Despite Affordable Care Act Provisions Kicking in on September 23, Insurance Alone Won't Make for a Healthier America

BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 09/23/10 -- Today, Washington enacted six major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)(1) as the first step in rolling out the new healthcare reform legislation. Yet despite expanding coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans, unless we tackle the root causes of preventable chronic disease, businesses and individuals will still be burdened by rising healthcare cost, says Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of incentives-based employee health and productivity programs.

"Our Federal government is attempting to force broader access to the current supply of health services, but not addressing what's driving dramatic increases in demand," said Sean Forbes, president of Virgin HealthMiles. "Why are we waiting for people to get sick and then managing the problem? Unmanaged, preventable healthcare costs are rising at more than 10 percent annually and represent one of the largest drains on corporate income statements. Today, no other similarly material business expense is treated in such a hands-off manner. We need to be proactive in our avoidance of future preventable claims costs. Preventing the onset of lifestyle-related disease is imperative to making this happen and getting people to take more responsibility for their health is an essential element of this strategy. Only then can we address the enormous weight of healthcare costs, and right-size our bloated healthcare costs in the United States of America."

Rising healthcare costs have expanded to now represent one of the top challenges to corporate profitability and are now threatening jobs and entire families' livelihoods. To help offset rising healthcare costs, 63 percent of businesses plan to make employees pay a higher percentage of their premium costs in 2011, said the Washington-based National Business Group on Health in August, which surveyed(2) 72 companies employing more than 3.7 million people. A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation also revealed that while total premiums rose by 3% to an average of $13,770 in 2010 (including employer contributions), an average worker now pays nearly $4,000 per year for family coverage, up 14 percent from 2009 and up 47 percent overall from 2005.

However, more than 75 percent of the nearly $2 trillion healthcare costs impacting businesses and their employees today stem from chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. The good news is chronic diseases are largely preventable with healthy lifestyle choices -- getting enough physical activity, a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco. "Presently, health insurance doesn't measure and reward people for exhibiting the right behaviors," said Forbes. "Safe drivers are routinely awarded discounts on their auto insurance for good behavior. Shouldn't employees who do a few simple things, such as exercise, watch their weight, stop smoking and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits, benefit as part of a culture that rewards the right behaviors?"

Washington may have caught on to this disconnect. The PPACA expands provisions in existing HIPAA regulations, which currently allow employers to offer incentives of up to 20 percent of annual premiums to employees who participate in employee health programs. The Affordable Care Act increases this differential to 30 percent in 2014, with an option to increase to 50 percent at the discretion of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The policies and provisions exist. Now, more employers need to take steps to implement them in their organizations. Taking advantage of these provisions with a prevention-focused, technology-based employee health program lets employers improve employee health, gain mechanisms to measure and manage their healthcare cost-savings strategies, and tap into funding strategies to create cost-neutral programs.

"Effectively structured and implemented employee preventative health programs are proven to drive down healthcare costs by eliminating the pre-cursors of chronic conditions before they develop. And, they create healthier, happier, and more productive employees. But unless we shift our focus to a data-driven, actively managed approach to prevention, the PPACA that has so bitterly divided our country will risk being minimally effective, at best, or fail outright at the hands of unsustainable entitlement costs driven by preventable claims," said Forbes.

About Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin HealthMiles provides employee health programs that pay people to get active. The company's Pay-for-Prevention? approach, based on physical activity and healthy lifestyle change, attracts an average of 40 percent of employees who participate, which helps organizations reduce medical costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction. The program is offered by employers, government entities, and insurers. Over 120 industry leaders representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S., including American Diabetes Association, Intuit, MWV, OhioHealth, Ochsner Health System, Protective Life, SunGard, SunTrust, and Timberland have selected Virgin HealthMiles' award-winning program for their employees. The company is a member of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. For more information, visit www.virginhealthmiles.com

(1) http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html
(2) http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/Plan%20Design%20Survey%20Report%20Public.pdf

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WATER: Flood insurance bill kicks $19B debt down the road -- Dodd

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Olympus Healthcare Solutions Achieves Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Certification

MIAMI, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus Healthcare Solutions is pleased to announce that it has achieved Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Certification. Olympus Healthcare Solutions, which includes its Olympus Managed Health Care, Inc., Healthcare Concierge Services, and Axiom Risk Management operating units, is now among a prestigious group of organizations that comply with the HIPAA regulations.

Olympus Healthcare Solutions says it is committed to ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and privacy of all protected health information, by adopting a formal HIPAA Privacy Policy and establishing a Compliance and Security management system and Enforcement team.

Based on the audit performed in September 2010, as per the scope detailed in Regulation 45 CFR (parts 160, 162 & 164), Olympus Healthcare Solutions has been declared HIPAA Compliant.  The certification verifies that Olympus Healthcare Solutions has established and applied the applicable privacy regulations and provisions of HIPAA.

"With 15 years of expertise in  healthcare benefits and claims administration, achieving HIPAA compliance not only ensures that we are compliant with global standards but also assures the security of our customers' most sensitive information and individual health records," said  Steven W. Jacobson, CEO, Olympus Healthcare Solutions. He further adds,  "As with our ISO 9001 certification, we are pleased to have achieved this recognition and we look forward to continue to focus on providing quality products and services to our customers."

About Olympus Healthcare Solutions

Olympus Healthcare Solutions' group of companies are the leading independent providers of health care claims administration, cost containment, concierge and risk management services. Since its inception in 1994, Olympus has focused exclusively on facilitating access to health care on behalf of its health care clientele. Olympus' innovative approach to health care reduces expenses by focusing on cost up pricing, while simultaneously enhancing end user satisfaction. Olympus' products and services focus on bringing value to the payer, medical provider, and health care consumer. Olympus is privately held and 100 percent management owned.  For more information, visit www.omhc.com.

SOURCE Olympus Healthcare Solutions

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Life Partners Leads Wednesday's AMBG as Global Insurance Index Declines 0.70%

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Despite Affordable Care Act Provisions Kicking in on September 23, Insurance Alone Won't Make for a Healthier America

BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 09/23/10 -- Today, Washington enacted six major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)(1) as the first step in rolling out the new healthcare reform legislation. Yet despite expanding coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans, unless we tackle the root causes of preventable chronic disease, businesses and individuals will still be burdened by rising healthcare cost, says Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of incentives-based employee health and productivity programs.

"Our Federal government is attempting to force broader access to the current supply of health services, but not addressing what's driving dramatic increases in demand," said Sean Forbes, president of Virgin HealthMiles. "Why are we waiting for people to get sick and then managing the problem? Unmanaged, preventable healthcare costs are rising at more than 10 percent annually and represent one of the largest drains on corporate income statements. Today, no other similarly material business expense is treated in such a hands-off manner. We need to be proactive in our avoidance of future preventable claims costs. Preventing the onset of lifestyle-related disease is imperative to making this happen and getting people to take more responsibility for their health is an essential element of this strategy. Only then can we address the enormous weight of healthcare costs, and right-size our bloated healthcare costs in the United States of America."

Rising healthcare costs have expanded to now represent one of the top challenges to corporate profitability and are now threatening jobs and entire families' livelihoods. To help offset rising healthcare costs, 63 percent of businesses plan to make employees pay a higher percentage of their premium costs in 2011, said the Washington-based National Business Group on Health in August, which surveyed(2) 72 companies employing more than 3.7 million people. A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation also revealed that while total premiums rose by 3% to an average of $13,770 in 2010 (including employer contributions), an average worker now pays nearly $4,000 per year for family coverage, up 14 percent from 2009 and up 47 percent overall from 2005.

