More than 300,000 signed up for Obamacare after Trump was elected

November 16, 2016, 11:27 am

≫ Next: West, Christ Community look for lung cancer in Orange Mound

≪ Previous: Trump's path on health care law intersects with a lawsuit

Signups for health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act continued to surge this month amid anxiety about the future of the law under President-elect Donald Trump, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The flood of people signing up since enrollment began Nov.... Reported by L.A. Times 19 hours ago.

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West, Christ Community look for lung cancer in Orange Mound

November 16, 2016, 1:55 pm

≫ Next: How Trump Can Repeal Obamacare Step by Step

≪ Previous: More than 300,000 signed up for Obamacare after Trump was elected

Since Christ Community Health Services' Orange Mound clinic began screening select patients for lung cancer, they've diagnosed four people with the disease. Although none of those patients have health insurance, they are all being treated at the West Cancer Center — thanks to a new partnership focused on underserved populations. As part of a $1.25 million Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation grant, the American Cancer Society, Christ Community and the West Cancer Center have partnered to detect lung… Reported by bizjournals 17 hours ago.

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How Trump Can Repeal Obamacare Step by Step

November 16, 2016, 12:33 pm

≫ Next: Looking for a Faint Ray of Hope After a Dark Election

≪ Previous: West, Christ Community look for lung cancer in Orange Mound

The future of President Obama's signature health care law is in jeopardy.

After Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election, dismantling Obamacare is expected to be one of the president-elect's top priorities. Trump suggested he may be willing to keep portions of the health care system in place, but that doesn't mean he won't push for significant cuts.

Either way, this could bring about significant changes to the way you search for health insurance.

Trump's plan to gut Obamacare will be boosted by the Republican majority in Congress. It remains to be seen how well the two sides will work together on Capitol Hill, but one thing they all agree on is their distaste for President Obama's health care law.

Congress passed Obamacare in 2010 without a single Republican vote, and under Trump it may very well take apart the health care law without a single Democratic vote.

*Step by step process to repealing Obamacare*

How exactly will this all happen? For this, you'll probably need a refresher course in high school civics, but we'll try our best.

It's important to remember that the president doesn't have the power to do whatever he wants with legislation. Trump will have to coordinate any repeal of Obamacare with Congress.

That task was simplified when Republicans, who also want to repeal Obamacare, maintained control of the Washington trifecta -- White House, Senate and House of Representatives -- for the first time in a decade.

*RELATED: What Changes Can You Expect in Medicare?*

But it will still take time for the process to play out.

The new Congress comes to Washington the week of Jan. 3, and will have about two weeks to push through a bill to partially repeal Obamacare in time for Trump to sign a few weeks later on Inauguration Day.

Though Republicans control Congress, they do not have what's known as a "super majority" in the Senate, which would give them enough votes to push through a full repeal of Obamacare. Senate rules require 60 votes to pass legislation, but Republicans will only have a slim majority in the upper chamber. There will be 52 Republicans and 48 Democrats, most of whom are certain to oppose any attempt to disband Obamacare.

That means Republicans will be forced to pursue a partial Obamacare repeal. There is an exception to the Senate's 60 vote requirement for budgetary measures that specifically address spending.

These "reconciliation bills" only need a simple majority, or 51 votes, to pass. So Republicans believe they will have just enough votes to repeal the financial aspects of Obamacare.

That includes ending the subsidies that make health care affordable for low-income Americans, the employer mandate that requires large and mid-size companies to offer health insurance to their workers, the individual mandate that requires everyone who doesn't have health insurance to pay a fine, the tax on high-quality health care plans and an expansion of Medicaid that covers millions of poor people.

But this partial Obamacare repeal would leave in place the requirement that insurers cover Americans with pre-existing conditions, and the provision that allows young adults under the age of 26-years-old to stay on their parents' health care plans. Trump and Republican leaders have long suggested they support these provisions, so it may be a mute point.

Congress passed a similar reconciliation bill to repeal Obamacare last January, but it was vetoed by the president. With Trump taking the reins of the White House on Jan. 20, conservatives suggest this bill could serve as a starting point for Republicans, looking to quickly draft repeal legislation.

*QUIZ: How Well Do You Understand Health Savings Accounts?*

The House does not have these same rules, and is expected to approve whichever Obamacare repeal bill the Senate passes.

Trump could pursue a complete overhaul of Obamacare, but that would take more time to push through Congress, and it is not clear whether Republicans would be able to muster enough Democratic support in Senate.

The question is how quickly Republicans will unite around a reconciliation bill and present it to Trump. The campaign shined the light on GOP in-fighting not only between Trump and congressional leaders, but also among Republican lawmakers from various wings of the party. This raises the possibility that Congress will not have an Obamacare repeal bill ready for President-elect Trump to sign on his Inauguration Day.

There's little Trump could do on his own to dismantle Obamacare, though he may be able to cancel the health care subsidy payments for low-income Americans, which would discourage them from participating in the healthcare marketplace. Trump could also take steps to make life more difficult for insurers in an attempt to get them to drop out.

