Will Employers Continue to Offer Health Care?

Posted by gmirage1 on Mar 26, 2012 in Health | 0 comments

Today, the question of whether or not employers will continue to offer health care plans is up in the air. At this point, too many factors remain undecided. This includes the current legislation passed in order to create health care reform. However, statistics show the employers are voicing their concerns about whether or not they will be able to afford the costs associated with providing their employees and their families with coverage.

Uncertainty is a major concern for most employers. Many are hesitant to commit themselves to offering health care plans in the future because they have no idea what that will truly entail. It could mean policing employees to make sure that they are insured. It may mean setting up a system of financial calculations to make sure that they are within the guidelines that have been established. At this point, no one can be sure about what the future holds.

The job market just isn’t what it used to be. Employers don’t seem to be hiring as much as they were in the past. Some speculate that health care plans and their potential complications in the future are preventing employers from hiring the people they need. It tends to be a circle in which employers aren’t hiring because of their financial fears and more individuals are out looking for work because of their financial concerns. Where that cycle ends, no one knows.

In order to be able to offer health insurance to employees, there is a chance that the employees themselves will have to foot more of the bill. This has been the case for the past couple of years and employees have continued to pay higher premiums and then pay more for each office visit, prescription and even specialist’s diagnosis. Employees may choose to seek out their own health insurance independently or give up on the concept all together. (It is important to note that according to the health care reform legislation, those individuals could pay a fine for choosing to not insure themselves.)

Because a majority of people do depend on their employers for health care benefits, if this became a thing of the past, a serious meltdown within the insurance industry is possible. Just like offering health insurance to employees becomes a financial decision with employers, individuals will have to determine what they can and cannot afford when it comes to coverage.

For now, few business owners are making any decisions. Like many people today, they are forced to sit back and wait to see what the future holds. Some hang tightly to the traditions of the past and hope that things will remain the same. Others have concerns about what will be on the horizon for both their companies and their employees in the near future. Unfortunately, at this time, there are no clear answers about whether or not employers will be able to continue to offer health insurance benefits to their employees in the upcoming years. Everyone will have to be patient and await the outcome.

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Zoe is an ardent blogger and freelance writer from the UK, and she loves to share her health and legal knowledge through content on the internet. Feel free to tweet your thoughts on this article to @bloggingstyle.

On acne

Posted by gmirage1 on Oct 5, 2010 in Health | Comments Off

Pimples, and a lot of that at my age? You must be kidding! That was my initial reaction when I first had a breakout, that was 2 years ago..my stopping from taking in contraceptive pills triggered not just acne but weight gain as well. Frustrating – that’s how I feel. Imagine your clear skin suddenly looks so dirty and unhealthy! I’ve been through many different adult acne treatment even heeding advice from acne treatment reviews here, some recommended by those who experienced the same, some from what I read from online forums, then there’s also the teraphy given by dermatologists and I even underwent facial treatment from a skin expert. None helped, and for a whole year, I had to face my embarassing face with contempt. I shed money (not weight) for the topical lotions, creams, toner and all that and for the supplements that I thought would help stop the breakout. (See photo)

I finally found one that has helped me…..in all honesty…Vitamin C & E . It didn’t only stop the breakouts but I now have glowing, healthy skin…There are still occasional pimples coming out but I know, soon this will pass.

Why you need protein

Posted by gmirage1 on Jun 12, 2010 in Health | 1 comment

It has been more than a week since I got back to the gym, got back to giving my muscles some pain. I’m determined to really lose them stubborn fats so I’ve been building up muscles….I learned that the best way to do that is to consume the right amount of protein especially after a workout. Consuming protein after a strength training workout is critical to muscle recovery and hydration.

I also read that because the body is in a state where it metabolizes the food digested quickly, protein rich foods are best digested at this time. My choices for this time would be tuna and egg sans the yolk…and lots of water of course. Experts suggest  whey  protein, a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production; which can easily be purchased at the gym, I’ve yet to try that. A whey protein shake will be digested by your body much quicker than a whole food because it will be a liquid. And, not to mention, whey protein is the fastest digesting protein there is. This is what makes whey protein pretty much the official choice of most people as their post workout meal protein source.

So let’s see in some weeks where this would take me. I’m glad that I don’t need diet pills to actually lose some weight…I’ve yet to look at the fit yummy mummy menu to add a bit more healthy food into my diet. Tata!

(photo courtesy of Sifu Renka)

Skin peel, microdermabrasion

Posted by gmirage1 on Jun 5, 2010 in Health | Comments Off

Sometime ago, I had a salicylic peel done because of my (annoyingly and recurring) pimples…yes, at this age.   This was not only expensive, it was really painful but it was worth it…though I had to suffer 5 days of hiding the skin (I donned a scarf and wore a hat), so as not to expose it under the sun and for people not to see.There are other acne scars removal that I can opt to do, one is microdermabrasion, where the stratum corneum (dead outermost surface of the skin) is partially or completely removed by light abrasion, to remove sun-damaged skin and to remove or lessen scars and dark spots on the skin. This procedure had to be done more often for acne and in an interval of a  month or so.  I am actually considering this at that time but my scars where not that much so I waited for some months and now, my skin is clear and I don’t really need another treatment. (Thank God!)

Kid’s eczema

Posted by gmirage1 on May 16, 2010 in Health | Comments Off

Atopic dermatitis or eczema, is a common problem in infants and children. Both my boys have it when they were younger and I would apply certain kinds of gels and lotions to help with the dryness. Eczema, per definition from medical websites, usually begins between two and six months of age with very dry and sensitive skin that will then become red and extremely itchy. I remember that my youngest had some on the forehead, cheeks and scalp and a few on his trunk, creases of the elbows, knees, and wrists.

Some of the more common household name for the Lotions and Gels are Eucerin, Nivea, Cethaphil Moisturizing Cream, or Lubriderm, should be used every day.

I’m pretty sure there are other kinds    of   eczema relief out there, I’m just glad that the boys’ skin got better.

Allergies

To help prevent kids having eczema, it is vital for them to undergo an allergy test. By avoiding things that are known to trigger your child’s eczema, it will be easier. These may include certain foods (cow’s milk, eggs, peanut butter, fish), wool fibers and clothes, rough or tight fitting clothing, dry air, sweating, getting too hot or too cold (avoid hot or cold water), harsh soaps or chemicals, and stress. For my older boy, he has allergy with cat hair, soja, birch tree and dust…which is not particularly easy as dust is all around, reason why he is the thinnest among the three. The little boy on the other hand has allergies with egg whites so he stopped drinking milk since age 2 and he switched to soja milk. (Ironic, how one can have soja and the other cannot.)

Bathing

Bathing and eczema seem to contradict each other , but many people think the practice of limiting baths is old school or old fashioned. Many experts now recommend a daily bath for kids with eczema with the use of special oil that helps moisturize the skin.

Swimming is allowed too, but to prevent your child’s skin from drying out immediately, shower or bathe to wash off chlorine and other chemicals and apply a moisturizer to help prevent .

Just remember to be patient. This is a chronic disease that usually improves and then comes back, but with therapy you can prevent it from happening again.