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The Restructuring of California’s Private Insurance Market Obamacare created health insurance marketplaces as a way to expand insurance coverage and provide financial assistance for qualifying lower-income individuals. California was the first state to authorize a state-based health insurance marketplace, which it coined “Covered California.” As of earlier this year, it had 1.4 million people enrolled. Around 90 percent of these people receive premium assistance and/or cost-sharing reductions. The marketplace was built on the mandate created by Obamacare, which means it would need to adjust to any changes made. If it’s unable to adjust, it would require state funding to continue. Uncertainty Over California Health Care Laws The California legislature adopted many Obamacare provisions as California law, thereby allowing its regulators, such as the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare Services, to enforce them. Many of these statutes not only directly reference Obamacare provisions, they are contingent on their continued existence. Depending on what happens to Obamacare, many of these laws could end up becoming open to interpretation or even repealed as a result. The Medi-Cal Expansion Population May See Reduced Funding Obamacare included a major expansion to the Medicaid program by including adults earning upwards of 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Since California authorized this expansion, Medi-Cal has grown from 7.7 million enrollees to 11.8 million. Obamacare required federal support for the expansion population on a sliding scale. This means that continued implementation of Medi-Cal is heavily dependent on federal funding. These are a few ways in which California health care could be affected by the recent election. Stay up to date on the latest health care news by visiting The Benefits Store today.

The Deadliness of the Flu Virus The individual that died as a result of the flu virus was only identified as being under the age of 65. They passed away in Los Angeles County. The state public health department does not release any identifying information about victims for privacy reasons. Many Americans choose not to be vaccinated for the virus due to a number of reasons. Some simply don’t want to take the time out of their day to go get vaccinated. Some are put off by the symptoms that they experienced following a flu shot on a previous occasion. Some mistakenly think that they don’t need to get vaccinated again if they’ve already had a flu shot in the past. Because different flu strains develop every year, a new vaccination is needed every year as well. Because the flu is a common sickness that everyone knows about and that many have experienced, few realize that it can be as deadly as it has been. In fact, not only has someone already died in California as a result of the flu this year, but there have already been reports of 11 additional flu-related cases that required intensive care unit treatment. There have already been five reported flu outbreaks as well. There are thousands of flu-related deaths every year in the United States. In particularly bad years, there have been as many as tens of thousands of deaths related to the flu. Additionally, the flu affects millions of people and results in hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations. Be sure to get vaccinated for the flu this year. To keep up with all the most recent health-related news, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today. #fluseason

The Issue of Obesity Obesity is a problem that many people struggle with throughout the world, but it’s an especially serious problem in the United States, where more than a third of adults are considered obese. Obesity presents a huge health risk for those affected by it. Obesity increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and even certain types of cancer. In addition to posing numerous health risks, obesity poses a financial problem as well – the yearly medical costs for individuals who were obese in 2008 was on average $1,429 higher than those who were not obese. The Influence of the Brain on Diet Success The medical journal Cognitive Neuroscience recently published a study that suggested that the ability for a person to self-regulate their body weight may come down to their brain structure. Researchers discovered that chronic dieters tend to show extreme reactions to food cues in the executive control and reward areas of their brains. The study focused on a group of subjects consisting of 36 female chronic dieters with a BMI (body mass index) of 23.9 and 29.6 percent mean body fat. The study involved having the subjects make basic judgements on images in order to turn their attention from the actual task at hand. These tasks were food cue reactivity tasks. The purpose of this test was to identify the executive control and reward areas in their brain through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Researchers discovered that participants with lower body fat percentages had larger white matter integrity in between their brain’s executive control and reward areas. However, researchers aren’t certain if this was a result of repeated dieting. To keep up to date with all the latest health related news, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Los Angeles County Hospitals to Report Super Bugs Super bugs are a strain of bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotic drugs. Certain super bugs are so lethal that they can kill half of the patients infected with them. Federal officials have warned that these super bugs are one of the most urgent health threats in the entire country. The decision by Los Angeles County to require its hospitals to report certain deadly super bugs comes in the wake of a recent report by The Times concerning a resident of Manhattan Beach that fell ill with CRE (carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae) following a surgery in 2014 at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. The patient’s daughter had contacted the county’s public health department in order to report the infection; however, she was told that the infection was not a reportable disease. The patient ended up dying from the infection after spending the majority of five weeks in the ICU. According to officials, one of the reasons that the county had stopped requiring hospitals to report super bug infections, such as CRE, back in 2012 was due to resource limitations. Even though it wasn’t required, there were still a few hospitals that would voluntarily submit bacterial samples from patients that were infected by a super bug. Any reports about a super bug made by hospitals won’t be made public except in rare cases. Health officials plan to look at the data in order to identify clusters of infections so that they can prevent outbreaks. Although hospitals will be required to report CRE infections, they will not be required to report whether the patients stricken by the super bug survived. Nursing homes and clinics are not required to report any super bug cases. Keep up to date with all the newest information concerning super bugs and more at The Benefits Store.

