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Obamacare 1.0: Rolling Brown Outs?
Obamacare 1.0: Rolling Brown Outs? The sheer technological volume of it all could bring "rolling brown outs" similar to electrical grids. Try to imagine a scenario of credit union Experien working with IRS then Social Security & Center for Medicare &...
Treating bites and stings
From American Academy of Dermatology Treating bites and stings Usually, you can take care of your bites and stings at home with your parents' help. Here's what to do: Mosquitoes, fleas and other small bugs Wash the bite with soap and water. Use calamine (rhymes with...
Happy Fathers Day in 100 languages
Happy Fathers Day in 100 languages. Happy Father's Day to all the men that work so hard to make sure there kids have what they want and need. No matter how different each word is from the other, it means the same thing. Today, a great number of countries will...
Safer Sunscreens: New Requirements Set By FDA
Safer Sunscreens: New Requirements Set By FDA From our wellness partner, Cleveland Clinic In an effort to improve the safety and efficacy of sunscreen products sold in the U.S. and limit misleading claims, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration officially released a...
Yoga improves health and reduces costs
Yoga initiatives improves health and reduces costs according to Aetna studies. A yoga and meditation initiative for stressed employees helped them reduce their heart rates and helped Aetna increase productivity and lower health benefit costs 7%, CEO Mark Bertolini...
Final Wellness Incentive Rule Released
Final Wellness Incentive Rule Released. Final rules set forth the criteria for wellness programs offered in connection with group health plans that must be satisfied in order for the plan to qualify for an exception to the prohibition on discrimination based on...
Montefiore Buying Sound Shore Hospital
Montefiore Buying Sound Shore Hospital. According to the PR release Sound Shore Health System ("SSHS") announced today it has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Montefiore Health System for Montefiore to acquire its assets. The transaction, which...
Health Care Reform – Five Things Employers Can Do Now
With only 6 month away from full implementation of 2014 Patient Protection Affordability Care Act (PPACA) employers are understandably uncertain. Below are Health Care reform - five things employers can do now to prepare and take action. UPDATE JULY 2nd: Since blog...
Why are Medical Costs So High?
Why are Medical Costs So High? In Time magazine's March issue Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us Steven Brill gets to work on answering the ever elusive Why are Medical Costs So High? The 21,000 word article is longest article in Time Magazine history...
Best Foods to Boost Immunity
From our wellness partner, the Cleveland Clinic By Jill Provost Want to cook up a plan to keep your immune system in tip-top shape? Some experts believe that even slight deficiencies in certain nutrients can lower our defenses. hile an apple a day is a good start,...
Pay or Play FAQ
Many follow up questions on the post Pay or Play Employer Guide have been raised. A Pay or Play FAQ hopefully adds some clarification. Will I be required to offer health insurance coverage to my employees? No. However, if you have at least 50 full-time...
Health Insurance Mandates 2012
Health Insurance Mandates 2012. The Councel for Affordable Health Insurance in VA released their annual "Health Insurance Mandates in the States" for 2012 last week. While NYS did not crack the top 5 they did come close at number 7 this year. NYS Mandates were...
Map of State Exchanges Final
Map of State Exchanges Final. The final map of 2014 State Exchanges or health insurance marketplaces are now in. States have had the option of either using Federal Grants to establish their own Exchanges or letting the Federal run their State's...
Pay or Play Employer Guide
Pay or Play Employer Guide Tick! tick! tick! As the 2014 Employer Mandate to either pay or play gets closer the nation’s employers move a step closer to having to make a decision: Do I play or pay? This Employer mandate under Patient Protection and Affordable Care...
Emblem Leaving?
Is EmblemHealth (GHI formerly) leaving the small business market? Yes and no. The popular traditional EPO is slated to be chopped up for new business May 1 pending State approval. The remaining consumer driven health plans which have deductibles and coinsurance (a...
Provider Consolidation Infograph
Provider Consolidation Infograph The AHIP infograph provides visually a great infograph describing how provider consolidation increases costs. According to Wall Street Journal Article this week -Four Key Questions for Health-Care Law “The proliferation of...
Poor Health Plan for Middle Class?
Poor health plan for middle class? An interesting NYT article today "Slower Growth of Health Costs Eases U.S. Deficit" describes the good news that actual spending has been reduced by 15% or $200 Billion than projected 3 years ago. New data also show overall...
Snow and Wellness
Oh no its snowing!! For the lucky ones not going into work or school today you are likely hunkering down waiting for the 18 inch NY blizzard to pass. Unlike hibernating Bears, Mother Nature does not give you the gift of slowing down your metabolism. How can snow and...
