A good percentage of voters believe that the health care crisis in the US affects and will affect other people. They have always had medical insurance coverage and believe that they always will have coverage. However, there are big holes in our present system and it is far too easy to fall into one of them.
Health insurance agents hear this story over and over again. A potential client, let's call her Susan, will call looking for health care insurance. Susan has worked for decades and has never been without coverage.
She lost her group healthcare insurance about a year ago when she became too ill to do her job. She took the COBRA option. Now she is nearing the end of her eligibility for COBRA and wants to get an individual health COVERAGE policy.
Her medical condition prevents her from doing her job, but has not outward symptoms. She is able to do most of the things she wants to do. Her doctor has told her that she is doing fine. From a medical perspective she is. With proper care, she will live a long life. However, from an insurability standpoint, she is not. The the right medicines the doctor expects her to get would be expensive and will cost them more than the premiums they can charge Susan. Susan is shocked when she hears this.
Susan might cry. She might be furious. Susan has worked all her life and has played by the rules. she believes that she should qualify for affordable health care.
Susan learns from the agent that there is a state-sponsored program that she will qualify for. However, it is two or three times the cost of the COBRA plan that she can barely afford. So although there is a program that she qualifies for medically, she cannot possibly afford to pay for it. Susan is out of work and has cut back on everything in order to survive.
What does Susan do? She might pray that she has no major health care event until she qualifies for Medicare. She might purchase the state-sponsored program with help from her children. Either way she will probably worry about her state of wellness and her financial standing all the time.
Another call medical insurance brokers get a lot is the one from Bill. Bill's daughter Lisa has been insured on his health care coverage policy since her birth. Lisa is now an adult and is about to be kicked off his policy due to her age.
Lisa has all appearances of a state of wellness, but she has a problem with her kidney. She takes a high-priced medicine that allows her to do everything she wants to do. So long as she takes her medication she's fine. No one outside of her family and very close friends know that she has ever had a disease more severe than a hangnail.
Lisa has had healthcare insurance since her conception, but now cannot get affordable health insurance because she has aged out of her parents' policy and is uninsurable in the private market. She is faced with the prospect of doing without her medicine and putting her health at risk. She might ask her parents to help pay for a pricey state-sponsored program. Lisa doesn't know that they can only afford to do this at the expense of their retirement. They have just finished paying for Lisa's education and had planned to put any extra money they earn over the next ten years into their retirement fund.
There are hundreds of thousands of Lisas and Susans around the country. These are People who have played by the rules and have lost their job-based coverage due to a major sickness.
When medical coverage is tied into your employment, if you lose your employment or you lose your healthcare insurance coverage. Cancer or a heart attack a car crash can keep you from being employable. When you are no longer able to do your job, chances are you will no longer be eligible for your company healthcare insurance coverage. This can mean that you die before your time because you cannot afford to pay for healthcare care or healthcare coverage when you are no longer getting a job.
America's present medical care system is a bad one for too many. An average Joe will don't know so many hard working Americans who have done what they could to maintain healthcare insurance through their companies can have their health devastated in our current system. You lose your state of wellness, then you lose your employment, then you lose your health care coverage, then you lose your house. And there isn't much you can do about it in the current system.
Kamis, 07 Agustus 2014
Sabtu, 23 November 2013
Stress Health Instead of Letting Health Stress You
Health is everywhere these days. You can't open a newspaper or turn on a
television without seeing health in the news. Like it or not, health is
all around us. Why is this? Well, for starters, it is important. Most
notably, health is a hot topic because we have let it become an area of
stress in our lives.
Think about the news stories that we see along with health. What else is on the news? There is war, political scandals, crime and crisis. All of these subjects have one thing in common: Stress. When we see these stories they evoke emotion and cause us to feel anxiety.
How did health get on this list? Shouldn't we be feeling good about health and healthy living? Well, we should be, but unfortunately that isn't the kind of story we are getting. We are getting the lack of health in most news stories. One can argue that this is simply because that is the state we are in now. Our health has gotten so bad that there is only bad news to report.
One can say that. In fact, I've said that we are in a serious situation regarding our health. I see the news, so I know that there are general problems. More importantly, I work with people, so I see that there are personal problems.
I see that we all want to be healthy. I also see that it is difficult for the average person to be as healthy as they want to be. I see that the status quo is actually causing more and more problems for us and making it more and more difficult to live healthy or even to avoid declining health in our lives.
What can we do? It is important that we emphasize the word DO. If we do nothing, we will continue to go down the path of poor health. By closing our eyes and taking what is given, we will not get where we want to go. By eating what is offered at the cheapest, most convenient foods, we will not get where we want to go. By letting our schedules be made for us and going with the flow, we will not get where we want to go.
The only way to take the stress out of health is to switch things around. We have to stress health. By stressing health, we can stop letting health stress us. This is more than just a play on words.
Think about it:
When we see the stories about health on the news, what are they telling us? They are telling us that the health of the world is in jeopardy and we are all heading the wrong direction. They are telling us that what we are doing is killing ourselves and our kids. They are telling us that we are not doing it right and are suffering the consequences now and in the future.
