Quantcast
Channel: Health Insurance Headlines on One News Page [United States]
Viewing all 22794 articles
Browse latest View live

The curse of the 3% healthcare surcharge in restaurants

0
0
Most of us, as regular or infrequent restaurant patrons, might be willing to pay a fair price for our meals so that the people who provide service to us can enjoy the far more basic service of healthcare. But adding a 3% itemized surcharge to customers’ tabs for employee health insurance,... Reported by L.A. Times 10 hours ago.

Conservatives Proven Utterly Wrong On Key Aspect Of Obamacare

0
0
Remember when Obamacare was a terrible deal for young adults, and how "young invincibles" didn't even want health insurance? Conservative groups -- acting, no doubt, out of deep concern for the well-being of the nation's 20-somethings -- even staged events where young people burned their "Obamacare cards" (there is no such thing).

The key part of this narrative was that young adults would shun Obamacare. This would then leave health insurance companies and taxpayers holding the bag when only old and sick people got covered under the new program and run up huge medical bills, leading to a catastrophic "death spiral" that would destroy the private health insurance market. What a terrifying nightmare!

Instead, this is what happened:
** The Uninsured Rate **

** Among 19- to 25-Year-Olds **Not so scary, after all.

That's right: The share of the population between 19 and 25 years old without health insurance has fallen since the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. That year, the uninsured rate for that group was more than 30 percent. By the end of this March, it had fallen to 21 percent, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey data presented in a report the White House Council of Economic Advisors released Wednesday.

In fact, the uninsured rate fell more for young adults than any other age group from the end of 2013 to the close of the first quarter of this year, the CDC survey found. And that doesn't even account for a surge in Obamacare enrollments at the end of March and early April, especially among younger people, for insurance coverage that didn't kick in until April or May. Turns out, people under 30 also think having health insurance is a good idea.

Sort of hard to square these findings with, say, this from February 2013:
Source: BuzzFeed

Again, this is what "screwed" looks like:

And although young adults don't make up as many of the 7 million-plus people enrolled in private Obamacare plans as the administration wanted, the new health insurance exchange marketplaces seem to look appealing enough to health insurance companies. On average, premiums will rise 6 percent next year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, which is in line with or below historical increases. And more insurers are joining the Obamacare exchanges.

Sure, these numbers are being touted by the White House, which has a vested interest in spinning such things. But survey after survey after survey has shown that Obamacare made a big dent in the uninsured rate. According to Gallup, it's the lowest it's been since 1997, at 13.1 percent.

To be fair, it's totally true that Obamacare brought with it big changes in the health insurance market for young adults.

On the plus side, parents can keep their children on their family insurance policies until they turn 26, which appears to have had a real effect on the uninsured rate for young adults starting in 2011. And young adults have access to the same guaranteed benefits, coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions, and financial assistance to obtain health insurance as everyone else.

The big downside is that the Affordable Care Act allows health insurance companies to charge older customers no more than triple what they charge younger policyholders, which would tend to increase premiums for young people, who presumably are healthier and use less medical care. That problem is mitigated at least somewhat by the availability for subsidies for low- and moderate-income people. That's good, because young adults tend to earn less than older people. But price can still be an issue, especially for those who rarely visit the doctor and might not see the value in paying a premium every month.

(Let's compare that situation to job-based health insurance, which is the most common form of health insurance in America. For large-group insurance, everyone pays the same price, no matter how old or young, sick or healthy. If Obamacare is a bad deal for young adults, employer health benefits seem even worse.)

And one study even found that young adults actually were healthier after Obamacare benefits kicked in. That's a funny definition of "screwed." Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.

Man Found Naked In The Woods By Hunter Comes Clean About What Actually Happened (Video)

0
0
Man Found Naked In The Woods By Hunter Comes Clean About What Actually Happened (Video) Man Found Naked In The Woods By Hunter Comes Clean About What Actually Happened (Video)
Naked Man Found In Woods By Hunter Comes Clean About What Really Happened (Video)
Man Found Naked In The Woods By Hunter Comes Clean About What Actually Happened (Video)
Headlines
Health
Internet
Lifestyle
Nation
Has Been Optimized

On Wednesday, Opposing Views reported about the hunter who stumbled across a naked man in the woods and helped bring him to safety. Now, the man who was saved from the woods is speaking out about what really happened to him to land him in the woods naked in the first place.

Reports said, initially, that a hunter named Casey Sanders was in the woods near Atlanta, Georgia with his bow when he stumbled upon a naked man. The man begged him not to shoot him, and eventually, Sanders says that he was able to bring the man to safety.

Initially, the man claimed that he had been beaten up, stripped naked, and dumped in the woods during the TomorrowWorld Music Festival that had happened nearby four days prior to Sanders finding him. After posting video of the shocking confrontation on YouTube, the story has quickly gone viral.

“I know I was confrontational at first, but what you don’t see is the hour after that of me getting him to safety,” clarified Sanders in the clip. “I mean I did save his life and I didn’t call the cops. Sorry I wasn’t so trusting to random stranger naked in the creek out in the middle of the woods who couldn’t differ a dream from reality. I didn’t exactly have a script in my head of this is what I will do when I find a naked man in a creek.”

Now, the man that was found naked, who goes by the name Carl, admitted to The Blaze in an interview that what he told Sanders initially wasn’t exactly true.

When Sanders got him to safety, Carl was able to tell him his cell phone number, which in turn lead them to the man’s girlfriend, who brought him back home. Carl specifically asked Sanders not to call the police because he didn’t have health insurance and he feared they would bring him to a hospital, but now, Carl says that the circumstances of how he ended up there in the first place aren’t what he originally claimed.

Carl admitted to The Blaze that, while at the music festival, he ended up taking a strong concoction of drugs that included a mixture of MDA and LSD, and eventually, he woke up naked in the woods. He isn’t even entirely clear how long he was there.

“I said what I said in the video because I was really afraid that Casey was going to shoot me and I was trying to explain myself,” Carl said to The Blaze. “It’s not exactly something [that I was high on drugs] I want to tell somebody with a loaded bow.”

The Blaze notes that Carl’s story can’t be independently verified, but Carl did provide pictures of sores on his feet as evidence that he really was stranded in the woods.

Now, Carl, who takes all the blame for the false story and says that he had the “most terrifying weekend of his life,” promises that he’s done with drugs for good. Even though the story isn’t exactly what was reported from the start, Carl still credits Sanders with saving his life.

Sources: The Blaze, UpRoxx

1
Shares: 
Combined FB: 
Video Piece: 
Video Piece (This piece contains embedded video content)
OV in Depth:  Reported by Opposing Views 8 hours ago.

Medical society urges establishment of 24-hour hotline for Highmark-UPMC questions

0
0
The Allegheny County Medical Society is recommending that a 24-hour hotline be established to answer questions about health insurance as insurer Highmark Inc. and hospital system UPMC end contractual relations. Medical Society Executive Director Jack Krah said an around-the-clock hotline was needed to answer questions about doctors and health insurance networks. Although Highmark and UPMC reached consent decrees with state regulators in July, Krah said questions persist about UPMC doctors who practice… Reported by bizjournals 9 hours ago.

