New Web Page on Short Term Health Insurance

Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) January 13, 2012

KQ Insurance Services is now selling temporary health insurance plans. This online medical benefits agency, known for selling individual and group health plans, launched a new page this week on their website about short term health insurance. This new product offering from the carrier, HCC Medical Insurance Services, enables the agency to offer temporary coverage to clients who need benefits right away or who need a health plan to fill a gap in coverage.

Being at the right place at the right time has paid off for KQ Insurance Services. March 2011, the company received an unsolicited application for short term health insurance, a product they did not offer at the time. Upon receiving the application, Esmeralda Mercado approached the CEO, John Hansen, about adding temporary health insurance to their product offerings. Hansen gave her three words that set the wheels in motions, “Go for it!”

Very quickly the staff at KQ Insurance Services wondered why they hadn’t moved on this sooner. “It was a pleasant surprise to find so many ways that people can benefit from temporary medical insurance,” said Group Specialist, Holly Davies. “Not only does it dovetail nicely with products we offer, it also meets a variety of medical insurance needs of the general public. For example, it’s a good filler plan for someone who is in between jobs, or is waiting to finish their employment probation period for health benefits, or is waiting to find another option to COBRA and other expensive medical coverage.”

Health Benefits Specialists at KQ Insurance Services are excited about this additional product they are now able to offer their customers. According to Benefits Specialist, Bessie Starkey, “Short term health insurance gives people major medical protection while they do not yet have a permanent solution to their healthcare needs. Essentially, temporary health coverage buys time for customers who are between plans.”

Beyond increasing product offerings and enabling KQ to improve their customer service, offering temporary health insurance has also increased the profits of the company. KQ now receives on average around $ 300 per month in commission checks from HCC, their short term health insurance carrier.

About KQ Insurance Services

Since 2005, KQ Insurance Services has ranked as one of the top online individual and group health insurance agencies. The company consists of benefits specialists who provide personalized insurance services to individuals and businesses needing assistance with enrollment, quotes, and health plan questions.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Richfield, Minn. (PRWEB) February 15, 2012

Newman Long Term Care, one of the nation’s leading long-term care insurance agencies, today announced a new strategic alliance with AdvisorNet Financial to provide more clients with the best service, carriers and expertise for their long-term care planning needs. As a full-service financial planning firm based in Minneapolis, AdvisorNet Financial and its clients will receive education, sales training, policyholder service and many other forms of support from Newman Long Term Care.

This announcement comes at a critical time in American history. A greater awareness for long-term care planning has finally emerged as 10,000 baby boomers are now turning 65 every day—a trend that will continue uninterrupted for the next 18 years.

“We believe this alliance will build on the strengths of both organizations, and will help us all solve the long-term care planning needs of a lot more families,” said Deb Newman, founder of Newman Long Term Care in Richfield, Minn. “We’re also thrilled to be working with a fast growing firm like AdvisorNet Financial that’s based right here within our community.”

“At AdvisorNet, we realize long-term care is a very unique and specialized area of insurance that requires great depth of knowledge and attention,” said Joe Larkin, vice president of AdvisorNet Financial. “We’re excited to launch a relationship with a world class firm to help us give our clients the hands-on, expert long-term care support they deserve.”

“We believe the partnership with Newman Long Term Care allows us to provide this valuable service to our clients while focusing on our other lines of insurance and core financial services,” said Dan May, CEO and President of AdvisorNet Financial.

While Newman Long Term Care and AdvisorNet Financial are national organizations, they are both based in Minnesota.

About Newman Long Term Care

Founded in 1990, Newman Long Term Care has focused exclusively on long-term care insurance for more than two decades. The Minnesota-based firm is a national leader in the industry and currently sells long-term care insurance in all 50 states. For more information about Newman Long Term Care, visit http://www.NewmanLTC.com.

About AdvisorNet Financial

AdvisorNet Financial was formed in 1959 and has become a leading full- service financial planning firm. The insurance brokerage division works with multiple carriers offering life, disability and long term care insurance as well as fixed & indexed annuities. AdvisorNet exists to provide and support the best financial and insurance products and services possible to our advisors, agents and their clients.

