Elderly Mental Health Care Is Primary For At Least Twenty Percent Of America Adults

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 September 2011 04:20 Written by Natural Health Team Thursday, 15 September 2011 04:20

Health Information about Elderly Mental Health Care Is Primary For At Least Twenty Percent Of America Adults

Elderly mental health care is an important issue that affects almost one in every five American adults who are in fact known to be affected by some form of mental illness or the other. These mental illnesses include suffering from dementia and psychosis, delirium as well as depression and schizophrenia.

The disturbing thing about elders suffering from these and other mental illnesses is that they can lose their cognitive abilities and their behavior too will change for the worse and their general ability to function normally too will be adversely affected.

Ignored and Brushed Under the Carpet

Among other reasons why elderly mental health care is required for seniors are disturbed sleep patterns as well as loss of appetite as well as mood swings. Unfortunately, elderly mental health care is a subject that is often ignored or brushed under the carpet because no one wants to deal with things such as mental illnesses though this ignorance or avoidance of providing suitable elderly mental health care can and does often lead seniors to commit suicide which is why specialized mental treatment is required for the elderly.

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Elderly mental health care today suffers from many lacunae and among these lacunae is the fact the majority of elders suffering from mental ailments shirk from getting them treated. It is commonly found that such elders will suffer their condition in silence and are ready to put up with many discomforts rather than face the stigma of being known as being mentally disturbed.

Even the society in which we live in today does not respect or show dignity to those that are unfortunate enough to suffer from mental diseases. In fact, many mental health professionals too are worried about the condition of the elderly that suffer from mental problems and these beliefs in such professionals actually impairs their abilities to provide suitable elderly mental health care.

What’s more, the medical fraternity too sometimes trips over in the kind of elderly mental health care they provide and negligence on their part is another obstacle that the elderly have to contend with. In fact, often mental diseases are written off by professionals as being just a case of an aging indicator and nothing more serious.

In today’s day and age a worrying aspect to dealing with elderly health care needs is the fact that the cause of death in the twentieth century is radically different than what was common in the previous century. In the nineteenth century deaths were caused by acute as well as infectious ailments, though in these modern times the main killers are chronic as well as degenerative ailments of old age.

If you feel gloomy, worn out or disconnected nearly every day for two years or more, you may be suffering from Chronic Depression. Learn more at: mental.healthguru.com

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Regulators Investigate Blue Cross’ Grip on Insurance Market

Last Updated on Friday, 8 January 2010 01:00 Written by Natural Health Team Friday, 8 January 2010 01:00

State regulators say Pennsylvania has one of the least competitive health insurance markets in the nation and they want to find out why.

The state Insurance Department has launched a formal examination of the four nonprofit Blue Cross insurers in Pennsylvania – Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Capital Blue Cross, Highmark Inc. and Independence Blue Cross – to determine if they engage in anti-competitive or unfair trade practices that violate state law.

The examination will focus on whether Pennsylvania consumers could reap the benefits of lower costs and greater choices from having a market that is more competitive, department officials said.
Pennsylvania’s market is less competitive than in nine other populous states because of a key indicator, state Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario said in an interview Monday.

That indicator is the market share of the Blues compared to major national commercial carriers.
The combined Blue market share is almost 60 percent in Pennsylvania, compared to Blue market shares ranging from 18 percent to 48 percent in other states. Texas has a Blue market share of 18 percent, New York 33 percent and California 24 percent, according to a department document.
That means national commercial carriers such as Aetna, UnitedHealth and Health America have a smaller market foothold in Pennsylvania than in those other nine states, Ario said.

The examination will explore whether the Blues’ territorial licensing agreements in Pennsylvania, under which each Blue does business only in its own region, are anti-competitive in nature.
If the Blues compete with each other instead of dividing up territory, then the national insurers and state-based insurers such as Geisinger Health Plan will have more of an opportunity to compete for customers, too, added Ario.

Other issues are whether the Blues use their market power to unfair advantage to force prices on providers and whether they have agreements among themselves that hinder competition.
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh-based Highmark Inc. have a business relationship dating back to April 2005, when Highmark invested $34 million to buy a 40 percent stake and several board seats of two of the local Blue Cross’ subsidiaries. Highmark-appointed directors were given control over any major corporate changes.

They strengthened their business ties in 2007, as the Wilkes-Barre-based Blue Cross moved several popular insurance plans into one of the subsidiaries co-owned by Highmark. The shift meant more than half of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s 585,000 customers at the time were subscribed to health plans partly owned and fundamentally influenced by Highmark.

“We welcome state regulators’ periodic reviews of market conditions,” said Anthony Matrisciano, spokesman for Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, in a statement.

He said Blue Cross of NEPA has special obligations that affect its market share.

“As a Blue plan, we do have a unique position in the market in that we are the only insurers required to serve those considered uninsurable or high risk by other carriers,” added Matrisciano. “We are also the only carriers in the state statutorily mandated to serve as the ‘insurers of last resort.’”

The examination will start months after the collapse of a proposed merger between Highmark and Independence Blue Cross in January. The two companies withdrew their application several days before Ario had planned to deny the merger.

The commissioner said the merger didn’t satisfy the competition test, and a consolidated company would have had a 51 percent market share – an unprecedented level in a single state.

