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Approaching health law tax is not just a levy on luxury

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The last major piece of President Barack Obama's health care law could raise costs for thrifty consumers as well as large corporations and union members when it takes effect in 2018. First to go might be the "flexible spending accounts" offered by many companies. The accounts allow employees to set aside money tax-free for annual insurance deductibles and out-of-pocket health costs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner Democratic presidential candidate, says she's concerned it will shift costs to workers. Since the tax doesn't take effect right away, it's an issue for the next president. The downside is workers may see an increase in their out-of-pocket costs. Since the tax is indexed to general inflation, which rises more slowly than health insurance premiums, over time it would affect a growing share of health plans. A growing number of workers have high-deductible health insurance that comes with tax-sheltered health savings accounts, or HSAs, that they and their employer can contribute to. Reported by SeattlePI.com 19 hours ago.

Florida Healthy Kids Blames Obamacare For Price Increases

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Starting next month, health insurance premiums for thousands of children will increase, according to the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation. Reported by cbs4.com 19 hours ago.

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Florida Healthy Kids Corporation is warning that health insurance premiums will increase for thousands of kids starting next month. Reported by WEAR ABC 3 18 hours ago.

Business Owners: Do You Have Proper Insurance Coverage?

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As a business owner, I have always been concerned about making sure that I have the insurance coverage my family needs to remain protected. Without a traditional employer to offer access to discounted health, disability and life insurance, you might not think about what you need as a business owner.

As you move forward and grow your business, here are some things to consider when it comes to your insurance situation:

*Health Insurance*

Perhaps the most challenging insurance coverage to obtain when self-employed is health insurance. If you have a partner with a more traditional job, you might be able to coordinate your coverage and obtain what you need. If this isn't an option, you will need to make sure you are covered. Not only can it ensure that a health emergency doesn't break the bank, but obtaining health coverage is a matter of federal law.

Start with your state's health exchange. If it isn't open enrollment time, you will need to be in the process of experiencing a major life change in order to qualify. Look to see what is available, and what will fit your needs. You will pay more for coverage obtained on your own, without an employer to help subsidize the cost. However, you can receive a tax deduction for the health insurance costs you pay as a business owner.

*Life Insurance*

"Many companies offer access to life insurance plans," says Ross Quade, of TermLifeInsurance.com. "When you're self-employed, it's easy to overlook life insurance. However, it's vital to your family that you obtain coverage."

Think about the hardship that your family might experience if you pass on. How will your family be supported? How will your debts be paid off? Quade suggests using the Internet to look for quotes so you can find the best rates for the coverage you need. At the very least, it makes sense to get term life insurance coverage that will provide for your family until your children are all grown.

*Disability Insurance*

"This is another policy that many workplaces offer, but that you might not think about as a self-employed person," says Quade. However, disability can strike you, and make it difficult for you to perform in your business. When this happens, you want to know that a portion of your income will be replaced so that your family can meet its obligations and be taken care of. Again, it's possible to find disability insurance by looking online. You can also self-insure against most catastrophes by building up a substantial emergency fund.

*Business Use of Your Home*

I recent moved and had to obtain renters insurance. I asked my agent about coverage for my home office, and he said that there was limited coverage -- up to $1,000 -- for the items in my home office. Liability coverage and additional insurance coverage wasn't included. An additional waiver is required if I want better coverage for the business use of my home.

Whether you rent or own, you need to make sure your renters or homeowners policy properly covers the business use of your home. You don't want your home office or workshop destroyed, or to be on the hook for liability claims made by clients who come to your home business premises.

*Other Business Insurance Coverage*

Finally, don't forget other insurance coverage. "Many business owners find that they need errors and omissions insurance," Quade points out. "If you are a professional providing services or advice, you need to be ready to protect yourself against people who blame you for their losses."

Consider the type of business you have, and what could go wrong. If you need some additional coverage, make sure to obtain it. You don't want your business to be ruined by others. Protecting your assets and your family is just as important as growing your business. In fact, without the right the insurance, you might see a setback to your business.

"It's not pleasant to pay insurance premiums," says Quade, "but the right coverage for your situation can protect your finances."

-- 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 18 hours ago.

The U.S. Needs More Treatment Options for Opiate Addiction

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After getting revived with naloxone from a near-death experience, people find there are neither affordable nor appropriate treatment options for opiate addiction.

By Hyun Namkoong

James Sizemore, a community pastor in Fayetteville, North Carolina, lets out a loud sigh and shakes his head in frustration when he talks about the inadequate resources available for substance addiction and the numerous obstacles that stand in the way of getting help for the people he serves.

Sizemore quickly rattles off a list of barriers that span from lack of health insurance coverage, unaffordable treatment options, long waiting lists and what he calls the Catch 22 of treatment, work, detox and the criminal justice system.

"People who really want and need help have a very difficult time getting housing, employment or other services due to a criminal record or lack of money. So they stay on drugs, get caught up in the legal system, and it starts all over again in an endless cycle," he said.

The problems in Fayetteville reflect what has been unfolding nationwide ever since the resurgence of heroin and the soaring use of prescription painkillers such as Percocet or Vicodin. Although these drugs have claimed thousands of lives in the U.S., healthcare resources and services have failed to catch-up to meet the demands for opiate treatment programs.

"Nobody seems to be noticing that this is a national epidemic," said Les Quagliano, clinical team lead for Greensboro Alcohol and Drug Services. "There are so many people dying."

Rather than strengthen and increase access to opiate treatment services, several state governments have taken actions to do the opposite, such as Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's recent veto of a bill that would have expanded Medicaid coverage to include treatment for opioid addiction.

"We get the same amount of funding every year from the state," Quagliano said.

Earlier this year, state-funded hospitals in North Carolina that offer alcohol and drug services were at risk of losing dollars to provide specialty care for patients with diverse needs such as veterans.

"The community is flooded with drugs, but not with treatment," Sizemore said. "What are we supposed to do?"

*Unaffordable treatment for minors*
Treatment options available to minors are even more scarce and piecemeal, something parents may find troubling considering the FDA's recent decision to approve the use of OxyContin for children as young as 11.

Like so many faces of the heroin epidemic, Trinlie Yeaman's then 17-year-old daughter Zoë first started using pain pills and later turned to heroin, a cheaper and more easily acquired drug. Yeaman exhausted numerous resources and tried multiple avenues to get Zoë into treatment only to run into bureaucratic, legal or financial barriers for getting Zoë the help she needed.

To get into treatment, one must first check into a detox facility, and that's where Yeaman encountered first of many hurdles for finding appropriate care for her daughter.

"There weren't any detox facilities for adolescents at the time," Yeaman said. "There are eight beds in Asheville. It's not enough."

The U.S. Census estimates that 89,000 people live in Asheville.

Yeaman's insurance company then wanted her to pay $40,000 up front for a stay in a private detox facility for adolescents and Yeaman even tried to re-finance her house to foot the bill, but she wasn't able to do it fast enough.

Zoë died from an overdose on August 6, 2014.

