Monthly Archives: July 2018

What are Medicare Advantage Plans?

medicare

Medicare had four distinct sections which were classified as, Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D. This has changed somewhat with both Part A and Part B, amalgamated and replaced by the new Medicare Advantage plan. This has resulted with the beneficiaries being offered everything in the former two parts plus some other additional benefits in most instances. Medicare Advantage plans are an improvement on the former and have been simplified with many different packages offered at varying costs.

One distinct different would be that Medicare Advantage plans are offered only through registered and approved insurance companies and not by Medicare. This has an advantage to the beneficiaries as competition among the insurance fraternity would filter down to them. The price advantage would be stacked in favor of not the companies but on the side of the beneficiaries.

Identifying the best coverage

Depending in the state you are domiciled the Medicare Advantage plans offered to you could vary but you could identify and select which of them would suit you best. Medicare does not offer these but have licensed them out to authorized insurance companies from where you could obtain them.

Most of these plans would be offered to you with many advantages and additional coverage but selecting which would be relevant to you would be your prerogative. The insurance companies offering them could quote prices at their own discretion. Hence shopping around for the best with the most affordable and relevant coverage would depend on how prudent you would be.

Where Medicare Advantage plans are offered

These are offered on many different networks but the most popular and common are the PPOs and the HMOs. The PPO network offers the required medical facilities only at the designated hospitals, clinics and doctor’s consultation offices on the insurance company’s list. You may avail some facilities beyond these parameters but it would not cover you fully. Hence being aware of what is on offer prior to availing it would hold you in good stead.

The HMO network does not offer such a facility and would strictly confine you to the set parameters which are where their registered doctor’s, clinics and hospitals are listed on. If you in need of emergency treatment and end up in a facility that is not within the purview of your HMO network, they would treat you. This is strictly for emergencies only and you could either avail full or partial coverage depending on the terms of your insurance policy.

Medicare Advantage plans for 2019

You may have to start early if you are contemplating of changing your Medicare coverage and identifying and selecting the best options that are available to you. It would take some prudent searching if you are to obtain the best medicare advantage plans 2019. Once you have selected the best option which would provide the most appropriate coverage you could relax and enjoy without much to think about. You would be assured that you have the best Medicare Advantage plan for the year 2019 a coverage to ride over any medical condition.

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Getting through Your Individual Voluntary Agreement Process

Going through insolvency processes is extremely challenging without the Individual Voluntary Agreement. This legal tool allows an insolvent to handle their arrears in a structured way so that there is no need to file for bankruptcy. The Individual Voluntary Agreement is a way to pay off debts in a manageable time frame as well as time limit. Anyone who is able to maintain the payments for these debts successfully for an agreed period of time can have the remainder of the debt forgiven. So what are the steps to complete the process of completing an Individual Voluntary Agreement’s terms? This website would provide more info.

Steps to Follow

  • Get yourself some legal advice.

Just googling what an IVA is the first step of starting the process. However, it is prudent to retain the services of a legal professional specifically one who has some experience with insolvency cases. This is because the agreement is a legally binding promise to pay off one’s debts. This advice should help you know whether or not you are actually suitable for the Individual Voluntary Agreement.

  • Find an insolvency practitioner.

Once you determine whether or not you are suitable for an IVA, you should get an insolvency practitioner to help you through the process. The insolvency practitioner refers to an individual who is legally allowed to work in insolvency processes related to debtors. These individuals must be licensed professional whose only focus is to act as the intermediary between the creditors and the insolvents. They may be liquidators, accountants or even lawyers by profession aside from being insolvency practitioners.

  • Make your best offer!

It is crucial to make your very best offer to your creditors. Creditors are not legally required to accept your Individual Voluntary Agreement. This is basically a plea to the creditors to allow the debtor to slowly pay off their debts over a period of time. Therefore, making your best offer is the only way to get your creditors to accept your terms and conditions.

  • Go through the process.

