America's Healthcare Challenge

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8 Ways To Stretch Your Healthcare Dollar Mar 08, 2023

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How To Stretch Your Healthcare Dollar With so many things to spend money on, it can be hard to know where to save. One area to consider is your health care, since this is one of the overall most important areas of your life. Whether you're trying to save cash, or simply stretch your healthcare dollar, we will show you easy ways to do so. Know Your Plan You should know how much you pay for each visit, every prescription, and so on. If you're not sure what's covered by your insurance plan, contact your provider and ask for a copy of their plan details. If you have any questions about what the details mean or how they apply to you, ask them! The more information you have about what's covered and what isn't covered under your health insurance plan, the easier it will be for you to make informed choices about where and when to seek treatment. Don't Wait to Refill Medications Always try to refill medications before they run out so that you avoid paying full price at the pharmacy counter. Check with your doctor if you think this might be necessary: some drugs are only effective when taken regularly, and skipping doses can cause side effects or even lead to other medical conditions down the road (like high blood pressure or diabetes). In some cases, doctors may recommend that patients take a certain medication only once per day or every other day—if this is the case, ask them if there's something else available that would work well enough without requiring such strict adherence to a schedule (or just skip it altogether). Keep an eye out for discounts If you have insurance, check with your provider to see what discounts they offer. Some may be as simple as a discount card that can be used in certain places, while others might require that you get your insurance through a particular company or network. Your provider should also be able to tell you about any other ways they offer discounts in exchange for using specific providers or services. Ask about generic drugs Generic drugs are just as effective as name brand drugs, but they cost less because the companies that make them don't have to spend money on research and development. If your doctor prescribes a generic drug, ask whether there's an alternative on the market that's less expensive than the one he or she has recommended. Visit a retail clinic for routine care Retail clinics are popping up all over the place these days—you might not even realize how many of them there are in your area! These clinics provide low-cost care at convenient locations such as grocery stores and pharmacies. For example, if you're feeling ill but don't want to go into an emergency room or urgent care center where treatment is more expensive (as well as more impersonal), try heading over to one of these retail clinics instead! Pay attention to your bills and statements. Health insurance is about more than just paying for care. It's also about paying for the paperwork that goes with it, and that can add up. Make sure you're keeping track of all your statements, and reviewing them regularly so you know what's going on with your coverage. You'll also want to make sure that your provider has the correct information about you—that includes your address and phone number, as well as any information they might need to treat you, like allergies or medical conditions. Finally, when shopping for a policy, think about the worst-case scenario. This might seem counterintuitive—after all, isn't the point of insurance to protect you from worst-case scenarios? If something does happen, though, it's important that you're covered for every possible outcome of that event (and any unexpected complications).

How Does the Healthcare Sector Contribute to GHG Emissions Jan 06, 2023

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"The medical system is responsible for a surprisingly large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions, and the toll is especially heavy in the U.S. The health care industry “is among the most carbon-intensive service sectors in the industrialized world,” accounting for between 4.4% and 4.6% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a key paper on this topic, published in 2020 in Health Affairs. In the United States, the toll is particularly heavy. It’s estimated that the health care sector produced about 8.5% of domestic greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, according to that paper. It also notes the U.S. medical system may be responsible for about a quarter of all global health care greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than the health care system of any other nation." You can read more at the link below if you want. 😊 Or you can hear my thoughts about this on an upcoming episode of America's Healthcare Challenge. I will be talking about what changes could be made and HOW they could happen. What other countries are doing? Who is leading the industry in addressing this issue? Will this ultimately lead to higher healthcare costs? What are your thoughts on all of this? Share in the comments below. Full article here.. https://bit.ly/3C0KlJu

New Pill Reduces Hospitalizations for COVID and Other Top Stories this Week Nov 08, 2021

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Story one: https://bit.ly/3H5awj4 Story two: https://bbc.in/3EVFIzI Story three: https://wapo.st/3wtlb2n Story four: https://cnn.it/3o8qyQI Story five: https://bit.ly/3o9OrY7 Follow me on twitter: @SeanMMcGuire Connect with us: Facebook.com/AmericasHealthcareChallenge

Top Five Stories of October 2021 Oct 15, 2021

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1) Infrastructure Bill's Top Provisions. 2) Biden's Vaccine Mandate and Blowback 3) Merck in the Money? 4)Drug Companies Making Bank 5) Positive News on a New Cancer Treatment

As Vaccine Mandate Creates Blowback Can a New Pill Save the Day? Oct 02, 2021

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President Biden mandated that businesses with more than 100 employees mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or require workers to be tested regularly. This has created blowback all over the country and several outlets are worried about the impact on the healthcare workforce. Also, as this pandemic drags, could we now have a new treatement?

Biden's COVID-19 Plan Sparks Controversy Amongst Business, Unvaccinated Sep 14, 2021

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President Biden outlined his six point plan to battle the COVID-19 Delta Variant. This segment looks at some of the important provisions including a controversial Department of Labor requirement for businesses with more than 100 employees facing a $14,000 penalty for un-vaccinated employees who deny testing.

As Delta Variant Dominates Biden Unveils Six Point Response Sep 09, 2021

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As kids head back to school new concerns have surfaced about the Delta variant that is increasing hospitalizations rapidly across the country. The difference here is that it is affecting children more than other strains. Will the six-point plan outlined by the President be able to slow the spread? We discuss in this segment.

ACA is Here to Stay After Supreme Court Denies Another Repeal Effort Jun 17, 2021

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Breaking news today as the United States Supreme Court sided with the Federal government and upheld the constitutionality of the law. In this segment we discuss the historic 7-2 decision, share reaction from President and talk about the five things we may see now that the law is here to stay.

FREE Bonus Content: Looking Back and Ahead in the Crazy World of U.S. Healthcare Jun 11, 2021

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In this exclusive webinar, we discuss the latest futuristic healthcare developments catching our attention as in 2021 along with the major healthcare legislation passed in the last decade. For more information on the content discussed in this webinar make sure to hit us up here by filling out this survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GgEhVD0yXnsaKZ9ExQMGKGYI5797X7R6Xf1FhS5GvGs/edit

As Americans Unmask Questions Surface on Their Efficacy and COVID Origins Jun 09, 2021

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States all over the country drop mask mandates and numbers continue to decline as vaccinations increase. Some are questioning their effectiveness as others appear to need reprogramming into not wearing a mask. The recently released Fauci emails reveal inconsistencies on this requirement people are starting to ask questions about this and the origins of the COVID virus. As the once revered, Dr. Anthony Fauci answers tough questions about his emails, his critics such as Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) continue to question his credibility.

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