Jury convicts former doctor in Vegas hep C case

July 1, 2013, 8:32 pm

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Jury convicts former doctor in Vegas hep C case
Associated Press
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Updated 7:57 pm, Monday, July 1, 2013

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A prominent former Las Vegas doctor and endoscopy clinic owner was convicted Monday of all 27 criminal charges against him — including second-degree murder — in a 2007 hepatitis C outbreak that officials called one of the largest ever in the U.S. In addition to the murder charge, Desai was found guilty of seven counts of criminal neglect of patients resulting in substantial bodily harm, seven counts of reckless disregard of persons resulting in substantial bodily harm, nine counts of insurance fraud, two counts of obtaining money under false pretenses and one felony theft charge. Lakeman was found guilty of 16 charges including insurance fraud, criminal neglect, reckless disregard, obtaining money under false pretenses and theft. Desai and Rushing have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and health care fraud charges alleging they schemed to inflate anesthesia times and overbill health insurance companies. The hepatitis outbreak also spawned dozens of civil lawsuits, including several that yielded jury findings holding drug manufacturers and the state's largest health management organization liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to plaintiffs. Reported by SeattlePI.com 2 hours ago.

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BART talks in limbo as strike paralyzes commute

July 1, 2013, 9:31 pm

≫ Next: No More Exclusion Due To Pre-existing Conditions

≪ Previous: Jury convicts former doctor in Vegas hep C case

BART talks in limbo as strike paralyzes commute
Josie Mooney, a chief negotiator with SEIU Local 1021, which represents mechanics, maintenance workers and professional staff, said the unions had told the mediator of their willingness to meet but are still waiting for a response. The Bay Area Council and our 250 members implore the BART unions to end this damaging strike and return to the bargaining table, and we urge both sides to reach a fair and reasonable agreement. During that work stoppage, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown intervened, forced both sides to start talking, then got them to return to the bargaining table, where unions won double-digit pay raises that the transit agency later regretted. Pay and pensions Union officials say the major sticking points continue to be pay raises, health care and pension contributions. Three percent of that increase is contingent on the transit agency achieving ambitious goals including ridership, revenue, sales taxes and reductions in the number of employees taking time off under the federal Family Medical Leave Act. The unions have gone five years without a pay raise and four years ago agreed to a deal that gave the transit system, then facing a huge deficit, plunging ridership and sluggish sales tax revenue, $100 million in savings. [...] with the economy rebounding, BART carrying record ridership averaging 400,000 trips per weekday, and generating an operating surplus, the workers say it's time for the transit system to reward them with a significant raise. The transit agency estimates the value of benefits - including a pension with no employee contribution and health insurance for $92 a month - at $50,000 a year. BART says it values its employees' contribution but can't afford big raises because it needs to raise billions of dollars to pay for its share of needed improvements, including 1,000 new railcars, a new train maintenance facility and an upgraded train control system. Reported by SFGate 40 minutes ago.

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No More Exclusion Due To Pre-existing Conditions

July 2, 2013, 12:17 am

≫ Next: Carol Newman’s BioGirl Health Show Gets to Grips With US Health Insurance

≪ Previous: BART talks in limbo as strike paralyzes commute

Health Insurance Guaranteed, a supplemental medical insurance company, announces affordable health insurance for those with pre-existing conditions.

Miami, FL (PRWEB) July 02, 2013

It’s been more than three years since the Affordable Care Act, unofficially known as ObamaCare, was signed into law. The planned reforms are designed to cut healthcare costs and provide affordable health insurance to millions of Americans who previously struggled to afford medical cover. The reforms have been slow to roll out, with many of the biggest reforms not coming into effect until 2014. However, there are several ways in which these reforms will transform the lives of many low-income Americans with pre-existing conditions, people who have previously failed to get pre-existing condition health insurance.

In preparation for these reforms, insurance companies and employers have found themselves having to rethink what they offer as part of their policies and employment packages respectively. Never before has the individual been so in control of his or her own destiny when it comes to health insurance. And there’s more good news. In preparation for the new regulations, health insurance companies are already coming into line with the forthcoming requirements, so consumers can take advantage of newly structured packages now.

Health Insurance Guaranteed, a supplemental medical insurance company, announces affordable health insurance for those with pre-existing conditions. They offer special policies for people with pre-xisting conditions, including one of the most common being diabetes insurance. To avoid complications and confusion, the company will do all the research and groundwork for the client. They will look at a customer’s requirements and any pre-existing conditions, and then come up with the best options for that individual’s situation. It enables people to sign up for a service that will find them the absolute best insurer. Whatever status an individual has, or what complex needs have to be considered, there is an insurance plan right for everyone, a plan that is accessible and affordable. For example, for some, a no waiting period insurance policy is essential because of the peace of mind it brings in times of urgent medical need. Not everyone will research insurance policies thoroughly enough and it would be easy to miss opportunities like this. There are so many ways in which costs can add up during a time of sickness that requires hospitalization or extensive treatment. Costs such as transportation, childcare, long distance phone calls to family members, can all add up, which is why it helps to take supplemental medical insurance to cover these additional expenses. But the most reassuring aspect for those choosing to use a service to find the right insurance, especially when searching for pre-existing condition medical insurance is that the service can provide a shield from the daunting rejection that people with pre existing medical conditions usually have to face over and over again. This can prevent people from even looking for health insurance. Handing over all the research to a third party reduces the workload and stress levels. Most people would agree that good healthcare and peace of mind are priceless.

