In a meeting earlier this month, Apple, Aetna and a number of industry influencers discussed the viability of offering Apple Watch to millions of health insurance subscribers at a discount, but according to one attendee, sticking points remain.
Reported by AppleInsider 3 hours ago.
Apple Watch data privacy, cost main concerns in Apple and Aetna partnership
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Alhambra couple sues employer, saying insurance was revoked because of their sexual orientation
An Alhambra couple has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against a former employer, alleging the company refused to provide spousal health insurance coverage because of their sexual orientation and rescinded previous coverage, leaving them with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
... Reported by L.A. Times 1 day ago.
... Reported by L.A. Times 1 day ago.
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A raise erased by higher healthcare costs
Question: After my husband receives his annual review and cost-of-living raise, he will be in a new pay bracket. When this happens, the cost of his health insurance will increase as well -- way beyond the raise he would receive -- so he will be bringing home significantly less in his paycheck....
Reported by L.A. Times 14 hours ago.
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There's Good News And Bad News For Obamacare Buyers In Iowa
The 'good news' is that if you're an Obamacare buyer anywhere in Iowa there is still one provider willing to sell you healthcare insurance, which wasn't the case just a few weeks back when it looked like large areas of the state would have no providers at all. *The bad news is that your rates are going up 57% so you're probably not going to be able to afford insurance anyway. *As the Des Moines Daily Register points out today, Medica is the only healthcare insurance provider still willing to offer Obamacare plans in the state of Iowa and they're hiking rates by 57% in 2018 just to make it economically feasible. Of course, *Medica was also very clear to point out that it's all Trump's fault.*
*Iowans who buy their own health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange would see their rates increase nearly 57 percent next year under a revised rate proposed Wednesday.*
The proposal is 13 percentage points higher than previously was estimated by Medica, the one remaining carrier selling individual policies in Iowa next year.
Medica attributed the additional increase to uncertainties over federal health care subsidies, the insurer said in a release.
*“We remain hopeful the federal government will fund the cost-sharing reductions, but we are working with the Iowa Insurance Division to help consumers understand the implications of lack of this funding,”* Geoff Bartsh, Medica vice president of individual and family business, said in a statement. “We regret the disruption this creates for consumers.”
*Perhaps Medica didn't notice but the Trump administration hasn't even decided to cut federal subsidies yet*...maybe we can all agree it's just a little disingenuous to be blaming something that hasn't even happened yet?
But, if federal subsidies are cut, *even the CBO recently found doing so would cause a 20% increase in Obamacare premiums in 2018, no where near Medica's 57% increase.* Here are the highlights from the CBO report:
- The fraction of people living in areas with no insurers offering nongroup plans would be greater during the next two years and about the same starting in 2020;
- *Gross premiums for silver plans offered through the marketplaces would be 20 percent higher in 2018 and 25 percent higher by 2020*—boosting the amount of premium tax credits according to the statutory formula;
- Most people would pay net premiums (after accounting for premium tax credits) for nongroup insurance throughout the next decade that were similar to or less than what they would pay otherwise—although the share of people facing slight increases would be higher during the next two years;
- *Federal deficits would increase by $6 billion in 2018, $21 billion in 2020, and $26 billion in 2026*; and ? The number of people uninsured would be slightly higher in 2018 but slightly lower starting in 2020.
Meanwhile, Doug Ommen, Iowa's insurance commissioner, pointed out the real reason Obamacare premiums are soaring in his state...*healthy, young, working people who don't qualify for subsidies simply can't afford it and the result is a deteriorating risk pool that grows exponentially more expensive to insure with each passing year.*
State Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said Wednesday that many middle-class Iowans will choose to forgo health insurance rather than pay the "extraordinarily high premiums."
*"While those that are subsidized may not feel the full impact *of this additional increase as their contribution is capped based on a percentage of their income," Ommen said, *"those middle-class Iowans who do not receive federal subsidies and are paying the full premium cost out-of-pocket are forced to make very difficult choices."*
Perhaps the smart thing for the Trump administration to do would be to leave the federal subsidies in place. That way when Obamacare fails under it's own weight there will be no ambiguity as to what caused it. Reported by Zero Hedge 3 hours ago.
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Life and Health Insurance Industry Welcomes News of Dental Fee Guide in Alberta but More Work Needed
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2017 : The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) sees the announcement of a fee guide for dental services in Alberta as a step in the right direction.
Reported by newKerala.com 21 hours ago.
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Free Apple Watches? Aetna's Considering It
Aetna is privately meeting with Apple Inc to discuss making Apple Watches available to everyone covered by its health insurance.
Reported by Motley Fool 12 hours ago.
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Feds allege California Marines involved in $67M health fraud
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Federal authorities say Southern California Marines were recruited for a scheme that bilked the government’s military health insurance provider out of $67 million. The San Diego Union-Tribune (http://bit.ly/2v1kixi) says a complaint was filed Thursday in San Diego as part of a civil asset forfeiture case. Authorities are trying to seize the […]
Reported by Seattle Times 8 hours ago.
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San Jose Law Firm Jachimowicz Law Group Offers Insurance Law Counsel
Santa Clara County firm known for personal injury and criminal defense includes insurance law as part of practice
San Jose, California (PRWEB) August 16, 2017
Jachimowicz Law Group, which maintains offices in both San Jose and Morgan Hill, California, recently declared a renewed effort to provide clients counsel on matters pertaining to insurance law.
