5 Thoughts On How To Improve The Patient Financial Experience

Most patients already have their disposable income earmarked for other bills and priorities. If a patient has to choose between paying his or her electric bill and medical care, for instance, he or she likely will opt to keep the lights on and let the medical bill slip another month. As patients take on more and more financial responsibility, this is unlikely to change unless healthcare organizations become more proactive and think like other consumer-driven industries. Car dealerships and appliance stores, for example, typically facilitate and offer financing options so big-ticket items like cars and refrigerators are more affordable to consumers. Hospitals and health systems are following a similar model to make healthcare more affordable to patients. Therefore they have made strategies and best practices for hospitals and health systems to consider when developing a patient financing program.

Millions of folks reside with unhealthy credit – and immeasurable folks have medical emergencies. What if you have got poor credit and unpaid medical bills? If you’re during this scenario, there are companies that offer to fund via medical loans for unhealthy credit. Sudden medical prices will threaten your monetary stability and obtaining a medical loan currently permits you to manage your finances – before the bills become overwhelming. Having bad credit makes getting any type of loan more difficult. But, it’s not impossible. And if you’re drowning in unexpected medical expenses, you may not be able to wait until your credit improves.

No Credit Check Financing

Your credit score is employed by lenders to see if you’re an honest candidate to increase credit to. But a coffee credit score will flag you as a credit risk and should create it tough to induce credit. If you’re offered credit with a nasty credit score, you’ll possibly pay a lot of in fees and charges as a result of you will qualify just for a better charge per unit. plenty of individuals resides with unhealthy tallies. There are people that cannot pay the medical bills because they can’t afford it. This feature enables you to finance patients with no credit history or but excellent credit score, making patient financing easy. Thus although you have got unhealthy credit score or low balance, this can facilitate.

we tend to don’t have any dangerous promotional offers and that we don’t charge any delayed interest or hidden fee from your patients.

Cashback Rewards

Who doesn’t likes cashbacks? Well from youngsters to teens, to elder people, everyone gets excited when they get a cashback. Cashback generally refers to a cardholder benefit offered by credit card companies that pay the cardholder a small percentage in cash rewards for each purchase. Because of this feature providers receive a cashback of $5 on each new contract financed.

Raise Funds For Treatments

Fundraising is that the method of gathering voluntary contributions of cash or alternative resources, by requesting donations from people, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies.

Traditionally, fundraising consisted largely of inquiring for donations on the road or at people’s doors, and this is often experiencing terribly sturdy growth within the style of face-to-face fundraising, however new varieties of fundraising, like online fundraising, have emerged in recent years, tho’ these are typically supported older strategies like grassroots fundraising. With this feature, patients will currently raise funds simply for his or her treatments through friends and relations.

Waiting Period

In today’s time, folks do not have the tendency to attend. They need everything to be done on time. This has created it potential for folks to induce treatment there so. Patients are now instantly approved and might get the treatment at the time of their You’re young. You’re healthy. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have a medical emergency tomorrow and get stuck with some whopping bills. These bills can get overwhelming really fast and it can be tempting to just ignore them. But let’s be clear here—you do have to pay them. Unlike most financing companies, there are companies that do not charge the patients a high-interest rate. Now you can easily get treatment at your budget and stay fit.

Guaranteed Payments

Guaranteed payments to partners are payments meant to compensate a partner for services or use of capital. In cases where people cannot afford to pay the medical bills, they want simple and easy solutions that can solve their problems. Here these patient financing features help them shield against uncertainties and guarantee secured payments at no further value. So, albeit your patient defaults, we have a tendency to keep delivering you payments.

Final Thought

Need a medical procedure that your insurance carrier will not cover? Or, your carrier might cover it, but only a portion, leaving you with huge out-of-pocket expenses that you cannot afford? You are not alone. Not everyone is in the position of being able to save for unforeseen medical issues. In fact, according to the statistics of medical bankruptcy cases, very few people do. If you have bad credit, your situation is even more worrisome and you may think that you have no options other than skipping the procedure.

Source: https://denefits.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/5-thoughts-on-how-to-improve-the-patient-financial-experience/

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7 thoughts on what's next and best in healthcare finance

Healthcare is moving outpatient due to technology development and a focus on value-based care. As a result, hospitals and health systems are looking at key strategies to transform their institutions in the future.

