HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Healthcare

  • When In Doubt, Get A Second Opinion

    Medical Care

    Image of doctor and patient talking.

    The very first thing you should do if a doctor suggests surgery is to get the opinion of a second doctor. Programs to encourage patients to pursue other options have been established all over the country in an effort to curtail unnecessary surgery.

    Ask your physician or someone else you trust to recommend a non-surgeon or another surgeon, not affiliated with the same hospital as your physician, who will review your case and offer an opinion. Generally, you should not submit to surgery on the basis of one medical opinion alone.

    The following table indicates the percentage of surgeries not recommended by the physician giving a second opinion.

    Always check with your insurance company to see if (and how much of) the cost of a second opinion will be covered. Most policies include this feature. If you have Medicare, call 1.800.MEDICARE (633.4227) for information on second surgical opinions.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Save Money On Prescriptions

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Pills dropping into bottle.

    FACT: New drugs are protected by patents. After the patent expires, other companies can make a generic version of the drug.

    Knowing about generic drugs can save you money on prescriptions. Tell your doctor or pharmacist you want a generic drug if possible.

    If your prescription is expensive, speak up. Sometimes there’s an alternative that costs less but is still safe.

    Be wary of places that promise free or cheap prescriptions. It may be a scam. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you about free or low-cost prescription programs.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Family Medical Record

    Medical History

    Family medical record chart.
    Page from the Healthier at Home book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Medical History Chart

    Medical History

    Medical history chart.
    Page from the Health at Home Lifetime book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Save By Being A Wise Health Care Consumer

    Medical Care

    Close up of hand using a tablet.

    *  Before you receive services, know what your plan covers. Find out from your insurance plan’s website handbook, or customer service representative.

    *  Find out if the cost for 9-1-1 EMS transport is covered or if you need to use a certain ambulance company.

    *  Choose providers who accept your insurance. Find out if prior approval or a referral is needed for services to be covered.

    *  Consider a Consumer Driven Health Plan. You pay a higher deductible and pay for health care costs from a tax-exempt health account. With a high-deductible health plan, you can set aside pre-tax money in a health savings account (HSA). Use this to pay for your deductible and medical costs. Money you don’t spend adds up from year to year, to use for future medical expenses.

    *  Learn if acupuncture and massage therapy fees are covered.

    *  Get recommended tests, exams, and vaccines.

    *  Make sure you use covered services, such as dental cleanings, tests and exams, virtual visits, and the Nurse Advice Line.

    *  Find out about tax breaks for medical expenses fromirs.gov.

    *  Stay informed of changes in health care offerings on national and state levels.

    A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • When To Refuse Tests Or Surgery

    Medical Care

    Image of doctor talking to hospital patient and spouse.

    It has been estimated that at least one-quarter of medical tests done each year are not needed. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that nearly 60 percent of the study’s 2,800 pre-surgery tests were not warranted because there were no symptoms indicating that the tests should be done. Just 22 percent of the tests studied yielded results, and even these played a very small role in treatment. Yet medical tests make up about half of the typical patient’s hospital charges, according to David Sobel, M.D., the director of patient education at Kaiser Permanente.

    Be frank with your doctor and ask for an explanation of why a particular test is being done. You’ll want to ask the following:

    *  Will the test results determine the treatment?

    *  Are there risks to the testing?

    *  Are there alternatives?

    *  Can outpatient testing be considered?

    If your doctor recommends a hysterectomy, tonsillectomy, coronary bypass, or gallbladder removal, ask questions about alternatives. According to Eugene Rubin, M.D., of Stanford University, these procedures are among the surgeries performed excessively. Others that Dr. Rubin lists are:

    *  Dilatation and curettage (D and C).

    *  Cesarean sections.

    *  Pacemaker insertion.

    *  Joint surgery.

    Find out about the following:

    *  Alternatives that are not as radical as surgery.

    *  If it would be risky to postpone the surgery.

    *  If the surgery is not effective, what treatment you should try next.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Save On Prescriptions

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Pills and bottle on top of a money.

    Whether you have insurance or not, the cost of filling prescriptions can be high. Here are some ways to save big on the medicine you need.

    Go generic

    Ask your doctor if there is a cheaper generic option they can prescribe.

    Talk to your insurance

    Some insurance companies have options to make your medicine cheaper, such as direct buying programs.

    Get a 90-day supply

    Often it’s cheaper to get more at once than to refill a prescription multiple times.

    Apply for assistance

    Check with state and local governments to see if you qualify for financial assistance with prescriptions.

    Compare prices

    Call around to different pharmacies to find which one is the cheapest for your specific medicines.

    Ask for a higher dose

    Ask your doctor if they can prescribe a higher dose and let you cut the pills. Not all pills can be cut, but if it’s possible, it can save you money.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Gather Facts

    Medical Care

    Image of 4 people sitting and talking.

