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The Best Colleges for Healthcare Management Degrees in the U.S.

Are you looking for a path to a long and prosperous career in the health field? Do you want to be a clinical director, health and social services manager, office manager or a practice administrator? A survey done by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics found the workforce is expected to grow by 17% in the next decade for health and medical service managers. We have ranked the top 5 best colleges for healthcare management based on results of peer assessment surveys sent to professionals. A point based system was employed where other factors such as the tuition rates, retention rates and student/ faculty ratio were also considered.

Concordia University

Concordia University’s healthcare management program stands out due to its efficiency in course delivery. With a high school diploma and original copies of your SATs or ACTs, freshmen can be well on their way to acquiring a healthcare management degree certified by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Attention is particularly given to teaching students how to improve efficaciousness and quality of health care. The fully online course encompasses 128-credits where students are taken through general education, principles of health care management, healthcare marketing and governing ethics. At the end of the course, students are required to go through a 60-hour practicum supervised by an assigned university lecturer. Boasting of a 90% placement rate, and similar fees for in-state or out-of-state residents, students are assured of detailed learning from industry experts.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Housing the largest academic medical center in the United States, UAB is perfect for a student looking to create a rich network early on in their career. The healthcare management course offered here is purely online. This is of particular interest to professionals already within the field looking to climb the corporate ladder. By accessing UAB online, prospective students get a breakdown of what’s offered at the institution. For graduates with associate degrees, certificates and state licenses, they can start at the clinical manager track. Also offered is the pre-professional track which is available for students with a master’s degree. At the point of admission, each student is required to have a minimum of 2.5-2.75 GPA.

Gardener-Webb University

At Gardener-Webb University, students interested in Healthcare Management are not only presented with the basics of the field, they are introduced to Christian business ethics. The program here is structured to provide students with an understanding of the basic concepts of human relations management, operations and organizational structures. The healthcare management program at Gardener Webb University includes 36 credit hours in Broyhill Undergraduate School of Management and 21 hours of the Healthcare Management course. Graduates from the degree program at Gardner-Webb University boast of having extensive insight into international health, heath care policies, laws, budgeting, and finances. Students part with $30,000 on tuition fees per academic year with additional costs for housing, books and supplies.

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Located in Missouri, Maryville University of Saint Louis comes in fourth. With a student/ faculty ratio of 14:1, their online healthcare management degree is highly sought after due to the immersive practicum program. The program accepts transfers of eligible credits making it suitable for students interested in making a career change. The degree course is structured to provide you with contextual insights into the running of a healthcare practice. Students can expect to be taken through financial management in healthcare, software and technologies in healthcare and end their program with a practicum. The course is accredited by HLC, ranked amongst America’s Top Colleges by Forbes in 2017 and ranked as the private college with the best value by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance 2018 ranking. The degree program costs $27000 per academic year for the 4 academic years.

Drury University

Located in Springfield, Missouri, the 124 credit healthcare management program is a leader in impacting organizational leadership and financial basics. This course is perfect for professionals or undergraduates interested in going into elderly care. It offers a unit in gerontology where students are taken through sociological, psychological and economic factors in aging. The institution offers an extensive course into health care ethics with facilitators utilizing case studies for a hands-on learning experience. The institution allows the transfer of relatable credits with 30 credits set as the minimum requirement. Based on 12-17 credit hours per semester, full time undergraduate students pay a minimum of $13,700.

Healthcare management covers a large pool of positions and settings within the healthcare industry. Earning a degree in healthcare management from the best schools is the first step into getting a position within any hospital, insurance company or long term care facility of your choice. Remember, as the healthcare industry grows, so do your opportunities to take a leadership role and have a long and lucrative career.

Life Insurance 101

What will be the best type of life insurance to stick to? The answer depends on multiple circumstances and conditions, some of which include the duration of the contract, the price, and the withdrawal option.

The most common types of life insurance are term life insurance, whole life insurance and universal life insurance.

Term life insurance is usually convenient for an average citizen, as it is the cheapest one. It is limited to a definite time period. If the insured person doesn’t die during these years, the policy expires without any payout option. Whole life insurance, together with other permanent policies, is the one which eventually gains value. Universal life insurance provides regular payments and a fixed death benefit.

Term Life Insurance

It is a temporary insurance, which lasts several years. Before you stick to this type of insurance contract, think about two major aspects: amount of time and amount of money. Among the advantages of this system is the fact that it’s the cheapest insurance, affordable for everyone. The biggest disadvantage is a high chance of outliving your policy. If you decide to renew the process after the expiration, you might have to pay more due to your older age and worse health condition. For term life insurance, policies usually last from 10 to 35 years. This is the death only insurance, which means that it covers mortgage reliability, funeral costs, and some other family’s expenses.

