It was also reported that of the $14.5 million, auto insurance related fraud made of $11.9 million. Fraud is one risk taken into consideration by the insurance company when rating an individual’s auto policy. When a county shows a lower than average insurance fraud, this could possibly result in lower than average insurance rates for residents of this county. There are of course many other factors taken into consideration such a accident statistics in this county compared to other counties, age of the driver and each individuals driving history.

In 2009 Aiken County had a population of 156,017. Our last crime data we were able to come up with was reported in 2005. Crime data is also used to determine rates for auto, home, health and life insurance. Provided below is that data.

• Assaults: 208
• Auto thefts: 328
• Burglaries: 778
• Murders: 7
• Rapes: 53
• Robberies: 59
• Thefts: 1540

Aiken County Health Insurance

According to a study conducted by the CDC shows that on a score rating between 1 and 5, Aiken County is a 3.5 for general health. The reports also showed that over 70% of the residents exercised within the last month. However, with this being reported the average weight of residents is reported to be higher than the average.

The average weight of men: 198 lbs.
The average weight of women: 162 lbs.

With health insurance rates being as high as they are, exercise and good health is quickly becoming the one thing people can do to significantly reduce health insurance quotes and rates offered by companies. With a healthy body comes very little risk of health issues – not to mention a healthier more fulfilling life. Making lifestyle changes is difficult but can be very rewarding.

Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken says, “It’s the carrot instead of the stick approach,”.

Currently the state of South Carolina is ranked the ninth state when it comes to obesity. There are nearly 410,000 state employees. Statistics have shown that 30% of adults are considered to be obese. With this new incentive over 120,000 workers may be able to reduce their health insurance costs.

Whether or not you’re a state worker, one thing to know is health insurance rates are much lower for those who work hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Anyone can begin saving or maintaining a lower health insurance by eating healthy and exercising daily

The health issues that can come from being obese are many. While many just feel it’s a cosmetic problem, it’s really a health hazard. An overweight person is 40% more likely to die prematurely – compared to a person with a healthy weight. Just a few medical conditions that obesity is linked to include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, gallstones and gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, gout and sleep apnea.
The old saying goes – take care of your body, your body will take care of you.

Desert Cancer Foundation Arizona

DCF raises funds through grants, fundraisers and donations. This Foundation has no paid staff and no office so overhead is minimal. The Desert Care Foundation is also expanding to help people without coverage get screened for skin cancer.

Desert Cancer Foundation’s Mission

The mission of The Desert Cancer Foundation of Arizona is to provide cancer awareness education and to secure treatment resources to the uninsured in Arizona.

Organization Contact
The Desert Cancer Foundation of Arizona
P.O. Box 2796
Chandler, Arizona 85244-2796
Email: inquiries@desertcanceraz.org
Contact Phone: 480-763-6897
Learn More: desertcanceraz.org

Northeastern states have done very in ranking on a higher tier for good health with Massachusetts coming in 2nd, 3rd place went to New Hampshire and there was a tie for 4th healthiest state between Connecticut and Hawaii.

Vermont Health Insurance

Green Mountain Care is Vermont’s family of health insurance plans which include Vermont Health Access Plan (VHAP), Catamount Health, and Dr. Dynasaur Medicaid. The State of Vermont also has a number of premium assistance and pharmacy assistance programs.

The cost and eligibility of these plans are based on income and the size of the household. For more information about Vermont’s health plans, options and eligibility call 800-250-8427.

Jeremiah Samples, West Virginia’s project manager for the Insurance Commissioner states that the goal of the exchange is to be sure that the maximum number of people can afford the insurance. In an exchange, health insurance companies must follow certain guidelines in order to offer these health insurance plans to consumers throughout West Virginia. The goal is create a competitive marketplace that will be both regulated and reduce the cost of health insurance for consumers. The probability that this exchange will work for the consumer depends on the type of exchange the state puts together and what type of rules the insurance companies must follow to participate in this exchange program.

It has also been mentioned that West Virginia may create two separate exchanges, one for small businesses and the other for individual insurance needs.

This grant will help the Woman’s Outpatient Center at St. Joseph help provide high-quality prenatal care to an estimated 250 expectant mothers. Without this grant the health of these expectant mothers and babies would be in danger.
Nearly 2/3 of the 4,200 expectant mothers who deliver their babies at the Weaton Franciscan-St Joseph hospital are uninsured or low-income individuals. This grant is to help with Wheaton’s healthy beginnings initiative which has been put in place to reduce fetal and infant death.

Patients to Weaton Franciscan are also assisted in obtaining insurance coverage through the states Badger program.

You can learn a little more about Wisconsin’s Badger health insurance program by visiting:
http://www.low-insurance.org/health/wisconsin/

This is an opportunity for those with chronic disease to get help since most plans offered to those with existing conditions come with very high priced premiums. This plan is there for both U.S citizens and Nationals who have had no insurance for a minimum of 6 months. This plan is for those who have trouble getting affordable health insurance coverage due to the existing conditions they may have. This plan covers primary and specialty care, hospitalization and prescriptions.

