Medicare Benefits to Make Your Life Easier

What is Medicare?Do you know how does medicare work?Probably that's a common question for people who try to understand medicare and related programs. Medicare is a program administered by US government for people 65 years old and over, or to certain disabled people who are under 65 years old. Basically it's a federal system providing health insurance program.

Federal government targets the low-income to the low middle-income levels as Medicare recipients. It was done because they have certain limitations in their health care, sometimes the recipients skip getting their medicines because they often find it difficult to pay.

Medicare Benefits For US Citizens

Medicare has many benefits for the recipients, it is divided into four parts, they are:

1. Medicare Part A; act as hospital insurance, it also covers an inpatient hospital for the recipient. As of 2011 Medicare Part A covers 100 days per illness, he includes a full-care hospital in the first 20 days, and the next 80 days need a co-payment to $ 141.50.
2. Medicare Part B; it is very useful as medical insurance for recipients who received an outpatient care and doesn't include Part A. Usually Medicare Part B covers 80% of approved services and while the remaining 20% paid by the recipient.
3. Medicare Part D; is prescription drug plans.
4. Medicare Part C; Medicare Advantage Plans, which is another way for beneficiaries to receive the benefits of Part A, B and D.

Federal Government Mission in Medicare - Simple Understanding

Each recipient may get all the benefits as they deserve. This is exactly what US government wants, to help them solve health care related problems. For example, Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for "Extra Help" with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. People that qualify for the "Extra Help" are persons that have limited income and resources, and resides in the District of Columbia or in one of the 50(fifty) States. That is why government encouraging people to find and enroll in local, state, private and federal programs that is very helpful to pay for health care, utility bills, prescription drugs and other important needs.

Another great example is a specific saving program called Medicare Saving Program or MSP, it help millions of people save money each year. States Government have some programs that pay all or some Medicare's premiums and may pay co-insurance or medicare deductibles. You can visit the Medicare official website for excellent resources, and choose which states you resides. There's also Supplemental Nutrition assistance Program (SNAP). It helps families and low-income people paying foods they need to keep up a good health, this one is a huge advantage.

It just because if someone have a low-income or in poverty levels, it doesn't means that he or she is without resources or means. The Medicare programs are held to help and hopefully make our health care more easy.

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Online Symptoms Diagnosis: Does it Really Help You?

Can modern online symptoms diagnosis help us better when we often worry if there is a change to our health, and there are symptoms that we do not want? These days, we would expect that the medical science and technology development are able to help us to get a healthier body and live longer. In fact, mostly what happens is the opposite. With the increasing use of chemical materials in foods and the use of genetic engineering in agriculture, the health problems increases over time with the emergence of new diseases. For example, many problems of food allergy in children that occurs in modern society seems to have found no solutions, medical science and technology development will only produce new drugs that do not cure but only decrease the symptoms.

For some lucky people that are able to get a good health insurance according to what they want, it will cover the cost of symptoms checkup. But for most people who are unable to get health insurance, it looks like they have to go to the doctor to make sure what symptoms is going on. But in the information era these days, it looks like an online symptoms diagnosis can help a lot of people (in money and time) in the search for answers on the symptoms they experience before they finally decided to go to the doctor to get a proper treatment.

Online Symptoms Diagnosis Tools - 21st Century Benefit

With a modern online symptoms diagnosis tools that are available at many health sites, now one can access rich information quickly about a disease that may be suffered as well as a wide range of symptoms that may occur. Although they cannot replace doctors in full and was not able to give you a medication prescription, but at least it can find out about a condition, earlier symptoms information and how to prevent it.

How to Get the Most Benefit of Online Symptoms Diagnosis Checker

By using a free online symptoms diagnosis you can get the most benefit of it and gather some information that you can communicate to your physician that might help you get a better treatment.You may recall when you first experience these symptoms. After that you can list it and added some additional information on how the symptoms begin, whether originating from an unusual activity that you do or new food that you've tried. You can add multiple notes that have been recommended by symptoms diagnosis sites and communicate to your doctor. You can criticize when there is a difference and see whether the site is trustworthy and have the certification.