Whole Life Insurance

This is a permanent insurance contract. The most important thing is to pay, and the insured person has nothing to worry about. The amounts of your payments don’t change. You receive a 100% guarantee of «cash value» investment component return. The total sum of the death benefit is unchangeable. One obvious advantage of whole life insurance is that it is valid throughout your life. But the downside is its price, of course.

Those are the main types of contracts. Let’s take a closer look at the variations of policies with their own nuances and special points.

Guaranteed Universal Life Insurance

According to their policies, the amount of regular payment is the same, and they guarantee a fixed death benefit. The most important condition is to make timely payments. Otherwise, a person can lose the contract. A good thing that it costs less than whole life insurance. But missing a payment might mean the loss of benefit. The cash value is insignificant or absent.

Indexed Universal Life Insurance

An interesting thing about this kind of insurance is that its value depends on a stock market index. The amount may vary throughout the whole period of the contract. An obvious perk is that the cash value eventually grows. The drawback is that there are no guarantees on a final benefit amount.

The amounts of your gains are also limited, and you can not get more than it is stated in your contract. Even if the growth is 15%, but your cap is 10%, you only get 10%.

This policy also has a flexible payments system. For example, you are allowed to skip a payment once in a while, as long as your cash value is enough to cover the costs.

Variable Universal Life Insurance / Variable Life Insurance

With this kind of insurance, the beneficiary’s cash value is tied to investment accounts. It is exposed to market fluctuation and can result in different final amounts. Big gains, as well as losses, are possible here. The insured person can take advantage of the cash value: withdraw money or take loans. What can be a bit risky, is the fact that you need to control the amount of your cash value, as it changes day to day. Before the payment converts into your cash value, all sorts of taxes and fees are deducted from it.

Underwriting Different Life Insurance Types

If the policy is underwritten, this means that your insurance company takes a decision on how much you will have to pay on a regular basis.

It is necessary to be examined by a doctor before you get insured. The life insurance is fully underwritten when you are healthy or have just a few insignificant issues. The healthier you are the less you pay.

When you fill in the application you will have to indicate the information about your and your family’s health story, your hobbies (especially extreme kinds of sports) and travel plans.

Life expectancy is deducted according to this underwriting, and the insurance company sets the amount of regular payments.

In some cases, you will not be obliged to take a full examination. Instead of it, you will be asked some questions about your health. There is a high chance that your request can be rejected depending on your answers.

In another case, the candidate takes no medical exam, has no interviews, and cannot be turned down. This insurance plan is the most expensive of all with relatively small amounts to be paid back (up to $100,000). Additionally, if the person dies during the first years after signing the contract, there is only a small part of the sum paid to the beneficiaries.

Other Types of Life Insurance

Mortgage life insurance: Only the current balance is covered, and the payment doesn’t go to the family, but to the lender.

Credit life insurance: Covers only a certain loan. It the person dies, the lender receives the money instead of the family.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment: It means that beneficiaries only get the payment if the insured person died because of an accident. If the accident resulted in any handicap, payments are also possible.

Joint life insurance: It is the situation when both spouses sign one contract. In one case, the spouse gets the payment after the first one has died. In another case, the beneficiaries (more often — children) get the payment in case of death of both spouses.

Discourse on Personal Injury Lawyers in the United States

A personal injury lawyer is a certified attorney who specializes in rendering legal services to victims of physical injury caused as a result of errors or negligence on the path of others. The ‘others’ in this sense may be individuals, firms, government agencies or any entity at all (for example, pets).

There is a plausible diction ‘if the purpose is not known, negligence is inevitable’. In recognition of this principle, we offer you reasons why the services of a personal injury lawyer is advantageous to injury victims.

(1) Intellectual Capacity to Estimate the Worth of a Claim

To solve the possible problems of people not knowing how to weigh their claims, tools like personal injury settlement are good solutions. Although, it’s often advantageous to arrive at an accurate final figure, there are steps involved to get there as there’s no guarantee of a high insurance settlement. On the other hand, a personal injury lawyer understands the dynamics of contract and business borne out of experience and study. They can provide valuable counseling to alleviate the guesswork of your possible returns. If you poorly estimate the settlement, you may miss out on a sizable return. Let the professionals handle this for you. It is more efficient and financially wise to employ one.

(2) Understanding the Legal Procedures

Some critics have argued that to hire an attorney for estimation of settlements is a monetary waste since such estimation can be achieved without employing one. This argument has no weight at all in not making you get a personal injury attorney. This is because there are more important legal procedures that follow from estimation. The lack of adequate legal knowledge by a client may be grounds for the insurance companies to override the client in turn reducing or alleviating payment for your hardship. At the end of the legal settlement, the loss of payment nearly always outweighs the cost of emplying a personal injury lawyer.

