Healthcare

With all the recent changes in the law, it can sometimes be difficult understanding the exact difference between government insurance and commercial insurance. In short, government insurance usually refers to a variety of different plans (including those that are regulated by the government in a kind of market, while commercial insurance refers to plans that are sold by for-profit companies that are free from such regulations.

Healthcare

High Deductibles VS Low Deductibles

When it comes to choosing health insurance plans, one of the most important things to consider is the deductible. With any insurance policy, a deductible is the amount you must pay out of pocket before the insurance provider will pay for anything. While not every insurance plan includes deductibles, more than 80% of them do, so knowing which one is right for you is important. Many insurance plans are categorized by having a low deductible, meaning you only pay a little before the insurer begins to play, or a high deductible, which can be quite substantial. But because the premiums (costs) of high deductible insurance plans are lower, it can be a wise choice for some people.

Wellness

When to take your child to the doctor - SmartChoiceMD

It happens to every parent: your child is running a fever, or has other obvious signs of illness, but not quite so bad that you’re sure a visit to the doctor or hospital is in order. Without being a trained medical professional, it can be very difficult knowing when a child really needs to get sometimes expensive medical help, and when it’s okay to treat the symptoms at home with rest, over-the-counter medicines, and traditional remedies. Below is a brief guide on how to identify the potential seriousness of your child’s condition..

Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain and Depression - SmartChoiceMD

It doesn’t take a medical expert to guess that chronic pain can lead to feelings of despair and despondency. But when doctors speak about depression, they’re referring to the serious psychological condition known as clinical depression or major depression, in which people feel sad, “low”, demoralized, or without hope and energy for two weeks or more. Chronic Pain is a normal part of a healthy nervous system, a process by which our bodies alert us that something is wrong. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is when a person feels regular bouts of pain that last six months or more. Some forms of chronic pain are continuous, in which the pain is felt all day long, while other people suffering from chronic pain experience episodes of intense or excruciating pain that may come and go.

Eating

7 Easy Diet Tips for the Holiday - SmartChoiceMD

Once the Holidays are over, it’s rare for anyone to be the same number on the scale as they were going into them. Wouldn’t you love to be the exception to that rule? Knowing you are going to pack on a few as 2015 winds down, losing a few now will help you navigate through the holidays with a little less guilt and a little more confidence.  While many fad diets and trends recommend dangerous and risky behavior such as gobbling pills or wearing restrictive clothes, below are seven tips on how to safely and effectively get a jumpstart on losing weight.