A Quarter Of Latinos In The U.S. Are Uninsured

0
0
This piece comes to us courtesy of Stateline. Stateline is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news service of the Pew Charitable Trusts that provides daily reporting and analysis on trends in state policy.
In the “sala de espera,” or waiting room, at La Clinica del Pueblo, a community health center in Washington, D.C., signs in Spanish encourage patients to “Empower yourself!” and sign up for insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

Adults slump in chairs, scribbling on application forms, texting friends, waiting. In a tiny office a few feet away, William Joachin, the center’s patient access manager, faces down the frustrations of trying to navigate the federal health care program for the thousands of mostly Central American immigrants who flood the clinic each year. He’s not alone.

A year after open enrollment for the ACA began, one in four Latinos living in the U.S. does not have health insurance, according to new census data, more than any other ethnic population in the country—and most states have few backups in place to help those in the coverage gap. Latino immigrants are the hardest hit: Foreign-born Hispanics are more than twice as likely to be uninsured than are U.S.-born Hispanics, according to census data compiled by the Pew Research Center. (Pew also funds Stateline.)

A variety of factors account for this, including a lack of culturally specific outreach programs, language barriers, financial concerns, frustration with the ACA’s complexities and fears that applying could jeopardize a family member’s immigration status.

Illustrating some of the challenges was the woman in Joachin’s clinic who grew up in a Honduran refugee camp and couldn’t read and write. As a legal resident, she’s eligible to purchase health insurance through the exchanges, he said, but she doesn’t know how to spell her name. With help, she first applied back in March and is still waiting.

There are also the former activists who fought against the government in El Salvador during the civil war in that country, and are exceedingly wary about any form of government program, even health insurance.

Then there’s the “mixed status” family with the son a citizen, the mother with temporary protected status, the father with a green card, the grandmother with a visa and the uncle seeking asylum.

“That’s when it gets complicated,” Joachin says.

“Immigrants want to do the right thing, want to buy health insurance,” said Sonal Ambegaokar, senior attorney at the National Health Law Program. “But unfortunately, we put up barriers for them to get access. When we talk about a streamlined health enrollment system, we should really mean that it’s for everybody.”

The Uninsured

Fifty-six percent of noncitizen immigrants in the U.S. are Latino, many of whom are in the country illegally and are not eligible to purchase health insurance through the health exchanges, even if they can afford to pay.

Nationwide, 25 percent of Latinos do not have health insurance. Naturalized citizens from Latin America fare better than noncitizens; 21 percent are uninsured, compared to 49 percent of other Latin American immigrants who are not citizens. (About 14 percent of all U.S. residents do not have insurance.)

Overall, children are more likely to have health insurance, thanks to a number of safety net programs, including Medicaid, the joint federal-state health care program for the poor, and the federal Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Despite this, Latino children are more than twice as likely as white children to be uninsured, according to the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization based in Washington. One in six Hispanic children does not have health coverage.

By comparison, one in 10 African-American children does not have health insurance, while one in 11 Asian-American children is uninsured. Latino children also account for the largest share of children in the U.S. who are eligible for programs like Medicaid/CHIP, but are not enrolled.

Further complicating matters, health advocates say, is most states have done little to remedy the issue. Twenty-four states have chosen not to expand Medicaid to more residents under the federal health care law, including Texas and Florida, which have the second- and third-largest Latino populations in the country.

In Texas, 50 percent of the state’s Latinos are uninsured, according to NCLR, and Florida has the third-highest rate of uninsured at 36 percent. In California, which has the highest percentage of Latinos, nearly 60 percent are uninsured, according to the California Healthcare Foundation.

“Just with (Florida and Texas) alone, as long as they don’t pass Medicaid expansion, we’re going to be left with millions of Latinos uninsured,” said Alejandra Gepp, associate director of the NCLR’s Institute for Hispanic Health. “This costs millions. The cost to (states), having this large segment of uninsured people is huge, because people end up using the emergency room as services. By the time someone gets diagnosed with diabetes in an emergency room, it might be too late.”

Complicating Factors

The number of Latinos with health care coverage has increased 5.3 percent since the ACA took effect, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. But many remain uninsured.

One reason is that immigrants are more likely to be lower-income and are more likely to be making an hourly wage at construction or service jobs that don’t offer employer-based insurance, according to Jennifer Sullivan, the director of the Best Practices Institute for Enroll America, a nonpartisan not-for-profit created to expand health care coverage around the country.

Even if their jobs do offer health insurance, it’s often cost prohibitive, Gepp said.

“Let’s say you’re making $10 an hour. After taxes, you’re left with probably a check of no more than $400 a week at most,” Gepp said. “If you have to pay $200 in health insurance each month, many decide not to purchase it.”

Language is also a big issue. The Spanish language translation for the federal health insurance exchange was filled with gaffes. In describing the cost of monthly premiums, for example, the website used the word “prima” for premium, which also means “female cousin” in Spanish.

States fared no better with their Spanish language translations. Oregon used the error-prone Google Translate for its exchange. California, despite its large Latino population, offers poor translations, according to Lisa Clemans-Cope, a researcher at the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Institute. There is a Spanish language paper application, but it takes much longer to fill out, creating yet another barrier for immigrants, said Ambegaokar.

Middle-class Latinos are more likely to apply online for insurance, but lower-income Hispanics and more recent immigrants with limited English skills generally prefer to do so in person through a facilitator or over the phone, advocates said.

Trust is also a major factor for families who fear that enrolling in the exchange could jeopardize their immigration status, despite reassurances from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to the contrary, Ambegaokar said. “But if there’s an immigration raid in that community, it’s not very reassuring.”

Some State Efforts

There are no statewide safety nets in place for undocumented immigrants and foreign-born residents who are here legally but have not been in the country long enough to qualify for public health programs, according to Gepp. People with “permanent residency” status, who have a green card, must have been in the country for at least five years to qualify for Medicaid. There is no restriction to get insurance under the ACA as long as applicants are in the country legally and have a Social Security number.

In California, where Latinos make up 50 percent of the population, Democratic state Senator Ricardo Lara introduced the Health for All Act, earlier this year, which would expand health care coverage for all Californians, regardless of immigration status. Under the bill, some 700,000 undocumented residents would have access to primary health care in 2015. (Young people who are undocumented and have deportation deferrals are eligible for Medicaid in the state.)

Currently, California doesn’t cover undocumented residents statewide, but there are various county-level programs that do.  California also has state funded Medicaid coverage for people who are designated as having "Permanent residence under color of law” (PRUCOL), including youth with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and other state-funded coverage for pregnant women regardless of status, according to Gilberto Mendoza, policy associate with the National Conference on State Legislatures.

Several other states also provide coverage for pregnant immigrants, Mendoza said.

The city of San Francisco already has Healthy San Francisco, which provides health insurance provides health services to uninsured residents who make up to $54,000 a year, regardless of whether they are documented. And last week, Los Angeles County launched its $61 million “My Health LA” plan, a no-cost health plan for residents who cannot get health insurance, including the city’s undocumented residents.

