Thursday, June 10, 2010

New Book by Dennis Lewis Shows How Conscious Breathing Can Relieve Stress and Promote Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Well Being

New Book by Dennis Lewis Shows How Conscious Breathing Can Relieve Stress and Promote Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Well Being

Free Your Breath, Free Your Life will show you how conscious work with your breathing can have a profound beneficial impact on your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

(PRWEB) May 18, 2004

The way we breathe shapes every aspect of our lives, claims Dennis Lewis in his new book Free Your Breath, Free Your Life (Shambhala Publications, May 18, 2004). Unfortunately, "Few of us in today's stress-filled world breathe in a free, natural, and harmonious way," says Lewis. "Our mostly fast, constricted breathing undermines our physical, emotional, and spiritual health," and "reduces our capacity to sense, feel, think, and act in clear, sensitive, and effective ways."

To help remedy this situation, Lewis shows how breathing exercises really work. He does so by exploring the seven basic self-directed approaches to working with your breath: conscious breathing, controlled breathing, focused breathing, movement-supported breathing, position-supported breathing, touch-supported breathing, and sound-supported breathing. Within each of these approaches he offers a wealth of breathing practices and insights to help you open up the constrictions in your breathing, breathe with your whole body, and live with more presence and vitality in your everyday life. His emphasis throughout is on helping you to learn how to exhale more fully, to let go of everything that impedes the movements of your breath.

According to Lewis, we in the Western world donÂ’t pay much attention to the way we breathe, but the world's great spiritual traditions all have practices of breath awareness. Lewis maintains that "the breath of life" is what truly connects the different dimensions of ourselves--body, mind, and spirit--and that through conscious breathing we can help transform not just our health but also the very way we live. Lewis explores in depth both the physical and spiritual aspects of how we breathe, and discusses the many ways that our self-image (including the clothes we wear, the way we exercise, and our sense of self-importance) shapes our breathing and our lives.

Many books on breathing have appeared in recent years, but Free Your Breath, Free Your Life is one of the rare few that does not take a one-size-fits-all approach. Lewis explores the basic principles of healthy, whole-body breathing in clear, simple language, with numerous illustrations, and offers a variety of safe exercises and practices for experiencing these principles firsthand. And just as important, Lewis shows how you can apply these principles in relation to your own specific physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, so that you can live a freer, fuller, more conscious life.

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Dennis Lewis, a former businessman and long-time student of Taoism, Advaita, and the Gurdjieff Work, teaches natural breathing, meditation, and qigong in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally. He has studied Taoist meditation, tai chi, and qigong with masters Dr. Wang Shan Long, Mantak Chia, and Bruce Kumar Frantzis. He is also the author of The Tao of Natural Breathing and the coeditor, with Jacob Needleman, of Sacred Tradition and Present Need and On the Way to Self Knowledge. He lives in San Francisco.

Free Your Breath, Free Your Life

By Dennis Lewis

May 2004

$13.95 paperback ● 226 Pages

ISBN: 1-59030-133-1

Shambhala Publications

The Naked Truth of Weight Loss -- The Lies and Fads are Stripped Bare

The Naked Truth of Weight Loss -- The Lies and Fads are Stripped Bare

Master Motivator Julia Havey strips off the lies in the weight loss industry and tells the naked truth. "The diet industry is filled with lies and liars. Don't put your health in the hands of fad peddlers."

Saint Louis, MO (PRWEB) September 30, 2005

LiL' Kim's new album is called The Naked Truth, funny, isn't she in prison for not telling the truth?

Honesty is something that is in short supply in the weight loss industry. Claims like "Lose 18 pounds in one month" or "Eat all the foods you love and still Lose weight" or even "the one week miracle body makeover transformation drop 2 sizes diet" are everywhere.

Dieters spend 45 billion dollars a year snapping up false promises and having their hopes shrink instead of their thighs.

