What is CBD? CBD stands for cannabidiol, which derives from the marijuana or cannabis plant. It is a natural remedy that has the potential to assist with many common ailments. CBD is not psychoactive like THC, the component of marijuana that alters consciousness. Cannabidiol offers relief from pain and other symptoms without the mind-altering effects of marijuana or other pharmaceutical drugs.

CBD Chemical Makeup

CBD is a naturally occurring compound in cannabis plants. The substance is an extract from both marijuana and hemp plants, but it does not cause intoxication. Cannabidiol comes from the plant and usually mixes with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or hemp oil.

Pain Relief

CBD helps relieve pain by reducing inflammation and chronic pain through endocannabinoids. One study found that 74% of multiple sclerosis patients reported lowered pain after treatment with an oral spray that contained cannabidiol. In some treatment scenarios, patients have been known to discontinue opioid-based pain relief options in favor of CBD in order to manage chronic pain.

Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac affect the body’s ability to fight inflammation. Because of the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabidiol, there has been help for patients to reduce swelling and inflammation, providing not only pain relief but prevent disease-causing inflammation.

Reducing Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in the U.S. Anxiety affects nearly 40 million people starting around the age of 18 or older each year. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the single largest contributor to disability worldwide, while anxiety disorders are ranked sixth. This is a huge problem so it’s no wonder people are looking for answers and options, especially with something ground breaking like CBD treatment.

Individuals who received CBD treatment for anxiety or depression reportedly experienced improvements in their ability to perform daily functions and reduce pain and anxiety or depression symptoms. They reported some level of satisfaction with this treatment, ranging from good to excellent. Cannabidiol shows promise as a treatment for both depression and anxiety. Which leads many who live with these disorders to become interested in this natural approach. Researchers even use the substance to safely treat insomnia and anxiety in children with post-traumatic stress disorder. CBD has shown anti-depressant like side effects in several animal studies.

Cancer-Related Symptoms

CBD helps alleviate cancer related treatment side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, and pain. It helps reduce nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, which are among the most common chemotherapy-related side-effects. While we need more studies, there’s a lot of evidence that suggest cannabidiol works as a complementary therapy in cancer treatment. It works the same way as treating other chronic pain by reducing inflammation. Furthermore, studies of cannabidiol have shown that cannabinoids can slow the growth of certain cancer cells in animals.

Safety Concerns?

Overall, CBD is safe and non-habit forming. Even though the FDA has not made any formalized statement regarding the safety of CBD, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that CBD is safe for consumption, in its pure form, and have provided data to back it up.

Successful chronic care management is a challenge for many providers in the medical industry. Dr. Ezekiel J. Emmanuel, a chief architect of the Affordable Care Act, gave a speech at the 2018 AHIP Institute and Expo event in San Diego. In that speech he detailed five common characteristics shared by organizations managing chronic care. Those five common characteristics are identifying high-risk patients, embed care managers, empower care managers, active outreach, and educate patients.

Identifying High-Risk Patients

A high risk patient is someone with a serious medical condition who has a high risk of mortality. Conditions included under this are advanced cancer, heart failure, end-stage renal disease, and dementia. High risk patients are people who have multiple hospitalizations in the last year, or those residing in a nursing home. It can be difficult to treat patients whose insurance doesn’t cover specific medications. On the other hand, using empathy is one of the simpler-yet most effective- ways physicians can help high-risk patients.

Embedding Care Managers

Care management is defined as the application of systems, science, incentives, and information to improve medical practice and assist consumers and their support systems to become engaged in a collaborative process designed to manage medical, social, and mental health conditions more effectively. High-risk care managers must be out in patients’ communities. Several small studies have found that care management within primary care practices increases participation and enhances outcomes for patients with chronic conditions. Care management must be operationalized in a manner accepted by physicians and other care team members.