The process involves making your offer through the insolvency practitioners. The document is presented to the group of creditors for perusal. There is then a vote on whether or not to accept the agreement among the creditors so that if at least 75% agree, then the proposal is accepted although some alterations may selected. Once you receive the feedback from your practitioner, make the agreement legal. Your creditor becomes a supervisor for your IVA agreement.

  • Pay your dues!

Of course, you must now pay the money you owe. You are legally required to hand over the required money to your insolvency practitioner who will then disseminate the funds among your creditors. You have to ensure that you maintain your payments in a timely manner so as not to suffer through any further financial punishment.

  • Be patient.

Patience is the key in this process given that it is a long term process lasting over five years. At the end of this however, the debt can finally be forgiven!

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Research Positions from Top-tier Universities Are Being Sold at High Prices in China

China’s booming education market brings both right and wrong

The private education sector has seen tremendous growth for more than a decade, driven by China’s globalization efforts, rapid economic growth, and increasing popularity of education abroad. A recent study from Deloitte suggested that the private education market in China is estimated to grow to $450 billion by 2020.  

The booming of the private education market and studying abroad offers alternatives to the Chinese gaokao, the final exam that takes place once a year, based on which students are ranked and college admission decisions are made. In a country where just one in fifty-thousand students attends the top universities, the gaokao used to be everything.

Middle-class parents are increasingly pursuing the alternatives to the gaokao. These include schooling their children overseas or selecting education providers that will prepare them for attending a college or university abroad. In the latter case, students follow programs that focus on increasing their chances of college admission, including test preparations, case competitions, and other extracurricular opportunities.

Amid the innovative ways of helping students to study abroad, some education providers seem to have gone too far. It is well-known that there are services in China that write essays on college applications and assist students in cheating the SAT exams. There is another growing area of services that cheats universities’ research system.

 

Paying Your Way to Become a Researcher

There is no doubt that universities in the U.S. prefer students who demonstrate solid academic background and intellectual curiosity. For top universities especially, this goes beyond the GPA and test scores. Many students choose to intern at university labs as research assistants to boost their resume. On top of having an improved resume, most of these research positions are paid.

For Chinese students, however, it is difficult to apply for university research opportunities because of their limited understanding of academic research, lack of English skills on the subject matter, and the long distance between home and the research lab.

Some education providers have found a “creative” way that gets their clients the research positions that they want. One of the examples is Artisan (www.gongjiangpu.com). 

Artisan provides under-the-table payments to a number of junior researchers (PhD candidates, PhD students, and post-docs) from MIT, Harvard, and other top research universities. In exchange, these researchers reserve positions on their research projects to Artisan or simply create fake unpaid research positions. Most professors are unaware of this happening in their labs and offices.

On the other hand, Artisan sells these research positions at high prices to their clients, the Chinese students and their parents. A four-week research assistant position is priced between $20,000 and $30,000, while a year-long exchange scholar position is over $100,000.

Artisan falsely claims to have formed collaborations with many labs and recognized by professors across Harvard, MIT, and many others. Its marketing materials even suggest that their clients can receive school official ID cards, which allow them to access different buildings and enjoy all resources and benefits available to all students.

 

Can we stop these programs?

This type of service is not only illegal to the provider and the collaborated researchers, but it creates significant risks to the universities, the professors, and the participating students, especially since neither the professors nor the students know the operations behind the scene.

The universities and professors have to bear risks as unidentified, and sometimes unqualified, individuals are granted access to resources, information, and laboratories. The participating students also face substantial risks as most are not adequately supervised, guided, and insured during their time as “researchers” in the U.S.

Artisan is not the first to cheat university research systems, and it certainly won’t be the last, but there are things that universities can do to prevent such programs to become the norm. Universities should provide training to junior researchers to ensure that they can make the right choices and are fully aware of the legal consequences of the wrong ones. Furthermore, universities should solidify their check and balances when it comes to hiring.

