The Health insurance company Cigna agreed to alter its prescription drug policy and ensure Floridians with HIV and AIDS have access to their medications.
Reported by cbs4.com 1 day ago.
Cigna Changes Plan Amid HIV Drug Complaint
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25 ways the uninsured can dodge health care penalty
Americans who don’t have qualified health coverage could be subject to a penalty next year when they fill out their 2014 tax returns. People who don’t buy health insurance in 2015 (open enrollment in marketplace plans starts Nov. 15) could face an even steeper penalty. People must apply and get approved for some exemptions, others they can claim, without approval, based on their income or other factors. The government could withhold the penalty from your tax refund, if you are due one, and it could add interest to unpaid penalties, said Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst with CCH. [...] called the individual mandate, it fines people who don’t get qualified health insurance through an employer, a state-run marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid or on their own — unless they qualify for an exception. Households with income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can get a premium subsidy to buy insurance through a state-run exchange, such as Covered California. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 30 million people won’t have health coverage in 2016, but only 4 million of them will pay a penalty. A line has been added to 2014 tax returns in which people will indicate whether they had health insurance coverage or owe a fine. The penalty is imposed for each month individuals do not have minimum essential health coverage for themselves and their dependents, CCH said. Under the percentage of income, you subtract your filing threshold (the maximum income you can have before you have to file a tax return) from your modified adjusted gross income and take 1 percent of the remainder. A single person with $50,000 in income would subtract $10,150 (the filing threshold) and pay 1 percent of the difference, which works out to a penalty of $399. A single person who lacked coverage for 12 months would pay $399 because it is higher than the flat amount ($95) but does not exceed the bronze level plan ($2,448), Buchholz said.
Reported by SFGate 1 day ago.
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More health insurance changes on the way
Employers are increasingly pushing enrollment in high-deductible, low-premium health insurance plans, according to benefits experts, which means it might be time to break out the calculator and reconsider current policies.
Reported by San Jose Mercury News 1 day ago.
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Surgery For Sleep Apnea Improves Asthma Control
*Provided by John Easton, University of Chicago Medical Center*
Surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids in children suffering from sleep apnea is associated with decreased asthma severity, according to the first large study of the connection, published in the journal PLOS Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Chicago found that in the first year after the operation, children who had the surgery had a 30 percent reduction in acute asthma exacerbations and a 38 percent decrease in acute status asthmaticus -- a medical emergency.
They also found pediatric patients who received the surgery had a 36 percent reduction in asthma-related hospitalizations and a 26 percent decline in asthma-related emergency room visits. Children who did not have the surgery did not have significant reductions.
"Several small studies have described a strong association between obstructive sleep apnea and asthma, two common inflammatory conditions that impair breathing in children. But we wanted to test the strength of the connection when studied in a much larger population," said the study's lead author, Rakesh Bhattacharjee, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago and an authority on pediatric sleep medicine.
"Our study adds weight to the growing sense that obstructive sleep apnea aggravates asthma and further tips the balance toward early identification of obstructive sleep apnea," he said. "This will help physicians advocate for surgical intervention, not just to eradicate sleep-disordered breathing, but also to reduce asthma severity and decrease reliance on medications in asthmatic children."
Bhattacharjee said a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial is still needed to show a direct causal relationship.
Asthma is a common and costly respiratory disease. It is the third-most prevalent chronic pediatric disease in the United States, affecting an estimated 7.1 million children under the age of 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's also the third-most common cause of hospitalization of U.S. children under age 15. In 2009, more than 770,000 pediatric emergency room visits were related to asthma. The direct health care costs of childhood asthma exceed $50 billion a year, according to a 2011 study.
Obstructive sleep apnea also is common, affecting an estimated two to three percent of all children. It involves inflammation of the tonsils and adenoids. This swelling narrows a child's upper airway, which episodically collapses at night. This disrupts breathing and interrupts sleep, often hundreds of times each night. Surgical adenotonsillectomy -- removal of the adenoids and tonsils -- is the standard therapy.
The study involved data on more than 40,000 children between the ages of 3 and 17, obtained from Truven Health's MarketScan® databases. It included 13,506 U.S. children with asthma who underwent removal of their adenoids and tonsils as treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The researchers compared their asthma symptoms from the year before surgery to the year afterwards.
They also compared those results to 27,012 children with asthma -- carefully matched in a 2:1 ratio for age, sex and location -- who retained their tonsils and adenoids.
Adenotonsillectomy brought significant improvement on several key measures. For children who had surgery, the frequency of acute status asthmaticus -- episodes of severe asthma that do not respond to repeated courses of therapy -- fell 38 percent, from 562 in the year before surgery to 349 in the year after. In children who did not have surgery, such severe asthma attacks also decreased, but only by 7 percent, from 837 in the year before surgery to 778 in the following year.
Acute asthma exacerbations fell 30 percent, from 2,243 before surgery to 1,566. Exacerbations for children who did not have surgery fell only two percent, from 3,403, to 3,336.
The incidence of secondary asthma outcomes, such as acute bronchospasm and wheezing, decreased significantly for those who had surgery but was unchanged for those who did not. Prescription refills followed the same pattern.
The authors note several concerns about their data. The MarketScan database includes only patients with private insurance, not those with government coverage or no health insurance. Nor is it clear from the available data why patients underwent adenotonsillectomy, although the vast majority of such procedures are performed for sleep apnea.
Despite the limitations, they emphasize that the many plausible connections that link obstructive sleep apnea to asthma. Both are inflammatory diseases. They share risk factors such as allergies, obesity and exposure to tobacco smoke. Severe obstructive sleep apnea is often associated with poorly controlled asthma.
The journal's editors, in a brief summary, note that adenotonsillectomy is associated with some risks, but note that the study's findings "suggest that the detection and treatment of adenotonsillar hypertrophy may help to improve asthma control in children."
The study, Association of adenotonsillectomy with asthma outcomes in children: a longitudinal database analysis, was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. Additional authors were Beatrix Choi, David Gozal, and Babak Mokhlesi, all of the University of Chicago Medicine.
*> Continue reading...*
-----
*Follow redOrbit on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.* Reported by redOrbit 13 hours ago.
Surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids in children suffering from sleep apnea is associated with decreased asthma severity, according to the first large study of the connection, published in the journal PLOS Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Chicago found that in the first year after the operation, children who had the surgery had a 30 percent reduction in acute asthma exacerbations and a 38 percent decrease in acute status asthmaticus -- a medical emergency.
They also found pediatric patients who received the surgery had a 36 percent reduction in asthma-related hospitalizations and a 26 percent decline in asthma-related emergency room visits. Children who did not have the surgery did not have significant reductions.
"Several small studies have described a strong association between obstructive sleep apnea and asthma, two common inflammatory conditions that impair breathing in children. But we wanted to test the strength of the connection when studied in a much larger population," said the study's lead author, Rakesh Bhattacharjee, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago and an authority on pediatric sleep medicine.
"Our study adds weight to the growing sense that obstructive sleep apnea aggravates asthma and further tips the balance toward early identification of obstructive sleep apnea," he said. "This will help physicians advocate for surgical intervention, not just to eradicate sleep-disordered breathing, but also to reduce asthma severity and decrease reliance on medications in asthmatic children."
Bhattacharjee said a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial is still needed to show a direct causal relationship.
Asthma is a common and costly respiratory disease. It is the third-most prevalent chronic pediatric disease in the United States, affecting an estimated 7.1 million children under the age of 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's also the third-most common cause of hospitalization of U.S. children under age 15. In 2009, more than 770,000 pediatric emergency room visits were related to asthma. The direct health care costs of childhood asthma exceed $50 billion a year, according to a 2011 study.
Obstructive sleep apnea also is common, affecting an estimated two to three percent of all children. It involves inflammation of the tonsils and adenoids. This swelling narrows a child's upper airway, which episodically collapses at night. This disrupts breathing and interrupts sleep, often hundreds of times each night. Surgical adenotonsillectomy -- removal of the adenoids and tonsils -- is the standard therapy.
The study involved data on more than 40,000 children between the ages of 3 and 17, obtained from Truven Health's MarketScan® databases. It included 13,506 U.S. children with asthma who underwent removal of their adenoids and tonsils as treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The researchers compared their asthma symptoms from the year before surgery to the year afterwards.
They also compared those results to 27,012 children with asthma -- carefully matched in a 2:1 ratio for age, sex and location -- who retained their tonsils and adenoids.
