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Now that you have a health plan, how do you get the most out of it?

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With more people gaining healthcare coverage because of the Affordable Care Act, experts fear problems due to a lack of understanding about health insurance. Here are some pitfalls to watch for. Reported by L.A. Times 19 hours ago.

Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on Individual Exchange Health Plans Being Cheaper Than Employer Plans

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Individual Premiums Found to be Comparable or Cheaper than Similar Group Plans

Park City, UT (PRWEB) April 06, 2014

Today, Zane Benefits, the #1 Online Health Benefits Solution, published new information on individual exchange health plans being cheaper than employer plans.

According to Zane Benefits’ website, the analysis by PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) finds that premiums for individual health plans offered on the ACA Health Insurance Exchanges are comparable to, and often times lower than, similar employer-based group health plans. Additionally, most Exchange shoppers have a wider variety of plans on the Exchanges than the typical employer-sponsored offering.

The analysis found that the median 2014 individual Exchange premium (for a plan with coverage similar to that of the average employer-sponsored plan) was $5,844 a year.

By comparison, the average employer premium for a single worker was $6,119 a year, a difference of 4%.

The cost difference varies depending on the type of coverage and carrier. For example, individual health plans offered in the Exchange are categorized by metallic tiers of coverage, with "Platinum" providing the highest level of coverage.

Click here to read the full article.

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About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits, the #1 Online Health Benefits Solution, was founded in 2006 to revolutionize the way employers provide employee health benefits in America. We empower employees to take control over their own healthcare, while helping employers recruit and retain the best talent. Our online solutions allow small and medium-sized businesses to successfully transition to a health benefits program that creates happier employees, reduces costs and frees up more time to serve their customers. For more information about ZaneHealth, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.

Repealing Obamacare 'a political loser' says White House adviser

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Dan Pfeiffer hails week in which 7 million enrol for insurance
Republican budget would cut $2.1tn in health subsidies
At the end of a week in which enrolments for health insurance under Obamacare passed 7 million, a key White House adviser on Sunday said Republican promises to repeal the president's signature reform were a political loser.

Dan Pfeiffer was appearing on CBS's Face the Nation to discuss a week in which Obama insisted that the law was working and Congressman Paul Ryan presented a Republican budget proposal containing the repeal of key provisions of the act.

Continue reading... Reported by guardian.co.uk 14 hours ago.

Democrats: White House won’t delay Obamacare employer mandate

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Democrats fought back Sunday against claims from a former Obama aide that the White House might delay Obamacare’s employer mandate. House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi called the mandate, which requires businesses with between 50 and 100 employees to provide health insurance for workers or face a penalty, “integral.” Reported by NY Daily News 13 hours ago.

Democrats say White House won’t delay Obamacare employer mandate again

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Democrats fought back Sunday against claims from a former Obama aide that the White House might delay Obamacare’s employer mandate. House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi called the mandate, which requires businesses with between 50 and 100 employees to provide health insurance for workers or face a penalty, “integral.” Reported by NY Daily News 14 hours ago.

Gay marriage laws raise health plan questions

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Can companies that fund their own health-insurance plans refuse to extend benefits to their employees' same-sex spouses? Reported by detnews.com 2 hours ago.

Health Justice CT Announces The Winners of The Health Justice CT

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Watch the Winners of the Challenge Videos on Supporting Healthcare Enrollment in Connecticut

Hartford, CT (PRWEB) April 07, 2014

Health Justice CT, an innovative movement designed to use social media as the foundation for raising awareness on racial and ethnic disparities in Connecticut and health reform, announced the winners of the Health Justice CT Challenge. This year’s challenge was designed to inform people of color, students, and low-income families about the importance of having healthcare coverage and the new options available to them through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The first, second and third place winners are awarded cash prizes totaling $10,000.

The winners of the Challenge include:

1st Place: Kara Brewer of East Granby, CT for “Illness Will Find You” video. This video encourages young adults of all races to explore the idea of signing up for health care insurance regardless the status of their income. To view the video, please visit: http://bit.ly/PruutV.

