Medical Insurance Sucks
I have noticed an up tick recently in the number of my friends who are having medically necessary treatments or procedures declined for payment by insurance companies. It seams like the insurance companies are trying to save as much money now as they can before the new laws take affect.
Personally, I have begun asking my doctors office if they take my insurance, and how much or what percentage is covered for each service the doctors office provides. I am doing this, because the doctor might see me, or order tests with out thinking about my insurance coverage, and then I might end up in collections because I can’t pay the bill. Apparently, it’s up to me to be pro active if I want to stay out of medical bill debt.
Personally, I would have liked the health care bill to require the medical profession to make the costs the same for any test, procedure or treatment no matter where it takes place. If a CAT scan is ordered on my shoulder, the price should be the same all across the country. If a specific blood test is ordered by my doctor, the cost should be the same in a hospital or in a local private clinic. If I have 12 visits for my physical therapy for my broken leg, the cost should be the same no matter where I go for therapy.
I realize, that some people would call my idea the beginning of socialized medicine, and that others would argue that you should be able to go to the most expensive place you want if it means getting better care, but the system we have now is just not working. Many of the doctors we see also own a piece of the labs or therapy clinics we go to, so not only are they making money from our office visits, they are making money on the tests they order as well. If you’re a doctor, how cool is that.
If you have an opinion, tell us about it, let others know how you think, share your feelings. If you want to let your government officials know how you feel, then send them a letter through www.directcomplaint.com.
Picking a Health Club
Picking a health club can be a daunting confusing task that is unless there is only one or two in your area.
There are so many things to think about, from the equipment, to the classes offered, to the personal trainers, and the cleanliness of the facility.
Before joining a club, consider the following set of questions.
a) What are you expecting from your health club? Are you looking for group classes, cardio equipment, weights, a pool or sauna?
b) Is the health club near or on the way to your place of employment?
c) When you are given a tour, did the facility appear clean, and did the members appear happy and relaxed?
e) Does the club offer a juice bar, showers with towels, healthy snack machines, free trials for classes, or does that even matter to you
f) How attentive is the staff to the needs of the members? Were they smiling, glad to offer assistance, and answer questions.
Do they know how to use the equipment, and are their personal trainers on the floor if you have questions?
I recommend, that before you join the club, ask any of your friends or co-workers if they have used the facility, and how they feel about the place.
Ask them how much they pay, and how long they have been a member.
You should always ask the club if they are offering free passes or trial offers to try out the facility.
What ever you do, what ever club you choose, have fun, feel good, and get fit.
Experiment at the gym, learn more about yourself.
We all have our own schedules, routines and ways of working out at the gym. I can't help but to notice the people who are there the same time I go, doing the SAME things everyday.
It's great that they are working out and doing what they do to stay healthy, but on the other hand-switch it up! I can see how some gyms elaborate equipment and extensive class list can be overwhelming, where do you start?
Experiment with everything, that's what I'm doing. I never thought I would LOVE Yoga so much, I never thought I would have to leave Kickboxing halfway through the class. But, even though the class might not feel comfortable, don't give up & try again. When you are experimenting, you are learning more about yourself, your limits and what you need to improve.
Your body will tell you what it likes and doesn't like.
Break away from the few machines you are familiar with and when reading the machines instructions isn't clear, ask a staff member to help you, that's why they get paid.
Your gym generally has dumbbells, resistance bands and exercise balls. Learn to start integrating weights into your workout. This will help you burn more calories, even after your workout.
Then, there is always the pool, racket ball or basket ball court. So many options!
Although the gym may only offer exercising indoors, other resources like fitness magazines have new tips every month on broadening your weight training and mat exercises, clip the articles out and bring them with you.
We all have different personalities& lifestyles,
what type of exercises are right for you?
Take this Fitness Quiz
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For more tips on how to make your membership pay off-take a look Here
Personal Trainers- Bad Attitude-No Brain.
I have been to several health clubs in the past thirty years of my life, and worked with a fist full of “personal trainers.” I can’t help but note, that not one of the trainers has ever asked me any health related questions in order to design a training regiment fit for me.
I have never been shown how to measure my heart rate, or take my pulse, and I have never had a trainer offer to measure them for me. I haven’t even had a personal trainer offer to show me stretching exercises before I begin my workout.
The personal trainers that I have worked with are generally focused on showing me how the equipment works, and talking about themselves. They spend a little time going over technique, but rather then stand their watching me; they usually walk away and chat with their friends. Most of the personal trainers that I know don’t even bother to make sure I am hydrated, or ask if I am taking any medications that could interfere with an elevated hart rate from exercising.
My biggest problem is with personal trainers that push people to run faster, put more weights on the leg press, and lift weights way above their limit. Some trainers will even have people do things that they themselves would never do. Why is it that trainers always want to push us beyond our own limitations. We are the ones who know our bodies best. We are the ones that can feel the pain, the racing heart beat, or the stress in our shins or lower back. It’s up to us to tell the trainer that enough is enough. The answer is simple, we have to be pro-active and speak up rather then feel intimated by a person who thinks they are the know it all fitness guru that they are not.
Health Clubs Breed Germs-Yuck!
I love going to my health club, in fact I go at least three times a week. I go not only for the exercise, but for the friendships I have made, the focus I feel after a hard workout, and the time I am giving to myself to stay healthy and fit. There is however a big problem with my and most other health clubs, and I don’t know what to do about it.
Health clubs are a natural breeding ground for the rapid spread of germs, disease, and infection. The sweat generated by our bodies as we exert ourselves to go faster or push harder drips down, on to the equipment or flooring. The exercise mats soak up our body’s exfoliated fluids as we move our flesh from side to side. The locker rooms, filled with dirty wet towels, shower rooms that are not scrubbed down every night, benches that we put our sweaty and wet bodies on, and lockers that are not sanitized after every use. Think about it, we go to the health club to get fit, socialize, stay focused, and improve our health, and at the same time, we are probably picking up germs and diseases we didn’t ask for, and normally go out of our way to avoid getting anywhere near them.
I strongly believe, that health club owners and managers need to be more vigilant when it comes to the cleanliness of their entire facility, and that the users like you and me need to be more pro-active by cleaning machines after we use them, wearing foot protection in the locker rooms, and politely encouraging others to keep the area around them as germ free as possible. We can insist that our health clubs have more hand sanitizers located around the facility. We can complain loudly about the conditions in the locker rooms, and as a last resort, we can file an anonymous complaint with the local board of health.
New health clubs pop up and disappear in less time then it takes most of us to loose twenty pounds, and it is usually because of poor marketing, lack of good equipment, or most often, disgusting sanitary conditions.
If you want, you can go to http://www.directcomplaint.com and post your thoughts on the Consumer Poster Board, or file a health club complaint from the Consumer Complaint Center. To learn more about germs in the health club, check out this video.