The District of Columbia has the Healthcare Alliance program, which provides health care for low-income people, regardless of immigration status. But because the program does not offer mental health and substance abuse treatment, it does not meet minimum standards for health insurance as mandated by the ACA, according to La Clinica’s Joachin. The program also is quite complicated, with myriad rules and regulations that make it tricky to access, Joachin said.

Other states rely on a patchwork system of safety-net providers, including public and not-for-profit hospitals, migrant health centers and community health centers like La Clinica which provide primary care to underserved communities, according to a Hastings Center report on undocumented immigrants. Illinois, for example, which has the nation’s fifth-largest Latino population, provides coverage for all low-income children under 19, even if they are undocumented.

In some states, such as Maryland, the quality of care an uninsured immigrant can receive will vary greatly across counties, said Democratic Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez, a Democrat.“It’s hard for me to understand why we prohibit people from buying health insurance,” Gutierrez said. “That’s kind of crazy. I’m not saying (undocumented people) should have the free coverage. I’m sure many of them would be able to pay.” Reported by Huffington Post 8 hours ago.

Latino Activists to WH: Let DREAMers, Exec Amnesty Recipients Get Obamacare, Gov't Benefits

0
0
Latino Activists to WH: Let DREAMers, Exec Amnesty Recipients Get Obamacare, Gov't Benefits This week, Latino activists wrote President Barack Obama a letter demanding that illegal immigrants who have received and will get temporary amnesty also qualify for Obamacare and other government benefits.

Writing on behalf of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), Thomas A. Saenz, the President of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), and Jose Calderon, the President of the Hispanic Federation, urged Obama to "undertake expansive administrative action to provide health care access to undocumented immigrants with grants of deferred action, both under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and any future affirmative administrative relief programs." 

"NHLA strongly recommends that temporary administrative relief must treat all persons eligible for relief and employment authorization as lawfully present for all purposes, including eligibility for public benefits and affordable health care," the NHLA's Immigration Committee Co-Chairs continued. "Due to this Administration’s changes to existing federal rules, those who qualified for DACA are excluded from affordable health insurance options available to all others with deferred action."

They said that "administrative action is warranted in light of the chronic and severe lack of access to health care faced by the immigrant community, particularly Latino immigrants." Saenz and Calderon wrote that since those who have received temporary amnesty under Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program cannot get Obamacare due to "hastily issued" regulations, state lawmakers have been "emboldened" to "discriminate against DACA grantees."

"NHLA asks that you apply the fairness and equality that your Administration has shown in various other areas in the health care context and ensure that no one—regardless of their immigration status—lacks access to critical health care services," they wrote in the letter. "For DACA recipients in need of health care, the denial of affordable care and coverage undoubtedly leads to human suffering and diminished health."

Saenz and Calderon also noted that "NHLA previously delivered a letter outlining our recommendations for affirmative relief, including the expansion of deferred action and transition to permanent status for the undocumented population" and again urged Obama to enact "administrative actions that would expand health care access for undocumented immigrants with employment authorization and lawful presence."

Obama has vowed to enact an executive amnesty by the end of this year. Hispanic lawmakers like Rep. Luis Gutierriez (D-IL) have demanded "interest" in the form of a "bolder" and "broader" executive amnesty after the White House asked the Latino community for "forbearance" after missing the "by the end of the summer" amnesty deadline that Obama imposed. Reported by Breitbart 6 hours ago.

10 things: 10 things your health insurance won't tell you

0
0
10 things: 10 things your health insurance won't tell you Reported by ajc.com 7 hours ago.

10 things: 10 things your health insurance won’t tell you

0
0
Reported by MarketWatch 7 hours ago.

10 Things That Will Make You Really Want to Go to College

0
0
Americans collectively have more than $1.2 trillion in student loan debt, an amount that may cause prospective students to wonder whether college is worth the cost. Regardless of debt levels, it's still statistically more beneficial to hold a college degree.

When is comes to salaries, millennial college graduates by and large make $17,500 more annually than their peers without degrees. But aside from pay, there are a host of other reasons to get a degree. Here are 10 unexpected reasons you should go to college.

Even if student debt may seem daunting, the benefits of going to college outweigh what you miss by not attending. Pew Research Center found about nine in 10 college grads from all generations said college is worth the investment.*1. Entrepreneurship Possibilities*
Students go to college to learn and hopefully get a job in their chosen field after graduation. However, some create businesses and other entrepreneurial ventures right on campus. It's not just the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world who create these start-ups, either.

"I teach in the business school, so most of the kids I see are focused on their first job, but I think unusual reasons they probably haven't thought of are gathering information in areas they may be interested in and that they could then leverage into a career," says John Highbarger, a marketing professor at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and a former global managing partner at Accenture. Highbarger teaches a class called "Marketing for Entrepreneurs" that has produced 24 businesses.

He adds, "We have brilliant students, and the only thing they have going against them is that they're young and they don't have much experience, so we try to give them that experience."*2. Dating *
When you're single, college is like a big pond with lots of fish, says Pamela Mennechey, associate vice president of student recruitment and enrollment at Seminole State College of Florida.

"Although the days of women going to college to find a husband are long over, there is still strong data that suggests that people are meeting their future partners in college," she added. About 28 percent of married graduates attended the same college as their spouse, according to a 2013 Facebook Data Sciences study.

Colleges and universities put thousands of young students in the same place at the same time. Mutual attraction is likely to form between people who share interests and are living, studying and socializing in the same area.*3. Health Benefits*
College graduates tend to reap more health benefits than those without higher education. In 2011, employers provided health insurance to 69 percent of those with bachelor's degrees and 73 percent of those with advanced degrees, as opposed to just 55 percent of full-time workers with high school diplomas, according to a 2013 study by the College Board. In addition, the study found college graduates generally smoke less, enjoy higher exercise rates and have lower obesity rates than those without a bachelor's degree.*4. Economic Security*
Higher salaries are not the only advantage college graduates have over their high school graduates. Those with bachelor's degrees tend to have poverty rates about one-third lower than high school graduates, according to the same College Board study. The unemployment rate among four-year college graduates ages 25 to 34 was nearly one-third that of high school graduates in the same age group in 2012.

Millennials with bachelor's degrees are also more likely to be married and less likely than their less-educated peers to be living in their parents' home, according to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center. About 12 percent of those with bachelor's degrees live at home compared to 18 percent of high school grads. Bachelor's degree holders are more likely to be married than their high school graduate counterparts by 5 percentage points.*5. Discounts*
College IDs can get you student discounts at restaurants, movie theaters, local attractions and museums, and for gym memberships, shipping, travel and newspaper subscriptions. A variety of retailers offer online and in-store discounts for students including Apple, Amazon.com, Banana Republic, Toms, Club Monaco, Madewell, Kate Spade and more. Insurance companies also often offer discounts to student drivers who get good grades.

"After college you have to wait until you're 50 to reap those benefits again!" says Mennechey. "We always encourage Seminole State College of Florida students to ask for a student discount."*6. Expanding Your Awareness*
Students on a college campus are exposed to peers from different backgrounds and experiences, says Jed Smith, chief development officer for The Bottom Line, a non-profit organization that helps low-income and first-generation students go to college and succeed once they are there.

