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Experient Health Launches Health Care Reform FAQ Blog Series Online

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Experient Health kicks off Blog series with information on how the Affordable Care Act impacts current job-based health insurance plans.

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) August 10, 2013

Experient Health is pleased to announce an online component to the Health Care Reform 101 seminars its benefits consultants have been hosting across Virginia this summer. This week, Experient Health launched an online Health Care Reform Blog series aiming to answer the community’s frequently asked questions.

“If you have job-based health insurance you like, you are considered covered and can keep your insurance,” according to Experient Health in its first published post in the series, highlighting what individuals with job-based health insurance plans can anticipate under health care reform.

“You may be able to switch to marketplace coverage eventually if you want to.”

The marketplace, according to HealthCare.gov, is “a new way to find health coverage that fits your budget and meets your needs. With one application, you can see all your options and enroll.”

Application for the marketplace can occur online, by mail or in person with the help of a navigator.

“While all insurance plans are offered by private companies, the marketplace is run by either your state or the federal government,” according to HealthCare.gov. “Open enrollment starts October 1, 2013.”

Experient Health offers a private insurance marketplace.

Any job-based health plan you currently have qualifies as minimum essential coverage, according to Experient Health’s new Blog series.

“You don’t need to change to a marketplace plan in order to avoid the fee that uninsured people may have to pay for 2014. If you’d like to explore marketplace coverage options, you can, but there are several important things to consider.”

With most job-based health insurance plans, employers pay a portion of premiums.

“If you choose a marketplace plan instead, your employer does not need to make a contribution to your premiums. You should consider this carefully before comparing marketplace plans.”

Whether individuals qualify for lower costs will depend on what kind of coverage the employer offers.

“If your job-based coverage is considered affordable and meets minimum value, you won’t be able to get lower costs on premiums or out-of-pocket costs in the marketplace. This is true no matter what your income and family size are.”

Experient Health advises to ask employers for more information as they can tell employees whether the insurance plan it offers meets minimum value.

Have additional questions? Visit http://www.experienthealth.com to request a private consultation.

About Experient Health:

For years, Experient Health, a Virginia Farm Bureau company, has helped people find the right insurance coverage and get the most for their health care dollars. The Richmond, Va.-based group is dedicated to providing high quality health insurance options to customers in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. As a result, its consultants, with an average of more than 20 years experience, are intimately familiar with the states’ provider networks, products and regulations.

Representing the top national insurance carriers, Experient Health provides customers with multiple policy options designed to meet wellness needs and financial requirements.

Experient Health grew out of Virginia Farm Bureau and is a “hometown agency” in that it operates a network of more than 100 offices. However, it boasts the resources and technology of larger firms.

Consultants are available online, via phone and through their offices.

Learn more at http://www.experienthealth.com, utilize the online health insurance quote calculator or contact a consultant directly at 855.677.6580. Reported by PRWeb 15 hours ago.

Tell Us What You Think about Health Insurance, A-Rod and More

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Tell Us What You Think about Health Insurance, A-Rod and More Patch Barrow, GA --

Check out what had Patch readers buzzing this week and weigh in on these hot topics. Reported by Patch 8 hours ago.

Wal-Mart among those spotting opportunity in pet health insurance

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Reported by SeekingAlpha 8 hours ago.

Experient Health Addresses What to Do If Individuals Lose Health Insurance at Work in Blog Series

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Experient Health launched a Health Care Reform FAQs Blog series on its web site to help keep the community informed on changes they could face under the Affordable Care Act.

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) August 11, 2013

Experient Health addressed what options individuals can explore if they lose their health insurance plans at work in its latest post in a new Blog series on Health Care Reform.

Under health care reform, according to Experient Health, individuals who lose their job-based health insurance have two primary options for health insurance coverage.

Individuals can get a marketplace plan.

“If you leave your job for any reason and lose your job-based coverage, you can choose to buy coverage from the marketplace,” according to Experient Health. “This is true even if you leave your job outside the marketplace open enrollment period of Oct. 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014.”

By using the marketplace, “You’ll learn whether you qualify for lower costs on your monthly premiums on private insurance or for lower out-of-pocket costs. Through the marketplace, you’ll also learn whether you qualify for free or low-cost coverage from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).”

The marketplace, according to HealthCare.gov, is “a new way to find health coverage that fits your budget and meets your needs. With one application, you can see all your options and enroll.”

Application for the marketplace can occur online, by mail or in person with the help of a navigator.

“While all insurance plans are offered by private companies, the marketplace is run by either your state or the federal government,” according to HealthCare.gov. “Open enrollment starts October 1, 2013.”

Experient Health offers a private insurance marketplace.

Individuals can also get COBRA coverage.

“You may be able to keep your job-based plan through COBRA continuation coverage,” according to Experient Health. “COBRA is a federal law that may let you pay to keep yourself and your family on your employee health insurance for a limited time, usually 18 months, after your employment ends or you otherwise lose coverage.”

Have additional questions? Visit http://www.experienthealth.com to request a private consultation.

About Experient Health:

For years, Experient Health, a Virginia Farm Bureau company, has helped people find the right insurance coverage and get the most for their health care dollars. The Richmond, Va.-based group is dedicated to providing high quality health insurance options to customers in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. As a result, its consultants, with an average of more than 20 years experience, are intimately familiar with the states’ provider networks, products and regulations.

Representing the top national insurance carriers, Experient Health provides customers with multiple policy options designed to meet wellness needs and financial requirements.

Experient Health grew out of Virginia Farm Bureau and is a “hometown agency” in that it operates a network of more than 100 offices. However, it boasts the resources and technology of larger firms.

Consultants are available online, via phone and through their offices.

