bWell-informed.com CEO Philip Micali appeared on Fox Business News in two segments this morning. He discussed the cutting edge bWell-informed Health Plan Forecasting tool, as well as provided important insights on the state of health care coverage in today's unstable financial environment and heated political climate.
Click to watch the videos below:
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
bWell International Launches New Online Health Plan Forecaster
NEW YORK, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- bWell-informed(TM) Health Plan Forecaster, a free health insurance comparison resource for individuals, goes live today at www.bwell-informed.com. The tool allows a user to project costs associated with his or her unique health risks and select the most appropriate health plan option based on those risks.
Based on the award-winning software application previously available only to employers, the bWell-informed(TM) Health Plan Forecaster is the first and only tool that allows individual consumers to truly make the connection between physical wellbeing and financial wellbeing. The tool includes robust education about a wide range of plan types, a built-in online Health Risk Assessment, as well as tax status and risk tolerance assessments. With the data entered in these assessments, users can explore plan suitability, examine financial scenarios associated with predicted healthcare usage, and compare health insurance options based on their projected health risks.
Once they've compared their options, users can purchase a plan directly through eHealthInsurance.com, the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses. More than one million policy lives have been insured nationwide through eHealthInsurance, which brings together thousands of health plans from more than 180 health insurance companies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The bWell-informed Health Plan Forecaster is ideal for consumers such as college students, the self-employed or unemployed, those coming off COBRA insurance and/or retirees. And with the start of open enrollment season, the tool is also a boon for consumers who find themselves hit with additional cost sharing from their employers.
"We created bWell-informed to help Americans take control and instill confidence when buying health insurance," said bWell CEO and Founding Principal Philip Micali. "We're in a time of great change, with individuals demanding more information and more control. Finding the right health care coverage consists of balancing personal wellbeing and the family budget -- and we're proud to have created a tool that helps consumers do that."
With the bWell-informed(TM) Health Plan Forecaster, individuals and families can:
- Prepare by learning about many commonly-available health insurance options that are available to individuals.
- Safely share information about themselves and their family members, including information about health risks and financial factors.
- Compare plans based on the data entered, and examine various financial scenarios associated with predicted health care usage.
- Get answers to questions about the health plan options.
- Get quotes for health insurance plans.
About bWell-informed (http://www.bwell-informed.com)
bWell-informed empowers individuals with healthcare resources and tools that help them better manage both health and medical costs. bWell-informed is the flagship product of bWell International (http://www.bwell-inc.com). Founded in 2004, bWell International is a health benefits education and consulting company. The company's interactive tools and guidance help clarify health benefits and boost employee confidence in the complex decision-making process surrounding health plan selection and health risk management.
SOURCE bWell International
Friday, August 29, 2008
Green is the Color of Wellness
by Radhika Ramesh, graduate intern, bWell International
What is the color of wellness? I say Green. Because green symbolizes the natural world. Because green stands for fertility, growth and prosperity. Because it also stands for money. Because green is the color of life.
And the Earth is rather brown-grey at the moment. Sooty fumes and emissions from our cigarettes, vehicles, factories, satellites, and airplanes, together with chemicals, aerosols and particulate matter have resulted in large scale pollution, ozone depletion and global warming. Even if you don't believe Al Gore, it is hard to miss the tell-tale signs of trouble: declining biodiversity, devastating floods in Malaysia, earthquakes in China, landslides in Pakistan, droughts in Kenya and wildfires in Portugal. The symptoms of a very sick Earth. An Earth that is neither well nor green.
Sometime in the mid-twentieth century, the growing awareness that human beings were wrecking the environment and the recognition of the magnitude and implications of this damage led to the modern environmental movement and the race to restore order to our ecosystem. Thus, Greening of the Earth is about more than just a pretty, green landscape. Greening is renewal and revitalization. Greening is a call for a well Earth. It is also a necessity for well Earthlings.
In his book, Beyond the Land Ethic (1999), J. Baird Callicott, who taught the world's first course in environmental ethics, asserts that the Wellness movement in America is ancillary to the environmental movement. How else could it be? World War II left behind a legacy of new generation pesticides, heavy duty combustion engines, the miracle of atomic fusion and a booming cigarette demand that blanketed America in a heavy, grey smog. While the Environmental movement sprang up to attempt to undo the damage done to the Earth, the Wellness movement arose to try to undo the damage done to people. For how can we be healthy if the Earth is miserable?
