Tommy Thompson sides with "Health Freedom" on MAJOR issue...

Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

January 27th, 2003


I've got the BIGGEST story in North American Health Freedom, EVER.  Here it is.

The conventional medicine stranglehold on health care has been broken - period.  It was done in Health & Human Services Director Tommy Thompson's office on January 16th, 2003 when Thompson SIGNED the approvals to use a new billing code system called ABC Codes in HIPAA transactions.

I told you the Bush administration was on the side of "health" before.  Some of you doubted.  Here's another example...

Let me explain.  Prior to Thompson's  action, the world of health practitioners had been dependent, for billing, on two basic systems.  One is called the "Diagnostic Codes," and the other is known as the Physicians' "Current Procedural Terminology or CPT® codes."   The World Health Organization (WHO) owns the rights to the "Diagnostic Codes."  The American Medical Association (AMA) owns the rights to the ""Current Procedural Terminology or CPT® codes."  Each gets paid money each time the code is used.

The WHO "Diagnostic Codes" are simply that - diagnostic codes.  But it was the CPT® codes that became the ISSUE in health care.  Simply, the AMA would NOT issue codes for alternative health care.  Congress told them.  Federal Judges told them.  They didn't listen.  What was happening, of course, was that the AMA was controlling, through its codes, or lack of codes, what actual procedures would be paid for, and which ones would NOT be paid for.

That's over.  The AMA has lost.  January 16th, 2003 was their "Waterloo."  Enter, from stage left - ABC Codes.

Understand this.  Thompson signed off on the first part of the project - a two year sort of pilot program, where they see how well it works.  It's up to YOU to see that it works well...  There is a 60 day sign-up period.  The clock is running.

Health practitioners - GET INVOLVED IN THIS RIGHT NOW!

There is a website you need to visit to read more about this.  Read ALL of it.  I've been on the phone with the ABC Codes project people yesterday, and today, at length.  They'll have their website updated for the information you need to be PART of this VERY soon.

They have gained the approval of not only Tommy Thompson, but every agency of "standards" in the United States.  They have over 4,200 codes available right now.  You've got to go to the website www.alternativelink.com right now.

You're welcome...

Tim Bolen
Consumer Advocate