Single Women and International Health Insurance

Single women who apply for international long term health insurance should not have to pay the same rates as married women.

If you are single, then you have an option to purchase medical insurance that does not include maternity coverage. There are insurance companies that provide career health insurance plans for unmarried women that exclude maternity. This means your health insurance will be less expensive, reducing your costs in some cases by as much as 35 percent.

That's good news.

When you purchase your international health insurance, take into consideration these other important factors:

o Maximum lifetime coverage could be as high as $5,000,000
o 80/20 co-insurance within the USA, and no co-insurance outside the USA
o PPO networks inside the USA and acceptance of any doctor outside the USA
o Deductibles that range from $250 to $10,000
o Medical Evacuation
o Coverage for prescription drugs after the deductible is met
o Health plans that give you different furlough options

The best advice I can give you is to talk to an insurance broker about these different aspects of your international health insurance.

Companies always list the benefits in large print on their web sites and brochures. It is important to read the small print sections, such as the "Schedule of Benefits" page and the "Exclusion" section. There may be important benefits that you might want but that would be excluded on your health insurance coverage. A good insurance broker will be able to help explain the schedule of benefits and exclusions.

There is an old adage that gives us sufficient warning: "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."

Cesarean After Care - 3 Essential Cesarean After Care Tips

Whether this is your first c section or third one it is still a huge deal physically. While you are at the hospital, your cesarean after care will consist of mainly pain relief and wound monitoring. But what happens once you get home?

There is very little information given to Moms who have had c sections on how to care for themselves, their wound and cope with their baby. Here are the top three cesarean after care tips for once you get home because what you do when you leave the hospital will determine how well and how fast you recover.

1 - Support for You

For the first few weeks you will not be able to do many things that you once took for granted. You will need someone to help out with doing basic household things like hanging out washing, vacuuming, cooking and driving.

If you have more than one child this becomes critical to your recovery and to your ability to run the house. This is where people like your partner, mother, mother-in-law or other relative can really be of assistance in you Cesarean after care.

If you do not have anyone nearby to give you some help, then there are services available that will provide you with trained nurses and staff who will give you all the cesarean after care support that you may need. Hiring a local high school student or two is a great way of getting the help that you need cheaply.

2 - Wound Support

This is so important in your cesarean after care as over straining the muscles or your scar will cause damage and can lead to serious complications. This is especially important at times when your stomach is under direct pressure - like when you move, cough or laugh.

When supporting your tummy use both arms and a cushion against your tummy as you cough or when you move - especially when going from lying down to sitting and sitting to standing. When moving from lying down to sitting, make sure that you roll to the side first and gently raise yourself from there.

Another great support option that I found invaluable during my cesarean after care was a physical band that just kept the pressure on my tummy while the muscles were healing. Much like a support bandage that you can get for injured wrists or ankles. It just helped the damaged tissue to cope with everyday movement and really did help to speed up my recovery.

3 - Gentle Exercise

This may seem like a contradiction, but the biggest mistake that people make during their cesarean after care is to move as little as possible.

Believe me - I know that you have had major surgery, I know that it hurts and I also know that sometimes movement can make it hurt far worse. But you need to get moving. The longer you put it off, the slower and more painful your recovery will be.

We are not talking about you going into marathon training or anything like that, just small, slow gentle exercises and short walks. By doing these you will get the blood circulating and delivering all those essential nutrients to your damaged cells which will help them to heal faster and stronger for you.

You will also help all that fluid that has collected in your feet and legs to be reabsorbed faster.

8 Strategies Every PT Should Use to Protect Practice Revenue

Focus on a Complete Solution, not Just Software

Typically, PTs begin a technology initiative by calling a list of selected vendors. Usually, their first question is, "Do you offer scheduling or documentation?" This leads to a discussion about the features and before you know it, the process becomes a scavenger hunt. To find a comprehensive solution, ask questions like, "How can you help me manage my practice?" or "What can you do to help me reduce my claim denials?" Asking these types of questions will focus the search on real practice solutions.

