HypnoBirthing, Kurangi Sakit Saat Persalinan

Metode ini pun diyakini dapat mengurangi rasa mual dan pusing saat hamil, dan memperlancar ASI pasca melahirkan.

Setelah mengandung selama sembilan bulan, tahap selanjutnya adalah melahirkan. Meski sangat dinantikan, bagi ibu muda proses persalinan sering kali menakutkan. Banyaknya rumor yang menyebutkan bahwa melahirkan itu sakit, semakin ‘memperparah’ perasaan si ibu. ‘’Bukan tidak mungkin, akibat ibunya stres, melahirkan jadi lebih lama. Rasa sakit pun seolah lebih nyeri dari seharusnya karena sejak awal si ibu percaya bahwa persalinan itu menyakitkan,’’kata Dr Boy Abidin, SpOG, dokter spesialis kebidanan dan penyakit kandungan, Rumah Sakit Mitra Keluarga Kelapa Gading. Padahal, melahirkan merupakan suatu proses yang sangat kompleks, dan perlu kesiapan mental serta semangat besar dari sang ibu.

Namun, kesiapan mental, ketenangan batin, serta semangat untuk melahirkan secara alami, terkadang tidak dimiliki oleh para ibu begitu saja. Terlebih bagi ibu muda yang baru melahirkan anak pertama. Beruntunglah, Evariny Andriana (30 tahun) yang dapat melahirkan bayi pertamanya dengan lancar tanpa mengalami rasa sakit yang berlebihan. ‘’Setelah tiga kali mengejan, saya berhasil melahirkan bayi dengan lancar, dan sehat. Anehnya, saya tidak begitu merasakan sakit seperti yang saya bayangkan sebelumnya,’’aku Eva. Dengan mengikuti HypnoBirthing, menurut pengalaman Eva, rasa sakit baru terasa kuat setelah pembukaan ketujuh, namun tidak melebihi rasa mulas saat haid.

Ajaib? Tentu saja tidak. Semua itu Eva dapatkan setelah secara rutin dalam masa kehamilannya, mengikuti program HypnoBirthing.

Sugesti Positif
HypnoBirthing merupakan pengobatan holistik dimana ibu hamil akan dibantu untuk rileks, fokus, tenang dan dalam keadaan sadar sepenuhnya. Ini merupakan suatu metode bagi wanita hamil dan pasangannya untuk melakukan relaksasi mendalam. Sedangkan, hipnotis yang digunakan adalah metode penanaman sugesti saat otak telah berada dalam kondisi rileks. Jadi, lebih pada penanaman mindset pada si ibu bahwa melahirkan itu tidak sakit.

Pada praktiknya, sang ibu akan diajarkan untuk menenangkan pikiran dengan cara fokus dan konsentrasi. Jadi, ibu hamil akan ‘menghipnotis’ diri sendiri dengan cara memasukan sugesti positif ke pikirannya . ‘’Sebenarnya rasa sakit pada saat persalinan itu lebih banyak dipengaruhi mitos yang didengar selama bertahun-tahun, –bahkan mungkin sejak masih kecil–, kemudian masuk ke program jiwa bawah sadar. Sehingga, ibu hamil memiliki keyakinan bahwa persalinan itu menyakitkan,’’terang Lanny Kuswandy, Clinical Hypnotherapist, ProV Clinic.

Nah, melalui HypnoBirthing, si ibu justru diajak untuk memasukan kata-kata positif yang kemudian masuk dalam program alam bawah sadar. Misalnya, dengan mengatakan pada diri sendiri bahwa melahirkan adalah proses alami yang menyenangkan, dan tidak menyakitkan, secara berulang-ulang. Lalu, menghayatinya dalam keadaan rileks. Seperti pepatah mengatakan, ‘kita adalah apa yang kita pikirkan’. Selain berlaku pada proses persalinan, pepatah tersebut juga berlaku pada saat menghadapi rasa mual dan pusing akibat perubahan hormonal ketika hamil. Juga, dapat menambah raca percaya diri ibu pada masa menyusui.

Bisa dilakukan sendiri
Menurut Lanny, HypnoBirthing sebaiknya dilakukan sedini mungkin pada masa kehamilan. Bahkan, bila perlu sejak pasangan suami istri berkeinginan untuk memiliki momongan. Namun, ia menggarisbawahi bahwa tak ada kata terlambat. Dengan kata lain, meski kehamilan sudah mencapai 6 bulan atau lebih pun, tetap dapat mengikuti metode yang telah dikembangkan sejak 1959 di Amerika Serikat itu.

Pada tahap awal metode ini, sebaiknya ibu hamil didampingi oleh suami dan seorang fasilitator atau terapis. Suami, turut berperan penting dalam memberi dukungan bagi ibu dan janin. Menurut Lanny, pasangan suami istri cukup mengikuti kelas HypnoBirthing tiga kali saja. Biasanya, dilakukan satu kali dalam seminggu, masing-masing sekitar 1,5 jam.

Selanjutnya, ibu hamil pun dapat melakukannya sendiri di rumah. Asal, mampu berperan sebagai otohipnosis, yakni seni komunikasi dengan jiwa bawah sadar dengan tujuan memperbaiki rekaman negatif yang ada di jiwa bawah sadar. Tak kalah penting, adanya ruangan/suasana tenang, dibantu musik untuk relaksasi, aroma terapi (dianjurkan lavender), dan panduan relaksasi otot, napas dan pikiran. Panduan yang dimaksud dapat dikemas dalam bentuk CD.

Adanya metode yang dapat mengurangi rasa sakit saat melahirkan memang berita baik bagi umumnya ibu hamil. Namun, perlu dicatat bahwa keberhasilan metode ini ternyata kembali pada diri Anda. Selain harus memiliki kemauan kuat, juga harus mempunyai niat yang diwujudkan secara nyata, termasuk dengan rajin latihan di rumah. Tak kalah penting, keyakinan bahwa Anda mampu melewatinya dengan baik. Jangan lupa, berdoa pada Tuhan YME.lPG

---

Keuntungan HypnoBirthing:

• Kondisi tenang selama hamil, akan direkam oleh janin dan membentuk kepribadian serta kecerdasan sejak di dalam rahim

• Mengurangi rasa mual, muntah, dan pusing

• Menciptakan keadaan yang seimbang sehingga pertumbuhan fisik dan jiwa bayi lebih sehat

• Memperlancar jalannya proses persalinan dan meminimalkan rasa sakit

• Meningkatkan produksi ASI

• Dapat lebih mengontrol emosi dan perasaan

• Mencegah kelelahan yang berlebih saat proses persalinan

sumber : parentsguide

article source: http://www.hypno-birthing.web.id/?p=455

Personal Health Insurance

Health is an essential part of everyday life. Without it, even the simplest tasks become more difficult. Whether you have a toothache, a back injury, or a bronchial infection, your life quality suffers and so do you. Therefore, you need medical treatments. But what about the cost?

Of course, most of us have group insurance plans, such as through your employer, you have to accept the coverages and deductibles they offer. However, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all when it comes to personal health problem.

First of all, let’s clarify what is Personal Health Insurance. There are many different types of policies that can meet your various needs. In one word, it can be anything you need it to be.

• If you have recently lost health coverage, but are expecting to get new coverage within a year, a short-term health insurance plan may be right for you.
• Comprehensive insurance policy is to cover you and your entire family long-term.
• Supplement insurance is to cover gaps in your existing health insurance policy

Secondly, we must be aware that personal health insurance may be more costly than group ones because you are shouldering the cost by your own instead of sharing the cost with your employee. Following are some useful tips that can help you get the best rate on your personal health insurance plan.

• To see if your auto and home insurance company also offers health insurance and if so, whether you can get a discount. Most of the insurance companies can offer discount to the old clients.


• Set your deductible as high as you can offer.


• If you have any bad health habits, such as smoking or obesity, work to break these habits and improve your health.

Thirdly, you must want to know vaguely how much does it cost. Take the shot-term individual health insurance for example, Short-term health insurance tends to be significantly cheaper than other types of insurance, including COBRA continuation coverage. Some people may qualify for comprehensive coverage for less than $100/month. This is why some people who lose their job-based insurance choose short-term policies rather than electing COBRA. If you do decide to buy a short-term health insurance policy, make sure you understand what you are getting for your money. If you find a policy for $50/month, but it has a $3000 deductible per injury or illness, you will be paying for virtually all of your medical expenses out of pocket.
About the Author:


Lazybear is an acknowledged expert in the field of insurance. You can get more free advice on insurance at http://www.insurance4000.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/personal-health-insurance-197617.html

What are My Personal Health Insurance Options?

