State Highlights NYC To Gather Bids For Its Health Insurance Costs
A selection of health policy stories from New York, Texas, Arizona and California.The Associated Press: NYC To Put Health-Insurance Contract To BidFaced with annual health insurance costs of $6.3 billion, New York City is putting its health care contract out to bid, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday. Bloomberg said the bid has not gone out yet but current health-insurance provider EmblemHealth has already chosen not to seek a rate increase for the next fiscal year (Mathews, 8/2).The Associated Press/Washington Post: Nearly Dismantled By Turmoil, Criminal Probe, Texas’ $3B Cancer-Fighting Eyes ComebackGone are the large conferences, big pharma funding, Nobel laureates and lavishly paid state officials who vowed scientific breakthroughs from Texas’ unprecedented $3 billion crusade against cancer. What’s left of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas isn’t flashy, but that’s precisely the goal for an agency regaining its footing after a year of turmoil and an ongoing a criminal investigation (8/4).Houston Chronicle: Continuum-Of-Care Nurses See Demand In Houston AreaWith the aging population and with baby boomers moving into their golden years, retirement communities are opening across the city and surrounding areas. Plus, many established senior living communities are expanding services and programs for continuum-of-care, known as transitional care. This is all good news for nurses with experience in geriatrics and the senior population (Maitland, 8/5).Arizona Republic: Entrepreneurs See Opportunity In Senior-Care IndustryAs the Baby Boom generation ages, the senior-care industry in metro Phoenix is growing at a rapid pace, and Valley entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the trend through franchise businesses. About 18 months ago, Jim Crew started operating an in-home elderly care business in Scottsdale. Last November Alice Starzinski began running a service that helps families find the best assisted-living facilities for elderly relatives who can no longer care for themselves (Brown, 8/3).California Healthline: Getting Dental Care To Pregnant WomenAmong the new national guidelines for providers released this week by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is a new emphasis on making sure pregnant women get dental care. That’s something policymakers in California have been working on for years, and is a welcome addition to national guidelines, according to officials at the Children’s Dental Health Project, a nonprofit children’s health advocacy organization (Gorn, 8/2). State Highlights: NYC To Gather Bids For Its Health Insurance Costs This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. Study Finds Big Range In State Workers’ Health Costs A first-of-its-kind study by two charitable organizations found that states paid nearly $31 billion on employee insurance last year – making it the second largest category of state health care spending after Medicaid. But the costs borne by state workers varied widely.The Washington Post: States Spent Nearly $31 Billion On Employee Health Insurance Last YearStates paid nearly $31 billion to insure their employees last year, according to a new Pew Charitable Trusts study. The study offers a window into what is one of the largest sources of state health care spending, second only to Medicaid spending. On average, states spent $808 in premium payments per employee per month, Pew finds. But that number varied widely by state — in part due to factors policymakers can control, and in part to those they cannot (Chokshi, 8/12).Politico Pro: Report Finds Big Range In State Workers’ Health PremiumsHealth premiums for state employees vary by hundreds of dollars monthly across the country, according to a report released Tuesday by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. State workers in places such as Arkansas, Mississippi and South Carolina had plan premiums that cost between $450 and $650 a month last year. Their counterparts in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont and Wisconsin had some of the highest premiums, exceeding $1,300 monthly. The two organizations enlisted Milliman Inc. to examine state employee health plans after concluding that little was known about how those plans compared to one another and with other plan types within a specific jurisdiction (Villacorta, 8/12). The Associated Press: California Offers Workers Generous Health BenefitsHealth insurance plans offered to state employees in California and elsewhere are relatively generous, with government picking up a large share of deductibles and co-pays, according to a report released Tuesday. The report by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation was a first-of-its kind survey of state government health insurance plans nationwide. It found that state plans paid on average 92 percent of a typical enrollee’s health care costs, which is equivalent to the best offerings — “platinum” plans — that the public can purchase on one of the new health insurance exchanges (Verdin, 8/12).The Associated Press: Idaho Gives State Workers Premium Health CoverageIdaho’s employee health insurance plans are comparable to the federal government’s most expensive option offered under the Affordable Care Act and better than what most private companies provide, according to a report released Tuesday. The report from the Pew Charitable Trusts says Idaho covers 93 percent of all medical costs for state employees. The report is the first of its kind to shine light on states’ largest source of health care spending, second only to Medicaid spending (Kruesi, 8/12).The Associated Press: State Workers in Arizona Get ‘Platinum’ InsuranceA new study released Tuesday shows most states provide their employees with health insurance that most private workers would envy — and Arizona is no exception. The study by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the MacArthur Foundation shows the vast majority of people employed by the state of Arizona are enrolled in a zero-deductible plan that would be considered a “platinum” plan under the Affordable Care Act (Christie, 8/12).Miami Herald: Health Insurance For State Employees Gets Another LookCompared to other states, Florida’s health insurance plan for government employees is about average. It doesn’t have the cheapest premiums or the most expensive. The state is generous to its employees, but not to an extreme. The implementation of federal health care reform has caused more states to analyze spending and a national study released Tuesday provides a snapshot of each state, including how much public workers pay for health coverage and what they get in return (Mitchell, 8/12).The Oregonian: Oregon Has Comparatively High Health Insurance Costs For State Workers, National Study ShowsA first-of-its kind study shows that Oregon provides some of the richest health insurance benefits for state employees from around the country. The study released Tuesday by two major charitable foundations shows that Oregon’s per-employee premium costs in 2013 were a third higher than the national average and were the sixth highest of the 49 states studied (Mapes, 8/12). 
