EngagePoint™ (formerly Consumer Health Technologies, Inc.) Named as Systems Integrator for Minnesota Health Insurance ...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

EngagePoint™, formerly known as Consumer Health Technologies, Inc., today announced that it will support the design and development of a statewide health insurance exchange in the State of Minnesota. As a subcontractor to MAXIMUS (MMS), who was selected as the prime contractor to design, implement, and maintain the State’s health insurance exchange, EngagePoint will act as the systems integrator, and will also deploy its financial management module for billing, aggregation and reconciliation of payments.

Following a competitive bid process, the State of Minnesota selected MAXIMUS as the prime contractor to design and develop the Minnesota health insurance exchange. MAXIMUS named EngagePoint, Connecture and Curam as subcontractors on the project. The contract is valued at $41 million.

“We are pleased to be part of the MAXIMUS team to design and develop the Minnesota health insurance exchange, and look forward to applying our unique experience and expertise with HIX solutions design to the best advantage of the State of Minnesota and its citizens,” said Pradeep Goel, CEO of EngagePoint.

The Minnesota health insurance exchange system will establish an online insurance marketplace for the State’s population, enabling users to determine their eligibility for subsidized health insurance benefits online, as well as to shop, compare and enroll in health insurance plans, with access to dedicated customer support.

About EngagePoint

EngagePoint is a payer-centric Healthcare software and IT Services company that enables Government, Commercial, and Administrative Payers to engage their key stakeholders in bending the cost of care curve while improving the health and wellbeing of the people they serve. Currently implementing two Health Insurance Exchanges, EngagePoint delivers sustainable solutions that incorporate service-oriented-architecture (SOA), MITA adherence and reusable infrastructure. This allows EngagePoint clients to meet the requirements of Affordable Care Act mandates, to implement member engagement and retention strategies, and to match customized benefit packages to the needs of groups and individuals. Founded in 2007, EngagePoint is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with offices in Maryland and North Dakota. For more information, visit www.EngagePoint.com.

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FAIR Health, Identified as Leading Innovator in Consumer Transparency, Participates in White House Summit on Smart ...

Thu, Apr 5, 2012, 6:41 PM EDT - U.S. Markets closed

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Health Insurance and Medical Deductions - eHealthInsurance Releases Top Consumer Tips for Tax Season

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwire -02/07/12)- Today eHealthInsurance (NASDAQ: EHTH - News), the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, released a series of tips for health insurance consumers working on their 2011 federal tax returns.

Many consumers overlook deductions built into the tax code that are designed to make medical care and health insurance more affordable. Consumers who had high medical expenditures in 2011, who pay for their own individually-purchased health insurance, who are self-employed, or who care for aging parents should educate themselves on the opportunities to deduct a portion of these expenses from their federal income tax.

The tips below do not constitute personal tax advice and eHealthInsurance recommends that consumers explore these issues with a certified public accountant or tax professional when completing their federal income taxes for the year 2011.

Health-related Tax Tips for Tax Year 2011

Itemizing health insurance and medical expenses - If you itemize on your federal tax return you may be able to deduct medical expenses from your taxable income. According to IRS Publication 502, qualifying medical expenses may include monthly premiums you pay for coverage (including some Medicare premiums), copayments, deductibles, dental expenses, and costs for some services not covered by your insurance plan. You can even deduct mileage (at 19 cents per mile for the first half of 2011 and 23.5 cents for the second) accrued while driving to and from regular appointments. Keep in mind: you can only deduct the portion of your medical expenses that exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. That means this deduction isn't for everyone, but if you (or one of your dependents) were seriously ill or hospitalized last year -- or if you paid COBRA premiums in 2011 -- you may qualify. Expenses for the care for an aging parent - If your elderly parent earned less than $3,700 in 2011 (excluding Social Security) and you provided more than half of his or her financial support, you may be able to claim your parent as a dependent. This earns you an additional dependent exemption, even if your parent doesn't live with you. And if you've paid for the medical or nursing care of a dependent parent, you may also be able to itemize your costs as qualified medical expenses. Medicare premiums and medical home improvements - If you're a retired senior, you may have an easier time meeting the 7.5% adjusted gross income threshold to deduct itemized medical expenses on your federal return. In addition to your out-of-pocket expenses for medical, dental or vision care, you may also be able to include capital expenses for the installation of home medical equipment or improvements of your property for wheel-chair access. In addition, premiums taken from your Social Security check to pay for Medicare Part B may qualify as deductible, as well as premiums you paid for Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug) coverage or a Medicare Supplemental plan. Deducting health insurance premiums as a business expense - If you had self-employment income in 2011, you may be able to deduct health insurance premiums you paid for yourself and your dependents as an 'above the line' business expense (that is, without itemizing) on your federal tax return. Be aware, however, that you may not deduct premiums (including Medicare premiums) paid for any month in which you were eligible to participate in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan, and that the amount you deduct cannot be greater than your net self-employment income for the year. Also, keep in mind that you cannot include what you paid toward your monthly premiums as an 'above the line' expense and also itemize it. Talk to a tax professional to learn more about the different types of self-employment status and the tax implications of each in your state. Getting the most from your Health Savings Account (HSA) - An HSA is a tax-advantaged savings account used in conjunction with an HSA-eligible health insurance plan. Account contributions, qualified distributions and earnings are all tax-exempt. An HSA allows you to deposit a portion of your pre-tax income into a savings account and use those funds to pay for qualified medical expenses. Unused money can be invested and accrue from year to year. If you have an HSA, be sure to deduct your contributions up to federally prescribed limits. Contributions to your HSA designated for 2011 and made before April 17, 2012 can be counted toward your 2011 federal taxes. According to IRS Publication 969, HSA contributions for the 2011 tax year are capped at $3,050 for individuals and $6,150 for families. If you're over age 55, you may qualify to make an additional $1,000 contribution for the year.

