Readers may recall our alert from November 2017, "Patient Assistance Charity Loses Protection from Kickback Liability – Office of Inspector General Revokes Advisory Opinion" in which we relayed the story of Caring Voice Coalition (CVC), a patient assistance program formed to help patients afford expensive prescription drugs by funding health insurance copayments Reported by Mondaq 1 day ago.

· *Concerns about inflation and higher interest rates have recently rattled investors. *
· *But in the coming months, inflation could rise even higher on so-called adverse base effects. *
· *Cellphone plans and physicians' services cheapened significantly last year, particularly around March and April. That could lead to an outsized year-over-year jump in inflation. *

--------------------Wall Street is worried about inflation. 

The anticipated January consumer-price index report, released Wednesday, didn't help calm those concerns. It showed the basket of consumer goods increased 2.1% year-on-year, more than economists had forecast.

Inflation concerns intensified after the January jobs report showed the largest increase in average hourly earnings since 2008. This helped drive the stock market into a correction, as investors realized the era of low interest rates — a key catalyst for the bull market — could be fading away for good.  

But an even bigger shock could emerge in April and May, when the reports for the preceding months are released. In April, year-over-year inflation would face what economists describe as an adverse base effect: because last year was unusually low, the rate of change could be larger than normal. 

"I currently spend significant amounts of time on the phone, emails, and in meetings explaining this coming jump in the March and April inflation data, and I have come to the conclusion that this is not priced in to rates at all," said Torsten Sløk, the chief international economist at Deutsche Bank, in a note on Monday.

*Blame cellphones and physicians*

Inflation could rise even more in the coming months mainly because of two components that cheapened significantly a year ago: cellphone plans and medical services.

Inflation started to fall early in 2017, defying many economists' expectations it would instead move closer to the Federal Reserve's 2% target. This was puzzling, since the textbook said prices should have been rising in a tight labor market and low unemployment environment. 

The cost of cellphone plans and medical services were eventually blamed.

Spearheaded by T-Mobile, the telecoms giants were engaged in a years-long price war that eventually forced all of them to offer customers cheap, unlimited data plans.

And so, the drop in wireless service costs dragged the monthly change in the core personal consumption expenditures index, which strips out volatile food and energy costs and is the Fed's preferred way to measure inflation. 

Last March, core PCE fell on an annual basis for the first time in seven years. It was mainly dragged down by cellphone-plan prices, which dropped 7% that month. 

The Fed dismissed the inflation slowdown as being driven by "idiosyncratic" factors including cheaper cellphone services. The cost of service has since stabilized, and data from as recently as Wednesday shows that inflation is picking up.

The cost of physicians' services was another drag on inflation last year that could add to the base effect in a few months. 

Omair Sharif, a senior US economist at Societe Generale, points out the Bureau of Labor Statistics saw "large cash price decreases for office visits" to doctors last April; that month, the physicians' services index fell 1.2% seasonally adjusted, its largest such drop.

Sharif explained that as consumers faced ever-rising deductibles on health insurance, more of them chose to pay for some services out-of-pocket, with cash. "Importantly, providers charge lower fees for services when they are being paid cash, as it cuts out costly back-office paperwork needed to deal with reimbursements from health insurers and the government," he said. 

"Thus, the prospect of saving money by paying cash for services, which could lead to a smaller out-of-pocket payment than maxing out ever-increasing deductibles, seems to be partly behind the rise in cash payments."

Besides these two quirks, inflation is likely headed higher, not lower, according to Nomura economists. That's because the US economy is being injected with fiscal stimulus through tax cuts and the economy is close to full employment. 

"It almost goes without saying that against that backdrop, the risks to our inflation and interest rate forecasts are skewed to the upside," Lewis Alexander, the chief US economist, said in a note. 

*SEE ALSO: Inflation rises more than expected after scare that rocked global markets*

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Microsoft President Brad Smith says the US shouldn't get 'too isolationist' Reported by Business Insider 1 day ago.

**

· *Blue Cross of Idaho will being to offer plans that do not comply with Obamacare's basic regulations after a change by the state's government.*
· *The so-called Freedom Blue plans would cap the benefits a person could receive in a year and charge people more due to a preexisting condition. *
· *Neither of those features are permitted under the Affordable Care Act.*
· *It is unclear whether the Department of Health and Human Services will step in and prevent Idaho from selling these plans.*

--------------------Blue Cross of Idaho announced Wednesday it would take advantage of the state's new loophole for Affordable Care Act regulations, prompting questions over how the Trump administration will respond.

In January, Idaho's government announced it would allow insurers to offer "state-based plans" that did not adhere to regulations set out by the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

The plans would not have to cover all essential health benefits, which are 10 items of basic care areas any ACA plan must provide. They could charge people more based on their health history. Both of those conditions currently disqualify a plan from being sold on Obamacare's exchanges.

Blue Cross Idaho, the largest Obamacare insurer in the state, said it plans to start selling "Freedom Blue" plans that do not comply with the regulations. The company will continue to offer ACA-compliant plans, which is required by Idaho to sell the less-regulated options.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the monthly premium for a 45-year-old under a "Freedom Plan" would vary from $194.67 to $525.69, depending on preexisting conditions and other health risks. The current bronze level ACA-compliant plan from the insurer runs about $343.09 a month.

These plans would also cap the benefits an individual could receive at $1 million a year, again violating the ACA's rules.

*It's unclear how the Trump administration will respond*

The Department of Health and Human Services has followed President Donald Trump's directions by allowing states to loosen regulations on Obamacare marketplaces. But the Idaho plan is the most envelope-pushing plan yet.

Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at health policy think tank The Kaiser Family Foundation, tweeted that the Idaho plan is clearly flouting the law.

