General Exclusion Policy For Medical Insurance For Tourists Plans

By Ray Sondeo

Tourist insurance policies detail out exclusion terms which list the conditions that the insured is not covered for. You may consult your policy document to gather information about exclusion, coverage terms and other exceptional conditions.

Hence, it is important to carefully read the policy document and scrutinize the terms and conditions extensively before finalizing the tourist insurance plan that you want to buy. Ensure that the exclusions do not contain terms that may be highly inappropriate to your needs.

Glance through the exclusions sections which highlight the specific events and circumstances where you may not be allowed to claim for reimbursement. For example, almost all tourist insurance policies do not cover events such as terrorist attacks, war, military action, epidemics and nuclear exposure. You would not be paid the expense in the case of bankruptcy of the travel agency and also any loss arising due to insured?s irresponsible, fraudulent or dishonest deeds.

Medical exclusions detail out pre-existing conditions and certain treatments, illnesses and surgery expenses that the insured may not be able to claim in case they are undertaken without consulting the insurance company. Some examples of medical exclusions are expenses that arise due to immunizations, routine physical examinations, nervous or mental disorders and transplantation procedures. In addition, you cannot claim for child birth, pregnancy, birth control, abortion, sterilization or reversal and impotency or infertility.

Pre-existing conditions refer to any ailment, illness, injury, disease or sickness which existed while applying for the insurance or anytime for before a few years before the effective date for the insurance. This time period that the policies look back at, varies with the medical insurance for tourists policy, and ranges from 6 months to 3 years.

Tourist insurance exclusions also state that you would not be covered for any injuries which arise during any professional sports or athletic events involving regular practice routines for a competition or games. However, coverage is available in case you participate in hazardous activities like bungee jumping, high diving, hot air ballooning, rappelling, canyoning, inline skating, caving and rock climbing. For this, the insured need to purchase a visitor health insurance rider along with the tourist insurance policy plan.

Expenses for injuries, illness or treatment arising from alcohol, drug addiction or substance abuse are not covered by tourist medical insurance. In addition, you cannot claim repayment for any injury or illness which is self-inflicted. Treatment expenses for illnesses which arise due to exposure to the dangers of nuclear radiation or any radioactive materials are not reimbursed

It is advisable to carry the tourist insurance policy details and also the helpline assistance numbers during your trip. This would be of great use in case you would want to seek any help in a foreign land.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about tourist insurance.

No Cost or Low Cost Medication Access Programs: How do I Apply?

By Tom Harkenshire

Even in ordinary times, many people find the cost of prescription drugs to be too expensive. However, in these days and times, the situation becomes even worse. More concerning is the fact many of these people do not have any type of health insurance.

The problem is that many of these people require medication in order to function or even to live. Fortunately, numerous pharmaceutical companies, organizations and large retailers offer free or low cost medication access programs to people who cannot afford them.

Xubex is an example of such a company. They have a patient assistance program that offers all generic medications at low cost, and even provide certain eligible people with three months of supply of medication for $20 or less.

Applying to these programs:

Almost all pharmaceutical companies that offer medication assistance to people who cannot afford them are bound by their own specific policies. In order to get more specific information regarding these assistance programs, it is advised to go to companys website, and if the information cannot be found there, directly contact the company.

After the details are obtained, the candidate must fill certain forms, and mail them with supporting documents. In addition, the doctor who prescribed the medication must fill a certain part of the application form.

The supporting documents that are to be mailed include the prescription, payment requirements, as well as the financial details of the applying patient. Obviously, only patients who cannot afford to buy the medication on their own would be eligible for these programs.

It is important to emphasize that some companies allow applying on behalf of other people. This is probably so that people who cannot do this on their own (too sick, too old, or do not speak English) would still be able to benefit from these programs.

If approved, patients receive the medication within 24 hours after the application reaches the company.

It is also important to mention that every year the patient must redo the process. This condition probably stems from the fact that patients' financial state may improve over time, and so, they may not always be eligible. Consequently, other people may be in a worse financial state and should participate in the program instead.

These programs, the No Cost or Low Cost Medication Access Programs, that are being offered by many companies even in these tough times offer a glimmer of hope to many people, and are truly a testament to the generosity of the human spirit.

About the Author:

Tom Harkenshire has been dealing for decades with Health Insurance companies. In this article he described No Cost or Low Cost Medication Access Programs. To read more of his articles that will help you better comprehend Health Insurance processes and possibly even save you money, visit his site: The Guide To Health.

Health Insurance in South Africa

By Graham McKenzie

With sickness spreading and medical attention at an all time high, the price for health insurance is climbing. Most people in South Africa are having a hard time affording to pay for the much needed medical response.

There are two kinds of public assistance in South Africa. The first is a version of welfare. There is money allotted to a successful applicant that must be used for daily appointments, hospitalizations, and terminal procedures. If the money is not used at the end of the year it is recycled into the next years' account. Recently this method has been split into two options. One is similar to a bank account, paying for prescriptions and appointments. While the other takes care of terminal procedures.

There are real health insurance providers in South Africa offering a significant amount of coverage. Keep in mind, there are also a fair amount of scheme artists that are out to make a quick buck at the expense of a terminally ill person. When deciding which insurance is right for your needs, check to see what is covered and what is not. This is how schemes are empowered. People do not pay attention to the details described in the fine print of the insurance policy.

There are limits some times included with your coverage. Make sure you comprehend your policy completed, before purchasing insurance. Some limits branch as far as limiting which physicians can care for you at a selected hospital. This can cause great inconvenience and still leave you a bill. Especially if you are far from your home, and require emergency medical attention.

For the patient with a lengthy illness, or and older person, insurance premiums will be costly. On the contrary, if you are a disease free young adult, you should establish the insurance policy best for you as soon as possible. If you have a pre existing illness you will be charged more money. Insurance companies are out to make money, not to be sympathetic. If you find you are having difficulties acquiring an affordable rate, go ahead and apply for medical aid.

About the Author:

Graham McKenzie is the content Syndication Manager at insurance123.co.za South Africa's leading Health Insurance information portal.

Getting The Right Health Insurance Quote Makes All The Difference

By Irving Donaldson

When you've decided that you need some affordable health insurance one of the things that you'll need to understand is how to go about getting the right health insurance quote. There is a step-by-step procedure involved here and by following this process you'll be able to get the best quality health insurance at the most reasonable price.

Making Promises

First of all you want to get together with the best health insurance company that will be able to look after your needs. Make no mistake, there are many of these insurance companies on the Internet today and some of them make the kind of promises that they cannot keep.

You'll want to make sure that you get together with the firm that is both honest and reputable and has the resources to be able to find you the right policy whether that be of the individual health insurance or family health insurance variety.

The first step in picking one of these companies is to decide what kind of health insurance you're in the market for. Here is an example. Its often the case that parents who are sending students away to university think that they can cover the student under the existing family health insurance plan. In many states however, this is not the case and to make sure that the student gets the coverage they need a supplemental student health insurance policy is in order.

Comparative Shopping

So to do a little comparative shopping, you'll need to see a series of health insurance quotes from different companies. The best most efficient way to see these quotes is online having had them filtered through professional health insurance agents like the ones at Insurance Care Direct. These are the agents that have been licensed and know all the states different regulations and restrictions as they pertain to health insurance policies.

Getting the right health insurance policy is the key. When you start by looking for the right kind of insurance agents you'll need to make sure that they work for reputable companies as well. Here it is a good idea to look at the testimonials that are offered on the company website as well as the different kinds of health insurance that the place offers.

Getting the right health insurance quote is dependent on the consumer understanding how the health-insurance industry works.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson has been working on the health insurance quote within the industry for years. His work with affordable health insurance has been well noted by the larger firms like Insurance Care Direct.

