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JON BROCKETT has joined ABC Creative Group as web developer. He earned an associate degree in website design and management from the Mohawk Valley Community College. MAGGIE MUNLEY has joined ABC as junior account executive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in marketing from St. Bonaventure University. Munley’s […]

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State mandates health insurers to expand coverage for breast-cancer screenings

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Subscriber Only

The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) on July 8 told health insurers that they must provide coverage with no cost-sharing for breast-cancer screenings, breast-cancer risk assessments, genetic testing, and medications to reduce the risk of breast cancer. DFS’s action “builds” on the series of breast-cancer initiatives outlined in Gov. Cuomo’s 2016 State

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DFS’s action “builds” on the series of breast-cancer initiatives outlined in Gov. Cuomo’s 2016 State of the State address, the agency said in a news release.

Cuomo on June 27 signed legislation to increase access to breast-cancer screenings.

“The cost of important [preventive] measures, such as mastectomies and mammograms, should not be a barrier in the fight to save the lives of women and families across New York State. DFS will ensure that health insurers meet their legal obligations to cover breast-cancer screening and treatment and eliminate any obstacles women and their families may face in the fight against breast cancer, Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo said in the DFS release.

Requirements
The state now requires health insurers to eliminate annual deductibles, co-payments, and co-insurance payments for all mammograms.

The mammograms include those provided to women more frequently than those recommended under current federal screening guidelines such as annual mammograms for women in their 40s.

It also eliminates cost-sharing for diagnostic imaging for breast cancer, including diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and breast MRIs for women at high risk for breast cancer.

As a result, women in need of tests other than standard mammograms will not have to pay any additional out-of-pocket expenses for these most common diagnostic tests.

In addition, the DFS action also reminds health insurers that provide coverage for surgical or medical care for mastectomies of their obligations to provide coverage for all stages of breast reconstruction.

That includes coverage of the breast on which the mastectomy has been performed, surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance, and prostheses and physical complications of all stages of the mastectomy.

In addition, insurers are required to provide coverage, with no cost-sharing, so primary-care providers can screen women who have family members with breast, ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer using one of several screening tools.

The tools are designed to identify a family history that may be associated with an increased risk for potentially harmful mutations in breast-cancer susceptibility genes.

Insurers are also required to provide coverage for women who have positive screening results for genetic counseling and, if indicated after counseling, BRCA testing.

The BRCA gene test is a blood test that uses DNA analysis to identify harmful changes (mutations) in either one of the two breast cancer susceptibility genes — BRCA1 and BRCA2, according to the website of the Rochester, Minnesota–based Mayo Clinic.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

New York’s health-insurance costs jump and now rank 2nd highest in the U.S.

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

New York is now the second-costliest state for employer-sponsored health insurance after its premium costs increased at more than three times the national rate in 2015, according to a recent report from the Empire Center, citing federal data. The average single-coverage premium in New York last year hit $6,801, second only to Alaska, at $7,807,

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The average single-coverage premium in New York last year hit $6,801, second only to Alaska, at $7,807, according to Medical Expenditure Panel Survey statistics from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The U.S. average single-coverage premium was $5,963.

New York single premiums jumped by 7.8 percent last year, compared to a 2.2 percent rise nationally.

The average family premium in New York reached $19,630 in 2015, compared to a national average of $17,322.

“Premiums have long been high in New York, but the problem shows signs of getting worse. The affordability gap between New York’s single coverage prices and the national norm surged to 14 percent in 2015, the highest in at least two decades,” Bill Hammond, director of health policy at the Empire Center, writes in a July 14 posting on the NYTorch blog (www.empirecenter.org/publications/new-yorks-health-insurance-costs-surge).

New York had the 10th highest health-insurance premiums in 2010 and 18th highest in 2003.

“The trend comes in spite of aggressive price regulation by the state Department of Financial Services, under a so-called prior approval law that was reinstated in 2010. In each year since, regulators have cut nearly every rate increase requested by health plans, sometimes by more than half,” Hammond notes.

The prior-approval law applies to only some of the health-insurance market: policies bought by individuals and small businesses, including those purchasing coverage through the state exchange established under the national health law.

Most large employers’ health benefits are exempt from state oversight under federal law, according to Hammond.

Despite that, New York’s small businesses paid, on average, 16 percent more in health premiums in 2015 than small businesses nationally. New York employers as a whole faced 14 percent higher premiums than national employers.

“The ineffectiveness of prior approval [policy] suggests that what’s driving the state’s unusually high premiums is not health plans’ pricing decisions in a competitive marketplace, but the costs they face. These include New York’s steepest-in-the-nation taxes on health insurance and Albany–imposed coverage mandates that add an estimated 12 percent to the typical premium,” Hammond wrote.

He believes New York State regulators “face a dilemma.” If they approve big rate increases sought by insurers, coverage will become even less affordable for small businesses and individuals shopping on the state insurance exchange.

But if regulators keep rejecting premium increases, health insurers could choose to leave the New York state insurance market for small businesses and individuals, exacerbating the lack of supply of affordable health plans.

