Consumer’s Health Insurance Blog

I was reminded of the advice that I give to the local elementary schools by Gerald Pugliese in the blog post Wash Your Hands.

I spend time volunteering in the local schools here in Chapel Hill, and I tell children that washing their hands is one of the most important breakthroughs in medical science. I don’t monitor them, but my own kids was hands after the bathroom and any time they come into the house. Their friends don’t seem to mind, and we compliment this routine with good nutrition, lots of rest, and an active lifestyle.

We lived in the New York/New Jersey area for about 8 years, and I’ve had enough experience from NJ Transit and the NYC subways to know the value of washing hands and also not touching eyes, nose, mouth with unwashed hands. I spent my first weekend in NYC violently ill after riding the subway for a week “unprotected” and from then on wore gloves when possible, washed hands, and didn’t touch my eyes/nose/mouth until after I had washed my hands.

All of this effort has to have some financial payout, and it does. You spend less time at the doctor or missing work. If you have a consumer directed health plan with a high deductible and possibly an HSA, then you save even more money on the doctors visits and potential prescription drugs because you won’t be making the visits. This is all great, but the best thing is not financial: we miss out on fewer things, since we are not at home sick.

Jonathan Pletzke is a consumer expert on health insurance and author of the health insurance book Get a Good Deal on Your Health Insurance Without Getting Ripped-Off, available online and at bookstores nationally. Additional details can be found at the consumers health insurance book and resources website www.BestHealthInsuranceBook.com. Copyright 2007-2008 Aji Publishing.

Tags:   hand washing · high deductible · HSANo Comments