Learn more at http://www.experienthealth.com, utilize the online health insurance quote calculator or contact a consultant directly at 855.677.6580. Reported by PRWeb 7 hours ago.

Travel Insurance Advice Website Launched

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Voyageur Publishing announces the launch of a new website that offers clear unbiased advice on travel insurance policies to consumers.

(PRWEB) August 11, 2013

The publishers of trade magazine the International Travel Insurance Journal (ITIJ) are bringing to the market a new travel insurance advisory service in the form of a website that aims to demystify the complex world of travel insurance – Travel Insurance Geek (http://www.travelinsurancegeek.com). Built by the in-house experts at Voyageur Group, Travel Insurance Geek explains in clear, plain English – that consumers will actually understand – everything that someone who is going on holiday, but is unsure about their travel insurance requirements, needs to know.

The website, http://www.travelinsurancegeek.com, does not sell or promote policies, preferring to keep its integrity intact by not singling out any one provider. Instead, what it does is highlight the key points that people need to think about when they are searching for or buying travel cover for their holidays. The site also offers advice to older travelers or people suffering from a medical condition who are finding it harder to get affordable travel insurance. Other parts of the website include a news feed, helpful tips on what customers need to do in order to make a claim, and advice on using European Health Insurance Cards. Users of the site can also ‘Ask the Geek’ any question about travel insurance they need answering – send us the problem, and we endeavor to answer it in the clearest way possible.

Sarah Watson, editor of Travel Insurance Geek, had this to say about the website: “What we have done is taken all of our years’ experience in reporting on the travel insurance industry and put it in one big pool – ready for consumers to dip their toes into. It seems only fair that we share our knowledge about this complex industry with the general public that buy the policies.”

Ian Cameron, managing director of Voyageur Publishing, added: “It’s all about education and advice. The aim is to help travelers become more empowered in their purchasing habits by helping them to truly understand the value of the product they are buying.”

About Travel Insurance Geek

Through travelinsurancegeek.com, Travel Insurance Geek offers advice and information to people who are searching for travel insurance – containing everything they need to know about travel insurance, why buy it, top tips for the right policy, claims advice, and much more.

About Voyageur Publishing

Voyageur Publishing is a UK-based company specializing in writing about travel and health insurance. Travel Insurance Geek is a new brand for the company, offering advice about travel insurance to consumers of the product.

Contact:
Voyageur Buildings
43 Colston Street
Bristol
BS1 5AX
UK
Tel: (+44) 117 922 6600 ext.3
Email: info(at)travelinsurancegeek(dot)com
Web: http://www.travelinsurancegeek.com
Twitter: @travelinsgeek
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/travelinsurancegeek Reported by PRWeb 7 hours ago.

Union that sells health insurance to workers without benefits now offers states's lowest rates to others

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Reported by syracuse.com 2 hours ago.

Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on Reimbursement of Health Insurance Premiums

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HRAs Are Qualified ERISA- and HIPAA-Compliant Group Health Benefits Plans

Park City, Utah (PRWEB) August 11, 2013

Today, Zane Benefits, the number one online small business health benefits solution, published new information on reimbursement of health insurance premiums.

According to Zane Benefits’ website, a common question from employers is "Can I reimburse employees for the cost of their personal policy premiums?" Yes. By using an IRS-approved HRA, employers can provide tax free reimbursement to employees for their personal premium policies in a compliant way.

According to Zane Benefits’ website, from a regulatory standpoint this is allowed because the HRA itself is the "Plan," not the personal premiums purchased with HRA funds. HRAs are qualified ERISA- and HIPAA-compliant group health benefits plans. As such, employees in the same HRA class must receive the same HRA allowances. However, the medical items (including personal health policy premiums) that each employee chooses, are not considered part of the qualified group health benefits plan.

For this reason, according to Zane Benefits’ website, HRAs are allowed in every state to reimburse employees tax-free for their personal policy premiums (or other out-of-pocket medical expenses), even though employees typically pay different amounts for personal policy premiums and medical purchases.

Click here to read the full article.

About Zane Benefits

Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about ZaneHRA, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.

HUFFPOST HILL - Obama: Legislate Different

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President Obama compared the rollout of health care reform to the rollout of Apple's iPad, so apparently people who sign up for insurance through the new exchanges won't get Retina displays at the outset. Obama and Harry Reid disagreed sharply over whether Republicans' overarching goal is to make poor people sick or to oppress minorities. And the president promised to be more transparent about surveillance, a move political observers could easily see through. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Friday, August 9th:

*OBAMA LAMENTS BEING ONLY PERSON IN WORLD WHO CARES* - Jen Bendery: "During a White House press conference, Obama at times appeared incredulous as he described the years-long effort by Republicans to nix the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, which has been law since March 2010. House Republicans have voted to repeal the law 40 times. '*The one unifying principle in the Republican Party at the moment is making sure that 30 million people don't have health care*,' Obama said, referring to the number of people who will have health insurance as a direct result of the law. *'Why is it that my friends in the other party have made the idea of preventing these people from getting health care their holy grail? Their number one priority?'* The president chuckled as he said Republicans at least used to say they would replace the law with a better health care proposal. Not anymore, he said. 'There's not even a pretense now that they're going to replace it with something better,' Obama said. 'The notion is simply that those 30 million people, or the 150 million who are benefiting from other aspects of affordable care, will be better off without it. That's their assertion. Not backed by fact. Not backed by any evidence. It's just become an ideological fixation.'" [HuffPost]

*It's also just like an iPad.* "There are always 'some glitches' in landmark legislation, he said, from Social Security to Medicare. 'That's true, by the way, of a car company rolling out a new car. That's true of Apple rolling out the new iPad. You will be able to, whenever you want during the course of the next six months and the next year, find occasions where you say 'A-ha! That could've been done a little bit better,' Obama said." [The Hill]

If Republicans have serious no alternative to the Affordable Care Act how do you explain this web page with bullet points on it? Check and mate.

*HARRY REID'S JUST PUTTING THIS OUT THERE* - Luke Johnson: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said on Friday that he hopes Republicans are opposing President Barack Obama based on substance and not based on his race. '*It has been obvious that they're doing everything they can to make him fail. I hope that...that's based on substance, not the fact that he's African American*,' he told Nevada Public Radio, KNPR." [HuffPost]

*MOST TRANSPARENT ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY PROMISES ADDITIONAL SEE-THROUGHINESS* - Sabrina Siddiqui: "President Barack Obama announced new measures Friday to increase transparency and reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court amid growing concerns over the National Security Agency's widespread surveillance programs. Speaking to reporters at a press conference, *Obama proposed the first of several steps 'to help restore public confidence*' following revelations in June that the federal government was secretly mining millions of Americans' phone and electronic communications.... *The president's proposed measures focused on reforming Section 215 of the Patriot Act and Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act*, under which the NSA programs are considered lawful. The reforms would focus on creating more oversight and greater transparency, particularly through modifications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which currently authorizes the surveillance through highly-classified opinions." [HuffPost]

*BURN:* "No, I don't think Mr. Snowden was a patriot," Obama said. "The fact is, Mr. Snowden has been charged with three felonies."

*To support their claim that the telephone metadata program is constitutional* the Obama administration has released a white paper stating "THE TELEPHONY METADATA COLLECTION PROGRAM IS CONSTITUTIONAL." So pretty much settled.

*NSA KEEPING YOUR DISHES CLEAN* Obama compared the NSA's telephone metadata program to a sink full of dirty dishes, though he said he hasn't done dishes much since he moved into the White House. He promises to get around to them right after he closes Guantanamo. [Mediaite]

*MEANWHILE*: There's a Darrell Issa aide somewhere preparing to subpoena Jay Leno.

*SUMMERS WATCH* - Obama and Major Garrett had a classic "I love you bro" moment. Zach Carter: "Obama said that he had defended Summers in a meeting of House Democrats last week because some members of the press had been attacking Summers 'for no reason.' Since Summers had done good work during the early years of his administration, Obama said, he felt compelled to defend his old adviser. But that defense was not an indication that he currently prefers Summers to [Janet] Yellen, he said. '*Major, I'd defend you if people were saying something that wasn't true about you*,' Obama said. He did not detail which criticisms of Summers he found untrue." [HuffPost]

*Obama also called Janet Yellen "Mr. Yellen,"* significantly increasing her chances of becoming the Fed chair.

*WHERE'S ELIOT NELSON?* We sent him to Alaska to find the Bridge to Nowhere. Mike Painter of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly said they might never get that thing done: "*Uncle Ted is no longer with us. Gov. Frank is no longer in office. Our best time for a hard link access to Gravina has come and gone*. It did get started; we did get the Gravina Highway; it looked like it was going to happen. But politics as they may be, the moon and the stars are no longer in alignment." [ktoo.org]

*DAILY DELANEY DOWNER* - Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) told a horror story to his constituents during a town hall in Welch, Okla., on Thursday. In a video of the event posted by ThinkProgress, the freshman Republican said he was in Crystal City, Va., buying groceries in a nice but crowded store when he noticed something strange. "*Every lane was open and it was backed up and I noticed everybody was giving that card*," Mullin said, apparently referring to the electronic benefit transfer cards most states use to distribute food stamps. Then he noticed this couple next to him. "This guy was built like a brick house. I mean he had muscles all over him. He was in a little tank top and pair of shorts and really nice Nike shoes. And she was standing there, and she was all in shape and she looked like she had just come from a fitness program. She was in the spandex, and you know, *they were both physically fit. And they go up in front of me and they pay with that card*." Mullin knew what he'd witnessed. "Fraud," he said. "Absolute 100 percent, all of it is fraud. There's fraud all through that." [HuffPost]

Mullin is also a raging birther.

Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill

*PAUL LePAGE WANTS TO LeKILL REPORTERS* - Nick Wing: "Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) launched a targeted verbal strike on a local newspaper Friday, joking that he wished he could find the office of the Portland Press Herald and 'blow it up.'
LePage made the comments, the latest in an ongoing tiff between the governor and area newspapers, before climbing into the cockpit of a F-35 Lightning II fighter jet simulator. '*I want to find the Press Herald building and blow it up*,' he said. *The simulator reportedly allowed the outspoken governor to shoot at enemy planes*, but he had no such luck tracking down a virtual newspaper building." [HuffPost]

*CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS GUY?* Jack Mirkinson and Rebecca Shapiro have suggestions for New York's least charming mayoral candidate: "Maybe, if a nice reporter from England's ITV network named Lucy Watson comes up to you, you probably shouldn't start mocking her because she's from another country. Did you know lots of New Yorkers are from other countries? *Maybe you shouldn't say things like 'It's hard to take you seriously' because she has a different accent than you*, or even make a lame attempt at using a British accent. Lots of New Yorkers have different accents than you do! Would you make fun of them in the same way?" [HuffPost]

*OBAMA SAYS NOTHING IS PERFECT* - Afterward, he looked at the floor for a while and muttered, "Everything is pointless." Elise Foley: "President Barack Obama said on Friday that he is certain the Senate-passed immigration reform bill could pass the House, if Republicans stopped refusing to bring it for a vote. 'I am absolutely confident that if that bill was on the floor of the House, it would pass,' he said at a press conference at the White House. 'The challenge right now is not that there aren't a majority of House members, just like a majority of Senate members, who [are] prepared to support this bill, the problem is internal Republican caucus politics." ... He said critics are wrong to argue the bill isn't good enough because it wouldn't fully fix the problem. 'I don't know a law that solves a problem 100 percent,' Obama said, citing the discrimination that remains despite the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. 'That doesn't make them bad laws,' he added. '*It just means that there are very few human problems that are 100 percent solvable*.'" [HuffPost]

