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Emergency Evacuation

Diposting oleh My Blog on Jumat, 09 September 2011

Insurance cover for emergency evacuation is an option that people often overlook but emergency evacuation can prove to be extremely important if you are living in a remote or underdeveloped country. An emergency evacuation benefit can be very expensive and it is important when you are selecting a plan to decide if this is something that you need.
In certain countries it is highly recommended since the cost for helicopters, ambulances, flights home and in-transit medical care can add up to enormous amounts of money. We would strongly recommend this type of coverage in China , whilst if you are based full time in Singapore or Hong Kong it is probably not absolutely necessary.
Emergency evacuation is necessary in the event that suitable medical treatment is not available locally. In this situation the insured is normally evacuated to the nearest 'acceptable' hospital or, in certain cases, back to their own country. If you are evacuated back to your home country the cover is called 'repatriation'.
It is important to realize that insurance companies will only cover medical evacuation of the insured when it is requested by the treating doctor and agreed upon by the insurer's medical consultants. This means that the patient cannot simply request to be 'evacuated' to a different hospital; it has to be medically necessary.

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Chronic Conditions

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Perhaps the most important type of medical condition is a chronic condition. This is normally defined as a condition from which you do not recover, you only manage and maintain. The conditions normally respond to treatment during the acute phases and very often require ongoing medication during the palliative phases. Good examples are diabetes, heart disease and asthma.
Chronic conditions are very serious since they normally require a lifetime of medication and treatment and are therefore very expensive.
International Medical insurers will often place limitations or restrictions around the treatment of a chronic condition and in some cases the plan may not cover chronic conditions at all. Generally limitations are:

Acute Phases only:

The policy is structured to cover the acute phases of a condition. This is when the condition 'flares up' or requires special treatment over a short period of time

Lifetime Limit:

Insurer will agree to a lifetime limit on Chronic conditions. This means in the earlier years of the conditions the treatment may well be covered in full but overtime if the condition requires ongoing treatment, you may exceed the limit and no further cover will be provided.

Annual Limit:

This limit is applied to expenses during the year. Very often annual limits are applied to palliative treatment since these most directly relate to treatment required every year.
Most young expats are not really concerned about chronic conditions since they seem remote and unlikely to be of direct relevance to them (it is true that chronic conditions tend to occur later in life). Unfortunately, once you have a condition at younger age it is very difficult to cover it later since it will then be deemed a pre-existing condition.
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Claims

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The way insurance companies handle claims largely influences consumers' satisfaction. There are three ways in which insurance companies cover medical expenses:
1) For in-patient and emergency treatments most insurance companies will settle medical expenses directly with a hospital. For inpatient treatment which is scheduled in advance the insurer normally requires the insured person to complete a 'treatment guarantee form'. The insurer can then contact the hospital and arrange payment direct to the hospital. For emergency treatment the insured should contact the insurer as soon as possible to arrange settlement.
2) In some countries and cities insurance companies set up direct outpatient settlement networks where you can go to an outpatient clinic and the bill is settled directly with the insurer without the individual having to pay.
3) Generally for outpatient treatment the policyholder pays for the medical bill and then submits a claim form to the insurance provider, along with the original receipt. The insurance company will then reimburse the client by sending a cheque, bank transfer or putting money directly into the credit card account.

Complaints regarding Claims

Policyholders are most commonly dissatisfied with the claims due to the delays in reimbursements. This usually happens when the insurance company receives paperwork that is incomplete or incorrect. To ensure prompt reimbursement, it is the client's responsibility to make sure all the documents are in order before sending it to their insurance provider.
Another reason that can prevent an insurance company from reimbursing the claim is the client's pre-existing conditions. If the medical treatment was received for a pre-existing condition (that was not agreed upon by the insurer) then the claim will not be reimbursed.
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Family Plan Information

