Health Care Networks To Become More Transparent, Rated By Network Size

March 7, 2016, 9:54 am

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The government is trying to make health insurance options more transparent for consumers through a slew of measures to be announced on March 8. Reported by HNGN 18 hours ago.

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3 Reasons UnitedHealth Group Stock Could Fall

March 7, 2016, 10:07 am

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The health insurance giant hasn't made any gains over the past year. Here's why it could be poised for a fall. Reported by Motley Fool 18 hours ago.

Why Hillary Needs to Feel More Burn

March 7, 2016, 10:58 am

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Let's assume that Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic Presidential nominee. This primary season has been called the season of angry voters. Correct. Hillary's prescriptions: celebrate the past eight years and propose many, many small steps to improve people's lives. Not good enough for the general election. Incrementalism does not capture people's attention or passion. "More of the same" is a poor foundation for the Presidency.

The anger we all write about stems from two vastly different sources. The first is the anger of Republicans who have been encouraged by their leaders to hate the government, and to hate "others," for many decades. The second is the anger of those who played by the rules and lost their homes and investments in the crashes of 2000 and 2008. They watched as the financial industry was bailed out, but the people were left to lose it all. These two groups of angry voters have an overlapping interest in fairness and the restoration of some dignity.

Hillary can and needs to respond directly to both groups. She needs to accept many of Bernie's proposals and go further to make them concrete and easy to understand. Examples include:

*1. Making college free for everyone:* go further by extending this to medical school as well, all conditioned upon minimum grades and a commitment to a year of public service for each year of education. This public service could include rebuilding our cities, providing medical care for the underserved, installing wind and solar energy systems, teaching in underfunded schools, and so on. Tangible benefits for students and tangible benefits for the country.

2.* Improving upon Obamacare: *the dirty secret behind much anger over the Affordable Care Act is that the insurance often is not affordable. First, eliminating the loopholes which helped the insurance companies deny benefits to many obviously had to cost more than past practice. Second, many "affordable" policies have large upfront deductibles which make them more like catastrophic insurance than daily health insurance. (1) This hole swallows up millions who cannot afford the deductibles, let alone the premiums. Going further means going simple: extend Medicare to all, as it is today, while promising to improve it in coming years. Simplicity is attractive.

3. *Really helping those who lost their homes and down payments: *reparations from the responsible financial institutions to give people back what they lost. For example, two trillion dollars upfront for the people, from the industry. This could be repaid as a 40-year loan -- providing immediate stimulus to the economy without bankrupting the industry. (2) Fairness for the people at last.

*4. Financial reform:* there is no single fix, but agreeing with Bernie on restoring the separation between banks and investment firms would be a good start. Reenact Glass-Steagall. Second, institute a financial transaction tax to discourage high-speed trading, which hurts individual investors. Third, address the issue of too-big-to-fail: no bank, mortgage, or investment company should control more than 5% of the market. Break up the big firms and encourage local competition.

*5. Reclaiming a progressive income tax:* paying for these big ideas can be handled while lowering taxes for many with a truly progressive income tax. For example, 5% on adjusted gross income under $50,000. Gradually increase this to 10% up to $100,000, 15% up to $200,000, 20% up to $500,000, 25% up to $1,000,000, 35% up to $5,000,000, and 45% over that. Applying this formula to IRS 2013 tax data yields about $1.44 trillion from individual returns, or a little more than was collected in 2014. (3) Plus, Hillary needs to campaign to eliminate tax breaks like the preference for investment income, which benefits only the wealthy.

*6. One more tax issue:* for much of the 20th century, the share of paid income tax was about 60% from the individual income tax, and 40% from corporations. After the past thirty or so years of tax cuts and tax breaks for business, the shares now are over 80% from individuals and under 20% for corporations. (4) Everyone can see that this has been unfair. Corporations need to pay more of their share, not less, and even doubling corporate income tax receipts would not get all the way back to 40%. We need to restore tax fairness again.

A small number of big ideas, simple rather than complex, and focused on people first, is the way. Dealing with people's anger by helping them with big steps, not small ones. Again, assuming that Hillary is the nominee, she needs to lead with such ideas, if she wants to win in November.

*References:*
(1) http://obamacarefacts.com/health-insurance/deductible/ The maximum allowed policy deductibles for 2016 are $6,380 for individuals and $13,700 for families. The New York Times' Robert Pear recently noted that "In many states, more than half the plans offered for sale through HealthCare.gov, the federal online marketplace, have a deductible of $3,000 or more..."

(2) Details are in my Huffington Post blog on reparations for the 99% here.

(3) The basic data can be found here. On this page, under "All Returns: Selected Income and Tax Items," if one clicks on the year 2013 the underlying income according to adjusted gross income bracket is available. Applying the proposed progressive tax rates to each bracket, and adding them up, gives the total of $1.44 trillion.

(4) See my Huffington Post blog on "The Myth of High Corporate Taxes" here.

-- 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.

Stambaugh Ness Announces Addition of Lynn Knepp as CFO Advisor to Architectural and Engineering Firms

March 7, 2016, 12:25 pm

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Lynn Knepp will complement Stambaugh Ness' depth in CFO advisory services to the AE Industry.

York, PA (PRWEB) March 07, 2016

Stambaugh Ness, P.C. CPAs/Business & Technology Advisors (SN) today announced that Lynn Knepp, former CFO at Gannett Fleming, has joined SN’s Advisory Team. This positions SN to provide deeper Architectural and Engineering (AE) CFO Advisory services, such as managing financial infrastructure, assisting with preparing for bank financing, financial and operational improvement planning, merger and acquisition planning, and other outsourced CFO services.

During his tenure at Gannett Fleming, Knepp served as Controller, CFO, Stockholder, and Director. He has led many notable accomplishments including:·     Implementation of the S corporation election for the parent holding company with most of the subsidiary companies becoming qualified S Corporation Subsidiaries (Q-subs)
·     Helping to drive the company conversion from a defined benefit retirement plan to a defined contribution 401(k)-type plan
·     The creation and management of several incentive bonus plans for key employees
·     Implementation of the first firm-wide ERP system
·     Multi-year negotiation of banking relationships
·     Assistance with negotiating acquisitions
·     Representation of Gannett on the board of NorthStar, the captive insurance company
·     Implementation of the company’s self-insured health insurance plan

"Stambaugh Ness is excited about our affiliation with Lynn Knepp, and we believe it strengthens our ongoing commitment to provide the best talent to our AE customers,” commented Scott Hursh, CPA, managing principal of the AE Group at Stambaugh Ness. "Our firm is dedicated to leading AE firms through their challenges, and we believe Lynn’s experience deepens our ability to be responsive to the marketplace. Lynn’s counsel and CFO advisory leadership will be a tremendous resource for SN’s AE customers."

