By S Porter
Its been several months since the healthcare bill passed and despite the fact that most of it hasn't taken effect, we are already seeing how it will impact our lives. Insurance companies are now required to take people with pre existing conditions and young adults up to the age of 25 are now on their parents plan. The result is that now there are a lot more people that need health insurance dollars, but they aren't making up the difference. Health insurance companies only make about 4 percent of the total they bring in as profit, so they have to pass on to the customer the bulk of the cost increase. Healthcare premiums are now going up at a staggering pace and the mandate for everyone to buy health insurance doesn't begin for another 2 years.
It is true that healthcare costs would have gone up if we had done nothing, but now they are going up much faster and we were told the healthcare bill would make them go down. New taxes on medical equipment have kicked in causing the overhead for hospitals and private practices to go up and be passed on to us, along with Medicare cuts which are also being passed on to us. None of this comes as a shock to those of us in the healthcare field, and the American people were warned about this before the bill was passed. Congress was aware of the unpopularity of the measure and decided to pass it anyway. Americans have now cleaned out their house and given control back to Republicans in the mid term elections.
The logical course of action would be to repeal the whole bill and then work on it piece by piece, but as we all know; politics have nothing to do with logic. Republicans may try to repeal the bill, and they could get it through the house but not the Democrat controlled Senate. Even if they could get it through the Senate, President Obama would simply veto the measure making the whole exercise a waste of time. The next step they might try would be to defund the new bill but even if they succeeded, it wouldn't have any effect on the new taxes and mandates that are already making our premiums go up. The only course of action left is to revise certain parts of the legislation that both Republicans and Democrats can agree on.
Now we come to the real problem with politics; the only things that everyone can agree on will make the situation worse for those of us paying for our heath insurance. The healthcare bill will already cost far more than we were told and the most popular part of the bill to repeal is the mandate that everyone purchase health insurance; which will make it cost much more. If we were to repeal the Medicare cuts or tax increases, the result would also be a greatly increased cost of the bill. Repealing the pre existing conditions part of the law would reduce the costs of our premiums, but no politician would do that and risk being seen as insensitive. They could add some of the Republicans ideas to the bill like tort reform and purchasing health insurance over state lines, but none of their ideas will be useful if private health insurance companies start going out of business.
In the end, we are stuck with the government's "help" for at least the next 2 years. We have all been assured that we could keep the health insurance we had if we wanted to keep it, but there are some hitches to that statement. Most Americans get their health insurance from their employers, and if it becomes more cost effective to just pay the tax for not insuring their employees then you will lose the choice to keep your plan. No one mentioned how much your plan will cost to keep either. All of this is designed to drive everyone to a single payer program run by the government that will drive the quality of healthcare down and the cost to the tax payer beyond our limits. We need real solutions that don't involve government intervention, like discount fee for service plans and group employer plans purchased over state lines. Ameriplan, AARP and various other private companies have these plans, but we have been convinced that private companies are the enemy. Until we get common sense leaders and change our viewpoint on private industry, the sky is the limit on the amount of "help" we are going to get.
Article showing at EzineArticles, ArticlesBase, Amazines, ArticleAlley
Showing posts with label Health Insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health Insurance. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
When Swine Flu Attacks
By S Porter
As a nation, we haven’t had to worry about a major flu outbreak for many years. Swine Flu made an appearance about 30 years ago, but didn’t do the damage that many people thought it would. At times in our history, a flu epidemic has caused large death counts but Americans today aren’t very worried about a repeat. We keep hearing that another big flu is on its way, but is the swine flu the one we all have to worry about? Our medical care is far better today than it was during great epidemics of the past, but as of right now there is no vaccine for this particular strain.
The symptoms of swine flu are exactly the same as every other flu; lack of energy accompanied by a slight fever. Some people have stomach problems along with diarrhea and various other discomforts. Unfortunately there really isn’t a way to tell the difference between this flu or any other, so once you’re infected you won’t know if it’s swine flu or not. The flu and a cold feel very much alike, but the fever only comes with the flu so you know you have the flu if you have a high temperature. If you do start to display symptoms; bed rest and plenty of fluids are the best remedy.
The good news about the swine flu is that it isn’t very dangerous. Many people die from the regular flu every year, but those in danger already have some sort of health problem. Infants with underdeveloped immune systems, the elderly and people with other health difficulties are the most at risk. Fewer people die from this flu strain than every other strain that we see on a yearly basis. All the things we normally do to fight the regular flu also work with this strain; like bed rest and flu medication.
Now for the bad news; the majority of the population has no immunity to this strain because it hasn’t circulated in so long. The World Health Organization believes that once this strain has run its course, almost 2 billion people world wide will have caught it. Nearly 1/3 of earth’s entire population will have to deal with the effects of this flu as it spreads from person to person across the entire world. There is a vaccine in the works right now that still needs to go through human trials and the side effects examined, but it won’t be ready for use until most of the damage has already been done. Nevertheless, our government will spend billions of dollars developing this vaccine for future use.
We all have a one in three chance of catching this strain, but the danger of getting it isn’t any greater than catching a regular flu was before. Once we get through this flu season, swine flu will again disappear for a generation and we can all breath a sigh of relief. Life throws many curves at us, but having a good discount plan like Ameriplan health or good health insurance will help to ease the mind. I hate getting sick and I don’t know anyone who is anxious to go through this, but it would appear that we don’t have any choice. The good thing about events like this is that they bring us together as a single force, and give us a reason to band together and rely on each other.
Article showing at EzineArticles, GoArticles, ArticleDashboard, ArticlesBase, Amazines, Dime-Co, ArticleAlley
As a nation, we haven’t had to worry about a major flu outbreak for many years. Swine Flu made an appearance about 30 years ago, but didn’t do the damage that many people thought it would. At times in our history, a flu epidemic has caused large death counts but Americans today aren’t very worried about a repeat. We keep hearing that another big flu is on its way, but is the swine flu the one we all have to worry about? Our medical care is far better today than it was during great epidemics of the past, but as of right now there is no vaccine for this particular strain.
The symptoms of swine flu are exactly the same as every other flu; lack of energy accompanied by a slight fever. Some people have stomach problems along with diarrhea and various other discomforts. Unfortunately there really isn’t a way to tell the difference between this flu or any other, so once you’re infected you won’t know if it’s swine flu or not. The flu and a cold feel very much alike, but the fever only comes with the flu so you know you have the flu if you have a high temperature. If you do start to display symptoms; bed rest and plenty of fluids are the best remedy.
The good news about the swine flu is that it isn’t very dangerous. Many people die from the regular flu every year, but those in danger already have some sort of health problem. Infants with underdeveloped immune systems, the elderly and people with other health difficulties are the most at risk. Fewer people die from this flu strain than every other strain that we see on a yearly basis. All the things we normally do to fight the regular flu also work with this strain; like bed rest and flu medication.
Now for the bad news; the majority of the population has no immunity to this strain because it hasn’t circulated in so long. The World Health Organization believes that once this strain has run its course, almost 2 billion people world wide will have caught it. Nearly 1/3 of earth’s entire population will have to deal with the effects of this flu as it spreads from person to person across the entire world. There is a vaccine in the works right now that still needs to go through human trials and the side effects examined, but it won’t be ready for use until most of the damage has already been done. Nevertheless, our government will spend billions of dollars developing this vaccine for future use.
We all have a one in three chance of catching this strain, but the danger of getting it isn’t any greater than catching a regular flu was before. Once we get through this flu season, swine flu will again disappear for a generation and we can all breath a sigh of relief. Life throws many curves at us, but having a good discount plan like Ameriplan health or good health insurance will help to ease the mind. I hate getting sick and I don’t know anyone who is anxious to go through this, but it would appear that we don’t have any choice. The good thing about events like this is that they bring us together as a single force, and give us a reason to band together and rely on each other.
Article showing at EzineArticles, GoArticles, ArticleDashboard, ArticlesBase, Amazines, Dime-Co, ArticleAlley
Monday, September 7, 2009
Healthcare Reform and the Collapse of Health in America
By S Porter
Healthcare in this country has hit a major roadblock, but most people don't have any idea why or what caused the problem. The cost of a good health plan has gone through the roof in the last several years, and the reason is Medicare and Medicaid. These programs seem like a good idea because they provide healthcare for people who don't have any way to pay for their own medical expenses. Someone has to pay for them so some of the money is taken through higher taxes on all of us, and the rest is added to your health insurance premiums. The government won't pay hospitals and doctors their asking price, so the doctors have to charge private insurance programs higher prices.
The cost of healthcare is the real concern that Americans have about their health insurance plans. The more people that can't pay for treatment; the higher the cost of health insurance becomes for those paying for it. As the cost goes up more people can't afford it and have to get it for free, this causes the price for the payers to go up even more. Now the government is talking about healthcare reform, but their ideas will only make the problem much worse. A public health plan offered by the government will completely destroy our healthcare system and bankrupt our country at the same time.
The government's idea to fix the problem is to offer their own health plan that essentially is more Medicare and Medicaid. We have to pay for it with our tax dollars and the private healthcare industry can't compete with a plan that everyone is already paying for. In the future, private health insurance will rise in price to a level that will force everyone onto the government plan. Once that happens you no longer have a choice, a substandard health plan that you have to take that takes away all of your options and limits the amount of healthcare you can receive. They will argue that it won't happen that way, but we have seen several other countries go through this process. When everyone goes to the doctor for every little reason because they don't think they are paying for it, the national healthcare bill goes through the roof.
The bill for all this wonderful healthcare will end up costing us about 3 trillion dollars per year. That's twice as much as our national budget for everything including defense. We can't afford this no matter what our tax rates are, so the government will have to start limiting what people can get. The UK now has a government body that examines cases to decide if a person's needed healthcare is worth the expense. Without the ability to make good money as a doctor, the number of people who want to be doctors goes way down. In Canada, there is a waiting list years long to receive life saving treatments because there just isn't enough doctors to go around.
Healthcare needs to be fixed with free market solutions like Ameriplan and other discount health plans. Medicare and Medicaid need to be severely cut to drive prices down, so every American can afford to get a health plan. Once the government gets its fingers in the healthcare industry, it will be nearly impossible to get them back out. Our government is on an eternal quest to control our lives, and this would be a big step in the wrong direction. Their public health plan will only lead to the government telling us what healthy living is and forcing us to live by it. As Ronald Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help".
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Healthcare in this country has hit a major roadblock, but most people don't have any idea why or what caused the problem. The cost of a good health plan has gone through the roof in the last several years, and the reason is Medicare and Medicaid. These programs seem like a good idea because they provide healthcare for people who don't have any way to pay for their own medical expenses. Someone has to pay for them so some of the money is taken through higher taxes on all of us, and the rest is added to your health insurance premiums. The government won't pay hospitals and doctors their asking price, so the doctors have to charge private insurance programs higher prices.
The cost of healthcare is the real concern that Americans have about their health insurance plans. The more people that can't pay for treatment; the higher the cost of health insurance becomes for those paying for it. As the cost goes up more people can't afford it and have to get it for free, this causes the price for the payers to go up even more. Now the government is talking about healthcare reform, but their ideas will only make the problem much worse. A public health plan offered by the government will completely destroy our healthcare system and bankrupt our country at the same time.
The government's idea to fix the problem is to offer their own health plan that essentially is more Medicare and Medicaid. We have to pay for it with our tax dollars and the private healthcare industry can't compete with a plan that everyone is already paying for. In the future, private health insurance will rise in price to a level that will force everyone onto the government plan. Once that happens you no longer have a choice, a substandard health plan that you have to take that takes away all of your options and limits the amount of healthcare you can receive. They will argue that it won't happen that way, but we have seen several other countries go through this process. When everyone goes to the doctor for every little reason because they don't think they are paying for it, the national healthcare bill goes through the roof.
The bill for all this wonderful healthcare will end up costing us about 3 trillion dollars per year. That's twice as much as our national budget for everything including defense. We can't afford this no matter what our tax rates are, so the government will have to start limiting what people can get. The UK now has a government body that examines cases to decide if a person's needed healthcare is worth the expense. Without the ability to make good money as a doctor, the number of people who want to be doctors goes way down. In Canada, there is a waiting list years long to receive life saving treatments because there just isn't enough doctors to go around.
Healthcare needs to be fixed with free market solutions like Ameriplan and other discount health plans. Medicare and Medicaid need to be severely cut to drive prices down, so every American can afford to get a health plan. Once the government gets its fingers in the healthcare industry, it will be nearly impossible to get them back out. Our government is on an eternal quest to control our lives, and this would be a big step in the wrong direction. Their public health plan will only lead to the government telling us what healthy living is and forcing us to live by it. As Ronald Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help".
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Chiropractic for the Body, Not Just the Back
By S Porter
When most people think of chiropractic they think strictly of back and spine problems, but the truth is most problems with pain are associated with the alignment of your entire skeletal system. A pain in your foot can be caused by misalignment in the spine, and a pain in your neck can be caused by a problem in your lower back. An injury involving a muscle anywhere in your body will display itself with pain in the entire surrounding region. A bone injury will have similar consequences, but you may feel the pain in a completely different area of the body. Injury can also happen slowly over the course of time, instead of all at once like most people are used to.
Chiropractic has been around for a very long time in one form or another, but the chiropractic profession as we know it hasn’t been around for very long. We have always known that the back and spine is the core of our ability to move and bend, but we are only now learning that pain all over the body can be affected by every other muscle and bone in the body. Chiropractic is not a quick fix though, it can take several sessions and many weeks to fix a problem that’s been brewing for a long time. Hunching over a computer all day for years or driving a truck while spending the majority of your time in the cab will slowly change your body to fit that form. You may not even realize it’s happening until one day you notice that your range of motion has become limited.
Depending on the doctor you see, a different treatment will be recommended. A physician will prescribe drugs, a surgeon will cut you open and a therapist will want you talk about your mother, all for the same problem. If you know that your injury is a muscle or bone problem, then a chiropractor is just what you need. For a problem you can’t identify see your doctor first, and then go to a chiropractor if the problem is related. Your chiropractic professional will want to see you more than once, depending on your problem it may be many visits. You may find that a chiropractor can fix problems you didn’t know you had and will make you feel better than you have in years.
Alternative medicine is treatment that isn’t completely accepted by the medical community and chiropractic falls under that heading. It has become much more main-stream over the last decade, but if you ask ten doctors their opinion of chiropractic you will get ten different answers. Everyone agrees that there are benefits to using a chiropractor, but the extent of the benefit is what is debatable. Because this type of treatment is still in limbo, regular health insurance is reluctant to allow people to use it at their discretion. Ameriplan chiropractic or a payment arrangement with your chiropractor will allow you to get your treatment after health insurance has stopped paying for it.
As time moves on, chiropractic will become more part of everyone’s life and less a part of alternative medicine. If you have never seen a chiropractor before, you may find that seeing one is far less intimidating than going to a doctor or hospital. Chiropractors are friendly individuals that can help fix you up and you will enjoy your appointments with them. A very good friend of mine is a Denver chiropractor and I have always appreciated his views on healthcare. Now that I am familiar with chiropractic care, I can’t see a healthcare system without it!
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
When most people think of chiropractic they think strictly of back and spine problems, but the truth is most problems with pain are associated with the alignment of your entire skeletal system. A pain in your foot can be caused by misalignment in the spine, and a pain in your neck can be caused by a problem in your lower back. An injury involving a muscle anywhere in your body will display itself with pain in the entire surrounding region. A bone injury will have similar consequences, but you may feel the pain in a completely different area of the body. Injury can also happen slowly over the course of time, instead of all at once like most people are used to.
Chiropractic has been around for a very long time in one form or another, but the chiropractic profession as we know it hasn’t been around for very long. We have always known that the back and spine is the core of our ability to move and bend, but we are only now learning that pain all over the body can be affected by every other muscle and bone in the body. Chiropractic is not a quick fix though, it can take several sessions and many weeks to fix a problem that’s been brewing for a long time. Hunching over a computer all day for years or driving a truck while spending the majority of your time in the cab will slowly change your body to fit that form. You may not even realize it’s happening until one day you notice that your range of motion has become limited.
Depending on the doctor you see, a different treatment will be recommended. A physician will prescribe drugs, a surgeon will cut you open and a therapist will want you talk about your mother, all for the same problem. If you know that your injury is a muscle or bone problem, then a chiropractor is just what you need. For a problem you can’t identify see your doctor first, and then go to a chiropractor if the problem is related. Your chiropractic professional will want to see you more than once, depending on your problem it may be many visits. You may find that a chiropractor can fix problems you didn’t know you had and will make you feel better than you have in years.
Alternative medicine is treatment that isn’t completely accepted by the medical community and chiropractic falls under that heading. It has become much more main-stream over the last decade, but if you ask ten doctors their opinion of chiropractic you will get ten different answers. Everyone agrees that there are benefits to using a chiropractor, but the extent of the benefit is what is debatable. Because this type of treatment is still in limbo, regular health insurance is reluctant to allow people to use it at their discretion. Ameriplan chiropractic or a payment arrangement with your chiropractor will allow you to get your treatment after health insurance has stopped paying for it.
As time moves on, chiropractic will become more part of everyone’s life and less a part of alternative medicine. If you have never seen a chiropractor before, you may find that seeing one is far less intimidating than going to a doctor or hospital. Chiropractors are friendly individuals that can help fix you up and you will enjoy your appointments with them. A very good friend of mine is a Denver chiropractor and I have always appreciated his views on healthcare. Now that I am familiar with chiropractic care, I can’t see a healthcare system without it!
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
We, The Healthcare Dependent People
By Frank Menkal
How does paying a little over eight hundred dollars a month as a retiree for your healthcare sound? If you have a mind set that is anything like mine, then you are not looking forward to retiring… at least when it comes to your healthcare and what your family will have to pay for it! Far too many people these days suffer when it comes to paying there monthly health insurance bill.
Over the past several years the healthcare world as we know it has drastically changed for the worst. The cost to just live a healthy life has dramatically increased in price. So to make up for the lack of good and cheap health care, several companies have stepped up to take on that responsibility. One of the companies to make its mark is now taking the lead in the discount healthcare industry. Ameriplan started 16 years ago as a small company that offered discount dental to small businesses. Now 16 years later, the company has grown significantly and offers not only discount dental, vision, chiropractic, and prescription coverage, but also a discount health program. Over the last few years the company has revamped its health care network by adding proprietary doctors nationwide.
Due to the innumerable amounts of individuals that are now using Medicare and Medicaid, our healthcare costs have exploded beyond our control. The more the government has their hands in our healthcare the more doctors have to charge patients for their services. These government funded programs are supposed to help those in need and eliminate the high medical costs that come with age and low income. Due to the easy access and availability of these government funded programs, our society has become more dependent on them. In response to this dependency on Medicare and Medicaid, the cost for good health care continues to climb.
We as a nation need to turn from this destructive path by not depending on the government to provide healthcare, but instead to depend on our hard work and determination to provide care for our families. With this kind of mindset we as a country can drive down healthcare costs by eliminating the need for the government to provide healthcare for our families. Thus, saving us all money in the long run and leading us back to affordable health care again.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
,Amazines
How does paying a little over eight hundred dollars a month as a retiree for your healthcare sound? If you have a mind set that is anything like mine, then you are not looking forward to retiring… at least when it comes to your healthcare and what your family will have to pay for it! Far too many people these days suffer when it comes to paying there monthly health insurance bill.
Over the past several years the healthcare world as we know it has drastically changed for the worst. The cost to just live a healthy life has dramatically increased in price. So to make up for the lack of good and cheap health care, several companies have stepped up to take on that responsibility. One of the companies to make its mark is now taking the lead in the discount healthcare industry. Ameriplan started 16 years ago as a small company that offered discount dental to small businesses. Now 16 years later, the company has grown significantly and offers not only discount dental, vision, chiropractic, and prescription coverage, but also a discount health program. Over the last few years the company has revamped its health care network by adding proprietary doctors nationwide.
Due to the innumerable amounts of individuals that are now using Medicare and Medicaid, our healthcare costs have exploded beyond our control. The more the government has their hands in our healthcare the more doctors have to charge patients for their services. These government funded programs are supposed to help those in need and eliminate the high medical costs that come with age and low income. Due to the easy access and availability of these government funded programs, our society has become more dependent on them. In response to this dependency on Medicare and Medicaid, the cost for good health care continues to climb.
We as a nation need to turn from this destructive path by not depending on the government to provide healthcare, but instead to depend on our hard work and determination to provide care for our families. With this kind of mindset we as a country can drive down healthcare costs by eliminating the need for the government to provide healthcare for our families. Thus, saving us all money in the long run and leading us back to affordable health care again.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
,Amazines
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Ameriplan Launches New Basic Wellness Program
By S Porter
Ameriplan USA is announcing the launch of its new basic wellness program that will replace basic health. Basic wellness is a package of benefits meant to fill in the gaps left by limited health insurance plans offered by employers. Vision, Prescription and other benefits that have been cut by these insurance plans are included in the package.
As health insurance has become increasingly expensive, more and more employers have decided to cut back on the level of benefits they offer their employees. Higher deductibles, limited visits and decreased services are all being used to cut costs. Many people are now left without these benefits and are forced to pay full price out of pocket when they need them.
Supplemental benefits are easy to ignore when you aren’t using them. Vision and prescription are often overlooked until they are needed, but by then it’s too late. Hearing services and Nurse line are also part of the package.
Everyone needs to take care of their eyesight, and prescription medications are inevitable at some point to heal an ailment or help lower cholesterol. Good hearing is just as important and nurse line can help give you advice about when a trip to the doctor is in order. We all need these services occasionally, but without these benefits the cost can become very high.
“I have insurance from my employer, but it’s a very limited health plan that doesn’t include any extras. Getting a discount on these services would be very helpful to keep my cost out of pocket as low as possible”, says Tom Nordquist, a part time employee.
Ameriplan insurance is a 17 year old company that offers discount fee for service programs at a low cost to its members. 2 million members nationwide and over half a million providers are all part of the Ameriplan network. Health, Dental, Vision, Prescription, Chiropractic and other programs are also available.
Basic wellness includes vision, prescription, hearing services and nurse line. The cost of the program is $14.95 per month and includes every person who lives in your household, even if they are not family members. This program has replaced basic health which is now being phased out of Ameriplan permanently.
Soon Ameriplan will launch Secure Net, a package of benefits that include many services often overlooked in our lives. Identity theft assistance, Auto club and other benefits are badly needed by all of us, but we rarely consider them until someone has already stolen our credit card or we are broken down on the side of the road.
Press Releases showing at OnlinePRNews,DBusinessNews,SeeNation,GoogleBase,
INewsWire,PRLog, EPressReleases
Ameriplan USA is announcing the launch of its new basic wellness program that will replace basic health. Basic wellness is a package of benefits meant to fill in the gaps left by limited health insurance plans offered by employers. Vision, Prescription and other benefits that have been cut by these insurance plans are included in the package.
As health insurance has become increasingly expensive, more and more employers have decided to cut back on the level of benefits they offer their employees. Higher deductibles, limited visits and decreased services are all being used to cut costs. Many people are now left without these benefits and are forced to pay full price out of pocket when they need them.
Supplemental benefits are easy to ignore when you aren’t using them. Vision and prescription are often overlooked until they are needed, but by then it’s too late. Hearing services and Nurse line are also part of the package.
Everyone needs to take care of their eyesight, and prescription medications are inevitable at some point to heal an ailment or help lower cholesterol. Good hearing is just as important and nurse line can help give you advice about when a trip to the doctor is in order. We all need these services occasionally, but without these benefits the cost can become very high.
“I have insurance from my employer, but it’s a very limited health plan that doesn’t include any extras. Getting a discount on these services would be very helpful to keep my cost out of pocket as low as possible”, says Tom Nordquist, a part time employee.
Ameriplan insurance is a 17 year old company that offers discount fee for service programs at a low cost to its members. 2 million members nationwide and over half a million providers are all part of the Ameriplan network. Health, Dental, Vision, Prescription, Chiropractic and other programs are also available.
Basic wellness includes vision, prescription, hearing services and nurse line. The cost of the program is $14.95 per month and includes every person who lives in your household, even if they are not family members. This program has replaced basic health which is now being phased out of Ameriplan permanently.
Soon Ameriplan will launch Secure Net, a package of benefits that include many services often overlooked in our lives. Identity theft assistance, Auto club and other benefits are badly needed by all of us, but we rarely consider them until someone has already stolen our credit card or we are broken down on the side of the road.
Press Releases showing at OnlinePRNews,DBusinessNews,SeeNation,GoogleBase,
INewsWire,PRLog, EPressReleases
Saturday, June 27, 2009
A Cold, The Flu Or Something More Serious
By S Porter
Getting a cold or the flu is a common problem. We often go to extremes to ensure that we don’t get sick; but the inevitable will happen, and life will be unpleasant for a few days. You can’t catch the same cold or flu virus twice, but they are constantly mutating and each new strain may feel slightly different. When you get sick they all feel bad, but you may not know if you have a cold, the flu or something more sinister right away. There are many illnesses that can display similar symptoms, but almost all of them aren’t dangerous unless you have a compromised immune system. Some people go to the doctor with the slightest sniffle, and others won’t go to the doctor even on their deathbed.
A cold virus usually presents itself 3 or 4 days after you have caught it and starts with a soar back of the nose or throat. Keep in mind that each person’s reaction is different and it could be a little shorter or longer for you. Symptoms come on slowly over the course of several hours and may not feel full blown until you wake up the following morning. Coughing, sneezing, congestion and minor muscle aches are common for a cold and the flu. You are contagious within hours of catching it so you can give it to someone else days before you even know you have it, and you stay contagious for about a week. The symptoms are at their worst about 2 days after you start to feel it and will last around 48 hours, but you may remain congested for up to 2 weeks.
The flu virus is very much like a cold, but with a few added bonuses. The most noticeable difference is that the flu comes with a fever and a cold doesn’t, so if you have a fever you don’t have a cold. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can also accompany the flu and the symptoms will come on much faster than a cold; maybe even in minutes. You don’t start to feel bad for about 3 days after you get the flu, but just like a cold, you are contagious before you even know you have it. Also like a cold, the worst of it lasts about 48 hours but the symptoms can linger for up to 2 weeks. The flu can be very dangerous to the elderly, young children and people with compromised immune systems or heart disease, so see your doctor if you know you’re a high risk.
Infections and other diseases can display symptoms very much like a cold or the flu; but unlike a cold or the flu, they won’t get better in a few days. You know it’s time to see a doctor if you keep getting worse 4 days after you start having symptoms. A fever is common with the flu, but if your temperature goes above 102 it’s time to get to the hospital right away. You may also consider a trip to your doctor if any of the symptoms seem unusually severe; like serious pain in your sinuses or coughing that nearly knocks you over. You can usually tell if something feels far worse than what you would expect from a common cold or the flu.
There are many over the counter medications that can help alleviate the symptoms, but there is no cure for the most common ailments we face every year. The rates at which these two viruses mutate make them impossible to get rid of completely and they will continue to plague us for a long time to come. If you need to go to the doctor or the hospital for an emergency, a good health insurance plan or a discount plan like Ameriplan will help with the cost; but they won’t make you feel any better. No one wants to go to the doctor with an illness too late, but we also feel bad rushing to the hospital only to find out it’s a just a cold. A little common sense can help keep you healthy so long as you are willing to visit the doctor when you need to, and stay home when you don’t.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Getting a cold or the flu is a common problem. We often go to extremes to ensure that we don’t get sick; but the inevitable will happen, and life will be unpleasant for a few days. You can’t catch the same cold or flu virus twice, but they are constantly mutating and each new strain may feel slightly different. When you get sick they all feel bad, but you may not know if you have a cold, the flu or something more sinister right away. There are many illnesses that can display similar symptoms, but almost all of them aren’t dangerous unless you have a compromised immune system. Some people go to the doctor with the slightest sniffle, and others won’t go to the doctor even on their deathbed.
A cold virus usually presents itself 3 or 4 days after you have caught it and starts with a soar back of the nose or throat. Keep in mind that each person’s reaction is different and it could be a little shorter or longer for you. Symptoms come on slowly over the course of several hours and may not feel full blown until you wake up the following morning. Coughing, sneezing, congestion and minor muscle aches are common for a cold and the flu. You are contagious within hours of catching it so you can give it to someone else days before you even know you have it, and you stay contagious for about a week. The symptoms are at their worst about 2 days after you start to feel it and will last around 48 hours, but you may remain congested for up to 2 weeks.
The flu virus is very much like a cold, but with a few added bonuses. The most noticeable difference is that the flu comes with a fever and a cold doesn’t, so if you have a fever you don’t have a cold. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can also accompany the flu and the symptoms will come on much faster than a cold; maybe even in minutes. You don’t start to feel bad for about 3 days after you get the flu, but just like a cold, you are contagious before you even know you have it. Also like a cold, the worst of it lasts about 48 hours but the symptoms can linger for up to 2 weeks. The flu can be very dangerous to the elderly, young children and people with compromised immune systems or heart disease, so see your doctor if you know you’re a high risk.
Infections and other diseases can display symptoms very much like a cold or the flu; but unlike a cold or the flu, they won’t get better in a few days. You know it’s time to see a doctor if you keep getting worse 4 days after you start having symptoms. A fever is common with the flu, but if your temperature goes above 102 it’s time to get to the hospital right away. You may also consider a trip to your doctor if any of the symptoms seem unusually severe; like serious pain in your sinuses or coughing that nearly knocks you over. You can usually tell if something feels far worse than what you would expect from a common cold or the flu.
There are many over the counter medications that can help alleviate the symptoms, but there is no cure for the most common ailments we face every year. The rates at which these two viruses mutate make them impossible to get rid of completely and they will continue to plague us for a long time to come. If you need to go to the doctor or the hospital for an emergency, a good health insurance plan or a discount plan like Ameriplan will help with the cost; but they won’t make you feel any better. No one wants to go to the doctor with an illness too late, but we also feel bad rushing to the hospital only to find out it’s a just a cold. A little common sense can help keep you healthy so long as you are willing to visit the doctor when you need to, and stay home when you don’t.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Monday, June 15, 2009
Panic Over the Not So New Swine Flu
By S Porter
For several years the media has been cautiously following the possibility of a bird flu outbreak, but swine flu has beaten it to the punch. Influenza is a nasty little virus that can be deadly under the right conditions, and bird flu is a particularly bad strain that is deadly more often. No matter which strain happens to be floating around; the symptoms are the same; coughing, sneezing, aching and fever. If you have a cold, this could also describe how you feel except for the fever; which only occurs with the flu. Education is always the best way to combat fear, so knowing the facts about influenza can help ease the mind.
There are dozens of different possible flu strains that can circulate through the population at any one time. Once you get one of these strains, your body learns to produce a defense against that particular strain and you can’t get it again after your body beats it. If you could get all of them, you would never get the flu again; but only a few strains float around at once. As time passes and new people are born, old strains begin to come back and infect a whole new population with no immunity. About 2% of all the people who catch the flu will die from it due to complications like old age and compromised immune systems. The worst outbreak happened in 1918 and killed about 20% of everyone who contracted the virus, but our knowledge is far greater now than it was then.
The first thing to remember about swine flu is that it’s just another flu strain; and this isn’t the first time we have seen it. Every year doctors guess which strains will float around the population and they produce a vaccine to fight them. Swine flu wasn’t what they guessed for this year, but even last years flu vaccine seems to be partially effective in preventing people from getting this strain. It also responds very well to every type of treatment we currently use to fight influenza. All in all, less than 1% of people who catch swine flu die from it; so it’s even lighter than just a regular flu.
The last time swine flu showed up was in 1976, and just like now there was a large panic in the population because of bad information. The government spent millions of dollars on a flu vaccine that did little to help with the strain, and people were urged to get the shot for the whole family. When it was all said and done, more people had died from the vaccine than from the flu itself because the strain never swept through the population. This time around, it is more widespread and it appears to be hitting the population with a fury. A feverish, achy, take a couple days off and you will be fine fury. You may get it and you may not, but unless you are at risk from any other virus; it isn’t anything to really worry about.
If you have a fever and it rises over 102, it’s time to go get treatment; regardless of the cause of the fever itself. Health insurance or discount plans like Ameriplan will help with the cost, so don’t hesitate to go to the doctor if you find yourself in this situation. Another warning sign that you may be at risk is if the symptoms are still getting worse after the fourth day. Most people have had at least one strain of the flu in their lives, and it isn’t much fun; but the panic that is currently in the media is unfounded. Over the course of 2009 we will most likely see this strain slow down and then resurge later in the year, and some people will die from it. Given the choice though, swine flu is easier to deal with than the various other flu strains we see every other year.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
For several years the media has been cautiously following the possibility of a bird flu outbreak, but swine flu has beaten it to the punch. Influenza is a nasty little virus that can be deadly under the right conditions, and bird flu is a particularly bad strain that is deadly more often. No matter which strain happens to be floating around; the symptoms are the same; coughing, sneezing, aching and fever. If you have a cold, this could also describe how you feel except for the fever; which only occurs with the flu. Education is always the best way to combat fear, so knowing the facts about influenza can help ease the mind.
There are dozens of different possible flu strains that can circulate through the population at any one time. Once you get one of these strains, your body learns to produce a defense against that particular strain and you can’t get it again after your body beats it. If you could get all of them, you would never get the flu again; but only a few strains float around at once. As time passes and new people are born, old strains begin to come back and infect a whole new population with no immunity. About 2% of all the people who catch the flu will die from it due to complications like old age and compromised immune systems. The worst outbreak happened in 1918 and killed about 20% of everyone who contracted the virus, but our knowledge is far greater now than it was then.
The first thing to remember about swine flu is that it’s just another flu strain; and this isn’t the first time we have seen it. Every year doctors guess which strains will float around the population and they produce a vaccine to fight them. Swine flu wasn’t what they guessed for this year, but even last years flu vaccine seems to be partially effective in preventing people from getting this strain. It also responds very well to every type of treatment we currently use to fight influenza. All in all, less than 1% of people who catch swine flu die from it; so it’s even lighter than just a regular flu.
The last time swine flu showed up was in 1976, and just like now there was a large panic in the population because of bad information. The government spent millions of dollars on a flu vaccine that did little to help with the strain, and people were urged to get the shot for the whole family. When it was all said and done, more people had died from the vaccine than from the flu itself because the strain never swept through the population. This time around, it is more widespread and it appears to be hitting the population with a fury. A feverish, achy, take a couple days off and you will be fine fury. You may get it and you may not, but unless you are at risk from any other virus; it isn’t anything to really worry about.
If you have a fever and it rises over 102, it’s time to go get treatment; regardless of the cause of the fever itself. Health insurance or discount plans like Ameriplan will help with the cost, so don’t hesitate to go to the doctor if you find yourself in this situation. Another warning sign that you may be at risk is if the symptoms are still getting worse after the fourth day. Most people have had at least one strain of the flu in their lives, and it isn’t much fun; but the panic that is currently in the media is unfounded. Over the course of 2009 we will most likely see this strain slow down and then resurge later in the year, and some people will die from it. Given the choice though, swine flu is easier to deal with than the various other flu strains we see every other year.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Monday, June 8, 2009
Chiropractic After A Car Accident
By S Porter
Transportation in our time has become all about motorized vehicles that move us from place to place. Short distances, long distances and everything in between happen at speeds much faster than walking. All this moving has led to the inevitable sudden stopping that happens in a car accident, and if you live in America you are almost guaranteed to be in one at some point. Although safety has become much better in the last 20 years, the human body just isn’t made to handle the kind of punishment that a car accident creates. Depending on how serious the crash is, a trip to the hospital may be in order; but during the healing process a chiropractor may become your best friend.
Fender benders are the most common type of car accident and take place at speeds below 20 MPH. Keep in mind that we are dealing with the usual outcome in these situations; not every possibility that can happen. Sometimes as a fluke, a person can die from the smallest crash or walk away from the most serious one. In an accident under 20 MPH; the most common problem is a soft tissue injury, a hurt muscle, in the neck or lower back. Muscles attach to bones, and when they get injured they constrict and can pull bones slightly out of alignment; causing discomfort and immobility. A few simple trips to the chiropractor can fix this problem and cut your recovery time down considerably.
A medium accident happens between 20 and 45 MPH and causes a lot more damage to the body. You may or may not feel hurt right after the crash, but you definitely are. This type of accident can cause lots of different injuries including hairline fractures in bones and whiplash in the neck, but you may not feel the pain for a couple of days. Realignment of the spine and other bones is crucial in this situation; otherwise recovery will just be weeks or months of constant pain every time you take a step or turn your head. See your doctor right away to get checked out; then be prepared to visit your chiropractor ten to twenty times to get in good working order.
Anything above 45 MPH is a serious accident and can have major repercussions to your health for the rest of your life. I got in one of these crashes more than ten years ago and my neck still gets tight every time the temperature begins to fall dramatically. It doesn’t matter if you walk away from this accident, or are transported by an ambulance; you need to see your doctor right away to look for problems you may not even know you have. Internal bleeding and broken bones need to be fixed right away and the adrenaline released into your system during an accident can cover up the pain completely. Once the immediate problems have been addressed; you will be left with a long recovery process before you really feel like yourself again. Chiropractic care in this situation is long term and may require regular visits for months or even years.
Chiropractic care is a more recent advancement in healthcare and still hasn’t fully moved into the mainstream. Most insurance plans do cover chiropractic now, but the norm is to limit the number of visits a person can have in a year. Discount plans like Ameriplan dental plans don’t have any limits on visits, but only provide a cut in the chiropractor’s asking price. A combination of the two could be just what the doctor ordered if you find yourself in this situation, but even if you don’t have either, seeing a chiropractor is essential to your recovery. Who knows; when it’s all over with, you may even have a new addition to your Christmas card list!
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Transportation in our time has become all about motorized vehicles that move us from place to place. Short distances, long distances and everything in between happen at speeds much faster than walking. All this moving has led to the inevitable sudden stopping that happens in a car accident, and if you live in America you are almost guaranteed to be in one at some point. Although safety has become much better in the last 20 years, the human body just isn’t made to handle the kind of punishment that a car accident creates. Depending on how serious the crash is, a trip to the hospital may be in order; but during the healing process a chiropractor may become your best friend.
Fender benders are the most common type of car accident and take place at speeds below 20 MPH. Keep in mind that we are dealing with the usual outcome in these situations; not every possibility that can happen. Sometimes as a fluke, a person can die from the smallest crash or walk away from the most serious one. In an accident under 20 MPH; the most common problem is a soft tissue injury, a hurt muscle, in the neck or lower back. Muscles attach to bones, and when they get injured they constrict and can pull bones slightly out of alignment; causing discomfort and immobility. A few simple trips to the chiropractor can fix this problem and cut your recovery time down considerably.
A medium accident happens between 20 and 45 MPH and causes a lot more damage to the body. You may or may not feel hurt right after the crash, but you definitely are. This type of accident can cause lots of different injuries including hairline fractures in bones and whiplash in the neck, but you may not feel the pain for a couple of days. Realignment of the spine and other bones is crucial in this situation; otherwise recovery will just be weeks or months of constant pain every time you take a step or turn your head. See your doctor right away to get checked out; then be prepared to visit your chiropractor ten to twenty times to get in good working order.
Anything above 45 MPH is a serious accident and can have major repercussions to your health for the rest of your life. I got in one of these crashes more than ten years ago and my neck still gets tight every time the temperature begins to fall dramatically. It doesn’t matter if you walk away from this accident, or are transported by an ambulance; you need to see your doctor right away to look for problems you may not even know you have. Internal bleeding and broken bones need to be fixed right away and the adrenaline released into your system during an accident can cover up the pain completely. Once the immediate problems have been addressed; you will be left with a long recovery process before you really feel like yourself again. Chiropractic care in this situation is long term and may require regular visits for months or even years.
Chiropractic care is a more recent advancement in healthcare and still hasn’t fully moved into the mainstream. Most insurance plans do cover chiropractic now, but the norm is to limit the number of visits a person can have in a year. Discount plans like Ameriplan dental plans don’t have any limits on visits, but only provide a cut in the chiropractor’s asking price. A combination of the two could be just what the doctor ordered if you find yourself in this situation, but even if you don’t have either, seeing a chiropractor is essential to your recovery. Who knows; when it’s all over with, you may even have a new addition to your Christmas card list!
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Thursday, May 28, 2009
How to Keep Your Vision Healthy
By S Porter
Health vision is something many of us take for granted, and if your eyesight has always been good, you may have never been to an optometrist. As we age though, the body requires more and more maintenance and this includes your eyes. People with bad eyesight are familiar with seeing an eye doctor, but everyone needs to take care of their eyes so they last as long as you do. There are many ways to take care of your eyes and most of them are just common sense, like don’t stick things in them. Other things are not so obvious but can have long lasting effects.
Diet can have an affect on healthy vision, although there is some argument as to how much. Vitamin C and E, along with calcium and folic acid can help you avoid macular degeneration and cataracts. There are also many different types of eye drops that do various things, like helping cataracts and glaucoma, but many optometrists say that regular eye drops bought off the store shelf can actually hurt your vision. Swimming can have an adverse affect on your vision, but it depends on the individual and most doctors agree that it takes years of constant exposure. Other environmental concerns include airborne pollution and other chemicals in enclosed spaces, which can also slowly degrade your vision over time.
Seeing an eye doctor is also a part of good vision health and is also the most overlooked by people with good eyesight. Newborns are usually checked at birth and again at 6 months. Children are due at ages 3, 6 and 13, but they will need to go more often if there is a family history of vision problems or if a problem is found during a routine checkup. Adults older than 18 need to go every 3 years until they turn 40; then they need to go every 2 years or as often as the optometrist recommends depending on how fast their sight is diminishing. Many late vision problems can now be corrected with LASIK surgery if you have the money or the insurance and you are looking for a more permanent solution than thicker glasses.
To offset the cost of vision care, especially if your eyesight is bad, many people have some type of vision plan. Health insurance usually includes some type of vision benefits, but they don’t cover much or there is a large deductible. Discount plans like the Ameriplan dental plan are also an option, and they can also provide savings on expensive procedures like LASIK eye surgery. You can also get a vision plan directly from some vision providers which can be the perfect solution if you only need vision insurance. If your eyesight is good and you only need regular checkups, you may not need to get a vision plan at all.
Preventative checkups and a good diet will keep your eyes seeing things as they should be seen. If your eyes are good now, don’t wait until they aren’t to take care of them. Like health care and dental care, waiting until you have a problem may already be too late to prevent permanent damage. If you have a more serious problem, such as glaucoma, and you ignore it; blindness and extreme eye pain will result. As with anything else, living well and taking care of yourself can add years of life and more importantly keep you happy longer into life.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Health vision is something many of us take for granted, and if your eyesight has always been good, you may have never been to an optometrist. As we age though, the body requires more and more maintenance and this includes your eyes. People with bad eyesight are familiar with seeing an eye doctor, but everyone needs to take care of their eyes so they last as long as you do. There are many ways to take care of your eyes and most of them are just common sense, like don’t stick things in them. Other things are not so obvious but can have long lasting effects.
Diet can have an affect on healthy vision, although there is some argument as to how much. Vitamin C and E, along with calcium and folic acid can help you avoid macular degeneration and cataracts. There are also many different types of eye drops that do various things, like helping cataracts and glaucoma, but many optometrists say that regular eye drops bought off the store shelf can actually hurt your vision. Swimming can have an adverse affect on your vision, but it depends on the individual and most doctors agree that it takes years of constant exposure. Other environmental concerns include airborne pollution and other chemicals in enclosed spaces, which can also slowly degrade your vision over time.
Seeing an eye doctor is also a part of good vision health and is also the most overlooked by people with good eyesight. Newborns are usually checked at birth and again at 6 months. Children are due at ages 3, 6 and 13, but they will need to go more often if there is a family history of vision problems or if a problem is found during a routine checkup. Adults older than 18 need to go every 3 years until they turn 40; then they need to go every 2 years or as often as the optometrist recommends depending on how fast their sight is diminishing. Many late vision problems can now be corrected with LASIK surgery if you have the money or the insurance and you are looking for a more permanent solution than thicker glasses.
To offset the cost of vision care, especially if your eyesight is bad, many people have some type of vision plan. Health insurance usually includes some type of vision benefits, but they don’t cover much or there is a large deductible. Discount plans like the Ameriplan dental plan are also an option, and they can also provide savings on expensive procedures like LASIK eye surgery. You can also get a vision plan directly from some vision providers which can be the perfect solution if you only need vision insurance. If your eyesight is good and you only need regular checkups, you may not need to get a vision plan at all.
Preventative checkups and a good diet will keep your eyes seeing things as they should be seen. If your eyes are good now, don’t wait until they aren’t to take care of them. Like health care and dental care, waiting until you have a problem may already be too late to prevent permanent damage. If you have a more serious problem, such as glaucoma, and you ignore it; blindness and extreme eye pain will result. As with anything else, living well and taking care of yourself can add years of life and more importantly keep you happy longer into life.
Article showing at EzineArticles,GoArticles,ArticleDashboard,ArticlesBase,
ArticleSphere,DimeCo,Amazines,ArticleAlley
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Argument Against Universal Healthcare
By S Porter
The idea of a nationalized healthcare system has been around for a long time, and like most other social ideas, it sounds good when you first hear it. Healthcare for everyone in the United States would be a dream come true for lots of families but the problems with universal healthcare far outweigh the benefits. Many countries have tried this and failed because of some basic ideas that aren’t even being considered.
1. The Competition – or lack there of. One of the things that made this country great is the free market principle of competition. Doctors spend years in medical school to graduate and join the ranks of practicing MDs. When they do, they usually have huge debts to repay and big dreams of being successful, rich doctors. Competition creates winners and these doctors strive to be the best so they can make a name for themselves and ultimately make more money. In a universal healthcare system, the government decides what a doctor can charge and they all make the same amount. There is no longer a reason for a doctor to strive to be the best because there is no reward for doing so. This hinders medical advancement and makes everyone take the same sub-standard healthcare; it also greatly reduces the drive for people to become doctors at all. I understand that the need to help others should always come first, but that won’t pay off years of student loans and put food on the table.
2. The Cost – somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 trillion per year. That makes the recent stimulus package from congress seem small by comparison. Large numbers like this tend to fall on deaf ears because no one really knows how much that is. To give you an idea, it’s $10,000 per year for every person living in this country. The reason healthcare costs have risen to where they are is because we have already begun moving toward socialized healthcare for several years now. It works like this: Medicare and Medicaid put about 20% of the country in a free healthcare program, but someone has to pay for it; so the other 80% see a rise in their healthcare costs. This causes more people from the 80% to lose their healthcare because they can no longer afford it and they join the other 20% who are getting it for free. Healthcare costs continue to rise for those who are paying for it as more and more people get it for free; but in the end, this money has to come from somewhere. The only way to fix this problem is to un-socialize the system and make healthcare affordable to more people. One company with a solution is Ameriplan Health. In this health program, doctors offer big discounts for all their services in exchange for payment from the patient… no insurance or big government to get in the way.
3. The Government – can’t do anything efficiently. Every program that our government has taken over dies a slow death. They have ruined retirement with social security, and forced more people into poverty through welfare. This is the same group of people that pay $5,000 for a toilet seat. Most of the people on capital hill have never had to worry about healthcare and have no idea how it works. They are interested in your vote; and if universal healthcare sounds good to you, they will be happy to do it regardless of right or wrong. Good healthcare is not a right… it’s a privilege that should be worked for and cherished, not handed out.
I wish everyone could have the best healthcare but that is not the world we live in. We should endeavor to make it as affordable as possible for as many people as possible, but the more “free” it becomes, the worse it will get.
Article showing at Ezine,GoArt,Dashboard,Base,
Sphere,Dime,Amazi,Alley
The idea of a nationalized healthcare system has been around for a long time, and like most other social ideas, it sounds good when you first hear it. Healthcare for everyone in the United States would be a dream come true for lots of families but the problems with universal healthcare far outweigh the benefits. Many countries have tried this and failed because of some basic ideas that aren’t even being considered.
1. The Competition – or lack there of. One of the things that made this country great is the free market principle of competition. Doctors spend years in medical school to graduate and join the ranks of practicing MDs. When they do, they usually have huge debts to repay and big dreams of being successful, rich doctors. Competition creates winners and these doctors strive to be the best so they can make a name for themselves and ultimately make more money. In a universal healthcare system, the government decides what a doctor can charge and they all make the same amount. There is no longer a reason for a doctor to strive to be the best because there is no reward for doing so. This hinders medical advancement and makes everyone take the same sub-standard healthcare; it also greatly reduces the drive for people to become doctors at all. I understand that the need to help others should always come first, but that won’t pay off years of student loans and put food on the table.
2. The Cost – somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 trillion per year. That makes the recent stimulus package from congress seem small by comparison. Large numbers like this tend to fall on deaf ears because no one really knows how much that is. To give you an idea, it’s $10,000 per year for every person living in this country. The reason healthcare costs have risen to where they are is because we have already begun moving toward socialized healthcare for several years now. It works like this: Medicare and Medicaid put about 20% of the country in a free healthcare program, but someone has to pay for it; so the other 80% see a rise in their healthcare costs. This causes more people from the 80% to lose their healthcare because they can no longer afford it and they join the other 20% who are getting it for free. Healthcare costs continue to rise for those who are paying for it as more and more people get it for free; but in the end, this money has to come from somewhere. The only way to fix this problem is to un-socialize the system and make healthcare affordable to more people. One company with a solution is Ameriplan Health. In this health program, doctors offer big discounts for all their services in exchange for payment from the patient… no insurance or big government to get in the way.
3. The Government – can’t do anything efficiently. Every program that our government has taken over dies a slow death. They have ruined retirement with social security, and forced more people into poverty through welfare. This is the same group of people that pay $5,000 for a toilet seat. Most of the people on capital hill have never had to worry about healthcare and have no idea how it works. They are interested in your vote; and if universal healthcare sounds good to you, they will be happy to do it regardless of right or wrong. Good healthcare is not a right… it’s a privilege that should be worked for and cherished, not handed out.
I wish everyone could have the best healthcare but that is not the world we live in. We should endeavor to make it as affordable as possible for as many people as possible, but the more “free” it becomes, the worse it will get.
Article showing at Ezine,GoArt,Dashboard,Base,
Sphere,Dime,Amazi,Alley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)