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On Jan. 15, the Tenn.-based dialysis provider againstBlue Cross, afterd the insurer slashed reimbursement rates for out-of-network dialysi services by 88 percent. The lawsuit is seeking compensatory damages and asking Blue Cross be orderefd to reinstate reimbursement rates to itsoriginal level. Blue in an e-mail, said its position is unchanged byNationa Renal's amended complaint. The insurer addefd the suit iswithout "NRA is a non-participating dialysis providerf who, to the best of BCBSGa' s knowledge, currently provides dialysis services to approximately 20 BCBSGas members who have out-of-network benefits," the e-mail said.
"Theit current benefits and access to NRA clinice will not change becauswe ofthis lawsuit, absent NRA'sz refusal to accept them as patients." In the amended complaint, Nationap Renal provides details of how "Blue Cross is continuin g to market and sell Preferred Provider Organization, and Poin of Service health plane in exchange for higher premiums while intentionally undermining theit members' ability to receive the benefit of thesse plans".
"Blue Cross is engaging in deceptivs and potentially confusingtrade practices," the statement The result of Blue Cross' actions is that thei r members are denied the very flexibility they are payingb for and are simply paying higher premiums to receiv benefits identical to thosre under cheaper, traditional HMO plans, National Renalk claims. National Renal provides dialysis to about 400 Georgia residents annually at its 11 rural clinics inthe state. Blue Cross members accounf for about 6 percent of theprivatee company's Georgia patients.
Under the reduces reimbursement structure, National Renal receives 12 cents for every dollaer of care it provides to BlueCross members, National Renal CEO Joe Cashiw has said in a previous statement. "Thw impact of these cuts will be devastating to our clinics and for the patient s who rely on usfor life-sustaining he said in January. "Blue Cross is forcin us to close our doorz tothese patients, and possibly close our doores completely.
"
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
49ers stadium naming rights could have big payoff - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
vykyvimote.wordpress.com
Naming rights present a potentially lucrativew source of revenue for a with multiyear, multimillion-dollar deals struck between teams and companiexs seeking to get their names on in the mouths of broadcast announcers and in front of millionsa of fans a year. But a deal that a few yearz back might have been a source of pridwe for a business now may be a sourceof Citigroup, for example, is facingv intense criticism for spendin $400 million on a stadium deal with the New York Mets whiled accepting billions in bailout dollars from the federakl government.
“Naming rights transactions are more difficult to come by than they were priof tothe recession,” said Lew co-owner of the Oakland Athletics and ownere of the San Jose “I believe that’s going to be true not only for the curreny market but for the for a long time.” The 49ers, he said, will probablu look for a strong national name to plac on its facility. But many companies that were strong namintg partners in the past are in the financiak services and insurance and they will be less likelh to spend what some view as unnecessar marketing dollarsgoing forward. In Oakland, McAfee Inc.
allowed its 10-yeare agreement for naming rights onthe Oakland-Alameds County Coliseum to expire, while Oracle Corp. in 2006 struck a $3 millionh per year, 10-year deal for naming rightw on the indoorOakland arena. Wolff said the Earthquakesw organization is working with the William Morrizs Agency on naming andbrandingh issues. Amway Global in January strucka three-year agreement with the team to have its name placexd on team uniforms. Terms of that deal were not “The 49er brand is outstanding, and if there’sa any brand someone might want toseek out, it’ss them,” Wolff said. “But every deal is different.
” When the San Jose Sportxs Authority and the city were in the process of strikinyg a deal to brand the home of the San Jose it was nearly CompaqComputers — which at the time was a Houstobn company wanting to build up its Silicon Valle presence. Malcolm Bordelon, executive vice president of business operation for the San Jose said the day the signage was togo up, Compaqw called and said it had been acquired by Hewlett-Packard Co. HP, he said, did extensive research beforee going forward with thenaming deal, figuringt out how many times its name would be said publiclyh and how its brand woulc be featured in the building.
“We also researchedc naming deals, and what we founx is that it’s all over the map unbelievably varied,” Bordelon said. “I’j not sure how to personify the process the 49era will face other thansaying it’s goingh to be very challenging.” In additiojn to Sharks games, the venue hosts concertas and other sporting events each year. While naming rights at HP Paviliomn fell under the purview of the city becaused the facility is publicly Santa Clara Assistant City Manager Ron Garraty said the naming rights deal for the 49er s would fall exclusively withthe team.
“W tried to get the Santas Clara 49ers on the front end ofthe deal, and they weren’tg willing to do that, understandably,” Garratt said. If it comess time for the 49ers to seek out a naming they would probably enlistt the help ofa third-party expert, a sporte marketing dealmaker that can tell them what the team’s branx is worth. Some of the top sports marketinb dealmakers areIMG World, which has offices arouns the country, and 16W Marketing of New Jersey. A thirxd well-known firm, Bonham Group of Denver, shut down in January after its primary banker reduced itscredit line.
Dealsw Bonham negotiated included SanDiego Padres’ Petco Park and the Seattle Qwest Field. David Peart, the vice presidengt of business partnerships for thePittsburgh Penguins, was until last June the vice presiden t of sales and marketing for the 49ers. He said “yo want to make sure you measure twice” before assigning value to a namingrights deal. “A company will be looking at what its primaryy entitlementswill be. From signage, integration of your productws intothe building, where you fit into the architectural designm of the building,” Peart “Once the shovels hit the ground, you want the naminfg partner in place.
” The team will face an uphilp battle in the name game because namingb rights as a marketing tool have fallenm out of favor. Two properties shoppinv for a name now are the New York Giants stadium and the DallaCowboys stadium, both of whicb Peart said are “supedr high profile” but are having trouble finding a name. “A pure brands play is really difficult in this day and age for a companuy to justify to its shareholders and stakeholders and Peart said.
“When you’re thinking about layinyg off people andsaying you’rse going to spend $5 million a year for 30 yearzs to put your name on a building, it’sx a tough row to
Naming rights present a potentially lucrativew source of revenue for a with multiyear, multimillion-dollar deals struck between teams and companiexs seeking to get their names on in the mouths of broadcast announcers and in front of millionsa of fans a year. But a deal that a few yearz back might have been a source of pridwe for a business now may be a sourceof Citigroup, for example, is facingv intense criticism for spendin $400 million on a stadium deal with the New York Mets whiled accepting billions in bailout dollars from the federakl government.
“Naming rights transactions are more difficult to come by than they were priof tothe recession,” said Lew co-owner of the Oakland Athletics and ownere of the San Jose “I believe that’s going to be true not only for the curreny market but for the for a long time.” The 49ers, he said, will probablu look for a strong national name to plac on its facility. But many companies that were strong namintg partners in the past are in the financiak services and insurance and they will be less likelh to spend what some view as unnecessar marketing dollarsgoing forward. In Oakland, McAfee Inc.
allowed its 10-yeare agreement for naming rights onthe Oakland-Alameds County Coliseum to expire, while Oracle Corp. in 2006 struck a $3 millionh per year, 10-year deal for naming rightw on the indoorOakland arena. Wolff said the Earthquakesw organization is working with the William Morrizs Agency on naming andbrandingh issues. Amway Global in January strucka three-year agreement with the team to have its name placexd on team uniforms. Terms of that deal were not “The 49er brand is outstanding, and if there’sa any brand someone might want toseek out, it’ss them,” Wolff said. “But every deal is different.
” When the San Jose Sportxs Authority and the city were in the process of strikinyg a deal to brand the home of the San Jose it was nearly CompaqComputers — which at the time was a Houstobn company wanting to build up its Silicon Valle presence. Malcolm Bordelon, executive vice president of business operation for the San Jose said the day the signage was togo up, Compaqw called and said it had been acquired by Hewlett-Packard Co. HP, he said, did extensive research beforee going forward with thenaming deal, figuringt out how many times its name would be said publiclyh and how its brand woulc be featured in the building.
“We also researchedc naming deals, and what we founx is that it’s all over the map unbelievably varied,” Bordelon said. “I’j not sure how to personify the process the 49era will face other thansaying it’s goingh to be very challenging.” In additiojn to Sharks games, the venue hosts concertas and other sporting events each year. While naming rights at HP Paviliomn fell under the purview of the city becaused the facility is publicly Santa Clara Assistant City Manager Ron Garraty said the naming rights deal for the 49er s would fall exclusively withthe team.
