Health Fitness Guide – Thoughts, The Foundation For All Health And Fitness Achievement

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve" - W. Clement Stone

Like any learned skill, there are certain basics that must be mastered first. The very bedrock upon which all health and fitness achievement rests are thoughts. Everything man-made in the world or any action you've taken in the past all started with a thought. There is not one man-made object or goal that didn't start as a thought in someone's head that was then made into reality. Your toaster, your TV, your automobile, your desire for better health.

A single thought ultimately transformed into physical reality.

In order to achieve any health or fitness goal you must start with this basic concept; thoughts are things. Thoughts are the foundation upon which you build the framework for attainment of your goal. Every thought has a physical manifestation in our bodies; every thought produces physical substances called neuro-transmitting enzymes that have instant effects on how we feel and who we are at the cellular level.

Don't believe me? Think of biting into a big, juicy lemon or think about fingernails slowly running down a chalk board and tell me you didn't have an immediate, physical response.

Or how about a thought that changed the world?

Every day, thousands of times a day, all over the world people fly from destination to destination. It's amazing that a person can step into a device that lifts them off the ground and flies through the air at great speed sometimes over great distances safely carrying them to their destination in a matter of minutes or hours! Only a bit over a hundred years ago that would have been considered impossible or a miracle. Yet it happens every day today and it started with a thought in someone's head that man could fly. On December 17th, 1903 the thought that man had had for generations to fly, became reality.

That is the power of thoughts!

If you can have that kind of immediate response from such a simple thought, just imagine what you can accomplish with a focused, burning desire backed by faith and persistence!

Life isn't fair or normal, there's just life. But that should be a comforting thought. If life were fair all things would be equal and all people would be equal. The logical conclusion is that there could be no social movement up or down, no bettering of yourself nor worsening, no getting healthier, just stagnation. Because life isn't fair it means you have the ability to control whether you improve your life or make it worse but at least you have the ability to make change.

What about external influences which you have no control over? Say your significant other is killed in a car accident or you become paraplegic in a skiing accident. The list could go on and on. But there is one thing you have total control over.

Viktor E. Frankl, a concentration camp survivor, put it best in his book "Man's Search for Meaning,"

"The one thing you can't take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one's freedoms is to choose ones attitudes in any given circumstance."

The only absolute freedom you have is choosing how you react to life. And how you choose starts with a thought.

Who you are right now is the sum total of what you've thought about up to this moment. If you're not satisfied with who you are right now, the good news is who you will be from now on is entirely up to you. Change your thoughts and you can start changing yourself. If you want to lose weight or be more fit, it all starts with a thought.

One of the major hassles of being self employed is the need to find an affordable health insurance plan that doesn't break the bank as you're trying to keep your own business running successfully. With all the articles and news casts about the ever rising costs of health care, the thought of finding an appropriate insurance policy that is also cheap can seem like a daunting task at first glance.

The good news is that if you are self employed then you have an abundance of choices in health insurance options. There is individual health insurance, small group health insurance, discount plans, and then the process of looking at various insurance companies and allowing them to bid away for your business. The most important aspect of finding a good health insurance plan is to be organized and to do your research before you actually start the process of shopping.

Individual health insurance is often the best way to go because these policies tend to be the cheapest. This has a major asterisk, in that your family will not get coverage. If you are single, this is not an issue. If you have small children or a pregnant wife, then this is a very big deal. If individual health insurance is a viable option, you should strongly pursue these policies as they usually cost only 50% as much as group plans or other options.

Small group health insurance often takes place when a group of small business owners band together (and some states require only as few as two people) in order to get insurance coverage. If this is much more expensive, then why choose this over individual health insurance? It depends on your history. If you are older, then having a group of younger individuals can bring down the cost. Also, if you have a pre-existing condition then they still can not turn you down.

These are the two best options for most self-employed individuals, although there are other options, though often with more danger of the unscrupulous side of things getting involved. One thing to note, is that at least of the writing of this article laws have been passed so that your individual health insurance is 100% tax deductible in the United States. That's right: every penny spent in a policy to keep you covered can be used as a tax write off from Uncle Sam. This can strongly help to off-set what may seem like prohibitive costs from covering yourself via an individual health insurance policy.

Health insurance is important, and self-employed health insurance is even more so since you are solely responsible for lost income, as well as your own health. There are companies who specialize in insurance for small businesses, so check around to see what type of a special deal they might be able to offer. There are a wide arrange of options out there, so just do your research and look around and you'll find the right self employed health insurance for you.

For Your Health: Self Employed Health Insurance

One of the major hassles of being self employed is the need to find an affordable health insurance plan that doesn't break the bank as you're trying to keep your own business running successfully. With all the articles and news casts about the ever rising costs of health care, the thought of finding an appropriate insurance policy that is also cheap can seem like a daunting task at first glance.

The good news is that if you are self employed then you have an abundance of choices in health insurance options. There is individual health insurance, small group health insurance, discount plans, and then the process of looking at various insurance companies and allowing them to bid away for your business. The most important aspect of finding a good health insurance plan is to be organized and to do your research before you actually start the process of shopping.

Individual health insurance is often the best way to go because these policies tend to be the cheapest. This has a major asterisk, in that your family will not get coverage. If you are single, this is not an issue. If you have small children or a pregnant wife, then this is a very big deal. If individual health insurance is a viable option, you should strongly pursue these policies as they usually cost only 50% as much as group plans or other options.

Small group health insurance often takes place when a group of small business owners band together (and some states require only as few as two people) in order to get insurance coverage. If this is much more expensive, then why choose this over individual health insurance? It depends on your history. If you are older, then having a group of younger individuals can bring down the cost. Also, if you have a pre-existing condition then they still can not turn you down.

These are the two best options for most self-employed individuals, although there are other options, though often with more danger of the unscrupulous side of things getting involved. One thing to note, is that at least of the writing of this article laws have been passed so that your individual health insurance is 100% tax deductible in the United States. That's right: every penny spent in a policy to keep you covered can be used as a tax write off from Uncle Sam. This can strongly help to off-set what may seem like prohibitive costs from covering yourself via an individual health insurance policy.

Health insurance is important, and self-employed health insurance is even more so since you are solely responsible for lost income, as well as your own health. There are companies who specialize in insurance for small businesses, so check around to see what type of a special deal they might be able to offer. There are a wide arrange of options out there, so just do your research and look around and you'll find the right self employed health insurance for you.

Health Insurance: Health Savings Account

Health insurance is a critical part of our health care system. For those that are lucky enough to have health insurance, they know that it shouldn't be taken for granted. For a large number of the unfortunate who don't have health insurance for their families, do so at great risks.

Health insurance has long been a popular political subject for our country. There are many that fill health insurance should be socialized. There are just as many feel it should be kept private. While both parties may have sound arguments, we have to accept what is available to us. So, unless you're a government employee, or one of the dwindling corporate employees still receiving health insurance, you need to go out there and get it on your own.

There are a number of health insurance choices that should suit your specific needs. A Health Maintenance Organization, or more commonly called HMO, is one popular health insurance choice. HMOs are one of the most common forms of health insurance provided by employers. They allow you to visit a pre-selected hospital, doctors, or clinics, without restriction. This may or may not be totally covered by your employer, but usually comes at a fixed monthly cost.

The Preferred Provider Organization, or the PPO, is similar to the HMO concept. With the PPO, you are not forced to get a little dig their doctor or hospital. When you do, however, you receive a discount for doing so. This system works on the reimbursement, philosophy. Essentially, you are reimbursed by your insurance company after services are rendered. Sometimes, they will bill your insurer at the time of service.