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New York, NY (PRWEB) February 15, 2012

Don Canning, vice president of SunGard’s insurance business, said, “Changes in demographics, competition and regulation are driving insurance companies to get more aggressive about improving service quality while reducing cost. Platforms that consolidate data and workflows, provide end-to-end policy administration, and expand analytics and actuarial modeling will help insurers achieve these goals. In addition, a 360 degree view of enterprise-wide risk management will help insurance companies better manage risk and compliance, improve returns and modernize their operations.”

SunGard has identified ten trends shaping the industry in 2012 as insurance companies look to capitalize on change through transparency, efficiency and networks. They are:

1.    Actuaries are embracing faster and more efficient asset liability management models and analyses to help improve risk management.

2.    Insurers are streamlining and enhancing core administration processes with new software solutions that use business rules to create new policy type products that get to market faster.

3.    Healthcare payers are preparing for the uncertainties of healthcare reform by investing in analytical and workflow tools to help increase claims processing efficiencies.

4.    Regulations are placing greater emphasis on governance, risk transparency and compliance, causing insurers to increase their investment in enterprise risk management frameworks.

5.    Expected increases in regulatory reporting requirements means insurers will need to better interconnect financial data, measure contributors to performance, and generate real-time investment and accounting information.

6.    Insurers are using business intelligence to leverage “big data” to help them estimate claims, assets, credit and market data, and gain deeper insights across networks of producers, policy holders and operations.

7.    Consumerization of technology is driving insurers to enhance product and service delivery by streamlining the back office and providing ubiquitous access to information through Web, voice and mobile channels.

8.    Cost constraints, competitive pressures and time-to-market requirements are driving more carriers to embrace cloud technology to help reduce total cost of ownership and accelerate the delivery of new products and services.

9.    Regulatory reform is driving insurers to consolidate information from multiple functional and business lines in order to increase transparency around business workflows and improve auditability across the enterprise.

10.    The effects of global regulations such as SOX, GLB, and Solvency II are driving multi-national carriers to increase their focus on controlling systemic liability risks and improving transparency by consolidating data from many lines of business and ramping up analytics.

Clark Troy, research director for Aite Group’s insurance practice, said, “For all lines of business in insurance in 2012, much hinges on political and economic developments and their impact on regulations and markets. In addition, analytics and “big data” will continue to proliferate across the insurance world for three simple reasons: There’s more and better data coming available; data toolkits continue to evolve; and participants across the insurance ecosystem are getting better at making use of the various types of data available. This year will also usher in further platform consolidation, reliance on fewer core system vendors, and further integration of core systems.”

About SunGard’s iWorks

SunGard’s iWorks is a business-driven IT product suite for the insurance industry in each of the following major business lines: life/health/annuities/pensions, property and casualty and reinsurance. iWorks offers a range of products and services including front-office tools, policy administration, reinsurance, actuarial calculations, financial accounting, investment accounting, and reporting. SunGard partners with customers to deliver products and services that align with changing business and regulatory needs.

About SunGard

SunGard is one of the world’s leading software and technology services companies. SunGard has more than 17,000 employees and serves approximately 25,000 customers in more than 70 countries. SunGard provides software and processing solutions for financial services, education and the public sector. SunGard also provides disaster recovery services, managed IT services, information availability consulting services and business continuity management software. With annual revenue of about $ 4.5 billion, SunGard is the largest privately held software and services company and was ranked 434 on the Fortune 500 in 2011. Look for us wherever the mission is critical. For more information, visit http://www.sungard.com.

Trademark Information: SunGard, the SunGard logo and iWorks are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunGard Data Systems Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. All other trade names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information, email sungardpr(at)sungard(dot)com.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Malibu, CA (PRWEB) February 08, 2012

Dr. Mohammad was recently selected out of 720,000 active physicians as a Patients Choice physician. He was awarded the honor by patients.

Dr. Mohammad is an addiction treatment medicine specialist, psychiatrist, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California. Inspire Malibu was founded in 2011 by Dr. Mohammad.

The Patients’ Choice honor is given as a reflection of Dr. Mohammads patients’ continued appreciation and praise for the quality of care and service provided at Inspire Malibu.

