SPECIALIZING IN HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS WINTER 2007
YOUR NEWS TO USE     Getting The Mo$t From Your In$urance Heads-Up on “FluMist” Microwave: A Surprise Sterilizer Job Termination & Health Insurance Laws Good Teeth Can Be Life Savers Thanks! Heads-Up on “FluMist” An updated version of “FluMist” is on its way to becoming more readily available. The Food and Drug Administration approved the new formulation of the nasal spray flu vaccine, which can be stored refrigerated instead of frozen. That will make “FluMist” easier to handle and more accessible in places like pharmacies and grocery stores. “FluMist” is approved for healthy people ages 5 to 49. The new inhalable flu vaccine should be available in August – in time for the 2007-2008 flu season. Specializing in Health Insurance Benefits R. Kashmiry & Associates is a certified broker for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in handling the Medicare Advantage and Blue MedicareRx plans. We believe all employers and employees ought to be able to get the same quality health care benefits and affordable rates available to big companies. R. Kashmiry & Associates, Inc. has the tools to do it. We've designed a framework of strength, flexibility and affordability that offers a real health care solution for small and large businesses. We are a complete employee benefit design company located in Boardman, Ohio. In addition to working with various state associations, we provide service to over 1,000 out of state clients.   If you have questions or comments, drop us an email, info@rkashmiry.com, or phone, 800. 860.6295. Visit our website at www.rkashmiry.com	Kudos to You! We greatly appreciate the enthusiastic response to our newsletter. One client of R. Kashmiry & Associates is even printing and sharing the articles in employees' paycheck envelopes. The newsletter is just part of our ongoing mandate to provide outstanding personal service so you can make informed choices about your healthcare. Getting The Mo$t From Your In$urance Our recent survey helped R. Kashmiry & Associates zero in on ways to help you get every cent out of your health insurance dollars. Here are some easy things to keep in mind that could save you big bucks! A. Depending on the terms of your policy -- getting blood work done at an independent lab that’s within the network may mean the difference between an office visit co-pay – or a bill of hundreds of dollars that would be applied towards your deductible. If you are not sure about your policy and/or the status of a lab, please call R. Kashmiry & Associates, 1.877.860.6295, and we will check for you. B. Vision exams – within the network – may be covered under your basic health care plan. That means you would pay just your specialist co-payment! Also, a discount of 30% on prescriptions for frames, lenses, as well as contact lenses is offered at the following: 1. Target Optical 2. Sears Optical 3. Pearle Vision 4. LensCrafters C. An important note for this flu season. Most Anthem health plans cover flu shots, pneumonia shots, “FluMist”, and antiviral medications like “Tamiflu”. Microwave: A Surprise Sterilizer From the file of “Did You Know?”: that handy-dandy microwave in your kitchen could be a great sterilizer for most household sponges, but with one big, WET caveat. Just two-minutes of microwaving a WET sponge at full power killed or inactivated more than 99-percent of bacteria, viruses, or parasites, as well as spores. That’s right – researchers at University of Florida found the microwave to be “a very powerful and inexpensive tool for sterilization” of food borne microbes in household sponges. But the researchers emphasize the sponge must be completely WET to guard against the risk of fire. The zapped sponge will also be very hot. According to the CDC – at least 76-million Americans get sick from those microbes every year – and five-thousand people die from them. Food borne illnesses result in a staggering $4-billion to $6-billion annually in medical costs and other expenses. Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16756662/ Job Termination & Health Insurance Laws Small business employers and terminated employees may not be aware of a revision in Ohio’s health insurance laws. “Ohio Revised Code 3923.38” is available to workers at companies with less than 20 combined full-time/part-time employees. The gist of it is a terminated employee may continue his or her group coverage for himself or herself, as well as eligible dependents, for six-months after losing a job. The employer MUST notify the employee of this right, along with the amount of required contribution at the time of termination. A number of other conditions and urgent time requirements also apply. You can see those details of “Ohio Revised Code 3923.38” by clicking here. You want “TITLE XXXIX INSURANCE”, then scroll down to 3923.38. Good Teeth Can Be Life Savers The dental AND medical professions, including the nation’s own Surgeon General, agree there are new, important reasons to brush and floss. Our mouths are a window into what is going in the rest of our bodies. Studies indicate that the oral bacteria that causes gum or periodontal disease may be linked to many serious health problems. Among them -- heart attacks, strokes, and pre-mature labor. Thanks! We hope we offered a few helpful tidbits today. Our goal is to say what we mean -- and mean what we say. If you have questions or comments, drop us an email, info@rkashmiry.com, or phone, 877.860.6295. Please feel free to forward this eNewsletter to anyone who might find it useful. Remember, it's all "Just For The Health Of It!"