term care insurance is insurance to begin with."
Many legal issues, he states, can stem from the fact that employees may mistakenly assume that all claims made on an LTC policy are automatically paid, which is not the case.

Rules and exceptions exist for long-term care coverage, just like any other insurance-based benefit.

Partnership not always the answer

Like most benefits offerings, partnership plans aren't always the right answer for your company.

Employers already offering true group-style plans are often not eligible to buy in to partnership offerings because carriers don't offer the option.

Dennis Healy, vice president of group long-term care for John Hancock, says that his company won't consider offering partnership-style plans until "we get an understanding of how the policies will work" on a nationwide basis.

Right now, he says, state-to-state reciprocity is an issue for many employers, in addition to the fact that 16 states don't currently offer partnership options.

"We want to offer a program where employers can offer equal benefits to employees in all states," he says.
When time comes that plans are available in all 50 states, Healy says that Hancock will probably move forward with a partnership option.

Reciprocity is practiced by most states with partnership plans, but it must be noted, says Meiners, that Medicaid eligibility rules are not reciprocal.

If an employee is planning to retire in Florida, a state that may have stricter Medicaid laws than say, Virginia, the benefits under a partnership plan may be less than if the employee had simply retired in his or her state of employment.

For higher-wealth individuals, partnership-style plans may not be the best use of finances, says Doug Lubenow, president of the Lubenow Agency.

Partnership plans are an excellent way to protect assets of those with $400,000 or $500,000 in assets before those individuals tap into Medicaid, but those with $2 or $3 million in assets may never reach a the minimum assets needed for Medicaid.

What it comes down to, says Slome, is education.

"I always tell [employees] that you serve yourself best by getting information and possibly shopping around."

The end need, says Meiners, is that more work needs to be done on the part of state and national governments to make sure that lingering questions are cleared up before partnership plans can be available to all employees.

Issues of reciprocity, individual state benefits and Medicaid spend-down will remain key factors in determining the attractiveness of partnership options on an individual basis.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, January 1, 2009

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, hoping, in part, to attract and retain younger workers as federal employees.

Supporters hope the bill will encourage potential hires to apply for federal positions instead of going to the private sector, which typically provides generous leave benefits.

In addition, a multitude of federal employees are eligible to retire in the coming years.

The legislation provides four weeks of paid leave for federal employees following the birth or adoption of a child. Currently, federal workers must use annual or sick leave to spend time with their new children.

“This measure will greatly help attract and retain younger workers to the federal government to take the positions of the vast numbers of retirees expected to leave over the next five years,” says Sue Webster, the National President of Federally Employed Women, a private, nonprofit organization now intent on carrying the bill through the Senate.

For workers who plan on forming families in the near future, the additional paid leave is an enticing benefit. The government hopes to attract younger workers, given that 58% of supervisory managers and 48% of non-supervisory workers will be eligible for retirement by the end of fiscal year 2010.

More than 50% of U.S. companies provide some type of parental leave and 75% of Fortune 100 firms offer working parents some paid time off when they have a child. Federal HR executives believe that by offering these benefits the government will become a more competitive employer in the marketplace.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, June 9, 2009

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guide "Medicare & You 2009" (available at www.medicare.com) addresses all aspects of the government-run health insurance program for people who are age 65 or older and for people under age 65 who have certain disabilities. That includes Medicare Part D, which covers prescription drugs.

The government handbook explains that to be eligible for Medicare drug coverage an individual must join a plan run by an insurance company or other private company approved by Medicare. Each plan can vary in cost and drugs covered. It spells out that there are two ways to get Medicare prescription drug coverage:

1. Medicare prescription drug plans. These plans, sometimes called PDPs, add drug coverage to original Medicare, some Medicare cost plans, some Medicare private fee-for-service plans and Medicare medical savings account plans.

2. Medicare Advantage plans (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare health plans that offer Medicare prescription drug coverage. Retirees get Part A and Part B coverage, including prescription drug coverage (Part D), through these plans. Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage are sometimes called MA-PDs. To join a Medicare prescription drug plan, an individual must have Medicare Part A and/or Part B.

To join a Medicare Advantage plan, an individual must have Part A and Part B.

