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An Obamacare win: No ‘bare counties’ for health insurance next year

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CLEVELAND – An insurer has stepped up to sell individual health insurance policies to the last county in the United States without coverage in 2018, signaling the resilience of an Obamacare market that had been forecast to fail. The Ohio-based insurer CareSource has struck an agreement to sell... Reported by Raw Story 21 minutes ago.

Fewer people hit with Obamacare penalty last year

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Some 4 million households paid the Obamacare penalty for not having health insurance last year, new Internal Revenue Service data shows. Reported by CNNMoney 2 days ago.

Why hasn't the Trump administration dropped the HHS mandate?

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Washington D.C., Aug 24, 2017 / 04:23 pm (CNA).- Lawyers for the Little Sisters of the Poor said it’s time for the Trump administration to admit that the Obama-era contraception mandate is unconstitutional and provide the sisters relief.

“I think we’re in a moment of truth and reconciliation here,” Becket executive director Montse Alvarado told CNA. Becket has represented for-profit and non-profit plaintiffs in cases against the HHS mandate, winning at the Supreme Court in 2014 in the Hobby Lobby case.

“The government’s lawyers need to admit that what they were doing is illegal. We need them to honestly admit,” Alvarado said, “that they were doing something unconstitutional.” The Department of Health and Human Services also needs to issue a “new rule” providing relief from the mandate from all parties that conscientiously object to it, she said, and the plaintiffs need “win their cases” in court.

It has now been nearly five months since the May 4 Rose Garden press conference in which President Donald Trump told the Little Sisters of Poor: “Your long ordeal will soon be over.”

The sisters had filed a lawsuit in late 2013 over the federal contraception mandate, which was a regulation from the Obama administration requiring employers to fund coverage of contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-causing drugs in their employee health plans.

Hundreds of lawsuits were filed against the mandate by employers who objected to it. Among the plaintiffs was EWTN Global Catholic Network. CNA is part of the EWTN family. Following the wave of legal challenges, the Obama administration released subsequent revisions to the mandate. But the Little Sisters and many other employers said the revised rules still required their complicity in providing such coverage, which violates their religious and moral standards. Refusal to comply with the rule would result in heavy – potentially crippling – fines.

On the day of the May 4 press conference – attended by U.S. bishops’ conference president Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and members of the Little Sisters of the Poor – President Trump issued an executive order “promoting free speech and religious liberty.” It directed the Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to “consider issuing amended regulations, consistent with applicable law, to address conscience-based objections to the preventive-care mandate.”

Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price that day “welcomed” the executive order and promised that “we will be taking action in short order to follow the President’s instruction to safeguard the deeply held religious beliefs of Americans who provide health insurance to their employees.”

Later that month, a draft memo by the Department of Health and Human Services was leaked to the press. It would offer an exemption to employers who objected to the mandate.  However, no final official rule was issued.

“It was a good draft,” Alvarado said, but added that “I need to see something concrete.”

Furthermore, the Justice Department has not dropped its defense of the mandate cases currently in court, but rather asked for more time for the administration to issue a final rule on the anticipated exemptions to the mandate.

In one case before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Catholic Benefits Association asked for an answer by the administration in the ongoing mandate case. The Justice Department was given by the court until July 31 to reply, but said it needed more time to craft a final rule.

In 2016, the Supreme Court vacated previous circuit court decisions in Zubik v. Burwell, the combined case of the Little Sisters and plaintiffs against the mandate. The Supreme Court sent the cases back down to the lower court level, and directed both the government and the plaintiffs to come to a solution satisfying both parties.

“We were told to negotiate and come up with a win for the Sisters for the case, and also HHS was told to come up with a new rule that gives them the relief that was provided by the injunction by making it permanent,” Alvarado said.

Yet while President Trump promised relief from the mandate, the groups have seen no solution to their plight.

Cardinal DiNardo, writing an op-ed in The Hill on Aug. 3, noted that the HHS mandate “still stands” after the president promised in May that the “long ordeal” of the sisters “will soon be over.” He added that “the onerous regulations that are still on the books have not been amended.”

“The HHS mandate puts an unnecessary burden on religious freedom, a burden that the administration has the power to lift, a burden that the administration has promised to lift. And yet the burden has not been lifted,” he wrote. “Mr. President, please lift this burden.”

As the threat of heavy fines still looms over their heads, the Little Sisters of the Poor can’t wait indefinitely for relief, Alvarado said.

“Every day that they are not participating is another day that their attention is divided,” she said of the sisters and their mission of caring for the elderly and the sick.

Earlier in August, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a secular crisis pregnancy center Real Alternatives, Inc. in an HHS mandate case, saying that its pro-life mission did not merit a religious exemption to the mandate.

“When a crisis pregnancy center that obviously has an opinion about abortion is being forced to provide these drugs and services, it’s unusual for the government’s lawyers to say that they’re just standing by and not doing anything,” Alvarado said of the claim that the Department of Justice is simply defending laws that are still on the books.

