Private Medical Insurance
Despite the costs there has been a steady rise in the number of people covered by private medical insurance in this country, and the obvious benefits coupled with an over-burdened NHS mean this trend is set to continue.
Private medical insurance will usually only cover non-life threatening, short-term (acute) conditions including all aspects of treatment, but will not cover chronic illnesses, addiction, dentistry or infertility. Insurance policies can be anything from comprehensive (more expensive but covers full cost of treatment) down to budget (cheap but limited cover), for each type the size of the premiums you pay is based on a number of factors, such as locality, medical history and age. Premiums can be reduced in some instances by offering to pay the first portion of your claim when you make one.
Your private medical insurance policy can be underwritten in one of two ways, either full or what is known as moratorium: full cover will require you to provide a comprehensive medical history, but has the advantage of immediate treatment availability; whereas moratorium cover requires you to be free from a condition for a period before you are covered, so this does not suit all. It is wise to check for a cooling-off period and also annual or geographical limits to claims.
Property Misdescriptions
An Act to prohibit the making of false or misleading statements about property matters in the course of estate agency business and property development business. [27th June 1991]
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:â€â€
Offence of property misdescription
1.â€â€(1) Where a false or misleading statement about a prescribed matter is made in the course of an estate agency business or a property development business, otherwise than in providing conveyancing services, the person by whom the business is carried on shall be guilty of an offence under this section.
(2) Where the making of the statement is due to the act or default of an employee the employee shall be guilty of an offence under this section; and the employee may be proceeded against and punished whether or not proceedings are also taken against his employer.
(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liableâ€â€
(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, and (b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.
(4) No contract shall be void or unenforceable, and no right of action in civil proceedings in respect of any loss shall arise, by reason only of the commission of an offence under this section.
(5) For the purposes of this sectionâ€â€
(a) “false” means false to a material degree, (b) a statement is misleading if (though not false) what a reasonable person may be expected to infer from it, or from any omission from it, is false, (c) a statement may be made by pictures or any other method of signifying meaning as well as by words and, if made by words, may be made orally or in writing, (d) a prescribed matter is any matter relating to land which is specified in an order made by the Secretary of State, (e) a statement is made in the course of an estate agency business if (but only if) the making of the statement is a thing done as mentioned in subsection (1) of section 1 of the [1979 c. 38.] Estate Agents Act 1979 and that Act either applies to it or would apply to it but for subsection (2)(a) of that section (exception for things done in course of profession by practising solicitor or employee),
(f) a statement is made in the course of a property development business if (but only if) it is made (i) in the course of a business (including a business in which the person making the statement is employed) concerned wholly or substantially with the development of land, and (ii) for the purpose of, or with a view to, disposing of an interest in land consisting of or including a building, or a part of a building, constructed or renovated in the course of the business, and
(g) “conveyancing services” means the preparation of any transfer, conveyance, writ, contract or other document in connection with the disposal or acquisition of an interest in land, and services ancillary to that, but does not include anything done as mentioned in section 1(1)(a) of the Estate Agents Act 1979.
(6) For the purposes of this section any reference in this section or section 1 of the Estate Agents Act 1979 to disposing of or acquiring an interest in landâ€â€
(a) in England and Wales and Northern Ireland shall be construed in accordance with section 2 of that Act, and (b) in Scotland is a reference to the transfer or creation of an “interest in land” as defined in section 28(1) of the [1979 c. 33.] Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979.
(7) An order under this section mayâ€â€
(a) make different provision for different cases, and (b) include such supplemental, consequential and transitional provisions as the Secretary of State considers appropriate; and the power to make such an order shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
Due diligence defence
2.â€â€(1) In proceedings against a person for an offence under section 1 above it shall be a defence for him to show that he took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing the offence.
(2) A person shall not be entitled to rely on the defence provided by subsection (1) above by reason of his reliance on information given by another unless he shows that it was reasonable in all the circumstances for him to have relied on the information, having regard in particular (a) to the steps which he took, and those which might reasonably have been taken, for the purpose of verifying the information, and (b) to whether he had any reason to disbelieve the information.
(3) Where in any proceedings against a person for an offence under section 1 above the defence provided by subsection (1) above involves an allegation that the commission of the offence was due (a) to the act or default of another, or (b) to reliance on information given by another, the person shall not, without the leave of the court, be entitled to rely on the defence unless he has served a notice under subsection (4) below on the person bringing the proceedings not less than seven clear days before the hearing of the proceedings or, in Scotland, the diet of trial.
(4) A notice under this subsection shall give such information identifying or assisting in the identification of the person who committed the act or default, or gave the information, as is in the possession of the person serving the notice at the time he serves it.
Enforcement.
3. The Schedule to this Act (which makes provision about the enforcement of this Act) shall have effect
Bodies corporate and Scottish partnerships
4.â€â€(1) Where an offence under this Act committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to neglect on the part of, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or a person who was purporting to act in such a capacity, he (as well as the body corporate) is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
(2) Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (1) above applies in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.
