County health

One of the biggest debates in America usually begins and ends with health insurance. The health care industry in this country is one that is becoming expensive for the common man. With health care costs rising with the advent of new life saving technology and medicine, it is becoming more and more expensive to receive health care if you become sick. This article will focus on the different reasons why it is important to have health insurance and the benefits and disadvantages that is associated with this type of insurance.

As mentioned above health care is extremely expensive and you never know when you may become sick. If you do become sick, hospital fees can reach levels, where you may become bankrupt. The beauty of health insurance is the fact that for a small monthly fee (premium) you can have coverage in the event you become sick and need to seek medical treatment. This makes health insurance very beneficial as it can protect your family against financial hardships that may result from health care expenses

If you have health insurance your are somewhat protected financially against sickness. Let’s say you do not have health insurance and you become sick and have to pay a tremendous hospital bill. After spending all that money, you might get sick again and this time wont have the money to cover the cost of the treatment. In a scenario like this you might be sued or a lien placed on your property in an attempt to recover the costs of the medical bills.

Another benefit of having health insurance is the fact that your are more likely to go and visit a health facility to get preventative care or treat your ailment. Some people who do not have health insurance wait until the problem reaches a level when they are very sick or when their condition becomes too expensive to be treated. Even in an event like this, there is still the option of going to the county hospital, which is extremely bad. The conditions are overcrowded and you might take a long time before you are seen or treated.

By: James Daltons

Who has not heard of Orange County? Immortalized as the O.C, where rich kids party like crazy and take a break from school and family life on board a yacht, Orange County has become synonymous with wealth and privilege.

Orange County’s posh and picturesque reputation is truly well-deserved. It combines upscale living with breathtaking natural beauty. It spans 798 square miles of prime California land and boasts of sun, surf, and lifestyle that are proudly Californian and at the same time, uniquely its own. No wonder many people are considering taking out Orange County home loans!

If you are one of those who are on the look-out for Orange County home loans, do not underestimate the significance of home inspection reports. Orange County properties are among the most expensive in the whole country. It is, thus, only prudent that you have the property checked before you buy it.
Before you actually take out an Orange County home loan, ask for a home inspection report first.

Why a Home Inspection Report Matters

A house in an investment. Over the years, its value increases. Structural problems, however, diminish a house’s commercial value and future marketability. Always ask for a detailed inspection report before you finalize the details of your Orange County home loan.

Should the inspection reveal problems, it is perfectly legal for you to wriggle your way out of the contract. After all, no homeowner should be forced to purchase a defective home. To give yourself wriggling room, however, be sure to incorporate a contingency clause in your mortgage terms, detailing your way out of the contract should the house be seriously flawed or wanting in some way.

The Home Inspection Report

Most inspection reports are 10 to 20 pages long. They detail structural problems, if any are found. Home inspectors check for a lot of things, and structural problems are only one of them. They check for termite infestation, too. At the same time, they look for presence of lead paint hazards, particularly in homes built before 1978.

Using Your Home Inspection Report

Suppose you now have the report in your hands. What do you do with it?

1. Review the report carefully.

2. Zoom in on the items that indicate potential health hazards. Usual problems of this nature include use of lead paint, the presence of asbestos, or a cracked heat exchanger in the furnace.

3. Comb the report for items requiring expensive repairs in the not-too-distant future. Two examples would be holes on the roof or cracks in the foundation.

4. Show your seller the report. Inform the seller of the findings and the possible repairs needed.

5. Get an estimate of how much the total repairs would cost. Then, provide your seller with the figures. If you do this, you will surely be able to save thousands of dollars on that Orange County home loan you’re thinking of getting. This is because most sellers agree to adjust the selling price or have the repairs carried out before the deal is closed.

6. Consider whether the Orange County home loan you’re taking out can cover repair costs. If not, then it’s wise to initiate proceedings for rejecting the property.

