WASHINGTON -- With the health insurance marketplace now open for a second year, President Barack Obama will be depending more than ever on the insurance companies that five years ago he accused of padding profits and canceling coverage for the sick.
Reported by TwinCities.com 14 hours ago.
Health law turns Obama and insurers into unlikely allies
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Exclusive -- Report: Obama's Executive Amnesty Will Give Illegal Aliens Public Benefits
Illegal aliens who get President Barack Obama’s likely forthcoming executive amnesty will have immediate access to welfare and other public benefits, according to a new report from the Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR) exclusively provided to Breitbart News ahead of its public release shows.“Obama’s executive amnesty isn’t only unconstitutional but costly; from day one it opens up federal and state benefits to individuals who are still illegal aliens, regardless of the label the President puts on them,” FAIR executive director Julie Kirchner told Breitbart News.
“Deferred action and parole-in-place don’t fit neatly into statutory definitions that prohibit access to benefits, mostly because deferred action and parole-in-place have no statutory basis themselves,” FAIR communications director Bob Dane added. “Congress has never imagined a rouge president pulling rabbits out of a hat to justify a broad, transformational makeover of the country by way of amnesty. There will always be thousands of loopholes in the law and backdoor methods to achieve a desired agenda, but ultimately the intent of Congress is preeminent. It may be that the courts will have to review that.”
It’s likely that the administration will attempt to downplay access executive amnestied illegal aliens will have to public benefits in the wake of the president’s announcement since Republicans will seize on the issue to discredit the president’s efforts. It’s a wildly politically successful issue for Republicans, as even Massachusetts’ Republican Governor-elect Charlie Baker ran on making sure Americans are taken care of with public benefits rather than giving them to illegal immigrants—as Democrats want to do.
Both Republicans and Democrats who supported the “Gang of Eight” bill in 2013 argued it wouldn’t allow access to public benefits for amnestied illegal aliens. But a series of reports from the office of now incoming Senate Budget Committee chairman Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and others detailed how it would in fact allow them to get benefits that normally go to Americans and legal immigrants. That seems to be the same thing that’s happening here, with the president’s forthcoming executive amnesty—assuming the president goes through with his stated plans.
The seven-page report from FAIR details how either of the two major mechanisms through which Obama would grant the executive amnesty to millions of illegal aliens would ultimately end up with those millions of illegal aliens taking U.S. taxpayer benefits away from struggling Americans almost immediately.
“While the President has been considering numerous options for his executive amnesty, there are two methods President Obama is expected to use in order to shield illegal aliens from deportation: parole and deferred action,” the report summary reads.
Obama could give the millions of illegal aliens “humanitarian parole,” something the FAIR report notes is included in statute as a power of the executive branch under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) for “temporary” protections for people from outside the United States. But the Bill Clinton administration in 1998, via a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo, expanded the meaning of “humanitarian parole” to illegal aliens inside the U.S. That memo did not have any “statutory or regulatory basis,” FAIR wrote, but Obama has used it to grant “parole in place to illegal aliens and is expected to expand this practice.”
If that’s how Obama grants executive amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens he plans to, they’ll get near-immediate access to welfare and other public benefits.
“Aliens with parole generally receive work authorization and are eligible for most benefits under federal law,” FAIR wrote. “This is true regardless of whether they have humanitarian parole or parole in place because the eligibility rules for benefits programs make no distinction between the two. Indeed, the longer an alien’s parole, the more benefits he is eligible to receive.”
Aliens paroled for less than a year are eligible for benefits such as Obamacare and unemployment. In the text of Obamacare, the report notes, Congress specifically restricts access to anyone “lawfully present” in the United States. But, the report notes, “regulations implementing the law define ‘lawfully present’ to include aliens with parole for less than one year.”
“Not only are aliens with parole for less than one year eligible for Obamacare, they are immediately eligible,” FAIR wrote. “Despite the fact that Obamacare might appear to be a ‘federal public benefit,’ and thus restricted to ‘qualified aliens’ and the five-year bar, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not included it in the regulatory definition of either ‘federal public benefit’ or ‘federal means-tested public benefit.’”
As such, FAIR wrote, there is “no conflict” between Obamacare and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) that specifies who is a “qualified alien” who can receive “federal public benefits.”
“This means that aliens may enroll if they are ‘lawfully present,’ and they are not required to be ‘qualified aliens’ nor wait five years to participate pursuant to the PRWORA restrictions,” FAIR wrote.
As for unemployment benefits, aliens with parole for less than a year are also eligible for those despite the fact that states administer unemployment benefits. That’s because state unemployment benefits are “based upon the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), which specifically says that aliens paroled into the U.S. for less than one year are eligible for unemployment benefits provided they otherwise meet the program’s other requirements.”
Such aliens who would get parole would also get immediate access to Social Security and Medicare benefits—meaning they could take Social Security or Medicare away from Americans—FAIR wrote, “so long as they meet other eligibility requirements.”
“By statute, Congress exempted retirement benefits under Social Security from the list of federal public benefits for which an alien must be a ‘qualified alien’ and wait five years for eligibility pursuant to PRWORA,” FAIR wrote. “Instead the Social Security Act only requires that aliens be ‘lawfully present.’ The regulation that defines ‘lawfully present’ for retirement benefits includes aliens paroled into the U.S. for less than one year.”
As for Medicare, the laws and regulations are similar to Social Security—meaning illegal aliens who would get parole status under an Obama amnesty would have almost immediate access to Medicare.
“Aliens with parole for less than a year are also eligible for Medicare,” FAIR wrote. “Medicare Part A (inpatient) benefits are available to aliens who are at least 65 years old and eligible for Social Security retirement (Title II) benefits if eligibility is based on authorized work history. As described above, aliens paroled into the U.S. for less than a year are eligible for retirement benefits under Social Security. Therefore, aliens with parole for less than one year who are eligible for Social Security based on authorized work history are eligible for Medicare Part A. In addition, individuals eligible for Medicare part A, including aliens with parole for less than a year, are also eligible for Medicare Part B (outpatient) and Part D (prescription drugs).”
