Why medical aid costs are soaring in SA.

Why medical aid costs are soaring in SA. Hospitals and specialists are ‘overgrazing’ medical aid members because there is a lack of regulatory controls, says the Board of Healthcare Funders.

Private hospital and specialists’ fees need to be regulated to contain costs for medical scheme members, according to the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF).

These fees take the “lion’s share” of members’ contributions, BHF Executive Director Dr Humphrey Zokufa told the Competition Commission’s market inquiry into private healthcare in Cape Town on Tuesday.

 “We are overgrazing the 8.8 million lives on medical schemes, who face increased contributions and shrinking benefits, while medical schemes face deficits,” said Zokufa, who laid the blame for increased costs on the fact that there is “no regulatory forum that controls what hospitals and specialists do”.

The Competition Commission set aside annual tariff negotiations in 2003, deeming it to be anti-competitive behaviour.

The BHF’s Dr Rajesh Patel said 72 percent of births in the private sector were Caesareans, while a rate of 35 percent might be acceptable.“These Caesareans are not clinically indicated but done for convenience, and ensured an extra half a billion rand was paid to hospitals,” said Patel.

10 tips on reading your medical scheme’s benefit schedule.

10 tips on reading your medical scheme’s benefit schedule. The devil is indeed in the detail when it comes to understanding your scheme’s benefit brochure.

There are some basic things you need to know about your medical scheme. These include network hospitals, the medical scheme rate, and cancer treatment offered on your option before you might suddenly be confronted with huge co-payments.

Here are a few things you need to look out for:

Fund rate.

 Many new members look at the benefit schedule and see that a fund pays 100% of the fund rate for hospital procedures. They then assume that they are fully covered for whatever happens in a hospital. Not so. The Fund rate is an industry rate which has been negotiated between funds and the service provider (hospital, doctors and so forth).

The actual rate might be much higher, and often is especially when it comes to private doctors and hospitals not part of the preferred network or one of the designated service providers. Some schemes pay 200% of the fund rate, but the contributions will be higher.

Pre-authorisation.

You need to get authorisation from your fund before you are admitted to hospital for any procedure. Find out about how to do this. If it is an emergency, the hospital or a relative must contact the fund as soon as possible, otherwise you might have to foot the bill yourself.

Beneficiary/family.

 If a principal member has dependants, they are all beneficiaries. Sometimes there are sub-limits in the benefit schedule per beneficiary and sometimes per family, which is the principal member and all his/her dependants together. So in the case of the latter, if one member has exhausted the total dental benefit for the family for the year, the others will have to pay cash until the benefits kick in again in the new benefit year.

many of us don't get enough of this vitamin.

The miracle of vitamin D. Fascinating research shows that vitamin D not only makes our bones healthy, but also protects against heart disease and cancer. And many of us don't get enough of this vitamin.

Nutrition research never fails to amaze and delight me. Over the many years (and believe me it's been a long time!) that I've worked in the field of nutrition and dietetics, researchers are constantly coming up with new and exciting information about nutrients and foods that are generally regarded as ‘old hat’.

The idea that we know everything about nutrients and food has been proved wrong over and over again. Vitamin D is such a nutrient. Until quite recently it was generally regarded as mainly important for bone health and growth and the recommended daily allowance (RDA) was specified as 5 microgram per day (or 200 IU/day). It seemed that we knew all there is to know about vitamin D.

But one can never become complacent in this field. Lately researchers have been concentrating their efforts on this vitamin and have come up with a number of startling new findings. 

Brain tumours more common in better educated, wealthier people.

Brain tumours more common in better educated, wealthier people. A Swedish study reveals that people with higher education or better jobs are more likely to be found with one of three types of brain tumour.

People who have a college education, a professional career or a big paycheck may be more likely to be diagnosed with a brain tumour than people who are less well-off or not as educated, a new study reports.

