The Supreme Court Will Take a Spin on Health Care Law

The Supreme Court has decided to listen to both sides of the conflict over President Obama’s healthcare law.  The problems lie within the amount of power the federal government is allowed to exercise on its citizens. 

The big question that lies at its center is whether Congress has the right to require every American to buy health insurance.  Conservatives are very much against the idea of expanding government regulation to this kind of extent.  Democrats, on the other hand, explain how this will help control costs as hospitals and insurers spend billions of dollars per year to cover costs of uninsured people.

One service hospitals need is medical transcriptions.  A vital part of what Office Solutions Plus LLC does is provide medical transcriptions to hospitals and medical practices.  Transcriptions are essential to the medical field.  Medical transcription is the process of converting patient information into a written text document.  Electronic storage of such information is best when considering the vast numbers of patients.  Typing and formatting are the major functions of transcription, as there are specific formatting criteria.  The final product of this becomes the medical record of the patient. 

Transcription in the medical field has been around since the 1960s.  At first it started as a process of using a manual typewriter.  Today we use computers, digital recording, and speech recognition devices.  Lately, a common practice has been to use digital voice files in a medical practice.  This requires voice recognition technology.  At OS+, we make sure to use the latest technology and to provide the best possible service to our customers.  We also deliver the final transcript in any form our customer wants and work with our clients to get the transcripts out when facing a tight deadline.  So why not fill out a Transcription Request Form? Find it on our website: http://officesolutionsplusllc.com/TRANSCRIPT_REQUEST.pdf

 Getting back to the health care law, the debate at the Supreme Court is scheduled for June of 2012.  It will come at a pivotal point for the general election.  If the court rules in favor of President Obama, he will have brought to fruition a new health care plan that has been worked toward since theRooseveltpresidency.  However, if the law isn’t passed through, this would be a major victory for the Tea Party. 

The healthcare reform has led to a major division between the democratic and republican parties.  Out of four federal appeals courts, only one has found this new health care law unconstitutional.  Two courts have upheld the law while a third had found it hasty. 

The Supreme Court justices will have to consider some vital questions when deciding on this new law.  Some of these questions include:

• Is it covered by our constitution for the federal government to call for everyone to have health insurance by the year 2014?
• If not, can this part be detached from the law, or should the entire law be abandoned?
• Should the courts delay any decision until 2015, when taxpayers will have to pay a fine for lacking insurance?

We will have to wait until next year to hear the final decision.  This new law has brought plenty of conflict with it – as most revolutionary laws do.

Reference

Savage, David. “Supreme Court Puts Healthcare Law in Campaign Spotlight – Latimes.com.” Los AngelesTimes – California, National and World News – Latimes.com. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-court-healthcare-20111115,0,7552718.story&gt;.

 

New Open Meeting Law Makes an Impact

The digital age is making a very strong impact in our local governments!  A new Open Meeting Law has taken hold.  This law allows people to attend these meeting via video-conferencing or by telephone, if this was previously approved.

The Attorney General worked on draft regulations and released the final edition recently.  Remote participation in open meetings can be allowed by a Chief Executive Officer.  Persons qualified as such include the town mayor or a board of selectmen unless otherwise selected by an act or contract. 

This new law is so vital and helpful to this country’s citizens.  Imagine a person who must attend a meeting but has recently broken their leg or gotten seriously ill.  Imagine a parent who needs to stay home to take care of their child that has just gotten back from the hospital.  Imagine an employee who must travel frequently across the globe and cannot make it back in time for an important meeting.  Acceptable reasons for using remote participation include ill health, disability, any sort of emergency, military service, or a different geographic location.

The type of medium allowed includes telephone, satellite, or internet access to audio or video seminars. If audio or video is used, everyone in attendance must be able to hear the person in remote attendance.  If video is used, every person in the room must be able to see the person participating remotely.  All votes, including the remote participants’, must be taken and recorded in the meeting minutes.  A person who will be participating remotely cannot be marked absent from the meeting.

