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You probably realize that this is the same model as most web sites on the internet and none of the banners or links should in any way be interpreted as guarantees or endorsements of the products or services offered. You should do your own research before you make any purchases.

We take this very seriously, because H1N1 is a very serious problem. We are not medical professionals, but we have tried to take the best information available from the CDC and other government sources and put it into easy to understand language. However, nothing on this site should be interpreted as medical advice.

If you believe that you or someone you care about might be suffering from H1N1, please seek IMMEDIATE medical attention.

H1N1 and Health Insurance

The health insurance angle to the swine flu pandemic in the United States is amazing.

Very few average people are considering their health insurance, because it is not as interesting or exciting as the issues around the symptoms and treatment of the illness.

However, medical insurance is an issue that many public health officials and journalists are concerned about. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is encouraging consumers to review their health care plans as they relate to the so-called Swine Flu.

Many state health agencies are urging people to check their insurance, and, in fact, the information on this page is largely drawn from health insurance checklists drawn up by the states of Ohio and Michigan.

Kathy Kristoff of CBS Moneywatch notes that, “Those who do have insurance are finding that their coverage varies widely, with some companies covering the treatment in full and others demanding large co-payments.”

According to another recent report California insurance companies deny an average of 21% of all claims, so you need to know your coverage.

Understand Your Health Insurance coverage

It’s always important to understand just what you health insurance policy covers, but with the potential for an increased demand for health care services, you need to be even more aware of your specific plan details. Read your policy carefully and consider the following questions:

• Do you have a cost-sharing responsibility for flu vaccinations? Many health insurance policies have co-payments for seasonal flu vaccinations.
• Ask your insurance company if you will have a co-pay for the seasonal flu vaccine and what the cost will be.
• Is the vaccination covered by your insurance? The seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 flu vaccine are normally administered separately. The U.S. government is covering the cost of the H1N1 vaccine, but you may be charged its administration. Check with your insurance company to see if your coverage includes the seasonal flu vaccine and extends to the administration of the H1N1 vaccine.
• What is your co-payment for the most common H1N1 treatments? The two drugs doctors can prescribe to treat H1N1 flu are Tamiflu and Relenza.
• In addition, you should know of any limitations on the number of doses covered by your policy – per prescription or per year.
• Is your coverage accepted at walk-in care facilities? If your area is heavily affected by the spread of the H1N1 flu outbreak, your regular physician might not be able to see you in a timely manner.
• What is your out-of-network co-payment? If you must go to an out-of-network provider, be aware you will likely pay a higher co-payment for your office visit and any tests run during the visit.
• Check with your insurance company to determine if you have coverage for vaccines received at drug stores, employers’ offices and schools. Some health plans, including Medicare Advantage plans, only provide coverage for vaccines received from designated providers.

Be prepared in case you or a family member do become infected:

• Have your health insurance ID card readily available.
• Review your health insurance policy provisions. Know which doctors and hospitals are in your network.
• Make note of your co-payments. Know how much a doctor’s office visit will cost.
• Keep handy a list of pharmacies and medications covered under your policy.
• If you have plans to travel, make sure you check to see if there are any doctors or medical facilities in-network where you will be visiting.
• Ask your employer or insurance company for any and all applicable health insurance information that might be available to you in a simple-to-reference format.
• Post this information where it can easily be accessed by everyone.

Best Bets For H1N1 Coverage

However, some insurance companies are taking action positive action. Tim Bireley, VP, Guardian Group Medical, the health insurance division of the Gaurdian Group Life Insurance Company of America said, “Guardian decided to cover the costs associated with administering the vaccine…” That’s a very good sign if you are covered by the Guardian, but you are still only covered for actual treatments if you become ill with Swine Flu under the specific provisions of your individual plan.”

Aetna, United Health Care, and several other companies have also made similar decisions, but you should definitely review your policy.

