Officially, an Agent is an individual or company that acts on behalf of the insurance company to market, sell and service insurance. The Agent has a contract with the insurance companies in order to represent a specific insurance company. A broker is person who also contracts with insurance company but officially acts on behalf of you the client. All agent and agencies are compensated by the insurance companies and therefore are at no cost to you. The difference between agent and agency is that agent is individual contracted with insurance companies and agency usually has many agent working under umbrella of the agency. In most cases agents working under agency are employees.

Agents role is to find best possible and the most affordable option for your money. In most cases there is no incentive on the agent\’s part of which company you decide to go with. How agents get paid by the insurance company is strictly regulated by the insurance commissioner. When looking for agency or agent make sure that they are brokers who represent as many health insurance companies as possible. There are dozens of plans on the market, therefore finding agent who can get you the best possible plan for your money will save you thousands long term. Just looking a rate quote and benefit summary is only half of the story when choosing health insurance. Some plans exclude certain benefits or apply caps to other types of coverage. Agents know the lay of the land and you would personally not want to purchase health insurance just based on a rate quote.

Some insurance companies have captive agent representing them. Captive agents can only represent one insurance company. They are essentially employees for that company. I would avoid such companies as they may not have the best interest of the client at heart. If a company cannot quote multiple carriers, beware. The major carriers in California are Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Pacificare, and Kaiser. Beyond these five, we do not feel very secure about the others.

How are agents or brokers paid? Agents are paid a commission by the carriers for policies issued and in force. The commission tends to be about the same from carrier to carrier. This commission does not affect the rate. The insurance rate you will get through an agent/broker is the same as you would get going directly through the insurance company. The benefit of the agent relationship is that they navigate the insurance company to expedite processing, help with service issues once enrolled, and act a third party. Insurance company\’s main interest to keep you enrolled as policy subscriber but your interest may actually lie with another insurance company or plan. An independent broker can help bridge the two at no additional cost to you.

What to expect from your broker/agent?

This really is the most difficult part and it is the reason that people put off getting health insurance. There are many plans and the language is pretty technical. Most people glaze over when they see the brochures or instant quote results. Let\’s face it….health insurance is not a common purchase. Typically, people have not needed to shop health insurance in years…if ever. With a few targeted questions, the plan selections can be narrowed down significantly. With great agent you wish you would have called they earlier rather than try to navigate the volumes of information provided the plans. Most Insurance agent do not sell. They listen, advise, and then it\’s up to you what you wish to do.

California application and enrollment.

The health application is one more reason that people procrastinate. There are sections in there are mandated by law but which are thoroughly confusing such as the HIPAA qualification. Small Group can be equally difficult in terms of qualification for Small Group health coverage. Insurance agents are happy to walk you through the application once a plan has been decided on. This is also the time to ask about the process, payment options, cancellation options, time table for enrolling in coverage.

Health Insurance Service and Membership.

Once the plan is in effect, agent is your point of contact for membership issues, claims, and future changes. Agents go in at the end of each month and make sure that faxed changes, additions, and requests have been processed correctly. The insurance companies are pretty good but 1 out of 100 requests do not show in the system. You do not want to be that one with such a critical issues as your health insurance. We can also advise for ways to reduce costs when the rate increase occur based on your changing health insurance needs.

Keep in mind that you can always contact the carrier directly if you choose but why would you? Let Insurance agent do the work for you since there is no additional cost to you.

Agents and brokers are required to have a license and continuing education by the California Department of Insurance. You can always research an agent\’s history, insurance company contracts, and other information through them. There are different types of licenses. The two most common are Life/Health which is used to transact California health insurance and Property and Casualty is used to transact insurance such as auto or home insurance.

Jesse Segle - leading consultant for employer group and individual/family health insurance. For any additional information and assistance with all of your health insurance needs visit our websites California health insurance and Assurant health insurance

Equine Dentistry an introduction

Many of the conditions found in the mouths of people are also frequently diagnosed in horses. Did you know that your horse might suffer from ulcers to their cheeks, have fractured teeth, gum disease or infected teeth? In order to diagnose and treat these and many other painful conditions, horses need regular dental examinations.

In order to perform a dental exam several items are essential, these include a speculum (gag) a powerful light source, a dental mirror and probe, a hose or syringe for flushing the mouth, sedation and some form of head support.

The two most common conditions affecting the horse are sharp enamel points and periodontal disease.

Sharp points occur in every horse, this is because a horses top jaw is wider than their bottom jaw and their top cheek teeth are wider than their bottom cheek teeth. As the horses teeth erupt continuously throughout there life from the dental alveoli (tooth sockets)(around 2-4mm per year) the outside of the upper cheek teeth and the inside of the lower cheek teeth tend to develop an area of sharp enamel points that are not worn away by chewing.

Enamel is very hard and the points that develop act like the teeth of a saw blade on the horses cheeks and tongue causing cuts and ulcers, this can then lead to infection. Ulcers usually appear first adjacent to the last cheek teeth. With the action of the bit pulling cheeks onto the first cheek teeth this area often shows signs of ulcers of bruising. Dental pain is a common cause of performance problems such as the horse opening its mouth, failing to collect, lack of suppleness in turns and transitions, tossing of the head, excessive tongue movement and uneven tension on the reins.

So how often does my horse need an exam?

The first point to remember is that each horse is different, however a basic rule of thumb is that every horse up to the age of 6years needs to be seen at least every 6months. After this horses can be seen annually until they reach their twenties when they should return to six monthly checks. Performance horses will need exams every six months.

Foals should be examined soon after birth to assess for congenital abnormalities (birth defects) such as over or underbite (parrot or sow mouth) lateral deformity (wry nose). With modern dental techniques many of these conditions can now be treated however an early diagnosis is essential as the window of opportunity for treatment is very small. Wolf teeth are small vestigial teeth found directly in front of the first cheek teeth, these teeth serve no useful function and can cause problems with bitting, they are similar to humans wisdom teeth. These teeth erupt at around 6-12months and should be removed as soon as possible. As the horse ages the tooth will fuse with the surrounding bone making extraction more difficult.

Between the ages of 2 and 6 years horses have lots of changes occurring in their mouths, they will lose 24 deciduous teeth and erupt up to 40 new teeth. Early detection of problems such as misaligned or impacted teeth is vital as six months after eruption treatment options are limited. Also because of the constant shedding and eruption of teeth and the relative softness of new teeth horses will ulcerate their cheeks more frequently.

From 7 - 12 yrs all adult teeth should now be present in the horse\’s mouth. The rate of wear begins to slow slightly as the teeth harden and most horses in light work on a mostly pasture based diet will need to be seen every 12mths. Horses in heavy work or horses that are stabled and fed concentrates will need more regular examination as these changes cause them to chew differently affecting the way the teeth wear. Again in horses of this age group early detection of problems and removal of sharp cingulae (enamel points) is very important. Disease that affects the structures which support the tooth, the periodontal ligaments begin to occur and early detection and treatment is the only way to prevent premature loss of the tooth.

From 13 - 20 yrs some of the horses in this age group are beginning to have a decreased ability to maintain condition due to a decrease in the availability of nutrients across the gut wall; some will need increased dietary intake. Common dental conditions account for about a thirty percent decrease in weight gains and proper care is vital to ensure these horses maintain conditions. Early detection of periodontal disease (disease of the structures that anchor the tooth in place) will prevent the premature loss of that tooth.

Most horses in this age bracket require annual dental exams.

20yrs and over

Dentally this group of horses is beginning to reach the end of their reserve crown. They often have concurrent diseases that affect them such as cushings (hyper adrenocortiscism) and can have difficulty maintaining weight just like elderly people so their diet, dental care and management of other diseases must be of the highest standard to ensure longevity. They begin to lose the enamel from their cheek teeth commonly referred to as cupping and as a result these teeth are more fragile and must be treated carefully. Because the teeth lack enamel they are now softer and wear quickly again Some horses that have not had early diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease may need to have teeth extracted Early detection could have prolonged the longevity of these teeth and with it the longevity of the horse. The bacteria associated with periodontal disease also enter the bloodstream and travel through the vital organs. This can lead to serious illness affecting the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys; horses may need antibiotic therapy to help fight this disease. This group of horses should be seen every six months to allow early detection of problems and maintain good oral hygiene.

Periodontal disease

Periodontal disease is very common in the horse, it is an inflammatory disease of the structures which support the tooth and if left untreated will lead to the premature loss of teeth. In humans it has been linked to both reproductive problems and severe disease of vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys. Periodontal disease usually begins as gingival inflammation (gingivitis) often due to feed becoming trapped between teeth. Early signs of periodontal disease include swelling of the gums, plaque on teeth, halitosis (bad breath) and gums that bleed when touched.
Photo 5 Spaces called diastema can develop between cheek teeth these allow feed to accumulate and ferment with anaerobic bacteria, these bacteria then produce toxins which attack the gum and other support tissues for the tooth. These conditions cause a lot of pain and discomfort for horses and treatment exists to prevent this.

Dental caries

Caries occur most commonly in the upper cheek teeth, these teeth have two openings called infundibulum either through feed packing into these openings or through lack of normal enamel and cementum formation (hypoplasia) these teeth can have caries develop. These teeth treatment or extraction

Dental malocclusions

Because of the continual eruption on equine teeth differences in the densities of the opposing teeth or pain leading to altered chewing patterns can result in malocclusions these occur commonly in the horse. Depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the malocclusion correction will take place over a number of visits. There are several reasons for this, firstly horses teeth, like our own have within them sensitive tissue containing nerves and blood vessels, these must not be exposed during correction or the tooth may die. These nerves and blood vessels will recede in response to the stimulation provided by reduction of the malocclusion and more work can be safely carried out at a later date. Secondly as the horses mouth is altered we must ensure the mouth still functions and the horses is able to chew and digest it\’s food. Photo 6,7,8

Take home message

Regular scheduled dental examinations are essential for every horse regardless of age, breed, sex or use.

Dental disease is very common in the horse and in order to perform a thorough exam a speculum, powerful light source, mirror, dental probe, sedation, head support and syringe or hose are required.

About the Author. Dr Shannon Lee is a an equine veterinarian who concentrates on equine dentistry. He has presented several scientific papers, provides lectures and tutorials to veterinarians and veterinary students. Advises government bodies on regulation pertaining to equine dentistry, and has an active role in research in the equine dental field. http://www.advancedequinedentistry.com.au

Are you thinking of a special gift to get your mom? Why not consider a custom album? You can create a custom album for your mother or anyone else in the family simply by combining your imagination, photographs and computer skills. A custom album design can be one of your own choosing or you can use templates that are available in software packages.

If you want to take things a step further, you can actually have a custom album designed by a professional designer. While album designers usually focus on custom wedding albums, they can also create a custom album for your mother or anyone else. The album can be a reflection of the life of your mom and is something that she is sure to always treasure.

When holidays and special occasions roll around, people often go out at the last minute and purchase a generic, safe gift. Perfume, flowers, gift cards - they have been done to death. This year, why not present your mom with something that is truly unique and requires thought?

Whether you decide to create your own custom album or hire someone to do a professional job, you will need to gather as many photographs and other mementos as you can find that relate to your mother. You should also make a list of the things that your mother likes, such as her hobbies and other activities. You can incorporate graphics and other items into your custom album design for mom.

If you decide to have a professional create the album, give him or her a list of the items that you want to incorporate into the album as well as photographs. Make sure that he or she knows as much about your mom as possible. You should also find someone who will do a professional job using a software program such as Photoshop. Many people who offer the service of custom album design simply use templates and click and drag. You can do this yourself. If you hire someone, make sure that they are well versed on using a program like Photoshop so that you can get true professional results.

Some custom album designers can create a keepsake album that will resemble a coffee table book. They will use imagery and other techniques to make your book really stand out. You can even incorporate text in your book about mom.

Your custom album designer can work with you to make sure that the album suits you before completing the project. Thanks to computer technology as well as the internet, it is easier than ever to find someone who will do a professional job on your custom album. And it will not take years to complete, either. Talk to your designer about time frames. Chances are that he or she will be able to complete the project in a brief period of time, especially if they are Photoshop experts.

Whether you create your own custom album for mom or have a professional create a custom album design for you, this is a gift that your mother will absolutely love.

www.bestdesignsolutions.com