Adenotonsillectomy brought significant improvement on several key measures. For children who had surgery, the frequency of acute status asthmaticus -- episodes of severe asthma that do not respond to repeated courses of therapy -- fell 38 percent, from 562 in the year before surgery to 349 in the year after. In children who did not have surgery, such severe asthma attacks also decreased, but only by 7 percent, from 837 in the year before surgery to 778 in the following year.
Acute asthma exacerbations fell 30 percent, from 2,243 before surgery to 1,566. Exacerbations for children who did not have surgery fell only two percent, from 3,403, to 3,336.
The incidence of secondary asthma outcomes, such as acute bronchospasm and wheezing, decreased significantly for those who had surgery but was unchanged for those who did not. Prescription refills followed the same pattern.
The authors note several concerns about their data. The MarketScan database includes only patients with private insurance, not those with government coverage or no health insurance. Nor is it clear from the available data why patients underwent adenotonsillectomy, although the vast majority of such procedures are performed for sleep apnea.
Despite the limitations, they emphasize that the many plausible connections that link obstructive sleep apnea to asthma. Both are inflammatory diseases. They share risk factors such as allergies, obesity and exposure to tobacco smoke. Severe obstructive sleep apnea is often associated with poorly controlled asthma.
The journal's editors, in a brief summary, note that adenotonsillectomy is associated with some risks, but note that the study's findings "suggest that the detection and treatment of adenotonsillar hypertrophy may help to improve asthma control in children."
The study, Association of adenotonsillectomy with asthma outcomes in children: a longitudinal database analysis, was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. Additional authors were Beatrix Choi, David Gozal, and Babak Mokhlesi, all of the University of Chicago Medicine.
*> Continue reading...*
-----
*Follow redOrbit on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.* Reported by redOrbit 13 hours ago.
↧
In surprise move, Supreme Court to hear healthcare law challenge
The Supreme Court put President Obama's healthcare law back into legal peril, announcing it would consider a conservative group's claim that the law does not allow the government to subsidize health insurance for low and middle-income Americans in two-thirds of the states.
Reported by L.A. Times 1 day ago.
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Obamacare heading back to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court said Friday that it will hear the most serious challenge to the Affordable Care Act since the justices found it constitutional more than two years ago: a lawsuit targeting federal subsidies that help millions buy health insurance.
Reported by TwinCities.com 1 day ago.
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Why No One On This Planet Has Health Insurance*
Why No One On This Planet Has Health Insurance*
Reported by ajc.com 1 day ago.
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Supreme Court to again decide fate of health-care law
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court put President Obama's health-care law back into legal peril, announcing it would consider a conservative group's claim that the law does not allow the government to subsidize health insurance for low- and middle-income Americans in three-fourths of the states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
Reported by philly.com 21 hours ago.
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Supreme Court will look at 'Obamacare' subsidies
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new challenge to President Barack Obama's health care law — a case that threatens subsidies that help millions of low- and middle-income people afford their health insurance premiums. The justices said they will review a federal appeals court ruling that upheld IRS regulations that allow health-insurance tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for consumers in all 50 states. The long-running political and legal campaign to overturn or limit the 2010 health overhaul will be making its second appearance at the Supreme Court. The health care law provides taxpayer-subsidized private health insurance for people who don't have access to coverage on the job. The issue at the Supreme Court is whether the wording of the law limits insurance tax credits only to consumers who live in states that have set up their own insurance markets, known as exchanges. What made the court's intervention on Friday surprising was the lack of disagreement among federal appeals courts that typically is a requirement for Supreme Court review. "All of the general guidelines that the court traditionally uses in determining whether it should schedule an appeal are totally absent in this case," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, an advocacy group that supported Obama's health overhaul from its inception.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 21 hours ago.
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Caregiverlist® Announces Illinois Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index for November, 2014
Illinois seniors needing a long-term stay in a nursing home in their state will pay $72,631 a year, the average annual cost based on the daily rates of more than 800 nursing homes in Illinois. Medicare does not pay for long-term care, while Medicaid, for low-income seniors does pay for an ongoing stay in a nursing home.
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) November 08, 2014
The November Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Index reports the updated costs and ratings for nursing homes in the state of Illinois to assist seniors looking to plan ahead for their senior care options. As Medicare does not pay for long-term care, but does pay for short-term stays in a nursing home, the costs and ratings of a local nursing home can assist a senior and their family to plan ahead for the right senior care option. Medicaid, for low-income seniors, does pay for an ongoing stay in a nursing home but does have a financial requirement in order to qualify. The November, 2014, Caregiverlist® Index reports the average annual cost for an Illinois nursing home is $72,631.35.
This means seniors in Illinois looking to plan ahead for senior care options should review both the costs and ratings of the most important factors indicating quality of care for nearby nursing homes. This will assist them to be prepared should an emergency medical event occur. "Unfortunately, most seniors do not plan ahead for their senior care needs. Understanding that many times Medicare will cover a portion of a short-term stay in a nursing home and choosing the right nursing home ahead of time will enable a family to not have this added stress when an emergency hospital stay results in a quick discharge to a nursing home," says Julie Northcutt, Caregiverlist® publisher.
Illinois seniors needing nursing home care can now view the most recent ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area by using the interactive Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Directory. This month’s update of the Illinois Caregiverlist® Index, indicates that the average cost of a nursing home in Illinois is $198.99 a day, or about $6,000 per month. Of the 829 total Illinois nursing homes, just under 1/4th of the homes, 223, score a 2-star rating or below. Less than 5% of the nursing homes rank 5-stars, the highest quality rating, with 28 nursing homes crossing into the 5-star territory.
Caregiverlist® Rating Criteria National Averages for Illinois Nursing Homes
November 2014, National Averages Weighting for Rating
2 hours, 28 minutes: C.N.A. Hours per Resident per Day 40%
15.7%: Long-stay Residents with Increasing Activities of Daily Living Needs 20%
1.0% Short-term Residents with Pressure Sores (Bed Sores) 20%
Overall Medicare Star-Rating Score 20%
November, 2014, Caregiverlist® Illinois Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index
Total Number of Nursing Homes: 829
Average Cost of Private Room for Illinois: $198.99
Average Cost of Shared Room for Illinois: $158.04
Average Star-Rating: 2.6
Illinois Nursing Home Star-Rating Results
5-Star: 28
4-Star: 207
3-Star: 374
2-Star: 145
1-Star: 75
The Caregiverlist® rating combines 4 criteria to calculate an overall star-rating with a 5-star rating as the highest and a 1-star rating as the lowest score, as rated against the results for the total number of nursing homes. The costs of both a shared room and private room are provided in the index and usually a private room costs between $25 and $40 more than a shared room.
Illinois seniors and their families must remember that nursing homes have become an extension of a hospital stay and many times Medicare health insurance will authorize a hospital discharge directly to a nursing home for rehabilitation after a major medical event has happened.
The costs of senior care are always a factor when choosing the right senior care option, as many seniors live on a fixed income. The average annual cost of a nursing home in Illinois is at $72,631.35. Low-income seniors in Illinois may qualify for Medicaid, with the financial qualification of no more than $2,000 in assets for individuals and a $3,000 limit for couples. Medicaid will pay for long-term care in a nursing home for as long as the senior qualifies for needing care. The Caregiverlist® By-State directory includes the Illinois Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Because seniors must private pay for a nursing home if needing care beyond the number of days Medicare will reimburse (usually only up to 100 days), many seniors also explore additional senior care options, which include senior home care and assisted living options. Some assisted living centers also provide nursing home care and will range in price from $2,500 to $6,000 per month.
Maggie’s Health Care Providers in Lake Forest, Illinois, provides in-home care for seniors which has become a fast-growing segment of senior care as many seniors are choosing to age-in-place in their own home. “Providing caregivers with the heart to do the caregiving job, along with a customized care plan, you can deliver comfortable and safe care for seniors in their own home,” says Ms. Victor. Senior home care costs range from $18 to $28 per hour and include professional care management and all insurance and payroll taxes. In addition, senior home care agencies monitor the senior’s plan of care and train and support the caregiver.
Seniors should review the ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area and then visit the nursing homes which meet their budget availability. Ratings for nursing homes are only a starting point and while the Caregiverlist® Index calculates a custom rating based on the most important criteria for quality, Medicare will only begin auditing the nursing home’s submitted information for C.N.A. staffing next year. Right now all of the information for the nursing home ratings is self-reported.