*Obamacare repeal will take time*

Let's assume Republicans put aside their differences and rally together to present Trump with a bill to repeal Obamacare on his first day in office. What happens then?

Probably nothing, at least right away.

On the campaign trail, Vice President-elect Mike Pence suggested Republicans would give the public time to transition away from Obamacare. The reconciliation bill that Congress passed last year provided a two-year buffer before any of these Obamacare provisions were formally repealed. So if Republicans followed the same trajectory, that would protect Americans who rely on Obamacare until 2019.

And at the very least, anyone who has already enrolled for 2017 probably will not see their plans changed next year.

But repealing Obamacare is only the first step.

In the meantime, Trump will work with Congress to develop a new health care system to replace Obamacare.

Trump promised the process of switching Obamacare to a new system would be swift and painless, but critics doubt that. They say it could take years for Congress to pass a new health care system because Senate Democrats would need to support it. They're concerned this could create a gap that millions of uninsured Americans would fall through.

In the end, a Trump victory is expected to be a major blow to Obamacare. Exactly how bad and when it will happen are the questions still up in the air.

*This article was originally published on insuranceQuotes.com.*

Laura Adams is a personal finance expert, award-winning author, host of the top-rated Money Girl Podcast, and insuranceQuotes' senior analyst. For more on auto, home, health, life, and business insurance, click here.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 18 hours ago.

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Looking for a Faint Ray of Hope After a Dark Election

November 16, 2016, 2:03 pm

≫ Next: Covered California director urges enrollees to ignore Trump-caused uncertainty

≪ Previous: How Trump Can Repeal Obamacare Step by Step

Like most Democrats, I'm still in profound shock from Tuesday's election results. But after Tuesday night, the damnedest thing happened: the sun came up Wednesday morning. I looked around, My dog still loved me and my wife still put up with me. We still had our family, our home and our friends. Our lives had not completely disintegrated upon the election of Donald J. Trump.

I appreciate that, like the overwhelming majority of Americans, we're not going to feel an immediate or dramatic impact. At the same time, I am very aware that there are millions who will be directly affected, or at least feel threatened. And I'm quite aware of the ominous longer term possibilities.

I've spent a lot of the last three days comforting family members, friends and many of my students who were feeling traumatized. And in comforting them, I've realized that I actually have a sliver of optimism about our future; not that it's going to be rosy, or even okay. But there's a chance that it won't totally suck.

Perhaps it's pure naivete, but I have hope that there are a few in the Republican leadership with a bit of common sense. And I hope these few will be able to slow the knee-jerk agenda of the alt-right or the Freedom Caucus. I hope they'll be listened to when they say, "Wait a minute! Let's think about this for a minute before we jump."

For example: Number One on the Trump Hit Parade is the Affordable Care Act -- "Obamacare!" The legislation was passed in 2009 with very active participation by Republicans in the Senate and House. In fact, it contains 161 Republican amendments, although every single Republican voted then against it and immediately started complaining about being locked out of the process.

But I hope to hear that reasonable voice saying: "I know we've voted 62 times to repeal Obamacare. But, if we actually repeal it now, there may not be enough Democrats in the Senate to stop us. And there won't be anyone in the White House to veto it. We know if we do repeal it, 20-million Americans will immediately lose their healthcare. Millions more people with pre-existing medical conditions, who couldn't be denied coverage under Obamacare, will lose their insurance. Millions of young people who've been able to stay on their family's health insurance until they're 26 are going to be out of luck.

We need to ask ourselves: are we willing to take responsibility for all that? Are we ready to take the heat?"

Republican leaders also know they really don't have any kind of alternative. "Repeal and replace" just means going back to the way things used to be. And I hope that reasonable voice will say, "Wait a minute. I know we've said that if we just let companies sell healthcare insurance across state lines, it will fix all the problems. But we need to remember that state governments regulate healthcare insurance companies, not the federal government. Are we seriously going to tell the public that we're taking that authority away from states and sending it to Washington? Really?"

I know this is only one issue. And I know that that there a lot of other targets that the Republicans are frothing at the mouth to eradicate.

Now I admit that it may be pure fantasy to believe that there is such a common-sense voice in the Republican Party who would dare to speak up and who would be listened to. But then, I still believe in world peace and maybe even Santa Claus. So, I'm holding out hope...just a little.

-- 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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Covered California director urges enrollees to ignore Trump-caused uncertainty

November 16, 2016, 1:27 pm

≫ Next: ACA insurance startup incurring large losses

≪ Previous: Looking for a Faint Ray of Hope After a Dark Election

Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, is at a crossroads brought about by President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to repeal at least parts of the Affordable Care Act.

Obamacare pays income-based subsidies to 87% of the 1.3 million Californians currently covered by plans sold through... Reported by L.A. Times 17 hours ago.

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ACA insurance startup incurring large losses

November 16, 2016, 2:19 pm

≫ Next: Here's Your Health To-Do List Before Trump Takes Office

≪ Previous: Covered California director urges enrollees to ignore Trump-caused uncertainty

Health insurance startup Oscar Insurance Corp., which sells insurance in Affordable Care Act markets, has continued to rack u -More- Reported by SmartBrief 16 hours ago.

