Thursday, October 31, 2013
Free Health Information: Ask the Medical Student and Receive Professional Information
Obtaining health advice that is worthy is hard to come by. As a medical student, I am surrounded by mountains of resources, professionals and experiences from which you can benefit. I cannot diagnose, treat or prescribe but I can give health information which can help you with your situation. All information that you give in the email is purely confidential and will be deleted upon receipt. No information will be published anywhere.Why do we do provide a free health information service? Simply put -- because we care. I will have my doctorate in naturopathic medicine two years from now. I already have 3 years of intense medical training under my belt and that is after a B.Sc in Cell and Molecular Biology. I know that most people are completely bewildered with the health industry and are looking for ways to obtain health without spending a fortune and without the standard mechanistic medical protocol. Complementary and Alternative medicine is flourishing and it is due to results patients receive. Holistic medicine heals and restores health to numerous chronic health conditions that traditional medicine cannot touch.Our medical philosophy: Remove the cause of illness, treat the underlying issue and support the individual's mind and body. This is how medicine should be practiced. Treating the symptoms only encourages the illness to penetrate deeper and cause further harm.Some example health topics:* Asthma* Acne and other Skin Complaints* Diabetes Type I and II* Cardiovascular health* Attention Deficit Disorder* Losing Weight* Depression* Irritable Bowel Syndrome* Diets* Alternatives to Gall Bladder Removal* Cell salts - which one?* What should I eat?* Digestive problems* Chlorine issues* Food allergies and sensitivitiesThis list is no way complete. Please write with any health question you have. All questions and responses are held strictly confidential to protect your privacy. I will respond with relevant health information, useful books, thoughts, product options and links. All health information given will contain references. If we do not know the answer, we will either refer you to a website or another useful source. I am not a substitute for a qualified physician.For a sampling of my writing, you may view a number of my articles published here.Take charge of your health. Education and being informed is the best way.
Bottom Line Health
Choosing a health insurance plan is not as easy as it used to be. The distinctions among health plans have begun to blur as
health benefits companies compete for your business.Although there is no "best" health benefits plan, there are carriers that are a better fit than others for your business and your employees' health care needs.As chief executive officer of VISTA, a health benefits company, I am not immune to the skyrocketing cost of health care. As an
employer, I face the same challenge you do of keeping health care costs affordable for VISTA's 1,000 Florida employees. My responsibility also extends to more than 10,000 South Florida employer groups and 330,000 VISTA members.While many CEOs, presidents and CFOs complain about the cost of providing health benefits for their employees, they are rarely
engaged in the process of selecting a health benefits company.
Fortunately, South Florida employers enjoy a highly competitive marketplace when it comes to purchasing health benefits. While
there are many carriers to choose from, the differences among each are few. The network of providers, plan designs and services are all very similar.So all things being equal, why pay more? How do you know which health benefits company is the right fit for your business?
Ask yourself these questions.As an employer, how much can I afford to contribute to the premium?What benefits will serve the majority of my employees?Will offering employees more choices save or cost me money?Does the plan have an adequate number of providers?Evaluating costBusiness owners are searching for ways to reduce their health care expenses. Look for a carrier that administers your health benefits plan efficiently.Administrative charges are a carrier's overhead costs. They are included in your premium and can vary significantly. These charges include processing and paying claims, answering
customer calls, marketing and advertising costs, and broker commission payments. Carriers with lower administrative costs usually are much more affordable than those with high administrative costs. When reviewing proposals from health
benefits companies, ask what they will charge you for administrative expenses.Offering employees a choiceGiving employees the freedom to choose their health plan will help educate them about the valuable benefit you offer, satisfy
their need for health benefits and keep your premium contributions within your budget. Plan choices may vary by co-payment, network access and employee contribution. It will be the employee, not the employer, who is responsible for evaluating and choosing his or her health benefits plan.Employees will have to determine how often they use health care services, what they estimate those costs to be and how they want
to access and pay for those services.An adequate provider networkNo health benefits plan covers every health expense an employee may have or includes every physician. You are purchasing group
coverage. As a business owner, you must evaluate whether the health benefits pIan you are considering offers an affordable level of benefits and a network that provides adequate
accessibility for your employees.Your bottom lineIn South Florida, there can be as much as a 15 percent difference in cost among the health benefits companies you have to choose from. The health plan you select should be cost-competitive and offer a choice of health plans and an extensive provider network to meet the needs of your group.Whether your company has 20 employees or 1,000, your level of engagement in the decision-making process is vital in determining how health care costs will impact your company's
bottom line. Standing on the sidelines could be a price you cannot afford to pay.
health benefits companies compete for your business.Although there is no "best" health benefits plan, there are carriers that are a better fit than others for your business and your employees' health care needs.As chief executive officer of VISTA, a health benefits company, I am not immune to the skyrocketing cost of health care. As an
employer, I face the same challenge you do of keeping health care costs affordable for VISTA's 1,000 Florida employees. My responsibility also extends to more than 10,000 South Florida employer groups and 330,000 VISTA members.While many CEOs, presidents and CFOs complain about the cost of providing health benefits for their employees, they are rarely
engaged in the process of selecting a health benefits company.
Fortunately, South Florida employers enjoy a highly competitive marketplace when it comes to purchasing health benefits. While
there are many carriers to choose from, the differences among each are few. The network of providers, plan designs and services are all very similar.So all things being equal, why pay more? How do you know which health benefits company is the right fit for your business?
Ask yourself these questions.As an employer, how much can I afford to contribute to the premium?What benefits will serve the majority of my employees?Will offering employees more choices save or cost me money?Does the plan have an adequate number of providers?Evaluating costBusiness owners are searching for ways to reduce their health care expenses. Look for a carrier that administers your health benefits plan efficiently.Administrative charges are a carrier's overhead costs. They are included in your premium and can vary significantly. These charges include processing and paying claims, answering
customer calls, marketing and advertising costs, and broker commission payments. Carriers with lower administrative costs usually are much more affordable than those with high administrative costs. When reviewing proposals from health
benefits companies, ask what they will charge you for administrative expenses.Offering employees a choiceGiving employees the freedom to choose their health plan will help educate them about the valuable benefit you offer, satisfy
their need for health benefits and keep your premium contributions within your budget. Plan choices may vary by co-payment, network access and employee contribution. It will be the employee, not the employer, who is responsible for evaluating and choosing his or her health benefits plan.Employees will have to determine how often they use health care services, what they estimate those costs to be and how they want
to access and pay for those services.An adequate provider networkNo health benefits plan covers every health expense an employee may have or includes every physician. You are purchasing group
coverage. As a business owner, you must evaluate whether the health benefits pIan you are considering offers an affordable level of benefits and a network that provides adequate
accessibility for your employees.Your bottom lineIn South Florida, there can be as much as a 15 percent difference in cost among the health benefits companies you have to choose from. The health plan you select should be cost-competitive and offer a choice of health plans and an extensive provider network to meet the needs of your group.Whether your company has 20 employees or 1,000, your level of engagement in the decision-making process is vital in determining how health care costs will impact your company's
bottom line. Standing on the sidelines could be a price you cannot afford to pay.
Colorado Health Insurance: Helpful Information
The Colorado health insurance marketplace can be difficult to navigate. If you're looking for health insurance on your own, you may be wondering, "Where can I find the right health plan for me? Where can I turn if I am denied health coverage? What are my rights as a consumer in Colorado?"To help answer those questions, we have researched and compiled important information regarding Colorado health insurance. By taking the following tips into consideration, you'll be able make a more educated health insurance purchase.Things to Remember When Shopping for Health InsuranceColorado health insurance consumers should follow the following recommendations when purchasing health insurance:
Read the insurance policy and contact the insurance company or insurance agent if you have any questions.
Make sure you review the section of your health insurance policy entitled "exclusions and limitations."
Find out how rates will increase as you age, and how often an insurance company can increase rates.
If you are looking for a managed-care plan, check the provider's directory to make sure there are suitable doctors, hospitals and other health care providers available.
Find out if there are any "health plan report cards" available that assess consumer satisfaction/quality of care with various health insurance plans.
Call the insurer's customer service number to see how quickly you are able to get help.
If you have special needs or preexisting conditions, make sure you contact a doctor or support organization for health insurance recommendations.
Colorado Health Insurance Subscriber's RightsColorado health insurance consumers have certain rights through Colorado state law. Regardless of the type of health insurance coverage you hold, you have a right to:
Insurance coverage for certain mandated benefits
Know what your health insurance plan does and does not cover
Contact your insurer to complain or appeal any decisions with which you disagree
Receive a standard form outlining health insurance benefits for comparison between companies and health plans
A written explanation of why an insurance company denies your health insurance application, or excludes a health condition from insurance coverage
Coverage of emergency room care, if you believe you are facing a life- or limb-threatening injury (even if it turns out you were not)
Prompt payment of claims
What to Do If You Are Denied Health Insurance CoverageIf you have been denied health insurance coverage in the state of Colorado due to preexisting medical conditions, you may qualify for the Colorado Uninsurable Health Insurance Plan (CUHIP). CUHIP gives uninsurable Colorado residents the ability to be insured through the state-subsidized CUHIP program. However, due to the higher risk levels of CUHIP patients, CUHIP subscribers pay about 30 percent more for health insurance than most healthy people. If you are uninsurable due to a preexisting health condition, you may contact the CUHIP administrator at 1-800-672-8477 for more information.Remember to Shop AroundHealth insurance plans can vary widely in both price and coverage. Make sure you take the time to shop around, ask questions and learn as much as you can about potential health insurance policies.
Read the insurance policy and contact the insurance company or insurance agent if you have any questions.
Make sure you review the section of your health insurance policy entitled "exclusions and limitations."
Find out how rates will increase as you age, and how often an insurance company can increase rates.
If you are looking for a managed-care plan, check the provider's directory to make sure there are suitable doctors, hospitals and other health care providers available.
Find out if there are any "health plan report cards" available that assess consumer satisfaction/quality of care with various health insurance plans.
Call the insurer's customer service number to see how quickly you are able to get help.
If you have special needs or preexisting conditions, make sure you contact a doctor or support organization for health insurance recommendations.
Colorado Health Insurance Subscriber's RightsColorado health insurance consumers have certain rights through Colorado state law. Regardless of the type of health insurance coverage you hold, you have a right to:
Insurance coverage for certain mandated benefits
Know what your health insurance plan does and does not cover
Contact your insurer to complain or appeal any decisions with which you disagree
Receive a standard form outlining health insurance benefits for comparison between companies and health plans
A written explanation of why an insurance company denies your health insurance application, or excludes a health condition from insurance coverage
Coverage of emergency room care, if you believe you are facing a life- or limb-threatening injury (even if it turns out you were not)
Prompt payment of claims
What to Do If You Are Denied Health Insurance CoverageIf you have been denied health insurance coverage in the state of Colorado due to preexisting medical conditions, you may qualify for the Colorado Uninsurable Health Insurance Plan (CUHIP). CUHIP gives uninsurable Colorado residents the ability to be insured through the state-subsidized CUHIP program. However, due to the higher risk levels of CUHIP patients, CUHIP subscribers pay about 30 percent more for health insurance than most healthy people. If you are uninsurable due to a preexisting health condition, you may contact the CUHIP administrator at 1-800-672-8477 for more information.Remember to Shop AroundHealth insurance plans can vary widely in both price and coverage. Make sure you take the time to shop around, ask questions and learn as much as you can about potential health insurance policies.
