Are You Taking Full Advantage of Your Health Insurance Coverage? Now is a good time to review health insurance policies to ensure you will get the most out of plan benefits, especially if you have already met the annual deductible. Many insurance plans will cover most, if not all, costs for eligible medical procedures and treatments once an individual meets the deductible and out of pocket maximum, making the second half of the year an opportune time to schedule any necessary or elective medical procedures that may have been postponed to reduce out-of-pocket expenses. We encourage everyone to take full advantage of the preventative care and medical services available through their health plans,” said Michael Curran, CEO of Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton. “If you’re contributing toward your premium, it’s a ‘use it or lose it’ situation, so make sure to utilize all of the benefits you’re entitled to before the year ends and deductible and out-of-pocket payment responsibilities reset.” For example, someone who has a $2,000 deductible and a $4,000 out-of-pocket maximum is responsible for paying for many medical expenses until they reach the $2,000 threshold. Once they pass this mark, the insurer begins paying a larger portion of the cost of services eligible through in-network providers. And when they reach the $4,000 out-of-pocket maximum, insurers will pay the total cost for eligible services. Remember, monthly premium payments do not count towards deductibles, and in most cases, copays do not count either. And once a new policy year begins, both deductible and out-of-pocket maximum contributions return back to zero. Dr. Rourke Decker, Family Medicine with Commonwealth Health Physician Network highlights another critical aspect of leveraging health insurance benefits: preventative care. “Regardless of whether your health insurance is through an employer, the Marketplace, or Medicare, preventative care is generally covered—including annual wellness appointments and immunizations,” said Dr. Decker. “Many people skip an annual physical because they ‘feel’ healthy, but these appointments can reveal underlying issues that might not yet show symptoms, when they’re easier to treat.” Key screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, and elective surgeries, such as joint replacements and hysterectomies, may also be less expensive once you’ve reached your deductible. But, plan early since sometimes these services can be harder to schedule during the second half of the year as more people catch up on their healthcare needs. And, in the case of surgeries, there may be a process that takes time before the procedure can be scheduled. To check off one or more of these procedures from your to-do list, request an appointment today with your primary care physician. You deserve the best care.
Commonwealth Health Welcomes Surgeon Specializing in Minimally Invasive Techniques and Robotic Technology Commonwealth Health Physician Network is always looking for ways to improve local access to advanced treatment options across a wide range of surgery specialties. So we are excited to introduce a new member of our surgical team that has over a decade of experience and has trained at several renowned academic institutions. John Pepen, M.D., FACS, graduated from Columbia University and completed fellowship-training in surgical critical care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Pepen is board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. He is experienced in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery for a range of health issues including appendicitis, hernia repair, gastrointestinal surgery, colorectal disease, and gallbladder disease. Dr. Pepen is a member of the medical staff at Regional Hospital of Scranton and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Dr. Pepen is accepting new patients at Commonwealth Physician Network’s office located at 743 Jefferson Ave. To schedule a consult or request a second opinion for surgery, call 570-207-0433. Most major insurance plans are accepted, including Geisinger Health Plan.
Commonwealth Health Provides Information on Upper Respiratory Illness Commonwealth Health: If it seems like more people are getting sick each day – it’s not your imagination. Diagnoses of flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are on the rise across the U.S with the CDC trackers showing flu activity to be minimal here in Pennsylvania but more people visiting the emergency department or needing hospitalizations for treatment of severe symptoms. If you are one of those who has gotten ill, the symptoms for each condition are similar and it’s important to know when they signal a medical emergency. All can cause mild to severe illness and sometimes lead to complications such as pneumonia or sepsis which can be life-threatening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency warning signs of flu and COVID-19 include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen and confusion. Additional dangerous flu symptoms include persistent dizziness, inability to arouse, seizures, not urinating, severe muscle pain, severe weakness or unsteadiness, fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen and worsening of chronic medical conditions. If you or someone you know have any of these symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately. To protect yourself and others, there’s still time to get vaccinated for flu, COVID-19 and RSV, and it is safe to get them at the same time. Other steps to reduce the spread of respiratory diseases during this busy season are: Wash your hands often. Cover your cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Stay home when you are sick with respiratory symptoms, except to get medical care. “The holidays can bring us together in more social settings than the rest of the year, making them a perfect breeding ground for illness,” said Nicholas Ahn, M.D., an internal medicine physician with Commonwealth Health Physician Network. “Vaccination is always a key way to lessen your chance of illness, but common sense also remains important. Stay home if you are not feeling well as illness is the gift no one wants.” Those at the highest risk of serious illness from flu or COVID include babies and toddlers, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. People ages 60 years and older should talk to their healthcare provider about whether RSV vaccination is right for them as well. Older adults, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, with weakened immune systems or living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities are at the highest risk for RSV illness. Dr. Ahn continues, “your physician can test to determine whether the flu, COVID-19 or RSV virus is causing your illness and what treatment will be beneficial. Seek medical care immediately if you are experiencing extreme symptoms such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath or confusion.”
Commonwealth Health Physician Expands Urology Services in Scranton Board-certified and fellowship-trained urologist, Jason Wynberg, M.D., has joined the Commonwealth Health Physician Network and is a member of the medical staff at Regional Hospital of Scranton. Prior to joining Commonwealth Health, Dr. Wynberg was in private practice in New Jersey and most recently served as the Director of Endourology for NYU Langone Hospital, Brooklyn. Dr. Wynberg treats a range of health issues from overactive bladder, incontinence, urinary tract infection to male infertility. He has a special interest in complex kidney stone disease and performs minimally invasive procedures for kidney stones such as ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or PCNL. His office is located at 743 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton. Most major insurance plans are accepted, including Geisinger Health Plan. To schedule an appointment, call 570-491-8141.