First Edition: September 5, 2014 Today’s headlines include reports of hacker activity at the healthcare.gov health insurance website. Kaiser Health News: Consumers To Hear Soon If Plans Are CanceledKaiser Health News consumer columnist writes: “Consumers may soon find a surprise in their mailbox: a notice that their health plan is being cancelled. Last year, many consumers who thought their health plans would be cancelled because they didn’t meet the standards of the health law got a reprieve. Following stinging criticism for appearing to renege on a promise that people who liked their existing plans could keep them, President Barack Obama backed off plans to require all individual and small group plans that had not been in place before the health law to meet new standards starting in 2014” (Andrews, 9/5). Read the story.Kaiser Health News: Replacing An Ambulance With A Station WagonReporting for Kaiser Health News in partnership with NPR, Eric Whitney writes: “When they get a call for medical help, most fire departments scramble both an ambulance, and a fully-staffed fire truck. But, according to Rick Lewis, chief of emergency medical services at South Metro Fire Rescue Authority in the Denver suburbs, says that’s way more than many people really need. … It’s frustrating for both ambulance crews and patients. Somebody who’s been running a fever for a couple of days needs help, but not necessarily an ambulance ride to the ER” (Whitney, 9/4). Read the story.Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Early Results: Average 2015 Exchange Premiums Decline Slightly; DC Appeals Court Agrees To Rehear Case That Could Cripple Health LawNow on Kaiser Health News’ blog, Jay Hancock reports on a new report about exchange premiums: “Prices for a benchmark “silver” or mid-priced plan sold through the health law’s online marketplaces aren’t all moving in the same direction, however, a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shows. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) In Nashville, the premium will rise 8.7 percent, the largest increase in the study, while in Denver it will fall 15.6 percent, the largest decrease” (Hancock, 9/5). Also on Capsules, Julie Rovner reports on the next step in the Halbig case: “The full District of Columbia Court of Appeals Thursday agreed to rehear Halbig v. Burwell, a case charging that the federal government lacks the authority to provide consumers tax credits in health insurance exchanges not run by states. The order agreeing to hear the case technically cancels the three-judge ruling from July that found for the plaintiffs. That ruling, if upheld, could jeopardize the entire structure of the Affordable Care Act by making insurance unaffordable for millions of consumers in the 36 states where the federal government operates the exchange” (Rovner, 9/4). Check out what else is on the blog.The Wall Street Journal: Hacker Breached Healthcare.gov Insurance SiteA hacker broke into part of the HealthCare.gov insurance enrollment website in July and uploaded malicious software, according to federal officials. Investigators found no evidence that consumers’ personal data were taken or viewed during the breach, federal officials said. The hacker appears only to have gained access to a server used to test code for HealthCare.gov, the officials said (Yadron, 9/4).The New York Times: Hackers Breach Security Of Healthcare.govHackers breached security at the website of the government’s health insurance marketplace, HealthCare.gov, but did not steal any personal information on consumers, Obama administration officials said Thursday (Pear and Perlroth, 9/4).The Washington Post: Healthcare.gov Server Hacked. But HHS Says No Consumer Information Taken.A portion of the Healthcare.gov website was breached in July when hackers uploaded malicious software to a test server, government officials said Thursday. The intrusion was discovered last week by the security team at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a unit of Department of Health and Human Services. “Our review indicates that the server did not contain consumer personal information; data was not transmitted outside the agency, and the website was not specifically targeted,” HHS said in a written statement. “We have taken measures to further strengthen security.” The incident was first reported by the Wall Street Journal (Peterson and Millman, 9/4).The Associated Press: Hackers Break Into Healthcare.govHackers successfully breached HealthCare.gov, but no consumer information was taken from the health insurance website that serves more than 5 million Americans, the Obama administration disclosed Thursday. Instead, the hackers installed malicious software that could have been used to launch an attack on other websites from the federal insurance portal (9/4).Politico: GOP Chorus Attacks Obamacare Over Healthcare.gov HackAlthough no personal, financial or health data were compromised in the attack, which may not even have been aimed specifically at HealthCare.gov, the hacker implanted a bug that appears to have gone undetected for six weeks. Republicans in Congress had long warned of security breaches of the site, as had cybersecurity experts familiar with its workings (Norman, 9/4).Los Angeles Times: D.C. Appeals Court To Review Decision Imperiling Obamacare SubsidiesPresident Obama’s lawyers have won a second chance to stop a lawsuit that has the potential to unravel the national healthcare law and its system of insurance subsidies. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said Thursday it will reconsider a 2-1 decision by a panel of the court in July that struck down the subsidies for health insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act in 36 states (Savage, 9/4).The Washington Post’s Wonkblog: Obamacare Supporters Just Got Some Good News From The CourtsA few months after a three-member panel of the court ruled the federal government can’t provide insurance subsidies through federal-run exchanges in 36 states, the court on Thursday granted the Obama administration’s request for the entire panel to re-hear the case. The en banc hearing, as it’s known, wasn’t entirely unexpected — and with a heavy makeup of Democratic-appointed judges on the panel, it seems likely the administration will get a more favorable ruling when the entire court reconsiders the case later this year (Millman, 9/4).The Associated Press: Court Grants Obama Plea To Re-Hear Health CaseThe announcement diminishes the prospect of Supreme Court review of the issue in the near term. The initial appeals court ruling in Washington came out the same day that a panel of appellate judges in Richmond, Virginia, sided with the administration on the same issue (9/4).Politico: Full Appeals Court To Rehear Obamacare CaseMillions of people are getting subsidies, which come in the form of a tax credit, to make health insurance more affordable. None of the credits was cut off, though, pending more legal battles over one of the key provisions of the health care law’s massive coverage expansion. The decision to have a full, or en banc, hearing vacates the earlier ruling by the D.C. court. Critics of the health care law, including the plaintiffs in these cases, have argued that a specific provision in the