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The Dental Checkup: Your Prevention Connection

You take pretty good care of your teeth, brushing and flossing daily. You don’t really have any major dental issues. Is it really necessary for you to schedule dental exams unless there’s a problem?

Oral health professionals point out that there are numerous reasons to keep those checkups on your calendar, even if you take good care of your teeth.

Just because it’s been awhile since you’ve had a cavity or a dental health issue, don’t give up on those visits to the dentist. Dental checkups continue to be an important part of taking good care of teeth, preventing problems and providing people with greater control of their oral health.

Dental health professionals will suggest the frequency that’s most appropriate for you. Some people don’t need to be seen twice each year, while some need to be seen more often.

Preventive checkups provide dentists with opportunities to identify and intervene early in dental diseases. This can reduce any pain and the financial costs associated with more severe forms of dental diseases.

For example, periodontal diseases that go unnoticed for lack of a checkup can progress into more serious stages possibly resulting in pain, tooth loss and other problems. If caught early, periodontal disease is easier to manage and, in some cases, reverse.

Dental professionals can also use today’s dental exams to screen for oral cancers and other health issues that can be difficult to spot on your own. More than 120 diseases can cause specific signs and symptoms in and around the mouth and jaw. Dental professionals performing checkups can spot symptoms that could indicate serious health problems elsewhere in the body that need attention.

The prevention connection extends to recent changes in your health. Checkups allow your dentist to keep up with changes to your health status. Upon learning of medical conditions you’ve developed or treatments you’re receiving, your dentist can recommend strategies to help you proactively counter the negative effects the conditions and treatments would otherwise have on your oral health.

Visiting the dentist for exams is certainly easier if your employer has dental benefits. Most dental plans cover preventive care and a limited number of checkups each year. If you aren’t getting dental coverage through your employer then ask them if getting dental benefits is possible. Most employers will recognize the worth in offering dental benefits and if they don’t then buy an individual dental plan.

Your smile and your breath, the foods you can eat and social interactions are all enhanced through better oral health. Dental checkups are a great investment in your oral and overall health.

HTH Worldwide—Travel Insurance

HTH Worldwide provides health insurance plans and global medical assistance services for business and leisure travelers as well as students abroad. HTH programs are distinguished by a contracted community of over 5,000 hospitals and doctors in 180 countries. HTH combines its health and safety research, advanced Internet applications, and extensive experience in designing and delivering international health insurance plans to ensure customers’ health, safety and peace of mind.

Because Medicare does not cover medical services delivered outside of the United States and private health plan often reduce coverage for services abroad, Travel Gap is a must-have for most business, leisure, and student travelers. It often costs a fraction of an international trip and can provide up to $1,000,000 in sickness and accident coverage as well as $500,000 in medical evacuation benefits. Some Travel Gap policies also eliminate all out-of-pocket costs for medical care.

“Travel health insurance is often overlooked when people pack for trips abroad,” said Brendan Sharkey, Director of Individual Products at HTH worldwide. “But what many have learned the hard way is that their personal or employersponsored health plans don’t fully cover them when they’re out of the country.”

Did you know?

HTH has enhanced access to its global health and safety databases via handheld devices, re branded the service as mPassport and made it available to consumers on a subscription basis. New location- driven navigation and databases expanded to include walk-in clinics and pharmacies are just a few of the new features. The convergence of two major trends makes mPassport the right toll at the right time.

Web-enabled mobile phones have become ubiquitous around the world. Most people have one in their pocket, purse or backpack. mPassport is a service that comes with every HTH insurance program.

Are you getting the most from your health insurance plan?

Have you missed some of the extra benefits included in your plan? Most people receive their insurance policies and file them away in a drawer without reading them. They then fail to take advantage of the plan’s additional discounts and worse, fail to take required steps that leave them paying additional expenses that could have been avoided.

It is very beneficial to sign into your carrier’s web-site as a member; the first time, click on “register now” under the member log in. Keep your password and login and use it often! Take a moment to discover all the health programs and member support available to you on the web site. It’s easy to register; once registered you can do provider searches, download your plan benefits, check claims and much more; the valuable information you’ll find online can help you make informed healthcare decisions.

All carriers have discounts for various health related programs: discounts for vision and hearing services, acupuncture and chiropractic services, and even discounts to health clubs. There are also nutrition, wellness, preventive care and exercise tips for most member web-sites. These extras are available free of charge to registered members.

