The document discusses the alarming rise in healthcare costs in the U.S., which ballooned from $2.2 trillion in 2007 to an estimated $4 trillion in 2015, emphasizing the need for reform that addresses underlying issues rather than merely treating symptoms. It highlights musculoskeletal diseases as a significant contributor to healthcare expenses, with misalignment of the feet identified as a root cause leading to various conditions and chronic pain. The author advocates for a medical solution involving a stabilization device to realign the feet, which can help eliminate painful symptoms and reduce long-term costs.

1. How to Save the Nation
$$$$ Billions $$$$
in HealthCare Costs!
Dr. Michael E. Graham
Macomb, Michigan USA

2. First –
how much have we paid in the past?

3. In 2007 - $2.2 trillion was spent on
national health care.
$2,200,000,000,000.00

4. That jumped to:
$2.6 trillion in 2010
That’s an additional
$400,000,000,000.00
($400 billion).

5. In 1980 only $256 billion was spent
on health care.

6. It will jump to
$4 trillion
in 2015.
$4,000,000,000,000.00

7. That’s why healthcare reform
has to happen.
It is simply out of control.

8. So how can we “fix” it?

9. Pass the costs of healthcare onto
the employers.

10. But that won’t fix the problem.

11. Pay doctors and nurses less.

12. That won’t fix it.

13. Pay hospitals less.

14. That won’t fix it.

15. Make patients pay more.

16. That won’t fix it.

17. These scenarios
have the proverbial
“dog chasing it’s tail.”

18. I think we need to ask
Prof. Einstein for his opinion.

19. “The world will not evolve
past its current state of crisis
by using the same thinking
that created the situation.”
Albert Einstein

20. Let’s take a closer look
at the cause of the
National Healthcare Crisis

21. It boils down to one thing.

22. Are we treating symptoms?

23. Or trying to fix the
underlying cause
of those symptoms?

24. The official policy of many
health insurance companies
is:

25. “the amelioration of symptoms not
to cure disease!”
Blue Cross Blue Shield

26. So the problem is that the medical
community is directed by the payers
to “not fix” the illness or deformity
but rather to just
mask the symptoms.

27. Basically, they are saying:

28. “if you ignore something long
enough, it will just go away .”

29. The problem is that nothing is
“going away.”

30. The fact is,
people are living longer
and as a result, so is
the cost
of “covering-up”
the symptoms.

31. Let’s skip the generalities
and
get into the specifics.

32. In 2009 -
$475.3 billion was spent treating
cardiovascular disease.

33. In 2007 –
$116 billion was spent
treating diabetes
and its related complications.

34. In 2008 –
$147 billion was spent treating
obesity related issues.

35. In other words –
$738.3 billion was spent
on:
cardiovascular disease
diabetes
obesity

36. What can be done to
combat these diseases?

37. A top recommendation is?

38. Exercise

39. But the majority of patients
end up with pain
as their reward for exercising.

40. Pain ends our excitement to
exercise really fast.
So we end up right back where we started –
Nowhere.

41. 1 out of 2 people end up with all
sorts of musculoskeletal issues.

42. This leads us down another
“rabbit hole” of insanity.
The costs associated with
musculoskeletal problems.

43. In 2008
110,340,000 individuals
complained of one or more
symptoms to their
musculoskeletal system.
That number will be significantly higher in 2013.

44. In other words:
every other person
over 18 years old
has a musculoskeletal complaint.

45. Chronic musculoskeletal
complaints
are found 60% higher
than
coronary & heart conditions.

46. 3 out of 4 persons (69%) aged 75
years or older report one or more
musculoskeletal symptoms.
So, the older we grow,
the more likely we are to develop
a musculoskeletal problem.

47. 62 million (62,000,000) adults
reported back pain (in 2008)

48. 39 million (39,000,000) adults
reported knee pain.

49. 17 million (17,000,000) adults 18
years and older reported that
they have difficulty performing
routine daily activities of life
without assistance
all because of their
musculoskeletal complaints.

50. The direct costs for treating
musculoskeletal disease was
$575 billion
($576,000,000,000.00)
and an additional $373.1 billion
($373,100,000,000.00)
on indirect costs.

51. The total costs of
musculoskeletal disease to
society was estimated at
$950 billion
($950,000,000,000.00)
in 2010.
It is over $1 trillion today.

52. What is the number
one reason for
back pain?

53. What is the number
one reason for
hip pain?

54. What is the number
one reason for
knee pain?

55. It all begins with the
most abused and
neglected part of our
body -
OUR FEET!

56. Specifically
the
talus
(ankle bone)
on the
calcaneus
(heel bone)

57. When the talus is properly
aligned on the calcaneus

58. then the rest of the body is in
A
L
I
G
N
M
E
N
T

59. and the
normal amount of forces are
acting on the bones and soft
tissues throughout the
musculoskeletal chain.