2nd Place: Brianna Moody, Wethersfiled, CT for “Change the Game with ACA!” video. This video shows that you are not alone when it comes to enrolling in healthcare. To view this video, please visit: http://bit.ly/1hnMuuT.

3rd Place: Bristol Community Organization, Bristol, CT for the “BCO Affordable Care Act” video. This video provides information on the act, where to sign up, and basic eligibility requirements. To view this video, please visit: http://bit.ly/PwHYnN.

“Every video had unique assets, and above all, we're proud of the creativity and strength exhibited within the difficult landscape of messaging the Affordable Care Act,” said Kyle Pfister of Ninjas for Health, a judge of the Health Justice CT Challenge.

“The Affordable Care Act is an important milestone towards recognizing the universal value of affordable health care in the lives of families across Connecticut and the country,” said Heang Tan, Project Director of Health Justice CT. "We wanted this year’s challenge to help support open enrollment for communities of color. The contestants of this contest did just that with their video messages and by sharing it with their friends and family-- and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome,” continued Tan.

Winners were selected by a panel of judges comprised of local and community health leaders who took into consideration, public voting, social media sharing and number of views on YouTube as part of the decision making process. Information about the panel can be found by visiting: http://www.healthjusticectchallenge.org/judges/.

As of midnight on Monday, March 31st, Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange enrolled 197,978 Connecticut residents.

About Health Justice CT:
Health Justice CT is an initiative designed to use social media as the foundation for creating a movement of Connecticut residents dedicated to working together to raise awareness about the issue of racial and ethnic disparities and health reform, find innovative solutions, and ultimately achieve health justice for everyone in Connecticut. The project is funded by the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) and is being managed by the foundation's grantee, the Society for New Communications Research (sncr.org). To join the conversation, find us on Facebook (facebook.com/healthjusticect) and Twitter (twitter.com/healthjusticect). Reported by PRWeb 1 minute ago.

Health Care Major US Election Issue

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President Barack Obama’s controversial health care law will be at the center of the political debate during this year’s U.S. congressional midterm election campaign.   Despite early problems with implementation of the law, the White House recently announced more than seven million people have signed up for health insurance and that has some Democrats breathing a bit easier about their re-election hopes in November. At a recent Obamacare sign-up event in Los Angeles, volunteer... Reported by VOA News 11 hours ago.

Survey: Minor Increase in Number Covered by Health Insurance

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A growing share of Americans got health insurance as sign-up season for President Barack Obama's healthcare law came to a close last month, a major survey released Monday has found. Reported by Newsmax 11 hours ago.

Here's How Much Health Plan Premiums Spiked Over The Last Four Years Of Obamacare's Rollout

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Earlier Today I reported that health insurance premiums are showing the sharpest increases perhaps ever according to a survey of brokers who sell coverage in the individual and small group market. Morgan Stanley’s healthcare analysts conducted the proprietary survey of 148 brokers. The April survey shows the largest acceleration in small [...] Reported by Forbes.com 10 hours ago.

New Koch Brothers-Backed Group To Begin Airing Ads In Key Senate Races

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A political nonprofit associated with conservative funders Charles and David Koch will begin airing TV ads in Colorado and Iowa, according to television station documents posted Monday.

The ad buy represents a new direction for the Arlington, Va.-based Freedom Partners. The group has played a key role in channeling more than $200 million to conservative advocacy groups like the Center to Protect Patient Rights and Americans for Prosperity.

The Daily Caller reported that the ad buy is $1.1 million split between the two states, and will run for three weeks statewide beginning Tuesday.

One spot hitting Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) attacks the senator for his support for the Affordable Care Act. Udall faces a challenge from Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) in a state crucial to Democrats maintaining their Senate majority.

"The Koch brothers are pouring millions into our state because they know Congressman Cory Gardner will fight for their interests, not Coloradans," Udall spokesman Chris Harris said in an email to The Huffington Post. "Mark Udall has a long record fighting to protect Colorado’s special way of life and working for real change without compromising his principles or our Colorado values."

Freedom Partners will also air an ad in Iowa going negative on Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), who is running to succeed Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). The ad argues that Braley supported the Affordable Care Act because he is beholden to health insurance companies.

