Help finding mental health resources?
Posted by admin on Jun 5, 2011
I live in Minnesota and am a full-time college student. I am unable to afford health insurance. In the past when I had health insurance I was able to get the medication I need for my mental health problems. After being off medication for two years I am finding that I don’t know if I can deal with it anymore. Especially being in school. I cannot find any inexpensive places to go and frankly, I don’t even know if I am looking in the right places
Any help? I live in the twin cities, minnesota.
Try calling the Mental Health Association they should be able to find you help, they have clinics everywhere and the charge on a sliding fee scale.
Also go to www.nami.org. (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
How does the graying of Americans affect health care resources?
Posted by admin on Jun 3, 2011
Delivery care, long term care, etc
It means as the caregivers start to retire, there is going to be a shortage of experienced replacements at the same time demand starts to climb.
What resources are there for critically ill people without health insurance?
Posted by admin on Jun 1, 2011
My friend has cancer and no health insurance—her dad has been laid off for quite some time and her mom runs a small business from home. I’m afraid she’s not getting as many/may have to stop treatments due to their financial situation. They don’t qualify for Medicaid; are there any other resources she could possible get help from?
She should talk to the pastor of her church, and the hospital. She should also probably call social services, and the pharmeceutical company that makes the recommended chemo medications.
What is pneumonia?
Posted by admin on May 31, 2011
Pneumonia occurs when certain germs multiply and trigger an immune system response
What you should know:
• Most commonly causes by germs in your lungs
•5.6 million Americans develop pneumonia each year
•Anyone can be at risk for pneumonia
Related Videos:
•Children and medicine, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/8D0EC2BDAD62811B
•Questions to ask your Pharmacist, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/395739CF2712C87F
Related Health Articles:
•Pneumonia
Roughly 60,000 people die of pneumonia each year — and together with influenza, they rank as the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States…Read More: http://bit.ly/djXZUp
•Pneumococcal Polysaccharide vaccine
The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine helps protect against severe infections due to the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. This bacteria frequently causes meningitis and pneumonia in older adults and those with chronic illnesses…Read More: http://bit.ly/cMoyJr
Transcript
Hi, I’m Erika Shephard and I’m a CVS pharmacist. Each day 3,000 gallons of air, containing all different types of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other germs move through the lungs. Because of this the body goes to great lengths to protect the lungs, but some germs still manage to get through. Once inside the lungs, certain germs can multiply and trigger an immune system response that damages and inflames delicate lung tissue. This complication is called pneumonia, and it can be very serious.
Each year about 5.6 million Americans develop pneumonia, and about 60,000 people die from pneumonia. Worldwide, it’s the single largest killer of children under age 5.
Although these types of germs in your lungs are the most common cause of pneumonia, you can also develop pneumonia by inhaling food particles, vomit, or other foreign material. Not every death can be prevented, but quick recognition and proper treatment of pneumonia could undoubtedly save many lives.
Anyone can be at risk for pneumonia or any other infectious diseases, but some are more vulnerable than others. Older people, young children, those with chronic conditions such as diabetes or lung disease, people who smoke, and people with weak immune systems are at highest risk. People in hospitals are prime targets, especially if they are critically ill, are on a ventilator, or confined to a bed for long periods of time. The cases of pneumonia that start in a hospital tend to be more severe and dangerous because the bacteria found in hospitals are often resistant to antibiotics.
I hope this helps you understand what pneumonia is and who is at risk. If you have any questions at all, talk to a CVS pharmacist. We’re here to help.
Source: CVS Caremark Health Resources
Duration : 0:1:48
how in the US are resources allocated in the health industry?
Posted by admin on May 29, 2011
how in the US are resources allocated in the health industry?
Contrary to the reputation that seems to persist regarding the US health industry, most resources are allocated based on the regulatory environment involved. Government regulations force hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc in emergency situations to provide services as needed regardless of the consumer’s ability to pay. Everyone who goes into an emergency room with a serious ailment receives care. They may be sent a bill later, but they will receive care first.
The structure of what is called health insurance in the US is a problem. In response to Depression/WWII era price and wage controls, employers started offering health insurance as a way to increasing the total compensation of employees without increasing their base wage. As time went on, employers were granted a tax deduction for offering benefits, later the deduction was extended to the contributions paid by the employee. The deduction has never been extended to individuals who purchase their own plan outside of their employer’s plan.