Steven Hake, president and CEO of Stambaugh Ness, said Knepp’s appointment to this new position strengthens the Firm’s strategy to become top-of-mind with AE firms who want to flourish and grow their profitability. “Lynn’s specific expertise and industry knowledge add a complementary dimension and depth to the custom solutions we offer our clients to help them find opportunities, win business, deliver projects, and manage their organizations.”

"I’m very excited to be affiliated with Stambaugh Ness and its AE Group,” said Lynn Knepp. “Having the opportunity to pay forward my Gannett Fleming experiences and industry knowledge will be very fulfilling.”

About Stambaugh Ness, PC
Stambaugh Ness, PC, headquartered in York, PA, focuses on the AE Industry, serving over 800 AE customers in over 40 states. The firm is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting and service firms with similar client service goals.

About Gannett Fleming
Gannett Fleming, headquartered in Camp Hill, PA, is a global infrastructure firm that provides planning, design, technology, and construction management services to a diverse range of markets and disciplines. Reported by PRWeb 16 hours ago.

Jim Ireton Running in Maryland's 1st Congressional District

March 7, 2016, 1:22 pm

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I recently sat down with Jim Ireton, former Mayor of Salisbury, who is running against Andy Harris (R-MD) the current Congressperson in Maryland's 1st Congressional District. The District encompasses Carolina, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties. Additionally, the district includes parts of Baltimore, Carroll and Harford counties and is considered a Republican stronghold.

Friends who live in the 1st District suggested Ireton's battle against Harris as an allegorical David vs Goliath fight. Poor kid who got an education and tried to make the world a better place by helping his neighbor's vs. Koch Brothers, Club for Growth and Pharmaceutical Companies. Ireton, a Democrat, recently received support from three prominent Somerset County elected officials including Crisfield Mayor Kim Lawson, former Mayor Percy "P.J." Purnell and Princess Anne Town Commissioner Garland Hayward. Purnell, who served as mayor of Crisfield during Hurricane Sandy, said "Harris never once called to offer support after the superstorm that devastated the city and other waterfront areas of Somerset County. He later came to Crisfield along with then-Gov. Martin O'Malley to view the storm damage, but Purnell said it was only a photo opportunity. He came that day for pictures."

Ireton was born in 1970 in Salisbury; grew up in tough conditions relying on family and hard work to succeed. He has three older sisters and was brought up by a single mother. He moved to Pocomoke while in high school and was elected Senior Class President, class of 1988; his career as an activist had begun. He attended Salisbury University earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. He began his teaching career at St. Francis Catholic School; was first elected to the Salisbury City Council in 1998; earned a Masters of Arts in Education degree from Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2003 and worked for Wicomico County public schools since 2006. In 2009 he was elected Mayor of Salisbury.

Ireton has always been involved in community work. He was the first Wicomico County Neighborhood Congress Chairman and the Johnson's Lake Neighborhood Association Treasurer. In April of 2010, Ireton was named a Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellow by the University of Maryland's School of Law. As Mayor, Ireton served as 2nd Vice President of the Maryland Mayor's Association; on the Legislative Committee for the Maryland State Education Association; on the Board of Directors for the Wicomico Education Association and on the Wicomico County/University of Maryland Extension Service Advisory Board.

He is proud of his success as Mayor of Salisbury. He named the first woman police chief, and women to positions as Public Works director and Code Enforcement director, all firsts in the city's history. He worked with DNR to remove abandoned barges from the North Prong of the Wicomico River. He is able to claim success revitalizing downtown with more people living, working and shopping in downtown Salisbury than in the last 30 years. He also claims credit for lowering Salisbury's violent crime rates to levels not seen since the early 1990's.

When I asked how he sees his role as a congressperson he said "I am running to serve the people of the District and will work every day 24/7 to help make life better for them and their families." Ireton understands a big part of the role is working with leaders at the state and local government level to move forward projects people want and need. He told me he supports Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver's proposal to have the county provide free tuition to Wor-Wic Community College for graduates of Wicomico County's high schools. He emphasized he is committed to being "A strong voice for Ocean City and beach reclamation working with Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) to support the Water Resources Development Act, the legislation that funds the Army Corps of Engineers."

When I asked him about the environmental issues facing the Eastern Shore he responded "I am an environmentalist and am committed to working with the farmers of the Eastern Shore. I understand the issues of the family farm and am committed to 'ending the debates' pitting Eastern Shore farmers against environmentalists." He added "I propose we work with farmers to create closed-loop systems that make the family farm sustainable - with litter creating fuel and electricity. I have seen first-hand these technologies that create fuel and energy - and that is solely where the state focus should be. I am committed to inviting Congressional colleagues to visit farms in Maryland's 1st District on the cutting edge of dealing with animal waste such as the Murphy Farm in Rhodesdale - Using BHSL technology to create electricity and fuel from chicken manure; and the Kilby Farms in Rising Sun - Using anerobic digestion to create fuel from cow manure. The District can no longer afford Harris who voted against help for farmers two years ago when voting against the $950 billion farm bill due to 'ideological concerns'."

Ireton is passionate about the issue of healthcare saying "Andy Harris wants to take away healthcare from 60,000 Marylanders on the Eastern Shore by repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) even though Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has told him twice (Ireton's words) 'to shut up about it'." He added "I support the ACA and changes needed to reduce premiums and high deductibles. I will work to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs. But we can no longer afford Andy Harris who has voted more than four dozen times against the ACA without offering any other options. Currently tens of thousands of people on the Eastern Shore have health insurance and access to healthcare they didn't have before the ACA was passed. The District's young people can stay on their parents' insurance until they are twenty-six; you can no longer be discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition; and women are no longer paying higher insurance premiums simply because they are women; all things Andy Harris has voted to end."

On the issue of civil and human rights Ireton believes there is more work to be done. "Even with laws being passed increasing the civil and human rights of women, the LGBT community and African Americans our culture hasn't caught up with the law. Women still don't earn equal pay for equal work and we find ourselves fighting racism and homophobia. We can't rest until every person has the right to live with equality, safety in their homes and communities, and achieve their God-given potential."Ireton made it clear he understands this will not be an easy contest but trusts the judgment of the people of the 1st District saying, "I will win because people know me and my commitment to them. To working every day to better their lives in a much more effective way than our current Congressperson."

-- 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 15 hours ago.

4 Things All Freelancers Should Know To Get Ahead

March 7, 2016, 1:54 pm

≫ Next: Billing Battles Begone! Acclaimed Medical Insurance Advocate Adria Goldman Gross Writes New Book: “Solved! Curing Your Medical Insurance Problems”

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Freelancing in America isn't just a growing trend; it's becoming the new normal. About 34 percent of the U.S. workforce falls under the category of freelance workers -- that's 54 million people pumping over $715 billion of value into the economy.

