Stay Safe during a Lightning Storm

"IF THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS"

Since thunder and lightning storms happen frequently during the summer months, FEMA offers these tips on how to avoid injury during a lightning storm:

• Avoid contact with corded phones.
• Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords.  Unplug electronic equipment well before the storm arrives because power surges from lightning can cause serious damage.
• Avoid contact with plumbing and bathroom fixtures because they can conduct electricity: do not wash hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes or do laundry.
• Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
• Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls.
• If you're caught outside during a storm, stay away from tall trees. Avoid open fields, beaches, and boats on the water. If possible, seek shelter in a thick growth of small trees or in a low lying area.  Also avoid anything metal such as golf clubs/carts, tractors, bicycles, etc. Seek shelter in a car if possible, but avoid touching any of its metal parts. 

      Because lightning is unpredictable and can strike 10 miles outside of  any rainfall the risk to individuals and property is increased.   If you feel you hair standing on end (which indicates lightning is about to strike) squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands over your ears and your head between your knees. Make yourself the smallest target possible and minimize your contact it the ground. DO NOT lie flat on the ground.

      Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately.  The following are things you should check when you attempt to give aid to a victim of lightning:

• Breathing - if breathing has stopped, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
  
• Heartbeat - if the heart has stopped, administer CPR.
  
• Pulse - if the victim has a pulse and is breathing, look for other possible injuries. Check for burns where the lightning entered and left the body. Also be alert for nervous system damage, broken bones, and loss of hearing and eyesight.

Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000, 

but could be reduced even further by following these safety precautions.

Information provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Is it possible to reduce health care costs?

Is it possible to reduce health care costs?

It is very easy to increase costs. The challenge comes when you have to answer question
“Is it possible to reduce health care costs?”

The truth is yes, it can be reduced if Tiger biscuits can be produced packed transported & then sold at retail level at Rs.50 per kgm by a reputed company Brittania- then why it is not possible to reduce costs when it comes to Health care.

In health care economies can be achieved by
(a)Standardision on design of hospitals
(b)Standardisalon on equipments to be procured/ installed
(c)Use of generic medicines vs branded medicines

(d)Effective procurement of equipment/medicines by hospitals forming consortium

We are sure the cost can be brought down by 25% and the benefit can be passed on to the consumers.

New Generic Drugs in 2011-2012

Generic drugs can save you money. What are considered generic drugs? According to the FDA:

"A generic drug is identical--or bioequivalent--to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price."

Below are two lists* for drugs which are soon to become "generic" for the years 2011 and 2012.

2011

Brand Name----Generic Name----Availibility

Uroxatral------------------------- alfuzosin------------------------July
Zyprexa---------------------------olanzapine----------------------October
Lipitor-----------------------------atorvastatin--------------------November
Caduet----------------------------amlodipine----------------------November
Tazorac----------------------------tazarotene cream---------------November

2012

Brand Name----Generic Name----Availibility

Lexapro---------------------------escitalopram--------------------February
Entocort EC-----------------------budesonide----------------------February
Avandia---------------------------rosiglitazone--------------------March
Avandaryl-------------------------glimepiride---------------------March
Avandamet-----------------------metformin-----------------------March
Boniva----------------------------ibandronate---------------------March
Seroquel--------------------------quetiapine-----------------------March
Avapro----------------------------irbesartan----------------------March
Avalide---------------------------hydrochlorothiazide-------------March
Provigil---------------------------modafinil------------------------April
Plavix-----------------------------clopidogrel----------------------May
Viramune-------------------------nevirapine-----------------------May
Lescol-----------------------------fluvastatin----------------------June
Tricor-----------------------------fenofibrate----------------------July
Clarinex--------------------------desloratadine--------------------July
Singulair--------------------------montelukast---------------------August
Actos-----------------------------pioglitazone----------------------August
Exforge---------------------------amlodipine-valsartan------------September
Diovan----------------------------valsartan------------------------September
Diovan HCT----------------------hydrochlorothiazide--------------September
Geodon---------------------------ziprasidone----------------------September
Combivir-------------------------lamivudine-zidovudine-----------November
Atacand--------------------------candesartan---------------------December
Maxalt---------------------------rizatriptan-----------------------December

*these lists are provided by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, a nonprofit Independent Licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

Facts and Myths about Generic Drugs

Fact: 7 in 10 prescriptions in the United States are filled by generic drugs.

