The Hipaa Privacy Act

by William Hamon (aka Ewns)

The Hipaa Privacy Act Although we greatly value our privacy, we have often taken it for granted. Internet and technology advancements have made it more and more difficult to protect. This is precisely why Congress determined that it was time to legislate some privacy guidelines in certain areas. Therefore, in 1996 the HIPAA privacy rules were born.

In 2003 the HIPAA Privacy Act began taking effect. The entities included under this rule were most healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearing houses. The legislation ruled that most of these entities were now going to be required to take measures to protect the privacy of the people they were in business with. Whatever may be termed Protected Health Information (PHI) must be kept private. PHI is a fairly murky term, meaning any information that could possible identify the patient or the history of their health in any way.

This could include:
- The name of the patient
- The social security number of the patient
- The patient's contact information
- Conversations between the Doctor and the patient
- Prescription information
- Billing information
- Health records
- Insurance records

Additionally, the HIPAA Privacy Act states who the PHI can be disclosed to and when. Any time a patient requests to see their own information it must be provided to them within 30 days. There are also instances when PHI will be required to be disclosed by law (such as suspected child abuse cases).Entities may also disclose PHI when attempting to collect payment, provided they have the individual's authorization.

There is a lot that goes into protecting an individual's privacy under the HIPAA Privacy requirements. Every entity would be well advised to choose someone to be a privacy officer. This person should oversee the privacy rules that are set and practiced where they are located. The chosen privacy officer should be responsible for training any and all employees on what is considered to be standard protocol as well as any changes made to procedures. The privacy of the individual should be insured by taking several precautions. Keep in mind that there are things that can be done which are as easy as keeping patient charts closed and out of view from other patients. The only information that staff members should be allowed to access is the information they need to do their job. For example, nurses have no need to see the billing information for a patient they are treating, but another employee would need to see the billing information and not their treatment information. To help stay within the guidelines, require passwords to gain access to private information stored on computers and put locks on any cabinets or rooms containing PHI.

Making sense of the HIPAA Privacy Act can seem like a daunting task. This is why it would be a smart decision to seek help when creating your HIPAA Privacy procedures. The HIPAA Software is a perfect source to get some assistance with creating a manual that is specific to the needs of your entity.

Find more information about HIPAA Privacy in my website.

Tip for choosing an acting coach in Hollywood

by vancouverfilmschool

Tip for choosing an acting coach in Hollywood

Are you dreaming of making it big in Tinsel town? Well, you're not alone. There are millions of young aspirants out there and the secret to realizing your dreams is to beat the competition and stand out from the rest by honing your skills superbly.

If you have the talent and the drive to take the entertainment industry by storm, then, your next step is to find an acting coach who will help you develop your acting skills and take it to the next level.

A good acting coach in Hollywood can help you find the niche that best suits you. This will help you jump ahead of your competition. Even if you have been acting in plays and dramas at school and college, you still need an acting coach. Your casting directors want so much more from you in terms of experience if you want them to take you seriously. An acting coach knows exactly what you need and can take the finest talent and make it much better.

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An acting coach is strongly recommended because you get personal attention from the coach. Sometimes, acting coaches offer one-on-one training. At other times, the coach may train a small group of people. One-on-one coaching focuses entirely on you, and its aim is to hone your acting skills at the finest level. Small groups can also help sharpen your skills.

However, finding an acting coach in Hollywood takes time.

Before you choose an acting coach in Hollywood, make sure that he or she suits your unique needs and fits into your budget. You can find acting agents from the internet or through an agent.

Check the background of the acting coach in Hollywood. Find out if they possess prior acting and teaching experience. Just because someone is a good actor does not necessarily mean they are a good teacher too.

Even though you have got yourself an acting coach, it does not mean you will be seeing dramatic improvements in your acting abilities. The coach will teach you a variety of fine tricks and tips that bring out the depth of your acting skills. For this, you will need to improve your techniques, which could well take more than 6 months. So, it is important to be patient. If you are seeking advanced courses, you are likely to see results more quickly.

However, acting coaches are generally quite expensive. Since Hollywood is a place that attracts many wannabe actors and actresses, the best acting coaches are taken quite early on. So you might want to get there early and with cash to spare.

If you cannot afford an acting coach, your next step is to enroll yourself into an acting class. These are more affordable. Even if you are working part-time, you can find affordable acting classes in Hollywood that offer training over the weekends or in the evenings.