Inspire Malibu is changing the landscape of recovery with it’s secular and empathetic drug treatment centers. Inspire Malibu is one of the United States premier addiction treatment centers throughout the world. Dr. Mohammad’s vision entails an emotional and psychological component. Inspire Malibu offers the addict or alcoholic the same level of comprehensive professional care as someone with any other chronic treatable medical condition. Inspire Malibu continuously incorporates breakthrough scientific advances in addiction medicine assuring the finest patient care. At Inspire Malibu, each individual patient receives a 100% custom crafted treatment plan specific to their needs, whatever their religion, race, gender or nationality.”

Each month, over 200,000 patients across the United States provide online feedback referencing their doctor care and experiences. These patients rate multiple components of the care they receive, such as bedside manner, doctor-patient face time, follow-up care, ease of appointment setting, and courtesy of office staff. They also share their overall opinions and comments. Throughout 2011, hundreds of thousands of patient reviews were written and shared. While physicians generally receive positive feedback from their patients, only a few consistently receive rave reviews. Dr. Mohammed was selected as one, who with high praise, carried a near perfect score.

The distinctive Patients Choice Award for 2011 is to be prominently displayed on Dr. Mohammad’s profile for a broad collection of web sites, including Patients’ Choice, Vitals, Google, and a variety of managed care sites as well as top health insurance sites. Dr. Mohammad is a pioneer in non 12 step treatment.

Inspire Malibu is currently being featured on KCAL 9 and California Adventure TV. Watch the segment here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZCnUCgQ6g8.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Many people will find that there will be complicate procedure which have to be taken when they want to give the protection for their family because there will be so many kinds of consideration which have to be accomplished properly. Health aspect will be the most crucial consideration which could be found after all. However, with the support of modern information technology, people could find the easy way for getting the protection including the  whole life insurance quotes without having to get involved with complex procedure.

People only need to use few clicks on the internet and they could find that there will be perfect protection for their family future.

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) December 31, 2011

Whether individuals live in Texas, Oklahoma or any locale from coast to coast, most Americans wonder why, if, and when they need life insurance. In order to help consumers create a “road map” for success, the team at Benefit Resource Group, or BRG, works with individuals in Texas and Oklahoma who are seeking advice from a local Texas insurance agency. Led by Howard Crissey and Danny O’Connell, the agency’s team of experts has developed a “life insurance buying guide” to help provide some basic direction. Although these tips do not constitute a financial plan or replace a face-to-face meeting with an experienced insurance agent, they can help people gain a better understanding of their life insurance needs and options with a basic timeline.

Young adults in their 20s and just out of school may be best off purchasing a permanent policy with a minimum death benefit of $ 100,000. Whether individuals in this age demographic are married, single or have kids, they will want to buy some type of life insurance when they are young and healthy in order to obtain lower premiums and lock in their insurability in case they develop health conditions later in life. The cash value that accumulates in a permanent policy can be used as a rainy day fund or emergency savings.
For the person who is getting married, starting a family or purchasing a home, he or she will want a higher death benefit to meet his or her increased liabilities and obligations. A Texas term life insurance policy is a good idea in this situation due to the higher levels of death benefit one can usually acquire with lower premiums. A buyer needs to be sure that the term policy can be converted to a permanent one. Individuals also want to be sure that they have enough life insurance coverage to pay off their mortgage, fund their children’s educations and cover other basic living expenses.
Couples who are having children will want to purchase a permanent policy on their child with a death benefit between $ 50,000 and $ 100,000. This creates a savings account with a death benefit in case the unmentionable should occur. When the child becomes of age, the ownership can be changed so that he or she has the benefit of the cash accumulation over the last 20 years to use as rainy day savings or down payment on a house.
Middle-aged individuals who have college expenses on the horizon may consider implementing a blended strategy, which can allow for a higher death benefit to insure a short-term expense like college funding. With this approach, an individual purchases a permanent whole life or universal life insurance policy with what is called a “flexible term rider.” In essence, this strategy will take a portion of the dividends from a permanent policy and help purchase a term policy for a higher death benefit at a reduced cost. The term policy’s death benefit will expire at the end of the period –usually within 20 or 30 years – but the permanent policy will remain in force.
Older consumers who are concerned with estate taxation and erosion of assets might want to consider a single premium product, which will cover those expenses so they can pass more on to their heirs and charities.

