Archive for the ‘Health Care’ category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Cat Eye Health Care Tips

August 2nd, 2010
Matt Ryan asked:




The health of your cat’s eyes is very important to the health of your cat. So, it is extremely important to monitor your cat’s eye health and to take action immediately upon realizing there may be an issue. Use the following tips and if the problem is persistent or severe, consult your veterinarian.

Keep Your Cat’s Eyes Healthy

One sure way of making sure the health of your cat’s eyes health doesn’t become a problem is by keeping your cat well groomed and cleaned. Watch for some of these things to help prevent any cat eye health problems.

- Keep your cat’s eyes free of mucus by gently cleaning his or her eyes.

- Before bathing, flea treatments or doing anything that may introduce chemicals to your cat’s eyes you should apply a neutralizing ointment.

- Keep hair out of your cat’s eyes, this is particularly true for long haired breeds such as Persians.

- Clean tear stained fur around the eyes.

Signs of Cat Eye Health Issues

Healthy cat eyes are always moist and clear, if you see any of these following symptoms there may be a health issue.

- Reddish colored inner eyelids

- The third eyelid roams across the eye and/or stays across the eye

- Unusual discharges or matter forming on the eye or in the corners of the eye

- Excessive tears and/or signs of excessive tearing around the eyes

Cleaning Your Cat’s Eyes

Dilute some baby shampoo with water at a solution 1 part shampoo and 20 parts water. With a cotton ball, gauze pad or cotton swab soaked in this solution gently wipe away any discharge or dirt residue by massaging the eyeball. Clean around the edges of the eye thoroughly. Once you have sufficiently cleaned the area, wipe away the shampoo with clean water and cotton ball or gauze pad.

If there are any formations of discharge residue inside the eyelids themselves, drip sterile saline eye drops from above the eye and carefully remove with a tissue or cotton ball.

Apply Medication to Your Cat’s Eyes

If you are giving your cat eye drops, gently lift your cat’s head up and apply one or two drops of the eye medication. Space multiple treatments out by around 10 minutes, this will allow the first treatment to absorb.

If you cat eye health professional has recommended the use of an ointment be sure to use only a very little at a time, too much will result in irritating the eye. Apply it to the corner of the eye, or to the eyelid and gently rub the eyelid around your cat’s eye to evenly distribute the ointment.

Hopefully these quick tips will go a long way in preventing any potential cat eye health problems and allow for you cat to remain A Happy Cat.

Butalbital APAP caffeine

12 comments »

Posted in Health Care

Tags:

UTI Home Treatment

July 30th, 2010
Frances Hopkinson asked:




A UTI home treatment can be surprisingly effective and economical. In addition, having the knowledge of what you can do right away when you are faced with a UTI can also prevent a mild infection developing into a full-blown attack which has the potential to become a kidney infection which usually requires urgent treatment.

There are basically three different treatments which can be used for UTI’s. Firstly, doctors may prescribe antibiotics. These can be effective for people who do not suffer from regular UTI’s although they can be expensive and have unpleasant side effects such as yeast infections, nausea and diarrhea. They can take up to three days to begin working. In addition, many doctors are concerned about the fact that subsequent prescriptions might be less and less effective as bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics. Sufferers can also use a UTI home treatment. These are excellent for giving mild pain relief and can sometimes stop a UTI from worsening, allowing the body to naturally heal itself. (You can see a selection of self-help measures which I have used myself below.) Finally, there are natural UTI remedies which form part of a “whole body” treatment system. These are often the most effective treatment as the best ones treat the causes as well as the symptoms ensuring that not only do the symptoms go away, but the chances of the UTI returning are vastly reduced.

UTI Home Treatments

* Drink 8 glasses of water a day
* Drink 2 glasses of unsweetened cranberry juice daily whilst the infection persists
* Avoid using perfumed products near the vaginal area
* Wear cotton underpants and avoid tight fitting trousers
* Avoid alcohol and caffeine

* Take a vitamin C supplement which will help strengthen the immune system
* A warm bath will give some relief if the pain is particularly bad
* Do not ignore the urge to urinate even if the pain is bad
* Do not allow yourself to become constipated-treat it promptly as this can put added pressure on the bladder
* A microwavable heated pad or hot water bottle will give some pain relief if placed on the lower abdomen

Taking Tramadol

465 comments »

Posted in Health Care

Tags:

Medicaid vs Medicare

July 29th, 2010
Carolyn Magura asked:




Just like there’s confusion over the difference between SSDI and SSI, there’s confusion over the difference between Medicare and Medicaid.

