Dental Care Benefits

Nearly 89% of health care consumers receive regular dental care, with the majority seeing their dentist twice a year or more.  Sixty percent have dental benefits, while 29% pay out-of-pocket for the care they need.  This leaves 6 million at-risk consumers who defer the dental care they need. 

One in nine consumers are without dental benefits or dental care.  Those people who typically defer their care have a household income of $35,000 or less and is either older than 65 and retired or between the ages of 25 and 34 and unemployed. 

Dental care is more generously used by consumers covered by their employer's plan, with 83% reporting that they visit the dentist two or more times per year, as compared with 63% who pay out-of-pocket for their dental benefits or dental care. Consumers consider dental benefits to be very important when considering their benefits package, along with medical coverage, retirement benefits and prescription drug coverage.

Consumers want dental benefits to be easy to use, allow them to use their personal dentist and to include several coverage options. 

 
Employees cut back on health costs

As health care costs continue to climb and the economy slumps, many employees are trying to find ways to save money.  Only 19% of employees are now willing to pay higher premiums to keep deductibles and copays lower as opposed to 38% in 2007.  Many employees are now trying to actively improve their personal health and are enrolling in company-run wellness prorams.

About 35% of employees also saved by purchasing lower-cost drugs.  Unfortunately, 17% of workers avoided doctor visits this year while 40% only visited the doctor for serious conditions or symptoms.  This is up from 35% over last year.

Steep health costs are also continuing to force workers to lessen their retirement savings plan contributions (13%).  About 20% of workers say their ability to save for retirement is hindered by today's medical expenses. 

Excerpts taken from Watson Wyatt study.

 

MEDICAL NEWS                           


March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
 

Cancer of the colon or rectum is also called colorectal cancer. In the United States, it is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. Caught early, it is often curable.

It is more common in people over 50, and the risk increases with age. You are also more likely to get it if you have

• Polyps - growths inside the colon and rectum that may become cancerous
• A diet that is high in fat
• A family history or personal history of colorectal cancer
• Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease

Symptoms can include blood in the stool, narrower stools, a change in bowel habits and general stomach discomfort. However, you may not have symptoms at first, so screening is important. Everyone who is 50 or older should be screened for colorectal cancer.   Colonoscopy is one method that your doctor can use to screen for colorectal cancer. Treatments for colorectal cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination.

Understanding Colorectal Cancer - the Basics
 

What Is Colorectal Cancer?
 

Inside your abdominal cavity is the long, tubular digestive tract. The second part of this tube -- the large intestine -- is composed of the colon, which stretches four to six feet, and the rectum, which is only four to six inches long. The inner lining of this "colorectal tube" can be a fertile breeding ground for small tumors, called polyps. About a quarter of all adults in the U.S. over the age of 50 will have at least one colorectal polyp. Most colorectal cancers develop from polyps in glandular tissue of the intestinal lining.

Most polyps are benign, but at least one type is known to be precancerous. Most colorectal cancers develop from polyps in glandular tissue of the intestinal lining.

If colorectal cancer is diagnosed and treated early while the tumor is still localized, the disease is highly curable, with five-year survival rates of about 90%. If the tumor continues to grow, cancer can spread directly through the bowel wall to surrounding tissues and organs, as well as into the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Once the cancer spreads to lymph nodes or other organs, successful treatment becomes more difficult. Depending on how advanced the disease is, five-year survival rates range from 9% to 93%.

Cancers of the colon and rectum are the third most common cancer in the U.S., with approximately 150,000 cases diagnosed each year. Like many cancers, colorectal cancer is of particular concern for people older than age 50.

Although diagnosis is often possible at an early stage, many people delay seeking medical care because they are embarrassed or fearful of symptoms related to their bowels. Risk increases significantly after age 50 and continues to increase with age.

What Causes Colorectal Cancer?
 

The exact cause of colorectal cancer is not known. But there are several risk factors for the disease.

• Other diseases. Colorectal cancer is strongly associated with certain other diseases. Those people considered at high risk include anyone with a personal or family history of colon polyps, inflammatory disease of the colon such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, and cancers of the pancreas, breast, ovaries, or uterus.
• Heredity. As with any cancer, susceptibility to colorectal cancer is at least partly determined by genetic makeup. A few people inherit medical conditions familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Gardner's syndrome, in which colon polyps develop at an early age; unless treated, these people are almost certain to develop colorectal cancer.
• Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer.
• Diet. Diet also contributes to the risk, although the cause-and-effect relationship is still unclear. People whose diets are high in fruits and vegetables seem to have a reduced risk. Many studies implicate animal fat and protein as promoters of colorectal cancer, although researchers are cautious about drawing any definite conclusions. Some studies show that regularly eating red meat, which is rich in saturated fat and protein, increases risk, while others find no connection. Some scientists think that fat is the main culprit, while others suspect protein. Others contend that it's not the fat and protein themselves, but the way they are cooked. They note that fats and protein cooked at high temperatures -- especially when broiled and barbecued -- can produce a host of potentially carcinogenic substances linked to colorectal cancer.
• Chemical Exposure. Heavy exposure to certain chemicals, including chlorine -- which in small amounts is commonly used to purify drinking water -- may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Exposure to asbestos is thought to be potentially harmful because it has been implicated in causing formation of polyps in the colon.

 This newsletter is not intended to give advice on health issues.  If you have a health concern, please see your physician.