About Caregiverlist®
Caregiverlist.com® is the premier service connecting seniors and professional caregivers with the most reliable senior care options, highest quality ratings and outstanding careers nationwide. Founded by senior care professionals, Caregiverlist® delivers the efficiencies of the internet to senior care companies by providing online job applications, caregiver training, background checks and industry news. Seniors and caregivers can access senior service information “by state,” view nursing home costs and star-ratings and learn about all senior care options and quality standards. For more information, please visit http://www.caregiverlist.com. Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) November 08, 2014
The November Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Index reports the updated costs and ratings for nursing homes in the state of Illinois to assist seniors looking to plan ahead for their senior care options. As Medicare does not pay for long-term care, but does pay for short-term stays in a nursing home, the costs and ratings of a local nursing home can assist a senior and their family to plan ahead for the right senior care option. Medicaid, for low-income seniors, does pay for an ongoing stay in a nursing home but does have a financial requirement in order to qualify. The November, 2014, Caregiverlist® Index reports the average annual cost for an Illinois nursing home is $72,631.35.
This means seniors in Illinois looking to plan ahead for senior care options should review both the costs and ratings of the most important factors indicating quality of care for nearby nursing homes. This will assist them to be prepared should an emergency medical event occur. "Unfortunately, most seniors do not plan ahead for their senior care needs. Understanding that many times Medicare will cover a portion of a short-term stay in a nursing home and choosing the right nursing home ahead of time will enable a family to not have this added stress when an emergency hospital stay results in a quick discharge to a nursing home," says Julie Northcutt, Caregiverlist® publisher.
Illinois seniors needing nursing home care can now view the most recent ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area by using the interactive Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Directory. This month’s update of the Illinois Caregiverlist® Index, indicates that the average cost of a nursing home in Illinois is $198.99 a day, or about $6,000 per month. Of the 829 total Illinois nursing homes, just under 1/4th of the homes, 223, score a 2-star rating or below. Less than 5% of the nursing homes rank 5-stars, the highest quality rating, with 28 nursing homes crossing into the 5-star territory.
Caregiverlist® Rating Criteria National Averages for Illinois Nursing Homes
November 2014, National Averages Weighting for Rating
2 hours, 28 minutes: C.N.A. Hours per Resident per Day 40%
15.7%: Long-stay Residents with Increasing Activities of Daily Living Needs 20%
1.0% Short-term Residents with Pressure Sores (Bed Sores) 20%
Overall Medicare Star-Rating Score 20%
November, 2014, Caregiverlist® Illinois Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index
Total Number of Nursing Homes: 829
Average Cost of Private Room for Illinois: $198.99
Average Cost of Shared Room for Illinois: $158.04
Average Star-Rating: 2.6
Illinois Nursing Home Star-Rating Results
5-Star: 28
4-Star: 207
3-Star: 374
2-Star: 145
1-Star: 75
The Caregiverlist® rating combines 4 criteria to calculate an overall star-rating with a 5-star rating as the highest and a 1-star rating as the lowest score, as rated against the results for the total number of nursing homes. The costs of both a shared room and private room are provided in the index and usually a private room costs between $25 and $40 more than a shared room.
Illinois seniors and their families must remember that nursing homes have become an extension of a hospital stay and many times Medicare health insurance will authorize a hospital discharge directly to a nursing home for rehabilitation after a major medical event has happened.
The costs of senior care are always a factor when choosing the right senior care option, as many seniors live on a fixed income. The average annual cost of a nursing home in Illinois is at $72,631.35. Low-income seniors in Illinois may qualify for Medicaid, with the financial qualification of no more than $2,000 in assets for individuals and a $3,000 limit for couples. Medicaid will pay for long-term care in a nursing home for as long as the senior qualifies for needing care. The Caregiverlist® By-State directory includes the Illinois Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Because seniors must private pay for a nursing home if needing care beyond the number of days Medicare will reimburse (usually only up to 100 days), many seniors also explore additional senior care options, which include senior home care and assisted living options. Some assisted living centers also provide nursing home care and will range in price from $2,500 to $6,000 per month.
Maggie’s Health Care Providers in Lake Forest, Illinois, provides in-home care for seniors which has become a fast-growing segment of senior care as many seniors are choosing to age-in-place in their own home. “Providing caregivers with the heart to do the caregiving job, along with a customized care plan, you can deliver comfortable and safe care for seniors in their own home,” says Ms. Victor. Senior home care costs range from $18 to $28 per hour and include professional care management and all insurance and payroll taxes. In addition, senior home care agencies monitor the senior’s plan of care and train and support the caregiver.
Seniors should review the ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area and then visit the nursing homes which meet their budget availability. Ratings for nursing homes are only a starting point and while the Caregiverlist® Index calculates a custom rating based on the most important criteria for quality, Medicare will only begin auditing the nursing home’s submitted information for C.N.A. staffing next year. Right now all of the information for the nursing home ratings is self-reported.
About Caregiverlist®
Caregiverlist.com® is the premier service connecting seniors and professional caregivers with the most reliable senior care options, highest quality ratings and outstanding careers nationwide. Founded by senior care professionals, Caregiverlist® delivers the efficiencies of the internet to senior care companies by providing online job applications, caregiver training, background checks and industry news. Seniors and caregivers can access senior service information “by state,” view nursing home costs and star-ratings and learn about all senior care options and quality standards. For more information, please visit http://www.caregiverlist.com. Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.
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TaxSlayer to Partner with VelaPoint Insurance to Equip Tax Preparers to Answer the Two Biggest Challenges Created by Health Reform
TaxSlayer and VelaPoint are teaming up to give preparers the tools they need to serve clients with tax and insurance needs.
(PRWEB) November 08, 2014
TaxSlayer, LLC has announced a new partnership with insurance brokerage, VelaPoint Insurance. Designed to address the issues facing Americans during the first tax season post-health insurance reform, this relationship will provide TaxSlayer’s preparers with a trusted resource that can assist their clients who are facing insurance coverage questions.
As individuals and families attempt to file their taxes for the year, many will be confronted with questions they’ve never before had to answer. This will be particularly true for low- and middle-income individuals, who are most affected by the reforms brought about by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Issues regarding Minimum Essential Health Coverage, tax penalties, premium subsidies and more will inevitably arise.
Preparers will also be facing a new set of challenges when, for the first time ever, they may be assisting clients who are facing a tax penalty for failing to enroll in qualified health insurance. Preparers will also need to educate these clients on the intricacies of the ACA, how to avoid penalties, providing the necessary documentation from insurance companies and employers, navigating the various exchanges and more. In addition, this year will involve utilizing a brand new set of tax forms that Americans will be unfamiliar with.
For over 40 years, TaxSlayer has provided its customers with advice they can trust at a great value, and by partnering with VelaPoint Insurance, this service can continue seamlessly in a post-reform world. The knowledgeable tax professionals at TaxSlayer, paired with the licensed insurance experts at VelaPoint, will provide customers with a complete and robust resource this tax season.
“By examining trends in the industry, we’ve predicted that the 2015 tax season will present new, potentially confusing issues for millions of Americans,” said Jimmy Rhodes, president of TaxSlayer. “In order to properly equip our preparer partners to meet these new demands, we wanted to partner with a resource that is fully committed to the goal of helping consumers find the right health insurance coverage and navigating health reform. Enter VelaPoint Insurance.”
Uniquely positioned to offer carrier-agnostic guidance, estimate subsidies and shop federal and individual state marketplaces, VelaPoint’s licensed insurance brokers will be on hand to provide expert advice to any preparer’s clients who have insurance-specific questions during the preparation of tax returns.
“We’re very excited to be working with the tax professionals at TaxSlayer,” said Aaron Goddard, president of VelaPoint Insurance. “We know that the two biggest challenges most Americans will be facing due to health reform are how to find the right coverage that meets the complex requirements of the ACA and feeling assured that their taxes are being filed correctly under the new guidelines. This partnership will enable TaxSlayer’s preparers to confidently meet both challenges.”
While providing the same level of service that its customers have come to expect through this challenging tax season, TaxSlayer’s preparers can also confidently recommend VelaPoint Insurance as a knowledgeable and trusted resource as the next step on the health insurance journey for millions of Americans. By working together, TaxSlayer and VelaPoint have created one of the most vigorous tools available to Americans seeking insurance and tax guidance.