However, more than 75 percent of the nearly $2 trillion healthcare costs impacting businesses and their employees today stem from chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. The good news is chronic diseases are largely preventable with healthy lifestyle choices -- getting enough physical activity, a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco. "Presently, health insurance doesn't measure and reward people for exhibiting the right behaviors," said Forbes. "Safe drivers are routinely awarded discounts on their auto insurance for good behavior. Shouldn't employees who do a few simple things, such as exercise, watch their weight, stop smoking and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits, benefit as part of a culture that rewards the right behaviors?"

Washington may have caught on to this disconnect. The PPACA expands provisions in existing HIPAA regulations, which currently allow employers to offer incentives of up to 20 percent of annual premiums to employees who participate in employee health programs. The Affordable Care Act increases this differential to 30 percent in 2014, with an option to increase to 50 percent at the discretion of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The policies and provisions exist. Now, more employers need to take steps to implement them in their organizations. Taking advantage of these provisions with a prevention-focused, technology-based employee health program lets employers improve employee health, gain mechanisms to measure and manage their healthcare cost-savings strategies, and tap into funding strategies to create cost-neutral programs.

"Effectively structured and implemented employee preventative health programs are proven to drive down healthcare costs by eliminating the pre-cursors of chronic conditions before they develop. And, they create healthier, happier, and more productive employees. But unless we shift our focus to a data-driven, actively managed approach to prevention, the PPACA that has so bitterly divided our country will risk being minimally effective, at best, or fail outright at the hands of unsustainable entitlement costs driven by preventable claims," said Forbes.

About Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin HealthMiles provides employee health programs that pay people to get active. The company's Pay-for-Prevention? approach, based on physical activity and healthy lifestyle change, attracts an average of 40 percent of employees who participate, which helps organizations reduce medical costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction. The program is offered by employers, government entities, and insurers. Over 120 industry leaders representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S., including American Diabetes Association, Intuit, MWV, OhioHealth, Ochsner Health System, Protective Life, SunGard, SunTrust, and Timberland have selected Virgin HealthMiles' award-winning program for their employees. The company is a member of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. For more information, visit www.virginhealthmiles.com

(1) http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html
(2) http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/Plan%20Design%20Survey%20Report%20Public.pdf

Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine Media Contact:Kathy WilsonEmail Contact781-652-0499

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Manulife eyes M&A to bulk up mutual fund business

TORONTO (Reuters) - Manulife Financial is eyeing acquisitions to bulk up its mutual fund business, although prospects for big takeovers in the insurance industry are slim due to regulatory uncertainty, the head of Manulife's Canadian business said on Thursday.

"We're making a conscious effort to grow in the (mutual fund) business ... so we'll look at potential acquisitions," Manulife Canada Chief Executive Paul Rooney said at the CIBC Institutional Investor conference in Montreal,

Manulife is Canada's largest insurance company, and like its Canadian peers, it also offers mutual-fund and other banking services.

The company owns the John Hancock brand in the United States, and is also trying to expand in Asia. Rooney said any takeovers in Canada would likely be small "tuck-in" acquisitions of assets smaller than Manulife's current mutual fund business.

Last year Manulife bought AIC Ltd's mutual fund business -- comprising C$3.8 billion ($3.7 billion) in assets under management -- for an undisclosed sum.

A more "transformational" takeover would only be likely if Manulife sees an attractive target in Asia that could fast-track growth there, Rooney said.. A takeover in the United States would be a "challenge".

However, a large move is unlikely in the immediate future, due to regulatory uncertainty, he said.

"In this uncertain accounting and capital environment, I think the prospects for a big one anywhere in the world by anyone are greatly diminished," he said.

Insurers have been nervous about the extent of new rules set to be handed down by the International Accounting Standards Board, which could alter the way insurers calculate income.

The company's shares were up 6 Canadian cents at C$12.85 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday afternoon.

($1=$1.03 Canadian)

(Reporting by Cameron French; editing by Peter Galloway)

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AIG To Sell Japan Units To Pru For 5B

Prudential Financial is set to acquire two Japanese life-insurance companies from AIG for nearly $5 billion, The Wall Street Journal reports. The insurer will buy AIG Star Life Insurance and AIG Edison Life Insurance.

AIG will use the sale proceeds to pay off taxpayers, who are owed more than $90 billion from a government bailout. By the end of 2010, AIG will also sell its second-biggest overseas-based life-insurance unit, American Life Insurance Company, to MetLife for $15.5 billion.

Click here for the story fromThe Wall Street Journal.

Click here for additional coverage from Financial Times.

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Willis Sets up Agri-Business Unit to Respond to Growing Insurance Needs of Crop and Forestry Sectors

Broker Appoints Julian Roberts as Executive Director

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hughes-Gibb, the specialist bloodstock, livestock and aquaculture division of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced that it is expanding its services to clients in agri-business. Broadening its expertise to include Crop and Forestry, the wholesale broker has appointed Julian Roberts as leader of the new unit, effective immediately. Based in London, Roberts will report to Chris Williamson, Managing Director of Hughes-Gibb.

Agriculture is one of the largest primary production sectors globally and is the basis of the far-reaching and diverse industries of agri-business. These include amongst others the world’s vast food and beverage sectors but also pulp and paper, construction materials, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Commenting on the establishment of the specialist agri-business unit, Williamson said, “The changing nature of modern agriculture – where innovation and development is essential to meet the parallel challenges of increasing food production and climate change – calls for the development of advanced risk management products and techniques. Julian’s impressive academic background in agriculture coupled with his practical experience of risk management for this sector, equips him to respond to the new demands of agri-business.”

Roberts graduated in Agriculture & Forestry at the University of Oxford and has a Masters in Agricultural Economics. His career has been exclusively focussed on the development of risk, insurance and related products such as Insurance-Linked Securities. Roberts founded the leading and innovative advisory business Agricultural Risk Management Limited whose clients included growers, their brokers, insurers and reinsurers.

Roberts added, “The world’s insurance and reinsurance markets have played an important role over the years in providing valuable risk protection – especially against the impact of adverse weather. Yet the penetration and scope of insurance products remains modest in comparison to the size and requirements of the overall agricultural sector. Our aim is to deliver innovative solutions to the rapidly evolving needs of agri-business.”

Hughes-Gibb was founded in 1959 as the first broker in London exclusively dedicated to bloodstock insurance, and has expanded to become the only truly global bloodstock, livestock and aquaculture broker. Hughes-Gibb is part of Willis Group’s third-party wholesale brokerage division Faber & Dumas, which includes Fine Art, Jewellery & Specie (FAJS), Global Special Risks (GSR), Maclean Oddy Associates, Special Contingency Risks (SCR) and Glencairn.

Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.

Willis Group Holdings
Media:
Rebecca Nind, +44-203-124-8172
rebecca.nind@willis.com
or
Investors:
Kerry K. Calaiaro, +1-212-915-8084
kerry.calaiaro@willis.com

Source: Willis Group Holdings

View the original article here

Employment insurance recipients decline in July

The number of Canadians receiving employment insurance benefits fell to 672,200 in July — a drop of 31,400 from June's level, Statistics Canada said Thursday.

That takes the number receiving regular benefits back to levels seen in March.

Since the number of EI recipients peaked in June 2009, the number of regular EI beneficiaries has fallen by 157,100, the agency said.

But the recession that began in 2008 saw EI rolls jump by 329,000, meaning that the jobs recovery still has some distance to go to return to pre-recession levels.

The biggest declines in the number of EI recipients occurred in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick. There were drops in every province except Newfoundland and Labrador, where there was an increase of less than 1,000.

While the declines suggest good news, Statistics Canada points out that a drop in claims can be due to a number of factors besides people heading back to work — including people exhausting their benefits.

The EI report also showed a rise in first-time and renewal claims for employment insurance. In July, 247,900 initial and renewal claims were received. That's up 6,200 from June's figure.