(3) Attorney Uses Your Case as an Achievement

If you engage in a legal debate with the insurance with the sole motive of monetary returns, your competitor may project you as a money-monger making your claims less worthy. On the other hand, the driving force of an attorney is not only money but also achievements and uplifting of legal status among his or her colleagues. For this reason, an attorney has his or her integrity to protect and as such will use all that is within his or her legal potency to ensure your victory and high settlement. If you take the legal issues up independent of an attorney, you only consider the present events and your case only. This makes your vision and bargaining strength narrow. On the other hand, a personal injury attorney engages in a case with the underlying thought that winning the case will attract more clients for future cases. This makes the vision and the bargaining strength of the attorney stronger than yours.

(4) The Method of Payment of an Attorney is an Advantage

It has been understood it is common for a personal injury attorney to work based on contingencies. The concept of working based on contingencies comes to play when there is no prior payment made for the services rendered by the attorneys. However, it follows that the payment will be shared in proportion between the attorneys and their clients. The clients usually take the greater proportion. For this reason, there is a strong motivation in the heart of the attorney to help you get the highest settlement that is met for the injury you have. This is because the payments of the attorney are entirely dependent on the settlement you receive.

(5) The Trial Strategy

Observation has shown that most insurance companies avoid going to trial because of the implausibility and cost of their legal claims. For this reason, insurance companies respond faster to demands if there is a threat of taking the case for trial. The fact you are represented by an attorney instills some commitments and seriousness on the side of the insurance companies. They are far more likely to take your claim more seriously than if you are to argue directly. This usually will influence them to resolve the dispute and release your settlements faster than the usual.

(6) Time Maximization

Shuffling work and taking up legal issues independently will most certainly give you some time-constraint. At best, attention will have to be adequately invested on one at the expense of the other. To maximize and utilize your time efficiently, put an attorney on the job of acquiring your settlement.

There are various kinds of personal injuries that warrant the services of a personal injury lawyer. Examples of them include:

Dog bites: In cases where there is a dog bite, the owner is usually held accountable to respond to legal consequences that follow from such actions.
Defamation: In this case, there is no physical injury but an emotional injury. A person may charge any entity for making untrue statements that has in fact led to financial loss. However, the method for justifying vary.
Hazardous Property: This features a charge being laid against a property owner whose property hazard has led to the injury of others. It is borne out of the law that the owner of a property has a duty to ensure the safety of the property when used by others.
Medical Malpractice: An injury sustained from a medical practitioner or pharmacy mistakes or incompetence.
Car Accidents: This involves charges of car accidents by careless driving or company truck overload. It is related to careless transportation accidents.

Top 10 Features to Consider before Buying a Luxury Car

There is a difference between being economical and treasuring value per dollar spent. One is like settling for any kind of burger, and the other one is searching and knowing where the best burger joint is. Knowing the difference between the two is the reason why almost two years ago I bought a Mercedes-Benz C300 Sedan and drove it daily.

Owning a luxury car does not mean you’re a “show-off” of your wealth. You see, there are much more explanations why many people buy these expensive cars. The key features of these luxury cars are the reasons why most of the people (including me) get one.

Driving a very expensive car where everyone’s head will turn when you pass by is such an amazing feeling. The beautiful and one of a kind interior leather design, the high definition command center for your music, GPRS, and maybe even video calling, the high end painting, the beautiful curves that can almost match the curves of a woman, the attention you get when you go out and get in your car, and everything else that good money can buy.

Since you are considering buying a luxury car, it must mean that you are very particular about your ride. This means that you probably want the most high-end, unique, and amazing car around. Luxury cars offer all sorts of features from steering wheel warmers, seat massagers, seat coolers, and even hydrophobic windows. Unless you can afford them all you have to make sure which add-ons and features you want in your luxury car in order to get the most out of your money.

In helping choose what you should look for, here is a short list of cool features that you should consider before buying a luxury car.

Steering Wheel Warmer

Are you tired of your hands locking up because of the cold while driving? Well, you can consider a Steering Wheel Warmer that will automatically heat up your hands when you are using the steering wheel. This will make it more comfortable to drive especially when it’s raining or snowing. (This feature is also built in the car and is not offered as an add-on, thus the price can’t be accurately separated.)

Auto Lane Keeping

This feature will help you put your car into auto-pilot mode; The Mercedes-Benz has built an “electric eye” which watches the road for the driver. The key, with all sensors, is having confidence the sensors and the electric eye camera are doing their job. If they are, you essentially have a car that can drive itself. (This feature is often also built in the car and is not offered as an add-on, thus the price can’t be accurately separated.)

Bentley’s Infotainment Pack

Do you want two Ipads, a drop down 12-inch screen and two headset displays along with your car purchase? Well, if you do, you probably should consider the Bentley’s Infotainment Pack, It is very expensive but then again you are buying a car for the features, not the cost. The pack is around an add-on of $35,000. This will turn your car into a mini media room where you can watch Netflix, listen to music, and even have conference calls.

