UHY LLP Reports: IRS Offers Late Christmas Present to Companies Required to File Forms 1095-B or 1095-C

December 30, 2015, 9:29 am

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An extension was granted to allow companies time to implement new systems and procedures necessary to accurately report health care coverage information to individuals and the IRS

Sterling Heights, Michigan (PRWEB) December 30, 2015

The IRS recently released Notice 2016-4 in which the Service has extended the due date for companies required to distribute Forms 1095-B Health Coverage, or 1095-C Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage. Employers and insurance providers alike will now have until March 31, 2016 to distribute Forms 1095 to their respective individuals, the previous deadline was February 1, 2016. The timing for filing these forms with the IRS has also been extended from February 29, 2016 to May 31, 2016, and slightly longer for those companies required to submit their forms electronically. The automatic extension was granted to provide companies additional time to implement the new systems and procedures necessary to accurately report health care coverage information to the individuals and the Service.

As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), IRS Code Section 6056 requires employers with 50 or more Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) to report informational statements to their employees relating to the health insurance coverage that the employer offers (or does not offer) to its full-time employees. Most employers will be using Form 1095-C to report this information.

IRC Section 6055 requires ALL health insurance providers, (which includes self-insuring employers) to furnish information as to whether each of the respective individuals and their dependents maintained minimum essential coverage during the year. Most insurance providers will use Form 1095-B which those self-funded employers will also report this information on Part III of their 1095-C forms.

These forms provide details about health coverage for the individuals and all of their dependents, which is now required to be reported on their individual tax returns. Taxpayers who receive their Form 1095s after they may have filed their individual returns, will NOT need to file an amended return as they will be allowed to rely upon other information received from their employer or coverage providers.

For more information regarding the Affordable Care Act, please contact your professional at UHY LLP in Detroit 313 964 1040, Farmington Hills 248 355 1040 or Sterling Heights 586 254 1040 or visit us on the web at http://www.uhy-us.com. Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

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Triangulate the Triangulators

December 30, 2015, 10:07 am

≫ Next: Kentucky's New GOP Governor Kicks Off Obamacare Shake-Up

≪ Previous: UHY LLP Reports: IRS Offers Late Christmas Present to Companies Required to File Forms 1095-B or 1095-C

The Clinton machine has been very good over the last few decades at triangulation. Pull a little from the left, pull a little from the right and pander to everyone.

How else did we get great stuff like NAFTA passed along with Three Strikes? Pander to the right. Keep the left interested by maybe doing something half-hearted with health care.

Is it time to use some triangulation concepts for Bernie Sanders? He can position himself to the right of Hillary on a number of things while maintaining solid left footings. Reframing some issues can create some pointy triangulations cutting his way. The difference with Sanders is he means what he says.

Triangulate to businesses. For instance, his single-payer system, BernieCare, is brilliant in its simplicity. So simple, that ABC News could not grasp what he was saying at the 12/21/15 debate.

If your business does not have to provide health insurance for their employees, that money not spent can be re-deployed on producing widgets. It is a de-facto tax break for your corporation.

If, as an individual, you do not have to buy insurance, that money is in your pocket. It is a de-facto tax break aimed at your household expenses.

That is money put back into the economy. Reframe the issue to use government as a tool to cut your expenses as a business or a household. Instead of cutting government, we sharpen it like a weapon to trim corporate fat. Make businesses more efficient. They do not need to provide insurance if the government can do it better. Let businesses get to work making stuff.

The ABC debate moderators could not get their arms around re-deploying employee health care expenditures. Lift that financial burden and money can be sunk back into the business or reallocated as profits for shareholders.

There is no way to give full detail for an outcome because it is a huge economic shift. We have to change the way we do business. Single-payer BernieCare will retool our economy.

ABC News should be able to understand once it is explained a few more times.

How to triangulate Three Strikes? The 1990s Clinton used filling prisons as a way to say he was tough on crime. It was an easy grab for votes from the Right.

Why not a commercial to triangulate for Sanders?

Get folks who have relatives serving insane sentences on bogus charges. When we have over 2,500,000 people incarcerated, the sheer number of people who are related to someone behind bars has to be huge. We have too many laws messing over too many people.

The commercial is a series of families shown one after the other. Each presentation is the same:
· Opens with kin holding a picture of a convict as they looked when they went into "the system."
· A text box reveals the convict's name, the crime, the sentence, where the sentence is being served (public or private prison) and how much it has cost to keep the person locked up.
· Cut to an image of what the convict looks like today as they mouth the words, "thanks, Clinton."
· Cut back to the family mouthing the words, "thanks, Clinton".Triangulate the cost of private and public prison systems with the real human faces.

Since real conservatives want to save a buck, appeal to them.

Some of the online attacks on Bernie Sanders are that his candidacy was conceived and propped up from the Right.

Go with it.

Recruit conservatives saying that "we don't agree on everything, but we can work together."

No one else running has the credibility to hold their hand out across the divide and say those words without generating snickers.

Many real conservatives are fearful of a Hillary Clinton White House.

They look at Trump as the GOP nominee and shake their heads.

Offering conservatives some respect from the Left on better fiscal accountability on penal systems is a great way to start out-triangulating the Clintons.

Appeal to conservatives on the idea of when can a person be forgiven for minor transgressions.

Offer plans for better email server security so that it will be tougher for our data to be breached. If you are a conservative who believes that government data security is lax, come here, Bernie wants a word with you...

Lots of conservatives want the Fed audited.

So does Bernie.

There are a lot of Rand Paul fans who like what Bernie is saying on foreign policy. Make the play for them. Invite them into the Democratic Party, if only for the primary.

Just stating his natural positions may be the easiest way Sanders can triangulate the entire election against the original triangulators from the 1990s.

-- 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 13 hours ago.

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Kentucky's New GOP Governor Kicks Off Obamacare Shake-Up

December 30, 2015, 10:13 am

≫ Next: Remembering A Great Friend of Justice And What The Medical Complex Should Learn From Her

≪ Previous: Triangulate the Triangulators

WASHINGTON -- Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) formally launched his effort to remake Obamacare in the Bluegrass State Wednesday, vowing to negotiate with President Barack Obama's administration to devise a new way to provide health coverage to low-income residents of the state.

