HELOISE

Dear Heloise: We enjoy your tips and knowledge, but we do have a comment regarding the person that only uses the store wipes when leaving the store. My husband and I are both military veterans and shop at our local base commissary (grocery store). Whenever we shop there (or other stores), we insist that we use the wipes. The reason for this is that one year, my husband obtained a cart for us and was using it to shop. Within a day, he was sick, so we looked at the back of his throat. We’ve never seen a clear uvula hanging down at the back, but there it was.

I rushed him to our local urgent care. We’re glad that we did as the doctor was able to diagnose him with a foreign type of strep throat. He stated that he knew about this when he was overseas but had never seen it in the United States. We told the doctor that all we did was shop at our local commissary, where there are many people from different areas of the U.S. and other countries. So, he suggested that each and every time we shop, we should wipe down the carts, especially the handles. We now do this wherever we shop. — L. and P., Military Veterans

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FALSE MEDICAL CLAIMS

Dear Heloise: I’m writing in response to your reply to Coleen, in Maryland, regarding concerns that nonmedical personnel at insurance companies make decisions about patients’ health and medical necessity. There are several factors to consider regarding the oversight roles of insurance companies:

— Systemic fraud: Millions of dollars are paid annually for unnecessary tests or services that were never performed. Addressing this fraud is a critical component of industry oversight.

— Documentation requirements: Often a denial occurs because a provider failed to submit the necessary clinical documentation to support the medical necessity of a test. When a practice submits a prior authorization, it’s their responsibility to provide the required clinical information.

It’s important to look at the broader context of health care costs, including high charges that are associated with emergency room visits for minor issues. I encourage consumers to review their plan options carefully prior to purchasing them and consider how their clinical information is shared between the providers and insurers. — Cheryl, in Texas

Cheryl, insurance fraud, as you mentioned, is a serious matter and can send someone to prison with a large fine. In the end, it’ll ruin their future in a number of ways. The huge dollar amount that fraudsters expect to receive is usually cut down in an appeals court, and their attorneys will expect to be paid a part of their winnings. It’s a long, drawn-out procedure, and the stress alone is hard on everyone involved. So, think twice before filing a false claim! — Heloise

HOME CANNING

Dear Heloise: Every year, I do some home canning of the fruits and vegetables that I grow in the summer. To peel tomatoes, plums and peaches, I drop these items into boiling water, then remove them and place them in very cold water. The skin cracks and is easy to peel off, oftentimes with just my fingers. — Hope D., in Columbia, Missouri

FROZEN TOMATOES

Dear Heloise: By summer’s end, I always have a huge crop of big juicy tomatoes. I freeze the extras by placing them on a baking sheet and putting the sheet in our freezer. When they’re frozen solid, I divide them up and place them in freezer bags. Once they’re thawed out, the skin cracks, which makes removing the skin easy. Now I have fresh garden tomatoes during the dead of winter! — Leigh W., in Troy, Michigan