Aston Martin Transponder Watch

Do you want to own a car that can be directly controlled by your watch? Well, way before the Apple Watch was a thing, Aston Martin began offering the Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 Transponder Watch back in 2007, it is offered as an add-on for $31,000. This watch can lock and unlock your car with a simple flick of a button.

Bang and Olufsen Pop-Up Tweeters

One thing most people will gladly spend their money on is for a high-quality speaker, and that is what you get for an add-on of $8,000 dollars in your Aston Martin purchase. This speaker offers world-class music that pops up in your dashboard and automatically hides away if not being used. This feature is perfect for those who are audiophiles.

Scent System

If you do not like the cheap and conventional air fresheners then you can go get the Mercedes S550 scent system. This is available as an add-on when purchasing the Mercedes S-series. This is a high-end fragrance system that can be controlled electronically to make your car smell better, it can even be set at specific intervals during the day. A bottle costs around $90 and it refills, too.

Leather Air Vents

Are plastic air vents an eyesore in your new luxury car? You might very well consider Porsche’s leather air vents. This will undoubtedly make almost all of your car’s interior leather and will make you cash out around $800.

Electronic Passenger Seat Adjustment

Do you want to directly adjust your passenger’s seat to their liking without asking them to do so or asking them to get out of the car? Then you might very well want BMW’s gentleman function. This feature can be found on a couple of BMW 7-series, this will make it possible for you to directly adjust the passenger’s seat prior or during his arrival, a true feature for those wanting to be a gentleman. This feature is also built in the car and is not offered as an add-on, thus the price can’t be accurately separated.

More than Leather

Is leather getting boring for you? Then you might want to consider getting Mercedes Maybach’s granite rim. This will add trimmings of granite like a fancy bathroom tile in your car interior. The trimming will roughly cost about $70,000.

Starlight Inside of Your Car

Do you want to go stargazing with your partner on a rainy day? Or go stargazing after dinner without driving a couple of miles? Then the Rolls Royce Starlight Roof is perfect for you. They will design the inner roof liner, customize with fiber optic lights, in order to recreate a night sky. You would need to throw in an additional $12,000 for the amazing stargazing sight.

We hope these features I have mentioned can help you in choosing your car. Just make sure that you have considered everything before buying one. Choosing what luxury car to buy is a very big decision to make.

Health Care Options in the U.S.

Health care institutions of the US are represented by various associations. Many health care clinics are privately owned, and only 21% of them belong to the government. As reported by the world health organization, the US is the leader of the world’s spend on health care in comparison to any other country in the world. The US healthcare system stands out among other progressive countries of the world. It is one of the rare countries, which doesn’t have a universal health care system. Additionally, the US has no universal health care insurance, and they recently enacted regulation, making health care coverage mandatory for almost every citizen.

A high price is one of the main reasons why most Americans find it troublesome to access a decent health service. Those who have a relatively low income have declared that they prefer not to:

visit a doctor when they feel sick
get a test when recommended
have a routine dental checkup
fill a prescription

A health maintenance organization now requires anyone to select a PCP – primary care provider – a physician who practices general medicine and will be a gatekeeper for the patient. As a rule, they are the first to be visited in case of an undiagnosed disease and in order to get further instructions. They collect primary symptoms, provide a physical examination and treat common illnesses. In case of a serious disease, they direct the patient to a certain specialist and provide the list of necessary procedures to follow (e.g.: blood tests, scannings, etc.). After all necessary data is collected, the PCP comes up with a diagnosis and recommendations on treatment, diet, and general patient’s habits for correction.

Before You Start Any Health Care Plan

Before you choose any program, take your time to read the policy description and pay attention to the details. Don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as possible, until you clearly understand your coverage.

Ask your agent the following questions:

Can I select any doctor, pharmacy or hospital for my personal preference?
Does the plan cover 100% of all my prescribed medication?
Does the insurance cover dentists’, dermatologists’ and eye doctors’ services?
According to my plan, are special conditions covered (e.g.: psychiatric care, physical therapy or pregnancy)?
Is home care covered by this insurance plan?
Do I have to make any co-payments?
Are there any disputes about bills and services? How are they regulated?
What is the maximum sum I have to pay to cover costs out of pocket?
What is the percentage of deductibles?

N.B.: Deductibles mean a certain amount of money a patient pays before the insurance company pays their claim. Do not confuse deductibles with co-payments. These are the payments you make when you get a prescription or receive medical services.

Which Health Insurance Plan to Choose

Below the most popular insurance programs. At first glance, their names may seem to be an alphabet soup, but after a few minutes of analysis, you will realize the main differences between them and the essential benefits of each plan.

HMO

Health Maintenance Organization plans offer a wide choice of services for patients. You are likely to be insured for a wide range of health services as compared to other coverage plans. As soon as you subscribe to their services, you will have to choose a Primary Care Physician (PCP), who will generally take care of your treatment and prescriptions. Other specialists are available only after receiving a referral from your PCP.

