Toothache + No Health Insurance = Death
From the Majority Report, live MF 11:30am EST or via daily podcast at Majority.FM Kyle Willis, an unemployed 24 year old father from Cincinnati, has died because of a toothache that became infected and spread to his brain. How did this happen…and in America, no less? Because he did not have insurance and could not afford treatment.
Toothache? Feel the pain in your wallet as well if your boss decides to cut health perks – Daily Telegraph
Reality bites: the globally mobile should ensure that potentially costly dental work is covered by their company’s insurance policy Photo: Alamy
Hard-pressed international companies are discovering new ways to push costs on
to overseas staff.
Usually, burden-sharing between employer and employee amounts to a pay freeze
or the loss of a company car. Another ruse is to save on rent, moving
operations to a windowless box-room in the Styx.
Consultants Mercer recently reported a subtler idea, following a survey of
multinationals. It found that the inexorable rise in global health care
costs was forcing employers to trim insurance cover for staff.
Mercer said the global financial crisis had left companies “questioning
the feasibility of health benefit schemes …some benefits, such as private
medical cover, may even become uninsurable”. A simple saving would be
to dispense with dental cover, for example, leaving workers to pay their
dentists themselves.
But another possibility could prove more alarming. When companies renew annual
group cover for overseas staff, a well-established economy is to opt for an
excess (or deductible) on the same principle as car cover.
If the employee can be persuaded, as part of an employment contract, to pay
any excess on receiving treatment, the company HR manager will have achieved
a small coup.
According to Stuart Scullion, managing director of brokers The
Private Health Partnership, in Shipley, West Yorkshire, the
potential for savings is considerable. A group of thirtysomethings in
reasonable health could expect a reduction of 25-30 per cent in their
premium for an annual excess of £500.
Annual excesses are the norm in international insurance. However, a £500
excess per claim (as with motor cover) would slash the premium much further.
Even so, Mr Scullion has doubts about fairness when excesses of any type are
applied to employees sent abroad on assignment. He said: “If the
employer needs someone to go abroad as a business need for a period, almost
irrespective of duration, that company should be paying for it.
“Although there is an ever-increasing cost, one of the things about
international insurance is that you almost have to have cover for everything.”
For example, a UK-based employee suffering a chronic illness might find that
condition excluded in a group scheme. This need not be as disadvantageous as
it looks – maintenance of chronic disease, such as diabetes, is an area in
which the NHS is well rated.
Mr Scullion explained: “If you send someone to the other side of the
world and they are taken ill, even if it is a pre-existing condition, they
need to have maintenance of the condition in the local jurisdiction. It
changes the risk profile to the insurer so they will pick up costs which in
the UK they typically wouldn’t.
“It seems a bit unfair to say to an employee, ‘We need you to go and work
abroad but to contain costs we are going to take a £1,000 excess on your
policy.’ It may be that they say, ‘We’ll take an excess to reduce the cost
of the premium, but we’ll reimburse it so you, the individual, won’t pay
it.’ That might be appealing.”
Mr Scullion added: “But it wouldn’t be particularly fair to say to the
individual to take the excess if he is abroad at the company’s behest.”
Even so, certain expat employees with company-paid cover do enjoy a big
advantage. If they are located in countries where foreign nationals escape
tax, they would not pay tax on health cover either. They get the “benefit
in kind” tax-free. So the large international community in the United
Arab Emirates, for instance, is getting a free perk on top of untaxed
income.
Sue Bailey, head of schools and expats at Reading-based brokers JBI,
pointed out that US citizens would not be so lucky. “America taxes its
citizens worldwide. Wherever you are, you are liable to make a return to the
IRS [Internal Revenue Service].
“As far as Britons and HMRC are concerned, once you are ordinarily
non-resident you don’t pay tax on your income and therefore not on health
cover.”
But the UAE tax-free scenario is far from universal and expat Britons
elsewhere face paying local taxes and possibly tax on benefits – every
country is different, she said.
Mrs Bailey said that since the banking crisis of 2008, pressures had mounted
to reduce corporate health costs. Employers were reducing cover or seeking
burden-sharing arrangements with staff in response.
“People are trying to get best value for money. They always do that, but
when there’s not much money going around they try harder still.”
Meanwhile, any Britons abroad with company-bought health cover – the majority
– could thank their lucky stars that they are not buying insurance as
individuals, because it is considerably more expensive. HR managers are well
placed to play the market and usually have the expertise to find the best
deal.