At the Becker's Hospital Review 8th Annual Meeting in Chicago, McGuireWoods Partner Geoff Cockrell, JD, moderated a panel titled "Lessons from the Experts: What's New, Next and Best in Healthcare Finance." The panelists included North Ottawa Community Health System CFO Donald Longpre; MemorialCare Health System CFO Karen Testman, RN; Chief Administrative Officer of Marshfield Clinic Health System Scott Polenz; and Director of Analytics and Cybersecurity at GE Healthcare Travis Frosch.

The key trends discussed during the panel include:

1. Balancing inpatient and outpatient investments. Traditionally hospitals invested in inpatient beds and departments for expansions and upgrades, but now more care is moving into the ambulatory setting. More patient interactions are done on the outpatient side and hospitals are building satellite ambulatory locations to extend their reach.

"We are looking for revenue growth opportunities," said Ms. Testman. "We did get into the business of freestanding ASCs and imaging centers. That's been a way for us to diversify our revenue and grow our revenue outside of the hospital environment. We are starting to look at opportunities in physical therapy and skilled nursing facilities."

Mr. Longpre discussed his hospital's efforts to keep patients out of the emergency room and urgent care facilities by attaching patients to a physician when they come in. Community agencies have space in the ER to help patients through the recovery process.

MemorialCare is also focused on outpatient strategy as part of larger population health and consumerism initiatives. The health system is investing in IT development tools to make healthcare access more user friendly, but at the same time continuing to invest on the inpatient side. "Most of our patients don't really appreciate what we are doing in terms of development on the inpatient record. It's not something that touches them," said Ms. Testman. "We are giving that some extra thought and trying to determine whether we can pull back on some of those resources and continue to invest on the ambulatory side and some of the things that our patients will actually touch and feel. For the most part, most of our patients don't end up in the hospital. Their interactions are with our physicians and surgery centers."

2. Updating the financial leadership model. The budget structure at many institutions is outdated in the era of value-based care. It may take a new budget and financial leadership structure to truly overhaul the system. "We are going from the typical budget process which is very painful and not value-added to a rolling forecast which is exciting for us in the aberrations area. I think for the first time in quite some time, our financial leadership wants to work with operations instead of just sitting in the room and sending the report," said Mr. Polenz. "They are sitting down and planning and giving us the tools we need to be able to do things proactively. Those are a couple things that are quite different for us as a system."

3. Value-based payments. The panelists feel value-based payments and risk-sharing payment models are here to stay. As a result, healthcare providers are spending significant resources to navigate patients through the healthcare system efficiently and ensure a pleasant experience. However, not all of providers' revenue is value-based and having one foot in and one foot out of the risk-sharing pool is challenging.

Realted Post: The connection between financial health & physical well-being

"What is interesting is the pace in which we are seeing it grow varies across the country," said Ms. Testman. "In California, we've had different forms of managed care and capitation for 20 years. We are seeing that continue to grow and a lot of creative partnerships and affiliations going on as part of that."

4. Creative partnerships and affiliations. MemorialCare signed an agreement with Anthem to create Vivity, which provides access to MemorialCare, Cedars Sinai and UCLA in addition to other well-respected systems in the area. "We are seeing more and more of the creative partnerships and affiliations involved, but in our market where 30 percent of our revenue is risk-based, the majority is still fee-for-service arrangements and it's hard to tell how quickly that will evolve in our markets," Ms. Testman said. "In other parts of the country, it might still be relatively slow."

5. Cybersecurity investment. As hospitals and health systems move into the digital age, they risk hackers stealing their data and compromising medical records without the appropriate cybersecurity. Around 81 percent of hospitals increased their budget for cybersecurity in the past year, said Mr. Frosch, with some hiring big data analysts and another spending for managed services with more predictable costs.

6. Data analytics. Investment in technology and data analytics can help hospitals create value in small and large ways. In many hospitals, it's a big step forward to gather the cost per case data for a certain procedure and then identifying the surgeon costing the most — perhaps that surgeon is using a more expensive implant — and standardizing the procedure.