So, here in a nutshell, is the definition of each.

Medicare – the very same health plan that retired people over 65 enjoy – can be obtained after receiving SSDI for 24 months. (NOTE: ONCE YOU QUALIFY FOR SSDI, YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR 29 MONTHS BEFORE RECEIVING YOUR FIRST CHECK.) Medicare has two parts: Part A, which you pay for through your payroll taxes, and which covers overnight hospital bills, hospices, home health care and very limited, partial nursing home care. And Part B, three-fourths of which is paid for by federal income tax, and one-fourth ($84.00 a month in 2006, deducted from your SSDI check) by you. It pays for doctor, ambulance, emergency room, clinic and most other outpatient care (except drugs and nutritional products).

As of May 15th, 2006, Medicare now has a Part D which covers partial payment of prescriptions. Most people who qualify for Medicare select a “Supplement” package that covers additional things such as Doctor visits (minus the co-pay) and other things usually covered by a Health Insurance Plan. You have to pay extra for this. If you become eligible for Medicare after May 15th, 2006, you have to select a carrier for Part D. This can be included in your “supplemental” package, as mine is, or it can be a separate coverage.

Medicaid is run by the state and local governments. It completely covers hospitalization, clinic visits, emergency room visits, doctors’ visits, hospices, home health care, nursing home stays, ambulance and outpatient prescription drugs. Medicaid has very small co-payments for prescriptions, doctor visits and some other care. While all hospitals and almost all drug stores accept Medicaid, most doctors don’t, and many home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospices are also reluctant to accept Medicaid. People on SSI are eligible for Medicaid, and in most but not all of the states in the nation, SSI sends lists of recipients to the local government, which then automatically sends Medicaid cards out to them. But in some states, you must always apply separately for Medicaid at the welfare office, even if you’re on SSI.

It’s possible – indeed, sometimes it’s absolutely necessary – to be on both Medicare and Medicaid. In that case, Medicare first pays medical bills up to whatever its rules allow, then Medicaid pays the rest. Always get Medicaid, if you can, to supplement Medicare, because with it, you’ll have a way to pay deductibles and co-payments that you would otherwise face without it. Moreover, Medicaid pays for some things Medicare doesn’t cover at all. Conversely, always get and keep Medicare (including Part B) even if you are already on Medicaid. Medicare pays doctors and hospitals more than Medicaid does, and therefore will make them more likely to accept you as a patient and devote adequate time to your case. Don’t be afraid of the Part B monthly premium, either. Once you’re on Medicaid, it will start paying the Medicare premium for you, and your SSDI check will go up by $84.00.

According to the Social Security Administration some assets are considered exempt (not countable) toward SSI eligibility such as:

o The house an individual lives in and the land it is on;

o Personal and household goods (depending on their value);

o Life insurance with a face value of $1,500 or less;

o Burial plots or spaces for the individual and immediate family; burial funds for the individual;

o A car with a current fair market value up to $4,500. The car may be of any value, however, if it has been modified to accommodate a person

88 comments »

Posted in Health Care

Tags:

Determine How Much You Can Afford For Health Care Insurance

July 28th, 2010
Jon Arnold asked:




Health care insurance does not need to be as expensive as you may think. Everyone is different, so the key to saving money is selecting the plan that accurately reflects the historical health status of you and your family, yet still provides enough coverage in case of accident or major illness.Are you or will you soon be shopping for health care insurance? Do you know the questions to ask or what to look for to get the best policy for you and your family’s needs? Asking the right questions of yourself and the various providers who offer health care insurance is critical to getting the kind of plan you need and can afford. Here are some questions to guide you as you review your options:

1. Do you need short- or long-term health care insurance? If you are between jobs, for instance, but planning to seek another position with a company that most likely offers good insurance, you may only need a short-term plan. But if you are self-employed, you may be looking for something more long term.

2. Do you want basic coverage just in case of an emergency like surgery or a major illness like cancer or are you looking for more comprehensive coverage such as annual physicals or ongoing care for a chronic condition?

3. Are there any women or girls in your household of childbearing age? Are any of them physically able to have children? Even if one or more of the girls are minor children you don’t expect to have a child, you can’t be absolutely certain an unplanned pregnancy won’t become an issue in the future. If so, you may want to be sure maternity coverage is included because prenatal care and delivery of a child can be quite expensive without it.