Statistics Canada said the number of such claims has been trending up since March — jumping by 17,700 in the March to July period.

The most recent labour force survey, which tracked the Canadian jobs picture in August, showed the unemployment rate rose slightly to 8.1 per cent last month, even though almost 36,000 more jobs were created.

Economists said that report suggested slower economic growth ahead.

EI premiums are set to rise in the new year, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said two weeks ago, following a two-year freeze. Ottawa has yet to announce how high the increase will be.

Currently, EI premiums for employees are $1.73 per $100 of insurable earnings, to a maximum of $747 a year. The maximum EI benefit is currently $457 a week.

Earlier this month, Ottawa ended a program that granted an additional five weeks of benefits to all workers and up to 20 additional weeks for long-tenured workers.

Both measures were introduced last year in the face of surging unemployment levels, but the government said neither is needed now that the EI system is beginning to return to normalcy.

View the original article here

New York Looks to Reform Coastal Homeowners Insurance Market

September 23, 2010

New York insurance regulators are proposing a new set of consumer protection measures as part of a package of rules aimed at improving the availability and pricing of homeowners insurance in high-risk areas along the state's coast.

Among the proposals: prohibit insurers from applying a special deductible for wind damage unless a hurricane makes landfall, reduce the number of nonrenewals insurers are permitted and create a catastrophe pool to offset premium increases.

"Let's fix the roof before it starts raining," Insurance Superintendent James Wrynn said. "Coastal New York has been lucky for a while to escape a direct hit from a hurricane, but luck is no substitute for planning. Homeowners have already been pummeled by rising rates, nonrenewals and threats of nonrenewal of their homeowners insurance policies. Homeowners shouldn't have to worry about whether they will be able to get coverage when their policies expire. This uncertainty must be addressed. We have extensively reviewed our rules and regulations and we are planning for the storm we know is coming."

Wrynn has called a meeting of the Temporary Panel on Homeowners Insurance Coverage, a group that examines insurance and other issues facing coastal homeowners and some possible solutions. The group is scheduled to meet on Oct. 13 in Manhattan.

The panel will also look at state and local building codes, insurer preparedness for recovery and rebuilding after a catastrophe and public education about storm risks and mitigation techniques, Wrynn said.

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Stormy weather forecast for the major insurers

On the heels of delivering a bumper full-year result, new David Jones CEO Paul Zahra says the company is well positioned to take advantage of Australia’s strengthening economy.

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Penny Stocks To Trade Now - Sponsored Link

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PACRA upholds Habib Insurance A+ rating

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Willis Sets up Agri-Business Unit to Respond to Growing Insurance Needs of Crop and Forestry Sectors

Broker Appoints Julian Roberts as Executive Director

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hughes-Gibb, the specialist bloodstock, livestock and aquaculture division of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced that it is expanding its services to clients in agri-business. Broadening its expertise to include Crop and Forestry, the wholesale broker has appointed Julian Roberts as leader of the new unit, effective immediately. Based in London, Roberts will report to Chris Williamson, Managing Director of Hughes-Gibb.

Agriculture is one of the largest primary production sectors globally and is the basis of the far-reaching and diverse industries of agri-business. These include amongst others the world’s vast food and beverage sectors but also pulp and paper, construction materials, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Commenting on the establishment of the specialist agri-business unit, Williamson said, “The changing nature of modern agriculture – where innovation and development is essential to meet the parallel challenges of increasing food production and climate change – calls for the development of advanced risk management products and techniques. Julian’s impressive academic background in agriculture coupled with his practical experience of risk management for this sector, equips him to respond to the new demands of agri-business.”

Roberts graduated in Agriculture & Forestry at the University of Oxford and has a Masters in Agricultural Economics. His career has been exclusively focussed on the development of risk, insurance and related products such as Insurance-Linked Securities. Roberts founded the leading and innovative advisory business Agricultural Risk Management Limited whose clients included growers, their brokers, insurers and reinsurers.

Roberts added, “The world’s insurance and reinsurance markets have played an important role over the years in providing valuable risk protection – especially against the impact of adverse weather. Yet the penetration and scope of insurance products remains modest in comparison to the size and requirements of the overall agricultural sector. Our aim is to deliver innovative solutions to the rapidly evolving needs of agri-business.”

Hughes-Gibb was founded in 1959 as the first broker in London exclusively dedicated to bloodstock insurance, and has expanded to become the only truly global bloodstock, livestock and aquaculture broker. Hughes-Gibb is part of Willis Group’s third-party wholesale brokerage division Faber & Dumas, which includes Fine Art, Jewellery & Specie (FAJS), Global Special Risks (GSR), Maclean Oddy Associates, Special Contingency Risks (SCR) and Glencairn.

Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.

Willis Group Holdings
Media:
Rebecca Nind, +44-203-124-8172
rebecca.nind@willis.com
or
Investors:
Kerry K. Calaiaro, +1-212-915-8084
kerry.calaiaro@willis.com

Source: Willis Group Holdings

View the original article here

ArtFire Makes Health Insurance Available to Online Sellers

Artfire.com has partnered with the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) to make CHA membership and health benefits available to ArtFire sellers. The CHA and ArtFire are now offering their joint members the chance to enroll in a variety of insurance programs offered through Association Health Programs.

eBay had attempted to offer its own health insurance benefits for its PowerSellers in 2002; Meg Whitman, CEO at the time, announced the program to great fanfare at an eBay Live conference, but the program never seriously materialized. By partnering with CHA, ArtFire is offering a program already in place.

CHA membership fees start at $150 depending on number of storefronts (or revenue for online sellers). ArtFire members receive a 20% discount on the first year of membership with the Craft & Hobby Association and can receive CHA benefits including health, life, dental and vision insurance, and access to industry trade shows, networking events, discount programs and industry market research.

ArtFire.com CEO John Jacobs said, "The Craft & Hobby Association is a strong advocate for creative entrepreneurs. These kinds of partnerships with organizations that truly care about and seek to assist artisans and crafters are critical to our mission of supporting our member artisans and sharing the beauty of art and crafts in our society."

Details about CHA membership and the special ArtFire discount are found on this page.

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Hannover Re contributes E1m to open-source earthquake model

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Hannover Re contributes E1m to open-source earthquake model HANNOVER Re has said it will contribute E1m and its technical expertise towards the creation of the first global open-source earthquake risk model. The
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Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia
Thursday September 23, 11:35 am ET Former Redskin Charles Mann will be at Anthem activity zone Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Each summer good food, animals, and music draw people from around Virginia to the state fair. This year, fair attendees can add the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield activity zone and HealthFair bus to their to-do list on Sept. 25 and 26.  

Through its participation in the State Fair of Virginia, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is raising awareness on the importance of health and wellness by providing access to free health screenings. Onboard the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HealthFair Bus, visitors will receive a health evaluation consisting of a full lipid panel blood test; height, weight and waist measurements; blood pressure test; and Body Mass Index analysis.  Together the tests help provide a snapshot of one's personal health. The HealthFair screening bus is staffed by medical technicians and others who can help answer visitor questions.

Visitors are also encouraged to stop by the Anthem activity zone where they can calculate their Health Footprint(sm score). Knowing their Health Footprint score helps visitors determine the impact their behaviors have on their own health and the health of their social network.  Unlike a carbon footprint, which focuses on reduction, the bigger a Health Footprint score is, the more health influence someone has on those around them.

While in the Anthem activity zone, visitors can also take advantage of a variety of fun activities that families can do together including a basketball throw station, photo opportunities, an eight person ping pong table and Nintendo Wii video game stations to promote healthy, active lifestyles and even help them start to increase their Health Footprint score right away. 