In other cases, large health systems are using data analytics to manage population health. "Organizations are taking on massive numbers of lives and they need more robust full sets," said Mr. Frosch. "The thing that we encourage is low hanging fruit, small bites and big return on investment."

Related Post: Best practices for incorporating a patient financing program

Many hospitals don't have a comprehensive analytics strategy or understand where their budget will go in the future, said Mr. Frosch. "We have a framework for engaging with customers called FastWorks [which combines a set of tools and practices designed to build better products]. From anyone in software development, it's agile and in hyper drive," said Mr. Frosch. "I think really sitting down and understanding from the key stakeholders all the viewpoints and perspectives and iterating through that over a time horizon is the only way you can do that. And we've seen tremendous success with that."

7. Avoid overbuilding. Under-utilization is a problem for many healthcare providers, as several operating rooms, exam rooms and patient rooms go empty every day. The unused space still costs providers money and overall becomes a burden on the healthcare system. "We need to re-think what we do," said Mr. Longpre. "We can't say we are this big hospital that provides all this inpatient care. There is technology out there that is going to take orthopedics to outpatient surgery just like gynecology and urology moved from inpatient to outpatient. If you're a small community hospital, you're not going to have that much inpatient care."

Telehealth and virtual health are becoming more important as well. The technology can help people recover at home. Marshfield Clinic Health System is constructing a hospital and taking the trend toward outpatient care into consideration.

"In the market where we are building the hospital, we will try to take care of anywhere from 45 to 55 patients at any given time at the 44-bed hospital," said Mr. Polenz. "We aren't overbuilding because we know [outpatient is] the future. Even in our skilled nursing facility project, we anticipated certain numbers and when we got it up and running even a year later, some of the numbers we projected are being done in the outpatient basis."

Source: https://denefits.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/7-thoughts-on-whats-next-and-best-in-healthcare-finance/

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6 Reasons Healthcare Is So Expensive in the U.S.

Healthcare in the U.S. costs about twice as much as it does in any other developed country. If the $3 trillion U.S. healthcare sector were ranked as a country, it would be the world’s fifth largest economy according to “Consumer Reports.” The cost of this huge financial burden to every household because of lost wages, higher premiums and taxes plus additional out-of-pocket expensesis more than $8,000.

Even with all this money being spent on healthcare, the World Health Organization ranked the U.S. thirty-seventh in healthcare systems, and The Commonwealth Fund placed the U.S. last among the top 11 industrialized countries in overall healthcare.

Why is the U.S. paying so much more for care and not appearing at the top of the rankings? Here’s a look at six key reasons the U.S. is failing to provide adequate healthcare at reasonable prices.

1. Administrative Costs

The number one reason our healthcare costs are so high, says Harvard economist David Cutler, is that “the administrative costs of running our healthcare system are astronomical. About one quarter of healthcare cost is associated with administration, which is far higher than in any other country.”

One example Cutler brought up in a discussion on this topic with National Public Radio was the 1,300 billing clerks at Duke University Hospital, which has only 900 beds. Those billing specialists are needed to determine how to bill to meet the varying requirements of multiple insurers. Canada and other countries that have a single-payer system don’t require this level of staffing to administer healthcare.

2. Drug Costs

Another major difference in health costs between the U.S. and every other developed nation is the cost of drugs. The public definitely believes drug costs are unreasonable; now politicians are starting to believe that too. In most countries the government negotiates drug prices with the drug makers, but when Congress created Medicare Part D, it specifically denied Medicare the right to use its power to negotiate drug prices. The Veteran’s Administration and Medicaid, which can negotiate drug prices, pay the lowest drug prices. The Congressional Budget Office has found that just by giving the low-income beneficiaries of Medicare Part D the same discount Medicaid recipients get, the federal government would save $116 billion over 10 years. Think of what the savings might be if all Medicare recipients could benefit from Medicaid-negotiated drug prices!

3. Defensive Medicine

Yet another big driver of the higher U.S. health insurance bill is the practice of defensive medicine. Doctors are afraid that they will get sued, so they order multiple tests even when they are certain they know what the diagnosis is. A Gallup survey estimated that $650 billion annually could be attributed to defensive medicine. Everyone pays the bill on this with higher insurance premiums, co-pays and out-of-pocket costs, as well as taxes that go toward paying for governmental healthcare programs.