*RINO AGREES* - Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) also thinks the Senate immigration bill should have gotten a vote. Marijke Rowland: "'The Senate bill won't get a vote in the House, and it's something that could have helped this community,' Denham said to the some 25 people present. 'I am frustrated. I thought we'd get this done before the August work period. I think the Senate made tremendous progress. It was done bipartisan and I thought that would be enough to get the House moving forward.' The assembled group included concerned residents, area attorneys, church pastors, union representatives, chamber members and Latino organizers. Many wanted to know why a comprehensive reform seemed out of reach in the House. *'I don't know I have a good answer,' Denham said. 'It probably has a lot more to do with politics than policy.'*" [Modesto Bee]

*BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR* - National Geographic hung out with some lions in the Serengeti. The videos are pretty amazing. [NatGeo]

*HUH.* "Looks as if Adrian Fenty took the phrase "Go West, young man" to heart -- and has done very well for himself. Last year, the former D.C. mayor scored a plum job with Andreessen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley's hottest venture capital firms. *Now we've learned that Fenty is dating Laurene Powell Jobs, the billionaire widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs*." [WaPo]

*SUPPORT GROWS FOR REDSKINS NAME CHANGE FAVORED BY ALL SENTIENT BEINGS* - John Flowers: "As obnoxious as team owner Dan Snyder can be defending the name, no one has ever suggested a worthy replacement. *Until now.* Perhaps the best suggestion has come from Redskins fan and Huffington Post reporter Arthur Delaney. Noting the team's D.C.-ness and that 'At least two former Skins players were known as secretaries of defense,' he suggests the following: '*This team should be called the Washington Department of Football*.'" [MSNBC.com]

An early mockup of the Doff's team logo.

*TGI FRIDAY'S COMING TO COLUMBIA HEIGHTS* - Can a restaurant survive on ironic meals? [WCP]

*COMFORT FOOD*

- Here are some skateboarding mice. [Buzzfeed]

- Bill Nye tells us whether we could stop an asteroid on a collision course for Earth. [ASAPscience]

- Adorable, sleepy cats and dogs are adorable, sleepy. [HuffPost]

- Grown Ups 2 premieres in Guantanamo tonight (ha, torture). [Facebook]

- Sharknado 2 gets an appropriately stupid name. [Mashable]

- Eight songs to sum up the Breaking Bad final season. [Billboard]

*TWITTERAMA*

@aedwardslevy: Come on, everybody complains about Summers in Washington.

@igorbobic: Release the skeet shooting dish photograph

@justin_horvath: I can't decide which is more criminal: Snowden's #NSA leaks or those yellow curtains in the East Room. @ethanklapper @AriMelber @jbendery

@EvanMcSan: Official White House keg conveyance, aka Foam One pic.twitter.com/ZDBt8iNp2w

*Got something to add? Send tips/quotes/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to Eliot Nelson (eliot@huffingtonpost.com), Ryan Grim (ryan@huffingtonpost.com) or Arthur Delaney (arthur@huffingtonpost.com). Follow us on Twitter @HuffPostHill (twitter.com/HuffPostHill). Sign up here: http://huff.to/an2k2e* Reported by Huffington Post 3 days ago.

Health insurance for college students: Take note of these tips

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There are myriad options, at different costs, for college students who need health insurance, especially with the Affordable Care Act taking effect. Reported by L.A. Times 16 hours ago.

Health Insurers Prepare For Obamacare Shoppers

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MORRISVILLE, N.C. -- Just down from the Target and Gander Mountain big-box stores and between a nail salon and dental office, North Carolina's largest health insurer opened its first retail store.

It has some exercise offerings – step aerobics classes and stationary bike workouts – but for now, its main product is providing in-person information about changes coming in October with the health insurance overhaul law.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is opening half a dozen of these offices in strip malls statewide to first educate and then, starting in October, enroll consumers shopping for coverage because of the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare." Blue Cross affiliates in Florida and Pennsylvania have had similar stores open for years.

The North Carolina company also hauls an air-conditioned showroom trailer to fairs and farmers markets to reach out to the estimated 600,000 people who will be newly shopping for individual policies – some of them subsidized by the government for consumers who might have trouble affording a policy. Many of the individual policies will be sold on a statewide Internet marketplace designed to make buying coverage comparable to finding a hotel room or rental car.

North Carolina's Republican General Assembly and governor oppose the law and so the federal government is running the state marketplace where insurers will sell policies.

As people who have been uninsured or had their coverage provided by employers start shopping around, BCBSNC is reaching out like never before to expand on its 375,000 insurance policies for individuals, marketing director Bruce Allen said. The goal is explaining the federal law, which requires everyone to have coverage or pay a fine and subsidizes many middle-class consumers who might otherwise not be able to afford policies on their own. The law also prohibits insurers from rejecting customers who have pre-existing health conditions.

"There's a big segment of the population that really wants to talk to someone face to face about it," Allen said. "It's a new market that's entering that doesn't have health insurance, never had it, and really needs kind of that step-by-step walk-through to understand a really critical decision for them to make."

Across the country, Blue Cross companies are among the health insurers most aggressive in reaching out to build consumer trust and capture their spending on policies. Spots for a broad new print, television and online advertising campaign are multiplying. Meetings with civic organizations community groups, and religious institutions are taking place from Vermont to Texas. The North Carolina company has rented movie theaters and invited guests to watch first-run films, with the addition of a 15-minute ad explaining the Affordable Care Act and laptop-ready staffers in the lobby offering individual guidance on the law.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the umbrella organization for the country's 38 Blue Cross companies, launched a campaign last month with the Walgreen Co. drugstore chain, with signs and brochures in about 8,000 stores.