"It's crazy! When is a brave District Attorney going to press charges against a diet book author, take them to court and send them to prison for lyingto the American public? Where is the FTC? Fad Diet peddlers lie to millions of consumers everyday and if that isn't fraud, I don't know what is!" says diet guru Julia Havey

Julia knows how costly the lies can be. After spending 12 years in a morbidly obese body and throwing good money after bad on failed diet attempts she was resigned to a life of FAT at 290 pounds. This is her now, wearing her old jeans--ones that were tight just 10 years ago:

Http://www. juliahavey. com/images/naked_image. jpg (http://www. juliahavey. com/images/naked_image. jpg).

Clearly, she shed the lies and stripped the pounds--130 of them; not be using pills, fads or potions but rather by discovering the truth.

Julia says: "It takes more than a few 'minutes in the morning' of exercise to get fit, you can't eat 'all of the foods you love you love to eat' and expect to lose and keep weight off and we aren't 'food combinging-restricted eating plan' deficient, rather we are have a few bad habits or "vices" that need busting. Our lifestyles are what must change change --permanently if we ever expect to end the Obesity epidemic in our nation -- and that is the Naked Truth."

Julia helps millions of people to bust their vices and motivates them to transform their current lifestyles which support their excess weight to lifestyles which promote health and fitness. Honest, effective and non-fad filled help that is long overdue in a market filled with snake oil and fast talking salesmen.

"Next time someone tells you that you can lose 18 pounds in one month; ask them if they did it and if the weight stayed off?! The next time someone tells you that only have to workout a few minutes a day, ask them how long they workout a day to look like they do. And finally, if someone tells you that you can eat the foods you love and still lose weight, ask them if that is the case, why you obese?--after all, you have NO problem eating the foods you love! If you want the truth and nothing but the truth, I recommend checking out my LifeChanger-The Vice Busting Diet and the eating plans available at eDiets. com--they will offer you sound nutrition, essential support and 2 pounds a week of real and safe weight loss."

Julia Havey can be found telling the truth and motivating the nation at www. JuliaHavey. com. Tired of lies--try the truth on for size.

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

NEW PAYOR SOURCES FOR PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL & OTHER THERAPIES DISCUSSED

NEW PAYOR SOURCES FOR PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL & OTHER THERAPIES DISCUSSED

STATE MEDICAID WAIVER PLANS DISCUSSED AS A SOURCE OF ADDITIONAL REVENUES FOR PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND OTHER TYPES OF THERAPY PRACTICES.

(PRWEB) July 24, 2003

In large metropolitan areas, competition in the comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation (CORF) market has been increased such that providers of outpatient medical services are looking for alternative payor sources to increase revenues. State medwaiver programs can be an ideal resource for these facilities though many CORFÂ’s are not credentialed to provide medwaiver services. 

Medwaiver in Florida has three program components. The developmentally disability programÂ’s purpose is to promote and maintain the health of developmentally disabled individuals through the provision of necessary medical and support services. The two other Florida medwaiver programs that can also be accessed were developed to specifically address the needs of AIDS patients (PAC-waiver) and the disabled elderly (aged and disabled waiver). Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, massage therapy, behavioral services and more can be provided under the waiver. There is currently a surplus of developmentally disabled patients waiting for service. Certified medwaiver providers are contacted by support coordinators who are in charge of assisting disabled clients in regard to meeting their ancillary outpatient medical needs. In many states there is currently a surplus of developmentally disabled patients waiting for service.

Becoming a medwaiver provider demands that an organization successfully completes a rather demanding Credentialing & Certification process with ongoing quality monitoring. For many CORF service providers the process is either too unfamiliar and/or time consuming. South Florida Medical Management, Inc. (SFMM) is a consulting firm that specializes in CORF development. SFMM is now offering providerÂ’s assistance in obtaining medwaiver certification. Application documentation is provided and SFMM will show you through a simplified step-by-step process how to gain your certification. SFMM will also train you in the treatment protocols that are the current standard of practice including: Policies/Procedures, Disaster Planning/Safety, Patient Care, Service docs., Compliance monitoring, etc. Everything you need to establish certification, deliver and document delivery of services, as well as billing procedures is provided by SFMM.

For more information regarding cost, location, and date of these seminars, or other consulting services, please contact Allen Drozd at South Florida Medical Management, Inc. 15290 NW 60th Avenue.. Miami Lakes, FL.. 33014 (admin@sfmm. net or call (305) 820-1361). More information about SFMM services can be found at http:///www. corfnet. net (http:///www. corfnet. net).

