Antitrust officials are concerned that Aetna’s $37 billion deal with Humana, and Anthem’s $48 billion pursuit of Cigna, would harm competition in the health-insurance industry, said a person briefed on the matter.
Reported by Seattle Times 9 hours ago.
Justice Department will seek to block 2 health-insurance mergers
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Justice Dept. Will Seek to Block 2 Health Insurance Mergers
Antitrust officials are concerned that Aetna’s deal with Humana and Anthem’s pursuit of Cigna would harm competition in the health insurance industry.
Reported by NYTimes.com 5 hours ago.
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Loss Of Employer-Based Health Insurance In Early Retirement Affects Mental, Physical Health
The loss of private health insurance from an employer can lead to poorer mental and physical health as older adults transition to early retirement, according to a study by Georgia State University.
The study evaluated the impact of private insurance coverage on the symptoms of depression, activities of daily living (such as getting dressed) and instrumental activities of daily life (such as shopping for groceries and taking medications) during the transition from full-time work to early full retirement. The findings are published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences.
Private health insurance is an important factor for the health of early retirees, and those who maintain steady coverage tend to fare best in retirement. Losing insurance from an employer was associated with increased symptoms of depression and limitations in daily activities.
Employment-based insurance was typically associated with better health. Even when retirees sought private non-group insurance, this insurance didn’t offset the negative consequences of being without employment-based insurance.
“If people are getting insurance from places other than their employer, these kinds of insurance tend to be less good,” said Ben Lennox Kail, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State. “And if people are getting lower-quality insurances, older adults are going to be sicker upon retirement.”
The data collection predated the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and didn’t include plans offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace, but the findings give insight into how the ACA might impact health in the years leading up to Medicare eligibility.
In the United States, early retirement is fairly common: 47 percent of men and 60 percent of women exited the labor force before they became eligible for Social Security. About half of workers ages 51 to 61 transitioned from full-time work to early retirement, according to a 2006 study in The Gerontologist.
With fewer employers offering retiree health benefits, this shift could have important health implications, and little is known about how the loss of private insurance affects health after early retirement.
Based on the study’s results, Kail is concerned that declines in employment-based insurance may have serious negative consequences for the United States population’s health. The study also shows the loss of private insurance coverage can quickly alter individuals’ mental health trajectories.
“It seems like changes in insurance or being without insurance have more immediate mental health consequences than they do physical health consequences,” Kail said. “Maybe losing insurance itself is a small trauma that triggers depressive symptoms.”
Some early retirees attempt to offset the loss of insurance by acquiring non-group insurance. However, in this study, 75 percent of participants who had lost their employment-based insurance during retirement were without any form of private insurance.
Kail used data from the 1996-2010 Health and Retirement Study collected from participants ages 50 to 64 who were included in the sample until they turned 65 and became age-eligible for Medicare coverage. The individuals, who either worked full-time or had transitioned to full retirement, were re-interviewed every two years.
Eight depressive symptoms were measured. Participants were asked if they felt depressed, if everything was an effort, if their sleep was restless, if they were happy, felt lonely, felt sad or could not get going and enjoy life. Difficulties with the following activities of daily living tasks were measured: walking across the room, getting dressed, eating, taking a bath or shower and getting in or out of bed. In addition, difficulties with the following instrumental activities of daily living were measured: using the telephone, managing money, shopping for groceries, preparing a hot meal and taking medications.
Kail said future research should focus on the distinctions between different forms of insurance and the generosity of coverage, as well as how these factors are associated with diverse health outcomes. For instance, there are differences across the five levels of insurance offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
When people lose employment-based insurance prior to Medicare eligibility, the ACA mandates them to secure new insurance, likely a non-group plan. It isn’t clear whether these plans will offset the health consequences of losing employer-provided insurance. The ACA attempted to address the shortage of non-group plans through the temporary federal Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, which reimburses employers who continue offering insurance coverage to retirees. However, the program quickly ran out of funding because of high demand. Reported by Eurasia Review 8 hours ago.
The study evaluated the impact of private insurance coverage on the symptoms of depression, activities of daily living (such as getting dressed) and instrumental activities of daily life (such as shopping for groceries and taking medications) during the transition from full-time work to early full retirement. The findings are published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Social Sciences.
Private health insurance is an important factor for the health of early retirees, and those who maintain steady coverage tend to fare best in retirement. Losing insurance from an employer was associated with increased symptoms of depression and limitations in daily activities.
Employment-based insurance was typically associated with better health. Even when retirees sought private non-group insurance, this insurance didn’t offset the negative consequences of being without employment-based insurance.
“If people are getting insurance from places other than their employer, these kinds of insurance tend to be less good,” said Ben Lennox Kail, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State. “And if people are getting lower-quality insurances, older adults are going to be sicker upon retirement.”
The data collection predated the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and didn’t include plans offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace, but the findings give insight into how the ACA might impact health in the years leading up to Medicare eligibility.
In the United States, early retirement is fairly common: 47 percent of men and 60 percent of women exited the labor force before they became eligible for Social Security. About half of workers ages 51 to 61 transitioned from full-time work to early retirement, according to a 2006 study in The Gerontologist.
With fewer employers offering retiree health benefits, this shift could have important health implications, and little is known about how the loss of private insurance affects health after early retirement.
Based on the study’s results, Kail is concerned that declines in employment-based insurance may have serious negative consequences for the United States population’s health. The study also shows the loss of private insurance coverage can quickly alter individuals’ mental health trajectories.
“It seems like changes in insurance or being without insurance have more immediate mental health consequences than they do physical health consequences,” Kail said. “Maybe losing insurance itself is a small trauma that triggers depressive symptoms.”
Some early retirees attempt to offset the loss of insurance by acquiring non-group insurance. However, in this study, 75 percent of participants who had lost their employment-based insurance during retirement were without any form of private insurance.
Kail used data from the 1996-2010 Health and Retirement Study collected from participants ages 50 to 64 who were included in the sample until they turned 65 and became age-eligible for Medicare coverage. The individuals, who either worked full-time or had transitioned to full retirement, were re-interviewed every two years.
