Learn How To Hunt Down The Best Health Insurance Deals

Having quality health insurance is an absolute must in today's world. The cost of medical care just keeps rising and rising. The results of having to take care of a medical issue when you are uninsured can be deadly to your finances. Take control and learn how to manage your health insurance.

When considering a health care insurance plan from your employer, take a good look at your current plan and consider items that you might be able to change. You may be currently paying for more coverage than needed, or certain items that may now be obsolete. Take time to consider each option, what it means to you, and how much it is worth to have included in your plan.

Take out health insurance to protect yourself against financial ruin. If you take ill you may have to leave your job and without a regular income medical bills could easily bankrupt you. Just be sure to research any health insurance plan fully before you sign anything so you are aware of which health conditions it covers.

All insurance plans are going to differ slightly, so the most important thing you can do is ask questions. Health insurance is nothing to play around with. If you do not get everything you absolutely need, you may be left footing the bill when you fall ill. That's going to be expensive and possibly even life threatening.

Even with health insurance, getting emergency care can be expensive. Use hospital emergency room facilities only for true emergencies. For routine but urgent health problems, you'll save money by going to a walk-in clinic. Some pharmacies also have mini-clinics where you can be seen, get evaluated and get a prescription. If needed, they can help you find more advanced medical help.

Consider high deductible health insurance policies. If you are young and healthly with no family history of serious health problems, a high deductible health insurance policy could be suitable for you. These policies make health insurance coverage much more affordable, but make should that you are aware of medical problems which aren't covered by the policy.

Use online calculators to calculate the final cost of health care insurance prior to signing up for the policy. It will factor in the co-pays and deductibles that you are going to be responsible. Just because you are going to save money in premiums does not mean that it is going to be cheaper for your family.

When seeking good health insurance, be sure to do an online search first. By seeking good insurance policies and rates online, you can compare many policies side-by-side and get a good idea of which ones will really suit your needs and your pocketbook. Additionally, if you educate yourself on what the lowest priced insurance companies offer, you can sometimes use that knowledge to negotiate a better deal with a higher ranking company.

Before you choose a health insurance plan, compare online quotes from different companies. Check here out sites like InsureMonkey or eHealthInsurance. Make sure you include extent of coverage along with the cost of the plan. Take your time and try to get as many quotes as possible to see what is affordable for you.

Before you think about going without health insurance, make sure you have a plan for an emergency. Have you thought about what you would do if you became pregnant, broke your leg, or needed surgery? In the long run it is better to have that insurance as a safety net.

You can exclude the money you pay towards employer-provided health insurance from your income tax claim. Even if you are paying into Medicare, you can typically exclude that as well. If you're paying for insurance for your dependents, you can also remove those premiums. Check with a local account for more localized information on deductions.

When thinking about getting health insurance coverage, not many people think of test driving their prospective plan. This is called a free trial basis - you get your money back if you aren't happy - as long as it is canceled within a set amount of time. Check to see if this is offered in your area!

You need to take money with you when you go to see a doctor because you may have to pay a co-pay. A lot of insurance companies require customers to pay a small co-pay when they visit the doctor. It is typically not more than $50, but it must be paid at the time of the visit and most doctors require it to be paid before they will even see the patient.

When purchasing a health insurance policy, consider letting your insurance company auto debit payments from your checking account. Doing this will mean that you never miss a payment, and run the risk of having your coverage cancelled. Some companies also offer a policy discount if you choose this option.

Before you think about going without health insurance, make sure you have a plan for an emergency. Have you thought about what you would do if you became pregnant, broke your leg, or needed surgery? In the long run it is better to have that insurance as a safety net.

Think about using a health insurance comparison website to choose the right plan and rates for you. Contacting each company individually can take a lot of time and quickly become confusing. Using a plan comparison site will allow you to enter your information one time, and then compare many quotes more easily on the same website.

Some people don't need full medical coverage. If you are relatively young and healthy, work in a relatively low-risk job, and have little family history of disease, you might consider purchasing only catastrophic health coverage. This will prevent you from incurring the thousands a hospital bill for an overnight stay can cost, but save you money on premiums.

Don't assume that the insurance offered by your employer is the cheapest option, especially if you require a policy that covers your entire family. While this is the easiest option, there are often significant savings available if you are willing to shop around and obtain quotes on individual plans for each family member.