An examination is similar to a fact-finding process where the results will be made public. The department can enter into agreements with the Blues as a result or offer proposals for lawmakers to consider.

The department hired the law firm of Hangley Aronchick & Segal to serve as examiner.

The four Blues pay the cost for their own examination, Ario said. Therefore, he doesn’t think the undertaking will have a great impact on the department’s budget.

health insurance

Hefty Health Insurance Request Shocks Hernando County School Officials

Last Updated on Friday, 8 January 2010 12:57 Written by Natural Health Team Friday, 8 January 2010 12:57

As President Barack Obama prepared to take to the airwaves to defend his health care overhaul last week, Hernando school officials got a little insurance sticker shock of their own.

The district’s insurance carrier, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, is seeking a 21.5 percent rate increase.

“We expected increases in health insurance, but you don’t really expect 21 percent increases,” said Heather Martin, the district’s executive director of business services. “It’s very disappointing in these economic times.”

The actual increase will likely come in at least a few percentage points below that, Martin said. Last year, for example, Blue Cross started with an 18 percent increase. By tweaking plans and raising deductibles and co-pays, the two sides brought that down to 12 percent.

Martin said she’s hopeful this year’s increase will be closer to 15 percent and that the district’s insurance committee — composed of staffers and members of both unions — had made progress toward that number during talks with Blue Cross on Wednesday.

Blue Cross declined to comment beyond a written statement issued through spokesman Mark Wright.
“The specifics of our negotiations with any client are confidential. However, I can say that for groups such as this, projected claims experience for the upcoming plan year is the determining factor for premium rate calculations.”

In other words, the company uses the district’s claims history and estimates for what next year’s claims will be to justify the rate increase.

The district’s history isn’t exactly pretty, Martin acknowledged.

Claims have been “relatively high” in recent years, she said. Last year, Blue Cross paid more than $14 million in claims.

“We are not an extremely healthy district,” Martin said. “We have not improved it.”
Martin noted, though, that the district is “punished” for the lack of urgent care facilities in the county. That forces employees to go to hospital emergency rooms, an expensive way to get urgent care that drives up the district’s clams, she said.

The School Board has agreed in past years to have the district absorb most or all of insurance premium increases and should try to do the same again this year, said board member Sandra Nicholson.

“If there’s any possibility of us being able to eat the increase, I think we probably will,” Nicholson said.

That could be a tall order, considering this year’s proposed budget has only $1 million in reserves that aren’t set aside for some purpose.

But it would help employees who have seen out-of-pocket costs rise, said Colin Davies, president of the Hernando United School Workers.

Davies said some employees have decided to go without insurance because they can no longer afford it, and he predicted that number could rise.

“You choose whether to eat or have insurance,” Davies said.

The unions accepted smaller pay raises last year in exchange for the district covering more insurance premium costs. Insurance will likely dominate negotiations again this year, said Joe Vitalo, president of the Hernando Classroom Teachers Association.

Vitalo expressed the kind of sentiment voiced by many Americans and that Obama says is motivating him to get health care reform done sooner rather than later.

“It’s probably the most legalized form of extortion there is,” Vitalo said.

health insurance

Home Sales Surge 7.4 Percent in November

Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 December 2009 01:49 Written by Natural Health Team Wednesday, 23 December 2009 01:49

Tales of Hardship Win Hollywood Success for the First Time Since the Depression
Last February, as the economy skidded into a ditch, “Slumdog Millionaire” won the ultimate Hollywood bonanza. The story of plucky Mumbai hovel-dwellers took eight Oscars, including best picture.
13. Asian men at higher risk of post-natal depression
ASIAN men have the tendency to suffer from post-natal depression after their wives give birth, reports Sin Chew Daily .
Depression saps endurance of the brain’s reward circuitry
Depressed patients are unable to sustain activity in brain areas related to positive emotion, a new study suggests.
Home sales likely rose again in November
Home resales are expected to have risen to their highest level in nearly three years in November, as an extraordinary level of federal support has pulled the housing market back from the worst downturn since the Great Depression.
Home Sales Surge 7.4 Percent in November
U.S. home resales surged to the highest level in nearly three years, reflecting an extraordinary level of federal support that has pulled the housing market back from the worst downturn since the Great Depression.

Aller-Ease Cotton Allergen Barrier Standard Pillow Cover, Set of 2

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 December 2009 01:42 Written by Natural Health Team Saturday, 19 December 2009 01:42

$19.99
4.5

• Set of two standard-sized pillowcase covers for blocking common household allergens
• 100 percent tightly-woven cotton construction
• Combines cool, breathable fabric with excellent protection from microscopic particles and pollen
• Designed especially for allergy and asthma sufferers; recommended by allergists
• Machine wash and tumble dry for easy care; imported

Product Description
Everyone is exposed to allergens that inhabit pillows and mattresses. Caused by dust mites, mold, or pollen, these microscopic irritants can aggravate allergies and asthma symptoms. The simplest and most cost effective solution is the use of bedding fabrics that prevent these particles from entering and/or exiting your bedding. Aller-Ease products are constructed from fabrics that are proven effective at blocking common allergens…. More >>

Allergy
Aller-Ease Cotton Allergen Barrier Standard Pillow Cover, Set of 2