CalCPA ProtectPlus

If it weren’t a true story, you would have thought that a marketing person with a hand in the world of new media had made it up. Recently, a CalCPA member saw a “tweet” about ProtectPlus, and, wanting to know more, she followed a link to a ProtectPlus blog that gave some background on Group Insurance Trust health plans. She was intrigued enough to follow a link from the blog to the CPA ProtectPlus website (www.cpaprotectplus.com) and found herself thinking that there might be an opportunity to improve her firm’s health plans and reduce premiums. She wasn’t sure, however, if her firm met eligibility requirements, but seeing the linked phrase, “Ask our Sales Manager,” she clicked through, filled out the contact information, and typed in her question.

You’ve already guessed the ending, but the point of the story is to let CalCPA members know—whether or not they are ProtectPlus subscribers—that the Trust has a growing social media presence offering valuable health, medical, and insurance information that you can access at your computer or on your smart phone. At the bottom of the home page on the website, you will find a series of icons with links to our blog (http://cpaprotectplus.com/blog/), Twitter account (www.twitter.com/cpaprotectplus) and Facebook site (www.facebook.com/cpaprotectplus).

ProtectPlus has also created its own popular widget, the Daily Dose, which you can download from the home page. This useful desktop tool delivers top news items that refresh daily, including late-breaking news about health and medicine, stocks, sports, business and finance.

It wouldn’t be quite fair to say that John Phillips was there in the beginning, but as the Group Insurance Trust’s longest-serving member and former Executive Director, he has been intimately involved in the evolution and growth of CalCPA’s insurance program for almost 40 years, including formation of the group health insurance program as a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA).

Phillips joined CalCPA in 1968 shortly after receiving his CPA license. In 1972 he became a member of the Insurance Committee when Jim Kurtz, the long-time CEO of CalCPA, served as its Secretary. The Committee at that time was charged with overseeing all CalCPA-sponsored insurance plans and the Trust. This area of service also fit well with his professional responsibilities at Coopers & Lybrand in San Francisco where he  had become the first employee in what over many years would become a major human resource advisory group. One might say that Phillips was in the right place at the right time in respect to both his job and volunteer service, but that wouldn’t do justice to his enthusiasm for the work that engaged him over his long career. He has always found, he says, the precision of numbers to be “fun” and looked forward to his work every day—31 years with Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) and 10 years as executive director of the Trust.

After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in 1962, serving in the military, and entering the workforce, Phillips soon saw, as he puts it, that “the language of business is accounting.” This insight inspired a return to Cal for an MBA with an accounting emphasis, which he earned in 1966, and then a stint at Golden Gate University at night for an MBA in taxation in 1972. (continue reading…)

From EatingWell:  June/July 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)

Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? Instead, form the burger around the cheese so you can char the meat and safeguard the more delicate flavors. Use any mixture of hard or semi-hard cheeses–Emmentaler and Gouda or Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano also pair well.

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Diabetes appropriate / Low calorie / Low carbohydrate / Low sodium / Healthy weight

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.
2. Combine Cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl.
3. Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.
4. To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they’ll split open and the cheese will ooze out.) To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

• To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Nutrition

Per serving: 250 calories; 15 g fat (7 g sat, 6 g mono); 74 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 164 mg sodium; 264 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (37% daily value), Calcium (15% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Exchanges: 3 1/2 medium-fat meat

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On June 1, 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will begin to enforce a nationwide identity protection law that  hospitals, doctors’ offices and other health care providers need to adhere to. They will be required to develop and implement written policies and procedures that will help identify warning signs or “red flags” that could lead to identity theft of their patients.

The FTC conducted a survey that found that close to 5% of identity theft victims have experienced some form of medical identity theft. The victims could find their benefits exhausted or they may face potentially life-threatening consequences due to inaccuracies in their medical records.