The Albany–based Empire Center — which calls itself an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank — generally focuses its research on the issues of government spending and taxes in New York.

Contact The Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com

How Business Leaders Can Inspire Purpose in Their Employees

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

In a tight basketball game’s closing seconds, a coach will huddle his players and draw up a play designed to result in a winning shot and victory. But, if just one teammate is disengaged, the play can go awry and the team falls short of accomplishing its purpose. Businesses have something in common with that

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In a tight basketball game’s closing seconds, a coach will huddle his players and draw up a play designed to result in a winning shot and victory.

But, if just one teammate is disengaged, the play can go awry and the team falls short of accomplishing its purpose.

Businesses have something in common with that basketball team.

A business needs a purpose, and each employee needs to be inspired by and contributing to that purpose. If everyone in an organization feels good about the work they do and is committed to the organization’s purpose, then you’re likely to see good results. But if workers aren’t engaged, their productivity can suffer and the company as a whole may pay the price.

For years, many companies chased quarterly earnings and ignored any overarching purpose beyond keeping shareholders happy. But I believe that to survive and thrive in today’s world, businesses need to think about more than just “shareholder value.”

Instead, company leaders need to manage from the perspective of “stakeholder value,” and stakeholders include everyone who impacts the company or is affected by it, from customers to suppliers to communities.

Among the key stakeholders are the employees.

Imagine if you could get employees to look at their jobs as something with a purpose that goes beyond just earning a paycheck. That could result in a more engaged workforce, better productivity, and perhaps less turnover.

In fact, studies have shown that millennials in particular seek purpose in their jobs and are quick to switch employers if they don’t find it.

Numerous companies have developed statements to define their purpose. For example, Google wants to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Roche, a biotech company, states its purpose as: “Doing now what patients need next.”

But once a company comes up with a purpose, how does it get employee buy-in?

It starts at the top. It’s not enough that employees find the purpose inspiring. The leader of the company has to be inspired because the leader will cause others to be inspired. Ultimately, it’s important that the entire management team be on board and enthusiastic.

Make sure the purpose is clear and meaningful. Company leaders must find a common purpose that’s broad enough to be meaningful and important to employees. In the absence of a clear organizational purpose, people focus on their individual goals and may perceive different purposes for the same organization.

Discard what doesn’t fit. Identify company activities that aren’t aligned with the purpose and remove or transform them.

Purpose isn’t an idea that only lives in a strategic plan or on a website. It lives in the daily operation of a business and in the ongoing communications with stakeholders. And it lives as the internal compass for keeping a complicated organization with many competing interests on course.

Paul Ratoff is president of Strategy Development Group, Inc. and author of “Thriving in a Stakeholder World: Purpose as the New Competitive Advantage.” Contact him at www.ratoffconsulting.com or strategydevelopmentgroup.com.

Onondaga County, employee union leadership forge agreement on tentative contract

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney and Kathy Zabinski, president of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Local 834 union, have reached a tentative, four-year contract agreement for CSEA members that work for the county government. The contract would be in effect for the years 2016 through 2019, Onondaga County said in a news

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EBRI: Small employers cutting health-insurance coverage

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Small Business, Subscriber Only

In the wake of the national health-care reform law, fewer small employers are offering health-insurance benefits to their workers, but big employers are holding steady. That’s according to new findings from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). EBRI says its analysis examines the percentage of employers offering health insurance from 2008–2015 to “better understand” how

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EBRI says its analysis examines the percentage of employers offering health insurance from 2008–2015 to “better understand” how health-insurance offer rates have been affected by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), the Great Recession of 2007–2009, and the economic recovery that followed. It used data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey–Insurance Component (MEPS-IC).

EBRI found that among larger employers, health-insurance offer rates — the percentage of employers providing health-insurance benefits to their workers — have been steady: (a) for employers with 1,000 or more employees, around 99 percent, and (b) for employers with 100–999 employees, in the 92.5 percent to 95.1 percent range.

But offer rates among smaller employers have been falling since 2009. The share of employers with fewer than 10 employees providing health benefits fell from 35.6 percent in 2008 to 22.7 percent in 2015 (a 36 percent decrease). For employers with 10–24 employees, insurance-offer rates fell from 66.1 percent in 2008 to 48.9 percent in 2015 (a 26 percent decline). And, the share of employers with 25–99 employees providing health insurance dipped from 81.3 percent in 2008 to 73.5 percent in 2015 (a 10 percent decline).

Full results are published in the July EBRI Notes (no. 8), entitled “Fewer Small Employers Offering Health Coverage; Large Employers Holding Steady,” available online at www.ebri.org.

EBRI says it is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on health, savings, retirement, and economic-security issues. The group says it receives funding from its members and sponsors, which include a “broad range of public, private, for-profit and nonprofit organizations.”