Identify and Leverage Growth Opportunities

Physician referrals are one of the keys to success in private practice. Here are a few steps to help make you a more attractive option to referring physicians:

• Market your niche - When marketing yourself to physicians, hone in on your area of expertise, such as sports medicine or knee rehabilitation.

• Communicate with referring physicians - Keep the lines of communication open by leveraging electronic communication. This demonstrates your responsiveness and professionalism to the physician.

• Get online - Many patients research their therapy options online on evenings and weekends. Having a website for your practice and even a patient portal gives you an edge over the competition.

Reduce Appointment No-shows and Cancellations

The ultimate solution to the no-shows problem requires a practice-wide commitment. In today's busy world, people need constant reminders. Everyone organizes their personal calendar in their own way. Some prefer a reminder letter while others respond best to phone messages and many prefer electronic reminders via text or email. A multi-channel reminder program can work wonders in lowering your no-show rate.

Deliver all Authorized Care

When a patient receives an authorization for a set number of visits and you fail to complete those visits, the patient loses out on care and you lose out on revenue. Having a comprehensive patient compliance program in place is essential to your success. A crucial component of that program is the multi-channel reminder program discussed above.

Once you have the patient there, it's important to make sure you get paid for the care you deliver. The most efficient way of keeping track of authorized visits is to use a system that can automatically track the number of remaining authorized visits and deducts each visit against the correct authorization.

Incorporate Technology at the Point of Care

In recent years, electronic medical record (EMR) systems have been proven to help physical therapy providers enhance care, rather than hinder the interaction with the patient. For example, automated documentation prompts users for measures during an evaluation so they can focus more on the patient without having to remember the next steps in the documentation process.

Having a physical therapy EMR that prompts users for specific measures at the point of care can actually help providers work faster, raise the quality of care, collect more revenue and eliminate the human errors that can easily occur during documentation.

Avoid the Payer Reimbursement Downward Trend

Politics, budget shortfalls and skyrocketing healthcare costs are all driving public and private payers to take an aim at providers. In addition to focusing your management attention and resources on ways to increase payer reimbursement, here are a couple of ways you can make improvements in your practice:

• Make co-pay collection automatic - Incorporate a system that automatically reminds front desk staff to collect patient co-pays so they don't fall through the cracks.

• Speed up Physical Therapy Documentation - Use an EMR system for documentation to help dramatically speed up the documentation process, improve accuracy, decrease the time it takes to submit claims and receive payer reimbursement.

Understand the Difference Between Billing and Revenue

Many physical therapists tend to look at billing as the "moneymaker" of the practice and build their office technology around whatever comes with the system. However, even the best billing system can only submit the claims for the work you've done. The real revenue comes from building a solid referral network, retaining patients, reducing appointment no-shows, accurately capturing and coding every treatment you provide and increasing staff productivity. All this can be accomplished with a physical therapy management solution in place.

Don't let Paper and Cumbersome Process Take over Your Practice

Many private practice owners don't realize the cost involved with paper processes. Consider all the costs associated with paper documentation - the time it takes to manually document, the human errors that result in claim denials, filing time, the floor space needed to store files and the cost of paper and files. It all adds up to a fortune! This can all be prevented with electronic documentation.

To thrive in today's challenging environment, physical therapy providers need to respond to both what payers are doing, and what they can do to drive efficiency in their practice. The challenge is you don't have many chances to get it right. Today, many practices and hospitals rely on innovative technology. There are many resources available in the market. However, going with a physical therapy EMR will be the best option for an all-encompassing practice management solution.

Exercise During Pregnancy - What Is Safe?

I'm Pregnant - Should I Exercise?

When new participants showed up in my fitness classes and saw me, the instructor, bearing a round, pregnant figure, their faces took on a look of either admiration, condemnation, or worry. All expressions I easily understood, for when I discovered I was pregnant, I too felt a range of feelings toward my part-time career in the fitness industry. Could I still workout? Could exercise harm me or the baby? What types of exercises could I continue, and which should I quit?