The following is a list provided by the FTC that gives a few warning signs or “red flags” that may be relevant to health care providers:

• Suspicious documents. Has a new patient given you identification documents that look altered or forged? Is the photograph or physical description on the ID inconsistent with what the patient looks like? Did the patient give you other documentation inconsistent with what he or she has told you — for example, an inconsistent date of birth or a chronic medical condition not mentioned elsewhere? Under the Red Flags Rule, you may need to ask for additional information from that patient. 
• Suspicious personally identifying information. If a patient gives you information that doesn’t match what you’ve learned from other sources, it may be a red flag of identity theft. For example, if the patient gives you a home address, birth date, or Social Security number that doesn’t match information on file or from the insurer, fraud could be afoot.  
• Suspicious activities. Is mail returned repeatedly as undeliverable, even though the patient still shows up for appointments? Does a patient complain about receiving a bill for a service that he or she didn’t get? Is there an inconsistency between a physical examination or medical history reported by the patient and the treatment records? These questionable activities may be red flags of identity theft. 
• Notices from victims of identity theft, law enforcement authorities, insurers, or others suggesting possible identity theft. Have you received word about identity theft from another source? Cooperation is key. Heed warnings from others that identity theft may be ongoing.

We should welcome this new rule for health care providers since it is an added measure to protect our identity and to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to our health insurance information and personal medical history. It will help our health care providers to identify red flags in advance and they will  be better equipped to spot suspicious patterns. Overall, we can be assured that our identity is better secured and that the proper steps will be taken to prevent a red flag from escalating into a terrible case of identity theft against us. 

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Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (Show: Giada at Home / Episode: Mother’s Day Brunch)

 Treat Mom to a sweet breakfast on her special day. Best of all, these recipes are so simple you won’t have to ask for her help.

 Baked French Toast with Blueberries

Cook time: 45 minutes / Yield: 4-6 servings / Level: Easy

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup maple syrup, plus extra for serving
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 (1-inch thick) slices (8 ounces) day-old challah or sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups (12 ounces) fresh or frozen, thawed, and drained blueberries
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions

Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest. Add the bread cubes and mix until coated. Stir in the blueberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the egg mixture in an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set.

Spoon onto serving plates and drizzle with maple syrup.

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Citrus Cream Smoothie

Cook time: 5 minutes / Yield: 6 (8 ounce) servings / Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups orange juice
• 2 medium bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest (from 1 large orange)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup ice

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes.

Pour the cooled syrup into a blender. Add the yogurt, orange juice, bananas, orange zest, vanilla extract, and ice. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

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When an elderly family member became ill and was hospitalized, I realized that not knowing the medications that she was taking, was a real problem. My solution was to literally bring the doctors a large bowl containing all of her medications so that they could enter the information into her medical record. The doctors asked questions including her blood type and drug allergies and I had no answers. Although she recovered, this experience brought to my attention just how important it is to have a personal health record for each and every family member.

A personal health record, or PHR,  is a health record that that you keep for yourself and your loved ones. Your health records are in different places and possibly with many different providers – some information may even be stored online. You can simplify life by putting together a health record that will give you peace of mind and provide healthcare professionals with a complete and accurate summary of your health and medical history. You can do this by gathering the following information: 

• personal identification, including name and birth date
• emergency contact(s)
• names, addresses, and phone numbers of your physician, dentist, and specialists
• health insurance information
• living wills, advance directives, or medical power of attorney
• organ donor authorization
• allergies
• allergic reactions to medications (including latex)
• medications (dose and how often taken)
• over the counter medications and herbal remedies (dose and how often taken)
• family health history (hereditary illnesses)
• blood type
• hospitalizations
• significant illnesses (dates they occurred)
• surgeries (dates they occurred)
• vaccinations (dates they were received)
• test results from lab work performed
• physical exam records
• eye and dental records
• dietary habits
• exercise routines
• track past and present health conditions
• any other changes in your health (continue reading…)

The following information is from the Department of Labor’s website and is full of valuable information for all of us!

