Clean out your medicine cabinet the safe way

December 9, 2014, 4:29 pm

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*Clean out your medicine cabinet the safe way*

Has it been a while since you sifted through all of your medications? Leaving expired and unused drugs in your medicine cabinet “just in case” can put anyone in your home—including children and even pets—at risk for accidental ingestion, misuse, or overdose.

So what should you toss? Though some pills can keep for a decade or even longer, to be safe, our medical consultants say, you should dispose of any medications that are more than a year past their expiration date. (One exception: The antibiotic tetracycline can become toxic after its expiration date and cause kidney problems—so throw out any unused capsules on or before the expiration date.)

But don’t just throw out your meds like you do any other trash. Do this instead:

· *Bring meds to the pharmacy.* Many pharmacies accept and safely dispose of over-the-counter and prescription medications. Before you drop them off, remove all identifying information on bottle labels to protect your privacy. To find authorized collectors in your area, call the DEA Office of Diversion Control’s Registration Call Center at 800-882-9539. Additionally, two online resources, at disposemymeds.org and sharpsinc.com/locations, can help you find a location near you.
· *Or take these precautions if you throw your drugs in your household trash (*if you don't live near a pharmacy that will accept your medications). Mix them with cat litter, coffee grounds, or sawdust; put the mixture in a sealed plastic bag; then toss it in the trash. Collect the empty prescription bottles and put them in the plastics recycling if your community accepts those small containers.
· *Store your drugs correctly. *When you know which prescription and over-the-counter medications you’re keeping, don’t put those in a medicine cabinet in the bathroom, where heat and moisture can degrade them and potentially make them less potent. A better spot is in a kitchen cabinet, away from the stove.

*See 12 surprising new drugstore perks that can save you time and money and how to find the best pharmacy for you.*

-Use our free app to explore your health insurance options-

Not sure where to begin with getting health insurance? Our free interactive tool, Health Law Helper, will point you in the right direction.

This article also appeared in the December 2014 issue of Consumer Reports on Health.

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

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    Reported by Consumer Reports 2 hours ago.

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Health First Selects PatientKeeper Charge Capture Software

December 9, 2014, 12:11 pm

≫ Next: Five Things You Need to Know about Obamacare Enrollment

≪ Previous: Clean out your medicine cabinet the safe way

Largest multi-specialty physician group in Central Florida’s Brevard County partners with PatientKeeper to streamline billing workflow

Waltham, MA (PRWEB) December 09, 2014

PatientKeeper®, Inc., a leading provider of healthcare applications for physicians, today announced that Health First, Central Florida’s only fully integrated health system, has selected PatientKeeper software to streamline professional charge capture, sign-out and quality metrics reporting for Health First Medical Group, the largest multi-specialty physician group in Brevard County.

PatientKeeper will begin its engagement by implementing electronic charge capture for the group’s 90 hospitalists who practice at Health First’s four hospitals: Cape Canaveral Hospital, Holmes Regional Medical Center, Palm Bay Hospital and Viera Hospital. Health First Medical Group expects to be live on PatientKeeper Charge Capture™ in January of 2015.

PatientKeeper Charge Capture software provides an ICD-10-ready, automated-billing workflow designed to easily fit a clinician’s work style. PatientKeeper’s highly configurable system supports workflows in a wide array of care settings and specialties. The software offers flexible access on PCs, laptops, smartphones and tablets, and comes with Intelligent Medical Objects (IMO) so physicians can enter their charges with familiar, clinician-friendly nomenclature rather than obscure billing terminology.

PatientKeeper will integrate its software with Health First’s GE medical records and billing systems to create a smoother revenue cycle workflow. ADT feeds will come from the four hospitals into PatientKeeper to automatically populate each physician’s patient list. Charges entered by physicians into PatientKeeper Charge Capture through their mobile devices or the web portal will be reviewed by Health First’s billing staff and sent electronically to GE Centricity.

Health First’s goal is to eliminate missing charges and reduce the lag time between service delivery and billing. “Implementing reliable, user-friendly technologies that enable our associates to work more efficiently and effectively benefits our organization by allowing us to better serve our customers,” said Thomas Matenaer, Chief Financial Officer of Health First Medical Group.

“PatientKeeper is pleased to be partnering with Health First, one of Central Florida’s leading health systems,” said Paul Brient, PatientKeeper’s CEO. “We believe physicians, billers and coders alike will appreciate the advanced features and overall usability of our electronic charge capture system.”

About Health First
Founded in 1995, Health First is Central Florida’s only fully integrated delivery network (IDN) and employs more than 7,800 associates. The integrator of its IDN is Health First Health Plans offering a wide variety of health insurance options across Central Florida. In addition it operates four hospitals (Cape Canaveral Hospital, Holmes Regional Medical Center, Palm Bay Hospital and Viera Hospital) and is home to Brevard County’s only Trauma Center. Health First Medical Group is the largest multi-specialty physician group on the Space Coast. Health First also offers numerous outpatient and wellness services, including Health First Aging Services, four Health First Pro-Health & Fitness Centers and Home and Hospice care. Visit http://www.health-first.org for more information.

About PatientKeeper
PatientKeeper®, Inc. is a leading provider of healthcare applications for physicians, and KLAS’s 2012 and 2013 Category Leader in “Clinical Portals/Aggregation”. PatientKeeper’s highly intuitive software streamlines physician workflow to improve productivity and patient care. PatientKeeper’s CPOE, physician documentation, electronic charge capture and other applications run on desktop and laptop computers and popular handheld devices and tablets. PatientKeeper’s software integrates with many existing healthcare information systems to effectively support healthcare providers in adopting technology, meeting Meaningful Use, and transitioning to ICD-10. PatientKeeper has more than 60,000 active physician users today. For more information about PatientKeeper, visit http://www.patientkeeper.com or call 781-373-6100. Reported by PRWeb 7 hours ago.

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Five Things You Need to Know about Obamacare Enrollment

December 9, 2014, 12:51 pm

≫ Next: Colorado legislators advance bill to expand audit of health exchange

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CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time is running out to enroll for January 1, 2015 health insurance coverage. Reported by Business Wire 6 hours ago.

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Colorado legislators advance bill to expand audit of health exchange

December 9, 2014, 1:16 pm

≫ Next: Congresswoman: If Not For Obamacare Glitches, My Husband Might Still Be Alive

≪ Previous: Five Things You Need to Know about Obamacare Enrollment

After an audit uncovered many serious deficiencies in the state health insurance exchange's financial records and controls, the Legislative Audit Committee Tuesday unanimously voted to advance a bill expanding state oversight of Connect for Health Colorado. Reported by Denver Post 5 hours ago.