Your Health Goals Are In Reach
I feel blessed to have had the chance to create health and wellness in my life, after years of battling disease. I have studied natural health for many years, as a way of managing lupus/SLE. In 1995 I began coaching others to greater health and I have developed some beliefs along the way.Here are two of my beliefs on creating more wellness into your life. One is to focus on the health goal and the other is that health is a mental, emotional, spiritual and physical balance. It does not do permanent good to support one area of health, without exploring how you can support the others.One: Focus on the health goalMost of us have areas of our health that we would like to improve, even if we do not have a dis-ease. If dis-ease has shown up in your life, just think of it as a loud message from your body telling you it needs to be supported, in a new and better way.If there are symptoms in your life that you are experiencing, stop trying to find a label to attach to the illness before you take steps to better health. I believe there are infinite paths to wellness but the basic steps to wellness are the same.The first step is to decide what your "health goal" is. What do you want your life to be like?Two: Health is a mental, emotional, spiritual and physical balance.Health goals need to be made in all four areas of our health, because what affects us in one area of our lives often shows up in another. It usually isn't until it shows up in the physical, that we take notice and start to take action.I coach people to find new positive lifestyle changes that will support their health goals and that they feel they can commit to for a 90 day period (most habits take 90 days to engrain in our system).The lifestyle changes you make in your life do not have to be drastic. I am not a chemist but I do know that if you change even one ingredient, in a formula, you will get a different result. Even the smallest, positive, lifestyle change you make will bring you better results, over time.Also, positive lifestyle changes Do NOT have to cost money so stop putting them off, until you can afford them. For example, if you have a weight loss goal you could make changes as slight as these:Walk everyday for 15 minutes, instead of waiting to be able to afford a gym membership.Skip the french fries when you order your Value Meal, instead of waiting to join Jenny Craig.Do an exercise for yourself right now. Write down a health goal you have, and think of three things that you can do that would be a positive step towards that goal. These are physical actions. Then think of three things that you can do to positively impact your mental, emotional & spiritual well being.Make sure steps you write down are things that you can see yourself committing to for ninety days and then write a positive affirmation, intention, or mission statement. Whatever you choose to call the final result.Here is an example:I am joyfully improving my physical health by walking 15 minutes a day. I have replaced my emotional eating patterns, by spending more time with supportive people and making time to volunteer. Each day I write down the things I am grateful for, which feeds my spirit . I make a list each night, before I go to bed, of the things I need to accomplish which frees my mind and helps my sleep.Find examples that work for you! This is what I do when health coaching. I help you design a new plan for life that embraces healthy new habits. I do not tell you what you should do, but give you ideas on what you possibly could do and then point you in a positive direction. The rest is up to you.This whole process needs to be FUN for you. I believe that until you find changes that excite and resonate with you.....you will continue to put them off.If you are the type of person that needs accountability to stay on track, think about forming a Health Coaching circle of 3-4 friends, who also want to make new lifestyle changes. Then hold each other accountable, on a weekly group phone call or meeting. It is much harder to avoid your action steps when others are involved and committed to helping you achieve your goals.Another way to get motivated, is to start thinking TODAY of what interest you have been wanting to explore and have put off, due to your current health situation. What about classes you have wanted to take or places you want to visit?For health tips look at books, videos or CD's that relate to health and pick the ones that you can't wait to get into. Prevention magazine is an abundant source of ideas, if you can get past the prescription advertisements.Also, ask healthy friends for ideas of what they do to stay in good health. They may want company for the healthy activities they are involved in and it's great to have mentors.I want you to JUMP at this chance for a new and healthy life. It's waiting out there for you! If I can do anything to help you, just call, but honestly YOU are the one who can help YOU the most.To contact Elodia visit http://www.elodiatate.com© Copyright 2004-2005 Elodia Tate all rights reserved. Permission to reprint granted with full article reprint, author credit and a link back to my site.
What Every Employer Should Know When They Can No Longer Offer Health Insurance Coverage
An astounding Seventy Percent (70%) of Small Businesses in America today do not provide health Insurance coverage for their employees. In most cases, it's not that they don't want to but because their business can no longer afford to provide such benefits. It is simply an effort to reduce the cost of the day-to-day business operation.However, employers must consider if this cost reduction strategy is helping the medium to long term growth of their companies. If one would think about it, what is more costly? The premiums a company has to pay for group health insurance or the cost to lose a good employee to a competitor who offers health care benefits? Indeed there is a higher price on the down time, training costs, and lost sales or manufacturing. Fortunately it no longer has to be a choice of one or the other.One solution for high cost of health insurance premiums is a non-insurance solution. Discount Health Care Plans. This alternative to health insurance only costs a fraction of what a traditional group insurance policy would. More importantly, it still meets the health care needs of a company's employees on a
discounted basis.These programs are not insurance but rather medical savings programs. It's more like having a health care advocate by which medical bills of members are reduced before they even start. Employees still have to pay for their healthcare, but the employer gets the credit of giving them substantial savings on medical, dental, vision, hearing, pharmacy and many other types of necessary medical care. These programs can also be used to supplement existing insurance programs with high deductibles or policies that pay a flat fee for hospital stays or certain conditions.Affordable health care becomes possible through group representation. Discount Health Care Plan providers carry enough clout to get prices reduced down to what insurance companies have enjoyed for years. In other words since they have enough participating members, they have superior buying power in order to negotiate discounts with providers of medical products and services. Some Discount Health Care Plans have been around for 23 years. These programs combine fully insured benefits to health care providers through group blanket policies that cover its members.These Plans provide affordable health care coverage to its members by giving access to hundreds of thousands of doctors, dentists, specialists, labs, pharmacies and hospitals throughout the U.S. that have agreed to charge significantly reduced pre-negotiated rates for procedures that can be done. Healthy discounts of 30% to 70% off medical, dental, vision, hearing, prescription and chiropractic care. For the uninsured or under insured this often makes a world of difference in their ability to receive needed medical care. Acceptance is guaranteed, anybody young or old, regardless of pre-existing conditions can participate and some even covers maternity.Several features of discount health care plans come as an advantage. There are no claims forms to fill-out, no limitations, no waiting periods or pre-existing conditions, no age restrictions, and with some you can become a member today and get healthcare treatment the day after. That's why testimonies of members like one below are not uncommon."To date, I've had the opportunity to utilize the discount health care services on numerous occasions and have always been pleased with the savings. Last February, I had a hospital bill that was $2900.00 and reduced to just $410.00. I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder and went to the chiropractor. The initial charge was $620.00, but I only paid $203.00. My chiropractic treatments also went from $62.00 to $40.00. At the dentist, my savings have been about 60%. My brother, who is also a member, has prescriptions that were $574.00 and through our mail order program are now $299.80. The best part was that it was easy to use. All I did was call the member's support phone number and they took care of everything." - Richard P., Dallas, TXMembership fees are significantly lower than traditional health insurance. Membership fees can be anywhere from $8 per month for minimal benefits to $50 per month for the comprehensive packages. Furthermore, companies get up to 20% discount on membership fees when they enroll 25 members or more.For employers who can no longer provide health insurance for their staff, these discount health care plans could just be the answer. A service that is in many ways similar, and some would argue, better than health insurance at only a fraction of the cost. Companies can still reduce their cost on insurance benefits
while gaining loyalty from their employees.
discounted basis.These programs are not insurance but rather medical savings programs. It's more like having a health care advocate by which medical bills of members are reduced before they even start. Employees still have to pay for their healthcare, but the employer gets the credit of giving them substantial savings on medical, dental, vision, hearing, pharmacy and many other types of necessary medical care. These programs can also be used to supplement existing insurance programs with high deductibles or policies that pay a flat fee for hospital stays or certain conditions.Affordable health care becomes possible through group representation. Discount Health Care Plan providers carry enough clout to get prices reduced down to what insurance companies have enjoyed for years. In other words since they have enough participating members, they have superior buying power in order to negotiate discounts with providers of medical products and services. Some Discount Health Care Plans have been around for 23 years. These programs combine fully insured benefits to health care providers through group blanket policies that cover its members.These Plans provide affordable health care coverage to its members by giving access to hundreds of thousands of doctors, dentists, specialists, labs, pharmacies and hospitals throughout the U.S. that have agreed to charge significantly reduced pre-negotiated rates for procedures that can be done. Healthy discounts of 30% to 70% off medical, dental, vision, hearing, prescription and chiropractic care. For the uninsured or under insured this often makes a world of difference in their ability to receive needed medical care. Acceptance is guaranteed, anybody young or old, regardless of pre-existing conditions can participate and some even covers maternity.Several features of discount health care plans come as an advantage. There are no claims forms to fill-out, no limitations, no waiting periods or pre-existing conditions, no age restrictions, and with some you can become a member today and get healthcare treatment the day after. That's why testimonies of members like one below are not uncommon."To date, I've had the opportunity to utilize the discount health care services on numerous occasions and have always been pleased with the savings. Last February, I had a hospital bill that was $2900.00 and reduced to just $410.00. I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder and went to the chiropractor. The initial charge was $620.00, but I only paid $203.00. My chiropractic treatments also went from $62.00 to $40.00. At the dentist, my savings have been about 60%. My brother, who is also a member, has prescriptions that were $574.00 and through our mail order program are now $299.80. The best part was that it was easy to use. All I did was call the member's support phone number and they took care of everything." - Richard P., Dallas, TXMembership fees are significantly lower than traditional health insurance. Membership fees can be anywhere from $8 per month for minimal benefits to $50 per month for the comprehensive packages. Furthermore, companies get up to 20% discount on membership fees when they enroll 25 members or more.For employers who can no longer provide health insurance for their staff, these discount health care plans could just be the answer. A service that is in many ways similar, and some would argue, better than health insurance at only a fraction of the cost. Companies can still reduce their cost on insurance benefits
while gaining loyalty from their employees.
Choosing a Health Insurance Quote: The Best Bang for your Buck
Most people get a series of health insurance quotes when shopping around. Everyone requires health insurance of some sorts, whether you are single, married have kids or are a student - and quotes help narrow down your options. However, the process can be quite a tedious one! Not only will this decision affect your levels of medical care, it will also affect your pocketbook. This article will help you manage the choices available to you when shopping for a health insurance quote, so that your medical requirements and budget are both met satisfactorily.Most of the health insurance quotes that you'll receive will be grouped into one of three categories:Health Insurance Quotes: Indemnity of Fee-For-Service PlansThe plans that our parents used to use were probably indemnity plans; these health insurance quotes allow you to visit any doctor of your choosing. Highly desirable by many people, these types of health insurance quote are in great demand, however, they are becoming harder and harder to come by, and seem to be creeping up in price. But many consumers are willing to pay this price, because of the convenience and flexibility these plans offer.Health Insurance Quotes: Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)HMOs are becoming more and more common lately; most health insurance quotes are for this type of plan nowadays. HMOs are, essentially, a group of health service providers who bundle their services together in a fixed price option. If your doctor doesn't refer you to certain care, then you won't be eligible to receive payment for it under your health insurance quote. These types of plans are good for people who know they won't need any specialized services, and if your budget is a factor, this is one of the lower, and more predictable options.Health Insurance Quotes: Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)PPOs are a health insurance quote that combines aspects the two aforementioned plans. PPOs offer the same type of managed group services as HMOs, but also allow users to go outside of their network without a referral. It only makes sense, though, that using this option will cost you more out-of-pocket expenses, but it is covered partially. PPOs are a good middle ground health insurance quote option; you get the flexibility of using your group of health care providers or ones outside of the network, and the costs for this type of plan are in the middle range of the three (although costs can be a bit less predictable).Health Insurance Quotes: Where to Go?Many consumers get their health insurance quotes from their workplace, which may or may not be partially paid for through the company. If your company doesn't offer this benefit, perhaps talk to professional organizations, unions, banks, club or other group that you belong to - they may have an option that is attractive to you. If you cannot find group coverage this way, you can always opt for individual coverage - but this is by far the most expensive health insurance quote option out there. Talking to an insurance agent who can assist you with the quote process is a good idea, if this is your only avenue.
