Health Care Insurance

Recently we published some information on improving the quality and safety of your family’s health care by asking questions. Today we expand on that theme and share with you some information about asking questions if you are considering surgery.

Your first question should be “Why Do I Need an Operation?”

There are many reasons to have surgery and some operations can relieve and prevent pain. Others can reduce a symptom of a problem or improve some body function. Some surgeries can also be done to find a problem. Your doctor will tell you the exact purpose of the planned procedure.

Keep asking questions until you understand how the proposed operation will help your medical issue. For example, if something is going to be repaired or removed, find out why it needs to be done.

Your next question should be “What Operation Are You Recommending?”

Ask your surgeon to explain the surgery and how it is done. Your surgeon can draw a picture or a diagram and explain the steps in the surgery.

Also ask if there is more than one way of doing the operation? One way may require more extensive surgery than another. Some operations that were once quite invasive can now be done using much smaller incisions (for example, laparoscopic surgery).

With some surgeries you are requird to stay in the hospital for 1 or more days. Others let you come in and go home on the same day. Ask why your surgeon wants to do the operation one way over another.

Next you should ask it there “Are Alternatives To Surgery?”

Sometimes, surgery is not the only answer to a medical problem. Medicines or treatments other than surgery, such as a change in diet or special exercises, might help you just as well-or more. Ask your surgeon or primary care doctor about the benefits and risks of these other choices. You need to know as much as possible about these benefits and risks to make the best decision.

One alternative to surgery may be watchful waiting. During a watchful wait, your doctor and you check to see if your problem gets better or worse over time. If it gets worse, you may need surgery right away. If it gets better, you may be able to wait to have surgery or not have it at all.

Source: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm

Patient safety is one of today’s most troubling health care issues. Improving health care quality and reducing medical mistakes should be of utmost concern to all health care consumers as well as clinicians.

Taking an active role in your care is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health care. You can improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of your health care by asking questions. Ask about your care, your diagnosis, your treatment, and any drugs or medication prescribed to you.

The answers you get will help you make better decisions, receive a higher level of care, reduce medical mistakes. So go ahead, ask question and feel better about your health care.

Here’s a list of 10 basic questions.

1. What is the test for?
2. How many times have you done this?
3. When will I get the results?
4. Why do I need this surgery?
5. Are there any alternatives to surgery?
6. What are the possible complications?
7. Which hospital is best for my needs?
8. How do you spell the name of that drug?
9. Are there any side effects?
10. Will this medicine interact with medicines I’m already taking?

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Please leave a comments about your experience. Has Asking questioned worked for you?

CPS Health Insurance Definitions

The Census Bureau broadly classifies health insurance coverage as either Private (non-government) coverage or Government-sponsored coverage.

Private Health Insurance
Private health insurance is coverage by a health plan provided through an employer or union or purchased by an individual from a private health insurance company.

Employment-based plans
Employment-based health insurance is coverage offered through one’s own employment or a relative’s. It may be offered by an employer or by a union.

Direct-purchase plans
Direct-purchase health insurance is coverage though a plan purchased by an individual from a private company.

Government Health Insurance
Government health insurance includes plans funded by governments as the federal, state, or local level. The major categories of government health insurance are medicare, medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), military health care, state plans, and the Indian Health Service.

Medicare
Medicare is the Federal program which helps pay health care costs for people 65 and older and for certain people under 65 with long-term disabilities.


Medicaid
Medicaid is a program administered at the state level, which provides medical assistance to the needy. Families with dependent children, the aged, blind, and disabled who are in financial need are eligible for Medicaid. It may be known by different names in different states.

SCHIP
SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, is a program administered at the state level, providing health care to low-income children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid. SCHIP may be known by different names in different states

Military health care
Military health care includes TRICARE/CHAMPUS (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services) and CHAMPVA (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs), as well as care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

TRICARE/CHAMPUS
TRICARE or CHAMPUS is a military health care program for active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families, and survivors.

CHAMPVA
CHAMPVA is a medical program through which the Department of Veterans Affairs helps pay the cost of medical services for eligible veterans, veteran‘s dependents, and survivors of veterans.

VA
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides medical assistance to eligible veterans of the Armed Forces.

State-specific plan
Some states have their own health insurance programs for low-income uninsured individuals. These health plans may be known by different names in different states.

Indian Health Service*
Indian Health Service (IHS) is a health care program through which the Department of Health and Human Services provides medical assistance to eligible American Indians at IHS facilities. In addition, the IHS helps pay the cost of selected health care services provided at non-IHS facilities.

*After consulting with health insurance experts, the Census Bureau modified the definition of the population without health insurance in the Supplement to the March 1998 Current Population Survey, which collected data about coverage in 1997. Previously, people with no coverage other than access to the Indian Health Service were counted as part of the insured population. Subsequently, the Census Bureau has counted these people as uninsured. The effect of this change on the overall estimates of health insurance coverage was negligible.

Source: http://www.census.gov/