The IAA One Minute Blog

No one ever wants to seem like a pest or a bother, but sometimes you have to speak up for yourself. The doctor's office is one of those times. Asking key questions can save you money and expensive medical risks. Insurance Administrator of America is here to hand you the tools for a more open and effective doctor's appointment.

Doctors are Trying to Improve Care

Here's the good news, doctors are volunteering to help create an open conversation by prescribing more conservative measures of care. This new trend will help curb wasteful spending and protect people from potentially dangerous over treatment.

Nine medical specialty societies representing 374,000 physicians recommended that doctors go slowly instead of reaching for tools they've been accustomed to grabbing right away. These groups released lists of the top five tests and procedures that are frequently overused. The overuse of these medical resources can happen for many reasons:

• Doctors' longstanding habits
• Fear of malpractice suits
• Financial incentives that awards doctors for doing more, not less
• Sometimes patients demand more tests and treatments than are necessary

These specialty societies are trying to make the patient/physician relationship the best it can be by making this information public. Use these lists to help you ask questions at your next doctor's appointment.

Open Communication With Your Physician

Quality healthcare is a team effort and one of the best ways to communicate with your doctor is by asking questions. Here are the five questions you should ask your doctor about a recommended test or treatment:

1. What are my options?
2. What are the risks and benefits of each option?
3. What happens if we wait or do nothing?
4. What does this test measure? And how will the results change the course of my treatment?
5. Who will contact me about the results and what happens if they are abnormal?

Talking to your doctor builds trust and leads to better results, quality, safety, and satisfaction.

The questions you ask your doctor don't necessarily have to be about a recommended test or treatment. They can be about anything that is concerning you. Patients who ask questions and take an active role are happier with their care and see more improvement in their health than people who don't ask.

Last Minute Tips

A doctor's appointment does not have to be scary or overwhelming. It can be informative and helpful if you are willing to communicate. Here are a few more tips to help make that happen:

• Prepare questions beforehand so you don't feel rushed.
• Make sure you hear and understand the answers you get. Take notes or bring someone with you.
• Utilize resources such as WebMD, but remember that the doctor is the expert.
• Explain every issue you have in detail and in a clear, descriptive manner.
• Ask for a second opinion if you want it.

What IAA has to Say

IAA wants you to remember that making the most out of your appointment is important. Keep IAA's tips in mind when you go to your next doctor's appointment so you can have a more effective dialogue with your physician. Think of IAA's tips like the study guides you might create before a test, helpful reminders of questions you need to know the answers to.

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According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 35% of adults and 17% of children and adolescents ages 2-19 in the U.S. are considered obese. In 1996 no state had an obesity rate over 20% and as of 2010 no state had an obesity rate under 20%. What is causing this trend and how can America fix one of its biggest health problems?

The Blame Game

What is causing this growing trend of obesity? There are many factors that have been considered. One reason is that people's physical activity has gone down, but the intake of unhealthy food has gone up. Americans are leading more sedentary lives, which can lead to weight issues when coupled with unhealthy foods.

The economy could also be a factor. Many people are still out of work or have had to take a pay cut. This can equate to less money for food and with the rising food prices, the inability to afford healthy options. People are buying more processed food, which is cheaper than food high in protein and low in fat.

The Complications of Obesity

People who are obese are at a much higher risk for certain diseases and health complications. The following are just a few examples:

• Diabetes
• Coronary Heart Disease
• Stroke
• High Blood Pressure
• Arthritis
• Sleep Apnea

Diabetes is the number one concern in the U.S. when it comes to the link with obesity.

Children and Obesity

Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the U.S. in the last four decades. Are gadgets playing a role in this growing trend? Nowadays kids are more likely to be playing inside on whatever type of game console they own, rather than taking part in some physical activity. Parents lead by example; adults are now less physically active, leading their children to believe that's ok. If adults don't turn off the television at home, why should their children?

Most children and adolescents could avoid significant weight gain by cutting out 100-200 calories per day. Encourage your child to make healthy food choices and to just go out and play!