Life in the 21st century has many advantages, one of  them is easier for someone to get information quickly. With an appropriate health information then expected someone can get a suitable treatment in accordance with his or her condition and could save a lot of time and money. For many people, online symptoms diagnosis tool is one of wonders of the modern era and it is worth used for the health of mankind.

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Surgery Purposes Explained

Any surgery performed by the surgeon has a different purpose, it depends on the condition of the patient. There are some goals that are usually performed by a surgeon.

What Is The Purpose Of Surgery?

Preventive purposes, is a surgical operation that aims to prevent disease suffered by the patient becomes more severe. For example: on pancreatic tumor surgery, performed the bypass channel creation in the upper gastrointestinal tract which function to prevent the back-flow of food. In hernia surgery, performed the installation of mash which aims to strengthen the strengthening layer and prevent the risk of relapse. So also with the Ventricular-peritoneal shunt, ie installation of channels in the brain to the abdominal cavity to prevent hydrocephalus.

Diagnostic purposes, which is a surgery performed to diagnose the disease. This is done to determine the stage of the disease suffered by the patient and clarify the abnormalities that occur.

Curative purposes, which is a surgery performed with the aim of lifting or cleaning the body. Such as: the appendix surgery, hemorrhoid cuts, remove foreign objects that enter the body and the removal of benign tumors.

Re-function purposes , it aims to restore the organ function caused by a disease or damage, it can be either planned or in an emergency situation. Such as, re function of vision and hearing impaired, or an emergency surgery to the digestive tract obstruction that is done by creating a shortcut so that the disposal will be smooth.

Lifesaving purposes; is a surgery performed with the aim to save lives, sometimes the surgery is sacrificing certain organs of the body such as amputation of the patient to avoid infection (more often encountered in an emergency situation). This type of surgery is usually involve 3 (three) systems, namely cardiovascular system, respiratory tract and respiratory system.

Aesthetic purpose, is a surgery done with the aim to improve the appearance of someone like tightening the skin, remove fats, changing the shape of the nose and others. This type is done by a lot of celebrities in order to appear more attractive, such as plastic surgery performed Michael Jackson, Madonna and other celebrities.

And the last is the purpose of reconstruction, i.e. a surgery performed to improve the structure of the body caused by abnormalities or damage. Disorder experienced by a patient could be due to the disability at birth or due to an accident. It also carried out to restore its original form/structure such as that caused by a heavy surgery that is done before. In certain cases the reconstruction surgery is one of a kind of hard to do and requires a lot of experience, so the surgeon can treat patients in accordance with the objectives to be achieved.

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Are You Afraid of Medical Devices?

To be honest, I was one of the few people who are afraid of medical devices attached to my body. Installation of medical devices on the body is also one thing that makes the patient afraid, despite the fact that it is aiming for his own good. Moreover, if we see patients in critical condition fitted with many medical devices embedded in the body such as infusion, respiratory assist devices and heart recording equipment, hmm .. would be so horrible. Here are some medical devices that typically looks complicated and scary to behold.

The first is the Tracheal Tube or often referred to as Endo Tracheal Tube. It is a kind of hose that is placed through the mouth mounted to the upper respiratory tract (trachea) that is useful to assist the patient's respiratory process, by plugging it to the oxygen pump(this tool also emits a terrible sound). As well as Nasogastric Tube (also known as Nasogastric Intubation), a tube that is placed through the nose to the stomach which is useful for reducing the pressure in the abdomen by removing the contents of the stomach through a tube. In patients who are difficult to swallow, Nasogastric Tube is also used to drain the solid food ingredients that can be entered directly into the stomach.