Eight depressive symptoms were measured. Participants were asked if they felt depressed, if everything was an effort, if their sleep was restless, if they were happy, felt lonely, felt sad or could not get going and enjoy life. Difficulties with the following activities of daily living tasks were measured: walking across the room, getting dressed, eating, taking a bath or shower and getting in or out of bed. In addition, difficulties with the following instrumental activities of daily living were measured: using the telephone, managing money, shopping for groceries, preparing a hot meal and taking medications.
Kail said future research should focus on the distinctions between different forms of insurance and the generosity of coverage, as well as how these factors are associated with diverse health outcomes. For instance, there are differences across the five levels of insurance offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
When people lose employment-based insurance prior to Medicare eligibility, the ACA mandates them to secure new insurance, likely a non-group plan. It isn’t clear whether these plans will offset the health consequences of losing employer-provided insurance. The ACA attempted to address the shortage of non-group plans through the temporary federal Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, which reimburses employers who continue offering insurance coverage to retirees. However, the program quickly ran out of funding because of high demand. Reported by Eurasia Review 8 hours ago.
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Starmount Named to Ward’s 50 Top Performers List
Starmount recognized as one of the industry’s top performing life and health insurance companies.
BATON ROUGE, La. (PRWEB) July 20, 2016
Starmount Life Insurance Company has been named to the 2016 Ward's 50 Top Performers in life and health insurance. Ward Group is a provider of benchmarking and best practices studies for the insurance industry, and part of Aon Hewitt (Aon), a global provider of risk management, insurance brokerage and HR outsourcing services.
Each year the Ward Group analyzes the financial performance of and applies a series of safety and consistency tests to more than 700 life and health insurance companies, domiciled in the United States.
The rigorous evaluation process and comparison identifies the 50 top companies that outperform the industry within a five-year period.
“In selecting the Ward’s 50, we identified companies that pass financial stability requirements and measure their ability to grow while maintaining strong capital positions and underwriting results,” said Jeff Rieder, partner and head of the Ward Group. “In addition to achieving greater levels of income returns, the Ward’s 50 benchmarks outperformed [the industry] in other key performance benchmarks [including lower expense ratios].”
Starmount CEO Erich Sternberg said that a disciplined financial approach allows the company to maintain profitability and a strong capital position, while a focus on customer satisfaction and service has helped deliver several years of continual double-digit growth.
“It’s an honor to recognized as one of the top performing life and health insurance companies, and a credit to our entire team of professionals across the country,” Sternberg said.
Starmount and sister company, AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc., are based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and are national providers and administrators of life and supplemental health insurance, including dental, vision, and life coverage for individuals and employer groups.
“We have made thoughtful and diligent strides to expand our business market share,” said Starmount President Deborah Sternberg. “The company is truly grateful for this prestigious acknowledgement of our performance. We believe this achievement reflects our commitment to providing our customers with the most valuable products and services.”
For a complete listing of the Ward’s 50 Top Performers in life and health insurance, visit http://www.wardinc.com/wards50/life-health.php.
About Starmount Life Insurance Company and AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc.:
Starmount Life Insurance Company is admitted in 49 states, and sister company, AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc., is a nationally licensed, third-party administrator (TPA). Known for reliable service and customer satisfaction, Starmount Life and AlwaysCare Benefits are national providers and administrators of life and supplemental insurance for individuals and groups. For more information, please visit http://www.StarmountLife.com or http://www.AlwaysCareBenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.
BATON ROUGE, La. (PRWEB) July 20, 2016
Starmount Life Insurance Company has been named to the 2016 Ward's 50 Top Performers in life and health insurance. Ward Group is a provider of benchmarking and best practices studies for the insurance industry, and part of Aon Hewitt (Aon), a global provider of risk management, insurance brokerage and HR outsourcing services.
Each year the Ward Group analyzes the financial performance of and applies a series of safety and consistency tests to more than 700 life and health insurance companies, domiciled in the United States.
The rigorous evaluation process and comparison identifies the 50 top companies that outperform the industry within a five-year period.
“In selecting the Ward’s 50, we identified companies that pass financial stability requirements and measure their ability to grow while maintaining strong capital positions and underwriting results,” said Jeff Rieder, partner and head of the Ward Group. “In addition to achieving greater levels of income returns, the Ward’s 50 benchmarks outperformed [the industry] in other key performance benchmarks [including lower expense ratios].”
Starmount CEO Erich Sternberg said that a disciplined financial approach allows the company to maintain profitability and a strong capital position, while a focus on customer satisfaction and service has helped deliver several years of continual double-digit growth.
“It’s an honor to recognized as one of the top performing life and health insurance companies, and a credit to our entire team of professionals across the country,” Sternberg said.
Starmount and sister company, AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc., are based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and are national providers and administrators of life and supplemental health insurance, including dental, vision, and life coverage for individuals and employer groups.
“We have made thoughtful and diligent strides to expand our business market share,” said Starmount President Deborah Sternberg. “The company is truly grateful for this prestigious acknowledgement of our performance. We believe this achievement reflects our commitment to providing our customers with the most valuable products and services.”
For a complete listing of the Ward’s 50 Top Performers in life and health insurance, visit http://www.wardinc.com/wards50/life-health.php.
About Starmount Life Insurance Company and AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc.:
Starmount Life Insurance Company is admitted in 49 states, and sister company, AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc., is a nationally licensed, third-party administrator (TPA). Known for reliable service and customer satisfaction, Starmount Life and AlwaysCare Benefits are national providers and administrators of life and supplemental insurance for individuals and groups. For more information, please visit http://www.StarmountLife.com or http://www.AlwaysCareBenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.
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New Bill Could Boost Enrollment on Public Exchanges, Industry Observers Tell AIS
Atlantic Information Services’ Inside Health Insurance Exchanges reports on new legislation that would allow small employers to create tax-free health reimbursement arrangements for employees, in its July issue.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 20, 2016
A bill which passed a House committee vote last month could have a positive impact on enrollment in public health insurance exchanges, Atlantic Information Services, Inc.’s Inside Health Insurance Exchanges (HEX) reports in its July issue. The Small Business Health Care Relief Act of 2016 would allow small employers to create tax-free health reimbursement arrangements for employees. Under current regulations, small employers who don’t offer group coverage but reimburse employees for insurance premiums face an excise tax of $100 per day per employee, HEX reports.
The bill addresses a need small employers have, employee benefits attorney and director at PwC Chantel Sheaks tells HEX.
