Reported by TIME 1 hour ago.
Survey: Number of Americans Without Health Insurance Falls
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Big Health Insurance: Obamacare's Worst Bad Guys
Big Health Insurance: Obamacare's Worst Bad Guys
Reported by ajc.com 1 hour ago.
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Americans' Gain Little Ground in Bringing Home the Bacon
Filed under: Labor, Economic Indicators, Job Market, This Built America*Tamir Kalifa/AP*
By Jason Lange, Susan Heavey and Caroline Humer
WASHINGTON -- Median U.S. household income remained nearly flat at $51,939 in 2013 compared to the previous year, according to federal government data released Tuesday that offered a key indicator of the country's economic well-being.
Median household income rose just $180 from 2012, a statistically insignificant change, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's annual estimates on income, poverty and health insurance coverage.
The nation's poverty rate was slightly lower at 14.5 percent last year compared to 15 percent in 2012, the Census Bureau said.
The annual findings offer an indication of how people are faring economically in the United States, which is still recovering from the 2007-2009 Great Recession. They were released less than two months before congressional elections that could tip the balance of power in Congress.
"Annual increases in median household income were last experienced in 2007 for family households and in 2009 for non-family households," Census researchers wrote in their report.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Reported by DailyFinance 1 hour ago.
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Integra ServiceConnect® Improves Healthcare Access, Quality and Costs for Underserved Populations
OWINGS MILLS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Despite the availability of health insurance, millions of Americans fail every year to access critical healthcare services because of socioeconomic, behavioral and environmental barriers – costing the system billions of dollars with little to show for that investment. Integra ServiceConnect® addresses this issue by providing health plans with community-based programs designed to connect underserved members with the services they need. Integra is working with
Reported by Business Wire 41 minutes ago.
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Florida the third-worst state for health insurance coverage
The needle barely moved for health insurance coverage in Florida last year as the state remained the third worst for the rate of uninsured residents. According to U.S. Census Bureau data released on Tuesday, Florida had 3.85 million uninsured residents in 2013, up from 3.82 million in 2012. Because of the state’s population growth, the rate of uninsured residents declined to 20 percent, from 20.1 percent. Only Texas and Nevada had a higher rate of uninsured residents. The Affordable Care Act’s…
Reported by bizjournals 15 minutes ago.
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Obama Takes Center Stage In Kentucky's Senate Race
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — President Barack Obama is playing a starring role in Kentucky's fierce Senate race, with new ads putting him at the center of the contest for Republican Mitch McConnell's seat despite Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes' explicit effort to distance herself from the unpopular president.
"I'm not Barack Obama," Grimes says in an ad that began airing Monday, in which she pauses her skeet shooting to talk to the camera. "I disagree with him on guns, coal and the EPA."
It was an attempt to flip the script on the fiercely fought race against McConnell, who's relentlessly tried to link Grimes to Obama. Fewer than 24 hours after Grimes' ad aired, McConnell responded in an effort to restore his national narrative. His ad argued that by serving as a delegate for Obama at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Grimes supports the president's platform of national health insurance, emission restrictions on coal-fired power plants and a ban on assault weapons.
"You know who also did a publicity stunt firing a gun? Barack Obama," the narrator says before juxtaposing the footage of Grimes shooting skeet in her ad with a photo of Obama shooting skeet at Camp David last year.
The exchange comes as most public polls show the five-term McConnell with a consistent but narrow lead seven weeks before Election Day. Should Republicans gain the six seats required to control the Senate, McConnell would probably become the majority leader. His election-season strength is a reversal from earlier this year, when most polls showed Grimes leading a close race.
A recent CNN/ORC poll showed McConnell with a slight edge over Grimes of 4 percentage points. An NBC/Marist poll showed McConnell with an eight-point lead. That same polled showed 62 percent of Kentucky registered voters disapprove of Obama as president, up from 56 percent in May.
University of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss suggested that both ads this week represent a war between candidates trying to define each other.
"Here's what we know about voters," he said. "They use party like a brand name to assume what a candidate stands for, unless the candidate can find some way to break through and convince them otherwise." Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.
"I'm not Barack Obama," Grimes says in an ad that began airing Monday, in which she pauses her skeet shooting to talk to the camera. "I disagree with him on guns, coal and the EPA."
It was an attempt to flip the script on the fiercely fought race against McConnell, who's relentlessly tried to link Grimes to Obama. Fewer than 24 hours after Grimes' ad aired, McConnell responded in an effort to restore his national narrative. His ad argued that by serving as a delegate for Obama at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Grimes supports the president's platform of national health insurance, emission restrictions on coal-fired power plants and a ban on assault weapons.
"You know who also did a publicity stunt firing a gun? Barack Obama," the narrator says before juxtaposing the footage of Grimes shooting skeet in her ad with a photo of Obama shooting skeet at Camp David last year.
The exchange comes as most public polls show the five-term McConnell with a consistent but narrow lead seven weeks before Election Day. Should Republicans gain the six seats required to control the Senate, McConnell would probably become the majority leader. His election-season strength is a reversal from earlier this year, when most polls showed Grimes leading a close race.
A recent CNN/ORC poll showed McConnell with a slight edge over Grimes of 4 percentage points. An NBC/Marist poll showed McConnell with an eight-point lead. That same polled showed 62 percent of Kentucky registered voters disapprove of Obama as president, up from 56 percent in May.
University of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss suggested that both ads this week represent a war between candidates trying to define each other.
"Here's what we know about voters," he said. "They use party like a brand name to assume what a candidate stands for, unless the candidate can find some way to break through and convince them otherwise." Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.
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New York City agencies to provide healthcare, legal services to unaccompanied child migrants
[caption id="attachment_453368" align="alignnone" width="614"]Child migrants in New York City can not access social and health services at immigration court.[/caption] Child migrants who have recently arrived in New York City and are going through deportation hearings will now have access to services from multiple agencies, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Nisha Agarwal said Tuesday. According to the mayor's office, some 1,350 unaccompanied children have been placed with their families or sponsors in the city between January and July of this year. The services, which will be provided at New York City Immigration Court, will help the children enroll in school, state-funded health insurance through Child Health Plus and medical and mental health treatment. Legal services will be made available as well, and this is the first time direct services have been made available at the court, according to the mayor's office. “These children have come here because they have families or sponsors in New York City, and it is our responsibility to assist them. States and municipalities must do all they can to help their immigrant communities—and we hope New York City’s response helps model a more humanitarian approach at these dockets to provide these children with stability and safety,” de Blasio said. [related tag="immigration" limit=3]
The post New York City agencies to provide healthcare, legal services to unaccompanied child migrants appeared first on Metro.us. Reported by metronews 20 hours ago.
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Md. reaching out for health care re-enrollment
State officials plan to contact tens of thousands of Maryland residents who need to re-enroll in health insurance plans under the federal health care law as the state transitions to a revamped system, replacing its flawed website for the next open enrollment period that starts in November.
Reported by Miami Herald 20 hours ago.
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Do Health Care Costs Fuel Economic Inequality in the United States?
The growing debate over economic inequality in the developed world, highlighted by Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century, raises an interesting question that is particularly pertinent to the United States. Have escalating health care costs contributed to the huge economic gap between America's rich and the rest? The evidence, it turns out, is suggestive, but not definitive.
From the perspective of the more than 150 million Americans who receive health insurance through their employers, health care costs may, in fact, be widening inequality. Economists generally agree that employers for the most part treat workers' compensation in all forms -- wages and benefits -- as a single expense. When health insurance premiums go up, employers may reduce take-home pay to keep overall compensation in check.
Because health costs have grown so quickly over the past several decades, an increasing share of workers' total compensation has gone toward health insurance premiums. These higher premiums partly explain why middle-class wages have stagnated, lagging productivity gains. Rising health care spending -- both on premiums and out-of-pocket costs -- totally erased wage gains for a typical family from 1999 to 2009.
To illustrate, one can compare health insurance premiums relative to income for U.S. families in the bottom 40 percent of the nation's income distribution versus the top five percent. From 1988 to 2012, the average employer-sponsored insurance premium rose from $3,660 to $15,745. For families in the lower-income bracket, that represents an increase from 13 percent to 60 percent of average annual income. For those in the upper-income bracket, premium increases amounted only to a rise from 1.4 percent to 4.5 percent of income -- a much smaller drain on workers' take-home pay.
Still, there are important nuances. The insurance coverage provided through employer-sponsored plans may have disproportionate value for lower-income workers. If they use more health care than their better-paid coworkers, they may gain more economic benefit from their health insurance. This could be the case for the many lower-income Americans in poor health.
However, rising deductibles and co-payments have reduced the value of health insurance over time, and these out-of-pocket costs weigh more heavily on low-income workers. Also, the added benefits may not be worth the disproportionate economic burden imposed on lower-income employees. The Institute of Medicine estimates that about 30 percent of health care expenditures are wasteful. For lower-income workers, wasting 30 percent of what they pay for health care is a far greater burden than it is for higher-income employees. In other words, if the health care system were more efficient and less costly, lower-income workers might gain considerably more -- as a proportion of total compensation -- than higher-income workers.
Other evidence of the inequality-increasing effects of high health care costs emerges in a 2011 blog post by The Commonwealth Fund's Sara Collins. According to a then-new Census Bureau measure, the national poverty rate increased by 3.3 percentage points, or by about 10 million people, when family incomes were adjusted for out-of-pocket medical costs. In other words, health care costs may be directly increasing the number of Americans living in poverty. This is consistent with the observation that health care-related expenses contribute to more than half of personal bankruptcies in the United States. Most of these medical debtors worked in middle-class occupations and had health insurance.
The story, however, does not end here. As health care costs rise, the amount of money effectively transferred to low-income Americans through public health care programs like Medicaid and Medicare increases as well, reducing social inequality. Two-thirds of Medicare funds and 83 percent of Medicaid funds are spent on care for the poorest 40 percent of the population.
The many reforms included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also reduce inequality, largely by expanding Medicaid and subsidizing low- and moderate-income Americans' purchase of health insurance in the marketplaces. Furthermore, the marketplace subsidies address the historical inequity between workers offered insurance through their employer (thereby benefiting from the generous tax exemption for such plans), and those forced to shop for coverage on their own. Low- and moderate-income workers are far more likely to fall into the latter group, and so were disadvantaged -- economically and medically -- prior to the ACA.
To complicate matters even further, the impact of health spending on inequality is felt on two ends -- who pays, and who gets paid. The lion's share of health care expenses translates into health care workers' income. A full accounting would need to compare the distribution of health care workers' earnings to that of the rest of the population. And while physicians are listed as one of the most common professions among those in the top 1 percent of income, nursing and other clinical roles generally offer some of the most reliable middle-class wages in America today.
There is much more that could be said about this topic. A definitive answer would probably require an analytic exercise worthy of Piketty's 700-page treatise. But even this brief consideration of the relationship between health spending growth and widening inequality leads to one under-appreciated conclusion: In America today, all macroeconomists are to some degree health economists, and vice versa. And understanding the relationship between these seemingly inexorable trends would likely prove fruitful for economists of both stripes.
Written with David Squires. Reported by Huffington Post 19 hours ago.
From the perspective of the more than 150 million Americans who receive health insurance through their employers, health care costs may, in fact, be widening inequality. Economists generally agree that employers for the most part treat workers' compensation in all forms -- wages and benefits -- as a single expense. When health insurance premiums go up, employers may reduce take-home pay to keep overall compensation in check.
Because health costs have grown so quickly over the past several decades, an increasing share of workers' total compensation has gone toward health insurance premiums. These higher premiums partly explain why middle-class wages have stagnated, lagging productivity gains. Rising health care spending -- both on premiums and out-of-pocket costs -- totally erased wage gains for a typical family from 1999 to 2009.
To illustrate, one can compare health insurance premiums relative to income for U.S. families in the bottom 40 percent of the nation's income distribution versus the top five percent. From 1988 to 2012, the average employer-sponsored insurance premium rose from $3,660 to $15,745. For families in the lower-income bracket, that represents an increase from 13 percent to 60 percent of average annual income. For those in the upper-income bracket, premium increases amounted only to a rise from 1.4 percent to 4.5 percent of income -- a much smaller drain on workers' take-home pay.
Still, there are important nuances. The insurance coverage provided through employer-sponsored plans may have disproportionate value for lower-income workers. If they use more health care than their better-paid coworkers, they may gain more economic benefit from their health insurance. This could be the case for the many lower-income Americans in poor health.
However, rising deductibles and co-payments have reduced the value of health insurance over time, and these out-of-pocket costs weigh more heavily on low-income workers. Also, the added benefits may not be worth the disproportionate economic burden imposed on lower-income employees. The Institute of Medicine estimates that about 30 percent of health care expenditures are wasteful. For lower-income workers, wasting 30 percent of what they pay for health care is a far greater burden than it is for higher-income employees. In other words, if the health care system were more efficient and less costly, lower-income workers might gain considerably more -- as a proportion of total compensation -- than higher-income workers.
Other evidence of the inequality-increasing effects of high health care costs emerges in a 2011 blog post by The Commonwealth Fund's Sara Collins. According to a then-new Census Bureau measure, the national poverty rate increased by 3.3 percentage points, or by about 10 million people, when family incomes were adjusted for out-of-pocket medical costs. In other words, health care costs may be directly increasing the number of Americans living in poverty. This is consistent with the observation that health care-related expenses contribute to more than half of personal bankruptcies in the United States. Most of these medical debtors worked in middle-class occupations and had health insurance.
The story, however, does not end here. As health care costs rise, the amount of money effectively transferred to low-income Americans through public health care programs like Medicaid and Medicare increases as well, reducing social inequality. Two-thirds of Medicare funds and 83 percent of Medicaid funds are spent on care for the poorest 40 percent of the population.
The many reforms included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also reduce inequality, largely by expanding Medicaid and subsidizing low- and moderate-income Americans' purchase of health insurance in the marketplaces. Furthermore, the marketplace subsidies address the historical inequity between workers offered insurance through their employer (thereby benefiting from the generous tax exemption for such plans), and those forced to shop for coverage on their own. Low- and moderate-income workers are far more likely to fall into the latter group, and so were disadvantaged -- economically and medically -- prior to the ACA.
To complicate matters even further, the impact of health spending on inequality is felt on two ends -- who pays, and who gets paid. The lion's share of health care expenses translates into health care workers' income. A full accounting would need to compare the distribution of health care workers' earnings to that of the rest of the population. And while physicians are listed as one of the most common professions among those in the top 1 percent of income, nursing and other clinical roles generally offer some of the most reliable middle-class wages in America today.
There is much more that could be said about this topic. A definitive answer would probably require an analytic exercise worthy of Piketty's 700-page treatise. But even this brief consideration of the relationship between health spending growth and widening inequality leads to one under-appreciated conclusion: In America today, all macroeconomists are to some degree health economists, and vice versa. And understanding the relationship between these seemingly inexorable trends would likely prove fruitful for economists of both stripes.
Written with David Squires. Reported by Huffington Post 19 hours ago.
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Probe: HealthCare.gov website must boost security
HealthCare.gov, the health insurance website serving more than 5 million Americans, has significant security flaws that put users' personal information at risk, nonpartisan congressional investigators have concluded.
Reported by Seattle Times 18 hours ago.
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Senate Hearing Sets Stage for Debate on Fate of Children’s Insurance Program
The Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, has helped cut in half the uninsured rate for children, but its funding is set to end in September 2015.
Reported by NYTimes.com 17 hours ago.
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Health Law's Impact on Election Is Dimming
Though Republicans continue to hammer away at the Affordable Care Act, the health-insurance law is losing some of its punch in the 2014 campaign. Polls show that voters don't see the law as a top concern.
Reported by Wall Street Journal 16 hours ago.
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Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on Transitioning Employees to Individual Health Insurance
New HR Tips Available for Transitioning Employees to Individual Health Insurance
Park City, UT (PRWEB) September 16, 2014
Today, Zane Benefits, the #1 Online Health Benefits Solution, published new information on transitioning employees to individual health insurance.
According to Zane Benefits, with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in full effect, many small and medium sized businesses will be steering some or all of their employees towards individual health insurance. This comes as no surprise. With guaranteed issue plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and premium tax credits, many small businesses are transitioning away from employer-sponsored health insurance.
The new article contains HR tips on a successful transition to individual health insurance, including involving leadership, educating employees, and clearly announcing deadlines.
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.
Park City, UT (PRWEB) September 16, 2014
Today, Zane Benefits, the #1 Online Health Benefits Solution, published new information on transitioning employees to individual health insurance.
According to Zane Benefits, with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in full effect, many small and medium sized businesses will be steering some or all of their employees towards individual health insurance. This comes as no surprise. With guaranteed issue plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and premium tax credits, many small businesses are transitioning away from employer-sponsored health insurance.