The only downside to getting a home inspection report is the expense. Because you are the one taking out an Orange County home loan, you will be paying for the home inspection report yourself. The cost? Between $50 to $100. The benefit? Priceless!

By: Rony Walker

So why don’t we have National Health Insurance In America

The political will has not gained momentum on this issue due to AMA propaganda that continues to cast doubt in the public mind concerning the success of such a plan. The first misgiving usually offered is that our country cannot afford to pay for comprehensive care for everyone.

Every other industrialized nation provides comprehensive care to all at a much lower cost than our system which leaves so many people out. Other nations spend 6-10 percent of their Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, whereas we, the wealthiest nation on earth, spend 14 % of our GDP.

Our country already has enough funds dedicated to health care to provide the highest quality of care for everyone. Studies conducted by the Congressional Budget Office, the General Accounting Office, the Lewin Group and Boston University School of Public Health have shown that under a single payer system, comprehensive care can be provided for everyone without spending any more funds than are now being spent.

There has been considerable publicity about the delays in receiving elective services that are characteristic of other nations, especially the United Kingdom and Canada. At 6% and 9% of their GDP, respectively, they are spending much less than we are as a nation.

Not only do we have more than sufficient funds, we are also a nation that is infamous for our excess health care capacity. Typical of these excesses is the fact that there are more MRI scanners in Orange County, CA than in all of Canada.

With our generous funding and the tremendous capacity of our health care delivery system, the delays would not be a significant limiting factor in the U.S.

“Americans do not want socialized medicine,” is a phrase that is frequently used glibly to dismiss the single payer concept. Socialized medicine is a system in which the government owns the facilities, and the providers of care are government employees.

In sharp contrast, a single payer system uses the existing private and public sector health care delivery systems, preserving private ownership and employment. The unique feature of a single payer system is that all health care risks are placed in a universal risk pool, covering everyone. The pool is funded in a fair and equitable manner so that everyone pays their fair share in taxes, unlike our current defective system in which some pay far too much while others are not paying their share. The funds are allocated through a publically administered program resulting in optimum use of our health care dollars.

A single payer system has no more in common with socialized medicine than our current Medicare program.

Many contend that government bureaucracies are very wasteful compared with the efficiencies of the private market place. In the health care arena, this has not been true. Our Medicare program, a publicly administered program, operates on an administrative cost of less than 2%. The managed care intermediaries consume 9 to 30% of the health care dollar.

This difference is due to large corporate administrations, costs involved with competition between companies and marketing expenses that would be nonexistent in a public program. A single payer system has as its mission the optimization of resources for better patient care. Funds are not wasted on corporate administrative excesses.

Another argument is that a single payer system, by being universal, would lower the standard of care to a level of mediocrity for everyone, preventing the affluent from exercising her/his option to obtain the highest level of care.

However, our current system is characterized by essentially two alternatives: either no insurance with severely impaired access to even a mediocre level of care, or being insured by a managed care industry that has whittled down what is available until mediocrity has become the standard of care. Only the relatively affluent have access to unlimited care.

The generous level of funds that we have already dedicated to health care, adding to this a more efficient administration with an exclusive mission of optimum patient care well above the mediocrity that we now have, lays the foundation for a universal health care system in America.

A single payer system does not preclude the affluent from paying, outside the system, for a penthouse suite in the hospital, or for cosmetic surgery or for any other service that should not be part of a publicly funded program.

Other than the assurance that everyone would have coverage for health, there is even a greater good that a single payer system would bring to our nation: Making preventative and public health services available to everyone would improve the level of health of this country. Reduction of communicable diseases and reducing the higher costs of untreated chronic diseases helps us all.

Healthy people, for instance, make for a healthier work force with less lost work time, greater productivity and a more positive healthy environment.

Socialism is a dirty word in this country. Universal health care for all has been equated with socialism, and much propaganda has been communicated by the press, by right wing politicians, by medical groups such as the AMA or anyone else who has an agenda to keep the 1500 plus health insurance companies a thriving market with profits that undoubtedly help to pay for their agendas.