Here’s a report from the state of Texas on what H1N1 related expenses insurance companies in that state are covering: Texas Health Insurance Companies

Remember, the coverage might be different in your state, so check your companies web site.  Generally, the companies that are covering H1N1 expenses are announcing the  fact prominently on the front page of their company’s web site.

Short Term Insurance

You might also consider a short term plan if you are uninsured or short term additional coverage if you are already insured, particularly from one of the companies that have said the y will cover H1N1 expenses.

Remember, H1N1 is not a pre-existing condition. You can probably buy a short term additional coverage if you are otherwise fairly healthy. Then when the threat has lessened you simply let the coverage lapse.

Costs vary a lot depending on age, whether you smoke, and where you live. In a recent test for short term rates on eHealthInsurance a company that compares rates from a variety of companies online, a single thirty-year-old non-smoking male living in the greater Los Angeles area were as cheap as $68.00 a month and only $41.00 a month if that person lived in rural Missouri.

eHealthInsurance can give you a free quote.  All you have to do is simply fill out a short application.  It’s definitely worth taking a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire.  You don’t have to buy anything, but you will get  a much better idea of how good your insurance coverage really is and what it would cost for additional coverage.

However, remember there is more to health insurance than the cost, so be sure to check on deductibles, coverage, co-pays, and the other details.

News, US Government and UN Updates, and Medical Advice For Health Care Providers

H1n1 In The News

• Nature publishes details of bird flu strain that could spread among people - Publication of bird flu study was delayed after warnings that the information could be exploited by terroristsControversial research on a hybrid strain of bird flu that could potentially spread between humans was published on Wednesday in Nature after security restrictions on the work were lifted.Scientists created the virus by merging a mutated strain of bird flu with the "swine flu" virus that sparked a human pandemic in 2009. The hybrid strain spread easily between ferrets – the best proxy that flu researchers have for people – but was not lethal and could be controlled with antiviral drugs and bird flu vaccines.The work by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was submitted last year to the journal, but was delayed after the US government's biosecurity advisers s...

  MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

• [A(H1N1)v cases of the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 influenza seasons in the Medical and Health Sciences Centre of Debrecen University]. - Conclusion: It is an important task to protect oncohematological and organ transplant patients. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 649-654. PMID: 22543220 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Orvosi Hetilap)
• Human Infections with Novel Reassortant Influenza A(H3N2)v Viruses, United States, 2011. - Authors: Lindstrom S, Garten R, Balish A, Shu B, Emery S, Berman L, Barnes N, Sleeman K, Gubareva L, Villanueva J, Klimov A Abstract During July-December 2011, a variant virus, influenza A(H3N2)v, caused 12 human cases of influenza. The virus contained genes originating from swine, avian, and human viruses, including the M gene from influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. Influenza A(H3N2)v viruses were antigenically distinct from seasonal influenza viruses and similar to proposed vaccine virus A/Minnesota/11/2010. PMID: 22516540 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)
• Differentiated swine airway epithelial cell cultures for the investigation of influenza A virus infection and replication - Conclusions  Retinoic acid promoted ciliogenesis, whereas epidermal growth factor controlled the thickness of the pseudoepithelium. The optimal concentrations for differentiated swine cell cultures were 1·5 ng/ml epidermal growth factor and 100 nm retinoic acid. Influenza A viruses infected and productively replicated in these cultures in the absence of exogenous trypsin, suggesting that the cultures express a protease capable of activating influenza virus hemagglutinin. Differences in virus infection and replication characteristics found previously in pigs in vivo were recapitulated in the swine cultures. This system could be a useful tool for a range of applications, including investigating influenza virus species specificity, defining cell tropism of influenza viruses in the swin...
• Biosecurity aspects and pathogen inactivation in acidified high risk animal by-products. - Authors: Vinnerås B, Samuelson A, Emmoth E, Nyberg KA, Albihn A Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of formic acid addition to ground high risk animal by-products (ABP 1) in terms of stabilization and pathogen inactivation and to evaluate the biosecurity risk connected with the ABP 1 based combustion fuel Biomal. Laboratory studies were performed on the persistence of Salmonella Typhimurium, Bacillus cereus spores, porcine herpes virus, avian influenza virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, equine rhinitis A virus and porcine parvovirus in Biomal at different storage times. It was shown that Salmonella and enveloped viruses were inactivated within 1 day (24 h). Bacillus cereus spores were not reduced during 147 days and the non-enveloped virus porcine parvovi...