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Utah Senate Bill 34 "Patient Access Reform" (Any Willing Provider)

Utah Senate Bill 34 "Patient Access Reform" (Any Willing Provider)

What is it - Senate Bill 34, "Patient Access Reform" (Any Willing Provider) is sponsored by State Senator Parley Hellewell. If enacted, it would enable HMO or PPO insureds to receive services from any provider hospital, physician, or other provider, whether participating on an insurance company's panel or not, and the provider could accept a 95% reimbursement or balance bill the patient.

(PRWEB) February 27, 2005

Who is for it - This would obviously provide more patient choice and help non-paneled providers. This bill has much support from physicians. It will enable them to seek reimbursement from insurance carriers irregardless if they are part of the carrier network or not. Patients have greater access to physicians. Physicians are mainly behind this bill as I observe whom attends various meetings.

Who is Against it - This is obviously fought by the major health insurance carriers in Utah because they loose control of contractual discounts from "In-network providers". All of you have heard of "In-network" vs. "Out-of-network" providers. When you stay in network you pay a small office visit copay in the amount of $15. This bill would essentially smash pre-negotiated contractual pay rates designed and promoted by health insurance carriers. The carriers would not be able to discount or pay reduced fees that they are accustomed to. IHC Health Plans quotes "IHC Health Plans estimates the financial impact of this legislation will be over $75 million per year. These costs will be passed on in premium increases".

My Opinion - I think there are some merits with the bill but it doesn't surprise me that ongoing conflicts occur between Physicians wanting to get paid more vs. health insurance carriers wanting to pay less. I feel patients should have access to certain "specialist" physicians for disease treatment with out carrier intervention. But at what cost? After all it is the insurance carrier that has to determine actuarial premium rates to cover risk within a populace. They control costs and actually protect clients from over billing. That is probably my biggest concern is how many physicians would drop from a insurance carrier network because they could earn more and balance bill the patient. Good for them but I am not convinced "all" physicians would bill ethically. My other thought is that the (Many) insurance carrier's can skim down multiple multi million dollar salaries internally and externally which would ease pressure on actuarial rates should this bill pass. As always the "patient" is caught in the middle.

History - Was approved by the Senate "Business and Labor Committee" and will soon be voted on by the entire Senate   Thursday, January 27th - 8:00 a. m.

Room W135

West Office Building

State Capitol Complex

Business and Labor Committee members include: 

Senator Scott K. Jenkins, Chair

Senator Gene Davis

Senator Thomas V. Hatch

Senator Parley G. Hellewell

Senator John W. Hickman

Senator Sheldon L. Killpack

Senator L. Alma Mansell

Senator Ed Mayne

Senator Michael G. Waddoups

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Thursday, June 3, 2010

First Horizon MSaver President E. Craig Keohan Honored for Consumer Driven Healthcare Leadership

First Horizon MSaver President E. Craig Keohan Honored for Consumer Driven Healthcare Leadership

E. Craig Keohan, president of First Horizon Msaver, Inc. announced that he was honored to receive the CEO CDHC Leadership Award as part of the CDHC Awards.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) March 5, 2007

E. Craig Keohan, president of First Horizon Msaver, Inc. (http://www. firsthorizonmsaver. com (http://www. firsthorizonmsaver. com)) announced that he was honored to receive the CEO CDHC Leadership Award as part of the CDHC Awards. Created and produced by Prepaid Media, the annual CDHC Awards recognize noteworthy professionals, organizations, and programs throughout the consumer-driven health care industry. Awards were presented last night during an awards dinner held during the 2007 CDHC Expo in Las Vegas

"I am truly honored to be recognized with the CEO CDHC Leadership Award as part of the first annual CDHC Awards," said E. Craig Keohan, president of First Horizon Msaver. "There is no question that our industry continues to evolve and having a role in shaping the CDHC landscape is truly exciting."