Empower Care Managers

Care managers deserve the right to have the same access to the data for their patients and should be able to make changes to the electronic medical record. It would be so much more beneficial for patients to have more doctors in one office so they can get all their care simultaneously. In addition, care managers would highly benefit from having access to a comprehensive, holistic view of each patient across the care spectrum.

This is the most effective way to identify and deliver the right care to individuals at the right time. One way to achieve this goal is by connecting technology in ways that breaks down walls and simplifies routine work, while enabling care managers to provide the human touch to patients in meaningful ways.

Active Outreach

Nationally, the trend is that patient loyalty to a specific doctor is declining. To maintain loyalty, doctors must reach out to members on a regular basis. This shows patients that medical personnel care about them. They are not just another face in and out of the office. Physicians are more than just their credentials, also. When physicians can embrace their different roles as mothers and fathers, as sisters and brothers, sons and daughter, it helps improve the connection patients are willing to have with their doctor instead of just getting in and out of the office. Patients will look forward to their visits instead of dreading going to the doctor.

Educate Patients

In addition, to improve care outcomes, physicians should spend more time with patients. Physician’s need more enthusiasm, motivation, and responsiveness to how patients’ are feeling and their needs. A patient’s understanding of their condition and the compliance with a doctor’s recommendations significantly affect the outcomes of patient health. Learning about their conditions means patients have the knowledge to undertake their treatments and with confidence and are likelier able to do it safely from home.

When you start planning to travel, you usually don’t think about health insurance as something necessary. Well experts say 15% of travelers encounter some kind of health problem while abroad and depending on where you go, your health insurance might not do you any good. Good news is, there are some ways to cover medical emergencies abroad that are surprisingly inexpensive, such as travel insurance.

Things to Consider

Checking with your health insurance carrier is always a good start. Most domestic health plans provide limited coverage overseas and won’t even cover prescriptions. If you do get covered for the treatment you receive, the care is typically charged as out-of-network care, which means higher copays and out-of-pocket costs.

The CDC recommends asking what the exclusions are for injuries relating to adventure activities such as scuba diving and hiking, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters. Also ask whether preauthorization is needed for treatment.

You should also look into international health insurance. If you love to travel and are always on adventures, it’s a good thing to consider getting. Travel health insurance covers the holes or gaps your normal carrier doesn’t. Some of these companies even provide primary coverage too. One thing to know is, if you have pre-existing conditions, some of these companies won’t cover care for those conditions. You can buy a waiver to exclude that though.

Policies usually cost much less for younger buyers and less comprehensive plans. A $1-million-dollar medical insurance plan with a 0 deductible cost a 35-year-old $15 per day. Whereas the same plan could cost a 65-year-old, but with preexisting conditions with a condition waiver, medical evacuation, and $5,000 trip cancellation coverage, $220-$600 a week. The difference is crazy, but could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Benefits of Travel Insurance

Travel insurance covers a lot of things, but a comprehensive travel insurance plan will provide the following key benefits:

• Trip Cancellation: Plans will cover specific reasons for cancelling the trip, such as a sickness or injury before you leave. Other reasons may include the death of a family member or unforeseeable natural disasters. Make sure to read the fine print of the policy to know exactly what is cover and what is not.
• Trip Interruption: Plans will cover specific reasons for cutting a trip short, such as sickness or injury resulting to in you having to return home. Other covered reasons may include weather or natural disasters, but be sure to read the specifics of the policy to see what is covered.
• Emergency Assistance (24/7): This service provides doctor or hospital recommendations and translation services.
• Baggage Protection: Some plans offer reimbursement or a stipend if your bag becomes lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed.

Cost of Travel Insurance

Travel insurance plans run about 5-8 percent of your total cost. Again, some plans may or may not cover pre-existing medical conditions so make sure to check on that when looking into this insurance.  Also when you travel abroad be ready to pay up front because most foreign healthcare providers require payments in cash or credit card when you receive treatment. Only some U.S. insurers have direct relationships with healthcare providers all over the world.