Generally, those who opt for this kind of insurance, have lower expenses and minimal co-payments. You are not obliged to submit your own claims to the insurance company. Please note you will not receive coverage if you use services of an out-of-network professional or if you get any service without your physician’s recommendation.

PPO

Preferred Provider Organization plan is a type of insurance with “preferred” providers within your location. They will not obligate you to choose a PCP and you will not need a referral for seeing a specialist. Here you will only have to pay a certain amount of a total bill according to your plan. In case you visit a specialist out of the recommended network, you will pay a larger part of your final bill than you would have to pay if you visited a preferred doctor in your network. But still, a certain percentage of your expenses will be covered. Co-payments for services generally vary between $10 and $30.

POS

Point of Service is a combination of two plans: HMO and PPO. Here, you will have to get a referral from a physician to receive any special treatment. But, you will get more coverage in case you visit hospitals and doctors within your network. You will, however, be less insured if you get any service form the providers out of your network. You may also have additional co-payments and deductibles on a yearly basis.

EPO

Exclusive Provider Network also has some similarities with PPO and HMO plans. As a rule, EPO is a more flexible plan than an HMO, and it is cheaper than a PPO. When you stick to this type of insurance, keep in mind that you don’t need PCP’s referrals. As with an HMO, you will have to pay out of your own pocket if you choose a doctor who provides services outside of your network. EPO is a great option if you want to see a specialist without a referral from your general physician.

Other Items to Consider

Other specific plans include Long-Term Care service (LTC). This is valuable for older people concerned about potential chronic illnesses.

Catastrophic Health plans are aimed to support people in case of unexpected health issues in case of an emergency.

People with disabilities can take advantage of special government programs to get help with their health needs. These programs differ depending on the location, so it is necessary to consult local officials for more information.

U.S. Auto Insurance Quotes Online

What are Auto Insurance Quotes?

An auto insurance quote is a document that outlines the potential coverage an individual can get for use of a specific automobile. The coverage pertains specifically to that individual and can help with the liability in case of an auto accident.

Benefits of Online Auto Insurance Quotes

(1) Multiple Transmissions of Data: A significant advantage of online auto insurance quotes is that an input of one’s personal information at a single time can be used to access many insurance carriers. Instead of making another entry of the same personal information per transaction with an insurance carrier, internet platform makes the one-entry data of personal information to be copied for other insurance carriers. Online purchase of Auto Insurance Quotes put time maximization and utility highly into consideration.

(2.) Good Decision through Comparison: The internet has access to many insurance carriers that are available for insurance transactions. By going online to get insurance quotes gives you access to critically assess and compare the various insurance quotes that are being presented to you. If you have many options to choose from, you can then thoroughly choose the insurance carrier that offers the tariff that is most suitable and plausible to you economically. This makes you use cost more efficiently and cut excess spending since there are favored quotes at a more convenient price. Amazing! You do not feel bound to one insurance carrier only. Great! Finally free from the boring exercise of entering same information over and over again.

(3) Easily Accessible Interface: The sites of most insurance company online are designed such that the prospective clients and clients have easy access to all the processes involved in insurance dealings. The interface that connects the client to the company is made to be highly comprehensible and user-friendly. For example, the process of filing a claim, subscribing for your premium, and changing of policy coverage can all be done in the comfort of your home or office. This immobile way of getting things done saves fuel that will be used in transportation, saves energy for other uses, and makes an efficient use of time and resources. Beautiful! No more sweating to get your insurance.

(4) Availability of Documents 24/7: At the time of need, if one is in a far distance from the hard-copy document, an online user can still go to the relevant insurance site and make a swift download of any documents that may be needed. Again, the availability of the documents on the internet ensures the security of all documents and makes you assured of not losing your files and documents to any form of hazard. You can print all documents anew at the time of need even in situations where the hard copy is destroyed. Great! No more fear of losing evidence and documents.

(5) Competitive Market for each Insurance Company: A tremendous success of the internet in the domain of insurance is the creation of competition for many insurance companies. The very fact that the internet makes the insurance quotes and rates of each company readily accessible to internet users, gives these insurance companies the reaction to formulate good plans that will ensure their triumph in the competitive market. They all make plans that will attract clients. Wow! This seems to be highly favorable to you.

How to Buy Auto Insurance Quotes Online

(1) Be Prepared: Get all the information ready. Driver license numbers of all the drivers involved, all relevant vehicles information, and approximate dates and details of all the violations and accidents, and distance coverage, vehicles have been through. Prepare to show your credit report (it is relative to states or companies)

(2) Start Shopping: Having got all your documents organized, begin to research quotes from carriers. In choosing, put relevant benefit that suits your age group and financial status into consideration.