If you think back to the start of the 2008 recession, the kind of freelancing we know today began as a temporary solution to shifting and unstable economic conditions. Today, it's becoming an increasingly preferred way to earn a living. The growing prevalence of technology in our lives only strengthens this.

According to a recent Xero study about the on-demand freelance marketplace (think Uber, TaskRabbit, Thumbtack), for about 11.4 million Americans, the next job is only a few screen-taps away. With that kind of access, it's not surprising that people are choosing to supplement their income with on-demand gigs.

And why not? The benefits are tempting: no boss, increased freedom to pursue passion projects, flexible work hours, and protection from corporate downsizing. The emergence of online platforms for freelance work, such as Freelancer.com, Upwork, and Elance, have minimized the obstacles most workers face in finding new opportunities.

However, workers looking to shift into more of an on-demand lifestyle still face a few road bumps, especially if they're more accustomed to filing W-2s vs. 1099s. The decision to work independently requires freelancers to stay organized and on top of things most full-time employees don't often think about. Whether that's deduction of business expenses or saving for retirement.

Here are four tips that will set you on the right path to freelancing successfully:

*Know your community*

The freelancing community is larger than it has ever been before. With such a robust marketplace of freelance work, you can easily seek out others in your field who can help guide you, or even refer you to clients. The advent of online platforms that help you find clients and significantly levels the playing field for newcomers. Even so, it's smart to do the research and identify the platforms best-suited for your field. These can range anywhere from long-term freelance projects to one-time jobs, whether it's Upwork, Behance, Care.com, or Fiverr - the list goes on.

If you're in an urban area -- like 42% of freelancers in our survey -- explore co-working options. These can provide a quiet alternative to crowded coffee shops as well as a network of supportive peers and potential leads to find newer opportunities.

*Budget your finances*

Being your own boss means assuming full responsibility for your finances. It's typical for freelance work to have ebbs and flows. To avoid being caught off guard by a cash-crunch, it's always a good idea to set earning and spending goals for each month, and then stash away a small percentage (usually about 10 percent) to build a comfortable buffer.

Going solo also means being the boss of your tax payments. According to our surveyed freelancers, a third had trouble understanding and paying taxes, while 62 percent didn't make estimated tax payments at all.

Often times, freelancers lack experience in simple accounting and taxing practices, such as deduction of business expenses and filing quarterly estimated tax payments. Hiring an accountant can help ensure your bookkeeping is set up the right way, both legally and practically. It can also help free up time for you to focus on your work.

There are several accounting and bookkeeping software options can also help in this arena. My company, Xero, provides cloud-based accounting solutions, so I'm quite bullish about this. Leveraging apps like ours can really help eliminate tax-time surprises, and give you real-time insight into your business expenses. Gone are the days of the massive, unexpected IRS bill.

*Manage your benefits*

Now that the Affordable Care Act requires you to get health insurance coverage if you're self-employed, familiarize yourself with the online platforms - such as the Freelancers Union and even Healthcare.gov - that make enrolling in health insurance plans much easier.

Accountants can also be crucial in helping you plan ahead for your retirement by advising you on how much you should be saving tax-free, per year, based on your earnings. They can assist in informing you which type of account to use for your retirement savings. If you're easily tempted to divert money to less prudent pursuits, set up automatic withdrawals.

*Diversify your income stream*

Finally, don't put all your eggs in one basket, especially if you're starting out. It can be helpful to work with multiple clients to avoid dry spells, or in case one doesn't yield much income during certain times of the year. 56 percent of the freelancers we surveyed worked in multiple marketplaces, while 92 percent had other sources of income -- whether in the form of part-time or full-time work -- providing them with a diversified, safety net of employment.

Ultimately, the freelance marketplace isn't going anywhere. With support from online platforms and services that are helping workers organize and manage themselves, their skills, and their income, the number of people embracing on-demand work will only go up. To me, this is an exciting shift that brings with it new possibilities -- a rather natural evolution of the workforce in a changing economy.

-- 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 14 hours ago.

Billing Battles Begone! Acclaimed Medical Insurance Advocate Adria Goldman Gross Writes New Book: “Solved! Curing Your Medical Insurance Problems”

March 8, 2016, 12:01 am

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President of MedWise Insurance Advocacy covers a broad range issues that are directly relevant to anyone who has ever received a medical bill that they either don’t understand or don’t agree with, or who has inexplicably or unfairly had their insurance claim partly or wholly denied.

(PRWEB) March 08, 2016

Acclaimed medical insurance advocate Adria Goldman Gross, FIPC, has written a new book entitled Solved! Curing Your Medical Insurance Problems (Outskirts Press), which provides clear, step-by-step guidance through what Ms. Gross calls “our modern medical money maelstrom.” The book is available on Amazon.com, and since being released, it has consistently ranked among the top 100 bestsellers in both the health and health law categories, respectively.

Solved! Curing Your Medical Insurance Problems was co-written by former Harvard professor Douglas Winslow Cooper PhD, and praised by consumer protection advocate Ralph Nader who noted: “Who hasn't been bewildered and outraged by lengthy, inscrutable medical bills and the tricky ways of the health insurers? Learn what to watch out for in this volume by authors who know the inside ways of sellers who try to take you to the cleaners."

Written for laypersons in a clear and engaging style by Ms. Gross, who is the CEO and founder of MedWise Insurance Advocacy and MedWise Billing, Inc., the book covers a broad range issues that are directly relevant to anyone who has ever received a medical bill that they either don’t understand or don’t agree with, or who has inexplicably or unfairly had their insurance claim partly or wholly denied. Key topics include:· The essential importance of being “fee-wise” about medical bills and insurance coverage
· How to diagnose and reduce medical bills
· Questions to ask after a suspected hospital over-charge
· How to successfully challenge an incorrect or inflated medical bill
· Medicare considerations and appeals information
· Affordable Care Act (ACA, OBAMACARE) appeals
· Out-of-Network protection legislation
· Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Medicare Advantage plans
· Catastrophic coverage plans

In addition, readers will find many patient information resources, and Ms. Gross shares moving insights about her major health challenges, including beating epilepsy.

“The driving forces behind my work are gratitude for being healthy and concern for those who are struggling,” commented Ms. Gross, who dedicates much of her time to speaking at health-focused nonprofit organizations. “I have decades of professional experience helping individuals and families fight erroneous billing and mistaken denial of medical insurance coverage claims, and it’s my personal calling to protect people from being abused and bilked, when what they deserve from their insurer is to be supported and strengthened.”

