Health Vault

I came across an article the other day about a way you can keep your medical records and reports online and easily accessible.  I haven't really delved into it yet, but from what I see, it looks like it would be worth a look-see.  It's call Health Vault....      www.healthvault.com

You need to sign up for it and create a user name and password.  Once you've gone through the free registration you will be able to:

Get your medical records in one place:

You can track and manage prescriptions and chronic conditions, organize your medical records in one place so that it's available to you when and where you need it.

Prepare for an emergency:

Whether you travel, have kids, or are a caregiver, getting timely information to the right person can be vital.

 

Tools to care for your family:

With all of your family's info in one easily accessible place, you're always prepared, for everyday doctor visits or emergencies.

 

There is also a Get Healthy section where it gives you tips on firing up your fitness program.

 

Thee is also a Newsletter you can sign up for that will keep you up with the latest health tools and tips.

 

I know I'll be looking into this soon, and will share any further ideas I have about it with you. 

 

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/healthvault/get-healthy/fitness.aspx 

Challenge Questions 6 - 10

Now you've had a chance to test your knowledge on a few insurance basics.   Of course, like any good teacher would tell you, there's always room for more.....which brings me to questions 6 - 10.  They're still basic concepts, but hopefully you'll learn something new from these questions.

True or False

1.      Your doctor can make you pay the contracted adjustments that are not allowed by your PPO insurance that he participates with.

2.      You can only have one insurance policy for billing purposes.

3.      If you go to a contracted provider that takes your insurance, the provider must write off all of the contracted adjustments.

4.      Your doctor can share information about you to other sources without your permission.

5.      Your doctor can bill you for your deductible if your insurance applies it towards his claim.

I'm Back - (Pre-test Questions #1-5)

As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting for the last two months.  Summer has arrived along with my very first grandson Carter.  It’s been a crazy couple of months.  My daughter developed a severe form of pre-eclampsia called HELLP.  It's basically where your liver gets out-of-whack and the enzymes start destroying your red blood cells, as well as your blood pressure goes sky-high.  Needless to say she had to have an emergency C-section under general anesthetic and blood transfusions.  Baby Carter was in the NICU for a week (as he was 3.5 weeks early), but all is well with both mother and baby now. 

Back to the Blog:

For the next couple of weeks I'll be giving you some challenge questions.  These questions all come from my ebook in the form of a pre-test.  Hopefully after you've read my book, you will know the answers to these questions. I'll post five questions at a time and you can see if you know the answers.  If you do, you can email them to me or respond on my blog.  If you would like the answers, email me as well.  I haven't decided if I'll openly post the answers yet or not. 

True or False

1.      Your doctor can charge your insurance company any price that they want.

2.      If you have a HMO, you can go anywhere you want for services and your insurance company will pay the charges.  

3.      A deductible and co-pay mean the exact same thing.

4.      All insurance companies pay the same.

5.      COBRA law allows you to purchase health insurance if you get laid off.

Good Luck

Happy 4th of July

Make it a Happy and Safe One and Remember to Honor Those who Fought for our Freedom!

Insurance Webites

Did you know that with most insurance’s you can review your claims on their website?  I for instance have Anthem Blue Cross Select.  I found their website (the information is usually on the back of your insurance card) and signed up.  In order to sign up, you will need to have your insurance card handy and a valid email address.  Most websites will ask you questions and have you click the “I accept” disclaimer in order to join.  Once you’ve gone through the steps of setting up your account and password you would just log onto the website.  I recommend you save the website to your “favorites” so that it’s easy to find.  You will now be able to look at and print your claims.  There may be claims that say “processed, pending or rejected”.  You would just click on the one that you need and it will show the charges, what was allowed, what went towards the deductibles or co-pay, what the provider was paid, or what wasn’t paid and why.  Every member in your household will need their own sign in name, password and email to access claims.  

You can also find providers that are contracted with your insurance company.  But beware….just because they may be listed, doesn’t mean that they’re current.  If you find a provider that you want to see, call their office and double-check that they take your insurance.  Not all insurance companies keep their providers lists up to date, and providers may drop out of the plan, yet still show up on the website.

The website may also have information on wellness, health assessment, treatment- cost- advisor, compare facility cost and quality, your health record, a place to compare plan coverage options and a glossary/definition area as well.  These are very handy tools to have at your disposal.  There’s may even be a place where keep track of what money went towards your annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses.  Not all insurance companies have the same information on their websites, but they’re great to utilize if they’re available and I would recommend that you start using it right away.

HMO's

HMO:  (Health Maintenance Organization) Health HMO’s are a form of Managed Care Organizations. The HMO agrees to provide health insurance coverage through hospitals, clinics, doctors and other providers with whom they have a contract, thus you are limited to providers that are contracted with your HMO plan. You must select a Primary Care Provider (PCP) who acts as the “gatekeeper” of your health needs.  He will be the first line of contact when you need to be seen or referred to a specialist or ancillary provider.  There are also “direct” referrals, which mean that he can give you an order for a service that does not need authorization or permission from your HMO.  This might be a lab test or simple x-ray.  Then there are the types of specialists or procedures that need “authorization” from your HMO.   When deciding to choose an HMO vs a PPO, make sure that the providers that you generally see are contracted with the HMO, otherwise you may have to establish relationships with a whole new set of medical providers.

COBRA Insurance Coverage

COBRA

Did you know that you may be able to continue your health insurance coverage in the event of a layoff?  If you meet the criteria, you and your currently covered family members may be eligible to purchase your insurance through COBRA coverage.  If you work for an insured employer group of 20 or more employees, Congress passed the landmark Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) health benefit provisions in 1986 that lets you continue to purchase health insurance for generally up to 18 months if you lose your job or your coverage is otherwise terminated, and in some instances may permit a beneficiary to receive a maximum of 36 months of coverage.  Group health coverage for COBRA participants is usually more expensive than health coverage for active employees, since usually the employer pays a part of the premium for active employees while COBRA participants generally pay the entire premium themselves. It is usually less expensive than individual health coverage though.