“Here, justice deferred really truly is justice denied,” she said.

On Aug. 24, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked by John Gizzi of Newsmax if the president was “aware” of the complaints that the HHS mandate is “still being enforced in spite of the President’s orders,” and if he was taking any action on the matter.

“I’m not sure if he’s aware of the complaints or any specific places where that’s being ignored, so I’d have to look into that, probably talk to our friends at HHS, specific to the contraception thing, and get back to you,” Sanders replied.

Alvarado said Becket lawyers have been talking to lawyers from the Department of Justice on the mandate cases, so the answer that the president might not be “aware” of the complaints may be evidence that the administration is not necessarily looking to renege on its promises.

The answer “gives you insight into the disconnect between the DOJ and the White House,” she told CNA. “It’s heartening, because that tells me that there’s actually a reason to why this isn’t happening, why we’ve been waiting months for something to happen.”

  Reported by CNA 2 days ago.

THE INSURANCE AND THE IoT REPORT: How insurers are using connected devices to cut costs and more accurately price policies

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THE INSURANCE AND THE IoT REPORT: How insurers are using connected devices to cut costs and more accurately price policies This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

Insurance companies have long based their pricing models and strategies on assumptions about the demographics of their customers. Auto insurers, for example, have traditionally charged higher premiums for parents of teenage drivers based on the assumption that members of this demographic are more likely to get into an accident.

But those assumptions are inherently flawed, since they often aren't based on the actual behaviors and characteristics of individual customers. As new IoT technologies increasingly move into the mainstream, insurers are able to collect and analyze data to more accurately price premiums, helping them to protect the assets they insure and enabling more efficient assessment of damages to conserve resources.

A new report from BI Intelligence explains how companies in the auto, health, and home insurance markets are using the data produced by IoT solutions to augment their existing policy pricing models and grow their customer bases. In addition, it examines areas where IoT devices have the potential to open up new insurance segments.

 Here are some of the key takeaways:

· The world's largest auto insurers now offer usage-based policies, which price premiums based on vehicle usage data collected directly from the car.
· Large home and commercial property insurers are using drones to inspect damaged properties, which can improve workflow efficiency and reduce their reliance on human labor.
· Health and life insurance firms are offering customers fitness trackers to encourage healthy behavior, and discounts for meeting certain goals.
· Home insurers are offering discounts on smart home devices to current customers, and in some cases, free devices to entice new customers.

In full, the report:

· Forecasts the number of Americans who will have tried usage-based auto insurance by 2021.
· Explains why narrowly tailored wearables could be what's next for the health insurance industry.
· Analyzes the market for potential future insurance products on IoT devices.
· Discusses and analyzes the barriers to consumers opting in to policies that collect their data.

To get your copy of this invaluable guide to the IoT, choose one of these options:

1. Subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND over 100 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. >> *START A MEMBERSHIP*
2. Purchase the report and download it immediately from our research store. >> *BUY THE REPORT*

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of insurance and the IoT.

Join the conversation about this story » Reported by Business Insider 2 days ago.

Health Care Heroes Innovation winner: David Berg

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For David Berg, the situation came to a head when he could not retain Arrowhead employees because of the health insurance coverage he offered. Reported by bizjournals 2 days ago.

Cherry Creek Mortgage says it has updated insurance policies to include same-sex spouses

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Cherry Creek Mortgage, accused in a federal lawsuit of discriminating against a lesbian employee by denying health insurance for her wife, has updated its policies to include same-sex spouses Reported by Denver Post 1 day ago.

Fidelity Says Baby Boomers Haven't Even Saved Enough To Cover Their Healthcare In Retirement

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Fidelity Says Baby Boomers Haven't Even Saved Enough To Cover Their Healthcare In Retirement While statistics are somewhat sketchy on the topic, most research suggests that the average retirement-age household has managed to set aside roughly $200,000-$250,000 for their golden years.  *Unfortunately, they'll need more than that just to cover their healthcare costs.*  Per Bloomberg notes today, the average 65-year-old couple will need roughly $275,000 to cover their healthcare costs during retirement...and that's with Medicare.



*A 65-year-old couple retiring this year will need $275,000 to cover health-care costs throughout retirement, *Fidelity Investments said in its annual cost estimate, out this morning. That stunning number is about 6 percent higher than it was last year. Costs would be about half that amount for a single person, though women would pay a bit more than men since they live longer.

 

You might think that number looks high. At 65, you’re eligible for Medicare, after all. *But monthly Medicare premiums for Part B (which covers doctor’s visits, surgeries, and more) and Part D (drug coverage) make up 35 percent of Fidelity’s estimate. *The other 65 percent is the cost-sharing, in and out of Medicare, in co-payments and deductibles, as well as out-of-pocket payments for prescription drugs.

