All Seasons Health SpirulinaInteresting Facts You May Not Know About Group Health Insurance Coverage

In an atmosphere of ever-growing health care and health insurance costs, group health insurance coverage is becoming critical for many employees. In fact, surveys consistently show that employees value health insurance benefits above all others.

Studies have shown that a solid majority (over 60%) of Americans receive their health insurance benefits through group health insurance coverage through their employer (or their spouse's employer). Of course, from the employee's point of view, this is the least expensive option for securing health insurance. Nevertheless, whether you are a business owner or employee, what follows is a discussion of some interesting aspects of the group health insurance market.

There are two main reasons that employers offer group health insurance coverage. The first is to attract talented employees. The second reason is related to the first: To reduce employee turnover. It's not uncommon for employees to become "dependent" on their health insurance. That is, an employee who may otherwise leave their job to become self-employed may not do so because of health reasons. That is, he or she may not be eligible under an individual policy due to a preexisting condition. Preexisting conditions are typically not covered under individual health insurance plans.

The primary difference between individual and group health insurance is that group plans are "guaranteed issue", while individual plans are not. "Guaranteed issue" means that an insurance company cannot deny coverage due to any preexisting medical conditions.

Some individual health insurance plans are issued to individuals with preexisting conditions, but usually only with what is called an "exclusionary rider." This "exclusionary rider" will exclude coverage for treatment related to the preexisting condition. It's interesting to note that in California, insurance companies are not allowed to practice this policy. As you might expect, the result is a much higher rate of declined applications for individuals, since insurance companies choose simply not to issue coverage for individuals with preexisting medical conditions.

For group health insurance coverage, premium cost sharing between employer and employee has pretty much become a common feature in today's labor market. In the vast majority of cases, insurance companies require employees to pay a minimum of 50% of the premiums, although many choose to pay a higher percentage. In general, the larger the company, the greater the percentage paid by the company. Not all insurance companies require coverage for dependents, although again many businesses elect to offer this coverage as well.

There are tax incentives available to both employer and employee for qualifying group health insurance plans. Employers can typically deduct 100% of the premium costs, while employees can pay their portion of the monthly premiums with pretax dollars. Both practices can result in significant savings over the course of a year.

Lastly, group health insurance coverage is available as either an indemnity (fee-for-service) plan or managed care plan (HMO, PPO, or POS). Indemnity plans are the oldest, as well as the most expensive, type of health insurance. As a result of their high costs, indemnity plans have all but disappeared from the landscape, and been replaced by managed health care plans.

Managed group health insurance plans come in various forms: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), or Point of Service (POS) plans. The HMO was the first alternative to traditional insurance (indemnity) and became popular for its ability to reduce costs for both employer and employee by creating networks of doctors and hospitals and thereby being able to apply cost saving measures.

The PPO plans have in recent years become the most popular type of group health insurance. PPO's (as well as POS plans) combine many of the freedoms enjoyed with indemnity plans while still being able to implement many of the cost saving features of an HMO.

The struggle to offer employees affordable group health insurance coverage is an ongoing process for most employers in today's health insurance market. Part of the process is education, from the standpoint of both the employee and employer. It's important to understand that retaining affordable and quality group health insurance is vital to both sides of the labor market - employer and employee. Indeed, when done properly, this can be a win-win situation for all concerned.

Jonathon James has been working in the health industry for nearly twenty years. To view additional articles and resources related to group health insurance coverage, please visit
LearningAboutHealthInsurance.com.

About the Author

Jonathon James has been working in the health industry for nearly twenty years. To view additional articles and resources related to group health insurance coverage, please visit
LearningAboutHealthInsurance.com.

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natural curesBuilding A Food Diet For Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is a problem that occurs when the ring of muscles between the esophagus and the stomach does not close properly, but it can be greatly aggravated by the foods that a person eats. Someone who has heartburn just once in a while knows that foods are often the triggers for pain. This is also true for those who have severe acid reflux disease, and if they don?t modify their diet, they may be dealing with more pain than they have to every single day. They need to come up with a food diet for acid reflux that not only lists what they can eat, but also tells them what they cannot have unless they want to have a flare up.