Health coverage has always been a social problem in the US, the increasing rates on insurance options has kept several people away from such services, however this is not a healthy or recommended practice because sooner or later you will need to go to the doctor in order to have your ailment taken care of.

If you are between jobs and you had health coverage provided in part by your employer you might want to learn more about COBRA and the many options they offer in order to extend your coverage while you are not employed. Getting in touch with this agency is crucial if you don't want to get caught uninsured at a crucial moment.

If you work for an employer who offers group health insurance you pretty much have to accept their terms if you want to get the benefits of a lower payment, on the other hand personal health insurance can be tailored to your unique needs which will fit your budget. It is very common for personal health insurance to be more expensive than group health insurance because you are no longer sharing the costs with your employer, however there are many benefits you will get by using a personal health insurance such as:

- Extended health insurance which will cover you when you are between jobs, this is a very important benefit that you get with personal health insurance which is not offered by group policies because once you stop working for your employer the health coverage stops.

- If your current plan doesn't offer certain treatments or doesn't offer all the benefits you want, you can use personal coverage in order to cover the gaps left by your current provider.

- You can also have a customized long-term health insurance policy which will benefit your entire family, not just you.

If you opt for the personal coverage option you will want to shop around in order to get the best rates possible which will cover each of your requirements. Having house insurance can sometimes be of great help because such companies also offer packages where you can get yourself medically insured at a discount rate so make sure to ask these companies. Remember that the healthier you are the lower the costs will be so try to quit any bad habit you may have and set your deductible as high as possible, this will lower your monthly payments but be careful to set it at an amount you can afford.

About the Author:

Info4HealthyLiving.com provides more information on personal health insurance and even treatments for back pain, get tips about insurance companies, visit us today!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-are-my-personal-health-insurance-options-339920.html

Personal Health Records--Who Are the Key PHR Providers and How Are They Handling Laboratory Results?

Several significant events have driven public and industry interest in personal health records. In 2004, President George W. Bush outlined a plan for the implementation of an electronic health record that could be accessed by all Americans. Although numerous companies had been in this market for several years, the announcement provided impetus for growth in this area. In 2007 and early 2008, computer giants Google and Microsoft announced their intentions to enter into this market, Google with Google Health and Microsoft with Microsoft HealthVault.

In March of 2008, laboratory industry leader Quest Diagnostics announced a partnership with Google Health to provide uploading of laboratory testing to Google's version of a personal health record (PHR).



The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cites six positive outcomes with the implementation of widespread personal and/or electronic health records.



1. Improved healthcare quality

2. Prevention of medical errors

3. Reduction of healthcare costs

4. Increased administrative efficiencies

5. Decreased paperwork

6. Expanded access to affordable healthcare



Although there are a number of potential barriers to widespread implementation of personal health records, three are the most significant. They are:



1. Interoperability. The various systems need to be able to interact with each other and various computer systems.



2. Privacy and Security. The systems need to provide HIPAA-like compliance, but also have security measures similar to the banking industry and in compliance with a variety of industry standards.



3. Data Modification. In order for physicians to be able to act on medical information, they will need to be confident of the veracity of the medical data. This will at least partly require that they be able to determine the sources and modifications that have occurred to the information in personal health records.



Although there are a number of companies currently in the marketplace offering personal health records, they fall into four broad categories.



1. Standalones. These companies are primarily personal health record companies, such as LifeOnKey or FollowMe. In some cases these companies also specialize or have specialty subcategories, such as MiVia, which was designed for the migrant farmworker population, or LifeOnKey's Diabetes focus or Women's Health focus.



2. Spin-Offs of Information Technology or Software Companies. Most notable in this category are Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault.



3. Healthcare Providers. Examples of this are Partners HealthCare's Patient Gateway and the Group Health Cooperative's MyGroupHealth.



4. Platform Providers. In some cases, the companies are focused less on being the patient/consumer's personal health record, than in providing the platform and/or technology for personal health records. MedCommons is an example of this. Microsoft HealthVault may also fall into this category. FollowMe also is willing to customize their product for other companies, which then provide their own branding.



There are five ways personal health record providers are generating revenue.



1. Subscriptions. Typically, standalone PHR providers charge nominal annual subscription rates ranging from about $25 to $50.



2. Advertising. Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault indicate they will generate income via advertising. It's not yet clear how Microsoft intends to do this, but Google Health has indicated that their product itself will not contain advertising, but will have search boxes that connect to the traditional Google page, which does have targeted advertising.



3. Data mining. Although often mentioned as a possible source of revenue, few companies indicate they are currently selling non-user-identified health data to researchers or pharmaceutical companies.



4. Increased Service. Healthcare providers, in general, acknowledge that their personal health record systems are just part of the service and a happy client will remain with the system. Google Health indicates they aren't in the healthcare business and part of their mission is to drive users to Google.



5. Subcontracting and licensing. MedCommons is focusing on providing their services and platform technology for other users and companies that might want to deliver personal health records. It's not clear if Microsoft HealthVault plans to enter the market in this fashion, but many industry sources suggest it's likely.



Ultimately, what is clear from looking at a cross-section of PHR providers is that there are a number of approaches to dealing with laboratory results depending on the nature of the PHR. Google Health has recently announced a partnership with Quest Diagnostics.



This is likely to be the first in a number of similar relationships with other laboratory corporations. The real question, one that remains unaddressed yet, is whether competing labs will create partnerships with Google Health and other PHRs or whether it will become an exclusive and competitive marketplace, where some PHRs will find their services locked out of the market.



Another potential question is whether or not a laboratory, independent or affiliated with a particular healthcare provider, is going to be able to provide data uploads to a myriad of different PHRs. Although largely a technical issue, it's hard to see how a laboratory needing to provide results to twenty or thirty different PHRs in addition to requesting physicians and patients, is going to make laboratory medicine more efficient or cost-effective.



PHRs Gain Momentum

In his January 20, 2004, State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush outlined a plan for the implementation of an electronic health record that could be accessed by all Americans. The system was to be in place by 2015. According to the White House Web site, patient participation would be voluntarily, and "these electronic health records will be designed to share information privately and securely among and between health care providers when authorized by the patient."



To achieve that goal, the following steps were taken:



1. Health Information Standards were adopted. Under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services, in cooperation with other Federal agencies and the private sector, voluntary standards were to be identified and endorsed.



2. Health Care Information Technology Demonstration Project funding was increased to $100 million.



3. Federal agencies were encouraged to adopt Health Information Technology.



4. A sub-cabinet level position of National Health Information Technology Coordinator was created. This falls under the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, part of the Department of Health and Human Services.



It's important to note that the Bush Administration's proposal did not break new ground. Numerous companies providing personal health records (PHR), medical health records, and electronic health records or some way of storing and delivering medical information electronically were in existence for several years prior to the Bush Administration's efforts.



The announcement of launches into the health information technology (HIT) arena by Google and Microsoft has renewed media interest in the area, and may signal a renewed velocity and vigor to the market.

About the Author:

Mark Terry is a staff writer for Washington G2 Reports and author of Lab Industry Strategic Outlook: Market Trends & Analysis 2007 and several other Washington G2 Reports publications. Learn more about Washington G2 Reports.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/personal-health-recordswho-are-the-key-phr-providers-and-how-are-they-handling-laboratory-results-512001.html

Author: Mark Terry

Benefits of Personal Health Records

Gone are the days when people used to carry their health records in unwieldy files when visiting a doctor. The advances in technology made it is possible to carry the entire documents in pocket-sized devices like CD-ROMs, pen drives and now on dedicated websites who take the responsibility of saving and updating medical data. To keep a track of our medical history and share and use it when necessary, we need to create a personal health record. Let us try to understand what personal health records can do for us and how can they make our life easy.

A personal health record is the consolidated information related to health; stored and managed by an individual. Today, personal health records are also popularly known as, personal health diary, patient health record, or personal medical records. While the concept of personal health records is not new, it has evolved from a stage when these records were stored by the medical professionals and health care providers; to a stage where each person today is keeping their health records by using various technologies such as websites, personal health software and so on. The primary purpose of personal health records is:





· To keep a track on personal health and





· To help the doctors for providing better care through the valuable health information.





Ideally, a personal health record should contain every single bit of information related to your health. The information stored in your personal health record may differ according to the software or service providers, but any personal health records will contain the crucial health information. Some of the most common parameters that a personal health record contains are as follows:





· Name of the patient, birth date, blood type





· Date of last physical tests or screenings





· Major illnesses or diseases occurred in past with dates





· List of medicines and dosages taken by you





· Allergies and chronic diseases





· History of illnesses in your family





This piece of information can be very important in case of emergencies and can save your life.