Former Washington Redskin Defensive End Charles Mann will also be at the Anthem activity zone on Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. Mann is a two-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler and a former "Washingtonian of the Year."

WHAT:  HealthFair screening bus, Health Footprint calculator stations and fun, interactive activities for the whole family

WHEN: Sept. 25 and 26, 2010

Anthem Booth will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: State Fair of Virginia, Doswell, Virginia

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia  

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. (serving Virginia excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.). Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliated HMOs, HealthKeepers, Inc., Peninsula Health Care, Inc. and Priority Health Care, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. (R)ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia is available at www.anthem.com.

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Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia
Thursday September 23, 11:35 am ET Former Redskin Charles Mann will be at Anthem activity zone Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Each summer good food, animals, and music draw people from around Virginia to the state fair. This year, fair attendees can add the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield activity zone and HealthFair bus to their to-do list on Sept. 25 and 26.  

Through its participation in the State Fair of Virginia, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is raising awareness on the importance of health and wellness by providing access to free health screenings. Onboard the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HealthFair Bus, visitors will receive a health evaluation consisting of a full lipid panel blood test; height, weight and waist measurements; blood pressure test; and Body Mass Index analysis.  Together the tests help provide a snapshot of one's personal health. The HealthFair screening bus is staffed by medical technicians and others who can help answer visitor questions.

Visitors are also encouraged to stop by the Anthem activity zone where they can calculate their Health Footprint(sm score). Knowing their Health Footprint score helps visitors determine the impact their behaviors have on their own health and the health of their social network.  Unlike a carbon footprint, which focuses on reduction, the bigger a Health Footprint score is, the more health influence someone has on those around them.

While in the Anthem activity zone, visitors can also take advantage of a variety of fun activities that families can do together including a basketball throw station, photo opportunities, an eight person ping pong table and Nintendo Wii video game stations to promote healthy, active lifestyles and even help them start to increase their Health Footprint score right away. 

Former Washington Redskin Defensive End Charles Mann will also be at the Anthem activity zone on Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. Mann is a two-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler and a former "Washingtonian of the Year."

WHAT:  HealthFair screening bus, Health Footprint calculator stations and fun, interactive activities for the whole family

WHEN: Sept. 25 and 26, 2010

Anthem Booth will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: State Fair of Virginia, Doswell, Virginia

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia  

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. (serving Virginia excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.). Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliated HMOs, HealthKeepers, Inc., Peninsula Health Care, Inc. and Priority Health Care, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. (R)ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia is available at www.anthem.com.

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A.M. Best Assigns Debt Ratings to Manulife Financial Corporation?s Senior Notes

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Insurers Face Barrage Of Challenges In Overhaul's Rollout

The New York Times: "The first big wave of new rules under the federal health care law goes into effect on Thursday, leaving many insurers scrambling to get ahead of the changes. Insurers are cutting administrative staff to lower overhead costs, investing in big technology upgrades and training employees to field the expected influx of customer inquiries." And they're looking forward to even more significant changes on the horizon in a few years. A PricewaterhouseCoopers analyst said many plans may "struggle and fail" in the face of the burden. Top insurance lobbyist Karen Ignagni compared the industry's effort to the Manhattan Project as whole businesses reconfigure to comply with the law (Abelson, 9/22).

ABC News: In particular, "[t]he move by some health insurance companies to scrap child-only policies has many questioning whether providers will try to circumvent provisions of the new health care reform law in the future." Big insurers made the move because they would be prohibited from denying coverage to kids with pre-existing conditions, meaning they could buy insurance only when they become ill, and drop it afterwards. Ron Pollack, of Families USA, said, "There's a concern about how insurance companies are going to react to the wide variety of new requirements that they've got. … They're just going to try and elude those requirements in different ways." An industry spokesman said firms were making "difficult decisions" out of economic necessity (Kahn, 9/23).

The New York Times, in a separate story: One upcoming provision of great interest to insurers is a requirement that they spend at least 80 percent of premium revenues on medical care. In a meeting with White House officials Wednesday, state insurance regulators asked that those requirements by phased in gradually. "State officials said they feared that some companies would withdraw from the individual insurance market next year because they could not meet the 80 percent requirement." But, some Democrats at least view the provision as a key consumer protection and will resist anything that appears to be a watering-down. Some states are requesting waivers of the provision (Pear, 9/22).

CongressDaily: The state insurance commissioners warned the White House "that insurers in several states may not be able to meet the direct medical spending requirement set for next year in the healthcare overhaul law." Florida commissioner Kevin McCarty said, "Our concern in Florida, as we look at this implementation of the [medical loss ratio], is what the potential disruption to market may be. … To be thoughtful and realistic, you have to take into recognition that we can't put this all into place immediately, if our goal is to minimize disruption" (McCarthy, 9/23).

This is part of Kaiser Health News' Daily Report - a summary of health policy coverage from more than 300 news organizations. The full summary of the day's news can be found here and you can sign up for e-mail subscriptions to the Daily Report here. In addition, our staff of reporters and correspondents file original stories each day, which you can find on our home page.

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Allianz France hails rebrand

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Allianz France hails rebrand Allianz France says its name change has been successful, a year after it dropped the AGF brand to adopt its parent company’s name. The
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Willis Sets up Agri-Business Unit to Respond to Growing Insurance Needs of Crop and Forestry Sectors

Broker Appoints Julian Roberts as Executive Director

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hughes-Gibb, the specialist bloodstock, livestock and aquaculture division of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced that it is expanding its services to clients in agri-business. Broadening its expertise to include Crop and Forestry, the wholesale broker has appointed Julian Roberts as leader of the new unit, effective immediately. Based in London, Roberts will report to Chris Williamson, Managing Director of Hughes-Gibb.

Agriculture is one of the largest primary production sectors globally and is the basis of the far-reaching and diverse industries of agri-business. These include amongst others the world’s vast food and beverage sectors but also pulp and paper, construction materials, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Commenting on the establishment of the specialist agri-business unit, Williamson said, “The changing nature of modern agriculture – where innovation and development is essential to meet the parallel challenges of increasing food production and climate change – calls for the development of advanced risk management products and techniques. Julian’s impressive academic background in agriculture coupled with his practical experience of risk management for this sector, equips him to respond to the new demands of agri-business.”

Roberts graduated in Agriculture & Forestry at the University of Oxford and has a Masters in Agricultural Economics. His career has been exclusively focussed on the development of risk, insurance and related products such as Insurance-Linked Securities. Roberts founded the leading and innovative advisory business Agricultural Risk Management Limited whose clients included growers, their brokers, insurers and reinsurers.

Roberts added, “The world’s insurance and reinsurance markets have played an important role over the years in providing valuable risk protection – especially against the impact of adverse weather. Yet the penetration and scope of insurance products remains modest in comparison to the size and requirements of the overall agricultural sector. Our aim is to deliver innovative solutions to the rapidly evolving needs of agri-business.”

Hughes-Gibb was founded in 1959 as the first broker in London exclusively dedicated to bloodstock insurance, and has expanded to become the only truly global bloodstock, livestock and aquaculture broker. Hughes-Gibb is part of Willis Group’s third-party wholesale brokerage division Faber & Dumas, which includes Fine Art, Jewellery & Specie (FAJS), Global Special Risks (GSR), Maclean Oddy Associates, Special Contingency Risks (SCR) and Glencairn.

Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world. Additional information on Willis may be found at www.willis.com.

Willis Group Holdings
Media:
Rebecca Nind, +44-203-124-8172
rebecca.nind@willis.com
or
Investors:
Kerry K. Calaiaro, +1-212-915-8084
kerry.calaiaro@willis.com

Source: Willis Group Holdings

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BestDay Audio Podcast for Sept. 23: Chartis? Lance Ewing Compares Insurance to Football?s Offensive Line

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Despite Affordable Care Act Provisions Kicking in on September 23, Insurance Alone Won't Make for a

Stronger Commitment to Prevention Needed, Employers Must Take Advantage of Employee Health Provisions in Act, Says Virgin HealthMiles

Today, Washington enacted six major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)(1) as the first step in rolling out the new healthcare reform legislation. Yet despite expanding coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans, unless we tackle the root causes of preventable chronic disease, businesses and individuals will still be burdened by rising healthcare cost, says Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of incentives-based employee health and productivity programs.

"Our Federal government is attempting to force broader access to the current supply of health services, but not addressing what's driving dramatic increases in demand," said Sean Forbes, president of Virgin HealthMiles. "Why are we waiting for people to get sick and then managing the problem? Unmanaged, preventable healthcare costs are rising at more than 10 percent annually and represent one of the largest drains on corporate income statements. Today, no other similarly material business expense is treated in such a hands-off manner. We need to be proactive in our avoidance of future preventable claims costs. Preventing the onset of lifestyle-related disease is imperative to making this happen and getting people to take more responsibility for their health is an essential element of this strategy. Only then can we address the enormous weight of healthcare costs, and right-size our bloated healthcare costs in the United States of America."

Rising healthcare costs have expanded to now represent one of the top challenges to corporate profitability and are now threatening jobs and entire families' livelihoods. To help offset rising healthcare costs, 63 percent of businesses plan to make employees pay a higher percentage of their premium costs in 2011, said the Washington-based National Business Group on Health in August, which surveyed(2) 72 companies employing more than 3.7 million people. A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation also revealed that while total premiums rose by 3% to an average of $13,770 in 2010 (including employer contributions), an average worker now pays nearly $4,000 per year for family coverage, up 14 percent from 2009 and up 47 percent overall from 2005.

However, more than 75 percent of the nearly $2 trillion healthcare costs impacting businesses and their employees today stem from chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. The good news is chronic diseases are largely preventable with healthy lifestyle choices -- getting enough physical activity, a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco. "Presently, health insurance doesn't measure and reward people for exhibiting the right behaviors," said Forbes. "Safe drivers are routinely awarded discounts on their auto insurance for good behavior. Shouldn't employees who do a few simple things, such as exercise, watch their weight, stop smoking and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits, benefit as part of a culture that rewards the right behaviors?"

Washington may have caught on to this disconnect. The PPACA expands provisions in existing HIPAA regulations, which currently allow employers to offer incentives of up to 20 percent of annual premiums to employees who participate in employee health programs. The Affordable Care Act increases this differential to 30 percent in 2014, with an option to increase to 50 percent at the discretion of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The policies and provisions exist. Now, more employers need to take steps to implement them in their organizations. Taking advantage of these provisions with a prevention-focused, technology-based employee health program lets employers improve employee health, gain mechanisms to measure and manage their healthcare cost-savings strategies, and tap into funding strategies to create cost-neutral programs.

"Effectively structured and implemented employee preventative health programs are proven to drive down healthcare costs by eliminating the pre-cursors of chronic conditions before they develop. And, they create healthier, happier, and more productive employees. But unless we shift our focus to a data-driven, actively managed approach to prevention, the PPACA that has so bitterly divided our country will risk being minimally effective, at best, or fail outright at the hands of unsustainable entitlement costs driven by preventable claims," said Forbes.

About Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin HealthMiles provides employee health programs that pay people to get active. The company's Pay-for-Prevention™ approach, based on physical activity and healthy lifestyle change, attracts an average of 40 percent of employees who participate, which helps organizations reduce medical costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction. The program is offered by employers, government entities, and insurers. Over 120 industry leaders representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S., including American Diabetes Association, Intuit, MWV, OhioHealth, Ochsner Health System, Protective Life, SunGard, SunTrust, and Timberland have selected Virgin HealthMiles' award-winning program for their employees. The company is a member of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. For more information, visit www.virginhealthmiles.com

(1) http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html
(2) http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/Plan%20Design%20Survey%20Report%20Public.pdf

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MetLife Unit Sells 135B In Debt

MetLife Institutional Funding II has raised $1.35 billion in a sale of notes, Reuters reports. The funding unit of MetLife sold the securities in two parts in the 144a private placement market.

The U.S. insurer sold $1 billion of one-year notes and $350 million of debt maturing in March 2012. MetLife appointed Deutsche Bank and UBS as the joint bookrunning managers for the sale.

Click here for the story from Reuters.

Click here for additional coverage from Bloomberg.

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Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia
Thursday September 23, 11:35 am ET Former Redskin Charles Mann will be at Anthem activity zone Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Each summer good food, animals, and music draw people from around Virginia to the state fair. This year, fair attendees can add the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield activity zone and HealthFair bus to their to-do list on Sept. 25 and 26.  

Through its participation in the State Fair of Virginia, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is raising awareness on the importance of health and wellness by providing access to free health screenings. Onboard the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HealthFair Bus, visitors will receive a health evaluation consisting of a full lipid panel blood test; height, weight and waist measurements; blood pressure test; and Body Mass Index analysis.  Together the tests help provide a snapshot of one's personal health. The HealthFair screening bus is staffed by medical technicians and others who can help answer visitor questions.

Visitors are also encouraged to stop by the Anthem activity zone where they can calculate their Health Footprint(sm score). Knowing their Health Footprint score helps visitors determine the impact their behaviors have on their own health and the health of their social network.  Unlike a carbon footprint, which focuses on reduction, the bigger a Health Footprint score is, the more health influence someone has on those around them.

While in the Anthem activity zone, visitors can also take advantage of a variety of fun activities that families can do together including a basketball throw station, photo opportunities, an eight person ping pong table and Nintendo Wii video game stations to promote healthy, active lifestyles and even help them start to increase their Health Footprint score right away. 

Former Washington Redskin Defensive End Charles Mann will also be at the Anthem activity zone on Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. Mann is a two-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler and a former "Washingtonian of the Year."

WHAT:  HealthFair screening bus, Health Footprint calculator stations and fun, interactive activities for the whole family

WHEN: Sept. 25 and 26, 2010

Anthem Booth will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: State Fair of Virginia, Doswell, Virginia

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia  

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. (serving Virginia excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.). Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliated HMOs, HealthKeepers, Inc., Peninsula Health Care, Inc. and Priority Health Care, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. (R)ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia is available at www.anthem.com.

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ISO Developing Data on Driver Behavior for Use by Insurers

September 23, 2010

ISO's Applied Informatix unit is developing a data source for insurers that want to develop state-of-the-art underwriting and rating plans involving driving behavior or use analytics to differentiate their driving behavior programs.

According to Steven C. Craig, general manager of Applied Informatix, the new Driving Behavior Database for Modelers (DBDM) as the product will allow insurers to create their own telematics programs through the aggregation of telematics and insurance data.

"This groundbreaking program will define the relationship between losses, traditional policy information, and driving behavior," said Craig. "The risk information that will be uncovered will provide insurers with a platform for improving existing products and developing new ones."

ISO's Driving Behavior Database for Modelers will be created by collecting risk-level telematics data transmitted from insurers' covered vehicles and matching it with associated insurance data, including exposures, premiums, and losses.

As previously announced, ISO is equipping its own fleet with telematics devices and will include this data in the DBDM.

Companies can decide to receive only their own policyholder data, or they can join a group of companies choosing to anonymously share statistically selected samples of data so that each will have more information for modeling and other uses.

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Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offering Free Health Screenings at The State Fair of Virginia
Thursday September 23, 11:35 am ET Former Redskin Charles Mann will be at Anthem activity zone Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Each summer good food, animals, and music draw people from around Virginia to the state fair. This year, fair attendees can add the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield activity zone and HealthFair bus to their to-do list on Sept. 25 and 26.  