Myth: Brand name drugs are safer than generic drugs. Fact: FDA receives very few reports of adverse events about specific generic drugs. Most reports of adverse events are related to side effects of the drug ingredient itself.

To learn more facts and myths concerning generic drugs, please visit the FDA site.

Back-To-School Student Health Fair August 6th

Morton Plant North Bay Hospital is hosting a Back-to-School Health Fair for all Pasco County school students in grades Pre-K through12:

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

Morton Plant North Bay Hospital

Medical Arts Building

6633 Forest Avenue, New Port Richey, FL

To register, call 727-940-2804. Click here for maps and directions.

The following programs will be offered free of charge:

• School/Sports Physicals
• Cardiac Screenings: EKG & ECHO (high school student athletes only)
• General Health Information
• Fingerprinting provided by the Pasco County Sheriff's Office

All students under the age of 18 must have a signed permission slip or have a parent or guardian present with them on

the day of the event to participate. Permission slips will be provided upon registration.  All students ages 18 and older must bring photo identification.

In addition, the following services will also be provided by the Pasco County Health Department free of charge.  All students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive these services:

• Dental Screenings and Education
• School Immunizations - please bring immunization records

MORTON PLANT MEASE

BAYCARE HEALTH SYSTEMS

Consolidated document containing all terms and conditions on health insurance to be issued by Irda

There have been so many notications pertaining to health insurance that Irda may comeout with a conslidated document having all terms and conditions pertaining to all players( Insurance Companies,TPA,s,Intermediaries). This will help all players/customers to refer to one document and have all the queries answered.

If this comes out -it will be a very good step. We welcome this proposal.

OPD coverage to make beginning in Indian Health Insurance

Non coverage of OPD has been one of the major weakness of Indian Health Insurance policies.
As a part of RSBY pilot project is being launched in Puri ,Orissa and will be followed in Mehsana, Gujarat.
We are sure this will result in reduction in claim figures in these pilot projects and scheme will extended to all over the country.What ever happens to RSBY is ultimtely going to spread to all the policies.

TPA,s should provide service to Insurance Companies only

In the recent past we have been hearing that TPA,s have started providing services to corporate clients inmanaging their health care schemes.

Irda does not wish this to happen.This is a good news.Insurance industry lost some of the corporate clients where the cliam ratio was much less than 100%.As a result clients wwhich were adding to the favourable margins were being lost.

PSU's still retain 59% market share of Indian health insurance market (2010-11) of Rs.11145 crores

The health insurance figures for the year 2010-11 are available and PSU's have achieved premium figure of Rs.6578.64 crores vs Rs.4949.67 crores(2009-10). This is 59.02% market share vs 59.09% market share which was achieved during last year.

Health Insurance Premium of Indian Insurance Companies 2010-11 vs 2009-2010

You will notice that every company has shown growth in business with exception of Chola.

Growth during the year of this portfolio is 33.05% and 5 top insurance companies and their market share are:

ICICI Lombard deserves appreciation for taking up 4th position as a result Oriental is now at 5th position in the list. Star Health has crossed figure of Rs.1000 crores by touching figure of Rs.1232.44 crores.

Our comment is- health insurance is the fastest growing segment but even then a lot is to be achieved as we have large population and it needs to be covered.

Some are going & some are coming

Bharti group has sold Bharti AXA (both life & non Life) to RIL (Mukesh Ambani Group). DLF Pramerica is being sold to HCL (Shiv Nadar Group). Future Generali (Kishore Biyani Group) is looking for buyers for both of its Insurance companies.

After tasting the attraction of Insurance sector many well known names /business houses have decided to leave.

At the same time some are getting in this sector .Mahindra & Mahindra is entering non life business. . Magna is also entering non life. Edelweiss is entering Life business.Religare Health should be operational in near future.

Delegations of many foreign companies have been visiting India frequently and have been looking for partners. Some of these are:
Cigna
United
Discovery
Samsung Fire & Marine
….

Let us welcome those who are entering and bid goodbye to those who have left.

CORIS Gipsa TPA JV is not coming

There were indications that CORIS Gipsa TPA JV will become operational by end of 2011 and as a result of the same New/National/Oriental/United (4 PSU’s) will shift their TPA work to the new company.

Tenders were floated and Coris, a French company was selected. Suddenly we find that JV is being dropped. Tendering/Selection process has come under cloud and it was decided by the high ups to avoid negative publicity by dropping this JV.

May be it is the end of the JV idea. Let us wait & watch.

