New Life Agency, Inc. today announced that it has added Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles to its Assisted Reproduction Insurance Program® (ARI) preferred provider network. Together, with Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles and The Diamond Institute IVF Center-New York, ARI continues to offer some of the best financial solutions in the country for the ever-rising costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, procedures and fertility medications to patients suffering from infertility.
ARI provides negotiated contract rates with board-certified obstetrics, gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility physicians to insure patients' fertility treatments, complications and provide full maternity insurance. ARI combines insurance coverage with a fertility medication discount plan that can save Pacific Fertility Center's patients more than 50 percent on the cost of standard services, totaling thousands of dollars over the average treatment term. In addition, the program offers hundreds of dollars in discounts on fertility medications through Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. The innovative program goes beyond the traditional IVF shared risk program offered by some IVF centers by aggregating the cost of consultations, testing, complication insurance, IVF treatments, surgical treatments and medications to offer additional savings.
Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles was founded more than 10 years ago by the team that pioneered the nation's first private in vitro fertilization center. Since that time, Pacific Fertility Center's physicians have introduced a number of innovations in the treatment of infertility, and have been at the forefront in defining standards of care and accountability. The sole owner, medical director and world renowned reproductive endocrinologist, Vick Sahakian, MD, along with his colleagues, pioneered one of the most revolutionary financial programs in modern medicine where the doctor was willing to assume risk. Today, by joining The ARI Program, the insurer, the physician and the fertility medication is sharing the risk in treating women with infertility. Dr. Sahakian has performed over 6,000 IVF procedures and is responsible for the birth of more than 4,000 babies worldwide.
The ARI Program offers multiple plan choices, according to the IVF physician utilized within the preferred provider network for individual fertility needs allowing the patient to move through their process to pregnancy fully aware of the total out of pocket cost. If pregnancy is not achieved, the program offers refunds and credits during the 18-month enrollment term.
New Life leveraged its industry-leading insurance offerings as a Lloyd's of London Broker along with its own licensed, third-party administration company, New World Administrators, Inc. to forge the unique preferred provider contracted network solely with infertility doctors and facilities/centers.
Trish Taylor, president of New Life Agency, announced, "Our growing success with Assisted Reproduction Insurance Programs like ARI is a testament to healthcare reform today. People who have no infertility insurance or limited coverage now have options. Patients facing infertility issues need insurance when this risk occurs. New Life Agency is committed to help control infertility costs and fill the gap traditional insurances don't provide. We are honored to have such an innovative leader and doctor as Vick Sahakian join our network. Our commitment to work together will help patients lower their risk and stress so they may concentrate on what matters most, creating their family."
Vick, Sahakian, MD, owner and medical director of The Pacific Fertility Center-LA said today, "The ARI program continues my efforts to forever change the way we practice medicine in the field of reproductive sciences."
Enyde Polesuk, vice president of product development, fertility services, for Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy added, "Our goal is to offer personalized fertility pharmacy services along with the best possible support for these very specialized pharmacy needs. We're pleased to be a part of this first-of-its-kind cost solution and look forward to making our services more accessible than ever for hopeful parents-to-be."
Thursday, January 27, 2011
MassMutual Teams Up with Gen Y Money Coach Farnoosh Torabi to Help Motivate Younger Retirement Plan Participants to Save
MassMutual's Retirement Services Division has joined forces with Farnoosh Torabi, independent Generation Y money coach, multiple best-selling author, and personal finance journalist, to help connect with younger plan participants and inspire them to take a more active role in planning and saving for retirement.
While the alliance is meant to benefit participants of all ages in retirement plans administered by MassMutual, the company hopes to motivate Gen Y in particular to understand the value of starting early to plan and save for retirement. Torabi's financial expertise has been featured in People, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times and she has appeared on NBC's Today Show, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News.
"I'm excited to work with MassMutual to help bring a greater awareness to the importance of saving early for retirement. I hope to help participants, especially those just starting out, make smarter decisions for saving and planning," says Torabi. "Through online seminars, online video, social media interactions, and live speaking events, we hope to get participants on a solid path towards retirement readiness," she adds.
MassMutual created this program to address the findings of its own participant research as well as industry data. A recent industry analysis by Financial Engines(1) – an independent investment adviser – indicates that 53% of retirement plan participants under age 30 do not save enough to receive the full employer match.
"At MassMutual we're working hard to make sure participants have the retirement planning tools they need at every age and every stage," says E. Heather Smiley, chief marketing officer for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division. "Our alliance with Farnoosh Torabi is just another resource for our participants and will focus on topics such as the importance of starting early, and how to manage money appropriately to achieve their retirement goals. As a Gen Y money coach, we're confident she will help us connect with more of our younger participants who are just beginning to plan for retirement," says Smiley.
For more information about MassMutual Retirement Services, please contact your retirement plan advisor or call MassMutual at (888) 626-4911.
(1) 2010 National 401(k) Evaluation Report, 2010. Financial Engines. 5 Oct. 2010.
While the alliance is meant to benefit participants of all ages in retirement plans administered by MassMutual, the company hopes to motivate Gen Y in particular to understand the value of starting early to plan and save for retirement. Torabi's financial expertise has been featured in People, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times and she has appeared on NBC's Today Show, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News.
