Featured Condtion/Disease: Traumatic Brain Injury

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Traumatic Brain Injury.

Definition
When a brain injury occurs, the functions of the neurons (nerve cells), nerve paths or parts of the brain can be affected. The affected neurons and nerve paths might be unable or have difficulty carrying the messages telling the brain what to do. This can change the way a person thinks, acts, feels and moves the body. Brain injury also can change the way the body works, affecting body temperature, blood pressure and going to the bathroom. These changes can be for a short time or for life. These injuries may cause a change or a complete inability to perform a function.

Signs

• Losing consciousness after the brain injury.
• Loss of memory after the trauma (brain injury) when they wake up after losing consciousness (called post-traumatic amnesia).
• Personality change (meaning they will not act and react as they did before the injury).
• Cognitive deficits (a change in the ability to think or reason). Changes can vary widely because no two head injuries are alike.
• The black center of the eye is large and does not get smaller in light (called dilated pupils).
• Tires easily and often.
• Language deficits (problems talking as before; may have "lost" language or words they can't remember).
• Behavior problems. Acting out or angry.
• Can't "keep up" and doing poorly in school.
• May not grow and develop normally. Skills delayed or not develop at all.
• Recovery times are long, up to five years.
• Different from other children their age. This becomes more obvious as time goes on, and they don't "catch up."

 More Information


To get more information about Traumatic Brain Injuries, click here.

 
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance in Florida

Help for Getting Medical Insurance with a Pre-Existing Condition in Florida

As of July 1, eligible residents of Florida are able to apply for coverage through the state’s Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan program run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To qualify for coverage:

• You must be a citizen or national of the United States or lawfully present in the United States.
• You must have been uninsured for at least the last six months before you apply.
• You must have had a problem getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition.

PCIP will cover a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs. All covered benefits are available for you, even if it’s to treat a preexisting condition.

Below are the monthly PCIP premium rates for Florida by the age of an enrollee.

Ages 0 to 34: $363

Ages 35 to 44: $435

Ages 45 to 54: $556

Ages 55+: $773

In addition to your monthly premium, you will pay other costs. You will pay a $2,500 deductible for covered benefits (except for preventive services) before the plan starts to pay. After you pay the deductible, you will pay a $25 co-payment for doctor visits, $4 to $30 for most prescription drugs, and 20% of the costs of any other covered benefits you get. Your out-of-pocket costs cannot be more than $5,950 per year. These costs may be higher, if you go outside the plan’s network.

You can apply here (it can take a while for this page to load).

This was originally posted at the HealthCare.gov site here.