This course is designed to provide you with the knowledge to confidently return to your practice and immediately begin implementing new screening and treatment protocols.

In this 2 day seminar Dr. Marty Lipsey presents a Dental Sleep protocol from A to Z, including Medical Insurance billing- Codes, Fees and Procedures.

After the Seminar Dr. Lipsey will continue to Mentor you, giving you the confidence to be a Sleep Medicine Doctor.

 Read the 2-day course outline and register here:  http://sleepgroupsolutions.com/2.0/modules/piCal/index.php?action=View&event_id=0000001412

About Dr. Marty Lipsey the Instructor:

This course is designed to provide you with the knowledge to confidently return to your practice and immediately begin implementing new screening and treatment protocols.

In this 2 day seminar Dr. Jeffrey Horowitz presents a Dental Sleep protocol from A to Z,  including Medical Insurance billing- Codes, Fees and Procedures.

After the Seminar Dr. Horowitz will continue to Mentor you, giving you the confidence to be a Sleep Medicine Doctor.

Read the 2-day course outline and register here:
http://sleepgroupsolutions.com/2.0/modules/piCal/index.php?action=View&event_id=0000001411

GeoBlue Xplorer is the ultimate international health plan because it combines comprehensive worldwide benefits with a new generation of medical assistance services, which include an impressive array of Online and mobile tools used to identify, access and pay for quality healthcare all around the world. GeoBlue Xplorer gives you the freedom to access care inside and outside the U.S. If you need benefits outside the U.S. GeoBlue provides unsurpassed service and the convenience of mobile technology to access the best medical care no matter what town, country or time zone.

Access to an Elite International Provider Community

Geoblue has a network of doctors from almost every specialty in over 180 countries to see you. Only a small fraction of doctors around the world meet GeoBlue standards – participation is by invitation only. GeoBlue seeks out professionals certified by the American or Royal Board of Medical specialties who speak English, and they factor in recommendations by over 148 Physician Advisors from all over the world. GeoBlue then assembles in-depth profiles so members can choose with confidence and GeoBlue puts formal contracts in place to ensure patient access. GeoBlue doctors bill them directly so you don’t have to file a claim. If you receive treatment within the United States you have cashless access to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield network in all fifty states.

Personal Safety Intelligence

GeoBlue maintains unsurpassed resources designed to promote personal safety by giving members convenient access to vitally important news, health and safety analysis and medical translation tools.

• Global Health and Safety news alerts published daily and delivered by email or smart-phone
• City-level profiles for 228 cities and 130 countries
• Brand-name equivalents for 400 common over-the-counter and prescription drugs in 35 of the most frequently visited countries
• Translation of hundreds of medical terms and phrases into the 10 most widely spoken languages
• GeoBlue maintains a 24/7, toll-free call center to assist members

 Emergency Evacuation and Centers of Excellence

GeoBlue coordinates emergency services with a worldwide network of contracted Physician Advisors as well as air ambulance operators selected for their safety records. Members in need of life-saving medical intervention are treated in Centers of Excellence in the U.S. and around the world, whenever possible.

Two Plans Options Offered

GeoBlue Xplorer Premier and GeoBlue Xplorer Essential plans offer comprehensive benefits and a range of deductible options that allow members to select the right amount of insurance coverage for their budget and lifestyle. For families, the deductible and coinsurance maximum is a multiple of 2.5. After 364 days of continuous coverage, GeoBlue Xplorer members may re-enroll In a plan that matches their existing benefits.

GeoBlue Xplorer Essential Option – Xplorer Essential covers most services outside the United States at 100%. All plans have an unlimited lifetime maximum and a $250,000 maximum benefit for emergency medical evacuation. Choose this plan option if you will not need coverage for services inside the United States.

Xplorer Essential Overview

• Worldwide coverage, excluding U.S. offers a 50% savings
• Define your deductible and prescription benefits
• Deductible choices from $0 – $10,000
• Choose provider either in or out of the GeoBlue elite Network
• Unlimited annual and lifetime medical maximum
• Deductible waived for office visits with doctors
• No waiting period or sub-limit for preventive services
• No precertification penalty for inpatient or outpatient care
• Pre-existing conditions covered with credible coverage
• Illnesses and injuries related to terrorism
• Can be use on its own or with a domestic health plan

GeoBlue Xplorer Premier Option – GeoBlue Xplorer Premier has three tiers of coinsurance: 100% outside the U.S.; 80% in-network inside the U.S.’ 60% out-of-network inside the U.S. All plans have an unlimited maximum and a $350,000 maximum benefit for emergency medical evacuation. the Out-of-pocket Maximum is calculated by adding the deductible and coinsurance maximum together.

Explorer Premier Overview

• Worldwide coverage, including the United States
• Customize your medical coverage to suit your needs
• Deductible choices from $0 – $5,000
• Define your deductible and prescription benefits
• Choose provider either in or out of the GeoBlue elite Network
• Unlimited annual and lifetime medical maximum
• Deductible waived for office visits with doctors
• No waiting period or sublimit for preventive services
• No precertification penalty for inpatient or outpatient care
• Pre-existing conditions covered with credible coverage
• Illnesses and injuries related to terrorism
• Can be kept upon return home, offering unique portability

Dental and Vision Rider

GeoBlue offers an option Dental and Vision Rider for those who apply for the Xplorer Elite plan. Dental Care Expenses are broken down into 3 classes. With an annual maximum benefit of $1,500 per member and 100% preventive Dental covered, this is a rider worth consideration. In addition to the Dental Benefits, GeoBlue will pay for Covered Expenses per Policy Year as stated in the Schedule of Benefits. Vision Care that is not the result of an Injury or Illness. The Deductible is waived. Your coverage includes benefits for vision care when you receive such care from a Physician, Optometrist or Optician. For vision care benefits to be available such care must be Medical Necessary and rendered and billed by a Physician, Optometrist or Optician, and you must receive such care on or after the Coverage Date. Click on the brochure image to the right for more detailed information about the Dental and Vision Rider.

Why Choose GeoBlue?

Go with a name and brand you can trust. GeoBlue is the trade name for the international health insurance programs of Worldwide Insurance Services, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. GeoBlue health plans are offered in cooperation with certain local Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, with a network that includes more than 90 percent of physicians and 80 percent of hospitals across the U.S. GeoBlue’s comprehensive portfolio of international health insurance plans demonstrates the commitment to covering members both at home and abroad.

Strength of a U.S. Insurer – Underwritten by 4 Ever Life Insurance Company, rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best. 4 Ever Life is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Better Coverage – Their plans are U.S. licensed and feature coverage more generous that plans sold as “surplus coverage”.

• Their plans do not restrict illnesses or injuries resulting from a terrorist act
• They do not impose precertification penalties for hospitalization.
• They provide coverage for pre-existing conditions for medical evacuation. Pre-existing conditions are also covered in all instances by GeoBlue’s Choice plan.

GeoBlue Xplorer is the ultimate international health plan because it combines comprehensive worldwide benefits with a new generation of medical assistance services, which include an impressive array of Online and mobile tools used to identify, access and pay for quality healthcare all around the world. GeoBlue Xplorer gives you the freedom to access care inside and outside the U.S. If you need benefits outside the U.S. GeoBlue provides unsurpassed service and the convenience of mobile technology to access the best medical care no matter what town, country or time zone.

Access to an Elite International Provider Community

Geoblue has a network of doctors from almost every specialty in over 180 countries to see you. Only a small fraction of doctors around the world meet GeoBlue standards – participation is by invitation only. GeoBlue seeks out professionals certified by the American or Royal Board of Medical specialties who speak English, and they factor in recommendations by over 148 Physician Advisors from all over the world. GeoBlue then assembles in-depth profiles so members can choose with confidence and GeoBlue puts formal contracts in place to ensure patient access. GeoBlue doctors bill them directly so you don’t have to file a claim. If you receive treatment within the United States you have cashless access to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield network in all fifty states.

Personal Safety Intelligence

GeoBlue maintains unsurpassed resources designed to promote personal safety by giving members convenient access to vitally important news, health and safety analysis and medical translation tools.

• Global Health and Safety news alerts published daily and delivered by email or smart-phone
• City-level profiles for 228 cities and 130 countries
• Brand-name equivalents for 400 common over-the-counter and prescription drugs in 35 of the most frequently visited countries
• Translation of hundreds of medical terms and phrases into the 10 most widely spoken languages
• GeoBlue maintains a 24/7, toll-free call center to assist members

 Emergency Evacuation and Centers of Excellence

GeoBlue coordinates emergency services with a worldwide network of contracted Physician Advisors as well as air ambulance operators selected for their safety records. Members in need of life-saving medical intervention are treated in Centers of Excellence in the U.S. and around the world, whenever possible.

Two Plans Options Offered

GeoBlue Xplorer Premier and GeoBlue Xplorer Essential plans offer comprehensive benefits and a range of deductible options that allow members to select the right amount of insurance coverage for their budget and lifestyle. For families, the deductible and coinsurance maximum is a multiple of 2.5. After 364 days of continuous coverage, GeoBlue Xplorer members may re-enroll In a plan that matches their existing benefits.

GeoBlue Xplorer Essential Option – Xplorer Essential covers most services outside the United States at 100%. All plans have an unlimited lifetime maximum and a $250,000 maximum benefit for emergency medical evacuation. Choose this plan option if you will not need coverage for services inside the United States.

Xplorer Essential Overview

• Worldwide coverage, excluding U.S. offers a 50% savings
• Define your deductible and prescription benefits
• Deductible choices from $0 – $10,000
• Choose provider either in or out of the GeoBlue elite Network
• Unlimited annual and lifetime medical maximum
• Deductible waived for office visits with doctors
• No waiting period or sub-limit for preventive services
• No precertification penalty for inpatient or outpatient care
• Pre-existing conditions covered with credible coverage
• Illnesses and injuries related to terrorism
• Can be use on its own or with a domestic health plan

GeoBlue Xplorer Premier Option – GeoBlue Xplorer Premier has three tiers of coinsurance: 100% outside the U.S.; 80% in-network inside the U.S.’ 60% out-of-network inside the U.S. All plans have an unlimited maximum and a $350,000 maximum benefit for emergency medical evacuation. the Out-of-pocket Maximum is calculated by adding the deductible and coinsurance maximum together.

Explorer Premier Overview

• Worldwide coverage, including the United States
• Customize your medical coverage to suit your needs
• Deductible choices from $0 – $5,000
• Define your deductible and prescription benefits
• Choose provider either in or out of the GeoBlue elite Network
• Unlimited annual and lifetime medical maximum
• Deductible waived for office visits with doctors
• No waiting period or sublimit for preventive services
• No precertification penalty for inpatient or outpatient care
• Pre-existing conditions covered with credible coverage
• Illnesses and injuries related to terrorism
• Can be kept upon return home, offering unique portability

Dental and Vision Rider

GeoBlue offers an option Dental and Vision Rider for those who apply for the Xplorer Elite plan. Dental Care Expenses are broken down into 3 classes. With an annual maximum benefit of $1,500 per member and 100% preventive Dental covered, this is a rider worth consideration. In addition to the Dental Benefits, GeoBlue will pay for Covered Expenses per Policy Year as stated in the Schedule of Benefits. Vision Care that is not the result of an Injury or Illness. The Deductible is waived. Your coverage includes benefits for vision care when you receive such care from a Physician, Optometrist or Optician. For vision care benefits to be available such care must be Medical Necessary and rendered and billed by a Physician, Optometrist or Optician, and you must receive such care on or after the Coverage Date. Click on the brochure image to the right for more detailed information about the Dental and Vision Rider.

Why Choose GeoBlue?

Go with a name and brand you can trust. GeoBlue is the trade name for the international health insurance programs of Worldwide Insurance Services, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. GeoBlue health plans are offered in cooperation with certain local Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, with a network that includes more than 90 percent of physicians and 80 percent of hospitals across the U.S. GeoBlue’s comprehensive portfolio of international health insurance plans demonstrates the commitment to covering members both at home and abroad.

Strength of a U.S. Insurer – Underwritten by 4 Ever Life Insurance Company, rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best. 4 Ever Life is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Better Coverage – Their plans are U.S. licensed and feature coverage more generous that plans sold as “surplus coverage”.

• Their plans do not restrict illnesses or injuries resulting from a terrorist act
• They do not impose precertification penalties for hospitalization.
• They provide coverage for pre-existing conditions for medical evacuation. Pre-existing conditions are also covered in all instances by GeoBlue’s Choice plan.

As more people realize how their smile influences their self-esteem, those who are waiting for permanent dentures no longer have to wait to perfect their smile. Temporary dentures are not only economically feasible to wear while waiting for a permanent denture, but they can also aid in a person’s overall health and restore a fading smile, according to a study from the January/February 2008 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer reviewed journal.

According to the study, the most common problems associated with natural tooth loss as reported by patients waiting for dentures are:

Reduction in ability to chew – 91.91%

Social embarrassment – 86.35%

Avoid eating certain foods – 73.83%

Feel nervous or self-conscious – 68.7%

Emotional pain – 66.26%

“A smile serves as an individual’s most powerful tool,” says AGD spokesperson Laura Murcko, DMD. “A great smile can make great, lasting impression, boost a person’s self-esteem and confidence as well as improve their overall health.”

20 Million False Teeth Can’t Be Wrong

However, each year in the United States, over 20 million teeth are extracted, leaving scores of people with imperfect and sometimes devastating smiles. A recent online survey of more than 1,100 AGD members revealed that more than 86% of dentists reported that their patients deemed social embarrassment as a problem associated with tooth loss.

“Unsightly gaps in the mouth do not have to be part of a person’s permanent appearance,” says Dr. Murcko. While many dentures that help to restore a damaged smile, interim removable partial dentures, also known as temporary dentures provide an immediate and short-term pleasing result.

“They also allow the patient to eat regular food and serve as a space maintainer in younger patients who’ve lost teeth as a result of trauma,” according to the lead study author, Canan Bural, DDS.

When people suffer from tooth decay or periodontal disease, losing just one tooth can be a sign that more teeth will be lost. This means that placing a permanent denture in the mouth is difficult. “When continued tooth loss is expected in a patient, dentists are limited in terms of the type of dentures they can offer to the patient,” explains Dr. Bural. In instances such as these, temporary dentures can greatly benefit the patient.

But Aren’t Dentures Expensive?

However, people worried about the extra expense of temporary dentures can breathe a little easier because most dental insurance covers at least 50% of the cost for this dental procedure. There is even in good news for those without dental insurance as they can purchase one of the many discount dental plans out on the market which will save them between 30% and 45% off the regular retail price.

As a nation we continue to march toward the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act.  The one common thread we continue to hear is that the cost for health insurance is going to skyrocket even over today’s high rates.  Access to healthcare is going to get turned on its head if some things don’t change.  Companies wrestle with how they are going to handle their employee benefit plans as the clock continues to count down.  More and more people are loosing benefits forcing them to seek dental coverage on their own.  The Loyalty Plus Dental Plan is now available in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming as well as 35 other states and it is clearly becoming a first choice for many.

We all know how expensive medical care has become, not to mention the cost of maintaining a major medical insurance plan these days.  But what about dental care?  Unfortunately medical plans do not cover services for routine dental procedures unless there is an injury or illness to the mouth.

Stand along dental plans have been around for a while now but what is interesting is how these plans have increased in numbers over the last few years.  And, the quality of the plans continue to improve as well.  Some dental plans currently available have waiting periods that can be as long as 15 months for major services depending on the company and the benefit structure.  When it comes to the need for dental care it seems that people wait until the absolute last-minute to find some kind of coverage for their families.  This is usually excelled by the need for immediate dental services for a family member and people are looking for help with the high cost of dental work.

HumanaOne’s Loyalty Plus is a dental plan that has tried to address this very concern.  Loyalty Plus was designed for people who seek coverage for preventive care and other services such as fillings, root canals, dentures or crowns, and they are looking for flexibility to choose the dentist they prefer.  Loyalty Plus is a plan that is ideal if you’re retired, self-employed, have no dental coverage through work, or are just looking to save money on your existing plan.

No Waiting Periods

Loyalty Plus has added some interesting twists to their plan making it one of the most attractive dental plans available today.  First, there are no waiting periods.  That’s right – no waiting periods.  Coverage begins the day your policy is effective.  The product is designed to reward you for staying with Humana so each of the first three years the benefits maximum grow as do the percentages paid for certain services.  And, most preventive services are covered at 100% as long as you seek services from a HumanaOne provider.

Lifetime Deductible

Second, the Loyalty Plus plan has only one single lifetime deductible.  Once you have satisfied your deductible you will never have to meet it again as long as you keep the plan.  Another reward for being loyal.  You also have the freedom to choose your dental provider regardless of whether they participate in the HumanaOne Network, but if you do choose a provider within their network you will save significantly more because of the pre-negotiated discounts arranged by Humana.  These in network savings represent real money to your family!

Loyalty Plus Plan Features: (not available in all states)

• Loyalty Benefits - There is confidence in knowing your dental plan…and your dental plan knowing you. Now, the longer you are a member, the greater your benefits
• Increased coverage for procedures such as fillings, root canals, and crowns
• Increased maximum amounts that the plan will pay annually
• Guaranteed Approval
• One-time deductible for as long as you stay on the plan
• Choice - Freedom to visit the dentist you like most
• Immediate benefits – With no waiting periods, you can get the dental work you need done today and your plan benefits will help cover the cost
• Helps maintain good oral health – Most preventive services are covered at 100 percent
• Maximum amount the plan pays increases each year up to $1,500 per individual
• No exclusions

Enroll Online

Applying for Loyalty Plus is easy to do.  Simply generate your own personal quote from the blue button below.  When you are ready you apply online for the coverage and it takes only minutes.  There are no long-term contracts and you can cancel the coverage at any time.  Please note:  If you terminate your coverage and then later enroll again at a later date then your One-Time Deductible starts over again.

If you have questions call us at (619) 435-6700 or email your questions to “sales@individualhealth.com“.  Feel free to visit our website at www.individualhealth.com and see what other products we carry.

Something(s) always happens.

This time:
My cell phone miraculously died
Addie got her first stomach bug
…and the night he got back, half of my tooth fell out.

Because I love to celebrate, let me first wish my bestie, Ashley, a happy 25th birthday. As she gets up there in age (NOT), she also gets more and more beautiful. I am so lucky to know her and to have declared her as my sister <3
My step-dad, Al, is also celebrating his birthday today! Happy birthday, Daddy Al! We love you and can’t wait to see you in a few weeks to celebrate “your” Bambino’s first birthday!

And so, we move on… but not before one of my favorite photos, of course!

This is a picture from the day of my wedding. It was pouring and Al was clearly doing something to get the water out! He may not be my biological dad, but he tries his darnedest to be a father <3

As I stated, when Dave leaves it seems like everything falls apart! For some reason, my newly replaced cell phone had a screen connection problem, out of the blue, that happened Monday night. Really… it was working, and I left it on my desk as I cleaned up the living room. Then  I went to check the time, and the screen was black with stripes on it- almost like a bar code.

I couldn’t sleep for fear that Addie would have a problem in the middle of the night, so I had time to write an obituary for my phone:

Last night, HTC Incredible died from an unknown complication of being an older android cellular device.
He will be (un)fondly remembered as fritz-y, spotty, unable to commit to being on (or off), having memory confusion and being, in general, noisy for no notification reasons.
He is survived by the HTC Incredible 2, which not only has a bigger screen, but a better rear camera and a new feature upgrade of the front camera, as well. (Perfect for mom + baby selfies) Two will carry on the SD card of Incredible with many wonderful memories, and a great hope and expectation that the new platform has better performance capabilities.
HTC Incredible was buried at the Asurion Headquarters on March 26, 2013. In lieu of flowers, the Incredible family requests you give all other android phones a chance before purchasing the iPhone or one of the 5 family members, who all seem to have mostly the same features, but go up in price.

Because the  last time Dave left we ended up at the doctor 3 times in 2 days, I was terrified to not have a phone- so I packed Addie into the car at 7:30pm and headed to the Verizon store. The gentleman who helped me was wonderful and my new phone was at my house the next day at 10am (and it was the upgraded version!). So… perfect! All is well in the world, right?

Wrong.

After a wonderful play date on Tuesday, a much needed event for us  ladies, Addie woke up Wednesday morning sleeping in vomit. She took a bath and seemed fine, so I gave her a banana and my milk. Her usual breakfast. She seemed fussy, though (very unlike her) and kept raising her arms to be picked up. After picking her up, she promptly dropped her head onto my chest and fell asleep. Not 3 minutes later she picked her head up and threw up all over me. I let her finish and sat her next to me, thankful that she had only gotten Dave’s big, fluffy robe that I was wearing, and her  own pick ensemble… but then it came again. In waves, my poor girl was getting sick all over herself and the bed beneath her. I didn’t know what to do except let her finish. Throughout it she kept looking at me trying to smile, as though she was apologizing.

In the pink robe, pre-illness

I called the doctor. “A stomach bug is going around,” the nurse told me. She gave me guidelines for Pedialyte and told me to call again if there was a high fever or ear ache involved. I hung up feeling helpless and dirty. I could not remember the last time I’d showered and I was already through two outfits.

I learned a valuable lesson that I’d like to share with all parents out there! Put a plastic sheet on your bed.

Before Addie was born, I knew I wanted to do as much skin-to-skin time as possible, so we put a plastic sheet on under the mattress cover to be prepared.In the first few weeks of Addie’s life, she would sleep on my chest, no diaper and we would stay like that for hours. Most of the time, the towel under me was enough, but sometimes, the sheets took a hit. No problem.

With Addie’s illness, we changed the sheets 3 times (I did 11 loads of laundry in 2 days- Thanks Woolzies for making it easier!). You know your child is ill when your bedding comes from all three different sets (one sage green, one cranberry red and the other a grey green)… topped by your shades-of-purple suede comforter. During this mess, I also learned the putting a plastic sheet, cover mattress and fitted sheet on (TIMES TWO) will save you  in the case of accidents in the baby’s crib! Just peel off the top layer  of mess and done!

With Pedialyte, nursing and LOTS of cuddles, Addie was feeling better and was smiling ear-to-ear when Dave got home later that night:

Being mom to just one is a blessing. I know how lucky I am to have had all the time in the world to devote to cuddling and nursing as she needed.

Finally! Dave was home! I was SO going to take a shower… but only after we ate. As I bit into my food, I felt something hard. Ew. There was some bone in my chicken!

Then I ran my tongue  over my back teeth.

There was a hole.

A little back story here: I grind my teeth. I have forever. I blame my parents. Not only do I grind in my sleep, sometimes so loud it wakes Dave up, l but I catch myself grinding my front and back teeth during the day, too. I have woken up with a headache everyday for over 2 months… this is nothing new. I went almost 8 months a few years ago. Stress makes it worse, which I’ve been under a lot (see: CPL), but it’s just a part of me. Even when  I’m happy, I grind.

Freaked out and ashamed of my oral health, I called my Mom, posted on FB to find a dentist, and got in the shower to finally clean my hair! Dave peeked past the curtain, “make an appointment tomorrow, I’ll take care of it.” If there had been more hot water, I would have sat down and cried. I was so tired and my tooth hurt. Why does this stuff have to keep happening? was all I could think.

I got a referral from my awesome friend (and amazing stylist) Sara, who  directed me to Page Family Dentistry on the East Side of Providence. I was warned that they’re not warm and fuzzy, but they know their stuff. I looked them up and wrote the number down- prepared to call in the morning. When I reached them at 8:30 they had TWO appointments for me to choose from the SAME DAY! Because they didn’t have a sliding scale, I was timid, but when I ate my yogurt, a blueberry went into the back of my mouth and I was stung with the worst pain. “3:45,” I blurted.

Addie was asleep when I parked, but as I lifted her car seat I saw her eyes flutter. Shoot. No nap meant she might become a mess at some point. Onward we went! As I approached the door I saw a sign. Of course I saw a literal sign, but a sign too.

Dr. Marc Page and Dr. Lawrence Page.

My Dad’s name was Mark Laurence. Woah. I know, I’m reading a lot into it, but I knew that I’d found my dentist. Plus, as I was leaving, Dr. Page (not sure who is who… I don’t think I was introduced to the guy who bonded my tooth YIKES!) walked past and I saw his jacket said DVC with a ram on it. “Is that from Del Val?” He looked at me. “The Aggies,” I said, “I’m from Pennsylvania.” “Nobody ever knows that,” he said back. We had a brief  conversation. Life comes full circle.

The hygienists were all nice and they loved Addie… who was smiley (of course) and happy the whole time. Even without a nap, she was my little peach as usual. Like I said… I’m not sure who is who, but the man who I saw was amazing. He knew I had no insurance so he bonded the tooth (it looks and feels great!) instead of pushing me to get the (much needed at $950!) crown. He seemed impressed that my 13 year old night guard still fit and offered to trim it for me if I brought  it in Monday morning (he’d have it back by 5pm).

He welcomed me to make another appointment, AND took a look at my last tooth- reassuring me it’s NOT a cavity. Like I said, I grind. My top teeth have actually ground a hole into the tooth. Dr. Page checked my bite and ground down some of the sharp tooth up top for me. And encouraged me to wear my night guard as much as possible.

Basically, I need a lot of basic dental care, which I knew (nothing major- but a lot of it) and is one of the reasons- besides money- that I have avoided the dentist. I have to say, while no one at this office seems like a “hugger” to me, I was not judged or made to feel badly about my lack of dental care. I was warned that the bonding may not last, but that it was better than being in pain and the woman who does all the billing gave me lots of information about individual plans that I could look at for care. I noticed all dental insurance is incredibly expensive, requires a year of payment before any major work can be done and if you do the math and only need a few things it’s cheaper to just pay out-0f-pocket, BUT I really appreciated the time the woman took to explain it to me AND  give me information for me to review.

If you’re looking for a dentist: PLEASE check out Page Family Dentistry- you won’t regret it!

All-in-all, I’m glad I have my hubby. He loves his ladies, even when we are sick and cares for us until we are well. Happy weekend, Reader!

If you’re looking for an alternative to dental insurance plans, you have arrived at the right place. OmnivitaDental.com is helping a great number of families and individuals in finding what they are looking for- an affordable dental insurance plan alternative. In today’s economy, families, as well as individuals, have to think twice about visiting the dentist, and it’s not because of fear. Most individuals without any form of dental coverage can’t afford to visit the dentist, and if they do, they might have to give up something else just to pay for a simple visit to the dentist. Thus, it is only by means of low-cost dental discount plans that a lot of families can get dental care.

Dental discount plans can ease the financial burden on simple routine visits to the dentist. There are many advantages connected with being an Omnivita Dental discount plan member. An increasing number of individuals and families are noticing the great savings they get after signing up and using their card at participating dental providers.

Our dental discount networks include professional dentists with expertise in various fields of dental care such as orthodontists, oral surgeons, peridontists, pediatric dentists and endodontists. Another essential aspect of these services is the availability of the “Dentist Search Tool”. With this tool, you can search for a participating dentist in our network.

With an affordable solution to dental care, you can save significantly which is important to families that do not receive dental insurance coverage from their employers. We at OmnivitaDental.com provide two dental discount plans to choose from that can save you money with each visit, and you do not need to spend the excessive amount on dental insurance.

All the discount services available are associated with a potential for savings from 15% to 60 % on all dental procedures.

Individuals clinics give group an annual on one occasion payment on certainly at one some amount of time giving a lowest discount if folks pay amount beautifully. Affordable is the concentration for some in the plan consumers. Many clients rather due to this choice mainly because websites involve monthly superior.

convinced about as well as her capability possibly consider taking time which was precisely why many would consider before going. Generally, at types free dental ideologies and programs, the free dental service which the enrollees are offering happens to be normally supervised by senior doctors. Causing issues to help sufferers by giving out low cost dental therapies without doubt only mean ruining the name from the college or even university, so they would properly manage the dental remedy and therapies.

You also ought to products if you may limited in terms of reserving a meeting. You will discover certain dental professional who control my reserving times specific clients who signed up for dental insurance policies.

Dental procedures are continually expensive due on the particular services for the dentists. Not in the Usa States, it may be the same all on the globe. No matter what the cost, going to some of the dentist is beneficial for the physical health of your lips. If you make regular potential buyers to the dentist’s office you won’t are after any costly strategies. Dental insurance helps you maintain your money by compensating you back with regards to your dental costs. Several plans present you a write off right away is definitely a good treatment as well anyone receive the budget.

Retain never to spend more too much for any kind of insurance, particularly your current products avoid some lamp research. You will discover several great companies that may help help to make certain your parents are securely guaranteed so far as discount dental insurance coverages are worried. This really really essential as many youngsters are as born daily and as they age, that you had really should feel visiting a tooth doctor annually or every different six several weeks. Obviously there are many insurance providers which will spend money on some of the balance but you is not obtain a reduced rate, therefore you are not obtaining a easier deal.

May find many plans available around the country that offers you can discounted dental products and services. You will pay per yearly fee and be given an email list of in site dentists for al further benefits. These are recognized preferred provider organizations and they can be quite handy to a person looking on cheap dental insurance. Subjected to testing not insurance per se pneumatic micro motorroot canal treatment, however they carry out offer you your cheap way to get discounted facilities.

A fabulous monthly membership fees is accessible on the consumer needed for buying and with the help of the membership card and as well as its usage any consumer can specify for discount the brand new most helpful dental office. Our overall health care and handling would be imperfect without our dental care taking consider of once pearly whites is an needed factor of if health .Dental care is every important care.

Really community health centers such as which the East Boston Spot Health Center have dental clinics. Their dental medical spas accept Mass Well and some offer a sliding expense scale based on the topic of income. Some sort of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center’s dentist clinic only treats children.

Fortunately, there’s a good chance you can afford dental visits without having insurance. You can accomplish this by buying a completely inexpensive discount plan. This is not insurance, each year. In other words, discount plans do not pay your dental provider directly. But when you do visit the dentist, you will receive a very substantial discount on in order to you have done.

I am proud to announce my very first ebook is available from my website www.tcbdentalconsulting.com, and the best part is it is totally FREE!! It is a short book that discusses what I believe are three of the top functions of the dental front office team.  Please go to my website today and click on the Contact page to enter your name and email address.  I will personally email you a copy of the ebook to download to your computer.

I am proud to give you this information, and I look forward to sharing more with you as the year continues!  As always, I am here to help you “Take Care of the Business” of the dental front office.  Please visit my website today at www.tcbdentalconsulting.com  or email me at lisamarie@tcbdentalconsulting.com. Thank you, thank you very much!

Without boring all of you with the political rhetoric that has been going on these past few years since the decision to pass the Affordable Health Care Act (ObamaCare) the fact remains that more and more people are loosing their health insurance coverage not because of lack of access to health insurance but because of the shear monthly cost required to maintain the insurance.  It is important to say here that “Health Insurance” IS NOT “Health Care”.  Health insurance is a financial instrument that was designed to protect one from catastrophic financial loss due to unexpected illness or injury.

Because of all the new additions and requirements to health plans that are now available and the fact that fewer people can afford the insurance, rates have continued to climb contrary to the reports by the Health and Human Services that said rate would go down.  But who cares, right?  It is what it is and if your premiums are out of reach then it really does not matter what they talk about.

And rates are going to continue to climb over the next 9 months and then we will all be ushered into the full implementation of ObamaCare beginning in January 2014.  So what options do we have if any to bring down costs?  Well, there are a few things you can consider for your family that include products that are considered to be supplemental all the way up to a full and complete Major Medical plan.  But no matter what Major Medical plan you purchase today by years end you will be forced into one of the new ACA Compliant Metal Plans or face a tax that will be accessed by the IRS.  As information about how these plans will work and their cost become available we will post as much as we can here and on our website.

Truth is no one can tell what the plans actually are yet and what the cost for these new plans will be.  We do not expect to see this information until late this summer.  But many are predicting rate hikes of more than 100+%.  The Affordable Health Care Act was at the beginning some 2,700+ pages in length.  There are now reports that there is an additional 20,000+ pages of new regulation to go along with it.  Scary!  So where does that leave us.  From now until the end of the year you have a few options to consider.  Then after the first of next year you will have to make some difficult decisions as to what will work best for you and your family.

Option One

The first option that you currently have available right now is to apply for a high deductible Major Medical plan.  Because you are looking to cover yourself for the balance of 2013 you really do not need a low deductible plan unless you simply want one.  The idea is to provide the Major Medical protection at the lowest cost monthly.  Keep in mind that you are looking at least 30 days before you can get an effective date so if you are considering this option you need to get with the program…  so to speak.

Option Two

In Montana and Wyoming (and many other states) we are lucky because we have some really great supplemental products to choose from.  These supplemental products can be as simple as choosing a plan that helps cover the impact of unexpected accidents such as a skiing accident to others that are more comprehensive in their scope of coverage.  You can couple these types of supplemental plans with other health products that for the most part will help meet or exceed the needs of most American’s without the high cost of a Major Medical plan.  Products such as dental, critical illness, cancer plans, cash benefit plans, and accident plans all have their place today.

If you are as confused as most people today and you need some help please consider completing the form below.  I will contact you and see if I can help you through the maze that exists.  Feel free to call me direct at (619) 435-6700.  I am here to help.  Visit our website at www.individualhealth.com and check out some of the options available there.  I want to help you and your family find whatever it is that fits within your budget.  Rather than go without any protection at all.

Why Avatar Technologies?

The predicament businesses encounter in their efforts to sell dental insurance is that agents who offer the plans are not native speakers and FAQs are not accurately addressed ending to loss of sales. Yet, your goal to excel in the market needs Avatar Technologies…

• Avatar Technologies reaches out to clients before others do.
• Avatar uses a State-of-the art technology wherein regional English accent has been pre-recorded and live agents simply need to click dialogues from greeting to closing a sale for accurate conversation.
• Perfect English based on accent fosters trust and rapport which guarantees sales whereas non-native speakers create doubts and objections from prospect plan holders.
• Sales are verified and confirmed to avoid loss.
• Considering cost-efficiency, Avatar Technologies is 5 to 10 times more cost effective than outsourcing in a call center which hires non-native speakers.

To learn more about how to maximize your sales and profit, contact us via email at info@avatar.com.ph

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Jim has been carrying COBRA these last several months as he continues shopping around for less costly alternatives.

Those of you with good (and I use that term lightly as the long-term recent trend with employer-provided insurance is for employees to pick up increasing shares of health care tabs while receiving less coverage) employer-provided health insurance will probably not be interested in the rest of this story, but you should.

You never know what kind of curve balls life may throw you—this includes unexpected health care emergencies that may run in the tens of thousands of dollars or more. And unless you are a member of Congress, you will have to pick up some of the tab.

COBRA is an expensive insurance safety net typically available for 18 months once an individual is separated from an employer.

I once used it but as the cost was so prohibitive (you basically are paying the full premium that your employer previously absorbed the bulk of), I ditched it as soon as I found another job with medical insurance benefits.

A friend of mine has never carried health insurance. He has paid for medical, dental and vision services, as he’s needed them. Fortunately for him, he has been a healthy guy throughout his life. This is not the route I would recommend the average person take, however, as you are gambling you will not need an expensive medical procedure that can break you financially.

Are you feeling lucky? Then roll the dice and don’t carry medical insurance. But, feeling lucky or not, it really is a must to have.

…

Jim arrived at the eye doctor for his appointment, filled out some paperwork, returned it to the front desk person and a few minutes later was rejected for coverage for failure to pay his premium.

Problem was, Jim was fully up to date with his premiums, but his COBRA insurer administrator had neglected to pay the separate premium component to his vision insurance provider.

There was nothing the eye doctor office people could do…did Jim want to be seen? Of course he did, but not if he was going to be held financially responsible for the entire visit.

Jim took matters into his own hands, as that was his only choice. He called his COBRA provider and was told it would take a few days to get him in the system for his vision insurance provider to recognize him as benefits-eligible. Understandably, Jim thought this unacceptable. He proceeded to call his vision insurance provider who told him they could not pay for his visit as he is shown as not having coverage (in their system).

Jim asked if the vision insurance person could call the COBRA provider and try to work it out so he could be seen.

The eye doctor was going to try to work him back into the schedule once they received a confirmation number from the vision insurance folks that his visit would be covered.

The vision insurance person asked for the COBRA provider’s customer service number. Jim gave them the number. They put him on hold and began the back and forth, over-the-phone process of straightening out the error in record keeping that was preventing him from seeing the eye doctor.

Jim got off the phone 75 minutes later, his ears red, blood pressure elevated, and was seen by the eye doctor. He spent a total of four hours at the eye doctor’s office that day. The actual doctor visit and exam took 15 minutes.

He barely made it in time to his dental appointment afterwards where, adding insult to injury, he underwent an unexpected root canal.

The good news was that the dentist’s office verified in advance that he was covered insurance-wise.

The bad news was next morning at breakfast–Jim’s crown that was drilled down into for the root canal, came completely off.

His portion for the root canal came in at just under $200, even with dental insurance.

Now he needs a new crown, too, and the dental insurance won’t be paying much if any of the bill, as his annual $1,200 benefit is mostly used up.

Jim’s monthly COBRA premiums are running what he’d pay for a one-bedroom apartment in the town he lives in.

He is having problems finding other insurance, as many insurers still will not provide coverage until a person pays premiums for an extended period, before coverage for pre-existing conditions kicks in.

HealthInsuranceCard (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before he acted as facilitator between his COBRA and vision insurance providers in order to be seen, Jim met an elderly, retired doctor who was living out the final days of his life with a terminal illness.

He asked the old medical doctor what he did before insurance companies took over the healthcare system.

“I used to make lots of house calls as part of my practice. I treated all kinds of people, delivered babies, you name it—some folks with lots of money, some with no money at all,” said the doctor.

“If they couldn’t pay, I didn’t charge them. My practice was about the relationships I had with my patients. It wasn’t about business.”

Has the process of getting medical care worn you down like Jim and many others? Will pending government involvement help or hinder the levels of bureaucracy and overall quality of treatment received? Is the system irretrievably broken?

And is it too late to take big business out of the equation and get back to compassionate, relationship-based medical care like the dying physician practiced?

Hope not.

It’s here, the first day of spring!  A time to watch the flowers bloom and the trees come back to life.  Cold weather starts to give way to warmer temperatures and everywhere you look colors are creeping back into our landscapes.  It is quite simply one of the most beautiful times of the year.  It is even more beautiful after we clean away the remnants of a long, cold winter season and help encourage new growth. So how are we helping our dental practices “Spring Into Growth?”

One of the best ways to encourage new growth in our practices is to dig out those past due recare patients and plant them back in our dental chairs.  How do we do this?  There are plenty of companies out there that can help activate delinquent patients. Patient Activator, Smile Reminders, and Practice Mojo are just a few of the companies that offer programs to help do this.  However, if you don’t want to pay for these services, the best way is to have one of your team take the time to make a phone call to them.  Choose someone who has a great personality and is familiar with your patient’s history.  This makes the phone calls more personal and will help turn those calls into appointments.

Another way to stay in touch with your active and non-active patients is with a patient newsletter.  These are a great way to discuss what services your practice offers; and you can announce any specials, such as bleaching, that your practice may be offering.  An added bonus of this type of marketing is the potential to capture new patients and update incorrect addresses for existing patients. Patient newsletters allow your patients to become more familiar with the team of the dental practice, creating a more family type of environment and that builds patient loyalty. What are you waiting for?  Start your spring cleaning now and help your practice “Spring Into Growth!”

As always, please contact me at lisamarie@tcbdentalconsulting with your questions, and don’t forget to visit my website at http://www.tcbdentalconsulting.com.  Thank you, thank you very much!

ONE would think, to judge by the way health care insurance is provided, that the mouth is some separate entity, rather than the part of your body you probably use the most. Dental insurance, then, becomes like the rider to your homeowner’s insurance that covers your grandmother’s jewelry or your collection of stamps–it  requires some sort of different coverage. I don’t know how the hell you’re supposed to eat, drink, kiss, or bite the fingers off of your predators without a mouth, but health insurance separates this one very important part of your body from everything else. It’s a historical anomaly, and one that should have been corrected when we let surgeons become doctors. If you haven’t noticed already, there’s a fair amount of pathology that can occur within the oral cavity, and much of it is related to illnesses elsewhere in the body.

Why doesn’t basic health care insurance cover problems to the teeth and gums? My primary care doctor’s exam of my mouth is brief and cursory. Would he be able to tell if I were unable to chew my food properly? Would he know where to look for the most common oral tumors?

I went to public health school at Boston University. They have a dental school. Were teeth or oral health even mentioned once during my time there?  (That was a rhetorical question. No, of course, they were not. You would think that with the fluoridation of water being cited as one of the ten greatest public health measures of the 20th century that a light bulb might have gone off over someone’s head, but you would be wrong.)

Why am I thinking about all of this? Well, for one reason, I am now in the situation of shopping for dental insurance. Want to know what I’ve learned? Dental insurance sucks raw eggs. It eats donkey dung. It takes your premiums and then sneers at your pain. Worse than that, it doesn’t do enough for children who are going to need lots of care in order to get the smile that is required for getting a good job in this society.

Dentistry, as sufferers from dental problems know, does not come cheaply. According to thewealthydentist.com, a 2009 survey found the average root canal fee is $740 for a front tooth and $1,000 for a molar. Considering that the average dental insurance only pays around 60-70% for these procedures, the bill will come with an out-of-pocket expense of  around $300. Benefits with most plans generally max out at around $1000-$1300 per year, and you can see that it’s going to take some serious jack if you’ve got more than an occasional problem.

Those of us who were lucky enough to grow up in financial security, along with parents who appreciated the fact that one is neither employable nor datable with a rotten mouth, can most likely survive with this insurance. It sensibly pays for two cleanings a year, helping the insurance company avoid having to pay out for more sever problems. But if you’re the person who grew up in where water wasn’t fluoridated, where you parents had rotten teeth, etc, you’re probably not in position to pay for all the work that needs to be done.

Chew on that for a while, if you can.

By: Rachael Dorsey, Financial Counselor
 Harbor Health Services, Inc.

Did you know that in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts it federally required that all residents over the age of 18 carry minimum credible coverage health insurance? For low-income families and self-employed individuals, paying high premium costs and deductibles for even the most basic of health coverage is quite frankly, too expensive.

At Harbor Health Services, Inc., we offer financial assistance to all of our patients and the community. We have financial officers on location at each of our health centers to help patients enroll in low-cost or no-cost health insurance. In addition, we offer affordable payment plans for some of our services including dental.

In conjunction with the Office of Medicaid, all Massachusetts residents may be eligible for several different insurance plans including MassHealth, Commonwealth Care and Health Safety Net. If you have a question about your insurance options or would like to enroll, please contact myself at Geiger Gibson Community Health Center or any one of our wonderful financial officers at a health center near you!

For information on how to contact one of our financial officers at our Boston and Cape Cod locations, please visit: http://www.hhsi.us/hhsi-services/financial-counseling-enrollment/

So last week the boy went and ended up having 2 of this wisdom teeth pulled. I went the day after and had one broken tooth fixed and one cavity fixed. I still have more work to be done as the does the boy. He has two more teeth that need to be pulled. 

I looked up the claims that have been submitted so far and before insurance the bill is at $504.00. I know that insurance will pay some of it. I know I have to pay $50 for the deductible. They say they pay 80% but we shall see in $$$ how that plays out. 

So far I do have $260 in a FSA account that I can use to pay this bill. The goal is to always be able to pay the bill when it comes in. Next year I will be making sure my FSA has a least $500.00 in it. As I know I will be putting another crown or two in my mouth. I am having one done this year and not sure what the cost is. But will be using this years totals to determine what needs to go into FSA next year. 

My goal is to not have any more bills hit my credit report. I am working on the $4000.00 bill and hoping as long as I am making some type of payment on them. They will just leave the bill in the office. I did make a $13.50 payment already this month. 

Those Ebay sales I have going on right now are about to total $20.00 once sold. So depending on what I owe to the dentist. I may just throw that on to the medical bills not really sure right now. 

Ok, is it just me, or is this year flying by?  Here it is already March, and that means it is almost the end of the 1st quarter of 2013.  Time has a way of sneaking past us, especially when there are so many daily duties and distractions.  Has your office set goals for the new year?  Have you brought those goals to your team and discussed how you plan to achieve them?

Goals are an important part of every dental practice.  They tell us where we are and how much further we have to go.  Sometimes they even tell us that we need to set the mark higher.  However, the first step is ours.  If we do not set the goals, there is no way to measure success or failure.

So how do we set practice goals? To begin, we must have a good understanding of our practice numbers and be able to discuss them with our dentist.  What was last year’s production and collection? Do we have access to the previous year’s profit and loss statement or the account’s receivable report?  These numbers are important to determine the amount needed to cover the expenses of running a dental practice.  Once you and your dentist have reviewed these numbers, then the dentist has a good foundation to set the practice goals for this year.

When the dentist gives us a number, we can break the numbers down for monthly and quarterly goals and present them to the team.  It is important for the entire practice to know the office goals so that they everyone is working together as a team to not only reach but exceed these goals.

Don’t delay another minute, because time is marching on and setting the practice goals now will put our practice on the path to success!

As always, please contact me at lisamarie@tcbdentalconsulting with your questions, and don’t forget to visit my website at http://www.tcbdentalconsulting.com.  Thank you, thank you very much!