Helpful Advice For Everyday Insurance Needs

By Marcus Worthon

As it is seen there is a lot of variation in the Insurance policies available today. They vary with products and the state you live in. It is therefore essential to get some Insurance advice before picking on any Insurance policy to locate the best.

Be it information about health, home, auto or life insurance, one must be well acquainted with the quotes and prices before picking any insurance. One must look out for professional advice instead of just relying on the advices from friends and family.

Car Insurance Advice: It is required that one should be aware of the importance of the insurance policy to them, so that one may decide what kind of policy is best suited. The knowledge of the important aspects helps in avoiding heavy losses. A full year policy always render maximum profits.

Prepare a list of personal belongings, and then calculate the sum required to replace these. Things like jewelery, silverware, computers etc are generally covered upto a given limit. So, check with the professional advisor about coverage of such things.

It is good practice to look for a professional as getting the right policy helps in repaying the mortgage or any other debts after your death, and ensures that your family is not left with financial difficulty which may add to their grief. The basic problem is that a life insurance policy looks simple from the surface and one might think himself or herself an expert at it but in reality it is not as simple as its made out to be.

It is a necessity of every individual to have a health insurance. The most appropriate way to acquire the cheapest health insurance is to increase the usage of insurance deductibles and ensure that you receive the deduction possible. Sometimes one ends up picking a low premium policy but these may not be able to give you the proper coverage.

It is a necessity of every individual to have a health insurance. The most appropriate way to acquire the cheapest health insurance is to increase the usage of insurance deductibles and ensure that you receive the deduction possible. Sometimes one ends up picking a low premium policy but these may not be able to give you the proper coverage.

About the Author:

Everyone needs help when it comes to getting an insurance quote. It doesn't matter if you need Phoenix auto insurance or no fault car insurance. Getting a proper estimate and protection should be a top priority. As always, with any kind of purchase, make sure to do your research so you don't get scammed.

Knee Replacement: An Overview of the Most Frequently Asked Questions

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

What Is the Process of Knee Replacement Surgery?

When your knee is replaced, worn-out, damaged, and diseased natural parts will be removed and new, efficient, artificial prosthetic joints will be put in their place.

Your new, efficient, artificial prosthetic joint will perform just like a young, healthy, undamaged, natural joint. You will be able to enjoy physical activities without fear of pain.

Must my knees be in severely bad shape before I can have them replaced?

You are the only person who can make this decision. Once you have an evaluation by an orthopedist, you will just need to consider the procedure and the effect it will make on your life, and decide for yourself.

If you are having knee pain every day, you may respond by resting your knees. When you do this, the muscles around the knee become weaker. That means that you will have more knee pain.

Joint replacement may be exactly what you need if you have tried other options like medication and physical therapy to no avail.

Click here to learn more about surgery for torn ACL.

Innovative MIS (Minimally Invasive Knee Joint Replacement)

MIS is a very specialized technique in which a very small incision is made to access the knee structure. When this technique is used, the trauma to the soft tissues is very minor.

When MIS is used, it has many benefits over standard knee replacement surgery. Patients who have MIS experience shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery, and little, if any scarring. MIS is not, however, the appropriate choice for all patients.

Your orthopedist is the only one who can really tell you if MIS is the right procedure for you.

What risks are involved in MIS?

Of course, MIS is a major operation, and there are always risks involved with any surgery.

Any time you have a major surgical procedure performed, there may be complications. However, most of the time, these can be avoided or dealt with successfully.

What about driving, working, and performing other activities of daily living? How long must a patient wait?

Consulting with your doctor, orthopedist, and surgeon will help you to arrive at an answer to this question. It depends on your physical condition, the demands of your daily life, and the advice of your health care professionals.

Click here to learn more about arthroscopic knee surgery.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with more than 20 years experience focusing on knee surgery. After 19 years of practice, he opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, in Phoenix, Arizona. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, knee surgeons in Phoenix and Phoenix and Mesa ACL Reconstruction.

Learn How To Get Life Insurance?

By Susan Reynolds

Life Insurance is an asset in the sense that it helps in supporting your family members financially even after your death. As a result, your family need not be financially dependent on anyone even in your absence because the insurance company will pay back the final sum assured to your family in the case of your unexpected death.

The first step to get a life insurance is to decide upon the insurance company, that you would like to go along with ? so start hunting and shopping around for the most reliable and consistent insurance companies. You can either take the help of your insurance agent, financial advisor, colleagues, friends, or relatives to arrive at a decision. Alternatively, you may also browse through the internet and find out for yourself about the best insurance companies and their hot deals.

It is very important to opt for companies which have a prominent online visibility and which have been in business for a long period of time because this will ensure that your money is in safe hands.

The different ways of getting a life insurance are mentioned below ?

Most of the people opt for buying an insurance cover through a trustworthy agent or through a reliable financial advisor. This is because insurance agents as well as financial advisors have a great amount of knowledge about the best life insurance schemes. They would definitely be having a fair amount of knowledge about the track record of the insurance companies, and may thus be able to guide you correctly about which company?s life insurance cover would be the best for you.

Many people, especially the older ones, who may be suffering from any chronic health problem, may find it difficult to obtain an insurance cover at a low premium unless they are automatically covered under a group insurance plan that is meant for all the employees in an organization. Usually, most employers provide a free life insurance benefit worth two times the basic salary of their employees. However, if you want to go for a higher sum assured, then you may pay the difference in the premium amount from your own pocket. As a result, you get additional insurance cover at comparatively much lower premium amount, than what you would have ended up paying, had you taken the insurance individually.

Purchasing life insurance online is the simplest and most reliable way of obtaining an insurance because with a simple click of the mouse you can instantly calculate your premium amounts (with help of the online tools) and the cost of the insurance. Moreover, all the discount schemes are laid down openly for you to check out. However, you would need to devote adequate time and energy to it. If this is not possible for you, then you can also use the services of online brokerage firms, who will do the customized research for you and come up with the best financial plan for you in exchange for a small fee.

About the Author:

Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Life Insurance.

What Is The Optimum Coverage For Visitors Medical Insurance Policy

By Ray Sondeo

Many purchasers of visitors insurance coverage wonder how much is enough. Each person?s answer to this issue will vary, depending upon necessary treatment and current conditions. This is an impossible thing to predict, so generous estimates are suggested for future international student medical insurance needs.

Given the high prices of hospital stays?which often are as much as $2,500 per day?it makes sense to estimate high. If intensive care stays are needed to treat an injury or illness, the cost will be much higher. These stays can easily run in the range of $35,000.

This cost would not cover any additional treatments or surgeries needed during a stay. For example, heart surgeries can cost as much as $100,000. Although the need for heart surgery is a rare occurrence for travelers, historical evidence shows that it is a possible event.

Life threatening situations cause visitors to seek immediate emergency treatment and procedures. It is impossible for a traveler to return home for treatment in these situations. In addition, the stress of traveling can foster development of various unexpected medical issues.

Treatment for conditions which arise as a result of heart attacks or strokes will run in the thousands and tens of thousands of dollars. Combined with an expensive hospital stay, one can see how the cost would easily add up.

Young travelers should consider starting their insurance for international student plan at $500,000 in coverage. If you are generally healthy, this number should cover any traumatic accident that could happen.

For those who are older with less stable health it is quite a challenge. Most plans for seniors limit their coverage to $100,000; so they should invest in an insurance for visitors policy with a $100,000 coverage. Sometimes in the seventy plus age group the maximum coverage is limited to $50,000.

A traveler?s health and age should be simultaneously considered when choosing coverage limits. Customers should consider the possibility of extreme medical costs in the case of an emergency, and invest in the plan they can afford accordingly.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about Visitor Medical insurance.

Risks Not Covered Under Health Insurance For International Students

By Ray Sondeo

Scholarships to pursue higher education overseas have become easily accessible to estimable students. But scholarships only provide for expenses incurred for education and college/university. You need to ensure that you are financially provided for in case of a sudden medical emergency on foreign soil. This is the reason you need to need to avail of international student insurance.