"The resources just aren't there [for substance abuse and addiction]. Even in a hospital, they kept telling me, we're a mental health facility," Yeaman said. "We really need better services."

*Waking up dope sick*
Continued heroin use leads to an increased tolerance and a dependency on using it to avoid the effects of withdrawal. Many people may want to stop, but withdrawal symptoms that range from extreme pain in muscles or bones, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and insomnia make it an uphill battle for recovery.

"When you wake up [from naloxone], you're extremely dope sick," said Caitlyn Phillips, a resident of Asheville who used intravenous heroin for several years. "It's the most painful way to wake up."

In the short film, Naloxone, Another Chance, Nicole, a young woman from Alabama shares the difficulty of stopping drug use even after overdosing and receiving naloxone.

"I'm still continuing to use, not because I love it or I want to," Nicole says. "Right now, it's due to the sickness, just to maintain."

Phillips said for some people it takes more than the overdose experience to make a change and seek help.

"For most addicts, the lifestyle really wears you down. That's what people get tired of," Phillips said. "It's exhausting...The stress of using, hiding from the people you love, hiding from the police, trying to get enough money, get drugs. You don't have hobbies anymore, family or a job. A person can't do that for very long and still want to continue."

There are numerous factors that can push or pull people to go down the path towards recovery and treatment.

Amy Garner, long-time director of Carolina Treatment Center, emphasizes the importance of viewing addiction as a disease that is not curable, but treatable.

"During the course of someone's addiction, as in any disease, there are periods of progress, remission and recovery," Garner said. "There are also periods of lapse and relapse, when the disease flares up and takes control. Addiction is a terrifying brain disease."

*Inappropriate treatment*
Unbeknownst to many people outside of the rehab world, the 12-step program goes far beyond the famous line parodied in movies and pop cultures, "My name is John and I have a drinking problem."

When Phillips was ready, she checked in to a 12-step in-patient rehab because that was the only kind of treatment available in North Carolina that didn't have a price tag of $40,000.

The 12-step program is guided by overtly spiritual and religious principles that include steps such as require attendees to make a moral inventory of flaws, admit and repent of your wrongs to God and others and the final 12th step is to carry the message to other people who are addicted to drugs.

People who don't believe in religion or a higher power find this approach ineffective and inappropriate.

"Every professional treatment provider only ever talked to me about a 12-step program and it was just never helpful for me," said Conner Adams who used intravenous heroin for six years.

"I was feeling suicidal over why 12-step wasn't working for me. It was confusing and I tried really hard to be spiritual or religious, but I don't think it works that way," she said.

Adams described 12-step meetings as something that more closely resembled religious services that involved holding hands and saying the Lord's Prayer rather than a therapeutic treatment.

"It's so outdated. The 12-step program was founded in the late 30's and that's our standard of care for addicts today," Phillips said exasperatedly.

"It never occurred to providers that maybe the 12-step program wasn't appropriate," Adams said.

Phillips suggests alternatives to 12-step programs that she believes would be more effective.

"There are so many possibilities and we should be surrounding people like this with community, love and support," she said. "We should be supporting them with every other different recovery avenue until they get better. Hopefully we're on our way, but this is just the beginning."

"The need for more affordable and appropriate treatment options is definitely there in the community," said Robert Childs, executive director of the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition. "Passing out naloxone is absolutely important to saving lives and preventing death, but more has to be done to improve the community's capacity to provide care."

If you need naloxone, please contact the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition and we will make sure you receive another free kit.

You can also contact SAMHSA @ (877-726-4727) for more information on treatment options near you.

-- 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 17 hours ago.

Kmart Pays $1.4 Million To Settle Accusations Of Illegal Coupon Acceptance, Prescription Incentives

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In most of the country, pharmacies can offer rewards points, coupons, or other inducements to get you to switch prescriptions to them. Not only is this illegal in certain states, it’s also illegal to offer these incentives to customers with health insurance through Medicaid. Kmart has settled allegations from a whistleblower that it did exactly that for customers with Medicaid, … [More] Reported by The Consumerist 16 hours ago.

LISI and EaseCentral Partner on Innovative Online Benefits Platform

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LISI announced today EaseCentral’s cloud-based software platform will be the preferred offering for its brokers to better manage HR and benefits administration.

San Mateo, CA (PRWEB) September 02, 2015

LISI, Inc., (LISI), a leading General Agent (GA) serving the broker community for more than 30 years, announced today EaseCentral’s cloud-based software platform will be the preferred offering for its brokers to better manage HR and benefits administration.

“We are truly excited about this partnership because it aligns with our commitment to equip our brokers with the solutions they need to be successful in our transitioning industry,” said LISI President and CEO Becky Patel.

EaseCentral’s technology provides agents with an intuitive online platform that modernizes the delivery of benefits. “Benefits brokers deserve technology that enhances their expertise,” said EaseCentral CEO David Reid. “We’re proud to enable LISI’s agents to serve existing and future clients better through our online benefits platform.”

About LISI

LISI has offices in San Mateo, Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, and has serviced the needs of health insurance brokers since 1977. One of the state’s largest general agencies, LISI enables more than 8,000 affiliated brokers to offer Medical, Dental, Vision and Specialty coverage for large and small employers from over two dozen carriers. For more information on LISI, please visit http://www.lisibroker.com.

About EaseCentral

EaseCentral is a technology provider for insurance benefits brokers, providing a cloud-based software platform with rich features and an easy-to-use interface that offers one simple solution for a broker’s HR and benefits needs. For more information, visit http://www.EaseCentral.com.

Contact:

For LISI:
Ken Doyle
Executive Director of Sales and Marketing
kdoyle@lisibroker.com
866.570.5474 (866-570-LISI)

For EaseCentral:
hello@easecentral.com        
800-446-EASE (3273) Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

Frontrunning: September 2

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· Markets on edge as policymakers flex muscles (Reuters)
· European shares recover from rough ride (Reuters)
· For Stock Markets, the Moment When Humans Matter (WSJ)
· Puerto Rico's PREPA, bondholders have framework for deal (Reuters)
· Hundreds of migrants protest at Budapest station, want to go to Germany (Reuters)
· New Whale Seen Moving Tokyo Markets (BBG)
· Putin's Got a New Problem With China (BBG)
· Judge gives go-ahead to Uber lawsuit (FT)
· Morgan Stanley issues 'full house' buy alert for stocks (Telegraph)
· Older, Heavier Americans Fuel a $4 Billion Knee Replacement Market  (BBG)
· British Employers Who Skirt ‘Living Wage’ Will Face Tough Fines, Cameron Says (NYT)
· Jeb Bush Takes Gloves Off, Attacks Donald Trump Directly (WSJ)
· Fuel Ships Take 4,000-Mile Africa Detour as Oil Prices Plunge  (BBG)
· America’s Most Unlikely Energy Project Is Rising From a Louisiana Bayou (BBG)
· Iran nuclear deal backers near votes to protect pact in U.S. Congress (Reuters)
· A Secretive Agency Hunts for China’s Crooked Officials Worldwide  (BBG)

 

*Overnight Media Digest*

WSJ

- After weeks of enduring rival Donald Trump's attacks, Jeb Bush released an Internet video aimed at trying to muscle his way back to the front of the pack. (http://on.wsj.com/1IH1IZz)

- A string of messy market openings in recent weeks has reinvigorated a debate about the relative effectiveness of humans in the stock trade. (http://on.wsj.com/1JAm5M2)

- A federal judge has granted class-action status to a lawsuit claiming Uber Technologies treats its drivers like employees. If the class-action suit succeeds, it could force Uber to pay drivers for health insurance, workers' compensation and work expenses such as tolls, fuel and car repairs. (http://on.wsj.com/1KqaDGp)

- China is imposing new controls to prevent too much money from leaving the country, with lenders beefing up internal checks on foreign-exchange conversions and regulators aiming to rein in illegal money-transfer agents. (http://on.wsj.com/1JvQSHu)

 

FT

The Bank of Portugal has failed to reach an agreement with China's Anbang Insurance Group Co in exclusive talks over the sale of state-rescued Novo Banco and will now open talks with the second-placed bidder.

A Swiss court confirmed Saint-Gobain did not have to launch a mandatory public takeover bid for all the shares of Swiss chemical firm Sika AG, the French group said on Tuesday.

British online fashion retailer ASOS Plc Chief Executive Officer Nick Robertson is to step down in the coming months, 15 years after launching the company.

 

NYT

- As the push for higher minimum pay builds momentum on both sides of the Atlantic, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain on Tuesday threatened companies with tough fines if they fail to pay what he called a "national living wage." (http://nyti.ms/1NMoK9o)

- While Google's biggest regulatory challenge remains in Europe, authorities around the world are investigating its practices, with a report from India's competition commission its latest problem. (http://nyti.ms/1Jxaew0)

- A major French publishing house has decided not to publish a book critical of King Mohammed VI of Morocco after its two authors were arrested last week in Paris and charged with blackmail and extortion on accusations they demanded 2 million euros, or about $2.3 million, to keep the book unpublished. (http://nyti.ms/1NMoVkW)

- Portugal is having trouble selling the bank salvaged from the wreckage of one of the country's biggest private lenders, Banco Espírito Santo. The Portuguese central bank on Tuesday missed its own deadline for selling Novo Banco, the salvaged entity, after talks with the leading bidder faltered. (http://nyti.ms/1JM9OBd)

- GE Capital has three final participants in the final round of an auction of its Australian commercial lending and leasing businesses, said a person with direct knowledge of the matter. (http://nyti.ms/1JM9S3P)

- As Mexico's Enrique Peña Nieto prepares to reboot his presidency, the Mexican economy is being pummeled by forces beyond the government's control. (http://nyti.ms/1JM9VfX)

 

Hong KongSOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

- Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has spoken of his disappointment at a slump in visitor numbers, and has urged Hongkongers not to stage further protests against tourists. Figures released by the Tourism Board showed 4.92 million people visited the city in July, a decline of 8.4 percent year on year. (bit.ly/1JAbsZB)

- Just as worries were rising about the impact of China's stocks crash on the recovering property market, the authorities cut rates last week and relaxed rules on foreign buyers in order to maintain momentum in the housing sector. Frank Chen, the head of China research at global property consultant CBRE, said it was a measure to support further recovery in the property market. (bit.ly/1O6AcK0)

- There are still attractive pockets of opportunity in China even though the devaluation of the yuan will pose an investment challenge in the short term, said Terry Ahern, chief executive and co-founder of US-based Townsend Group. The recent currency fluctuations showed the Chinese government's determination to transition from an export-driven economy to a consumer-driven one, said Ahern. (bit.ly/1JwPQuT)

THE STANDARD

- Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying will lead a 300-strong delegation to Beijing on Wednesday to attend a military parade and other events marking the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Among those invited by the central government were former chief executive Donald Tsang and pro-establishment and moderate pan-democratic politicians and tycoons. (bit.ly/1ihe85A)

- Standard & Poor's has warned that Hong Kong banks face great risks from souring loans if home prices keep climbing at the current pace. The outlook for Hong Kong's banking industry has been downgraded from "stable" to "negative." (bit.ly/1ihedpL)

- China Railway Group Ltd expects a better second-half as local government contracts stream in, even as new contracts dipped 19.4 percent in the first half. Chairman Li Changjin said the company completed 18 percent of the full-year infrastructure investment target in the first half. (bit.ly/1IGGY4r)

HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL

- Retail rents in the prime shopping district continue to trend down with a street-level shop leased by Emperor Watch at HK$2.76 million ($356,156)a month being taken up by skin-care products chain operator Bonjour Holdings at a price 42 percent less than the previous lease at HK$1.6 million per month, according to market sources.

 

Britain

The Times

Taste for staycations creates 960 mln pound camping giant

Two of Britain's biggest holiday park operators are to merge to create a 960 million pound caravanning and camping giant with a combined estate of 73 venues in locations from the Scottish Highlands to Cornwall. (http://thetim.es/1FhP0QZ)

The Guardian

Google unveils new logo at turning point in company's history

Google Inc introduced a new sans-serif and slightly toned-down four-colour logo on Tuesday in the biggest redesign since 1999. Google said the new design would soon be seen across all its products. Google's homepage introduced the redesign with an animation that wiped away the old logo and drew the new one. (http://bit.ly/1LIAw1o)

The Telegraph

Argentina orders HSBC to replace CEO in country

Argentina's central bank has ordered HSBC Holdings Plc to name a new chief executive for the country, accusing the bank of failing to establish necessary controls to prevent tax evasion and money laundering. (http://bit.ly/1LJpfxF)

888 raises the stakes in Bwin bidding war

Online gambling company 888 Holdings Plc has upped the stakes in its 1 billion pound takeover battle with GVC Holdings Plc by raising its bid for Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Bwin, which offers poker, bingo and sports betting online, revealed on Tuesday that 888 had made a revised takeover proposal and that it was now evaluating the bid. It must weigh the offer against a competing proposal submitted by Sportingbet owner GVC, which is gate-crashing a deal already agreed between Bwin and 888. (http://bit.ly/1FhRFu5)

Poundland launches online shopping

Poundland Group Plc has launched an online shopping service, allowing price-conscious consumers to bag bargains at the click of a mouse. The discount retailer is trialling a website, offering customers more than 2,000 products, including some of Poundland's own brands, such as the Jane Asher kitchen range, Tommy Walsh's DIY products and the Make Up Gallery cosmetics line. The website will initially only cater to UK consumers. (http://bit.ly/1NWkFP0)

Sky News

Asos Chief Robertson To Quit Fashion Giant

The chief executive of ASOS Plc, Nick Robertson, is to step down 15 years after launching the online fashion retailer that went on to become one of the UK's most successful internet start-ups. (http://bit.ly/1EvZ9yt)

The Independent

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announces she will 'work throughout' her pregnancy with twins

Marissa Mayer, the 40-year-old chief executive of Yahoo Inc , has revealed that she is expecting identical twin girls in December. Mayer said in a blog post, "I plan to approach the pregnancy and delivery as I did with my son three years ago, taking limited time away and working throughout". (http://ind.pn/1NLQ7Ax)

Wikipedia rocked by 'rogue editors' blackmail scam targeting small businesses and celebrities

Hundreds of small British businesses and minor celebrities have been targeted by a sophisticated blackmail scam orchestrated by "rogue editors" at Wikipedia. (http://ind.pn/1EwD8zF) Reported by Zero Hedge 3 hours ago.

Can an EPO Health Insurance Plan Save You Money?

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A review of exclusive provider organization plans, or EPOs, and their benefits and drawbacks. Reported by Motley Fool 3 hours ago.

LTC Consumer Study Shows 10% Increase on Approval Rate for Long Term Care Insurance

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A recent study by LTC Consumer, a leading provider of long term care insurance information, found that the approval rate in 2015 for long term care insurance has increased by 10% since 2014.

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB) September 02, 2015

While long term care insurance is paid for with money, it is bought with a person's health. Many consumers are surprised to learn that long term care insurance is not like health insurance where everyone is accepted. It is more like life insurance where one has to prove their health before buying a policy.

Many carriers changed their medical requirements to qualify for a policy over the past two years.

“2014 was a tough year as we saw an increase in consumers wanting to buy the coverage, but at the same time carriers tightening who they would sell it to,” says Nathan Sanow, Executive Director of LTC Consumer, http://ltcconsumer.com/. “I believe carriers overreacted on their medical requirements and are now loosening their requirements this year. That is great news that more consumers will be able to get this valuable coverage.”

A recent study by LTC Consumer found that the approval rate in 2015 for long term care insurance has increased by 10% since 2014.

Average Placement Rate in 2014: 66%
Average Placement Rate in 2015: 72%

What this means for consumers is that now is a great time to apply for long term care insurance. While the general requirements to qualify for long term care insurance are still based on age and health, the chances of getting a policy have improved. The key is to apply with the right carrier, as some carriers will accept a specific health condition while others will not. Working with a person who specializes in long term care insurance is vital as they know what carriers are most likely to offer a policy for different conditions.

“The insurance carriers are working hard to expand the market to include more low-priced products that are easier to qualify for,“ says Sanow. “I think we will see new ways of underwriting using other data sources and innovative products that are more tailored to specific needs like short term care or home care.”

LTC Consumer, http://ltcconsumer.com/ is an independent free online service for information on long term care insurance, whose website offers education on what long term care insurance is, when to buy it, and how much it costs – all without having to speak to a commissioned sales agent. Users can choose to be put into contact with a professionally licensed LTC Consumer specialist who can answer questions, help them with the process of evaluating specific policy features and carriers, and assist them in completing an application. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.

UPMC-University of Pittsburgh Named Center of Excellence for Rare Disorder

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Frequent nosebleeds are often the first sign of HHT, which can cause sudden, catastrophic bleeding.

Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) September 02, 2015

A UPMC and University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences clinical and academic partnership has earned international recognition as a premier center for treatment of and research into hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a rare genetic disorder that can cause sudden, catastrophic internal bleeding and stroke.

Cure HHT, previously known as The HHT Foundation International, has designated the UPMC-Pitt partnership an HHT Center of Excellence. This designation means that UPMC and Pitt meet the rigorous criteria that Cure HHT – the only worldwide advocacy and support group for the condition – requires in order to refer patients for care.

“This designation is the result of years of building our expertise to provide the multidisciplinary care required by most HHT patients,” said Mark T. Gladwin, M.D., chair of medicine and Dr. Jack D. Myers Professor of Internal Medicine and director of the Vascular Medicine Institute, all at Pitt. “We are honored to be an HHT Center of Excellence and excited to continue the care we already offer HHT patients, while expanding that care to new patients.”

“Our team was truly impressed with UPMC’s strong group of specialists, nurses, geneticists and medical professionals who are able to screen, treat and manage adults and children with HHT,” said Marianne Clancy, executive director of Cure HHT. “The integration of the Pitt HHT research center with the UPMC clinical center will advance therapies as we strive for a cure.”

HHT affects approximately 1 in 5,000 people and is characterized by abnormal blood vessels. Normally, very small blood vessels called capillaries connect an artery to a vein. This forces the blood, which is under high pressure in an artery, to slow down while passing through tiny capillaries before reaching the vein. In people with HHT, the artery may connect directly to the vein, creating a fragile site that blood under high pressure can tear, resulting in massive internal bleeding.

These vascular malformations can form anywhere in the body. Most often they occur on the skin or in the nose. As such, characteristic telangiectases (vascular malformations) on the skin and excessive nosebleeds are frequent findings in patients with HHT. These malformations are most problematic when they happen in the lungs, brain, liver or digestive tract where they can cause life-threatening complications. For this reason, it is important to identify patients with HHT so that they can be screened for these high-risk malformations and, if necessary, have procedures to keep their vessels from bleeding.

“Rare diseases, including HHT, can cause immense suffering and death, and collectively account for over 360 million cases worldwide – on par with diabetes and dwarfing cancer. However, these diseases often do not support the blockbuster mentality of drug development, and the research efforts that do exist are done largely piecemeal and in a nonintegrated manner,” said Dietrich Stephan, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Human Genetics at Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health. “With the partnership formed in earning the Cure HHT designation, our academic scientists will work directly with doctors, patients and industry to develop early diagnostic tests and, ultimately, a cure.”

Beth Roman, Ph.D., assistant professor of human genetics at Pitt Public Health, is research director for the new center. Her laboratory research uses zebrafish, which form blood vessels using the same molecular cues that guide mammalian vascular development, to uncover biological factors that underlie HHT. Her work has identified abnormalities in the cells that line blood vessels that lead to HHT vascular malformations, an important step in developing a therapy.

Christopher Faber, M.D., director of outpatient services at UPMC’s Comprehensive Lung Center, is the center’s clinical director. He coordinates a multidisciplinary clinical approach to treating HHT patients.

For example, specialists in otolaryngology, neurosurgery, neurology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, genetics and radiology could all be involved in assessing, monitoring and treating a patient, creating a situation where care in one specialty must complement care provided by another. Other specialists frequently needed in the care and treatment of HHT patients include hematologists, cardiologists, dermatologists and dentists.

Center co-director, Suneeta Madan-Khetarpal, M.D., coordinates a similar team of pediatric specialists at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC who will care for patients less than 18 years of age.

The UPMC-Pitt HHT Center is the 21st Center of Excellence in North America. According to the foundation, it is important for people with HHT to seek out a Center of Excellence because the designation ensures that specialists work with the disorder on a regular basis and know the signs and symptoms, evaluate the whole body, rather than one organ, and refer patients to additional specialists if necessary. Centers of Excellence also have genetic counselors to help trace HHT through a patient’s family, potentially identifying other family members who might need evaluation.

# # #

About UPMC
A world-renowned health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of accountable, cost-effective, patient-centered care. It provides more than $888 million a year in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region’s most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution. 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 2.7-million-member health insurance division, and international and commercial operations. Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC ranks No. 13 in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report annual Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals. For more information, go to UPMC.com.

About the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
The University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences include the schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Graduate School of Public Health. The schools serve as the academic partner to the UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Together, their combined mission is to train tomorrow’s health care specialists and biomedical scientists, engage in groundbreaking research that will advance understanding of the causes and treatments of disease and participate in the delivery of outstanding patient care. Since 1998, Pitt and its affiliated university faculty have ranked among the top 10 educational institutions in grant support from the National Institutes of Health. For additional information about the Schools of the Health Sciences, please visit http://www.health.pitt.edu. Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.

The "Cadillac Tax" Is for You, Too, States Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons

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TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The "Cadillac tax" on overly generous health insurance plans seemed fairly reasonable at the time the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or "ObamaCare") was enacted. But as a close analysis of chief architect Jonathan Gruber's statements... Reported by PR Newswire 23 hours ago.

NSF International Strengthens Medical Device Consulting With Acquisition of Avarent LLC

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Combined expertise will help medical device sector increase manufacturing efficiency while reducing risk and ensuring regulatory and quality compliance

ANN ARBOR, Mich. and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. (PRWEB) September 02, 2015

NSF International, a leading provider of regulatory compliance, quality systems, analytical testing, education and consulting services for the medical device sector, has acquired Avarent LLC, a consulting firm with expertise in medical device products/processes development, design control, validation, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. Avarent will be renamed NSF Avarent.

The addition of Avarent expands NSF International’s portfolio of medical device services to both NSF International and Avarent clients, combining Avarent’s expertise with NSF International’s experience in regulatory compliance and quality management systems throughout the medical device product lifecycle.

The acquisition was made through NSF International’s Global Health Sciences Division, and builds on NSF's 2012 acquisition of Washington D.C.-based regulatory compliance consulting firm Becker & Associates and UK-based medical device training and consulting firm Pink Associates, as well as NSF’s 2011 acquisition of Pharmalytica, a GLP and GMP contract laboratory.

Benefit of acquisition to NSF medical device clients. As a result of the acquisition, current clients of NSF Medical Device Consulting will gain access to world-class expertise in device products/processes, design control and validation that will help them implement efficient, streamlined and cost-effective manufacturing processes while achieving optimal quality and regulatory compliance. This includes a global network of 80 expert consultants with experience in U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), International Standardization Organization (ISO), Good Automated Manufacturing Practice (GAMP), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Sarbanes-Oxley standards and regulations.

Services offered via the Avarent acquisition include:

Product/Process Development, Delivery and Commercialization – Avarent helps improve and manage development processes and technologies that support and simplify medical device manufacturing and commercial operations. This includes assistance in design and development planning, design review and design transfer, and process analysis to identify, plan and enact improvements and determine the best approach for project delivery and optimized return on investment (ROI).

Regulatory Submissions - As part of the development process, Avarent ensures requirements for regulatory submission are addressed during design and development planning for software, electromechanical and sterile medical device products, including 510(k) premarket, EU medical device directive/technical file and unique device identifier (UDI) submissions.

Unique Device Identifier (UDI) – Regulatory consulting and management of the UDI program includes program management support, labeling change control management, Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID) management and master product tracker management. Avarent has implemented UDI/GUDID requirements for approximately 2,000 regulated U.S. medical devices across various facilities.

Quality Management System Development – Avarent helps companies establish and maintain tailored quality systems, including compliance with ISO 13485, U.S. FDA Quality System Regulation and other global quality requirements.
Commissioning, Qualification and Validation – Avarent helps assess a company’s current state of compliance and develop a more robust commissioning, qualification and validation practice to support the operational systems.

Project Management – Avarent’s experienced project managers possess expertise in the mechanics of building teams, plans, budgets and schedules for global compliance and regulatory projects that involve multiple cross-functional teams.
Benefit of acquisition to Avarent clients. Avarent clients will gain access to NSF International’s team of experts in the regulatory, scientific, analytical testing and compliance fields to bring medical devices to market and sustain them throughout their lifecycle. NSF Medical Device Consulting assists companies in navigating U.S. and international regulatory hurdles from product inception through product marketing.

NSF’s current medical device services include quality systems implementation, remediation and auditing services; regulatory and clinical strategy consulting for medical devices including in vitro diagnostics and combination products; clinical and biological evaluations; and GLP and GMP contract laboratory services such as extractables and leachables testing, clinical and non-clinical bioanalysis, oligonucleotide analysis, biocompatibility testing and toxicological risk assessments. NSF’s medical device team also provides essential quality and regulatory training courses taught by some of the most experienced professionals in the industry.

Additionally, Avarent clients will gain access to other NSF capabilities:

Global client support in more than 160 countries, including across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central and Latin America

A global network of ISO 17025-accredited laboratories in Europe, Asia, North and South America

Global IT infrastructure with key tools to aid client engagement

Avarent was founded in 2003 by Ian Fleming, with Thomas Dzierozynski joining in 2006. Both Fleming and Dzierozynski will join NSF International as Executive Vice Presidents, reporting to Elaine Messa, President of NSF Health Sciences Medical Device Consulting, and will lead the integration of Avarent services into NSF Medical Device Consulting.

“The addition of Avarent’s technical production process and validation services and technical compliance consulting allows us to go beyond traditional consulting services to reduce costs for our medical device customers through improved operational efficiency,” said Messa. “Together, we will provide our clients with more comprehensive solutions that ensure the design and manufacture of safer, higher quality medical devices.”

“NSF International and Avarent share the same commitment to delivering smart solutions focused first on patient safety and regulatory compliance. By combining our expertise, Avarent and NSF clients will have access to leading edge consultants dedicated to optimizing medical device design and manufacturing while mitigating risk and ensuring quality and regulatory compliance throughout the product lifecycle,” said Ian Fleming, Executive Vice President, NSF Avarent, now part of NSF Medical Device Consulting under NSF International’s Global Health Sciences Division.

“The client value of our combined organizations extends beyond strategic consultation to offer delivery of optimized solutions that synchronize business goals with compliance needs. We will work together to increase awareness at all levels of an organization to drive client buy-in and ownership of the enacted solutions,” said Tom Dzierozynski, Executive Vice President, NSF Avarent.

Ian Fleming has over 18 years’ experience working in FDA-regulated industries to deliver system and process improvements for medical device and pharmaceutical companies challenged in balancing business and compliance needs. His experience includes auditing and risk analysis from a compliance and operational perspective as well as assessment, remediation and implementation of quality systems. He has led software/computer system development, remediation and validation efforts as well as 21 CFR Part 11 compliance efforts for ERP/MES systems, relational and object oriented databases, SCADA and process control systems, medical device software, clinical data systems, sample accountability systems, in vitro diagnostics and laboratory data management. Earlier in his career, Mr. Fleming held various roles at Packard BioScience, most recently as Senior Product Specialist, and was a Microbiology Technologist at North American Science Associates.

Tom Dzierozynski has over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical, medical device and biologics industries. Through comprehensive and practical knowledge of operations, regulatory affairs and quality systems, he has developed and implemented risk-based strategies that integrate varying business functions to drive ownership and improve operational and quality performance. He’s led numerous, technically-oriented projects focusing on design controls, verification and validation, process improvement, regulatory market clearance, risk management and implementation of corrective actions to address/avert enforcement actions. Earlier in his career, Mr. Dzierozynski was Vice President of Validation Services for Quintiles Consulting, and worked at Baxter Healthcare Corporation in diverse quality, engineering and management positions.

For more information about NSF International Medical Device Consulting, please contact Pete Langlais at hs(at)nsf.org or call +1 734-545-2023.

Editor’s note: To schedule an interview with an NSF International medical device expert, please contact Liz Nowland-Margolis at media(at)nsf.org or +1 734-418-6624.

About Avarent: Avarent was founded in 2003 on the basis that business and compliance are not mutually exclusive goals. Their staff has direct experience in working in operations and compliance to deliver value-based consultancy that includes: Quality System audits, strategic and tactical execution of worldwide quality system and validation projects, project management, technology solutions and regulatory submissions. They are actively involved in assisting regulated clients worldwide in meeting the current regulatory trends specific to quality management systems, risk management, supplier quality, software and process validation, and medical device regulatory submissions. More information on Avarent is available at http://www.avarent.com.

About NSF International (http://www.nsf.org): NSF International is a global independent organization based in Ann Arbor, Mich., that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the water, food, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Operating in more than 160 countries, NSF is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment. The NSF Health Sciences Division offers training and education, consulting, auditing, GMP and GLP testing, certification, R&D and regulatory guidance for the pharmaceutical, medical device and dietary supplement industries throughout the product life cycle. ISO 13485 registrations for medical devices and CE marking are delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations, Ltd. (NSF-ISR). Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

California Judge Grants Class-Action Status To Uber Drivers' Suit

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On Tuesday U.S. District Judge Edward Chen granted class action status to suits filed by Uber drivers who claimed they were owed benefits from the company claiming they were treated as employees but paid like contractors. The original suit, O’Connor v. Uber Technologies involved only four drivers, Douglas O’Connor, Thomas Colopy, Matthew Manahan, and Elie Gurfinkel. They initially sued Uber for reimbursement for various expenses such as vehicle maintenance and fuel. This class action suit will allow them to prosecute this lawsuit against Uber on behalf of themselves and a putative class of approximately 160,000 other “UberBlack, UberX and UberSUV drivers who have driven for Uber in the state of California at any time since August 16, 2009.”

In response, Uber claimed the case would actually affect only a few hundred drivers as Abby Horrigan, the managing counsel for employment at Uber pointed out, “the ruling found that only drivers who either stopped driving before June 2014 or drove after June 2014 but chose to opt out of the arbitration option in their agreements, are eligible.” However, it excluded Uber drivers who work for third-party companies (which would actually eliminate Colopy from the class) and more recent drivers who are bound by Uber’s 2014 arbitration clause, which waives their right to be part of a class-action suit. 

Uber has also argued there is “no typical Uber driver” and the vast majority of its drivers would rather be classified as independent contractors as it offers them a fair amount of flexibility. The company went so far as to submit 400 written declarations from drivers to the court stating as such. In response, Judge Chen questioned the relevance of the 400 drivers claiming the testimonials as “statistically insignificant.” From the ruling: 



“First, while Uber claims that “countless drivers” hail the firm as a “liberator” from traditional employment, Uber has only submitted evidence of the beliefs of a small fraction of its California drivers: 400 out of 160,000 (0.25%). Notably, even out of these 400 declarations, Uber identified only about 150 where the driver actually stated that she prefers to remain an independent contractor. See Evangelis Decl., Ex. 10 (chart listing roughly 150 “Drivers Who Want To Be Treated As Independent Contractors With Uber”). There is simply no basis in the record supporting Uber’s claim that some innumerable legion of drivers prefer to remain independent contractors rather than become employees.” 



Despite the Judge’s ruling, Ted Boutrous, an attorney for Uber, commented that the company is “likely to pursue an appeal for this decision because it is based on several key legal errors,” which exhibit that “two plaintiffs do not and cannot represent the interests of the thousands of other drivers who value the complete flexibility and autonomy they enjoy as independent contractors.”

The implications of this suit could spell disaster for Uber’s business model as well as those of others that operate in the so-called ‘1099 economy.’ Despite the fact that the company has raised enough capital to achieve a valuation over $50 billion, having to provide traditional protections like minimum wage, health insurance and other benefits would inevitably have negative impacts on the company’s bottom line. The ruling could also set precedence for this type of lean business model, forcing the next generation of startups to find other alternatives to classify their workers and still operate as cheaply as possible. In short, the next startup empire we see could likely not rely on independent contractors.

[original]

EquityNet | The Leading Equity Crowdfunding Platform Reported by Zero Hedge 21 hours ago.

A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Rating of BEST Life and Health Insurance Company

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A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Rating of BEST Life and Health Insurance Company OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A.M. Best has upgraded the issuer credit rating to “bb+” from “bb” and affirmed the financial strength rating of B (Fair) of BEST Life and Health Insurance Company (BEST Life) (Austin, TX). The outlook for the ratings is stable. The rating upgrade reflects BEST Life’s significantly improved operating results in 2014, a trend that has continued into 2015. The increase in earnings is largely attributable to favorable results from its dental line of business. The co Reported by Business Wire 19 hours ago.

AIS Newsletter Focuses on Growing Telehealth Trend Among Blues Plans

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The September 2015 issue of The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans showcases specific Blues plans’ telehealth options. The AIS Report is not affiliated with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association or its member companies.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 02, 2015

Telehealth represents a growing trend among Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, with one company, American Well Corp., contracted to handle the telehealth services of more than 12 Blues plan clients. The September 2015 issue of The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans takes a look this growing trend, interviewing executives at Capital Blue Cross, whose telehealth services will launch next year. Published independently by AIS, The AIS Report is not affiliated with or sponsored, endorsed or approved by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association or any of the independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.

A telehealth visit is similar to an in-person office visit except the doctor and patient see each other via computer, tablet or web-enabled mobile phone. During telehealth appointments, doctors can diagnose common conditions and send prescriptions electronically to a member’s pharmacy.

While some of Capital’s providers are apprehensive, they also want to participate, says Jay Simmons, vice president of provider network engagement at Pennsylvania-based Capital Blue Cross. “The concerns tend to revolve around how the technology interacts with the patient and the effect on the provider-patient relationship,” he tells The AIS Report. But he predicts providers will gravitate toward telehealth because the technology allows them to be more efficient and see more patients.

