Posted on Monday, January 11, 2016

What Preventive Services are Covered by My Healthcare Plan?

Obamacare made a lot of changes to insurance and healthcare. One thing it changed is what preventive services must be covered by your insurance without having to pay a copayment when delivered by a network provider. If you are under a new health insurance plan or a policy beginning on or after September 23, 2010, here are some of the services that must be covered by your healthcare plan.

For Adults:

Alcohol misuse screening and counseling
Aspirin use for men and women of certain ages
Blood pressure screening
Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at high risk
Depression screening
Many immunization vaccines including Hepatitis A and B, Herpes Zoster, Human Papillomavirus, Flu Shot, Measles, mumps, rubella, Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, and more
Obesity screening and counseling
Syphilis screening for adults at higher risk

For Women:

Anemia screening for pregnant women
Bacteriuria urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant women
Breast cancer mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40
Osteoporosis screening for women over 60, depending on risk factors
Tobacco use screening and interventions for all women and expanded counseling for pregnant users

For Children:

Alcohol and drug use assessments for adolescents
Autism screening for children at 18 and 24 months
Behavioral assessments for children
Depression screening for adolescents
Immunization vaccines for children including Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis A and B, Flu Shot, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, and more

You can find out more about the many other preventive services offered on hhs.gov. Take advantage of these preventative services and stay healthy in the New Year!

All month long we are answering your questions. What do you want to know about your healthcare? Leave your questions in the comments section of the blog, email them to me, or ask them on Facebook or Twitter. Then join me on January 27th, 2016 for a Q&A webinar where I will answer your questions. Register here.

Posted on Thursday, December 31, 2015

3 Healthcare Predictions for 2016

2016 will continue to see healthcare grow and change. As it does, MyHealthSpin will help you find easy, simple answers to your healthcare questions.

Here are our healthcare predictions for 2016:

More Wearables: More medical “wearables” will be developed with increasingly sophisticated technology to offer less invasive, but effective, monitoring and treatment for health conditions. Many healthcare and technology companies will create mobile apps, wearable sensors, and ways for consumers to access their personal health records. Expect to continue seeing devices and apps that allow you to have a more active role in your healthcare. The market for next generation wearables is expected to increase exponentially.

End-of-Life Care: We predict that end-of-life care will gain more public attention as the issue will continue to occupy headlines. Hospice will increase. Physicians will have more end-of-life care discussions with patients due to increasing drug prices, high deductible plans, and new payment models.

Employers: Employers will start to treat healthcare costs much more seriously. They will have an active role in employee healthcare to manage their healthcare costs. Employers may require monitoring health using online tools, they may choose which doctors and hospitals employees go to, and they may require second opinions before high cost procedures or treatments.

Those are just a few of our predictions for 2016. All of these advances and trends will continue to grow in 2016 and beyond.

I hope MyHealthSpin can help you find simple, easy answers to keep up with the changing healthcare landscape. To get started, get a FREE copy of Easy Healthcare: What You Need First by CLICKING HERE.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year!

Posted on Thursday, December 17, 2015

5 Breakthroughs in Healthcare in 2015

2015 has flown by! Healthcare continues to develop in amazing ways. As 2015 comes to an end, one of our readers asked:

What are are some of the medical breakthroughs that happened in 2015? Here are our top 5:

1. “Cancer seeing” Technology

Medical imaging technology developed at the University of Lincoln, UK could revolutionize cancer treatment. The instrument is called PRaVDA (Proton Radiotherapy Verification and Dosimetry Applications) and uses proton beam therapy to localize treatment, which causes less damage to healthy tissue. This will hopefully become a viable treatment for cancer patients.

2. Optical Scanners

Hand-held optical scanners have been developed with the potential to offer breast cancer imaging in real time using a near-infrared laser diode. Hopefully these will be used by physicians in the future as part of regular visits. They are further being developed to be able to determine tumor size and depth.

3. Small 3-D Cameras for Brain Surgery

MARVEL (Multi Angle Rear Viewing Endoscopic tool) was designed as a camera to aid in brain surgery by producing 3D images from inside the brain. The camera is being developed at NASA’s Laboratory in California. It is 4 millimeters in diameter and 15 millimeters long. Use of the camera will lead to faster, safer minimally invasive brain surgeries.

4. Microchip Sensors Placed in Patients

The Mount Sinai Hospital has begun putting tiny microchip sensors in patients with advanced heart failure to better monitor symptoms and reduce chances of returning to the hospital. This allows early signs to be detected before symptoms arise. The device has reduced readmission by up to 37 percent.

5. Dissolvable Surgical Clips

Dissolvable clips were invented that are absorbed by the body after a certain period of time. It can reduce the rate of postoperative complications and minimize diagnostic imaging problems. As many as 30 to 40 clips may be used during a single procedure.

As 2015 comes to a close, we continue to watch healthcare grow and develop in exciting ways. I will continue to keep you updated on the healthcare issues that affect you the most. Happy Holidays!