The HMO denial process is slightly different from the PPO or FFS denial process. If your HMO has denied services or if you disagree with the payment of a claim by your HMO, you would submit your request to your medical insurance company to reconsider your request. Once your insurance carrier has received your request […]
Your Lifetime Max Benefits Each insurance policy has a lifetime maximum (lifetime max). This is the maximum (and cumulative) amount of money your policy will pay in benefits. Once that limit has been reached you are no longer eligible for any benefits under that policy. You will have to purchase another insurance policy. Typically, this […]
Medication Flowsheet The primary purpose of a medication flowsheet is safety!!! By keeping an updated history of when you started, stopped or changed the frequency of when you take a particular medication, you can prevent medication errors. It might be helpful to use a red highlighter to indicate any changes in dose, frequency or discontinued […]
Helping a Friend or Family Member Make the Most of Their Doctor Appointment When you accompany a friend or family member (either having been asked, or having volunteered) to their appointment, there are a few things you should do to prepare for the appointment and help them get the most out of their doctor visit. […]
Preparing Your Child for Their Pediatrician Appointment A child’s pediatrician appointment goes smoother for all with a little preparation beforehand. From the moment you first hear the happy news that you will have a child, you begin to prepare. You think about the tiniest details for the baby’s room, to more “complicated” issues like choosing […]
Insurance Policy Limitations and Exclusions While benefits, limitations and exclusions may vary from policy to policy, there are some basic rules related to limits on your policy that you should be familiar with. Understanding what your policy doesn’t cover is just as important as knowing what it does cover. Be sure you have an updated […]
The health information sheet is a quick reference sheet. Like your Medication Sheet and your Supplement/Over-the-Counter Medication Sheet, this information sheet can save your life. In the event you are not able to speak for yourself, family members or rescue personnel will have important information regarding your physicians and medical history (including allergies) at their […]
Becoming familiar with the hospital rules and etiquette well help eliminate some of your worries, if you are planning on visiting a family member or friend in the hospital and are worried about what to bring or what to expect. Before driving out on the open road, you learn the rules of the road. Before […]
Helping Someone Grieve; Ways Through the Process Helping someone grieve, knowing the right thing to say to someone who has lost a loved one, is difficult. You may feel awkward trying to find the right words. If not careful, you might even stick your foot in your mouth with your best, heart-felt intentions. What can […]
The statement you receive from your insurance carrier is called Explanation of Benefits or EOB. The statement outlines the total amount you were charged by your provider, the amount applied towards your deductible, the discounted rate if a participating provider was used, the amount paid by your insurance carrier and the amount you owe. You […]
Physical Changes to Expect; What You May Notice in the Final Days There are physical changes to expect to see in your loved one during their final days and hours, just as you may have noticed changes in the weeks and months prior to the final phase of your friend or family member’s illness. Knowing […]
I would imagine you have heard of the stages of grief, you may have even seen it acted out on television shows such as Frasier and Scrubs. In the Frasier episode entitled “Good Grief”, Frasier is coping with the loss of his job. The Scrubs episode entitled “My Five Stages” deals with the main characters […]
Appointment Worksheet For your convenience, I have created two appointment worksheets which you can download. If you ask anyone in the medical profession “what is the one thing you should do to prepare for your appointment” they would all say “write it down!!!!” Write down your questions and the responses!!! Don’t feel like you are […]
How do you get the most out of your medical insurance when you can’t even understand the policy?! How do you make “cents” out of non-sense? Which policy is right for you? You might even think you understand your policy, but what you don’t know may cost you big time! Learning the basics can not […]