About Health Insurance Guaranteed:

Health Insurance Guaranteed is one of the leading companies in finding health care for people with pre existing conditions in the US. The company is dedicated to finding health insurance solutions for every individual regardless of their pre existing health conditions. They aim to ensure their clients are able to find the right, affordable health insurance policy, no matter what their needs and ongoing issues may be.

For more information and a consultation, contact Health Insurance Guaranteed toll free on 800-940-5446 or visit healthinsuranceguaranteed.com Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

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Carol Newman’s BioGirl Health Show Gets to Grips With US Health Insurance

July 2, 2013, 12:03 am

≫ Next: USHEALTH Advisors, LLC Honored as Bronze Stevie® Award Winner in 2013 American Business Awards

≪ Previous: No More Exclusion Due To Pre-existing Conditions

Prominent health care and insurance industry veteran Catherine Woodfield was the recent guest on Carol Newman’s popular BioGirl Health Show where she discussed health insurance and how consumers could save money with the forthcoming legal health changes due to take place in America later this year.

(PRWEB) July 02, 2013

The 20 year health insurance veteran pointed out that it was crucial, now more than at any other time in the past, for American citizens to both take fiscal responsibility for their health and well being, as well as more responsibility for their own health insurance.

This is down to the approval of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, and also known as Obama care. One of the main thrusts of the Act, Carol shares on the BioGirl Health Show - aired on Spreaker Radio every Friday at 1pm – is that no longer will insurance policies be capped, meaning the average American citizens won’t be forced to dig deeply into their own savings.

Another big change is that preventative care such as mammograms, colonoscopies and ante-natal check-ups would now be covered 100 per cent, provided that person had insurance in the first place.

"What you’re shopping for now is periodic health insurance," explains health insurance expert Catherine, "that means conditions such as an ongoing allergy or some other long-term medical need. You only need a higher deductable insurance plan to protect against a hospital admission or what I term 'financial disaster.'"

"The whole point of the new reforms, particularly with regard to preventative care, was to incentivise wellness and discourage individuals repeatedly going to their doctors for minor infections etc," says Catherine.

In America, various new insurance plans are expected to come into being in January 2014. With their introduction will be incentives to buy insurance. This includes penalties for failing to obtain health insurance and which are set to increase with every passing year.

Some states, Catherine tells listeners on the latest BioGirl Health Show episode titled More Questions Answered, will have their own insurance plans whereas others will rely on the federal exchange schemes.

She adds: "If you’re a healthy person who eats well and goes to the gym regularly and who hardly ever needs to visit the doctor then you’ll be fine on a basic plan. If you get a burst appendix or fall off your bike and break a leg then you’re going to need the coverage a higher plan would offer you."

"The most important thing to remember come the end of the year is that people shouldn’t be afraid of health care reform. There are so many wonderful patient protections built into this Act. Set your expectations correctly and your insurance will not be nearly as expensive as you may believe."

Catherine encourages individuals to be their own personal underwriter by looking at how much money they spent on health last year and basing their insurance plans accordingly.

Vitamins, she said, could also be included in an insurance plan provided they were accompanied with a doctor’s note in the event of a tax audit (although this might be more difficult to obtain with employer’s insurance where the latter dictates the rules).

To hear more about the topics of health and well being together with a number of nutrition, health and lifestyle tips tune into natural health expert Carol Newman's show on Spreaker Radio every Friday.

Find out more about BioGirl Health at her website http://www.biogirlhealth.com/.

Carol Newman
Richmond, MI
carol(at)biogirlhealth(dot)com
(000) 000-0000

Facebook
http://facebook.com/biogirlhealthshow

Twitter
http://twitter.com/biogirlhealth Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

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USHEALTH Advisors, LLC Honored as Bronze Stevie® Award Winner in 2013 American Business Awards

July 2, 2013, 12:13 am

≫ Next: Americans Favor More Exercise Over Higher Healthcare Costs, Study Finds

≪ Previous: Carol Newman’s BioGirl Health Show Gets to Grips With US Health Insurance

Grapevine, Texas Company is Voted One of America's Most Innovative for 2013

Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) July 02, 2013

USHEALTH Advisors, LLC was voted one of America’s most innovative companies by a panel of independent judges in the 11th annual American Business Awards, held in Chicago on June 17th.

The American Business Awards are the nation’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small.

“We are certainly proud to be recognized with our third Stevie Award in two years”, said USHA Sr. Vice President of Marketing, Bill Shelton. “Being honored with this year’s ABA for innovation is a testament to the men and women of USHA, who have dedicated themselves to Helping Other People Everyday with innovative health coverage that is both flexible and affordable.”

“Our Mission of HOPE - Helping Other People Everyday, is what I believe drives USHEALTH Advisors to live up to the high standards associated with the American Business Awards”, said USHA President and CEO Troy McQuagge. “Achievement of the highest levels of excellence and integrity are the hallmarks of a world-class company comprised of truly remarkable people.”

More than 3,200 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Most Innovative Company of the Year, Management Team of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.

Travis Yoder, Sr. Vice President of Sales for USHA commented, "To be honored by an independent panel of judges for outstanding product innovation is something we are very proud of. Our people set out every day to make a difference in the lives of others and this award is proof that we are on the right track."

About USHealth Advisors, L.L.C.
USHEALTH Advisors is the wholly-owned national health insurance distribution arm of USHEALTH Group, Inc. The company sells individual health coverage and supplementary products underwritten by The Freedom Life Insurance Company of America and National Foundation Life Insurance Company, wholly-owned subsidiaries of USHEALTH Group, Inc. The company is focused on serving America’s self-employed, small business and individual insurance market through its captive Agent sales force.

About USHEALTH Group, Inc.
USHEALTH Group, Inc. is an insurance holding company based in Ft. Worth, Texas focused on providing innovative health coverage for self-employed individuals and small business owners. The goal of USHEALTH is to combine the talents of its employees and agents to market competitive and profitable insurance products, while providing superior customer service in every aspect of the company’s operations. Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

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Americans Favor More Exercise Over Higher Healthcare Costs, Study Finds

July 2, 2013, 5:32 am

≫ Next: Wendell Potter: Why no one should lose sleep because big insurers are taking a pass on exchanges

≪ Previous: USHEALTH Advisors, LLC Honored as Bronze Stevie® Award Winner in 2013 American Business Awards

Option to enroll in pedometer-based program yields reduced insurance rates and waistlines.

According to a recent study by the University of Michigan Health System and Stanford University, people would rather exercise more instead of paying up to 20 percent more for health insurance.

The researchers evaluated a group of people insured by Blue Care Network, which requires people who are obese to pay more for not doing anything to reduce their weight. The study examined Blue Care Network participants who chose to enroll in a pedometer-based program as a requirement to receive insurance discounts. After one year, almost 97 percent of participants had met or exceeded the average goal of 5,000 steps a day or 450,000 steps a quarter. This included the most resistant participants who disagreed with the financial incentives because they thought the program was “coercive.”

The majority of enrollees met the required fitness goals one step at a time by participating via an Internet-tracked walking program. There were other eligibility choices for the incentive, including Weight Watchers, but more than half of those eligible chose the walking program. There was also an exemption for those with medical conditions if they had waivers from their doctors.

“We recommend walking as the best exercise when fat-burning is the goal,” say boomer generation health experts Dian Griesel, Ph.D., and Tom Griesel, authors of the books TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust (April 2011, BSH) and The TurboCharged Mind (January 2012, BSH). “However, walking alone will not solve the problem. Many people who walk or do some other exercise regularly are still obese and would definitely not be considered healthy. Exercise is good but a more comprehensive approach is needed to improve body composition and health.”

SOURCE: http://turbocharged.us.com/your-health-insurance-costs/

About TurboCharged:

TurboCharged® is a groundbreaking 8-Step program that defies common weight-loss theories. It successfully delivers body-defining rapid fat loss, accelerates metabolism, and improves health and odds of longevity without gimmicks, supplements or special equipment. The TurboCharged Mind is an excellent companion book to the author’s acclaimed rapid fat loss book, TurboCharged, or perfect as a standalone read. A series of supporting TurboCharged™ hypnosis downloads are available for sale via the book’s website, which offers ideal guided meditations to support and direct self-hypnosis sessions for faster fat loss, greater health, reduced stress, and to quit smoking. For more information, log on to http://www.turbocharged.us.com.

Company Contact Information
Dian Griesel Inc.
Dian Griesel
PO Box 302
Washington Depot, CT
06794
860-619-0177

News and Press Release Distribution From I-Newswire.com Reported by i-Newswire.com 17 hours ago.

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Wendell Potter: Why no one should lose sleep because big insurers are taking a pass on exchanges

July 2, 2013, 7:55 am

≫ Next: Wendell Potter: Why No One Should Lose Sleep Because Big Insurers Are Taking a Pass on Exchanges

≪ Previous: Americans Favor More Exercise Over Higher Healthcare Costs, Study Finds

Aetna made the wrong kind of headlines in California a few days back. The health insurance giant said it plans to stop selling individual coverage in the state and would not renew the individual policies it currently has in effect. That decision means about 50,000 Californians will have to find another insurer.

UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest insurer, announced yesterday that it is following Aetna's lead and will also exit California's individual market, a move that will affect 8,000 people.

State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said he was disappointed because the departure of Aetna and UnitedHealth will reduce competition, but neither company has been able to be more than also-rans in California's individual health insurance market. Three other insurance companies with a much longer history in the state -- Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and Kaiser Permanente -- collectively control about 90 percent of the Golden State's individual insurance market.

Aetna and UnitedHealth didn't make a big effort to increase their share of that market because, like Cigna, the big national insurer where I used to work, they prefer to sell coverage to employers, not individuals. So those companies' decisions didn't come as a surprise to anyone who has followed the recent trends in health insurance.

In fact, it is a stretch to even call the big companies insurers these days. The number of people whom those companies actually "insure" has been dwindling for a decade. Their preference is to encourage employers and other large groups to "self insure" and then hire the insurance companies as administrators. If you look closely at the big insurers' books of business, you will see their revenue from "administrative services only" (ASO) customers has been growing while cash from the selling of actual insurance has been falling.

