Becoming a smart healthcare consumer starts with asking the right questions. We’ve summed up a few of them here along with some helpful definitions of key terms you’ll run across when trying to understand your insurance.
With the ABCs of healthcare under your belt, you’ll be well on your way to feeling more confident about managing your costs.
FAQs about healthcare costs
What doctors can I see with my plan?
Search your insurance directory if there’s a specific doctor you’re looking to see. Or give your insurance provider a call to learn what groups and doctors near you are considered “in-network.” If your plan includes “out-of-network benefits,” you can see a doctor that’s not in your network, but that’s typically going to cost you more.
Do I need to choose a specific doctor to see?
Before getting care, some plans–such as HMOs–require that you designate a primary care physician (PCP) within your network. If you’re a One Medical member, simply call your insurance provider before your next visit and request one of our physicians be designated as your PCP. Once that change is effective, you’re welcome to book an appointment with any of our providers in and outside the office.
What services are covered under my plan?
Navigate to your insurance provider’s website or give them a call — look for the Member Services number on your insurance card — to get a list of covered services.
What will I owe for doctor visits?
For primary care visits, you’ll typically need to pay a copay (a flat dollar amount) or coinsurance (a percent). Specialist visits may have a higher copay or coinsurance, and you should see these listed on your insurance card. On top of your copay or coinsurance, you may owe more if your visit is applied to your deductible. More on that below.
What about my deductible?
Your deductible is the dollar amount you must pay out-of-pocket for certain covered services before your health insurance begins paying for your care. This may include services like in-office visits and lab tests, so it’s a good idea to check with your insurance to learn how much your deductible is and what services apply to it. Check out our guide to deductibles to learn more.
What about physical exams or well visits?
Good news! Most insurance plans fully cover one “well visit” or “physical exam” every 365 days. They’re pretty strict about that time constraint, though, so make sure it’s been at least 365 days since your last physical before you book your next one.
How about lab services?
Labwork will likely be billed separately from your office visits. At One Medical, we charge a nominal amount for in-office phlebotomy services (i.e. the blood draw itself). The bill for your lab tests will come from the company that processes them — at One Medical, we work with LabCorp and Quest.
How do I know what my labs will cost?
If you’d like an estimate of what you may owe for your labs, One Medical is happy to provide you with the names of your specific tests. You can then call your insurance provider to find out what you might be expected to pay.
Frequently used terms and phrases
Looking for a specific definition? Hold down Command+F on a Mac or Control+F on a PC to search.
Benefit: Health insurance is often referred to as an “employee benefit,” meaning that your employee covers all or a portion of its cost.
COBRA: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, or COBRA, touches on many different topics, including health insurance coverage. Notably, it allows employees to continue their health insurance coverage even after leaving employment.
Coinsurance: Some health plans are structured so that you pay a percent of your health care bill even after hitting your deductible, often ranging from 10 to 50 percent. This amount is pre-specified by your individual health plan.
Copayment: This is the amount that you pay us when you come in for a visit. If you are an HMO patient, it’s the only amount we receive for your visit. If you are a PPO patient, it’s a form of pre-payment.
Deductible: This is the amount that you are required to pay out of pocket before your insurance covers the remaining costs. For example, if you have a $500 deductible, and you have $1,200 in medical expenses for the year, you’ll have to pay the first $500, and your insurance will cover the remaining $700.
EOB: An explanation of benefits, or EOB, is a statement sent from your health insurance company detailing what health services were covered at a recent visit.
EPO: An exclusive provider organization, or EPO, is a type of health insurance plan that, like a PPO, has monthly premiums and deductibles. However, much like their name implies, EPOs have a smaller set of in-network providers and they generally do not offer any coverage if you decide to go out of network.
FSA: A flexible spending account (FSA) allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for many medical expenses (everything from office visits to medications). When you set up an FSA, you decide how much money you want to contribute from your paycheck each month and the funds are automatically deducted as pre-tax dollars. $500 in FSA funds can roll over to the next year.
HDHP: A high deductible health plan (HDHP) is an insurance plan that has a low monthly cost and a high deductible. These plans typically cover some preventive wellness visits without having to pay a deductible. If you have an HDHP, you also generally quality for an HSA.
