Category Archives: Public Health

Healthcare, Healthcare Information, Healthcare Insurance, Healthcare Services, Public Health, Society

Pruhealth Introduces New Sustainable Commission Model

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PruHealth, the insurer that rewards people for engaging in healthy behaviour, has adopted what it believes to be a more sustainable and transparent commission model which rewards long-term partnerships with brokers and aims to deliver lasting client value. From April 2011, all Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) new business has been written on a 10:10 commission* basis, with 10% initial commission and 10% at each renewal.

Speaking at the Laing and Buisson conference, Dave Priestly, sales director at PruHealth argued: “The current market focus on low new business premiums and high initial commissions is unsustainable and the industry needs to adapt in order to decrease churn and over-commoditising the group PMI market. Combined with strong market demand for lower premiums, the combination of claims costs, commission costs and operating costs, outstrip the premiums being charged. As a consequence, renewal premiums are forced up, resulting in more companies looking to switch or reduce their PMI cover.”

The new model is designed to reward long-term relationships by offering level commissions, enabling PruHealth to protect future premiums and remain competitive over the long-term. Brokers who sign up to the partnership scheme could be eligible for ‘portfolio commission’**. This offers the potential for a quarterly new business commission uplift of up to 20% dependant on their portfolio retention, portfolio loss ratio and new business API.

Dave Priestly continued: “We are taking a partnership approach to SME commission and want to share greater rewards with those brokers who work in partnership with us to develop stable and sustainable portfolios. Client retention is as important for our long term success as driving new business. We have chosen to apply level initial and renewal commission for SME business to move us towards a more sustainable future. However, firms who work in partnership with us to develop long-term, stable customer relationships could benefit from a new quarterly payment of ‘portfolio commission.”

PruHealth believes this approach will help foster stronger relationships with its intermediary partners and will also bring more security to customer relationships, allowing them to reap the benefits of a longer term relationship with their insurer. Specifically in the case of PruHealth a long term customer relationship gives them greater opportunity to get more value from our Vitality programme. Health is not a short term commitment and continued engagement in the tools and partners provided within Vitality can make a real difference to people’s health and as a consequence help control premium costs.

Via EPR Network
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Bupa Care Homes Roll Out the Red Carpet for Cannes Film Festival

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Bupa care homes residents across the UK rolled out the red carpet as they added a local twist to the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Altogether over 250 care homes, including dementia care homes, transformed rooms into in-house movie theatres and showed classic films, with staff dressing up as famous film stars, such as Charlie Chaplin, and ushers to bring the festival to life. Care home residents were also served popcorn and ice cream during the film intervals. The homes were also joined by entertainers to serenade the residents with their favourite show tunes.

Each home was provided with a selection of iconic movie star photographs in order to set the scene.

Penny Leng, Bupa Care Homes’ national activities manager, said: “Our residential and care home staff really went the extra mile to recreate the cinema experience so residents had the chance to feel part of the action.

“It was a fantastic way to appreciate the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival, as well as offering a great opportunity for our residents to reminisce and talk about their favourite legends of the silver screen.

“Many of our residents remember the bygone era of when going to the cinema was a really thrilling experience, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed bringing that sense of excitement to life in our homes.”

This year marked the 64th Cannes Film Festival, which took place from 11-22 May. Known as the world’s oldest and most esteemed showcase for European films, movie stars and producers flock to the festival each year to launch their new films.

Via EPR Network
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Bupa Awards Free Places in Bupa Junior Great Manchester Run

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Bupa awarded ten free places in the Bupa Junior Great Manchester Run to pupils from Moorgate Primary School in Bolton, Lancashire.

Ten pupils from the school, situated in close proximity to Bupa’s Mill View Residential and Nursing Home and Nursing Home were offered the chance to tackle the 2.5km course for free.

Bupa awarded the ten free running places to the school, to encourage the children to exercise, after members of staff from the Bupa residential and nursing home delivered Activ-eat, Bupa’s initiative which teaches children the benefits of healthy eating through fun and memorable activities.

The school gratefully snapped up the free places and all funds raised were donated to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

This year Bupa also offered free running places to the relatives of all its care home residents. In addition, four staff members from Bupa Care Services took part as runners and one as a volunteer.