As we continue to hear messages like this, it gets easier to believe them. It gets easier to look at our own routine and say, "Wow, I am unhealthy." While it may be true, it doesn't mean that things have to stay this way.
That is the first step in turning things around. We need to understand that health is ongoing and long-term. Health is not a one day or one week topic. The studies and reports that we see are done over many months and even years. That data may point to negative trends, but that doesn't mean we can't change them.
That is the next step in turning things around. We have to change. If you are going with the flow and taking only what's given, you are likely part of the trends that we are reading about and seeing on the news. If you are not actively focused on your own health, you are likely stressing about it.
By looking long-term at the life you really want, you can start to make changes to make it a reality. By doing nothing, you can only give yourself more issues to stress about. No one wants to be unhealthy. No one wants stressed out. But for some reason that doesn't seem to be enough to motive us to change.
Maybe a new way of looking at health will help motivate people. Maybe we just need to change our focus. Letting health issues stress us is only going to lead to more stress. Physical, emotional, financial and all other kinds of stress will be the norm if we are not actively managing our health. All we have to do is reverse that model by stressing health. More importantly, we are stressing healthy habits. When we have health we are able to stress the important aspects of life: feeling good, having energy and enjoying our time. Without them we simply stress over the problems that come with poor habits.
It may be a play on words, but stressing health instead of letting it stress you can really be the key to changing the trends. By making health an emphasis at home, work and school, we can take control. That control allows us to stop stressing about the problems of poor health and start reaping the benefits of good health.
Business Health Expert Joe Byrd uses his passion and expertise to bring business and health together. He integrates health education in lifestyle topics such as Stress Management, Weight Management, and Smoking Cessation into businesses in order to accomplish the following:
Improving Employee Health
Decreasing Health Care Spending
Increasing Your Employee Productivity
Improving Employee Satisfaction and Retention
Joe applies his craft in the business world by making health part of business strategy. As he helps companies invest in their employees, together they create healthy and successful cultures.
Web: http://www.ByrdWellnessconcepts.com
Email: info@ByrdWellnessConcepts.com
Twitter: @Joseph
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Borderlines
Toll Free: 866.851.7961
Think about the news stories that we see along with health. What else is on the news? There is war, political scandals, crime and crisis. All of these subjects have one thing in common: Stress. When we see these stories they evoke emotion and cause us to feel anxiety.
How did health get on this list? Shouldn't we be feeling good about health and healthy living? Well, we should be, but unfortunately that isn't the kind of story we are getting. We are getting the lack of health in most news stories. One can argue that this is simply because that is the state we are in now. Our health has gotten so bad that there is only bad news to report.
One can say that. In fact, I've said that we are in a serious situation regarding our health. I see the news, so I know that there are general problems. More importantly, I work with people, so I see that there are personal problems.
I see that we all want to be healthy. I also see that it is difficult for the average person to be as healthy as they want to be. I see that the status quo is actually causing more and more problems for us and making it more and more difficult to live healthy or even to avoid declining health in our lives.
What can we do? It is important that we emphasize the word DO. If we do nothing, we will continue to go down the path of poor health. By closing our eyes and taking what is given, we will not get where we want to go. By eating what is offered at the cheapest, most convenient foods, we will not get where we want to go. By letting our schedules be made for us and going with the flow, we will not get where we want to go.
The only way to take the stress out of health is to switch things around. We have to stress health. By stressing health, we can stop letting health stress us. This is more than just a play on words.
Think about it:
When we see the stories about health on the news, what are they telling us? They are telling us that the health of the world is in jeopardy and we are all heading the wrong direction. They are telling us that what we are doing is killing ourselves and our kids. They are telling us that we are not doing it right and are suffering the consequences now and in the future.
As we continue to hear messages like this, it gets easier to believe them. It gets easier to look at our own routine and say, "Wow, I am unhealthy." While it may be true, it doesn't mean that things have to stay this way.
That is the first step in turning things around. We need to understand that health is ongoing and long-term. Health is not a one day or one week topic. The studies and reports that we see are done over many months and even years. That data may point to negative trends, but that doesn't mean we can't change them.
That is the next step in turning things around. We have to change. If you are going with the flow and taking only what's given, you are likely part of the trends that we are reading about and seeing on the news. If you are not actively focused on your own health, you are likely stressing about it.
By looking long-term at the life you really want, you can start to make changes to make it a reality. By doing nothing, you can only give yourself more issues to stress about. No one wants to be unhealthy. No one wants stressed out. But for some reason that doesn't seem to be enough to motive us to change.
Maybe a new way of looking at health will help motivate people. Maybe we just need to change our focus. Letting health issues stress us is only going to lead to more stress. Physical, emotional, financial and all other kinds of stress will be the norm if we are not actively managing our health. All we have to do is reverse that model by stressing health. More importantly, we are stressing healthy habits. When we have health we are able to stress the important aspects of life: feeling good, having energy and enjoying our time. Without them we simply stress over the problems that come with poor habits.
