- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Nov 2,2010
It can be hard for senior citizens to receive routine medical care in a timely fashion when many doctors’ offices and emergency rooms are crowded and area hospitals have been closed.
But now New York’s senior citizens have a great new choice for receiving routine medical care, as the federal government has certified the New York Walk In Medical Group, PC, to receive payments for services under the Medicare program.
The medical practice group runs the “DR Doctor On-Premises Walk-in Medical Care” facilities springing up in Duane Reade stores across Manhattan. The facilities are staffed by licensed, board-certified physicians who can take care of most common ailments, minor injuries, routine screenings, vaccinations, and referrals to specialists.
After patients are treated, the doctors can refer them back to their local primary or specialty care physicians, maintaining continuity of care. The medical practice is affiliated with Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, giving patients access to several of New York’s top health care facilities. People with most forms of insurance are accepted, as are non-insured patients, and now Medicare subscribers.
For busy New Yorkers, the chief advantages are convenience, affordability, and quality of care. If a person’s primary physician is not available, it is far less hassle to visit a nearby drugstore than to schedule an office appointment or visit an emergency room for non-life-threatening problems. Read the rest of this entry »
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- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Nov 1,2010
Consumer Reports Health and NCQA Publish Free Rankings of 183 Medicare Advantage HMOs, Plus Free Rankings of 104 Medicaid Plans
If you’re about to turn 65, you’ll be part of the first wave of baby boomers signing up for Medicare. Consumer Reports Health recommends signing up as early as three months ahead of your birthday. Failing to do so could potentially cost you thousands of dollars down the road. That’s one of seven tips for navigating the Medicare maze available in the December issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
“If you don’t stay on top of the process when you first sign up, you can blunder into decisions that could lock you out of certain types of coverage, costing you thousands in extra premiums and out-of-pocket costs,” said Nancy Metcalf, senior program editor, Consumer Reports Health. ”Medicare is filled with traps so it’s well worth your time to dig into the details of the program and make sure you choose wisely based on your individual needs.”
In addition to the do’s and don’ts spelled out in the report, free rankings of 183 Medicare Advantage HMOs are available online at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org. The Rankings are produced by the non-profit National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the main U.S. group that sets measurement standards for health insurance, accredits plans, measures the quality of care they achieve, and publicly reports the findings. Subscribers can access more detailed information such as how well plans perform based on consumer satisfaction, providing preventive services, and treating common conditions. Rankings and more detailed information on 104 Medicaid plans will be made available for free. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Oct 30,2010
Blood Donors, Blood Drives Aid Cancer Patients
November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and New York Blood Center (NYBC) serving more than 20 million people in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, calls upon our communities to please join the fight against cancer by donating blood. Healthy people of all blood types and ethnicities are encouraged to donate and help save lives. Blood donations are particularly needed from O-negative, B-negative and A-negative types.
About one in seven people entering a hospital needs blood.
Hospital use of blood products has increased due to surgeries, injuries and care of cancer patients. Cancer patients may require frequent blood transfusions because treatment often destroys healthy blood cells along with the cancer cells. Thus, in cancer patients, red blood cell transfusions to fight anemia and platelet transfusions to control bleeding are often needed.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women, and by far the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It is estimated that 116,750 men and 105,770 women will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year.
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Because it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, the survival rate is poor compared with that of other types of cancer. It is estimated that 21,370 men and 21,770 women will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips to make sure your children are safe while Trick or Treating!
With Halloween right around the corner it is important for every parent to know what dangers are present and how to keep their kids safe. Several organizations have established different safety tips this Halloween season and Doctor’s ValuVision is focusing on the importance of vision safety when selecting the perfect costume.
Vision safety includes being able to see and be seen by others as well as ensuring that no part of your child’s Halloween costume could potentially harm their vision in the future. Parents should avoid allowing children to wear masks as they not only impair eyesight but also potentially cause cuts or abrasions. Instead opt for non-toxic face paint and hats.
Also, be wary of non-prescribed Halloween themed contact lenses as they are not created for a specific curvature of the eye and can cause serious harm. If you or your child wishes to use these this Halloween you can get prescribed lenses, even with 20/20 vision.
“Halloween is a time to dress up and have fun, but it is important to take the proper precautions before going Trick-or-Treating,” said Dr. Mark Lynn, an optometrist who owns and oversees all Nashville-area Doctor’s ValuVision locations. “No parent wants their child’s Halloween costume choice to cause a vision impairment.”
Along with vision safety, there are several general safety tips to remember like these recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Read the rest of this entry »