Personal health records have numerous benefits not only to the users but also to the health care systems and physicians. A detailed health record can be used by physicians to take important decisions in time of emergencies. Some of the significant benefits of personal health records are as follows:





· Empowering patients: personal health record allows the patients to access, update and verify their own medical records. With the use of personal health records, one can also set reminders for health maintenance services.





· Improves patient-doctors relationship: this is especially true when you have a family doctor or a physician to whom you frequently visits. Doctors find it easy to communicate with patients who own personal health records.





· Improves patient’s safety: As the patient keeps updating their health records, it helps them to identify missed procedures and services, drug alerts, and important test results.





· Delivers efficient care: personal health records also avoid duplicative testing and unwanted or unnecessary services.





· Cost-effective tool: patients can save huge amounts which are otherwise spent unnecessary on malpractice costs.





· Privacy: personal health records can be kept confidential by using passwords. Today, most of us want our health records to be safe and secure in our hands so that no one misuses it. Personal health records allow patients to keep their health documents safe and secured.





The list of benefits of maintaining personal health records is never-ending and personal health records are slowly and steadily becoming a basic necessity to keep ourselves and our beloved ones healthy. After all, a small initiative towards health can reap great rewards. So, step ahead and create your Personal Health Record!!!!

About the Author:

Jennifer is an expert Internet marketing professional with years of experience in various industries such as: Business, Finance, Real Estate, Electronic Health Record, Web-Design, and many more.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/benefits-of-personal-health-records-409669.html

Author: Jennifer Salerno

Personal Health Care Products

Personal health care products are things that practically everyone needs for one reason or the other. It can be medical products, hygiene products or beautifying products. Whatever the product, everyone has to buy it frequently. With the advent of the internet, there is no need of going to a store as all your personal health care products can be bought while sitting in the comfort of your home.

Buying personal health care products online is quicker and more discreet than buying from traditional retailers. There is no need of visiting the store as orders can be made while sitting in the comfort of you home. It is the elderly people who benefit the most from this form of buying personal health care products as they can continue living at home without being dependant on others to take care of their medication and day to day needs.
Many a time, buying personal health care products through the internet proves to be rather cheaper too as it is possible to compare between the many online stores offering products. While sitting at home, you can find out which store offers the most reasonable rates for your personal health care products and buy accordingly. One of the many stores offering products at reasonable rates is www.merchantland.com.
Some people who are confined to bed and have a need for things like adult undergarments, patient lifts and lightweight wheelchairs find it rather difficult to go and buy these products on their own. Moreover in the long run, the expenses for these products tend to run high. And if there is no medical coverage in insurance for these supplies, they end up using poor quality products.
In such conditions, it is better to buy medical and personal health care products online without having to pay retail prices. There are also wholesale clubs where you don’t have to pay for memberships, or fill out lengthy paperwork. You are sure to find some online medical supplier that supplies top quality products at reasonable prices.
When buying personal health care products via the internet, it is better to use the more reputed sties like www.merchantland.com to do your transactions. Just because a site offers products at discounted price, it does not mean that the product will be up to the mark. Check on the reputed sites with some internet research so that you end up with good products, at reasonable rates.
It is always better to buy your personal health care products using a credit card than by paying cash. This because when you use credit cards, it is possible to cancel payment if you find something wrong with the site or the product. Make sure that you take a print out of the order you place to be on the safer side. And before placing orders for personal health care products, check on the privacy policy and return policy of the site. Make sure that none of the information you provide in your order will be used in other surveys or by other sites. With the return policy, you will be able to return the product if you find some fault in the product.

About the Author:

Danny Wright is the webmaster for MerchantLand.com - The At Home Shopping Mall. Shop online securely for everything like baby products, office products etc.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/personal-health-care-products-115323.html

Author: Danny Wright

Affordable Health Insurance Rate - These Tips Will Help You Cut Down Cost

Affordable health insurance rate: There are tips that will help you get serious savings without putting yourself at risk. Would you like to know them? If so, these suggestions will go a long way in helping you achieve just that...

1. For those who have a pre-existing condition that makes it hard or too expensive for them to enjoy private personal health insurance coverage, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) insurance could provide a cheaper option.

2. If you take alcoholic beverage your rates will be higher than another profile that doesn't. Taking alcoholic beverages makes you a bad risk and therefore gets you higher rates. Many ailments can be traced to drinking.

What quantity of alcohol is safe for you? I cannot advise you on that since I'm not an expert on such matters. What I'm sure of is that avoiding drinking completely is very safe. So you can reduce your rates (Apart from reducing the risk of developing certain health conditions) by staying away from alcohol if you can or drinking in real moderation if you can't.

It's just that for most people drinking in moderation is even more difficult than staying away completely. You can be assisted if you really want to stop drinking.

3. How much can you contribute to payments for seeing a doctor? This is known as your co-pay. The higher your co-pay, the more affordable your rates will be. If you rarely ever need to visit a doctor, you may make much savings by choosing a high co-pay.

4. If you want a discount, get your health insurance policy from the same insurer you bought existing policies from. Insurance companies offer a multi-policy discount to persuade you to buy other policies from them.

In spite of the fact that you can save a lot with a multi-policy discount, you may get a better deal by buying your various policies from different insurers.

5. Smokers pay rates that are double or more that of non-smokers. It's not disputable that smoking is the highest known cause of cancer and other killer diseases.

This increases their risk to an insurance company and so raises their rates considerably. If you can quit smoking you'll get rates that are dramatically cheaper when you reapply after 12 months.

6. You will save much if you will shop around and do thorough comparison. The difference in quotes returned for a query could be as wide as $1,000 for a particular profile. Notwithstanding that this is a good thing, it's important that you don't get too excited yet. It's not usually that straightforward if you want the best price/value.

The cheapest price may not represent you the best price/value. Although each of the quotes returned will definitely give you the same basic coverage, there may be a lot of differences in the details of each insurer's coverage. This makes it important that you find out if there aren't any exclusions you won't like.

Don't forget to treat these no-obligation quotes just that way. Don't feel obliged to pay unless you've had all your questions answered to your satisfaction. You will prevent rude shocks later if you do this.

Here are great pages for health insurance quotes.. InsureMe Health Insurance Quotes Health Insurance Quotes Chimezirim Odimba writes on insurance Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chimezirim_Chinecherem_Odimba

By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

Health Care Insurance -- Steps To Guaranteed Cheaper Rates

There are many options open to anyone who plans to enjoy low cost health care insurance. But at the same time, a number of methods people employ in order to reduce cost usually make them get less than sufficient coverage. I do NOT naturally approve of such ways since they defeat the main aim of insurance in the first place. Bearing this in mind, I'll only give you options that will also leave you adequately covered despite saving you much. Here they are...

1. Beside the fact that you're endangering your health, using banned or unregistered drugs will raise you premium. Abusing drugs also will make you spend more in health insurance. Self medication should be avoided both for the grave consequences to your health and rates.

2. Are the limits placed on your policy unreasonable? Insurance companies may place a limit on the amount they'll pay out if a policy holder develops cancer or other catastrophic ailments. If they have limits that you think is unreasonable then it's time to shop for a better provider.

Also make sure that you check that the maximum you'll be required to pay for treatments within a year is fine with you. Like I said for the other case, start shopping for another insurer if their maximum is too much for you.

3. You will attract cheaper rates if you elect to pay your premiums yearly and not monthly. Although this alternative is often more convenient, it costs more for some reasons.

If you do transactions with banks you'll agree with me that each check you process is considered deal which attracts charges. For 12 checks (that is, your monthly payments) you will have a sum of 12 transactions. You'll then have to pay the total of twelve transaction fees.

Besides, there are also administrative costs that come with the monthly payment option. For instance, it costs some money to send payment notices monthly. These and more are then added to your rate thus making it more than if you paid yearly.

4. If you want to lower your cost then join a group health expense sharing plan. This refers to a set of people who have decided to team up and provide themselves with health insurance coverage. They are generally found in big organizations like churches. Rules and scope of coverage are different in most groups.

Try to find groups like this and check if any of them will suit your personal health care needs. You'll pay far less if you get one to register with.

5. While you do these other things to reduce your health rates, here's something you can do to receive lower rates now. Visit good insurance quotes sites and get quotes. Visit at least five of such sites for the best results. It's free, quick and easy. However, ensure you give your correct details as you fill the questionnaires on each site. All you have to do next is just pick the offer that represents the best price/value from the quotes you receive.

Here are great pages for health insurance quotes..

