Health Services and Careers 8th Terms

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Health Insurance- is a plan in which private companies or government programs pay for part of a person's medical costs.

HMO {health maintenance organizations} - is an organization that provides health care for a fixed price. People who belong to an HMO pay a monthly fee regardless of how much health care they need. Usually they must see only doctors who have signed a contract within the HMO.

PPO {preferred provider organizations} - is a type of insurance in which medical providers agree to charge less for members of the plan. Members who choose doctors outside the plan pay more.

POS {point of service} - is a health plan that allows members to choose providers inside or outside the plan. Choosing an outside provider often results in a greater out-of-pocket cost to members.

Public health- is managed by federal, state, and local governments. Involves the protection and promotion of health at the community level.

Health and Human Services- is the main Health Organization of the federal government is responsible for more and then 300 programs that protect the health of all Americans. These programs include two federal health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid.

The Department of Health and Human Services:

• National Institutes of Health- supports about 35,000 research projects nationwide in cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, AIDS, and other diseases.
• Health Resources and Services Administration- provides access to essential health services for people who are uninsured, who have lower income, or who live in rural and urban neighborhoods where health care is scarce.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- monitors disease trends, investigate outbreaks of disease, promote safe and healthful environment, and takes actions to prevent and control illness and injury.
• Food and Drug Administration- make sure that food and cosmetics are safe and that product labels are truthful. Make certain that medications and medical devices are safe and effective.
• Indian Health Services- provides medical and dental services through hospitals and health centers to nearly 1.5 million American Indians and Alaska natives.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration- works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and medical health services.

Consumer Product Safety Commission- works to reduce the risk of injury or death from unsafe products. It can ban products if finds dangerous and can order manufacturers to notify people who have brought an unsafe product.

Food Safety and Inspection Service- oversees the safety of meat and poultry.

Federal Trade Commission- protects consumers from unfair trade practices. It also regulates advertising in order to prevent advertisers from presenting misleading information.

State and community health organizations also offer services independently. All states and most cities have health departments. The work of these departments varies from place to place, but all help to control and prevent disease. Some of the tasks performed by local health departments include:

• Basic health care services to people with low incomes.
• Monitor the safety of water and sewage systems.
• Make sure that garbage is removed and properly handled and disposed of.
• Set standards of cleanliness and sanitation for restaurants.
• Offer health education and promotion programs.

Nongovernmental health organizations- rely mostly on contributions and volunteers to provide important public health services. Examples are the American Heart Association, an asthma and allergy Foundation of America, and the American Cancer society. They pay for research for ways to prevent and cure the disease. They also help people who have the disease, and they provide programs that teach ways to prevent it.

The American Red Cross- is one of the first organizations on the scene after a natural disaster. Its workers are trained to respond quickly to a large scale emergency. The Red Cross collects blood from volunteers and distributes it to hospitals for people who need transfusions. It also offers courses on first-aid, safety, and health.