Life and Health

Living wills, also known as healthcare directives, inform loved ones and medical professionals about your wishes for life. Ensure your wishes are met when you draft a living will.

When do you Need a Living Will?

Unfortunately, you may reach a season in life when you are unable to tell loved ones and doctors whether or not you want life support, blood transfusions and other procedures. A living will clarifies your wishes when you’re incapacitated and unable to discuss or sign a legal contract.

In addition to making your medical wishes known, a living will saves your loved ones from making difficult decisions on your behalf. Let’s say they disagree amongst themselves or with the doctors about your treatment. Your living will leaves no doubt about your treatment wishes.

Don’t wait and create a living will after an accident or injury. As soon as you reach legal adulthood, prepare this legal document. Likewise, ensure you have a healthcare directive in place:

*Before major surgery
*Before dementia or Alzheimer’s strikes
*Before you become comatose
*When you want a friend or unmarried partner, rather than a close relative, to make end of life decisions for you

How do you Create a Living Will?

With your estate planning attorney, decide the details of your living will. It can include the name of a single person or a panel of trusted loved ones or medical professionals who will decide if you’re incapacitated. It also includes the types of medical care you want when you’re incapacitated.

No one wants to think about becoming incapacitated, but you ensure your wishes are met when you create a living will before you need it. Discuss the details with your attorney. While you’re planning this document, update your life insurance and health insurance policies to make sure you have adequate coverage for your future.

As parents, you provide everything your children need. Don’t neglect their care if you are incapacitated or die before they turn 18. Carefully select a guardian and ensure your children are cared for by someone you know and trust.

1. Consider Everyone

Start the selection process with a list of candidates. Close and extended family members are obvious choices, but consider friends, coworkers, neighbors, child care providers and teachers as well.

2. Consider Philosophies and Values

Because guardians raise your children in your place, they should share your child-rearing and educational philosophies and values. Ideally, they should also share your moral values, religious beliefs and social values.

3. Don’t Prioritize Income or Assets

A potential guardian’s financial holdings shouldn’t be the main focus of your selection. As long as you have adequate life insurance and the guardians are wise money managers, your children will be cared for adequately.

4. Age Matters

While thousands of grandparents successfully raise grandchildren, is the older person on your guardian short-list physically able to care for your children until they turn 18? If so, consider whether or not they want to parent young children.

5. Look at Family Dynamics

If you select guardians who already have children, consider the family dynamic. Are the children compatible ages? Do the children all get along? Would extra kids enrich the family or cause turmoil?

6. Choose Good Not Perfect Guardians

Remember, no one is perfect. You can, however, make a good choice as you select a guardian for your precious children.

7. Place Your Wishes in Writing

You’ll want to add your guardianship wishes to your legal will. Additionally, write down why you selected the guardian you did. This document defends your selection in court in case someone contests custody of your children.

You owe it to your kids to choose guardians for them. Thoughtfully make the decision and then confidently select a guardian for your children.

What do you most appreciate about being a dad? With Father’s Day approaching on June 15, there’s no better time than today to protect your health. Learn about the top health risks men face and ways to combat these risks so that you can enjoy many more years with your children.

1. Heart Disease

The top killer of men, heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease are preventable. However, you will need to address the leading causes of heart disease. Do that when you stop smoking, lower your blood pressure, reduce your bad cholesterol levels and get your diabetes under control. An exercise regimen and healthy diet also help.

2. Lung Cancer

The top cancer among men is also the most preventable. Because smoking is the cause of 90 percent of lung cancer cases, talk with your health insurance company about available cessation programs and tools that assist you in getting healthy today.

3. Prostate Cancer

The second-leading cancer in men, prostate cancer can be prevented when men undergo an annual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and rectal exam. These tests should begin by age 50 or sooner if this cancer runs in your family or if you eat a high-fat diet.

4. Diabetes

If diabetes isn’t controlled, you could contract vascular disease, which leads to heart attacks, amputations, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage. Medical treatment, a balanced diet, routine exercise and an active lifestyle can help you prevent or control diabetes.

5. Suicide

Four times as many men than women commit suicide. Men are also more likely than women to resist treatment for depression, frustration and other challenges. Asking for help is a sign of strength and can help you cope with life before you feel self-hated or a desire to commit suicide.

As a dad, focus on your health this Father’s Day. Schedule a physical exam with your primary care physician, and commit to living a healthier lifestyle. Your children will thank you.

Is your child’s current physician a trusted member of your parenting team? If not, find a pediatrician whom you can trust and rely on for superior medical care. A pediatrician will work with your family until your child is at least 13 years old, and often until he or she graduates from high school. So, building a strong relationship now gives you peace of mind as your child grows. Are you ready to tackle this daunting task? Then, use five helpful tips.

