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In a continuing effort to connect with our clients Golden & Cohen has recently launched a Facebook page and we want you to be a part of it! Through Facebook, we want to provide a new avenue for our clients to communicate with us as well as allow us to share important information and breaking news about the health benefits world and our firm. Plus, to sweeten the deal, we are offering one lucky person who “likes” us before July 31st a $25 Starbucks gift card! So visit us on Facebook today and check back frequently for more news and updates! Continue reading
Stephanie Cohen named Smart100 CEO by SmartCEO magazine
Lanham, MD – On April 1st, Stephanie Cohen was selected to be one of Washington SmartCEO magazine’s Smart100 CEOs. Made up of an exclusive group of 100 CEOs chosen for their leadership, strategic vision and character, the list is highly anticipated each year. Continue reading
JOIN US FOR: Health Reform After the 2010 Election
Health Reform After the 2010 Election: Assessing the Viability of Health Insurance in the Aftermath of the Mid-Term Elections
The polls will be closed, the votes will be counted and the future will be a whole lot clearer — Join us at the National Press Club for a morning of analysis and insight. Hear what the experts on the front lines of business, insurance, policy, politics and the media have to say about the future of health insurance in the 111th Congress.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 (the day after the election)
8:30—9:00am: Registration and Breakfast
9:00—11:30am: Program
Washington DC | National Press Club | Murrow Room
IN THE NEWS: Scott Golden offers thoughts on the “The End of Medicare Advantage?” in Agent’s Sales Journal
August 1, 2010, Agent’s Sales Journal — Scott Golden talks about the future of Medicare in the new issue of Agent’s Sales Journal. Reporter Heather Trese wrote:
Some people, including Scott Golden, chief financial officer of the health benefits consulting company Golden & Cohen, predict that other Medicare plans — such as original Medicare with a Part D or Med supp addition — will start to become more attractive as Medicare Advantage loses its luster.
“Whenever you make one product less attractive, you’ll make the other product more attractive,” Golden said. “So it does work to an advantage for those who work in the indemnity market.”
The History of the ALS Association—DC/MD/VA Chapter
By Chris Edwards
Former Board Member
Area patients and families living with ALS know they can quickly find the comfort, information and aid they need at the ALS Association—DC/MD/VA Chapter. Few probably realize, however, that the vibrant organization they encounter today arose from much humbler beginnings only 19 years ago. That transformation is a tale of luck and grit, courage and commitment.
About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease, first described in 1869 by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. Although the cause of ALS is not completely understood, the last decade has brought a wealth of new scientific understanding about the disease that provides hope for the future.
It is also known as Lou Gehrig Disease, for the famous baseball player put a spotlight on the disease in 1939 when he abruptly retired from baseball after being diagnosed with ALS.
ALS has also cut short the lives of other such notable and courageous individuals as Hall of Fame pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Senator Jacob Javits, actors Michael Zaslow and David Niven, creator of Sesame Street Jon Stone, television producer Scott Brazil, boxing champion Ezzard Charles, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player George Yardley, pro football player Glenn Montgomery, golfer Jeff Julian, golf caddie Bruce Edwards, British soccer player Jimmy Johnstone, musician Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter), photographer Eddie Adams, entertainer Dennis Day, jazz musician Charles Mingus, composer Dimitri Shostakovich, former vice president of the United States Henry A. Wallace and U.S. Army General Maxwell Taylor.
Email Security Update
By Jack Cohen
Chief Operating Officer
jack@golden-cohen.com
Beginning July 12, 2010, we enhanced our existing e-mail security system, so you will notice a few minor changes.
We take protecting your personal information very seriously and continually explore new ways to protect your data. Additionally, new regulations have gone into effect setting stricter standards for the protection of personal information.
The new standards require encryption of all e-mails with records and files containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII). PII is any information that can be used to uniquely identify you with identity or account numbers that could be used for purposes of identity theft or fraud (such as social security, financial account or credit/debit account numbers).
Sharon Armstrong offers advice that every manager needs to know: How to give a painless performance review.
A Q&A by Stephanie Cohen with HR expert and author Sharon Armstrong
Although performance reviews are actually less popular than a trip to the dentist for most supervisors (see that study below), it’s not supposed to be this way.
That’s why HR expert Sharon Armstrong wrote, The Essential Performance Review Handbook, which was published last month by Career Press.
Sharon’s goal is to help take the pain out of the performance review process, and as any manager and business owner knows — that’s a wonderful idea. Below you’ll find a Q&A with Sharon, where you’ll find ideas on how to master this important task.
Stephanie Cohen: Tell us about your new book, and what you hope readers will take away from it.
Sharon Armstrong: I do my best in the book to provide advice on how to make the performance review process productive, painless, and effective.
After all, I have been there as a manager and know from firsthand experience that performance appraisals can be one of the most anxiety-provoking aspects of work life—for both supervisors and employees.
Do You Need Vacation Insurance?
By Jack Cohen
Chief Operating Officer
jack@golden-cohen.com
With summer travel upon us, I’m frequently asked this question: Is travel insurance worth the investment? The answer is simple: Yes. It is most definitely worth purchasing, mostly because domestic health insurance plans only provide emergency coverage, such as an unexpected trip to the hospital. And that’s the case only if you have the type of insurance that covers you for out-of-state medical care.
Better safe than sorry: I realize this isn’t what you’d like to be thinking about while you are planning your summer respite. Nonetheless, travel insurance gives you additional protection and usually covers hospital stays, doctor visits, emergency care, trip interruption due to unforeseen circumstances, lost luggage — and in the worst case scenario, it covers the return of mortal remains or the return of minor children in the case of a political or emergency evacuation.
Taking Control of Your Healthcare: Talking Your Doctor When & Where You Need To
Imagine picking up the phone and calling your doctor — and having her/him answer. Most of us think that this is from days long past or that we’d need to spend thousands of dollars a year out-of-pocket for this type of access.
Believe it or not, this type of access is available now, and at a price that costs less each month than ordering a pizza to be delivered. It’s available through DocTalker Family Medicine (www.doctalker.com), a primary care medical practice that’s gone back to the roots of medicine. When any patient calls the practice, a practitioner will pick up with phone and talk directly to the caller, including nights and weekends.
DocTalker is a patient-driven practice that consults with its patients by same-day-office visits, phone, email, videoconferencing and house calls. About 60% of all consultations for existing patients are done by telemedicine, which treats patients as quickly as possible and that save patient time and money.