About TaxSlayer
TaxSlayer is an established firm with a solid reputation and over 40 years in the tax preparation business. TaxSlayer has the full expertise of a professional tax service behind it. TaxSlayer has provided professional tax software to professional tax preparers for over 20 years and focuses on providing affordable and reliable tax software offering unlimited 1040, all states and free e-file. TaxSlayer is proud to assist you in preparing and e-filing taxes professionally.
About VelaPoint Insurance, LLC
VelaPoint Insurance, located in Beaverton, OR, is one of the nation’s premier insurance brokerages. Wholly owned by National General Insurance Company, VelaPoint is redefining the way Americans elect their insurance coverage. Through its relationships with the top insurance carriers, VelaPoint has served over 1.5 million customers since the company’s founding in 2006. For more information, please visit ww.velapoint.com and follow @velapoint1. Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.
(PRWEB) November 08, 2014
TaxSlayer, LLC has announced a new partnership with insurance brokerage, VelaPoint Insurance. Designed to address the issues facing Americans during the first tax season post-health insurance reform, this relationship will provide TaxSlayer’s preparers with a trusted resource that can assist their clients who are facing insurance coverage questions.
As individuals and families attempt to file their taxes for the year, many will be confronted with questions they’ve never before had to answer. This will be particularly true for low- and middle-income individuals, who are most affected by the reforms brought about by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Issues regarding Minimum Essential Health Coverage, tax penalties, premium subsidies and more will inevitably arise.
Preparers will also be facing a new set of challenges when, for the first time ever, they may be assisting clients who are facing a tax penalty for failing to enroll in qualified health insurance. Preparers will also need to educate these clients on the intricacies of the ACA, how to avoid penalties, providing the necessary documentation from insurance companies and employers, navigating the various exchanges and more. In addition, this year will involve utilizing a brand new set of tax forms that Americans will be unfamiliar with.
For over 40 years, TaxSlayer has provided its customers with advice they can trust at a great value, and by partnering with VelaPoint Insurance, this service can continue seamlessly in a post-reform world. The knowledgeable tax professionals at TaxSlayer, paired with the licensed insurance experts at VelaPoint, will provide customers with a complete and robust resource this tax season.
“By examining trends in the industry, we’ve predicted that the 2015 tax season will present new, potentially confusing issues for millions of Americans,” said Jimmy Rhodes, president of TaxSlayer. “In order to properly equip our preparer partners to meet these new demands, we wanted to partner with a resource that is fully committed to the goal of helping consumers find the right health insurance coverage and navigating health reform. Enter VelaPoint Insurance.”
Uniquely positioned to offer carrier-agnostic guidance, estimate subsidies and shop federal and individual state marketplaces, VelaPoint’s licensed insurance brokers will be on hand to provide expert advice to any preparer’s clients who have insurance-specific questions during the preparation of tax returns.
“We’re very excited to be working with the tax professionals at TaxSlayer,” said Aaron Goddard, president of VelaPoint Insurance. “We know that the two biggest challenges most Americans will be facing due to health reform are how to find the right coverage that meets the complex requirements of the ACA and feeling assured that their taxes are being filed correctly under the new guidelines. This partnership will enable TaxSlayer’s preparers to confidently meet both challenges.”
While providing the same level of service that its customers have come to expect through this challenging tax season, TaxSlayer’s preparers can also confidently recommend VelaPoint Insurance as a knowledgeable and trusted resource as the next step on the health insurance journey for millions of Americans. By working together, TaxSlayer and VelaPoint have created one of the most vigorous tools available to Americans seeking insurance and tax guidance.
About TaxSlayer
TaxSlayer is an established firm with a solid reputation and over 40 years in the tax preparation business. TaxSlayer has the full expertise of a professional tax service behind it. TaxSlayer has provided professional tax software to professional tax preparers for over 20 years and focuses on providing affordable and reliable tax software offering unlimited 1040, all states and free e-file. TaxSlayer is proud to assist you in preparing and e-filing taxes professionally.
About VelaPoint Insurance, LLC
VelaPoint Insurance, located in Beaverton, OR, is one of the nation’s premier insurance brokerages. Wholly owned by National General Insurance Company, VelaPoint is redefining the way Americans elect their insurance coverage. Through its relationships with the top insurance carriers, VelaPoint has served over 1.5 million customers since the company’s founding in 2006. For more information, please visit ww.velapoint.com and follow @velapoint1. Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.
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A 2014 Postmortem
A few observations about this week's elections:
1) Our politics continue to be distorted and corrupted.
In October, 1994, I was in the lounge at Kennedy Airport in New York City waiting to board an Egypt Air flight to Cairo. My fellow passengers, mostly Egyptians, were seated near a television watching a rather engaging program. Being just a few weeks before Election Day, each of the commercial breaks that interrupted the show featured hard-hitting political ads. They were dramatic and graphically compelling as such ads can be, with both the Democratic and Republican candidates' campaigns ferociously attacking each other. One ad raised questions about a candidate's integrity, strongly suggesting that he may have had links to organized crime. This was followed by an ad which flashed headlines claiming that the other candidate hadn't paid taxes and may have been involved in shady financial dealings of one sort or another. These same ads, with slight variants of these themes, played over and over again during each of the TV program's breaks.
An hour or so later, as we boarded the flight, I thought to myself "what must these Egyptians be thinking?" Would it be something like this: "So this is American democracy, where you get to chose between the criminal and the cheat?"
That was the situation two decades ago. Today, it is even worse. Living in the Washington, DC media market, which serves both Maryland and Virginia, both of which featured statewide elections, the attack ads were ugly and mind-numbing. It was even worse in other states. In the hotly contested race for the Senate seat in Iowa, voters were subjected to over 114,000 TV ads. Nationally, over one billion dollars were spent on Senate races alone. The tally for gubernatorial and Congressional races more than matched that amount.
The bottom line is that as pundits and partisans alike are tallying the winners and losers of this year's contests, they should not forget to consider that the real winners were the campaign media consultants and the owners of local television stations, both of whom pocketed hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising revenues. And the real losers were our democracy and the American people, who were turned off by the continuing distortion and corruption of our politics.
2) Did Republicans win the election or did Democrats lose it?
As early as January of 2009, minority leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell declared that he was determined to do everything within his power to block the newly elected President's agenda. A year later, he went further saying that he would work to make sure that Obama was "a one-term President". Unlike Democrats who worked, some begrudgingly, with George W. Bush early in his first term to help pass his signature tax-cuts and educational reform legislation, Republicans gave no ground to President Obama. Whatever legislative victories the president won in his first few years in office were won over stiff resistance from the Republican opposition. Contributing to the hyper-partisanship in Washington were the emergence of the Tea Party and the "birther" movement, both of which added to the nation's poisonous political atmosphere.
There are those who raise issue with Obama's aloofness or his "lack of relationships" with Congressional Republicans, ignoring the fact that the increasingly hard-right wing of the GOP never wanted to give relationship-building a chance. They had declared from the outset that they would stymie his efforts and work to defeat him. On too many occasions where compromise might have been possible, the Republican leadership fearing confrontation with their hard-liners, balked at compromise, choosing obstructionism instead.
The problem with too many Democrats was that they cowered in the face of this GOP assault. As my brother, John, noted: in this November's election, while Republicans were busy running against the President, Democrats were running away from him. Instead of campaigning for the real benefits realized by millions of Americans resulting from the Administration's accomplishments: in rescuing the economy which had been in free-fall in 2009; in guaranteeing health insurance coverage for young people and those with pre-existing conditions; in saving college students millions of dollars in student loan fees and in protecting Americans from unscrupulous credit card companies--too many Democrats sought to deny their connections with these programs, giving Republicans a free ride to attack with no response.
When Democratic candidates wouldn't own their successes and sought to distance themselves from their national agenda--what choice did they give voters?
This mattered especially as the election came down to the wire and the issue became which party would succeed in the all-important effort to turn out voters. With the President sidelined, his 2008/2012 victorious coalition (African Americans, Latinos, young people, unmarried professional women, etc.) was not encouraged to turn out in the numbers needed to win. At one point, the President was criticized for saying that while he was not on the ballot, his policies were. He was right and his critics were wrong.
When you lose the struggle to define the stakes in the election, your chances of winning are slim.
3) What happens next?
There was an article this week describing how Republicans, having won control of both houses of Congress, were now working to define their agenda for the next two years. Implied in the piece was the fact that other than their opposition to the President, there is no consensus within the GOP as to how they will govern. The party is deeply divided between: neo-conservatives and isolationists; those who emphasize "social" issues and those who focus on economic policy; and establishment types and the Tea Party. With the 2016 presidential contest looming over the horizon and with many of the protagonists of these competing views seeing themselves as potential candidates, it is unlikely that the Republicans will be able to unify their ranks any time soon.
