Did you know the experts estimate that consumers spend an average of ten hours researching the purchase of a new car, and only one hour reviewing the options as presented each year during the open enrollment season? How much time did you spend? You still may have time to correct any big mistake, before the new plan year starts, but you have to act quickly and notify your plan sponsor.

The decision we make will impact your health and your pocket book for the coming year. Invest more time learning and understanding your health plan options and you can make better decisions that will lead to better health and cost savings.

Here are five tips suggested by a leading health plan provider, United Healthcare:

1. Know and understand what’s in your benefit package. Most people should know about premiums, co-pays and deductibles, but you should also ask about other things such as wellness programs, health coaches and more. 
2. Take time to understand the total cost of each benefit plan option. If you’re offered more than one choice — there are more costs involved than just the monthly premium deducted from your paycheck. 
3. Check to see if your doctor(s) is in the network. Staying within your plan’s in-network healthcare provider is often the best way to save on out-of-pocket costs. Even if you don’t plan to change your benefits option this year, double check that your doctor will remain in-network. 
4. Anticipate next year’s health expenses. Are you expecting any significant, predictable health events next year, such as a surgery or having a baby? If so, you should compare treatment costs. Some plan administrators have cost estimating tools available. 
5. Estimate how much you would likely have to pay out-of-pocket. You may decide to open a health care account such as Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account to pay for those expenses tax-free. 

Finally, there are some free online tool available. United Healthcare offers a simple health insurance course that can be found at www.HealthCareLane.com. This course will help you get a basic understanding of health insurance. Become more familiar with terms such as “formulary,” which is a list of approved prescription drugs. Understanding your plan formulary may help you save money at the Pharmacy. Learning which drugs are covered and how much you pay for generics vs. brands may differ among health plans. Another resource to check out is your health plan’s prescription drug reference guide to identify lower-cost pharmacy options including discounts, mail service, and over-the-counter alternatives money-saving opportunities.

For more comments and other tips on living healthy, register at www.yourwellnessnhealth.com.

For Immediate Release – December 2011

Small employers are increasingly canceling group health benefits for 2012.  Your Wellness n Health (http://www.yourwellnessnhealth.com) is partnering with leading administrators to offer clients defined contribution solutions with new private health exchange technology.

Recent estimates suggest almost 50% of U.S. small businesses with less than 50 employees do not offer group health insurance to their employees. This figure is expected to greatly increase in 2012:  The key reasons are:

1. Employer Cost Requirements – Insurance companies require a minimum percentage of the premium for each employee that must be paid by the employer, or the entire plan is cancelled;

2. Employee Participation Requirements – Insurance companies require a minimum percentage of employees must join the group plan, or the entire plan is cancelled; and

3. The high Cost per Participant – Group health plans for 2012 are facing the greatest increase in the history of U.S. health benefits, due to increasing health care costs and new coverage requirements imposed by ACA (Health Care Reform).

Your Wellness n Health’s solution provides a partnership and a technology platform that directly addresses each of these issues.

With the Your Wellness n Health (“YWNH”) you have an alternative health insurance solution provides:

• No Employer Contribution Requirement – The company sets a fixed dollar amount that it wishes to contribute to each class of employee.
• No Employee Participation Requirement – The company sets its own eligibility and participation requirements. The plan can be active even if only 1 employee participates.
• Much Lower Cost Per Participant with No Employer Minimum Premium Contribution – Available alternative insurance health policies typically cost less than half the cost of equivalent group coverage for healthy employees, and new options, such as PCIP, are now available for employees who don’t qualify due to pre-existing medical conditions.

All defined contribution plans must include all legal documentation to ensure compliance with applicable regulations.  Our partners provide an IRS, ERISA, and HIPAA-compliant platform that includes electronic plan document creation and employee election processes.

“What makes our alternative health insurance solution unique is that once an employer determines the defined contributions, Your Wellness n Health partners work with the employees to select the best alternative health plan available in their market,” says Frank Gifford of YWNH.  The employer’s role is now simplified to reimbursing employees using their existing payroll system, which typically takes less than a few minutes per month, sponsoring the new defined contribution plan and supporting effective healthcare consumerism.

Peter Orszag, former Director of OMB, recently posted, “..the state insurance exchanges created under the new federal health-care law will make the basic idea of a defined-contribution health plan more prevalent, and thus may speed its adoption. The regulations written to carry out the new law will determine how things play out. If defined-contribution plans that are sufficiently generous count as employer-based coverage — as is generally expected — the tread toward such plans will probably accelerate.” (see the full quote is available here.)

One of the more exciting features of our alternative health solution is its seamless integration and compliance with massive up-and-coming health reform requirements. Contact us today to learn more about:

• The significant cost savings opportunity (15 – 20%) today
• The significant financial incentives in the upcoming years for employers to switch to defined contribution (“alternative health insurance solutions” ) plans
• The improved employee satisfaction with the design.

For more information, register here and post your comments.

So with the new year approaching, I again will pledge to never have another Kidney Stone. Wish me luck?

From personal experience, this is challenging task but worth it. I have had back pain I thought I would die from and stones that made wish I was dead. So, if you want to avoid this pain read on….

What the experts say you can do if you get Kidney Stones?

First, if you have ever had a kidney stone you know how painful they are to pass. Some say they are on par with childbirth. You are most likely a man, since men get them more often than women. It appears to be in your genes, if Dad got them, you may too.

So, what are they and how are the formed?

For lack of better definition, here is what they say at the Mayo Clinic

“Kidney stones (renal lithiasis) are small, hard deposits that form inside your kidneys. Kidney stones are made of mineral and acid salts. Kidney stones have many causes. In one common scenario, kidney stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.

Passing kidney stones can be painful. The pain of a kidney stone typically starts in your side or back, just below your ribs, and moves to your lower abdomen and groin. The pain may change as the kidney stone moves through your urinary tract.

Kidney stones usually cause no permanent damage….However, treatment may help prevent recurrent kidney stones in people with increased risk.”

Some areas to further research:

• Diet is important if you are trying to avoid getting Kidney Stones, try reducing foods rich in calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate. For unknown reasons, some people cannot adsorb them so the can form in your kidneys. Talk to your doctor to determine, through chemical analysis, the make up of yours.
• Water is your Friend! Simple advice, but it just makes sense that stones come from dissolved solids so expects say, drink 8-10 full 12 oz glasses each day.
• There appears to be a link between attacks and Magnesium. Magnesium binds with the calcium to help you dissolve the calcium salts.
• There may be added protection with vitamin B6
• Vitamin C may be good at boosting your immunity but high doses may be a problem for those of us with a history of kidney stones. Talk to your doctor to learn more.

Hope this helps you find the answers to your healthy life. Share your comments and what you learn with others below.