It may be a play on words, but stressing health instead of letting it stress you can really be the key to changing the trends. By making health an emphasis at home, work and school, we can take control. That control allows us to stop stressing about the problems of poor health and start reaping the benefits of good health.
Business Health Expert Joe Byrd uses his passion and expertise to bring business and health together. He integrates health education in lifestyle topics such as Stress Management, Weight Management, and Smoking Cessation into businesses in order to accomplish the following:
Improving Employee Health
Decreasing Health Care Spending
Increasing Your Employee Productivity
Improving Employee Satisfaction and Retention
Joe applies his craft in the business world by making health part of business strategy. As he helps companies invest in their employees, together they create healthy and successful cultures.
Web: http://www.ByrdWellnessconcepts.com
Email: info@ByrdWellnessConcepts.com
Twitter: @Joseph
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Borderlines
Toll Free: 866.851.7961
Vemma Voted Best by Leading Health Experts
Are you feeling down and really not at your best because of your duties
and continuous stress that seem to drain you of every last drop of
energy? Well, there's good news! You have not stumbled upon this article
by accident, as here you'll find out how you can start increasing your
energy levels and bettering your health naturally. Not to mention that
the wellness industry is experiencing a multi-million dollar boom and
the opportunity it offers is phenomenal!
Emma will help you change and have a fresh start in your life by adding to it a new, different dimension! Emma is here to change your life for the better, as it has what it is required to improve your health, boost up your energy, supercharge your immune system and also help you make a nice income. If you choose to utilize Emma as a business tool, you'll be helping others assist others by taking advantage of a product which promises health as well as financial freedom for everyone who is willing to start something in which they truly believe in.
We all know that our bodies need vitamins, but some of are afraid of not becoming addicted to using them excessively. We don't want to take a handful of vitamins to keep us going. People are just plain sick of "choking" down pills, too! What we need is a drink and Emma has already thought about that. Emma has been labeled by the health experts as the cure for the "pill fatigue syndrome." It is also far better absorbed in the human body since it's a whole-food liquid supplement.
Chinese science and one of nature's finest remedies have all been combined in Lemmas' other product, Verve. It's an insanely healthy energy drink mixed with the best liquid supplement, giving you what you need to boost the level of your energy and keep you healthy at the same time. Emma and Verve Energy Drink combine the antioxidant-rich power of mangos teen, a fruit of Asian practitioners, with rich-plant minerals, organic polycentric-rich aloe Vera and decaffeinated green tea.
The Complete Emma / Verve Nutrition Program has the Essential Minerals combined with Mangos teen Plus. Don't waste your money on nutritional supplements from supermarkets and drug stores because they offer so little in the form all the critical vitamins and minerals. Pill are not absorbed well in the body. Emma and Verve Energy Drink is a mixture of all you need! It's a juicy product, tastes great and is a whole vitamin-mineral supplement. One can never say that Verve is "just juice" or similar to tea with boatloads of processed sugar and aspartame! Red Bull, Rock star, Monster and many conventional energy drinks easily fit that toxic description.
The health and wellness market today has witnessed a tremendous increase over the past year and Emma and Verve are on the top of the "food chain." Besides being an incredible nutritious supplement, Emma / Verve offer the perfect chance for you to achieve massive success by earning thousands of extra dollars per month! So, home business owners and entrepreneurs that launch boldly into this "ground floor" home-based business are guaranteed to substantially boost income. Verve was actually featured on the cover of "Success from Home" magazine this month (March 2008) for it's explosive growth in such a short period of time!
Emma is all about team effort, explosive growth, service, and fair play. With this in mind, you can feel confident while amassing your own residual income by joining the team effort in order to turn your annual salary into your monthly salary! Conference and coaching calls are held twice per week to ensure overwhelming success.
Making money with little effort is up to you to decide. Emma is indeed a solid home-based business and the best opportunity for you, especially thanks to its lucrative two-team compensation plan that will help you achieve all you've ever wanted! By bringing more people in, you'll be helping yourself too, making more money than ever and creating more leverage. There is no limit to this business because the wellness and energy drink industry is growing so fast. Each time you sign-up a member or customer, you'll have you own commissions along with each time members of you team enroll others, as everyone is part of the same team.
Emma will help you change and have a fresh start in your life by adding to it a new, different dimension! Emma is here to change your life for the better, as it has what it is required to improve your health, boost up your energy, supercharge your immune system and also help you make a nice income. If you choose to utilize Emma as a business tool, you'll be helping others assist others by taking advantage of a product which promises health as well as financial freedom for everyone who is willing to start something in which they truly believe in.
We all know that our bodies need vitamins, but some of are afraid of not becoming addicted to using them excessively. We don't want to take a handful of vitamins to keep us going. People are just plain sick of "choking" down pills, too! What we need is a drink and Emma has already thought about that. Emma has been labeled by the health experts as the cure for the "pill fatigue syndrome." It is also far better absorbed in the human body since it's a whole-food liquid supplement.