US Government Feed

• FDA Approves First Quadrivalent Vaccine to Prevent Seasonal Influenza - FluMist Quadrivalent, a vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza in people ages 2 years through 49 years, has been approved today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FluMist Quadrivalent is the first influenza vaccine to contain four strains of the influenza virus, two influenza A strains and two influenza B strains.
• First U.S. Cell-based Flu Vaccine Plant Set for Dedication - The first U.S. facility to use a faster and more flexible technology to make influenza vaccine was dedicated today, as part of an initiative that could provide vaccine supplies sooner in an influenza pandemic. The plant in Holly Springs, N.C., can create vaccine using cultured animal cells instead of the conventional process of using fertilized eggs.
• CDC Confirms Two Human Infections with Novel Influenza Viruses - CDC has confirmed two cases of human infection with two different novel influenza A viruses in different states. Both patients have fully recovered.
• FDA Updated Communication on Use of Jet Injectors with Inactivated Influenza Vaccines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending that health care professionals use a sterile needle and syringe to administer inactivated influenza vaccines.
• CDC Issues Initial 2011-2012 Seasonal “FluView” Report: Current Activity is Low; Outlook for Vaccine is Good - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the initial “FluView” report for the U.S. 2011–2012 flu season with the message that flu activity is currently low, making this the perfect time to get vaccinated. There should be lots of vaccine available, because the supply is projected to set a U.S. record.

UN Feed

• Influenza update - 03 June 2011
• Influenza update - 20 May 2011
• Influenza update - 06 May 2011
• Influenza update - 21 April 2011
• Influenza update - 08 April 2011

Medical News

• Washington State Faces Pertussis Epidemic - Pertussis infections have reached epidemic proportions in the state of Washington, officials there said, with more than 10 times as many cases this year as were counted by early May in 2011.
• Oral Zinc May Cut Cold's Length - The duration of adult cold symptoms appears to be shortened with the use of oral zinc formulations, but mild adverse effects are common, according to a meta-analysis.
• Clinical Notes: Eat to Live or Live to Eat? - Eating for pleasure has different effects in the body than eating for sustenance, a new study found. Also this week: the suicide toll grows among former pro football players.
• Study Shows How Bird Flu Could Jump to Humans - A hotly debated study identifies four mutations in a key gene in the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu that allow it to adapt to mammals.
• Clinical Notes: U.S. Workers Short on Shuteye - Some 41 million members of the labor force do not get enough sleep, and not only because of rotating shifts, a CDC report indicated. Also this week: staph and flu infections can be a deadly mix.

This site is an effort to take the best official information about the impact of H1N1 on children and put it into easy to understand to understand language.

Some insurance companies are NOT paying for H1N1 related expenses! Do you know what your company’s policy is?  We recently added a page about H1N1 and your health insurance , because those issues are so complicated and so important for health care in the United State.

We have a great report from the Texas Department of Insurance on what expenses insurance companies are paying, a check list on the questions you should consider about your coverage, and some strategies about buying short term coverage if you are uninsured or under insured.  Check it out: H1N1 and Insurance.

Swine Flu In Children

Many of the early cases of Swine flu appeared to disproportionally effect children.  Though, it is not been firmly established it appears that children and young people born after the late 1970s may be more at risk than other elements of the population, because they do not have not been exposed to a Swine Flu virus before this outbreak.