Most Americans who have coverage get it through the workplace, but chances are very few of them realize that it is actually their employer assuming the risk of insuring them, not the company whose name is on their insurance card.

In an ASO arrangement, the employer pays a substantial fee to a company like Aetna or Cigna to negotiate contracts with doctors and hospitals and make decisions about whether or not an employee will actually get coverage for potentially life-saving procedures like transplants.

The trend toward ASO contracts shows that the big companies have become increasingly risk averse. It also explains why they are deciding not to participate in a lot of the online health insurance marketplaces -- called exchanges -- that will begin operations Oct. 1, as mandated by the health care reform law. Not only are Aetna and UnitedHealth passing on the California exchange, so is Cigna. And it's not just California. These big firms have decided to participate in only a few state exchanges.

Some critics of the reform law are suggesting that if the big companies aren't willing to sell policies on all the exchanges, Obamacare is somehow fatally flawed and will surely fail to live up to the promise of lower premiums through more robust competition among insurers.

But I think we'll all be just as well off if the big companies stay out of the individual and small group market, which the exchanges are designed to serve. Those companies have overhead costs and are under constant pressure from their shareholders and Wall Street financial analysts to spend as little of their premium revenue paying claims as the law will allow. (Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers must now spend at least 80 percent of their policyholders' premiums on health care.)

That means most of those who are selling policies to individuals and small businesses will primarily be nonprofit companies, including the new co-op health plans that have received start-up loans from the federal government. Without the need to price their policies to cover a substantial profit and pay executives millions of dollars every year, the nonprofits should be able to sell coverage that is more affordable.

That dynamic -- along with greater transparence in pricing -- already seems to be driving down the cost of policies that will be available beginning Oct. 1. I wrote recently about two insurers in Oregon that resubmitted lower rates to the state after seeing that their competitors would be charging considerably less for the exact same policies.

The same thing happened in the District of Columbia last week, where UnitedHealthcare has said it will sell coverage on the exchange. After seeing what competitors plan to charge, especially the nonprofits, the company quickly submitted new rates that were much lower.

The exchanges will do more to transform how insurance is sold in this country -- and how much it costs -- than any of us can imagine today. This time next year we'll wonder why we waited so long to set them up. And we won't miss those companies that refuse to take part. Believe me. Reported by Huffington Post 14 hours ago.

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Wendell Potter: Why No One Should Lose Sleep Because Big Insurers Are Taking a Pass on Exchanges

July 2, 2013, 9:16 am

≫ Next: HUGE: White House Delaying Key Obamacare Provision For A Year

≪ Previous: Wendell Potter: Why no one should lose sleep because big insurers are taking a pass on exchanges

Aetna made the wrong kind of headlines in California a few days back. The health insurance giant said it plans to stop selling individual coverage in the state and would not renew the individual policies it currently has in effect. That decision means about 50,000 Californians will have to find another insurer.

UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest insurer, announced yesterday that it is following Aetna's lead and will also exit California's individual market, a move that will affect 8,000 people.

State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said he was disappointed because the departure of Aetna and UnitedHealth will reduce competition, but neither company has been able to be more than also-rans in California's individual health insurance market. Three other insurance companies with a much longer history in the state -- Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and Kaiser Permanente -- collectively control about 90 percent of the Golden State's individual insurance market.

Aetna and UnitedHealth didn't make a big effort to increase their share of that market because, like Cigna, the big national insurer where I used to work, they prefer to sell coverage to employers, not individuals. So those companies' decisions didn't come as a surprise to anyone who has followed the recent trends in health insurance.

In fact, it is a stretch to even call the big companies insurers these days. The number of people whom those companies actually "insure" has been dwindling for a decade. Their preference is to encourage employers and other large groups to "self insure" and then hire the insurance companies as administrators. If you look closely at the big insurers' books of business, you will see their revenue from "administrative services only" (ASO) customers has been growing while cash from the selling of actual insurance has been falling.

Most Americans who have coverage get it through the workplace, but chances are very few of them realize that it is actually their employer assuming the risk of insuring them, not the company whose name is on their insurance card.

In an ASO arrangement, the employer pays a substantial fee to a company like Aetna or Cigna to negotiate contracts with doctors and hospitals and make decisions about whether or not an employee will actually get coverage for potentially life-saving procedures like transplants.

The trend toward ASO contracts shows that the big companies have become increasingly risk averse. It also explains why they are deciding not to participate in a lot of the online health insurance marketplaces -- called exchanges -- that will begin operations Oct. 1, as mandated by the health care reform law. Not only are Aetna and UnitedHealth passing on the California exchange, so is Cigna. And it's not just California. These big firms have decided to participate in only a few state exchanges.

Some critics of the reform law are suggesting that if the big companies aren't willing to sell policies on all the exchanges, Obamacare is somehow fatally flawed and will surely fail to live up to the promise of lower premiums through more robust competition among insurers.

But I think we'll all be just as well off if the big companies stay out of the individual and small group market, which the exchanges are designed to serve. Those companies have overhead costs and are under constant pressure from their shareholders and Wall Street financial analysts to spend as little of their premium revenue paying claims as the law will allow. (Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers must now spend at least 80 percent of their policyholders' premiums on health care.)

