"Dr. Steele offered some prescriptions for controlling individual (health/medical) costs.
The top three were control weight, quit smoking and get active.
“The No. 1 determinant of health care spending is weight,” he said."
The complete article can be viewed in the Oct 29, 2009 edition of the Bangor Daily Newspaper.
rhewitt@bangordailynews.net
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Free Health Care in LA thru Tues 8/18/09
Free, comprehensive health care available
August 14th, 2009, 6:00 am · 3 Comments · posted by Courtney Perkes
From the OC Register ~ http://healthyliving.freedomblogging.com/2009/08/14/free-comprehensive-healthcare-available/9059/
Remote Area Medical, a Tennessee-based nonprofit, is offering free medical, dental and eye care through Tuesday at the Forum in Inglewood.
It’s the first time the group, which has been featured on “60 Minutes,” has provided care in a major urban area. And huge, LA-sized crowds are clamoring for eyeglasses, mammograms and root canals.
All services are provided by volunteer doctors, dentists and nurses. Here’s the rundown:
DENTAL: Cleanings, fillings, extractions, and root canals. Everyone receives a free dental exam. Pediatric dentistry is available.
VISION: Vision exam and free prescription glasses made on site. (NOTE: May not be able to make glasses for everyone.) Cataract surgery.
MEDICAL & WOMEN’S HEALTH: Mammograms and Pap smears; pediatric exams; adult physicals & medical consults (including diabetes and hypertension); chiropractors; acupuncture; blood lab work; chest X-rays; medication assistance; and many other medical specialties available.
The massive clinic opens each morning at 5:30 a.m.
Wait times are long. Read more here on what to expect.
The Forum is located at 3900 West Manchester Blvd., Inglewood.
A New York Times article on the clinic includes an Orange County family, with health insurance, who visited the clinic because they can’t afford their dental insurance deductibles. The dental services are particularly valuable with California’s July 1 cut to Medi-Cal’s adult dental program.
Good oral hygiene is important for overall health in areas as varied as heart disease and pregnancy
August 14th, 2009, 6:00 am · 3 Comments · posted by Courtney Perkes
From the OC Register ~ http://healthyliving.freedomblogging.com/2009/08/14/free-comprehensive-healthcare-available/9059/
Remote Area Medical, a Tennessee-based nonprofit, is offering free medical, dental and eye care through Tuesday at the Forum in Inglewood.
It’s the first time the group, which has been featured on “60 Minutes,” has provided care in a major urban area. And huge, LA-sized crowds are clamoring for eyeglasses, mammograms and root canals.
All services are provided by volunteer doctors, dentists and nurses. Here’s the rundown:
DENTAL: Cleanings, fillings, extractions, and root canals. Everyone receives a free dental exam. Pediatric dentistry is available.
VISION: Vision exam and free prescription glasses made on site. (NOTE: May not be able to make glasses for everyone.) Cataract surgery.
MEDICAL & WOMEN’S HEALTH: Mammograms and Pap smears; pediatric exams; adult physicals & medical consults (including diabetes and hypertension); chiropractors; acupuncture; blood lab work; chest X-rays; medication assistance; and many other medical specialties available.
The massive clinic opens each morning at 5:30 a.m.
Wait times are long. Read more here on what to expect.
The Forum is located at 3900 West Manchester Blvd., Inglewood.
A New York Times article on the clinic includes an Orange County family, with health insurance, who visited the clinic because they can’t afford their dental insurance deductibles. The dental services are particularly valuable with California’s July 1 cut to Medi-Cal’s adult dental program.
Good oral hygiene is important for overall health in areas as varied as heart disease and pregnancy
Friday, July 10, 2009
Pay the rent or keep the Health Insurance?
Friday, July 10, 2009
Health coverage or rent? O.C. residents must choose
BY COURTNEY PERKES
The Orange County Register
It's nearly impossible to grasp a number like America's annual $2 trillion medical bill.
So as Shari Carter avidly follows news from Washington on the summer of health care reform, she thinks about $1,059 — the monthly amount that cost Carter her HMO.
"I've never gone without insurance," she said. "It's scary. I'm at the age where they want to get rid of you real bad."
<<click here to read the complete story>>
Health coverage or rent? O.C. residents must choose
BY COURTNEY PERKES
The Orange County Register
It's nearly impossible to grasp a number like America's annual $2 trillion medical bill.
So as Shari Carter avidly follows news from Washington on the summer of health care reform, she thinks about $1,059 — the monthly amount that cost Carter her HMO.
"I've never gone without insurance," she said. "It's scary. I'm at the age where they want to get rid of you real bad."