Jachimowicz Law Group provides representation in a number of insurance law-related matters. Clients can rely on the firm’s knowledge in areas including short-term, and long-term disability, health insurance disputes, life insurance denials, defense of civil action, theft from your business, and home owners’ insurance disputes. Jachimowicz Law Group also assists clients with concerns related to both the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
“The practice of insurance law along with that of personal injury and criminal defense matters allows us to help more people seek the relief they are due.” stated Jachimowicz Law Group Partner Albie B. Jachimowicz. “We are confident the knowledge and experience our team of attorneys provides to clients will result in favorable outcomes for those who counsel.”
To strengthen its Insurance Law practice, Jachimowicz Law Group has secured the of counsel services of Attorney Joel P. Waelty to assist clients in their disputes with insurers and employers. He brings extensive experience handling a wide variety of workplace disputes and pursuit of wrongfully denied benefits on behalf of policyholders. Mr. Waelty graduated from the University of California at Berkley before earning his law degree from the University of California Hastings School of Law in 2003.
About Jachimowicz Law Group:
Jachimowicz Law Group represents Northern California clients in matters of criminal defense and personal injury. The firm also has experience in cases of employment law, workplace accidents and business litigation. They have convenient office locations in San Jose and Morgan Hill. To schedule a free consultation with one of the attorneys, call 408-246-5500 or visit http://www.jachlawgroup.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 days ago.
San Jose, California (PRWEB) August 16, 2017
Jachimowicz Law Group, which maintains offices in both San Jose and Morgan Hill, California, recently declared a renewed effort to provide clients counsel on matters pertaining to insurance law.
Jachimowicz Law Group provides representation in a number of insurance law-related matters. Clients can rely on the firm’s knowledge in areas including short-term, and long-term disability, health insurance disputes, life insurance denials, defense of civil action, theft from your business, and home owners’ insurance disputes. Jachimowicz Law Group also assists clients with concerns related to both the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
“The practice of insurance law along with that of personal injury and criminal defense matters allows us to help more people seek the relief they are due.” stated Jachimowicz Law Group Partner Albie B. Jachimowicz. “We are confident the knowledge and experience our team of attorneys provides to clients will result in favorable outcomes for those who counsel.”
To strengthen its Insurance Law practice, Jachimowicz Law Group has secured the of counsel services of Attorney Joel P. Waelty to assist clients in their disputes with insurers and employers. He brings extensive experience handling a wide variety of workplace disputes and pursuit of wrongfully denied benefits on behalf of policyholders. Mr. Waelty graduated from the University of California at Berkley before earning his law degree from the University of California Hastings School of Law in 2003.
About Jachimowicz Law Group:
Jachimowicz Law Group represents Northern California clients in matters of criminal defense and personal injury. The firm also has experience in cases of employment law, workplace accidents and business litigation. They have convenient office locations in San Jose and Morgan Hill. To schedule a free consultation with one of the attorneys, call 408-246-5500 or visit http://www.jachlawgroup.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 days ago.
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Past health chiefs: insurance market stability is the goal
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three former U.S. health secretaries of both parties say President Donald Trump and the GOP-led Congress should make stabilizing health insurance marketplaces their immediate goal. Former Health and Human Services secretaries Kathleen Sebelius, Mike Leavitt and Tommy Thompson tell The Associated Press that calming markets should be the objective now that “Obamacare” […]
Reported by Seattle Times 20 hours ago.
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Study: Obamacare brings longer ambulance response times
A new study finds that while more people received health insurance under Obamacare, it took longer for ambulances to respond.
Reported by USATODAY.com 8 hours ago.
Reported by USATODAY.com 8 hours ago.
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Chief Obamacare Architect Fired, Forced To Settle Fraudulent Billing Investigation In Vermont
If not for the undercover video below in which MIT professor, and chief Obamacare architect, Jonathan Gruber attributed the passage of Obamacare to the "stupidity of the American voter," most Americans wouldn't even have known it was Gruber who was responsible for eternally destroying the healthcare system in the U.S.Unfortunately, the now infamous MIT prof just had to open his mouth and the video just had to go viral...which means that all the rest of us have to live the remainder of our lives with the knowledge that one elitist, leftist professor who has probably never worked a day outside of academia and/or government in his life is the sole reason we can suddenly no longer afford to buy health insurance for our families.
Now, according to the Vermont Rutland Herald, *Gruber's perpetual desire to save American voters from their own stupidity has landed him in some hot water with Vermont's Attorney General T.J. Donovan.* As the Herald explains, Gruber was apparently hired as a consultant by Vermont's former Governor to assist with analyzing a single-payer healthcare system but *got a little too creative with his invoices...*
Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan said his office has concluded an investigation into the invoices and billing practices of Dr. Jonathan Gruber, an economic consultant who contracted with the state to provide policy expertise, research and economic modeling for Vermont’s abandoned single-payer healthcare system.
Former Gov. Peter Shumlin sought to create the single-payer system, known as Green Mountain Care, but eventually walked away from the plan after determining it would cost too much. The attorney general’s office’s began the investigation into Gruber’s billing after receiving a referral by State Auditor Doug Hoffer.
