Is Patient Health Taking a Hit Under High-Deductible Plans? | Featured Article – Workforce.com
When low income people end up skipping preventive care and maintenance care for ongoing conditions, their health suffers.
Is Patient Health Taking a Hit Under High-Deductible Plans? | Featured Article – Workforce.com.
High Deductible Plans Accelerate – Kaiser Health News
I wonder whether out of pocket spending for mental health services has gone up or down with high-deductible health coverage. More research to come. But for now, a look at how “consumer-directed” health care is affecting overall consumer spending for health care:
“I’ve heard of nothing but acceleration” of employers into consumer-directed health insurance, said Roy Ramthun, a benefits consultant who was a senior health policy advisor in President George W. Bush’s administration. “More local units of government, school districts and even some union plans are starting to move more aggressively into these areas.”
via Who Knew? Patients’ Share Of Health Spending Is Shrinking – Kaiser Health News.
High Deductible Health Plans Causing Less Use of Hospital and More Bad Debt from Patients
This article explains how 31 people are being laid off from a hospital in Keene, New Hampshire, due to a number of factors including less reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid and problems stemming from high deductible health plans:
Hospital officials said in December recent trends toward high-deductible health insurance plans have apparently led to increases in outstanding bad debt, which includes unpaid patient bills, and also to reductions in the public’s use of some medical services. The number of patients, which at the hospital averages more than 30 filled beds at any one time, is down, and demand for outpatient services is also off.
High Deductible Health Plans Increase Dramatically
This article states that high deductible plans have skyrocketed from 8% in 2009 to 19% last year. If they continue at this rate, about 50% of people will have high deductible plans by 2020. Oh what a wonderful world it will be.
What One Therapist Found When She Entered Private Practice
This essay from the NYTimes is a bit of an eye-opener for anyone who is thinking of going into private practice. Due to people seeking less therapy and using more psychiatric drugs alone (massive pharma marketing campaigns encourage this), we are now at a point where many therapists can’t get enough referrals to survive. Meanwhile, many people in need of help can’t get it because they don’t have insurance, have high deductibles and copays, or have very little coverage for mental health with their insurance policy.
How We Heal: By Joining a Community and Connecting with Others Who Have Been Similarly Wounded
One of the recommendations I make in “Know Thyself” for expressing and healing your Wounded Child is to volunteer for an organization that helps others. One of the ways that I help children heal from trauma is also by inviting them to join the community of my office by contributing something to the Rainbow Wall, a wall of arts and crafts creations made by children in the process of therapy. This wall helps children to know they are not alone, and that even in their suffering, they have something to give to others, which is a representation of progress and hope.
Birth Control vs Woman Control | Emancipation Conversation
Ninjanurse sounds off on the difference between birth control and woman control.
Not Happy? Maybe It’s Your Culture
Another fascinating documentary, “Happy,” entered my consciousness yesterday. It talks about what makes for happiness. Some of you may be familiar with the concept of “flow” — if not, the movie is an excellent primer. But beyond flow, the film also provides research about how little social status and money (above a certain basic minimum for health and safety) really have to do with happiness. Parts that were particularly intriguing were the descriptions of Co-housing in Denmark, and how people there report record high levels of happiness and contentment. Co-housing exists in America, but not at all to the degree it does in Denmark. It might be an interesting model for Americans to allow into their field of vision, now that we have suffered a massive economic downturn and many people have lost their homes to foreclosure. Maybe we could even try a co-housing development with the bond money that will be on the Rhode Island ballot this November.
Marilyn Monroe: Foster Child
This is a fascinating documentary — a window into a Marilyn Monroe who wanted a much fuller identity than this crazy mixed-up world would allow. It struck me with a new depth to realize she was a foster child, after many years of working with foster children and helping them form healthy identities. It’s amazing to see Marilyn striving for new levels of identity — to be taken seriously as an actress, a creative force in her own right, and not just a stereo-type of the Dumb Blonde, sexy, but ultimately empty. She also wanted to bring others to their fullest expression as artists, helping to get jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald into the realm of stardom. She also wanted to express her leader more, and started her own production company. Sadly, it really sounds like Arthur Miller did her in by not letting her continue in her partnership with Milton Greene. Of course there were many factors in her undoing, but this movie gave me more to think about in terms of how children with vulnerable identities get co-opted by “sharks in the pool” — relationship partners who are tyrannical in the level of control they must have over the other partner’s life.
Diet, Pharmaceuticals and Diabetes
Kmareka is proud to cross-post with Elizabeth Carrollton, from Drugwatch.com. Ninjanurse spends her working days nagging people to take their meds, and needs to add the caveat that general advice and debate on the internet is no substitute for medical care for your own individual situation. So talk to your doctor and don’t even think about ignoring diabetes if you like doing stuff like seeing and walking and staying alive.
A Balanced Diet and Healthy Lifestyle for Type 2 Diabetes
The course of action a physician takes to manage diabetes is directly related to the severity of the patient’s diabetes. In some instances, diabetes health can be controlled through diet, exercise and other similar healthy lifestyle modifications. Although prescription drugs may be needed in addition to eating a balanced diet, only a physician can make this call.
Diabetes is a condition where blood glucose levels are much higher than the normal range, which on a glucometer is around 90. Once a diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes has been established, it is imperative for a physician or registered dietician to create a course of action based on the patient’s weight and lifestyle.
Diabetes medications are also taken into consideration at this time. Patients need to be aware of the severe side effects of certain medications like Actos, which increases the risk of bladder cancer. Additionally, other diseases and health issues are part of the diagnosis and treatment process.
According to the National Institutes of Health’s MedlinePlus, the main factor in eating for diabetes health is to limit sugar intake. The National Institutes of Health also declares that eating smaller portions more frequently is essential in regulating glucose levels. In other words, rather than eating three larger meals per day, a person with diabetes should aim to eat smaller meals about five times a day.
Besides sugar being an issue, carbohydrates are also a variety of food that should be limited, due to their effect on glucose levels. This is because carbohydrates like white bread and crackers generally cause sugar levels in the body to increase.
Besides restricting sugar and carbs, a person with diabetes should incorporate foods into his or her diet that are part of a well-balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables, for example, are a vital component of a healthy diet, since they contain the necessary nutrients for cells and organs to function properly. Not to mention, the vitamins and minerals in veggies and fruits help support a healthy immune system.
Plus, the fiber within fruits and vegetables plays a positive role on cholesterol levels and on heart health. The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) note that fiber is important to heart health, which is oftentimes comprised by diabetes and certain diabetes medications, such as Actos.
Living a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise affects heart health, diabetes health and overall health. Being overweight, especially being in the category of obese, contributes to cardiovascular problems, such as congestive heart failure, which are made worse by taking certain diabetes drugs like Actos. Moreover, being overweight can lead to type II diabetes. It may worsen the severity of the diabetes if a person gains weight after he or she received a diagnosis of diabetes. When a person is considered to be in the stage of prediabetes, gaining weight can force that person into having full-blown diabetes.
Therefore, living an active lifestyle can help one maintain a healthy weight that can help manage diabetes, prevent complications of diabetes and prevent cardiovascular disease. It reduces stress and according to the National Institutes of Health, exercise contributes to a lower blood sugar and prevents future weight gain.
Elizabeth Carrollton writes about defective medical devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com.
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