In addition to choosing a health insurance plan, what employee benefits should I consider during open enrollment?
SEE ALSO: 7 Smart Uses for Your Flex Account MoneyMany people focus solely on their health insurance choices. But there are other benefits at stake during open enrollment. Here are some important considerations to help you make the most of those extra benefits for 2014.
Understand the new flexible spending account rules. Setting aside money in an FSA can be a great way to lower your taxable income and provide tax-free money for medical expenses. Contributions to health care FSAs are now limited to $2,500 per year, but you may have more time to use the money. In the past, you�� generally lose any money remaining in the account on December 31 (some employers offer a grace period to March 15). The Treasury Department and IRS recently changed the rules so that employers may allow people to carry over $500 in their accounts from one year to the next. It�� up to employers to decide whether to implement this new option. Some will add the carryover as early as 2013 or wait until 2014; some will choose to keep the grace period (plans may not offer both the $500 carryover and the grace period); and some may still require you to use the money by December 31. Ask your employer which rules apply to your plan. See Big Change to Flexible Spending Accounts for more information.
Top Medical Stocks To Buy Right Now: Inergetics Inc (NRTI)
Inergetics, Inc., formerly Millennium Biotechnologies Group, Inc., incorporated on November 9, 2000, is a holding company for its sole operating subsidiary, Millennium Biotechnologies, Inc. (Millennium). The Company through its subsidiary Millennium, engages in the research, development, and marketing of specialized nutritional supplements as an adjunct to medical treatments for select medical conditions, as well as for athletes seeking improved recovery and advanced performance. The Company markets products, which are targeted toward immuno-compromised individuals undergoing medical treatment for diseases, such as cancer, as well as wound healing and post-surgical healing and geriatric patients in long-term care facilities among other conditions. In January 2013, the Company acquired Bikini Ready and SlimTrim brands from Whole Products Group.
The Company�� product portfolio include, Resurgex Select, Ready-To Drink Resurgex Essential and Ready-To-Drink Resurgex Essential Plus. Resurgex Select is a whole foods-based, calorically dense, high-protein powdered nutritional formula developed for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Resurgex Essential and Resurgex Essential Plus represent Millennium�� Ready-to-Drink product line and are being sold into the Long-Term Care geriatric markets.
Resurgex Select
Resurgex Select is a whole foods-based nutritional product that is designed to be used throughout the course of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.), as many times patients lose weight and cannot consume adequate nutrition. This product combines dietary fiber (3 g), low sugar (5 g), and high protein (15 g) with no added antioxidants to be a high-calorie (350 calorie) supplement. It is available in three flavors (Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Fudge, and Fruit Smoothie) and each can be mixed with water, milk, juices, or in soft cold foods, such as yogurt, apple sauce or pudding.
Surgex
Surgex (www.surgexspor! ts.com), is a nutritional support formula that aims to address the concerns of many elite athletes who suffer from symptoms, such as fatigue, lean muscle loss, lactic acid buildup, oxidative stress, and stressed immune systems. This formula is designed to improve recovery parameters in efforts to enhance the performance of professional and collegiate athletes.
Resurgex Essential
The Essential line is a ready-to-drink alternative to Ensure and Boost designed to be marketed into the long-term care channel. Resurgex Essential has 250 whole food calories containing no corn syrup or corn oil. The product also contains fruit and vegetable extracts, and FOS Fiber to provide calories and taste.
The Company competes with Nestle and Abbott Laboratories Inc.
