TEVA Pharmaceuticals is sponsoring a free webinar tomorrow, May 21^st at 1:00 PM EST entitled “The Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplaces: Overview for the MS Coalition.”

MSAA is an active participant in the MS Coalition and encourages anyone who is looking for general information on the Affordable Care Act to participate. The program will provide an overview of the new and emerging health insurance Marketplaces as well as MS specific information.

Please note that registration is REQUIRED. Be sure to click the following link: (https://tevausa.webex.com/tevausa/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=794060172 ) to insure your spot in the program.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was passed by congress in 2010 is making some very big changes to the entire insurance industry including both public and private insurance policies. Many large scale changes are taking effect beginning in January 2014. Beginning on October 1, 2013 you will be able to  begin to shop for insurance policies in the new  Health Insurance Marketplace.

Recently, MSAA has added a new section to the website on the ACA and the changes that are coming. Please take some time to become familiar with this new insurance landscape. If you have specific questions about insurance, please contact MSAA’s Helpline at (800) 532-7667, extension  154 or email msquestions@mymsaa.org.

There is an old adage about a woman looking in the mirror before she goes out and removing one piece of jewelry. Another maxim is the one–in, one–out rule, which is when an individual brings a new item home, one item must be removed.  What do both of these having in common?  They help us when we have too much “stuff”, which can result in clutter in a person’s life.

Taking this idea one step further, many people find that they commit themselves to too many activities or tasks.  Does it really have to be work, and family, and friends, and exercise, etc. (not to mention and MS)?  For most people all of the “ANDS” become impossible to manage at some point.

Learning to say “no” and find your own personal limits is a lot like the tip about removing one item of jewelry. Sometimes we get into the mindset that more is better, until we are forced to learn that less can sometimes be just as good. Now obviously, there are many things which are non-negotiable and you can’t choose to say “no” to those.  So maybe focus on the ones in life you can say “no” to.

Take a look at your schedule for the week, or even just the day. Look at all the things you promised yourself to do and then see if there is maybe even just one thing you can take out.  If you did would it give you more time to enjoy or appreciate (or even just deal with) everything else you have going on?

With the recent approval of Tecfidera, individuals with relapsing forms of MS now have 10 different disease modifying therapy (DMT) options to discuss with their physicians. Having choices and options for treatment is a good thing; however, having choices brings challenges as well.

Now there are not just a few factors to consider when working with your physician to determine the most appropriate treatment choice. Instead of a few options you will be asked to consider a number of different factors in relation to each medication (creating the potential for major headaches).

Some of the most obvious choices are in relation to mode of administration (injection, IV infusion, or oral), while other considerations include efficacy, safety profiles, and risks associated with each medication. Combining all these factors and more can seem like a daunting task.

As a result, MSAA designed S.E.A.R.C.H.™ as a tool to help you navigate the complex process of selecting an MS DMT medication. The framework allows you to organize information about these medications and gets you thinking about which questions and concerns are most important for you when selecting a medication. Having a clear picture of questions to ask can also help facilitate and improve discussions with your treating physician around medication options.

So, if you are considering a new or different medication, let MSAA help you S.E.A.R.C.H.  for the right therapy for you! You can find the S.E.A.R.C.H. information on MSAA’s website, www.mymsaa.org, or call (800) 532-7667 and ask to speak to a Client Consultant.

Valentine’s Day is a great time to show others you care about them, but can also be a reminder of relationships or friendships which have been lost or times when people have let you down.

Life is seldom predictable. Even the people and relationships that we choose to surround us may evolve or change over time.

Now that Valentine’s has come and gone, it is a good time to reflect on maintaining and drawing strength from the one constant in your life — this person is your biggest advocate, your strongest supporter, someone who never leaves your side through the good or bad…it’s YOU.

When things get difficult and complicated, or when you are feeling alone, show yourself compassion, give yourself support, and be own your biggest cheerleader; be your own best friend.

By: Dr. Miriam Franco

The term mindfulness is certainly getting much use these days. Such phrases as “be mindful”, “practice mindful meditation”, and “be in the moment” are interspersed in daily conversation across various areas of life. Yet many find it hard to really understand, in plain English, just what mindfulness really means.

Mindfulness is a particular conscious state of mind that, with practice, can sharpen certain mental faculties, processes and modes of awareness. It stems originally from Vipassana, one of the oldest of Buddhist meditation practices. In this practice, there is a direct and gradual cultivation of awareness. Over time, your attention is carefully directed to an intense examination of aspects of your existence. As you learn to relax and meditate, you learn to become attentive more and more to the flow of life experience. It is, in effect, a form of sensitivity training, a type of method of exercising your awareness. It engages attentive listening, full seeing and careful observation allowing you to be more present in the moment. Take in the particular features and aspects of experience as in smell more acutely, touch more fully and really pay close attention to what you feel.The purpose of becoming more mindful in this way is to learn to really pay attention without judgment and constant distraction.

Often we think we are doing this, but just as frequently this is an illusion. In a mindful state, we cultivate a special way of seeing reality. Instead of looking at life through a constant stream of concepts and thoughts or mental objects we mistake for reality, we learn to not get so caught up in endless thinking and let reality float by unnoticed. Rather than spending time being engaged in activity and distractions, pursuing an eternal path of pleasure and security, or fleeing from pain and unpleasantness, we train ourselves to ignore the constant urge to be more comfortable. It is often ironically stated in meditational practice that real peace comes only when you stop chasing it.

This state of mind can be achieved through meditation training or relaxation and sensory meditation training (Guided Imagery). In time, we slowly become more attuned and in touch with the way we actually are. Life has a much deeper texture if we bother to reflect on it and to look in at it in this way of practice. It’s a type of self-discovery process in which you observe your own experiences while participating in them as they occur. Over time, you find yourself observing things more the way they are flowing and changing and interacting with them more fully from moment to moment. This can add a relaxed, reflective attitude towards one’s self, others and life. This special mode of perception is called mindfulness.

*Dr. Miriam Franco is a psychologist in private practice in Wayne, PA and is a certified MS specialist and a Guided Imagery specialist. She also serves on the Health Care Advisory Council of the MSAA and is a Professor of Sociology at Immaculata University.

Stay tuned to MS Conversations throughout the month of January. Upcoming entries will center on the themes of Health and Wellness. We will ask experts in the field about their opinions on exercise and overall wellness strategies for individuals with MS. Let us know what questions you have and also what future themes you would like to explore by leaving a comment below.