Is Pet Health Insurance an Option?
Most pet owners aren't aware that health insurance for their loved animals has been available for about 15 years now. However, both the availability and restrictions on most plans have made this type of health insurance out of reach for most pet owners.Interestingly enough, pet health insurance has changed in the past couple of years. Now, animal owners are able to afford medical procedures previously prohibitive because of the cost. But many skeptics are concerned that health insurance for pets will see an increase in the red tape us humans already encounter every day.Animal medicine is one of the few health care services that isn't financially dependent on health insurance. Medical, dental, surgical and pharmaceuticals are all pretty much covered by health insurance in humans, but veterinary patients are responsible for all of that, themselves. Or, at least their owners are.Health insurance for pets is very similar to insurance for humans. The same fees, deductibles, coverage rates and plans are all in place, with different plans based on the age, species, and general health of your pet.Most health insurance policies for animals start around the 6-8 week range, but when the policies end depend on a variety of factors, mostly decided by the health insurance company. Some have age limits, and some don't.And just like with humans, some health insurance companies will only accept your pet on their plan if they are healthy; others will accept them only if they have had a stable condition for more than six months in a row.Currently, deductibles stand around $100 for pet health insurance. Policy costs vary as much as human health insurance does, unfortunately. Some depend on what types and kind of coverage is desired, and yet others are just blanket coverage catch-alls. Some may only cover accidents and illnesses. And more pets usually means a reduced health insurance rate for subsequent animals.But what if you decide that an health insurance policy is not right for you, and your pet? There are other options, of course!First, discuss your situation with your Veterinarian. Some animal hospitals offer packages that aren't quite health insurance, but can offer a rate deal of some sorts on more mundane medical procedures (spaying/neutering, vaccinations, etc.), or packages for your aging animal.Secondly, research plans that offer discounts on animal health services. PetAssure is one of these companies, but there are a myriad of not-for-profits that may offer this as a side benefit when you join. Or, these same animal not-for-profits may offer financial assistance for pet owners whose health costs are beyond their means - a sort of emergency fund, if you will.All in all, it depends on you, and your pet(s), whether or not pet health insurance is the right choice. Hopefully, with the help of this article, your choice will be an informed one.
Online Health Insurance Leads
Health insurance lead generation systems provide a stead stream of potential clients for health insurance brokers. Health insurance leads are considered to be people who may need health coverage to supplement the health coverage provided by their employer. A health insurance lead can also be someone who is self-employed and needs to obtain coverage for themselves or their entire family. Health insurance brokers rely on health insurance leads systems to supply them with enough potential clients to keep their business going. There are a large number of people who either need additional coverage or are in business for themselves and need an individual or family health insurance plan.Health insurance lead services are available at a reasonable cost to health insurance brokers. Typically, health insurance leads companies will charge an annual or monthly fee for the leads and account maintenance. When considering a health insurance lead system, it is best to look for one that offers an unlimited amount of leads for one low monthly fee. Some companies that provide health insurance leads charge a per-lead fee. Make sure the leads are guaranteed for you money back or at least a guarantee that the company will replace them free of additional charges.The way it works is through referral systems. The qualified health insurance lead fills out a form on the health insurance leads provider's website. Upon receipt of the form, the lead service emails the health insurance agent the information submitted by the health insurance lead. The health insurance agent then contacts the health insurance lead via email or phone and provides them with a quote on the type of health insurance coverage they are looking for. In order to obtain the most qualified health insurance leads, health insurance brokers can give the leads service company specific information about the types of coverage offered.Many health insurance lead generation systems come with automated email follow-ups. It is important for the insurance agent to contact the health insurance leads as soon as possible. Some of the health insurance leads are provided to more than one insurance agent. With the cost of health care constantly rising, the health insurance industry is very competitive and timing could make the difference between success and failure. With a consistent health insurance lead generation system and quick follow-ups, a steady stream of high quality leads will continue to come in. This could give you a huge advantage over the competition.
The Health Care Crisis - and a Solution
We are presently facing a health care crisis that is getting more dire every day. Health care costs are increasing so rapidly that many companies who offered free health insurance to their employees are now passing a lot of the high cost on to their employees. Other employers are dropping their health care plans altogether because they have become too expensive. Millions do not have health insurance because they can't afford the premiums.There are many reasons that this situation is escalating out of control.One reason is that the primary emphasis is on treatment of the symptoms of disease. There is too little emphasis on prevention of disease.Most people don't take care of themselves well enough, partially due to insufficient knowledge on how to prevent disease. Many people tend to eat too much and exercise too little. Many others have habits which impact their health, such as alcohol or tobacco.We have an aging population. We live longer, but require more health care to accomplish that, partially due to insufficient attention to our health in earlier years.Health care insurance encourages people to neglect their health because they think they can rely on a quick fix when they need it.Medical choices are often made by others in the name of the patient, rather than the patient being involved in the financial and medical choices.Many insured patients tend to overuse medical resources since those resources appear to be free or almost free, masked by the cost of the insurance.What is the solution to this ever-expanding problem? How do we bring health care costs under control and make a better life for people?There are many facets to the solution, but the most important part is disease prevention. Many of the nation's biggest health problems can be prevented with proper knowledge and proper habits.The emphasis for health care needs to be shifted from treating disease to prevention of disease. We need to stop disease before it manifests. This will not eliminate the need to cure disease, but it can diminish that need significantly. One very important by-product of this is a healthier population.Now that we know the solution, how do we implement it?It is implemented through proper health education. The knowledge of how to prevent disease has existed for thousands of years. The knowledge has been largely ignored, to our detriment. People got used to the idea of taking pills to treat the symptoms of disease rather than taking proper actions to prevent disease in the first place. This fostered bad habits and people increasingly lost the inner knowledge of what was good for their health and what was bad for their health. People began to crave junk food and a sedentary lifestyle - the opposite of what was good for their health.How do we gain the proper health education and restore the inner knowledge to help guide our journey to better health? Ayurveda, the science of life, provides a wealth of information for restoring better health and balance to our systems. You can get more information on health at http://www.mindxpansion.com/health/. You can also check the balance of your own system or get a comprehensive Ayurvedic Analysis at http://www.mindxpansion.com/ayurvedic/. The solution to this momentous problem lies in the hands of each one of us. Start doing your part today and you will reap the benefits for many years to come.
Affordable Health Insurance - Health Insurance For The Self Employed
One of the things that is important to consider when you leave corporate America for the freedom of your own business is affordable health insurance. In fact, the reason most often cited for NOT taking the plunge into self-employment is the lack of cheap health insurance alternatives for people who are not employed by a company that can offer more affordable rates on health insurance through a group health insurance plan.If you do decide to brave it and be your own boss, there are many places where you can cut corners. Letting yourself or your family go without health insurance isn't one of them. Here are some common options that can make health insurance affordable if you're a self-employed entrepreneur or crafter.Coverage under a Spouse's PlanBy far the most common option is to cover the family for health insurance through a spouse's employer. As long as one member of the couple is working for a company that has a group health insurance plan, it's usually the cheapest option for insuring the entire family.COBRACOBRA is an option for the beginning of your self-employment. For the first several months after you leave your job, your employer is required by law to give you the option of retaining membership in their health insurance plan. You will have to cover the entire monthly premium paid by your company rather than the amount that you're used to paying as an employee when your employer was covering part of the cost. The true cost of that insurance can come as a shock to you - a family health insurance through a group can easily cost close to $1000 a month. It's still more affordable than most plans that you can purchase as an individual. It's also only temporary, so you should be looking for other health insurance options while you're still covered.A Health Insurance Cooperative with Other Self-employed and Small Business OwnersThere are national and local organizations of self-employed workers who have banded together to combine their buying power and get affordable health insurance premiums through group policies. You can find more information about groups in your area through the National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org) or the American Association of Home-Based Businesses (www.aahbb.org).Group Health Insurance for the Self-EmployedIn many states like Maine, health insurance companies offer affordable group policies for groups of one. You may have to shop around to find a company that does, but there are benefits other than being a cheaper policy. The most important of these is that they MUST cover everyone in the group, regardless of health conditions. This is important for someone who may have been turned down for an individual health insurance policy because of health.No matter what, it is vital that you insure yourself and your family against the possibility of illness or accident. There are cheap alternatives to individual health insurance plans for the self-employed.To view our recommended sources for health insurance, or to
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Natural Health Remedies and Your Health
Health remedies are among the most important things you can utilize to gain full control of your health. Those that are natural are even better for you then others. Your health is all you have and you need to care for it in any way you can. Health remedies are available to help you to do this.You have heard the saying, "Your health is all you have". Well, it's true. Without your health, you couldn't do the things you normally like to do. Without your health, your days seem numbered, not unlimited. It is important to take care of your health in any way you can. Optimizing your health should be a main concern of yours. But, there are ways to doing this that are not so bad.The way we live our lives shows much we value our health. Think of it like this. Once you damage your brand new car, no matter how much fixing and repairing you do to it, it will never be the same new car. The same goes for your health. No amount of health remedies can replace the health you once had. So, instead of wasting away your life with illness and improper care of your health, you should invest the time to get the information you need to have a healthy, full life!If you are sick, you probably take a trip to see the doctor. But, what if the way you are living is what is causing your health to drop? Do you eat the right way? Do you exercise regularly? While many people have good intentions of doing these things, we often take a step sideway when it comes to convenience and knowing what the best course of action actually is. What you need is information. You need information about how to eat correctly. You need someone to tell you what exercises you need to do and how often. But, where can you find this information? Sure, you can sell your soul to a trainer and have them handle it for you, or you can find the information online.Let's say that you are sick and you do go to the doctor. Do you feel comfortable taking the drugs that the doctor prescribed? Many of us do no know any different then just taking them. But, there are side effects to most drugs. In some cases, the side effects can do damage to your body in the long run. But, there are other options available to you. One way to improve your health is through the use of natural health remedies. You can find natural health remedies available for many of the common ailments that you suffer from.While it is not easy to admit that most of us need help in managing our health, we have to do it. Health is what keeps us working each day. Health is what keeps us enjoying the things we love. Health remedies can be a great way to enhance your health, but you need the information about them to truly have them help you. Finding this information does not have to be difficult though. You can find it throughout the internet.
A Healthy Life, the 4 Basics of a Healthy Life and the 3 Important Habits that Create Good Health
Good health is easy but being sick is hard. The truth is, maintaining good health is pretty simple although reclaiming it takes patience, consistent actions and smart choices. Your body heals at it's own pace. Your job is to help that process along. There are four important components that determine a person's level of health.Component One: Is their body being fed what it needs to be healthy? From the point of view of the body, many meals today barely qualify as food. That's why disease care is a trillion dollar business and over 60% of Americans are overweight.An amazing amount of the American diet is packed with calories carrying no real nutrition. Like good health, eating vital, real food is easy, but that is a decision you have to make.Component Two: Does the person have a cork stuck up their butt? Are they constipated? Can the body eliminate toxins effectively? Other organs get constipated besides the bowels. Most diseases involve the starvation or constriction of a group of organs. Often food is clogging the machinery. Some foods clog and others clean. Some foods support the health of the organs and others destroy them.Component Three: Do they feel loved? There's nothing like loving when it comes to good health. People in loving relationships eat together. The quality of the food is an expression of their affection. Most of good health is attitude and self-image and they're linked to how you love. Continuously work on improving your ability to love and good health is easy.Component Four: Do they enjoy their work and feel they make a contribution, even if it seems frivolous to someone else? This attitude is often more important to good health than what it is you actually do, or how much you earn. It's being connected, valued and on a mission. It keeps the inner flame alive and like love, offers that most valuable asset to healing, a sense of hope. Patiently improve these four components and good health is easy.Now, cut yourself some slack. Health challenges make people feel guilty, stupid or victimized. Whether you believe you create your own health or that problems simply fall out of the sky, realize that these days, good health barely seems like an option for many people. Health education has fallen down on the job and the result is a trillion dollar plus medical bill. Part of the problem is that the conscious mind wasn't designed to be responsible for your health. Read that again.Your conscious mind doesn't have the job skills, although it can be a good helper. Finding healthy foods and detoxification are managed by the autonomic (read automatic) nervous system. For example: When you're low in a certain nutrient, this is what the body does. All blood flows through the liver, the largest internal organ, which notes that the blood is low in that nutrient, so it sends a message to the tongue, forming a crystalline pattern in the saliva, that mimics the food that contains that nutrient.Now the nose, who is in the same neighborhood, sniffs out that food and then it's lunch. This message process bypasses the conscious mind. But modern foods don't offer the choices that the autonomic system requires to maintain good health. It's that simple. A major portion of the American diet is glue; hybridized wheat and cow dairy, cheap, plentiful, with a great profit margin. Wheat is high in gluten (GLUtEn) and cow dairy is high in casein, like the white craft glue from Elmer's. That's why their logo is Elsie the Cow.Now manufacturers have found an even cheaper food; soy, high in the estrogens that promote obesity and hormonal challenges, which is one of the reasons why today's generation possesses half of the fertility of their grandparent's generation. Choosing to eat these glues causes many people's poor level of health. The body's design requires graceful, gradual change. As you move forward in your healing, realize the pace at which the body restores itself has to do with the design of the cell.When the body makes a new cell, it will design it for the quantity of nutrition present at the time the cell is created. The body doesn't like to waste resources so it won't create a cell capable of processing huge amounts of nutrition if there's only a fraction of that floating around. When you improve your diet and add supplements, the current cells have very real limits as to what they can use. However, when you maintain high levels of nutrition, the next generation of cells will be created with an increased capability. Even they won't be running at their full potential, because in order to fit in with the previous matrix, their lower capabilities have to overlap the higher capabilities of their weaker predecessors.As you maintain that high level of nutrition, the following generations will push those limits up another step and another step and so on. That's why it takes a while to reach optimal health. For example, a red blood cell has a life span of 120 days, so how many cellular generations will it take to reach your fullest potential? Then to maintain good health you need to keep providing high levels of nutrition through making smart food choices and active supplementation.In other words, once you start dancing, keep dancing! The three habits that lead to good health are: Be consistent, be patient and always aim to improve all four components; good nutrition, effective detoxification, good loving and good work.
Minimum Health or Maximum Health? That is the Question!
Picture yourself in one of the following scenarios.You're cruising along in your new car by the ocean or in the mountains near the ski lodge, or just a leisurely drive through a beautiful forest or in the country. You stop and smell the fresh air you hear the scenic sounds. You are at peace.You're relaxing on the patio of your new home - you see the mountains or lake in the distance. Your friends are over as you barbecue in your new back yard. Everyone loves your new home. Or you're out on the lake in your new boat with family or friends. Feel the breeze in your face - smell the fresh scents in the air.Picture yourself on vacation - you are on the deck of a cruise ship - you are on the top deck under the stars. You feel the warm tropic breeze in your face. The full moon is reflecting off the water as you are holding the one you love in your arms.We analyze the lives most of us actually have and what our lives could be and the role they play!The question is who would want only minimum health (or worse) when they could have maximum health!Maximum health is like you feel when you ask that special someone for a date for the first time and they say yes!
Minimum health is when you ask that special someone out and they tell you, that is the Saturday night when they have to do the laundry and wash their hair!Picture maximum health as cruising next to the ocean in a sport car convertible with your lover next to you..
Picture minimum health as stuck in traffic in your 10-year-old station wagon with the air conditioner broken.Maximum health is like being on a honeymoon on your own private beach in Hawaii. Running down the beach at night with the one you love with the warm tropic wind in your hair. The huge moon shining down on the palm trees and the tranquil bay.Minimum health is stuck working overtime in an un-airconditioned office with a huge pile of paperwork stacked on your desk. In walks your boss - the one with all the personality of a geek with BO. He can't stand going home to his abusive wife so he works 14 hour days and gives dirty looks to his employees when they leave before him. Your boss starts yelling about some stupid unfinished report...Minimum health is like living paycheck to paycheck - just getting by, just barely having enough money to pay the bills each month. Minimum health is like Darling we have a little extra this month - would you like to go out to eat at McDonalds and get a Big Mac?Maximum health is sailing away on a cruise ship to the Caribbean with the one you love while dining in elegance each evening!Sure the above minimum health situations aren't going to kill you (or at least not immediately), but is this the way you want to live your life? Do you really want to just scrape by when there is an option? Let's examine the statement ...aren't going to kill you or at least not immediately.Minimum health is simply the current absence of real illness or disease. Often people in minimum health are often too tired or sluggish to do things, they are overweight, etc. They don't feel real bad but they sure don't feel terrific. And what about our statement, some would argue that the above minimum health scenarios lead to premature and even a slow death!Actually the attitude of minimum health is like too many other attitudes we have. We are always too willing to sell ourselves short. We are too willing to settle for second best even when we don't have to. Too often this attitude can flow over into our jobs and relationships. This over the course of a lifetime can cause us much unhappiness and cost us a lot of money.But the real issue here is minimum versus maximum health and what are we doing to strive toward maximum health? For example do you take high quality nutritional supplements or are you depending on the fast and processed foods to get all your nutrients? I would encourage you to take high quality vitamin and nutritional supplements with enzymes, antioxidants and dietary fiber along with exercise and weight management on a daily basis to strive toward maximum health.
Minimum health is when you ask that special someone out and they tell you, that is the Saturday night when they have to do the laundry and wash their hair!Picture maximum health as cruising next to the ocean in a sport car convertible with your lover next to you..
Picture minimum health as stuck in traffic in your 10-year-old station wagon with the air conditioner broken.Maximum health is like being on a honeymoon on your own private beach in Hawaii. Running down the beach at night with the one you love with the warm tropic wind in your hair. The huge moon shining down on the palm trees and the tranquil bay.Minimum health is stuck working overtime in an un-airconditioned office with a huge pile of paperwork stacked on your desk. In walks your boss - the one with all the personality of a geek with BO. He can't stand going home to his abusive wife so he works 14 hour days and gives dirty looks to his employees when they leave before him. Your boss starts yelling about some stupid unfinished report...Minimum health is like living paycheck to paycheck - just getting by, just barely having enough money to pay the bills each month. Minimum health is like Darling we have a little extra this month - would you like to go out to eat at McDonalds and get a Big Mac?Maximum health is sailing away on a cruise ship to the Caribbean with the one you love while dining in elegance each evening!Sure the above minimum health situations aren't going to kill you (or at least not immediately), but is this the way you want to live your life? Do you really want to just scrape by when there is an option? Let's examine the statement ...aren't going to kill you or at least not immediately.Minimum health is simply the current absence of real illness or disease. Often people in minimum health are often too tired or sluggish to do things, they are overweight, etc. They don't feel real bad but they sure don't feel terrific. And what about our statement, some would argue that the above minimum health scenarios lead to premature and even a slow death!Actually the attitude of minimum health is like too many other attitudes we have. We are always too willing to sell ourselves short. We are too willing to settle for second best even when we don't have to. Too often this attitude can flow over into our jobs and relationships. This over the course of a lifetime can cause us much unhappiness and cost us a lot of money.But the real issue here is minimum versus maximum health and what are we doing to strive toward maximum health? For example do you take high quality nutritional supplements or are you depending on the fast and processed foods to get all your nutrients? I would encourage you to take high quality vitamin and nutritional supplements with enzymes, antioxidants and dietary fiber along with exercise and weight management on a daily basis to strive toward maximum health.