Sue Kilby, activity coordinator at Bupa’s Mill View Residential and Nursing Home, said: “We have been delivering Activ-eat to the children from Moorgate Primary School for some time and they are always excited about getting involved and learning more about healthy eating. I am so pleased that the children decided to take part in the Bupa Junior Great Manchester Run, and they all did brilliantly on the day.”

Siobhan Drane, Bupa’s community affairs consultant, commented: “As a healthcare company, Bupa is keen to help tackle the issue of child obesity and promote nutrition and exercise. I am delighted that the children at Moorgate wanted to get involved in the run, and it is a great addition to the lessons learnt on our Activ-eat programme.”

Via EPR Network
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Bupa Announces Unhealthy Brits Cost Country Around £17.7 Billion a Year

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Bupa has revealed that unhealthy Brits are costing the NHS, employers and themselves £17.7 billion every year through their lifestyle choices, according to new research from the leading international healthcare group. This figure could rise to almost £33bn a year by 2025 if current health trends continue.

The study calculated immediate and long-term potential savings to individuals and public purses if obesity rates stop rising; the 26 per cent of smokers who attempt to quit each year are successful; and excessive drinkers bring their intake down to recommended levels.

According to the findings, making healthier lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake and becoming more active can have an immediate impact on people’s wallets. Signing up for health cash plans could also help save money if any medical problems did arise, which could be found by undergoing health assessments such as a liver check or a coronary health check.

By 2025, if healthier lifestyles are adopted the total savings made by individuals alone across the UK could amount to £22 billion a year, two thirds of the potential annual savings of £33 billion. The £22 billion comes from savings of £5 billion and£3.9 billion through reduced expenditure on alcohol and cigarettes respectively and£7.4 billion saved in additional earning potential due to increased life expectancy from quitting smoking. Individuals could also save £1.7 billion through increased employment and £3.9 billion through increased earning potential due to a fall in obesity levels.

The findings of the report also outline the long-term financial implications of healthier lifestyles to employers and the NHS, which make up the remainder of the £33 billion figure.

Dr Johann Carinus, assistant medical director, Bupa Health and Wellbeing, said:
“This study not only reveals the true cost to the nation of unhealthy lifestyle choices but it also highlights the considerable savings to the public purse which could be achieved through individual commitments to health improvement.

“Data released earlier this year from the Bupa ‘Health Age’ report showed that almost 70 per cent of people in the UK wanted to make a positive change to improve their health in 2011. While ultimately it’s up to individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices, there is a huge opportunity for healthcare providers and employers to play their part in empowering individuals to live more healthily. The benefits for everyone are clear.”

To coincide with the new findings, Bupa is launching the “Bupa Health Pledge” campaign, calling on the public to make a Pledge to achieve their health goals – whether it’s to quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, eat more healthily or do more exercise. Bupa has launched a simple tool that allows members of the public to track their progress on a specific Health Pledge and access information, free expert advice and support needed to make the desired change, all on its Facebook page.

As Bupa’s own Health Pledge, the healthcare company is also committing to donate £1 to the British Heart Foundation for everyone who signs up to a Pledge.

Via EPR Network
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Life Line Screening Reveals Private Health Screening Survey

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Life Line Screening has published the results of its private health screening survey.

Private health screening is becoming increasingly popular in the UK & Ireland. Whilst there are metrics on the benefits of screenings in detecting potentially life-threatening conditions early, and thereby preventing conditions such as Stroke and cardiovascular disease, Life Line Screening’s report aims to provide more evidence relating to the effects of screenings on modifying behavioural change.

One area of debate about health screening is that certain types of health screening can lead to “false reassurance”. An individual who has a screening may gain the impression that they have a clean bill of health if no risk factors have been identified. As a result, they may choose to pay less attention to their health overall and lead a less healthy lifestyle than they would otherwise have done. This research aims to look further at this hypothesis and gauge a better understanding of the motivations of individuals who have health screenings, based on evidence rather than subjective judgements. It aims to understand the proportions of individuals who choose to improve their health as well as the number of people who choose not to.

136 people who had Life Line Screening health screenings were surveyed in July 2010 by a researcher from Addenbrookes Hospital. They were invited to answers questions based on their perceptions on health and lifestyle changes as a result of having had a screening.