*Donovan said Thursday his office and Gruber reached an agreement to settle the state’s potential legal claim that Gruber submitted false claims to the state under Vermont’s Civil False Claims Act.* Donovan said his office concluded that Gruber’s conduct violated the Vermont Civil False Claims Act. Gruber denied a violation, but in order to resolve the case, he agreed to forgo any further payments from the state that he might be owed.
*Donovan’s office found that Gruber submitted at least two invoices that were false with respect to the amount of work performed by a research assistant working for Gruber. *The supporting documentation provided by Gruber did not reflect the actual hours worked by the research assistant, nor did the assistant keep records accurately reflecting the hours he devoted to the state project, Donovan said.
*Gruber’s contract was originally supposed to pay him as much as $400,000* to test economic models related to Shumlin’s health care proposal. The contract allowed the state to use the Gruber Microsimulation Model that Gruber developed to simulate the implementation of Shumlin’s plan and test various financing mechanisms.
Of course, this is also the same Jonathan Gruber who blamed his epic Obamacare failure on President Trump less than 4 months after he moved into the White House:
*Gruber:* * "Look, and whose fault is this? Before President Trump was elected there were no counties in America that did not have an insurer. Since President Trump's been elected, a massive degree of uncertainty..."*
*Wallace:* "Wait, you're going to blame the problems with Obamacare on President Trump?"
*Gruber:* "We had a situation under Obamacare where there was a one-time premium increase last year that made up for the fact that insurers massively under-priced in the first two years. * *
*The problem was fixed. *Insurer profits were trending positively. *Insurers were saying positive things about their ability to stay in the exchanges and succeed.*
Then you have a President who comes in, undercuts open enrollment, doesn't honor the obligations this law makes to insurers, and, as a result, premiums are going up and insurers are exiting."
Forward to the 7:50 mark for the relevant exchange:
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
All of which begs the question, where exactly do we go to bid on the government contracts where our analysis can be 100% wrong but we can still make $400,000? Reported by Zero Hedge 6 hours ago.
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Datica Releases Observations from 7 Healthcare Technology Industry Icons
“Rethinking Health Technology” delivers insight on how clinicians view technology’s impact on healthcare.
Madison, Wisc. (PRWEB) August 22, 2017
Datica, the leading cloud platform for digital health applications, today published its seminal Thought Leadership Gallery titled “Rethinking Health Technology” for key stakeholders in healthcare. Industry luminaries like Gregory Ator, MD; Brad Schwartz, MD; Jocelyn DeWitt, PhD; Jacob Behrens, MD, Matt Fenty, Marc Chasin, MD and Lyle Berkowitz, MD share their unique perspectives on technology’s impact on healthcare in this e-book. This thought leadership collection allows readers to get a glimpse into the strong stance each of these clinicians hold on the topic of technology, including where it fits well, where it doesn’t fit and what can be done to improve the healthcare technology landscape.
Datica’s first Thought Leadership Gallery delivers powerful thoughts around questions these notable figures consider as they work in an industry on the cusp of radical transformation. Some of the questions posed include:· Should the industry take a standardized approach to how it adopts and deploy new capabilities?
· Will technology bring back joy to the clinician workflow?
· Has the industry begun aligning incentives to promote innovation?
· Should the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) be changed to allow for innovation?
· How do clinicians feel about patients owning their own records?
· Is patient stratification the next frontier for improving patient outcomes?
“The Thought Leadership Gallery gives a voice to physicians and clinicians who are at the heart of healthcare’s digital revolution,” said Datica CEO and Chief Privacy Officer Travis Good, MD. “With minimal input into the digital tools that are often selected, vendors don’t have a compelling reason to understand the specific needs of clinicians, and that ultimately impacts patient care. Our series of thought leadership papers will help professionals on all sides of the healthcare prism understand those clinician needs for delivering better outcomes.”
Download Datica’s full Thought Leadership Gallery here to learn how influential industry thinkers and doers are assessing the impact of technology on healthcare.
About Datica
Datica is the platform for digital health success. We solve the problem of HIPAA compliance in the cloud, and enable secure data exchange between digital health and EHRs. Customers and partners across healthcare trust Datica to ensure the barriers for digital health are removed so innovation can happen faster. For more information please visit https://datica.com. Reported by PRWeb 18 hours ago.
Madison, Wisc. (PRWEB) August 22, 2017
Datica, the leading cloud platform for digital health applications, today published its seminal Thought Leadership Gallery titled “Rethinking Health Technology” for key stakeholders in healthcare. Industry luminaries like Gregory Ator, MD; Brad Schwartz, MD; Jocelyn DeWitt, PhD; Jacob Behrens, MD, Matt Fenty, Marc Chasin, MD and Lyle Berkowitz, MD share their unique perspectives on technology’s impact on healthcare in this e-book. This thought leadership collection allows readers to get a glimpse into the strong stance each of these clinicians hold on the topic of technology, including where it fits well, where it doesn’t fit and what can be done to improve the healthcare technology landscape.
Datica’s first Thought Leadership Gallery delivers powerful thoughts around questions these notable figures consider as they work in an industry on the cusp of radical transformation. Some of the questions posed include:· Should the industry take a standardized approach to how it adopts and deploy new capabilities?
· Will technology bring back joy to the clinician workflow?
· Has the industry begun aligning incentives to promote innovation?
· Should the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) be changed to allow for innovation?