(3) Where an offence under this Act committed in Scotland by a Scottish partnership is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to neglect on the part of, a partner, he (as well as the partnership) is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
Prosecution time limit.
5.â€â€(1) No proceedings for an offence under section 1 above or paragraph 5(3), 6 or 7 of the Schedule to this Act shall be commenced after (a) the end of the period of three years beginning with the date of the commission of the offence, or (b) the end of the period of one year beginning with the date of the discovery of the offence by the prosecutor, whichever is the earlier.
(2) For the purposes of this section a certificate signed by or on behalf of the prosecutor and stating the date on which the offence was discovered by him shall be conclusive evidence of that fact; and a certificate stating that matter and purporting to be so signed shall be treated as so signed unless the contrary is proved.
Financial provision
6. There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any increase attributable to this Act in the sums payable out of such money under any other Act.
Short title and extent.
7.â€â€(1) This Act may be cited as the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991.
Protecting Your Health With Private Medical Insurance
We scrimp and save over the latest designer wear, even the hottest cars or fancy jewelry but only a handful of people have actually thought about protecting their financial future with private medical insurance. This beauty behind having a private medical insurance is that it enable you to live your life free from unwanted worry if you were to get sick or have an accident that results in unexpected medical bills.
If you’re wise you’ll get coverage while you can still qualify for and afford it, which is before you need it. If you wait until you’ve been injured or sick, in most cases you won’t qualify and if you do the monthly premiums will be extremely high.
Although, private medical insurance doesn’t cover long-term illnesses, it’s designed to cover the financial burden of short-term illnesses and injuries, many people opt choose private medical insurance since it can be a real help for certain emergencies.
An added perk of private medical insurance is that you actually get to choose which hospital you would like to be treated in, what specialist you would like to consult and what treatment you receive. In most instances, you will also feel like your money’s well spent because you’ll have the added perk of having your own private room complete with a television and other comforts of home.
If you are seriously thinking of buying private medical insurance, you’ll have to research which one of the vast number of reputable insurance companies actually provides the best overall coverage. Which one provides the best balance between premium cost and benefits so that if you ever need it, you’ll get your money’s worth with no surprises.
After applying for coverage, the carrier will send you their insurance policies to insure that you adhere to their requirements and standards. When it comes to which private medical insurance plan that’ll best suits your needs and budget, it is wise to ask the insurance company that you’re applying for a complete comparison analysis of the types of private medical insurance that they offer.
I’ve listed a few samples of possible private medical insurance coverage below:
- In Patient: As a patient, this is wherein you end up staying in the hospital for one or more days.
- Out Patient: From simple treatments to mere consultations, the patient is not asked to stay in the hospital for observation or recovery anymore.
- Day Patient: Similar to In-patient coverage, this is where you still stay in the hospital but for less than a day, usually in the morning.
There is actually a great range of available payment options for private medical insurance buyers from the ever-popular, low cost coverage, which usually offers only limited coverage to the more extensive wide-ranging coverage and benefit plans. It is fairly simple to be approved for day and out-patient private medical insurance coverage, with in-patent being a bit more difficult due to the higher risk involved with extended hospital stays.
The next step is for you to actually get yourself to a trusted physician who’ll give you a check-up so you’ll be able to know based on your physician’s assessment which kind of private medical plan you best fit your future needs.
When it comes to choosing, you’ll actually need to consider these options:
- Always be sure that you are fully aware of the terms that are included in your private medical insurance plan.
- Do you want to have your private medical plan to also allow consultations from specialists as well as out-patient treatments?
- Would you like to have the option of picking out which hospital you would like to be treated at or doesn’t matter where they send you to?
For your application for the private medical insurance plan, companies actually need a copy of details concerning your health so that they’ll be assured that you’re not just simply duping them into paying for your recurrent illnesses and you may not be covered for pre-existing conditions. Finally, when it comes to submitting your claim, you need to contact your private medical insurance company first before receiving any hospital services or treatments because you need to verify that your private medical insurance plan actually covers the treatment that you want or need to have done.
Your physician as well as the resident specialist in the hospital also needs to sign your claim forms to reassure the company that you have actually been treated for the said illness or injury.
We scrimp and save over the latest designer wear, even the hottest cars or fancy jewelry but only a handful of people have actually thought about protecting their financial future with private medical insurance. This beauty behind having a private medical insurance is that it enable you to live your life free from unwanted worry if you were to get sick or have an accident that results in unexpected medical bills.
If you’re wise you’ll get coverage while you can still qualify for and afford it, which is before you need it. If you wait until you’ve been injured or sick, in most cases you won’t qualify and if you do the monthly premiums will be extremely high.
Although, private medical insurance doesn’t cover long-term illnesses, it’s designed to cover the financial burden of short-term illnesses and injuries, many people opt choose private medical insurance since it can be a real help for certain emergencies.
An added perk of private medical insurance is that you actually get to choose which hospital you would like to be treated in, what specialist you would like to consult and what treatment you receive. In most instances, you will also feel like your money’s well spent because you’ll have the added perk of having your own private room complete with a television and other comforts of home.