Indemnity health insurance plans are eight other top and plan that has become quite popular these days. One reason is, you are able to choose any position or hospital you choose. The drawback to this of course is that it comes at a premium. In addition to higher costs ease typically require a larger deductible. For the hypochondriac this may not be the best choice. Those that like to make lots of visits to hospitals might find other plans more suitable. But for those that have to be on their deathbed to see a doctor, this may be an appropriate plan.

The Health Savings Account, HSA, has some similarities to the indemnity health insurance plans. As the Health Savings Account is probably most suitable to the individual that doesn't require a lot health care, or checkups. These individuals, which most commonly are men, may find the Health Savings Account to be a good choice for them.

Health Savings Accounts are a way to both have a way to save and pay for medical expenses. Any contributions that are made to the Health Savings Account that go unused for medical purposes are retained in a savings account. This savings account can hold many popular investments, such as mutual funds. So, getting back to the individual that avoids medical care, this individual gifts for both best of both worlds. They get the protection of the much-needed health insurance. This provides protection against large medical or accident issues. But, if these funds go unused, they get the benefit of putting the money away for retirement. Any after-tax dollars that are contributed to the Health Savings Account can be detected, up to $2900 for 2008.

Choosing a health insurance plan may seem like a very confusing process. There is no open and shut method of choosing the best health insurance. Each individual is different, with different health needs. The most important step here is to get some form of health insurance. Go in without adequate health insurance puts you and your family at tremendous risks. And those risks just aren't worth the possible consequences.

Organic Health Food Store And Your Health

No matter where you go or what you’re doing these days, you are sure to be bombarded on all sides by slogans, advertising campaigns and health conscious people about your own health and how to look after it properly. This extends to every aspect of your life, including what you eat and where you can get it. This is where the organic health food store comes into your otherwise peaceful existence.

You are forced to leave your normal easy lifestyle to adopt one which most definitely better suited for you, but which is also too much hassle in this and age of convenience foods.

The world might be changing its outlook on these things and finding them lacking in anything resembling nutrition, but they are the staple of you life and you have gotten used to them to such an extent that weaning you off these foods is somewhat along the lines of weaning someone off smoking twenty packs of cigarettes a day.

You have to be dragged down kicking and screaming to the nearest organic health food store by those people who profess to love and care for you, when in reality if they cared even one iota for you, they would leave you alone in your singular little rut of eating overcooked TV dinners, greasy fat-filled hamburgers and fries, and sugar laden drinks and desserts. That’s of course assuming they care about you.

But since your family and friends are heartless monsters who enjoy seeing you suffer being in the best of health, you unfortunately have no choice but to go along with their whims and fancies of the moment. And in this case, the moment seems to be stretching out into an eternity of having to eat healthy organically grown and produced foods and this in turn necessitates your having to go on a frequent basis down to your local (or nearest) organic health food store.

Of course if you really tried hard you might be able to get back to your unhealthy lifestyle of one pot of coffee in the morning and another two or three pots as the day progresses. Unfortunately though fate does not seem to be on your side and you find that even when you try to break free of the imposed health food diet, you can’t.

Why? Because now you’re used to it and all the grease in those greasy hamburgers is enough to turn you green – literally. This is unfortunately your lot in life now and you find yourself frequenting the organic health food store more and more often as your taste buds decide to rejoin the living, and your palate finds enjoyment once again in your meals.

Texas Health Insurance – Managed Care Health Plans

Managed care health plans work as a network or group of medical professionals and hospitals that are contracted with the health plan. This helps insurance companies and health care providers work together to give patients the care they need. Usually, a managed care plan requires that its members only obtain services through doctors and hospitals that are in their network. Basically, you are more limited in choosing your health care providers, but the advantage is that you save money. Most health insurance providers in Texas use managed care plans.

Usually, managed health care plans are less expensive than other health care plans. When it comes to health care insurance in Texas, managed care plans extend lower rates because they have handpicked the providers that have agreed to their predetermined rates and fees. The providers also agree to avoid unnecessary tests and procedures in order to help keep costs down. Managed care health plans also provide benefits that encourage members to stay healthy, like help to quit smoking, in order to avoid more expensive health problems later in life.

