The open enrollment period for 2011 Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans is from November 15 to December 31 in 2010. You can find hundreds of different plans across the country, with different co-insurance, deductibles and premiums so procrastinators will be doing themselves a favor by shopping early.

Starting in 2011, you will no longer have the traditional period from January 1 to March 31 to make additional changes once you’re enrolled. That makes it even more important to compare all of your options thoroughly.

Approximately 11.8 million Medicare beneficiaries were already enrolled in Medicare Advantage coverage plans as of September 30. That amounts to almost a quarter of all the people enrolled in Medicare.

How Do Medicare Advantage Plans Work?

These plans are from private insurance companies that provide insurance for seniors and certain people with disabilities. These plans are subsidized by the government and the plans typically compete with extras not available in Original Medicare, such as dental, hearing or vision coverage. With the subsidies, their premiums were lower than standard Part B Medicare premiums, but subsidies have come under scrutiny. The federal government has frozen subsidies during performance evaluations. Some plans may earn bonuses, but under-performing plans face a loss of subsidies and that may result in higher premiums.

Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage that is comparable to Medicare Part D. Advantage plans are also typically managed care plans, such as a health maintenance organization (HMO) or a preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. You typically have to choose a primary care physician and see that doctor for a referral before you can see a specialist.

Your access to doctors, hospitals or other medical providers may be restricted to the plan’s provider network, too. A few insurers do have what are known as Private Fee-for-Service plans, which may let you to see any doctor or use any Medicare-approved hospital. Such plans may have co-pay charges for doctor visits, but you wouldn’t be required to select a primary care physician or get a referral in order to see a specialist.

All Medicare Advantage plans provide all of your Part A and Part B Medicare coverage, including emergency and urgent care coverage. The plans don’t cover hospice care because Original Medicare will provide that coverage even after you enroll in one of the Medicare Advantage plans.

How Do I Join One Of The Medicare Advantage Plans?

Generally, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan if you have Medicare Part A and Part B and you live in an area where there is an Advantage plan that accepts new members.

If you are switching to a different Advantage plan, all you have to do is join the new plan and you will automatically be disenrolled from your old plan. You will not have any lapse in your coverage.

As long as you are enrolled in any of the Medicare Advantage plans, you do not need to buy Medicare Supplement insurance. In fact, it is illegal for anyone to sell you any of the ten Medigap policies if you are in an Advantage plan. The benefits offered by Medigap policies are covered by Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplemental insurance will not pay for your Advantage coverage plan co-insurance, co-pays or deductibles.

What Do Medicare Advantage Plans Cost?

These plans have been inexpensive or even free in certain cases. With the freeze on government subsidies, you may see higher premiums, co-insurance or co-pay charges or reduced benefits. Medicare Advantage coverage plans must continue to provide all of the benefits that are available through Original Medicare, though.

Medicare sets certain rules that all Medicare Advantage plans must follow, but these plans may include co-insurance charges on durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, add co-pay charges to see doctors, set an annual deductible you must meet before your prescriptions are covered or raise your premiums.

The only way to be sure you have the best Medicare supplement and are getting the most out of Medicare is to take a serious look at all of the Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement plans available in your area.

Source by Wiley Long

• Claim intimation form
  You can get the form from the nearest local office of the insurance company. Some companies also offer this online. You must fill the form to initiate the claim processing. Enter the policy number, name of the insured, date of death, cause of death, place of death and name of the claimant.
• Documents required
  You will be required to provide statement, original policy document, death certificate, police FIR and post-mortem report, and certificates from the treating doctor and advance discharge form for claim processing. Based on the sum at risk, cause of death and policy duration, insurers may also seek additional documents, says Kalpana Sampat head-underwriting, claims and group operations, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance. The insurer asks for a policy document as it acts as proof of purchase. Other related documents like assignment deeds and nomination deeds must also be submitted. You have to submit proof of age if the policyholder hasn’t submitted a copy at the time of taking the policy. The death certificate acts as a conclusive evidence that the individual ceases to exist.
• Document submission
  Submit all documents at the earliest, as the company can’t take a decision unless all requirements are met. Once all documents are in, the insurer can take a decision about the claim.
• Settlement of claim
  As per Irda guidelines, the insurer is required to settle a claim within 30 days of receipt of all documents. However, an insurance company can settle the claim even earlier. If the claim requires further verification, the insurer has to complete procedures within six months from receiving the written intimation of claim.
• What follows

  An enquiry may be conducted into the reasons behind sdeath. “This usually happens for large-sized policies or during unnatural deaths like murder or an accident. Companies do this to eliminate the possibility of foul play,” says a senior LIC official.

• Who gets the benefit
  Usually, the insured individual nominates the claimant at the time of taking the policy. In case there is no nomination, it becomes “Open Title” situation. The insurer would then require the proof of title / succession certificate issued by the competent court. The claim would be paid to the person specified in the proof. “It is very important that the policyholder should provide nomination. It saves the heirs, the inconvenience of time consuming court procedures at a claim stage,” Ms Sampat adds.

Source by aditi

Bills in the state House and Senate would require insurers cover Food and Drug Administration-approved prescription contraceptive drugs or devices as well as related services. It’s part of legislation that would also revise rules on the state’s sex education policy to bar abstinence-only curriculum, as well as improve access to family planning clinics in the state.

Similar bills were proposed in each of the past two legislative sessions but never made it out of committee.

“I think in public opinion and among my colleagues there is some incremental improvements in terms of people’s attitudes toward” the legislation, said Ohio Rep. Tyrone K. Yates, the sponsor of the House version of the bill.

Debora M. Spano, the regional director of public relations for UnitedHealthcare, said the company is reviewing the bills.

“As with any mandate, there is often added premium and/or out-of-pocket costs,” Spano stated. “While these bills are surely well intentioned, we do want to review to any and all potential consequences.”