InsureMe Health Insurance Quotes

Health Insurance Quotes

Chimezirim Odimba writes on insurance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chimezirim_Chinecherem_Odimba

By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

Lower Health Insurance - What Can I Do If I Find Myself In-Between?

Some people are not poor enough to qualify for health insurance plans for low-income earner but also have financial constraints that make traditional health insurance very difficult to afford.

A medical card is a good option for such people. Such a card gives you access to a network of doctors who have agreed to provide their services at a reduced rates to all card carriers. This card is not usually managed by an insurance company.

If you've been disqualified from it due to a pre-existing condition or think your premium is too high then you can lower your cost by using this type of card. This type of card does not exclude anyone for any reason. You only have to pay a monthly fee to qualify to use a network of doctors.

A group health expense sharing plan is another way to lower your health insurance cost. This is a situation where a group of individuals teams up to provide themselves coverage. You can find such groups in large associations and organizations.

Rules and coverage types differ from group to group. You can check if your personal health insurance needs are met by such a group. You can expect your cost to be far less if you get a group that fits your needs.

You can get cheaper rates on it today by visiting at least three quotes sites. Using not less than three quotes sites raise the chances that you would make more savings. The plain reason for this is that you'll obtain a greater number of quotes from a wider range of insurers. This raises your chances of receiving lower rates.

Here are my favorite pages for health insurance quotes..

InsureMe Health Insurance Quotes

Health Insurance Quotes

Publishers can get unique versions of my articles by following any of the links above. Click on "To Use My Articles" when you get to my site

Chimezirim Odimba writes on insurance

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By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

Choosing the Right Colon Cleansing Product

Throughout my internet research regarding colon cleansing and what are the best colon cleansing products out there right now I found out that not only do a lot of colon cleansers not live up to their claims, but some actually were detrimental to their users. How did I find this out? Well like most people I searched to see what others who have used the various products already were saying and had to say.

This is tougher than it seems because a lot of the reviews I came across I came to find out were biased. For the most part you want to look beyond the particular company's website you are doing research on for testimonials and user reviews. This way you know that the feedback and reviews are not biased (what company is going to put up negative reviews of it's own product on it's own website?).

Of course the more positive and genuine looking reviews a company does have on it's own site should help you in your decision and bolster that particular company's product's effectiveness in your eyes. So by finding positive (and negative) product feedback on independent forums, blogs, purchase portals, news and media sites you can begin to see which company's products are higher quality and stand apart from the rest.

This of course can be very time consuming, but for those who are truly looking to do an effective, thorough colon cleanse, it should be done. Also by doing your due diligence you will end up saving yourself money because you will know you made the right purchase decision and not have wasted your money on an inferior product. Also, besides saving money you will be saving yourself time as well as possibly a lot of pain.

Buying any kind of product or supplement that you consume, whether for colon cleansing or for some other personal health reason, you want the highest possible quality there is. This is not like shopping for discount clothes or for used tires for your car. Buying a colon cleansing product with inferior ingredients and from a company that does not have a history in specializing with colon cleansing and detoxification, you are just asking for trouble. You may even experience bad side effects with a lower quality product.

So searching for real unbiased user feedback and reviews is key. Also key is becoming educated about colon cleansing itself and what you are willing to do to make your colon cleanse as successful as possible. Are you willing to make some sacrifices for the duration of your colon cleanse that will truly enhance your cleanse to give yourself greater results? If you are really looking to rid yourself of some type of health problem that you have, make sure you choose a company that was built upon helping its customers achieve results and that has the history to prove it.

Does the company have a structured program that will include diet changes and/or even fasting during your cleanse? Are the options there at least? What comes with the colon cleansing product? Is the company a reputable one and how long have they been in business? Do they make their product(s) with all-natural (even organic) ingredients or do they use artificial (and possibly harmful) ones?

You need to be asking yourself these questions because knowing these answers will help you determine what colon cleansing product is best for you and your situation. Making sure also that the company offers a money back guarantee is a must. Not all colon cleansing products are created equal, in fact in my personal research I came to find out that only a few of the products on the market today do what they claim and are worth the money.

Tom Janus has dedicated much of his time to researching colon cleansing and body detoxification. He educates people about colon cleansing through writing articles and answering questions. Visit colon cleansing product reports to learn what are the best colon cleansing products available to enhance your health that Tom has found through his extensive research online

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By Tom Janus

Seniors Health Care Is A Personal Choice

Your personal seniors health care should be a hand tooled
program created by a single individual.

You!

Before you dash into the next room screaming you have no
idea how to do it. Remember, we're talking about your
physical well being...even your very life!

You don't have to become a doctor, or an accountant, to
decide the best senior healthcare program available.
Specifically, we're talking about a program that with some
fine tuning will fit both your needs and your pocket book.

Health care for seniors is a broad field. It's peopled by
many insurance companies that come in countless sizes and
shapes.

But keep in mind that each senior healthcare insurance
provider has a fundamental motivation. Their goal is to sign
you up and bring you into the fold.

But to arrive at the best possible decision for you and
yours, you have to take charge of your own personal senior
health care!

How? Understand three simple tenets of action in the
matter.

* Understand what your physician means when he/she explains
what your diagnosis is, the good, the bad and the ugly.

* Understand thoroughly any ongoing medication that will be
required in your treatment. Know what each prescription
will do when you take it regularly. Ask about any generic
duplicates that are possible, instead of the usually more
expensive name brands.

* Understand what the benefits to you will be by taking
full advantage of Medicare. Determine the amount of monthly
expenses for senior healthcare you can comfortably afford.
Can all of this be done without detracting from your other
needs.

Medicare should, and must, factor into your decision to join
any senior healthcare insurance provider.

Notice that the word understand is splashed around here.
This is important and it should be the operative word of
choice.

You must take control of your medical situation and
thoroughly grasp the minuses and pluses of any treatment.
Physicians are pleased by any questions you ask. Don't
hesitate to actively participate in a conversation with
them.

Take notes of what you are told and search out the answers
to them if you don't understand the medical language.
Search the internet for a medical dictionary and don't stop
until you find one.

The internet is primarily an information super highway.
Plug any medical terms into your computer browser and stand
back as the screen fills with responses.

You feel you don't have any time to do this kind of
research?

How many hours do you spend watching television each day.
Why don't you take an hour or two from a favorite program
every other day and delve into your medical future.

Not only will you learn what's going on in your body and how
you can improve its care. You will also benefit by
conserving your money. You'll learn about which senior
healthcare provider is more closely tailored to your
personal needs.

Perhaps you're spending cash on a senior healthcare
insurance company that doesn't furnish you with a program
that fits your physical and financial needs.

Gain an understanding of your physical condition and the
treatment required to provide for it. Then you can compare
the programs offered by senior health care companies with
what services you want.

With this information in hand, you can negotiate with any
senior health care provider for good rates and provisions.
You will be surprised at the variety, and cost differences,
that are available in the medical market.

Take charge of your life and health. The world will step
aside for a senior who knows what they want...and is
determined to have it!

© Raymond Angus - All Rights reserved

Raymond Angus is a widely read author of articles and books. He writes about seniors and their world

To read more of his writing turn to: http://www.theseniorslife.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Angus

By Raymond Angus

Health Insurance Coverage Quotes

There is a process which every health insurance applicant must undergo in order to be granted a health care insurance coverage. The specific processes may vary from company to company, but in general, they are comprised of a personal data questionnaire, a physical examination, and an interview with the official representative of the health insurance policy provider. These are explained in detail in the following sections.

The personal data questionnaire

These questionnaires come in different forms, but they usually ask for the same information. Basic questions such as name, date and place of birth, marital status, number of children or dependents, and annual income can be expected on these questionnaires. Information regarding occupation, address, and business and home phone numbers are standards as well. Some may ask you for your social security number while some don not.

The physical examination

Two different kinds of physical examinations are administered, depending on whether you are male or female. Usually, the exam begins with the clinician taking your medical history and that of your family as well. An eye exam follows to determine whether you have poor vision or not. This is standard for both male and female examinations and for those who are near- and far-sighted. The examiner will also check your ears, nose, throat and lungs (with the use of a stethoscope, of course) to make sure everything is in working order.

You may have to undergo a urinalysis and fecalysis wherein you will be asked to bring samples of your urine and stool for analysis in the clinician's lab. You may also be asked to undergo a blood test called a complete blood count (CBC). This test will determine your blood sugar level, the number of white blood cells in your blood (an elevated number means you have an infection), blood cholesterol level, and uric acid level.

Finally, if you are male, you may have to undergo a test to see if you have hernia. For the females, you may be required to have a breast exam or a pap smear. Rectal tests for prostate cancer in men and tests for sexually transmitted diseases may also be required.