Chinese science and one of nature's finest remedies have all been combined in Lemmas' other product, Verve. It's an insanely healthy energy drink mixed with the best liquid supplement, giving you what you need to boost the level of your energy and keep you healthy at the same time. Emma and Verve Energy Drink combine the antioxidant-rich power of mangos teen, a fruit of Asian practitioners, with rich-plant minerals, organic polycentric-rich aloe Vera and decaffeinated green tea.
The Complete Emma / Verve Nutrition Program has the Essential Minerals combined with Mangos teen Plus. Don't waste your money on nutritional supplements from supermarkets and drug stores because they offer so little in the form all the critical vitamins and minerals. Pill are not absorbed well in the body. Emma and Verve Energy Drink is a mixture of all you need! It's a juicy product, tastes great and is a whole vitamin-mineral supplement. One can never say that Verve is "just juice" or similar to tea with boatloads of processed sugar and aspartame! Red Bull, Rock star, Monster and many conventional energy drinks easily fit that toxic description.
The health and wellness market today has witnessed a tremendous increase over the past year and Emma and Verve are on the top of the "food chain." Besides being an incredible nutritious supplement, Emma / Verve offer the perfect chance for you to achieve massive success by earning thousands of extra dollars per month! So, home business owners and entrepreneurs that launch boldly into this "ground floor" home-based business are guaranteed to substantially boost income. Verve was actually featured on the cover of "Success from Home" magazine this month (March 2008) for it's explosive growth in such a short period of time!
Emma is all about team effort, explosive growth, service, and fair play. With this in mind, you can feel confident while amassing your own residual income by joining the team effort in order to turn your annual salary into your monthly salary! Conference and coaching calls are held twice per week to ensure overwhelming success.
Making money with little effort is up to you to decide. Emma is indeed a solid home-based business and the best opportunity for you, especially thanks to its lucrative two-team compensation plan that will help you achieve all you've ever wanted! By bringing more people in, you'll be helping yourself too, making more money than ever and creating more leverage. There is no limit to this business because the wellness and energy drink industry is growing so fast. Each time you sign-up a member or customer, you'll have you own commissions along with each time members of you team enroll others, as everyone is part of the same team.
Senin, 04 November 2013
Obesity and the Increased Risk for Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes tend to be overweight or obese, and
while there is general agreement about a link between the two, the
scientific understanding is still not yet clear. It seems that obesity,
especially with fat accumulation in your abdomen, promotes insulin
resistance which then causes your pancreas to try and secrete more
insulin. If your pancreas can't keep up to the increased demand, then
your cells can't process glucose (sugar), for which the insulin is
necessary. When this happens, you have developed type 2 diabetes. The
other way type 2 develops is when your pancreas cannot produce enough
insulin regardless of resistance. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your
pancreas simply doesn't produce any insulin at all.
So what happens in obese people and insulin resistance? It has been shown that a high fat diet causes abnormal glucose production in your liver. In healthier people, glucose production in the liver only occurs when your blood sugar levels get too low. This behaviour of your liver with obesity, increasing blood glucose levels, is an important step towards developing insulin resistance. This has to do with a process by which the endoplasmic reticulum in your cells, which process fats and proteins, become 'stressed'. The endoplasmic reticulum then send out signals to tell your body to ignore insulin until the fat processing has finished.
Other studies show that a diet high in sugar can be a precursor to developing diabetes as well, perhaps explaining why some people who are not overweight but maintain poor diet habits can develop insulin resistance.
Further scientific evidence points to fat cells producing a hormone known as resistin. This hormone supposedly prevents cells from using insulin properly, affecting your blood glucose levels, your appetite, and your fat storage.
The bottom line is that your pancreas secretes insulin as you eat, and your cells, using insulin, permit the transport of sugar (glucose) inside, to be converted into energy. Diabetes prevents your cells from using the insulin, causing your blood sugar levels to be higher than normal, and your cells to lack the necessary ingredients to produce energy, which of course is essential for basic life functions. How obesity is connected to helping create this situation may not be perfectly clear, but you can certainly be sure that exercise and a healthy diet will not only combat obesity, but will also help you manage diabetes.
Yoga is a great exercise, and is good for all levels of people - it's just a matter of finding the right teacher for you. Acupuncture can help to regulate your blood sugar and energy levels, and can even help you to lose weight.
So what happens in obese people and insulin resistance? It has been shown that a high fat diet causes abnormal glucose production in your liver. In healthier people, glucose production in the liver only occurs when your blood sugar levels get too low. This behaviour of your liver with obesity, increasing blood glucose levels, is an important step towards developing insulin resistance. This has to do with a process by which the endoplasmic reticulum in your cells, which process fats and proteins, become 'stressed'. The endoplasmic reticulum then send out signals to tell your body to ignore insulin until the fat processing has finished.
Other studies show that a diet high in sugar can be a precursor to developing diabetes as well, perhaps explaining why some people who are not overweight but maintain poor diet habits can develop insulin resistance.
Further scientific evidence points to fat cells producing a hormone known as resistin. This hormone supposedly prevents cells from using insulin properly, affecting your blood glucose levels, your appetite, and your fat storage.
