Spanish speakers now have a new place to go when looking for affordable health insurance quotes and other health information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched CuidadodeSalud.Gov to provide greater access to healthcare information for the country's Latino community.

Like its English counterpart, HealthCare.gov, CuidadodeSalud.Gov aims to provide people with information about public and private health insurance options in one location.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the website will be able to help inform the Latino population about the health services available to them.

"CuidadoDeSalud.gov like HealthCare.gov is an unprecedented website which provides consumers with the power of information at their fingertips," says Sebelius. "Individuals, families, and small businesses will be able to easily compare both public and private health coverage options tailored specifically for their needs."

Latinos have a higher incidence rate of certain conditions, such as diabetes. With proper information and care, type 2 diabetes can be prevented in many cases. The new website may make it easier for Latinos to be more informed on health conditions and ultimately lead to better care.

People use their cell phones for a variety of purposes, ranging from taking pictures to playing games. Recent research reveals a number of consumers would also be interested in using their cell phones to monitor their health.

A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of 2,000 people found that more than 30 percent of consumers would use a cell phone application that would allow them to track and monitor their healthcare. Additionally, 40 percent said they would pay a fee for a service that would allow them to refill medications and access medical records.

PricewaterhouseCoopers leader of health information technology Daniel Garrett says there is a big market for electronic health access.

"There are significant opportunities for physicians, hospitals, health insurers, pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers to market and differentiate themselves using mobile health," says Garrett. "Yet many healthcare organizations are largely ignoring the opportunity to integrate mobile health into other IT efforts such as the implementation of electronic health records."

Consumers can also use their cell phones to find health insurance quotes through their web browser, look for doctors and find other health-related services.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most Americans will be required to have health insurance by 2014. People can already begin researching health insurance quotes online if they are considering purchasing individual health insurance.

In the meantime, many people in the country don't have health insurance. Being uninsured could mean having to suffer with health conditions that could be avoided. To help out this flu season, CVS Caremark and Direct Relief USA are teaming up to offer free flu shots to community clinic and health center patients who are uninsured.

"With every CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic location providing flu vaccinations this year, we want to make sure that as many people as possible have access to a flu shot, including patients for whom cost may be a barrier," said CVS Caremark president and COO Larry Merlo.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says everyone over the age of 6 months should be vaccinated against the flu. The best way to prevent the spread of the flu is with a vaccination, according to the CDC. Ear infections and dehydration are just a couple of complications that can arise from the flu.

Preventative care can do more than stop people from coming down with certain conditions, it can save the healthcare system a substantial amount of money.

A paper produced by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities estimates that $3.7 billion could have been saved in 2006 if appropriate measures were taken. The research team analyzed costs of 20 proven preventative measures against the potential savings to derive the figure.

Partnership for Prevention president and CEO Dr. Robert Gould says the research highlights the importance of receiving preventative care.

"By quantifying the many lives saved and high cost-effectiveness of clinical preventive services, our study shows that prevention has really gone the extra mile, meeting a standard rarely met by health treatments," says Gould. "The new health care law appropriately makes these services available for most Americans at lower or no cost, but cost reductions alone won't get us there."

Under healthcare reform, health insurance companies will be required to pay for preventative care services for new health plans on or after September 23 of this year. Individuals considering new plans can start off by geting health insurance quotes online.

In many cases, people think of health insurance quotes, doctors and overall care when they have time to weigh different options. In the event of a natural disaster, such time is a luxury.

After a natural disaster, health professionals have to be screened in advance before they can donate their time. To make the volunteering procedure more streamlined, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response created a database where healthcare professionals can have their credentials approved in advance.

"ESAR-VHP saves time so we can make the most of volunteers' specialized medical skills when hours, even minutes, really matter," says Health and Human Services assistant secretary for preparedness and response Dr. Nicole Lurie. "Volunteering to help those in need during a disaster is an incredible act of compassion, and ESAR-VHP helps us get volunteers in place when they can make the biggest impact."

In the event of a natural disaster, the number of healthcare professionals needed is unknown. Having a database full of volunteers easily accessible can help increase speed and care to those in need.