"It provides some relief from their regular day," says Smith of first-time college students. He adds that college provides the opportunity to be exposed to experiences that may make students uncomfortable, socially, physically and emotionally. This new exposure leads to an expanded awareness of self and the world beyond what a student grew up with.

"The world in which you live is the world of which you are aware," says Anthony Armstrong, a professor of political science at Wesley College in Delaware. "College expands your awareness of the world, your awareness of the human condition, your awareness of human aspirations, and your awareness of your own deepest aspiration."*7. Creative Solutions*
No matter what college you attend, living spaces can be small, dining halls may be far and budgets may be nil. College forces you to get creative with how you live. Being able to adapt to new situations is a skill you will carry into adulthood.

Highbarger says college is a great time for students to experiment, try new things and be "sort of an adult." One of the greatest benefits of college is it can be a "good time to make mistakes in a controlled environment," he adds.*8. Travel Opportunities*
From study abroad to internships, class trips and volunteering, college offers students travel opportunities they may otherwise not have. Smith finds travel, domestic and international, invaluable for students. The exposure to places outside of students' comfort zones can help them expand their views, meet new people and find their passion. Many colleges even have branch campuses in other countries that make it easier for students to stay on track with their studies while opening their minds.*9. Networking Resources*
Your sophomore-year roommate may stay up until all hours of the night partying on the weekend, but in 10 years, she may be the lawyer you go to for advice. Your freshman study group may turn out doctors, financial advisors, engineers, web designers and other professionals.

The network you make in college can help you build a well of great financial and life resources you can use for years to come. The friends you make in your teens and early 20s can impart the knowledge that will help you make educated choices down the road.*10. Self-knowledge*
Balancing school, work, dating, and a social life in a brand new community helps you to figure out what elements you need to lead a happy life. College is not only a place for students to learn more about a chosen field; it's also an excellent way to transition into adulthood, beginning with self-knowledge.

"College aims to empower students' minds, but it can also empower students' hearts through self-knowledge," says Armstrong. "In other words, college can bring the light of awareness, knowledge and understanding to your pursuit of happiness."

Use NerdScholar's free resources to navigate paying for college, choosing a career and managing your student loans. Reported by Huffington Post 5 hours ago.

Here's how Maryland's small business health insurance rates will change in 2015

0
0
The Maryland Insurance Administration on Friday approved insurance rates offered to small employers for 2015, with rates ranging from nearly 3 percent less to 11 percent more. Plans offered by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the state’s largest insurer, will increase by an average of 5.1 percent. Coventry Health plans will rise by an average of 9.7 percent. UnitedHealthCare rates will dip by 2.6 percent, while rates offered through Evergreen Health Cooperative will stay unchanged. For nine of… Reported by bizjournals 4 hours ago.

Technology That Could Simplify Exchange Enrollment Process Will Not Be Ready for Open Enrollment Period, Reports AIS Newsletter

0
0
Technology designed to determine federal subsidy eligibility will not be ready in time for open enrollment on Nov. 15, industry observers tell Inside Health Insurance Exchanges.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) October 10, 2014

Technology designed to allow insurance carriers and web-broker entities (WBEs) to determine federal subsidy eligibility and directly enroll consumers on exchange plans through their own websites will not be ready for the coming open enrollment period which starts Nov. 15, according to reporting in the Oct. 2 issue of Atlantic Information Services’s Inside Health Insurance Exchanges (HEX). The interface, Eligibility Verification as a Service (EVaaS), would seamlessly connect to HealthCare.gov to determine subsidy eligibility without redirecting the consumer to the federal portal. Because it’s not ready, subsidy-eligible consumers will only be able to enroll in exchanges via government-supported sites like HealthCare.gov, or the state-run marketplaces.

Had EVaaS had been available last year, consumers could have enrolled in coverage through websites operated by carriers and WBEs, decreasing reliance on the glitchy federal website. And while EVaaS enjoys broad support from government and the health insurance industry, its implementation hasn’t been high-priority. CMS’s Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) “didn’t have the time or resources to make it work because they were focused on HealthCare.gov,” says Joel Ario, the first director of CCIIO’s Office of Health Insurance Exchanges, and now managing director at Manatt Health Solutions. CMS instead worked on updating HealthCare.gov for the second open enrollment season, with the agency saying that 70% of consumers will have access to a shorter and simpler application. This streamlined application, however, will not be available to carriers and WBEs.

The challenge now is to get EVaaS in place for 2016. “There is a compelling rationale to give consumers multiple entry points, not just one public portal,” Ario says. Despite some opposition from people who see government-run exchanges as the first step to a single-payer system, Ario is confident EVaaS will be implemented. “But like many parts of the [Affordable Care Act],” he says, “the IT challenge has so far impeded implementation.”

Visit http://aishealth.com/archive/nhex100214-01 to read the article in its entirety.

About Inside Health Insurance Exchanges
Inside Health Insurance Exchanges provides hard-hitting news and strategies on public and private health insurance exchanges, written for business leaders with health plans, pharma companies, hospitals and health systems, brokers and agents, and exchange managers and vendors. The newsletter delivers reliable intelligence on this critical cornerstone of health reform — the players and their partners, product designs and enrollment results, employer perspectives and much more. Visit http://aishealth.com/marketplace/inside-health-insurance-exchanges for more information.

About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for more than 25 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals, health plans, medical group practices, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, websites, looseleafs, books, strategic reports, databases, webinars and conferences. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

Highmark defends new coverage, criticizes legal action

0
0
Highmark shot back at regulators Friday afternoon, calling a request for an injunction against the insurer over its new Medicare Advantage health insurance plan the “wrong action” at the “wrong time.” “The burden is on the state to explain why they are advocating a plan structure that would lead to increased costs for seniors,” the insurer wrote in a statement. The Highmark response came after the state Attorney General, Department of Health and Insurance Department filed for an injunction… Reported by bizjournals 4 hours ago.

Obamacare: IRS Nightmare over Fraudulent Subsidies and Exemptions

0
0
Obamacare: IRS Nightmare over Fraudulent Subsidies and Exemptions As Obamacare is fully implemented as a national mandate for individuals, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that four million people who chose to continue to be uninsured and do not qualify for exemptions will pay a fine on their federal tax return.

The fine starts out at the greater of $95 per person or 1% of income this year, and in 2016 will jump to $695 or 2.5% of income. Although 23 million people are expected to qualify for exemptions, huge delays from an overwhelmed IRS tasked with processing fraudulent Obamacare subsidies and legitimate exemptions ensures a coming administrative disaster.

Obamacare greatly expands the authority and the scope of the Internal Revenue Service. Provisions of the law that resulted in the hiring thousands of new IRS agents and billions in funding include the enforcement of the individual mandate requiring most Americans to buy government-approved health insurance, enforcement of the employer mandate that forces most employers to take money out of workers’ paychecks to purchase health insurance on their behalf, determination of fraudulent Obamacare subsidies, and granting of exemptions to qualifying individuals.