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Congresswoman: If Not For Obamacare Glitches, My Husband Might Still Be Alive

December 9, 2014, 2:36 pm

≫ Next: Grubergate Hearing Is Gamechanger For Obamacare Debate. Just Kidding

≪ Previous: Colorado legislators advance bill to expand audit of health exchange

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) suggested Tuesday that had her husband not encountered difficulties enrolling in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, he might still be alive today.

Alvin Wiederspahn, a former Democratic member of the Wyoming state House, died in October of a heart attack in his sleep. He was 65. Lummis recounted the experience to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Marilyn B. Tavenner, who was called to testify before the House Oversight Committee on transparency issues regarding the Affordable Care Act.

The Wyoming Republican said that even though her husband was enrolled for insurance in the D.C. health insurance exchange, "when we filed claims, we were told we were not enrolled in Obamacare." The couple filed claims once more, Lummis said, and once again they were told they were not enrolled.

"My husband was having chest pains at the time that he was told we were not enrolled in Obamacare, and come to find out, he didn't have all of the tests that he was advised by his physician to have," said Lummis. "So on October 24, a week before the election, my husband went to sleep and never woke up."

Lummis said that her husband had chosen to forgo a test prescribed by his doctor -- a decision, she said, that was partly due to the confusion over his enrollment status.

"I'm not telling you that my husband died because of Obamacare," she said. "He died because he had a massive heart attack in his sleep. But I am telling you that during the course of time that he was having tests by a physician and was told we were not covered by Obamacare, that he then decided not to have the last test the doctor asked him to have."

Members of Congress are required to get their health insurance from the Obamacare exchanges under a part of the law authored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Previously, lawmakers had received the same health benefits as federal employees.

Tavenner testified before the committee alongside economist and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Jonathan Gruber, who recently drew sharp criticism when it came out that during a 2013 conference he'd cited the "stupidity of the American voter” as a reason the Affordable Care Act was passed.

Gruber repeatedly apologized for the "insulting" and "glib" remarks during Tuesday's hearing. In a trembling voice, Lummis addressed Gruber's apologies head-on.

"I want to suggest that regardless of what happened to me personally, that there have been so many glitches in the passage and implementation of Obamacare that have real-life consequences on people's lives," she said. "And the so-called glibness that has been referenced today [has] direct consequences for real American people. So get over your damn glibness."

Asked about Lummis' remarks later in the hearing, Tavenner promised to investigate the specific details.

"I wanted to express my sorrow at her loss and that we would follow up with the D.C. exchange to see what had happened," she said. "That's cold comfort now."

Reached Tuesday, a spokesman for the D.C. health exchange said that the agency doesn't "comment on individual cases." Reported by Huffington Post 4 hours ago.

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Grubergate Hearing Is Gamechanger For Obamacare Debate. Just Kidding

December 9, 2014, 4:21 pm

≫ Next: Fact-Checking Jonathan Gruber's Latest Excuse

≪ Previous: Congresswoman: If Not For Obamacare Glitches, My Husband Might Still Be Alive

It took nearly four hours, but the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee finally settled the question once and for all about whether Obamacare was a good idea or a bad idea.

Yeah, right. Of course that’s not what happened.

The committee came together for a hearing on Tuesday that was intended to make Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist and Obamacare consultant Jonathan Gruber answer for his demeaning comments about American voters and his assertions that President Barack Obama’s administration and Democratic lawmakers designed the Affordable Care Act in a convoluted way to fool the public.

Gruber's comments sparked controversy last month after videos of them surfaced online. "Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really, really critical to get anything to pass," he said of the health care overhaul.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.), the senior Democrat on the committee, summed up the purpose of the hearing this way: “As far as I can tell, we are here today to beat up on Jonathan Gruber for stupid -- I mean absolutely stupid -- comments he made over the past few years.” He was only partly right.

Beyond the nominal focus on an uncharacteristically diffident Gruber, the hearing was also about providing Republicans on the committee a chance to remind everyone how terrible Obamacare is and how much they hate it, helping them make the case that it’s OK for the Supreme Court to gut it.

“The history of design, passage and implementation with the law is fraught with half-truths and deception,” committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said at the top of the hearing, in case anyone watching was unfamiliar with the GOP position on Obamacare.

Meanwhile, Democrats emphasized things like how the law has signed up millions of people into health coverage, including 10 million who had none before. They also noted that Congress debated the Affordable Care Act for more than a year, holding dozens of hearings, as opposed to engaging in a shadowy conspiracy to dupe the public.

This went on for hours -- four more hours in a campaign of more than four years by Republicans to undermine the Affordable Care Act, and the less-effective Democratic efforts to counter it. The net result: The law is still in place, and public opinion on it has barely changed since 2010. One poll this month found that 80 percent of Americans aren't even paying attention to the Gruber situation anyway.

The speeches and questions from GOP panelists amounted to a greatest hits compilation of anti-Obamacare talking points. The list of grievances included: Obama’s broken promise that no one would lose their health plan when the law took effect, the cost of the law, the false “death panel” claim that Obamacare will cut off old people from health care, the early failure of HealthCare.gov and the administration misreporting how many people enrolled.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) even brought up Benghazi for good measure.

The Gruber videos gave the GOP fresh fodder for their anti-Obamacare campaign, and the Harvard-educated professor himself proved an irresistible target -- a personification of conservative distaste for liberals, eggheads and the Democrats who wrote the Affordable Care Act.

“You said what they were all thinking when they wrote Obamacare, that they knew what was best for my constituents,” said Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

And that’s why Cummings chastised Gruber for bringing the negative attention to Obama’s signature domestic initiative, which already isn’t very popular. “Dr. Gruber’s statements gave Republicans a public relations gift in their relentless political campaign to tear down the ACA,” he said.

Ever-present in the hearing room was the upcoming Supreme Court consideration of a lawsuit that would take away coverage from more than 4 million people. The plaintiffs in that lawsuit contend that the wording of one line in the law means the federal government can’t issue tax credit subsidies to people in states that didn’t create their own health insurance exchanges (which is about two-thirds of them).

Some Republicans, including incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), see this lawsuit as the best chance to crush Obamacare. And when one of the Gruber videos featured him seemingly agreeing with the plaintiffs' argument in 2012, conservatives seized on it as the only piece of available evidence that Obamacare’s framers intended this to be the case, apart from that ambiguous phrase in the law.

At the hearing, Gruber stressed that he always calculated that tax credits would be available in every state, and couldn’t remember why he’d said the opposite. His best explanation in hindsight, he said, is that maybe he thought the federal government wouldn’t finish its exchanges in time, depriving people in those states of subsidies. “It’s a very clear reading of the law that tax credits should be available to citizens in all states, regardless runs the exchange,” he said.

“It’s not clear. That’s where there’s a Supreme Court case,” said Rep. Scott Desjarlais (R-Tenn.), one of several Republicans including Issa whose comments on the subject assumed the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case to be right.