As they continue their internal struggle, they should consider two facts. In the first place, before getting high-handed about their "mandate", Republicans should remember that while they won the Senate and increased their numbers in the House, a tally of votes, nationally, shows that overall more Americans voted for Democrats than for Republicans. Republicans should also remember that voters will keep them on a short leash, watching how effectively they will govern. While Republicans are fond of noting that President Obama's favorable ratings are a low 42%, they should remember that their party's favorable rating is a full 10 points lower and Congress' approval rating is a shockingly low 12%.
What we can most likely expect in the next two years are more dysfunction, more rancor, and more gridlock. This will not serve the nation, but it will enhance opportunities for the Democrats to regain control of the Senate in 2016 when the tables will be turned. This year, 2/3's of the contested Senate seats were held by Democrats--some of whom were swept into office by the Obama coat-tails of 2008. In 2016, it will be Republicans who will be on the defensive since 2/3's of those up for reelection will be from their party.
In the 2016 presidential election year, the Democrats will again have a demographic advantage. African American, Latino, Asian, young, and professional women--all of whom increasingly vote for Democrats, will all play key roles in the national election. Their participation will also have an impact on Senate contests.
And so it is in this seemingly endless game of politics, one round is over and it's on to the next.
Follow @AAIUSA for more. Reported by Huffington Post 16 hours ago.
1) Our politics continue to be distorted and corrupted.
In October, 1994, I was in the lounge at Kennedy Airport in New York City waiting to board an Egypt Air flight to Cairo. My fellow passengers, mostly Egyptians, were seated near a television watching a rather engaging program. Being just a few weeks before Election Day, each of the commercial breaks that interrupted the show featured hard-hitting political ads. They were dramatic and graphically compelling as such ads can be, with both the Democratic and Republican candidates' campaigns ferociously attacking each other. One ad raised questions about a candidate's integrity, strongly suggesting that he may have had links to organized crime. This was followed by an ad which flashed headlines claiming that the other candidate hadn't paid taxes and may have been involved in shady financial dealings of one sort or another. These same ads, with slight variants of these themes, played over and over again during each of the TV program's breaks.
An hour or so later, as we boarded the flight, I thought to myself "what must these Egyptians be thinking?" Would it be something like this: "So this is American democracy, where you get to chose between the criminal and the cheat?"
That was the situation two decades ago. Today, it is even worse. Living in the Washington, DC media market, which serves both Maryland and Virginia, both of which featured statewide elections, the attack ads were ugly and mind-numbing. It was even worse in other states. In the hotly contested race for the Senate seat in Iowa, voters were subjected to over 114,000 TV ads. Nationally, over one billion dollars were spent on Senate races alone. The tally for gubernatorial and Congressional races more than matched that amount.
The bottom line is that as pundits and partisans alike are tallying the winners and losers of this year's contests, they should not forget to consider that the real winners were the campaign media consultants and the owners of local television stations, both of whom pocketed hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising revenues. And the real losers were our democracy and the American people, who were turned off by the continuing distortion and corruption of our politics.
2) Did Republicans win the election or did Democrats lose it?
As early as January of 2009, minority leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell declared that he was determined to do everything within his power to block the newly elected President's agenda. A year later, he went further saying that he would work to make sure that Obama was "a one-term President". Unlike Democrats who worked, some begrudgingly, with George W. Bush early in his first term to help pass his signature tax-cuts and educational reform legislation, Republicans gave no ground to President Obama. Whatever legislative victories the president won in his first few years in office were won over stiff resistance from the Republican opposition. Contributing to the hyper-partisanship in Washington were the emergence of the Tea Party and the "birther" movement, both of which added to the nation's poisonous political atmosphere.
There are those who raise issue with Obama's aloofness or his "lack of relationships" with Congressional Republicans, ignoring the fact that the increasingly hard-right wing of the GOP never wanted to give relationship-building a chance. They had declared from the outset that they would stymie his efforts and work to defeat him. On too many occasions where compromise might have been possible, the Republican leadership fearing confrontation with their hard-liners, balked at compromise, choosing obstructionism instead.
The problem with too many Democrats was that they cowered in the face of this GOP assault. As my brother, John, noted: in this November's election, while Republicans were busy running against the President, Democrats were running away from him. Instead of campaigning for the real benefits realized by millions of Americans resulting from the Administration's accomplishments: in rescuing the economy which had been in free-fall in 2009; in guaranteeing health insurance coverage for young people and those with pre-existing conditions; in saving college students millions of dollars in student loan fees and in protecting Americans from unscrupulous credit card companies--too many Democrats sought to deny their connections with these programs, giving Republicans a free ride to attack with no response.
When Democratic candidates wouldn't own their successes and sought to distance themselves from their national agenda--what choice did they give voters?
This mattered especially as the election came down to the wire and the issue became which party would succeed in the all-important effort to turn out voters. With the President sidelined, his 2008/2012 victorious coalition (African Americans, Latinos, young people, unmarried professional women, etc.) was not encouraged to turn out in the numbers needed to win. At one point, the President was criticized for saying that while he was not on the ballot, his policies were. He was right and his critics were wrong.
When you lose the struggle to define the stakes in the election, your chances of winning are slim.
3) What happens next?
There was an article this week describing how Republicans, having won control of both houses of Congress, were now working to define their agenda for the next two years. Implied in the piece was the fact that other than their opposition to the President, there is no consensus within the GOP as to how they will govern. The party is deeply divided between: neo-conservatives and isolationists; those who emphasize "social" issues and those who focus on economic policy; and establishment types and the Tea Party. With the 2016 presidential contest looming over the horizon and with many of the protagonists of these competing views seeing themselves as potential candidates, it is unlikely that the Republicans will be able to unify their ranks any time soon.
As they continue their internal struggle, they should consider two facts. In the first place, before getting high-handed about their "mandate", Republicans should remember that while they won the Senate and increased their numbers in the House, a tally of votes, nationally, shows that overall more Americans voted for Democrats than for Republicans. Republicans should also remember that voters will keep them on a short leash, watching how effectively they will govern. While Republicans are fond of noting that President Obama's favorable ratings are a low 42%, they should remember that their party's favorable rating is a full 10 points lower and Congress' approval rating is a shockingly low 12%.
What we can most likely expect in the next two years are more dysfunction, more rancor, and more gridlock. This will not serve the nation, but it will enhance opportunities for the Democrats to regain control of the Senate in 2016 when the tables will be turned. This year, 2/3's of the contested Senate seats were held by Democrats--some of whom were swept into office by the Obama coat-tails of 2008. In 2016, it will be Republicans who will be on the defensive since 2/3's of those up for reelection will be from their party.
In the 2016 presidential election year, the Democrats will again have a demographic advantage. African American, Latino, Asian, young, and professional women--all of whom increasingly vote for Democrats, will all play key roles in the national election. Their participation will also have an impact on Senate contests.
And so it is in this seemingly endless game of politics, one round is over and it's on to the next.
Follow @AAIUSA for more. Reported by Huffington Post 16 hours ago.
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City insurance rates on rise
Boone County employees learned last week that their health insurance premiums will be on the rise next year, and Harrison aldermen found out Thursday night that city insurance rates could rise $300,00
Reported by Harrison Daily 14 hours ago.
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Government Workers' Insurance Plans Cover Sex Change Surgery
Government employees who receive their health insurance coverage through Aetna will be eligible for sex-change operations next year, the company has announced.
Reported by Newsmax 12 hours ago.
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10 things: 10 things your health insurance won’t tell you
Reported by MarketWatch 13 hours ago.
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Some federal employee health plans to cover sex changes next year, newspaper reports
Health insurers for federal workers are increasingly willing to help pay for sex-change operations, the Washington Post reports. Earlier this year, the federal government announced it would allow its contracted health insurance providers to cover gender-reassignment. Aetna, which covers about 121,000 federal workers, is...
Reported by nola.com 13 hours ago.
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Health overhaul brought on by AIDS discrimination
Florida insurance officials are forcing the health insurance company Cigna to change its prescription drug policy to ensure that Florida consumers with HIV and AIDS can access their medications.
Friday's announcement comes five months after two national health organizations filed a complaint with federal health officials.