“The Koch brothers and their oil billionaire allies are once again attacking Bruce Braley with misleading ads because just like Bruce’s GOP opponents they support policies that would hurt Iowa’s economy, like blocking an increase in the minimum wage, undermining Medicare and Social Security, and sending us back to the days when insurance companies could kick people off their insurance when they got sick," Braley spokesman Jeff Giertz said in an emailed statement.

Paul Blumenthal contributed reporting. Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.

Survey confirms gains in health insurance sign-ups

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A growing share of Americans got health insurance as sign-up season for President Barack Obama's health care law came to a close last month, a major survey released Monday has found. Reported by Seattle Times 10 hours ago.

Employee Assistance Programs Procurement Category Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld

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As employee wages and overhead costs have risen, EAP suppliers have increased prices to maintain their profit margins. For these reasons and to help procurement professionals make better buying decisions faster, business intelligence firm IBISWorld has added a report on the procurement of Employee Assistance Programs to its growing collection of procurement category market research reports.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 07, 2014

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) have a buyer power score of 3.5 out of 5. Buyer negotiating power is limited by the low availability of substitute services. “As EAPs become more popular and widespread, suppliers will be able to charge higher prices,” says IBISWorld procurement analyst Aileen Weiss. “Nonetheless, low market share concentration provides buyers with some leeway to shop around and compare prices between suppliers.”

Over the past three years, employee assistance programs have increased in popularity. Particularly during the recession, many employees sought mental health services as they and their families fell on hard times. “To address the mental and emotional well-being of their employees, businesses purchased EAPs because they proved to be a positive investment for both the employees and the workplace,” adds Weiss. “Therefore, prices for services increased as demand for the programs grew.”

In the next three years, support for EAPs will continue as the need for mental health services is brought further to the forefront and those that seek such services are accepted. Though the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employers to provide wellness programs like EAPs to employees, EAPs make up a very small percentage of the total health benefits a company pays per employee. As a result, buyers may be more likely to purchase such services, knowing that they will not present a huge financial burden. Finally, as the number of businesses and people with health insurance grows, suppliers will be more likely to increase prices.

Even as demand for EAPs rises, buyers will maintain some negotiating power as the number of EAPs grows and market share concentration remains low, providing buyers options. Some of the larger firms include ComPsych Corporation, Ceridian Corporation and ESI. Additionally, the importance of EAPs continues to be brought to light, as evident during the October 2013 government shutdown, when federal-led EAPs remained available to ensure that users could access such services.

Before making a purchase, buyers should ensure that they reduce the stigma of seeking help in the workplace to make sure that employees use these programs and to make certain that money is well spent in the programs. To lock in lower prices, buyers should seek to enter long-term contracts to avoid future price spikes. For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Employee Assistance Programs procurement category market research report page.

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

IBISWorld Procurement Report Key Topics

This report is intended to assist buyers of employee assistance programs (EAPs). EAPs help employees and their family members handle personal problems that may adversely impact their work performance, health and well-being. Such programs center on substance abuse, workplace issues, mental health, personal problems and traumatic events. EAPs generally include short-term counseling and referral services for employees and their household members. These programs are also called member assistance programs (MAPs) or employee and family assistance programs (EFAPs).

Executive Summary
Pricing Environment
Price Fundamentals
Benchmark Price
Pricing Model
Price Drivers
Recent Price Trend
Price Forecast
Product Characteristics
Product Life Cycle
Total Cost of Ownership
Product Specialization
Substitute Goods
Regulation
Quality Control
Supply Chain & Vendors
Supply Chain Dynamics
Supply Chain Risk
Imports
Competitive Environment
Market Share Concentration
Market Profitability
Switching Costs
Purchasing Process
Buying Basics
Buying Lead Time
Selection Process
Key RFP Elements
Negotiation Questions
Buyer Power Factors
Key Statistics

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About IBISWorld Inc.

IBISWorld is one of the world's leading publishers of business intelligence, specializing in Industry research and Procurement research. Since 1971, IBISWorld has provided thoroughly researched, accurate and current business information. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, IBISWorld’s procurement research reports equip clients with the insight necessary to make better purchasing decisions, faster. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld Procurement 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 10 hours ago.