"I'm excited to work with MassMutual to help bring a greater awareness to the importance of saving early for retirement. I hope to help participants, especially those just starting out, make smarter decisions for saving and planning," says Torabi. "Through online seminars, online video, social media interactions, and live speaking events, we hope to get participants on a solid path towards retirement readiness," she adds.
MassMutual created this program to address the findings of its own participant research as well as industry data. A recent industry analysis by Financial Engines(1) – an independent investment adviser – indicates that 53% of retirement plan participants under age 30 do not save enough to receive the full employer match.
"At MassMutual we're working hard to make sure participants have the retirement planning tools they need at every age and every stage," says E. Heather Smiley, chief marketing officer for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division. "Our alliance with Farnoosh Torabi is just another resource for our participants and will focus on topics such as the importance of starting early, and how to manage money appropriately to achieve their retirement goals. As a Gen Y money coach, we're confident she will help us connect with more of our younger participants who are just beginning to plan for retirement," says Smiley.
For more information about MassMutual Retirement Services, please contact your retirement plan advisor or call MassMutual at (888) 626-4911.
(1) 2010 National 401(k) Evaluation Report, 2010. Financial Engines. 5 Oct. 2010.
President, MetLife International, Testifies before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means
William J. Toppeta, president, MetLife International, presented testimony on behalf of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET - News) before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means in support of the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. The proposed agreements enable greater access for U.S. insurers to multi-billion dollar insurance markets and will help create jobs in America.
During his testimony, Mr. Toppeta cited the benefits of the pending agreements and specifically the U.S.- Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to the U.S. life insurance industry:
“The KORUS FTA will allow U.S. insurers to compete with state-owned enterprises and other government-affiliated insurance providers under essentially the same regulatory requirements. Korea’s commitments in the KORUS FTA to a number of reforms are intended to level the playing field between the government-owned entities, sectoral cooperative insurance providers, and the private sector. These commitments are vital to the growth of MetLife and other U.S. insurers in Korea.”
“Having diversified revenues and earnings from foreign markets helped MetLife to perform very well during the recent financial crisis and to sustain U.S.-based jobs of employees supporting our international business. Since FTAs enable our growth abroad, they will have a direct and positive impact on creating and sustaining U.S. jobs,” said Toppeta.
MetLife has provided innovative and high quality financial products in Korea for over 20 years. The company’s reputation among consumers as a product innovator has helped Korea become one of MetLife’s largest markets globally. MetLife, Inc. applauded President Obama’s recent announcement that the U.S. and Korean governments have reached an agreement on issues holding back the KORUS FTA. MetLife has been a resource on the financial services portions of the KORUS FTA and continues to work with the White House and U.S. Congressional leaders to complete this agreement. In November of 2010, MetLife completed the acquisition of Alico, providing the company with leading insurance businesses in Colombia and Panama.
Commenting on the State of the Union address, Toppeta continued, "President Obama encouraged Congress to move forward on the pending FTAs in his State of the Union Address and that, together with Tuesday’s hearing before the House Committee on Ways and Means are both positive indications our country is ready to move forward in earnest on trade. We fully support and applaud Presidential and Congressional action on these agreements."
For a full transcript of Mr. Toppeta’s testimony, please visit the website for the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means at www.waysandmeans.house.gov.
MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 60 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
During his testimony, Mr. Toppeta cited the benefits of the pending agreements and specifically the U.S.- Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to the U.S. life insurance industry:
“The KORUS FTA will allow U.S. insurers to compete with state-owned enterprises and other government-affiliated insurance providers under essentially the same regulatory requirements. Korea’s commitments in the KORUS FTA to a number of reforms are intended to level the playing field between the government-owned entities, sectoral cooperative insurance providers, and the private sector. These commitments are vital to the growth of MetLife and other U.S. insurers in Korea.”
“Having diversified revenues and earnings from foreign markets helped MetLife to perform very well during the recent financial crisis and to sustain U.S.-based jobs of employees supporting our international business. Since FTAs enable our growth abroad, they will have a direct and positive impact on creating and sustaining U.S. jobs,” said Toppeta.
MetLife has provided innovative and high quality financial products in Korea for over 20 years. The company’s reputation among consumers as a product innovator has helped Korea become one of MetLife’s largest markets globally. MetLife, Inc. applauded President Obama’s recent announcement that the U.S. and Korean governments have reached an agreement on issues holding back the KORUS FTA. MetLife has been a resource on the financial services portions of the KORUS FTA and continues to work with the White House and U.S. Congressional leaders to complete this agreement. In November of 2010, MetLife completed the acquisition of Alico, providing the company with leading insurance businesses in Colombia and Panama.
Commenting on the State of the Union address, Toppeta continued, "President Obama encouraged Congress to move forward on the pending FTAs in his State of the Union Address and that, together with Tuesday’s hearing before the House Committee on Ways and Means are both positive indications our country is ready to move forward in earnest on trade. We fully support and applaud Presidential and Congressional action on these agreements."
For a full transcript of Mr. Toppeta’s testimony, please visit the website for the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means at www.waysandmeans.house.gov.
MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 60 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
John B. Berding Named President of American Money Management Corporation, a Subsidiary of American Financial Group, Inc.