law restricts the subsidies to the state-based system. The White House has strenuously argued that the intent of the full law makes clear that the federal exchanges were designed to be a backup for the states, including the subsidies (Kenen, 9/4).The Wall Street Journal: Thousands Risk Losing Health Coverage, Immigrant Advocacy Groups WarnImmigrant advocacy groups are warning that tens of thousands of people could lose health insurance because they won’t meet a Friday deadline to prove to the federal government they are legally in the country. Up to 310,000 people risk losing coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act unless they provide documents verifying they are U.S. citizens or legal residents, according to government data. The Obama administration on Aug. 12 said consumers who hadn’t responded to previous requests for the information would have to provide it by Friday or lose coverage at the end of the month (Armour, 9/4).The Associated Press: Democrats Borrow A GOP Idea On Health Care CostsBorrowing a Republican idea, a group including former senior Obama and Clinton advisers is unveiling a novel proposal to let states take the lead in controlling health costs. Individual states would set their own targets to curb the growth of health care spending. If they succeed, they’d pocket a share of federal Medicare and Medicaid savings, ranging from tens of millions to $1 billion or more, depending on the state (9/4).The Associated Press: Democrats’ Senate Push Starts New Hampshire AdsThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s multimillion-dollar ad push, which will run through Election Day, criticizes likely Republican nominee Scott Brown for votes he cast while serving as senator from neighboring Massachusetts. The ad also makes a direct appeal to older voters, who have great sway in New Hampshire. “New Hampshire is a good place to grow older. We can depend on each other,” the ad’s narrator says in the 30-second spot. “But Scott Brown would turn his back on New Hampshire seniors. While representing Massachusetts, Scott Brown supported cuts to Medicare and Social Security” (9/4).Los Angeles Times: New Republican Pitch To Female Voters: Over-The-Counter Birth ControlElections have consequences, and those consequences are most acutely felt, it seems, in closely contested elections. In at least four hot races across the nation, Republican candidates have adopted a new approach to birth control: It should be available over the counter. “More rights, more freedom,” Republican Cory Gardner says in a new TV ad airing in Colorado, where he is locked in a tight race with first-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Udall. The strategy is particularly notable because some of the candidates have in the past not exactly been supportive of ready access to birth control (Decker, 9/4).The Texas Tribune/The New York Times: Questions Come Up Again Over A Candidate’s Dual RolesAs a practicing pharmacist and former board director of the Texas Pharmacy Association, State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, has raised some eyebrows over the years by sponsoring dozens of bills that affect her profession. Her explanation is not unusual in the Texas Capitol: Who better than a pharmacist to write legislation concerning pharmacists? (Root, 9/4).The Washington Post’s Wonkblog: The States Where Americans Are The Most And Least ObeseThe south is weighing this country down. Nowhere in the U.S. are Americans more overweight than in Mississippi and West Virginia, where more than 35 percent of the adult population is now obese, according to a new report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The two southern states, however, are hardly alone in their alarmingly high obesity rates—another 18 U.S. states, including just about all of the U.S. south, have obesity rates at or above 30 percent (Ferdman, 9/4).The Associated Press: Mary Washington Healthcare Eliminates 66 JobsMary Washington Healthcare has eliminated 66 jobs and reduced hours for another 46 workers. The not-for-profit company also plans to transfer another 157 workers to other jobs within the system (9/4).The Associated Press: Pharmacist Arrested In Tainted Steroid CaseA pharmacist who oversaw the sterile clean rooms at a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy responsible for a deadly meningitis outbreak was arrested Thursday as he was about to board a flight for Hong Kong, federal officials said. Glenn Adam Chin, a former supervisory pharmacist at the New England Compounding Center, didn’t properly sterilize or test equipment and concealed the unsafe practices, federal investigators said (9/4).Check out all of Kaiser Health News’ e-mail options including First Edition and Breaking News alerts on our Subscriptions page. This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
A former hedge fund manager, Mr. Shkreli drew the wrath of consumers, became a talking point in the presidential campaign, and spurred federal and state inquiries as well as a dialogue about how and whether to control rising drug prices. As proof of Mr. Shkreli’s toxicity, Bernie Sanders rejected his $2,700 campaign donation, turning it over to a health clinic instead. … Mr. Shkreli’s price increase is likely to take another pummeling at a Senate committee hearing investigating skyrocketing drug prices next Wednesday. Rather than cower as he takes a beating, Mr. Shkreli seems to relish his time in the ring. (Creswell and Pollack, 12/5) Dramatic Drug Cost Hikes To Be Subject Of Wednesday Senate Hearing Meanwhile, The New York Times takes a look at Martin Shkreli, the pharmaceutical company official who has become the poster boy of drug company greed. The Wall Street Journal: Rising Drug Costs To Be In Focus At Congressional Hearing This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Dramatic price increases for several medicines are scheduled to be the subject of a congressional hearing in the coming week. Companies including Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. and Turing Pharmaceuticals AG have been under fire this year from doctors, patients and lawmakers over rising drug costs. Such increases have prompted investigations by congressional committees, and House Democrats have established a task force to probe drug pricing. On Wednesday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging is scheduled to hold a hearing further exploring the matter. (Rockoff, 12/5) The New York Times: Martin Shkreli, The Bad Boy Of Pharmaceuticals, Hits Back 