At a press conference in Frankfort, Bevin said he would present a proposal by the middle of 2016 to reshape Kentucky's health care programs.

"We are going to transform the way in which Medicaid is delivered in Kentucky, and this transformation, I think, will be a model for the nation," Bevin said.

The new governor offered little detail about what the change would actually look like, however. Under former Gov. Steve Beshear (D), Kentucky endeavored to make the Affordable Care Act work, expanding Medicaid to adults near or below poverty and creating Kynect, a state-run health insurance exchange. The newly minted governor now wants to overhaul Medicaid and scrap Kynect.

Bevin is proposing to reshape Obamacare in Kentucky despite the success of the state's health insurance exchange and the Medicaid expansion. The Medicaid expansion has provided health coverage to about 400,000 low-income Kentuckians and about 100,000 have obtained private insurance policies via the exchange. These enrollments made Kentucky one of the Affordable Care Act's biggest winners, as the state saw a nearly 11 percentage point drop in its uninsured rate since sign-ups began in 2013, a decline second only to Arkansas.
Bevin is proposing to reshape Obamacare in Kentucky despite the success of the state's health insurance exchange and the Medicaid expansion. The Medicaid expansion has provided health coverage to about 400,000 low-income Kentuckians and about 100,000 have obtained private insurance policies via the exchange. These enrollments made Kentucky one of the Affordable Care Act's biggest winners, as the state saw a nearly 11 percentage point drop in its uninsured rate since sign-ups began in 2013, a decline second only to Arkansas.

Although Bevin won office with a wide margin -- defying predictions of a narrow victory by state Attorney General Jack Conway (D) -- polls show Kentucky residents strongly favor the Medicaid expansion in its current form. Some 72 percent of Kentuckians, including 54 percent of Republicans and 43 percent of Bevin voters, want to keep the expansion as is, show survey results published this month by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. A slim majority also supports retaining Kynect, according to the poll. Most Kentuckians do not favor the Affordable Care Act itself, however, the survey shows.Although Bevin won office with a wide margin -- defying predictions of a narrow victory by state Attorney General Jack Conway (D) -- polls show Kentucky residents strongly favor the Medicaid expansion in its current form. Some 72 percent of Kentuckians, including 54 percent of Republicans and 43 percent of Bevin voters, want to keep the expansion as is, show survey results published this month by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. A slim majority also supports retaining Kynect, according to the poll. Most Kentuckians do not favor the Affordable Care Act itself, however, the survey shows.

Kentuckians' views on Medicaid perhaps explain Bevin's evolution on the topic. He initially vowed to undo the expansion completely, but as his campaign neared the finish line and after he took office early this month, Bevin instead began to talk about modifying the program. He aims to emulate what Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) did in his state, where those who qualify under the Affordable Care Act must pay more for their health care than Medicaid enrollees in other states. Pence was a guest at Bevin's inauguration ceremony, when the new Kentucky governor cited Indiana's Medicaid program as a model.

"Indiana's is the model that frankly is most likely that we will look to replicate," Bevin said Wednesday.

Beyond citing Indiana's initiative and Medicaid privatization efforts in states like Arkansas and suggesting his proposal would require beneficiaries to have "skin in the game" -- meaning they would be responsible for more of their medical expenses -- Bevin provided no information about his vision for Medicaid or Kentucky's health care system at large.

The Obama administration would have to approve Bevin's plans to change how Medicaid works in Kentucky because the program is jointly run by federal authorities and agencies in the states. The White House has accommodated state officials looking to expand Medicaid while undertaking reforms, such as enrolling new beneficiaries into private health insurance plans rather than traditional Medicaid. But the administration has rejected other demands from states, such as requirements that Medicaid enrollees have jobs to qualify for coverage, which federal officials say would violate existing law.

Kentucky will take a different approach, Bevin said at the press conference. Starting in 2017, the Affordable Care Act permits states to submit so-called innovation waivers to the federal government enabling them to reshape their health coverage programs while still receiving federal funding tied to the law.Bevin had a "very extensive and substantive conversation" with Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell earlier this month in preparation for formal discussions with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, he said. "She is somebody who is very committed to this," he said. "She and I had a good conversation about what solutions look like for Kentucky."

The bar for approving these waivers is set high under the law. Most importantly, states must demonstrate that their reforms will cover the same number of people at equal or lower cost than through Medicaid expansion and the health insurance exchanges. No state has yet attempted to use this mechanism, but Colorado voters will consider a ballot measure next year seeking to replace the state's current programs with a single-payer system that would cover all residents, which would require federal approval of the same type of waiver.

"I'm absolutely confident that we can make this work. I'm confident that CMS will meet us in good faith, and I look forward to that dialogue and continued discussion, which has come out of the gate well," Bevin said. "By the middle of next year, we will have an opportunity to know whether this is going to work or not."

While Kentucky reconsiders its Medicaid expansion, other states are moving in the opposite direction. South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) came out in support of the expansion this month, joining Republican governors like Gary Herbert in Utah and Matt Mead in Wyoming who are trying to persuade state legislators to adopt the policy. And in Louisiana, Democratic governor-elect John Bel Edwards is poised to revive the issue when he succeeds Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), a steadfast opponent of Medicaid expansion. To date, 30 states and the District of Columbia have broadened Medicaid eligibility under Obamacare.

The Medicaid announcement is Bevin's latest action to carry out his campaign agenda just weeks after he became governor on Dec. 8. Bevin has reversed his predecessor's moves to restore voting rights to some nonviolent ex-convicts and to increase the minimum wage. Most notably, Bevin changed the rules for officials approving marriage licenses in response to the furor over Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis refusing to sign the documents for same-sex couples after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the unions. The new governor also touted his plan to expand charter schools Tuesday.

*Also on HuffPost:*

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Remembering A Great Friend of Justice And What The Medical Complex Should Learn From Her

December 30, 2015, 11:07 am

≫ Next: Express Scripts ranks in top 10 for repeat HIPPA violations: Report

≪ Previous: Kentucky's New GOP Governor Kicks Off Obamacare Shake-Up

Kathy Olsen is one of those people you can never imagine dying because she was always so full of life. Kathy did die suddenly this month at the age of 59, from a heart attack, following a rough dose of chemotherapy.

Kathy was a relentless advocate for greater patient safety and protections from the medical insurance complex following a family tragedy. Her struggles changed the rights we all possess in America if an HMO or health insurance company tries to deny us treatment or care. We owe her a great debt.

A determined and passionate fighter for justice, Kathy took on the cause of patient safety after her son Steven, then two years old, suffered a head injury. In the emergency room, he was repeatedly denied an $800 CAT scan by an HMO doctor that, experts and a jury later found, would have prevented his life of blindness and brain damage. Kathy has spent her life since making sure Steven is happy and leading campaign after campaign for greater protections for patients.

A jury's multi-million dollar verdict to compensate Steven for his lifetime of blindness was reduced by a California legislative cap on damages to $250,000. Kathy fought to change that law for other families and prevent its spread to other states and the nation.

We rode the bus together for HMO patients' rights in the mid-1990s with the mighty California Nurses Association so no other patient would face the same penny-wise pound-foolish cost-cutting that Steven did. Kathy helped enact tough rules on HMOs in California and elsewhere. She went to Sacramento, Washington, and statehouses all across America to tell Steven's story and fight against restrictions on injured patients. She testified for greater legal and regulatory accountability for dangerous doctors and cost-cutting insurance companies.

A decade ago Kathy's kindness and conviction single-handedly convinced a swing-vote United States senator not to join Republicans in the Bush era to enact national legal limits on injured patients like the one that victimized her family. After Kathy told Steven's story, this senator refused to join then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in his efforts to put a national damages cap of $250,000 on medical negligence victims. It was a vote that seemed inevitable until Kathy spoke to her.

Steven Olsen is 25 years old now, and one of the sweetest and happiest disabled individuals you will ever meet thanks to Kathy's love and care. Kathy's husband Scott is determined to carry on her fight and, of course, her love and caring for Steven.
The truth is Kathy isn't going anywhere because she and her family will never be far from our thoughts at our nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog. There's still so much to do.

What the medical insurance complex should long ago have learned from Kathy's advocacy and journey is that resisting accountability for medical wrongdoing and wrongdoers is a disservice to the medical profession as well as society.

The reason health insurance companies and drug companies have become so powerful in medicine today is that too often the medical establishment has fought patient advocates like Kathy Olsen rather than taking on the corporate forces that truly threaten the medical profession.

When doctors capitulate to the cost-cutting of health insurance companies, or the profiteering of drug companies, patients are harmed and the medical profession itself is diminished. Good doctors today who think most about their patients are too often penalized by insurance companies and left of out of their networks. Drug companies have turned too many doctors into little more than narcotic dispensaries. And the costs of health care skyrocket to deal with the injuries resulting from substandard care, opioid addiction, and other vices of the medical-insurance complex that plague us all.

Families like the Olsens are left to deal with the consequences when medical care and the legal system fail them. At 25, Steven Olsen has the body of a man, but he needs round-the-clock help that his family must provide. His cerebral palsy keeps him from walking without assistance and, happy as he is, his blindness and diminished brain capacity will keep him from ever living on his own.

Steven's case was a tragedy. Kathy's life helped prevent more. But we still have a long way to go to make sure that no other families have to endure what the Olsens have. Kathy Olsen's legacy will live on. If only the medical establishment had the resolve to heed the power of Kathy's life the work of protecting patients would be an easier road.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Jamie Court is the president of the nonprofit nonpartisan group Consumer Watchdog.

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

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Express Scripts ranks in top 10 for repeat HIPPA violations: Report

December 30, 2015, 12:46 pm

≫ Next: State in talks with ike/DataHouse in Hawaii Health Connector aftermath

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Express Scripts, the St. Louis-based pharmacy benefits manager, has placed among the top 10 repeat violators of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), according to a new report. ProPublica outlined the biggest offenders and listed Express Scripts as the eighth biggest repeat violator with 51 alleged privacy complaints between 2011 and 2014. For its report, ProPublica analyzed complaints that resulted in submission of corrective-action plans by providers or assistance provided… Reported by bizjournals 10 hours ago.

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State in talks with ike/DataHouse in Hawaii Health Connector aftermath

December 30, 2015, 1:50 pm

≫ Next: Health at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show -- What to Expect

≪ Previous: Express Scripts ranks in top 10 for repeat HIPPA violations: Report

The state of Hawaii is negotiating a contract with local health care technology company ike, formerly known as DataHouse Holdings, to provide support in the absence of the former state health insurance exchange. If the contract is finalized, ike would provide data processing and assist in the development of the 1095-A, a health insurance marketplace statement tax form. “The state is negotiating with DataHouse to execute a contract to provide transitional IT services due to the abrupt shutdown… Reported by bizjournals 9 hours ago.

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Health at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show -- What to Expect

December 30, 2015, 2:33 pm

≫ Next: The Rise Of The Temp Economy: More U.S. Employers Than Ever Want A "Disposable Workforce"

≪ Previous: State in talks with ike/DataHouse in Hawaii Health Connector aftermath

At the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which begins next week on January 4, 2016, we'll see a growing array of shiny new things to whet the appetite of car lovers, audiophiles, and videogame addicts. But the fastest-growing area of real estate in the CES footprint is digital health, where at the Sands Convention Center in the Venetian Resort, several hundred developers of wearable technology, remote health monitors, personal emergency response systems, and the sort of hospital-based equipment once the purview of inpatient rooms is now smaller, cheaper, and better than technology used at university hospitals a decade ago.

What's behind the rise of digital health at CES? For one, it's the growth of a DIY culture among consumers, using mobile phones and tablets to manage everyday life, from booking travel to making stock trades, managing photo development and ordering food for home delivery. It's the Uber-ization of life, and a growing cadre of patients-cum-health consumers are calling for more convenient, accessible, and lower-cost health care solutions. A second underlying force driving personal adoption of digital health tools is Americans' growing high-deductible health plan market, where patients are learning to become health care consumers, connecting the dots between self-health care and prevention to avoid more expensive downstream (read: hospital, inpatient) costs. Self-care at home using digital health tech is much happier prospect for this new healthcare consumer.

In the Thanksgiving weekend preprint ads, I noted every single Big Box, discount and electronics retailer was selling, at deep discount, activity trackers, including Fitbit (the Big Kahuna in terms of activity tracking market share), Garmin, Jawbone, Misfit, among others. The Apple Watch is garnering some of this share in 2015, positioned to grow more in 2016. Microsoft's Band, the Withings Activite Watch, and Fossil, which acquired Misfit in November 2015, are all set with big announcements next week at CES. And I've no doubt we will see more new bands competing for the precious human real estate of The Wrist.

Beyond these fitness and wellness bands, though, is a growing category of serious health-ware. I've received pre-show announcements about a device that can measure hemoglobin, important for carrying oxygen to muscles to boost endurance; numerous heart and blood pressure monitors; and, tools to help people dealing with pain - a growing public health issue in the wake of opioid dependency and a growing risk factor for premature death due to overdose.

Sleep - or lack thereof - is a big health risk, and epidemic. Helping people reach the Holy Grail of sleep is an expanding category at CES, including both smart beds and devices to track and help improve sleep. The popular Sleep Number Bed has had convention floor space at CES for several years, and 2016 will be no exception. They will be joined by a new bed from the German company Variowell, which claims to have a bed that helps improve a person's sleep patterns. In addition, vendors of Internet of Things lighting products that aim to help the sleeper ease into a good night's rest through changing light technology, and in-bed and bedside tracking sensors tied to mobile apps for data tracking and coaching tips, will grow the sleep category.

Wearables beyond the wrist, for the rest of the body, will be multiplying on the show floor. Smartwear, textiles embedded with sensors, can do more than gauge an athlete's metabolic burn (and help the exerciser look buff and chic). Smart jewelry embedded with health tracking sensors will also proliferate at CES 2016; we've seen Tory Burch's alliance with Fitbit and Swarovski's with Misfit at past CES shows, and we expect other fashion and blinged out wearable tech for health to attract new consumer adopters beyond the Quantified Self community who may not want to appear to be wearing their health tracking on their sleeve (or wrist).

There will be lots of "baby tech," from pre-pre-natal (fertility tracking and bolstering) to infant onesies that keep baby safe in her crib, like the Mimo baby monitor and app. Expanding on the definition family health, don't be surprised to learn that Fido the dog and Morris the cat will have their own wearable tech to help them stay well. Netatmo's device can help a parent track both their child and their dog.

Beyond niche technology products, some big companies are placing bets in digital health going beyond their core businesses. One new exhibitor in health at CES will be Johnson & Johnson. They won't be marketing baby powder or over-the-counter drugs. Instead, J&J will be talking about innovation and wellbeing. UnitedHealthGroup, a past exhibitor at the convention, will be back next week, triangulating healthy living, health insurance, and health care costs. Philips has made a big bet in digital health, in 2015 as a major presence at South-by-Southwest, and at 2016 CES further deepening the company's position as a digital health player.

I'm a health economist exploring and assessing this fast-morphing digital health landscape. At the end of CES 2016, I'll be asking the question I do each year I attend this manically exciting meeting: what do all these "things" (in light of the growing era of the Internet of Healthy Things) mean for mainstream health citizens' health? The biggest ROI will accrue when the data streaming from these devices get mashed up through algorithms that can inform us users on how to live better in real-time, nudging us to better behaviors - be these adhering to medication regimens, eating nutritious and safe food in healthy portions, staying hydrated, checking our blood glucose in non-invasive painless ways, and keeping us from driving drunk. That's when we will move the needle on health, and health care costs.

-- 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 9 hours ago.

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The Rise Of The Temp Economy: More U.S. Employers Than Ever Want A "Disposable Workforce"

December 30, 2015, 5:30 pm

≫ Next: Under Obamacare, Medi-Cal ballooned to cover 1 in 3 Californians

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The Rise Of The Temp Economy: More U.S. Employers Than Ever Want A Disposable Workforce

Submitted by Michael Snyder via The Economic Collapse blog,

*In this day and age it seems like almost everything is disposable,* and many employers have found that they can make a lot more money if they have a workforce that can be turned on and off like a faucet. *In America today, there are more than 17 million “independent workers”, and they represent a bigger share of the workforce than ever before.*

Federal laws give a lot of protection to “full-time workers”, but for temporary and contract employees it is a much different story. *Temp workers don’t get health insurance, vacation time or retirement benefits. They are simply paid for the limited amount of time that they are needed and then they are disposed of immediately. *There has always been a role for such workers in our economy, but these days some of the biggest corporations in the entire country are getting rid of “full-time workers” and replacing them with temp workers just so that they can make a few extra bucks. *As a result, the ranks of the “working poor” continue to expand, and the decline of the middle class is accelerating.*

Steven Hill, a senior fellow with the New America Foundation and the author of “Raw Deal: How the Uber Economy and Runaway Capitalism Are Screwing American Workers“, says that the rise of the “1099 economy” is fundamentally shifting the balance of power between employers and employees…

This practice has given rise to the term “1099 economy,” since these employees don’t file W-2 income tax forms like any regular, permanent employee; instead, they receive the 1099-MISC form for an IRS classification known as “independent contractor.” The advantage for a business of using 1099 workers over W-2 wage-earners is obvious: an employer usually can lower its labor costs dramatically, often by 30 percent or more, since it is not responsible for a 1099 worker’s health benefits, retirement, unemployment or injured workers compensation, lunch breaks, overtime, disability, paid sick, holiday or vacation leave and more. In addition, contract workers are paid only for the specific number of hours they spend providing labor, or completing a specific job, which increasingly are being reduced to shorter and shorter “micro-gigs.”

Yes, there have always been temp agencies. And there has always been a need for workers that can come in and do a job on a short-term basis. But today, many of the largest and wealthiest corporations in America are purposely getting rid of “full-time workers” and instead are bringing in “independent contractors” to do the exact same jobs.