Through its participation in the State Fair of Virginia, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is raising awareness on the importance of health and wellness by providing access to free health screenings. Onboard the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HealthFair Bus, visitors will receive a health evaluation consisting of a full lipid panel blood test; height, weight and waist measurements; blood pressure test; and Body Mass Index analysis.  Together the tests help provide a snapshot of one's personal health. The HealthFair screening bus is staffed by medical technicians and others who can help answer visitor questions.

Visitors are also encouraged to stop by the Anthem activity zone where they can calculate their Health Footprint(sm score). Knowing their Health Footprint score helps visitors determine the impact their behaviors have on their own health and the health of their social network.  Unlike a carbon footprint, which focuses on reduction, the bigger a Health Footprint score is, the more health influence someone has on those around them.

While in the Anthem activity zone, visitors can also take advantage of a variety of fun activities that families can do together including a basketball throw station, photo opportunities, an eight person ping pong table and Nintendo Wii video game stations to promote healthy, active lifestyles and even help them start to increase their Health Footprint score right away. 

Former Washington Redskin Defensive End Charles Mann will also be at the Anthem activity zone on Saturday, Sept. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. Mann is a two-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Pro Bowler and a former "Washingtonian of the Year."

WHAT:  HealthFair screening bus, Health Footprint calculator stations and fun, interactive activities for the whole family

WHEN: Sept. 25 and 26, 2010

Anthem Booth will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: State Fair of Virginia, Doswell, Virginia

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia  

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. (serving Virginia excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.). Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliated HMOs, HealthKeepers, Inc., Peninsula Health Care, Inc. and Priority Health Care, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. (R)ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia is available at www.anthem.com.

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Michigan Officials Seek to Force Broker to Remit $1.3M Owed to Insurers

September 23, 2010

Michigan insurance officials have gone to court to force a Troy insurance broker to remit $1.3 million in premiums he owes to multiple insurance companies.

The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) has petitioned the Ingham County Circuit Court to compel Alternative Insurance Services (AIS) and its owner John Flaherty to abide by a payment plan.

Flaherty has previously agreed to pay restitution of $1,329,086 to 18 insurers and surplus lines general agents. He also agreed to submit a repayment schedule and quarterly reports to OFIR with a $100 per day fine if he failed to do so.

But state officials say he has not complied with any terms of the consent order.

In 2008, OFIR determined that Flaherty misappropriated more than $1.3 million in premium funds for his own personal use. OFIR revoked AIS' license and ordered the agency to cease in desist from the sale of insurance in Michigan.

"Not only did Mr. Flaherty misappropriate premiums, but he violated the consent order by failing to repay what he took," OFIR Commissioner Ken Ross said.

Flaherty has been accused of pocketing premiums paid to him by customers and several excess surplus lines agencies rather than turning those premiums over to the insurers on the accounts. Court records show AIG is owed more than $450,000 for various commercial and municipal accounts including ones for the cities of Inkster and Flint, the county of Macomb and the state's AFL-CIO.

Among the 18 insurers court records show Flaherty owes are Chubb, ACE, Axa, Berkley Specialty, Markel and Philadelphia.

Flaherty's firm web site and phone are not in operation.

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Despite Affordable Care Act Provisions Kicking in on September 23, Insurance Alone Won't Make for a Healthier America

BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 09/23/10 -- Today, Washington enacted six major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)(1) as the first step in rolling out the new healthcare reform legislation. Yet despite expanding coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans, unless we tackle the root causes of preventable chronic disease, businesses and individuals will still be burdened by rising healthcare cost, says Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of incentives-based employee health and productivity programs.

"Our Federal government is attempting to force broader access to the current supply of health services, but not addressing what's driving dramatic increases in demand," said Sean Forbes, president of Virgin HealthMiles. "Why are we waiting for people to get sick and then managing the problem? Unmanaged, preventable healthcare costs are rising at more than 10 percent annually and represent one of the largest drains on corporate income statements. Today, no other similarly material business expense is treated in such a hands-off manner. We need to be proactive in our avoidance of future preventable claims costs. Preventing the onset of lifestyle-related disease is imperative to making this happen and getting people to take more responsibility for their health is an essential element of this strategy. Only then can we address the enormous weight of healthcare costs, and right-size our bloated healthcare costs in the United States of America."

Rising healthcare costs have expanded to now represent one of the top challenges to corporate profitability and are now threatening jobs and entire families' livelihoods. To help offset rising healthcare costs, 63 percent of businesses plan to make employees pay a higher percentage of their premium costs in 2011, said the Washington-based National Business Group on Health in August, which surveyed(2) 72 companies employing more than 3.7 million people. A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation also revealed that while total premiums rose by 3% to an average of $13,770 in 2010 (including employer contributions), an average worker now pays nearly $4,000 per year for family coverage, up 14 percent from 2009 and up 47 percent overall from 2005.

However, more than 75 percent of the nearly $2 trillion healthcare costs impacting businesses and their employees today stem from chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. The good news is chronic diseases are largely preventable with healthy lifestyle choices -- getting enough physical activity, a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco. "Presently, health insurance doesn't measure and reward people for exhibiting the right behaviors," said Forbes. "Safe drivers are routinely awarded discounts on their auto insurance for good behavior. Shouldn't employees who do a few simple things, such as exercise, watch their weight, stop smoking and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits, benefit as part of a culture that rewards the right behaviors?"

Washington may have caught on to this disconnect. The PPACA expands provisions in existing HIPAA regulations, which currently allow employers to offer incentives of up to 20 percent of annual premiums to employees who participate in employee health programs. The Affordable Care Act increases this differential to 30 percent in 2014, with an option to increase to 50 percent at the discretion of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The policies and provisions exist. Now, more employers need to take steps to implement them in their organizations. Taking advantage of these provisions with a prevention-focused, technology-based employee health program lets employers improve employee health, gain mechanisms to measure and manage their healthcare cost-savings strategies, and tap into funding strategies to create cost-neutral programs.

"Effectively structured and implemented employee preventative health programs are proven to drive down healthcare costs by eliminating the pre-cursors of chronic conditions before they develop. And, they create healthier, happier, and more productive employees. But unless we shift our focus to a data-driven, actively managed approach to prevention, the PPACA that has so bitterly divided our country will risk being minimally effective, at best, or fail outright at the hands of unsustainable entitlement costs driven by preventable claims," said Forbes.

About Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin HealthMiles provides employee health programs that pay people to get active. The company's Pay-for-Prevention? approach, based on physical activity and healthy lifestyle change, attracts an average of 40 percent of employees who participate, which helps organizations reduce medical costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction. The program is offered by employers, government entities, and insurers. Over 120 industry leaders representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S., including American Diabetes Association, Intuit, MWV, OhioHealth, Ochsner Health System, Protective Life, SunGard, SunTrust, and Timberland have selected Virgin HealthMiles' award-winning program for their employees. The company is a member of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. For more information, visit www.virginhealthmiles.com

(1) http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html
(2) http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/Plan%20Design%20Survey%20Report%20Public.pdf

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New EU capital rules to spur insurance M&A: study

LONDON, Sep 23 (Reuters) - Europe's new Solvency II capital regime for insurers will trigger a round of takeovers as weaker players are exposed and snapped up by better-capitalized peers, according to a study by Morgan Stanley and Oliver Wyman.

"The pace of strategic change will dramatically increase - with M&A as a key tool to achieve this," Morgan Stanley and Oliver Wyman said on Thursday.

Solvency II, scheduled to come into force across the European Union in 2013, aims to make insurers more financially resilient by matching capital reserves more closely to risks.

