Guest guest Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 Boy, Big Pharma is busy! I just read they got vitamin B6 classified as a drug as well! I guess the emphasis on high-nutrient foods may come in handy around here! --- In , " c_rene_r " <rrucker2b@...> wrote: > > I have just received the following letter from the Vitamin D Council > on medicare discontinuing the payment of vitamin D testing for > medicare patients. If anyone is interested, there is information at > the bottom for sending a note to your representative. > > Rene > > <<< > Vitamin D Council Newsletter > > Friday the 13th, February, 2009. > > Emergency! > > On Friday, February 6, 2009, Medicare announced its intention to stop > paying for vitamin D blood tests in many Medicare districts. If this > rule passes, the change will quickly extend to all Medicare > districts. Private insurers will then follow suit, denying payment > for vitamin D blood tests, even for the diagnoses of vitamin D > deficiency. Medicare proposes to pay for vitamin D blood tests for > only few limited indications, such as rickets, osteomalacia and > chronic renal failure. > Draft LCD for Vitamin D Assay Testing (DL29510). > > This rule change flies in the face of an enormous amount of research, > some of it published in the last few months. For example, several > weeks ago, the British Journal of Cancer reported that in men with > prostate cancer, those with highest vitamin D blood levels were 7 > (seven) times more likely to survive than were men with the lowest > levels (RR 0.16). If any media stories appeared about this amazing > discovery, I am unable to locate them. > Association between serum 25(OH)D and death from prostate cancer > > Apparently, Medicare's reasoning is not understood in England. A > week ago, researchers at Oxford discovered the long-sort genetic link > vitamin D has with multiple sclerosis. According to Medicare's new > rules, if you have MS, or don't want your unborn baby to develop it, > or have a family history of MS, or just don't want to get MS, you > will have to pay for the blood test to decide how much vitamin D you > should take to optimize your 25-hydroxy-vitamin D level. > MS link to vitamin D deficiency hailed by politicians as giant leap > forward > > If you are pregnant, and want to reduce your risk of caesarian > section by four-fold, you will have to anti up. > Low vitamin D may increase chance of a caesarean delivery > > Patients with diagnosed colon cancer are 48% less likely to die if > their vitamin D levels are high. If you have this dreaded cancer, > how do you know if your levels are high? > Vitamin D May Promote Colon Cancer Survival > > If you fear getting demented, pay up. Recent research indicates > people with impaired cognition are twice as likely to have vitamin D > deficiency. > Vitamin D is mental health aid > If you have Parkinson's disease, or don't want to get it, get our > your wallet. > Study finds link between low vitamin D and Parkinson's disease > > Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recently stated, > > " Given the growing evidence that adequate maternal vitamin D status > is essential during pregnancy, not only for maternal well-being but > also for fetal development, health care professionals who provide > obstetric care should consider assessing maternal vitamin D status by > measuring the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D concentrations of pregnant women. " > Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, > and adolescents. > > That is, the American Academy of Pediatrics now suggests vitamin D > blood levels be measured in all pregnant women. Expectant mothers, > concerned about their baby's " fetal development, " will soon have to > pay for the only test that will do what the American Academy of > Pediatrics now advises, tell them if their unborn baby is vitamin D > deficient. > > I could go on and on. Now is the time the Vitamin D Council needs > your help. I want you to do two things: > > 1) Email the person taking comments, Medicare's Ms. Oliveri, at > .Oliveri@..., and tell her your feelings about this > proposed rule change. Include your reason why this test is crucial > for the health of Americans. > > 2) Send an email to your Congressperson and ask them to investigate > Medicare's " Draft LCD for Vitamin D Assay Testing (DL29510). " Tell > your representative not to let this happen. Simply click on the link > below, fill in your state and zip code, go to your Congressperson's > website, and then click on " contact. " > Write Your Representative > > Of course, this rule change will help the finances of the Vitamin D > Council, as it will increase sales of ZRT's in-home Vitamin D test, > which generates ten bucks per test to us. However, this rule change > will end up killing Americans. We cannot let it happen. > I can't stress enough how important this is for the public health of > the United States. On February 21st, in just nine days, Medicare > will not allow any further input by citizens, so email both > .Oliveri@... and your Congressperson right now. > > Cannell, MD > The Vitamin D Council > 9100 San Gregorio Road > Atascadero, CA 93422 > >>> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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