PARKINSON DISEASE: BUILDING AWARENESS, TAKING ACTION

Guests: Paul Nausieda, M.D., neurologist, Regional Parkinson Disease Center, Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee
Jay Blankenship, M.S.W., Executive Director, Wisconsin Parkinson Association
Thomas Fritsch, Ph.D., Director, Parkinson Research Institute

Parkinson Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects a part of the brain responsible for controlling and coordinating movement. There is no known cause. The primary symptoms are resting tremor, slowness of movement, stiffness and a loss of balance. Wisconsin has one of the highest prevalence rates in the country for Parkinson Disease. Diagnosing the disease is difficult as there is no test, and many people go undiagnosed and untreated - their lives becoming increasingly physically limiting. Treatments are available today to alleviate the symptoms and help patients regain most of their activities. That is why awareness of the subtleties of the disease and screenings are so critical.

Providing a correct diagnosis or referral, giving the best treatment available, supporting a family caregiver, encouraging a patient to participate in a support group or exercise program, or educating others to recognize the symptoms of Parkinson's are actions necessary to give everyone with Parkinson Disease the opportunity to lead a full and healthy life.

For more information, listen to the program below and contact the WPA at (800) 972-5455 or go to www.wiparkinson.org.

FORWARD LYMPHOMA

Guests: Ron Skoronski, diagnosed with lymphoma in 2007
Brad Kahl, MD, Hematologist, Director of The UW Lymphoma Service
UW Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center

Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system categorized in two different forms: Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's. There are over 40 kinds of lymphoma, and there is much to learn about this elusive cancer which affects over 544,000 people in the United States. Ron Skoronski was diagnosed with this cancer in 2007 and teamed up with UW hematologist, Dr. Brad Kahl, to accelerate the fight against lymphoma and to find cures. Ron personally donated $1 million to establish the Forward Lymphoma Fund.

On this program, Ron Skoronski tells his personal journey from that shocking moment when he was told he has lymphoma. Dr. Brad Kahl highlights the advances being made by the Lymphoma Research Team at the UW Carbone Cancer Center and the additional research project made possible by the Forward Lymphoma Fund.

For more information, go to www.forwardlymphoma.org

HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE UNINSURED: The Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan (HIRSP)

Guest: Amie Goldman, CEO, Wisconsin HIRSP Authority

Over 525,000 non-elderly Wisconsin residents are without health insurance. Most of these people have been denied insurance due to pre-existing medical conditions or have lost their employer-sponsored coverage.

The Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan was created in 1979 to help insure these Wisconsin residents who were not able to obtain insurance. Now the HIRSP Authority has received $73 million from the federal government as part of Health Care Reform to expand affordable and comprehensive coverage to Wisconsin residents who are currently uninsured because of a pre-existing medical condition or not eligible for employer-sponsored coverage.

There are several plans to choose from, priced according to age and the deductible you choose. The full coverage includes prescription drugs, medical tests, preventive care and hospitalization. If you are currently uninsured or know someone who is, contact the HIRSP Authority. Professional are available to help determine eligibility and which is the best plan for you.

You can check eligibility and access application materials at www.HIRSP.org, or call 1-800-828-4777.

HEALTH CARE REFORM VS. THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY

Guest: Wendell Potter, author DEADLY SPIN (An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans)

In 2009, Wendell Potter made national headlines when he testified before a Senate panel on health care reform. This was after he walked away as head of corporate communications for CIGNA because he could no longer abide the routine practices of the insurance industry. In his book, Deadly Spin, he describes from an insider's perspective how insurance companies manipulate consumers and politicians to protect their profits.

As a former journalist and investigative reporter and now Senior Fellow on Health Care at the Center for Media and Democracy, Wendell Potter discusses on this program - the history of health care, the health insurance industry and their campaign of disinformation, and how this impacts health care reform.

Follow Wendell Potter at WendellPotter.com