Seven Big Companies Working To Help Americans Sign Up For Obamacare
Posted by Michelle Moquin on October 7th, 2013
Good morning!
We read a lot about big business doing bad. And I post much of it here. But when I read about companies that do something good, I want to give them blog time too. Especially when it comes to supporting Obama, because Obama is about supporting all of us.
I have stopped doing business with companies because their political values and views don’t match up with mine. And…I will continue to support those companies whose does. Here are seven big companies that are working to help Americans sign up for Obamacare, that I want to recognize this morning.
From Think Progress:
Seven Big Companies Working To Help Americans Sign Up For Obamacare
BY TARA CULP-RESSLER ON OCTOBER 7, 2013 AT 11:01 AM
Now that Obamacare’s new insurance marketplaces are open to the public, some uninsured Americans are eager to sign up. However, many others likely remain confused about their options under health reform, particularly as Obamacare continues to get caught in the political crossfire. In order to bridge the education gap about the health law, advocates are ramping up their enrollment efforts in creative ways. For instance, you can now text ENROLL to Planned Parenthood to receive information about health reform.
But nonprofit and government groups can’t do it all on their own. Here are seven large companies that are currently joining in on the effort and helping to spread the word about the new insurance options available under Obamacare:
1. Trader Joe’s
CREDIT: RICHARD B. LEVINE/NEWSCOMLast month, Trader Joe’s announced that it was dropping coverage for its part-time employees working less than 30 hours a week — a move that Obamacare critics were quick to interpret as a sign that the health reform law puts too much of a burden on big companies. But the grocery chain actually decided to eliminate part-time benefits because the options under Obamacare are more generous than the plans the company had been offering. And now, it’s encouraging part-time employees to sign up for a plan on Obamacare’s newly-open insurance marketplaces. An internal memo provided to the Huffington Post last week encourages workers to figure out what a plan under Obamacare would cost for them, and suggests that Trader Joe’s may help offset the cost even further by covering part of that premium.
2. TurboTax
CREDIT: TURBOTAXTurboTax, one of the most popular tax preparation software packages in the country, is helping to spread the news about what Obamacare’s new insurance marketplaces may mean for their customers’ finances. The front page of its website currently displays a section about “how the new health reform law affects you,” and directs people to get more information about the federal subsidies available to help them buy insurance. Last week, TurboTax sent an email to its customers entitled “Health Care Reform & Your Taxes” that includes a link to TurboTax’s “Health Care Eligibility Calculator,” which helps people figure out what their subsidy will be if they want to enroll in one of Obamacare’s new plans.
3. CVS
CREDIT: CVSIt makes sense that pharmacies would be invested in promoting big changes in the health insurance industry. “Families throughout our country look to their pharmacy as a place they can go to for honest, straightforward advice they can trust,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius noted in a blog post last month. That’s exactly why CVS officials are promoting Obamacare in 7,400 of their U.S. stores to teach uninsured Americans more about their options for getting coverage. The pharmacy chain will also invite “navigators,” the employees trained to help Americans enroll in Obamacare plans, into their stores to connect with people who need insurance. And CVS is currently prominently displaying brochures entitled “Affordable Care Act Answers” that answer common questions about health reform.
4. Walgreens
CREDIT: WALGREENSIn July, Walgreens announced that it would partner with Blue Cross Blue Shield, one of the largest health insurance companies in the country, to promote Obamacare. The two companies launched a new website to answer customers’ questions about the health reform law. Walgreens will also have informational materials about health reform available in each of its 8,000 stores.
5. Rite Aid
CREDIT: RITE AIDLast month, Rite Aid became the third large pharmacy chain to agree to publicize the changes under the health reform law. The company is hosting licensed insurance agents, who are available to help people sign up for Obamacare at no additional cost to them, at 2,000 of its stores across the country. It’s not necessary to make an appointment to meet with the agents, who have received “specific training” to offer guidance on Obamacare. They’ll be able to answer questions about Obamacare’s insurance marketplaces as well as Medicaid eligibility in the states that have opted to expand the program.
6. WebMD
CREDIT: WEBMDWebMD, the largest online health website in the country, released a consumer guide to Obamacare in August. “WebMD has more than a decade of expertise in providing health insurance information. The Health Care Reform Center builds on this expertise at a time when there is an immense need for trusted, objective information about complex legislation,” the company’s interim CEO David Schlanger explained at the time. Now, on the front page of its site, WebMD is prominently displaying a widget that gives Americans more information about the health reform options in their state. “Learn about plans, benefits, and costs in your state’s Marketplace,” the site notes.
