Tag Archives: Human Services

News, Politics, Government

Presidential Memorandum — Expanding National Service

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By The White House

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Expanding National Service Through Partnerships to Advance Government Priorities

Service has always been integral to the American identity. Our country was built on the belief that all of us, working together, can make this country a better place for all. That spirit remains as strong and integral to our identity today as at our country's founding.

Since its creation 20 years ago, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has been the Federal agency charged with leading and expanding national service. The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009 (SAA) expanded CNCS's authority to create opportunities for more Americans to serve. This landmark, bipartisan legislation focuses national service on six areas: emergency and disaster services; economic opportunity; education; environmental stewardship; healthy futures; and veterans and military families. The SAA provides greater opportunities for CNCS to partner with other executive departments and agencies (agencies) and with the private sector to utilize national service to address these critical areas.

National service and volunteering can be effective solutions to national challenges and can have positive and lasting impacts that reach beyond the immediate service experience. Americans engaged in national service make an intensive commitment to tackle unmet national and local needs by working through non-profit, faith-based, and community organizations. Service can help Americans gain valuable skills, pursue higher education, and jumpstart their careers, which can provide immediate and long-term benefits to those individuals, as well as the communities in which they serve.

Americans are ready and willing to serve. Applications from Americans seeking to engage in national service programs far exceed the number of available positions. By creating new partnerships between agencies and CNCS that expand national service opportunities in areas aligned with agency missions, we can utilize the American spirit of service to improve lives and communities, expand economic and educational opportunities, enhance agencies' capacity to achieve their missions, efficiently use tax dollars, help individuals develop skills that will enable them to prepare for long-term careers, and build a pipeline to employment inside and outside the Federal Government.

Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to expand the positive impact of national service, I hereby direct the following:

Section 1. Establishing a Task Force on Expanding National Service. There is established a Task Force on Expanding National Service, to be co-chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, which shall include representatives from agencies and offices that administer programs and develop policies in areas that include the six focus areas set forth in the SAA. The Task Force shall include representatives from:

(a) the Department of Defense;

(b) the Department of Justice;

(c) the Department of the Interior;

(d) the Department of Agriculture;

(e) the Department of Commerce;

(f) the Department of Labor;

(g) the Department of Health and Human Services;

(h) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(i) the Department of Transportation;

(j) the Department of Energy;

(k) the Department of …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Smokers Rejoice! Latest Obamacare Glitch Forces Non-Smokers To Subsidize Your Health Coverage

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By Avik Roy, Contributor

Under Obamacare, in theory, insurers aren’t allowed to charge different rates to different people based on their future health risks, with two exceptions. First, they can charge somewhat more to older folks than they can to younger ones; and second, they charge 50 percent more to smokers. However, thanks to a “system limitation” at the Department of Health and Human Services, insurers will not be able to apply the surcharge to older smokers, at least for one year. …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

Christian News

Top 5 Signs 'Obamacare' Is in Trouble

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With the major portions of the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” set to go into effect October 1, implementation of the massive new law has, thus far, been messy. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), one of the authors of the law, warned the Department of Health and Human Services that the implementation could be a “huge train wreck.” Here are five reasons Baucus’ concerns are warranted: …read more

Source: The Christian Post

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

What If Obamacare Implodes?

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By Keith Speights, The Motley Fool

Obama Big Government SC What Will Happen When the Government Collapses?

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Obamacare could implode. I’m not saying that it will implode, and in fact this isn’t likely to happen. However, the possibility does exist. Here’s how it could happen — and what the aftermath would be if it did.

Source: Wikimedia Commons. 

How it could happen
While there are multiple ways that the ACA could fall apart, three stand out in my view as the most plausible paths. And each ties in with a different branch of government. 

Time magazine’s Joel Klein wrote about one way that Obamacare could fail in his story from April 2 titled “Obamacare Incompetence.” Klein noted the problems in implementing the health insurance exchanges that are a critical component for small businesses. His argument was that Obamacare will fail if more attention isn’t paid to the “details of implementation” by the administration.

The legislative branch of government could still cause the ACA to crumble, even without an outright repeal of the law. The Department of Health and Human Services is scrambling to cover the costs of implementing exchanges for 26 states that decided not to setup their own exchange. HHS asked for nearly $1 billion from Congress for this purpose, but that request didn’t meet with much sympathy.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has enough discretionary options at her disposal to keep things rolling for now. However, at any point in the future, Congress could effectively dismantle the exchanges by not funding them. If the exchanges go by the wayside, Obamacare unravels.

