Important info on Vitamin d

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Please read.

 

Vitamin D Council Newsletter

 

Friday the 13th, February, 2009.

 

Emergency!

 

On Friday, February 6, 2009, Medicare announced its intention to stop

paying for vitamin D blood tests in many Medicare districts. If this

rule passes, the change will quickly extend to all Medicare districts.

Private insurers will then follow suit, denying payment for vitamin D

blood tests, even for the diagnoses of vitamin D deficiency. Medicare

proposes to pay for vitamin D blood tests for only few limited

indications, such as rickets, osteomalacia and chronic renal failure.

 

Draft LCD for Vitamin D Assay Testing (DL29510).

 

This rule change flies in the face of an enormous amount of research,

some of it published in the last few months. For example, several

weeks ago, the British Journal of Cancer reported that in men with

prostate cancer, those with highest vitamin D blood levels were 7

(seven) times more likely to survive than were men with the lowest

levels (RR 0.16). If any media stories appeared about this amazing

discovery, I am unable to locate them.

 

Association between serum 25(OH)D and death from prostate cancer

 

Apparently, Medicare's reasoning is not understood in England. A week

ago, researchers at Oxford discovered the long-sort genetic link

vitamin D has with multiple sclerosis. According to Medicare's new

rules, if you have MS, or don't want your unborn baby to develop it,

or have a family history of MS, or just don't want to get MS, you will

have to pay for the blood test to decide how much vitamin D you should

take to optimize your 25-hydroxy-vitamin D level.

 

MS link to vitamin D deficiency hailed by politicians as giant leap

forward

 

If you are pregnant, and want to reduce your risk of caesarian section

by four-fold, you will have to anti up.

 

Low vitamin D may increase chance of a caesarean delivery

 

Patients with diagnosed colon cancer are 48% less likely to die if

their vitamin D levels are high. If you have this dreaded cancer, how

do you know if your levels are high?

 

Vitamin D May Promote Colon Cancer Survival

 

If you fear getting demented, pay up. Recent research indicates

people with impaired cognition are twice as likely to have vitamin D

deficiency.

 

Vitamin D is mental health aid

 

If you have Parkinson's disease, or don't want to get it, get our your

wallet.

 

Study finds link between low vitamin D and Parkinson's disease

 

Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recently stated,

 

" Given the growing evidence that adequate maternal vitamin D status is

essential during pregnancy, not only for maternal well-being but also

for fetal development, health care professionals who provide obstetric

care should consider assessing maternal vitamin D status by measuring

the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D concentrations of pregnant women. "

 

Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children,

and adolescents.

 

That is, the American Academy of Pediatrics now suggests vitamin D

blood levels be measured in all pregnant women. Expectant mothers,

concerned about their baby's " fetal development, " will soon have to

pay for the only test that will do what the American Academy of

Pediatrics now advises, tell them if their unborn baby is vitamin D

deficient.

 

I could go on and on. Now is the time the Vitamin D Council needs

your help. I want you to do two things:

 

1) Email the person taking comments, Medicare's Ms. Gina Oliveri, at

Gina.Oliveri, and tell her your feelings about this

proposed rule change. Include your reason why this test is crucial

for the health of Americans.

 

2) Send an email to your Congressperson and ask them to investigate

Medicare's " Draft LCD for Vitamin D Assay Testing (DL29510). " Tell

your representative not to let this happen. Simply

below, fill in your state and zip code, go to your Congressperson's

website, and then click on " contact. "

 

Write Your Representative

 

Of course, this rule change will help the finances of the Vitamin D

Council, as it will increase sales of ZRT's in-home Vitamin D test,

which generates ten bucks per test to us. However, this rule change

will end up killing Americans. We cannot let it happen.

 

I can't stress enough how important this is for the public health of

the United States. On February 21st, in just nine days, Medicare will

not allow any further input by citizens, so email both

Gina.Oliveri and your Congressperson right now.

 

John Cannell, MD

The Vitamin D Council

9100 San Gregorio Road

Atascadero, CA 93422

 

Thanks Vince