That means most of those who are selling policies to individuals and small businesses will primarily be nonprofit companies, including the new co-op health plans that have received start-up loans from the federal government. Without the need to price their policies to cover a substantial profit and pay executives millions of dollars every year, the nonprofits should be able to sell coverage that is more affordable.

That dynamic -- along with greater transparency in pricing -- already seems to be driving down the cost of policies that will be available beginning Oct. 1. I wrote recently about two insurers in Oregon that resubmitted lower rates to the state after seeing that their competitors would be charging considerably less for the exact same policies.

The same thing happened in the District of Columbia last week, where UnitedHealthcare has said it will sell coverage on the exchange. After seeing what competitors plan to charge, especially the nonprofits, the company quickly submitted new rates that were much lower.

The exchanges will do more to transform how insurance is sold in this country -- and how much it costs -- than any of us can imagine today. This time next year we'll wonder why we waited so long to set them up. And we won't miss those companies that refuse to take part. Believe me. Reported by Huffington Post 13 hours ago.

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HUGE: White House Delaying Key Obamacare Provision For A Year

July 2, 2013, 3:41 pm

≫ Next: Instant California Health Insurance Quotes and Texas Health Insurance Quotes at the Lowest Prices Now Available from ACE Health

≪ Previous: Wendell Potter: Why No One Should Lose Sleep Because Big Insurers Are Taking a Pass on Exchanges

HUGE: White House Delaying Key Obamacare Provision For A Year

The White House will delay until 2015 the enforcement of a requirement for businesses to provide workers health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the Treasury Department said today.

More detail is set to come later in the week.

The mandate would require most businesses with 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance meeting certain minimum criteria — or pay a penalty of $2,000 per worker.

The purpose of the employer mandate is to discourage employers from dropping coverage and leaving employees to buy subsidized insurance in the Obamacare exchanges at greater taxpayer expense. The delay does not affect the individual mandate, the requirement that most Americans purchase insurance, nor does it halt the implementation of marketplaces where individuals and businesses can sign up for insurance coverage.

In the absence of an employer mandate next year, Treasury says it will "strongly encourage employers to maintain or expand health coverage." Treasury noted that most employers already provide their workers with health insurance.

If firms respond to this delay by dropping health coverage or waiting to expand it, the cost of Obamacare to taxpayers is likely to increase.

The mandate has been bitterly opposed by many large companies that employ low-skill workers, especially those that compete with small firms that will not have to comply. Executives and franchisees at restaurant chains such as Papa John's have been especially vocal.

Here's the official statement from Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy Mark Mazur:

Over the past several months, the Administration has been engaging in a dialogue with businesses - many of which already provide health coverage for their workers - about the new employer and insurer reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively. We recognize that the vast majority of businesses that will need to do this reporting already provide health insurance to their workers, and we want to make sure it is easy for others to do so. We have listened to your feedback. And we are taking action.

The Administration is announcing that it will provide an additional year before the ACA mandatory employer and insurer reporting requirements begin. This is designed to meet two goals. First, it will allow us to consider ways to simplify the new reporting requirements consistent with the law. Second, it will provide time to adapt health coverage and reporting systems while employers are moving toward making health coverage affordable and accessible for their employees. Within the next week, we will publish formal guidance describing this transition. Just like the Administration’s effort to turn the initial 21-page application for health insurance into a three-page application, we are working hard to adapt and to be flexible about reporting requirements as we implement the law.

Here is some additional detail. The ACA includes information reporting (under section 6055) by insurers, self-insuring employers, and other parties that provide health coverage. It also requires information reporting (under section 6056) by certain employers with respect to the health coverage offered to their full-time employees. We expect to publish proposed rules implementing these provisions this summer, after a dialogue with stakeholders - including those responsible employers that already provide their full-time work force with coverage far exceeding the minimum employer shared responsibility requirements - in an effort to minimize the reporting, consistent with effective implementation of the law.

Once these rules have been issued, the Administration will work with employers, insurers, and other reporting entities to strongly encourage them to voluntarily implement this information reporting in 2014, in preparation for the full application of the provisions in 2015. Real-world testing of reporting systems in 2014 will contribute to a smoother transition to full implementation in 2015.

We recognize that this transition relief will make it impractical to determine which employers owe shared responsibility payments (under section 4980H) for 2014. Accordingly, we are extending this transition relief to the employer shared responsibility payments. These payments will not apply for 2014. Any employer shared responsibility payments will not apply until 2015.

During this 2014 transition period, we strongly encourage employers to maintain or expand health coverage. Also, our actions today do not affect employees’ access to the premium tax credits available under the ACA (nor any other provision of the ACA).

Join the conversation about this story »

Reported by Business Insider 7 hours ago.

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Instant California Health Insurance Quotes and Texas Health Insurance Quotes at the Lowest Prices Now Available from ACE Health

July 2, 2013, 2:53 pm

≫ Next: Employers Get Reprieve From Penalties For Not Offering Health Insurance

≪ Previous: HUGE: White House Delaying Key Obamacare Provision For A Year

ACE Health is now offering instant California and Texas health insurance quotes at the lowest possible prices via their instant quote hotline or online at http://www.acehealth.com.

Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) July 02, 2013

Ace Health Insurance Services is the one-stop place to shop for instant California health insurance quotes with their new Insurance Quote Hotline. Ace Health’s team of insurance experts works with more than two dozen of the nation’s largest insurance carriers to put together the best and most affordable health insurance packages to meet every customer’s needs, whether it's individual or group health insurance estimates or maternity health insurance, short-term health insurance, and even dental insurance coverage.

Ace Health Insurance Services’ reputation as the leading provider of low cost affordable health insurance plans in California and Texas for more than twenty years is founded on its contacts with a network of major providers and the ease of securing a rapid estimate on the most comprehensive coverage at the lowest prices possible through its Insurance Quote Hotline. Individualized quotes are available online at http://www.acehealthca.com or by calling (800) 497-4010. Insurance shoppers can apply for health insurance in California instantly online by clicking on links for estimates from the nation’s leading individual and group policy carriers, including Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Health Net, Cigna, and Aetna. Any questions or problems with completing the online insurance application can be addressed by Ace Health Insurance Services’ agents by calling (800) 497-4010 toll free. Inquiries can also be made by fax at (877) 901-5522 or through a direct email to acehealth(at)earthlink(dot)net.

Ace Health Insurance Services’ team of professionals sets its sights on providing the best California health care plans at the lowest prices with instant California health insurance quotes on most services and Internet quotes within 24 hours after Ace’s extensive custom rate shopping is performed exclusively for each customer. Ace Health Insurance Services’ agents contact more than 25 different providers to put together the best options available anywhere, matching clients with the carrier that best meets their needs, budgets, and circumstances. Buyers can purchase insurance with low monthly payments with many policies.

Ace Health Insurance Service’s agents encourage prospective clients to evaluate their needs and budgets when requesting estimates, considering whether they are looking for HMO or PPO policies, the deductable levels that will suit their needs best, the extent of coverage and services sought, the importance of being able to seek special services without waiting for often slow to obtain referrals, and the ability to choose private care givers. Other important considerations are pharmacy coverage, and even vision and dental coverage sought through policies. Clients are also urged to ask their doctors which insurance companies they work with. Once factors such as these have been considered, Ace Health Insurance Service can seek the best, lowest cost coverage the best health insurance plans California buyers can obtain through its network of more than 25 major carrier sources.

In addition to serving California health insurance buyers, Ace Health Insurance Services also provides low cost Texas health insurance plans. Affordable health insurance quotes in Texas are offered at the same low cost insurance rates with the same dedication to providing complete service as for all customers’ needs for CA health insurance. Clearly, Ace Health Insurance Services will find the best bargain for health insurance in Texas.

Ace Health Insurance Services specializes in saving money and improving coverage for individuals and California and Texas groups of two to 500. With insurance rates changing daily, it is likely they can help acquire insurance coverage at rates that will save money and perhaps even increase coverage and benefits over currently held policies for small and large businesses as well as individuals. Ace Health Insurance Services also offers short term health insurance coverage plans.

Instant telephone quotes from Ace Health Insurance Services’ agents are available by calling (800) 497-4010 or faxing inquiries to (877) 901-5522. Direct emails can be sent to acehealth(at)earthlink(dot)net, and complete information regarding rates and services and requests for quotes can be obtained online at http://www.acehealthca.com. Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

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Employers Get Reprieve From Penalties For Not Offering Health Insurance

July 2, 2013, 3:07 pm

≫ Next: Employer mandate for health insurance to be delayed a year

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Employers who don't provide health insurance will be spared penalties of up to $3,000 per worker until 2015, a one-year delay of a major component of President Barack Obama's health care reform law, the Treasury Department announced Tuesday.

Under Obamacare, companies with at least 50 full-time employees are required to provide qualifying health benefits to workers or face financial penalties called "shared responsibility payments." The provision of the law aims to shore up and strengthen the system that provides health benefits to most covered Americans.

Under a regulatory guidance to be published next week, the Obama administration will free companies from this mandate and from rules that they report information about their health benefits to the federal government next year.

"During this 2014 transition period, we strongly encourage employers to maintain or expand health coverage," Mark Mazur, assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department, said in a statement.

Bloomberg News first reported on the administration's delay of the employer requirement Tuesday afternoon:

The White House had been in discussions with business groups over complaints about the reporting requirements, and senior officials believe they can simplify the process, the officials said. President Barack Obama’s administration plans to invite employer groups to discuss ways of simplifying administrative burdens created by the mandate, they said.

The change does not affect people who will buy health insurance on their own or small businesses that will buy coverage through the law's health insurance exchanges. Reported by Huffington Post 7 hours ago.

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Employer mandate for health insurance to be delayed a year

July 2, 2013, 3:35 pm

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Scrambling to adapt your business to health care reform? Sit tight. In a surprise announcement Tuesday, the Obama administration said it will delay a requirement that companies with more than 50 workers provide health insurance — one of the key requirements of the 2010 health care overhaul law. Bloomberg News first reported the decision, and it was confirmed in an official administration statement. The law originally included penalties starting in January 2014 for larger companies that don't… Reported by bizjournals 7 hours ago.