· How do clinicians feel about patients owning their own records?
· Is patient stratification the next frontier for improving patient outcomes?
“The Thought Leadership Gallery gives a voice to physicians and clinicians who are at the heart of healthcare’s digital revolution,” said Datica CEO and Chief Privacy Officer Travis Good, MD. “With minimal input into the digital tools that are often selected, vendors don’t have a compelling reason to understand the specific needs of clinicians, and that ultimately impacts patient care. Our series of thought leadership papers will help professionals on all sides of the healthcare prism understand those clinician needs for delivering better outcomes.”
Download Datica’s full Thought Leadership Gallery here to learn how influential industry thinkers and doers are assessing the impact of technology on healthcare.
About Datica
Datica is the platform for digital health success. We solve the problem of HIPAA compliance in the cloud, and enable secure data exchange between digital health and EHRs. Customers and partners across healthcare trust Datica to ensure the barriers for digital health are removed so innovation can happen faster. For more information please visit https://datica.com. Reported by PRWeb 18 hours ago.
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Ousted Tennessee lawmaker files lawsuit, seeks benefits
Jeremy Durham, the former state lawmaker who was ousted after an investigation determined he had inappropriate sexual conduct with almost two-dozen women, believes he is entitled to a state pension and health insurance. Durham’s colleagues voted 70-2 last September to oust him during a special session focused on transit funding. The Tennessean reports that Durham filed a federal lawsuit Monday which claims the vote to oust him was outside the purview of the special session. According to The…
Reported by bizjournals 14 hours ago.
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Senate panel plans 2 hearings on girding health insurance
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate health committee will hold two hearings early next month on how the nation's individual health insurance marketplaces can be stabilized, as party leaders grasp for a fresh path following the collapse of the Republican effort to repeal and replace much of former President Barack Obama's health care law. GOP and Democratic leaders are exploring whether they can craft a bipartisan but limited bill aimed at curbing rising premiums for people who buy their own insurance. In many markets, consumers are seeing steeply rising premiums and fewer insurers willing to sell policies. A Sept. 6 hearing will feature state insurance commissioners. The next day's witnesses will be governors.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 12 hours ago.
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Greenberg Traurig Expands Insurance Regulatory & Transactions Practice in California; Adds John A. Sebastinelli
Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has added insurance regulatory attorney John A. Sebastinelli as shareholder to its Government Law & Policy and Insurance Regulatory & Transactions practices in the firm’s San Francisco office.
SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) August 22, 2017
Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has added insurance regulatory attorney John A. Sebastinelli as shareholder to its Government Law & Policy and Insurance Regulatory & Transactions practices in the firm’s San Francisco office. Sebastinelli is a strategic addition to the firm’s growing insurance practice and follows the firm’s hire late last year, in Sacramento, of Bill Gausewitz, a shareholder who also focuses on insurance regulatory work. Sebastinelli and Gausewitz previously worked together at Michelman & Robinson. In addition to Gausewitz, Thomas Holden, who focuses on insurance coverage and bad faith claims, also recently joined the San Francisco office.
“We are excited by the continued growth in GT’s San Francisco office,” said G. Michelle Ferreira, Managing Shareholder for the firm’s San Francisco office. “John’s addition to the office strengthens our insurance regulatory practice nationally and he adds an important practice necessary for San Francisco’s strategic plan.”
“I am excited to join Greenberg Traurig,” Sebastinelli said. “The firm’s extensive network and national reach will enable me to better serve my clients’ needs, and I am also excited to work with my prior colleague Bill once again.”
“I’ve represented clients in the insurance industry for many years, and have known John for quite some time. He’s someone for whom I have great respect,” said Gene Livingston, shareholder within the firm’s Insurance Regulatory & Transactions and Government Law & Policy practices in Sacramento. “I am thrilled to expand our California insurance practice with a team player that has such a deep understanding of the issues our clients face.”
Sebastinelli’s practice focuses primarily on California insurance regulatory law matters, handling matters in almost every aspect of the insurance sector. He represents over 100 property and casualty and life and health insurers and other insurance-related organizations in a vast array of regulatory, transactional, and compliance issues including licensing, mergers and acquisitions, policy filings, retail and surplus line brokerages, and insurance company and reinsurance transactions.
“It has been a continued focus of mine, since joining Greenberg Traurig, to expand the firm’s already stellar team of insurance regulatory and transactional attorneys at the firm,” said Fred Karlinsky, co-chair of the firm’s Insurance Regulatory & Transaction Practice. “We want to be able to offer the best service to our clients in California and nationwide, and I know this addition to the team will be a value-add for both his existing clients as well as GT’s clients!”
Sebastinelli holds a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, as well as a B.S. and M.B.A from the University of San Francisco.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Insurance Regulatory & Transactions Practice
Greenberg Traurig’s Insurance Regulatory & Transactions group brings together lawyers from its national and international offices with experience in a broad variety of complementary disciplines – including insurance regulatory, tax, corporate finance and securities, securitization and structured finance, litigation, health care, and governmental affairs – to support clients from all segments of the insurance industry. The group provides tailored legal services designed to meet the varied needs of our clients in the areas of insurance regulation, legislative and public policy advocacy, life and health insurance, property and casualty insurance, premium finance, securitization and derivatives, and insurance litigation.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Government Law & Policy Practice
Greenberg Traurig’s Government Law & Policy Practice combines the capabilities of its Federal Practice in Washington D.C. with its state and local practices across the country. The firm’s national team of governmental affairs professionals and attorneys spans major political and commercial capitals throughout the United States, including: Albany, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Tallahassee, Washington, D.C. Most recently, Greenberg Traurig was named “Law Firm of the Year” for Government Relations by the U.S. News-Best Lawyers 2014 edition of Best Law Firms. The practice also received the most first-tier Government Relations rankings in the U.S.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.
SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) August 22, 2017
Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has added insurance regulatory attorney John A. Sebastinelli as shareholder to its Government Law & Policy and Insurance Regulatory & Transactions practices in the firm’s San Francisco office. Sebastinelli is a strategic addition to the firm’s growing insurance practice and follows the firm’s hire late last year, in Sacramento, of Bill Gausewitz, a shareholder who also focuses on insurance regulatory work. Sebastinelli and Gausewitz previously worked together at Michelman & Robinson. In addition to Gausewitz, Thomas Holden, who focuses on insurance coverage and bad faith claims, also recently joined the San Francisco office.
“We are excited by the continued growth in GT’s San Francisco office,” said G. Michelle Ferreira, Managing Shareholder for the firm’s San Francisco office. “John’s addition to the office strengthens our insurance regulatory practice nationally and he adds an important practice necessary for San Francisco’s strategic plan.”
“I am excited to join Greenberg Traurig,” Sebastinelli said. “The firm’s extensive network and national reach will enable me to better serve my clients’ needs, and I am also excited to work with my prior colleague Bill once again.”
“I’ve represented clients in the insurance industry for many years, and have known John for quite some time. He’s someone for whom I have great respect,” said Gene Livingston, shareholder within the firm’s Insurance Regulatory & Transactions and Government Law & Policy practices in Sacramento. “I am thrilled to expand our California insurance practice with a team player that has such a deep understanding of the issues our clients face.”
Sebastinelli’s practice focuses primarily on California insurance regulatory law matters, handling matters in almost every aspect of the insurance sector. He represents over 100 property and casualty and life and health insurers and other insurance-related organizations in a vast array of regulatory, transactional, and compliance issues including licensing, mergers and acquisitions, policy filings, retail and surplus line brokerages, and insurance company and reinsurance transactions.
“It has been a continued focus of mine, since joining Greenberg Traurig, to expand the firm’s already stellar team of insurance regulatory and transactional attorneys at the firm,” said Fred Karlinsky, co-chair of the firm’s Insurance Regulatory & Transaction Practice. “We want to be able to offer the best service to our clients in California and nationwide, and I know this addition to the team will be a value-add for both his existing clients as well as GT’s clients!”
Sebastinelli holds a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, as well as a B.S. and M.B.A from the University of San Francisco.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Insurance Regulatory & Transactions Practice
Greenberg Traurig’s Insurance Regulatory & Transactions group brings together lawyers from its national and international offices with experience in a broad variety of complementary disciplines – including insurance regulatory, tax, corporate finance and securities, securitization and structured finance, litigation, health care, and governmental affairs – to support clients from all segments of the insurance industry. The group provides tailored legal services designed to meet the varied needs of our clients in the areas of insurance regulation, legislative and public policy advocacy, life and health insurance, property and casualty insurance, premium finance, securitization and derivatives, and insurance litigation.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Government Law & Policy Practice
Greenberg Traurig’s Government Law & Policy Practice combines the capabilities of its Federal Practice in Washington D.C. with its state and local practices across the country. The firm’s national team of governmental affairs professionals and attorneys spans major political and commercial capitals throughout the United States, including: Albany, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Tallahassee, Washington, D.C. Most recently, Greenberg Traurig was named “Law Firm of the Year” for Government Relations by the U.S. News-Best Lawyers 2014 edition of Best Law Firms. The practice also received the most first-tier Government Relations rankings in the U.S.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.
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THE DOCTOR IS IN: Here are the Health Care Innovators & Extraordinary Doctors of 2017
On Sept. 14 the Business Journal will be honoring the 2017 Health Care Innovators and Extraordinary Doctors of the year at the Ballroom at the Ben in Center City. The evening cocktail and networking reception will focus on the two different areas of awards. Submissions for the Health Care Innovator winners were eligible via all sectors of the health care industry including: hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, health insurance providers, biotech, medical device manufacturers, and other life…
Reported by bizjournals 8 hours ago.
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I spent five days in the mountains with limited access to Twitter, and it was great
I just got back from a five-day trip to Wyoming, where I visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and watched the total solar eclipse from Casper.Wyoming’s national parks are stunningly beautiful, and the eclipse was awesome. But my favorite thing about the trip may have been the spotty cell phone service, which made it impossible for me to keep close tabs on the news, or on social media about the news.
I haven’t felt so relaxed in two years.
A lot of us are allowing politics to consume our lives, and making ourselves miserable in the process. At least I get paid for it. What’s your excuse?
Having returned from the wilderness, my advice to you is this: Give yourself permission to think less often about Donald Trump, and to argue less often about politics.
Think less about matters beyond your control, and more about what you can do to bring yourself contentment.
It will make you happier, I think.
*Panic is a privilege — but not an enjoyable one*
When I tell people to worry less about politics, I usually get responses about how this is an easy thing for a privileged white man to say. The people making this admonition are often quite privileged themselves.