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Medicare Supplement

Choosing a Medicare supplement company

Medicare Supplement

There is a dime for a dozen or very much more Medicare Supplement Companies which would extend their hand to bring you onboard their Medicare Program. Some of them would be genuine in their intentions whilst others could fleece you off. The National Medicare Program is one of the largest insurance coverage that rakes in millions of dollars. This has provided the impetus to insurance companies to close certain gaps in the Medicare Program.

These gaps in the overall National Medicare Program have given them the opportunity which has been encouraged by the Federal Government to ensure that the people are given a well balanced service. The competition is also high hence good benefits and good prices could be procured if you look around for the best.

If you are to select the best Medicare Supplement company there would be a few aspects that you would need to consider. Reputation would be a top priority and only companies with a good reputation should be take into your radar and seen what that individual company could offer. Insurance is a very tricky subject where disaster, sickness, ill health or any other would strike and only then could you benefit. The company with the best services extended and with a faster response time to compensate would be another area which would need to be considered.

Insurance companies offering Medicare Supplements has to be flexible too as insurance is a very important aspect.  When age catches on most Americans who have passed their 65 years are on the Medicare Program and would expect benefits from what they have worked over the years. The Medicare Supplement companies would step into fill the gap left from the National Medicare Program.

You could take your own time when selecting the Medicare Supplement company that you would like to place your trust with. One such company that offers the best which none could match in many aspects which would be the Mutual of Omaha Medicare Supplement from that company. Service delivery is a must if you are looking for good service you should be getting that too. Another important issue to consider would be representation across the United States which would indicate that the company means business. Companies like Mutual of Omaha are well enshrined in the country and would offer exemplary service. This is what those looking for insurance should keep an eye on.

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How to Run a Successful Mobile Catering Business

Let’s face it, starting a restaurant is hectic; you have to integrate multiple elements including suitable location for a successful start. The initial capital is also high; renting a unit and acquiring kitchen equipment as well as furniture are unavoidable costs. This is why you should consider mobile catering, especially if capital is a concern. However, it should not sound as easy as driving a truck through town for deliveries, you have to engage in extensive research and accurate planning to avoid disappointments. While any business comes with a loss, don’t drive yourself to it. Do the best you can, in this case plan everything.

Successful Mobile Catering Business

Whether you are thinking of running a taco truck, an ice cream van, or a mobile chippy, consider the following and you are guaranteed of a successful startup.

Secure license and permits

Food is a sensitive commodity that should be handled with care. Irrespective of your location, there must be regulations governing production and supply of food. It is important to find out of such details and strive to fully abide by each before purchasing your tools. You might need to register your trailer not only as a motor vehicle but with the food industry. Local environmental health department have to check and confirm suitability of the track to food supply.

Although your business is mobile, local governments have restricted areas; it is important to find out a favorite support and consult with the authorities before setting up. You cannot park a food truck anywhere without a license. Also, you obviously need a hygiene certification; without these you will be on the wrong side of the law. Be sure to acquire a license as protection from hazards resulting from cooking equipment.

Buy a van

After you have settled with all the authorities and acquired necessary licenses for your business, you can step out to buy a van. A van should be attractive to the public; it should also have a suitable layout for food preparation and serving. Be sure to check condition and suitability of the trailer in handling food. In addition, the van should match with your business objectives; the type of food you intend to supply, which might require special units in a van.

Apart from a van, it is time to buy kitchen equipment and dishes for warming and safe storage of food. If you are limited with finances, you can check with storage units near you for available equipment. A storage company can link you to an owner with kitchen tools, which may be lying idle in a storage unit. You might just land a good deal.

Market

When all things are set and you are confident enough, focus on advertising techniques. If your local town allows you to pitch anywhere, the better for you. Roadside locations are also suitable for mobile catering business because it is public land hence zero costs. Consider setting up in industrial estates and local outdoor markets.

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