Florida Kid Care - Income Eligibility 2011

Are you eligible for Florida Kidcare, Medicaid, or Healthy Kids? In order to make that determination, you first need to know where your family income falls in the poverty guidelines. See the new 2011 Federal Poverty Guidelines below:

The 2011 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia

Persons in family	Poverty guideline
1	$10,890
2	$14,710
3	$18,530
4	$22,350
5	$26,170
6	$29,990
7	$33,810
8	$37,630
For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each additional person.

To read more information about the Federal 2011 Poverty guildlines, click HERE. Also, if you need to view the income amounts at the varying percentages over 100% of poverty level, please click HERE. The next step is to look at the Florida KidCare Eligibility chart. Below is a brief summary:

• Children ages 0 through one, up to 200% of the federal poverty level, are covered under Medicaid (Title XIX and Title XXI funded)

• Children ages one through five, up to 133% of the federal poverty level, are covered under Medicaid (Title XIX funded)

• Children ages one through five, at 134% to 200% of the federal poverty level, are covered under MediKids (Title XXI funded)

• Children ages one through five, above 200% of the federal poverty level, are covered under MediKids full pay

• Children ages 5 through 18, up to 100% of the federal poverty level, are covered under Medicaid (Title XIX funded)

• Children ages 5 through 18, at 101% to 200% of the federal poverty level, are covered under Healthy Kids (Title XXI funded)

• Children ages 5 through 18, above 200% of the federal poverty level, are covered under Healthy Kids full pay

To learn more or apply for Florida KidCare, please click HERE to visit their web site.

Emphasis is needed on preventive cure

Emphasis is needed on preventive cure.

More and more emphasis needs to be put on preventive cure to reduce hospitalization claims. We always thought that good hygiene is important for healthy life but correlation of brushing teeth twice leading to lower cardiac illness risk is a good and interesting study. This has appeared as a news item in TOI.

Health Insurance portability is delayed

Health Insurance portability is delayed.

In one of my blog I had written that portability of health insurance is having complexities and it will take much longer time to become effective. We have been advising clients that do not postpone buying of Health Insurance policy for portability conditions to be known and being effective. This has happened as the portability is delayed from July 1, 2011 to Oct 1, 2011.

Frauds have no limit in insurance claims

Frauds have no limit in insurance claims.

The following news item is an eye opener, where the person concerned tried to have a claim by taking his father’s death and even managing documents required for lodging claim.

The question before us is:

Was the claim lodged with American Insurance Company, who asked the investigator to investigate the case?

Is it that Indians have stared buying life insurance from foreign insurance companies in foreign?We have started hearing that some people are now buying health insurance outside India because of better coverage.

Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)

Affordable Healthcare Insurance

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan makes health insurance available to people who have had a problem getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan:

• Covers a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs.
• Does not charge you a higher premium just because of your medical condition.
• Does not base eligibility on income.

To be eligible for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan:

• You must be a citizen or national of the United States or reside in the U.S. legally.
• You must have been without health coverage for at least the last six months. Please note that if you currently have insurance coverage that doesn’t cover your medical condition or are enrolled in a state high risk pool, you are not eligible for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.
• You must have a pre-existing condition or have been denied coverage because of your health condition.

Florida PCIP offers a choice of plan options to fit your needs (different levels of premiums, calendar year deductibles, prescription deductibles and prescription copays) at more affordable premiums.


Follow these links for more PCIP FAQs and information on the Affordable Care Act.

New Dietary Guidelines to Replace the Food Pyramid

LET'S EAT FOR THE HEALTH OF IT!

Your food and activity choices each day affect  your health -- how you feel today, tomorrow and in the future.  The tips below are a good starting point toward a change for a healthy diet and a healthier you: 

• Make at least half you grains whole grains
• Vary your veggies
• Focus on fruit
• Get your calcium rich foods
• Go lean with protein 
• Find your balance between food and physical activity 
• Keep food safe to eat

 More in-depth information can be found by following each topic link above and by visiting the Ten Tips Nutrition Education Series.  Sample menus are available to show how all the recommendations for each food group and nutrient intake can be integrated into a weekly menu.  You can also find tips for eating out and key information on vegetarian diets, and more.

Improving what you eat and being active will help you to reduce your risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and obesity. 

For additional resources check out:

• www.DietaryGuidelines.gov
• www.Health.gov/paguidelines
• www.HealthFinder.gov

 Information supplied by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion