Understanding CHIP

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The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides low-cost insurance converge to children in families who earn too much money to qualify for state Medicaid. If your child(ren) are eligible for CHIP, you do not have to purchase an insurance plan to cover them. Each state has its own rules and guidelines, but the CHIP program works closely with the state’s Medicaid program.

The funding for the program expired on September 30 and in recent actions by Congress, short-term funding for CHIP will again expire at the end of January. A new budget was proposed last week.

“The Congressional Budget Office says a Senate bill adding five years of financing to the program would cost $800 million. Previously, the analysts estimated it would cost $8.2 billion.” –Associated Press

What CHIP covers.

CHIP benefits are different in each state. But all states provide comprehensive coverage, including:

  • Routine check-ups
  • Immunizations
  • Doctor visits
  • Prescriptions
  • Dental and vision care
  • Inpatient and outpatient hospital care
  • Laboratory and X-ray services
  • Emergency services

There is no cost for routine ‘well-child’ doctor and dental visits under CHIP. However, there may be co-payments for other services. In addition, some states charge a monthly premium for CHIP coverage but you will never pay more than 5% of your families’ yearly income.

 

Being a specialized caregiver, you do not have to go it alone.

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Caring for a special needs child or an elderly adult can be met with fear and uncertainty. After all, when a diagnosis is made or the aging process leaves a parent in need of continual help, an uncharted territory lies ahead for the caregiver.

No person needs to take on the role alone. Resources exist to connect caregivers with a community of other caregivers and organizations that can provide both financial and emotional support.

In fact, make that step number one.

 

  • Find a support system, build your tribe. That can be neighbors, friends, people from your congregation etc. People that understand [to the best of their ability] the situation and may even be a similar one. Take to the internet and seek out local organizations that deal with the same specific issue, talk and share with others.

 

  • Knowledge is power. Ask questions, find out everything you can about the diagnosis. Do your research and stay up to date on the latest treatments etc. for the condition. Being armed with the latest information is empowering.

 

  • Take care of you! The stresses of caring for others nonstop can be overwhelming. Take a break from time to time, ask for help from a trusted family member or friend. Often people around us wish to help, they just need to be told how. Local care agencies are another great resource to explore if you need it.

 

 

Tips For A Safe And Healthy Summer

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Summer time means fun in the sun, playing outdoors and outdoor recreation. There are few simple ways to keep our bodies healthy while enjoying the good weather.

Here are few tip to stay safe and healthy summer.

 

  1. Stay Hydrated- drink water. Water is important to good health. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day will help you stay hydrated in the summer heat. If you are active, up your intake.
  2. Wear Sunscreen- wearing at least a SPF 30 will help protect you from UV damage. Even if you are only going to be in the sun for a few minutes, lather it on.
  3. Stay cool- wear appropriate clothing and that is cool and light. Protect your eyes with sunglasses and if possible, wear a brimmed hat.
  4. Be fit, stay active-regular exercise contributes a healthy lifestyle overall. Being active in the early mornings or evenings will assist in not getting overheated. Wear a helmet when biking, riding a scooter, skateboarding etc.
Spring Allergy Season|Ark Insurance Solutions

Be Prepared for Allergy Season

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Spring Allergy Season|Ark Insurance Solutions

With spring weather comes allergy season. Plants are starting to bloom and pollen is in the air to fertilize other plants. Pollen can also pollinate your nasal passages which can bring discomfort.

Be Prepared for Allergy Season

Common sources of allergies, sometimes referred as  ‘hay fever’ come from weeds, flowers, grasses, and trees. Symptoms include sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, and runny nose.

Your physician can perform a skin prick test to help determine what you are allergic to so you can use the most appropriate treatment.

These simple tips can also help prevent reactions.

  1. Limit your time outdoors on high pollen days and keep your windows closed.  The local news is a great resource for sharing this information.
  2. Take over the counter medication after consulting with your physician.
  3. Change your bedding once a week to remove any pollen you may have brought indoors.
  4. Remove your shoes in the house to avoid dragging it in from outside.

Over the counter medications can help, but natural remedies can also be the answer.

Here are a few to try:

Quercetin-found in colorful fruits and vegetables

Vitamin C- provides a natural antihistamine effect.

Saline Nasal Spray

 

 

Covid-19 hospital bills

Understanding Preventive Health Services

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Preventive Health Service

 

 

Did you know that many preventive health services are covered by most health insurance policies at no cost to you? Waiting until you need to go to the doctor due to illness should be a thing of the past, practicing a healthy lifestyle and visiting the doctor for routine, preventive services is the key to a longer, healthier life.

When you become ill, you have no choice but to pay attention to your health. But, with free preventive services, like immunizations and yearly exams, you can get ahead of something that may have become catastrophic otherwise. Insurance companies want you to stay healthy, and in doing so, it keeps the cost of healthcare down.

Insurance carriers do have some age restrictions on some services, but overall, these preventive services are covered:

*Adult services:

• Laboratory tests

• Contraception

• Procedures; i.e., Pap Test, Lung Cancer Screening (between ages 55 and 80), Screening Mammogram

• Immunizations

• Examinations and Counseling; i.e., Physical Exam

*Obstetrical services:

• Laboratory tests; i.e., Iron Deficiency Anemia Screening, Diabetes Screening

• Breast feeding supplies and support; i.e., Breast Pump

*Pediatric services:

• Examinations and Counseling; i.e., Well-child Visit

• Immunizations

• Laboratory tests; i.e., Newborn Metabolic Screening (younger than age 1),

It may be beneficial to think of utilizing preventive services as a personal investment in your health future. In additional to practicing healthy living habits, like exercising and eating a well balanced diet, getting to the doctor on a regular basis will pay large dividends in your overall health as you age.