American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG - News) (NASDAQ:AFG - News) announced that John B. Berding has been named President of its American Money Management Corporation subsidiary (“AMMC”). AMMC was formed in 1973 and provides investment management services to American Financial, its insurance subsidiaries and certain third party investment entities. Mr. Berding succeeds S. Craig Lindner, who has served in that position for over 15 years. Mr. Lindner is Co-Chief Executive Officer of AFG and will assume the newly-created position of Chairman of the Board of AMMC.
Mr. Berding joined AMMC as an Investment Analyst upon graduating from the University of Chicago with a Masters in Business Administration in 1987. He previously worked for American Financial as a co-op student at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a Bachelors in Business Administration degree in 1985. He has held a number of investment-related executive positions with AMMC and other AFG subsidiaries, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of AMMC. Mr. Berding has spent his entire career with AFG and its subsidiaries.
In making the announcement, Craig Lindner noted that, "John has been a trusted business advisor for almost 25 years, and his talents have been particularly valuable during the last several years as we successfully navigated through unprecedented turmoil in the financial markets. We look forward to John serving in this important position, and are confident that he will continue to contribute significantly to AFG’s successes."
American Financial Group is an insurance holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio with assets in excess of $30 billion.
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Mr. Berding joined AMMC as an Investment Analyst upon graduating from the University of Chicago with a Masters in Business Administration in 1987. He previously worked for American Financial as a co-op student at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a Bachelors in Business Administration degree in 1985. He has held a number of investment-related executive positions with AMMC and other AFG subsidiaries, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of AMMC. Mr. Berding has spent his entire career with AFG and its subsidiaries.
In making the announcement, Craig Lindner noted that, "John has been a trusted business advisor for almost 25 years, and his talents have been particularly valuable during the last several years as we successfully navigated through unprecedented turmoil in the financial markets. We look forward to John serving in this important position, and are confident that he will continue to contribute significantly to AFG’s successes."
American Financial Group is an insurance holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio with assets in excess of $30 billion.
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Anesthesia Business Consultants along with ePREOP Announces Point of Care Self-Pay and Coinsurance Resolution Upgrade to ePREOP at ASA Conference on Practice Management
Anesthesia Business Consultants, LLC (ABC) is excited to announce a new upgrade to ePREOP which will be premiered at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference on Practice Management in Houston held from January 28th through the 29th. ePREOP offers a revolutionary software that promises to improve outcomes and save healthcare dollars, and now allows for the capturing of patient payment information, such as credit card information, resulting in faster payment processing with fewer errors.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference on Practice Management is the premiere anesthesiology practice management program of the year, making this the ideal venue to demonstrate ePREOP Integrated Preoperative Services’ new patient payment capturing upgrade. The exhibits will open on Friday, January 28th at 11:45 a.m. Together in booth number #302, ABC and ePREOP will be demonstrating this significant software upgrade to the anesthesia community. Attendees are invited to see live product demonstrations and talk with the creators. The exhibit hall will close Saturday, January 29th at 8:00 pm, so attendees are encouraged not to delay.
ePREOP was designed specifically to bridge the gap between the physician office and operating room. The web-based software gathers information from an existing electronic record or directly from the patient using ePREOP’s intake form. This intake form is available online via home computer, clinic-based kiosk, or iPad. This allows for a seamless transfer of patient data between parties and eliminates duplicate patient interviews. ePREOP automatically analyzes that information (evaluating hundreds of thousands of data points), considers surgical risk, and generates evidence-based preoperative clinical guidelines. These guidelines improve outcomes and decrease costs.
ePREOP’s products increase reimbursement for a subscribing institution through a variety of services including the most recent advancement—capturing patient payment information, including both insurance and credit card information. This allows for prompt payment collection, regardless of whether the deductible has been met, coinsurance has been collected, or it is a self-pay case. These payment capture services can be utilized by both the contracting facility and anesthesia groups.
“Our relationship with ePREOP allows us to serve our clients better. By utilizing this electronic record, practitioners can save time and money. And the ability to capture payment information—both insurance and credit card—will significantly reduce billing time and errors,” says Tony Mira, President and CEO of ABC. “We are relentlessly searching to discover these opportunities for our clients, and we are excited to announce this ePREOP software upgrade.”
ABC, established in 1979, is one of the largest billing and practice management companies dedicated to the complex and intricate specialty of anesthesia and pain management. Its accomplished in-house technology staff has created and maintains the ABC proprietary practice management software, F1RSTAnesthesiaTM, including F1RSTAnesthesiaRecord an electronic pen that creates electronic medical records utilizing existing forms, and the mobile web app F1RSTAccess which allows clients to view reports on the go. The other technologies ABC provides their clients include iMDsoft®, MetaVision’s leading AIMS; and ePREOP’s web-based preoperative evaluation form. ABC employs industry leaders, operates under proven efficient processes, and utilizes technology advances to easily adapt to the ever-changing regulatory environment.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference on Practice Management is the premiere anesthesiology practice management program of the year, making this the ideal venue to demonstrate ePREOP Integrated Preoperative Services’ new patient payment capturing upgrade. The exhibits will open on Friday, January 28th at 11:45 a.m. Together in booth number #302, ABC and ePREOP will be demonstrating this significant software upgrade to the anesthesia community. Attendees are invited to see live product demonstrations and talk with the creators. The exhibit hall will close Saturday, January 29th at 8:00 pm, so attendees are encouraged not to delay.
ePREOP was designed specifically to bridge the gap between the physician office and operating room. The web-based software gathers information from an existing electronic record or directly from the patient using ePREOP’s intake form. This intake form is available online via home computer, clinic-based kiosk, or iPad. This allows for a seamless transfer of patient data between parties and eliminates duplicate patient interviews. ePREOP automatically analyzes that information (evaluating hundreds of thousands of data points), considers surgical risk, and generates evidence-based preoperative clinical guidelines. These guidelines improve outcomes and decrease costs.
ePREOP’s products increase reimbursement for a subscribing institution through a variety of services including the most recent advancement—capturing patient payment information, including both insurance and credit card information. This allows for prompt payment collection, regardless of whether the deductible has been met, coinsurance has been collected, or it is a self-pay case. These payment capture services can be utilized by both the contracting facility and anesthesia groups.