The Supreme Court‘s role in deciding the fate of the ACA probably isn’t over despite last year’s ruling. Multiple cases are winding their way through lower-level courts. One, in particular, stands out as a quite serious challenge for the ACA, in large part because it hinges on the initial Supreme Court determination that the individual mandate is a tax.

Section 1311 of the ACA states that a health insurance exchange must be “established by a State.” Anyone who doesn’t receive insurance from an employer must obtain insurance through an exchange or pay a penalty (i.e., a tax.) However, section 1401 of the ACA gives a tax credit for applicable taxpayers buying insurance through “an exchange established by the State under [section] 1311.”

While section 1321 allows the federal government to create an exchange for states that choose not to do so on their own, the language of the ACA only allows tax credits to be given to people who buy insurance through an exchange established by their state. That’s where the Supreme Court might have to step in yet again.

Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution requires that taxes “be uniform throughout the United States.” If the ACA imposes a tax on citizens of all states but only provides a tax credit for those in states that setup their own exchanges, an argument could be made (and is being made) that the Uniformity Clause of the Constitution has been violated. Without the tax levies and

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Articles of Interest

Obama’s HHS Mandate Disrespects Catholics Everywhere

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By John Careccia

The HHS initiative is anti Catholic in its inception and its implementation. The Obama administration has demonstrated its disdain for Catholics and religious freedom in general. The initiative is a disgrace for what it intends to do.

Anyone who looks at the situation through an objective lens can see that this administration is trying to impose its will on Christians and especially Catholics. The government exists at the will of the people, and yet this administration constantly tries to pull the wool over our eyes as if we were children who cannot see through their obvious attempt to usurp our right to practice our religion as it has been prescribed for more than 2000 years.

The Obama government actually thinks it can change thousands of years of tradition and beliefs.  Secretary Sebelius and the Department of Health and Human Services should be ashamed of exploiting young women the way they are doing. They are encouraging women to go out and have sex with anyone and not worry because any mistake can be corrected within 72 hours, and all of this should be funded by their employer. It doesn’t matter whether or not their employer happens to be the Catholic Church, whose teachings specifically forbid the very action the government is championing.

In spite of the Constitution and the First Amendment (freedom of religion), the Catholic Church is being forced to fund contraception and short-term abortion. Of course, if the pill doesn’t work, the women can still “correct their mistakes” as the president so eloquently put it. He proved this was his view when he was a State Senator in Illinois. He voted to allow out-of-uterus abortion regardless of the term. This borders on infanticide and should be treated that way. Illinois’ morals are a question for another time. Now if all the precautions and pills fail, the women can still go to Planned Parenthood and have it taken care of right up to the day the baby is born.

At a recent Congressional hearing on abortion, Planned Parenthood was asked what should be done for a baby who is born and and still fighting for its life. Their answer was that the decision is up to the patient and the doctor. Of course, they were referring to the mother as the patient. They had to be reminded that since the baby was now a living person, he/she becomes the patient. Once confronted with the reality, having been caught off guard,  the Planned Parenthood spokesperson could not answer the question. And Planned Parenthood receives government funding. Do you see where this is going?

This is all part of a secular conspiracy to blunt the influence of the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic Church. This feeling of entitlement is instilled to keep the women dependent on the federal government for their every need. One thing the women should remember is: what the government gives to you, the government can take away. When that time comes, it is too late because you are so dependent you don’t …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Western Journalism

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

3 Obamacare Stories You Missed This Week

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By Brandy Betz, The Motley Fool

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Changes related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, roared on as March led in to April Fools’ Day. The slow rollout of the health care program gives us a steady stream of adjustments and finalizations.

This week saw Vermont become the first state to release a premium rate proposal. The Department of Health and Human Services clarified that not all states will receive a waiver for Medicaid expansion alternatives. And some top insurers have a trick up their sleeve to avoid Obamacare requirements until late next year.

Vermont’s premium proposal
Vermont became the first state to release proposed premium rates (link opens PDF) for its health insurance exchange, Vermont Health Connect. The story was notable because the rates were flat with the average rates available in the state prior to Obamacare. But as The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein pointed out, the lack of change was due to Vermont having strict insurance requirements even before the ACA passed.

Average price for individual coverage ranges from $374.18 to $609.47,

but many beneficiaries will receive federal subsidies to help cover some of the cost. The proposal came from the two participating insurers: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and MVP Healthcare. State officials will now review the rates and either suggest changes or finalize. Health insurance exchanges will open in October, offering coverage plans that will begin at the start of 2014.