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Here's Your Health To-Do List Before Trump Takes Office

November 16, 2016, 1:38 pm

≫ Next: More than 300,000 signed up for Obamacare after Trump was elected; 53,000 more than last year

≪ Previous: ACA insurance startup incurring large losses

The election of Donald Trump and Mike Pence has many Americans wondering how the new administration will affect their health care options.

During his campaign, Trump promised to repeal Obamacare. Although it’s impossible to predict whether or not he’ll make good on that promise, dismantling the Affordable Care Act would have a wide-reaching impact: According to the Congressional Budget Office, it could increase the number of uninsured Americans by 22 million.

And that may be just one of many moves the future president could make that would change the current state of healthcare in the U.S. Worried you’ll be affected? Here’s how to prepare for the next four years:

Have Obamacare? Speak up and don’t stop paying your premiums

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have health insurance through the ACA, keep paying your premiums. Even if the ACA is repealed, it’s not clear how quickly health insurance would actually change. And if changes are announced, speak up. Contract your legislative representatives and tell them how changes to the law will affect you.

“If enough people show their elected representatives how this change would adversely affect them, there is a possibility that some aspects of the law will be protected,” Miriam Laugesen, an associate professor at Columbia University and the author of a book on medical pricing, told The Huffington Post.

While it’s always a good idea to take preventative measures to address your and your family’s health needs, Laugesen doesn’t think Americans should panic just yet.

“Changes to benefits may be difficult due to the fact that 2017 contracts are already defined in terms of the benefits covered,” she said. “Benefits are not so easy to change overnight.”

Uninsured? Sign up for Obamacare (yes, seriously)

Even though Trump says he’ll repeal the ACA, Laugesen recommended signing up for ACA coverage if you’re uninsured and don’t have coverage through your employer.

“There’s always the possibility of grandfathering people already signed up but closing the enrollment after January 20,” she explained.

Dr. Dean Blumberg, an associate professor and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health Systems, struck a similar note.

“There is so much uncertainty,” he said. “I’m guessing that if there are any changes to the ACA, they probably won’t go into effect for a year or so.”

Make a birth control plan with your doctor

Pence was known for his pro-life policies during his one-term governorship in Indiana, including an omnibus bill he signed requiring doctors to offer women fetal remains after an abortion.

Faced with the reality of a Trump-Pence presidency, women on social media urged their friends to consider getting long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices, which last between three and 10 years and are currently free for women under the ACA. (An IUD can cost upward of $1,000 without insurance, according to Planned Parenthood.)

Both Planned Parenthood and pharmaceutical companies that make popular IUDs told The Huffington Post that it’s too soon to tell whether the election is driving more women to request IUDs. As it stands, about 10 percent of women in the United Sates rely on the IUD for contraception.

“We’ve had a couple of patients who have come in recently checking up on birth control,” Dr. Kristyn Brandi, an instructor at Boston University School of Medicine whose specialties include contraception and abortion care, told HuffPost. “All of our birth control slots in the clinic have been filled.”

“We’ve also had people who have IUDs coming in to get theirs replaced early. They’re concerned that they might not be able to get that covered at the time of the next administration.”

Still, the advice Brandi is giving women this week isn’t much different than the recommendation she typically gives patients: “If it’s something you think is important to get for your health, I would encourage you to seek care as soon as possible,” she said.

Things that fall into the do-now category: Talk to your primary care doctor about contraception and preventive services like pap smears. Discuss how you’re going to prepare for your next pregnancy with your health care provider.

Due for a screening? Get it now

Women who are past their childbearing years should discuss age-appropriate screenings with their doctors, especially costly ones, such as mammograms and bone density scans, in case they’re not covered in the future. Getting age-appropriate vaccines and addressing conditions like urinary or sexual incontinence are other things patients can consider.

Take the above preventative health measures, especially if you’ll be affected by a possible ACA rollback

Health services are already unequally distributed in the United States, and cutting back services even further would likely only worsen the problem.

According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, more than half of U.S. counties don’t have a single OB/GYN provider.

“When there is limited access to reproductive health care, it typically targets women who are low-income, women of color, young women and immigrant women, who face a lot of economic barriers already,” Brandi said. “More barriers will make it even harder for them to access care.”

Laugesen thinks people aren’t giving the ACA enough credit for expanding access to care. “Obamacare has received a lot of negative press, but it has provided critical coverage for millions of Americans, and increased the benefits and lowered costs for people who don’t even realize they are positively impacted,” Laugesen said.

Whatever 2017 brings, Brandi is hopeful. “The important thing is to let people know that regardless of what happens, we’re going to be there for them.”