 

*And that doesn’t include dental care—or nursing-home and long-term care costs.*



 

Of course, the problem remains the staggering inflation of healthcare costs that continue to rise at many multiples of overall inflation and wage growth. 



*U.S. retiree health-care costs are likely to increase at an average annual rate of 5.5 percent over the next decade. *That's nearly triple the 1.9 percent average annual inflation rate in the U.S. from 2012 to 2016 and more than double the projected cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on Social Security benefits.

 

The premiums on supplemental insurance, also known as Medigap, that many people buy to cover costs that Medicare doesn't, such as co-payments; on Medicare Part B, which covers payments for doctors, tests, and other medical services; and on Part D, prescription drug coverage. Here's how your Social Security benefits are likely to stack up against some of those costs.



 

Meanwhile, the shocking inflation of healthcare costs spells disaster for younger families who will have to set aside millions to cover their healthcare in retirement.

 

Of course, *excessively rising costs*, for our legislators who may not be so good with the math, is *usually the result of demand outstripping supply and/or perverse regulations that serve to distort free market forces.*  In the case of Obamacare, we have both. 

As an example, before Obamacare many healthy young people, who we'll refer to collectively as John Doe, chose not to even carry health insurance because it was a truly wasteful expense for them.  As it turns out, millennials can actually do some basic math and figured out that they didn't need to spend $5,000 a year for an insurance plan when the odds are that they'll get a cold one time, pay $150 to visit a doctor and $40 to buy some antibiotics.

But then Obamacare came along and forced John Doe to, not only purchase insurance, but to purchase a 'souped up,' expensive plan with all sorts of bells and whistles. 

*Now, Democrats knew that that 'souped up' healthcare plan was really just a thinly veiled tax on John Doe...he wasn't supposed to actually use it.  *

But John Doe, didn't see it that way.  From his perspective, if he's paying for a service, he might as well use it...and hence the demand issue.

Moreover,* that simple example says nothing about the adverse selection bias created by Obama's subsidies and exchanges* where people with absolutely no "skin in the game" can get 'free healthcare,' courtesy of the millionaire, billionaire, private jet owners in the country, and consume as much healthcare as they want basically free of charge. 

To make a long story longer, the net effect of Obamacare was that it added a ton of demand to an already undersupplied healthcare market which is why healthcare premiums are soaring.  *Perhaps, just maybe, basic economic principles actually work and more 'skin in the game,' rather than less, and more people making their own decisions, rather than less, are actually good things?*  Just a hunch but we hear that a lot of work has been done on the topic.

Of course, we highly doubt that any of this will stop our politicians from turning the healthcare debate into a fued between young and old and the rich and poor...afterall sowing division is how elections are won...and lost. Reported by Zero Hedge 1 day ago.

Four Steps That Could Cut Health Insurance Premiums And Boost Enrollment

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For now, the Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land. A consulting firm lays out four steps they say would lead to insurance coverage for millions more, at a lower cost. Reported by NPR 1 day ago.

Customers Concerned As CareConnect Leaves NY Health Insurance Market

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Salvatore Messina is suddenly worried about his family's health care coverage. Reported by CBS 2 22 hours ago.

Diana Clement: Taking the pulse of health insurance policies

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Diana Clement: Taking the pulse of health insurance policies More than 1.3 million Kiwis have health insurance of one kind or another - but it comes in a dizzying array of choices.If you can't afford to pay for basic trips to the doctor you might want a policy such as those offered by Unimed,... Reported by New Zealand Herald 4 hours ago.

Cherry Creek Mortgage chairman resigns as company changes same-sex benefits policy

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The chairman of Cherry Creek Mortgage Co. Inc., Colorado's largest locally-based residential mortgage firm, has resigned. Wil Armstrong announced his resignation late Friday, a day after the Greenwood Village-based company said it was changing its previous policy of denying health-insurance benefits to same-sex couples in the wake of a lawsuit. In his brief announcement, Armstrong said he had resigned Thursday as chairman and a member of the board of directors, "effective immediately."“I am… Reported by bizjournals 3 hours ago.

Sanjay Nirupam prevented from meeting Amitabh

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Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam was on Sunday prevented from meeting Amitabh Bachchan - when the former was to plead the Bollywood superstar to support the strike of 1.5-lakh cine workers

On Sunday morning, cops from Mumbai police came knocking to his doors and prevented him from going out. Later he was taken to the Versova police station, where he was detained and released around 6.30 PM.

On Saturday, Nirupam, the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC), had said in a message said: "Tomorrow, Sunday, 27 August, 2017, 2 PM, Mumbai Congress President will meet Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan at his residence to request him to support backstage cine artists and junior film artists and request him not to participate in any kind of shooting. Meeting at Jalsa

"The BJP is conspiring to break the strike," Nirupam told Deccan Herald on Sunday evening after he was released from the police station. He said that Bachchan is continuing his shooting of Kaun Badega Crorepati season nine at the Filmcity. "It is shocking, however, I will continue to protest," he said.

