health insurance

One in 6 Americans experience food poisoning each year

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
One in 6 Americans experience food poisoning each year

Foodborne illnesses affect one in six Americans each year, according to recent statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data collected by the CDC in 2011, estimate that 31 of the most common agents of foodborne disease found in foods in the United States cause 9.4 million illnesses, 55,961 hospitalizations, and 1,351 deaths each year. The CDC reported that 90 percent of all foodborne deaths and hospitalizations were caused by seven known…

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Health insurance for the contract worker

By Lisa Shidler
Health insurance for the contract worker

As unemployment rates have risen, many people have found success as a contractor doing freelance, project or consulting work and in turn need to find their own individual health insurance policies. Buying an individual health insurance policy seems overwhelming but insurance experts say consumers can shape their own policy and also have more legal recourse than if they were enrolled in a group plan. Contract or Temporary worker health insurance tips· Meet with an insurance…

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The 10 most horrifying health care statistics

By Emily Capdevielle
The 10 most horrifying health care statistics

What’s so horrifying about health care? For those that have health insurance, the future of health care is sketchy, especially when it comes to recent changes in health care reform. For those that don’t have insurance,  getting it may be easier, but quality of care is still largely an unknown. And still, we are not certain how much the new reform is going to cost all of us in the public and private sector. Consumer…

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Shingles vaccine beneficial for adults over 60

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Shingles vaccine beneficial for adults over 60

All Americans over the age of 60 are being encouraged to receive a shingles vaccination, as a new report found that vaccinations can reduce the risk of developing the disease by half. The study, conducted by Kaiser Permanente, found that the vaccine is even safe for older adults who aren’t in tip-top shape, despite a previous recommendation that the vaccine only be given to healthy adults. “We didn’t know how well the vaccine actually performed…

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Survey: New payment system needed for doctors

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Survey: New payment system needed for doctors

The current system used in the U.S. to determine payment for health care providers – a complex negotiation between public and private health insurers and the doctors and nurses themselves – is archaic and should be changed, according to a majority of opinion leaders surveyed recently by the Commonwealth Fund. “Experts agree that if private payers and public programs could come together and agree to pay the same way, and the same amount, we can…

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Georgia plans to bridge healthcare gap to treat diabetes

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Georgia plans to bridge healthcare gap to treat diabetes

Despite the ongoing efforts of advocacy organizations, government agencies, and health insurance companies, disparities remain in the level of access to health care enjoyed by Americans of different racial backgrounds. However, a recent pilot program in Georgia has demonstrated some success in equalizing the treatment of diabetes, according to Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The health insurer recently announced that it would give a Clinical Distinction Award to a program it developed in conjunction with the Harvard…

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Senator says not enough votes for health care repeal

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Senator says not enough votes for health care repeal

The Republican effort to pass a legislative repeal of President Barack Obama’s health care reforms of last year will not be successful, warns Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski. Despite her personal opposition to the President’s reforms, Murkowski told a local news station in Anchorage, she thinks the party’s time would be better spent on issues it has more chance of actually getting traction on. According to the New York Times, Murkowski also said an alternative measure…

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Government launches new health care information website

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Government launches new health care information website

The Obama administration’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, announced Thursday that the White House has launched an informational website to help Americans understand the benefits and programs available to them as a result of new health care legislation. “For too long, it was confusing to identify your options and compare plans. HealthCare.gov makes comparison shopping easier with a new health insurance finder that allows users to answer a few basic questions and…

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Women’s health in U.S. rated as unsatisfactory

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Women’s health in U.S. rated as unsatisfactory

Women’s health in the U.S. continues to fall way below desired standards, according to a study from the National Women’s Law Center. The 2010 edition of “Making the Grade on Women’s Health: A National State-by-State Report Card” found that the nation as a whole received a grade of “Unsatisfactory” for women’s health, and not one state received an overall grade of satisfactory, the highest possible. Only Vermont and Massachusetts received an “S-“, the next highest…

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Attitude can have significant effect on heart health

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Attitude can have significant effect on heart health

People are routinely reminded that it’s important to follow a healthy diet and to exercise regularly if they want to stay healthy. However, an equally important part of staying healthy involves one’s emotional well-being. The American Heart Association recently cited data suggesting that people with an antagonistic disposition may be up to 40 percent more at risk for heart attacks, strokes and other related events. Specifically, people with this disposition tended to have more thickening of…

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