This policy is ideal for overseas students who live in a regulated budget. This insurance policy conditionally remits all medical expenditures incurred by a student during the overseas studentship tenure. However, the overseas student is granted the lucrative insurance cover only if the claim adheres to certain exclusionary clauses.

An injury or illness will be disqualified for insurance cover if the company is not furnished with related documents within 3 months of medical treatment. Pre-existing conditions, which needed diagnosis/ treatment in the look-back period, are covered by the policy. The look back period could range from 6 to 24 months before the commencement of the policy tenure.

To avail of the insurance cover, relevant medical documents must be provided to the insurance company within 3 months of treatment. Treatments which necessitated either an unjustifiably exorbitant expense or no expenditure are not covered by the policy. A medical treatment not prescribed by a practicing physician does not qualify to receive medical insurance for international students coverage.

Injuries received due to conscious violation of legal and political rights are also not covered by international student insurance. So, the insurance policy would not pay for any instance that is deemed willful injury. Injuries sustained in war, while pursuing criminal or terrorist activities are not offered financial insurance cover. The policy also does not extend its medical benefits if the injury/ illness are treated in the student?s native country.

The medical treatment would not receive financial benefits if it incorporates alternative/ experimental medication. This clause effectively disqualifies sensory therapeutics like aromatherapy and music therapy. A doctor?s certificate is also mandatory if you want to receive financial coverage for medical expenditure incurred. So do not self-treat yourself, or ask quacks to attend to you.

You are also not advised to demand insurance cover for injuries sustained in pursuit of adventures sports. High risk sports automatically disqualify any insurance cover for medical expenses incurred. If such activities are likely, riders that cover sports and hazardous activities may be added on to some policies at the time of purchase.

Regular diagnostic check-ups do not qualify for insurance cover, unless in connection with a disease/ illness. Medical and substance abuse, and alcoholism treatment expenditures are also to be borne by the policyholder. These are some basic clauses that would disqualify any application for insurance cover for international students.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about students insurance.

Why Visit USA Health Insurance

By Ray Sondeo

If you thought that your medical insurance would cover you during your trip to the USA then you are wrong! In USA, most of the hospitals will not acknowledge a foreign medical insurance. The result will obviously be a big hole in your pocket in case you meet with a medical emergency. So what is the key to this problem? Visit USA insurance!

Visit USA medical insurance can be purchased by any individual visiting the USA. The purpose may be professional, academic, or it might simply be pleasure. You are eligible to apply as soon as you set out for the trip to the US.

There are two plans, which are offered by Visit USA insurance - plan A and plan B. In plan A, the coverage provided per injury is $50,000. In case of plan B, the coverage is $1, 00,000. However, under both these plans the amount of coverage shrinks down to $10,000 if the applicant is above 80 years of age.

Three deductibles are offered by this tourists insurance. They are of $250, $500, and $1,000. After you pay this deductible, the insurance company pays 80% of your medical expenses to a limit of $5000. The family members and dependents of the account holder are also covered by this tourist health insurance.

The duration of the insurance cannot exceed a year. The lower ceiling of duration is 15 days. After the initial purchase, the plan cannot be renewed but can be purchased again for a new length of coverage.

Visit USA insurance provides coverage for accidental death. In case of loss of members, too coverage is provided. Only hands, legs, and eyes are considered as members. The highest amount of dismemberment is provided if it is a case of multiple dismemberment. If death or dismemberment occurs due to an attempt to suicide then no claims are entertained by tourist insurance.

Tourists with pre-contracted medical conditions are not eligible for tourist medical insurance. The same is applicable for pregnancy, drug misuse, and cosmetic surgery. Dental expenses other than those incurred due to accidents will also not be covered. No claims of coverage will be entertained if the policy holder meets with an accident while taking part in hazardous sports such a scuba diving, mountaineering, skiing etc.

A perfect health insurance for visitors is beneficial to every person irrespective of the reason for travel. Traveling to a new country can be enjoyable and secure with Visit USA tourist insurance.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about tourist insurance.

Medicare In Florida i

By Don Bethune

UnitedHealthcareas Tenet hospitals are just one of the many options available in South Floridaas rapidly burgeoning healthcare market, due largely to the regionas probable economic growth and its demographics needing healthcare, creating a marketplace of managed competition that drives costs down and encourages higher quality services.

Today was another momentous day in South Floridaas healthcare market, with the signing of the new multi-year contract between UnitedHealthcare and Tenet, which will cover inpatient and outpatient services, UnitedHealthcareas commercial products and managed Medicare products, and Tenetas acute care hospitals and its rehabilitation hospital.

This contract is an important step not only for UnitedHealthcareas customers who will benefit from the use of Tenet facilities, but also for South Floridaas broader healthcare market as it strives to by show that it is a major center of grassroots activity in the industry.

September 10 marked a halt in what seemed to be Floridaas phenomenal success ia Florida was on its way to win the national title, the past five seasons have seen Florida State appear in four title games, and Miami was finally back in the fighting ring. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida announced that it is being forced to discontinue services in Clay and Duval counties, affecting approximately 14,000 people.

Starting on January 1, following the suit of other insurers who have withdrawn their Medicare HMO plans due to a winding down in federal funding, Blue Cross and Blue Shieldas Medicare HMO, Medicare and More, will be withdrawn from Duval, Clay, and Pinellas counties, leaving the company with only one Medicare Choice plan in the region.

"We remained in as many markets as possible for as long as we could. However, because Medicare health plans do not Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.(BUSINESS WIRE)June 9, 2004 Tenet Hospitals Give NSU Health Professions Division $341,050 Grant to Establish Broward's First Entry-Level, Accelerated BSN Program to Tackle Shortage Tenet South Florida's hospitals and Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) Health Professions Division have teamed up to address a crisis in the region: Florida's nursing shortage. Tenet South Florida announced today it has awarded a two-year, $341,050 grant to the university to help fund the first-ever, entry-level accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in Broward County.Additionally, Tenet When the Tampa school informed the nation in 1996 that it was starting a football program, most outsiders scoffed. Florida was about to win a national title under Steve Spurrier. Florida State was in the midst of its mind-boggling run of four title-game appearances in five seasons. And Miami was about to experience a dominating renaissance under Butch Davis. With such national powerhouses as neighbors, South Florida was given little shot of establishing a high-profile program

There is good news for CIGNA HealthCareas approximately 250,000 managed care and PPO members living in South Florida. A new contract with Tenet South Florida will enable these CIGNA members to continue to receive inpatient and outpatients care and services at Tenetas 15 hospitals and diagnostic centers.

According to President Andrew Crooks, this multi-year agreement with Tenet should serve as strong proof of CIGNA HealthCareas ongoing commitment to its members in terms of affordability, accessibility, and comprehensiveness of coverage, particularly its many valuable members in its long standing South Florida market.

About the Author:

Before you buy insurance, make sure you check our no obligation quotes at cigna medicare, and cigna pos

Individual Health Insurance and Everything In Between

By Irving Donaldson

health insurance quotesInsurance Care Direct is the kind of health insurance company that has almost every single kind of affordable health insurance that you can think of. It doesnt matter whether you need a family health insurance policy or youre single person and only need some kind of individual health insurance, this is the place that has all the angles covered. A Long History

This is the company that has a long history in the health insurance field and these are the people that are dedicated to giving the general population the best affordable health insurance. They even formed the firm drawing on the best people they could find from the medical and health insurance fields and one of their first priorities was to raise the bar that had previously been established for the best in health insurance. Company Strengths

And one of the strengths that this company can share with its clients are their professional health insurance agents they employ. All of the agents that work for Insurnace Care Direct are hand picked and trained in all the regulations and restrictions that apply in the state where each client lives.

