divne asked:


It is estimated that over 47 million people in the U.S. alone are living without health insurance. Ironically, those who do have healthcare coverage are often paralyzed by the exorbitant and prohibitive out of pocket expenses they are often required to cover themselves. Now more than ever, scores of people around the world are searching for alternatives to traditional medical care but it’s not only for financial reasons. Holism offers a wealth of options for people who believe that true health must include both a healthy body and a healthy mind. The goal of holistic health care is to incorporate wellness into the whole being, not just the body.

Keeping the Mind, Body & Spirit in Sync

Until recent years, the holistic approach was largely dismissed by mainstream society as nothing but a fad. Acknowledging the ineffectiveness of traditional medicine to completely deal with modern stressors and other health problems, holistic practitioners are now being sought out in record numbers. Holism incorporates a variety of healing practices than span many belief systems and centuries of wisdom from cultures around the globe. Aspects of Native American, Buddhist, Shamanistic and Kabbalistic healing as well as a wealth of other practices have proven to yield impressive results at a fraction of the cost of traditional medical treatments. The notable difference between the holistic approach and the more conventional methods is the focus on overall well being of the patient. In other words, when the mind, body and spirit of an individual are in sync, the health of the person – the whole being – will follow suit.

Finding the Perfect Holistic Solution

While there are thousands of holistic practitioners worldwide, it can be difficult, not to mention cost prohibitive to find one in or near your area. If you do find one in your chosen specialty, what assurance do you have that they are experienced enough to warrant your time and money? For that matter, how do you know if they are experienced at all and not just a scam artist trying to take advantage of your situation? You could talk to them, ask for references from past clients or read reviews, but thankfully now there is a much easier and lower cost way to find experts in any of several fields of holistic medicine and with this method, the experts join you in the privacy of your own home.

Benefits of Using DVD’s for Holistic Care

The Center for Healing Arts has found a cost effective way to meet the global community’s ever increasing demand for alternative therapies. It offers unprecedented access to spiritual teachers and healers in a wide range of healing arts specialties, carefully selected for their vast experience in their field of work through its DVD subscription series. When you register, you will receive a new full-length DVD session every other month to guide and direct you toward complete wellness of mind, body and spirit. Each session is recorded in such a way as to mimic a one-on-one personal session with your instructor.

One of the biggest benefits to a subscription program such as this is that you have the unique opportunity to learn and heal yourself in a comfortable and private setting, but that can present its own set of challenges as well. When people attend a seminar or retreat, they have the support of others who share their need and desire to better themselves for one reason or another. Because continued and ongoing support is often an important part of the healing process, The Center for Healing Arts has created an online support community. Within this forum, healers and seekers alike can come together to support each other and share their successes as well as their obstacles, all in a safe and nurturing environment of like-minded people.

The holistic approach to health care isn’t for everyone, but if you are “sick and tired of being sick and tired”, you owe it to yourself to find out what holism can do for you



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Robert asked:


Over the weekend, an interesting opportunity arose.  There were a group of women together for a baby shower, and we all began discussing skin care, specifically that pertaining to anti aging.  I began to wonder what differences among these women of all ages would become apparent as we discussed what each of us looked for in an anti aging skin care review, as well as what we each thought would be important in an anti aging skin care system overall.

With the wide range of skin care products available to women and men today, an anti aging skin care review of a product can be extremely beneficial in helping to determine the best choice among many alternatives.  Anti aging skin care systems that incorporate everything you need to effectively battle wrinkles and other problem skin irritants have also become increasingly popular as people want to incorporate as much one stop shopping into their lives as possible.

The varying responses surprised me greatly.  As a person who has grown up with constant access to research vehicles and the Internet, an anti aging skin care review from an actual user of a product is most important to me.  In an anti aging skin care system, I will look for the least amount of products that will help me to keep my skin looking young, and are not time consuming or difficult to use.  It seems that others had differing thoughts though on both of these points.

Women who were in the mid stage of life, who are really beginning to notice the fine lines and wrinkles, and are kicking themselves for not thinking about this earlier, were looking for stricter guidelines in an anti aging skin care review.  These women were looking for claims of results not only from users, but are looking towards their elders in what they should be using to fend off wrinkles.

Another interesting finding was that women in this age group were looking for an anti aging skin care system that would provide them constant help.  This meant cleansers, masks, gels, creams, and the works.

Next came the older women, who you would believe would not be that concerned with anti aging creams and potions.  Important in an anti aging skin care system for these women is the overall health of their skin, and maintaining the appearance they have now, and preventing future sagging and wrinkles.  To these women an anti aging skin care review should focus on the upstanding quality of the company and how their products have helped people to reach their skin care goals.

