Abstract
This paper discusses the insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri. The paper describes the negative public perception of this company due to incomplete information provided on the company's website. The paper claims that the insurance company does not make its members aware of the benefits due to them. Suggestions are presented to employ marketing strategies that will improve Blue Cross Blue Shield's public image.

From the Paper
"In the past, the marketing of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri has faced severe criticism. A Market Conduct Examination Report by Health Care Financing Administration notes that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri "utilizes an overall marketing, policy issuance and application process hostile to Missouri residents attempting to exercise their rights as provided for in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996" (Health Care Financing Administration). Specific criticisms of the marketing policies of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri not that the company "Withholds access to information regarding guaranteed available policies from consumers attempting to access information through (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri)'s marketing website" (Health Care Financing Administration). Specifically, the organization charges that BCBSMo does not inform consumers of the "availability of BasicBlue coverage" on its website."

Tags:health, care, policy

Abstract
This paper examines the healthcare budgeting process within Blue Cross/Blue Shield, particularly as it relates to Medicare and Medicaid funding and payment processes. According to the paper, this is an important aspect of Blue Cross/Blue Shield's budgeting processes and procedures because so much of its revenues are derived from Medicare and Medicaid funding through federal and state funded programs.

From the Paper
"This document discusses the healthcare budgeting process within Blue Cross/Blue Shield and particularly how it relates to Medicare and Medicaid funding and payment processes. This is an important aspect of Blue Cross/Blue Shield's budgeting processes and procedures because so much of its revenues are derived from Medicare and Medicaid funding through federal and state funded programs. Healthcare Budgeting: Blue Cross/Blue Shield Outline I. A series of top-down/bottom up processes..."

Tags:insurance, healthcare, budgeting

Abstract
The paper discusses the Human Resources department of Blue Cross/Blue Shield and examines its roles and responsibilities within the organization. Particularly, the paper focuses on the strategic alignment of the HR department within the organization and how its assists in the overall execution of the organization's strategy and contributes to the company's bottom line revenues. Of particular interest are Blue Cross/Blue Shield's use of diversity programs, training programs and mentoring programs all shepherded by its Human Resources department and management.

From the Paper
"The human resource function at Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBS) is central to that organization's effective operation, since it relies on a diverse customer and employee base in order to remain competitive. As such, BCBS' human resources department and functionality is central to the organization's overall strategic mission. BCBS' HR department relies on the organization's mission statement and subsequently re-articulates its ethical framework to match the strategic employment of human resource practices. This implies that all new hiring is done through an inculcation of the corporate mission, the ethical framework of the company, as well as a sense of BCBS' historical work ethic (Avolio & Bass, 2002). Human resource practices are requisite to perpetuating success and two important components of success in today's healthcare marketplace is maintaining and increasing retention and diversity among staff across the organization."

Tags:bluecross, blueshield, humanresources

Abstract
Through an examination of the actual immigrants crossing border, Charles Bowden uses the short story "Blue" to minimize the life and death struggle of crossing the desert by portraying it as a game. Bowden uses the game mentality to hide the narrator?s fears of dying while out in the desert.

From the paper:

"The Mexican population is ?stereotyped as being lazy, shiftless, passive siesta seekers, people who patronized manana? (Metz 395). But how could a lazy person hike treacherous terrain while only surviving off one gallon of water? This stereotype is not holding true to the thousands of Mexicans that try to cross the US/Mexico border every year. The hardship of crossing the desert is for a reason: money. The poverty that exists in Mexico is one of the main reasons that drive Mexicans to leave their family in search for a better life. The people leave their job because of the small wages and lack of representation to fight off the hardships they must face."

Tags:blue, border, bowden, charles, context, immigrants, mexico, text, us

Abstract
The paper focuses mainly on the current developments of the conflict from the perspectives of the four major actors. There is analysis of public opinion in each country and how this may affect their future policy toward the straits conflict. The conclusion provides speculation as to how the conflict may end in the future.

From the Paper
"With the retreat of Chiang Kai-Shek's KMT nationalist forces to the island of Taiwan in 1949, many thought it was inevitable that the PRC would cross the straits and unify the island with the mainland government. Even the KMT's staunchest defender, the United States, had written off Taiwan and the nationalist movement as a desperate long shot against the larger communist forces. However, the island of Taiwan retained its de-facto independence despite constant threats from the mainland and the loss of formal diplomatic ties with most major nations. The situation in the straits of Taiwan remains sensitive as elections in Taiwan, increased trading, and the emergence of China as a regional power further complicate matters."

Tags:affairs, bian, blue, bush, chen, china, chinas, clinton, conflict, cross, current, four, green, independence, japan, koizumi, noes, pan, prc, republic, roc, shui, strait, straits, taiwan

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify more efficient methods whereby the employees of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida can obtain a reliable source of printed business forms and avoid the unnecessarily high costs routinely experienced with outsourced rush orders in the past. A series of case studies is presented to determine what other companies have done and how these methods can be used by Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida to contain costs and keep the price of insurance policy premiums competitive in the markets in which the company competes today.