The interview

After your physical examination, you will most likely discuss your options for a health insurance policy with the sales representative of the policy provider. He or she will ask you questions regarding how much you would be willing to pay every month for premium and how healthy you think you are.

After evaluating all the information from the interview, the physical examination, and the personal data questionnaire, the agent will then determine whether you are eligible for coverage or not. If you are, he or she will offer you different packages to choose from. Whether you can afford a high premium or not, whether you want a low deductible of not, whether you need dental care, or medication subsidy as well should factor into deciding on the best health insurance policy for you.

Health Insurance Coverage provides detailed information on Health Insurance Coverage, Individual Health Insurance Coverage, Travel Health Insurance Coverage, Maternity Health Insurance Coverage and more. Health Insurance Coverage is affiliated with Personal Health Care Insurance Quotes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Pinkerton

By Kent Pinkerton

Affordable Individual Health Insurance

You may be considering Individual Health Insurance if your employer doesn’t provide health coverage, or if you or your dependents are inadequately covered by a group policy at present. If you are only partially covered, or not covered at all, seriously consider making Health Insurance a priority. Rapidly rising health costs in the United States are the single leading factor in personal bankruptcies.

There are two main types of Individual Health Insurance policies- major medical insurance and disability insurance. Major medical Health Insurance provides broad coverage for most types of illnesses and injuries, though coverage for some conditions is excluded. Such policies usually place a cap on the total lifetime payments that can be made, and typically have an annual deductible. Disability insurance provides coverage for the period you are unable to work due to a disability; the broader the definition of ‘disability’ is, the more expensive such insurance coverage usually is. Disability policies specify a time period up until payments will be made.

While Individual Health Insurance is usually more expensive than group insurance, there are some ways to make it more affordable. If you sign up for a policy that specifies your Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), you may gain access to lower-priced services and lower deductibles than if you select fee-for-service or indemnity insurance that lets you pick your provider.

You may have a condition that makes you ineligible for most types of private individual insurance. Check if you reside in one of 30 states that have government funds set aside to insure people who fall into such a “High Risk Pool”. You may also be able to save on Individual Health Insurance costs by taking advantage of government-sponsored services such as Medicare, Medicaid, and those for women, children and teenagers.

Affordable Insurance provides detailed information about affordable insurance, affordable car insurance, affordable dental insurance, affordable health insurance and more. Affordable Insurance is the sister site of Colorado Health Insurance Company

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Stith

By Kevin Stith

Saving Money on Your Health Insurance With an HSA

When it comes time to providing a good level of health protection for you and your family, it always pays to shop around a little first. In addition to finding a lower cost, though, there may be some additional savings that you can get out of the deal, too. One of these is by switching to a high deductible health insurance program and adding a Health Savings Account (HSA) on to it.

Get A High Deductible Health Insurance Policy

These programs will work best for those who are in rather good health and who can afford to pay a deductible of a couple of thousand dollars a year. By raising the deductible of your health insurance program to an allowable limit of between $1,050 and $5,250 for singles, and between $2,100 and $10,500 for families, you will greatly reduce your premiums.

Put Money And Deductible Amounts Into Savings

Instead of taking that money saved, though, and spending it, you will want to put it into your Health Savings Account. All money that is put into this account is tax exempt and comes off the top on your 1040. This money is to be used for your deductible and any medical expenses that you have through the year. And all medical expenses that you pay for, that are covered, are tax-free. The money remains under your control at all times and you have the freedom to use it if you want. The one catch, however, is that what you use for non-medical purposes is not tax-free and you will have a ten percent penalty fee with it.

Use To Build A Retirement Fund

The Health Savings Account is building interest all the time and any money that you do not use toward medical expenses stays in the account. This means that the account keeps building, unless you have a lot of medical expenses in a given year. The money is yours and keeps on accruing interest. After a while, if you do not need the money for health reasons, you will have a sizable retirement fund.

Take It Off Of Your Taxes Each Year

The Health Savings Account is a great way to save money. There is a limit, like an IRA, as to how much you can put into the HSA and deduct off of your taxes each year. It means that a single person can put up to $2,700 into the account each year, and a family can put in up to $5,450. Another great thing about an HSA is that you can even wait up until April 15th, when you are calculating your taxes, to see if you need to deposit a little more to get even more of a tax break.

When you get ready to look into a health plan that will provide you with even more savings, you will want to shop around in order to get the best deal for you and your family. There are quite a lot of price differences in health insurance - even for exactly the same features. You will also want to make sure that you obtain your insurance through a reputable and licensed insurer.

Martin Lukac represents RateTake Refinance Rate mortgage marketplace. RateTake matches consumers with multiple lenders offering low Refinance Rates from our network of accredited lenders

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lukac

By Martin Lukac

How to Choose Your Health Insurance

There are essentially three types of health insurance: indemnity plans, managed care plans, and government-sponsored health insurance. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages based on the type of health insurance you are looking for.

Indemnity plans, also known as fee-for-service plans, require their policyholders to pay for their medical care as they go and are reimbursed by their healthcare provider either partially or in full. An indemnity plan does not restrict a patient's choice of doctors or institutions. This is the best choice for someone who does not get sick much and needs a "basic and essential" health plan or someone who travels a lot and cannot always choose their doctors or institutions.

Managed care plans offer comprehensive health care in exchange for a regular premium. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs), point-of-service (POS), and preferred provider organizations (PPOs) are all types of managed care plans. Typically, these plans have a defined group of health service providers and if you do not receive treatment from these providers, it may not be covered. Managed care plans are the best choice for people who want a comprehensive health care plan that is typically provided through employers.

Government-sponsored health insurance is generally available to retirees, seniors, and people who cannot necessarily afford other health insurance plans. The most common forms of government-sponsored health insurance are Medicaid, Medicare, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Military Health Care, Indian Health Services, and State-specific Plans. If this sounds like the best option for you, check into each of them to see if you qualify.

There is a health insurance plan for everyone. Make sure to do lots of research before you come to a final decision on what type of plan is best for you.

Nick Tart is the editor of four main sites for Worldwide Marketing Solutions. One of which is Home Income News. HomeIncomeNews.com is a one-stop resource to help you accomplish your personal, financial goals. If you enjoyed reading this article, please check out HomeIncomeNews.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Tart

By Nick Tart

Health Insurance Online Quotes

The market is flooded with health insurance companies offering various plans to lure customers. Finding the right insurance plan can be overwhelming. Most consumers are completely confused about choosing the right plan from an array of options. The best way to find the best health insurance quotes is by accessing the websites of various insurance companies or quotes providers and comparing the various policies being offered by them.

Researching health insurance quotes online not only saves time, but also helps a customer to better understand the policy. You can simply enter your contact information and ZIP code in the query form and get the rates of the best selling medical insurance plans in your area. You can also access critical information about physicians in your area, get online quotes and proposals, and choose the best plan from the convenience of your home. Some websites also provide the option of filling a secure online health insurance application, which truly makes buying health insurance policies very convenient and easy.

Most health insurance companies provide policy quotes on their websites, and one can use these online tools to find the right policy for your budget. Besides individual insurance policies, one can also find quotes for group health plans, as well as sales information for such policies. Even brokers and physicians can utilize these websites to find prospective customers. Some of these insurance websites also provide value-added services like 24-hour help lines to address your health concerns or other personal issues, and real-time discussions and chats with clinical professionals and other participants.

In addition to finding the best health insurance quotes, you can also estimate the cost of surgery or medical procedures in your area by using a treatment cost estimator tool. You can compare hospital rates and physician fees, check eligibility information and claim status, track your flexible spending account or personal benefit account, and participate in live online chats with medical experts.

Health Insurance Quotes provides detailed information on Health Insurance Quotes, Free Health Insurance Quotes, Health Insurance Online Quotes, Individual Health Insurance Quotes and more. Health Insurance Quotes is affiliated with Compare Health Insurance Plans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Peterson

By Marcus Peterson

Natural Health Schools Help the Body Heal Itself

The discipline of Natural Health is based on the principle that healing will occur naturally in the human body when given what it needs: fresh air, sunlight, proper diet, pure water, exercise, and rest. Programs of Natural Health studies range from philosophy to practical application of Natural Health protocols. Natural Health integrates various methods of achieving health, including nutrition, supplements of minerals and vitamins, herbology, iridology, Chinese medicine, mediation, principles of lifestyle, and exercise regimens such as tai chi, yoga, or Pilates.

Natural Health incorporates natural remedies and therapies to affect good health, accepting that understanding and respecting the capacity of the body to defend and heal itself. The Natural Health practitioner believes that illness is a result of a weakened body, one that is in imbalance, and that the inherent natural healing process of the body itself is the treatment. Natural healing is a concerted effort of the entire body and is achieved by the organism as a whole.

