Helena Gudger is the type of person health insurance companies need on the books as the federal Affordable Care Act begins to...
Reported by Deseret News 19 hours ago.
Costs worry woman, 26, who wants health insurance
↧
↧
Lawmakers question security of health insurance hub days from launch
Less than three weeks before a massive U.S. government health information database is scheduled to go live, some lawmakers have significant concerns about the ability of the system to protect personal health records and other private information.
It's unclear if security measures are in place at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' health exchange data hub, a huge IT system that will process uninsured U.S. residents' applications for health insurance, said Representative Patrick Meehan, a Pennsylvania Republican.
"I have grave concerns from a cybersecurity standpoint," Meehan said on Wednesday during a hearing of the cybersecurity subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.
The data hub, scheduled to go live Oct. 1, will process names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health conditions and several other pieces of personal information, Meehan said.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here Reported by PC World 17 hours ago.
It's unclear if security measures are in place at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' health exchange data hub, a huge IT system that will process uninsured U.S. residents' applications for health insurance, said Representative Patrick Meehan, a Pennsylvania Republican.
"I have grave concerns from a cybersecurity standpoint," Meehan said on Wednesday during a hearing of the cybersecurity subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.
The data hub, scheduled to go live Oct. 1, will process names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health conditions and several other pieces of personal information, Meehan said.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here Reported by PC World 17 hours ago.
↧
Employers get an extra year to provide health insurance
The Obama administration has offered a one-year break to employers who were supposed to start offering health insurance to their workers next year.
Reported by msnbc.com 17 hours ago.
↧
Pacific Prime Clients in Southeast Asia to See Improved Care with Booming Health Insurance Industry
The analysts at Pacific Prime have weighed in on a recent study that predicts the Southeast Asia health insurance industry will grow to US$ 24 Billion by 2020.
(PRWEB) September 12, 2013
A recent study from Roland Berger Strategy Consultants predicts that the health insurance industry in Southeast Asia will grow to US$24 billion by 2020 – four times the estimated $6 billion value back in 2010 – at a compound annual growth rate of 15%. Pacific Prime analysts have weighed in on the study, stating that clients are likely to benefit from the growth in the sector as competition brings new and improved health care options, although customers will also be faced with an increasingly complicated buying process with more options on the market.
“The good news is that with growth comes competition, meaning that services will improve and there will be new and better options for clients to choose from,” said Owen Ryan, CCO at Pacific Prime.
“The downside is that while the increase of high net worth citizens means that more first-class medical treatments will become available, it also means that premiums will increase as well," Ryan added. Healthcare premiums are growing faster in Southeast Asia than anywhere else in the world, with many hospitals in SE Asia already displaying higher treatment costs than comparable US facilities.
The health insurance industry in Singapore, in particular, is expected to increase fourfold by 2020, reaching a value of $6.8 billion. Ryan explained that Singapore saw the highest levels of health insurance premium inflation over the last twelve months out of any country in Southeast Asia, and it is projected that an average person's annual spending on healthcare in Singapore will increase by more than 80% to $3,232 in 2020.
“However, there will be eventually be more cost-effective insurance plans on the market to balance this, which is good,” Ryan continued. In Southeast Asia, group corporate policies – including the upper-end of SMEs, large domestic corporates, and multinationals – are expected to increase in market share from 20-25% in 2010 to 35-45% by 2020.
An increase in available options for clients also means a more complex process for choosing a plan however. “It does complicate the process of choosing a plan,” Ryan added. “Clients will soon be faced with a lot more options in front of them with different levels of cover to choose from.”
To read more, visit http://www.pacificprime.com/resources/news/2013/09/11/southeast-asia-industry-projections/. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
(PRWEB) September 12, 2013
A recent study from Roland Berger Strategy Consultants predicts that the health insurance industry in Southeast Asia will grow to US$24 billion by 2020 – four times the estimated $6 billion value back in 2010 – at a compound annual growth rate of 15%. Pacific Prime analysts have weighed in on the study, stating that clients are likely to benefit from the growth in the sector as competition brings new and improved health care options, although customers will also be faced with an increasingly complicated buying process with more options on the market.
“The good news is that with growth comes competition, meaning that services will improve and there will be new and better options for clients to choose from,” said Owen Ryan, CCO at Pacific Prime.
“The downside is that while the increase of high net worth citizens means that more first-class medical treatments will become available, it also means that premiums will increase as well," Ryan added. Healthcare premiums are growing faster in Southeast Asia than anywhere else in the world, with many hospitals in SE Asia already displaying higher treatment costs than comparable US facilities.
The health insurance industry in Singapore, in particular, is expected to increase fourfold by 2020, reaching a value of $6.8 billion. Ryan explained that Singapore saw the highest levels of health insurance premium inflation over the last twelve months out of any country in Southeast Asia, and it is projected that an average person's annual spending on healthcare in Singapore will increase by more than 80% to $3,232 in 2020.
“However, there will be eventually be more cost-effective insurance plans on the market to balance this, which is good,” Ryan continued. In Southeast Asia, group corporate policies – including the upper-end of SMEs, large domestic corporates, and multinationals – are expected to increase in market share from 20-25% in 2010 to 35-45% by 2020.
An increase in available options for clients also means a more complex process for choosing a plan however. “It does complicate the process of choosing a plan,” Ryan added. “Clients will soon be faced with a lot more options in front of them with different levels of cover to choose from.”
To read more, visit http://www.pacificprime.com/resources/news/2013/09/11/southeast-asia-industry-projections/. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.
↧
Detroit may end health care coverage for retirees under 65, replace it with $125 monthly stipends
Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr is considering a plan to replace current health care benefits for retirees under 65 with a stipend of $125 a month to buy coverage beginning next month from the state's new health insurance exchange, city officials said on Wednesday.
Reported by Freep 8 hours ago.
↧
↧
Trader Joe's cutting health insurance for part-timers
Trader Joe's appears to the latest large company to cut back health care benefits now that the Affordable Care Act is coming to fruition. The Portland Business Journal reports that the grocer, which has eight stores in the Phoenix area, is about to cut health care benefits for part-time workers. Get the full story here.
Reported by bizjournals 10 hours ago.
↧
Health insurance for smokers: the price for lighting up
By now, you may have noticed that individual health insurance rates are considerably more more expensive if you’re a smoker. But just how much more? The state’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner says companies are allowed to set smokers’ health- insurance rates as much as 5
Reported by Seattle Times 9 hours ago.
↧
Key dates in Obama health care overhaul law
March 29, 2010 —Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the health insurance industry reach a deal to fix the first glitch emerging from the complex legislation: vague language that compromised a guarantee that children with pre-existing medical conditions could get coverage right away. Fall 2010 — During open enrollment, most health insurance plans begin offering coverage to young adults up to age 26 on a parent's policy. Jan. 19, 2011 — The Republican-led House votes to repeal "Obamacare," but the drive falters in the Senate, where Democrats retain a majority. [...] the House has repeatedly voted to repeal, defund or in some way scale back the law. June 21, 2011 — The Obama administration says it will look for fixes to another glitch, a twist that would have let several million middle-class people receiving Social Security payments get nearly free insurance meant for the poor. Summer 2011 — Seniors hitting Medicare's prescription drug coverage gap start getting a 50 percent discount on brand name medications, part of the health care law's gradual closing of the "doughnut hole." Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, whose state health law was seen as a model for Obama's, says he'd sign an executive order on Day One of his presidency granting a waiver to all 50 states. Summer 2012 — Employers and consumers receive more than $1 billion in rebates from their insurers, which are required under the ACA to spend at least 80 cents of every premium dollar on medical expenses and quality improvement, or refund the difference. April 30, 2013 — Obama administration unveils simplified forms consumers will use to apply for health insurance and financial assistance to pay their premiums.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 7 hours ago.
↧
Haves and have-nots as health care markets open
WASHINGTON (AP) — Having health insurance used to hinge on where you worked and what your medical history said. Entrenched political divisions over "Obamacare," have driven most Republican-led states to turn their backs on the biggest expansion of the social safety net in a half century. If you're uninsured in a state that's opposed, you may not get much help picking the right private health plan for your budget and your family's needs. Health insurance marketplaces in every state will provide options for millions of people who don't have job-based coverage, who can't afford their own plan or have a health problem that would get them turned down. Because of her pre-existing conditions, Fontenot would have a tough time finding affordable individual coverage today. [...] the government will provide sliding-scale tax credits that can make premiums more affordable for households earning between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty line. After the government verifies her identity, legal residence and income, Fontenot would be able to take her tax credit and use it to pick an insurance plan. [...] with instant feedback via social media, reviews by people switching from existing individual plans could define early consumer sentiment. Procrastinate beyond Mar. 31, and you'll have to wait until the next open enrollment period in Oct. 2014, unless you have a life-changing event like job loss, divorce or the birth of a child. Former Medicare chief Mark McClellan, who oversaw the rollout of seniors' prescription drug benefits for Republican President George W. Bush, says his advice is not to sign up right away, but not to wait too long either. Current low-cost individual market policies are difficult to compare with the new plans, which offer better financial protection and broader benefits. [...] after years of polemic debate and a Supreme Court decision — and even as congressional Republicans keep trying to repeal it — "Obamacare" will finally be in the hands of American consumers.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 7 hours ago.
↧
↧
Applying for health insurance? Homework involved
WASHINGTON (AP) — Getting covered through President Barack Obama's health care law might feel like a combination of doing your taxes and making a big purchase that requires research. The process involves federal agencies verifying your identity, citizenship and income, and you have to sign that you are providing truthful information, subject to perjury laws. [...] even if the process triggers some anxiety, it's not the government poking in your medical records, as "Obamacare" foes have suggested. After state health insurance markets open Oct. 1, consumers can apply online, via a call center, in person or by mail. — Provide current information on income, jobs and any available health insurance options. Many people, ranging from lower-income workers to the solid middle class, will qualify for tax credits to help buy a private plan through the state markets. The government will send money directly to your insurer, and you'll make arrangements to pay any remaining premium. Plans at every "metal level" cover the same benefits and have a cap of $6,350 a year in out-of-pocket expenses for an individual, $12,700 for families. Young adults up to age 30 can pick a skinny "catastrophic" plan — but you can't use your tax credit on a catastrophic plan. Richard Onizuka, director of the Washington state market, says picking a plan could be the most difficult step.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 7 hours ago.
↧
ABCs of Obamacare: a glossary for consumers
Employer mandate — A federal requirement that companies with 50 or more workers pay a penalty to the government if one of their workers obtains taxpayer subsidized coverage through the law. Individual mandate — A federal requirement that virtually everyone in the United States has health insurance, either through an employer, a government program or by buying his own plan. Essential health benefits — Basic health benefits that most health insurance plans will have to cover starting in 2014. Marketplaces — Online health insurance markets in each state where consumers can get private health insurance, subsidized by the government. The Obama administration is taking the lead in 35 states, in some cases partnering with the state government. Medicaid expansion — The health care law also expands the federal-state safety-net program to cover more low-income people. Medicaid is expected to account for about half the 25 million uninsured people who, the Congressional Budget Office estimates, eventually will gain coverage through the law. Tax credits — Government health insurance subsidies for individuals will come in the form of tax credits.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 7 hours ago.
↧
Cameron Bay, Porn Performer With HIV, Recalls Disturbing Experiences On Set, Where Condoms Weren't Used (EXCLUSIVE)
Owning nothing but a backpack full of clothes, Cameron Bay started working as an escort a year ago, hoping to rebuild her life. A few months ago, she performed in her first-ever porn scene -- an orgy with 10 people. After just nine more scenes, she discovered she has HIV. Nobody's sure where or when she contracted it.
During her scenes, none of the male performers she had sex with ever used a condom, she said. One female performer told her, "Don't even bring it up because they have somebody waiting to replace you."
"I learned that there's always someone younger and sexier, willing to do something you're not. It's a dog-eat-dog world," Bay said in an exclusive interview with The Huffington Post. "I think we need more choices because of that. Condoms should be a choice."
Last November, LA voters passed a measure mandating condom use in porn, despite a large, coordinated campaign against it by the porn industry. But since then, industry insiders say there has been no enforcement of the new law.
After having sex with five men in her first porn scene, Bay got a kidney infection and was sick for weeks (photo). She shot all but one of her scenes in LA for Hustler, Zero Tolerance and 21st Sextury. The only scene not shot in LA was her last scene, shot on July 31 for Kink.com in San Francisco, where the company is based. It's also the only time she shot BDSM (Bondage, Domination, Sadism and Masochism) and anal sex.
Bay was told that condoms were optional on that final shoot. She told people on set that she would leave the choice up to her male scene partner. Bay said to HuffPost she didn't think she needed to ask for a condom because her male co-star had a clean STD test. Kink.com confirmed to HuffPost that Bay was offered a condom but it was not used.
During the scene, a male extra hit Bay too hard on set and badly injured her left-breast tissue. Kink.com paid for her hospital visit through workers compensation, and her doctor ordered her not to work for two weeks so that her breast could recover, Bay said. The surgery she needs on her breast, which is artificially enlarged, has now been postponed -- possibly permanently -- because she has HIV.
Kink.com confirmed to HuffPost that performers' injuries on set are covered by workers compensation but the company's HR department was not available for comment on Bay's injury.
In the same shoot, there was a separate incident when "really, really bad stuff" happened on set, Bay said. "Let's just say there was an incident, and we should have stopped shooting," she said, declining to give more details. "Very poor decisions by a few of us."
"I was new to the industry. When I was told that I was safe to shoot, I was like, 'OK, cool,'" she said. "I had no idea. I really didn't understand."
When Bay found out she had HIV on Aug. 21, a moratorium was placed on porn shooting in LA. Unlike her breast injury, her HIV contraction is impossible to definitely tie to any one shoot so she has to pay for her expensive medication on her own. Without health insurance, she's not sure how she's going to afford it. Most porn performers do not have benefits.
The pills she needs to temper her HIV -- which already left her with severe flu-like symptoms for a week -- cost $2,000 for 30 days worth. "I spent more in one day on medical stuff than I did on rent for two months," she said. "I had a safety net of three months of not working and that cut into it a lot."
When she called a health insurance company inquiring about buying insurance, a case manager told her that she would not be able to get coverage for two years.
"She told me that if I survive two years, then I'm no longer as much of a risk and to call back then," Bay said.
And after being identified nationally as the HIV-positive patient zero that prompted a moratorium on porn, Bay doesn't expect to get gigs with other performers now. The porn industry is so small, she said, that she felt she had to go public with her HIV-positive test. Now, to make ends meet, she plans to begin solo performing via webcam from home.
Bay's last negative HIV test was on July 26, which cleared her to perform until Aug. 26. But she said she decided to get tested early on Aug. 19 because she heard a performer she had worked with had hepatitis C. That's when Bay was blindsided by the news that she had HIV.
"Thank God I went in when I did for hep C. I was scheduled to shoot," she said. "I could've been giving people HIV and had no idea."
That reality makes Bay believe that the system isn't working. Instead of being tested every 30 days, she said performers should be tested on set, before every shoot. Otherwise, she said, a performer could contract an STD after a clean test and still be good for 30 days.
Six days after Bay tested positive for HIV, the Free Speech Coalition, which oversees a database of all performers' STD tests, lifted the moratorium, saying that all performers who worked with Bay tested clean.
A week after the moratorium was lifted and porn shooting had resumed, Bay's boyfriend -- Rod Daily, a performer in gay porn -- announced that he also tested positive for HIV. Bay and Daily never performed on set together, but they have publicly been in a romantic relationship for two years. Neither of them can be sure how they contracted the virus.
Two days after Daily said he was HIV-positive, a third performer tested positive on Friday, prompting the FSC to re-impose the moratorium. The fact that two performers tested positive after the moratorium was lifted led some -- including Bay -- to say that the moratorium should have been in place longer.
Bay said she hopes that more performers in the industry will become educated about the risks so they can make informed decisions. "Education is power. I've done more reading in the past couple weeks than I have since high school," she said.
She said that if she had done her research prior to going on set, she would have asked producers for a condom each time and walked off the set if she was refused.
"Because at the end of the day, it's about your safety. And a piece of paper that says you're clear to shoot doesn't mean anything." Reported by Huffington Post 6 hours ago.
During her scenes, none of the male performers she had sex with ever used a condom, she said. One female performer told her, "Don't even bring it up because they have somebody waiting to replace you."
"I learned that there's always someone younger and sexier, willing to do something you're not. It's a dog-eat-dog world," Bay said in an exclusive interview with The Huffington Post. "I think we need more choices because of that. Condoms should be a choice."
Last November, LA voters passed a measure mandating condom use in porn, despite a large, coordinated campaign against it by the porn industry. But since then, industry insiders say there has been no enforcement of the new law.
After having sex with five men in her first porn scene, Bay got a kidney infection and was sick for weeks (photo). She shot all but one of her scenes in LA for Hustler, Zero Tolerance and 21st Sextury. The only scene not shot in LA was her last scene, shot on July 31 for Kink.com in San Francisco, where the company is based. It's also the only time she shot BDSM (Bondage, Domination, Sadism and Masochism) and anal sex.
Bay was told that condoms were optional on that final shoot. She told people on set that she would leave the choice up to her male scene partner. Bay said to HuffPost she didn't think she needed to ask for a condom because her male co-star had a clean STD test. Kink.com confirmed to HuffPost that Bay was offered a condom but it was not used.
During the scene, a male extra hit Bay too hard on set and badly injured her left-breast tissue. Kink.com paid for her hospital visit through workers compensation, and her doctor ordered her not to work for two weeks so that her breast could recover, Bay said. The surgery she needs on her breast, which is artificially enlarged, has now been postponed -- possibly permanently -- because she has HIV.
Kink.com confirmed to HuffPost that performers' injuries on set are covered by workers compensation but the company's HR department was not available for comment on Bay's injury.
In the same shoot, there was a separate incident when "really, really bad stuff" happened on set, Bay said. "Let's just say there was an incident, and we should have stopped shooting," she said, declining to give more details. "Very poor decisions by a few of us."
"I was new to the industry. When I was told that I was safe to shoot, I was like, 'OK, cool,'" she said. "I had no idea. I really didn't understand."
When Bay found out she had HIV on Aug. 21, a moratorium was placed on porn shooting in LA. Unlike her breast injury, her HIV contraction is impossible to definitely tie to any one shoot so she has to pay for her expensive medication on her own. Without health insurance, she's not sure how she's going to afford it. Most porn performers do not have benefits.
The pills she needs to temper her HIV -- which already left her with severe flu-like symptoms for a week -- cost $2,000 for 30 days worth. "I spent more in one day on medical stuff than I did on rent for two months," she said. "I had a safety net of three months of not working and that cut into it a lot."
When she called a health insurance company inquiring about buying insurance, a case manager told her that she would not be able to get coverage for two years.
"She told me that if I survive two years, then I'm no longer as much of a risk and to call back then," Bay said.
And after being identified nationally as the HIV-positive patient zero that prompted a moratorium on porn, Bay doesn't expect to get gigs with other performers now. The porn industry is so small, she said, that she felt she had to go public with her HIV-positive test. Now, to make ends meet, she plans to begin solo performing via webcam from home.
Bay's last negative HIV test was on July 26, which cleared her to perform until Aug. 26. But she said she decided to get tested early on Aug. 19 because she heard a performer she had worked with had hepatitis C. That's when Bay was blindsided by the news that she had HIV.
"Thank God I went in when I did for hep C. I was scheduled to shoot," she said. "I could've been giving people HIV and had no idea."
That reality makes Bay believe that the system isn't working. Instead of being tested every 30 days, she said performers should be tested on set, before every shoot. Otherwise, she said, a performer could contract an STD after a clean test and still be good for 30 days.
Six days after Bay tested positive for HIV, the Free Speech Coalition, which oversees a database of all performers' STD tests, lifted the moratorium, saying that all performers who worked with Bay tested clean.
A week after the moratorium was lifted and porn shooting had resumed, Bay's boyfriend -- Rod Daily, a performer in gay porn -- announced that he also tested positive for HIV. Bay and Daily never performed on set together, but they have publicly been in a romantic relationship for two years. Neither of them can be sure how they contracted the virus.
Two days after Daily said he was HIV-positive, a third performer tested positive on Friday, prompting the FSC to re-impose the moratorium. The fact that two performers tested positive after the moratorium was lifted led some -- including Bay -- to say that the moratorium should have been in place longer.
Bay said she hopes that more performers in the industry will become educated about the risks so they can make informed decisions. "Education is power. I've done more reading in the past couple weeks than I have since high school," she said.
She said that if she had done her research prior to going on set, she would have asked producers for a condom each time and walked off the set if she was refused.
"Because at the end of the day, it's about your safety. And a piece of paper that says you're clear to shoot doesn't mean anything." Reported by Huffington Post 6 hours ago.
↧
More than 1,100 have cancer after 9/11
Reggie Hilaire was a rookie cop on September 11, 2001. He worked at ground zero for 11 days beside his colleagues -- many of them, including Hilaire, not wearing a mask. He was later assigned to a landfill in Staten Island, where debris from the World Trade Center was dumped.
For about 60 days between 2001 and 2002, the New York police officer was surrounded by dust.
In 2005, Hilaire was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He underwent surgery and radiation. Just months later his doctor told him he also had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that multiplies the body's plasma cells to dangerous levels.
It's a cancer that usually strikes much later in life. Hilaire was 34.
More than 1,100 people who worked or lived near the World Trade Center on 9/11 have been diagnosed with cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A few months ago Hilaire received a letter from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, officially offering him medical insurance under the World Trade Center Health Program. About 1,140 people have been certified to receive cancer treatment under the WTC Health Program, a representative told CNN.
These are the first numbers released since the program was expanded a year ago.
In September 2012, federal health authorities added 58 types of cancer to the list of covered illnesses for people who were exposed to toxins at the site of the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Dr. John Howard, administrator of the WTC Health Program, had said the year before that cancer treatments would not be covered by the compensation fund. At the time, he said there was inadequate "published scientific and medical findings" to link 9/11 exposures to cancer.
Others argued that hundreds of chemical compounds, among them known carcinogens, were present in the dust surrounding ground zero.
Potential cancer-causing agents such as asbestos that coated the World Trade Center buildings' lower columns, and benzene, a component of jet fuel that caused uncontrollable fires when planes barreled into the twin towers, have long been a cancer concern for researchers. Scientists were also worried about the high volume of particulates and gases inhaled by responders, survivors and people who lived in the area.
Yet some officials were worried about making the connection between 9/11 and cancer too soon. When the proposal to add cancer coverage was made, experts estimated the cost would total between $14.5 million and $33 million. And while someone's cancer may have been caused by his or her work at ground zero, it might also have been a coincidence -- they may have gotten cancer anyway.
A long lag time makes it particularly difficult to study the link. Cancer doesn't develop quickly after breathing in something toxic, the way asthma might. Instead, leukemia can take five to six years to develop, and solid tumors can take 10 to 20 years.
In the end, it was a study of firefighters that helped persuade the government to include cancer in the WTC Health Program. Researchers found firefighters who worked at ground zero were 19% more likely to develop cancer than firefighters who did not. According to the 2011 study, published in The Lancet medical journal, the increase occurred during the first seven years after 9/11. There were subtle increases seen in a few cancers in particular, including gastro-esophageal cancers and blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
One theory about how the cancers may have developed so soon among responders is that the unique characteristics of ground zero dust, and the sheer number of chemicals contained in it, may have accelerated disease.
The WTC Health Program will act as a backup insurance for Hilaire, whose primary insurance through the city has been taking care of his medical expenses. Doctors aren't treating his multiple myeloma now; it's asymptomatic, so they're simply watching it. But when it does start to cause problems -- and it will, his doctors say -- they'll begin a treatment program.
For Hilaire, receiving the WTC Health Program welcome letter was more about recognition than assistance.
"They looked over my medical records ... determined cause and effect," he said. "After years saying, 'We don't know, we're not sure,' they finally said, 'Yeah, you got it from there.' "
And Hilaire knows the program will be a big help to those who don't have good health insurance -- folks who lived or worked in the area who have since been diagnosed. He said he thinks the number of people who have, or who will get, cancer related to 9/11 is a lot higher than 1,140, something only time will tell.
The WTC Health Program was created as a result of the passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
The Zadroga Act, passed by Congress in December 2010, is designed to provide medical services and compensation for responders who were exposed to toxins while working at ground zero. President Barack Obama signed the $4.2 billion legislation in January 2011. The law is named after a New York police officer who died of a respiratory disease attributed to working amid the toxic chemicals at the attack site.
First responders, volunteers, survivors of the attacks and residents near the 9/11 site who meet specific qualifications are eligible for coverage, according to the CDC.
The program has also been recently expanded to include responders from the Pentagon attack and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed. People are still enrolling from those locations so the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health does not have an accurate count of how many people were affected, a representative told CNN.
To determine eligibility for the WTC Health Program, visit www.cdc.gov/wtc. Reported by Click Orlando 4 hours ago.
For about 60 days between 2001 and 2002, the New York police officer was surrounded by dust.
In 2005, Hilaire was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He underwent surgery and radiation. Just months later his doctor told him he also had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that multiplies the body's plasma cells to dangerous levels.
It's a cancer that usually strikes much later in life. Hilaire was 34.
More than 1,100 people who worked or lived near the World Trade Center on 9/11 have been diagnosed with cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A few months ago Hilaire received a letter from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, officially offering him medical insurance under the World Trade Center Health Program. About 1,140 people have been certified to receive cancer treatment under the WTC Health Program, a representative told CNN.
These are the first numbers released since the program was expanded a year ago.
In September 2012, federal health authorities added 58 types of cancer to the list of covered illnesses for people who were exposed to toxins at the site of the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Dr. John Howard, administrator of the WTC Health Program, had said the year before that cancer treatments would not be covered by the compensation fund. At the time, he said there was inadequate "published scientific and medical findings" to link 9/11 exposures to cancer.
Others argued that hundreds of chemical compounds, among them known carcinogens, were present in the dust surrounding ground zero.
Potential cancer-causing agents such as asbestos that coated the World Trade Center buildings' lower columns, and benzene, a component of jet fuel that caused uncontrollable fires when planes barreled into the twin towers, have long been a cancer concern for researchers. Scientists were also worried about the high volume of particulates and gases inhaled by responders, survivors and people who lived in the area.
Yet some officials were worried about making the connection between 9/11 and cancer too soon. When the proposal to add cancer coverage was made, experts estimated the cost would total between $14.5 million and $33 million. And while someone's cancer may have been caused by his or her work at ground zero, it might also have been a coincidence -- they may have gotten cancer anyway.
A long lag time makes it particularly difficult to study the link. Cancer doesn't develop quickly after breathing in something toxic, the way asthma might. Instead, leukemia can take five to six years to develop, and solid tumors can take 10 to 20 years.
In the end, it was a study of firefighters that helped persuade the government to include cancer in the WTC Health Program. Researchers found firefighters who worked at ground zero were 19% more likely to develop cancer than firefighters who did not. According to the 2011 study, published in The Lancet medical journal, the increase occurred during the first seven years after 9/11. There were subtle increases seen in a few cancers in particular, including gastro-esophageal cancers and blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
One theory about how the cancers may have developed so soon among responders is that the unique characteristics of ground zero dust, and the sheer number of chemicals contained in it, may have accelerated disease.
The WTC Health Program will act as a backup insurance for Hilaire, whose primary insurance through the city has been taking care of his medical expenses. Doctors aren't treating his multiple myeloma now; it's asymptomatic, so they're simply watching it. But when it does start to cause problems -- and it will, his doctors say -- they'll begin a treatment program.
For Hilaire, receiving the WTC Health Program welcome letter was more about recognition than assistance.
"They looked over my medical records ... determined cause and effect," he said. "After years saying, 'We don't know, we're not sure,' they finally said, 'Yeah, you got it from there.' "
And Hilaire knows the program will be a big help to those who don't have good health insurance -- folks who lived or worked in the area who have since been diagnosed. He said he thinks the number of people who have, or who will get, cancer related to 9/11 is a lot higher than 1,140, something only time will tell.
The WTC Health Program was created as a result of the passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
The Zadroga Act, passed by Congress in December 2010, is designed to provide medical services and compensation for responders who were exposed to toxins while working at ground zero. President Barack Obama signed the $4.2 billion legislation in January 2011. The law is named after a New York police officer who died of a respiratory disease attributed to working amid the toxic chemicals at the attack site.
First responders, volunteers, survivors of the attacks and residents near the 9/11 site who meet specific qualifications are eligible for coverage, according to the CDC.
The program has also been recently expanded to include responders from the Pentagon attack and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed. People are still enrolling from those locations so the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health does not have an accurate count of how many people were affected, a representative told CNN.
To determine eligibility for the WTC Health Program, visit www.cdc.gov/wtc. Reported by Click Orlando 4 hours ago.
↧
↧
UnitedHealthcare’s Golden Rule Insurance Company Reminds Consumers to Consider Dental Care Needs When Making Health Coverage Decisions
INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A reminder to consumers who will buy their own health insurance not to overlook their dental care needs, with 5 timely tips on how to evaluate dental coverage options.
Reported by Business Wire 5 hours ago.
↧
Agenda for Sept. 18 Health Insurance Exchange Virtual Conference Includes Sessions on Exchange Readiness, Call Service Centers
Led by some of the nation’s most knowledgeable exchange experts, including current and former government officials, health plan executives and consultants, Atlantic Information Services’s Sept. 18 virtual conference will provide practical training and advice on exchange implementation.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS), the industry-leading health business publisher of Inside Health Insurance Exchanges, AIS’s Health Reform Week, Health Plan Week and Medicare Advantage News, is pleased to announce the final agenda for its upcoming virtual conference, Countdown to Exchanges: Last-Minute Preparations for the New Marketplaces. On Sept. 18, two weeks before the Oct. 1 start of the open-enrollment period for health insurance exchanges, some of the nation’s most knowledgeable exchange experts will provide health plans, third-party administrators, vendors and insurance brokers practical training and advice on the implementation of exchanges.· 11:00 – 12:30, “Open Enrollment, Day 1: Which Features of Exchanges Should Work, Which Are Likely to Fail, and What You Should Do About It” — Featuring four of the nation’s most knowledgeable insurance exchange experts —Joel Ario, managing director for Manatt Health Solutions and the former head of CMS’s Office of Health Insurance Exchanges; Chris Condeluci, of counsel at Venable LPP and a former Congressional staffer who participated in the development of portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including exchanges; John Kingsdale, Ph.D., a director at Wakely Consulting Group and former executive director of the Massachusetts Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority; and Rebecca Pearce, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange — the virtual conference will begin with a roundtable discussion on the readiness of state and federal exchanges. The panelists will offer their insights on how the insurance marketplaces are expected to perform on Oct. 1 and strategies to employ to compensate for glitches.
· 12:45 – 1:45, “What Impact Are CO-OPs and Medicaid Managed Care Firms Expected to Have in the New Marketplaces ... and What Can You Learn From Them?” — Kamran Hashim, associate vice president of strategy, policy and implementation for health insurance exchanges for Molina Healthcare, Inc.; Martin Hickey, M.D., CEO of the CO-OP New Mexico Health Connections; and Courtney White, principal consulting actuary at Milliman, will review the impact Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs) and Medicaid managed care firms likely will have on rates and market share.
· 2:15 – 3:15, “Last-Minute Preparations for Customer Service Centers: Why the Training of Call Center Reps Could Be the Key to the Future of Exchanges” — Eric Rubin, president of the health operations division at MAXIMUS, which has secured customer service contracts with several state exchanges and will run call centers for some federally facilitated exchanges, and Renee Rhem, vice president of customer service at Independence Blue Cross, will review topics including call center lessons learned from the Medicare Part D rollout in 2006, how to make sure customer service representatives are well-informed, and the pros and cons of outsourcing customer service staff.
· 3:30 – 5:00, “How to Thrive in Exchanges This Fall and Get a Jump-Start on the Year Ahead” — Catherine Murphy-Barron, Victoria Boyarsky and Hans Leida, Ph.D. — all experienced consultants with Milliman’s pre-eminent insurance exchange team — will provide a high-level overview of lessons learned about pricing, adjusting for underlying risk, billing and enrollment systems, customer service operations and working with a new array of business partners.
AIS’s virtual conference allows participants to attend a live conference without having to travel to a meeting site. Plus, the registration fee includes a free On-Demand recording of each session, so any agenda items can be reviewed at a later time.
For more information, including speaker biographies and registration information, visit http://aishealth.com/countdown.
About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for more than 25 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals, health plans, medical group practices, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, websites, looseleafs, books, strategic reports, databases, webinars and conferences. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS), the industry-leading health business publisher of Inside Health Insurance Exchanges, AIS’s Health Reform Week, Health Plan Week and Medicare Advantage News, is pleased to announce the final agenda for its upcoming virtual conference, Countdown to Exchanges: Last-Minute Preparations for the New Marketplaces. On Sept. 18, two weeks before the Oct. 1 start of the open-enrollment period for health insurance exchanges, some of the nation’s most knowledgeable exchange experts will provide health plans, third-party administrators, vendors and insurance brokers practical training and advice on the implementation of exchanges.· 11:00 – 12:30, “Open Enrollment, Day 1: Which Features of Exchanges Should Work, Which Are Likely to Fail, and What You Should Do About It” — Featuring four of the nation’s most knowledgeable insurance exchange experts —Joel Ario, managing director for Manatt Health Solutions and the former head of CMS’s Office of Health Insurance Exchanges; Chris Condeluci, of counsel at Venable LPP and a former Congressional staffer who participated in the development of portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including exchanges; John Kingsdale, Ph.D., a director at Wakely Consulting Group and former executive director of the Massachusetts Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority; and Rebecca Pearce, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange — the virtual conference will begin with a roundtable discussion on the readiness of state and federal exchanges. The panelists will offer their insights on how the insurance marketplaces are expected to perform on Oct. 1 and strategies to employ to compensate for glitches.
· 12:45 – 1:45, “What Impact Are CO-OPs and Medicaid Managed Care Firms Expected to Have in the New Marketplaces ... and What Can You Learn From Them?” — Kamran Hashim, associate vice president of strategy, policy and implementation for health insurance exchanges for Molina Healthcare, Inc.; Martin Hickey, M.D., CEO of the CO-OP New Mexico Health Connections; and Courtney White, principal consulting actuary at Milliman, will review the impact Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs) and Medicaid managed care firms likely will have on rates and market share.
· 2:15 – 3:15, “Last-Minute Preparations for Customer Service Centers: Why the Training of Call Center Reps Could Be the Key to the Future of Exchanges” — Eric Rubin, president of the health operations division at MAXIMUS, which has secured customer service contracts with several state exchanges and will run call centers for some federally facilitated exchanges, and Renee Rhem, vice president of customer service at Independence Blue Cross, will review topics including call center lessons learned from the Medicare Part D rollout in 2006, how to make sure customer service representatives are well-informed, and the pros and cons of outsourcing customer service staff.
· 3:30 – 5:00, “How to Thrive in Exchanges This Fall and Get a Jump-Start on the Year Ahead” — Catherine Murphy-Barron, Victoria Boyarsky and Hans Leida, Ph.D. — all experienced consultants with Milliman’s pre-eminent insurance exchange team — will provide a high-level overview of lessons learned about pricing, adjusting for underlying risk, billing and enrollment systems, customer service operations and working with a new array of business partners.
AIS’s virtual conference allows participants to attend a live conference without having to travel to a meeting site. Plus, the registration fee includes a free On-Demand recording of each session, so any agenda items can be reviewed at a later time.
For more information, including speaker biographies and registration information, visit http://aishealth.com/countdown.
About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for more than 25 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals, health plans, medical group practices, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, websites, looseleafs, books, strategic reports, databases, webinars and conferences. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.
↧
House Pulls Spending Bill Over ObamaCare Fight
Wednesday night, House Leadership withdrew legislation to fund the government through December in response to growing conservative criticism that the measure didn't strip funding for ObamaCare. Congress must pass legislation to authorize continued government spending before September 30, or the government will shut down. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor had unveiled a plan that would split the ObamaCare funding from the underlying government spending, but conservatives balked at the plan. Any action on spending now has been pushed to next week.
Conservatives, led by Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, have argued that any measure to extend government spending authority should also include language to defund ObamaCare. On October 1, the health care exchanges authorized by ObamaCare, where individuals can presumably shop for health insurance, are set to open. On January 1, all Americans are mandated to have health insurance. On that date, as well, large subsidies and tax credits to supplement those insurance premiums will begin. Unless the law is uprooted now, it will likely remain.
Cantor's plan envisioned the House passing a "clean" resolution to continue government spending, one which absorbed the sequester cuts. It also would include a separate resolution that defunded all aspects of ObamaCare. Under Cantor's plan, the Senate would receive the "clean" resolution until it had voted on funding ObamaCare. The Senate would have to definitively vote on funding ObamaCare before it could vote to keep the government open.
Conservatives rebelled, arguing that the split resolutions offered nothing more than a symbolic vote against ObamaCare and removed all leverage against the unpopular law. Democrats in control of the Senate could vote down the ObamaCare defunding and then quickly authorize legislation to keep the government functioning.
The issue is, however, far more complicated. Funding ObamaCare requires about $13 billion in annual appropriations that is subject to Congressional authorization. More than $70 billion a year, however, is funded by mandatory spending that isn't subject to Congressional authorization. In other words, Congress could eliminate all spending for ObamaCare, but 70% of the program would march on.
That said, everything in life is done on the margins. Eliminating just a fraction of the overall spending on ObamaCare could upend the whole program. That is the hope of conservatives. And that hope cause GOP Leadership to blink.
Reported by Breitbart 4 hours ago.
Conservatives, led by Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, have argued that any measure to extend government spending authority should also include language to defund ObamaCare. On October 1, the health care exchanges authorized by ObamaCare, where individuals can presumably shop for health insurance, are set to open. On January 1, all Americans are mandated to have health insurance. On that date, as well, large subsidies and tax credits to supplement those insurance premiums will begin. Unless the law is uprooted now, it will likely remain.
Cantor's plan envisioned the House passing a "clean" resolution to continue government spending, one which absorbed the sequester cuts. It also would include a separate resolution that defunded all aspects of ObamaCare. Under Cantor's plan, the Senate would receive the "clean" resolution until it had voted on funding ObamaCare. The Senate would have to definitively vote on funding ObamaCare before it could vote to keep the government open.
Conservatives rebelled, arguing that the split resolutions offered nothing more than a symbolic vote against ObamaCare and removed all leverage against the unpopular law. Democrats in control of the Senate could vote down the ObamaCare defunding and then quickly authorize legislation to keep the government functioning.
The issue is, however, far more complicated. Funding ObamaCare requires about $13 billion in annual appropriations that is subject to Congressional authorization. More than $70 billion a year, however, is funded by mandatory spending that isn't subject to Congressional authorization. In other words, Congress could eliminate all spending for ObamaCare, but 70% of the program would march on.
That said, everything in life is done on the margins. Eliminating just a fraction of the overall spending on ObamaCare could upend the whole program. That is the hope of conservatives. And that hope cause GOP Leadership to blink.
Reported by Breitbart 4 hours ago.
↧
Harmony Health Plan Hosts Chicago Open House
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz Receives Community Hero Award
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
Harmony Health Plan, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc., (NYSE: WCG), hosted an Open House on Sept. 10, at its new Chicago office, to highlight its dedication to members and communities in Illinois. Harmony focuses on serving Illinois’ Medicaid and Medicare populations, including low-income children and families. The Open House is part of Harmony’s efforts to build strong community connections and improve access to high-quality health care across the state.
“Harmony is singularly focused on serving our members day in and day out,” said Dave Reynolds, WellCare’s Region President for Conn., Ill., Mo., N.J., N.Y. and Ohio. “One way we do this is by collaborating with organizations and leaders in the communities in which our members live to help us better connect them to the care and social services they need for improved health outcomes.”
At the event, Harmony presented state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) with the CommUnity Hero Award in recognition of her efforts to improve the lives of people in the communities she serves. Feigenholtz has made health care legislation a priority, helping to expand access to preventive care such as mammograms, improve access to contraceptives, provide increased funding for AIDS drug assistance programs and promote HIV prevention. In addition, she played a key role in the expansion of comprehensive and affordable health insurance coverage for children and families across the state.
“It is a great honor to receive this award from Harmony,” said Feigenholtz. “I look forward to working together as we continue to improve access to health care and health outcomes for the people of our state who need our help most.”
Harmony also announced that in support of Illinois seniors, it is giving 10 nonprofit organizations sponsorships to offset gaps in funding. Ranging from $500 to $3,000, the funds will support senior services including food pantries, meal delivery to the homebound, medication management, exercise classes, nutrition counseling and social activities such as art projects.
The sponsorships are focused on community-based organizations in Champaign, Cook, Douglas, Kane, Kankakee, Knox, Madison, Monroe, Peoria, St. Clair, Tazewell, Vermilion, Washington and Will counties, and will enable health and wellness programs for seniors to continue without interruption. Organizations receiving donations include Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; the Chicago chapter of Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly; North Shore Senior Center; and Senior Services Associates.
“This sponsorship allows us to continue helping seniors manage their medications by providing compartmentalized pillboxes with the goal of avoiding missed doses, accidental overdoses and adverse reactions that could lead to hospitalization,” said Debbi Baldauff, Division Director of Aging and Disability Services, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet. “It also helps our educational outreach on senior self-care and disease management to family members and caregivers. Without it, these services would have been significantly reduced.”