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Our family health insurance plans are suitable for all ages, occupations, are annual and guaranteed renewable. We do not calculate your premium based on your nationality or your occupation but instead the premium is dependant on your age and where your family lives. You can relocate to a new country or back home and your overseas health insurance plan can normally go with you as they are not specific to one country.
The health insurance plans are designed for families traveling abroad regularly and expatriate families. We will approach the world's largest insurance companies on your behalf to ensure that you get the most appropriate and cost effective health insurance quote. For a health insurance quote for your family you should contact our advisors.
We can include a deductible (excess) to help keep your premium costs low and minimize the policy administration. Policies can be designed to include chronic conditions maternitydentalemergency evacuation, personal accident cover and numerous other benefits. If you are suffering from a pre-existing medical condition, our health insurance consultants can help you to find the most suitable insurer to extend the coverage to this condition.
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Plan Summary

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Trying to understand the various components and options of an international medical insurance plan can be confusing. Making a choice on a policy can be difficult because a policyholder may not know what a plan involves. In many cases an international medical insurance policy will stay with an individual for the rest of their life, so it is important that you make the right decision.
The easiest way to understand an international health insurance plan is to break down its' cover into individual parts. Below is a summary of the typical benefits that can be offered on the plan as well as important things that need to be considered. Medical insurers generally offer different levels of cover so that clients can select a plan that most closely matches their needs, only buying the coverage that they want.
We have listed some of the main areas of an international medical insurance plan below. Please read through these various terms, as these are the options that are most likely to have:
We can help provide the information that you need, and work with you to ensure that your plan can offer the coverage that you deserve. From areas of coverage, to the different levels of deductibles, whatever your questions may be we can answer them.

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Choose the right insurance

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Selecting the right medical plan is extremely important since you may keep it for the rest of your life. If the coverage is not suitable then you may not be able to get the medical treatment you need or it may be very expensive and place an unnecessary financial burden on your family.
It is difficult to find suitable international health insurance providers and even when a consumer is equipped with extensive insurance policy knowledge, comparing policies and interpreting the policy wording can be very challenging. Expats that decide to purchase medical insurance from a local provider once they arrive at their final destination will often find it more convenient but the coverage is unlikely to meet their expectations.
An individual has to make important decisions as to what benefits to include on the policy. This can be as simple as: price versus coverage or working out if chronic condition coverage is important to you. Making these decisions in an informed way can take a lot of time and effort. Seeking the help of an insurance advisor often proves to be very useful. They should have experience on a range of insurers and plans and can help you to understand the benefits while identifying what is important to include.
Insurance advisors are normally 'brokers' which means they represent the client and not the insurance company. There are no additional charges for using their service and they are paid a commission by the insurer only when you take out the plan.
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International Medical Insurance for Expatriates

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Moving overseas is an important decision that, along with excitement, brings numerous concerns. Both new and experienced expatriates view the purchase of medical insurance to be an additional cause of anxiety and stress.
In your home country, the majority of people are provided with medical insurance by an employer. Even if your employer does not provide medical insurance there are many sources of good information to help and assist you. However, that changes once you move overseas. Not all companies have the experience to assist their employees with medical insurance overseas, and expatriates often have to take care of medical insurance on their own.
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How To Become A Social Media Listener In 5 Easy Steps