Gruber attempted to draw a distinction between his role as a policy adviser and his lack of role as a political or legislative strategist. Republicans, who have been promoting Gruber as the most important person behind a law nicknamed after another person, didn’t accept that.

“Professor Jonathan Gruber is considered by many as the architect of Obamacare,” Issa said.

“I was not the architect of President Obama’s health care plan,” Gruber said. Obama agrees.

Gruber also apologized over and over for his previous remarks, which didn’t do much to satisfy anyone on the committee.

It didn’t help Gruber’s case that he repeatedly dodged demands from GOP lawmakers that he fully disclose how much money he made from government contracts. “The committee can take that up with my counsel,” he said a bunch of times. Lawmakers really don’t like when you do that, and Issa said he’d subpoena Gruber if he needed to.

Gruber said it again when Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) pressed Gruber to produce documentation of the health care reform work he did for government agencies. “Do you have documents?” Chaffetz asked during an exchange that pretty well demonstrated how little actual information would come out of this hearing.

“Do I own documents?” Gruber replied. “I have all sorts of documents. I have a piece of paper in front of me.” Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.

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Fact-Checking Jonathan Gruber's Latest Excuse

December 9, 2014, 4:02 pm

≫ Next: HUFFPOST HILL - We Tortured So, So Many Folks

≪ Previous: Grubergate Hearing Is Gamechanger For Obamacare Debate. Just Kidding

Economist Jonathan Gruber testified under oath before Congress this morning. When it came to his previously uncovered statements about subsidies and state exchanges--an issue now before the Supreme Court--Gruber offered the following excuse in his opening remarks [emphasis added]:

I would also like to clear up some misconceptions about my January 2012 remarks concerning the availability of tax credits in states that did not set up their own health insurance exchanges. The portion of these remarks that has received so much attention lately omits a critical component of the context in which I was speaking. The point I believe I was making was about the possibility that the federal government, for whatever reason, might not create a federal exchange. If that were to occur, and only in that context, then the only way that states could guarantee that their citizens would receive tax credits would be to set up their own exchange.

Back in July when video and audio of Gruber connecting subsidies to state exchanges he made a similar claim to the New Republic about what his thought process might have been:

At this time, there was also substantial uncertainty about whether the federal backstop would be ready on time for 2014. I might have been thinking that if the federal backstop wasn't ready by 2014, and states hadn't set up their own exchange, there was a risk that citizens couldn't get the tax credits right away.

The first problem with this excuse is that Gruber never said anything in his remarks about the federal backstop not being ready in time. In his January 10, 2012 speech at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, Gruber chose to close his remarks by listing three ongoing threats to the law. In order, those threats were the Supreme Court, the 2012 election and the states failing to set up exchanges.

Because Gruber is complaining about context, it seemed important to make clear that no extenuating context was removed from his remarks. The following clip is an expanded version of those remarks. Cuts for length have been clearly indicated with a flash. As you'll hear, he makes no mention of a delayed federal exchange. For the record, there is no mention of this before he offers his list of threats to the law and no mention in the Q&A that comes afterwards. The full audio is here for those who feel the need to check.

Finally, it's worth pointing out that Gruber's excuse really can't be reconciled with his 2012 statement. For one thing, he was explicit that the threat was about the states. He said, "only about ten states have moved forward aggressively in setting up their exchanges." He went on to say that 2013 was going to be a "crazy year" as states rushed to set up exchanges. If he believed the states who hadn't begun the process could be ready in time, albeit via a mad scramble, why not the federal government?

And there's another problem. Gruber gave a specific example about what it would take to insure state residents got their subsidies. He said, "when the voters in states see that by not setting up an exchange the politicians of the state are costing state residents hundreds and millions and billions of dollars that they'll eventually throw the guys out." Gruber is not describing a delay in getting subsidies, he is describing a denial in getting them, a stalemate for which the only solution would be an election of new leadership more than a year after Obamacare's launch date.

Gruber may believe he misspoke but his explanation about missing context doesn't fit with the actual content of his remarks. Reported by Breitbart 3 hours ago.

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HUFFPOST HILL - We Tortured So, So Many Folks

December 9, 2014, 3:57 pm

≫ Next: Has Obamacare Been A Success Or Failure?

≪ Previous: Fact-Checking Jonathan Gruber's Latest Excuse

James Gruber reminds us that you can't call Americans "stupid" unless it's on an internet comment board and preceded by the word "your." A member of Congress essentially accused Obamacare of killing her spouse, exhibiting the "Visceral hatred of center left political agendas" stage of the Kubler Ross grief model. And congressional negotiators' delays in announcing a bill to fund the government past Thursday reminded us of what a great man once said: "This sucker could go down." This is HUFFPOST HILL for Tuesday, December 9th, 2014:

*WHERE IS THE CROMNIBUS?* - Politico's @JakeSherman has been on top of the missing legislation to prevent a government shutdown this week: "It is nearly 5:20 p.m., and *the government shuts down in 54 hours. We have not seen the omnibus or CR that will keep govt open past Dec. 11*…. Rs hoped to release spending bill at various points within last 48 hours, but here we are, just 2 days from govt shutdown & no bill… All that being said, GOP aides are still very, very, very confident they’ll avoid a government shutdown." As of newsletter sendingtime, Sherman reports the cromnibus will appear by midnight.

*WE TORTURED SOME FOLKS: REPORT* - Ryan Grim and Ali Watkins: “The Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday released the highly anticipated 500-page summary of its report on the CIA’s post-9/11 torture program, providing a sobering glimpse into one of the darkest chapters in the U.S. government's history…*The newly released document tears apart the CIA's past claims that only a small number of detainees were subjected to the harsh interrogation techniques*. The agency has said it held fewer than 100 detainees and subjected fewer than one-third of those to controversial tactics such as waterboarding. But Senate investigators found that the CIA had actually kept 119 detainees in custody, 26 of whom were illegally held. And despite CIA insistence that the program was limited in scope, Senate investigators conclude that the use of torture was much more widespread than previously thought. The study reveals several gruesome instances of torture by mid-level CIA officers who participated in the program, including threats of sexual violence using a broomstick and the use of 'rectal hydration' in instances of harsh interrogations that lasted for days or weeks on end. And, contrary to the agency's prior insistence that only three detainees were subject to waterboarding, the Senate report suggests it was likely used on more detainees.”

Here are the most shocking passages from the report.

*CIA RESPONDS TO REPORT* - Ali Watkins: "You can tell the CIA that torturing people is immoral. You can accuse it of mismanaging the so-called 'enhanced interrogation' program it ran during the post-9/11 years, blame its high-level leadership for internal failures and even say its bungling of the operations diminished America’s international fcredibility. But there's one charge the CIA won’t accept: that torture didn't work. In a carefully worded, 136-page rebuttal to a damning Senate report, the CIA on Tuesday defended itself against congressional investigators’ charges that the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" was ineffective. The agency claims that detainees who were subjected to the techniques did indeed provide valuable information. The CIA also argues it's simply impossible to know whether that intelligence could have been acquired through other means, because that's not how it was done.” [HuffPost]

Then-CIA director Michael Hayden was a huge liar in his 2007 congressional testimony.