It was interesting to me to find that even among people across 3 generations, there were such varied and strong beliefs relating to skin care.  An anti aging skin care review varied widely among these three groups of people, as well as the types of factors that each group of women thought of when purchasing skin care products.



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Ailen Mark asked:


The importance of covering your family under a health insurance program is paramount. A family that has coverage only for the children, and one or both parents suddenly fall ill, then chances are that the adult may be unable to get medical help immediately due to the exorbitant cost of health care. This not only jeopardizes their own health, but also opens possibilities for future hazards for the children as well, because prolonged untreated illness may lead to life-threatening conditions or inability to work and earn. These are the reasons why it is imperative to acquire health insurance that covers all the members of a family.

Programs available for family health insurance:

Erstwhile indemnity plans of family health insurance programs have changed to managed care plans. The difference between the two being indemnity insurance allows you to consult a medical practitioner of your choice and the bill would have to be paid by both you and your insurance company. Managed care plans provide different options, like –

Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), and Point of Service plans (POSs).

The benefits that these plans offer differ from one plan to another. So it is advisable to study in detail each plan before choosing one that matches the needs of your family.

The amount that you will need to pay to purchase a family insurance plan varies, and so do the types of services offered. You must be sure of what you need and select a program that offers services which will benefit your family.

Moreover, insurance plans change from year to year. As your family grows, remember to keep checking periodically the coverage being provided. You might want to shift to another plan as time passes.

Where to find family insurance programs?

Your place of employment might offer the incentive of a family insurance plan. Talk to your friends and colleagues, to find out about group plans that cover insurance for your family. Chances are that your friend or your colleague already has such a plan and their experience may help you in deciding the correct program to suit your requirements. It is vital that you choose accurately the plan that is best for your family because once you do purchase a policy you have will have to stick with it for the next year.

In addition, if you are a member of any organization consider contacting the authorities about any health plans they might provide for their members.



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Alien asked:


Lida Daidaihua is a company that is providing a number of solutions to the problem of obesity and other health related problems. Obesity is a problem that has spread like an epidemic. One of the reasons for the growth in the people affected by this problem is the lack of proper eating habits. Most of us do not give any importance to the nutritional value of the food that we eat. We are hardly left with any time to thing about things such as this. If you want to reduce your weight and if you are interested in getting the right solution to your problem then you must take the help of the weight loss products that are available in the market. There are different types of weight loss products that are available in the market. Diet pills are one of the weight loss products that can be used to control and regulated the consumption of fat in the diet. If you are gaining weight rapidly and want to stop this growth, then you must make sure that you consume the right diet and you are regular with the exercises.

Obesity puts you through a vicious circle wherein you can neither workout nor live without it. To get help in such a scenario you can take the help of the weight loss programs. The weight loss products provide you with the right track to be followed for reducing weight faster. Lida is one of the best brands when it comes to weight loss products. If you want to check out the different products that are available with Lida then you can do so on their website. There are a number of ways of obtaining information on the different weight loss products that are available in the market. You can take the help of the internet to check out all the different products that are available in the market. If you are still not satisfied with the reviews you can check the different products at the weight loss centers. You can also take the help of the weight loss programs to get your self the right body. There are fake lida products as well that are available in the market. You can take the help of the lida new inner packing to check whether a product is original or spurious. This packing has been specially changed to add to the originality of the product.



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APRPEH asked:


HIMSS Analytics (short for Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society); a “think-tank” for the healthcare management world has just released the 2008 HIMSS Analytics Report: Security of Patient Data.

This report examines the security of patient personal identifying information (PII) and protected health information (PHI). In the current data breach crazy world, this is a timely report which tries to get beneath the surface of the needs of health professionals to balance quick access to secure patient health records and the need to protect not only patient privacy but prevent access to information which could lead to identity theft. Press release.

In discussing PHI and PII it is important to first establish a fact. Unauthorized access to PII no matter where it may be found could lead to identity theft. Unauthorized access to PHI alone, will not lead to financial identity theft in most cases. It could be used to help a fraudster identify a possible victim by placing the consumer/victim in a particular location and may give the fraudster a hint as to vulnerabilities of the consumer. It is also unlikely to result in medical identity theft. In terms of useful information needed to perpetrate identity theft, the date of birth and Social Security Number are far more valuable than PHI. A consumer may feel that their privacy has been violated when PHI has been exposed but unless PII is included in the breached data, the patient is only marginally more likely to be exposed to identity theft than other non-breached consumers.