Diposting oleh My Blog on Kamis, 08 September 2011


A few days ago a friend of mine posted (on Google+) that nobody is listening on Twitter anymore. He offered his specific help to promote someone’ blog post there but got no answer. Obviously, because the other part wasn’t even listening. This story made me think about how people are consuming social media.
Nobody will question that the biggest trend is to be a “broadcaster”. Use social media to promote your business, to enhance your brand, to increase sales. That’s what everybody and their mothers are teaching you nowadays. There’s so much noise in this area that it’s almost impossible to discern useful information from gibberish. That’s why many people entering in social media have really overwhelming experiences.
I’ve been there too. I had my fair share of learning “how to influence people using social media“. But after having enough, a new trend in consuming this type of interaction emerged. Namely, I became a listener. And it took me only a few weeks to realize that the benefits of being an honest listener instead of an obsessed broadcaster are far more interesting than I thought.
For instance, I can easily get access to trends. I gave up TV a few years ago and I don’t consume news in the traditional media form. But my need to stay informed didn’t disappear, on the contrary, so I just use social media to see what are the directions, who are taking the lead and what other people are saying about that.
Also, by constantly perusing my social media stream I grow what I like to call ”my filtering muscles“. I learned how to easily identify what is important from what is just meaningless repetition. And that proved to be extremely beneficial in other areas too, like casual social conversation. I can easily spot a lazy conversational partner and sparkle the interaction, if need will be. People seldom get bored while talking to me. Or so the rumor goes, anyway…
But maybe the most important benefit of being a listener is that you get access to a lot of actionable information in your field. Promotions, events, new groups or things like these can be easily spotted and taken advantage of if you’re constantly keeping your eyes on the right streams. All you have to do is listen.
So, how can you become an effective social media listener?

1. Organize Your Broadcasters In Groups, Circles Or Lists

Pretty much every important social media platform has this feature nowadays. You can organize your stream in smaller chunks. If you have a really big social media window, it will take some time to put it into ”folders“. But in my experience this will really pay off in the long run.
Also, as you grow the list of people you follow, do take the time to add them to their specific group, circle or list too. In time, their messages will become more consistent and it will also be a way for you to identify if that area really benefits you or not.

2. Assign Specific Times For Perusing Each Group

Don’t do it everywhere, anytime. It’s not working. I know, because I used to do it like this: on the computer, in my backyard looking at my iPhone or on the couch, scratching my iPad. The message will get diluted and the initial thrill of interacting will rapidly fade away.
Instead, schedule some time for some specific list or topic and then drill down all the way to where you were last time you checked it. Dive in, immerse and try to get the most of it. Don’t give in to the thrill of interaction instantly, Just follow a fixed routine and let the results grow slowly.

3. Respond

This is not action. This is interaction: you’ll send a powerful message that you’re there, that you’re listening and that what the other part says is important to you. Also, be careful what you respond, with whom you’re engaging in and what do you really expect out of this.
Sometimes it will just be a casual information, but most of the time, after I started a thoughtful conversation on social media with somebody I was looking forward to do it for a long time, well, it ended with at least a constant and solid relationship, if not with some real life business stuff too.

4. Follow Up

Do this on requests, events or just facts. Ask around if there’s any change or if everything will go as planned. If somebody plans a launch, be there and help but also clearly state your implication in that project. If there will be a meetup, confirm your presence and the logistical details.
That activity will prove that you’re there. That you’re alive and you’re having at least some simple synapses. People hate talking to robots, you know. So just by showing that you’re there and you’re interested in something, chances that you’ll ignite a solid interaction will grow exponentially.

5. Take Notes

I know this sounds utterly unproductive, but it isn’t. At least in the beginning. Do a daily writeup, sketch something in your journal or draw a mind map. Again, do this at least in the beginning. As your interactions will grow both in numbers and depth, you will find less and less useful to write down what happened.
But, as any other journaling activity, it will help you understand not only what is really going on out there (for instance, are they only posting boring links or stupid cats videos?) but also what are your real expectations. Are you happy with the time spent there? Just be honest.
***
If you really take the time to look around, you’ll realize that social media is not just a noisy marketplace where you got to strive to make your voice heard at any price. It’s also a space of information, discovery and inspiration.
In the end, like in any other area of life, it all depends on what you really want to make out of it.
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The Secret to a Healthy Body