Natural Health practitioners believe that illness is remedied by overall strengthening of the body's natural resistance to disease through various therapies, and natural health lifestyle choices are viewed as factors that affect health. Natural Health practitioners also believe that prevention is the individual's responsibility, and that individuals are capable of being actively responsibility for their personal health and wellbeing.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved

Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Visit our Natural Healing Directory and find Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools and Alternative Medicine Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; your educational resource to locate schools

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By Michael Bustamante

Personally Tailored Medical Drug Detox Opens the Door to Recovery

Almost anyone dependent on drugs will tell you they would like to be drug-free, but the pain and misery of detoxing is just too much to bear. But a new generation of medical drug detox centers is providing new, more effective protocols that help substance-dependent patients ease through withdrawal with a minimum of discomfort.

In most cities and towns in America, alcohol and drug detox facilities only offer 'cookie-cutter' detox -- everyone dependent on a similar substance is put through a similar withdrawal program. Often, it's little more than putting patients in a room and letting them sweat it out on their own.

Expectations for cookie-cutter drug detox are understandably low. And a large percentage of drug-dependent people don't get through them, no matter how much they want to, or how many times they've tried.

That's why medical drug detox has become the de facto choice in recent years -- personally-tailored, science-based programs that match each patient's unique health needs radically reduce both discomfort and detox times, and achieve success rates approaching 100 percent.

What cookie-cutter detox is completely missing -- or willfully ignoring -- and what thousands and thousands of drug-dependent people need to be told, is that no two addicts are the same -- not physically, mentally or emotionally.

And withdrawing from prescription opioid painkillers like OxyContin, methadone, oxycodone or hydrocodone, or street drugs like heroin, morphine, methamphetamine or crack cocaine, is more than just excruciatingly painful. It can be medically dangerous, even fatal.

Steve Hayes, clinical director at Novus Medical Detox in Pasco County, Florida, says many of his patients have tried multiple times to get off a drug before finally arriving for medical drug detox at Novus. And it's not unusual for some who tried "cold-turkey" withdrawals to have landed in hospital emergency wards needing medical assistance just to survive.

Hayes said everyone has personal health situations that must be considered when facing the incredible physical stress of withdrawal. Most people are undernourished, many people are borderline dehydrated, and standard drug detox frequently fails to address these issues. Trying a cold-turkey detox is an invitation for pain and failure, he added.

"Everyone's DNA is unique, everyone's metabolism is unique, everyone has a unique health situation, and everyone has his or her own personal and often very private issues that must be considered," Hayes said. "Cookie-cutter detox programs don't even begin to deal with these factors, which of course has led to their high rate of failure, and reversion to substance abuse among those who try them."

If you or anyone you know is suffering from a prescription drug addiction, or is dependent on any substance at all, it makes sense to avoid cookie-cutter detox and seek out a medical drug detox facility that takes into account these unique personal factors that help guarantee a successful recovery.

Rod MacTaggart is a freelance writer who contributes articles on health

info@novusdetox.com

http://www.novusdetox.com

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By Rod MacTaggart

Personal Affordable Health Insurance Plans - How to Find Low Cost Quotes

Personal Affordable Health Insurance Plans - How to Find Low Cost Quotes

Health care costs are going higher and higher all the time. So how can you find affordable health insurance? How do you know which plan to choose? Here's a few ways to help you find personal affordable health insurance:

Personal Health Insurance Plans

If you need health insurance you can purchase a personal insurance policy, but you need to study your options because insurance policies can vary widely. Choosing a health insurance plan is an important decision for you and your budget. Some plans cost less but you may have to meet certain requirements or give up some luxuries in the process. By comparing several options you'll be able to find the coverage you need at the lowest cost.

HMOs and PPOs are a good choice for affordable health insurance because they work as a group. Doctors and hospitals make contracts with insurance companies to give medical care to people that are members of the group. The range of services vary in an HMO or PPO, so it's important to learn as much as you can about a plan before buying.

These managed care plans do not require claim forms or time-consuming paperwork for doctor visits or hospital stays. You simply show your membership card at the doctors office, clinic, or hospital to receive medical attention. In most cases you either choose a primary doctor from the HMO or PPO network, or one is assigned to you.

Personal Affordable Health Insurance Quotes

One of the best ways to find affordable health insurance quotes is to go to a free insurance quote website. There you can get competitive quotes from up to 5 health insurance providers so you can compare plans and prices. After you have your quotes, you can look more closely at the policies and decide which one is the best for you.

Just click on the following link to get affordable personal health insurance quotes and more health plan information. It's fast, it's free, and you're under no obligation. You can get up to 5 competitive quotes for low cost health insurance They also offer free quotes and information for affordable personal dental insurance plans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Westin

By Jim Westin

Personal Web Records - Benefit Or Liability?

Personal Health Records (PHR) are a handy way for patients to keep track of their medical information. PHRs can benefit everyone, but they are especially useful to those who see many different doctors and take several medications at one time. Doctors may not be aware of every medication their patients take if their patients see many different specialists. Personal health records help break down these information silos and give each physician better information about their patient.

Medicare allows its beneficiaries to store their health records online with one of four companies: Google Health, HealthTrio, NoMoreClipboard.com, and PassportMD. Web based services are handy because the patient can access them from anywhere with an internet connection, and they do not have to worry about carrying around a small USB drive. Many of these web-based PHRs offer additional services, such as interfaces to pharmacy data, drug interaction databases, and diet tracking tools.

While handy, web-based PHRs have a couple of drawbacks. First, they are out on the internet, so security is not guaranteed. Just like online banking, web-based PHRs usually have pretty robust security. The weakest link is usually the passwords users choose to protect their accounts. State of the art encryption and best practices count for nothing if patients use a password that an attacker can easily guess. Furthermore, there are many incidents where hospitals have leaked patient information onto the internet because their web servers were miss-configured.

Second, you need an internet connection to access your data. If you are on vacation, on the road, or anywhere without connectivity, your data is inaccessible. This may not seem like a big deal, but consider what would happen if you are in an accident. USB-based PHRs are instantly available to any EMT or emergency worker. They can access your health records almost instantly. This is not possible with a web-based PHR.

USB-based PHRs are a better choice, because the patient carries them at all times. XLEMR's PHR, the Medical Information 5 card, is contained in a slim USB drive that fits in your wallet. Robust military-strength AES encryption protects sensitive health documents should the card be lost or stolen.

Personal health records are a great way for patients to keep track of their information, but they must keep security in mind. Patients have to strike a balance between safety and fast access to information with their privacy and security. That is a decision only the patient can make.

Ryan Ricks Security Officer http://www.xlemr.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Ricks

By Ryan Ricks

Group and Personal Plans: Steps to Take When Applying for Health Insurance

When you've done initial research on health insurance such as price comparison and analysis of benefits offered, the next step is to apply for health insurance with the insurance company that meets your needs.

You can apply online or sign up with an insurance agent. Depending on your situation or insurance needs, you can apply for an individual health insurance plan or a group plan. Make sure that you have all required documents on hand when you apply for health insurance. This includes documents related to you previous insurance policy, your doctors and your family’s doctor’s names and address and along with the dates of your most recent visits. This information will come in handy when you are completing your health insurance application form.

Getting Health Insurance through Your Employer

If you are applying for a health insurance plan through your employer, you will need to wait until your company open enrollment period begins. If you are new employee, the wait won't be too long. Your company will put you in a group insurance plan, which is a relatively simple and easy process. Most health insurance companies will allow anyone to become insured through a company or group plan regardless of pre-existing and current health conditions.

When filling out your group plan application, you will be asked to provide the following information:

* Home address

* Social security number

* Your current designation

* Information and details of all your dependents

* Employment information (e.g., your hiring date)

* Your preferred type of health insurance coverage

* Information about your previous health insurance coverage (e.g., insurance company, policy number, etc.)

Once you complete the application form, you submit it to your company's benefits coordinator for processing. And you're done.

Applying for Health Insurance on Your Own

If you are self-employed or you choose to apply for a health insurance on your own instead of applying for a group plan, you will take the same steps as if you were applying for health insurance through an employer. The only difference is that you will have to do all the paperwork and legwork yourself. Some insurance companies send agents to help applicants through the process, from gathering and organizing the necessary documents, coordinating in-house medical examinations and collecting pre-payments.

Applying for a Health Insurance Online

Once you understand the various health insurance policies and analyzed each plan's benefits, the rest of the process should be clear-cut and very simple. The insurance application process is simple that many people choose to apply online. When you visit a health insurance company's web site, you will usually find a secure online application form. You complete the form by filling in your personal and employment information as well as previous health insurance information and hit the submit button. The information you provided is transmitted securely.

