If you read my recent post about all the benefits from VitaminD3, it won't surprise you that Medicare is proposing to stop paying for screening tests for Vitamin D. That figures doesn't it - stop supporting a simple safe, cheap non-drug solution to improving health. Obviously the bureaucrats at Medicare are not in touch with what works, except for what their lobbyists tell them. I include here the message I got from the VitaminD Council website about this. I recommend we all send angry letters to the person in the letter. I know many of my patients have seen positive benefits from taking high doses of vitamin D after appropriate testing.
And if you don't think people have power in politics, we do. Government does listen to people who make enough noise. I have had some experience personally with this and wish all people desiring the best health, support the need for vitamin D screening with Medicare and the insurance companies. I could be harsher in my words for these two groups but will restrain myself.
From the vitamindcouncil.com website:
Proposed Restrictions on Vitamin D Testing
Soon, Medicare's newly proposed guidelines for restrictions on vitamin D testing will be adopted by every major insurance company in the country.
The restrictions would forbid screening, the most important use of the test. This means that although vitamin D deficiency treatment is still covered, your doctor will not be able to order the test to find out if you suffer from low vitamin D in the first place!
We encourage people to send their comments to Medicare by filling out this form on their website. When filling out the form, the proposal's LCD number is DL30273. The name of the proposal is "Vitamin D Assay Testing."
If you would rather send a letter, which is more effective, sent it to:
• Ms. Anna Gene Risoldi
• Senior Research Analyst
• Highmark Medicare Services
• 1800 Center Street, 1AL3
• Camp Hill, PA 17089
Comments may also be sent to Dr. Daniel B. Kimball, Jr. at drdankimball@gmail.com. He is on the AMA board that is reviewing this policy.
drBob
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