Medicaid expansion stays complicated
The HHS released a document (link opens PDF) further clarifying the potential waivers, or premium assistance that states may receive for Medicaid expansion alternatives.Here’s the key bit:

HHS will consider approving a limited number of premium assistance demonstrations since their results would inform policy for the State Innovation Waivers that start in 2017. As with all such demonstrations, HHS will evaluate each proposal that is submitted and consider it on a case by case basis relative to this standard.

The HHS clarification might calm the frenzy states stirred when Arkansas received a waiver to allow federal money to purchase private insurance for the newly eligible. Tennessee recently found out the hard way that HHS will express caution in approving submitted plans.

Insurers avoid Obamacare requirements?
The Los Angeles Times reports that top insurers including WellPoint and UnitedHealth may delay their full exposure to the stricter coverage requirements of Obamacare. A loophole allows the insurers to renew existing policies that expire before the end of 2013. Renewal would make the plans, which don’t meet Obamacare standards, stretch well into 2014.

WellPoint told the paper that its renewal plans would vary by state. UnitedHealth admitted that some of its renewals would stretch until the end of March.

What’s the big deal about some insurance plans lasting a bit longer than anticipated? The health insurance exchanges depend on as many healthy people enrolling as possible. Presumably those who would want to renew before January are people in good …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Articles of Interest

Dog-Friendly Dining In D.C.: Arlington To Allow Dogs At Outdoor Restaurants

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

WASHINGTON — Good news for Arlington dog owners: the city’s health department now lets restaurants apply for a variance to allow dogs in outdoor dining areas.

This comes just months after the public health department reminded restaurants that non-service animals weren’t allowed in any dining areas, ARLnow points out. At the time, Arlington County Department of Human Services spokesman Kurt Larrick said that “[t]he presence of animals would create a risk of people getting sick due to fecal contamination.”

The policy reversal comes as D.C. gears up for warmer weather and outdoor dining season. As we wait to see which Arlington restaurants will offer dog-friendly dining, here are 10 places where pooches are already welcome:

Read More…
More on Dogs

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Articles of Interest

States May Be FORCED To Implement ObamaCare

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By Doug Book

Hennessey Venom GT

So far, 26 states have opted against building ObamaCare exchanges, making it clear to Kathleen Sebelius that her Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will have to do all of the work and pay the tab for the creation of any Affordable Care Act “sales center” within their borders. And as the Act provides no funds for the Department to build or staff an exchange, implementation of ObamaCare rules and regulations would seem impossible within those states.

Moreover, in addition to throwing the financial burden of the Affordable Care Act back in the lap of an unprepared HHS, a number of state legislatures have passed laws making the Act’s implementation and enforcement illegal.

But Barack has different ideas.

The Obama administration has announced its intent to disregard state laws and state constitutional amendments prohibiting the enforcement of ObamaCare. Federal agents from the Department of Health and Human Services will assume absolute control over states’ health insurance industry and regulation in states that refuse to comply with the federal healthcare mandates.

What could be more convenient than to “disregard” those things that threaten your plans!

This latest example of the limitless hubris of the Obama Regime began when Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak received a letter from Gary Cohen, Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) informing him that “…the federal government will impose ObamaCare regulations on insurance companies in Oklahoma.”

Cohen’s letter came in response to a law passed by the Oklahoma legislature nullifying the implementation of ObamaCare in the state. HHS decided to take a hand by informing all health insurance providers in the state that “…enforcement of the law’s requirements will be handled by [HHS].”  Shortly thereafter, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) demanded all state providers “…submit all group and individual health insurance policy forms, certificates, riders, endorsements, and amendments, as well as any other requested material pertinent to the market reforms of the Affordable Care Act to CMS for review.”

In short, the federal bureaucracy intends to utterly ignore the will of the people of Oklahoma by summarily overturning any “unfriendly” statutes written by their elected representatives!

What will this mean for health insurance customers in the state? Apparently, those who purchase insurance through the federally managed ObamaCare exchange will wind up with different policies, be forced to follow different procedures, and generally pay much higher premiums than residents who purchase coverage directly from an insurance company, whether individually or as part of a group through their employer. Two sets of rules will exist in the state.

But rest assured, as HHS will not tolerate competition, Katherine Sebelius & Co will soon disallow the purchase of any insurance plan unless it be through the ObamaCare exchange.

Of course, that is an ObamaCare exchange that has yet to be built and for which the Affordable Care Act itself made no financial provision!

In 2010, Barack assured the American public that anyone fortunate enough to be protected under ObamaCare will save an average of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Western Journalism

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Tufts Medical Center Selects Huron Consulting Group's Click Portal Software for COI and Grants Submi

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Tufts Medical Center Selects Huron Consulting Group’s Click Portal Software for COI and Grants Submission Processes

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Huron Consulting Group (NAS: HURN) , a leading provider of business consulting services, today announced that Tufts Medical Center (Tufts MC) has selected its Click® Portal software to automate administration and management of financial conflict of interest (COI) disclosures and pre-award grants processes required for research.