The New York Times: Disparity In Life Spans Of The Rich And The Poor Is Growing When it comes to getting people to participate in workplace weight loss programs, financial rewards may not be much of an incentive. Penalties, on the other hand, work great. (Greenfield, 2/15) Experts have long known that rich people generally live longer than poor people. But a growing body of data shows a more disturbing pattern: Despite big advances in medicine, technology and education, the longevity gap between high-income and low-income Americans has been widening sharply. The poor are losing ground not only in income, but also in years of life, the most basic measure of well-being. (Tavernise, 2/12) When Marcella Lafayette started having really bad heartburn, she went to her doctor to see if there was anything that might help. Her doctor diagnosed her with gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and prescribed a drug called a proton pump inhibitor, or PPI. The drug worked, but Lafayette soon started having other problems, such as muscle weakness and severe leg cramping. … Many people have trouble discontinuing PPIs because the amount of acid in their digestive systems surges when they stop taking the drug. (Stein, 2/15) The Wall Street Journal: Pop-Up Health Clinics Fill A Void In Care Perhaps it’s not surprising that many families know little about palliative care; it only became an approved medical specialty in 2007. It has grown rapidly in hospitals: More than 70 percent now offer palliative care services, including 90 percent of those with more than 300 beds. But most ailing patients aren’t in hospitals, and don’t want to be. (Span, 2/12) The Washington Post: What Do You Do When You Have One Of The Rarest Diseases Around? Next-generation sequencing technology became commercially available only recently, after the first test was given approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2013. But scientists and clinicians say it has already identified multiple cases where a patient’s puzzling symptoms turned out to be signs of a rare disease. As this technology gets cheaper and faster, experts say more patients will get tested and find they have rare diseases. They will have the satisfaction of finding out what is causing their symptoms but then will often face a frustrating question: What do you do when diagnosed with a rare disease that has been studied little and has no known treatment, and few other patients to turn to for support? (Mullin, 2/15) Nicole Lamoureux needs about 1,200 volunteers to help complete her mission: transforming a Dallas convention center into what she calls “the largest doctor’s office in the world—for the one day it’s open.” This temporary mega-doctor’s office—a pop-up clinic, if you will—is part of a growing trend representing an increasingly important piece of the medical safety net in the U.S. Such clinics, staged by nonprofits and funded mostly by individual donors, are an opportunity for doctors to care for patients without worrying about insurance, and for those patients to see a doctor they wouldn’t otherwise get to see. (Simon, 2/15) 
‘Largest Doctor’s Office In The World’: Nonprofit ‘Pop-Up’ Clinics Expand Medical Safety Net Volunteer-based events allow patients to see a doctor or dentist — even if it’s only for a day. Meanwhile, news outlets report on more public health stories on employee weight loss incentives, genetic testing, growing income-based health care disparities, palliative care and heartburn treatment risks. Only a small number of Americans have undergone genetic testing to detect their or their future children’s disease risks, according to a new STAT-Harvard poll, but a majority say they would be interested in one day taking a genetic test that showed their risk of developing Alzheimer’s or cancer. (Begley, 2/12) The New York Times: In Palliative Care, Comfort Is The Top Priority STAT: Consumers Aren’t Wild About Genetic Testing — Neither Are Doctors NPR: Popular Heartburn Pills Can Be Hard To Stop, And May Be Risky Bloomberg: Why Pay Employees To Exercise When You Can Threaten Them? This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Women Being Sucked Into Assembly Line-Like System That Drums Up Patients For Lawsuits Against Companies The tactic of suing companies over potentially harmful products is a lucrative one, and those looking to get a chunk of that money have made a business out of luring women into sometimes unnecessary procedures to make them a more valuable plaintiff. This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. The New York Times: How Profiteers Lure Women Into Often-Unneeded Surgery Bloomberg: C.R. Bard Must Pay Punitive $35 Million In Vaginal-Mesh Case 
Jerri Plummer was at home in Arkansas, watching television with her three children, when a stranger called to warn that her life was in danger. The caller identified herself only as Yolanda. She told Ms. Plummer that the vaginal mesh implant supporting her bladder was defective and needed to be removed. If Ms. Plummer didn’t act quickly, the caller urged, she might die. (Goldstein and Silver-Greenberg, 4/14) C.R. Bard Inc. was ordered to pay $35 million in punitive damages to a woman who blamed her injuries on the company’s vaginal mesh inserts in the medical supplier’s first case over the controversial devices to go to trial in New Jersey. The punishment award handed down Friday brings to $68 million the amount that Bard must pay to Mary McGinnis and her husband. McGinnis said Bard inserts designed to bolster organs and address incontinence issues were defective and left her in permanent pain. (Feeley, 4/13) 
Search For A Nursing Home: Look up state and facility rehospitalization ratings The state cannot substantially redact or charge substantial fees for death certificates requested by a Broward County nursing home where several died after Hurricane Irma, a Leon County circuit judge ruled Tuesday. The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which has been embroiled in legal disputes since a dozen residents died there after the storm knocked out power to its air conditioning, had requested death records across the state for Sept. 9 through Sept. 16 — a weeklong period that included Irma. (Koh, 6/12) The Philadelphia Inquirer: St. Francis Nursing Home Made Sky-High Profits. Then It Was Sanctioned For Neglect This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. “Oh my God, we dropped her!” Sandra Snipes said she heard the nursing home aides yell as she fell to the floor. She landed on her right side where her hip had recently been replaced. She cried out in pain. A hospital clinician later discovered her hip was dislocated. That was not the only injury Snipes, then 61, said she suffered in 2011 at Richmond Pines Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Hamlet, N.C. Nurses allegedly had been injecting her twice a day with a potent blood thinner despite written instructions to stop. (Rau, 6/13) St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare went from roughly break-even in the two full years before Gros bought it to being the second-most profitable nursing home in the Philadelphia region last year. Then, its quality of care tanked. Last September, inspectors found rampant neglect at the Darby facility and revoked its license, a step taken only in extreme cases. (Brubaker, 6/12) 
Miami Herald: Florida Judge Rules For Nursing Home Where 12 Died After Irma And in other news — Kaiser Health News: Medicare Takes Aim At Boomerang Hospitalizations Of Nursing Home Patients Beneath The Large Profits At A Pennsylvania Nursing Home Lay Rampant Neglect While profits were surging, patients at St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare in Darby, Penn. were suffering from what a state official called “extreme” conditions, including a lack of proper wound treatment and nursing care. Meanwhile, in Florida, in a dispute over death certificates, a judge ruled in favor of the nursing home where residents died following a hurricane.