Parents, teachers, and others who interact with children are justified to be concerned about H1N1, but, remember, most people, including children, infected with the H1N1 virus, also known as the Swine Flu, in the United States have had mild disease, but some have had more severe illness, and young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases like diabetes, or heart disease may be at higher risk for complications from this infection.

In fact, people with respiratory illnesses, such as asthma or emphysema, are particularly vulnerable to the Swine Flu.  In layman’s terms, severe cases of the Swine Flu sometimes cause viral pneumonia deep within the lungs and that is the main thing that makes it so dangerous.  So, anyone with a pre-existing respiratory  condition, and perhaps even heavy smokers should be particularly concerned about H1N1.

However, there are steps you can take to protect your family and to know when to seek medical care.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of regular flu. They include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Chills and fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Occasionally, vomiting and diarrhea

H1N1 Symptoms In Children

Young children with Swine Flu may have difficulty breathing and low activity, but few other symptoms. There is little is known about how H1N1 may affect children. However, the infection may be similar to other flu infections. Typically, common seasonal flu infections cause mild cases in children, however parents should always pay special attention to children under 5 years of age, because they are more likely to become seriously ill than older children. Rarely, severe respiratory illness (pneumonia) and deaths occur with flu infections in children, and obviously flu infections tend to be more severe in children with chronic medical conditions.

If your child is under five years of age or has a serious pre-existing condition pay extra attention to the possibility of H1N1.

Prevention

H1N1, like all flu viruses, spreads from person to person mainly through the coughing or sneezing of a sick person. H1N1 may also spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with the virus and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Generally, it is believed that H1N1 spreads the same way as other flu viruses. Right now, there is no vaccine available to protect against H1N1, but everyday actions can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like Swine Flu:

• Be sure your children wash their hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds. Teach them by setting a good example, but also because you can infect your children through unsanitary practices.
• Children should be taught to cough and sneeze into a tissue or into the inside of their elbow, and you should set the example for them.
  Teach your children to stay away from people who are sick.
• Sick children should stay home from school and daycare and until they are better
• If you live in a community where H1N1 has occurred, stay away from shopping malls, movie theaters, or other places where there are large groups of people.

Treating Swine Flu In Children

Keep sick children with Swine Flu at home unless they must go out for medical attention. Do not send them to school or daycare.
 This is critical to keep the H1N1 virus from infecting other children.

Be sure that they drink plenty of liquids, because dehydration is a major concern with the flu.
  Rest and comfort are important for sick children.

Use fever‐reducing medicines that your doctor recommends based on your child’s age. However, DO NOT use aspirin with children or teenagers; it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a life‐threatening illness.

Keep sick members of you family away from those that are not sick. In fact, if it is possible it is not a bad idea to have any other uninfected children stay with friends or relatives for the duration of their brother or sisters illness. It is stressful enough to take care of one child ill with Swine Flu, but taking care of several is simply overwhelming.

Be sure that the sick person has tissues available for coughing and sneezing and have a trash bag within reach for disposing used tissues.

If your child does come into contact with someone with H1N1, ask your doctor if he or she should receive antiviral medicines to prevent getting sick from H1N1.

If your child, particularly small children, exhibits any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care:

• Trouble breathing, including rapid breathing.
• Gray or bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being irritable and not wanting to be held
• Not urinating or no tears when crying
• The symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Always pay particular attention to respiratory problems, particularly if they are accompanied with any of the flu like symptoms listed above, and when in doubt seek ALWAYS seek the advice of a medical professional.  This situation is too important for guess work.

This blog has made every effort to be accurate and up to date, but for the latest news about new check out our H1N1
News page.

Also, the best source of detailed information on the web on any disease is at the CDC. They have a ton of information, but it is not the most readable site for the average person. In fact we created this site mostly to put the main points from over there in plain language.

Finally, nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice. DON’T TAKE A CHANCE WITH YOUR CHILD! IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR CHILD MIGHT HAVE H1N1 CALL YOUR DOCTOR.