-- 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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More than 300,000 signed up for Obamacare after Trump was elected; 53,000 more than last year

November 16, 2016, 1:52 pm

≫ Next: With Health-Care Reform, Listen Carefully to Trump’s Words

≪ Previous: Here's Your Health To-Do List Before Trump Takes Office

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With Health-Care Reform, Listen Carefully to Trump’s Words

November 16, 2016, 2:56 pm

≫ Next: Surprise doctor bills from ER care can add angst to injury

≪ Previous: More than 300,000 signed up for Obamacare after Trump was elected; 53,000 more than last year

During the Presidential campaign, one of the consistent policy positions held by candidate Donald Trump was that he would, as his Web site puts it, “immediately deliver a full repeal” of the Affordable Care Act, more familiarly known as Obamacare, and replace it with a plan that will use “free market principles . . . that will broaden healthcare access, make healthcare more affordable and improve the quality of the care available to all Americans.” On Sunday, however, when Trump appeared on “60 Minutes,” he surprised many when he said he would keep some of Obamacare in place, particularly its guarantee of health insurance regardless of any preëxisting medical conditions. Reported by The New Yorker 16 hours ago.

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Surprise doctor bills from ER care can add angst to injury

November 16, 2016, 4:33 pm

≫ Next: The IHC Group Introduces Care Access Plan Fixed Indemnity Benefit, Providing Financial Assistance on Unexpected Medical Expenses

≪ Previous: With Health-Care Reform, Listen Carefully to Trump’s Words

A trip to the emergency room can be traumatic enough, but researchers warn that many insured patients may be in for another shock when the medical bills arrive. Even if patients go to a hospital included in their health insurance network, the emergency room physicians might not be. "Negotiation is always an option and helps the patient avoid dings against their credit," said Singleton, whose foundation helps patients deal with medical debt. Cooper said in an interview that surprise bills from emergency care can be "particularly egregious" because the patient may have no way of finding out beforehand the network status of the doctor on duty to treat them that day. Reported by SeattlePI.com 14 hours ago.

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The IHC Group Introduces Care Access Plan Fixed Indemnity Benefit, Providing Financial Assistance on Unexpected Medical Expenses

November 17, 2016, 12:07 am

≫ Next: Surgeon general report: 'Addiction is not a character flaw'

≪ Previous: Surprise doctor bills from ER care can add angst to injury

New Care Access Plan Is Year-Round Enrollment and Guaranteed Renewable, Offering Lump-Sum Payment to Help Protect Against Financial Loss Associated with Unexpected Hospital Stays or Surgical Procedures

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) November 17, 2016

Delivering affordable solutions that ease the financial burdens of unexpected medical events, The IHC Group (IHC) announced today a new fixed-benefit indemnity product, Care Access Plan (CAP). The new plan is designed to pay fixed-benefit amounts to protect against covered medical expenses resulting from hospitalization, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation services.

“With rising deductibles and out-of-pocket medical expenses, supplemental health insurance is in demand,” said Dave Keller, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of IHC Specialty Benefits. “The average inpatient hospital stay is around $2,000 per day*, while the deductible for a silver plan is around $3,000**. Just one, single night in the hospital can cause a major dent on an average person or their family’s savings. Our new hospital indemnity plan CAP addresses that reality.”

Advantages of CAP*** are numerous:·     It automatically includes a lump sum $10,000 critical illness benefit for the primary insured and covered spouse, along with a $2,500 for each covered dependent child. As an option, the critical illness benefit may be increased to meet your family’s specific needs.
·     It is an affordable option with several per injury or illness deductible options to choose from for lower monthly premium.
·     It is guaranteed renewable; consumers cannot be singled out for a rate increase or cancellation based solely on changes to their health.
·     It does not have open enrollment periods; consumers can secure coverage immediately at any time of the year

Mr. Keller added, “Coverage can be customized with different plan designs and optional benefits to blend protection and affordability, so we recommend consumers speak to their health insurance brokers for choosing the best option.”

The IHC Group, a leader for over 25 years in administering and underwriting innovative and affordable supplemental products, offers a diverse portfolio of health products including short term medical, critical illness, supplemental gap insurance, dental and telemedicine.

For more information on the new Care Access Plan, please call 952-746-6610. You can also visit http://www.IHCGroup.com.

· The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. “Hospital Adjusted Expenses Per Inpatient Day By Ownership.” 2014. http://kff.org/other/state-indicator/expenses-per-inpatient-day-by-ownership/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D

** Rae, Matthew, et al. “Patient Cost-Sharing in Marketplace Plans, 2016.” The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Nov. 13, 2015. http://kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/patient-cost-sharing-in-marketplace-plans-2016/

*** THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE REQUIRED BY THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) LACK OF MAJOR MEDICAL COVERAGE (OR OTHER MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE) MAY RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT WITH YOUR TAXES.

#

About The IHC Group
Independence Holding Company (NYSE: IHC) is a holding company that is principally engaged in underwriting, administering and/or distributing group and individual disability, specialty and supplemental health, pet, and life insurance through its subsidiaries since 1980. The IHC Group owns three insurance companies (Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, Madison National Life Insurance Company, Inc. and Independence American Insurance Company) and IHC Specialty Benefits, Inc., which is a technology-driven insurance sales and marketing company that creates value for insurance producers, carriers and consumers (both individuals and small businesses) through a suite of proprietary tools and products (including ACA plans and small group medical stop-loss). All products are placed with highly rated carriers.

“IHC” and “The IHC Group” are the brand names for plans, products and services provided by one or more of the subsidiaries and affiliate member companies of The IHC Group (“IHC Entities”). Plans, products and services are solely and only provided by one or more IHC Entities specified on the plan, product or service contract, not The IHC Group. Not all plans, products and services are available in each state. Reported by PRWeb 7 hours ago.

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Surgeon general report: 'Addiction is not a character flaw'

November 17, 2016, 12:41 am

≫ Next: UBA Special Report: 2016 Trends in Employer Wellness Programs

≪ Previous: The IHC Group Introduces Care Access Plan Fixed Indemnity Benefit, Providing Financial Assistance on Unexpected Medical Expenses

In what may be his last significant act as President Barack Obama's surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy released a report Thursday calling for a major cultural shift in the way Americans view drug and alcohol addiction. The report, "Facing Addiction in America," details the toll addiction takes on the nation — 78 people die each day from an opioid overdose; 20 million have a substance use disorder — and explains how brain science offers hope for recovery. While its findings have been reported elsewhere, including by other federal agencies, the report seeks to inspire action and sway public opinion in the style of the 1964 surgeon general's landmark report on smoking. Trump and the Republican-led Congress are pledging to repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which made addiction treatment an essential health benefit. According to the surgeon general's report, it can heighten resistance and attack the self-worth of the addict. The report makes room for AA and other recovery support services, noting they don't require health insurance and are free, but it also says they "are not the same as treatment and have only recently been included as part of the health care system." Other policies suggested by research include limiting the density of stores selling alcohol, banning Sunday sales and holding bars liable for serving minors. The report cites "a growing body of research" suggesting marijuana's chemicals can help with "pain, nausea, epilepsy, obesity, wasting disease, addiction, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions." Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation passed this year that creates grants to expand treatment programs, said he hopes the report raises awareness. Reported by SeattlePI.com 6 hours ago.

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UBA Special Report: 2016 Trends in Employer Wellness Programs

November 17, 2016, 3:04 am

≫ Next: Employer Penalties for Health Insurance Mandate Expected to Reach $31B for 2016, Accenture Finds

≪ Previous: Surgeon general report: 'Addiction is not a character flaw'

New insurance regulations mean big changes ahead for employer wellness programs at work.

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) November 17, 2016

Workplace wellness programs are under the spotlight as new regulations change the legality of components and what information can and can’t be collected. United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, announces the release of the new special report, 2016 TRENDS: HOW EMPLOYERS USE WELLNESS PROGRAMS, which covers topline trends among employer-sponsored health insurance programs, based on the 2016 UBA Health Plan Survey.

Studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others demonstrate that well-being — a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual health — is of primary importance in the workplace. UBA finds that wellness programs can be very successful in changing workplace culture and lowering healthcare costs if they are communicated properly, if employees are educated about options, and if the right components are in place.

“Many employers are unaware there are wellness options available within their current benefits package,” says Les McPhearson, CEO of UBA. “For example, a basic first step is to provide incentives for employees to get their physical exam, which is often covered at 100 percent as part of their medical benefits. Connecting employees with their primary care physicians is a leading strategy for providing preventive care and setting employees on the road to good health.”

UBA’s special report, 2016 TRENDS: HOW EMPLOYERS USE WELLNESS PROGRAMS, covers topics such as:· Which industries are leading in wellness initiatives
· What types of incentives are most popular and most effective
· What types of program components are most popular and most effective: Health Risk Assessments, Exams/Physicals or Wellness Coaching, etc.
· What are wellness program designs based on employer size
· What’s the difference between carrier vs. third-party wellness providers

“When designed correctly and communicated properly, wellness programs can obtain important objectives and lead to true culture change, not just education and fun,” according to Heather Mills, CWWPM, Wellness Program Manager at VolkBell, a UBA Partner Firm.

To download the special report, 2016 TRENDS: HOW EMPLOYERS USE WELLNESS PROGRAMS, visit http://bit.ly/UBA-wellness-report.

For further information, download the complete 2016 UBA Health Plan Survey Executive Summary at http://bit.ly/UBAsurvey or contact a UBA Partner Firm at http://www.ubabenefits.com.

For interviews, contact Carina Sammartino, Media Relations, csammartino (at) fishervista.com or 760-331-3547.

ABOUT United Benefit Advisors
United Benefit Advisors® (UBA) is the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. UBA empowers more than 2,000 Partners to both maintain their individuality and pool their expertise, insight, and market presence to provide best-in-class services and solutions. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from the shared wisdom of our Partners should visit http://www.UBAbenefits.com.

###

Media Contact:
Carina Sammartino, FisherVista
csammartino(at)fishervista.com
760.331.3547 Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

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Employer Penalties for Health Insurance Mandate Expected to Reach $31B for 2016, Accenture Finds

November 17, 2016, 3:29 am

≫ Next: Using Telephone Calls to Improve Patient Engagement, Health/Wellness Outcomes, and Reduce Hospital Readmissions: Concordia Systems Introduces SentinelConnect

≪ Previous: UBA Special Report: 2016 Trends in Employer Wellness Programs

Employer Penalties for Health Insurance Mandate Expected to Reach $31B for 2016, Accenture Finds

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Employer penalties related to the health insurance mandates from the PPACA are expected to reach $31 billion for 2016, says Accenture. Reported by Business Wire 3 hours ago.