The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) administers several important health benefit laws covering employer-based health plans. They govern your basic rights to information about how your health plan works, how to qualify for benefits, and how to make claims for benefits. In addition, there are specific laws protecting your right to health benefits when you lose coverage or change jobs. EBSA oversees health care laws covering special medical conditions. For more information on the laws that protect your benefits, see EBSA’s Web site at www.dol.gov/ebsa. Or, call the agency’s toll-free help line at 1.866.444.3272 to reach a regional office near you. These 10 tips can help make your health benefits work better for you.

Realize that Your Options are Important

There are many different types of health benefit plans. Find out which one your employer offers, then check out the plan, or plans, offered. Your employer’s human resource office, the health plan administrator, or your union can provide information to help you match your needs and preferences with the available plans. If your employer offers a high deductible health plan, look into setting up a Health Savings Account to save money for future medical expenses on a tax-free basis. The more information you have, the better your health care decisions will be.

Review the Benefits Available

Do the plans offered cover preventive care, well-baby care, vision or dental care? Are there deductibles? Answers to these questions can help determine the out-of-pocket expenses you may face. Matching your needs and those of your family members will result in the best possible benefits. Cheapest may not always be best. Your goal is high quality health benefits.

Read Your Plan’s Summary Plan Description (SPD) for the Wealth of Information It Provides

Your health plan administrator should provide a copy. It outlines your benefits and your legal rights under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal law that protects your health benefits. It should contain information about the coverage of dependents, what services will require a co-pay, and the circumstances under which your employer can change or terminate a health benefits plan. Save the SPD and all other health plan brochures and documents, along with memos or correspondence from your employer relating to health benefits. (continue reading…)

 Before we go to bed tomorrow night we need to remember to set our clocks one hour ahead. Daylight saving time officially begins at 2 a.m. on March 14th. Each Spring we move our clocks one hour ahead (“Spring forward”) which means we lose an hour during the night. This occurs on the second Sunday in March at 2 a.m.when we move one hour ahead of Standard Time. We do this again in the Fall on the first Sunday in November at 2 a.m. and we set our clocks back one hour and return to Standard Time which means we gain an extra hour.  

Daylight Saving Time was first seen in the United States during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of longer hours of daylight between April and October. It came up again during World War II and the government required the states to observe the time change. During the wars and the years following, some states and communities chose to observe Daylight Saving Time and others did not. In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act and that set the standard of the length of Daylight Saving Time.

Since 2007, Daylight Saving Time is four weeks longer than it had been over the past decades due to the passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005. The intent of this Act was to save 10,000 barrels of oil daily because of the reduced use of power by businesses during the day.

If you live in Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, those areas don’t observe Daylight Saving Time and therefore, won’t be loosing any sleep!

TIP:  This is also the perfect time to check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

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Approximately 3 months before your 65th birthday you will receive a letter from Banyan Administrators, LLC outlining your options. ProtectPlus is not a Medicare supplement and in most cases we do not recommend maintaining your ProtectPlus coverage once you are eligible for Medicare. However, factors that may affect your decision include: the size of your firm, whether or not you have a younger spouse and/or dependent children and when you plan to retire. You may contact Banyan Administrators, LLC  at 877-480-7923 to discuss your options.

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It is hard to keep up with all of the immunizations that your child(ren) should have. This is a great tool provided by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov). All you need to do is simply put your child’s birth date  in and it automatically shows you the types of vaccines and the dosage, what that vaccine protects against, the recommended vaccination date, and then the spot where you can put in the date the vaccination was given. [Check it out!]

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Many of us often have concerns about whether or not it is safe to take certain medications while taking other prescription or over-the-counter drugs. The effects of drug interactions may cause unexpected side effects such as allergies, heart palpitations or dizziness. It can make your other medication(s) less effective or it can also increase the effects of your medication(s) which can be harmful to your health – even life threatening.

You should make it a habit to read the label of prescription and over-the-counter medications – often times there are warnings of other medications that should not be taken at the same time. It is important that you learn about drug interactions which may be critical to your health and by having this knowledge you can reduce the risk of potentially harmful interactions and its side effects.

