NPR News: From floor routine to vault, here's the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold

From floor routine to vault, here's the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold
Another Olympics, another set of stellar performances by the U.S. women's artistic gymnastics team. Thursday, the team won two medals in the women's all-around final: a gold for Simone Biles and a bronze for Sunisa Lee. The medals add to the team's overall count, which also includes a gold for the women's team final. Simone and Suni are expected to lead the team to more medals in the coming days. Each day the gymnasts compete, we are left to pick our jaws off the floor and wonder: How do they do that? So we called up one of our favorite science communicators, Frederic Bertley, to explain just that. He's the CEO of the Center of Science and Industry and our gymnastics physics guide for the day. Follow NPR's 2024 Paris Olympics coverage. Want us to cover the science powering other Olympians? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We'd love to hear from you!

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Breech of confidentiality? HIPPA violation? Spam emails.

I have been seeing a primary for chronic pain for some time. He suggested that I see an in-office behavioral therapist to give me advice on how to handle it.

I saw her, and she promised complete confidentiality.

Within two hours of seeing her I get an email that started out:

WE ALL COULD USE A LITTLE EXTRA HELP.

Whether you're just starting your mental health journey or already on it, NeuroFlow is here for you every step of the way.

Then it said:

Hi [My name],

[my doctor's first and last name] from OptumCare [state] is giving you free access to NeuroFlow, a mental health tool available by app or website.

[Optumcare is the giant corporation that owns the local medical practice.]

The next day I get one:

[My doctor's name] from OptumCare [state] has invited you to create a free NeuroFlow account. NeuroFlow is an invite-only application built to support and those [sic] looking to improve their mental and physical health.

EDIT: Oh, and they offered me free gift cards for major retailers if I use their app.

I didn't think that my doctor would refer me to anyone without asking me first. I was right. He said he did not refer or invite me and he knows nothing about it.

I have gotten two more emails like this.

I looked up Neuroflow and they are a company that is hired by insurance and other companies to collect medical information from individuals and report the information to the company that hired them.

I am unhappy about a third party for-profit company trying to trick me into giving them medical info by telling me that my doctor requested it when he did not.

I do not know why Neuroflow contacted me, who gave them my contact information, or who has hired them to collect and report my info.

I am also unhappy about all of a sudden being labeled a psych patient and that information being sent by unsecured email.

What do you think?

https://ift.tt/twm5rsT Submitted August 02, 2024 at 07:14AM by Autodactyl https://ift.tt/yEVKkal

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NPR News: The scramble to keep up with multiple wildfires on Colorado's Front Range

The scramble to keep up with multiple wildfires on Colorado's Front Range
At least four wildfires on Colorado's populous Front Range have caused thousands of people to evacuate and one death. None of the fires are under control and conditions are ripe for more to start.

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New baby - what to do with insurance?

Can someone help me figure out on who's health plan it would be more financially beneficial to put our upcoming baby? I'm just confused and my brain is on maximum overload with everything at this point. Any direction would be so appreciated.

My husband's health insurance is the Highmark CDHP on the left. Mine is the Cigna Essential Option on the far right.

His deductible is lower, but his out-of-pocket max is way higher. He also typically has to pay 20% co-insurance, whereas I do not.

Otherwise our premiums would be fairly comparable.

Additionally, we haven't combined health plans because I'd have to pay $100 per month to add my husband to mine. I'm actually not sure why I chose to not join my husband's plan during open enrollment. If we keep our plans separate and put the baby on one, would one person's HSA be able to contribute the family max of $8300, while the other person can still hit the individual max at $4150? Whereas if we combine plans, we'd only be able to hit a single family max of $8300 total? That seems like a win for keeping separate plans. But, then again, if keeping separate plans, one of us would still have to pay the full family deductible PLUS the other person also paying for their plan's individual deductible.

I'm lost, my brain is fried. Can anyone please help me make sense of all of this?

https://preview.redd.it/go001olg13gd1.png?width=3300&format=png&auto=webp&s=d404942431950b8abb4b53227af4a74344035478

https://ift.tt/N3tWTCw Submitted August 02, 2024 at 12:09AM by guacamolme https://ift.tt/PoXwFHg

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NPR News: Wildfire smoke has been settling in the American West

Wildfire smoke has been settling in the American West
After two easy-breathing summers, dreaded wildfire smoke is settling in across California and the West. Public health officials warn these megafires aren't just emitting smoke from burning forests.

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I received a bill for $180 because the doctor asked if I wanted a Vit D test and a prescription refill during my annual. It's a routine question I get every year, but never charged. I denied the Vit D test so I'm shocked to get a bill. I tried talking to the billing office and they won't fix it.

Like what I mentioned in the intro, the doctor's office billed me $680 but my insurance covered most so I'm left with $180. I find it ridiculous to get charged that much when the doctor spent seconds to a couple minutes talking about Vit D testing when I declined it and also asking me if I wanted a prescription refill that I get every year for eczema.

The doctor is no longer at the practice, so I've been dealing with the billing office, and they keep reiterating the fact that I "talked about stuff outside of an annual checkup". I called my insurance, and they said I have to work with the billing office to fix the code.

My insurance covers "preventative care" so I haven’t had this issue previously that I've gone for a yearly checkup. My Vit D levels were extremely high two years ago and I already had a test last year to make sure it's back to normal. I already have all the facts about Vit D levels. I did not need her whole talk about Vitamin D. I didn't ask for it, but now I'm being charged. And if I'd known they were going to charge that much to get my steroid cream refilled then I wouldn't have said yes when she asked me if I needed a prescription refill.

This feels like fraud and there's nothing I can do but pay up. Does anyone know if there's anything I can do?

https://ift.tt/N3tWTCw Submitted August 01, 2024 at 03:49AM by treesurge https://ift.tt/8vHjyuh

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Tired of Payflex , what options do I have

it is a scam. I am tired of uploading repeatedly documents to their portal for every time .

I have just 1 vendors where I use the debit card , which is registered Pediatric hospital . & they keep rejecting every bill, asking for more info. I mean cant you see that it was transacted at a hospital & every transaction is the same, yet they keep sending requests for more information. Sometimes even reject a hospital bill

The bigger irony is payflex is tied to my Aetna from where all transactions are happening, these idiots cant even look up from their partner system & expect Customer to do all the reconciliation.

Once they had blocked my card , I spoke to their Customer 5 times ( each call was over an hour) , yet they could not figure out the reason why my card wasn't working , eventually 1 guy told me it was deactivated by them.

Customer service is just horrendous , it takes them atleast 1 hr to even understand a simple issue, forget about providing solution.

Why the hell they are getting paid. . If i was the CEO , i would fire everyone & replace them with AI bots .

Given that my company has tied up with Aetna & Aetna with payflex, what options do I have ?

I do not want to lose the tax dollars for the inefficiency & incompetency of these idiots

https://ift.tt/N3tWTCw Submitted August 01, 2024 at 01:42AM by Kshanikam https://ift.tt/TGfFRjV

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