The new article contains HR tips on a successful transition to individual health insurance, including involving leadership, educating employees, and clearly announcing deadlines.
Click here to read the full article.
--
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.
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Rangers promote Dayett, add to Levine's duties
The Rangers have promoted Minor League special assignment coach Brian Dayett to the Major League coaching staff. He has Parkinson's Disease and the promotion allows him to be covered by Major League health insurance through Opening Day.
Reported by MLB.com 15 hours ago.
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Mississippi Coroner Advises: 'Shoot the Idiots and Call the Coroner'
Mississippi Coroner Advises: 'Shoot the Idiots and Call the Coroner'Mississippi Coroner Advises: 'Shoot the Idiots and Call the Coroner'
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Winston County, Miss., Coroner Scott Gregory recently advised residents to "shoot the idiots and call the coroner!"
Gregory, who also works as a DJ at a local radio station, was referring to burglaries in the Louisville, Miss., area when he gave his advice on Facebook last Saturday:
To stop these idiots from robbing us blind, we need to buy a good handgun and get the proper training on how to use it... I remind you that the State of MS have laws that protect us as citizens if deadly force is used to protect you or your family or property from "the stupid bad guys." I say shoot the idiots and call the Coroner! I'm not encouraging anyone to go on a killing spree but if you come to my kingdom and try to commit any unlawful act, I can assure you that your health insurance better be active or you better have a great burial policy.
Gregory added more tough talk:
...This is my kingdom and if you try to invade it to commit any unlawful act, and I'm lucky enough to catch you in the act, then just know that the right amount of pressure applied to any one of my smoke wagon's triggers combined with the accurate amount of gunpowder and lead will cause extreme pain and sadness to any human. If you don't own a handgun, then go buy one from a dealer, get it registered, get you a permit and take a gun safety class ASAP. Don't go on a shooting spree, but don't take no crap from the bad guys!
Gregory told WWLTV.com that the feedback to his Facebook post has been very positive with comments such as "Amen" and "Couldn't have said it better myself brother."
However, Mother Jones reported last year: "In 2011, nearly 10 times more people were shot and killed in arguments than by civilians trying to stop a crime. In one survey, nearly 1% of Americans reported using guns to defend themselves or their property. However, a closer look at their claims found that more than 50% involved using guns in an aggressive manner, such as escalating an argument."
Sources: WWLTV.com, Facebook, Mother Jones (Image Credit: Thomas R. Machnitzk)
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Video Piece:
Regular Piece
OV in Depth: Reported by Opposing Views 15 hours ago.
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The 25 Most Interesting Facts About Pet Insurance
Petinsurancequotes.com, The Pet Insurance Experts, just released The 25 Most Interesting Facts About Pet Health Insurance.
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) September 16, 2014
Pet insurance is becoming more popular in the U.S. as American pet owners and veterinarians realize the value of coverage for their furry friends.
Petinsurancequotes.com, which has provided pet insurance quotes for over 100,000 American dogs and cats since 2011, shares the 25 Most Interesting Facts about Pet Insurance.
...
25. U.S. pet owners are expected to spend $58.5 billion on their pets in 2014, representing an increase of 52% from the $38.5 billion spent in 2006
24. U.S. pet owners are expected to spend $15.3 billion on veterinary care in 2014, representing an increase of 66% from the $9.2 billion spent in 2006
23. The total U.S Pet insurance market is approximately $651 million annually
22. The American pet insurance industry has experienced double-digit growth since 2009 (average annual growth rate of 13.2%)
21. There are approximately 171 million dogs and cats in the U.S. and approximately 1.3 million, which is a penetration rate of only 0.8%
20. Over 30% of dogs and cats in the UK are insured and over 40% in Sweden have coverage
19. 85% of all insured pets are dogs while only 15% are cats
18. The average pet insurance policy costs $471/year ($39/month)
17. Pet owners who compare pet insurance rates online save over 26% on their plans
16. A pet receives emergency medical care every 2 ½ seconds in the U.S.
15. Every 6 seconds a pet owner is faced with a vet bill of more than $1,000
14. 1 in 3 pets need emergency veterinary treatment every year
13. 1 in 3 dogs get cancer and canine cancer treatment can cost well over $10,000 and even as much as $20,000
12. There are 12 pet insurance companies in the U.S.
11. 11 of 12 companies have A.M. Best insurance ratings of "A (Excellent)" or better and 6 of 12 have customer pet insurance reviews greater than 9 out of 10
10. All 12 companies allow you to use any licensed veterinarian, clinic or specialist in the U.S.
9. Zero pet insurance companies cover pre-existing conditions, which is why it's important to enroll a pet while they're young and healthy
8. 35% of all pet insurance claims are for chronic conditions
7. 50% of policyholders file a claim each year
6. 75% of pet owners make a claim during the first 3 years after enrollment
5. The average age of enrollment for a pet is 3 ½ years old
4. Mixed breed dogs are the most insured pets in the U.S.
3. 45% of veterinarian-recommend treatment is restricted by cost
2. 91% of U.S. pet owners consider their pets to be family members and 81% consider their pets as equal members of the family
1. The #1 reason pet owners buy pet insurance is that they, “Want to make decisions about my pet's health care without worrying about whether or not I could afford the procedure.”
...
About Petinsurancequotes.com - The Pet Insurance Experts™
Petinsurancequotes.com is the premier pet insurance comparison website. The company was founded by licensed insurance professionals in an effort to make shopping for pet health insurance easier. Petinsurancequotes.com has generated over 100,000 quotes for dogs and cats since its launch in 2011. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) September 16, 2014
Pet insurance is becoming more popular in the U.S. as American pet owners and veterinarians realize the value of coverage for their furry friends.