Anthem Blue Cross offers a great tool that allows you to search  for information on thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications. [Click here to check it out.] Of course, this is an online tool that can help you get some general information - but you should always check with your doctor and pharmacist for detailed information and instructions. Make sure to them all of the medications you are taking – even vitamins and herbal supplements since those can interact with medications as well. Some people have more than one doctor, so remember to always inform them of what medications you are taking, or better yet, bring the bottle to the appointment. That way they can see the exact information including the dosage you are taking. These are very simple precautions that we can take to insure ourselves a healthier life!

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Hospice is an agency or organization primarily engaged in providing palliative care (pain control and symptom relief) to terminally ill persons and supportive care to those persons and their families to help them cope with terminal illness. This care may be provided in the home or on an inpatient basis. A hospice must be: (i) certified by Medicare as a hospice; (ii) recognized by Medicare as a hospice demonstration site; or (iii) accredited as a hospice by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. A list of hospices meeting these criteria is available upon request.

The following information is from Medicare.gov.

Question: Will my Medicare Part B premium increase in 2010?

Answer:  Most Medicare beneficiaries will continue to pay the same $96.40 Part B premium amount in 2010. Beneficiaries who currently have the Social Security Administration (SSA) withhold their Part B premium and have incomes of $85,000 or less (or $170,000 or less for joint filers) will not have an increase in their Part B premium for 2010.

For all others, the standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $110.50 in 2010, which is a 15% increase over the 2009 premium. The Medicare Part B premium is increasing in 2010 due to possible increases in Part B costs.  If your income is above $85,000 (single) or $170,000 (married couple), then your Medicare Part B premium may be higher than $110.50 per month.  In 2010:

• New Part B beneficiaries will pay $110.50 (because they did not have the premium withheld from their Social Security benefit in the previous year).
• Beneficiaries who do not currently have the Part B premium withheld from their Social Security benefit will pay $110.50.
• Higher-income beneficiaries pay $110.50 plus an additional amount,  based on the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA).

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The Super Bowl is the second biggest day for food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving! Super Bowl menus are full of salt, sugar, fat and all the other bad things you can think of. But oh…they are so good right? “It’s only one day”, you may say. But you can actually put  on five pounds in one day of eating fattening foods…the types of foods that may be at that Super Bowl party you are going to this Sunday.

I heard this following information on the radio the other day looked it up on Dietdetective.com. It really put things into perspective and may make you think twice before taking that next bite!

• 1/2 A DIGIORNO PIZZA CHEESE STUFFED CRUST LIMITED EDITION BACON/SAUSAGE/PEPPERONI = 299 TOUCHDOWN DANCES IN THE END ZONE

That’s 975 calories per half.  Each dance should last for 15 to 20 seconds.

Fit Tip: There are frozen and delivery pizza choices with a lot fewer calories. If you choose thin crust and avoid meats and extra cheese you can drop the calories down to about 720 for half a 12-inch pizza.

• SIX T.G.I. FRIDAY’S LOADED POTATO SKINS = DOING “THE WAVE” 6,389 TIMES

Each potato skin (half a potato) is 218 calories. That’s a lot when you consider that an entire potato is 160 calories. But these potato skins are deep fried and topped with cheese, bacon and even sour cream.

Fit Tip: These are so easy to make yourself. Microwave the potato, then cut it in half and put it in the toaster oven with some cooking spray.

• LARGE MEATBALL SUB FROM QUIZNOS = CLIMBING THE STADIUM STAIRS FOR 109 MINUTES

It has meatballs, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce on a hero roll, adding up to 1,020 calories.

Fit Tip: How about turkey meatballs (made with breast meat), low-fat mozzarella and a whole-grain hero.

• 6 KFC HONEY BARBECUE WINGS WITH DIPPING SAUCE = PLAYING PRO FOOTBALL FOR 59 MINUTES

Keep in mind, this is 59 minutes of actual playing time — standing on the sidelines or in the huddle doesn’t count. Each wing has 90 calories, and the dipping sauce is about 50 calories per container.

Fit Tip: You can certainly make your own chicken wings. Go skinless and bake instead of deep frying them.

