Posts Tagged ‘health care’

Forgotten Patients

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Well over a year there have been countless discussions lobbied for and against The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was signed into law early in 2010. There is an entire litany of evolving health insurance circumstances and changes that have occurred, but nowhere does it mention the welfare of the patients. There has been much discussion and media reporting on how much The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is going to cost the country over the next few years.

There have been discussions on the specific types of medical health insurance coverage that each individual citizens is eligible for and when. There have been many discussions on the half trillion dollars that will be re-focused from the Medicare program leaving our senior citizens in a quandary. The annual cost for individuals and the cost for families is another issue that has been discussed many times.

We have learned how the annual health insurance cost for individuals will be capped at no more than nine thousand dollars and the health insurance cost for families will be capped at twelve thousand five hundred dollars. Yet, with all this rhetoric there is still no concrete answers to how this will help every individual.

It does seem to appear that all the government is interested in is in finding innovative and creative ways to confiscate your heard earned income and leaving you with nothing more than a pittance for basic survival. How long will individual citizens continue to work only to turn over their paycheck at the end of the week because the government has decided they need your money for health insurance more than you do?

The heated rhetoric, the on screen arguing, the right to fund abortion or not, and other issues continuously seem to be creeping back into the conversation.  Still the government does not inform the public of what is going to be in the new health insurance policy or what health care coverage will be continued and what health care coverage is being denied to the mass public.

Would it not make better sense if the government went through the hundreds of pages of health insurance and medical health care issues that are current? What about only changing or eliminating those items that are redundant or not fruitful. Why not have the government rid the entire health insurance system and medical health care system of the fraud that is at the root of the problem?

Was it really necessary to overhaul the entire health insurance industry and medical health care community only to achieve a single payer health care system that the government wanted in the first place?  Only to now mandate that we the people must do what they say and buy a health insurance policy that is approved through the Internal Revenue Service whether we want one or not?

Ultimately, this is nothing more than another ploy to confiscate more of your hard-earned money and create a dependent society rather than an independent society. Is this what you want? Do you want to teach your children to be dependent upon the government for all possible needs?

Treatment Options

Monday, August 16th, 2010

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Contrary to the beliefs of yesterday, there are newer methods of treatment for many of the ailments suffered by individuals today. The medical health care community acknowledges that there are some areas they have excelled in over the past fifty or so years.

Of course, they also acknowledge they have a long way to go on the more serious injuries that will cause a lifetime of pain for the population. Even the health insurance providers are slowly beginning to acknowledge that the medical health care treatments for many of today’s individuals have come a very long way.

Instead of months of rehabilitation, it is now down to days or weeks and this helps to keep the costs down for the health insurance providers. This is, in part, why some in the health insurance industry are beginning to offer low cost health insurance to the vast majority of young adults. Some of the more acute and chronic muscle pain that can be controlled much easier is:

1.      Neck and shoulder pain and injuries

2.      Back and chest injuries

3.      Upper extremity and lower extremity

4.      Foot and ankle pain and injury

The health insurance industry and the medical health care physicians are also taking a closer look at how shock waves can stimulate healing and reduce the time for the athlete in rehabilitation services. The intense energy pulses directed to the specific target area of the body seems to promote a healing action that cuts down on the long-term health care.

This in itself is quite a break through for the medical health community because they have been trying to find ways to reduce the time an injury takes to heal. In turn, this allows the individual to be back with his or her employment team sooner than was customary. These shock waves are so intense they are able to break down calcium deposits much faster than any other known prescription medication.

Through a very thorough and comprehensive orthopedic evaluation, the specialized medical health care physicians are able to reduce the healing time in a few health care issues such as:

1.      Pre-surgical evaluations

2.      Health insurance issues regarding physical therapy

3.      Occupational therapy and Aquatic therapy

4.      Exercise prescriptions and training programs through a therapist

5.      Orthopedic and prosthetic devices when it becomes necessary

These are only a few of the health care treatment options that are available to the public. There area other forms of health care treatments that are being instituted. They will soon be in every medical health care center and hospital.

