How To Take Off Pounds (And Keep Them Off!)

You can be successful with weight loss if you start off with a good foundation. Making lifestyle adjustments to achieve your objectives is essential. By using good, solid information, nothing can keep you from achieving what you want. These tips can help you find the best mindset to reach your goals.

When you're watching your weight, try to make smart choices at the fast food restaurant. Luckily, that's much easier to do now. Instead of the double burger with cheese, go for the grilled chicken filet sandwich. Also, ask for easy or light sauce, or no sauce at all, which will cut way down on calories. Order one of the salads, but go easy on the dressing - or better yet, dump the dressing in the lid and dip your salad into the dressing a forkful at a time.

When working out, it might be useful to do strength training along with aerobic exercise like running. Strength training with weights or resistance can give you more energy to burn more calories during each workout. Also, you will feel more energetic in your daily life, and help lose weight faster.

Do you think you are eating healthy but the weight is still not coming off? Sugar may be the problem! Look for hidden sugar in your diet. Items that you would never think of as "sweet" foods, like spaghetti sauce and canned soups, often have loads of hidden sugar in them. Be sure to check the labels before you buy!

Sign up with an online community that focuses on weight loss. Not only will you get valuable information, but you will be in a support group that will keep you motivated in your endeavor. This is also a good support system for people who are too self-conscious to join a group in person.

An all-natural diet does not have to be your goal, but eating fresh fruits and vegetables is certainly preferable if you're really serious about making a lifestyle change. Your diet shouldn't only be about losing weight; it should also be about getting in shape and staying as healthy as possible.

To increase one's motivation to lose weight watching a documentary about the production of food can be very useful. Watching such kind of film can inform people to make better food related decisions. This increased knowledge and the better choices that will come as a result will be another tool to help lose weight.

Water is one of the most important things to consume for weight loss. Water helps to reduce the toxins in your body, which can build up and lead to excess fat. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

If weight loss is a goal, think about stopping your alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks are high in calories, and a diet drink or water is much better for you. In addition, drinking alcohol can impair your judgment, making it more likely that you make poor food choices.

One easy way to consume less calories and lose more weight, is to make it a point to leave a portion of your food, uneaten, at each meal. It doesn't matter what it is or how much you leave there. The point is, to allow you to realize that you still feel full, even with a little less to eat.

If five to ten pounds is your weight loss goal, there are many ways you could reach it with only a minor change or two to your lifestyle. If soft drinks are your preferred choice of beverage, switching to ones that are sugar-free could significantly reduce your daily calorie intake. Use mustard or light mayonnaise on your sandwiches without losing any of the flavor. When you go grocery shopping, don't look for the closest spot to the store, anymore. Park at a distance, and put your legs to work. Take the stairs rather than an escalator or elevator. Jog in place for 15 minutes each night while watching television. Slowly but surely, the weight will drop off, and you may just pick up a few good habits along the way.

Swimming is a great way for you to lose excess weight because it burns off many calories. Go to your local gym and sign up for a gym class even if you have a pool at home. Feeling self conscious in a bathing suit might be the boost you need to lose more weight.

Reading food labels so that you know exactly what you are eating is very important, You need to know what you are putting in your body in order to lose weight. Stay away from foods that have 5 or more grams check here of sugar, especially if it is made with high-fructose corn syrup.

Volunteer work can not only help you feel better about yourself, but it can also keep you active and help you to lose weight. Going to a soup kitchen or volunteering to help clean up the side of the road, can be a very rewarding process, in more ways than one. Every town or city has plenty of volunteer opportunities.

To help your body process fats more efficiently, eat foods that contain niacin-B3. B3 is essential for metabolizing fats, and blocks of fats in the body cannot be synthesized if you have a B3 deficiency. Foods high in niacin-B3 include chicken breast, salmon, and shiitake mushrooms. Other sources of niacin-B3 are peanuts and sun dried tomatoes.

It is important to eat during the same time every day. This allows you to stay on schedule and refrain from having snacks at random times during the day. Figure out when you will be free to eat each day and only eat at those times.

If you occasionally want to indulge in a high calorie treat, plan for it. Consider your indulgence as part of your diet plan and make more sensible choices for the rest of the day. An occasional treat won't ruin your diet if the rest of your meals are full of healthy fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean proteins.

If you're trying to lose weight, make sure to avoid the "yo-yo" effect. This is what happens when you lose a lot of weight quickly in a crash diet, and then gain the weight back just as rapidly. Following a short term diet can't help you in the long run- focus on permanent lifestyle changes.

There are many tips to achieving and maintaining your desired weight. Apply the advice from this article when you are at those holiday parties and begin to feel your eyes wandering.

 

Is the hCG diet all it’s cracked up to be?

 

ANOTHER DAY, another diet and this week we have a diet that dates back to the 1950s and actively uses a hormone produced in pregnancy to promote rapid weight loss.

The only missing thing is sound scientific evidence to show it actually works the way it says it does.

Human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG is one of the hormones produced in pregnancy to support a developing foetus. It was initially linked to weight control after an association was observed between the presence of hCG and a reduction in hunger and appetite.

 

Furthermore it was claimed that the added benefit of injecting hCG was that the hormone helped to redistribute fat deposits, mobilising long-term fat stores from the hips, thighs and buttocks to help significantly alter body composition and reset the metabolism.

Fast-forward 50 years and today a number of pharmacists still offer a weight loss program that includes the hCG hormone.

hCG is now commonly administered via an oral solution with dieters taking it daily as drops under the tongue while they simultaneously follow a 500 calorie diet. It is claimed that using this method can help dieters shed as much as 7kg in a three-week period.

In daily food terms, a 500 calorie day includes 2-3 very small meals of a couple of hard boiled eggs, a small piece of fish and a cup of salad or vegetables. Generally speaking any diet that slashes calories to such an extent will be extremely effective in achieving rapid weight loss, if dieters can adhere to it.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ISH7xSya27GHS_Wm8q0MAbTZw1fAFp3UWDPaODFEus4/edit?usp=sharing

 

Many Health Insurance Policies Now Have Affordable Deductibles

Giving consideration to the kind of health insurance you want is very important. You want to have the best coverage for your needs. By learning more information about health insurance, you will be more informed about which is the best plan for you. The following article is going to give you that information.

To lower the cost of your health insurance, make sure that you have a plan which pertains to your current as well as future needs. For instance, if you plan to have a family, consider plans that include maternity coverage. Also, avoid grandfathered plans, which are exempt from current health insurance requirements.

If your health is not very good or if you have young children, you should definitely subscribe to a health insurance. Many people do not have a health insurance or are not satisfied with the coverage that comes as a benefit of their job. You could save a lot of money on hospital bills and avoid stress in case of illness with a health insurance.

If your health is not very good or if you have young children, you should definitely subscribe to a health insurance. Many people do not have a health insurance or are not satisfied with the coverage that comes as a benefit of their job. You could save a lot of money on hospital bills and avoid stress in case of illness with a health insurance.

Consider opening a healthcare savings plan. These plans are typically for people with high deductibles and allow you to deposit funds for later use on prescriptions and other medical costs not covered in your policy. The deposits you make are usually tax-deductible, so take advantage of this offer if your insurance company provides it.

Avoid replacements to health insurance plans. Some alternatives to health insurance plans offer very specific coverage. While they might cover anything from cancer to Ebola, they are mostly useless to you. Save the money you would be throwing away on them. Just buy a proper health insurance plan, when you can afford it.

If you jump out of planes for a living, or go rock climbing on the weekends, make sure and disclose that when you are purchasing insurance. You will more than likely pay a higher amount for your insurance. However, if you do not tell them that information they can choose not to pay out for your claim if it was a result of those activities. Be honest, even if it will cost you more.

Before signing up for a health insurance plan, you should compare at least 3 different quotes with different companies, to make sure you are getting the best price available. Don't bother with discount cards and indemnity plans, unless you absolutely, cannot get a full medical insurance plan and those are your only options.

Before you choose a health insurance plan, compare online quotes from different companies. Check out sites like InsureMonkey or eHealthInsurance. Make sure you include extent of coverage along with the cost of the plan. Take your time and try to get as many quotes as possible to see what is affordable for you.

Before finalizing a deal with a specific agency, be sure to read some consumer reviews about them. There are many websites online that allow consumers to make complaints about products or customer service and this is true of insurance providers as well. If you have seen that they have many complaints, it may be time to find another option.

If you are employed at any job in the country, take full advantage of your employer's insurance policy. Because of the recently passed healthcare legislation, every employer now has to offer insurance to employees. It might be a bit costly, but it's far more affordable to go through your employer for coverage.

Check to see if your employer's insurance plan is "grandfathered in" as it will exempt you from some provisions of the new health reform law. For example, you may have free coverage of screening for conditions like high blood pressure or depression, immunizations when you travel or here for your children, and in getting help to quit smoking.

You need to take money with you when you go to see a doctor because you may have to pay a co-pay. A lot of insurance companies require customers to pay a small co-pay when they visit the doctor. It is typically not more than $50, but it must be paid at the time of the visit and most doctors require it to be paid before they will even see the patient.

Make sure to ask if either your insurance provider or your physician is supplying the Medical Information Bureau with your medical records, as this is mandated. If so, get a free copy of these records annually.

Keep an itemized list of all your medical expenses and health insurance payments. Even if you're not self-employed, you may be able to deduct at least some of them on your income tax. Co-payments, dentist visits and treatment, deductibles, premiums and uncovered health spending, can all be deductible, so be sure to check with an accountant.

When it comes to selecting a health insurance plan you should be sure to check the plans you are considering to determine if a doctor or other health provider you are happy with is available under them in order to keep that relationship covered. Some health plans restrict you to specific providers, so make sure your doctor or provider is in your health plan's network.

Did you know that you are sometimes able to test out your health insurance plan before fully signing? Insurance companies refer to this action as a "free look". They usually provide you with a trial period in which you are able to get your money back if you are not satisfied with your plan.

Don't assume that the insurance offered by your employer is the cheapest option, especially if you require a policy that covers your entire family. While this is the easiest option, there are often significant savings available if you are willing to shop around and obtain quotes on individual plans for each family member.

Look out for health insurance polices that also offer eye and dental care converge. Some health plans now include this extra converge and these plans could save you a lot of money. Paying separately for dental procedures, lens, glasses, annual eye and dental checkups, etc. can really add up.

As was stated in the beginning of the article, knowing all there is to know about health insurance could make a difference in getting the proper health insurance for your needs. Apply the suggestion in the above article that fits you! Try not delay with any needed adjustments! Remember, insurance is for the unexpected, so prepare now for tomorrow!

 

People with disabilities left behind by telemedicine and other pandemic medical innovations

 

Divya Goel, a 35-year-old deaf-blind woman in Orlando, Florida, has had two telemedicine doctors' appointments during the pandemic. Each time, she was denied an interpreter.

Her doctors told her she would have to get insurance to pay for an interpreter, which is incorrect: Under federal law, it is the physician's responsibility to provide one.

Goel's mother stepped in to interpret instead. But her signing is limited, so Goel, who has only some vision, is not sure her mother fully conveyed what the doctors said. Goel worries about the medical ramifications — a wrong medicine or treatment — if something got lost in translation.

"It's really, really hard to get real information, and so I feel very stuck in my situation," she signed through an interpreter.

Pandemic-fueled shortages of home health aides strand patients without care

Pandemic-fueled shortages of home health aides strand patients without care

Telemedicine, teleworking, rapid tests, virtual school, and vaccine drive-throughs have become part of Americans' routines as they enter Year 3 of life amid Covid-19. But as innovators have raced to make living in a pandemic world safer, some people with disabilities have been left behind.

Those with a physical disability may find the at-home Covid tests that allow reentry into society hard to perform. Those with limited vision may not be able to read the small print on the instructions, while blind people cannot see the results. The American Council of the Blind is engaged in litigation against the two dominant medical testing companies, Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics, over touch-screen check-in kiosks at their testing locations.

Sometimes the obstacles are basic logistics. "If you're blind or low-vision and you live alone, you don't have a car," said Sheila Young, president of the Florida Council of the Blind, pointing to the long lines of cars at drive-through testing and vaccination sites. "Who can afford an Uber or Lyft to sit in line for three hours?"

One in 4 adults in the US have some sort of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though barriers for the disabled have long existed, the pandemic brings life-or-death stakes to such long-running inequities.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QgeK7rJ6U0f66uVa86DUMnAFLjW3g40jFmTFcYD563w/edit?usp=sharing

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It Is Important To Comparison Shop When Getting Health Insurance

 

 

You've probably heard a lot about health care reform in the last couple of years. If you're like most people, you have trouble understanding your current health insurance policy, let alone anticipating what will happen to it in the future. This article will help educate you about how today's health insurance industry affects your life.

If you and your partner have been riding on a single health insurance policy and one of you is nearing retirement, sit down and have an open discussion about how that transition will occur. Coverages will change for the retired person and several alternatives are available. They can continue for a while through COBRA and afterwards, they can apply for a standalone policy if the premiums are not prohibitively high, but the important thing is to walk into those decisions proactively.

Sit down and create a budget when deciding on which health insurance plan to choose. Some health care costs are hidden or difficult to understand. Make sure you take deductibles and co-pays into account as well as your premium amounts when determining the entire cost of a health insurance package.

If you need to find a doctor who takes your health insurance, you would want to first ask the company for a list of covering physicians. This can help you to narrow down the search. Then it is a simple task of calling doctors to see if they are accepting your insurance and new patients currently.

Make sure that you read the fine print before singing a contract for medical insurance. Otherwise, you may end up agreeing to terms that you do not like. If there are words in the contract that you do not understand, ask a family member or friend to help you or look it up on the internet.

If you are planning to have a baby, look for health insurance that includes maternity coverage, or opt-in to a plan under your existing policy. This kind of policy addition includes prenatal care, maternity prescriptions, and obstetrician visits. Picking up this coverage before you get pregnant is a great way to save money.

Consider a low-cost plan if your job is not stable. Government health insurance policies will offer you the same coverage should you lose your job, but you have to cover the entire cost of the premium yourself. In tough times, make sure you can afford to pay your policy should you need to leave your workplace.

One important feature of any insurance plan is prescription drug coverage. Be sure to scrutinize all the details of your prescription drug plan so that you are familiar with how your healthcare insurer handles prescriptions. It's especially important to understand how they cover different classes of drugs, and whether they offer generics for the prescriptions you normally take.

Let's spend a minute talking about the differences between an HMO and a PPO. HMOs are wellness-focused: they cover almost all preventive exams, their premiums are generally far lower, and your doctor will likely be chosen for you. PPOs, on the other hand, allow you to choose doctors from a PPO network; they do cost more; but on the other hand, they are more focused on treating and covering you when things go wrong, if that makes sense. So if you want to keep costs down and are very healthy, an HMO is your best bet. If you want to be sure your coverage is as high as possible no matter what the contingency, and are willing to pay more for it, a PPO is the right choice for you.

Before you make the jump and purchase a health care plan you should find out what kind of plan will best suit you. There are 3 very different plans to choose from, which include, HMO, PPO and POS plans. You should research which one will work best for you before making a final decision.

Purchasing a good health care policy is amongst one of the most important decisions of your life, and you should make an educated choice. Know what each individual policy offers, deductibles, and co-pays. What you don't want is to purchase a policy blindly and find out in the event of an emergency you don't have the coverage you need.

Look for a policy that has limitations to your out of pocket expenses, in the event of a catastrophic illness or injury. Catastrophic illnesses are the most costly and your out of pocket expenses can add up quickly. If your policy places a limit on your out of pocket expenses, it can have a positive effect on your financial situation.

Take your time when shopping for a new health telemedicine consultation insurance plan. The last thing that you want to do is rush this decision. It could end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars in the future if you rush to enroll in a program that is not right for you and your family.

An insurance company can either reject your application or even refuse your claim because you didn't correctly fill out the paperwork. Read your enrollment form in its entirety to avoid these problems.

It's important to note an pre-existing medical conditions you may have when thinking about switching health insurance policies. Providers have a list of of what conditions they may not cover. Some conditions under some plans may still have a "waiting period" before coverage happens. These vary by policy. All providers have their own list of conditions. Find out from your potential plan what conditions they have listed and what the waiting period is for any you may have.

You should be familiar with the full details of your health insurance plan. Most insurers send you copies of your plan regularly, and also make plan terms available online. You should review these documents regularly so that you understand all the ins and outs of your insurance and get a good idea of exactly what your insurance company is responsible for.

Know the terms when you are getting into health insurance. A deductible is the cost you will pay out of pocket at the time of service. This cost is above and beyond the cost of your actual insurance premiums. Make sure you know what this amount will be before you accept a policy.

Always make sure to have a new health insurance plan lined up before your previous one expires. It can take months to put a new plan into effect, and if your old plan is out of service, you will be completely uninsured while dealing with starting up your new plan.

As you can see from the practical advice in the tips above, there is always something new to learn that can keep you on track to finding the best health insurance, at a price that fits your budget. Don't waste a minute more wondering if your policy fits your needs. Try these tips out today.

 

Safety for Essential Providers Using Telemedicine and Telehealth

 

Healthcare is seen as an essential business, but maintaining patient health and safety is crucial to stay in business and prevent receiving any government penalties.

Technology can assist healthcare professionals allowing them to negotiate through the lockdowns and restrictions facilitating remote diagnosis as patients capitalize on telehealth and telemedicine.

Unique challenges in healthcare

The Coronavirus pandemic gave rise to strict penalties for service providers who did not obey protocols. Naturally, essential businesses were granted permission to stay open. However, some healthcare providers were not regarded as essential (e.g., non-surgical procedures or elective surgery).

While these businesses couldn’t stay open, they still faced the challenge of supporting patients, maintain post-procedure checkups, and receive patient calls should any questions need answering.

Essential healthcare businesses also faced distinctly complex challenges.

They could remain open, but they had to maintain social distancing rules and limit occupancy inside the office, including staff: immunocompromised patients have a greater risk of severe complications from COVID-19, so it’s crucial that healthcare providers maintain strict precautions during standard procedures.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19yzaxx2m6q0vjkei6EGUrTMpN_YNOopVBZHdif1c0gQ/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

 

Los Angeles clinic puts underprivileged community at greater risk of contracting coronavirus, health care workers say

 

The clinics serve an area where the proportion of people living below the poverty line is more than double the national average, according to census data. Many patients live in multifamily homes or homeless shelters and have chronic medical conditions, compounding their chances of contracting and spreading the coronavirus, the eight professionals said. African Americans and Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"My fear is that once it hits this patient population, it will be the epicenter of L.A.," one of the professionals said.

When the coronavirus broke out, some of the professionals called patients to reschedule routine visits and refill prescriptions over the phone, but they were quickly reprimanded by management and told not to call their own patients, they said.

"This is the first place I've worked that as a provider I'm not given the autonomy to care for them [my patients] medically," one of them said after having encountered resistance to suggesting that patients with non-urgent needs be moved to telehealth visits.

"When you're suppressing the expertise, the knowledge, the morals, the morale of providers who are here to take care of an underserved people, you're almost just kind of re-oppressing them," the professional said.

 

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZiSk2MOF17UdugnGNqOAojsLDrM0Qu-pLwshdGqch_M/edit?usp=sharing



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Health Insurance Tips For Finding Great Rates

Why is it that so many people are so unhappy with their health insurance. There are many reasons for this, but the most common reason is because they did not do their homework in order to get reliable health insurance. The information in the following article will help you to not make health insurance mistakes.

To save money on your health insurance, chose the plan that fits your needs best. There are three general health insurance organizations: HMO's-which require you to use doctors in a specific network, PPO's-which allow you to pick a doctor out of the network for a fee, and POS'-which are a combination of HMO's and PPO's.

High risk health insurance does not have to cost as much as you would think. While many pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and certain disabilities can cause you to not get the best rates on the market, you can still do much towards keeping the premiums low. Staying as healthy as you can is the first step.

Though you may not be aware of it, adding your spouse onto your own health insurance policy at work can trigger fees if similar coverage is available at their own place of employment. It is possible that it is simply more affordable with two separate policies, so compare all scenarios.

It is important that you get a dental plan that provides coverage in your area. You do not want to be stuck with dental insurance that you cannot use. If you are unsure if a certain insurance company covers your area, you can always call them, give them your location, and they can tell you.

Did you know that your health insurance can help you pay less on your taxes? It's common for people not to know that health insurance premiums are tax deductible. Any money you pay for your deductible, co-pay, or even prescriptions are claimable as well. State taxes are different from federal taxes, so make sure you check guidelines.

If a health insurance company representative asks you a question to which you do not know the answer, tell them so. There is no shame in telling them that you are unsure of what they are asking, and they should call your physician to get the proper answer. They may seem frustrated, but that's okay. Don't let it bother you.

Preemptive care is perhaps your best bet if you hope to save money on your health insurance policy in the long term. If you think you're coming down with any serious illness, it's better to go get checked out beforehand than to wait until it happens. A lot of illnesses out there can be treated in their early stages a lot more effectively.

If your health insurance is about to expire and you do not have a new plan, you should refer to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. If you can prove that you have applied for a new policy, this act guarantees you coverage until your new plan becomes effective by extending your previous coverage.

Look for a policy that has limitations to your out of pocket expenses, in the event of a catastrophic illness or injury. Catastrophic illnesses are the most costly and your out of pocket expenses can add up quickly. If your policy places a limit on your out of pocket expenses, it can have a positive effect on your financial situation.

If you don't have a pre-existing health condition that requires many doctors' visits, test, and prescriptions, then you can save a lot of money by purchasing catastrophic health insurance. You pay for coverage of accidents and illnesses that come on suddenly, like cancer or a stroke, that require hospital visits.

To avoid a plan that you don't want, see what your state says is required. Each one will have a list of things that health insurance must cover. Specific treatments have to be covered and specific things must be provided. Check this before purchasing a plan. Make sure these things are provided with your policy. You have to make sure that you and them are following the laws and that everything that is required is obtained.

If you are overwhelmed when trying to choose your health insurance, hiring an insurance broker may make it easier for you. An insurance broker can guide you through the process and determine which policy is right for you. A broker will also be intimately familiar with the regulations and requirements of your state. Compare prices for insurance brokers before you choose one.

If you are seeking health insurance, consider any pre-existing health conditions and exclusions before choosing a policy. Some policies may not cover medical expenses related to a pre-existing condition, even maintenance medications. Because these expenses can mount quickly, it may be worthwhile to consider a more expensive policy with fewer exclusions.

When signing for health insurance, it is extremely important to make sure you've filled out all paperwork completely and accurately. If you've made a mistake or provided false information, the insurance company might declare your policy void when you need to use it, and refuse to pay for anything.

Being denied for a health insurance policy might actually work out in your benefit, so do not let this deter you when finding the best possible package. A company that would deny you is far too profit driven to be a quality company. If you ever got sick or injured, they'd be looking to wiggle out of paying for it. Keep your chin up and go with another insurer.

If choosing and purchasing insurance is too much work for you, consider using an insurance broker. A broker assists you in finding the optimum health insurance plan at a great price. They are also going to be aware of the regulations that are in place in your state. You can compare the prices of insurance brokers, so get a few quotes and go from there.

As was stated in the beginning of the article, it is important that you are educated about health insurance, whether you already have it or are looking to get it. By taking the advice given to you in this article, you are on the way to getting website the best health insurance possible.

 

People with disabilities left behind by telemedicine and other pandemic medical innovations

 

Divya Goel, a 35-year-old deaf-blind woman in Orlando, Florida, has had two telemedicine doctors' appointments during the pandemic. Each time, she was denied an interpreter.

Her doctors told her she would have to get insurance to pay for an interpreter, which is incorrect: Under federal law, it is the physician's responsibility to provide one.

Goel's mother stepped in to interpret instead. But her signing is limited, so Goel, who has only some vision, is not sure her mother fully conveyed what the doctors said. Goel worries about the medical ramifications — a wrong medicine or treatment — if something got lost in translation.

"It's really, really hard to get real information, and so I feel very stuck in my situation," she signed through an interpreter.

Pandemic-fueled shortages of home health aides strand patients without care

Pandemic-fueled shortages of home health aides strand patients without care

Telemedicine, teleworking, rapid tests, virtual school, and vaccine drive-throughs have become part of Americans' routines as they enter Year 3 of life amid Covid-19. But as innovators have raced to make living in a pandemic world safer, some people with disabilities have been left behind.

Those with a physical disability may find the at-home Covid tests that allow reentry into society hard to perform. Those with limited vision may not be able to read the small print on the instructions, while blind people cannot see the results. The American Council of the Blind is engaged in litigation against the two dominant medical testing companies, Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics, over touch-screen check-in kiosks at their testing locations.

Sometimes the obstacles are basic logistics. "If you're blind or low-vision and you live alone, you don't have a car," said Sheila Young, president of the Florida Council of the Blind, pointing to the long lines of cars at drive-through testing and vaccination sites. "Who can afford an Uber or Lyft to sit in line for three hours?"

One in 4 adults in the US have some sort of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though barriers for the disabled have long existed, the pandemic brings life-or-death stakes to such long-running inequities.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QgeK7rJ6U0f66uVa86DUMnAFLjW3g40jFmTFcYD563w/edit?usp=sharing