The CBO expects that of the 30 million Americans who remain uninsured by 2016, about 23 million are expected to qualify for exemptions from paying the Obamacare penalty fines. Those groups who are exempt include:

· Unauthorized immigrants, who are prohibited from receiving almost all Medicaid benefits and all subsidies through the insurance exchanges;
· People with income so low they are not required to file an income tax return;
· People who have income below 138% of the federal poverty guidelines (federal poverty level) and are ineligible for Medicaid because the state in which they reside has not expanded eligibility by 2016 under the option provided in the ACA;
· People whose premium exceeds 8% of their income in 2014 (indexed over time);
· People who are incarcerated; and members of Indian tribes;
· Members of "recognized religious sect” with moral objections to health insurance;
· “Health care sharing ministries” who have religious believers that have continuously pooled resources to fund medical expenses since 1999; and
· Personal financial calamity and death in the family.

The challenge for those that believe they “qualify” for exemptions is to apply to the IRS and for the service to have the time to individually process their exemptions while overwhelmed with a massive amount of fraudulent and inappropriate subsidies.  

A July audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that manage Obamacare enrollments hired contractors that accept documents as authentic unless there are obvious alterations and are not required to detect fraud. When the GAO examined for fraud on the Obamacare exchanges, they found that 91% of fake applicants were able to get subsidized coverage on the exchanges.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Michigan) told NBC, “We are seeing a trend with Obamacare information systems: Under every rock, there is incompetence, waste, and the potential for fraud.” Camp added. “Now, we learn that in many cases, the exchange is unable to screen out fake identities or documents.”

Since the Obamacare subsidy frauds are going to be a direct hit on the U.S. Treasury, Congress will undoubtedly direct the IRS to concentrate their staff and resources on stopping fraud and collecting back subsidy dollars, rather than processing exemptions.

“It’s not going to be pretty,” George Brandes, V.P. of health care programs at Jackson Hewitt tax preparation service, told Politico. “Just because you theoretically qualify for hardship, or another exemption, doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.”

About 10% of Americans will remain uninsured when they calculate their income taxes and potential Obamacare penalties for the first time by April 15, 2015. Only those that filled out the exemption application, submitted the evidence regarding their qualification, and had the exemption approved will have received an IRS approved “exemption certification” number in the mail. 

Those whose exemption has been approved will then have to fill out a newly drafted tax form that will require the tax filer to state the number of days or months during the year they qualified for an exemption and then calculate how much penalty he or she will owe.

All of this guarantees an administrative disaster as the IRS is inundated with massive amounts of Obamacare paperwork and documents going back and forth. The IRS will be battling millions of Americans about subsidies the IRS determines they were not entitled to and exemptions the IRS will prove they are entitled to.

Chriss Street suggests that if you are interested in technology, please click on SILICON VALLEY TECH GIANTS SAY US SPYING MAY BUST-UP THE INTERNET Reported by Breitbart 3 hours ago.

Rate Challenges Have Saved Consumers $3.063 Billion Since 2002 On Auto, Home and Business Insurance Rates, Showing How Prop 45 Will Save Consumers Up To $1 Billion Annually On Health Insurance, says Consumer Watchdog Campaign

0
0
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Public challenges to insurance rate requests have saved consumers $3.063 billion on auto, homeowners and medical malpractice policies over the last 12 years, demonstrating the potential savings under Prop 45 which applies... Reported by PR Newswire 3 hours ago.

Why you can't rely on cancer center ads

0
0
*Why you can't rely on cancer center ads*

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when that particular cancer is in the spotlight. The No. 1 priority for any cancer patient should be to make informed treatment decisions. But according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, advertisements for cancer centers are too often long on emotion and short on realistic and useful information.

The study found that 85 percent of the ads were designed to tug at viewers’ heartstrings. Patient testimonials, usually focused on their survival against the odds, were used in almost half of them.

There is nothing wrong with offering hope, but it should be balanced with facts. Emphasizing success stories without saying what the typical patient might expect can be misleading. The ads also tend to omit any references to risk—less than 2 percent of those evaluated in the study mentioned it—and only 5 percent addressed costs or health care coverage.

*Read more of our advice on preventing and treating cancer. See our hospital Ratings to compare institutions in your area.*

“Modern cancer treatment has plenty to offer without resorting to exaggeration and emotional manipulation,” John Santa, M.D., M.P.H., medical director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, said. So cut through the dramatic presentations and consider these factors instead.

*Experience.* Any center you consider should be able to provide details about its proficiency treating your type of cancer and what its success rates are.

*Treatment.* A cancer center ad might tout “advanced treatment options,” but that alone doesn’t mean much. Find out how your medical team plans to treat your cancer. More than one option might be available, so what outcomes should you expect from each? Are there clinical trials of new treatments? What’s the timeline for treatment?

*Risk.* Different treatments may have different risks and side effects, such as anemia or incontinence. Doctors should be willing to explain them to you.

*Cost.* Cancer care is expensive. If you have insurance, your choices may be limited to those in your plan. If cost is a concern, ask the center you’re considering whether it offers financial assistance. (Looking for insurance? See our health insurance rankings.)

*Quality of life.* Fighting “the battle” against can­cer is one part of your treatment. So is your comfort during that battle. What can be done to help you manage your symptoms? What kind of ac­cess will you have to your doctor? Are office hours convenient, and can you reach him or her during off-hours? If you’re traveling for care, does the center offer accommodations for you and your family?

*Support services.* Good cancer treat­ment goes beyond medical care. Ask about access to dietitians, physical therapists, social workers, psychologists, and other professionals who can help you. What services are offered to family members? How the center treats the person as well as the disease can make a big difference.

—Ian Landau

How to find a reliable cancer center

The following resources can help get you started in your search for a high-quality cancer center that fits your needs and situation.

-Your primary care doctor-

Most likely, he or she can recommend an oncologist, clinic, or both for treatment. Tapping into the experiences of relatives, friends, and colleagues can also be helpful, but be sure to do your own research.

-Commission on Cancer-

The more than 1,500 centers accredited by the Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons, are required to meet stan­dards for quality, follow treatment guidelines, and track performance to improve care. You can find accredited centers on the commission’s website.

-NCI-designated cancer centers-

All 61 of the National Cancer Institute’s designated cancer centers conduct research and treat patients. (Seven other centers do laboratory research.) The University of Pittsburgh study found that NCI-designated centers were more likely than nondesignated ones to use testi­monials and emotional appeals in their promos but that those centers were considered top-notch in treating cancer. For a list of them, go to cancer.gov.

*Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers or sponsors on this website. Copyright © 2006-2014 Consumers Union of U.S.*

*Subscribe now!*
Subscribe to *ConsumerReports.org* for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products.
--------------------
Update your feed preferences Reported by Consumer Reports 2 hours ago.

The Most Important Money Decisions 20-Somethings Make

0
0
By Bob Sullivan, Credit.com

The first day at a new job is full of excitement, anxiety, optimism and confusion. Am I dressed right? Will I fit in? Will I find the bathroom?