Viable Options

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Individuals who are suffering and living with serious pre-existing conditions, there are a few viable options in the realm of affordable health insurance. Of course, like with everything else in life there are always issues to consider. One of the more important issues is for you to decide what you are able to afford before you begin your search for an affordable health insurance policy.

There are a few choices that are out there for individuals who suffer and live with pre-existing conditions, but it depends on where you are at the moment that will decide what your options are.  This is really an unfortunate area that has been basically ignored by the health insurance providers and the medical health care community.

It is very difficult when you are aware the treatments, prescription medications, and medical health care help is at your fingertips. Yet, because you are unable to afford the additional costs for one reason or another, you fall back into the shadows. How sad when there are so many different health insurance providers and medical health care physicians close by, you fall through the cracks of society.

You are making too much money to receive any assistance from the state where you reside, yet you are not making enough money to be passed the basic necessities like food, rent, transportation, and utilities. Sadly, you are not alone, because there are thousands of other individuals in the same predicament as you.

Those individuals who do have some monetary funds there are a couple of viable options to research for health insurance coverage, but it will be a very expensive adventure. One of the viable solutions is a health savings account or HSA, which is mostly a type of health insurance that you keep in reserve for those times when you require hospitalization.

However, you could also try to set up a savings account along with your checking account and save up money towards your health care requirements without turning to the health savings account. All you would be doing is trying to put a set amount of money aside so that when you find it necessary you will have it to help defray some of the medical health care costs.

The other viable option for those individuals with pre-existing conditions is the high-risk pool, but again you must have the money before you can even enroll. This also applies to those individuals who have very rare diseases and rare pre-existing conditions of which there is no medical health care physician that truly understand what you have.

This is a health insurance plan that is very expensive because you will carry a very high deductible in order to pay the average monthly cost for health insurance. Okay, so what good is it to say you have a health insurance policy when you must continue to live as if you have no health insurance because of the high deductible?

This is almost equal to a catch twenty-two situation because now you finally have the option of medical health insurance coverage. However, because of the high deductible that you already know you are unable to afford it is the same, as having no health insurance coverage except you now must pay the average monthly cost for health insurance. How does this help you?

Long-term Health Insurance

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Long-term health insurance is great for some individuals, but is not meant for everyone because of the cost and the requirements that are involved. Most individuals and families do not even consider the possibilities of this type of health insurance until it is too late. By this, it means after the fact of a catastrophic accident or injury that is more costly than anyone anticipated. Long-term health insurance for the general public consumption is broken down into to main categories.

  1. Skilled care which required the assistant of a health care giver, medical health care professional or registered nurse
  2. Non-skilled care, which is a caregiver in the home or visiting the home during certain hours of the day to assist with dressing, eating, bathroom activities, and in general daily living

The problem with considering long-term health insurance is that you are never sure with life’s lottery if you will even require it during the course of your life. Some individuals do have an idea of the type of health insurance they will need in later life because of the known family history. How do those individuals without a family history know?

This is usually the type of health insurance provisions that come into play as one ages and requires assisted living or nursing home care. The health care providers usually have an idea of how their patients are progressing and are there to offer advice to other family members to ease them into the inevitable.

Other individuals will simply require moving in with a family member or relative to help. They sustain a respectable lifestyle as many are able to care for themselves and the health insurance industry is very aware of this type of alternative care. Family members in general, do save the health insurance industry and the medical health care professional valuable time and expense by taking in relatives.

A major issue for families to keep in mind is that when they do decided to purchase long-term health insurance they look to the reputable health insurance companies. Those health insurance companies who have long established a reputation because what happens when you purchase a long-term health insurance plan from a lesser known health insurance advocate you may wind up in trouble.

Having the peace of mind of knowing you have long-term health insurance to cover your unknown expenses as you age will leave you free to continue enjoying life and not having to worry about what is going to happen. This is a little talked about topic even with the health care physicians and yet every individual needs to understand what could happen, as they grow older.

There are so many unforeseen triggers that could cause a catastrophic event even for just the one individual that it becomes difficult to predict who will require assistance as they grow older and who will manage fine. Long-term health insurance is a good asset for all families to consider relieving the burden of who will take care of them years down the road.

Whether you will require a live in registered nurse around the clock or  something as simple as someone stopping by to prepare meals is unknown.  There is always a need for long-term health insurance coverage for the  necessary expenses that are not thought about before the time comes.