Nirupam, a former Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MP, said that Bachchan might have got the news of his wanting to meet and would have "called up New Delhi", which might have forced him to detain him. "A majority of the workers are on strike, but they are being forced and threatened and only a few of them are working….the BJP is backing the producers and ignoring the rights of film workers," he said.

Nearly 1.5 lakh cine workers led by Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) went on indefinite strike from 14-15 August midnight demanding eight-hour shifts and other things like health insurance, job security. The strike has support of 22 associations.The spotboys, junior artistes, technicians, cameramen, art-directors, set designers, style photographers, fight masters, make up persons, dress suppliers besides others.
The FWICE had intimated associations like the Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC), Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA), Western Indian Film Producers' Association (WIFPA) and The Film and Television Producers Guild of India Ltd. The Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, popularly known as the Filmcity at Goregaon had already been informed to cancel all shoots. Reported by Deccan Herald 7 hours ago.

Radio Program 'In Your Right Mind' Explores Health Insurance Giant, Health Net, in a New Broadcast on 790 AM KABC

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SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Aug. 27, 2017 : "In Your Right Mind," a weekly behavioral health radio program that features in-depth roundtable discussions of today's behavioral health headlines, is airing an informative show, "Health Net" on Sunday, August 27 at 5 p.m. Reported by newKerala.com 4 hours ago.

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Realized Stable and Healthy Growth in Interim Results

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Industrial Income Growth Achieved Historical Breakthrough, Multiple R&D Projects Achieved a Number of Milestones

HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd. ("Shanghai Pharmaceuticals" or the "Company" and, together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; stock code: 601607.SH; 2607.HK), the integrated pharmaceutical company in the PRC that has leading positions in both pharmaceutical products and service markets, today released its interim results for the first half of 2017 (the "Reporting Period"). According to the data, from January to June 2017, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals' operating income was RMB65.779 billion (Unit: RMB, following the same), up by 10.19% on a YOY basis. Net profit attributable to the shareholders of the listed company was RMB1.925 billion, representing an increase of 11.12% on a YOY basis. Net profit attributable to the shareholders of the listed company after deduction of non-recurring profit or loss was RMB1.772 billion, representing an increase of 10.62% on a YOY. Earnings per share amounted to RMB0.7159; and basic earnings per share after deducting non-recurring profits and losses were RMB0.6589. During the Reporting Period, the Company's net cash flows from operating activities amounted to RMB1.260 billion, up by 56.49% on a YOY basis. The budget target for the first half of 2017 was fulfilled.

In respect of pharmaceutical manufacturing business, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals achieved operating revenue of RMB7.503 billion in the first half of 2017, representing an increase of 17.03% on a YOY basis; its gross profit margin was 52.31%, an increase of 0.57 percentage point on a YOY basis. The operating profit margin after deducting sales and administration costs was 13.50%, representing an increase of 0.37 percentage point on a YOY basis. During the Reporting Period, the industrial sales income of the Company achieved a historical breakthrough and a number of products achieved an increase that higher than the industry average growth. The increase of industrial sales income was mainly benefit from the implement of key product focus strategy and the improvement of "one product one policy". The sales revenue of 60 key species was RMB3.958 billion, representing an increase of 12.82% on a YOY basis, sales accounting for 52.76% of industrial proportion, the gross profit margin of key species was 70.16%, representing an increase of 1.13 percentage points on a YOY basis. Meanwhile, the Company constantly accelerated the innovation and optimization of R&D model, and actively promoted the operation and mechanism adjustment of R&D management center, and achieved a number of milestones for R&D projects. The Company's seven major research and development projects are planned to advance, of which SPH3127 pre-clinical data is better than the same target drugs that has been marketed. Phase I clinical proceeded smoothly, and has completed single ascending dose (SAD) tolerance trial; Phase I of Lei Teng Shu have shown efficacy and safety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and clinical applications that are potentially used to suppress chronic immune activation in AIDS clinical trials have also been accepted by CFDA. Besides, the Company gathered the advantages of resources to push forward the work of quality and efficacy consistency evaluation for generic drugs and species involved in both the number or progress are at the forefront of the country. The Company set up a total of 99 species, 125 varieties and specifications (of which 36 species and 43 varieties and specifications are not included in catalog 289), and 15 products entered into the clinical stage.

