Enabling better quality care at a lower cost through the secure, electronic exchange of medical images

Newton, Mass. (PRWEB) May 28, 2015

lifeIMAGE announced today that it has closed a $17.5 million round of financing led by Cambia Health Solutions (Portland, Ore.), a nonprofit total health solutions company dedicated to transforming health care by creating a person-focused and economically sustainable system. lifeIMAGE, the nation’s largest and most utilized network for exchanging medical imaging, will use this financing to expand resources for its growing customer base, increase the breadth of its network capabilities and implement the next phases of its go-to-market strategy.

Cambia and lifeIMAGE share a common goal: improving the quality of care while lowering its cost. Lack of access to imaging exams is the primary cause of unnecessary, duplicative procedures that delay care, frustrate clinicians and patients, and cost the country’s health system an estimated $30 billion each year. lifeIMAGE helps providers improve care coordination for patient consultations, referrals and transfers by making medical imaging exams from unaffiliated hospitals, physicians and patients accessible worldwide. It interoperates with the electronic medical record systems from Cerner Corporation and Epic Systems Corporation to ensure every member of a patient’s care team has fast, electronic access to a complete imaging history.

“Cambia is committed to investing in companies that transform the health care system into one that is person-focused and economically sustainable,” said Rob Coppedge, Senior Vice President of Strategic Investment and Corporate Development at Cambia Health Solutions. ”We are excited to partner with lifeIMAGE as they work towards their goal of providing universal and seamless access to medical images for both clinicians and patients.”

“Image sharing has reached a critical inflection point. Our customers have validated its correlation to quality and cost of care, and it’s now considered part of the standard of care,” said Hamid Tabatabaie, CEO and co-founder of lifeIMAGE. “We’re excited to work with Cambia to increase the mainstream focus and adoption of medical imaging interoperability. With the added capital and Cambia’s support, lifeIMAGE will scale up and demonstrate how innovative health plans can take advantage of our network to bring value to their providers as they adopt a value-based approach to managing the health of their patient populations.”

Cambia’s strategic investment in lifeIMAGE is part of a new round of equity that also includes participation by existing lifeIMAGE investors Cardinal Partners, Galen Partners, Long River Ventures, Mass Ventures, and Partners Innovation Fund. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. acted as exclusive placement agent for lifeIMAGE.

The lifeIMAGE network consists of more than 120 multi-site health systems that include academic medical centers, pediatric facilities, certified trauma centers, oncology centers of excellence and imaging providers. Recent additions to the network include Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Calif.), Emory Healthcare (Ga.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (Tex.), Children’s Hospital of Orange County (Calif.), Baptist Health Jacksonville (Fla.), University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (Iowa), City of Hope (Calif.), and Bayfront Medical Center (Fla.). These organizations join existing clients such as UCLA Health System (Calif.), Ohio State University Medical Center (Ohio), Lurie Children’s Hospital (Ill.), Stony Brook University Medical Center (N.Y.), Yale New Haven Health System (Conn.), University of Maryland Medical System (Md.), UMass Memorial Health Care (Mass.), University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics (Wis.), University of New Mexico (N.M.), University of Rochester (N.Y.), Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Ill.), University of Missouri Healthcare (Mo.), MD Anderson Cancer Center (Tex.), Mount Sinai Medical Center (N.Y.), Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (Tenn.), Geisinger Health System (Pa.), Boston Children's Hospital (Mass.), University of Washington Medical Center (Wash.), Baylor Health Care System (Tex.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa.) and University of Michigan Hospital (Mich.).

About lifeIMAGE
lifeIMAGE provides a medical image exchange platform that is deployed at hundreds of leading healthcare organizations to facilitate the secure, e-sharing of medical imaging information among hospitals, radiology groups, physicians and patients. Our services are helping providers improve the quality and timeliness of care, expand referral business, and eliminate wasteful spending. http://www.lifeimage.com

About Cambia
Cambia Health Solutions, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit total health solutions company dedicated to transforming health care by creating a person-focused and economically sustainable system. Cambia’s growing family of companies range from software and mobile applications, health care marketplaces, non-traditional health care delivery models, health insurance, life insurance, pharmacy benefit management, wellness and overall consumer engagement. Through bold thinking and innovative technology, we are delivering solutions that make quality health care more available, affordable and personally relevant for everyone. To learn more, visit cambiahealth.com or twitter.com/cambia. Reported by PRWeb 20 hours ago.

New research about implementation of the Affordable Care Act finds that Obama administration regulations are allowing taxpayer subsidized health insurance for some people earning less than the statutory income floor and also for unlawful immigrants. A new study by Andy S. Grewal, an associate professor at the University of Iowa College [...] Reported by Forbes.com 17 hours ago.

NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Institute 2015, taking place from June 3-5 in Nashville, McKesson Health Solutions’ Matthew Zubiller, vice president and general manager Strategic Growth and Innovation, and Tammie Phillips RN, vice president Business Consulting, will present a new model for utilization management (UM) that can help reform pre-authorizations, improve the patient experience and transparency, and fundamentally advance value-based care. Zub Reported by Business Wire 19 hours ago.

New Report From Prevent Blindness Shows Cataract More Prevalent in Women; Number of Hispanic Cases to Increase Dramatically in Near Future

CHICAGO (PRWEB) May 28, 2015

The recent Prevent Blindness “Future of Vision: Forecasting the Prevalence and Costs of Vision Problems” report states that nearly 25.7 million Americans ages 40 and older have cataract. The number will increase by 50 percent to 38.5 million by 2032 and by 78 percent to 45.6 million by the year 2050. Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens which blocks or changes the passage of light into the eye.