HMO: Health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, offer comprehensive coverage among a more limited selection of providers than PPOs. Visits to specialists often require referrals, and diagnostic tests, procedures, and specific medications may require approval in advance. Out-of-pocket costs are generally lower than other forms of insurance, but monthly premiums are higher than HDHPs.
HRA: Funds in health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) are contributed by your employer. The funds in HRAs also do not count as income, and therefore aren’t taxed.
HSA: Much like FSAs, health savings accounts (HSAs) give you the opportunity to set aside money (pre-tax) to use for health care expenses. In order to have an HSA, your deductible must be at least $1,500, so it’s most common to have an HSA with a HDHP. HSA funds roll over from year to year, making them a great way to save for future health care expenses. There are limits on how much you can contribute to an HSA.
Labs / labwork: Common medical tests are often referred to as “labs” or “labwork” and may only be covered in network — or not at all — by some health insurance plans. Make sure to double check with your specific plan before the time comes to get tests performed.
Open enrollment: Once a year, employees have the opportunity to enroll in a health insurance plan or change his or her coverage. If an employee wishes to change coverage outside of the open enrollment period, he or she must experience a qualifying life event.
Out-of-pocket expenses: These are healthcare services that are not billed to insurance and require payment at the time of service. At One Medical, these include acupuncture and nutrition counseling.
Out-of-pocket maximum: This is the maximum amount you will have to pay for services covered by your health insurance in a plan year. Once you’ve reached this amount, you won’t pay any additional copayments, coinsurance, or other fees on covered benefits.
POS: A point of service (POS) insurance plan is a combination of PPO and HMO. You have the flexibility of both HMO and PPO coverage but are charged depending on who you see. These plans are functionally quite similar to PPOs but can sometimes be a little less expensive per month.
PPO: This type of insurance gives you more flexibility in whom you can see, but it often costs more than HMOs and HDHPs. Most preferred provider organizations (PPOs) charge you based on your level of consumption. Deductibles, co-insurance and other charges are common. In addition, we’re finding that PPOs have an increasing number of restrictions on which medications we can prescribe you.
PCP: Your primary care physician — the quarterback of healthcare! Your PCP serves as the first point of contact for an array of medical concerns, helping to identify new concerns and monitoring your overall health. Your PCP can refer you to specialists if needed. Many insurance plans require that you designate a specific PCP. At One Medical, the PCP you designate through insurance can be different from who you actually see in the office.
Qualifying life event: This is when a change in your life makes you eligible for updates to your healthcare coverage. Qualifying life events can include getting married or divorced, having a baby, moving to a new city, or a change in income.
Well visit / physical exam: Most insurance plans fully cover one preventive visit (aka “physical” or “well visit”) every 365 days.
Still looking for answers? Here are the rest of the posts from our “Becoming a Smarter Healthcare Consumer” series.
What is open enrollment?
Making sense of your insurance deductible
How billing works at One Medical
What do I need to know about FSAs and HSAs?
Pregnant? 4 important questions to ask your insurance
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/all-health-insurance/healthcare-costs/
Keeping Your Prostate Healthy as You Age
Aging Well October 30, 2017
With legions of men around the world growing mustaches this month to support Movember, the topic of prostate cancer is on many people’s minds. While many of us know prostate cancer research is a cause worth supporting, few men know that current screening and treatment strategies may be helpful for some and harmful for others.
As we’ve heard from some of our providers specializing in men’s health, male patients often breathe a sigh of relief when they’re told a prostate exam isn’t required during an annual check-up. And while older men are at greater risk for prostate cancer, in some cases, the pros of prostate cancer screening (or even treatment) most often don’t outweigh the cons, particularly when it comes to older men.
“This is such a complicated question for which we still don’t have definitive answers,” says One Medical’s Malcolm Thaler, MD. “Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, but only a tiny fraction of these cancers will be aggressive and clinically significant. The vast majority of prostate cancers will never impact clinical well-being or life expectancy.” According to Thaler, this is why it’s crucial for men of all ages to understand their individual risk and their options.
What are the facts about older men and prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer affects one in six men at some point in their lifetime, and older men are at higher risk. While men under 39 have a 0.005 percent chance of getting prostate cancer, by age 60, the chances increase to 13.7 percent. However, not all cases of prostate cancer require treatment. Doctors rely on a tool called the Gleason score to assess how likely a tumor is to spread. A tumor with a low Gleason score is unlikely to spread, and men with low Gleason scores face a minimal risk of developing prostate cancer within 15 years of their diagnosis. And even though men of all ages have a 16.7 percent chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point, only about 3 percent actually die of the disease. The vast majority of those diagnosed die from some other cause.
Research shows that age is a key factor in deciding on treatment for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Experts say that treating the condition in men over 70 could actually cause more harm than good. Observational studies of older men with early-stage disease suggest that conservative management of the disease rather than aggressive treatment may actually be a better option.
“If prostate cancer is diagnosed, the best treatment is also quite controversial,” Thaler says. “Simply monitoring the patient is a very reasonable approach. There are recent data showing a small but significant decrease in mortality in men who undergo surgery, but if everyone went to the operating room, many men would undergo needless surgery, which has its own share of potential side effects.”
Should older men be screened?
In general, experts say no, but there are exceptions. Some current screening tests can result in over-diagnosis with a “disease” that would never have caused any harm, leading to potentially harmful treatments, more anxiety, and higher health care costs.
“”It has been estimated that if we screened all men between the ages of 55 and 69 for prostate cancer, we would only save one life for every 1,000 men screened,” Thaler says. “This means that many men will undergo unnecessary testing, biopsies, and treatment with all the attendant anxiety and possible side effects. For these reasons, we generally do not recommend screening for prostate cancer in men at average risk who have no symptoms related to their prostate.”
According to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel of experts for prevention and primary care, men shouldn’t be screened with the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test because it hasn’t proven beneficial. PSA testing is considered flawed because PSA levels can vary with a significant amount of natural fluctuation that’s not related to cancer. Other prostate abnormalities, like infections, inflammation or even using drugs like ibuprofen can raise your PSA level. Even though an elevated PSA may not indicate cancer, abnormal tests prompt follow-up tests, which can lead to potentially unnecessary antibiotics, and invasive biopsies. Plus, there’s no proof that PSA tests and earlier treatment offer any overall benefit for faster-growing, invasive cancers. The American Urological Association (AUA) specifically recommends against the PSA test in men over age 70 or men with less than a 10-15 year life expectancy.
Is PSA testing ever worth the risk?
For men diagnosed with prostate cancer who have decided against therapeutic intervention (which doctors sometimes calls a “watch-and-wait” approach), the PSA test can be a helpful way to monitor the progress of the disease.
Providers may order regular PSA tests for men who have already been treated for prostate cancer (either with surgery, radiation, or hormonal therapy) to keep an eye on recurrence. A large increase in a patient’s PSA level, particularly a rapid rise in the number over a short period of time, can be a cause for concern and prompt additional testing and possible intervention.
“We clearly need better ways to screen for prostate cancer and identify those cancers that are most likely to be aggressive and therefore dangerous,” Thaler says.
What should you do?
No matter what your age, always discuss your own risk factors including personal and family history of prostate or other cancers with your primary care provider. He or she can offer guidance on the benefits and potential drawbacks of screening.
But testing isn’t the only way to take action in prostate cancer prevention. Here are some helpful lifestyle tips to lower your risk:
Reduce or eliminate red meat and dairy from your diet.
Fill your plate with vegetables, especially cooked tomatoes: the lycopene may be particularly helpful in guarding against prostate cancer.
Engage in some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week.
Incorporate stress-reduction practices like yoga or meditation into your daily life.
Consider taking vitamin D3 and fish oil supplements, but talk with your healthcare provider before beginning any new supplement regimen.
As for screening, Thaler reiterates the importance of weighing the pros and cons with a team of experts. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, and we encourage an informed dialogue with your primary care physician and urologist to arrive at the approach that makes the most sense for you,” he says.