In respect of pharmaceutical circulation, the sales revenue from pharmaceutical distribution business in the first half of 2017 was RMB58.521 billion, representing an increase of 9.64% on a YOY basis; its gross profit margin was 6.06%, representing an increase of 0.04 percentage point on a YOY basis. The operating profit margin after deducting the sales and administration expenses was 2.74%, representing a decrease of 0.05 percentage point on a YOY basis. During the Reporting Period, the Company's sales revenue from the pharmaceutical retail business was RMB2.714 billion, representing an increase of 9.00% on a YOY basis; its gross profit margin was 16.00%, representing an increase of 0.36 percentage point on a YOY basis. The operating profit margin after deducting sales and administration costs was 1.11%, representing a decrease of 0.35 percentage point on a YOY basis. The implementation of "two-invoice" policy will benefice large pharmaceutical distribution enterprises in expanding market share in the next three to five years. The Company's direct sales proportion in those provinces is thus expected to further enhance, which, in the long term, will strengthen the Company's profitability in distribution business.

During the Reporting Period, the Group's subsidiary, Shanghai Pharma Co., Ltd., acquired Xuzhou Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Xuzhou Huaihai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. , completing the Group's basic layout in the Suzhou North area. The Group continued to manage its stock equity by acquiring 31.593% equity interest in Guangzhou Z. S. Y Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd held by Guangzhou Zhongda Industry Group Co., Ltd., which enhanced the Group's competitiveness in the Guangdong area. Meanwhile, the Group also participated actively in the Shanghai's reform project of "prescription extension" to propel the grading diagnosis and treatment, which has already covered 128 community hospitals and health services centers free of charge in Shanghai. As the Company's prescription retail business development platform, Shanghai Pharma Health Commerce Co., Ltd. promotes the strategy cooperation of electronic prescription and health insurance online payment together with Tencent, so as to build a closed-loop ecological chain from WeChat registration and treatment to hospital online payment, and further to the supplying of drugs. "Yiyao-Electronic Prescription" has successfully docked more than 100 medical institutions and has handled over a million electronic prescriptions

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals says that in the second half of the year, as an integrated pharmaceutical company in the PRC that has leading positions in both pharmaceutical products and service markets, it will continue to adhere to intensive development, innovative development, international development and integration of financial development. It will further optimize the R&D model and mechanism, adhere to the strategy of focusing on key products, strengthen its academic marketing-oriented strategy, build a professional marketing team and channel management team, and enhance product sales and market share. The Company will also grasp the opportunities of industry consolidation, speed up the implementation of key merger and acquisition projects, continue to improve the national network layout, as well as set up a Hong Kong investment management platform, and continue to focus on the opportunities of merger and acquisitions of overseas high-quality assets.
Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com Reported by ACN Newswire 7 hours ago.

Original-Research: MagForce AG (von GBC AG)

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Original-Research: MagForce AG - von GBC AG

Einstufung von GBC AG zu MagForce AG

Unternehmen: MagForce AG
ISIN: DE000A0HGQF5

Anlass der Studie: Research Report (Anno)
Empfehlung: BUY
Kursziel: 15.00 EUR
Kursziel auf Sicht von: End FY 2018
Letzte Ratingänderung:
Analyst: Cosmin Filker, Marcel Goldmann

Commercialisation and approval fully financed, important financing
milestone achieved, increase in treatment figures expected, approval in the
USA planned

In the past financial year 2016, MagForce AG has advanced its approval and
commercialisation strategy. As part of this strategy, the basis for the
treatment of glioblastoma patients in Europe was expanded through the
inclusion of the Vivantes hospital in Berlin Friedrichshain. A total of six
NanoActivator devices are now installed in hospitals in Germany with four
being used for commercial treatment.

In a parallel process, the company advanced the approval of its own
technology for the treatment of prostate cancer in the USA in 2016. At the
recommendation of the American approval authority, the FDA, all the
biocompatibility studies already conducted in Germany were conducted again.
The trials demonstrated once again that the nanoparticles are non-toxic and
that they remain in the region of application.

In addition, MagForce AG laid the foundation for developing its financial
base in 2016. This is of great importance in particular given the still low
commercialisation income and the resulting liquidity outflow. After the
start of discussions, a number of capital measures were successfully
concluded after the balance sheet date of 31/12/2016. This includes the
issue of a EUR5.00 million convertible bond, the assumption of various
loans as well as the successful placement of a capital increase of EUR5.00
million. However, the focus was particularly on the recently reported
financing agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the context
of which MagForce AG can borrow up to EUR35.0 million. According to
information provided by the company, this credit volume, which can be drawn
in several tranches, is enough to finance the approval and
commercialisation strategy in full. At the same time, this significantly
reduces the financing risk and markedly increases operational flexibility.

After securing the future financing, the company's focus is on the planned
European roll-out of the technology. This is to primarily involve new
treatment centres in Germany's neighbouring countries. In this regard, it
is planned to install a NanoActivator(R) in treatment centres in five
further European countries. In addition, after the successful repetition of
the toxicology trials, the approval for the treatment of prostate cancer in
the USA will be advanced. We expect marketing approval to be received in
the second half of 2018. A further upside potential that we have, however,
currently not yet included in our forecasts, arises from the planned
expansion of the treatment for prostate cancer to Europe. Obtaining cost
reimbursements from the health insurance providers will also be a focus in
the upcoming reporting periods. In this regard, the plan is to conduct
reimbursement studies.

Based on our specific forecasts prepared up to financial year 2024, we have
determined a fair value of EUR15.00 (previously: EUR13.90) per share. The
increase in the target price is, in the first instance, due to a reduction
in the weighted costs of capital as a consequence of the recently concluded
financing agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EUR35
million to be drawn in the next few years leads to an increase in the
typically lower interest debt component of WACC, as a result of which the
weighted costs of capital are reduced to 11.0% (to date: 11.5%). Based on
the current share price of EUR8.00, there is a considerable potential for a
higher valuation and we therefore assign the BUY rating.

Die vollständige Analyse können Sie hier downloaden:
http://www.more-ir.de/d/15581.pdf

Kontakt für Rückfragen
Jörg Grunwald
Vorstand
GBC AG
Halderstraße 27
86150 Augsburg
0821 / 241133 0
research@gbc-ag.de
++++++++++++++++
Offenlegung möglicher Interessenskonflikte nach §34b Abs. 1 WpHG und FinAnV Beim oben analysierten Unternehmen ist folgender möglicher Interessenkonflikt gegeben: (5a,5b,6a,11); Einen Katalog möglicher Interessenkonflikte finden Sie unter:
http://www.gbc-ag.de/de/Offenlegung.htm
+++++++++++++++

-------------------übermittelt durch die EQS Group AG.-------------------Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung bzw. Research ist alleine der Herausgeber bzw.
Ersteller der Studie verantwortlich. Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung
oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Börsengeschäfte. Reported by EQS Group 9 hours ago.

Discovia Continues to Lead the Industry in Security with Recertifications

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Company achieves ISO 27001, HIPAA, and HITECH recertifications.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) August 28, 2017

Discovia, a Lighthouse company and leading global provider of ediscovery services to corporations, law firms and government entities, has achieved ISO 27001 recertification for the next three years. This certification covers Discovia’s information security management system supporting electronic data discovery, forensic data collection and analysis, electronic data hosting, consulting, data processing and production services. The certification was performed by Schellman & Company, LLC, an ANAB and UKAS accredited Certification Body based in the United States. In addition, the company completed an assessment confirming that Discovia is compliant with applicable Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) security rules and breach reporting requirements.

“Data security is of the utmost importance to our customers,” said Christian Lawrence, founder and executive vice president at Discovia, a Lighthouse company. “These recertifications are a testament to our investment of time and money developing robust infrastructure and operational excellence in all things security. Our program features over 100 security controls, business continuity plans and experienced, well-trained employees committed to information security and data privacy best practices.”

ISO 27001 is a globally recognized standard for the establishment and certification of an information security management system. The standard specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving a documented ISMS within the context of the organization’s overall business risks. It sets forth a risk-based approach that focuses on adequate and proportionate security controls that protect information assets and give confidence to interested parties.

HIPAA requires organizations engaged in handling electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) to implement the necessary systems, procedures, and policies to secure such information. In addition the HITECH Act includes provisions that require organizations that store ePHI to implement procedures to report any breach of unprotected ePHI.

For more information about this announcement, please reach out to info(at)discovia(dot)com.

About Discovia, A Lighthouse company

Discovia, a Lighthouse company, provides electronic discovery services to corporations and law firms engaged in litigation, ITC investigations, and internal and regulatory investigations, including HSR Second Requests. Services include onsite and remote data collections, data minimization, data processing and hosting, expert application of leading technology-assisted review tools, document review management, and document productions. Discovia is one of the only eDiscovery services providers to achieve ISO 27001 certification and HIPAA/HITECH compliance for data security according to third-party auditors. Discovia is the first to publish its accuracy rate – 99.7 percent, and typically achieves data culling rates of 95 percent for repeat clients. Discovia is the first eDiscovery services firm to deliver a fixed-price managed services solution, enabling corporate legal departments and law firms to gain a world-class eDiscovery function with complete cost predictability. More information is available at (415) 392-2900 or http://www.discovia.com.

About Schellman

Schellman & Company, LLC is a leading national provider of attestation and compliance services - and the only company in the world that is a CPA firm, an ISO Certification Body, a globally licensed PCI Qualified Security Assessor Company, a HITRUST assessor, and a FedRAMP 3PAO. Renowned for expertise tempered by practical experience, our professionals provide superior client service balanced by steadfast independence. Schellman’s approach builds successful, long-term relationships and allows our clients to achieve multiple compliance objectives using a single third party assessor. Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

Travel Insurance Saves the Day and Wallet, Say Travel Leaders

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Travel Leaders travel agents available to discuss how travel insurance can help ease the financial hardship that may result from lost luggage, flight delays or trip interruptions due to weather conditions or medical emergencies.

