Source:Washington Post, The (DC)
Publication Date: 10/05/2011
 
You know them when you see them behind the wheel of that car on the highway that can’t seem to stay between the white lines.

You used to think: Can that driver really be drunk at 10 a.m.?

Now you think something else, and you’re probably right.

Thirty-five percent of drivers said they’ve read or sent a text message while driving in the last month, according to a new survey. Sixty-seven percent said they talked on a cellphone while driving in the past month, and almost a third said they do it regularly.

But virtually everyone agrees that dealing with text messaging and cellphones while driving is a serious threat to their safety, according to the same survey, conducted on behalf of the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety.

It isn’t the first survey to shed light on the contradiction between what Americans do and what they think is right, but the percentages are particularly striking. Ninety-five percent of drivers consider text messaging as a serious threat, while 88 percent feel the same way about cellphone use.

This latest survey, based on a sampling of 3,147 driving-age people, is cause for both joy and frustration for U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who has crusaded against distracted driving since he was appointed in 2009.

“In just two-and-a-half years we have raised this issue to a level that it took drunken driving and seat belts and other safety issues much longer to do, and they had bigger budgets,” LaHood said Tuesday. “We’ve done all this just by using the bully pulpit. We’ve got the car companies’ attention. We’ve got the public’s attention. We’ve got law enforcement’s attention. But the bottom line is we have a long way to go to convince people to put their cellphones and their BlackBerrys in the glove compartment when they’re driving.”

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says that 5,474 people were killed and an estimated 448,000 were injured in 2009 in accidents that involved distracted driving. NHTSA said that accounted for about 16 percent of all traffic deaths.

The survey data seemed to suggest that drivers who use text messaging or cellphones while driving believe that other users pose a bigger danger than they do. Eighty-seven percent supported laws against sending or receiving text messages while driving. Seventy percent wanted laws against the use of hand-held cellphones, and half of those surveyed said all cellphone use should be outlawed while driving.

Thirty-four states and Washington, D.C., have laws that ban the sending and receiving of text messages while driving. Nine states and Washington require hands-free hardware for drivers talking on cellphones.

Changing driving habits always has been difficult.

Two of the biggest campaigns in the past 50 years, against drunken driving and for seat belts, took years to get off the ground. The seat-belt campaign foundered when it was exemplified by the popular but ineffective jingle “Buckle up for safety!” Compliance began to take hold when the message was changed to “Click it or ticket.”

Similarly, it took decades of effort by Mothers Against Drunk Driving to toughen drunken driving laws and enforcement before the tide began to turn.

bc-distracted
 
(c) 2011, The Washington Post

Distracted driving can be deadly, please be careful.

Effective with the first plan year that begins after August 1, 2012, preventive services that have strong scientific evidence of their health benefits must be covered and plans can no longer charge a patient a copayment, coinsurance or deductible for these services when they are delivered by a network provider.

Under the Affordable Care Act, women’s preventive health care - such as mammograms, screenings for cervical cancer, prenatal care, and other services - is covered with no cost sharing for new health plans. However, the law recognizes and HHS understands the need to take into account the unique health needs of women throughout their lifespan.

The HRSA-supported health plan coverage guidelines, developed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), will help ensure that women receive a comprehensive set of preventive services without having to pay a co-payment, co-insurance or a deductible. HHS commissioned an IOM study to review what preventive services are necessary for women’s health and well-being and should be considered in the development of comprehensive guidelines for preventive services for women. HRSA is supporting the IOM’s recommendations on preventive services that address health needs specific to women and fill gaps in existing guidelines. To view GCG’s Healthcare Reform update, click here.

GCG wants you to know that a new weekly Market Update has been posted for the week of 5/16/2011… click here: http://tinyurl.com/66nvmqk

GCG has a new Healthcare Reform update: http://tinyurl.com/6ldj7hv

GCG wants you to know that a new Healthcare Reform update has been posted: http://tinyurl.com/4ocmsxm

GCG wants you to know that a new Healthcare Reform update has been posted: http://tinyurl.com/4vemms7

GCG wants you to know… In October, we told you about a health care reform rule change for health care spending accounts. For purchases on or after January 1, 2011 (regardless of plan year dates), health care spending account funds can now be used for an over-the-counter drug only if the drug is prescribed.

The rule change generally prohibited the use of health care flexible spending account and health reimbursement arrangement debit cards for over-the-counter drugs after January 15, 2011 - except at “90% pharmacies” (see the notice and guidance links in this article). However, on December 23, 2010, the IRS issued Notice 2011-5, which amended the previous guidance on this provision.

The new notice generally permits the continued use of debit cards for over-the-counter drug expenses at pharmacies (including mail order and web-based vendors that sell prescription drugs), as well as at other vendors that have health care-related merchant codes, as long as all of the following requirements are met:

• The member obtains a prescription for the medicine or drug
• The prescription is presented to the pharmacist
• The medication is dispensed by the pharmacist in accordance with applicable law and assigned an Rx number
• Certain record-keeping requirements are satisfied

GCG wants you to know that…  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently reported that for fiscal year 2010, it received nearly 100,000 new private sector charges of employment discrimination. This is the most ever in the agency’s 45-year history and a 7.2% increase over the number of charges filed in 2009.

The EEOC attributed the increase to easier filing procedures, improved customer service and expanded authority related to the ADA Amendment Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

Some observers also note that the rise may also reflect a shift in mission under the Obama administration. Rather than viewing its role as being geared to counseling employers about how to make their workplaces discrimination - and harassment-free, some believe the current EEOC is more focused on educating workers and conducting more investigations. In addition, most experts agree that in a down economy, the opportunities for employment practices liability (EPL) claims increase - employers are more likely to have to make hard employment termination decisions, and with fewer alternatives available to them, employees are more likely to pursue legal remedies.

Businesses facing difficult budget decisions may be tempted to reduce or eliminate their EPL coverage. However, as the surge in EEOC claim filings shows, the risk to employers may now be greater than ever. As always, the GCG’s Risk Management department is available to review EPL coverage options with you.

GCG wants you to know that a new Healthcare Reform update is available:http://tinyurl.com/28nkfjg.

Temporary measures

• During extended periods of subfreezing temperatures, increase thermostat settings to a minimum of 60° F throughout the home to help ensure adequate temperatures are maintained in the coldest spots.
• To prevent exterior faucets from freezing, shut them off from inside the home and drain remaining water from the pipes. Exterior irrigation systems should be winterized to prevent freezing.
• Still water freezes faster than running water. During periods of low usage and on frigid nights, turn on a faucet at the highest point in the home. Keep the water stream low, so that only a small amount can trickle through pipes running through cold spaces.
• If you’ll be away from home for an extended period during cold weather months, arrange for someone to check in at least once a day. Make sure he/she knows the location of the main water shutoff valve.
• If the water meter is operating but your water is not running, you may have a frozen pipe. Once the pipe thaws, there is a chance it could burst. If you discover a frozen pipe, call a plumber immediately.

Permanent measures

• Install an automatic shutoff system designed to stop leaking water when accumulation is detected. Contact your independent insurance advisor for additional information and a list of approved devices.
• Add several low temperature sensors to your central station alarm system. Place them in remote areas of your home.

If damage occurs

In the event of water damage, take the following steps to minimize the impact:

• Call an emergency service restoration company as soon as possible to facilitate repairs and start the dryout process.
• Move undamaged items away from the affected area.

If you have questions or would like more information on how to prevent or minimize the impact of losses, visit the GCG Insurance and Risk Management web page by clicking here.