The bottom line is that your pancreas secretes insulin as you eat, and your cells, using insulin, permit the transport of sugar (glucose) inside, to be converted into energy. Diabetes prevents your cells from using the insulin, causing your blood sugar levels to be higher than normal, and your cells to lack the necessary ingredients to produce energy, which of course is essential for basic life functions. How obesity is connected to helping create this situation may not be perfectly clear, but you can certainly be sure that exercise and a healthy diet will not only combat obesity, but will also help you manage diabetes.
Yoga is a great exercise, and is good for all levels of people - it's just a matter of finding the right teacher for you. Acupuncture can help to regulate your blood sugar and energy levels, and can even help you to lose weight.
For more info, visit us at: http://yellowgazeboclinic.com/health-info/other-health/eating-challenges/obesity/.
Jumat, 01 November 2013
Acid Reflux In Babies - Symptoms And Treatments
Acid reflux in babies is known as infant acid reflux or infant
reflux is more common for babies than more people realize. Since babies
cannot tell you what is wrong, it is important for parents to recognize
the signs and get the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Typically,
babies that do develop this condition outgrow it and do not have further
problems as adults.
What is Baby Reflux?
The condition occurs very much the same way it does in adults. The contents of the stomach after eating rather than remaining in the stomach, move up into the esophagus, which can cause a burning sensation known as heartburn. The acid inside the stomach is what causes the burning sensation as the food and liquids move upward.
Symptoms of Infant Reflux
Since babies can't tell you if they have heartburn or feel sick you'll want to take note of the obvious signs of infant reflux including:
Diagnosis of Infant Reflux
Prior to taking your baby to your pediatrician, write down some of the symptoms you have been noticing. It's easy to forget some symptoms once you get to the doctor's office.
The doctor will want to rule out anything serious and may order a variety of tests including an ultrasound, blood and other lab tests, or an upper GI series. In addition, esophageal pH monitoring may be done to see what the acidity levels are in your child's esophagus. These tests are all helpful at getting to the root of the problem. The sooner treatment can begin, the better your baby will feel.
Treatment Option of Infant Reflux
There are several treatment options depending on the severity of the reflux. Many times changing the way the infant is fed corrects the problem. These variations include, giving smaller feedings frequently, pause during feeding and attempt to burp the baby, and ensuring your infant is in an upright position during the feedings and directly afterwards. Switching to a new baby formula may also be helpful if you're using formula.
Medications can also be used including, H-2 acid blockers such as lansoprazole and omeprazole, which are both are now available over-the-counter or by prescription. As a last result and when all other options have failed, a surgical procedure to tighten the esophageal sphincter so that food remains in the stomach may be performed.
Lastly, if you notice any of the signs of acid reflux in babies, it is best to make an appointment with your pediatrician as soon as possible.
What is Baby Reflux?
The condition occurs very much the same way it does in adults. The contents of the stomach after eating rather than remaining in the stomach, move up into the esophagus, which can cause a burning sensation known as heartburn. The acid inside the stomach is what causes the burning sensation as the food and liquids move upward.
Symptoms of Infant Reflux
Since babies can't tell you if they have heartburn or feel sick you'll want to take note of the obvious signs of infant reflux including:
- Frequent spitting up food or bile (yellow)
- Difficulty eating due to gagging
- Persistent cough
- Crying during feeding time
- Stomach appears gassy or tender to the touch
- Colic
- Bouts of pneumonia
Diagnosis of Infant Reflux
Prior to taking your baby to your pediatrician, write down some of the symptoms you have been noticing. It's easy to forget some symptoms once you get to the doctor's office.
The doctor will want to rule out anything serious and may order a variety of tests including an ultrasound, blood and other lab tests, or an upper GI series. In addition, esophageal pH monitoring may be done to see what the acidity levels are in your child's esophagus. These tests are all helpful at getting to the root of the problem. The sooner treatment can begin, the better your baby will feel.
Treatment Option of Infant Reflux
There are several treatment options depending on the severity of the reflux. Many times changing the way the infant is fed corrects the problem. These variations include, giving smaller feedings frequently, pause during feeding and attempt to burp the baby, and ensuring your infant is in an upright position during the feedings and directly afterwards. Switching to a new baby formula may also be helpful if you're using formula.
Medications can also be used including, H-2 acid blockers such as lansoprazole and omeprazole, which are both are now available over-the-counter or by prescription. As a last result and when all other options have failed, a surgical procedure to tighten the esophageal sphincter so that food remains in the stomach may be performed.
Lastly, if you notice any of the signs of acid reflux in babies, it is best to make an appointment with your pediatrician as soon as possible.
More info you can visit website: http://acidrefluxinchildren.net/
Health Reform Has a History of Failure
Health care reform is on everyone's mind. It's an idea, they say,
whose time has come. The cost of health insurance is out of control. 40
plus million Americans cannot afford or cannot qualify for health
insurance.
But health care reform has been here before. Actually, about every 15 years there is a push for reforming health care in America. It started way back in 1912 when Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party introduced a platform calling for national health insurance for industry.