4. Do you have young children? Young children usually require frequent doctor visits for well baby exams, immunizations, and school physicals for sports, and they are also more apt to require walk-in or emergency care for illnesses like ear infections or strep throat, scrapes or broken bones, falls, and other injuries. If these kinds of things aren’t covered by your policy, they can really add up over time.

5. How often do you anticipate you and/or your family members will use medical services?

6. Are you or any family members taking any prescription medications on a long-term basis? If so, how much do these prescriptions cost if you need to pay for them entirely out of pocket?

7. How much is the most you can afford to pay for uncovered medical and/or prescription expenses over the course of a year? You want to be sure your deductible, along with your co-pays, is less than this maximum amount. At the same time, you need to be sure your insurance premium is affordable for you and your family.

8. How much can you afford to pay for a monthly premium for health insurance? How much coverage will this provide?

9. What are the different cost scenarios if you consider different deductible levels? For instance, higher deductibles usually come with higher co-pays, too, but they also have lower premiums.

10. Which combination of deductible, co-pays, and health care insurance premiums best meets your family’s medical and financial circumstances?

By answering these questions, you can make a thorough assessment of you and your family’s health care insurance needs and also compare various health care insurance options or plans to select the one that best meets those needs.

Butalbital Live

10 comments »

Posted in Health Care

Tags:

Healthcare and Medical Treatment in Canada – Information for Expats

July 28th, 2010
Jamie Morris asked:




Primary healthcare

Canada’s primary healthcare system provides services to individuals, families and communities. It also involves a proactive approach to preventing health problems and ensuring better management and follow-up once a health problem has occurred.

These services are publicly funded from general tax revenues without direct charges to the patient.

A patient may be referred for specialised care at a hospital or long-term care facility or in the community. The majority of Canadian hospitals are operated by community boards of trustees, voluntary organisations or municipalities.

Healthcare services are mainly provided in long-term institutions, paid for by the provincial and territorial governments, while room and board are paid for by the individual; in some cases these payments are subsidised by the provincial and territorial governments.

Healthcare services can also be provided in the home and/or community. Referrals to home care can be made by doctors, hospitals, community agencies, families and potential residents.

These services, such as specialised nursing care, homemaker services and adult day care, are provided to people who are partially or totally incapacitated. Needs are assessed and services are coordinated to provide continuity of care and comprehensive care.

Provincial services

The provinces and territories also provide coverage to certain groups of people – seniors, children and social assistance recipients, for example – for health services that are not generally covered under the publicly funded health care system.

These supplementary health benefits often include prescription drugs, dental care, vision care, medical equipment and appliances (prostheses, wheelchairs, etc.), independent living and the services of allied health professionals, such as podiatrists and chiropractors.

Funding the system

Like the NHS in Britain, Canada provides a good but not perfect system of healthcare. The level of coverage varies across the country and many Canadians have supplemental private insurance coverage through group plans, which covers the cost of these supplementary services.

The Canadian Medical Association believes an estimated four million of Canada’s 33 million population don’t have a family doctor and more than one million are waiting for treatment.

Canada has 2.1 physicians per 1,000 people, while Belgium has 3.9, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Much of the resentment towards the healthcare system is caused by the fact that so much of Canada’s already high tax goes towards it. The average Canadian family pays about 48 per cent of its income in taxes each year and, while rates vary from province to province, Ontario, the most populous, spends around 40 per cent of its tax revenue on health, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

The federation, which campaigns for tax reform and private enterprise in healthcare, believes the system is suffering serious financial challenges. It calculates that by 2035, Ontario will be spending 85 per cent of its budget on healthcare.

The federal government and most provinces acknowledge there’s a crisis: a lack of physicians and nurses, state-of-the-art equipment and funding. In Ontario, more than 10,000 nurses and hospital workers are facing layoffs over the next two years unless the provincial government boosts funding, says the Ontario Hospital Association, which represents healthcare providers in the province.

In 1984 Parliament passed the Canada Health Act, which affirmed the federal government’s commitment to provide mostly free healthcare to all, including the 200,000 immigrants arriving each year. The system is called Medicare (no relation to Medicare in the United States).

Despite the financial burden, Canadians value their Medicare as a marker of egalitarianism and independent identity that sets their country apart from the United States, where some 45 million Americans lack health insurance.

In 2000 The World Health Organisation ranked Canada 30th in the provision of public healthcare and the United States 37th. France’s system was ranked the best, followed by Italy, Spain, Oman and Australia.

Butalbital apap caffeine

512 comments »

Posted in Health Care

Tags: