August 2022 - Healthedly Insurance Services

4 Reasons Why You Always Wake Up Needing More Sleep

Tired? Trying to count sheep for 5 more minutes to get to sleep? If you’re waking up tired, it could be because you have a medical problem or a stress-related one. One of the best things you can do is get a good night’s rest. It’s true that most people feel tired when they wake up in the morning, but if you find yourself always waking up tired with no energy or motivation to start your day, there could be something wrong with how much sleep you’re getting.

Sleep Environment

Bedtime hygiene is important. Your resting environment needs to promote a solid sleeping routine. A comfortable welcoming bed with comfortable sheets that invite you to rest. Ensuring a cool regulated sleeping body temperature that allows you to slumber through the night. Proper shut-eye depends on limited screen time. Blue light exposure before bedtime can impact your rest. Save energy and turn off the lights, tv, and put down the phone before going to bed for better sleep.

Stressful Thoughts

When you’re stressed out and worried about something, your body produces the stress hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol can make it hard for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. If this happens often enough, your body will produce more cortisol when it should be winding down at night—and that means it’s harder for your body to get restful sleep. When you do finally doze off, stress can even keep you from entering deep sleep stages at all: instead of getting into slow-wave sleep (the kind that makes us feel refreshed), our brains remain in REM or light sleep throughout the night—which leaves us feeling groggy when we wake up in the morning. [1]

Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol

Stimulation is great in the morning but not so much in the evening. Eating and drinking the wrong foods and drinks before bedtime can cause a staggering effect on your sleeping habits. Cut the caffeine or alcohol especially in the afternoon at the very least 4 hours before bed to not impose on your sleeping cycle.

You maybe dealing with a health condition

When dealing with sleep fatigue, it’s important to talk to your doctor about what might be causing the problem. The most common medical conditions that cause fatigue are [2]:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Fibromyalgia (FM)
Insomnia
Sleep Apnea

Some of these conditions need medical testing required for diagnosis by a licensed professional.

Not getting enough sleep can cause a lot of health problems so make sure you get plenty of rest every night. Small symptoms can lead to bigger issues. Having health insurance and going to the doctor can prevent a future serious health disease. If you are still having sleeping problems after making adjustments. It may be time to visit a specialist.

For information on low cost health insurance coverage to help improve your rest, Click here!

Sources:

August 24, 2022

Reasons for Medicaid Cancellation

Medicaid

For some people, Medicaid can be a lifesaver, but for others it’s something that they want to get out of–and quick. For starters, let’s address what exactly Medicaid is.

Medicaid isn’t an insurance program. It’s an assistance program. This means that the government administered this coverage for people who are in need, either because of financial hardship or because of disability. When you’re in those positions, being on Medicaid can be a wonderful step up, but it also has its drawbacks.

Here are some Medicaid termination reasons.

#1. You’re Making Too Much Money

Medicaid is a program that you have to qualify for based on your income as it relates to your family size. You may qualify for Medicaid during periods of unemployment or underemployment. Older people who have no savings and are living on a single social security check may need to rely on Medicaid for their care.

But if you’re looking to make more money–if you get a job that gets you out of that low bracket where you’re qualified–then you’re going to want a different kind of insurance. For many people, that insurance may be a health plan through their new employer, but for others it may be a private insurance plan.

While millions of people enroll in Medicaid, the coverage must end when your income exceeds the limits placed on it by the state.

#2. You Move to a New State

Medicaid is not a federal program, but a state-run program, and every state manages their Medicaid programs differently. While you might qualify for this type of coverage in one state, there’s a chance that when you move to another state you will lose your coverage. Consequently, when moving from one state to another many people choose to look for private health insurance programs, or look to other federal funding plans like Medicare or Medicare Advantage.

#3. You Want More Flexibility with Doctors than Medicaid Offers

Because Medicaid is run by the government, there is a lot of red tape that accompanies coverage. That means that many doctors, medical facilities and even some hospitals will not accept Medicaid. While some of these programs create incentives to get Medicaid patients seen by as many doctors as possible, moving to a different healthcare program will open up doors to you that were previously closed.