Petinsurancequotes.com, which has provided pet insurance quotes for over 100,000 American dogs and cats since 2011, shares the 25 Most Interesting Facts about Pet Insurance.
...
25. U.S. pet owners are expected to spend $58.5 billion on their pets in 2014, representing an increase of 52% from the $38.5 billion spent in 2006
24. U.S. pet owners are expected to spend $15.3 billion on veterinary care in 2014, representing an increase of 66% from the $9.2 billion spent in 2006
23. The total U.S Pet insurance market is approximately $651 million annually
22. The American pet insurance industry has experienced double-digit growth since 2009 (average annual growth rate of 13.2%)
21. There are approximately 171 million dogs and cats in the U.S. and approximately 1.3 million, which is a penetration rate of only 0.8%
20. Over 30% of dogs and cats in the UK are insured and over 40% in Sweden have coverage
19. 85% of all insured pets are dogs while only 15% are cats
18. The average pet insurance policy costs $471/year ($39/month)
17. Pet owners who compare pet insurance rates online save over 26% on their plans
16. A pet receives emergency medical care every 2 ½ seconds in the U.S.
15. Every 6 seconds a pet owner is faced with a vet bill of more than $1,000
14. 1 in 3 pets need emergency veterinary treatment every year
13. 1 in 3 dogs get cancer and canine cancer treatment can cost well over $10,000 and even as much as $20,000
12. There are 12 pet insurance companies in the U.S.
11. 11 of 12 companies have A.M. Best insurance ratings of "A (Excellent)" or better and 6 of 12 have customer pet insurance reviews greater than 9 out of 10
10. All 12 companies allow you to use any licensed veterinarian, clinic or specialist in the U.S.
9. Zero pet insurance companies cover pre-existing conditions, which is why it's important to enroll a pet while they're young and healthy
8. 35% of all pet insurance claims are for chronic conditions
7. 50% of policyholders file a claim each year
6. 75% of pet owners make a claim during the first 3 years after enrollment
5. The average age of enrollment for a pet is 3 ½ years old
4. Mixed breed dogs are the most insured pets in the U.S.
3. 45% of veterinarian-recommend treatment is restricted by cost
2. 91% of U.S. pet owners consider their pets to be family members and 81% consider their pets as equal members of the family
1. The #1 reason pet owners buy pet insurance is that they, “Want to make decisions about my pet's health care without worrying about whether or not I could afford the procedure.”
...
About Petinsurancequotes.com - The Pet Insurance Experts™
Petinsurancequotes.com is the premier pet insurance comparison website. The company was founded by licensed insurance professionals in an effort to make shopping for pet health insurance easier. Petinsurancequotes.com has generated over 100,000 quotes for dogs and cats since its launch in 2011. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.
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Health.Verticalize Rebrands as Health Network After Growing to 15 Million Users in Less Than One Year
The company that is considered to be the fastest growing organization in healthcare marketing within the United States announced today that they are rebranding from the name Health.Verticalize, to the more consumer friendly name, Health Network. Moving forward the company will use the url HealthNetwork.com as their corporate website.
(PRWEB) September 17, 2014
Health.Verticalize, a healthcare marketing company which helped more than 15 million people explore their health insurance options in the 2014 open enrollment period, has announced their rebrand to Health Network.
Moving forward Health Network will be using HealthNetwork.com as their corporate website. The company has intentionally remained out of the spotlight for the last twelve months while building its network from a single website to its present position with dozens of targeted sites and millions of visitors.
"We are very excited to announce our official rebrand from Health.Verticalize, to Health Network and the launch of our corporate website on HealthNetwork.com,” said Sean Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Health Network. “What originally started a little less than twelve months ago as a result of an academic analysis of what was missing from the healthcare shopping experience, has resulted in the creation of something far greater than we could have ever imagined. In less than a year, this company has grown from a single website with little traffic, to being the fastest growing healthcare marketing company in the U.S. with the highest enrollment among key 18 to 34 year olds.”
During the 2014 open enrollment season, Health Network’s websites had more than 15 million visitors and 100 million page views, helping millions of Americans by providing factual, unbiased information regarding their healthcare options. Based on data provided by their partners, Health Network’s enrollment rate among young adults 18 to 34 was almost double that of Healthcare.gov and nearly 15% higher than eHealthInsurance (EHTH), a leading online health insurance brokerage whom the Washington Post highlighted in March for their effectiveness with the 18 to 34 demographic.
“Health Network's efforts have resulted in the development of industry leading technology that helps simplify the process of exploring one’s healthcare options for the first time,” said Health Network’s CMO, Mike Schrobo. “The end result of our collective efforts provides consumers with transparency and choice and the ability to enroll in a healthcare plan online, over the phone or with the assistance of a licensed agent in person. In addition to that, we have always maintained very strict guidelines that ensure that our partners will respect the consumer’s experience and their personal data.”
In the next few weeks Health Network will be announcing new tools and websites that will make the process by which consumers and agents connect with one another a much better experience for both parties. Agents will have access to tools that will help them provide a better consumer experience and increase their ability to not only enroll consumers in a plan, but retain that consumer as a client indefinitely.
The company is also aggressively expanding their reach in the over 65 market (Medicare eligible) by recently launching MedicareEnrollment.com and Medicare.net, the latter of which will provide seniors with direct access to agents who are specifically focused on helping seniors understand their options when it comes to Medicare.
Overall, Health Network projects that they will help more than 25 million Americans answer questions about their healthcare options and obtain the information they need, in this coming enrollment season.
Health Network is based out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and is in the process of opening offices in Palo Alto, California.