In 1934 as part of the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt considered proposing universal health coverage as part of the Social Security Act. Presidents as diverse as Truman, Carter, Ford, George H.Q. Bush and Clinton have all introduced various proposals for health care reform. Universal health coverage is always the stated goal. All the proposals put forth by all these administrations, dating back to the early 1900's have only thing in common-failure.
In 1943 President Truman proposed a single insurance plan that would cover all Americans. His plan allowed for public subsidies for the poor. This universal, comprehensive plan was to be run as part of Social Security. But Truman was faced with an economy that was transitioning from a war time economy to a peace time economy. For a time Truman lost the confidence of the general public. Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress in 1946 and branded Truman as a lame duck.
But Truman campaigned in 1948 on a promise to extend the New Deal and specifically targeted Congressional Republicans who has opposed national health insurance. Truman defeated these Republicans and seemed to have a mandate from the people to implement national health insurance. But despite having a Congress that had a Democratic majority, Truman could not pass his health reform plan. His plan failed because powerful Southern Democrats, all of whom held key leadership positions in Congress, feared that federal involvement in health care would lead to desegregation of hospitals that still separated patients by race.
Labor unions also played a part in the defeat of Truman's plan. The AFL-CIO supported the plan for universal coverage as did the UAW. But then, the UAW negotiated a deal with General Motors that included payment by GM of health insurance and pensions. Unions then believed that they could negotiate better benefits for their members than they could get under a federal universal health plan and they abandoned their support of universal care.
The AMA also opposed the Truman plan but they based their opposition on the unpopular concept of socialized medicine. As anti-communist sentiment rose, the public support for universal health care declined. Most large associations including the Chamber of Commerce, the ABA and the American Hospital Association supported the concept of voluntary and private health insurance. This was also the position favored by most of the nation's media.
Universal health insurance failed again in 1950. By that time the employer sponsored plans were deeply entrenched as an employee benefit. This was the time that insurance companies began to experience rate premiums. The result of this new rating system was that older, sicker people found it harder to get affordable coverage. In 1960 Congress passed the Kerr-Mills Act. This Act provided federal funds to the states to cover the health costs of the elderly who were too poor to afford health insurance. But this Act, with all its well meaning hope, failed completely because by 1963, only 28 states had agreed to participate and even those states did not budget correctly to support the plan. This Act became the precursor to Medicare and Medicaid.
From 1970 through 1976 more competing plans were proposed But compromises came and went and no significant bill ever reached the House floor because of lack of Committee consensus. President Ford withdrew his attempt at universal health reform fearing that it would make inflation worse. President Carter campaigned on the promise of a comprehensive national health plan but once elected shifted his priorities to cost containment, specifically hospital cost control, and told the American people that national health insurance would have to wait until the economy was stronger.
About that time, Senator Edward Kennedy introduced a new proposal which called for private health insurance companies to compete for customers. The private plans would sell an insurance card to be used for hospital and physician care. The cost of the card would depend on income and employers would be expected to cover the majority of the cost for their employees. The federal government would pick up the cost of the card for the poor. Neither the Carter nor the Kennedy proposal made it through the Congress.
The Clinton plan also supported universal health insurance through the enforcement of individual and employer mandates. The government would control the competition between private insurance companies The Health Care Task Force, chaired by Hillary Clinton when she was first lady, gave President Clinton a complex plan in September 1993. Despite a Democratic Congress, the size and complexity of the plan slowed its progress through Congress and lost the interest of the general population.
Now in 2009, another administration is proposing health care reform. The White House has created the Office on Health Care Reform. Members of Congress are polishing up their own creations for solving this problem. The administration believes that popular opinion will compel our elected officials to end what might be considered a national embarrassment of having millions of American unable to afford or have access to quality health insurance. But as far back as the 1930's, public support quickly began to fail as the insured were advised that the goal would only be achieved if they contributed more to the cost, either directly or through some added taxes.
The United States spends twice as much per capita as the average of the 10 next richest countries in the world. Yet, despite this expenditure, 1 out of 6 Americans under the age of 65 are uninsured and/or individually uninsurable.
One of the problems facing reform is that the 80% or so of American who have health insurance are generally happy with the care they receive. They like their doctors and the freedom to make their own choices when it comes to doctors and hospitals. Most think they already pay too much for health insurance. Most believe, and there is evidence to support this belief, that the red tape and the administrative expenses of their health insurance plan are part of the reason their cost has increased. Why can't someone fix that, they wonder?
The insured fear change. Any proposal that threatens their current insurance arrangement will be regarded with deep suspicion. Everyone is aware of the power of special interest groups. Our political system is set up in such a way as to frustrate action on any large and socially controversial idea. Congressional committees wield enormous power. The interest of each state in controlling its own health insurance programs can, in itself, bring down the whole idea of reform.
We have had some success in improving access to health care for million through some of the Children's Health Insurance Programs. But note that most of the programs to cover uninsured children are state based.
We seem to be unable to learn from past mistakes or take advantage of the concepts that actually have worked. Anyone who has done even a cursory study of history should realize that we have been here before.