Top Medical Stocks To Buy Right Now: Compugen Ltd.(CGEN)
Compugen Ltd. operates as a drug and diagnostic discovery company based on computer-based discovery capabilities to predict and select novel product candidates. Through in silico prediction and selection, the resulting novel molecules are synthesized and validated utilizing traditional in vitro and in vivo experimental procedures. The company provides these validated product candidates to pharmaceutical, biotech, and diagnostic companies under licensing and other commercialization arrangements. Its research and discovery efforts are focused primarily on therapeutic proteins and peptides, and monoclonal antibodies, and primarily in the fields of immunology and oncology. Its therapeutic peptide and protein related platforms include Protein Family Members Discovery Platform, Protein-Protein Interaction Blockers, GPCR Therapeutic Peptide Ligands, Disease-Associated Conformation Blockers, Intracellular Drug Delivery, Viral Peptides, and Splice Variant based Therapeutic Proteins . The company?s monoclonal antibody related platforms comprise Monoclonal Antibody Targets. Its other therapeutic and diagnostic platforms consist of Nucleic-Acid Disease Markers, Protein Disease Markers, Nucleic-Acid Preclinical Toxicity Markers, Non-SNP Drug Response Markers, and New Indications. Its therapeutic peptide and protein product candidates comprise CGEN-15001, a novel protein for the treatment of autoimmune disorders; CGEN-25017, a novel peptide antagonist of the Angiopoietin/Tie-2 pathway; CGEN-855, a peptide agonist of the FPRL1 GPCR receptor; CGEN-856 and CGEN-857, which are MAS GPCR peptide agonists; CGEN-25007, an antagonist of the gp96 protein; and CGEN-25009, a peptide of the LGR7 receptor. The company also offers monoclonal antibody target product candidates, including CGEN-671, a drug for multiple epithelial tumors; CGEN-928, a drug for multiple myeloma; and CGEN-15001T, a novel B7/CD28 family member. Compugen Ltd. was founded in 1993 and is based in Te l Aviv, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
On Monday, small-cap biotechnology company Compugen (NASDAQ: CGEN ) gave investors something to cheer about when it announced a collaboration and licensing agreement with Bayer for two of its antibody-based immunotherapies. The deal could be worth as much as $540 million for Compugen and gives the company $10 million upfront, as well as the potential for $30 million more in milestone payments during preclinical trials. The two companies will co-develop these drugs, with Bayer getting worldwide rights upon commercialization (though Compugen would still receive a mid- to high-single-digit royalty). This is great news for Compugen, as it solves the problem of seeking out a partner later, helps reduce its clinical testing costs, and staves off the need to dilute shareholders with a secondary offering to raise cash. Shares added 44% this week.
Best Medical Stocks To Invest In 2014: Revolutions Medical Corp (RMCP)
Revolutions Medical Corporation (Revolutions Medical), incorporated on August 16, 1996, is principally engaged in the designing, developing and commercializing of retractable vacuum safety needle devices. The Company is engaged in the development of technology which can segment and reference MRI images. The Company also has developed a suite of MRI software tools; RevColor, Rev3D, RevDisplay, and RevScan. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is used imaging system that safely creates many different and detailed views of selected portions of the internal anatomy.
The RevVac safety syringe uses vacuum technology to retract the needle into the plunger immediately after use. The syringe cannot be reused once the vacuum is activated. When an MRI is taken, the black and white images are sent to a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), which displays the images for a radiologist to view. By using high speed Internet, these images can be securely sent to the Company�� secure Website, after a secure account is opened. This process is called teleradiology.
The Company competes with Med-Design Corporation, New Medical Technologies, Retractable Technologies, Inc., Unilife, Inc., Specialized Health Products International, BD and Covidien Ltd, Terumo Medical Corp. and B. Braun internationally.
Top Medical Stocks To Buy Right Now: Organovo Holdings Inc (ONVO)
Organovo Holdings, Inc. (Organovo), formerly Real Estate Restoration & Rental, Inc., incorporated in 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company has developed and is commercializing a platform technology for the generation of three-dimensional (3D) human tissues that can be employed in drug discovery and development, biological research, and as therapeutic implants for the treatment of damaged or degenerating tissues and organs. On December 28, 2011, Real Estate Restoration and Rental, Inc.�� (RERR) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which RERR merged with its, wholly owned subsidiary, Organovo (Merger Sub). On February 8, 2012, the Company merged with and into Organovo Acquisition Corp. (Acquisition Corp.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo, with the Company surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo Holdings (the Merger). As a result of the Merger, Organovo acquired the business of Organovo, Inc.