#4. States Are Planning For The End of Continuous Enrollment Requirement

Medicaid is designed to be a safety net for people who are down on their luck, and there have been suspensions of renewal paperwork or eligibility redeterminations during the pandemic of Covid-19 for states which are receiving enhanced federal funding. As things are resuming more normally in healthcare, the resumption of these eligibility redeterminations will result in people losing their eligibility status for Medicaid. States will need to determine how to approach this change post-pandemic, and so you may need to prepare for a change in your coverage. For those experiencing canceling of their Medicaid, it’s time to look for other affordable health care solutions.

Whatever Your Reason For Getting Off Medicaid, There Are Options

For more information about getting off of Medicaid and switching to a Medicare program, contact us today.

August 23, 2022

Will Insurance Pay For Dental Implants?

Dental

The big question when it comes to dental implants is: will my insurance cover dental implants? At first, it may seem that a dental implant is a cosmetic procedure and therefore not covered by insurance–and in some cases that may be true.

But as anyone who is missing a tooth or teeth can tell you, the loss of teeth is a major health problem that affects more about their body than just their smile.

Getting your health insurance to pay part of the cost of this dental care is essential.

There are certainly parts of the dental implant procedure that insurance companies will cover (though all dental insurance plans offered are different and you should consult them before you undergo major procedures). One of the most commonly covered parts of dental implant care is tooth extraction. For some people, they will already be missing the tooth, but for others, removal of a bad tooth is necessary. And the good news is that most dental insurance coverage will pay for tooth extraction.

Bone grafting comes next in the dental implant process. At this point, the jawbone is reinforced to establish a secure foundation for the implant. Although this is an important part of the procedure, not all plans cover this.

The third step is actually implanting the implant. This is a major dental procedure according to insurance companies, which doesn’t necessarily mean that they will reject your claim. “major dental” refers more to cost than the intensity of the surgery. Check your insurance benefits, but it’s common for dental plans to cover up to half of this.

Finally, we come to placing the artificial tooth (which is different from placing the implant). The artificial tooth is a crown that looks like a natural tooth. This is part of the procedure that most insurance companies will cover at least some part of. Insurance providers usually consider crowns a much more common and necessary procedure than other aspects of dental implantation.

Will Dental Insurance Cover Implant Crowns?

While an insurance company may not cover the total cost of the implant, it may very well cover the cost of the crown, bridge, or denture that is part of the dental implant.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Full Mouth Implants?

In cases where someone needs an entirely new set of teeth, due to dental deterioration or for cosmetic reasons, a full mouth implant can be done. This procedure involves replacing all or most of the teeth in a person’s mouth with implants. It’s a major procedure, and it’s not cheap. A full mouth implant requires a lot of time and precision by the orthodontist. Subsequently, the procedure requires a lot of waiting on the part of the patient.

Insurance companies almost never cover these procedures, unless there is a medical need, such as traumatic injury to the face, or severe infection. However, even in these cases, it will be an uphill battle getting your dental insurance to pay out for a full mouth implant.

How To Get Dental Implants Covered by Insurance

Getting medical insurance to cover your implants means that you need to prove that your implants are a medical necessity.

If you suffer from bone atrophy caused by osteoporosis, or diabetes, your provider may cover dental implants. Insurance companies will also cover this procedure if you suffer traumatic injuries that affect your ability to chew.

Sometimes, cancer treatments require the extraction of some teeth, and insurance will cover it. Some prescription drugs can lead to dry mouth and tooth decay. This can include antihistamines, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants.

Ultimately, the decision to cover your tooth implants comes down to the insurance company that you use.

Need dental insurance? Get a quick quote here today.

August 23, 2022

Impact of the No Surprises Act

General

The No Surprises Act (NSA) established new federal protections against surprise medical bills that took effect in 2022. Surprise medical bills pose financial burdens on consumers when health plans deny out-of-network claims or apply higher out-of-network cost sharing; consumers also face “balance billing” from out-of-network providers that have not contracted to accept discounted payment rates from the health plan. The federal government estimates the NSA will apply to about 10 million out-of-network surprise medical bills a year.

This act will protect consumers from surprise medical bills by:

Requires private health plans to cover out-of-network claims and apply in-network costs. This law applies to job-based and non-group plans, including grandfathered plans
Prevents patients from receiving surprise charges and getting charged more out-of-network than in-network by doctors, hospitals, and medical providers

The NSA also institutes a procedure in the event of surprise out-of-network medical bills would lead to negotiations between plans and the providers. If those negotiations don’t succeed, then an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process would begin.