Finally, the company unveiled the Harmony Art Project. It was developed to help create a work environment that is reflective of the communities Harmony serves and the role it plays in supporting them. It aims to help empower those who need help most, and to support the development of their creative talents.
Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations in Illinois, Harmony identified 30 artists with physical and mental health challenges – including a hospitalized child, a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and an individual with mental illness – to purchase their artwork.
Participating nonprofits include The Arts of Life, the Awakenings Project, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago - Visions of My Life, the Center for the Arts at Little City Foundation, Graffiti Zone, Little Black Pearl, Marwen, Project Onward, Snow City Arts, South Chicago Art Center, Swann Art Program and Thresholds.
About Harmony Health Plan
Harmony Health Plan, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc., provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. The company works with doctors, hospitals, governments and communities to provide quality, cost-effective health care solutions. As of June 30, 2013, Harmony serves more than 179,000 members in 18 counties in Illinois.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind, and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The company serves approximately 2.8 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2013. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at http://www.wellcare.com.
-END- Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
Harmony Health Plan, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc., (NYSE: WCG), hosted an Open House on Sept. 10, at its new Chicago office, to highlight its dedication to members and communities in Illinois. Harmony focuses on serving Illinois’ Medicaid and Medicare populations, including low-income children and families. The Open House is part of Harmony’s efforts to build strong community connections and improve access to high-quality health care across the state.
“Harmony is singularly focused on serving our members day in and day out,” said Dave Reynolds, WellCare’s Region President for Conn., Ill., Mo., N.J., N.Y. and Ohio. “One way we do this is by collaborating with organizations and leaders in the communities in which our members live to help us better connect them to the care and social services they need for improved health outcomes.”
At the event, Harmony presented state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) with the CommUnity Hero Award in recognition of her efforts to improve the lives of people in the communities she serves. Feigenholtz has made health care legislation a priority, helping to expand access to preventive care such as mammograms, improve access to contraceptives, provide increased funding for AIDS drug assistance programs and promote HIV prevention. In addition, she played a key role in the expansion of comprehensive and affordable health insurance coverage for children and families across the state.
“It is a great honor to receive this award from Harmony,” said Feigenholtz. “I look forward to working together as we continue to improve access to health care and health outcomes for the people of our state who need our help most.”
Harmony also announced that in support of Illinois seniors, it is giving 10 nonprofit organizations sponsorships to offset gaps in funding. Ranging from $500 to $3,000, the funds will support senior services including food pantries, meal delivery to the homebound, medication management, exercise classes, nutrition counseling and social activities such as art projects.
The sponsorships are focused on community-based organizations in Champaign, Cook, Douglas, Kane, Kankakee, Knox, Madison, Monroe, Peoria, St. Clair, Tazewell, Vermilion, Washington and Will counties, and will enable health and wellness programs for seniors to continue without interruption. Organizations receiving donations include Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; the Chicago chapter of Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly; North Shore Senior Center; and Senior Services Associates.
“This sponsorship allows us to continue helping seniors manage their medications by providing compartmentalized pillboxes with the goal of avoiding missed doses, accidental overdoses and adverse reactions that could lead to hospitalization,” said Debbi Baldauff, Division Director of Aging and Disability Services, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet. “It also helps our educational outreach on senior self-care and disease management to family members and caregivers. Without it, these services would have been significantly reduced.”
Finally, the company unveiled the Harmony Art Project. It was developed to help create a work environment that is reflective of the communities Harmony serves and the role it plays in supporting them. It aims to help empower those who need help most, and to support the development of their creative talents.
Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations in Illinois, Harmony identified 30 artists with physical and mental health challenges – including a hospitalized child, a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and an individual with mental illness – to purchase their artwork.
Participating nonprofits include The Arts of Life, the Awakenings Project, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago - Visions of My Life, the Center for the Arts at Little City Foundation, Graffiti Zone, Little Black Pearl, Marwen, Project Onward, Snow City Arts, South Chicago Art Center, Swann Art Program and Thresholds.
About Harmony Health Plan
Harmony Health Plan, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc., provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. The company works with doctors, hospitals, governments and communities to provide quality, cost-effective health care solutions. As of June 30, 2013, Harmony serves more than 179,000 members in 18 counties in Illinois.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind, and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The company serves approximately 2.8 million members nationwide as of June 30, 2013. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at http://www.wellcare.com.
-END- Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.
↧
↧
Out2Enroll: Campaign to Insure LGBT Community Launched
Campaign launched to bring new health insurance options to LGBT communities.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
The Center for American Progress, the Sellers Dorsey Foundation, and the Federal Agencies Project announce the launch of Out2Enroll, a campaign to inform lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities about new coverage options available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to encourage LGBT individuals to enroll in coverage. The Out2Enroll campaign kicks off on September 12 with a briefing at the White House that will feature remarks from Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, and LGBT health and health reform experts from across the country.
Out2Enroll will work at the national and state levels to link LGBT communities with their new coverage options under the health reform law. The centerpiece of the campaign is a website tailored to LGBT community concerns that will include information about key issues such as same-sex partner coverage, transgender-inclusive coverage, and LGBT-inclusive discrimination protections. Out2Enroll will also work with partners such as Enroll America, Community Catalyst, consumer health advocates, and LGBT equality organizations to host regional forums and conduct state-level advocacy campaigns to educate LGBT communities about available coverage and to encourage enrollment through the Health Insurance Marketplaces.
The Out2Enroll initiative is based on a new study revealing that one in three (34%) lower-income LGBT adults is uninsured, and that the majority of these individuals are not aware of the new coverage options that will be available starting October 1 of this year. This research also shows that targeted assistance from consumer assistance entities familiar with LGBT community concerns will be crucial to the success of efforts to enroll uninsured LGBT individuals in coverage.
"Contrary to popular stereotypes, many LGBT people are struggling with a lack of insurance and difficulty accessing health care," said Kellan Baker at the Center for American Progress, which commissioned the study. "The new coverage options available under the Affordable Care Act will be critical to ensuring that LGBT people can get the care they need, when they need it."
"Like so many people across the country, LGBT community members have questions about what the health reform law means for them," said Christopher Labonte of the Sellers Dorsey Foundation. "Out2Enroll's targeted outreach and enrollment program will offer the kind of community-specific information and resources LGBT people need to navigate these new options."
"Health is an LGBT equality issue," said James Williams of Trimpa Group, a partner of the Federal Agencies Project. "Out2Enroll will help make sure not only that LGBT people and their families have legal protections from discrimination, but also that they enjoy equal access to the benefits of health reform."
For more information about Out2Enroll and to learn more about supporting efforts to connect every American with appropriate health insurance coverage, visit http://www.Out2Enroll.org.
The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values.
The Sellers Dorsey Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to improving the health of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The Foundation supports and leads efforts to improve health outcomes among the LGBT community through public education, collaboration, and grant giving.
The Federal Agencies Project is dedicated to making federal agency policies and practices more responsive to the rights and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
### Reported by PRWeb 53 minutes ago.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
The Center for American Progress, the Sellers Dorsey Foundation, and the Federal Agencies Project announce the launch of Out2Enroll, a campaign to inform lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities about new coverage options available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to encourage LGBT individuals to enroll in coverage. The Out2Enroll campaign kicks off on September 12 with a briefing at the White House that will feature remarks from Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, and LGBT health and health reform experts from across the country.
Out2Enroll will work at the national and state levels to link LGBT communities with their new coverage options under the health reform law. The centerpiece of the campaign is a website tailored to LGBT community concerns that will include information about key issues such as same-sex partner coverage, transgender-inclusive coverage, and LGBT-inclusive discrimination protections. Out2Enroll will also work with partners such as Enroll America, Community Catalyst, consumer health advocates, and LGBT equality organizations to host regional forums and conduct state-level advocacy campaigns to educate LGBT communities about available coverage and to encourage enrollment through the Health Insurance Marketplaces.
The Out2Enroll initiative is based on a new study revealing that one in three (34%) lower-income LGBT adults is uninsured, and that the majority of these individuals are not aware of the new coverage options that will be available starting October 1 of this year. This research also shows that targeted assistance from consumer assistance entities familiar with LGBT community concerns will be crucial to the success of efforts to enroll uninsured LGBT individuals in coverage.
"Contrary to popular stereotypes, many LGBT people are struggling with a lack of insurance and difficulty accessing health care," said Kellan Baker at the Center for American Progress, which commissioned the study. "The new coverage options available under the Affordable Care Act will be critical to ensuring that LGBT people can get the care they need, when they need it."
"Like so many people across the country, LGBT community members have questions about what the health reform law means for them," said Christopher Labonte of the Sellers Dorsey Foundation. "Out2Enroll's targeted outreach and enrollment program will offer the kind of community-specific information and resources LGBT people need to navigate these new options."
"Health is an LGBT equality issue," said James Williams of Trimpa Group, a partner of the Federal Agencies Project. "Out2Enroll will help make sure not only that LGBT people and their families have legal protections from discrimination, but also that they enjoy equal access to the benefits of health reform."
For more information about Out2Enroll and to learn more about supporting efforts to connect every American with appropriate health insurance coverage, visit http://www.Out2Enroll.org.
The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values.
The Sellers Dorsey Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to improving the health of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The Foundation supports and leads efforts to improve health outcomes among the LGBT community through public education, collaboration, and grant giving.
The Federal Agencies Project is dedicated to making federal agency policies and practices more responsive to the rights and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
### Reported by PRWeb 53 minutes ago.
↧
One Month from Health Exchange Open Enrollment, Healthedeals.com Notes Visitor Behavior Changes; Credits Health Care Reform Calculator
Website shows growth and shopping patterns develop as visitors calculate estimates of what the cost of health insurance will be when the marketplace exchanges open October 1.
Minneapolis, Minnesota (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
Since launching its online health care reform calculator in late May, healthedeals.com has documented a significant increase in website visitors looking for information about the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The site’s health care reform calculator, which has seen the largest area of traffic growth on the site, can help individuals estimate what their health insurance costs will be beginning January 1, 2014.
Based on behavioral analytics, individuals using the calculator indicate they will not receive a subsidy for health insurance at a 33 percent higher rate than those that indicate they will receive a tax credit to purchase health insurance.
“The statistics are telling,” said Brian Dow, Chief Operating Officer of IHC Specialty Benefits, which markets healthedeals.com. “Many individuals and families who use the calculator to find out their health insurance rates are going to be are discovering they will not qualify for a subsidy. While we encourage everyone to consider an essential health benefit plan through a marketplace exchange, some will still look for other options – either temporary health insurance or hospital indemnity plans that will provide some type of coverage at an affordable rate. Or if they do purchase a marketplace plan, they might need gap coverage to cover a high deductible, should an accident or illness occur. Healthedeals.com is committed to offering information, education and insurance products to fit all of these needs.”
Both state and federal health insurance marketplaces are scheduled to open in less than one month. To find out how to calculate an estimate of what health insurance coverage could cost in 2014, visit healthedeals.com.
About healthedeals.com and IHC Specialty Benefits
Healthedeals.com is a website offered by IHC Specialty Benefits, Inc., a member of The IHC Group. The IHC Group is comprised of insurance carriers, and marketing and administrative affiliates committed to providing excellent service and offering competitive health, life, disability, stop-loss, short-term medical, travel and dental insurance products to groups and individuals. IHC Specialty Benefits is a customer-driven company differentiating itself through knowledge, experience and integrity. We, in conjunction with our trusted insurance carriers, share a mutual desire to provide important benefits to our customers and to meet their needs in an innovative, hassle-free manner. Reported by PRWeb 53 minutes ago.
Minneapolis, Minnesota (PRWEB) September 12, 2013
Since launching its online health care reform calculator in late May, healthedeals.com has documented a significant increase in website visitors looking for information about the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The site’s health care reform calculator, which has seen the largest area of traffic growth on the site, can help individuals estimate what their health insurance costs will be beginning January 1, 2014.
Based on behavioral analytics, individuals using the calculator indicate they will not receive a subsidy for health insurance at a 33 percent higher rate than those that indicate they will receive a tax credit to purchase health insurance.
“The statistics are telling,” said Brian Dow, Chief Operating Officer of IHC Specialty Benefits, which markets healthedeals.com. “Many individuals and families who use the calculator to find out their health insurance rates are going to be are discovering they will not qualify for a subsidy. While we encourage everyone to consider an essential health benefit plan through a marketplace exchange, some will still look for other options – either temporary health insurance or hospital indemnity plans that will provide some type of coverage at an affordable rate. Or if they do purchase a marketplace plan, they might need gap coverage to cover a high deductible, should an accident or illness occur. Healthedeals.com is committed to offering information, education and insurance products to fit all of these needs.”
Both state and federal health insurance marketplaces are scheduled to open in less than one month. To find out how to calculate an estimate of what health insurance coverage could cost in 2014, visit healthedeals.com.
About healthedeals.com and IHC Specialty Benefits
Healthedeals.com is a website offered by IHC Specialty Benefits, Inc., a member of The IHC Group. The IHC Group is comprised of insurance carriers, and marketing and administrative affiliates committed to providing excellent service and offering competitive health, life, disability, stop-loss, short-term medical, travel and dental insurance products to groups and individuals. IHC Specialty Benefits is a customer-driven company differentiating itself through knowledge, experience and integrity. We, in conjunction with our trusted insurance carriers, share a mutual desire to provide important benefits to our customers and to meet their needs in an innovative, hassle-free manner. Reported by PRWeb 53 minutes ago.
↧
1 in 5 Small Businesses Don’t Know What They Will Do About Employee Health Insurance, EMPLOYERS Survey Finds
RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One in five small businesses remain undecided about the type of healthcare benefits they may offer employees in the next three years, according to a new study released today by EMPLOYERS® (NYSE:EIG), America's small business insurance specialist®. The survey polled decision-makers at businesses with between one and 250 employees. EMPLOYERS Small Business Opinion Poll Snapshot: 41 percent of small businesses currently provide health insurance for their employees 20 pe
Reported by Business Wire 1 hour ago.
↧
More Pages to Explore .....