"We want to congratulate all the companies that submitted their products, services, and professionals for consideration for the first annual CDHC Awards," said Jonathan Weiner, president of Prepaid Media. "There are many companies and individuals developing and offering innovative programs and products in the rapidly evolving consumer directed healthcare market. These winners represent some of the most innovative programs and products that have had significant impact in their respective categories in the past twelve months."

About E. Craig Keohan

E. Craig Keohan, is President of First Horizon Msaver, Inc.(http://www. firsthorizonmsaver. com (http://www. firsthorizonmsaver. com)), and is considered a pioneer in the consumer driven healthcare community. He saw the future of consumer driven health care in 1997, guiding Msaver to one of the leading administrators of consumer driven financial products. He has more than 23 years of professional leadership experience, with a focus in healthcare and banking. Keohan has been invited to the White house to attend a Health Savings Account strategy sessions lead by President Bush and often consults with leaders in Congress and the Administration regarding consumer driven health care issues. Keohan continues to guide First Horizon Msaver to become the nation's leading HSA financial administer. Keohan is also the Chairman of the American Bankers Association HSA Council. The council provides the banking industry an outreach forum with HSA product development and avocation of legislative enhancements.

About First Horizon Msaver

First Horizon Msaver Inc. is a leader in the servicing of Health Savings Accounts and is a member of the First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE: FHN) family of companies that provides financial services to business customers and individuals nationwide. With first-to-market technology like electronic enrollment, banking online, online bill pay, investment options and a dedicated HSA customer care center, First Horizon Msaver is helping thousands of Americans get the most out of their tax-favored HSAs.

First Horizon companies have been recognized as some of the nation's best employers by AARP, Working Mother and Fortune magazines. First Horizon also was named one of the nation's 100 best corporate citizens by Business Ethics magazine. More information can be found at (http://www. firsthorizonmsaver. com (http://www. firsthorizonmsaver. com)).

About Prepaid Media

Prepaid Media provides a host of business-to-business media and information services to the rapidly growing network branded prepaid and stored value card industry.

Prepaid Media's properties include the Paybefore online portal, Paybefore Update electronic newsletter, and Prepaid Card Report (PCR) print publication, the leading information sources for the prepaid and stored value card markets. Prepaid Media also owns and produces the Prepaid Buyers Guide, Prepaid Card Data, and Prepaid Card Awards, all of which are incorporated across its various media properties.

As the prepaid and stored value card industry continues to evolve, Prepaid Media serves as a trusted partner, providing compelling learning, buying and selling, and networking opportunities to key market participants. For more information on Prepaid Media, please visit: www. prepaidmedia. com.

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Nation’s Largest Health Plan Survey Cites Significant Health Plan Cost Disparity Between States

Nation’s Largest Health Plan Survey Cites Significant Health Plan Cost Disparity Between States

Creating Parity through a National Plan May be Difficult

Indianapolis, Indiana (Vocus) October 26, 2010

Key findings released today by United Benefit Advisors (UBA) from the UBA 2010 Health Plan Survey indicate that significant differences in state-by-state average annual costs (AAC) for employee health plans may have implications regarding the future implementation of health insurance exchanges and/or co-operatives.

The survey reveals that while Alaska has the highest average annual cost (AAC) per employee at $10,881, the only other states with an AAC per employee in excess of $10,000 are all located in the Northeast:

Connecticut  $10,584
New York  $10,414
New Jersey  $10,295
Massachusetts  $10,229

This is in contrast to the least expensive states that include:

Kentucky  $6,342
Arkansas  $6,422
Idaho  $6,529
Arizona  $6,771

The disparity between the highest and lowest illustrates the difficult nature of creating parity through a national plan and may indicate that there is a greater need for state based programs as health care reform refinements occur in the future. “The question is who will manage regional co-operatives and exchanges when there are four or five potential insurance commissioners involved,” said Bill Stafford, UBA Vice President, Member Services.

The intent of the UBA Health Plan Survey is to provide employers of all sizes with the data they need to manage their health care benefit programs effectively. Especially employers with fewer than 1,000 employees (which represents more than 99 percent of the employers in the U. S.) and for employers who have operations in multiple locations, this survey is the best source of reliable regional – and in many cases, state – health plan benchmarks by employer size and industry categories. The full survey will be available to the public on Nov. 1. Only UBA Member Firms have access to the more than 250,000 pages of granular state, region and industry data.

