Health Blog

Thanks to HIPAA, you have the right to get a copy of your medical records and review them. There’s a good reason to take the time to read over your records in detail. A study published in BMJ Quality and Safety found that 29% of the study participants who reviewed their doctors’ visit notes found... Read More

About one in eight Americans older than 12 reported taking antidepressants in a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. That’s an increase of 65% between 1999 and 2014, the last year data was available in the study. The study also found that long-term use of antidepressants has... Read More

When it comes to screening for cervical cancer, you may be confused by recent articles about changing screening guidelines. Because each woman’s situation and risk factors are unique, your first step should be to talk with your gynecologist. Here’s some background on the available tests and recommendations that can help you start the discussion. What... Read More

If you have an advanced healthcare directive that outlines what types of medical care you do and do not wish to receive and who should make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them for yourself, then you’re better prepared than nearly 2/3 of Americans. But getting your wishes down on paper in the... Read More

Understanding how your health insurance plan works and what benefits and additional services are included as part of the plan can help you get the care you need and save money. The first step to getting the most out of your health insurance is to choose the plan that fits your needs best. Picking a... Read More

If one of your relatives has Huntington’s disease or breast cancer, should you consider undergoing genetic testing to find out if you’re at risk for the same disease? There are now genetic tests for more than 2,000 diseases, some rare like the movement disorder early-onset dystonia and hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition that causes the body... Read More

You’ve probably signed at least a dozen HIPAA forms at the doctor’s and dentist’s office, your pharmacy, the urgent care center, and perhaps even the local hospital. But what does the information on those forms mean and how does HIPAA help protect the privacy of your medical information? The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act... Read More

Many of the symptoms of diabetes can be subtle. Maybe you’re thirstier or more hungry than usual. Perhaps you’ve noticed patches of darker skin in your armpits, elbows, knees, groin, or on your neck. Or you can’t figure out why you’re more tired than usual. All these symptoms can be caused by type 2 diabetes.... Read More

Having a comprehensive health insurance plan that provides the full range of benefits, including preventive care, outpatient care for illnesses and injuries, emergency care, coverage for care in the hospital, mental health care, and prescription drugs, can help you pay for the healthcare you need. But having good health insurance does not mean you necessarily... Read More

If you’ve recently been released from the hospital, there’s a risk you may not be aware of—being readmitted to the hospital within the month after your release. That risk is greater for older people and people who were hospitalized due to heart failure, heart attack, and pneumonia. There are many different reasons why people are... Read More