Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Bright Medical Promotes FSAs for Cost Savings on Incontinence Products

As a major provider of medical supplies, Bright Medical wants to educate the public about the advantages of using Flexible Spending Accounts for the purchase of incontinence products. Incontinence is a common problem for many adults, men and women alike. Bright Medical believes that FSAs offer a convenient way for incontinent adults to save money on the supplies they need to in order to live healthy and productive lives.

FSAs, offered through most employer-based health insurance programs by way of "cafeteria plans," make it possible for employees—and their elderly dependents—to pay for certain medical expenses not covered by insurance, using pre-tax dollars. These medical expenses include products like disposable adult diapers and adult cloth diapers. While not available through Medicare, FSAs are offered by most Medicare supplement providers and Medigap plans. Today, moreover, FSA debit cards make it easy to withdraw money from FSA accounts to pay for these medical supplies.

The drawback of an FSA is that it runs out at the end of the year, and that whatever the insured party has not used will disappear. Many people do not realize, however, that it's possible to pay for over-the-counter (OTC) medical items such as incontinence supplies with FSAs. This means that the "use it or lose it" provision can be easily side-stepped by stocking up on much-needed non-perishable medical supplies. This is especially fortuitous for those who use incontinence products on a daily basis.

Incontinence is a problem for many adults, not just the old and infirm. Many active men and women have this condition, and—thanks to a wide range of excellent products—they need not live in fear of leakage or embarrassing "accidents." Similarly, those who are elderly or frail can look to products like Medline's Molicare diapers or Molicare Super Plus briefs for their daily hygiene and comfort.

Urinary Incontinence (UI) is defined as the inability to control urination, or the accidental leakage of urine. Though it affects people of all ages and genders, women are twice as likely as men to develop this condition. There are four basic types of incontinence: 1) stress incontinence, which occurs during coughing, sneezing, laughing, or lifting heavy objects, 2) urge incontinence, which is characterized by a sudden urge to urinate while sleeping, drinking water, or listening to running water, 3) overflow incontinence, which occurs when the bladder, constantly full, overflows and leaks urine, and 4) functional incontinence, which results from disabilities that prevent a person from getting to a bathroom to urinate. Another variety, overactive bladder, is a condition in which the bladder squeezes at the wrong time.

At different ages, men and women have different risks for developing UI. In childhood, girls develop bladder control earlier than boys. However, as adults, women are far more likely than men to experience UI. This is due to several things: the anatomical structure of the female pelvic area, changes brought on by pregnancy and childbirth, and the hormonal changes of menopause. Recent studies have even suggested a possible link between caffeine, menopause, and incontinence.

For men, the prevalence of incontinence increases with age, but it is not an inevitable part of the aging process. UI can be caused, in men, by the enlargement of the prostate gland. This rarely occurs before age 40; but more than half of men in their sixties, and up to 90 percent of men in their seventies and eighties, experience some lower urinary tract symptoms.

For both men and women, anything that damages the nerves can cause urination problems. Diseases that affect the brain and nervous system, such as stroke, Parkinson's, multiple sclero women's coats sis, or diabetes can cause bladder problems—as can spinal cord injury.

While urinary incontinence is widespread, there are a number of high quality incontinence supplies available today. Bright Medical carries a full range of these products, and offers top brands at discount prices. In conjunction with these value-conscious prices, Bright Medical urges its customers to maximize their savings by using FSAs.

One customer recently exclaimed, "I could kick myself for all the money I could have saved on taxes if I'd known about FSAs earlier! I'm so glad you told me!"

Bright Medical stores a massive collection of top quality medical supplies that are sold online to customers across the country. Most of the products are available at a discount. Popular categories include incontinence supplies, wound care products, wheelchairs, bathroom safety assists, enteral feeding, enema bags,exam table paper rolls,patient lifts, surgical supplies,exam gloves and blood pressure monitors.

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