They allege Cigna and three other insurance companies are violating the Affordable Care Act by placing HIV and AIDS medications in the highest tier of their drug formulary, requiring prior authorizations to fill prescriptions, and implementing unnecessary and discriminatory step protocols.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty says he's committed to making sure insurers aren't being discriminatory or inconsistent with Florida law.
Cigna didn't immediately respond to a request for a comment.
The state didn't mention whether the other insurers listed in the complaint are being investigated. Reported by Click Orlando 12 hours ago.
Friday's announcement comes five months after two national health organizations filed a complaint with federal health officials.
They allege Cigna and three other insurance companies are violating the Affordable Care Act by placing HIV and AIDS medications in the highest tier of their drug formulary, requiring prior authorizations to fill prescriptions, and implementing unnecessary and discriminatory step protocols.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty says he's committed to making sure insurers aren't being discriminatory or inconsistent with Florida law.
Cigna didn't immediately respond to a request for a comment.
The state didn't mention whether the other insurers listed in the complaint are being investigated. Reported by Click Orlando 12 hours ago.
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Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Centers in the US Industry Market Research Report from IBISWorld Has Been Updated
The implementation of healthcare reform is expected to make private health insurance more accessible and affordable, allowing more people to receive treatment and therapy. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has updated a report on the Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Centers industry in its growing industry report collection.
New York, NY (PRWEB) November 08, 2014
The Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Centers industry is comprised of both inpatient and outpatient therapy facilities that provide physical, speech pathology and occupational therapy services. In the five years to 2014, the industry experienced revenue growth as a result of the aging population and increasing acceptance of the benefits of physical therapy services. “The number of adults aged 65 and older has helped support industry revenue growth during the period,” according to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Will McKitterick. Seniors are more likely to require physical therapy services because of injuries, illnesses and a range of other chronic conditions. Over the past five years, industry revenue increased at an annualized rate of 1.5% to $25.6 billion.
Though the overall economy suffered, the negative implications of the recession left the industry fairly unscathed because physical therapy rehabilitation centers derive a large share of revenue from Medicare reimbursements. “Instead of an overall decline in revenue, the industry experienced a rapid rate of consolidation,” says McKitterick. The number of industry establishments fell at an average annual rate of 2.1% to 24,907. The trend of consolidation was likely triggered by the 6.0% decline in Medicare reimbursements in 2011, which was followed by further reduction in 2012. The decline in reimbursements prompted industry revenue to contract in 2012, but revenue rebounded with 3.0% growth in 2013 and is expected to grow by as much as 2.4% in 2014.
Continued expansion of the aging population, healthcare reform and economic recovery are expected to support industry revenue growth in the five years to 2019. The number of seniors is expected to rise in the five-year period, indicating increasing demand for physical therapy services. Moreover, the implementation of healthcare reform is expected make private health insurance more accessible and affordable, allowing more people to receive treatment and therapy. Yet, the uncertainty surrounding Medicare reimbursement cuts lingers, since Congress has repeatedly postponed their decision to make reductions.
For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Centers in the US industry report page.
Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld
Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189
IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics
This industry includes freestanding rehabilitation hospitals, acute care hospitals with inpatient rehabilitation centers and outpatient rehabilitation centers that provide physical, occupational or speech therapy services. Outpatient facilities are also referred to as comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities. This report excludes drug, alcohol and other rehabilitation services.
Industry Performance
Executive Summary
Key External Drivers
Current Performance
Industry Outlook
Industry Life Cycle
Products & Markets
Supply Chain
Products & Services
Major Markets
Globalization & Trade
Business Locations
Competitive Landscape
Market Share Concentration
Key Success Factors
Cost Structure Benchmarks
Barriers to Entry
Major Companies
Operating Conditions
Capital Intensity
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Annual Change
Key Ratios
About IBISWorld Inc.
Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772. Reported by PRWeb 12 hours ago.
New York, NY (PRWEB) November 08, 2014
The Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Centers industry is comprised of both inpatient and outpatient therapy facilities that provide physical, speech pathology and occupational therapy services. In the five years to 2014, the industry experienced revenue growth as a result of the aging population and increasing acceptance of the benefits of physical therapy services. “The number of adults aged 65 and older has helped support industry revenue growth during the period,” according to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Will McKitterick. Seniors are more likely to require physical therapy services because of injuries, illnesses and a range of other chronic conditions. Over the past five years, industry revenue increased at an annualized rate of 1.5% to $25.6 billion.
Though the overall economy suffered, the negative implications of the recession left the industry fairly unscathed because physical therapy rehabilitation centers derive a large share of revenue from Medicare reimbursements. “Instead of an overall decline in revenue, the industry experienced a rapid rate of consolidation,” says McKitterick. The number of industry establishments fell at an average annual rate of 2.1% to 24,907. The trend of consolidation was likely triggered by the 6.0% decline in Medicare reimbursements in 2011, which was followed by further reduction in 2012. The decline in reimbursements prompted industry revenue to contract in 2012, but revenue rebounded with 3.0% growth in 2013 and is expected to grow by as much as 2.4% in 2014.
Continued expansion of the aging population, healthcare reform and economic recovery are expected to support industry revenue growth in the five years to 2019. The number of seniors is expected to rise in the five-year period, indicating increasing demand for physical therapy services. Moreover, the implementation of healthcare reform is expected make private health insurance more accessible and affordable, allowing more people to receive treatment and therapy. Yet, the uncertainty surrounding Medicare reimbursement cuts lingers, since Congress has repeatedly postponed their decision to make reductions.
For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Centers in the US industry report page.
Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld
Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189
IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics
This industry includes freestanding rehabilitation hospitals, acute care hospitals with inpatient rehabilitation centers and outpatient rehabilitation centers that provide physical, occupational or speech therapy services. Outpatient facilities are also referred to as comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities. This report excludes drug, alcohol and other rehabilitation services.
Industry Performance
Executive Summary
Key External Drivers
Current Performance
Industry Outlook
Industry Life Cycle
Products & Markets
Supply Chain
Products & Services
Major Markets
Globalization & Trade
Business Locations
Competitive Landscape
Market Share Concentration
Key Success Factors
Cost Structure Benchmarks
Barriers to Entry
Major Companies
Operating Conditions
Capital Intensity
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Annual Change
Key Ratios
About IBISWorld Inc.
Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772. Reported by PRWeb 12 hours ago.
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Businesses Moving to Twin Cities Generate Jobs that Empower Home Buyers
Businesses moving to the Twin Cities generate jobs that empower home buyers and produce substantial real estate market gains. Home Destination, a Minneapolis southwest metro real estate agent with RE/MAX Results, gleans housing data from Northstar MLS to show how empowered homebuyers are increasing the dollar volume of Twin Cities closed home sales.
Minneapolis, Twin Cities Minnestoa (PRWEB) November 08, 2014
Real estate in the Twin Cities has seen substantial market gains in the last two years. Many individuals relocate for jobs, and conversely, major corporations have relocated to the metro after taking into consideration where they could find a sufficient number of highly skilled residents to hire. This has moved upward the dollar volume in Twin Cities closed home sales and helped support the local housing recovery, according to Northstar MLS data.
"New businesses open up new jobs, which means that buyers waiting for sufficient income can now move ahead with plans to buy a home," says Jenna Thuening, owner of Home Destination. "Prospective metro homebuyers find an exceptional array of options due to the new Twin Cities real estate market gains. From downtown Minneapolis luxury condos and homes in highly desirable neighborhoods to starter homes in classic tree-lined established neighborhoods to the stately mansions on lakeshore properties, there is something for every empowered buyer type."
"We're encouraged by the uptick in economic activity," said Mike Hoffman, MAAR president-elect, in a statement. "Additional wage growth and hiring will uphold the continued interest in homeownership." Would-be home buyers who have sat on the sidelines have better opportunities for higher paying job positions from thousands of local employment opportunities.
Two notable real estate transactions announced so far in November indicate just how strong the draw of real estate in the Twin Cities is:
1. A MetLife-led contingent paid for the five-building Normandale Lake Office Park in Bloomington this week. The price is expected to supersede the $265.2 million price tag when the same property sold in 2012; it sets a new bench mark for the Twin Cities market. Betsy Clark, managing director of MetLife Real Estate Investors, told Finance Commerce: “MetLife invests in real estate with a long-term perspective, and Normandale Lake fits right into this strategy".
2. Arcserve, a $100 million-plus software, will be moving this December to its newly purchased headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, according to an announcement in the Minneapolis - St. Paul Business Journal yesterday. As a software giant, it is an example of a corporate relocation that plans to add 100 employees to the metro workforce, all hired without taxpayer assistance.