Acting Teacher Los Angeles - If you wanna be an actor then Stuart Rogers Studio is great option to fulfill your dream, We have professional acting teachers who gives you acting lessons and acting classes in the areas of Los Angeles.

Exclusive interview with HELLBOY himself, Ron Perlman from the set of Larry Fessenden's THE LAST WINTER. Ron gets teary-eyed as he discusses how he began acting, GUYS AND DOLLS, and his father. THE LAST WINTER is out on DVD July 22.

Discovering if the Method Acting Schools London Offers are a Good Match for your Talents

by William Hamon (aka Ewns)

Discovering if the Method Acting Schools London Offers are a Good Match for your Talents

Article by Carol Williams

Successful acting requires the presentation of a believable illusion; the audience must be convinced that the actor is the character being portrayed. Method acting allows actors to fully internalize and immerse themselves in their character in order to successfully portray the role. Highly successful professional actors must master the art of method acting, a skill involving a vivid imagination, deep psychological insight, and superior memory.

Because actors must be able to adapt to a variety of characters, settings, and plots, having an imaginative and creative mind as well as quick memory recall are essential. Given that this form of acting involves examining the emotional and psychological state of the character, method actors must be able to draw from personal circumstances and memories to identify with and accurately become the character. Method actors must constantly examine their own emotional and sensory memories in order to understand and relay the character's emotional state. What better way to realistically portraying a character than to draw upon personal circumstances and memories to identify with and accurately become the character?

Unfortunately, dreaming about becoming a famous actor is not enough to enter into this competitive field. Even aspiring actors who are gifted with creative and imaginative minds need thorough instruction in the art of method acting in order to launch into a professional career. If you find yourself longing to become a Hollywood star, Broadway performer, or London actor, consider attending acting school. Gifted, driven, and focused individuals desiring to learn the skills of method acting and pursue a professional career should thoroughly examine their options when selecting a school.

Of all the schools in the world, the acting schools London offers provide students with the most culturally setting in which to pursue their dream. Students attending London schools have access to world-class professors and can study in the backdrop of rich, centuries-old theatrical history. Many of the best acting schools London has teach students the art and skills involved with method acting. Using a variety of techniques and procedures such as affective memory, sense memory, concentration, and substitution, acting instructors in many London schools teach students to learn the art of method acting.

Even if you do not currently live in the UK, you can take advantage of social media outlets and internet research to learn about the advantages of the many acting acting schools London offers. Just as an actor seeks to understand the emotions and psychological state of his character in order to portray him in a convincing manner, you, too, should search your soul, internalize your acting goal, and passionately pursue making your dream a reality.

The author, Carol Williams, is a successful actress that has performed throughout Europe and the United states. In addition to her acting performances, she has taught the Method at various acting schools over the past 20 years. Although many of the acting schools London offers claim to be experts in training, Carol encourages students to only consider schools that teach the Method.

Bad acting moments

Affordable Care Act

by vancouverfilmschool

Affordable Care Act As part of a larger Administration announcement on efforts to strengthen the health care workforce, the Internal Revenue Service today announced that under the Affordable Care Act health care professionals who received student loan relief under state programs that reward those who work in underserved communities may qualify for refunds on their 2009 federal income tax returns as well as an annual tax cut going forward.
Doctors and nurses who choose to practice in underserved areas make a great contribution to their local communities, Commissioner Doug Shulman said. By expanding the tax exclusion for student loan forgiveness, the Affordable Care Act provides an even greater incentive to practice medicine in areas that need it most.
The Affordable Care Act included a change in the law, effective in 2009, that expands a tax exclusion for amounts received by health professionals under loan repayment and forgiveness programs. Prior to the new law, only amounts received under the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program or certain state loan repayment programs eligible for funding under the Public Health Service Act qualified for a tax exclusion.
The Affordable Care Act expands this tax exclusion to include any state loan repayment or loan forgiveness programs intended to increase the availability of health care services in underserved areas or health professional shortage areas and makes this exclusion retroactive to the 2009 tax year.
Health care professionals participating in these programs who have reported income from repaid or forgiven loan amounts on their 2009 returns, possibly after receiving a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, or Form 1099, may be due refunds. Those who believe they qualify for this relief may want to consult their state loan program offices to determine whether the program is covered by the new law.
Health care professionals may request an employer or other issuer to provide a Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement, or 1099 and may attach the corrected form to the Form 1040X. However, the Form 1040X may also be filed without attaching a corrected form.
An individual whose employer withheld and paid taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) on payments covered under the new exclusion may request that the employer seek a refund of withheld FICA on the employees behalf. And because employers also pay a portion of the FICA tax, the employer also may also be entitled to a refund.
To obtain a refund, an employer should file a separate Form 941-X,Adjusted Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refund for each Form 941, Employers Quarterly Federal Tax Return, which needs to be corrected. An employer filing a Form 941-X is also required to file a Form W-2c for each employee who benefits from the exclusion.