"Idaho is allowing health insurance plans that charge sick people more than healthy people, have an annual limit on coverage, and don’t cover maternity care," Levitt said. "That’s simply not allowed under the ACA."

Levitt said that while this may lower premiums for some healthy people, many "middle-class people with preexisting conditions will pay more."

HHS is required by the ACA to step in and take over regulation of any state that does not meet regulatory standards, and the department has done so in four states already.

Asked about the Idaho situation during a hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said no one from Idaho has contacted the HHS about a waiver. When that happens, he said, the department could step in.

"We will look at that whenever it comes to us, of course there are rules and there's a rule of law that we need to enforce," Azar said.  

Levitt said that if HHS does not intervene in Idaho, the changes would likely open the door to more loosely regulated plans and allow state regulators to undermine ACA exchanges in their own states.

"If HHS does not step in and enforce the ACA's insurance rules in Idaho, it won't just be about Idaho," he said. "Other conservative states will no doubt then start to allow insurance plans that don't comply with the ACA."

*SEE ALSO: Idaho is pushing the envelope on ignoring Obamacare rules in a huge test for the Trump administration*

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How to make America great — according to one of the three cofounders of Black Lives Matter Reported by Business Insider 19 hours ago.

One CEO said he'll believe that Amazon et al can make a difference when he sees a drone flying into a pharmacy in Baker City. Reported by bizjournals 17 hours ago.

He's buying a stake in a generic drugmaker, a month after his company joined with JPMorgan Chase and Amazon to give employees a better option for health insurance. Reported by CNNMoney 13 hours ago.

· 4Q17 operating result of the ongoing business of EUR 345 million, up 22.3% from 4Q16, driven by the contribution of the Delta Lloyd businesses
· Full-year 2017 operating result of the ongoing business increased to EUR 1,586 million, up 29.3% from 2016, mainly driven by the contribution of the Delta Lloyd businesses and improved results at most segments, partly offset by lower results at Netherlands Non-life
· Net result increased to EUR 700 million from EUR 148 million in 4Q16, mainly driven by higher capital gains and revaluations and the higher operating result. Full-year 2017 net result up 77.5% to EUR 2,110 million
· Administrative expense base of the business units in the scope of the cost reduction target decreased by EUR 133 million versus the full-year 2016 base of EUR 2,024 million
· Robust commercial momentum: APE at the insurance businesses up 35.1% at constant currencies compared with 4Q16. Full-year 2017 VNB of EUR 345 million, up 60.7% from 2016
· Solvency II ratio of 199% at the end of 4Q17, reflects the deduction of the proposed final 2017 dividend
· Holding company cash capital lower at EUR 1,434 million, reflecting the repayment of senior notes and the repurchase of own shares, partly offset by dividends received mainly from the Dutch units
· Final 2017 dividend proposal of EUR 1.04 per ordinary share, or approximately EUR 348 million in total, bringing the full-year 2017 dividend to EUR 1.66 per ordinary share

*Statement of Lard Friese, CEO*

'2017 was a memorable year for NN Group in which we successfully completed the acquisition of Delta Lloyd. We have started the integration in the Netherlands and Belgium creating a leading insurance and pension company, with attractive propositions in asset management and banking. We are making good progress. On 1 January 2018, the first legal mergers of business units were completed, with Delta Lloyd Bank merging into NN Bank, and Delta Lloyd Asset Management merging into NN Investment Partners. Most head-office departments have been integrated, we have started rationalising systems and portfolios, and products are being rebranded from Delta Lloyd to NN.

At our Capital Markets Day on 30 November 2017, we outlined the strategy and new targets for the combined company. One of our top priorities going forward is to deliver on the Delta Lloyd transaction and extract the synergies. In this respect we continue to increase efficiency and have lowered the cost base of the units in scope of the integration by EUR 133 million in 2017 towards our target of EUR 350 million by 2020.

The operating result for 2017 reflects a strong contribution of Delta Lloyd and improved operational performance in businesses such as Netherlands Life, Insurance Europe, Japan Life and the bank. We continue to see volatility in the results of the Non-life business, where an improvement in the P&C business was offset by a deterioration in D&A performance. We are implementing a range of measures to sustainably improve the Non-life performance.

Commercial momentum continues, with new sales up 33.9% at constant currencies and value of new business up 60.7% compared with 2016. NN Investment Partners attracted EUR 5.1 billion of third-party assets in 2017 offset by outflows of affiliated assets, and the mortgage portfolio of the banking business grew to EUR 17.6 billion. Over the last 12 months our client satisfaction again increased in almost all countries where we are active. With our strengthened market positions, we are well placed to capture growth opportunities.

Our Solvency II ratio and cash capital position remain robust, at 199% and EUR 1,434 million respectively, in line with our disciplined approach to managing our capital. We will propose a final 2017 dividend of EUR 1.04 per ordinary share at our Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on 31 May 2018. Together with the interim dividend paid in September 2017, this represents a pay-out ratio of around 45% of the 2017 full-year net operating result of the ongoing business.

Looking ahead, we will maintain our efforts to improve our overall performance, deliver excellent customer service, and further accelerate the transformation of our business through innovation.'

*NN Group key figures*

In EUR million *4Q17* 4Q16 Change FY17 FY16 Change
             
Operating result ongoing business^1) 345 282 22.3% 1,586 1,227 29.3%
Net result 700 148 373.7% 2,110 1,189 77.5%
Net operating ROE^1)9)22) 8.2% 7.2%   10.3% 8.1%  
 
  *4Q17* 3Q17 4Q16      
Solvency II ratio^2) 199% 204% 241%      

Note: All footnotes are included on page 27

*Quarterly Business Update*

The strong foundation of our purpose, brand, values and ambition, combined with a focus on our strategic priorities, enables us to create long-term value for our company and our stakeholders: customers, shareholders, employees, business partners and society at large.