If you are seriously thinking of buying private medical insurance, you’ll have to research which one of the vast number of reputable insurance companies actually provides the best overall coverage. Which one provides the best balance between premium cost and benefits so that if you ever need it, you’ll get your money’s worth with no surprises.
After applying for coverage, the carrier will send you their insurance policies to insure that you adhere to their requirements and standards. When it comes to which private medical insurance plan that’ll best suits your needs and budget, it is wise to ask the insurance company that you’re applying for a complete comparison analysis of the types of private medical insurance that they offer.
I’ve listed a few samples of possible private medical insurance coverage below:
- In Patient: As a patient, this is wherein you end up staying in the hospital for one or more days.
- Out Patient: From simple treatments to mere consultations, the patient is not asked to stay in the hospital for observation or recovery anymore.
- Day Patient: Similar to In-patient coverage, this is where you still stay in the hospital but for less than a day, usually in the morning.
There is actually a great range of available payment options for private medical insurance buyers from the ever-popular, low cost coverage, which usually offers only limited coverage to the more extensive wide-ranging coverage and benefit plans. It is fairly simple to be approved for day and out-patient private medical insurance coverage, with in-patent being a bit more difficult due to the higher risk involved with extended hospital stays.
The next step is for you to actually get yourself to a trusted physician who’ll give you a check-up so you’ll be able to know based on your physician’s assessment which kind of private medical plan you best fit your future needs.
When it comes to choosing, you’ll actually need to consider these options:
- Always be sure that you are fully aware of the terms that are included in your private medical insurance plan.
- Do you want to have your private medical plan to also allow consultations from specialists as well as out-patient treatments?
- Would you like to have the option of picking out which hospital you would like to be treated at or doesn’t matter where they send you to?
For your application for the private medical insurance plan, companies actually need a copy of details concerning your health so that they’ll be assured that you’re not just simply duping them into paying for your recurrent illnesses and you may not be covered for pre-existing conditions. Finally, when it comes to submitting your claim, you need to contact your private medical insurance company first before receiving any hospital services or treatments because you need to verify that your private medical insurance plan actually covers the treatment that you want or need to have done.
Medicare, Social Security and Retirement
Everything keeps changing, how do I keep up? Why is there so many choices? This is common question and concerns of most seniors today. The cost of health and prescriptions is higher today for seniors, averaging over $500.00 a month.
With fixed incomes, a comfortable retirement seems to be slipping away.
Retirement is re defining itself. The days of a lifetime pension and 401ks are being wiped out. You must think and live different than our Mothers and Fathers did before us. The nest egg is under attack with high health rates, limited 401k’s and lack of pension plans from former employment. Some day Social Security may not be available. What are we to do?
Washington State - 12/29/2005 - Medicare, Social Security and Retirement
Today a person coming to retirement must study and understand their future goals. A plan must be in place. Some may have to work part time to assist their retirement funds, and some maybe able to live from rare pension plans and investments. Education is the key. Classes, Seminars and home study is available and necessary.
Here are a few items to cover:
- How do the changes for 2006 affect me?
- What do you need to understand about the new Medicare plans.
- How do I plan for retirement.
- Can you plan on your pension?
Business Subjects That affect Retirement:
- How do I manage my portfolio.
- What investment should you consider?
- What do you need to know about Social Security and Medicare.
Donald Trump has proven to be a household name to us for his accomplishments. Many folks down play his forwardness and horn blowing ways, but he always seems to be on top. Mr. Trump is someone to watch, learn and understand.
There is a few sites provided for you to understand Social Security, Medicare and Retirement better, at http://www.medicare-search-online.com , http://www.socailsecuritydata.com and http://www.retirementonlinefind.com .
You can also email ssn@nwcustomwebs.com with any of your questions.
Everything keeps changing, how do I keep up? Why is there so many choices? This is common question and concerns of most seniors today. The cost of health and prescriptions is higher today for seniors, averaging over $500.00 a month.
With fixed incomes, a comfortable retirement seems to be slipping away.
Retirement is re defining itself. The days of a lifetime pension and 401ks are being wiped out. You must think and live different than our Mothers and Fathers did before us. The nest egg is under attack with high health rates, limited 401k’s and lack of pension plans from former employment. Some day Social Security may not be available. What are we to do?
Washington State - 12/29/2005 - Medicare, Social Security and Retirement
Today a person coming to retirement must study and understand their future goals. A plan must be in place. Some may have to work part time to assist their retirement funds, and some maybe able to live from rare pension plans and investments. Education is the key. Classes, Seminars and home study is available and necessary.
Here are a few items to cover:
- How do the changes for 2006 affect me?
- What do you need to understand about the new Medicare plans.
- How do I plan for retirement.
- Can you plan on your pension?
Business Subjects That affect Retirement:
- How do I manage my portfolio.
- What investment should you consider?
- What do you need to know about Social Security and Medicare.
Donald Trump has proven to be a household name to us for his accomplishments. Many folks down play his forwardness and horn blowing ways, but he always seems to be on top. Mr. Trump is someone to watch, learn and understand.