Look out for health insurance polices that also offer eye and dental care converge. Some health plans now include this extra converge and these plans could save you a lot of money. Paying separately for dental procedures, lens, glasses, annual eye and dental checkups, etc. can really add up.

It's really not hard to see how the tips in this article will help you stop worrying about your health insurance, and get started using this practical advice to find the right plan that fills your health insurance needs. Using these common sense tips will make the process a lot easier.

 

People with disabilities left behind by telemedicine and other pandemic medical innovations

 

Divya Goel, a 35-year-old deaf-blind woman in Orlando, Florida, has had two telemedicine doctors' appointments during the pandemic. Each time, she was denied an interpreter.

Her doctors told her she would have to get insurance to pay for an interpreter, which is incorrect: Under federal law, it is the physician's responsibility to provide one.

Goel's mother stepped in to interpret instead. But her signing is limited, so Goel, who has only some vision, is not sure her mother fully conveyed what the doctors said. Goel worries about the medical ramifications — a wrong medicine or treatment — if something got lost in translation.

"It's really, really hard to get real information, and so I feel very stuck in my situation," she signed through an interpreter.

Pandemic-fueled shortages of home health aides strand patients without care

Pandemic-fueled shortages of home health aides strand patients without care

Telemedicine, teleworking, rapid tests, virtual school, and vaccine drive-throughs have become part of Americans' routines as they enter Year 3 of life amid Covid-19. But as innovators have raced to make living in a pandemic world safer, some people with disabilities have been left behind.

Those with a physical disability may find the at-home Covid tests that allow reentry into society hard to perform. Those with limited vision may not be able to read the small print on the instructions, while blind people cannot see the results. The American Council of the Blind is engaged in litigation against the two dominant medical testing companies, Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics, over touch-screen check-in kiosks at their testing locations.

Sometimes the obstacles are basic logistics. "If you're blind or low-vision and you live alone, you don't have a car," said Sheila Young, president of the Florida Council of the Blind, pointing to the long lines of cars at drive-through testing and vaccination sites. "Who can afford an Uber or Lyft to sit in line for three hours?"

One in 4 adults in the US have some sort of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though barriers for the disabled have long existed, the pandemic brings life-or-death stakes to such long-running inequities.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QgeK7rJ6U0f66uVa86DUMnAFLjW3g40jFmTFcYD563w/edit?usp=sharing

 

On The Hunt For Health Insurance: Finding Your Policy

Many people avoid taking out health insurance because the cost is too high. There are many different plans offered by many different providers, which can make it hard to determine which one is the most appropriate. This article will aid you in your understanding of health insurance and the policies you qualify for.

To lower the cost of your health insurance plan, make the most of wellness incentives. Many companies give employees cash bonuses to fill out a lifestyle questionnaire which asks about habits such as smoking and exercise. Obtaining a better score on the lifestyle questionnaire can lower the health premiums for all your company's employees.

You shouldn't let your health insurance lapse if you are laid off, or it may be more difficult to get coverage later. You can keep your group coverage for a while with COBRA, but it can be expensive, as you'll be paying the entire premium. You may be able to get a less expensive plan from an independent agent.

Health insurance may not completely cover the cost of birth control or well-woman visits with your physician. An alternative to a regular gynecologist is Planned Parenthood, which offers exams, counseling and birth control on a sliding scale, meaning the amount you are charged is based on your ability to pay. County health clinics may also offer these services.

For those whose vision is already impaired eye care coverage is a must. Some of your visits and eye care purchases, such as glasses or contacts, will be covered. You are not required to carry vision insurance, so if no one in your family suffers from an eye disorder, you can save money by foregoing it.

Understand copays and deductibles. Look at your plan carefully, and make sure you understand exactly what is covered, and what you are responsible for. The last thing you want is a health insurance plan that doesn't cover what you need. Take into account how much you will have to pay for each doctor's visit and what your initial deductible is before insurance kicks in.

Let your medical insurance company know that you are traveling. Some companies will not provide any coverage to you or your family in a foreign country unless you purchase extra coverage. You may not end up needing it, but it is always better to be safe than sorry when you are traveling.

If you are contacted by an insurance carrier in conjunction with your application, do not give information for which they did not ask. Give responses only to specific queries they have made. If you give them more information than they have asked for, they will note it in their files and could take what they have learned to charge you more for your premiums or remove your coverage all together.

