Alternative Medicine on the Rise?

Over 5 million Canadians seek out alternative or complimentary health products and treatments, and most of them pay out of pocket, which amounts to about $2.35 billion per year.

Why are Canadians turning to alternative treatments and natural medicines? Well, many of us have become a little skeptical of conventional drugs due to the widely publicized warnings of their potentially harmful side effects. Although most natural health products and traditional Chinese medicines don’t have scientific data to back up their safe use and effectiveness, they often have a well-established history of beneficial outcomes and testimonials accounting for their usefulness. Some remedies are based on more than 2,000 years of practice. 

Research

The amount of research generating evidence regarding ancient natural Chinese medicines and treatments is growing. The National Institute of Health, a research funding agency in the United States, is compiling data to support their worth.

• Health Canada created the Natural Health Products Directorate in 2004, regulating natural health products to ensure that Canadians are purchasing safe and high quality products.
• Ontario saw legislation pass in 2007 that required the regulation of practitioners of naturopathic medicine and homeopathy, as well as a number of traditional Chinese medicines and treatments, including acupuncture.

However, in the end, one has to question to what extent these regulations will benefit the patient when the high costs for setting up bureaucratic infrastructure and practitioners’ licensing fees will most likely be recouped by increasing the costs for already expensive health products and services.

Keep Doctors in the Loop!

Since natural or alternative therapies can be sought out without a prescription, it is advised that patients going that route provide full disclosure to their doctors of the natural products or healing therapies they are using. Medicines can sometimes interact in a negative way and cause health issues. Herbs and vitamins have been known to interact negatively in about 25% of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Enhanced Health Insurance Coverage

Many Canadian health insurance companies now offer enhanced health insurance plans that include coverage for treatments by registered specialists and therapists including acupuncturists and naturopaths.

Considering an Individual Health Insurance Plan?

If you’re looking for a supplemental health insurance plan you’ll find it under group insurance plans. This type of package covers members of a group and their eligible dependents. Some employers provide a group health insurance plan as part of an employee benefits program. Your eligibility would be determined by whether or not you are a full time employee and on how long you’ve worked for the company. In most cases, a worker must have been employed for at least one to three months, and part timers are not usually eligible.

If you don’t have a group insurance plan at work, you can purchase an individual insurance plan.  If you are part of an association such as a university or CAA you may get exclusive rates not available to the public by purchasing the plan sponsored by the association. 

Remember, when you are no longer an employee of the company, or you cease to be a part of the association, you no longer have coverage.

The Increasing Popularity of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular and is a billion dollar business in Canada.

70% of Canadians use CAM in their treatment of medical issues or to boost their overall well being. Complimentary medicine is used in conjunction with mainstream medicine while alternative medicine in replacement of it. Just in this past year alone, over 5 million Canadians have reported using some form of alternative or complementary health product.

Many health insurance companies recognize CAM as a potential option in the treatment of illnesses or medical conditions; consequently, various types of coverage are now available.

Today, you can build your own customized insurance plan to meet your requirements and fulfill the needs of your family.