The team at BRG understands that each person has unique needs when it comes to life insurance, which is why they encourage individuals to contact the agency through its website, http://www.brg-tx.com, or at (877) 308-9812 in order to obtain answers to all of their questions. The experts at the Texas insurance agency are always happy to lend a hand to local residents looking to plan for the future!

About Benefit Resource Group:

For over 35 years, BRG has been operating in Texas and has grown into Oklahoma while focusing on building relationships with and retaining their clients. The team at BRG has grown exponentially over the years, adding experts that have extensive knowledge in everything insurance-related, whether personal or business policies. No matter what a client’s financial situation may be, BRG agents are committed to finding the most affordable and comprehensive solutions for his or her unique needs and helping to identify and solve issues individuals might not have been aware of.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Pompano, FL (PRWEB) February 02, 2012

To meet the needs of family caregivers in Texas, especially those raising children with autism, Butterfly Effects is now offering a complete range of services in the cities and surrounding areas of Houston and El Paso. Already delivering services in locales across the nation, the Butterfly Effects network now brings its progressive model of education, therapeutic, and behavioral services to these parts of Texas where both large urban centers and remote rural regions remain underserved.

Service for individuals with disabilities in Texas has fallen to alarmingly low levels in recent years, especially early intervention services for children evidencing signs of autism. The increasing needs presented by a rapidly growing population compounded by limited resources and a limited number of qualified providers have made Early Intervention an area of significant deficit in Texas. The problem is made even more profound by a limited understanding about the importance of treatment for children, especially the very young.

Butterfly Effects is a strong proponent of Early Intervention services for young children evidencing signs of autism or developmental delays. “It’s absolutely essential that parents seek out services as soon as possible,” says Butterfly Effects founder and CEO Charlotte Fudge. “Early Intervention can make all the difference in how a child develops. Parents need to know that services are often available for young children even without an official diagnosis.”

While Butterfly Effects may not be able to get the Texas legislature to increase funding right away, it can help improve awareness and make an immediate impact on the provider deficit. Its highly experienced case coordinators can also help families access what private insurance and state funding is available.

Access Butterfly Effects autism supports at http://butterflyeffects.com/company/life-changing-autism-supports

Butterfly Effects offers a wide range of services for children and adults with genetic or acquired disabilities, including Autism, developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, ADHD, and Alzheimer’s. Nearly all of its services are delivered one-on-one in the client’s home or school, or other natural environments.

All Butterfly Effects personnel are trained in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Supported by over 30 years of scientific research, ABA-based interventions are highly effective across a number of populations. They are used to teach new skills and habits, and eliminate problematic behaviors through positive reinforcement.

As a therapeutic intervention for children with autism, ABA stands alone. It is recognized as the only type of treatment that is regarded “objectively substantiated as effective” by the Association for Science in Autism Treatment. This opinion has also been voiced by a number of state and national agencies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institute of Health, U.S. Surgeon General, and the FDA. It is also supported by TRICARE insurance for military families for which Butterfly Effects is an approved provider.

To find out about TRICARE benefits for military families, visit http://butterflyeffects.com/company/autism-programs-for-military-families.

With so many children not receiving services in Texas, it’s especially important that families raising a child with Autism make the investment in ABA-based interventions as early as possible. Family caregivers can learn from trained ABA tutors how to communicate with their children and learn how they can help improve their children’s opportunities to advance and become functional participants in school and beyond.

Originally founded in Florida in 2004, Butterfly Effects has grown rapidly in many areas across the nation to now include over 300 professional psychologists, therapists, educators, and caregivers.

“One of our primary goals is to eliminate the fragmentation that often turns what should be complementary services into competing services,” says Mrs. Fudge. “We practice continuous case coordination designed to provide support and services during all the phases and transitions through which an individual will pass. This allows us to plan early and proactively, building the skills and the support network that will allow a person to achieve his or her greatest potential and realize as much independence and community connection as possible. However, in Texas, we have to do what we can to fill the provider gap especially with young children. That has to be the first priority.”

To access information about Butterfly Effects Family Caregiver supports visit http://butterflyeffects.com/services/family-caregiver-support.

Butterfly Effects services include:

Screening, Testing, and Evaluation
Early Intervention for children evidencing autism and other developmental challenges
Behavioral Interventions for children and adults
Mental Health Evaluations and Therapy
ASHA-Certified Speech and Language Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Sensory Integration Training
Educational Support including testing, school readiness, IEP development, homeschool support, fundamental and advanced academic tutoring
Transitional Support and Life Skill Training
Companion Care and Respite Care for adults
Respite and Babysitting, and Mother’s Helper Services for infants and children,
Family Caregiver Support and Training
Case coordination including help with insurance and paperwork

A butterfly effect is one in which a small action leads to great results. When such an action is conscious, anything is possible.

Family members can put their own butterfly effect into motion by calling (888) 880-9270 or visiting the Butterfly Effects website at http://butterflyeffects.com/.

Qualified ABA tutors and other providers with the right training and positive personality are invited to make application to join the Butterfly Effects team by calling or visiting the website. We will help relocate those professionals who are interested in serving areas of high demand.

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Austin car accident lawyer Bob Richardson

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

New traffic accident data shows that Texas is headed the wrong way when it comes to deaths caused by drunk driving — and that needs to change, according to Austin car accident lawyer Bob Richardson.

“At a time when the nation as a whole is seeing drunk-driving fatalities decrease, Texas is bucking that trend with more and more traffic accident deaths caused by impaired motorists,” said Richardson, the founder of The Bob Richardson Law Firm.

The firm’s Texas personal injury lawyers represent car accident victims and their families, including those harmed by drunk drivers, in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.

“It is time for our state, which has by far the most alcohol-related highway fatalities, to get serious about our DWI / DUI problem,” Richardson said.

Richardson referred to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), released at the end of December, which found Texas had six more drunk-driving deaths in 2010 than it did in 2009.

Drunk driving claimed the lives of 1,259 people in Texas in 2010 — the highest number in the country by a wide margin. During the same period, the country’s total drunk-driving death toll fell by 531, with 32 states and the District of Columbia experiencing improvements, according to the NHTSA report.

Texas, which sees the most traffic deaths in the nation despite having only the second largest population, also had an increase in the percentage of highway fatalities caused by alcohol impairment, the NHTSA numbers showed. Roughly 42 percent of all Texas traffic deaths involved drunk driving in 2010. That marked an increase from 40 percent the year before. Only one other state had a worse percentage.

Data for 2011 will not be available until this time next year.

“These figures set Texas apart in a bad way,” Richardson said. “What makes this death toll so tragic is that all of these alcohol-related accidents could have been prevented.”

Richardson urged state lawmakers to pay close attention to the suggestions outlined in a recent report from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In its annual Report to the Nation, MADD gave Texas only three out of five stars for its efforts to curb drunk driving.

MADD urged Texas to implement sobriety checkpoints and advocated for ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. Interlocks prevent motorists from starting their cars if breath analysis indicates that they are over the legal limit.

“Texas can and should be among the leaders when it comes to reducing drunk-driving deaths. As other states have shown, tougher laws can make a big difference when it comes to avoiding tragedies caused by impaired driving,” Richardson said.

He said the Texas personal injury attorneys at The Bob Richardson Law Firm remain committed to improving highway safety in Texas, as well as protecting the rights of the victims of negligent and careless drivers.

Richardson urged anyone who has suffered injuries in a Texas drunk-driving wreck to consult with an experienced auto accident attorney.

“People who carelessly drink and drive must be held accountable for the damage and suffering they cause. We are here to stand up for the victims of drunk driving,” he said.

About The Bob Richardson Law Firm

The Bob Richardson Law Firm is a Texas personal injury and Social Security disability law firm that provides legal services to clients in cases involving car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, drunk driving accidents, construction accidents, workplace accidents and slip and fall accidents as well as representation to those seeking benefits for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The firm features offices in Austin and Waco and assists clients throughout Round Rock, Georgetown, Killeen, Temple, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Taylor, Belton and surrounding Texas communities. To learn more about The Bob Richardson Law Firm, call (800) 880-5100 or use the firm’s online form.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 12, 2011

Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, today introduced 11 new sections to its popular Autism Safety Project on the Autism Speaks website. Safety is a concern for all parents, but given the challenges of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), safety is even more critical. The new sections of the Autism Safety Project focus on safety in the home and the community, and provide information about preventing sexual abuse and other forms of mistreatment.