In addition, the report also found that the majority of cataract patients today are women, a trend that will continue. Whites will continue to make up the large majority of cataract patients, but this population will level off and slightly decrease by the 2040’s. Hispanics will exhibit the fastest rate of growth in cataract cases.

Prevent Blindness has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month to educate the public on cataract, risk factors, symptoms and treatment options, including surgery. Free information is provided through its dedicated web page at preventblindness.org/cataract, or via phone at (800) 331-2020.

Types of cataract include:· Age-related – 95 per cent of cataracts are age-related, usually after age 40.
· Congenital – These are present at birth, usually caused by infection or inflammation during pregnancy; possibly inherited.
· Traumatic – Lens damage from a hard blow, cut, puncture, intense heat or chemical burn may cause cataracts.
· Secondary – Some medicines, eye disease, eye infection, or diseases such as diabetes cause these cataracts.
· Radiation – Cataracts can develop after exposure to some types of radiation.

Unlike many eye diseases, however, vision loss due to cataract can be restored. Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the United States and has a 95 percent success rate.

“The key to preventing vision loss, whether from cataract or other eye disease, is to have a complete dilated eye exam from an eye care professional,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

Prevent Blindness also offers a free online module on cataract including a PowerPoint presentation with a complete guide as part of its Healthy Eyes Educational Series. These are ideal for conducting discussions, lunch-and-learns or seminars on cataract.

For free information on cataract, please call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020 or visit the Prevent Blindness website at preventblindness.org/cataract. For information on insurance benefits, including Medicare coverage, free facts can be found at http://www.preventblindness.org/health-insurance-and-your-eyes.

About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800-331-2020. Or, visit us on the Web at preventblindness.org or facebook.com/preventblindness.

### Reported by PRWeb 18 hours ago.

If you want to attract and keep the most talented employees, having a great company culture is a no-brainer. But what exactly does that look like?

As it turns out, company culture should go beyond the "sexy" perks like catered lunches and spa outings, and include more meaningful benefits. Think wellness programs and competitive health insurance packages.

These may cost you more upfront, but they'll make your employees much happier in the long run. Also, people tend to work harder when they're treated well.

According to the Principal Financial Group, benefit programs are critical to "employee engagement, retention, and productivity — and, ultimately, company performance." When selecting small and mid-sized US companies for its 2014 10 Best program, Principal Financial Group identified common traits that make up a great company culture. Here are five to consider:

-1. Help employees save for retirement.-

Whether it's through a 401(k) or 403(b) plan (also known as a tax-sheltered annuity plan for public schools and tax-exempt organizations), your company should help employees save for retirement. Several of the 10 Best companies also provided benefit pension plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), or both.

-2. Make it easy for employees to secure their financial future, and give them incentives to do so.-

Of the 10 Best companies, 80%  automatically enroll eligible new employees in their 401(k) plans, and half of these plans have auto-escalation features. Several do a periodic check of participation to encourage eligible employees who have not enrolled in a 401(k) plan to enroll, giving generous direct contributions or matching contributions.

-3. Invest in their financial literacy.-

Not only should you give employees financial benefits, but you should also be investing in their overall financial education. Consider offering financial planning resources — group seminars, online tools, educational brochures, a telephone help line, and one-on-one guidance — to empower employees to manage their finances.

-4. Offer employees benefits, tools, and resources to help them achieve health wellness.-

It's important to show your employees that you value their health and well being. Comprehensive health insurance is standard among the 10 Best companies; they all pay a significant portion of their employees' premiums, and half of them even cover 100% of the cost. Many also offer dental, vision, accident, group life, critical illness, and/or long-term care insurance in addition to perks like paid health club memberships and on-site fitness coaches.

-5. Design programs that are accessible and flexible enough to accommodate changing lifestyles and needs.-

Your employees' needs may change over time, and your benefit programs should address those changes. In addition to offering health savings account (HSAs) and other flexible spending accounts, some companies offer programs to help employees with major life events, such as buying a home or purchasing a car.

The best way to attract employees — and retain them — is to develop a company culture that helps them achieve their long-term health and financial goals. If you create benefit programs that empower them, they'll be more engaged, productive, and motivated. 

*Learn more about the 10 Best program and how to participate.*

This post is sponsored by the Principal Financial Group.

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

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HealthPocket examined over 14,000 zip codes with more than 50 health insurance selections for enrollment on the Healthcare.gov marketplace and found that 99% of them experienced increases in 2015 as compared to 2014. However,... Reported by PR Newswire 17 hours ago.

Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni's 2016 budget proposal is nearly 2 percent larger than the city's current spending plan, an increase driven largely by skyrocketing health insurance premiums and employee raises. Yenni's $60.4 million proposal shows modest gains in sales tax... Reported by nola.com 17 hours ago.

One big reason America was far more equal in the 1950s and 1960s than now is unions were stronger then. That gave workers bargaining power to get a fair share of the economy's gains -- and unions helped improve wages and working conditions for everyone.

But as union membership has weakened -- from more than a third of all private-sector workers belonging unions in the 1950s to fewer than 7 percent today -- the bargaining power of average workers has all but disappeared.

In fact, the decline of the American middle class mirrors almost exactly the decline of American labor union membership.

So how do we strengthen unions?

First, make it easier to form a union, with a simple majority of workers voting up or down.

Right now, long delays and procedural hurdles give big employers plenty of time to whip up campaigns against unions, even threatening they'll close down and move somewhere else if a union is voted in.

Second, build in real penalties on companies that violate labor laws by firing workers who try to organize a union or intimidating others.

These moves are illegal, but nowadays the worst that can happen is employers get slapped on the wrist. If found guilty they have to repay lost wages to the workers they fire. Some employers treat this as a cost of doing business. That must be stopped. Penalties should be large enough to stop this illegality.

Finally - this one has been in the news lately, and if you only remember one thing, remember this: We must enact a federal law that pre-empts so-called state "right-to-work" laws.

Don't be fooled by the "right to work" name. These laws allow workers to get all the benefits of having a union without paying union dues. It's a back door destroying unions. If no one pays dues, unions have no way to provide any union benefits. And that means lower wages.

In fact, wages in right-to-work states are lower on average than wages in non-right-to-work states, by an average of about $1500 a year. Workers in right-to-work states are also less likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance and pension coverage.

When unions are weakened by right-to-work laws, all of a state's workers are hurt.

American workers need a union to bargain on their behalf. Low-wage workers in big-box retail stores and fast-food chains need a union even more.

If we want average Americans to get a fair share of the gains from economic growth, they need to be able to unionize.

ROBERT B. REICH's film "Inequality for All" is now available on DVD and blu-ray, and on Netflix. Watch the trailer below:

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 16 hours ago.

ISMETT, a leading transplant hospital managed by UPMC in Palermo, Italy, boosted the Sicilian economy by €132.5 million in expenditure in 2013, generated nearly 2,000 jobs and provided a net benefit of more than €73 million by retaining patients who otherwise would have traveled outside of Sicily for care, according to a new study by the Battelle Memorial Institute.

Pittsburgh, Pa (PRWEB) May 28, 2015

ISMETT, a leading transplant hospital managed by UPMC in Palermo, Italy, boosted the Sicilian economy by €132.5 million in expenditure in 2013, generated nearly 2,000 jobs and provided a net benefit of more than €73 million by retaining patients who otherwise would have traveled outside of Sicily for care, according to a new study by the Battelle Memorial Institute. At the same time, the partnership with UPMC provided access to research, training and advanced health care management that is transforming Sicily into a biomedical hub for the entire Mediterranean basin.

Formally known as the Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, ISMETT has performed more than 1,600 transplants since it began operations in 1999. An unusual public-private partnership among UPMC, the Region of Sicily and Cervello and Civico hospitals, ISMETT is the only hospital in Italy designed and intended exclusively for solid organ transplantation and highly specialized therapies. It boasts patient survival rates that are among the best in Europe and treats more than 30,000 patients a year with severe organ disease.

"The results of this study reach beyond ISMETT and Sicily, and are evidence of the positive economic benefits generated when high-quality health care combines with cutting-edge research,” said Bruno Gridelli, M.D., chief executive officer of ISMETT and executive vice president of UPMC International Services. “When health care and its various elements—therapy, training and research—are properly managed, they can be powerful forces in the financial and social growth of an entire region.”

To identify and quantify the economic and social benefits of ISMETT for Sicily, UPMC commissioned this detailed analysis from Battelle’s Technology Partnership Practice. The study examined the direct impact of expenditures made by ISMETT, its employees and visitors, as well as the indirect, or multiplier, effects. The researchers also assessed the many and varied “functional impacts” of ISMETT, or those generated by its clinical services, research and development activity, and education of medical staff.

In 2013, the overall impact of ISMETT’s expenditures on the Sicilian economy included €67.9 million directly and €64.5 million through the indirect, multiplier effect. ISMETT and its related economic activities generated 1,793 jobs in Sicily—862 direct and 931 indirect. Battelle estimated that Sicily receives €3.1 million in annual taxes because of ISMETT’s operations, while the Italian national government receives approximately € 19.6 million annually.

As expected when ISMETT was created, the hospital’s presence has reversed the trend of Sicilian patients traveling abroad to receive transplants and high-specialty care, which means more convenience for patients and their families and significant savings for the regional government. According to Battelle, the presence and operation of ISMETT retained a net €73.2 million in the Sicilian economy that otherwise would have been spent outside the region to pay for care, patient transportation and associated costs. Ninety-two percent of ISMETT’s patients are from Sicily, while the rest come from other Italian regions or from abroad.

ISMETT also is an institution that is helping Sicily to build a reputation for science, technological advancement, research and specialty medical training. This has helped to pave the way for the planned Biomedical Research and Biotechnology Center in Carini, which will employ more than 600 people when it opens in 2017. The government-funded center will operate under the leadership of the Ri.MED Foundation, a partnership of UPMC, the government of Italy, the Region of Sicily and the Italian National Research Council.

“Originally seen as an institution that would fill a gap in clinical services in Italy, ISMETT has succeeded beyond our expectations and has grown to become a major economic engine for the Sicilian economy,” said Dr. Gridelli. “Most importantly, ISMETT is improving the well-being of patients throughout Italy and beyond and promises to advance health and science for years to come.”

# # #

About UPMC
A world-renowned, $12 billion health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of accountable, cost-effective, patient-centered care. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates more than 60,000 employees, more than 20 hospitals, more than 500 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, a more than 2.5-million-member health insurance division, and international and commercial operations. Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC ranks No. 12 in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report annual Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals — and No. 1 in Pennsylvania. For more information, go to UPMC.com.

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E-mail: SAbbro(at)upmc(dot)it Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

The book from which the following two excerpts are taken was written in the belief that the world capitalist economic system has become so dysfunctional in the 21st Century that it cannot be defended rationally, but requires a particular moral/political ideology grounded in the assumption that human beings are fundamentally to be defined as free, autonomous and rational individuals, the only alternative being a faceless member of a collective, communist or fascist.

The stark inequalities that are beginning to rend the social and moral fabric of the U.S. no less than the economic and political are not unprecedented. Poverty (among many) in the midst of plenty (for some) has afflicted the country for much of its history as capitalism developed and grew to its present juggernaut proportions.

In the past, however, when the fruits of nature were there for the plucking, moral calls for wealth redistribution in the name of social justice were usually countered by maintaining that poverty could be alleviated without curtailing individual freedom and property rights of the well-to-do by increasing productivity: as the economic pie grew, everyone would get a larger slice, and the wealthy producers could thus feel justified in averting their eyes now from the suffering of the poor they passed on the streets.

It is not a credible argument today. Far too many of America's purple mountains are no longer majestic, too many of its fruited plains no longer bear any. Our weather grows more severe, our air more difficult to breathe, waves are beginning to lap at some of our seacoast cities. The earth in general, and the U.S. in particular, can no longer endure the level of exploitation it has experienced over the last hundred and fifty years.

If this perspective is at all correct, then it seems that distributive (social) justice can only be realized by a number of wealth redistribution measures. In other words, if the economic pie cannot be increased any longer at the earth's expense, extant and future pies must be apportioned differently, and that cannot but be at the expense of the currently well-to-do. But this can only diminish their personal freedom: the more taxes they must pay to aid the plight of the less fortunate, and the more regulations they must endure in the search for increasing their wealth, the less free they really will be. Full stop.

And this seems questionable morally: how to justify curtailing what some people can do with their assets just because they have more assets than others? Thus libertarians (not alone the super-rich among them) can defend their position morally by making an appeal to individual freedom and autonomy -- and attendant procedural forms of justice -- as trumping matters of legislation aimed at the alleviation of poverty and the regulation of corporations in the name of distributive (social) justice. The political expression of this impulse is evident, in fact, in the very name the tea party chose for itself. Rooting itself not only in anti-tax revolutionary spirit, the first name of the contemporary group stands for Taxed Enough Already. We do more than our share.

It is possible to challenge the libertarian on moral and political grounds, but not, I believe, if one accepts a foundational individualism as grounding ethics.

On the libertarian account my major obligation to you is simply to leave you alone, and that is all I'll ever ask of you in return. I am not responsible for being born white, or male, or an American, or whatever, any more than I am responsible for your being born poor, a minority, or diabetic. I am now responsible for myself, and for those with whom I freely contract mutual benefits and obligations. I'll find my own job, obtain my own health insurance, develop my own pension plan, purchase a home when I can afford it, and see to the education of my children, thank you. On all these scores you should do the same. If misfortune on any or all of them should befall me, I'll suffer them in silence and not ask for a handout from you or anyone else, especially the government. And please note that for every one of these affirmations I can formulate an action-guiding principle that I can will to become a universal law; rest assured I have taken the moral philosophy of Kant seriously.

The great bulk of mainstream economic thinking for almost two centuries undergirds this view, namely, that the whole world will eventually be more prosperous for a great many people if the free market reigns, and those involved in those markets enjoy maximal freedom to invest and produce as they think best. Those who don't prosper will have only themselves to blame; that is what the concept of individual responsibility is all about.

And there the libertarian and tea partier alike rests his case. It is a very strong one, whether we like it or not. We may raise other objections to the account, but should not count on any of them having much purchase, for the views are very well grounded in the concept of freedom and the unencumbered autonomous individual, rational self. It is possible to challenge the libertarian on moral and political grounds, but not, I believe, if one accepts a foundational individualism as grounding ethics.

Fortunately, that foundation can be swept away. Confucius would say that the tea party's emphasis on individual liberty is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of human nature. So long as we, too, continue to accept the errant view of human beings as essentially free, rational autonomous individuals, and retain just as it is a constitution that enshrines that view we will never be able to denude the captains of industry, the bankers, brokers and the otherwise wealthy of their moral cloaks, nor rein in their dominance in the economic and political arenas.
* * * * *Once the ingrained abstract idea of the free, rational, self-interested autonomous individual self begins to seem like the ghost in the machine it almost certainly is -- and consequently the perniciousness of the ideology it reinforces becomes more obvious -- different possibilities for envisioning the human condition and the good society can present themselves if we are willing to look for and think seriously about them.

Enter Confucius. By emphasizing not our individuality but our sociality, the Confucians simultaneously emphasize our relationality: an abstract individual I am not, but rather a particular son, husband, father, grandfather, teacher, student, colleague, neighbor, friend, and more. In all of these roles I am defined in large measure by the other(s) with whom I interact, highly specific personages related to me in one way or another; they are not abstract autonomous individuals either. Moreover, we do not "play" these roles, as we tend to speak of them, but rather live our roles, and when all of them have been specified, and their interrelationships made manifest, then we have, for Confucius, been thoroughly individuated, but with nothing left over with which to piece together an autonomous individual self. Being thus the aggregate sum of the roles I live, it must follow that as I grow older my roles will change, and consequently I become quite literally a different person. Marriage changed me, as did becoming a father, and later, grandfather. I interacted differently with my daughters when they were children than when teen-agers, and differently again now that they are adult mothers themselves. Divorce or becoming a widower would change me yet again. In all of this I not only change, others with whom I relate perceive me in changed ways as well. And of course they, too, are always changing as we change each other. Now that they have children of their own, my daughters (and my wife) now see me as "grandpa" no less than "dad." A bachelor friend might invite me to a summer-long cruise if I became a widower, but would not invite me alone as a married man. While my role as student never disappears, it was overshadowed after my formal studies were completed as I became a professor. Former students become young friends, young friends become old friends, all of which have an effect on who I am and am defined. All the more so is this true when old and cherished friends and relatives die, making me yet again different, and diminished.

On the Confucian account, seeking that essential self must be like chasing a will-o'-the-wisp, for we are basically constituted by the roles we live in the midst of others. Even the tone of our voice tends to change when speaking to our parents and then to a friend.

But describing our interpersonal behavior from this perspective goes strongly against the grain of the essential self that we have been enculturated to think and feel we really are, something that remains constant and unchanging throughout the vicissitudes of our lives. The notion of "identity crisis" is a common one, especially on college campuses, usually striking early in the sophomore year. "Who am I?" Jane Spring asks, to which the shade of Confucius would probably reply, "Given that you are Jane Spring, you are obviously the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Spring. I see by the names on the door that you are the roommate of Susan Summer, and from the books on your desk, that you are taking classes from Professors Fall and Winter.""I don't mean those kinds of things," Jane interrupts, "I want to know the real me, apart from everyone else." To which the Master can only reply, "Small wonder these are called 'crises;' you have thrown away everything that could contribute to answering your question."

On the Confucian account, seeking that essential self must be like chasing a will-o'-the-wisp, for we are basically constituted by the roles we live in the midst of others. Even the tone of our voice tends to change when speaking to our parents and then to a friend. Is our demeanor the same with a lover as with a younger sibling? Is the visage we present to neighbors the same we present to strangers? For virtually all of us, I believe, the answer to these and similar questions is "No," and if so, then in an important sense, we might begin to understand that who we "really are" is a function of who we are with, when, and under what circumstances. And the same may be said of them; each of us has a unique, but always changing identity.

It follows from this dynamic perspective that if we are indeed consistently changing and thus have no essential self that remains constant through the changes -- our sense of continuity through memory notwithstanding -- then a goal of human perfectibility becomes an impossible one, for there is nothing of enduring substance to perfect. The ren dao of the early Confucians is not achieved, it is led, as I suggested briefly earlier, and we must strive to broaden the way with diligence throughout our lives. As one of the major students of Confucius commented in the Analects:
Master Zeng said: "Scholar-apprentices (shi) cannot but be strong and resolved, for they bear a heavy charge and their way (dao) is long. Where they take authoritative/benevolent conduct (ren) as their charge, is it not a heavy one? And where their way ends only in death, is it not indeed long?"
Although this early Confucian view of the human being is very different from the abstract autonomous individual, rational, free, and probably self-interested locus of moral analysis and political theory current in Western philosophical, legal, and political thinking today, it is, I hope, not seen as remote from ourselves. Rather does the Confucian view seem to be a fairly straightforward account of our actual lives. In order to be a friend, neighbor, or lover, for example, I must have a friend, neighbor, or lover. Other persons are not merely accidental or contingent to my goal of following the path of being as fully human as possible, they are fundamental to it. My life can only have meaning as I contribute to the meaningfulness of the lives of others, and they to me. Indeed, they confer personhood on me, and do so continuously; to the extent I live the role of a teacher students are necessary to my life, not incidental to it. In this way role-bearing persons follow closely a cardinal insight of Kant's ethics, his second formulation of the Categorical Imperative: "Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only." In this regard it should also be noted that while Confucianism should be seen as fundamentally religious, there are no solitary monks, nuns, anchorites, anchoresses or hermits to be found in the tradition. The way is made in the walking of it, but one never walks alone.

Before further elaborating this ethics of roles, a warning may be in order again to insure that I am not being read as simply describing a more fluid and interrelated individual than Western thinkers are accustomed to dealing with. Role-bearers are highly dynamic to be sure, you might say; and much more socially-embedded than even Aristotle would have it, but it seems from your descriptions of them that role-bearers are still recognizable as individual selves, are they not?

No. We have moved now from peaches to onions. Thus far I have indeed been describing persons, but trying to do so only in relation to their roles with other persons, and I have concentrated on the nature of those role-relations because they are what must be foregrounded if the Confucian vision is to be properly understood. At the same time I must emphasize that my descriptions of human interactions are based on the simple facts of daily life as lived by flesh and blood human beings. I must hope that they are not that radically different from the lives of my readers when not contemplating or attempting to find their individuality, for I cannot argue further with those who do not recognize themselves at all in these accounts. This, then, requires simultaneously placing the philosophical concept of the individual self as well as the psychological in the background. Moreover, the focus is not simply on the role, but equally on the interactions of the role-bearers, not the qualities they would be believed to have if we were talking about individuals. Individuals are said to be kind; role-bearing benefactors perform kindly acts toward and with beneficiaries; individuals are brave, role bearers perform brave acts; individuals may be in love, role-bearers behave lovingly. The only way we can know a role-bearing person has quality X is to see that person behave X-like in her role relation actions and interactions. In sum, when I say a role-bearing person is gentle, I am not ascribing a property/quality/attribute to her inner self; I am predicting in part the way in which she will perform her roles.

To elaborate, in the descriptions, analyses and evaluations of role interactions the accounts will differ from those given for moral actions of individuals, where we tend to concentrate on the agent, the action performed, and its overall consequences. Between role-bearers, however, we must give an account of what the benefactor did vis-à-vis the beneficiary, and what the beneficiary did reciprocally, and the quality of the interaction between them. We must ask whether one flourished, both, or neither; whether the beneficiary benefitted; whether the benefactor's part of the interaction was sufficiently appropriate for the beneficiary to reciprocate appropriately, and vice versa; what the aesthetic dimensions of the interaction were; and not irrelevantly for Confucians, were the interacting role-bearers proper models for others to emulate? Moreover, all the interactions of role-bearers can be subjected to this kind of scrutiny, from the way condolences are conveyed at a funeral to saving a drowning old man to seating a guest at dinner to helping parents with chores to chaining oneself to others in preparation for engaging in civil disobedience.

Awareness of the specific role one is currently engaged in provides the general direction normatively the interaction should take. The more experience one has in this role the easier it becomes to elect the most appropriate behavioral response in it, depending on the other(s) involved in the role reciprocally. We may note that in role ethics, nothing prevents the benefactor from asking the beneficiary what they think it would be most appropriate to do. We can know that what X and Y did together was highly appropriate because they both described the interaction as salutary for them both. This also helps respond to the question of a skeptic who asks how we know what it means to flourish in general: there is no flourishing "in general," only in particular cases, and we can know when it happens by asking the participants if it did.

If all of morality is bound up with the performance of roles it must follow that one's moral code cannot be a private affair, for all roles can only be defined for each person by other persons. Hence "private," to the extent it entails "personal" or "autonomous" must be a fiction no less than "individual." Herbert Fingarette put this point splendidly when he said that "For Confucius, unless there are at least two human beings, there are no human beings." We may note in passing from this point that if this account suffices for describing, analyzing and evaluating human conduct with others, we have no need either for the idea of morals as currently employed and studied, nor for the concept of an autonomous individual self which grounds contemporary morality and thus capitalism's continuance, with no real alternatives in view.

Thus I press the Confucian persuasion throughout this book, but it is not my intent to proselytize for it, nor to attempt to legislate how the world really is, or should be, but rather to employ the vision of Confucius as I see it against my own cultural background to help liberate our imaginations about what a better world beyond the ideology of individualistic competitive capitalism might be like.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 12 hours ago.

If the Supreme Court guts subsidies for millions, Republicans will probably try to pass some form of “contingency fix” plan that would keep those subsidies going — at least, until after the 2016 elections. But that would likely be packaged with repeal of the individual mandate, which suggests the real GOP game plan may be to draw a presidential veto — allowing Republicans to claim they tried to save all those people’s health insurance, but mandate-crazed Barack Obama wouldn’t let them. Reported by Washington Post 11 hours ago.

Read full story for latest details. Reported by CNNMoney 8 hours ago.

Read full story for latest details. Reported by CNNMoney 8 hours ago.

Read full story for latest details. Reported by CNNMoney 8 hours ago.

Ms.Gulbis to raise funds through Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Walking and Wellness Challenge while playing 2015 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer

Galloway Township, NJ (PRWEB) May 28, 2015

The Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City today received a gift of $2,500 from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) and through the charitable efforts of pro golfer Natalie Gulbis, the club can receive much more support as play begins for the 2015 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer.

A former Boys & Girls Club member and volunteer with the organization as she was growing up in Sacramento, California, Ms. Gulbis has accepted the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Walking and Wellness Challenge. Under the challenge, Horizon BCBSNJ will contribute another $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City for every 10,000 steps Ms. Gulbis records on a Fitbit as she walks the course during tourney play at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.

“Horizon is committed to ensuring that the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City can continue as a haven where children and families can go for quality programs and community services,” said Jonathan R. Pearson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Horizon BCBSNJ. Pearson noted that through its walking challenge with Golf Channel commentator Karen Stupples during the 2014 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer, the company donated a total of $4,500 to the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City and an additional $4,500 to its First Tee program. “Horizon is grateful to Natalie for making the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City a true winner of this tourney before it even begins.”

Through many charitable efforts, Ms. Gulblis has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support Boys & Girls clubs nationally.

During a check presentation ceremony at Stockton Seaview today, representatives for the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City’s Board of Trustees accepted a ceremonial donation of $2,500 from Horizon BCBSNJ.

At the same time, Ms. Gulbis who is playing her 15th year on the LPGA Tour, pledged to raise more by accepting Horizon BCBSNJ’s Walking and Wellness challenge.

“As someone who understands and appreciates the true value that Boys & Girls clubs hold for children and families across the country, I take special pride in supporting them through my charitable efforts on the LPGA Tour,” Ms. Gulbis said. “I plan to log as many steps as possible during the Horizon Walking and Wellness Challenge to help the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City,” she said.

“We are grateful to Horizon and Natalie Gulbis for their generous support,” said Sam Young, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City. “Horizon’s commitment to the club and Natalie’s passion for helping us through the Horizon Walking and Wellness Challenge will help our club thrive and serve the children who depend on us.”

Ms. Gulbis will start her fund-raising step count on Friday, May 29 as golfers begin play for the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer. Ms. Gulbis will provide a summary of her steps and other commentary through updates on her twitter account, @natalie_gulbis, through the end of play on Sunday, May 31.

“The support our partners provide to this community is an important part of this event,” said tournament director Leela Narang. “We’re proud to collaborate with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and assist them in their support of the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City.”

Since the LPGA started tracking charitable contributions in 1981, the cumulative donations from the LPGA and LPGA Tour events has totaled more than $200 million, $28 million of which comes from the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer.

As the 2015 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer gets underway, getting close to the action will be as easy and affordable for Horizon BCBSNJ members. On Saturday and Sunday, Horizon members will receive a free admission for two by showing their health insurance ID card at the Main Entrance Gate.

###

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at http://www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.

About the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer
The ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer is one of the largest and most prestigious events on the LPGA tour. It is held annually in Atlantic City and features 144 of the world's best female golfers competing over three rounds for a $1.5 million purse. The event, owned and operated by Eiger Marketing Group, is held on the Bay Course at prestigious Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club. The 2015 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer will be held May 25-31. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.

Because of their commitment to bring the most effective weight loss methods to their patients, Diet Doc now adds FDA approved Belviq for weight loss to their already impressive stable of safe and fast weight loss prescription diet medications.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) May 29, 2015

Belviq for weight loss, also known as lorcaserin, is an FDA approved prescription diet medication. In 2012, the FDA approved Belviq specifically for the treatment of obesity when individuals have a BMI >30. It is also approved for individuals with a BMI >27 with at least one additional weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

Belviq’s main function for weight loss focuses on the brain’s appetite center. 5-HT receptors in the hypothalamus are stimulated by serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in regulating mood, anxiety, appetite and feeding behavior, and reproductive behavior. Belviq for weight loss targets a specific type of 5-HT receptor involved in the pathway of producing the hormone proopiomelanocortin (POMC), which works to leave patients feeling full and satisfied. The most common side effects reported by patients include headache, sinus congestion, nausea, anxiety, and depression.

Patients are encouraged to call the company or visit http://www.dietdoc.com to schedule a private, no-cost and immediate appointment with one of Diet Doc’s highly trained weight loss doctors for recommendations and guidance for the safest and most effective weight loss method. Because the doctors specialize in nutrition and the science of weight loss, they are better able to couple their patients with the safest and most effective diet plans and prescription diet medications that are compatible with age, gender, medical conditions and nutritional needs.

During the initial doctor consultation, the patient’s past history will be reviewed and the entire system will be assessed to uncover and address hormonal imbalances, cellular toxicity or improperly functioning organs that may have been previously unidentified and may be causing weight gain or preventing weight loss. Meal and snack plans will be tailored to be specific to each patient’s nutritional needs and that work in combination with pure, prescription hormone diet treatments, diet pills, powerful fat burners and now, Belviq for weight loss, to target fat that has become comfortably and dangerously nestled around the internal organs and deep within the cells of the hard to reach areas to be released into the bloodstream, burned for energy and quickly flushed from the system.

And, because Diet Doc respects each patient’s time and privacy, they have partnered with Telemedicine, enabling patients to consult online with a doctor, work with nutritional experts, order prescription diet medication and schedule weekly checkup calls to monitor progress throughout.

For added convenience, prescription diet medications can be reordered via the phone or internet for direct delivery to each patient’s front door without time consuming, embarrassing and costly doctor visits. And, because Diet Doc is an approved, medically supervised weight loss program, the company is recognized by many health insurance companies. Reimbursement forms, flex spending cards and health savings account cards are also accepted. The company has become a leader in the medical weight loss industry and urges those who are struggling to lose 10-20 pounds to those who must lose 100 pounds or more to call today.

About the Company:
Diet Doc Weight Loss is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long term weight loss.

Diet Doc Contact Information:

Providing care across the USA
Headquarters:
San Diego, CA
(888) 934-4451
Info(at)DietDoc(dot)info
http://www.dietdoc.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DietDocMedical
Facebook: DietDocMedicalWeightLoss
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diet-doc-weight-loss?trk=biz-brand-tree-co-logo Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.

Notice 2015-17 is the IRS' most recent guidance on such arrangements, reaching the same conclusions. It also, however, provides welcome penalty relief for certain employers. Reported by Mondaq 1 day ago.

Filed under: Personal Finance, Budgeting Tools, Emergencies, Retirement Plans, Financial EducationBy Maryalene LaPonsie

We're back with the next installment of our Financial Planning Through the Ages series, offering our top tips on how to manage your money and prepare for retirement during every decade.

It's time to talk to you 30-somethings. At 37, I'm in the thick of this decade myself and can attest to the fact that life is much different now than it was 10 years ago. After spending our 20s getting acclimated to adulthood, we finally have our sea legs. Or at least, many of us do.

You may be married. You may have kids. You may have a house. You may be making more money than ever.

Regardless of the particulars of your current life, here are 10 money moves we should all be making during this decade of our lives:

*1. Revisit your retirement savings.* By this point, you should have a retirement fund, whether that be a 401(k) or an IRA. If you don't, getting one set up should be priority No. 1 in your life this week.For everyone else, it's time to pull out your most recent statement and take a look at where your money is invested. Over time, our retirement account can fall out of balance. We may have too much risk or, more likely for those of us in our 30s, we may have too little risk. Remember, you likely have 30-plus years left in the workforce, so you can afford to have money in more aggressive funds that carry the potential of bigger returns.

Review our article on how to manage your 401(k) in a minute. If you've changed jobs at any point, you should also look at doing something with your orphaned 401(k).

*2. Increase your emergency fund.* In theory, creating an emergency fund is another money move you took in your 20s. If you don't have one, putting money aside for a rainy day is priority No. 2 for you, right after you set up that retirement account.

However, let's assume you did create an emergency fund in your 20s. It's probably time to up the balance now. You've probably moved out of the studio apartment. You may have a family to feed. You possibly financed a couple of purchases along the way.

Your emergency fund should have enough money to cover three to six months' worth of expenses. Add up all your current must-spend monthly expenses and see if your fund falls short on covering them. If so, it's time to beef up the account.