The Company has collaborative research agreements with Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer) and United Therapeutic Corporation (Unither). As of March 31, 2012, it has five federal grants, including Small Business Innovation Research grants and developed the NovoGen MMX Bioprinter (its first-generation 3D bioprinter). The Company is engaged in the development of specific 3D human tissues to aid Pfizer in discovery of therapies in two areas of interest. In addition, in October 2011, it entered into a research agreement with Unither to establish and conduct a research program to discover treatments for pulmonary hypertension using its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter technology. Additionally, under the research agreement with Unither, the Company granted Unither an option to acquire from the Company a worldwide, royalty-bearing license in certain intellectual property created under the research agreement solely for use in the treatment or prevention of pulmonary hypertension and all other lung diseases.
The Company�� NovoGen MMX Bioprinter is an automate! d device that enables the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) living tissues comprised of mammalian cells. A custom graphic user interface (GUI) facilitates the 3D design and execution of scripts that direct precision movement of the dispensing heads to deposit cellular building blocks (bio-ink) or supporting hydrogel. The Company is using a third party manufacturer, Invetech Pty., of Melbourne, Australia, to manufacture its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter. Its bioprinting technology and surrounding intellectual property and commercial rights serve as a platform for product generation across multiple markets that employ cell- and tissue-based products and services.
The Company competes with Organogenesis, Advanced BioHealing, Tengion, Genzyme, HumaCyte and Cytograft Tissue Engineering.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Organovo (ONVO) develops 3D bioprinting technology for creating functional human tissues on demand for research and medical applications. This stock closed up 2.5% to $5.98 in Tuesday's trading session.
Tuesday's Range: $5.70-$6.07
52-Week Range: $1.80-$8.50
Thursday's Volume: 2.03 million
Three-Month Average Volume: 2.82 millionFrom a technical perspective, ONVO jumped higher here right off its 50-day moving average of $5.79 with decent upside volume. This move is starting to push shares of ONVO within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ONVO manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $6.20 to $6.39 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ONVO as long as it's trending above some near-term support levels at $5.50 or at $5 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 2.82 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ONVO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $7.50 to its 52-week high at $8.50. Any high-volume move above $8.50 will then put its all-time high at $10.90 within range for shares of ONVO.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the Move: Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) is up 8.2% at $7.95 even though the firm�� service was ranked last in new Consumer Reports survey. Voxeljet AG (NYSE: VJET) is down 13.8% at $33.82, the third day in a row the stock has been hit with double-digit losses. Organovo Holdings In. (NASDAQ: ONVO) is up 11.5% at $8.86 after getting beaten up in the 3D printing debacle yesterday.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Organovo (ONVO) is a three-dimensional biology company focused on delivering breakthrough bioprinting technology and creating tissue on demand for research and medical applications. This stock closed up 8.5% to $5.21 in Thursday's trading session.
52-Week Range: $1.78-$8.50
Thursday's Volume: 2.88 million
Three-Month Average Volume: 1.78 millionFrom a technical perspective, ONVO ripped higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $4.88 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month, with shares plunging lower from its high of $8.50 to its recent low of $4.43. During that downtrend, shares of ONVO have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of ONVO might be ready to see its downside volatility stop and reverse its downtrend and enter a new uptrend. The probability for that reverse in trend is supported by the high volume on Thursday.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ONVO as long as it's trending above its recent low at $4.33 and then once it sustains a move or close above $5.21 to $5.64 with volume that hits near or above 1.78 shares. If we get that move soon, then ONVO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6.65 to $7.50.
- [By James E. Brumley]
If you're looking for some trading action, then Organovo Holdings Inc. (NYSEMKT:ONVO) and Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) are the two top names to put on your radar today. Granted, they're trading candidates for completely opposing reasons. In fact, the best "play" may be to swap one for the other. However you want to play it though, here's what you need to know about ALB and ONVO.