Even though applying for a health insurance online is really a simple, stress free, reliable and quick process, some people are still hesitant when it comes to providing all of their personal information online. If you are one of these people, the offline health insurance procedure is the best for you.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Easy Health Insurance Guide. A website that specializes in providing health insurance advice to include information on how to apply for health insurance that you can research in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Gorman

By Tim Gorman

Guiding Principles

Helping employees get answers to their personal health benefits questions is a common responsibility for benefit administrators (BAs).

Many employees turn to their company’s benefit administrator for assistance because they feel the BA is in a better position
to get accurate and timely information from the health insurance carrier. However, there are rules and restrictions that govern how BAs can obtain specific health information for employees.

In the past, BAs could simply ask the health insurance carrier a question related to the personal health of an employee and
the carrier could provide the answer directly to the BA. However, this has changed. In today’s workplace, there are
rules and restrictions for obtaining health information on a specific employee. The federal and state governments have issued
strict guidelines with severe penalties concerning the misuse or unauthorized disclosure of an individual’s protected health
information (PHI).

Therefore, it is important that companies and their designated benefits representative understand these rules and regulations
and how they pertain to sharing an employee’s PHI.

Getting permission

Benefit administrators can still help employees obtain answers to their personal health questions but they must now follow
the guidelines set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The HIPAA regulations,
effective April 14, 2003, impose specific policies and procedures governing the use and disclosure of an individual’s protected health information.

In order to make an inquiry on an employee’s behalf, the BA must obtain written consent from the employee. The authorization form is usually specific to the health benefits company to which the inquiry is being made and must contain certain elements required under HIPAA, including the limitations of the authorization, effective and termination dates, and information regarding the individual’s rights under the authorization.

Some health benefits companies will only accept an original consent form; others will accept a faxed copy.

Receiving a response

Once the appropriate form is received by the health benefits company, a response to the BA’s inquiry can be released. The information that will be reported back to the BA will bethe “minimum necessary” — the least amount of information necessary to answer the question, limited to the range of
permission.

For example, if the initial inquiry was regarding whether a claim had been processed for payment, the health benefits carrier would provide a response of “no” or a response of “yes” that would include the date of payment. Based on the scope and
wording of the question, what the claim
was for and the amount paid may not be disclosed.

If this additional information is needed, it must be addressed in the initial question and would have to be included in the range of permission that the employee granted. HIPAA guidelines are in place to protect each individual’s personal health information. The federal and state governments are clear as to what can and cannot be shared without authorization and may
impose civil and monetary fines and penalties for noncompliance.

However, these regulations do not mean that BAs cannot help employees receive answers to their personal health questions.
Understanding HIPAA guidelines and your health benefit company’s policies regarding authorization forms will
allow your BA to continue to help employees find out answers to important health benefit questions.

LINDA JONES has more than 16 years of experience in the health care industry. She has been with the company since 1994. As manager of account services, she is responsible for membership growth and retention of small and large employer groups. Reach her at http://www.vistahealthplan.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Jackson_Jones

By Linda Jackson Jones

Personal Web Records - Benefit Or Liability?

Personal Health Records (PHR) are a handy way for patients to keep track of their medical information. PHRs can benefit everyone, but they are especially useful to those who see many different doctors and take several medications at one time. Doctors may not be aware of every medication their patients take if their patients see many different specialists. Personal health records help break down these information silos and give each physician better information about their patient.

Medicare allows its beneficiaries to store their health records online with one of four companies: Google Health, HealthTrio, NoMoreClipboard.com, and PassportMD. Web based services are handy because the patient can access them from anywhere with an internet connection, and they do not have to worry about carrying around a small USB drive. Many of these web-based PHRs offer additional services, such as interfaces to pharmacy data, drug interaction databases, and diet tracking tools.

While handy, web-based PHRs have a couple of drawbacks. First, they are out on the internet, so security is not guaranteed. Just like online banking, web-based PHRs usually have pretty robust security. The weakest link is usually the passwords users choose to protect their accounts. State of the art encryption and best practices count for nothing if patients use a password that an attacker can easily guess. Furthermore, there are many incidents where hospitals have leaked patient information onto the internet because their web servers were miss-configured.

Second, you need an internet connection to access your data. If you are on vacation, on the road, or anywhere without connectivity, your data is inaccessible. This may not seem like a big deal, but consider what would happen if you are in an accident. USB-based PHRs are instantly available to any EMT or emergency worker. They can access your health records almost instantly. This is not possible with a web-based PHR.

USB-based PHRs are a better choice, because the patient carries them at all times. XLEMR's PHR, the Medical Information 5 card, is contained in a slim USB drive that fits in your wallet. Robust military-strength AES encryption protects sensitive health documents should the card be lost or stolen.

Personal health records are a great way for patients to keep track of their information, but they must keep security in mind. Patients have to strike a balance between safety and fast access to information with their privacy and security. That is a decision only the patient can make.

Ryan Ricks Security Officer http://www.xlemr.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Ricks

By Ryan Ricks

Simple Rules For Personal Health and Hygiene

Have you been following a plan for your own personal hygiene, or do you get up in the morning, take a bath, brush and blow dry your hair, use the bathroom through the day, and go to bed at night? If you only do the latter, you need to put more planning and preparation into your personal care and grooming.

Cleanliness is seen nowadays as next to Godliness, and neglect of your own personal hygiene may cause health and social problems of which you are not even aware. Bad breath, for example, is a common problem--the perpetrator is often accused of it, but he or she may not be attending to it. Problems such as dandruff are forgivable, but good looks are usually the result of great care and attention paid to personal grooming. You should put some time and effort into it if you want to feel and look your best every day.

All external parts of the body need time and attention. Below is a partial list of the body parts which you should be taking care of with your grooming plan. Here are some tips as to how to attend to your most common and ordinary daily grooming needs.

HAIR

First of all, keep your hair at a length and style which you can properly maintain in a cleanly manner at all times. Wash your crowning glory at least twice per week, using a mild shampoo devoid of borax or alkalis. It is not a good idea to use soap, as it can leave a fine film of stickiness in your hair. Shampoo is meant to wash totally out of your hair. Be sure and carefully towel dry your hair after you wash it, and be cautious with the blow dryer. You don't want your hair to become too dry and brittle. Especially if you have long or thick hair, brush it three to four times per day, using a soft bristled brush or wide toothed comb. Be sure to wash your hair grooming tools every time you wash your hair. And oil your scalp with grooming oil once per week, preferably one hour before you wash it. A hot oil treatment is fine--if you know exactly what you are doing.

Hair coloring or dye is not recommended, as no current dyes have been found to be completely safe for long term use. They contain chemicals which can seep into your scalp and even cause premature hair loss. So we recommend not using hair dye if possible. Also, try not to wear a hat for a very long period of time. Wearing hats has also been shown to cause premature hair loss. Redheads need to be particularly concerned, as they are subject to early hair loss.

SKIN

A good bath once or twice per day is essential for cleanliness and good grooming. You should always bathe after any strenuous physical activity. Mild soaps are best, and you don't need to use a germicidal or antiseptic soap unless you have a medical or "smelliness" problem. Bath brushes, bath sponges, and mildly abrasive scrubbers are recommended. You must also pay special attention to your genitals and anal area, as lack of care paid to these can lead to serious infections--as well as an inadequate sex life. Rinse yourself thoroughly after washing, and be sure to use a dry and clean towel to properly dry yourself. Don't ever share towels, try not to share bathing equipment, and wash all of your equipment after each bath. Putting a teaspoonful of bleach in one gallon of warm water, rinse your bathing equipment in the water, and then under warm running water. And always change into completely clean underwear after each bath.

It's good to use a fine organic moisturizing oil or cream every day, especially as you get older. Put it on at night to avoid that sticky feeling, and so as to not attract dust and filmy dirt throughout the day.

TEETH

Brush your teeth two to three times every day, or after meals or snacks as needed. It's important especially to brush right before bedtime. Pay attention to getting rid of the food particles stuck between your teeth. Flossing is highly recommended over toothpicks for this. You only need about a pea sized dab of toothpaste on your toothbrush. When brushing, brush down on the upper teeth and brush up on the lower teeth, using a circular motion. Also, brush the inner as well as the outer surface of your teeth, and before you brush each time, carefully brush your tongue.

Your toothbrush should never be shared with anyone. It should have resilient bristles, and it should be well rinsed and left somewhere completely sanitary to dry after each usage. Try to use organic toothpaste, one that's completely safe and free of harsh abrasives or strong antiseptics. Baking soda has been found to be a very effective substitute for toothpaste, if you don't mind its strong flavor.