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 28, 2017

More Americans are realizing that the cost of a medical emergency while traveling abroad can be devastating. Even a canceled domestic flight could put a major dent in one’s wallet if it means shelling out for extra days at a hotel, missing the start of a cruise vacation for a honeymoon, or finding an alternate way home. Travel insurance is a lifesaver that can help alleviate costs from unexpected delays or unforeseen medical emergencies, say travel agents with Travel Leaders, America’s largest retail travel agency brand with thousands of travel agents across the United States. In fact, purchases of travel insurance plans by U.S. travelers are up by more than 28.5 percent since 2014, according to a U.S. Travel Insurance Association study released last month.

“Although a higher percentage of people are opting for travel insurance than in the years past, the unfortunate aspect is that still not enough travelers are choosing to do so either because they are not sure of their options or they are under the impression that their credit card company or their health insurance will provide all of the coverage they need in the event of cancellations or a medical event. The other products don’t cover as much as one may think,” said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. “However, those who opt for travel insurance can select from many different plans including ones that offer trip cancellation and interruption benefits, which account for more than 87% of the travel protection products purchased in 2016.”

Travel Leaders travel agents, who can explain the added benefits of travel insurance policies to clients, say the ultimate selling factor for those who purchase the added protection are anecdotes of how travel insurance saved the day for others. Here are some real-world examples:

When Your Boss Cancels Your Vacation. “I had a client who booked a really nice trip to Jamaica, costing over $6,000, including the resort stay. It was a last minute trip, close to departure date, so any cancellations would result in full penalty. He added travel insurance and it turned out he had to cancel due to work reasons, as his boss denied his time off. Without insurance, he would have been out the cost of the trip, but because of the insurance he was covered,” said Mandy Kusilek, of Travel Leaders in River Falls, Wisconsin.

Doctor’s Orders to Stay Home. “A couple booked a beautiful, non-refundable itinerary to Paris, Zurich and Italy, including air, rail tickets, hotel packages, and tour,” said Carrie Zervas of the Travel Leaders in Palm Harbor, Florida. “Two days before their international departure, the gentleman consumed a shellfish entrée and started experiencing intestinal problems that sent him to the hospital. Ultimately, he was diagnosed by his physician with food poisoning and ordered on bed rest from the extreme dehydration and exhaustion. He was unable to travel. Travel insurance reimbursed my clients for nearly the entire amount of their out-of-pocket expenses.”

International Medical Emergency. “On the third day of a 3-night meeting in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, I woke up very sick. My travel insurance got me admitted to the best hospital, where doctors found I had a blood clot in my lower intestine and needed surgery immediately,” said Cindy Tyo of Travel Leaders in Fargo, North Dakota. “After surgery, my surgeon said: ‘You will not be flying home for another seven days.’ Travel insurance reimbursed me for the rest of my stay, for the international phone calls I made, and flew me home first class. They even covered the expenses of a friend who stayed with me, inclusive of the new clothes she had to buy since we originally were only supposed to be there for a three-night trip.”

Weather Conditions. “My clients were traveling to Mexico with extended family members and purchased travel protection. Their return flight to Vermont was 20 minutes from landing in Burlington when it was turned back to Newark as the airport in Burlington closed. Due to the weather on the East Coast, they were forced to spend two nights in New York without any warm clothing. The insurance covered the additional costs for the hotels, meals and sweatshirts for all of them,” said Cindy Sanborn of Travel Leaders in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

On Second Thought. “We had a couple come into the office for a Hawaii cruise vacation. During the process of confirming their package, they were hesitant to buy travel insurance. They asked ‘What could possibly occur in the next 60 days before we leave?’ said Tamela Sikorski Morrison with Travel Leaders in Sun Lake, Arizona. “The next morning they decided to purchase travel insurance. Then, 55 days later, I received a call that they needed to cancel. Just five days prior to their cruise departure, my client had a bicycle accident that resulted in a broken pelvis and required surgery. She is looking at 6 to 8 weeks of physical therapy after recovery. They would have lost $5,400 of their trip cost had they not secured protection.”

Helicopter Transfers. “A client, who had vacation protection, slipped and fell in the shower and broke her hip. This happened on a cruise ship while it was docked in Belize,” said Judi Tarpley of Travel Leaders in Marietta, Georgia. “The ship had her transferred to a helicopter in Belize; the helicopter took her straight to a hospital heli-pad in Atlanta. She had surgery that evening and never paid a penny, out of pocket, and never received any bills or invoices, for any of the travel or medical expenses that occurred prior to arriving at the hospital back her. Her expenses were covered due to her travel insurance.”

Stepped Up Coverage. “I had a client who had a heart attack in South Africa while on a tour. She was rushed to the hospital, had several surgeries, and then after three weeks had to be sent home first class in a lie flat seat,” said Lori Wentworth of Travel Leaders in Great Mills, Maryland. “The client did not buy the insurance in time to make the deadline to have primary coverage but the travel insurance company stepped up her coverage anyway, paid for the bulk of her hospital up front, arranged with the hospital for a payment plan for the client, and paid for her friend’s extended hotel stay, meals and first class flight.”