Getting all those things right is important, of course. But some things that seem less pressing will have an even bigger impact on your future. There's always a mountain of paperwork, courtesy of the HR department, when you start a new job. And you'll soon be facing a lot of money decisions. Here's how to get it all right, whether you've just landed your first job out of college, or you've been lucky enough to land a new job recently.

*1. Use that credit card. Wisely.*

Yes, you will have to spend money before you make money. You'll buy some clothes, buy a monthly bus pass, maybe even have some moving expenses. Short-term credit is made for transition times like these, particularly when you have good reason to expect new income soon. It's not the end of the world if you end up carrying a credit card balance for a couple of months while you wait for your first paycheck. But if you can't pay down the balance within 90 days, you are living beyond your means, and something is going to have to change. One common problem: the salary offered vs. take-home pay.

*2. What can you spend? *

Nearly every worker is disappointed on their first payday, when the reality of "take-home pay" arrives. Often, the disappointment turns to fear over the next credit card bill. Very roughly, you'll be taking home between 66 and 75 percent of what you've been told your salary will be.  When deductions for health insurance and retirement kick in after another paycheck or two, it might be even less. So spruce up your wardrobe, yes, but don't make any decisions on a new car or other large purchase until your paycheck settles down and your monthly budget has endured a few reality cycles.

*3. 401K, right away.*

One overwhelming form you'll get on day one is an election form for your retirement savings, probably a 401K enrollment. Your firm, hopefully, will give you "matching" contributions, up to a modest limit -- such as 50 cents for every dollar you contribute up to 6 percent of your salary. Do that. Take as much of your company's money as you can.

As a second step, you'll have to decide where to put that money. You may get a form that lets you elect 10 or 15 places you can invest this money, such as mutual funds. If you don't really know what to do, put it all into an S&P 500 index fund and leave it alone. Don't spread the money around into a lot of places because that seems like diversifying. Even if you are struggling to pay your student loans, or credit card bills, contribute to the 401K and get that company match. Otherwise you are turning away free money. Much has been written about the power of saving for retirement in your 20s. Put simply, the lifelong earnings you'll enjoy are worth paying a little more interest on your debt. And money contributed to a Roth 401K can be used for emergencies, or school or home down payments, without penalty, so it's a sure bet.

*4. Set up an emergency fund.*

Today's reality is that few jobs are stable. From day one on the job, you should think about what you'd do if the job disappears. The best tool for handling this depressing possibility is money. Take your rent payment, multiply it by three to get your monthly costs, and then by three again so you know what you need for an emergency. If possible, open a separate savings account where you sock away this money. A simple way to get started: Put the same amount you place into your 401K into your emergency fund. It might take you a year or two before you have that lump sum stashed away, which is why you should get started immediately. The next tip will help a lot.

*5. Save more tomorrow.*

Commit immediately to saving half of any raise or bonus you receive into your emergency fund. Some companies actually encourage this through a program named "Save More Tomorrow" or something similar. Studies show it's a lot easier to save money before it becomes a part of your monthly budget -- folks never miss the raise if they don't start spending it. This is the fastest way to build up emergency savings... and a down payment for a house.

*6. Create a long-term debt map.*

While deciding how much to save for retirement and emergencies, make a debt map. How much will you need to pay off short-term debt (credit card debt) and long-term debt (student loans)?  Even if you are enjoying a grace period before loan repayment starts, make that calculation now so you can budget for it. Understand how long you'll need and how many raises you'll need to get the debt under control. With this year's students averaging $30,000 in debt, it may take 10 years or more to pay down your loan, and that's no fun to think about. But it's essential to have a plan. Following a workable get-out-of-debt plan can also do good things for your credit, especially by making your payments on time. (You can figure out a debt plan, and see how it could affect your credit scores if you follow it, by using free tools on Credit.com.)

*7. Make a down-payment plan.*

Now that your head is full of financial negativity, it'll help to give yourself a positive goal, too -- even if it's a long-term, stretch goal. Many homeowners find the biggest impediment to buying a home is gathering up enough for a down payment. The sooner you start that long-term project, the better. How much will you need for a down payment? There's too many factors to even hazard a guess. But a conventional mortgage on a $200,000 home requires a $40,000 down payment (though many programs allow borrowers to buy with less than a 20 percent down payment). How might you pile up $40,000 in the next 5-10 years? The Save More Tomorrow plan is probably your best bet. To make things even easier, you could try living at home...

*8. Consider living at home.*

It's the new reality. With youth unemployment stubbornly high, young adults are living with mom and dad for longer and longer stretches. In February, Gallup said 15 percent of U.S. adults under 35 were living at home. The numbers are higher for singles and those in their 20s. If that's you, that's reality. But don't be tempted to waste this opportunity to save money. You still need an emergency fund, and it's not mom and dad. Don't know how large? Ask a friend what they pay for rent. Multiply that by three, and by three again, and you've got your first goal. Don't get used to living life without rent; make rent-sized payments towards your debt or your emergency fund.

*9. Check your health insurance.*

It's easier for young people to stay on their parents' plan a bit later into adulthood now. It's quite possible that's a better idea than paying for insurance benefits with a new employer. The calculation isn't so simple, however. Health insurance costs aren't just about monthly premiums; they're also about coverage costs. If the adult child will live far from the parents -- in a different state, particularly -- doctor visits and drugs might not be covered at the same rate. That's also true of insurance that's available through state exchanges and Obamacare. It's possible that exchange insurance is cheaper, or a better deal, than an employer plan, but it's a tricky calculation. Crunch the numbers before the HR department demands that health insurance election form.

*10. Read that non-compete.*

Tucked into the paperwork you'll receive from HR might be a non-compete agreement that would limit your ability to get another job if things don't work out with this employer. It's a little like signing a pre-nuptial agreement on your wedding day. No one wants to think about an unhappy ending at the beginning, but of course, it's a reality. Non-competes are generally very unfriendly to workers, and benefit only employers. Sign one, and you may not be able to work for a competing company for a year or two after you leave. You may feel like you have no choice when presented with the form, but at least read it carefully and make sure you understand how it will impact you. Ask to take it home so you can read it in a quiet place; if you can, ask to opt out of it, or shorten the term.

*11. Don't overwork.*

Finally, don't leave your first day without understanding your company's vacation and sick day policy. Spend the first few months understanding the reality of your boss' and your work group's time off culture. Overwork and binge working is a real problem in today's corporations, fueled by fears from a tight labor market and by always-on technology like smartphones. While it can be nerve-wracking, set boundaries for yourself and your boss early on. Don't let people around you assume you'll be happy to work on nights and weekends, and don't make yourself sick because of your job. Ultimately, you'll be a better performer and you'll get more respect if you say no once in a while and make sure you get proper rest.

This article originally appeared on Credit.com. Bob Sullivan is a contributor to Credit.com and author of the New York Times best-sellers Gotcha Capitalism and Stop Getting Ripped Off. His stories have appeared in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and hundreds of other publications. He has appeared as a consumer advocate and technology expert numerous times on NBC's TODAY show, NBC Nightly News, CNBC, NPR's Marketplace, Terry Gross' Fresh Air, and various other radio and TV outlets. He helped start MSNBC.com and wrote there for nearly 20 years, most of it penning the consumer advocacy column The Red Tape Chronicles. Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.