An added cost-saving measure is to take claims-handling in-house. This not
only saves on the premium because the insurer is spared bureaucracy, but
also reduces insurance premium tax (IPT).
IPT is currently 6 per cent in the UK, against a European average of 9 per
cent. The trend, like international and domestic medical insurance itself,
is ever upwards. Rates are to hit a colossal 24 per cent IPT in Finland next
year. No wonder employers are seeking to economise.
This article was published in The
Telegraph Weekly World Edition
Categories: Info & News Tags: boss, Daily, decides, Feel, health, Pain, perks, Telegraph, Toothache, wallet, Well
$3.4 million in federal money to boost Utah health clinics – ksl.com
SALT LAKE CITY — Dani North always expected to lose all her teeth by age 40. It happened to her mother and she figured it would happen to her.
“It is a challenge I’ve faced all of my life. We never had any money for dental care,” she said. “It is the hardest medical service to obtain and insurances almost never cover anything dental-related.”
The 28-year-old recovering addict is looking for a job and feels self-conscious about the condition of her smile. When tooth pain took her to a doctor a month ago, North opted for extraction rather than handle a potentially difficult situation that would occur with her taking the prescribed narcotic pain medication.
“When your health is not right, how do you get a new start?” she said. And she’s not alone. There are hundreds within the homeless population of Utah who are in need of dental care and have nowhere to turn.
“People who don’t have access to dental care and have a bad tooth are desperate for some kind of help,” said Dr. Scott Youngquist, an emergency physician at University Hospital. “If the doors to dental care are closed to them, they know the one place they can go to at least get some pain relief is the emergency department.”
For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases.
–Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Patients come to the emergency department with dental problems on a daily basis, he said, often tying up staff with non-emergency issues. Left untreated, tooth problems can lead to head and neck infections, as well as heart problems, which are more serious and can require more costly treatment measures.
“What could have been treated early and in a relatively straightforward fashion has now become a very expensive disease for health care in general, for Medicare and Medicaid, and for all of us,” Youngquist said.
Ultimately, many without access to proper dental care end up getting multiple teeth extracted.
Christina Gallop, medical director at the Fourth Street Clinic, said dental issues affect individuals not only physically, but mentally and socially as well, as there is a stigma associated with having no teeth.
“I think people underestimate how poor dentition can affect you,” she said, adding that bad teeth can signal poor nutrition, drug problems and other issues. She said 60 percent of the population served at the clinic “could use denture help.”
Sidney Shipman, 50, is one of them. A regular at the clinic, he hasn’t had teeth for five years.
“I can’t eat, I have no way of eating, no way of chewing and I have to swallow my food whole,” he said. Shipman moved from Powell, Wyo., six years ago because Salt Lake offers “better services for the homeless.”
He looks forward to a day when he can ditch the liquid diet and actually smile again.
Tuesday, the Fourth Street Clinic received news it would be getting a $ 2.9 million Affordable Care Act capital development grant to expand services and serve more patients.
Construction is slated to begin in August and will be completed sometime in March. Officials estimate they’ll be able to serve an additional 1,000 patients ever year.
“I am just smiling,” said executive director Kristy Chambers. “It is exciting to see that we have the potential to really fulfill some of these demands.”
The nonprofit clinic will double its size, adding three dental exam rooms and an area designated for enhanced substance abuse treatment, as well as a waiting room for the existing pharmacy. The facility will also get much-needed mechanical and seismic upgrades throughout.
As it stands, Fourth Street offers no dental services and can only cover the cost of extremely serious conditions, up to $ 25,000 of its total budget each year. All dental services are performed outside the clinic, by partnering dentists within the community.
One of those partners, Salt Lake Donated Dental Services, provides free or low-cost services to those meeting eligibility requirements. But they can’t meet the need alone. In 2009, the organization performed 12,144 procedures, the majority of which were basic preventive or restorative measures. More than 32 percent of the procedures, however, were extractions and patients received an average of four procedures per visit, according to a Donated Dental Web page.
The new grant, which will cover only construction and supplies for the Fourth Street Clinic, is part of more than $ 728 million doled out across the United States to support renovation and construction projects, boost health centers’ ability to care for additional patients and create jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Mountainlands Community Health Center in Payson also received $ 500,000 to purchase additional supplies and help get more patients in the door.
