Celebrating 11 years as a Medicare Specialist, October 2019
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Hi there!
Update on Cutting Drug Prices!
In the Health Section:
Why Do People Associate Iodine with Allergies?
Keep reading!
Theresa Cangemi CSA, CLTC
"The Medicare Ladyâ˘"
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President Trump - Update on Cutting Drug Prices
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If he proceeds, Trump would force drug companies to accept lower payments from Medicare for treatments administered in doctorsâ offices, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.âs immune-boosting Opdivo for cancer and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.âs Eylea for eye conditions. The rule would apply to certain drugs bought by the âPart Bâ section of Medicare.
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âIâm calling for bipartisan legislation that achieves the goal of dramatically lowering prescription drug prices. Get a bill on my desk, and I will sign it into law immediately,â -Donald Trump in his State of the Union speech
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Projected savings due to Trump's budget proposal âcomprehensive drug pricing reformâ total up to $36.5 billion between 2021 and 2025.
Under the rule heâs considering formally proposing, Trump would order reimbursement for certain Part B drugs to be tied to whatâs known as the International Price Index. Meaning, a price cut for many medicines, since the prices drug makers charge outside the U.S. are often set by government-run health-care systems and are generally lower.
The drugs that would be affected by any Trump action are among the costliest taken by Americans. They include innovative therapies for cancer, immune disease and other disorders. The industry says that Part B pharmaceutical spending makes up just 3 percent of overall Medicare costs.
The pharmaceutical industry warns the move could damage its profits and take away incentives to invent new treatments.
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In February I talked about the different salts and how they are used and even threw in a Himalayan salt article at the end. But this month (March), letâs talk about what happens if you donât get enough (iodized) salt in your meals or diet.
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Iodine is an essential trace mineral needed for the bodyâs production of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism.
Iodine is not the cause of allergic reactions in iodine-rich foods. These adverse responses are associated with other chemicals found in foods or products like seafood, shellfish, iodine antiseptics, or radiocontrast dyes.
What Does Iodine Do in the Body?
- Iodine is an essential nutrient that regulates metabolism, sustains energy levels, and supports hormone synthesis.
- This mineral is particularly important in the thyroid.
- These thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and influence the bodyâs sensitivity to adrenaline and other hormones.
- Some research even suggests that iodine supports brain health and IQ levels.
- Although iodine is a vital nutrient that everyone needs, itâs even more critical for women who are pregnant or lactating as it helps regulate reproductive hormones and supports bone and nervous system development in children.
How Much Iodine Do I Need?
- The National Institutes of Health recommends adults get 150 mcg (micrograms) per day, while pregnant women should get 220 mcg per day and lactating women 290 mcg per day.
- The NIH also recommends an upper limit on iodine of 1,110 mcg while some practitioners recommend mega-servings.
- Larger doses of iodine can increase the amount of toxic metals the body excretes, and Japanese citizens, who have the worldâs highest iodine intake, have better breast and prostate health. In Japan, people consume between 1,200 â 5,280 mg daily.
- The way your body processes iodine depends on your age, gender, and weight, among other things. You can ask your health practitioner for an iodine loading test, which will reveal whether your body is saturated with iodine or deficient.
What Happens if I Donât Get Enough Iodine?
- On a global scale, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates one-third of the worldâs population remains at risk for iodine deficiency.
- The consequences of not getting enough iodine range from mild to severe. On one end of the spectrum, too little iodine may produce symptoms such as brain fog, memory loss, and low energy levels. Serious deficiencies can lead to conditions like hypothyroidism or goiter.
What Causes an Allergic Reaction?
- An allergy occurs when your body responds to some external allergen that causes an immune response.
- An encounter with an element like dust, pollen, or shellfish sets off a reaction, and the immune system produces antibodies to attack the allergen. This tells the body to produce histamines which make blood vessels expand and cause other common allergy symptoms.
Why Do People Associate Iodine with Allergies?
- If iodine is an important nutrient, how can someone be allergic to it? The short answer is that they canât. While thereâs no question that some people have an adverse reaction to shellfish, radiocontrast dyes, and topical antiseptics containing iodine, there is a question as to what prompts that reaction.
- It turns out the iodine molecule is too small and simple to cause an antibody response, which is why scientists ruled it out as an allergen.
Iodine and Shellfish Allergies
- The high iodine content of seafood and shellfish, such as lobster and shrimp, led some people to believe that this nutrient causes the allergic reaction that occurred when certain people consumed it.
- The symptoms of shellfish allergy can range from mild to severe, with some severe allergic responses causing anaphylactic shock, an extreme and potentially fatal condition.
- The truth is that shellfish allergies are caused by four proteins found in the food and NOT the iodine: tropomyosin, arginine kinase, myosin light chain kinase, and sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein.
- Those who suffer from asthma and cardiomyopathy have a greater chance of experiencing a reaction to iodine-based contrast dyes.
Can I Have an Allergic Reaction to Iodine Supplements?
- As explained above, iodine itself does not cause an allergic reaction, but some supplements may include other chemicals, which theoretically could cause an allergic response. If you suffer from any allergy, your risk of additional allergies might be higher. In this case, look for an iodine supplement thatâs free of additives.
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* This article is for information purposes only. I donât recommend, support, or diagnose any featured writer or article. I am not a doctor.
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