Physician’s Poem
Physician's Poem Physician's Poem: The Good Physician Jay Jackson, MDYork, Pa. jackson@cyberia.com Has a brain that works Can tell a joke tastefully Listens as much as talks Conveys as much with a gaze as with expostulation Avoids the counsel of scalawags and...
The Doctor is NOT in
The Doctor is not in A great infograph by Good and Column Five that tells the story posted Aug 2012- Doctor Shortages-Covered but Less Access The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage of 60,000 physicians by 2015 and 90,000 physicians by 2020,...
Fiscal Cliff Deal: Doc Cuts Spared
Fiscal Cliff Deal: Doc Cuts Spared. Happy 2013 Fiscal Cliff averted! At least for another year the dreaded 27% Medicare reimbursement have been spared. The so-called "doc fix" would boost the deficit by $31 billion. The President stood firm against any...
New Proposed Rules for Wellness Programs
New Proposed Rules for Wellness ProgramsIn another step forward to ncentivize wellness new proposal can give discounts for managing good health much like good drivers with auto insurance.New proposed rules issued under Health Care Reform address certain amendments to...
Christie Rejects State Exchange
Gov Christie on Jon Stewart The Daily Show Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on...
Top 10 Holiday Stress Free Tips
Top 10 Holiday Stress Free Tips Surviving the holidays with one’s waistline, bank account and sanity intact can be challenging for everyone, but the season affords specific pitfalls—and opportunities—for those who are mindful of staying physically and mentally...
Interfaith Hospital Files Bankruptcy
Interfaith Hospital Files Bankruptcy To no one's surprise the Interfaith Hospital in Brooklyn Files for Bankruptcy Protection - Dec3, 2012 NYT . In addition to the $130 Million in debt "...hospital estimates its cash spending will exceed its cash receipts by nearly...
Crains Article on Broker Commissions Cuts
Crains Brokers' Commissions Face Uncertain Future. A quick comment on our quote in Crains "Crains Brokers' Commissions Face Uncertain Future" today. Insurers are indeed cutting back on services resulting in cost containement measures such as layoffs, outsourcing and...
Hurricane Sandy Recovery Assistance Resources
Federal Aid Programs for State of New York Disaster Recovery Loans are available up to $2 million for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance, and for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster. More information can be found at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Information from the Federal Small Business Administration on disaster recovery assistance is also available at www.sba.gov.
Filling a Liability Claim
Filling a Liability Claim after Storm Sandy The most effective way to file a claim is to contact your carrier directly. We have compiled a list of our companies and their respective claim department numbers that you can conveniently reference below. Claim Department...
Carrier Update Nov 2
Carrier Update Nov 2 First, and most importantly, we hope that you and your families are safe and sound. An office status for Health Insurance Carrier post Hurricane Sandy for your information. Millennium medical Solutions Corp is up and running and the offices are...
Anti Mandatory Mail Order Victory
A little noticed NYS Healthcare Law has gone under the radar amidst fast changes in Affordable Care Act tumult. AMMO – Anti-Mandatory Mail Order passed late Dec 2011 effective for groups renewing after Jan 11, 2012. A significant signal by Governor Cuomo to stand up to the billion dollar industry no doubt.
Lifetime and Annual Limits
Lifetime and annual limits In years past, most health insurance policies had limits or "caps" on the benefits they would pay. These limits were on any health plan participant (individual or family) - either over a lifetime or in a plan year. If someone exceeded that...
New Summary of Benefits Coverage Notice
New Summary of Benefits Coverage Notice Summary of Benefits Coverage SampleSummary of Benefits Coverage Sample Reminder: New SBC Notice Requirements Take Effect Soon After a six-month delay in the original effective date, group health plans (including grandfathered...
Employee Wellness Boosts Productivity
Employee Wellness Boosts Productivity Companies in the Salt Lake City area know productivity is higher and health costs are lower when employees have ways to exercise and reduce stress during the work day, whether it is using a company gym, eating healthier in the...
4 Questions Compare Ryan and Obama on Medicare
4 Questions Compare Ryan and Obama on Medicare Published 2 hours ago by HealthCareIT News, It may come as a surprise that President Barack Obama and GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan are pushing the same target rate for controlling federal spending on Medicare....
Your Free Pharmacy Card
CLICK & PRINT! Use this link or print image below to begin using the FREE Pharmacy Card today. Your Free Pharmacy Card With our Bonus Card the Rx discount is FREE and a great way to reinsure after all anyone can save you money by taking away benefits. What...