7. Giant Food
CREDIT: DAN GLEITER/THE PATRIOT-NEWSGiant has partnered with Maryland’s state-run insurance marketplace, Maryland Health Connection, to help spread the word about Obamacare. The grocery chain is displaying information about the plans on the state’s new marketplace in 100 of its stores. The company will also work with Maryland Health Connection to plan outreach events, like enrollment fairs to help Giant customers sign up for Obamacare plans with the help of a navigator. Maryland has been particularly creative about promoting Obamacare, and is also partnering with the Baltimore Ravens to publicize health reform.
*****
Readers: I don’t claim to know all of these companies political positions, but I am delighted that they are making an effort to help people sign up for Obamacare. And…I am going to assume that the information that is given about Obamacare is accurate. However, if you have any doubts, that what you are being told doesn’t sound right, you can always click here to be sent to the US Dept of Health and Human Services or check out the Affordable Care Act (ACA) official website: Healthcare.gov.
If you have anything to add, blog me.
Trish: I try to comment to as many readers as I can. Sometimes it may take me a few days…Life is very busy and challenging but no different from anyone else who has many passions in their life. As far as coming on set, I will handle your request when I know more about when your party would be available to come on the set and the set’s requirements for a visit. Please keep me posted!
Howie: Nice to see you here “flapping” again. And I agree with you, ZL is one of the reasons why this blog is special! And as readers have stated, you are too.
Robert, RT.: Thank you for posting the video. I didn’t even mention yesterday about Prop 37 and it not passing in California, which was vital for those that wanted to know what is in our food. And we have the right to know. Reading labels is not going to help much if we can’t read if we are eating GMOs or not. And like so many of us, I want to know. This topic is not dead in the water but if we don’t do something about it, we all will be dead.
Nikki: Thank you.
PeAceE Out
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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October 7th, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Thank you, Howie, and yes everyone I am one amongst many, I have no ego about being the one and only or named first etc…, we all gain from each others differences here, that’s the thing I enjoy most, I always learn something or at least see things from a different perspective, and I love that kind of life experience, here or live.
Howie, I didn’t think you forgot about me : ) as I never forget about you no matter how much time passes. It’s just that way, friend.
I hope Monsanta chokes on its own GMO food.
And I hope some all-about-me-n-mine re-smug-nicans will see that just bc they have great health care that it’s time to assist others.
Luv, Zen Lill
October 7th, 2013 at 11:45 pm
Let’s hope more join the bandwagon.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:22 am
I just saw a report from a potential whistle blower who works for Memmen, a company that makes underarm deodorants. THIS IS HUGE!
She/he was checking the connection that science has that the active ingredient in their deodorant ALUMINUM ZIRCONIUM TETRACHLOHYDREX http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-the-dangers-of-aluminum-zirconium.htm
contributes toward causing diseases.
The result was that it was directly responsible for so many diseases in the body that they shut down the study and forbade any of the scientists to keep any of the information or to speak of it under threat of lawsuits.
They sent a team in to collect and destroy all the data.
DO NOT PURCHASE ANY DEODORANTS THAT HAVE ALUMINUM ZIRCONIUM in their products.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:45 am
It is insane but this position I used to be in http://economy.money.cnn.com/2013/03/08/wealth-video/
has gotten twice as good. I am embarrassed to be making this much money. What do you think will have to occur for the people of the USA to wake up?
October 8th, 2013 at 7:22 am
The Prescription That’s More Important Than Some Pill
My pal Alan’s blood pressure is creeping up, and his doctor has told him that he needs more exercise, less stress and less salt.
Alan says he’d rather just take blood pressure medication. His wife, Marie, is quite overweight. She ignores the healthy eating plan the doctor tailored for her and instead keeps asking for diet pills.
Alan and Marie complained to me, “Why won’t our doctor just give us the prescriptions we need?”
I answered, “Your doctor has given you the prescriptions you need. He has prescribed specific lifestyle changes, but you’re not complying with the treatment.”
My friends got a little huffy then. “Just because we don’t follow every one of the doctor’s suggestions doesn’t mean we’re bad patients. When he gives us pills, we always take them,” Alan said.
And there’s the problem in a nutshell. Too many people think that a prescription means drugs, the supposedly quick and easy fix…and that the more difficult lifestyle stuff is just a suggestion.
That is ass-ackward! In most cases, the most important prescriptions doctors give are the ones for therapeutic lifestyle changes, or TLC (an apt acronym)—to eat healthfully, exercise regularly, lose weight, quit smoking, cut back on alcohol, reduce stress, get more sleep and so forth.
Yet what do patients take more seriously? Prescriptions for drugs—even though relying on drugs can lead to a world of hurt. Here’s why…
Many drugs merely mask symptoms rather than fix the underlying problem…and many drugs work less efficiently over time. As a result, you wind up sicker and sicker despite “taking your medicine.”