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The secret to a healthy body is simple and actually not too difficult, but all the same it does take daily discipline. In addition, it doesn’t need to cost you a lot of money. There are five areas of focus that will keep your body in shape, healthy, flexible, and strong. This article will outline the 5 areas to work on and will include a sample weekly workout regimen that you can start using today.
1. Aerobic Exercise. The simplest way to meet this need is walking. Walking is the one of the best exercises for your body. The wear and tear on your joints is lower than jogging. Be sure to start off slower to warm up and increase speed slowly after about 3-5 minutes. To increase the intensity, simply lengthen your stride a bit and speed up your pace. The other strategy for increasing intensity is to increase your speed for short bursts of time. (see workout below) If you prefer, jogging is also good if it doesn’t bother your knees. Just know that walking is just as good if you go fast enough. No big investment needed. All you need is your sneakers, and maybe not even that if you walk on the beach. 30 minutes per day every day has been shown to be the optimal amount of exercise. If you don’t have time all at once, the same benefits are derived even if you break it up into 3 X 10 minute or 2 X 15 minute sessions.

2. Stretching. An important age marker is your level of flexibility. Yoga is a terrific way to keep your body flexible. If you don’t have time for a full yoga session, try to make sure you do 5 minutes of stretching each day after your aerobic exercise. To ensure you get most areas of your body, try a sun salutation, some seated twists, and a hip opener.
3. Balancing. Balance, along with flexibility, is something that we lose with age. Practice this a little bit every day and you’ll be less likely to lose it. Yoga, again, is another great way to build and maintain balance. There are several yoga poses you could use to increase balance. Try one each day. A simple one you can do is to stand on one leg and grab the foot of the other leg to stretch the hamstring in the front of the thigh. As you build your balance over time try to touch your toes with your other hand while maintaining balance. It is helpful to keep your eyes focused on one point. Do this for 15-60 seconds on each leg.
4. Strength Building. You can certainly join a gym and lift weights. But another less expensive option, which is just as good, is simply using the weight of your own body for resistance. The easiest way to do this is to do an hour of yoga a few times per week. A yoga class is great, but to save money, I recommend buying a few different yoga tapes and rotate them. Check out tapes from your local library first to see if you like them before buying, or go to Amazon and check out the reviews to find ones that are highly rated. If you don’t want to do yoga, you can do pilates or try the free online workout regimen prescribed by Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz of “YOU: The Owner’s Manual.”
5. Deep Breathing. This is very important and here’s why. Your lymph system relies on the contraction of muscles and breathing to move the fluids of the lymph system around the body. Why is this so important? The lymph system “has three interrelated functions: (1) removal of excess fluids from body tissues, (2) absorption of fatty acids and subsequent transport of fat, as chyle, to the circulatory system and, (3) production of immune cells.” So, how do you get your daily dose? Aerobic exercise, yoga, and/or try The Deep Breathing Exercise 2-3 times per day. Here’s how:
  • Empty your lungs completely by pulling in your stomach while you exhale.
  • Take a deep breath in.
  • Hold for twice as long as it took to breathe it in.
  • Exhale for 4 times as long as it took to breath it in.
  • Do this 10 times.
  • Enjoy the rejuvenation!
Weekly Exercise Regimen
Monday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (Morning, Afternoon, Evening).
  • 30 minutes Walking at brisk pace.
  • 5-10 minutes stretching.
  • One balance pose.
Tuesday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (M,A,E).
  • 45-60 minutes Yoga.
Wednesday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (M,A,E).
  • 30 minutes walking with alternating 3 minute power bursts/3 minute moderate pace.
  • 5-10 minutes stretching.
  • One balance pose.
Thursday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (M,A,E).
  • 30-60 minutes Pilates.
Friday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (M,A,E).
  • 30 minutes walking.
  • 5-10 minutes stretching.
  • One balance pose.
Saturday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (M,A,E).
  • 30 minutes walking.
  • 20 minutes strength training.
  • 5-10 minutes stretching.
  • One balance pose.
Sunday
  • Deep Breathing Exercise (M,A,E).
  • 45-60 minutes Yoga.
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