Ensuring timely medical access

Medical data for more than 4.3 million residents of Sweden revealed that people with higher education or better jobs were more likely to be found with one of three types of brain tumour – glioma, meningioma or acoustic neuroma.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that achievement in life increases the risk of brain tumours, said lead researcher Amal Khanolkar, a research associate with University College London's Institute of Child Health.People with money or a better education might be better able to notice something's wrong with their health.

 

"People with higher education are perhaps more likely to detect symptoms and seek medical care earlier on," Khanolkar said. These groups might also be more apt to have complete health data recorded in national cancer registries, such as the one used in this study, he said.

The study also found that single men are more likely to be diagnosed with brain tumours. "Spouses might notice symptoms in their partners, ensuing timely medical access," he said.

The most common male cancers.

The most common male cancers. Detecting cancer early can save your life. Know the facts about each of the most common male cancers.

Cencer has a number of platforms to drive awareness these days.Many organisations, worldwide, have made it their business to educate the public, while entire months have been dedicated to highlighting information about the various types of cancer.These are some of the most common types of male cancers.

Testicular cancer

If the cancer starts in the testicles, it would be called testicular cancer. As for how it develops, it would be useful to begin by talking about what testicles do. That is, they make male hormones such as testosterone. They also make sperm. 

Upwards of 90% of testicular cancers grow in special cells called germ cells. They’re the cells that produce sperm. There are two main types of germ cell tumours in men.

The first type, called seminomas, can take two forms. More than 95% of them are called classical seminomas, and they tend to occur in men between the ages of 25 and 45. Spermatocylic seminomas are rarer, develop more slowly, and tend to occur in men who are around 65

Home testing for cancer and heart disease soon?

Home testing for cancer and heart disease soon?In the era of home pregnancy tests, the obvious question is why easy-to-use self-tests have not yet been developed for life-threatening diseases.

We all grew up with the idea that if a woman suspects she is pregnant she can simply pop into a pharmacy and buy a pregnancy test to use at home. 

Huge impact

Conversely, if someone suspects they are suffering from cancer, heart disease, or an infection their first instinct is to contact a GP or call an ambulance. So the obvious question is why easy-to-use self-tests have not yet been developed for life-threatening diseases.

The answer is straightforward for a scientist: it has to do with the level of the biomarker – in this case, the proteins produced by the cells in the body that are specific to the particular condition – that must be measured. Not only that but one has to measure the complexity of the biological sample – the blood or serum in the case of biomarkers. The impact of those two aspects is huge, as revealed by the very limited technological alternatives to "dipstick" tests currently available to the global healthcare market.

The “pregnancy test” is actually a great example of a dipstick test capable of detecting the presence of a pregnancy hormone called human chronic gonadotrophin (hCG) in urine, which is produced by the body after conceiving. The test uses similar chemistry to the one involved in measuring many other protein biomarkers from blood – but the measurement of protein biomarkers remains limited to bulky clinical pathology labs and companies are still struggling to miniaturise this sophisticated lab equipment.

Home HIV testing gets the green light

Home HIV testing gets the green light. After years of debate about the merits of home HIV testing, a ban has been lifted on pharmacist sales of do-it-yourself HIV tests.

harmacists can sell take-home HIV testing kits, according to Pharmacy Council of South Africa Registrar and CEO Amos Masango.

According to Masango, a May 2015 decision by the council effectively quietly removed the ban on pharmacist sales of HIV self-testing kits. The decision comes almost one year after the council gazetted a draft plan to remove the ban. The proposed lifting of the ban was warmly received publicly, according to Masango.

Over a year of deliberations

"Most pharmacists and the public felt that a pharmacist was better placed to deal with the sale of such tests given the sensitivity and the professionalism required in dealing with the condition," said Masango, who explained that after more than a year of deliberation, the council has now green-lighted the sale of do-it-yourself tests.

