Mercury poisoning changes your life, your family, and your future. I was unlucky to have these genetic glitches, and a lifetime of mercury dental amalgam placed, drilled out and replaced over the years.
I was also extremely fortunate. I finally found out why I was chronically ill for two decades, and why I had serious escalating health problems. I was fortunate to find a functional medicine specialist and a biologic dentist who could treat my condition, and had the full support of my primary care physician. My health plan has been good, although there are elements of my treatment they do not cover.
My dental plan has not. There is no medical necessity, no patient protection in dental plans. They denied all appeals based on medical necessity. The FDA's decision to protect the amalgam industry over patient health gives them license to cover the cheapest material which contains a known neurotoxin, and not to replace it, because the FDA says it is "safe." Imagine if your health plan did not replace a stent that was killing you, or if schools did not provide an alternative to peanut butter sandwiches for allergic children.
The only consolation is to help others avoid this fate through building awareness, reaching consumers, moving markets, and working for policy and practice change so we catch up with other nations in patient protection for health, and helping to make chronic diseases history.
Here is a Summary of the Economic Impacts (ten years 2004-2013)
Cumulative lost family income: Well into six figures.
Cumulative public lost federal and state taxes: Into six figures, plus 18 months of unemployment insurance.
Excess Family Medical and Dental Expenses: Double FSA limits (doubled from over $5,000 per year to over $10,000 per year peak). ACA halved the FSA limit to $2,500, while expenses continue at over $5,000/year, and still face large dental bills well in excess of insurance for several years.
Excess Health Plan Medical Expenses: Significant during chronic disease phase, on multiple medications for years. Got third opinion consults in many specialties, expensive diagnostic tests and scans, major prescription expenses, chronic disease management for fibromyalgia, breast cancer surgery and treatment 14 years ago, treatment and one surgery for bone fractures resulting from balance issues, and frequent physical therapy for physical problems. In contrast, only referral now is follow up with Allergist/Functional MD.
Excess Dental Plan Expenses: Will be maxing out and exceeding plan limits for years to come.
Excess Costs to Health Insurance Plans, and to Accountable Care Organizations: Frequent and expensive flyer in the health care system due to chronic disease and associated conditions, with expenses skyrocketing during the acute phase. Future high expenses now averted, as is early entry into the long-term care system.
Cost-Benefit Analysis and Risk Assessment: With funding, Hidden River can develop templates, project cost-benefit scenarios, and perform risk assessments, for a variety of stakeholders in health care, including families, employers, health plans, accountable care organizations, and governments.
Family Impacts: Not at my best during 20+ years of marriage, and raising our son. Could not have second child. Physical limitations. Recreational limitations. Increasing work limitations. Job losses. Unemployment. Exhaustion of unemployment benefits. Growing health problems, then a year of escalating medical misery.
Please help make this needless tragedy of chronic disease and injustice history.
