Archive for September, 2011

« Older Entries

Health Care Reform Pros And Cons



The health care reform bill authored by the Congress has finally been approved. It is imperative that we know the pros and cons of this bill. Let us discuss some facts about this health care legislation that should be common knowledge for every citizen.

The insurance companies will be under the watchful eye of the government. The minimum services to be covered, such as preventive care, will be standardized. The premiums should have a particular percentage to be paid out to patient care. The exchanges will be opened by the year 2014. By then, the insurance companies will not be able to turn down clients because of the previous conditions.

The hospitals or other private health care institutions won’t be taken over by the government the way they do in Britain or Canada. Physicians won’t be under the employment of the government such as in Britain.

And unlike in Canada where all bills are paid by the government (single-payer system), the US government will only aid individuals in buying insurance from private companies. The other areas of the previous system such as Medicaid for the deprived, employer-assisted insurance, or Medicare for the aged will not be touched. For individuals who are compelled to get insurance on their own, the administration will produce exchanges for health insurance. With this, they could comparatively analyze prices & plans with minimum effort.

Small companies are not obliged to provide insurance for their employees but large companies will be fined if they neglect to buy them insurance. Large companies are those that employ fifty workers or more. For example, an employee for a company of seventy workers purchases insurance on the exchange. Then it is found that he is eligible for the government’s low-income credit then the company will be afforded a fine.

According to the individual mandate, every individual must have a health insurance otherwise they will be fined. The intention of the government is to cap premiums for individuals who earn below a certain bracket. A minimum of $695 for every individual each year will comprise the fine. But there are exceptions like hardship on finances and other special cases.

The Medicare program, which is controlled by the government, will continue shouldering the medical expenses for senior citizens. But cost controls will be implemented on health care institutions, especially incentives & penalties. Medicaid will now cover all poverty-stricken individuals unlike before where only the elderly, disabled, children, or pregnant women are covered. Illegal immigrants aren’t eligible for benefits. Nor does the government favor elective abortions except in cases of incest, rape, or when the mother’s life was endangered.

Posted in Insurance

Top Six Golden Retriever Health Issues to Consider



For the most part, you probably will not experience very many golden retriever health problems. If you keep your dog well exercised, fed properly, and make sure he gets all his shots than he should have a good long and healthy life. However, dogs like people do sometimes experience some health issues.

It’s good to understand what can happen so that you can avoid it or at least see it if and when it happens. The other reason to be aware of these things is that some of them can be screened for at breeding time. Which is great, because you can potentially avoid them altogether. Or at very least, minimize the possibility that your dog will have problems. Not everything I talk about here is a disease of course, some of these things are just common sense items that need to be repeated.

A Dog That Sheds

First of all, it’s good to know that golden retrievers are dogs that shed. They shed a lot. I often tell people be prepared to groom your dog daily. If you do this, or have one of your kids do it, then you will find very little hair around her house. However the absolute minimum is two times per week. You will have to brush them more often in the springtime in early summer. This is when they shed that beautiful winter coat, and if you don’t keep them well groomed, it will be all over your house and your furniture.

Food

This is one of the main things that you can control with respect to your Golden retriever’s health. Golden retrievers love to eat. You cannot set their food bowl out and leave it out because it will constantly be empty. Feed them what the bag suggests for their height and weight, and of course ask your vet, but do not overfeed this dog. If you do so they will very quickly become obese. There especially prone to this as they get older, because they don’t get as much exercise, and are generally is active.

Physical Activity

Another key ingredient to your golden retrievers health is the amount of exercise that she gets. It’s good to understand when you get your dog that they need a lot of exercise. This is not for the sole purpose of keeping their physical body in tune, but also it keeps them mentally balanced. They need this or their behavior will turn bizarre and strange. They will begin to chew things and become unruly and difficult to deal with.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a condition that can be tested for in the breeding stock. So if you’re getting a puppy from a breeder, make sure that the breeding stock has been tested for this. All good breeders will provide you proof of this anyway. It’s a relatively simple test that a veterinarian can do with an x-ray.

Cataracts

Dogs, and golden retrievers in particular, can actually get cataracts. Fortunately, as in people, they can also get surgery to correct it. And by and large it’s fairly successful.

Entropion

Golden retrievers are susceptible to a quirk with their eyes called entropion. This is a condition by which turned back to me the Bible. It’s extremely uncomfortable, but can also be corrected with surgery. People, generally the elderly can also get this. The solution is very similar.

None of these things are terribly common, but they are all ailments which when identified can be dealt with before they get too serious.

Posted in Pets

How Will the Health Reform Affect Medicare Advantage Plans 2010?



When the final health care bill will be passed, there will be changes to Medicare that affect seniors and beneficiaries in 2010.

What Is Planned? Currently, House and Senate bills plan the following changes in regards to Medicare Advantage plans 2010:

Eliminate The Open Enrollment Period from January 1st to March 31st from 2011 on. If this is approved, Medicare beneficiaries will have only get one opportunity to change their Medicare coverage during the Annual Election Period from November 1 to December 15 of each year. Payment cuts to Advantage plan carriers in 2011 Around 5% in cuts compared to 2010 are expected and will most likely be passed on to those enrolled in the plans. So it is to be expected that there will be no or very few ‘zero premium’ Advantage plans found in 2011.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released information about the plans that will be available in 2010. On average, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to choose from more than 30 Medicare Advantage plans in 2010, some will have as many as 73 different plans to choose from in their area. The mix of the plans offered will change as carriers respond to current and anticipated program changes.

Firms withdrawing from the PFFS market are continuing to offer coordinated care plans (mainly HMOs) and new plans of various types. Some firms, like Kaiser Permanente, are making no changes in their offerings in 2010. Kaiser Permanente will continue to offer only HMO and cost plans.

Fewer MA-PD enrollees will be in plans with no premium in 2010 than in 2009, if they stay in their plans. However, a plan with no premium does not necessarily represent the best value for enrollees because out-of-pocket costs are affected by a combination of premiums, covered benefits and cost-sharing requirements.

Beneficiaries who decide to remain in their same Medicare Advantage plan in 2010 can expect premium increases of, on average 32, percent, although the magnitude of the increase will obviously vary from plan to plan.
Therefore, beneficiaries may find it in their interests to review and compare coverage their health care plan options, taking into account premiums, benefits, cost-sharing, and provider networks, to choose the option most likely to meet their individual needs and circumstances.

For more information about the planned changes, what you can do to add additional coverage to your health care, and to compare Medicare Advantage Plans available to you, please visit my Medicare Advantage Plans 2010.

Posted in Health And Fitness