“With the new Conflict of Interest requirements from the Public Health Service it became impossible for us to manage disclosures off-line,” said Douglas Reichgott, director of Regulatory Operations, Research Administration, Tufts Medical Center. “We wanted an automated system that could not only streamline our processes and provide robust reporting, but also be deployed quickly. In addition, integrating our online compliance management with pre-award submission management for grants just made sense. The Click product should make life easier for our investigators and administrators while providing senior management with higher quality information.”

Tufts Medical Center has a robust research program that includes groundbreaking bench research, clinical trials and developments in health policy. The Medical Center ranks among the top ten percent of the nation’s independent hospitals receiving federal research funds.

The federal COI rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cover a wide range of areas, including disclosure frequency, training, and conflict management, all of which are directly addressed by Huron’s Click Portal software. The solution also eliminates roadblocks such as lengthy turnaround times, interoffice delays, duplicate data entry, and information loss. Tufts MC chose the Click software solution in part because of its ability to integrate COI and grants processes in a single automated system.

The Click Portal solution will also enable Tufts MC to accelerate pre-award grants processes, including proposal creation and submission, as the system provides a comprehensive forms library and helps ensure accurate electronic submissions to government funding organizations.

“Applying for a grant is hard enough, so having COI checks efficiently managed is important to keep the research process moving,” said Nick Stier, managing director, Huron Education. “Integrating these two systems simplifies and streamlines tasks nearly every researcher and administrator must perform. It also improves collaboration between the research administration departments and overall institutional compliance.”

Tufts Medical Center and many other leading research institutions use Huron’s Click Portal platform to automate a wide range of administrative and compliance processes, including those associated with Institutional Review Board …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Obamacare Falls Into Place, and Health Insurers Rejoice

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By Brandy Betz, The Motley Fool

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The future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became clearer over the past few days. The government has formalized financial details pertaining to Medicare Advantage rate cuts and for the future Medicaid expansions.

Health insurers popped before market close Monday as investors awaited the Medicare Advantage announcement. The gains continued after Tuesday’s open, with Humana and UnitedHealth Group leading the S&P 500 with gains of around 5% today.

What do the finalized decisions mean for the future of these government-sponsored plans?

Medicare Advantage rates rise
Medicare Advantage plans won’t suffer the rate cuts in 2014 that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed in February. Participating insurers will instead receive a 3.3% increase in payment reimbursements.

The CMS previously proposed a slash, which sent Humana plummeting 10%. But opponents pointed out that the reduction was based on the assumption that Congress would approve a physician rate cut, which hadn’t happened in the past decade.

Humana has the most reason to celebrate, since its Medicare Advantage segment accounted for 53% of overall revenues in 2012. But UnitedHealth purchased XLHealth last year to increase its Advantage presence. With so many factors still undecided, the rate finalization offered a rare bit of good news for insurers.

Medicaid funds secured
In other Obamacare news, the Department of Health and Human Services recently formalized federal Medicaid financing plans that put the feds on the hook for 100% of expansion costs for the first three years, starting in 2013. The payments will gradually decrease to the permanent rate of 90% by 2020.

The information matched the figures that HHS had touted for months as it tried to get more states onboard with the expansion. But the majority of states remain either on the fence or firmly opposed. Expansion would broaden the coverage umbrella to include patients below age 65 who have income that’s 133% above the federal poverty level.

Many continue to pursue waivers that would allow for the use of federal money in purchasing private plans. The HHS has said the option remains and extended a waiver to Arizona. But other states have found that approval isn’t guaranteed.

WellPoint is positioned to benefit from the potential expansions thanks to the Amerigroup acquisition last year, which increased its Medicaid presence.

Foolish final thoughts
Health-care investors — and wonks — face an interesting few months of watching the ACA plans continue to fall into place. The Advantage rate turnaround should encourage some optimism. Potential Medicaid benefits for insurers will become somewhat clearer once more states make their decisions. But that could become a long wait, since there’s not a deadline on opting in or out of the expansion.

