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June 27, 2007  

Health Insurance News - Echinacea Benefits

Having the right health insurance is one of the most beneficial steps you can take towards maintaining good physical and financial health. Being proactive about your health and living a healthy lifestyle not only adds to your quality of life, but also helps lower health care costs. So we think you'll be interested to know about a new study about the benefits of echinacea.

According to CBC News, a new study reports that taking echinacea herbal supplements may cut the risk of catching a cold by more than 58%. The study was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal.

If these statistics hold true, this means fewer doctor visits, less money spent on cold medicines and fewer days lost at work - savings that could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars when considering how many Americans catch a cold very year.

More research is needed, and the high number of available echinacea products may seem a little overwhelming. It's interesting to note that the World Health Organization recognized echinacea as a cold treatment in 1999.

If you're interested in trying echinacea supplements the next time you feel like you may be coming down with a cold, make sure you consult your doctor if you have special medical concerns. And pregnant or nursing women shouldn't take supplements unless prescribed by a physician.

Having the right individual or family health insurance combined with being proactive with your health will help ensure a long happy life.

June 20, 2007  

Children's Health Insurance

Providing affordable health insurance to the high number of uninsured children has lately been a popular political platform. However, the actual number of uninsured children may be less than previously believed.

According to The Washington Post, the Bush Administration is promoting a new study by The Urban Institute that cites lower numbers of uninsured children when compared to the numbers reported by the US Census Bureau.

The Urban Institute reports that 4.9 million children are uninsured. The Census Bureau, on the other hand, reports that more than 8 million children are without health coverage - that's a difference of 3.1 million children!

It's possible that the Bush administration is pushing the new study with lower numbers in order to oppose Democrats hoping to increase funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

  • Democratic lawmakers want to triple current SCHIP funding by $50 billion over 5 years.
  • The Bush administration wants to increase the budget by $5 billion

That's a huge difference of $45 billion! Democrats are speaking out against the new study. One major difference between the studies is the Urban Institute doesn't count illegal, temporary, or legal but ineligible immigrant children. Researchers at the Urban Institute state that the Census Bureau underreports families that receive government-sponsored health insurance.

At the Insurance HQ, we advocate health insurance for every individual and family. Even if you don't receive medical benefits through work, affordable family health insurance is available.

So even though lawmakers are debating how much money should be spent on government-funded health programs, it's important to remember that it's in your best interest to make sure you're always covered.

June 14, 2007  

Health Insurance News - Medical Tips

In addition to having reliable health insurance, there are steps you can take to ensure you receive the best medical care.

According to The Daily Press, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of recovering from an illness or surgery. Even though mistakes in the medical field are rare, they do happen. But if you're actively involved with your medical care, you'll help avoid mistakes, and therefore get the best care possible.

The following are a few important things to keep in mind next time you're receiving medical services:

  • Be Proactive - Patients who are more involved get better results.
  • Disclose Everything - Tell you doctor about all medicine, vitamins or herbs you take.
  • Allergies - Tell your doctor about allergies to medicine.
  • Legible Prescription - If you can't read the prescription, how can a pharmacist? Make sure it's legible.
  • Ask Pharmacist Questions - Make sure it's the medicine your doctor prescribed, and ask specific questions about the dose schedule.
  • Experienced Hospital - You may get better results if your hospital has a lot of experience with your condition.
  • Hand Washing - Ask all health care workers who come into contact with you if they washed their hands.
  • Initial It - Make sure your doctor and surgeon are all clear on what exactly is being operated on. Many doctors sign their initials on the operation site before the surgery.

We hope these tips help you get the most out of any medical treatment your receive. The most important thing to remember is to speak up and ask questions. You may even want to bring a friend or family member to speak up for you. Sometimes it helps to have someone by your side to ask questions in your behalf so you can focus on feeling better.

We at the Insurance HQ, believe that the best medicine is preventative - live a happy, well-balanced lifestyle combined with the right individual or family health insurance plan. But if you find yourself needing care, be proactive during the course of your treatment in order to get the best possible results.

June 04, 2007  

Health Insurance Reform in the News

Since health insurance reform is a hot topic, presidential hopefuls have been addressing health care reform in their platforms.

According to Reuters, Democrats seem to be addressing health care reform more than Republicans, and there are several points the candidates have in common:

  • Leave current employer-based systems in place
  • Cut costs
  • Computerized medical records
  • Preventative care
  • Larger buying pools for people buying individual health insurance

Barack Obama's plan aims to reduce the cost of medical coverage by $2,500 per family. In general terms, the democrats' reform ideas are mainstream, and none seem to advocate the government taking over America's health care system.

Even though the presidential candidates are proposing only moderate health insurance reform, this may ensure that actual change will occur. Hilary Rodham Clinton's failed universal health coverage plan of a decade ago has left politicians safely treading the middle of the road. Analysts propose that even though Americans want change, the middle class is risk averse.

Affordable health insurance is available, so hopefully more of the 45 million uninsured Americans will find plans that fit their budgets and health care needs. At The Insurance HQ, we advocate healthy living combined with reliable medical coverage to ensure the best quality of life.

We eagerly anticipate hearing more about what the presidential candidates have to offer, and we hope that health insurance continues to receive their attention.

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