(3) Protect yourself by Choosing Good Liability Limits: The states require Bodily Injury Liability covers that occurs if you are the agent that caused an accident. Also, Property Damage Liability is required for car damage caused by your vehicle. To get pay that corresponds with the cost of loss in an accident, you need to have more than the state-mandated minimum coverage. To protect yourself and your asset, acquire extra liability insurance.

(4) Deductibles and Coverage: After choosing liability limit, you will be presented optional coverages in the area of uninsured and underinsured motorists and personal injury protection(optional). This insurance pays for the medical, funeral, rehabilitation, and pain cost derived in the accident. This insurance also captures the clients’ household members as pedestrians. However, if you choose collision and comprehensive, you will be required to pay a deductible which is the charge that applies before insurance kicks in. To save rates, you can pay more deductibles.

(5) Discounts: The answer you give to the questions of what you do for a living and whether your car has, safety, anti-theft, dependable body parts will determine the price.

(6) Printing of Card, and Discarding of Old Policies: After the purchase of a policy has been achieved, there is a need for the client to print out evidence of coverage. Plausibly, the soft copy may also be saved on the clients’ emails. After the proof has been acquired, the existing policy can be abandoned or discarded, and the new policy can be adopted to save money.

Take advantage of the competition to find the best insurance policy at the best price.

Caring for Contact Lenses

Contacts are an excellent alternative for anyone looking to drop the glasses. They are safe, provide ease on eye strain and simplify life. It’s a lot easier to take part in athletics, deal with the heat and the cold and to sit in the steam room!

Here’s some useful information on the different contact lens options:

The first consideration when choosing the contact lens and deciding on their care procedure should be the material. Based on the material, there are 5 different types of lenses:

Soft Contact Lenses

These are made from gel-like water containing plastics referred to as hydrogel. They happen to be the most popular option worldwide. The hydrogel allows oxygen to pass through to the eye. They are available in both the replaceable and extended-wear versions. Wearers enjoy very short adaptation period, making them comfortable in a short period of time. They allow wearers to maintain active lifestyles as well as they are hard to dislodge. To care for these, water content in lenses must be high. This will ensure enough oxygen gets to your eyes while maintaining good eye health. A disadvantage that these have is they wear out fast and must be replaced periodically. Additionally, the optics is not as sharp as other lenses in the market.

Hard Contact Lenses / Rigid Gas Permeable lenses

These are made of more durable plastic and allow efficient transfer of oxygen to the eye. Wearers enjoy sharper vision than with the soft contact lenses due to their rigidity. They are fairly durable, correct a wide range of vision problems and are cost-effective. They are a bit smaller compared to the soft contact lenses and move around in the eye. This is a disadvantage as debris and dust can easily get caught up beneath it. Additionally, they require consistent wear to maintain adaptation.

Silicone Hydrogen Lenses

These are an advanced type of the soft contact lenses allowing for more oxygen to get to the eye.

Hybrid Contact Lenses

These are designed for superior comfort. They rival the traditional soft and silicone hydrogen lenses as wearers get crystal-clear vision. At the center, these hybrid contact lenses have a rigid gas permeable zone surrounded by silicone hydrogen material. For this reason, they are considered more expensive than the traditional soft contact lenses.

PMMA Lenses

These are made of polymethyl methacrylate which is a transparent rigid plastic material. They offer wearers superior optics but fail to allow oxygen to get to the eye.

Other types of lenses include:

Single Vision Lenses

These are prescribed to correct specific vision problems especially distant vision problems.

Toric Lenses

These are contact lenses shaped in a specific way to help with astigmatism. Their shape makes it possible for wearers to have different focusing powers on vertical and horizontal orientation.

Multifocal/Progressive/Varifocal Contact Lenses

These are designed for wearers suffering from presbyopia.

Monthly lenses were the most popular contact lenses when contacts were first released. They are replaced on a monthly or bi-weekly basis. Being thicker, they are more durable and long-lasting and are more resistant to drying out. These were soon phased out by more comfortable and quality lenses. Daily lenses are one of these. They are worn only for a day and discarded when you remove them. Natural deposits from the eye build up on their surface making it impossible to wear them again.

When compared to prescribed eyeglasses, contact lenses are not cheap. On average, a pair would cost an average of $196 although this could go higher depending on the style and prescription type. Astigmatism contact lenses could cost up to $400 a year while daily disposable contact lenses, dailies, cost $375 per year. These prices do not include the costs of contact solutions. These contact solutions include, multipurpose solution, hydrogen peroxide solution and specialty eye drops to name a few. According to InsiderEnvy these cost up to $140 on average per solution.