Other public benefits such illegal aliens would have access to under Obama’s amnesty if he chooses the parole route are Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) benefits “in states that have opted to cover them” since Congress’ reauthorization of the relevant statute granted states “the option to offer health care benefits to ‘lawfully residing’ children (under the age of 21) and pregnant women through Medicaid and SCHIP.”
If Obama chooses to go the route of “deferred action,” another form of executive amnesty that has “no statutory basis,” the amnestied illegal aliens will have immediate access to Obamacare, Medicare and Social Security for the same reasons as they would under parole. They’d also, for the same reasons as parole, in some states be immediately eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP public benefits, according to the report.
The report authors note that Obama’s first major deferred action executive amnesty, the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that many Republicans say caused the border crisis, had language excluding recipients of that amnesty from Obamacare.
“Although aliens with deferred action are generally eligible for Obamacare, there is one notable exception,” FAIR wrote. “In 2012, after the creation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which dramatically expanded the number of individuals receiving deferred action, the Obama Administration decided to exclude DACA beneficiaries from eligibility for Obamacare (as well as state-based Medicaid and SCHIP programs) by issuing a new regulation.”
Even so, the FAIR report authors argue that such an exclusion would be impossible to duplicate in a wider executive amnesty given the regulations and laws on the books.
“The wording of the regulatory exception to Obamacare eligibility is significant,” FAIR wrote. “A new deferred action program, or even expansion of the DACA program, would likely not fall under the exclusion because it will not meet the requirement ‘as described in’ the Secretary of Homeland Security’s June 15, 2012 memorandum. Thus, the new grant of deferred action would make these illegal aliens eligible for all the benefits described above. Additionally, because DACA beneficiaries are barred from enrolling in Obamacare by regulation, not legislation, HHS could revoke the eligibility bar at any time.” Reported by Breitbart 14 hours ago.
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Jay Freeberg of Janover LLC Elected to the INAA Board
Janover LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Advisors announced that Jay Freeberg, a partner in the firm has been elected to the Board of the International Association of Independent Accounting Firms (INAA).
Garden City, NY (PRWEB) November 18, 2014
Janover LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Advisors announced that Jay Freeberg, a partner in the firm has been elected to the Board of the International Association of Independent Accounting Firms (INAA).
INAA is an international association of independent accounting firms whose prime purpose is to assist businesses with cross-border accounting and taxation issues. The independent accounting firms that make up the INAA Group are all committed to delivering quality professional services. INAA is governed by a democratically elected Board consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman and seven Directors.
Jay has spent his career advising closely held and family businesses, as well as high net worth individuals, and coordinating the various tax filings, accounting, growth strategies and liquidity aspects that such entities face. Jay works with medical professionals, construction companies, real estate, and family businesses. He has been instrumental in the successful purchase, sale and transition of more than 25 client businesses over the past 20 years. Jay also manages the financial planning for many of the firm’s clients.
Jay is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. He holds numerous NASD securities licenses including Series 7, 24, 27, 63 and 65 and is an Accredited Wealth management advisor. He also holds Life, Accident and Health Insurance licenses. Jay has served as an expert witness in several business and divorce litigation proceedings.
Janover LLC is ranked as one of the top Mid-Atlantic accounting firms by Accounting Today. Janover, which was founded in 1938, has offices in Manhattan and Garden City, Long Island. They provide services to a broad range of business and individual clients. The firm has expertise in all phases of auditing, accounting, taxation and consulting services. Janover specializes in Real Estate, Retail/Wholesale, Professional Services, Entertainment, Financial Services, Construction and Family Owned businesses.
Janover LLC provides related professional services through two affiliates; JRF Asset Advisors LLC which provides financial planning, and investment management services to corporate and individual entities and JRS Financial Services LLC which provides contracted financial management services to emerging firms and financial service organizations.
For more information, contact Mark Goodman at 212-792-6300 or e-mail mark(dot)goodman(at)janoverllc(dot)com. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
Garden City, NY (PRWEB) November 18, 2014
Janover LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Advisors announced that Jay Freeberg, a partner in the firm has been elected to the Board of the International Association of Independent Accounting Firms (INAA).
INAA is an international association of independent accounting firms whose prime purpose is to assist businesses with cross-border accounting and taxation issues. The independent accounting firms that make up the INAA Group are all committed to delivering quality professional services. INAA is governed by a democratically elected Board consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman and seven Directors.
Jay has spent his career advising closely held and family businesses, as well as high net worth individuals, and coordinating the various tax filings, accounting, growth strategies and liquidity aspects that such entities face. Jay works with medical professionals, construction companies, real estate, and family businesses. He has been instrumental in the successful purchase, sale and transition of more than 25 client businesses over the past 20 years. Jay also manages the financial planning for many of the firm’s clients.
Jay is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. He holds numerous NASD securities licenses including Series 7, 24, 27, 63 and 65 and is an Accredited Wealth management advisor. He also holds Life, Accident and Health Insurance licenses. Jay has served as an expert witness in several business and divorce litigation proceedings.
Janover LLC is ranked as one of the top Mid-Atlantic accounting firms by Accounting Today. Janover, which was founded in 1938, has offices in Manhattan and Garden City, Long Island. They provide services to a broad range of business and individual clients. The firm has expertise in all phases of auditing, accounting, taxation and consulting services. Janover specializes in Real Estate, Retail/Wholesale, Professional Services, Entertainment, Financial Services, Construction and Family Owned businesses.
Janover LLC provides related professional services through two affiliates; JRF Asset Advisors LLC which provides financial planning, and investment management services to corporate and individual entities and JRS Financial Services LLC which provides contracted financial management services to emerging firms and financial service organizations.
For more information, contact Mark Goodman at 212-792-6300 or e-mail mark(dot)goodman(at)janoverllc(dot)com. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
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Native Americans Urged To Sign Up For Private Insurance
The second round of buying health insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges has started. Health officials say Native Americans may have much to gain by buying insurance there.