How to Have Optimal Health and Energy - Seven Key Steps
You have my respect for taking action to learn how to improve your overall health. You can discover and learn how to do just that...change and improve your health... and enjoy the new levels of energy and vitality that will simply come your way.I have identified seven keys that can and will improve your health and energy.The seven keys that I share with you are not meant to be understood in a literal, "This is the most important key, and this is the second most important key," manner, or practiced in a linear fashion. Rather, these are dynamic principles, beliefs, values, behaviors, etc that work together simultaneously and synergistically.With that said, here are the seven keys!Health And Energy Key # 1:Begin With A Well-Formed OutcomeSimply put, your brain and your mind (conscious and unconscious) are "outcome focused," by nature. You will always be using your brain and your mind to be moving toward an end target, a goal, a desired outcome...so choose each one wisely.Now, when you think of something, anything, such as your health, keep your mind on what you desire, and off of what you do not desire. And the key to keeping your mind off of what you do not desire is to...keep it on what you do desire! Period. See, hear and feel that which reflects what you desire. If you get off track, away from what you desire, to what you do not desire, simply bring your mind (your pictures, sounds and feelings-more on this later) back to what you desire.Some individuals might find it challenging at times to craft a well-formed outcome because of conflicting beliefs that need to be "cleaned up." More on that later.Health And Energy Key # 2:Create and Maintain A Useful StateYou are always creating and entering into, and operating out of, a "state..." a mental, emotional, spiritual, physical state. You have no doubt heard someone say, "I am in a really good mood." Or, "She is in a really good frame of mind today!" When I use the word "state," I am describing what is going on with you on mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels...your total being.Now, if you get anything out of this article, get this, and you will be ahead of the game: Never plan your future, or begin to solve a problem, or do anything, without first ensuring that you are in a useful, appropriate state for the outcome you are going for. Period.Remember at time when you were in a conflict with someone you love, perhaps even with yourself! Did it help matters if you were in a less than useful state? By "less than useful state" I mean, one that is composed of, say, impatience, irritability, cynicism, lack of empathy, "I want to be right," etc? What might have been the difference if instead, you had created and entered into a state that is composed of perhaps patience, caring about the best interest of the other person, curiosity, flexibility, creativity, genuine self-regard, etc?Now, this article cannot fully coach you how to do that. You might want to have one individual coaching session to learn how to easily do what I am describing. You can also practice doing the following so you can enjoy learning how to create a useful state for yourself.: Imagine that your desired outcome is to persuade someone to your point of view on a matter. Now, remember a time when you communicated very effectively and got your outcome of someone being persuaded to your perspective. Imagine seeing a movie of that experience, and then "step into" the movie you are watching, and relive that experience for 30 seconds or more.Now, step out of that movie, and remember a time when you were communicating with someone and you were very patient with that person, taking the time to really hear them out and to understand them on a superb level. Make a movie of that, and step into that! Then step out of it and remember a time when you were communicating with someone or a group of people and you demonstrated great flexibility to the point of reaching your outcome! Whatever "obstacle" came up, you were flexible in responding resourcefully to it. Now step into that movie...You get the idea, right? This is one easy way to build a useful state for reaching any desired outcome.Again, always make sure that you are in a useful state, one that is appropriate for easily and enjoyable reaching your desired outcome.Health And Energy Key # 3:Invest Yourself In Healthy And Rewarding RelationshipsThe people that you surround yourself with, those you let into your space, will affect you on all levels. It is as simple as that. Choose wisely. Perhaps it is time for you to let go of some relationships and to begin some new relationships. You are not doing anyone a favor by allowing them to adversely affect you over a period of time. That is not love, it is something else.Know what you want from your relationships. Learn how to communicate with those around you, especially your loved ones, in such a manner that you effectively enhance the quality of your relationships, for all concerned. Learn to master the states you are in! When it comes to powerfully effective communication, the state you are in will be paramount. In your communication, be clear and be effective. Communicating effectively with yourself and others is the greatest single skill you can learn and develop. Invest your time, money and energy in doing so and you will be rewarded beyond what you are capable of currently imagining.Health And Energy Key # 4:Be Flexible"Flexibility is the key!" The key to what? The key to achieving your outcome, the key to persuasive communication, the key to rewarding relationships. Flexibility is being able to do something different if what you are doing is not getting you the results you desire. Flexibility will get you to where you want to go with your health and energy. If what you have been doing has not gotten you the health and energy you want yet, do something else! You might be aware that there is no one "diet" or exercise program that is useful for everybody. You can find and use what will work for you...for now. And you can be flexible and change what you are doing as you find what works even better for you, moment by moment.Health And Energy Key # 5:Place Your "Health And Energy" As One Of Your Top "Life Values"Tragically, "health and energy" is rarely a top value with most people. And I say "tragically" because of the fact that your values will drive your behaviors, and your behaviors will drive the results you create. So, it follows, that to engage in healthier behaviors, you will need to make sure that your health and energy is one of your top values. If you want to learn how to easily change your values, to actually choose which ones you want to drive your behaviors, you can do so in one coaching session. You will then have the ability and the tools to prioritize your values as you move through life. Remembering that your values will drive your behaviors. What is that worth?Health And Energy Key #6:Personal Congruency"Congruency" is when your beliefs, values, behaviors, emotions and states are all lined up... and going in the same direction! You can easily understand how important this is. If for example, on one hand, you believe that you can greatly improve your health and energy, and on the other hand, you believe that doing so is not really possible, or that it would be quite difficult and unpleasant...well you can see the conflict, and you probably would feel the conflict as well. The stress that these two conflicting beliefs generate is unnecessary and can be eliminated with the appropriate tools and skill set.Much energy is dissipated because of incongruent values and beliefs, not to mention incongruent behaviors! And when you learn how to "clean things up" and develop more congruency, you will immediately enjoy the results in your health and energy. Doing so is worth your investment, whatever that might be for you.Health And Energy Key #7:Design Your Life With WisdomAnd what is wisdom? It is contemplating and understanding the consequences of your choices and behaviors, not just for the immediate future, but for the distant future as well!Now, my experience as a psychotherapist and Life and Business Coach has taught me that consistent improvement is more reliable than the so called overnight successes that you hear about from time to time.Your health and energy...your overall well being, are all worth your patience! Because it is far better to take small and incremental steps into increased vigor, health and energy, than to take on too much, too soon. Your body and mind will thank you for exercising wisdom. An effective personal trainer said in an interview that "Most people try to do too much, too soon, get discouraged and then throw in the towel."It can be different for you. Be flexible enough to find out what works for you, in what increments, and then move forward with patience. Your patience and persistence will take you to your desired outcome of greater health and energy. Period. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? Enough said. And if it isn't... remember that Rome was not built in a day. Or a month for that matter. And yet progress began with the first action taken, and continued with each step after that. Each step brings more of what was desired.
Health Insurance For Solo Entrepreneurs
One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health insurance coverage. It is also the single most costly expense for self-employed entrepreneurs. So what can you do to reduce ever increasing costs of health care coverage? Here are a few tips.1. If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiatingYour doctor or the office manager who handles billing will probably be flexible, provided you make a valid case. When one woman in Texas was charged $900 for surgery and "consultation," she explained that she had visited the hospital just once, for surgery; her bill was promptly cut by $370.2.. Contact a medical bill "auditor"Several services have a medical bill "auditing" system that evaluates your medical bills to determine if errors occurred in the billing process. Considering that 97 percent of hospital medical bills contain errors, it's no wonder why out-of-pocket medical expenses are on the rise for consumers. Because the typical hospital bill is extremely complicated, often containing several hundred line-item charges, there is ample opportunity for computer mistakes and accidental human error. Do a Google search for medical bill auditors to find companies offering this service.3. You may get a tax break on your medical billsKeep all your medical bills together and add them up at tax time. If they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may deduct the excess. Please note that these items also may be included in the total: the cost of eye glasses, contact lenses, physical therapy, x-rays, hearing aids, psychiatric care, insurance and transportation to the hospital or doctor's office (at 30 cents a mile). There are phase-outs in some cases based on adjusted gross income. Check with your professional tax adviser.4. Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxesThe IRS allows all self-employed to deduct 100% of health care costs from their taxes by using Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Code. To receive this deduction, you must do the following:a) Hire your spouse as an employee of your business.b) Have your spouse receive health insurance in his or her name, and include the family on the policy.c) Pay your spouse a salary that will cover the costs of the insurance.d) Talk to your tax professional about planning for Section 105 on your taxes.We all know your spouse is active in your business. Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she makes - and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.5. Help for families with kids -- CHIPAll states have established new programs that help lower income families with children to pay for health insurance for their kids. Financed partly by the federal government, the Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operate either as an expansion of the state's Medicaid program or a subsidy for basic private health insurance. Eligible families may be able to access coverage for their children at greatly reduced premiums which will vary depending upon family income. Contact your state Department of Health or Insurance for more information.6. Shop aroundHospital costs vary widely, especially between urban and rural facilities. If your doctor has admitting privileges at more than one hospital, find out if you can be admitted to the one that's less expensive. Keep in mind that hospitals operated by non-profit foundations are usually less expensive than investor-owned, for profit hospitals. To find out how much your local hospitals charge, ask your doctor. Many states have Health Services Cost Review Commissions, which compile such data.7. Check for free clinics in your community You and your entire family can save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of the many free screenings, immunizations, and other health clinics offered by your local community or a town near you. Numerous community hospitals and social services can provide blood pressure checks, shots for your children, free contraceptives and/or advice, and other preventative health care at little to no cost.8. Get a second opinion out of town Believe it or not, your chance of undergoing an expensive surgery or preventative procedure may depend solely on where you happen to live. Statistics show that the frequency in which certain medical procedures are performed varies widely from location to location. For example, residents of New Haven, Conn., are twice as likely to undergo a coronary bypass operation as residents of Boston, Mass. What's the reason for this discrepancy? One Dartmouth Medical School expert, John E. Wennberg, M.D., M.H.P., explains that certain operations are simply more fashionable in some parts of the United States than others. So, if you plan to get a second opinion prior to surgery, consider going to a specialist in another city. In addition, try to find out what the surgery rates for your procedure are in different cities. HealthAllies.com also offers this service online. To get the names of second-opinion doctors in your region, call the U.S. government's toll-free second-opinion hotline at 1-800-638-6833.9. Don't pay double for a second opinionAs you make arrangements for a second opinion, ask your doctor to send copies of your medical records, x-rays, and lab tests to the second-opinion doctor. These tests don't need duplication; your second doctor will have the information he or she needs - and you don't pay double.10. Emotional stabilityYour mental health is equally important as your physical health. Do you have blue days once in awhile, or struggle with gray winters? St. John's Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been proven to increase positive moods. Before rushing to your family physician for medication to make you feel better, try supplements with a combination of expressing your feelings with friends and a healthy lifestyle. Mood stabilizers are some of the most costly medications on the market today. However, you should be aware of the signs of stress or even depression. Give yourself a simple screening test:
Do you have feelings of sadness and/or irritability?
Has there been a loss of interest in pleasure activities you once enjoyed?
Have there been changes in your weight or appetite?
Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern?
Are you feeling guilty?
Do you have the inability to concentrate, remember things or make decisions?
Are you fatigued or have a loss of energy?
Do you experience restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?
Do you have feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness?
Do you have thoughts of suicide or death? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, consider consulting your family physician. If they recommend mental health treatment, it is more cost-effective to have your family physician prescribe mood stabilizers instead of seeing a psychiatrist. However, follow your doctor's instructions on counseling and referrals to mental health professionals.11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mailThere are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS. This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on SelfEmployedCountry.org.12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugsMedicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter. For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets. Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.13. Get enrolled in a group planFor self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly - sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay. By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.14. Choose a higher deductibleOften for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate. This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher premiums. If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You'll notice greatly reduced premiums.15. Pay premiums annuallyYou avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.16. Make sure there's a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnessesAbout half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.17. Get educated about your healthInvest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at MayoClinic.org or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.18. Take advantage of free health adviceFor free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:Consumer Information CenterPO Box 100Pueblo, CO 81009http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov (you can download booklets from this site)Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer's disease, drugs and pregnancy issues. For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified.Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It's important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.Here are the basics for your first-aid kit:
bandage supplies, including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors
elastic bandages
cotton swabs
sterile dressings or towels
pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen)
ipecac syrup (for use on advice of medical professional to induce vomiting)
tweezers
hydrogen peroxide
skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and antibiotic creams
an antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions)
flashlight
eye patch
arm sling
tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint)
ice pack
re-hydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)
20. Take a lifestyle approach to wellness - every dayTake charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you'll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.
Get eight hours of sleep per night.
Eat breakfast every morning.
Cut down on snacks between meals.
Keep within 10 pounds of your recommended weight range. If you're unsure what your weight range should be check with your doctor.
Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes three times per week.
Don't smoke.
Don't drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.
Take recommended dosages of vitamins and supplements.
Copyright 2004, Monikah Ogando, Ogando Associates, Inc.
Do you have feelings of sadness and/or irritability?
Has there been a loss of interest in pleasure activities you once enjoyed?
Have there been changes in your weight or appetite?
Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern?
Are you feeling guilty?
Do you have the inability to concentrate, remember things or make decisions?
Are you fatigued or have a loss of energy?
Do you experience restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?
Do you have feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness?
