Public Confusion over Implementation of Health Care Overhaul!

By MARGARET TALEV
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON -- Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how - and when - the sweeping measure will affect them.

Questions reflecting confusion have flooded insurance companies, doctors' offices, human resources departments and business groups. "They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' " said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com.

The California-based company sells coverage from 185 health insurance carriers in 50 states.
McLean said the call center had been inundated by uninsured consumers who were hoping that the overhaul would translate into instant, affordable coverage. That widespread misconception may have originated in part from distorted rhetoric about the legislation bubbling up from the hyper-partisan debate about it in Washington and some media outlets, such as when opponents denounced it as socialism.

"We tell them it's not free, that there are going to be things in place that help people who are low-income, but that ultimately most of that is not going to be taking place until 2014," McLean said.
Adults with pre-existing conditions are frustrated to learn that insurers won't have to cover them until 2014 (though those under 18 will be protected in late September); then they become both hopeful and confused upon learning that a federal high-risk pool for them will be established in the next few months. "Health insurance is so confusing. You add this on top of it and it makes it even more confusing," McLean said.

The Obama administration is embarking on a years-long public education campaign about the overhaul, including a Web component. However, much of the guidance will depend on Department of Health and Human Services regulations that are still being developed.
Parents of young adults, including those who are preparing to graduate from college this spring, have heard that the overhaul will let them keep their children on their insurance plans until they reach age 26. That starts in September, however; they have to determine how to cover them until then.

A new wave of inquiries could come next month as federal COBRA subsidies for laid-off workers dry up. Ann Wooten of Austin, Texas, a breast cancer survivor, said she didn't understand whether the health insurance overhaul law meant that she should try to access private coverage again someday. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 after she lost her insurance in a divorce, and soon after she lost her job at a convenience store as a result of the economic crisis.
Medicaid has covered her treatments but she must apply regularly to renew the coverage. She went back to school to learn hotel management and is seeking a good-paying job with benefits. She doesn't know how the health overhaul will affect her options, and hasn't yet found the time or energy to investigate.

Americans who already have good coverage aren't so worried about the immediate implications, but some admit that they're plenty confused. "Why does it take so long for certain health care things to take effect?" said Sandra Preston, a state employee in Paterson, N.J.
Ben Wiesen, a software engineer who works for a small company in Tarrytown, N.Y., said he'd read up on the overhaul but remained concerned about the unknowns.

"The timelines have been pretty clearly stated," he said. "It's the execution and the details: How are they really going to roll out the changes, and who ultimately will be the arbiter and decision-maker?" Actor Sam Robards, the son of Lauren Bacall and the late Jason Robards, was visiting Washington last week with his children and Danish-born wife. Chatting in front of the White House gate, he said he tried to follow news coverage of the overhaul but conceded that "I'm not totally clear" on the details. He said he was glad that he got good coverage through the Screen Actors Guild so he didn't have to worry about it.

The couple previously lived in Denmark, which has universal health coverage. They applauded the overhaul's aim of extending coverage to nearly all Americans. Many small-business owners are nervous about requirements being phased in. "Members are still trying to wrap their head around everything that's in this law," said Michelle Dimarob, the manager of legislative affairs for the National Federation of Independent Business, the small-business lobby.

Dimarob said the lobby's primary concern was that its costs would rise over the next four years as a result of fees, taxes and coverage mandates related to the overhaul.
"The next question that comes out of their mouths is: 'What do I have to do right now?' They need to start talking with their accountant, depending on how they're organized, what industry they're in and whether they're offering insurance now and what kind they're offering. We're suggesting they talk to their agent or broker."

Tanning salons face a new excise tax starting in July as part of the overhaul. Other business owners are trying to understand new Internal Revenue Service reporting requirements related to business-to-business transactions that will kick in as a result of the new law. Others are looking ahead to coverage mandates for 2014 and calculating how many part-time versus full-time employees they should have to best contain costs.

While Obama has been touting a tax credit for small businesses that offer employees health coverage, Dimarob said many small businesses wouldn't be able to participate. First they must do research to see whether they qualify. "It requires them to understand the intricacies," she said.
The president has begun traveling the country to talk about the new law to ordinary Americans. In Maine last week, he explained many highlights of the four-year phase-in. However, Obama's remarks were laced with enough political rhetoric to dilute his policy message.