Reported by NPR 9 hours ago.
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Strategies: Health insurance tips, twists and turns for 2015
It's that time of the year again — as outside temperatures cool down, health insurance enrollment is heating up. Health insurance broker John Reeves predicts that many small businesses with fewer than 50 employers will quit offering health coverage, relegating many to individual coverage. His overarching advice: Become an informed consumer before making a health insurance choice. One helpful tool is health coverage guides, offered by a variety of community and institutional organizations as well…
Reported by bizjournals 8 hours ago.
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FSA vs. HSA: What You Need to Know for Health Care
Filed under: Health Care, Health Insurance, Tax Deductions*Getty Images*
Open enrollment season for health insurance brings attention to Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. I'm a huge fan of the latter. Let's look at both.
*First Came FSAs*
Flexible Spending Accounts have been around since the 1970s. Employers establish FSAs for their employees, and the account allows workers to contribute a portion of pre-tax earnings to pay for qualified health care costs. Many employers also offer a separate FSA for dependent care expenses, such as day care.
The tax advantages of FSAs serve as one of the biggest benefits to employees. Because you contribute earnings before they're taxed, you lower your annual tax liability. Your contribution limits are $2,500 for a medical FSA and $5,000 for an FSA used for dependent care (as long as you don't file taxes married filing separately, then the limit is $2,500).
*Different Rules for HSAs*
Health Savings Accounts were created to help ease the financial burden of rising health care costs.
Like FSAs, the money you contribute to the fund is pre-tax (which again reduces your overall tax burden). HSAs allow you to spend money on qualified health expenses if you have a high-deductible health plan. You can also pay for medical costs not covered at all by your insurance (such as Lasik eye surgery like I had).
You can contribute up to $3,300 to an HSA ($3,350 for 2015), and a family can contribute $6,550 ($6,650 for 2015). Like a Flexible Spending Account, the HSA limit does not vary based on your tax bracket. However, there is a $1,000 "catch up" contribution for those over 55.
However, unlike an FSA, anyone can set up an HSA -- you don't need to get through your employer (although that is an option). To qualify, you must be under 65 and have only high-deductible health insurance.
*Pros and Cons for Flexible Spending Accounts*
FSAs have no restrictions on what type of health insurance you have. You don't even have to have health insurance.
Your FSA is set up and owned by your employer, which means you cannot take it with you if you leave, lose or retire from your job.
With an FSA, you have to use or lose the money you contribute by the end of the year (you can carry over $500 into March of the following year). If you are a careful planner, this will be easy for you, but last year, 20 percent of people with FSAs left $500 or more on the table. Don't make this mistake! (Buy yourself a new pair of glasses!)
Before investing in an FSA, have a reasonable estimate of upcoming medical expenses for you and your family. That way you can use all of that money and not be stuck with extra money at the end of the year you have to use up quickly.
*Pros and Cons for **Health Savings Accounts*
You own your Health Savings Account. You can take it with you when you leave your employer and either cash it out (although don't do that -- because you'll likely incur a penalty) or roll it over into a new plan.
You can also invest the money in your HSA, and the value rolls over from year to year. Some plans only invest your money once you've reached a minimum, but others allow you to invest immediately. If invest the money in your HSA to use for future health care costs, make sure you have enough to cover your deductible so that you don't have to sell investments quickly to access the funds.
HSAs are limited to those with high-deductible health plans. An individual HDHP deductible can range from $1,250 to $6,350. For families, the minimum deductible is $2,500 and the maximum is $12,700. Make sure you can cover your deductible, although you can use your HSA contribution to pay for out-of-pocket health-care costs, prescriptions and other medical expenses.
*Whic is Right for You?*
Married couples with a young child and a lot of doctor's visits may lean toward an FSA for co-pays. A lower deductible PPO or HMO plan may also benefit this family more than a high-deductible health plan. In addition, the Dependent Care FSA offers a huge tax benefit.
A healthy single person, on the other hand, may decide the HSA is a better deal, which is why I encourage many of my Gen Y clients to strongly consider this option. This account is good for those who can't predict how much (or how little) they may use a medical savings account.
With an HSA, you can continue to invest and make money, which you can then use, without a tax penalty, when you get to your retirement years. (Some people choose to think of an HSA like an additional individual retirement account). An FSA can give you peace of mind to help you with child care or medical care expenses right now.
You can contribute to both -- but be careful. You can technically have an HSA for medical expenses if you have a high-deductible plan and an FSA for dental and vision costs; however, I would generally recommend that you just stick to one or the other.
Sophia Bera is a virtual financial planner for millennials and the founder of Gen Y Planning. She is location-independent but calls Minneapolis home. She offers a free Gen Y Planning newsletter.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Reported by DailyFinance 8 hours ago.
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United States: The Massachusetts Health Insurance Mandate: Some Good News For Massachusetts Taxpayers - Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
On November 7, 2014, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue amended its individual mandate regulations (830 CMR 111M.2.1) to answer this question.
Reported by Mondaq 7 hours ago.
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IHC Specialty Benefits Introduces Health eDeals at Work
New Private Health Insurance Exchange Dedicated to Serving Small Employer Groups
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) November 18, 2014
IHC Specialty Benefits, a leading provider of insurance services and products, today announced the launch of Health eDeals at Work, a private health insurance exchange focused on the unique needs of small employer groups.
As a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many small business owners are reevaluating whether it is in their best interests, and those of their employees, to continue to offer group health insurance. IHC’s new Health eDeals at Work solves the small business owner’s dilemma- at no cost to the employer- by providing its workers with an easy to use private exchange tool branded to the business. The new exchange will allow employees to shop for and enroll in ACA-qualified major medical plans from national carriers, as well as ancillary products such as dental insurance and Metal Gap, a guarantee-issue plan designed to fill the gaps created by high deductibles and co-pays under the Obamacare plans.