Sandi Lattin
Free 1040
Russellville, Arkansas
http://free1040.com

Fair Housing Act

by ArchivesACT

Fair Housing Act

In the United States of America, there are laws which aim to eradicate any sort of discrimination form the society. In such a case, housing is no different. The Fair Housing act is one such law, which was passed by the congress as early as in 1968. The primary aim of the act is to eradicate any sort of discrimination to a citizen, desirous of either renting in or buying a house, due to any factors like caste, creed, economical status, color and even sex. Basically, this act is an extension of a thought process that evolved in the 19th century and looked to give an equal chance to all as far dwelling opportunities are concerned. At that point of time, it was more popularly called open housing.

Presently, the act is in full force in all states and is strictly enforced. The Housing and urban development department is primarily responsible for the upkeep of this law and any complaints related to such discrimination is normally acted upon by this department.

It has more than fifty offices across the country and is taken care of by more than five hundred staff members.

The law has a history to its making. During the 1950s, there was a feeling that equal opportunities should be granted to all as far as dwelling facilities are concerned. This led to the formation of a body, who took on the powerful lobby of real estate industry, which tended to discriminate as far as selling houses were concerned. Though this dialogue did not have any specific effect, it tended to open a thought process about fair housing. Instead of passing legislation to this effect, the issue was doing the corridors of powers trying to be swept under the carpet. But, on 28th August, 1963, there was a huge demonstration by the public of Seattle asking for fair housing rights. This led to the desired effect. The Seattle human rights commission recommended an ordinance against such discriminatory policies in housing.

Different applications and countless numbers of demonstrations later, the government finally woke upto the fact that housing is one of the basic needs of a man and cannot be discriminated based on any criterion. Thus was born the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

A clear look at the history of mankind will show that housing has always been discriminated upon, especially by lobbies advocating for caste colonies and economical groups. Such kinds always find excuses to live with their own brethren or amongst the same social class, thereby ostracizing the poor or neglected classes of society. It is high time that such old thoughts are banished from the society and oneness be embraced for a better society, unaffected by the caste, creed or economical class divisions.

Great weather to pamper you at Phoenix Real Estate and Ahwatukee Community Real Estate

ACT Vs SAT match

by Cargospotter Fabian

ACT Vs SAT match

ACT and SAT are the must to apply for almost every college. Many of these can be completed during the Junior or Senior year in high school or redone if necessary. But the thing is which test takes you to a better school? And what is the difference?

 

The ACT test has four multiple choice subject tests that cover English, Reading, Match & Science. The test takes about 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete. Scores are then determined after throwing out any wrong answers.

 

The SAT is designed less on specific academics, but more on writing and critical thinking. The first section of the SAT is a 25-minute essay. Afterwards there is a multiple choice test in critical reading and mathematics.

 

The top score for the SAT is 1600 (800 points for each section), and the ACT composite score maximum is 36.

 

If there is a specific school that you're interested in, you may want to consider looking at which test is required by the school.

Many schools will accept both test scores, so it's recommended that students take both exams.

 

There are test preparations that you can take to make sure you receive the highest score possible to help you get into the college you want. These can be done through books or classes that are usually held on weekends or evenings. Studying could be very helpful in achieving the highest score, and thus, help you get into the best school possible.

 

As an editor for Treadmill For Sale and Treadmills For Sale, the writer reviews and compares hundreds brand-name products online.

Ashley Tisdale - Acting Out Rip from the German Version of the Album "Guilty Pleasure" Download: www.youtube.com Video Rating: 4 / 5

In-Depth Bible Study Notes for Acts 8:26-40

by William Hamon (aka Ewns)

In-Depth Bible Study Notes for Acts 8:26-40

Read Acts 8:26.  One commentary I read on this verse says there is some question as to if this should read "the angel of the Lord", which is believed to have the same meaning as the Holy Spirit.  So whether an angel spoke to Philip or the Spirit spoke to him is unclear, but the message was obviously from God.  { Show map from "The Macmillan Bible Atlas" by Aharoni & Avi-Yonah, map 241 }

Read Acts 8:27-28.  "So he started out" - notice how Philip obeys God without question, without knowing anything of what is going to happen next!  He is a true man of faith and one we should all want to emulate.

