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AlphaStaff Alleviates ACA Pains in California Through Partnership With Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente

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Employers in the state of California can now turn to AlphaStaff, and allies Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente, for a solution to Affordable Care Act (ACA) small to large group changes.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) October 18, 2016

As of Jan. 1, 2016, small businesses are required to conform to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employer Mandate, bringing about regulations related to providing health insurance to employees. Today, many large businesses in California will also be influenced by these regulations. Groups needing to find a solution by the end of the year can now turn to AlphaStaff and allies Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente for a solution.

Through this alliance, AlphaStaff, a full-service national professional employment organization (PEO) and HR outsourcing firm, is able to offer a master health benefits plan in the state of California that features superior health benefits options from both carriers. The Company also provides supplemental products such as dental, vision, life, disability and worksite voluntary through MetLife.

While employers around the West Coast are excited to be able to offer this enticing value-add to their workforce, larger businesses can also utilize the master benefits plan to assist in relieving the burdensome ACA compliance standards. With the help of both Anthem and Kaiser, AlphaStaff can offer large group, composite rated medical solutions for employers in the 51-99 space. Clients can now easily find solutions that assist with the additional regulations in place when it comes to health insurance, coverage, and reporting.

“The very definition of a large employer has changed from employers with 50 or more, to employers with 100 or more. That being said, larger businesses will now be moved from large group platforms to the small group. This means that they will have to accept, learn to manage, and get acclimated to member-level ratings and metallic tiered plans with [generally speaking] lesser benefits and increased costs,” explained Kim Lowe, AlphaStaff’s Agency Director and licensed ACA professional.

“This partnership has been vital in assisting business owners in the process of navigating the changes brought on by ACA,” stated Kyle R. Kelly, President and CEO AlphaStaff. “We are excited to be able to continue to enhance our offerings through this partnership with two of the nation’s top carriers.”

Employers of all sizes may be looking for an alternative solution. Brokers and business owners alike can contact AlphaStaff’s Market Development department at marketdevelopment(at)alphastaff(dot)com to learn more.

About AlphaStaff

AlphaStaff, founded in 1997, has supported more than 100,000 worksite employees in 49 states. The company is a leading HR outsourcing organization that delivers a tailored suite of human resources, employee benefits, and employee administration solutions designed to support organizations across all stages of growth. AlphaStaff delivers measurable results ensuring clients achieve their objectives related to cost management, efficiency, compliance and profitability. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.

State Farm Agent Janna Misek Helping Soles4Souls Wear Out Poverty

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Janna Misek, of State Farm, spearheads holiday shoe drive for Soles4Souls, a nonprofit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing.

Oswego, IL (PRWEB) October 18, 2016

State Farm Agent Janna Misek is proud to announce her office, located at 1136 Douglas Road, Oswego, IL, is hosting a holiday donation drive for Soles4Souls, where she will be collecting donated shoes from October 24 to December 19. “I strongly encourage everyone in the community to drop by my office and drop off a new or gently worn pair of shoes to help Soles4Souls fight poverty,” said Misek.

Soles4Souls aims is to eradicate extreme poverty by 2050. Children every day are prevented from attending school and adults are unable to work as walking becomes unbearable, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty. To date, Soles4Souls has collected and distributed more than 26 million pairs of shoes to those in need in 127 countries around the world and all 50 states in the U.S.

“Every pair of donated shoes counts, and can provide relief today so thousands can succeed tomorrow,” concluded Misek. “Every person in the world should have at least one good pair of shoes.”

For more information about getting involved with Soles4Souls or to become an official drop-off location, visit https://soles4souls.org/get-involved/.

About Soles4Souls
Soles4Souls is a not-for-profit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing. The organization advances its anti-poverty mission by collecting new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities. Based in Nashville, TN, Soles4Souls is committed to the highest standards of operating and governance and holds a four-star rating with Charity Navigator.