Health Insurance Collectivism

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Health insurance collectivism really means that the entire health insurance system is designed to have every individual paying into the system with only a small percentage withdrawing.  It really is impossible to sustain a lucrative business when there is less financial support coming in than going out. There can be any number of health care catastrophic events that can cause this balance to shift.

1.    Long-term nursing home health care

2.    Catastrophic illness becoming wide spread

3.    Permanent disability

4.    Long-term and permanent custodial health care

5.    Long-term hospitalization

Those individuals who carry a health insurance policy for many years will find the health insurance policy is discontinued upon the expiration date because the individual is costing the health insurance provider large sums of money to be paid out to various health care providers in the individuals behalf. This is the health insurance provider’s way of letting you know they can no longer afford those individuals who are high-risk.

Health care providers are placed in the middle. They soon find it difficult to render medical assistance without assurance of receiving payment. This is also part of the difficulty with the crowded emergency room at the various local community hospitals.

There are more individuals and families without affordable health insurance coverage today because of the rising cost for a health insurance policy and the ever-growing list of pre-existing conditions. Over time, the entire health insurance industry has grown so large that when you sign that contract to enroll with a health insurance provider there is no guarantee the health insurance contract will be renewed.

Most individuals will go through life and never file a health insurance claim. There may be small stepping-stones along the way like a broken bone, or stitches from a bad fall but for the most part, you pay your average monthly cost for health insurance coverage and seldom give it a thought.

However, when you find yourself in a catastrophic position where the medical health care bills are mounting, your difficulties begin. The health insurance provider will offer many excuses why you are no longer covered for given expenses. Unless you took the time to read and understand what you are covered for, there will be a problem.

The health insurance provider may cancel or refuse you reimbursement at any time they so choose when the health insurance policy is vaguely written. Most individuals are not aware until they must submit a claim. This can make life very difficult because when you are unable to pay your medical health care expenses you run the risk of losing everything you ever worked.

Many families have been uprooted in the past; losing their home, cars, and other valuable items for the simple reason, they never took the time to read what they were covered for in their health insurance policy.

Life changing events are difficult enough to get through without having to fight with the health insurance provider to have them meet their obligations to the health care provider in your behalf. As the bills begin to mount the stress, level goes even higher and the recuperation time becomes extended because now you are not receiving the proper rest.

No Health Insurance

Monday, May 31st, 2010

There are millions of individuals of all age groups without any health insurance to help them as they go about their daily lives. Where do individuals and families go when they need medical health care and they have no health insurance coverage? You certainly are not able to visit the local medical physician in your neighborhood because the first question you are asked is who is your health insurance carrier?

When you explain you are without medical health insurance at this time, but you are able to pay cash for the medical physician’s services you are still refused an appointment, so where do you turn? Most individuals who are alone will turn to their local drug store and scour the shelves to see what is available for their own health care practices.

Other individuals with young children will turn to the emergency rooms of the local community hospital and hope their children will be afforded the needed health care and medication they so desperately need. You wonder why the local community hospitals are always filled to capacity in the waiting room.

You will find the health insurance industry played a role in causing this build-up by negotiating with the health care providers to the point where they are not allowed to take in a patient, treat them, and accept a cash payment. Oh have we come a long way when the medical health care provider could make house calls without asking if you have any low cost health insurance to cover the expenses.

When you listen to the news reports, you will hear from time to time how we, as a nation have come a long way in the health insurance industry, yet have we. If you are unable to pull out your health insurance card to prove you still have health insurance coverage you are blatantly turned away with the suggestion you visit your local community hospital.

Private hospitals in your local area will refuse you medical health care  assistance faster than any medical health care provider so be sure you visit your local community hospital if you want an opportunity to see a medical health care physician. This includes children too and makes the entire situation very sad.

When you have a parent taking a child to the emergency room for medical health care do you think they stop to read the sign on the front of the building to see if it is a community hospital or a private hospital? Of course not, the child may have sustained a broken arm or broken leg while attending school and all the parent wants to do is get their child medical health care as quickly as possible.