Related: Amazon Prime Day 2019The OnePlus 7 Pro might be the company’s headline-grabbing handset this year but it wasn’t alone at launch. The standard OnePlus 7 is also here, looking to entice those with tighter purse strings to the latest generation of the company’s phones.The OnePlus 7 bridges the gap between last year’s OnePlus 6T and this year’s 7 Pro, utilising different bits from the two devices to create a handset that takes on the likes of this year’s Xiaomi Mi 9 and Asus ZenFone 6. While the 7 still aims to offer a flagship experience at a fiercely competitive price, unlike previous OnePlus phones, it doesn’t try quite as hard as the ‘Pro’ model. On the one hand, this means it lacks features that help it stand out quite as much, on the other, it starts at £150 less than the beefier OnePlus 7 Pro.The OnePlus 7’s camera is still a big upgradeThat main camera on the back of the 7 is fronted by a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor. It’s become a wildly popular component on many current mid-to-high-end phones, meaning its capabilities hinge on OnePlus’ ability to deliver competent software to complement the hardware at play.Despite the megapixel count, the OnePlus 7 takes 12-megapixel stills by default through a process called ‘pixel binning’. Basically, it treats four standard pixels as one large pixel, allowing more light in for use in the resultant 12-megapixel shots that it captures.Of course, a keen eye will spot that the back of the 7 lacks at least one member of the 7 Pro’s camera setup, but it takes things further, with only a 5-megapixel depth sensor accompanying that main 48-meg snapper – in place of the Pro’s ultra-wide and telephoto sensors.Overall, picture quality holds promise, and provided you’re OK with the lack of versatility compared to the Pro model, it makes for a decent all-round cameraphone. Its a definite improvement over the 6 and 6T, which themselves already demonstrated more competent image handling from OnePlus’ photography team.Shots pack in plenty of detail, impressive dynamic range and pleasingly rich colour.As for low light shooting, the OnePlus 7’s capture capabilities have unquestionably been improved (presumably via software tweaks) since the OnePlus 7 Pro’s initial launch, where the 48-megapixel camera left a lot to be desired. There’s still noise and grain in the darkest of areas but it’s far less invasive, while fine detail retention is surprisingly good.Things, for the most part, get even better when you activate the phone’s Nightscape mode. It’s not going to give Google’s Night Sight cause for concern but in its own right, it’s a great boon when taking snaps under tricky lighting conditions.Nightscape 2.0: Off (left), on (right) – drag the white slide bar to compare the two imagesYou can expect noticeably better colour capture and dynamic range, plus most of the aforementioned noise gets ironed out in the process too. However, this all comes at the expense of fine detail, with heavy-handed smoothing rounding out the edges of intricate aspects of a scene.Portrait mode: Off (left), on (right)Portrait mode is also suitably solid. There’s definite smoothing when flipping the mode on, even without virtual beauty mode activated, while dynamic range appears a touch wider, with more colour variation and higher saturation, especially across the face.The depth effect – or bokeh – looks pleasingly natural, I just wish I had to option to adjust how strong the effect was, either at the point of capture or after the fact, a common ability among many competitors.The OnePlus 7 packs the latest processor, lots of memory and a big batteryDespite its slightly lesser standing compared to its bigger brother, make no mistake, the OnePlus 7 is equipped just as well as any other top-tier flagship.Numbered OnePlus phones have always been powered by the latest silicon from Qualcomm, and while the continuation of this trend was never in doubt for the top-end Pro, there was a chance that we could have seen the cheaper 7 ship with a mid-range CPU instead. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. The OnePlus 7 packs the same Snapdragon 855 processor, paired to either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The result is a phone that in my testing, came out near the very top of our current benchmarking tests, vying for the lead against the likes of the Black Shark 2, iPhone XS and, unsurprisingly, the OnePlus 7 Pro.Related: Best smartphone 2019As you’d expect from a phone running this chipset, it’s very fast. OnePlus has always ensured that its phones have felt as snappy as possible, and that’s most certainly the case here.Storage starts at a generous 128GB too, but you can splurge for the beefier 256GB if you prefer. As is usual with OnePlus phones, there’s no expandable storage but with so much internal space for the price, most users won’t have to worry about it becoming a limitation.A lot of this performance comes from Oxygen OS, which remains my personal favourite reskin of Android. This is in part thanks to how faithfully it shadows Google’s own take on the Android user experience, augmented by a few smart additions that elevate things in terms of convenience and flexibility.Some of the latest features are also some of the most memorable, with built-in screen recording now natively onboard, Zen Mode for completely blocking out notifications for 20-minute stints and the new Fnatic mode, which frees up the phone’s resources to ensure your gaming experience is as smooth as can be.There’s also a 3700mAh battery inside that uses the same Fast Charge technology that we’ve seen for a few generations of OnePlus now.The phone’s big battery was able to get me through two days of regular use and, while my initial test was an anomaly, the 20W fast charger was able to refill the OnePlus 7 in under 90 minutes, with almost half of the battery (47%) full after just 30 minutes.The OnePlus 7 shares its design and screen with the 6T, and that’s no bad thingIf OnePlus has taken the internals and camera from the 7 Pro, then it’s taken the design and display from the OnePlus 6T.Visually, the OnePlus 7 looks near-identical to the OnePlus 6T. The front keeps the dewdrop notch, the back feels like a slippery pebble and there’s no headphone jack. There’s also no wireless charging or official IP rating for water resistance. Considering the £499 price though, I’m not complaining too much.If you inspect the 6T and the 7 side by side (as I did), you’ll notice that the company’s signature alert switcher, which serves as a physical toggle between ‘ring’, ‘vibrate’ and ‘silent’ profiles, is notably smaller on the newer 7. The earpiece grille, meanwhile, concealed into the top edge of the phone above the dewdrop notch of that 16-megapixel front camera, is much wider.The new alert switcher is perfectly pleasing to use and may potentially offer better grip as a result of its lesser height, while the earpiece led me to believe that it’d be easier to hear recipients on the other end of a phone call.In truth, it takes a little searching to find the earpiece’s sweet spot, so the extended design must only serve to differentiate between the old and new phones, albeit solely on a cosmetic level.The 6.4-inch FHD+ might not match up to the glorious Quad HD+, 90Hz Fluid AMOLED panel you’ll find on the OnePlus 7 Pro, but it’s still a great display. Colours are punchy, there’s a decent array of screen modes (P3, sRGB etc.) and as it’s OLED you get perfect, deep blacks.The in-display fingerprint has also been tightened up, which is a good thing considering how sluggish it felt before.Should I buy the OnePlus 7?This is a steady, slightly predictable update to the OnePlus 6T that is clearly trying to entice those who haven’t updated in a few years. If you’re coming from a OnePlus 3T or even a 5 or 5T, then the difference should feel significant.If you’re going to be upgrading from the OnePlus 6 or OnePlus 6T the updates are less immediately obvious. The camera will be better and the performance should be too, whether the improvements will warrant an upgrade remains to be seen though.That aside, however you look at it, this is a great value phone that’s a strong competitor to the excellent Xiaomi Mi 9.Related: OnePlus 7 Pro vs OnePlus 7 Page 1 OnePlus 7 Review Verdict This is a steady, slightly predictable update to the OnePlus 6T that is clearly trying to entice those who haven’t updated in a few years. If you’re coming from a OnePlus 3T or even a 5 or 5T, then the difference should feel significant. This is a great value phone that’s a strong competitor to the excellent Xiaomi Mi 9. Page 3 Battery Review Sections Pros Lacks Pro’s camera versatility No wireless charging No water resistance Key Specifications Oxygen OS user experience Top-notch performance Great battery life Page 4 Performance Review Page 5 Screen Review Cons Review Price: £499 6.4-inch FHD+ OLED display 48/5MP dual main camera Snapdragon 855 SoC 128GB/256GB storage 3700mAh battery 6/8GB RAM UFS 3.0 Page 2 Camera Review Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think – send your emails to the Editor.
Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy. Adobe’s most realistic drawing and painting app yet finally has an official name: Adobe Fresco.Formerly known as codename Project Gemini, Adobe chose the label Fresco to reflect what is so special about the app itself.Fresco is a centuries-old painting technique often associated with Italian Renaissance art. The technique involves spreading a layer of plaster on a surface and then painting an image using pigment and water while the plaster is still wet. A chemical reaction binds the pigment to the plaster and leaves an image behind when the surface dries.Related: Which iPad should you buy?“That last fact expresses something important about creativity. When inspiration strikes, you have to act before the plaster dries”, wrote Adobe in its announcement on Sunday. “We’re developing Adobe Fresco to empower spontaneous creativity”.Adobe Fresco is built for the Apple iPad so it is designed to be used on the go, freeing users from the constraints that come with lugging around a laptop and graphics tablet or actual art supplies. Adobe also plan to release alternate versions of the app for other stylus and touch-based devices following its initial release, so there’s no need to go out and buy an iPad if you want to try Fresco out.The feature that sets Adobe Fresco apart from other drawing apps is the organic and intuitive way that the paint reacts on the screen. Adobe plans to take those qualities from the Fresco style and replicate and expand upon them within its app.Read our review of the iPad Mini 5Live Brushes uses the AI of Adobe Sensei to mimic the way that oils and watercolours respond to paper and canvas in an impressingly lifelike manner. The watercolour Live Brush allows colour to bloom into other parts of the painting and there is even an option to paint with water to dilute colours and encourage them to blend. The oil brush gives a painting ridges, brush strokes and dimension. Colours mix and blend to imitate a look that only oil paints could traditionally achieve.Your favourite Adobe Photoshop brushes can be imported and used alongside Live Brushes and Adobe Capture lets users create their own brushes and paint with them in the app too.Fresco also includes the usual drawing app tools such as layers, masking and selection to give users full creative control and Fresco files can be opened in Adobe Photoshop and exported to PDF to be edited in Adobe Illustrator.Read our review of the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24The app is designed for everyone from beginners to professional artists – anyone with the right hardware will be able to download Fresco for free.Adobe says that it is approaching the final release of the app and that Fresco is expected to hit devices later this year. However, if you can’t wait until then, you can apply to join Adobe’s pre-release testing here. Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links.Tell us what you think – email the Editor
Amazon Prime Day Deals Make smart-ifying your home easier and benefit from this great 30% discount on the TP-Link Smart Plug in the one-day only Prime Day deal.Buy now: TP-Link Smart Plug for just £13.99 (was £19.95) at AmazonThere are a number of amazing savings happening right now across smart home products for Amazon Prime Day 2019 and the TP-Link smart plug might just revolutionise the way you add those smart elements to your ecosystem.Now with 30% off, the TP-Link smart plug is down to just £13.99 from £19.95, making it its lowest price yet on Amazon. Prime Day DealTP-Link Smart WiFi PlugCompatible with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT, make any electronic or appliance in your home smart and control using an AI assistant device already integrated into your home or the Kasa smartphone app.Amazon|Save 33%|Now £19.95View DealNow £19.95|Save 33%|Amazon Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy. Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links.Tell us what you think – email the Editor
The TP-Link smart plug is a nifty little gadget to have in your home, now even more inexpensive with this Prime Day treatment. Save £5.96 in the next 24-hours and pick up the smart plug for just £13.99.For more amazing offers, follow us @TrustedDealsUKWe may earn a commission if you click a deal and buy an item. That’s why we want to make sure you’re well-informed and happy with your purchase, so that you’ll continue to rely on us for your buying advice needs. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. There’s no need to drop significant amounts of cash on smart home appliances when you can simply transform any old electronic or appliance to be fully smart ready at a fraction of the price. That’s exactly what the TP-Link smart plug does, utilising the Kasa app or a number of other compatible AI assistance to bring the kettle to life.Related: Amazon Prime Day Smart Home DealsWith this Kasa HS100 smart Wi-Fi plug, connect to your wireless internet, plug into a socket and you can make anything from a light to hair straighteners, crockpots and more easy to control remotely. Even better, you can utilise the Kasa smartphone app to set timings so that you can come home to a cosy, well-lit house or the kettle already boiled.Compatible with the likes of Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT (If This Then That) there’s no need for a hub, giving you the preference of pairing up with the smart devices you already own. When utilising Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home devices, this means you can even sit back, relax and use your voice to make your command. Prime Day DealTP-Link Smart WiFi PlugCompatible with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT, make any electronic or appliance in your home smart and control using an AI assistant device already integrated into your home or the Kasa smartphone app.Amazon|Save 33%|Now £19.95View DealNow £19.95|Save 33%|Amazon
Audi has confirmed that its e-tron electric SUV has been delayed by about 4 weeks due to a software change. In the meantime, LG Chem is reportedly trying to increase the price of the vehicle’s batteries. more…The post Audi e-tron slightly delayed due to software change, LG reportedly increasing price of batteries appeared first on Electrek. Source: Charge Forward
HUBER+SUHNER investigates potential safety issue with liquid cooled cablesHUBER+SUHNERS, the supplier of liquid cooled cables/plugs for CCS Combo ultra fast chargers (150-350 kW) issued a recommendation for its customers worldwide to stop using those cables, as the company investigates potential safety issue.First, we saw the announcement from Electrify America, which decided to shut down most of its chargers (only 50 kW CCS, CHAdeMO and AC Level 2 remain operational). In Europe, Fastned also announced that temporarily shut down of 175 kW chargers. In the case of Fastned, operational are all 50 kW chargers and a small number of 175 kW, which had cables from another supplier.See Also Electrify America Shuts Down All 150-350 kW Fast Chargers Over Safety Issue Fastned Wins Key Toilet Charging Battle We can assume that other charging networks also decided on a temporarily shut down.According to the supplier, a “safety issue was identified with a cable from an old sample series that has a different design and which were tested against less stringent standards”. It’s not known whether the majority of chargers will need a fix or just double check to confirm everything is safe.For the charging operators such problems could significantly impact their business – in the case of Electrify America especially, ultra fast chargers were shut down at about 90 stations, making them useless for CCS-compatible cars (besides a small number of 50 kW CCS).Press release:Fastned temporarily shuts down 175 kW chargers as supplier investigates potential safety issue with cablesAt the recommendation of HUBER+SUHNER, the supplier of our liquid cooled charger cables, we have decided to temporarily shut down a number of chargers. The recommendation was issued to all of HUBER+SUHNERS’ customers using the technology worldwide.The shutdown only concerns the 175 kW chargers with liquid cooled cables. Our 50 kW CCS/CHAdeMO/AC chargers are not impacted and available for use. This means that customers can still charge at all Fastned stations. Some 175 kW chargers with different cables also remain available.Although we understood from the supplier that the safety issue was identified with a cable from an old sample series that has a different design and which were tested against less stringent standards, we still decided last night to shut down the use of all liquid cooled cables as a precaution to allow the supplier to investigate and confirm the safety of the cables we use.We regret having to take this decision, but the safety of our customers is our primary concern. We will keep you up-to-date via social media, our website and email. Source: Electric Vehicle News