*In some instances, the full-time workers that get fired are actually brought back as the new “temp workers”…*

Merck, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, was a vanguard of this underhanded strategy. When it came under pressure to cut costs, it sold its Philadelphia factory to a company that fired all 400 employees—and then rehired them back as independent contractors. Merck then contracted with the company to carry on making antibiotics for them, using the exact same workers.

An Arizona public-relations firm, LP&G, fired 88 percent of its staff, and then rehired them as freelancers working out of their homes, with no benefits. Even Outmagazine, the most-read gay monthly in the U.S., laid off its entire editorial staff and then rehired most of them as freelancers, without benefits and with salary cuts.

All of those companies should be absolutely disgusted with themselves.

How can the executives responsible for those decisions even sleep at night?

Don’t they understand what they are doing to people?

When you go from being a full-time worker to being on “temp status”, the changes can be quite dramatic. If this has ever happened to you, then you know what I am talking about. Having to pay “the other half” of the payroll tax or having to find your own much more expensive health insurance are just two of the big negatives that “independent contractors” have to face…

Suddenly I was responsible for paying for my own health care, arranging for my own IRAs and saving for my own retirement. I also had to pay the employer’s half of the Social Security payroll tax, as well as Medicare — nearly an extra 8 percent deducted from my income. The costs for my health-care premiums zoomed out of sight, since I was no longer part of a large health-care pool that could negotiate favorable rates.

*The decline in the quality of our jobs is a theme that I have revisited repeatedly in my writing. In order for us to have a thriving middle class, we need lots of good paying middle class jobs.*

But our economy is not producing many of those jobs. Instead, most of the growth has been in low paying service jobs. *The Middle class in the United States is being slowly but surely shredded, and our politicians don’t seem to care.* If you doubt that the middle class is falling apart, just check out the following numbers which come from my previous article entitled “Sayonara Middle Class: 22 Stunning Pieces Of Evidence That Show The Middle Class In America Is Dying“…

*#1* This week we learned that for the first time ever recorded, middle class Americans make up a minority of the population. But back in 1971, 61 percent of all Americans lived in middle class households.

*#2* According to the Pew Research Center, the median income of middle class households declined by 4 percent from 2000 to 2014.

*#3* The Pew Research Center has also found that median wealth for middle class households dropped by an astounding 28 percent between 2001 and 2013.

*#4* In 1970, the middle class took home approximately 62 percent of all income. Today, that number has plummeted to just 43 percent.

*#5* There are still 900,000 fewer middle class jobs in America than there were when the last recession began, but our population has gotten significantly larger since that time.

*#6* According to the Social Security Administration, 51 percent of all American workers make less than $30,000 a year.

*#7* For the poorest 20 percent of all Americans, median household wealth declined from negative 905 dollars in 2000 to negative 6,029 dollars in 2011.

*#8* A recent nationwide survey discovered that 48 percent of all U.S. adults under the age of 30 believe that “the American Dream is dead”.

*#9* At this point, the U.S. only ranks 19th in the world when it comes to median wealth per adult.

*#10* Traditionally, entrepreneurship has been one of the engines that has fueled the growth of the middle class in the United States, but today the level of entrepreneurship in this country is sitting at an all-time low.

*#11* If you can believe it, the 20 wealthiest people in this country now have more money than the poorest 152 million Americans combined.

*#12* The top 0.1 percent of all American families have about as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent of all American families combined.

*#13* If you have no debt and you also have ten dollars in your pocket, that gives you a greater net worth than about 25 percent of all Americans.

*#14* The number of Americans that are living in concentrated areas of high poverty has doubled since the year 2000.

*#15* An astounding 48.8 percent of all 25-year-old Americans still live at home with their parents.

*#16* According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 49 percent of all Americans now live in a home that receives money from the government each month, and nearly 47 million Americans are living in poverty right now.

*#17* In 2007, about one out of every eight children in America was on food stamps. Today, that number is one out of every five.

*#18* According to Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, the authors of a new book entitled “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America“, there are 1.5 million “ultrapoor” households in the United States that live on less than two dollars a day. That number has doubled since 1996.

*#19* 46 million Americans use food banks each year, and lines start forming at some U.S. food banks as early as 6:30 in the morning because people want to get something before the food supplies run out.

*#20* The number of homeless children in the U.S. has increased by 60 percent over the past six years.

*#21* According to Poverty USA, 1.6 million American children slept in a homeless shelter or some other form of emergency housing last year.

*#22* The median net worth of families in the United States was $137, 955 in 2007. Today, it is just $82,756.

*So is there a solution?*

*Is our transition to a “1099 economy” inevitable?* Reported by Zero Hedge 6 hours ago.

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Under Obamacare, Medi-Cal ballooned to cover 1 in 3 Californians

December 31, 2015, 3:35 am

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California officials never anticipated how many people would sign up for state-run health insurance under Obamacare.

The state's health plan for the poor, known as Medi-Cal, now covers 12.7 million people, 1 of every 3 Californians.

If Medi-Cal were a state of its own, it would be the nation's... Reported by L.A. Times 20 hours ago.

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Digital Trends for 2016

December 31, 2015, 7:05 am

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Lists: I love them. Especially at this time of year. So here is one of the many lists I've written in anticipation of 2016. This one is for when a client asks me, "what's going to happen in digital?". Steal liberally!

*1. Tech grows up.* 2016 will be the year the tech industry is dragged kicking and screaming into the real world. Over the past few years, the industry has transitioned from a relatively minor part of the economy outside of California, into the primary driver of growth in a bunch of advanced economies.

Both courts and customers will force Uber, Handy and every other sharing platform you can think of to begin treating their employees like, well, employees. With regular income, health insurance, notice periods and everything else we have the right to expect from our employers. Pressure is mounting on both the left and the right of the political spectrum, and public support is beginning to sour was people reappraise these multi-billion-dollar tech giants as Goliath versus David -- not the other way around.

Have you ever had an Uber driver complain to you about Uber? No? You will next year.

*2. Workplaces will change.* The trends currently playing out in the tech industry -- unlimited vacation, shorter working days, no appraisals and work wherever you like -- will creep into ot,her high-skill industries as the war for talent intensifies alongside higher economic growth.

Expect the physical manifestations of work: offices, conference rooms and business hotels to fundamentally change along with workplace behaviours.