Additional Consumer Resources:

About eHealth
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH - News) is the parent company of eHealthInsurance, the nation's leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses. Through the company's website, www.eHealthInsurance.com, consumers can get quotes from leading health insurance carriers, compare plans side by side, and apply for and purchase health insurance. eHealthInsurance offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by more than 180 of the nation's leading health insurance companies. eHealthInsurance is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, making it the ideal model of a successful, high-functioning health insurance exchange. Through the company's eHealthTechnology solution (www.eHealthTechnology.com), eHealth is also a leading provider of health insurance exchange technology. eHealthTechnology's exchange platform provides a suite of hosted e-commerce solutions that enable health plan providers, resellers and government entities to market and distribute products online. eHealth, Inc. also provides powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help seniors navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online through its wholly-owned subsidiary, PlanPrescriber.com (www.planprescriber.com) and through its Medicare website www.eHealthMedicare.com.

For more health insurance news and information, visit the eHealthInsurance consumer blog: Get Smart - Get Covered.

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WellnessFX Consumer Health Open to Commerce and Expands on West Coast

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- WellnessFX consumer health recently extended its services to residents of Oregon in addition to California, marking the first step in an ambitious expansion plan for the San Francisco company. Access to the product was made available to California residents in early December 2010 with encouraging results. This expansion speaks not only to the building momentum behind Health 2.0, but also to WellnessFX as a pioneer in this movement. Services in the State of Washington will be available by the end of the first quarter, 2012.

WellnessFX is an online personalized wellness platform that empowers individuals to take control of their health – offering a truly integrative medical experience. Members can measure, understand, and improve their health through convenient online access, cutting edge diagnostic tools and one-on-one expert consultations with licensed health providers. Prevention is a key benefit of the WellnessFX experience. For example, the 70-plus health attributes measured in the company's Essential Wellness panel include Inflammation Biomarkers. These are markers of chronic low-level inflammation that usually don't produce symptoms but are now understood to be related to virtually all health problems. Markers in this panel are a critical part of assessing an individual's risk for future diseases, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, colitis, and more.

"More and more people are frustrated by our current medical system – inaccessible personal health data, overwhelming choice and inability to access skilled medical professionals. There is a building desire to take matters into our own hands," says Jim Kean, chief executive officer and founder of WellnessFX. "WellnessFX provides the opportunity to do just that—detailed health markers that can detect cancer, heart disease, and other major health concerns are displayed in an accessible way and explained with the guidance of a licensed practitioner focused completely on you."

WellnessFX has negotiated low-cost rates with its network providers and diagnostic laboratories to provide its customers online access to licensed health and wellness experts and leading diagnostic information. Prices range according to breadth of service, and the company is committed to continuing to evolve pricing options to ensure a highly customized experience and broader access to health care.

WellnessFX has an impressive lineup of Board members and advisors to help with its ambitious plans of expanding in the US, including: Mike Maples, partner at Floodgate and investor; Tim Ferriss, author and advisor; Jed Katz, managing director at Javelin Partners; Chairman of the Board, Curtis Feeney, managing director at Voyager Capital, and newly appointed Medical Director, Murdoc Khaleghi, MD and author of the 'Everything Health' books.