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/live-well/older-men-and-prostate-cancer/
6 tips for avoiding the flu in an open office
Cold and Flu October 27, 2017
Teamwork is a beautiful thing…until it makes you sick. According to a University of Arizona study, it took just four hours for the germs on a contaminated workplace door to spread to the work surfaces and hands of half the employees in the office! Other office germ hot spots include coffee pots, microwaves and refrigerator door handles.
Whether you’re getting a flu shot or not, protect yourself from office germs with our six tips for staying healthy in an open office environment. You’ll be healthier, more productive, and continue to love your coworkers—even through cold and flu season.
Let us know what you think of our guide and feel free to share it on your web site or blog. Then test your knowledge and increase your flu IQ with this fun and quick flu prevention video.
he One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
Fear can be good — in small doses
Health 101 October 23, 2017
Are you heading to a haunted house to get the wits scared out of you this Halloween? Or does the mere thought cause you to feel anxious instead of exhilarated?
No matter which camp you fall into, you may have wondered why some people love being frightened while others detest the very idea of it. Here’s an explanation.
What is fear?
Fear is the body’s primal response to a threat. It usually causes a physical response in which the brain activates the body’s sympathetic nervous system. You may know this as the “fight or flight” response. When the sympathetic nervous system engages, your body undergoes several immediate physical changes:
Epinephrine (adrenaline) and other stress hormones flood your system
Your heart starts pounding
Breathing becomes fast and shallow
Your pupils dilate to better assess exit routes
Digestion slows down
Your bladder relaxes (oops!)
What’s interesting about the physical fear response is that one person may find it energizing and heady, while another person may find it unnerving and uncomfortable.
Everyone experiences fear differently
Every person experiences both emotions and feelings, and it’s important to note that these are not the same thing. An emotion is universal and hard-wired, and it’s unlikely to change over time. A haunted house is a great example: If something jumps out at you, you’re going to be surprised. Feelings are the way that we interpret that reaction. So that surprise could turn into joy, if you’ve had great experiences with being surprised, or anger, if you feel foolish for being surprised, or a variety of other feelings based on how you filter the information.
In other words, if you’ve experienced negative feelings in association with fear in the past, you’re less likely to enjoy activities–like watching a horror movie–that provoke fear. But if you’ve experienced positive associations with fear, then you may feel excited about the idea of being scared on purpose.
Recognize healthy fear versus unhealthy fear
The primal fear response served an evolutionary purpose in keeping human beings alert to prowling lions and other predators. This ancient emotion remains hardwired in each of us.
Fear still serves a purpose in this modern age. It can motivate us to meet a goal, or spur us to achievement on the job or in our personal lives. Deliberately provoking the fight-or-flight response may induce a release of tension and an influx of energy. These are all healthy responses to fear.
But that primal fear abides. Today’s “lions” come in the form of unceasing deadlines or work pressures that lead to a perpetual state of vigilance. When the sympathetic nervous system is switched on and never turned off, we can experience burnout and ensuing negative physical effects, such as coronary artery disease. This type of fear response is unhealthy.
So don’t worry if you hate horror movies or detest haunted houses. Fear can be energizing or draining. Your feelings may be normal for you, given your past experience with the emotion of fear. But if fear and anxiety have begun to rule your everyday life, seek professional counseling to help you cope.
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/live-well/what-is-fear/
Why employer healthcare strategies must be local
Healthy Workplace October 20, 2017
The best employers care not only about their employees’ productivity, but their well-being. And if you’re heading up a large company that employs people in various markets, you may be familiar with a common conundrum: health care is fundamentally local. And as a result, your employees may experience benefit disparity, an issue that’s undoubtedly caused you some concern.
Feeling unease is understandable, but the truth is, benefit disparity doesn’t have to be a drawback or a roadblock. Think for a moment about the other benefits you offer your employees: everything from on-site perks to commuter compensation. There’s no way you can create parity across markets for those types of benefits; so why should anxiety escalate when health care is concerned?