Some small employers have determined that not renewing their group plan enables them to pay higher wages and be more competitive vis-à-vis their competitors. They also realized that not offering group coverage could be in the best interests of their employees, many of whom may be eligible for subsidies if they were to purchase an individual policy. However, making this change can often be difficult for a business owner who wishes to remain involved as a trusted advisor to his employees in making their benefit decisions. In the past, the employer would handpick a group health plan that it determined would be best for its employees based on price, deductibles, co-pays and breadth of coverage of the network. Such an employer would be reluctant to send its employees to the public exchange with a myriad of choices (some of which have very limited networks) and little guidance as to how to choose the plan that would be best for them.
“Health eDeals at Work allows the employers to continue supporting their employees while giving them choice and flexibility to personalize their benefits,” said Brian Dow, Chief Operating Officer for IHC Specialty Benefits. “It is designed to be used by a licensed insurance advisor to help the business make the transition from a group plan to individual ACA plans. The tools on the site can help the advisor and employee with the decision-making process and the advisor can then help the employee enroll in coverage both on and off the Federal Health Exchange.”
Dow continued, “Because we have been in the employer-group market for over 20 years, we have been able to leverage our knowledge of the small employer purchasing process to create a site that is easy to use and provides a valuable set of benefits for employees.”
To contract with IHC as an insurance producer contact Dave Keller at 952-746-6614. To learn more about Health eDeals at Work please visit http://www.HealtheDeals.com/article/at-Work-111714.
About IHC Specialty Benefits, Inc.
IHC Specialty Benefits is a full-service marketing and distribution company that focuses on small employer, individual and consumer products. Products are marketed through general agents online, telebrokerage, advisor centers, private label and directly to consumers. For more information about IHC Specialty Benefits, visit http://www.ihcgroup.com.
About The IHC Group
The IHC Group is an organization of insurance carriers and marketing and administrative affiliates that has been providing life, health, disability, medical stop-loss and specialty insurance solutions to groups and individuals for over 30 years. Members of The IHC Group include Independence Holding Company (NYSE:IHC), American Independence Corp. (NASDAQ: AMIC), Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, Madison National Life Insurance Company, Inc. and Independence American Insurance Company. Each insurance carrier in The IHC Group has a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) from A.M. Best Company, Inc., a widely recognized rating agency that rates insurance companies on their relative financial strength and ability to meet policyholder obligations. (An A++ rating from A.M. Best is its highest rating.) Collectively, the companies in The IHC Group provide insurance coverage to more than one million individuals and groups. For more information about The IHC Group, visit http://www.ihcgroup.com Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) November 18, 2014
IHC Specialty Benefits, a leading provider of insurance services and products, today announced the launch of Health eDeals at Work, a private health insurance exchange focused on the unique needs of small employer groups.
As a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many small business owners are reevaluating whether it is in their best interests, and those of their employees, to continue to offer group health insurance. IHC’s new Health eDeals at Work solves the small business owner’s dilemma- at no cost to the employer- by providing its workers with an easy to use private exchange tool branded to the business. The new exchange will allow employees to shop for and enroll in ACA-qualified major medical plans from national carriers, as well as ancillary products such as dental insurance and Metal Gap, a guarantee-issue plan designed to fill the gaps created by high deductibles and co-pays under the Obamacare plans.
Some small employers have determined that not renewing their group plan enables them to pay higher wages and be more competitive vis-à-vis their competitors. They also realized that not offering group coverage could be in the best interests of their employees, many of whom may be eligible for subsidies if they were to purchase an individual policy. However, making this change can often be difficult for a business owner who wishes to remain involved as a trusted advisor to his employees in making their benefit decisions. In the past, the employer would handpick a group health plan that it determined would be best for its employees based on price, deductibles, co-pays and breadth of coverage of the network. Such an employer would be reluctant to send its employees to the public exchange with a myriad of choices (some of which have very limited networks) and little guidance as to how to choose the plan that would be best for them.
“Health eDeals at Work allows the employers to continue supporting their employees while giving them choice and flexibility to personalize their benefits,” said Brian Dow, Chief Operating Officer for IHC Specialty Benefits. “It is designed to be used by a licensed insurance advisor to help the business make the transition from a group plan to individual ACA plans. The tools on the site can help the advisor and employee with the decision-making process and the advisor can then help the employee enroll in coverage both on and off the Federal Health Exchange.”
Dow continued, “Because we have been in the employer-group market for over 20 years, we have been able to leverage our knowledge of the small employer purchasing process to create a site that is easy to use and provides a valuable set of benefits for employees.”
To contract with IHC as an insurance producer contact Dave Keller at 952-746-6614. To learn more about Health eDeals at Work please visit http://www.HealtheDeals.com/article/at-Work-111714.
About IHC Specialty Benefits, Inc.
IHC Specialty Benefits is a full-service marketing and distribution company that focuses on small employer, individual and consumer products. Products are marketed through general agents online, telebrokerage, advisor centers, private label and directly to consumers. For more information about IHC Specialty Benefits, visit http://www.ihcgroup.com.
About The IHC Group
The IHC Group is an organization of insurance carriers and marketing and administrative affiliates that has been providing life, health, disability, medical stop-loss and specialty insurance solutions to groups and individuals for over 30 years. Members of The IHC Group include Independence Holding Company (NYSE:IHC), American Independence Corp. (NASDAQ: AMIC), Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, Madison National Life Insurance Company, Inc. and Independence American Insurance Company. Each insurance carrier in The IHC Group has a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) from A.M. Best Company, Inc., a widely recognized rating agency that rates insurance companies on their relative financial strength and ability to meet policyholder obligations. (An A++ rating from A.M. Best is its highest rating.) Collectively, the companies in The IHC Group provide insurance coverage to more than one million individuals and groups. For more information about The IHC Group, visit http://www.ihcgroup.com Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.
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ACSI: Rising Fees Hurt Bank Customer Satisfaction; Consumers Dissatisfied with Health Insurance Plans
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Customer satisfaction with banks is down as fees reach new heights, according to a report released today by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The decline nearly reverses two years of ACSI improvement for retail banks....
