Reducing Health Care Costs

Friday, August 29th, 2008
Health Care Costs Increasing

Health care costs are increasing according to an article by Tom Murphy of the Associated Press.  The article cites a survey of insurers by Aon Consulting Worldwide, which states that health care costs are expected to rise by more than 10 percent into next year.

Reducing Health Care Costs Through Disease Management

The article focuses on reducing health care costs through home health care and disease management.  Having lab tests performed by HealthCheckUSA will assist you in both of these areas.  We would recommend starting with a health risk assessment, which is a comprehensive report that empowers you to improve your personal health through testing, knowledge and prevention.

The health risk assessment provides confidential reporting on your potential risk in the areas of diabetes, cholesterol levels, cardiovascular problems, and other various risk areas.  Knowing in advance of your risk can help you and your physician determine the best prevention route, thus decreasing your future health care costs.

Corporation are also beginning to use these employee wellness programs in order to help reduce heath care costs.

Health Care Costs Kept Low

The next step in reducing your health care costs is to receive lab tests from HealthCheckUSA prior to going to your doctor’s appointment.  This way you have results ready to discuss with your physician, which will save you an extra trip to the doctor’s office.  We recommend receiving lab tests on any area that you have some health concerns.

Contact one of our health care representatives, order your appropriate tests, and start reducing your health care costs.

Home Health Tests Reviewed

Monday, August 11th, 2008

Home Health Tests Reviewed

Home health tests, according to an article that appeared in the Star-Telegram, are helping people take control over their health.  The article discusses the accuracy and safety of home health tests.

Home Health Tests Accurate When Administered Properly

According to the article that appeared on August 4th, home health tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration are generally pretty accurate.  However, the article warns that the accuracy of home health tests does depend on how the sample was collected.  The article states that if a home health test comes up negative, most of the time they are.  Although, there are times that false positives do show up and you should consider receiving a lab test from your physician to be sure of the results.

Home Health Tests vs. Lab Tests

When you consider that most home health tests are for pretty life-altering medical events, such as pregnancy, HIV, hepatitis C, cholesterol levels and prostate cancer; wouldn’t you rather leave that up to a more accurate lab test?

HealthCheckUSA provides you with the same convenience as a home health test, i.e. you don’t have to go to a physician; yet HealthCheckUSA provides you with the same accuracy and confidence in the results as going to your physician to receive tests.

Home Health Tests:  Wise Choice?

HealthCheckUSA offers physician-interpreted tests in all major health areas, such as prostate and ovarian cancer, pregnancy tests, HIV, diabetes, cardiovascular, and even complete health risk assessments based on several predictor tests.  Unlike home health tests, the samples are collected by medical professionals in a sterile environment and an accredited Medical Reference Laboratory analyzes all of the test results.

HealthCheckUSA is also priced comparably to most home health tests, making HealthCheckUSA lab tests an even better decision when it comes to taking control of your health.

Health Risk Assessments Assist in Disease Prevention

Friday, July 25th, 2008

Health Risk Assessments Determine Disease Risk

Health Risk Assessments are imperative for anyone that doesn’t already have heart disease or diabetes.  A health risk assessment takes into considerations several different risk factors, typically ones that you can control, to determine your potential for disease.

Health Risk Assessment Measures Risk Factors

The risk factors that are measured by a health risk assessment and used to determine your risk of heart disease or diabetes are as follows:

  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Physical inactivity
  • Nutrition
  • Alcohol use
  • Health history
  • Biometric measures

Health Risk Assessments Can Help You Live Longer

A health risk assessment will take all of the above factors and determine your risk of having a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease within the next 10 years.  A health risk assessment can also gauge whether you have metabolic syndrome.  Metabolic Syndrome is a group of risk factors that greatly increase your chance of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes.

Health Risk Assessments Suggest Lifestyle Changes

You should have a health risk assessment by the time that you are 40 and then should assess your risk at least every few years, or if you think that your risk has changed.  However, if there is a history of heart disease or diabetes in your family, you should know your risks as early as 20 years of age.  Knowing your risk factors and working towards eliminating them as soon as possible is one of the best ways to prevent disease.  Having a periodic health risk assessment allows your physician to help determine the best wellness program for you.

Health Risk Assessment Reports are provided by HealthCheckUSA and contain the results of your comprehensive health risk assessment and biometric tests in 29 easy-to-read and understand pages.   Call one of our customer service representatives to schedule your health risk assessment and start preventing heart disease and diabetes today.

Disease Prevention Begins with a Test

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Disease prevention Baselines

Disease prevention is more than getting a shot here and there and practicing good hygiene.  It is about screening your health and establishing baselines.  It’s about discussing results of your health screens and health risk assessments with your physician and establishing a wellness plan in order to maintain health and to keep disease away.

First Step to Disease Prevention

One of the first steps of disease prevention is making sure that you are currently disease free and to set up a baseline of your current health.  These checks can be done through various lab tests that check your cardiovascular health, the health of your liver, your sexual health, your thyroid, as well as your risks of acquiring cancer and diabetes.

Disease Prevention Assessment

One way to get a complete picture on what you need to do to prevent diseases is through a health risk assessment.  A health-risk assessment is a complete work-up involving a series of lab tests and health history questions in order to determine your predisposition to disease, as well as your overall general health.

You can then take the health risk assessment to your physician for review.  Your physician will then have all the necessary information to get you on track to better health.

Physicians and Disease Prevention

If you would prefer to have a better understanding of the results of your lab tests and health screens before you go to see your physician, or if you don’t currently have a physician, HealthCheckUSA offers a physician interpretation service.   A board-certified physician, who is affiliated with HealthCheck, can interpret your results for you.  Their interpretation will be provided with 72 hours of the test completion and will be confidential.

You must choose the physician interpretation option before completing your online order.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our friendly customer service representatives.

Health Risk Assessment Reports Key to Good Health

Friday, June 6th, 2008

Health Risk Assessment Reports for Disease Prevention

Health Risk Assessments are a very important step in disease prevention and overall wellness. The knowledge of what health risks you have is a powerful tool to setting up your fitness and health plans for the next six months to a year.

For example, if upon review of your health risk assessment, you find that there is a high health risk that you might have a heart attack. You can then work with your physician, have him do a follow-up health check on your heart, and then assist you in putting together a personal heart wellness program.

Health Risk Assessment Reports are Customized

HealthCheckUSA.com provides the health conscience person with two options of health risk assessment reports.

The HealthCheckUSA Health Risk Assessment Report includes a standard health risk assessment, plus the following biometric tests.

  • Chem-26 (Master Chemistry) – assesses health risk for long-term diabetes complications.
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC) – the HealthCheck USA complete blood count with differential is used in diagnosing and treating a large number of medical conditions.
  • Ht/Wt – this lab test is used to assess the level of red blood cells.

The HealthCheckUSA Premium Health Risk Assessment Report includes the standard health risk assessment, the above listed biometric tests, as well as the following additional biometric tests.

  • Homocysteine – a homocysteine lab test can assess your risk of cardiovascular issues, like a heart attack or a stroke.
  • Cardio C-Reactive Protein (CRP) – this blood test helps estimate your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as well as your risk of having a sudden heart attack.

The Premium Health Risk Assessment Report is an extremely important report for an individual with a family history of heart or cardiovascular disease.

Health Risk Assessment Reports Provide Health Feedback

The HealthCheckUSA Health Risk Assessment Reports contain the results of your health risk assessment and biometric tests in 29 easy-to-read and understand pages. Don’t put off being healthy any longer, order your health risk assessment report today!