*RINO ALERT*: “Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the only member of the U.S. Senate who personally knows what it means to be tortured, on Tuesday strongly defended the Democratic-led Senate investigation into the CIA's post-9/11 interrogation program, saying the agency's activities ‘stained our national honor, did much harm, and little practical good.’ McCain, who was held captive by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War, delivered a careful, passionate denunciation of the actions taken by intelligence officials in the years following the 9/11 attacks. The senator declared that Americans have a right to know what was done in their name and in the name of protecting them.” [HuffPost’s Mike McAuliff]

*Haircuts*: Eric Holder

*DAILY DELANEY DOWNER* - Congress used an old unemployment bill for its defense reauthorization, prompting some confusion among people noticing the unemployment reauthorizing text is still up on Congress.gov, looking like it's about to become law. It's not. Sorry, folks, nobody cares about that anymore on Capitol Hill.

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

*CLARENCE THOMAS MAKES UNHELPFUL SUGGESTION* - Dave Jamieson: "On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court came down unanimously against a group of temporary workers in Amazon warehouses. The workers were required to undergo mandatory, unpaid theft screenings once their shifts ended, and their case, Integrity Staffing Solutions v. Busk, focused on whether they should be compensated for that time…. Addressing the workers' arguments, the court's opinion, delivered by conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, included this curious line: *'These arguments are properly presented to the employer at the bargaining table … not to a court in an FLSA claim.' It's not clear whether the irony was intended. Amazon's U.S. warehouses, of course, are entirely non-union.* Workers, therefore, have no bargaining table at which to sit, a fact noted Tuesday by the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group for low-wage workers." [HuffPost]

*CONGRESS TRYING TO KEEP HUFFPOST HILL FROM GETTING HIGH* - Also the rest of Washington. WTF. With Matt Ferner: “Congress is looking to stifle the District of Columbia's marijuana legalization initiative, multiple sources have told The Huffington Post. According to those sources, congressional negotiators have struck a deal to interfere with D.C.'s marijuana legalization measure. That's after nearly 70 percent of voters in the nation's capital approved Initiative 71, which was set to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use while still banning sales….*One congressional source said the deal would actually allow the initiative to take effect, while preventing the D.C. Council from passing any new laws to set up a scheme for regulating retail sales of marijuana* -- something D.C. Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser (D) has said she wanted the council to do before legalization takes effect.” [HuffPost]

*Harry Reid doesn’t care about our high, either (woe is Jim Manley)*: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) conceded on Tuesday that Democrats probably won't be able to stop Republicans from blocking marijuana legalization in the District of Columbia. ‘I'm opposed to what the House is trying to do. If they put it in there, it's going to be hard to take it out over here,’ Reid said, referring to parallel House and Senate versions of a spending bill. ‘But I oppose it.’” [HuffPost]

*Bad brand building, bro*: “Economist Jonathan Gruber testified before the House Oversight Committee Tuesday morning, where he apologized for saying that the ‘stupidity of the American voter’ helped pass the Affordable Care Act. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor also denied the notion that he was the ‘architect’ of the law. ‘In some cases I made uninformed and glib comments about the political process behind health care reform,’ Gruber said in his opening statement. ‘I am not an expert on politics and my tone implied that I was, which is wrong. In other cases I simply made insulting and mean comments that are totally uncalled for in any situation. I sincerely apologize both for conjecturing with a tone of expertise and for doing so in such a disparaging fashion.’ ‘I did not draft Gov. [Mitt] Romney’s health care plan, and I was not the 'architect' of President Obama's health care plan,’ Gruber added, referring to his past consulting work on both the Massachusetts health care law and the Affordable Care Act.” [HuffPost’s Igor Bobic]

*CONGRESSWOMAN: PRESIDENT OBAMA KILLED MY HUSBAND* - “Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) suggested Tuesday that had her husband not encountered difficulties enrolling in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, he might still be alive today. Alvin Wiederspahn, a former Democratic member of the Wyoming state House, died in October of a heart attack in his sleep. He was 65. Lummis recounted the experience to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Marilyn B. Tavenner, who was called to testify before the House Oversight Committee on transparency issues regarding the Affordable Care Act. The Wyoming Republican said that even though her husband was enrolled for insurance in the D.C. health insurance exchange, ‘when we filed claims, we were told we were not enrolled in Obamacare.’ The couple filed claims once more, Lummis said, and once again they were told they were not enrolled. *‘My husband was having chest pains at the time that he was told we were not enrolled in Obamacare, and come to find out, he didn't have all of the tests that he was advised by his physician to have,’ said Lummis. ‘So on October 24, a week before the election, my husband went to sleep and never woke up.’* Lummis said that her husband had chosen to forgo a test prescribed by his doctor -- a decision, she said, that was partly due to the confusion over his enrollment status.” [HuffPost]

*AMERICANS DISAGREE WITH GARNER VERDICT: POLL* - Ariel Edwards-Levy: “Most Americans disapprove of a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to charge NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner, a black man who died after Pantaleo placed him a chokehold, new polling finds. The polling also suggests that opinions about the case are less divided along racial lines than those inspired by the case in Ferguson, Missouri. In a new HuffPost/YouGov poll, just 27 percent support the decision not to indict Pantaleo, while 56 percent oppose it, and another 16 percent are unsure. By a 15-point margin, Americans say it should be illegal for police officers to use chokeholds. While the New York Police Department has officially prohibited chokeholds since 1993, their use is not currently illegal. A bill introduced by New York City Councilman Rory Lancman would make them a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year's imprisonment and a $2,500 fine. Two-thirds of Americans said they'd followed the Garner case at least somewhat closely, and nearly as many -- 64 percent -- said they'd seen the cellphone video footage that showed Garner gasping "I can't breathe" while in a chokehold.” [HuffPost]

*BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR* - Here is a dog who can’t sing.

*COMFORT FOOD*

- The history of web design, in GIFs

- Learn about the historical popularity of your name.

- Real life actor injuriesthat made it into the movies.

*TWITTERAMA*

@pourmecoffee: Dick Cheney angrily reading torture report, breathing labored, "Bring me six newborn babies and a lamb, and close the door to my chamber."

@boring_as_heck: Have you guys seen the CIA's funny tweets

@nickbaumann: Authorization for the Use of Military Force Wherever I Damn Well Feel Like It (AUMFWIDWFLI)

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

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Has Obamacare Been A Success Or Failure?

December 10, 2014, 8:52 am

≫ Next: Freelancers Union Restructures Health Care Approach for 2015

≪ Previous: HUFFPOST HILL - We Tortured So, So Many Folks

Has Obamacare Been A Success Or Failure?
Has Obamacare Been A Success Or Failure?
Has Been Optimized

Even as the newly powerful Republican Party prepares to mount yet another attempt to repeal or at least damage what they like to call Obamacare, we have to ask is it even worth the fight at this stage?

The biggest news to come out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was the major fiasco involved in its initial launch when the website couldn’t handle the rush of people trying to sign up. Since then, news related to the ACA has been quiet. So much so it is hard to even say whether what some might argue was the biggest victory of the Obama administration, was even a victory at all. Sure we all know there are lots of people who did manage to sign up for the new federal health plan. But we also know the whole system is still shrouded in mystery and a sense of bureaucracy for millions of others. So which is it? Has the ACA been a success or dud so far?

Certainly the biggest positive is that according to estimates, about 9 million people gained health insurance over the last year. That is no small number to sneeze at. Nine million people who don’t put an additional strain on emergency rooms and increased health care costs due to having to ignore or wait on serious health concerns makes a big difference in the burden on our healthcare system.

But it should also be noted that Kaiser Permanente estimates that 28 million Americans were eligible for the program, so that means about 19 million people either did not choose to bother with it or could not figure it out. According to estimates, of that huge number that still did not get coverage the young, the lower income and the non-white are disproportionately represented.

So the determination as to whether the ACA is a success or not really has to turn on that last statistic. The whole point of the ACA, at least as I thought about the whole impetus behind it, was to help those who could not afford to otherwise get health insurance and who were in a sense a burden on the system and a danger to themselves because they were having to forego necessary and preventative healthcare. These are the people for whom the emergency room is the only time they see a doctor. And for the vast majority of them, those emergency room bills go unpaid, which of course raises the cost of healthcare for everyone else who does pay their hospital bills.

If the vast majority of the people not enrolling in the new healthcare system are those same people, low income, largely minority, people, then not a whole lot has changed with the ACA.

But it is also unfair to make a final judgement on Obamacare since a program of this size is not going to start perfectly nor is it finished working through the kinks. I suppose the ultimate measure of whether it is a success, so far at least, is not the number that did not enroll, but the number that did. Without Obamacare the uninsured number would be many millions higher. So any reduction has to be good. It is also true that those that have enrolled have indicated happiness with their care and happiness with the cost. Those were some of the publicized scares the Republicans threw out there about expected problems with the government system. That did not happen. People using it are happy.

So all in all, my vote is that the ACA has been a success. No system is perfect, even after many years of existence. The ACA has not been around long at all. With more education and more tweaks to the system, the numbers of those uninsured and still not yet enrolled will get better. And the fewer uninsured people there are the much better off the entire country will be, as healthcare impacts so many areas of our lives from economy and worker productivity to education and missed school days, to taxes, you name it. It hasn’t been the smoothest start. But the start has definitely been in the right direction.

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Freelancers Union Restructures Health Care Approach for 2015

December 10, 2014, 9:18 am

≫ Next: Are you lactating or depressed? A doctor is only a video chat away

≪ Previous: Has Obamacare Been A Success Or Failure?

With the Affordable Care Act in the mix, freelancers now have more options than ever to secure health insurance, and to stay competitive, one group restructured its approach to health care for 2015. Reported by NY1 19 hours ago.

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Are you lactating or depressed? A doctor is only a video chat away

December 10, 2014, 9:56 am

≫ Next: Kathleen Sebelius: Obamacare Needs a Name Change

≪ Previous: Freelancers Union Restructures Health Care Approach for 2015

Are you lactating or depressed? A doctor is only a video chat away

Health care can be very expensive. Sadly, some people must choose between going to the doctor and food, or between getting medicine and heating their homes. It is a tragedy really, that in a country like the USA, health care is not universally available to all. Even if you can afford health insurance, getting off from work to go the doctor can be an issue, not to mention, increasingly large co-pays. Luckily, the Internet makes more of the world available to people, including health care. Yes, you can interact with medical professionals over video chat. Today, a company called Doctor On… [Continue Reading] Reported by betanews 18 hours ago.

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Kathleen Sebelius: Obamacare Needs a Name Change

December 10, 2014, 11:00 am

≫ Next: A Startup Called Zenefits Has Suddenly Become The Hottest Employer In Silicon Valley

≪ Previous: Are you lactating or depressed? A doctor is only a video chat away

Kathleen Sebelius: Obamacare Needs a Name Change

Former Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the deeply unpopular Obamacare program is working but needs a name change.

"Obamacare, no question, has a very bad brand that has been driven intentionally by a lot of misinformation and a lot of paid advertising," said Sebelius on Wednesday.

Sebelius added, "I think we may need to call it something in the future different, but it is working."

Sebelius's Obamacare branding advice comes on the heels of controversial comments she made last week reminiscent of Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber's mocking of the "stupidity of the American voter" being responsible for the Obama administration's ability to ram the law to passage. In an interview with USA Today's Susan Page, Sebelius said Americans' ignorance about health insurance came as a "stunning revelation" to her.

"A lot of Americans have no idea what insurance is about, and have no idea, even if they have coverage, what it means, you know, what a deductible is, what a copay is, how to choose a network," said Sebelius. "That has been a stunning revelation."

Sebelius's call for an Obamacare name change due to the brand's unpopularity stands in contrast to comments Obama made in May when he suggested that the only thing that would spark a name change would be the future popularity of the program.

"In five years it will no longer be called Obamacare, because when something is working, they're definitely not going to--there will be a whole renaming process similar to [Reagan National Airport]. I don't know if it will be 'Reagancare,' but it will definitely be--it will be something different," said Obama.

According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, just 38% of Americans support Obama's signature legislative achievement. Reported by Breitbart 17 hours ago.

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A Startup Called Zenefits Has Suddenly Become The Hottest Employer In Silicon Valley

December 10, 2014, 11:32 am

≫ Next: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey “Insure-A-Thon” Enters Final Weekend to Help Consumers Seeking Health Insurance for January 1, 2015

≪ Previous: Kathleen Sebelius: Obamacare Needs a Name Change

David Sacks sold the last company he founded, Yammer, to Microsoft for $1.2 billion in 2012 and could be doing anything right now, from sitting on a beach to firing up a new startup.

But he has surprisingly chosen to take the number two role at one of the hottest startups in the Valley right now, 20-month old Zenefits. He just signed on to be COO.

He won't be any old lackey though. Sacks is also coming in as an investor big enough to get a seat on the board. While he wouldn't reveal the sum, Sacks told TechCrunch's Ryan Lawler, "This is the biggest investment I’ve made in a startup, and it represents my commitment to the company."

