Health Care and Equipment

Health Care and Equipment  » Preventive Healthcare: The Cheapest Way To Stay Healthy

Preventive Healthcare: The Cheapest Way To Stay Healthy

Preventive Healthcare: The Cheapest Way To Stay Healthy

By Irina

==========================================================

The author grants permission to publish this article, in

its entirety, electronically or in print, as long as the

bylines are included. Other articles by Irina are available

from http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/articles.html

==========================================================

Who won't agree that prevention is the most economical form

of healthcare? Yet, a recent government study showed that

55% of all Americans do not receive preventive services

such as:

- immunizations,

- screening tests, and

- education about healthy habits and injury prevention.

It used to be simple: everyone needed a standardized

"complete physical" exam once a year. But in the 1980s, an

independent committee of physicians called the U.S.

Preventive Services Task Force concluded that over the long

run, it doesn't pay off in terms of better health and

longer life.

The good old head-to-toe physical became unnecessary for

healthy people, since it yields too few benefits for its

cost. Some routine tests, such as chest X-rays,

electrocardiograms (EKGs), urine tests, and complete blood

counts are now reserved only for people with symptoms or

risk factors.

No wonder that both doctors and patients are confused by

contradictory recommendations. What should a medical

checkup consist of? Does everybody need an annual physical?

Should all men get a PSA test? At what age should a woman

start having mammograms?

Experts will continue to argue, but each of us has to make

his/her own choice. With insurance premiums constantly

rising, simply getting an access to preventive services is

a serious financial challenge, but there are some

alternatives that give us hope.

The most promising is the idea of so-called patient

advocacy via health care savings programs. The availability

and popularity of these programs is picking up year after

year, as more and more people, unable to get or afford

health insurance, are discovering them for the first time.

These programs negotiate prices with health care providers

on behalf of their members. Since they represent large

groups, the resulting discounts are usually the same that

the hospitals and physicians give to big insurance

Today's Popular Articles

• Health care costs are continually rising

• Become an LPN, the fast path to a nursing career.

companies.

Unlike traditional insurance model, the patient advocacy

actually encourages people to seek medical help as soon as

the need arises thus preventing "little aches" form

developing into life-threatening illnesses and financial

disasters. Monthly membership fee is affordable and no one

can be turned down because of a pre-existing condition.

Many of such programs also allow their members to

contribute money to medical savings accounts. Federal law

makes this an attractive option, because medical savings

accounts are tax deductible or not taxable at all, as long

as the funds are used to pay for healthcare.

(C) by Irina 2003.

==========================================================

About the Author:

Irina helps people save money on healthcare and create

steady stream of residual income working from home

http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/

==========================================================

About the Author

About the Author:

Irina helps people save money on healthcare and create

steady stream of residual income working from home

http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/