Contact The Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com

Tompkins Financial Advisors names Howard president

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

ITHACA — Tompkins Financial Corp. (NYSE: TMP) announced it has named Brian A. Howard president of Tompkins Financial Advisors, its wealth-management division. Howard will also serve as a member of the leadership team of Tompkins Financial. He joined the financial company on July 25, it said in a news release. Howard brings more than 30

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Sport Fishing Adds to Local Economy, Summer Fun

Opinion, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

With summer well underway, many have had the chance to enjoy a summer sport or activity, and for many Central and Northern New Yorkers, the sport of choice is fishing. This region contains many lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds to cast a lure and enjoy the outdoors with some time away from home or the office. Besides

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Officials at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) estimate that the overall annual economic impact of sport fishing in New York is $2.26 billion and those in the tourism industry believe this number is on the rise.

The DEC’s website features many ways that anglers and aspiring anglers can find out more about the sport including the best spots to fish nearby or general information on fishing conditions and stocking information. Technology has enabled anyone with a computer to download a detailed guide that teaches the basics about fishing and the 165 fish species in New York’s lakes, streams, and rivers. The guide called “I Fish NY, a Beginner’s Guide to Freshwater Fishing,” teaches beginners how to identify some of the many fish anglers can find from Chinook salmon to bullhead. Pictures of every kind are listed along with which types of waterways they prefer and their diets. You can find that guide at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/98506.html.

In 2014, the state also released a New York fishing, hunting & wildlife app called the “Pocket Ranger.” This app can be downloaded by most smart-phone users. It provides map information, has a built-in compass, provides information on current fishing conditions, gives information on fish species, and can let you keep track of where your friends are hunting or fishing.

The state also offers free fishing clinics throughout the year in an attempt to expose more people to the sport who do not have a license. In fact, during the last weekend in June, the state opened the sport up to anyone to try fishing during a free fishing weekend. Another free clinic is scheduled for Aug. 13 at Fair Haven State Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the park’s upcoming Paddle Festival. Fishing licenses are not required for this clinic. On Nov. 11, residents can fish anywhere again without a license during one of many free fishing days. Increasing access to fishing and including more free fishing dates throughout the year allows more people the opportunity to have some free fun with their families and friends.

The state has invested in its hatcheries in recent years, to make the sport more enjoyable and provide more opportunities to New Yorkers and more tourists.

According to the DEC, this year about 2.3 million brook, brown, and rainbow trout were stocked in lakes, ponds, and streams across the state. Nearly 2 million yearling lake trout, steelhead, landlocked salmon, splake, Chinook salmon, and coho salmon were also stocked.

Information on stockings is available by county here: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30465.html. Central New York Public Fishing rights maps can be found here, http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/44869.html, and here is a link to the Northern New York Public Fishing rights maps: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/44864.html.

William (Will) A. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or (315) 598-5185.

Paying to Play in Politics

Opinion, Subscriber Only

Among the thousands of emails recently divulged by “villainous” WikiLeaks, a few were especially disturbing but received little attention from the media. The emails were between the top finance guy of the Democrat Party and a big personnel official at the White House. The party guy sent a list of big donors for the White

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Among the thousands of emails recently divulged by “villainous” WikiLeaks, a few were especially disturbing but received little attention from the media.

The emails were between the top finance guy of the Democrat Party and a big personnel official at the White House. The party guy sent a list of big donors for the White House to consider for federal commissions and boards.

In other words, it was evidence of pay-to-play. You pay big bucks to the party. In return, you get to sit on a prestigious board.

One email noted that one of the big hitters wanted to be put on the Postal Service board of governors. Sure enough, months later President Obama appointed him. Congress blocked the appointment.

The emails should have attracted more comment. They did not, for a couple reasons. One is that they got lost in the blizzard of political news that week. Another is that they were mere morsels. In the feast of 20,000 emails WikiLeaks served up. Reporters had their plates full.

A third reason why the pay-to-play emails were set aside: They were hardly a revelation. We all know pay-to-play is as common as steak dinners in Washington.

Nobody believed Obama when he promised to abolish it. Many candidates before him made the same promises. And nobody believed them.

This is because we all know the truth. If you kick in enough money, you can buy the ambassadorship to New Zealand or some other small country. Heck, you can probably even buy some of the countries. You can buy your way onto various boards and commissions in Washington and buy some status.

If you sit across the political divide from Clinton, Obama, and the Democrats, you have no right to be smug at this point. These shenanigans are just as popular among Republicans. Yes, they sell ambassadorships too. Some of these little countries haven’t seen a career diplomat as ambassador from America for decades.

Now you may feel this is corruption. Well, you are right.

And you may be one of those who goes further. You might say these high and mighty positions must be fake. After all, they go the highest bidders. The number-one qualification is the ability to write numbers with lots of zeroes on checks. If you say such a thing people might call you a cynic. I would call you a pretty good observer of reality.

I would recommend to Washington that we add the term “For Sale” to our country’s official seal.

If I sent a big enough check with my recommendation, I’d probably get appointed to the Presidential Commission to Consider Changes to the National Seal.

From Tom…as in Morgan.

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial, and other subjects from his home near Oneonta. Several upstate radio stations carry his daily commentary, Tom Morgan’s Money Talk. Contact him at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com

Lockheed Martin to rename business unit that includes Salina, Owego plants

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Technology

Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) plans to rename its business area that operates plants in Salina and Owego. The unit, which is currently called mission

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