Part Two: Could ViRexx Medical’s ‘Linked Recognition’ Research Lead to a Cancer Vaccine?
In late April, ViRexx Medical, for which Dr. Tyrrell serves as the Chief Executive, received authorization from Health Canada, the country’s regulatory arm which is similar in nature to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to undertake a Phase I clinical trial for its lead Chimigenâ„¢ platform vaccine candidate, HepaVaxx B. Dr. Tyrrell hopes it might become a potential treatment for chronic carriers of the hepatitis B virus. Tyrrell told StockInterview, “The platform is designed to try to get both a T and B cell response. Most conventional vaccines induce just a B cell response.â€Â
STIMULATING BOTH ARMS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
It is the dendritic cells, which stimulate the B-Lymphocytes and produce antibodies. For example, the mumps vaccine was designed to give a B cell response, providing someone with good protection for a number of years. As Dr. Rajan George had told us, “The B-Cells produce antibodies against the virus antigen, which we have put in the Chimigen™ vaccine. The antibodies are specific to the antigen and bind to the viruses because they have the antigen. The system removes the virus by binding with the antibody.†The platform is also expected to remove the infected cells using cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.
The big breakthrough in treating many infectious, and other, diseases would come with the vaccine platform capable of stimulating both a T and B cell response. “It would be a major step forward,†Tyrrell noted, “if we could find a way to increase the efficiency of some of these therapeutic vaccines.†ViRexx Medical’s infectious disease department conducted a number of ex vivo laboratory experiments to evaluate the immune responses the Chimigenâ„¢ platform might produce. “We showed what we had predicted in theory has been true,†Dr. George told us. “We have also done some animal experiments, where the vaccine showed similar effects, again, as predicted. For HepaVaxx B, the animal results are also showing great progress and promise.†Tyrrell is more reserved in his expectations, “Let’s see how the platform works when tested in humans. If this can be used to stimulate both a T and B cell response, then it would be a significant breakthrough.â€Â
There could be stumbling blocks ahead. A chronic hepatitis B carrier is exposed to a number of antigens in his or her body. Tyrrell has further concerns which may arise. Perhaps the antigen might not trigger a strong enough response. Or something may be discovered during the Phase I trials, such as “Are there regulatory T cells, or cells that are being paralyzed and not being allowed to stimulate a strong immune response in these patients? That is why one tests in humans after successful animal tests, to address those points of interest. As Dr. George reminded us, “Until then, our optimism is based on laboratory results.â€Â
Tyrrell has already begun thinking a few steps into the future, “I really believe we’ve found a way of directing the right immune response chimigens, but we may have to use adjuvants to get a strong immune response.†Adjuvants are immunological agents designed to induce the production of antibodies. “We haven’t used the platform with an adjuvant to get an even stronger response,†explained Tyrrell. For example, nucleotidesis, the short nucleotide sequences which are rich in CpG, or growth factors, such as cytokines, can enhance the immune response.
DEVELOPING A CLASS OF FLEXIBLE VACCINES?
Ever the optimist, Tyrrell outlined his strategy, “Our plan is to go with one or two antigens first and see that we get the appropriate immune response. If we do, then we will be looking at other antigens, not only from viruses, but we can be looking at cancer antigens in this platform.†Dr. George echoed Tyrrell’s sentiment, “We should be able to use this platform for cancer therapy, depending upon the cancer antigen we use. We can plug in a specific cancer antigen into this platform, and the vaccine targeted to dendritic cells.†The company has also been evaluating some bioterrorist viruses in conjunction with an arm of Canada’s Defense Department. Dr. George also pointed out, “Our chimigen technology is not found anywhere outside of our laboratories. This approach has not been tried before for chronic HBV or HCV infections.†Because the scientists believe the Chimigen™ platform is one which may be flexible and adaptable for the treatment of both infectious viruses and cancers, a new class of vaccines may be developed over the coming decade.
While awaiting the results of the initial human clinical trials, Dr. Tyrrell did reach a very definite conclusion about the mission in his journey, “Unless you have both arms of the immune system, you may not have lifelong immunity.†Tyrrell’s down-to-earth thinking may have come from being born on a farm in rural Alberta, west of Edmonton, the big city where his college alma mater can be found. At one time, he had considered becoming a rural family physician or a veterinarian. His erstwhile aspiration to work with animals is ironic, because his research has involved virally infected duck models, chimps who love the taste of Tang®, and mouse antibodies. But Tyrrell’s curiosity to solve complex scientific riddles has taken him beyond those once-simple goals.
His competitive drive for milestones was first evidenced by winning a gold medal in science, while an undergraduate majoring in chemistry at the University of Alberta. An then, with an award of a New York Life insurance scholarship, during his second year in medical school, for a combined MD/PhD. Only twenty-two medical students in North American won such a scholarship that year. Or perhaps he hoped where his journey might someday take him, when he won an MRC Centennial fellowship to study virology, for two years, at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. For those unfamiliar with this Swedish institute, it is the home of the Nobel Prize. Is this where Dr. Lorne Tyrrell’s journey might one day reach its final destination? The answer to this question may come from the results of the clinical trials for his Chimigen™ platform.
