AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa Names Victoria Sharp As Market Chief Medical Officer

a Medicaid managed care health plan that will serve Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries as part of the state’s new IA Health Link program beginning in April 2016, announced today it has named Victoria Sharp, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.F.P., as its market chief medical officer. Sharp is responsible for the health plan’s clinical and educational initiatives, such as care management, medical education and quality management, that will drive member health outcomes.

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Sharp, a longtime Iowa physician, brings more than 20 years of experience practicing medicine in the state, most recently serving as chief of staff for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Sharp was also a clinical professor at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine and past president of the Iowa Medical Society. She has residency training in surgery and urology and completed residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Iowa. She also holds a nursing degree and earned her Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Iowa.
“Dr. Sharp is an accomplished physician with a stellar reputation in the Iowa health care community,” said Cheryl Harding, market president of AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa. “Her deep knowledge of our state and the communities we serve will help ensure we continue to build an even healthier Iowa.”
“I am excited to join the AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa team and be part of this transformational time for health care in Iowa,” said Sharp. “IA Health Link is an innovative approach to Medicaid that will improve the health and well-being of Iowans.”
The new IA Health Link program will serve the majority of Iowa’s Medicaid population, or about 560,000 Iowans, through select managed care plans. For more information about the IA Health Link program, visit www.iahealthlink.gov.
About AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa
AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, is one of the Medicaid managed care plans that will participate in IA Health Link beginning in April 2016. AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa will help Iowans get proper care and stay well, working with communities in need to achieve positive health outcomes throughout the state. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritasia.com.
About AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies
AmeriHealth Caritas is part of the Independence Health Group in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 18 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves more than 5.9 million Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP members through its integrated managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services, behavioral health services and other administrative services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven organization with more than 30 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations. For more information,source--healthnews.

Tax Season Tip: It's Not Too Late to Contribute to a Health Savings Account and Maximize Your 2015 Tax Savings

As the tax filing deadline approaches, consumers with health savings accounts (HSAs) are reminded that they have until Monday, April 18, to make 2015 contributions up to the legal limit and increase their tax savings. This year’s deadline is a departure from the traditional April 15 filing date.

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To help the growing number of consumers who have HSAs either through their employer or purchased individually, www.HSAcenter.com recently expanded and enhanced its features to help them better understand the power of HSAs and the potential cost and tax savings.
HSAs combine a high-deductible health insurance plan with a tax-favored savings account. Money in the savings account can help pay deductibles and other qualified health expenses, including those not always covered by a major medical plan, such as dental and vision care costs. There is no “use it or lose it” provision at the end of the year with an HSA – the money saved earns interest and continues to accumulate year over year.
HSAs also deliver triple tax benefits:
1. Contributions are 100 percent tax-deductible up to the annual limit, just like an IRA, so contribute the maximum amount. For 2015, that’s $3,350 for an individual and $6,650 for a family. Those over 55 can make an additional contribution of $1,000/year.
2. Account interest accumulates over the years tax-deferred, allowing consumers to decide when to spend and when to save.
3. Withdrawals are tax-free as long as they are used for qualified medical expenses, even in retirement.
Dedicated to HSA education and helping consumers gain greater control over their health care, HSAcenter.com now includes:

• Responsive design and navigation: For convenience, HSAcenter.com can now be accessed from a laptop, tablet or mobile device, and a new video serves as a guide to the site.
• New search functionality: It’s easier than ever for consumers to find what they are looking for on the site.
• Three interactive calculators: Estimating savings now and in the future happens in a snap with three enhanced calculators.
• Case studies: “People Like Me” case studies illustrating how families have benefitted from HSAs, helping consumers get even more from a visit.
• Detailed FAQ: Find answers to the most frequently asked questions and reference an updated list of qualified medical expenses.

HSAcenter.com was designed to help consumers learn more about HSAs and how they work, and features user-friendly tools that allow them to estimate the cost- and tax savings – now and over time – before deciding if an HSA is the best choice for their families. HSAcenter.com is presented as an educational resource by UnitedHealthcare’s Golden Rule Insurance Company and UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company, which offer health insurance plans and ancillary products to individuals and families.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information.sourec-healthnews

Juicero Introduces First Countertop Cold-Press Juicing System

Introducing Juicero, a new health and wellness company on a mission to make it easier to consume more servings of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Juicero today announced the first countertop cold-press juicing system, uniting technology, agriculture and design to make raw, organic, home juicing effortless.

