How RSI Sufferers Can Get Better Care Thanks to the Affordable Care Act

According to a new study by the Rand Corporation, most health plans now include chronic care management programs. This comes on the heels of the Affordable Care Act's mandate to improve outcomes and represents a great opportunity for RSI sufferers. It's true that CCM programs now in place only cover things like diabetes, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and sleep apnea. But two things are also true: first, that the healthcare industry is listening and second, that many of the treatments for those chronic disease also apply to RSI sufferers.

Healthcare institutions that don’t improve their patient outcomes will be penalized under the ACA. Subsidized healthcare plans are mandated to cover certain services they didn’t before. Both mean that healthcare administrators are highly motivated to help you improve pain and functionality, and they can get paid for offering you those services. The Rand study's lead author, Soeren Mattke, says, "There is an urgent need to improve management of chronic conditions." All this adds up to a unique opportunity for all of us to formulate CCM programs for RSI sufferers and you can help.

What would a CCM program for RSI sufferers look like? Behavioral health, movement training, stress education, and rehabilitative services, all now covered by CCM programs in subsidized healthcare plans. Let your primary care physician know that RSI is a chronic disorder as well. Tell her what treatments you find the most effective, in terms of both pain reduction and functional improvements. Point out that according to the Office of Healthcare Advocate in the State of Connecticut, approximately half of working-age Americans has at least one chronic condition and RSIs certainly account for many of them. We know that healthcare administrators are now tracking patient progress. Think of this as going into a suggestion box that's actually being heard. If your healthcare provider has a healthcare advocate, let them know as well. The Rand report, and just about everything else written about improving patient outcomes, sites lack of patient engagement as a chief obstacle. Any patient who is engaged should be a welcomed relief. As our entire healthcare system gets retooled, don’t miss out on the chance to affect standards of care in the future. We're all in this together. 

By Jill Gambaro, author The Truth About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.