1. Check the American Academy of Pediatrics On the website HealthyChildren.org, you’ll find contact information for board-certified pediatricians. Search that database for a pediatrician near you.
2. Contact Your Local HospitalMost hospitals have a pediatric department. Contact them and ask for a list of qualified pediatricians in your area.
3. Talk to Friends and NeighborsYour social circle offers you perhaps the most reliable resource for finding pediatricians in your hometown. These moms and dads have experience with local doctors and their office staff, so ask around and gather information as you choose the right pediatrician for your needs.
4. Ask Your Health Insurance ProviderOnce you find a qualified pediatrician, check with your insurance provider. Make sure the physician you like is in-network.
5. Schedule a ConsultationBefore you transfer your child’s records to a new pediatrician, sit down with the doctor for an in person or phone chat. Find out about his or her:
   • Training and background
   • Experience with your child’s specific medical challenges
   • General office procedures and hours
   • Availability of short-notice appointments
   • Substitute physician’s availability during vacations
   • Ability to return phone calls in a timely manner
   • Hospital affiliation
   • Friendliness, compassion and patience
   • Clear communication in everyday jargon
   • Ability to answer all questions
   • Fees for routine exams, sick visits and immunizations

After you interview local pediatricians, you’re ready to make a decision that fits your child’s needs and your family’s preferences.

For additional information on choosing a doctor and maintaining good health, contact your insurance agent. He or she will assist you in choosing the best possible pediatrician for your family.

Are you confident that your loved ones would have financial security if you were to die today? If not, consider purchasing life insurance. It pays a death benefit to your loved ones when you die, and it provides peace of mind and financial security to your survivors. Smoking, however, can limit your ability to afford life insurance.

Life Insurance is Based on Risk

Insurance companies offer a variety of policies, but they reserve the right to adjust rates based on risk factors. If you smoke or engage in other behavior that’s considered high-risk or unhealthy, expect to pay more for coverage.

Why is Smoking a Risk?

Whether you’ve smoked for years or recently picked up the habit, life insurance companies see you as high-risk. They base their perspective on two factors.

1. Smoking increases potentially fatal health issues like cancer, heart disease, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
2. Smoking is the leading cause of premature death in the U.S. How Much More do Smokers Pay?

Every policy is different, but on average, smokers can expect to pay around 15 percent more for life insurance. So, if a non-smoker with a similar demographic and health pays $50 per month, a smoker could pay as much as $57.50.

Is There an Affordable Solution?

Before you give up on finding affordable life insurance, shop around. Your insurance agent can assist you in finding the most affordable life insurance premium.

Additionally, remember that insurance companies factor in how long you’ve smoked and how much you smoke. While their preferred rates may not go into effect until you’ve been nicotine-free for 12 or more months, you can start maintaining a smoke-free lifestyle now by enrolling in a smoking cessation program.

You may also find affordable premium rates if you bundle your life insurance with other policies like health, home and auto.

Talk to your insurance agent today. Find the most affordable life insurance policy for you, and give your loved ones financial peace of mind.

Every year, heart disease causes one out of four deaths, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reduce your risk when you make five dietary changes.

1. Eat More Fruits Fruits rich in vitamin C and fiber protect you from heart disease. So, eat more citrus fruits, which are loaded with vitamin-C, and fruits with fiber-rich skin, including apples, pears and peaches. Easily add more fruit to your daily menu when you:*Serve fruit salad as a side dish during every meal,
   *Display fruit on the counter where you’ll see it every day and
   *Pack fruit in your lunch box.

1. Stock up on Veggies Green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and broccoli, protect you from heart disease. They’re easy to add to your daily diet when you serve salad for dinner and toss green veggies into soups, eggs and rice.
2. Pump up the Whole Grain When you consume 25 grams of whole grains each day, your risk for developing heart disease decreases by 15 percent. Pump up your whole grain intake with oatmeal, brown rice and rye.
3. Reduce Fat Intake Saturated fats are one of the leading causes of heart disease. Easily reduce the amount of fat you consume when you:*Switch to skim milk
   *Use olive oil instead of cream-based sauces and dressings and
   *Try butter alternatives.

1. Eat Less Meat Meat, especially red meat, is often high in saturated fat, which causes high cholesterol and clogged arteries. For optimum heart health, go vegetarian because it may reverse existing cardiovascular disease. If you have to eat red meat, limit it to three ounces a day.

Reducing heart disease is possible when you eat a heart-healthy diet. Start by making these five dietary changes. Then, talk with your health insurance agent about additional ways you can reduce your heart disease risk and live a healthy lifestyle.

As a college student or parent of a collegian, you think about financial aid, which classes to take and cute co-eds. Life insurance probably isn’t even on your radar. However, you should consider whether or not life insurance is a good option for you.

Why Do People Buy Life Insurance?

Many people buy life insurance because they have families to support. The policy’s death benefits provide important financial security for the survivors. Now that you’re in the prime of life, you probably don’t want to think about planning for your death, but this advance planning can be beneficial as you enter adulthood.

Life Insurance Can Repay Debt

If you’re a traditional college student, you probably don’t have a family to support. However, you probably do carry student loan debt. Life insurance would repay that debt as well as financial obligations from a car loan and credit cards. Instead of leaving those financial obligations to your parents, consider buying a life insurance policy.

Buy Life Insurance While You’re in Good Health

You may also want to take advantage of your good health and young age. Life insurance policies are typically cheaper for young, healthy people. As you age or develop certain health conditions, you may end up spending more for life insurance.