HANDS

You should always be washing your hands. There's no such thing as too often. Use a good hand cream if they become dry. Pay attention to your fingernails when you wash your hands. A good nail brush placed near your bathroom sink is a sound investment. Use soap every time you wash, and always wash before and after meals--and after you go to the bathroom. Many infections such as E. coli are caused every day by people who don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. You should also keep washing your hands while preparing meals.

NAILS

Your fingernails completely replace themselves every five to six months. You need to keep them well trimmed, and preferably buffed and polished too. Men can buff their nails and use a nail shining tool instead of polish to give their nails a healthy glow. Women may of course polish their nails with beautiful colors, which can hide the discoloration that comes with age. Clip your nails to the length you want them, but don't ever trim too close to the skin. If your nails chip easily, consider adding more protein to your diet, as finger and toenails are all made of protein. Eating gelatin can work for this.

Very brittle, highly yellow or discolored nails can be a sign of a serious health problem. Please see your doctor immediately if you have this. Also, do not always keep your nails painted with polish. This can lead to stripping of the natural keratin of the nails. Also, either go out or give yourself a home manicure and a pedicure once every couple of weeks. Be sure and buy a very good manicure kit for this purpose.

FEET

Many people take no care whatsoever of their own feet, usually to their detriment. Always keep your toenails clipped, shaping the nails but not cutting too close to the skin. Always give your feet a good scrubbing with a pumice stone or mildly abrasive brush when taking a bath, and before you put on your socks, dry carefully between your toes. Try wearing a clean pair of cotton socks every day; this will pamper your feet and keep them dry and not smelly. Powder your feet after you take a bath. Try not to wear the same pair of shoes every day, and alternate wearing your shoe pairs. And make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Comfort and safety should come before stylishness. High heels can lead to the shortening of important calf muscles.

DEODORANT

Your underarms don't emit an odor until you hit your preteens. That's when your apocrine glands, which are located under your arms and around your genitals, begin to function, producing a milky, oily type of perspiration. Bacteria then thrive in this sweat, causing the familiar underarm odor.

To control strong odor, you can wash daily with an antibacterial soap such as Lever 2000. You should always wear clean clothes that are free of staining and sweat. Use a deodorant that is also an antiperspirant, which will dry up moisture in the armpits. Cut back on your caffeine intake-it puts your apocrine glands into overdrive. After a bath, dust yourself liberally with a fine talcum powder. Always drink plenty of water, both to flush your system of toxins and to regulate your bowels. This alone may end some problems you may have with "smelliness."

TANNING

Getting a "healthy tan" is not considered to be healthy anymore. Now doctors are telling us that you shouldn't mind your pale skin. Skin cancer, which is often deadly, is not a fair trade for good looks. When sunning, protect your fair skin with an at least SPF 30 sunscreen lotion. Keep your skin oiled and moisturized during the summer, and don't bother with the "bronze look."

BODY HAIR

Around puberty, your hair follicles respond to hormones raging in your body. You can end up with hair around your belly button, on your back, near your breasts and for both women and men, on your upper lip. If it's especially coarse, show your doctor, as you may have a treatable hormonal imbalance. Some such "peach fuzz" is normal for girls, and if it seems unsightly to you, you can try bleaching or removing it. Nair is known to be a gentle permanent hair remover.

I hope you found these simple rules to be helpful to you. If you follow your own careful grooming and personal care plan, you will feel better, look more attractive, and probably live a longer, happier and more fulfilling life.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Peralta

By Karen Peralta

The Immune System - Your Personal Health and Longevity Bodyguard!

So often in life, we don't think and care about how many things work until something goes wrong. The same can be said about our bodies too. We don't ever stop to think "What is keeping me healthy and what can I do to help?" If you find yourself being sick time and again, then now is the time to start thinking about your health and the health of your immune system!

We first need to understand what the immune system is and how it protects our bodies. The immune system is a powerful and complex network of cells and organs that protects us against "foreign" invaders (or antigens) such as viruses, bacteria, microbes, parasites, and toxins from entering the body by first creating a mechanical barrier (the skin). If one of these invaders gets through the barrier, the immune system produces white blood cells and proteins targeted to attack and defeat the foreign substances. The next step the immune system takes is to find the antigen and remove it from the body before it has a chance to reproduce and damage the system.

However, the immune system can often break down from time to time, allowing antigens the opportunity to reproduce resulting in various illnesses and diseases. When this happens, your immune system revs up to fight off the invaders (this may explain why we get fevers). Most of the time, our body and our immune system are strong enough to fight off the foreign invaders that result in deteriorating health.

But, sometimes our immune system becomes weakened and cannot defend itself against every antigen. The result! You get sick. This is sometimes known as immune deficiency. As you age it becomes more and more difficult for your immune system to function properly - increasing your likelihood of getting infections. Also, poor nutrition, stress, an unhealthy lifestyle, and environmental toxins compromise your health and/or immune system.

There are several important aspects of your life and lifestyle that can help support your immune system and keep you and your family safe from unwanted viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Nutrition, exercise, and sleep all play significant roles in shaping the strength of your immune system. Maintaining a healthy eating habit and incorporating antioxidant vitamins into your diet not just boost your resistance from those "foreign" invaders, but also provide essential support and nutrition to your immune system. Getting adequate rest and exercise is also incredibly beneficial to immune support and lifespan longevity. By taking these simple, preventative steps a strong and healthy immune system may guard against sickness from invading pathogens and help you avoid more serious immune disorders.

Now that we've discussed what our amazingly resilient and powerful immune system is and how we can take simple, yet preventative measures to help our immune system keep us healthy. Also let's discuss why it is so important to maintain complete immune support!

Everyone has suffered from some sort of cold or infection. A majority of us have also experienced the pain and inconvenience of cuts and scrapes that became infected. In situations like these, we are all used to our bodies coming to our defense and healing on its own. There are, however, situations where the body cannot heal itself, when an immune deficiency takes hold and can truly compromise ones health.

But, you don't have to let poor immune health keep you from being with the people you love and the activities you enjoy! Take pride in following a healthy diet. Find joy in getting regular exercise. Make it a priority to get plenty of rest. And stop undermining your health! Start protecting your immune system today...and you'll start protecting your personal Health and Longevity Bodyguard!

Supercharge your immune system with this supplement here http://www.goldshielddirect.com/immunoguard.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_N_Warren

By Patrick N Warren

Personal Health Insurance Information - Everything You Want to Know

Health insurance is very important to one and all. But, selecting the right health insurance is quite burdensome especially for people who do not understand the terminologies that are attached to it and do not know how to choose the right insurance plan for themselves. You can become aware of all the terms associated with health insurance which can make the task of getting health insurance easier. The best way to go is to talk to an insurance advisor with your health insurance company. Alternatively, you can search the internet for information to know all you want on health insurance.

Naturally, you would believe that whatever you want to know about health insurance will be told to you by the insurance experts with the insurance company. The right way to go about doing this is to call up the insurance company and have a talk with the insurance experts and ask any questions you might have on health insurance. Their job is to come to your help and answer your questions. If for any reasons, the experts are not very forthcoming in answering your queries think how much of help they will be when it will come to making a claim. So, it is best not to choose a company who will not give you the time to answering any of your queries. If your health insurance is being covered through the company where you work, there will be a dedicated person known as a "benefits administrator" from the insurance company to answer your queries.

If you have general queries or have any trouble understanding the terminology of health insurance, you can even search the internet for appropriate answers. This can be a suitable alternative to understanding health insurance instead of calling your insurance company with small queries as and when they arise. There might be some important information you failed to notice as you scanned through the information provided with your policy. You can even access the internet and check out the insurance company's website and go through the information provided there which might by itself clear many of your doubts. But, it is best to read through all the information provided with your policy to understand the specific details concerning your insurance plan.

The internet is a huge source for information and you can find limitless information concerning your doubts and find suitable answers to them. You also have the liberty to place a call to the insurance company and get in touch with the person in charge of handling queries and try to get the answers to your satisfaction. But, researching the internet is helpful in answering and understanding the in and out of health insurance and this source can be accessed at any point of time, be it the day or night. Researching and thoroughly understanding everything about health insurance can drive away any doubts about health insurance and make you better informed towards making the right choice about anything related to your health insurance.

Learn more about the different types of health insurance and health insurance following disability from the experts at http://www.wellbeingcoverage.com the premier site devoted to health insurance benefits in US as well as small business group health insurance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dana_B._Smith

By Dana B. Smith