To make sure they do their job well, each Insurance Care Direct agent becomes like a member of the family for the client and will look into their special needs including any pre-existing conditions that may have precluded them from getting health insurance before.

And the agents arent the only special item that Insurance Care Direct can offer its clientele. These are the people that have a free quotes system as well. This is the fast and efficient way to get the best health insurance quotes that you could hope for and the whole process can be accomplished while you are sitting in front of your computer. Here are the three easy steps that will get you the best health insurance quote.

1. Fill out a simple form online. Its really that simple and theres nothing more complicated to it. By just filling out a few simple questions, youll be well on your way to getting the short-term insurance or even catastrophic health insurance that youve been looking for.

2. Compare the quotes that come back. Youll get a series of health insurance quotes from national carriers like COBRA insurance and youll be able to look through these to decide which one you want.

3. Finally youll save money. Theres no need for you to get up from behind your computer monitor to save on the health insurance you need any more.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson is an expert in individual health insurance and how the general public can get the best online health insurance quotes.

The Best Health Insurance Requires Planning

By Irving Donaldson

While there are things that you can settle for second best on, items and commodities that you dont really need to have the best of and the odd thing where second best is good enough, health insurance is one place where you need to be looking for the best that you can afford.

And the best way to get the kind of affordable health insurance that will satisfy all your needs is to learn something about the how the health insurance industry works and where to go to get the best health insurance quotes possible. The first thing you need to do is find out exactly what kind of health insurance best suits your needs. For example, there are many parents who still think that students going away to university will be covered under their family health insurance plan as it exists.

Student Health Insurance

Thats not always the case. Its more often necessary that the parents look into the proper student health insurance policy that will make sure that everyone is covered when the student goes away to school. There is a proper health insurance policy for every situation and to get to the one thats right for you, you will need to do a little planning with the health insurance agent of your choosing.

The right health insurance agent is invaluable in getting you the policy that you need. These are the experts that have a direct pipeline to the big national carriers like COBRA insurance and they are the people that will be able to sort through all the health insurance quotes that you get to find the one that best suits your stipulations.

Health Insurance Quotes

And if youre lucky enough to sign on with an industry-leading insurance company like Insurance Care Direct, youll be lucky to get the full benefit of the free quote system that they offer which is indispensable in getting health insurance quotes in a fast and efficient manner.

Its a quick system that gets you what you need in three easy stages. First off, all you need to do is fill out a simple form that gets sent away to the national carriers that deal with the policies that you want. After that, your health insurance agent sorts through all these health insurance quotes to determine the ones that are best suited to your situation.

The best health insurance requires planning and one of the best things that you can do to make sure that you get all the health insurance quotes that you need is go with the industry leaders.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson is a health insurance expert whos been dealing with all the nuances of health insurance quotes for the last decade.

Do You Want A Cheap Health Insurance Plan?

By Paul Stevens

Lets face it we are in the midst of a deep recession that is really hurting yet still the price of Health Insurance continues to go up. If you are the same as most people than you will be looking to save as much money as possible with a cheap health insurance plan.

There are two major ways that you can do this. The first is by looking at the type of policy that you are currently under.

If you have an individual policy there is always the possibility of joining a group to go under a group policy. If you have a family you can change from Individual policies to a family one. The will reduce your payments.

You can also look at policies with a higher deductible, meaning you will have to pay a larger cost before the insurance company pays.

Although this will reduce the amount you pay on a monthly basis, it does carry a risk if you should require a greater level of care or treatment.

Second and probably best is to get the best deal you can find. Now whilst this sounds obvious, it's not always so easy. The prices of the same, or similar policies change quite significantly depending on which company you receive a quote from.

The trouble was was that it was extremely difficult to get all the quotes, from all the different companies, to do a proper comparison and find out which was going to be the best deal for you.

Now, there is a big difference or help in this area. There are sites that do all the collecting for you and allow you to request quotes and make a direct comparison there and then so you can find the best low cost medical insurance.

About the Author:

To use one of these comparison sites to find Cheap Health Care just go to Online Quotes at thehealthinsuranceindustry.com.

Getting The Best Health Insurance Quotes Possible

By Irving Donaldson

In todays world where you can get everything you need from the Internet, it makes sense that you should get the best health insurance quotes online as well. Its important to remember that getting the best health insurance is sometimes more complicated than it looks to be at first and thats one of the reasons that you need an expert guide like a professional health insurance agent to look after all your needs.

It matters little whether you need family health insurance , a student health insurance policy or any of the variations in between, when you find the right health insurance agent to steer you towards your goals, the process will run a lot smoother.

Still the dilemma for many people looking to get the best affordable health insurance remains how to go about getting the best health insurance agent. Its important to remember that the best health insurance agent is your guide to the kind of health insurance quotes that will be cost efficient.

Step One

First of all its essential that you pick the right health insurance company that employs these agents. The best way to do that is by referral and you can get some information from coworkers and friends as well as family. Ask around and find out who got the best health insurance quotes and where they got them from.

Step Two.

After that you want to look at what the company has to offer. Remember that the best of these health insurance places often have a broad range of the policies that they can offer a client and that means that the best have quite a bit to choose from. Here you should be thinking of what kind of health insurance you need, whether a group plan suits your requirements or maybe even an individual health insurance plan. Make sure that the company you are considering has the plan that you are thinking about.

Look For Free Quotes.

Finally you want to pair up the health insurance agents that work for this company with the free quotes system they should offer. Remember that with free quotes youll be able to get the kind of health insurance that you need at the most reasonable price. Once you fill out a simple form, youll be able to let your health insurance agent sort through all the responses from the national carriers and pick the health insurance quotes that are right for you.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson is a health insurance expert whos been dealing with all the nuances of health insurance quotes for the last decade.

Family Health Insurance Is The Most Important Kind

By Irving Donaldson

When you ask most people whats most valuable in their lives, nine out of ten will answer their family. And so it stands to reason that those people will want to get the best in family health insurance and that means that they'll need to understand what they need to look for when it comes to health insurance in general.

What You Need

Right from the beginning you need to take stock of what you need. Well before you approach one of the health insurance firms that specialize in all manner of policies from student health insurance to life and critical care insurance, you need to do a little homework on you own and decide how much coverage your family will need.

Its important to remember that having coverage overlap serves no useful purpose and to that end you'll need to get everyone to make sure that they don't already have coverage from work or somewhere else. Its often the case that someone will have at least some kind of partial health care coverage from their place of work.

Short List

Once you've got that much decided, its time to start looking for a broker that will get you the policy that will cover all the members of your family. Remember here that youll need to look for outstanding expertise in the ones that make the short list. Take a good look at the qualifications of their agents to see if they have the correct license so that they understand the restrictions and regulations from state to state. There are other aspects that come in handy as well, but one of the other deciding factors is the manner by which you can get the health insurance quotes that you need.

Free Quotes

And that's where you'll find that the best of these places have the free quotes system. Take Insurance Care direct for example. These are the people that have been using this system to their advantage for some time and to that end they've been able to perfect the program and tailor it down to a simple three point system.

1. By filling out a simple form and sending it away, you access the major national carrier like Aetna. 2. Then you compare the quotes that you get side by side on your computer. 3. Finally, you get to save by cutting out a lot of unnecessary steps.

When you're looking for the best family health insurance, Insurance Care Direct is the leader in the field.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson is an expert when it comes to health insurance in general and family health insurance specifically. Hes been in the business for years.

How To Get The Best Health Insurance Quote

By Irving Donaldson

There are many different companies vying for your health insurance dollar today and many of them are Internet-based firms that have a wide selection of affordable health insurance policies to choose from. To make the right choice, you need to select the best health insurance quote for your needs.

And just because getting these quotes online is much easier than it was before, that does not mean that its easier to select the right policy for you. Most consumers will understand that there is a need to have a professional guide through the health insurance maze. Most people understand that a professional health insurance agent is the right person to guide them.