If a health insurance company representative asks you a question to which you do not know the answer, tell them so. There is no shame in telling them that you are unsure of what they are asking, and they should call your physician to get the proper answer. They may seem frustrated, but that's okay. Don't let it bother you.

If you and your spouse are both eligible for health insurance through your individual workplaces, compare the two policies to see which one will benefit your family most. You may find that it is going to be cheaper to carry individual policies through your workplaces. Keep the surcharges that some companies charge for dependents when comparing the two.

Buying any kind of insurance, including health insurance, is all a numbers game. You want to balance the coverage you have very carefully. If you pay too much than you are losing money monthly, however if you pay too little you will be under covered when you need it most. Analyze both sides very carefully.

Did you know that your income tax is affected by your health insurance premium and benefits. You can actually deduct some items, especially if they're not covered by your insurance, like the deductible prescriptions. You should check your state's income tax law, or contact an accountant, to find out what you can claim this year.

Although larger insurance companies are more likely to be reputable, smaller companies will offer lower premiums. Ask your family and friends if they have ever dealt with the small company you are considering to see if they can recommend it. Also check online for reviews to make sure the company is living up to its claims.

If you don't have a pre-existing health condition that requires many doctors' visits, test, and prescriptions, then you can save a lot of money by purchasing catastrophic health insurance. You pay for coverage of accidents and illnesses that come on suddenly, like cancer or a stroke, that require hospital visits.

If you work as an actor or a writer, your job probably does not come with benefits. You can however join the Theater Entertainment Industry Group Insurance Trust. This group offers low insurance rates and extensive coverage. You can join this group if your main source of income comes from a creative activity.

With an employer-sponsored health plan insurance plan, your company has to accept you, despite your health status or pre-existing conditions. Without one, you have to seek private policies, which means your health will be rigorously evaluated. Many states have private health insurance policies that are underwritten about your medical history, smoking status, weight, and age.

Buy health insurance that cannot be canceled by the insurance provider. You never know how your health situation will change, either by illness or by a catastrophic event. Having health insurance that cannot be canceled will give you peace of mind that you will be covered for as long as you choose to be covered.

It is important to verify here that your physician records your health events correctly. This is due to the fact that health insurance can be expensive, but misdiagnoses can lead to increased health insurance premiums or even losing your coverage. If you are misdiagnosed with a fatal illness, your insurance coverage could be cancelled based on incorrect information.

Remember that it's important to get busy getting health insurance quotes today. Your safety and possibly, that of your family are at stake, so you must have a health insurance plan in place. There are many reliable, reputable insurance companies across the nation and information regarding the many plans they offer is readily available online. Don't hesitate! Start getting health insurance quotes today to protect yourself and your family!

 

At-Home Monitoring Creates Virtual Hospital for UCI Health

 

Outside of its hospital and clinic walls and at the height of the pandemic, University of California Irvine Health (UCI Health) began caring for patients in their homes with technology, diagnostic devices, and a drive to deliver a better patient experience. The public health care system and academic medical center, which operates a 459-bed acute care hospital serving a region of nearly four million people in Orange County, went beyond providing patients with the ability to talk with clinicians via phone and video at home or work and took it to the next level of telehealth: remote patient monitoring.

Under this program, UCI Health patients with such conditions as COVID-19, pneumonia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are improving can sometimes leave the hospital early if their vitals and symptoms are monitored continuously as they recover at home. Susanna Rustad, UCI Health’s chief procurement officer and executive director of virtual care, and Khurram Mir, senior program manager, spoke with me recently about the ins and outs of this program and their plans to expand this work and establish full-fledged hospital care at home. Such a hospital would provide remote patient monitoring, around-the-clock care, visits by clinicians and care teams, and delivery of medications and meals. This interview was condensed and edited for clarity.

Q: Why did you start this remote patient monitoring program?

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s0E1pGI7CeRjMyD6-dVGfFMNUq24yRBGWmMBsMGibLA/edit?usp=sharing

 

What You Need To Know When Buying Health Insurance

Many consumers are quite confused when it comes to health insurance. At times it may be a bit overwhelming. The article below will briefly discuss some common issues regarding health insurance. Read on:

In order to save money on your health insurance plan, pay attention to changes in policy before you renew each year. This can save you from encountering unexpected charges because of a change in benefits. If significant changes have occurred in your plan, it could be more cost effective to switch to a new one.

