#innetwork

Companies running private Medicare and Medicaid insurance plans inaccurately list many mental health professionals as being available to treat the plans’ members, a new federal watchdog report says. The investigators allege that some insurers effectively set up “ghost networks” of psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals who purportedly have agreed to treat patients…

Emergency room bills: even in-network hospitals can have high prices

On January 28, 34-year-old Scott Kohan woke up in an emergency room in downtown Austin, Texas, with his jaw broken in two places, the result of a violent attack the night before. Witnesses called 911, which dispatched an ambulance that brought him to the hospital while he was unconscious.

“The thing I remember most was my lips were caked in blood and super dry,” Kohan says. “My head was…

New Post has been published on http://nsihealthcarerecruiter.com/insurers-listings-of-in-network-doctors-often-out-of-date/?Healthcare+Recruiters

Insurers' listings of in-network doctors often out of date

In modern-day society, stress is virtually unavoidable. But while the word “stress” is used often, many underestimate the impact that this evolutionary physiological response can have on the body and mind. Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances; from an evolutionary standpoint, the body’s response when faced with a stressor (for example: a potential predator) enabled survival. This “fight or flight” response known to result from stress can still be beneficial today, but more often than not, stress—especially when prolonged—can be very detrimental.

When the body is faced with an “adverse or demanding circumstance,” a few things happen: blood pressure and heart rate increase and digestive function is impaired, preparing the body for action. The problem occurs when the stressor is not necessarily life threatening, as most modern stressors are not. While traffic or unexpected expenses are undoubtedly stressful, they likely do not warrant the fight or flight response that the body is hardwired to produce. The problem arises when the body is constantly in this state of prolonged stress (known as chronic stress). Some symptoms of this include:

Tension and migraine headaches

Upset stomach, abdominal pain, change in appetite

Chest pain and heart palpitations

Anxiety

Difficulty falling or staying asleep

The symptoms are not the only adverse side effects of prolonged stress. Stress is linked to higher risk of stroke and heart attack, impaired immune system functioning, and weight loss or gain.

Chronic stress is not something to be taken lightly. While it is inevitable, this does not mean that it is untreatable. Many things can be done to cope with and manage stress with minimal impact on the body and mind:

Prioritize. Often times, stress results from over-commitment—figure out which activities in your life are necessary and eliminate those that are not.

Exercise and maintain a nutritious diet.

Practice yoga.

Meditate.

Increase Omega-3 consumption or take Omega-3 supplements.

If you are experiencing chronic stress, consider seeking treatment—numerous alternative and complementary practices, including yoga, acupuncture, and bodywork, are effective in stress reduction. Fifteen InNetwork providers treat chronic stress, and they can be found here. Chronic stress can be progressively harmful, so take steps to manage your stress immediately.

References

Dealing with Stress – Dr. Weil.http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00694/Stress.html

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) refers to a severe, prolonged tiredness that does not disappear even after rest. It is a condition that thousands of individuals in America alone suffer from, and though it may manifest itself in slightly different forms unique to the individual, it is often incredibly debilitating. In an effort to learn more about CFS, our social media intern, KM, interviewed Karen Stringer, an InNetwork provider with a great deal of experience treating chronic fatigue.

When your body hurts, your mood suffers, and when your emotions are out of balance, so is your body. The treatment of mental and physical health is best treated synergistically. As a psychotherapist and a licensed clinician in Oriental Medicine, Laurie Walsh has found a truly holistic way to treat her clients.