Despite what many well-meaning grandmothers will advise, and despite the old wives tales, (such as if a woman raises her arm over her head, the cord can strangle the baby), most exercises can be continued safely during pregnancy if certain precautions are taken.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has summarized their stand on the issue by stating that unless there are certain medical or obstetrical conditions, (such as hypertension, preterm labor or rupture of membranes, incompetent cervix, persistent bleeding, or IUGR), "women who have achieved cardiovascular fitness prior to pregnancy should be able to safely maintain that level of fitness throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period." The following guidelines are geared to women who are experienced exercisers and have been working out for at least six months prior to pregnancy.

The First Trimester

The most important rule of thumb: listen to your body! A woman's body is keenly intelligent. Just as hunger tells you when to eat, fatigue tells you when to rest. During the first trimester, when fatigue is often at its worst for pregnant women, you may want to shorten the duration of your workouts or lessen the number of times a week you workout, but at this stage, your usual routine is still very safe.

At this time, you can still safely do abdominal toning in a supine position (lying on your back). As a matter of fact, you should focus on this area, as it helps so much with pushing during labor. Having strong abdominal muscles also helps alleviate backache and improves posture. Women whose abs are strong before and during pregnancy usually return to their pre-pregnant figures faster after delivery.

For women who suffer from morning sickness, you'll want to workout at the time of day you feel your best. If you just don't feel up to it, it's OK to take a break from your usual workouts and store up on much needed rest. On the other hand, your workout may give you the energy-boost you need to get through the day.

The Second & Third Trimesters

During the second and third trimesters, important changes occur in your body that require some alterations to your workout. First, your blood volume, cardiac output, and resting pulse increases. Lung capacity decreases as internal organs shift upward. This means that cardio workouts will become more challenging. It is advised that a pregnant woman not exceed a heart rate of 144 beats per minute, or 24 beats in 10 seconds. This general guideline has been given by AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) simply to be on the safe side, since not much research has been done concerning the maximum heart rate a pregnant woman can safely achieve.

Physically, your center of gravity shifts and balance becomes more difficult. Most pregnant women aren't attempting to perfect their balance beam routines at this time, but you should recognize which exercises require some element of balance and adapt your movements appropriately.

Also at this time in your pregnancy, the hormone relaxin helps to loosen your joints. Some women don't notice any changes at all while others may be very aware of loose joints. During my first pregnancy, I didn't notice any change in my joint mobility, but during my second pregnancy, my knee was very loose, sometimes even popping out of place. Take care when exercising, especially if you notice loose knee joints. AFAA advises that you avoid propulsion movements, rapid twisting, and abrupt directional changes because of the instability of the joints.

Now is also the time when you should begin to avoid the supine position because it puts pressure on the interior vena cava, obstructing blood flow to the uterus. This is the same reason why you shouldn't sleep on your back after the first trimester. To keep your abdominal muscles toned without lying on your back can be challenging, but you can substitute standing crunches and pelvic tilts.

Because your back is working hard to support your growing uterus, you want to avoid exercises that strain the back muscles, such as double leg lifts, planks, and regular push-ups (from a plank position). You can do push-ups lady-style (using your knees rather than feet for support) or against a wall rather than on the floor.

Important Reminders

If you are an experienced exerciser, you're aware of the importance of an adequate warm-up and cool-down. These elements of your workout increase in importance when you are pregnant but also require some changes. Obviously, it will become harder to perform stretches that require you to bend over your tummy. Alter these stretches to make yourself more comfortable.

Again, you want to avoid stretching while lying on your back. My favorite stretches during pregnancy include the cat stretch (rounding your back while on your hands and knees) and the child's pose or prayer position (arms extended overhead flat on the floor, body in a kneeling position. Let the knees fall apart to allow your tummy room to rest.) These stretches help alleviate backache, a major complaint of pregnancy. Another good stretch to perform is a calf stretch, especially is you are prone to leg cramps.

Stay hydrated. I noticed that leg cramps haunted my sleep when I didn't drink enough water during the day. It's recommended that you drink 8 oz. of water before, during, and after working out, a total of 24 oz. to compensate for lost fluids. That seems like a lot, especially if you already have to empty your bladder every ten minutes, but it really helps prevent leg cramps, overheating, and swelling.