“There are different types of travel insurance plans to cover different aspects of a trip or different reasons for the change of plans – including ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage,” added Block. “Travel insurance is a fraction of the cost of one’s trip, and can save individuals hundreds or thousands of dollars. Plus, travelers and their loved ones have peace of mind knowing that if any unforeseen event takes place, they have an important safety net.”

“Travel Better” with Travel Leaders. TravelLeaders.com features extensive profiles of travel agents who specialize destinations around the world and can advise travelers on the perfect vacation, domestically or internationally. To find a qualified travel agent or to find the nearest Travel Leaders location, visit TravelLeaders.com or call 800-335-TRIP (8747). #iTravel Better with @TravelLeaders.

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About Travel Leaders Network

Travel Leaders Network assists millions of leisure and business travelers, annually, and is the largest seller of luxury travel, cruises, river cruises and tours in the travel agency industry. Led by flagship Travel Leaders-branded travel agencies (http://www.travelleaders.com), the network includes 6,800 Associates and Member travel agencies locations in the United States and Canada and represents more than $17 billion in annual sales volume. Travel Leaders Network’s award-winning Agent Profiler agent-locator, marketing, technology, supplier partnerships and educational programs are designed around our travel agents’ commitment to our vacation and business travel clients in providing a progressive approach toward each unique travel experience. Travel Leaders Network is a Travel Leaders Group LLC company. Reported by PRWeb 3 hours ago.

September will bring chaos as Trump, Congress face deadlines

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President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are facing a September of chaos as they race to avert a government shutdown and a default on the national debt, and face deadlines on popular programs like children’s health insurance and flood insurance. Congress is on its August recess ... Reported by Raw Story 3 hours ago.

United Security Health and Casualty Insurance Company Gains State Approval To Offer Its Short Term Major Medical Plan In The State of Arizona

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Short Term Major Medical From United Security Health & Casualty provides affordable, yet comprehensive, temporary health coverage until a more permanent plan can be obtained.

Bedford Park, IL (PRWEB) August 28, 2017

United Security Health and Casualty Insurance (USH&C) recently obtained state approval to offer its Short Term Major Medica l product in the state of Arizona.

“No one ever thinks that they will be subject to an unforeseen hardship such as an accident or sudden illness. But the truth is, it only takes a moment for an injury or illness to strike,” began Robert Dial, Vice President, USH&C. “Our Short Term Major Medical product was designed to fill the gap until permanent major medical insurance can be secured. More importantly, it protects the insured from the devastating financial burden of not having any health insurance.”

USH&C’s Short Term Major Medical plan is the perfect solution for:· Young adults no longer covered by their parent’s plan
· Individuals between jobs or laid off, including those who cannot afford the high cost of a COBRA plan
· Individuals & families who are looking for an alternative to the ACA Exchange Plans
· Individuals & families who need coverage until the next Open Enrollment Period
· Individuals waiting for group or individual major medical coverage to begin

Dial remarked, “USH&C’s Short Term Major Medical plan has several distinct customer advantages. For example, although the use of network providers is not required in this plan, insureds can maximize benefits and save money by receiving care from a provider in the PHCS PPO network. The insured may also visit any out-of-network doctor or hospital of their choice without incurring an out-of-network penalty. In addition, prescription drug coverage is included. The insured is allowed to select the deductible amount, $500, $1,000, $2,000 or $5,000 that best aligns with their budget. Along with a single pay or monthly payment plan, this product was designed to ensure all aspects of the insured’s needs were addressed.”

The USH&C Short Term Major Medical plan does not cover pre-existing conditions, preventative or wellness doctor visits, or optical and dental treatments. A full list of other exclusions are listed in detail in the plan’s Policy and can be reviewed by a USH&C agent or one of the company’s multi-lingual representatives.

About United Security Health and Casualty Insurance (USH&C):
Founded in 1973, USH&C is licensed to sell its products in Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Nebraska through a network of independent insurance agents. Along with Short Term Medical, USH&C also offers Dental Plus Vision & Hearing, Critical Illness, Cancer, Disability Income, Accident Hospital Indemnity, and Fixed Indemnity products. USH&C specializes in providing insurance coverage to individuals and families. The company’s headquarters is in Bedford Park, 6640 S. Cicero Ave., Bedford Park, IL 60638, http://www.USHandC.com 1-800-875-4422 or 1-708-475-6100 Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.

United States: Massachusetts Moves Forward With Efforts To Shore Up MassHealth - Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

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Our colleagues on the Employment Matters blog have been following Massachusetts' efforts to make up a funding shortfall in the Commonwealth's Medicaid program and its Children's Health Insurance Program. Reported by Mondaq 8 hours ago.
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