Sadly, this same occurrence happens every day of the week to many parents at a time when they are upset because their child is hurt. To have everyone in the medical health care community turn his or her back on you is a travesty that is unacceptable, yet it still happens. Why is the medical health care community exempt when it comes to the private hospitals?

Health Care and Economy

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Individuals who are new to the institution of medical health insurance can find they are overwhelmed with the many choices of health insurance providers and the choice of plans. However, with even a small amount of effort it will soon become evident which health insurance plan is best for the individual at any given period of time.

Many grouped into the population of the young seem to have difficulty with the choices because they were used to being covered under their parent’s health insurance plan and never really gave it much thought other than they were covered under some plan. With time and patience even, the young can find out which plan is best for their needs and the only other question is to find the most low cost health insurance that is possible.

Be wary of some of the cheaper health insurance policies because many times you find out too late that the deductible is one that is very high and you are not covered for all the different things you were once covered when under a parent’s insurance plan.

When you have finished up with college and are out in search of your first full time employment, you may have the opportunity to buy into a temporary health insurance policy to cover your needs until you find gainful employment. This type of insurance is not exactly inexpensive, but it will see you through until you can pick up affordable health insurance with your new employer.

When you are young and healthy you are starting off on good footing. Though the health insurance quotes, you will receive by a variety of insurance carriers you will be amazed at how expensive medical health care coverage can be as you begin to age. Of course, much will depend on the type of insurance policy you are researching and the type of medical coverage you are expecting.

Understand that low cost health insurance as with almost any other aspect of the consumer driven market will sink or swim depending on how strong the consumer market remain. Similar to what is occurring today with almost every aspect of the consumer market spiraling downward. Just where all this downward activity will end, no one is really sure because we are all in new territory, including the health care territory.

In many ways, it is a sad legacy to find that our wealth and much of our health care industry is dependent upon a consumer state of mind. At one time, we were a nation of creative builders and growers and shipped through trading many goods across the seas and around the world. Can you figure out exactly what it is that we export today?

The country has lost its luster through floundering in self-indulgence.  We as a nation forgot how to stand tall to respect and honor all that came before. Those who laid the foundation for future generations to build are being tossed aside through arrogance and dependency in every faction of life.

This is true with the exploration of low cost health insurance as well because the public is making as many demands of what they want as the insurance providers are taking away. Whatever happened to independence and self-reliance?

Healing Faster

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

The health insurance industry is aware that many young Junior High and High School sports are males who, like all young adults believe they are invincible and perform at anything. Sadly, this mind set also causes many young male athletes to experience a hernia because of over extending their body muscles. Now, their body is compromised with a condition that on average affects older men.

The sports health insurance only offers minimal health coverage and the parent’s health insurance policy remains the primary policy. The medical insurance is there to ease the burden of health risks due to hospitalization and surgery, but in such young children, this was unheard of a few years ago.

These young athletes are experiencing an excruciating pain and yet the sports related hernia is very difficult to detect and to treat. Once the sports related hernia is finally diagnosed, the health care treatment would continue for months and the young athlete is no longer able to continue in the sports program until given a clean bill of health.

Realizing that the health insurance industry is there to help reduce the monetary cost to all subscribers of the various insurance plans, you have to wonder how many times they are obligated to pay out for the same related surgery. This is now a difficult problem for the parents, the student, the school and coaches, and the health care industry.

Everyone is trying their best to cut corners and concede certain issues in order to receive a low cost health insurance policy that will offer adequate medical coverage in times of emergency. Yet, the cost continues to rise because of duplicate and triplicate incidents of surgery and hospital stays.

The medical community through the group of health care orthopedic surgeons has recently come up with a new procedure to aid in the repair of the sports related hernia and shortens the length of time the student must sustain for rehabilitation. The new, more innovative procedure consists of less evasive surgery reducing the healing time from an average of twenty weeks down to four or five weeks.

This was conducted through a group health insurance effort including the medical community.  After a very lengthy study, new guidelines were instituted for the hernia surgery and the healing time. To date, many in the community, especially the sports athletes, are very satisfied with the new procedures now put into place. In time, these new procedures and treatment schedules will be throughout the country and reach every medical community and school.