“For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement. “This investment will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country.”
According to a report released Tuesday, the health care law has supported the construction, renovation and building of 257 health centers nationwide. The influx of funding is estimated to provide access to an additional 860,000 patients in need.
“This will definitely be a step in the right direction as far as moving people out of the ER,” Youngquist said.
Twenty-two jobs will be supported during the projected eight months of construction at the clinic. The clinic will then be in need of dentists to provide care to those in need. An agreement is in the works for students at Utah’s two dental schools, Roseman University and the University of Utah, to provide some of the work, leaving the eight full-time medical providers at the clinic to handle more patients.
Wendy Leonard
Wendy Leonard works as a reporter for the Deseret News, and while her daily duties are dictated by breaking news, she currently focuses on writing about issues involving health care, medicine and transportation. Full Bio �
Save on The Cost of Dental Implants Tomorrow by Investing in Your Good Health Today
If there’s one thing we’ve come to expect from the field of medicine and its sub-discipline, dentistry, it’s that it’s not inexpensive. Owing to the incredible skill and high quality resources that go into their manufacture and surgical placement, the cost of dental implants tends to be on the steep side, although the investment you make in your oral health by opting for this technology is a solid one that will last you decades. In order to better understand what you are paying for, this article takes a look at the various factors that influence and determine the cost of dental implants.
The Cost of Dental Implants: What to Expect
When it comes to the cost of dental implants, you are basically looking at between $ 3,500 and $ 4,500 per implant. This includes all X-rays, follow-up appointments, the surgical placement of the titanium post in a predrilled socket in the jaw bone and – after healing has been allowed for a period of a few months – the affixing of an aesthetic and functional ceramic tooth crown to the top of this base post. In cases where the tooth or teeth needing replacement have been missing for such a long time that the underlying jaw bone has atrophied and requires augmentation through bone grafting surgery, the cost of oral rehabilitation (receiving a brand new set of fixed teeth) with dental implants lies in the region of $ 50,000. For one or more missing teeth, factors such as the location of the tooth/teeth as well as the complexity of the procedure required for their replacement can also affect the overall cost of dental implants. Having provided these figures, you should understand that each dental practice has its price, so do your research beforehand. Qualified and experienced implant dentist, Dr. Wayne Brueggen offers highly competitive pricing for the cost of dental implants as well as one of the best and most sophisticated dental implants centers in the United States.
The Cost of Dental Implants: Bargain Hunting
Did you know that a staggering 69% of adults between the ages of 35 and 44 are missing at least one of their original adult teeth? Alright, so there are two inevitabilities we have to accept about life: teeth go missing and replacing them is – if you opt for a comprehensive and long term solution such as dental implants – not inexpensive. But the cost of dental implants doesn’t have to be crippling. There are options! First and foremost, the arena where you can save the most is by getting a dentist that places the implants him or herself, such as Dr. Wayne Brueggen. More and more general dentists are becoming skilled in the placement of dental implants, so there really is no need for all the multiple consultations with specialists (not to mention their exorbitant fees). Second of all, many dentists provide financing for patients, since medical insurance companies are particularly finicky about dental implant procedures. This will allow you to cover the cost of dental implants over an agreed period of time, so there’s no need to take out a second mortgage on your house.
The Cost of Dental Implants: Your Third Option…
The cost of dental implants is greatly determined by the complexity of the procedure and the standard of your oral health and hygiene. If you present with an acute and chronic bacterial infection of the gums (periodontal disease), rampant tooth loss and jaw bone atrophy, you are looking at a long and expensive road to recovery. If, on the other hand, you look after your teeth everyday with regular and thorough brushing, flossing and visits with the dentist and drop bad habits such as smoking, then, should you ever lose one or more of your pearly whites to any of a myriad of causes, the cost of dental implants is not going to cripple you. In other words: each day you make the choice to look after your teeth and gums as best you can is an investment in your oral health that translates into future savings on the cost of dental implants!