4. Expensive Mix of Treatments

U.S. medical practitioners also tend to use a more expensive mix of treatments. When compared with other developed countries, for example, the U.S. uses three times as many mammograms, two-and-a-half times the number of MRIs and 31% more Caesarean sections. This results in more being spent on technology in more locations. Another key part of the mix is that more people in the U.S. are treated by specialists, whose fees are higher than primary-care doctors, when the same types of treatments are done at the primary-care level in other countries. Specialists command higher pay, which drives the costs up in the U.S. for everyone.

5. Wages and Work Rules

Wages and staffing drive costs up in healthcare. Specialists are commanding high reimbursements and the overutilization of specialists through the current process of referral decision-making drives health costs even higher. The National Commission on Physician Payment Reform was the first step in fixing the problem; based on its 2013 report, the commission adopted 12 recommendations for changes to get control over physician pay. Now it is working with Congress to find a way to implement some of these recommendations.

6. Branding

“There is no such thing as a legitimate price for anything in healthcare,” says George Halvorson, the former chairman of health maintenance organization Kaiser Permanente. “Prices are made up depending on who the payer is.”

Providers who can demand the highest prices are the ones that create a brand everyone wants. “In some markets the prestigious medical institutions can name their price,” says Andrea Cabarello, program director at Catalyst for Payment Reform, a nonprofit that works with large employers to get some control on health costs.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has pushed back to some degree against the high costs created by branding. In central Florida, for example, one of the top brands is Florida Hospital. This year ACA policies offered by Humana did not include services provided by this brand. Similar types of contract negotiations knocked out top hospitals in other locations. It remains to be seen whether this will cause those hospitals to reduce prices to get those patients back.

The Bottom Line

Most other developed countries control costs, in part, by having the government play a stronger role in negotiating prices for healthcare. Their healthcare systems don’t require the high administrative costs that drive up pricing in the U.S. As the global overseers of their country’s systems, these governments have the ability to negotiate lower drug, medical equipment and hospital costs. They can influence the mix of treatments used and patients’ ability to go to specialists or seek more expensive treatments.

So far in the U.S., there has been a lack of political support for the government taking a larger role in controlling healthcare costs. The most recent legislation, the Affordable Care Act, focused on ensuring access to healthcare, but maintained the status quo to encourage competition among insurers and healthcare providers. This means there will be multiple payers for the services and less powerful control over negotiated pricing from providers of healthcare services.

Where to Find Affordable Health Insurance

Whether your trip to the doctor is for something as simple as a sinus infection or something as complex as cancer, you don’t want to feel worse when you receive the bill. The cost of medical services can hit the wallet hard: there are 1.7 million personal bankruptcies every year due to inability to pay medical bills — in fact, crushing healthcare debt is the number one reason for filing bankruptcy.

While having health insurance is no guarantee you won’t be overwhelmed with medical expenses in the event of a serious accident or health issue, it does let you rest easy in the knowledge that barring something extreme, you and your family can take care of your healthcare needs without going broke. Additionally, with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (often referred to as Obamacare or ACA), those without insurance in 2014 and beyond will face a penalty on their tax return — 1% of their yearly household income, or $95 per household member, whichever is higher.

Check with Your Employer

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 86% of full-time employees in the US have access to health insurance through their workplace. If you are in this category, your lowest-cost, best-coverage option is probably going to be your employer’s plan. Group health insurance generally provides significant savings, even with rising costs for the worker’s portion of the premium. In 2013, the average employee’s cost for family health insurance was $4565 annually, with the employer paying the remaining portion of $11,786.

Look to the Government

For a sizable portion of the population, the government is picking up their healthcare bill, either through Medicare for older Americans or state Medicaid plans for those with low incomes. If you’re over 65, you probably already receive Medicare. While Medicare is quite complex, in simplest terms, if you paid enough taxes while working, you will receive Medicare Part A — which covers hospital-related expenses — premium-free. Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care, doctor’s visits, medical supplies and lab tests, requires a monthly premium of $104.90 for those with an annual income of less than $85,000, and carries a $147 deductible.