In late April, ViRexx Medical, for which Dr. Tyrrell serves as the Chief Executive, received authorization from Health Canada, the country’s regulatory arm which is similar in nature to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to undertake a Phase I clinical trial for its lead Chimigenâ„¢ platform vaccine candidate, HepaVaxx B. Dr. Tyrrell hopes it might become a potential treatment for chronic carriers of the hepatitis B virus. Tyrrell told StockInterview, “The platform is designed to try to get both a T and B cell response. Most conventional vaccines induce just a B cell response.â€Â
STIMULATING BOTH ARMS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
It is the dendritic cells, which stimulate the B-Lymphocytes and produce antibodies. For example, the mumps vaccine was designed to give a B cell response, providing someone with good protection for a number of years. As Dr. Rajan George had told us, “The B-Cells produce antibodies against the virus antigen, which we have put in the Chimigen™ vaccine. The antibodies are specific to the antigen and bind to the viruses because they have the antigen. The system removes the virus by binding with the antibody.†The platform is also expected to remove the infected cells using cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.
The big breakthrough in treating many infectious, and other, diseases would come with the vaccine platform capable of stimulating both a T and B cell response. “It would be a major step forward,†Tyrrell noted, “if we could find a way to increase the efficiency of some of these therapeutic vaccines.†ViRexx Medical’s infectious disease department conducted a number of ex vivo laboratory experiments to evaluate the immune responses the Chimigenâ„¢ platform might produce. “We showed what we had predicted in theory has been true,†Dr. George told us. “We have also done some animal experiments, where the vaccine showed similar effects, again, as predicted. For HepaVaxx B, the animal results are also showing great progress and promise.†Tyrrell is more reserved in his expectations, “Let’s see how the platform works when tested in humans. If this can be used to stimulate both a T and B cell response, then it would be a significant breakthrough.â€Â
There could be stumbling blocks ahead. A chronic hepatitis B carrier is exposed to a number of antigens in his or her body. Tyrrell has further concerns which may arise. Perhaps the antigen might not trigger a strong enough response. Or something may be discovered during the Phase I trials, such as “Are there regulatory T cells, or cells that are being paralyzed and not being allowed to stimulate a strong immune response in these patients? That is why one tests in humans after successful animal tests, to address those points of interest. As Dr. George reminded us, “Until then, our optimism is based on laboratory results.â€Â
Tyrrell has already begun thinking a few steps into the future, “I really believe we’ve found a way of directing the right immune response chimigens, but we may have to use adjuvants to get a strong immune response.†Adjuvants are immunological agents designed to induce the production of antibodies. “We haven’t used the platform with an adjuvant to get an even stronger response,†explained Tyrrell. For example, nucleotidesis, the short nucleotide sequences which are rich in CpG, or growth factors, such as cytokines, can enhance the immune response.
DEVELOPING A CLASS OF FLEXIBLE VACCINES?
Ever the optimist, Tyrrell outlined his strategy, “Our plan is to go with one or two antigens first and see that we get the appropriate immune response. If we do, then we will be looking at other antigens, not only from viruses, but we can be looking at cancer antigens in this platform.†Dr. George echoed Tyrrell’s sentiment, “We should be able to use this platform for cancer therapy, depending upon the cancer antigen we use. We can plug in a specific cancer antigen into this platform, and the vaccine targeted to dendritic cells.†The company has also been evaluating some bioterrorist viruses in conjunction with an arm of Canada’s Defense Department. Dr. George also pointed out, “Our chimigen technology is not found anywhere outside of our laboratories. This approach has not been tried before for chronic HBV or HCV infections.†Because the scientists believe the Chimigen™ platform is one which may be flexible and adaptable for the treatment of both infectious viruses and cancers, a new class of vaccines may be developed over the coming decade.
While awaiting the results of the initial human clinical trials, Dr. Tyrrell did reach a very definite conclusion about the mission in his journey, “Unless you have both arms of the immune system, you may not have lifelong immunity.†Tyrrell’s down-to-earth thinking may have come from being born on a farm in rural Alberta, west of Edmonton, the big city where his college alma mater can be found. At one time, he had considered becoming a rural family physician or a veterinarian. His erstwhile aspiration to work with animals is ironic, because his research has involved virally infected duck models, chimps who love the taste of Tang®, and mouse antibodies. But Tyrrell’s curiosity to solve complex scientific riddles has taken him beyond those once-simple goals.
His competitive drive for milestones was first evidenced by winning a gold medal in science, while an undergraduate majoring in chemistry at the University of Alberta. An then, with an award of a New York Life insurance scholarship, during his second year in medical school, for a combined MD/PhD. Only twenty-two medical students in North American won such a scholarship that year. Or perhaps he hoped where his journey might someday take him, when he won an MRC Centennial fellowship to study virology, for two years, at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. For those unfamiliar with this Swedish institute, it is the home of the Nobel Prize. Is this where Dr. Lorne Tyrrell’s journey might one day reach its final destination? The answer to this question may come from the results of the clinical trials for his Chimigen™ platform.