The National Wellness Institute, one of the oldest wellness organizations in the United States, has developed the Six Dimensional Model of Wellness that emphasizes the social and environmental aspects of wellness, in addition to the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and occupational dimensions. The interrelatedness of these different dimensions is apparent. How can you be emotionally well if your career is not satisfying? How can you expand your intellectual curiosity if you have a nagging pain in your stomach all the time? How can you feel happy and content when you are constantly under attack by fumes from vehicles, cigarettes and burning tires? How can you be disease-free if your neighborhood is built on a toxic dump? How can you be healthy if the Earth is not? How can Greenness and Wellness be any different? How can America be the health capital of the world if it is also not the environmental capital?
The United States is the highest consumer of fossil-fuel energy in the world. The combustion of fossil-fuels, which are a non-renewable energy source, is known to result in ecologically destructive outcomes. A report outlined by the National Research Council (NRC) notes that each year, 76 million gallons of petroleum seep into North America's oceans. Apart from large scale oil-spills and accidents in transport, human caused releases from cars, trucks, personal watercraft, urban street runoff, improper disposal of petroleum products and other sources contribute to the oil in our oceans. The damage to our ecosystem is often irreparable. Furthermore, a study by the University of Cincinnati shows that more than 30% of American public schools are within 400 meters of major highways and thus in close proximity to environmental pollutants and susceptible to respiratory diseases. But there is more. A report from the American Lung Association claims that around 137 million Americans breathe unhealthy amounts of smog. While the Earth chokes, so do we.
Over the past decade or so, the definition of wellness has changed from the narrow concept of absence of pain to being proactive about health and prevention. The modern wellness movement has taught us that the absence of illness is hardly a health goal and empowered us to take charge of our health and lifestyle. As the connection between individual well-being and environmental context becomes clearer, we need to be proactive about our planet as well, and act when we still have the time.
Awareness of this direct correlation between the social milieu and the ecological milieu also brings with it an understanding of the importance of preserving the beauty and balance of nature and of building a living space in harmony with our environment. We are but one of the many components of this ecosystem which need to function co-operatively to co-exist. We need to respect the earth's limits and think in terms of sustainable products and systems. Because a healthy earth means a healthy us.
Because Wellness is Green.
What is the color of wellness? I say Green. Because green symbolizes the natural world. Because green stands for fertility, growth and prosperity. Because it also stands for money. Because green is the color of life.
And the Earth is rather brown-grey at the moment. Sooty fumes and emissions from our cigarettes, vehicles, factories, satellites, and airplanes, together with chemicals, aerosols and particulate matter have resulted in large scale pollution, ozone depletion and global warming. Even if you don't believe Al Gore, it is hard to miss the tell-tale signs of trouble: declining biodiversity, devastating floods in Malaysia, earthquakes in China, landslides in Pakistan, droughts in Kenya and wildfires in Portugal. The symptoms of a very sick Earth. An Earth that is neither well nor green.
Sometime in the mid-twentieth century, the growing awareness that human beings were wrecking the environment and the recognition of the magnitude and implications of this damage led to the modern environmental movement and the race to restore order to our ecosystem. Thus, Greening of the Earth is about more than just a pretty, green landscape. Greening is renewal and revitalization. Greening is a call for a well Earth. It is also a necessity for well Earthlings.
In his book, Beyond the Land Ethic (1999), J. Baird Callicott, who taught the world's first course in environmental ethics, asserts that the Wellness movement in America is ancillary to the environmental movement. How else could it be? World War II left behind a legacy of new generation pesticides, heavy duty combustion engines, the miracle of atomic fusion and a booming cigarette demand that blanketed America in a heavy, grey smog. While the Environmental movement sprang up to attempt to undo the damage done to the Earth, the Wellness movement arose to try to undo the damage done to people. For how can we be healthy if the Earth is miserable?
The National Wellness Institute, one of the oldest wellness organizations in the United States, has developed the Six Dimensional Model of Wellness that emphasizes the social and environmental aspects of wellness, in addition to the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and occupational dimensions. The interrelatedness of these different dimensions is apparent. How can you be emotionally well if your career is not satisfying? How can you expand your intellectual curiosity if you have a nagging pain in your stomach all the time? How can you feel happy and content when you are constantly under attack by fumes from vehicles, cigarettes and burning tires? How can you be disease-free if your neighborhood is built on a toxic dump? How can you be healthy if the Earth is not? How can Greenness and Wellness be any different? How can America be the health capital of the world if it is also not the environmental capital?