For those with very low income, Medicaid offers health insurance at low-or-no cost to the recipient. Though every state manages their Medicaid program differently, the general guideline is that individuals or families with income below 133% poverty level are eligible. Since the passage of the ACA, many states have expanded their Medicaid guidelines to cover far more families than in previous years. If you feel you might qualify for Medicaid, you can apply at your state’s social services department or through your state’s insurance exchange.

Shop through Your State Exchange

One of the key facets of the ACA is the creation of state exchanges to facilitate health insurance enrollment. Seventeen states run their own exchange, the remainder either default to the federal government’s exchange (which you can access through Healthcare.gov), or have a hybrid state/federal exchange program. With the advent of Obamacare, your state exchange (or the federal marketplace) is one of the easiest ways to compare insurance policies and choose the one best suited to your needs.

While the individual states have a great deal of flexibility in their insurance programs, generally, you’ll find a wide range of policies with varying deductibles, premiums, out-of-pocket limits and coverage details. You may also qualify for assistance in paying for your insurance:

• If your income is less than 400% of the poverty level, you may qualify for tax credits to help offset the cost of insurance
• If your income is under 250% of the poverty level, you may qualify for a subsidized insurance policy
• If your income is less than 138% of the poverty level, you qualify for Medicaid in those states with expanded coverage

Buy Health Insurance Direct

If you don’t qualify for any of the above options, or you simply prefer to buy insurance on your own, there are several ways to shop.

• Insurance companies: You can buy insurance directly from most insurance companies. Most have websites that let you compare plans and apply for coverage.
• Online patient financing sites: At websites like www.denefits.com, you can compare plans from multiple insurance companies, decide which offers the price and coverage that you need and apply online.
• Insurance brokers and agents: If you prefer a personal touch, contact an insurance agent or broker to discuss your options in person. The agent will help you choose the right plan for you and your family.

The Bottom Line

Health insurance not only provides peace of mind that you and your family are covered in case of illness or accident, but it’s also required by law. With so many options available, you’re sure to find a plan you can afford.

Read more: Where to Find Affordable Health Insurance | How to Get Medical Loans with Bad Credit

Source:

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/091614/where-find-affordable-health-insurance.asp

https://medium.com/patient-financing/6-reasons-healthcare-is-so-expensive-in-the-u-s-a42e7a11fd3e

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Are There Benefits to Financing My Cosmetic Surgery?

The cost of cosmetic surgery can be high. The drive to look as good as one can look will force many into some financial decisions that otherwise would be completely off the table. But the end result is almost always worth whatever was sacrificed to pay for the procedure for those who choose to do cosmetic surgery.

But what consumers are beginning to realize is that their options aren't so limited. They don't have to sell their car or antique collections or family heirlooms to pay for it. When someone asks "is financing my cosmetic surgery an option?" The answer is usually yes.

More Americans are obese today than ever in history. Many are dropping 100-plus pounds only to find that years of obesity have left them with unsightly amounts of excess skin, especially around the midsection. But tummy tucks will cost more than $8,000 in some cases and not many Americans have that kind of cash lying around.

Cosmetic surgery is a multi-billion dollar industry. More than 90 percent of the patients are women and some will have multiple procedures done in one setting. Take for instance a woman who has had a few children and is looking to recapture what her body once was. A breast augmentation procedure and a tummy tuck should take care of it, but the price will reach $20,000 pretty quick. Again, this is when one would ask if financing my cosmetic surgery is a valid option.

While tummy tucks, breast augmentation and Botox injections are very common procedures, new techniques are being devised every year. One of the latest is a stem-cell facelift operation whereby the surgeon uses the patient's body fat to inject under the skin to offer a more youthful appearance. But it's not cheap - running between $5,000 and $10,000.

Estimating a return on investment is extremely difficult, but for those who have had cosmetic surgery and witnessed how it changed their lives for the better, cost is not an issue. For other more fiscally minded folks, they might be comforted, slightly, to know that one economist estimates that for every dollar spent on a cosmetic procedure, the return was about 15 percent.

Many consumers will seek out the funding through secondary consumer patient finance companies, like Universal Guardian Acceptance, which offers more creative financing options than the traditional lending institutions can offer.