Use Common Sense

As your pregnancy comes to an end, modify your workouts to get progressively easier on your body. If your routine was jogging, you should slow down to walking. If you worked out using a step bench, take away the risers. If you're accustomed to aerobics, slow down the music tempo and eliminate jumpy moves. If you were kickboxing, lower your kick height. If you make appropriate changes, you need not eliminate your workout altogether.

Women who have not exercised prior to pregnancy should discuss an exercise program with their physician. Pregnancy is not the time to begin something extremely new to your body or to set world records in your area of fitness.

Dangerous sports, of course, should be completely avoided. A labor and delivery nurse reported a young woman coming to the hospital with a fetal demise at eight months gestation. The girl wondered if the cliff diving she had done that weekend had any effect. Clearly, there are physical activities that cannot be safely continued during pregnancy.

You should use common sense when deciding which activities are safe. Above all, listen to your own body, and if you're still worried, discuss your concerns with your doctor. Die-hard exercisers may disagree, but it's not the end of the world if you have to cut out your workout routine for a short period of time. The most important outcome of your pregnancy, after all, is a healthy baby and mother.

Keep Your Mood Swings In Check

We all have them from time to time, yo-yo moods. Happy and high in the morning, angry and aggressive in the afternoon, teary-eyed in the evening...

First of all, having mood swings doesn't automatically mean that you suffer from depression or bipolar disorder. Mood swings are extremely common.

In everyday life we are dealing with plenty of stressful situations, especially in current economic crisis - pressure to avoid job loss, to pay all your bills or even going through a job search if you are currently unemployed. Add to this some monumental changes like marriage or having kids, or moving away... You can see the picture.

Situations like these drain us emotionally and physically. We experience extreme irritability, anger, easily burst into tears. Even lack of sleep or unbalanced diet can affect your mood.

Statistically more women than men suffer from mood swings. PMS, pregnancy, post-natal depression, menopause, - basically, women go through more hormonal changes.

This leads us to possible causes of our mood swings. They are very similar to the causes of depression:

- Hormonal imbalance

- Chemical imbalance

- Extreme tiredness

- Imbalanced Diet

The fact is - most people won't admit to their doctor, that they suffer from mood swings, so they remain untreated although it's a highly treatable condition. Don't be afraid that your doctor will put you straight onto antidepressants. You might be surprised at how simple your treatment can be.

So what can we do to keep our mood swings in check?

1. Natural remedies like Valerian root, St. John's Wort, Ginseng, Passion Flower, etc. which have some calming qualities (consult with a specialist before taking them).


2. Reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates from your food intake - white bread, cakes and cookies, sugar candies or chocolate bars. Overindulging in those causes a sugar rush in your blood, which gives you a quick high, but then your mood drops just as low.


3. Ensure you exercise and get plenty of fresh air. Your body will produce more endorphins (happy hormones) and you generally will have more energy.


4. Have sufficient sleep and take regular breaks from work.

If these simple rules can't help, you might want to try some sort of cognitive behavioural or talk therapy which will teach you how to react differently to your mood swings. It will also help you to identify your triggers and learn to avoid them.

If you think that your mood swings disrupt your life, and suspect something more serious, try to start a mood diary for a couple of weeks where you can write down your mood changes during the day and grade them (say, on a scale from 1 to 10).

Then, armed with your diary go to your doctor, and see what kind of diagnosis and treatment they can come up with.

Take care, guys, and as usual, please share your thoughts and experience!

What Women Need To Know About Pre-Pregnancy Vitamins

The medical world has for decades seen the importance of good nutrition during the various stages of pregnancy that a woman goes through. It has found that pregnancy places huge demands on the body as the unborn baby goes through huge spurts of growth in the first nine months of its development in the womb. Studies have shown that the pregnant mother needs more than adequate amounts of nutrients during this stage and even if the amounts of vitamins and trace elements were missing in lesser dosages it would seriously impact on the baby's development. Studies have shown that small deficiencies of one nutrient such as omega 3, iron or vitamin B6 may affect the baby's brain development seriously.

