August 27, 2009 at 12:58 pm (General)
Tags: medicare/medicaid, Michigan, uninsured
The State of Michigan has launched a new website called Helping Hand for people who are dealing with economic hardship. It includes links to information about jobs & training; unemployment; health care; family support; and housing. Subheadings under the health care tab are:
“Note: The Helping Hand Web site provides quick access to information about programs and services for people facing economic hardship. The programs and services listed here represent only a portion of those available in Michigan communities. Note that some programs and services have eligibility requirements and may involve wait periods.”
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April 11, 2009 at 11:55 am (General)
Tags: Capital Area District Library, Consumer Health, National Institutes of Health, nutrition, Reference, uninsured
Taking your daily multivitamins and supplements is taking on new meaning in today’s economy. According to Information Resources, Inc., a market research firm in Chicago, sales of vitamins rose nearly 8% during the last 3 months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. Some researchers speculate that as people lose their health insurance or deductibles increase, they are turning to more preventative or self-treatment options. Part of many daily regimens already include vitamins, herbs, supplements, and minerals but they take on new significance when people see them as an affordable option to unaffordable traditional treatments. For a healthy diet are fish oil capsules for example, more economical than buying fresh fish every day? Will echinacea and zinc (long touted as treatment for colds) replace OTC drugs? Need to tame heartburn? Is Aloe Vera juice as effective a soother as regular antacids?
A study prepared by Packaged Facts, A division of Market Research Group, LLC using data sets from Information Resources, Inc. examines the entire industry and finds it is “…poised for healthy growth, with sales forecast to climb 39% from 2007 to 2012 to reach $8.5 billion, following a major rebound in 2006-2007. “
But before you run out and stock up on everything from A to Z, you need to make sure you are informed about the pros and cons of nutritional supplements and how they can interact with prescribed medicines and other supplements. Nutritional supplements can be gender, disease, or even age specific. Sometimes referred to as “alternative therapies”, nutritional supplements and vitamins can be researched in authoritative resources in print and online. Several titles are available through the Capital Area District Library including: PDR* for nutritional supplements (*Physician’s Desk Reference), Desk reference to nature’s medicine, and Gale encyclopedia of alternative medicine. Online is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
Disclaimer: The above material is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice.
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February 15, 2009 at 4:05 pm (1)
Tags: Capital Area District Library, Consumer Health, medicare/medicaid, Michigan, prescription drugs, uninsured
Companion to the rising cost of health insurance is the cost of getting prescriptions filled. Even for people with health insurance, these costs can still be prohibitive and individuals and families often are faced with the difficult choice of paying for prescribed medicine or buying other necessities.
Fortunately, here in Michigan there are some programs that may help pay these costs. Under the health category 
in the local links resources listing maintained by the Capital Area District Library, several programs are identified. They include: Elder Prescription Insurance Coverage, HIV/AIDS Drug Assistance Program, MiChild, NeedyMeds.org, Partnership for Prescription Assistance, and Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program.
In addition, there are many disease specific assistance programs. NeedyMeds.org provides a list of over 240 such programs. The disease-based assistance list can be accessed through the name of disease or condition, the area of service (state or nationwide) or name of the program. Well-known and obscure conditions are included.
Don’t jeopardize you or your family’s health by not filling your prescriptions. Help may be available by checking into one of the programs listed above.
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January 13, 2009 at 2:33 pm (General)
Tags: Capital Area District Library, Consumer Health, Michigan, uninsured
Join the Capital Area District Library and the Ingham County (Michigan) Health Department as they present UNNATURAL CAUSES … is inequality making us sick? , a 7-part acclaimed film series that explores racial & socioeconomic inequalities in health. This free film & dialogue series will be held on Saturday afternoons, 2:00 – 4:30pm, January 31 through April 11 at the Downtown Lansing Library.
Larry Adelman, Executive Producer explains:
We produced UNNATURAL CAUSES to draw attention to the root causes of health and illness and to help reframe the debate about health in America. Economic and racial inequality are not abstract concepts but hospitalize and kill even more people than cigarettes.
Plan to join them for information & dialogue on how to become part of the national movement for health equity. Series topics are: In Sickness and In Wealth; When the Bough Breaks; Becoming American; Bad Sugar; Place Matters; and, Not Just a Paycheck. For information cal 517-887-4503.
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January 3, 2009 at 5:16 pm (General)
Tags: AMA, Consumer Health, Medical tourism, NPR, uninsured
You’ve probably heard of eco-tourism and agritourism, maybe even literary tourism, but are you aware of medical tourism? Rising in popularity due to the extremely high cost of medical care in the United States and the increasing number of people without health insurance, medical tourism is the practice of travelling internationally to obtain medical services. People are travelling for serious surgeries as well as elective and dental procedures. Popular destinations include Argentina, India, and Thailand and over 50 countries report offering medical tourism services.
NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday recently aired a story on this trend. In it, the reporter visited a hospital in Mexico which actively markets its medical facilities to Americans (in the United States). Are you thinking this isn’t exactly mainstream yet? Well, think again. In June, 2008, the AMA (American Medical Association) issued guidelines on medical tourism and Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina has an affiliate set up to handle it. The Medical Tourism Association with headquarters in Florida is an international non-profit organization dedicated to this growing industry. More and more information is becoming available on how to safely take advantage of medical tourism and depending on your circumstances, it might be something worth checking into the next time you need medical treatment.
Disclaimer: The above material is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice.
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December 17, 2008 at 12:17 pm (General)
Tags: Consumer Health, Michigan, uninsured
The Michigan Department of Community Health has a site that offers links to web pages with information and phone numbers for places with low cost or free health care, or help with health insurance. The website is very comprehensive and includes information on locating free or low cost medical, dental, mental health care, and prescriptions among others.
Locally, Ingham County has a health plan for low income uninsured residents. Programs offered are NOT insurance but a means for obtaining basic medical care and low cost prescriptions.
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