Fastned Achieves Network Wide Operational Break Even Fastned charging station Author Liberty Access TechnologiesPosted on January 26, 2019Categories Electric Vehicle News
Tesla is working on a new software update that would enable Model 3 owners to drive at higher speeds for longer periods of time and for Model 3 Performance owners, it will result in a higher top speed. more…Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and the podcastThe post Tesla is updating Model 3 to allow higher power output for longer periods, increases top speed appeared first on Electrek. Source: Charge Forward
First IONITY station in England works fine, but the location could be better in terms of the surrounding infrastructure.Source: Electric Vehicle News
Since its launch in July 2014, the FCPA Institute has elevated the substantive knowledge and practical skills of lawyers, accountants, compliance professionals and business executives from around the world.After successful events in Milwaukee (July 2014), Miami (January 2015), Houston (May 2015), and Washington, D.C. (August 2015), the FCPA Institute is next making another stop in Miami on January 14-15, 2016 and will be hosted by Hogan Lovells.The FCPA Institute is different from other FCPA conferences as information is presented in an integrated and cohesive manner by an expert instructor with FCPA practice and teaching experience. Moreover, the FCPA Institute promotes active learning by participants through issue-spotting video exercises, skills exercises, small-group discussions, and the sharing of real-world practices and experiences.To best facilitate the unique learning experience that the FCPA Institute represents, attendance at each FCPA Institute is capped at 30 participants. Click here to learn more about the FCPA Institute and to register for the Miami event.At the end of the FCPA Institute, participants can elect to have their knowledge assessed and can earn a certificate of completion upon passing a written assessment tool. In this way, successful completion of the FCPA Institute represents a value-added credential for professional development. In addition, attorneys who complete the FCPA Institute may be eligible to receive Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) credits.Leading law firms and companies across a variety of industry sectors have chosen the FCPA Institute to elevate the FCPA knowledge and practical skills of their employees.Representatives from the organizations at left have attended the FCPA Institute and set forth below is a sampling of what FCPA Institute “graduates” have said about their experience.*****“Unlike other FCPA conferences where one leaves with a spinning head and unanswered questions, I left the FCPA Institute with a firm understanding of the nuts and bolts of the FCPA, the ability to spot issues, and knowledge of where resources can be found that offer guidance in resolving an issue. The limited class size of the FCPA Institute ensured that all questions were answered and the interactive discussion among other compliance professionals was fantastic.” (Rob Foster, In-House Counsel, Oil and Gas Company)“The FCPA Institute was one of the best professional development investments of time and money that I have made since law school. The combination of black letter law and practical insight was invaluable. I would highly recommend the FCPA Institute to any professional who has compliance, ethics, legal or international business responsibilities.” (Norm Keith, Partner, Fasken Martineau, Toronto).“The FCPA Institute is very different than other FCPA conferences I have attended. It was interactive, engaging, thought-provoking and at the completion of the Institute I left feeling like I had really learned something new and useful for my job. The FCPA Institute is a must-attend for all compliance folks (in-house or external).” (Robert Wieck, CPA, CIA, CFE, Forensic Audit Senior Manager, Oracle Corporation)The FCPA Institute is a top-flight conference that offers an insightful, comprehensive review of the FCPA enforcement landscape. Professor Koehler’s focus on developing practical skills in an intimate setting really sets it apart from other FCPA conferences. One of the best features of the FCPA Institute is its diversity of participants and the ability to learn alongside in-house counsel, company executives and finance professionals. (Blair Albom, Associate, Debevoise & Plimpton)“The FCPA Institute was a professionally enriching experience and substantially increased my understanding of the FCPA and its enforcement. Professor Koehler’s extensive insight and practical experience lends a unique view to analyzing enforcement actions and learning compliance best practices. I highly recommend the FCPA Institute to practitioners from all career stages.” (Sherbir Panag, MZM Legal, Mumbia, India)“The FCPA Institute provided an in-depth look into the various forces that have shaped, and that are shaping, FCPA enforcement. The diverse group of participants provided unique insight into how, at a practical level, various professionals evaluate risk and deal with FCPA issues on a day-to-day basis. The small group setting, the interactive nature of the event, and the skills assessment test all set the FCPA Institute apart from other FCPA conferences or panel-based events.” (John Turlais, Senior Counsel, Foley & Lardner)
Professor Juliet Sorensen (Northwestern University School of Law) and Northwestern Law students Michelle Kennedy and Cassandra Myers are attending the Sixth Conference of the State Parties (CoSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in St. Petersburg, Russia. For more on the opening of the Conference, see here and here. Over the next few days, FCPA Professor will be publishing various posts regarding the proceedings. This post is from Michelle Kennedy.*****With the Paris Conference on Climate Change 2015 coming up at the end of this month, the relationship between climate change and corruption could not be more relevant. The panel that explored this topic presented unique perspectives that provided a comprehensive view of the complex issues at hand, which range from the increased frequency of natural disasters to the growing impact of the forestry sector.To open the discussion, Tim Steele, the Senior Advisor on Anti-Corruption of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Southern & Eastern Africa, emphasized the urgency of the issue. The adverse effects of climate change include rising oceans, depleting forests, and an increased frequency of natural disasters, which is why he insists that this issue be addressed before it is too late.