All the Way from India

A pharmacist-professor in India wrote me to express her approval of my most recent post, and she's one smart cookie!  THANK YOU, PROFESSOR AJITH!!!

On this Fabulous Friday, I want to take a minute to thank all of my readers and silent fans for using my blog as a learning and awareness tool!  You can find this and more information on FACEBOOK on my HEALTH EDUCATION TIPS page. ===> Click here to check it out :)

To all of you, in various parts of the world, HAPPY FRIDAY and come back to see me, soon!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Brand vs. Generic Drugs

Many of us use generic drugs, in effort to save money.  The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) determines which generic drugs can be dispensed in place of brand name drugs.  But what happens when the brand is unavailable? What if no generic drug is available to replace the brand name drug that was prescribed?

Usually, pharmacists would call the prescribing physician and suggest alternatives; as a military pharmacy technician, I've had to do this on many occasions, in the past.  Well, in some states, pharmacists are legally permitted to change prescriptions to a completely different drug, but within the same drug category.  

As long as there is a justifiable, documented explanation for the change (including review of the patient's medical history), I don't see a problem with it.

Think about how this information makes you feel.  Meanwhile, always take advantage of the opportunity to speak with a pharmacist about your prescriptions.

Also, remember to come back to see me, soon.  Thanks for stopping by!!!

Need a Job?

"Need a job?"  What kind of question is that?!

The average unemployment rate (2014) in the United States is nearly 7%, according to the Huffington Post (02/07/2014).  So, yes!  The average person does need a job!

Without a job, one is usually left with no health insurance coverage.  An alternative? Try enrolling in Medicaid.  Eligibility requirements pertaining to income & assets, age, and familial status, apply; additional terms, such as citizenship status, and coverage vary from state-to-state.

Once a job is finally secured, health insurance is back on the table with components required by "ObamaCare," of course.  Benefit packages for full-time positions tend to include health insurance; check with your employer about benefits for part-time positions.

***Please note that Medicaid coverage is not "free," per se.  If ever a Medicaid recipient inherits a large sum of cash, Medicaid receives their portion of the inheritance first.***

Here's a tip... Don't splurge, just because you think the cost is on someone else's dime; be conservative, and save yourself some grief, once it's time to "pay the piper!"

Pretty interesting, how job status ties into health insurance coverage, huh?  Good!  So, I'll see you, soon!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Sex Matters

Actually, sex (not necessarily size) does matter.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is actively working toward  determining differences in how drugs work, based on sex.

For example, FDA reports that medications containing zolpidem (Ambien's generic), like other sleeping aids, affect women more than men.  Since sleeping aids have been proven to exit the body slower in women than men.  Women tend to be more vulnerable.  But just because women are more likely to be affected by side effects of sleep aids, doesn't mean that men can use sleep aids without any risk of feeling side effects.  Also, please note that failure to feel or experience any side effects does not decrease the chance of impaired judgement or the ability to drive/operate heavy machinery.

So, take your medication as prescribed, and be careful out there! That way, you can pay me a return visit :)

Tootles!

STOP! Don't Pay!!!

We all want to pay our bills and behave as responsible adults, right? Of course we do. But take a moment to research the issue before you give up the cash. Here's why:

You're almost certain that your insurance plan covers, and therefore, should have paid for your doctor's visit. Yet, you have a bill from your doctor's office in hand, and there is no mention of your insurance plan's contribution to any part of the expense! 

"What the... ?" It's okay to panic for 2 seconds, but the next reaction should be a call to your insurance plan. Confirm that your visit is covered, and request the confirmation in writing. There is a possibility that your particular claim was submitted with errors, and subsequently denied. Instead of correcting and resubmitting the claim to your health plan for payment, perhaps it was easier to just forward the bill to YOU!

Save yourself some grief by becoming very familiar with your health plan's EOB or Explanation of Benefits; this document will usually state "This is not a bill," across the top of the page. An EOB will show dates of service, diagnoses, how each diagnosis was treated, AND the amount your doctor was paid. EOB's are your best friends, so keep track of them; BFF's for life! 

Besides, you've paid enough for the coverage you have! It's not your job to pay for someone else's errors, too ;-)

Don't be afraid to ask about their billing practices, and remember to come back and see me soon!

Thanks for stopping by!

Doctor Office Issues

How do you feel about your doctor's staff? How do you feel about your doctor?

I'm hoping your responses are positive and happy, but I'm not naive enough to expect it. The truth is, either your doctor's staff and/or you doctor is/are likely to cause you negative feelings. (Sorry to be the bearer of bad news).

But, I love my doctor! What could possibly cause me to feel negatively about my doctor? Here are a few potential examples:

1) Difficulty communicating with staff;

2) Unable to reach a live person via their 24-hour on-call service;

3) Failure to follow your insurance plan's protocol, resulting in your inability to receive your prescriptions; 

4) Broken promises to call in your prescription to a pharmacy; or

5) Doctor's failure to answer your questions and/or provide you with the resources necessary to improve your medical condition; just to name a few.

Chances are you (or your child/loved one) are probably not feeling well. So, the last thing you need is for processes to run in inefficiently. So what are you going to do? Complaining is useless, unless you are willing to actually do something about it. Things you CAN DO:

1) Take advantage of your time and Express your concerns directly to your doctor;

2) If things don't change, write a letter to your insurance plan, explaining your concerns;

3) Shop around for another doctor/healthcare provider;

4) It doesn't matter if your health insurance plan is Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, Aetna, Cigna, etc.;

5) Always remember, IT'S YOUR DIME FOR THEIR TIME. Your doctor owes you appropriate service.

NOW, GO GET IT!!!
...and come back to see me, soon!

Health Educators Rock!

Girly-Navy Veteran armed with MPA, RHIA, RPhT, & CPhT #modeling as a Fabulous #educator, #consultant, #writer, and rebel against rejection of my physical appearance and wit. Don't hate; it's not attractive.

Prefer Twitter? I'm there, too! Follow me @DomCulpepper

 Thanks for stopping by!

Space Exploration & Black History

Astronaut health and human exploration of Space are connected to Black History.  NASA's team, which is comprised of tens of thousands of individuals, have reached incredible milestones in Space exploration. A couple of NASA's responsibilities are to ensure the health and safety of astronauts.  Meanwhile, medical innovations such as heart pumps, used to prolong the life of individuals awaiting heart transplants, are also attributed to the work of NASA's extraordinary team.

The Black lady shown in the photo below was my best friend's mother.  We grew up across the bridge from Kennedy Space Center, where she worked as part of the NASA team, as unprecedented results were achieved.  I wrote an article about her role in the Space Program (Florida Today-A Gannett Company), shortly after her untimely death.  Rest in peace, Ms. Eartha; you will not be forgotten.


CLICK HERE to read more!

Thanks for stopping by. Come again, soon!

Cute Infections

Awwwh! Look at the cute kitty!!!!! Yeah, they're cute and all. PREGNANT WOMEN BEWARE! The feces that those cute kitties leave behind in their litter box (and other surprise areas) can yield very unhealthy effects on both you AND your unborn baby; toxoplasmosis is the potentially fatal infection to which I'm referring. My home is now a cat-free zone :-/