Source: https://denefits.wordpress.com/2018/09/26/are-there-benefits-to-financing-my-cosmetic-surgery/

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3 Easy Ways To Increase Practice ROI

It’s no secret that dentistry is one of the most competitive businesses around. Each and every one of your patients is hard-won – but are you making each patient relationship as profitable for your practice as possible? Check out these three tips to help you increase the lifetime value from the patients you already have (and ensure they get the best possible long-term care).

LEVERAGE YOUR PATIENT RECORDS

Most dentist don’t realize how lucrative the records they already have in their database can be. But they don't call dentists "file cabinet millionaires" for nothing – there's serious production hiding in the average practice’s existing files. And it isn’t hard to reclaim that revenue. Start by looking at patients who have gone dormant, or are behind on their recall – getting those patients to come back regularly adds thousands to your bottom line. Best of all, you can reach out to them automatically with your patient communication software without adding hours of work for your front desk. You can read more about the benefits of patient reactivation for dental patients here.

DIVERSIFY AND AUTOMATE COMMUNICATIONS

Let's face it: manually sending appointment, confirmations, recall reminders and treatment plan reminders is a thing of the past. In 2017, it's essential to have a patient communication system that can streamline scheduling and communications via email, phone, mail and two-way text. Not only will your front desk be much more efficient, they’ll also have more time for other important tasks like soliciting patient reviews, reactivating dormant patients, and sending out birthday/holiday greetings. You can learn more about automating your dental practice communications here.

Related Post: DENTAL FINANCING: BENEFICIAL TO BOTH PATIENT AND PRACTITIONER

TEACH YOUR STAFF TO SELL

While most dentists dream of having staff that regularly sell additional services to your patients, sales is a skill that requires a degree of training. Invest some time to prepare your staff with some strategies, charts, and offers so that they'll feel confident enough to up-sell. If you're finding that your front desk is hesitant or uncomfortable, remind them that encouraging patients to take better care of their oral health and accept treatments is one of the best things they can do for themselves – and one of the best long-term investments they can make! Get your staff out of the mindset that selling = bad – that should unstick the wheels!

Source: https://denefits.wordpress.com/2018/09/17/3-easy-ways-to-increase-practice-roi/

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A JOURNEY THROUGH LIPOSUCTION

Liposuction may be a kind of reconstructive surgery. It removes unwanted excess fat to boost body look and to swish irregular body shapes. The procedure is typically referred to as body contouring. Liposuction could also be helpful for contouring underneath the chin, neck, cheeks, upper arms, breasts, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, and articulatio plana areas.

TYPES OF LIPOSUCTION PROCEDURES 

Tumescent liposuction (fluid injection) is the most typical kind of liposuction. It involves injecting an oversized quantity of medicated answers into the areas before the fat is removed. The fluid may be a mixture of topical anesthetic, a drug that contracts the blood vessels), Super-wet technique is comparable to turgid liposuction. The distinction is that not the maximum amount of fluid is employed throughout the surgery. the quantity of fluid injected is adequate to the quantity of fat to be removed. this method takes less time. however, it usually needs sedation (medicine that creates you drowsy) or general anesthesia (medicine that enables you to be asleep and pain-free). Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) uses supersonic vibrations to show fat cells into liquid. Afterward, the cells will be vacuumed out. UAL will be worn out 2 ways in which, external (above the surface of the skin with a special emitter) or internal (below the surface of the skin with a little, heated cannula).

This method might take away fat from dense, fiber-filled (fibrous) areas of the body like the higher back or enlarged male breast tissue. UAL is usually used alongside the turgid technique, in follow-up (secondary) procedures, or for larger preciseness. In general, this procedure takes longer than the super-wet technique. Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) uses optical device energy to liquefy fat cells. once the cells square measure liquefied, they'll be vacuumed out or allowed to empty out through tiny tubes. as a result of the tube (cannula) used throughout LAL is smaller than those employed in ancient liposuction, surgeons like victimization LAL for confined areas. These areas embody the chin, jowls, and face. A potential advantage of LAL over alternative liposuction strategies is that energy from the optical device stimulates albuminoid production. HOW THE PROCEDURE is completed

Related Post: How to Tighten Skin After Liposuction

● A liposuction machine and special instruments referred to as cannulas square measure used for this surgery.

● The surgical team prepares the areas of your body that may be treated.

● You will receive either native or general anaesthesia.