Many organizations have produced timelines explaining when provisions are to be phased in. Still, it's confusing for consumers, and until the administration issues more regulations, many details can't be pinned down.

"The first meeting the president held with the team post-passage was on implementation," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. "Obviously this is a big task, and a campaign to ensure that people understand what benefits are coming online when obviously will be tremendously important."

Small Businesses See Economic Conditions Improving!

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

More than half of small business owners see improved economic conditions for their companies compared with a year earlier, according to the Capital One Small Business Banking survey.

One in four respondents said business conditions improved and another 28% said their businesses were in a better financial position than a year ago.
Among the most heavily hit by the recession, financial conditions for many small businesses have remained relatively constant over the past year.

"The lack of further deterioration and a growing access to capital are reasons to be cautiously optimistic as we look ahead," said Robert Kottler, executive vice president of small business banking at Capital One.

The survey, conducted between December 2009 and January 2010, polled small business owners to assess their businesses during the recession. More than two-thirds of respondents said they had access to the credit and financing they need.

Most businesses owners surveyed, however, said they had no plans to make major investments in the companies in the next six months and only 28% said they planned to hire.

Over half respondents said the primary business challenge over the next six months is the ability to acquire new customers, while maintaining existing customers and finding new revenue streams are among top concerns.

-By Jodi Xu, Dow Jones Newswires

Electronics Buyers' Report Biz is Improving!

What a difference a year makes for electronics buyers: In March, 49% of buyers said business was improving and demand for their companies' end equipment was growing, according to Purchasing's monthly survey of business conditions.

In March 2009, only 11% said business was improving.With business improving, buyers are increasing their purchase orders. A hefty 65% said they would increase their purchase orders (POs) over the next 90 days. The last time that many buyers said they would increase POs was in July 2006.

While some of the orders may be for inventory replenishment, a lot of orders will be for parts needed to build new electronics equipment."There's no question business is heating up," says Paul Blom, senior vice president supply chain for electronics manufacturing services provider SMTC in Markham, Ontario. "There is an incredible increase in demand that we are seeing from our customer base."

SMTC has a broad range of customers, including industrial control, computing and telecommunications OEMs.He says while business tanked in the first half of 2009, it started to rebound in October 2009. "As bad as it was in the first half of last year, it is the opposite today.

"Business is incredible."

13 Customer Retention Tips!

Salespeople are wise to focus on their existing customer base to impact success during economic recovery. Competitors are getting creative and aggressive and existing relationships could be up for grabs … unless…you treat your existing clients like new customers. Think about how you treat new customers.

During economic recovery, treat your customers like new customers by trying the following things:

* Conduct a thorough needs-analysis with them to make sure your solutions still are solutions. Their business has likely changed like the rest of the world.

* Find out where they need help and deliver.

* Figure out how your company can better service them – clear billing, better response on customer service issues, etc.

* Bring senior leaders to face-to-face meetings to thank them for their business and show how valuable they are to your company.

* Sincerely thank them for their business.

* Share new ways to solve old and new problems.

*Share industry expertise. Help them be innovative.

* Help them help their customers succeed.

* Learn everything you can about their business – you’ll recognize ways to help them the more you know their business.

* Be attentive, present and part of the team.

* Commit to quarterly business reviews to hold yourself accountable to the results you promised.

* Make sure they know all that you can do for them. (Exercise: Think of 10 things your top customers may not know about your offering that may help them.) Figure out how to share all your services without giving a sales pitch. Your competitors are sharing this information. It’s best to share this information in response to a business need they have.

* Be someone they can’t live without!

Competitors are gunning for your clients. Treat your existing customers like the gold that they are.

How the Health Care Bill Affects Small Business

NEW YORK (Reprinted from CNN Money.com) --

The sweeping health-care bill passed by the House of Representatives Sunday, and now headed for President Obama's desk, promises a sea change in the way that small business owners purchase and provide health insurance for themselves and their employees.

But many of the provisions won't kick in until 2014 -- and the final rules could still be changed by amendments that will now be considered by the Senate.

Thanks to the political maneuvering that followed the Democrats' loss of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, the House passed two separate health care bills. The first was an exact duplicate of the one passed by the Senate in December, enabling the president to sign it into law as soon as this week.

The second, a package of diverse amendments addressing elements of the Senate bill that the House wanted changed, will now be voted on in the Senate under "reconciliation" rules that require only a simple majority.

For small businesses, the effects of the now-passed health reform law include:

* By no later than 2014, states will have to set up Small Business Health Options Programs, or "SHOP Exchanges," where small businesses will be able to pool together to buy insurance. ("Small businesses" are defined as those with no more than 100 employees, though states have the option of limiting pools to companies with 50 or fewer employees through 2016; companies that grow beyond the size limit will also be grandfathered in.)

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the exchanges would ease small business insurance costs, albeit only marginally: premiums in the small-group market are forecast to fall between 1% and 4% under the exchanges, while the amount of coverage would rise by up to 3%.

* For the next four years, until the SHOP Exchanges are set up, businesses with 10 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees earning less than $25,000 a year on average will be eligible for a tax credit of 35% of health insurance costs. (Companies with between 11 and 25 workers and an average wage of up to $50,000 are eligible for partial credits.)

The tax credit will remain in place, increasing to 50% of costs, for the first two years a company buys insurance through its state exchange. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the tax credit will affect about 12% of individuals covered via the small-group insurance market, lowering their cost of insurance by between 8% and 11%.

* Insurers will no longer be able to set rates or exclude coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and can vary premiums only by geographic location, age, and tobacco use.
These restrictions, however, would not kick in until 2014. Going into effect immediately: a ban on lifetime limits on coverage, and on "rescission" (canceling policies already issued) except in cases of fraud.

* Starting in 2014, businesses with more than 50 employees will be required to either offer healthcare coverage or pay a penalty of $750 a year per full-time worker. The coverage offered will also have to meet minimum benefits -- covering both a specific set of services and 60% of employee health costs overall -- or else employers will face additional penalties.

* So-called "Cadillac" plans costing more than $10,200 a year for individuals or $27,500 for family coverage (not counting dental and vision plans) will be subject to a 40% tax on the portion of the cost that exceeds the limit. Though the tax would actually be paid by insurers, it's expected that it would be passed along to plan holders in the form of higher premiums.
Furthermore, if the House amendments approved Sunday pass the Senate intact under the reconciliation process, some other small business provisions will change:

* Part-time employees would be counted toward the 50-employee minimum on pro-rated basis based on hours worked, bringing more small businesses into the group required to provide coverage.

* The $750-per-employee penalty for not providing insurance would rise to $2,000.

* The Cadillac tax would be delayed until 2018 and apply only to the most expensive plans, making it more of a "Maserati" tax, in the words of Kaiser Health News.

* Individuals earning more than $200,000 a year, or couples earning $250,000 or more, would be hit with a 3.8% surcharge on investment income to help pay for the bill.

What's next: For the immediate future, all eyes will likely be on the SHOP Exchanges, which can receive federal aid as soon as next year, though most states probably won't implement them until closer to the 2014 deadline.

"The departments of insurance and the governors' offices and the legislatures will all start thinking about that stuff," said New America Foundation director of health policy Len Nichols in a January interview. "It'll take a while."

Meanwhile, says Nichols, a small business owner "is going to be buying tomorrow in the same market they are today," because the new markets aren't going to be set up until 2014.

A Myriad of Medical Cord & Cord Set Designs!

High Tech Connections provides an entire family of "IN STOCK" and custom-manufactured Hospital-grade and Medical power cords and detachable cord sets.

These products meet the critical standards of "patient care equipment" (see UL section 60601-1).
Hospital-Grade cords all feature the required green dot ID mark on the plug face.

This mark signifies the cord has been specially designed and tested for grounding reliability, assembly integrity, strength, and durability and is fully compliant for use in today's critical hospital and medical instrumentation environments.

Although many clients prefer the plug to be "clear" so internal connections can be visually inspected, gray, black other color options are also offered. All of these cords are UL listed and CSA certified (or, certified cULus). High Tech Connections can produce Hospital-Grade cords in any length and in most popular AWG sizes meeting OEM's specific requirements.

