Having just returned from a week off, and
feeling excited about the new year and my resolutions, I began to listen
to messages and open my mail, As I caught up on all the challenges of private
practice, I noticed theme. Our personal health goals often
don’t fit with our health plans through our insurance company.
No matter how committed we are to health and
recovery, our health insurance defines the limits of our coverage and
consequently the means for our recovery. As consumers we have to be
prepared to advocate for ourselves. The first step is to know your health plan. Gone are the days where we can assume that our care will be covered
without limits. In the world of rehabilitation, rarely do we get to see a
person through to complete recovery. My job as a therapist is to assess
and address problems, teach a home management program and encourage our
patients to follow through on their own. Of course there are long term
consequences to this strategy. My experience suggests that human nature
makes it difficult to follow-through on home programs on our own. It is often difficult to self motivate. Most of us benefit from
that external push.
Here are a few survival tips.
1.
Know
your insurance coverage and benefits
2.
Follow through on your home program so when therapy
comes to an end you won’t feel so lost.
3.
Acknowledge the obstacles toward your health
goals and find ways to overcome them. Be honest and seek support from a
professional or a trusted friend.
4.
Develop an action plan and be specific. (See our upcoming blog)
5.
When you are feeling powerless, perform an
activity that puts you back into control. As long as it’s a healthy
activity, pursue it.
6.
Remember health exists on a continuum; the
primary aspects of health include physical, emotional, social, and
environmental health. Within each category there are important
subcategories.
7.
Choose a health plan that offers you the most flexibility for
the price. If it is a limited policy, put some money aside, like in a
Health Savings Account, so you can buy the services the insurance won’t cover.
8.
Keep good health records so you can advocate for
yourself effectively.
9.
Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or therapists
questions. This will empower you and improve your quality of care.
If you have other suggestions for empowered
personal healthcare management, please respond to this blog. Let’s all
learn from one another.
Michele Rifkin, MSHed, OTR/L