Both commercial real estate transactions are a signal that major companies believe in the real estate industry and economic health of the Twin Cities. The next phase of the housing market recovery may depend on traditional home buyers, including younger Millennials in the Twin Cities who are waiting for a boost in income growth.
On July 28th, Twin Cities Business stated: "Two notable retailers making inroads in the Twin Cities are Hobby Lobby, represented locally by Bob Minks of Colliers International, and Total Wine & More, handled by Chris Simmons, also of Colliers. Both retailers are opening local stores and looking to add more." In this manner commercial real estate works to support residential real estate: as new business moves into the Twin Cites, more would-be home buyers have the job potential for the income needed to buy a home. Its a fast a positive track when both commercial and residential real estate gains in the Twin Cities generate a win for everyone.
New businesses moving into the Twin Cities combined with gains in new home construction have bolstered the Twin Cities housing market. In January of 2014, the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis] stated, "The key driver for new residential construction is household formation. Household formation is largely driven by jobs, as a result jobs are the key driver".
3 Reasons Behind the Real Estate Market Gains in the Twin Cities
In 2011, an AOL Real Estate Report listed the Twin Cities, Minnesota 5thth in its list of the Best Run U.S. States for the following reasons (still holding true):· The percentage of residents without health insurance: 9.1%; 4th lowest nationally
· The percentage of residents below poverty line: 11%; 10th lowest nationally
· Unemployment levels in the state stand at: 6.9%; 14th lowest nationally
"For house hunters with the means to buy in today's market, the Twin Cities has been a big draw. In many ways the Twin Cities has been record-setting and can boast of a remarkable recovery from the real estate market tumble," states Thuening. Overall, the Twin Cities offers quality homes at an exceptional value; legendary home values may be gained due to the stable and progressive Minneapolis - St. Paul employment and real estate market conditions.
According to Northstar MLS housing data, the current 1 year dollar volume, as of October 2014, of closed home sales by property type is:
Single-Family homes: $10,159,409,243, which is down -1.4%
Townhouse - condo: $2,318,823,613, which is up +12.0%
Condos: %731,134,792, which is up +20.7% Townhomes: $1,587,688,821, which is up +8.4%
All property types: &12,585,533, 807, which is up +0.6%
"We are seeing would-be homebuyers with renewed consumer confidence that are optimistic they will sustain employment that empowers them to make a home purchase," comments Thuening. This should bolster the volume of closed home sales and further benefit the Twin Cities economy.
About Home Destination - Twin Cities Real Estate:
Home Destination offers a loyal and committed real estate professional service that personally handles all of the details of selling or purchasing homes in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Highly regarded by peers as a Minneapolis metro expert for over 15 years, gain a skilled representative as guide to make the best possible housing decisions. Helping all home buyer types, from individuals seeking to buy their first home to individuals moving-up to a luxury home, Jenna Thuening has the real estate experience and acumen buyers and sellers benefit from.
Contact:
Jenna Thuening
Web. http://www.homedestination.com
Email. jenna(at)homedestination(dot)com
Tel. 612-396-7832 Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.
Minneapolis, Twin Cities Minnestoa (PRWEB) November 08, 2014
Real estate in the Twin Cities has seen substantial market gains in the last two years. Many individuals relocate for jobs, and conversely, major corporations have relocated to the metro after taking into consideration where they could find a sufficient number of highly skilled residents to hire. This has moved upward the dollar volume in Twin Cities closed home sales and helped support the local housing recovery, according to Northstar MLS data.
"New businesses open up new jobs, which means that buyers waiting for sufficient income can now move ahead with plans to buy a home," says Jenna Thuening, owner of Home Destination. "Prospective metro homebuyers find an exceptional array of options due to the new Twin Cities real estate market gains. From downtown Minneapolis luxury condos and homes in highly desirable neighborhoods to starter homes in classic tree-lined established neighborhoods to the stately mansions on lakeshore properties, there is something for every empowered buyer type."
"We're encouraged by the uptick in economic activity," said Mike Hoffman, MAAR president-elect, in a statement. "Additional wage growth and hiring will uphold the continued interest in homeownership." Would-be home buyers who have sat on the sidelines have better opportunities for higher paying job positions from thousands of local employment opportunities.
Two notable real estate transactions announced so far in November indicate just how strong the draw of real estate in the Twin Cities is:
1. A MetLife-led contingent paid for the five-building Normandale Lake Office Park in Bloomington this week. The price is expected to supersede the $265.2 million price tag when the same property sold in 2012; it sets a new bench mark for the Twin Cities market. Betsy Clark, managing director of MetLife Real Estate Investors, told Finance Commerce: “MetLife invests in real estate with a long-term perspective, and Normandale Lake fits right into this strategy".
2. Arcserve, a $100 million-plus software, will be moving this December to its newly purchased headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, according to an announcement in the Minneapolis - St. Paul Business Journal yesterday. As a software giant, it is an example of a corporate relocation that plans to add 100 employees to the metro workforce, all hired without taxpayer assistance.
Both commercial real estate transactions are a signal that major companies believe in the real estate industry and economic health of the Twin Cities. The next phase of the housing market recovery may depend on traditional home buyers, including younger Millennials in the Twin Cities who are waiting for a boost in income growth.
On July 28th, Twin Cities Business stated: "Two notable retailers making inroads in the Twin Cities are Hobby Lobby, represented locally by Bob Minks of Colliers International, and Total Wine & More, handled by Chris Simmons, also of Colliers. Both retailers are opening local stores and looking to add more." In this manner commercial real estate works to support residential real estate: as new business moves into the Twin Cites, more would-be home buyers have the job potential for the income needed to buy a home. Its a fast a positive track when both commercial and residential real estate gains in the Twin Cities generate a win for everyone.
New businesses moving into the Twin Cities combined with gains in new home construction have bolstered the Twin Cities housing market. In January of 2014, the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis] stated, "The key driver for new residential construction is household formation. Household formation is largely driven by jobs, as a result jobs are the key driver".
3 Reasons Behind the Real Estate Market Gains in the Twin Cities
In 2011, an AOL Real Estate Report listed the Twin Cities, Minnesota 5thth in its list of the Best Run U.S. States for the following reasons (still holding true):· The percentage of residents without health insurance: 9.1%; 4th lowest nationally
· The percentage of residents below poverty line: 11%; 10th lowest nationally
· Unemployment levels in the state stand at: 6.9%; 14th lowest nationally
"For house hunters with the means to buy in today's market, the Twin Cities has been a big draw. In many ways the Twin Cities has been record-setting and can boast of a remarkable recovery from the real estate market tumble," states Thuening. Overall, the Twin Cities offers quality homes at an exceptional value; legendary home values may be gained due to the stable and progressive Minneapolis - St. Paul employment and real estate market conditions.
According to Northstar MLS housing data, the current 1 year dollar volume, as of October 2014, of closed home sales by property type is:
Single-Family homes: $10,159,409,243, which is down -1.4%
Townhouse - condo: $2,318,823,613, which is up +12.0%
Condos: %731,134,792, which is up +20.7% Townhomes: $1,587,688,821, which is up +8.4%
All property types: &12,585,533, 807, which is up +0.6%
"We are seeing would-be homebuyers with renewed consumer confidence that are optimistic they will sustain employment that empowers them to make a home purchase," comments Thuening. This should bolster the volume of closed home sales and further benefit the Twin Cities economy.
About Home Destination - Twin Cities Real Estate:
Home Destination offers a loyal and committed real estate professional service that personally handles all of the details of selling or purchasing homes in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Highly regarded by peers as a Minneapolis metro expert for over 15 years, gain a skilled representative as guide to make the best possible housing decisions. Helping all home buyer types, from individuals seeking to buy their first home to individuals moving-up to a luxury home, Jenna Thuening has the real estate experience and acumen buyers and sellers benefit from.
Contact:
Jenna Thuening
Web. http://www.homedestination.com
Email. jenna(at)homedestination(dot)com
Tel. 612-396-7832 Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.
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HealthCare.gov Can Now Handle Twice As Many Shoppers, Obama Administration Says
WASHINGTON -- As it prepares for both a wave of new health insurance shoppers and a return of many seeking to re-enroll, the team behind HealthCare.gov says the website will be able to handle twice as many simultaneous users as it did on the busiest day of its troubled first enrollment period.