Top Medical Stocks To Buy Right Now: Autoimmune Inc (AIMM)
AutoImmune Inc., incorporated in September 1988, is a healthcare company. The Company�� products are based on the principles of mucosal tolerance. The Company�� product is sold by Colloral LLC, the Company�� joint venture with Deseret, under the brand name Colloral, The Collagen Solution and Vital 3, and by Futurebiotics LLC under the brand name Vital 3. The other products which are in the development stage include MBP8298 (dirucotide), Oral Copaxone and AI 401.
The Company completed ten human clinical trials involving over 1,900 patients to investigate the use of Colloral as a pharmaceutical for treating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The Company holds a joint venture with Deseret by forming Colloral LLC to manufacture market and sell Colloral as a dietary supplement. Colloral LLC holds a distributing agreement with Futurebiotics LLC for Colloral. Futurebiotics LLC markets the product under the brand name Vital 3. Colloral LLC also markets the product under the Vital 3 brand through The Shopping Channel of Canada via on air segments and their Website.
The Company�� other products in the development stage include MBP8298 (dirucotide) for multiple sclerosis, which is in Phase III trials for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; Oral Copaxone is in the research stage for multiple sclerosis, and AI 401 is in Phase III trials for Type 1 diabetes. The development of MBP8298 (dirucotide) is conducted by BioMS Medical Corporation (BioMS). In August 2000, BioMS tested patients in a Phase II/III (MAESTRO-01) clinical trial of its MBP8298 treatment for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. It was conducted at 47 sites across Canada and Europe. In November 2006, BioMS enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial (MINDSET-01) of MBP8298 for treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. It enrolled 218 patients at 24 sites in six countries for a 15 month trial.
The Company collaborated with Eli Lilly, which supports clinical testing of orally administered a! utoimmune-mediated (Type 1) diabetes product, AI 401. Eli Lilly completed three different Phase II clinical trials to demonstrate human proof of principle for AI 401. The United States study was a one-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with more than 200 patients, designed to measure immunological changes, preservation of pancreatic function and time to insulin dependence. Its second Phase II trial, involving approximately 150 patients, was conducted in France. The third trial was conducted in Italy with approximately 80 patients. In addition, Eli Lilly provided AI 401 for the Diabetes Prevention Trial (DPT-1) conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During the year ended December 31, 2008, the clinical trial of intranasal insulin to delay or prevent the clinical onset of Type I diabetes, called the Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Project was conducted in Finland. As of January 1, 2009, 115 had been enrolled in this trial.
Top Medical Stocks To Buy Right Now: Dyadic International Inc (DYAI)
Dyadic International, Inc. (Dyadic), incorporated in September 2002, is a holding company. The Company is a global biotechnology company. The Company has operations at the United States and the Netherlands. Dyadic uses its technologies to conduct research and development (R&D) and commercial activities for the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzymes and proteins for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme, and biopharmaceutical industries. The Company derives all of its revenues from the licensing of its technologies, the sale of its enzymes and conducting research and development (R&D) activities for third parties. The Company operates in two segments: the United States operations and The Netherlands operations. The United States segment includes a subsidiary in Poland.
The United States operating segment is a developer, manufacturer and distributor of enzyme products, proteins, peptides and other bio-molecules derived from genes and a collaborative licensor of enabling technologies for the development and manufacturing of biological products and use in R&D. The Netherlands operating segment is also a researcher and developer of enzyme products, proteins, peptides and other bio-molecules derived from genes and, to date, has mainly invested in R&D activities.
Dyadic�� R&D activities focus on its fungal strains and associated technologies. Dyadic uses its Trichoderma and C1 fungal strains in the production of its industrial enzymes. Dyadic manufactures and sells liquid and dry enzyme products to global customers for use within the animal feed, pulp and paper, starch and alcohol, food and brewing, textiles, and biofuels industries.
Dyadic also utilizes a technology platform based on its patented and C1 fungus (the C1 Platform Technology), which enables the development and manufacture of proteins and enzymes for diverse market opportunities. The C1 Platform Technology can also be used to screen for the discovery of novel genes and proteins. The C1 Platf! orm Technology also has the potential of developing and producing other biological products such as antibodies, vaccines, proteins and polypeptides for the biopharmaceutical industry.
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