• ONE PINT OF BEN & JERRY’S CHUBBY HUBBY ICE CREAM = CLEANING THE STADIUM AFTER THE GAME FOR 322 MINUTES

That’s almost 5 1/2 hours of cleaning — no breaks. And yes, that pint has 1,320 calories.

Fit Tip: There are so many very tasty low-calorie ice creams. For instance, Breyers All-Natural Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry is 110 calories per 1/2 cup or 440 calories for a pint, so you save nearly 900 calories. (continue reading…)

The following information is from IRS.gov and is very beneficial to those who have an HSA account.

You may enjoy several benefits from having an HSA. Here are some of the benefits:

• You can claim a tax deduction for contributions you, or someone other than your employer, make to your HSA even if you do not itemize your deductions on Form 1040.
• Contributions to your HSA made by your employer (including contributions made through a cafeteria plan) may be excluded from your gross income.
• The contributions remain in your account from year to year until you use them.
• The interest or other earnings on the assets in the account are tax free.
• Distributions may be tax free if you pay qualified medical expenses. See qualified medical expenses below.
• An HSA is “portable” so it stays with you if you change employers or leave the work force.

Qualified medical expenses.  Qualified medical expenses are those expenses that would generally qualify for the medical and dental expenses deduction. However, even though non-prescription medicines (other than insulin) do not qualify for the medical and dental expenses deduction, they do qualify as expenses for HSA purposes. (continue reading…)

Omega 3s are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acids. There are three types of omega 3 essential fatty acids and your body benefits greatly by having all of these omega 3s to help perform different functions. The three types of omega 3s are:

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): EPA is usually found in fish and fish oil.
• Docosahexanoic Acid (DHA): DHA is important to your body, and is also found mainly in fish.
• Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA): ALA is found mostly in seeds, vegetable oils, and leafy green vegetables. It is converted into EPA and then into DHA in your body.

Omega 3s are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acids and they are found in various foods such as oily fish – mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon. It is important to keep in mind that fish can be contaminated with mercury and PCBs, so make sure that you choose safe types of fish. Omega 3 can also be found in non-fish sources as well and those would include fortified foods such as eggs, bread, juice, dark green vegetables, walnuts and flax-seed oils.

While there are three types of omega 3s, there has been special attention brought to the omega 3 fish oil in medical news reports over the past few years.  The reports say that you should take fish oil if you are pregnant, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, if you have a bad heart, and the list goes on. Here are some things studies have shown:

• It has been found that omega 3 helps to lower triglycerides, which are know to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, by 20% to 50%.
• Fish oils have been shown to help lower cases of high blood pressure due to cardiovascular disease.
• It helps to reduce high cholesterol.
• Several studies report that in people with a history of heart attack, that regularly eat oily fish or take fish oil supplements reduce the risk of heart rhythm problems, heart attack, and sudden death. A large Japanese study showed 19% fewer heart-related events (like a heart attack) in adults taking a fish oil supplement plus a statin drug, compared with those taking only a statin. (Statins are drugs that lower cholesterol levels in people with or at risk of cardiovascular disease).
• Fish oils with omega 3 help to prevent blood clots, help stimulate your blood circulation and help you to avoid issues such as varicose veins.
• Many studies have shown that fish oils improve your brain function.
• A lack of omega 3 has been linked to depression - fish oils are known to benefit you greatly if you suffer from depression.
• Taking fish oil with omega 3 while pregnant may help the baby with brain development, form the retinas and helps develop the nervous system. My doctor had me take flax-seed oil and fish oil with omega 3. It is key to the well-being and healthy development of the baby while in the womb.

If you are not taking fish oil with omega 3, you may want to think about doing so…especially if you are suffering from any of the above conditions. Fish oil with omega 3 now comes in prescription form. If you buy it over the counter, however, remember that  fish oil comes from real fish and mercury content is something to consider – stick with a name brand and ask your doctor what they would recommend for you. Remember to always check with your doctor before using supplements because some can interact with other drugs you take. Some women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take supplements other than prenatal vitamins unless their doctor recommends them to.                            

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