"Should you find yourself doing battle with a health insurance company or hospital, I have three words of advice: get this book!" noted Bill Hogan, co-author of Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?

"Much of what Ms. Gross does for her clients, patients can do for themselves with the help of this book,” recommended Andrew Fitch, Product Manager at Nerd Wallet. “This is a must-read for anyone who's felt lost, angry, or confused after receiving a medical bill."

As noted, Ms. Gross’s timely and topical new book Solved! Curing Your Medical Insurance Problems is available now from Amazon.com, and BN.com and retails for $13.95 (paperback) and $6.99 (Kindle). Volume discounts for organizations and associations are available.

About Adria Goldman Gross

Adria Goldman Gross, FIPC, is the CEO and founder of MedWise Insurance Advocacy, as well as a New York State-licensed insurance broker and consultant who uncovers discrepancies in diagnostic or procedure coding, exposes dubious loopholes through which insurance companies attempt to deny claims, and helps attorneys, individuals and families resolve medical claim matters. She is also a bestselling co-author of books that are both endorsed by consumer protection advocate Ralph Nader: the recently-published Solved! Curing Your Medical Insurance Problems, and Multi-Payer Medicine Nightmare Made in the USA. Both books are available from Amazon.com and BN.com. Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

Reminder: March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March 8, 2016, 12:15 am

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PCC Supports Quality Screening Colonoscopies to Lower Cancer Rates

Annapolis, MD (PRWEB) March 08, 2016

Preventing Colorectal Cancer (PCC), a not-for-profit advocacy organization, would like to show its support in recognizing March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Founded in 2008, PCC’s mission is to educate the public and key stakeholders about the opportunities to reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer through screening and care options for patients and clinicians.

“A cancer prevented is better than a cancer cured,” says Steven J. Morris, MD, FACP, PCC board chair and president, Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates. “We hope our efforts through Preventing Colorectal Cancer will save lives by providing information and guidance needed to educate the public, policymakers and other key stakeholders regarding colorectal cancer screening, not only in March, but every month of the year.”

The importance of getting screened cannot be overstated – it means the difference between life and death for many Americans. Fortunately, the increased access to affordable cancer screening colonoscopies is a positive move toward prevention.

“PCC is dedicated to the detection and cure of a deadly form of cancer, colorectal cancer,” says PCC Executive Director, Randall Madry. “We give a standing ovation to individuals and organizations that make a difference in this fight and for their continued advocacy for the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer and the promotion of exceptionally high standards of care.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Among cancers that effect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Every year, about 140,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 people die from it. But this disease is highlight preventable, by getting screened beginning at age 50.” In addition to screening, the CDC also recommends adults are physically active, maintain a healthy weight, avoid over consumption of alcohol and refrain from the use of tobacco products.

PCC Treasurer, Mark Casner notes, “Since March is colorectal cancer awareness month, this is a good time of year to promote colonoscopy screenings to save lives. PCC has made it their mission to reinforce the message that colorectal cancer can be prevented through the “Gold Standard” of regular colonoscopy exams.”

Stanford R. Plavin, MD, PCC board vice chair and co-founder, Ambulatory Anesthesia of Atlanta, adds, “One of PCC’s policy cornerstones is the coverage and payment of sedation options such as propofol during a colonoscopy to promote the best clinical and financial outcomes. With appropriate screening and early detection, colorectal cancer can be prevented and treated.”

In addition to advocating for the rights of patients and providers, PCC also sponsors an issue brief series to educate key stakeholders on the importance of increasing screening rates among the U.S. population. The series is a compelling resource for physicians, patients, payors, public policy experts and others who can take action to make a difference and serve as champions for patient safety. Topics in the series include:·     Colonoscopies Prevent Colon Cancer
·     Preventing Colorectal Cancer: The Benefit of Propofol
·     Health Insurers Should Cover Propofol Sedation
·     Why We Need Pricing Transparency
·     The Impact of Health Insurance Reform on Colorectal Cancer
·     FDA Approves SEDASYS Device
·     Take Advantage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Preventive Care Clause, Get Screened for Colorectal Cancer via Colonoscopy
·     Drug Shortages Impact Colorectal Cancer
·     Colorectal Cancer Screening: The Genetic Factor
·     Young Adults Face Increased Risk of Colorectal Cancer
·     Making an Informed Choice: Colonoscopy Screening Locations Explained
·     The Importance of Proper Colonoscopy Preparation

Those interested in more information may visit http://www.preventingcolorectalcancer.org to sign up to receive the issue briefs as they become available via email. The website also contains other valuable resources and information on colorectal cancer and prevention efforts.

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About Preventing Colorectal Cancer (http://www.preventingcolorectalcancer.org)
Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, Preventing Colorectal Cancer (PCC) preserves the tradition of safe, comfortable and quality-based medicine. PCC is a not-for-profit 501(c) 6 advocacy organization with the primary mission to educate both public and private stakeholders about the opportunities to reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer through promoting effective screening, prevention and care options for patients. Membership is open to all individuals and groups. Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

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Florida House keeps pushing for health insurance changes

March 8, 2016, 5:55 am

≫ Next: Physicians Mutual Rolls Out Enhanced Lockbox Processing Solutions from FTNI

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Though the issue has not moved forward in the Senate, the Florida House on Monday approved a proposal to revamp the health insurance program for state employees. House members voted 89-21 to approve the bill (HB 7089), with all of the opposition coming from Democrats. The bill, which mirrors other House Republican proposals in recent years, would make a series of changes. For example, in 2019, employees would be offered plans with four different benefit levels. If employees choose plans that cost… Reported by bizjournals 22 hours ago.

Physicians Mutual Rolls Out Enhanced Lockbox Processing Solutions from FTNI

March 8, 2016, 6:03 am

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FTNI’s Integrated Receivables Hub, ETran, brings heightened efficiencies to industry-leading insurance provider seeking to streamline and automate lockbox operations.

Omaha, Neb. (PRWEB) March 08, 2016

Financial Transmission Network Inc. (“FTNI”), a provider of industry-leading integrated receivables solutions, today announced that Physicians Mutual has successfully launched FTNI’s ETran Integrated Receivables platform as its lockbox processing and management platform.

Physicians Mutual is headquartered in Omaha, Neb. and is a $3+ billion company standing in the top 1% of the industry* with division offices throughout the nation. The company processes hundreds of thousands of checks and documents each month, all previously requiring manual review. In light of the company’s monthly lockbox volume, it wanted to streamline, automate and bring new efficiencies to its lockbox and accounts receivables operations. Having already achieved savings working with FTNI to streamline other areas of their receivables processing. Physicians Mutual turned again to FTNI to implement its enhanced lockbox processing solution, the ETran Integrated Receivables platform.