How local solutions solve benefit disparity
The current one-size-fits-all national strategy for health care isn’t working — we all know this. For many employers in this current climate, the typical action is to select a national insurance provider and hope that performance and delivery of care is equal in all markets. But within the current system, this isn’t possible or true; quality and cost can (and do) fluctuate from city to city and state to state.
Rather than simply hoping for equity within an unequal system, start by recognizing there is always going to be some unevenness on this playing field and start searching for ways to make each market strong, stable, and self-sufficient. Offer your employees the best care that’s available in each local market. By envisioning equity through local solutions, you can start moving forward toward tangible care, quality, and value.
Real examples of reimagining care
So how can you feasibly do this? One place to start is by looking to others who have started paving their own path. Take Disney for example. At the 22nd Annual Leadership Summit in San Diego, Walt Disney’s senior executive of employee health benefits, Barbara Wachsman, spoke out about the urgent need of better healthcare delivery in corporate America. And they aren’t just talking about it — Disney is restructuring its benefits programs, contracting directly with trusted, local healthcare providers to expand narrow networks and provide the best quality care.
Wachsman and others in her position are demanding better value from the providers in their health plan networks to better serve their scores of employees. Walmart is yet another example of a company challenging the status quo, moving to a centers of excellence program that sends employees to the Cleveland Clinic for specific procedures, ensuring an affordable price for the company and high-quality care for employees.
Research reveals innovative strategies
By searching for solutions outside the box, employers can successfully navigate a healthcare system that traditionally hasn’t suited their needs or the needs of their diverse employee populations. Onsite health centers are one option, but near-site primary care programs with integrated virtual care can be a strategic, affordable alternative solution. According to the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) 2018 Large Employers’ Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey, 54 percent of large employers will have on-site (or near-site) health centers in 2018 and another 11 percent are considering this by 2020. Additionally, about 25 percent of employers have on-site centers in one location only, while 22 percent of employers have on-site centers in at least 6 locations. The takeaway is that it is entirely possible to provide employees with quality, affordable care, regardless of your geographic location; the key is to shift your perspective on the current model and seek solutions that make sense for your company and your workers.
Bringing care to employees nationwide
Because One Medical has worked with an array of large corporations, we understand the concerns employers have around benefit disparity. Many of our clients have office locations in cities we haven’t arrived in yet. But because we’re already in major hubs — Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. — we have plenty of overlap with a large proportion of their employees from coast to coast. And for those employees who frequently travel among major metros, they can greatly benefit from our 24/7 virtual care and the opportunity to pop into any of our offices throughout the country.
By doing your due diligence, you can find the right solution for each regional population and provide your employees with the very best healthcare, that will deliver the highest value, regardless of geography.
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provhttps://www.onemedical.com/blog/healthy-workplace/local-healthcare-strategies/ider.
Is it a cold or the flu?
Cold and Flu October 16, 2017
It’s fall, and you’re beginning to feel a little run down. There’s a good chance it might be a cold or the flu.
There are many viruses that can cause the common cold or even flu. Fortunately, we have immune systems to handle that threat — typically, we can knock viruses out in a matter of days. However, there can be some flaws in the process.
While common colds can be safely treated at home, influenza (sometimes referred to as “the flu”) can be a bit trickier. In some situations, getting the flu may mean a visit to your primary care provider (PCP). This is especially true if you’re in a higher risk group — people over 65, pregnant woman, young children, and those with certain chronic conditions.
But how do you know when you need to do something more than take it easy? Is there a simple way to identify if it’s a cold or the flu? Here are five key things your PCP looks for to identify what’s ailing you.
Onset — colds usually ramp up gradually; the flu usually hits suddenly, all at once.
Fever — people with the flu usually have a fever for 3-4 days; people with a cold rarely have a fever above 99.5 F.
Body aches — colds may cause mild aches; the flu can cause very prominent body aches.
Cough — a persistent cough from the beginning of the illness is usually associated with the flu; a cough that is mild and combined with nasal drainage is usually from a cold.
Vomiting/diarrhea — these can happen with either a cold or flu, usually more so in kids; if you have severe symptoms in this area, that may indicate a different illness entirely.
And just because we love to share what we know about health, here’s a bonus quiz:
Q: Can the flu shot give me the flu?