Reported by PR Newswire 6 hours ago.
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Blue Cross Offers Many Affordable Options for Medicare Customers
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(Click to Tweet) — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Blue Cross) has announced its broad suite of Medicare options for the 2015 open enrollment period. Blue Cross is the nation's top-ranked Medicare PPO plan and is among the highest-rated Medicare HMO plans in the country, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2014–2015.i “We have a number of affordable options that fit any budget, from Medicare Advantage HMO and
Reported by Business Wire 6 hours ago.
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Elizabeth to host open enrollment day to help residents sign up for health insurance
Certified staff will be available to assist residents in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole or Portuguese.
Reported by NJ.com 5 hours ago.
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Humana Partners with Bill Pay at CVS/pharmacy to Provide Convenient, In-Store Health Insurance Payment Option
LOUISVILLE, Ky. & WOONSOCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Humana Partners with Bill Pay at CVS/pharmacy to Provide Convenient, In-Store Health Insurance Payment Option
Reported by Business Wire 4 hours ago.
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Insurance calculator: Find how much you can expect to pay for health insurance using healthcare.gov
The Kaiser Family Foundation produced a calculator that can help people determine how much they can expect to pay by buying insurance on the health care market place. The calculator is updated to include premium changes from last year and uses zip...
Reported by nola.com 3 hours ago.
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Open Enrollment: What is Different for Year Two?
Open Enrollment is in full swing for individual health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the second of its kind since the health reform law went into effect. Now in the second year, there are numerous changes and updates consumers should know about Open Enrollment to ensure that they find the right coverage that fits their particular needs.
*Tax Penalty Increase*
It was reported that in 2014, 66 percent of uninsured Americans were aware of the individual mandate, the requirement that all Americans get coverage or pay a tax penalty. Even with the individual mandate in place, many still chose to go uninsured and pay the tax penalty instead.
In 2014, the tax penalty was $95 for each adult and $47.50 for each child in a household, or 1 percent of income, depending on which was greater. That fine has since increased - and fairly substantially. For those who choose to go uninsured in 2015, the fine they face is $325 for each adult and $162.50 for each child in a household, or 2 percent of income, again, whichever is greater.
For some Americans, the cost of going uninsured could be greater than what it would cost to enroll in health insurance, as government subsidies are available to help keep the cost of insurance down. Additionally, for those who choose to pay the penalty versus enrolling in coverage, they still face the financial risks associated with not having health insurance.
*25 Percent More Options *
The Affordable Care Act is credited with giving consumers more health insurance options, and for 2015 coverage, there are even more options than before. The number of insurers on the Marketplace has increased 25 percent. According to information released by the Department of Health and Human Services, 77 new health insurance carriers are offering Marketplace coverage, bringing the total number to 248. Consumers who are eligible for government tax subsidies may use them to offset the premium costs of the plans offered through the Marketplace. There are also additional health plan options offered outside the Marketplace that typically match the needs of consumers who are not eligible to receive subsidies or who are only eligible to receive small subsidies.
*Projected Rate Increases*
For 2015 coverage, plan rates are expected to increase a relatively tame 6 percent overall, but actual rate increases will depend on the consumer's geographic location. If a consumer chooses to auto-reenroll, then the consumer will still be subject to a rate increase for the existing plan. Depending on the increase, auto-reenrolling may prove to be too expensive based on plan rate increases. Therefore, consumers are advised to browse their options in order to determine whether their current plan is still the best option available.
*Shorter Enrollment Period*
This year, the Open Enrollment Period has been cut from six months to three months. Plans purchased prior to the end of the day on December 15th will have an effective date of January 1st. Plans purchased after December 15th will not offer coverage until February or later. In order to ensure that there are no gaps in coverage, it is recommended that individuals start looking at their options sooner rather than later during the open enrollment process.
*More Information, Less Confusion*
The first Open Enrollment period was confusing for many people. It was initially plagued by technology glitches, delays, and long waits. By the time the Marketplace technology issues were resolved, there was such a rush to get enrolled that consumers were often making decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information.
For example, many consumers did not know about the individual mandate or that they could get government financial assistance. Pursuant to a Kaiser Family Foundation study from March, more than 40 percent of the uninsured were unaware that the Affordable Care Act provides financial help to low and moderate-income individuals. The study also showed that only 43 percent of the general public was aware that the Affordable Care Act eliminates out-of-pocket costs for preventive services. Because coverage decisions were often made without all of the available information, many consumers chose plans that did not best match their particular needs.
The technology and delay issues have since been mostly resolved, so it is important that consumers worry less about the ability to enroll and instead take advantage of the time and resources available to them to ensure that they enroll in the best plan based on each consumer's unique circumstances. For consumers with questions, licensed health insurance agents offer consultative services free of charge to the consumers. Additionally, for consumers that waited in long lines or waited on hold for hours, they can avoid those issues this year by utilizing companies, such as GoHealth, that offer identical enrollment services over the phone or on the Internet at no additional cost. In fact, consumers that act early and do not wait until just before the deadlines can oftentimes speak with a licensed GoHealth advisor with little or no hold time.
This Open Enrollment period is sure to be drastically different than the first. Now that the time is here, it is important that all consumers be aware of the improvements, changes, and increased options available to them. Reported by Huffington Post 1 hour ago.
*Tax Penalty Increase*
It was reported that in 2014, 66 percent of uninsured Americans were aware of the individual mandate, the requirement that all Americans get coverage or pay a tax penalty. Even with the individual mandate in place, many still chose to go uninsured and pay the tax penalty instead.
In 2014, the tax penalty was $95 for each adult and $47.50 for each child in a household, or 1 percent of income, depending on which was greater. That fine has since increased - and fairly substantially. For those who choose to go uninsured in 2015, the fine they face is $325 for each adult and $162.50 for each child in a household, or 2 percent of income, again, whichever is greater.