Do You Need MedPay Coverage?
Drivers living in “no-fault†states are required to buy either Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage. PIP and MedPay cover the medical bills of you and the passengers in your vehicle after a crash, regardless of who’s at fault.
Having both MedPay and health insurance can be confusing for the policyholder.
If you have MedPay as part of your auto insurance, filing a claim requires several steps. You would first have to pay for your treatment up front, get a receipt from the doctor or hospital, send that receipt to the insurance company, and wait for your reimbursement check. If you use MedPay to cover medical expenses, tell the doctor or hospital your auto insurance will pay for the treatment.
Some insurance companies let the policyholder decide which coverage (MedPay or health insurance) to use. Your health care provider might want you to use MedPay first, if you were injured in an auto accident.
MedPay or PIP is designed for “immediate and short-term care” and is generally used first. Once your MedPay or PIP limits are exceeded, your health insurance then kicks in.
In no-fault states such as Pennsylvania and New York, your MedPay or PIP is the primary coverage when you’re injured in an auto accident.
If you live in a state without no-fault insurance, and have MedPay or PIP on your auto policy, use it first to pay medical expenses related to auto accidents. Your health insurer might deny coverage, until you have exhausted any MedPay or PIP benefits.
Living in a “no-fault” state?
If you live in a “no-fault” state, there’s little reason to buy both MedPay and PIP: That’s because PIP provides coverage equal to and beyond MedPay (although PIP often has a 20 percent deductible and MedPay has none).
MedPay generally covers reasonable and necessary expenses for medical, surgical, dental, and chiropractic treatment. It also covers hospitalization, ambulance services, X-rays, nursing services, prosthetic devices, and funeral services.
PIP, on the other hand, covers the same services as MedPay. PIP also covers psychiatric, physical, occupational therapy and rehabilitation, plus any other professional health services. (Check your policy for exact details.) In addition, PIP covers lost wages, reasonable costs other than medical and work-loss expenses, and a small death benefit.
In many situations, having both MedPay and PIP is duplication of coverage. There are certain situations in which MedPay can be valuable, such as when you’re driving with someone who’s not in your family. MedPay covers everyone in the vehicle at the time of the accident, so your friends will have coverage, even if they don’t have health insurance. MedPay can help offset the deductible that comes with PIP.
If you have health insurance or belong to an HMO, you probably don’t need MedPay.
Also, MedPay is no substitute for broader health insurance. Few companies are willing to sell more than $25,000 worth of MedPay coverage.
Top 10 Ways to Cut Your Medical Bills
With health-care costs on the rise, you may be looking for ways to lower your medical expenses. Here are 10 ideas:
1. Practice prevention
2. Shop around for health insurance
3. Cut the cost of prescription drugs
4. Check your medical bills
5. Join your spouse’s health plan
6. Keep track of your medical expenses
7. Negotiate a discount with your health-care provider
8. Contribute to a flexible spending account
9. Take advantage of free health screenings
10. Get to know your health insurance
Practice prevention
As basic as it sounds, one of the most effective ways to lower your medical expenses over time is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For example, you can:
* Take advantage of wellness programs
* Maintain a healthy weight
* Exercise regularly
* Kick unhealthy habits (e.g. smoking)
* Have regular checkups
Shop around for health insurance
If you don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance, you may be looking to obtain coverage on your own. To get good coverage at an affordable price, shop around. Because premiums vary widely, you’ll probably save money if you get quotes from several companies. Evaluate each plan’s coverage and features, taking into account exclusions, limitations, and the freedom to choose health-care providers, among other things. Also find out how much you’ll end up paying out of pocket in the form of co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles, because even relatively small amounts of money can really add up if you make frequent visits to your doctor.
Cut the cost of prescription drugs
Prescription costs can eat up a large portion of your budget if you take prescription drugs regularly. Fortunately, it’s not hard to find ways to save money. For example, try ordering your prescriptions through the mail, using a traditional or online pharmacy. If you belong to a prescription drug plan (e.g. through your health insurance), you may be able to get a three-month supply of your prescription drug through the mail for the same price you would pay for a one-month supply at your neighborhood pharmacy. You can also ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend a less-expensive generic drug whenever possible.
Check your medical bills
Medical bills are often confusing to read. However, taking a few minutes to go over the charges may save you money in the long run. Check to make sure that the bill accurately reflects the procedures you have undergone and takes into account any applicable insurance coverage you may have. Some errors, such as wrong computer codes, are common, and you may be billed for health care you never received. Contact the appropriate billing office if you think you’ve found a mistake. If you’ve received an explanation of benefits from your insurance company that you believe is wrong, ask the company to review your claim.
Join your spouse’s health plan
Many married couples maintain separate health insurance coverage even though it may not be cost effective to do so. Examine both your coverage and your spouse’s coverage to see if it makes sense for either of you to join the other’s plan. Keep in mind that most plans allow you to add a spouse to your plan within a certain time period after you get married (e.g. 30 days). Otherwise, you may have to wait for the plans’ annual open enrollment period.
