To Grandma’s House We Go: Getting Sick on the Road

Winter, travel - family ready for the travel for winter vacationAs we celebrate the holidays, many of us are traveling to be with family and friends.  With so many holiday activities, long care rides, and airplane trips, it’s easy to get tired, run down, and sick.  Not to mention the fact that all those cousins and friends you don’t see very often can give the gift of germs as easily as they can fruit cake.  So how should you handle getting sick on the road?

MyHealthSpin’s Easy Healthcare:  Before You Get Sick helps you figure out how to prepare prior to getting sick.  

First, generally you don’t get sick in an instant.  Most people are starting to feel sick prior to their travel date.  BE PROACTIVE!  Prior to leaving, assess how you are feeling and take action.  Do you need to see your doctor?  Do you need an antibiotic?  Is your child getting an ear infection?  Planning ahead is the best plan.

If you get sick on the road without warning, make sure you have your doctor’s contact information so you will be able to ask for help.  Should you come home or go to a doctor in the city you are visiting?  Make sure you don’t wait until Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day to call. Your doctor’s office won’t be open.

Of course, you should always have an established relationship with a primary care physician long before you travel.  If you do not have a primary care physician – a family practitioner or internist – you should find one while you’re healthy.  Preparation and planning can save you a lot of time and money.  You may end up going to the local ER or urgent care simply because you had no other plan for getting sick while out of town.  Getting sick can ruin your holiday so having a plan for handling most illnesses on the road can help.  

 

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Want to avoid unnecessary grief and expense when you get sick? Then you need this essential guide to the business behind your healthcare decisions. MyHealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Before You Get Sick” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to take charge of your healthcare options!

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Available for download NOW!

 

Helpful Health Care Links: December 12, 2014

Confused woman - people feeling confusion and chaos. Indecisive,Our helpful health care links focus on a variety of topics — 6 tips to avoid headaches during the holiday season and the suspension of the trial for a Canadian-Developed Ebola Vaccine. We also include a story from The Wall Street Journal touching on the importance of exercise, which doctors call a “vital sign.” All are worth your time. And, as always, if you ever come across a healthcare story that you think merits more attention, please send it our way!

Healthcare.gov breaks 1 Million as Obamacare Sign-Ups Surge

The upsurge in enrollment comes in advance of next Monday’s deadline to sign up for health insurance that goes into effect by Jan. 1, 2015.

Canadian-Developed Ebola Vaccine Trial Suspended

A clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine has been halted temporarily as a precautionary measure after four patients complained of joint pains.

6 Tips To Avoid Holiday Headaches

Between the shopping, the cooking and the decorating, does holiday stress make your head throb? These tips may help you avoid holiday headaches.

Many Aren’t Seeking Cheaper Health Plans As First Deadline To Switch Nears

Across the nation, millions of people who bought insurance through the exchange must decide by Monday whether to switch plans for 2015 if they want a new plan starting January 1.

Doctors Dole Out Prescriptions For Exercise

Patients are coming out of the doctor’s office with prescriptions for physical activity in addition to drugs, doctor referrals and follow-up protocols.

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All of this information and more will be explained in MyHealthSpin’s soon-to-be-released book, Easy Healthcare:  Choose Your Health Insurance.  For more information,  go to myhealthspin.com.

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Can Patients Still Have High Deductible Health Plans?

Health insuranceSurprisingly the answer is “yes.”  Due to a loophole in ObamaCare, high deductible plans are still allowed when an employer  also offers one health plan to its employees that meets the Affordable Care Act’s requirements.

For patients, this means that it is more important than ever to check to see what your coverage is before assuming that a health insurance will cover all costs.

Many companies are providing its employees with “fixed indemnity” plans which will cover certain services like a doctor’s visit for a set price but will have limits on the amount of visits per year.  Thus, many necessary services will not be covered or the patient will max out of coverage before the necessary services are provided.

Starting in 2015, employers with over 50 employees must provider health plans that meet the basic requirements of the Affordable Care Act or face penalties.  Many employers are planning on offering 2 plans – one that meets the basic requirements and one that does not.  Article

Patients should make sure to:

  1. Check their insurance prior to receiving care.
  2. Educate themselves about ObamaCare.
  3. Become aware of any changes their insurance and relay this to their healthcare practitioner. Communication is “key.”
  4. If you have questions your healthcare provider can’t answer, call your insurance company, employer or 1-800-318-2596 for questions about healthcare.gov

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All of this information and more will be explained in MyHealthSpin’s soon-to-be-released book, Easy Healthcare:  Choose Your Health Insurance.  For more information,  go to myhealthspin.com.

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