Health Care Happenings

The psychological impact of war on the force has never been more real in the long history of combat.

Not too many days go by without reading a study, an article, or hearing someone talking about the rising number of cases related to post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, suicides, substance abuse, depression, or other combat stressors related to war.

I’m very excited about this year’s U.S. Naval Institute-MOAA Wounded Warrior Defense Forum.

We at MOAA have pushed hard these last few years to keep wounded warrior issues at the top of everyone’s agenda—the Administration, Congress, Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, communities, and our country as a whole. Yet, we continue to hear about the struggles military, veterans and their families are having in seeking needed care and support—issues not always visible and apparent to themselves, much less those around them.

Hope you can join us at our 3rd Annual Defense Forum (DFW) Washington, “Coping with Unseen Injuries: From the Battlefield to the Homefront,” on Wednesday, September 16 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, VA.

Please come out and support our military and their families. There’s much more work that needs to be done to help our wounded, ill and injured. Together we can improve the quality of life of those who serve on the battlefield and at home.

Program information and registration at: USNI-MOAA DFW

See you there!

I’m very pleased to announce that we’ve found a super person to assume John Class’s desk as Deputy Director, Government Relations (Military Health Care).

CAPT Kathy Beasley is a Navy nurse who retired from active duty in August.  She holds master’s degrees in both nursing and business administration and is working on her PhD.

Kathy’s 30-year active-duty career included tours of duty as Officer in Charge of the Naval Air Facility Clinic at Andrews AFB, Md; Director of Health Care Planning and Support at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery at HQ US Navy; Chief of Staff of the National Capital Area Multi-Service Market Office at Walter Reed Medical Center; and Director of Health Care Plans and Operations at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.

We’re thrilled to welcome this distinguished professional to MOAA’s lobbying team.

Kathy’s first day at MOAA will be Sept 14.

We’ve all seen the clips of heated exchanges at legislators’ town hall meetings, along with news reports that people are nervous about national health reform.

That shouldn’t come as any surprise.  Health care is a sensitive, personal subject, and all of us are understandably leery about any prospect of significant change that might affect us.

Being leery is healthy.  Debate on the issues is healthy.  Neither party (and certainly no individual politician) has a corner on good ideas or good judgment.

But good judgment also requires being as objective about the issues as possible.   And there’s a lot of misinformation out there.

No party has a corner on that, either.  Some are so convinced of the rightness of one course or another that any potential downsides are dismissed.  Some are so determined to sway the argument one way or the other that they tacitly allow or actively promote some blatant misrepresentations if they think that serves their political purpose.

MOAA believes any legislation has to stand on its merits, and that informed debate is the right way to end up at the best answer.   But encouraging misrepresentation of the facts — either to convince people of the rightness of a proposal or to stoke fear about it – is a foul.

So how do you keep informed without falling victim to misinformation? 

The first rule is to consider the source.  If the person you’re talking to (or the email you’re reading) includes strong emotion pro or con, that’s probably not a very  objective source.  You’re likely wise to at least seek additional inputs from other sources. 

The more extreme or outrageous the claim, the more you should consider double-checking an independent source.

Where can you find such sources? 

For one, check out MOAA’s Battle of the Bilge blog, in which we try to separate fact from myth or fabrication.

For another, try Politifact.com’s Truth-O-Meter.

In the end, we all have to make personal judgments on what we will and won’t support, whether the issue is national health reform or anything else.  But we’ll all be better off if we can avoid letting those judgments be swayed by misinformation, pro or con.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says “Take 3” steps to fight the flu claiming these actions will protect against the new H1N1 as well.   Each year over 30,000 people die from seasonal flu complications and more than 200,000 are hospitalized with this serious contagious disease.

The CDC urges you to take the following three actions to protect yourself and others:
1. Take time to get vaccinated
2. Take everyday preventive actions
3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them

Hand washing and alcohol-based sanitizers have extensive scientific evidence attesting to their effectiveness.  Additionally, the CDC suggests that other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful for killing flu germs on hands in settings where alcohol-based products are prohibited.

For further details, go to the CDC “Take 3” brochure.

“What’s Up Doc”  Part IV Answer:
          Last week’s symptom:       Headaches and/or ringing or aching ears, plus aching back, neck, and/or teeth

          The Doctor Says: Migraines or an ear disorder

          But It Could Be: Temporomandibular joint syndrome—when the joint connecting your jaw and skull becomes inflamed

So why is it so difficult to get a straight answer when you go see your doctor?

This month’s Redbook Magazine points to an alarming statistic from the National Patient Safety Foundation that says, “about 40% of all mistakes that medical doctors make are misdiagnoses” – the article also talks about the four diseases we’ve been discussing these last few weeks.

There are a number of factors contributing to this statistic, including the fact that many conditions have similar symptoms or can be detected only with certain tests that your doctor may consider unnecessary, or because your doctor is confident in the diagnose based on his or her experience, just to name a few.

What this statistic highlights for me is just how critical it is to be fully engaged in my own health care. Not just being aware of what’s going on with my body, but also knowing the right questions to ask my physician when I notice something wrong.

The article suggests that by being aware of conditions that might present confusing symptoms then you can ask the right questions to prevent or fix an error by your doctor.

My take-way in reading the article? A little patient education can go a long way in helping me get a straight answer from my Doc—and, it might just Save My Life!

It has been my distinct privilege for the last five years to serve my military and veteran family as Deputy Director for Health Affairs at the Military Officers Association of America.  It has truly been a rewarding experience for me.  I have accepted a position as Vice President, Communications and External Relations with Aetna Government Health Plans who was recently awarded the TRICARE North contract.   

I can truly say that this has been the most rewarding position that I have ever held and working with the MOAA family has been ever so enjoyable.  The whole MOAA family is truly guided and motivated by doing what is right for the greater good of our country and our military.  I am looking forward to continuing my efforts with Aetna by providing the necessary healthcare support to our military men and women and their families throughout all phases of their lives.  I will continue to be very involved with the military coalition and look forward to sustaining the wonderful relationships I have developed with them.

My last day here at MOAA will be Friday August 14^th and I will begin work with Aetna on Monday the 17^th.  It is with a heavy heart I bid a fond farewell but I am comforted by the fact that MOAA will continue to work hard for all service men and women regardless of rank or status.  I am proud to be a life member.