Stem Cell Research….Why the debate? November 13, 2006

I first remember really hearing about Stem Cell research when Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana campaigned for more funding and awareness. I was amazed by the possibilities this research could bring and the suffering it could possibly eliminate.

I am a nurse and I am also a Lupus patient. For me, this is personal. I need to understand this research. I am a caregiver and one day I may need care for my illness or need to care for a loved one who is sick, care and treatment that right now hasn’t even been made possible.

I have heard the arguments and done the research. I believe in making an informed decision. I am not going to say where I stand the issues debated, I don’t think it matters. What matters is that people are given the needed information to make their own decisions and be at peace with their choice’s. Sooner or later we will all deal with sickness in one way or another and knowing our options or our loved ones options, can life saving.

Check out the NIH  site to find out more.

New HIV Patients Expected to Live 24 Years November 11, 2006

According to a recent study, an American diagnosed with HIV today can (on average) live 24 years. That is a significant increase over studies in the 1990’s that only offered HIV patients an average 10 year life expectancy.

Why the change? Since 1993 major advances have been made in antiretroviral medications used to treat HIV. Plus, there is more research and education offered to physicians, which helps them in treating the disease. While HIV was once considered a guaranteed death, it is now changing over to a chronic disease.

What is the cost of living that long with a disease like HIV? On average it costs $25,000 per year to treat HIV, so the total cost over 25 years would equal over $600,000. These estimates, however, are based on HIV patients getting the best possible medication from experienced HIV doctors, which does not always happen. Therefore, the estimates may be slightly inflated.

Shop Around and Save November 10, 2006

Many people know to shop around to save money on most things in life. Yet when it comes to health care and insurance, a lot of people don’t realize the importance of shopping around. According to The Merced Sun-Star the average knee replacement surgery is $73,000. Since most people are choosing 70/30 plans to save money on health insurance, that can mean an out-of-pocket expense of over $20,000.

Choosing insurance can be critical to the care you can afford. Some people only choose a catastrophic care insurance, and others end up choosing treatment that is not covered by their health insurance. Unexpected bills can be disasterous to your finances. So, shopping around for insurance is of the utmost importance.

Still, shopping around for insurance is not the only thing you can do to keep your medical costs down. You can also shop around for care. You have a right to ask your doctor or hospital how much procedures will cost. If you have flexible insurance, you may be able to get the care you need somewhere that costs less.

Also, if you ask your hospital about costs, they may also be able to help you find health programs that can assist in the financial burden of procedures or care. Many hospitals have charity or payment assistance programs, and there are also private organizations that specializing in helping patients receive financial assistance. Discuss your options with your hospital and insurance patient advocate.

Shopping around can be key to not only finding health insurance that saves you from large hospital bills, but so can shopping for medical care and assistance. While there may

What’s Coming in Medical Treatment… November 6, 2006

I was searching the blogosphere today and came upon a blog that discusses “new and promising breakthroughs” in medical treatment. The Medical Journals’ most recent articles is about new spinal injury treatments that can help patients regain some movements. There are also articles about new cosmetic surgery and genetic breakthroughs that could revolutionize health care. The thing I like the most about this site is that it puts everything in laymen’s terms so that anyone can understand. Also, the author gives an expected date for these treatments to hit the mainstream. This is definitely a site I will return to time and time again to get updates on potential breakthroughs in medical treatments.

How Much Did Your Family Pay for Health Insurance This Year? October 26, 2006

How much did your family pay for health insurance this year? According to The Huffington Post the average family cost $10,880 this year in health insurance. While $8,167 was covered by the employer, that still leaves $2,713 to the worker.

Don’t think that figure is significant? Well, the number is a 9.5% increase over last year, and the number is expected to go up. It is also significant, because it only shows the statistics of families that have employer-based coverage. The cost of family insurance is equal to the salary of someone on minimum wage. Now is is making more sense why over 46 million people don’t have any health insurance? Even if someone is making more than minimum wage, they may not be able to afford the cost of insurance for an entire family, let alone themselves.

So, if people cannot afford health insurance, they most likely cannot afford medical care. When it comes to maintaining good health, medical care is essential. It’s time to stop just talking about changing our health care system and actually start advocating real change.

The Need for Long Term Care Insurance October 19, 2006

According to Market Day Daily News there is a health care crisis on the horizon. Met Life is reporting that 70 percent of people over 65 will need some sort of extended care before they die, and 90 percent of those over 65 years of age will have at least one chronic condition. Yet, not enough people consider whether or not regular health insurance alone will be enough.

There is a huge burden associated with long-term care. It places an emotional physical, and financial drain on the caregivers. One Met Life study done in 2003 reported the cost of long term care was $180 per day, or $66,000 per year. Yet those numbers can even rise over $150,000 with private home care. The study also estimates that by 2021 nursing home care may rise to over $175,000 per year.

So what is a person supposed to do about the rising cost of care? One alternative is long-term care insurance. This is a special insurance program that “pays for extended care when Medicare or major medical is exhausted.” There are a range of plans available that cover nursing home or home health care.

Some people say that long-term care insurance is just an added expense, but so is over $4,000 in medical bills. Would you rather pay $80 to $100 dollars as month now or $4,000 dollars a month later? You decide.

Once you know you want to consider long term care insurance you should know the facts. Start by reading the rest of the article on Market Day here, but you should also make sure you get enough quotes to compare rates and services from different companies. An informed choice is always a better choice.

Get Rid of the Slang October 16, 2006

According to Kevin, M.D. Medical Weblog a patient advocate is attempting to ban medical slang like “frequent flyer” and other terms that have been deemed offensive to patients. Many of the terms are demeaning labels that shift the blame from the disease or ailment to the patient, and they have no place in a medical setting.

October is Lupus Awareness Month October 15, 2006

What is Lupus?

• Lupus is a widespread and chronic (lifelong) autoimmune disease that, for unknown reasons, causes the immune system to attack the body’s own tissue and organs, including the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, blood, or skin.
• The immune system normally protects the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. In an autoimmune disease like lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissue. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against “self.”

Please read more about this disease which affects almost two million people, of whom are mostly women. You can find out more about Lupus at the Lupus Foundation of America.

Patient Advocacy Insights October 14, 2006

At Navelgazine Midwife , there is an article on the increasing pressure being put on women to have a C-section. The article goes on to discuss the dilemma facing patient advocates. Can a patient advocate really look out for the best interest of a patient when the person is employed by the hospital itself? This is not a new, but always an interesting question. There are also some great comments by readers at the bottom of the page. Please let us know what you think…

Story: Why You Need a Patient Advocate October 14, 2006

On Living and Laughing with Chronic Illness Blog, there is a great story about why a patient advocate is necessary. Yet is also warns of those that will put themselves forward as patient advocates and not really do anything at all for you. It is a long story, but the story is not all that uncommon.