Premiums for the plan are based on age:
Under 34 Years Old: $234 per month
35-44: $280 per month
45-54: $358 per month

These premiums are lower than Wyoming’s existing high-risk insurance pool that was put in place prior to the new reform. This is a step in the right direction for those who have trouble finding health coverage.

Sun Exposure Map

While most of us have experienced sunburns, it’s important not to underestimate the effects of even the mildest of sunburns. Most sun burns are 1st degree and usually take up to a week to fully heal. This can be your burn from last week’s fishing trip or a group hike. These burns are 1st degree which means only the outer layer of skin was affected. Pain relievers, cold compresses and moisturizing creams can be used to help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with these types of burns.

Damaged skin layers and nerve endings are the work of 2nd degree burns. These burns are much more painful and typically take longer to heal. Often times you will see redness, swelling and even blistering which works as a human Band-Aid. Don’t pop or remove blisters as they contain that source of moisture to help heal the burn. Breaking blisters can lead to worse problems including infections. It’s best to consult your doctor if your burn leads to blistering.

Keep Your Kids Covered

Over 80% of skin aging in adults was the result of their sun exposure as kids under the age of 18. Over time the sun’s UV rays damage the elastin which is the fibers in your skin. This makes me wonder how much damage has been done to my own skin’s fibers. As these fibers break down the skin can begin to sag and stretch. Too much sun will also cause pigmentation or irregular coloring in the skin. This will cause some areas to appear darker than others. Sometimes you’ll find that freckles can be found on the areas of the body which were sun-exposed. Although freckles don’t necessarily pose any health risk, some forms of skin cancer in the earliest stages will resemble a freckle. If you notice a freckle begins to change color or size or even begin to hurt, consult your doctor.

There are thousands of ways our lives can be affected for the worse. It’s important to go about experiencing life in a way that is safer for us and our children, even if it simply means applying a little sunscreen before an afternoon at the zoo.

Resource: http://www.low-insurance.org/top/reduce-sun-exposure/

Texas Health Insurance News

So basically under this federal law, insurance providers will be required to justify the rate increases to both federal and state regulators. This must be done prior to imposing the rate increase.

Insurance companies argues that the continuous rise in health car costs will continue forcing their rates to be increased. The federal government hasn’t yet defined what an “unreasonable” rate increase is.

This law is designed to help Texas health policy holders from unfair, unreasonable, rate increases and it’s nice to see that Texas is standing up to high insurance rate spikes.

Our local and national resources have been reviewed and proven to help residents save more on Texas insurance rates online.

Resource: http://www.low-insurance.org/top/texas-gets-involved/

Is it big enough? ~ low-insurance.org

Fast Food: The Direct Expense:

So let’s say you or someone you know eats fast food every day or most of the week. If they are on a tight budget and buy off the dollar menu, they’ll probably still pay about $3 for a full lunch plus tax. Over the course of a month, or roughly 24 working days, this will add up to about $72 a month for eating out. For $72 you could easily buy a bag of bread rolls, sandwich meat, tomatoes, lettuce and all the fixins to build you a mouth watering sandwich that your co-workers will envy. For a side you can also buy a bag of light potato chips or fruit. Have you ever seen a co-worker bring in an awesome looking homemade salad which leaves you going MMMMM?

Fast Food: Expenses of Tomorrow:

These meals are built to satisfy your hunger but at what price? Over time we continue stretching our appetites which is why I believe the burgers keep getting bigger. The calorie intake of a single fast food meal is well over 1200 calories. The grams of fat you’re taking in with fast food is extremely high compared to a light turkey sandwich. While a burger could contain as much as 30 grams of fat per serving, a sandwich only contains about 6 grams of fat. A sandwiche can be both satisfying to your appetitie as well as your health. Eating a sub sandwich with a small bag of light chips will reduce your calorie intake about 500 calories a day compared to eating fast food. Think of the long term health benefits of reducing that many calories as well as fat each day.

CBS news mentioned that obesity may become a “top cause of cancer”. Another study mentions how obesity may become the #1 cause of death in about 9 years with how fast the rate of obesity is increasing. There has also been talk about obesity being worse on your liver than alcohol. With obesity causing so much risk, insurance companies are going to continue charging higher rates for people who weigh more.

So in the long run if you eat fast food on a daily basis you’re probably spending more than you need to on lunch to begin with. You’re also eating a food that might as well be designed to increase weight. You’ll find you may end up spending more on health insurance as well as health care.

Take the challenge. Do a weight check and write it down. For the next two months eat light lunches packed from home. At the end of two months you’ll find that you’re not only saving money and reducing health risks, you’re also losing weight.

Resource: http://www.low-insurance.org/top/reduce-insurance-pack-a-lunch/