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Voluntary Benefits: Pet Insurance
According to a survey by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, almost two-thirds of pet owners consider their animals to be a member of the family. If you consider your pet to be an important part of your home and family, you’re likely willing to spend a...
Avoiding Sports-related Eye Injuries in Children
Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children, and most eye injuries incurred by those ages 11 to 14 happen while they are playing sports. Every 13 minutes, an emergency room in the United States treats a sports-related eye injury. Of the estimated 2...
Exercising the Body and Brain
Studies have shown a strong relationship between the health of the body and the health of the brain. Exercise revs up complex processes inside the brain that can deter depression, help you stay calm and keep your mind sharp. Exercise Boosts Mental Fitness The brain...
New Overtime Payment Rules
On May 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule regarding overtime wage payment qualifications for the “white collar” exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule is effective Dec. 1, 2016. The final rule increases...
Back Pain: Prevention And Relief
When you suffer from back pain, your ultimate goal is to eliminate it. However, if you cannot completely avoid it, learning how to relieve your back pain is the next best option. Tips for Prevention The following tips can help prevent back pain: Lift safely—Use your...
Health Coverage Options for Young Adults
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made a number of changes to health insurance coverage over the last few years. Some provisions of the ACA are focused specifically on expanding health coverage options for young adults. Prior to the ACA, many young adults faced great...
Prescription Basics
Prescription medication may play an important role in your health and treatment of medical conditions. Understanding your prescription and following these tips will help you get the most benefit from your medication. Track your medicines Keep a list of all medicines...
How an Out-of-network Bill Becomes a Claim
Out-of-network care can be very costly, but unexpected medical visits can sometimes occur. Here are the steps for how out-of-network coverage is provided during a medical visit. 1. Provider The patient receives treatment. The doctor then sends bill to the insurance...
Health Savings Accounts: “What if” Scenarios
Health savings accounts (HSAs) are a great way to save money and efficiently pay for medical expenses. HSAs are tax-advantaged savings accounts that accompany high deductible health plans (HDHPs). While HSAs are a helpful approach to paying for medical care, the fact...
Health Insurance Terms You Need To Know
The health care system in the United States can be confusing. In order to get the most out of your health care benefits, you need to understand the terms used by insurance companies, the government, health plans and health care providers. This way, you can make better...
Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible spending accounts, or FSAs, provide you with an important tax advantage that can help you pay health care and dependent care expenses on a pretax basis. By anticipating your family’s health care and dependent care costs for the next plan year, you can lower...
Stretching Your Health Care Dollar
As health care costs continue to rise, it is increasingly important that you take an active role in decisions about your health, the care you receive and your health plan. Here are some tips to help you get the most for your money. At the Doctor’s Office Make a list...
Health Care Reform: What Does it Mean for You?
How the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affects you varies greatly depending on your age, who you work for and many other factors. So what does it mean for you? Below is a list of how health care reform affects a number of common categories. Everyone: Under the ACA, every...
Consumer Driven Health Care: Creating Choices For You
Consumer health plans are not designed to require a patient to shop around during an emergency. Rather, they empower patients to know their marketplace beforehand, so that in an emergency the patient knows where he or she feels most comfortable receiving care....
Outpatient Surgery: Selecting A Facility
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when choosing an outpatient surgery center is to simply go to the closest or largest facility in your area. To make the swiftest recovery possible, it is important to select a facility that is best suited to your particular...