HUFFPOLLSTER: Uninsured Rate Hits 6-Year Low

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Gallup finds evidence that Obamacare is working. Three political scientists test knowledge of Ukraine using an interactive map. And most Americans think money corrupts politics, with or without contribution limits. This is HuffPollster for Monday, April 7, 2014.

*GALLUP FINDS LOWEST UNINSURED RATE SINCE 2008* - Jenna Levy: " In the U.S., the uninsured rate dipped to 15.6% in the first quarter of 2014, a 1.5-percentage-point decline from the fourth quarter of 2013. The uninsured rate is now at the lowest level recorded since late 2008. The uninsured rate has been falling since the fourth quarter of 2013, after hitting an all-time high of 18.0% in the third quarter -- *a sign that the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as 'Obamacare,' appears to be accomplishing its goal of increasing the percentage of Americans with health insurance coverage*. Even within this year's first quarter, the uninsured rate fell consistently, from 16.2% in January to 15.6% in February to 15.0% in March. And within March, the rate dropped more than a point, from 15.8% in the first half of the month to 14.7% in the second half -- indicating that enrollment through the healthcare exchanges increased as the March 31 deadline approached." [Gallup]

*A 'more modest impact'?* - Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar: "Gallup's numbers suggest a more modest impact on coverage than statistics cited by the Obama administration. The administration says 7.1 million have signed up for subsidized private plans through new insurance markets, while 3 million previously uninsured people gained coverage through the law's Medicaid expansion. Millions more remain potentially eligible for marketplace coverage under various extensions the administration has issued. However, *those numbers are not comparable with Gallup's.* The White House figure of 7.1 million insurance exchange sign-ups includes insured people who switched their previous coverage, as well as people who have not paid their first month's premium, and who would therefore still be uninsured. Also, Gallup is counting just adults, while the administration figures include children as well." [AP]

-Kaiser Family Foundation Senior *VP Larry Levitt*: "Still don't know exactly how many, but increasingly clear a bunch of uninsured folks are signing up for Obamacare." [@larry_levitt]

*PEOPLE LEAST CLEAR ON UKRAINE'S LOCATION MOST LIKELY TO SUPPORT MILITARY ACTION* - Kyle Dropp, Joshua D. Kertzer and Thomas Zeitzoff: "Since Russian troops first entered the Crimean peninsula in early March, a series of media polling outlets have asked Americans how they want the U.S. to respond to the ongoing situation. Although two-thirds of Americans have reported following the situation at least “somewhat closely,” most Americans actually know very little about events on the ground — or even where the ground is….*Survey respondents identified Ukraine by clicking on a high-resolution world map*….About one in six (16 percent) Americans correctly located Ukraine, clicking somewhere within its borders. Most thought that Ukraine was located somewhere in Europe or Asia, but the median respondent was about 1,800 miles off….[T]he further our respondents thought that Ukraine was from its actual location, the more they wanted the U.S. to intervene militarily. Even controlling for a series of demographic characteristics and participants’ general foreign policy attitudes, we found that the less accurate our participants were, the more they wanted the U.S. to use force, the greater the threat they saw Russia as posing to U.S. interests, and the more they thought that using force would advance U.S. national security interests; all of these effects are statistically significant at a 95 percent confidence level." [WashPost]

*MOST SUPPORT CAMPAIGN FINANCE LIMITS* - Emily Swanson: "Most Americans support campaign finance laws limiting both donations to individual candidates and the total amount one person can donate to candidates, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted after the Supreme Court struck down limits on total donations last week. *By a 54 percent to 32 percent margin, most Americans in the new poll said they support limits on the total amount any individual can donate* to federal political campaigns and political parties….Despite their support for donation limits, Americans don't necessarily think they help prevent corruption, the poll shows. About a third of respondents said each type of limit decreases corruption in politics, while a quarter said the limits have no effect on corruption and another quarter said they increase corruption." [HuffPost]

*FEW THINK CONGRESS IS UNDERPAID* - Swanson: "Americans do not think Congress is underpaid, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted after outgoing member of Congress Jim Moran (D-Va.) asked Americans to take pity on their struggling representatives, whom he said can't afford to 'live decently' on their current salaries….In fact, 69 percent of Americans think members of Congress are paid too much, according to the new poll. Sixteen percent think they are paid about the right amount, and only 3 percent agreed with Moran that members of Congress are paid too little." [HuffPost]

*HUFFPOLLSTER VIA EMAIL!* - You can receive this daily update every weekday via email! Just click here, enter your email address, and and click "sign up." That's all there is to it (and you can unsubscribe anytime).

*MONDAY'S 'OUTLIERS'* - Links to the best of news at the intersection of polling, politics and political data:

-An automated poll finds the Arkansas governors' race close. [Talk Business/Hendrix College]

-Chris Cillizza looks at the polling on Democrats' enthusiasm gap. [WashPost]

-Nathan Gonzales examines Republicans' struggle to elect women to Congress. [Rothenberg]

-Harry Enten identifies Thad Cochran as the Republican senator most vulnerable to a primary challenge in 2014. [538]

-Frank Newport thinks March yielded several interesting public opinion developments. [Gallup]

-Byron York profiles Rob Maness, another GOP Senate candidate running in Louisiana's general primary. [Washington Examiner]

-Micah Cohen (R) sees good news for Republicans in the preferences of independents in recent national polls. [POS]

-A video report on the GOP's effort to match the Democrat's digital edge. [Bloomberg]

-Anna Greenberg (D) named Pollster of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC). [GQRR]

-Ezra Klein writes a deep-dive into motivated reasoning, or how "politics makes us stupid." [Vox]

-Sarah Kliff profiles Obamcare enrollment data tracker Charles Gaba. [Vox]

-Brian Keegan calls for more openness in data journalism. [BrianCKeegan.com]

-Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis list nine problems with "Big Data." [NYTimes]

-People who smile are perceived as smarter than people who don't. [Wonkblog]

-Most people think modern music is terrible. [Vanity Fair] Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.

Virginia General Assembly: State health official says Medicaid reform targets hit | With Video

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RICHMOND — The state's top health official says Virginia's Medicaid agency has hit all the reform goals set by the General Assembly as preconditions to expand health insurance coverage for low-income Virginians. Reported by dailypress.com 7 hours ago.

Business Highlights

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NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft will end support for the persistently popular Windows XP on Tuesday, and the move could put everything from the operations of heavy industry to the identities of everyday people in danger. DALLAS (AP) — A big drop in customer complaints helped U.S. airlines post their best ratings ever even though more flights were late and more bags were mishandled, according to a report released Monday by university researchers. The researchers have graded airlines since 1991 on government figures for on-time performance, mishandled bags, bumping passengers, and complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation. [...] this decline was offset by an $18.9 billion increase in borrowing in the category that covers autos and student loans, the biggest one-month gain since February 2013. NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices fell below $101 a barrel Monday following reports that four Libyan oil terminals under militia control could soon open and possibly boost global supplies. The official Libyan news agency said the country's main militia in the east agreed to hand back control of four oil terminals it captured and shut down last summer to demand a share in oil revenues. WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing share of Americans got health insurance as sign-up season for President Barack Obama's health care law neared its end last month, a major survey released Monday has found. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index provides independent validation for White House claims that the law is expanding access, particularly for working people with no health coverage on the job. WASHINGTON (AP) — At the prodding of business organizations, House Republicans quietly secured a recent change in President Barack Obama's health law to expand coverage choices, a striking, one-of-a-kind departure from dozens of high-decibel attempts to repeal or dismember it. Democrats describe the change involving small-business coverage options as a straightforward improvement of the type they are eager to make, and Obama signed it into law. WASHINGTON (AP) — Sidestepping Congress, President Barack Obama is using the federal government's vast array of contractors to impose rules on wages, pay disparities and hiring on a segment of the private sector that gets taxpayer money and falls under his control. GENEVA (AP) — Two of the world's largest suppliers of building materials announced plans for a"merger of equals" Monday that would create an industry giant with a combined 32 billion euros ($44 billion) in annual revenues. Brent crude, used to set prices for international varieties of oil, dropped 90 cents to $105.82 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London. Reported by SeattlePI.com 8 hours ago.

Obamacare 'accomplishing goal,' poll says

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The percentage of Americans without health insurance dipped to its lowest in nearly six years due in part to U.S. President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, commonly known as Obamacare, according to a Gallup poll released on Monday. Reported by ChicagoTribune 8 hours ago.

SEPTA waiting on union to accept ‘final offer’

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SEPTA waiting on union to accept ‘final offer’ SEPTA officials have put their final offer on the table. Now, it's the union's turn. As of Monday evening, Transport Workers Union Local 234 have yet to further negotiate its contract with SEPTA or accept the offer, which SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams said was "sweetened." The offer now is for two years, with a wage hike of 2 percent in the first year and in the second year, a 3 percent increase. Workers would furthermore have to contribute an addition 1 percent on health insurance benefits, Williams said. [related tag = SEPTA] The union had previously proposed a 5 percent per year wage increase with no addition contributions to insurance costs. Off the table now is SEPTA's proposal to change the workers' pension plan that would have required all new hires to be "released from the defined benefits plan," said Williams, and be placed into an employee-funded separate plan. So far, SEPTA hasn't heard from the union. "We basically have offered most of what the union had requested," Williams said. "And so, we are labeling this as our final offer. We are waiting to hear back from the union — waiting, willing, able and ready to continue negotiating." On Sunday, Willie Brown, Local 234's president, had publicly stated the union would not strike once midnight Monday hit. But SEPTA said they have not heard directly. "When we'll hear from them, we don't know," Williams said.

The post SEPTA waiting on union to accept ‘final offer’ appeared first on Metro.us. Reported by metronews 7 hours ago.

Obamacare ‘accomplishing goal’: Gallup poll

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Obamacare ‘accomplishing goal’: Gallup poll [caption id="attachment_401649" align="alignnone" width="614"]
Julian Gomez (R) explains Obamacare to people at a health insurance enrolment event in Commerce, California on March 31, 2014. Credit: Reuters[/caption] The percentage of Americans without health insurance dipped to its lowest in nearly six years due in part to U.S. President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, commonly known as Obamacare, according to a Gallup poll released on Monday. Some 15.6 percent of Americans lacked health insurance in the first three months of 2014, down from a high of 18 percent in late 2013, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey. [related tag="obamacare" limit=5] "'Obamacare' appears to be accomplishing its goal of increasing the percentage of Americans with health insurance coverage," the report said. Black and low-income Americans saw some of the most pronounced drops in the uninsured rate, with declines of more than 3 percentage points. Hispanics remained the group most likely not to be insured, with more than one in three individuals lacking coverage, though the level dropped nearly 2 points in the first quarter, according to the poll of 43,500 adult Americans between January and March. It has a margin of error of 1 percentage point. The percentage of Americans without health insurance has generally trended upward over the past six years. Gallup began tracking insurance coverage in 2008, starting at a low of 14.5 percent and increasing every subsequent year except for 2012. Obamacare's individual mandate, which requires most Americans to obtain coverage or face a fine, went into effect in January and the law's first enrollment period ended March 31. The government granted a deadline extension into April for those who faced technical difficulties while signing up. The White House last week reported a total of 7.1 million private insurance enrollments through the Affordable Care Act's health insurance exchanges, exceeding most expectations, despite a troubled rollout in October 2013. An additional 3 million signed up for Medicaid, government-provided health insurance for low-income people, the administration said Friday, bringing the total number of sign-ups to over 10 million. Republicans have consistently campaigned against the law, making at least 50 attempts to repeal it since it was signed in 2010. Opposition to Obamacare also figures prominently in many 2014 midterm Congressional campaigns. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has not yet released its April enrollment report, Gallup researchers said, but the survey's findings matched the government's last figures.  

The post Obamacare ‘accomplishing goal’: Gallup poll appeared first on Metro.us. Reported by metronews 6 hours ago.

Obamacare: First Fruits for Workers?

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The analysts and reporters who plowed through the March jobs report came back with a mixed assessment of the economy. The 192,000 pace of job growth for the month was better than the prior two months when weather slowed growth, but the 178,000 three month average is certainly nothing to be happy about. At this pace the economy will not return to anything resembling full employment until 2020.

However, there was some evidence in this report, along with prior months' reports, that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may be providing security to workers they did not previously have. By allowing people to get health insurance through the exchanges, workers no longer feel tied to their jobs. Due to the ACA, workers who have jobs they dislike can quit and look for a better job without worrying about losing insurance coverage.

The March jobs report provided some evidence that we are beginning to see the sort of labor market shifts from the ACA that would be expected. First, voluntary part-time employment in March increased by 230,000 to 18.9 million.

The key word here is "voluntary." Opponents of the ACA have made a big point of claiming the employer sanctions in the law, which require that larger firms either provide insurance or pay a fine for every worker employed for more than 30 hours a week, will create a "part-time nation," as firms cut workers' hours to less 30 to avoid the penalty.

It seems unlikely that such hour-cutting by employers will occur on a large scale, but that is clearly not what is happening here. First, the sanctions won't even go into effect until 2015, so there is no reason that employers would be reducing hours now because of the ACA. More importantly, the measure of voluntary part-time employment is telling us how many people have decided that they want to work fewer than 35 hours a week.

It is reasonable to think the number of people opting for part-time employment would increase under the ACA because many people were previously forced to work full-time in order to get health insurance through their job. Since the ACA allows people to get health insurance through the exchanges, many people will decide to work fewer hours. This is especially likely for parents of young children or workers with family members in poor health.

It is important not to make too much of the March number. The monthly numbers are always erratic, and most of the March gain was just reversing a decline reported for February. Still, this was the highest level of voluntary part-time employment since before the collapse of Lehman.

The other development in the labor market that may be attributable to the ACA was a decline in the number of older workers in the labor force. The ACA could be a factor here, since many older workers, especially those with health conditions, were working to get health insurance. Now that these workers will be able to get insurance through the exchanges, they will be able retire early.

This recovery had been unusual in the extent to which older workers accounted for the vast majority of the employment growth. Older workers were staying in the labor force longer than they had previously and were relatively successful in finding or keeping jobs.

Recent months have a shown a break in this pattern. Employment of people over age 55 fell by 133,000 in March. Since August, employment of older workers has risen by just 125,000. By contrast, it had risen by an average of 1,150,000 annually over the prior four years, accounting for almost all of employment growth over this period.

Workers in the 25-34 age group seem to be filling the gap, with an increase in employment of more than 680,000 (2.2 percent) over the last seven months. Again, these data are erratic, so the numbers must be viewed with caution.

While many people might view the fact that workers can put in fewer hours to spend more time with their kids as a good thing, there are some people who will complain that they don't want to subsidize health insurance for others. And many workers will get modest subsidies.

There are two points worth noting. The cost of these subsidies is already incorporated in the budget. Much of it is covered by higher taxes on the wealthy, but there are some taxes and fees which fall on middle income taxpayers. Even including any additional costs associated with the ACA, health care costs have slowed sharply over the last five years. In 2008, per person costs were projected to be more than 10 percent higher today than is actually the case, meaning that almost everyone is paying less for health care than had been projected.

The other point is that if people are upset about the government giving health care money to people who don't deserve it, they are looking in the wrong direction when they look to the folks getting subsidies in the exchanges. The typical doctor in this country gets close to $250,000 a year, more than twice as much as doctors in other wealthy countries.

They get these inflated paychecks because the government deliberately limits the supply of foreign and domestic doctors. We also pay twice as much for our drugs and medical equipment due to government policy.

If people don't want money coming out of their pockets to pay to others, they should be looking at the doctors, the drug companies, the medical supply industry, and of course the insurance industry. They are the big beneficiaries. Complaints about the people getting subsidies in the exchanges are simply a way of expressing a dislike for "those people." It is not a serious policy issue. Reported by Huffington Post 7 hours ago.
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