There are three basic types of plans when it comes to managed health insurance in Texas:

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) – An HMO requires you to use the doctors and hospitals in their network. This is fairly standard with most health insurance in Texas. An HMO requires members to choose a primary care physician from their network of providers. The PCP must approve all procedures and visits to specialists. Patients pay a deductable for every office visit.

• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) – A PPO allows for slightly more options because you can go to any doctor you choose. The downside of that is that you will pay more for doctors that are out of the network. As with most health insurance options in Texas, you are better off sticking with providers in the PPO network.

• POS (Point Of Service) – A POS is an optional plan that will allow you to utilize providers that are not in your HMO network. This means you don't have to get a referral. Unfortunately, once again using out-of-network providers will cause you to incur a higher fee as with the other health insurance options in Texas.

Most health insurance options in Texas will require you to pay some type of premium, even with employer sponsored plans. Sometimes you will have to pay your entire deductible before the insurance will cover a single dime even for surgery or emergency room visits. Your deductible the amount you have to pay before your benefits kick in. This is one of the factors you want to consider when choosing a health care plan.

Also, most health insurance plans in Texas will require you to pay a co-pay every time you visit the doctor or get a prescription filled even after your deductible has been met. Some managed care plans have a yearly limit to your out-of-pocket costs and will cover 100% of any charges for medical services or medications that are incurred above and beyond this limit. Since there are so many variables involved with health insurance plans, it is important to consider your choices wisely before making a decision that can have a dramatic effect on your physical and financial health over the years.

Texas Health Insurance – Fee-For-Service Health Plans

Living in Texas, you can get a serious illness at any time. Having this affliction along with injuries and the like can cost a lot of money to treat. Health care insurance in Texas is important to have. You need to have enough health care coverage that not only covers just you, but also your family.

Having health care insurance in Texas can prevent you from having financial difficulties. It will help you cover the majority if not all of your expenses related to illness, injuries and doctor visits. In order to do that, you must look for health care coverage that will meet the needs of you and your family.

When you have a health care plan, there are two categories that it can fall under. There’s fee-for-service or managed care. For this article, we will discuss fee-for-service health plans. Health care insurance in Texas can consist of group coverage. This would include employers or organizations that provide health care coverage to their employees or members. If you don’t fit into either of those groups, you can purchase individual health coverage from an insurer or independent agent. Whichever plan you get, check out the benefits that come with it. They are different and you may have to pay more of a difference from one than you would with the other.

Fee-for-Service Health Plans

These plans, which are also known as indemnity plans, can be purchased from independent insurance companies. This insurance plan allows you to see any doctor of your choosing. The good thing about this plan is you can also see a specialist of your choosing without needing a referral, which can delay the process. If a referral were required, you would have to wait a while. It’s a good thing that the health insurance in Texas has an option of what you can choose from.

With this health insurance in Texas, you are covered for the majority of the costs in regard to medical treatment and related medical issues that the policy covers. You will be billed for the out-of pocket items that the insurance did not cover. Once you pay the out-of-pocket fees, submit your claim to the insurance company for reimbursement.

With this kind of health coverage, you would be required to pay a fee to keep the plan going. If you have this health insurance in Texas through your employer, more than likely it will be deducted from your regular pay. However, it will only be a portion because employers usually help to offset the cost for employees by paying their share.

With most of not all health insurance in Texas, you will be required to pay a deductible for certain medical requirements. After that, the insurance will start paying their portion. Every year that you have the plan, you are required to pay a deductible. You can get lower insurance premiums by making your deductible higher. With fee-for-service insurance plans, there is also the matter of co-insurance. Some plans may pay 70 percent or higher with you paying the remainder. In the state of Texas, after you have satisfied the deductible, they pay at least half if not more of the medical services that are covered under this plan. You will need to thoroughly look at this plan to see if this is something that you would be feasible for you and your family.