When asked “Did going for a screening make you think more about your health?” 77% of responders answered yes. Participants were then asked if they have made any positive changes to their lifestyle following their screening. 51% stated they had started eating more healthily, 45% stated they had started exercising more than before (and 18% of the total had tried a new exercise), 35% reported losing weight, 71% had focused on keeping weight at a healthy level, 60% were careful about alcohol consumption, 52% commented that they were controlling their stress levels, 30% reported they had read more health-focussed publications and 74% paid more attention to their overall health.

Only 7% of all responders commented that they had led less-healthy lifestyle following their screening.

The full report on the impact of health screening on lifestyle change is available on the Life Line Screening website in PDF format.

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Bupa Care Homes ‘Grow Their Own’ For Community Initiative

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Bupa care homes’ residents have their watering cans at the ready as they prepare to ‘grow their own’ for ‘Community Crops’.

‘Community Crops’ is a Bupa care homes initiative which promotes the health benefits associated with gardening and growing your own fruit and veg.

The project is being supported by young people involved with The Prince’s Trust, who are linking up with Bupa homes, including nursing care homes, across the UK to help sow and grow the crops.

Residents have also been inviting local schools and community groups to lend a hand with planting and start their own vegetable plots.

Caroline Davy, Bupa’s community affairs assistant, said: “This is a great way for our residents to appreciate the fresh air, stay active and get a real sense of achievement by tending to the crops and watching them grow.

“For our residents who were keen gardeners before they joined us, ‘Community Crops’ offers a great opportunity to get back involved, but it also helps minds as well as bodies. Particularly for our residents receiving dementia care, sharing stories about ‘dig for victory’ and the tradition of growing your own are excellent memory triggers to aid connections with the past.”

Helen Thurston, from The Prince’s Trust added: “‘The Community Crops’ campaign is a fantastic project which provides our Prince’s Trust XL club members with the opportunity to get involved with their local community. It enables young people to engage in a positive way with a different generation and learn about the importance of healthy eating.”

Altogether, the Community Crops campaign has taken root in gardens and greenhouses in over 300 care homes across the UK.

Via EPR Network
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Bupa Care Home Residents Set To ‘Get Into Reading’ With Special Reading Aloud Groups

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Bupa has joined forces with charity The Reader Organisation to encourage its care home residents to ‘get into reading’ with special reading aloud groups.

The ‘Get into Reading’ groups will be piloted in eight Bupa care homes for six months from April 2011. Get into Reading aims to bring the benefits of reading aloud and of social interaction to people in health and care environments, such as residential homes or homes offering nursing care.

Each group will enjoy shared reading led by a project worker from The Reader Organisation for an hour each week. Members will discuss what’s being read as they go along, and relatives, staff and members of the local community will be welcome to join in as well. Studies show that literature can have a healing or therapeutic effect on readers, helping them to identify with characters and situations in books or to be ‘taken out of themselves’ by the story.

The Reader Organisation’s experience has shown that short stories and poetry have proved most beneficial for people with dementia. The project will ensure that Bupa care home staff members will be trained to deliver read-aloud groups themselves. Following assessment of the pilot, Bupa plans to offer groups to its 305 homes nationally as part of its industry-leading Activities programme.

Siobhan Drane, Bupa Care Services community manager said: “We are really pleased to be working with The Reader Organisation to deliver ‘Get into Reading’. We hope that these reading aloud groups will reignite a passion for literature in our residents, spark a new interest or offer an opportunity for reminiscence. We believe our residents will benefit from the positive effect literature can have on wellbeing.”

Via EPR Network
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Bupa Care Homes Hold Communi-tea Week Celebrations

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Bupa has held Communi-tea Week events in its care homes to help tackle loneliness in older people.

Residents of Bupa care homes throughout the UK have brewed up some community spirit by inviting older people to join them for a friendly cup of tea.

Altogether, over 300 care homes, including residential care and nursing care homes, hosted special afternoon tea parties to mark Communi-tea Week, a nationwide campaign which aimed to use tea-related social activities to help tackle the problems of isolation and loneliness in older people.

Worrying statistics demonstrate the size of the isolation problem in the UK, with over 1 million (11%) of people aged 65 or over saying they are always or often feel lonely. Nearly half of all older people believe that the television is their main form of company and 17% of older people have less than weekly contact with family, friends and neighbours*.