Keeping individuals with autism safe is of paramount concern to families and should start within the home. These concerns are addressed in “Safe Signals,” a collection of in-home safety materials for individuals with ASD developed by the Ohio State University Health System Nursing Patient Education in conjunction with the Ohio State University’s Nisonger Center and the Ohio State University Medical Center’s Burn Center. The Safe Signals section of the Autism Safety Project includes a workbook and vinyl clings with important home safety information for the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living areas and utility spaces. In addition, a “Safe Signals” video is available on the Autism Speaks Autism Safety Project webpage. A $ 25,000 community grant from Autism Speaks covered the production costs of the “Safe Signals” video, workbook and vinyl clings.

“The focus of the Safe Signals project is to develop fire and burn safety at home for older teens and young adults with autism. To our knowledge no other resource quite like this exists for this population,” said Lisa Murray-Johnson, program director for patient education at the Ohio State University Medical Center. “Whether they live alone, with a roommate, in a group home or with care providers, we want to prevent accidental injury before it happens. Burn center experts are excellent at treating burns, but education to prevent burns is equally important,” said Murray-Johnson.

A new Community Section expands the Autism Safety Project with the inclusion of information, tips and links to professional resources to help ensure the safety of an individual with autism outside of the home. It is broken down into categories that address common situations that can pose a risk depending on an individual with ASD’s cognitive and communication abilities. Categories include crossing the street, learning landmarks and directions, taking public transportation, using public restrooms and asking for help. For each category, Autism Speaks worked with professionals to provide tips and resources to teach appropriate safey skills in the community.

Sexual abuse is a very real concern for individuals affected by autism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls suffer from sexual abuse before the age of 18. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey, the country’s largest and most reliable crime study, reports that every two minutes a person is sexually victimized in the United States – and the numbers for individuals with disabilities are even higher. With these troubling statistics in mind, Autism Speaks has developed a special section of the Autism Safety Project on sexual abuse to inform and empower parents to talk about sexuality with their children, take preventive measures, detect signs of abuse and address suspected instances of abuse.

“People with autism are especially vulnerable to sexual predators, and some may either be unaware that they are being mistreated or may be unable to effectively communicate that abuse has occurred,” said Lisa Goring, Autism Speaks vice president of Family Services. “It’s critical that we do everything possible to prevent abuse by arming parents and children with key safety information, as well as improve our ability to detect and report any instance of mistreatment.”

Additional sections of the Autism Safety Project include information and strategies targeted to first responders and judicial personal. Within each section there is information about characteristics associated with autism and strategies to facilitate safe and productive interactions. The online resource also features materials to help families be better prepared for an emergency or crisis situation, including tools for creating an effective safety plan. It also provides a list of national autism information resources that includes first responder training programs and safety programs for people with disabilities.

About Autism

Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders – autism spectrum disorders – caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by social and behavioral challenges, as well as repetitive behaviors. An estimated 1 in 110 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum – a 600 percent increase in the past two decades that is only partly explained by improved diagnosis.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. Since its inception in 2005, Autism Speaks has made enormous strides, committing over $ 160 million to research and developing innovative resources for families. The organization is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. In addition to funding research, Autism Speaks has created resources and programs including the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network, Autism Speaks’ Autism Genetic Resource Exchange and several other scientific and clinical programs. Notable awareness initiatives include the establishment of the annual United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, which Autism Speaks celebrates through its Light it Up Blue initiative. Also, Autism Speaks award-winning “Learn the Signs” campaign with the Ad Council has received over $ 300 million in donated media. Autism Speaks’ family resources include the Autism Video Glossary, a 100 Day Kit for newly-diagnosed families, a School Community Tool Kit, a Grandparent’s Guide to Autism, and a community grant program. Autism Speaks has played a critical role in securing federal legislation to advance the government’s response to autism, and has successfully advocated for insurance reform to cover behavioral treatments in 29 states thus far, with bills pending in an additional 10 states. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 80 cities across North America. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org.