Pregnancy and vitamin supplements:

The major growth burst start in the second and sixth week of conception where we see huge development of the baby's new organ system and the heart starts to beat at around the 4th week. For this to take place we see a huge growth in the cellular system of the new baby's body and there is a massive demand for the proper nutrients in the form of vitamins, minerals and trace elements to be at hand to help with the building blocks needed for proper development.

For the cellular growth to take place, the baby' s cells need adequate amounts of nutrition in the form of vitamins and minerals in the right ratios and balances for optimum growth to take place. During pregnancy and the lactating months following the pregnancy the young mother has huge demands placed on her body by the baby she is caring and her body is depleted of vital nutrients by this so called loving "parasite that has invaded her body." It is prudent that the young mother to be looks after her nutrition as she is not only responsible for her health but that of the child she is carrying. Most prenatal vitamins for pregnant mothers seem to be inadequate with the amounts of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids they seem to have.

Young mothers-to-be must consult their physicians about what vitamins are safe for them. Unfortunately most physicians do not have a good in-depth knowledge of what is adequate and safe to take on the market. This is not their fault as nutrition does not play a huge part in the medical world. And this is unfortunate as studies are coming out that proves that nutrition is vital for cellular growth of the human body and we just cannot get the right amounts needed from our foods.

The importance of pre-pregnancy vitamins:

Women who are considering getting pregnant should start taking omega 3 fatty acids way before pregnancy to help the future development of the child they will carry to have proper brain development during pregnancy. This is important as the nervous system starts to develop immediately after conception and way before the woman even knows if she is pregnant.

Important vitamins such as omega 3 and folic acid has a positive effect on your health and that of the baby during pregnancy. By taking proper nutrition way before pregnancy you can almost guarantee that your pregnancy will have the proper nutrition for your baby's growth. It is like you are taking an insurance policy out for your future family. Keep in mind that the brain development takes place well past birth and so you should be taking omega 3 fatty acids during the lactating months to ensure your baby is properly nutrient.

Supplementing with folic acid during pregnancy helps to reduce neural tube defects by 50%. In order to protect the baby from such defects you should consider daily supplementation with folic acid way before the pregnancy.

Too much vitamin A acetate may lead to birth defects. Take a multivitamins that is free from vitamin A but rather has beat-carotene which the body can break down to vitamin A as and when it needs it. It is the safer alternative. Optimal nutrition helps to give you and your baby years of good health and happiness.

Anxiety During Pregnancy - Acknowledging This New Feeling Might Help You in Your Future Pregnancies

Anxiety during pregnancy is a very common feeling during the all 9 months. Even when a baby is very much wanted, pregnancy is a time when women experience a whole variety of emotions, one of the most prominent of which is anxiety. Women who have had problems in conceiving a baby may be extremely anxious about whether they will be able to hold on to this pregnancy.

Women who have had previous miscarriages are fearful until they are well beyond the last date at which they previously lost a baby. You may feel frightened all the time because of your previous miscarriage or miscarriages, and you may feel worried about whether you are going to have another miscarriage or not. So previous miscarriages can cause mixed reactions with your current or future pregnancies.

Women who have given birth to a baby who afterwards died or who was disabled can spend nine months is a in a strained state of wondering whether the same thing might happen again, anxiety during pregnancy might be a very common feeling for this category of women also. If you are baby died during labour or after he is born, maybe because of some heart defects or similar reasons, your current pregnancy might be incredible worrying for you and you might lose your confidence at all in having a healthy new baby. Acknowledging this might be the first step in taking measure precautions for your current or future pregnancies to actually develop without any other similar problems.

Some women really enjoy being pregnant, sail through it with no problems and anxiety during pregnancy is a completely absent feeling for them; others are surprised by no heightened their emotions are and how the sense of responsibility is overwhelming.

Your outlook on life changes and ordinary everyday activities take on a new importance.