(That said, I shouldn't hold your breath for management to disappear. Reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated.)

*3. Microsoft is back.* Now Apple has moved from being a challenger brand to become the new mainstream, hipsters who once worshipped at the house of Jobs are turning their backs in droves. Where will they go?

It turns out that during all these years, when Apple obsessively focused their energy on secrecy and voodoo magic, Microsoft just had teams of people away from the San Francisco bubble who were building really good computers. Huh. Who would have thought? When you touch a Surface Book, you'll understand. It's the feeling when you touched an iPhone for the first time, all over again.

"Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets." Steve Jobs might have said it, but now Microsoft is the one doing it.

*4. Estate agents become a relic.* This one might have a slight London bias, given the real estate obsession we have in my home city, but the trend will emerge across all markets. If you think about it, it's almost staggering that online estate agents haven't taken over the industry by now. It's an industry ripe for digital transformation: high transaction margins, relatively basic yet people intensive processes, and a business model that everyone in the transaction despises -- both buyers and sellers.

Imagine all that wonderful high street retail space that will become available when we finally get rid of them.

*5. Self driving cars will transform the urban streetscape.* It's been on the cusp of happening for so long, it's almost become a cliché to talk about it. But self-driving cars are no longer just on wide American highways, they are being tested on the narrow, tight streets of London. It won't be long before you are in one.

Just think how the streetscape will change. Cars will drive closer together, fewer vehicles will be needed and the streets will empty. Those vintage 1900s photos you see of a city free of traffic? They're about to come back to life.

-- 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.

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Patients Struggle With High Drug Prices

December 31, 2015, 7:22 am

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Out-of-pocket costs on pricey new prescription drugs leave even patients with health insurance and comfortable incomes sometimes having to make hard choices, such as tapping savings, taking on debt or forgoing treatment. Reported by Wall Street Journal 16 hours ago.

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Cybersecurity and the Twenty-First Century Board of Directors

December 31, 2015, 7:29 am

≫ Next: When expanding Medicaid in Louisiana, keep it simple: Robert Mann

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It's concerning that some board experts are balking about the newly proposed Cybersecurity Disclosure Act of 2015 that would require publicly traded companies to disclose, in their investor filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), whether any member of their board of directors is a cybersecurity expert. Rather than object to this recommendation, one would imagine that on the eve of 2016, boards of directors that don't already have cybersecurity experts would tremble, and that their investors would run for the hills.

Cybersecurity is one of the greatest threats to a company's viability and sustainability in 2016 (Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation). On the flip side, cybersecurity challenges present an opportunity for a company to find solutions and to profit by distinguishing itself among its competitors. With Hyatt Hotel's payment processing systems hacked just this month, and a major health insurance plan provider hacked earlier in 2015, competitors that can provide better protections have an advantage among consumers. Furthermore, cybersecurity will be a $170 billion industry by 2020 for companies that can deliver innovative solutions.

Just as boards require directors with expertise in finance, today they must also have directors with experience in cybersecurity. It takes qualified board members to provide oversight by knowing what questions to raise and how to assess management's responses. Symantec recognized this a few years ago when they recruited U.S. Air Force General Suzanne Vautrinot to the board. During her 31 year tenure with the USAF, "she led large-scale, diverse, global organizations that operate, extend, maintain, and defend global networks." Not only does General Vautrinot have the advanced degrees and board experience, she also "oversaw a multi-billion dollar global cyber enterprise with 14,000 military, civilians, and contractors. Her unit conducted military, intelligence, and law-enforcement missions; provided IT services and technology management to 850,000 users; and performed global vulnerability assessment and remediation, and proactive cyber defense activities." Well qualified for a board position.

In order to maximize shareholder value, boards must have directors from diverse backgrounds with experience related to the vital economic, social, and environmental problems facing our world. Such well qualified boards can support management in seeking innovative solutions to global problems to mitigate risks, reduce costs, and grow profits in the global marketplace. Boards and their advisors must look ahead to the greatest challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century in building the best boards and focusing their agendas accordingly.

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

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When expanding Medicaid in Louisiana, keep it simple: Robert Mann

December 31, 2015, 9:07 am

≫ Next: Employers get a break on Obamacare reporting requirement with deadline extension

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"Any damn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple." - Pete Seeger Des Moines - It was a simple proposition: Help the working poor become eligible for health insurance as quickly as possible. When... Reported by nola.com 15 hours ago.

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Employers get a break on Obamacare reporting requirement with deadline extension

December 31, 2015, 1:25 pm

≫ Next: CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico: 2015 Year in Review

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Businesses scrambling to make sure they can send information about their health coverage to employees and the IRS are getting a break. The requirement under the Affordable Care Act for employers to report whether they offered health care coverage to workers has been delayed. Businesses with more than 50 employees will have to send forms to every employee and to the IRS detailing whether each person was eligible for, offered and got health insurance. The deadline for sending the forms to employees… Reported by bizjournals 10 hours ago.

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CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico: 2015 Year in Review

December 31, 2015, 3:06 pm

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With 2015 coming to an end, the CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico took time to reflect on an exceptional year that has boosted the leading surrogacy agency to the top.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) December 31, 2015

The CARE Surrogacy Center in Mexico is making a profound impact around the globe — helping more and more individuals reach parenthood through their world-class program.

CARE 2015 Year in Review —

January: CARE Surrogacy Center Announces New Location in Puerto Vallarta

With strategic team planning and deep reflection, the CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico announced an exciting and epic move to Puerto Vallarta. Driven by the team’s desire to create a more efficient management structure in the most exhilarating locality in Mexico —intended parents now begin their journey to parenthood in a soothing, relaxing environment. The CARE offices are located at Paseo de los Cocoteros 55, Suite 2333 in Puerto Vallarta.

In January, the company also partnered with the top fertility clinic in Puerto Vallarta — the LIV Fertility Center. The center stands as an iconic landmark in reproductive medicine — centered on expertise, fertility innovation, and a destination retreat. Through revolutionary medical research and specialized patient care, CARE patients now have access to innovative services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg donation, and recombine genetic testing.