WellPoint, the largest operator of Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans, is teaming up with Spanish-language TV and radio network Univision in California, New York, Colorado and Georgia for meetings, broadcast advertisements, and newscast segments describing what coverage means and how to buy insurance on an online exchange.

Blue Cross Blue Shield companies already are some of the country's biggest sellers of health insurance policies for individuals. Seven Blue Cross companies, including North Carolina's, were among the top 10 at the end of 2011, according to Atlantic Information Services Inc., which specializes in health industry data and news.

"For other insurers, the majority of their experience is in the employer-provided market, so they don't know the individual market as well and are unsure whether this will be profitable, so they're moving very carefully," said David Ridley, director of the health sector management program at Duke University's Fuqua business school. "In contrast, Blue Cross Blue Shield – with their experience in the individual market, its experience interacting with government as the insurer of last resort – is moving much more aggressively and creatively."

Outside the Blue Cross Blue Shield world, Humana Inc. has signaled plans to station representatives in grocery stores and pharmacies in the 14 states where its policies will be sold on online insurance marketplaces. Pittsburgh-based UPMC Health Plan has set up kiosks in six western Pennsylvania malls to reach insurance consumers with questions, and it launched a computer application in an effort to offer a fun way to understand the details of the law and its polices.

Spokesmen for Assurant Health and Aetna described no novel marketing twists tied to the upcoming changes.

Government, too, is ramping up efforts to reach the working poor, young people and others with no health coverage. President Barack Obama's administration and many states are launching campaigns this summer to get the word out. Grassroots organizers are recruiting pastors, barbers and mothers to convey the message. In some neighborhoods, volunteers organized by a coalition of health companies and advocates hand out brochures.

But any company marketing efforts come as most Americans are confused or uninformed about what the new health insurance law means to them. Only about one in five had heard about the health insurance marketplaces as of June, according to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"There is a lot of misinformation out there. One of the things that we hear often is that I have to go buy a government plan on the marketplace," Allen said. "We spend a lot of time explaining to people, `You're going to buy a private insurance plan. There is no government plan.' "

___

Associated Press writer Emery Dalesio can be reached at . http://twitter.com/emerydalesio Reported by Huffington Post 1 day ago.

The Law Firm of Pozzuolo Rodden, PC, Philadelphia Business Attorneys, Released the Article: "ObamaCare-The Mandates and Penalties Facing Privately Held Businesses"

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This article discusses the law Play or Pay Mandate of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. ObamaCare or the Affordable Care Act, that was signed on March 23, 2010.

(PRWEB) August 12, 2013

The Law Firm of Pozzuolo Rodden, P.C., Philadelphia Business Attorneys, announces the release of the article “ObamaCare-The Mandates And Penalties Facing Privately Held Businesses“. If you would like to read more, please read the full article and other corporate law or estate planning articles and newsletters at: http://www.pozzuolo.com.

ObamaCare--The Mandates And Penalties Facing Privately Held Businesses

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. ObamaCare or the Affordable Care Act. The goals set by enactment of the Affordable Care Act are to improve the quality, affordability, and rate of health insurance coverage in the U.S. and to lower the costs of healthcare for individuals and the government. These goals are to be achieved through subsidies and mandates, and through the creation of health insurance Exchanges. The law has many provisions that have either taken effect or will take effect over several years beginning in 2010. Many businesses and employers are or will be subject to these provisions as they become effective. In fact, the law will require some affirmative action to be taken by businesses.

Health Insurance Exchange Notices

One new requirement applicable to businesses under the Affordable Care Act is the employer provided Exchange notice requirement. Beginning in October 2013, employers will be required to provide notice to their employees of coverage options available through the new health insurance marketplace, or “Exchange”. The Exchange will be available to individuals to enable them to purchase qualifying, affordable healthcare coverage. Open enrollment for health insurance coverage through the health insurance Exchange begins October 1, 2013 for enrollment in health coverage starting January 1, 2014.

Specifically, the Affordable Care Act requires an employer to provide written notice to all of its employees notifying them of the following:

(i)    The existence of the Exchange and certain basic information about the Exchange;
(ii)    That the employee may be eligible for a premium tax credit by purchasing a qualified health plan through the Exchange when that employee’s employer-sponsored health insurance plan does not provide “minimum value” which will lower the cost of coverage; and,
(iii)    That if the employee purchases a plan through the Exchange, the employee may lose the employer contribution to a healthcare plan sponsored by the employer and must pay premiums with after tax dollars.

Employers who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are subject to the notice requirement. Generally, the FLSA applies to employers that employ at least one employee and who are engaged in, or produce goods for, interstate commerce. Employers with less than $500,000 in annual revenue may be exempt from the notice requirement.
Subject employers must provide the notice to all employees. They are not required to notify their employees’ dependents.......

Please read the full article "ObamaCare- The Mandates and Penalties Facing Privately Held Businesses" and other corporate law or estate planning articles and newsletters at http://www.pozzuolo.com.

Pozzuolo Rodden, P.C. provides specialized cost-effective legal services to privately held business owners and high-net-worth clients in the Philadelphia Metropolitan and South Jersey areas in excess of 35 years.

Practice Areas:

Business and Corporate Law, business litigation, commercial and residential real estate, estate planning and administration, high profile and intricate family litigation, and employment law.