Siobhan Drane, Bupa’s community affairs manager, deemed the week a great success:
“Communi-tea Week is a great way of highlighting the support networks that are available in local communities, as well as raising awareness of the serious issues facing older people today. Everyone put on the kettle and contacted someone they thought may need their spirits lifting – a cup of tea is the perfect way to reach out and make a difference.”

As well as organising tea-related social events, from tea-tasting sessions to tea dances, Bupa care homes urged others to help by inviting older people living on their own to join them for a cuppa, whether it be a neighbour or friend.

Via EPR Network
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Bupa Announces Results of Customer Satisfaction Survey

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Bupa has announced the results of this year’s Bupa Care Services Customer Satisfaction Survey.

74% of Bupa care home residents rate the overall standard of care at their Bupa care homes ‘excellent’ and/or ‘very good’. The results came from the annual independent survey of residents and relatives which has been running for 12 years.

This is the eighth consecutive year the overall customer satisfaction score has risen.

In addition to this 94% of residents rated Bupa’s quality of nursing care and other care as excellent or very good, 91% of residents rated Bupa’s staff as excellent or very good for being treated as individuals and 91% of residents rated Bupa’s staff as understanding the residents needs as excellent or very good.

Oliver Thomas, director of Bupa’s UK Care Homes, said: “Residents and their families are in the best position to judge our care and I am delighted to see such a positive response from them.

“Our overall customer satisfaction score has risen for eight consecutive years since the introduction of our Personal Best development programme, which encourages staff to recognise the individuals we care for and to go that extra mile.

“This is a tribute to all our committed care home staff and the excellent care that they provide. Their efforts are clearly being acknowledged by residents.”

The Bupa Care Services Customer Satisfaction Survey is commissioned annually and carried out independently by Deighton Consultants.

All residents at Bupa care homes are offered the opportunity to fill in a questionnaire each year, which allows them to feedback and comment on their overall care, staff, the buildings and grounds, their room, being treated as an individual, communal rooms, the food and their activities. Relatives of residents with dementia are also offered the opportunity to feedback on these aspects including dementia care.

Via EPR Network
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Housing Market Crash and Rising Medical Costs, Is There A Connection?

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As millions of American homeowners know, the housing market crash was fueled by inflated home values and bank loans that were high above the equity or actual value of “underwater” homes. According to Trisha Lotzer, JD., health-care attorney and CEO of Physis, Inc., a similar threat for banks, borrowers and owners of many of the nation’s medical, dental, optometry and veterinary practices must be averted.

Like residential real estate, medical practices may be marketed and sold by brokers. Brokers in the business of selling medical practices commonly charge 7-12% commission. The commission alone can add $80,000 to $2,000,000 to the purchase price, depending on the size of the facility–and drive up the bank note accordingly.

Like real estate agents, the job of the practice broker is to get the seller the highest selling price possible. Unlike real estate agents, however, brokers are often the only ones who value the practices they have for sale–giving them a built in incentive to inflate the value of practices and increase their commission. Ross Landreth, MBA, explains that the problem occurs when a practice is arbitrarily valued, purchased and financed at $1,500,000, but only has an actual fair market value (per USPAP approved valuation standards) of $850,000. This could mean that the practice does not cash-flow at $1,500,00 and that the new purchasers would have to raise the price of services in order to maintain profitability and pay back the bank note. This increase in the cost of health care does not increase the earnings of the practice owners or physicians but is passed along to patients and insurance providers.

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PruHealth Reveals 39 Is The Age Brits Start To Worry About Health

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PruHealth has announced that 39 is the age Brits really start to worry about their health, according to new calculations* by the insurer that rewards people for engaging in healthy behaviour.

With thirty-something peers such as fitness-fanatic Gwyneth Paltrow (38 years) and channel-swimming David Walliams (39 years) showing vitality and achieving their health goals, perhaps it’s understandable the average Brit is feeling the heat as they approach the big four-zero.

However it seems Brits are all woe and not enough go. Whilst one in ten (11 per cent) constantly worry about their health and a further 40 per cent** worry that they are not healthy enough, they are not doing much to improve it. One in five (20 per cent) people admit laziness and time pressures are the main barriers to living healthily. For a further 15 per cent it’s simply their love of unhealthy foods that gets in the way.