A: Nope. Not ever. Never!
The flu vaccine contains small pieces of dead flu viruses, which stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies. When you encounter a live, intact virus, your immune system is already primed to knock it out before it can infect you. If you get sick within the few days after receiving a flu shot, it’s because you were already infected before getting the vaccine. If you get sick within two weeks post-flu shot, it’s because your body didn’t have enough time to get the immune response primed.
The solution? Get your vaccine early in the fall so your immune system will have time to get its boxing gloves on and be ready to protect you from the flu.
Still have questions about the flu? Head over to our flu page to find out more.
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/all-cold-flu/is-it-cold-or-flu/
How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke
Live Well October 13, 2017
Wildfires can devastate communities. But what many don’t realize is that they can impact far more than those directly in the path of the flames. Depending on the size of the fires, smoke and ash may stretch hundreds of miles away, creating health issues for many people. Here’s how you can protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
How the smoke may affect your health
Children, older adults, and those with heart or lung conditions, such as asthma or COPD, are at greatest risk of health issues, including severe breathing problems. Even if you’re not in these higher-risk groups, you may experience allergy-like symptoms, including congestion, sore throat, breathing issues, eye irritation, and fatigue.
If you feel like you’re not getting enough air, you should seek emergency medical attention.
How to protect yourself
Try to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid physical activity when the air quality is bad, especially if you’re in a high-risk group. Keep your windows and doors closed. If you have an air conditioner that recirculates air, this can help with the air quality in your home. Be sure your fresh-air intake is closed so you’re not pulling in smoky air.
When you go outside, we recommend wearing a particulate respirator mask rated N95 or P100. These are generally available at hardware stores, but may be difficult to find in times of high demand. Surgical masks, while often easier to find, won’t filter out the smallest particulates that are often in wildfire smoke. Try calling a local hardware store or pharmacy if you feel you need one. Bandanas and other types of masks don’t offer protection from smoke.
Finally, keep your eyes on local air quality reports. You can find regularly updated versions online that can help you make the safest choices for yourself and your family.
How One Medical can help
If you need to refill a prescription for inhaled medications or need any refill called into a different location, just let us know. You can make requests through the app, website, or by phone.
If you have any symptoms you’re concerned about that aren’t life threatening, feel free to reach out to us. We’re always here for you.
Additional resources
Be Prepared California
CDC Wildfire Health
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/live-well/protect-wildfire-smoke/
Most Americans have experienced mental health concerns — but are not proactively doing anything about it
Mental Health October 10, 2017
October 10 is World Mental Health Day – an opportunity to bring awareness to how common mental illness is and apply the proactive, preventive mindset we apply to our bodies to our minds, as well.
Mental health is finally beginning to receive the attention and open discussion it needs — most recently, even the British Royal Family began publicly talking about depression and counseling. To help further the narrative on how we should discuss and treat mental health struggles, we partnered with Ipsos, an independent market research company, to learn more about Americans’ top mental health concerns and their attitudes about seeking mental health treatment.
At One Medical, our primary care providers are dedicated to giving each patient quality, individualized treatment, including mental health care. While not many Americans realize their primary care providers (PCPs) are eager and qualified to discuss and treat patients’ mental health concerns, that’s exactly what we’re here to do. We’re dedicated to creating happier, healthier populations and working with patients to create personalized, achievable treatment plans that work for their lifestyles and budgets. Read on for the key takeaways of our study, and see if any of these points resonate with you.
Mental Health Affects Most Americans In Myriad Ways
According to our survey, 69 percent of Americans say at least one mental health issue affects their well-being. Stress from personal life was the top stressor, with 42 percent saying they’ve experienced it in the past year, and stress from work was right on its heels with 41 percent of employed respondents reporting its effects.
Our survey revealed other key trends in Americans’ mental health:
At least 1 in 5 people report being affected by one or more of seven common mental health issues, in order:
Stress from personal life (42%),
Anxiety (33%),
Stress from work (28%),
Sadness (27%),
Insomnia (24%),
Depression (22%), and
Excessive worry (21%).