About Janna Misek, State Farm
Janna Misek offers auto, home and property, life and health insurance, as well as banking products, annuities and mutual funds. For more information, please call (630) 554-1540, or visit http://www.statefarm.com/agent/US/IL/Oswego/Janna-Misek-0FMR32T8000.

About the NALA™
The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALA’s mission is to promote a business’ relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361. Reported by PRWeb 18 hours ago.

BP3: A Top Ten Best Place to Work

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BP3 Global, a global provider of business process and decision management software and services has been named eighth in Fortune’s “2016 Best Small Workplaces” list.

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) October 18, 2016

BP3 Global (http://www.bp-3.com), a global provider of business process and decision management software and services has been named eighth in Fortune’s “2016 Best Small Workplaces” list.

Fortune revealed its full list of Best Small & Medium Companies at The Great Places to Work® Gala in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, October 11th.

“There’s nothing better than being honored by your peers and colleagues for being a great place to work,” said Scott Francis, CEO and co-founder of BP3. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to have everyone else find out what we’ve known all along: that we have something special going on at BP3 with this team, and we have made this an amazing place to work. Thrilled that the secret is out.”

This year’s competition saw exponential growth according to Great Places to Work. In the face of increasingly tough competition, BP3’s ranking improved from #18 to #8.

The driving force behind BP3’s success is its great employees, and BP3 works hard to show appreciation for their hard work. With less than 3% of employees voluntarily leaving BP3 in a year, it is easy to see how they live up to their “best workplace” reputation. Although the interview process is extensive, the culture and employment perks have potential employees applying for jobs in record numbers. Some perks and benefits include: free health insurance, student loan repayment matching, 401(k) matching, employee parties and outings, and unlimited PTO. The BP3 global headquarters also features a fully stocked kitchen, Ping-Pong and shuffle board tables, a fitness center, and on-site café.

“Even when raising money for the first time this year, we were careful to select and investment firm in Petra Capital that was really aligned with our culture and appreciated our values-oriented approach to running our business,” Scott Francis said. “Trust doesn’t stop and start with our team, it extends to our partners, investors, and customers.” “

“We applaud BP3 Global, Inc. for seeking certification and releasing its employees’ feedback,” said Kim Peters, Vice President of Great Place to Work’s Recognition Program. “These ratings measure capacity to earn its own employees’ trust and create a great workplace – critical metrics that anyone considering working for or doing business with BP3 Global, Inc. should take into account as an indicator of high performance.”

BP3 Global also ranked as a best workplace for Best Small Workplaces 2015, Best Workplaces in Technology 2016, and Best Workplaces for Recent Grads 2016 by Great Place to Work and Fortune.

To read BP3’s review click here. Click here to see the full list of “50 Best Small Workplaces” on Fortune.com.

About The Best Small and Medium Workplaces:

Published together with our partner, Fortune, the Best Small & Medium Workplaces rankings are based entirely upon feedback from more than 52,000 employees at Great Place to Work–Certified companies. Employees completed our anonymous Trust Index© survey, answering questions about how frequently they experience the behaviors that create a great workplace, including, for example, their assessment of the honesty and quality of communication by managers, degree of support for employees' personal and professional lives and the authenticity of relationships with colleagues.

Results from the survey are highly reliable, having a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of 5% or less. Winning a spot on this list indicates the company has distinguished itself from peers by creating a great place to work for all – not only do the majority of their employees experience the company as a great place to work, but this experience is consistent across the organization, regardless of gender, race/ethnicity, job role, or other personal characteristics. The companies with the highest employee ratings compared with organizations of the same complexity in size and scope were selected for the list. Companies with fewer than 100 employees compete for placement on the 50 Best Small Workplaces list, and companies between 100 and 999 employees compete for placement on the 100 Best Medium Workplaces list.

About Great Place to Work®

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work® provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In the United States, Great Place to Work® produces the annual Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For®" and a series of Great Place to Work® Best Workplaces lists, including lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity and over a half dozen different industries.