One of the medical instrument that is often found in hospitals is a Catheter, which is used to help drain the urine in patients and also used to calculate the volume. This tool is made of elastic material that is inserted through the urinary tract, it is also very helpful in patients who are difficult to get out of bed. Urine that is accommodated in the catheter is usually checked by a doctor to examine the quality of the urine by calculating the fluid balance.

Surgery patients with a large wound, sometimes the doctor put a Surgical Drain that is installed around the stitches. This tool is used to remove unwanted fluids such as blood or pus. Whereas after surgery that cause a strong pain the doctor gives a small catheter that can stream to the nerves in the spinal cord directly, which is called Epidural Analgesia.

I hope we never find even one of these tools installed in our body, seeing a Parenteral Nutrition was already scary. Surprisingly, when the medical devices are more complex and daunting, then the cost is more expensive. :-) The best way to avoid this tool is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and keep the regular exercise.

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Home After Hospitalization - Physician's Consideration

"When can I go home??", maybe that is the most frequent question from a patient to the physician in a hospitalization. Although the hospital is comfortable with all of the facilities, but of course the patient continues to feel bored and want to get home because he did not want to be sick anymore. He could also think about the bills, so it also affects the psychological state. Always assisted by the nurse will make him/her feel more helpless and a useless person. In addition he also might feel bother his family because he was hospitalized for too long.

Physician's Consideration to Allow the Patient to go Home After Hospitalization

There are some consideration from the doctor to let the patient go home,  the first is to check is the physical condition such as body temperature, blood pressure and respiratory functions. Body temperature below 38 degrees Celsius, a normal blood pressure and breathing smoothly is a prerequisite. If these conditions are met, but the patient still feel some complaints such as headaches, nausea or vomiting then it is better we wait for the results of further examination from the doctor.

Other things into consideration in giving the decision is the accuracy of the dose of the medicine and the results of laboratory examination. Chemotherapy and antibiotics injections that are not optimal may also restrain the patient to remain in the hospital. Each case has a different policy, but the results of laboratory examination become one of the main considerations. For patients who undergo surgery, then there are certain stages where the doctors will treat the wound, if it already showing a progress and it may be forwarded by means of outpatient.

External Factors Consideration

In addition to the above conditions, there is also another consideration given by the doctor in giving decisions. If a mother gave birth to a child who have a certain disorder and require an intensive care, the doctor will usually recommend that the mother not to get home first. Processes of insurance claims that have not been completed can also be a reason for a patient to the doctor not to repatriated him early.

Another reason that is usually encountered is the patient wants to move to another hospital that is cheaper or any other reason, the cost is very influential in the decision of the doctor because he also considers the humanity factor. Although in fact the doctor see the patient's condition has not been possible to outpatients and still require hospitalization. In cases like these, then usually the doctor is obliged to give explanations about the possible risks that might happen. The hospital will also provide a special agreement that must be signed by the patient or the family as proof that the desire to go home from the hospital is his own, while In certain circumstances the doctor may also refer to other hospitals.

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Prolonged Pain in the Thumb - Trigger Finger

You should be wary if your thumb or finger pain is prolonged, you may suffer from a trigger thumb (also called trigger finger). The pain can last for months without any other symptoms or a previous traumatic injury. It comes out of nowhere and grow worse over time. Sometimes the medicine from the doctor did not help much.

Trigger Finger - Pain in the Thumb or Fingers

Trigger finger or trigger thumb generally occurs in people who often uses his finger actively in daily activities, certain types of sport can also cause this disorder. People who have these kind of sports (bowling etc.) usually was actively using finger joints for hours especially the thumb. Sometime the sufferer feels his finger locked.

Trigger finger is a drag on the movement of the finger caused by inflammation of the tendons wrapping, it can be recognized by some active finger movement, such as folding the thumb to the palm of the hand or just an upward movement. If you feel pain in your fingers after doing a test recommended by the specialist, you might be suffering this disorder. Scientifically arm muscles that attach to bones via tendons connected to regulate the movement of the finger. Tendons also contains a lubricant that can launch a movement of the hands and fingers, when the tendon disorder such as lumps, thickening or dry the pain would be very disturbing.