*Transparent products and services*

ABN AMRO Verzekeringen, the joint venture of NN Group (51%) and ABN AMRO Bank (49%), was ranked best insurer by Dutch magazine Management Team and achieved a top three position in all three categories: customer focus, product leadership and excellent implementation.

In December 2017, NN Life Japan launched 'Emergency Plus', an innovative sudden-death insurance which offers protection to small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners. The product accounted for 48% of the total protection product sales in December and is expected to help further expand the COLI protection business of NN Life Japan in line with its strategy.

*Capturing growth*

New sales (APE) at Japan Life increased to EUR 171 million, up 33.8% from the fourth quarter of 2016, excluding currency effects, mainly due to higher sales of COLI products launched in 2017 and sales through the Sumitomo partnership. Sumitomo Life, which started offering NN Life Japan's COLI products in April 2017, contributed more than 10% of Japan Life's total sales in the fourth quarter. In addition to this, higher bank activation and the expansion of the bank distribution network to 76 partners at the end of December 2017, compared with 61 partners a year earlier, also led to a strong increase in bancassurance COLI sales.

NN Bank in the Netherlands launched an online campaign for discretionary asset management 'Beheerd Beleggen'. The campaign focused on the dreams and goals people have in life and how the investment advisors of NN Bank can help to achieve these goals financially. The campaign was very successful in terms of positive interactions, and led to a 30% growth in the 'Beheerd Beleggen' new customer base.

*Multi-access distribution*

In the fourth quarter of 2017, our businesses continued to expand its bancassurance partnerships. In Slovakia a partnership was set up with Slovenska sporitelna, one of the leading banks, and NN's pension products are now being sold through part of its network. NN Hayat ve Emeklilik in Turkey put in place a five-year distribution agreement with Burgan Bank to distribute its life insurance and pension products.

Nationale-Nederlanden in Poland launched a partnership with Play, the largest telecom provider in the country, providing dedicated health products (heart and cancer insurance) through Play's newly launched insurance market platform, 'Play Insurance'. Play customers will be able to buy the health insurance through the Play smartphone application, making NN products available to over 14 million Play customers.

Nationale-Nederlanden in Spain launched a Direct Channel, an online platform that uses facial recognition technology, which replaces the client's signature in the online purchase process and enables the company to issue paperless contracts. Nationale-Nederlanden Spain is the first insurance company in the country to use this technology to issue paperless contracts.

*Effective and efficient operations *

NN Group is committed to continuously making its processes more efficient and effective. The Non-life business and service provider Voogd & Voogd have signed a letter of intent for a mandated broker partnership in the field of Retail non-life insurance.

The Life business in the Netherlands migrated 90,000 policies from its legacy system to the modern target system. The policy details are now available to customers in the 'MijnNN' customer portal and in the NN app.

*Innovation*

NN Bank in the Netherlands developed and piloted the 360 degrees video service, a virtual reality tool to support customers in selling their house. NN facilitates customers to present their property online, and provide a personal tour, which allows buyers to digitally move through the house. NN distributes these videos to a selection of potential buyers via social media.

NN's businesses in the Czech Republic and Slovakia launched a digital sales platform in November 2017, which will significantly improve the customer experience of buying a life or savings product, both in terms of time taken and convenience. The process of managing new leads/business opportunities and follow-up is already fully digitalised, while digitalisation of contract origination including electronic signature is in the pilot phase.

In addition to continuously innovating its own product portfolio, NN looks for partnerships or investment opportunities with fintech companies to accelerate its innovation and transformation efforts. For example, NN recently invested in RightIndem, which offers digital, customer-driven claims management solutions. Another example is Dopay, a company that simplifies payroll management and disbursement in developing countries and enables employees without a bank account to be paid electronically.

*Other events*

Customer satisfaction has continued to increase in almost all countries where NN is active over the past 12 months. The business continues to focus on customer centricity and on innovating and improving customers' experience. This is reflected in higher and above-average customer loyalty and increasing Net Promotor Scores (NPS) as customers recommend NN's products to their relatives and friends. These results show that our employees remain committed to delivering an excellent customer service while integrating NN and Delta Lloyd.

Delta Lloyd and BeFrank were ranked number one in terms of advisor satisfaction in the Dutch pension market for the sixth year in a row as measured by independent agency IG&H, giving additional momentum to our pension plan proposition in the Dutch market.

The bank savings products of NN Bank and Delta Lloyd Bank were awarded in the categories policies and price by MoneyView, an independent research institute that collects information about financial products. The international insurance business received many awards, for example the businesses in Spain, Poland and Turkey were recognised as Top Employer, and NN in Greece was named best life insurance company by World Finance Magazine for the fourth time in a row.

NN Bank in the Netherlands received a silver award, 'Zilveren Spreekbuis Hypotheekverstrekkers 2017', for mortgage providers. This award is a recognition from customers and intermediaries of NN Bank's innovations.

FitVermogen.nl, the online platform for investment funds of NN Investment Partners (NN IP), gives customers insight into future study costs of their children and grandchildren and advises on how to finance them. FitVermogen.nl made it possible for 'Startpunt Geldzaken', a partnership of several organisations that focus on raising financial awareness for consumers in the Netherlands, to launch a free online money planner 'Geldplan Studie (klein) kinderen' in November 2017.

To enhance long-term investor value and instigate positive change in terms of sustainability, NN IP has been actively engaging on climate risk with companies in the utilities sector since 2016. In December 2017, NN IP expanded its engagement to the chemicals sector by joining the global Climate Action 100+ initiative, a new initiative to engage with the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters to curb emissions, strengthen climate-related financial disclosures and improve governance on climate change.