Caring for Reusable or Temporary Contact Lenses

Caring for your contact lenses is as simple as ensuring they are correctly stored away. Additionally, use the correct solution each night or after every use. It is advised that the wearer should rinse them off every time before placing them in to the eye. A regular care routine is washing your hands before touching the lens, cleaning each lens one at a time using the recommended cleaning fluid. Recommended cleaning solutions are typically saline. This should be used to rinse and store the contact lenses with heat and UV disinfection systems. These should be used together with enzymatic cleaning tablets to improve the life of your reusable lenses. It is advisable never to reuse or top up an old solution as this exposes you to infections.

Vision Insurance

A vision insurance policy may or may not be included with your individual health insurance plan or an employer health insurance plan. Either way, a vision insurance policy is essential as it can help you pay the expenses involved with eye care including getting new contact lenses or glasses. Depending on the policy you go for, you may get an expanded vision benefit including eye surgery procedure (LASIK), replacement of lost or stolen prescription lenses or frames, vision therapy, examinations and prescription. Notably, vision insurance policies are inexpensive. They may cost as little as $3 to $75 per month depending on the coverage.

It is difficult to see through scuffed and scratched lenses. Contact lenses can be especially uncomfortable when not correctly maintained and may result in further vision problems and complications. Your care procedure should be based on the type of lenses whether prescribed or not and the duration of use. But, the maintenance is worth it if you want to simplify your life, take part in athletics and enjoy the freedom they bring!

Pros and Cons of Refinancing Your Auto Loan

Refinancing your auto loan is a very big decision to make, almost as big as buying your new car. Refinancing is basically acquiring a new secured loan to pay off the old one. This usually happens when you seek more favorable terms on your loan contract or you need cash fast. Ideally, the new loan terms will be improved. But sometimes refinancing is not always the right decision, as there are disadvantages related to it, too.

Refinancing your auto loan can be appealing and tempting at times. But it is very important to take a close look to make sure you get the benefits you wanted from it. Like other decision-making situations, refinancing has both advantages and disadvantages. That is based, of course, on your situation. Having an educated understanding about these pros and cons will keep you on the right track to make a good financial decision.

To help you decide whether to refinance your car loan, here are some pros and cons to consider:

Pros of Refinancing Your Auto Loan

Refinancing can lower your interest rate

Through refinancing, there is a possibility that you get a lower interest rate compared to your existing loan. This is one of the many reasons why borrowers opt to refinance. If you have a good credit reputation, you might want to try checking to refinance your vehicle after a couple of years. If your credit score is good, you can get a lower interest rate through refinancing. With lower finance charges, you will be able to save money over the course of loan period or even able to pay off your loan faster. However, there is a limit on this. Keep in mind multiple inquiries on your credit rating can negatively affect your credit standing.

Refinancing extends payment period

It allows the borrower to reconstruct the term of the new loan, including the payment period. If the borrower has good credit, extending the loan period can be attainable. For instance, if the loan term of your existing loan is two more years, it may be possible to extend the term to four or five years through refinancing.

Refinancing increases cash flow

If the balance of your existing loan is less than what your car is worth, you may able to increase your cash flow through cash-out refinancing. For instance, if your vehicle is currently valued at $10,000, but you only owe $8,000; your vehicle has an equity value of $2,000. This type of refinancing gives you the equity remaining to use as necessary.

Cons of Refinancing Your Auto Loan

Refinancing makes you pay more interest over the period of the loan.

When you refinance, you should compute first whether you are actually saving money. Although it is true that when you refinance you often get a lower interest rate, you generally also pay more interest since the loan period is extended. In other words, you pay more cash over the life of your loan. Getting a lower monthly interest rate might be very tempting, but if you really want to pay less overall and save money it is important that you do the math first before deciding.

Refinancing sometimes makes you pay a higher interest rate.

This advantage is for a cash-out type of refinancing. This type of refinancing allows borrowers to pull out cash fast but often come with a financial penalty (interest rate or fees). Getting cash is the most common reason for refinancing. When you conduct a cash-out refinancing, you should keep in mind that most creditors charge high interest especially on older cars. But, this is a good method to get cash out of your equity if you need immediate funds.

Refinancing sometimes makes you pay exit, transfer, and upfront fees.

Since you are terminating your existing loan and getting a new one, you are expected to pay additional fees and charges. Most of the loans that came from refinancing do not have a pre-termination waiver. Beware if your new loan comes with a prepayment charge, because it will mean you are not allowed to pay off your credit early. With that, you have no choice but to pay the loan over the entire length of the loan. Be careful if your new creditor charges an extra fee, including the application charges, because these can add up and offset benefits that you’d get from refinancing.

Before deciding whether to refinance or not, you must do your research first and take all your options into consideration. Start by evaluating what interest rates are available. Then consider your budget and the length of your current versus proposed loan. To maximize the benefit of refinancing, try to find a loan that has the lowest interest rate but payable in the shortest period of time.