ABOUT THE 2010 UBA HEALTH PLAN SURVEY
With responses from 17,113 health plans sponsored by 11,413 employers nationwide, the 2010 UBA Health Plan Survey is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive survey of plan design and plan costs. As the largest survey of its kind, the UBA Health Plan Survey defines benchmarks by a greater number of specific industries, regions and employer size categories than is available from any other resource. The 2009 UBA Employer Benefit Perspectives (which delineates employers' positions and opinions on Employee Communications, Personal Health Management and Scope of Benefits Offered) and the 2010 UBA Employer Opinion Survey (including the Special Supplement on Health Care Reform) serve as companion pieces to the 2010 UBA Health Plan Survey.

ABOUT UNITED BENEFIT ADVISORS – United Benefit Advisors, is a member-owned alliance of more than 140 premier independent benefit advisory firms with offices in more than 165 offices throughout the U. S, Canada and the U. K., and is one of the nation's top five employee benefits advisory organizations. As trusted and knowledgeable advisors, UBA Members collaborate with more than 2,000 professionals to provide best in class solutions that positively impact employers and make a real difference in the lives of their employees and families. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from our shared wisdom should visit UBA online at http://www. UBAbenefits. com to locate your local UBA Member Firm.

CONTACT: William Stafford, Vice President, Member Services, Phone: 317-705-1800, bstafford(at)UBAbenefits(dot)com

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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Blood Bank goes online for donation scheduling

Blood Bank goes online for donation scheduling

(PRWEB) October 5, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 3, 2000

Contacts:  Paul Lacjak, VP of Marketing ScheduleWise. com

 303.730.8120

 placjak@schedulewise. com

 Eric Watson, Recruitment Mgr

 Bonfils Blood Center

 1-800-365-0006

 eric_watson@qm. bbmbc. com

BONFILS BLOOD CENTER TO OFFER SCHEDULING ONLINE

HIGH-TECH SOLUTION WILL INCREASE BLOOD DONATIONS

DENVER, Oct. 3, 2000 -- Bonfils Blood Center is taking a high-tech step toward making it easier to donate blood by teaming up with local software company ScheduleWise. com to become the one of the nationÂ’s nationÂ’s first blood banks to offer online scheduling.

The realtime, interactive online scheduling program, developed by ScheduleWise. com, based in Littleton, CO, enables donors to log on to the Bonfils website at www. bonfils. org and search for a mobile blood drive by location and/or date. Volunteer coordinators can now send company-wide emails to solicit donations at corporate drives.

“We are very excited to be partnering with Bonfils Blood Center as one of our first major ventures,” said Paul Lacjak, VP of ScheduleWise. com. “Bonfils runs about 1500 mobile blood drives per year, and we can really make a difference.”

“We are very excited to work with ScheduleWise. com to form a new collaborative partnership to make blood donation easier and more convenient for our donor public,” said Eric Watson, Recruitment Manager at Bonfils. “This direction keeps Bonfils in line with today's technology trends and shows our commitment to reaching the corporate community.”

About ScheduleWise

ScheduleWise. com is a privately held company headquartered in Littleton, CO. ScheduleWise. com develops online interactive scheduling solutions for appointment-driven service businesses. Initially targeting the healthcare community, ScheduleWise products allow patients and customers to schedule appointments twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, from home, work, or road. Its realtime, interactive features set ScheduleWise apart from other scheduling software products that ask both parties to connect to a web page in order to see the calendar changes. Healthcare and service providers control timeslot parameters, and there is no chance of double-booking. The process is secure and confidential. For more information: www. schedulewise. com.

About Bonfils

Bonfils Blood Center is Colorado's only community blood center, providing blood and transfusion medicine services to more than 90 hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout the state. Bonfils Blood Center has embraced the professional responsibility to be the steward of Colorado's blood supply for over fifty-five years. RVA Council for Accreditation, one of the world's largest and most demanding verification organizations, has awarded ISO 9002 registration to Bonfils Blood Center for its commitment to total quality management in blood banking. For more information: www. bonfils. org.