All drugs have potential side effects, some of which can be quite serious or even deadly.
The more medications you take, the greater the danger that they will interact negatively with each other.
Certain medications can cause diseases that are worse than the condition they’re treating—diseases such as dementia, diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
What’s more, drugs often don’t work nearly as well as TLC. For instance, a major study called the Diabetes Prevention Program showed that losing a modest amount of weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity was much more effective in preventing diabetes in high-risk people than taking the popular drug metformin.
Why is TLC so effective? “Lifestyle changes have been shown to alter ‘genetic expression,’ meaning the way that cells function and replicate.
You are actually improving your resilience permanently, with no negative side effects whatsoever,” said Andrew L. Rubman, ND, contributing medical editor for Daily Health News.
Dr. Rubman bristles when he hears people talk about getting “suggestions” from their doctors. “You get ‘suggestions’ from friends and health-food store clerks.
You get ‘advice’ from nonphysician health-care providers, such as nurses and pharmacists. But what you get from your physician is a ‘prescription,’ whether or not that prescription involves a drug.”
Here’s how to get motivated to add more TLC to your daily life…
The next time your doctor prescribes a lifestyle change, ask him/her to explain why it is necessary…what benefits you can expect…and how you can best implement this particular TLC.
The more thoroughly you understand the prescription, the better your odds of sticking with it.
Example:
A Swedish study found that heart disease patients were significantly more likely to comply with healthy lifestyle recommendations if they fully understood the risks associated with their illness.
Ask your doctor to actually write out a prescription for TLC. In your mind, this helps give the matter as much importance as a medication prescription has.
Post the TLC prescription prominently (for instance, on your fridge or bathroom mirror) as a daily reminder. This idea of written TLC prescriptions is spreading across the country—for instance, doctors at New York City’s Lincoln Medical Center are now writing prescriptions for fruits and vegetables.
Breaking a bad habit or establishing a good one is much easier if you create an environment that encourages positive change.
Examples:
Get an exercise buddy (so it’s harder to skip workouts)…don’t bring unhealthful foods into the house (so you won’t have to rely on willpower to resist them when temptation strikes).
For more ideas, read How to Break a Bad Habit for Good…Retrain Your Brain—and Break Free from the Patterns That are Holding You Back…The Five ‘Ds’ That’ll Help You Quit a Bad Habit…and #1 Way to Stick to a Healthier Habit. Remember, your body deserves some TLC!
Source: Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and medical director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut, and contributing medical editor for Bottom Line’s Daily Health News. SouthburyClinic.com
October 8th, 2013 at 8:11 am
Hafa Adai:
Those of you that are into hunting and have persuaded the Div. of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources to give you hunting licenses to kill deer for the opening season should read this and consider your obligations to the Island.
==================
By maintaining and celebrating that ancient connection between man and nature, responsible hunters in Guam have a special understanding of what it means to respect the jungle.
With the start of a new deer season upon us, hunters have the opportunity to play an important part in managing the deer population on the island while protecting the ecosystem.
Stewards of the land
According to Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources biologist Jeffrey Quitugua, hunting in Guam is important because it supports farmers and landowners. Hunting is an effective way to reduce the number of non-native species on the island that degrade crops and forests.
Avid hunter John C. Borja serves as chief of the Agricultural Development Services Division of the Department of Agriculture. In his free time, he provides depredation assistance to farmers throughout Guam by helping them control destructive deer and pig populations on their land.
Borja never loses sight of the impact he and other hunters have on the environment. When asked about his main priorities while hunting, Borja emphasized the importance of preserving the forest.
“Whatever you bring into the jungle, bring it back out. Be a good conservationist,” said Borja.
According to the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, the rule of thumb is to always pack out trash and other items you bring on a hunt, as well as treading carefully through the forest to minimize your impact and avoid destroying plant life.
As part of his conservationist philosophy, Borja typically uses the entirety of his kill. Even the skull and head of the animal can be used, whether for trophies, or in recipes.
“In Chamorro tradition, the whole deer is not wasted. Everything is of value,” he said.
Another responsibility hunters have is to pass their legacy on to younger generations in a way that encourages safe hunting practices.