Keep track of your medical expenses
Come tax time, you may be able to deduct certain medical expenses if you itemize, and your total medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. Allowable medical expenses include everything from health-care services to medical aids (e.g. eyeglasses, hearing aids). Keep track of these expenses if there’s a chance you’ll be able to deduct them on your income tax return.
Negotiate a discount with your health-care provider
Many people don’t realize that you can sometimes negotiate to lower your medical bills. While it may not always work, it doesn’t hurt to ask your doctor, hospital, or pharmacy if they’re willing to come down in price. Before you begin to negotiate, do a little research to find out what other health-care providers in your area are charging. You can also ask your health-care provider if they’ll lower their price if you pay in cash up front.
Contribute to a flexible spending account
Your employer may offer a flexible spending plan that allows you to put pretax dollars in an account. You are then reimbursed for your out-of-pocket medical expenses, such as prescription drugs, dental care, and co-payments. Because flexible spending contributions are taken out of your pay before federal and state taxes are calculated, you get to use pretax dollars to pay your medical bills.
Take advantage of free health screenings
If your health insurance doesn’t provide adequate coverage in some areas, or if you don’t have any health insurance coverage at all, you may want to look into free health screenings. Local clinics and hospitals often provide a variety of screenings, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and mammograms.
Get to know your health insurance
Your health insurance may cover more than you think. Nowadays, insurance companies often provide benefits designed to help you stay safe and healthy. For example, you may receive discounts on vitamins, alternative medicines, health club memberships, or bike helmets. You may also be surprised at the range of coverage your health plan offers. For instance, it may cover dental care for young children, chiropractic care, and acupuncture. Read your plan membership materials to find out what products and services are available through your health plan before you pay for them on your own.
What Type of Doctor Should I See Under My HSA?
You can withdraw money from your Health Savings Account (HSA) to visit an MD, DO or a chiropractor.
Since you will be writing a check or using your debit card to pay for these visits at the time of service, you will really notice how much it costs. Since you have a high-deductible health insurance policy (a must for an HSA), you will be spending HSA money for the first thousand or more dollars every year. It will hurt!
Because of this, you may decide to look around. You might decide that it is cheaper and still effective to visit a naturopath, a type of doctor who specializes in using natural remedies instead of drugs or surgery. These doctors typically charge less and spend much more time with their patients, often more than one hour per appointment.
Or you may still want to stick with an MD. If you do, you may decide to use a particular kind of MD.
Certain MDs have been “opting out†of the health insurance business completely. They refuse to take any patients who want them to process health insurance claims. They focus only on patients who pay “at the time of service.â€Â
If you are using HSA money, that’s you! You are paying at the time of service, using your HSA dollars.
Here’s what’s wonderful about these kinds of doctors. Their fees are much lower. Much, much lower.
Why? Because they don’t have to wrangle with insurance companies day in and day out. They can cut their administrative staff down to just one receptionist and one nurse. All the other paperwork jockies who filled out forms and made phone calls to insurance companies aren’t needed anymore.
You can expect that an “opted-out†doctor might actually charge you only $80 for a half-hour visit. That’s right, I said a half-hour. Once doctors are free from insurance restrictions, they often choose to spend much more time with their patients. They can really ask all the right questions and get down to the true health problems you’re suffering.
Sound great? Good!
The best way to find an “opted-out†doctor is to start calling around to doctors in your area and ask what insurance they take. If they say “We don’t take any insurance†you know you’ve found an opted-out doctor.
Another method might be to call the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine at 202-686-2210 or the American Holistic Medical Association at www.holisticmedicine.org and use their “Doctor Finder.â€Â
Health Savings Accounts will change how we think of health insurance. They are a wonderful tool that almost every American can and should benefit from. And they’re available today!
Does an HSA Cover Alternative Medicine?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) does not really cover alternative medicine. However, there is a bit more to it.
A person using an HSA can withdraw money from this special type of savings account for any type of “approved medical expense.†Approved by whom? The IRS.
So, the IRS pretty much thinks that proper medical expenses are any types of Western medicine – pharmaceutical drugs, surgery, doctor visits, etc.
However, there are a few things on the list that are alternative medical options. Chiropractors are on the list. So is acupuncture.
With acupuncture, it must be considered “medically necessary.†That means that a doctor (MD or DO) must say that he thinks you should see an acupuncturist and write a prescription for it. Then you can see an acupuncturist and pay for it with the money from your HSA.
But there’s one more thing. When you are using an HSA in conjunction with a high-deductible health insurance policy, you start seeing the “real costs†of everything you do, up until you hit that “high deductible†each year.
When you start seeing the real costs of Western medicine, at that point, alternative medicine might start to look really good.
Consider the following:
A routine doctor visit done before you meet your deductible may cost you about $100. That is one hundred dollars for about a seven-minute visit. (HMOs like doctors to have short visits with their patients.)