One of the health insurance options that may be offered to you during your employer's open enrollment season is an HMO. You might want to choose this option if you want to keep costs low and are willing to coordinate your care through a primary care physician. Under an HMO, the number of options you have for choosing a provider may be more limited than under a more flexible plan.

If you travel often, it is important to get medical coverage that can be used throughout the country. If you don't have this, you do not want to be visiting another state and get sick. If this were to happen, you would be stuck paying medical bills that your medical insurance would have covered, had you been in your home state.

In case you do have an emergency medical situation, you need to know exactly where to go. Check the wording of your insurance policy. They might be charging you exponentially more for visiting a hospital or doctor that's not on their predefined list of approved hospitals and doctors. The insurance company will not make an exception for emergencies.

Low priced health insurance plans usually cover a portion of major health problems and do not cover preventative treatment. Expensive plans cover almost every health need you may have. To decide on the best plan, figure out what your family's current needs are and how much you can afford.

The details of a health insurance policy are always changing. That is why it is important you keep up with its changes. For example, you could go to your doctor and find out you need a procedure that your insurance will not cover. For any questions you may have, you can call your insurance company.

Honesty is the best policy. Once you have found a suitable health insurance plan, take care when filling it out, and be honest. If you make mistakes, or are found to have filled anything dishonestly, your coverage will probably be denied. The best thing to do is take things slowly and think about how you answer each question.

When considering your health insurance options, take a look at a hospital only policy. Such policies do not cover regular doctors visits, but will take care of you in the event of an emergency that lands you in the hospital. The benefit is a lower cost premium, but the trade off is no day to day medical coverage.

If you are the sole proprietor and only employee of your business, you may be able to negotiate group health insurance rates in some states. In this case, you would be considered a "business-of-one". If you are self-employed, in need of health insurance and just cannot afford private insurance rates, be sure to ask your insurance agent if your state offers this option.

Buying any kind of insurance, including health insurance, is all a numbers game. You want to balance the coverage you have very carefully. If you pay too much than you are losing money monthly, however if you pay too little you will be under covered when you need it most. Analyze both sides very carefully.

Knowing what your insurance policy handbook says can keep you informed and knowledgeable. You will receive a guidebook from your insurer detailing the provisions of your coverage, and it is necessary to digest the entire publication in order to comprehend the benefits to which you are entitled. Although it may seem a little tedious, you will benefit from knowing all the information.

When filling out your enrollment form, do not leave any information out. Keep a copy of this form so that you know exactly what you sent to the insurance company and can contest their decision of rate if necessary. If your insurance company finds a mistake on your enrollment form, they could cancel your policy.

If an insurance rate is too good to be true, look at customer reviews of the company to ensure you're paying for good service. If insurance is cheap, it's likely to be because they have a low number of staff, meaning claims could take forever to go through. You get what you pay for.

Look out for health insurance polices that also offer eye and dental care converge. Some health plans now include this extra converge and these plans could save you a lot of money. Paying separately for dental procedures, lens, glasses, annual eye and dental checkups, etc. can really add up.

With an employer-sponsored health plan insurance plan, your company has to accept you, despite your health status or pre-existing conditions. Without one, you have to seek private policies, which means your health will be rigorously evaluated. Many states have private health insurance policies that are underwritten about your medical history, smoking status, weight, and age.

When your child goes off to college you'll need to consider their health insurance coverage. click here Contact your insurance company to see at what age you need to remove them from your insurance policy and get them their own personal coverage. It can range from 19 to 31 years old, depending on which state you live in.

It is important to verify that your physician records your health events correctly. This is due to the fact that health insurance can be expensive, but misdiagnoses can lead to increased health insurance premiums or even losing your coverage. If you are misdiagnosed with a fatal illness, your insurance coverage could be cancelled based on incorrect information.

As mentioned previously, health insurance can be difficult to understand and to use. Armed with these tips for choosing or using a health care policy, you can take control of your health care knowing that you have the insurance coverage that best fits your lifestyle, health needs and financial situation.

 

At-Home Monitoring Creates Virtual Hospital for UCI Health

 

Outside of its hospital and clinic walls and at the height of the pandemic, University of California Irvine Health (UCI Health) began caring for patients in their homes with technology, diagnostic devices, and a drive to deliver a better patient experience. The public health care system and academic medical center, which operates a 459-bed acute care hospital serving a region of nearly four million people in Orange County, went beyond providing patients with the ability to talk with clinicians via phone and video at home or work and took it to the next level of telehealth: remote patient monitoring.