Given the power of hindsight and their chance again, the survey asked respondents over the age of twenty-five what advice they would give their younger selves. The top five tips were: don’t smoke (19%), look after your body (15%), do more exercise (14%), think about the consequences of your actions (11%) and eat more healthily (10%).

Only 10 per cent would advise a ‘live for the moment’ approach and tell their younger selves to enjoy the present and not worry about the future.

However despite good intentions, the unfortunate reality is it takes the diagnosis of a serious illness to encourage four in five (80 per cent) Brits to improve their health, and over half (51 per cent) if it were a close friend or family member***.

Dr Katherine Tryon at PruHealth, said: “People lead busy lives, but there is a big task ahead in the UK to encourage people to make health changes now rather than later – prevention rather than cure. We need to stop worrying about our health and start doing something to look after ourselves. If approaching the big four-zero is the kick-start thirty-somethings need, then that can only be a good thing.

“Encouragingly over half the respondents (54 per cent) said that the offer of health incentives and health rewards are likely to change their behaviour and help them lead a healthy life. At PruHealth our key focus is to help remove barriers to health living and incentivise healthy activities via our Vitality scheme.”

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PruHealth Finds The Nation Believes People Should Take More Responsibility For Their Own Health

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PruHealth has revealed new research that shows a third of Britons want people to pay for ‘self-inflicted’ health issues, two thirds believe the nation is unhealthier now than ten years ago and half expect the range and quality of NHS care to decline over the next few years.

Two thirds (66%)* of Britons believe the nation is unhealthier now than it was ten years ago, and taking more personal responsibility (69%) could be the best foot forward.

The latest findings from PruHealth, the insurer that rewards people for engaging in healthy behaviour, found respondents to be in line with Cameron’s ‘Big Society’. More than two thirds (69%) of the nation believe people should take more responsibility for their own health, while just 19 per cent feel it should lie on the shoulders of the NHS. Nearly a third of Britons (30%) even go as far as believing those with ‘self-inflicted’ health concerns caused by smoking, alcohol abuse or being overweight should pick up the bill themselves.

While half of respondents (50%) feel the NHS currently offers a good level of care, many believe the range (67%) and quality (49%) of services are likely to decrease in the next few years.

Dr Katherine Tryon at PruHealth said: “People have realised that the nation’s health is worse than even a decade ago and now the issue is whose responsibility is it to change this – which is particularly crucial at a time when there is increased pressure on healthcare finances. The key for both the public and private sector will be to remove the barriers to healthy living – for example, increasing access to healthy activities and providing stronger motivation through both financial and non financial incentives.”

What Brits consider as the nation’s problems are not necessarily ones they would class as their own. For example, over half of respondents (52%) state obesity and being overweight as the greatest risk to the UK. According to 2008 data from the latest Health and Social Care Information Centre report** a quarter of adults (25% men, 24% women) are obese, and 42% and 32% of men and women are overweight, yet in this nationally representative survey less than one in ten (9%) of respondents consider it a personal healthcare concern.

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Bupa Boosts Cancer Cover

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In an industry first, Bupa, the leading international healthcare group, has announced plans to improve the quality of its cancer cover by no longer selling corporate health insurance schemes which feature overall cost or time limits for cancer treatment.

Cancer treatment costs increased sharply in 2005 and 2006 due to the introduction of new drugs. In response to the concerns this caused about rising costs, the health insurance market developed financial benefit caps and time limits to restrict financial exposure for client businesses.

However, experience has shown that these limits mean that patients who claim on their policies can be left vulnerable at critical points in their treatment.

Once employees reach their benefit ceiling they face the possibility of having to change their treatment mid-stream. The varying cost of cancer drugs also makes it very difficult for patients to make informed choices about their treatment path, and its likely cost, at the point of diagnosis.

Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald, managing director, Bupa Health and Wellbeing explained: “We work closely with our clients to help them to provide their employees with the best quality healthcare at a sustainable affordable cost, and this remains a priority for us. We have developed better, fairer ways of controlling healthcare costs without compromising the experience and outcomes of patients at a difficult time in their lives.”

