Health & Wellness
|
|
Welcome to Brauer Insurance's Health & Wellness Page Check back here monthly for an updated article on the most popular California health insurance news! |
Brauer Insurance Tip-of-the-Month!
May 26, 2011:
Popular Healthy Foods and Recipes
It
is common knowledge that our health revolves around the foods that we eat. In
order to be truly healthy, it is vital that we consume balanced, nutritious
diets prepared using healthy recipes that meet all of our body's needs, but do not provide us with an excess
amount of calories. Health insurance is becoming more and more expensive, and
with these rising costs any San Jose Health Insurance Broker or health care
professional would tell you it is becoming increasingly important for people to
be as meticulous as possible in caring for their well-being. By eating healthy
foods and learning how to create simple but nutritious recipes, you can improve
your overall health and thereby decrease the cost of your small business
medical insurance in San Jose, California.
Finding healthy recipes is much easier than you would think. All that you must
do is pay attention to a recipe's ingredients and avoid those that are high in
sodium, high in saturated fat, lacking in key nutrients such as fiber and
protein, and high in refined sugar. This may seem like a lot of restrictions,
but most people are surprised by the vast range of delicious, healthy recipes
that meet all of these nutritional requirements.
In fact, you can prepare nearly any recipe in a healthy manner, even those that
you would expect to always be off-limits. For instance, it is easy to prepare a
delicious and healthy breakfast omelet. Most people believe that omelets cannot
be eaten every day due to their high sodium and saturated fat content. However,
in order to alter this, all that you must do is replace your eggs with just egg
whites, your bacon with low-sodium ham, and your full-fat cheese with
reduced-fat versions. Many desserts can be made healthy in a similar manner.
For example, you can prepare a decadent homemade pudding by using low-fat or
fat-free milk and sugar substitutes.
When you take care to utilize only healthy recipes in your home, you will be
able to easily keep your weight within a normal range and ensure that you
always remain in top-shape. Most people who struggle with weight-related health
problems believe that they can never drop the pounds because this would force
them to give up many of the dishes that they love and crave. However, all you
have to do is use healthy recipes for your favorite foods in order to enjoy
them in a wise manner. By eating fresh fruits and vegetables in nutritionally
balanced meals, you will be able to keep your weight down and reduce the medical
costs of your business health insurance in San Jose, CA.
Brauer Insurance Tip-of-the-Month!
April 26, 2011:
Easy Exercises for Busy People
One of the reasons people do not exercise regularly is that it seems too hard and takes too much time. But there are easy exercises that can be done on a daily basis that feel great and are fun. With these simple yoga-type moves your body will let you know you are doing the right thing. You will be energized when you need energy and sleep like a baby when it's time to sleep. Your doctor will tell you that you have the health of someone who is fit and ten years younger. You will heal faster in case you do have an injury or surgery. And a bonus: being a healthy individual can help reduce your health insurance bills!
Here are a couple of very easy exercises to get you started:
1. Sit on the floor with legs extended straight out in front of you. Gently reach for your toes. The emphasis is on being gentle. This is not a marathon, it is about love and respect for your body exactly where it is at the moment. Reach for your toes, breathe deeply in through your nose for six counts and out through your nose for eight to ten counts. Then relax your hands along your thighs. Repeat reaching for your toes again. Then relax. Do this six to eight times. You will be amazed how flexible you become after doing this simple exercise for a week or two. In addition, all of your organs are squeezing out toxins.
2. From your floor position, sit up very straight. Reach your arms out to the sides, straight from your shoulders. Gently and slowly turn all the way to your left. Pause. Return to the center. Pause. Then turn all the way to the right. Pause. Always breathe deeply. Picture your breath going right down to the very ends of your lungs. Do this gentle twist six to eight times in each direction, pausing in the center. This exercise keeps your vertebra flexible, or makes it more flexible. This twisting also wrings out toxins, and causes your body to have balanced energy.
Talk with an independent health insurance broker at Brauer Insurance Services to review your health insurance coverage options. Your health insurance broker in San Jose should be proactive about health, just like you are. Many businesses have a vested interest in improving the health of their employees. Consider Brauer Insurance Services to provide the best health insurance benefits for your company.