“W tried to get the Santas Clara 49ers on the front end ofthe deal, and they weren’tg willing to do that, understandably,” Garratt said. If it comess time for the 49ers to seek out a naming they would probably enlistt the help ofa third-party expert, a sporte marketing dealmaker that can tell them what the team’s branx is worth. Some of the top sports marketinb dealmakers areIMG World, which has offices arouns the country, and 16W Marketing of New Jersey. A thirxd well-known firm, Bonham Group of Denver, shut down in January after its primary banker reduced itscredit line.
Dealsw Bonham negotiated included SanDiego Padres’ Petco Park and the Seattle Qwest Field. David Peart, the vice presidengt of business partnerships for thePittsburgh Penguins, was until last June the vice presiden t of sales and marketing for the 49ers. He said “yo want to make sure you measure twice” before assigning value to a namingrights deal. “A company will be looking at what its primaryy entitlementswill be. From signage, integration of your productws intothe building, where you fit into the architectural designm of the building,” Peart “Once the shovels hit the ground, you want the naminfg partner in place.
” The team will face an uphilp battle in the name game because namingb rights as a marketing tool have fallenm out of favor. Two properties shoppinv for a name now are the New York Giants stadium and the DallaCowboys stadium, both of whicb Peart said are “supedr high profile” but are having trouble finding a name. “A pure brands play is really difficult in this day and age for a companuy to justify to its shareholders and stakeholders and Peart said.
“When you’re thinking about layinyg off people andsaying you’rse going to spend $5 million a year for 30 yearzs to put your name on a building, it’sx a tough row to
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Staying on top of crime - New Straits Times
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New Straits Times | Staying on top of crime New Straits Times SAFETY: Recent news reports of violent crimes against women have heightened their sense of fear and dread. Security experts believe that some victims may ... |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Conservation icon Lonesome George undergoes autopsy - Washington Post
ejoxot.wordpress.com
The Hindu | Conservation icon Lonesome George undergoes autopsy Washington Post QUITO, Ecuador รข€" The giant tortoise Lonesome George, whose failed efforts to produce offspring made him a symbol of disappearing species, was found dead ... Galapagos National Park Mourns the Loss of Lonesome George World loses species with death of tortoise Lonesome George |
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Source: NCR to move headquarters, 1,300 jobs to Georgia - Business First of Columbus:
grearqakususi1426.blogspot.com
The (NYSE: NCR) will move its headquartersa and 1,250 jobs to Ga., as well as opening a 550,000-square-foot manufacturing operation in Macon, Ga., that will employ up to 880 Officialsfor NCR, which has 1,300o workers in Dayton, could not be immediately reached for commen t Monday night. An official from Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's who spoke to the Dayton Business JournalMonday night, said NCR’ss CEO Bill Nuti told Strickland that the company has been eyeinhg Georgia for some time now. The , with locakl officials expressing frustration that the companh was not responding totheir requests. Georgia Gov.
Sonny Perdude is expected to make the official announcement Tuesdayu with NCR receiving tax incentivesz from the local officialsin Georgia. “They (NCR) can’f recruit talent to move to Ohio,” a source told the Chronicle. Montgomery Count y CommissionerDan Foley, sounding stunnesd when reached Monday night, declined In the letter Strickland sent to NCR date Monday and obtained by the Daytomn Business Journal, the governor said he was tryingh “to take one last opportunitty to urge you to continue your operationw in Ohio.” In the letter, Ohio offers NCR $31. million worth of incentive s to keep theoperation here.
Strickland's spokesperson declined official comment untio the announcementis made. NCR's departur would leave a vacant 1.3 five-story office building near Dayton'd downtown that is already hurting from high vacancy rate and jobs that have been leavingh the city during the past several The lossof 1,300 high-paying jobs from the city will have a negativew impact on Dayton's income tax receipts at a time when the city has facecd multi-million dollar budget deficits that have causesd it to reduce its workforce and cut Rashad Young, Dayton city manager, said the city reachee out to NCR multiple timexs in recent months, and that the city did all it couldc to engage the company.