The carriers: Aetna: www.aetna.com. Blue Cross: www.anthem.com/ca Blue Shield: www.blueshieldca.com Health Net: www.healthnet.com Kaiser Permanente: www.kp.org

Time to review your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan!

It’s a great time of year to begin thinking about a review of your Medicare Part D coverage. Plan availability, cost of coverage and medications can change from one year to the next...so it’s prudent to review your personal needs at least annually to make certain that last year’s plan is best for this year’s needs.

The annual Medicare Prescription Drug open enrollment period will soon be upon us and presents the only opportunity for one to change their plan for the upcoming year. As a matter of fact the www.Medicare.gov website and your 2008, “Medicare & You” handbook suggest that you prepare and compare your plans in October, change plans (if necessary) between November 15th and December 31st and begin your new coverage (If you’ve made a change on January 1st.

Presently there are 56 Medicare Part D (RX) plans in California and sometime in October we will be advised by all carriers of the changes, if any, in their 2009 plans. Almost certainly... the 2009 plans will cost more, have higher co-pays or cause you to have additional out-of-pocket expense. However, sometimes you get lucky and discover a better situation…( personal example) in 2007 my mother was taking 2 brand and 4 generic to 6 generic.

So, I researched her new meds on the Medicare website and discovered a new plan more suitable (covered all her generic meds at a $0 co-pay), but also a lot less in premium ($17/mth).

To be certain you continue to get the most for your Medicare part D insurance dollar, I recommend you complete our prescription worksheet, send by email, fax or mail and allow us to review your needs. Shortly thereafter we’ll tell you you’re good as is or suggest alternatives more suitable to your current situations.

John A. Lewis, CA #0580789

Does your college student have adequate health insurance protection?

Your child is headed off to college, you will be spending tens of thousands of dollars on their education and you haven’t taken the time to think about their medical insurance. Big Mistake!

Should you buy student insurance through the university? If that’s all you get….”yes”, but there are better choices. What are those? Carry them as your dependent on your employer’s group plan or get them their own individual plan.

Here are some pros and cons which may help you….

University plan: Pros...

coverage is generally guaranteed and fairly inexpensive.

Cons…coverage is limited (50k to 100k policy maximums) and generally they don’t get to keep it once out of school. In extreme situations we have seen students become ill, have to leave school, and lose their coverage at semester or year end. This puts you and them in a difficult situation where their school coverage has now been lost and they cannot qualify for new coverage.

Employer Plan: Pros…

coverage always guaranteed and it’s an extension of your coverage so you know what they’ve got. Depending upon who your employer plan is with, your full-time student should be covered to age 23 and sometimes to age 25.

Cons...your outlay of premium can be higher and you must make certain you meet your employer’s plans definition of full-time student as well as age maximum.

Individual Plan:

Pros…your best choice for least amount of premium outlay and always portable. Good catastrophic plans can be had for $54-$70/month with policy maximums from 5 million and beyond.

Cons…fully underwritten, so should your child have any health issues and be unable to qualify, then your employer plan would be the best choice.

Linda D. DeBolt CA #0580789

Options available for workers in transition...

When people find themselves laid off or when they switch jobs to one without health benefits, keeping affordable health insurance coverage is an important consideration. The most important thing to know is…Don’t put the decision off! You have 60 days to elect Cobra from your former employer. If you wait the full 60 days before making a decision, you’ll be surprised at what you now owe. That coupled with the fact that you now owe this unmentionable sum times two, is next to impossible for many to pay. If you have pre-existing conditions, Cobra is generally your best immediate option…so take it! And if you have a preexisting condition and wait until after 60 days to do anything, you may find yourself without options.

Let’s look at those options

The first option is to continue your previous employer’s insurance via Cobra. This however can be expensive, as you must now pay the full premium your employer was paying and sometimes an extra 2% for administrative fees. Your next option is the individual market and if you are healthy you may pay significantly less than any other option available. However, if you are not healthy all individual market insurance carriers may decline to offer you coverage. Next, you may wish to look at short term medical insurance also in the individual market. These policies are a decent choice when your coverage needs range from 30-180 days, but as the name implies “short term” policies are never a permanent fix and may be as difficult to qualify for as a permanent individual policy due to preexisting conditions.

Obtaining insurance through an employer is often the easiest way to get comprehensive coverage for those who can’t qualify for individual coverage due to health conditions. So if you’re losing or changing jobs in the near future, know your options or talk to somebody that does.

Health Insurance Wizard