The Health Shopper

As of today almost all employer-sponsored health plans will be required to cover contraceptives without deductibles, co-pays, etc. 28 states currently require health plans to cover contraceptives to some extent; the new ruling has made them completely cost-free.
The only exception is religious organizations, nonprofits, and places of worship that employ individuals of the same faith.

Today, the provision known as the Medical Loss Ration will drop. This provision requires health insurance companies to spend 80% of their consumers’ premiums on medical care, as opposed to marketing or overhead costs. If they do not do this, the companies will be required to send back a rebate check detailing the amount they did not spend on medical care.

The Department of Health and Human Services has detailed the parameters for qualification as a medical expenditure, though these rules are still being “fine-tuned”.

Yesterday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 222 into law. According to an article by Victoria Colliver of the San Francisco Chronicle, it was one of multiple laws he signed that day that address the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and their babies. One of them ensures that when women with employer-sponsored insurance take maternity leave, they don’t lose their coverage. Another one requires hospitals to create an infant feeding policy, thereby encouraging new mothers to breastfeed.

via Health Insurance and You

We’re all about affordable health insurance. So here are 6 tips for getting your family covered without breaking the bank!

1. Make a list of your family’s needs. Remember – you probably don’t need every benefit in the book. Only pay for the benefits you’ll use.
   
2. If your family is fairly healthy consider a high-deductible plan, which have much lower monthly premiums.
   
3. Look into Medicaid; every state offers Medicaid coverage to qualifying low-income adults. Medicaid will provide free preventive services such as check-ups and diagnostic tests. Take a quick 5-step test to see if you qualify.
   
4. If you have a preexisting condition, look into the Preexisting Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), a federal high-risk pool set up by health care reform law.
   
5. Make an informed decision. Check out a variety of family health insurance quotes – you can do this on sites like GetInsured.com online or by phone with an agent.
   
6. If you’re consulting or have just begun a new enterprise, try applying as a small business. Tax credits (up to 35% of premiums!) will make group rates affordable, and family members with preexisting conditions can’t be denied under group coverage!
   

And one bonus tip: make sure to know your plan! Ask about any limitations and understand your benefits. You’ll be glad you did.

Health and health care are complex issues. Like Vimo.com, there are a number of other resources out there trying to make it a little easier to understand. The following ten blogs – listed in alphabetical order – each address a unique set of topics and issues. Together, they provide a fairly comprehensive view of what’s going on in health care today.

Health Affairs Blog. An offshoot of the academic journal Health Affairs, the Health Affairs Blog publishes daily on issues in health care and policy. Posts are written by a variety of guest contributors, including politicians, health policy experts, and Health Affairs staff.

Recent topics: the individual health insurance mandate, hospital safety, chronic disease and prevention

The Health Care Blog. An independent blog managed by a core staff and written by a number of contributors, the Health Care Blog’s tagline is “Everything you always wanted to know about the health care system. But were afraid to ask.”

Recent topics: pay-for-performance, patient-provider communication, the Affordable Care Act

Healthcare Economist. Written by economist and researcher Jason Shafrin, Healthcare Economist focuses on the health insurance market, health policy and economics, and Medicare research. Occasional posts are personal.

Recent topics: employer health benefits, physician quality and training, nursing home care

Julie’s Health Club. Hosted by the Chicago Tribune, Julie’s Health Club is written by journalist Julie Deardorff. It focuses on a variety of personal health issues, including holistic approaches to health, the environment and sustainable living, and child health. The blog also hosts occasional live chats on specific topics.

Recent topics: health benefits of yogurt, tooth decay, weightlifting and cancer

KevinMD.com. Managed by primary care physician Kevin Pho and featuring guest posts from additional contributors, KevinMD.com provides commentary on health and medical news. The blog also includes weekly roundups of its own posts and daily roundups of top health stories.

Recent topics: electronic medical records, healthcare reform, medical education

Managed Care Matters. Since 2004, health consultant Joseph Paduda’s blog Managed Care Matters has covered issues in managed care, health care cost containment, policy, and health research.

Recent topics: hospital care costs, the individual health insurance mandate, workers’ compensation

Paging Dr. Gupta. Paging Dr. Gupta is written by CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, and additional Medical Unit staff. The blog focuses on health news and medical trends and provides commentary and analysis.

Recent topics: patient privacy, mercury dental fillings, nutrition for vegetarians

Shots. Written by the science staff at National Public Radio (NPR) and updated several times per day, Shots covers recent news about health and medicine.

