Category: English

On February 16, 2006 the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was finalized, and enacted. This law is designed to establish national standards for all health care transactions, and to ensure the security and privacy of all health related information. The motivation behind this law is to improve the performance, and efficiency of our health care system. This type of reform has created a need for qualified individuals who can utilize the tools of this legislation, and assure full compliance, and maximum reimbursement. It would therefore be a prudent move for health care facilities to employ such individuals in order to avoid mistakes that could have dire consequences.

The proliferation of medical knowledge following World War II brought about an explosion of diagnostic, and treatment procedures. As a result, there became a need to organize, and standardize all these developing technologies. Here is where the foundations of medical coding were born. Medical coding met these challenges, and allowed for a more uniform way of communicating health information under a common language. By January 1979, standardized definitions, and codes were adopted, and used by health care providers, and insurance companies. Since improvements and refinements of medical procedures are constantly being developed, codes must be added and updated to reflect these changes. Today, the number of medical and surgical procedures have become enormous, so too have the codes to describe them. These overwhelming numbers of codes and protocols have made outsourcing medical billing the standard.

Medical Billing and related occupations continue to be the fastest growing opportunities in health care. Insurance institutions and government agencies are investing huge resources to control claims’ fraud, abuse, and establish some degree of reimbursement parity. As a result, more insurance companies, and health care facilities are looking to medical billing experts for help. These companies and practices are looking for experienced and educated individuals; the legal consequences of incorrect billing could be devastating. There is a movement in the industry to make medical billers responsible for inaccuracies, much they way accountants are for tax returns.

At present, there are no standards for educational requirements for medical billers and coders. However, more employers are looking for some formal training at an accredited career training institution. These schools range in training time from nine months to two years, anything less would not be considered adequate. There is a move for certification, and several organizations are sponsoring certification examinations in medical billing and coding. Medical billers and coders earn as much as $8 to $10 per hour in the beginning, and could potentially realize $30 to $40 per hours with experience and additional responsibilities.

Today, evolutions in the health care industry are happening at a very high pace. It is only with the assistance of sophisticated computer programs, and standardized coding procedures that medical coders are now able to describe and characterize the tremendous number and various kinds of medical and surgical procedures. These realities coupled with government regulations, and health insurance guidelines have contributed to the strong demand for experienced medical coders and billers.

Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Worried about debt collectors? Can’t seem to develop a workable budget, let alone save money for retirement? If this sounds familiar, you may want to consider the services of a credit counselor. Many credit counseling organizations are nonprofit and work with you to solve your financial problems. But beware — just because an organization says it is “nonprofit” doesn’t guarantee that its services are free or affordable, or that its services are legitimate. In fact, some credit counseling organizations charge high fees, some of which may be hidden, or urge consumers to make “voluntary” contributions that cause them to fall deeper into debt.

Most credit counselors offer services through local offices, the Internet, or on the telephone. If possible, find an organization that offers in-person counseling. Many universities, military bases, credit unions, housing authorities, and branches of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service operate nonprofit credit counseling programs. Your financial institution, local consumer protection agency, and friends and family also may be good sources of information and referrals.

Choosing a Credit Counseling Organization
Reputable credit counseling organizations advise you on managing your money and debts, help you develop a budget, and usually offer free educational materials and workshops. Their counselors are certified and trained in the areas of consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems. An initial counseling session typically lasts an hour, with an offer of follow-up sessions.

A reputable credit counseling agency should send you free information about itself and the services it provides without requiring you to provide any details about your situation. If a firm doesn’t do that, consider it a red flag and go elsewhere for help.

Once you’ve developed a list of potential counseling agencies, check them out with your state Attorney General, local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau. They can tell you if consumers have filed complaints about them. (But even if there are no complaints about them, it’s not a guarantee that they’re legitimate.) The United States Trustee Program also keeps a list of credit counseling agencies that have been approved to provide pre-bankruptcy counseling. After you’ve done your background investigation, it’s time for the most important research — you should interview the final “candidates.”

Questions to Ask
Here are some questions to ask to help you find the best counselor for you.

What services do you offer? Look for an organization that offers a range of services, including budget counseling, and savings and debt management classes. Avoid organizations that push a debt management plan (DMP) as your only option before they spend a significant amount of time analyzing your financial situation.

Do you offer information? Are educational materials available for free? Avoid organizations that charge for information.

In addition to helping me solve my immediate problem, will you help me develop a plan for avoiding problems in the future?

What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees? Get a specific price quote in writing.

What if I can’t afford to pay your fees or make contributions? If an organization won’t help you because you can’t afford to pay, look elsewhere for help.

Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you? Don’t sign anything without reading it first. Make sure all verbal promises are in writing.

Are you licensed to offer your services in my state?

What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, by whom? If not, how are they trained? Try to use an organization whose counselors are trained by a non-affiliated party.

What assurance do I have that information about me (including my address, phone number, and financial information) will be kept confidential and secure?

How are your employees compensated? Are they paid more if I sign up for certain services, if I pay a fee, or if I make a contribution to your organization? If the answer is yes, consider it a red flag and go elsewhere for help.

Managing your debt is the first step to credit repair. Do youor homework, and if necessary, seek the help of professional services.

Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Worried about debt collectors? Can’t seem to develop a workable budget, let alone save money for retirement? If this sounds familiar, you may want to consider the services of a credit counselor. Many credit counseling organizations are nonprofit and work with you to solve your financial problems. But beware — just because an organization says it is “nonprofit” doesn’t guarantee that its services are free or affordable, or that its services are legitimate. In fact, some credit counseling organizations charge high fees, some of which may be hidden, or urge consumers to make “voluntary” contributions that cause them to fall deeper into debt.

Most credit counselors offer services through local offices, the Internet, or on the telephone. If possible, find an organization that offers in-person counseling. Many universities, military bases, credit unions, housing authorities, and branches of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service operate nonprofit credit counseling programs. Your financial institution, local consumer protection agency, and friends and family also may be good sources of information and referrals.

Choosing a Credit Counseling Organization
Reputable credit counseling organizations advise you on managing your money and debts, help you develop a budget, and usually offer free educational materials and workshops. Their counselors are certified and trained in the areas of consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems. An initial counseling session typically lasts an hour, with an offer of follow-up sessions.

A reputable credit counseling agency should send you free information about itself and the services it provides without requiring you to provide any details about your situation. If a firm doesn’t do that, consider it a red flag and go elsewhere for help.

Once you’ve developed a list of potential counseling agencies, check them out with your state Attorney General, local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau. They can tell you if consumers have filed complaints about them. (But even if there are no complaints about them, it’s not a guarantee that they’re legitimate.) The United States Trustee Program also keeps a list of credit counseling agencies that have been approved to provide pre-bankruptcy counseling. After you’ve done your background investigation, it’s time for the most important research — you should interview the final “candidates.”

Questions to Ask
Here are some questions to ask to help you find the best counselor for you.

What services do you offer? Look for an organization that offers a range of services, including budget counseling, and savings and debt management classes. Avoid organizations that push a debt management plan (DMP) as your only option before they spend a significant amount of time analyzing your financial situation.

Do you offer information? Are educational materials available for free? Avoid organizations that charge for information.

In addition to helping me solve my immediate problem, will you help me develop a plan for avoiding problems in the future?

What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees? Get a specific price quote in writing.

What if I can’t afford to pay your fees or make contributions? If an organization won’t help you because you can’t afford to pay, look elsewhere for help.

Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you? Don’t sign anything without reading it first. Make sure all verbal promises are in writing.

Are you licensed to offer your services in my state?

What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, by whom? If not, how are they trained? Try to use an organization whose counselors are trained by a non-affiliated party.

What assurance do I have that information about me (including my address, phone number, and financial information) will be kept confidential and secure?

How are your employees compensated? Are they paid more if I sign up for certain services, if I pay a fee, or if I make a contribution to your organization? If the answer is yes, consider it a red flag and go elsewhere for help.

Managing your debt is the first step to credit repair. Do youor homework, and if necessary, seek the help of professional services.

With so many diets and fads being offered on the market today, it is no wonder why people are not just confused about weight loss and health, but in many cases, actually doing their body more harm than good. Unfortunately, one of the aspects of dieting that you see most often is the reduction or elimination of fat. The problem is that the body needs a certain amount of fat to function but without going over a healthy level. As you will see in this article, knowing what the right level is and how to monitor it are crucial to overall health and wellness.

Studies have been able to link certain conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure with high levels of body fat. The key is to ensure your body has enough fat to function properly but not too much, whereby disease could become a problem. The best way for a person to determine the level of body fat is by measuring it on a consistent basis with a simple tool called a caliper. In a matter of minutes, you will know exactly how much body fat you are carrying around with you. With this information, you will then be able to adjust your diet, cardio exercises, and weight training to bring the fat-to-muscle ratio in line.