The ability to maintain a state of permanent panic about the president can itself be a mark of privilege. People are able to direct their primary emotional energies to worrying about national politics when they don't have intense material concerns in their personal lives — and when they believe national politics has high stakes for the cultural power people like them can wield.
We see the privilege of panic manifesting in the political "hobbyism" political scientist Eitan Hersh describes among the middle and upper classes, especially on the left. And we see it in the turnout differentials in special elections: The energy of the #Resistance is driving superior turnout among college-educated Democrats and independents, but not among working-class Democrats, white or black.
A higher aggregate level of worry probably is good for turnout. But allowing politics to make you personally miserable does nothing to elect Democrats or contain the president.
If you inventory the time you spend on political activities — this includes time spent arguing with people on Twitter and Facebook — how much of that time is going toward actions that can really affect political outcomes, and how much is a recreational activity you aren’t even enjoying?
You have no moral obligation to engage in the latter.
*Arguments are optional*
Over the last couple of years, I have discovered the enjoyable luxury of declining to participate in daily outrage stories. Sometimes, I smile inwardly, knowing I disagree with strongly held opinions on the internet and knowing that their holders cannot force to engage.
And sometimes I don’t form an opinion at all.
To give a current example, I don’t care how much it costs the Secret Service to protect the president's family. I guess maybe the Trump kids should travel abroad less, but the cost isn't that high in the scheme of things. You will not get me to have an argument about it.
Since all of culture is political now, there is pressure for politically engaged people to take stands even on controversies far afield from public policy. I remind myself that this, too, is optional.
I mostly succeed at not caring about what Lena Dunham is up to. I have no view on whether it was appropriate to shoot Harambe.
Having so thoroughly enjoyed my time in the deep woods where my phone cannot provide alerts, I’ve resolved to form and express even fewer opinions about hot-button controversies when doing so is not an absolute professional necessity.
You should feel free to reserve your political outrage for issues that really matter, and to enjoy sports or entertainment or food — or whatever non-political hobbies you’ll have more time to engage with when you spend less time worrying about Trump — without thinking about their political implications at all. You don’t owe it to anyone else to fret or argue or posture.
You can even enjoy athletes and pop stars with strong political opinions that differ from yours. They may be rich and famous, but one bit of power you have over them is the freedom to disregard their dumb opinions and just focus on the thing that made them famous in the first place.
I think a lot of the cultural divides in America could be bridged if people on the right and left remembered that, except for actual political figures, famous people’s political opinions only matter if you allow them to matter to you.
Or, go spend some time in the woods, where stupid opinions from famous people or your relatives can’t even reach you.
*There is more to life than the government*
I think a reason I’ve maintained relative sanity during this administration is a healthy perspective on the importance of public policy. There are a lot of problems Americans can fix on their own, and there are a lot of other problems the government is unlikely to fix, no matter who is elected.
I’ve written before about the tail risks of Trump, and his presidency poses a small but alarming risk of terrible outcomes like nuclear exchange and great-power war. But assuming he does not get us all killed, the policy effects of his administration are mostly looking very modest, except for increased enforcement against illegal immigration.
Besides, policy change is probably less important than you think. The federal government is not as good at fixing problems as liberals like to believe, nor as prone to creating them as conservatives fear.
House Speaker Paul Ryan says America has the worst tax system in the advanced world. Yet somehow we have the highest per-capita gross domestic product of any large country. Partly, this reflects that Ryan is overselling the horrors of our tax code. But it also reflects that tax policy is less important for investment decisions and economic growth than policymakers like to claim it is.
The Affordable Care Act is probably saving tens of thousands of lives a year — an achievement, but a smaller one than its architects had hoped. Earlier this year, public policy professor Mark Kleiman laid out strategies to curb drunk driving he thinks are reducing all-cause mortality in South Dakota by 4% a year. If replicated nationally, this lifesaving effect would be several times the effect of the ACA.
But the most important resources to reduce death in America lie with individual Americans, who can increase their life expectancies by exercising more, eating better, not drinking to excess, and managing chronic diseases in accordance with their doctors’ instructions.
About 40% of patients prescribed blood pressure medication after a heart attack don’t take it as prescribed. Improving poor adherence to healthcare — even among people who have good health insurance — is a public health policy challenge, but it’s also a private challenge addressable by individual patients.
One reason people like to focus so much on public policy is that it provides a distraction from the things we could be doing to improve our own lives but aren’t — it allows us to shift the conversation to what other people should do for us.
In the long run, won't you do more to make yourself happy by taking your happiness into your own hands, and worrying about the things you can directly control?
*Life is big*
In 1986, 36% of Yellowstone National Park burned in a particularly devastating fire. There are vast hillsides covered in dead trunks with short, young trees growing among them. This is a natural part of the ecosystem. Fires allow light to get to the forest floor so a more diverse variety of plant life can thrive, rather than just the tall lodgepole pines.
Fires on this scale happen about every 300 years; they were happening long before Trump was born and they will happen long after he is dead. A visit to Yellowstone is a good reminder of how much bigger nature is than we are, and how we might as well find a way to enjoy our time on earth while we are here.
This is the part of the article that will prompt several of you to send me long and agitated emails about climate change. Yes, Yellowstone is getting hotter, and that will mean an undesirable increase in forest fires.