Attacking the Problem

The Institute of Medicine is an independent body that advices the federal government on health policy. The Institute has issued a report on obesity that lists five goals that could help attack this growing health problem:

1. Make it easier for people to work physical activity into their daily lives
2. Create an environment where healthy food and beverage options are the routine easy choice
3. Improve messages about physical activity and nutrition
4. Expand the role of healthcare providers, insurers, and employers in obesity prevention
5. Make schools a national focal point for obesity prevention

These five goals could help lower the Nation's obesity rate and create a healthier population for generations to come.

IAA Wants You to Become More Active

Finding time in your schedule to exercise or make a healthy meal can seem unrealistic. The reality is you need to make the time. Insurance Administrator of America is here trying to get you to make some healthy changes in your life. Speaking with clients on a daily basis, IAA knows how busy your lives are. But is it worth your health? IAA wants you to be happy and healthy and sometimes that takes change. Just think of us as your personal (insurance) trainer, that voice pushing you to go the extra mile.

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According to the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 25.8 million children and adults have some form of diabetes. Diabetes costs in the United States have grown swiftly since 2002 and now for every $10 healthcare dollars one of those is attributed to diabetes. Furthermore, on average people with diagnosed diabetes have medical expenditures 2.3 times higher than people without diabetes. These statistics are startling, which is why Insurance Administrator of America is informing you about risk factors and ways to live with diabetes.

Are You at Risk?

Like any disease, it is important to know if you are at risk. Risk factors for diabetes are:

• People over age 45
• People with a family history of diabetes
• People who are overweight
• People who do not exercise regularly
• People with low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides or high blood pressure
• Certain races or ethnic groups
• Women who had gestational diabetes or who had a baby weighing 9 pounds or more at birth

These risk factors are specifically for Type 2 diabetes, not for Type 1 also known as Juvenile diabetes.

Prevent or Delay Type 2 Diabetes

Are you at risk for Type 2 diabetes? You can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes. You can create a healthier lifestyle by:

• Change in diet
• Increase level of physical activity
• Maintain a healthy weight

Start making changes today to help reduce your risk.

Living With Diabetes

Being diagnosed with diabetes does not mean  life as you know it has to end. After diagnosis people may feel deprived or restricted in their diet. That does not have to be case; just be more aware of the food choices you make. Here are some helpful tips:

• Eat non-starchy vegetables. Eat fish 2-3 times a week and choose lean meats like cuts of beef and pork that end in loin (tenderloin, sirloin). Watch your portion sizes.
• Don't be afraid to eat out, just plan accordingly! Try to eat the same portion size as you would at home. If you take diabetes pills or insulin shots, it pays to think ahead about when you'll eat.
• Remember to keep the ground rules of good nutrition in mind: eat a variety of foods in moderate amounts, limit the amount of fat you eat, and watch the amount of salt in food.

Diabetes is a manageable disease, but if you don't make changes the complications from diabetes can be pretty severe.

Children and Diabetes

Before the 1990s diabetes was hardly seen in children, but now as obesity rates in children have climbed so has Type 2 diabetes. The disease progresses more rapidly in children making it harder to treat. Parents, help your children avoid this disease by teaching them about healthy lifestyle choices.

What IAA Has to Say

Diabetes can seem scary and overwhelming, but with proper management it does not have to be. IAA  just wants clients to lead a happy and healthy life, so read over and think about the tips provided. Learn about your risk factors today to create a healthy tomorrow!

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No one wants to plan a trip to the hospital for an upcoming surgery (or for any reason) but sometimes things happen. It can be scary and overwhelming, especially if you are unsure about the quality of care you will be receiving. Insurance Administrator of America will let you in on a little secret. There are user friendly databases on the Internet that will help you compare hospitals.

Time to Start Shopping

Feeling comfortable during your hospital stay comes from knowing you are getting the best quality care. To get that you need to shop around, hospital shopping that is! The healthcare industry is focusing on measuring the quality of care and now there are multitudes of user friendly databases on the Internet that will help consumers' comparison shop. States are also starting to publish more data on their hospitals so check your state's health department website for more information. Public reporting helps motivate healthcare providers to work harder on improving care.

