Many employers change or update their insurance plans effective with the new year. This could mean an increase or decrease in your deductible, coinsurance, copayments or other out of pocket expenses. It is important to notify your physician’s office of any insurance changes that have occurred. If you’ve received a new card, bring it with you to your appointment so it can be added to your record even if your insurance company stayed the same. (And if you are new to our office, remember to bring your photo ID, too.)

A new insurance could also mean a new referral is needed. Pay close attention to the requirements of your plan. A referral under one plan will not carry over to the coverage period of your new plan, even if it had unused visits and was not expired yet. Our staff may ask if you’ve gotten a referral from your primary care physician when you make your appointment with our office. Be proactive in your healthcare needs by taking care of this before your visit.

Make sure you have a current benefit plan summary booklet from your insurance company or better yet, check to see if you can access your plan benefits online. Most insurance companies offer members a great deal of information on their websites after a quick registration, including provider directories, cost of care estimates and a look at your processed claims. Some insurances even have nifty apps for that android or iPhone of yours.

If you have a cost share payment fund that helps pay your deductible and coinsurance, like an HSA, HRA or FSA (have we missed any acronyms there?), you should find out if those funds pay directly to the physician’s office or directly to you. If they pay directly to you, our office can be sure to provide you with the documentation you will need to submit for your reimbursement.

Keeping these few simple things in mind as you move along in the new year will help keep your pocketbook and wallet as healthy as possible. Now, how about a refill on the pot of coffee…

It may not mean a lot to you right now, but for us in the “biz” it is a very exciting time of year!  Don’t be surprised if you see more and more ads for speech and hearing services during the month of May.  I’d like to start by posting a short, yet telling article below by Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute in Alexandria VA.

“Many people are aware that their hearing has deteriorated but are reluctant to seek help. Perhaps they don’ t want to acknowledge the problem, are embarrassed by what they see as a weakness, or believe that they can “ get by ” without using a hearing aid. And, unfortunately, too many wait years, even decades, before getting treatment.

But time and again, research demonstrates the considerable negative social, psychological, cognitive and health effects of untreated hearing loss . . . with far-reaching implications that go well beyond hearing alone. In fact, those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal.

Studies have linked untreated hearing loss to:

• Irritability, negativism and anger
• fatigue, tension, stress and depression
• avoidance or withdrawal from social situations
• social rejection and loneliness
• reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety
• impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks
• reduced job performance and earning power
• diminished psychological and overall health

Hearing loss is not just an ailment of old age. It can strike at any time and any age, even childhood. For the young, even a mild or moderate hearing loss could bring difficulty learning, developing speech and building the important interpersonal skills necessary to foster self-esteem and succeed in school and life.

If you think you or a loved one suffers from hearing loss, don’t delay another day. Visit a hearing a professional and take the first step toward a world of better hearing. To receive literature on hearing loss, its treatment and prevention call the Better Hearing Institute hotline at 1-800-EAR-WELL or visit our website at www.betterhearing.org.“

Don’t forget to call Bartram Park Family ENT at 904-446-9191 to schedule an appointment with Audiologist Jodi Green, MA, CCC-A today!

The remedy? Catch up on your sleep! Right? Wrong…

Imagine for a moment a situation where this fatigue occurs every day and is associated with medical problems such as hypertension, heart attacks, increasing symptoms of diabetes and obesity.   It is not unusual to hear that a patient such as this has fallen asleep at the wheel.  In fact, as the amount of obesity in this country increases so does the incidence of this disease. The disease is called Sleep Apnea and is the result of the tongue, tonsils and other parts of the upper airway collapsing in when one goes into a deep sleep. There are two types of sleep apnea – central and obstructed, with the obstructed being the predominant type. Symptoms consist of extreme snoring with periods of not breathing. The patient awakes in the morning feeling tired, as having not slept, has a dry mouth and usually a headache. While these symptoms are worse with being overweight, they can occur in non overweight people and the disease does increase with age.