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$700k Grant to Aid Alameda County Families with Health Insurance, Benefits

July 2, 2013, 4:51 pm

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$700k Grant to Aid Alameda County Families with Health Insurance, Benefits

Patch San Leandro, CA --

The Center for Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC), recently received a $700,000 grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies to fund the expansion of outreach efforts in identifying and enrolling eligible children and families into health insurance and o Reported by Patch 6 hours ago.

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Employers get an extra year to provide health insurance

July 2, 2013, 4:20 pm

≫ Next: Health First Taking Major Steps to Accommodate Community Health Needs: New Initiative Spurs Further Community Collaboration

≪ Previous: $700k Grant to Aid Alameda County Families with Health Insurance, Benefits

The Obama administration has offered a one-year break to employers who were supposed to start offering health insurance to their workers next year. Reported by msnbc.com 6 hours ago.

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Health First Taking Major Steps to Accommodate Community Health Needs: New Initiative Spurs Further Community Collaboration

July 2, 2013, 4:39 pm

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Health First is pleased to announce its Board of Trustees has approved a three-year plan to help meet the healthcare needs of our community. As a result of a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) conducted by the Health Council of East Central Florida, Health First plans to enhance programs aimed at creating a healthier Brevard County.

Rockledge, FL (PRWEB) July 02, 2013

Health First is pleased to announce its Board of Trustees has approved a three-year plan to help meet the healthcare needs of our community. As a result of a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) conducted by the Health Council of East Central Florida, Health First plans to enhance programs aimed at creating a healthier Brevard County.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is mandating all not-for-profit hospitals to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment once every three years. The CHNA is a systematic process that identifies and analyzes community health needs for prioritization, planning, and action upon unmet needs. Efforts must be measured and tracked to ensure improvements are being made in areas identified. Health First is maximizing its resources by addressing seven priorities – as opposed to the industry standard of three.

Health First leadership has recommended the following disparities be addressed:

· Adults without Health Insurance
· Adults without a Regular Dentist
· Adults without a Primary Care Physician/Provider
· Adults with Cerebrovascular Disease
· Adults with Cardiovascular Disease
· Adults & Children who are Overweight or Obese
· Adults & Children Having a Poor Diet and/or Lack of Physical Activity

“Health First has provided funding and resources to many programs in our community over the years and this new initiative will allow us to build on the strong foundation we have already created,” said Health First Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy & Growth Officer Drew Rector. "The implementation strategies to address the disparities identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment will increase our emphasis on preventive care and management of chronic diseases. Health First is anticipating further collaborations with our community partners in fulfilling our mission of creating a healthier Brevard County.”

Health First supports many not-for-profit healthcare-related organizations in Brevard County including the Brevard Health Alliance, the Brevard County Health Department’s Adult Dental Clinic, and Brevard Public Schools. Health First annually supports the Brevard Health Alliance, the county’s only Federally Qualified Health Center, with a $1.1 million grant and more than $400,000 in in-kind diagnostics. Health First’s total value to the community in fiscal year 2012 totaled over $118 million.

About Health First
Founded in 1995, Health First is Central Florida’s only fully integrated health system and employs more than 7,500 people and has four hospitals (including Holmes Regional Medical Center, Palm Bay Hospital, Cape Canaveral Hospital, and Viera Hospital). Health First Health Plans also offers a wide variety of health insurance plan options for Brevard and Indian River Counties. In addition, Health First is home to Brevard County’s only Trauma Center. With 246 employed physicians, Health First Medical Group is the largest multi-specialty physician group on the Space Coast. Health First offers numerous outpatient and wellness services, including four Pro-Health and Fitness Centers. Visit http://www.Health-First.org for more information. Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.

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U.S. Pushes Businesses' Health Insurance Deadline To 2015

July 2, 2013, 4:46 pm

≫ Next: The Obama Administration's Excuse For Delaying The Obamacare Mandate Is Either Lame Or Fake

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The Obama administration announced the change Tuesday, citing "ongoing discussions with businesses" about new health insurance requirements in the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare." Reported by NPR 6 hours ago.

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The Obama Administration's Excuse For Delaying The Obamacare Mandate Is Either Lame Or Fake

July 2, 2013, 5:51 pm

≫ Next: ANOTHER Insurance Company Ditches California Over Obamacare

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The Obama Administration's Excuse For Delaying The Obamacare Mandate Is Either Lame Or Fake

Late today, the Treasury Department announced that it will delay the "employer mandate" in Obamacare for one year. This is the provision of the law that requires large employers to provide health insurance to full-time employees or else pay a $2,000 per-employee penalty.

It's a weird move—and their explanation of the move is even weirder.

To hear Treasury tell it, the delay is all about simplifying reporting:

We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively... Just like the Administration’s effort to turn the initial 21-page application for health insurance into a three-page application, we are working hard to adapt and to be flexible about reporting requirements as we implement the law.

Treasury won't be releasing reporting requirements until later this summer, and then it will need to test the requirements, so it needs to wait a year before making them mandatory.

Then, almost as an "oh, by the way" addition, the Treasury statement adds that since reporting won't be mandatory in 2014, it can't actually impose any penalties on employers that don't provide health insurance until 2015.