“There are a lot of small employers that can’t sustain a group health plan. They want to help their employees, but there is too much of an administrative burden involved in offering group health coverage,” she says. “This bill has the potential of really expanding the marketplaces and decreasing the number of [small-group] plans. I could see it potentially expanding this beyond small employers.”
The legislation also has the potential to improve the risk pool, John Hickman, an employee benefits attorney with Alston & Bird, tells HEX: “The influx of additional good-risk coverage into the individual market from this bill should help shore up some of the adverse selection issues that are being experienced in the current marketplace.”
However, Chris Condeluci, a principal at CC Law & Policy in Washington, D.C., notes the bill could possibly not become law, and if it does, it won’t go into effect until 2018. If the bill is seen as counter to the Obama administration, Sheaks observes, it could face opposition from Democrats.
Visit https://aishealth.com/archive/nhex0716-04 to read the article in its entirety, which also includes comments from one of the bill’s sponsors, Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).
About Inside Health Insurance Exchanges
Inside Health Insurance Exchanges provides hard-hitting news and strategies on public and private health insurance exchanges, written for business leaders with health plans, pharma companies, hospitals and health systems, brokers and agents, and exchange managers and vendors. The newsletter delivers reliable intelligence on this critical cornerstone of health reform — the players and their partners, product designs and enrollment results, employer perspectives and much more. Visit http://aishealth.com/marketplace/inside-health-insurance-exchanges for more information.
About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for nearly 30 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals and health systems, health insurance companies, medical group practices, purchasers of health insurance, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, databases, websites, looseleafs, strategic reports, directories, webinars, virtual conferences and training programs. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 20, 2016
A bill which passed a House committee vote last month could have a positive impact on enrollment in public health insurance exchanges, Atlantic Information Services, Inc.’s Inside Health Insurance Exchanges (HEX) reports in its July issue. The Small Business Health Care Relief Act of 2016 would allow small employers to create tax-free health reimbursement arrangements for employees. Under current regulations, small employers who don’t offer group coverage but reimburse employees for insurance premiums face an excise tax of $100 per day per employee, HEX reports.
The bill addresses a need small employers have, employee benefits attorney and director at PwC Chantel Sheaks tells HEX.
“There are a lot of small employers that can’t sustain a group health plan. They want to help their employees, but there is too much of an administrative burden involved in offering group health coverage,” she says. “This bill has the potential of really expanding the marketplaces and decreasing the number of [small-group] plans. I could see it potentially expanding this beyond small employers.”
The legislation also has the potential to improve the risk pool, John Hickman, an employee benefits attorney with Alston & Bird, tells HEX: “The influx of additional good-risk coverage into the individual market from this bill should help shore up some of the adverse selection issues that are being experienced in the current marketplace.”
However, Chris Condeluci, a principal at CC Law & Policy in Washington, D.C., notes the bill could possibly not become law, and if it does, it won’t go into effect until 2018. If the bill is seen as counter to the Obama administration, Sheaks observes, it could face opposition from Democrats.
Visit https://aishealth.com/archive/nhex0716-04 to read the article in its entirety, which also includes comments from one of the bill’s sponsors, Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).
About Inside Health Insurance Exchanges
Inside Health Insurance Exchanges provides hard-hitting news and strategies on public and private health insurance exchanges, written for business leaders with health plans, pharma companies, hospitals and health systems, brokers and agents, and exchange managers and vendors. The newsletter delivers reliable intelligence on this critical cornerstone of health reform — the players and their partners, product designs and enrollment results, employer perspectives and much more. Visit http://aishealth.com/marketplace/inside-health-insurance-exchanges for more information.
About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for nearly 30 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals and health systems, health insurance companies, medical group practices, purchasers of health insurance, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, databases, websites, looseleafs, strategic reports, directories, webinars, virtual conferences and training programs. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.
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Florida Head Lice Removal Company Announces New Live Chat Resource for Parents
Parents can now get quick answers to their questions about head lice, while finding out about all-natural treatment options near them.
Miami, Florida (PRWEB) July 20, 2016
Lice Troopers, the all-natural head lice removal service is introducing a new feature to its website. In efforts to achieve its mission of increasing education and awareness of head lice, and ultimately preventing epidemics, the South Florida based company has added a live chat feature to their site. The goal of the live chat is to help parents and teachers get immediate information about head lice and safe, non-toxic treatments, as well as Lice Troopers’ services.
“Many parents don’t know anything about head lice until their child is sent home from school with a note saying they have it. Then the parents turn to home remedies and harmful over-the-counter treatments trying to get rid of it quickly, not knowing the risks of using those treatments,” owner, Arie Harel stated.
Lice Troopers is the all-natural, guaranteed Head Lice Removal Service™ that manually removes the head louse parasite safely and discreetly in child-friendly salon settings, or other chosen location. Providing safe solutions for frantic families, the Lice Troopers team has successfully treated thousands of families nationwide, with services widely recommended by pediatricians and reimbursed by many major health insurance carriers, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.
Miami, Florida (PRWEB) July 20, 2016
Lice Troopers, the all-natural head lice removal service is introducing a new feature to its website. In efforts to achieve its mission of increasing education and awareness of head lice, and ultimately preventing epidemics, the South Florida based company has added a live chat feature to their site. The goal of the live chat is to help parents and teachers get immediate information about head lice and safe, non-toxic treatments, as well as Lice Troopers’ services.
“Many parents don’t know anything about head lice until their child is sent home from school with a note saying they have it. Then the parents turn to home remedies and harmful over-the-counter treatments trying to get rid of it quickly, not knowing the risks of using those treatments,” owner, Arie Harel stated.
Lice Troopers is the all-natural, guaranteed Head Lice Removal Service™ that manually removes the head louse parasite safely and discreetly in child-friendly salon settings, or other chosen location. Providing safe solutions for frantic families, the Lice Troopers team has successfully treated thousands of families nationwide, with services widely recommended by pediatricians and reimbursed by many major health insurance carriers, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.
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Antares Capital Supports HGGC’s Platform Investment in Integrity Marketing Group
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Antares Capital announced today it is serving as administrative agent, lead arranger, and sole bookrunner on a senior secured credit facility to support the platform investment in Integrity Marketing Group, LLC (“Integrity”) by HGGC, and the concurrent acquisition of Premier Companies, Inc. LStar Capital provided junior debt to support the transaction. Integrity is a leading insurance marketing organization that develops and distributes life and health insurance produc
Reported by Business Wire 45 minutes ago.