But Trump’s short administration will have fewer effects on this long-range issue than you think, in part because the Paris Agreement is less important than you think, and global trends slowing the growth of carbon emissions are largely outside the control of the United States government.
More to the point, the lecturing email you're about to send me won't have any effect on global temperatures at all, except to the extent you're using fossil fuels to compose it.
Instead of worrying so much about what the government is or isn’t doing, why don’t you take a moment to sit back, feel awe at the things neither you nor the president can change, disregard the noise, and breathe.
While I was hiking up Mount Washburn on Friday, the elevation made it possible for my cell phone to pick up service briefly, and I got a push alert telling me that Steve Bannon had been fired. But I didn’t have enough data service to load the article. So I put my phone back in my pocket, smiled, and kept hiking up the mountain.
I needed the break. You probably need one, too.
*SEE ALSO: Republicans now have an ethical obligation to quit Trump's party*
Join the conversation about this story »
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How to respond to IT notice for mismatch of your income as per Form 16?
If you have recently filed your tax returns for the previous financial year 2016-17 and have claimed certain benefits like HRA, LTA or your 80C investments deductions while doing your tax computation, then chances are there that you might have received an Income Tax Notice u/s 143(1).
*What is Notice u/s 143(1) about?*
Once you file your Tax Return, you may get a notice or an intimation from the department ranging from a simple enquiry to a critical one. Though there is no need to panic for every notice or intimation you receive, do make sure to handle every notice carefully, respond in time and as stated in the notice. There are multiple types of notices under section 143(1) and the one I am talking about in this article is the latest one initiated by the Income Tax department. This pertains to a mismatch of your income as per Form 16 or 16A and the income as filed by you in your Income Tax return.
*What **is** this mismatch of income as per Form 16 and my tax return?*
Let me explain this with an example. Let's say Manoj is a salaried person and is working with the Tata group. Now due to some reasons, Manoj could not submit his rent bills & 80C investment proofs to his employer and thereby did not get the benefit of HRA & section 80C both in his tax computation of TDS by his employer. Thereby, because of the non-submission of these documents, his tax liability increased and excess tax got deducted and paid to the government. But as you are aware that even if you do not claim these benefits from your employer, you do not lose these benefits and you still have a chance to claim it from the tax department while filing your tax return. And that is what Manoj did, while filing his tax returns in the last month. He claimed these benefits and thereby his taxable income got reduced and so his tax liability resulting in to him getting a tax refund. Now, this incident has created this particular “Mis-match of Income between his Form 16 & the income as reported by him in his tax filing”.
*How to handle this 'mismatch' i.e. notice as received u/s 143(1)?*
Till last year, the tax department was not asking for any documents from those taxpayers who had claimed the benefits like what Manoj did in our example. But now as per this new initiative, the tax department has started sending the notices u/s 143(1) asking the taxpayers to submit the proofs for all the deductions & exemptions as claimed by them while filing their tax return.
*What are the some of the items one can get a **notice** for?*
Following are some of the instances wherein you might have claimed the benefits while filing your tax return and the same have caused the mismatch and thereby the mismatch notice: -
Deductions as per chapter VI-A: If you have claimed the Chapter VI deductions while filing your tax return, like 80C benefits for your life Insurance premium, home loan principal, mutual funds ELSS etc. or a Donation made by you u/s 80G or your health insurance premium u/s 80D.
Various allowances as exempted under IT act:- Allowances like HRA or LTA not claimed with the employer but only at the time of filing your tax return.
TDS for previous year: This is with respect to the TDS, you have claimed in the latest filing but the same belonged to the Income offered in the previous year.
Interest Income on your FDs: If you have not declared the interest earned on your FDs in your tax return.
Other: There could be some more instances and in case your particular reason is not mentioned in the list then you can select the option, other.
*Is there a reason to worry?*
No, absolutely not, unless someone has declared and claimed any deductions or benefit which is unlawful, meaning if someone has not rented out a place, but still the person has claimed the HRA benefit. As long as everything is legal and rightfully done and something which you are eligible to claim, then don't worry. All the department is asking is to submit your reason for the mismatch and upload the relevant document to justify your claim. There is absolutely no need to worry panic. You need to select the option by either agreeing or disagreeing to the mismatch and select the reason out of all the available options as explained in the above-mentioned para.
*What is the time limit to reply to this notice and what are the steps involved?*
The time limit to reply to this notice is thirty days from the date of receipt of this notice. Following is a step-by-step infographic illustration to respond to the said notice:
*Step-1:* Please login to your income tax account at https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/ and click on the e-proceeding. In case you have received the notice, following page will be shown:
*Step-2:* Further you need to click on the “PROCEEDING” Name (hyperlink) to view the proceeding details. Then you will be able to see the following page with a Submit link under the “Response” tab, click on the same.
*Step-3:* Once you have clicked on the submit link, the following page will be seen, it will highlight the difference between your total income based on the return filed by you and as per your Form 16/16A or 26AS.
*Example of a Mismatch due to your 80C deductions*
*Step-4:* Now, you have to identify the exact reason behind the difference between your claim as per the return filed by you and the relevant form as mentioned in the below image. You have to select whether you agree or disagree from the list as shown in the dropdown.
