beniebuzz blog

There we were - sitting at the dinner table discussing our day. My wife glanced over at her reflection in the window and proclaimed, “People keep asking me if I pregnant! I just can’t lose my pregnancy weight!” We had just welcomed baby #2 ten months earlier - as any loving husband would respond, I agreed with her and said “Well, you might be!”

I have 4 kids. I used to get lost in a medical maze of terror when some weird symptom came up - which would be just about every day in my family. How about you? An online doctor consultation would be a welcome relief, right? Maybe you’re dealing with a migraine (again), or maybe your kid has a weird rash. It’s all too easy to get lost, hitting that Google search button over and over again or scrolling through endless terrifying articles.  

Here we are 4 months into the year. Are you paying more for your prescriptions? I hear it from a lot of people, but I didn’t experience it until recently. 

Has this ever happened to you? You don’t feel well, you’re 99% sure what the issue is (because you’ve had it before), you spend time booking a doctor appointment, you spend time driving there, you spend time sitting in the waiting room, you spend time sitting in the exam room – all to get your 4 minutes with the doctor who gives the advice or Rx you expected. To top it all off, you spend time waiting to pay your $150 visit fee. 

I just heard a frightening story that could happen to ANY of us. I’m compelled to share when I hear something scary, gross or bizarre – I think it helps to get it out of my mind when I pass it off to someone else. Because of this odd phenomenon, I’m writing about it. You’re welcome. 

Here’s the story…

One day in November of 2014, a man (we’ll call him John) took his child to a local ER/Urgent Care. His bill ended up being the following under his insurance plan…

Total Original Price = $1,600

Insurance Paid = $1,100

Have your out-of-pocket costs increased under your current healthcare plan? The stats scream, "YES!" According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, premiums have increased 69% since 2004. If you get insurance through your employer, your contribution has skyrocketed by 81%. 

Add to that, the price of the actual healthcare has gone up exponentially!

Add to that, when you do need to access “the system,” it’s a mire of confusion.

It’s that time of year! That’s right…the “Best of 2014” lists are everywhere! So, we thought we’d join the fun and provide our top 5 freshbenies articles from 2014. Without further ado…enjoy!

1) 40 Million Reasons (OK, 4) You Need ID Theft Protection 

Did you shop at Target the few days before Christmas? 

My friend said, "It was GREAT. The store was totally empty and I could get everything I needed quickly. Of course, I have identity theft protection so I wasn’t really that concerned!”

When is the last time you had a health issue and wished you could just call a doctor for help or to answer a question or to get a prescription for a simple ailment?