To understand the incredible richness of this story, we need to understand a little bit of the history of the time.  First off, in the New Testament, the term "Ethiopia" corresponded to the kingdom of Nubia or Kush, in the upper Nile (Sudan) region.  To be a bit more specific, this man probably came from the kingdom of Meroe, whose capital was near the 6th cataract on the Nile.  { Show map from "National Geographic, November 1990"}  As we can see, this man traveled a long way to Jerusalem.  His journey would have taken weeks, if not months, even by combination of chariot and boat.  The kingdom of Meroe flourished for about a thousand years from 650 BC to AD 350.  The word "Candace" is not a name like Gail or Lisa, but rather a title given to the queen mothers of Meroe.  Interestingly it is believed that the queens of Meroe were the ones primarily responsible for the secular duties of the court, the kings being too important to bother with such things. 

The man held a position of great honor, of that of treasurer, and here he is called an eunuch.  Now whether he was physically a eunuch is uncertain (though I tend to believe he was, because of the passage he was studying as we will discuss later) since in oriental culture this term was used for high officials.

The passage here says he had gone to Jerusalem to worship.  This implies that he honors the One True God.  If he is physically an eunuch, the Old Testament laws prohibits him from joining in with worship.  Read Deuteronomy 23:1.  It is possible, however, that he held on to the promised blessings given in Isaiah to eunuchs and foreigners as a sign he would not be excluded from God's grace.  Read Isaiah 56:4-7.  So even if the Ethiopian is not a full-fledged convert to Judaism, he is clearly what one would call a Gentile God-fearer.  As a side note, I found it extremely interesting that someone who lives so far away from Judea could know so much about Judaism, but then I remembered that by this time we know there are Jewish communities in Alexandria { Show map again from National Geographic } so it makes sense to assume that Jewish people continued to migrate south and that as a royal official he would have come in contact with Jews and learned about Yahweh and the Old Testament that way.  He must have been highly educated to not only be able to read, but to also read in Aramaic, which is the language the Old Testament would have been written in.

One article I read online suggested that there was far more to his reasoning for leaving his homeland and taking this difficult journey than simply to visit the temple.  As a royal treasurer, I doubt he could simply take off months of a time for personal reasons.  At about this time, historians believe, Herod Agrippa the First was installed as the independent king of Judea.  It makes sense, therefore, that the kingdom of Meroe would send a representative to congratulate the new king of Judea, for political reasons.  As this man not only spoke and read Aramaic, but was also probably known to honor Jewish religion, he was probably the logical person to send (if he didn't in fact volunteer; to be able to visit the temple at Jerusalem, the center of all Judaism, would have been a once in a life-time achievement.)  

Read Acts 8:29.  Here the Bible makes it clear that it is the Spirit, not an angel, who speaks to Philip.  I would be interested to know if Philip heard an actual voice or if he simply felt a strong impression in his own spirit that this was what he was supposed to do.  { Ask the group if they had ever had ever felt a strong impression put upon them that they were supposed to do something and how they felt, later, if they disobeyed. Some times the Spirit does speak in an audible voice, sometimes with impressions.}

Read Acts 8:30-31.  In my little bit of digging online I've discovered that entire sermons have been based on this short passage.  I'm not going to try to reproduce those sermons, but rather summarize what other people have focused in on here.  One pastor zoomed in on Philip's boldness and that we should all try to emulate him in sharing the gospel to friends and strangers alike:  Perhaps for Philip, with his gift of evangelism, it was easy for him to run up to a stranger's chariot (a chariot of someone of obviously high rank) and speak to the official, but I think I'd need a lot of pushing and prodding from the Spirit before I would be that bold!  I have a hard enough time sharing the gospel with friends, not to say strangers!  But God clearly calls us to be bold, like Philip here.

Another writer focused in on the fact that the eunuch was so obviously seeking God by spending his time reading the Old Testament, specifically the prophet Isaiah.  He didn't fully understand what he was reading, but something in his spirit responded to Isaiah's words and he knew he wanted something more.  Application:  are we spending time in the Word?  Even when we don't fully understand it, are we thirsty to learn more about God?