“Catastrophe causes opportunity,” Steele urged, which was elaborated upon by Professor Juliet Sorensen of the Center for International Human Rights at Northwestern University School of Law and the co-author of the upcoming book, Public Corruption and the Law: Local, National, and International. She explained that because we are living in a world with a sharply increased frequency of natural disasters, there has also emerged the need to recover from these natural disasters more quickly. This recovery necessitates an infusion of public funds from the federal government, international organizations, and state and local resources, in order to meet the basic human needs of the victims and to rebuild the community. The vast funds that arrive quickly create ample opportunity for corruption, thus exemplifying the causal relationship between catastrophe and opportunity. For example, if recovery funds are corruptly used to award contracts to builders based on relationships rather than merit, this may result in sub par buildings and poorly constructed roads. If a natural disaster strikes again, then the damage will be greater than it otherwise would have been without corruption. The community then needs to be rebuilt again, thus perpetuating the cycle and displaying the urgent need to address corruption in an era of climate change. Sorensen urged, however, that there are encouraging opportunities in both law and policy to address these issues, such as the Disaster Fraud Task Force at the United States Department of Justice, which deals with all aspects of fraud mismanagement and corruption in the wake of natural disasters. On an international level, the European Union Emergency Response Coordination Centre is a new resource that provides real time monitoring and immediate reactions to natural disasters.In order to assist the countries that suffer the worst effects of climate change, the polluting countries have made monetary contributions, known as climate finance, as explained by Rukshana Nanayakkara of the Asia Pacific Department of Transparency International. This financial support provided by developed countries for mitigation and adaptation action in developing countries is expected to reach $100 billion by 2020. This vast amount of money involved displays the ample opportunity for the corrupt diversion of funds.To ensure that these climate adaptation funds are administered in a transparent manner, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) conducts vigorous evaluations on its member countries to determine whether they are effectively pursuing allegations of bribery in the context of publicly funded post-disaster projects. Moving forward, Leah Ambler of the OECD Anti-Corruption Division proposed that combatting the significant risks involved in climate finance be accomplished by an increase in corruption risk awareness initiatives, active enforcement of anti-corruption laws, collaboration with the private sector to ensure effective anti-bribery compliance programs, and independent implementation of new regulatory schemes related to climate change mitigation.
FCPA Institute – Boston (Oct. 3-4) A unique two-day learning experience ideal for a diverse group of professionals seeking to elevate their FCPA knowledge and practical skills through active learning. Learn more, spend less. CLE credit is available. Yesterday, the DOJ quitely posted to its FCPA website this “declination with disgorgement” letter concerning Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL).Pursuant to the agreement, ICBL agreed to pay approximately $94,000 to the U.S. for alleged bribes to a Barbadian government official in exchange for insurance contracts.The full text of the DOJ’s letter to ICBL’s counsel (Adam Siegel – Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer) is as follows.“Consistent with the FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy, the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section and the United States Attomey’s Office for the Eastem District of New York (collectively, the “Department”) is closing its investigation of your client, Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (“ICBL”), an insurance company incorporated and headquartered in Barbados, concerning violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.The Department’s investigation found that ICBL, through its employees and agents, paid approximately $36,000 in bribes to a Barbadian government official in exchange for insurance contracts resulting in approximately $686,827.50 in total premiums for the contracts and approximately $93,940.19 in net profits. Specifically, in or around August 2015 and April 2016, high-level employees of ICBL took part in a scheme to pay approximately $36,000 in bribes to Donville Inniss and to launder the bribe payments into the United States. At the time, Inniss was a member of the Parliament of Barbados and the Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce, and Small Business Development of Barbados. In exchange for the bribes from the ICBL employees, Inniss leveraged his position as the Minister of Industry to enable the Barbadian insurance company to obtain two government contracts. To conceal the bribes, Inniss, who is a U.S. legal permanent resident and maintains a residence in the United States, arranged to receive them through a U.S. bank account in the name of a dental company that was located in Elmont, New York, and owned by his friend who is a U.S. citizen. Inniss’ friend then assisted Inniss in further transferring portions of the bribes from the dental company bank account in New York to a bank account in the name of Inniss that was located in Tampa, Florida.Despite the high-level involvement of corporate officers in the misconduct, the Department has decided to close its investigation of this matter based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: (l) ICBL’s timely, voluntary self-disclosure of the matters described above; (2) ICBL’s thorough and comprehensive investigation; (3) ICBL’s cooperation in this matter (including its provision of all known relevant facts about the misconduct) and its agreement to continue to cooperate in the Department’s ongoing investigations and/or prosecutions; (4) ICBL’s agreement to disgorge to the Department all profits it made from the illegal conduct; (5) the steps ICBL has taken to enhance its compliance program and its internal accounting controls; (6) ICBL’s remediation, including but not limited to terminating all of the executives and employees who were involved in the misconduct and (7) the fact that the Department has been able to identify and charge the culpable individuals.Pursuant to this letter agreement, ICBL agrees to disgorge $93,940.19 USD (the “Disgorgement Amount”), which represents the profit to ICBL from the illegally obtained contracts in Barbados. ICBL shall pay the Disgorgement Amount to the United States Treasury within ten ( 10) business days of its execution of this letter. ICBL acknowledges that no tax deduction may be sought in connection with any part of its payment of the Disgorgement Amount. ICBL further agrees that it will not seek or accept directly or indirectly reimbursement or indemnification from any source with regard to the Disgorgement Amount.This letter agreement does not provide any protection against prosecution of any individuals, regardless of their affiliation with ICBL. If the Department leams information that changes its assessment of any of the factors outlined above, it may reopen its inquiry.”In FCPA speak, ICBL is a “person other than an issuer or domestic concern” and thus can only be subject to the FCPA’s anti-bribery provisions under the so-called dd-3 prong of the statute. This portion of the FCPA has the most demanding jurisdictional element found in the FCPA that being “while in the territory of the United States, corruptly to make use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce or to do any other act in furtherance of an” improper payment scheme.” (emphasis added).There is no mention in the DOJ’s letter agreement how this required FCPA element was met regarding ICBL and as highlighted in this recent post payment of alleged bribes through U.S. accounts is insufficient to satisfy dd-3’s “while in the territory of the U.S.” jurisdictional prong. For instance, in the Africa Sting case, a federal court judge rejected such an expansive jurisdictional theory as applied to a foreign national (see here) and recently the U.S. Supreme Court questioned such expansive jurisdictional theories as applied to foreign companies. (See here).Earlier this month, Inniss was criminally charged by the DOJ with conspiracy to launder money and money laundering. (See here). Learn More & Register