Dental Health : How to Stop a Toothache
The best ways to stop toothaches without seeing the dentist is by using oral numbing agents and pain relieving medication. Stop a toothache with tips from a licensed dental assistant in this free video series on dental health and oral hygiene. Expert: Michelle McPhail Contact: www.MySolutionz.com Bio: Michelle McPhail is a dental tech and the office coordinator at one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry centers in the Tampa Bay area. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz
Dental Health : How to Ease a Toothache Until Your Dentist Appointment
A toothache before a dentist’s appointment can be treated with oral numbing gels or pain relievers. Ease a toothache before a dentist appointment with tips from a licensed dental assistant in this free video series on dental health and oral hygiene. Expert: Michelle McPhail Contact: www.MySolutionz.com Bio: Michelle McPhail is a dental tech and the office coordinator at one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry centers in the Tampa Bay area. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz
WHO Releases Fact Sheet on Oral Health – Occupational Health Safety
WHO Releases Fact Sheet on Oral Health
Worldwide, 60-90 percent of school children and nearly 100 percent of adults have dental cavities.
Oral health is essential to general health and quality of life. It is a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing.
Oral diseases and conditions: The most common oral diseases are dental cavities, periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancer, oral infectious diseases, trauma from injuries, and hereditary lesions.
Dental cavities: Worldwide, 60-90 percent of school children and nearly 100 percent of adults have dental cavities, often leading to pain and discomfort.
Periodontal disease: Severe periodontal (gum) disease, which may result in tooth loss, is found in 15-20 percent of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults.
Tooth loss: Dental cavities and periodontal disease are major causes of tooth loss. Complete loss of natural teeth is widespread and particularly affects older people. Globally, about 30 percent of people aged 65-74 have no natural teeth.
Oral Cancer: The incidence of oral cancer ranges from one to 10 cases per 100 000 people in most countries. The prevalence of oral cancer is relatively higher in men, in older people, and among people of low education and low income. Tobacco and alcohol are major causal factors.
Fungal, bacterial or viral infections in HIV: Almost half (40-50 percent) of people who are HIV-positive have oral fungal, bacterial, or viral infections. These often occur early in the course of HIV infection.
Oro-dental trauma: Across the world, 16-40 percent of children in the age range 6 to12 years old are affected by dental trauma due to unsafe playgrounds, unsafe schools, road accidents, or violence.
Noma: Noma is a gangrenous lesion that affects young children living in extreme poverty primarily in Africa and Asia. Lesions are severe gingival disease followed by necrosis (premature death of cells in living tissue) of lips and chin. Many children affected by noma suffer from other infections such as measles and HIV. Without any treatment, about 90 percent of these children die.
Cleft lip and palate: Birth defects such as cleft lip and palate occur in about one per 500-700 of all births. This rate varies substantially across different ethnic groups and geographical areas.
Risk factors for oral diseases include an unhealthy diet, tobacco use, and harmful alcohol use. These are also risk factors for the four leading chronic diseases—cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes—and oral diseases are often linked to chronic disease. Poor oral hygiene is also a risk factor for oral disease.
The prevalence of oral disease varies by geographical region, and availability and accessibility of oral health services. Social determinants in oral health are also very strong. The prevalence of oral diseases is increasing in low- and middle-income countries, and in all countries, the oral disease burden is significantly higher among poor and disadvantaged population groups.
The burden of oral diseases and other chronic diseases can be decreased simultaneously by addressing common risk factors. These include:
- decreasing sugar intake and maintaining a well-balanced nutritional intake to prevent tooth decay and premature tooth loss;
- consuming fruit and vegetables that can protect against oral cancer;
- stopping tobacco use, and decreasing alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of oral cancers, periodontal disease and tooth loss;
- ensuring proper oral hygiene;
- using protective sports and motor vehicle equipment to reduce the risk of facial injuries; and
- safe physical environments.
Dental cavities can be prevented by maintaining a constant low level of fluoride in the oral cavity. Fluoride can be obtained from fluoridated drinking water, salt, milk, and toothpaste as well as from professionally applied fluoride or mouth rinse. Long-term exposure to an optimal level of fluoride results in fewer dental cavities in both children and adults.
Most oral diseases and conditions require professional dental care, however, due to limited availability or inaccessibility, the use of oral health services is markedly low among older people, people living in rural areas, and people with low income and education. Oral health care coverage is low in low- and middle- income countries.
Traditional curative dental care is a significant economic burden for many high-income countries, where 5-10 percent of public health expenditure relates to oral health. In low- and middle-income countries, public oral health programs are rare.
Categories: Info & News Tags: Fact, health, Occupational, Oral, Releases, Safety, Sheet
Libya PM: Gaddafi’s son in good health – YAHOO!