Follow Great Place to Work® online at http://www.greatplacetowork.com/ and on Twitter at @GPTW_US.

About BP3 Global

BP3 provides business process, decision management, and analytics software and services to the Fortune 500. Since 2007, BP3’s Brazos Platform has been powering thousands of digital transformations forat our customers. BP3’s solutions and services have transformed customer experiences in Financial Services, Retail, Healthcare, and the Energy sectors. BP3 goes beyond analytics by embedding insights into workflows to actually address the problems by connecting the dots between the customer experience and the enterprise. The largest corporations in the world depend on BP3’s operational services including: 24×7 solution support, process optimization, migration assistance, and cloud management. BP3 is a best place to work recognized by Fortune magazine and The Austin Business Journal. A fast growing company headquartered in Austin, Texas with offices in London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bp-3.com Reported by PRWeb 17 hours ago.

Zombie marketing: Selling health insurance to the dead

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Being dead hasn’t stopped Martin Siegel from being a solid insurance prospect.

Siegel, who died in 2002, would have turned 65 this year. As such, he’s received solicitations from UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente and other insurers trying to sign him up for Medicare Advantage plans.

“It’s just... Reported by L.A. Times 16 hours ago.

AIS Webinar: Case Studies from Molina, Capital BlueCross Detail Best Practices for Telehealth Implementation

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Executives from Molina Healthcare and Capital BlueCross will discuss how their respective companies implemented major expansions of telehealth services in an Oct. 27 webinar sponsored by Atlantic Information Services.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) October 18, 2016

Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is pleased to announce, “Using Telehealth to Expand Networks and Deliver Quality Care: Case Studies From Molina and Capital BlueCross,” an Oct. 27 webinar. Executives from both health insurers will detail how their companies implemented major expansions of their telehealth programs: Capital BlueCross’s new telehealth option lets members connect with a network provider or to its vendor’s nationwide network of board-certified physicians, while Molina HealthCare, Inc. expanded its telehealth program to give Medicaid beneficiaries virtual access to licensed therapists and psychiatrists for behavioral health care.

In 60 minutes of expert presentations, Frances Gough, M.D., chief medical officer for Molina, and Rebecca Winemiller, senior product strategy consultant for Capital BlueCross, will answer key questions such as:· How can telehealth satisfy network adequacy requirements for certain specialties?
· Why does the movement toward value-based care make telehealth an essential component to insurance coverage?
· Who are the top telehealth vendors? What key questions should health plans ask them before signing a contract?
· What steps should insurers take to get their network providers to accept and embrace telehealth?
· What are the challenges in e-prescribing, and how can they be addressed most effectively?
· Which states have the most restrictive rules?
· Where can you find your state’s telehealth payment parity laws for private insurers?
· How can telehealth be used as part of a health plan’s consumer-engagement strategy?
· What are the rules regarding telehealth visits under Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance?

The webinar will also include a concluding 30-minute Q&A session.

Visit https://aishealth.com/marketplace/c6m21_102716 for more details and registration 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 15 hours ago.

Future of Healthcare IT Outsourcing Market Hinges on U.S. Election, Department of Justice Verdict—Everest Group

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Healthcare payers choose wait-and-see strategy for mergers, health insurance exchanges; focus on security, integrated operations is full steam ahead according to annual research report from Everest Group

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) October 18, 2016

The outlook for the global healthcare IT outsourcing (ITO) market is hanging in the balance, with all eyes watching to see the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and the verdict of antitrust proceedings filed by the U.S. Department of Justice opposing the proposed Aetna-Humana and Anthem-Cigna mergers. Despite these uncertainties, Everest Group predicts that the global healthcare ITO market will exhibit a 12 percent compound annual growth rate during the period between 2014 and 2020, reaching US$68.3 billion in 2020.