Do you have thoughts of suicide or death? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, consider consulting your family physician. If they recommend mental health treatment, it is more cost-effective to have your family physician prescribe mood stabilizers instead of seeing a psychiatrist. However, follow your doctor's instructions on counseling and referrals to mental health professionals.11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mailThere are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS. This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on SelfEmployedCountry.org.12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugsMedicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter. For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets. Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.13. Get enrolled in a group planFor self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly - sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay. By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.14. Choose a higher deductibleOften for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate. This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher premiums. If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You'll notice greatly reduced premiums.15. Pay premiums annuallyYou avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.16. Make sure there's a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnessesAbout half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.17. Get educated about your healthInvest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at MayoClinic.org or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.18. Take advantage of free health adviceFor free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:Consumer Information CenterPO Box 100Pueblo, CO 81009http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov (you can download booklets from this site)Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer's disease, drugs and pregnancy issues. For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified.Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It's important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.Here are the basics for your first-aid kit:
bandage supplies, including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors
elastic bandages
cotton swabs
sterile dressings or towels
pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen)
ipecac syrup (for use on advice of medical professional to induce vomiting)
tweezers
hydrogen peroxide
skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and antibiotic creams
an antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions)
flashlight
eye patch
arm sling
tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint)
ice pack
re-hydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)
20. Take a lifestyle approach to wellness - every dayTake charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you'll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.
Get eight hours of sleep per night.
Eat breakfast every morning.
Cut down on snacks between meals.
Keep within 10 pounds of your recommended weight range. If you're unsure what your weight range should be check with your doctor.
Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes three times per week.
Don't smoke.
Don't drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.
Take recommended dosages of vitamins and supplements.
Copyright 2004, Monikah Ogando, Ogando Associates, Inc.
Top 40 Health Quotations
"Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year."
-- Franklin P. Adams
"He who has health, has hope. And he who has hope, has everything."
-- Arabian Proverb
"To get rich never risk your health. For it is the truth that health is the wealth of wealth."
-- Richard Baker
"There's lots of people who spend so much time watching their health, they haven't got time to enjoy it."
-- Josh Billings
"Health has its science, as well as disease. "
--Elizabeth Blackwell
"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. "
--Erma Bombeck
"Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do practice? "
--George Carlin
"The poorest man would not part with health for money, but the richest would gladly part with all their money for health. "
--Charles Caleb Colton
"As I see it every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself."
--Adelle Davis
"Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady."
--Francois de La Rochefoucauld
"You can set yourself up to be sick, or you can choose to stay well."
-- Wayne Dyer
"Give me health and a day and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The first wealth is health."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
-- Benjamin Franklin
"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing."
--Redd Foxx
"Health is not valued till sickness comes."
--Dr. Thomas Fuller
"A Hospital is no place to be sick."
--Samuel Goldwyn
"Health is not simply the absence of sickness."
--Hannah Green
"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything."
--Thich Nhat Hanh
"A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses."
--Hippocrates
"The groundwork of all happiness is health."
-- Leigh Hunt
"The oneness of mind and body holds the secret of illness and health. "
--Arnold Hutschnecker
"Health is worth more than learning."
--Thomas Jefferson
"We cannot seek or attain health, wealth, learning, justice or kindness in general. Action is always specific, concrete, individualized, unique."
-- Benjamin Jowett
"One out of 4 people in this country is mentally imbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends-if they seem okay, then you're the one."
--Ann Landers
"To insure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life."
-- William Londen
"It's no longer a question of staying healthy. It's a question of finding a sickness you like."
--Jackie Mason
"Quit worrying about your health. It'll go away."
--Robert Orben
"What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease."
--George Dennison Prentice
"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results."
-- Anthony Robbins
"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."
-- Jim Rohn
"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory."
--Albert Schweitzer
"A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools."
-- Spanish Proverb
"People who overly take care of their health are like misers. They hoard up a treasure which they never enjoy."
-- Laurence Sterne
"Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and Spring. "
--Henry David Thoreau
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."
--Mark Twain
"The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease."
--François Voltaire
"Our health always seems much more valuable after we lose it."
-- Unknown
"Time And health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted."
-- Denis Waitley
"Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can't buy."
--Izaak Walton
-- Franklin P. Adams
"He who has health, has hope. And he who has hope, has everything."
-- Arabian Proverb
"To get rich never risk your health. For it is the truth that health is the wealth of wealth."
-- Richard Baker
"There's lots of people who spend so much time watching their health, they haven't got time to enjoy it."
-- Josh Billings
"Health has its science, as well as disease. "
--Elizabeth Blackwell
"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. "
--Erma Bombeck
"Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do practice? "
--George Carlin
"The poorest man would not part with health for money, but the richest would gladly part with all their money for health. "
--Charles Caleb Colton
"As I see it every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself."
--Adelle Davis
"Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady."
--Francois de La Rochefoucauld
"You can set yourself up to be sick, or you can choose to stay well."
-- Wayne Dyer
"Give me health and a day and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The first wealth is health."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
-- Benjamin Franklin
"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing."
--Redd Foxx
"Health is not valued till sickness comes."
--Dr. Thomas Fuller
"A Hospital is no place to be sick."
--Samuel Goldwyn
"Health is not simply the absence of sickness."
--Hannah Green
"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything."
--Thich Nhat Hanh
"A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses."
--Hippocrates
"The groundwork of all happiness is health."
-- Leigh Hunt
"The oneness of mind and body holds the secret of illness and health. "
--Arnold Hutschnecker
"Health is worth more than learning."
--Thomas Jefferson
"We cannot seek or attain health, wealth, learning, justice or kindness in general. Action is always specific, concrete, individualized, unique."
-- Benjamin Jowett
"One out of 4 people in this country is mentally imbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends-if they seem okay, then you're the one."
--Ann Landers
"To insure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life."
-- William Londen
"It's no longer a question of staying healthy. It's a question of finding a sickness you like."
--Jackie Mason
"Quit worrying about your health. It'll go away."
--Robert Orben
"What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease."
--George Dennison Prentice
"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results."
-- Anthony Robbins
"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."
-- Jim Rohn
"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory."
--Albert Schweitzer
"A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools."
-- Spanish Proverb
"People who overly take care of their health are like misers. They hoard up a treasure which they never enjoy."
-- Laurence Sterne
"Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and Spring. "
--Henry David Thoreau
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."
--Mark Twain
"The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease."
--François Voltaire
"Our health always seems much more valuable after we lose it."
-- Unknown
"Time And health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted."
-- Denis Waitley
"Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can't buy."
--Izaak Walton
Taking Control of Your Health & Well-Being
Do you ever wonder why, in spite of all your good intentions, you just cannot seem to take control over your health and wellness the way you really want to? The answer to that question can be found in the words of Albert Einstein, who reminded us "you cannot correct a problem with the same thinking that created it". In other words, you cannot change old behaviors without new information.The Institute of Medicine recently published a study that indicates ninety million Americans are "health illiterate", which means we do not know how to interpret or use health information to control or improve our health, or prevent chronic disease. Data compiled previously identified, "lack of information as the number one root cause of death". Understanding that there exists a cause and effect relationship between what we know and how we behave, we need a model of integrating this important information to change the behaviors that lead to chronic disease. According to a 7-year, 1996, Harvard Medical School study, approximately 70% of all cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes. Furthermore, our diseases and conditions are primarily a result of stress, food, environment, attitude, emotions or beliefs that keep us in behaviors that lead to illness. Which invites the question, are we consciously choosing to be unhealthy, or do we just not understand sufficiently the relationship between what we think, how we behave, what we put into our bodies and how we keep ourselves well or make ourselves sick?In a world exploding with health information, especially on the internet, we are caught in the dilemma of having abundant amounts of information, without a context through which we can understand and utilize this information in a way that is appropriate for our own unique personal health needs. There is, however, good news - making its way into the mainstream of health care is an integrated model of health information and education that provides a "whole picture of health" perspective, allowing each of us to discern and create our own unique approach to taking charge of our health and well-being. Whole Health Education, developed over the past 28 years, in cooperation with Boston physicians, nurses and educators, is an approach to understanding the cause and effect our behaviors and choices have on our state of health. Demystifying the five major factors that influence how sick or well we become, Whole Health Education provides a perspective on human anatomy and physiology, bio-chemistry, psycho-social, environmental and spiritual aspects which allows for an authentic understanding of what we need know to resolve chronic health problems or to stay healthy. Integrating evidence-based information with the wisdom of various spiritual teachings and a whole-person overview of behavioral options, Whole Health Education offers each of us a tool for personal health management by providing personalized health information that explains the physical, emotional, nutritional, environmental and spiritual aspects of a health concern.For example, Mature Onset Diabetes affects approximately 18.2 million Americans and is the leading health concern in our culture today. As all chronic conditions are, Mature Onset Diabetes is a multi-dimensional disease state and the unique Whole Health perspective, can facilitate the restoration of health for those with chronic diseases such as diabetes.Physical/StructuralWhat happens on a physical and structural level with Mature Onset Diabetes? The specialized beta cells of the pancreas, which produce insulin, become incapable of producing adequate amounts of the critically necessary secretion. This happens over a period of years and can begin in our bodies, over time, by eating large amounts of insulin-provoking foods. These insulin provocateurs, which are sugars and starches in the form of complex carbohydrates, require the pancreas to produce more insulin so that the sugars can be carried over the cell membranes to all parts of the body. Serious disturbances occur when we do not have enough insulin to carry the sugar over the cell membranes. Insulin hooks onto the sugar molecule and acts like a lock and key mechanism to bring that sugar into the cell which is then used in the energy cycle of cell metabolism. The nervous system, brain and the lungs cannot function without the proper metabolism of sugars.Emotional/SocialJust as diabetes is a lack of nourishment on a chemical/nutritional level, so is it a lack of emotional nourishment on an emotional/mental level. It relates to the "feel good" nourishment component of your body. What do we know about carbohydrates and serotonin? Carbohydrates provoke the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neuro-transmitter that produces a feeling of well-being. There is a direct relationship between what our body is doing chemically and how we feel emotionally. When we crave or build our diet around carbohydrates, this can be a way of "self-medicating" our emotional needs by eating carbohydrates to provoke insulin production.Sugar problems can affect us emotionally. Let's say you have a pancreas that is not working properly. What can happen somatic/psychically from the pancreas to the brain? If we are feeling the ups and downs of hypoglycemia, and its biochemical/neurological symptoms, it may undermine our sense of security, self esteem, and produce anxiety and fear.What is the emotional component of diabetes and the pancreas? Often, it can be a poor sense of self-esteem and a fear of not being "good enough" or not belonging. These feelings, medicated by the serotonin foods, can lead us to not look deeply enough into what is causing our health concerns and allow the feeling/feeding cycle to continue.Chemical/NutritionalOn the nutritional side, the treatment for people with Mature Onset Diabetes is to decrease the stress on the pancreas by making changes in their diet -- decrease starches and sugars and decrease calories. Eat less, eat right. What kind of a diet would be best for preventing Mature Onset Diabetes? Vegetables, vegetables, and vegetables combined with lean proteins such as fish, chicken, water, a little fruit and a little fat. In a hypoglycemic situation, it is wise not to eat grain or sugar, but sprouted grain bread, and other substitutes can be healthy and satisfying.Because hormones are chemicals, diabetes and hypoglycemia are both hormonal-based problems. What we know about the hormone system is that it works as a balanced interdependent system. Diabetes is an endocrine-related, systemic problem. With a systemic problem like diabetes, you have a body system problem--you do not just have a condition by itself. It is known that the pancreas is related, through hormone interaction, to the adrenals, and the adrenals are in turn related to the reproductive system. It is known that these glands are related through hormone interactions to the pituitary and the pituitary is related to the thyroid gland, the thyroid is related to the thymus, and the thymus is related to the immune system.Environmental/Internal & ExternalThe environment that we work in, live in, walk through, live near -- how does that environment have an impact on the way that we feel and the way we feel about ourselves?How do we learn to trust in the order of the universe? By behaviors that come from trusting the order inside ourselves. We do this by setting boundaries -- codes of conduct of how we are going to behave, eat, work exercise and live. If we don't violate our own boundaries, we are less likely to let anybody else violate our boundaries. We have to start with ourselves. Our experience of victimization can begin with our own self-victimizing behavior.Spiritual/World ViewA Hindu Vendata truth is that "the whole world is one family". It is said that there is only one disease, the disease of separateness, separating oneself from the awareness that we are one living organism. Competition creates isolation. The spiritual challenge presented by hypoglycemia and diabetes appears to be involved with over- or under-valuing the self: judgment of self and then others. Where are we in the process of getting to the truth that we are all equally important? The drama created by a one-up or one-down dynamic that we may allow to be part of our experience can lead to psychophysiology and the behavioral issues which can contribute to and create Mature Onset Diabetes.Whole Health Education can transform our experience of taking care of ourselves. It can provide an understanding of our health concerns and conditions from this multi-dimensional perspective that makes sense in a way we can utilize the information directly and in a meaningful way. In addition, having the information provided in a mindful, respectful way that invites each of us to discern what we know about our health and condition, how to choose to resolve the problem and what kind of care we choose to have, allows each of us to experience whole-person health care through whole health information. Then, WE become the center of our health and healing process, rather than the doctors or practitioners we go to for guidance.