    Decisions you make about your health can affect the length and quality of your life. Choose wisely. To do this, you need to gather facts. Use these sources:

    *  You. You know more about you than anyone else. Be in touch with how you feel, physically and emotionally. Keep track of past and present health concerns.

    *  Your doctor. Ask for his or her advice. Your doctor may also have written materials on your condition.

    *  Medical resources. These include:

    – The Internet’s world wide web. Look for credible sites, such aswww.medlineplus.gov,www.healthfinder.gov, and other Web sites which end in .gov. Other credible sites are ones from hospitals, medical centers, and medical associations. Most often, these sites end in .edu and .org. Beware of Web sites that promote health fraud and quackery. Accesshttp://quackwatch.orgfor information. Also, check with your doctor before you follow advice from a Web site. The advice may not be right for your needs.

    – Not-for-profit groups. These include the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association. To get information, call their toll-free numbers or access their Web sites.

    – Government agencies. One is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Accesswww.nhlbi.nih.gov.

    – Support groups for conditions, such as breast cancer. Check local hospitals for lists of support groups near you. Also, contact the American Self-Help Group Clearinghouse Self-Help Group Sourcebook Online atwww.mentalhelp.net/selfhelp.

    Your job is to gather facts. Once you have the facts, you and your doctor can make the medical decision(s) best suited to your needs.

    Page from the Healthier at Home book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Medicare

    Medical Care

    Image of older couple talking to agent.

    Medicare is health insurance funded by the federal government. There is a lot to know about Medicare. For information, call the Medicare Choices Helpline at 1-800-MEDICARE (633-4227). Ask that a copy of the Medicare guide be mailed to you. You can also find out about Medicare on the Internet atwww.medicare.gov.

    To be “eligible” for Medicare means:

    *  You are 65 years or older. You must also be eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Benefits, or

    *  You must be disabled for life and you have received Social Security Disability Insurance payments for at least 24 months, or

    *  You have end stage renal disease needing transplant or dialysis.

    To apply for medicare, call the Social Security Administration. The number is 1-800-772-1213. Call 3 months before you turn age 65. Don’t wait any longer than 3 months after your 65th birthday to call. If you receive social security payments, you should automatically get a Medicare card, but don’t take a chance. Call the Social Security Administration as mentioned above.

    Page from the Health at Home Lifetime book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Save By Staying Healthy

    Medical Care

    An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. The healthier you are, the less you will need to pay for medical care. Also, the state of your health is one of the main factors in setting the cost of health and life insurance.

    Don’t send money up in smoke.

    Cigarette smoking is bad for your health. It’s bad for your wallet, too. A person who smokes two packs a day spends over $3,000 a year just on cigarettes. Hundreds of dollars more are spent on extra dental and medical costs. The cost of health, life, and disability insurance is about 30% higher for persons who smoke.

    Weight does matter.

    Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death. Losing weight can lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. These can cost you and your employer a lot of money to treat. Obese persons who buy health insurance on their own may have to pay more. Insurance companies may even turn them down.

    Be fit at little or no cost.

    Take part in fitness programs at work. Join a mall walkers program. Walk with a friend. Follow along with fitness programs on TV. Or, if you have a stationary bike, ride it while you watch TV. Being active every day is a huge investment in your health.

    Look at your genes.

    Find out what health problems both sides of your family have or had. Start with your parents, brothers, and sisters. Then find out about ones your grandparents, uncles, aunts, and first cousins have or had. Once you know what health problems run in your family, talk with your doctor. He/she can suggest ways to lower your risk of getting them.

    Don’t back quacks.

    Find out about products and treatments that don’t work or could cause harm fromwww.quackwatch.organdwww.fda.gov. Don’t waste money on things that don’t help.

    Be savvy about AD-vice.

    Check with your doctor before you follow advice from Web sites and ads that promote products. Many are costly and give little or no benefit.

    Detect to protect.

    Have screening tests and exams that can help detect health problems in early stages when they are easier and less costly to treat. Follow your doctor’s advice.

    Money well spent.

    If you have no health insurance or your health plan does not pay for screening tests or doctor visits, it is still important to have them. Paying for these now could save you thousands in medical costs in the future. Tests may cost less than you think.

    Know thy “health self.”

    The more you know about your health problems, the easier it is to make informed choices about how to take care of them. Find out what you need to do from your doctor. Get reliable facts, too, from trusted sources.

    Follow your doctor’s treatment plan.

    This helps to improve your health. It helps keep problems from getting worse. For example, keeping blood pressure under control can reduce the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack.

    A shot in the arm for your health.

    Get vaccines, as needed, to prevent illnesses. This applies to children, as well as adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give guidelines for vaccines every year. Find out what they are atwww.cdc.gov/vaccines. Also, if you plan to travel to other countries, find out what vaccines you should get. Find out fromwww.cdc.gov/travel.

    Know about the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program.

    Your children may be able to get free or low-cost vaccines. Find out fromwww.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/default.htm.

    Cover image to the Healthy Savings book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine