Monthly Archives: January 2014

Health care signups: More older Americans so far

Posted on by

Younger people went for President Barack Obama at election time, but will they buy his health insurance?

New government figures show it's an older, costlier crowd that's signing up so far for health insurance under Obama's health care law. Enrollments are lower for the healthy, younger Americans who will be needed to keep premiums from rising.

Young adults from 18 to 34 are only 24 percent of total enrollment, the administration said Monday in its first signup figures broken down for age, gender and other details.

With the HealthCare.gov website now working, the figures cover the more than 2 million Americans who had signed up for government-subsidized private insurance through the end of December in new federal and state markets.

Enrolling young and healthy people is important because they generally pay more into the system than they take out, subsidizing older adults. While 24 percent is not a bad start, say independent experts, it should be closer to 40 percent to help keep premiums down.

Adults ages 55-64 were the most heavily represented in the signups, accounting for 33 percent of the total. Overall, the premiums paid by people in that demographic don't fully cover their medical expenses. Some are in the waiting room for Medicare; that coverage starts at age 65.

The administration and its allies remain confident they'll be able to get young adults interested. Many experts expected older, sicker people to be more heavily represented in the early numbers. Younger people might procrastinate, waiting until the March 31 enrollment deadline is near, weighing whether they want to risk tax penalties for remaining uninsured.

"The dynamic of younger people is that they are going to get educated, they are going to get informed, and they are going to enroll as we get closer to that deadline," said Aaron Smith, founder of Young Invincibles, an advocacy group for young adults.

Insurers, nonprofit groups and advocates are moving ahead with marketing campaigns that were put on hold when the federal website that serves 36 states was struggling.

Administration officials said that in the coming weeks they plan to increase outreach to young people in 25 communities located in states served by the federal website. That effort includes a national youth enrollment day on Feb. 15 and targeted outreach by sororities and fraternities, as well as Voto Latino, which focuses on Hispanic youth.

The rest is here:

Health care signups: More older Americans so far

Sign-ups for health care surge in Michigan

Posted on by

From $1,305 Per Month

2 Bedrooms 1.5 Baths

via Apartments.com

(248) 556-3772

Roommate pricing from $550 each!village park of royal oak apartments in royal oak, mi offers spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for rent with energy-saving windows, updated kitchens and baths and whirlpool appliances including above the range microwaves.royal oak, michigan is a trendy, exciting and fun place to live and so is village park of royal oak apartments, with two convenient locations - one downtown and one near i-696 and i-75. apartment community amenities include a resort-class clubhouse, fitness center and pool with sun deck. our residents tell us they live at village park of royal oak apartments in royal oak, mi because: 1. two unique locations, one less than a mile from downtown royal oak and one less than a mile from i-75 2. resort-class swimming pool and hot tub 3. renovated kitchens including new cabinetry, upgraded whirlpool appliances, new countertops, energy-efficient lighting, above-the-range microwaves and wood vinyl flooring 4. 5,500 square foot multi-million dollar clubhouse with 24-hour fitness center, racquetball court, free wifi, business center and conference room 5. three spacious floor plans, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartment homes 6. walking distance to mark ridley's comedy castle, the royal oak music theater, royal oak farmer's market and much more 7. resident events led by on-site lifestyle director 8. 24-hour maintenance, snow removal and landscape care 9. pet-friendly 10. roommate rewards program which offers 50% off all your fees including security deposit with qualifying credit and roommate forgiveness recipient of the cel and associates a list award for customer service

Here is the original post:

Sign-ups for health care surge in Michigan

Health care enrollment spikes in Utah in December

Posted on by

Health care enrollment spikes in Utah in December

Eds: Updates with details from the breakdown on age, gender and other details.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Enrollment in health care plans on the federal government's website spiked in Utah in December as thousands who previously were stuck in the pipeline got signed up, government figures released Monday show.

About 18,600 people had signed up for plans in Utah by Dec. 28. That's more than 10 times the total at the end of November.

The spike occurred across the country as people scrambled to beat enrollment deadlines. Nearly 2.2 million had signed up nationwide through late December, more than six times the November total.

The online federal marketplace that went live in October was plagued by glitches, leading to a slow start for enrollment.

In addition to those who already have chosen their plans, thousands more in Utah are in the process of getting enrolled. The new federal figures show nearly 32,000 people have completed their applications but have yet to choose a plan. Nationally, 4.3 million people are in the pipeline.

Utah's enrollees are significantly younger than those in most of the rest of the country, according to the administration's breakdowns on those who signed up for government-subsidized private insurance through the federal and state markets.

Twenty-nine percent of Utah residents enrolled are young adults ages 18 to 34. That's a higher percentage than all but two states: Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, which have far fewer total enrollees. Nationally, 24 percent of enrollees come from that age group.

Like the rest of the country, adults ages 55 to 64 were the most heavily represented age group in Utah. But, this age group accounts for just 25 percent of total enrollees in Utah, a lower percentage than every state except Kentucky, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.

Link:

Health care enrollment spikes in Utah in December

Fresno County should keep medical care for undocumented immigrants, advocates say

Posted on by

Health-care advocates Tuesday will urge Fresno County supervisors to oppose ending their medically indigent services program for undocumented immigrants because state-run Medicaid expansion will leave about 5,000 of them without health-care options.

Through the federal Affordable Care Act, about 14,000 of 19,000 residents considered medically indigent would qualify for Medi-Cal. For the rest, there will be no mechanism to pay for their medical costs, advocates said.

Supervisors on Tuesday are being asked to choose a funding formula that redirects revenues based on costs, assumed revenues and medical care savings to meet a state deadline. The advocates will use the discussion as an opportunity to repeat their calls against the county's plan to end funding of indigent health care.

Fresno County is also in court trying to end a 1984 injunction that required it to care for the undocumented immigrants. Its next court hearing is Feb. 26.

Fresno County could have set up a low-income health program for indigent health care, but was California's largest county declining to set up such a program.

With California operating a state-run Medicaid expansion through the federal Affordable Care Act, the state anticipates that counties' costs and responsibilities for the health care services for the indigent population will decrease. That's because most of that population becomes eligible for coverage through Medi-Cal or through the health care exchange.

But, for undocumented immigrants who were previously covered through a county contract with Community Medical Centers in , the medically indigent services program, there is no funding to pay for medical services.

County officials say about 4,500 to 5,000 undocumented people remain uninsured. Health care for the indigent program costs about $5,000 per patient and to continue care for the undocumented would cost about $25 million annually, the county estimates.

It's not too late for the county to ensure care for the undocumented, said Bud Kaicher, health justice organizer for Fresno Faith In Community.

He suggests formation of a local task force to create a safety net for indigent immigrants.

Go here to see the original:

Fresno County should keep medical care for undocumented immigrants, advocates say

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia traced from genetic roots to physical defect

Posted on by

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

13-Jan-2014

Contact: Mary Martialay martim12@rpi.edu 518-276-2146 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, N.Y. A team including researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered that a specific gene may play a major role in the development of a life-threatening birth defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH, which affects approximately one out of every 3,000 live births.

The hallmark of CDH is a rupture of the diaphragm that allows organs found in the lower abdomen, such as the liver, spleen, and intestines, to push their way into the chest cavity. The invading organs crowd the limited space and can lead to abnormal lung and heart development or poor heart and lung function, which, depending on the severity of the condition, can cause disability or death.

In a paper published recently in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, lead authors at the University of Georgia, along with colleagues from the Rensselaer and the University of California at San Diego, demonstrated for the first time that the gene NDST1 plays a significant role in the proper development of the diaphragm, and that abnormal expression of the gene could lead to CDH.

"We now have a really good picture of this abnormality in mice, and we suspect it is very similar in humans," said Fuming Zhang, a research professor in the laboratory of Robert J. Linhardt, the Ann and John H. Broadbent Jr '59 Senior Constellation Professor of Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering, and a member of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer. "What this gives us is a total view, from the genetic level, to the molecular level, to the cellular or tissue level, to something that a physician would see a hernia in a newborn."

The discovery began with the observation that mice bred without the NDST1 gene, which produces the eponymous NDST1 enzyme, are more likely to develop CDH than ordinary mice. The enzyme NDST1 is one of four isoforms a group of molecules that are chemically similar, but show subtle functional differences. In mice lacking the NDST1 gene, and therefore the NDST1 enzyme, nature substitutes with an NDST1 isoform (NDST2, NDST3, and NDST4), but the results like substitutions in cooking are noticeable.

In the absence of NDST1, blood vessels supplying the developing diaphragm muscles formed inconsistently, leading to weak points in the muscle tissues that make them prone to hernia. Researchers knew that the NDST1 enzyme is involved in the synthesis of heparan sulfate, so the group turned to the Linhardt's research team at Rensselaer experts in heparan sulfate and glycosaminoglycan analysis to pinpoint the biochemical basis for the abnormality.

"There are two molecules in the interaction that leads to proper blood vessel formation in the diaphragm NDST1 biosynthesized heparan sulfate and the protein SLIT3," said Zhang. "In order for those interactions to be successful, and for blood vessels to form properly, everything must be accomplished within a specific time frame and having a specific structure. We were able to investigate the interactions between the two."

Read the original post:

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia traced from genetic roots to physical defect

The Dali Thundering Concept – Realism : The Stone Ego Paradox Ft. Hugo (TNB) – Video

Posted on by


The Dali Thundering Concept - Realism : The Stone Ego Paradox Ft. Hugo (TNB)
The Dali Thundering Concept : Futurism - The Prometheus Addiction Ft. Hugo ( The Nation #39;s Breakdown ) ACDM Fest @ l #39;Abordage - Evreux 20/04/2013.

By: TheNationsBreakdown

See the original post here:

The Dali Thundering Concept - Realism : The Stone Ego Paradox Ft. Hugo (TNB) - Video

Your Favorite Futurist Is Wrong

Posted on by

S

Nobody knows the future. This may seem like an obvious statement, but it bears repeating. Nobody knows the future.

Most people can generally accept this idea. But when it comes to our favorite prognosticator, we often put blinders on. Futurism is an imperfect craft in which the most earnest and educated individual must practice a fair amount of hand-wavy illusion building to even begin the process of prediction. When it comes to futurist-minded people that we like, we're more willing to remember their hits and forget their misses.

I've done a few radio interviews this month about Isaac Asimov's 1964 predictions for the world of 2014. Everyone wants to know: was Asimov right or was he wrong? And the answer isn't so simple. Like any vision of the future, even the "accurate" predictions are open to interpretation. And your take on their accuracy probably tracks closely with whether you're a fan of the man and his work.

From Asimov's 1964 New York Times article:

Communications will become sight-sound and you will see as well as hear the person you telephone. The screen can be used not only to see the people you call but also for studying documents and photographs and reading passages from books.

There are a thousand different ways to slice and dice this prediction. On its face, this prediction is spot on. But that assessment comes with the biases any person living here in the early 21st century might bring to the table.

A generous reading of this prediction will say that he predicted Skype-like technology. A more skeptical reading of this prediction will look at the dozens of landline videophone predictions from the 1950s and 60s not to mention the real-world research being done at Bell Labs and conclude that Asimov was simply repeating a common futurist trope. And that by omitting mention of the infrastructure that would deliver sight-sound telephones the internet he really missed the mark.

People have gotten quite defensive about the way that I've analyzed Asimov's predictions. And I understand why. People love Asimov. We're infinitely more forgiving of the people we love, even if we didn't know them personally. That's the nature of fandom.

But I've tried to put Asimov's predictions in the context of the early 1960s, and in so doing have pointed out that his ideas were actually pretty conservative for the time. Conservative, in the sense that he hedges many of his bets with little caveats.

Read the original:

Your Favorite Futurist Is Wrong

Assasins Creed 4 Freedom Cry Dlc Walkthrough(gt210)Part-1 The calm Before The Storm – Video

Posted on by


Assasins Creed 4 Freedom Cry Dlc Walkthrough(gt210)Part-1 The calm Before The Storm
Freedom Cry switches players out of the head of Assassin #39;s Creed IV protagonist Edward Kenway in favor of Adewale, Kenway #39;s former quartermaster, who left th...

By: HRITHIKRAJ1

See more here:

Assasins Creed 4 Freedom Cry Dlc Walkthrough(gt210)Part-1 The calm Before The Storm - Video

Freedom Industries ordered to preserve evidence at site

Posted on by

A judge granted a temporary restraining order Monday to preserve evidence at Freedom Industries, where a chemical leaked into the Elk River.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A judge granted a temporary restraining order Monday to preserve evidence at Freedom Industries, where a chemical leaked into the Elk River.

On Monday, at least 18 lawsuits had been filed against Freedom Industries and West Virginia American Water after a leak Thursday caused the loss of water service to thousands of West Virginians.

The lawsuits, many of which ask to be granted class-action status, have been filed on behalf of businesses forced to shut down during the state of emergency and all West Virginia American Water customers.

The order, signed by Kanawha Circuit Judge James Stucky, will prevent Freedom Industries from further removing possible evidence from its facility.

"Plaintiff will need to inspect defendants' facilities and premises with the aid and advice of appropriate experts. It is appropriate that the subject facilities and premises be in as close a condition as possible to their condition at the time of the chemical spill," the order states.

A hearing will take place at 3 p.m. Jan. 23 to discuss whether the restraining order should continue.

Until then, Freedom Industries must not alter or modify in any manner "any structure, tank, equipment, material or condition of" its facility with the exception of changes necessary for stopping and cleaning up the chemical spill, according to the order.

The company must also keep, among other things, documents relating to any other chemical spill or leak from each of its facilities; documents related to chemical storage policies; warnings and instructions for all chemicals kept in storage tanks at its facilities; policies and procedures for each of its facilities, and any documents generated starting Jan. 8.

The company must also keep any documents and communications between it and West Virginia American Water starting Jan 8.

Go here to read the rest:

Freedom Industries ordered to preserve evidence at site