“This growth, a bright spot in an otherwise bleak IT outsourcing marketplace, will be driven primarily by healthcare payers as they gear up for various movements in the market, such as payer-provider convergence, patient-centric care, evolving reimbursement models and value-chain digitization,” said Abhishek Singh, practice director with Everest Group and leader of Everest Group’s Healthcare & Life Sciences research practice. “Tactically, payers need to evolve on their sourcing maturity journey. The cost and efficiency mandate will be best served by sourcing the best quality services at the lowest possible costs. In this regard, the maturing technology service provider landscape is ripe for payers to explore outsourcing in a big bang manner.”

Everest Group has identified four trends that will shape healthcare IT outsourcing demand in the next 24 months:· Large mergers are being pursued in the healthcare payer market. As noted above, two such mergers are being held at bay by the U.S. Department of Justice, with antitrust proceedings slated to begin on December 5, 2016. Should the mergers proceed, they will (after an initial lull in demand) increase the IT consulting spend for merger planning and integration projects. Subsequently, the mergers will lead to vendor consolidation as the surviving entity attempts to eliminate redundant IT systems and processes.

· Disillusionment with health insurance exchanges (HIXs) will impact spending in the near future. Already, several payers are seeking market exit options from the HIX business due to heavy losses sustained in the past financial year. The U.S. presidential election in November 2016 will shape the outcome. Democrats are promoting HIX; Republicans are opposing it. Many factors such as subsidies, premium rates and private participation hang in the balance. Everest Group believes HIX will survive; however, the shape and size of the program will be determined by the largest national plans and by the new US presidential administration. In the meantime, payers have adopted a wait-and-see approach with regards to expanding, withdrawing or investing in the HIX market.

· Security is a top priority for more than 90 percent of CIOs. This will drive the next wave of tech spending. Recent high-profile data breaches combined with a shift in the enterprise perception of threats have given renewed impetus to security and a stronger demand for ROI accountability.

· Integrated operations is the way forward for large healthcare IT outsourcing deals in the mid-market. Service providers who are able to guarantee financial outcomes and predictable spend for adoption of integrated applications, infrastructure and processes will win the favor of payers.

Each of these trends—how they came to be and the implications they hold for payers, service providers and consumers—are discussed in detail in “Healthcare Payer IT Services: Outsource (Offshore) or Perish.” In this annual report, Everest Group analyzes the current trends and future outlook of large, multi-year ITO relationships in the healthcare payer market. The report also provides specific insights into enabling a go-to-market strategy for healthcare IT.

About Everest Group
Everest Group is a consulting and research firm focused on strategic IT, business services, and sourcing. We are trusted advisors to senior executives of leading enterprises, providers, and investors. Our firm helps clients improve operational and financial performance through a hands-on process that supports them in making well-informed decisions that deliver high-impact results and achieve sustained value. Our insight and guidance empower clients to improve organizational efficiency, effectiveness, agility and responsiveness. What sets Everest Group apart is the integration of deep sourcing knowledge, problem-solving skills and original research. Details and in-depth content are available at http://www.everestgrp.com.

###

Contact:

Andrea M. Riffle, Everest Group
andrea.riffle(at)everestgrp.com

Robert Cathey, Cathey Communications
+1-865-386-6118
robert@cathey.co Reported by PRWeb 14 hours ago.

Trump Says Clinton Wants Single-Payer Healthcare -- Is He Right?

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Replacing the private health insurance market with a single-payer system is highly controversial. However, it's unlikely to happen under a Clinton presidency. Reported by Motley Fool 14 hours ago.

HealthSherpa Simplifies Federal Healthcare Marketplace Sign-Ups During Open Enrollment Period

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Premier technology solution for accessing Affordable Care Act Marketplace opens new Sacramento office to schedule in-person healthcare enrollment

San Francisco (PRWEB) October 18, 2016

HealthSherpa, the premier technology solution streamlining accessibility to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace, today announced enhancements in the navigation of its website, simplifying the process of finding and enrolling in a health plan. Based on experience enrolling more than 500,000 to the ACA Marketplace, HealthSherpa is prepared for the extra support required and has doubled the number of consumer advocates available for guidance. These updates will effectively optimize health insurance sign-ups during the open enrollment period, November 1, 2016 – January 31, 2017.