"The council in October 2014 had decided not to publish the minimum standard for implementation until such time that a standard for selling of HIV tests kits had been designed," he added. "In May 2015, the council finally resolved that the minimum standards – which effectively removed the ban for pharmacists to sell the HIV test kits that were approved in October 2014 – were sufficient and that there was no requirement to formulate further standards for selling HIV test kits.

Learn how to revive and support your spine.

5 No-Equipment Back Exercises You Need in Your Life Learn how to revive and support your spine.

Learn how to revive and support your spine.

Hunching over laptops and smartphones for hours on end does your back no favors. In fact, it’s one of the biggest—and most important—muscle groups we’re guilty of ignoring. And the issue isn’t just aesthetics (though a toned back can help you look better in that suit or strapless dress). “Back strengthening exercises are crucial to maintaining functional movement and preventing back injuries for all populations,” says Matthew Wert, M.D., an Orthopedic Surgeon and Director of Sports Medicine at New 

York Methodist Hospital.

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Your back is used in nearly every movement you perform throughout the day, from bending over to tie your shoes, to carrying your backpack or purse to putting your luggage in the overhead bin on flights. However, the back is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body for all age groups, according to Wert. “Workplace exercises and back health maintenance are crucial, because although a desk job may seem relatively easy on the body, maintaining a sitting position for long periods of time strains the back and places pressure on our discs,” says Wert.

RELATED: 5 Standing Desk Stretches to Relieve Stress Now

Your job: To make your posterior a priority, Wert says. In addition to getting up and moving around at least once every 60 minutes, it’s time to get back to basics with a few key bodyweight moves. The five exercises below will target the lats, lumbar and rhomboids, not to mention the spinal erector muscles that surround, stabilize and support the spine. The best part? No heavy weights are needed! 

The best bike ride in every state

The best bike ride in every state:-

 Some parts of America are famous for their wide-open spaces, while others take pride in their mountains or coastal views. But no matter what a state’s best features are, chances are they’re even better when explored on a bike.

So we rounded up some of the best places to bike across the country, from gravel rail-trails to scenic byways to technical mountain singletrack. All routes are point-to-point, and distances listed are one way, unless otherwise noted. Before you head out, check trail websites for hours, pricing information (some charge fees), and safety information. Happy pedaling! (Not a cyclist? Check out the 50 Day Hikes You Must Add to Your Bucket List instead.)

Alabama:-

Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham The park’s 22-mile Double Oak Trail—also known as the Red Trail—is a mix of skinny singletrack and wider doubletrack sections, and its terrain is varied enough to delight any mountain biker, beginner to expert. No wonder the International Mountain Bike Association inducted Oak Mountain into its Epic Rides Hall of Fame. Ride the entire loop, and you’ll climb about 1,600 feet.

Alaska:-

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Anchorage This 11-mile stretch of paved, car-free road meanders easily along the Cook Inlet coast and through scented forests, and offers sweeping views of North America’s highest peak, Mount Denali. Keep an eye out for moose, bald eagles, and beluga whales.

The Best Bikini Line Hair Removal Product You Can Buy at the DrugstoreAfter testing five drugstore waxes.

The Best Bikini Line Hair Removal Product You Can Buy at the DrugstoreAfter testing five drugstore waxes and razors, Health's social media editor names her top pick, and ranks the rest.
 

I've been getting professional bikini waxes once a month since 2013, and at $50 a pop (including tip—always tip well for hair removal!), it recently hit me that I've shelled out more than $1,800 in the name of hair removal. So when my editor asked for a volunteer to test out DIY de-fuzzing methods, I jumped at the chance. Over the course of several weeks, I tried out five bikini line hair removal methods—traditional razors, wax kits, trimmers, and next-level hair-removal gadgets—to find the products that would help me feel confident during short-shorts and bikini season (is it me, or do swimsuit bottoms keep getting lower and lower?). Read on to see how they stacked up.

