Page 2 October 26 , 2017
HAVE A SAFE AND SPOOKY NIGHT.
From all of us at Herald Publications.
New Ways To Comparison
Shop For Health Care
(BPT) - As our nation seeks solutions to help
improve the health care system, there is at least
one goal we can all agree on: the importance of
making health care quality and cost information
more accessible to all Americans.
This is an important effort that has the
potential to help improve health outcomes and
make care more affordable - laudable goals
considering the nation’s health care system
ranks among the least efficient in the world,
according to a recent Bloomberg analysis.
More widespread use of health quality
and cost resources may be part of the
solution. Providing health care prices to
consumers, health care professionals and
other stakeholders could reduce U.S. health
care spending by more than $100 billion
during the next decade, according to a 2014
report by the Gary and Mary West Health
Policy Center.
That is in part because there are significant
price variations for health care services and
procedures at hospitals and doctors’ offices
nationwide, yet a study by Families U.S.A.
concluded that higher-priced care providers
do not necessarily deliver higher-quality care
or better health outcomes.
Fortunately, there are many new online and
mobile resources that help enable people to
access health care quality and cost information,
helping them to comparison shop for health
care as they would with other consumer
products and services. And people are starting
to take action: nearly one third of Americans
have used the internet or mobile apps during
the last year to comparison shop for health
care, up from 14 percent in 2012, according
to a recent UnitedHealthcare survey.
These resources are far more accurate
and useful than those of past generations,
and in some cases provide people with
estimates based on actual contracted rates
with physicians and hospitals, including likely
out-of-pocket costs based on their current
health plan benefits. Some resources also
include quality information about specific
physicians, as determined by independent
standards.
There are many resources people can
consider when shopping for health care.
In addition to online and mobile resources,
people can call their health plan to discuss
quality and cost transparency information, as
well as talk with their health care professional
about alternative treatment settings, including
urgent care and telehealth options. Public
websites, such as www.uhc.com/transparency
and www.guroo.com, also can help enable
access to market-average prices for hundreds
of medical services in cities nationwide.
These resources can help people save
money and select health care professionals
based on objective information. A
UnitedHealthcare analysis showed that people
who use online or mobile transparency
resources are more likely to select health
care providers rated on quality and costefficiency
across all specialties, including
for primary care (7 percent more likely)
and orthopedics (9 percent more likely).
In addition, the analysis found that people
who use the transparency resources before
receiving health care services pay 36 percent
less than non-users.
As people take greater responsibility for
their health care decisions and the cost of
medical treatments, transparency resources
are becoming important tools to help
consumers access quality care and avoid
surprise medical bills. •
Finance
“Like education, healthcare also
needs to be given importance.”
– Shiv Nadar
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Seniors
3 Activities To Help You Move
Safely After Knee Surgery
(BPT) - Most patients undergoing knee
surgery want to know when they’ll be able to
return to a pain-free, active lifestyle and do
the things they once enjoyed before knee pain
took over. For 58-year-old Kathleen Cohan,
this meant a desire to return to mountain
biking, hiking and skiing - activities she had
always loved to do as a youth and continued
to enjoy with her husband in their hometown
of Golden, Colorado.
Cohan recently participated in a clinical
trial to treat persistent knee pain caused by
a meniscus tear. After receiving the NUsurface
Meniscus Implant - the first “artificial
meniscus” - she completed a six-week rehabilitation
program and was ready to return
to doing the things she loved.
“The NUsurface Meniscus Implant changed
my life. It feels great to not have to worry
before I choose an activity about how much
pain I’ll be in afterward,” Cohan says. “My
husband and I recently went on a 100-mile
mountain bike trip, and I climbed a 14,000-
foot peak last month and my knee didn’t
bother me at all. The implant gave me a
chance to extend my activity level as long
as I possibly can.”
Three months after surgery, most patients
have completely recovered and are able
to return to many activities that were too
painful or difficult previously. Once you’ve
been cleared by your doctor, the safest way
to restart activity after meniscus surgery
is to find activities that avoid placing unnecessary
stress on your knee joint. Here
are three activities to help you move safely
after knee surgery:
1. Walk (don’t run!). Experts say walking
outside your home three to five times each
day is one of the best ways to regain your
knee strength. While you may need to adjust
the length of your step and speed, you will
be able to spend more time walking for exercise
once your muscle strength improves.
2. Dance. While you should avoid highimpact
moves like jumping or lifts, ballroom
dancing and gentle modern dancing are great
ways to use leg muscles, engage in aerobic
activity and have fun! Just be sure to avoid
abrupt movements or twists that could potentially
put your knee out of alignment.
3. Swim. Once the wound has healed, many
people choose swimming as their exercise of
choice as it’s not a weight-bearing activity
and therefore reduces stress to the joints. If
your knee is still a bit tender, opt for water
aerobics or pool walking.
Want to mix it up? You can feel safe
doing many other recommended activities
such as yoga, golf, boating, aerobics or
rowing. If you have experience prior to your
surgery doing more intense activities, like
Cohan, your doctor may give you the goahead
to resume cycling, hiking, cross-country
skiing and doubles tennis. Whichever activity
you choose, remember that rushing
into activities before you’ve recovered
sufficiently may put you at risk for complications,
so be sure to check with your
doctor first before resuming any activity after
meniscus surgery.
To be eligible for the NUsurface Meniscus
Implant clinical studies, you must be between
the ages of 30 and 75, and have pain after
medial (the inside of the knee) meniscus
surgery at least six months ago. To find a
study site near you, visit www.activeimplants.
com/kneepaintrial. •