Health care organizations or as HIPAA labels these “covered entities,” must still treat all the personal information of their clients/patients the same. Other privacy obligations affecting the health care world are mandated from Sarbanes Oxley and Gramm-Leach-Bliley. In some cases, the PCI Data Security standard may also apply. Compliance with these three laws and the PCI Standard obligates a health care entity to take formal steps to implement reasonable privacy and security policies and procedures.

The HIMSS report may reflect a gap between reasonable policies and procedures and practice. Most healthcare facilities responding to HIMSS “indicated that their organization has a security policy in place. (p .4 of the report).” The study continues that these policies are reviewed regularly and that “85 percent of respondents indicating that their policy was updated on an annual basis, if not more often. (p. 4 of the report).”

Yet, the report also indicates that employees are considered the greatest threat which could cause a data breach of patient information, (p. 6, p. 15 of the report). The respondents indicated that even though part of new hire training involved security related matters, (95% of respondents) only 64% of the respondents require some form of on-going security training refreshing (p. 8). On the surface, it is fair to conclude that health care facilities do not place much faith in their security training. This is an area which could be addressed by implementing security mindedness to all areas of training and to every separate task performed in the facility. Or as quoted by Brian Lapidus, Kroll Fraud Solutions Chief Operating Officer and survey sponsor in the press release:

“There’s a dangerous assumption in the healthcare industry that education leads to policy implementation and change,” said Mr. Lapidus of Kroll.” Best practices in data security cannot be achieved by employee training alone. Organizations must make data security a part of their DNA, reflected in every aspect of business operations.”

Maybe some of this detachment between policy and practice identified in the report can be traced to healthcare organizations focusing much of their security effort and resources on IT related security at the expense of employee training. Ninety seven percent (97%) of the respondents have implemented “Technical IT security” while only 70% have implemented formal education courses. This disparity can be compared and contrasted to the actual reporting of how breaches occurred amongst the respondents. The HIMSS results reveal that the health care management concern regarding employees is justified, with employee originated “unauthorized use of information” leading to 62% of all breaches followed by 32% of respondents blaming “wrongful access of paper-based patient information”, (pg. 18). In addition, in response to the question “who was the perpetrator of the security breach?” 80% identified a current employee. While improper release of PII or PHI may have originated with an employee 62% of the time only some of these occasions are likely the result of a blatant attempt to steal information and many of these are probably unintentional consequences of the busy and often demanding need to react with haste in a health care setting.

Based upon this research, healthcare facilities and employers seem to understand what causes data breaches however address these concerns ineffectively. A concentration on data security from the IT perspective is not addressing the fact that employees with authorized access to information, and causing breaches whether intentionally or unintentionally is the most significant threat to patient privacy and prevention of identity theft. Better background screening and higher thresholds for new hires may address some of this problem. The effort to implement a national health record access system may or may not solve this problem; however, such a solution may or may not make theft of information easier. Healthcare management is left with the daunting task of figuring out what change is needed to that will prevent patient PII and PHI from being breached yet keep it accessible for those health care professionals who need it. Based upon the HIMSS results, the policies and procedures at many of America’s health care facilities need to be re-evaluated with a mind to stimulating a culture of data security. A copy of the report can be downloaded here.



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Julie Health asked:


If you are aware of your presence, you are also aware of how your body is changing. Things at a cellular level begin to change as each year goes by. Different alterations begin to show in your skin as well as in the shape and functioning of your body. If you are aware of your presence, you are also probably aware of the need to give it the best consideration in order to look younger and feel better.

Where will you start with making sure you have the ability to offer your body the best? Of course, it will be important to find ways to take care of your skin. Beyond this, you can look into anti-aging skin care product reviews. This will give you the ability to find exactly what you need. By doing this, you can ensure that you get the best for the best. Following are the top ten anti-aging skin care product review areas that you can look into to compare what is available.

1. Folica (folica.com)

The theme of this particular site is to be the web’s most popular beauty store. It has a variety of anti-aging skin care products that are available. It not only offers a variety of products, but also has customer reviews of how they have responded to the products and how it has helped them with the aging process. Not only does this particular website have reviews, but also shows the focus of the product for your skin, such as dry skin, aging skin, etc.

2. Product Watch (productwatch.net)

If you want to see what is popular at a particular time, and see how it is evaluated by the professionals, then this is one source that you can turn to. This particular site has a variety of anti-aging skin care product reviews, all which are divided into several categories for effectiveness. The product watch area will evaluate products by the ingredients that are contained, the effectiveness of the formula, the guarantee that it will work for you and the price that you will have to pay for the quality that you will get. It also will show you where to get different products and who the manufacturer is. At different times, this particular website will feature a particular product that they find effective.

