How to Wash Your Hands Correctly

There's a right way to wash your hands. Follow these simple steps to keep your hands clean:

· Use warm water (not cold or hot).

· Use whatever soap you like. Antibacterial soaps are popular but regular soap works fine. If you suspect that your hands have come into contact with someone with an infection, think about using an alcohol hand sanitizer.

· Rub your hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces: Lather up on both sides of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers, and around your nails. Wash for 15 seconds — about how long it takes to sing "Happy Birthday."

· Rinse well under warm running water and pat dry with a clean towel.

· In public restrooms, consider using a paper towel to flush the toilet and open the door because toilet and door handles harbor germs. Throw the towel away after you leave.

To prevent chapping or dry skin, use a mild soap with warm water, pat rather than rub hands dry, and apply a moisturizing lotion liberally afterwards.

When there is no soap or water available, waterless hand soaps or scrubs are a good alternative. They're usually available as a liquid, wipes, or towelettes, and often come in small travel sizes that are perfect for keeping in your book bag, car, locker, purse, or sports bag.

Remember, proper and frequent hand washing is the key to preventing the spread of many common infections. So hum a few verses of "Happy Birthday" and lather up!

 

Health Care: What Do You Know?

Doctors recommend you start getting involved in your medical care around age 14. Of course it helps to know what you're doing! Test your knowledge by taking our mini quiz. And if you don't ace it, don't worry. We have plenty of information to help you out.

True or False? Your parents can see your medical records.

 

Answer: False. Parents don't always have access to their kids' medical records.

Why you'll want to know this:

If you need a parent's help with medical care after age 18. In the United States, the law protects the privacy of medical records for everyone over age 18. (The age is 16 or younger for mental health records, depending on the state.) If you want parents to help with your care, you'll need to sign a document that gives them access to your records.

If you are younger than 18 but want certain information kept private. Many states now allow doctors to decide whether or not they disclose certain information to parents — about sexual health or substance abuse, for example. If you want your records kept private, talk to your doctor to see what can be done.

True or False? Once you're 18, you're done with vaccines.

Answer: False. You don't stop getting sick just because you're 18. (Think flu shot!)

Why you'll want to know this:

If you're going to college. Serious illnesses — like meningitis — can spread easily in dorms and other college settings. So many schools require students to be immunized. Check with your school about which vaccines you need.

If you're traveling abroad.You may need protection against illnesses that are rare or nonexistent in the United States, like malaria. Call your doctor or student health center to find out what vaccines you need.

If you have other health issues. Vaccines can help people with weakened immune systems. If you have a health condition (e.g., HIV, cancer, or asthma that requires you to take steroids), ask your doc which vaccines you need.

True or False? If you run out of your prescription, don't take someone else's.

Answer: True. Using someone else's prescription can cause problems, even if the other person takes the exact same medication and dose as you do.

Why you'll want to know this:

If you take a medication that requires close monitoring. Doctors need to keep track of how people take some medications, and they can't do that if a patient takes someone else's prescription. Medications may look the same, but they can work differently. For example, a friend's pills may be time-release pills but yours are not. So call your doctor's office instead of a friend if you run out of (or don't have) your medication. Even if it's an emergency, your doctor's office can usually fix things for you.

If your medical history has changed. Medications can interact with each other. Even herbal remedies or over-the-counter medicines may cause side effects or reduce the effectiveness of a prescription. You might not think your medical history has changed, but your doctor will know if something you might have started doing recently will affect your prescription. It's one reason why doctors ask so many questions!

True or False? It's OK to go without health insurance when you're young and healthy.

Answer: False. Accidents can happen to anyone. Make sure you're covered!

Why you'll want to know this:

If you have an emergency. Every day, thousands of perfectly healthy people break bones, need stitches, get into car crashes, or find out they have illnesses. Medical bills from even a minor car accident can wreak havoc on your finances. It's always better to buy insurance, even if you get the least expensive option that only covers major medical expenses.

True or False? You should know your blood type.

Answer: True. The body can reject blood if it is the wrong type.

Why you'll want to know this:

If you need a transfusion. In an emergency, seconds count. The blood bank will test your blood before giving you a transfusion, but it helps to know your type anyway. If you don't know your blood type, find out from your parents or doctor. Keep that information on an emergency card in your wallet, or put it in your phone. It's also a good idea to keep information about allergies and other medical issues where it can be found easily, like a medical alert bracelet or your wallet.

 

Health Insurance Basics

Premiums, co-pays, deductibles, in-network, out-of-network ...welcome to the wonderful world of health insurance. And you thought advanced calculus was confusing!

Chances are, up until now you've been covered by your parents' health insurance. They probably chose your doctors, oversaw your care, and paid your bills. But maybe you're getting to a different point in your life.

Beginning to take charge of your own health care is a big step and it can be a little overwhelming. Here's a quick crash course on insurance.

What Exactly Is Health Insurance?

Health insurance is a plan that people buy into in return for coverage on all kinds of medical care. Most plans cover doctors' appointments, emergency room visits, hospital stays, and medications.

The idea behind insurance is simple: Medical care can be so expensive that most people can't pay for it entirely out of their own pockets. But if a group of people gets together, and they each agree to pay a fixed amount every month (whether they need medical care at that time or not), the risk is spread out over the whole group. In other words, each person is protected from high health care costs because the burden is shared by many.