About Health Network:
Health Network is a healthcare marketing company with over 15 million visitors across its network of websites in 2014. Health Network also has a unique mission of improving the consumer experience in health insurance by respecting consumer privacy and preventing aggressive sales methods by traditional industry companies. Health Network is entirely focused on helping individuals obtain healthcare and consequently improve their lives. Learn more at HealthNetwork.com Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
(PRWEB) September 17, 2014
Health.Verticalize, a healthcare marketing company which helped more than 15 million people explore their health insurance options in the 2014 open enrollment period, has announced their rebrand to Health Network.
Moving forward Health Network will be using HealthNetwork.com as their corporate website. The company has intentionally remained out of the spotlight for the last twelve months while building its network from a single website to its present position with dozens of targeted sites and millions of visitors.
"We are very excited to announce our official rebrand from Health.Verticalize, to Health Network and the launch of our corporate website on HealthNetwork.com,” said Sean Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Health Network. “What originally started a little less than twelve months ago as a result of an academic analysis of what was missing from the healthcare shopping experience, has resulted in the creation of something far greater than we could have ever imagined. In less than a year, this company has grown from a single website with little traffic, to being the fastest growing healthcare marketing company in the U.S. with the highest enrollment among key 18 to 34 year olds.”
During the 2014 open enrollment season, Health Network’s websites had more than 15 million visitors and 100 million page views, helping millions of Americans by providing factual, unbiased information regarding their healthcare options. Based on data provided by their partners, Health Network’s enrollment rate among young adults 18 to 34 was almost double that of Healthcare.gov and nearly 15% higher than eHealthInsurance (EHTH), a leading online health insurance brokerage whom the Washington Post highlighted in March for their effectiveness with the 18 to 34 demographic.
“Health Network's efforts have resulted in the development of industry leading technology that helps simplify the process of exploring one’s healthcare options for the first time,” said Health Network’s CMO, Mike Schrobo. “The end result of our collective efforts provides consumers with transparency and choice and the ability to enroll in a healthcare plan online, over the phone or with the assistance of a licensed agent in person. In addition to that, we have always maintained very strict guidelines that ensure that our partners will respect the consumer’s experience and their personal data.”
In the next few weeks Health Network will be announcing new tools and websites that will make the process by which consumers and agents connect with one another a much better experience for both parties. Agents will have access to tools that will help them provide a better consumer experience and increase their ability to not only enroll consumers in a plan, but retain that consumer as a client indefinitely.
The company is also aggressively expanding their reach in the over 65 market (Medicare eligible) by recently launching MedicareEnrollment.com and Medicare.net, the latter of which will provide seniors with direct access to agents who are specifically focused on helping seniors understand their options when it comes to Medicare.
Overall, Health Network projects that they will help more than 25 million Americans answer questions about their healthcare options and obtain the information they need, in this coming enrollment season.
Health Network is based out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and is in the process of opening offices in Palo Alto, California.
About Health Network:
Health Network is a healthcare marketing company with over 15 million visitors across its network of websites in 2014. Health Network also has a unique mission of improving the consumer experience in health insurance by respecting consumer privacy and preventing aggressive sales methods by traditional industry companies. Health Network is entirely focused on helping individuals obtain healthcare and consequently improve their lives. Learn more at HealthNetwork.com Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
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David Perecman Weighs in on Insurance Coverage Denied to 9/11 Responders with Rare Cancer
New York personal injury lawyer David Perecman of The Perecman Firm supports a rule amendment regarding insurance coverage for people who participated in the 9/11 rescue, recovery and cleanup operations.
New York , NY (PRWEB) September 17, 2014
Recent data from the World Trade Center Health Program said there are nearly 3,000 cases of cancer among firefighters police officers, contractors and civilians who worked or lived near the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011. A number of these responders are being denied health insurance coverage because their cancers were diagnosed too soon, reported CNN News (9.11.14).
One of the cancers being diagnosed is oropharyngeal cancer. Four years is the minimum latency period that was set for oropharyngeal cancers, meaning the minimum time period needed to prove a connection between exposure to toxins at ground zero and a diagnosis of that type of cancer. If the cancer was diagnosed in less than four years, the insurance companies are denying coverage, CNN News said.
In one case reported by CNN News, a former New York police officer and first-responder who provided security after the attacks was diagnosed with stage IV oropharyngeal cancer three years and 10 months after his work at ground zero. The eight week gap left John Meyers ineligible for cancer coverage or compensation.
Determining an accurate latent window is a complex process partially because there is very little data on cancers developed after sucking in dust, soot, chemicals, asbestos, pulverized cement, smoke and other health hazards from collapsed buildings, reported CNN News.
According to CNN News, some people believe four years is likely a “fair timeline for developing oropharyngeal cancer, even considering the unique circumstances surrounding 9/11.” Other people, like Myers and Attorney at Law David Perecman, disagree with the minimum latency period that was set.
“Thousands of people participated in the 9/11 rescue, recovery and cleanup operations and often they worked for months without the right protective equipment,” said Perecman.
Advocates for responders say they will petition the institute to amend its rules regarding coverage for oropharyngeal cancer, reported CNN News.
“The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health should not have prioritized their concerns regarding false negatives and erred on the side of insurance companies,” said Perecman.
Besides oropharyngeal cancers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, determined the latency periods for 57 other cancers, said CNN News.
The National Cancer Institute described oropharyngeal cancer as a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the oropharynx, the middle part of the throat behind the mouth. It includes the back one-third of the tongue, the soft palate, the walls of the throat, and the tonsils.
“As a nation, we promised to never forget the attacks, now let us not forget those still battling serious 9/11-related illnesses and injuries,” said Perecman.
The CNN News story is “9/11 responders with rare cancer denied insurance coverage.”
For more than 30 years, the personal injury lawyers at The Perecman Firm in New York have aggressively helped individuals and-or their families obtain compensation in New York. Contact The Perecman Firm at 212-977-7033.
About David Perecman and The Perecman Firm, PLLC:
For the past 30 years, the New York construction accident, medical malpractice, auto accident, personal injury, and civil rights violation lawyers at The Perecman Firm, PLLC have handled all types of New York accident in the workplace cases. David Perecman, founder of the Firm, has been recognized for his achievements as an Honoree in the National Law Journal's Hall of Fame, in New York Magazine's "The Best Lawyers in America" and The New York Times Magazine "New York Super Lawyers, Metro Edition" for the years 2007-2010. The prestigious U.S. News & World Report ranks The Perecman Firm among the top 20 personal injury firms in New York City for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
The Firm has recovered millions of dollars for its clients. Among the more recent victories, Mr. Perecman won a $15 million verdict** for a construction accident (Index 112370/03) Supreme Court, New York County, a $5.35 million dollar verdict*** for an automobile accident (Index 2749/04) Supreme Court, Kings County, and a $40 million dollar structured settlement for medical malpractice (Index 2146/03)****Supreme Court, Kings County.
The Perecman Firm serves Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester, Upstate NY, Morris County, and Rockland County.
**later settled while on appeal for $7.940 million
*** later settled for $3.5 million
**** total potential payout
"Lawyer Advertising"+
"Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome."
Original Source Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
New York , NY (PRWEB) September 17, 2014
Recent data from the World Trade Center Health Program said there are nearly 3,000 cases of cancer among firefighters police officers, contractors and civilians who worked or lived near the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011. A number of these responders are being denied health insurance coverage because their cancers were diagnosed too soon, reported CNN News (9.11.14).
One of the cancers being diagnosed is oropharyngeal cancer. Four years is the minimum latency period that was set for oropharyngeal cancers, meaning the minimum time period needed to prove a connection between exposure to toxins at ground zero and a diagnosis of that type of cancer. If the cancer was diagnosed in less than four years, the insurance companies are denying coverage, CNN News said.
In one case reported by CNN News, a former New York police officer and first-responder who provided security after the attacks was diagnosed with stage IV oropharyngeal cancer three years and 10 months after his work at ground zero. The eight week gap left John Meyers ineligible for cancer coverage or compensation.
Determining an accurate latent window is a complex process partially because there is very little data on cancers developed after sucking in dust, soot, chemicals, asbestos, pulverized cement, smoke and other health hazards from collapsed buildings, reported CNN News.
According to CNN News, some people believe four years is likely a “fair timeline for developing oropharyngeal cancer, even considering the unique circumstances surrounding 9/11.” Other people, like Myers and Attorney at Law David Perecman, disagree with the minimum latency period that was set.
“Thousands of people participated in the 9/11 rescue, recovery and cleanup operations and often they worked for months without the right protective equipment,” said Perecman.
Advocates for responders say they will petition the institute to amend its rules regarding coverage for oropharyngeal cancer, reported CNN News.
“The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health should not have prioritized their concerns regarding false negatives and erred on the side of insurance companies,” said Perecman.
Besides oropharyngeal cancers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, determined the latency periods for 57 other cancers, said CNN News.
The National Cancer Institute described oropharyngeal cancer as a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the oropharynx, the middle part of the throat behind the mouth. It includes the back one-third of the tongue, the soft palate, the walls of the throat, and the tonsils.
“As a nation, we promised to never forget the attacks, now let us not forget those still battling serious 9/11-related illnesses and injuries,” said Perecman.
The CNN News story is “9/11 responders with rare cancer denied insurance coverage.”
For more than 30 years, the personal injury lawyers at The Perecman Firm in New York have aggressively helped individuals and-or their families obtain compensation in New York. Contact The Perecman Firm at 212-977-7033.
About David Perecman and The Perecman Firm, PLLC:
For the past 30 years, the New York construction accident, medical malpractice, auto accident, personal injury, and civil rights violation lawyers at The Perecman Firm, PLLC have handled all types of New York accident in the workplace cases. David Perecman, founder of the Firm, has been recognized for his achievements as an Honoree in the National Law Journal's Hall of Fame, in New York Magazine's "The Best Lawyers in America" and The New York Times Magazine "New York Super Lawyers, Metro Edition" for the years 2007-2010. The prestigious U.S. News & World Report ranks The Perecman Firm among the top 20 personal injury firms in New York City for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
The Firm has recovered millions of dollars for its clients. Among the more recent victories, Mr. Perecman won a $15 million verdict** for a construction accident (Index 112370/03) Supreme Court, New York County, a $5.35 million dollar verdict*** for an automobile accident (Index 2749/04) Supreme Court, Kings County, and a $40 million dollar structured settlement for medical malpractice (Index 2146/03)****Supreme Court, Kings County.
The Perecman Firm serves Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester, Upstate NY, Morris County, and Rockland County.
**later settled while on appeal for $7.940 million
*** later settled for $3.5 million
**** total potential payout
"Lawyer Advertising"+
"Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome."
Original Source Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
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Healthy or Wealthy: Best Way to the Second Is Via the First
Filed under: Retirement, Health Care, Health Insurance, Retirement Living, Retirement Plans*Getty Images*
Two non-consecutive days a week, I limit my food intake to about 600 calories. The other five days, I eat normally. I changed my diet based upon a PBS series and a related book titled "The Fast Diet: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy and Live Longer with the Simple Secret of Intermittent Fasting" by Dr. Michael Mosley.