The United States is the highest consumer of fossil-fuel energy in the world. The combustion of fossil-fuels, which are a non-renewable energy source, is known to result in ecologically destructive outcomes. A report outlined by the National Research Council (NRC) notes that each year, 76 million gallons of petroleum seep into North America's oceans. Apart from large scale oil-spills and accidents in transport, human caused releases from cars, trucks, personal watercraft, urban street runoff, improper disposal of petroleum products and other sources contribute to the oil in our oceans. The damage to our ecosystem is often irreparable. Furthermore, a study by the University of Cincinnati shows that more than 30% of American public schools are within 400 meters of major highways and thus in close proximity to environmental pollutants and susceptible to respiratory diseases. But there is more. A report from the American Lung Association claims that around 137 million Americans breathe unhealthy amounts of smog. While the Earth chokes, so do we.
Over the past decade or so, the definition of wellness has changed from the narrow concept of absence of pain to being proactive about health and prevention. The modern wellness movement has taught us that the absence of illness is hardly a health goal and empowered us to take charge of our health and lifestyle. As the connection between individual well-being and environmental context becomes clearer, we need to be proactive about our planet as well, and act when we still have the time.
Awareness of this direct correlation between the social milieu and the ecological milieu also brings with it an understanding of the importance of preserving the beauty and balance of nature and of building a living space in harmony with our environment. We are but one of the many components of this ecosystem which need to function co-operatively to co-exist. We need to respect the earth's limits and think in terms of sustainable products and systems. Because a healthy earth means a healthy us.
Because Wellness is Green.
Friday, August 17, 2007
What? America doesn't have the 'best' health system? Read on.
An August 12 New York Times editorial highlights the imperfections of the American healthcare system. It is becoming clear that the
The editorial discusses insurance coverage and says that 45 million Americans simply do not have health insurance. This is a problem. Because of the high cost of care people without health insurance are unable to receive routine checkups and are therefore unable to be screened for diseases that could be treated if caught early. Because of this, many Americans are forced to wait until they are in the late stages of a disease (cancer, for example) before they go for treatment, because they can’t afford it otherwise. The problem is that the treatment for late-stage cancer is much more expensive than preventative care, or treatment for the disease in the early stages. As a result, the disease ends up costing the patient, and the system, much more than it should. This is part of the reason why healthcare in this country is so expensive and why so many millions of American’s can’t afford healthcare coverage.
Policy Change
The healthcare and insurance system in
In the wake of Michael Moore’s “Sicko,” the term “universal healthcare” instantly excites people and Huckabee almost seems radical in saying that we do not need a government-run universal healthcare program. But, in reality, Huckabee might have the right idea. As discussed above, and in previous posts, preventative care and a system that values health care, not just sick care, would greatly reduce cost and force Americans to become more proactive about their health.
While no one would disagree that every American needs to have access to affordable healthcare, the argument becomes whether or not the healthcare system should remain private, or if it should become public, and run by the government. And honestly, do we really want the government running our healthcare system anyway?
Record Keeping Technology
The same editorial addresses the issue of the way medical records are kept in the
Monday, August 13, 2007
Gupta of CNN: Using Cable Reach for Good Health Messages
We all know we need to take care of ourselves when we are sick. But, what about taking care of ourselves when we aren’t sick? With healthcare costs spiraling out of control, taking charge of your wellness is one of the easiest things you can do to save money and regain a sense of power in relation to your health.
In Dr. Sanjay Gupta's CNN blog, Miriam Falco talks about the need for preventative medicine and what we can do to help keep ourselves healthy. Her recommendations, which come from the Partnership for Prevention group, include getting screened for colon cancer and getting a yearly flu shot. She also says “less than half of Americans who should be taking aspirin daily to prevent heart disease do so. If that number went up to 90 percent, 45,000 additional lives would be saved – at a cost of pennies a day.”
Preventing Chronic Disease
According to a study by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, “40 percent of the candidates on the waitlist for organ transplantation [in 2004] . . . had a primary diagnosis of a preventable chronic condition.” These “preventable chronic conditions” included Type 2 Diabetes, hepatitis, emphysema and cirrhosis. The point is that 40 percent of people who were sick enough to need an organ transplant could have prevented it.