That's saying something because Sacks is known as one of the most active, successful angel investors in tech. He's invested in companies like SpaceX, Palantir, Airbnb and Uber.

So why is he joining Zenefits instead of firing up a new startup?

Because Zenefits is on fire.

The San Francisco-based company offers a cloud service for human resources functions (onboarding, payroll, benefits, vacation tracking, and so on) and is on track to grow its user base 1,600% this year, it says. In a little over a year, Zenefits has signed up more than 2,000 companies across 47 states, serving over 50,000 employees, it says.

And it's on fire because its free.

Absolutely free, with no contracts.

Zenefits makes its money from the benefits providers — for example, a health insurance carrier — if companies choose to use it to purchase such services. They don't have to use it for that, Zenefits says, and they'd still get to use the cloud software for free.

But free is irresistible. Companies are used to paying big bucks for HR software alternatives from companies like Workday, Oracle, or SAP.

Zenefits CEO Parker Conrad says this business model is working so well that it's on track to boost revenue 20 times over the course of this year, reports Bloomberg's Dina Bass.

For instance, it says it has become a top broker for one of the largest health insurance companies in California, Anthem.

And that why Sacks signed on to work there. He told Bloomberg:

*Zenefits is the fastest-growing business software company Silicon Valley has ever seen.* Zenefits has done in one year what it took Yammer three years to do in terms of growth. Yammer was considered fast-growing but Zenefits reset all the benchmarks and so I was curious about that.

Sacks isn't the only big name involved with Zenefits.

Lars Dalgaard, co-founder of SuccessFactors sold to SAP for $3 billion, is on its board. Dalgaard is now a VC with Andreessen Horowitz, one of Zenefits major backers.

It was Dalgaard who suggested to Conrad that the company hire a COO, he told the Wall Street Journal's Shira Ovide. Conrad resisted the idea, telling Dalgaard, "I don’t want a big company bureaucrat coming in here."

So Dalgaard replied, "How about David Sacks?”

And Sacks isn't the only one wanting to work at Zenefits.

The company is hiring employees almost as fast as it is signing on customers. In 2014 alone, Zenefits grew from a mere 15 people to over 420 employees. It plans to hire at least 1,300 new full-time employees within three years at a new 94,000 sq. ft. office in Arizona, too, it tells Business Insider.

This hasn't been a bump-free ride. Its new business model is scaring rival insurance brokers and regulators. The state of Utah banned Zenefits earlier this month, threatening it with big fines (similar to how Uber and Airbnb were treated as they grew). Zenefits is working to get that situation resolved.

Join the conversation about this story » Reported by Business Insider 17 hours ago.

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Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey “Insure-A-Thon” Enters Final Weekend to Help Consumers Seeking Health Insurance for January 1, 2015

December 10, 2014, 11:04 am

≫ Next: Saint Luke’s Enters Into Agreement with Humana

≪ Previous: A Startup Called Zenefits Has Suddenly Become The Hottest Employer In Silicon Valley

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is working long hours during its Insure-A-Thon to help you enroll by the deadline.

Newark, NJ (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

While time is running short to purchase health insurance coverage beginning January, 1, 2015, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) is working long hours during its Insure-A-Thon to help you enroll by the deadline. In order to be covered on January 1, 2015 by a plan purchased through the Federal Marketplace, you must enroll by December 15, 2014.

“Through our mall locations, expanded phone operations and extended hours at the Horizon Connect Center in Moorestown, Horizon is bringing answers, understanding and convenience to consumers who are looking to purchase affordable health insurance for the first time, or who purchased a plan last year on the exchange from another carrier and are experiencing increasing costs or other issues,” said Joseph Albano, Vice President of Consumer and Dental Markets for Horizon BCBSNJ.

The Horizon Connect mall locations below will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 12 midnight from Friday, December 12 through Monday December 15.·     Woodbridge Center -- 250 Woodbridge Center Drive, Woodbridge, NJ.
·     The Outlet Collection / Jersey Gardens -- 651 Kapkowski Road, Elizabeth, NJ.
·     Newport Center Mall -- 30 Mall Drive West, Jersey City, NJ.
·     Willowbrook Mall -- 1400 Willowbrook Mall Rd. Wayne, NJ.

The mall locations feature special promotions and activities during the Insure-A-Thon, and are staffed with additional agents, including bilingual agents, to assist consumers.

At the Horizon Connect Center, located in the East Gate Square Shopping Center in Moorestown, individuals can walk in to get answers and understanding of all their health insurance needs. Horizon Connect will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday December 12 and Saturday, December 13, and from 9:00 a.m. to 12 midnight on Sunday, December 14 and Monday, December 15.

Refreshments and special promotions will also be offered to Horizon Connect visitors during the Insure-A-Thon.

For more information about the Horizon Connect Center, or to schedule an appointment with a center agent, individuals should call 1-855-702-6663 or visit connect.HorizonBlue.com.

Insure-A-Thon Phone Center:

Individuals who want to purchase health insurance and determine if they qualify for financial assistance can call the Insure-A-Thon number of 1- 800-224-1234 to speak with Horizon BCBSNJ sales agents, including bilingual agents.

Agents will be available during extended operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 12 midnight from Friday, December 12 through Monday, December 15.

The deadline for consumers seeking coverage through the Federal Marketplace effective January 1 is December 15, 2014. For everyone else shopping for coverage during the open enrollment period, the deadline is February 15, 2015.

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About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at http://www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.7 million members. Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.

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Saint Luke’s Enters Into Agreement with Humana

December 10, 2014, 11:49 am

≫ Next: Here's how many Maryland health exchange enrollees have dropped or lost coverage

≪ Previous: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey “Insure-A-Thon” Enters Final Weekend to Help Consumers Seeking Health Insurance for January 1, 2015

Humana to offer new health exchange plan for KCMO with Saint Luke’s.

Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Saint Luke’s Health System, an integrated hospital and physician network with locations throughout the Kansas City region, and Humana Inc, a leading health and well-being company, announced today an agreement through which Humana will offer a new health insurance plan to Missourians purchasing insurance through the Missouri Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as an exchange.

The new plan is a PPO built around Saint Luke’s integrated network of hospital, primary care physicians, specialists, outpatient centers and ancillary services throughout the Kansas City region. Saint Luke’s offers a Level 1 trauma center, renowned organ transplant programs, one of the nation’s leading stroke reversal programs, and a host of other world-class services. The plan includes Humana’s array of member tools and resources that help members make healthier lifestyle decisions, manage chronic illness and get access to needed care.

“Saint Luke’s is committed to serving Kansas City,” said Bob Bonney, J.D., FACHE, Senior Vice President of Network Operations and Development for Saint Luke’s Health System. “This agreement with Humana creates an exciting new exchange option which allows residents to have access to the high quality patient centered care and resources of Saint Luke’s Health System.”