Health Insurance Basics - All About Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

A Health Savings Account is an account that is owned by an individual used to pay for current and future medical expenses. These accounts are offered in conjunction with a “High Deductible Health Plan.”

High Deductible Health Plans are health insurance policies that do not cover first dollar medical expenses, other than preventative care. They can also be a:

• HMO
• PPO
• Indemnity plan

Health Savings Accounts were created by the December 8, 2003 Medicare legislation that was signed into law by President Bush. These accounts are modeled after Archer MSAs.

Individuals who are eligible for HSAs include those that are:

• Covered by an HDHP
• Not covered by health insurance
• Not enrolled in Medicare
• Can’t be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return

There are no income limits that contribute to HSAs and people are not required to have earned an income to contribute to an HSA.

There are certain types of medical benefits that will make you ineligible for an HAS. These are typically referred to as “1st dollar” medical benefits, such as:

• Medicare
• Flexible Spending Arrangements
• Health Reimbursement Arrangements
• Tricare Coverage

A high deductible plan is a health insurance with a minimum deductible that is $1,100 for individual coverage and $2,200 for family coverage. Annual out-of-pocket is limited and includes deductible as well as co-pays and are set at $5,500 for individuals and $11,000 for family coverage. All covered benefits in a plan must apply to the plan deductible and include prescription drugs.

If HDHP provides prescription drug benefits, then the prescription drug expenses must be subject to a deductible or the individual may not contribute to the Health Savings Account.

In a high deductible plan, preventative care does not include any service or benefit that is intended to treat an illness, condition or injury that is already in existence. There are certain drugs and medications that can be considered preventative care. These drugs are drugs such as cholesterol-lowering medication for individuals who are suffering from high-cholesterol.

Contributions to a HAS can be made by either the employer or individual and both. If the contributions are made by the employer, the amount is not taxable. If the contribution is made by an individual, the amount is considered an “above the line” deduction.

If others make contributions on behalf of the individual, these contributions can be deducted by the individual as well. As of 2007, individuals are allowed a one-time transfer from their IRA to an HAS as well. There are maximums that are set at $2,850 for self-only coverage and $5,650 for family coverage. Once an individual is enrolled in any type of Medicare, they cannot receive contributions to their account.

Although there are numerous benefits to Health Savings Accounts, there are also a few drawbacks. The main drawback is that you must have your deductible paid before you can receive benefits from your health insurance policy. Although these accounts pay for your basic preventative care, there are certain areas afterwards that may not be covered.

These plans often tend to benefit only two groups of people, those that are very healthy and those that are very ill. This is because you typically don’t have to pay for many medical expenses. At the same time, those who are very ill and do have large medical expenses on a monthly basis. However, once your deductible is met, the plan will pay for medications with the same co-pay as your other medical expenses.

Health Care Job Search Tips: Health Is Wealth Indeed!

Nowadays, jobs falling under the health care category are one of the most in demand jobs. This is because more and more countries fall short with regards to their employees and staff in the health care industry.

In fact, aside from computers and information technology, heath care jobs are the ones that are greatly sought after by both the employers and applicants.

Aside from the increasing demand, health care jobs are also one of the best paying jobs all over the world. For example, in the United States alone, physical therapist assistants get to earn $27,500 to $ 41,780 in a year. It is also expected to grow by 46% in the years to come.

For people who are dreaming to go abroad and land a job in the health care category, here are some tips that that can help:

1. Know your craft

The problem with most people who are looking for health care jobs is that they do not know the fundamental skill needed in this kind of job: care for others.

There are many instances wherein health care jobs do not necessarily require people who have a higher education diploma in health care. So, people who have a “caring” attitude, can have a lucrative job in the health care industry.

2. Health Information technicians and Medical Records rank six on United States’ 10 hottest jobs of 2005.

These positions can work well for people who are looking for health care jobs. These positions pay $19,700 to $27,400 annually.