Retirees can be referred to www.MyMedicare.gov to access personalized Medicare information. Information also is available at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

The handbook also explains ways that people who have limited income and resources may qualify for extra help from Medicare to pay for prescription drug coverage.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, September 1, 2009

Every employer is looking for a magic cure, a miracle drug that can lower health care costs, improve productivity and decrease turnover. Stephen DeAngelo thinks he's found it.

DeAngelo, the executive director of Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif., not only offers his workforce access to, but also pays for, medical marijuana, finding it retains workers, boosts morale and could potentially reduce health care and prescription drug costs.

He's not just blowing smoke. Many doctors, including Lester Grinspoon, M.D., associate professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and the author of "Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine," have argued that medical marijuana could depreciate claim and prescription drug costs.

"If we lived in a rational society, we'd being doing a study," in which we measure how much a multiple sclerosis patient, for example, saves on prescription drugs by replacing the expensive pharmaceuticals with medical marijuana. But until that day, employers need only look at the "mountain of anecdotal evidence" that medical marijuana can help certain individuals with chronic diseases such as cancer, glaucoma, epilepsy, migraines, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia and quadriplegia, post-traumatic stress disorder and AIDS, claims Grinspoon.

DeAngelo has heard such anecdotal evidence firsthand from some of the 700 patients that visit his nonprofit organization each day. The 7,000-square-foot holistic care center offers patients cannabis (including crowd favorite, Granddaddy Purple) and hashish in a variety of different forms including concentrates, capsules, lozenges, topical creams and food products from honey to cocoa mix. The center also offers free acupuncture, chiropractic, hypnotherapy, naturopathy, reiki and yoga sessions. His 77 employees are all medical marijuana patients, so he's able to fill their prescriptions and also offer comprehensive health care benefits which covers the cost.

DeAngelo recently shared with EBN his perspective on how the likes of Purple Erkle and Bubba Kush could relieve employers' from spiraling health care costs.

EBN: What was your experience trying to get medical cannabis claims processed?

DeAngelo: You can't. It's not possible in our experience.

EBN:How did you manage to find a way to offer medical cannabis to your workers?

DeAngelo: We just give everybody who works here a free gram of medicine for each shift that they work. We also provide health insurance for all of our staff and what we've found is that medical cannabis is really, truly an effective medicine.

Over and over again we hear from our patients, including some patients who are on staff here, that they've been able to dramatically reduce the amount of pharmaceutical drugs that they've been taking because they've been using medical cannabis. This is particularly true of people who are suffering from chronic pain and are taking opioid pain killers, or people who are suffering from anxiety and are taking valium or other tranquilizers. Very frequently we have people telling us about being able to reduce their pharmaceutical intake by 50%, 60%, 80% - sometimes they cut it out altogether.

EBN:So then, have you noticed a reduction in your health care costs?

DeAngelo: Well, no, because we've always been giving the grams of medicine to workers. That's something we've done from the time that we opened, so we don't really have a way of tracking the difference.

EBN: Can you see an impact on new employees, on their morale for instance?

DeAngelo: Oh, absolutely. Generally, at the end of interviews with people, I review with them the various benefits that we provide. I always get a big smile when I tell them about the free gram.

EBN:What about your turnover rates?

DeAngelo: We have great retention rates here. I have employees who came in when we opened three years ago as entry-level staff who are now department heads. We've had three or four staff resign since we opened, but that's usually because their spouse was moving away.

EBN:When do you dole out the free marijuana?

DeAngelo: At the end of their shift.

EBN:Do you permit employees to be under the influence during their shift?

DeAngelo: Yes, but they're not allowed to over-medicate. We have a performance-based system, so if it looks to us that someone's performance is impaired, we'll bring that to their attention and suggest that they consume less medicine or consume it at a different time of day. Generally, it's not a problem.

EBN: Are you at all concerned with their productivity levels?

DeAngelo: No, my staff is absolutely amazing. They work very hard. We have a very fast-paced work environment here and they handle it beautifully.

EBN: Is there anything other employers can do to expose their employee-patients to a similar benefit?