Now think about an alternative medical provider. Let’s take a naturopath as an example. A naturopath may charge about $90 for your first visit. That visit will probably take about an hour and a half.
Let’s look at the cost in dollars-per-minute:
The doctor visit costs $14.28 per minute.
The naturopath visit costs $1.00 per minute.
You might think a doctor is better qualified to understand your health problems, but do you think they are 14 times better qualified?
Health Savings Accounts will cause all of us to evaluate our options. We’ll look at all the aspects of Western medicine and alternative medicine (or integrative medicine) and we’ll choose the ones that make the most sense.
Health Savings Accounts will change how we think of health insurance. They are a wonderful tool that almost every American can and should benefit from. And they’re available today!
Medical Bankrupticies: What You Can Do To Protect Yourself
First the bad news: about 2,000,000 personal bankruptcies each year are caused by unexpected medical expenses. Of all those people, 1,500,000 have (or had) health insurance before they ran into difficult financial straights.
But wait a minute. Isn’t the whole idea behind health insurance - security? The financial security that comes from knowing that you’re covered if something goes wrong with your body? You say you’re covered, but what if your medical “situation” exceeds your policy limits? Then what?
No one wants that to happen, so the question is: are there other options? For instance, is there a way to “insure” against getting sick in the first place? Most people assume that’s not possible, but personally, I disagree.
Several years ago my wife Sandy and I stumbled onto a very unusual health product. We both had our own experiences with it and have seen it work miracles for others.
But before going there, I’d like to explain something. To me, health insurance should be about staying healthy. In China, for instance, doctors used to be paid only if they kept you healthy. That’s what I call real health insurance. And although the U.S. has some of the best-trained, dedicated physicians in the world, heart disease, cancer, strokes, and autoimmune diseases are all on the rise.
Clearly, our health isn’t being protected - at least not to an appreciable extent. The medical paradigm in the U.S. is mostly about treating symptoms, not fostering health. And while we’re all very grateful to doctors for all their efforts, symptom treatment is intrinsically short-sighted.
If symptom treatment was effective in restoring health, people would be getting well and staying well. But that’s not what usually happens.
There’s a growing movement of people who’ve recognized the shortcomings of the traditional medical/pharmaceutical “health” model. They’re not stupid. For instance: 106,000 annual deaths from properly prescribed prescription drugs sure got my attention when I heard the news. Check it out on the net. It’s a fact.
OK. So everyone knows there’s a problem. Again, the question is: are there options out there and if so, what are they?
As I was saying earlier, there is an option. I can say that because I have personal proof. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with a heart condition called atrial fibrillation. It wasn’t painful per se, but the irregular, spasmodic poundings inside my chest were very disconcerting.
My wife Sandy and I were in Maui when a friend of ours told us about something called glyconutrition. Now, I’m a fairly open-minded kind of a guy and I’ve been interested in health supplements for a long time, so I decided to try it. (By the way, nothing I was taking before then was helping my heart condition). After a few months, the condition went away. It hasn’t returned since.
Sandy also had a positive health reversal. She was in a lot of pain from neck surgery she’d had seven years earlier. She also decided to try the glyconutrients. It took a little longer for her, but her pain subsided and surgery was avoided.
My point in telling you these two stories is that we saved a ton of money and who knows how much pain and suffering by not having to undergo surgery. I don’t know if my atrial fibrillation would have led to a worsening condition requiring surgery, but I do know that Sandy was considering a second neck surgery before we heard about glyconutrients.
Since then, we’ve learned a lot more about the science behind glyconutrients and why this new category of nutrient is turning around so many health conditions for so many people.
Even highly trained medical doctors and surgeons are taking notice. Case in point: Dr. Ben Carson is the department head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. A severe form of prostate cancer led him to discover glyconutrients. Long story short: he attributes to them his complete recovery. He now recommends glyconutrients to all his patients, to his staff and others as well.
Without going into a lot of complicated detail, science now has a pretty good idea about why glyconutrients seem to be helping so many different kinds of health conditions. The bottom line is this: enhanced cell-to-cell communication.
Glyconutrients provide the body with highly specialized building blocks that the body transforms into communication molecules that all cells use. Without an adequate supply of these molecules, communication starts to break down and illness starts to creep in.
The reason glyconutritional supplements are so effective is this: our diets suck. Let me explain. If we got all the nutrients we needed in our diet, we’d rarely get ill. By the way, the scientific evidence to support that statement is huge.
But because 90 percent of the food we eat is processed (devoid of essential, health-promoting nutrients) and for a number of other reasons, we’re not getting the nutritional build blocks our bodies need in order to stay disease-free.
Bottom line: understand the powerful relativity between the nutrients we consume and the state of our health.
So to reiterate - there are options for warding off illness and medically related bankruptcy. Just don’t look for them in the current medical - pharmaceutical - health insurance paradigm. Look for them in the emerging science of glycobiology - the same science that’s starting to describe the cellular mechanisms behind the major health recoveries that thousands of glyconutrient users are now reporting.