All About Affordable Health Insurance Plans
While consumers search for affordable health insurance, they have price in their mind as the top priority. A general conception among the consumers is that cheap health plans should not be costly-the cheapest health plan available in the market is their target. However, this approach is not good. Sometimes, paying for a cheap health insurance plan but still not getting the required level of coverage results only in wastage of money.With the implementation of the affordable care act, the reach of affordable health plans is set to increase. Or at least, this is what is believed to be the objective of healthcare reforms. However, lots of consumers are still in confusion about how things would work. In this article, we will discuss some detailed options that consumers can try while looking to buy affordable health plans.To get a hand on affordable health insurance plans, consumers need to take of certain things. First among them is about knowing the options in the particular state of the residence. There are lots of state and federal government-run programs that could be suitable for consumers. Knowing the options is pretty important. Next would be to understand the terms and conditions of all the programs and check the eligibility criteria for each one of them. Further, consumers should know their rights after the implementation of healthcare reforms, and something within a few days, they may qualify for a particular program or could be allowed to avail a particular health insurance plan. If consumers take care of these steps, there is no reason why consumers can't land on an affordable health plan that could cater to the medical care needs.Let's discuss some options related to affordable health insurance plans state-wise:State-run affordable health insurance programs in CaliforniaWhile considering California, there are three affordable health insurance plans that are run by the state government. Consumers can surely get benefitted by these if they are eligible for the benefits.• Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP)This program is a very handy one offering limited health benefits to California residents. If consumers are unable to purchase health plans due to a preexisting medical condition, they can see if they qualify for this program and get benefits.• Healthy Families ProgramHealthy Families Program offers Californians with low cost health, dental, and vision coverage. This is mainly geared to children whose parents earn too much to qualify for public assistance. This program is administered by MRMIP.• Access for Infants and Mothers Program (AIM)Access for Infants and Mothers Program provides prenatal and preventive care for pregnant women having low income in California. It is administered by a five-person board that has established a comprehensive benefits package that includes both inpatient and outpatient care for program enrollees.Some facts about affordable health insurance in FloridaWhile talking about affordable health insurance options in Florida, consumers can think about below mentioned options:• Floridians who lost employer's group health insurance may qualify for COBRA continuation coverage in Florida. At the same time, Floridians, who lost group health insurance due to involuntary termination of employment occurring between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009 may qualify for a federal tax credit. This credit helps in paying COBRA or state continuation coverage premiums for up to nine months.• Floridians who had been uninsured for 6 months may be eligible to buy a limited health benefit plan through Cover Florida.• Florida Medicaid program can be tried by Floridians having low or modest household income. Through this program, pregnant women, families with children, medically needy, elderly, and disabled individuals may get help.• Florida KidCare program can help the Floridian children under the age of 19 years and not eligible for Medicaid and currently uninsured or underinsured.• A federal tax credit to help pay for new health coverage to Floridians who lost their health coverage but are receiving benefits from the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program. This credit is called the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC). At the same time, Floridians who are retirees and are aged 55-65 and are receiving pension benefits from Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), may qualify for the HCTC.Some facts about affordable health insurance in VirginiaWhile talking about affordable health insurance options in Virginia, consumers need to consider their rights:• Virginians who lost their employer's group health insurance may apply for COBRA or state continuation coverage in Virginia.• Virginians must note that they have the right to buy individual health plans from either Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield or CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield.• Virginia Medicaid program helps Virginians having low or modest household income may qualify for free or subsidized health coverage. Through this program, pregnant women, families with children, and elderly and disabled individuals are helped.• Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) helps Virginian children under the age of 18 years having no health insurance.• In Virginia, the Every Woman's Life Program offers free breast and cervical cancer screening. Through this program, if women are diagnosed with cancer, they may be eligible for treatment through the Virginia Medicaid Program.Some facts about affordable health insurance in TexasWhile talking about affordable health insurance options in Texas, consumers need to consider their rights:• Texans who have group insurance in Texas cannot be denied or limited in terms of coverage, nor can be required to pay more, because of the health status. Further, Texans having group health insurance can't have exclusion of pre-existing conditions.• In Texas, insurers cannot drop Texans off coverage when they get sick. At the same time, Texans who lost their group health insurance but are HIPAA eligible may apply for COBRA or state continuation coverage in Texas.• Texas Medicaid program helps Texans having low or modest household income may qualify for free or subsidized health coverage. Through this program, pregnant women, families with children, elderly and disabled individuals are helped. At the same time, if a woman is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer, she may be eligible for medical care through Medicaid.• The Texas Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offers subsidized health coverage for certain uninsured children. Further children in Texas can stay in their parent's health insurance policy as dependents till the age of 26 years. This clause has been implemented by the healthcare reforms.• The Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Control program offers free cancer screening for qualified residents. If a woman is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through this program, she may qualify for medical care through Medicaid.Like this, consumers need to consider state-wise options when they search for affordable health coverage. It goes without saying that shopping around and getting oneself well-equipped with necessary information is pretty much important to make sure consumers have the right kind of health plans.
Know More About Types of Health Insurance Plans in Florida
Individual, families, groups, and businesses need customized health insurance plans to ensure that they have to spend minimum out-of-the-pocket money for their healthcare needs. With the implementation of healthcare reforms, the options for buying health insurance are widened.With the advent of internet technology, the concept of transparency of price is gaining momentum. Insurers in Florida health insurance are facing a compelling need of price transparency when they offer health insurance quotes to their clients. At the same time, application time and waiting time for health insurance has reduced significantly as compared to earlier times.Types of health insurance plans offered in Florida
Apart from State and Federal governments' sponsored program including Medicare, Medicaid, etc., there is an option of buying health insurance from private companies. Like many other states, health insurance plans in Florida are offered to the residents in traditional format. These could be classified as:1. Individual health coverage
2. Family health coverage
3. Group insurance
4. Student health coverage
5. Dental health insurance
6. Low cost insurance
7. Low-income families insurance
8. Short-term insurance
9. Small business insuranceCompanies offering health insurance Florida
Below is the list of health insurance companies offering health insurance to the residents of Florida:
• Aetna
• AMS
• Assurant
• Avalon Healthcare
• AvMed Health Plans
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Celtic
• Cigna
• Coventry
• Golden Rule
• Humana One
• IAC
• Solera Dental
• VistaTypes of health plans offered in FloridaA lot of consumer end up having discount coupons, which sometimes are termed as health plans; however, it needs to be understood that these discount coupons are not insurance. To buy affordable health plans in Florida, consumers need to equip themselves with proper knowledge about the same.Traditional categorization of health coverage in Florida offers indemnity and managed care health plans. Indemnity health plans have the insured file claims for reimbursement. While managed care health plans allow the providers to file claims for the insured person.Managed care health plans are further categorized as HMO, PPO, and POS.Impact of the Affordable Care Act on insurance in Florida
• 290,000 small businesses in Florida will be offered tax credits for offering health coverage to their employees.
• Medicare beneficiaries in Florida will be automatically mailed a check of $250 to defray the cost of their prescription drugs.
• Early retirees will be offered reinsurance options.
• Uninsured Floridians with pre-existing condition will have a huge boost with $351 million federal dollars made available to Florida starting July 1 to provide coverage.
• Like many other states, for the first time ever, Florida will have the option of Federal Medicaid funding for coverage for all low-income populations, irrespective of age, disability, or family status.
• 8.8 million Floridians will no longer have to worry about lifetime limits on the coverage.
• Around 1.1 million individuals will not have to worry about getting dropped from coverage when they get sick.
• Children in Florida will be able to stay with their family insurance policy till the age of 26 years.Costs involved in a health coverage plan in FloridaIt is important to understand types of costs involved in a health coverage plan to make sure that Floridians have assessed everything before they finalize a health plan. We talk about the types of costs involved in a health coverage plan:Premium-premium is the amount of money to be paid on monthly basis. Premium is the main cost that a health plan constitutes. It could vary from person to person and in plan to plan. It mainly depends on the age, gender, and health status of a consumer applying to get health coverage.Deductible-deductible is the second major cost involved in a health plan. It is the amount of money that a consumer pays before the insurer actually begins to pay for the coverage. With higher deductibles, premium costs are reduced.Coinsurance - coinsurance, as the name explains itself, is the amount of money that the consumer agrees to pay in percentage of the total cost of medical service after the deductible has been paid. Generally, it is usually 80/20 of the total value where 80% of the cost is paid by the insurance companies while the 20% is by the consumer.Copay - copay is like coinsurance but it is not represented in percentage but in real value. Moreover, there is no consideration of deductibles in copays. Supposing a consumer needs to pay $70 per visit for the doctor: with copay, consumer will be paying $40 and the remaining $30 will be paid by the insurer. However, this copay facility will have some impact on the premium costs.
Apart from State and Federal governments' sponsored program including Medicare, Medicaid, etc., there is an option of buying health insurance from private companies. Like many other states, health insurance plans in Florida are offered to the residents in traditional format. These could be classified as:1. Individual health coverage
2. Family health coverage
3. Group insurance
4. Student health coverage
5. Dental health insurance
6. Low cost insurance
7. Low-income families insurance
8. Short-term insurance
9. Small business insuranceCompanies offering health insurance Florida
Below is the list of health insurance companies offering health insurance to the residents of Florida:
• Aetna
• AMS
• Assurant
• Avalon Healthcare
• AvMed Health Plans
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Celtic
• Cigna
• Coventry
• Golden Rule
• Humana One
• IAC
• Solera Dental
• VistaTypes of health plans offered in FloridaA lot of consumer end up having discount coupons, which sometimes are termed as health plans; however, it needs to be understood that these discount coupons are not insurance. To buy affordable health plans in Florida, consumers need to equip themselves with proper knowledge about the same.Traditional categorization of health coverage in Florida offers indemnity and managed care health plans. Indemnity health plans have the insured file claims for reimbursement. While managed care health plans allow the providers to file claims for the insured person.Managed care health plans are further categorized as HMO, PPO, and POS.Impact of the Affordable Care Act on insurance in Florida
• 290,000 small businesses in Florida will be offered tax credits for offering health coverage to their employees.