For more information, please go to: http://www.wellnessfx.com/.

About WellnessFX
WellnessFX is at the forefront of the consumer health revolution. Meeting the demand for a straightforward way to measure, track and manage one's own health, WellnessFX creates personalized wellness roadmaps based on qualitative test results, along with customized support from leading health and wellness practitioners. With rich, personalized visualizations, WellnessFX aggregates the primary detractors of wellness, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity, while layering in data feeds from self-tracking health and fitness devices. The result is an illuminated perspective on one's strengths and weaknesses, which empowers individuals to make truly informed decisions about their health.

WellnessFX was started by entrepreneur Jim Kean, chief executive officer who also founded Sapient Health Network in 1995 which became the foundation of WebMD's consumer health business. Jim partnered with Brent Vaughan, chief operations officer and co-founder of WellnessFX, in 2010 to help scale the company. Brent has over 20 years experience in the areas of diagnostics, personalized medicine, translational medicine, and pharmaceuticals that focused on bringing better predictive information empowerment closer to patients. Brent has built productive partnerships and collaborations with leading research institutions, including the National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute and major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

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WellnessFX Consumer Health Open to Commerce and Expands on West Coast

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- WellnessFX consumer health recently extended its services to residents of Oregon in addition to California, marking the first step in an ambitious expansion plan for the San Francisco company. Access to the product was made available to California residents in early December 2010 with encouraging results. This expansion speaks not only to the building momentum behind Health 2.0, but also to WellnessFX as a pioneer in this movement. Services in the State of Washington will be available by the end of the first quarter, 2012.

WellnessFX is an online personalized wellness platform that empowers individuals to take control of their health – offering a truly integrative medical experience. Members can measure, understand, and improve their health through convenient online access, cutting edge diagnostic tools and one-on-one expert consultations with licensed health providers. Prevention is a key benefit of the WellnessFX experience. For example, the 70-plus health attributes measured in the company's Essential Wellness panel include Inflammation Biomarkers. These are markers of chronic low-level inflammation that usually don't produce symptoms but are now understood to be related to virtually all health problems. Markers in this panel are a critical part of assessing an individual's risk for future diseases, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, colitis, and more.

"More and more people are frustrated by our current medical system – inaccessible personal health data, overwhelming choice and inability to access skilled medical professionals. There is a building desire to take matters into our own hands," says Jim Kean, chief executive officer and founder of WellnessFX. "WellnessFX provides the opportunity to do just that—detailed health markers that can detect cancer, heart disease, and other major health concerns are displayed in an accessible way and explained with the guidance of a licensed practitioner focused completely on you."

WellnessFX has negotiated low-cost rates with its network providers and diagnostic laboratories to provide its customers online access to licensed health and wellness experts and leading diagnostic information. Prices range according to breadth of service, and the company is committed to continuing to evolve pricing options to ensure a highly customized experience and broader access to health care.

WellnessFX has an impressive lineup of Board members and advisors to help with its ambitious plans of expanding in the US, including: Mike Maples, partner at Floodgate and investor; Tim Ferriss, author and advisor; Jed Katz, managing director at Javelin Partners; Chairman of the Board, Curtis Feeney, managing director at Voyager Capital, and newly appointed Medical Director, Murdoc Khaleghi, MD and author of the 'Everything Health' books.

For more information, please go to: http://www.wellnessfx.com/.

About WellnessFX
WellnessFX is at the forefront of the consumer health revolution. Meeting the demand for a straightforward way to measure, track and manage one's own health, WellnessFX creates personalized wellness roadmaps based on qualitative test results, along with customized support from leading health and wellness practitioners. With rich, personalized visualizations, WellnessFX aggregates the primary detractors of wellness, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity, while layering in data feeds from self-tracking health and fitness devices. The result is an illuminated perspective on one's strengths and weaknesses, which empowers individuals to make truly informed decisions about their health.

WellnessFX was started by entrepreneur Jim Kean, chief executive officer who also founded Sapient Health Network in 1995 which became the foundation of WebMD's consumer health business. Jim partnered with Brent Vaughan, chief operations officer and co-founder of WellnessFX, in 2010 to help scale the company. Brent has over 20 years experience in the areas of diagnostics, personalized medicine, translational medicine, and pharmaceuticals that focused on bringing better predictive information empowerment closer to patients. Brent has built productive partnerships and collaborations with leading research institutions, including the National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute and major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

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