Did you know…
Skin cancer is the number one form of cancer in the United States?[1] Only 56 percent of adults use one form of sun protection (sunscreen, wear sun-protective clothing, or seek shade).[2]
You may feel better about yourself having a bronzed, summer glow, but nearly one in five people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. In preparation for summer, here are some measures to take to ensure you’re protected from the sun.
- Make sure your sunscreen has at least an SPF of 30 or more. SPF means sun protection factor and the number will tell you how much it blocks sun burning rays (UVB). SPF 30 will prevent 97 percent of sun burning rays.
As part of National Women’s Health Week, May 8 through 14, we’ve decided to remind American women of important ways to keep themselves healthy.
The theme for 2011 is “It’s Your Time” – a time for women to make their health their top priority. National Women’s Health Week, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health has dedicated this week to encourage women to take the necessary steps to improve their physical and mental health in an effort to reduce their risks of certain diseases. Three things we care about are:
Breast cancer
When filing your 2010 taxes next month, small business owners can be thankful for the Affordable Care Act that was signed into law this time last year. Small business owners have been offered a one-time credit that can save upwards of 35 percent on health care premiums for their workers. According to estimates, small businesses that are eligible for a tax credit employ and offer small group health insurance to approximately16.6 million workers nationwide.¹
The IRS states that a business that employs 10 people with an average wage of $25,000 per employee, and a total cost of $70,000 per year in health insurance premiums could get a tax credit of 35 percent of their premium cost, which equals up to $24,500.
Know your plan.
The first step to being a wise health consumer is knowing what you get for when you pay out for health care. There’s nothing worse than getting an unexpected bill, or realizing a procedure or visit isn’t covered by health insurance after you’ve already had it done.
It’s important to understand what benefits you receive from your insurance plan. You should know in advance of appointments what network you can receive care at, for a predetermined negotiated rate. Know what type of prescription medications you can buy at a discounted price, if coverage is offered through your plan, and what pharmacy you can buy them at. Educate yourself what a copay is, and if you have one as part of your insurance plan.
Do you find yourself constantly going to WebMD for the latest in health care news? Maybe you’re looking for a blog by a doctor who like you, goes to the grocery store and lives in a community. We’ve reviewed three blogs, each written by American doctors – they’re easy to read and worth a look!
CNN’s The Chart offers a continuously updated blog (our favorite kind), with a medical twist on current events and the latest in medical and health news. The five sections of the blog are unique to most health sites with features on: children’s health, the brain and its behavior, sex and you, sleep and one featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s newscasts and personal articles.
Continue Reading:
Top doctor blogs
Every five years a pamphlet known as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is published by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. The effort is to promote nutrition literacy for Americans to achieve an ideal diet and maintain their health.
On Monday Jan. 31, 2011 the seventh edition, and what has been called the bluntest of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was released. The report asks Americans to do three things: sustain a healthy calorie balance at each stage of life in an effort to maintain a healthy weight, eat nutrient-rich foods and get more exercise.
Are you an aspiring Web designer? Or do you excel at making Web applications? Perhaps the engineering of a Web program isn’t your forte but you know about the architecture of what makes a site user-friendly and applicable to the common Internet browser. Perhaps you know absolutely nothing about web design or development, but you’re a health aficionado with great ideas for a Web app that will help others get proactive to lead a healthy lifestyle.
What is short term medical insurance and why do I need it?
In a nutshell, short term medical insurance is a great option for individuals living on limited income. It’s also an affordable option for people who have lost their health benefits, are getting divorced or just going through a temporary lifestyle change that leaves them without health insurance. In other words, short term medical can be an affordable health insurance option compared to many health insurance plans.
So what kind of short term health insurance is available?
Lack of health insurance coverage is a problem that has afflicted many low-income Americans for decades, and has spread to an overwhelming majority of Americans given the recent turbulence in our economy. In 2009 it was estimated that 50.7 million Americans had no health insurance, which is approximately 16.7 percent of the population.
Keeping insured is important for your health and your pocketbook, according to a study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; more than 60 percent of bankruptcies in the United States were the result of medical bills.
Many Americans are finding themselves looking for temporary health insurance options, whether transitioning between jobs, recently graduating college or unemployed. While services like COBRA provide comprehensive coverage extensions for the recently unemployed, COBRA can be expensive and may not be available for some individuals and families.
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