HELOISE Carry identification cards for hospital admission
Dear Heloise: I work in our local hospital in registration. Many people come to the hospital without identification or insurance cards. Identification is important because it helps us do our jobs more efficiently and makes the claims processing easier for both the hospital and the patient.
So the tip I have to share is this: Make a copy of all your information, your spouse's, your children's and your parents'. Have their full names (not nicknames), their dates of birth, Social Security numbers, insurance cards or Medicare/Medicaid cards and driver's licenses. Always carry your insurance card or a copy of it. If someone happens to be admitted to the hospital, many insurance companies require you to call within 24 hours of the admittance -- if you don't, they will penalize you. Leatha, via e-mail
All good advice, but I'd be hesitant to suggest people carry all of this personal information all of the time! Take it only if you go to check into the hospital. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Here's something I do to save a little money and help the environment: I keep an empty plastic glass near my bathroom faucet. After I turn on the warm water, I put the glass under the tap and fill it as I'm waiting for the water to heat up. I'll then pour the water into plants that are thirsty or down the sink to wash away soap scum. Mark Cohen, Washington, D.C.
Dear Heloise: Lots of my friends have started doing this. I got tired of pills from my pill containers spilling all over the bottom of my purse, so I looked in my bathroom cabinets to find something more useful to hold the pills. I've worn contact lenses for years, so I have quite a few empty containers that I got free with solution or elsewhere. They're flat, have two compartments, and the lids screw on, so the contents stay in. I use them for pills, lip gloss and cuticle moisturizer. They can also be used as packaging when you just need small amounts of makeup or other items. Keep a small permanent marker handy to write contents on the lids! Rhoda L., via e-mail
Rhoda, good idea. Just keep in mind that prescription drugs should not be removed from their bottles -- especially controlled substances -- and many medications need to be in the original containers to protect the pills from deteriorating. Heloise
Dear Heloise: When I would reach into my utensil drawer, I would always get poked with a knife or other sharp utensil. So, to keep this from happening, I tape an empty cardboard tube from paper towels over knife blades, kabob ends, etc. Now I can reach in and not worry. Sandy Mae from Universal City, Texas
Dear Heloise: Most of my inkjet printer jobs at home do just fine using the "economy" print setting, greatly extending the life of the ink cartridge. Lita Marshall, San Antonio
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