A specially molded Hospital-Grade NEMA 5-15 plug is featured on the supply end. For the equipment end, cords can be custom-stripped to customer's specifications for "hard wiring" or they can be supplied with a molded EN60320 C13 female connector, allowing a detachable option.

Contact your local High Tech Connections sales representative or our sales department on line (sales@hightechcords.com), today with your specific Hospital-Grade cord requirements.

A 12-Step Program to Increased Productivity

by Amber Singleton Riviere.

Productivity can seem so elusive at times. It can be hard to prioritize, manage the workload and stay focused, but with a few simple steps and a good dose of discipline, you can be on your way to more control over your workdays.

1. Plan your exit. Productivity for tomorrow starts today. Set a time to leave the office and stick with it. An hour before that time, have a wrap-up alarm remind you to start wrapping things up for the day, a great tip from organizational and productivity guru Julie Morgenstern in her book, “Never Check E-Mail in the Morning”.

2. Plan tomorrow. Set your intentions and priorities for tomorrow during the last hour of your day so that you hit the ground running.

3. Set your boundaries. At quitting time, turn off the computer (completely off so that you’re not tempted to “quickly” check your email), turn off the light, and shut the door. Don’t return until it’s time to work tomorrow.

4. Honor a bedtime routine. Two or three hours before you want to be asleep, begin a routine of winding down. This will be different for every person, but it might include: no more phone calls or connectivity with the outside world (unless it’s an emergency, of course), no more talk about work, a bath or shower, a cup of hot tea, light reading, journal writing, no television, and lights out at a set time.

5. Start the day off right. Wake up at a set time. Exercise or do yoga for fifteen or twenty minutes, unless you have another workout routine that you prefer. Eat a healthy breakfast (don’t skip this, as it affects your energy levels for the rest of the day). Set out with the right intention for your day by taking care of yourself first.

6. Maintain your boundaries. Don’t immediately go to your office and start checking emails or news feeds. You’ll be at your computer all day. Take some time for yourself and other priorities in your life, or they’re less likely to get done later in the day, especially after work. Have some coffee, write in your journal, read, or go for a walk. Just take some time for yourself before jumping into your work day.

7. Avoid or limit email time. Avoid checking your email right when you go to the office, or if you prefer seeing if anything important is waiting, at least limit your time to fifteen minutes so that it doesn’t distract you from more important tasks. Email is a huge time suck; if you don’t control it, it will control you.

8. Avoid or limit news feeds and social networks. This is another time-suck that easily distracts from other priorities. Set specific times for keeping up with the latest news and updates, and then be diligent about staying away from the distractions.

9. Start with your list. Jump right to your list of intentions and priorities that you jotted down the previous day. You were probably much more focused and honest about what needed your attention when you were planning it out with a clear head. First thing in the morning, it’s easy to want to procrastinate or give too much importance to trivial tasks and to-dos.

10. Check in often. Set yourself an alarm for every hour or two. Don’t let yourself get too far off base from your intention/priority list. If you do get derailed, at least you’ll not lose much time this way.

11. Work in blocks. In a business, it’s easy to have a wide variety of different types of tasks. There might be client work, writing and publishing, and marketing-related tasks to be done. Groups these tasks and complete them in scheduled blocks of time, say two- or three-hour sittings.

12. Stay disciplined. When you finish with a particular type of task, like work for a specific client, don’t pick up that client’s work again until his/her designated time comes back around again. It’s easy to be tempted to do “just one more thing” for a project, especially when clients are emailing feedback and updates throughout the day, but avoid the temptation. Treat all time blocks with equal importance, whether you’re working on client projects or doing lead generation tasks. It’s all important, and if you don’t maintain a balance between current work and future prospects, you’ll experience peaks and valleys with your revenue as well.

It’s not always easy to stay on track. Time flies, distractions can beg for your attention, and deadlines loom, making you feel pulled in one hundred directions and unable to keep up with the demands, but by approaching your work with purpose and discipline, it’s a lot easier to get things done and feel great about what you’ve accomplished.

What steps do you follow each day to stay on track and productive?