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Papers: Billion Dollar Shave Club
Unilever PLC’s US$1bln deal to buy Dollar Shave Club is the consumer-goods giant’s latest effort to get a leg up on rivals in the fight for customer data, reported the Wall Street Journal. Dollar Shave Club’s direct-to-consumer model—through which it sells disposable razors and other grooming products to 3.2mln members—will give Unilever “unique consumer and data insights,” said Kees Kruythoff, Unilever’s North America president, in the company’s deal announcement early Wednesday, reported the paper. US bond-fund giant Pimco has poached Manny Roman from UK hedge fund business Man Group, wrote the New York Times. The announcement comes nearly two years after William H. Gross, Pimco’s co-founder — who is known as the “bond king” — was forced out and joined its rival, Janus Capital Group, said the paper. Abbott Laboratories Inc., in the middle of its tie-up with St. Jude Medical Inc., said Wednesday that earnings declined 22% from a year earlier amid higher expenses, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, adjusted profit beat analyst expectations by two cents and revenue climbed, helped by recent product launches. Shares rose 2.9% to US$43 in recent premarket trading. Eric Schneiderman, New York’s crusading attorney general, is back in the spotlight for aggressively targeting a company that federal officials had already prosecuted, said the Washington Post. Last month, the Justice Department announced a massive, US$14.7bn settlement with German carmaker Volkswagen for equipping millions of diesel vehicles with software designed to cheat emissions tests. The paper said Schneiderman announced the state is filing one of three lawsuits against the car company to recoup the cost of the environmental harm caused by the “defeat devices.” Two major health insurance deals that would reshape the industry’s landscape — Anthem Inc.’s purchase of Cigna Corp. and Aetna Inc.’s deal to acquire Humana Inc. — appear to be in trouble amid concerns they would reduce competition, reported the LA Times. A decision whether to file the suits could come as early as this week, and the companies could fight in court or agree to settle, the reports said.
Reported by Proactive Investors 1 day ago.
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Starbucks to give employees more health insurance choices
Starbucks employees who work at least 20 hours per week will have more choices in health insurance this fall, when the coffee -More-
Reported by SmartBrief 23 hours ago.
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Gen Re Announces CI Complete to Help Carriers Enter Critical Illness Market
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gen Re has created a comprehensive Critical Illness Insurance start-up package for life and health insurance carriers looking to enter this growing market quickly and inexpensively. As the fastest growing supplemental insurance product in the market today, carriers are looking for ways to develop new and competitive Critical Illness products. The “CI Complete” solution provides resources and tools for product development, pricing, underwriting and marketing. Ca
Reported by Business Wire 22 hours ago.
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Shannen Doherty shares honest photos of her struggle with breast cancer
Shannen Doherty is not shying away from her struggle with breast cancer.
The former 90210 and Charmed actress shared some moving and brutally honest photos on Instagram as she prepared for the next phase in her cancer treatment: shaving her head.
SEE ALSO: Awesome dad gets a tattoo of his son's cancer surgery scar
Doherty was diagnosed with the disease in March 2015, and formally announced she was undergoing treatment in August 2015.
According to UPROXX, Doherty made her announcement after TMZ got ahold of documents that said she was suing her former business manager for not paying her health insurance premiums. Due to lack of coverage, Doherty was not able to get a diagnosis sooner. Read more...
More about Shannen Doherty, Conversations, Pics, Watercooler, and Breast Cancer Reported by Mashable 19 hours ago.
The former 90210 and Charmed actress shared some moving and brutally honest photos on Instagram as she prepared for the next phase in her cancer treatment: shaving her head.
SEE ALSO: Awesome dad gets a tattoo of his son's cancer surgery scar
Doherty was diagnosed with the disease in March 2015, and formally announced she was undergoing treatment in August 2015.
According to UPROXX, Doherty made her announcement after TMZ got ahold of documents that said she was suing her former business manager for not paying her health insurance premiums. Due to lack of coverage, Doherty was not able to get a diagnosis sooner. Read more...
More about Shannen Doherty, Conversations, Pics, Watercooler, and Breast Cancer Reported by Mashable 19 hours ago.
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King Bernie And The Long Game
This is politics. I don't agree with Bernie endorsing the oligarchical robot machine candidate that many of us are fighting against, but this is politics. He's playing the game and I think he's positioning himself. If Bernie does have good judgment, as we've seen in videos from the past, he's making what he feels the next move is. We don't have to follow his endorsement, but we should give him the benefit of the doubt.Some people have a theory that he endorsed because he wants to be cool with Hillary (super)delegates and supporters. In case she gets indicted or faces another scandal or is getting rocked in the polls. He technically hasn't conceded and it'll still be a contested convention. I don't think Bernie wanted this. Watching Bernie and Jeff Weaver's faces while they talked about the endorsement was like watching a contestant on Fear Factor eating spiders, an elk penis, and llama manure. I felt sick to my stomach, and I bet they did too. Maybe according to their strategy this is what it takes to "win" the long game.The fearmongers are already pushing me to follow Bernie's lead by voting for Hillary to prevent Trump. I ask them if Hillary has stopped taking money from millionaires and billionaires? Has Hillary released her Wall Street speeches? Is Hillary going to admit that either she lied or was completely incompetent as Secretary of State? No?Then, sorry boo, but I'm in the camp that wants a full scale "political revolution". Minus the bloodshed, cause I'm a pussy. I want people to participate, protest, and vote in the sham elections. I believe it takes action through multiple means to change the system. Starting with your neighborhood all the way up through the entire union. I also don't believe in the system. Not the presidency, not the congress, not the judges, the FBI, CIA, NSA, or PDs in most places. I don't trust them nor believe anything they say. Hence why I plan on playing in and out of the system. I'll vote (not for HER, but maybe for her, myself, or satan), and I'll focus on local/state candidates that don't take bribes from oligarchs. I'm going to protest/volunteer at the DNC convention in Philadelphia from July 24-28 (you coming or whet?). I'll find other ways to be involved. Like the subsequent organizations Bernie is creating to help elect likeminded individuals (sign up bitches).Maybe if we're lucky the Clinton (super)delegates will change their votes and make Bernie the nominee. Maybe if we're lucky the people will revolt, dump the two shitty presumptive nominees, and king Bernie. He is the ONLY candidate from both horseshit races who has a net positive favorability (more people like him than not). I can dream can't I?You don't have to vote for Hillary (I'm not), and you don't have to agree with Bernie's positioning. But shit, this campaign brought millions of us together. The DNC convention and protests will bring us together face to face. For over 16 years I've been talking about many of these issues to an empty room. I don't feel alone anymore. The country is finally changing and it's a fun time for US politics. I feel there's something big coming. The public is angry. People are revolting more and more all across the US against systematic repression. It feels like a tsunami. I can feel that unfamiliar gust of wind, with sounds of the waves getting louder. It's an abnormal occurrence departing from the routine of our geopolitical reality. Let's keep going. We are only going to defeat the oligarchy by talking about the issues and engaging every day, every week, every year, wave after wave after wave. We don't have to be involved 24/7, but we must make these issues a part of our social consciousness. We have to peel off decades, if not centuries, of corruption. Understand that WE have to do the work to change our country.I'll leave you with what Bernie said about Bill Clinton running for President in 1996:
