Stress, run above It With Runner’s High…

The sedative effects of nicotine, paired with the ritualistic activity of sparking upmakes for a temporary and dangerous escape from the pressures of the moment. For smokers, cigarettes are frequently used as a form of stress relief. But there are other sources of stress relief available, many of which can positively impact your overall health. Moderate physical activity, especially aerobic exercises, can make an immediate difference on your mental wellbeing. The psychological benefits of aerobic exercises — walking, jogging, biking, swimming — are grounded in your neurochemistry research shows exercise has the power to reduce levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, while stimulating the production of feel-good chemicals called endorphins. When your friend mentions how they get a “runner’s high” after jogging a few miles — that’s the…

0 Comments

What is a Discount Prescription Drug Card?

Agility Rx's discount prescription drug card is a FREE card available to those, uninsured or underinsured, to save money on all prescription medications. Instead of paying full price for prescription medication, Agility Rx card members can instantly save money when filling a prescription. Although the card can’t be combined with insurance, our card can help during high deductible scenarios and the Medicare Part-D donut hole. Our card has NO enrollment fee, NO deductibles, and NO activation fees. Agility Rx’s discount card covers all FDA approved brand-name and generic prescription medications. The card is also accepted at over 64,000 participating pharmacies nationwide, including most major chains and independent pharmacies. Additional Discount prescription Drug Plan Advantages. Unlimited use; card never expiresDeep DiscountsOver 64,000 Participating PharmaciesCan be use by all family members, friends,…

0 Comments

Starting January 1st All Hospitals Must Publish Price Lists

New federal law that was announced in April states that in the New Year, hospitals must publish price lists online of all the services they offer. This should also make it easier for patients to access their medical records. Hospitals must publish public price lists under the Affordable Care Act, but with this new law hospitals are now supposed to make these lists available online. Every year these numbers must be updated so patients get the most accurate price. Rehabilitation centers, psychiatric hospitals, and critical access hospitals are also expected to put price lists online under this new law. Seema Verma, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, commented when the program was confirmed: “We are just beginning on price transparency. “We know that hospitals have this information…

0 Comments

What is Birth Control?

An oral contraceptive is a birth control pill taken by mouth, containing both estrogen and progesterone. The pill, if taken correctly (see directions of pill for more info), will prevent the ovary from releasing an egg for fertilization, or even simpler prevent pregnancy from occurring. The effectiveness of the pill is approximately 91% if taken correctly everyday. Some advantages that come along with taking the pill are that it makes a period shorter, lighter, and more regular. Another advantage is that is can decrease the risk of cancer of the ovaries and uterus. allows the guidelines to bend and change to employers and insurers discursion. Employers and insurance can now cover or refuse to cover based on religious or moral beliefs and require members to pay out of pocket. If…

0 Comments

Prescription Drug Costs

The high costs of new drugs, as well as the dramatic price increases of some older and traditionally less expensive generic drugs, have thrust drug prices into the headlines. But what’s the full story? Today, we’re shedding some light on the cost of new drug coming to market, generic drug prices, and why drug coupons the picture. Cost of new drugs New drugs can cost a lot—both to Medicare and to the people who need these drugs. We found that Medicare and its beneficiaries spent about $5.9 billion for 75 new Medicare Part B drugs (those typically administered in a doctor’s office) in 2013. And nearly two-thirds of those 75 drugs had annual costs of more than $9,000 per beneficiary. Moreover, the annual costs of 20 of those drugs—most of…

0 Comments

A Critical Shortage of Nurses, The COVID-19 pandemic.

Nurses are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with other health care workers, they face an increased demand for their services—which puts them at greater risk of catching coronavirus. So, in honor of National Nurses Week (May 6 through May 12), we are taking a look at our work on shortages in the nursing and health care worker communities. We are also reviewing federal efforts to respond to these shortages, including through the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act). The nursing workforce Nurses are the largest component of the health care workforce. They provide much of the care for hospital patients and deliver most of the nation’s long-term care. However, the U.S. has been facing a critical nursing shortage for years, partly due to increased…

0 Comments

Providing Services to older Adults Isolated Due to COVID-19 pandemic

Adults over the age of 60 may be more at risk of serious health issues as a result of the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). These adults may isolate themselves in their homes for increased safety, and may face challenges accessing needed services. In today’s WatchBlog, we look at some of the recent federal efforts aimed at helping older adults, who are stuck at home due to the pandemic,  obtain needed meals and other services. We also look at our work on the strategies developed by rural communities for delivering these services to isolated older adults—strategies that may be helpful in all areas during the pandemic. Older Americans Act programs and the COVID-19 response To stay in their homes as they age, older adults often need services such as in-home care,…

0 Comments

Superbugs: Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections on the RISE…

Some bacterial infections have become difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. That’s because the “superbugs” causing these infections have developed the ability to defeat antibiotics—the drugs designed to kill them. While antibiotics do not work on viral diseases like COVID-19, they may be useful in treating bacterial infections that sometimes develop in COVID-19 patients. A cause for concern Antibiotic resistance is a growing issue. The figure below shows the cumulative spread of one type of resistant bacteria. In 2019, CDC reported 2.8 million cases of infections and 35,000 deaths from 18 antibiotic-resistant bacteria of concern, including the one tracked in the figure. The Spread of One Type of Highly Resistant Bacteria, 2001-2017 Note: This figure tracks a type of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which, according to CDC, is a “nightmare bacteria”…

0 Comments

TIPS TO MAKE ENDS MEET AT RETIREMENT

If you are already retired or are approaching retirement, then it’s likely that your purse has started feeling the effects of a reduced source of income. But look at it this way: you’re not in it alone. As a matter of fact, a third of people over the age of 65 years are getting by living on less than the minimum wage, with one in twenty of them unable to buy birthday or Christmas present for beloved ones. In such cases, there are bad credit payday loans. As if saying goodbye to a solid supply of monthly wages is not enough, thanks to pension reforms, low-interest rates on savings and mortgage plans that are interest-only are coming to an end. It has become clear that it will be difficult for…

0 Comments

ARE YOU MAKING THIS BIG RETIREMENT MISTAKE?

It’s no shock that the cost of living isn’t exactly cheap. That shock doesn’t end when retirement rolls around. Are you financially prepared to support your standard of living once you quit working? Even though most people understand the importance of saving for retirement sooner rather than later, studies still show many baby boomers are way behind on their retirement savings. In fact, the Blackstone Group found that 79% of middle-income baby boomers have nothing at all saved for the cost of healthcare in retirement. This is by far the biggest mistake you could be making when you’re saving for retirement. If you think that healthcare costs are expensive now, they hit even harder when you are on a fixed income. The Cost of Original Medicare Many people believe when…

0 Comments