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Health Insurance Policy for Different Stages of Life

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The importance of health insurance plans can not be understated today. The rising cases of lifestyle diseases and increasing cost of healthcare facilities have made it imperative to have medical insurance for every household. The benefits of having a health insurance policy are not just restricted to covering healthcare expenses, it also provides tax benefits along with regular health checkups. Also, having a particular health insurance plan would not suffice for all ages as our health conditions keep changing as we age.

Let’s know about the health insurance plans for different stages of life and reasons you should keep upgrading the plans.

Health insurance plan when you are single

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At this age, you are in your best health with less responsibilities. This is also the age when you have just started earning and your salary isn’t that high. So it is prudent to choose a health insurance plan that provides coverage of 3 lakhs to 5 lakhs. Here are a few pointers you need to focus on when buying a health insurance policy at this age.

  • As you have just started earning, paying higher premiums for health insurance doesn’t fit well. Choose a plan that suits your budget or the ones with higher co-pay or deductibles.
  • Always mention if you have any pre-existing disease or if you are frequently visiting the doctor for follow-ups. In such a case, it is better to choose a higher coverage that would cover the expenses of your pre-existing disease. 
  • Keep your profession in mind while choosing a health plan. If you are in a job that involves working in risky conditions consider choosing a higher coverage for health insurance policy.

When you are married;

Probably during your late 20s or in your 30s when you get married you jump into a lot of responsibilities. Also this may be the time when you are planning for your child. Here choosing a health plan while keeping in mind your dependents are necessary. You would need to increase your health plan coverage basis your dependants. This is also the time when your professional life becomes stressful and your lifestyle changes drastically due to professional stress and family responsibilities. A coverage around 10-15 lakhs would be needed during this time. The pointers that you need to focus on are:

  • Choose a medical plan that offers regular health check-ups to help diagnose any existing medical disease.
  • Opt for a comprehensive health insurance plan or a family floater health insurance plan that covers your spouse and your children
  • In case if you are planning for children, choose a plan that offers maternity and newborn benefits. 

When you are in your Midlife i.e age 40s or 50s

This is the period when you are saving for your child’s future, planning for your retirement, paying EMIs for your loan. At this point, you must assure that any illness or accident doesn’t put a hole in your savings or disrupt your investments. Hence during this time you must

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  • Extend the coverage for your family floater plan
  • Add riders to your existing health insurance policy
  • You can also opt for critical illness cover and personal accident cover

When you retire:

During your sunset years, your responsibilities are almost over and you are living a financially stress-free life. This is also the age when your health is vulnerable and your immunity is low. Also, you do not have a regular income to bear exorbitant healthcare costs. At this point, it is vital to have a health insurance plans that can cover all your medical adversities.

Consider these pointers when buying a health insurance plan at this stage

  • It’s better to exclude your children from the plans and have separate plans for your.self and for your wife
  • Choose health insurance plans with coverage of 20-25 lakhs. 
  • Watch for health plans that offer a wide hospital network, especially those near your locality. 
  • Opt for a lifetime coverage health insurance plan. 

Pro-tip:

Before finalizing any health insurance plan, check with a health insurance premium calculator to know the premium you would have to pay for the health insurance coverage. Some health insurance calculators also assist you with the riders you may need for your family at different life stages while helping you know your change in premium. 

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Final word:

The pandemic has shown the importance of having a health insurance plan for yourself and your family. Not having a health insurance plan can impact your finances and disrupt your financial stability for the following years. Also, any health emergency in the family can be quite stressful, leave aside your financial worries. So a robust health insurance plan can keep your financial worries at bay while completely focusing on your health and staying beside your dependants when in need. 

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Heana Sharma: A rising talent, Heana boasts 2 years of versatile content writing experience across multiple niches. Her adaptable skills result in engaging and informative content that resonates with a wide spectrum of readers.

Health

Learn All About Truck Accident And What a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help

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The truck crashes are high-severity collisions, which may result in big troubles. A collision of a huge truck with a smaller car can have lethal consequences because people inside the car can suffer serious head injuries or even death.

These accidents also cause the wreckage of vehicles and buildings and thus beget a big mess in the process. In case of a truck accident, individuals are usually scared and confused about what to do next.

This contains many medical bills, not being able to work, and legal concerns.

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But there’s hope! Speaking to an 18-wheeler accident attorney who is knowledgeable about truck accidents would be of help in this situation.

This post is about truck crashes and why it is so crucial to have a competent lawyer.

Common Causes Behind Truck Accidents 

  • Driver’s Fatigue:

Driving drowsiness is undoubtedly one of the significant factors of truck collisions. Long run, overdue delivery, and uncertain schedules frequently end up in drivers’ having inadequate sleep.

While the regulations prohibit driving hours and require rest breaks, fatigue is still one of the major problems in this sector.

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The hazard of drowsy driving is very high since it causes a dramatic drop in the driver’s reaction time and ability to make good decisions, and this significantly increases the risk of accidents.

