Family Health Blog

If you’ve tried to get an appointment with a new doctor recently, this won’t be news to you. The most recent survey conducted by Merritt Hawkins, a national healthcare search and consulting firm, found that the average amount of time new patients have to wait to get an appointment with a family medicine, cardiology, dermatology,... Read More

If your doctor has recommended that you undergo elective (non-emergency) surgery, for example surgical treatment for chronic back pain or joint replacement, there are a number of factors to consider before deciding whether to move forward with the surgery. First, consider getting a second opinion to learn what other treatment options may be available. Your... Read More

A growing number of health insurance plans now provide an array of benefits well beyond the traditional payments for medical care, but many people aren’t aware of these benefits or don’t take advantage of them. To get the most out of your health insurance plan, it’s wise to find out about all the services and... Read More

As more and more patients become active partners in the process of making medical decisions, the need for tools that provide the evidence-based information that can help them make informed medical decisions grows. An Institute of Medicine study found that majority of people facing elective surgery, receiving a new prescription, or a recommendation for cancer... Read More

If you’re living with multiple chronic medical conditions, you’re not alone. A recent study found that more than 40% of Americans have at least one chronic health problem, such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, cognitive problems, mental health, or substance abuse problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cite statistics from the Department... Read More

Most people think about planning for the future in financial terms, for example how much money they should save for retirement and how to invest that money to reach their goals. But there’s another type of planning that’s equally important—health risk management. Knowing what health risks you may face and what you can do to... Read More

Medical privacy made front page news several times in 2015 and 2016 as hackers gained access to more than 112 million medical records from health insurers, hospitals, state health departments, a medical software company, and more. But the issue of medical privacy goes beyond information compromised in hacks. Medical records have also been inappropriately accessed... Read More

If you’re in the process of choosing health insurance for the coming year, you probably have questions about how proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will impact your insurance choices and your access to healthcare. To help you better understand the situation, we’ve gathered the answers to some of the questions you may... Read More

As you think about which health insurance plan you’ll choose for next year, there are a number of different factors you should consider, including: monthly premium yearly deductible co-payments whether prescription drugs are covered whether you have coverage while traveling how the plan is rated for quality and customer service But if you’re living with... Read More

As healthcare costs and the average deductible and copay continue to rise, you may be looking for ways to lower the amount you’re paying for the care you receive. A recent report from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) found that the cost of common services, from surgery to diagnostic tests and X-rays, can vary... Read More