<<click here to read the complete story>>
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Medical Bankruptcies on the Rise
Medical bankrupties on the rise
June 9th, 2009, 6:00 am · 4 Comments · posted by Courtney Perkes
A new study from Harvard University finds that 62 percent of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills - a 50 percent increase since 2001. Based on that rate, medical bankruptcies this year will total 866,000 and involve 2.3 million Americans – about one person every 15 seconds.
The complete story can be found in The OC Register.
Cheers ~ Julia
June 9th, 2009, 6:00 am · 4 Comments · posted by Courtney Perkes
A new study from Harvard University finds that 62 percent of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills - a 50 percent increase since 2001. Based on that rate, medical bankruptcies this year will total 866,000 and involve 2.3 million Americans – about one person every 15 seconds.
The complete story can be found in The OC Register.
Cheers ~ Julia
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Anthem Blue Cross Suspends Part D Products
CMS Orders Temporary Suspension of our Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Products.
On January 12, 2009 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ordered Anthem Blue Cross to temporarily suspend enrollment and marketing of our Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).
We have been working with CMS for several months to resolve issues identified as a result of a recent CMS audit, our own self-audit, and issues stemming from our members’ ability to access their pharmacy benefits. Our plan is to continue working with CMS to make the necessary business improvements in our operations and processes as quickly as possible so that we can re-enter the market in a position to better serve our current and future Medicare members.
The MA, MAPD and Medicare Supplement members we currently serve can continue to count on us to provide their health benefits. We will continue to sell our Medicare Supplement products.
On January 12, 2009 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ordered Anthem Blue Cross to temporarily suspend enrollment and marketing of our Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).
We have been working with CMS for several months to resolve issues identified as a result of a recent CMS audit, our own self-audit, and issues stemming from our members’ ability to access their pharmacy benefits. Our plan is to continue working with CMS to make the necessary business improvements in our operations and processes as quickly as possible so that we can re-enter the market in a position to better serve our current and future Medicare members.
The MA, MAPD and Medicare Supplement members we currently serve can continue to count on us to provide their health benefits. We will continue to sell our Medicare Supplement products.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Westcliff Labs accused of overcharging.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Medical lab sued by the state of CA for overcharging. State says Medi-Cal was billed as much as six times the price for testing.
By COURTNEY PERKES
The Orange County Register
The state Attorney General on Friday said it has sued a Santa Ana lab accused of overcharging Medi-Cal, the insurance program for the poor.
Please see the OC Register for the complete article.
Medical lab sued by the state of CA for overcharging. State says Medi-Cal was billed as much as six times the price for testing.
By COURTNEY PERKES
The Orange County Register
The state Attorney General on Friday said it has sued a Santa Ana lab accused of overcharging Medi-Cal, the insurance program for the poor.
Please see the OC Register for the complete article.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Uninsured Crisis
Local community clinics and public hospitals see big jump in uninsured patients
By Sandy Kleffman
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 02/24/2009 08:00:00 AM PST
Growing waves of uninsured patients are flooding local community clinics and public hospitals, increasing pressure on the East Bay's frayed health care safety net.
Many of the newly uninsured lost their health coverage when they lost their jobs.
Julia
By Sandy Kleffman
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 02/24/2009 08:00:00 AM PST
Growing waves of uninsured patients are flooding local community clinics and public hospitals, increasing pressure on the East Bay's frayed health care safety net.
Many of the newly uninsured lost their health coverage when they lost their jobs.
Julia
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Blue Cross of CA Settles Claims
Anthem Blue Cross (of CA) is agreeing to a settlement with California regulators, the latest pact reached by insurers over the issue of canceling insurance plans after patients got sick.
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/11/anthem-blue-cross-settles-over-canceled-coverage-in-california/
The insurer, owned by WellPoint, has agreed to pay a fine of $1 million and to offer new coverage to 2,330 after they incurred big medical bills, the Los Angeles Times reports. The company will also reimburse them for medical bills they paid after their coverage was dropped, at a cost Anthem said could hit $14 million, the newspaper adds.
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/11/anthem-blue-cross-settles-over-canceled-coverage-in-california/
Please see the Wall Street Journal (Feb 11, 2009) for the complete article.
Julia
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/11/anthem-blue-cross-settles-over-canceled-coverage-in-california/
The insurer, owned by WellPoint, has agreed to pay a fine of $1 million and to offer new coverage to 2,330 after they incurred big medical bills, the Los Angeles Times reports. The company will also reimburse them for medical bills they paid after their coverage was dropped, at a cost Anthem said could hit $14 million, the newspaper adds.
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/11/anthem-blue-cross-settles-over-canceled-coverage-in-california/
Please see the Wall Street Journal (Feb 11, 2009) for the complete article.
Julia
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