3. Wrinkle Review (wrinklereview.com)

This website is designed to show what the latest products are in the market. They will then compare this to other products to see which are most effective on the market. This particular company also has guides for other solutions for anti-aging and what they mean. Articles on things such as Botox, ingredients for anti-aging, and other medical treatments are compared to the products that are available.

4. Smart Skin Care (smartskincare.com)

This is an independent source of information that offers reviews. The ability that they have over other companies is that they have the ability to feature more off beat products that are available. They don’t sell products, but only review them in order to ensure that customers are aware of what is available. If you want to stay informed of anti-aging skin care products through reviews, this will give you a genuine answer.

5. Beauty-Product-Reviews (beauty-product-reviews.com)

This particular website offers reviews for a variety of skin care needs, including anti-aging. It will feature specific products, all which will have reviews by consumers who rate the product by one to five stars. While this particular site is focused on selling particular items, it can still help you in finding what will be best for your skin.

6. Herbalife (herbalife.com)

This particular website focuses on anti-aging skin care product reviews of only all natural ingredients. You will be able to find all natural ingredient creams and products by looking at the evaluations and recommendations that are on this particular sight. If you want to find natural possibilities, this is the place that you should first look.

Haven’t found what you’re after? Here are some more places to look for the best skin care products:

7. Magazines

If you are looking at any type of health or beauty magazine, you can expect to see reviews and evaluations of specific products. Usually, these will be featured by companies who are putting a new product on the market for your skin, but will still allow you to see what is new and how it will work, especially in comparison to other products.

8. Popular Evaluations

Often times, if you want to find what is best for you, then the most logical thing to do is look at other people that are using it or who have evaluated what is in the product. Often times, professionals will decide to advertise specific products that they find are the most effective for their skin. Of course, any one opinion should be taken lightly.

9. Surveys and polls

If you don’t find what you want through popularity, you can turn to the Internet or to a specific area in your locality to find the best reviews. There are a variety of places set up that are designed to offer reviews of specific products. Places such as e-pinions are available for you to look at how others have truly evaluated a product. The best surveys and polls for you to look at will be the ones that are rated by people from all walks of life.

10. Professional Evaluations

If you don’t find exactly what you want from these particular sources, why not get reviews from those who are in the business of anti-aging. Dermatologists and other skin care specialists are designed to offer you the best reviews of what is available. By simply asking for an evaluation of products, you can take the safe route of going with what the doctor advices.

As can be seen, there are endless sources for you to find the opinion that you need. These are only a few of several areas that want you to look at the different products and see what is best for the skin you are in. If you want anti-aging skin care, then product reviews will be an easy way for you to begin evaluating your possibilities and what is best for the needs of your skin’s health. Doing this will help you to keep the external appearance of your body in the best shape with the top products.



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Malcolm Brown asked:


Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996. The purpose of this law is to protect private individual health information from being disclosed to anyone without the consent of the individual. Except under unusual circumstances, the consent needs to be in writing.

However, there are some exceptions to the consent provision. The consent provision does not apply in the following situations:

Treatment Billing Quality assurance Peer review Business planning activities Staff training Required reporting to public health agencies Certain emergency situations Research studies that have obtained a wavier from the Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Research

Private health information can be used in research studies if it is “de-individualized” so that the identity of the individual cannot be ascertained from the information disclosed. For example, if you were conducting a study of the lung problems suffered by New Yorkers after the 911 terrorist attacks, it would be permissible to identify a patient as, a 50 year old, 5′11′, 175 lb., while male from New York City with high blood pressure.

Marketing

Health care providers are prohibited from selling or using their patient or enrollees lists to market products from a third party. However, they can use their list to communicate with or sell their own services to their list members. Great care must be taken to restrict access when using online collaboration, such as an intranet.

Business Associates

All business associates, vendors or other contractors that use the health care provider’s facility must sign a contract stating that they understand and agree to be bound by HIPAA regulations. The health care provider can be held responsible for the actions of the business associate if they did not sign a contract or there was a history of abuse and the health care provider did noting about it.

Individual Rights

Under HIPAA, individuals have the right to:

Notice of the health provider’s privacy practices Request restrictions on who is allowed to access their health information Access, inspect or copy their personal health information Request an accounting of all disclosures of their health information Request corrections or amendments to their health information

Health Care Providers Responsibilities

Health care providers are required to:

Provide security for both paper and electronic individual health information Institute a complaint process to investigate complaints Train staff on the law

The HIPAA regulations allow for both civil monetary and criminal penalties for violations of the act.