 

 

Source: Select Health 

Common Health Insurance Terms

Common Health Insurance Terms

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Common Health Insurance Terms

We understand that navigating the insurance maze can be daunting. Insurance companies use terms like, “Copay” and “Out of Pocket” and sometimes their terms can seem like a foreign language. Here are some of the most common terms you may hear and what they mean.

 

Insurance Premium– This is the cost of your plan, the monthly bill you, or your employer, pays for insurance coverage.

 

Deductible-This is the amount you pay BEFORE your insurance plan kicks and pays for certain services.

 

Copay– This is the upfront fee you pay to your doctor for services and office visits. This also applies to some medications.

 

Coinsurance– This is the amount you pay for services after your deductible has been met.

 

Total Member Responsibility-The amount that you owe for services AFTER your insurance plan has paid their portion. This can include deductibles, copays and coinsurance.

 

Out of Pocket Maximum– This the MOST you will be required to pay towards your deductible, copays and coinsurance. When you meet the Out of Pocket Maximum, all eligible charges for medical services are covered at 100% for the rest of the year.

 

Have questions? Give us a call!

Tips for Keeping New Year’s Resolutions

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Many of us make a list of resolutions in the beginning of a new year, fresh starts, new beginnings and all, right? Often, keeping those resolutions or goals can be difficult, as we settle into our old habits and patterns. Here are a few ideas to help keep you motivated.

  1. Keep them realistic. If you make a goal to lose 50 pounds this year, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Start with a more attainable goal that you can achieve in a relatively short amount of time.
  2. Start with one goal, and write it down. Having a visible reminder can help you stick to it.
  3. Make new goals, don’t repeat the same one you failed at in the past. Change it up, change your approach and keep in mind that change is a process.
  4. Don’t wait until the end of the year, or the last minute. Plan a head and keep moving forward.
  5. Celebrate all small victories towards your goal. This will help keep you motivated and when results are achieved, no matter how small, you will feel like you are accomplishing something and you will eventually conquer it.

Lastly, don’t be hard on yourself or let setbacks get you down. Use your family and friends for support, try using those relapses as learning opportunities towards growth and ultimately, change.

Amazon Partners with Blue Cross, Medical Supplies Now Available for Purchase

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Great news for Amazon shoppers and Regence Blue Cross members.

Retail medical supplies and equipment can now be purchased through an Amazon Local Associates shopping page. Blue Cross members can shop, buy and file a claim through the Regence website at:

https://www.regence.com/web/regence_producer/

“Once members have accessed this page:

1)     Members will be prompted to sign an authorization agreement opting them into the program

2)     They will be given a unique, one-time 10% off discount code that they can apply in the discount coupon field on the Amazon checkout page for applicable equipment and supplies

3)     The member is then redirected to the Amazon Local Associates shopping page where they can shop for and purchase medical equipment and supplies

o   Please remember to apply your unique discount code upon checkout to receive the 10%            discount.

o   This program will be in place until the end of September, with the potential to extend further based on member engagement.”

 

 

Source: https://www.regence.com/web/regence_producer/

 

 

 

Recent Study Looks At Health Care Pricing

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According to a recently published healthcare economics paper, different insurers pay varied prices for the same services and procedures at the same hospital, indicating that bargaining leverage really does impact healthcare prices.

 

Authors took actual data from claims for three national insurers. Studies showed that dominate hospitals can dictate how much they are going to get paid for specific services and procedures. For hospitals that hold an monopoly in their area, that number was 12.5% higher than those who had nearby competitors. For more concentrated markets, providers can shift more risk to insurers, which affects the ability to keep prices at a set standard.

 

“The two main types of contracts use prospectively set prices that pay a fixed dollar amount based on the DRG classification code, or a model that sets payments as a percentage of hospital charges.
Hospitals are likely to prefer the latter because they get paid for every service they provide, and thus bear less risk. This drives prices up and also places less pressure on the hospital to reduce costs.”

 

In simply terms, it’s about negotiation. The hospital may charge $50,000 for a hip replacement, but the negotiated price may be more like $22,000, Medicare reimbursements would be even less.

 

“Researchers also found that prices increased by more than 6% when merging hospitals were less than 5 miles apart. They didn’t find significant price impact when the hospitals were separated by at least 25 miles.”

 

 

 

 

Sources: The Price Ain’t Right? Hospital Prices and Health Spending on the Privately Insured Zack Cooper (Yale University) Stuart V. Craig (University of Pennsylvania) Martin Gaynor (Carnegie Mellon University and NBER) John Van Reenen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CEP, and NBER)

Modernhealthcare.com

Health Care Cost Institute

 

 

Safe Opioid Disposal

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Did you know that eighty percent of people addicted to heroin started with a legal prescription of an opioid?

Opioids are a common medication given to treat pain. Often, a patient prescribed these medications does not need the entire prescribed amount, leaving extra pills unused. Opioids can also be very addictive, thus a safe way to dispose of any unused amounts is important.

Some common opioids include:

  • Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin, Zohydro)
  • Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Roxicodone)
  • Morphine (MSIR, MS Contin)
  • Codeine (Tylenol #3, Phenergan with codeine)
  • Fentanyl  (Duragesic, Actiq)
  • Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
  • Oxymorphone (Opana)
  • Meperidine (Demerol)
  • Tramadol (Ultram, ConZip)
  • Buprenorphine (Subutex, Suboxone, Butrans, Zubsolv)
  • Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)

Intermountain Community Pharmacies provide collection sites for free.

For more information on safe disposal visit  http://useonlyasdirected.org/

 

 

 

Source: Use Only As Directed