In 2010 Bupa spent £18m on drugs that are not widely available elsewhere and it routinely funds cancer treatments that are approved by the European Medicines Agency. Bupa also makes prompt decisions to pay for experimental drugs when clinically appropriate.

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Bupa Reveals the Average Brit is Cutting Life Expectancy by 12 Years

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Bupa has revealed that the average Brit is at risk of cutting more than a decade off their life through unhealthy lifestyle habits. This is according to new research from the leading international healthcare group.

The Bupa study assessed lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, alcohol intake, diet and exercise as well as other factors, in nearly 5,000 adults across Britain to calculate the nation’s average Health Age, which is the impact that lifestyles are having on Briton’s life expectancy.

The results showed that on average, Brits have a Health Age 12 years older than if they adopted healthy habits. Worryingly, more than one in eight people are at risk of cutting their life short by 20 years or more.

Being married or in a long-term relationship has a positive impact on Health Age across all age groups, increasing potential life expectancy by more than four years.

Women in their 50s had some of the unhealthiest behaviours, being more inactive and overweight than women in other age groups. Men in their 50s and 60s were also more inactive and overweight than other men.

Dr Annabel Bentley, medical director, Bupa Health and Wellbeing said: “We all know that bad habits such as smoking and drinking too much alcohol damage our health but these findings show the real impact of our habits and the number of years we’re knocking off our lives unnecessarily.

“But it’s never too late to make a change for the better. Whether you’re in your twenties or in your seventies, you could add years to your life by making lifestyle changes.”

A link between happiness and healthiness also showed that nine out of ten of the healthiest people (91% – those within 6 years of their ideal health age) thought they were as happy as or happier than other people, while less than 7 in 10 of the least healthy people (66% – 25 or more years away from their ideal health age) thought so.

Even making one change to lifestyle can have a significant impact on life expectancy. For example, a 25 year old female who drinks 20 units a week (ten standard glasses of wine), could add up to three years to her life by drinking three fewer glasses of wine a week.

Users can discover their health age by completing the health age calculator at bupa.co.uk/findhealthy.

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HealthInsuranceFinders.com Announces Free Online Help Resources for Choosing or Maintaining your Health Plan Insurance

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HealthInsuranceFinders.com, an online provider of health insurance quotes and designed to offer the public free access to health insurance information, announces the release of their new article series in addition to questions and answers to help consumers make educated decisions.

With unemployment reaching record highs it’s easy to see why so many Americans are struggling with their medical insurance. In response to the growing need for information about medical coverage during times of economic distress, HealthInsuranceFinders.com Answers is a community that offers the public information for keeping or getting the coverage you need when your employment runs out as participants can ask health insurance agents and experts in the industry any questions they wish.

Perhaps you don’t know how to apply for COBRA, or haven’t had time yet to think of managing your health care, but in any case the advice offered atHealthInsuranceFinders.com Answers is free of charge and designed to provide the growing number of men and women who no longer get coverage from an employer with .

This includes ideas for those who need individual health insurance, family coverage, or just children’s health insurance. In addition to all the free resources providers in an easy to read format, users can enter their zip code into the search box displayed and quicklycompare the insurance quotes and coverage available in their specific area.

With so many different plans and deductibles, each depending on your state and county locale, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the modern and sometimes complex health insurance market.

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PruHealth Set To Grow Following Approval Of Standard Life Healthcare Acquisition

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PruHealth has become a competitor of scale in the UK Private Medical Insurance (PMI) market following the completion of the acquisition of Standard Life Healthcare by Discovery Holdings* of South Africa.

The acquisition opens a new chapter in PruHealth’s development, boosting cover to 700,000 lives and market share to 11 per cent, demonstrating its commitment to the UK market and making it the fourth largest PMI provider in the UK.

Neville Koopowitz, previously CEO of Discovery Health, has been appointed CEO of PruHealth, and has transferred to London. Herschel
Mayers continues as the CEO of PruProtect.

This transaction provides PruHealth with a significantly strengthened competitive position in the UK PMI market. The business will draw on its combined core strengths in product innovation, wellness and service delivery to offer one of the broadest and most flexible health insurance plans and product ranges in the market.

Full integration will roll out over the coming months. A product suite building on the best of the current PruHealth range and the range previously offered by Standard Life Healthcare is scheduled to be launched later this year.

