Our Police Retiree Rep is Alex Perez, he can be reached at 210-317-6340.
FELLOW AND FUTURE MEMBERS JANUARY 1, 2017
On January 1st we opened our eyes to a new year. Hopefully we all came through the Holidays in good health and ready to accept ever changing patterns and events in our daily lives.
As we all know by now, we have a new PBM to manage our mail order medications. New identification cards have been given to each Fund Member. If you have not received a new card, call the Health Fund Staff. The Health Fund packet that you received at the Seminar or by mail has your 2017 Claims Form. Be sure you fill in the information on the form and mail it to the Health Fund.
There are other important reading materials in the packet. Read the information provided because it is pertinent to your health benefits.
Another major addition to the Health Fund is the new Clinic that will be opened on the southeast side of the city. The Clinic will be located at 7003 South New Braunfels just inside South East Military Drive. I will send you additional information on the location and the opening day as plans develop.
I read a very interesting article by Scott Burns, a writer for the business section of the San Antonio Express News. I intend to write about this interesting observation or, if you will, events, in two sections. The reason I will stretch it into two sections is because I can only put so much in these articles without making it so long that it becomes boring and uninteresting. So, that being said, don’t forget to read the February 2017 article.
I will be using many of Mr. Scott’s observations and quotes so I want to give him complete credit on the contents that I’ll use for this article.
A recent report from the Society of Actuaries indicates that life longevity of all ages is actually declining. The conclusion is that we are getting less “bang for the bucks” we are spending on health care.
The question is; what can be done about this peculiar phenomenon? If we look to our politicians for solutions, we shouldn’t be surprised to find a very slight adjustment in pricing or nothing to lessen the burden of the high cost of health care. The important thing to politicians is how much help the medical industrial complex will provide to get the politicians re-elected.
With this conclusion in mind, let’s not look to our politicians for help; let’s do it ourselves by making up our minds to have less health care. This is hard to believe, but it can be done. If you were to read Doctor Gilbert Welch’s “Less Medicine, More Health,” you will probably understand that less is actually more. The solution is as simple as taking better personal care of ourselves.
This is not a quick cure scheme; it is a long term restoration project. Personal responsibility would have a bigger effect on the physical and economic health not only on us but also on our country.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control found that the top causes of death are the ones we usually hear and talk about; heart disease, cancer and strokes. When it was examined in a more societal setting, it was found that the main causes of death were: tobacco, poor diet, physical inactivity and alcohol.
A great percentage of our health problems are the result of personal choices. Just by losing a few pounds, exercising and improving the quality of diet, a person could lower his blood pressure, reduce his cholesterol and improve his heart efficiency. I would venture to say if you took better care of yourself, maybe 50% of the medications you are taking could be eliminated.
Pricing of goods and services is generally determined by the rule of supply and demand. An example is the price of gasoline; more is being produced and less is used, consequently lowering the price. So to; using fewer medications could possibly create a glut in the market causing a drop in prices.
Mr. Burns tells the story of his physical condition: he’s lost 22 pounds, walks 50,000 to 70,000 steps per week, and his resting heart rate is 51 beats per minute. Good success story. I will tell the story of my physical condition and how I personally changed my life. I will continue this article in February………………..
HEALTH BRINGS A FREEDOM VERY FEW REALIZE, UNTIL THEY NO LONGER HAVE IT
Moral of the story: A healthy body allows you to enjoy and partake of all the joys of life. A man who has tasted the sweetness of a peach, the joy of walking and running, and the ecstasy of a well cooked meal will never miss these joys until they are taken away. Always work with your body to keep it in good physical condition so that you can continue to enjoy the flexibility of your freedom.