Health Care Reform is the law of the land (for now?). We are going to try and avoid making the new reform the center of what we address in these newsletters. A lot of the reform is beyond the scope of this newsletter (and we want you to keep reading, after all).
But we continue to stay on top of the legislation and what it means to you. Things like: - Grandfathered plans
- Small Business Tax Credits
- Individual mandates (or are they a tax?)
- Coverage of preventive services
- The list goes on...
We also continue to speak with groups and organizations to help them cope with all of the change. If you have questions about the new law and what it means to you and your organization, contact us. We would be happy to help you understand everything. |
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COBRA Subsidy May Be History
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As of the writing of this newsletter, it appears that congress is going to extend unemployment benefits. In order to get enough votes for its passage, they had to jettison other parts of the original legislation. One of those parts was the COBRA subsidy extension.
The eligibility for the COBRA subsidy ended May 31, 2010. As more time slips by, the likelihood of the subsidy being revived appears to dwindle. Those who have the subsidy will not be affected, but those losing group coverage and becoming eligible for COBRA AFTER May 31, 2010, will NOT be eligible for the subsidy.
If things change you will probably read about it here first... but we are not optimistic of it coming back to life.
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 "With hospital emergency departments luring patients by advertising short wait times, the state's largest health insurer is asking its members to consider cheaper care at urgent-care centers and in-store clinics when appropriate.Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Virginia yesterday launched a Google Maps tool on its website that lets consumers search for options such as MinuteClinic, Patient First and doctor's offices that take unscheduled walk-ins."From our perspective, if you have a true emergency, the best place to be is the emergency room," said Dr. Jay Schukman, Anthem's regional vice president and medical director."But for those conditions where it could be treated in an urgent-care center or a physician's office, that's the most appropriate place to go," Schukman said."
Read the rest of the article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
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 We get these quizzes in our email every now and then. It is always good to see where you stack up against others in knowledge - especially if you are the only one to see the results. These Pew Research Center quizzes are challenging and fun. While it is labeled a "Political News IQ" quiz, it will not set you off on a political ranting (if you are so inclined). It just asks a series of questions and you have a multiple choice answer from which to choose. It is international in nature - not just U. S. political news.
Give it a shot. I dare you.
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The "UnitedHealthcare/VolunteerMatch Do Good. Live Well Survey" reveals that employers who encourage volunteerism in their workforces benefit from healthier and more engaged employees. The survey of more than 4,500 Americans found that;
68% of those who have volunteered in the past year reported that volunteering made them feel physically healthier
90% felt that it improved their sense of well-being
92% of those who volunteer through work are satisfied with their current physical health, compared to 76% of non-volunteers.
88% of those who volunteer through work rate their current physical strength (i.e., capacity to lift objects) as "very good" or "good," compared to 70% of non-volunteers.
80% percent of those who volunteer through work describe their general outlook on life as "optimistic," compared to 60% of non-volunteers.
Karma? Maybe. Or maybe people who volunteer are just more optimistic and well-adjusted?
Source: EBN
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Rick Reilly Strikes Again
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 I am a big fan of Rick Reilly, writer/reporter for ESPN and formerly of Sports Illustrated. From the early days of egressing Milk Duds to today, his brand of humor is one of the few that will make me laugh out loud. He recently wrote about the recent milestone of MLB pitcher Jamie Moyer. Moyer, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, recently gave up his 506th home run. Reilly writes: "Look, can you tell me which NFL quarterback was sacked the most all-time? John Elway (516). Most interceptions thrown? Brett Favre (317). Most shots missed in NBA history? John Havlicek (13,417). Most second-place finishes in a golf major? Jack Nicklaus (19). Most times losing in a major tennis final? Ivan Lendl (11).
Don't you see? To be historically bad, you have to be historically great! To be able to give up more home runs than anybody in history, they have to keep handing you the ball. You're that good. You hand out more bombs than Raytheon, but they don't care. They still give you the ball and point you toward that hill.
They want you on that hill."
read the entire article here. |
 "There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."Sam Walton
"It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages."Henry Ford
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