The whole point of the employer mandate is to incent employers to offer health coverage to full-time workers. Firms might otherwise drop coverage and direct employees to buy through the insurance exchanges created under Obamacare.

That would be costly for taxpayers, as most workers will be eligible for subsidies to help them buy insurance in the exchanges, and often those subsidies will far exceed the value of the tax preferences given for employer-provided health insurance.

If the real reason for the delay is that Treasury couldn't get its act together on the reporting requirements, that is very embarrassing for the Obama Administration. Unlike setting up health care exchanges and expanding Medicaid, Treasury's administration of tax reporting requirements is a purely federal matter. Problems with it can't be blamed on obstructionist Republicans.

But the reporting issue may just be a pretext for the delay. The employer mandate is a bad policy that will discourage job creation. The Administration may be looking for a way to avoid imposing it ever.

The employer mandate is part of a suite of policies aimed at accomplishing two difficult tasks: Expanding health insurance coverage to the 17% of Americans who don't have any, while ensuring the 45% of Americans currently covered through employer-based plans stay put.

This is very hard to do (if you hand out subsidies to the uninsured, more people will become "uninsured" to get the subsidies) and it's why most approaches to health insurance reform favored by left, right and center health policy wonks involve moving away from employer-based coverage.

Obamacare's approach to threading the needle might work, but in the process it creates a significant barrier to job creation.

The loudest objections to the mandate have come from the restaurant industry, and for good reason. Restaurants employ lots of low-skill workers, and either adding health insurance or paying a $2,000 penalty would result in a large percentage increase in the cost of employment.

Large restaurant chains compete with small businesses that won't be subject to the mandate and will sometimes even be eligible for subsidies to offer health insurance. That means chains will have difficulty raising prices to pass their higher labor costs onto customers. In some cases, that will just mean lower profits, but it will also mean less hiring and less expansion in the sector.

The tenor of restaurateurs' objections to the mandate has often been obnoxious, particularly when a Denny's franchisee announced his intention to impose an "Obamacare fee" on checks and encourage diners to deduct the surcharge from servers' tips. But that doesn't mean they're wrong on the policy.

Obama needed the mandate to get Obamacare passed because it would reduce participation in the exchanges and therefore the law's overall costs. One of his key selling points for the law was that it would cut the deficit. Now that the law has passed, his administration is freer to pursue changes that will raise Obamacare's cost to taxpayers but improve its effects on the economy.

Delaying the employer mandate, perhaps indefinitely, is one way to do that. It's a better reason than "we couldn't figure out how to do the reporting." But it's not one you can say out loud.

Join the conversation about this story »

Reported by Business Insider 5 hours ago.

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ANOTHER Insurance Company Ditches California Over Obamacare

July 2, 2013, 6:34 pm

≫ Next: Ezra Klein: Why Obamacare's Employer Mandate Should Be Repealed

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A second health insurer notified state regulators Tuesday that it will stop selling individual policies in California.

UnitedHealthcare announced it will no longer offer individual insurance plans after the end of the year. It will focus instead on its core business of group plans for large and small employers.

"Our individual business in California has always been relatively small and we currently serve less than 8,000 individual customers across the state," the company said in a statement. "Over the years, it has become more difficult to administer these plans in a cost-effective way for our members in California."

The announcement comes two weeks after Aetna Inc. said it also plans to exit California's individual insurance market. Both insurers avoided participating in the state exchange that is being established as part of the Affordable Care Act.

State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says the departure of UnitedHealthcare and Aetna is bad news for consumers.

"While both UnitedHealthcare and Aetna have a very small share of California's individual health insurance market, their departure means less choice, less competition, and more market consolidation by the remaining big three health insurers – Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, and Kaiser – which means an increased likelihood of even higher prices from those health insurers downstream," Jones, a Democrat, said in a statement.

According to 2011 figures compiled by the California HealthCare Foundation, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser have 87 percent of the individual market.

Starting Oct. 1, those seeking to buy their own health insurance will be directed to Covered California, the state's new exchange, where 13 insurance carriers will sell individual policies.

Aetna and UnitedHealthcare chose not to participate in the exchange. Reported by Huffington Post 4 hours ago.

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Ezra Klein: Why Obamacare's Employer Mandate Should Be Repealed

July 2, 2013, 7:40 pm

≫ Next: White House delays health-care rule that businesses provide insurance to workers

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The Affordable Care Act includes a provision penalizing employers with more than 50 full-time workers who either don't offer health insurance or whose employees who can't afford insurance without taxpayer help. Those penalties begin in 2014. At least, that's what the law says.

It's a bad bit of policy. In fact, when it first emerged during the Senate's negotiations, I called it "one of the worst ideas in recent memory."

Reported by Huffington Post 3 hours ago.

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White House delays health-care rule that businesses provide insurance to workers

July 2, 2013, 8:56 pm

≫ Next: What Does The Delay In The Employer Mandate Mean For You And Obamacare?

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The White House on Tuesday delayed for one year a requirement under the Affordable Care Act that businesses provide health insurance to employees, a fresh setback for President Obama’s landmark health-care overhaul as it enters a critical phase.

Read full article >>

Reported by Washington Post 1 hour ago.

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