Here are some tips on what to look for when comparing information:

• Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
• Has experience with your condition
• Has had success with your condition
• Statistics on how well the hospital adheres to treatment guidelines
• Outcome data (how well people actually fare after procedures)
• Reputation (if they have a hospital report card, check it)

One last tip is to find out the average cost of your surgery. Research what the average cost of your type of surgery is and compare it to what the hospitals are charging. Also, find out how much the average stay costs. Remember, the more hospitals charge for service the higher the insurance premiums go. As an employee you are likely contributing to the cost of your insurance premiums, so be an active consumer and find the hospital that can fit into your budget. 

Window Shopping is Also a Good Idea

Another great method to picking the best hospital is visiting. Think of it as window shopping; you want to check it out now and perhaps buy later. Here are some things to look for when visiting:

• Look at the hospital's surroundings. Are the floors dirty and grimy? Are the signs easy to read? If it looks bad, the care is probably not great
• Stop by a nurse's station and ask what the nurse to patient ratio is. The smaller the ratio the more one on one attention you're likely to receive
• Check out the cafeteria food because what they serve there is what they are serving patients

Visiting hospitals in person will help you see a better picture of what your hospital stay will be like.

What IAA Has to Say

Do your homework so you can get the best quality of care for the type of surgery you are having. Do you really want to go somewhere that specializes in heart surgery when you need surgery on your back? IAA didn't think so. All of these tips that IAA has taught you will help make you a well informed shopper. Just think of us as your hospital stay guru.

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Temperatures are rising which means summer is fast approaching. All you can think about are those weekends you'll spend at the beach or local swimming pool. Just don't forget the suntan lotion. You do use suntan lotion, right? If you don't, you may be putting yourself at risk for skin cancer. Insurance Administrator of America is here to help you understand why you need to watch out for Mr. Sun.

The Skinny on Skin Cancer

Skin cancer accounts for 75% of all cancer diagnoses in the world. There are several types and they fall into two categories, nonmelanoma or melanoma. The most common types of nonmelanoma are:

Basal Cell Carcinoma-This is the slowest growing type of skin cancer and almost never spreads to other parts of the body.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma-This type of skin cancer often starts in skin that has been injured or diseased. It will sometimes spread to other parts of the body.

As mentioned earlier, Melanoma is the second category of skin cancer. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, causing the majority of deaths.

Skin cancer can form anywhere on the body, but it is most common in skin often exposed to sunlight such as the face, neck, hands, and arms. Make your body a skin cancer free zone by learning what precautions you can take.

Stop Skin Cancer in its Tracks

Don't let skin cancer get the best of you! Learn what precautions to take:

• Protect yourself from the sun (get out that sunscreen)
• Be aware of new or existing lesions on your skin that appear to be growing or bleed intermittently
• Talk to your doctor about the characteristics of skin cancer

Self exams are a great way to catch cancer early on. If you see an odd lesion try the ABCDE self exam:

Asymmetry-If you drew a line through it, the two halves would be different

Borders-The borders around an early melanoma tend to be uneven

Color-It would be a number of different shades of brown, tan, or black

Diameter-Usually larger in diameter

Evolving-Any change in size, shape, color, or any other trait

Everyone has busy lives, but taking a few minutes to do a self exam could possibly help save your life.

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer

Everyone likes a little risk in their lives, right? Well if those risks are putting you in danger of getting skin cancer you may want to re-evaluate what you're doing. Sometimes people are at risk because of their genetic makeup. See if you have any of the following risk factors:

• Being exposed to natural or artificial sunlight (such as tanning beds) over long periods of time
• Having a fair complexion
• Having blue, green, or light colored eyes
• Having red or blond hair
• Being male

If you fit into any of these categories take precautions today to help reduce your chances of getting skin cancer.

IAA Wants to Save Your Skin

IAA knows that everyone wants that perfect summer tan, but is it really worth getting cancer over? IAA doesn't think so. Before you hop into that tanning bed or lay on the beach without sunscreen think about how it could affect your skin. Start protecting your skin today so you don't have to deal with the after effects tomorrow.

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