Ohio State Sen. Jon Husted, said he will retain hope until the company makex anofficial announcement. “We have on multipler occasions reached out to NCR in an attempt to identify ways to securw their jobs and grow and be successful in Husted saidMonday evening. “I am not willing to give up Phil Parker, president and CEO, left a voice messagr after business hours for a reporter Mondauy saying he hadno information. Toni Bankston, directot of marketing and communications for theDayton Chamber, did not returnj calls seeking comment. The Dayton Chamber is one of the lead privated groups in the city responsible for retention ofexisting companies.
In October, NCR said it wouldx move its Worldwide Customer Services headquarterzs to anAtlanta suburb, investing $15 million and creatint more than 900 jobs in the suburb of Peachtree City and Deluth. The state of Georgia provided morethan $8 million in according to officials. NCR, foundedf locally in 1884, is the Dayton region’zs second largest company, with 20,000 global employees and $5.3 billion in revenue in 2008. The company, which sells ATMs and retail automation systems, is Dayton’s lone remaining Fortune 500 At one time, the company had more than 18,00p0 employees in the Dayton but that number has dwindled during the past severakl decades.
As recently as two years ago, NCR had abou 2,000 Dayton employees. That number has declined by about 700 workers since 2007. In 2007, NCR announced it was relocatin g its executive offices to New York City and leasing an entirs floor of the 7 World TradweCenter building. But, on paper, its headquarters remaine in Dayton. In March, the companh also told employees it is undergoing a structuralp reorganization and would cut an unknown amount of its global Thatsame month, the company removed the language “world from the sign at its Dayton campus, though it said at the time it was just
The (NYSE: NCR) will move its headquartersa and 1,250 jobs to Ga., as well as opening a 550,000-square-foot manufacturing operation in Macon, Ga., that will employ up to 880 Officialsfor NCR, which has 1,300o workers in Dayton, could not be immediately reached for commen t Monday night. An official from Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's who spoke to the Dayton Business JournalMonday night, said NCR’ss CEO Bill Nuti told Strickland that the company has been eyeinhg Georgia for some time now. The , with locakl officials expressing frustration that the companh was not responding totheir requests. Georgia Gov.
Sonny Perdude is expected to make the official announcement Tuesdayu with NCR receiving tax incentivesz from the local officialsin Georgia. “They (NCR) can’f recruit talent to move to Ohio,” a source told the Chronicle. Montgomery Count y CommissionerDan Foley, sounding stunnesd when reached Monday night, declined In the letter Strickland sent to NCR date Monday and obtained by the Daytomn Business Journal, the governor said he was tryingh “to take one last opportunitty to urge you to continue your operationw in Ohio.” In the letter, Ohio offers NCR $31. million worth of incentive s to keep theoperation here.
Strickland's spokesperson declined official comment untio the announcementis made. NCR's departur would leave a vacant 1.3 five-story office building near Dayton'd downtown that is already hurting from high vacancy rate and jobs that have been leavingh the city during the past several The lossof 1,300 high-paying jobs from the city will have a negativew impact on Dayton's income tax receipts at a time when the city has facecd multi-million dollar budget deficits that have causesd it to reduce its workforce and cut Rashad Young, Dayton city manager, said the city reachee out to NCR multiple timexs in recent months, and that the city did all it couldc to engage the company.
Ohio State Sen. Jon Husted, said he will retain hope until the company makex anofficial announcement. “We have on multipler occasions reached out to NCR in an attempt to identify ways to securw their jobs and grow and be successful in Husted saidMonday evening. “I am not willing to give up Phil Parker, president and CEO, left a voice messagr after business hours for a reporter Mondauy saying he hadno information. Toni Bankston, directot of marketing and communications for theDayton Chamber, did not returnj calls seeking comment. The Dayton Chamber is one of the lead privated groups in the city responsible for retention ofexisting companies.
In October, NCR said it wouldx move its Worldwide Customer Services headquarterzs to anAtlanta suburb, investing $15 million and creatint more than 900 jobs in the suburb of Peachtree City and Deluth. The state of Georgia provided morethan $8 million in according to officials. NCR, foundedf locally in 1884, is the Dayton region’zs second largest company, with 20,000 global employees and $5.3 billion in revenue in 2008. The company, which sells ATMs and retail automation systems, is Dayton’s lone remaining Fortune 500 At one time, the company had more than 18,00p0 employees in the Dayton but that number has dwindled during the past severakl decades.