Under this program, UCI Health patients with such conditions as COVID-19, pneumonia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are improving can sometimes leave the hospital early if their vitals and symptoms are monitored continuously as they recover at home. Susanna Rustad, UCI Health’s chief procurement officer and executive director of virtual care, and Khurram Mir, senior program manager, spoke with me recently about the ins and outs of this program and their plans to expand this work and establish full-fledged hospital care at home. Such a hospital would provide remote patient monitoring, around-the-clock care, visits by clinicians and care teams, and delivery of medications and meals. This interview was condensed and edited for clarity.

Q: Why did you start this remote patient monitoring program?

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s0E1pGI7CeRjMyD6-dVGfFMNUq24yRBGWmMBsMGibLA/edit?usp=sharing

 

How To Get The Best Health Insurance And Avoid Paying Out-Of-Pocket

Your health insurance can determine the amount, quality and speed of the care that you get when you are sick. If you don't have adequate coverage, you may put off going to the doctor, which will make your illness worse, therefore, costing you more money in the long run. This article has tips on how you can make the most of your health insurance.

Get started with a good health insurance policy while you are still young. The reason for this is that it is harder to get good health insurance when you get older, and by starting signing up with your health insurance carrier early on, you will be able to lock in rates. Be very careful not to let your payments on your health insurance policy lapse because you may not be able to get the same rates if your health condition has changed.

Get health insurance through a group. Whether it be an employee group, a union association, or other organization that works with certain categories of people, check to see if they have health insurance. Many groups offer discounted health insurance policies if you sign up for it as a group member, so join up!

Check your health insurance policy to make sure your spouse gets the same coverage you do. Some insurance companies will only provide the same coverage for your spouse if you pay a much higher premium. Search for a policy that offers you both the same benefits, for a price that you can afford.

Thoroughly read your entire health insurance contract, and ask for clarifications and explanations for things you do not quite understand. Your insurance agent should be ready and willing to explain every bit of your contract to you, should the need arise. If he or she give you an answer that you don't like, you may want to find a different policy.

If you are going with a private insurance plan you should talk to your doctor about conditions in your file to make sure everything is up to date. Private insurances have the option of going back, up to 10 years to check your medical files for conditions you had prior to getting insurance through their company.

Honesty is the best policy. Once you have found a suitable health insurance plan, take care when filling it out, and be honest. If you make mistakes, or are found to have filled anything dishonestly, your coverage will probably be denied. The best thing to do is take things slowly and think about how you answer each question.

You need to take money with you when you go to see a doctor because you may have to pay a co-pay. A lot of insurance companies require customers to pay a small co-pay when they visit the doctor. It is typically not more than $50, but it must be paid at the time of the visit and most doctors require it to be paid before they will even see the patient.

Do your research about what was contained in the newly passed healthcare legislation before you purchase a policy. Insurance companies are doing whatever they can to get out of this, and they may stick it to you as more info a customer if you purchase your policy without knowing. Do your homework before committing.

You need to take money with you when you go to see a doctor because you may have to pay a co-pay. A lot of insurance companies require customers to pay a small co-pay when they visit the doctor. It is typically not more than $50, but it must be paid at the time of the visit and most doctors require it to be paid before they will even see the patient.

There are a wide variety of health insurance coverages and options. Before purchasing a health insurance plan from either an insurance agent or through your employer, make sure that you take the time to investigate all of the options available to you. You want to know what all of the terms on your plan mean and what everything will cost you before you select a plan.

It is important to find out how much your insurance company will pay annually. Some companies put a cap on the amount of money they will pay for medical expenses in any given year. If you have a lot of medical conditions that require you to see a doctor a lot you will want coverage that has a high annual cap.

Use a broker to find the plan for you. A broker can help you negotiate policy costs with several different insurance companies. They can also easily explain the pros and cons of each policy. Make sure your broker works with a large number of credible insurance companies and check his credentials as well.

Before you make the jump and purchase a health care plan you should find out what kind of plan will best suit you. There are 3 very different plans to choose from, which include, HMO, PPO and POS plans. You should research which one will work best for you before making a final decision.

If you are looking for health insurance, try to buy it through a group insurance plan, like your employer's. Group insurance rates are much cheaper than individual rates. Also, when you purchase health insurance through your employer, you often are not subjected to a medical exam to qualify. Therefore, group health insurance is a good choice.

