Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Medical Insurance Terms to Know

Health Insurance Coverage

The language used in medical bills, health care forms and other paperwork can be very confusing. Here are some plain language explanations of some of them.

Allowed Amount – what the insurance company believes should be the price for the medication or service

Balance Billed – the difference between what the provider believes should be the price for the medication or service and the insurer’s allowed amount – you will have to pay this amount

Coinsurance – after you have paid the deductible, coinsurance is the percentage of the cost of the allowed amount you will have to pay

Copay – a fixed amount you will have to pay for covered prescription medications and medical services, due when you receive the service

Deductible – your insurance won’t pay anything until you have paid this amount total for the year

Evidence of Coverage – an explanation of your insurance plan, including what is covered and how much you pay

Explanation of Benefits - Not a bill! This is a summary of charges, insurance payments, and your payments for a month.

Formulary – lists the medications your insurer will pay for

In-Network Providers – providers or facilities with a contract with your insurer. It usually will cost you less to use an in-network provider than to go to an out-ot-network provider.

Step Edits (Step Therapy) – requirements to be met before your insurer will pay for a medication. You may have to try using less effective medications before they will authorize what your doctor prescribes.

Read all insurance-related text carefully. Look up or ask for an explanation of any term you do not understand. 

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Easy Tips to Cool Down a Hot Home

Ceiling fans should be spinning counterclockwise in hot weather.


Keep as much heat out as possible.
  • Hot air and sunlight coming in through windows heats up the inside. During the day, close the windows and shut the curtains and blinds.
  • The exception: If some windows are shaded during the daytime, by trees or shadows from nearby buildings, open them. 
  • If you can open two windows during the day, you will get a cross-breeze that will help the room cool down.
  • When it’s cooler outside than inside, perhaps at night, open windows to allow cooler air to come inside.

Remember that heated air rises and cooler air sinks.
  • You may be more comfortable downstairs than upstairs in hot weather. Basements are naturally cooler than attics.
  • Switch the direction of ceiling fan blades when the seasons change. They should be spinning counterclockwise in hot weather. This creates a cooling downdraft. Remember to turn the fan off when nobody is in the room.

Lower the humidity.
  • Moisture in the air doesn’t really add to the temperature. However, it does make the air feel hotter. Remove the excess humidity with an energy-efficient portable dehumidifier to make the room feel cooler than it is.

Don’t add more heat.
  • Indoor appliances such as the dishwasher, clothes dryer and washing machine, oven and stove add heat to the air. Cook food in the microwave or outdoor grill if possible. 
  • Wait until nighttime when it is cooler outside to use other appliances. 

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Sorghum is the June Grain of the Month

Sorghum Bicolor PlantMaking sorghum molasses in Tennessee
traditional “turkey tail” broom of sorghum stalkscommercially available sorghum syrup

Although sorghum is the fifth most widely grown cereal crop globally, it is not well known in the US. The Whole Grains Council has declared sorghum to be the grain of the month of June.

In North America, sorghum is mostly grown to make silage for animal feed and used as biomass in the production of ethanol. Many varieties of the tall plant are native to Africa, Asia, and Australia, where it thrives in areas prone to drought. Sorghum stalks are high in sugar, and can be crushed to yield a sweet juice.

Ben Franklin wrote about the use of sorghum as a crop. It was likely brought to this country by enslaved Africans. In addition to food for humans and animals, the fibrous stalks are made into brooms, earning sorghum the nickname “broomcorn.”

With its many varieties and multiple uses, sorghum is an important crop. The US is now the world’s largest producer, although sorghum syrup is no longer a common staple on breakfast tables here.

Sorghum is naturally gluten-free, and has high natural antioxidant levels. It may have several health benefits, including protection against insulin resistance, managing cholesterol, and inhibiting cancerous tumor growth. In addition to being a good source of fiber, sorghum seeds provide manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin B3.

Sorghum grains are easily cooked in water or broth, with a grain to liquid ratio of 1:3. More commonly eaten in the South, sorghum may appear in Cajun or Creole recipes. When cooked, the grains can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and quickly reheated in the microwave. Sorghum grains can be ground into flour. The seeds can even be popped like popcorn!

Sorghum has been part of human diet for at least 8,000years. Are you ready to try cooking another ancient grain?


Monday, June 2, 2025

Displays and Exhibits for Healthinfo Island for June 2025

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this posting. In Second Life, click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images.  If you click each poster, you will get a private message with additional information and live links.

NOTE: June is Men's Health Month. All the posters this month are about men's health.
Men's health is a family and community issue. Everyone needs to check out these poster sets!
*Due to current news about prostate cancer, three of these exhibits deal with that health issue.


June is Men's Health Month
June is Men's Health Month
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22


Men Get it Too!
Men Get it Too!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/190/181/24


You've Been Diagnosed with BPH!
You've Been Diagnosed with BPH!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22


Men, What Screenings Do You Need?  Everyone needs regular health screenings.  Mean are less likely to be screened than women and are less likely to have a regular physician.  Different tests are done at different ages.  Family history and lifestyle also play a role in determining what to screen for and when.
Men, What Screenings Do You Need?
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24


Gay, Bi & Trans People Have Distinct Health Issues
Gay, Bi & Trans People Have Distinct Health Issues
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26


Prostate Cancer
* Prostate Cancer
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28


Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
* Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30


Addressing Prostate Cancer Risk Factors
* Addressing Prostate Cancer Risk Factors
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32


Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Thank you to Mook for help with the posters this month.