● Through a little skin incision, a suction tube with a pointy finish is inserted into the fat pockets and swept wing through wherever fat is to be removed.

● The dislodged fat is vacuumed away through the suction tube. A air pump or an oversized syringe provides the suction action.

● Several skin punctures could also be required to treat massive areas. The physician might approach the areas to be treated from completely different directions to induce the simplest contour.

● After the fat is removed, tiny emptying tubes could also be inserted into the defatted areas to get rid of blood and fluid that collects throughout the primary few days once surgery.

● If you lose loads of fluid or blood throughout the surgery, you'll want fluid replacement (intravenously). In terribly rare, cases, a transfusion is required.

● A compression garment are going to be placed on you. Wear it as educated by your physician.

Liposuction isn't used:

● As a substitute for exercise and diet, or as a cure for general fleshiness. However it's going to be take away fat from isolated areas at completely different points in time.

● As a treatment for fat (the uneven, mark look of heal hips, thighs, and buttocks) or excess skin.

● In sure areas of the body, like the fat on the edges of the breasts, as a result of the breast may be a common website for cancer.

● Many alternatives to liposuction exist, as well as a reconstructive surgery (abdominoplasty), removal of fatty tumors (lipomas), breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty), or a mix of cosmetic surgery approaches. Your doctor will discuss these with you. Risks Certain medical conditions ought to be checked and be in restraint before liposuction, including:

● History of heart issues (heart attack)

● High vital sign

● Diabetes

● Allergic reactions to medicines

● Lung issues (shortness of breath, air pockets in bloodstream)

● Allergies (antibiotics, asthma, surgical prep)

● Smoking, alcohol, or drug use

Risks related to liposuction include:

● Shock (usually once not enough fluid is replaced throughout the surgery)

● Fluid overload (usually from the procedure)

● Infections (strep, staph)

● Bleeding, blood clot

● Tiny globules of fat within the blood that block blood flow to tissue (fat embolism)

● Nerve, skin, tissue, or organ injury or burns from the warmth or instruments employed in liposuction

● Uneven fat removal (asymmetry)

● Dents in your skin or contouring issues

● Drug reactions or dose from the topical anaesthetic employed in the procedure

● Scarring or irregular, asymmetric, or perhaps "baggy," skin, particularly in older individuals

Source: https://denefits.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/a-journey-through-liposuction/

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How to Tighten Skin After Liposuction

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, is a popular plastic surgery option for weight loss. Liposuction involves removing pockets of fat from troublesome areas such as the abdominal area, hips, upper arms, and thighs. A common complaint from patients who lose fat after liposuction is that there is extra, loose skin, which is generally on the stomach, thighs, and arms. Loose skin can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance and can cause skin problems such as rashes and irritation. Additionally, the extra loose folded layers of skin can accumulate sweat and dirt causing sores. Fortunately, there are a few methods you can apply to tighten loose skin after liposuction.

Step 1

Get intense pulse light skin tightening treatment. This non-surgical cosmetic procedure involves bombarding loose skin with radio-frequency waves. The waves penetrate deep into your skin, tightening it from within. It is very effective in tightening loose skin on the buttocks, thighs, and arms. Consult a plastic surgeon or dermatologist for more information about this procedure.

Step 2

Do strength training exercises such as resistance training, weight training, and isometric training, for one hour daily to help tighten loose skin. Performing these types of exercises helps fill in the loose skin space with lean muscle and tightens the tissues supporting your skin. Be sure to consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

Related Post: Think You’re Cut Out for Doing Tummy Tuck? Take This Quiz

Step 3

Drink 11 to 12 glasses of water every day to help reduce loose skin after liposuction to help tighten and hydrate loose skin. Drinking water also helps proper liver function while keeping your skin moisturized and tight.

Step 4

Talk to a plastic surgeon about body contouring plastic surgery. This type of surgery is recommended to get rid of loose skin if you have difficulty losing it with diet and exercise. Body contouring comprises many different kinds of body-sculpting techniques used my cosmetic surgeons to reshape any area of your body. These techniques include tummy tuck and body lifting techniques.

Tips

• Skin takes time to recover from liposuction. Be sure to allow at least six months for full healing before pursuing further surgical options.
• Source: https://denefits.wordpress.com/2018/09/05/how-to-tighten-skin-after-liposuction/

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Need Major Dental Work? No Savings? Here is A Complete Solution to Approach this!