Outline:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of Study
Importance of Study
Overview of Study
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature
Chapter 3: Methodology
Description of the Study Approach
Data-Gathering Method and Database of Study
Chapter 4: Data Analysis
Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

From the Paper
"Business runs on paper, and much of this paper is business forms, whether standard or customized to an enterprise's unique needs. In fact, while some types of informally organized businesses may be able to operate on a day-to-day basis without business forms, it quickly becomes apparent in even these settings that some types of information are routinely collected and business forms provide a useful vehicle for this purpose. In this regard, Kellner (2005) reports that one online service, AllBusiness.com, features about 250 different business forms that cost approximately $20 each; each of these forms can be downloaded, edited with Microsoft Word, and used in a business situation. "

Tags:paper, paperless, society, forms, outsource

Abstract
This paper explains that the U.S. health insurance industry is a faltering system as witnessed by poor performance, difficulty accessing physicians and rising premiums that cut into after-tax income. The author compares two health plans in Texas: Aetna Life Insurance Company's PPO 500 plan, which is judged better for a younger workforce that is predominantly unmarried and without children, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas' PPO Select Saver Plan IV Blue Cross plan, which is deemed a better arrangement for an older, "graying" workforce. The paper evaluates the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is generally seen as a watershed event for health insurance reform.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The U.S. Health Care Industry over the Last 10 Years
The U.S. v. Canadian Approach to Health Care
Development of Managed Medicare Insurance Products in Texas
A Comparison of Two Health Plans in Texas
A Plan for Managed Care Organization Seeking Accreditation from JCAHO or NCQA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
A Plan for Comprehensive Improvement of a Managed Care Organization's Processes
Conclusions

From the Paper
"In fairness, the U.S. model has its advantages. For one thing, wealthier individuals/employees who wish to "cut through" the bureaucratic red-tape of socialized medicine in Canada can go to the United States and have their needs promptly addressed in a way not possible in Canada. Moreover, from a strictly business perspective, the fact that American HMOs are prepared to exclude various clientele in order to serve the "bottom line" and are likewise prepared to similarly slash services can be just the excuse private American corporations need in order to exclude various members of their workforce."

Tags:hmo, aetna, employers, consumers, complex

Abstract
This paper describes an interdisciplinary approach to studying hurricane Katrina, the category four hurricane that hit New Orleans in August of 2005. The paper attempts to demonstrate why the interdisciplinary form of study is the most effective way to create the environment for knowledge and change. Using the analogy of a white light that is made by the combination of three primary colors, red, green and blue, the paper explains that each of these lights represents the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences disciplines and that together, like the white light that gets created when the three primary colors are combined, the combined disciplines create the knowledge we obtain through interdisciplinary studies.

From the Paper
"In the pursuit of true knowledge, creative thought and innovation a subject must be viewed through several disciplines. One of the reasons for this is the difficulty of defining what ideas and information belong to which discipline. Most scholars would agree that there is no consensus as to what should be included in the social sciences or natural sciences. Even the humanities can be hard to define, for instance although many would classify the history of art as belonging to the humanities, sociological approaches to the topic are widely used. The problem is confounded still further when one take an international perspective; definitions vary by country. Demography is a discipline in many European countries but a sub field of sociology in the United States; archaeology is often a separate discipline in Europe but a sub field of anthropology in the United States. Similarly, archaeology in other countries can be tied to art or prehistory and embraced by history or the humanities. The difficulty in classification comes from the fact that each discipline is fragmented; the fragments, too, are fragmented (Dogan, 1990). Faced with these difficulties an educated person must take an inclusive approach to the acquisition of knowledge."

Tags:innovation, intersection, crossing, borders, penetrating, field, scholar, boudaries

Abstract
The paper describes how since the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, and the subsequent economic depression, the United States Congress has wrestled over protecting the public from unethical business practices, while preserving the ideals of the capitalist market system. The paper asserts that beginning in 1911, the separate states enacted securities laws called "blue sky" laws. The paper explains that the name arose from the belief that the people who sold securities were so unethical that they would sell building lots in the blue sky in an effort to dupe the public. However, the paper discusses how these laws were only valid in the states; once a transaction crossed state lines, there was no enforcement at the federal level.

From the Paper
"Since the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, and the subsequent economic depression, the United States Congress has wrestled over protecting the public from unethical business practices, while preserving the ideals of the capitalist market system. Beginning in 1911 the separate states enacted securities laws called "blue sky" laws. The name arose from the belief that the people who sold securities were so unethical that they would sell building lots in the blue sky in an effort to dupe the public. However, these laws were only valid in the states. Once a transaction..."

Tags:securities, class, actions

Abstract
This paper explains that all of the musical genres, such as Ragtime, Jazz, Big Band, Blues, Country, Rock 'n' Roll, Folk, Punk, Heavy Metal, Rap and Hip Hop, are linked together into a single unified whole in American music. The author discusses the importance of the development of Rock 'n' Roll and how it crossed over successfully into many earlier forms of the Blues and Country genres. The paper stresses that the contributions of the African-American influence on American music, which is the core element to many American styles that came earlier, are crucial to the latter popularity of Rap and Hip Hop.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Ragtime and Jazz
The Big Bands and the Blues
The Evolution of Jazz and Growing Popularity of Country Music: 1920-1950
The Rock 'n' Roll Era of the 1950s
The "Psychedelic" Rock 'n' Roll and Folk Music Movements of the 1960s
Punk and Heavy Metal: The 1970s and the 1980s
Rap and Hip Hop
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The first broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee in 1925 was a crucial moment for the popularity of Country music to be introduced in American music. Often these fusion of old Bluegrass styles and Folk often helped to build the style of what became known as "Country" by the likes of the Grand Ole Opry. In this manner, Nashville became the center of this genre, helping to introduce country to a major audience. Once again, it was the radio that greatly helped to bring this music to millions of listeners across the United States."

Tags:joplin, african-american, unification, fusion, activism