  • Distracted Driving:

With this age of smartphones and nonstop connection, distracted driving and truck drivers are becoming a common problem for all motorists across the country.

It is not uncommon to find yourself checking messages, making calls or even adjusting your navigation system while driving. All these actions distract a driver from the road, putting them in a precarious position.

A short period of inattention, which is nothing compared to the magnitude of the risk involved in driving a vehicle of such large and impressive power, can easily result in a fatal crash.

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  • Poor Vehicle Maintenance:

Keeping a large number of commercial trucks in operation is a complicated and expensive challenge.

Nevertheless, maintenance is a critical issue as cutting corners on it leads to severe repercussions.

Worn-out brakes, defective steering systems, or inadequate tire treads are just several examples of what can lead to car crashes.

Preventive maintenance and rigorous inspections are critical to maintain trucks in the best of operating conditions.

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Consequences of Truck Accidents

  • Personal Injuries:

Truck accidents regularly end up in the most serious injuries and sometimes even fatal consequences for the people who participated in the crash. 

The injuries can be as grave as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, intestinal organ damage, broken bones, and deep lacerations.

The victims can require critical care and operations. Sometimes, physical therapy and long-term care are needed. Although the damages can be physical and emotional, the impact on the ability of an individual to work and carry out the daily activities of life can be tremendous.

  • Loss of Life:

Regrettably, more than half of the truck accidents are ended in fatalities. The fact that the large weight and size of the trucks are responsible for major damage in case of a collision with the passenger cars, motorcycles, or pedestrians, who might die out of such a foolishness.

  • Property Damage:

Truck collisions frequently cause property damages, which are often severe in the form of vehicle collisions, building collapse, road infrastructure damage, and so forth. In a truck crash, the impact of a collision can lead to vehicles being bent, flipped over, or even pushed into another thing.

  • Economic Impact:

The consequences of accidents that occur on trucks may go beyond the individual, business, and society. Medical bills, property damages, earning loss, and legal costs may start to pile up, thus stretching the victims’ and their families’ resources.

What Role Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Play in Such Circumstances? 

  1. Investigation:

First, they will use their detective skills to investigate all the facts of the accident. They go through witnesses, police reps, and truck maintenance records to obtain the information they need to establish who is at fault.

  1. Legal Representation:

Then, there are people who speak on your behalf regarding all the legal things. They will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf and take you to court if necessary; they will make sure that your story will be heard.

  1. Damage Assessment:

These attorneys are like math geniuses, they know how to add them up to get the highest number for your pain. They examine medical bills, compute the amount of money lost due to missed work, and even calculate the extent of suffering in terms of pain.

  1. Negotiation:

When it comes to bargaining, they’re masters of the game. They will sit down with the other party to get a fair compensation amount to cover your losses.

  1. Trial Advocacy:

On a number of occasions, we fail to find an immediate solution or a quick fix. That’s where these advocates show their brilliance and courtroom fighting spirit. Such attorneys are your voice and defend you in front of a judge and a jury, narrating your case and advocating for you.

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Fever: Symptoms, Treatments, Types, and Causes

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Fever refers to a higher-than-normal body temperature. It is commonly defined as having a temperature above 100.4 F (38 C). Fevers are not an illness; they act as a vital sign that something else might be amiss, usually an underlying infection.

Understanding the physiology of temperature regulation, recognizing common fever patterns, identifying potential causes, and knowing treatment approaches can help assess and manage fevers appropriately to guide optimal recovery.

How Body Temperature is Regulated

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Human body temperature hovers within a safe range primarily through the hypothalamus section of the brain. It’s akin to the body’s internal thermostat. When we exercise or if external temperatures rise, the hypothalamus kicks in, bringing our temperatures back to normal ranges through mechanisms like sweating or dilating blood vessels. Also, getting a fever test would be a great option to get your body temperature checked.

Factors like age, hormones, medications, and illness can temporarily affect the hypothalamus, potentially altering this regulation and raising body temperature, causing a fever.

Common Fever Symptoms 

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When fever strikes, our bodies tend to exhibit an array of symptomatic reactions. Recognizing some of the most common physical and behavioral manifestations of elevated temperatures can help gauge fever severity and determine suitable interventions. The fever profile test is a comprehensive screening that includes various blood tests to identify the underlying cause of a fever, such as infections or autoimmune diseases.

Body temperature itself may be the most apparent fever marker. However, the magnitude of thermal spikes can vary based on factors like age, time of day, etc. Using a reliable thermometer identifies the extent accurately. In addition, sensory feelings of skin warmth flushed facial appearance, and heat around the armpits and joints help gauge temperature rise qualitatively.

Flu-like symptoms often accompany fever episodes. These include profuse sweating, chills-induced shivering, and extreme fatigue – almost a general whole-body discomfort that saps regular energy levels, forcing us to slow down. Fever sufferers affecting nutrition also routinely note the loss of normal appetite and dietary interest.

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Furthermore, certain local tissue inflammations translate into body aches and headaches during fever – aggravating underlying migraines or arthritic joint pains. Sinus pressure, sore throat discomfort, and inflammation are also reported due to associated infection factors.

While low-grade temperatures under 102°F mainly induce mild unease, sustained high-grade fevers over 103-104°F spark greater malaise in patients. Without appropriate treatment, these run the risk of febrile seizures, especially in vulnerable groups like infants and elderlies, indicating medical emergency scenarios for urgent care. Tracking patterns and acting judiciously is key. 

Moreover, A fever panel test is a collection of specific tests conducted together to diagnose the cause of fever, including tests for viral, bacterial, and other infectious agents. So, you can also choose this test.

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Causes of Fever

There are several potential causes of fevers, including:

  • Infections: Fevers frequently signal underlying infectious agents like viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites at play – essentially, the body’s immune response trying to eliminate the foreign organism. Typical sites of infection include respiratory, urinary tract, skin, intestines, etc.
  • Non-infectious causes: Certain inflammatory conditions like autoimmune disorders can also spark fevers. Factors like blood transfusions, heat exhaustion, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer could elevate temperatures. 
  • Medications: Specific medicine classes called antipyretics work by lowering fevers that accompany infections. But paradoxically, some drugs/vaccines may elicit side effects of fever for a limited duration before improving conditions in the long run.

The fever profile test list typically includes a complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and tests for common pathogens. So, consult your doctor for the help.

Types of Fevers

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Key fever patterns include:

1. Continuous fever: When we envision viral fever, continuously elevated temperatures are the stereotype – slightly higher thermometer readings that persist through day and night. For example, bad colds may cause sustained low-grade fevers across 24 hours. The hypothalamus thermostat resets to a higher level temporarily. Feeling warm, sleepy and monitoring hydration becomes key.”

2. Intermittent fever: In contrast, certain fevers intermittently spike and retreat in periodic cycles of highs followed by seemingly normal temperatures before elevating again. This stop-start pattern typically aligns with light and darkness. Late afternoon/evening peaks of 103°F for a few hours settling to near 98°F in early mornings is one such rhythm, noting daily highs and lows.

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3. Remittent fever: Remittent fevers also demonstrate periodic spikes but lack an actual “normal” phase – temperatures never fully normalize but keep fluctuating between higher and relatively lower levels through day and night. This more persistent wave pattern indicates sustained immune activity. Careful hydration and rest balance the rollercoaster.

4. Other patterns: Beyond daily cyclic fevers, certain rare dramatic fever spikes manifest cyclically every few days without many intermittent normalizations. Pel-Ebstein fevers are periods of high fever around 104° lasting for 2-3 days, followed by 1-2 days of slight relief hovers – but no real non-fever stages. This dramatic multi-day oscillation requires close medical monitoring.

Treatments for Fever 

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Essential fever management focuses on keeping the person comfortable and maintaining hydration while underlying causes are addressed. Key aspects include:

  • Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen for temperature regulation only if causing discomfort
  • Avoiding overdressing or exposure to extreme temperatures
  • Drinking adequate warm fluids like soup, tea
  • Light, nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables  
  • Monitoring Temperature trends hourly 
  • Seeking medical care if symptoms worsen or persist over days  

Conclusion

Fevers signify immune activity, often due to underlying infections. While mostly harmless initially, persistently high fevers can be problematic. Tracking fever patterns and likely causes and managing discomfort levels judiciously while determining etiology is crucial to recovery. However, dramatic elevations over 104 F indicate medical emergencies requiring urgent interventions to prevent adverse outcomes, especially amongst vulnerable populations.

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IIT-K and BFI collaborate to drive healthcare innovation in India

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IIT-K and BFI forge partnership to accelerate healthcare innovation in India

Kanpur, April 17 (IANS) – The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) has entered into a strategic partnership with Blockchain For Impact (BFI) to drive advancements in healthcare in India. Under the BFI-Biome Virtual Network Programme, this collaboration aims to nurture innovations in the healthcare sector.

As part of the partnership, BFI will support IIT Kanpur in promoting entrepreneurial initiatives through the Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre (SIIC). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at IIT Kanpur by Prof. Kantesh Balani, Dean of Resources and Alumni (DoRA), IIT Kanpur; and Dr. Gaurav Singh, CEO BFI.

BFI has committed to allocating over $150,000 across three years to develop programmes tailored to healthcare-focused startups at IIT Kanpur’s SIIC. This collaboration harnesses IIT Kanpur’s expertise in fostering entrepreneurship and BFI’s dedication to advancing biomedical research.

Prof. Kantesh Balani, DoRA, IIT Kanpur, expressed his optimism about the partnership, stating, “This MoU will help us share knowledge, support startups effectively, and improve our capacity-building efforts.” Dr. Gaurav Singh, CEO of BFI, highlighted the inspiring work of IIT Kanpur incubatees in healthcare innovation and the alignment of missions to accelerate impactful solutions in biomedical research.

This partnership signifies a significant step towards advancing healthcare innovation in India by leveraging expertise and resources. The collaboration between IITK and BFI holds promise for improving public health and ensuring equitable healthcare access for all.

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