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New National Website Reaches Out To Millions Who Took Defective Acne Treatment Accutane

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Since 1982, 5 million Americans and 8 million persons in other countries were prescribed Accutane to fight severe acne. In doing so, they were exposed to a defective drug that’s caused serious intestinal injuries requiring surgery – even colon removal. Now Accutane is off the market in America, and Americans have a fighting chance to recover their medical and other expenses via Accutane lawsuits which already are prevailing in courts.

To launch the process, new legal website Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com is reaching out to Accutane victims needing representation for Accutane lawsuits in all 50 states. Such suits already have made news this year with jury verdicts favoring plaintiffs, including an Alabama man who received over $25 million for his Accutane-caused inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which led removal of his colon.

Even Hollywood has entered the picture, via a recent Accutane lawsuit launched by actor James Marshall, star of TV’s Twin Peaks and the Oscar-nominated film A Few Good Men. After taking Accutane, Marshall, like many others, suffered an IBD and eventually had to have his colon removed. This severely impacted not only his health, but also his once-promising acting career.

The defective drug’s side effects even were referenced on a recent episode of the hit Fox TV series Glee.

Why has this happened? Indeed, why was it allowed to happen?

“Juries are finding that Swiss-based Roche Pharmaceuticals, creator of Accutane, knew that its product was unsafe but kept selling it anyway,” said a spokesperson for Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com. “Roche was making up to $1.2 billion per year in profits from Accutane. For Roche, eventual lawsuits were a trade off, and the human suffering was collateral damage.”

Juries are now holding that Roche did not adequately warn potential Accutane users of the drug’s serious side effects dangers. Thus, jury awards totaling more than $56 million already have been awarded in just a handful of Accutane lawsuits.

The Food and Drug Administration provides proof for such lawsuits. Though the FDA first approved Accutane’s use in 1982, the federal agency now calls Accutane’s active ingredient, Isotretinoin, “a potentially dangerous prescription medicine.” The FDA eventually required special warnings with Accutane.

Also in agreement is a Harvard University researcher who’s called Accutane “one of the most dangerous products on the market today.”

The FDA even has linked Accutane to such harmful side effects as severe depression, suicidal impulses and, for women who took Accutane during pregnancy, birth defects in babies. But for many sufferers, the problems involve an IBD such as Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis. Each is a lifelong, incurable and debilitating digestive disorder – not to mention a costly one in terms of medical bills, lost salary and pain and suffering.

To recover such costs via an individual lawsuit – not a class-action suit — Accutane-Lawsuit-Lawyer.com says it can provide victims with an experienced Accutane defective drug lawyer in all 50 states of America. Many such suits may be handled in out-of-court settlements without a jury trial.

The legal website also has produced a special video for persons suffering acne to see. It demonstrates how-to tips on covering up acne with makeup, and advises against treating it with defective drug Accutane. The video can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuptUKD_MGg

Via EPR Network
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How to Combine Medicare Part B with Medicare Part D

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HealthInsuranceFinders.com News and Information Center today covered the topic “Not everybody on Medicare has the same coverage”. In fact the goal of the Medicare reforms that have been enacted over the past decade or so have been to give seniors more options. Many believe these changes in the system have tended to over complicate things. On the other hand, the large variety of Medicare plans, and Medicare Supplement plans now available, ensure that seniors are only paying for the coverage they want and need.

Among your options with original Medicare and Medicare Supplement Insurance are Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D. Medicare Part B and D can be combined to give you very comprehensive coverage for medications.

Medicare Part B is your “out patient” medical coverage, in other words, it pays for doctors visits, home healthcare to a degree, durable medical equipment and some forms of medications. Things that are technically medication that could be covered under your Part B benefit include, vaccines, flu shots, allergy injections, Immunosuppressant drugs and some oral cancer treatments. For the most part however, Part B is not designed to pay for regularly taken prescription medication. That is where Part D comes in.

Even if you have one of the lettered Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance plans (with the exception of some of the older plans issued before 2002 which are no longer sold) – you still will require Medicare Part D to receive a prescription drug benefit from Medicare.