“Finding and enrolling in a health plan has proven to be frustrating, daunting and exhaustive at best,” said Catherine “Cat” Perez, co-founder and chief product officer of HealthSherpa. “This is why we spend lots of time conducting interviews, running usability testing, sending out surveys, and working very closely with our front line and customer service team, the consumer advocates. Combined with quantitative insights, it helps us continuously improve the HealthSherpa experience across all channels. The goal is seamless self-enrollment with easy access to our consumer advocates for extra guidance. Our advocates have a unique and valuable perspective because they hail from nonprofit and social work backgrounds, thus driven by empathy rather than sales.”

Examples of HealthSherpa website enhancements include an income calculator, decision support, generated recommendations, and budgeting features to provide more self-service and guidance for people to make informed decisions when choosing and enrolling in a health insurance plan.

Phone calls with consumer advocates are also encouraged to facilitate enrollment for all populations – from part-time and seasonal employees to independent contractors who file Form 1099, those in career transitions who qualify for COBRA, as well as early retirees under 65 years old or those eligible for retirement. HealthSherpa’s consumer advocates are available seven days a week and year-round.

Agents also use HealthSherpa to enroll people in marketplace coverage. HealthSherpa’s agent base has grown 300%, increasing from 4,000 in 2015 to 13,000 in 2016.This allows even more channels for consumers to identify the best healthcare coverage that will fit their budgets and healthcare needs.

In October, HealthSherpa opened a new storefront in downtown Sacramento, California, allowing people to schedule in-person meetings with consumer advocates to enroll in health insurance. The office is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call (855) 772-2663, email customer_support(at)healthsherpa(dot)com, or visit http://www.HealthSherpa.com and click the Schedule Appointment link under Contact.

About Healthsherpa
HealthSherpa is the premier technology solution streamlining accessibility to the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) Federal Healthcare Marketplace. Launched alongside Healthcare.gov in 2013, HealthSherpa has enrolled 500,000+ people across more than 200 carriers. HealthSherpa has partnerships with private brands, nonprofits and more than 12,000 insurance agents/brokers to support consumer enrollment. Backed by leading investors including Eric Schmidt (former CEO of Google) and Mitch Kapor (founder and CEO of Lotus, Kapor Center for Social Impact), HealthSherpa's mission is to help every American feel the comfort and security of having health coverage. The company delivers innovation, technology, and customer service by real people to make the Healthcare Marketplace easier to understand, faster to sign up, and simpler to use. Learn more at http://www.HealthSherpa.com. Reported by PRWeb 13 hours ago.

How to Pick a Health Insurance Plan

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For a young person, buying health insurance for the first time can be daunting. The answers to these questions can help. Reported by NYTimes.com 6 hours ago.

UnitedHealth Climbs on Strong Earnings, Brighter Outlook

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The health insurance giant continues to beat investor expectations at every turn. Reported by Motley Fool 11 hours ago.

Regulators: Pennsylvania health insurance premiums to rise

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State regulators say the cost of health insurance premiums will be going up sharply next year for residents who buy individual plans. Reported by philly.com 10 hours ago.

Schrodinflation: Healthcare Costs Are Either Soaring Or Flat, Depending On How They Are Measured

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Schrodinflation: Healthcare Costs Are Either Soaring Or Flat, Depending On How They Are Measured Following Yellen's Friday speech, the phrase "High-Pressure Economy" has attained something of a viral status within the economist community. And while there is little risk of US economic growth, much of its supported by mandatory spending on Obamacare which now feeds directly into GDP as a component of "healthcare spending", hitting an even remotely "high-pressure" state, with both Q3 and Q4 GDP expected to print below 2% according to regional Fed forecasts, one place where there is substantial *"high pressure", *is in inflation.

While we noted earlier today that core CPI posted its 11th consecutive print above the Fed's mandated target of 2%, even as the unemployment rate is at the "full mandate" of 5% or lower, here are several charts showing that if the Fed is worried about inflation being too low, it shouldn't.

The first chart shows the dramatic recent surge in Medical Care CPI:

 

The story of soaring Health Insurance costs is well-known, and it will only get worse.

 

And yet, we know the reason why the Fed may be "confused", perhaps on purpose. As Bank of America shows, healthcare inflation is either soaring if one looks at CPI data, or virtually unchanged, based on PCE. Behold: *Schrodinflation.
*

Here is how BofA explained this odd divergence:



*Healthcare prices have turned higher*: It is first important to understand the basic definition of healthcare inflation for CPI and PCE. Healthcare in PCE comprises all healthcare services, regardless of the payer. In contrast, the prices sampled in the CPI exclude transactions for which consumers pay no out-of-pocket expenditures/premium component. For example, CPI would exclude patients covered under Medicaid or Medicare part A. For both PCE and CPI, the price recorded is the price that the provider bills. Thus, if a procedure costs $1,000, and the patient only pays $200 out of pocket, both PCE and CPI will record a price of $1,000 and track how that price changes over time. *PCE healthcare prices are rising at a slower pace than CPI. The key reason is that government policies have restrained price increases for services reimbursed under Medicare/Medicaid, biasing PCE lower.*



Incidentally, this is something we noted back in June 2015 in "With The Spread Between CPI And PCE Blowing Out The Most Since 2009, Is The Fed Making A Big Mistake."

Furthermore, the surging healthcare costs, which they are, are all a function of just one thing: the same one we noted last May: "Why The US Consumer Is About To be Crushed: The Obamacare Inflationary Deluge Arrives."

As is well-known, the Fed prefers PCE as its indicator of inflationary pressures; at a time when it is desperate to avoid the soaring inflation in such a major source of consumer spending as healthcare, and give itself more leeway to keep rates low, we can see why.

But no matter how it is measured, when looking at that key "other" critical cost, *rents*, it could hardly get clearer: as the Census bureau has shown recently as per its update of median asking rents, rents are simply soaring.

 

But fear not: the administration is on top of it. As reported earlier today, the federal government will grant millions of social security recipients with a .... *0.3% cost of living benefits increase. *So there.



BREAKING: The federal government says millions of Social Security recipients will get a 0.3 percent increase in benefits next year.

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 18, 2016

Reported by Zero Hedge 8 hours ago.

Tenth Annual FINEOS Global Summit Kicks Off in San Francisco

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Tenth Annual FINEOS Global Summit Kicks Off in San Francisco DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#FINEOSglobalsummit16--FINEOS Corporation, a market leading provider of core processing systems for Life, Accident and Health insurance, kicked off its tenth annual FINEOS Global Summit in San Francisco today. Representatives from leading insurance organizations from around the world gathered in the JW Marriott Union Square to hear FINEOS’ product roadmap and plans for growth. This year’s Summit is sponsored by PwC, EY and Smart Communications and focuses on the theme of Serving Today’s Digit Reported by Business Wire 7 hours ago.

Health insurance costs to reduce

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Health insurers are under pressure to reduce premium increases to customers after the federal government made changes to medical device pricing. Reported by SBS 5 hours ago.

Rate Increases for Health Plans Pose Serious Test for Obama's Signature Law

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Finalized rates for big health insurance plans show the magnitude of the challenge facing the Obama administration as it seeks to stabilize the insurance market under the Affordable Care Act in its remaining weeks in office. Reported by Wall Street Journal 7 minutes ago.

Policy Issues Driving the 2016 Latino Vote

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*by Adrian D. Pantoja, Ph.D.*

Since the launch five weeks ago of the NALEO Educational Fund/Noticias Telemundo/Latino Decisions tracking poll, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has enjoyed a commanding lead among Latino voters. In the first week she led by 53 points (71 percent for Clinton vs 18 percent favoring Trump). By week three, her lead had grown to 57 points (73 percent for Clinton, 16 percent for Trump). Today, the gap stands at 61 points: 75 percent to 14 percent. Winning the Latino vote so decisively, combined with the vote of other critical segments of the electorate, puts Clinton on a path to victory. Our polls also show that Latinos are strongly backing congressional Democrats.