“Saint Luke’s vision for delivering highly integrated care that focuses on the patient’s overall well-being is a great fit with our own dream of closing the gap between health and care,” said Jeremy Gaskill, Regional Vice President of Market Development for Humana’s West Central Region. “We’re excited to work with Saint Luke’s to deliver quality care and an extraordinary patient experience to people in the Kansas City area.”

As part of Humana’s education efforts for the Open Enrollment Period, taking place now through Feb. 15, Humana will once again partner with CVS/pharmacy, YMCA and other community organizations to provide information people need to find out if they are eligible for financial assistance, understand their plan options, and feel confident using their plan benefits.

Humana is also encouraging people to find out if they qualify for premium rate assistance through an advance premium tax credit or cost-sharing assistance to help them lower the cost of their health insurance. Humana has developed an EasyPrice calculator to help people estimate their financial assistance and find plan options in their market and is hosting a variety of educational events around the country. These tools can be found on http://www.HumanaHelpsKansasCity.com.

About Saint Luke’s Health System

Saint Luke’s Health System consists of 10 area hospitals and several primary and specialty care practices, and provides a range of inpatient, outpatient, and home care services. Founded as a faith-based, not-for-profit organization, our mission includes a commitment to the highest levels of excellence in health care and the advancement of medical research and education. The health system is an aligned organization in which the physicians and hospitals assume responsibility for enhancing the physical, mental, and spiritual health of people in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the surrounding region.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a leading health and well-being company focused on making it easy for people to achieve their best health with clinical excellence through coordinated care. The company’s strategy integrates care delivery, the member experience, and clinical and consumer insights to encourage engagement, behavior change, proactive clinical outreach and wellness for the millions of people we serve across the country.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of:· Annual reports to stockholders;
· Securities and Exchange Commission filings;
· Most recent investor conference presentations;
· Quarterly earnings news releases;
· Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls;
· Calendar of events (including upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors);
· Corporate Governance information. Reported by PRWeb 16 hours ago.

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Here's how many Maryland health exchange enrollees have dropped or lost coverage

December 10, 2014, 12:12 pm

≫ Next: Supporter Says Obamacare is 'More Frustrating Than I'd Ever Dreamed'

≪ Previous: Saint Luke’s Enters Into Agreement with Humana

About 20 percent of people who signed up for health insurance through Maryland Health Connection for 2014 dropped their coverage over the course of the year. More than 81,000 people signed up for private health plans through the state's online insurance exchange during its last open enrollment season. About 66,000 of them still have their plans, meaning about 15,000 people no longer have their original plan for one reason or another. Carolyn Quattrocki, the exchange's executive director, discussed… Reported by bizjournals 16 hours ago.

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Supporter Says Obamacare is 'More Frustrating Than I'd Ever Dreamed'

December 10, 2014, 12:47 pm

≫ Next: Paycom Recognized Among Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in U.S.

≪ Previous: Here's how many Maryland health exchange enrollees have dropped or lost coverage

A supporter of Obamacare living in Orange County, California says her first year under the new system has been "more frustrating than I'd ever dreamed."

In a piece published by the Washington Post, 56-year-old freelance writer Catherine Keefe describes the ups and downs of life under Obamacare. Keefe writes that she was "elated" when Obamacare passed. Now she is one of many who learned the hard way that the reality of the new system was different from the promises repeatedly made by the President.

In November 2013, Jim learned his small-business policy would be canceled because it didn’t comply with the new mandate to cover pediatric dentistry and maternity care. So Jim went to Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, to look for coverage for his employee and himself.

He found that the cost of his employee’s individual “bronze” plan monthly premiums went up 13 percent, and that his own new individual “silver” plan was also more expensive. In 2014, Jim was individually paying $82 more a month in premiums. The deductible (the amount you have to pay before the insurance company starts footing the bill) did go down — from $5,000 to $2,000 for each individual insured. But if you added together 12 months of premiums, the deductible, and the new policies’ out-of-pocket maximums, we were potentially on the hook for $13,260 — rather than the $11,024 from 2013 — if Jim got very sick. Around this time, Jim was diagnosed with prostate cancer, so the threat of high medical bills was real.

The individual plan I had with Blue Cross was canceled, too. The bronze plan I got at Covered California raised my monthly premium payment from $301 to $422, with a $5,000 deductible. The maximum I might be responsible for if I got really sick went from $8,612 to $11,314.

After experiencing significant frustration trying to sign up for a health plan via Covered California, Keefe and her husband finally settled on a Blue Cross plan. But that wasn't the end of the story:

On Jan. 22, we finally got our enrollment number and made our first payment to Blue Cross so we could start seeing doctors. Jim went to his cardiologist on Feb. 10, only to discover the doctor had left Blue Cross.

[...]

We canceled Blue Cross and enrolled in Blue Shield so Jim could see his urologist. Then, when the urologist’s office said they didn’t accept Blue Shield patients enrolled through the state exchange, we canceled California Covered Blue Shield and bought directly from the insurance company, even though that meant foregoing the subsidies.

But the urologist wouldn’t accept our new Blue Shield plan – even though the Blue Shield website said he did. Jim’s regular dermatologist left Blue Shield, too.

Fortunately, Keefe's husband found a new urologist who they liked better than the one he had lost. Keefe also says that they wound up saving some money their first year because her own medical expenses stayed "well below my annual deductible." Obviously neither of those outcomes were guaranteed.

And that's why Keefe still worries about the future of the system and her place in it. "We’re deeply concerned about our ability to get quality medical care from doctors we trust. The day may soon come when we can’t afford the plans our doctors accept, or we’ll have to wait hours to seen," she writes.

The piece ends with Keefe waiting to find out whether "Administrators at our medical group" will continue to accept her plan or she'll need to start the whole process over again. At least this time around she'll have some sense of what to expect. Reported by Breitbart 15 hours ago.

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Paycom Recognized Among Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in U.S.

December 10, 2014, 12:17 pm

≫ Next: Health Partners America Announces Agreement to Launch a Private Exchange Marketplace for the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals

≪ Previous: Supporter Says Obamacare is 'More Frustrating Than I'd Ever Dreamed'

Paycom's employees help earn it national workplace honors

OKLAHOMA CITY (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Two days after earning Top Workplace honors in its home state, Oklahoma City-based Paycom (NYSE:PAYC) – a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based technology for human capital management – landed at No. 16 on Glassdoor’s 2015 list of the nation’s 50 Best Places to Work.

Paycom landed at No. 5 in the previous year’s rankings, which marked the debut of the Small and Medium-Sized Companies list by Glassdoor, a popular career website.

“Receiving this recognition is a reflection of our tremendous co-workers who are dedicated to the success of our organization,” said Chad Richison, Paycom founder and CEO. “As an organization, it is important that we continue to listen to and support our largest asset: our employees.”