DeAngelo: I think it would be a good idea for California businesses to consider paying for their employees to get a medical cannabis recommendation. There's absolutely no question in my mind that employees, or anybody, who is using medical cannabis can rely less on pharmaceutical preparations and enjoy better, more robust health. -K.K.

Point-counterpoint on pot

In California, the leading edge of the nation's medical marijuana developments, an employer can fire a medicinal cannabis patient simply for having a doctor's recommendation. Though the state legislature passed a measure barring this practice in 2008, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger quickly vetoed the measure, upholding a California Supreme Court decision (Ross v. RagingWire) that supported an employer earlier that year in a case against a medical marijuana patient.

Despite the setback, "I think you're going to see an increasing number of marijuana states have either explicit protections through legislation or judicial decisions establishing protections for medical marijuana patients," says Joe Elford, Americans for Safe Access's chief counsel. "The idea that someone tests positive for medical marijuana [and could be fired for it], despite having a doctor's recommendation, is unfortunate, and I hope soon becomes an outdated trend."

He also warns employers not to take action against patients at the risk of being sued for discrimination. "Employers certainly in other states should be wary that they could be sued for firing an otherwise competent person simply because they use marijuana medicinally," Elford says, adding "there are benefits to employers of accommodating folks who use medical marijuana. One of the [most common] uses for medical marijuana is to alleviate pain."

On the other hand, there has been little research conducted when it comes to medical marijuana. "In my opinion, it's very hard to judge [whether medical marijuana use can cut down on health care costs] because there's no head-to-head study that shows actual clinical trial results," says Dr. Maik Klasen, senior director of Frost & Sullivan's health care consulting practice. Further, he argues that medical marijuana is "more of a supplement than a replacement of standard care."

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, October 1, 2009

Bob Reeder is an Irish entertainer in Kansas City. He's been a musician for most of his life, and his talent becomes obvious if you ever see his hands dance across a guitar. He has the uncanny ability to grab your attention and help you leave your life for a while. And, he just so happens to be my Pappy.

Not so long ago, he had a scary situation with his health. It seemed his gallbladder didn't like the lifestyle he'd been living and told him about it with blunt, painful episodes that resulted in trips to the emergency room. A surgeon told him he'd have to have his gallbladder removed.

For most, the thought of going through surgery to alleviate pain is somewhat reasonable. But since this Irish lad's whole universe centers on his voice, he wasn't about to risk an injury to his vocal cords with breathing machines and such. So, he visited someone that knew holistic medicine.

I have to admit, when my Dad told me his prescribed diet was drinking cranberry juice - spiked with lemon juice and vinegar - along with one apple a day, I was not a believer. I figured the old man had lost it. But, I was proved wrong. The concoction cleaned him out; he changed his diet and increased exercise, and the Irish balladeer was cured. No surgery, no medications, no big hospital bill.

Holistic medicine not a new concept

Natural healing and healthy diets are not a new concept. At the turn of the century, Emma Todd Anderson published a book in 1899 titled, "Health Foods and How to Prepare Them."

In it she stated: "We are not a healthy people. Doctors, dentists and quacks thrive and flourish in our midst: The newspapers are filled with advertisements of medicines for the cure of diseases which can be so easily prevented. Our bilious, dyspeptic conditions are due to ourselves alone. If we begin today to eat and to drink as common sense dictates, we should soon be rid of half of our disease[s]..."

In 1903, the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan became a temporary healing home to many. Run by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, diet and exercise was greatly emphasized in bringing back people to a state of vigor and vitality.

Many a testimony during that era touted the admission of pale, weak or sick individuals that were healed after a regimen of exercise and special diets. Dr. Kellogg created several different healthy food alternatives - among them, popular Kellogg's Corn Flakes, simply created and marketed as a breakfast alternative to bacon and eggs.

And no one can forget the energetic Jack Lalanne, who inspired millions with his television shows during the 1950s on physical fitness, nutrition and well-being - and he's still going strong! My mother told me that she remembered seeing him on TV when she was little, and everyone thought he was a nut. We are a stubborn nation, aren't we?

Decades later, wellness currently is all the boom, as we've finally figured out that healthy employees equals savings. If you couple natural healing or holistic medicine with wellness, you're bound to have a fantastic result.

