Things To Consider Today

Good Healthcare

I want good healthcare, and so do other people. There are some things a person can do to increase the chances that he or she will get better care.

Over many years of adulthood, our family has lived in many places and changed employers several times. Fortunately, we have had health insurance consistently over the years, but it has been different plans through different companies. This means we have been able to get some type of care at a reasonable cost due to part of the bill being paid by insurance. So the first rule is get some medical insurance.

Even with insurance, you still have some bills to pay. Strive to payt these on time. Keep a good healthcare credit rating with your medical insurance company and your employer.

With both insurance and a record of paying your portion of the bills, you’ll find that people administering healthcare are easier to deal with and you can get more concessions out of them.

Recognize that today a lot of people are uninsured or under insured. This means the rest of us are paying for their care through higher bills for our healthcare. This is a financial fact that we all have to live with in out current health system.

Health costs are going up faster than wages. There are several reasons for this. More research is being done and people want more wonder drugs to cure everything. More drugs are being used by more people. Equipment has become more sophisticated and thus expensive. Treatments have gone up too. Everyone wants the latest things and the best treatment possible for him or her. If anything goes wrong, the patient starts a lawsuit. So what do you do?

Insurance companies try to control costs by limiting what they will pay for, or how much they will pay for a particular problem or disease. They limit their payments to both hospitals and doctors. This leads to cutting corners in care, or limiting how long of stay you have in a hospital or how much time you actually see a doctor during an appointment. For these reasons and more, you must learn to become your own advocate to gather accurate information and stand up for your rights.

Some of the reasons HMO’s were organized was to provide reasonably good health care to more people, and at a reasonable rate. This has not fully solved the problem however.

Some people are hoping for universal healthcare through the government. This would take the burden off of employers and the self-employed who buy insurance that is offered to businesses. We’ll will have to and see how far this social experiment goes and how successful it is.

Meanwhile, you and I want to sustain our physical and mental health, and want some ways to do this effectively. Here are some suggestions.

• Get some medical insurance, even if it doesn't cover everything you want. Have some ability to pay for deductible, or your portion of the bill for a specific problem. Save some money for medical emergencies or large medical bills.
• Control your weight. Keep your BMI (Body Mass Index) well below 30 if at all possible. If necessary go on a diet. Pick an approach or plan that is right for you today and stick with it until you reach your weight goal. Then have a strategy or plan for staying at that weight.
• Pay attention to your body. Self-examination becomes more important with age. So does sensitivity to aches and pins, and being stiff or sore. Remember, your body changes with time and you must take these natural changes into account.
• Get a medical examination or physical, along with certain tests, on a periodic basis. With age, some tests should be done more frequently. Check with your doctor about the frequency of exams, and the specific tests to done.
• Watch for lack of sleep. Don’t consume stimulants to keep you going during the day, and then end up keeping you up at night.
• Monitor stress. If it’s in your life more than it should be, find out its sources and work to reduce it to acceptable levels.
• Avoid over exposure to sunlight. Tanning is not good for the body.
• See a dentist regularly, and take care of your teeth.
• Have your eyes checked, and utilize any prescription for glasses.

Besides doing all the things above, you’ll still need the help of others at one time or another. Have a good support system in family and close friends. They can encourage you in many ways and help you when problems occur. Husband and wives, and grown children, can be real forces for positive reinforcement and support for you during times of medical problems.

When you see professional personnel, be prepared for appointments. For example, I keep a medical notebook on myself in my home. I know who I saw, when, and what happened. This goes back to college. Based on my personal medical records, as well as those kept by the doctor, I make sure health appointments are made and kept.

Before seeing the doctor I review past notes and make up a list of present concerns or questions. Then when I see the doctor, I make sure he answers all my questions or addresses my concerns before the visit is over. In this way, nothing is forgotten.

Also, I have found that for certain things, the doctor needs my input as much as I need his professional judgment. This is especially true for things like pain or mental health issues. For example, I have a minor case of epilepsy. For the epilepsy, certain tests can provide some accurate data. But only I can tell the doctor exactly what my thought patterns are, or what I see in my mind without proper medication. My descriptions help him to select the best medicine for me.

Some people get medical care, but are noncompliant. They will not follow instructions for using medicine or taking care of themselves after leaving the hospital or doctor’s office. Problems return and they are back again. Often, the problem is now worse. Don’t do this. Take charge and accept responsibility for doing your part in taking care of yourself.

In summary, take care of the financial aspects of medical care. Pay attention to your physical and mental health. Focus on prevention or wellness. Get regular examinations and tests via medical personnel. Be a compliant patient. Have some common sense. Last, but not least, don’t expect to do at age sixty what you did at thirty.

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Copyright  2008     Leland Pulley