Human Life Expectancy The world record for the longest life belongs to Jeanne Calment, who died at the age of 122 back in 1997. Over the last century, people have lived longer and longer, with the average life expectancy continually going up. However, researchers believe that the limit has finally been reached – and that limit is 115. The debate over whether the human life span has a natural barrier is one that has been going on for years and years. Dr. Vijg, an aging expert at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, believes that even though there are examples of humans growing older than 115 years, such as Jeanne Calment, nobody will ever surpass that age again. Dr. Vijg and his students looked at data based on survival and mortality rates. They tracked how many people were alive in a given year and compared these figures from year to year so that they could determine how quickly the population grew at each age. Research revealed that the fastest growing part of society has been old people. For example, in France during the 1920’s, the fastest growing group of women were 85-year olds. This trend kept increasing, with the fastest growing group of French women in the 1990’s being 100-year olds. However, this trend of increases slowed down and then stopped. Dr. Vijg discovered the same overall trend in over 40 countries. He also discovered that 115 was the age at which the increase stopped. Dr. Vijg’s theory that no one can grow older than 115 is based on available data, but many scientists reject the notion that humans have a life span limit. Keep up with all the latest health news by visiting The Benefits Store today.

The 2017 Health Insurance Premium Rate Hike The notice sent out by Covered California encourages customers to sign into their Covered California online account and to use the shop and compare tool to identify exactly how much their premiums will be for their current plans. Customers will also be able to compare the cost of their premiums and the details of their plans to other plans within their region. Although customers have experienced moderate rate increases over the past two years, premiums are expected to skyrocket in 2017 by an average of 13.2 percent throughout the entire state. It wasn’t until recently that customers knew how the expected rate hike would affect them since health plan prices differ throughout the state, by insurer and by a number of other factors that include age, income level, family size, and more. Some customers are seeing massive out-of-pocket premium hikes even after tax credits are applied. There have even been cases in which some customers have experienced increases of 57 percent. It’s recommended that anyone facing such a large rate hike shop around and choose the lowest priced plan available at their current level of benefits. Doing so can allow them to cap their premium increases at five percent. One of the problems facing many customers is that they do not want to shop around because they don’t want to lose the doctor that they currently have, whom they know and trust. What’s worrying to many customers is that rates will continue jumping even higher year after year. Insurance premiums are expected to go up drastically in 2017. For more news concerning the rate hike or insurance plans in general, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

The Way Genetic Changes Lead to Cancer In order to be a cancerous cell, a cell must have at least six faults or mutations. This stops the cell from functioning normally and causes it to become cancerous. Changes in a body’s cell can occur due to a number of reasons, from random mistakes during a cell’s division as a person grows older or due to the exposure to substances known as carcinogens. These types of gene changes won’t affect all body cells and aren’t inherited. In some cases, a history of cancer in the family can just be coincidental. Cancer is relatively common, especially among older people, which means that it’s not uncommon for several persons in your family to have had cancer. The Way Cancer Risks Are Passed On So how exactly can cancer be hereditary? Some faulty genes that increase the risk of cancer can be passed from the parent to their child. These are known as inherited cancer genes. They happen when the genes within the egg or sperm cell contain a mistake or a fault. Roughly five to 10 percent of all cancer cases happen to those who have inherited genetic mutations that raise their risk of developing cancer. Some of the mutations and syndromes that can increase cancer risk include BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations, Cowden syndrome, and multiple endocrine neoplasia. Although a higher risk of developing cancer can be inherited, most cancers are caused by gene changes such as aging or lifestyle choices. To educate yourself on more health-related topics, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Cancel old vehicle insurance. In addition to having a primary vehicle, some people also have secondary or third vehicles. If they never use their secondary vehicles, they should consider either selling them or stopping their insurance on them. For example, there’s no point in paying insurance on a motorcycle that’s been gathering dust in the garage for years. The amount being paid on insurance for such an unused vehicle can add up to be substantial. Check for bank fees. Many bank customers don’t realize that their banks are charging them fees for certain things. For example, some banks charge their customers a fee if they don’t retain a certain amount in their savings account each month. Customers should check with their bank to see if any such fees exist and find out if they can switch to an account that doesn’t have such fees. Avoid ATMs. Out of network ATMs usually charge a small fee – usually around two dollars. This may not seem like much, but some people find themselves using the ATM on a regular basis, which means that those fees could add up to quite a lot. Instead of getting money at an ATM, get cash back at grocery stores, convenience stores, or pharmacies where they don’t charge additional fees. Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use. A lot of people don’t realize that simply turning off an appliance or electronic device doesn’t stop them from absorbing power. As long as the device is plugged in, it is using up energy. Unplug appliances such as the toaster, coffeemaker, hairdryer and laptop when not in use in order to reduce monthly energy costs. Anyone having difficulties with their finances should be sure to check to see if they’re experiencing any of these money leaks. For additional advice on saving money – especially in regards to health insurance plans – visit The Benefits Store today.