Brooke Nordai, Capital’s director of product innovation, stresses to the AIS Report that telehealth is not meant to replace traditional office visits, but should be seen as a convenience-focused service for members who might not have time for an office visit, or who might need care outside of normal office hours.

Capital’s telehealth services, and that of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan will go live to enrollees starting in January, according to The AIS Report; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts launched a two-year telehealth pilot program in March. Capital’s service will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will cost Capital members $39, which will count towards members’ annual deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.

Visit http://aishealth.com/archive/nblu0915-06 to read the article in its entirety, including barriers to telehealth access and comments from Danielle Russella, American Well’s president of customer solutions.

About The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans
The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans delivers timely news and insightful analysis of new products, market share, strategies, conversions, financing, profitability and strategic alliances of Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, which are major players in every U.S. health insurance market. The 12-page monthly newsletter is designed for plan managers and others who consider BCBS plans to be partners or competitors. Visit http://aishealth.com/marketplace/ais-report-blue-cross-and-blue-shield-plans for more information. A thoroughly objective publication, The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans is published independently by AIS and is not affiliated with or sponsored, endorsed or approved by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association or any of the independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.

About Atlantic Information Services
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 18 hours ago.

President Obama's "Health Care W-2"

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In 1943, the government began requiring that employers track and report on employee compensation. The resulting W-2 is now part of an annual ritual. Each January, employers pull together an array of information to generate a W-2 for each employee who worked for them at any point during the year before. The form is then required by the IRS to be mailed out no later than January 31, so the employee can file his or her taxes.

This year, health care reform has created a new, more daunting form that employers with more than 50 full-time employees must compile for their employees -- Form 1095-C. Similar to the W-2, employers must mail this new form out to employees by January 31 so that they can complete their taxes. Millions of Americans will receive this for the first time this upcoming January.

While the W-2's main purpose is to communicate pay information to the IRS, the 1095-C's function is to communicate health insurance information. Historically, employers have never had to keep up with this kind of information, and as a result, the form will likely cause many employers headaches.

Although there are several new health care reform requirements taking effect this year, many agree that the 1095-C is the one that could trigger employers to completely rethink their current HR systems.

Following are three common questions about the 1095-C.

*1. What information is on it?*

The form starts out asking for the typical employee profile information (name, address, etc.). Eventually, it begins asking about health insurance. First, it asks whether or not the employer offered health insurance to the employee for each month of calendar year 2015, and what type of health insurance it was. The IRS supplies codes (options 1a through 1i) for the employer to use to communicate the type of health insurance that was offered to that employee for each month of 2015.

Then, the employer specifies the cost of the cheapest monthly premium available to the employee under the offered plan for each month during the year. This is not necessarily the same for each month, as if the employer renewed its plan in the middle of the year it is likely it would change at that point.

Finally, the employer indicates the "4980H Safe Harbor Code" that applies for the employee for each month of 2015. These codes indicate whether or not the employee was on the plan for each month and if they were not, whether or not the employer should be subject to a penalty. Self-insured employers are then required to give the name and social security number or birthdate for every dependent of the employee and for which months during the year the dependent had coverage through the employer.

*2. Why does the IRS need this form?*

The IRS is supposed to keep up with whether or not individuals are eligible for subsidies on the individual health insurance exchanges, as well as whether or not employers are liable for penalties for not offering qualified coverage to their employees. This new form helps the IRS accomplish both tasks.

Keep in mind that employees who are offered qualified coverage by their employer are not eligible for subsidies. So, if an employer offered qualified coverage to an employee, but that individual collected a subsidy anyway, the IRS would "reclaim" that amount. Conversely, if the employer did not offer qualified coverage to all full-time or full-time equivalent employees, causing them to be eligible for a subsidy, the company should expect to pay a penalty.

*3. Who is responsible for creating these forms?*

This is a great question that many HR departments are asking right now. Just like with W-2s, these forms need to be created for every employee the employer had in 2015 -- even employees who were terminated, left the company or who were never eligible for the health plan in the first place. While the information that the form requires certainly exists, it's generally not easily located in one place. This alone makes compiling the form an administrative challenge.

Many payroll companies have seen these forms as falling within their core competencies since they already do a lot of tax-related filings for employers. That said, it is generally the health insurance broker who advises the employer on health care compliance. It is also the broker who is in the best place to pull together a lot of the information required to be on the 1095-C. This could mean the task could fall on his or her shoulders.

Ultimately, the best scenario for employers would be that these forms get automatically generated from the company's online HR or benefits administration platform. Unfortunately, the large majority of employers have not fully transferred benefits administration to an online or digital platform. Because of this, many can expect the compilation of data to be an extremely manual process.

While the compilation may be manual, the IRS is requiring that the submission of the data be electronic for many employers, specifically those with more than 250 employees. These employers must either become accredited and capable of electronic submission to the IRS, or work with a vendor who is.

It will be interesting to see how this part of health care reform gets up and running.

-- 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 18 hours ago.

$600K in grants fund Del. health insurance help

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Two local healthcare agencies are getting extra help to aid the community in getting health insurance

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Reported by Delawareonline 15 hours ago.

ERISA@41: ERISA & PPACA Claim Specialist & Litigation Support Services Announced from ERISAclaim.com

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On 09/2/2015, at ERISA’s 41st Birthday, “ERISA Godfather for Providers,” Dr. Jin Zhou, announced new ERISA hospital crisis turnaround programs: ERISA & PPACA claim specialist & in-house litigation support services from ERISAclaim.com

Hanover Park, IL (PRWEB) September 03, 2015

On 09/2/2015, at ERISA’s 41st Birthday, “ERISA Godfather for Providers”, Dr. Jin Zhou, announced new ERISA hospital crisis turnaround programs: ERISA & PPACA claim specialist & in-house litigation support services from ERISAclaim.com. On Sep 02, 1974, Pres. Ford signed ERISA into law. On March 23, 2010, Pres. Obama signed PPACA into law. PPACA adopted ERISA in its entirety for all ERISA and Non-ERISA plans. PPACA creates ERISA Provider’s Bill of Right to appeal and sue in federal and state courts in order to advocate for patient ERISA & PPACA rights.

Happy ERISA@41! ERISAclaim.com passionately celebrates ERISA’s 41st birthday for advocating hard-working American workers’ ERISA and PPACA rights in order to protect them from the epidemic and escalating medical bankruptcies. Exactly 41 years ago today, Congress enacted ERISA, Employee Retirement & Income Security Act of 1974, to protect plan participants and beneficiaries for their pension and welfare rights, including healthcare benefits. The new ERISA hospital crisis turnaround programs, ERISA & PPACA Claim Specialist & In- House Litigation Support Services, are designed to ultimately protect all patients and their families from medical financial crises, especially when more and more hospitals are filing for bankruptcies with slow, low and no payment from their health plans.