“Our relationship with ePREOP allows us to serve our clients better. By utilizing this electronic record, practitioners can save time and money. And the ability to capture payment information—both insurance and credit card—will significantly reduce billing time and errors,” says Tony Mira, President and CEO of ABC. “We are relentlessly searching to discover these opportunities for our clients, and we are excited to announce this ePREOP software upgrade.”
ABC, established in 1979, is one of the largest billing and practice management companies dedicated to the complex and intricate specialty of anesthesia and pain management. Its accomplished in-house technology staff has created and maintains the ABC proprietary practice management software, F1RSTAnesthesiaTM, including F1RSTAnesthesiaRecord an electronic pen that creates electronic medical records utilizing existing forms, and the mobile web app F1RSTAccess which allows clients to view reports on the go. The other technologies ABC provides their clients include iMDsoft®, MetaVision’s leading AIMS; and ePREOP’s web-based preoperative evaluation form. ABC employs industry leaders, operates under proven efficient processes, and utilizes technology advances to easily adapt to the ever-changing regulatory environment.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. to Host Conference Call on Proposed S&P Ratings Criteria for Financial Guarantors on February 1, 2011
Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO - News) (“the Company”) announced that it will host a conference call and webcast on the topic of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services’ proposal to change its criteria for rating financial guaranty insurance companies. The conference call will begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (12:00 p.m. Atlantic Time) on Tuesday, February 1, 2011. Slides to be used on the call will be available prior to the call in the Investor Information section of the Company's website located at http://www.assuredguaranty.com.
The conference call will be available via live and archived webcast in the Investor Information section of the Company’s website at http://www.assuredguaranty.com or by dialing 866-730-5766 (in the U.S.) or 857-350-1590 (International), passcode 15065198. A replay of the call will be available through March 1, 2011. To listen to the replay, dial: 888-286-8010 (in the U.S.) or 617-801-6888 (International), passcode 47220665.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly-traded Bermuda-based holding company. Its operating subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets. More information on the Assured Guaranty family of companies can be found at www.assuredguaranty.com.
The conference call will be available via live and archived webcast in the Investor Information section of the Company’s website at http://www.assuredguaranty.com or by dialing 866-730-5766 (in the U.S.) or 857-350-1590 (International), passcode 15065198. A replay of the call will be available through March 1, 2011. To listen to the replay, dial: 888-286-8010 (in the U.S.) or 617-801-6888 (International), passcode 47220665.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly-traded Bermuda-based holding company. Its operating subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets. More information on the Assured Guaranty family of companies can be found at www.assuredguaranty.com.
Homeowners Choice Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend
Homeowners Choice, Inc. (Nasdaq:HCII - News), a Florida-based insurance holding company, today announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend in the amount of 10 cents per share. The dividend will be paid Mar. 18, 2011 to shareholders of record on the close of business Feb. 18, 2011.
"We are glad to announce another quarter of dividends and look forward to continuing the trend," said Homeowners Choice Chief Executive Officer, F.X. McCahill.
"We are glad to announce another quarter of dividends and look forward to continuing the trend," said Homeowners Choice Chief Executive Officer, F.X. McCahill.
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
New Life Agency, Inc. Expands Nation's First In Vitro Fertilization Insurance Program
New Life Agency, Inc. today announced that it has added Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles to its Assisted Reproduction Insurance Program® (ARI) preferred provider network. Together, with Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles and The Diamond Institute IVF Center-New York, ARI continues to offer some of the best financial solutions in the country for the ever-rising costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, procedures and fertility medications to patients suffering from infertility.
ARI provides negotiated contract rates with board-certified obstetrics, gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility physicians to insure patients' fertility treatments, complications and provide full maternity insurance. ARI combines insurance coverage with a fertility medication discount plan that can save Pacific Fertility Center's patients more than 50 percent on the cost of standard services, totaling thousands of dollars over the average treatment term. In addition, the program offers hundreds of dollars in discounts on fertility medications through Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. The innovative program goes beyond the traditional IVF shared risk program offered by some IVF centers by aggregating the cost of consultations, testing, complication insurance, IVF treatments, surgical treatments and medications to offer additional savings.
Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles was founded more than 10 years ago by the team that pioneered the nation's first private in vitro fertilization center. Since that time, Pacific Fertility Center's physicians have introduced a number of innovations in the treatment of infertility, and have been at the forefront in defining standards of care and accountability. The sole owner, medical director and world renowned reproductive endocrinologist, Vick Sahakian, MD, along with his colleagues, pioneered one of the most revolutionary financial programs in modern medicine where the doctor was willing to assume risk. Today, by joining The ARI Program, the insurer, the physician and the fertility medication is sharing the risk in treating women with infertility. Dr. Sahakian has performed over 6,000 IVF procedures and is responsible for the birth of more than 4,000 babies worldwide.
The ARI Program offers multiple plan choices, according to the IVF physician utilized within the preferred provider network for individual fertility needs allowing the patient to move through their process to pregnancy fully aware of the total out of pocket cost. If pregnancy is not achieved, the program offers refunds and credits during the 18-month enrollment term.
New Life leveraged its industry-leading insurance offerings as a Lloyd's of London Broker along with its own licensed, third-party administration company, New World Administrators, Inc. to forge the unique preferred provider contracted network solely with infertility doctors and facilities/centers.
Trish Taylor, president of New Life Agency, announced, "Our growing success with Assisted Reproduction Insurance Programs like ARI is a testament to healthcare reform today. People who have no infertility insurance or limited coverage now have options. Patients facing infertility issues need insurance when this risk occurs. New Life Agency is committed to help control infertility costs and fill the gap traditional insurances don't provide. We are honored to have such an innovative leader and doctor as Vick Sahakian join our network. Our commitment to work together will help patients lower their risk and stress so they may concentrate on what matters most, creating their family."
Vick, Sahakian, MD, owner and medical director of The Pacific Fertility Center-LA said today, "The ARI program continues my efforts to forever change the way we practice medicine in the field of reproductive sciences."
Enyde Polesuk, vice president of product development, fertility services, for Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy added, "Our goal is to offer personalized fertility pharmacy services along with the best possible support for these very specialized pharmacy needs. We're pleased to be a part of this first-of-its-kind cost solution and look forward to making our services more accessible than ever for hopeful parents-to-be."
ARI provides negotiated contract rates with board-certified obstetrics, gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility physicians to insure patients' fertility treatments, complications and provide full maternity insurance. ARI combines insurance coverage with a fertility medication discount plan that can save Pacific Fertility Center's patients more than 50 percent on the cost of standard services, totaling thousands of dollars over the average treatment term. In addition, the program offers hundreds of dollars in discounts on fertility medications through Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. The innovative program goes beyond the traditional IVF shared risk program offered by some IVF centers by aggregating the cost of consultations, testing, complication insurance, IVF treatments, surgical treatments and medications to offer additional savings.
Pacific Fertility Center-Los Angeles was founded more than 10 years ago by the team that pioneered the nation's first private in vitro fertilization center. Since that time, Pacific Fertility Center's physicians have introduced a number of innovations in the treatment of infertility, and have been at the forefront in defining standards of care and accountability. The sole owner, medical director and world renowned reproductive endocrinologist, Vick Sahakian, MD, along with his colleagues, pioneered one of the most revolutionary financial programs in modern medicine where the doctor was willing to assume risk. Today, by joining The ARI Program, the insurer, the physician and the fertility medication is sharing the risk in treating women with infertility. Dr. Sahakian has performed over 6,000 IVF procedures and is responsible for the birth of more than 4,000 babies worldwide.
The ARI Program offers multiple plan choices, according to the IVF physician utilized within the preferred provider network for individual fertility needs allowing the patient to move through their process to pregnancy fully aware of the total out of pocket cost. If pregnancy is not achieved, the program offers refunds and credits during the 18-month enrollment term.
New Life leveraged its industry-leading insurance offerings as a Lloyd's of London Broker along with its own licensed, third-party administration company, New World Administrators, Inc. to forge the unique preferred provider contracted network solely with infertility doctors and facilities/centers.
Trish Taylor, president of New Life Agency, announced, "Our growing success with Assisted Reproduction Insurance Programs like ARI is a testament to healthcare reform today. People who have no infertility insurance or limited coverage now have options. Patients facing infertility issues need insurance when this risk occurs. New Life Agency is committed to help control infertility costs and fill the gap traditional insurances don't provide. We are honored to have such an innovative leader and doctor as Vick Sahakian join our network. Our commitment to work together will help patients lower their risk and stress so they may concentrate on what matters most, creating their family."
Vick, Sahakian, MD, owner and medical director of The Pacific Fertility Center-LA said today, "The ARI program continues my efforts to forever change the way we practice medicine in the field of reproductive sciences."
Enyde Polesuk, vice president of product development, fertility services, for Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy added, "Our goal is to offer personalized fertility pharmacy services along with the best possible support for these very specialized pharmacy needs. We're pleased to be a part of this first-of-its-kind cost solution and look forward to making our services more accessible than ever for hopeful parents-to-be."
MassMutual Teams Up with Gen Y Money Coach Farnoosh Torabi to Help Motivate Younger Retirement Plan Participants to Save
MassMutual's Retirement Services Division has joined forces with Farnoosh Torabi, independent Generation Y money coach, multiple best-selling author, and personal finance journalist, to help connect with younger plan participants and inspire them to take a more active role in planning and saving for retirement.
While the alliance is meant to benefit participants of all ages in retirement plans administered by MassMutual, the company hopes to motivate Gen Y in particular to understand the value of starting early to plan and save for retirement. Torabi's financial expertise has been featured in People, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times and she has appeared on NBC's Today Show, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News.