If you search the terms "integrated health" or "holistic medicine" on the Internet, you'll find a multitude of providers and networks.

The American Holistic Medical Association Web site reads: "Holistic health care practitioners embrace a lifetime of learning about all safe and effective options in diagnosis and treatment. These options come from a variety of traditions, and are selected in order to best meet the unique needs of the patient. The realm of choices may include lifestyle modification and complementary approaches as well as conventional drugs and surgery."

Further, they state that the primary goal is pursuit of the highest level of physical, environmental, mental, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of well-being.

Can you imagine what your workforce would look like if all your employees had this lifestyle balance?

Integrated heatlh plans

In a time of urgent economic needs, employers are pouncing on every cost-reduction idea, and the concept of integrated health is gaining popularity with employer health care plans.

I recently had an enlightening discussion with Eric Cawley, health services coordinator with My Health Roadmap in Idaho. He explained to me that their approaches don't avoid conventional or traditional medicine, but find ways to complement it.

For examle, an employer group not only has access to wellness, biometrics, advanced laboratory testing and counseling services for employees, but also receives an actual M.D. assigned to the group that has knowledge of holistic medicine. Upon diagnosis, the physician discusses with an employee all options -holistic and traditional - thus crafting an integrated approach.

If a blood test reveals high cholesterol, the physician might first prescribe krill oil, a proven natural alternative for lowering cholesterol, rather than the traditional Lipitor. Or if someone tears a rotator cuff in their shoulder, they will explore nonsurgical options.

Integrated health plans sometimes cover tests that others don't. For example, there's an advanced breast cancer screening that detects the earliest hint of cancer, yet everyone still reverts to the traditional mammogram for cost. Yet, by the time a mammogram detects an abnormality, cancer likely already has been growing. Catching cancer before it blossoms saves money and heartache.

If you manage any type of health plan, don't overlook the possibility of integrated health for your group.
Once you start researching, you'll find tons of successful testimonies. Put that directly into the equation of cost avoidance, and you'll have a real story to tell of your own. Irish eyes are certainly smiling here in Kansas City, and they might smile for you, too.

Source: EmployeeBenefitNews.com, October 1, 2009

Most of us end up feeling like a stuffed turkey after Thanksgiving. But once you’ve enjoyed your meal and had some time to relax, why not get the whole gang moving rather than hitting the couch?

You’ll all feel better once you’ve snapped out of that turkey coma. Plus, exercise can be a great way to spend time together as a family.

Here are some ideas for family fitness fun to enjoy over the Thanksgiving holiday:

*Turkey trot. You don’t have to run like participants do in some of the organized turkey trots around the country. You could go for a light jog or even just take a brisk walk. Bring the dog along, too. Enjoy the company and the autumn scenery -- the sky, sunset and fall foliage. A good 20-minute turkey trot will help you feel refreshed and energized.

*Flag football. Football is the game du jour for Thanksgiving. But instead of watching it on TV all day, why not get a game of your own going? You probably have enough participants around the house to make for one lively showdown.

*Wheelbarrow races. Turn raking the leaves into some good old-fashioned fun. Gather the leaves up, jump into the piles and then get some wheelbarrow races going.

After all this activity, you might just have enough energy to slice a little piece of pumpkin pie when you head back indoors.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Source: http://fitlist.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/11/20/475721.aspx

I used mini penne pasta in this hearty casserole, but elbow macaroni or small shells would work just as well.

Ingredients:
8 ounces mini penne pasta or similar shape
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning blend, or to taste
cooked asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups
3 cups diced cooked turkey
8 ounces shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preparation:
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Heat oven to 350°. Cook pasta in boiling water following package directions. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; add bell pepper and sauté until tender. Add garlic and green onion; sauté for 1 minute longer. Stir in flour until well blended. Stir in chicken broth, cooking until thickened. Stir in milk; continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thickened and hot. Add seasonings, asparagus, and turkey; heat through. Stir in cheese and cook until melted. Stir in the cooked drained pasta and pour into the prepared baking dish. Toss bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle over top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Serves 6 to 8.

Source: http://z.about.com/d/southernfood/1/0/1/b/1/turkeypennea.jpg