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U.S. Consumers Can Save Money with Online Canadian Pharmacy Reviews

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Uninsured, Underinsured Families Can Save Thousands with Online Canadian Pharmacy ReviewsThe rising costs of health care and prescription drugs make it very important for U.S. consumers to use every resource to save on their health care costs, especially if they are underinsured or have no health insurance. A new site enables consumers to save substantial money on their prescription drug costs and compare prices with online pharmacy reviews of Canadian sources. In many cases, the potential savings can be 75 percent or more when compared to U.S. prices.

The federal government no longer prevents U.S. consumers from buying up to 90 days worth of prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. That means it is possible to save a great deal of money when using sites like eDrugSearch.com to compare drug prices between some of the top Canadian sources and save hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars over several months on prescription medication costs.

"Federal regulations have loosened on purchasing from Canadian pharmacies, which means there is money to be saved on prescription drugs," said Cary Byrd, President, eDrugSearch.com. "The Canadian government has restrictions on prescription drug prices, and that helps U.S. consumers to save a lot of money compared to the cost of buying the same medications from U.S. sources."

The Canadian federal government does not allow pharmaceutical companies to profit at the same rate they can in the United States on the retail cost of their medications. The tighter pricing regulations in Canada make it on average about 75 percent less costly to buy the same prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies than it would at U.S. drug stores. When using sites like eDrugSearch.com to conduct online pharmacy reviews and compare drug prices between U.S.-based and Canadian sources, most consumers will find they can save hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars on costly prescription medications.

Recent developments in the U.S. have made it much easier to obtain prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. Officials in the federal government recently began allowing U.S. citizens to buy up to a 90-day supply of their doctor-prescribed medications from Canadian pharmacies with additional orders available every 90 days. With a potential average savings of 75 percent and often times even more on some of the most prescribed drugs in the United States, consumers could save up to thousands of dollars on their annual prescription drug costs.

Unfortunately, most consumers in the United States do not know which pharmacies in Canada are the best and most affordable. That is where eDrugSearch.com provides an invaluable service by enabling consumers to conduct Canadian pharmacy reviews and locate the best rates from licensed and reliable sources in Canada.

When buying a 90-day supply, that means U.S. consumers can make the next order from a Canadian source in another 90 days and continue saving all year. They still get the same effective prescription drugs their doctors have determined they need for good health and can save money with online Canadian pharmacy reviews to save money compared to the cost of buying from U.S. pharmacies.

When it is possible to save so much by comparing online prescription rates, a leading resource like eDrugSearch.com empower U.S. consumers.

About eDrugSearch.com

Based in San Antonio, eDrugSearch.com is a shopping comparison site for U.S. consumers seeking prescription medications from licensed Canadian and other international pharmacies. eDrugSearch.com president and founder Cary Byrd is an impassioned advocate for reform of U.S. prescription-drug law. For more information, visit the company's Web site at eDrugSearch.com or its blog at edrugsearch.com/edsblog/

Company Contact Information
eDrugSearch.com
Cary Byrd
PO Box 1068, Spring Branch, Texas
78070
(210) 789-2973

News and Press Release Distribution From I-Newswire.com Reported by i-Newswire.com 7 hours ago.

Olympic Athletes Come In Last As Far As Oral Health Is Concerned

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Olympic athletes may be killing it on the track, but out of the stadiums and gymnasiums, they are failing at one of the simplest and most essential of life's tasks... maintaining healthy teeth and gums.They ski faster, jump higher and are more skillful with their bodies than the vast majority of human beings on this planet. Olympic athletes represent the 99th percentile of the population and are capable of feats of strength, dexterity and speed that leave the rest of us spellbound in admiration. They are the very best and fitted; sleek examples of beautiful human biological machinery. But where Olympic athletes fail to break above the standard… where they are, in fact, failing is in the maintenance of good oral health and hygiene.

The 2012 Report on the Oral Health of Olympic Athletes

During the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, many athletes reported having dental problems. In March of the following years, in response to these reports, the International Olympic Committee released the Consensus Statement on Periodic Health Evaluation of Elite Athletes. This evaluation called for a greater effort to assess and understand the dental health of professional athletes, such as those that partake in the Olympic Games. This call was heeded by the scientific community and resulted in a study that analyzed the athletes who participated in the 2012 London Olympic Games. This study, which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, confirmed the International Olympic Committee's suspicions: professional athletes tend to have a below-average standard of oral health.

What Did the Study Reveal? We Asked Dr. Jason Diamond to Explain...

"The study essentially focused on a sample of 278 athletes, representative of 25 different sports," says dental implant surgeon in New Jersey, Dr. Jason Diamond. "Over 40% of the athletes reported being 'bothered' by the state of their dental health. A further 28% of the sample said that their oral health was actually having a detrimental impact upon their quality of life, while 18% said it affected their performance as athletes."

"The real shocker came in the diagnoses of these athletes' dental problems," says Dr. Diamond. "A shocking 55% presented with tooth decay and 45% had lost a substantial amount of dental enamel to acid erosion. A fair portion of the athletes was also found to be suffering from gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums caused by bacterial infection."

It's quite surprising to learn that there is such a prevalence of poor dental health amongst Olympic athletes, who are supposed to be the pinnacle of human strength and health. What we would like to know is why this is the case?

The Cause of Poor Dental Health amongst Olympic Athletes

"Sports and energy drinks are often the culprit behind dental erosion and tooth decay," explains the NJ dental implant expert, Dr. Jason Diamond. "These beverages are quite acidic in content and are packed with sugar. Athletes who train all day and rely on sport's drinks to provide them with energy are therefore repeatedly exposing their teeth to acid and sugar, which encourages bacterial activity."

Fair enough... but surely these athletes, who routinely perform on an international stage, should be able to afford the right dental care to combat these problems? Apparently not!

Being an Olympic Athlete Is Not an Income Earner

Just because you have worked your way into the top echelons of physical performance on the track, in the pool or in the gym does not in itself earn you an income. The money lies in sponsorship deals or in playing for a professional sports team. Without backing from a big brand name, such as Adidas, Nike, Coca Cola or the myriad other companies, it is far from uncommon for Olympic athletes to experience financial difficulties.Many countries offer prize money for winning medals at the Olympics. Gold-winning American athletes are awarded $25,000, silver gets $15,000 and bronze, $10,000. But, in many cases, it just doesn't pay to be a top athlete. The Track & Field Athletes Association recently released a survey that indicated that half of the top-performing track and field athletes in the United States earn less than $15,000 a year!

What Can Be Done To Improve The Dental Health Of Top Athletes?

"It's essential that Olympic athletes register for EAHI - Elite Athlete Health Insurance - because then they can get access to the National Dental Referral program, which provides the member with free routine dental exams and screenings and non-elective treatment for problems that include tooth decay," explains Dr. Jason Diamond. "Athletes who haven't made it into the Olympics or who have been excluded from EAHI because there are insufficient slots (as is frequently the case) will need to accept that seeing a dental healthcare professional is as important as seeing a medical doctor. You aren't saving money by avoiding the dentist... rather; you are allowing your problems to compound, which will only necessitate more extensive and expensive treatment later on."

"Then, of course, there are the preventative measures all athletes can take to avoid dental problems," explains the NJ dental implant surgeon. "If cutting down on sports and energy drinks is out of the question, then athletes must increase their efforts to mitigate the damage done by these beverages. Drinking more water, chewing sugar-free gum and brushing and flossing more frequently can help to prevent tooth decay and acid erosion."

One thing is certain: If dental problems are impacting upon the quality of life and even the level of performance Olympic athletes are capable of, then the right professional dental care is a necessary investment; and not something to be renegaded to the last position in one's list of financial priorities.

About MALO Advanced Oral Rehabilitation

Dr. Jason Diamond is a member of the uniquely trained team at MALO Advanced Oral Rehabilitation, which is a cutting-edge dental implant facility located in Rutherford, New Jersey. Inspired by the European implantologist who pioneered the breakthrough "All-on-4" implant protocol, Dr. Paulo Malo, the team of professionals at MALO AOR has successfully provided comprehensive teeth replacement solutions for thousands of patients from all over America and abroad. When possible and considered safe, the doctors at MALO AOR utilize immediate function implant techniques for their shorter treatment time, lower cost and their ability to give patients fully functioning replacement teeth in as little as a single day, with a single placement procedure.

Contact Malo AOR

To arrange an appointment with Dr. Jason Diamond or one of his colleagues at Malo AOR, call 877-625-6872. Alternatively, those interested can fill out the Contact Form on the Malo AOR website and will be contacted shortly by their administrative staff.

Website: http://www.malodentalimplants.com/

Company Contact Information
MALO Advanced Oral Rehabilitation
Roseline Jones
12th Floor,201 Route 17 North
07070
877-625-6872

News and Press Release Distribution From I-Newswire.com Reported by i-Newswire.com 7 hours ago.

Obama says 4 million people have signed up under the Affordable Care Act

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that some 4 million people had signed up for health insurance through exchanges provided by his signature healthcare law known as Obamacare. Obama made the comments to cheers from supporters during an appearance at a “national organizing summit” put together by the political organization Organizing for Action that was formed out of his 2012 campaign apparatus. He urged supporters to keep reaching out to people to […] Reported by Raw Story 7 hours ago.

In Shocker, GOP Proposes Cutting Taxes For the Wealthy

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For some time, I've been saying, perhaps naively, that we ought to have a real debate about tax reform, and maybe actually accompish something. Sure, Democrats and Republicans have different goals when it comes to this issue—Democrats would like to see the elimination of loopholes and greater revenue, while Republicans want to reduce taxes on the wealthy—but there may be a few things they could agree on somewhere in there. You never know.

So today, Representative Dave Camp, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, is releasing the latest incarnation of Republican tax reform. And it's...exactly what you'd expect. Unfortunately.

In fact, though we're waiting for details, it looks almost exactly like the plan Republicans released two years ago. The centerpiece is an elimination of most tax brackets, leaving only two, at 10 percent and 25 percent. In a total shocker, that means a huge tax break for the wealthy! I know—I too am amazed that Republicans would propose such a thing.