HUFFPOST HILL - David Vitter Tired Of Ebola Welfare, Thinks Virus Should Get Job

0
0
David Vitter says President Obama’s Ebola response should focus less on Africa and, presumably, that his border policy focus less on Mexico. Pat Roberts promised a marathon filibuster of President Obama’s possible Guantanamo detainee transfer, probably because he just loves staying in D.C so much. And a new report finds the majority of the migrants who crossed the U.S.’s southern border last year weren’t Mexican. DUH, when was the last time you heard of a Mexican ISIS agent? This is HUFFPOST HILL for Friday, October 10th, 2014:

*ROBERTS PROMISES FILIBUSTER OVER GITMO* - The Hill: "Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) on Friday vowed to block all legislation in the Senate with a prolonged filibuster if President Obama tries to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States. A day after Tea Party hero Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) campaigned with him in Wichita, Roberts threatened to wage a marathon talk session similar to the one Cruz held last year to protest the implementation of ObamaCare. 'I stopped him once from trying to send a Gitmo terrorist to Leavenworth. I shall do it again, I shall do it again and if he tries it again I will shut down the Senate,' Roberts said, referring to the military prison located sixty miles east of his campaign headquarters in Topeka where he spoke to campaign volunteers." [The Hill]

*LOL:* @mckelmer: Michelle Obama said Bruce "Bailey" three times. #FlotusIA

*RAND PAUL VISITS FERGUSON* - Michael Scherer & Alex Rogers: "Sen. Rand Paul met with civil rights leaders Friday in Ferguson, Missouri, the city torn apart by racial unrest following the August shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer. During his visit, the Republican Senator, who is seen as a likely presidential candidate, *stated his concerns about long prison sentences for nonviolent crimes, the loss of voting rights for felons and military programs to give unused equipment to local police departments*." [Time]

*DAVID VITTER.... WOW* - "David Vitter's opponents say they're for Louisiana, but did you know that they believe in germ theory?!? Amanda Terkel: "Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is urging his colleagues to oppose President Barack Obama's request for $1 billion to fight the spread of Ebola, in part because the plan 'focuses on Africa' instead of 'our own borders.' More than 3,800 people have died from the disease so far. All of them have been in Africa, except one man in the United States who contracted the disease while in Liberia. Vitter aired his objections in a letter to top members of the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations committees Wednesday. He said the administration had not fully briefed Congress on its plans and was 'not exercising its ongoing powers of implementing its authority under federal immigration law to bar the entry of a foreign national on specific health-related grounds.'" [HuffPost]

The police report from the Palin family brawl is now available and it doesn't disappoint.

*OBAMA STEALS MOUNTAIN* - Locals mad. Louis Sahagun & Kate Mather: "Holding up signs that said 'Monumental mistake' and twirling gold-and-silver hula hoops, a handful of protesters gathered in San Dimas on Friday to express their *opposition to President Obama’s designation of the San Gabriel Mountains as a national monument*. 'We are hula-hooping to attract attention,' Tracy Sulkin, of the community of Mt. Baldy, said as a fleet of U.S. Forest Service trucks and Secret Service sedans filed past on their way into Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, where Obama was scheduled to speak at about 12:30 p.m." [LATimes]

The "young invincibles" who burned their Obamacare draft cards have all quietly obtained health insurance.

*DAILY DELANEY DOWNER* - "The total number of deaths attributed to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has risen above 4,000, the World Health Organization said Friday. The Geneva-based U.N. agency said that 4,033 deaths confirmed, probably or suspected to have been caused by Ebola have now been recorded." [Associated Press]

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

*JOHN WALSH LOSES DEGREE :-(* - If it makes him feel any better, plagiarizing is just about the most senatorial thing a person can do. AP: "U.S. Sen. John Walsh of Montana says the U.S. Army War College has revoked his master's degree after an investigation into plagiarism allegations. The Carlisle, Pennsylvania, college launched the probe in August after The New York Times published a story showing Walsh borrowed heavily from other sources for a research paper he wrote in 2007. Walsh's office released a statement Friday saying the Army War College has revoked his status as a graduate. The statement says the senator disagrees with the findings but accepts the decision. Walsh was appointed to his Senate seat in February and was the Democratic nominee for the seat. He dropped out of the race after the plagiarism allegations surfaced." [AP]

*SUSAN COLLINS KILLS OBAMACARE REPEAL... BECAUSE IT WASN'T DEAD ALREADY* - Sabrina Siddiqui: "Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) thinks it's time for Republicans to let go of their efforts to repeal Obamacare. Sabrina Siddiqui: "Speaking to an NBC affiliate in Portland on Thursday, Collins argued that the GOP has missed its chance to get rid of the health care law entirely. She noticeably did not say whether she would vote to repeal or defund Obamacare, despite being asked. *'You know at this point, I think we’re past that,' Collins said. 'I think it would’ve been much better if there’d been a bipartisan bill crafted in 2008 that had provisions that both parties could agree on, such as prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions.'* 'I think at this stage what we should do is a number of bills that would fix flaws in Obamacare. I think we’re past the point of being able to repeal the bill altogether," she added. 'And as you point out, there are some good provisions in the bill, as well as some that have increased the cost of health care.'" [HuffPost]

*GUESS PEOPLE JUST REALLY LIKE LIVING IN WASHINGTON* - And what with its ample supply of small plates restaurants, who can blame them? We do things a little differently here. Politico:: "Larry Pressler, who is running for Senate in South Dakota as an independent, has his principal residence in Washington, according to District of Columbia tax records. Pressler, who served as a Republican in Congress from 1975 to 1997, and his wife receive the homestead deduction, a generous tax break meant for people who use their D.C. home as their “principal residence,” according to the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue. The tax break reduces a property’s “assessed value by $70,200 prior to computing the yearly tax liability,” the District says." [Politico]

*American's don't like mandatory minimums*: "According to a Reason-Rupe poll released Thursday, 77 percent of Americans support putting an end to mandatory minimum sentencing for nonviolent offenders, most of whom have been convicted of drug-related crimes. While only 17 percent of Americans opposed the proposal, 8 out of 10 respondents think judges should be granted greater discretion in assigning individualized sentences for nonviolent offenders instead of "one size fits all" prison terms. Thursday's poll marks a 6-point increase in support for eliminating mandatory minimum sentences since Reason-Rupe posed the same question in December 2013." [HuffPost]

*PIPING HOT MIGRATION NEWS!* - Elise Foley: "Over the last fiscal year, there has been a shift in the nationalities of people apprehended crossing the southwest border: for the first time in history, a majority of them were from countries other than Mexico, according to a new report. The analysis, published Thursday by the Bipartisan Policy Center, found that fewer than half of those caught crossing the southwest border in the 2014 fiscal year were Mexican...According to information from Customs and Border Protection, agents apprehended 242,329 non-Mexican migrants along the southwest border over that 11-month period. Those apprehensions make up slightly more than 50 percent of the total figure of people caught along the U.S.-Mexico border in the 2014 fiscal year, even without the figures for September." [HuffPost]

*BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR* - Here's an anteater intimidating a kangaroo.

