Open Season starts next Wednesday. Yup. I’ve warned you for the past two months to make sure that you knew your password and all your information was up to date. Because starting next Wednesday, it’s going to be crunch time.
I am sure you know that part of our services is to prepare payroll and tax submissions on behalf of clients. (Our fees are better than ADP and Paychex- and we go beyond simply providing you paychecks.). But, we also refuse to pay the taxes on behalf of our clients. A few of them are pretty annoyed- at first.
Continue reading In God We Trust. Everyone else…
As long as you do not operate as a partnership (partners only get a draw, fully subject to all taxes, including payroll taxes), the owners of an enterprise are expected to be paid a salary. That’s the IRS position- the one that counts.
Continue reading Are you reasonable?
Several years ago (ok, a little more than a decade ago), I was contracted to manage the finances (and rehabilitation) of a multi-site, multi-unit apartment complex that stretched from Baltimore to Hagerstown to Silver Spring (all in Maryland) to Loudon (Virginia). During that time, we increased occupancy to over 95% in three of the units- and kept the fourth at 80%, so we could rehab a section of units at a time.
I am sure you are all wondering what’s been happening about the dialysis patient organizations- and, now, it seems that some dialysis clinics- are paying the health insurance premiums for dialysis patients. (I first discussed this issue here). There is a new complainant- it’s not just private insurance companies now.
Continue reading Creative Accounting or Illegal Practice?
Yesterday, we spoke about how PPACA (Obamacare) has been attenuating the US healthcare cost spiral. Over the past few years, the overall cost growth has dropped dramatically. But, many of us don’t feel the love- because our employers and our insurance companies have been playing the “cost shifting” game. They’ve changed our co-insurance, they’ve raised our deductibles- claiming that when we have ‘skin in the game’, we are more attentive to the costs of our healthcare.
Continue reading Costs slow, but it still bad news
For years, various patient advocate groups have been helping folks get health insurance. In particular, the AKF (American Kidney Fund) has been paying the premiums for folks who are undergoing dialysis.
Continue reading How come this only works for drugs?
Yesterday, we discussed the fact that dialysis costs have been pretty static at around $ 30K a year for decades. Mostly because of the improvements to technology and therapy that folks like me developed over the years. And, because the US government pays for it- and sets the price. A system that often arouses grumbling among those providing the care.
Is it fair to work for a new federal program, if it will personally benefit you? Even if it will truly benefit thousands of others? That is something with which I am struggling right now.
Continue reading Public Benefit and Personal Gain???
Remember when I said that non-profit hospitals didn’t become greedy SOB’s when they converted to for-profit status. And, that their care was pretty good- despite their change in motivation. I also said that most dialysis centers seemed to be of the same mental state.
Continue reading 1000% Markup????