For some Americans, the cost of going uninsured could be greater than what it would cost to enroll in health insurance, as government subsidies are available to help keep the cost of insurance down. Additionally, for those who choose to pay the penalty versus enrolling in coverage, they still face the financial risks associated with not having health insurance.
*25 Percent More Options *
The Affordable Care Act is credited with giving consumers more health insurance options, and for 2015 coverage, there are even more options than before. The number of insurers on the Marketplace has increased 25 percent. According to information released by the Department of Health and Human Services, 77 new health insurance carriers are offering Marketplace coverage, bringing the total number to 248. Consumers who are eligible for government tax subsidies may use them to offset the premium costs of the plans offered through the Marketplace. There are also additional health plan options offered outside the Marketplace that typically match the needs of consumers who are not eligible to receive subsidies or who are only eligible to receive small subsidies.
*Projected Rate Increases*
For 2015 coverage, plan rates are expected to increase a relatively tame 6 percent overall, but actual rate increases will depend on the consumer's geographic location. If a consumer chooses to auto-reenroll, then the consumer will still be subject to a rate increase for the existing plan. Depending on the increase, auto-reenrolling may prove to be too expensive based on plan rate increases. Therefore, consumers are advised to browse their options in order to determine whether their current plan is still the best option available.
*Shorter Enrollment Period*
This year, the Open Enrollment Period has been cut from six months to three months. Plans purchased prior to the end of the day on December 15th will have an effective date of January 1st. Plans purchased after December 15th will not offer coverage until February or later. In order to ensure that there are no gaps in coverage, it is recommended that individuals start looking at their options sooner rather than later during the open enrollment process.
*More Information, Less Confusion*
The first Open Enrollment period was confusing for many people. It was initially plagued by technology glitches, delays, and long waits. By the time the Marketplace technology issues were resolved, there was such a rush to get enrolled that consumers were often making decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information.
For example, many consumers did not know about the individual mandate or that they could get government financial assistance. Pursuant to a Kaiser Family Foundation study from March, more than 40 percent of the uninsured were unaware that the Affordable Care Act provides financial help to low and moderate-income individuals. The study also showed that only 43 percent of the general public was aware that the Affordable Care Act eliminates out-of-pocket costs for preventive services. Because coverage decisions were often made without all of the available information, many consumers chose plans that did not best match their particular needs.
The technology and delay issues have since been mostly resolved, so it is important that consumers worry less about the ability to enroll and instead take advantage of the time and resources available to them to ensure that they enroll in the best plan based on each consumer's unique circumstances. For consumers with questions, licensed health insurance agents offer consultative services free of charge to the consumers. Additionally, for consumers that waited in long lines or waited on hold for hours, they can avoid those issues this year by utilizing companies, such as GoHealth, that offer identical enrollment services over the phone or on the Internet at no additional cost. In fact, consumers that act early and do not wait until just before the deadlines can oftentimes speak with a licensed GoHealth advisor with little or no hold time.
This Open Enrollment period is sure to be drastically different than the first. Now that the time is here, it is important that all consumers be aware of the improvements, changes, and increased options available to them. Reported by Huffington Post 1 hour ago.
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N.J. public workers pay high percentage of health care costs, analysis says
As a special commission convened by Gov. Chris Christie examines potential ways to fix New Jersey's ailing public worker pension system, a new analysis says the state's employees pay more than the national average for state government workers toward their health insurance costs
Reported by NJ.com 24 minutes ago.
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HealthCare.gov does not allow option to upload green card
Like other HealthCare.gov customers, immigrants are relieved that the government's health insurance website is working fairly well this year. They're baffled, though, by what looks like an obvious lapse: There is no clear way to upload a copy of their green card, the government identification document that shows they are legal U.S. residents and therefore entitled to benefits under President Barack Obama's health care law.
Reported by FOXNews.com 11 hours ago.
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Immigrants baffled by HealthCare.gov lapse
WASHINGTON (AP) — Like other HealthCare.gov customers, immigrants are relieved that the government's health insurance website is working fairly well this year. There is no clear way to upload a copy of their green card, the government identification document that shows they are legal U.S. residents and therefore entitled to benefits under President Barack Obama's health care law. Reaching immigrants, particularly Hispanics and Asians, is a priority as the administration seeks to increase the number of people signed up for subsidized private health insurance through federal and state exchanges. In some cases, people are uploading green cards anyway under website labels for other types of documentation, and hoping the government will notice. While immigrants living in the country illegally cannot get coverage under the law, millions who are lawfully present are entitled to benefits, as well as people who were born overseas and later became U.S. citizens.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 11 hours ago.
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Newly Revised HIPAA Toolkit & HIPAA Policies and Procedures Templates Available for Download from the Healthcare Experts at Flat Iron Technologies, LLC
Flat Iron Technologies, LLC offers an incredibly in-depth, professionally developed set of HIPAA policies and procedures templates for instant download today. It’s called the HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT), and it’s comes complete with hundreds of HIPAA specific policies, procedures, forms, checklists, training material, provisioning documents, and so much more.
Santa Monica, CA (PRWEB) November 19, 2014
Flat Iron Technologies, LLC offers an incredibly in-depth, professionally developed set of HIPAA policies and procedures templates for instant download today. It’s called the HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT), and it’s comes complete with hundreds of HIPAA specific policies, procedures, forms, checklists, training material, provisioning documents, and so much more. Developed by North American healthcare and compliance experts, the HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT) includes the following industry leading documentation for ensuring both Covered Entities and Business Associates are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act:· HIPAA Information Security Policies and Procedures Manual
· HIPAA Information Systems Hardening Checklists
· HIPAA Disaster Recovery Plan
· HIPAA Handbook & Reference Manual
· HIPAA Security Awareness Training PowerPoint (PPT) Presentation
· HIPAA Security Awareness Training Manual & Employee Quiz
· HIPAA Security Rule Checklist & Readiness Assessment
· HIPAA Risk Assessment Template
· Essential HIPAA Forms
· Additional HIPAA Policies and Procedures
· And much more!