60. People with aligned
hindfeet
are able to walk,
run or exercise
without suffering.

61. However,
a partial dynamic displacement
of the talus on the calcaneus

62. leads to a
pathologic chain reaction of
destruction.
M
I
S
A
L
I
G
N
M
E
N
T

63. These abnormal forces
act on the entire
musculoskeletal chain
incorrectly.

64. This partial talotarsal dislocation

65. is what leads to
the development of these
chronic secondary
musculoskeletal symptoms.

66. People who have
a misaligned hindfoot
are punished for
walking, running or exercising.

67. So we have to look at
back, hip, knee and foot
pain
as symptoms.

68. Pain
is a warning signal
that something is wrong.

69. If we only address the
symptoms
without eliminating
the source of the symptoms,
then the symptoms will just
reoccur.

70. Just like we can keep putting air
into a tire with a slow leak, but
the air will just escape and the
tire will go flat again.

71. We can invent all sorts of ways to
put air in the tire, yet we ignore the
fact that it is just a temporary fix.

72. Eventually, the small hole
progressively gets larger and the
tire is completely destroyed.

73. If we could have repaired the
hole when it was smaller it would
have been a much easier fix than
having to replace the entire
wheel.

74. The same is true with our bodies.
It’s easier to fix a mild deformity
than to wait for it to become a
severe deformity.

75. As the population
continues to increase
and the
lifespan continues
to grow longer,
the already overwhelming costs
of treating musculoskeletal
diseases will become
insurmountable.

76. It seems that no matter how hard
the medical establishment tries,
they are unable to provide
long-term solutions.

77. We have to change our thinking
and look to eliminate, or to
decrease as much as possible,
the underlying etiology.

78. Let’s look at musculoskeletal
disease from another angle.

79. Not to just focus our attention to where the pain
is, but to look at the entire structure.

80. Walking is the second most
common conscious function of
our body.
Breathing is number one.

81. This partial talotarsal
displacement is simply ignored or
undertreated.
No one ever pays attention to the
foundation of the body – our feet.

82. Typically, someone with
misaligned feet has only 3
options.

83. Do nothing.

84. Put an arch support under your
foot (that may temporarily help
with the symptoms but won’t fix
the problem.)

85. Internally fix it.
Reconstructive rearfoot surgery. Looks like fun, right?

86. Problem with observation or
“supervised neglect” is that while
standing, walking, or running
those excessive pathologic
forces are destroying the body.

87. Also, there is progressive
destruction to our body.
That is why the older we get, the
more likely we are to have
musculoskeletal disorders.

88. Arch supports?
Where’s the proof of hindfoot
realignment.
Even the best custom-fit device
cannot realign and maintain that
alignment of the hindfoot.

89. Rearfoot reconstructive surgery
is reserved until there is so much
destruction that there is no other
option.

90. Finally – it’s time for the real
solution.
This is the answer we have been looking for.

91. What if there was a rather simple
procedure where a stabilization device
could be internally inserted to realign
the talus back on the calcaneus.

92. The normal
amount of motion
is restored.

93. No matter if the person was going
barefoot or wearing shoes, the
hindfoot would still be realigned.

94. This device could be used in both
children and adults.

95. And, if needed, this device could be
removed.
It’s always nice to know
that a surgical procedure
could be reversed, if necessary.

96. Once the hindfoot is realigned those
pathologic destructive forces would be
eliminated and more importantly…

97. …individuals could start walking,
running and exercising without
being punished.

98. This device would need to be
time-tested
and
scientifically proven.

99. What if I told you that this device is
already being used by foot and ankle
surgeons in over 25 countries?

100. It has been placed
in over 20,000 feet
over the past 8 years.

101. There are many scientific, peer-
reviewed articles published on this
device that include both multicenter
prospective and retrospective studies.

102. There has not been any
serious complications
as a result of this procedure.

103. Even the inventor
has them in his feet
and so does his wife
and daughter.

104. Doesn’t it make sense?

105. Do your own research, look at the
people around you, ask them what
symptom(s) they have
and take a look at their feet.

106. To learn more about this
life-changing,
problem solving procedure,
please visit:

107. www.alignmyfeet.com

108. Let’s refuse
to just mask the symptoms.

109. Instead,
let’s eliminate
the underlying problem.

110. Just think about all the cost savings.

111. Thank you for your time.