At the same time, government regulations restricted supply by increasing the standards required to become a physician of any type, demanding physicians perform services that could just as easily be done by a nurse or nurse practitioner, barring interstate competition between insurance companies, using the FDA to slow the release of new drugs and medical technology in order to guarantee revenue for existing manufacturers, and expanding services to individuals while setting below market reimbursements for providers. (Among numerous additional restrictions)
One can easily see the problem this creates over time. Demand expands as individuals are not required to make pricing decisions for services while supply shrinks as the cost to provide services increases.
The system that we have been left with as a result of these government created market distortions typically follows as such:
Your employer chooses insurance options from a list of insurers within your state. The employer attempts to balance employee needs against the cost to participate in the plan. Plans range from HMOs in which physicians join a network and promise to keep costs under control in exchange for a fixed reimbursement from the insurance company. Employees pay a slightly lower premium and have to only go to doctors and hospitals that are within the HMO network. Consumers need a referral from their in-network primary care physician to see a specialist or obtain any other services. Costs are controlled by the primary care physician only referring for services that they deem medically necessary. Services are covered from the first dollar incurred and the consumer has to pay a fixed co-pay (small percentage of the actual price of service) at the time the service is provided. PPOs allow the employee to go to the doctor of their choice, but the premium is higher and deductibles for high cost procedures are higher. Referrals are not required. Services are covered from the first dollar incurred and the consumer has to pay a fixed co-pay (small percentage of the actual price of service) at the time the service is provided. Consumers have little or no incentive to consider the cost of services under these plans. Additionally, the premiums involved will cover all procedures for men, women, and children even if the insured individual would never need the procedure. HMOs are currently the most commonly used Employer Sponsored health plan.
The newest plans include high deductible plans, health savings accounts, etc. High deductible plans allow the patient to choose their doctors and hospitals without regard to a network. However, the patient pays all of the costs incurred up to a certain amount, then the insurance takes over completely. Health savings accounts allow individuals to put aside money to pay for any medicines or services without paying taxes on the money put away. The combination of these two plans is the most effective way to control costs because they allow supply and demand to naturally lower the costs of services. The consumer participates in the pricing process rather than indiscriminately choosing a physician who may or may not charge more than another for the same service. These plans would be illegal after the reform under consideration was implemented because they do not meet minimum coverage requirements by covering all services from the first dollar incurred.
Medicaid and Medicare are government insurance plans that were originally set up to cover the poor and elderly. These plans are paid for through taxes and the individuals receiving the benefits pay very little towards the care they receive – when they actually receive care. Providers are reimbursed far below what their services cost to provide. Some states are months behind in their reimbursements and have not paid providers in months. Many of the poor beneficiaries of these systems simply go to Emergency Rooms for even the most basic care because they have a hard time finding a doctor who wants to provide services without being reimbursed.
The Importance of Forgiveness for Health and Healing
Posted by admin on May 29, 2011
Nurse Practitioner JoAnne M. Saxe explores the profound connection between forgiveness and health. If you believe that you or a significant other may need to do some forgiveness work, this is your opportunity to gain some resources to use to begin your journey. Series: “Women’s Health Today” [4/2007] [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 11971]
Duration : 0:56:11
What are some free health care resources?
Posted by admin on May 27, 2011
I don’t have health insurance. Any alternatives that you can suggest?
HRSA
US Dept. of Health and Human Resources.
What is shingles?
Posted by admin on May 27, 2011
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is the result of a prior infection with the varicella-zoster virus
What you should know:
•Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox
•Not contagious
•Clears up in a matter of weeks
Related Videos:
•All Shingles videos, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/D621A247A500A8D7
•Stress video, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/E25F6AE9D5DCBCFA
Related Health Articles:
•Shingles Symptoms & Treatment
All that many people know about shingles is that it involves a painful rash. Many don’t realize that the same herpes virus that leads to the common illness chicken pox also causes shingles. This virus is called “varicella zoster,” so shingles is also known as “herpes zoster” or simply “zoster.”… Read More: http://bit.ly/99Fed4
•Herpes Zoster
Herpes zoster is an acute, localized infection with varicella-zoster virus, which causes a painful, blistering rash…Read More: http://bit.ly/9YzX61
Transcript
Hi, I’m Carmen Davailus and I’m a MinuteClinic nurse practitioner. Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is the result of a prior infection with the varicella-zoster virus, which causes a painful, blistering rash.
