Posts Tagged ‘wellness’
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
Retail clinics, which are walk-in medical clinics found in supermarkets, drug stores, and pharmacies is on the rise among young healthy people. Not only are these facilities available more often than typical doctor’s offices, they are usually staffed with nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants, much like their typical doctor’s office for non-severe illnesses. Most cases were seen for minor conditions, such as coughs, colds, and sinus infections, and expressed that should the clinics not be available to them, they were not likely to seek out the care with their primary care physician. This is not only due to convenience; it also was shown that these costs were 30% to 40% cheaper than their doctor’s office, and up to 80% less expensive at the emergency room. With a drop in general practitioners nationwide, this also may be a reflection on the need for more providers in these fields. However, as long as access to inexpensive and quality care is available, people will seek out means that are easily fit into their hectic schedules.
In this day and age where every minute counts, and we are constantly on the move, being able to seek out quick care at the drop of a hat is priceless.
Permanent link to this post (205 words, estimated 49 secs reading time)
Tags: added benefits, health insurance, individual health, preventative care, wellness
Posted in Family, General, Resources, Tools | No Comments »
Friday, August 12th, 2011
All of us are finding that our dollars are not going as far as they used to, but none are feeling the hit as much as senior citizens. It is shown that senior citizen’s expenses are rising twice as fast as their Social Security checks, and as many use this as their sole means of income, this is a frightening statistic. As a means to combat this gap in living expenses versus check totals, the Social Security Department created the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 1975. COLA was intended to be an automatic yearly increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and proved to be consistent until 2010. However, over the last two years, our senior citizens have received no COLA on their monthly checks.
With cost of living expenses far outpacing the calculated percentage of the CPI, many are lobbying for a review on this process. Currently, the Consumer Price Index is calculated via urban wage earners for all age groups. However, this does not take into account the higher costs for health care and other expenses older Americans need. As a means to more accurately gauge COLA, it is proposed the government use the spending patterns of seniors by means of the CPI for Elderly Consumers, and use this information to balance their checks accordingly.
Permanent link to this post (220 words, estimated 53 secs reading time)
Tags: health care costs, medicare, medigap, wellness
Posted in Federal, General, Laws, Resources, Seniors, Tools | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
While preventive screenings are now an integral part of (most) health care policies, employees are still bearing the brunt of stressful job environments, and lack of exercise. Obesity continues to rise, even with all of the education available to us. Add to that the added dangers of stress on a taxed body and mind, and you are looking at some serious sick time. Thankfully, employers are becoming more proactive in the work place, offering healthy bonuses and wellness programs, and insurance carriers are covering preventive screenings on most plans with no out of pocket costs. Much needed in this time of economic stress, employees can work on their top concerns:Weight loss – 39% of polled employees stated losing weight as their main concern
Reduction of stress — 23% reported reducing stress a major importance in their life
Tags: added benefits, preventative care, wellness
Posted in Employees, Employers, Group, Resources, Tools | No Comments »
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
While many of us know the importance of protecting ourselves against unexpected medical expenses, we tend to overlook the added fact that while we recover from an accident or illness, we are going to lose our income. Sometimes an illness or injury can keep you from working for years, and the added stress of lost income only further hinders your recovery. How many months would you be able to continue paying your bills if you lost your ability to earn an income? Assuming Social Security will cover your expenses is not the safest bet, as income from this source is usually not enough, and not readily available. Therefore, supplementing your coverage with a disability plan can bring peace of mind during the most trying times, and ensure your income and assets are protected.
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Disability Insurance Provides Peace of Mind Protection
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Tags: added benefits, disability, group health, wellness
Posted in Employers, Family, General, Group, Individual, Resources | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
While promising reports from the Center for Disease control proclaim that the Swine Flu (H1N1) epidemic is “over”, another illness appears to be emerging as a major cause for concern. It seems that Whooping Cough, or Pertussis, has been declared an epidemic, and is the worst that has been seen in years. As of July 21, six infants in California died after contracting whooping cough. This bacterial disease ravages bodies, but affects infants most of all because they are so small. The cough itself is named for the sound one makes while trying to catch their breath between the coughing fits. Coughing fits can be so severe that one breaks blood vessels in their face, eyes, and even their brain. Vomiting often accompanies the coughing fits, and if you notice this symptom, seek medical attention. Treatment is more effective the earlier it is administered, starting with antibiotics. More severe symptoms may require fluids, sedatives, and even oxygen support. Note – even though the disease is dangerous to children, adults are just as likely to contract the illness, and it is just as important that they seek care for their symptoms early on.
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Whooping Cough Overshadows H1N1 as New Epidemic
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Tags: children's health, health insurance, preventative care, wellness
Posted in Family, Resources, Tools | No Comments »
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Starve a fever, feed a cold? Or is it feed a fever, starve a cold? Whatever the old myth states, we all know how frightening it can be when your child has a fever. While it is a necessary process your body uses to fight off infection, it is vital to keep track of the fever both in the number and length of its duration. However, keep in mind that the number on the thermometer has little to do with the seriousness of the situation. Keeping a watchful eye on your child and noting behavioral changes is just as important as anything else.
Tags: children's health, preventative care, wellness
Posted in General, Resources, Tools | No Comments »
Monday, August 9th, 2010
Anthem Blue Cross recently announced that they have extended their provider network to include retail health clinics. These are walk-in clinics, albeit small, that are conveniently located in many of your local retail outlets, such as pharmacies and supermarkets. Rather than making an appointment with your primary doctor for such common illnesses as sore throats, coughs, colds, or minor fevers, you can walk into any of these clinics for an immediate exam and treatment plan. Clients who have utilized these services state that most visits take less than 15 minutes, and also include wellness and prevention services (immunization and screenings).
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Anthem Blue Cross Introduces Retail Health Clinics
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Tags: individual health, preventative care, wellness
Posted in Employees, Family, General, Individual, Resources, Tools | No Comments »
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
However you may feel about health care reform and the changes it will bring, one major outcome will be the mandatory implementation of preventative care on all policies. It is proposed that preventive care will be covered without any co pays or deductibles. Considering it is thought that half the conditions we treat in our health care system could be avoidable, the expansion of preventive screenings and vaccinations should help to bring down the number of chronic conditions that we see today.
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Healthcare Reform and the Prevention of Chronic Illnesses
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Tags: Chronic Condition, health care costs, health insurance, preventative care, wellness
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
Health Care Reform promises to ensure that all Americans have access to medical coverage. The most pressing concern is the fact that many children are without coverage and the care they need now, so the bill states that by September 23rd, 2010, no child can be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions. While this is well needed, it does bring to light the fact that there is an increasing shortage of Pediatric Specialists. With an influx of new patients entering the system, and the demand for both medically necessary and non-medically necessary treatments rising, will there be enough physicians to handle the load?
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Lack of Pediatric Specialists a Growing Concern
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Tags: children's health, health insurance, pre-existing, Universal Health Care, wellness
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Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
Though no one knows where the health care reform bills are headed, it is of utmost importance that disease prevention and health promotion are at the top of the list. If we aim to “fix” a broken system, we need to ensure that the system is designed to “fix” us as well. This will be achieved by balancing the cost of providing medical care with providing services to help avoid the need for such services in the first place. Some concepts for prevention strategies are (notes from San Francisco Chronicle):
- a yearly personalized prevention plan for Medicare patients
Tags: Chronic Condition, health insurance, preventative care, wellness
Posted in Employees, Family, Government Run Health Plan, Individual, Resources, Tools | No Comments »