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Blake Vanderhyde asked:


The following is an example of a Health Care Directive (many people still refer to this as a Living Will).   It is broken down into 3 basic parts.  1) Appointment of the Health Care Agent.  2) Health Care Instructions.  3) Making the Document Legal.   Like most legal documents, it can be a bit confusing and overwhelming.  The purpose for making this easily available to the public is simple.  To help people know what to expect before contacting a lawyer and having him or her draft a directive for them.   Nobody likes thinking about their demise or incapacity.  However, dealing with such issues is a necessary part of life. 

 

This example should not be used as a substitute for getting solid legal advice from a licensed attorney.  Every individual is different.  Please consult a lawyer in your area to discuss your specific estate planning needs.

 

 

HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE

 

I, ___________________________________, understand this document allows me to do One or both of the following:

 

PART I: Name another person (called the health care agent) to make health care decisions for me if I am unable to decide or speak for myself. My health care agent must make health care decisions for me based on the instructions I provide in this document (Part II), if any, the wishes I have made known to him or her, or must act in my best interest if I have not made my health care wishes known.

 

And/or

 

PART II: Give health care instructions to guide others making health care decisions for me. If I have named a health care agent, these instructions are to be used by the agent. These instructions may also be used by my health care providers, others assisting with my health care and my family, in the event I cannot make decisions for myself.

 

 

PART I: APPOINTMENT OF HEALTH CARE AGENT

 

This is who I want to make health care decisions for me if I am unable to decide or speak for myself  (I know I can change my agent or alternate agent at any time and I know I do not have to appoint an agent or an alternate agent)

 

NOTE: If you appoint an agent, you should discuss this health care directive with your agent and give your agent a copy. If you do not wish to appoint an agent, you may leave Part I blank and go to Part II.

 

 

When I am unable to decide or speak for myself, I trust and appoint ___________________ to make health care decisions for me. This person is called my health care agent.  Relationship of my health care agent to me: ___________________

Telephone number of my health care agent: _________________________

Address of my health care agent: _________________________

 

(OPTIONAL) APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATE HEALTH CARE AGENT: If my health care agent is not reasonably available, I trust and appoint _________________ to be my health care agent instead.  Relationship of my alternate health care agent to me: ___________________________Telephone number of my alternate health care agent: ___________________________ Address of my alternate health care agent: ___________________________

 

THIS IS WHAT I WANT MY HEALTH CARE AGENT TO BE ABLE TO

DO IF I AM UNABLE TO DECIDE OR SPEAK FOR MYSELF (I know I can change these choices)

 

My health care agent is automatically given the powers listed below in (A) through (D).

My health care agent must follow my health care instructions in this document or any other instructions I have given to my agent. If I have not given health care instructions, then my agent must act in my best interest. Whenever I am unable to decide or speak for myself, my health care agent has the power to:

 

(A) Make any health care decision for me. This includes the power to give, refuse, or

withdraw consent to any care, treatment, service, or procedures. This includes deciding whether to stop or not start health care that is keeping me or might keep me alive, and deciding about intrusive mental health treatment.

 

(B) Choose my health care providers.

 

(C) Choose where I live and receive care and support when those choices relate to my

health care needs.

 

(D) Review my medical records and have the same rights that I would have to give my

medical records to other people.

 

If I DO NOT want my health care agent to have a power listed above in (A) through (D) OR if I want to LIMIT any power in (A) through (D), I MUST say that here:

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

My health care agent is NOT automatically given the powers listed below in (1) and (2). If I WANT my agent to have any of the powers in (1) and (2), I must INITIAL the line in front of the power; then my agent WILL HAVE that power.

 

______   (1)  To decide whether to donate any parts of my body, including organs, tissues, and eyes, when I die.

 

______ (2)  To decide what will happen with my body when I die (burial, cremation).

 

If I want to say anything more about my health care agent’s powers or limits on the powers, I can say it here:  ________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

PART II: HEALTH CARE INSTRUCTIONS

 

NOTE: Complete this Part II if you wish to give health care instructions. If you appointed an agent in Part I, completing this Part II is optional but would be very helpful to your agent. However, if you chose not to appoint an agent in Part I, you MUST complete some or all of this Part II if you wish to make a valid health care directive.

 

These are instructions for my health care when I am unable to decide or speak for myself.

These instructions must be followed (so long as they address my needs).