And preventing these diseases does not have to include numerous yearly visits to the doctor’s office or expensive medical testing. There are many things that we can do that do not require any medical attention whatsoever. If you are exercising and eating right you are more likely to have a healthy body weight, which reduces your risk for diabetes and other chronic conditions. If you quit smoking you will significantly reduce your risk for developing lung cancer. If you put on sunscreen before you head out the door each morning you will be protecting your body from the harmful rays that can cause skin cancer; the list is endless.
Other things include drinking 6-8 glasses of water each day, exercising regularly and eating healthy foods. I know you’ve heard these things a thousand times, but the truth is that small changes do make a big difference. If you start drinking more water each day your body will feel more hydrated and you will have more energy throughout the day. With your newfound energy you will be more motivated to be active and exercise, and once you start exercising you will be more likely to make healthy eating choices. It really is like a domino effect.
It is simple: the healthier you are the less money you have to spend on healthcare. So why not skip that soda you were about to open, and grab a glass of ice water instead? Remember, the little things count too!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Response to Dick Feagler op-ed, Cleveland PD
(Note to readers: See Feagler's article here.)
Dear Mr. Feagler -- if you ever want to experience what 'free' health
care is like, I encourage you to come to Hungary for your next operation
or medical visit for a pre-existing condition, like diabetes. Bring
Hillary.
I am a native of Cleveland and have lived in Budapest since 1991.
That's long enough to be able to tell you that I would never wish the
Hungarian, 'free', socialized healthcare system on my worst enemy -- or
on you. Come, have your gall bladder taken out at St. John's hospital
in Budapest. You will only have to share your room with 12 other people
with various illnesses, including folks in the last stages of cancer who
are literally screaming with pain. 'Morphine, you asked? What
morphine, Mr. Feagler. Didn't you know our morphine quota ran out two
months ago? He'll be gone soon, anyway...' Oops, there are only 11 of
you in the room now. I didn't notice that two people had passed away
earlier today -- and no one else seems to have noticed either -- despite
the fact that there are no curtains between beds and everyone is exposed
to everyone else, whether you're dying or just trying to maneuver the
bed pan to the right place.
BTW, when you do come to Budapest for that operation, don't forget to
bring dishes, utensils, towels, toilet paper, juice, crackers, etc.,
because none of those are provided at the hospital. And, since the
meals are a bit on the 'lite' side, (a roll with butter for breakfast, a
bowl of soup for lunch, and a slice of mystery meat for dinner), you'll
want to make sure that a friend or relative brings you real meals a
couple times a day so that you can keep up your strength during the
recuperation period. We all know how important a healthy immune system
is after an operation, especially with that nasty staph infection
problem they can't seem to shake off at St. John's.
After a day or two in the hospital, it's always nice to take a hot
shower. The bathrooms and toilets, circa 1898, are down the hall --
sorry about the line. I realize there are no doors on the stalls, no
seats on the toilets or toilet paper, but remember when I told you you'd
have to bring that? No handles on the water taps? Sorry. 'Must be
those damn gypsies again, stealing anything they can get money for down
at the junkyard...'
Oh, and then there's the medication. Budapest hospitals don't always
have what you need on hand during and following the operation. So
you'll want to make sure you get everything on the list they hand you a
couple days before the operation. (I hope you have a friend who owns a
pharmacy or know someone who does...)
A visit to the maternity ward reveals 13 women in one room: some are in
full labor (again, no curtains); some are nursing their newborns for the
first time, while still others have just had an abortion or their third
miscarriage in as many years. Life, death, and the murder of innocents
play out in the same space, for all to witness and process.
After having given birth to my only child in Budapest in 1999, my
husband and I promised ourselves that we would never subject ourselves
or our newborn to 'free' health care. Ever. Not having many options,
we did what anyone who had experienced both the American and Hungarian
healthcare systems would have done: we joined the AMERICAN Clinic in
Budapest, now known as FirstMed Centers. It's not 'free', Mr. Feagler,
but as we all know, you get what you pay for.
Julianna Gulden
Budapest, Hungary
Dear Mr. Feagler -- if you ever want to experience what 'free' health
care is like, I encourage you to come to Hungary for your next operation
or medical visit for a pre-existing condition, like diabetes. Bring
Hillary.