"In terms of who to support for president, the choice is really not difficult. I am certainly not a big fan of Bill Clinton's politics. As a strong advocate of a single-payer health care system, I opposed his convoluted health care reform package. I have helped lead the opposition to his trade policies, which represent the interests of corporate America and which are virtually indistinguishable from the views of George Bush and Newt Gingrich. I opposed his bloated military budget, the welfare reform bill that he signed, and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which he supported. He has been weak on campaign finance reform and has caved in far too often on the environment. Bill Clinton is a moderate Democrat. I'm a democratic socialist.Yet, without enthusiasm, I've decided to support Bill Clinton for president. Perhaps "support" is too strong a word. I'm planning no press conferences to push his candidacy, and will do no campaigning for him. I will vote for him, and make that public. Why? I think that many people do not perceive how truly dangerous the political situation in this country is today. If Bob Dole were to be elected president and Gingrich and the Republicans were to maintain control of Congress, we would see a legislative agenda unlike any in the modern history of this country. There would be an unparalleled war against working people and the poor, and political decisions would be made that could very well be irreversible.Medicare and Medicaid would certainly be destroyed, and tens of millions more Americans would lose their health insurance. Steps would be taken to privatize Social Security, and the very existence of public education in America would be threatened. Serious efforts would be made to pass a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, affirmative action would be wiped out, and gay bashing would intensify. A flat tax would be passed, resulting in a massive shift in income from the working class to the rich, and all of our major environmental legislation would be eviscerated.The Motor Voter bill would be repealed, and legislation making it harder for people to vote would be passed. Union-busting legislation would become law, the minimum wage would be abolished, and child labor would increase. Adults and kids in America would be competing for $3.00-an-hour jobs.You think I'm kidding. You think I'm exaggerating. Well, I'm not. I work in Congress. I listen to these guys every day. They are very serious people. And the folks behind them, the Christian Coalition, the NRA, the Heritage Foundation, and others, are even crazier than they are. My old friend Dick Armey is not some wacko member of Congress laughed at by his colleagues. He is the Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Check out his views. No. I do not want Bob Dole to be president. I'm voting for Bill Clinton.Do I have confidence that Clinton will stand up for the working people of this country--for children, for the elderly, for the folks who are hurting? No, I do not. But a Clinton victory could give us some time to build a movement, to develop a political infrastructure to protect what needs protecting, and to change the direction of the country."
*Are you voting in the general election? Are you #BernieOrBust and how will you end up voting? What do you think about Bernie's endorsement?*For more articles, videos, and show information, check out my website at SadiqSamani.com
-- 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.
"In terms of who to support for president, the choice is really not difficult. I am certainly not a big fan of Bill Clinton's politics. As a strong advocate of a single-payer health care system, I opposed his convoluted health care reform package. I have helped lead the opposition to his trade policies, which represent the interests of corporate America and which are virtually indistinguishable from the views of George Bush and Newt Gingrich. I opposed his bloated military budget, the welfare reform bill that he signed, and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which he supported. He has been weak on campaign finance reform and has caved in far too often on the environment. Bill Clinton is a moderate Democrat. I'm a democratic socialist.Yet, without enthusiasm, I've decided to support Bill Clinton for president. Perhaps "support" is too strong a word. I'm planning no press conferences to push his candidacy, and will do no campaigning for him. I will vote for him, and make that public. Why? I think that many people do not perceive how truly dangerous the political situation in this country is today. If Bob Dole were to be elected president and Gingrich and the Republicans were to maintain control of Congress, we would see a legislative agenda unlike any in the modern history of this country. There would be an unparalleled war against working people and the poor, and political decisions would be made that could very well be irreversible.Medicare and Medicaid would certainly be destroyed, and tens of millions more Americans would lose their health insurance. Steps would be taken to privatize Social Security, and the very existence of public education in America would be threatened. Serious efforts would be made to pass a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, affirmative action would be wiped out, and gay bashing would intensify. A flat tax would be passed, resulting in a massive shift in income from the working class to the rich, and all of our major environmental legislation would be eviscerated.The Motor Voter bill would be repealed, and legislation making it harder for people to vote would be passed. Union-busting legislation would become law, the minimum wage would be abolished, and child labor would increase. Adults and kids in America would be competing for $3.00-an-hour jobs.You think I'm kidding. You think I'm exaggerating. Well, I'm not. I work in Congress. I listen to these guys every day. They are very serious people. And the folks behind them, the Christian Coalition, the NRA, the Heritage Foundation, and others, are even crazier than they are. My old friend Dick Armey is not some wacko member of Congress laughed at by his colleagues. He is the Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Check out his views. No. I do not want Bob Dole to be president. I'm voting for Bill Clinton.Do I have confidence that Clinton will stand up for the working people of this country--for children, for the elderly, for the folks who are hurting? No, I do not. But a Clinton victory could give us some time to build a movement, to develop a political infrastructure to protect what needs protecting, and to change the direction of the country."
*Are you voting in the general election? Are you #BernieOrBust and how will you end up voting? What do you think about Bernie's endorsement?*For more articles, videos, and show information, check out my website at SadiqSamani.com
-- 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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"My Own People Hate Me!" - Black Brooklyn Cop Slams "False Narrative Of Black Lives Matter"
Authored by Brooklyn, NY police officer Jay Stalien (via Facebook),*I have come to realize something that is still hard for me to understand to this day.* The following may be a shock to some coming from an African American, but the mere fact that it may be shocking to some is prima facie evidence of the sad state of affairs that we are in as Humans.
