Health and fitness resources for West Virginia

HEALTH NEWS

It seems that we are constantly hearing and reading about new health discoveries. Continuous research provides these breaking news items, and we are often amazed that what was once considered healthful may now be seen in a different light.

We thought that we would mention a few developments in case you might find something that impacts your health. It will be interesting to see if what is now considered "breaking news" is still considered correct in a few years.

® A new finding in a study of nearly 1,000 people, showed that those with low blood levels of vitamin D scored from 5 - 10% lower on tests measuring grip strength, balance and walking speed than those with higher levels of the vitamin. We knew vitamin D is good for us, but here is a new twist!

® In recent research analyzing autopsy reports for nearly 35,000 people who died from heart disease over an eight year period it was revealed that the risk of dying from a heart attack increased by one-third during weeks of flu epidemics, compared with non-epidemic weeks. Guess this gives us another reason to get flu shots!

® A fourteen year analysis of the diets of 32,000 men showed that men who ate the most vegetables (six and one half servings daily) had an 11% lower risk for enlarged prostate than men who ate the least (average one and a half servings daily). Eat your veggies, fellows.

® Studies have recently shown that blood levels of a tick-borne bacterium were ten times higher in people with high cholesterol. The bacterium apparently needs cholesterol to survive. Hmm, another reason to quit eating hamburgers.

That's all for now. There are too many to put on this page! We still have the article about Access West Virginia below in case you haven't already read it. We received inquiries about it when we removed the story from West Virginia Life and Recreation, so it is still here on this page for the moment.

Read this recent article about AccessWV

WV offers Health Insurance to ALL...

AT WHAT PRICE?

One of the most troubling problems many of our citizens face is lack of adequate health insurance. This is a national problem that resonates especially with those in the Mountain State. Are you a West Virginian having difficulty finding health insurance due to some pre-existing , severe, or chronic condition? WV is making is making real progress in solving this problem.

Starting in August '05 a new program called Access WV began. This plan was created through the Dept. of Insurance to provide health insurance to West Virginians who have been unable to find insurance or who have been denied coverage in the private market due to some medical condition. Those who are eligible for coverage under the Federal Portability Act or the IRS Health Coverage Tax Credit Program are also eligible for coverage under AccessWV.

The program, overseen by the Public Employee Insurance Agency (PEIA), guarantees coverage to West Virginians who meet all eligibility requirements, regardless of current and past health circumstances. This is undeniably needed. There are three different benefit plans that are similar to those offered by private companies. Coverage through Access WV can be purchased from any WV licensed insurance agent or directly from Access WV.

To see if you are eligible for coverage, go to AccessWV or call tollfree 1-866-445-8491. You can get all information about eligibility, the three benefit plans and the costs of monthly premiums.

About those premiums...

AccessWV does a good job of removing health restrictions so that the 'uninsurable' may obtain quality health coverage. The plan also reduces premiums below those of private, non-group plans. Yet AccessWV does not really address the affordability issue - nor is that the intent of the program.

Is AccessWV affordable? Suppose a single male, age 55 living in Berkeley County, chooses Plan A with a $400 deductible. His monthly premium is $791 per month. That same fellow living in Greenbrier County will pay $1,027 per month for the same coverage. These premiums compare favorably with private, non-group coverage available in WV and elsewhere, yet there is really little access when few can actually afford the premiums.

In WV, 17.9% live below the poverty line (compared to 12.4% nationally), WV's average annual per capita income is just $16,477 (the national average of $21,587 is 31% higher), and our median household income is $29,696 (the national average of $41,994 is 41% higher). If a typical West Virginian earning $16,477 per year pays $900 per month for AccessWV, they are left with just $5,677 per year ($473 per month) to live on. As of 6/1/06, a total of about 235 persons were enrolled in AccessWV, with enrollment increasing at a rate of about 25 persons per month.

Both affordability AND access to health insurance are desperately needed, not just here, but in every state. AccessWV is an important step toward getting coverage for some whose medical circumstances have rendered them uninsurable. Currently, there are about 650,000 West Virginians who are covered by Medicare and/or Medicaid, but we still have about 280,000 people without any sort of health coverage. Until access AND affordability are better addressed, many of our citizens will be forced to choose between health care and such 'luxuries' as college, nutritious food or good housing. Until access AND affordability are better addressed, we can expect our uninsured population to remain large and unhealthy.

Other public insurance programs available or planned for WV -

WV CHIPS

The Children's Health Insurance Plan provides coverage for children of working families who are under the age of 19.

CAP

The Community Access Program is a Federally funded network of health centers who provide limited health services for our uninsured and under insured populations.

WV Free Health Clinics offer certain basic services in all 55 counties

Closing the gaps in health coverage seems to be a real priority for Governor Joe Manchin and the WV Legislature. HB-421 and HB-4847 are designed to provide a limited individual plan ($60 to $80 per month for bare-bones coverage) and a clinic-based pilot. With Wal-Mart now WV's largest private employer, a group plan for seasonal, part time and temporary workers is also being considered.

Congress doesn't seem to have a clue or inclination to remedy this health care crisis, so perhaps our state should produce a model health care insurance plan for the nation. What do you think should be done? Let the editor know your opinions, and we will publish them in upcoming issues. You don't have to identify yourself if you don't want to. How about it?

Special notes:

1. In 2000, WV was ranked 14th nationally for having the highest percent of citizens under age 18 covered by health insurance. In 2000, WV was ranked 24th nationally for having the highest percent of all citizens covered by health insurance. See number and percent of uninsured in the U.S., ranked by state. See number and percent of uninsured people in WV, ranked by County.

2. Because of high median age and poverty rates, approximately 33 % of all West Virginians (650,000 people) are currently enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. Wal-Mart is the state's largest private employer. Because jobs with good pay and benefits are relatively scarce in WV, there are thousands of low income adults who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, and cannot afford private coverage. As employers continue to cut back or eleminate health care benefits, the number of WV's 'working sick' continues to grow.

3. WV ranks 6th among the states for having the highest percent below the poverty line. Other rankings: MS - 1, LA - 2, NM - 3, DC - 4, AR - 5, KY - 7, Texas - 8.

4. WV ranks 3rd among the states for having the highest median age. Other rankings: ME - 1, VT - 2, MT - 4, FL and PA tied for 5, NH - 7, and CT - 8.

Unless shown otherwise, data in this article are based on the 2000 U.S. Census, the Social Security Administration, and the WV Department of Health and Human Services.

Please EMAIL THE EDITOR to tell us what you think about this topic. We will assume that we may share your comments with other readers, unless you request otherwise in your email. See what other readers are saying in our special section called READER FEEDBACK .