Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the US Supreme Court will be hearing two different cases dealing with gay marriage. While most people think the court will decide the cases narrowly (and on a state level instead of a national level), pretty much anyone who isn’t grossed out by same sex sex is working to make sure the Supreme Court decides in favor of equality for all citizens.
Archive for the ‘Healthcare’ Category
Your Money Friday: Health Insurance Not Paying
08
Mar
Insurance companies make mistakes. No one is perfect. If your health insurance company isn’t paying claims it should, you cannot just keep sending documentation to the claims department. It won’t do any good. Before going (or threatening to go) to your state’s Insurance Commissioner, you should follow the process your insurance company has set up to fix mistakes. Look at the denial you were sent. There should be information on how to file an appeal. If you don’t still have that paperwork, call customer service and ask for appeals. Insurance companies make mistakes. Appeals departments are how they fix them.
Measurements
06
Mar
I repeat that I’m very happy I’m not doing some sort of system for my weight loss. Being completely in control of what I’m doing makes it much easier for me to think of this as a lifestyle change and to know that I will be able to continue it. However, every once in a while I do wish I was on a system for one simple reason- the systems remind you not just to weigh yourself, but to measure yourself, when you start. I took no measurements. I know I’ve lost inches, but I have no idea how many.
Weight Loss
05
Mar
Two different weight loss plans are sweeping my company. The people on both plans are constantly talking about how great they are. They are seeing results, and that’s fabulous, but I think that may be why I’m not on a “system”. Weight loss is personal to me, and I have no desire to go around and talk to everyone about the great plan that’s helping me get there.
I have lost enough that people are noticing (45lbs in 7 months), and it’s nice to be able to just say “thank you” without feeling the need to sell them a product.
Your Money Friday: FMLA
04
Jan
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) passed by the government many years ago is still confusing workers on a daily basis. This legislation protects a person’s job for up to 12 weeks out of a rolling calendar year if they have to be out for their own or an immediate family member’s medical care. But the exact nuances of the legislation can be confusing. If you need to go out on medical leave and are applying for FMLA protection, make sure you sit down with and FMLA expert at your company and ask questions. It is for your own protection.
Your Money Friday: Financially Thankful
23
Nov
It’s the Friday after Thanksgiving, and over at Your Money today, we’re talking about what we have been thankful for, financially, in the last year.
For most of us, it’s decent jobs for ourselves and loved ones, having insurance or remaining healthy, the ability to save to give us more options in the future, and have a spouse or significant other who is on the same page financially.
We often think about the “trouble” money can cause, especially in relationships, but there really is just as much to be thankful for, when you take a moment to think about it.
Your Money Friday: Medicaid for Long Term Care
02
Nov
I’m a huge fan of long term care insurance, but many people had never heard of it, or the policies were never affordable. The majority of boomers are not going to have policies, and that means a lot of people may need Medicaid to cover custodial care.
The question this week was, if one spouse is still healthy and the other needs custodial care, what can the healthy spouse be left with? Must they impoverish themselves to care for their spouse?
The answer- it varies by state. And it wouldn’t hurt to start checking in to your state’s programs now.
Mind over Pain
25
Oct
What would you think if your doctor gave you the option of virtual pain relief? You might be concerned that “virtual” pain relief would not relieve anything, but for those who are concerned about developing an addiction to powerful narcotics, the option might be very welcomed.
Enter SnowWorld, a virtual reality game that is played by burn patients during their daily would care- care that can be more painful than getting the burn itself. SnowWorld gives the patient something else to focus on, and does it so well that they often feel less pain than they did when taking drugs.
Crowdsourcing Medical Care
12
Sep
If you’re a regular here, you know I’m a huge fan of crowd source funding. I like it for creating new projects at Kickstarter. I like it for making loans at Prosper. I like it for a charitable combination of the two at Kiva. And now I like it for donating to help those in developing countries get the lifesaving/improving healthcare they need through the new charity, Watsi.
Watsi is embracing the power of the good in people. It allows those who can to help pay for medical care for those who would otherwise have no chance of getting treatment.
The EKG Ap
10
Sep
Here in the US, if you need an EKG, you go to the doctor, it gets ordered and off you go to be hooked up to expensive equipment, at least if you have money or some kind of insurance. But what about people in developing countries where the majority of the population does not have access to advanced medical care and an EKG machine?
Enter Catherine Wong, a 17 year old from New Jersey. She recently invented an ap that will work as an EKG. Because the sad truth is, more people have access to smart phones than do hospitals.