But Latino support for Hillary Clinton and other Democrats is not solely driven by what they see as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's racist campaign. Rather, the data show that Latinos are supporting these candidates because they believe Clinton and Democratic members of Congress will better address the policy needs of their community. So what policy issues matter most to Latino voters?

Each week, we have asked respondents to state what are the most important issues facing the Hispanic/Latino community that they think Congress and the President should address. Responses were categorized into 15 different policy areas. Below are the top five issue areas listed over the past five weeks.
First, immigration, namely the passage of comprehensive immigration reform, emerged as the top policy issue for Latino voters, although its relative importance has declined over the last five weeks. Latino Decisions has been tracking this issue for many years and has extensively documented its importance to the great majority of Latinos. One of the main reasons immigration factors in so prominently is that this issue personally touches a large proportion of Hispanic voters, who are by definition U.S. citizens.

In the Latino Decisions 2014 Election Eve Poll of Latino midterm election voters, 58 percent nationally and 65 percent in the key swing states of Colorado and Nevada reported that they know a family member, friend, co-worker, or someone else who is an undocumented immigrant. In a June 2013 national survey of all Latino registered voters, 67 percent said they personally know someone who is undocumented. Among them, half said it was someone in their family. In short, the importance of this issue is unlikely to fade until comprehensive immigration reform is realized.

But Latinos are not single-issue voters and immigration is not the only policy that matters to them. Economic issues, particularly having access to jobs and better wages, also factor in prominently. In week five, creating more jobs tied with passing comprehensive immigration reform as the top issue. Despite the decline in the unemployment rate since 2010, Latinos continue having higher levels of unemployment than non-Hispanic whites. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Latinos currently have an unemployment rate of 6 percent, 2 points higher than that of whites.

Being employed is important, but so is having access to well-paying jobs. According to one study, in 2015 the average hourly wage for Latinos was $14, which is $7 lower than the average for whites. Another study noted that Latina women earn a mere 55 cents for every dollar a white male earns. In short, despite overall improvements in the economy, Latino employment rates and earnings continue to lag behind those of white Americans and remain important issues to Hispanic voters.

Combating domestic and international terrorism also emerges as an important issue. The well-publicized terrorist attacks in the U.S. and abroad has made this a salient issue for all Americans. A number of prominent social scientists argue that these attacks improve Donald Trump's support among voters. As one political scientist argued, "America may be one major terrorist attack from Donald Trump as president."

Although this assessment may capture the attitudes of white Americans, it does not appear to reflect those of Latinos. In week 3 of the tracking poll, we asked, Which candidate you do trust more to keep Americans safe from domestic and international terrorism, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Sixty-eight percent of Latinos picked Clinton, while only 11 percent said Trump. By week five, trust in Clinton on this issue declined to 61 percent, though it remains significantly higher than Trump's 18 percent. National security is important to Latinos and they believe Clinton has the experience to protect the country more effectively.

The last of the top five issues for Latinos is having access to affordable health care, although its importance has declined across the five-week period. Other polls by Latino Decisions have shown that Latinos strongly support the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a separate study with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico, we found that the ACA has dramatically reduced the number of Latinos who are uninsured. Nonetheless, the same study shows that a large segment of the Latino population experiences under-insurance or gaps in coverage. Rhetoric surrounding the increase in insurance premiums is a contributing factor driving Latino concerns. While the ACA is not without its flaws, Latino voters favor electing a president and Congress that undertake additional reforms to expand access to affordable health insurance.

