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luly 21,2010_____________________________ £he
New High-Risk Pool
Opens for Uninsured
One of the components of the
much-talked about national
health care reform law went into
affect in Oregon, last week.
Individuals with preexisting
conditions who lack insurance
can now join a high-risk insur­
ance pool to purchase health
care coverage. The federally-
subsidized pool is now another
option to the Oregon Medical
Insurance Pool, which is also
meant to cover people with prior
conditions who have trouble get­
ting insurance.
Both plans offer different ben­
efits. The Oregon plan is as much
as 25 percent higher than indi­
vidual market plans, while the
federal plan costs about as much
as the same plans. The Oregon
plan also does not have the six
month preexisting condition ex­
clusion, and is available to indi­
viduals who do not qualify for
the federal pool.
To qualify for the pool, an
individual must have be lacking
insurance for at least six months,
Racism and racial expecta­
tions are obstructing back
women in Portland from seeking
depression care, according to a
new study published in the
American Journal o f Public
Health.
The findings revealed that
study participants associated
most depression treatments with
a “white” health care system,
and that the expectation of being
a “strong black woman” has also
deterred participants from ac­
knowledging and seeking treat­
ment for depression.
The study, which was con­
d u cted at O regon H ealth
& Science U niversity
(OHSU), involved participants
in four p riv ate groups o f
women 18 or older who scored
15 or higher on the Patient
Health Questionnaire Depres­
sion scale and have experi­
Take Action Get Tested
■
Multnomah County Health Department's J
HIV Community Test Site offers |
confidential HIV testing
with or w ithout your name f
have a medical condition, and be
a resident of the U.S. or be
legally present. Applications are
available
at
www.omip.state.or.us, or by
calling 1-800-848-7820.
The plans range from $221
to $714 a moth based on the
applicants age range and plan
choice, which would be higher
without the federal subsidy.
The pool will offer a choice of
two comprehensive medical
and prescription drug plans,
with a maximum deductible of
either $500 or $750. The an­
nual out-of-pocket limit for both
plans will be $5,950.
Both pools are distinct from
the state-run Oregon Health Plan,
the demand for which is so high
that there is currently a reserva­
tion list for people wanting to
apply.
The federal pool is meant to
cover individuals with preexist­
ing conditions until health care
exchanges go into effect in 2014
under the healthcare reform law.
Study Finds Racial
Barriers to Treatment
enced intimate partner vio­
lence. They were asked about
their beliefs and experiences
regarding the relationship be­
tween violence and health in
general, mental health, depres­
sion, and depression treat­
ments, as well as to discuss
their recommendations for im­
proving depression care.
In response to requests of
study participants for more com­
munity-based depression pro­
grams staffed by African Ameri­
cans, the research team created
a pilot program at the Bradley-
Angle House’s Healing Roots
Center to meet the need for
culturally-tailored depression
care programs.
The Northwest Health Foun­
dation Kaiser Permanente Com­
munity Fund and the National
Institute ofMental Health funded
the study.
Pase 15
j
at these locations:
I
Downtown Com munity Test Site
Call 503.988.3775 for an appt. j
Mon |Thurs | Fri |
426 SW Stark St., 6th Floor, |
Portland, 97204 j
Northeast Health Center
Just walk in
I
Tuesdays | 5:30 - 7:15 pm j
5329 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, 2nd Floor, |
Portland, 97211 |
with this coupon
i Public
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Health OefM/tment
Se habla español: other interpretation by appointment.
Dr. Billy R. Flowers (above center) and his skilled s ta ff are ready to help those in need.
__________ THE______________
SPINACOLUMiN
An ongoing series of questions and answers about America’s natural healing profession
PART 11. EXERCISE: Does it help low back
problems, or only make them worse?
: A friend o f mine showed me to very disastrous side effects. tions that caused the problem in
a series o f exercises designed W hen we exercise and stretch the first place. Then and only then
to help her low back problems. muscles
Is
without removing the cause can th e sp in e be c o rre c tly
it all right for me to use them, too? o f the spasms, it actually forces the stretched and strengthened with­
: It would be enlighten- ing body to degenerate faster. You are out traum atizing m uscles and
to know the number o f people better off to have done no exercis­ nerves. For a safe, gentle accurate
with qualified back problems (fixa­
ing at all. In Chiropractic, we know assessment o f your spinal situa­
tion on the spinal joints) who are the exercise is an important part o f tion or for answers to any ques­
told they only need to exercise. health, but only after Chiropractic tions you might have about your
They are given a brief exam and a care has removed the spinal fixa­ health please call our office.
sheet o f stretching exercises to
follow. They are led to believe
nothing else need to be done. This
2124 NE Hancock,, Port land Oregon97212
is only incomplete therapy, it is
also therapy that could easily lead
Phone: (5 0 3 ) 287*5504
Q
A
Flowers' Chiropractic Office