Federal protections now apply to most surprise bills in the following settings:

Emergency services– applies to emergency rooms, freestanding emergency departments, urgent cares, air ambulance transportation, however it doesn’t include ground ambulances

Post-emergency stabilization services– post-stabilization care equals emergency care until a physician determines the patient can travel safely to another in-network facility using non-medical transport, the facility is able to accept the transfer, and that the transfer will not cause the patient other unreasonable burdens. The NSA also requires patients to receive written notice and give written consent to transfer.

Non-emergency services provided at in-network facilities– the NSA allows non-emergency services by out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. The doctor working in the hospital will bill them independently and don’t participate in the same network as the hospital. The federal government estimates about 1.8 million in-network non-emergency hospital stays involve at least one out-of-network claim.

Doctors are not able to bill patients more than the in-network cost sharing for surprise bills. If they do, a penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation can apply. Some providers can ask their patients to waive their rights. They should not ask any patient if they are impaired or otherwise limited in their decision-making. Health plans, providers and facilities will most likely work in good faith to comply with NSA requirements. Even if compliance rates are high, with 10 million surprise medical bills annually, hundreds of thousands of problems could nonetheless arise. In such cases, it could fall to the consumer to recognize when surprise billing protections should apply and to seek help.

What can patients do in case of wrong doing?

Providers and facilities will most likely act in good faith with the No Surprises Act, although with an estimated 10 million surprise medical bills annually, there will no doubt be some issues. In some areas it could be up to the consumer to recognize surprise billing arise and seek help resolving them. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) helped establish state Consumer Assistance Programs (CAP) to aid privately insured consumers about their health coverage needs. The NSA gives consumers the opportunity to appeal health plan decisions that wrongly deny or apply out-of-network cost sharing to surprise medical bills to the health plan first, then if the plan upholds the decision, an external viewer will help resolve the claim.

The NSA was a big step making it easier for patients to get emergency care without being penalized for out-of-network care. To see what plans have your doctors in network, click here!

August 17, 2022

What Is Travel Insurance?

Health Resources, Travel Medical

A passenger waiting to travel, holding their passport.

Any travel includes risks. Whether it is a short flight to another state or a long trip around the world, every time you have a scheduled flight, a planned train, a hotel booking, or a tour, there is the possibility of an error.

Without travel protection, that error could not only cost you a lot, but it could leave you stranded in a train station, looking for a last-minute hotel, or it could mean you never get to leave your home, to begin with. Travel interruption is a major reason to get a protection plan and buy travel insurance.

Travel insurance coverage tries to ease the pain of all of that. While travel insurance plans can’t guarantee to get you where you need to be when you need to be there, the insurance can mean that you won’t be shelling out a lot of money to solve unexpected problems.

Travel Health Insurance

But the real problem is not missing luggage or canceled flights. Those can be a pain and mess up your vacation, but what we’re talking about is your health–your life.

Injury and sickness—medical expenses—are a big aspect of travel insurance trip protection. Does the country you’re traveling to have a good healthcare system? Will your home country’s health plan cover the doctor’s visit? Or will you be paying foreign doctors in foreign currency full price for care?

Do I Need Travel Health Insurance?

That all depends on how much risk you’re willing to take on. Certainly, you aren’t required to have this type of coverage, but when you have a major trip planned that needs to go according to schedule, it only makes sense to have contingency plans.

One trip travel health insurance is always good to look into at the very least. Multiple trips make it almost a must. And if you have pre-existing conditions for your health, it’s definitely wise.

And, the more distant the country you’re traveling to, the more important this coverage becomes. If you’re a New Yorker traveling to Toronto, there’s little language barrier or cultural differences. The medical system is relatively easy to navigate, and you’re not going too far away from home. However, traveling to a country that doesn’t speak your language, that doesn’t have your customs, that might not have the same level of healthcare you’re accustomed to—that’s when you need global trip protection.

How Much Is Travel Insurance?

It depends on how old you are and the overall cost of the trip. A relatively young person in good health will probably spend 3-5% of the overall cost, but a retiree might pay 10%.

Still looking for the right travel health insurance plan? Browse our plans here.

Taking a trip? Get a quote for travel insurance today.