Regardless of how the Medicaid expansion pans out, there’s one macro trend Warren Buffett has referred to as “the tapeworm that’s eating at American competitiveness”. What was he referring to? Find out in our free report: “What’s Really Eating at America’s Competitiveness.” You’ll also …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

2013 MedAssets Healthcare Business Summit Offers Pragmatic Strategies for Health Reform

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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2013 MedAssets Healthcare Business Summit Offers Pragmatic Strategies for Health Reform

Comprehensive education program features nationally renowned keynotes, 70 presentations to foster education and best practices to improve quality of care while reducing costs and protecting margins

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)– MedAssets (Nasdaq: MDAS) today announced the kickoff of its main education event forthe 2013 MedAssets Healthcare Business Summit, held from April 2-4, 2013, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.Featuring more than 70 presentations by nationally recognized speakers and healthcare industry leaders, the Education Sessions offer insightful information and discussions on how to navigate successfully both current and future healthcare industry challenges.

Keynote speakers for the 2013 MedAssets Healthcare Business Summit include:

  • Eric J. Topol, M.D., director of Scripps Translational Science Institute and named “Most Influential Physician Executive in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare magazine, will share how innovative and highly personalized treatment methods promise to transform medicine while dramatically lowering healthcare costs.
  • Benjamin E. Sasse, Ph.D., former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, will share thoughts on efforts to modernize payment systems by migrating from “paying for more” to “paying for better,” and how this transition will stimulate entrepreneurial innovation.
  • Wendell Primus, senior policy advisor on budget and health to Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, will present in-depth perspectives on current healthcare reform legislation and discuss factors healthcare organizations will need to account for in business strategy development and operational planning.

“Each year thousands of healthcare professionals and leaders from across the care continuum—ranging from physician practices to community and academic hospitals to integrated delivery networks—attend the Summit to learn the latest best practices for financial, operational and clinical performance improvement,” said John Bardis, chairman, president and chief executive officer, MedAssets. “In this time of unprecedented industry transition, we are pleased to empower our clients with political and industry insight, as well as practical and actionable strategies for positive change.”

Education and Insight Sharing to Facilitate Necessary Change

The Healthcare Business Summit education …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

How Helping Others Lose Weight Could Save You Money

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By Keith Speights, The Motley Fool

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Do you know someone who needs to lose weight? Helping them do so could end up saving you money over the long run. What’s more, even helping a total stranger lose weight could save you money as well. How can this be true? We first need to take a look at Medicare. 

Nearly 1.5% of every dollar you make goes to the federal health care program. If you’re self-employed, you kick in twice as much because you must pay the employer’s portion also. And if you fit in Obamacare’s high income classification, you’ll tack on another 0.9%. 

But you’re really paying even more for Medicare. Of the $530 billion received by the federal program in 2011, $223 billion came from the general Treasury fund and only around $196 billion derived from payroll taxes. The government actually spent $550 billion — more than it received. That total amounts to a little over $12,000 spent per enrollee.

As Medicare spending grows, more money will be needed. Guess who’s going to pay up? All of us. However, if the spending could somehow be controlled, taxpayers should be able to hang on to more of their hard-earned dollars. That’s where a new study comes into play.

Dr. Kenneth Thorpe — a former Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and current chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health — led the research team that conducted a study published recently in Health Economics Review. This study found that more than $12,000 per patient could be saved over a 10-year period by helping Medicare beneficiaries lose weight. That comes to as much as $144 billion.

The problem is in actually achieving that weight loss. Bariatric surgery can cost at least $18,000. That wipes out all of the estimated savings. Intensive behavioral therapy, or IBT, for weight loss is much less expensive, but it isn’t enough for many obese individuals. Is there another option? Thorpe and his colleagues suggest that combining IBT with new weight-loss drugs could hold the key to helping Medicare beneficiaries lose weight and thereby reducing spending.

Currently, two weight-loss drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. VIVUS markets Qsymia. Arena Pharmaceuticals stands ready to begin selling Belviq once the Drug Enforcement Administration finalizes scheduling of the obesity drug. Another company, Orexigen Therapeutics , hopes to receive approval for Contrave and launch the drug commercially in 2014. The problem for those who think one or more of these drugs could help with lowering Medicare costs is that the program doesn’t reimburse patients for taking any of them. Not a dime.

The FDA agreed that Qsymia and Belviq are safe enough for the public. Clinical studies found both drugs to be effective in helping patients lose weight. Even one of the studies that the government used as a basis for its decision to reimburse for IBT concluded that combining weight-loss drugs with …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Health

The Arkansas-Obamacare Medicaid Deal: Far Less Than It First Appeared

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By Avik Roy

When Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D.) first announced that he had reached a deal with the Obama administration to use the Affordable Care Act?s private insurance exchanges to expand coverage to poor Arkansans, it seemed like an important, and potentially transformative, development. The myriad ways in which the traditional Medicaid program harms the poor have been well-documented, and it looked like Beebe had come up with an attractive?albeit expensive?way to provide the poor with higher-quality private insurance. A Good Friday memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, however, splashes cold water on that aspiration. It?s now clear that the Beebe-HHS deal applies a kind of private-sector window dressing on the dysfunctional Medicaid program, and it?s not obvious that the Arkansas legislature should go along. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Health

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

3 Health-Care Stories You Should Know

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By Brandy Betz, The Motley Fool

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Heading into this holiday weekend, health-care stocks continue to lead the S&P 500 in 2013. But behind the share-price gains is an industry undergoing dramatic changes. While fellow fool Sean Williams recaps the week’s biotech and pharmaceutical news, here’s a look at the top stories from the other parts of the health-care industry.

Two stories this week displayed the uncertainty that surrounds some forthcoming Obamacare changes. In addition, a Consumer Reports investigation showed which drugstores have the lowest margins on generic drugs.

The Volunteer State and Medicaid
Arkansas’ tentative permission to use federal Medicaid expansion money to purchase private insurance led many other states to pursue that route. But the matter’s a bit more complicated, and Sarah Kliff reports at WonkBlog that Tennessee has run into opposition from the Department of Health and Human Services.

The problem wasn’t the state’s desire to use the money for private insurance, but that Gov. Bill Haslam also proposed that the newly eligible Medicaid members should have similar co-pays to others in the health-insurance exchanges. And that could mean the government might spend far more than it would on a traditional Medicaid plan. The HHS remains open to negotiations, but Gov. Haslam seems firm in his proposal.

Tennessee’s Medicaid program includes Magellan as its pharmacy benefits manager and counts UnitedHealth and WellPoint as its major insurance backers. So investors for those companies should keep an eye on this story.

Medicare cuts
Turning to the Medicare side of the Affordable Care Act, health plans rose this week on the suggestion that Medicare Advantage rates might see lower cuts than previously announced. Those rates were based on the assumption that Congress will go through with a 25% physician pay cut for next year, which would require the higher insurance rates for balance. But Congress hasn’t implemented the pay cut in more than a decade, so the rate cuts haven’t been necessary. We’ll find out for sure with the final rate announcement on Monday. Humana is overly dependent on Medicare, and shares were up nearly 3% on Wednesday following the news.

Finding cheap drugs
Consumer Reports was out with a study showing which drugstores have the best prices on generic medications. Costco had the lowest prices, while CVS Caremark had the highest. The publication theorizes that the price difference comes from how much the pharmacy segment means to the overall business. After all, a big-box store like Costco can afford narrower margins on its generics because there’s more general store than pharmacy, while CVS is more dependent on its pharmacy to drive the bottom line.

The story of our generation?
What macro trend was Warren Buffett referring to when he said “this is the tapeworm that’s eating at American competitiveness”? Find out in our free report: “What’s Really Eating at America’s Competitiveness.” You’ll also discover an idea to profit as companies work to eradicate this efficiency-sucking tapeworm. Just …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

LGS Innovations Awarded $1 Million CIO-SP3 Task Order with Department of Health and Human Services

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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LGS Innovations Awarded $1 Million CIO-SP3 Task Order with Department of Health and Human Services


DHHS Network Security Strengthened, Maintenance Streamlined

HERNDON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– LGS Innovations™, an independent subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE and Euronext Paris: ALU), today announced it has been awarded a contract worth just over $1 million to provide maintenance and engineering network support for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Information Technology (OIT). The contract was awarded as a task order under the CIO-SP3 contract vehicle and has a one-year period of performance.

Under the terms of the contract, LGS will provide maintenance and support of OIT’s Cisco®, Riverbed® and Check PointTM Firewall network equipment in addition to providing training on Cisco® and Check PointTM Firewall equipment.* LGS will also provide a solution that will create network traffic flows clean of malware infections and many other risks associated with security breaches.

“Our approach streamlines the maintenance of DHHS‘s network so that all support can be delivered in a consistent manner with a single phone call or email,” said LGS Innovations CEO Kevin Kelly. “This will help minimize disruptions to DHHS‘s mission to protect the health of all Americans.”

For this task order, LGS will partner with Advanced Computer Concepts (ACC), a certified Cisco® Gold Partner and small business located in Washington D.C.

About LGS Innovations

LGS InnovationsTM LLC solves the most complex networking and communications challenges facing the U.S. Federal Government. Building on its Bell Labs heritage, LGS Innovations delivers groundbreaking research and advanced networking and communications solutions that provide an information advantage and contribute to the mission success of its customers. Solutions include Infrastructure & Installation; Video Teleconferencing and IPTV Solutions; Public Safety and Emergency Communications, Tactical Communications; Wireless/Mobility; 4G/LTE; Cloud Solutions; Enterprise, Optical and Data Networking; Network Integration; and Research and Development in Advanced Multimedia/RF, Cybersecurity, sensing technologies, and Photonics.

An independent subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent dedicated solely to serving the U.S. Federal Government, LGS Innovations is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with offices in Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina. To learn more about LGS Innovations, visit http://www.lgsinnovations.com. LGS Innovations: …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

3 Companies to Watch As Obamacare Stumbles Forward

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By Keith Speights, The Motley Fool

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Like a toddler, Obamacare is three years old but only just getting started. And also like a toddler, it appears likely to cause something of a mess. That looks to be particularly true with the health insurance exchanges slated to launch in October of this year. More than half of the states — 26 in total — opted to pass on creating a state-run health insurance exchange. Another seven states elected to go with a hybrid federal-state operation, leaving only 17 states plus the District of Columbia choosing to launch their own exchanges.

Despite the messy beginning, these health insurance exchanges could radically change the health care landscape in the U.S. in the coming years. Here are three companies to closely watch as Obamacare stumbles forward. 

1. Selling shovels
As in the days of the gold rush, sometimes it pays more to sell shovels than actually mine the gold. That could be the case with CGI Group . Perhaps no other company is as entrenched in providing the capabilities needed for health insurance exchange as this Canadian information technology firm.

Large consulting firm Accenture landed the contract with the state of California last July to build one of the largest exchanges. Accenture’s bid included sub-contracting part of the work to none other than CGI Group. That’s not surprising. CGI is also involved in helping build state-run exchanges in Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Vermont. And remember the large number of states that decided to simply let the feds get the enjoyment of creating health exchanges? CGI is helping develop those platforms, too.

CGI‘s current valuation with a price-to-earnings multiple of nearly 160 looks ridiculously high — until you consider the future earnings expected for the company. When growth estimates are factored in, CGI‘s forward price-to-earnings multiple stands below 11. That’s relatively cheap when we look at the company’s historical valuation.

2. Playing both sides
One company is playing both sides of the fence when it comes to health insurance exchanges. UnitedHealth Group will sell health insurance through the exchanges — and help build the federally-operated exchange also. UnitedHealth’s Optum business unit bought Quality Software Services Inc., or QSSI, in September. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded a contract for helping build the federal health insurance exchange to QSSI and others, including the aforementioned CGI Group, at the beginning of 2012.

Optum’s purchase of QSSI raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill. In December, leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter to the chairman of QSSI asking pointed questions about the potential of a conflict of interest. Optum executive Andy Slavitt stated that UnitedHealth and Optum are “separately reported financially and separately managed,” noting that Optum’s clients include several UnitedHealth competitors.

Even without the QSSI purchase and its associated controversy, UnitedHealth remains a company to watch as health insurance exchanges are implemented. My interest really isn’t related so much to the financial impact on …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Is Your State Embracing Obamacare?

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By Brandy Betz, The Motley Fool

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Medicaid expansion is coming — but not the way Obamacare predicted.

The Affordable Care Act hoped to broaden Medicaid  to include any patients under the age of 65 with earnings that fall below 133% of the federal poverty level. Financing would come from the federal level for the first few years before shifting some of the burden to the states. That potential spending has a number of state leaders scrambling to find­ ways to incorporate patients without explicitly signing on for the expansion.

What does this mean for the newly-eligible set to join Medicaid next year?

State standings
The Advisory Board Company provides the following breakdowns of where each state stands on Medicaid expansion:

Expanding Medicaid

Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington

Not Expanding Medicaid

Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin

Probably Won’t Expand

Alaska, Nebraska, Wyoming

Probably Will Expand

Kentucky, New York

Undecided

Indiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia

These groupings are based on comments from state leaders who have spoken publicly in support or rejection of expansion. But states continue to pursue deals with the feds. Maine falls into the “Not Expanding” category above, but Gov. LePage has asked the feds to pick up the state’s full Medicaid tab for 10 years, rather than the three years covered by the ACA. If the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, agrees, Maine could switch into the “Expanding” row.

But the most significant negotiations could occur due to a waiver Arkansas received from HHS, allowing for the use of federal funds to buy private insurance for the Medicaid eligible. Ohio and Florida are among the states that might follow Arkansas’ example. This path would allow politicians to be perceived as against the expansion without actually excluding the newly-eligible patients.

Expanding role for private insurers
Health insurance exchanges, or HIX, will commence next year to let people comparison shop for insurance plans. Some states will have their own HIX while others will participate in a federal exchange.

While Aetna offers Medicaid coverage in several of the states leaning toward expansion, it’s well-rounded behemoths like WellPoint and UnitedHealth that have the greatest earnings potential regardless of each state’s decision. Both companies offer Medicaid in more than 20 states and could potentially gain customers through the traditional Medicaid route and the private waivers.

But the expansion also carries risk for insurers. As fellow Fool Brenton Flynn noted, Medicaid beneficiaries were mostly children. The newly-eligible includes a higher percentage of older patients, and with that the number of health conditions that require treatment.

Insurers always have the option of opting out if the costs outweigh the rewards. A Centene subsidiary exited …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

News, Politics, Government

Arkansas: Replacing Medicaid Expansion with Obamacare's Exchanges Could Require 'No Additional Federal Costs At All'

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By Avik Roy, Contributor

In late February, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe (D.) announced that he had struck a deal with the Obama administration to implement Obamacare’s expansion of health insurance coverage using the law’s subsidized private-sector insurance exchanges, instead of using the 1965-vintage Medicaid program. If implemented, this deal would result in far better health coverage for the poor. But the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that such coverage would cost federal taxpayers 50 percent more than Medicaid would. Yesterday, the Arkansas Department of Human Services released its own fiscal estimate of exchange expansion. Contrary to CBO, the state estimates that expanding the exchanges “would add less than 15% to federal health-care costs in Arkansas,” adding that “in some realistic scenarios, there could be no additional federal costs at all.” Arkansas’ analysis, if correct, could transform the shape and scope of Obamacare’s coverage expansion. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

News, Politics, Government

Judge: US can't make Monaghan offer contraceptives

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A judge on Thursday blocked the federal government from requiring the founder of Domino’s Pizza to provide mandatory contraception coverage to his employees under the health care law.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff granted a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the contraception provision of the law against Tom Monaghan and Domino’s Farms Corp., a management company located near Ann Arbor, Mich.

The company, which is not connected to Domino’s Pizza, has 45 full-time and 44 part-time employees, according to its court filing. Monaghan sold his controlling stake in Domino’s Pizza in 1998 to private equity company Bain Capital and sold his remaining Domino’s stock in 2004, according to Domino’s Pizza spokesman Chris Brandon.

“It is in the best interest of the public that Monaghan not be compelled to act in conflict with his religious beliefs,” Zatkoff wrote.

Monaghan is a Roman Catholic and said in his suit that he considers contraception a “gravely immoral” practice. He offers employees health insurance that excludes coverage for contraception and abortion.

The new federal law requires employers to offer insurance that includes contraception coverage or risk fines. According to Zatkoff’s order, Domino’s Farms faced $200,000 in yearly payments under the law. Employers have until Aug. 1 to comply with the law.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Erin Shields said Thursday night that she couldn’t comment on the matter because the litigation is still pending.

In its response to the suit filed in December, the department denied the health care law had a substantial effect on Monaghan’s exercise of his rights to religious freedom or freedom of speech.

The provisions of the health care law “are narrowly tailored to serve two compelling government interests: improving the health of women and children, and equalizing the provision of preventive care for women and men so that women who choose to can be a part of the workforce on an equal playing field with men,” the government said.

Erin Mersino, a lawyer for the Thomas More Law Center, a conservative Christian legal defense group that represented Monaghan, noted that the law requires employers to offer health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill and similar emergency contraception pills.

The morning-after pill works by preventing …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

News, Politics, Government

Michigan man gets probation in death of 360-pound wife

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A Detroit-area man who authorities say allowed his 360-pound wife to fester and die in a bed surrounded by her own waste avoided prison Wednesday when a judge sentenced him to probation.

Michael Brooks pleaded guilty in January to a felony charge of abuse of a vulnerable adult. His wife, Yolanda Reese-Brooks, died of morbid obesity and other injuries in October.

Macomb County Circuit Judge Peter Maceroni ordered Brooks to serve two years’ probation and undergo a psychological evaluation as well as random drug testing. Prosecutors say guidelines called for a 10- to 23-month prison sentence. Maceroni pointed out that Brooks had no prior record and was involved with his wife for more than two decades.

“To incarcerate this individual would not make any sense whatsoever,” Maceroni said.

Prosecutors say Brooks was his 40-year-old wife’s primary caretaker after a 2011 auto crash crushed her pelvis and ruptured her bladder. An emergency crew wearing protective gear removed her from an apartment in Warren.

Brooks, 38, didn’t speak during or after his sentencing. Defense attorney David Draper has said it was overwhelming for his client to care for his wife and children.

The four children are being cared for by Brooks’ sister, but he has been working with the state’s Department of Human Services to regain custody.

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News