The Integrated Care Package
There are currently places in the world where large hospitals, medical clinics and retreat centers are able to offer multi-disciplinary anthroposophic care (Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden), but the current medical model and insurance programs in the U.S. do not make this possible. This is a challenging moral quandary, as participation in insurance plans immediately creates oversight and rigid expectations around the kind of medical care that is being provided. Services must meet the “standard of care,” or practitioners face severe scrutiny, as well as potential punitive limits on medical practice and monetary fines. For these reasons we continue to make the decision that it is better to remain outside of the insurance system, recognizing that it is limiting access but it also allows us to provide a fully individualized, holistic approach to the healing process.
We would like to try to take one step towards healing that conflict.
New for this coming year we are introducing an integrative “care package,” which is meant to provide in-depth support for individuals who are experiencing or have experienced a significant illness. Working through the healing process takes time, so the care package will include:
Five visits with Dr. Blanning over a 4-6 month span (usually three one hour visits, and two 30 minute follow-up visits)
Twelve rhythmical massage or anthroposophic nursing treatments with Dona Totten RN, also over a 4-6 month span. These would be divided into two, six session courses, with a break in between them. Treatments will be customized for each individual situation.
A 15% discount on all in-stock remedies during the treatment course.
A savings of approximately 15% on medical visits and massage/nursing treatments when they are purchased together as a package.
The cost of the care package for 2015 is $1200. This is designed with several aspects in mind:
One great hope of this initiative is that when someone becomes ill a community of friends, neighbors, and/or colleagues can come together and contribute to provide this care for someone, as we are usually least able to afford this kind of care when we are ill or incapacitated.
This can be accomplished by twelve people each contributing $100, or twenty-four people contributing $50.
It is also possible for one person to give the whole package of support to another person, privately or anonymously.
It is also possible for those who have a health saving account to budget $100+ a month towards this care, which is taken out pre-tax. For more information about establishing a healthmsavings account visit: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p969/ar02.html
Full payment (or a contractual payment plan) needs to be made at the beginning of the treatment course to qualify for the discounted package.
We believe this can offer important possibilities for people who are:
Undergoing treatment for cancer, including recovery from chemotherapy
Severe depression or anxiety
Chronic digestive illnesses
Recovery from surgery, injury, or trauma
Children with developmental or behavior challenges.
The package does not include the costs of remedies or other medications (which will necessarily be different for different situations).
We are hopeful that if there is good interest and participation in this program, in time, communal conversation can begin, looking at establishing a non-profit organization that can support this kind of collective care.