“Bring your children up to appreciate the traditions and the culture and the heritage of hunting. You have to respect the jungle,” said Borja.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:18 am
NO OBAMACARE actually MEANS (for the GetObamaParty)
no insurance to those with pre existing conditions
no keeping children on your policy until 26
no elimination of lifetime caps
no preventing insurance companies of dropping you when you are sick
we all continue to cover 40 billion of unpaid medical bills with higher costs
no rapid appeals in emergency medical situations
no consumer rebates if your health insurer spends less than 80% of premium dollars on care no minimal level of coverage continue to be the ONLY western democracy where more than half of BK’s are due medical bills even for those with insurance
October 8th, 2013 at 8:19 am
I’ve sold life and health insurance of over 14 years. I’m getting my certification to sell insurance on the Federally Facilitated Marketplace.
This is a confusing endeavor for me. I fear the actions of the “Navigators.” I’m an experienced insurance professional. These people are part-timers.
I’m a insurance agent. I’m not a community organizer.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:19 am
Once it is implemented and it is effective just waith for the right wing frauds to start telling you they
were actually for it……..
October 8th, 2013 at 8:20 am
The law is bad for America. Americans know it too. Why else is Obama trying to sell us on a law that already passed?
October 8th, 2013 at 8:22 am
The answer is simple, allow insurance companies to sell across state lines, under state and federal laws, each insurance company can buy the pool of risk (people they want to insure ) and the rates for insurance will be driven down.
Today we have state lines prohibiting the sale of insurance across state lines, what is up with that. the fed allows securities to be sold across state lines, why not insurance.
Tell your congressional leaders to quit getting in bed with the big insurance companies, and draft a law to sell policies across state lines, wanna see a drop in premiums, they will fall like a rock.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:25 am
As I reflect on the family violence situation on Guam, I am reminded of the numerous innocent victims who are directly affected both physically and emotionally within our island community.
In combating family violence, we must all take ownership of this community problem and collectively work toward this silently growing epidemic. We can no longer afford to deafen our ears and hope that the cries of these victims go away.
By working together and challenging the attitudes and behaviors that allow family violence to occur, we will reduce the frequency of family violence.
I have always believed in everyone’s right to live free from family violence, and the community’s responsibility to hold these perpetrators accountable and encourage behavioral change.
I have supported the introduction and passage of tougher laws and resolutions that increased penalties on those who commit family violence. In the 32nd Guam Legislature, the passage of two critical public laws and a resolution have been considered that serve as a deterrence of family violence:
• Public Law 32-17 (which strengths the penalties for crimes on family violence);
• Public Law 32-49 (the “three-strikes” provision for habitual offenders of serious crimes); and
• Resolution 33-32 (urging Congress to pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act).
In 2012 alone, the Guam Police Department reported 424 violent crimes/family-violence-related arrests; the Guam courts reported 388 combined cases of felony and misdemeanor family violence, 100 combined cases of felony and misdemeanor criminal sexual conduct, and 137 protection orders filed. These unbelievable numbers amounted to 625 newly opened and active cases last year.
In the same year, Alee Shelter, the Department of Corrections’ Parole Services Division, Erica’s House, GPD’s Victims Assessment Unit, Public Defender Service Corporation, the Office of the Attorney General’s Victim Witness Ayuda Services, the Judiciary of Guam, and the Victims Advocates Reaching Out provided 1,177 victims with direct services and referrals to other service providers.
Numerous additional service providers continue to support victims of family violence, these include:
• STOP Violence Against Women;
• faith-based organizations;
• Catholic Social Service;
• Andersen Family Support Services;
• Fleet and Family Support Services;
• the AG’s Crime Victim Response Unit;
• the Department of Education;
• Healing Hearts Crisis Center;
• the Department of Youth Affairs; and
• Sanctuary.
The incredible effort, compassion and untiring dedication of these volunteers, professionals and organizations in supporting victims of family violence deserve special recognition and support by our community.
With the staggering numbers presented above, tougher laws may contribute toward reducing family violence, but they have not prevented it altogether. Thus, we, as an island community must reinforce the work and effort that the many volunteers and service providers extend to victims.
We must unite to eliminate family violence, actively educate our community about family violence, report family violence and support victims of family violence.
Let us work together as an island family and move toward zero tolerance on family violence.
Frank B. Aguon, Jr. is a senator in the 32nd Guam Legislature and chairs its Committee on Guam U.S. Military Relocation, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and Judiciary.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:34 am
Do you own a firearm?
If so, then you need to see >THISHERE< now.
David Morris
TacticalAndPreparednessSolutions.com
October 8th, 2013 at 8:53 am
After reading hundreds of online comments approving the acquittal of George Zimmerman (a killing which many posters have blamed on the person who got killed) I conclude that a certain element of US society thinks that the self-defense defense declares open season on young black males. And the first thing they all say is “This has nothing to do with race”.
October 9th, 2013 at 4:41 am
Anonymous #14, Where did that come from nigger? or Nigger lover. The nigger is dead. Get over it.