What To Look For

And because health insurance is a complicated industry, some people might need some help getting started even looking for the right agent. With that in mind, here is a simple checklist that can put you on your way.

1. To find you the right health insurance quote, the health insurance agent that you pick must be licensed. The reason for this is simple. Licensed agents are the ones that know the regulations and restrictions in all the different states. This comes in handy when the client that they are working for has pre-existing conditions and has been turned down for coverage.

2. The agents must work for a company that has a great customer service department. A good customer service department can be the difference between an impersonal Internet experience and one where a personal bond is made between the client and the health insurance company.

3. Customer satisfaction must be their priority. When a health insurance agent takes a personal interest in customer satisfaction, both parties feel good about the deal. Industry leading companies like Insurance Care Direct even mandate that their agents treat all clients like members of the family.

But the health insurance agents are not the only thing that the consumer should be looking at. When a company offers a free quote system that is Internet-based, that means that any health insurance quotes they give out will be fast and efficient. Most of these systems require only essential information to get the kind of free online health insurance quotes from major carriers that makes the process of getting top-quality health insurance much easier.

Getting the best health insurance quotes often means starting out by getting the best health insurance agents.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson has been working in the health insurance industry for years. Hes even developed an online health insurance quote system for the best carriers.

All About Getting The Best Health Insurance Quote

By Irving Donaldson

The debate about affordable health insurance in the United States is reaching another peak level. With the changes that the government administration is proposing, its in every citizens best interest to understand all they can about how the health-insurance industry works. With that in mind they need to start at the most fundamental level, and find out the best way to get the most efficient health insurance quote that will service them and/or their families.

And that means that every citizen should understand the best way to pick a health insurance company that can help guide them to the best policies possible. First and foremost there are several things that you need to look for and a simple checklist of the features that are most useful is a good reference tool.

1. Remember that any insurance company that you might be looking at needs to have a great customer service department. The best customer service departments usually go hand in hand with the companies that have the most experience. Using the experts at Insurance Care Direct as an example, its easy to see how forming the company with experts from different fields and then building a customer service department on top of that has been beneficial. The staff here are always on call 24/7 to answer any of the questions that you might have about any of your health insurance policies.

2. The best of these companies will be flexible as well. And that generally means that they will be able to get you an online health insurance quote whether you need Florida health insurance, short term insurance, or even a health savings account. These companies will also have agents that can direct you to the policy that best suits your needs and these agents will be experts in the restrictions and regulations for the state that you live in.

The company that you finally select needs to be personable as well. For many Americans health-insurance coverage can be a very personal matter, and sometimes it can even involve elderly relatives or sensitive illnesses that need to be handled delicately. Here its important for you to find a company that can give you the personal touch. And once again thats the advantage that you will get here at Insurance Care Direct. These are the people that have been mandated by their management to treat each of their clients like family.

When you consider all of these factors, youll see that getting the best online health insurance quote requires a bit of work on your part.

About the Author:

Irving Donaldson has been working with health insurance quotes for the last 25 years. In that time his experience in the health-insurance field has been sought after by many big companies like COBRA insurance.

Knee Replacement: An Overview of the Most Frequently Asked Questions

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

What Is the Process of Knee Replacement Surgery?

Having your knee replaced involves having arthritic and damaged parts removed and replaced with artificial prosthetic joints.

An artificial joint performs exactly like a healthy, real joint. With an artificial joint, you can enjoy all of the physical activities you used to enjoy, and maybe some you couldn't enjoy before. The only difference will be the absence of knee pain.

How bad must my knees be before I can have them replaced?

This is something you will determine with your doctor. After an evaluation by an orthopedist, a consultation and some thought about how a knee replacement will impact your life, you will be ready to make the decision for yourself.

If you are having knee pain every day, you may respond by resting your knees. When you do this, the muscles around the knee become weaker. That means that you will have more knee pain.

Joint replacement may be exactly what you need if you have tried other options like medication and physical therapy to no avail.

Click here to learn more about torn ACL surgery.

Innovative MIS (Minimally Invasive Knee Joint Replacement)

Specialized techniques are used when performing MIS. That is what makes it minimally invasive. With MIS, a very small incision is made, so there is far less trauma to soft tissues.

When MIS is used, it has many benefits over standard knee replacement surgery. Patients who have MIS experience shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery, and little, if any scarring. MIS is not, however, the appropriate choice for all patients.

Your orthopedist is the only one who can really tell you if MIS is the right procedure for you.

Are there risks associated with MIS?

Of course, MIS is a major operation, and there are always risks involved with any surgery.

Whenever major surgery is performed, complications may arise. Happily, these are usually easy to avoid or mitigate.

So, how soon can I go back to my regular schedule? I need to be able to drive and work!

This is another decision that you will make for yourself on consideration of the advice of your orthopedist and instructions from your doctor and surgeon. The amount of time you will need to rest may be quite different from the amount that is correct for another person.

Click here to learn more about knee arthroscopy.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, Phoenix knee surgeons and Phoenix and Mesa-area Knee Arthroscopy.

The Essence Of A Life Cover

By Susan Reynolds

Death in is an undeniable reality. Even though every one is aware of this reality, no one knows when one might have to face the same. There is literally nothing that you can do to prevent yourself from dying; but what you could do is prepare for the time after death. You must make arrangements for your family to live happily even after your death.

The insurance cover is the financial security that an insurance policy provides to the named beneficiary or beneficiaries in case the policyholder dies. The cover takes into effect with the payment of premiums for the insurance coverage by the policyholder. You can choose between two options when you are considering the type of coverage that is appropriate for your needs and circumstances. You can choose between a term insurance and life insurance coverage.

The life cover that we are getting can be classified as either a term or a life insurance policy. If you are searching for protection cover for just a specified time frame, then you are looking for a term insurance. This type of cover shall provide protection for just a specified period of time. The term starts from a short period of 12 months and can reach up to ten years. The protection shall be within the specified time frame and the beneficiary of a term insurance will get the full proceeds of the life cover with the death of the policyholder as long as it is within that specified time period.

There is also a special form of term insurance where the protection cover decreases over the entire period that the policy is in force. The protection cover is at its highest value at the start of the term insurance and gradually decreases over the entire spread of the insurance policy. Because of the limited period of cover, the term insurance is the cheaper of the two types of insurance cover. For a limited cover, the policyholder will pay lower premiums on term insurance policies. Further, you can not submit an application for a policy loan against a term insurance cover as it does not generate cash value over time.

The other type of life cover is the life insurance. The main distinction of this type of insurance cover is that it has a savings or cash accrual feature on top of the death benefit that it provides to the beneficiary. This accrued amount shall be given as the cash surrender value once the policyholder opts to discontinue the life cover. The cash surrender value takes effect once the policy reaches its first anniversary.

The whole life type of life insurance is the simpler form of the two types of life insurance cover. The basic feature of this type of life insurance is that the premium amount will remain the same throughout the entire term of the insurance cover. Under this type of life insurance, the policyholder has no control over the investment decision of the insurance company.

If flexibility is essential to you then the universal life insurance is the better option. The accrued savings can be used to reduce your premium payments. The policyholder is also given the option to submit a request for an upward adjustment of the life cover.

About the Author:

Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Life Insurance Policies.

The Function and Anatomy of the Knee

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

A Guide to Understanding the Functioning of the Knee

Two or more bones connected by ligaments make up a joint. The largest joint is the knee. It is composed of three parts:

1. The kneecap (patella).

The tibia is the upper end of the shin bone.

The patella is commonly known as the kneecap.

Additionally, the quadriceps (long muscles on the front of the thigh) strengthen the knee.

Articular cartilage forms a covering over the surfaces of the bone where they touch each other. This cushions the bones.

