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Alarm grew in France on Friday over the fate of a prominent French-Algerian novelist detained in the country of his birth, with his publisher urging his immediate release and President Emmanuel Macron closely following the case. Boualem Sansal, a major figure in francophone modern literature, is known for his strong stances against both authoritarianism and Islamism as well as being a forthright campaigner on freedom of expression issues. His detention by Algeria comes against a background of tensions between France and its former colony which have also appear to have spread to the literary world. The 75-year-old writer, granted French nationality this year, was on Saturday arrested at Algiers airport after returning from France, according to several media reports including the Marianne weekly. The Gallimard publishing house, which has published his work for a quarter of a century, in a statement expressed "its very deep concern following the arrest of the writer by the Algerian security services", calling for his "immediate release". There has been no confirmation from the Algerian authorities of his arrest and no other details about his situation. Macron is "very concerned by the disappearance" of Sansal, said a French presidential official, asking not to be named. "State services are mobilised to clarify his situation," the official said, adding that "the president expresses his unwavering attachment to the freedom of a great writer and intellectual." A relative latecomer to writing, Sansal turned to novels in 1999 and has tackled subjects including the horrific 1990s civil war between authorities and Islamists. His books are not banned in Algeria but he is a controversial figure, particularly since making a visit to Israel in 2014. Sansal's hatred of Islamism has not been confined to Algeria and he has also warned of a creeping Islamisation in France, a stance that has made him a favoured author of prominent figures on the right and far-right. Prominent politicians from this side of the political spectrum rushed to echo Macron's expression of concern for the writer. Centre-right former premier and candidate in 2027 presidential elections Edouard Philippe wrote on X that Sansal "embodies everything we cherish: the call for reason, freedom and humanism against censorship, corruption and Islamism." Far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen, another possible 2027 contender, said: "This freedom fighter and courageous opponent of Islamism has reportedly been arrested by the Algerian regime. This is an unacceptable situation." In 2015, Sansal won the Grand Prix du Roman of the French Academy, the guardians of the French language, for his book "2084: The End of the World", a dystopian novel inspired by George Orwell's "Nineteen-Eighty Four" and set in an Islamist totalitarian world in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. His publisher said that Sansal's novels and essays "exposed the obscurantisms of all kinds which are tragically affecting the way of the world." The concerns about his reported arrest come as another prominent French-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud is under attack over his novel "Houris", which won France's top literary prize, the Goncourt. A woman has claimed the book was based on her story of surviving 1990s Islamist massacres and used without her consent. She alleged on Algerian television that Daoud used the story she confidentially recounted to a therapist -- who is now his wife -- during treatment. His publisher has denied the claims. The controversies are taking place in a tense diplomatic context between France and Algeria, after Macron renewed French support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara during a landmark visit to the kingdom last month. Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is de facto controlled for the most part by Morocco. But it is claimed by the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front, who are demanding a self-determination referendum and are supported by Algiers. Daoud meanwhile has called for Sansal's release, writing in the right-wing Le Figaro: "I sincerely hope that my friend Boualem will return to us very soon", while expressing his bafflement in the face of the "imprudence" that Sansal allegedly showed in going to Algeria. dax-vl-sjw/givFirst Quarter Highlights Revenue grows 26% year-over-year to $628.0 million Calculated billings grows 13% year-over-year to $516.7 million Deferred revenue grows 27% year-over-year to $1,783.7 million GAAP net loss of $12.1 million compared to GAAP net loss of $33.5 million on a year-over-year basis Non-GAAP net income of $124.3 million compared to non-GAAP net income of $86.4 million on a year-over-year basis SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zscaler, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today announced financial results for its first quarter of fiscal year 2025 , ended October 31, 2024. “Growing customer engagements and strong sales execution drove a solid Q1 with all metrics exceeding our guidance. The combination of Zero Trust and AI is creating exciting new opportunities, which we are well positioned to capture with our large and expanding platform,” said Jay Chaudhry, Chairman and CEO of Zscaler. “With our customer obsession, the world’s largest cybersecurity cloud, and an upleveled go-to-market machine, we are driving strong growth.” First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Revenue: $628.0 million, an increase of 26% year-over-year. Income (loss) from operations: GAAP loss from operations was $30.7 million, or 5% of revenue, compared to $46.1 million, or 9% of revenue, in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP income from operations was $134.1 million, or 21% of revenue, compared to $89.7 million, or 18% of revenue, in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Net income (loss) : GAAP net loss was $12.1 million, compared to $33.