But if Americans knew the truth, and would turn off their TVs and use that time instead to change this country, using the power of grassroots politics, to make a single payer universal system a reality for all, then we would finally have the best health care system in the world. The Green Party in this country has as one of its missions to bring a universal system of health care to all Americans.

Any group with the passion to change the world, one issue at a time, with a loving intent, can do it.

By: Kate Loving Shenk

Mold is most often green, red, black, or blue in coloring while most mildew is generally gray or white. Mold is very common outdoors, depending on an individuals location, a good many people do suffer from mold allergies. Mold is a live organism that will develop when in combination with the right temperature, mold spores, dampness, and a sufficient food source are available. Mold is a natural living organism. The term toxic mold can be somewhat misleading to some, as it precludes an idea that certain molds can be toxic, when in actuality certain strains of mold produces secondary metabolites that will produce toxins. Mold is the general terminology used to describe a furry growth or organic matter, caused by fungus, mainly in the presence of dampness and rot.

Various Mold Strains


There are thousands of varieties of mold. Molds are not always necessarily harmful, penicillin was created from mold. Molds do release spores as part of the their reproductive cycle. Molds can and do grow on wood, ceilings, wallpaper, paint, carpeting, drywall, and the different types of insulation, and they utilize their very powerful enzymes to eat up and dissolve home materials the same way that they can dissolve rotting and decaying plant matter. Molds that have the ability to produce toxins are very common. Molds can also grow at a variety of humidity and temperatures, but they have a difficult time growing in arid environments.

Mold Issues Indoors


Indoors mold can be found where dampness and humidity levels are high, mainly in basements and showers. Unfortunately, our government has not established a set of guidelines that determines unhealthy amounts of poor indoor air standards. Thereby making it difficult, if not impossible for scores of sickly people to get help during this possible emerging health crisis. A lot of people are unaware or ignorant about the extreme health hazards that may be involved with certain types of indoor molds. In many areas, your local health department might also have important information on mold, and you might want to contact your state Air Quality office.

Toxic Molds


Toxic mold may cause cold like symptoms in an individual . Headaches, possible sneezing, running nose, itchy red eyes and/or skin rashes, according to many experts, certain molds may cause permanent neurological, psychological, pathological, and immune system damage. In some cases toxic effects have been recorded from ingesting moldy grain, but evidence is feeble that breathing mold spores inside a structure can cause toxic effects. Toxic mold will very commonly occur in damp and humid areas of a dwelling including behind the walls and also appliances. Toxic mold or commonly known as black mold can be deadly, mainly targeting children with allergies to mold. Extremely toxic molds may develop from water leakage, while black mold is generally not as common than other mold types, it is by no means rare.

How to Get Rid of Mold Conclusion


If you spot mold in your home, it is a warning sign that you have water seepage or a leak that needs to be attended to. While mold is getting plenty of coverage in the media these days, it has actually been around for since time eternity. This mold is an undesired intruder in our home’s. Regardless of the variety of mold found in the home, a home that has mold is not necessarily a healthy home. You may be able to contact your local county or state health department about mold concerns that you may have in the area that you live to find out about what mold assessment they may offer.

Cautionary Side Note: How to Get Rid of Mold


Attempting to mixing bleach with ammonia or any other cleaning products will produce dangerous and toxic fumes.

By: Charlene Rhodes

I would like to talk to you today about Florida Health Savings Account plans (Florida HSA). This is a type of health insurance plan that offers very low cost premiums with a somewhat higher deductible.

Many of you have discovered how great these plans can be and have already taken advantage of them. The rest of you still have a frame of mind that prevents you from buying these cost-saving Florida health insurance plans. You still think that you will be able to buy a plan with low co-pays, covers everything and has a $100 deductible. Then again, many of you still hold on to the hope that Santa Claus is a real person.

Let’s say you are sitting in your living room and a baseball flies through the window. It breaks a pane of glass. You call to have it repaired and the charges total $100. Your homeowner’s policy has a $5,000 deductible so you pay out of pocket.