 

THESE ARE MY BELIEFS AND VALUES ABOUT MY HEALTH CARE

(I know I can change these choices or leave any of them blank)

 

I want you to know these things about me to help you make decisions about my health care:

 

My goals for my health care: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

My fears about my health care: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

My spiritual or religious beliefs and traditions: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

My beliefs about when life would be no longer worth living:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

My thoughts about how my medical condition might affect my family:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

THIS IS WHAT I WANT AND DO NOT WANT FOR MY HEALTH CARE

 

(I know I can change these choices or leave any of them blank)  Many medical treatments may be used to try to improve my medical condition or to prolong my life. Examples include artificial breathing by a machine connected to a tube in the lungs, artificial feeding or fluids through tubes, attempts to start a stopped heart, surgeries, dialysis, antibiotics, and blood transfusions. Most medical treatments can be tried for a while and then stopped if they do not help.  I have these views about my health care in these situations:  (Note: You can discuss general feelings, specific treatments, or leave any of them blank)

 

If I had a reasonable chance of recovery, and were temporarily unable to decide or speak

for myself, I would want:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

If I were dying and unable to decide or speak for myself, I would want:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

If I were permanently unconscious and unable to decide or speak for myself, I would want:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

If I were completely dependent on others for my care and unable to decide or speak for

myself, I would want: …..

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

In all circumstances, my doctors will try to keep me comfortable and reduce my pain. This is how I feel about pain relief if it would affect my alertness or if it could shorten my life:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

There are other things that I want or do not want for my health care, if possible:

 

Who I would like to be my doctor:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Where I would like to live to receive health care:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Where I would like to die and other wishes I have about dying:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

My wishes about donating parts of my body when I die:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My wishes about what happens to my body when I die (cremation, burial):

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Any other things:

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

PART III: MAKING THE DOCUMENT LEGAL

 

This document must be signed by me. It also must either be verified by a notary public

(Option 1) OR witnessed by two witnesses (Option 2). It must be dated when it is verified or witnessed.I am thinking clearly, I agree with everything that is written in this document, and I have made this document willingly.

 

 

___________________________________

My Signature

  

___________________________________

Date signed:

 

___________________________________ 

Date of birth:

 

___________________________________ 

Address:

 

 

If I cannot sign my name, I can ask someone to sign this document for me.

 

 

_____________________________________________________

Signature of the person who I asked to sign this document for me.

 

________________________________________________________

Printed name of the person who I asked to sign this document for me.

 

 

Option 1: Notary Public

 

In my presence on___________________________________ (date), __________________________________________ (name) acknowledged his/her

signature on this document or acknowledged that he/she authorized the person signing this document to sign on his/her behalf. I am not named as a health care agent or alternate health care agent in this document.

 

___________________________________________ 

(Signature of Notary)

 (Notary Stamp)

 

 

Option 2: Two Witnesses

 

Two witnesses must sign. Only one of the two witnesses can be a health care provider or an employee of a health care provider giving direct care to me on the day I sign this document.

 

Witness One:

(i) In my presence on _______________________ (date), ________________ (name) acknowledged his/her signature on this document or acknowledged that he/she authorized the person signing this document to sign on his/her behalf.

(ii) I am at least 18 years of age.

(iii) I am not named as a health care agent or an alternate health care agent in this document.

(iv) If I am a health care provider or an employee of a health care provider giving direct

care to the person listed above in (A), I must initial this box: [   ]

I certify that the information in (i) through (iv) is true and correct.

 

______________________________________ 

(Signature of Witness One)

 

Address:  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Witness Two:

(i) In my presence on ________________________ (date), _________________ (name) acknowledged his/her signature on this document or acknowledged that he/she authorized the person signing this document to sign on his/her behalf.

(ii) I am at least 18 years of age.

(iii) I am not named as a health care agent or an alternate health care agent in this document.

(iv) If I am a health care provider or an employee of a health care provider giving direct

care to the person listed above in (A), I must initial this box: [   ]

I certify that the information in (i) through (iv) is true and correct.

 

________________________________________ 

(Signature of Witness Two)

 

Address:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

REMINDER: Keep this document with your personal papers in a safe place (not in a safe deposit box). Give signed copies to your doctors, family, close friends, health care agent, and alternate health care agent. Make sure your doctor is willing to follow your wishes. This document should be part of your medical record at your physician’s office and at the hospital, home care agency, hospice, or nursing facility where you receive your care.

 

Some of this information was taken from Minnesota statute section 145C.16.  This should not be considered legal advice, it is provided as a public service.



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Jimmy Chuang asked:


Whenever one reads any reading matter likehealth insurance, it is vital that the person enjoys reading it. One should grasp the meaning of the matter, only then can it be considered that its reading is complete.

Nothing ruins a fabulous vacation faster than an unanticipated medical emergency—except, that is, experiencing such an emergency and knowing you are unprepared to handle it. Buying travel insurance before you leave for your trip won’t guard against emergencies, but it may ease some of the difficulty of dealing with whatever problem has interrupted your vacation.

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, you never know when something might happen. You could miss a flight and be stranded somewhere, your partner might have a heart attack, or you might be caught up in a natural disaster. Whatever the case may be, having additional options available will make the situation much more bearable.

