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industry news and legislative updates
VA to Begin Chiropractic Care
Veterans can receive chiropractic care at 26 selected Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities beginning this fall, according to
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi.
VA
will hire or contract with doctors of chiropractic to provide the
care. Locations where chiropractic care will be provided include
Togus, Maine; West Haven/Newington, Conn.; Buffalo and the Bronx,
N.Y.; Butler, Pa and other locations throughout the country.
Chiropractors seeking employment or to provide contract services to
veterans should call the Human Resources office of any of the above
facilities. Some VA positions may be advertised at
http://www.vacareers.com.
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians 19th Annual Convention
& Exposition
What: The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians ("AANP") 19th
Annual Convention & Exposition was held September 8-11, 2004, at
the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, Seattle, WA. The theme
of this year’s gathering is "Naturopathic Medicine: Honoring the
Science of Natural Healing."
Who: Many of the nation's top naturopathic medical practitioners
convened in Seattle to discuss the latest developments in this form
of alternative medicine as well to hear new findings in research
addressing naturopathic medicine and the treatment of common medical
disorders.
CHRF
News Files Plans for Shutdown
As of August 1, 2004, the grant from the Center for Integrative
Health, Medicine and Research ("CIHMR"), which has funded the
Collaborative for Healthcare Renewal Foundation Newsletter
“CHRF News Files” for more than two years, has come to an end. We are
terribly saddened to see the end of this service, as CHRF has been a
great friend to the IMA. A special thanks to Managing Editor Elaine
Zablocki, who has been particularly helpful in sharing information and
assisting us with the development of our newsletter.
Senator Harkin Introduces Help America Act
(This news story courtesy of the Collaborative for Healthcare Renewal
Foundation Newsletter)
Senator Tom Harkin
(D-IA) recently introduced the HELP AMERICA ACT, which would reduce
healthcare costs by giving Americans access to better preventive care
and consumer information promoting healthier lifestyles.
The Act includes
programs that are expected to cost approximately $5 billion per year.
The Help America Act will cover all new costs by setting up a Wellness
Trust Fund based on penalties paid by tobacco companies that fail to
cut smoking rates among children, and ending taxpayer subsidies of
tobacco advertising. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance
Committee.
Chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the
U.S., and 75% of the $1.8 trillion we spend annually on healthcare
goes for treatment of chronic diseases. Yet, at present, only 2% of
annual healthcare spending in the U.S. is spent on prevention of
chronic disease.
In late July, Harkin called on Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Tommy Thompson to require Medicare to reimburse physicians and other
providers for preventive services such as nutrition, physical activity
counseling, and smoking cessation. Thompson announced a new policy
allowing Medicare to potentially cover interventions for seniors and
disabled Americans who are obese. Harkin is urging him to take the
next step, and not only treat obesity and other diseases, but also
work to prevent them. For more information:
www.harkin.senate.gov/wellness/index.cfm
Yoga Journal Releases First Comprehensive
Study of the Yoga Market
This story adapted
from a June, 2004 press release by Yoga Journal Magazine
www.yogajournal.com
Yoga Journal, the
yoga magazine headquartered in Berkeley, California has just released
"Yoga in America", the first comprehensive study of the yoga market.
According to the study, over 7% of U.S. adults, or 15 million people,
now practice
yoga, an increase
of 28.5% from the year prior. The poll surveyed over 4,000
respondents-a statistically representative sample of the total U.S.
population.
Yoga
Journal plans to update the survey yearly.
The survey revealed
surprising numbers regarding the general level of interest in yoga in
this country, and the intent of nonpractitioners to study yoga in the
future. Specifically:
·
More
than 12% of the U.S. population, or 25.5 million people, is very or
extremely interested in the practice of yoga.
·
One
in six respondents, or 35.3 million people, expresses the intention to
try yoga within the next 12 months.
·
More
than half of the general population, or 109.7 million people, have at
least a casual interest in the practice of yoga.
The study also
collected data on demographic factors. Of the yoga practitioners
surveyed:
Gender:
·
76.9%
are women
·
23.1%
are men.
Age:
·
25.2%
are 25-34
·
15.7%
are 35-44
·
26.9%
are 45-54
Income:
·
Over
30% have an annual household income of $75,000 or more, with a full
15% earning over $100,000.
Education:
·
Nearly 50% have completed a college-level education or higher. An
additional 40% have some college education or hold an Associate
degree.
Region:
·
Almost 20% live on the West Coast, almost 30% live in the Northeast,
and nearly 30% live in the central United States.
Length and
Frequency of Practice:
·
58.4%, or 8.7 million people, have studied yoga for under 2 years.
·
15.4%, or 2.3 million people, have studied for 10 years or longer.
·
More
than half practice twice or more per week.
The
growth in the yoga market is reflected in the growth of Yoga Journal.
Between 1998 and 2002, the paid circulation of the magazine more than
tripled, from 90,000 to 300,000, with circulation increasing 20.5% and
advertising revenue increasing 30% in the past year alone. The
magazine is the top-selling health and fitness title at Barnes & Noble
nationwide as well as at Whole Foods.
YOGA JOURNAL ANNOUNCES A REDESIGN
This story adapted from an August, 2004 press release issued by Yoga
Journal
www.yogajournal.com
Yoga Journal
announced a cover-to-cover redesign, commencing with their
September/October 2004 issue.
"According to our
recent 'Yoga in America' study, more than 8 million of the 15 million
people who practice yoga have studied for two years or less," says
Kathryn Arnold, editorial director of Yoga Journal. "Our redesign,
both in terms of our editorial and our art direction, reflects our
decision to reach out to a broader readership of newcomers to
yoga."
Newsstand copies of
the September issue includes a yoga DVD sampler that features a
20-minute flow sequence with Natasha Rizopoulos, star of Yoga
Journal's Yoga-Step-by-Step.
In addition, Yoga
Journal published a special issue of the magazine called Yoga
Journal's Balanced Living. The magazine appeared on newsstands on
October 5, 2004, and will remain on newsstands until the end of this
year.
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