Recent topics: cholera vaccination in Haiti, health care reform, bone marrow donation

Wall Street Journal Health Blog. Written by health reporter Katherine Hobson, with contributions from staff at WSJ and Dow Jones Newswires, the Health Blog offers news and analysis multiple times per day on health and the business of health.

Recent topics: chronic fatigue syndrome, antidepressants and the elderly, FDA approval of drugs

Well. Hosted by the New York Times and written by columnist Tara Parker-Pope, Well focuses on healthy living and medical research. The blog also features commentary on other New York Times articles and a weekly set of healthy recipes.

Recent topics: fashion’s effect on health, patient amenities in hospitals, cholesterol and Alzheimer’s disease

This summer saw the implementation and open enrollment of new health insurance programs targeting consumers with pre-existing conditions. These programs, called pre-existing condition insurance plans (PCIPs) or high-risk pools, allowed some consumers vital and potentially costly treatment.

The PCIPs are essentially temporary health insurance solutions for those with pre-existing conditions, and are basically filling the gap between 2010 and 2014, when the reform provisions will be fully in place. For the next few years, the reform legislation has allowed for a $5 billion program that will aid approximately 6 million people with pre-existing conditions.

40% of kids’ (aged 2-18) calories are considered “empty” calories with no nutritional value and from fat and sugar sources. This is the faction of calories that feeds directly into the adolescent obesity epidemic that affects over 23 million kids.

The culprits? Pizza, soda, and baked goods.

Sweetened drinks, both sugar-saturated sodas and “fruit” drinks, alone are responsible for almost 10%.
Researchers recommended that restaurants, cafeterias and markets shift emphasis to healthier products to help lead children towards a healthier lifestyle.

From packing up to putting your home on the market, there are a lot of important things to consider when embarking upon an interstate move. And whether it’s your first interstate move or your fiftieth, you’re probably overwhelmed by all of the details. Still, keeping a list of everything that needs to be done will ensure that your moving process goes as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Here are seven important things to take care of as soon as possible to guarantee a healthy, happy move.

1. Secure health insurance. If you’re a generally healthy person, you may figure that you can purchase health insurance when you arrive in your new state or that when you find a job, you’ll get a policy as part of your employment package. But since moving is stressful, it increases your chance of getting sick, and you won’t want to be stuck without valid health insurance. Consequently, it’s important to choose a new health insurance provider before your move, and to make sure that the policy is active when you arrive – just in case illness strikes.
2. Choose doctors. You may be tempted to choose a doctor only after you’ve spoken to your new neighbors and asked for recommendations of health care professionals, but it’s safer to research your options before you move so that you won’t be panicked or confused if you need to make an emergency trip to the doctor.
3. Get a copy of your medical records. An oft-forgotten part of the moving process, getting a copy of your medical records is critical, especially if you have children who will need their immunization records.
4. Find the right movers. It may sound obvious, but many people don’t realize the importance of hiring long distance movers that are familiar with their new city. From traffic patterns to weather conditions, it’s always a good idea to choose a moving company that has experience moving to your destination so that you’ll know you’re in good hands in the event of a surprise during the moving process.
5. Forward your children’s school records. It’s much easier to get your children’s school records while you’re still near their old school. Although this is a commonly overlooked part of moving, it’s an important one, as it can be important for their academic future (especially if their new school does placements based on academic abilities).
6. Inform your credit card company. The last think you want to find is an overdue bill that has accrued interest because it was sent to your old address. You’ll do yourself a great service by updating your credit card company about your new address when you pay the last bill before you move.
7. Arrange for utilities to be shut off/turned on. You shouldn’t be paying for utilities you’re not using in your old home, and you won’t want to be sitting in the dark when you arrive in your new home. As such, it’s important to make sure that your utilities are turned off the day after you leave, and that the utilities in your new home are scheduled to be turned on the day that you arrive.

Good luck with your move – I hope everything goes smoothly!

Sari Holtz is the blogger for Billy.com, an online savings club that helps people save money on everything from moving services to milk.

Today, almost all doctors and a majority of patients (73%) are utilizing the Internet in some way as a tool for health care. Sites like WebMD, AMA, and even Wikipedia, are being used by both doctors and patients, a study finds.

Online tools are likely to play an increasingly important role in patients’ understanding, self-diagnosis, and prevention. Doctors will use the Internet in helping educate patients and providing information.

Following the trend of other dietary supplements to avoid, two major OTC supplements that treat joint pain have been found no more effective than a placebo.

While the supplements (glucosamine and chondroitin) are not unsafe, and placebo effect might even be beneficial, providers and patients shouldn’t be paying for the supplements.
So what’s a more effective solution? Exercise. It’s safer and more beneficial, no questions asked!