Travel or vacation insurance is available in many formats. You can buy a basic package that protects you from logistical issues such as being bumped from a flight and not making your cruise departure, to more complex packages that incorporate logistical issues, health care, and loss or theft. You can also purchase limited policies that guard against specific risks or events either on or before your trip. For example, you may want an ‘out’ to cancel your walking tour of England if you broke your leg three days before your departure. Or you may want to purchase health coverage so that if you break you leg while on the walking tour, you can receive proper medical attention without having to deal with the possibility your provider won’t pay for care administered in another country. This is a super way to protect against loss of deposits and pre-paid expenses.

After many hopeless endeavors to produce something worthwhile on health insurance, this is what we have come up with. We are very hopeful about this!

Trip insurance can be purchased from a number of sources including your travel agent and insurance agent. In addition to the different kinds of travel or vacation insurance that are available, you can also find a plan that is flexible in terms of length. Policies may be obtained to cover a specific period such as two weeks, on a price-per-day open-ended basis, or, particularly in the case of organized vacations, for a flat rate covering your vacation getaway.

Vacation or travel health care insurance is a valuable tool, especially if you purchase a comprehensive policy that includes coverage death or injury to yourself or your family/travel companions; accidents or illness requiring hospitalization while at your vacation destination; emergency dental work; ambulance fees, medi-coptor, or transport back to the United States while you are abroad; and, medical evacuation to a safe location if necessary. You may have comprehensive domestic health care insurance in the United States, but many plans provided by insurance, HMO or governmental organizations are not honored if you require medical attention while abroad.

Long before you leave home, while you are still in the planning stages of your vacation or business trip, it is wise to review your existing health care insurance package to see what, if any, coverage you may have while in transit or once you have reached your destination. Pay special attention to the exclusions section of your agreement, and if you are confused or unclear about any of the language, contact your provider for a more understandable explanation. In fact, have your provider review the entire policy with you so you can take note of what coverage you have, what documentation you need to carry in order to access insurance-sponsored health care while you are away, and any particular accommodations you may need to make, such as whether family members have to be named individually on your agreement in order to be protected.

It is only because that we are rather fluent on the subject of health insurance that we have ventured on writing something so influential on health insurance like this!

We can proudly say that there is no competition to the meaning of health insurance, when comparing this article with other articles on health insurance found on the net.

By figuring out what coverage you have, you can avoid the cost of purchasing duplicate coverage. You may think you are doubling your protection by buying a redundant policy, but almost all plans exclude coverage of claims that can be made under an already existing policy.

So should you buy travel health insurance? Probably. Hopefully you will never need it, but you will have to make a personal decision about whether you are willing to take a chance to save a couple hundred dollars or less. Your destination and the nature of your trip should be considered when making a decision. For example, an authentic African safari or wilderness white water rafting trip has a higher probably of medical implications than a seniors’ train tour, but life isn’t predictable. Assess your risk, financial capability to handle possible emergencies and your comfort level, and work from there.



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William Pritchett asked:


good friend of mine inquired where he could obtain information about medical insurance for his out-of-state, elderly mother, I told him to try the Internet. He reported back to me about a week later, in desperation: “I am giving up, I am too confused.” He had taken on an overwhelming project with his widowed mother, living in another state. As the only child, and following the sudden death of his father, it was his responsibility to care for his mother. In this world of technology, the family unit is often living in different geographical areas and the family members are usually quite involved with their own lives, careers, and families. In addition, when both parents are alive, often one or both parents are quite independent and do not require a lot of assistance.

As time goes on things, of course, change, and sometimes change very suddenly. There can be a crisis, with regard to the health care needs of one or both aging parents. With our baby boomers facing this problem in ever increasing numbers, and with the information highway in full bloom, there is a definite need for planning. Protecting your parent’s assets and health is a huge and daunting undertaking, which requires a tremendous amount of education and practical application. Our seniors face many diverse responsibilities upon reaching age 65. To name just a few: Estate planning, taxation, Medicare, social security, wills, insurance, and various other legal and financial matters.

All of these different areas require expertise from accountants, lawyers, estate planners, insurance agents, home brokers, financial advisors, and others. The Internet is a good starting point for most people to find resources for questions and solutions for your problems. There is, however, no replacement for good solid intelligent advice from an expert. Twenty years ago, insurance for elders was sold by “senior insurance specialists,” with just a handful of companies in each state. The programs were most often Medigap or Medicare supplemental policies, which covered the expenses not covered by Medicare, including hospital and doctor deductibles, durable medical devices, and non-approved Medicare costs. Ironically these specialists did not sell a lot of nursing care policies, even though Medicare paid a national average of less than 2% of these expenses.

