Health Care for All Without Breaking the Bank (page 2 of 2)

More Solutions

What Insurance Companies Can Do

• Create insurance plans with more transparency, open communication and access to information.


A plan that really works: the Group Health Cooperative (ghc.org). This member-governed, nonprofit HMO with more than 574,000 members in Washington and Idaho has a truly patient-centered philosophy. It has a service that allows patients to do everything online: refill prescriptions, talk with their doctors, view their medical records and even get test results. Member satisfaction scores are through the roof.

What Pharma Companies Can Do

• Get medicines to people who need them but cannot afford them. Great model: the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA).


Since its launch in April 2005, PPA has matched more than 2.4 million people to patient assistance programs for free or nearly free prescription drugs. It's a single point of access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 180 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies (888-477-2669; pparx.org).

What Doctors and Hospitals Can Do

• Make the commitment to online resources and electronic records. Experts believe they'll reduce mistakes and save money.

What We Can All Do

• Take one new step to live a healthier life.


Let's pledge to do one thing better: Steam some broccoli, throw away the cigarettes, go for a 30-minute walk, breathe deeply in a quiet place for 10 minutes to reduce stress. Who can make the biggest difference in our nation's health? We can.

From Reader's Digest - October 2006

 

• • Barack Obama
• • Hillary Clinton
• Election '08
• • John McCain

• "I Can't Afford to Get Sick"
• Think your insurance has you covered? Just wait till you need it most.
• 
• Reader's Digest Health Care Poll
• Read our fascinating findings about the underinsured middle class
• 
• Insurance-Speak Translation
• 20 health care terms to know.
• 
• Secrets of Great Doctors
• An insider's guide to getting the best medical treatment.
• 
• Tips on Choosing Your Health Insurance Plan
• It pays to do your research before selecting a health plan.
• 
• View the complete America 2.0 poll results.
• 

• Be Inspired
• 10 Celebrities Who Give Back
• 7 Amazing Stories, $700,000 to Charity
• Virginia Cervasio: Making It Matter
• PLUS:
• Quiz: What's Your Celebrity Cause IQ?

Imagine my surprise when I went to Tipler Army Medical Center for a heart bypass operation and discovered my surgeon's name was Dr. Eror. "What a name for a doctor," I said, not sure whether to laugh or cry."Yeah," he agreed. "You can imagine the reaction I got when I was a major."

-- Gary Meyers