Now’s the time to become compliant with HIPAA, so download the industry leading HIPAA policies and procedures templates from the healthcare experts at hipaapoliciesandprocedures.com. The HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT) is a must-have for any healthcare organization in today’s information security age. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.
Santa Monica, CA (PRWEB) November 19, 2014
Flat Iron Technologies, LLC offers an incredibly in-depth, professionally developed set of HIPAA policies and procedures templates for instant download today. It’s called the HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT), and it’s comes complete with hundreds of HIPAA specific policies, procedures, forms, checklists, training material, provisioning documents, and so much more. Developed by North American healthcare and compliance experts, the HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT) includes the following industry leading documentation for ensuring both Covered Entities and Business Associates are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act:· HIPAA Information Security Policies and Procedures Manual
· HIPAA Information Systems Hardening Checklists
· HIPAA Disaster Recovery Plan
· HIPAA Handbook & Reference Manual
· HIPAA Security Awareness Training PowerPoint (PPT) Presentation
· HIPAA Security Awareness Training Manual & Employee Quiz
· HIPAA Security Rule Checklist & Readiness Assessment
· HIPAA Risk Assessment Template
· Essential HIPAA Forms
· Additional HIPAA Policies and Procedures
· And much more!
Now’s the time to become compliant with HIPAA, so download the industry leading HIPAA policies and procedures templates from the healthcare experts at hipaapoliciesandprocedures.com. The HIPAA Security & Privacy Compliant Toolkit (HSPCT) is a must-have for any healthcare organization in today’s information security age. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.
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Obacamare Lapse: Legal Immigrants Can't Upload Copies of Green Cards
Like other HealthCare.gov customers, immigrants are relieved that the government's health insurance website is working fairly well this year. They're baffled, though, by what looks like an obvious lapse: There is no clear way to upload a copy of their green card, the...
Reported by Newsmax 8 hours ago.
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Compliance Cloud from EasyStreet Delivers Tailored Solutions
Clients take advantage of industry leading HIPAA/HITECH and PCI DSS options to meet growing regulatory and governance requirements
Portland, OR (PRWEB) November 19, 2014
EasyStreet® Inc. increases momentum for its Compliance Cloud which allows clients to securely transact business while meeting industry-specific regulatory and governance requirements. In light of increasing attacks on private information and customer data, the requirement for managed security and compliance is at an all time high.
The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud offers many options and successfully passes systematic internal and third party audits for the following standards:· HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
· HITECH - Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health
· PCI DSS - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
· SSAE 16 - Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements
Earlier this year, EasyStreet became the first managed service provider in Oregon to hold a PCI DSS Report on Compliance, or ROC. EasyStreet achieved the highest certification, or PCI DSS Level 1, designated for any service provider that stores, processes and/or transmits over 300,000 transactions annually. The controls and security measures implemented are designed to prevent information loss that may lead to credit card fraud, identity theft or other data crimes. PCI DSS applies to all organizations which hold, process, or exchange cardholder information.
In addition, clients can use the EasyStreet Compliance Cloud to power information processing systems that must operate in HIPAA and HITECH compliance. Clients are provided with best practices on how to encrypt and protect data. Covered Entities (CE) and their Business Associates (BA) subject to U.S. HIPAA can leverage the secure EasyStreet Compliance Cloud to process, maintain, and store protected health information. EasyStreet helps protect clients and extends responsibility by signing Business Associate Agreements (BAA).
The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud offers a secure environment, which has the added advantage of being transparent so clients can trust and verify that EasyStreet is indeed delivering the necessary compliant environments. Once a client has been built into the Compliance Cloud, they may choose to maintain their own environment or have EasyStreet fully manage it on their behalf. EasyStreet offers all Compliance Cloud clients security best practices, we:· Build and maintain a secure network
· Protect end user data
· Maintain a vulnerability management program
· Implement strong security and access measures 24x7x365
· Regularly test and monitor networks
· Maintain an information security policy and program
· Train and certify EasyStreet employees for both HIPAA and PCI DSS
Key Facts· EasyStreet owns and operates three award-winning data centers in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area and provides national reach through data center agreements in 13 additional markets.
· The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud offers the following compliant environments:
1. HIPAA/HITECH
2. PCI DSS v2.0 Level 1
3. SSAE 16 SOC 1 Type II (formerly Type II SAS 70)· The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud is internally and externally audited by independent third parties or Qualified Security Assessors (QSA) as follows:
1. Coalfire for HIPAA/HITECH and PCI DSS
2. Linford and Company LLP for SSAE 16· Clients who require HIPAA/HITECH and/or PCI DSS compliant environments can dramatically accelerate their time to deployment and increase the overall security of their applications.
· EasyStreet enterprise and software vendor clients, including Vistalogic and WebLively, are leveraging compliance options to meet requirements while staying focused on their core business.
Supporting Quotes· “As a SaaS solutions provider working to integrate information across social and medical services, compliance is critical to our success. However, this presents a daunting and increasingly more insurmountable challenge,” said Keary Knickerbocker, Co-Founder and COO at Vistalogic, Inc. “Accordingly, we consider our relationship with EasyStreet more of a strategic partnership than that of a typical client/vendor. With their expertise in compliant, cloud-based hosting we are confidently able to stay focused on our software and our customers.”
· “WebLively is a new company that offers secure HIPAA compliant communication between wellness professionals and their clients. Being a start-up that requires such comprehensive security makes it difficult to find a hosting environment with the right options,” said Joe Eichenauer, CTO/CIO at WebLively Inc. “EasyStreet has an environment that covers both the needs of a start-up and the security best practices of a HIPAA compliant solution.”
· “EasyStreet clients include enterprises and software vendors who sell across many industries and have to meet stringent compliance standards,” said Jorge Zelaya, Chief Security Officer and Vice President of Service Operations at EasyStreet. “We have a long track record of building reliable, enterprise-grade infrastructure and now we have even more options to enable our clients to conduct business securely and confidently.”