• Medicare beneficiaries in Florida will be automatically mailed a check of $250 to defray the cost of their prescription drugs.
• Early retirees will be offered reinsurance options.
• Uninsured Floridians with pre-existing condition will have a huge boost with $351 million federal dollars made available to Florida starting July 1 to provide coverage.
• Like many other states, for the first time ever, Florida will have the option of Federal Medicaid funding for coverage for all low-income populations, irrespective of age, disability, or family status.
• 8.8 million Floridians will no longer have to worry about lifetime limits on the coverage.
• Around 1.1 million individuals will not have to worry about getting dropped from coverage when they get sick.
• Children in Florida will be able to stay with their family insurance policy till the age of 26 years.Costs involved in a health coverage plan in FloridaIt is important to understand types of costs involved in a health coverage plan to make sure that Floridians have assessed everything before they finalize a health plan. We talk about the types of costs involved in a health coverage plan:Premium-premium is the amount of money to be paid on monthly basis. Premium is the main cost that a health plan constitutes. It could vary from person to person and in plan to plan. It mainly depends on the age, gender, and health status of a consumer applying to get health coverage.Deductible-deductible is the second major cost involved in a health plan. It is the amount of money that a consumer pays before the insurer actually begins to pay for the coverage. With higher deductibles, premium costs are reduced.Coinsurance - coinsurance, as the name explains itself, is the amount of money that the consumer agrees to pay in percentage of the total cost of medical service after the deductible has been paid. Generally, it is usually 80/20 of the total value where 80% of the cost is paid by the insurance companies while the 20% is by the consumer.Copay - copay is like coinsurance but it is not represented in percentage but in real value. Moreover, there is no consideration of deductibles in copays. Supposing a consumer needs to pay $70 per visit for the doctor: with copay, consumer will be paying $40 and the remaining $30 will be paid by the insurer. However, this copay facility will have some impact on the premium costs.
Health Care Reform - Busting The 3 Biggest Myths Of ObamaCare
In the last few months we've seen a lot of Health Care Reform rules and regulations being introduced by the Health and Human Services Department. Every time that happens, the media gets hold of it and all kinds of articles are written in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the TV network news programs talk about it. All the analysts start talking about the pros and cons, and what it means to businesses and individuals.The problem with this is, many times one writer looked at the regulation, and wrote a piece about it. Then other writers start using pieces from that first article and rewriting parts to fit their article. By the time the information gets widely distributed, the actual regulations and rules get twisted and distorted, and what actually shows up in the media sometimes just doesn't truly represent the reality of what the regulations say.There's a lot of misunderstanding about what is going on with ObamaCare, and one of the things that I've noticed in discussions with clients, is that there's an underlying set of myths that people have picked up about health care reform that just aren't true. But because of all they've heard in the media, people believe these myths are actually true.Today we're going to talk about three myths I hear most commonly. Not everybody believes these myths, but enough do, and others are unsure what to believe, so it warrants dispelling these myths now.The first one is that health care reform only affects uninsured people. The second one is that Medicare benefits and the Medicare program isn't going to be affected by health care reform. And then the last one is that health care reform is going to reduce the costs of healthcare.Health Care Reform Only Affects UninsuredLet's look at the first myth about health care reform only affecting uninsured people. In a lot of the discussions I have with clients, there are several expressions they use: "I already have coverage, so I won't be affected by ObamaCare," or "I'll just keep my grandfathered health insurance plan," and the last one - and this one I can give them a little bit of leeway, because part of what they're saying is true -- is "I have group health insurance, so I won't be affected by health care reform."Well, the reality is that health care reform is actually going to affect everybody. Starting in 2014, we're going to have a whole new set of health plans, and those plans have very rich benefits with lots of extra features that the existing plans today don't offer. So these new plans are going to be higher cost.Health Care Reform's Effect On People With Health InsurancePeople that currently have health insurance are going to be transitioned into these new plans sometime in 2014. So the insured will be directly affected by this because the health plans they have today are going away, and they will be mapped into a new ObamaCare plan in 2014.Health Care Reform Effect On The UninsuredThe uninsured have an additional issue in that if they don't get health insurance in 2014, they face a mandate penalty. Some of the healthy uninsured are going to look at that penalty and say, "Well, the penalty is 1% of my adjusted gross income; I make $50,000, so I'll pay a $500 penalty or $1,000 for health insurance. In that case I'll just take the penalty." But either way, they will be directly affected by health care reform. Through the mandate it affects the insured as well as the uninsured.Health Care Reform Effect On People With Grandfathered Health PlansPeople that have grandfathered health insurance plans are not going to be directly affected by health care reform. But because of the life cycle of their grandfathered health plan, it's going to make those plans more costly as they discover that there are plans available now that they can easily transfer to that have a richer set of benefits that would be more beneficial for any chronic health issues they may have.For people who stay in those grandfathered plans, the pool of subscribers in the plan are going to start to shrink, and as that happens, the cost of those grandfathered health insurance plans will increase even faster than they are now. Therefore, people in grandfathered health plans will also be impacted by ObamaCare.Health Care Reform Effect On People With Group Health InsuranceThe last one, the small group marketplace, is going to be the most notably affected by health care reform. Even though the health care reform regulations predominantly affect large and medium-sized companies, and companies that have 50 or more employees, smaller companies will also be affected, even though they're exempt from ObamaCare itself.What many surveys and polls are starting to show is that some of the businesses that have 10 or fewer employees are going to look seriously at their option to drop health insurance coverage altogether, and no longer have it as an expense of the company. Instead, they will have their employees get health insurance through the health insurance exchanges.In fact, some of the carriers are now saying they anticipate that up to 50% of small groups with 10 or fewer employees are going to drop their health insurance plan sometime between 2014 and 2016. That will have a very large effect on all people who have group health insurance, especially if they're in one of those small companies that drop health insurance coverage.It's not just uninsured that are going to be affected by health care reform, everybody is going to be impacted.Health Care Reform Will Not Affect MedicareThe next myth was that health care reform would not affect Medicare. This one is kind of funny because right from the very get-go, the most notable cuts were specifically targeting the Medicare program. When you look at Medicare's portion of the overall federal, you can see that in 1970, Medicare was 4% of the U.S. federal budget, and by 2011, it had grown to 16% of the federal budget.If we look at it over the last 10 years, from 2002 to 2012, Medicare is the fastest growing part of the major entitlement programs in the federal government, and it's grown by almost 70% during that period of time.Because of how large Medicare is and how fast it's growing, it's one of the key programs that ObamaCare is trying to get a handle on, so it doesn't bankrupts the U.S. Medicare is going to be impacted, and in fact the initial cuts to Medicare have already been set at about $716 billion.Medicare Advantage Cuts And The EffectsOf that $716 billion cut, the Medicare Advantage program gets cut the most, and will see the bulk of the effects. What that's going to do is increase the premiums people pay for their Medicare Advantage plans, and reduce the benefits of those plans.Increased Medicare Advantage CostsRight now, many people choose Medicare Advantage plans because they have zero premium. When given a choice on Medicare plans, they view it as an easy choice because it's a free program for them, "Sure, I get Medicare benefits, I don't pay anything for it; why not." Now they're going to see Medicare premiums start to climb, and go from zero to $70, $80, $90, $100. We've already seen that with some of the Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans this year. It's going to get worse as we go forward in the future.Reduced Medicare Advantage BenefitsIn order to minimize the premium increases, what many Medicare Advantage plans will do is increase the copayments, increase the deductibles, and change the co-insurance rates. In order to keep the premiums down, they'll just push more of the costs onto the Medicare Advantage recipients. Increased premiums and reduced benefits are what we're going to see coming in Medicare Advantage plan.Fewer Medicare PhysiciansAnd then if that wasn't bad enough, as Medicare doctors begin receiving lower and lower reimbursements for Medicare Advantage people, they're going to stop taking new Medicare Advantage recipients. We're going to see the pool of doctors to support people in Medicare starting to shrink as well, unless changes are made over the course of the next five years. So Medicare is going to be affected, and it's going to be affected dramatically by health care reform. Everybody's kind of on pins and needles, waiting to see what's going to happen there.Health Care Reform Will Reduce Healthcare CostsThe last one, and probably the biggest myth about health care reform, is everybody thinking that ObamaCare will reduce healthcare costs. That's completely hogwash. Early on in the process, when they were trying to come up with the rules and regulations, the emphasis and one of the goals for reform was to reduce healthcare costs.But somewhere along the line, the goal actually shifted from cost reduction to regulation of the health insurance industry. Once they made that transition, they pushed cost reductions to the back burner. There are some small cost reduction components in ObamaCare, but the real emphasis is on regulating health insurance. The new plans, for example, have much richer benefits than many plans today: richer benefits means richer prices.Health Care Reform Subsidies: Will They Make Plans Affordable?A lot of people hope, "The subsidies are going to make health insurance plans more affordable, won't they?" Yes, in some cases the subsidies will help to make the plans affordable for people. But if you make $1 too much, the affordable plans are suddenly going to become very expensive and can cost thousands of dollars more over the course of a year. Will a subsidy make it affordable or not affordable is really subject to debate at this point in time. We're going to have to actually see what the rates look like for these plans.New Health Care Reform Taxes Passed On To ConsumersThen there's a whole ton of new health care reform taxes that have been added into the system to help pay for ObamaCare. That means everybody who has a health insurance plan, whether it's in a large group, a small group, or just as an individual, is going to be taxed in order to pay for the cost of reform. Health care reform adds various taxes on health care that insurance companies will have to collect and pay, but they're just going to pass it right through to us, the consumer.Mandate Won't Reduce Uninsured Very MuchDuring the initial years of health care reform, the mandate is actually pretty weak. The mandate says that everyone must get health insurance or pay a penalty (a tax). What that's going to do is make healthy people just sit on the sidelines and wait for the mandate to get to the point where it finally forces them to buy health insurance. People with chronic health conditions that couldn't get health insurance previously, are all going to jump into healthcare at the beginning of 2014.At the end of that year, the cost for the plans is going to go up in 2015. I can guarantee that that's going to happen, because the young healthy people are not going to be motivated to get into the plans. They won't see the benefit of joining an expensive plan, whereas the chronically ill people are going to get into the plans and drive the costs up.Health Care Reform's Purpose Is Just A Matter Of SemanticsThe last portion of this is, one of the key things - and it's funny, I saw it for the first two years, 2010, and '11 - one of the key things that was listed in the documentation from the Obama administration was: Health Care Reform would help reduce the cost that we would see in the future if we do nothing today. That was emphasized over and over again. That was how they presented health care cost reduction, that it would reduce the future costs. Not today, but it would reduce what we would pay in the future if we did nothing about it now.Well, that's great, 10 years from now we're going to pay less than we might have paid. And we all know how accurate future projections usually are. In the meantime, we're all paying more today, and we're going to pay even more in 2014 and more in 2015 and 2016. People are going to be pretty upset about that.ConclusionThose three myths, that health care reform is only going to affect the uninsured, that it won't affect Medicare beneficiaries, and that ObamaCare is going to reduce healthcare costs, are just that. They are myths. There's nothing to them.It's really important that you pay attention to what's happening with health care reform, because there are more changes that are coming as we go through this year, 2013. Knowing how to position yourself so that you're in the right spot to be able to make the best decision at the beginning of 2014 is going to be really important for everybody.
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