There are two challenges to Sleep Apnea. One is the problem of diagnosing the problems and the other is treatment. History of snoring with periods of apnea associated with daytime fatigue is the first clue. To confirm this, one has to have a sleep study. While there are home sleep studies available, the gold standard is still in laboratory, overnight sleep study done by an American Academy of Medicine approved sleep center. It is an overnight study where one sleeps in a nice bed with nice surroundings and is wired for heart rate, breathing, oxygen saturations, brain function, etc.  Once this is done, you are referred back to a physician who specializes in sleep medicine for evaluation. This might be an Internist (who specializes in sleep medicine), or an Ears, Nose and Throat Specialist.

The second challenge is that of treatment. Treatment is based on the level of your disease. Mild sleep apnea might be corrected by simple behavior modification-such as sleeping on your side and avoiding sedatives and alcohol before bedtime. Others include weight loss. The gold standard for treatment is the CPAP (or continuous positive airway pressure) machine. It works by mechanically stenting open the airway and preventing the closure of the airway. While this works all the time many people can not tolerate the mask long term. There are several surgical options for people with distinct anatomical problems. A complete evaluation for obstructed sleep apnea should include an evaluation by a Board Certified Ears, Nose and Throat Specialist. They can also tell you about current research on the subject. What ever one does, it is important to realize that this is a serious disease and that you or others in your family should be evaluated promptly if you suspect the disease.

When it comes to treatment, it is very important to understand that the key to successful treatment is dependent not only antibiotics, but to reestablish the natural drainage process of the sinuses. That means using nasal saline, nasal steroids and other decongestants. Antihistamines should only be included in the treatment when there is an underlying allergic component. Treatment should last a minimum of two weeks and possibly longer dependent upon symptoms. Even after resolution of the acute symptoms, other symptoms such as cough may linger on. When aggressive medical treatment has failed, then one should see an ears, nose and throat specialist for possible surgical treatment.

Jeff Sandler, MD

Blog Maven says: Tune in soon for surgical treatment options for sinusitis!

Usually colds begin with a low grade fever,  head and nasal congestion, post nasal drip, sore throat and of course the runny nose. You do not feel well, but you can often struggle to work. Having the flu (the influenza virus) means far greater symptoms.  These include moderate fever, very sore throat, chest congestion, muscle aches, extreme fatigue where one can not get out of bed, and headache. Sometimes you can also have gastrointestinal symptoms (E.g. diarrhea and vomiting).

When should one seek medical help? When the symptoms do not resolve within a few days or there are complications such as pneumonia, or sinusitis, dehydration, persistent high fever, etc. 

Jeff Sandler, MD

Blog Maven says:  Until then take it easy, slow it down and give your body a chance to recover.   And hey, at least you don’t have to go outside and shovel snow like much of the rest of the country!

Stay tuned for more information on sinusitis symptoms and treatment for our next blog post!

Does this sound familiar in your home? The TV is too loud for others in the house but if you turn it down you are unable to understand the program. It’s a frustrating situation for everyone involved. So… what do you do?

Getting your hearing tested is an essential first step. Audiologist Jodi Green will be able to tell you about the type of hearing loss you have and the reasons why you are having difficulty hearing. For some of you, hearing aids will be the best answer to help you hear and understand in most situations where you are having trouble. For others, the answer may be a wireless TV amplifier.

Wireless TV amplifiers consist of a wireless headset with infrared technology that allows someone with hearing difficulty to listen to the television at a louder volume without disturbing others around them. There is a volume control in the headset that lets you turn up the volume while the person next to you can listen at a softer level. You can even turn the TV volume all the way down and still adjust the headset to your preferred listening level!

The systems are very easy to install and require only that you plug the transmitter into the “audio out” of your television or entertainment system. The wireless headsets are equipped with rechargeable batteries so you don’t have to fiddle with replacements.

These systems are great for the person with mild hearing loss that needs just a little extra help or for the person with more severe hearing loss and distortion whose hearing aids may not be enough. Systems cost between $150-$200 are available through our office.

What a great holiday gift to give yourself or a loved one!