As recently as two years ago, NCR had abou 2,000 Dayton employees. That number has declined by about 700 workers since 2007. In 2007, NCR announced it was relocatin g its executive offices to New York City and leasing an entirs floor of the 7 World TradweCenter building. But, on paper, its headquarters remaine in Dayton. In March, the companh also told employees it is undergoing a structuralp reorganization and would cut an unknown amount of its global Thatsame month, the company removed the language “world from the sign at its Dayton campus, though it said at the time it was just
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Consumer confidence up dramatically - Sacramento Business Journal:
vanbeekdulejos1771.blogspot.com
in April. The index is baser on a representative sampleof 5,000 U.S. households. “Looking consumers are considerably less pessimistic than they were earlier this and expectations are thatbusiness conditions, the labor market and incomex will improve in the coming said Lynn Franco, director of the . “While confidence is still weak byhistorical standards, as far as consumers are the worst is now behind us." Consumers' appraisal of the job market was also more favorable. Those claiming jobs are "hardr to get" decreased to 44.7 percent from 46.6 percentt in April. Those saying jobs are "plentiful" edged up to 5.7 percentf from 4.9 percent.
The employment outlook was also less with the percentage of consumers expecting more jobs in the monthe ahead increasing to 20 percentfrom 14.2 percent, while those anticipatiny fewer jobs decreased to 25.2 perceny from 32.5 percent.
in April. The index is baser on a representative sampleof 5,000 U.S. households. “Looking consumers are considerably less pessimistic than they were earlier this and expectations are thatbusiness conditions, the labor market and incomex will improve in the coming said Lynn Franco, director of the . “While confidence is still weak byhistorical standards, as far as consumers are the worst is now behind us." Consumers' appraisal of the job market was also more favorable. Those claiming jobs are "hardr to get" decreased to 44.7 percent from 46.6 percentt in April. Those saying jobs are "plentiful" edged up to 5.7 percentf from 4.9 percent.
The employment outlook was also less with the percentage of consumers expecting more jobs in the monthe ahead increasing to 20 percentfrom 14.2 percent, while those anticipatiny fewer jobs decreased to 25.2 perceny from 32.5 percent.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Newmark Homes Houston buying local TOUSA assets - Washington Business Journal:
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TOUSA plans to complete and sell all homes currently under construction. Moody said the new company will be privately locally ownedand financed. “Our management team has over 70 combined experience,” he The new company plans to build 60 homes ranging in price from $160,000 to more than $600,000 in the firsy 60 days of which will officially begin June 15. Moody said 55 employeesa of TOUSA will remain with the new compang after TOUSA winds down its localbusiness operations. TOUSA’s predecessor company was foundedc in Houston in 1983 as and completef an initial public offering inMarch 1998. In December 1999, TOUSA Inc. acquired 80 percent of Newmark’s TOUSA Inc.
also acquired 100 percentt of then-public in November 2000. On June 25, 2002, Englre merged with Newmark, and the merged company changee its name toTOUSA Inc. In Hollywood, Fla.-based TOUSA (Pink TOUSQ) told the it planned to lay off 156 peopls in the Houston area from its Newmark Homes branr beginning May 22 due to the downturm in thehousing market.
TOUSA plans to complete and sell all homes currently under construction. Moody said the new company will be privately locally ownedand financed. “Our management team has over 70 combined experience,” he The new company plans to build 60 homes ranging in price from $160,000 to more than $600,000 in the firsy 60 days of which will officially begin June 15. Moody said 55 employeesa of TOUSA will remain with the new compang after TOUSA winds down its localbusiness operations. TOUSA’s predecessor company was foundedc in Houston in 1983 as and completef an initial public offering inMarch 1998. In December 1999, TOUSA Inc. acquired 80 percent of Newmark’s TOUSA Inc.
also acquired 100 percentt of then-public in November 2000. On June 25, 2002, Englre merged with Newmark, and the merged company changee its name toTOUSA Inc. In Hollywood, Fla.-based TOUSA (Pink TOUSQ) told the it planned to lay off 156 peopls in the Houston area from its Newmark Homes branr beginning May 22 due to the downturm in thehousing market.
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