Pozzuolo Rodden, P.C.
Counselors at Law
2033 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-977-8200
http://www.pozzuolo.com Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

New Jersey Physicians Report Divergent Outlooks for Their Practices, Many Considering Changes in Structure

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Brach Eichler’s Annual New Jersey Health Care Monitor Reveals Mounting Financial Pressures, ACA and ACO Confusion

Roseland, NJ (PRWEB) August 12, 2013

When asked about their outlook concerning their medical practices in the coming year, New Jersey physicians appear to be evenly divided among favorable, unfavorable and neutral perspectives, according to Brach Eichler’s 2013 New Jersey Health Care Monitor. Brach Eichler conducted the annual survey among nearly 150 physicians statewide, including solo practitioners, members of a group practice or employees of a health care facility, in July 2013.

The Brach Eichler survey revealed that:


·     More than 26% said their outlook concerning their medical practice was favorable;
·     Nearly 36% said they felt neutral, and
·     Nearly 38% held an unfavorable view.

In spite of their diverse outlook, nearly half (45.5%) of the physicians surveyed said they were considering changing their practice structure this year. Specifically, half of all those respondents said they plan to integrate with another health care organization such as another single specialty or multispecialty practice, an individual practice association, a hospital system or a joint venture.

Further:


·     Another 35.9% said they plan to hire other practitioners;
·     18.8% said they will contract with a health care facility this year;
·     15.6% plan to leave their practice to practice in another state;
·     12.5% said they were leaving their practice to join another practice, and
·     12.5% said they plan to retire.

These findings are consistent with Brach Eichler’s 2012 New Jersey Health Care Monitor which showed that 44.6% of New Jersey physicians were considering changing their practice structure in 2012.

“The health care environment is a dynamic one in New Jersey, characterized by tremendous competition and an increasingly complex regulatory environment,” said John D. Fanburg, managing member and head of the health care practice at Brach Eichler. “For example, those respondents whose outlook was negative about their practice were quick to cite such reasons as increasing insurance premiums, declining reimbursements, increased competition and declining autonomy as among the most influential factors.

“In fact, more than 63% of respondents confirmed that their reimbursement rates decreased from last year. This has put a great deal of financial pressure on New Jersey physicians who cited the need to reduce expenses, increase cash flow, reduce operational efficiencies, bolster market share and compete more effectively with other organizations that are integrating with partners as reasons for changing their practice structure,” Fanburg explained.

ACA and ACO Confusion

Among those who held an unfavorable outlook of their practice, many cited the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) as a reason. Further, nearly 62% said that the 2012 election negatively impacted their outlook for their medical practice and more than 53% said that the mandate to purchase health insurance under ACA will actually hurt their medical practice.

According to Joseph Gorrell, a health care partner at Brach Eichler, “There is still quite a bit of misinformation and confusion circulating about ‘Obamacare’ among physicians. For instance, many assume that their patient loads will increase while their reimbursements will continue to decrease. It’s clear that more education is needed about the Act’s implications.”

According to Fanburg, under ACA, reimbursement will actually not decrease, but how physicians seek reimbursement will certainly change. “The system under ACA is geared to promote efficiency and quality; we expect that those physicians that run their practice efficiently and with a focus on quality will do well in this regard.”

The survey also revealed that a relatively small number of physicians (24.1%) have joined an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), and of those that have joined, the vast majority (95.2%) says they have not seen any benefits as a result.

“The truth is, we simply do not know yet whether there are any meaningful benefits associated with joining an ACO or whether we simply have not seen them yet,” explained Fanburg. ACOs are groups of health care providers and hospitals who come together voluntarily to deliver high-quality medical care to Medicare patients, reduce duplication of services, and spend health care dollars more efficiently.

“The New Jersey Health Care Monitor underscores the delicate balance that can be associated with practicing medicine here. While growing their practices and the desire to provide superior patient care are certainly top-of-mind goals for New Jersey physicians, the growing body of both state and federal regulations, coupled with the financial pressures associated with the practice of medicine today, are having a dramatic impact on the healthcare landscape.

“When ‘Obamacare’ finally kicks in in October, then New Jersey’s physicians will be in a better position to make decisions about the strategic direction of their practice,” Fanburg said.

Complete survey results can be found at http://www.bracheichler.com/?p=5539 .

About Brach Eichler LLC

Brach Eichler LLC is a full-service law firm based in Roseland, N.J. With nearly 60 attorneys, the firm is focused in the following practice areas: health care; real estate; litigation; tax, trusts and estates; and business & finance. Brach Eichler attorneys have been recognized by clients and peers alike in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA and New Jersey Super Lawyers. Visit http://www.bracheichler.com

Brach Eichler’s health care practice offers an array of services to clients across the health care field in such areas as physician and hospital contracts; corporate governance and compliance; health care mergers and acquisitions, administrative and judicial litigation; and state and federal regulatory advice. Clients reflect a cross-section of the health care industry, including large physician groups, individual practitioners, hospitals and hospital systems, medical staff organizations, physician specialty societies, health care trade associations, from long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and patients and providers seeking insurance coverage and proper reimbursement. The Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business included Brach Eichler as having among the five leading health care law practices in New Jersey.
### Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

Smaller churches may drop coverage once health insurance changes take effect

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Leaders of the United Methodist Church [UMC] are expressing concern that many smaller churches will drop insurance coverage when additional changes to health insurance law take effect next ... Reported by Catholic Culture 6 hours ago.

Bamboozled: Life-saving transplant denied, health insurance canceled over 26-cent shortfall

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Health insurance under COBRA was canceled for leukemia patient Sergio Branco because of a 26-cent premium shortfall. Reported by NJ.com 4 hours ago.

Kanetix.com Turns Fourteen Years Old Today

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Kanetix.com is a quote comparison service available to Americans looking for a lower car insurance rate.

Wilmington, DE (PRWEB) August 12, 2013

Fourteen years ago today, two entrepreneurs wanted to change the way drivers shop for car insurance. As a result, Kanetix.com was created by George Small and Gregory Ellis on August 12, 1999.

Since the creation of Kanetix.com, both Small and Ellis have been glowing with pride on an on-going basis as Kanetix.com has been instrumental at helping customers in the United States with their personal insurance needs.

Although Kanetix.com is 14 years old, a lot has happened in the last 14 years in the automotive industry. Just 10 years ago, vehicle manufacturers were focussed on creating the biggest sport utility vehicles (SUV) imaginable for drivers. Now, car manufactures are more focussed on creating compact, environmentally friendly vehicles for consumers.

How consumers shop for their car insurance has changed as well. In 1998, only 10 percent of drivers shopped online for auto insurance. Fast forward to today, and that percentage has gone up to 80 percent of drivers. And this is how Kanetix.com continues to help drivers find the best auto insurance for their needs.

A consumer can easily go to Kanetix.com and find a variety of insurance products including auto insurance. If a driver is looking for car insurance, all they have to do is complete a short questionnaire of their driving history and provide a zip code. Once the online form is complete and has been submitted, a quote will be emailed to a user’s inbox.

Kanetix.com is available to drivers in all 50 U.S. states and quotes are provided by some of the biggest car insurance companies in America, giving consumers a variety of options to find the lowest and best insurance for their lifestyle.

Now that Kanetix.com is 14 years old, it hopes consumers will continue to use its services for all of their insurance needs. A lot of exciting things are expected to come in the next few months and beyond as Kanetix.com continues to grow and look forward to another 14 years.

About Kanetix.com
Since 1999, the Kanetix.com insurance shopping service has been helping customers comparison shop their insurance needs. By completing one simple online questionnaire, consumers in all 50 states can get automobile insurance quotes emailed to their inbox in minutes, from some of the biggest and best insurance providers in America, allowing them to easily compare competing quotes and select their insurer of choice at a time of their convenience.

How it works

The insurance quotes are based on details provided through the secure online questionnaire. The quotes, from some of the best known insurance providers in the US, are then emailed to your inbox giving you an opportunity to easily and conveniently compare quotes from competing insurers.

If it sounds simple, that’s because it is.

In addition, privacy and security are important to Kanetix.com. Your information is safe. It is encrypted and secured using SSL. We respect your privacy, and have our policy reviewed every year.

In addition to car insurance quotes, at Kanetix.com you can find insurers that will be able to provide you with:

·Home insurance quotes

·Life insurance quotes

·Motorcycle insurance quotes

·Health insurance quotes

·Travel insurance quotes

·Commercial insurance quotes for your business

Kanetix.com: More than just car insurance!

For more information, visit http://www.Kanetix.com or contact:

KTX Insurance Agency, Inc.
3422 Old Capitol Trail, Suite #1324
Wilmington, DE
19808-6192
Toll Free:1-866-878-9263
Contact us via email Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

Life-saving transplant denied and health insurance canceled over 26-cent shortfall

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Twenty-six cents almost cost Sergio Branco his life. Twenty-six cents. Most of us could scrape that up from under our couch cushions or on the floor of a car. Sergio Branco has 26 cents, too. The question was whether or not he would be permitted to…   Reported by Raw Story 2 hours ago.

Leo W. Gerard: Supersize Those Wages, McDonald's

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Last month, McDonald's gave its workers a little gift -- a budget purporting to show how to survive on the starvation wages the burger behemoth pays. The bizarre financial plan made millionaire McDonald's CEO Don Thompson look like a real clown.

Wearing oversized Ronald McDonald shoes, the CEO stepped in it big time when his budget suggested workers subsist with no money set aside for food, clothing or even soap to scrub off deep-fryer stench. To secure the laughable amount of $20 a month for health insurance, the McDonald's budget requires the worker to take a second job. The McDonald's plan: work 80 hours a week; but don't eat. No happy meals. Not one.

More money would work so much better for McDonald's employees than Thompson's recommendation that they forego food or rely on food stamps. And welfare. And public housing. And Medicaid. That's the real McDonald's budget. Like other employers paying minimum wage or slightly more, McDonald's leans on taxpayers to subsidize the payroll. Taxpayers cover the cost of McDonald's workers' health care and a big portion of their housing and food costs. The vastly profitable McDonald's corporation is an unabashed welfare recipient. Coronate Ronald McDonald Welfare King. Sound the trumpets!

The payroll subsidy that low-wage paying corporations collect through welfare programs is way more valuable than the million dollar prize in McDonald's Monopoly game. The U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce calculated what it costs taxpayers to prop up low-wage workers at a Walmart Supercenter. It's as much as $1.7 million a year. For one store. That's $5,815 a year for each Walmart worker that taxpayers fork over. No wonder the Walton family is the richest in the world. They win McWelfare Monopoly every day.

In fairytale McDonaldland, low-wage workers are teenagers flipping burgers to buy the newest video game system or expensive prom dress. In reality, low-wage workers are adults. Nearly 70 percent are 20 or older. And they're not getting younger. The average age of low-wage workers increased 2.6 years since 1979. More than a quarter of them have children. The name of McDonald's purple blob character describes life for them -- "Grimace."

There's trouble in real-life McDonaldland now. Since late last year, in cities across the country, low-pay workers have banded together with community organizations, churches and unions to demand a wage increase. They've demonstrated, rallied and conducted one-hour and one-day walk outs.

The value of the minimum wage has declined since 1968 when it was worth $10.56 an hour in today's terms. Now, it's $7.25. It has not increased in four years. President Obama and Democrats in Congress are calling for it to rise to $9 or $10 an hour. Many low-wage demonstrators, however, are demanding something closer to a living wage - $15 an hour.