With the advent of “financial and estate planning” and more insurance companies entering this market, a more broad and diversified product line became available to agents, brokers, planners, and seniors. Part of this new diversification was the “home health care plan,” sold by itself, and in conjunction with senior health insurance products. The appeal of the “home health care policy” was that a senior could stay at home and still receive medical and custodial benefits, allowing a person to recuperate in the comfort of their own home. This was the answer to a huge problem. The last place an older person wanted to go was a “retirement home,” or “rest home,” or, God forbid, the “nursing home.”

It appeared that seniors could now rely on this new innovation without worry of having to move out of their home environment in the event of a health problem. As with most things,” if it is too good to be true.” … The home health care policy is no exception. The problem is, there is not enough coverage for a lengthy illness or recuperation time. The fact is, the new trend is toward an “all in one” type facility, allowing for a variety of levels of care all in one location. In other words a senior could start off with little or no health care concerns in an independent, less expensive area, and then go to an assisted living, or nursing care facility, all within the same compound. A “nursing home” requires a nurse on the premises 24 hours per day, assisted living is just eight hours.

The advantages to this are financial. The patient or senior is only charged according to the care level required during the time he or she is admitted to that facility. Another benefit is it alleviates a lot of planning because the care is delivered, as it is needed. The medical attention is available to all residents regardless of their current health. Some people are offered a lifetime package , which covers their care for the rest of their life, regardless of their current age. It also allows for social outlets to an otherwise somewhat isolated group. On-line shopping services have become a huge business. It is definitely here to stay and many insurance policies are purchased from Internet quotes and on-line applications.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of insurance agents and brokers advertising on the Internet. Most of them will provide instant on-line quotes and even applications for the potential insured. I highly discourage a layperson to purchase insurance in this fashion. A little knowledge can be dangerous. The federal government has mandated to all states through legislation, the standardized senior health insurance policy guidelines, which are governed and regulated by each state insurance department. There are plans for almost every level of health. Some are designed and priced for a less than healthy individual.

Others are for a person with minimal health concerns. The whole concept of insurance is to provide protection for “unanticipated” sickness or injury, especially catastrophic expenses, which would devastate a person’s net worth. The more small expenses a person is willing or able to pay (self-insure), the lower the rate. I recommend this strategy when evaluating your insurance options. Another consideration when reviewing various insurance plans is to look at the company itself. How long has the company been selling this type of insurance? Do they have a lot of complaints filed with the local department of insurance? Are the rates stable? Does it pay claims on time? Service? Most agents talk about the rating. These ratings are as follows: A+, A, A? B+, B, B? C+, C, C? or “not rated.”

Do not be fooled by rating alone. It is good to have a high rating, but it is far better to have a company that has longevity, stability, innovation, service, and expertise. The problem is that some companies enter into a market and quickly leave without explanation. This does not give security to the policyholder. The most important consideration should be a review of the profit/loss ratio for that product. This will establish stability, and longevity in the market. An insurance company with a moderate profit in a particular line of business will remain in that market. On the other hand, a company with losses will make changes and possibly even withdraw. This is information not normally available to Internet users. Before entering into an insurance contract , the senior person, the family, and other advisors must be realistic, and a careful evaluation of the entire picture must be examined. The age, the health of the senior, the financial resources, the personality and attitude of the senior, and most importantly the desires of the senior, should all be considered. Early planning is important, as qualification becomes increasingly more difficult as the applicant’s health declines. The senior health care market is complex. I will offer some words of advice to attempt to alleviate potential pitfalls.

*C hoose a well-informed, seasoned, and service oriented agent or broker to assist your decision making process. The professional can offer invaluable information, but do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions and even get a second opinion. *Do not wait until your parent or loved one is sick, or injured. Plan ahead and take the time needed to cover all the options.

*C hoose an experienced insurance company. A Company that has been in the marketplace for a significant time and has maintained a balance of rates and benefits and sound risk selection with moderate rate increases over time is your best bet.

 *T he plan should be flexible, with a broad range of options and benefit selections to the insured. There should be no tricks, or complicated language for the coverage. An incredibly low rate is a red flag for trouble in the future.

*Do not rush or be rushed by an over aggressive sales person. This policy will not be inexpensive and will need to be read and reviewed for a clear understanding of the contents. This is one advantage to the Internet. You are allowed to read indefinitely before you act. A long-term care program, with or without insurance coverage, will only work if the senior has input into the care selection process. If there are any questions about the accreditation of a facility please call the “Continuing Care Accreditation Commission at 202-783-7286. http://www.empirehealthstore.com

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