Health insurers are supposed to log your calls and document what they tell you about membership, benefits, and claims. However, there are increasing reports that insurers, particularly large ones such as Blue Shield, are failing to document conversations with subscribers, which makes it difficult to hold them accountable for their representations when they can then deny that they talked with you at all. Insurers can also deny receipt of written grievances in the absence of proof of delivery.

While it may not be practical to record conversations, pro-active consumers should document every call made to health insurers with the date of the call, the name of the insurance representative consulted, and a brief description of what is stated. If the call concerns a claim, write it directly on the Explanation of Benefits. When you can cite this information in your correspondence with an insurer or the state agency that governs insurers, it strengthens your case. When submitting a grievance to a health insurer, remember to put it in writing and secure proof of delivery. State agencies will only intercede on your behalf with proof that the insurer received the grievance and after the required time period for a reply has expired.

Fiber comes from the parts of foods we consume but don’t fully digest. Fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and grains but not meat or dairy products. Fiber promotes health in a variety of ways – facilitating elimination, controlling blood sugar levels, lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk for certain health conditions and diseases. There are also fiber supplements to enhance this process.

We found a chewable fiber supplement sold at health food stores whose directions for use erroneously state that it can be taken “with or without water.” If you choose to add a fiber supplement to your health regimen, drink at least eight ounces of water after you take the supplement along with plenty of water throughout the day. Failure to drink enough water following the intake of a fiber supplement can actually have the reverse effect, making you more constipated rather than less. You must also add fiber, natural or otherwise, to your diet slowly to avoid problems with gas.

Offshore pharmacies can offer health consumers substantial discounts on a variety of pharmaceutical medicines, particularly if required to take them over an extended period of time. In most cases, brand name drugs offered online are the same brand name drugs made by the same manufacturer that are available for purchase in the U.S. Sometimes, cost-saving generic drugs are available in other countries when they are not yet available in the U.S.

Beware of offshore pharmacies that advertise one drug and send you a completely different drug that is used similarly. Before you finalize your purchase, email the pharmacy to confirm that the drug listed online is actually the drug you will receive and then save or copy your email and their reply. You can also check with your credit card company to see if they offer protection against fraudulent merchants outside the U.S. If they do and you receive a different drug than the one you ordered, return the drug to the pharmacy, carefully documenting the return by photocopy and U.S.P.O. receipt, so your credit card company has ample documentation to challenge or reverse the charge.