The legislation would require insurance companies reimburse for FDA-approved contraception that is prescribed by a physician, as well as have equal terms, such as the amount of co-pay, compared to similar coverage. The legislation also eliminates the central focus on abstinence in state sexual education curriculum and heavily edits the discussion of consequences of sex outside of marriage. It requires “medically and scientifically accurate” curriculum on topics including AIDS and bars “materials that teach or promote religious doctrine.”

The new curriculum could stress the value of abstinence but it wouldn’t be “to the exclusion of other instruction and materials on contraceptive and disease reduction measures,” according to the bills.

The Coalition for Family Health — an advocacy group formed last year that includes the Cleveland Department of Public Health, National Council of Jewish Women and Planned Parenthood of Ohio — published a study last month saying Ohio was among the worst states in providing family planning resources. The group claimed a mix of policies and funding decisions contributed to problems such as unwanted pregnancy and a more rapid spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

The coalition endorses the lastest legislation, called the Ohio Prevention First Act.

Source by chris walker

A lot of people say that insurance is one of the safest and amazing investments which help us at the time of need. Well, it is cent percent true, however, if you would like to enjoy the benefits of the same, better link up with the best and check out its magical help and benefits. Surely, we take insurance just to keep us and our property secured, however, there is nothing which can replace the same.

Undoubtedly, we are around with a lot of insurance policies, but picking up anything blindly will cost a lot and it will surely hurt us mentally and financially. However, it is always recommended to go with smart work and in-depth determination so that we can easily know what the best policy is and how it can help us at the time of need. Also, if you have various questions in mind must ask the same from various service providers and compare everything on the spot. Here, let’s discuss some of the most important common questions, which will definitely help you up in estimating what to take and what we should ignore. Here they are-

Why you need instrument insurance policy?

This is the most common question which you can surely ask from Bassoon Insurance or any other sort of instrument insurance provider. Via this, you can easily expect to have the best answers from the professionals who will help you in generating more knowledge about the same as well as you can expect to know several advantages of the same.

What does it cover?

Well, surely there are lots of insurance policies which can easily be differentiated by their prices, insurance cover, formalities, and various other things. Thus, they will let you know lots of policies as per your budget and requirements and you can have complete information about the same. This is something which is very important to know so that you can compare various policies easily and able to pick up the best one, you think will surely provide you a lot of benefits.

How much you can expect to have?

Again, this is the most crucial question which you should definitely ask as this is the main thing for which you are taking an insurance policy. You should know that if you are going up with any particular Piccolo Insurance and if it has been stolen, accidently broken, suffering with technical issues or anything else, what kind of aid you can expect to have. This question is highly necessary, however, based on the solid returns, you can expect going up with the best policy.

Aside this, other questions like- how you can claim the policy, what if your instrument didn’t suffer from any kind of problematic situation and other various questions you better ask for complete peace of mind.

Source by Joseph White

One thing that most people are always aware of but are rarely prepared for is a fire. The effects of smoke and fire damage can be devastating and that is why it is important to carry some sort of insurance to cover you in the event of a fire. Even if your personal belongings are not burned in the fire, you can lose everything from the damage done by smoke and water. If you have the right insurance coverage, you can at least make an attempt to replace what you lost in the unfortunate event of a fire.

No matter whether you are a homeowner or you rent your home, you can suffer greatly with fire and smoke damage in the event of a fire. Many people think that the majority of insurance claims for fires are due to the damage done by the fire but in all reality, the claims are mainly for the damage that was done by the smoke. The home may appear to be just fine on the outside as there was little to no fire damage but the smoke could have destroyed everything inside.

There are a great deal of claims that are made each year that are mainly based on smoke damage verses the fire damage. Great deals of items found in houses are porous and they can really soak up the smoke so you need to check all of your belongings if you have had to deal with a fire in your home. You will want to look at your clothes, your furniture, the curtains, even toys, and the wallpaper. While most people think that it should be simple to get the smell of smoke out of things by simply washing them with soap and water, it may take some special smoke treatment to get rid of the smell. Keep in mind that the treatments may not even work all the way.

Numerous homes that look undamaged will have very large insurance claims due to the cost and effort involved with eliminating smoke damage and odours. Most people do not realize that smoke will cling to everything and it is just about impossible to get out of everything. Such things as curtains, carpets, furniture, and clothing are among the top of common items that can soak up the damages of smoke.

If you find that the smell will not come out then you will have to replace some or all of the items that were damaged. If you do not have insurance then this can become very costly. You will also want to check such items as your countertops as well as tile in the home and even concrete items as all of these are porous items. You may want someone to check your ductwork or up in the loft to see if there is any smoke damage there that will need to be dealt with. No matter what, be sure to do a complete walk through with a professional to see exactly what is damaged and to what extent. Try to keep a list of your items so that you can see what is missing. This will make it much easier to replace the items after all is done.

Source by Derek Rogers

Blue Cross Blue Shield is a very popular health insurance company that covers people all over the United States. With Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage people are able to afford coverage in situations where they otherwise would not be able to afford it. Though this type of coverage people who have seen their employee base coverage disappear as the economic weakens are able to afford health insurance. Coverage through many people’s employers is disappearing faster than it ever has before because of the economy right now. Also, many people are loosing their jobs and are unable to afford health insurance for their families.

For many of these families who have a parent who has been laid off the struggle is just beginning because many of these people are the only people in the family who have employee based coverage. This means that there are many families that are now going without insurance because of this, because the number of employer based insurance is dropping the number of uninsured children has risen from 7 million three years ago to more than 8 million today. This alarming 1 million person jump can be directly contributed to the failing economy, the lack of employer based coverage, as well as decreased funding from SCHIP which is a program that helps families afford expensive health insurance when they otherwise couldn’t afford it. The program started in the early 1990 and the number of children who are uninsured has been dropping every year until the funding was cut.