There are some foods that should be avoided at all costs. These can be tasty foods, and they can be hard to stay away from, but when the pain gets bad, a person with reflux will gladly pass them up if they can get some relief.

Foods such as citrus fruits like oranges. These stimulate acid production. Different forms of potatoes are not a good idea, and onions are probably out. Grains can cause issues, and some find that pastas bother them. Though some meats are great, they should be eaten in natural form. Processed meats are full of preservatives and that can aggravate symptoms.

Though milk can soothe the stomach at times, many other things made with dairy can be problems. Milk products that are best avoided are cottage cheese, ice cream, and many cheeses. Potato chips, sweet desserts, and fats are also a problem.

There are some foods that will irritate acid reflux, but when they are eaten in moderation, they may be okay for some people. A person with acid reflux can try these to see if they are a problem or not. Some of these include many fruits like strawberries and blueberries. Tuna and hotdogs are also in the middle of the spectrum, but go for ones with no preservatives. Cheddar and mozzarella cheese might be okay, and many low-fat dairy products might be tolerated. When it comes to dessert, try low fat and low sugar items to see if the stomach is okay with them.

There are some foods that should not cause a problem for those with acid reflux. They can make up the main part of the diet and will help keep flare ups down to a minimum. These include apples and bananas, and vegetables like broccoli and many types of beans. When meat is eaten, it should be lean cuts of meat that are grilled or baked and definitely not deep fried! Fish and eggs are good options as well. Cream cheese and sour cream are okay, and breads and cereals are often soothing. When it comes to dessert, jelly beans and low fat desserts are the best.

Though many of these foods will be suitable for most acid reflux sufferers, every person is different. What might bother one person might not have any affect on someone else.

This list is a good guideline to get started, but anyone with problems should experiment with these foods to come up with the food diet for acid reflux that seem to work the best for them. When eating habits are under control, some measure of relief can be found. That, in conjunction with stress relief and targeted medication might make all the difference in the world.

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"We are what we eat" is particularly true in relation to lipid nutrition. Since lipids make up a large percentage of the substance of the body, and lipids undergo a continual turnover, our lipid composition is therefore a direct reflection of what we have been eating.
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Holistic HealingWhy Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are Essential To Our Health

The long chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, found in the greatest abundance in fish and fish oil but also in some other foods as well, play a key role as components of cellular membranes. During the regular aging process, cell membranes become much more rigid. This can adversely effect the function of tissues throughout the body, including the brain.



Perhaps the top asset to the brain of them all is DHA, the principal polyunsaturated fat in the central nervous system. DHA is appears to have a very direct effect on brain chemistry, development and functioning. DHA is essential for both kids and adults, but DHA is as vital to a kid's diet as sitcoms are to prime time television. The top source of omega-3 fatty acids of them all is cold-water fish and fish oils, but omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in varying quantities in other foods such as certain vegetable oils walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, flaxseed and also eggs.



The bottom line is, Omega-3 fatty acids appear to protect the brain, which is why many physicians recommend taking an omega-3 supplement, usually fish oil because of it's high concentration of readily absorbed dha and epa (flax and other sources have to be converted in the body instead of being directly assimilated).



Even our President and Governer Shwarzenagger take omega-3 supplements.



There have been a considerable amount of clinical research studies conducted related to the benefits of omega-3 dietary supplements (especially fish oil) in certain inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in people, including but not limited to arthritis, ulcerative colitis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and heart disease.



This research goes back to 1970's Greenland and beyond. Some if not most of the placebo trials of fish oil in inflammatory conditions show substantial benefits such as for

example a lessened disease activity and a lower overall requirement of various anti-inflammatory drugs.



Because omega-3 fatty acids are a very key component of development during the entire course of a person's life cycle, they should be included in the diets of each individual. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are not interconvertible in the body and are therefore vital components of almost all cell membranes.

About the Author: Aaron Wilmont is a writer/researcher of fish oil and omega-3 issues. More info. may be found at http://www.omega3fishoil.org