Paycom offers numerous workplace benefits that set it apart, including fun events for employees and their families throughout the year. Paycom also offers affordable and comprehensive benefits, as well as perks that include $4 daily catered lunches; $1 per-pay-period health insurance; and a free, on-site gym, where free Zumba and boot-camp fitness classes are held.

The list is part of Glassdoor’s national Employees’ Choice Awards. Now in its seventh year, the program relies solely on the input of employees who elect to provide feedback on their jobs and companies through the site’s anonymous, online survey.

“I am proud to celebrate the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award winners in earning this tremendous achievement,” said Glassdoor co-founder and CEO Robert Hohman. “Millions of employees around the world are turning to Glassdoor each month to share their work experiences. It is this type of authentic feedback that helps others find jobs and companies they love, and allows us to honor employers who stand out for their efforts in providing an enjoyable work environment and culture.”

The Glassdoor company-review survey includes both quantitative and qualitative questions designed to capture a genuine and authentic inside look at what it’s like to work at particular jobs and companies. The survey asks employees to rate their satisfaction with the company overall and key workplace factors like career opportunities, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, senior management, culture and values.

The Best Small and Medium-Sized Business Companies to Work For are determined using company reviews shared by U.S. based employees who elected to participate in the survey between Nov. 13, 2013 and Nov. 2, 2014. To be considered for the small- and medium-sized category, a company must have less than 1,000 employees and have received at least 20 company reviews during the window of eligibility. The final list is compiled based on Glassdoor’s proprietary algorithm, and takes into account quantity, quality and consistency of reviews.

About Paycom
As a leader in payroll and HR technology, Oklahoma City-based Paycom redefines the human capital management industry by allowing companies to effectively navigate a rapidly changing business environment. Its cloud-based software solution is based on a core system of record maintained in a single database for all human capital management functions, providing the functionality that businesses need to manage the complete employment lifecycle, from recruitment to retirement. Paycom serves businesses of all sizes and in every industry. As one of the leading human capital management providers, Paycom serves clients in all 50 states and has sales offices in 30 major cities across the nation.

About Glassdoor
Glassdoor, founded in 2007, is the leading career community designed to help job seekers find jobs and address critical questions that come up during the search, application, interview and negotiation phases of employment. Glassdoor provides the most transparent look at company culture, work environment, salary and compensation and the interview process thanks to the millions of insights shared by employees, job candidates and employers. For employers, Glassdoor offers recruiting and employer branding solutions to help maximize talent acquisition strategies and optimize results. As of October 2014, Glassdoor welcomes more than 26 million members to its desktop and mobile platforms. Glassdoor is backed by Benchmark, Sutter Hill Ventures, Battery Ventures, DAG Ventures, Dragoneer Investment Group and Tiger Global. Glassdoor.com is a registered trademark of Glassdoor Inc. Reported by PRWeb 16 hours ago.

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Health Partners America Announces Agreement to Launch a Private Exchange Marketplace for the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals

December 10, 2014, 1:11 pm

≫ Next: Health Law Sign-Ups Pick Up

≪ Previous: Paycom Recognized Among Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in U.S.

Health Partners America, a company that provides training, tools, and technology solutions for insurance agents, employers, and organizations who are navigating the health reform legislation, is pleased to announce the launch of a new private insurance exchange offering for TORCH, Texas Community Healthcare Plans.

Birmingham, Alabama (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Health Partners America (http://www.healthpartnersamerica.com), a company that provides training, tools, and technology solutions for insurance agents, employers, and organizations who are navigating the health reform legislation, is pleased to announce the launch of a new private insurance exchange offering for TORCH, Texas Community Healthcare Plans. The Texas Community Healthcare Plans exchange is managed by R&D Brokers and sponsored by TORCH. TORCH is an association of 161 rural and community hospitals located throughout Texas. The private exchange enables rural Texans to purchase health insurance and other ancillary benefit products that best suit their individual needs.

The Texas Community Healthcare Plans (TCHP) Private Exchange powered by Health Partners America (HPA) helps rural Texans purchase health insurance during the open enrollment period (from November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015). During the last open enrollment period, many Texans enrolling and purchasing health insurance had a frustrating experience; in several cases they enrolled in plans that were not best suited to their needs.

According to Mel Blackwell, CEO of HPA, “In Texas there was a lack of knowledge and outreach to community about health insurance, and there was not a solution in place to engage with this market. The launch of the TCHP private exchange powered by HPA gives TORCH the opportunity to identify, assist and enroll the uninsured with insurance carriers that includes TORCH member hospitals in their network.”

The TCHP exchange has trained and experienced Texas licensed agents available 7 days a week through the open enrollment period to assist with the enrollment process. TCHP is linked to the Federal Exchange to access enrollment data for tax incentives and premium subsidies available, so nothing is lost by using the private exchange.

Rural Texas employers may also access the HPA powered Texas Community Healthcare Plans Private Exchange to explore options for their employee benefits at http://tchealthplans.com/. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides employers with new plan options and alternative funding arrangements, such as defined contribution plans which enable employers to better budget for employee healthcare and other benefits. also, the ACA provides employees with the ability to purchase plans that best suit their individual of family needs.

David Pearson, President and CEO of TORCH, states “We believe the agreement with Health Partners America and the launch of TCHP is a necessary next step to assist rural Texans in finding affordable health insurance and to create a hassle free purchasing and shopping experience. Our mission is to be the voice and principal advocate for rural and community hospitals in Texas, and to provide leadership in addressing the special needs of these hospitals. TCHP exchange is a next step in meeting our mission objective.”

Forty-one forward thinking hospitals with the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals have already begun adopting the private exchange solution to their benefits challenges. These early adopters are already finding it to be the perfect solution.

About Health Partners America

Since 2007, Health Partners America has been providing game-changing training and solutions to agents and brokers nationwide. HPA is a technology and consulting company that works with and through brokers in order to engage with the marketplace through healthcare reform. HPA Partners with agents and brokers nationally to bring them technology solutions, private exchange sites, marketing tools, training, and leverage to help them be more successful.

About TORCH

TORCH is the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. They are an association of 161 rural and community hospitals located across the state of Texas from the panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley from Far West Texas to the Louisiana border. Their member hospitals cover 177 of 254 Texas Counties, serving 3.8 million Rural Texans with an uninsured population of over 880,000. These member hospitals have 8,286 beds served by 26,544 employees, with 209,724 admissions and 6,345,732 Outpatient Visits annually. TORCH was founded in 1990 and is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2015.

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If you’d like more information about this topic or about HPA, please contact Katie Burns at media(at)healthpartnersamerica(dot)com or visit http://www.healthpartnersamerica.com. Reported by PRWeb 15 hours ago.

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