*NN Group Profile*

NN Group is an international insurance and asset management company, active in 18 countries, with a strong presence in a number of European countries and Japan. With all our employees the Group offers retirement services, pensions, insurance, investments and banking to approximately 17 million customers. NN Group's main brands are Nationale-Nederlanden, NN, Delta Lloyd, NN Investment Partners, ABN AMRO Insurance, Movir, AZL, BeFrank and OHRA. NN Group is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (NN).

*Analyst call*

Lard Friese and Delfin Rueda will host an analyst and investor conference call to discuss the 4Q17 results at 10.30 am CET on Thursday 15 February 2018. Members of the investment community can join the conference call at +31 20 531 5865 (NL), +44 203 365 3210 (UK), +1 866 349 6093 (US) or follow the webcast on www.nn-group.com.

*Press*

Lard Friese and Delfin Rueda will host a press call to discuss the 4Q17 results, which will be held at 07.45 am CET on Thursday 15 February 2018. Journalists can join the press call at +31 20 531 5863 (NL).

Lard Friese and David Knibbe will host a lunch for journalists, which will be held at 12.30 pm CET on Thursday 15 February 2018.

*Financial calendar*

Publication 1Q18 results: 17 May 2018 Annual General Meeting: 31 May 2018   Publication 2Q18 results: 16 August 2018 Publication 3Q18 results: 15 November 2018

*Contact information*

*Press enquiries*

Saskia Kranendonk
+31 62 568 3835
saskia.kranendonk@nn-group.com   *Investor enquiries*

Investor Relations
+31 88 663 5464
investor.relations@nn-group.com

*Additional information on www.nn-group.com*

· NN Group 4Q17 Financial Supplement, NN Group 4Q17 Analyst Presentation
· Photos of NN Group executives, buildings and events are available for download at Flickr

*Important legal information*

Elements of this press release contain or may contain information about NN Group N.V. within the meaning of Article 7(1) to (4) of EU Regulation No 596/ 2014 (Market Abuse Regulation).
NN Group's Consolidated Annual Accounts are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union ("IFRS-EU") and with Part 9 of Book 2 on the Dutch Civil Code. In preparing the financial information in this document, the same accounting principles are applied as in the 2017 NN Group N.V. condensed consolidated interim financial information for the period ended 30 September 2017. The Annual Accounts for 2017 are in progress and may be subject to adjustments from subsequent events.

All figures in this document are unaudited. Small differences are possible in the tables due to rounding. Certain of the statements contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to, without limitation: (1) changes in general economic conditions, in particular economic conditions in NN Group's core markets, (2) changes in performance of financial markets, including developing markets, (3) consequences of a potential (partial) break-up of the euro or European Union countries leaving the European Union , (4) changes in the availability of, and costs associated with, sources of liquidity as well as conditions in the credit markets generally, (5) the frequency and severity of insured loss events, (6) changes affecting mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (7) changes affecting persistency levels, (8) changes affecting interest rate levels, (9) changes affecting currency exchange rates, (10) changes in investor, customer and policyholder behaviour, (11) changes in general competitive factors, (12) changes in laws and regulations and the interpretation and application thereof, (13) changes in the policies and actions of governments and/or regulatory authorities, (14) conclusions with regard to accounting assumptions and methodologies, (15) changes in ownership that could affect the future availability to NN Group of net operating loss, net capital and built-in loss carry forwards, (16) changes in credit and financial strength ratings, (17) NN Group's ability to achieve projected operational synergies, (18) catastrophes and terrorist-related events, (19) adverse developments in legal and other proceedings and (20) the other risks and uncertainties contained in recent public disclosures made by NN Group.

Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of NN Group speak only as of the date they are made, and, NN Group assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or for any other reason.
This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities.

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*COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT                                                                  REGULATED INFORMATION*
*INSIDE INFORMATION*

*MDxHealth Notice of Financial Year 2017 Results*

Conference call for analysts and investors to be held on 22 February 2018 at 15:00 CET

*IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM* - February 15, 2018 - MDxHealth SA (Euronext: MDXH.BR) or the "Company" today announced that it will release its full year results for the financial year ended 31 December 2017 on 22 February 2018.

Dr. Jan Groen, Chief Executive Officer and Jean-Marc Roelandt, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call on the day of the results at 15:00 CET / 14:00 GMT / 06:00 PT. The call will be conducted in English and a replay will be available for 30 days.

To access the conference call, please dial one of the appropriate numbers below quoting the conference ID 9294798.

UK:                                                      08003767922
Belgium:                                              024009874
The Netherlands:                                0207143545
US:                                                      18669661396

The presentation will be made available on the Investors section of the MDxHealth website shortly before the call and can be accessed at: http://mdxhealth.com/investors.

To ensure a timely connection, it is recommended that users register at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start timing.

About MDxHealth

MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company, listed at the Brussels, Belgium stock exchange (Euronext: MDXH.BR) that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic (methylation) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of urologic cancers, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy.

ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer helps urologists identify low-risk men who may forego an unnecessary repeat biopsy and high-risk men who may benefit from intervention. ConfirmMDx is the first epigenetic, and only tissue-based test in the 2016 NCCN Guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer and that addresses false negative biopsy concerns. ConfirmMDx has qualified for Medicare reimbursement and covered by numerous private health insurance plans.

SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer is a proprietary urine-based, molecular diagnostic test that offers a non-invasive 'liquid biopsy' method to assess a man's risk for prostate cancer. SelectMDx helps identify men at increased risk of harboring aggressive, potentially lethal, prostate cancer who may benefit most from a prostate biopsy and earlier detection. The test helps to reduce the need for MRI procedures and invasive prostate biopsies by up to 50%, thereby reducing healthcare costs.

The Company's European headquarters are in Herstal, Belgium, with laboratory operations in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and US headquarters and laboratory operations based in Irvine, California. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealth and linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth.

 

*For more information: *

 

*MDxHealth *

Dr. Jan Groen, CEO

US: +1 949 812 6979

BE: +32 4 364 20 70

info@mdxhealth.com

 

*Consilium Strategic Communications (IR & PR)*
Amber Fennell, Chris Welsh & Hendrik Thys
UK: +44 20 3709 5701

mdxhealth@consilium-comms.com

 

*LifeSpring LifeSciences Communication*, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Leon Melens

+31 6 538 16 427

lmelens@lifespring.nl  

Jean-Marc Roelandt, CFO

BE: +32 (0) 4 364 20 70

NL: +31 (0) 88 327 2727

IR@mdxhealth.com

 

NOTE: The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx and PredictMDx are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

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http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9afff4d9-eee2-4425-8a8b-a1d91af82ae1 Reported by GlobeNewswire 10 hours ago.

BEIJING, Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the recent announcement of the application results of the research subjects of The Insurance Society of China in 2017, THEKEY has ushered in a piece of ... Reported by FinanzNachrichten.de 9 hours ago.

Join us for an online chat with health insurance expert Anil Rego between 2 pm and 3 pm on Thursday, February 15. Reported by Rediff.com 9 hours ago.

Embrace Pet Insurance is teaming up with RescueBox to celebrate the Year of the Dog.

CLEVELAND (PRWEB) February 15, 2018

To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, Embrace Pet Insurance and RescueBox® are giving away several subscriptions for the curated goodie pet box. A survey conducted in 2015 by The Harris Poll found that 95% of Americans consider their pet to be a member of the family. While Chinese New Year is traditionally about celebrating with human family, 2018 is going to the dogs.

The Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year throughout Asia, begins on February 16, 2018. This year is the Year of the Dog based on the Chinese astrological signs of 12 animals. A Dog year brings good things for those lucky enough to be born in it. All animals in the Chinese zodiac are special, but many believe that people born in Dog years are especially so. There are five types of dog: Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold, and Water, and birth year determines the type of dog a person is. This year is Earth Dog which hasn’t happened since 1958. The Earth Dog is known to be a good communicator, a serious soul, and very responsible in their work life.

If you’re a Dog, then you have something in common with Embrace: your lucky color is purple. Red and green are also lucky colors for Dogs this year. Be mindful of blue, white, and gold though since these are deemed unlucky colors for Dogs in 2018.

To celebrate the Year of the Dog, Embrace is hosting a giveaway with RescueBox® for a one-year subscription, a six-month subscription, and a three-month subscription. Box options range from small to large dogs and they even offer a box for cats. The lucky winners of the random giveaway will receive a box of premium products for their pet. Embrace Pet Insurance Marketing Manager Dawn Pyne, says, “One of Embrace’s core values is to give back to our community and we like to partner with others who align with us on that. RescueBox® is perfect because they donate five pounds of food and two vaccinations to shelter pets with each subscription.”

Embrace kicks off the giveaway on Thursday, February 15 and it will run through the end of the month. Interested pet owners can visit Embrace’s Facebook page or visit http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/waterbowl/article/lucky-dog-giveaway for a chance to win. Cat owners are welcome to enter too!

No purchase necessary. By entering this sweepstakes, you agree to the contest rules.

About Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace Pet Insurance is an Ohio-based pet health insurance provider, offering comprehensive, personalized insurance products for dogs and cats across the United States. Embrace is consistently ranked as one of the highest-rated U.S. pet insurance companies and is a proud member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. Embrace is the only company to offer a diminishing deductible feature, the Healthy Pet Deductible, and continues to innovate and improve the pet insurance experience for pet parents across the country. For more information about Embrace Pet Insurance, visit http://www.embracepetinsurance.com or call (800) 511-9172.

About RescueBox®
RescueBox® is a subscription box program targeting pet owners while assisting shelter pets in need. The idea for RescueBox was born from a desire to give back. A few years ago, the founders of came together to brainstorm new and unique ways to give back to the animal rescue community. They created a simple and easy way that delighted pets and their parents—RescueBox. With every RescueBox, subscribers will receive a curated box filled with a high-quality toys, delicious treats, and other tail-wagging or meow-inducing products. The best part? Each delivery will feature a rescue story that wouldn’t be possible without the generous donation your purchase provides. Millions of animals are abused and abandoned every single year. The team at RescueBox is working hard every single day to reduce that number. We couldn’t do it without your help. For more information about RescueBox, visit http://www.rescuebox.com or call (800) 398-6081. Reported by PRWeb 8 hours ago.

Mega healthcare programme Ayushman Bharat will unfold in the next two months to ensure health insurance of up to five lakh rupees per year per family to 10 crore families. Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar informed this during the inauguration of 3rd International Exhibition and Conference on Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industry in Bengaluru today. Reported by All India Radio 7 hours ago.

StoneGate Senior Living, LLC, an award-winning full spectrum senior care and housing facility, announces a new in-network insurance provider agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas for Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation, a skilled nursing care, rehabilitative facility and long-term living center.