August 13, 2022

Protecting yourself from cancer, strokes, heart attacks and recovering both physically and financially

Individual and Family

By Adam Ratcliffe

Protecting yourself from cancer, strokes, heart attacks and recovering both physically and financially

Everyone understands the importance of protecting both your physical and financial health. There’s no better feeling than waking up in the morning knowing that you’re healthy, confident, and secure. A sound peace of mind can definitely be attributed to expecting the unexpected and being prepared for all obstacles life throws at you. However, a major health issue such as heart attack, strokes, and heart attacks never come at a good time, often leaving a substantial financial burden long after recovery. Even with a personal health plan, out-of-pocket costs can start to add up.

Start planning today!

Although less common amongst younger people, a dramatic health event can still take place. According to the American Stroke Association, the incidence of stroke among adults ages 49 and younger in the U.S. has continued to increase over the last 30 years.[1]

Planning ahead can remedy much of the financial burden a major health problem can put on you. A supplement health policy is one way you can alleviate some of that strain.

Cancer’s effect on bodies, minds, and finances:

1.9 Million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2022[2]
40% of men in the U.S. are at risk of getting cancer[2]
One-third of women in the U.S. are at risk of getting cancer[2]
$174 Billion Total projected cost of cancer care in 2020 [3]

Not only can this insidious disease be incredibly detrimental to the patient’s physical health but also their financial health. Moreover, preventative screenings are one way to avoid costs building up, by catching risk factors early can save you money in the long run.

Cancer Screenings recommendations by age [4]:

Cervical Cancer– recommend screening age starting at age 25
Breast Cancer– recommended screening age starting at age 45, starting at 40 optional
Colorectal Cancer– recommended screening age starting at 45
Lung Cancer– recommended screening age starting at 50
Prostate Cancer– talk to your doctor starting at 45

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of heart attacks and strokes. Taking control of one’s own health includes getting the recommended screenings and taking steps to control your financial wellbeing.

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. suffers from a heart attack [5]
The #1 cause of death for all people in the U.S. is heart disease. [2]
~805,000 people in the U.S. each year have a heart attack [5]
Every 36 seconds someone in the U.S. dies of cardiovascular disease. [6]

There’s an increasing trend in the occurrence of strokes at younger ages, which is of great public health concern. Strokes in younger patients can lead to the potential for disability resulting in a greater lifetime burden for the patients and their loved ones.[7]

An example of one of those burdens are medical bills which can exceed the costs of any other monthly living expenses.

#1 cause of bankruptcies is medical debt [8]
66.51% of bankruptcies are caused by medical issues [9]
2+ million people are adversely affected by medical issues [10]
~530,000 families go bankrupt due to medical debt [11]

If you are uninsured or looking for low cost options on individual or family insurance, Get a quote here!

For information about Cigna Flexible Choice Cancer and Heart Attack & Stroke policies, click here!

Sources Cited:

1)American Stroke Association Newsroom, February 3, 2022; https://newsroom.heart.org/news/u-s-stroke-rate-declining-in-adults-75-and-older-yet-rising-in-adults-49-and-younger

2)Cancer Facts & Figures 2022, American Cancer Society;

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2022/2022-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf

3) Projections of the Cost of Cancer Care in the United States: 2010–2020;www.nih.gov

4) American Cancer Society Screenings by Age, American Cancer Society; https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/get-screened.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImJD3qsfD9wIV8hHnCh1rgQSAEAAYASAAEgKp0_D_BwE#age

5) Fryar CD, Chen T-C, Li X. Prevalence of uncontrolled risk factors for cardiovascular disease: United States, 1999–2010 pdf icon[PDF-494K]. NCHS data brief, no. 103. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2012.

6) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Underlying Cause of Death, 1999–2018. CDC WONDER Online Database. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2018.

7) Yahya, Tamer, et al, Stroke in Young Adults – Current trends, opportunities for prevention and pathways forward, American Journal of Cardiology, June 2020; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666667720300854

8) “Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy, data shows: How to reduce your hospital bills”, Fox Business.com, October 25, 2021; https://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/medical-debt-bankruptcy-hospital-bill-forgiveness.

9) David U. Himmelstein, et al. “Medical Bankruptcy in the United States 2007: Result of a National Study”, pubmed.gov; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19501347/

10) “Medical Bills: The Leading Cause of Bankruptcy in the U.S., Apex EDI, May 25, 2018; https://apexedi.com/medical-bills-the-leading-cause-of-bankruptcy-in-the-united-states/.11) American Public Health Assoc study,”Medical Bankruptcy: Still Common Despite the Affordable Care Act”, aphapublications.org, March 2019.

August 11, 2022