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Zane Benefits, Inc. Announces New Ebook: 8 Small Business Health Benefit Trends

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New ebook Helps Small Business Owners Make the Best Health Benefit Decisions in 2015

Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) December 17, 2014

Today Zane Benefits, the leader in individual health insurance reimbursement for small businesses, announced the publication of a new eBook, "8 Small Business Health Benefit Trends."

According to Zane Benefits, experts agree health insurance in America is rapidly changing. This is especially true for small businesses that are struggling to afford, or qualify for, traditional group health insurance. And yet, small businesses greatly value offering health insurance to recruit and retain the best employees.

The new eBook provides a glimpse of eight key small business health benefit trends for 2015 that all small business owners need to know to make the best health benefit decisions in the coming year.

Click here to read the full article.

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About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits, the #1 Online Health Benefits Solution, was founded in 2006 to revolutionize the way employers provide employee health benefits in America. We empower employees to take control over their own healthcare, while helping employers recruit and retain the best talent. Our online solutions allow small and medium-sized businesses to successfully transition to a health benefits program that creates happier employees, reduces costs and frees up more time to serve their customers. For more information about ZaneHealth, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

State health exchange withholds money to Deloitte over repeated problems

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Problems with the performance of the Washington Healthplanfinder website have led to friction between the state’s health-insurance exchange and its primary contractor, Deloitte. Reported by Seattle Times 12 hours ago.

New Law Slams Shut Gap in Insurance Confidentiality: Patients May Now Request that Explanation of Benefits (EOB) Remain Private

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A form released today by the Maryland Insurance Administration will save lives and offer protection to survivors of domestic violence and expand access to healthcare for endangered women and families, including clients of Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

Baltimore, Maryland (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

A form released today by the Maryland Insurance Administration will offer protections to survivors of domestic violence and substantially expand access to healthcare for women and families.

“This is a victory for anyone in need of health care who genuinely fears for their safety, and worries what might happen if their personal health insurance information (Explanation of Benefits) is shared with the policyholder,” said State Senator Delores Kelley (D-10), the legislation’s chief sponsor.

Maryland is one of the first in the nation to ensure privacy of confidential medical information in insurance communications for those seeking reproductive health care, mental health treatment, or medical treatment or counseling due to domestic violence.

“We regularly see patients who are fearful, and delay or avoid treatment, or pay exorbitant out-of-pocket costs for care routinely covered by their insurance, rather than risk what might happen if the policyholder were to find out about their medical treatment,” said Jenny Black, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

“I was personally involved in a case in which the husband beat his wife to death due to information he received in the Explanation of Benefits,” said Lorraine Diana, a Maryland Nurse Practitioner when she testified in Annapolis in support of the legislation.

As staunch advocates of patient rights, Planned Parenthood of Maryland led the successful bipartisan campaign for passage of Senate Bill 790 – Communications Between Carriers and Enrollees – Conformity with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The Maryland General Assembly unanimously passed SB 790, advancing the use of privacy protections already in place under HIPAA. The Governor signed the bill into law on April 8, 2014.

The form released today by the Maryland Insurance Administration provides individuals who feel endangered the means to protect their privacy. Once signed and submitted, the form instructs insurance companies to forward all insurance communications to an address provided by the patient as opposed to the address determined by the policyholder.

“Our job now is to raise public awareness of these legal protections and encourage survivors of domestic violence and others to access any needed medical treatment,” Black said.

“We believe that this one page form will foster a sense of safety among those living in fear and ultimately save lives.”

Download the new form at the Planned Parenthood of Maryland website.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-maryland/client-resources/online-patient-forms/patient-privacy

The mission of Planned Parenthood of Maryland is to enable all Marylanders to have access to a wide range of high quality affordable reproductive health care services. By providing medical services, education, training and advocacy, PPM seeks to help individuals make informed decisions about their reproductive health, family planning options and sexuality.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-maryland Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

Community Choice Credit Union Grows Executive Leadership Team, Appoints Nationally Acclaimed Branding Expert Alan Bergstrom as Chief Marketing Officer

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Nationally acclaimed branding expert Alan Bergstrom will be taking over as Chief Marketing Officer at Community Choice Credit Union. Bergstrom offers years of experience and a wealth of branding knowledge and is poised to lead Community Choice Credit Union's robust marketing strategy and new member growth.

Farmington Hills, Mich. (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

After a national search encompassing three months and more than 100 applicants, Community Choice Credit Union is excited to announce the appointment of Alan Bergstrom as chief marketing officer.

Bergstrom is a United States Air Force intelligence officer turned branding expert who brings more than 20 years of experience leading consumer and business-to-business organizations to maximize brand potential. Past clients include Disney, General Motors and Visa, among many other Fortune 500 companies.

“During this period of rapid change and growth, consistency in our brand remains a paramount priority.” said Robert Bava, President and CEO of Community Choice Credit Union. “Mr. Bergstrom will be a fearless brand leader, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his work with many well-known global companies.”

As chief marketing officer, Bergstrom will provide strategic and developmental leadership in marketing Community Choice Credit Union’s variety of products and services. He will be responsible for analyzing industry trends and consumer behavior to develop robust marketing strategy that aligns the Credit Union’s mission, vision and values and promotes continued growth.

“With each interview the senior executives’ investment in this organization was clear—I could hear it in their answers, see it in their actions. They are poised to grow this credit union rapidly and responsibly,” said Bergstrom. “Community Choice blows the credit union norm out of the water. They dive into change when it means good things for their members. That’s a mentality I’m proud to join.”

Bergstrom began his career as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as the Daily Military Intelligence Briefer to President Ronald Regan. After seven years of service, Bergstrom left the military and was recruited by several companies in the national defense industry. He landed at Naisbitt Group (now FutureBrand) and applied his military background to provide companies business intelligence, analyzing data and monitoring trends to proactively grow and manage brands.

In 1995 Bergstrom founded The Brand Consultancy and in a span of seven years, grew the company into one of the top three strategy firms in the U.S. The firm generated $16M annually, with three offices nationally, 44 staff and a long list of Fortune 100 clients. There, he pioneered the now widely accepted concept of internal branding and assisted a broad variety of national and international clients with developing brand-leverage strategies focused on bottom-line performance improvements and category leadership.

On September 11, 2011, Bergstrom’s life reached a turning point when, in New York for a client meeting, he was on the ground to see the second plane hit the World Trade Center.

“I had been on that exact flight just one month earlier,” said Bergstrom. “I was practically living out of a suitcase, working day and night to grow the business and in that moment I realized my priorities were all out of line. I sold the business to my two partners and took two years off to spend time with family and reevaluate how I was living.”

After returning to his roots in the Midwest, Bergstrom went on to serve as the director of brand and creative services at CUNA Mutual Group. There, he was responsible for managing and growing the TruStage brand, which is a portfolio of life, auto, home and health insurance products designed exclusively for members of America’s Credit Unions. In just two years after launching the TruStage brand, Bergstrom and his team grew revenues by 36 percent, operating revenue by 12 percent, and increased the number of members protected by 7.5 percent (over 14 million members).

Bergstrom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and international economics from the University of Saint Thomas and a master’s degree in international business from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

About Community Choice Credit Union: Established in 1935, Community Choice Credit Union offers a wide variety of financial products and services for both consumers and businesses. Any individual who lives, works, or worships in the following counties is eligible to become a member of Community Choice Credit Union: Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw or Wayne County, Michigan. Community Choice Credit Union is an equal opportunity lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. Since 2008, Community Choice has invested more than $885,742 and 12,543 volunteer hours into its charitable Give Big efforts throughout Michigan. If you’re looking for an experience that’s truly different from your current banking relationship, Let’s Get Together™. Community Choice Credit Union is proud to be a Detroit Free Press Top Workplace 2014. For more information, visit CommunityChoiceCU.com. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.

Pacific Prime Reveal Corporate Employees Require Better Singapore Health Insurance Benefits

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As an end of 2014 review reveals an increase in health care costs, Pacific Prime reports on the increasing value of providing employee health insurance benefits in Singapore.

Singapore (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

Pacific Prime have released an update on the current state of employee health benefits for corporates as part of their compensation packages in Singapore. The agency have claimed that over time, expat packages inclusive of added benefits such as housing, medical insurance and return flights home have mostly diminished in order to achieve reduced costs in corporate structures. By eliminating inclusive expat packages, there has been a shift of focus onto the next generation of locally-hired expatriates, who now compete for corporate roles.

There has however been a reported resurgence in the value found in Singapore health insurance benefits, with HR directors now frequently taking into consideration the evaluations of certain medical insurance plans for their employees. This revival in the industry in a place like Singapore has mainly come about due to foreigners being unable to benefit from the socialized healthcare, and it being “impossible to hire or retain expats without providing solid benefits for medical insurance,” according to the Corporate Sales Team at Pacific Prime Singapore. With the subsequent exposure to risk somewhat higher for expatriates, the standard ‘Hospitalization Surgical’ benefits offered on ‘local-hire’ contracts are not sufficient to cover most treatments or surgeries in hospitals.

Pacific Prime demonstrate the distinction between corporate expats and Permanent Residents, who benefit from the CPF (Central Provident Fund) which mitigates costs. On the other hand, with medical care costs increasing at a substantial rate, and a reported estimated medical inflation at a 9% increase per year (an MRI that cost SG$1,000 in 2010 would now cost SG$1,500), expats with no opportunity to subsidize are being charged the full cost of treatments.

There is an insistence that HR managers must be aware of the needs and requirements of foreigners and the necessity of medical insurance benefits as part of their compensation. In light of this, Pacific Prime have begun to offer new ‘hybrid’ solutions for corporate employers in Asia, where employees are assigned specific policies based on category of class (seniority). This is hoped to lead to improvements for local nationals as well, since their benefits are likely to be reviewed similarly as a result.

Attractive benefit plans increase staff retention, and where employers used to provide basic cover in a city concerned with rising medical costs, comprehensive insurance benefits are needed for employers to enhance their hiring potential. Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.

Wellness Corporate Solutions Hires Brendan Miller as Executive Vice President of Business Development

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Industry veteran has 13-plus years' experience leading consultative sales, business development, revenue generation, account management and advisory service teams.

Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

Wellness Corporate Solutions, LLC is pleased to announce that Brendan Miller joined the organization December 1, 2014, as Executive Vice President of Business Development. In this role, he oversees the company's business development and sales efforts.

Over the course of his extensive healthcare career, Miller has acquired extensive knowledge of the wellness, health insurance, employer, pharmaceutical, IT, and hospital industries, and earned a track record of forging strong business partnerships and generating significant revenue growth. For 13-plus years he has led consultative sales, business development, revenue generation, account management, and advisory service teams, and has represented over 1,200 health insurance companies and over 1,000 start-up to Fortune 500 healthcare employers and vendors.

Most recently Miller served as Managing Director of Sales and Business Development for Softheon, leading sales, business development, and marketing efforts. Prior to Softheon, he served as Vice President of Business Development for America's Health Insurance Plans, where he led the organization's business development and revenue generation efforts. Earlier in his career, Mr. Miller held progressive healthcare sales and business development leadership positions.

Brendan graduated from George Mason University with a BS in Business Administration and earned an MBA from the University of Wyoming. He has also completed graduate-level coursework in Public Policy at Northwestern University.

Wellness Corporate Solutions, LLC is a nationwide provider of biometric screenings and comprehensive wellness programs. Celebrating its 10th year in business, the mission of WCS is to educate, engage, and empower employees to make lasting behavior changes that improve their health and their employers' bottom line.

For more information, visit http://www.wellnesscorporatesolutions.com. Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.

Pacific Prime’s Health Insurance Hong Kong Team Strengthened with New Renewals Manager

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Pacific Prime announces the strengthening of its health insurance Hong Kong management team with the addition of new Renewals Manager Danielle Cotton.

Hong Kong (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

Pacific Prime is delighted to announce the arrival of the latest addition to its health insurance Hong Kong team, Danielle Cotton. Taking up the role of Renewals Manager, Mrs. Cotton will oversee the renewals team as a whole with a strong focus on the renewal of corporate accounts in particular.

Initially starting her Pacific Prime venture in 2009, Mrs. Cotton first joined the Pacific Prime team in Shanghai where she took up the role of Business Development. By applying her customer service skills experience, Mrs. Cotton was able to guide clients towards suitable plans and advise them during the application process, becoming the main point of contact for Pacific Prime clients in Shanghai.

In 2010, Mrs. Cotton shifted to Pacific Prime’s renewals team where her responsibilities evolved to assist existing clients with their renewal options and the associated tasks involved in this process.

Upon returning from maternity leave in 2013, Mrs. Cotton took up the Renewals Manager role, overseeing the Shanghai renewals team and assisting them in finding ways to continually improve renewal retention rates.

During her time as Renewals Manager in Shanghai, Mrs. Cotton focused her skills on improving the existing internal renewal procedures and was able to introduce greater levels of control regarding the handling of renewals and perfecting the system so as to offer clients the most efficient service possible.

Regarding her new role, Mrs. Cotton commented: “...I look forward to working with [the Hong Kong team] to make the team even stronger as well as trying to improve internal procedures and bring our systems into line with our other offices.”

Mrs. Cotton has shown great success in striving to enhance the profitability of Pacific Prime, and after increasing efficiency levels in Shanghai, it looks like she is already following the same path here in the Hong Kong office. With her six years of experience in the health insurance industry, Mrs. Cotton will undoubtedly be a key player in the Hong Kong team, assisting Pacific Prime in maintaining its title as Hong Kong’s largest international private medical insurance provider. Reported by PRWeb 26 minutes ago.

Pets Best Releases 2014 List of Most Popular Pet Names

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Bella remains No. 1 dog name for third consecutive year

Boise, Idaho (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC, a leading U.S. pet insurance agency, released its annual list of the top 10 most popular names for dogs and cats enrolled with the agency in 2014.

While it’s typical to see a slight shift in dog and cat names from year to year, the cat names of 2014 have seen significant changes this year. Six of the 10 most popular cat names are new to this year’s list, while the top five dog names are repeats of 2013. For the third year in a row, Bella remains the most popular canine name. Other timeless classics like Max, Lucy and Charlie continued to hold strong at the top of the canine list.

Top 10 Dog Names of 2014
1. Bella
2. Max
3. Lucy
4. Charlie
5. Daisy
6. Bailey
7. Buddy
8. Lola
9. Sophie
10. Molly

Top 10 Cat Names of 2014
1. Oliver
2. Luna
3. Tigger
4. Milo
5. Max
6. Sophie
7. Shadow
8. Kitty
9. Lily
10. Jack

Bailey, tenth on the list of dog names in 2013, has moved up to sixth place in 2014. On the list of top cat names, Oliver jumped from sixth in 2013 to first place on this year’s list.

Pet names are often heavily influenced by pop culture, demonstrated in 2014 with the popularity of Luna. Social media sensation Luna the Fashion Kitty has her own fashion advice website and more than 1.3 million followers on Facebook. The name Kitty, made famous by pop singer Katy Perry's beloved feline companion Kitty Purry debuted at number eight on the Pets Best list. The famed cat has been a theme of Perry’s international concert tours, and even has a perfume fragrance named after her. The continued popularity of the name Bella for canines reflects the nationwide obsession with the “Twilight” book and film series, which feature a main character named Bella.

Human names are also on the rise among pets. Both dog and cat lists strongly correlate to most popular baby names in the U.S. such as Sophia, Isabella and Lily, as reported by BabyCenter, a leading parenting and pregnancy website.

“Pet owners often have a personal reason for choosing their pets’ names, which serves as an important part of developing a bond with a cat or dog,” said Dr. Jack Stephens, founder and director of Pets Best. “Many Pets Best policyholders have unique names for their pets, but every year we see noticeable patterns of pets named after animals and celebrities experiencing nationwide attention.”

Pets Best offers a multitude of pet health insurance plans for both cats and dogs. These include a Cancer Only plan covering the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in dogs and cats, as well as a Feline Illness plan that covers 21 common feline illnesses. For more information about the agency and its plans, visit http://www.petsbest.com.

About Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC
Dr. Jack L. Stephens, founder and director of Pets Best, founded pet insurance in the U.S. in 1981 with a mission to end euthanasia when pet owners couldn’t afford veterinary treatment. Dr. Stephens went on to present the first U.S. pet insurance policy to famous television dog Lassie. Pets Best provides coverage for dogs and cats. Dr. Stephens leads the Pets Best team with his passion for quality pet care and his expert veterinary knowledge. He is always available to answer questions regarding veterinary medicine, pet health and pet insurance. The Pets Best team is a group of pet lovers who strive to deliver quality customer service and value. Visit http://www.petsbest.com for more information.

Pet insurance coverage offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC is underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company, a Delaware insurance company. Independence American Insurance Company is a member of The IHC Group, 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. For information on The IHC Group, visit: http://www.ihcgroup.com. Additional insurance services administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC are underwritten by Prime Insurance Company. Some existing business is underwritten by Aetna Insurance Company of Connecticut. Each insurer has sole financial responsibility for its own products.

Pets Best is a proud member of the North America Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).

### Reported by PRWeb 26 minutes ago.

ThreatMetrix Predicts Mobile Will Represent More Than Half of Transactions in 2015 and Cybercrime Threats Will Continue to Evolve

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ThreatMetrix Outlines Cybercrime Predictions for the New Year to Help Companies Protect Against Growing Threats

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

ThreatMetrix®, the fastest-growing provider of context-based security and advanced fraud prevention solutions, today announced its cybercrime predictions for the New Year. From the good, such as increased information sharing, to the bad including the difficulties protecting the Internet of Things (IoT), and the ugly – data breaches in 2015 will be larger and more sophisticated than ever before – ThreatMetrix predicts the coming year will see cybercrime evolving in new ways.

The breadth and depth of the data breaches seen by the world in 2014 was shocking – spanning major banks, e-commerce giants, healthcare giants, casinos and others, exposing hundreds of millions of usernames, passwords and credit card details. The coming year will be no different, and businesses and consumers need to be prepared for continued changes in the cybercrime landscape.

To help businesses avoid falling victim to 2015 data breaches and other attacks and to educate consumers about growing cybercrime threats, ThreatMetrix has outlined several predictions for the New Year:·     Mobile Will Represent More Than Half of Transactions During the 2015 Holiday Season

During this year’s Cyber Week, from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, mobile accounted for 39 percent of all transactions across the ThreatMetrix Global Trust Intelligence Network (The Network). By next year, ThreatMetrix predicts this number will surpass 50 percent. Additionally, as retailers make the looming switch to Europay-Mastercard-Visa (EMV) payments systems by the October 2015 deadline, those systems also accept mobile capabilities such as Apple Pay, which will also contribute to increased mobile payments.

“Consumers are far more comfortable shopping on mobile devices than they were even a year ago, and that trust is going to continue to grow,” said Alisdair Faulkner, chief products officer at ThreatMetrix. “Unfortunately, many businesses face difficulties determining the authenticity of mobile transactions through hidden cookies and geo-location data. Leveraging a global network of trust intelligence enables businesses to differentiate between previously authenticated users and potential fraudsters and will be the best way to protect sensitive information and customers against cybercrime in 2015.”

·     Information Sharing Will Continue to Rise

While cybercrime threats will grow in sophistication during the coming year, information sharing about those threats within and across industries will also grow to combat those cybercriminals. For example, the financial services industry is already paving the way for growth of information sharing with the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), and retailers are beginning to see the benefits of information sharing, establishing their own group this past year. The Network, which analyzes more than 850 million monthly transactions across 3,000 customers, also provides a shared view of cybercriminals’ activity, enabling companies within The Network to protect their business by accurately identifying fraudsters, as well as good customers.

“Businesses in many industries are seeing the benefit of information sharing, and that will continue to increase in the coming year,” said Andreas Baumhof, chief technology officer at ThreatMetrix. “Unfortunately, while information sharing is common practice in some industries, businesses in other industries, such as retail, are often wary of sharing too much information with competitors. However, with today’s highly organized cybercriminals, it takes a network to fight a network. The balance is between businesses sharing good data, not just big data, and maintaining a certain level of trust to stay competitive with one another.”

·     Cybercriminals Will Identify New Opportunities to Compromise Personal Information

In 2014, there were many high profile data breaches that were deemed “unprecedented.” Hundreds of millions of user accounts have been compromised, including the Home Depot breach and the Russian cybercrime ring exposing 1.2 billion passwords. Most recently, the Sony breach has been a sign of cybercriminals shifting their focus to cyber sabotage. In 2015, there will be more unprecedented attacks as cybercriminals continue to become more sophisticated.

“There is no end in sight,” said Reed Taussig, president and CEO at ThreatMetrix. “Last year, ThreatMetrix predicted the password apocalypse for 2014 – and the number of major data breaches over the past year targeting user login information shows that prediction was true. There are endless opportunities for hackers to steal personal information, and that’s not going to stop in the coming year – it’s going to get worse. I would venture to guess that in 2015, one of the world’s major stock exchanges may very well be compromised, which has the potential to result in severe economic damage on a global basis.”

·     The Internet of Things Will Continue to Be a Security Nightmare

One of the first major hacks to the Internet of Things came in early 2014. It can be near impossible to know when one of the many connected devices used day-to-day is compromised – from smart phones to washing machines and refrigerators – and as more devices are added to the Internet of Things in the next year, protecting these devices will become even more difficult.

“We can’t even protect our most critical assets, so how can we be expected to protect a smart fridge?,” said Baumhof. “One of the biggest problems is that many of these tools have a long lifespan and current security systems rely heavily on the ability to patch systems on a regular basis. For most of the devices within the Internet of Things, that practice is not implemented, nor feasible.”

·     Health Systems Will Become a Major Target for Cybercriminals

This year, U.S. healthcare spending hit $3.8 trillion. Unfortunately, almost one-third of that is wasted to fraud. As more money is dedicated to the healthcare market, cybercriminals will follow the trail to cash in on the market.

“In major data breaches, cybercriminals target credit cards and login credentials, but there are other sources where money is flowing, and it’s only a matter of time before cybercriminals ramp up their attention toward those industries,” said Faulkner. “In the New Year, insurance, healthcare and pharmacies will be new focuses for fraudsters. As healthcare information makes the shift electronically via the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), fraudsters will find ways through its security holes to commit healthcare fraud and steal personal information.”

ThreatMetrix enables businesses across a wide range of industries – including e-commerce, enterprise and financial services – to securely share information about devices and personas connecting to their sites without sharing any personally identifiable information about customers or visitors. The approach ThreatMetrix takes through anonymizing and encrypting information in The Network offers a model for cybersecurity collaboration that will be essential for companies to protect their businesses in 2015 and beyond.

ThreatMetrix Resources·     Share this news on Twitter: Will #mobile account for 50% of transactions in 2015? @ThreatMetrix thinks it might, among other predictions: http://goo.gl/g0O61j
·     Press Release: 2013: The Year of the Password Apocalypse
·     eBook: ThreatMetrix Cybercrime Report: Q4 2014
·     Whitepaper: Combatting Cybercrime – A Collective Global Approach
·     Press Release: ThreatMetrix Announces its ThreatMetrix Global Trust Intelligence Network Has Reached 850 Million Monthly Transactions

About ThreatMetrix

ThreatMetrix builds trust on the Internet by offering market-leading advanced fraud prevention and frictionless context-based security solutions. These solutions authenticate consumer and workforce access to mission critical applications using real-time identity and access analytics that leverage the world’s largest trusted identity network.

ThreatMetrix secures enterprise applications against account takeover, payment fraud, fraudulent account registrations, malware, and data breaches. Underpinning the solution is the ThreatMetrix® Global Trust Intelligence Network, which analyzes over 850 million monthly transactions and protects more than 210 million active user accounts across 3,000 customers and 15,000 websites.

The ThreatMetrix solution is deployed across a variety of industries, including financial services, enterprise, e-commerce, payments, social networks, government and insurance.

For more information, visit http://www.threatmetrix.com or call 1-408-200-5755.

Join the cybersecurity conversation by visiting the ThreatMetrix blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

© 2014 ThreatMetrix. All rights reserved. ThreatMetrix, TrustDefender ID, TrustDefender Cloud, TrustDefender Mobile, TrustDefender Client, the TrustDefender Cybercrime Protection Platform, ThreatMetrix Labs, and the ThreatMetrix logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ThreatMetrix in the United States and other countries. All other brand, service or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or owners. Reported by PRWeb 12 minutes ago.

Ambulance and Emergency Equipment: Global Markets

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    LONDON, Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The ambulance equipment industry experienced significant growth during the last decade due to the recession, an unstable health insurance environment, natural calamities and technological advancements. This BCC Research... Reported by PR Newswire 23 hours ago.

ObamaCar: Automobile Insurance Subsidized Hope Act

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I want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation.  But we did not come here just to clean up crises.  We came here to build a future.  (Applause.)  So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future -- and that is the issue of affordable automobile collision insurance.

Our collective failure to meet this challenge -- year after year, decade after decade -- has led us to the breaking point.  Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident away from bankruptcy.  These are not primarily people on welfare.  These are middle-class Americans.  Some can't get insurance on a car they need to get to their job.  Others are self-employed, and can't afford it for their work vehicle.  Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied affordable insurance due to previous accidents or prior convictions that insurance companies decide are too risky or too expensive to cover.

We are the only democracy -- the only advanced democracy on Earth -- the only wealthy nation -- that allows such hardship for millions of its people.  There are now millions of American citizens who cannot get coverage.  In just a two-year period, one in every three Americans goes without car insurance coverage at some point.  And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage.  In other words, it can happen to anyone.

But the problem that plagues the automobile collision repair and insurance system is not just a problem for the uninsured.  Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today.   More and more Americans worry that if you drive, rear-end  another driver, or run a red light, you could lose your affordable insurance too.  More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get a DUI, or were late on a payment.  It happens every day.

One man from Illinois lost his coverage in the middle of a family car trip to Florida because his insurer found that he hadn't reported a couple little accidents that he had forgotten about.  They delayed his vacation, and he died because of it.  Another woman from Texas was about to get a job delivering pizzas when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare just one case where she was found guilty of driving under the influence.  By the time she had her insurance reinstated, her premium had more than doubled in size.  That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Then there's the problem of rising cost.  We spend one and a half times more per person on automobile collision repair than any other country, but we aren't any better drivers.  This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages.  It's why so many insurers are forcing their customers to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely.  It's why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally -- like our automakers -- are at a huge disadvantage.  And it's why those of us with automobile collision insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it -- about $1,000 per year that pays for somebody else's fender benders and run ins with power poles.

Finally, our automobile collision repair system is placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers.  When body shop costs grow at the rate they have, it puts greater pressure on insurance company profitability.  If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on bailouts of insurance companies like AIG than every other government bailout combined.  Put simply, our automobile collision insurance problem is our deficit problem.  Nothing else even comes close.  Nothing else.  (Applause.)

Now, these are the facts.  Nobody disputes them.  We know we must reform this system.  The question is how.

There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada's -- (applause) -- where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everybody.  On the right, there are those who argue that we should leave individuals to buy auto insurance on their own.

I've said -- I have to say that there are arguments to be made for both these approaches.  But either one would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the auto insurance most people currently have.  Since driving represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch.  (Applause.)  And that is precisely what those of you in Congress have tried to do over the past several months.

During that time, we've seen Washington at its best and at its worst.

We've seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform.  Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week.  That has never happened before.  Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of body shops, wrecker drivers, and car rental agencies; law enforcement, seniors' groups, and even automobile manufacturers -- many of whom opposed reform in the past.  And there is agreement in this chamber on about 80 percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.

But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government.  Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics.  Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise.  Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge.  And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.

Well, the time for bickering is over.  The time for games has passed.  (Applause.)

Now is the season for action.  Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do.  Now is the time to deliver on automobile collision insurance.  Now is the time to deliver on driving.  

The plan I'm announcing tonight would meet three basic goals.  It will provide more security and stability to those who have auto insurance.  It will provide insurance for those who don't.  And it will slow the growth of collision repair costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.  (Applause.)

It's a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge -- not just government, not just insurance companies, but everybody including employers and individuals.  And it's a plan that incorporates ideas from senators and congressmen, from Democrats and Republicans -- and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.  

Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan.  First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have collision insurance, nothing in this plan will require you to change the coverage or the mechanic you have.  (Applause.)

Let me repeat this:  Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.

What this plan will do is make the insurance you have work better for you.  Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a preexisting convictions.  (Applause.)

As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get a DUI or water it down when you need it the most.  (Applause.)  They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or in a lifetime.  (Applause.)  We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they rear-end someone.  (Applause.)

And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine maintenance and preventive care, like oil changes and tune-ups -- (applause) -- because there's no reason we shouldn't be catching problems like a bad timing belt and leaky gaskets before they get worse.  That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives.  (Applause.)

Now, that's what Americans who have automobile collision insurance can expect from this plan -- more security and more stability.

Now, if you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who don't currently have collision insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices.  (Applause.)

If you lose your job or you change your job, you'll be able to get coverage.  If you strike out on your own and start a small business, you'll be able to get coverage.  We'll do this by creating a new insurance exchange -- a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for automobile collision insurance at competitive prices.  Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers.  As one big group, these customers will have greater leverage to bargain with the insurance companies for better prices and quality coverage.  This is how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance.  It's how everyone in this Congress gets affordable insurance.  And it's time to give every American the same opportunity that we give ourselves.  (Applause.)

Now, for those individuals and small businesses who still can't afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, we'll provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need.  And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned.  This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right.  In the meantime, for those Americans who can't get insurance today because they have preexisting convictions for driving violations, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become involved in an auto accident.  (Applause.)

This was a good idea when Republicans proposed it in the campaign, it's a good idea now, and we should all embrace it.  (Applause.)

Now, even if we provide these affordable options, there may be those -- especially those with old nearly worthless vehicles and good drivers traveling low mileage -- who still want to take the risk and go without collision coverage.  There may still be companies that refuse to do right by their workers by giving them coverage.  The problem is, such irresponsible behavior costs all the rest of us money.  If there are affordable options and people still don't sign up for automobile collision insurance, it means we all run the risk by driving on the same roads with unrepaired, and unsafe vehicles.  If some delivery businesses don't provide drivers automobile collision insurance, it forces the rest of us to pick up the tab when their drivers get in an accident, and gives those businesses an unfair advantage over their competitors.  And unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek -- especially requiring insurance companies to cover preexisting convictions -- just can't be achieved.

And that's why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic automobile collision repair insurance -- just as Obamacare requires you to carry health insurance.  (Applause.)

And while there remain some significant details to be ironed out, I believe -- (laughter) -- I believe a broad consensus exists for the aspects of the plan I just outlined:  consumer protections for those with insurance, an exchange that allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable coverage, and a requirement that people who can afford insurance get insurance.

And I have no doubt that these reforms would greatly benefit Americans from all walks of life, as well as the economy as a whole.  Still, given all the misinformation that's been spread over the past few months, I realize -- (applause) -- I realize that many Americans have grown nervous about reform.  So tonight I want to address some of the key controversies that are still out there.

Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost.  The best example is the claim made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but by prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to stop senior citizens from driving.  Now, such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible.  It is a lie, plain and simple.  (Applause.)

There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants.  This, too, is false.  The reforms -- the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You lie!  (Boos.)

It's not true.  And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up -- under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund 22" rims, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.  (Applause.) 

Now, my car care proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a "government takeover" of the entire automobile collision repair system.  As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare.  (Applause.)

So let me set the record straight here.  My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition.  That's how the market works.  (Applause.)  Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75 percent of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies.  In Alabama, almost 90 percent is controlled by just one company.  And without competition, the price of insurance goes up and quality goes down.  And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly -- by cherry-picking the safest drivers and trying to drop the drunks and the dopers, by overcharging individuals who have no leverage, and by jacking up rates.

Insurance executives don't do this because they're bad people; they do it because it's profitable.  As one former insurance executive testified before Congress, insurance companies are not only encouraged to find reasons to drop drunk and stoned drivers, or drivers that text while driving then rear-end people...repeatedly, they are rewarded for it.  All of this is in service of meeting what this former executive called "Wall Street's relentless profit expectations."

Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business.  They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors.  I just want to hold them accountable.  (Applause.)  And the insurance reforms that I've already mentioned would do just that.  But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange.  (Applause.)

Now, let me be clear.  Let me be clear.  It would only be an option for those who don't have insurance.  No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance.  In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5 percent of Americans would sign up.

Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don't like this idea.  They argue that these private companies can't fairly compete with the government.  And they'd be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option.  But they won't be.  I've insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the revenue it collects, just like the United States Post Office.  But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits and excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers, and would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities.  (Applause.)

Now, it is -- it's worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I've proposed tonight.  But its impact shouldn't be exaggerated -- by the left or the right or the media.  It is only one part of my plan, and shouldn't be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles.  To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage available for those without it.  (Applause.)  The public option -- the public option is only a means to that end -- and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal.  And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of car care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have.  (Applause.)

Finally, let me discuss an issue that is a great concern to me, to members of this chamber, and to the public -- and that's how we pay for this plan.

And here's what you need to know.  First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits -- either now or in the future.  (Applause.)

I will not sign it if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period.  And to prove that I'm serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don't materialize.  (Applause.)

Now, part of the reason I faced a trillion-dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for -- from the Iraq war to tax breaks for the wealthy.  (Applause.)  I will not make that same mistake with car care. 

Second, we've estimated that most of this plan can be paid for by finding savings within the existing automobile collision repair system, a system that is currently full of waste and abuse.  Right now, too much of the hard-earned savings and tax dollars we spend on car care don't make us any better drivers.  That's not my judgment -- it's the judgment of transportation professionals across this country.  And this is also true when it comes to law enforcement.

Now, finally, many in this chamber -- particularly on the Republican side of the aisle -- have long insisted that reforming our civil litigation and chiropractor laws can help bring down the cost of automobile collisions.  (Applause.)  Now -- there you go.  There you go.  Now, I don't believe civil litigation and chiropractor laws reform is a silver bullet, but I've talked to enough doctors to know that chiropractic medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs.  (Applause.)

I know that the Bush administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these ideas.  I think it's a good idea, and I'm directing my Secretary of Transportation to move forward on this initiative today.  (Applause.)

Now, add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over 10 years -- less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration.  (Applause.)  Now, most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent -- but spent badly -- in the existing car care system.  The plan will not add to our deficit.  The middle class will realize greater security, not higher taxes.  And if we are able to slow the growth of car care costs by just one-tenth of 1 percent each year -- one-tenth of 1 percent -- it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term.

Now, this is the plan I'm proposing.  It's a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight -- Democrats and Republicans.  And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead.  If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen.  My door is always open.

But know this:  I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to improve it.  (Applause.)  I won't stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are.  If you misrepresent what's in this plan, we will call you out.  (Applause.)  And I will not -- and I will not accept the status quo as a solution.  Not this time.  Not now.

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing.  Our deficit will grow.  More families will go bankrupt.  More businesses will close.  More Americans will lose their coverage when they are using drugs or alcohol and need it the most.  And more will die as a result.  We know these things to be true.

That is why we cannot fail.  Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed -- the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town halls, in e-mails, and in letters.

I received one of those letters a few days ago.  It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy.  He had written it back in May, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal.  He asked that it be delivered upon his death.

In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, his amazing children, who are all here tonight, and those who are not here because they died in automobile accidents he caused while driving under the influence.  And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that car care reform -- "that great unfinished business of our society," he called it -- would finally pass.  He repeated the truth that car care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that "it concerns more than material things."  "What we face," he wrote, "is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."

I've thought about that phrase quite a bit in recent days -- the character of our country.  One of the unique and wonderful things about America has always been our self-reliance, our rugged individualism, our fierce defense of freedom and our healthy skepticism of government.  And figuring out the appropriate size and role of government has always been a source of rigorous and, yes, sometimes angry debate.  That's our history.  

For some of Ted Kennedy's critics, his liberalism with booze, women, and cars represented an affront to American liberty.  In their minds, his passion for universal automobile collision insurance was nothing more than a passion for big government.

But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here -- people of both parties -- know that what drove him was something more.  His friend John McCain knows that.  They worked together on a Health Insurance Companies' Bill of Rights. 

On issues like these, Ted Kennedy's passion was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience.  It was the experience of Chappaquiddick.  He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any drunk driver feels when he kills a woman and totals his car.  And he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance, what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent, at least there is a way to repair the car, but I just can't afford it.

That large-heartedness -- that concern and regard for the plight of others -- is not a partisan feeling.  It's not a Republican or a Democratic feeling.  It, too, is part of the American character -- our ability to stand in other people's shoes; a recognition that we are all in this together, and when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand; a belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgment that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise.

This has always been the history of our progress.  In 1935, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism, but the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it.  In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of health care, members of Congress -- Democrats and Republicans -- did not back down.  And just a few years ago, when Obamacare was passed, so, as Nancy Pelosi said, we could actually know what is in it.  Your elected leaders joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind. 

You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem.  They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom.  But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, the vulnerable can be exploited.  And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter -- that at that point we don't merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges.  We lose something essential about ourselves.

That was true then.  It remains true today.  I understand how difficult this car care debate has been.  I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them.  I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road -- to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.

But that is not what the moment calls for.  That's not what we came here to do.  We did not come to fear the future.  We came here to shape it.  I still believe we can act even when it's hard.  (Applause.)  I still believe -- I still believe that we can act when it's hard.  I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress.  I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.

Because that's who we are.  That is our calling.  That is our character.  Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

 

________________________________________________

^No, our President didn't actually say all of this.  This is satire.

________________________________________________

However, if he ever does say something like this, then I am definitely getting long auto insurers:

BRK.A    Berkshire Hathawa...   
ZURVY    Zurich Insurance ...   
PRU    Prudential Financ...   
TRV    Travelers Compani...   
ALL    Allstate Corp   
PGR    Progressive Corp Reported by Zero Hedge 23 hours ago.

Retailers Are Desperate To Get Cash-Strapped Americans To Spend This Holiday

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Retailers Are Desperate To Get Cash-Strapped Americans To Spend This Holiday Retailers are aggressively marking down merchandise in a bid to get customers this holiday. 

Major brands like Wal-Mart are offering far more bargains and promotions online this year than last, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank. 

Compared with last year, prices are 12% lower at Wal-Mart, 9.7% lower at Amazon, and 3.5% lower at Target, the firm reports. 

The increased promotions could be a sign that consumers aren't shopping as much. 

Black Friday sales plummeted this year, leaving retailers completely stumped. 

After weeks of declining gas prices, many analysts predicted the biggest holiday season ever. Industry groups like the National Retail Federation reasoned that Americans would use their fuel savings on gifts. 

Despite encouraging forecasts, Black Friday weekend sales were down 11%. Cyber Monday sales rose 8%, falling short of many predictions.

Many analysts and executives have speculated that Americans are too worried about money to spend on gifts. 

Macy's CFO Karen Hoguet told analysts that consumers had priorities other than clothing and housewares. 

"Shoppers are spending more of their disposable dollars on categories we don’t sell, like cars, healthcare, electronics, and home improvement," Hoguet said in a call with investors.

The stores that did remarkably well on Black Friday, like Family Dollar and Kohl's, are all deep discounters, according to another Deutsche Bank report. 

The success of discount retailers shows that Americans are more concerned about spending money than ever. 

Wal-Mart, however, provided few details about results from the weekend, a possible sign of bad news, the Deutsche Bank analysts wrote.

Many Americans are watching their spending despite lower gas prices, writes Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Sterne Agee. 

"Consumers are increasingly familiar with energy price reprieve from summer gas prices and no longer adjust their long-term spending habits as much, or at all, based on short-term price fluctuations," Piegza writes. 

And while gas prices are lower, the benefit is offset by higher housing and utility costs, according to Piegza. 

Health insurance premiums have increased between 39% and 56% since early 2013, meaning additional costs of $230 per month for the average family. 

The lackluster job market is also contributing to poor holiday sales, Piegza writes. 

"With uncertainty lingering and patience wearing thin after five-plus years of still lackluster wage growth, consumers are increasing saving for the future, hedging against a continuation of 'more of the same,'"Piegza said. "Thus, for many, extra savings at the pump as a result of lower gas prices are simply being stored away to help supplement spending needs in the future, ramping up savings, not spending."

*SEE ALSO: Why You Should Never Go Into A Store With A 70% Off Sign*

*Follow Us: On Facebook.*

Join the conversation about this story » Reported by Business Insider 22 hours ago.

Cast & Crew Entertainment Services Says New Open Health Insurance Offering Generated Strong First-Month Reception From Entertainment Industry

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BURBANK, Calif., Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cast & Crew Entertainment Services, which provides payroll and production accounting services to the entertainment industry, today announced that Cast & Crew Open Health (the "Plan") (www.cc-openhealth.com), a unique Affordable Care... Reported by PR Newswire 20 hours ago.

Stronger Patient Protections Are Around the Corner

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Since the federal health insurance exchange opened in November for people to enroll in 2015 plans, nearly 1 million Americans have signed up for coverage.

One of the most laudable goals of the Affordable Care Act is to end discrimination against people with chronic diseases and disabilities that has long plagued our health care system. However, many of the health plans sold through the exchanges continue to discriminate by providing inadequate information about coverage and imposing serious barriers to care.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed a new rule that will toughen the standards for health plans sold through the insurance marketplace. This rule would make health plan information more transparent, improve access to needed medications, and reduce barriers to accessing health care. It's a good start, but regulators need to strengthen their proposal.

When people shop for health plans in the exchange they are frequently frustrated by the lack of easy-to-find and easy-to-use information. It is often difficult to access details about which medications are covered and whether a preferred doctor or hospital is in-network.

Under the proposed rule, insurance companies would have to make such critical information more transparent. The companies would be required to create websites to easily share up-to-date provider network details and a complete, accurate drug formulary.

This is a smart move. CMS is also considering going one step further by requiring the use of a standard template for provider networks and formularies, including requiring that the template be in a machine-readable format to ease creation of consumer tools. This uniform formatting will make it possible for people to compare details across the growing number of health plans being sold through the exchanges.

Another obstacle enrollees currently face is accessing affordable medications. Insurance providers often design a plan's drug formulary so that specialty prescription drugs used by people with complex health conditions fall into the highest cost-sharing level. Notably, in the 2015 exchange market there is an increased incidence of plans charging coinsurance greater than 30 percent for specialty medications when compared to the 2014 plan year. Specifically, the use of coinsurance greater than 30 percent has increased from 27 percent of Silver plans in 2014 to 41 percent in 2015.

The proposed rule encourages states to update their guidelines for determining whether exchange plans offer adequate, affordable coverage, and it requires the Department of Health and Human Services to review these changes.

The new rule also would prohibit insurers from changing their formularies mid-year -- a practice that too often deprives people with chronic conditions of the drug coverage they selected when they first signed up for an insurance plan.

Finally, the CMS proposed rule addresses the barriers patients come up against when switching health plans. People with chronic conditions face both health quality and cost consequences when they are unable to continue their treatment routine while they scramble to find a provider covered by a new plan or to get a prior prescription refilled.

For these patients, the proposed rule provides for "transition care" by suggesting that new insurers cover access to the patient's providers for the first 30 days under the new plan and a one-month supply of medications regardless of whether the drugs are on the plan's formulary. Regulators should make this protection a requirement, not merely a suggestion, and consider covering 90 days' worth of transition refills.

While overuse of costly services benefits no one, policymakers should ban cost-sharing arrangements that impede appropriate health seeking behaviors, especially for people with chronic conditions.

In proposing these and other important changes to the insurance marketplace, the Administration has shown its commitment to the principle of non-discrimination, which is at the heart of the Affordable Care Act. Finalizing the new rule would be an important step toward a health care system in which people with chronic conditions no longer have to sacrifice their well-being to avoid high health care costs. Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.

Study finds Minnesota's priciest health providers

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Which health provider Minnesotans choose to visit can have a big impact on the total cost of their medical care, according to a study released Thursday by nonprofit Minnesota Community Measurement. The study analyzed 115 primary care providers using health insurance claims data covering 1.5 million patients. The organization found notable differences in cost between providers. At the lowest end was Moorhead-based Seven Day Clinic, with a monthly cost of $269. At the high end was Rochester-based… Reported by bizjournals 20 hours ago.

Ebola Crisis Underscores Failures of ACA 'Market-Driven' Insurance, the Need for Medicare-for-All

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Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, retiring Democratic Senator Tom Harkin has expressed regret that Democrats failed to take advantage of their congressional majority at the beginning of President Obama's first term to pass a simplified, less costly and more efficient government single-payer model of health insurance. A co-author of the Affordable Care Act, Sen. Harkin says political pressure yielded an inferior, complex model of health care that continues to extensively reward profit-taking insurance companies.
*Affordable Care Act: "Free-Market" Prescription for Decreasing Coverage, Increasing Costs*

More than anything, the Public Health crisis of the Ebola virus demonstrates the need for a universal model of health care that covers the health needs of all. Failure to provide needed health care to some quickly jeopardizes the health of all. Past president of the American Public Health Association, Dr. Walter Tsou observes, "One out of every seven Americans are uninsured and the Affordable Care Act specifically exempts immigrants from obtaining insurance." Those who cannot access health care when they feel sick are at risk of health care crises, even as they place others at risk.

An Ebola-like crisis accentuates the fragmented piecemeal nature of U.S. health coverage and access. Americans are stuck between a rock and a hard place -- some forced to buy insurance that they are unable to use because they cannot afford high deductibles and copays.

More Democrats may yet consider in retrospect that it would have been an all-around better idea to place everyone in a Medicare model of health care. Designed around a government mandate to purchase private insurance, Robert Kuttner writes, the ACA has too many moving parts. ACA reform introduces added extra levels of administration to an existing administratively complex "free market" model of health coverage.

The model for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was conceived in the Republican think tank Heritage Foundation, and first became the foundation for Massachusetts RomneyCare. Kuttner writes that the ACA represents the inefficiency of "public-private partnerships" at its worst -- a "public subsidy for the private insurance industry." It has been reported that under current reform taxpayers will subsidize commercial health insurance coverage to the tune of approximately $1 trillion over the first decade. Even though it carries some "Democratic" flourishes, e.g., no denial for pre-existing conditions, the plan remains "free-market" health care -- elevating insurance and shareholder profits above individual health care access. Far from a true public program, the ACA is nevertheless cited by Republicans to discredit government.

Coverage remains unstable under the ACA. The fact that reform was built around the two touchstones of for-profit multi-payer insurance and employer-provided health coverage foreshadowed complications and cost-shifting to the insured from the start. Underinsurance is increasingly the norm for many, even as the insurance bottom line is subsidized by taxpayers. Providers like Community Health Centers pick up the cost of uncompensated care for those who can't afford more than a bronze plan (60 percent actuarial value). Such plans carry high deductibles, unaffordable to many, and may discourage the insured from seeking care at all, or delay health care until serious illness develops. Bronze plans, with the lowest premiums, reportedly carry a deductible cost of just under $5,000, to be met every year.

Adding new levels of administration and means testing to existing administrative complexities, state and federal exchanges must take into account changing income status and definitions of poverty level. It is reported that exchanges must quickly analyze more than 900,000 variables that affect plan selection in order to match the individual needs of any participant. The insured who miscalculate their income and receive too much in subsidies must pay back the difference, which may be subtracted from tax returns. Providers and carriers will enter and leave networks, necessitating change of plans for some.

*Cost-Shifting to Individuals by Insurers and Employers*

Uncertainties underlie the profit-centered health system that practices cost-cutting by transferring costs to the insured, limiting benefits, restricting and changing formularies, raising deductibles, and limiting the size of provider networks that change unpredictably, as doctors may exit a network midyear. Overall health care access is limited, and access to specialists restricted. Some plans won't pay at all for out-of-network care, except in emergencies. Furthermore, out-of-network care under the ACA doesn't count toward an individual's annual cap on out-of-pocket costs, in effect resulting in theoretically unlimited costs to the insured for a specialist's care. The recipient of emergency care is in no position to question whether any of the attending providers are out-of-network.

The promise of keeping one's work-related insurance seems less and less a good deal, as Fortune 500 employers utilize evermore cost-cutting maneuvers. Increasingly, employers shift costs to employees using "cost-sharing" elements like high deductibles, copays and coinsurance; reducing provider choice through narrower networks; and switching from defined benefit to defined contribution plans. Tactics include moving to so-called "consumer-directed" plans that increase employee deductibles; also, shifting retirees out of their plans, reducing hours for part-time employees in order to avoid ACA penalties, and limiting numbers of full-time employee hires while increasing part-time workers. Because the ACA does not require employers to provide health coverage for employees working less than 30 hours per week, many employers have adjusted hours to avoid having to include part-time employees in their health plans. Previously cutting off health coverage at 24 hours a week, Walmart changed part-timers to 30 hours, permitting them to get more hours out of their employees without providing health benefits. The University of Colorado at Boulder decided to limit student employee hours to 25 a week, an effort to avoid the 30-hour requirement for coverage.

Dr. Don McCanne concludes from this Health Affairs article that current inequities and injustices will expand under reform, with perpetuation of the two-tiered nature of "lousy plans for small employers and slightly better but mediocre plans for large employers."

*Decreased Benefits*

Over 300 patient advocates detailed shortcomings of the first-year of the the ACA marketplace in a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell. Cited were "discriminatory benefit designs that limit access, such as restrictive formularies and inadequate provider networks; high cost-sharing; and lack of plan transparency or an interactive web tool to match an individual's prescriptions and provider needs with an appropriate plan.

Furthermore, there is no requirement for plans to cover new medications with formulary changes during a plan year that causes a patient to lose access to medication, as long as a plan continues to meet a state's benchmark requirements.

Many medications, including generics, are placed on the highest cost tier, subjecting Marketplace enrollees to the undue burden of 30-50 percent co-insurance payments per prescription. Some plans impose high deductibles for prescription medications and high cost-sharing for access to specialists, said to be highly discriminatory and to place a particularly heavy burden on those with chronic health conditions. Reference pricing is another gimmick that works well only for those with short-term illnesses.

"Free-market" economists with an ideological preference for market solutions vs. more effective government solutions, assert that narrow provider networks are a "good tool" for competition and cost containment, even though they are disruptive and limit choice of provider and access to quality care, while forcing the insured to spend more to go out-of-network, or to change networks, as providers move in and out. Narrow networks by nature advance two-tier health care that places the low-income at a disadvantage.

Dr. McCanne observes that the only alternatives that "free market" economists can conceive of are to raise taxes to pay for private insurance subsidies, or to limit the number of uninsured that may be enrolled. They reject broader health care access, saying it "would spell the end of market-based health reform" -- a revealing statement of priorities and values. Inadequacy of market competition that requires resort to perverse narrow networks calls into question the value of market competition for controlling costs.

McCanne notes that private insurers continue to game the system, circumventing health reform's requirements for essential health benefits and actuarial values to avoid enrolling those with greater health care needs. Despite efforts to regulate commercial insurances, says McCanne, "they will always use the marketplace tool of innovation in order to advantage themselves over patients."

"Free-market" commercial insurances do not control costs or guarantee needed coverage. Gallup reports: "The percentage of Americans with private health insurance who report putting off medical treatment because of cost has increased from 25 percent in 2013 to 34 percent in 2014." Despite an increase in numbers of Americans who have acquired insurance, there is also an increase in the percentage who say they have put off needed medical treatment because of cost.

*Costly vs. Sustainable Health Care Financing*

A multitude of private and public plans applied to continually evolving personal circumstances is the most inefficient model of health care financing, resulting in wasteful administrative efficiencies, writes McCanne.

The sector of health care financing that the Affordable Care Act was designed to protect is employer-sponsored coverage, assuming this sector was functioning well. However, the 2014 Aflac Work Forces Report demonstrates that these health plans are failing to provide financial security to employees.

A well-functioning health care system, McCanne says, should make all appropriate health care accessible to everyone. Paying for the system should not lead to financial insecurity. Whereas, other national health systems that depend on government-administered pricing provide care for everyone at an average of half of what the U.S. spends per capita, such effective cost containment occurs without resort to ideological "market-based" reform. He holds as the gold standard of health care access and financing the Single Payer national health care model, including first-dollar coverage and progressive financing. It is the only model that can save money and provide universal coverage and protection from medical bankruptcy, as well as full access to providers.

Kuttner concurs: "Medicare-for-All would be simpler to execute, easier to understand, and harder for Republicans to oppose." And it could be done in increments -- first incorporate those over 55, then those over 45, etc., until everyone is covered.

Instead of moving toward a Medicare-for-All model, McCanne points to the push by corporations of the Medical Industrial Complex, in complicity with Washington Republicans and neoliberal Democrats, to privatize the major public programs of health care financing -- Medicare and Medicaid. Washington has legislated to displace traditional Medicare by deliberately funding more costly privatized Medicare Advantage plans well in excess of traditional Medicare. Prescription drug reform in 2003 denied negotiation of bulk drug rates while subsidizing the pharmaceutical industry to the tune of billions of dollars. The Government Accounting Office (GAO) has revealed that Health and Human Services has permitted manipulation of Section 1115 Medicaid waiver process to allow states to transfer Medicaid patients to more costly private health plans.

It is a mark of Democratic Party capitulation to neoliberal/Republican corporate goals that Democratic leadership at this point has abandoned attempts to make the "best case" for health care reform. The political trajectory in Washington has been to privatize and maintain a for-profit system of health care finance and delivery, instead of moving to the more comprehensive, cost-effective model of public financing for private or public health care delivery.

Previously posted at www.Truth-out.org Reported by Huffington Post 19 hours ago.

Aetna rate hike excessive, California insurance commissioner says

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Health insurance giant Aetna Inc. is imposing excessive rate hikes on more than 5,000 small employers, according to California's insurance commissioner. Reported by L.A. Times 17 hours ago.

Most LI hospitals to accept 5 of 9 health exchange plans; Stony Brook stays with just 1

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For the second year, Stony Brook University Hospital is taking only one health insurance plan on New York's health insurance exchange. Reported by Newsday 14 hours ago.

Consumer Guide and Scorecard Rates Health Plans for Addiction Treatment Coverage

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The California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) releases a guide to evaluate insurance coverage for substance use disorder as offered by Covered California, the health insurance marketplace in California.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) December 19, 2014

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals can no longer be denied health insurance coverage for having a pre-existing condition like addiction. Additionally, the ACA establishes Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health treatment among the 10 Essential Benefits that newly sold health insurance plans must cover. With the advent of this new health care legislation, the California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) saw the opportunity to educate consumers shopping for healthcare plans about where to find the best addiction treatment coverage.