And finally, another writer focused on the eunuch's attitude of humility and teachability.  He could easily have been insulted by Philip's question:  "Do you understand what you are reading?"  After all he was a man of high standing and Philip (undoubtedly dusty from his walking & running) most likely looked something of a poor vagabond, not someone worth of association.  But the eunuch admits his lack of understanding and is open to receive teaching.  Understanding the Bible takes diligent study and a teachable spirit.  Actually reading it is a start, but there is so much more involved.  I find it extremely ironic that the American church today, one of the most highly educated churches of all time, with all the Bible resources available to us, is probably one of the most Biblical ignorant since the dark ages.

But what passage was the eunuch actually studying?  Read Acts 8:32-35.  As a personal note, one of the reasons why I think this man may have been a physical eunuch (and not just a royal official) is because of what he was studying here.  This passage in Isaiah speaks of the Messiah dying without descendants, something which was considered a great tragedy in that culture.  To not to be able to have children, through no fault of your own, but rather at the hands of others, may have caused great emotional pain to this man.  He, too, may have felt humiliated and deprived of justice, because of what was done to him against his will.  I know, just personal supposition, but one can't help but wonder.

Philip uses this opportunity to share Christ with this man, using this particular passage as the starting point.  When you share with someone, you start with where they are spiritually and work with that.  My sense is that this man was knowledgeable in the Old Testament and Philip would have shared other verses to confirm what he was saying about Jesus.  Philip was ready, he knew his Old Testament, and the Spirit worked in him to bring those verses to life.  (Remember, there was no New Testament yet - only the Old Testament and the spoken testimonies of the apostles and other believers.)

Read Acts 8:36-37.  Depending on your Bible, you may not have verse 37 included.  That is because verse 37 is found only in later manuscripts, not in all versions.  Verse 37 reads "Philip said, "if you believe with all your heart, you may".  The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."  I think that the omission of this verse doesn't really damage the power or meaning of the story.  The fact that the eunuch wanted to be water baptized is a clear indication that he has accepted Christ in his heart and wants to make an outward show of it, through baptism. 

How differently this man responds from the Sanhedrin at Stephen's trial!  Those men were probably as knowledgeable or more so than the eunuch, they are presented Scripture as a strong basis to convict them of their sin, Stephen shares with and in the power of the Holy Spirit, yet their response is to stone the messenger!  This Gentile, this physically imperfect man denied access to Jewish worship because of human grounds, has such a soft, tender heart for God that he recognizes very quickly the truth of Philip's words and comes to Christ.

I think that Philip would have probably presented a very Biblical strong case not only to win this man to Christ, but also to prepare him to pass on this same teaching onto others, later.  Remember, he was returning home to a culture where he would probably be the only believer for quite some time and all he would have to live on was what he learned from Philip, from this short teaching.

Read Acts 8:38-39.  There is a lot going on here in this short passage.  First off, it helps support how important water baptism is to the Christian walk.  It is a physical act demonstrating a change of heart.  However, note that there is NO MENTION of Philip laying hands on the eunuch and praying for him to receive the Holy Spirit!  No mention of the Ethiopian speaking in tongues, no mention of other physical manifestations beyond the man going home rejoicing.  They come out of the water and the Holy Spirit teleports Philip away!  As the Ethiopian was going home to a culture in which he would probably be the only Christian, is seems to support the belief that no second baptism of the Holy Spirit is required in order to be a fully empowered follower of Christ.  If such was necessary, I don't understand why God would take the man's mentor away, before he was prepared to survive alone spiritually.  (Something to think about, anyway.)

Why did the Lord take Philip away so dramatically?  I think that is pretty obvious - as a witness to the eunuch that the decision he had made was the right one and that what he had learned from Philip was true.  He would now have a strong witness (confirmed by his chariot driver) to share with his people.

Read Acts 8:40.  Azotus is the New Testament name of the Philistine city Ashdod in the Old Testament.  { Show map from "The Macmillan Bible Atlas" by Aharoni & Avi-Yonah, map 241 }  The account leaves Philip in Caesarea at this time; it is 20 years later until we hear from him again, and he is still located in the same place.  Read Acts 21:8.  When we study the story of Cornelius the Centurion in Acts 10, we'll learn more about what the city of Caesarea was like.

The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch demonstrates an important truth about God's love:  it is available for all.  He does not discriminate on any human grounds such as ethnicity or physical handicaps.

Blessings!

Sources
Aharoni & Avi-Yohan. The Macmillan Bible Atlas.
Philip Yancey and Tim Stafford (notes). The Student Bible.  NIV Version.
Editors.  National Geographic November, 1990.

Written by Gail_Sanders

The worst acting EVER!