But they'll make up the revenue, they protest. How? Well as always, Republicans say they'll eliminate loopholes, but won't say which ones. The reason for that is simple: everyone hates loopholes that other people benefit from, but everyone wants to keep their own loopholes. As long as you never say which loopholes you'd eliminate, nobody has reason to fight against your plan, since they don't know whether the ox being gored is theirs or someone else's. Furthermore, the really big loopholes are ones that lots of people love, like the mortgage interest deduction, a largely middle- and upper-class entitlement that cost the Treasury $82 billion in 2012, or the deduction for employer-provided health insurance, the largest tax expenditure at a whopping $184 billion. Think anyone's going to eliminate those? Not on your life. But that's where the real money is.

There is one new thing in this Republican proposal, a surtax on certain incomes over $400,000 a year, which would assumedly recover some of the money we're losing by cutting those people's taxes. But there are some devilish details. First, some kinds of high earners, like those in manufacturing, are excluded. And most importantly, it would only apply to wages over $400,000, and not investment income. In other words, as is usually the case with Republican proposals, they reflect a particular value: that work should be taxed at a higher rate than investments. And of course, the higher you go up the income scale, the greater the proportion of their income the wealthy get from their investments.

One final note on this. The part of the plan that will get the most attention is reducing the number of tax brackets to two. This is always offered in the name of "tax simplification," but the truth is that the number of brackets is just about the least complicated thing about the tax code. Kevin Drum has it right:



I'm not encouraged by the fact that reducing the number of tax brackets is apparently a key feature of this "simplification" plan. That doesn't simplify things by even an iota. The hard part of calculating your taxes, after all, is figuring out your taxable income. That takes about 99.9 percent of your time. Once that's all done, the final step is to look up your tax rate and then multiply the rate by your taxable income. That part takes about 30 seconds.



In fact, we ought to have more tax brackets, not fewer, particularly at the high end. There's no reason that someone making $400,000 a year should pay the same marginal rate as someone making $400 million a year.

Anyhow, the most consequential feature of this Republican tax plan, like those that came before it, is its attempt to relieve the nation's wealthy of their burden of taxes, so terribly weighed down as they are. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but I can't recall there ever being a Republican tax plan that didn't propose precisely that. Ever. And they wonder why Democrats have so much success characterizing them as the party of the rich. Reported by The American Prospect 6 hours ago.

Obama Urges Sign-Ups In Last Obamacare Push

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Obama Urges Sign-Ups In Last Obamacare Push Obama Urges Sign-Ups In Last Obamacare Push
Headlines
Politics

Promising a "big push these last few weeks," President Obama said that he and the First Lady would be working hard to get millions more signed up for Obamacare. With about four million people currently enrolled, Obama blamed the glitch-filled website and the steadfast opposition for the underwhelming results of his landmark healthcare initiative.

Speaking to 300 members of Organizing for America, an advocacy group founded by former Obama campaign aides, and later to supporters at an invitation-only dinner at the Washington Hotel, Obama said that it was now or never for healthcare sign-ups.

"Four million people have already signed up because of you," Obama said.

But, he emphasized about people who have no yet signed up: "If they want health insurance now, they need to sign up now.”

"We've only got a few weeks left. March 31st, that's the last call," Obama said. Those that haven’t signed up risk being fined before enrollment begins again in fall.

Obama pointed to both issues with the HealthCare.gob website and the "implacable opposition" for the low enrollment, which he said had spent hundreds of millions or even billions to fight the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Vice President Joe Biden said during a trip to Minneapolis last week that the new sign-up goal is 7 million.

“We may not get to seven million, we may get to five or six, but that’s a hell of a start,” Biden said. “I’m here to say thanks.”

Sources: CBS, Star-Tribune

1 Reported by Opposing Views 5 hours ago.

The GOP’s Obamacare ‘fix’ does the exact opposite of what the GOP claims to want

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House Republicans have released their latest fix for the Affordable Care Act, which would ease the requirement that employers with over 50 employees offer everyone who works more than 30 hours a week health insurance. Under the current law, if they don't offer insurance, employers pay a penalty of $2,000 to $3,000 per employee. Republicans argue that provides a big incentive for companies to cut jobs or hours, and so have titled their proposed legislation the "Save American Workers Act." Reported by Washington Post 4 hours ago.

NYS health insurance rolls top 800,000

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State and federal officials announced milestones in health insurance enrollment this week. New York has surpassed the 500,000 mark for individuals enrolled since the launch of its online marketplace on Oct. 1, while federal enrollment passed the 4 million mark. According to the state of Health, New York’s official health plan marketplace, 800,333 New Yorkers completed applications as of Feb. 25, with 501,205 enrolled for coverage. More than two thirds of the total, or 70 percent, were uninsured… Reported by bizjournals 4 hours ago.

AP Exclusive: Health law cybersecurity challenges

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WASHINGTON (AP) - As the Obama administration raced to meet its self-imposed deadline for online health insurance markets, security experts working for the government worried that state computer systems could become a back door for hackers. Documents provided to The Associated Press show that more than two-thirds of state systems that were supposed to tap into federal computers to verify sensitive personal information for coverage were initially rated as "high risk" for security problems. Back-door attacks have been in the news, since the hackers who stole millions of customers credit and debit card numbers from Target are believed to have gained access through a contractors network. The administration says the documents offer only a partial and "outdated" snapshot of an improving situation, and the security problems cited were either resolved or are being addressed through specific actions. Reported by MyNorthwest.com 3 hours ago.

Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in Canada Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld

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The Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry has strengthened on the back of consumer trends and the proliferation of public health campaigns advocating health improvement and fighting obesity-related health ailments; during the next five years, the industry will benefit from increased youth and baby boomer health club memberships. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in Canada industry to its growing industry report collection.

New York, NY (PRWEB) February 26, 2014

The Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs industry has strengthened on the back of consumer trends and the proliferation of public health campaigns advocating health improvement and fighting obesity-related health ailments. According to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Sarah Turk, “With the adult obesity rate expected to rise at an annualized rate of 0.5% during the five years to 2014, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has increasingly stressed the merits of fitness regimens and healthy lifestyle choices.” According to PHAC, obesity-related healthcare costs, if including chronic illnesses resulting from obesity, put a $7.1 billion strain on the healthcare system over the five-year period. In response, many healthcare providers, health insurance companies and businesses seeking to bolster workforce productivity and lower healthcare costs provide incentives for health club memberships, buoying industry revenue growth. Consequently, during the five years to 2014, industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 4.5% to $2.3 billion, including growth of 4.4% in 2014, as industry operators inundate a relatively untapped market composed of individuals that are increasingly aware of health and fitness.

Disposable income slightly declined 0.3% in 2010, as many Canadians slashed their discretionary expenditures, including gym and health club memberships. Nevertheless, small-scale gyms with few amenities have fared well over the period, as many Canadians preferred boutique gyms with local clientele. “Additionally, an increasingly active elderly population and the proliferation of female-only gyms, have kept the industry afloat,” says Turk. While operators had to contend with leisure time declining over the period, the industry benefitted from time-strapped consumers utilizing industry services, such as personal and group trainers, to achieve fitness results in smaller time increments. Industry profit is expected to rise as larger, all-inclusive clubs, which provide more high-margin services like hot yoga classes, grow increasingly popular.
During the next five years, the industry will benefit from increased youth and baby boomer health club memberships. As a result, industry revenue is forecast to rise over the five years to 2019. Industry operators will strengthen their product portfolios to bolster retention rates and generate membership sales via word-of-mouth between consumers.

For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in Canada industry report page.

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld
Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

The Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in Canada industry operates fitness and recreational sports facilities that feature exercise and other active physical fitness conditioning or recreational sports activities, such as swimming, skating or racquet sports. Firms are also involved in facilities management and fitness instruction.

Industry Performance
Executive Summary
Key External Drivers
Current Performance
Industry Outlook
Industry Life Cycle
Products & Markets
Supply Chain
Products & Services
Major Markets
Globalization & Trade
Business Locations
Competitive Landscape
Market Share Concentration
Key Success Factors
Cost Structure Benchmarks
Barriers to Entry
Major Companies
Operating Conditions
Capital Intensity
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Annual Change
Key Ratios

About IBISWorld Inc.
Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US and Canadian industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.

Senate leader Reid blasts Koch brothers over Obamacare ads

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Senate leader Reid blasts Koch brothers over Obamacare ads By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Senate Democrat Harry Reid on Wednesday accused the billionaire Koch brothers of spreading "horror stories" about President Barack Obama's healthcare law, in the latest salvo in the election-year debate over Obamacare.

Reid, the Senate Majority leader, blasted ads by Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group backed by David and Charles Koch. The ads feature patients discussing insurance cancellations and costs.

"Those tales turned out to be just that: tales, stories made up from whole cloth, lies distorted by the Republicans to grab headlines forming political advertisements," Reid said.

Reid, a Nevada Democrat, in particular denounced a television ad featuring a leukemia patient who said she would die without medication and blamed the cancellation of her previous policy. Another ad showed a woman who said her policy costs rose $700 a month.

The ad scored "two Pinocchios" out of a possible four by The Washington Post's Fact Checker Glenn Kessler, who said the commercial did not properly compare the patient's old and new plans and did not fully disclose the new plans costs.

Higher out-of-pocket costs with a new plan could be off-set by lower monthly premiums, Kessler wrote, adding that "over the course of the year, the difference in the costs could well even out."

The Koch brothers' vast fortune stems from their oil and gas conglomerate Koch Industries Inc. They have used it to fund numerous conservative causes.

"These two brothers are trying to buy America," Reid said.

A spokesman for Americans for Prosperity could not be immediately reached for comment on Reid's remarks.

The Obama administration announced late Tuesday that some 4 million people have signed up for health insurance through exchanges under the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

Democrats still are struggling to defend the 2010 law after a rocky rollout of the insurance exchange while Republicans are eager to point out its flaws and continue pushing to repeal and replace it.

The success or failure of the healthcare changes are likely to be major campaign issue in the midterm congressional elections in November and possibly the 2016 presidential race.

Shortly after Reid spoke on the Senate floor, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner began a press conference with reporters by criticizing the healthcare law.

This week, Boehner said, "We'll continue to highlight the devastating impact of the president's healthcare law."

He cited White House reports of small business employees facing higher health insurance premiums and higher costs for small business owners, making it more difficult for them to expand their businesses.

"That's why we need to repeal this law," said Boehner, who had a rare one-on-one meeting with Obama in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

The healthcare law aims to broaden access to health insurance and reduce the number of uninsured people in the United States.