Chances are you do not spend the next day shouting about your rotten homeowner’s policy that would not reimburse you the $100. Chances are that you do not shout at your home owner’s insurance agent about “What the hell do I pay premiums for?”

Why? It is because you bought the policy to help pay for the things that can happen to a home that cost a lot of money. Situations like a fire or a hurricane. You are smart enough to know that if they paid for the broken window, your homeowner’s plan would be even more outrageously expensive than it already is. You can pay for the window and your children will still eat tomorrow.

The purpose of insurance, any type of insurance, is to provide financial help for those situations that would be a hardship if we had to pay out of own pockets. The degree to which you want to be protected, in other words the amount of compensation you receive and the deductible (the amount you have to pay before the insurance company does), will determine how much you pay for insurance. It is as simple as that.

Those of you looking for a Florida health insurance plan with $10 co-pays, $100 deductibles, vision, dental and a limo to pick you up and take you to the doctor are living in a dream world. Health insurance premiums in Florida, in case you did not notice, are going up each year 8% to 20% depending on the carrier and plan.

Now, let’s talk about an intelligent solution. The rest of this discussion will assume a working knowledge of 4th grade arithmetic. You do NOT have to smarter than a 5th grader to understand all of this.

All of our HSA plans are PPO’s. In other words, if you go to a network provider (physician, lab, testing facility, etc.) you are entitled to the discounted PPO rate for services. You will pay the reduced rate the insurance company pays. A physician visit may be reduced from $100 down to $60 under these circumstances.

You pay a premium each month for the health insurance plan, just like any other Florida health insurance. However, this plan has a somewhat higher deductible and a lower monthly premium. If you meet the deductible, the insurance company pays the rest of your expenses. It is still multi-million dollar major medical coverage.

What about doctor’s visits and prescriptions? You pay them. But here is the catch. Uncle Sam allows you to set up a special savings account. This is an interest bearing account, the money is yours, and it does not disappear at the end of the year.

For every dollar you put into the savings account, you can take a dollar off of your gross income at tax time. Your “Uncle” is helping you to pay for your health insurance. You are paying medical expenses with pre-tax money.

Here is an example. A couple (Male 40 and Female 35) living in Pinellas County would pay $130 a month for a $6000 deductible HSA plan. A plan with a similar out of pocket expense and some doctor co-pays would be $270 a month.

For the privilege of paying a doctor visit for $35 instead of $60, it will cost them more than $1600 a year. From my stand point, that is insane. If something terrible happened to you, the coverage is the same. Actually, you would pay a little less in out-of-pocket expenses with the HSA plan.

If this couple were in a 25% tax bracket and put the $1600 into their Health Savings Account, they would save $400 a year in taxes and get interest on the money as well. If you factor that in, they are paying less than $100 a month for multi-million dollar PPO Florida health insurance. Not bad.

I am not going to go through a complete explanation as to how the HSA plans work. It is discussed on our website flquote.com. Plus, I would be glad to email you a complete brochure.

You need to approach health insurance (or any type of insurance) with a business mindset. The question you need to ask yourself or your agent is “What do I get for the extra dollar of premium?” In our aforementioned example, what did they get for the extra $1,600 a year? Not much really.

Believe it or not, the insurance carriers want you to buy the cheaper high deductible plans. They structure their prices to make it much more attractive. It is good for you and it is even better for them. Plus, the rate increases tend to be much lower.

Florida HSA plans are almost always the best choice for health insurance. How much are you paying for your low deductible health insurance plan? You think you are going to the doctor for $20. But, if you pay an extra $1,000 a year for the plan and go to the doctor 4 times in a year, the visit is costing you $220. Not such a bargain after all.

Has the light gone on yet? Are you starting to understand that the insurance company is trying to rip you off? Call us at 800-2727-0512 and we will walk you through a quote that will compare your plan to a Florida HSA plan.

By: Martin Unger