Reuters –
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya‘s prime minister met war crimes prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Thursday and reassured him that Muammar Gaddafi‘s detained son is in good health and that his government is determined to give him a fair trial.
“I assure the world that Saif (al-Islam) is being given a humanitarian treatment with respect and according to human rights guidelines,” Abdurrahim El-Keib told reporters after meeting the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, in Libya to investigate Gaddafi’s son who is wanted by the ICC.
Earlier this month a senior defense lawyer at the ICC asked the court to report Libya to the U.N. Security Council over its failure to extradite Saif al-Islam to The Hague.
Xavier-Jean Keita said the wanted man had been physically attacked and was suffering dental pain.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Saif al-Islam in June 2011 after prosecutors accused him and others of involvement in the killing of protesters during the revolt that eventually toppled and killed his father.
But Libya says Gaddafi’s British-educated son should face justice at home rather than stand trial in The Hague.
He was caught in November disguised as a Bedouin tribesman in the Sahara desert, months after telling his father’s opponents they would be exterminated like rats.
He is still being held in a secret location in the town of Zintan, 160 km (100 miles) west of Tripoli by the former fighters who captured him and who have so far declined government requests to hand him over.
(Reporting By Hadeel Al-Shalchi; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Hunt Valley Animal Hospital Warns Pet Owners That Pet Dental Care Is Essential to Overall Pet Health – msnbc.com
HUNT VALLEY, MD — Hunt Valley Animal Hospital announced that the practice is raising awareness about the importance of routine pet dental care. According to veterinarians at the practice, pet dental care is essential to protecting against bacterial infections. These infections can develop in the gum line, and without proper treatment, can enter the bloodstream and affect a pet’s internal organs, leading to serious health complications. The animal vet clinic is working to raise awareness about dental cleanings, and encourages all pet owners to schedule regular pet Owner, Dr. Allan Frank and the Hunt Valley veterinary care team announced that the vet hospital is raising awareness about the importance of regular pet dental cleanings.
“No one likes a bad case of dog breath, but this bad breath is more than just an unpleasant odor,” said Dr. Frank. “In fact, it’s a sign that serious oral health problems may be affecting the pet. Gingivitis and periodontal disease are common in pets over three years of age.”
According to Dr. Frank, the majority of dogs aged three years or older suffer from periodontal disease. Plaque can build up along the gum line over time, leading to not only bad breath, but also gingivitis and bacterial infection. Dr. Frank says that the best way to avoid oral health problems is through regular veterinary cleanings and at-home brushing.
“Once a pet has its full set of adult teeth, we advise pet owners to begin a weekly brushing routine,” said Dr. Frank. “Many pet owners wait until a pet is fully grown, at which point the animal is understandably uncomfortable with a toothbrush being placed in the mouth.”
Dr. Frank advises pet owners to begin by placing a small amount of pet toothpaste on their fingers and slowly introducing that to the animal. As the pet gains comfort, a toothbrush or even an over-the-finger brushing glove can be used.
“By making pet teeth cleaning a regular part of puppy care and kitten care, animals are comfortable with dental cleaning,” said Dr. Frank. “Building good oral health habits should be started at an early age.”
The animal hospital recommends annual dental cleanings as part of an overall wellness exam. During the cleaning, plaque and tartar are removed from the gumline using a high speed ultrasonic scaler. The teeth are also polished to resist future plaque build-up, and help prevent bacterial infection.
An infection may start when a piece of food becomes lodged between teeth. Without regular brushing, this food particle will remain in place, becoming a host for bacteria. As the infection progresses, it can enter the gum line and ultimately the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria may travel to internal organs, and may cause damage to the heart, kidney or liver.
“Any bacterial infection poses a significant health risk,” said Dr. Frank. “A pet teeth cleaning is the easiest way to protect a pet’s oral health. After all, a simple cleaning costs a lot less than a trip to the vet emergency room!”
Pet owners who wish to learn more about pet teeth cleaning and dental care can contact the veterinary hospital’s website http://huntvalleyanimalhospital.com.
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Categories: Info & News Tags: Animal, Care, Dental, Essential, health, Hospital, Hunt, msnbc.com, Overall, Owners, Valley, Warns
A Regular Visit to the Dentist Is a Must for Good Oral and Dental Health
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