*Step-5:* If you do not agree to the addition then you need to mention the reason for your disagreement. You can select the reason from the given dropdown list and also submit the relevant documentary evidence in support of your claim.
ColumnBusinessRishabh ParakhDNA webdesk
· Income Tax
· Form 16
· taxes
· HRA
· LTA
· 80C
· investment
· Income Tax Notice u/s 143(1)
Wed, 23 Aug 2017-12:30pm
Date updated:
Wednesday, 23 August 2017 - 12:32pm
Article Images:
Short URL:
dnai.in/f2FZ
Embargo:
Syndicate:
Hide lead image:
Page views:
18
From Print Edition: Reported by DNA 13 hours ago.
*What is Notice u/s 143(1) about?*
Once you file your Tax Return, you may get a notice or an intimation from the department ranging from a simple enquiry to a critical one. Though there is no need to panic for every notice or intimation you receive, do make sure to handle every notice carefully, respond in time and as stated in the notice. There are multiple types of notices under section 143(1) and the one I am talking about in this article is the latest one initiated by the Income Tax department. This pertains to a mismatch of your income as per Form 16 or 16A and the income as filed by you in your Income Tax return.
*What **is** this mismatch of income as per Form 16 and my tax return?*
Let me explain this with an example. Let's say Manoj is a salaried person and is working with the Tata group. Now due to some reasons, Manoj could not submit his rent bills & 80C investment proofs to his employer and thereby did not get the benefit of HRA & section 80C both in his tax computation of TDS by his employer. Thereby, because of the non-submission of these documents, his tax liability increased and excess tax got deducted and paid to the government. But as you are aware that even if you do not claim these benefits from your employer, you do not lose these benefits and you still have a chance to claim it from the tax department while filing your tax return. And that is what Manoj did, while filing his tax returns in the last month. He claimed these benefits and thereby his taxable income got reduced and so his tax liability resulting in to him getting a tax refund. Now, this incident has created this particular “Mis-match of Income between his Form 16 & the income as reported by him in his tax filing”.
*How to handle this 'mismatch' i.e. notice as received u/s 143(1)?*
Till last year, the tax department was not asking for any documents from those taxpayers who had claimed the benefits like what Manoj did in our example. But now as per this new initiative, the tax department has started sending the notices u/s 143(1) asking the taxpayers to submit the proofs for all the deductions & exemptions as claimed by them while filing their tax return.
*What are the some of the items one can get a **notice** for?*
Following are some of the instances wherein you might have claimed the benefits while filing your tax return and the same have caused the mismatch and thereby the mismatch notice: -
Deductions as per chapter VI-A: If you have claimed the Chapter VI deductions while filing your tax return, like 80C benefits for your life Insurance premium, home loan principal, mutual funds ELSS etc. or a Donation made by you u/s 80G or your health insurance premium u/s 80D.
Various allowances as exempted under IT act:- Allowances like HRA or LTA not claimed with the employer but only at the time of filing your tax return.
TDS for previous year: This is with respect to the TDS, you have claimed in the latest filing but the same belonged to the Income offered in the previous year.
Interest Income on your FDs: If you have not declared the interest earned on your FDs in your tax return.
Other: There could be some more instances and in case your particular reason is not mentioned in the list then you can select the option, other.
*Is there a reason to worry?*
No, absolutely not, unless someone has declared and claimed any deductions or benefit which is unlawful, meaning if someone has not rented out a place, but still the person has claimed the HRA benefit. As long as everything is legal and rightfully done and something which you are eligible to claim, then don't worry. All the department is asking is to submit your reason for the mismatch and upload the relevant document to justify your claim. There is absolutely no need to worry panic. You need to select the option by either agreeing or disagreeing to the mismatch and select the reason out of all the available options as explained in the above-mentioned para.
*What is the time limit to reply to this notice and what are the steps involved?*
The time limit to reply to this notice is thirty days from the date of receipt of this notice. Following is a step-by-step infographic illustration to respond to the said notice:
*Step-1:* Please login to your income tax account at https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/ and click on the e-proceeding. In case you have received the notice, following page will be shown:
*Step-2:* Further you need to click on the “PROCEEDING” Name (hyperlink) to view the proceeding details. Then you will be able to see the following page with a Submit link under the “Response” tab, click on the same.
*Step-3:* Once you have clicked on the submit link, the following page will be seen, it will highlight the difference between your total income based on the return filed by you and as per your Form 16/16A or 26AS.
*Example of a Mismatch due to your 80C deductions*
*Step-4:* Now, you have to identify the exact reason behind the difference between your claim as per the return filed by you and the relevant form as mentioned in the below image. You have to select whether you agree or disagree from the list as shown in the dropdown.
*Step-5:* If you do not agree to the addition then you need to mention the reason for your disagreement. You can select the reason from the given dropdown list and also submit the relevant documentary evidence in support of your claim.
ColumnBusinessRishabh ParakhDNA webdesk
· Income Tax
· Form 16
· taxes
· HRA
· LTA
· 80C
· investment
· Income Tax Notice u/s 143(1)
Wed, 23 Aug 2017-12:30pm
Date updated:
Wednesday, 23 August 2017 - 12:32pm
Article Images:
Short URL:
dnai.in/f2FZ
Embargo:
Syndicate:
Hide lead image:
Page views:
18
From Print Edition: Reported by DNA 13 hours ago.
↧
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