It can also be caused by previous illness such as diabetes or rheumatic (it's more prevalent in women than men), it can also occur in children because of an abnormality since birth.

What is the option to treat pain in the fingers - Trigger finger?

Healing pain in the finger caused by trigger finger can be done in several ways, one of them is continuous therapy. The therapy can be done by experts with a way to limit the movement by providing splints or other, provide anti-inflammatory and pain, or also to inject a corticosteroid at the pain area.

Other option that can also be done is by a surgery, by opening the inflamed tendon membrane. The surgery is performed by specialists is just a minor/light surgery so the patient can go home after it. With several choices of healing, you can choose more to your liking and do not forget to consult first with a specialist to treat pain in your fingers caused by the trigger finger.

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Choosing The Right Hospital For Your Family

Everyone has their own reasons in choosing a hospital for their family, they have considered many things before the decide which one is right. In contrast to emergency conditions that occur unexpectedly such as traffic accidents, typically the patient will be taken to a nearby hospital. Or in the case of certain diseases, the doctor refers to a certain hospital for some reasons.

In choosing the right hospital for the family, the location is often a special consideration in determining the choice, although maybe it was not the right decision. In developed countries, some people choose a state hospital for a good standard of the health services. But in developing countries that are still lack in quality, many people choose private hospitals they consider better. Due to the lack of completeness of facilities and quality standards of the physicians, many people even prefer to go to an abroad hospital. It is more common in Indonesia people who prefer Singapore hospitals than in his own country.

Another factor that is often a common consideration is the price or the cost, many people prefer a low cost hospital that fits their budget. It is actually not a big deal as long as they still have the proper treatment according  to the patients needs. But we must also consider the quality of the administration, usually family members who take care of patients would prefer a hospital that has an easy procedure in the administration and the uncomplicated one. And it would be a significant added value if they also provide an easy way to take care of the health insurance claims you have.

Tips For Choosing The Right Hospital

Here are some tips that can be applied to find the proper hospital for your family.

• Look at the condition and the completeness of the medical equipment that is available in the hospital, whether it is in conformity to your family need. Emergency patients are often referred to other hospitals due to the lack of medical facilities.
• In addition to the services quality, you may also note the honesty. A customer service that give a wrong information to their clients is the thing we don't want to see. They should also provide 24 hour information service.
• Consider the administration systems and processes, whether it's simple or complicated. A higher cost should be offset by the ease of taking care of the charge.
• Safety is also an important factor for the patient and the family, in addition to maintaining the security they should also have a privacy policy that protect the patient about the illness.
• You can also pay attention to their existing ISO certification. Usually, every country have their own agency or commission that regulates the hospital and health care provider quality, and see if they have a national accreditation.

Choosing the right hospital for your family does require a lot of knowledge, references from friends or colleagues are also worth considering.

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Fish For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is a blessing that eagerly anticipated by married couple, by knowing the proper nutrients it is expected that the growth of the fetus will be perfect and one type of highly nutritious food is fish. The expert recommend that pregnant women should consume it at least 3 times a week, as we all know it contain omega 3 fatty acids that are very good to support the health of the fetus in the womb.

A good fish for pregnant women is a kind that is not contain mercury such as tunas, sardines, salmon, mackerel and cods. In addition to mega 3 which is useful for the fetal brain development, fish also contains Vitamins A, D, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and choline(choline is often associated to Vitamin B complex). And you can avoid swordfish, tile fish and snapper fish that is very high in mercury(also known as Quicksilver) that can inhibit the growth of the baby.

In order to be safe for you and your fetus, then make sure the fish is well cooked and please avoid Japanese foods that are usually present the fish in half done(immature) such as sushi or other. Because the omega 3 fatty acids are very good for the development of the brain and nervous system, then by eating fish regularly and well presented is likely increasing the chance to have a smart baby.