I am not suggesting you consider following this food regimen. It can be dangerous if you are pregnant, underweight or have certain medical conditions. Nor should you consider making any major change to your diet without medical advice. But while I'm not competent to endorse this specific diet, or any other diet plan, it has become part of my focus on maintaining good health, along with regular exercise and daily meditation.
In my experience, many investors have their eye on the wrong ball. They are concerned about beating the market through stock picking, market timing or finding outperforming fund managers. Often these efforts fail. I don't want to downplay the importance of financial security. However, you would be well advised to spend at least as much (if not more) time focusing on your health as you do on the returns of your portfolio.
*Retired and Healthy*
Retirees, for instance, are deeply concerned about their health. A recent Merrill Lynch study found that 81 percent of retirees indicated the most important ingredient for a happy retirement was having good health. Only 58 percent listed being financially secure at the top of their list.
Given the importance of health to a good retirement, it's surprising that only 29 percent of those polled described themselves as "healthy and proactive," actively engaging in pursuits such as exercising and eating well. For those retirees, staying healthy was a source of pride.
Unfortunately 32 percent of those polled had chronic conditions that kept them from doing things they enjoyed. Only about 20 percent engaged in "key health behaviors."
The study noted the double whammy that health challenges can have on a financial plan. First, health-related expenses can drain retirement savings. Second, if you are compelled to retire early because of health issues, you will have fewer years to work and save, and thus less to live on, during your retirement.
*High Cost of Health Care*
The cost of health care in your post-career years can be staggering, depending on the length of your retirement. Estimated out-of-pocket health care costs for a retirement lasting 10 years are $50,900. However, if your retirement lasts 30 years, you can expect to pay $318,800 in health care costs.
Just taking care of yourself doesn't immunize you from the adverse consequences of unexpected health care costs. Women are likely to outlive their spouses. If one spouse develops serious health issues, the couple may spend down retirement savings and risk running out of money during the life of the surviving spouse.
Maintaining good health is your responsibility. It can't be outsourced.
Your financial adviser should be working with you to prepare for health care costs. It's a critical part of holistic financial planning. The study noted that less than 15 percent of pre-retirees have made any effort to estimate how much money they might need for health care, including long-term care.
Your financial adviser also should be educating you on your choices regarding Medicare, supplemental insurance plans and long-term care.
Maintaining good health is your responsibility. It can't be outsourced. There is ample evidence (some of it referenced in the study) that exercising, eating right, maintaining a healthy weight, staying socially connected and maintaining other healthy lifestyle habits can materially increase your chances of avoiding significant health issues.
Wealth without health is not a worthy goal. Maybe it's time to shift your attention from squeezing another percentage point out of your portfolio to squeezing some fresh fruit or vegetables in your juicer.
Daniel Solin is the director of investor advocacy for the BAM Alliance and a wealth adviser with Buckingham. He is a New York Times best-selling author of the Smartest series of books. His latest book is "The Smartest Sales Book You'll Ever Read."
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Reported by DailyFinance 8 hours ago.
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Man Arrested On White House Lawn Was Trying To Speak To President About Health Care
Man Arrested On White House Lawn Was Trying To Speak To President About Health CareMan Arrested On White House Lawn Was Trying To Speak To President About Health Care
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A 26-year-old mentally disabled man who was was arrested on the White House lawn after jumping a fence was trying to get help from the president, his mother said Monday.
Jeffrey Grossman of Rensselaer, N.Y., was arrested Thursday by U.S. Secret Service agents after he scaled a White House fence. He was carrying a Pokemon doll and wearing a Pokemon-themed shirt at the time.
“That's his best friend,” his mother, Cathy Grossman, said of the doll during a Monday phone interview with The Albany Times-Union.
“I was informed that, when he was apprehended, he told security that he had come to talk with the president about his health care program,” she told The Record of Troy, N.Y.
She said her son was suffering from severe mental illness that didn’t surface until Jeffrey Grossman was in college. He was having trouble getting help for the illness and wanted to know why.
After graduating from high school her son enrolled at The College of Saint Rose and majored in business. Around the time of his junior year Grossman began showing signs of mental illness. A judge ordered that he be treated and placed on medication.
That got his life back on track and he was able to graduate from college. But he quit taking his medication, thinking he no longer needed it because it was making him feel better, Cathy Grossman, who is a pharmacist, explained.
Since graduation he has had some run-ins with the law according to Rensselaer Police Sgt. Matthew McCoy.
“Let's just say we had some odd occurrences here similar to what you saw in Washington,” McCoy said.
“Our police had notified the FBI. He's been saying things about the White House,” Rensselaer Mayor Dan Dwyer said.
Cathy Grossman thinks her son was trying to get help from President Barack Obama because he was having trouble getting his health insurance accepted so he could obtain treatment for his mental illness.
She said Grossman went to an out-of-state hospital to seek help but was turned away because his health insurance wouldn’t pay for it. When he asked more questions, a staffer at the hospital explained it had to do with how the nation’s health system is set up and he should talk to the president if he wanted it changed.
That was advice that Cathy Grossman thinks her son took literally.
“We have to address our mental health system. It has programs for people under 18 and for our seniors but there is nothing for young adults who can function if they have medication, like my son,” she said.
Despite what happens to her son legally, Cathy Grossman hopes that the incident may bring attention to the plight of young people suffering from mental illness who have no where to turn.
“I want something positive to come from this,” she said. “I want people to know there are mental health issues out there. I’m hoping for the best. And I hope that maybe now he will get some long-term help.”
Jeffery Grossman was last reported to be under observation at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Secret Service spokeswoman Nicole Mainor said Monday he has not been charged with anything in connection to the incident at the White House.
Sources: The Albany Times-Union, The Record
Photo Source: YouTube
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