Postpartum depression was reported by three percent of women, a sample reflective of the entire female population, not limited to women who experienced pregnancy.
While men (38%), older adults (47%), the more affluent (37%), and married people (36%) have the lowest prevalence of mental health ailments, a majority of these demographics still report suffering from mental illness at some point in the last year.
Work Is a Top Source of Stress
Among workers employed full-time, a large majority (69%) say their job or work environment causes stress, anxiety, or sleeplessness. Respondents most likely to report work-related stress are young, working parents — adults under the age of 35 (74%), with a college degree (61%), and with kids living at home (75%).
Additionally, most employed Americans (59%) say their stress levels from work are the same or higher this year versus last year, with about one-third (31%) reporting their stress levels at work have decreased since last year.
Most People Don’t Address Their Mental Health
There’s still work to be done to remove the stigma attached to mental health — nearly a third (29%) of Americans say they’re embarrassed to speak to people about mental health, even to medical professionals. It also turns out that people who were most likely to be interested in talking to a healthcare professional in the first place (outlined below) are also among those most likely to be embarrassed when it comes to opening up to people about their mental health concerns.
Still, a majority of people (54%) agree they would want to see a medical professional about their mental health — which could include their PCP. Take a look at the demographic populations of people most and least likely to be interested in mental health support from medical professionals:
Most likely to be interested in seeking out help:
69%: Younger adults, ages 18-34
68%: Parents with children living at home
61%: Unemployed people
Least likely to be interested in mental health help:
40%: Adults over the age of 55
48%: People with no kids at home
41%: Retirees
How Primary Care Can Help Mental Health
When it comes to seeking professional help for mental health concerns, two-thirds of people (64%) believe that you need to see a specialist, like a therapist or psychiatrist. However, only 12 percent of respondents indicated that they are currently seeing such a mental health specialist regularly (at least once a month). Cost is the biggest barrier to seeing a mental health professional, with 37 percent of respondents saying the financial aspect has kept them from accessing clinical counsel. When mental health care is merged with primary care, it can help keep costs manageable — instead of paying higher specialist fees, your mental health consultation is part of your regular office visit cost, which, for many patients, is a low copay.
When it comes to engaging primary care providers (PCPs) in mental health discussions, 35 percent of people say they’ve talked about mental health with their PCP — a smart way to either start a journey to treat mental health or even receive end-to-end treatment for many common diagnoses such as depression, insomnia, postpartum depression, and anxiety.
“Quality primary care is about the partnership between the patient and provider,” said Kristen Nelson, NP, a PCP at One Medical. “Strong relationships help PCPs get to know their patients in a way that can make diagnosing and treating mental health concerns even more effective, especially when they have open, ongoing lines of communication. Because PCPs receive training in mental health, including screening guidelines and treatment plans, they are an excellent resource for mental health questions or concerns.”
If you’re ready to speak with someone during Mental Health Month — or any month — our PCPs are here to help. Get more information on One Medical and all of the resources we offer at onemedical.com.
About One Medical
One Medical is on a mission to transform healthcare. A membership-based primary care practice, our offices and mobile app are the first place to go for everything about your health. By combining world-class providers and unique, technology-enabled approach to care and connection, we’re focused on getting to know you. Because we believe the better we know you, the better we can treat you. Our hundreds of thousands of members have access to nearly 60 primary care offices in 8 regions around the country. For 10 years, members have been joining individually or through their employers, making One Medical the fastest-growing independent primary care group in the US and earning us recognitions including Fast Company’s Most Innovative Company in Health in 2017. It helps that our founder and executive chairman Tom Lee, MD, is a Harvard-trained physician himself. To learn more, visit onemedical.com (for individuals) or onemedical.com/enterprise (for employers).
Survey Methodology:
These are the findings from an Ipsos poll conducted April 19-20, 2017, on behalf of One Medical. For the survey, a sample of 1,008 adults over the age of 18 from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Post-hoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, region, race/ethnicity and income. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.
The One Medical blog is published by One Medical, an innovative primary care practice with offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entities and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog, website, or app. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/all-mental-health/mental-health-survey/