The recent and widely noted implosion of the Trump campaign and evident divisions within the Republican Party suggest that Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are headed to a major win in November. Nonetheless, this expected result is not merely due to one side's disastrous campaign performance. For Latino voters and others, support for Hillary Clinton and congressional Democrats is driven by the expectation that their policy needs will in turn be addressed. For Latinos, the passage of comprehensive immigration reform remains a top policy issue. However, they also care about other issues such as access to jobs, better wages, national security, and affordable healthcare. Should these needs be met in the next few years, we would anticipate that Latinos will remain Clinton's "firewall" and strong supporters of the Democratic Party in future elections.

Adrian D. Pantoja, Ph.D., is a Senior Analyst at Latino Decisions, Professor of Political Science at Pitzer College

-- 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 4 hours ago.

What will you see on Obamacare exchange for 2017? Details start to emerge

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Though full details won't be released until later this month, some information is starting to trickle out about what Illinois residents will and won't find when they shop for health insurance on the state's Affordable Care Act exchange.

Neither Northwestern Memorial Hospital nor its physician group,... Reported by ChicagoTribune 15 hours ago.

Rate Increases for Health Plans Pose Serious Test for Obama's Signature Law

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Finalized rates for big health insurance plans show the magnitude of the challenge facing the Obama administration as it seeks to stabilize the insurance market under the Affordable Care Act in its remaining weeks in office. Reported by Wall Street Journal 22 hours ago.

​Health care organizations face consequences if they fail to protect data

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The process and technical requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are not new to information security and privacy professionals. A well-managed information security function needs to be in place to protect a health care organization’s investment in technology and processes, while also protecting sensitive data such as electronic protected health information (ePHI). However, emerging technologies and the continual increase in the depth and quality of regulatory… Reported by bizjournals 22 hours ago.

Cables and Sensors Releases Infographic Detailing Presidential Hopeful Trump's Impact on Obamacare

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As a leading manufacturer in the healthcare space, Cables and Sensors is continuously concerned with the effects that newly elected government officials can have on the industry. This infographic outlines several potential results of repealing Obamacare based on the outcome of the 2016 elections.

Orlando, Florida (PRWEB) October 19, 2016

This election year has been like no other in recent memory. The nation has taken sides, lines in the sand have been drawn, and the candidates have transcended from mere political rivals to highly-charged, vicious enemies - bent on destroying each other’s credibility and electability.

As each leading candidate has spelled out his or her plan for America, one area that is at the forefront of most political discussions is that of healthcare. Namely, will each respective candidate opt to change the existing terms of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), more commonly known as Obamacare, or will they move to repeal it entirely? For presidential hopeful Donald Trump, the message is loud and clear. Trump’s desire is to “scrap the entire program,” calling Obamacare “a horror.” These bold statements are met with either fervent indignation, or… amongst his base, cheers and applause.

When looking at the impact to the nation - if Trump gets his way, one has to look at the ramifications at both a personal economic and a macro economic sense. To put it all in perspective, leading medical equipment manufacturer Cables and Sensors has created an informative infographic that outlines several potential results of repealing Obamacare.

Did you know that eliminating Obamacare could possibly cause over 20 million individuals to lose health insurance coverage? The Federal Deficit could also see a spike of as much as $100 billion over the next ten years. And, those with pre-existing medical conditions would potentially be unable to acquire health insurance if Obamacare were to end.

To view the infographic and see what would potentially happen to Obamacare if Trump wins the election, visit https://www.cablesandsensors.com/pages/what-happens-to-obamacare-if-trump-wins-election

About Cables and Sensors

This award-winning company is a leading manufacturer of patient monitoring accessories, with the core business focused on Sp02 sensors, ECG & EKG cables, NIBP accessories, temperature probes, IBP cables and toco and ultrasound transducers. With more than six years in business, Cables and Sensors is considered a global leader in patient monitoring accessories. In 2015, Cables and Sensors was positioned as #377 out of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in America by Inc. Magazine. Similar companies on the list included Zappos, Under Armour, GoPro, and Timberland. For more information, visit https://www.cablesandsensors.com. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.
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