Some smaller players may struggle to comply with the new rules, forcing them to sell themselves to larger competitors, according to Morgan Stanley and Oliver Wyman.

Solvency II, which allows insurers with diverse businesses to hold lower levels of capital, will also put some monoline players under pressure to enter new markets through acquisitions, while others seek to sell capital-hungry units.

M&A activity is likely to pick up next year as insurers start positioning themselves for the formal introduction of Solvency II on January 1, 2013, Morgan Stanley and Oliver Wyman said.

There have been high-profile M&A attempts in the European insurance sector this year, with Prudential launching an abortive bid for U.S. giant AIG's Asian unit in March, and RSA making a 5 billion pound ($7.8 billion) approach for Aviva's general insurance operations last month.

British insurance-focused acquisition vehicle Resolution bought most of French insurer Axa's local business in June, and Netherlands-based Aegon is in the process of selling its U.S. life reinsurance unit.

Overall, Solvency II will impose the toughest capital requirements on non-life insurers, Morgan Stanley and Oliver Wyman said, although reinsurers were likely to benefit from increased demand for reinsurance as a risk mitigation tool.

($1 = 0.6386 pound)

(Reporting by Myles Neligan; Editing by Dan Lalor)

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Treasure Hunt party game with Summer theme suitable for all ages

Established, successful ebook, now open to affiliates. Easy To Organise Party Games For The Whole Family / Church / Corporate / Celebration Etc. Longtail Keywords, Cross Sell And Upsell. More Info At www.TreasureHuntBook.com/affiliatehelp.htm

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New Penny Design Enters Circulation

The U.S. Mint has officially released the new 2010 U.S. Cent during a ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.? The 2010 Cent is noteworthy because it represents a change in reverse design for the venerable coin, which has borne the image of the Lincoln Memorial on it reverse ("tails" side) for 50 years.

In 2009, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Cent, and the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, the U.S. Cent had four different reverse designs, each issued about three months apart.? Starting this year, the penny reverse depicts the union shield.? The thirteen stripes represent the 13 colonies that formed the original Union.? The upper portion of the shield represents the Federal Government, which is supported by the unity of the States.

The new permanent Lincoln cent reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Associate Designer Lyndall Bass, and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.? The 2010 Cents have been released to the Federal Reserve System for distribution to banks, and should appear in circulation in coming weeks.

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Coin Collecting on a Shoe-string Budget

Probably everyone at one time or another has collected coins. Some people save old wheat pennies they find in change and throw them in a jar. Other people collect state quarters, and some others collect certain coins like nickles or dimes, and try to build a complete collection over time. A lot of folks think coin collecting is the hobby of king's and truthfully, it's often called that. A king may be able to build a giant collection of coins, but I promise you, that the small collection a young boy has that may only be worth a couple of dollars, is worth just as much to that boy as a King's coins are worth to him.

I can tell you right now, anyone can collect coins and you don't have to be rich. In fact I have quite a large coin collection, and I have had a very low paying job all my life. There are a lot of ways someone can build a great coin collection over time, while still paying the bills.

Coins are so neat looking, I remember when I was a young boy, my grandad would go upstairs and open a safe we had, inside was a metal drawer containing some old Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars. My grandad would let me sit and play with the coins often. I would hold one by the edge on the table top and flip it on the side with my finger and the coin would spin wildly around on the table like a toy top. The coins were frosty silver or whitish colored and were beautiful to look at, they were large and heavy, not like the little coins we have today. I often wondered how many folks actually carried these things around in their pockets everyday, it only took a few of them to weigh quite a lot.

After my grandad passed away back in 1969, my dad sold the old silver dollars, I don't think he really wanted to, but my grandad had left the family farm pretty deep indebt, so dad had an auction and sold about everything except our house and the barn, to pay off the huge bills. It wasn't too long after that when dad got bitten by the coin collecting bug. At first it wasn't coins but paper money that got dad started. I remember dad saw an ad in the back of some magazine, where a guy was offering to pay $2 for every dollar bill you sent him that had a certain treasurer's name on it, that name was: " Joesph W. Barr ". My dad looked in his wallet at some dollar bills he had, and sure enough he had one that had the signature " Joesph W. Barr " on it. Dad took the dollar from his wallet and kept it in an envelope in his old roll top desk, and after checking his money for several days afterwards, dad found some more of them. Sometime later dad mailed the dollar bills to the address in the magazine ad, and sure enough he soon got a check for the dollars plus an extra dollar each. Dad continued searching and sending in them " Joesph W. Barr " dollar bills for awhile, then after a period of time, the guy no longer was accepting them.

Dad then started buying a few Indian head cents and some buffalo nickels. Then as he got older and money seemed to get a lot more tighter, dad quit buying coins and turned to a new hobby, doing sweepstakes. But by this time, I was hooked, I just loved the look of the old coins, the silver ones and the old copper large cents, they just seemed so neat compared to the boring coins of everyday use. Now as I am writing this article, I stumbled across an interesting article about the " Joesph W. Barr " dollar bills from the 'American Numismatic Association' it said, the following: "At one time, it was speculated that the notes signed by Treasurer Joseph W. Barr would eventually hold a high numismatic value since he was in office for only 23 days in 1968-69. However, during that period, a total of 484 million notes were produced with his signature. The high quantity produced dictates that the notes will never be considered rare in our lifetime. Interestingly, in 1995, numismatic author Alan Herbert stated, "A $1 Barr note deposited in an interest-bearing account in 1969 would have been worth over $4.00, figuring 6% interest compounded annually. A circulated Barr note kept in a safe-deposit box for 26 years is worth $1 today."

So that explains why that guy probably quit buying the " Joesph W. Barr " dollar bills, it seemed they might of been collectible for a little while, but they just never caught on. Today you can still buy them on eBay and other places, sometimes for slightly more than $1.00. Oh well, it is something that has stuck in my mind every since I was a little boy, I will always remember dad checking his wallet for " Joesph W. Barr " dollar bills. Now as I wipe the tears from my eyes, yes I am sad to say dad has been gone a few years now, and I still miss him very much, especially when I sit here alone and think about the times we spent together in the years gone by, oh well, at least it's always great memories when it comes to you, dad.

Now as I regain my mental composure, if I ever had one, I want to say that I never lost the desire to collect coins. And as I got old enough to work full time, and live on my own I started and built a fairly large coin collection. I didn't have much money as I never went to college or trade school, and I have always had a job working as a laborer, so I had to fine ways that I could build up my coin collection cheaply.

One day, I was looking in the back of a Coin collecting magazine that I had purchased at a local news stand, and I found an ad where you could join a coin collecting approval service. They would send you certain coins once a month, and you could select the ones you wanted to buy and keep, and if you didn't want them all, just mail the others back to them, and the next month they would send some other coins for you to examine. What made this program better than the other approval services I had often seen was, you could tell them what type of coins you were interested in, and what price you were willing to spend monthly. I selected miscellaneous U.S. coins, everything from old large cents from the 1800's to silver mercury dimes and buffalo nickels etc. And I chose to only spend $20 a month, for me this was perfect and for about a year or more I stayed in the program and over time I got a nice bunch of coins from them, then something happened and the company folded or went out of business, as I never received any more coins from them and I no longer saw their ad in the magazines.

Overtime I discovered other cheap methods to aquire some nice coins, one of the methods I still use, is something that anyone can do to start building a nice coin collection. Just start searching and examining your pocket change, I still find wheat pennies and silver war nickels, and many pre 1960 nickels, and sometimes a silver coin in pocket change. One time about two years back, I was at a local store and got some change back, I noticed two of the quarters I received looked kinda white in color, examining them closely after I got back home, I discovered they were both pre 1964 silver Washington quarters. I figured somebody must of needed money to buy some cigarettes or milk or something, and must of used some of their old coins, I was just lucky enough to had been there at the right time and place to get them in my change.

One place to find a lot of nice coins is to go to different banks and buy rolls, search through them carefully, and you will be surprised of the neat finds you may come across, plus just add a few out of your pocket change to replace the ones you want to keep from the rolls, and you can turn them back into a different bank for some different rolls of coins to search through.

Another place that is fairly good for finding some rare coins is at local flea markets, be careful though as many of the folks at these places are very aware of a coins value, and they often ask for much more then what the coins are worth. Read up on the coins you are interested in buying, or better yet, take along a pocket coin price guide with you when you go to buy coins, it's better to be thrifty then foolish.

Anyway, now after collecting coins for fun over the years, I have almost every Lincoln cent that was made from 1909 up to present, and I have every Jefferson nickel from the first one that was made in 1938 to present, and I have a nice sized wooden chest full of miscellaneous U.S. coins, including silver dollars, mercury dimes, buffalo nickels, Large Cents and many more unique and rare coins. I figure the coins will make a nice gift someday, something to leave to my daughter and her children, and maybe I can spark that fire in them, that my dad started in me, the joy of coin collecting. So start checking your pocket change today, you just never know what rare finds you may come across.

There are several different types of computer software that are made for coin collecting. One program that stand's out is ' Coin Collector Professional ', it is made for any coin collector, from novices to professionals, and it cost under $20. ' Coin Collector Professional ' may be downloaded and tried for free at this website address:

http://www.rb59.com/ccp

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released software on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.

RB59 Software
http://www.rb59.com/software

Coin Dealer Ethics - Elderly Lady and Her Jar of Coins

The idea for this week's Coin Dealer Ethics discussion was sent in by Sandy B. in Corpus Christi, Texas. She wrote:

Hi,
I'd very much like to learn ways of handling coin dealers who try to scam female customers, especially women who are just starting a coin collection.

Thank you,
Sandi B.
Corpus Christi, Texas

Sandy's message reminded me of a scene I witnessed at one of those local coin shows in Las Vegas, Nevada, run by Bick International. It was the last Bick show I ever went to, because I ended up getting thrown out! The scenario below probably won't be of much help to Sandi and her efforts to gain advice on how women should handle coin dealers, but I'll have an article written next week in response to her question.

Here's this week's scenario:

I was standing at the table of the only coin dealer at the show who had any ancient coins in pick boxes, a wonderfully friendly fellow by the name of Roy Comnick (of Comnick's Coins in Prescott Valley, AZ.) An elderly lady, probably at least 80 years old, came up to the table of the dealer next to us (whose name I don't know.) This dealer had a prominent sign that said BUYING COINS.

The elderly lady, (who we'll call "Agnes,") was carrying a good-sized jar of mixed U.S. coinage, mostly pre-1850 silver and copper coins such as large cents, half cents, etc. She asked the dealer with the BUYING sign if he would look at her coins and tell her how much they were worth.

The dealer produced a felt tray and asked the lady to pour her jar of coins onto the tray, which she did. I could see the Bust Dollars and Half Dollars, high grade Large Cents, and a scattering of smaller silver coins that I couldn't quite make out. The dealer got out his loupe and looked at a few of the coins closely and asked the lady where she got them as he examined them. She said they belonged to her father and that she had run across them while going through some old family trunks in preparation for selling her house. She said she brought them to the coin show to get an appraisal and sell them since none of her children had any interest in them. The dealer (who evidently wasn't listening) asked her if she wanted to sell them, and she replied, "That's why I'm here."

While all of this is going on, I stood there watching with some interest. I've seen what happens when people bring in their jars, bottles and boxes of old coins, and I was waiting to see if this lady would be treated any differently. We weren't dealing with Wheat Pennies and worn out Mercury Dimes here! This was obviously auction-quality material that needed more than just a quick 3 minute assessment before counting up the face value and buying the silver at bullion spot price.

After 3 or 4 minutes, the dealer made a sort of grumbling sound and said that her coins weren't exactly in mint state and that copper isn't a precious metal, but "how much do you want for them?" The lady replied that she didn't know; she had brought them in to have them appraised because she didn't know anything about coins. The dealer responded that he didn't have time at this busy show (it was actually quite dead) to do full appraisals for free, but if she wanted to sell them to name a price and he'd take it or leave it.

The lady seemed a little uncertain here, and began rounding up her coins to put them back in her jar when the dealer spoke up again, "Lady, your coins are not in mint state grade. You can take them around to every table here, and nobody is going to pay you more than I will, assuming they're even buying. Do you see any other BUYING COINS signs in here? Save yourself the time and trouble and just name a price. I'm having a good show; I'll probably pay what you ask."

It's worth pointing out here that her coins were likely worth thousands of dollars each. This was one of the most remarkable rip-offs I had ever witnessed, and my heart starting pumping faster and my palms were getting damp as I saw where this was going.

The little old lady looked up hopefully into the dealer's face, and tremulously asked, "Do you think they're worth as much as a thousand dollars? I'd probably take that, they're nothing to me, I didn't even know I had them until last month."

I saw the coin dealer's pupils briefly dilate, and old poker-playing tell that lets you know your opponent has just made a BIG hand. He knew he was getting a huge gift, and as my blood starting rushing faster through my veins, in response to the outrage I was feeling, the coin dealer said, "Lady, a thousand dollars is a lot of money for these coins. Why don't I give you $700 in cash and we'll call it a deal." He was a masterful pro at this rip-off business, and already had the cash out of his pocket, counting off the hundreds while the lady watched uncertainly.

This was the point at which I finally lost it. I said to the lady (who knew I had been standing there watching the whole time,) "Ma'am, your coins are worth several thousand dollars EACH probably. Don't take his offer! Take them around and get some other offers first!" I would have said more, but the dealer had practically jumped across his table and gotten in my face and said, "This is none of your business. Get out of here." Then, turning to the lady, this dealer (who had never seen me before in his life) said, "I know this woman, she's a real shark. She hates to see anybody else make a sale. I'll give you the thousand dollars for your old coins, but that's a GIFT, take it or leave it now."

I told the lady, "Leave it! Go get more offers! Your coins are EARLY BUST DOLLARS, those are very valuable coins!" At this point, the coin dealer shouted for the bourse chairman, for security, and for the police, all in one long shout. Heads everywhere turned our direction, and several people in police or security uniforms came running from everywhere at once.

The coin dealer pointed at me and demanded that they throw me out. He said that I was interfering with his business and intimidating his customers. One of the security guards reached behind his belt and produced a set of handcuffs, and I got the point. By this time, a man that I presume was the bourse chairman came running over and rather anti-climatically told me to leave the show and that I wasn't welcome there again. I protested that this dealer was about to steal from this woman, but by then a security guard had me by the arm and was hustling me toward the exit, a little more forcefully than strictly necessary since I wasn't struggling (just shouting) and I had bruises on my arm the next day.

I do not know whether that lady sold her coins to that charlatan or not. I tried to find out who he was after the show, by calling the bourse chairman's office and enquiring about who was in that spot, but I didn't have the booth number and I hadn't bothered to pick up one of their flimsy little show programs.

There are two sides to this debate, regarding the actions I took that day. One side says that I was right to try to warn the lady (although I could have perhaps been more discreet or handled it differently once I saw the value of her coins.) The other side says that I had absolutely no right at all to say a single word; the transaction was none of my business and it was wrong of me to interfere.

What do you think? Should I have spoken up? What would you have done? Share your thoughts via the comments link below and next week we'll have a look at your responses.

Follow-Up - You can read the follow-up to this column, where we look at some of the readers' responses about the elderly lady and her coins.

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