“ETran accelerated our review processes by nearly 75 percent in the first thirty days of production,” said Greg Hopkins, Vice President at Physicians Mutual. “We went from having to manually review 100 percent of the check payments and associated forms within our lockbox operations, to reviewing only 20 percent of checks and documents scanned, and I expect that number to continue to decrease over time. The efficiencies we have already realized are significant, to say the least.”

Physicians Mutual has worked with FTNI to consolidate several legacy payment systems to the ETran platform including Check, ACH and Credit Card processing as well as launching new online payments functionality. As the company looked to further consolidate and streamline its receivables processing operations, FTNI’s ETran was a natural solution for its lockbox processing needs.

ETran enables companies to simply and quickly tailor the platform to their own business rules and requirements, streamlining and automating accounts receivables processes across any payment type or channel. Essentially a ‘plug-n-play’ platform, ETran enables efficient integration (batch or real-time) with any back-office accounting system. It unlocks enterprise-wide AR oversight from a unified interface to improve business insights and deliver real-time visibility into the entire receivables stream.

“We’ve very pleased to continue to grow our relationship with Physicians Mutual,” commented Chris Thompson, COO, FTNI. “ETran’s advanced Remote Deposit Capture module and unique configurability has delivered Physicians Mutual’s lockbox operations with high-levels of automation, single-screen data entry and batch reviews, and simplified data entry forms—all within a single user interface. Physicians Mutual is a great example of the benefits that can be realized by consolidating receivables processes on a single, unified platform.”

---------------------------------------------

About FTNI

Financial Transmission Network, Inc. (FTNI) accelerates the way businesses accept, process, post and manage payments. Processing millions of transactions monthly, FTNI’s integrated receivables hub, ETran, accepts any payment method, via any payment channel — on a single, secure, cloud-based platform. ETran’s easy-to-deploy, modular design seamlessly integrates current business processes, bank and processor relationships, and back-office accounting software to deliver increased efficiencies and cost savings as a result of true straight through processing. Founded in 2007, FTNI serves more than 16,000 corporate users from leading organizations such as the American Red Cross, DirectBuy, Five Star Senior Living, Golden Living, Mutual of Omaha, Penn Mutual, Physicians Mutual Insurance, Proxibid, RealPage, Shamrock Foods, The McClatchy Company and many more. For more information, visit http://www.ftni.com.

About Physicians Mutual

Physicians Mutual Insurance Company and Physicians Life Insurance Company are members of the Physicians Mutual family. Physicians Mutual Insurance Company offers reliable Medicare Supplement, dental and supplemental health insurance. Physicians Life Insurance Company provides important life insurance coverage and annuities. They entered the funeral pre-planning market to help meet the growing needs of funeral home owners and the families they serve. The companies have more than $3.6 billion in assets and consistently maintain some of the highest financial strength ratings in the nation from independent insurance analysts, including A.M. Best Company and Weiss Ratings. Founded in 1902, Physicians Mutual is headquartered in Omaha, Neb. To learn more about the company, please visit http://www.PhysiciansMutual.com.

*Based on WeissRatings.com's Recommended List of Companies, an elite group of insurance companies representing the top 1% of the industry. Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

Sendero Health Plans, a leading health plan in Central Texas, selects QualMetrix, Inc. as its Healthcare Analytics Partner

March 8, 2016, 7:00 am

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Healthcare Analytics Company helps optimize healthcare costs through actionable insights

Miramar, FL (PRWEB) March 08, 2016

QualMetrix, a new generation healthcare technology company, with a focus on population health management, cost and utilization management, provider performance, prevention, and quality initiatives, has been selected by Sendero Health Plans as its healthcare analytics partner.

“We are very pleased to partner with Sendero Health Plans and helping with its priorities of providing innovative, high quality and cost-effective medical services to their health plan members in Central Texas.” said Lawrence Schimmel, M.D., Founder and CEO of QualMetrix. “We look forward to utilizing our technology and services in supporting Sendero’s critical mission. Our company understands the needs of our customers and provides them with the information that enables them to deliver the best possible care to their members.”

“We evaluated a number of analytic vendors,” said Wesley Durkalski, Chief Executive Officer of Sendero Health Plans. “The unique platform design with intuitive data visualizations will allow our clinical and financial decision makers unparalleled insight so we can focus our priorities and deliver the most effective and efficient care to our members.”

About QualMetrix
QualMetrix delivers high value healthcare analytics, actionable insights and innovative reporting to payors, providers and employers. Built by medical directors for medical directors™ and other healthcare decision makers, QualMetrix delivers the answers healthcare leaders need to drive improvements in quality, cost and performance – so they can do better with less.

About Sendero Health Plans
Sendero Health Plans provides comprehensive healthcare coverage to eligible Central Texas residents through the Medical Access Program (MAP), Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Sendero also offers the IdealCare plan to residents of 8 Central Texas Counties. IdealCare is a Qualified Health Plan under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and is provided through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Company Contacts:
Larry Schimmel, MD                
CEO                                                        
QualMetrix, Inc.                        
3810 Executive Way                
Miramar, FL 33025                        

Wesley Durkalski
CEO    
Sendero Health Plans
2028 E. Ben White Blvd., Suite 400
Austin, TX 78741 Reported by PRWeb 21 hours ago.

‘Invest for Health’ Sessions Announced for SXSW Interactive Festival

March 8, 2016, 9:34 am

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Ascension Ventures, athenahealth and Cambia Health Solutions have announced the session topics for Invest for Health on March 14.

Portland, Ore. (PRWEB) March 08, 2016

Invest for Health, an inaugural health care event during the SXSW Interactive Festival presented by Ascension Ventures, athenahealth and Cambia Health Solutions, will feature an incredible session lineup including some of the country’s most disruptive health care leaders on March 14 at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas.

Bringing together entrepreneurs, health care executives and venture capitalists for conversations around real solutions to health care’s pain points, this event will facilitate connections, spark dialogue and enable entrepreneurs and health care stakeholders to partner for success. The Invest for Health program will feature the following session topics:· Connecting the Disconnect: Fixing the Pain Points in Health Care – Featuring Jonathan Bush, CEO of athenahealth along with speakers Sue Siegel of GE Ventures and Chris Coburn of Partners HealthCare, this session will focus on the disconnected state of health care, issues that plague the industry, the climate that has allowed problems to thrive, and what the blueprint for the future looks like.

· Empathy and Impact: Revolutionizing Healthcare with Data, Heart and Soul – This session features Cambia CEO Mark Ganz and Salesforce CMO Josh Newman, and will explore the role data, heart and soul play in leveraging empathy to revolutionize health.