March: CARE Collaborates with Alternative Family-Building Organizations

CARE began collaborating with adoption organizations in March, by following authoritarian guidelines in assisting others to form a family. The CARE team extends and enriches the work of other organizations by partnering with them to create family-building experiences that increase the impact of their programs.

May: CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico Showcased at inviTRA 2015 Fertility Fair in Spain

The CARE Surrogacy Center found themselves the focus of the annual inviTRA Fertility Fair in Spain. The team is continually laying the foundation for the future of the surrogacy industry. “We are very excited to travel to Barcelona and kick off this year’s fair. Many fertility specialists are coming together to create proactive energy for individuals who want to start a family, all while addressing the seriousness of infertility and the importance of surrogacy. For the CARE team, it provides abundant opportunities to connect and empower individuals to keep moving forward on their surrogacy journey,” stated Sergio Gomez, Journey Coordinator at CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico.

August: Begins Development of CARE USA Franchise to Help More Intended Parents

CARE management began development for CARE Surrogacy Center USA. True to the CARE Surrogacy Center iconic brand, the platform in the USA will give intended parents the opportunity to build a family without hesitation — and provides the unique services and benefits that only CARE USA can offer. CARE USA will offer surrogacy services in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Illinois.

September: Traveled to Chicago for the Men Having Babies Surrogacy Expo

The CARE team took center stage in Chicago for the Men Having Babies Surrogacy Expo. With their expert legal team and devoted journey coordinators on-site, the team conducted private consultations with gay male singles and couples who were interested in surrogacy options in Mexico. The expo offered several exhibitors, hundreds of intended parents, and leading professionals in the surrogacy industry. The program included peer advice on planning a parenting journey and choosing providers as well as expert and personal stories from various panelists.

November: Traveled to New York for the 11th Annual Men Having Babies Conference

The 11th annual NYC Men Having Babies Conference showcased over 25 clinics, agencies and community organizations — including the CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico team. MHB provides unparalleled opportunities to members of the LGBT community who are considering having children through surrogacy and access to a wide range of relevant service providers. CARE team members led the roundtable on surrogacy ethics, health insurance, budgeting, and psychological aspects.

December: Celebrates a Successful Year of Surrogate Births

Determined to end the year on a high note, CARE reflected on another successful year of surrogate births. To-date, the CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico has seen 36 babies born to deserving and loving intended parents from all walks of life.

Also in December, the Mexican State of Tabasco voted 21-9 in favor of a reform to the Civil Code of Tabasco — ultimately prohibiting surrogacy in Mexico for foreigners and gay couples. While the Ministry of Health will supervise the new restrictions, there are still many uncertainties as to how the Ministry will intersect this new law. The CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico will continue to operate in Puerto Vallarta and stay focused on helping intended parents reach their dreams of parenthood — by offering new program options and alternative CARE destinations.

“Our first priority is our intended parents. This means strengthening our team and continually refining our program to ease any burden on their journey to becoming parents. Beyond that, our transition to Puerto Vallarta has given us tremendous aspiration in 2015. There is no greater gift than the gift of life,” stated Carolina Fonseca, CARE’s IVF Specialist in Mexico.

About CARE Surrogacy Center Mexico
The CARE Surrogacy Center in Mexico provides incomparable experiences for intended parents, encompassed by enhanced clinical pregnancy outcomes, abridged costs and a wide-ranging continuum of care. The vision of CARE is to represent and assist individuals and couples all over the world who want to build a family, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. The center embraces a positive approach to surrogacy with compassionate journey coordinators, expert IVF medical specialists using the latest technologies, and the expertise of the CARE surrogacy legal team. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.

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These Were The Most Important Obamacare Stories Of 2015

December 31, 2015, 4:42 pm

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WASHINGTON -- The Affordable Care Act survived a near-death experience, made major progress and faced some significant setbacks in 2015, the fifth year since President Barack Obama's historic health care reform program became law.

These were the biggest Obamacare stories of the year about to end.

*Courting Disaster*

Obamacare haters got another chance to deal a devastating blow to the law before the Supreme Court, and came up short, just as they had three years before. Chief Justice John Roberts again sided with the high court's four liberals, along with Justice Anthony Kennedy, to reject a lawsuit that was conceived and underwritten by libertarian and conservative activists. King v. Burwell was based on a fictitious history of the Affordable Care Act that attempted to gut the law by singling out a handful of words and claiming Obamacare only permitted health insurance subsidies in states that created their own health insurance exchanges, not in those with federally run marketplaces. The case threatened to rob millions of their health coverage, but in the end, all it did was rob a lot of people of time, attention and effort.
*The Uninsured Rate Plummets*

There's a whole mess of stuff in the Affordable Care Act, but the chief and most measurable aim of the law is to get more people covered, and it's doing that. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates 17.6 million more people have health coverage than before Obamacare benefits kicked in on Jan. 1, 2014. Survey after survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Gallup and others show the percentage of Americans without health insurance is the lowest ever measured. Thanks, Obamacare.*March Of The Medicaid Expansion*

When the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act in 2012, justices also ruled that states could opt out of the law's expansion of Medicaid coverage to low-income adults. Republican-led states like Florida and Texas continue to refuse these benefits to their poorest residents, but 2015 saw the list of states not expanding Medicaid shrink. Alaska, Indiana and Montana signed on, and now 30 states plus the District of Columbia are participating. Republican governors in South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere are still struggling to persuade state legislators to set aside their vehemence over Obamacare and adopt the expansion, but to no avail so far.*Congress Finally Repeals Obamacare (Sort Of)*

One of the favorite pastimes of House Republicans is voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but 2015 brought a GOP majority to the Senate, too, enabling the upper chamber to get in on the fun and pass a budget bill that cuts out big chunks from the law. Next week, the House is slated to vote for it, too, and Obama will get a chance to veto a repeal bill for the first time. And then congressional Republicans can high-five each other and get back to not having a replacement for Obamacare.
*Lawmakers Take A Bite Out Of Obamacare *

The dozens of repeal votes from 2011 to 2015 didn't actually ding the Affordable Care Act, and the changes Obama actually signed into law were pretty minor -- until this year. First, they undid part of the law that would have classified a lot of small businesses as big companies when it came to health benefits. But the biggest change -- and a significant loss for Obamacare and for the White House -- came with the enthusiastic support of congressional Democrats. Legislation Obama enacted this month delays the "Cadillac tax" on high-cost health insurance plans (a major source of revenue and a key tool in containing health care costs) along with taxes on medical device companies and health insurers. Bipartisanship!
*Obamacare Enrollment Is Up! *

The health insurance exchanges closed out the 2015 sign-up period with nearly 12 million enrolled, surpassing federal officials' projections (but falling short of the Congressional Budget Office's expectations). The growth was a positive indicator of the viability of these new marketplaces, and contributed to the declining uninsured rate.