Yes health reform is back again. What will happen this time? Stay tuned.
Sheila Guillotine is the owner of Prestige Planners, a health specialty agency placing health and dental insurance for business and individuals. Licensed with all the major carriers, she counsels and advises clients on how to select the most appropriate coverage.
But health care reform has been here before. Actually, about every 15 years there is a push for reforming health care in America. It started way back in 1912 when Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party introduced a platform calling for national health insurance for industry.
In 1934 as part of the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt considered proposing universal health coverage as part of the Social Security Act. Presidents as diverse as Truman, Carter, Ford, George H.Q. Bush and Clinton have all introduced various proposals for health care reform. Universal health coverage is always the stated goal. All the proposals put forth by all these administrations, dating back to the early 1900's have only thing in common-failure.
In 1943 President Truman proposed a single insurance plan that would cover all Americans. His plan allowed for public subsidies for the poor. This universal, comprehensive plan was to be run as part of Social Security. But Truman was faced with an economy that was transitioning from a war time economy to a peace time economy. For a time Truman lost the confidence of the general public. Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress in 1946 and branded Truman as a lame duck.
But Truman campaigned in 1948 on a promise to extend the New Deal and specifically targeted Congressional Republicans who has opposed national health insurance. Truman defeated these Republicans and seemed to have a mandate from the people to implement national health insurance. But despite having a Congress that had a Democratic majority, Truman could not pass his health reform plan. His plan failed because powerful Southern Democrats, all of whom held key leadership positions in Congress, feared that federal involvement in health care would lead to desegregation of hospitals that still separated patients by race.
Labor unions also played a part in the defeat of Truman's plan. The AFL-CIO supported the plan for universal coverage as did the UAW. But then, the UAW negotiated a deal with General Motors that included payment by GM of health insurance and pensions. Unions then believed that they could negotiate better benefits for their members than they could get under a federal universal health plan and they abandoned their support of universal care.
The AMA also opposed the Truman plan but they based their opposition on the unpopular concept of socialized medicine. As anti-communist sentiment rose, the public support for universal health care declined. Most large associations including the Chamber of Commerce, the ABA and the American Hospital Association supported the concept of voluntary and private health insurance. This was also the position favored by most of the nation's media.
Universal health insurance failed again in 1950. By that time the employer sponsored plans were deeply entrenched as an employee benefit. This was the time that insurance companies began to experience rate premiums. The result of this new rating system was that older, sicker people found it harder to get affordable coverage. In 1960 Congress passed the Kerr-Mills Act. This Act provided federal funds to the states to cover the health costs of the elderly who were too poor to afford health insurance. But this Act, with all its well meaning hope, failed completely because by 1963, only 28 states had agreed to participate and even those states did not budget correctly to support the plan. This Act became the precursor to Medicare and Medicaid.
From 1970 through 1976 more competing plans were proposed But compromises came and went and no significant bill ever reached the House floor because of lack of Committee consensus. President Ford withdrew his attempt at universal health reform fearing that it would make inflation worse. President Carter campaigned on the promise of a comprehensive national health plan but once elected shifted his priorities to cost containment, specifically hospital cost control, and told the American people that national health insurance would have to wait until the economy was stronger.
About that time, Senator Edward Kennedy introduced a new proposal which called for private health insurance companies to compete for customers. The private plans would sell an insurance card to be used for hospital and physician care. The cost of the card would depend on income and employers would be expected to cover the majority of the cost for their employees. The federal government would pick up the cost of the card for the poor. Neither the Carter nor the Kennedy proposal made it through the Congress.
The Clinton plan also supported universal health insurance through the enforcement of individual and employer mandates. The government would control the competition between private insurance companies The Health Care Task Force, chaired by Hillary Clinton when she was first lady, gave President Clinton a complex plan in September 1993. Despite a Democratic Congress, the size and complexity of the plan slowed its progress through Congress and lost the interest of the general population.
Now in 2009, another administration is proposing health care reform. The White House has created the Office on Health Care Reform. Members of Congress are polishing up their own creations for solving this problem. The administration believes that popular opinion will compel our elected officials to end what might be considered a national embarrassment of having millions of American unable to afford or have access to quality health insurance. But as far back as the 1930's, public support quickly began to fail as the insured were advised that the goal would only be achieved if they contributed more to the cost, either directly or through some added taxes.
The United States spends twice as much per capita as the average of the 10 next richest countries in the world. Yet, despite this expenditure, 1 out of 6 Americans under the age of 65 are uninsured and/or individually uninsurable.
One of the problems facing reform is that the 80% or so of American who have health insurance are generally happy with the care they receive. They like their doctors and the freedom to make their own choices when it comes to doctors and hospitals. Most think they already pay too much for health insurance. Most believe, and there is evidence to support this belief, that the red tape and the administrative expenses of their health insurance plan are part of the reason their cost has increased. Why can't someone fix that, they wonder?