*I used to be so torn inside growing up. Here I am, a young African-American born and raised in Brooklyn, NY wanting to be a cop.* I watched and lived through the crime that took place in the hood. My own black people killing others over nothing. Crack heads and heroin addicts lined the lobby of my building as I shuffled around them to make my way to our 1 bedroom apartment with 6 of us living inside.* I used to be woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of gun fire, only to look outside and see that it was 2 African Americans shooting at each other.*
It never sat right with me. I wanted to help my community and stop watching the blood of African Americans spilled on the street at the hands of a fellow black man. *I became a cop because black lives in my community, along with ALL lives, mattered to me, and wanted to help stop the bloodshed.*
*As time went by in my law enforcement career, I quickly began to realize something. *I remember the countless times I stood 2 inches from a young black man, around my age, laying on his back, gasping for air as blood filled his lungs. I remember them bleeding profusely with the unforgettable smell of deoxygenated dark red blood in the air, as it leaked from the bullet holes in his body on to the hot sidewalk on a summer day.* I remember the countless family members who attacked me, spit on me, cursed me out, as I put up crime scene tape to cordon off the crime scene, yelling and screaming out of pain and anger at the sight of their loved ones taking their last breath.* I never took it personally, I knew they were hurting. I remember the countless times I had to order new uniforms, because the ones I had on, were bloody from the blood of another black victim…of black on black crime. I remember the countless times I got back in my patrol car, distraught after having watched another black male die in front me, having to start my preliminary report something like this:
*Suspect- Black/ Male, Victim-Black /Male.*
I remember the countless times I canvassed the area afterwards, and asked everyone “did you see who did it”, and the* popular response from the very same family members was always, “Fuck the Police, I ain't no snitch, Im gonna take care of this myself"*. This happened every single time, every single homicide, black on black, and then my realization became clearer.
I woke up every morning, put my freshly pressed uniform on, shined my badge, functioned checked my weapon, kissed my wife and kid, and waited for my wife to say the same thing she always does before I leave, “Make sure you come back home to us”. I always replied, “I will”, but the truth was I was never sure if I would. I almost lost my life on this job, and every call, every stop, every moment that I had this uniform on, was another possibility for me to almost lose my life again. I was a target in the very community I swore to protect, the very community I wanted to help. As a matter of fact, they hated my very presence. They called me “Uncle Tom”, and “wanna be white boy”, and I couldn’t understand why. My own fellow black men and women attacking me, wishing for my death, wishing for the death of my family. I was so confused, so torn, I couldn’t understand why my own black people would turn against me, when every time they called …I was there. Every time someone died….I was there. Every time they were going through one of the worst moments in their lives…I was there. So why was I the enemy? I dove deep into that question…Why was I the enemy? Then my realization became clearer.
*I spoke to members of the community and listened to some of the complaints as to why they hated cops. I then did research on the facts. I also presented facts to these members of the community, and listened to their complaints in response. *This is what I learned:
*Complaint: Police always targeting us, they always messing with the black man.*
*Fact: A city where the majority of citizens are black (Baltimore for example) …will ALWAYS have a higher rate of black people getting arrested,* it will ALWAYS have a higher rate of blacks getting stopped, and will ALWAYS have a higher rate of blacks getting killed, and the reason why is because a city with those characteristics will ALWAYS have a higher rate of blacks committing crime. The statistics will follow the same trend for Asians if you go to China, for Hispanics if you go to Puerto Rico, for whites if you go to Russia, and the list goes on. *It’s called Demographics*
*Complaint: More black people get arrested than white boys.*
*Fact: Black People commit a grossly disproportionate amount of crime. *Data from the FBI shows that Nationwide, Blacks committed 5,173 homicides in 2014, whites committed 4,367. Chicago’s death toll is almost equal to that of both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined. Chicago’s death toll from 2001–November, 26 2015 stands at 7,401. The combined total deaths during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2015: 4,815) and Operation Enduring Freedom/Afghanistan (2001-2015: 3,506), total 8,321.
*Complaint: Blacks are the only ones getting killed by police, or they are killed more.*
*Fact: As of July 2016, the breakdown of the number of US Citizens killed by Police this year is, 238 White people killed, 123 Black people killed,* 79 Hispanics, 69 other/or unknown race.
*Complaint: Well we already doing a good job of killing ourselves, we don’t need the Police to do it. Besides they should know better.*
*Fact: Black people kill more other blacks than Police do, and there are only protest and outrage when a cop kills a black man.* University of Toledo criminologist Dr. Richard R. Johnson examined the latest crime data from the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports and Centers for Disease Control and found that an average of 4,472 black men were killed by other black men annually between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2012. Professor Johnson’s research further concluded that 112 black men died from both justified and unjustified police-involved killings annually during this same period.
*The more I listened, the more I realized. The more I researched, the more I realized.* I would ask questions, and would only get emotional responses & inferences based on no facts at all. The more killing I saw, the more tragedy, the more savagery, the more violence, the more loss of life of a black man at the hands of another black man….the more I realized.
*I haven’t slept well in the past few nights. Heartbreak weighs me down, rage flows through my veins, and tears fills my eyes*. I watched my fellow officers assassinated on live television, and the images of them laying on the ground are seared into my brain forever. I couldn’t help but wonder if it had been me, a black man, a black cop, on TV, assassinated, laying on the ground dead*... would my friends and family still think black lives mattered?* Would my life have mattered? Would they make t-shirts in remembrance of me? Would they go on tv and protest violence? Would they even make a Facebook post, or share a post in reference to my death?
*All of my realizations came to this conclusion.*
*Black Lives do not matter to most black people. Only the lives that make the national news matter to them. *Only the lives that are taken at the hands of cops or white people, matter. The other thousands of lives lost, the other black souls that I along with every cop, have seen taken at the hands of other blacks, do not matter.* *Their deaths are unnoticed, accepted as the “norm”, and swept underneath the rug by the very people who claim and post “black lives matter”.