· Swipe Right: Creating Health Care That’s HOT – There’s pent up demand for a radically different infrastructure in health care, but “new world orders” don’t come easy. Disrupting existing infrastructure has good days, and bad – it’s been called “the long dark night of the innovator” for a reason. Matt Hermann from Ascension and Brad Perkins from Human Longevity will reveal how to survive the hard moments while creating the next generation in health care.

Invest for Health will also feature 30 minute “networking breaks” between each speaking session. Startups at any stage of development will network at Invest for Health with thought-leaders, investors and stakeholders. To learn more visit InvestForHealth.Care.

About Ascension Ventures
Ascension Ventures, launched in 2001, is a subsidiary of Ascension, the nation's largest Catholic and non-profit health system. Ascension Ventures' role is to construct and manage a strategic portfolio of investments that deliver venture-level investment returns, have the potential to transform the healthcare industry and significantly enhance the experience for patients, their families and their caregivers. Ascension Ventures has three venture funds with $550 million in committed capital under management. Its limited partners include Adventist Health System, Ascension, Catholic Health Initiatives, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Dignity Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Mercy and Trinity Health. http://www.ascensionventures.org

About athenahealth, Inc.
athenahealth is a leading provider of cloud-based services for electronic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management and medical billing, patient engagement, care coordination, and population health management, as well as Epocrates and other point-of-care mobile apps. We connect care and drive meaningful, measurable results for more than 75,000 health care providers in medical practices and health systems nationwide. For more information, please visit http://www.athenahealth.com.

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

About SXSW Interactive
The 23rd annual SXSW Interactive Festival returns to Austin from Friday, March 11 through Tuesday, March 15. An incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the 2016 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to discover the technology of tomorrow today. Join us in March 2016 for the sessions, the networking, the special events, the 18th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, SXSW Accelerator®, the SXSW Gaming Expo, the SXSW Trade Show, the SX Health & MedTech Expo, SX Create, The Job Market, cross-industry conversations with attendees from SXSW Film and SXSW Music, and, most of all, the unforgettable inspirational experiences that only SXSW can deliver. SXSW Interactive 2016 is sponsored by Esurance, Mazda, Monster Energy, Capital One, Bud Light, Deloitte Digital, McDonald’s, Ten-X and The Austin Chronicle.

For Ascension Ventures media inquiries, contact Johnny Smith at Johnny.Smith(at)ascension(dot)org or 314-733-6975.
For athenahealth, Inc. media inquiries, contact Holly Spring at media(at)athenahealth(dot)com or 617-402-1631.
For Cambia Health Solutions media inquiries, contact Christine Lynch at Christine.Lynch(at)cambiahealth(dot)com or 208-333-7839. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.

Health Law Fines Double for Many Uninsured at Tax Time

March 8, 2016, 9:47 am

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A report Tuesday from tax preparation company H&R Block says many people who went without health insurance last year are seeing fines more than double under President Barack Obama's law Reported by ABCNews.com 19 hours ago.

Study: Women's economic struggles continue in Kansas

March 8, 2016, 11:12 am

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A new study on the status of women in the Kansas economy paints a dire picture of them struggling to earn as much as men, wrestling with child-care costs, coping with no health insurance and living in poverty at a higher rate than men. On Tuesday, the Women's Foundation released the findings from its study of the "status of women in Kansas." [PDF] A few key points: Full-time women workers in Kansas earn only 79 cents for every dollar a man makes. That compares with a national average of 83 cents.… Reported by bizjournals 17 hours ago.

Health law fines double for many uninsured at tax time

March 8, 2016, 1:56 pm

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Many people who went without health insurance last year are now seeing fines more than double under President Barack Obama's health care law, tax preparation company H&R Block said Tuesday. Reported by FOXNews.com 14 hours ago.

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Will you have to pay an Obamacare tax penalty?

March 8, 2016, 3:01 pm

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If you bought health insurance last year through Obamacare, you may be pleasantly surprised at tax time to find out you have money coming to you.

But it's just as likely the surprise will go the other way: You might owe Uncle Sam some money if the government subsidy you received for buying insurance... Reported by ChicagoTribune 13 hours ago.

Elizabeth Warren Is Not On The Ballot And Her Agenda Is In Trouble

March 8, 2016, 4:17 pm

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WASHINGTON -- On April 6, a host of Democrats will gather in a magisterial Georgetown rowhouse to celebrate Hillary Clinton. For an entrance fee of $500 ($250 for "young professionals" under age 35), donors will have the chance to rub elbows with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Gary Gensler, the toughest bank regulator of the Obama era. These liberal icons -- their names are listed in bold blue type on the invitation -- are the event's main attractions. Clinton herself will not attend.

Levin, of course is an old party hand, while Brown endorsed Clinton months ago and Gensler serves as her campaign's chief financial officer. It isn't terribly surprising to see such figures supporting their party's nominee.

But the event's supporting cast -- a cadre of serious Democratic nerds given second-tier billing in smaller print -- is more significant. The event was organized by Andy Green, a lawyer for Securities and Exchange Commissioner Kara Stein. Before joining the SEC, Green was a top staffer for Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). He and former Levin aide Tyler Gellasch are responsible for ensuring that the Volcker Rule -- the toughest financial reform in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street overhaul -- became law. Gellasch will be joining his old friend at the event, as will Raj Date, one of Elizabeth Warren's first hires at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Elise Bean, the Democratic Party's foremost expert on offshore tax haven abuse, is attending, as are a handful of other liberal technocrats who built their careers on corporate accountability -- the kind of people Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) would like to see in any Democratic administration.

This is, of course, a sign that the progressive wing of the party elevated by Warren's career in Washington is coming around on a Clinton nomination. But there's a subtly sinister bend to the wonkfest: It's being hosted by Julie Chon, a former Dodd staffer who cashed out to help a major hedge fund siphon money from the federal government.

Chon now works for Perry Capital, a $10 billion hedge fund run by Clinton megadonor Richard Perry. One of Perry's major projects is an effort to exploit technical details of the federal government's 2008 takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Right now, profits from Fannie and Freddie go to the U.S. Treasury. Perry argues they should flow to him.

Perry brought Chon into the fold in 2012 to try and talk policymakers in Washington into making the switch, according to Bloomberg. He is now suing the federal government for failing to comply, with a case based largely on a 2008 law that Chon helped write.

Every fundraiser is an attempt to purchase influence with a candidate. Republicans and corporate Democrats do it all the time, and it's hard to fault policy nerds for trying to stay relevant. But if influential progressives were confident about breaking into Clinton's world, they wouldn't have to line up at the home of a revolving-door hedge funder to make their pitch. As the primary season winds down, the Elizabeth Warren wing of the Democratic Party has met its first make-or-break moment.