The insured fear change. Any proposal that threatens their current insurance arrangement will be regarded with deep suspicion. Everyone is aware of the power of special interest groups. Our political system is set up in such a way as to frustrate action on any large and socially controversial idea. Congressional committees wield enormous power. The interest of each state in controlling its own health insurance programs can, in itself, bring down the whole idea of reform.
We have had some success in improving access to health care for million through some of the Children's Health Insurance Programs. But note that most of the programs to cover uninsured children are state based.
We seem to be unable to learn from past mistakes or take advantage of the concepts that actually have worked. Anyone who has done even a cursory study of history should realize that we have been here before.
Yes health reform is back again. What will happen this time? Stay tuned.
Sheila Guillotine is the owner of Prestige Planners, a health specialty agency placing health and dental insurance for business and individuals. Licensed with all the major carriers, she counsels and advises clients on how to select the most appropriate coverage.
Jumat, 25 Oktober 2013
Discrimination And Health Insurance
Until current health care reform legislation takes full effect in 2014,
individuals with pre-existing conditions will continue to legally be
subject to certain exclusions and limitations in coverage from health
insurance companies. However, despite legislation to the contrary,
various types of discrimination continue to occur throughout the country
in regards to offering fair coverage and premiums when it comes to
health insurance.
A recent study has found that individuals with genetic conditions are actually twice as likely to be denied health insurance as individuals with other equally serious chronic illnesses. This population is also more likely to be subjected to higher premiums as well as higher deductibles. The same study also found that half of the individuals interviewed did not want to leave their job because they were fearful of losing much needed health coverage.
Past legislation has attempted to address this issue to some extent. HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was partially designed to help ensure that health insurance is made available to all. Previous to the passing of the law, there was widespread fear of almost every employee to move to a different job as they could easily lose health coverage. With this act, most employees were put at ease with the introduction of COBRA and additional federal regulations regarding offering health insurance to new employees.
Unfortunately, with the economy as it is, employees are again fearful of losing their group health insurance, regardless of any pre-existing conditions. As companies continue to lay off workers and stop offering group health insurance benefits, more and more people are finding themselves without health insurance.
Another provision of HIPAA was to prevent, in no uncertain terms, the use of genetic information in the writing of any health insurance policy, whether group or individual. This type of information may not be used to determine eligibility or be treated as a pre-existing condition that may be subject to exclusions or additional limitations. In addition, if someone has been found to have a genetic marker for a disease, their policy may not be affected by the finding.
However, anyone that exhibits symptoms of a certain genetic disease or have been otherwise diagnosed by a medical professional can legally be discriminated against, along with anyone else with any kind of pre-existing condition. In addition, anyone with a strong family history of breast cancer or colon cancer is likely to be (illegally) considered "high risk," and as a result are subjected to the same limitations and high premiums as those with diagnosed chronic conditions.
One of the unfortunate results of permitting discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions is that insurance companies often take advantage of their ability to impose limitations. Those that do not reject an initial application will attach riders to the policy which make obtaining the necessary care essentially the financial responsibility of the patient.
With so many discriminatory practices in today's health care industry, it is the hope of many of those that have been downtrodden by such a broken system that the upcoming change in legislation will be a saving grace, changing lives for the better.
A recent study has found that individuals with genetic conditions are actually twice as likely to be denied health insurance as individuals with other equally serious chronic illnesses. This population is also more likely to be subjected to higher premiums as well as higher deductibles. The same study also found that half of the individuals interviewed did not want to leave their job because they were fearful of losing much needed health coverage.
Past legislation has attempted to address this issue to some extent. HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) was partially designed to help ensure that health insurance is made available to all. Previous to the passing of the law, there was widespread fear of almost every employee to move to a different job as they could easily lose health coverage. With this act, most employees were put at ease with the introduction of COBRA and additional federal regulations regarding offering health insurance to new employees.
Unfortunately, with the economy as it is, employees are again fearful of losing their group health insurance, regardless of any pre-existing conditions. As companies continue to lay off workers and stop offering group health insurance benefits, more and more people are finding themselves without health insurance.
Another provision of HIPAA was to prevent, in no uncertain terms, the use of genetic information in the writing of any health insurance policy, whether group or individual. This type of information may not be used to determine eligibility or be treated as a pre-existing condition that may be subject to exclusions or additional limitations. In addition, if someone has been found to have a genetic marker for a disease, their policy may not be affected by the finding.
However, anyone that exhibits symptoms of a certain genetic disease or have been otherwise diagnosed by a medical professional can legally be discriminated against, along with anyone else with any kind of pre-existing condition. In addition, anyone with a strong family history of breast cancer or colon cancer is likely to be (illegally) considered "high risk," and as a result are subjected to the same limitations and high premiums as those with diagnosed chronic conditions.
One of the unfortunate results of permitting discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions is that insurance companies often take advantage of their ability to impose limitations. Those that do not reject an initial application will attach riders to the policy which make obtaining the necessary care essentially the financial responsibility of the patient.
With so many discriminatory practices in today's health care industry, it is the hope of many of those that have been downtrodden by such a broken system that the upcoming change in legislation will be a saving grace, changing lives for the better.
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