3. Success is in the keywords, For people who are searching for specific health care jobs on the Internet, it is best to narrow down their searches with some more detailed keywords. In this way, heath care job searches will reap better results.

4. Aim for the best positions in the health care industry

For people who wish to land a good job in the health care industry, it would be better to do some homework first. In this way, they can get an overview on which position has the most demands for employees and which job entails higher salaries.

In the United States’ 10 hottest job of 2005, medical assistants are the top positions in demand in the health care industry today. In fact, surveys show that the demand for medical assistants will continue to grow and will increase by 59% in 2012.

Indeed, the health care industry continues to saturate the market with a continuous growth for the demands of its services. No wonder why most people are into health care jobs!

A Review Of All Health Content - The New Private Label Rights Health Site.

As a member of several private label rights (PLR) sites, I was kind of skeptical of this new offering called All Health Content. The idea is to deliver only health content. The name says it all right?

The sales letter didn't sound too salesy or filled with too much hype and there were very few grammatical errors so that's a good sign.

This PLR site says it offers 30 health related articles a month, 10 recipes, 10 product reviews, health related affiliate program suggestions, a special report to offer as a bonus for subscribers to your list, and a members only forum.

So as a skeptic I signed up for All Health Content at http://www.allhealthcontent.com.

First impressions:

Compared to other sites where most of the articles are hard to read and need heavy editing because they are written by non-native English writers, All Health Content's articles are much better. You can actually read them and understand what you are reading instead of trying to figure out what the writer is trying to say. That's a good start.

The articles I browsed through were on timely subjects including anti aging, insomnia, weight loss tips and more. The product reviews are setup to be used for adding your affiliate links. Some recent product reviews included a review of Weight Watchers, the Low Glycemic Index diet, and a review of Suzanne Sommer's latest diet just to name a few.

If you run a health related blog, you can add some of these product reviews to your blog or you can start a health product review site.

A new addition is a monthly special report you can offer as a bonus to visitors to get them to signup to your list.

And support? Yes, I can personally attest to timely support turnaround times. Even if it happens to be at 3 AM. I got an email from support at 3 AM to verify my email address.

Cons of All Health Content:

The number of articles can be an issue since they are not all written about the same topic or keyword. You won't be able to start a 60 page content site in the first month. I did find one or two small errors in the articles so you still will have to read through before you use them.

When you put it all together you could do a lot worse than All Health Content especially when you compare this site to other PLR sites that offer up to 1,000 articles a month for $30 that need heavy editing. The quantity of content is a small issue but the quality makes up for it in my opinion.

Men Health Forums - A Valuable Resource For Mens Health Advice?

One of the most valuable resources a guy has today is online men health forums. Unlike the days before the internet, now if you have a question about your health you don't need to ask your doctor first. This can be a real ego saver, since a lot of health questions can be embarrassing to ask. Nobody likes to talk face to face about their neither regions to a guy who is almost a complete stranger . Now, with the online health forums, you can ask people without them ever knowing who you are. There's no embarrassment, no hassle and people are usually very friendly on the forums. They can be a great way to get more information about a particular topic from people who are familiar with it.

One of the drawbacks to using men health forums for information, as opposed to going to your doctor, is that you can never be absolutely sure if the information you're getting is correct. For example, if you ask about the different treatments for foot fungus, you can get lots of suggestions that won't help you at all. Even when people who reply to your thread claim to be a physician, you can never be positive that they really are. On the other had, if you go to your doctor you know the advice you're getting is worth following.

All in all, when it comes to men health forums it's a mixed bag. There are plenty of benefits, but if you don't know what you're getting into you can end up following bad advice. I suggest checking them out if you have a question that isn't very serious in nature. For instance, you can ask about which exercises can help you build your triceps the fastest but I wouldn't suggest relying on a forum to tell you how to treat cancer.