"I'm excited to work with MassMutual to help bring a greater awareness to the importance of saving early for retirement. I hope to help participants, especially those just starting out, make smarter decisions for saving and planning," says Torabi. "Through online seminars, online video, social media interactions, and live speaking events, we hope to get participants on a solid path towards retirement readiness," she adds.
MassMutual created this program to address the findings of its own participant research as well as industry data. A recent industry analysis by Financial Engines(1) – an independent investment adviser – indicates that 53% of retirement plan participants under age 30 do not save enough to receive the full employer match.
"At MassMutual we're working hard to make sure participants have the retirement planning tools they need at every age and every stage," says E. Heather Smiley, chief marketing officer for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division. "Our alliance with Farnoosh Torabi is just another resource for our participants and will focus on topics such as the importance of starting early, and how to manage money appropriately to achieve their retirement goals. As a Gen Y money coach, we're confident she will help us connect with more of our younger participants who are just beginning to plan for retirement," says Smiley.
For more information about MassMutual Retirement Services, please contact your retirement plan advisor or call MassMutual at (888) 626-4911.
(1) 2010 National 401(k) Evaluation Report, 2010. Financial Engines. 5 Oct. 2010.
While the alliance is meant to benefit participants of all ages in retirement plans administered by MassMutual, the company hopes to motivate Gen Y in particular to understand the value of starting early to plan and save for retirement. Torabi's financial expertise has been featured in People, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times and she has appeared on NBC's Today Show, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News.
"I'm excited to work with MassMutual to help bring a greater awareness to the importance of saving early for retirement. I hope to help participants, especially those just starting out, make smarter decisions for saving and planning," says Torabi. "Through online seminars, online video, social media interactions, and live speaking events, we hope to get participants on a solid path towards retirement readiness," she adds.
MassMutual created this program to address the findings of its own participant research as well as industry data. A recent industry analysis by Financial Engines(1) – an independent investment adviser – indicates that 53% of retirement plan participants under age 30 do not save enough to receive the full employer match.
"At MassMutual we're working hard to make sure participants have the retirement planning tools they need at every age and every stage," says E. Heather Smiley, chief marketing officer for MassMutual's Retirement Services Division. "Our alliance with Farnoosh Torabi is just another resource for our participants and will focus on topics such as the importance of starting early, and how to manage money appropriately to achieve their retirement goals. As a Gen Y money coach, we're confident she will help us connect with more of our younger participants who are just beginning to plan for retirement," says Smiley.
For more information about MassMutual Retirement Services, please contact your retirement plan advisor or call MassMutual at (888) 626-4911.
(1) 2010 National 401(k) Evaluation Report, 2010. Financial Engines. 5 Oct. 2010.
President, MetLife International, Testifies before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means
William J. Toppeta, president, MetLife International, presented testimony on behalf of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET - News) before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means in support of the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. The proposed agreements enable greater access for U.S. insurers to multi-billion dollar insurance markets and will help create jobs in America.
During his testimony, Mr. Toppeta cited the benefits of the pending agreements and specifically the U.S.- Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to the U.S. life insurance industry:
“The KORUS FTA will allow U.S. insurers to compete with state-owned enterprises and other government-affiliated insurance providers under essentially the same regulatory requirements. Korea’s commitments in the KORUS FTA to a number of reforms are intended to level the playing field between the government-owned entities, sectoral cooperative insurance providers, and the private sector. These commitments are vital to the growth of MetLife and other U.S. insurers in Korea.”
“Having diversified revenues and earnings from foreign markets helped MetLife to perform very well during the recent financial crisis and to sustain U.S.-based jobs of employees supporting our international business. Since FTAs enable our growth abroad, they will have a direct and positive impact on creating and sustaining U.S. jobs,” said Toppeta.
MetLife has provided innovative and high quality financial products in Korea for over 20 years. The company’s reputation among consumers as a product innovator has helped Korea become one of MetLife’s largest markets globally. MetLife, Inc. applauded President Obama’s recent announcement that the U.S. and Korean governments have reached an agreement on issues holding back the KORUS FTA. MetLife has been a resource on the financial services portions of the KORUS FTA and continues to work with the White House and U.S. Congressional leaders to complete this agreement. In November of 2010, MetLife completed the acquisition of Alico, providing the company with leading insurance businesses in Colombia and Panama.
Commenting on the State of the Union address, Toppeta continued, "President Obama encouraged Congress to move forward on the pending FTAs in his State of the Union Address and that, together with Tuesday’s hearing before the House Committee on Ways and Means are both positive indications our country is ready to move forward in earnest on trade. We fully support and applaud Presidential and Congressional action on these agreements."
For a full transcript of Mr. Toppeta’s testimony, please visit the website for the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means at www.waysandmeans.house.gov.
MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 60 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
During his testimony, Mr. Toppeta cited the benefits of the pending agreements and specifically the U.S.- Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) to the U.S. life insurance industry:
“The KORUS FTA will allow U.S. insurers to compete with state-owned enterprises and other government-affiliated insurance providers under essentially the same regulatory requirements. Korea’s commitments in the KORUS FTA to a number of reforms are intended to level the playing field between the government-owned entities, sectoral cooperative insurance providers, and the private sector. These commitments are vital to the growth of MetLife and other U.S. insurers in Korea.”
“Having diversified revenues and earnings from foreign markets helped MetLife to perform very well during the recent financial crisis and to sustain U.S.-based jobs of employees supporting our international business. Since FTAs enable our growth abroad, they will have a direct and positive impact on creating and sustaining U.S. jobs,” said Toppeta.