I went about 10 years without seeing a dentist, and I never properly brushed and flossed. This resulted in a medical condition that caused the tooth decay and required dental implants. I had absolutely no money to fund the treatment and I couldn’t leave because it was too painful. It is a tough spot to be in when you do not have the savings or insurance because untreated dental work can result in debilitating, serious pain in the future.

Luckily, the university I was studying in had a free dental clinic services for routine checkups, filling, etc. I used their services, but getting a regular appointment was so difficult that sometimes I had to wait for hours. I had no money, so I had no choice.

But, it isn’t the same today!

Patients nowadays have a lot more choices than there were a decade ago. They can take help of local healthcare communities, go for patient financing, travel abroad, etc. In this post, we have listed 5 different ways to get the dental work (minor or major) completed even without any significant savings or dental insurance.

University’s Dental Care

Let us begin with how I got my teeth fixed. This option might be contradicting to many because the treatment is performed by the student(or students) under the supervision of a professor. However, as per my experience, it was the safest procedure. My initial checkup was free, and my co-pays for exams thereafter were only like $5 ( it was 10 years ago). I was treated by a 4th-year dentistry student and one instructor doctor. The student was doing the work and the instructor was examining the procedure to verify nothing is wrong. Even the X-rays test was performed by both, the student and instructor doctor. Every time a task wasn’t performed appropriately, the instructor doctor would ask the student to redo the procedure for my assurance.

The experience was great; the cost was affordable. The benefits of going to a school are:

• Lowered price
• Quality care
• Ample of time spent on each dental work to ensure all the questions of patients are answered

Traveling Abroad

The dental tourism is on the rise! The Americans have Mexico to get the dental work done in an inexpensive way. It is a common situation to save up to 60% on a dental treatment in Mexico. Hungary, Costa Rica, Ukraine, and several Asian countries also offer treatment for a fraction of the price patients can expect to pay in the US. While the savings look impressive, dental work abroad should be approached with caution. 

There are way too many horror stories. Though the standards are much higher nowadays, being vigilant is paramount as there are dishonest and disreputable doctors in every country. Therefore, it is important to research adequately and get as many answers as possible. More the answers, lesser the risk.

Charitable Dental Organisations

Go to https://www.healthcare.gov/community-health-centers/ and look for a community health center nearby. Most of these centers offer dental services at a sliding fee. Medicaid is also a viable option, but its coverage depends on the state. At times, patients might have to pay additional amount out of your own pocket.

In addition, there are often free clinics for uninsured or underserved patients, such as UNCSNDA & Mission of Mercy. Even, the local dental office, at times, have charity index fund type of programs. Irrespective of where you reside, just search for “free dental care in “your location”, and you might come across surprising results.

Big, Free Dental Events

It is an ideal option for anyone looking for free dental work. Remote Area Medical(RAM) is one of the well renowned non-profit organizations that do free dental work across the country. They bring in several dentists from local practices and have all their chairs filled all day. First come, first served. ADA(American Dental Association) also organizes multiple events throughout the year to help patients suffering from dental problems.

On a disadvantageous side, the dentists participating in these events generally offer a limited set of services. You might not get dental implant services, but you can surely get a free checkup.

Patient Financing

Patients often ask dentists for help with billing and extending time to pay the practice. Patient financing is an ideal solution to address these requests and is quite easy to implement. Patients apply for financing, and once approved, can access their credit to pay for treatment. The much-needed benefit for patients in this is they can move forward with the care they need immediately while paying a convenient monthly fee.

The patient financing program is a perfect way to help patients get the dental work they need while managing the out-of-pocket costs. Because everyone has different financial needs, it is important that a patient must choose the right program in order to get the needed flexibility.

End Note:

Dental work is one of the costliest practices in the United States. They can range from as small as $200 for a regular checkup to as big as $6000 for braces. The medical insurance alone won’t suffice for the huge cost incurred during a major dental work. Even savings don’t help in most cases. Thus, it is better to have a backup plan if things ever go haywire.

Source: https://www.denefits.com/need-major-dental-work-no-savings-here-is-a-complete-solution-to-approach-this/

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