A smooth, thin tissue liner known as synovial membrane covers the rest of the surfaces of the knee joint. This membrane creates a bit of fluid that lubricates the joint so that the bones don't grind against one another.

How is Knee Pain Caused?

Often, the cartilage just gets worn away. Without cartilage, there is nothing but bone-to-bone. This constant rubbing and friction causes swelling and pain.

This situation is usually caused by osteoarthritis. This is a condition in which there has been knee injury or trauma. When there is no cartilage, there is nothing to absorb the shock between the bones that make up the joint. When this happens, the bones become stressed and painful.

Click here to learn more about total knee replacement surgery.

Ways to Treat Knee Pain

It is possible to treat knee pain with both no steroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatories. You can also benefit from cortisone injections, physical therapy, and bracing. However, if you have already given these methods a try and still have not found relief, it is not worth limiting your activities and living with pain. You may want to turn to surgery.

Knee replacement surgery was done for the first time in 1968, and it has been a popular solution to knee pain ever since. It is typically successful and results in the relief of pain and the restoration of knee function. More than a quarter of a million Americans undergo knee replacement surgery every year.

Click here to learn more about partial knee replacement.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with more than 20 years experience focusing on knee surgery. After 19 years of practice, he opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, in Phoenix, Arizona. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, knee surgery in Phoenix and ACL Reconstruction in Arizona.

Exclusions of Travel Insurance Online Coverage

By Ray Sondeo

Traveling abroad is always a thrilling experience. But can the excitement be similar if you or any of your family members falls sick or gets injured while traveling? Imagine what would happen if you discover that your standard travel insurance does not cover international emergencies. Isn?t it horrifying?

You might think that you are protected against such medical emergencies by your medical insurance for travelers policy. However, there are some clauses which are attached to every insurance policy that you purchase. There is high chance that you might overlook these clauses. However, for your own interest and safety, it is absolutely necessary for you to know what exactly your policy will and will not cover for.

Pre-existing medical conditions tops the list of exclusions. Pre-existing conditions include pregnancy or difficulties related to the same, any ongoing medical or dental condition, any condition for which you take medicines or any surgical conditions. Besides, mental disorder, anxiety or depression, traveling against the advice of the medical doctor is not covered by travelers? medical insurance in any circumstances.

Medical tourism is also excluded from travel insurance. If you are receiving a particular medical treatment then your medical insurance for travel might not cover you against the expenses you incur during your travel. Therefore, your travel medical insurance would be of no use if you are going abroad for a cosmetic surgery or for some similar cause which is recommended by your doctor.

There are even more exclusions which are attached to your travel health insurance policies when you are traveling abroad. A few of them are war or war-like situations, epidemics, natural disasters, nuclear attacks etc. These are the exclusions attached to almost all insurance policies.

Additionally, even high risk sports do not qualify under travelers medical insurance. Sports involving bodily contact such as mountaineering, skydiving, skiing, caving, riding in races, bungee jumping, parachuting, etc are excluded from the clauses of medical insurance for travelers. Some policies offer coverage for these hazardous sports, if an additional rider is bought by paying extra premium.

Other exclusions relate to loss of passport, fraud and deceit of your travel agent, any other losses arising due to irresponsibility of the insured person, attempt to suicide, alcohol/drug misuse, and the loss of checked in baggage or its valuables,.

The best way to secure your future against unforeseen expenses is to buy travel medical insurance. However, different travel insurance companies offer different travel insurance policy and so it is always wise to compare several travel insurance plans online before settling for one. Also keep in mind the fact that the company makes a thorough inspection about your history before giving you the policy.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about travel insurance.

Skilled Nursing Facility Facts To Know

By Bill Bates Debra Downing Chris Carter

Skilled nursing facilities, also commonly known as nursing homes, provide care for individuals who can no longer live independently. If you are searching for elder care solutions for someone close to you, you will probably want to consider nursing home placement at some point.

There are many different types of services provided by skilled nursing facilities, including but not limited to: dental care, including laboratory and routine dental services, occupational, physical, and speech therapy, personal care, dietary consultation, supervision and custodial care and social activities.

Cost is usually a factor in every care decision. Individuals with long-term care insurance have the ability to pay reduced rates for care, and can save significant amounts of money over time. To see if your loved one qualifies, contact their insurance broker. You may be able to qualify for Medicaid, but requirements vary by state so it makes sense to start exploring this option ahead of time.

Another option, Medicare, only pays for SNF care when it is classified as medically necessary, but does not pay for residential, non-emergency care after twenty days. Care decisions can be difficult, so be sure to consider all of your options and the wishes of your loved one, your family members, and physicians recommendations before deciding. If you fee overwhelmed you should consult a service to help with option choices.

Each skilled nursing facilities can be different but they are usually comprised of two separate components. One component is a unit that provides skilled nursing care that is paid for by Medicare. The other part of the facility provides non-skilled or custodial care.

About the Author:

Deciding for a loved one about picking the best assisted living facility can be an overwhelming one. You can consult with providers of services that can help you make the best choice.

Surgery of the Knee: Cartilage Restoration - Osteochondral Allograft, OATS, Microfracture, and ACI

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

Biologic treatments are best for knee disease or injury. Biologic treatment restores the knee to a near-normal state. Meniscal repair, reconstruction of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), and anatomic knee fracture repair are 3 of the types of biological surgical repairs that work well for knee injuries.

Orthopedists as well as patients often find managing a full-thickness, symptomatic chondral lesion of the knee to be problematic.

Injury that leads to articular cartilage cell death is well treated by restoration of the surface cells of the joint. The shiny white surface that composes all the joints in the body is the articular cartilage or surface cell layer of the joint.

This kind of tissue damage can be treated in four ways: Osteochondral Allograft, Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI), Osteoarticular transfer system (OATS), and Microfracture.

Click here for more on Arthroscopy of the Knee.

In a young patient, a small lesion can be treated with Microfracture surgery. In this method, a pick-like tool is used to enter the marrow of the knee under the chondral defect. Multiple entries stimulate the bone marrow, which, in turn creates repair tissue. This tissue fills the chondral defect with fibrous cartilage tissue.

In this situation, the patient will use crutches for four to eight weeks. The patient must agree not to participate in sports for 6 to 12 months. Also, the patient must understand and accept that it may be eighteen months before complete freedom of pain can be expected.

The knee surface may be restored to a near-normal condition using a procedure called autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). If the knee defect is large, this procedure is used.

ACI uses articular cartilage cells that have been harvested from the healthy part of the injured knee. There are strict indications and use criteria in place where cartilage restoration procedures are concerned.

The patient must have a full-thickness, weight-bearing, symptomatic chondral injury to the femoral articular surface. Additionally, the patient must be physiologically young. Furthermore, the patient must agree to an 18 month rehabilitation process.

ACI surgery on the patella and tibia is not always successful. Additionally, insurance companies often refuse to pay for this procedure. ACI is not considered a viable treatment for osteoarthritis. This is a condition in which two reciprocal joint surfaces have been damaged and x-rays reveal a narrowing of the joint space along with the formation of bone spurs. Knees may be assessed for ACI using a 3T MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). In this way, it can be determined whether or not ACI is the correct treatment.

Click here for more on Dr. Stefan Tarlow, an expert Phoenix surgeon of the knee.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with more than 20 years experience focusing on knee surgery. After 19 years of practice, he opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, in Phoenix, Arizona. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, Phoenix knee surgery and ACL Reconstruction in Phoenix, Arizona.

What Makes Life Cover Important For You?

By Susan Reynolds

Any family man will find it imperative to have a life insurance cover. In case you have no family, you may really not be bothered about the insurance policy. In case you belong to the former group of people, you must not think about having a life cover or not, rather, you must think about how much life cover to have. Life insurance guarantees the security for your family, even after your death. It is also important to cover yourself for the right amount. Your insurance amount should depend on your salary and how much you manage to save every month. The insurance amount would therefore differ from individual to individual. To understand how much cover is important to you, read on the article.