About the Co-Founders

Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Senior Advisor at Lee Equity Partners and Chairman and CEO of the Palm Beach Civic Association. He served as Vice Chairman of General Electric; and as the Chief Executive Officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than twenty years. He also serves on the board of directors of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Mission Product, EMI Group Global Ltd., and AMC Networks Inc., and is a Trustee of the New York Presbyterian hospital. Suzanne Wright is a Trustee Emeritus of Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater. Suzanne has received numerous awards, the Women of Distinction Award from Palm Beach Atlantic University, the CHILD Magazine Children’s Champions Award, Luella Bennack Volunteer Award, Spirit of Achievement award by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s National Women’s Division and The Women of Vision Award from the Weizmann Institute of Science. In 2008, the Wrights were named to the Time 100 Heroes and Pioneers category, a list of the most influential people in the world, for their commitment to global autism advocacy. They have also received the first ever Double Helix Award for Corporate Leadership from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the NYU Child Advocacy Award, the Castle Connolly National Health Leadership Award and the American Ireland Fund Humanitarian Award. In the past couple of years the Wrights have received honorary doctorate degrees from St. John’s University, St. Joseph’s University and UMass Medical School.

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Attachments

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Caregiverlist.com

Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) December 31, 2011

Senior caregiving costs and options vary depending on a senior’s location, but as nursing homes are often an extension of a hospital stay it has become important to know the costs and ratings of nursing homes. Medicare only pays for short-term stays in a nursing home and then a senior must private pay. Now seniors can turn to Caregiverlist.com to find the actual costs and ratings of nursing homes to choose the right facility during their Medicare paid stays and ongoing as they choose between nursing home care, senior home care or moving to an assisted living community.

Caregiverlist.com provides the actual daily costs and ratings of nursing homes nationwide, senior home care agency rates and services, assisted living costs and “by state” Medicaid financial qualifications to assist seniors and their families to plan for senior care needs. Low-income seniors with few assets will qualify for Medicaid instead of Medicare. Some seniors will spend-down their assets and qualify for Medicaid if they have significant medical care costs.

“Many seniors do not realize Medicare does not pay for long-term care in a nursing home until a medical emergency arises”, says Julie Northcutt, CEO of Caregiverlist.com. Nursing homes have become an extension of a hospital stay and understanding the costs and quality ratings are important when planning for senior care. Caregiverlist.com is the only resource online or offline with the actual daily costs of nursing homes nationwide.

Medicare, the health insurance program for seniors, only pays for short-term stays in a nursing home, after a major medical event. Senior home care agencies provide professional senior caregiving services meeting licensing requirements in each state and can cost from $ 16 to $ 25 and deliver one-on-one professional caregiving services. Nursing homes can cost from $ 75 to $ 400 per day, with the price varying based on single or shared room and other amenities offered by the nursing home.

Medicaid, the health insurance program for very low-income seniors, does pay for a nursing home stay ongoing and replaces Medicare for qualifying low-income seniors who have few assets.

“When developing a plan of care for retirement with families, we first educate the senior and their family member about the costs of senior care,” says Lisa Sneddon, CEO of Senior Living Experts and Caregiverlist.com’s Assisted Living columnist.

Seniors should plan on budgeting between $ 2,500 and $ 4,000 per month for an assisted living community and be prepared to pay for additional caregiving services out of pocket.

Caregiverlist’s [nursing home directory provides the daily cost of private and shared rooms in nursing homes along with their star-ratings for quality. Seniors can compare nursing home costs and ratings in different cities nationwide and research senior home care agencies and assisted living communities.

Medicaid qualifications in each state are also provided in Caregiverlist’s “by-state” section, to assist seniors who may need to spend-down to qualify for Medicaid benefits. Most seniors do not choose to go to a nursing home anymore, except for acute care needs after a hospital stay. As senior care can cost as much as $ 80,000 per year for full-time care, some seniors also must plan ahead for nursing home care at a nursing home accepting Medicaid.

Nursing homes can cost between $ 75 and $ 400 per day, depending on the location and if the room is private or shared. Caregiverlist.com provides the ability to sort nursing home prices from low to high, for acceptance of Medicare or Medicaid as payment and by quality star-ratings from health inspection reports. Seniors can also request costs and service information from licensed senior home care agencies in their area on Caregiverlist.com.

Caregiverlist provides the premiere service connecting seniors and professional caregivers with the most reliable eldercare options, highest quality ratings and outstanding careers nationwide.

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