Critics say it allows too much government interference in the healthcare industry, hurts employment and is forcing people to lose health insurance coverage they may have liked.

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Bill Trott and Gunna Dickson)

Join the conversation about this story »

 
 
 
  Reported by Business Insider 3 hours ago.

The Two Faces of Motherhood: Maternal Health in the U.S.

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I am a maternal fetal medicine specialist; simply put, I take care of pregnant women with high-risk complications like HIV, diabetes, brain tumors and fetal anomalies. I have had the fortunate opportunity to ply my craft in both affluent and underserved communities, thus offering a unique perspective on the duality that exists for maternal health care.

It is a known fact that poverty and health care disparities exist in America's underserved communities. As the Vice Chairman of OB/GYN at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, located in Brooklyn's Brownsville section, I care for the citizens of said communities -- those who view healthcare as an unattainable luxury, a burdensome expense, and use the ER as a primary point of care. The statistics here as they relate to perinatal health and infant morbidity and mortality rival that of third world nations. When first seen, the majority of my patients are towards the end of the disease spectrum, when they are "crashing and burning," leaving little room for improvement of outcome. It has been my experience that in the affluent setting, the converse situation takes place: Rather than using the ER as a primary point of care, patients seek continuous healthcare allowing for preventative therapies and early intervention should an issue arise.

While there are many factors, some still unexplained, which account for the degree of disparity and poor outcomes in these underserved communities, one factor -- lack of health insurance --was obviated with the introduction of health care reform. As of January 2014, the Affordable Care Act, among its other mandates has ensured that:
· Women cannot be charged more for insurance premiums because of their gender.· Health insurers cannot charge more or deny insurance coverage for those with pre-existing medical conditions.· Insurers cannot discharge you from plans should you become ill.· Preventative care for women is covered.
While these reforms will most certainly aid to close the gap in maternal health care disparities, it has yet to be seen by how much. Their effectiveness hinges on the success of educating those previously unserved or underserved of their rights -- in short, enhancing health literacy. So where do we go from here? What are the next steps needed to ensure the continued evolution of health literacy? Health reform is wonderful, but without advocacy and a plan to educate those communities of options, changing current perceptions that proper healthcare is something affordable AND attainable, it will be for naught and the cycle will remain unbroken.

The next few months will be critical in evaluating just how the government and America's communities as a whole will see to the success of the platform. The effectiveness of healthcare reform ultimately hinges on the understanding of its life altering benefits by those whom it seeks to serve. Our future as a country is only as strong as our next generation, and is thus dependent on healthy moms producing healthy babies. From the White House to the "white coats," we all have a responsibility to ensure that positive outcome. When speaking of the successful implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act, as it relates to maternal health, the old adage still rings true -- 'it takes a village to raise a child.' Reported by Huffington Post 3 hours ago.

Personal Accident and Health Insurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017

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LONDON, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportbuyer.com just published a new market research report:Personal Accident and Health Insurance in China, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2017SynopsisThe report provides in depth market analysis, information and insights into the Chinese personal... Reported by PR Newswire 3 hours ago.

When a Tax is Not a Tax: Inside the Mind of an Obamacare Advocate

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When is a tax not a tax? To find the answer, just ask any advocate of Obamacare. They're sure to know. After all, the "penalty" for not having health insurance has been called so many things, they're likely the only people in America who can tell you with any measure of certainty. A. Barton Hinkle explains... Reported by The Daily Reckoning 2 hours ago.

Watsi To Change Its Logo Following Legal Threats From “Multi-Billion Dollar Health Insurance Company”

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Watsi, a non-profit startup that crowdfunds medical treatments for those who can’t afford it, has a problem: a company with lots, and lots of money doesn’t like their logo. Read More Reported by TechCrunch 2 hours ago.

Harry Reid Blasts Koch Brothers Over Obamacare Ads

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(Adds Koch Industries statement in paragraphs 5 and 10)
By Susan Heavey
WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate majority leader Democrat Harry Reid on Wednesday accused the billionaire Koch brothers of spreading "horror stories" about President Barack Obama's healthcare law, in the latest salvo in the election-year debate over Obamacare.
Reid blasted ads by Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group backed by David and Charles Koch. The ads feature patients discussing insurance cancellations and costs.
"Those tales turned out to be just that: tales, stories made up from whole cloth, lies distorted by the Republicans to grab headlines forming political advertisements," Reid said.
The Nevada Democrat in particular denounced a television ad featuring a leukemia patient who said she would die without medication and blamed the cancellation of her previous policy. Another ad showed a woman who said her policy costs rose $700 a month.
Koch Industries Inc, the brothers' oil and gas conglomerate, fired back in a statement saying the Kochs were not responsible for the ad by Americans for Prosperity and calling Reid's remarks "disgraceful."
The ad scored "two Pinocchios" out of a possible four by the Washington Post's Fact Checker Glenn Kessler, who said the commercial did not give a full accounting comparing the patient's old plan with a new one.
Higher out-of-pocket costs with a new plan could be offset by lower monthly premiums, Kessler wrote, adding that "over the course of the year, the difference in the costs could well even out." Still, he noted the "emotional anguish" anyone with cancer may face.
The Koch brothers have used their vast fortune to fund numerous conservative causes.
"These two brothers are trying to buy America," Reid said.
Koch Industries, in the statement, said: "It is disgraceful that Senator Reid and his fellow Democrats are attacking a cancer victim as part of their campaign against Charles Koch and David Koch."
On Tuesday, the Obama administration announced that some 4 million people have signed up for health insurance through exchanges under the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
Democrats still are struggling to defend the 2010 law after a rocky rollout of the insurance exchange while Republicans are eager to point out its flaws and continue pushing to repeal and replace it.
The success or failure of the healthcare changes are likely to be a major campaign issue in the midterm congressional elections in November and possibly the 2016 presidential race.
Shortly after Reid spoke on the Senate floor, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, began a news conference with reporters by criticizing the healthcare law and vowing to "continue to highlight the devastating impact of the president's healthcare law."
He cited White House reports of small-business employees facing higher health insurance premiums and higher costs for small-business owners, making it more difficult for them to expand their businesses.
"That's why we need to repeal this law," said Boehner, who had a rare one-on-one meeting with Obama in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
The healthcare law aims to broaden access to health insurance and reduce the number of uninsured people in the United States.
Critics say it allows too much government interference in the healthcare industry, hurts employment and is forcing some people to lose health insurance coverage they may have liked. (Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Bill Trott, Gunna Dickson and Richard Chang) Reported by Huffington Post 44 minutes ago.

Harry Reid On ObamaCare 'Horror Stories: 'All are Untrue'

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Harry Reid On ObamaCare 'Horror Stories: 'All are Untrue' With the help of a media much more interested in fact-checking cancer patients who oppose The State than they ever were in vetting ObamaCare or Obama's years-long lie promising you can keep your health insurance, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took to the floor of the Senate Wednesday to declaratively claim "all" ObamaCare horror stories are untrue:

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Partial transcript courtesy of The Weekly Standard:

"Despite all that good news, there's plenty of horror stories being told. All of them are untrue, but they're being told all over America," said Reid.

"The leukemia patient whose insurance policy was canceled [and] could die without her medication, Mr. President, that's an ad being paid for by two billionaire brothers. It's absolutely false. Or the woman whose insurance policy went up $700 a month--ads paid for around America by the multibillionaire Koch brothers, and the ad is false.

"We heard about the evils of Obamacare, about the lives it's ruining in Republicans' stump speeches and in ads paid for by oil magnates, the Koch brothers.

When it comes to our media, it is a beautiful thing being a Democrat and especially Harry Reid, who can pretty much get away with making any outrageous claim he likes. During the 2012 presidential election, the media never made Reid pay a political price for spreading the false rumor that for years Romney paid no taxes. In fact, with all kinds of phony tut-tutting, the media helped Reid spread that slander.

Now Reid is  claiming that there are no legitimate ObamaCare horror stories; "all" of them are fabricated by the dreaded Koch brothers. You can bet that the American media will not vet Reid's latest outrageous lie with anywhere near the ferocity they do cancer patients who dare speak out against ObamaCare.

Thanks to the fine Twitter work of Townhall's Guy Benson, on top of the 4 to 6 million who had their policies canceled by ObamaCare, we have endless examples of ObamaCare horror stories: Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here.

The main reason the media will downplay or dismiss what Reid said is because proving him a liar would mean reporting the pain ObamCare is putting millions of working class and middle class Americans through. That is something our media will never let happen.  

 

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC       

 
 
 
  Reported by Breitbart 32 minutes ago.

Battling Indefensible Cuts: Reduce Wasteful Defense Spending Instead of Troops and Benefits

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Earlier this week, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced an initiative by the Obama administration to significantly reduce military spending over five years.

Described as "draconian," Hagel's proposal is surely just the beginning of an acrimonious debate over how big our military should be in a 2020 world, how much our military should depend on technology, and whether our government wants to adopt a more isolationist foreign policy.

The proposed cuts represent the abandonment of a very costly "two-war" doctrine implemented under the Bush administration. It called for the U.S. to be able to simultaneously fight two major wars.

"For the first time in 13 years, we will be presenting a budget to the Congress of the United States that's not a war-footing budget," Hagel said on Monday.

One aspect of the policy is bound to create significant controversy. That's the call for cutting benefits to military personnel, which includes reducing copays and increasing deductibles for health insurance, and cutting subsidies that military families receive for housing and low-cost goods.

The average annual cost of pay and benefits for each active-duty member of the military has risen from about $54,000 a decade ago to $110,000.

"No realistic effort to find further significant savings can avoid dealing with military compensation," said Hagel. "That includes pay and benefits for active and retired troops, both direct and in-kind."

The plan was immediately attacked by a number of Republicans as unsound. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, home of major military bases, stated:
Reducing the size of the Army to its lowest levels in 70 years does not accurately reflect the current security environment in which the administration's own officials have noted the threats facing our country are more diffused than ever... I am concerned that we are on a path to repeat the mistakes we've made during past attempts to cash in on expected peace dividends that never materialized -- mistakes that caused our allies to question America's staying power and encouraged our enemies to test us.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said: "This is really over the top. It does enormous long-term damage to our military."

Tea Party favorite Allen West (absurdly) used Hagel's announcement to attack the president's legitimacy as the leader of the armed forces:
Barack Hussein Obama cannot be seen as a Commander-in-Chief, and I will never refer to him that way. His fundamental transformation of America means weakening our nation and leaving our Republic less secure. I can just imagine how appreciative and elated his Muslim Brotherhood friends are at this point, to include Turkey's President Erdogan, as well as the mad mullahs in Iran.
In reality, Hagel's spending plan is nothing more than an initial proposal that establishes the extreme parameters of cuts in overdue negotiations to reduce the defense budget.

The fact is that the U.S. may need to reduce its military spending to some degree. In 2012, the U.S. spent $682 million on defense. That was higher than the $652 billion spent by the next 10 countries combined, which includes China and Russia.

But cutting waste rather than troops may be more of the answer. Part of the upcoming debate should focus on wasteful spending.

A major priority should be reforming the procurement and development processes. Tens of billions can be saved.

But as civil wars and military coups plague the Middle East, the Russians try to recapture their lost influence, and the Chinese continue their military buildup in the Pacific Rim, our nation needs to spend heavily on our defense.

Given such a continuing need for a strong defense, balanced against a corresponding necessity to reduce federal spending and the deficit, a healthy debate is indeed in order about defense spending.

Steven Kurlander blogs at Kurly's Kommentary (stevenkurlander.com) and writes for Context Florida and The Huffington Post and can be found on Twitter @Kurlykomments. He lives in Monticello, N.Y.

**Published in Context Florida on February 26, 2014* Reported by Huffington Post 39 minutes ago.

Some pediatricians consider dropping vaccines due to cost

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By Kathryn Doyle

NEW YORK (Reuters Heath) - Ten percent of pediatricians say they have seriously considered no longer providing vaccines due to concerns about their cost, according to results from a 2011 survey.

That number is actually somewhat encouraging, said coauthor Megan Lindley, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

"This echoes findings from a survey that CDC did four years earlier in 2007," she said, and seeing that the 10 percent figure has not gone up is a good sign.

"You never want to see that figure at all, but seeing that it is not growing is encouraging," Lindley told Reuters Health.

If a pediatrician does decide to stop offering vaccines, parents will have to take their children elsewhere to get shots. Lindley stressed that the survey did not address whether doctors had actually discontinued the vaccines, only if they had considered it.

Newer vaccines like Gardasil for human papillomavirus (HPV) tend to cost doctors more up front than older vaccines. That's because bringing new vaccines to the market takes expensive clinical trials and researchers have already developed the "low hanging fruit" vaccines, Lindley said.

As of 2012, complete vaccinations through age 18 for one child cost about $2,500, the authors write. Vaccines are given during up to 35 separate appointments.

Private pediatric practices purchase these vaccines and are reimbursed in two ways, once for the vaccine itself and once for administration, by either private insurance or public insurance like Medicaid. The amount doctors pay to buy vaccines and the amount they are reimbursed can vary a great deal, the authors note.

They asked 190 pediatricians and 181 family doctors about their satisfaction with insurance reimbursements for buying and administering vaccines.

A quarter of doctors responded "don't know" to both questions and were not included in the results.

Among the rest, many were dissatisfied with insurance payments for buying and administering vaccines. They were equally dissatisfied with how public and private insurers reimbursed the cost of vaccines themselves, but were more dissatisfied with public insurers when it came to covering vaccine administration.

For public programs Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 21 percent and 18 percent of doctors, respectively, said they were very dissatisfied with payments for administration.

On average, Medicaid pays doctors $9.45 for vaccine administration, compared to $16.62 for private insurance companies. With private insurers, doctors can negotiate higher reimbursements.

Doctors who were most dissatisfied with insurance payments were often the same ones who had considered ending their vaccine programs.

"The good news is that for parents, many of the problems related to vaccine financing are being addressed by the Affordable Care Act, which requires first dollar coverage - meaning no copay - for all recommended vaccines for insured patients (in non-grandfathered health plans, which is most of them)," lead author Dr. Sean O'Leary told Reuters Health in an email.

"The issue is if their child's doctor doesn't carry a particular vaccine, it makes it that much harder to get their child fully vaccinated," O'Leary, from Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, said.

Parents with already busy schedules may end up having to make two trips, one for the checkup and some of the vaccines and another somewhere else to get the recommended vaccines their doctor didn't carry, he said. Some parents might not make that second trip, or might not have anywhere to go even if they wanted to, he said.

"The bacteria and viruses that cause vaccine-preventable diseases are still ‘out there' in our society," Dr. David T. Tayloe, Jr., founder of Goldsboro Pediatrics in North Carolina, told Reuters Health. "Therefore, unimmunized children will be at risk to contract vaccine preventable diseases."

If 10 percent of providers say they are considering no longer offering childhood vaccines, that is concerning, Dr. Walter A. Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta, told Reuters Health. Neither he nor Tayloe was involved in the new study.

"A real question is whether the responses given in the survey, when it was conducted in 2011 reflect the current views or whether those views are better or worse today than at the time of the survey," Orenstein said.

Because the Affordable Care Act called for an increase in Medicaid and CHIP vaccine reimbursement for at least 2013 and 2014, doctors might feel a bit better now than they did in 2011, he said.

Some states purchase vaccines from manufacturers, essentially providing them to doctors free of charge, but putting this system in place in more states would be "politically challenging," O'Leary said.

"Smaller scale fixes would be things like purchasing pools for smaller practices so that they can negotiate the best price for vaccines, and insurers working with practices and professional organizations to provide timely and fair reimbursement for vaccination," O'Leary said.

"Vaccination is incredibly valuable to our society - worth far more than the present costs - and it would be great if everyone, including insurers and policy makers, would start considering not just the cost of vaccines in their decision-making, but their value to society as well," he said.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1k4FhDR Pediatrics, online February 24, 2014.

Join the conversation about this story »

 
 
 
  Reported by Business Insider 15 minutes ago.

PetFirst Provides Poison Prevention Tips for Dog and Cat Owners

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March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month, an opportunity to brush up on protecting our pets from the hazards in our homes.

Jeffersonville, IN (PRWEB) February 27, 2014

The danger of poisons and toxins surround us every day, especially for our pets. What may be edible, even enjoyable to humans, can be toxic or even deadly to our dogs and cats. March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month, a great time to remind ourselves of the dangers in our homes, garages and yards. PetFirst has compiled 10 poison prevention tips to keep in mind for your pet including foods, medications, common household and garage chemicals and more.

1.    Foods of all sorts: there are numerous foods that present a hazard to our pets. These foods contain ingredients that become toxic if consumed by dogs and cats. Here are a few of the most common foods to keep away from your pets:·     Alcoholic beverages
·     Avocado
·     Chocolate
·     Coffee
·     Fatty foods
·     Macadamia nuts
·     Moldy or spoiled foods
·     Onions
·     Raisins and grapes
·     Salt
·     Yeast dough

2.    Human medications: Pain killers, cold medicines and diet pills and all medications need to be stored in a pet-free zone. Even the child-proof cap is no match for a dog who chews! Keeping all medications in closed cabinets out of your pet’s reach is highly recommended.

3.    Pet medications: Medications given to you by the vet for your pet are a danger if consumed inappropriately. Keep these medications stored in a closed cabinet and out your pet’s reach.

4.    Dog Rx for dogs; Cat Rx for cats: This mainly refers to the flea-control medications. If the medication is prescribed for your cat, give it to the cat. Specific medications made for cats may contain additives that will harm your dog. There are medications that can accommodate both cats and dogs. When in doubt, always check with your vet.

5.    Kitchen chemicals: Dish washer tablets, steel wool cleaning pads and degreasers for the kitchen are all hazards for your pet and can lead to significant intestinal issues if consumed. Consider using the baby-proof cabinet locks to keep nosey cats and dogs out of these storage areas under your sink.

6.    Car chemicals: Car chemicals such as anti-freeze produce a sweet smell that entices the most curious of pets, but it can be fatal to your dog or cat. First, consider the garage off limits for your pet, especially if they are unsupervised. Second, make it a habit that every time you finish a project in the garage, all chemicals are returned to their proper storage space that is out of your pet’s reach and that used chemicals are disposed of properly. This will protect your pet and the environment.

7.    Yard chemicals: Helping your grass be green and lustrous and adding fertilizer to the garden is normal. But when left in the open for curious noses and licks, these chemicals can be dangerous to your dog or cat. Again, when you finish yard chores or tending to the garden, put the chemicals away.

8.    Tamper proof garbage cans or storage containers: Making the investment in tamper proof garbage cans and storage containers is a penny well spent. The up-front cost may be overwhelming, but the end result will be protection for your pet and the avoidance of emergency vet visits. If you can’t afford the purchase all at one time, consider buying one a month to get you started.

9.    Flowers in the house and outside: Flowers inside and outside can be dangerous to our pets. A great example are Lilies which can be fatal for cats. Do your homework when selecting flowers to plant or for decoration in your home. A quick online search can tell you which ones are pet friendly and which ones are not.

10.    Laundry supplies: Dryer sheets, detergent and stain removers all are potential poisons for our pets. Keeping everything secure and out of reach is a safe bet to keeping your pet happy and healthy.

All of these examples could end in an emergency trip to the vet for treatment or evaluation. Another added layer of protection for your dog or cat is pet health insurance. By having pet health insurance, pet parents will be reimbursed up to 90% of their vet expenses should their dog or cat be injured in an accident or become ill. Pet insurance plans offer several options, allowing a plan to be customized to a pet parent’s budget as well as their pet’s physical needs. For more information or to receive a free quote on pet insurance, visit http://www.petfirst.com.

About PetFirst
PetFirst is the fastest growing pet insurer in North America offering easy-to-understand lifelong coverage for dogs and cats. PetFirst’s comprehensive coverage is unique in the industry providing simplified policies with coverage for hereditary, chronic and breed-specific conditions with no per diagnosis limits. PetFirst offers pet insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through animal welfare agencies, retailers, employers as well as other partners. PetFirst polices are underwritten by American Alternative Insurance Corporation (Munich Re) which is rated by A.M. Best as A+. Additional services are underwritten by Lloyd’s. For more information about PetFirst pet insurance, visit http://www.petfirst.com or call 877-894-7387.
-30- Reported by PRWeb 15 hours ago.

Tennessee State University hosts enrollment fair

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Tennessee State University is hosting a fair on Saturday to educate people about the new federal health care law and allow them to sign up for health insurance. Reported by ajc.com 15 hours ago.
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