Brauer Insurance Tip-of-the-Month!
March 21, 2011:
The Cost of Pregnancy (With and Without Insurance...)
When considering everything that is exciting and delightful about having a baby, it is important to be pragmatic and consider the costs of pregnancy and delivery of your bundle of joy.
Costs have skyrocketed over recent decades due to new technologies and medical advances, including private birthing rooms and a staff of highly trained medical professionals monitoring every heartbeat of both mother and baby. What are the differences in costs of delivering a baby if you have insurance vs. if you do not have health insurance and live in the San Jose, California area?
The average cost of a normal delivery is around $8,000 in the US, with cesarean births adding approximately $3,000 to that amount. You will want to be sure that you know what your health insurance options are with insurance carriers such as Blue Shield insurance San Jose or Kaiser health insurance San Jose. Here at Brauer Insurance, an independent health insurance agent can compare coverage and prices and help you find the best option.
A study conducted in 2004 of 43,000 pregnancies and births showed that insurance covered the overwhelming bulk of the costs of childbirth, with the insured families paying out-of-pocket only about $460.
These numbers address only pregnancies without complications. The cost of caring for a premature baby is upwards of $45,000 during the first year, which can be compared with a healthy, full-term baby at closer to $3,000 the first year. Not having insurance could break a family financially and possibly impinge upon the baby’s health if finances require a compromise on care.
Discuss your insurance options with either a San Jose benefits consultant or California benefits consultant. It is important to be knowledgeable beforehand about your options to make sure you and your baby are fully insured and to have a clear idea of your personal expenses. You will surely not want to be among the ranks of the uninsured for this wonderful event. Know the options offered through your business health insurance San Jose, if business health insurance is one of your available choices.
As the day draws near for the arrival of your much anticipated and already adored new baby, you’ll be glad that all you need do is look forward to the event, knowing you'll receive the best possible care without worrying about expenses.
Brauer Insurance Tip-of-the-Month!
February 25, 2011:
The Cost of Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is racking our country with numerous health complications and the overall compromised health of millions of American children. Today's children are the first generation to have a lower life expectancy than their parents.
Nearly one in three children age ten to seventeen are overweight or obese. As if that number is not frightening enough, consider the following: childhood obesity has Chia direct annual expense of $14.1 billion in prescription drugs and outpatient and emergency room costs, with an additional inpatient cost of $237.6 million.
America's obese children are experiencing adult health problems such as bone and joint disorder, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health problems. In some communities, nearly half of the new cases of type 2 diabetes are children, a previously adult-onset disease.
Since 1980, childhood obesity has more than tripled. Conditions related to obesity, including diabetes, gallbladder disease, skin infections, mental disorders, asthma, pneumonia and pregnancy complications caused hospitalization of obese children age 2 to 19 to double between 1999 and 2005.
These health issues with American children are causing the back-breaking straw to America's economic difficulties. Not only are the health costs causing everyone great hardship, but as soon-to-be adults, this unhealthy population will put a burden on the nation with loss of labor productivity and continuing health care expenses. The costs of obesity are currently $4.3 billion for absent employees, annually.
When hospitalized, on average, obese children will stay in the hospital almost a day longer than normal-weight children. This cost averages out to $1,634 more per patient.
The increase in junk food consumption coupled with the decrease in the quality of food and the reduced physicality of children has created the obesity epidemic. Parents are the overseers of all three of these components. They need to make sure that their children are normal weight.
Consider just this one statistic: between 1997 and 2003 the price of Coke fell by almost 35 percent, and the price of fruits and vegetables rose 17 percent. This supply is in response to demand. Parents reducing the availability of soda and increasing fruits and vegetables in the home will have a positive effect on their individual family and on the American family as a whole.
Children consume twice as many calories in a meal at a restaurant than a meal at home. Family members need to take turns making healthy, fresh, vegetable-based dinners. We will all be happier, healthier, and wealthier and live longer.
Your independent California health insurance agent at www.BrauerInsurance.com cares about you and your family and will work to find the best health insurance option for you. Be sure to contact and use them to be your benefits consultant in San Jose for employee health insurance and for small business health insurance.
Brauer Insurance Tip-of-the-Month!
January 26, 2011:
The Skinny on Health Saving Accounts (HSA)
Health Savings Accounts are an easy way of paying your out-of-pocket
medical expenses, and may even save you money in the long run if you manage
them to your advantage.
An HSA plan consists of a high-deductible HSA-compatible health plan and an HSA
bank account (usually a checking account) that is used to pay only medical
expenses. Your contributions to the HSA account accrue interest and some banks
offer built-in investment options such as mutual funds or money market funds.
All the money you contribute to your HSA during the year can be deducted on
your taxes at the end of the year.
HSA plans can be set up for families as well as for individuals. The annual
limit for family contributions in 2011 is $6150, and for individuals is $3050.
If you are 55 or older, there is a one-time catch-up contribution of $1000 you
can make to your HSA. Many employers set up HSAs for their employees and
pre-fund the HSA to make the offer more appealing. Employees take the HSA with
them when they change jobs, too. Once the account holder reaches age 65, funds
from the HSA can be withdrawn as retirement income and can be used for anything
that account holder chooses. Want a new
T.V.? You got it!
One change that is new in 2011 is that the penalty on taxable, non-medical
expenses increases from 10% to 20%. Make
sure you’re asking Brauer Insurance what is considered a medical expense.
Sometimes it makes more sense to have a low-deductible health insurance policy,
but when you don’t have that option, an HSA is great! Having an HSA gives you
added flexibility on how to apply your tax-deferred money toward medical
expenses. If you have a low deductible, you most likely have high premiums, and
if you're paying a high premium and going to the doctor only a few times a
year, you may find your money better spent using an HSA. With an HSA, you can
afford to have a higher deductible, because you can fund the HSA as is
necessary to cover your medical expenses as they arise. So, instead of having
to pay your high premium before your really need to use it, you can decide when
and how much to fund your HSA.
For all your California health insurance quotes and questions, contact Brauer
Insurance of San Jose, CA. Steve Brauer helps businesses and individuals find
the best health insurance options based on their specific needs. You can call
them and get answers to your health coverage questions at (408) 421-5555 or
visit their website at www.brauerinsurance.com.
Brauer Insurance Tip-of-the-Month!
December 10, 2010:
Benefits of Health Insurance
Living in California is expensive in all aspects. Be
it goods, or any services or even the insurance. Almost 87 percent of residents
in California have medical insurance through their employer, the state, or individually. The tendency however among the business owners is to find ways to
cut business costs and provide the same level of service. Group health insurance coverage is insurance obtained through an
individual employer. There are various options that can be used to
lower costs and get the same coverage, depending on how the plan is structured
with the insurance companies.
When an employee is covered with a group health insurance policy, the policy is usually paid by the employer. As this policy is generally very comprehensive, the individual need not pay additional fees; except in the case of doctor visits or if they'd like to have coverage for any extra aspect of healthcare which is not presented to the complete group of employees.
Having good health is important for everyone. However medical costs for surgery or treating illnesses have risen dramatically in recent years. In such cases it is important for an individual to have coverage with a good health insurance plan that suits their specific condition. Having adequate California Health Insurance coverage is important even if you are in good health. You can start by contacting Brauer Insurance in San Jose, CA to get a free California health insurance quote. The quotes will vary depending on your coverage requirements and the insurance company chosen.
California Health Insurance has many options that can be matched to your need, be it for student, group, small business or individual. There are many things that need to be considered when you want to obtain health insurance. Keep in mind that and independent health insurance agent can help you choose among various health coverage plans from different companies and will work to find the best plan for your situation.
The biggest aspect of shopping for California Health Insurance is your budget. Rather than contacting one health insurance company after another, you can work with an independent agent who can search and find the best plan for you. You can also use this website and get an online quote which will save you a lot of time and effort. You can compare the different quotes and select the one which best suits your needs.
When you request a California Health Insurance quote, you simply fill out a
small form and provide information about your age and zip code. The accuracy of your California
health insurance quote will depend on your specific situation.
If you are living in California and you are not protected with a health insurance plan, call an independent Insurance Agent at Brauer Insurance today! (408) 421-5555
Click Here to visit the Health & Wellness Site
