FEBRUARY 2010

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

HOW TO SHOP FOR HEALTH INSURANCE
(Tips from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance)

Shop around.  Health insurance can be expensive. Check with several agents and companies before making a final choice.

Be sure to get the Schedule of Benefits.  This is a brief explanation of specific benefits and benefit limitations for covered services provided under the terms of the Certificate of Insurance.

Buying several limited policies can be very expensive and you may not have the coverage you need.

When you apply for coverage, fill out the application accurately and completely.  If you knowingly give incorrect or misleading information or fail to disclose relevant information, your coverage could be canceled or benefits denied.

Never sign a blank application.  Verify any information filled in by the agent.

Make payments by check or money order payable to the insurance company.  Pay no more than two month's premium and fees until you have received the policy or group certificate.

Make sure you have the full name, address, and phone number for both the agent and insurance company. 

Be careful about mail order policies and those sold door-to-door.  You may need a local agent to help you with claims.

Avoid duplicate coverage.  Insurance companies often coordinate benefits so that you may collect on only one policy. 

 

About WCHQ - Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality

The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) is a voluntary consortium of organizations learning and working together to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare for the people of Wisconsin.

WCHQ  members represent a diverse and dynamic group of healthcare organizations: physician groups, hospitals and health plans. They include two of Wisconsin's largest health systems: Aurora Health Care and the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics / University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation.

WCHQ also partners with other organizations, including healthcare purchasers, governmental agencies, foundations and healthcare associations. We value the different perspectives that come from these multiple sources. By working together, we achieve a more balanced, holistic understanding of healthcare in its current state and how it can be improved.

MEDICAL NEWS                          

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY - 'GO RED'!!

People have been wearing red to increase the awareness of heart disease.  This year's National Wear Red Day is February 5, 2010.  

Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts — everyday women are dying at the rate of almost one per minute. Speak up. Make a difference. Show your support for the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red. It’s an easy, powerful way to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

To learn more about heart disease in women, go to www.goredforwomen.org.  Women can share stories and can take a check-up online as well.  Lots of good, useful information on heart health for women!!

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.   
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. 
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.  
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness    

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.

  
This newsletter is not intended to give medical advice.  If you are experiencing physical symptoms, you need to consult with a physician.