Health And Medical Insurance - Comparing Managed Care Health Plans

Health insurance plans have been forced to take action to contain costs of quality health care delivery as health care costs have skyrocketed. Health insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays have steadily increased, and health insurance companies have implemented certain strategies for reducing health care costs. "Managed care" describes a group of stratgies aimed at reducing the costs of health care for health insurance companies.

There are two basic types of managed care plans; health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, and preferred provider organizations, or PPOs. So which health plan is best? How do you choose what type of health insurance best suits the health care needs of you and your family?

Both HMOs and PPOs contain costs by contracting with health providers for reduced rate on health care services for its' members, often as much as 60%. One important difference between HMOs and PPOs is that PPOs often will cover the costs of care when the provider is out of their network, but usually at a reduced rate. On the other hand, most HMOs offer no coverage for health care services for out-of-network providers.

Both HMO and PPOs also control health care costs by use of a gateway, or primary care provider (PCP). Health insurance plan members are assigned (or select) a primary care practitioner (physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner). usually a family practitioner or internal medicine doctor for adult members or a pediatrician or family care practitioner for childern. The primary care provider is responsible for coordianting health delivery for plan members. Care by specialist physicians require referral from the primary care provider. This cost containment strategy is intended to avoid duplication of services (for example, the cardiologist ordering tests that have already been done by the PCP, or a sprained ankle being referred to an orthopedic) and avoid unnecessary specialist referrals, tests and/or procedures.

HMO and PPO plans also contain costs by requiring prior approval, prior authorization, or pre-certification for many elective hospital admissions, surgeries, costly tests and imaging procedures, durable medical equipment and prescription drugs. When such services are required, the provider must submit a request to the health insurance plan review department, along with medical records that justify the service. The request is reviewed by the health insurance company to determine whether the services are justified as "medically necessary" according to the health plan policy and guidelines. Review is usually performed by licensed nurses, and, if the reviewer agrees that the service is necessary, approval is given and the service will be covered by the health insurance plan.

As health care costs continue to rise, many indemnity health insurance plans, or "fee for service" plans are being forced to adopt some managed care strategies in order to provide quality health care and keep health insurance premiums affordable. And as long as health care costs continue to rise, the distinctions among PPO, HMO, FFS and other health insurance plans will become blurred. Rest assured, however, that managed health care is here to stay

Health Care And Health Insurance Costs Can Be Controlled Through Lifestyle Choices

As you probably know all to well, the cost of healthcare and health insurance premiums continue to increase at levels substantially above the general inflation rate. The reasons given for these extraordinary cost increases are numerous and include: technological advancements in the medical field, increased demand for medical services and prescription drugs, the aging of the population, cost shifting caused by the uninsured and governmental reimbursement rates, state and federal mandates, and costs associated with medical related lawsuits.

As individual consumers, we have very little control over some of the factors contributing to the cost of healthcare. However, all of us have control over lifestyle related health insurance claims. A simple formula of eating a balanced diet, getting the appropriate amount of daily exercise, participating in annual physicals and other recommended routine care, limiting alcohol consumption, and eliminating the use of tobacco products will no doubt reduce our personal healthcare costs. In addition to reducing medical costs, the other benefits of following such a formula include more energy, self confidence, less stress, and increased productivity. If you are not doing so already, I encourage you to consider practical ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. For example, one of the individual health insurance companies my organization works with has an option that will offset 25% of the annual cost of a health club membership. Simple things such as taking a walk, bike ride, or going swimming promote both a healthy body and mind. If you have a sweet tooth, consider limiting yourself to eating desert once a week. You will enjoy it more and your body will thank you.

Health insurance premiums will continue to increase as long as the cost of healthcare continues to go up. The best way to reduce the overall cost of healthcare is to decrease our need for healthcare. Healthy lifestyle choices and prudent use of the healthcare system are the best and easiest ways to get a handle on our healthcare expenditures. Perhaps the greatest benefit of a healthy lifestyle is our ability to enjoy our precious time here on earth to the fullest.