Medicare Part D will cover all of the following medications:

* Any approved doctor prescribed medication taken regularly for a chronic condition.
* Any approved doctor prescribed medication for a short-term condition.
* Inhaled nebulizers.
* Vaccines, even those that are not prescribed as a result of injury.
* Hepatitis B vaccines.
* Oral anticancer drugs that may have been prescribed for reasons other then cancer treatment.
* And many more types of medication.

Independent health insurance companies sell Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans. What drugs they cover and how much they pay for medications does vary depending on the type of Part D plan selected. If you are soon to enroll in Medicare, or are currently enrolled and your prescription drug needs are changing – discuss all of your medications with a Medicare Supplemental Insurance specialist, he or she will help you find the right combination of Medicare and Medicare Supplemental insurance that will work best for you.

Via EPR Network
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HealthInsuranceFinders.com Releases Comprehensive Guide

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HealthInsuranceFinders.com, an insurance quote aggregator offering the public the option of comparison shopping in the health insurance field, offers users access to its new guide designed to offer insightful information on health insurance for individuals.

Before you purchase an individual health insurance policy, take a look athealthinsurancefinders.com and their new insurance guide. It could save you time, money, or both.

Dedicated to educating Americans looking for medical coverage, their new individual health insurance guide is full of up-to-date informationregarding today’s coverage, your options, and how the new healthcare bill will impact individuals who don’t get medical insurance from an employer.

It also addresses more traditional concerns, including managing maternity issues, understanding how prices and premiums are decided, and the best means of finding good quality coverage at affordable prices.

No stranger to the ever-changing health insurance industry, healthinsurancefinders.com offers a variety of consumer resources on a state and federal level, including information for the unemployed, health insurance answers geared towards common but frustrating Medicare questions, and even information designed to explain COBRA and to examine supplemental insurance considerations.

“Health insurance is a hot topic today”, says Grace Della, VP of online marketing, “But with so much conflicting information out there, it’s easy to get overloaded. We like to keep our guides clear and easy to read, so consumers can focus on what’s really important: getting the coverage they need”.

Via EPR Network
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Medigap Plans Providing Prescription Drug Coverage Clarifications

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The MedicareSupplement.com News Center reported making a clarification that many are confused due to the name Medigap. Many seniors think that one of the “gaps” these Medicare insurance plans cover in traditional Medicare is prescription drug coverage. But they do not – at least all of the Medigap plans since the revamping of the plans in 2006, and more recent overhaul in June 2010, do not.

According to the website medicare.gov, prior to 2006, there were Medigap plans, notably H, I, and J, that did provide prescription drug coverage. These represent 3 out of the 4 Medigap plans that were eliminated in June 2010, only adding to the confusion. As explained on the Medicareinformational website, medicare.gov, Medicare Part D was introduced in 2006 to replace standardized Medigap polices that covered prescription drugs and to breakout prescription drug coverage from Medigap coverage. At that timepeople who were enrolled in one of the Medicare supplemental plans that had drug coverage were offered the choice of keeping those plans, changing them, or dropping the prescription drug coverage from them, and opting for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

Since all lettered Medigap plans sold after 2006 did not offer prescription drug coverage, Medicare Part D is now the only prescription drug coverageavailable for seniors with original government Medicare and a Medigap plan. When purchasing prescription drug coverage only, to add to original Medicare, you are purchasing what is also known as a PDP, or Prescription Drug Plan. You may, during the open enrollment period, decide to switch out of original Medicare and into a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage, also called a MA-PD.

If you have a pre-2006 Medigap plan that does have prescription drug coverage you still have a few options. If you are happy with that coverage you may continue to keep it and pay the premiums, EVEN IF THE PLAN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.

You may also opt to switch to a Medigap plan that does not have prescription drug coverage, and then enroll in Part D. Many Medicare advisors believe this is advantageous, because the prescription drug benefits offered by Part D exceed those in the Pre-2006 Medigap plans, and you may actually be able to lower your monthly premiums, and improve your benefits by switching to one of the newly offered low-cost Medigap plans such as N or M, and then enrolling in Part D.

Also be advised that there are only certain enrollment periods for Medicare Part D; so do not drop any existing drug benefits until you are enrolled in Medicare D. For more information about Medicare, Medigap plans, and Medicare Part D, visit medicare.gov.

Via EPR Network
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