Omega 3 acids can also be found in canola oil, nuts and flax oil, if you don't really like the fish then you can add them in your menu although some studies have shown that fish is the best source. You can also replace it with special nutritional supplements, but the best nutrition for pregnant women are given in the form of natural foods and not artificial nutrition or chemically processed.

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Low Cholesterol Diet For a Healthier Heart

Coronary heart disease and Cardiomyopathy usually suffered by a person with the age of 40 and above, but these days these disorders also attacks in people with a young age. This can happen when the person  has an unhealthy diet and do not pay attention to the balance of nutrients in the food consumed, unconsciously consume too many foods that contain high cholesterol is likely will increase the risk of heart disease.

Indeed the majority of heart disease caused by foods, limiting fat and cholesterol within  reasonable limits is a wise decision. When you buy the meat at the market choose lean meat to help reduce saturated fat. When we eat fatty meats, it will increase the blood cholesterol and getting high risk of atherosclerosis (ASVD), that is the buildup of plaque in arteries that would trigger a stroke.

Peanuts, almonds and walnuts are very good to prevent heart disease because of the unsaturated fats, rich in antioxidants and fiber content. They are also great especially for young people who are undergoing a weight loss program to reduce hunger. In order to support this program, the experts recommend to eat peanuts at the most of 2 ounces per day.

One of the most famous vegetables to keep our body healthy are tomatoes, because they contain carotene lycopene that is a natural antioxidant and may prevent prostate cancer. Tomatoes is also keep the beauty of the skin as it protects against ultra violet rays(UV) and rich in vitamin C. Vitamin B1, B3 and iron in brown rice is also very good for your heart health support, it also contains antioxidants that can improve the durability of the body.

Discipline is very influential on the success in running your healthy heart diet program, as well as family and social support is also very necessary.

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Soybean Benefit and How to Eat it Safely

Soybean is one of the main source of protein and vegetable oil that we can find in our daily food. There are two types of them, the first is white soybean (Glycine Max), which is used as the base material to make soy flour and soy oil, tofu and as a mixture of various snacks. The second is black soybean (Glycine Soja), which is used as the main material of soy sauce. The United States is still the main producer, even though these plants are originated from tropical and sub-tropical Asia countries.

It is also contain isoflavon, which is good to eat for stroke and high blood pressure sufferers because it may control the blood pressure in normal limits. It will also increase the insulin hormones which is useful to convert glucose into energy, therefore soybean is very good for diabetics. It is also useful for digestive system, and reduce the symptoms of arthritis and gout.

Soybean is excellent for young women in order to increase the estrogen hormones, but it is not recommended for people that have breast cancer in current or past because it will increase the risk of the tumor growth. For teenage boys is also not recommended to eat them too much because of the phytoestrogens content. Replace the meat to soy foods(such as tofu) is a wise choice in a weight loss program, due to the excellent nutrition for body metabolism and it can control the fat and cholesterol in the body.

How to Eat Soybean Safely and Optimize the Benefit

To get the optimal benefit of soybean nutrients then you have to adjust to your body condition. For some people that have breast cancer then they can leave soybeans and seek for alternatives to replace the nutrients. As well as for our son who is still in infancy or adolescence, limiting the consumption on a considerable portion is a smart move.

The key is to know your own body, do you have a certain conditions and is it forbidden to eat soybeans. If your doctor forbids you to eat them, then you must also be careful in choosing snacks, consider whether the snacks are made from soybeans as the base materials. If you had a special condition and still allowed to eat it in a fairly number then choose the organic one, since most American soybeans are the result of genetic engineering it can also increase the risk of allergies in children.

World nutritionists recommend to eat fermented soybean like tempeh, some researches shows that tempeh can optimize the nutrients and fiber. This is very beneficial for the people of Indonesia, because tempeh is one of the national staple food that is made from soybean and has been consumed by Javanese people since centuries ago.

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