One of them, Christopher Drumgold, 32, a father of two earning $7.40 an hour at a McDonald's in Detroit, told Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times, "Fifteen dollars an hour would be great -- we'd be able to pay our living costs. . . On what I'm earning right now you have to choose between paying your rent and eating the next day."

In other words, $15 an hour from McDonalds would liberate him from reliance on government assistance because he'd be paid enough to cover his expenses. It would mean taxpayers could stop subsidizing McDonald's payroll.

McDonald's, Walmart and other low-wage-paying, highly profitable corporations are shelling out a lot of money -- not to their struggling workers -- but to lobbyists to fight state and federal efforts to increase the minimum wage. They're demanding that taxpayers continue to bankroll their businesses.

These corporations could pay workers more. But they are happy on the dole. There's plenty of evidence that it's possible to increase wages. For one thing, they already pay more in some places, like San Francisco, where the minimum wage is $10.55 and in Washington State, where it's $9.19. In France, McDonald's pays the equivalent of $12 at 1,200 thriving franchises.

In June, more than 100 economists signed a petition to raise the minimum wage to $10.50. In an attached report, they note that McDonald's could cover half of the cost of that wage increase by raising the price of a Big Mac by one nickel. Mickey D patrons would still be "lovin' it" at $4.05.

Here's another telling example: McDonald's spent $6 billion to repurchase shares and dividends in 2011 -- the equivalent of $3,500 for each of its 1.7 million restaurant workers worldwide. The Hamburglar gave all of the money to stockholders and none of it to the people whose labor produced the profits.

And there's this: Last year, McDonald's more than tripled the compensation packages for its new CEO Thompson and for the man he replaced. Tripled. Thompson's pay went from $4.1 million to $13.8 million.

The "Fight for Fifteen" workers are asking for just slightly more than double, from their current $15,000 a year before taxes to $31,200. They'd gracefully forego the free company car and free vacation rides in the McDonald's jet that Thompson gets. They'd be OK with Thompson pulling down 442 times their pay as long as they could cover their own bills.

McDonald's workers don't need budgeting help from millionaire CEOs. What they need is for McDonald's to supersize their wages. McDonald's $1.3 billion in first quarter profits didn't magically rain down from Golden Arches. The labor of McDonald's workers produced it. McDonald's led the nation in creating fast food. It's time for it to lead again by stepping up and paying its workers a living wage. The nation's 3.6 million minimum wage workers deserve a bigger piece of that McApple pie. Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.

Tufts Medical, Vanguard launch health insurance plan

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Tufts Medical Center, its doctors’ group and Vanguard Health System are launching their new health plan, called Minuteman Health. The joint venture, announced last August, was funded by an $88.5 million loan from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and will be governed by its members. Federal grants were set aside for up to 50 health insurance co-ops that would focus on greater transparency and lower costs for members. The plan will be run by some heavy-hitters in the local… Reported by bizjournals 1 day ago.

The Coming Health Insurance Apocalypse?

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One political leader wants to bring forth a health insurance apocalypse. Could health insurers be among the walking dead? Reported by Motley Fool 18 hours ago.

Should I keep my grandfathered health insurance plan?

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*Should I keep my grandfathered health insurance plan?*

*Q*. If I am grandfathered in my current insurance, would it pay to stay or look for new health insurance in 2014? My insurance company says to keep it in case the new health care policies cost more.

*A*. Like so much about health insurance, whether a grandfathered health insurance plan is a good deal depends on the particulars of the health plan and the state of your personal health. “Grandfathered” health insurance plans are those that were in existence before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2013.

Assuming you have a true grandfathered plan, you can renew it as many times as you want, even after health reform’s major changes kick in next year. It will fulfill your obligation to have health insurance. Just be aware that the plan may lack some consumer-friendly features that the new health care law requires of non-grandfathered plans. For example, grandfathered plans don’t have to give you free preventive care or allow you to appeal denied claims to an independent external reviewer. 

For more information, see our Health Insurance Buying Guide as well as rankings of health insurance plans. Got a question for me? Ask it here. Please include the state you live in.

You may also have a plan that, although not grandfathered because you bought it more recently, lacks some of the benefits that will be required of all individual plans come 2014. Until then, insurance companies can sell plans that don’t cover essential health benefits such as mental health or maternity care. They can exclude coverage of your pre-existing conditions, in some cases indefinitely. If you have such a plan, you can keep it as is until whatever point in 2014 it expires, at which time the plan will have to add in all those required benefits.

“Companies are reaching out to currently insured people offering, in effect, to delay the new market reforms until late in 2014 by renewing their existing plan,” said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the Kaiser Family Foundation (no relation to the HMO).

My advice is to hang onto your plan for now, but when your state’s Marketplace opens on Oct. 1, check to see whether you might be able to get a better plan at a better price. It’s a risk-free move because you can get full benefit and pricing information without any obligation to actually buy a plan.

Bear in mind that the only way to get help paying your insurance premiums is to buy the plan on the Marketplace. These subsidies, in the form of a new kind of tax credit that you can use right away, are available to individuals earning less than about $46,000 a year and families of four earning less than about $94,000. If you stick with your existing plan, you can’t get this financial help.

I’d also be cautious about hanging onto a plan that doesn’t cover major categories of services. For instance, some low-priced individual plans sold today don’t cover prescription drugs, or, if they do, only generics. Even if you don’t need expensive medications today, there’s no guarantee about tomorrow. And if you pass up the opportunity to buy a comprehensive policy in the Marketplace during Open Enrollment, which runs from Oct. 1, 2013, through March 31, 2014, you won’t be able to switch to a new plan until next year’s open enrollment period.

—Nancy Metcalf

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