Pets and Allergies

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Pets and allergies for some reason seem to go together. How sad when you have a family and everyone agrees they all want very much to add a pet to the family and when you do the war of the allergies takes over. The allergies stem from the animal dander and not all the health insurance in the world is going to stop this from happening.

However, there are some allergies, like asthma, that are now considered a pre-condition. If your child or children are developing an allergy to the pet dander, do you then return the pet? Probably not, but this is becoming an issue for the health care industry to pay attention to. There are a few steps you can try to help alleviate this issue with the help of the health insurance community.

1.    Discuss the allergy symptoms with your medical health care physician

2.    Bathe your pet regularly to reduce the pet dander

3.    Refrain from allowing your pet to enter the bedroom for an allergy free night

4.    Thoroughly vacuum carpeting and flooring regularly

5.    Clean and dust regularly

6.    Consider using a vacuum with a HEPA filter to pick up pet dander

First, you must figure out how to relieve the symptoms of the allergy and this is a logical topic to discuss with your medical health care physician.

There are many over the counter medications that are mild that you could try to see if they eliminate the itchy eyes and runny nose after consulting your medical health care physician. However, if the one member of your home who is allergic to pet dander is a child, it is a wise idea to discuss this with your pediatrician. If your child is older then discuss this with your medical physician and even your affordable health insurance carrier.

Sometimes you will need a prescription medication for allergies, specific to pet dander and then you will need to talk with your health insurance provider to find out if they will cover the prescription. The reason why you need to find out is that if the prescription is an expensive one, you must continue to purchase a new supply each month.

Always take care though, do not mix medications when you are not sure if they are compatible. You can always consult your medical health care physician when you are not sure, especially when children are involved. You can also consult with your low cost health insurance provider to ask if they have a pamphlet for more advice to protect the children and reduce the susceptibility of pet dander allergen.

The health insurance providers usually have information they will be more than happy to pass along to you to help with the necessary adjustments of introducing a new pet into the home. Good, sound advice is what you really need most right now and they just might have what you are searching. Once you are able to grasp a new workable system you will soon find the allergy will begin to subside, but never allow yourself to let down your guard.

Lower Insurance Premiums

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Shopping around for medical health care is so time consuming that many people who begin with good intentions end by walking away and giving up. However, if you prepare ahead of time and have a better understanding of what you are looking for the search becomes easier.  There are a few things you can list and then take them one by one until you locate the right health insurance plan that will suite your needs.

It is at this time that you will pick up the telephone and set up an in office appointment to discuss the details further and collect some information. A few of the ways to lower your medical health insurance premiums are:

1. Always do your best to remain healthy and refrain from unsavory habits

2. If you are a smoker now it a great time to stop

3. Consider a high deductible in order to lower the average monthly cost for health insurance

4. Change your co-insurance ratio when it is possible

5. Consider combining a Health Savings Account or HSA with a high deductible medical health insurance plan for better planning

6. Consider a major medical catastrophic plan to help defray cost

7. Consider eliminating anything that poses a significant risk

8. Consider a health insurance plan with an in network medical physician

9. When both spouses have group health insurance through their place of employment discuss which insurance plan covers more for less money

10.                   Go over your insurance plan annually to check for any changes to the policy

11.                   When you are dissatisfied with your employer sponsored group health insurance add a suggestion in the suggestion box

12.                   Try to be pre-emptive and think ahead for what your family needs will be

These are all suggestions to help you when you make that appointment with a health insurance provider in order for you to receive the type of insurance policy that will best serve you and your family. In turn, doing your homework also aids the insurance provider put together and offer you an insurance policy that is closest to what you are searching. One of the high sides is when you and your spouse are both employed.

When you both carry medical health insurance coverage, it does give you the opportunity to find the time and compare both medical health insurance policies to see which one really costs less and offers more beneficial coverage at the same time. This will afford you the opportunity to drop the health care plan that cost more while continuing with beneficial coverage for yourself, your spouse, and your children.

Try not to focus so hard on the cost because it is the coverage that will be more valuable as the years pass. When you have the responsibility of a family, children continue to grow, and there are always different issues regarding health insurance issues that must be addressed. When you only focus on the average monthly cost for health insurance, you may be hurting yourself and your family rather than helping them.