Understanding Coronovirus / COVID-19 Testing

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Understanding Coronovirus / COVID-19 Testing

With thanks to advocate and guest blogger, Angie Galatas.
Find Angie’s advocacy profile here: Medical Advocacy Plus, LLC

Antigen, antibody, viral, serology, these are intimidating words that show up in news articles, media, and insurance documents related to COVID-19. The pandemic has led us to become investigators of not only the virus, but the medical terminology associated with it. Many people are suffering from fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion, trying to decode the information, and this is where ...

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5
MAY
0

diagnosis and misdiagnosis, health care and cost management, health insurance, medical bills, patient communication, the government and health care, working with advocates and care managers

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Tax Time! Can You Deduct the Cost of Your Patient Advocate?

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Tax Time! Can You Deduct the Cost of Your Patient Advocate?

(Updated in 2020, regarding Tax Year 2019)

I’ve spent most of the weekend working on my income tax filing. Yeah. You know. The fun never ends.

Then the lightbulb moment arrived when I realized that you, the reader of this blog, might be interested to know whether there is a tax benefit to hiring an advocate.

So we’ll begin with my disclaimer:  I am not an IRS (or CRA) agent or specialist. I am not a tax accountant or even a regular accountant ...

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16
FEB
0

health care and cost management, the government and health care

So What Are You S’Posed to Do With Those Hospital Prices?

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So What Are You S’Posed to Do With Those Hospital Prices?

In the category of “be careful what you wish for…” 

Well-meaning policy people have now created a monster.  We can name this monster “Good Start,” but it’s not a very useful monster – yet.

That monster rears its ugly head in the form of the new law that became effective January 1, 2019 that requires most hospitals to make their pricing available to the public. The idea – a good one – is that there is nothing else in this world that ...

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9
JAN
0

follow the money, health care and cost management, hospital care, medical bills, the government and health care

It’s Open Season – er, um – Open Enrollment Time (How to Choose the Right Health Plan for You)

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It’s Open Season – er, um – Open Enrollment Time (How to Choose the Right Health Plan for You)

It strikes me as no coincidence that Fall is both Open Enrollment time for choosing a healthcare insurance plan, and Open Season for hunters.

In both cases, it’s about stalking prey. Right?

So now that I’ve put that vision in your head, it’s time to get a bit more practical. No matter how we feel about having to go through the paces of choosing the right health insurance plan, no matter that we would far prefer to have a tooth pulled or ...

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25
OCT
0

follow the money, health care and cost management, health insurance, medical bills, Medicare, the government and health care

Did You Get Something That Looks Like a Medicare Card in the Mail?

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Did You Get Something That Looks Like a Medicare Card in the Mail?

The envelope says its from Medicare. The card inside looks very official. It’s got your name on it, and a bunch of numbers and letters that don’t look at all familiar.

But – can you trust it? Is this new Medicare card for real?  Can you use it with your doctor and other medical needs?

Why on earth, after all these years, would they just send you a new Medicare card for no apparent reason?

The answers are yes, yes, yes…. and for ...

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20
MAR
3

doctor communication, follow the money, health insurance, medical bills, Medicare, the government and health care

Black Box Warnings May Save Your Life

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Black Box Warnings May Save Your Life

This often comes as a major surprise for patients: that when a prescription drug is known to be effective, and is approved by the FDA for some patients, that doesn’t mean it’s effective and safe for all patients.

It’s true that some people may be allergic, or the drug might have been prescribed to treat the wrong diagnosis, or the patient may not take the drug properly and over (or under) dose….

…But those situations are not what I’m addressing in this ...

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23
FEB
0

doctor communication, follow the money, health care and cost management, medical decision making, patient safety, the government and health care

5 Little Words Save Money on Healthcare

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5 Little Words Save Money on Healthcare

‘Tis the season of making health insurance choices, and the nexus of money and healthcare is on our minds. We’re focused on making sure we find a policy that covers us, but doesn’t over-cover us so we pay too much. It’s about those things that can be planned (the drugs we take, the regular medical appointments we keep). Plus an extra accounting for those things we may not plan for, but may have to deal with, like accidents, or grave ...

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20
NOV
0

follow the money, health care and cost management, health insurance, hospital care, medical bills, the government and health care

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