Did you know that you are sometimes able to test out your health insurance plan before fully signing? Insurance companies refer to this action as a "free look". They usually provide you with a trial period in which you are able to get your money back if you are not satisfied with your plan.

When signing up for health insurance, make sure to read all of the fine print before paying for anything. Your insurance provider will want you to ignore the fine print, but it is very important to read and ask questions about the written contract that you're signing to make sure you haven't been mislead about the policy.

If you make a lot of money in your own small business, it is probably cheaper for you to get private health insurance. There will be no influence on the cost of your premiums from the amount of your income, so it won't go up or down as your earnings do.

Don't procrastinate. Health insurance is a necessity and can save you, and your family, from a great deal of financial stress should you get sick. Act now to protect your future. Health insurance is an investment in your life and your families. The tips above are meant to help you make a health insurance plan for you and/or your loved ones.

 

Telemedicine leaves behind non-English speakers, study shows

 

Integrating third-party interpreters for non-English speaking patients into telehealth platforms was also difficult, Payán says. It’s a logistical challenge to add a third person to a phone or video call, particularly in platforms that aren’t set up to support external interpreting services. That can mean additional delays to care. Even something simple like a patient getting a call from a number they didn’t recognize — and didn’t want to answer — could derail the process. And having those interpretation services are key for good care: people who speak limited English are at risk of bad health outcomes without them because they can’t understand their medical providers as well.

Luckily, at the clinics Payan spoke with, many doctors and clinic staff were bilingual — they were able to talk with patients in their first language. It showed how much recruiting and retaining staff from the same communities as the patients can help build trust and improve care, particularly during challenging times, Payan says. “It is very important that [the doctor] speaks the same language because that way, we understand each other,” one Spanish-speaking patient said in a study interview.

“WITH THAT OLDER POPULATION, IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY”

But even without language barriers getting in the way, many patients didn’t have the digital literacy to navigate telemedicine, didn’t have devices that could use the telehealth tools, or didn’t have good enough internet access to connect with a provider. “With that older population, it is a little bit more difficult because they don’t know how to use the technology or they need the assistance of their relatives,” one care coordinator said in a study interview. Unhoused patients were also particularly hard to reach because they didn’t have reliable phone or internet connections.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s0E1pGI7CeRjMyD6-dVGfFMNUq24yRBGWmMBsMGibLA/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

 

Telehealth and telemedicine for coronavirus: What it is and how to use it now

 

What is telemedicine?

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, telemedicine is defined as “the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance. A physician in one location uses a telecommunications infrastructure to deliver care to a patient at a distant site.”

Testa says his hospital is using telemedicine both within and outside the hospital to manage the influx of patients needing care. “We're using video visits inside of our hospitals, and inside of our emergency departments, to minimize exposure to our staff, as well as exposure to other patients who are immunocompromised,” he says.

How to use telemedicine

A good place to start is to check with your health care provider, provider system or hospital’s app for a telemedicine portal, download it and follow the prompts.

“We've been doing video visits for over a year and a half — we've already done about 15,000 of them,” says Testa. “What we've learned in interviewing our patients is that more often than not, they had plans to either go to their primary care doctor and it is off-hours, or they had planned to go to a brick-and-mortar urgent care. Virtual urgent care is just more convenient than those options.”

At NYU Langone, for example, Testa says these video visits are fully integrated into patients’ online health profiles, and visible to their primary care doctors who can easily see what labs or X-rays have been ordered.

If you don’t have a primary care doctor and prefer to use urgent care when you need it, virtual urgent care apps, like PlushCare, Doctor on Demand or MDLive, can give you virtual access to a doctor, 24/7.

Ryan McQuaid, CEO and co-founder of PlushCare, says that under normal circumstances, patients who use his telemedicine platform tend to use it as a primary care provider.

He says these patients usually fall into three buckets: They use telemedicine to manage ongoing conditions, like depression, diabetes or hypertension; everyday care issues like hair loss or birth control; and urgent care issues, like cold and flu, sinus infections or UTIs. And their patients aren’t just tech-forward millennials — McQuaid says elderly patients have begun to embrace telemedicine.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZiSk2MOF17UdugnGNqOAojsLDrM0Qu-pLwshdGqch_M/edit?usp=sharing



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