Safe Harbor's Blog

Do anti-cancer superfoods really work?

safeharborbenefits — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:17:17 +0000

The short answer to this question is — drum roll, please — yes. They really do. While studies are ongoing, and in many cases experts still don’t know exactly how these superfoods work, there’s strong evidence that certain fruits and vegetables rich in plant-based nutrients can both prevent tumors from starting and halt their growth. Here, the top foods to work into the family diet if you’d like to cut cancer risk or help those with cancer recover. And who wouldn’t?

Follow this link to get the details http://health.yahoo.net/articles/cancer/photos/10-foods-prevent-cancer#0

Via http://health.yahoo.net by Melanie Haiken

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Getting Relief – You Can Lower Your Prescription Medication Costs

safeharborbenefits — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:41:08 +0000

Arlington has launched a program to help provide residents with some relief from the high cost of prescription medications. Through the program — sponsored by the National League of Cities (NLC) — the City is making free prescription discount cards available to residents. The discount cards offer residents an average of 23 percent savings off the retail price of prescription medications. The NLC Prescription Discount Card can be used by all residents of Arlington and has no restrictions based on a resident’s age, income level, or existing health coverage. The card can be used at pharmacies around the city, as well as at more than 60,000 participating retail pharmacies across the country.

Visit http://www.arlingtontx.gov/news/2011/archive_1211_04.html for detailed information.

General Liability Insurance…are you really covered?

safeharborbenefits — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:34:28 +0000

‘Trust me, we’re covered. We have general liability insurance.’ This statement is also often followed by an all too common explanation, ‘My company employees are listed as additional insured so we are covered.’

Certificates of insurance are meant to evidence insurance coverage for landlords and tenants, secured transactions, and other property, casualty, and liability exposures companies and individuals face. They are not policies of insurance. Disclaimers recently added to standard certificates of insurance are causing confusion and open the door to assuming unexpected risk.

To learn more and ensure that you and your company are properly covered, give Victoria a call at 817-226-3372 or email her at Victoria@SafeHarborBenefits.com. She will be happy to walk through why certificates of insurance are used, the differences between certificates of insurance and insurance binders, as well as limitations in certificates of insurance, in additon to answering any questions you may have.

Long-Term Care Costs on the Rise

safeharborbenefits — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:08:27 +0000

WESTPORT, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Costs continue to rise for those requiring long-term care in the U.S. According to the newly released 2011 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs, conducted by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, national average rates for a private nursing home room increased 4.4% to $239 daily or $87,235 annually, in 2011. Assisted living base rates rose by 5.6% to $3,477 monthly or $41,724 annually. Adult day services went up by 4.5% to $70 per day. Home health aides and homemaker/companion service rates were unchanged at $21 and $19 per hour, respectively.

The highest average daily rates for nursing homes continue to be in Alaska, where rates decreased slightly to $655 for a private room compared to $687 in 2010. Costs were lowest in Louisiana, outside the Baton Rouge and Shreveport Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), at an average of $141 per day for a private room.

For assisted living, the Washington, D.C. area had the highest average monthly base rate at $5,757, a 10% increase from last year. Arkansas, outside of the Little Rock MSA, had the lowest average monthly rate of $2,156, also an increase.

“This year’s increases are greater than previous years. The state of the economy, combined with rising health care and energy costs, are having a significant impact on long-term care rates. In fact, long-term care rates continue to outpace the medical inflation rate,” said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. “The result is dramatic protracted inflation that will impact consumers. As the cost of care continues to rise, Americans need to discuss long-term care planning with their families now, to ensure they receive the kind of care they want in the future. This is especially critical at a time when retirement savings rates are low.”

The MetLife Market Survey and accompanying report provide a good deal of additional information regarding various types of long-term care available in the U.S. and a detailed breakdown of costs by region.

Nursing Homes:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010, 66% of nursing home residents were women. The median age of residents was 82.7 years.

Fifteen percent of nursing homes surveyed have an associated assisted living unit or wing; 11% are part of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC).

A small percentage (10%) of nursing homes surveyed provide adult day services.

The majority (87%) of nursing homes surveyed provide Alzheimer’s or dementia care; of those, 80% charge the same rate for care.

Assisted Living:

Current estimates from the American Seniors Housing Association indicate that the average age of an assisted living resident is 86.9 years old, and the median length of stay in assisted living is 25.6 months.

Oversight of assisted living communities rests primarily with state governments rather than federal regulation. In 2007, several states strengthened existing standards or implemented new standards for communities with residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

Almost three-quarters (72%) of assisted living communities surveyed provide Alzheimer’s and dementia care, 50% of which charge an additional fee for the service.

Home Health Care:

The majority (79%) of the home health care agencies surveyed provide Alzheimer’s training to their employees, and almost all (99%) agencies surveyed do not charge an additional fee for patients with Alzheimer’s.

While most home care agencies surveyed provide an hourly rate, 81% of the agencies require a minimum number of hours per day ranging from 30 minutes to eight hours with three hours being the average. Small percentages (3%) provide a daily rate. About 32% of those surveyed have a 24-hour or live-in rate. The average daily live-in rate for a home health aide is $258 and $255 for a homemaker/companion.

Adult Day Services Centers:

More than three-quarters of adult day services centers surveyed are open Monday through Friday; 6% are also open Saturdays and 13% are open seven days per week. For those open 24 hours, 67% provide full adult day services for all 24 hours. Seven in ten centers provide transportation services to and from the center. Of these, 47% do not charge a fee for these services. Of those that charge for transportation, the average one-way fee is about $8.

Almost all (98%) of the centers surveyed provide services for those with Alzheimer’s disease, with 2% of these charging an additional fee.

2011 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs can be downloaded from www.MatureMarketInstitute.com. The publication can also be ordered through Contact Us on the MetLife Mature Market Institute Web site, by writing to: MetLife Mature Market Institute, 57 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880 or by e-mailing MatureMarketInstitute@metlife.com.

Methodology

The MetLife survey of 2,003 nursing homes, 1,492 assisted living communities, 1,644 home care agencies and 1,341 adult day services, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, was conducted by telephone between April and August 2011, by LifePlans, Inc., for the MetLife Mature Market Institute.

Medicaid Scam Alert!

safeharborbenefits — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:41:12 +0000

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) issued this news release late yesterday warning Texans with Medicaid coverage to be aware of a recently reported scam involving a caller asking a Medicaid recipient to provide a bank account number in an attempt to sell the recipient a replacement card for $50.

This scam preys on Medicaid recipients exploiting the fact that the State recently replaced paper Medicaid cards with plastic cards that were mailed to recipients’ homes. HHSC reminds people who have lost cards that they can call the State for a free replacement and never to give out personal information over the phone.

The State is advising Medicaid clients who receive similar calls to make note of the number the call came from and to report it immediately to the state at (800) 436-6184.

Debit Card Fees Are Just Around the Corner

safeharborbenefits — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:55:29 +0000

Since Safe Harbor is all about helping our clients save money…we want you to read more in USA Today’s article about the numerous banks getting ready to charge customers for debit card usage. Click Here.

Virtual Offices and Executive Suites Now Leasing

safeharborbenefits — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:48:26 +0000

Safe Harbor Center is pre-leasing space in the beautiful Phase II building! Virtual office programs will be available featuring a furnished office, wide-screen monitors, phones/head-sets, etc. This concept is growing in popularity due to the cost-efficiency for many professions. Read more in an article recently appearing in the WSJ.

You can also find more information on Safe Harbor Center, including a leasing pacakage, on our website.

For more information, contact:

Michelle Keathley or Victoria Weir

817-226-3372

SHC Executive Suites and Virtual Offices Flyer

This guide might save your life…

safeharborbenefits — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:10:24 +0000

literally.

Between work, school, and activities, we are often forced to eat on the run. If you’re watching calories or simply trying to eat healthy, it’s nearly impossible to find something to eat that isn’t laden with fat and calories, which can drag your energy down and lead to long-term health problems.

Check out the guide below. It can help you make better choices when deciding which drive-thru to hit…and some of the nutritional information just might shock you.

View this document on Scribd

New Law Allows Employees to Bring Guns to Work

safeharborbenefits — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:17:41 +0000

On June 17 Gov. Rick Perry signed SB 321, which provides that a private or public employer may not prohibit an employee from storing a firearm or ammunition in a locked, privately owned motor vehicle in a parking lot, garage or other parking area provided by the employer. The law goes into effect Sept. 1. To store a firearm in his or her vehicle, the employee must hold a concealed handgun license (CHL) or otherwise lawfully possess a firearm. There are exceptions that provide for the prohibition of firearms on school premises, secured areas of airports and chemical, oil and gas manufacturing facilities.

Employers are allowed to prohibit an employee from possessing a firearm in an employer-owned or leased vehicle used by the employee in the course and scope of the employee’s employment. Employers may continue to prohibit employees from possessing firearms in the employers’ buildings.

It is recommended that employers notify their employees and update their employee handbooks to address these new provisions.

Written by Todd Kilkenny, IIAT

For Spenders, the Down Market Has an Upside.

safeharborbenefits — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:21:57 +0000

Though saving money during tough economic times is always a smart idea, sometimes a little splurge here and there does not hurt either. Need a short trip to escape the daily grind? Now may be the time to start looking.

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/113286/spenders-down-market-has-upside-smartmoney?mod=bb-budgeting