LINDALE, Texas (PRWEB) February 15, 2018

STONEGATE SENIOR LIVING EXPANDS HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR TEXAS CONSUMERS WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AGREEMENT

Lindale, Texas’ Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation now offers Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Option

In a move that increases health care insurance options while delivering an opportunity for lower costs for consumers, StoneGate Senior Living, LLC, an award-winning full spectrum senior care and housing facility, announces a new in-network insurance provider agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas for Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation is a skilled nursing care, rehabilitative facility and long-term living center providing comfort, care and exceptional amenities. Effective immediately, the Blue Shield Blue Cross agreement joins existing contracts with other Commercial Insurance, Medicare Advantage and the Health Insurance Marketplace plans.

“The patients and residents of Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation are our top priority, and our commitment is to deliver care, housing and rehabilitation that is exceptional in quality,” says Susan Fitts, StoneGate Senior Living Development Director, Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation. “Having the ability to offer the reduced costs and flexibility of the Blue Shield Blue Cross contract to our patients’ insurance options reinforces this commitment to providing compassionate, cost-effective care.”

The new in-network insurance provider agreements with Blue Cross Blue Shield for Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation will allow for individuals with a commercial health insurance or Medicare plan to admit to Colonial with lower co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

For more information, visit: http://coloniallindale.com/.

About Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation:
Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation has been serving the community of Lindale, Texas, since 1986. The 90-bed facility offers in-patient transitional care, outpatient rehabilitation and long-term living options. The facility offers a Rapid Recovery Rehabilitation for those needing skilled nursing and rehabilitation before returning home. Colonial also offers a program through Arkray USA, offering proactive personal diabetes and overall health management. http://coloniallindale.com/.

About StoneGate Senior Living:
StoneGate Senior Living is an award-winning full-spectrum senior care and housing company with 44 properties across Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. Recently ranked as the nation’s 31st largest transitional and long-term care company by Provider magazine, StoneGate is a fully-integrated post-acute health care company, with service-lines and business units that offer transitional care, long-term care, assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, wellness, pharmacy, care navigation and post-acute analytical services.
Learn more at http://www.stonegatesl.com/. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

Reported by SeekingAlpha 49 minutes ago.

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN) today announced that a comparative analysis of commercially available prognostic breast cancer tests in patients with early-stage breast cancer has been published in JAMA Oncology.  A key finding is that Myriad’s EndoPredict*^®* (EPClin) significantly outperformed Oncotype DX^® Recurrence Score at predicting the risk of disease recurrence in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

In the article, Sestak et al. compared the prognostic value that four different commercial tests add to the Clinical Treatment Score (nodal status, tumor size, grate, age, endocrine treatment) for predicting distant recurrence (0-10 years) and late-distant recurrence (5-10 years) of breast cancer.  The analysis included data from 774 postmenopausal women with ER+/HER2- breast cancer with node-negative disease or up to three positive lymph nodes, which is the most common form of breast cancer.

The results show that in all patients EndoPredict was the best overall test in predicting distant recurrence in years 0-10 (C-index 0.753; LR[X]^2=69.3) and years 5-10 (C-index 0.761; LR[X]^2=41.6).  Importantly, EndoPredict identified the largest group of low-risk patients with 10 years distant recurrence below 10 percent in both node-negative and node-positive disease.  EndoPredict also was a much better predictor for overall distant recurrence and for late-distant recurrence than Oncotype DX Recurrence Score.  The JAMA Oncology publication can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.5524.

“This study demonstrates that EndoPredict, which combines a multigene signature with clinical information, significantly improves the prediction of disease recurrence, specifically in women with node-positive breast cancer,” said Johnathan Lancaster, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, Myriad Genetics.  “What this means is that EndoPredict can more accurately identify a larger percentage of patients who can safely forgo adjuvant chemotherapy and the associated toxicity.”

These findings are consistent with a previous publication in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which also found that EndoPredict was superior to Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score in predicting the long-term recurrence of ER+, HER2- primary breast cancer.

Additionally, at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December, the Company presented new predictive data that demonstrated women with a high EndoPredict score responded better to neoadjuvant chemotherapy than those with a low score, while those with a low score responded better to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. 

“We are committed to saving and improving the lives of women with breast cancer, and making sure patients are benefitting from the latest advances in personalized medicine,” said Lancaster.  “Our expanding body of evidence strongly supports the use of EndoPredict to aid in clinical decisions regarding the use of chemotherapy and extended endocrine therapy.”

EndoPredict is widely accessible and is covered by more than 90 percent of health insurance plans in the United States.  It also is available in several major European markets. For more information, please visit: www.endopredict.com.

Follow Myriad on Twitter via @MyriadGenetics to stay informed about news and updates from the Company.

*Medical Policy Update*
One of the largest private insurers in the United States has expanded its coverage policy on EndoPredict.  The new policy supports the use of EndoPredict to aid in the controversial decision of whether or not to extend adjuvant hormonal therapy beyond five years of treatment.

“I applaud payers for recognizing the importance of biomarkers to help physicians and patients make important decisions about whether or not to use extended endocrine therapy out to 10 years,” said Joyce A. O'Shaughnessy, M.D., Celebrating Women Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Baylor University Medical Center, and Chair of Breast Cancer Research at Texas Oncology.  “This is another important step toward making personalized medicine a reality for all patients with breast cancer.” 

*About Breast Cancer*
One in eight American women will have breast cancer during her lifetime. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American women.  The American Cancer Society estimates in its Cancer Facts & Figures 2018 report that more than 250,000 women will be told they have breast cancer in 2018.  Currently, there are nearly 3.5 million American women living with the disease and every 13 minutes another American woman dies from breast cancer. That’s a little more than 40,000 this year.

