A NEW OPTION TO TREAT LOWER BACK PAIN MEDICARE NOW COVERS ACUPUNCTURE
Good news for Medicare beneficiaries! In a landmark decision, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has opted to cover acupuncture treatments for those suffering from chronic lower back pain. This new treatment option opens more possibilities for those seeking pain relief and hints at more choices becoming available to beneficiaries in the future. If you’ve been wanting to try acupuncture for your chronic lower back pain, there are some things you should know before seeking treatment. CAN ACUPUNCTURE HELP? Acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine, with roots as far back as 100 B.C. Today, many patients in the United States have found the treatment effective — though clinical trials have proven inconclusive. However, in 2017, guidelines published by the American College of Physicians found moderate evidence that acupuncture is effective at treating lower back pain and may be a viable option for you if other methods of pain relief aren’t working. WHAT WILL MEDICARE COVER? For those with Original Medicare (parts A and B), your plan will cover up to 12 acupuncture treatments over 90 days. These have to be administered
by a licensed acupuncturist to treat chronic lower back pain. If you see noticeable improvements in your condition after your treatment, an additional eight sessions may be covered. WHAT’S THE BIG PICTURE? The CMS’ decision to cover acupuncture marks the first time Medicare has expanded to an area of alternative medicine. The decision came in response to the opioid crisis, which has unfortunately highlighted the extremely harmful effects of painkillers on individuals and families. As more alternative medicine treatments are studied, Medicare beneficiaries faced with other forms of chronic pain may have new treatment options opened to them. If you feel that your chronic pain isn’t responding well to physical therapy alone, don’t be afraid to incorporate treatments like acupuncture in conjunction with exercises like yoga. These typically work well as a supplement to physical therapy. If you’ve been suffering from chronic pain and would like an alternative to opioids or surgery, talk to your physical therapist and see what options work with your current treatment.
A SHOUTOUT TO OUR NATION’S NURSES THE HEALTH CARE HEROES HELPING US THROUGH THIS CRISIS
International Nurses Day is coming up on May 12th, and though the holiday often goes under-celebrated, we have a feeling this year will be an exception to the rule. That’s because the coronavirus pandemic has shown a massive (and well-deserved) spotlight on nurses, doctors, and other health care heroes in this country and around the world, revealing just how much they do for our society. During this pandemic, nurses have been instrumental in saving lives and keeping hospitals running. Every day, they’ve risked their health and safety to help others, taking commitment to the job to an entirely new level. Here at TZ Medical, we’re beyond grateful for the incredible nurses who staff our nation’s hospitals, not just during this pandemic but every day! Thanks to our line of work, we get to see nurses in action regularly, and we know firsthand how hard they work and how much they do. With that said, you don’t have to take our words for it — the proof is in the numbers. Here are just a few statistics that reveal how incredible our nursing workforce is.
by far the largest group staffing hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and physicians’ offices. They are truly the backbone of our health care system. • Nurses continue to work despite having a much higher than average incidence of injury and illness on the job. According to BLS data, nurses face an incidence rate of 104.2 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, much higher than the 91.7 case average. • One study published in the 1990s by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that nursing is more hazardous than even heavy construction and mining.
• According to Gallup, nurses have been considered the most ethical among a range of professional workers for 15 years running.
If you have the means, consider joining us in supporting the nurses in your community this National Nurses Day. Nurse.org is an excellent resource to turn to if you’re not sure how to help. But if you work with nurses every day, take a moment on May 12th to check in with them and say thank you. We certainly will!
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 42% of health care employees are either nurses or nursing assistants, making them
2 | TZMedical.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs