Recent Study: More Italians Decide to Go for Private Health Insurance

nurse-©-goodluz-Fotolia.com_In Italy health care is a right, granted to all individuals living in this country and and no one, therefore, with such a certainty from their own government, should be thinking about buying an additional private health insurance..

If it were not for the countless cases of bad health care given by today’s hospitals in Italy!
In some cases deciding to buy such a product could prove to be a profitable investment, as indeed often happens in the insurance field. Thanks to a recent study case made by europaeurope we now know that more and more people from Italy are buying an additional private health care insurance besides the traditional one, provided by their country!

Their whole reasoning behind it, as with any other insurance decision is that want to make sure they can feel protected from something unpredictable.

There are three types of health insurance in Italy right now:

  • Invalidità permanente
  • A rimborso
  • Temporanea

The first type of insurance, Invalidità permanente, provides coverage in the event that the contractor is unable to perform his work. The coverage amount is calculated taking into account what this inability prevents the contractor from doing for his job.

For each reported damage there is an assigned percentage of value, and you can even get to a “100% disability” which means you’ll get a compensation of up to 100% of the value that your work would earn in normal circumstances.

The second type, A rimborso, provides a full or partial reimbursement of all medical expenses that the contractor has to face in such circumstances.

The third one is Temopranea, it means “temporary”, this kind of insurance may be useful in some – hopefully rarer – cases.  Having such an insurance provides coverage when you are forced to rely on private hospitals or to pay for particularly expensive surgery that could save lives in some extreme emergency.

But besides all cases in which Italians simply don’t trust the “normal” health insurance provided by their government, there’s a lot users that purchase additional private health insurance policies becouse they work or live out of their own country. This number says it all: 46% of the people that decide to buy health insurance also buy the optional additional international one, so that they have a complete health insurance policy that is valid for their own country and abroad, for either shorter or longer stays, for work or holidays time.

However, with or without a personal private health insurance, even for very short stays out of Italy, the important thing is to always remember is that bringing the Sanitary ID – together with the passport or personal ID obviously – is now mandatory for all Italian citizens.

Having the Sanitary ID not only now serves as a partial identification document – it’s now a very different document than it used to be in the past, its current version has all personal information on it – but it also allows Italian citizens to have free access to all public health services in all countries of the EU.

Electronic Cigarettes: Shifting to a Healthier Nicotine Fix

smokeless cigarettesEven with all of the harmful things we know and associate with smoking, many people still do so every day.  However, more and more people are attempting to quit, which is a great start to ending the trend.  Some of those people are looking to the electronic cigarette as a way to get their “nicotine fix” without being hazardous to their health, but don’t count on that yet!  There are still some things that we don’t know about the electronic cigarette.

First, what exactly is an electronic cigarette?  Basically, what it is is a contraption that looks like a cigarette, but inside contains a mechanism that heats up liquid nicotine, allowing it to be inhaled and exhaled by the user.  Because people are addicted to the nicotine contained in cigarettes, and not all the additional carcinogens, it was thought that this product offered people what they needed, without the deadly chemicals that cigarettes contain.  Many manufacturers of this product have marketed the smokeless cigarettes as the safer alternative, but because the product is so new, there hasn’t been enough testing on it to determine whether that is in fact true or not.

The base liquids used to make the liquid nicotine are generally safe, and are actually used in other household goods that we use every day, such as toothpaste.  However, the side effects of inhaling straight nicotine into our bodies are unknown. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, when the Food and Drug Administration started doing tests on some of the bigger names out there that manufacture electronic cigarettes, they found that some of them still contained some of the cancer-causing agents that you will find in regular cigarettes. 

On the flip side, there are many new things out there that we use, that have not had the thorough testing that they probably should.  If you are attempting to quit smoking, and are using the electronic cigarette as a cessation aid, and do intend to quit at some point, then it is hard not to see the benefits of using an electronic cigarette.  There are many other aids out there for people to use, but they don’t work for everyone.  However, if you are looking to switch from regular cigarettes to electronic cigarettes to avoid health issues down the line, it might be best for you to look into more of the studies they are doing on this product before you count on it to not cause you problems down the line.

Vein Treatment for Health (and Better Looking Legs)

bigstockphoto_Legs_2249616_fullMost people hear about varicose or spider veins, and just assume it’s only an unsightly problem, but in reality, both of these types of veins can cause serious medical problems!

Varicose veins are basically enlarged veins, which will sometimes bulge out of the skin, making them very visible.  They can range in color from blue, red, and even flesh colored.  Spider veins are named for exactly what they look like – spider webs.  These can also range in color, but do not typically bulge out of the skin as varicose veins do.  Both types are found in somewhat the same areas, thighs, calves, and insides of the legs, but spider veins can also appear on the face.

Some people may think that either the formation of either type of these veins is sort of like a “badge of honor”, just something that happens as you get older.  That may be one of the causes, but there is a more serious underlying reason for them to appear.  Varicose veins can be caused by weak or damaged valves in the vein.  The valves are responsible for not allowing blood to flow back into your lower body after your vein has pushed it onward.  If these veins get damaged, blood can settle in that area, causing that part of your vein to bulge.  Spider veins are caused also by blood backup, but with both types of vein issues, there can be other reasons as well.

While varicose and spider veins are not always dangerous, there can be some serious health problems associated with them.  Here at my vein treatment facility in Chicago.   Typically, spider veins will only cause you some discomfort, maybe some itching in that area, but there are other cases in which spider veins are a sign of some deeper blood backup issue in your body, though this is not common.  With varicose veins, you can have more serious health risks, such as sores or skin ulcers, or even the formation of blood clots, which can be life threatening.

If you have either of these types of veins, it is best to see your physician to help you determine your next step.  Some great facilities exist for vein treatment in Austin, but look around in your area for recommended locations.  Oftentimes the doctor will suggest getting a vein treatment to alleviate any issues these veins are causing.  Vein treatment, or sclerotherapy, is actually quite common, and is used to basically shut down those veins causing you trouble, which will then prevent the veins from causing you even more medical issues.  Talk to your doctor about your questions and concerns, and then find out if vein treatment might be right for you.

Health Insurance Basics

Health Insurance BasicsThe value of health insurance cannot be undermined or stressed enough. It is a necessity that every individual should consider. Having health insurance coverage gives you protection in the event that you require medical care. Being sick is not an event that anyone anticipates but it happens and having the right kind of coverage buys you peace of mind that the expenses will be taken care of when you need it.

Shopping for a health insurance can get tricky though so you need to prepare by reading up about it. There are varied types of insurance that’s available out there and they are suited for different needs. Health Insurance is an agreement between you and a provider about a set of medical services. You pay for the contract and are guaranteed coverage of medical care up to a specific limit. The agreement can also include the coverage of diagnostic examinations and minor procedures. Your health provider usually maintains a network of professionals like physicians, specialists, dentists and pharmacists.

The good thing about being insured is that even if the rates of medical services go up, your policy is designed to sustain. This just means that you get continuity of care even if the rates of medical service changes. A basic policy enumerates what service will be covered and the maximum amount limit that all services will be subjected to. Any expense that goes beyond this limit will require immediate settlement.

Upon renewal, your information will be evaluated to gauge your usage and a new premium amount maybe given for your program. If you are satisfied with the service that you’ve received, then you can just continue on with your plan. Another option is to enroll with another company and compare the quality of the service that you’ll get.

Improving the Quality of Patient Care

Improving the Quality of Patient CareThe National Health Leadership Conference is held annually and is jointly hosted by health leaders and the healthcare association. The conference is the largest of its kind and is attended by major decision makers that include chief executive officers, managers, and other leaders in the health sector. Representatives from community organizations, mental health institutions and social services unit are also invited as well.

Themes are changed this year and usually focused on specific healthcare goals. The current year’s theme is directed towards patient-centered healthcare and aims to identify concrete steps that can be taken towards that goal.

The conference provides a venue where health practices can be discussed and the potential for improvements in healthcare delivery can be presented. The presence of experts from different health-related agencies and organizations gives them the unique opportunity to discuss common areas of interests.

While the theme changes each year, the intention is for the attendees to gain solid ideas on procedures that they can improve on in their own work settings. It also provides a stronger community tie between professionals involved in the health industry. The organization also continually stresses their LEADS initiative which is a framework that is observed through the different levels of their health system. The intention is to give a perspective on how to be an effective leader.

The theme of shifting the focus of healthcare towards the patient is borne out of the clamor for a more personalized kind of healthcare. This shift can usher in a more responsive attitude towards patients and can ultimately encourage individuals to take better stock of their health. Over time, leaders hope that it can lead to a reduction in healthcare costs, improved quality of provider care and a better experience for the patient.

A Glance at Canada’s Healthcare System

A Glance at Canada's Healthcare SystemDifferent healthcare system models are implemented all over the world and one of the questions that comes to mind is which among them is the most effective. Canada’s health care system, for instance, is founded on the belief that every citizen should be entitled to free medical service. And while the intention is noble, its implementation can be very challenging because of the financial implications. Under the national plan, there are health services that are fully covered while some, tagged as supplementary are not included in the plan.

The cost of benefits like dental care and medicines are left for the account of the patient. Most choose to have additional insurance coverage for these services. For working individuals, this portion gets covered as part of an employee-shouldered benefit. For the most part, people consider Canada’s healthcare plan as one that is supported by public funds although studies reveal that citizens spend as well to cover the cost of the supplemental benefits.

There have been efforts on the part of lawmakers, through the years, to expand the scope of the healthcare plan but to date, nothing has been changed. Most medical providers are private practitioners who are paid by the government on a fee per service scheme. Compared to medical costs in the US, Canada’s rates are relatively lower. Diagnostic tests and procedures as well as administrative costs are also lot less.

The country’s healthcare system has been highly regarded as a successful one in terms of delivery of care. Their success in specific fields such as cancer intervention and management are also notable. A focus on primary health care especially in the provinces has proven effective in the care, management and prevention of certain diseases. A common cause of complaint from the recipients of care, is the consistently long lines that patients are subjected to for specialists’ consultations and elective procedures.