HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER

Finding time to tend to health and well-being is a challenge for the notoriously time-starved self-employed. Throw a business trip into the mix and it’s easy to make excuses to slack off. While you may rely on a gym membership or at-home exercise equipment for your workout, there are ways you can stay fit while on the road. Here are some tips and tricks for staying in tip-top shape when you’re away from home.

Vision may be the most precious of our senses. Too bad many of us take it for granted. But we shouldn’t. By age 65, one-third of the U.S. population has some form of sight-impairing disease. And in many cases, serious eye disorders give no warning signs. Fortunately, many vision problems are preventable. This report outlines common threats to eye health and simple steps to neutralize them.

If you live long enough, chances are good you’ll develop osteoarthritis in one or more joints. An estimated 33 million Americans now have the disorder, according to the Arthritis Foundation. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts the number will rise to 67 million by 2030.

The next time you’re hiring, there’s a good chance you could meet an applicant with a disability. According to the 2000 Census, about 50 million Americans—about one in five people—have some form of disability. And more than two-thirds of unemployed people with a disability say they would rather work. Even if you’re not hiring, a current employee could end up with a disability as a result of an accident or a diagnosed disease. The possibility increases with the age of your workforce. Successfully integrating these staffers into your workplace will benefit you and them.

As a micro-business owner you confront many financial challenges. But none are more daunting - or more important - than finding and keeping affordable, quality health insurance. However, if you do your homework - the same way you would as if you were buying a brand new home or a car - you should be able to find a satisfactory coverage option.

The future of health care is here and it’s called “consumerism,” the same principle that drives your choice of supermarket each week. Learn more about consumer-directed health plans and health accounts such as HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs.

Health insurance is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the United States. These regulations give consumers a measure of protection against unscrupulous business practices...

When making a major purchase, such as buying a new car, you assess your needs. The same is true for purchasing health insurance.

Use this worksheet to compare the features and benefits of various health plans you are considering to help you determine which coverage will best meet your needs.

There’s no doubt the Internet has changed the way people conduct business, including the way many of us shop for insurance. Ten years ago, there were only a handful of Web sites from which you could obtain an insurance quote. Today, there are hundreds.

Nobody has to tell you that your health insurance premiums have gone through the roof. Your wallet or pocketbook is already feeling the strain. Here are the top 10 ways you can reduce your health care costs.

Given the brainpower and the billions of dollars the pharmaceutical industry devotes to developing new medicines, you’d think the latest brand-name drug is always the best for whatever ails you, despite the higher price tag. Studies say it isn’t necessarily so.

Premiums for virtually all small group health plans are based on the health history, or “experience,” of the entire group. Major illnesses, such as a heart attack, or chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, can instantly spike up a plan’s rates. As a micro-business owner, it's crucial that you begin exploring ways to implement health and wellness strategies for your employees.

In recent years, dire reports about the human and financial costs of chronic illness have spilled over from medical journals to the pages of newspapers and consumer magazines. The headlines are grim, the stories full of astonishing numbers about the prevalence and expense of these diseases. But what are chronic illnesses?

Sooner or later, everyone who has health insurance encounters questions about their coverage or has a claim denied. Fortunately, most questions are easily answered by calling your insurer’s member services number. But what if you, a family member, or one of your employees runs into a problem that is not so easily solved? Where can you go for help?

It’s a jungle out there – the tangled thicket of government rules and regulations companies must navigate to protect employees’ health and privacy rights. Naturally, you want to do what’s best for your workers. But good intentions won’t keep you from a brush with the health police – the numerous federal and state agencies that enforce key health provisions. Keep reading to find out more about the rules and regulations that may apply to your micro-business.