The participant who cannot attend a meeting in person must give the chair notice of their remote participation as early as possible.  The chairman must announce before the meeting who will be participating remotely and for what reason.  If technical issues arise during the meeting, it is recommended to postpone the meeting until the digital connection is restored.  If the remote participant missed part of the meeting, the meeting minutes must reflect this.

Office Solutions Plus LLC focuses on documenting meeting minutes including recording virtual meetings.  This company has taken part in the digital age by using novel technology to ameliorate the lives of hardworking professionals.  Office Solution Plus LLC is able to record meetings electronically, by audio, and by transcription.  The types of meetings handled vary across a wide spectrum from business meetings, city/town meetings, to court reporting. 

Clearly using new technology will improve our society and connect people across the globe.

New Law Brings Innovative Alimony Changes

A new law affecting how alimony is run will go into effect on March 1, 2012.  This new law has some drastic changes as compared to the previous rulings.  These changes include a threshold on the extent of alimony payments depending upon duration of marriage, conclusion of alimony payments upon reaching retirement age, conclusion or decrease in alimony payments if spouse is living with a partner, and thresholds on income and percentages of alimony commitments.

The limits on alimony take into account the duration of the marriage, if the marriage lasted twenty years or less.  If the marriage lasted over twenty years, these limits are not applied.  These payments last 50-80% of the length of the marriage.  The extent of marriage is measured from the wedding day to the petition for divorce.

Retirement age also signifies that alimony payments no longer need to be paid. Retirement age is generally between 65 and 67 years of age.

Alimony payments may be reduced or stopped altogether if spouse is residing with another individual.  However, the spouse paying for alimony must present evidence that the other spouse has been residing with a partner for a minimum of three months.  Such evidence includes statements made by the couple, economic distribution, discussion of future plans of cohabitation, community awareness of the couple, and other mutual benefits. 

This law also covers how alimony payments cannot surpass the needs of the beneficiary.  It should also be between 30-35% of the difference between the participants’ gross incomes.  Original division of assets is not included in these numbers.  Also, income from a second job is not taken into account in these payments.

The time frame for filing a change to alimony orders will vary to keep from a flood of new law proceedings.  The time frame for filing these changes is from March 1, 2013 to September 1, 2015, and this varies depending on the length of marriage.  However, in regards to spouse cohabitation changes or reaching of retirement age, an individual may file a change as early as March 1, 2013. 

These are only some of the changes that this new law covers.  If you believe you are entitled to a change in alimony, contact a lawyer dealing in divorce or family proceedings.

Historical Significance of Transcriptions

 Transcription is the process of recording speech into written form.  Machinery may be used to perform this.  A court reporter has the sole occupation of producing this written form of speech in the form of court transcriptions, depositions or other official documents.  In the past, court transcriptions were done with tape recorders and by hand.  Today realtime transcription is used, in which Computer Aided Transcription technology brings the words to life on a computer screen after the speaker has vocalized.  In fact, the court reporter may highlight and take notes directly on the computer screen. 

The amazing part of this process is that transcriptions are really a part of history and take a role in famous court trials.  An example of this is the recent release of transcripts from former president Richard Nixon’s testimony.  This information was released by the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.  These transcripts illustrate Nixon’s anger and pessimism toward politics after his presidential career.  Nixon showed contempt toward President Kennedy and his associates. 

Nixon may have been pardoned by Gerald Ford for any crimes but he was still at risk for perjury charges when facing the grand jury.  He scraped out of this by claiming to not recall many of his or his office’s actions.  The former president did not give up any new information regarding the Watergate scandal, but merely showed his crushed personality.

A major question that still wasn’t answered is: why is there an 18 minute gap in a tape recording from the Oval Office?  Instead, Nixon negatively described his former colleagues, saying G. Gordon Liddy is “a very bright young man in one way, very stupid in others.”