*About EndoPredict*
EndoPredict is a second-generation, multigene prognostic test that aids personalized treatment planning for patients with early stage breast cancer.  EndoPredict has been validated in approximately 4,000 patients with node-negative and node-positive disease and has been used clinically in more than 20,000 patients.  In contrast to first-generation multigene prognostic tests, EndoPredict accurately predicts the likelihood of both early (0-5 years) and late distant recurrence (5-10 years). Thus, EndoPredict can guide treatment decisions on both the need for chemotherapy, as well as extended endocrine therapy.  For more information, please visit: www.endopredict.com.

*About Myriad Genetics*
Myriad Genetics Inc., is a leading personalized medicine company dedicated to being a trusted advisor transforming patient lives worldwide with pioneering molecular diagnostics.  Myriad discovers and commercializes molecular diagnostic tests that: determine the risk of developing disease, accurately diagnose disease, assess the risk of disease progression, and guide treatment decisions across six major medical specialties where molecular diagnostics can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs.  Myriad is focused on five strategic imperatives:  build upon a solid hereditary cancer foundation, growing new product volume, expanding reimbursement coverage for new products, increasing RNA kit revenue internationally and improving profitability with Elevate 2020.  For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: www.myriad.com.

Myriad, the Myriad logo, BART, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, myPath, myRisk, Myriad myRisk, myRisk Hereditary Cancer, myChoice, myPlan, BRACAnalysis CDx, Tumor BRACAnalysis CDx, myChoice HRD, EndoPredict, Vectra, GeneSight, riskScore and Prolaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. MYGN-F, MYGN-G.

*Safe Harbor Statement*
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related the ability of EndoPredict to identify a larger percentage of patients who can safely forgo adjunctive chemotherapy and the associated toxicity; the significant improvement EndoPredict provides in the prediction of disease recurrence, specifically in women with node-positive breast cancer; a national payer’s expanded coverage policy on EndoPredict; and the Company's strategic directives under the captions “About BRACAnalysis CDx,” and "About Myriad Genetics."  These "forward-looking statements" are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that sales and profit margins of our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services may decline; risks related to our ability to transition from our existing product portfolio to our new tests, including unexpected costs and delays; risks related to decisions or changes in governmental or private insurers’ reimbursement levels for our tests or our ability to obtain reimbursement for our new tests at comparable levels to our existing tests; risks related to increased competition and the development of new competing tests and services; the risk that we may be unable to develop or achieve commercial success for additional molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services in a timely manner, or at all; the risk that we may not successfully develop new markets for our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services, including our ability to successfully generate revenue outside the United States; the risk that licenses to the technology underlying our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services and any future tests and services are terminated or cannot be maintained on satisfactory terms; risks related to delays or other problems with operating our laboratory testing facilities and our healthcare clinic; risks related to public concern over genetic testing in general or our tests in particular; risks related to regulatory requirements or enforcement in the United States and foreign countries and changes in the structure of the healthcare system or healthcare payment systems; risks related to our ability to obtain new corporate collaborations or licenses and acquire new technologies or businesses on satisfactory terms, if at all; risks related to our ability to successfully integrate and derive benefits from any technologies or businesses that we license or acquire; risks related to our projections about our business, results of operations and financial condition; risks related to the potential market opportunity for our products and services; the risk that we or our licensors may be unable to protect or that third parties will infringe the proprietary technologies underlying our tests; the risk of patent-infringement claims or challenges to the validity of our patents or other intellectual property; risks related to changes in intellectual property laws covering our molecular diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical and clinical services and patents or enforcement in the United States and foreign countries, such as the Supreme Court decision in the lawsuit brought against us by the Association for Molecular Pathology et al; risks of new, changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the United States and internationally; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K.  All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Myriad undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

Media Contact:        Ron Rogers                                Investor Contact:     Scott Gleason
                                (801) 584-3065                                                           (801) 584-1143
                                rrogers@myriad.com                                                  sgleason@myriad.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 6 hours ago.

Clinicians Can Now Access Continuing Medical Education Modules Around “Cost Conversations” and Promote Their Designation With Badges on Amino

SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) February 15, 2018

Costs of Care, a non-profit organization helping health systems deliver better care at lower cost, is collaborating with The Doctor’s Channel, dubbed by CNBC as the “educational YouTube for doctors,” and digital health company Amino to educate clinicians on how to discuss health care costs with their patients.

As part of the initiative, Costs of Care, with the help of the University of Chicago, is utilizing The Doctor’s Channel to distribute its new continuing medical education modules that train clinicians on ways to identify and manage patients’ cost concerns. Clinicians who complete the modules will then have the opportunity to share a “Cost Conversations” badge across their digital networks, as well as have their accreditation acknowledged on Amino, where cost-conscious patients can access physician profiles and view designations.

“Nearly everyone who receives healthcare in the United States is at risk of receiving care that is so expensive it threatens their financial security,” says Neel Shah, Founder and Executive Director of Costs of Care. He believes “improving affordability is essential to the well-being of our patients, and our cost conversation modules help clinicians help their patients tackle this complex issue.”

Costs of Care’s four free, web-based, CME-approved, 15-minute modules can be viewed on The Doctor's Channel. The modules demonstrate common pitfalls, as well as practical solutions, in having cost conversations with patients and colleagues. Module topics include:
1. First, Do No (Financial) Harm: Having Value Conversations with Patients
2. GOTMeDS: Having Value Conversations with Patients about Medication Costs
3. Teamwork Time: Having Value Conversations with Inter-professional Team Members
4. Costly Conversations: Having Value Conversations with Supervisors and Consultants

Hundreds of HCPs have completed the course to date and are immediately putting their learnings into practice.

"The day after completing this training, I asked one of my patients about the financial implications of his recent hospitalization. He said a bill for an amount he could likely never pay had just arrived in his mailbox many weeks after he was discharged. Although he recovered medically, the financial burden of his hospitalization persisted. These modules make a clear case that delivering high quality health care is much more than having a deep understanding of physiology and pharmacology; cost, and the financial harm it could cause, will certainly factor into future conversations with patients about their options,” said Dr. Marcus Dahlstrom, an internist in Oregon.

