Single-Payer Health Care Bill Introduced in California Legislature
A bill that would enact a single-payer health care coverage system in California was introduced for the second consecutive year by Assembly member Ash Kalra last week.
The bill, AB 2200 (Kalra; D-San Jose), would establish the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act and enact a framework of governance, benefits, program standards, and health care cost controls. Notably absent from the bill is how the massive new bureaucracy will be funded. The Healthy California for All Commission estimated a single-payer healthcare system would cost the state over $500 billion annually.
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BenefitMall Expands Northern California Team
Carmen Perea Appointed Sales Executive for Northern California
BenefitMall, the largest employee benefits general agency, announces the addition of Carmen Perea to its team as the new sales executive for Northern California. The appointment marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to serving its California brokers and enhancing its presence in the region.
Perea brings over two decades of industry experience to her new role. Prior to joining BenefitMall in December 2023, Carmen worked as a general agency representative, a broker and a carrier representative. Her experience positions her uniquely to understand and address the needs of brokers and small business employers.
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LIMRA: Black Americans More Optimistic About the Economy and Their Own Financial Future
Yet LIMRA research also suggests Black Americans aren’t prepared for retirement
According to LIMRA’s most recent consumer sentiment survey, Black Americans are the most positive about both current economic conditions and the year ahead, particularly in terms of their own financial situation.
Like all Americans, saving more in 2024 is a top three financial goal for half of Black consumers. Having enough savings for emergencies and unexpected expenses are the most common reasons many Black Americans want to save more in 2024, noted by 57% of those planning to do so.
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Music could be the secret to fighting off dementia, study says: ‘Profound impact’
People who played instruments or sang could have stronger memory and cognitive function, researchers found
There’s nothing like a nostalgic song to transport you back to a special time and place — and now a new study has shown that music could help protect those memories for a lifetime.
Researchers at the University of Exeter discovered that people who “engage in music” over the course of their lives tend to have improved memory and better overall brain health as they age, according to a press release.
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Tony Snell misses deadline for tenth year of NBA service, is ineligible for benefits to care for autistic sons
Snell last played in 2022 for the New Orleans Pelicans
Tony Snell’s mission to sign with an NBA team this season has become one of the most widely discussed basketball stories.
The 32-year-old guard plays for the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
He spent the majority of his nine-year NBA career as a role player. He was pushing to sign with a team by a Feb. 2 deadline to gain retirement benefits for players with at least 10 years of service.
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MEDICARE
Health insurers balk at proposed Medicare Advantage rates
CVS Health and Centene executives say newly proposed Medicare Advantage rates for 2025 aren’t “sufficient” and hinted they could cut benefits if the federal government finalizes the rates as is.
Why it matters: More than half of Medicare enrollees are in private Medicare Advantage plans. The specter of potential cuts to seniors’ health care benefits in an election year could put pressure on the Biden administration.
Catch up quick: Medicare last week proposed cutting base payments to MA plans by 0.16% next year.
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GROUP
Gen Z setting the tone for a new standard of benefits engagement
As improvements in benefits and “employee care” become more sought after, Gen Z employees are more likely to expect a tailored, year-round benefits experience than other employees, according to MetLife’s 21st annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study.
In a recent interview, Jamie Madden, senior vice president of Workforce Engagement and Benefits Connectivity at MetLife, shared some of the survey’s highlights. Last year, Madden said, MetLife’s U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS) revealed “employee care” as a profound and measurable concept.
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HEALTH CARE PROVIDER
Black History Month: Doctors Reflect on Careers, Mission
In honor of Black History Month, Vitals editors are pleased to share a series of blog posts by Tosan O. Boyo, president of Sutter Health’s Greater East Bay Market, in which he interviews Black healthcare providers on how and why they’re working to change healthcare.
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INDUSTRY CALENDAR
CAHIP
- May 6-8, CAHIP Capital Summit @ Kimpton Sawyer Hotel, Sacramento, Register
2024 Conferences
- Feb 25-29, NABIP Capitol Conference, Washington DC, Register
- March 25-27, Ellevate Women’s Leadership Summit 2024 @ JW Marriott Las Vegas. Register
- May 6-8, CAHIP Capital Summit @ Kimpton Sawyer Hotel, Sacramento, Register
- June 23-26, Society for Human Resources Management SHRM24 Annual Conference and Expo @ Chicago, Register
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