*Fake president proud of work, terrified to think of job at White Castle come January 2017*: "Louis Ortiz has created a full-time career out of having a strikingly similar appearance to the commander-in-chief. Yet life as President Barack Obama’s impersonator doesn’t involve traveling to campaign fundraisers or teeing off at golf courses. There’s no private chef, no Michelle, no Bo. Ortiz calls himself 'the lightning rod' for information -- when there’s big news going on, everyone comes to him. During an interview with HuffPost Live Ortiz joked, 'They want me to take care of ISIS, they want me to take care of the Ebola, you know the economy, it’s a tough job.' Although Ortiz says it's difficult for him "to get from point A to point B," being an impersonator has its perks. Ortiz has been in rap videos, has performed for the Dalai Lama and was a fixture at Inauguration 2013." [HuffPost]

*COMFORT FOOD*

- Olive Garden is one step closer to losing its unlimited breadsticks.

- Someone spliced together "The Empire Strikes Back" entirely from fan-made segments.

- We want this Burt Reynolds paperback almost as much as people wanted Burt Reynolds back in the 1970s.

- The trailer for "Merry Friggin Christmas," one of Robin Williams' final movies, is up.

*TWITTERAMA*

@pourmecoffee: Kim Jong Un reached the very top and then just completely disappeared. Dan Snyder is going to want to draft this guy.

@frmajoo: I hate how people say “wheels up/down” when they’re traveling, as if they’re POTUS. Also hate how people not characters in Veep say POTUS.

@KagroX: RT @chucktodd: @joesonka @AlabamaHoover how do you make tough decisions in the Senate if you can't answer a simple question. || Adjourn?

*Got something to add? Send tips/quotes/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to Eliot Nelson (eliot@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 2 hours ago.

Best Auto Insurance Prices for Collision Plans by State Added to National Search Finder Online

0
0
The best auto insurance prices for collision policies are now listed by state using the Quotes Pros finder at http://quotespros.com/auto-insurance.html.

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) October 10, 2014

Car owners who prefer to have additional coverage for automobile insurance can now use the Quotes Pros portal to find different collision plans online. Companies with the best auto insurance prices for collision or comprehensive policies are now searchable at http://quotespros.com/auto-insurance.html.

A statewide search is now offered to help the public find companies faster thanks to the zip tool that is now in place. Instead of consumers entering personal data first, a zip is used to in order to return the agencies that are quoting plans for collision protection in real time.

"There are policies that exist from providers inside of our system that offer basic and more complex coverage options for motorists in the U.S.," said a Quotes Pros rep.

Because of the new zip finder update, it is now possible for a regular driver to review rates companies provide for full coverage protection. The state level research is now making it a possibility for motorists to review coverage from an entire list of providers that have been prescreened in advance.

"Our system offers an easier method of finding companies that underwrite coverage for motorists and our search tool collects no driver data," said the rep.

The Quotes Pros company search tool that is accessible from the homepage this year has recently been modified to showcase other insurers across the country. Apart from only automotive insurers, consumers can find price data for health, homeowner, renter or dental plans at http://quotespros.com/health-insurance.html.

About QuotesPros.com

The QuotesPros.com company uses its tools and experienced staff to supply the public with ways to locate insurer pricing using its public search portal. The company has connected its system with national companies that are quoting coverage plans on the Internet. The QuotesPros.com company changes out the providers that appear inside of its system to supply more search options to the public during research each month. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.

Affordable Health Insurance Prices for Ohio Residents Now Searchable at Insurance Portal Online

0
0
Affordable health insurance prices for residents in the state of Ohio are now viewable using the Quotes Pros portal at http://quotespros.com/health-insurance.html.

Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) October 10, 2014

Residents in the state of Ohio can now find cheaper insurance to help cover most medical expenses. The Quotes Pros website is now supplying affordable health insurance pricing through its searchable database of OH state companies at http://quotespros.com/health-insurance.html.

A new change the provider list inside of the database is responsible for supplying the updates rates data. Ohio companies that appear inside of the database are now offering variety in the available health plans that residents can now review before a decision to buy is completed.

"Insurers in the health industry are now under new regulations and some companies have lowered rates to become competitive," said a Quotes Pros source.

Men and women who live or work in Ohio and require different coverage levels for insurance will benefit from the QuotesPros.com portal this year. In addition to the affordable rates available, a listing of agencies is returned with each search of the open system due to the zip finder installation.

"Our system uses county zip codes to help maximize the results that consumers receive when seeking coverage plans for individuals or families this year," said the source.

The Quotes Pros company has also added providers in the insurance industry that underwrite non-medical coverage plans. Consumers who are currently shopping for rates tied to renter, homeowner or automotive plans now have the freedom to access the finder at http://quotespros.com/renters-insurance.html.

About QuotesPros.com

The QuotesPros.com company supplies American men and women with faster methods of obtaining insurance quotations using the Internet portal launched in 2013. The upgrades recently completed this year have widened the search solutions for consumers. The QuotesPros.com company database is now used by thousands of consumers each month who are seeking the best pricing for coverage plans offered in nearly all U.S. states. Reported by PRWeb 35 minutes ago.

Business Insurance by State for Small Business Owners Now Quoted Online at Insurer Portal

0
0
Business insurance prices by state are now searchable by owners of small businesses in the U.S. using the Quotes Pros website at http://quotespros.com/business-insurance.html.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 10, 2014

The protection that some forms of insurance coverage provides to owners of businesses can come with high costs, according to new state data. The Quotes Pros company is now helping to deliver business insurance quotes by state through its automated portal at http://quotespros.com/business-insurance.html.

Nearly any small business owner in the U.S. can freely search the open database to obtain quotations from companies specializing in commercial insurance coverage plans. The database connects providers by zip code to easily sort lists of companies that are providing rates details entirely online.

"The state-by-state process of locating different agencies can be hard for some owners of companies if traditional phone quotes procedures are used," said a Quotes Pros rep.

Because the open portal offered at the QuotesPros.com website is digital, time can now be saved when owners of companies plan to buy coverage this year. The liability, workers compensation and other state level protection plans that are offered to companies can be priced or evaluated with help from the finder tool.

"The entry of a zip code inside of our system is what helps owners of companies to find the agencies and eventual rates that are tied to coverage plans," said the rep.

The Quotes Pros company has been helping the public to quote automotive insurance through its portal since the 2013 year. Many of the agencies that underwrite this form of protection also provide policies that are in non-automotive industries. Consumers can now request quotes for life or health insurance when visiting http://quotespros.com/life-insurance.html.

About QuotesPros.com

The QuotesPros.com company helps the public to find, sort and compare different insurance companies in the U.S. using its open portal system. The company seeks out different providers of coverage plans and enters these agencies into its computer system. The QuotesPros.com company website is one updated source to find insurers that are quoting plans and offering discounts for auto, motorcycle, health or homeowner coverage this year. Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.
Viewing all 22794 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images