*3. Rebalance the budget.* How long have you been living on the same budget? Ideally, you should revisit your budget at least once a year or every time you have a major life change. If it's been a while since you crunched the numbers, sit down with your significant other, if you have one, and do a thorough review. Here are a couple of questions to help guide the discussion:

· Does your current budget support your life goals?
· When is the last time you shopped for better prices on expenses such as Internet and insurance?
· Are you spending money each month on items that don't fit any of the current budget categories?
· Can you eliminate any categories at this stage in your life?

*4. Track your spending for a month.* Oh, you don't have a budget, you say? Well, that's a shame. Let's work on correcting that.

The best way to create a workable budget is to track your spending for an entire month. Keep tabs on every penny. That sounds like a lot of work, but if you use your debit card or a credit card (that you pay off at the end of the month) for everything, it's not so bad.

Actually, let's all make this money move, regardless of whether we have a current budget or not. We tend to idealize where our money goes ("Oh, I never eat out!"), but once you start tracking, there's no denying that you hit the drive-thru once a week or go on a spending spree at the mall once a month.

So keep track of your money in June and then compare your actual spending to your budgeted amounts. Depending on where the numbers land, you're going to either need to rework the budget or rethink your spending.

*5. Pay off your debt.* Of course, we all wish we had never gone into debt in the first place, but there's no use in rehashing past mistakes. Now is the time to take action and correct them.

Cut up the credit cards and then go read about eight smart ways to pay off debt fast.

*6. Perfect the fine art of haggling.* In your 30s, you'll likely be making some major purchases. You may also have more discretionary income to buy the things you want.

You can stretch your dollars further if you learn how to bargain like a pro. There's no reason to pay full price when a few simple techniques can help you save money on purchases big and small.

No need to worry about looking cheap or unreasonable either. Haggling doesn't have to equal a high-pressure conversation. I'll let Stacy Johnson explain further in his confessions of a serial haggler.

*7. Consider starting a college fund.* For those of you with kids, your 30s are a good time to set up a college fund. Don't wait until the kids hit high school to have a plan for higher education.

Personally, I recommend 529 plans, but you could also put money in a Coverdell education savings account or buy a prepaid tuition plan. You could even use the principal investment from your Roth IRA to pay college expenses, although pulling from a retirement fund should be no one's first choice.

Even if you don't have kids, you may want to start a college fund for yourself if you think you'll eventually want to earn a second or graduate degree.

*8. Re-evaluate your career trajectory.* How's that job going? Is your line of work all you'd hoped it would be?

Your 30s are a good time to re-evaluate your career path. If you decide you hate your job, now might be the best time to make a change. You're still young enough that you could go back to school and recoup your investment. That said, going back to school may not be necessary to change fields.

Sit down with a trusted adviser and carefully consider your options. Maybe you like the line of work but want to shift responsibilities or move up the ladder. Start with your end goal and map out, in reverse, all the steps you need to take in order to get there.

*9. Upgrade your insurance coverage.* Reviewing insurance coverage is another money move to make in your 30s.

If you have a family, you need to have enough life insurance to replace your income should you prematurely leave this world. Likewise, you'll want to have disability insurance if you're the family breadwinner. Super high-deductible health insurance may not make sense anymore either if you have kids who may be prone to ear infections or the occasional broken bone.

You'll also want to double-check your home and auto insurance limits. Once you've traded in that beater for a nicer vehicle, you may want to have comprehensive coverage. For your home, check with your insurer to see whether valuable items are covered by your policy or you need a separate rider.

*10. Keep your eye on the prize.* Finally, don't get caught up in what you think life should be like in your 30s. It's easy to look at friends and neighbors and try to duplicate what they do.

My experience has been that this is especially true where our kids are involved. If everyone around us has kids in sports or dance or 4-H, we might feel like we need to do the same for our kids, lest they miss out. Same goes for vacations. Maybe you feel obligated to take your kids on a big summer vacation each year because, well, that's what good parents do.

Rather than live according to society's standards for the good life, live according to your own standards. Keep your eye on what's a priority to you and your family and only spend your money on those things that further your personal and household goals. It's OK to take the big vacation or buy a fancy car if you can afford it, but do so because it's important to you, not because you think it's expected of you.

That wraps up our top money moves for your 30s. I'm handing the torch to Donna Freedman, who will pick up next time with the best moves for 40-somethings. If you have tips for folks in their 30s, be sure to share them with us in comments below.
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Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Reported by DailyFinance 1 day ago.

The clock is ticking for the Supreme Court to rule on King v Burwell. At issue is whether the plain text of the Affordable Care Act limits health insurance subsidies to individual market policyholders in states that have created their own exchanges. If so, the IRS will be another headache [...] Reported by Forbes.com 18 hours ago.

Humana shares spiked on Friday afternoon after a report that it is thinking about selling itself.

The health insurance company has hired Goldman Sachs to advise it on a possible deal, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Aetna and Cigna are among the companies that may be bidding for Humana, the Journal reported.

Humana's stock jumped more than 18% to as high as $210.65 per share in trading. Shares are now up 45% year-to-date, and 67% over the past 12 months.

The stock rallied the most on the S&P 500 as the broader index continues to trade in the red. Humana has a market cap of around $28 billion. 

Business Insider has reached out to Humana for comment and we'll update if we hear back.

Here's a chart showing the spike in Humana shares:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 Health Myths That Are Completely Wrong Reported by Business Insider 14 hours ago.