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. After having an episode of chicken pox, the virus becomes dormant in the body. Shingles occurs as a result of the virus re-emerging after many years. The cause of the reactivation is usually unknown, but seems to be linked to aging, stress, or an impaired immune system. Often this reactivation is a one-time occurrence.
Shingles is diagnosed mostly using the rash as a detector. Its pattern and appearance almost always confirm the diagnosis, but a blood test or sample fluid from the blisters can provide definitive proof.
It’s important to note that you can’t catch shingles from someone else, since it can only be caused by the chicken pox virus lying dormant in your own body. But, if you haven’t been vaccinated against chicken pox and have never had the childhood illness, you can develop chicken pox from having direct contact with someone who has shingles. Because of this, people with shingles should avoid direct physical contact with others who may not have had chicken pox-or may not have been immunized against chicken pox in the past-until all the blisters have scabbed over, at which time you are no longer contagious.
Although shingles causes pain and itching, it generally clears up in healthy people in a matter of weeks, with no lasting complications. Unfortunately in some cases, especially in the elderly, discomfort persists for months or even years. This condition is known as post-herpetic neuralgia. Also, in rare cases someone could suffer from the following complications: recurrence; skin infections; generalized illness; serious infections of the blood if you’re immunosuppressed; blindness if lesions occur in the eye; deafness; loss of taste; or facial paralysis.
I hope this explains what shingles is. If you have any questions at all, talk to a MinuteClinic nurse practitioner. We’re here to help.
Source: CVS Caremark Health Resources
Duration : 0:2:28
How much does United States spends in Health Resources per Capita?
Posted by admin on May 25, 2011
No where near enough!
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
Posted by admin on May 24, 2011
It can be difficult to tell the difference between viral and bacterial pneumonia
What you should know:
•The most common symptoms include greenish or yellow mucus, fever, chills, stabbing chest pain, and shortness of breath
•Drink plenty of fluids
•Treatment depends on cause
Related Videos:
•Children and medicine, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/8D0EC2BDAD62811B
•Questions to ask your Pharmacist, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/395739CF2712C87F
Related Health Articles:
•Pneumonia
Roughly 60,000 people die of pneumonia each year — and together with influenza, they rank as the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States…Read More: http://bit.ly/djXZUp
•Pneumococcal Polysaccharide vaccine
The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine helps protect against severe infections due to the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. This bacteria frequently causes meningitis and pneumonia in older adults and those with chronic illnesses…Read More: http://bit.ly/cMoyJr
Transcript
Hi, I’m Greg Collins and I’m a CVS pharmacist. There are many symptoms associated with pneumonia. The most common include a cough with greenish or yellow mucus; bloody sputum on occasion, fever with shaking chills, sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse with deep breathing or coughing, rapid, shallow breathing, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms include headache; excessive sweating and clammy skin; loss of appetite; excessive fatigue; and confusion, especially in the elderly.
Treatment of pneumonia depends on whether the cause is related to bacteria or a virus. If the cause is bacterial, the goal is to cure the infection with antibiotics. If the cause is viral, antibiotics will NOT be effective, but sometimes antiviral medication may be prescribed. It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between viral and bacterial pneumonia, so antibiotics are often prescribed. Many people can be treated with antibiotics at home. When at home, be sure to follow these steps: drink plenty of fluids to help loosen your chest congestion and bring up phlegm; get lots of rest; control your fever with aspirin or acetaminophen but DO NOT give aspirin to children. If you have an underlying chronic disease, severe symptoms, or low oxygen levels, you will likely require hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics and oxygen therapy. Infants and the elderly are more commonly admitted for treatment of pneumonia. When in the hospital, respiratory treatments may be necessary. Occasionally, steroid medications may be used to decrease wheezing if there is an underlying lung disease such as asthma.
I hope this helps you understand pneumonia and how it’s treated. If you have any questions at all, talk to a CVS pharmacist or MinuteClinic nurse practitioner. We’re here to help.
Source: CVS Caremark Health Resources
Duration : 0:1:49