To achieve that end and to coincide with the current Covered California open-enrollment period, CSAM has just released a report entitled “Consumer Guide and Scorecard for Health Insurance Coverage in California for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health.” Reviewed by an expert panel of CSAM member physicians, the Guide and Scorecard rates the quality of and access to addiction care available through Covered California.

Utilizing the largest consumer tools available–the Covered California website, the 2014 bronze-level insurance plans from Covered California providers, and searchable, online information including websites and drug formularies, CSAM reviewed 16 plans from 10 insurance companies. “By sharing what we know about addiction treatment and have learned about current health care services in California, we hope to demystify addiction treatment and make the process of selecting an appropriate health insurance plan less daunting,” said David Kan, MD, a CSAM member and editor of the guide.

Although all Covered California plans now cover Substance Use Disorder and there is some degree of standardization in pricing policies, the report identifies several areas such as methadone treatment and pharmacy benefits, where there are significant differences among plans. Additionally, the report notes that plans with both higher and lower scores have distinct areas of strengths and weaknesses.

In addition to the scorecard, the report covers basics such as what you need to know about addiction treatment, information on coverage costs, and how to learn more.

“This guide is intended to be a living document, which will be updated periodically to reflect policy changes. While this is not a substitute for personally reviewing plan coverage, we hope consumers will find this guide a helpful starting point before making this important choice,” stated Kerry Parker, Executive Director, CSAM.

For more information or to request copies of the guide, visit: http://www.csam-asam.org

About CSAM: The California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) is a professional society representing physicians dedicated to increasing access and improving the quality of addiction treatment, educating physicians and the public, supporting research and prevention, and promoting the appropriate role of physicians in the care of patients with addictions. CSAM is a state chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). Reported by PRWeb 7 hours ago.

HUFFPOLLSTER: Most New Yorkers Disagree With Eric Garner Decision

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A majority of New York State thinks the police officer should have been charged in the Eric Garner case. Most Americans support ACA’s employer mandate. And Americans are still mostly gloomy about the economy, but pessimism about government dysfunction has narrowed slightly. This is HuffPollster for Friday, December 19, 2014.

*NEW YORKERS SAY GARNER GRAND JURY WAS WRONG* - Siena College: "By an almost two-to-one [50 to 30 percent] margin, New Yorkers believe that the Staten Island grand jury was wrong to not have brought charges against the police officer in the death of Eric Garner, with significant partisan, geographic and racial differences. With similar partisan, regional and racial differences, *voters say 50-36 percent that the Federal government should bring civil rights charges against the officer and that New York's criminal justice system does not treat people of color fairly (52-35 percent)*. There is strong support, 58-33 percent, for giving the State Attorney General the power to investigate and prosecute cases where unarmed civilians are killed by police officers, rather than remaining within the current jurisdiction of local district attorneys, according to a new Siena College poll of New York State registered voters released today...While Democrats, voters from New York City, blacks and voters under 35 overwhelmingly say charges should have been brought, Republicans say two-to-one the grand jury was correct to not indict. And pluralities or smaller majorities of downstate suburbanites, upstaters, whites and voters over 55 say charges should have been brought." [Siena]

*MOST SUPPORT EMPLOYER MANDATE* - Kaiser Family Foundation: "Weeks before the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate takes effect in January, a new Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds that *six in 10 Americans (60%) say they have a favorable view of the provision*, which in 2015 requires employers with 100 or more full time workers to offer health coverage or pay a penalty. In comparison, 38 percent say they have an unfavorable view. But opinions on the employer mandate aren’t necessarily fixed. The share with a favorable view rises from 60 to 76 percent after opponents are told that 'most employers with 100 or more workers already offer health insurance and won’t have to pay the fine.' In contrast, the share with an unfavorable opinion rises from 38 to 68 percent after supporters are told that 'some employers are moving some workers from full time to part time to avoid paying the fine.'" [Kaiser news, KFF results]

*Views are ‘malleable’* - The latest Kaiser tracking poll found that opinions on both the employer and individual mandates are “malleable.” On the individual mandate, when hearing that ““most Americans still get coverage through their employers or a public insurance program and so automatically satisfy the requirement without having to buy any new insurance,” support jumps from 35 to 62 percent. Jonathan Bernstein: “What this tells us is that we should approach claims about public opinion and health care reform with caution. Saying ‘Obamacare polls badly’ or ‘the individual provisions of the ACA other than the individual mandate poll well’ isn't the same as saying ‘Obamacare is unpopular’ or ‘the Obamacare subsidies and Medicaid expansion are popular.’ *It's likely, though still not certain, that most people just don’t have opinions about either the program or its various parts*. That’s normal; most of us don’t bother to form real opinions about many things, even though we are willing to answer polling questions.” [Bloomberg]

*MORE THAN HALF STILL GLOOMY ON ECONOMY* - GWU: “Americans continue to hold strong negative views about the state of the economy and a grim outlook for the next generation’s financial prospects, according to a new George Washington University Battleground Poll. Americans are uncertain about the direction of the economy: 77 percent of poll respondents are at least somewhat worried about current economic conditions. The nationwide poll of registered voters also found that 31 percent of respondents think the economy is getting worse and another 25 percent say that the economy is poor and staying the same. *Just 11 percent say the economy is good and staying the same and 30 percent believe the economy is getting better*….The poll, conducted in partnership with The Tarrance Group and Lake Research Partners, also found Americans are conflicted about the role of the government in assisting its citizens. A majority is open to expanding the role of government, with 52 percent saying the government should do more to solve problems and help meet the needs of people. However, 48 percent of the public said that the federal government should get out of the way of the free market to help people succeed.” [GWU]

*Economic talk is gloomy* - Kathy Frankovic: “It has been more than six years since the financial crisis of 2008, and although the job market and the economy have both made great strides since then, the American public remains jittery and unsure that things are really back to normal. And the most recent Economist/YouGov polls point out American worry about the future and continued anger at Wall Street. Just over half the public recognizes that the jobless rate is now lower than when President Obama took office in 2009, just a few months after the September 2008 financial crisis. But *only 35% can put the current unemployment rate below 6%, where it is today*. And only one in four knows that there are more jobs today that immediately before the Great Recession began. So when Americans talk about the economy with their friends and family, they are still more likely to say and hear bad news than good news.” [YouGov]

*AMERICANS NOW THINK GOVERNMENT IS SLIGHTLY LESS DYSFUNCTIONAL* - Dana Blanton: “Uncle Sam’s performance doesn’t stink as much this year, according to the latest Fox News poll. While most American voters say the federal government is ‘broken’ -- they’re more charitable this year than last. *About two-thirds -- 65 percent -- still say it’s broken, but that’s down from a high of 71 percent in December 2013*. Some 58 percent of voters felt that way in December 2010, the first time the question was asked. The new poll, released Thursday, shows 29 percent say the government is working ‘just okay.’ Only five percent of voters describe it as working ‘pretty well.’” [Fox]

*HUFFPOLLSTER VIA EMAIL!* - You can receive this daily update every weekday morning via email! Just click here, enter your email address, and click "sign up." That's all there is to it (and you can unsubscribe anytime).

*FRIDAY'S 'OUTLIERS'* - Links to the best of news at the intersection of polling, politics and political data:

-Non-whites have lower ratings of U.S. police honesty. [Gallup]

-In the midst of a production boom, Americans show little change in their views of energy policy. [Pew Research]

-A Reuters/Ipsos poll from October showed support for restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba. [Reuters, Ipsos]

-Lynn Vavreck reports on the academic study that showed how canvassing by gay supporters of same sex marriage changed opinions durably. [NYT]

-Gregory Weeks and John Weeks review the political demography of U.S.-Cuba relations. [WashPost]

-Nathan Yau picks his favorite data visualization projects of 2014. [Flowing Data] Reported by Huffington Post 3 hours ago.
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