********

Warren, of course, didn't run for president. She already has a Senate perch that allows her to broadcast the virtues of her economic agenda. The few months of amplification she would receive from a presidential campaign, Warren reasoned, wouldn't be worth the price of losing to Clinton. A loss would crystallize the corporate wing of the Democratic Party's hold on its future and demonstrate that Democrats really aren't all that passionate about the issues that, after all, didn't carry the day. With the entire party establishment lined up behind Clinton, the deck was clearly stacked against a Clinton challenger. Superdelegates would have forced Warren to win at least 60 percent of the delegates decided by mere voters in order to clinch the nomination.

Warren is probably re-evaluating that analysis after Sanders' surprising strength, but in the summer of 2015, the more plausible benefits of a primary challenge seemed to be those of a losing campaign -- holding a more conservative candidate's feet to the fire, and forcing them to acknowledge the party base.

Warren didn't believe those benefits would last. Forcing candidates to swerve leftward during a primary only matters if they stay there once in office. But Democrats who survive a liberal challenge almost never maintain their progressive postures once they win office. Typically, they flee to more conservative territory as soon as the general election campaign begins.

When Warren declined to step up, Sanders filled the void. And he has been a far more effective spokesman for Warren's issues -- breaking up the banks, rethinking corporate-friendly trade, raising the minimum wage -- than even his most ardent supporters had expected. But as he fades in the polls, Warren's early fears may be coming to fruition.

Barring an act of God, Clinton will be the party's standard-bearer in November. Economic populists may have inflicted enough pain on Clinton over the past several months to force her to take their concerns seriously in office. But there's a very real danger that Clinton is simply showing the world she doesn't need them. Sanders is crushing her with small donors. She's winning anyway. She has attacked single-payer health insurance and assailed tuition-free college. She's winning anyway. She has belittled the very basis for campaign finance reform in order to defend her paid speeches to Goldman Sachs. She's winning anyway. At Saturday's debate, she twisted her vote for the bank bailout into a dishonest attack on Sanders' commitment to manufacturing workers. And she's winning anyway.

********

Warren could not have foreseen the damage that Donald Trump would do to her plans. Democrats have been watching the billionaire's political ascent with a mixture of horror, fascination and elation. It's frightening to see a fascist demagogue take over an American political party. It is also a joy to watch the Republican elite melt down as the racist alliance that has fueled their party's electoral relevance for almost a half-century makes its apotheosis.

Long-term, Trump's campaign is demographic suicide for Republicans. But the basic physics of a two-party system require that when one party blows up, both parties must change. While Trump is a more dangerous general election matchup for Clinton than most Democrats recognize, he is a gift to elite Democratic insiders seeking to wrest power from Warren's acolytes. Trump's effect on the Republican Party is obvious: He's broadening the bounds of acceptable debate. Marco Rubio -- a tea party favorite of the ultraconservative Heritage Foundation -- is now beloved by the Republican establishment. Mitt Romney -- an aristocrat who made self-deportation the immigration platform for his 2012 campaign -- is now performing public acts of outrage over Trump's naked racism. What was previously expressed in coded language and winks and nods is now the open celebration of execution by pig's blood.

The same phenomenon is shifting the policy priorities of the Democratic Party in a different way. What is any sane progressive going to do when there's a fascist on the other ticket? Clinton doesn't need to convince people that she cares about corporate accountability or economic inequality when Trump is out there saying the Bush torture program wasn't cruel enough. The Clintons have been warning liberals that it's either them or the brownshirts for decades. Now the brownshirts have finally arrived.

Sanders supporters are telling themselves a story about how his candidacy compelled Clinton and the party establishment to confront the progressive base. They're at least half right. The Sanders campaign did force the party to grapple with progressives. The question is whether progressives are going to survive the struggle.

A few of them will find out on April 6, at a $1.8 million home in Georgetown.

*Zach Carter is a co-host of the HuffPost Politics podcast "So, That Happened." Subscribe here or listen to the latest episode below: * 
 

 

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

Business Highlights

March 8, 2016, 4:01 pm

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PHOENIX (AP) — Thousands of people have had their prepaid debit cards frozen when they try to direct their tax refund to their accounts, a result of financial industry efforts to combat an escalation in tax fraud. (AP) — Realizing that millennials are burdened with debt, a difficult job market, weak wage growth and a less affordable housing market than their parents, some states are looking to keep educated young professionals within their borders for years to come by helping out with their housing costs. Initiatives like mortgage down-payment assistance, rent subsidies, urban homesteading incentives, partial student loan reimbursement and even "millennial villages" are being considered across the country to help professionals put down roots in communities. [...] in its second phase, the program provides a discounted mortgage rate and down payment assistance to college graduates with more than $25,000 in student debt and who buy a home in certain regions of the state. The finances of home ownership since the mortgage meltdown might be a lead reason for the change, but the cost of renting also is rising in most of the biggest metropolitan areas, the study found. NEW YORK (AP) — Fed up with poor performance at United Continental Holdings, two investment firms want to shake up the airline's board of directors and give a prominent role to an ex-CEO credited with saving Continental Airlines more than a decade ago. Sportswear giant Nike, Swiss watch brand Tag Heuer and German luxury car company Porsche quickly distanced themselves from the five-time Grand Slam winner, who announced on Monday that she tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January, days after the drug was banned. Separately, among those who complied with the law and took advantage of its taxpayer-subsidized private health insurance, 6 in 10 are now having to pay back to the IRS some portion of their financial assistance. (AP) Reported by SeattlePI.com 12 hours ago.

Don't Look Now, But Trump May Be Reaching Out To The GOP Establishment

March 8, 2016, 10:19 pm

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Donald Trump’s speech on Tuesday night, following big wins in the Michigan and Mississippi primaries, was among the strangest he’s made yet.

He talked about Trump steaks and Trump magazine. He bragged about the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course at the Trump National Golf Course. And he saluted Paul O’Neill -- the former Yankee player, not the former treasury secretary.

But the most intriguing part of the speech was its most conventional one. Trump praised House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), with whom he'd had a phone conversation earlier in the week. “He couldn’t have been nicer,” Trump said. “He was very encouraging.” He talked about unifying the party. 

And then he called upon his supporters to rally behind Republican members of Congress. “It’s very very important as a Republican that our senators and our congressmen get re-elected, that we put a good group of people together, that we keep the people that are there,” Trump said. “If we are going to be effective, it’s very very important.”

It sounded an awful lot like an overture to the GOP establishment.

There's no way to be sure, because you can never take what Trump says at face value. He speaks before thinking. He changes his mind. He lies. He’s perfectly capable of calling somebody disgusting or worse -- and then, a few minutes later, praising that same person as a “good guy.” In fact, he did precisely that on Tuesday night, criticizing Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and then saying, later, he could imagine being friends with Graham.