THE OVERALL WINNER: Schick Hydro Silk TrimStyle:-

The Schick was my favorite of all the home hair removal methods I tested. The double-ended tool has a trimmer on one side and a shaver on the other—no fussing with separate products required. The razor has a flexible head, which allowed me to get a close shave along the grooves of me bikini line, around my knees, and in my armpits. The handle is grooved too, so it's easy to hold and maneuver in the shower—important for someone like me, who has horrendous vision.

THE RUNNER UP: Venus Swirl Razor:-

This Weight Loss Device to Treat Obesity Looks Insane—But Is It, Really?

 This Weight Loss Device to Treat Obesity Looks Insane—But Is It, Really? Here's why leading doctors think the stomach-draining AspireAssist could actually help people. 

Unless you’ve been avoiding cable news and Twitter lately (in which case we're jealous), you’ve probably heard about AspireAssist, the controversial new obesity treatment that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last week.

Basically, it’s a tube that’s surgically inserted into a person’s stomach, and allows them to drain some of the food they’ve just eaten through a port valve and into a toilet. Approved for folks with a BMI between 35 and 55 (a BMI over 30 is classified as obese), the AspireAssist can prevent the body from absorbing nearly a third of a meal’s calories. (Here’s a video that shows how it works.)

Now, before we go any further, let’s just admit that our knee-jerk reaction was that this device sounds totally bonkers. We weren’t alone, either. The media dubbed it a "bulimia machine." Stephen Colbert explained it as "machine-assisted abdominal vomiting."

RELATED: The Eating Disorder Many Women Don't Know They Have:-

But is this opinion fair? Probably not. “It’s not society’s job to judge [the AspireAssist] based on whether they think it’s morally okay or not,” says Yoni Freedhoff, MD, author of The Diet Fix and the director of the Bariatric Medical Institute in Ottawa, Canada. (For the record, he’s unaffiliated with the device.) “Our opinions should be based on evidence and results.”

Yep, There's a Makeup Line Made Specifically for Working Out

 
Yep, There's a Makeup Line Made Specifically for Working OutA a group of female professional-level and Olympic athletes developed the line, which was specifically formulated for people who lead an active lifestyle. 

  Many of us have applied makeup pre-workout, or at least kept our makeup on before hitting the gym at the end of the day. After all, it can feel like a hassle to take it off when you just want to get your workout on. And while we've been told not to wear color cosmetics when we're doing our thing in the gym, sometimes it's nice to have a little coverage while you're sweating it out. Ya know? However, the inherent problem is that, well, makeup tends to melt and run in the presence of excessive sweat. Raise your hand if you've ever had a workout tank stained by the foundation you refused to wipe off pre-spin class. 

Well, a group of female professional-level and Olympic athletes came up with a solution to that problem by developing a makeup line that was specifically formulated for people who lead an active lifestyle. They named the brand, naturally, Sweat Cosmetics. The co-founder and chief operating officer, Taryn Hemmings, is a professional soccer player who played for the Boston Breakers and the Chicago Red Stairs, and the brand's other co-founder and CFO, Emily Hines, played division 1 college soccer. The other corporate team members sweat it out regularly, as well, by chasing babies, doing hot yoga, and indoor cycling.

How to Make a Passion-Peach Smoothie

How to Make a Passion-Peach Smoothie:-

This flavorful fruit smoothie will give you the energy boost you need after a serious workout. Bonus? The ginger adds some anti-inflammatory oomph, making it the perfect drink for muscle repair and recovery. Watch the video to see a step-by-step demonstration.

Ingredients:-

1 cup passion fruit nectar
2 cups sliced peeled peaches
8 ounces vanilla fat-free yogurt
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Preparation:-

1. Combine 1 cup passion fruit nectar (find it in the juice aisle), 2 cups sliced peeled peaches, 8 ounces vanilla fat-free yogurt, 1/8 teaspoon almond extract, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, and 5-6 ice cubes in blender. Process ingredients until smooth, and pour into 4 tall glasses. Garnish with additional peach slices, if desired.