With extraordinary health insurance programs, Blue Cross Blue Shield is able to make affordable health insurance possible for many of these people who have had their employee based coverage cut. People who have Blue Cross Blue Shield people can get straight forward health coverage which makes this type of coverage very easy to understand, also straight forward insurance is great for the different doctors you may be going to see because there wont be any extra hassles for them to try to contact the companies in order to find out insurance information. Also, the Blue Cross Blue Shield plans are very easy to understand so you will know where you stand with different doctors as far as co-payments, also it is very relaxing to know that you know exactly what you are getting out of the plan. If you have any questions about your health insurance plan you can always call them and there are phone lines open all of the time for anything you may have a question about. The customer service with this company is very good and they regularly talk with both the people they insure as well as doctors in hospitals and doctor’s offices all around the world.

Ronnie Hamilton shares his knowledge on health insurance that makes you able to find the plans that best fits your needs.If you want to know about Affordable health insurance,Aetna health insurance,Blue cross blue shield visit www.usa-healthinsurance.com

Source by Ronnie Hamilton

So what is all this about the use of Blackbox technology in the estimation of auto insurance rates these days – when did this all start and how does it work – and most importantly, how does it affect you and your auto insurance quote?

Back in the times before computers, auto insurance was personal and subjective. The insurance agent truly talked to the man he knew in the office, called in a few favors, and got their best customers the most effective rates. Male drivers beneath twenty five were charged a lot. Young females, being perceived as less risk, were charged much less.

Now, in the pc age, auto insurance firms have large databases of accident and claims records. By variety-crunching these records they can tell what type of person is more likely to be a good driver and what sort of person is more likely to be an accident risk. This ‘Black Box’ technology gives them insights into the background and behavior of the folks who they suppose should pay more for his or her auto insurance. As an example, folks who carry minimum limits of liability are literally a bigger risk than people who carry at least 50/100 ($50,000 per person, $one hundred,000 per accident). And statistics have shown that those with bad credit scores are more likely to be in a crash.

In most states, auto insurance is regulated by the state. But that is only the beginning. The state uses tables of ‘loss ratios’, exposure, and different conjuring words, to justify what the auto insurance firms wish you to pay. Each once in a whereas, just to throw you off, they can even announce a state-wide REDUCTION in auto rates. When they do, hold onto your wallet!

When the state sets the base rate, the individual corporations negotiate with them to adjust their particular rates, claiming either a better or worse loss ratio than average. So, once the elections are over, the legislature permits exceptions, amendments, and endorsements to jack them duplicate to something the auto insurance companies can build a large amount of cash from.

And there’s more. Most states enable individual firms to set their own rules to see who gets charged what. Thus, one auto insurance company rates a explicit driver one means, while another company rates the same driver differently. Every company sets those underwriting rules.

Therefore how are auto insurance rates determined? First, the state sometimes gets involved. Then firms toss the dice between staying competitive and making as much profit as they can for their stockholders. And finally, currently that the ‘Black Box’ is here, auto insurance corporations are taking a closer look at every driver. Career, credit score, past record, even town you reside in helps ‘drive’ the rates. They need even found that those who select low limits of liability are greater risks than people who select higher limits. So, by raising your liability limits, you’ll really lower your auto insurance rate.

For a few, the new ‘Black Box’ technology reduces rates by as much as 20% over those companies not using it. The bad news is, since credit scoring will play a part in ALL auto insurance rating, the more severe your credit score, the higher your auto insurance will go. No more ‘discounts’, no more ‘loyal client’ credits, and such like. You will be rated from head to toe, placed in a group of drivers virtually the image of you, and charged accordingly.

So watch out for insurance quotes these days becuase the insurance companies will have a lot of detail on you from this technology – there’s no escaping the facts so no matter what you do when looking for a quote, just be honest and forthcoming and take the tips above into account when applying.

Source by Mario Pulman

An insurance coding certificate prepares you for a career in the medical insurance coding and billing industry. As a coding specialist, you will have to assign codes to various medical procedures and treatment as documented using the current industry standards. There are long-term courses as well as short-term courses. The certifications also vary a lot – CPC encompasses a broad area and gives you the knowledge and expertise to review and assign correct codes for medical claims. There are specialty-specific certifications as well which give you the ability to demonstrate a greater expertise in a particular specialty.

The growing demand for experienced professionals makes it almost an obligation to possess an insurance coding certificate. A certification not only increases you earning potential, but it also validates your potential as a medical or insurance coder. Your employer will expect you to possess a solid understanding of CPT, ICD-9 and HCPCS coding. While you work as a coder, you have to comply with the federal, state and payer guidelines. Failing which, you’ll attract fraud allegations which may potentially harm your career.

The best way you can prepare for an insurance coding certificate exam is joining a training camp. Most of the training camps usually stretch up to 3 days and are very intensive. You can get hands-on practice on real-life medical coding problems and their solutions, right from the industry experts. The training camps thoroughly cover the principles of ICD-9 Coding, HCPCS Coding, CPT Coding, and medical terminologies. Passing an exam like CPC certification is no joke and so, you have to ensure that you left no stone unturned in your preparations.

A very important aspect of these training camps for coding certifications is the emphasis on practice tests for the exam, which gives a clear idea how to answer the questions well within the time limit.

Source by Celena

There are a few reasons a think may involuntarily disenroll you. Rank, if you break to pay premiums opportune fashion. Next, for effort a disruption in the plans knowledge to utter eudaemonia aid services and finally, if it cannot foregather your scrutiny needs. If disenrolled involuntarily, you will be re-enrolled in the Novel Medicare promulgation the period people your disenrollment.

A Medicare Plus system is required to apprize members of Medigap warranted stock rights when disenrolling to Pilot Medicare during a Special Ingress Point (SEP) if they are terminating or reducing their aid atlantic. In a eld of cases, the counselling moldiness send scrivened mention to all Medicare members at smallest 60 life before the trenchant appointment. Notwithstanding, if CMS initiates a conclusion, members present be notified 30 life before the impelling fellow. In careful situations a Medigap issuer may enjoin the receiver to provide encourage substantiation of their secure proceeds rights as a lead of disenrollment.

Clients that are involuntarily disenrolled from their Medicare Advantage drawing due to nonrenewal screw the appropriate to use for a Medicare increase policy, as interminable as you do so within 63 life of remark of the disenrollment.

If you decide a Medicare Benefit programme is not sect for you and you voluntarily disenroll, you may acquire a reactionist to Medicare matter sum as stressed as you mortal not been ariled by a MA organization before and you disenroll from your rife Medicare Plus thought within the rank 12 months of sum. You present be specific to the self Medicare increase you had before enrolling in the Medicare Benefit idea, excluding any outpatient prescription take amount. If you do not human a modify to get your previous Medicare Affix coverage, you will jazz to undertake medically for your Medicare matter and the protection assort has the power to deny you reportage.

Secure Issuance Rights: Enrollment in an MA direction at age 65 If you registered in a MA programme when you upturned 65, you get Medigap secure opening rights if you disenrolled from the plan within the forward 12 months. Your Medigap Ensure Issue Period starts 60 days antecedent to your disenrollment and ends 63 days after your disenrollment. In this condition, you are worthy for all Medigap policies.

Secured Issuance Rights: If you are over age 65, registered in a MA programme for the foremost second and disenroll within the archetypical 12 months You must bang had a Medigap insurance preceding to Medicare Plus enrollment. Your Medigap Ensure Issuance Period starts 60 days preceding to disenrollment and ends 63 life after disenrollment. If the Medigap contract you owned antecedent to enrollment in the Medicare Vantage counseling is ease state oversubscribed, you may bring to that policy. Otherwise, you can select from plans A, B, C, F, K or L.

The Medigap issuer cannot bill conditions on coverage or secern in pricing based on your age or welfare state eliminate as permitted by province judgement regulations. They also cannot propellent pre-existing term exclusions, flatbottomed without creditable amount. Enter in aim, you staleness utilise your Secured Issuance rights within 63 life of the disenrollment comrade from the Medicare Asset programme.

Source by one way links free traffic

How much automobile insurance should you carry? The answer is easy: as much as you can afford. The primary reason to buy automobile insurance, both liability and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, is to protect yourself and your assets. Your insurance company will never pay more in damages, to you or to a person you negligently injure, than the dollar amount of the coverage you paid for, no matter how high a verdict there may be either against you or for you. Sound complicated? Let’s look at two hypothetical examples regarding liability and underinsurance coverage.

Liability Coverage

If you pay a policy premium for $25,000/50,000 in auto liability insurance coverage[1], this is what could happen if you negligently cause injury to another person in an auto accident and the injured person sues you. With significant injuries and damages, a jury might award the injured person $75,000 (a hypothetical figure). Under these facts, your insurance company would pay the injured plaintiff only $25,000 on your behalf, the amount of coverage you bought[2]. As a result, you could be held liable for payment of the remaining $50,000 yourself! This is a harsh result, I am sure you would agree.

What would happen if you had purchased a larger $100,000/$300,000 policy? Your insurance company would ordinarily pay the injured person the entire judgment amount of $75,000. Consequently, you would not be obligated to pay any part of the judgment yourself. To sum it up, the more insurance coverage you buy the less likely it is that you will ever be called upon to pay any part of a legal judgment against you.

Underinsurance Coverage (UIM)

Your purchase of high insurance limits can also help you or your family members when one or more of you are injured through the fault of another driver. This might occur if you and/or relatives who live with you sustain serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident, and the negligent driver who caused the accident has less insurance coverage than you do.

How does this work? As an example, let’s say the negligent driver has purchased a $25,000/$50,000 auto liability insurance policy, and you have a policy that provides $100,000/$300,000 in UM coverage. Your injuries are serious. Your medical bills and lost wages are substantial. In your lawsuit against the negligent driver, a jury awards you $100,000 in damages. The defendant driver’s insurance will pay you only $25,000, the maximum amount of liability coverage the defendant bought which can be paid to one person with respect to one accident. However, you can look to your own UM coverage to see if there is underinsurance coverage (UIM) available to you. Given the above facts, your insurance company would pay you $75,000 in underinsurance coverage.

How do you arrive at the $75,000 figure? It happens this way. Under Virginia law, if there is UM coverage available to you in an amount greater than the defendant’s liability coverage, you will have underinsurance coverage. If not, there will be no underinsurance for you[3]. The availability of underinsurance coverage depends on a comparison between a specific defendant’s liability coverage and the UM policy or policies which provide you coverage. With regard to the above example, your own insurance company would pay you $75,000 because that is the amount by which your own UM motorist coverage exceeds the defendant’s liability coverage of $25,000. By adding your $75,000 in underinsurance coverage to the defendant’s $25,000 liability limits, the $100,000 judgment against you would be paid in full.

However, there would be a different result if there was just one policy available that provided you only $25,000/$50,000 in UM coverage. Under the described facts, your insurance carrier would pay you nothing because your UM insurance coverage of $25,000/$50,000 does not exceed the defendant’s own $25,000/$50,000 liability limits. Yes, you can pursue the defendant driver personally through collection proceedings after trial. However, the average defendant has few assets and collecting on a judgment can be a long, expensive, and often futile endeavor. In the end, it is always better to carry high liability/UM insurance limits yourself and ensure that you and your own family are protected in the event one or more of you sustains severe injuries caused by the negligence of a driver with low automobile insurance coverage limits[4].

Footnotes

1. Auto insurance limits of $25,000/$50,000 constitute the minimum amount of auto liability and uninsured motorist coverage you can buy in Virginia. Each state determines its own auto insurance minimum limits; therefore, minimum limits differ from state to state as do laws related to auto insurance. The facts in this article are based on Virginia law only. If you live in another state, you will want to learn about the applicable insurance laws in your own state.

2. When you see a figure like $25,000/$50,000 in relation to an auto policy, it means the limits are “split”, that is, one injured person can recover a maximum of $25,000 under the policy while $50,000 is the most coverage the insurance company will pay out to all injured persons regardless of the number of people injured in the same accident or how badly they may be injured.

3. In Virginia, you may be entitled to undersinsured motorist coverage under more than one policy, and these policies can sometimes be “stacked” to give you more coverage. Va. Code § 38.2-2206. This is a complex area of law, and it is wise to consult an attorney to explore whether there is underinsurance in your case.

4. In Virginia, you cannot buy UM coverage in an amount that is higher than your auto liability insurance limits.

Source by Elizabeth Allen

Companies of all types and sizes face employment-related liabilities. In increasing numbers, current former and potential employees are filing claims against employers alleging sexual harassment, age and gender discrimination and wrongful termination. Indeed, more than 30% of civil litigation cases heard today involve employment-related liabilities. Disturbingly, this percentage has been on an increase in recent years.

Large organizations with multi-layers of management and large number of employees have the greatest chance of facing an employment practice liability claim. But no company is immune. For example, small businesses lacking an experienced and well staffed human resource department are also at high risk. Other warning signs include:

– A high growth rate.

– A high turnover rate.

– A lack of written employment guidelines and human resource manuals.

– A lack of supervisory training programs.

– An inexperienced management staff.

– A history of employment problems.

– Poor performing employee benefit programs.

Reducing Your Risk

There are a number of prudent steps a company can take to reduce its employment practice liabilities. All such remedies center on installing a comprehensive human resource management program and then training managers and employees in proper workplace conduct.

Protective measures begin in the hiring process. Ensure that all managers with the responsibility for interviewing and hiring recruits are well aware of state and federal laws regarding employment discrimination and sexual harassment. Institute consistent hiring guidelines and ensure they are consistently applied. Provide training for hiring managers and regularly provide feedback on their performance.

Once a recruit is hired and becomes an employee, managers need guidelines and training on how to manage their subordinates. Institute sound policies regarding performance and salary appraisals as well as disciplinary procedures. A zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy is a must. Policies regarding management-employee personal relationships are often advised. Sensitivity training is needed regarding age and gender discrimination.

Should an employee file a complaint against a member of management, swift, prompt and documented action is required. Employment practice issues that are ignored or treated in ways that may be considered retaliatory often lead to large and expensive lawsuits and settlements.

Valuable Insurance Protection

Employment Practice Liability Insurance is an important safeguard that can cover the sometimes exorbitant costs of an employment-related claim or lawsuit. EPLI covers both the cost of any judgment or settlement, plus defense costs, up to policy limits and subject to the policy deductible.

Generally, EPLI covers legal actions from prospective, current and former employees for age or gender discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, wrongful discipline, wrongful failure to hire or promote, mismanagement of benefits, emotional distress and similar employment-related claims. Policies are typically written on a claims made and reported basis, meaning that an incident against the employer must occur and be reported to the insurance company currently providing coverage in order for it to be covered.

The premiums charged for EPLI will depend on a number of factors including the amount of coverage, the size of the company, the number of employees, the turnover ratio, human resource policies and the company’s claims history. Companies with clean claims histories and good human resource practices can typically find adequate coverage at an affordable price.

Source by James Cochran

CVS Caremark is among four companies vying for a state of Tennessee contract worth roughly $300 million a year to manage pharmacy benefits for 270,000 state employees and their families.        Winning such a big contract has become critical for the drugstore chain that retains its pharmacy benefits arm in Nashville.

The company has lost major contracts worth about $4.8 billion around the country in recent months and its stock price has fallen from a high above $44 a share in June 2008 to less than $32 a share this week. It also forecasts a 10 percent to 12 percent drop in the pharmacy benefits unit’s operating profit next year.

The Woonsocket, R.I.-based drugstore chain’s CaremarkPCS Health unit will compete against CIGNA Pharmacy Management, UnitedHealth Group’s Prescription Solutions and Catalyst Health Solutions’ CatalystRx unit for the lucrative state contract. Last week, CVS Caremark won a new contract worth almost $1 billion to continue handling pharmacy benefits for retired Texas teachers.

“It’s not terribly material to them from a financial point of view, but just the fact that they’re winning contracts again gives you some hope that they can turn it around,” Jeff Jonas, an analyst with Rye, N.Y.-based Gabelli & Co., said of the Texas win.

The Tennessee bids will be evaluated with results sent to a committee to pick a winner so the contract can start early next year, said Joe Burchfield, spokesman for the state’s benefits administration. The state plans to switch to a single contract for pharmacy benefits that have been handled by three separate insurers.

Pharmacy benefits managers negotiate drug prices with manufacturers and retailers on behalf of client health plans, employers and government entities.

Having a single vendor could lead to cost savings for the state, including from the winning bidder buying drugs in larger quantities for all plan membersDrugstore chain CVS Corp. of Woonsocket, R.I., and CaremarkRx of Nashville touted their 2007 merger as one that would transform the drug services business. But the company’s recent performance and lost contracts have left investors and many analysts questioning the value of the two-year-old mergerBad marketing?

Some stock analysts say one reason for CVS Caremark’s problems has been its approach to marketing the post-merger company to potential customers. Constant mention of the drugstore side of the business makes employers and health plans nervous about whether they’re being pushed to get drugs at CVS drugstores rather than through other channels, said David Shove, an analyst with BMO Capital Markets in New York.

“They’ve been selling convenience — that you can use the retail stores and get 90-day prescriptions at the retail stores,” Gabelli analyst Jonas said. “But we’re in the middle of a recession. They really need to be marketing low prices rather than convenience.”

Addressing a health-care conference last month, CVS Caremark CEO Tom Ryan acknowledged the company’s marketing message could have been off base, adding, “We need to flip that message around.”

But Ryan said the notion advanced by critics that the drugstore business creates an ethical conflict with CVS Caremark’s pharmacy services and skews prices offered to clients is “baloney.”

Locally, CVS Caremark has lost business, including a pharmacy benefits contract with Vanderbilt University, which on Jan. 1 will switch to Madison Wis.-based Navitus Health Solutions. “Vanderbilt wanted a pharmacy benefits manager that would partner with us to control our prescription drug costs,” said John Howser, its spokesman. “Navitus offers this opportunity.”

Other lost contracts recently included the state governments of Ohio and New Jersey.
How Tennessee works

Under the state’s current arrangement, CVS Caremark manages pharmacy benefits for about 83,506 members in insurer BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s preferred provider plan statewide.

Pharmacy benefits units of CIGNA and UnitedHealth Group’s RxSolutions unit that does business as Prescription Solutions handle services for workers and others enrolled in their respective point-of-service plan and health maintenance organizations.

CIGNA claims to handle services today for 153,000 of the overall 270,000 state employees, dependents and others.

CatalystRx, the fourth bidder for the state’s pharmacy benefits services contract, has several state clients and is known to be a player in that niche.

Stock analyst Jonas of Gabelli & Co. sees CVS Caremark and Catalyst as the two front-runners for the Tennessee contract.

But the stakes for CVS Caremark remain especially high here, considering lingering concerns about its business model, another analyst said.

“It isn’t going to make the difference between profitability and non-profitability,” said Shove of BMO Capital Markets. “But you need to get as much business as you can.”

Source by john willow

Insurance providers will be required to offer contraceptive coverage in all policies and maternity care in a majority of policies under a bill that received final approval from the Colorado Senate Friday.

House Bill 1021, sponsored by Reps. Jerry Frangas, D-Denver, and Beth McCann, D-Denver, now heads back to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments and then is expected to go to Gov. Bill Ritter. Ritter, a Democrat, has not stated a position on the measure yet.

Current law requires that all group sickness and accident policies cover maternity care, but it does not address contraceptive care and does not mandate such coverage in the individual-policy market.

Sponsoring Sen. Joyce Foster, D-Denver, said that she brought the measure to cut down on unwanted pregnancies and to help the 130,000 women in the individual-insurance market who can’t get maternity coverage because it’s considered a pre-existing condition.

Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, noted, however, the mandate is expected to drive up rates of all individual insurance policies between 1 and 7 percent. At a time when the main complaint about health care is the cost of insurance, this is not a smart move, he said.

“Every time you require something additional for medical insurance, you drive people out of the medical insurance market,” Lundberg said.

Sen. Mark Scheffel, R-Castle Rock, proposed an amendment to let insurers offer contraceptive care in most but not all policies, arguing employers like Catholic Charities and religious hospitals could be forced to pay for workers’ contraception despite opposing the practice.

The amendment lost when only two Democrats — Paula Sandoval of Denver and Lois Tochtrop of Thornton — joined with Republicans in supporting it. Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver, said that no one would be forced to use contraception under the policy, while Foster argued that women already have to pay for prostate coverage that is mandated in all policies now.

“This is about choice for individuals of faith. This is not a choice for institutions of faith,” Johnston said.

The bill passed on a party-line vote, with 20 Democrats supporting it and all 14 Republicans opposing it. Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, was not present for the vote.

HB 1021 is one of 30 measures filed this year involving increased regulation of the insurance industry. Others include proposals to mandate all insurance policies be written to be understood by 10th graders, ban insurers from benefitting financially from unfair claim denials, and make companies that insure chemotherapy treatment cover orally administered anticancer medication as well

Source by Rick Lewis

Lead Generation Solutions will increase sales and revenues, reduce costs per sale, eliminate a challenging management process, produce results in the timely fashion you need them, finish and exit quickly, and always be ready to take on y next project.Clients utilize services because they prefer to leverage the time of their sales team and do not want to take on the difficult task to attract, hire, house, equip, manage, and motivate a lead generation or lead qualification team.

Lead generation, as well as lead qualification, requires unique skills. The talents needed to consistently find and/or qualify prospects are very different from those needed to close sales. The key reason why clients seek help is that their sales representatives and sales management are trained and compensated to focus on closing business. As important as it is to the sales process, most reps do not, and usually will not, consistently make the effort to develop new prospects and sales opportunities effectively. Clients spend more time meeting with qualified prospects rather than looking for them, or having to qualify them.

Step For Lead Generation

1. Business Analysis

2. Market Research

3. Competition Analysis

4. Campaign Designing

5. Investment Planning

6. ROI Prediction

7. Tracking Installation

8. ROI Calculation and Future Planning

Benefits of an outsourced lead generation or lead qualification solution:

1. Increased sales and profits.

2. Reduced costs per lead.

3. Lead Qualification—qualify and develop trade show leads.

4. Seamless representation of y company, products, and services.

5. Scalability to expand or retract the size of y lead generation or lead qualification team.

Businesses who have never used leads should try purchasing a small package or try prepaid leads as a starting point. This will give them a chance to see if it works for their business. To find a lead marketing service, business owners can check the Internet. When working with any unfamiliar company, business owners should always check their background for complaints and make sure they are not scam artists. Business owners can also check their local phone book for marketing companies. They may have to call and ask if they offer online lead generation.

Lead Generation will involve a number of advertising and promotional activities. In this article you have been introduced to a few basic techniques, but we have literally just scratched the surface. Do some research on marketing and online advertising. You will find a number of resources available that will help you begin generating your own exclusive leads.

Source by Mahavir

To protect against identity theft, it is best not to carry your Social Security number in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check.  Before disclosing your Social Security number (SSN) to anyone, first make sure that it is absolutely necessary that they have it.  You are allowed to ask pointed questions, don’t be shy.  Ask the person if some other form of identification will suffice.  An identity thief is well on his way in stealing your identity when he has your Social Security number. 

Your state driver’s license may use your SSN as your driver’s license number and if this is so, ask to have it replaced with another number.  Your health insurance company may also use your SSN as your policy number, so ask to have it changed.  Your bank, credit union etc and the company that employs you need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes.  There will be times when a company will want to do a credit check on you when you apply for a credit card, loan, apartment, hydro, phone or other utility and they will want your SSN. 

Sometimes they just want your Social Security number for ordinary record keeping, so you should ask these questions:

1. Why do you need my Social Security number.

2. Precisely how will my Social Security number be used?

3. How will you protect my social Security number from being stolen or otherwise compromised?

4. What will happen if I don’t give you my social Security number?

Some company’s will not be able to provide you with a service or benefit that you desire without having your Social Security number.  If the company provides answers to these questions that are satisfactory to you, then you may be able to make a decision to share your SSN.  Ultimately, the decision is yours. 

Source by Randy Vezina

Most people admit that they just pay their monthly cell phone bill without looking at it. Many of these individuals say that they do not know what all the different listings are or what they mean. When looking at your cell phone bill you will see the different sections and the charges listed within these areas. The first section on your bill is usually your Monthly Plan, while the second may be the Calling Charges section. The last few sections probably include the Messaging/ Data Charges section, the Taxes Section, and the Insurance section.

The Messaging/Data Charges section is the listing of the preset charges that you have set up as part of your cell phone plan. This includes text messaging and surfing the Internet with your cell phone. The only additional charge in this section is the Text Messaging Surcharge. This fee is incurred if you text message someone abroad as these messages are not included in most service provider’s plans. There will also probably be a $.15 fee for each of these text messages that are sent.

The next section is probably the Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges section. This is the area where most people become confused. First there is usually a FCC Universal Service Charge. This is a fee that your cell phone service provider charges all their customers to meet a mandatory FCC requirement that the companies should help fund telecommunications infrastructures for low-income residents as well as schools, libraries, and health-care services. Technically, the customers are paying for this funding as well as the providers.

The next listing in the Taxes section is the State and Local Charges. Some states and local governments have a sales tax for wireless infrastructure, the E911 service, or discounted telephone services for low-income customers. Some areas may charge for all three. If this amount seems too high to you, you can call your provider but usually there is nothing that the company can do about these fees.

The Regulatory Fees and the Administrative Charges are usually the next two listings in the Taxes section. The Regulatory Fees are the charges that you pay to finance federally mandated programs such as services for the hearing- and speech-impaired customers, wireless phone number portability, and an enhanced 911 system that enables law enforcement officials to track your location in case of an emergency. Administrative Charges are simply the fees passed along to you by your cell phone service provider to cover the administrative costs of their business. On your first bill, this fee may seem to be high due to an activation fee that most providers charge to new customers. You may be able to get this fee waived if you sign a two-year contract with the provider. Otherwise, you are probably going to have to pay it.

The last section of your cell phone bill is probably the Insurance section. There may only be one listing in this area-Handset Insurance. This insurance provides extra protection for you if your cell phone is lost or stolen. This fee may also include road-side service if you are broken down. If you can afford it, this insurance is a nice asset to have.

Understanding your cell phone bill can enable you to choose a plan that better fits your needs as well as allowing you to eliminate any unnecessary costs.

Source by Douglas Stewart

Before we begin this guide you have to understand what IS an endowment policy , Mainly it’s a mix of life insurance inlcuding investment growth saving plans , It’s a premium based package that has a certain expiry period , This premium paid into the endowment is invested in the stock market by the policy office , And as the endowment policy matures , Its holder is paid the agreed upon amount along with bonueses , If the holder dies in its mid-term then the insurance is paid to his beneficiaries .

Endowment policies can also be used to repay mortgages , While the endowment mortgage is a different story as the premium paid on a monthly basis includes the interest on the loan .

Steps you need to take :

Evaluation of your Financial needs :

You have to assess all of your financial needs and it would be even more favourable if you were to consult a pro before you start buying endowment policy , As there is a plethora of of types , For example :
Low cost endowment,Traditional with profits endowment,Traded endowment, Unit linked endowment policy..etc

And of course each and everyone of them has pros and cons of their own , That reinforces that fact that you should find out your financial needs and capabilities and invest in the right type that suits you completeley .

Choosing an Insurance Company with a Great Reputation :

This is very important , You have to choose a top endowment company for buying endowment policy before you start dealing with them or giving them your trust , Find out the company’s market standing and verify every single fact yourself , This way you know for sure whom you’re giving your hard-earned money to .

Front-end Loading evaluation:

Which are the main setup costs including adminstration charges and comissions , They’re usually high in the early years , And thats why you have to find out the past performance of the fund and its charges before you start buying endowment policies .

Checking Endowment Mortgage Fee: If you’re going for endowment mortagage , You have to evaluate the mortage through calculating its fees thoroughly before buying endowment policies,Occasionally the lender can charge more fees for the front loan or processing , So make sure you plan your investment wisely instead of going autopilot .

Options for Endowment Surrendering or Selling :

Instead of surrendering your endowment policy you can just sell it in the TEP market and make a great value out of it , And it’s much better than endowment surrender because it has a better value for both you and the insurance company .

5 Great Tips for buying endowment policies :

*Consult a professional financially as such investment can affect your finance for a long time .
*Study carefully all the details about the insurance company and only start buying when you’re 100 % sure .
*Before signing any agreement or contract make sure you understand every bit of detail.
*Choose the best policy that suits your financial needs , So you can gain the best value & advantages .
*Make sure checking the flexibility plan and every alternative option for protecting yourself if any unwanted change occurs in your finances .

Source by Rupert Drake

Whenever you are considering an insurance done on your two-wheeler, make sure you don’t omit anything important. Always select the policies which are flexible with your choices and personal considerations. Depending on the kind of two wheeler, geared or non-geared, our market poses different kinds of insurances in front of you. So, ensure you Before Buy Two Wheeler Insurance Plans Online.

While checking the online purchase of your insurance make sure you don’t ump your heads into the following problems:

1. Your Lifestyle, Your Way of Life

Fine, it’s yours but still keeping these changes updated to your insurance company will only place you far away from any troubles. Like a change in job, shifting to a new place, a new state altogether, or even planning for a long vacation, you have to keep the insurance company in the loop while making decisions.

2. Be True

Online insurance forms are not fake forms. They have the right kind of security and privacy which every individual filling the application gets. The insurance company takes the responsibility of the same as they respect their client’s solitude in such matters. If at all there is a fake account created or a wrong information containing document presented with the form, the company has the right to reject it.

3. Cheap is not the Best

When you are looking for insurance policies, you surely compare. That is when the price comes into picture. You do not want your insurance to be superficial. If the rates are really low, it doesn’t prove it to be the best choice. Look out for other factors like coverage, kind of damage to the vehicle and the related schemes, extend of cover provided etc.

4. Prove the Proofs

Whatever you are asked for, right from the manufacturer‘s name to the purchase dates as well as the CNG or LPG details to the PUC checks, everything should be provided with the right data while filling in the details for the insurance.

5. Know Your Extent

You should be well aware of your rights before signing in for any kind of deals or offers and even as a matter of fact when you are up for some serious alterations in the contract of the insurance because it may be just to disorient you. Count in for your age, salary and other details and the related discounts that you deserve with your company.

These were some of the most common mistakes that people do conduct knowingly or unknowingly while signing in for an online insurance plan for their two-wheelers. Make sure your compare two wheeler Insurance Online policies too before purchase.

Source by Rimita Desai

Introduction

Our client Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) has tied up with National Insurance Company, Bajaj Allianz, New India Assurance and Royal Sundaram to bring Maruti Insurance services to all its customers. They are providing a single window solution to meet all car insurance needs of their valued customers, and create value chain.

The Challenge

Consistent hassle free service is demand of the hour. It is more important than the glimpse of occasional brilliance every now and then. MUL was aware of the need of availability of IT services round the clock, to be able to provide better customer service.
So developing a secure, robust and scalable application was a big challenge on one hand, and providing a consistent service was even bigger challenge on the other hand.

The Solution

Binary provided a framework that seamlessly integrated MUL and their distribution and insurance partners, to enhance the availability of crucial customer information 24/7 across the network. The completely integrated web-enabled system ties all the departments of Maruti Insurance and provides a common platform for data exchange and retrieval. Developed using Microsoft framework and technologies like: ASP, SQL Server, and XML, the application interacts with dealers at one-end and maruti insurance alliance partners at the other-end.

The Benefit

Binary’s Automobile Insurance solution formed the basis of service oriented business architecture of Maruti Insurance. Some of the key outlined benefits of the application are as follows:

• Hassle free, 24/7 availability of enterprise data
• Insurance Sales-cycle analysis
• Integration to back-office accounting system
• Seamless flow of information between corporate systems and remote dealers
• Real-time reporting and analysis

Source by http://www.binarysemantics.com

Question:

I was recently rear-ended (in FLA) while stopped and attempting to enter onto a highway. There was minor damage to my car. My two kids in the back were not injured. I suffered some neck/back pain, both new injury and aggravation of an existing condition. When I reported accident to my insurance, I was informed that my insurance, which has been automatically drafted from account for 10 years, had lapsed. I wasn’t aware of this but corrected the situation ASAP. I am not looking to make any money (or war# but am wondering if the other insurance company will pay medical bills #chiro) when they learn of my coverage. I am prepared to pay out of pocket for medical especially if a fight is anticipated. Any advice? Thanks!

Answer:

Nikki, since your accident occurred in Florida, I will presume you live in Florida.  I am a Florida accident injury lawyer, so I can tell you how Florida law applies. But, if you live somewhere other than Florida, the laws are most likely different and you should consult with an attorney in your area.

Florida is a “no fault” insurance state for car accidents.  This means that no matter who is at fault for causing the accident, your initial medical bills are to be covered by your own car insurance coverage.

Florida Statute section 627.736 requires that all drivers and owners of cars in Florida purchase personal injury protection coverage (PIP).  PIP coverage covers 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages, subject to any deductible, and usually with a cap of $10,000.  If your PIP coverage lapsed, you are responsible for your medical bills and lost wages.  There is nothing in Florida accident injury laws that makes the at fault party’s insurance coverage responsible for your medical bills.

You can still pursue a claim for your injuries, lost wages, medical bills above and beyond what your PIP should have paid, and pain and suffering against the at fault party, and his/her insurance company.  Even if you do not have PIP, if you were injured in the accident, you should get checked out by a doctor to rule out any serious or permanent injuries.

If your injuries do not go away, you should speak to a Florida car injury accident lawyer soon.  An experienced Florida car accident lawyer will know how to best proceed even if your PIP coverage has lapsed.

Source by Joseph M. Maus