*Obamacare Enrollment Is Down! *

During the course of 2015, the exchanges shed almost 2 million customers. Hundreds of thousands lost coverage because they didn't prove they were legal U.S. residents, and about a million saw their subsidies adjusted because their real income didn't match what they reported when they applied. And others cycled off the exchanges either to become uninsured or to obtain coverage from another source, like a job or Medicare. The market for individual health insurance has always been volatile, but this shrinkage raised worries about the future of the exchanges.

*Obamacare Enrollment Is Up (Again)! *

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell sought to manage expectations before 2016 enrollment began by predicting meager growth on the health insurance exchanges. But preliminary enrollment figures appear promising. More than 8 million people have signed up with a month to go in the enrollment period. And it looks like a lot of them are new customers and, crucially, younger and less costly than those already covered by exchange plans. So the marketplaces are either on track to beat projections, or Burwell did a nice job spinning everyone beforehand.
*Rate Shock *

Obamacare premiums came in lower than Congressional Budget Office projections in 2014, and average increases in 2015 were in the mid-single digits. But ahead of the 2016 enrollment period that started last month, it became clear that pattern wouldn't repeat itself. Average premium increases were higher, and individual plans hiked prices by a whole lot more. Health insurance companies complained that Obamacare customers were sicker and more expensive than they expected, prompting fears that enrollment would stagnate as prices rose and drove out those who needed the coverage less, provoking even higher rate increases in the future. This led to a bunch of snide comments on Twitter about the name "Affordable Care Act."

*Health Care Spending Quickens *

The jury is still out on whether historically low year-over-year growth in national health care spending in recent years was all (or mostly) the result of the recession and slow recovery, or whether Obamacare and private sector innovation are making the health care system more efficient. But what we do know now is that spending sped up in 2014, primarily driven by expanded health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Turns out spending a ton of money giving people health care spends a ton of money.

*Long Live Death Panels *

Several parts of the Affordable Care Act have been described as "death panels" to scare people into thinking their medical care would be rationed by bureaucrats. But the most infamous example was when former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin used the moniker in a feverish Facebook rant to describe a provision of the legislation that became Obamacare that would allow Medicare to pay doctors who discuss end-of-life options with patients. Scaredy-cat Democrats pulled the policy from the bill, but the Obama administration did it through a regulation this year. Polls show the public supports it -- sorry, Gov. Palin!
*UnitedHealth Gets Cold Feet *

UnitedHealth Group is a minor player in the exchanges, but it's also the largest health insurance company in America. So when the company told investors it was losing money on Obamacare and might pull out, it raised eyebrows. Although other big insurers quickly said they had no intention of bailing on the exchanges, the UnitedHealth news was a reminder that Obamacare is still new -- and vulnerable.

*Collapse Of The Co-Ops *

As a consolation prize of sorts to liberals who wanted the exchanges to include a government-run "public option" health care plan to compete with private insurers, Congress included seed money in the Affordable Care Act to found new, nonprofit health insurance cooperatives that were supposed to increase competition and keep prices down. It sort of looked like it might work at first, but then Congress cut their funding, these new companies started bleeding money, and half of them shut down, leaving hundreds of thousands of consumers scrambling to find replacements. You can't spell "co-ops" without "oops."

*Trouble In Kentucky *

There was no bigger champion of the Affordable Care Act than Steve Beshear, the Democrat who was governor of Kentucky until this month. Under Beshear, Kentucky expanded Medicaid; erected Kynect, a state-run health insurance exchange that stood as a model for other states; and slashed the uninsured rate. But Beshear couldn't run again because of term limits, and Republican tea party favorite Matt Bevin bested his Democratic opponent and now is in charge. While Bevin has backed off his vows to repeal the Medicaid expansion, he still wants to radically change the program and to scrap Kynect. Kentuckians may not agree with those aims, but they voted for him anyway.*Safer Hospitals*

One of the lesser-known goals of the Affordable Care Act is to enhance patient safety, especially in hospitals, where preventable errors kill tens of thousands of people every year. In a promising sign, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported this year that these fatal episodes have been on the decline since Obamacare became law in 2010, and brought with it new policies including Medicare payment penalties for hospitals that don't improve patient safety. Good news for people who prefer not to die in the hospital for no good reason.

*Also on HuffPost:*

-- 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 7 hours ago.

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Affordable Care Act Penalties Set to Skyrocket for Americans Without Health Insurance

January 1, 2016, 9:06 am

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Affordable Care Act Penalties Set to Skyrocket for Americans Without Health Insurance

Americans without health insurance will face harsher penalties in 2016, with the financial cost more than doubling over the previous year for some.

Those without health insurance were charged $325 or 2 percent of their household incomes–whichever was higher–in 2015. … Reported by Epoch Times 15 hours ago.

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N.J. Factory Turns To Medicaid To Insure Lowest-Paid Employees

January 1, 2016, 1:50 pm

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Starting Jan. 1, midsize companies must offer health insurance to their workers or risk a penalty. A firm that has already faced that problem is helping low-paid employees enroll in Medicaid, instead. Reported by NPR 11 hours ago.

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19 New Connecticut Laws in 2016 That May Change Your Life

January 2, 2016, 2:46 pm

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19 New Connecticut Laws in 2016 That May Change Your Life

Patch Branford, CT -- Health insurance, cigarette taxes, car taxes, police body cameras and state elections are subject to new laws taking effect on Jan. 1. Reported by Patch 10 hours ago.

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