Most insurance agents would recommend a life cover of four to eight times your salary. It implies that if your annual salary amounts to $40000, your cover must be around $16000. The formula may roughly work for most people, but may not suit you the best. You would know the requirements of your family better than any one else, and must calculate your cover on your own.

There are many things which should be kept in mind before buying an insurance policy. For instance, is your spouse working, are your kids old enough to support the family, are you a single parent, will your spouse be able to bring up the kids after you, will the financial background be enough which you leave for them and such other questions.

A support of that huge lump sum amount of money can mean a lot to your family. As of now, you might have to strive a little hard to manage that extra amount of money to pay your premiums. However, the output of same means a lot to your family. The sad part is that many people have no knowledge about these lucrative life insurance policies and hence they never opt for them. Some people get to know about them quite late, and at a higher age the premiums are high too. Also, the policy at that age may not cover you for everything. It is therefore very imperative for you to act soon.

Once you have a clear picture in your mind, about the amount of cover you need; you can then look for a right policy for yourself. There are far too many companies offering a variety of schemes, and you can choose a scheme for yourself. You would need to compare the different policies and evaluate the one that suits you the most. This exercise is worth the effort. You do not need to go places physically, but simply use the internet sitting at home. There are a plenty of websites, offering information about various policies. Comparisons are already done and displayed for your understanding. Once you have satisfied yourself with enough information, you may buy a policy of your choice.

You need to be careful about choosing the right policy. The best way to go about it is to compare some of the best policies on offer and finalize on the one that clicks your needs.

It serves well to buy a policy at earliest. You pay low premiums at a young age, and the premiums would stay low all your life. At an old age, you will have to buy a policy with high monthly premiums. You would therefore do yourself a world of good, by purchasing a policy quite early in your age.

About the Author:

Susan Reynolds is the content coordinator for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Life Insurance Options.

Treating the Knee with Total Knee Replacement Surgery

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

MIS TKR - Minimally Invasive Surgery for Total Knee Replacement

For a better postoperative experience that includes reduced pain, a minimal hospital stay and quick recovery, patients are enjoying the benefits of minimally invasive surgery for total knee replacement. (MIS TKR).

MIS TKR is accomplished via a very small incision that does not involve the quadriceps tendon. This tendon runs along the anterior of the thigh. Without affecting this tendon, soft muscle trauma is kept at a minimum, and the patient can enjoy a quick and relatively easy recovery time.

A very innovative combination of MIS TKR and Computer Navigation allows the surgeon to make the most accurate placement of the knee possible. Dr. Tarlow has been practicing this unique innovation since August of 2004.

Patients often want to know if they will be a good candidate for MIS TKR. Experienced MIS TKR surgeons can make that determination in-office with an examination and evaluation. Occasionally, the decision to do MIS TKR will be made during knee surgery.

Click here for more on Knee Arthroscopy.

For a number of reasons, women are usually better MIS TKR candidates than men. Women tend to have greater flexibility of the knee tissue or soft tissue mobility. They also often have a mild knee deformity - either knocked or bowed knees - which is actually a benefit. Moreover, they usually possess good ROM (range of motion) preoperatively and a body mass index of less than 35.

Men may not make good candidates for this procedure due to generally having a BMI of greater than 35 coupled with more muscle tissue and stiffness of the knee tissue. Multiple past knee surgeries often complicate the procedure for men as well as large knee deformities.

Computer-assisted surgery reduces errors and improves outcomes in hip and knee surgery. When used in an orthopedic application, computer-assisted surgery is very helpful in identifying the surgical anatomy, which helps improve surgical accuracy.

By using computer based tools it becomes easier to reliably repeat procedures in surgery. These tools increase accuracy and improve quality in surgical procedure. Oddly, these tools are not widely accepted in the US. In Germany, computer based tools are used in surgery forty percent of the time. In the US, this is true only three percent of the time. Technology variations, cost, efficacy and surgeon preference may be the cause of this discrepancy.

In order to best benefit society with this technology, it will be necessary for industry, government, and surgeons to work together to develop standards for computer assisted surgery and imaging.

Click here for more on Dr. Stefan Tarlow, a leading Phoenix knee doctor.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, knee surgery and Phoenix and Mesa Knee Arthroscopy.

Surgery 101: Must Know Facts On Knee Arthroscopy Surgery

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

The most common surgical procedure in Orthopedic Surgery is Knee Arthroscopy. The operation is performed at a hospital or outpatient surgical center. The patient is usually administered a general anesthetic. The procedure usually takes 30-45 minutes.

Patients are on crutches for up to several days, take oral pain medications for less than a week, return to their normal jobs in 2-4 days, and are typically completely recovered in 2-4 weeks (for simple arthroscopic procedures such as chondroplasty, menisectomy, lateral release and loose body removal).

Arthroscopy procedure outcomes vary, but can be predicted based on diagnosis and age. As a general rule, if the patient is 55 or younger with only one problem (such as a torn meniscus, a loose body, a small area of joint surface damage) tend to have a higher chance of successful surgical outcomes.

Patients older than 55 years with greater than one disease process (the most common is torn meniscus with chondral damage " commonly known as arthritis) have variable outcomes after knee arthroscopy [improved knee probability in 60% range for multiple disease process knees].

The best surgical outcomes are after Arthroscopic Medial Menisectomy, Arthroscopic Lateral Meniscal repair and Arthroscopic Loose Body removal. The least predictable surgical outcomes are with Arthroscopic Chondroplasty for arthritis and Arthroscopic Lateral Retinacular Release for patellar tracking problems.

Diagnostic Arthroscopy: Even in the age of high resolution 3T MRI scans there is still a role for the surgeon to only look inside the knee for diagnostic purposes.

This is done to assess healing of meniscal repair, looking for wearing of Total Knee Replacement, healing of microfracture, healing of Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, assessment of ligament injury (or a new injury or after surgical reconstruction of knee ligament), or when knee symptoms are unexplained even after a physical, Xray, history, and MRI of the knee area.

A complete report on this topic can be found on the website of Phoenix knee doctor, Dr. Stefan Tarlow.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, Phoenix knee surgeons and Phoenix and Mesa-area Knee Arthroscopy.

Use These These Easy Methods To Get Cheaper Health Care!

By Paul Stevens

The economic situation in this country is in a bad place at the moment thats for sure and insurance and other costs just keep rising and rising. But if you follow these three tips, you'll at least be able to start saving on health care.

Number one is so simple it might seem rude to include but it will save you money. It's be healthy! The healthier you are the lower your premiums will be so stop smoking if you smoke and drink moderately and take exercise.

2. Pay for your premiums using a standing order from your bank. It's cheaper and also less effort to make the payments and you won't risk missing an instalment.

Third, make sure to get as many different companies to give you quotes as possible. Now, this was once far easier to say than to actually do. However, now there are good comparison sites out there that have been set up with the specific goal of allowing people to do exactly this.

It's important to take advantage of this and check as many different companies as possible because each company will specialize in providing different types of plans to different demographics.

To highlight what is meant by this, an example is a company that might be able to offer great deals for the self employed, but more expensive one for families.

When you use one of the comparison websites you make this job easy, because everything that you need to research is right there in one place.

It is however, really key that you make sure any site you use to perform this task is definitely independent of any insurance company. Many of the sites that suggest they can perform this function actually sell insurance for particular companies and so will only offer a small range or highlight the services of particular companies. This severely impedes your ability to get the best prices.

About the Author:

If need to find a completely independent site to compare different quotes through then go to www.thehealthinsuranceindustry.com and start searching for The Best now.

Requirements of International Student Insurance Policy

By Ray Sondeo

International students who gain admission in the US or move out of the United States to another country to pursue studies can opt for international student insurance plans offering worldwide coverage to avail best benefits.