Visits to the website peaked at 125,000 concurrent users on March 31, 2014, which was the nominal deadline for individuals to sign up for health insurance, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency in charge of the insurance exchanges. Now, with new fixes, the site will be able to handle an estimated 250,000 individuals using the online health insurance application system at once.
Open enrollment for health coverage next year begins next Saturday, Nov. 15, and will run through Feb. 15, 2015. Consumers will get a first look at prices early next week.
The enhanced capacity of HealthCare.gov is one of several major technical improvements that Obama administration officials outlined in an interview with The Huffington Post on Friday. These officials say the fixes, taken together, will allow for a user experience far smoother than the one that followed the disastrous launch of HealthCare.gov on Oct. 1, 2013.
"We really wanted to spend the year focused on how to make it work better for consumers who were coming to HealthCare.gov, and we put through a series of upgrades over the summer," said Andy Slavitt, principal deputy administrator at CMS.
HealthCare.gov's performance already improved over the course of last year's open enrollment period. While the site was initially plagued by crashes that made it virtually impossible to use, a team of technicians eventually got the system working well enough to enroll millions of consumers for health insurance. But the reputational damage lingers, so much so that administration officials have fretted that potential customers might still be hesitant to use the site.
President Barack Obama himself vowed earlier this week week that HealthCare.gov will perform better.
"We're really making sure the website works super-well before the next open enrollment period. We're double- and triple-checking it," the president said during a press conference Wednesday. "There are a number of people who, the first time around, sat on the sidelines, in part because of our screw-ups on HealthCare.gov," he added.
Upwards of 7 million existing customers will be able to make changes to their coverage starting Nov. 15, and millions of new customers are expected to join them. HealthCare.gov serves insurance shoppers in more than 30 states, while an additional 13 states and the District of Columbia run their own exchanges.
Organizationally, administration officials say that much has changed as well since October 2013. The team responsible for managing the website has been organized more hierarchically, and there are daily progress checks for the tasks in need of completion. While the administration has also brought in some new faces to help improve the website experience, the core of the CMS team and contractors who helped fix the site initially were either retained or kept working through the summer. These team members number in the "hundreds," one official told HuffPost.
Slavitt himself helped lead the HealthCare.gov rescue effort last year in his capacity as an executive at a subsidiary of the insurance company UnitedHealth Group, which was one of the government contractors working on the project. He officially joined the administration in June.
"It's been an incredibly busy summer," he said.
The main goals going into the second open enrollment, Slavitt said, were to improve the consumer experience, make the system faster and more reliable, boost capacity to serve large numbers of people at once and beef up security.
Slavitt said that the administration had retained some elements of the original system, upgraded others, and replaced still others.
The HealthCare.gov team streamlined the application process for about 70 percent of users, reducing the application's length from 76 pages to 16. Existing customers who return to the website to make changes to their coverage also won't have to re-enter their personal information because about 90 percent of it will be stored in the system, Slavitt said.
The mobile version of HealthCare.gov also has been enhanced. An estimated 20 percent of applications during the inaugural enrollment period were filled out using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, according to to CMS.
And Slavitt said that one of HealthCare.gov's most notorious features, a "virtual waiting room" where users got stuck when the website wasn't working, has been improved. Previously, if one component of the system was malfunctioning, no new users could begin any part of the application process and were instead forced to wait. Now, the system is able to keep different functions separate, so only visitors trying to use the balky part of the website will have to wait, while others can continue to access the rest of it.
The first time around, HealthCare.gov didn't undergo adequate testing to reveal its flaws, which left the White House flat-footed when the website didn't work. In sharp contrast, in preparation for the second open enrollment period, CMS began four phases of testing more than a month ago.
Slavitt expressed cautious optimism that his team's improvements had worked and that the testing was successful.
"We hit all our dates and milestones. That doesn't mean we won't find bugs here and there, even after four rounds of testing, because that's how software works," he said.
Even as the second enrollment period is set to begin, HealthCare.gov remains a work in progress, and Slavitt predicted that more tinkering will likely be needed.
"Are we all the way there? I think in year three, we'll have a list of things we will be able to do based upon what happened in year two that will make it even better," he said.
*See a slideshow demonstration of the new application process on HealthCare.gov:*
HealthCare.gov Streamlined For New Sign-Ups Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.
Visits to the website peaked at 125,000 concurrent users on March 31, 2014, which was the nominal deadline for individuals to sign up for health insurance, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency in charge of the insurance exchanges. Now, with new fixes, the site will be able to handle an estimated 250,000 individuals using the online health insurance application system at once.
Open enrollment for health coverage next year begins next Saturday, Nov. 15, and will run through Feb. 15, 2015. Consumers will get a first look at prices early next week.
The enhanced capacity of HealthCare.gov is one of several major technical improvements that Obama administration officials outlined in an interview with The Huffington Post on Friday. These officials say the fixes, taken together, will allow for a user experience far smoother than the one that followed the disastrous launch of HealthCare.gov on Oct. 1, 2013.
"We really wanted to spend the year focused on how to make it work better for consumers who were coming to HealthCare.gov, and we put through a series of upgrades over the summer," said Andy Slavitt, principal deputy administrator at CMS.
HealthCare.gov's performance already improved over the course of last year's open enrollment period. While the site was initially plagued by crashes that made it virtually impossible to use, a team of technicians eventually got the system working well enough to enroll millions of consumers for health insurance. But the reputational damage lingers, so much so that administration officials have fretted that potential customers might still be hesitant to use the site.
President Barack Obama himself vowed earlier this week week that HealthCare.gov will perform better.
"We're really making sure the website works super-well before the next open enrollment period. We're double- and triple-checking it," the president said during a press conference Wednesday. "There are a number of people who, the first time around, sat on the sidelines, in part because of our screw-ups on HealthCare.gov," he added.
Upwards of 7 million existing customers will be able to make changes to their coverage starting Nov. 15, and millions of new customers are expected to join them. HealthCare.gov serves insurance shoppers in more than 30 states, while an additional 13 states and the District of Columbia run their own exchanges.
Organizationally, administration officials say that much has changed as well since October 2013. The team responsible for managing the website has been organized more hierarchically, and there are daily progress checks for the tasks in need of completion. While the administration has also brought in some new faces to help improve the website experience, the core of the CMS team and contractors who helped fix the site initially were either retained or kept working through the summer. These team members number in the "hundreds," one official told HuffPost.
Slavitt himself helped lead the HealthCare.gov rescue effort last year in his capacity as an executive at a subsidiary of the insurance company UnitedHealth Group, which was one of the government contractors working on the project. He officially joined the administration in June.
"It's been an incredibly busy summer," he said.
The main goals going into the second open enrollment, Slavitt said, were to improve the consumer experience, make the system faster and more reliable, boost capacity to serve large numbers of people at once and beef up security.
Slavitt said that the administration had retained some elements of the original system, upgraded others, and replaced still others.
The HealthCare.gov team streamlined the application process for about 70 percent of users, reducing the application's length from 76 pages to 16. Existing customers who return to the website to make changes to their coverage also won't have to re-enter their personal information because about 90 percent of it will be stored in the system, Slavitt said.
The mobile version of HealthCare.gov also has been enhanced. An estimated 20 percent of applications during the inaugural enrollment period were filled out using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, according to to CMS.
And Slavitt said that one of HealthCare.gov's most notorious features, a "virtual waiting room" where users got stuck when the website wasn't working, has been improved. Previously, if one component of the system was malfunctioning, no new users could begin any part of the application process and were instead forced to wait. Now, the system is able to keep different functions separate, so only visitors trying to use the balky part of the website will have to wait, while others can continue to access the rest of it.
The first time around, HealthCare.gov didn't undergo adequate testing to reveal its flaws, which left the White House flat-footed when the website didn't work. In sharp contrast, in preparation for the second open enrollment period, CMS began four phases of testing more than a month ago.
Slavitt expressed cautious optimism that his team's improvements had worked and that the testing was successful.
"We hit all our dates and milestones. That doesn't mean we won't find bugs here and there, even after four rounds of testing, because that's how software works," he said.
Even as the second enrollment period is set to begin, HealthCare.gov remains a work in progress, and Slavitt predicted that more tinkering will likely be needed.
"Are we all the way there? I think in year three, we'll have a list of things we will be able to do based upon what happened in year two that will make it even better," he said.
*See a slideshow demonstration of the new application process on HealthCare.gov:*
HealthCare.gov Streamlined For New Sign-Ups Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.
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