MetLife has provided innovative and high quality financial products in Korea for over 20 years. The company’s reputation among consumers as a product innovator has helped Korea become one of MetLife’s largest markets globally. MetLife, Inc. applauded President Obama’s recent announcement that the U.S. and Korean governments have reached an agreement on issues holding back the KORUS FTA. MetLife has been a resource on the financial services portions of the KORUS FTA and continues to work with the White House and U.S. Congressional leaders to complete this agreement. In November of 2010, MetLife completed the acquisition of Alico, providing the company with leading insurance businesses in Colombia and Panama.
Commenting on the State of the Union address, Toppeta continued, "President Obama encouraged Congress to move forward on the pending FTAs in his State of the Union Address and that, together with Tuesday’s hearing before the House Committee on Ways and Means are both positive indications our country is ready to move forward in earnest on trade. We fully support and applaud Presidential and Congressional action on these agreements."
For a full transcript of Mr. Toppeta’s testimony, please visit the website for the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means at www.waysandmeans.house.gov.
MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 60 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
John B. Berding Named President of American Money Management Corporation, a Subsidiary of American Financial Group, Inc.
American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG - News) (NASDAQ:AFG - News) announced that John B. Berding has been named President of its American Money Management Corporation subsidiary (“AMMC”). AMMC was formed in 1973 and provides investment management services to American Financial, its insurance subsidiaries and certain third party investment entities. Mr. Berding succeeds S. Craig Lindner, who has served in that position for over 15 years. Mr. Lindner is Co-Chief Executive Officer of AFG and will assume the newly-created position of Chairman of the Board of AMMC.
Mr. Berding joined AMMC as an Investment Analyst upon graduating from the University of Chicago with a Masters in Business Administration in 1987. He previously worked for American Financial as a co-op student at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a Bachelors in Business Administration degree in 1985. He has held a number of investment-related executive positions with AMMC and other AFG subsidiaries, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of AMMC. Mr. Berding has spent his entire career with AFG and its subsidiaries.
In making the announcement, Craig Lindner noted that, "John has been a trusted business advisor for almost 25 years, and his talents have been particularly valuable during the last several years as we successfully navigated through unprecedented turmoil in the financial markets. We look forward to John serving in this important position, and are confident that he will continue to contribute significantly to AFG’s successes."
American Financial Group is an insurance holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio with assets in excess of $30 billion.
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Mr. Berding joined AMMC as an Investment Analyst upon graduating from the University of Chicago with a Masters in Business Administration in 1987. He previously worked for American Financial as a co-op student at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a Bachelors in Business Administration degree in 1985. He has held a number of investment-related executive positions with AMMC and other AFG subsidiaries, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of AMMC. Mr. Berding has spent his entire career with AFG and its subsidiaries.
In making the announcement, Craig Lindner noted that, "John has been a trusted business advisor for almost 25 years, and his talents have been particularly valuable during the last several years as we successfully navigated through unprecedented turmoil in the financial markets. We look forward to John serving in this important position, and are confident that he will continue to contribute significantly to AFG’s successes."
American Financial Group is an insurance holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio with assets in excess of $30 billion.
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Anesthesia Business Consultants along with ePREOP Announces Point of Care Self-Pay and Coinsurance Resolution Upgrade to ePREOP at ASA Conference on Practice Management
Anesthesia Business Consultants, LLC (ABC) is excited to announce a new upgrade to ePREOP which will be premiered at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference on Practice Management in Houston held from January 28th through the 29th. ePREOP offers a revolutionary software that promises to improve outcomes and save healthcare dollars, and now allows for the capturing of patient payment information, such as credit card information, resulting in faster payment processing with fewer errors.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference on Practice Management is the premiere anesthesiology practice management program of the year, making this the ideal venue to demonstrate ePREOP Integrated Preoperative Services’ new patient payment capturing upgrade. The exhibits will open on Friday, January 28th at 11:45 a.m. Together in booth number #302, ABC and ePREOP will be demonstrating this significant software upgrade to the anesthesia community. Attendees are invited to see live product demonstrations and talk with the creators. The exhibit hall will close Saturday, January 29th at 8:00 pm, so attendees are encouraged not to delay.
ePREOP was designed specifically to bridge the gap between the physician office and operating room. The web-based software gathers information from an existing electronic record or directly from the patient using ePREOP’s intake form. This intake form is available online via home computer, clinic-based kiosk, or iPad. This allows for a seamless transfer of patient data between parties and eliminates duplicate patient interviews. ePREOP automatically analyzes that information (evaluating hundreds of thousands of data points), considers surgical risk, and generates evidence-based preoperative clinical guidelines. These guidelines improve outcomes and decrease costs.
ePREOP’s products increase reimbursement for a subscribing institution through a variety of services including the most recent advancement—capturing patient payment information, including both insurance and credit card information. This allows for prompt payment collection, regardless of whether the deductible has been met, coinsurance has been collected, or it is a self-pay case. These payment capture services can be utilized by both the contracting facility and anesthesia groups.
“Our relationship with ePREOP allows us to serve our clients better. By utilizing this electronic record, practitioners can save time and money. And the ability to capture payment information—both insurance and credit card—will significantly reduce billing time and errors,” says Tony Mira, President and CEO of ABC. “We are relentlessly searching to discover these opportunities for our clients, and we are excited to announce this ePREOP software upgrade.”
ABC, established in 1979, is one of the largest billing and practice management companies dedicated to the complex and intricate specialty of anesthesia and pain management. Its accomplished in-house technology staff has created and maintains the ABC proprietary practice management software, F1RSTAnesthesiaTM, including F1RSTAnesthesiaRecord an electronic pen that creates electronic medical records utilizing existing forms, and the mobile web app F1RSTAccess which allows clients to view reports on the go. The other technologies ABC provides their clients include iMDsoft®, MetaVision’s leading AIMS; and ePREOP’s web-based preoperative evaluation form. ABC employs industry leaders, operates under proven efficient processes, and utilizes technology advances to easily adapt to the ever-changing regulatory environment.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference on Practice Management is the premiere anesthesiology practice management program of the year, making this the ideal venue to demonstrate ePREOP Integrated Preoperative Services’ new patient payment capturing upgrade. The exhibits will open on Friday, January 28th at 11:45 a.m. Together in booth number #302, ABC and ePREOP will be demonstrating this significant software upgrade to the anesthesia community. Attendees are invited to see live product demonstrations and talk with the creators. The exhibit hall will close Saturday, January 29th at 8:00 pm, so attendees are encouraged not to delay.
ePREOP was designed specifically to bridge the gap between the physician office and operating room. The web-based software gathers information from an existing electronic record or directly from the patient using ePREOP’s intake form. This intake form is available online via home computer, clinic-based kiosk, or iPad. This allows for a seamless transfer of patient data between parties and eliminates duplicate patient interviews. ePREOP automatically analyzes that information (evaluating hundreds of thousands of data points), considers surgical risk, and generates evidence-based preoperative clinical guidelines. These guidelines improve outcomes and decrease costs.
ePREOP’s products increase reimbursement for a subscribing institution through a variety of services including the most recent advancement—capturing patient payment information, including both insurance and credit card information. This allows for prompt payment collection, regardless of whether the deductible has been met, coinsurance has been collected, or it is a self-pay case. These payment capture services can be utilized by both the contracting facility and anesthesia groups.
“Our relationship with ePREOP allows us to serve our clients better. By utilizing this electronic record, practitioners can save time and money. And the ability to capture payment information—both insurance and credit card—will significantly reduce billing time and errors,” says Tony Mira, President and CEO of ABC. “We are relentlessly searching to discover these opportunities for our clients, and we are excited to announce this ePREOP software upgrade.”
ABC, established in 1979, is one of the largest billing and practice management companies dedicated to the complex and intricate specialty of anesthesia and pain management. Its accomplished in-house technology staff has created and maintains the ABC proprietary practice management software, F1RSTAnesthesiaTM, including F1RSTAnesthesiaRecord an electronic pen that creates electronic medical records utilizing existing forms, and the mobile web app F1RSTAccess which allows clients to view reports on the go. The other technologies ABC provides their clients include iMDsoft®, MetaVision’s leading AIMS; and ePREOP’s web-based preoperative evaluation form. ABC employs industry leaders, operates under proven efficient processes, and utilizes technology advances to easily adapt to the ever-changing regulatory environment.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. to Host Conference Call on Proposed S&P Ratings Criteria for Financial Guarantors on February 1, 2011
Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO - News) (“the Company”) announced that it will host a conference call and webcast on the topic of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services’ proposal to change its criteria for rating financial guaranty insurance companies. The conference call will begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (12:00 p.m. Atlantic Time) on Tuesday, February 1, 2011. Slides to be used on the call will be available prior to the call in the Investor Information section of the Company's website located at http://www.assuredguaranty.com.
The conference call will be available via live and archived webcast in the Investor Information section of the Company’s website at http://www.assuredguaranty.com or by dialing 866-730-5766 (in the U.S.) or 857-350-1590 (International), passcode 15065198. A replay of the call will be available through March 1, 2011. To listen to the replay, dial: 888-286-8010 (in the U.S.) or 617-801-6888 (International), passcode 47220665.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly-traded Bermuda-based holding company. Its operating subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets. More information on the Assured Guaranty family of companies can be found at www.assuredguaranty.com.
The conference call will be available via live and archived webcast in the Investor Information section of the Company’s website at http://www.assuredguaranty.com or by dialing 866-730-5766 (in the U.S.) or 857-350-1590 (International), passcode 15065198. A replay of the call will be available through March 1, 2011. To listen to the replay, dial: 888-286-8010 (in the U.S.) or 617-801-6888 (International), passcode 47220665.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly-traded Bermuda-based holding company. Its operating subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets. More information on the Assured Guaranty family of companies can be found at www.assuredguaranty.com.
Homeowners Choice Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend
Homeowners Choice, Inc. (Nasdaq:HCII - News), a Florida-based insurance holding company, today announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend in the amount of 10 cents per share. The dividend will be paid Mar. 18, 2011 to shareholders of record on the close of business Feb. 18, 2011.
"We are glad to announce another quarter of dividends and look forward to continuing the trend," said Homeowners Choice Chief Executive Officer, F.X. McCahill.
"We are glad to announce another quarter of dividends and look forward to continuing the trend," said Homeowners Choice Chief Executive Officer, F.X. McCahill.
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