How To Save on Health Insurance

With health care costs soaring through the roof, the cost of health insurance premiums are increasing as well. Health insurance is a necessity, however, when you consider the costs of one visit to the emergency room, surgery to set a broken bone, scans, lab and other costs. When your budget is limited, how can you keep the costs of your health insurance premiums down? There are several steps you can take to reduce your health insurance costs and still maintain adequate medical coverage when you need it.

First step is to consider what health insurance options you have. Does your employer offer a group medical benefit? Many employers (and/or labor unions) offer health benefits to full-time employees. Group health insurance is usually the cheapest way to get medical coverage; an employer can negotiate with health insurance companies to get a group health plan at cheaper rates. In addition, many employers will pay part of the premium, reducing your health insurance cost even further. Another consideration is whether your spouse has health coverage available through their employer? If so, compare your health benefits plan to that of your spouse, and decide which health plan is the better buy. It may be possible to have one spouse carry family health insurance coverage and the other drop their health benefits. Many employers have multiple health insurance options, so review these plans as well. Choose the health plan that best meets your needs at the cheapest rate.

How to Become a Home Health Care Nurse

Home Health Care Nursing Information and Overview

Home health care is allowing the patient and their family to maintain dignity and independence. According to the National Association for Home Care, there are more than 7 million individuals in the United States in need of home health care nurse services because of acute illness, long term health problems, permanent disability or terminal illness.

Home Health Care Basics

Nurses practice in a number of venues: Hospital settings, nursing homes, assisted living centers, and home health care. Home health care nursing is a growing phenomenon as more patients and their families desire to receive care in their homes. The history of home health care stems from Public Health Nursing where public health nurses made home visits to promote health education and provide treatment as part of community outreach programs. Today academic programs train nurses in home care and agencies place home health care nurses with ailing individuals and their families depending on the nurse's experience and qualifications. In many cases there is a shared relationship between the agency and the academic institution.

Do You Have a Dislocated Shoulder? Learn 9 Facts About Shoulder Dislocations

Shoulder dislocations are quite common since the shoulder joint can move in so many different directions. When the bones in your shoulder come out of position, your shoulder becomes dislocated. Sometimes people suffer from a partial shoulder dislocation also known as subluxation.

There are many different things that can happen to cause a dislocated shoulder. Sometimes dislocated shoulders are caused by sports injuries involving some type of a serious fall or a hard hit.

If you are interested in learning more about shoulder dislocations, here are 9 facts to consider:

Understanding HMO, PPO and FFS Health Insurance Plans

Health insurance is offered in various forms today. Traditionally, health insurance plans were indemnity plans; the insured paid a premium, the physician provided health care services, the health insurance plan was billed, and the health insurance plan paid for covered services. As health care costs became astronomical, health insurance companies developed different plans that were aimed at providing quality health care at affordable prices. Managed health care became the buzzword for the health insurance industry, and health insurance plans became more complicated.

Health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, and preferred provider networks, or PPOs, have largely replaced the traditional indemnity health plan. HMOs and PPOs utilize strategies to contain health care costs. These health plans are similar in certain ways. Both HMO and PPO plans contract with health care providers to provide health care services at reduced rates for the health insurance plan members. Typically both plans require the the member have a primary care provider, or PCP, who serves as a "gateway" to coordinate care for the member, and all specialty services are accessed by referral from the PCP. Both HMOs and PPOs require that certain services and products, usually the more costly ones, be reviewed by the health insurance reviewers for prior approval or prior authorization before the service is rendered. The health care provider must submit justification for these services as "medically necessary", and the reviewer determines whether the service is a covered service. The plans do make provision for emergency situations that cannot wait for prior approval/authorization, but still require an approval process.