The ruling over releasing these transcripts was made last July by Judge Royce C. Lamberth, explaining that the historical significance of these transcripts overrides the usual secrecy of grand jury reports.  Court transcriptions definitely play a strong role in the history of this country.

Reference

Shane, Scott, and Adam Nagourney. “Newly Released Transcripts Show a Bitter and Cynical Nixon in ’75.” New York Times. 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/us/newly-released-transcripts-show-a-combative-richard-nixon.html?_r=1&gt;.

Skyhook Files a Lawsuit against Google

Ted Morgan cofounded the local company Skyhook, based inBoston.  The company created a product similar to a GPS in which it can find one’s location.  This company used both the satellites orbiting the earth as well as an almanac of WiFi networks to create an improved locating device.  It all began with a car driving aroundBostonwith an external antenna to plot WiFi connections of local businesses.  And now there are Skyhook maps being created across Europe andAsia.  We all know how the standard GPS has a hard time finding where you need to go in a big city, so this new device receives a warm welcome from customers. 

Morgan was working with Apple to promote its product.  Skyhook provided new tools in which iPhones determined their location based on these nearby WiFi networks.  Steve Jobs had even addressed their technology in one of his famous Macworld speeches.

Unfortunately, in April of last year, this partnership was broken.  Apple and Skyhook had been allies for two years, but Apple had created a similar device and did not need Skyhook’s technology any longer.

When Skyhook announced it would provide the same service to Motorola phones using Google’s Android operating system, Google fought back and swayed Motorola to use a product they had created.  Google’s executives were actually in the audience during Steve Job’s Macworld speech.  This led them to develop their own product.  All of this conflict led to Skyhook filing a lawsuit against Google for patent infringement.  The next hearing takes place in  a Boston courthouse.  If Skyhook wins this lawsuit, this company will dominate the arena of mobile devices.

Reference

 Kirsner, Scott. “Skyhook Battles Google in Court – Business.” TheBostonGlobe. 6 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://bostonglobe.com/business/2011/11/05/skyhook-battles-google-court/Hlewqsgf9wPIfI7FwWDVYM/story.html&gt;.

The Right to a Fair Trial

If accused of a crime, a person has the right to fair legal proceedings within a court of law.  If one cannot afford a lawyer and is declared indigent, a lawyer for criminal proceedings will be provided through the state-funded public defender system.  (Otherwise known as CPS or committee for public counsel services. )

However, many people have non-criminal civil action law suits and are indigent yet have no guarantee to a lawyer.  Child custody cases, caretakers with large medical bills refused by Medicare — have no access to a state funded attorney.   Without a lawyer, there is a definite lack of justice.

            There are nonprofit legal aid organizations that can help the impoverished who work hard to provide assistance to families who are being evicted, who need to remain safe from harm, or any number of such scenarios.

            But legal aid organizations are in financial trouble. They rely financially on federal and state governments as well as donations from lawyers or patrons.  In Massachusetts, legal aid organizations had their budgets reduced severely due to cuts in state funding.  For example,  Greater Boston Legal Services now has to deny over 60% of eligible clients.

              It is vital to donate toward local legal aid organizations.  We must make sure every citizen is given a fair trial, be it a criminal or civil case—But now there are substantial funds for criminal cases only.

Reference

ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY MARGARET H MARSHALL, “Provide Legal Support to Those Most Vulnerable – Boston.com.” Featured Articles From Boston.com. 29 Oct. 2011. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://articles.boston.com/2011-10-29/bostonglobe/30337231_1_legal-aid-legal-assistance-litigants&gt;.

Welcome to Office Solutions Plus LLC

Office Solutions Plus brings excellent service to the legal, corporate, medical, and government markets.  We specialize in transcription, document scanning, meeting recording, office services, court reporting and depositions. 

We provide a necessary service to our clients and promise to deliver excellent results by deadline.  While using the most advanced technology available to get the job done, we maintain a close relationship with our clients.  We are always looking for new opportunities so please feel free to look at our website or share with your colleagues!

Our website can be found here: http://officesolutionsplusllc.com/