Costs of Care is also working with Amino to allow physicians to promote the completion of “Cost Conversations” modules with badges posted on Amino and viewable by consumers searching for care on Amino or through content and trusted partners across the web.

Costs of Care and Amino will be sharing more about their partnership in a webinar for the ABIM Foundation hosted on YouTube, as well as at SXSW Interactive Festival on March 11th, 2018 as part of the panel Making Healthcare Price Transparency Available. For more information about the modules, visit Costs of Care’s website.

About Amino:
Amino is a digital health company that makes saving money on healthcare easy. Combining data, design, and consumer-first thinking, Amino offers information and services that guide people toward quality, affordable care. Its flagship product pairs transparency with a modern HSA to deliver smarter savings at every turn, so companies and employees get the most from their health insurance plans. The company is based in San Francisco and is backed by Accel, CRV, Highland Capital Management, Rock Health, and notable individual investors. For more information, visit http://www.amino.com

About Costs of Care:
Costs of Care is a nonprofit organization that curates insights from clinicians at the frontlines of health care to help health systems provide better care at lower cost. Connect at http://www.CostsOfCare.org or follow us on Twitter @CostsofCare.

About the Doctor’s Channel:
In an age of media snacking and limited attention spans, The Doctor’s Channel has been providing our network of physicians with timely, practical and "to the point" content in the form of educational, lifestyle and free CME videos since 2007. The Doctor's Channel syndicates it's content to HCPs globally. For more information, visit http://www.TheDoctorsChannel.com, contact Michael Banks, MD at mbanks@thedoctorschannel.com, or follow them on Twitter @doctorschannel Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

The company has scored a big win. Reported by Motley Fool 5 hours ago.

Digital Prevention Leader becomes first company of its kind to achieve two leading data security certifications

SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) February 15, 2018

Building on a HITRUST Certification attained last year, Omada Health today announced that the company completed its SOC2 Type 1 Audit, becoming the first digital provider of intensive behavioral counseling to exceed both of these standards, delivering the highest level of data security for partners, customers, and participants. The SOC2 Type 1 Independent Service Auditor's Report focuses on five controls relevant to data security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. Companies completing the audit have the option to be judged on one or more of the five categories; Omada met or exceeded the industry-leading standard in all five.

"All of Omada's services, from verifying the clinical eligibility of our applicants to utilizing billions of data points to drive a truly personalized experience for participants, depend on a foundation of safe, secure, and private storage and transfer of information," said VP of Information Technology and Security, William Dougherty. "Trust and security are table stakes in healthcare, and Omada has invested in both because our partners and our participants deserve to have confidence in our platform."

"Omada operates as a HIPAA-covered entity, and for our team to continue to build the trust necessary with our partners and our participants, the work of Bill and his team -- and the validation provided by this audit -- are critical," added Omada co-founder and CEO Sean Duffy.

Omada acts as both a health covered entity and as a business associate under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). SOC 2 examinations may only be performed by a licensed CPA firm. Schellman & Company, LLC ("Schellman") performed as the service auditor for Omada.

The SOC 2 (Service Organization Control for Service Organizations) evaluates applicants in five categories within the Trust Services Criteria of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants:· Security - Verifying the system is protected against unauthorized access, use, or modification to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements.
· Availability - Verifying the system is available for operation and use to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements.
· Processing Integrity - Verifying the system processing is complete, valid, accurate, timely, and authorized to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements.
· Confidentiality - Verifying that information designated as confidential is protected to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements.
· Privacy - Verifying personal information is collected, used, retained, disclosed, and disposed to meet the entity's commitments and system requirements.

"It is always exciting to work with leading edge technology providers, but it is even more meaningful when the company's mission is to improve individual's health and quality of life," said Douglas Barbin, principal and CyberSecurity leader at Schellman. "While any successful SOC 2 report is an achievement, the alignment of Omada's security and privacy control activities with all five Trust Services categories is considered exceptional."
About Omada Health

Omada Health is a digital behavioral medicine company that inspires and enables people to change the habits that put them most at risk for chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The company is the largest CDC-recognized provider of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, and since its founding. Omada's program combines proven behavioral science, the power of professional health coaches and peer groups, connected technology, and world-class design to deliver clinically-meaningful results. The company operates on a pay-for-outcomes pricing model that aligns incentives between Omada, customers, and participants. Omada Health was named a 2016 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, and one of Fast Company's Most Innovative 2017. To learn more, visit http://www.omadahealth.com.

For more information, contact:
Adam Brickman
(914) 548-3748
Press(at)Omadahealth(dot)com Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--eHealth, Inc. (Nasdaq: EHTH), a leading private online health insurance exchange in the United States, announced today that the company plans to release fourth quarter and fiscal year 2017 financial results on March 1, 2018. Chief Executive Officer Scott Flanders and Chief Financial and Operating Officer David Francis will host the earnings conference call beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on March 1st to discuss these results. Individuals interested in li Reported by Business Wire 4 hours ago.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Blue Cross of Idaho submitted to Idaho insurance regulators a set of health insurance plans that it hopes to sell under Gov. Butch Otter’s executive order. The Idaho Statesman reports Blue Cross submitted its five plans on Tuesday after the executive order required Idaho insurers to create “state-based” health plans that […] Reported by Seattle Times 2 hours ago.

Amid the evolving employer-sponsored health insurance market, Columbus Business First spoke with Patty Starr, executive director of the Health Action Council. Reported by bizjournals 3 hours ago.