Choosing the Right Medicare Prescription Drug Plan People can avoid high prescription drug costs by choosing the right Medicare prescription drug plan. One thing to keep in mind is that premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and the list of accepted medications can actually change from one year to the next because of the fact that insurance companies revise their formularies throughout the year. The following are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a medicare prescription drug plan: Prepare a list of prescription medications that you expect to take over the next year. Compare insurance plans with a Medicare Part D drug plan. Choose three plans to compare. Compare the plans and drug formularies at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website. Speak with a representative at the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Speak with a pharmacist. Most pharmacists have in-depth knowledge in regards to different prescription drug plans. Compare the annual costs of prescription drugs. Evaluate each plan by comparing premiums, deductibles, and out of pocket expenses. Those with a Medicare Advantage plan don’t need to do this since their drug costs are part of the plan. Check the formulary, which is a list of covered medications. Make sure your medications are covered. Drug cost tiers change over the years – especially for brand names. Figure out all costs – sometimes you can be charged differently depending on the pharmacy you use. Use these tips to choose a Medicare prescription drug plan and visit The Benefits Store for more health insurance advice.

The survival rate over the course of five years is close to 90 percent. Many of the women that are diagnosed with breast cancer do not need treatments that are either disfiguring or highly aggressive. Many women believe that a mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast, improves long-term survival of breast cancer patients. This isn’t actually true – survival doesn’t depend on the removal of any additional healthy tissue. Because of this, a majority – between 60 and 75 percent – of breast cancer surgeries are lumpectomies, which involves the removal of only a small part of breast tissue. Although lumpectomies can be quite effective and result in the breasts still looking mostly the same after surgery, there is a drawback to the procedure. Around 25 percent of the women that undergo lumpectomies will have to have a second lumpectomy to remove cancer cells that weren’t successfully removed the first time around. There’s also a slightly greater chance of the cancer coming back than there is if a mastectomy is performed (less than five percent versus one to two percent). In some cases, chemotherapy may be considered before surgery instead of after. Chemotherapy is usually recommended after breast cancer surgery. However, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is sometimes recommended prior to surgery in order to shrink the tumor. By undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient may only need to undergo a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy. Because many newly diagnosed breast cancers are estrogen or progesterone-receptor positive, the exposure to hormones can increase the risk of recurrence. The use of drugs that block hormones can kill tumor cells that may have otherwise spread beyond the breast. These are six things to know about breast cancer. For new information about beating cancer, be sure to visit The Benefits Store today.

Tooth Brushing Selfies Participants of the study propped their smartphones up on stands so that they could film themselves while brushing their teeth at home. Researchers discovered that this resulted in a number of changes, including: An eight percent improvement in tooth brushing skill An increase in the number of toothbrush strokes An increase in the accuracy of toothbrush strokes These changes occurred in the same amount of time the participants spent brushing their teeth before they began taking selfie videos. According to Lance T. Vernon, who is a senior instructor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, most people want to brush their teeth the right way and have the ability to do so – they just don’t because they are using improper techniques and don’t realize it. Tooth brushing is often learned and practiced without being properly taught, and according to Vernon, changing tooth-brushing behaviors that are learned at an early age can take a lot of time and guidance since those habits become tied to muscle memory. Filming a selfie while brushing one’s teeth can help disrupt such habits. This is because it makes participants more aware of their brushing and can help them develop new muscle memory. Selfies could also be used to receive feedback from dental professionals to ensure that people are brushing correctly. The use of selfies haven’t just been applied to improving oral health. A whole new area of data gathering through the use of selfies has developed called mHealth (mobile health). Selfies can help identify the progression of diseases as well as the effectiveness of treatment. Be sure to keep up with all the latest health-related advancements and news by visiting us at The Benefits Store.

The Walk Again Project Research gathered from the project was recently published in Scientific Reports. The study involved eight patients suffering from spinal cord injuries that led to the paralysis of their lower limbs. Their injuries occurred in a number of different ways, from car crash impacts to falls. The project included over 100 scientists from 25 different countries. It was headed by Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, a neuroscientist at Duke University and the co-director of the Duke Center for Neuroengineering. The combined efforts of the project team led to a patient suffering from paralysis being able to kick a soccer ball using a brain-controlled robotic exoskeleton. In fact, this particular feat was on full display in 2014, when the patient showcased the result at the opening ceremony of the World Cup. Previous studies involved the use of rats and monkeys. These animals were provided with brain-implanted microelectrodes, which allowed them to learn how to control levers and walk on treadmills using only their brain activity. Basically, researchers discovered how the brain codes for movement and were able to apply this to paralyzed humans. The patients involved with the project were able to use their brain activity to simulate full control of their legs. Of the patients participating in the project, five had been paralyzed for at least five years and two had been paralyzed for more than ten years. All eight patients spent two hours a week or more using devices controlled by their brain signals. After a year, their muscle control and sensation improved to the point where their diagnosis was changed from complete to partial paralysis. For more news concerning advancements in the medical field, visit us at The Benefits Store.