The writing was on the wall long before the largest US insurer, UnitedHealth, decided to pull the plug on Obamacare in mid April.  Then, just a week later, Aetna’s CEO said Thursday that his company expects to break even, but legislative fixes are needed to make the marketplace sustainable. “I think a lot of insurance carriers expected red ink, but […]

With Congress limiting the bailouts of insurance companies for two years in a row, business is not looking good for the industry that lobbied for Obamacare. The latest casualty is UnitedHealthcare, which announced that it is withdrawing from most of its 34 Obamacare exchanges next year. Share This Article

A new study, published in the journal Circulation, adds to growing doubts about the benefits of skim or low-fat milk, NPR reports this morning:  Share This Article

The ACA has stimulated dramatic changes to America’s individual health-insurance market. It has placed more restrictions on insurance pricing (i.e., charging individuals different premiums depending on their health and age), and it has mandated benefit increases for insurance plans. Such changes have caused premiums on the ACA exchanges to soar by 49 percent, on average; younger, healthier adults have seen […]

Summer time is full of fun in the sun but it is also a time of skinned knees and bug bites! Most people are careful with their care of cuts and scrapes but even with good care sometimes an infection can occur. Share This Article

Imagine you’re unwinding from the day in your nail salon’s massage chair getting a pedicure. You’re in relaxation mode with your back being rubbed and feet being pampered, then–ouch! The nail technician accidentally nicked the skin near your toenail. The pain is only temporary, so you continue sticking your feet in and out of the water as directed and don’t […]

If it’s ever been difficult to think while exercising, a new Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health study may point to the reason why. Share This Article

Itching, burning, redness—a yeast infection can be a total pain. While they aren’t life-threatening, yeast infections are irritating—both physically and mentally. So, when undesirable symptoms appear ‘down there,’ should you consult your physician or self diagnose and treat with over-the-counter (OTC) medications? Share This Article

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can be an unwelcome visitor—leaving you with the urge to sprint for the bathroom every few minutes. You may have heard that drinking a large glass of cranberry juice can effectively ‘treat’ a bladder infection, but is this remedy more fact or fiction? Share This Article

For a rare few, mornings are the best time of the day. The birds are chirping, the sun is rising, and this the new day is invigorating. For the rest of the world, however, pushing out of bed and into the world of consciousness is no easy task. However, if you’ve wanted to take your lifestyle to the next level […]

As the Zika virus captures headlines, with its possible link to birth defects, the World Health Organization declaring it a global health emergency and the first cases reported in the United States (all traced back to overseas travel), it’s an opportune time to review the facts associated with this disease. Share This Article

The best kind of fat loss is steady fat loss. And while a slow-and-steady approach to weight loss will ensure that you keep the weight off for good, I have a few tricks to help you burn fat as fast as possible. So if you’re ready to speed up your fat loss (and are willing to do the work necessary!) […]

You may think the 30 minutes you spend every other day in the gym is enough to keep you trim and healthy, but it’s not. If you want overall good health, you need to eat well and find windows of exercising opportunity every day—not just during your scheduled workouts. How can you squeeze in a little exercise when most of […]

If you could live a longer, healthier life by taking a small pill each day, you’d do it wouldn’t you? You’d be crazy not to! With this fact in mind, the incredible growth of dietary supplements makes sense. It’s estimated one out of every three Americans currently takes some sort of nutritional supplement each day. According to government statistics, more […]

Health insurers are in panic mode as the Obama administration, ever eager maximize coverage optics for Obamacare, has, as The NY Times reports, allowed large numbers of people to sign up for insurance after the deadlines in the last two years, destabilizing insurance markets and driving up premiums. Share This Article

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” declared philosopher George Santayana.  The U.S. “health care cost crisis” didn’t start until 1965.  The government increased demand with the passage of Medicare and Medicaid while restricting the supply of doctors and hospitals.  Health care prices responded at twice the rate of inflation (Figure 1).  Now, the U.S. is […]

Are you feeling reluctant to create New Year’s Resolutions? After years of failed resolutions past, I don’t blame you. However, if you pick the right resolutions, you’ll face the New Year head on, ready to make good on your big plans from January 1 all the way to December 31. Share This Article

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, New Year’s resolutions are a good thing. If you struggle to believe that, it’s probably because of a history of failed resolutions. This year, however, you owe it to yourself to become the new person you want to be. Not in order to impress other people. You’re going to do it to remind yourself that […]

If you’re like most people, the holidays are a time of mixed emotions. You’re excited and anxious to spend time with family, and you’re dreading the extra weight that you know you’re bound to gain. Are these holiday pounds inevitable? Lean in close to catch these seven secret ways to help you fend off extra weight through the holidays. And […]

As we head into cold and flu season, good hygiene is crucial. Viruses and bacteria can breed and multiply in the most unusual places. Staving off sickness this winter could be as simple as cleaning the following items a little more often. Share This Article