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Juicero’s “farm-to-glass” system includes:

• Juicero Press: The Juicero Press is WiFi-enabled, built with breakthrough technology to fit industrial grade force into an elegantly designed, countertop machine with one-button operation.
• Juicero Packs: Juicero’s proprietary Packs contain 100 percent raw, organic produce that is triple washed, chopped, mixed, packed and delivered to your home ready for juicing. The innovative design allows the produce to breathe until the moment of pressing, ensuring fresh juice in every glass. At launch, Packs will come in five flavors: Greens, Sweet Greens, Spicy Greens, Carrot Beet, and Sweet Roots.
• Juicero App: The Juicero mobile app – compatible with iOS and Android devices – is required for first-time setup of the Juicero Press. Once set up, the App helps you:
  • See the origins, nutritional benefits, and freshness of your produce
  • Track your current Juicero Pack inventory
  • Schedule, modify or cancel upcoming Pack deliveries

U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that at least 50 percent of fruit and vegetable intake should come from whole produce, leaving the other 50 percent to come from innovative, nutrient-dense forms like 100 percent juice with no added sugars.¹ Yet, more than 90 percent of Americans fail to consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables². Juicero addresses this produce gap by delivering fresh fruits and vegetables from organic farms to your doorstep in ready-to-press Juicero Packs, so people can create delicious cold-pressed juice in the comfort of their home in just minutes, with absolutely no prep or cleanup required.
“I discovered the benefits of consuming raw, organic fruits and vegetables more than 17 years ago and have made it my personal mission to bring plant-based nutrition to more people so they can live their best lives,” said Doug Evans, founder and CEO at Juicero. “Just as the shift from the mainframe computer to desktop PC’s transformed the computing industry, Juicero will exponentially expand the cold-press juicing industry by taking the power of commercial grade cold-press machines and putting it in a device that can fit on your kitchen countertop. I’m tremendously grateful to our dedicated team who is making it possible to help people achieve optimal health in the most convenient way possible.”
Juicero’s team is comprised of passionate leaders and experts across organic farming, business, design, technology, food safety and nutrition who are focused on disrupting the way people consume fresh organic products and paving the path for the future of food and health. Juicero has raised over $100M to date. Investors include Artis Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Thrive Capital, Campbell Soup Company, Two Sigma Ventures, DBL Partners, First Beverage Group, Acre Venture Partners, and others.
The Juicero Press retails for $699; Juicero Packs cost $4-$10 each, based on the flavor. Juicero will be available first in California; Juicero Presses will begin shipping Summer 2016. Juicero will be partnering with select health, lifestyle, and food brands including Le Pain Quotidien and Gracias Madre to offer the Juicero experience.
To purchase the Juicero Press and Juicero Packs and to join the newsletter to stay tuned for updates, please visit http://www.juicero.com.
About Juicero
Juicero is on a mission to invent products, services and experiences to help people consume the fresh foods that will manifest true health and longevity. With the introduction of the world’s first at-home cold-press juicing system — The Juicero Press, Packs and connected Juicero App — Juicero has reinvented the “farm-to-glass” supply chain to bring 100 percent raw, fresh, organic produce directly to consumers’ homes and make it easier to drink homemade, healthy juice every day. Juicero was founded by former Organic Avenue CEO and plant-based nutrition advocate Doug Evans in 2013 and brings together leading experts across food science, organic farming, consumer marketing, product design and technology.

¹ 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a “healthy dietary pattern that is based on the types and proportions of foods Americans typically consume, but in nutrient-dense forms and appropriate amounts. All vegetables and fruits - when prepared with little or no added solid fats, sugars, refined starches, and sodium—are nutrient-dense foods. When juices are consumed, the guidelines state it should be 100 percent juice, without added sugars.” Source: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Eighth Edition. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

² 92 percent of Americans are falling short of fruit recommendations and 96 percent are falling short on vegetable recommendations. Source: National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance. National Action Plan to Promote Health Through Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption – 2015 Report Card. http://www.nfva.org/national_action_plan.html.source-healthnews