*I realized that this country is full of ignorance*, where an educated individual will watch the ratings-driven news media, and watch a couple YouTube video clips, and then come to the conclusion that they have all the knowledge they need to have in order to know what it feels like to have a bullet proof vest as part of your office equipment, “Stay Alive” as part of your daily to do list, and having insurance for your health insurance because of the high rate of death in your profession. They watch a couple videos and then they magically know in 2 minutes 35 seconds, how you are supposed to handle a violent encounter, which took you 6 months of Academy training, 2 – 3 months of field training, and countless years of blood, sweat, tears and broken bones experiencing violent encounters and fine tuning your execution of the Use of Force Continuum.
*I realized that there are even cops, COPS, duly sworn law enforcement officers, who are supposed to be decent investigators, who will publicly go on the media and call other white cops racist* and KKK, based on a video clip that they watched thousands of miles away, which was filmed after the fact, based on a case where the details aren’t even known yet and the investigation hasn’t even begun.
*I realized that most in the African American community refuse to look at solving the bigger problem that I see and deal with every day, which is black on black crime taking hundreds of innocent black lives each year,* and instead focus on the 9 questionable deaths of black men, where some were in the act of committing crimes.
*I realized that they value the life of a Sex Offender and Convicted Felon,* [who was in the act of committing multiple felonies: felon in possession of a firearm-FELONY, brandishing and threatening a homeless man with a gun-Aggravated Assault in Florida: FELONY, who resisted officers who first tried to taze him, and WAS NOT RESTRAINED, who can be clearly seen in one of the videos raising his right shoulder, then shooting it down towards the right side of his body exactly where the firearm was located and recovered] *more than the lives of the innocent cops who were assassinated in Dallas *protecting the very people that hated them the most.
*I realized that they refuse to believe that most cops acknowledge that there are Bad cops who should have never been given a badge & gun,* who are chicken shit and will shoot a cockroach if it crawls at them too fast, who never worked in the hood and may be intimidated. That most cops dread the thought of having to shoot someone, and never see the turmoil and mental anguish that a cop goes through after having to kill someone to save his own life. Instead they believe that we are all blood thirsty killers, because the media says so, even though the numbers prove otherwise.
*I realize that they truly feel as if the death of cops will help people realize the false narrative that Black Lives Matter*, when all it will do is take their movement two steps backwards and label them domestic terrorist.
*I realized that some of these people, who say Black Lives Matter, are full of hate and racism.* Hate for cops, because of the false narrative that more black people are targeted and killed. Racism against white people, for a tragedy that began 100’s of years ago, when most of the white people today weren’t even born yet.
*I realized that some in the African American community’s idea of “Justice” is the prosecution of ANY and EVERY cop or white man *that kills or is believed to have killed a black man, no matter what the circumstances are.
*I realized the African American community refuses to look within to solve its major issues, and instead makes excuses and looks outside for solutions*. I realized that a lot of people in the African American community lead with hate, instead of love. Division instead of Unity. Turmoil and rioting, instead of Peace.
*I realized that they have become the very entity that they claim they are fighting against.*
*And ultimately, I realized that the very reasons I became a cop, are the very reasons my own people hate me, and now in this toxic hateful racially charged political climate, I am now more likely to die... and it is still hard for me to understand... to this day.* Reported by Zero Hedge 17 hours ago.
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Brigham Faulkner Hospital unable to avoid nurse picket
Despite meeting for the eighth time with Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, the union nurses said they have yet to come to an agreement and will still picket on Friday. Union officials said some progress had been made during negotiations on Wednesday, but the sides continue to disagree about wages, security, benefits and staffing. “Faulkner nurses proudly stood up to health insurance takeaways that the hospital withdrew Wednesday, but the hospital and (parent organization) Partners HealthCare…
Reported by bizjournals 17 hours ago.
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Hillary, Pick Tom Perez For Vice President
*If It Can’t Be Sanders, Warren, or Brown, Tom Perez is the Next Best Pick*Tom Perez was the top legal adviser to the nation’s “Liberal Lion” (Senator Ted Kennedy) on civil rights, the criminal justice system, and the U.S. Constitution. He attended the most liberal Ivy. He graduated from Harvard Law School. He was the first Hispanic elected to the Montgomery County Council in Maryland. He has the support of the AFL-CIO, the largest union federation in the United States. He was the Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He’s the current Secretary of Labor. He’s a second-generation American. He’s the child of immigrants. His father enlisted in the Army while a non-citizen. He father was a doctor. His grandfather was exiled from the Dominican Republic for speaking out against a dictator. He has degrees in International Relations, Political Science, and Law. He worked his way through college as a janitor and food-service employee. He knows what it’s like to need and receive federal grants to attend college. He worked for the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights. He clerked for a progressive judge in Colorado. He was a prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. He chaired the federal government’s Worker Exploitation Task Force. He was a teacher for six years. As a county councilor he asked to work on three committees: Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the Environment. He spearheaded legislation outlawing predatory lending, particularly subprime lending, years before the national housing and banking crises. He’s opposed healthcare privatization with both activism and legislation. He introduced an initiative in Montgomery County, Maryland to provide affordable prescription drugs for county employees and retirees. He has the support of the teachers’ unions. He has the support of the SEIU. He prosecuted corporations suspected of engaging in workplace fraud as the head of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. He focused his prosecutions on corporations that evade taxes and deny health insurance benefits to their workers. He has years of executive experience at the county, state, and federal levels. He fought for a living wage in Maryland. He served as co-chair of the Maryland Workforce Creation and Adult Education Transition Council, fighting for better educational funding for correctional institutions. He was nominated by President Obama to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. His nomination before the U.S. Senate received more than 90% support in committee, and 77% from the full Senate, with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority ultimately declaring him qualified for the position. His nomination was openly opposed by only two out of a hundred Senators. He fought for expansion and better enforcement of the Americans With Disabilities Act, focusing on discrimination against individuals with HIV/AIDS. He fought for the expansion and enforcement of laws protecting LGBTQI+ individuals from hate crimes. He oversaw the first hate crime conviction under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. He was an early endorser of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a statute prohibiting discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. He was one of the first federal lawyers ever to seek the application of Title IX to a gender identity discrimination case. His office found and prosecuted multiple violations of African-American and disabled students’ due process rights in Mississippi schools, accusing these schools of running a “school-to-prison pipeline.” He investigated the Sanford, Florida police department over its handling of the Trayvon Martin case, leading to the firing of the town’s police chief. He took action against the Seattle Police Department for excessive use of force in the death of a homeless Native American man, John T. Williams. He investigated and prosecuted Trump supporter and oft-accused civil rights abuser Sheriff Joe Arpaio over the running of his correctional facilities in Arizona, specifically targeting Arpaio’s treatment of Latino inmates. His wife works for the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. He has three children. He is known, at the Department of Labor, for regularly making house-calls and site visits to directly get feedback from abused and exploited American workers. He challenged Republicans’ new “voter ID” law in South Carolina. He challenged Republicans’ new “voter ID” law in Texas. His nomination for Secretary of Labor was opposed by Trump booster Jeff Sessions over Perez’s progressive views on immigration. His nomination was supported enthusiastically by the NAACP, the National Women’s Law Center, the United Farm Workers of America, and the AFL-CIO. Owing in large part to his progressive track record in government, his was the first cabinet-level confirmation vote in U.S. history that received a party-line vote in the Senate. He’s often been called a “progressive champion.” He would be the first Latino on a major-party ticket. He’s fought bigotry, big banks, and big corporations his entire life. Bernie would approve of his selection for the Democratic ticket.