“After almost 20 years in practicing ERISA advocacy, we have witnessed the best outcomes from our unique ERISA & PPACA advocacy programs, with combined in-house ERISA & PPACA Claims Specialists and ERISA Litigation Support for in-house ERISA attorneys,” says Dr. Jin Zhou, president of ERISAclaim.com, a national expert in ERISA and PPACA appeals and compliance, known by many as the “ERISA Godfather for Providers” in healthcare industry.

“ERISA internal and external appeals are prerequisites and vital to all judicial reviews in federal court, so ERISA appeals and litigation are intertwined and integrated for any court victories”, says Dr. Zhou.

As a birthday gift to ERISA@41, ERISAclaim.com offers these unique ERISA & PPACA advocacy programs, with the following important objections and goals, including but not limited to:

(A) Hospital and ASC Crisis Turnaround Specialist Training:
1.    Training of PPACA & ERISA Claims Specialist on the claims denials & appeals for all delayed and denied PPACA & ERISA claims, alleged overpayment recoupment and offset denials;
2.    Establishing hospital ERISA & PPACA Appeals & Litigation Department, with litigation support for the new in-house ERISA attorney(s);
3.    Training of HSA Claims Specialist, for today’s all new HDHP + HSA healthcare market: High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Saving Account (HSA), to advocate for patient HSA rights, freedom of choice for in-network or out-of-network network quality care.

(B) PPACA Statutes Mandate ERISA Appeals Regulations For All Health Plans, ERISA and non-ERISA plans.

PUBLIC LAW 111 - 148 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, SEC. 2719. APPEALS PROCESS: “(a) Internal Claims Appeals- `(2) ESTABLISHED PROCESSES- To comply with paragraph (1)`(A) a group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group health coverage shall provide an internal claims and appeals process that initially incorporates the claims and appeals procedures (including urgent claims) set forth at section 2560.503-1 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, as published on November 21, 2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 70256), and shall update such process in accordance with any standards established by the Secretary of Labor for such plans and issuers” http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ148/pdf/PLAW-111publ148.pdf

(C) ERISA & PPACA Claims Regulations – Patients & Providers Bills of Right:

PPACA regulations create a new definition of a Claimant to include a claimant’s authorized representative, and a new ERISA and PPACA right to sue, including a healthcare provider as a claimant’s authorized representative:

29 CFR Part 2590.715-2719 (DOL), 45 CFR Part 147.136 (HHS) & 26 CFR Parts 54.9815-2719AT and 602, (IRS) in part:

“Claimant. Claimant means an individual who makes a claim under this section. For purposes of this section, references to claimant include a claimant's authorized representative.”

“Deemed exhaustion of internal claims and appeals processes. ….. The claimant is also entitled to pursue any available remedies under section 502(a) of ERISA or under State law.”

“Minimum internal claims and appeals standards. A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage must comply with all the requirements applicable to group health plans under 29 CFR 2560.503-1”
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title29-vol9/xml/CFR-2014-title29-vol9-sec2590-715-2719.xml
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title45-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title45-vol1-sec147-136.xml
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title26-vol17/pdf/CFR-2014-title26-vol17-sec54-9815-2719T.pdf

To find out more about PPACA Claims and Appeals and Litigation Compliance Services from ERISAclaim.com: http://www.erisaclaim.com/products.htm

Located in a Chicago suburb in Illinois, for over 15 years, ERISAclaim.com is the only ERISA & PPACA consulting, publishing and website resource for healthcare providers in the country. ERISAclaim.com offers free webinars, basic and advanced educational seminars and on-site claims specialist certification programs for doctors, hospitals and commercial companies, as well as numerous pending national ERISA class action litigation support. Dr. Jin Zhou is regarded as the industry “Godfather of ERISA claims” for healthcare providers, and served as a consultant for the most recent provider ERISA class-actions in overpayment lawsuits with favorable decisions and permanent injunctions against health plans.

For any questions, please contact Dr. Jin Zhou, president of ERISAclaim.com, at 630-808-7237. Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

eFileMyForms Releases a Comprehensive Online ACA Reporting Solution for 1094 & 1095 Tax Forms

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eFileMyForms is first to market with a secure online solution for printing, mailing, and electronic filing of 1094 & 1095 ACA tax forms.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 03, 2015

http://www.eFileMyForms.com is first-to-market with a complete online ACA reporting solution for tax forms 1095-B, 1095-C and their accompanying electronic transmittals, the 1094-B & 1094-C.

eFileMyForms has been an industry leading provider for information return reporting services of 1099, W-2, & 1042-S tax forms for nearly 15 years. In that time, eFileMyForms has grown to file over 10% of the information returns filed in the US, each year. With the addition of online 1094 & 1095 filing of ACA forms, eFileMyForms is on course to become one of the most dominant players in US information reporting. Customers can access the website immediately and have the option to choose between the full print/mail/eFile service for as low as $1.46/record or the eFile only service for as low as $.10/record!

For those who aren’t familiar, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also referred to as ObamaCare, requires the mailing of “Health Coverage” or “Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage” 1095 statements to employees by February 1st, 2015 - with the electronic filing of these forms due to the IRS by the end of March. eFileMyForms appears to be the first comprehensive solution for printing & mailing the 1095 recipient copies and for online 1094 filing & online 1095 filing of ACA forms.

So what does the solution entail? According to Michael Stewart, Director of State Compliance at eFileMyForms, there are three key pieces to the solution.

IMPORTING & DATA ENTRY
eFileMyForms allows customers to import data from Excel files that can match preset import maps or be customized to the client’s source system output file. The ability to key in data is available for one-off records that may have been overlooked in the import file creation process. Filer data, which is the filing entity's EIN related data, can also be keyed in or imported along with the record data in Excel.

PRINTING, MAILING, & ELECTRONIC FILING
eFileMyForms can accept print and mail submissions all the way up until midnight of the night before the Federal print and mail deadline of February 1, 2015. The print and mail service covers all expenses, including first class US postage, paper, and envelopes. Electronic filing of the XML submissions, via the AIR System, are accepted up until midnight of the night before the Federal eFile deadline of March 31, 2015.

The 1094-B and 1094-C electronic transmittals are available to be completed on the website before the submission of each order. Once an order is actually placed, PDF copies are made available for download at any time.

PROCESSING CORRECTIONS
Customers are bound to make mistakes on their ACA filings during the first year of reporting. Luckily, eFileMyForms’ customers are able to visualize and correct IRS related errors, if found.

“In the end of the day, customers care about security when they choose an online solutions provider” says Michael Stewart. Upon further research, it would seem as if eFileMyForms has taken this commitment seriously. eFileMyForms is an authorized eFiler of information returns, supports the ACA XML format using the IRS A2A system, is Publication 5165 tested, encrypts every transaction, is SSAE 16 SOC I Type II audited & certified, and is HIPPA compliant.

ABOUT EFILEMYFORMS.COM
eFileMyForms.com provides secure print, mail, and efile services for 1094 / 1095, 1099, W-2, and 1042-S tax forms. eFileMyForms.com's decades of filing experience provides customers with services and features found nowhere else. Reported by PRWeb 7 hours ago.
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