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Using Telephone Calls to Improve Patient Engagement, Health/Wellness Outcomes, and Reduce Hospital Readmissions: Concordia Systems Introduces SentinelConnect

November 17, 2016, 3:33 am

≫ Next: Health Insurance Innovations shakes up top management, replaces CEO

≪ Previous: Employer Penalties for Health Insurance Mandate Expected to Reach $31B for 2016, Accenture Finds

Concordia Systems' SentinelCONNECT introduces a daily telephone service that can help reduce illness, improve outcomes and decrease readissions for patients recently discharged from hospitals, high-risk patients with chronic conditions (eg. hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol), and seniors Aging-in-Place.

Baltimore, Maryland (PRWEB) November 17, 2016

Concordia Systems Inc. is pleased to introduce SentinelConnect™ a low-cost Software-as-a-Service that uses telephone calls to stay in contact with individuals with long-term chronic conditions, seniors Aging-in-Place and individuals returning home from hospital and rehabilitation facilities. Available today for health care providers, insurers and family members - a 90-second daily phone call can improve wellness and health outcomes.

“One of the greatest challenges facing our communities is non-compliance with taking daily medications,” said Paul Merenbloom, founder and CEO of Concordia. “It’s easy to forget to take daily medications, especially routine ones that manage blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, or even a routine antibiotic. Our goal is to provide a gentle reminder, confirm that the individual has taken their medication, and report back to hospitals, health services providers, family members and others that medications have or have not been taken.”

Former Blue Cross Blue Shield technology executive Quentin Cantlo noted, “Today our health system has extraordinary pressure to keep patients healthy, on track with their medications, and taking steps necessary to support the best outcomes. The Affordable Care Act imposes substantial fines and penalties for readmissions. For Hospitals, doctors and insurance companies patient’s increased compliance taking medications, especially with chronic conditions, improves overall health and wellness outcomes, lowers costs, and risks – even more so where co-morbidity is involved.”

The Centers for Medicare Services reports that for 2014, in Maryland alone, patients treated for COPD had a 25.1% readmission rate, heart failure 26%, depression 23.9%, chronic kidney disease 25.5% and diabetes 22.8%. Increasing compliance with prescribed medication use is a key tool to help reduce each incident and readmission rates.

Created for high-risk, at risk, and chronic care individuals, 90-second calls serve to check-in, ask if medications have been taken, inquire how the respondent is feeling, ask if anything is needed or if the respondent would like to have a nurse or doctor contact them. Noting ongoing needs of providers (e.g. hospitals, physician groups, home health) and health insurance payers (e.g. Blue Cross, United Healthcare, Aetna) SentinelConnect™’s goal is to increase patient engagement and compliance, produce healthier populations, reduce insurance companies’ need for ready reserves and be a key vehicle to contain or even reduce health care costs and premiums.

Part of the SentinelCare™ offering suite developed for Aging-in-Place and Alzheimer’s/Dementia communities, SentinelConnect™ provides a cost effective Software-as-a-Service offering and is available immediately.

SentinelConnect offers doctors and nurses follow-up support for individuals discharged from hospitals, physical therapy/rehabilitation programs, and also supports longitudinal research and post-surveillance marketing programs.

For home health providers SentinelConnect™ is a powerful tool to augment in-home visits and services. For CCRC / Retirement communities, the service offers a low-cost way to keep in touch with residents on a daily basis. Advanced reporting and analysis tools, including voice analytics are expected during the first part of 2017.

ABOUT CONCORDIA SYSTEMS, INC. Based in Baltimore, Maryland and Colorado Springs, CO, Concordia is a software-as-a-service and data analytics provider supporting behavioral health and welfare insight. The company’s offerings support Aging-in-Place, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, chronic care and acute-discharge populations, providers, payers (insurance companies) and research communities.

For additional information contact SentinelConnect(at)ConcordiaUS(dot)com or call 410/484-3883.

http://www.SentinelAware.com

# # # Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.

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Health Insurance Innovations shakes up top management, replaces CEO

November 17, 2016, 3:56 am

≫ Next: Obamacare enrollment sites this week

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Health Insurance Innovations Inc. has parted ways with its CEO Patrick R. McNamee and replaced him with the company’s president, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. McNamee’s employment was “mutually terminated,” the filing stated. The board of directors of the company and the former CEO entered into a separation agreement and general release on Nov. 15. At the same time, the company named Gavin D. Southwell as the new CEO and also elected him as a company… Reported by bizjournals 3 hours ago.

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Obamacare enrollment sites this week

November 17, 2016, 5:31 am

≫ Next: co.don Aktiengesellschaft: FOCUS Special: co.don AG on the list of growth champions again in 2017

≪ Previous: Health Insurance Innovations shakes up top management, replaces CEO

Open enrollment for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace runs through Jan. 31, 2017.

Reported by Delawareonline 1 hour ago.

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co.don Aktiengesellschaft: FOCUS Special: co.don AG on the list of growth champions again in 2017

November 17, 2016, 6:18 am

≫ Next: Post-Election UnifyHR Insights: What's Next for the Affordable Care Act?

≪ Previous: Obamacare enrollment sites this week

DGAP-News: co.don Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

2016-11-17 / 15:00
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
--------------------

*Press release *

*FOCUS Special: co.don AG on the list of growth champions again in 2017*

- *Eighth place in the category Chemistry and Pharma*

- *Second year co.don included in prestigious list of growth companies *

Teltow/Germany, 17 November 2016 - co.don AG has been included in the FOCUS list of Growth Champions 2017.

Growth Champions compiles a list of the 500 German companies with the highest revenue growth in the past four years. And co.don AG comes in eighth place in the category Chemistry and Pharma.

Dirk Hessel, CEO of co.don AG: "Our aim is to apply the regenerative therapy options from co.don to defer joint replacement or ideally to avoid it altogether in order to maintain everyday routines and quality of life. We are delighted that FOCUS has again selected co.don as a growth champion. This distinction is due to the performance of all our staff, who I would like to thank sincerely on behalf of the Executive Board. To date we have only operated in the German market. For autumn next year we are expecting EU marketing authorisation for our main product. So co.don AG's greatest growth potential is still ahead of us."

*About co.don(R) AG: *Berlin-based co.don AG develops, produces and markets in Germany autologous cell therapies for the minimally invasive repair of cartilage damage to joints following traumatic or degenerative defects. co.don condrosphere(R) is a cell therapy product that uses only the patient's own cartilage cells ("autologous chondrocytes"). co.don condrosphere(R) has been approved by the German federal agency PEI in accordance with Section 4b of the German Pharmaceuticals Act (AMG) and is currently undergoing Phase II and III clinical trials to obtain European marketing authorisation. co.don condrosphere(R) has been used for more than 10 years in over 120 clinics to treat more than 10,000 patients. In Germany the statutory health insurance companies have paid for the treatment of knee and hip joints since 2007 and for the treatment of vertebral joints since 2008. The shares in co.don AG are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A1K0227). Executive Board: Dirk Hessel (CEO), Ralf M. Jakobs (CFO).

Further information can be found at www.ihre-zellzuechter.de or www.codon.de

Press contact
Matthias Meißner, M.A.
Corporate communications / IR / PR
Tel. +49 (0)30 240352330
Fax +49 (0)30 240352309
Email: ir@codon.de
--------------------

2016-11-17 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------

Language: English
Company: co.don Aktiengesellschaft
Warthestraße 21
14513 Teltow
Germany
Phone: 03328 43460
Fax: 03328 434643
E-mail: info@codon.de
Internet: www.codon.de
ISIN: DE000A1K0227
WKN: A1K022
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (General Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
End of News DGAP News Service Reported by EQS Group 19 minutes ago.

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Post-Election UnifyHR Insights: What's Next for the Affordable Care Act?

November 17, 2016, 12:13 pm

≫ Next: Trump Isn't Hitler. But We Should Act Like He Is.

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President-Elect Trump and Republicans have touted an immediate repeal or replacement to the Affordable Care Act. Neither option will be easy or cheap; UnifyHR share their insights.

Irving, Texas (PRWEB) November 17, 2016

The election may be over, but the future of the Affordable Care Act isn’t clear. While Republicans have promised immediate “repeal and replace,” crafting a replacement won’t be easy, or cheap.

Many analysts believe a political path to repeal is extremely complicated, with significant obstacles to dismantling the law. The Affordable Care Act, enacted in the spring of 2010 with virtually no GOP support, is a 2,000-page statute that ushered in the broadest – and most expensive – changes to the health-care system in half a century. The challenge for Republicans is “to come to some consensus about how to unwind it and what to replace it with,” says Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Exactly what shape the Republican’s replacement plan remains to be seen. One possible replacement is the “CARE” Act, a 9-page summary outlining what Republican crafted legislation might look like. You can review this summary at http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-replacement-plan-facts.

In his plan titled “Donald Trump's Contract With The American Voter,” President-Elect Trump lays out his plan for the first 100 days of his administration, including his intention to repeal and replace the Obamacare Act with “Health Savings Accounts, the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines,” and letting “states manage Medicaid funds.” Proposed reforms also include “cutting the red tape at the FDA.”

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that repealing the law would cause the deficit to grow by $353 billion over the next ten years, with approximately 24 million individuals losing their insurance coverage during that span. The Rand Corporation predicts that President-Elect Trump’s proposed health plan would add nearly $6 billion to the deficit in 2018, the first full year of his presidency.

“Will Republicans try to mold Trump’s stated goals into a workable plan, follow the blueprint of the CARE Act, or decide to blaze a new trail to repeal and replace Obamacare? We should all expect a plan to materialize in the months to come. Meanwhile, you can continue to count on UnifyHR to help you meet the many requirements with cost-effective solutions and outstanding service,” says Craig Firestone, President & CEO at UnifyHR. He continued, “The uncertainty appears to be growing as confirmed by recent news.”

About UnifyHR

This law challenges every organization’s ability to bring together information from a myriad of systems and sources. We understand that staffing your technology, finance, and Human Resources teams is challenging when capital resources are already in short supply. UnifyHR delivers the answers, enabling you to take action now. For more information, visit http://www.unifyhr.com.

© 2016 UnifyHR. All Rights Reserved. November 15th, 2016 Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.

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Trump Isn't Hitler. But We Should Act Like He Is.

November 17, 2016, 11:21 am

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≪ Previous: Post-Election UnifyHR Insights: What's Next for the Affordable Care Act?

Donald Trump isn't Hitler. The United States is not Weimar Germany. Our economic problems are nowhere as bad as those in Depression-era Germany. Nobody in the Trump administration (not even Steven Bannon) is calling for genocide (although saber-rattling with nuclear weapons could lead to global war if we're not careful).

That said, it is useful for liberals, progressives and radicals to think and strategize as though we face that kind of situation. None of us in our lifetimes have confronted an American government led by someone like Trump in terms of his sociopathic, demagogic, impulsive, thin-skinned and vindictive personality (not even Nixon came close), his right-wing inner circle, his reactionary and dangerous policy agenda on foreign policy; the economy; the environment; health care; immigration; civil liberties; and poverty; his willingness to overtly invoke all the worst ethnic, religious, and racial hatreds in order to appeal to the most despicable elements of our society and unleash an upsurge of racism, anti-semitism, sexual assault, and nativism by the KKK and other hate groups; his lack of understanding about Constitutional principles and the rule of law; and his lack of experience with collaboration and compromise. All this while presiding over a federal government in which all three branches are controlled by right-wing corporate-funded Republicans. We may be lucky to discover that Trump might be an incompetent leader and unable to unite the Republicans, but we shouldn't count on it.

In such a situation, progressive movements, journalists and Congressmembers face a dilemma and some strategic choices:

On the one hand:
· Treat Trump and his administration as "normal" politicians and government officials?

· Try to negotiate compromises to get the best deal to make life less desperate for vulnerable people?

· Encourage Trump to be "pragmatic," as President Obama (trying to look sincere) did the other day, and, as some Democrats are suggesting, "give Trump a chance"?

· Allow Trump to use the media as a megaphone to announce his appointments and his policy ideas as though he was a "normal" President with a consistent ideology and a willingness to compromise?

· Cover Trump with the typical "he said/she said" journalistic formula -- he makes an announcement and the press finds a Democrat or a liberal to provide the "other" perspective, as though they were equally valid (ie climate change is a "hoax" (Trump) versus climate change is real (99.9% of scientists)? (The current phrase for this misleading approach is "false equivalence")
Or:
· Refuse to treat Trump as a "normal" politicians and refuse to legitimate his regime?

· Refuse to cover Trump in the media as though his ideas were legitimate, but rather assume that almost everything he says is a lie or a half-truth?

· Maintain an all-out effort to constantly remind the public of Trump's ugly and outrageous views and his sociopathic and sexist behavior, including full coverage of all the criminal and civil lawsuits against him?

· Be prepared to take advantage of his character flaws that will likely lead to lots of outrageous and embarrassing comments?

· Refuse to compromise on legislation and instead make him and the GOP own his agenda so he takes the blame when people suffer?

· Develop and constantly promote a clear, easy-to-understand progressive policy agenda as an alternative to Trump's agenda -- a kind of shadow cabinet -- to remind Americans that there IS a better way to run the country and win the support of many Americans who failed to vote or who voted for Trump?

· Spend the next two and four years mobilizing opposition to obstruct almost everything he seeks to do, while laying the groundwork to win a majority in the House in 2018 and win back the White House in 2020 by raising money and investing in organizing campaigns in key swing districts and states ASAP?

· Try, as best we can, to avoid the left's proclivity to fragment and divide itself via issue silos, organizational turf battles, personality disputes, and constituency rivalries?
In the not-too-distant future, we can try to translate our progressive policy agenda into actual policies -- adopting campaign finance reform, immigration reform, stronger environmental regulations, stricter rules on Wall Street, and greater investment in jobs and anti-poverty programs; turning Election Day into a national holiday, reforming our labor laws, protecting women's right to choose, expanding LGBT rights, making our tax system more progressive, reforming our racist criminal justice system, investing more public dollars in job-creating infrastructure and clean energy projects; adopting paid family leave, and expanding health insurance to all and limiting the influence of the drug and insurance industry.

But, at the moment, our stance must be one of resistance and opposition.

The Trump presidency and Trumpism is a new phenomenon in our country's history. Never before has such an authoritarian personality been president. We've had demagogues in the House and Senate, but never in the Oval Office. The best primer to understand what we're facing is Philip Roth's 2004 novel, The Plot Against America, a counter-factual history in which Franklin Delano Roosevelt is defeated in the 1940 presidential election by the pro-Hitler, anti-Semitic aviator Charles Lindbergh.

It is not enough simply to proceed with caution. We must view Trump as a real threat to our institutions, to our democracy, and to our future.

*Peter Dreier is the E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics and chair of the Urban & Environmental Policy Department at Occidental College. His most recent book is The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame (Nation Books). *

-- 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 20 hours ago.

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