Top 10 Tips for Buying a Used Cellphone

You need a cell phone, and you need it now. Maybe, your phone contract is up for renewal, or maybe you lost the last one or dropped your phone in the toilet. You have nothing to worry about. There a lot of good options for mobile phones available today. This smartphone guide will cover everything you need to know before buying one. With this guide, you can make sure you get the very best used cellphone for your budget and needs.

With excellent new flagships from different phone companies like Google, Apple, and Samsung, choosing the right phone is tricky. There are just a lot of different things to consider when buying a used cell phone since each one of us wants different features on our phones.

If you are having a hard time choosing your smartphone, these tips might help you. Here are a few points to consider before buying a used smartphone:

Decide what mobile platform you prefer.

Choosing the right platform is one of the most important decisions to make when buying a smartphone. Today, there are three major mobile platforms available; Android, Windows, and iOS.

Android: If you have a tight budget, an Android phone will be the best for you. This smartphone is available in all budgets from an affordable model to high-end and expensive handsets. The big benefit is Android OS cellphones are directly integrated with Google services. Basically, most of the applications and services are free. You can simply download the free apps from Play Store.

iOS: Since Apple introduced the iOS operating system back in, it has quickly become one of the most used single platforms for mobile devices. The key is to understand if you go down the iOS path, you will be kept within this ecosystem. So, if you have other Apple devices (Macs, etc.), this will play nicely. If not, be sure you’re ready to commit to Apple as your source platform. The nice thing is this is one of the most stable and consistent platforms on the market. Apple is well known for its intuitive and stable software which appeals to many.

Windows: If Microsoft is your OS of choice, these types of phones will be worth considering. Compared to Android and iOS, however, this platform lags behind in terms of the amount and variety of mobile apps. But they have some powerful solutions that align nicely if you use Windows for other devices (laptops, Surface, desktop, etc.).

Choose what brand of the smartphone.

Deciding what brand to buy is very crucial because it will affect whether your handset will get good upgrades and services. Popular brands available today are Apple, Samsung, and Google. These larger brands ensure your device operating system will continue to receive the necessary upgrades it needs to be supported in the coming years.

Check the hardware and design.

If you are the kind of person who prefers a sleek phone design, then you can consider smartphones with a poly-carbonated body (Sony, Samsung, HTC, Apple, and LG) or metal body (Apple, HTC). Metal body on the phone gives a different feel to the hand when held, while a polycarbonate body is much more resistant and durable against dents. In terms of hardware, the screen, the processor, and the memory and storage are the things to be considered.

Consider software updates.

Most Android phones run a version of the OS that is a multi-generation Android design. Although the new updates may be optional, the regular monthly security updates should be prioritized. When choosing your phone, you should make sure that the manufacturer of the phone you are buying doesn’t fall behind more than a month. Updates for iOS are less of a concern because Apple generally supports its old hardware (to a degree).

Consider battery capacity and usage.

Everyday usage of your phone loses a little of its battery capacity. By the time your smartphone is one to two years old, it will likely encounter battery sustainability issues (a percentage of the capacity of the original battery). This generally applies to all cellphones, however, some Android phones offer replaceable batteries which is a nice flexible feature not found with Apple devices.

Compare and research prices.

When we look for a used cellphone, we benefit because it should always be cheaper than the brand-new phones. When you have chosen your desired cellphone, be sure to evaluate a number of different places before committing to purchase. Also, it’s very important to determine if there’s any type of on it as there’s always risk that a used cellphone won’t operate as well as intended because the conditions can vary greatly.

Know your seller.

E-commerce sites like eBay and Amazon are good sites to buy a used smartphone. These e-commerce sites provide a safe market environment. The full description of the product is readily available on the site, and reviews of the seller can be seen to know whether the seller is reliable or not. Another site to consider is Craigslist. The benefit here is you can find a local seller and see the phone before you commit to purchase. The downside is there are sellers that are not always forthright so be careful of committing and make sure you see the product functioning before you pay.

Check the add-ons of the cellphone you are buying.

The add-ons of what you are buying are not only a bonus, they give relevant and valuable information about the seller. For instance, if the item is shipped in its original box, then most likely the phone you are buying is not stolen. Or if it is shipped in a case or in a screen protector, you can expect the phone to be in relatively good shape. And be on the lookout for the additional peripherals – charging cable, earphones (if not used) and any other factors that will add value (and reduce cost to you).

Note the smartphone overall condition.

Your primary concern when you are checking a used phone is the phone’s screen. You should check for any chips or cracks on the screen. If it has any cracks, be wary and look for something else.

Check the smartphone upon receipt.

So the smartphone is in your hands. Upon receipt, make sure to examine and check the smartphone to see if there are any hidden defects. The earlier you find the defect the better since most of the e-commerce sites allows only a brief period for the return of the item bought.

So there you have it. Hope the things we have mentioned can help you when buying a used smartphone. Just always remember to consider every factor when buying one.

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