Do I Really Need It?

You're young, you spend more time in the gym than David Beckham, you rarely get anything worse than a cold, and your great-grandparents are still kicking at 99. Why bother spending money on insurance? The odds are pretty good that you'll never get seriously sick, right?

We certainly hope so. But every day, thousands of "perfectly healthy" people break bones, need stitches, get into car accidents, find out they have illnesses, or are told they need surgery for one condition or another.

You may never be one of them. But what if you are? Medical bills from even a minor car accident can wreak havoc on your finances. A major illness can wipe out your family's savings as well. Insurance may be expensive, but not having it may cost way more.

OK, So Maybe I Do Need It. How Can I Get It?

There are many different ways to buy health insurance, and the costs and benefits vary widely for each one. You'll need to see which options are available to you, given your age and employment status, and also which one best meets your needs. You'll probably need to wade through a lot of health care buzzwords, too.

Here are some of the ways you might be able to get insurance:

· Parents' plan. Most family insurance plans cover kids until they turn 18 or 19. Many also cover full-time, unmarried students between the ages of 19 and 25. Your parents will need to check their specific policy for details.

· COBRA. COBRA (short for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) lets you purchase the health plan your parents currently have for you so you can continue coverage when you would otherwise lose eligibility (for example, if you are 18 and not continuing your education, if you graduate from college but don't have a job with health insurance, or if you are over 25 and still going to school). COBRA is time limited, meaning you can only buy it for a certain length of time after leaving your parents' insurance.

· Short-term policy. Many insurance companies let you buy short-term, or "student," insurance policies that help you bridge the gap between school and your first job. These plans are similar to COBRA, though they're usually more basic and affordable.

· Employer plans. This is the way most people in the United States get their health insurance. It is also usually the least expensive option, since employers often help pay for part of the insurance. Some employers will offer you health insurance coverage on your first day of work; others may make you work a period of time first (30, 60, or 90 days) before you become eligible.

· Individual policy.Buying comprehensive health insurance on your own is probably the most expensive option, since you're not sharing the risk with a larger group of people (such as other students, employees, etc.). Also, these plans tend to require you get medical tests in order to qualify. You may be turned down or have to pay more if you're considered a higher risk because of a health condition or an unhealthy behavior like smoking.

· Subsidized state program. If you are under 18, uninsured, and your family makes below a certain level of income, you may be eligible for state help through a program called SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program). Benefits vary from state to state so you'll need to check with your state's Department of Health and Human Services.

· Medicaid. Medicaid is another type of government-funded health insurance that's available only to certain people. These may include low-income parents and people with disabilities.

What If I Already Have a Health Condition?

If you've been living with an illness, such as asthma or diabetes, insurance companies call that a "pre-existing condition." Unfortunately, people who try to purchase a policy after they've been diagnosed with a pre-existing condition often find that prices are way higher. They also might not cover any treatment related to your pre-existing condition for a set period of time once you enroll.

How Do I Figure Out What Type of Insurance I Need?

Each insurance plan is different when it comes to what's covered, what's not, and how much things cost. Figuring out which one is right for you is a bit of a balancing act: You want to get the most benefits at the least cost.

Start by looking at all the elements of the plan and not just the price tag. For example, a plan with a low monthly premium isn't necessarily the cheapest — your co-pay might be very high or you might pay way more for your prescriptions. So if you see a doctor a lot or take prescription medications regularly, a more expensive plan that covers a higher percentage of the cost to see a doc or get a prescription may actually turn out to be cheaper.

You'll also have to look at whether your plan covers things that are important to you. For example, many plans don't cover things like dental or vision care, counseling sessions, or alternative therapies like chiropractic or acupuncture.

The three major plans you'll likely have to choose from are: indemnity plans, managed care plans, or consumer-driven health plans.

Indemnity Plans

With this kind of plan you can see any doctor you want any time you want. You pay the doctor directly and then send your claim to your insurance company. The company pays you back for part of the total cost. (For example, if your doctor charged $100, you might get 80%, or $80, back.)

Indemnity plans (also called fee-for-service or reimbursement plans) generally don't pay for preventive care, like annual physical exams. Because they offer you the most choice, the monthly premium is usually higher than other types of health plans.

Managed Care Plans

When you get insurance through an employer, it is often through a managed care plan. With managed care, a health insurance company negotiates a contract with certain health care providers, hospitals, and labs to provide care for its members at a lower cost.

The four basic types of managed care plans are:

1. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). When you join an HMO, you choose a primary care doctor. This doctor coordinates all your medical care, from annual physicals to hospitalizations. Although the co-pay for these services is usually fairly low, the tradeoff is that you can only use doctors and hospitals who are approved by your plan. Also you can't see any kind of specialist without a written referral.

2. PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). A PPO is like an HMO, only with more flexibility. Instead of choosing a primary care doctor, you can see any doctor you want. However, if you choose a doctor who participates in your plan, you will pay less.

3. POS (Point of Service).With a POS plan, you generally choose an in-network doctor for most of your care, but you may go outside the network if you need to see a specialist. If you do go out of network, you may have to pay more.

4. EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization). An EPO is like a PPO, only the network of participating doctors is smaller.



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