Resources· Details for EasyStreet Managed Compliance http://easystreet.com/services/managed-compliance/
· Details for EasyStreet Compliance Cloud http://easystreet.com/infrastructure/compliance/
· EasyStreet Data Center Details http://easystreet.com/infrastructure/data-centers/
About EasyStreet
EasyStreet is the always-on, trusted application infrastructure partner for enterprises and software vendors worldwide. EasyStreet has a proven execution methodology bringing together people, technology, and processes to deliver tailored hybrid solutions for mission critical business applications.
Clients including Icebreaker, Learning.com, Lattice Semiconductor, Blount International, Great Western Malting, and Oregon Health Network benefit from the ability to increase their business velocity while maximizing return on IT investments and minimizing risks. EasyStreet maintains award-winning, fully managed data centers built on leading technology including Arista, Cisco, Dell, HP, NetApp, Pure Storage, SolarWinds, Veeam, and VMWare.
For more information, please visit easystreet.com. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
Portland, OR (PRWEB) November 19, 2014
EasyStreet® Inc. increases momentum for its Compliance Cloud which allows clients to securely transact business while meeting industry-specific regulatory and governance requirements. In light of increasing attacks on private information and customer data, the requirement for managed security and compliance is at an all time high.
The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud offers many options and successfully passes systematic internal and third party audits for the following standards:· HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
· HITECH - Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health
· PCI DSS - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
· SSAE 16 - Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements
Earlier this year, EasyStreet became the first managed service provider in Oregon to hold a PCI DSS Report on Compliance, or ROC. EasyStreet achieved the highest certification, or PCI DSS Level 1, designated for any service provider that stores, processes and/or transmits over 300,000 transactions annually. The controls and security measures implemented are designed to prevent information loss that may lead to credit card fraud, identity theft or other data crimes. PCI DSS applies to all organizations which hold, process, or exchange cardholder information.
In addition, clients can use the EasyStreet Compliance Cloud to power information processing systems that must operate in HIPAA and HITECH compliance. Clients are provided with best practices on how to encrypt and protect data. Covered Entities (CE) and their Business Associates (BA) subject to U.S. HIPAA can leverage the secure EasyStreet Compliance Cloud to process, maintain, and store protected health information. EasyStreet helps protect clients and extends responsibility by signing Business Associate Agreements (BAA).
The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud offers a secure environment, which has the added advantage of being transparent so clients can trust and verify that EasyStreet is indeed delivering the necessary compliant environments. Once a client has been built into the Compliance Cloud, they may choose to maintain their own environment or have EasyStreet fully manage it on their behalf. EasyStreet offers all Compliance Cloud clients security best practices, we:· Build and maintain a secure network
· Protect end user data
· Maintain a vulnerability management program
· Implement strong security and access measures 24x7x365
· Regularly test and monitor networks
· Maintain an information security policy and program
· Train and certify EasyStreet employees for both HIPAA and PCI DSS
Key Facts· EasyStreet owns and operates three award-winning data centers in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area and provides national reach through data center agreements in 13 additional markets.
· The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud offers the following compliant environments:
1. HIPAA/HITECH
2. PCI DSS v2.0 Level 1
3. SSAE 16 SOC 1 Type II (formerly Type II SAS 70)· The EasyStreet Compliance Cloud is internally and externally audited by independent third parties or Qualified Security Assessors (QSA) as follows:
1. Coalfire for HIPAA/HITECH and PCI DSS
2. Linford and Company LLP for SSAE 16· Clients who require HIPAA/HITECH and/or PCI DSS compliant environments can dramatically accelerate their time to deployment and increase the overall security of their applications.
· EasyStreet enterprise and software vendor clients, including Vistalogic and WebLively, are leveraging compliance options to meet requirements while staying focused on their core business.
Supporting Quotes· “As a SaaS solutions provider working to integrate information across social and medical services, compliance is critical to our success. However, this presents a daunting and increasingly more insurmountable challenge,” said Keary Knickerbocker, Co-Founder and COO at Vistalogic, Inc. “Accordingly, we consider our relationship with EasyStreet more of a strategic partnership than that of a typical client/vendor. With their expertise in compliant, cloud-based hosting we are confidently able to stay focused on our software and our customers.”
· “WebLively is a new company that offers secure HIPAA compliant communication between wellness professionals and their clients. Being a start-up that requires such comprehensive security makes it difficult to find a hosting environment with the right options,” said Joe Eichenauer, CTO/CIO at WebLively Inc. “EasyStreet has an environment that covers both the needs of a start-up and the security best practices of a HIPAA compliant solution.”
· “EasyStreet clients include enterprises and software vendors who sell across many industries and have to meet stringent compliance standards,” said Jorge Zelaya, Chief Security Officer and Vice President of Service Operations at EasyStreet. “We have a long track record of building reliable, enterprise-grade infrastructure and now we have even more options to enable our clients to conduct business securely and confidently.”
Resources· Details for EasyStreet Managed Compliance http://easystreet.com/services/managed-compliance/
· Details for EasyStreet Compliance Cloud http://easystreet.com/infrastructure/compliance/
· EasyStreet Data Center Details http://easystreet.com/infrastructure/data-centers/
About EasyStreet
EasyStreet is the always-on, trusted application infrastructure partner for enterprises and software vendors worldwide. EasyStreet has a proven execution methodology bringing together people, technology, and processes to deliver tailored hybrid solutions for mission critical business applications.
Clients including Icebreaker, Learning.com, Lattice Semiconductor, Blount International, Great Western Malting, and Oregon Health Network benefit from the ability to increase their business velocity while maximizing return on IT investments and minimizing risks. EasyStreet maintains award-winning, fully managed data centers built on leading technology including Arista, Cisco, Dell, HP, NetApp, Pure Storage, SolarWinds, Veeam, and VMWare.
For more information, please visit easystreet.com. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
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