Keep in mind that there are several options, one being a body fat analyzer. Additionally, there is the skin fold test whereby waist to hip ratio measurements will be taken, circumference measurements, hydrostatic weight, near infrared analysis, bioelectrical impedance, total body potassium determination, and a test recently offered called the plethysmographic measurement, which is based on the principle of air displacement. All of these tests are good indicators of your current fat-to-muscle ratio.

Now, if you want to go through a professional to determine your true body fat level, you have two excellent options, both being accurate. The first is the Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and the second, Hydrostatic Weighing. With DEXA, a full body scanner is used that reads and differentiates between bone mass and soft tissue mass. This type of scan can be completed in about 20 minutes and is painless, providing accuracy within a 2% error margin. Many insurance companies will cover the cost of DEXA but if not, you can have the scan performed for around $100.

With Hydrostatic Weighing, the body is weighed underwater. The test consists of sitting on a scale underneath water while blowing out as much air from your lungs as possible. Then when dunked below the water’s surface, you would blow out even more air. Because fat does not weigh as much as water, the more fat a person’s body has, the more they will float. Therefore, Hydrostatic Weighing works by measuring underwater weight so that body density can be determined.

On the other hand, if you want to have the option of determining your fat-to-muscle ratio on your own and every day if you like, you can simply purchase a caliper from drug stores, health equipment stores, and even on the internet. Just remember that if you are interested in losing weight, instead of depending on the bathroom scale, it is important that you worry more about the excess fat being carried. While a standard scale will tell you if you are losing weight from diet and exercise, a scale will not tell if you are losing the body’s muscle or fat.

Understanding how to measure and monitor your body fat gives you a level of control to your future. The problem is that the majority of people know very little about their bodies. To become and stay healthy, you need to understand your body – how it works and what your body composition is so you can make choices that will be best for your overall health and wellness. Again, the best way to achieve this is to incorporate good diet, cardio exercise, and moderate weight training into your daily routine, along with measuring your fat-to-muscle ratio with a caliper.

While there are many different websites that provide you with valuable information and guidance, one of the best is Composition Tracker. With more than 25 different body fat formulas from which to choose, you will feel confident knowing you can and will succeed with losing unwanted fat. Composition Tracker offers tremendous benefit to all types of people, whether you are a man, woman, teenager, or elderly person. To gain more information and to get started today, simply visit http://www.comptracker.com

Short of time? Got a thick waist or a thin wallet? Let eggs come to the rescue.

Most egg dishes are quick and easy enough for kitchen novices to prepare. And, to help you slim down, eggs are nutrient dense. They contain a good proportion of needed nutrients compared to their calorie count -; 75 in a Large egg. In addition to their high-quality protein and a wide assortment of other nutrients, eggs are good to excellent sources of choline (for memory development) and riboflavin (for producing energy). The lutein and zeaxanthin in egg yolks help reduce risk of blinding eye diseases.

Eggs are also one of the best buys among protein foods. To compare the price of eggs with those of other protein sources, keep in mind that a pound of Large eggs is two-thirds of a dozen. Since one egg equals one ounce of lean meat, you can use eggs to stretch more costly protein foods or all by themselves to provide a meal’s worth of protein.

Comforting for breakfast and handy for lunch, simple-to-prepare eggs are also a good dinner choice. Just pick a dish and, within minutes, you can serve a nutritious, inexpensive meal any time of day.

Easy Herb and Veggie Poach

4 servings

3 cups chopped fresh

broccoli florets (about 10

oz.) OR 1 pkg. (10 oz.)

frozen chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped sweet red

pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon garlic-herb

pasta sauce seasoning

mix

4 thin slices tomato

2 English muffins, split

and toasted

4 poached eggs*

1/2 to 1 cup (2 to 4 oz.)

shredded low-moisture

part-skim mozzarella

cheese

In small saucepan, stir together broccoli, pepper, onion, water and sauce mix. Cover and cook over low heat just until crisp-tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Place 1 tomato slice on each muffin half. Top with about 1/2 cup of the cooked vegetables, 1 poached egg and 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of the cheese.

*To poach: In saucepan or deep omelet pan, bring 2 to 3 inches of water to boiling. Reduce heat to keep water gently simmering. Break cold eggs, 1 at a time, into custard cup or saucer or break several into bowl. Holding dish close to water’s surface, slip eggs, 1 by 1, into water. Cook until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, about 3 to 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, lift out eggs. Drain in spoon or on paper towels and trim any rough edges, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/4 recipe: 242 calories,

10 gm total fat, 223 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 427 mg potassium, 21 gm carbohydrate, 17 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A and C, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, iron, dietary fiber.