I am a native of Cleveland and have lived in Budapest since 1991.
That's long enough to be able to tell you that I would never wish the
Hungarian, 'free', socialized healthcare system on my worst enemy -- or
on you. Come, have your gall bladder taken out at St. John's hospital
in Budapest. You will only have to share your room with 12 other people
with various illnesses, including folks in the last stages of cancer who
are literally screaming with pain. 'Morphine, you asked? What
morphine, Mr. Feagler. Didn't you know our morphine quota ran out two
months ago? He'll be gone soon, anyway...' Oops, there are only 11 of
you in the room now. I didn't notice that two people had passed away
earlier today -- and no one else seems to have noticed either -- despite
the fact that there are no curtains between beds and everyone is exposed
to everyone else, whether you're dying or just trying to maneuver the
bed pan to the right place.
BTW, when you do come to Budapest for that operation, don't forget to
bring dishes, utensils, towels, toilet paper, juice, crackers, etc.,
because none of those are provided at the hospital. And, since the
meals are a bit on the 'lite' side, (a roll with butter for breakfast, a
bowl of soup for lunch, and a slice of mystery meat for dinner), you'll
want to make sure that a friend or relative brings you real meals a
couple times a day so that you can keep up your strength during the
recuperation period. We all know how important a healthy immune system
is after an operation, especially with that nasty staph infection
problem they can't seem to shake off at St. John's.
After a day or two in the hospital, it's always nice to take a hot
shower. The bathrooms and toilets, circa 1898, are down the hall --
sorry about the line. I realize there are no doors on the stalls, no
seats on the toilets or toilet paper, but remember when I told you you'd
have to bring that? No handles on the water taps? Sorry. 'Must be
those damn gypsies again, stealing anything they can get money for down
at the junkyard...'
Oh, and then there's the medication. Budapest hospitals don't always
have what you need on hand during and following the operation. So
you'll want to make sure you get everything on the list they hand you a
couple days before the operation. (I hope you have a friend who owns a
pharmacy or know someone who does...)
A visit to the maternity ward reveals 13 women in one room: some are in
full labor (again, no curtains); some are nursing their newborns for the
first time, while still others have just had an abortion or their third
miscarriage in as many years. Life, death, and the murder of innocents
play out in the same space, for all to witness and process.
After having given birth to my only child in Budapest in 1999, my
husband and I promised ourselves that we would never subject ourselves
or our newborn to 'free' health care. Ever. Not having many options,
we did what anyone who had experienced both the American and Hungarian
healthcare systems would have done: we joined the AMERICAN Clinic in
Budapest, now known as FirstMed Centers. It's not 'free', Mr. Feagler,
but as we all know, you get what you pay for.
Julianna Gulden
Budapest, Hungary
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Doing the Math for Smokers
Smoking and Wealth
As if tar-coated lungs and yellow teeth are not enough to convince smokers to quit, a new study shows the negative effects that smoking can have on your wealth.
The
Obviously, a smoker spends money on their habit, which could certainly contribute to the lower net worth. The study shows that a typical smoker in the
That is $14,000 that a non-smoker would be able to spend in a different way, or put into savings.
While the study admits that causation between heavy smoking and a lower net worth can’t be proved, the correlation between the two is undeniable.
Smoking and Youth
In today’s society, smoking is quickly becoming more and more socially unacceptable. Many states have implemented laws that forbid smoking in public places and some workplaces have also implemented non-smoking policies.
It is also becoming difficult for young people to justify why they start smoking since the health dangers that come along with smoking are very well known. It has also recently been shown that young people are likely to become addicted to cigarettes more quickly than previously thought.
The new study, which was published July 2007 in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, says that within two days of inhaling their first cigarette, some youths can crave nicotine. More specifically, about half of young smokers in the study felt cravings for nicotine when they were smoking only seven cigarettes per month.
This challenges the thought many young people have that they can smoke casually and socially in their youth and then quit before they become addicted.
It also makes it even more important for parents to communicate with their children about the dangers of smoking and the harmful addiction that comes with it.
Time to Quit
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health; the surgeon general tells us so. But we now know that smoking can also be bad for your bank account. If a heavy smoker quits smoking they can save about $700 per year. So what are you waiting for?
The above studies can be found online at:
http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/13/4/370
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