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‘It’s a Call to Arms for All of Us’ (EXCLUSIVE)

On July 13, as SAG-AFTRA leadership declared the union was going on strike, SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance and executive director Cyd Wilson drafted a letter to 2,700 of the union’s highest-earning actors outlining the financial need that many would face in the work stoppage. “Having been through this during COVID and having such a great response from our own membership to take care of their own, when the strike was decided, Courtney and I sat down with our team and said, ‘Here we go again,’” Wilson tells Variety. More from Variety During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation…
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Massena retirees ask for a faster change to a new health plan

Jul. 21—MASSENA — Town of Massena retirees say they would like to see the process move faster in switching to a new health insurance plan. Several retirees were on hand Wednesday to ask the Massena Town Board to speed up the process and approve the transition to the new plan. Deputy Town Supervisor Patrick M. Facteau said they had followed up with Zachary Zuckerman, a group benefits consultant at USI Insurance Services in Syracuse, and he had made contact with most of the retirees to discuss the new plan. “As far as I know, we’ve had no negatives in regards…
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Exclusion of migrant farm workers from public health insurance puts Nova Scotia agriculture at risk, advocates say

Isabel InclanSpecial to Saltwire Network Amidst the worsening labor crunch in Nova Scotia’s agriculture sector, the government’s exclusion of many migrant workers from public health insurance potentially puts more than 1,600 farm workers and the agri-food supply at risk, advocates warn. Migrant advocates say that the provincial government’s “deliberate policy” excludes migrant workers from public health insurance, leaving them vulnerable. Unlike provinces such as Ontario or Quebec, where migrants in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program are covered by public health upon arrival, farm workers in Nova Scotia must wait 12 months to be covered by the province’s Medical Services Insurance…
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Can You Prevent Telehealth Fraud?

Telemedicine has continued to thrive in a post-pandemic world, but with the expansion of services comes the expansion of fraud. We can help you stay on top of the latest news that affects your everyday life. Subscribe to stay up to date. (To subscribe to our blog click here). The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) has warned healthcare entities to use ‘heightened scrutiny’ when entering telemedicine arrangements that have suspect characteristics of a fraud scheme. The OIG has stated that a common characteristic of fraudulent schemes is the use of kickbacks to recruit and award healthcare practitioners. The OIG further…
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Preferential policies introduced for more insurance products

China has extended coverage of individual income tax preferential policies to more major commercial health insurance products such as medical insurance, long-term care insurance and disease insurance, the National Financial Regulatory Administration announced on Thursday. According to a circular issued by the administration, the authorities will no longer design standardized clauses for such insurance products so they will fully consider consumers’ needs to improve flexibility. Set insurance requirements will only be applicable to people who have pre-existing health conditions, and the design of the rest of the insurance clauses will be decided by market players. In view of insufficient insurance…
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How will AI affect the international private medical insurance market?

How will AI affect the international private medical insurance market? | Insurance Business America Life & Health How will AI affect the international private medical insurance market? AXA head speaks on bias and freeing workers from the ’80/20 rule’ Life & Health By Gia Snape Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are rapidly transforming the global insurance landscape. But AI biases and data privacy risks pose a significant concern in the international private medical insurance (IPMI) industry. “AI can decide whether some claims are valid within seconds. This gives businesses within our industry the opportunity to both save costs…
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Biden to crack down on short-term health insurance plans, Politico reports

July 6 (Reuters) – US President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday is expected to propose a new regulation cracking down on short-term health insurance plans, Politico reported, citing five Democrats with knowledge of the matter. Biden is due to deliver an announcement on healthcare cost savings on Friday. A White House official told Politico on Thursday that Biden plans to announce major actions to lower costs and crack down on junk fees. The regulation will curtail a Trump-era expansion of skimpy health coverage, which critics said undermined the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and its broad protections…
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IMG Partners with MAGNUS Search & Rescue to Offer Travel Medical Insurance

INDIANAPOLIS, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ — International Medical Group® (IMG®), an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company, has announced a new partnership with MAGNUS International Search & Rescue, a comprehensive emergency management and global on-ground search and rescue service provider based in Israel. With more than 30 years of experience serving global travelers, MAGNUS will now offer IMG travel medical insurance plans to travelers, exchange students, and global citizens along with a MAGNUS search and rescue membership. IMG insurance plans will allow MAGNUS customers to have proper medical coverage in the event of an illness or injury while…