But the professionals who work in politics, like well-connected Washington Post journalist Robert Costa, took notice:


Trump thanks Ryan for calling, says he respects the speaker. An important moment, signal to movement right and estab that he'll work w/ them

— Robert Costa (@costareports) March 9, 2016

And such a gesture may not be as out of character as it sounds.  

Sure, Trump has been at war with the Republican establishment, attacking its members as corrupt (because of their close relationships with lobbyists) and impotent (because of their inability to block or undo President Barack Obama’s big policy achievements).  

But Trump is also shrewd. He knows that the GOP establishment is organizing to stop him, by keeping him from getting 50 percent of the delegates and then using a convention vote to nominate somebody else. And Trump knows that the establishment could succeed, even though it’d almost certainly make Hillary Clinton president. One way for Trump to pacify the opposition is by showing that he cares about a Republican majority -- and praising the Republican lawmaker most responsible for defining the party’s policy agenda.

If Trump really is beginning a campaign to win over the GOP establishment -- and, again, this is still a huge if -- the big question will be how the establishment reacts. Conservative intellectuals, such as the editors of National Review, have been trying to stop Trump for a while. But it was just in the last week or two that financiers and party leaders, like Mitt Romney, started to put together a coordinated, coherent effort.

And while some of Trump's conservative critics have said they would reject him on principle -- citing his authoritarian streak, his rhetoric about Mexicans and Muslims, and his general outrageousness -- others have focused more on his lack of fealty to conservative orthodoxy, and the likelihood that his nomination would lead to an electoral debacle forfeiting not just the White House, but maybe GOP majorities in Congress, as well.

Trump has already been proving himself a more reliable conservative than his reputation suggests. Last week, he put out a health care plan that, despite all his rhetoric about not letting people die in the streets, was basically a regurgitation of GOP talking points that would lead to millions of people losing health insurance. On taxes, the issue most dear to Republicans, Trump long ago proposed a massive tax cut -- the biggest of any proposal in the campaign -- that would give most of its benefits to the wealthy. At this point, the only domestic policy issue on which he meaningfully parts ways with Republicans -- or any of his rivals for the nomination -- is on trade.

Undoubtedly some conservatives would continue to fight Trump, no matter how hard he reaches out to them. They really do find his statements and views reprehensible. But Trump doesn’t need to win all of them over -- only enough of them to make sure he emerges from Cleveland with the nomination in hand.

-- 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 6 hours ago.

Lisa Lockerman Receives the Women’s Choice Award® as Highly Recommended Financial Advisor by Women for Women

March 9, 2016, 12:05 am

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Reaffirms the commitment Lisa Lockerman has to extraordinary service in addressing the financial needs of women and their families.

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) March 09, 2016

As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified Inc. is pleased to announce that Lisa Lockerman, registered principal of Cambridge Investment Research and president of Lockerman Financial Group has received the Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors and Firms based on rigorous research, 17 objective criteria and additional points of reference that obtain feedback regarding the advisor’s service and practices.

The Women’s Choice Award is the only recognition program for well-qualified advisors who are committed to the women’s market and serving their female clients. Achieving this award reaffirms the commitment Lisa Lockerman has to extraordinary service in addressing the financial needs of women and their families.

“It is an honor to be a multi-year recipient of this award. The commitment to excellence of our local team, external partners, and the loyalty of our client family members, has enabled us to achieve this recognition. As we celebrate our 25th year of serving the community, we are very grateful that each day we have an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.” said Lockerman.

WomenCertified, originator of the Women’s Choice Award, was created by Delia Passi, the leading advocate for female consumers and former group publisher of Working Woman and Working Mother magazines. Delia has created the Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors in an effort to help women identify those advisors who are committed to providing quality service. The award allows this outstanding group of advisors to showcase their commitment to the women’s market, while giving potential clients a starting point for entrusting their finances to an advisor.

Recent studies indicate the following in regards to women and their finances:·     Only 35 percent of women use a professional financial advisor, most (79 percent) doing so for retirement investment recommendations.**

·     In the US, Women control about $11.2 trillion of the nation’s investable assets (39% of the country’s estimated $28.6 trillion of investable assets). Nearly half of that, is managed solely by women.***

·     Fewer than two in 10 women feel “very prepared” to make wise financial decisions. Half indicate that they “need some help,” and one-third feel that they “need a lot of help.”****

As the financial industry wakes up to the fact that a great majority of the female population are seeking advisors they can trust and greatly value financial security, WomenCertified Inc. has created the solution. This powerful, national initiative distinguishes advisors who support female consumers in their quest for financial education.

About Lisa Lockerman
Lockerman is the Founder and President of Lockerman Financial Group. Lisa has proudly served as a trusted wealth manager since 1991. In addition to the Women’s Choice Award, she has received the Five Star Wealth Manager Award in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Lockerman holds a Master of Science degree in Financial Services (MSFS) form The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance Management and a Minor in Spanish from California State University, Long Beach. She received the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation and Certificate in Estate Planning and Taxation from The American College. She received the Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. She holds the FINRA Series 24, 6, 7, 63 and 65 and is licensed to offer life and health insurance in several states.

About Lockerman Financial Group
Lockerman Financial Group is an independent financial services firm. The advisors at the firm offer unbiased advice and access to a vast array of non-proprietary products and resources. Client relationships start with a personalized planning process to discover what is important to each client. Strategies are then designed to align the client’s goals with financial and estate planning. A collaborative team approach is used to coordinate all aspects of a client’s financial life.

http://www.LockermanFinancial.com
info(at)LockermanFinancial(dot)com

Registered Principal, Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisor Representative, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Lockerman Financial Group not affiliated. CA Insurance License 0G56777 and 0822719.

About Women’s Choice Award
The Women’s Choice Award Financial Advisor Program is based on 17 objective criteria associated with providing quality service to women clients such as credentials, experience and a favorable regulatory history, among other factors. Financial advisors do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Women’s Choice Award® Financial Advisors, though they may have paid a fee to participate in the Women’s Choice Award Financial Advisor Marketing Program. WomenCertified Inc., home to the Women’s Choice Award, awards businesses, brands and services based on high recommendation ratings by female consumers. The Women’s Choice Award represents the collective voice of women so they can help each other identify businesses that deserve their loyalty and referrals. To learn more, visit http://www.womenschoiceaward.com.

** 14th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey of Workers (2014)
***Source: Harnessing the Power of the Purse, by the Center for Talent Innovation 2014
****Source: Financial Experience &Behaviors Among Women, 2010−2011 Prudential Research Study (article breaking it down here). Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.