Cuts to Medicaid and a Supreme Court Hearing Looming Ahead

Posted by Sara Steel at March 06, 2012
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While mandated contraception coverage and requirements that every American carry some form of health care insurance has vacuumed up most of the attention focused on health care reform, the issue of Medicaid funding is slowly becoming the elephant in the room no one wants to discuss.

With Medicaid costs skyrocketing, the federal government is soon to impose another round of spending cuts on the program and most of it will come from payments to health care providers – cuts anywhere else would be too controversial, especially in an election year. I

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Dog’s runny nose may be life threatening

Posted by Sara Steel at February 28, 2012
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Duke is a sweet-as-pie male German Shorthaired Pointer. In his nine years he has been his owner’s faithful hunting companion, flushing out birds and doing his breed-trademark pointing. He had always been healthy until this last fall, when he seemed to catch a cold and had a snotty nose with mucus discharge and sneezing. Concerned about his depleting pet health, his owners made an appointment with the veterinarian to determine what was wrong.

Dogs don’t typically get sinusitis, or infection of the sinus cavity, without an underlying condition. Usually they get a sinus infection due to some other problem, such as snorting up a grass seed, for example. Duk

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CMS’ Effort to Make Health Insurance More Transparent, Grants $229 Million

Posted by Sara Steel at February 20, 2012
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Ten states will receive $229 million in federal grant money to establish health insurance exchanges this year and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is promising additional relief when hundreds of thousands more people become eligible for Medicaid in 2014.

This double whammy of mandated actions levied by the Affordable Care Act on states, building the exchanges and absorbing larger numbers of Medicaid recipients, comes at a time when many states are already swimming in red ink. The grant dollars are targeted to cushion some of the cost of setting up an exchange or health insurance marketplace as it is sometimes called.

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Post Tags: 229 Million Health Insurance Million

Cat insurance special: National Cat Health Month

Posted by Sara Steel at February 11, 2012
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February is National Cat Health Month! It’s time to honor and celebrate the cats that you love so much, and to make sure that you are taking the necessary steps to keep them healthy. If you’re like many cat owners who are lax about regular check ups for their feline companions, it’s time to get them in for a veterinary visit.

Americans love cats! According to the 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey, there are approximately 86 million cats in the United States, compared to approximately 78 million dogs. That makes cats the most popular pet here in the US which is one of the reasons why cat insurance is so important. Despi

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Post Tags: Cat Health Cat Health Month Health Month Month

Government study reports hospitals overpay for devices

Posted by Sara Steel at February 08, 2012
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WASHINGTON,DC – According to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released on February 3, some hospitals pay thousands of dollars more than others for costly medical devices such as hip replacements and defibrillators; furthermore, a portion of the higher costs could be passed on to the Medicare program.

Among 31 hospitals surveyed by GAO investigators, one paid $8,723 more than another for an identical model of a device that regulates heart rhythm. The cost for the device, the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, is typically between $16,445 and $19,007.

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Post Tags: Devices

Indoor games to play with your pet

Posted by Sara Steel at January 16, 2012
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If the weather outside is still frightful and chilly where you are, you might be looking for ways to keep your dog or cat entertained inside. For those days that you miss your morning walk or just don’t feel like going outside, the following indoor games will help work out your pet both mentally and physically, which is good for overall pet health. And just like training him, playing games with your dog enhances your bond and helps keep him focused on you.

Change these games to reward your dog in the way he is best motivated: praise, belly rubs, favorite toys, balls to fetch, or treats. T

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