Master Detox is an extraordinary proprietary formula featuring Humic and Fulvic Acid. The processing and specific balance of ingredients gives support to the natural healing process of the body. The unique nanotechnology used in Master Detox can really penetrate cells to perform innumerable functions and is a powerful antioxidant. It energises, oxidizes and chelates. It is considered to be the missing link to optimum health, Combining ancient wisdom and modern technology, MASTER DETOX brings opportunity to the whole body on a cellular level.
Humic and Fulvic seem to be the “missing link” to a long and healthy life. They seem to be responsible for so many aspects of the human being’s well being.Humic substances are the link between the living and the non living in nature.. They were chosen by Mother Nature to bridge this gap.. Maybe because Fulvic Acid is the Smallest most complex most highly refined naturally occurring water soluble substance on Earth.
When proper amounts of Humic substances are dissolved in water, the water takes on a new form becoming molecularly structured . Humic Acids cause water to form pyramid shaped molecules (tetrahedrons) that possess valuable proven medicinal properties. Fulvic acid also remarkably transforms the molecular structure of water causing it to become intensely more active and penetrable.It assists water in its job of dissolving and transporting. Consequently it helps carry nutrients into the cells and remove wastes from them, while also helping to neutralise toxins, invaders and heavy metals. It is believed that all homeopathic remedies should contain Fulvic Acid to enhance their actions.
Amazingly scientists have discovered that Fulvic Acid is nothing less than tiny fragments of DNA from past generations of living organisms. In other words Fulvic Acid is the “milk”from Mother Nature meant for giving life, energy ,health and renewal to Earth and all its life forms.This “milk” is an important discovery in the history of health and medicine.
Fulvic Acids not only boosts immunity but also regulates the immune system and stimulates the thymus glands to produce lympyocytes. It also activates the production of macrophages and killer T cells, stimulates granulocytes, the production of cytokines, including interferon-gamma, alpha beta and tumour necrosis factor-Act One. It is unparrelled in its ability to act as a natural modulator.
Fulvic Acid has an exhaustive list of benefits , a few of which are mentioned here–anemia, arthritis, asthma, cancer,free radical scavenger, supplies electrolytes, increases assimilation, enhances water properties,stimulates metabolism, raises the uptake of minerals and vitamins,reduces High Blood Pressure,chelates metals and pollutants,chelates trace elements,making them organic, increases energy and helps in numerous diseases!
Humic and Fulvic Acid can be used externally to treat open wounds and skin ulcers, heals burns and prevent scarring,eliminates skin decolouration due to skin bruises,acts as an anti microbial product and fungicide,treats rashes and skin irritations, helps heal cuts and abbrations,heals insect and spider bites,helps neutralize poison from poison ivy and poison oak.
Master Detox is an extraordinary proprietary formula featuring Humic and Fulvic Acid. The processing and specific balance of ingredients gives support to the natural healing process of the body. The unique nanotechnology used in Master Detox can really penetrate cells to perform innumerable functions and is a powerful antioxidant. It energises, oxidises and chelates. It is considered to be the missing link to optimum health, Combining ancient wisdom and modern technology, MASTER DETOX brings opportunity to the whole body on a cellular level.

Life is moving at a frantic pace with so much worry going on in our day to day professional and personal livelihoods. On top of that the globe is experiencing rapid changes with unheard of speed and scope. This is enough to stress anyone out. That is why people are looking to relax and unwind during those stolen brief moments of quiet away from the commotion of typical living.

People may opt to go to movies, go out with some friends, play a sport, or go on a mini vacation, etc. Another popular way to relax is to get a good massage. Massages have a great alleviating effect on lowering tension and stress, not to mention alleviate back pain and other nuisances.

The trouble is, a professional massage is not always around the corner especially in our hectic days. Also massages may run up your bills if done too frequently. However that doesn’t mean you or anyone else should give up the prospect of relaxing and unwinding with a therapeutic massage with High quality certified professional outcomes.

You heard correct, massage chairs are making inroads into offices and homes around the globe. Massage chairs provide a very convenient way to enjoy the vast list of pluses that a massage inherently provides.

Other than extracting the benefits and ease of use at home, you also get to have privacy during this activity. Combine all those elements and it’s plain to see that the good things of owning a massage chair far outweigh the price.

Consider that it will augment blood flow and relax your muscles. This in turn enables nutritional value content to enter into your tissues and muscles. In addition your lymphatic system is cleared of any unwanted toxins. Wow, talk about relaxation in a bottle- er, chair!

For those who have not been able to reach down and touch their toes for a decade, massages also increase your flexibility. On the whole, this along with the aforementioned advantages will account for an indispensable portion of your life once you try it.