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP net income was $124.3 million, compared to $86.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Net income (loss) per share, diluted: GAAP net loss per share was $0.08, compared to $0.23 in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP net income per share was $0.77, compared to $0.55 in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Cash flows: Cash provided by operations was $331.3 million, or 53% of revenue, compared to $260.8 million, or 53% of revenue, in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Free cash flow was $291.9 million, or 46% of revenue, compared to $224.7 million, or 45% of revenue, in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Deferred revenue: $1,783.7 million as of October 31, 2024, an increase of 27% year-over-year. Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments: $2,707.9 million as of October 31, 2024, an increase of $298.2 million from July 31, 2024. Recent B usiness Highlights Zscaler’s cloud security platform reached a new scalability milestone, surpassing half a trillion daily transactions, which is nearly 60 times greater than the total number of Google searches per day. This milestone underscores the unparalleled scalability, resilience, and trust customers have placed in the Zscaler platform, which enables organizations to secure users, applications, and devices, while simplifying operations and consolidating costs. Appointed Adam Geller as Chief Product Officer to accelerate Zscaler’s next phase of innovation and growth. Geller’s proven security product and engineering experience will be invaluable to the development of Zscaler’s AI-driven security operations platform. Announced a set of AI and Zero Trust integrations with the CrowdStrike Falcon® cybersecurity platform to advance security operations by providing advanced threat detection, response, and risk management. Announced four new integrations with Okta designed to accelerate joint customers' Zero Trust transformation by delivering end-to-end, context-aware security. Together, Okta and Zscaler are helping customers reduce risk, improve the user experience, and enable cross-domain response through shared telemetry and threat intelligence. Published the Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report, which provides detailed insights covering mobile and IoT/OT cyber threat landscape from June 2023 through May 2024. ThreatLabz found that the Zscaler cloud blocked 45% more IoT malware transactions than last year–indicating botnets continue to proliferate across IoT devices. Change in Non-GAAP Measures Presentation Effective August 1, 2024, the beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, we are using a long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% for the purpose of determining our non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share to provide better consistency across interim reporting periods in fiscal 2025 and beyond. Given the significant growth of our business and non-GAAP operating income, we believe this change is necessary to better reflect the performance of our business. We will continue to assess the appropriate non-GAAP tax rate on a regular basis, which could be subject to changes for a variety of reasons, including the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic earnings mix, or other changes to our strategy or business operations. Prior period amounts have been recast to reflect this change. Financial Outlook For the second quarter of fiscal 2025, we expect: Revenue of $633 million to $635 million Non-GAAP income from operations of $126 million to $128 million Non-GAAP net income per share of approximately $0.68 to $0.69, assuming approximately 163 million fully diluted shares outstanding and a non-GAAP tax rate of 23% For the full year of fiscal 2025, we expect: Revenue of approximately $2.623 billion to $2.643 billion Calculated billings of $3.124 billion to $3.149 billion Non-GAAP income from operations of $549 million to $559 million Non-GAAP net income per share of $2.94 to $2.99, assuming approximately 164 million fully diluted shares outstanding and a non-GAAP tax rate of 23% These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to the Forward-Looking Statements safe harbor below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Guidance for non-GAAP income from operations excludes stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization of debt issuance costs, and amortization expense of acquired intangible assets. We have not reconciled our expectations of non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share to their most directly comparable GAAP measures because certain items are out of our control or cannot be reasonably predicted. For those reasons, we are also unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information, the variability of which may have a significant impact on future results. Accordingly, a reconciliation for the guidance for non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share is not available without unreasonable effort. For further information regarding why we believe that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors, the specific manner in which management uses these measures, and some of the limitations associated with the use of these measures, please refer to the "Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release. Conference Call and Webcast Information Zscaler will host a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its first quarter of fiscal 2025 and outlook for its second quarter of fiscal 2025 and full year fiscal 2025 today at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time (4:30 p.m. Eastern time). Upcoming Conferences Second quarter of fiscal 2025 investor conference participation schedule: UBS Global Technology and AI Conference in Scottsdale Wednesday, December 4, 2024 BTIG Virtual Software Forum Monday, December 9, 2024 Scotiabank Annual Global Technology Conference in San Francisco Tuesday, December 10, 2024 Barclays Annual Global Technology Conference in San Francisco Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Needham Growth Conference Thursday, January 9, 2025 and Friday, January 10, 2025 Sessions which offer a webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Zscaler website at https://ir.zscaler.com/ Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our future financial and operating performance, including our financial outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 and full year fiscal 2025. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including but not limited to: macroeconomic influences and instability, geopolitical events, operations and financial results and the economy in general; risks related to the use of AI in our platform; our limited operating history; our ability to identify and effectively implement the necessary changes to address execution challenges; risks associated with managing our rapid growth, including fluctuations from period to period; our limited experience with new products and subscriptions and support introductions and the risks associated with new products and subscription and support offerings, including the discovery of software bugs; our ability to attract and retain new customers; the failure to timely develop and achieve market acceptance of new products and subscriptions as well as existing products and subscription and support; rapidly evolving technological developments in the market for network security products and subscription and support offerings and our ability to remain competitive; length of sales cycles; useful lives of our assets and other estimates; and general market, political, economic and business conditions. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” set forth from time to time in our filings and reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, filed on September 12, 2024, as well as future filings and reports by us, copies of which are available on our website at ir.zscaler.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements, as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties. Additional information will also be set forth in other filings that we make with the SEC from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information We believe that the presentation of non-GAAP financial information provides important supplemental information to management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to our financial condition and results of operations. For further information regarding why we believe that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors, the specific manner in which management uses these measures, and some of the limitations associated with the use of these measures, please refer to the “Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this press release. About Zscaler Zscaler (Nasdaq: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust ExchangeTM platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 160 data centers globally, the SSE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform. ZscalerTM and the other trademarks listed at https://www.zscaler.com/legal/trademarks are either (i) registered trademarks or service marks or (ii) trademarks or service marks of Zscaler, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Any other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Investor Relations Contacts Ashwin Kesireddy VP, Investor Relations and Strategic Finance (415) 798-1475 ir@zscaler.com Natalia Wodecki Media Relations Contact press@zscaler.com (1) Includes stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes as follows: (2) Includes amortization expense of acquired intangible assets as follows: ___________________ (1) Effective August 1, 2024, the beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, we are using a long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% for the purpose of determining our non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share to provide better consistency across interim reporting periods in fiscal 2025 and beyond. Given the significant growth of our business and non-GAAP operating income, we believe this change is necessary to better reflect the performance of our business. We will continue to assess the appropriate non-GAAP tax rate on a regular basis, which could be subject to changes for a variety of reasons, including the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic earnings mix, or other changes to our strategy or business operations. Prior period amounts have been recast to reflect this change. (2) Adjustment related to the difference between the GAAP provision for income taxes and Non-GAAP provision for income taxes. (3) The sum of the fully diluted earnings per share impact of individual reconciling items may not total to fully diluted non-GAAP net income per share due to the weighted-average shares used in computing the GAAP net loss per share differs from the weighted-average shares used in computing the non-GAAP net income per share, and due to rounding of the individual reconciling items. The GAAP net loss per share calculation uses a lower share count as it excludes potentially dilutive shares, which are included in calculating the non-GAAP net income per share. (4) We exclude the in-the-money portion of the convertible senior notes for non-GAAP weighted-average diluted shares as they are covered by our capped call transactions. Our outstanding capped call transactions are antidilutive under GAAP but are expected to mitigate the dilutive effect of the convertible senior notes, and therefore are included in the calculation of non-GAAP diluted shares outstanding. The capped calls have an antidilutive impact when the average stock price of our common stock in a given period is higher than their exercise price. ZSCALER, INC. Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures In addition to our results determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"), we believe the following non-GAAP measures are useful in evaluating our operating performance. We use the following non-GAAP financial information to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that non-GAAP financial information, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors because it provides consistency and comparability with past financial performance. However, non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, as it has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. In particular, free cash flow is not a substitute for cash provided by operating activities. Additionally, the utility of free cash flow as a measure of our liquidity is further limited as it does not represent the total increase or decrease in our cash balance for a given period. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate similarly titled non-GAAP measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison. A reconciliation of our historical non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures stated in accordance with GAAP has been included in this press release. Investors are cautioned that there are a number of limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures and key metrics as analytical tools. Investors are encouraged to review these reconciliations, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business. Expenses Excluded from Non-GAAP Measures Stock-based compensation expense is excluded primarily because it is a non-cash expense that management believes is not reflective of our ongoing operational performance. Employer payroll taxes related to stock-based compensation, which is a cash expense, are excluded because these are tied to the timing and size of the exercise or vesting of the underlying equity incentive awards and the price of our common stock at the time of vesting or exercise, which may vary from period to period independent of the operating performance of our business. Amortization expense of acquired intangible assets and amortization of debt issuance costs from the convertible senior notes are excluded because these are non-cash expenses and are not reflective of our ongoing operational performance. Effective August 1, 2024, the beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, we are using a long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% for the purpose of determining our non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share to provide better consistency across interim reporting periods. Given the significant growth of our business and non-GAAP operating income, we believe this change is necessary to better reflect the performance of our business. We will continue to assess the appropriate non-GAAP tax rate on a regular basis, which could be subject to changes for a variety of reasons, including the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic earnings mix, or other changes to our strategy or business operations. Prior period amounts have been recast to reflect this change. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Gross Margin . We define non-GAAP gross profit as GAAP gross profit excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes and amortization expense of acquired intangible assets. We define non-GAAP gross margin as non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue. Non-GAAP Income from Operations and Non-GAAP Operating Margin . We define non-GAAP income from operations as GAAP loss from operations excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes and amortization expense of acquired intangible assets. We define non-GAAP operating margin as non-GAAP income from operations as a percentage of revenue. Non-GAAP Net Income per Share, Diluted . We define non-GAAP net income as GAAP net loss excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization expense of acquired intangible assets, amortization of debt issuance costs, and the non-GAAP provision for income taxes adjustment. We define non-GAAP net income per share, diluted, as non-GAAP net income plus the non-GAAP interest expense related to the convertible senior notes divided by the weighted-average diluted shares outstanding, which includes the effect of potentially diluted common stock equivalents outstanding during the period and the anti-dilutive impact of the capped call transactions entered into in connection with the convertible senior notes. Calculated Billings . We define calculated billings as revenue plus the change in deferred revenue in a period. Calculated billings in any particular period aims to reflect amounts invoiced for subscriptions to access our cloud platform, together with related support services for our new and existing customers. We typically invoice our customers annually in advance, and to a lesser extent quarterly in advance, monthly in advance or multi-year in advance. Free Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow Margin . We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property, equipment and other assets and capitalized internal-use software. We define free cash flow margin as free cash flow divided by revenue. We believe that free cash flow and free cash flow margin are useful indicators of liquidity that provide information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our operations that, after the investments in property, equipment and other assets and capitalized internal-use software, can be used for strategic initiatives.

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Tests keep coming for Auburn and Duke, who collide at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a typical prove-it game in a rare environment on Wednesday night. No. 2 Auburn and No. 9 Duke square off less than one month into the season as two of the most battle-tested teams in basketball. They're matched as one of the marquee games in the crossover showcase known as the ACC-SEC Challenge. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Healthcare Analytical Testing Services Market To Surpass Valuation Of USD 15.55 Billion By 2031 | Skyquest Technology

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Friday, December 13, 2024 At the FutureTravel Summit 2024 in Barcelona, Jordi Valls, Director of SITA Innovation Labs, shared insights into the evolving landscape of aviation technology, emphasizing the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing airline operations and enhancing passenger experiences. SITA, a 75-year-old IT company, has continually reinvented itself to meet the dynamic needs of the aviation industry. From pioneering messaging systems between aircraft and airports to developing common-use technologies like self-check-in kiosks and baggage drops, SITA has been at the forefront of technological advancements. Their solutions span across airport operations, border management, and aircraft communications, serving a vast majority of countries worldwide. The FutureTravel Summit 2024 served as a platform for industry leaders to discuss the future of air travel. Valls participated in a panel focusing on innovation for airlines, where key discussions revolved around enhancing collaboration between airlines and airports and the transformative potential of AI in the industry. Valls highlighted the existing silos within the aviation industry and the untapped value that could be unlocked through increased collaboration. By fostering closer partnerships, airlines and airports can streamline operations, reduce redundancies, and ultimately provide a more seamless experience for passengers. This collaborative approach is essential for addressing common challenges and leveraging shared opportunities in the rapidly evolving travel landscape. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the role of AI in reshaping both passenger experiences and internal workforce operations within airlines and airports. Valls emphasized that AI, particularly through conversational interfaces, has the potential to revolutionize interactions between humans and software systems. The advent of conversational interfaces allows users to interact with software in a natural, intuitive manner. Valls noted that enabling people to communicate with systems through natural language can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency. For instance, tasks such as changing flight details or seat assignments could be managed through simple voice commands, streamlining processes for both passengers and airline staff. AI’s capability to analyze vast amounts of data enables the creation of highly personalized travel experiences. Valls mentioned that as technology evolves, passengers can expect more customized services tailored to their individual preferences. However, he also acknowledged the challenges related to data privacy and the need to build traveler trust to fully leverage AI’s potential in personalization. Under Valls’ leadership, SITA Innovation Labs is dedicated to exploring and developing cutting-edge technologies that address current and future challenges in aviation. Their research encompasses various domains, including AI, machine learning, and computer vision, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction. SITA’s solutions are integral to the operations of numerous airlines and airports worldwide. Their technologies facilitate efficient passenger processing, baggage handling, and aircraft turnaround, contributing to the overall improvement of the air travel experience. By continuously innovating, SITA plays a crucial role in shaping the future of aviation. The integration of AI into aviation is not just a possibility but an impending reality. According to SITA’s 2023 IT Insights, a significant majority of airlines are collaborating with innovation partners to advance AI, machine learning, and computer vision technologies. With plans to implement these technologies by the end of 2026, the industry is on the cusp of a transformative era. Jordi Valls’ insights at the FutureTravel Summit 2024 underscore the transformative potential of AI in aviation. By enhancing collaboration between airlines and airports and embracing AI-driven innovations, the industry is poised to offer more efficient, personalized, and seamless experiences for travelers worldwide. Read Travel Industry News in 104 different regional platforms Get our daily dose of news, by subscribing to our newsletters. Subscribe here . Watch Travel And Tour World Interviews here . Read more Travel News , Daily Travel Alert , and Travel Industry News on Travel And Tour World only.Renuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | TriCounty Active Adult Center offers monthly ‘Sex & Dating after 50’ series Health | Berks food safety inspections found apparent rodent droppings near cooler Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Health | Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims Health | US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Corey puts up 27 and South Alabama knocks off East Texas A&M 81-72U.S. Gold Corp. Closes $10.2 Million Non-Brokered Registered Direct Offering

NoneSagittarius Daily Horoscope Today, December 07, 2024 predicts a prosperous dayNone

Stock market today: Wall Street slips at the end of a bumpy week

Police Warn Public About WhatsApp Hack ScamDow ends at fresh record as oil prices pull back on ceasefire hopes