A public defender in New England from 2000 to 2007, Seth Abramson is now an Assistant Professor at University of New Hampshire and the Series Editor for Best American Experimental Writing (Wesleyan University). He is also the author of six books, most recently DATA (BlazeVOX, 2016).
-- 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 56 minutes ago.
A public defender in New England from 2000 to 2007, Seth Abramson is now an Assistant Professor at University of New Hampshire and the Series Editor for Best American Experimental Writing (Wesleyan University). He is also the author of six books, most recently DATA (BlazeVOX, 2016).
-- 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 56 minutes ago.
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Medibank customer complaints have sky-rocketed since its privatisation
Medibank customers appear to be the most dissatisfied, with complaints to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman sky-rocketing in the past three years.
Reported by Brisbane Times 5 hours ago.
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New AIS Report Outlines Strategies for Achieving High Star Ratings on Pharmacy Measures
The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings: Solutions for Part D Plan Sponsors and Their Partners, the latest report in AIS’s Management Insight Series, outlines the steps taken by one leading Medicare Part D plan and its affiliated PBM to achieve high star ratings on pharmaceutical measures, including high-risk medications, and cholesterol and hypertension adherence.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 21, 2016
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is pleased to announce the publication of the latest report in its Management Insight Series, The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings: Solutions for Part D Plan Sponsors and Their Partners. Featuring commentary from executives at Cambia Health Solutions, Inc., and its PBM, OmedaRx, the report offers key strategies for improving metrics in high-risk medications, cholesterol and hypertension adherence, and other tough measures.
The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings provides valuable, practical intelligence and training on how insurers and PBMs can:· Use a cross-functional, holistic collaborative approach via a population-management model to manage member health and improve star ratings across measures.
· Improve Part D measures for gains in star ratings through better member outcomes.
· Influence Part D improvements through a focus on Part C measures.
· Use incentives and partnerships with providers to drive gains.
The report also includes background information on CMS’s star quality measure program, including how plans fared in the program in 2016 and how it will change in 2017 and beyond.
For more information on The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings: Solutions for Part D Plan Sponsors and Their Partners, including a full table of contents, visit https://aishealth.com/marketplace/challenges-pharmacy-star-ratings.
AIS’s Management Insight Series is designed to provide practical solutions to complex business challenges with the help of the industry’s most insightful advisors and managers. See a full list of titles in this series at http://aishealth.com/marketplace/insight-series.
About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for nearly 30 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals and health systems, health insurance companies, medical group practices, purchasers of health insurance, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, databases, websites, looseleafs, strategic reports, directories, webinars, virtual conferences and training programs. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 21, 2016
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is pleased to announce the publication of the latest report in its Management Insight Series, The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings: Solutions for Part D Plan Sponsors and Their Partners. Featuring commentary from executives at Cambia Health Solutions, Inc., and its PBM, OmedaRx, the report offers key strategies for improving metrics in high-risk medications, cholesterol and hypertension adherence, and other tough measures.
The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings provides valuable, practical intelligence and training on how insurers and PBMs can:· Use a cross-functional, holistic collaborative approach via a population-management model to manage member health and improve star ratings across measures.
· Improve Part D measures for gains in star ratings through better member outcomes.
· Influence Part D improvements through a focus on Part C measures.
· Use incentives and partnerships with providers to drive gains.
The report also includes background information on CMS’s star quality measure program, including how plans fared in the program in 2016 and how it will change in 2017 and beyond.
For more information on The Challenges of Pharmacy Star Ratings: Solutions for Part D Plan Sponsors and Their Partners, including a full table of contents, visit https://aishealth.com/marketplace/challenges-pharmacy-star-ratings.
AIS’s Management Insight Series is designed to provide practical solutions to complex business challenges with the help of the industry’s most insightful advisors and managers. See a full list of titles in this series at http://aishealth.com/marketplace/insight-series.
About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for nearly 30 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals and health systems, health insurance companies, medical group practices, purchasers of health insurance, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, databases, websites, looseleafs, strategic reports, directories, webinars, virtual conferences and training programs. Learn more at http://AISHealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.
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GoHealth Acquires Connected Benefits, Expands Technology Platform Into Group Market
CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - July 21, 2016) - GoHealth, the leading health insurance technology and services platform, today announced the acquisition of Connected Benefits, a provider of employee benefits management software and group health insurance solutions. With Connected Benefits, GoHealth will now offer a seamless marketplace solution to address the growing health insurance needs of both individuals and employers.
Reported by Marketwired 2 hours ago.
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Covered California shows it's not immune to big premium increases
Californians shopping for individual health insurance policies have seen some of the smallest increases in the nation over the last two years, thanks in part to the efforts of Covered California, the state's insurance exchange established under the 2010 federal healthcare law (better known as Obamacare). But...
Reported by L.A. Times 1 hour ago.
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U.S. regulators to block Anthem-Cigna, Aetna-Humana deals Thursday-source
NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - U.S. antitrust regulators will announce on Thursday plans to file lawsuits to block two separate health insurance mergers, Anthem Inc.'s purchase of Cigna Corp. and...
Reported by Reuters 14 minutes ago.
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