The coverage options of the international students insurance plan range from medical expenses, prescription medication costs, mental health coverage, sport coverage, maternity expenses and also protection during any terrorist attacks. These plans generally meet the requirements of the schools in the US and are approved in almost all countries in Europe and USA.

You can contact your insurance provider to find out whether the school that you have opted for would accept the insurance plan chosen by you. The insurance providers can complete the waiver form which you can provide to the school?s Student Health Center.

International student insurance plans protect not only the individual who is travelling abroad for studies but also the dependants like the spouse and children. The policy documents of the plan mention clearly the conditions of both benefits and exclusions.

Read the pre-existing conditions clause of your plan carefully. Most of the plans state that a waiting period of 12 months is required to cover the benefits. But some of the schools insist on a 6 months waiting period. In that case, you need to find a plan which meets the requirements of the school.

To avail the international students insurance plan, you should meet certain eligibility criteria. For example, you need to be a full time student in a college / university or be associated with an educational institution as a full-time scholar and perform research for a minimum of 30 hours per week. While opting for an international student insurance plan, the individual also submits a valid educational visa for proof.

In addition to the individual, dependants also need to meet some eligibility criteria. In case of spouse, a legal marriage proof is required. Children should be less than 19 years and unmarried. They should be dependant on the individual for support.

It is very important to opt for an insurance provider who is underwritten by an established organization. Perform adequate groundwork on the AM best rating of the insurance company to ensure financial stability. Another important criterion to be considered is whether the insurance company assures round-the-clock assistance during any emergencies across all countries in the world.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about students insurance.

The Necessity of Visitor Insurance

By Ray Sondeo

The common misconception among travelers is that their primary health insurance will cover their medical needs while traveling abroad. In many cases, they do not cover their customers when traveling internationally. Travelers need to prepare themselves by investing in health insurance for visitors.

Health insurance companies do not typically cover sickness abroad because the providers are out of their designated network. In addition, many companies may view some parts of the world very dangerous to visit. They typically would like to avoid paying for unnecessary claims and services.

Some travelers claim they do not purchase medical insurance for usa visitors because they don?t need it. Even if someone is traveling for a short amount of time to a generally location, something may go wrong. Unexpected illnesses and expensive medical emergencies happen to travelers every day.

Often times, visitors do not realize the importance of visitors medical insurance until an accident or illness has already struck. These kinds of unforeseen problems can not only ruin a vacation, but also dramatically deplete a person or families? finances. This is why it is so important for travelers to protect themselves with visitors insurance.

Visitor medical insurance may turn out to be a significant investment if the insured suffers from an illness or accident during their travels. Conditions such as a heart attack or stroke can happen any time and in any part of the world, no matter how safe a traveler thinks he or she is being. Visitor health insurance prevents extreme financial obligation in one of these events from being passed on to the traveler.

Car accidents, broken bones and common sicknesses can also happen while traveling abroad. With visitor health insurance, these problems can occur, but the resulting costs will be much easier for a family to handle. Depending upon the condition, they might continue on with their vacation.

Insurance for visitors traveling internationally is so important. Visitors need to be smart travelers who expect to have a good time but are prepared in case anything should go wrong.

Going without health insurance in one's own country is an unacceptable risk to most individuals. In a foreign nation, that risk is multiplied without medical insurance for usa visitors. Visitors insurance reduces the risks and allows travelers to enjoy their destination, which is the real goal of travel.

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about Visitor insurance.

A Dental Insurance With An Assurance

By Don Bethune

Teethes are the best gift ever gifted by God to human being.The function of teeth is not only to chew and assist in eating food, But teeth improves the overall personality of a person as well.It is through the teethes that the true beauty and smile of a person is known.

Every person in the worlds wants sparkling bright teeth to improve their smile and improve their personality.But in most cases people teethes get strained or defective due to the ignorance of the people, lack of funds and apart from these there are many other reasons.

Dental insurance is the solution to this problem and blue cross blue shield dental insurance is the right dental coverage which you can take for the coverage of your teeth and they will take care of the rest of your needs.

A good dental plan must be such that it covers your entire expenses of dental emergency as well as the expenses when and where necessary.In addition to this the plan must be cheap and affordable as per you budget.Apart from the price and discounts the goodwill of the agency concerned must also be of good quality in the market.The service provided must be prompt enough to take care of the emergency needs as well.

Most children are averse to brushing their teeth regularly. This may be because of the fact that they are young and do not know the importance of maintaining good teeth. As parents, therefore it becomes your duty to ensure that your child is taken to the dentist once in three months, for a thorough assessment. To this extent, Blue Cross Blue Shield dental insurance is what you are looking for to provide adequate and affordable dental insurance coverage for your little one. This way, all the dental expenditure would be covered every time you happen to visit the dentist with your child.

It is always that advised that you do a lot of research on the internet to find the best insurance agency to take the right dental coverage that you need as per your needs and requirement.You can search the blue cross blue shield dental insurance to find out if it is best suited as per your requirement.

Blue Cross Blue Shield dental health plans are the most best forms of insurance coverage that you can get as a dental coverage for the entire family.More over they also provides affordable dental coverage that you may not be able to fine anywhere else with such quality and services.

Good looking and healthy contribute to your fine health and attractive personality. Even if you have to buy a high-priced dental insurance, do not worry as it will save you from spending a lot whenever you have to see your dentist or seek urgent medical attention for your dental problems.

About the Author:

Before you buy dental insurance, make sure you check Don Bethune's amazing dental quotes resource at dentalinsurance, and orthodontic insurance.

Surgery of the Knee: Cartilage Restoration - Osteochondral Allograft, OATS, Microfracture, and ACI

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

The best treatment for a knee injury or disease Is one of biologic origins that restores the knee to a state near normal. ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstruction, anatomic repair of knee fractures, and meniscal repair are three types of biological surgical repairs that are very successful for injured knees.

Patients and orthopedists often have problems managing a full-thickness, symptomatic chondral lesion of the knee.

Injury that causes articular cartilage cell death can be treated effectively by restoring the joint's surface cells. The articular cartilage is the shiny white surface that composes all the joints in the body. It is the surface cell layer of the joint.

There are 4 ways to treat damage to this tissue. They are: Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI), Osteochondral Allograft, Osteoarticular transfer system (OATS), and Microfracture.

Click here for more on Arthroscopy of the Knee.

If the patient is young, a small lesion can be repaired with Microfracture surgery. When using this method, a pick-like tool will be used to enter the marrow of the knee multiple times under the chondral defect. These entries will stimulate the bone marrow. This causes repair tissue to be created. The repair tissue fills the chondral defect with fibrous cartilage tissue.

In this situation, the patient will use crutches for four to eight weeks. The patient must agree not to participate in sports for 6 to 12 months. Also, the patient must understand and accept that it may be eighteen months before complete freedom of pain can be expected.

There is a procedure that can restore the knee surface to almost normal condition. This is called autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). This procedure is used in the case of large knee defects.

Articular cartilage cells harvested from the healthy part of the injured knee are used in ACI. This surgery may be used under very specific conditions.

The patient must have a full-thickness, weight-bearing, symptomatic chondral injury to the femoral articular surface. Additionally, the patient must be physiologically young. Furthermore, the patient must agree to an 18 month rehabilitation process.

There is no guarantee of successful surgery to the tibia and patella. In fact, insurance companies will often refuse to pay for this type of surgery. It is important to note that ACI is not a workable procedure for the treatment of osteoarthritis. In this condition, two reciprocal joint surfaces experience damage. X-rays will reveal narrowing of the joint space. Additionally, bone spurs will be in evidence. 3T MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be used to assess for ACI. By using this procedure, the proper treatment can be determined.

Click here for more on Dr. Stefan Tarlow, a leading Phoenix knee surgeon.

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, Phoenix knee surgeons and Phoenix and Mesa-area Knee Arthroscopy.