The News Review:
- UnitedHealth to government: perate more like us save $540B
- Health reform: A $1 trillion question
- Three charged in workers’ comp insurance fraud
- Senate oks bill on kids’ health insurance
- Journeyman Gives Mets Insurance at Shortstop
- Health insurance costs for NJ schools could soar
UnitedHealth to government: perate more like us save $540B
Bizjournals.com
-based health insurer — the parent of UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin — said many of the cost-saving measures it’s using could be applied throughout the government’s Medicare insurance program for the elderly. “This report provides concrete examples of how we can modernize our health care system in a thoughtful and sustainable way partly through proven programs that are already working” said Simon Stevens a UnitedHealth executive vice president in charge of the company’s health reform efforts. The new cost-saving suggestions for the government come weeks after a host of health care industry interests — including America’s Health Insurance Plans the American Medical Association and the Service Employees International Union — pledged to President Barack bama that they would take steps to cut $2 trillion in expenses over the next decade. UnitedHealth is telling the government that it can save money too. The savings would come from the government instituting programs that promote health and better coordinate care preventing hospitalizations and other more costly health emergencies in the long run. UnitedHealth for example suggested the government could save $165. 5 billion from 2010 to 2019 if UnitedHealth’s Evercare program which places nurse practitioners in nursing homes to coordinate care was copied in all institutional settings serving Medicare beneficiaries.
Health reform: A $1 trillion question
CNNMoney.com
cc10 { font:normal 11px Arial; padding:3px;}. cc11 { font:normal 11px Arial; padding:3px;}. sm10 { font-size: 10px; } Health Tax Savings Employer contributions to workers’ health insurance costs are not subject to income and payroll taxes a benefit lawmakers may soon limit. Here are the tax savings realized in 2008 as a result of the exclusion. Income (AGI)Average savingsverall average$2868Less than $10K$635$10K-$29K$1952$30K-$49K$2457$50K-$74K$3095$75K-$99K$3900$100K-$199K$4481$200K-$499K$4728$500K and up$4467 Source:Joint Committee on Taxation.
Related from Transitions-for-women: Will bama’s health care reform hurt GDP?
Three charged in workers’ comp insurance fraud
San Jose Mercury News
Monica Mui Ung 49 of Alamo; Joey Ruan 31 of San Leandro; and Tin Wai Wu 28 of Millbrae were arrested Tuesday each charged with 48 counts of insurance fraud labor code violations and tax fraud. Bail was set at $535000 for each of them. The California Department of Insurance which investigated the case with help from the Employment Development Department says Ung owned and operated akland-based NBC General Contractors a general building contracting firm focused on public works projects such as El Cerrito City Hall and Piedmont Elementary School. From May 2003 through May 2007 NBC won at least 27 public works projects in Alameda Contra Costa San Mateo San Francisco and Marin counties.
Senate oks bill on kids’ health insurance
Houston Chronicle
Also Wednesday: Acting on a must-pass issue the Senate stopped the clock in its chamber at midnight in order to revive a bill to restore the state’s depleted windstorm insurance fund. The expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program was one of several key bills caught in a legislative logjam this week when House Democrats slowed floor debate to defeat a voter identification bill. Kip Averitt R-Waco attached the Senate version of the CHIP bill to a House bill on screening newborns for diseases. Legislative rules generally allow lawmakers to attach bills as amendments to other bills if the subjects are related. Averitt said his bill was identical to one that passed the Senate in March.
Journeyman Gives Mets Insurance at Shortstop
New York Times
baseball-reference. A nickname was born for Valdez: El Gatito — the Kitten.
Health insurance costs for NJ schools could soar
Philadelphia Inquirer
28 2009 Health insurance costs for NJ schools could soar The Associated Press TRENTN N. – New Jersey officials are warning that health insurance costs could rise by up to 20 percent next year for nearly half the state’s school districts. The problem is that costs are surging past revenues for a state-run insurance plan set up last year. By July 1 254 districts are to be using the plan. But state pension director Fred Beaver says the number of claims has risen and some school districts have fallen behind on their payments. The New Jersey School Boards Association says big jumps in premiums would be a problem for districts that were expecting a rate increase of 4 percent.