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August IO. 2011
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Healthy Eating Means Spending More at Store
Study finds cost is barrier for many
(AP) — A healthy diet is expen­
sive and could make it difficult for
Americans to meet new U.S. nutri­
tional guidelines, according to a
study published Thursday that says
the government should do more to
help consumers eat healthier.
An update of what used to be
known as a food pyramid in 2010
had called on Americans to eat more
foods containing potassium, dietary
fiber, vitamin D and calcium. But if
they did that, the study authors
said, they would add hundreds more
dollars to their annual grocery bill.
Inexpensive ways to add these
nutrients to a person's diet include
potatoes and beans for potassium
and dietary fiber. But the study
found introducing more potassium
in a diet is likely to add $380 per year
to the average consumer's food
costs, said lead researcher Pablo
Monsivais, an assistant professor
in the Department of Epidemiology
and the School of Public Health at
the University of Washington.
"We know more than ever about
Drug Benefit
Peace of Mind
When I was younger, I was
taught to respect my elders. Now
that I ’m one of those “elders,” I ’m
grateful to know that so many
abide by the same maxim. It’s not
alw ays fun grow ing older, but
thanks to widespread support for
the M edicare Part D prescription
drug program , it’s certainly a bit
easier to swallow.
Part D has been a huge success
since its creation in 2006. For one
thing, it’s far more cost effective
for the federal governm ent than
initially anticipated. The Medicare
Trustees have stated that spend­
ing related to Part D is more than
40 percent lower than their initial
10-year estim ate.
W h at’s m ore, the C o n g res­
sional Budget Office recently low­
ered its 10-year projection o f fed­
eral spending on M edicare, not­
ing that the m ajority of the reduc­
tion - roughly $ 120 billion - is the
result of lower-than-expected Part
D spending.
But the real success of the Part
D program comes from the relief it
provides to seniors across the
country.
M ore than 40 m illion people
the science of nutrition, and yet we
have not yet been able to move the
needle on healthful eating," he said.
The government should provide
help for meeting the nutritional
guidelines in an affordable way.
He criticized some of the market­
ing for a healthy diet— for example,
the image of a plate of salmon, leafy
greens and maybe some rice pilaf—
and said a meal like that is not afford­
able for many Americans.
Food-assistance programs are
helping people m ake healthier
choices by providing coupons to
buy fru its and v e g e ta b le s,
Monsivais said, but some also put
stumbling blocks in front of the poor.
He mentioned, as an example, a
Washington state policy making it
difficult to buy potatoes with food
assistance coupons for women with
children, even though potatoes are
one of the least expensive ways to
add potassium to a diet.
The study, published in the jour­
nal Health Affairs, was based on a
random telephone survey of about
New federal guidelines are advising Americans to eat eight
ounces o f seafood rich in omega-3s per week for brain and heart
health. But a new study, finds many o f these kinds o f healthy
foods, like salmon are too expensive for many consumers.
and already A m erican seniors
have saved north o f $ 160 million
as a result. Because of the provi­
sions outlined in the ACA, the
donut hole is expected to close
by L arky
com pletely by 2020.
L ucas
This is a serious and welcome
relief for all seniors, but especially
have received com prehensive pre­ for those with chronic diseases
scription drug coverage from Part who require long-term, daily drug
D. And, most im portantly, they’re therapies to lead healthy lives.
Because some chronic illnesses
overwhelm ingly satisfied with the
coverage they receive: A survey such as diabetes and cancer are
conducted last fall by M edicare • particularly prevalent among A f­
Today found that 84 percent of rican Americans, this is great news
seniors report being happy with for seniors in our com m unity. But
the prescription drug coverage there are more benefits for seniors
from the Affordable Care Act.
their Part D program s provide.
Such w idespread satisfaction M edicare beneficiaries may also
com es as no surprise when you qualify for a slew o f preventative
consider the record access se­ health services to help m anage or
niors now have to affordable medi­ even prevent chronic diseases.
cines thanks to Part D— particu­ Such services include tobacco use
larly in light of last y e ar’s A fford­ c e ss a tio n c o u n se lin g , an n u al
able Care Act (ACA), which in­ physicals and free screenings for
cluded provisions aim ed at help­ various diseases including can­
ing seniors afford the drugs they cer and diabetes.
We never can predict the fu­
need.
S p e c if ic a lly ,
the ture, and growing older is often
b io p h arm aceu tical industry is accom panied by endless c o n ­
w orking to help policym akers cerns. So perhaps the greatest
close the infam ous “donut hole,” thing to come from the Medicare
the gap in drug coverage that has prescription drug program is this:
troubled seniors in the past. Now, A pproxim ately 94 percent o f se­
A m e ric a ’s b io p h a rm a c e u tic a l niors feel “peace o f m ind” be­
com panies are providing a 50 per­ cause o f the coverage they re­
cent discount on brand-nam e pre­ ceive through Part D, according
scription drugs for seniors who to M edicare T oday, and such
are eligible. These discounts have peace truly is invaluable.
If you have questions about your
only been in effect since January,
2,000 adults in King County, Wash.,
followed by a printed questionnaire
that was returned by about 1,300
people. They noted what food they
ate, which was analyzed for nutrient
content and estimated cost.
People who spend the most on
food tend to get the closest to
meeting the federal guidelines for
potassium , dietary fiber, vitam in
D and calcium , the study found.
Those who spend the least have
the lowest intakes of the four rec­
om m ended nutrients and the high­
est consum ption of saturated fat
and added sugar.
Hilary Seligman, assistant pro­
fessor of medicine at the University
of California, San Francisco, said
Monsivais' research is an interest­
ing addition to the debate about
healthy eating and food insecurity,
her area of expertise.
"Almost 15 percent of house­
holds in America say they don’t
have enough money to eat the way
they want to eat," Seligman said.
Recent estimates show 49 million
Americans make food decisions
based on cost, she added.
current Medicare Part D coverage medicare.gov formore information,
or would like help reviewing your
Larry Lucas is a retired vice
plan. Medicare counselors are avail president for the Pharm aceutical
able to help. Give them a call at 1 Research and M anufacturers of
800 -M E D IC A R E
or
v isit America.
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