Now that the US Health Care Reform Movement has had a MAJOR shift as of June 28, 2012, via the US Supreme Court ruling to uphold the law, the Self Care Reform Movement welcomes this news and encourages our US residents to re-initiate their personal Self Care Reform Movement. So what does that look like and how can one start? Well, first thing is to revisit the original 3 tenets of Self Care Reform in the context of this current Health Care Reform:

1) Be informed.
2) Be empowered.
3) Be healed.

BEING INFORMED
Taking the time to learn as much as possible about the components of the Affordable Care Act is the best way to start. They have a whole section online about wellness and prevention that is covered under the new law. (http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html)

BEING EMPOWERED
Sustaining the desire to learn more about how the nations health care system can help you live healthier and better is a tremendous source of empowerment to start to making changes in your health lifestyle.

BEING HEALED
The moment of healing begins when you DECIDE to do something different to bring about a better health outcome; and a better health outcome leads to a better SELF outcome. Making the decision of getting a free mammogram or free depression screening or free immunizations for your child as under this new Health Care law, all leads to healing through the commitment to action.

As a final word on this new era of US health care, let us remember that as it took 5 (of the 9) US Supreme Court Justices to determine that Health Care Reform is constitutional and valid, it need only take 5 seconds to determine that our Self Care Reform is beneficial and necessary. With the Health Care Reform Movement plateauing for a while, let's be sure to keep our individual Self Care Reform Movement very alive and strong...

Marcus Lorenzo Penn, MD
Founder, Self Care Reform Movement