What Types of Life Insurance are Available?

You have several options for life insurance coverage. In general, choose from:

*Term Life: Choose a specific amount of time, usually between 15 and 30 years, and pay a monthly premium for that term. Your survivors receive death benefits if you die before the term expires. *Whole Life: Pay monthly premiums and remain covered for life. Additionally, you can cash out a portion of your policy after you build equity.

The type of life insurance you buy depends on your individual needs and budget. Talk with your insurance agent today to discuss your options. Then, go have fun being a college student.

A Health Savings Account (HSA) functions as a tax-advantaged account that can be used to cover medical expenses, specifically for taxpayers enrolled in high-deductible health plans. These differ from the more common or traditional Flexible Spending Account (FSA) in several ways, including the ability to roll funds over from one year to the next if a balance remains in the account at the end of the year. Some details of these accounts have changed due to the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Early Withdrawal Penalty

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, stipulates that all withdrawals from an HSA must be used for qualified medical expenses. If someone withdraws money from the account for purchases or services that do not qualify or that are undocumented, a 20 percent penalty will be assessed. This requirement ensures that tax-advantaged funds are spent within the terms outlined for these account types. The penalty is waived for those over age 65 and who have become disabled. Prior to Obamacare, HSA penalties were only 10 percent.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Prior to the changes brought about by Obamacare, it was possible to use HSA funds to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) medications, including pain relievers, cold and allergy medicines and the like. Now, however, these items can only be purchased using an HSA if the account-holder has a prescription for them. Weight loss products and supplements, however, have never been covered by HSA or FSA policies. This change is a further effort to prevent account fraud, which has often been widespread.

Consumers should know that HSA funds can still be used for many other types of medical expenses, including those associated with insurance co-payments; dental, vision, and chiropractic expenses; the purchase of medical equipment, including wheelchairs, eyeglasses, contact lenses and diabetic meters and supplies; and medical-related transportation costs.

The areas discussed above represent the major changes to HSAs under Obamacare. Keep in mind, however, that other more minor adjustments have also been made, so pay close attention to the details of your specific HSA.

The world of health insurance seems to get more confusing every day. Medicare and Medicaid are health care programs that have been run by the federal and state governments for many years, but many people are still unclear about the differences between the two. Put as simply as possible, the major differences lie in how a beneficiary qualifies for the program and which government entity runs the program.

Medicare Basics

Medicare is an insurance program that is designed to provide health care benefits for individuals who are 65 or older or who have met qualifications for disability coverage. The program is funded via trust funds that are supplied through Medicare taxes. There are no financial or asset requirements for beneficiaries to qualify for Medicare. As long as the individual has worked and paid Medicare taxes or is married to someone who has, they are eligible for premium free Medicare Part A coverage. However, certain co-insurances and deductibles do apply to the beneficiaries.

Medicaid Basics

The Medicare program is based on need, which means income and asset levels are considered when determining if an individual is eligible for it. Medicaid is funded through federal, state and local tax monies. While Medicaid is monitored by the federal government, each state is responsible for running the program within its borders. For that reason, guidelines regarding eligibility and benefits vary widely from state to state. Generally, the Medicaid program is designed to meet the health care needs of qualified individuals, such as children, pregnant women, the disabled and the elderly. However, the Affordable Care Act has also opened up Medicaid eligibility to adults under 65 in some states if they meet certain income requirements.

If you believe you might be eligible for one or both of these programs, contact us today to discuss your situation and all options to which you and your family have access.

Fewer and fewer private companies are providing dental insurance for their employees, while Medicare does not provide it at all. You may well be wondering if you should purchase dental insurance yourself; these pros and cons can help you make the right choice.

What Is Dental Insurance?

Dental insurance, simply put, helps cover some of the costs associated with dental care. It can be purchased as a group policy through your employer or privately as an individual policy.

Although each policy has its own benefits levels and coverage limits, most policies cover 100 percent of the costs associated with diagnostic and preventive care. Many policies cover about 80 percent of periodontal cleanings, while root canals, fillings and oral surgery are usually covered at 50 percent. In addition, most policies have a yearly maximum on the total benefits they will cover; for most, this cap falls at about $1,500. Of course, the specific coverage levels will vary from one policy to another. Higher caps and benefit levels may be available from some companies if you pay a higher monthly premium

Pros

If you or someone in your family expects to need extensive dental work, dental insurance could help you save money. It can help you pay for expensive procedures like crowns, fillings, root canals and sometimes orthodontics.

Cons

Dental insurance can be costly to purchase. In light of the deductibles and co-payments for which you will be responsible before coverage begins, as well as the yearly cap on benefits, you might decide that the cost for the insurance is not worth its benefits.

So, should you purchase dental insurance or not? If you have ongoing dental issues, or expect to have extensive dental work in the near future, it may be worthwhile to buy dental insurance. However, if you do not anticipate having expensive dental work in the next year, it may be smarter for you to deposit the money that you would spend on dental insurance premiums into a flexible spending account or personal savings account.