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Styf leaves Kaiser for joint insurance plan: WellStar, Piedmont on target to offer health insurance in 2014

June 17, 2013 Leave a Comment

Dan Styf

WellStar Health System and Piedmont Healthcare have partnered to offer their own insurance plan, and community leader Dan Styf of east Cobb has been named the No. 2 person to build and run that corporation.

Called the Piedmont WellStar Health Plan, the new corporation — which will be run out of Vinings — launches in January 2014.

“The opportunity to improve the care of that many people is humbling and impossible to pass up,” Styf said.

Styf left his job as a vice president with Kaiser Permanente to accept the new position, which he begins Monday.

Styf also serves as a co-chair for Cobb’s Competitive EDGE, the county’s economic development program and is vice chair for economic development on the Cobb Chamber’s Executive Committee.

Available to the general public, Piedmont WellStar Health Plan’s coverage will include Medicare Advantage plans, as well as HMOs and PPOs.

WellStar and Piedmont employees will have access to buy into the insurance, but Medicaid recipients are prohibited by state law, Styf said.

Booting the middle man

Piedmont and WellStar chose to offer their own health insurance plan through the subsidiary as a way of reducing costs by cutting out the middle man.

“If you’re a small employer in Marietta, and you want to buy health care coverage for your employees, why not go straight to the health care system that’s going to deliver it?” Styf said. “Why do you need a middle man in the middle of that?”

Leaders of WellStar and Piedmont systems saw a large wave building from increasing medical costs, especially with the rising number of people reaching the age to qualify for Medicare.

“These two organizations realize they can improve health care faster by working together rather than competing in the market place,” Styf said.

From a business perspective, Styf said billing is the biggest expense for providing medical insurance. The best way to make health care more affordable, Styf said, is to put every aspect in the same system, which for WellStar and Piedmont is a large network.

“When a delivery system has its own health plan they do not need to bill themselves,” he said.

WellStar Health System CEO Reynold Jennings said he was pleased that Styf had joined “our team.”

“His leadership expertise from Kaiser, who has been involved with clinical integration for decades, combined with his proven community involvement fits very well within our system,” Jennings said.

Call the doctor

Styf said under the Piedmont WellStar Health Plan, doctors will play a larger role in patient care, compared to independent insurance companies that can deny treatments based on cost.

It is more about working together than seeking permission, he said.

Styf said a key to making the new insurance plan a success is that its CEO is Ronnie Brownsworth, M.D., the CEO of the Piedmont Clinic. “I think having a doctor with an M.D. after his name speaks to what, as an organization, we are all about,” he said.

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Mich., Styf, 38, moved to Cobb County in 2008 with his wife, Sarah, after years in Detroit and Washington D.C.

“Our community means an awful lot to me, and I’ve invested a lot of myself and my personal time in trying to make this community better, and these two delivery systems care for so many people in our communities, it’s a chance to have a really broad influence,” Styf said of his new role.

“In every business, probably the biggest barrier to our economy growing in my own personal mind right now is solving the affordability and quality problem in health care, and this is a great chance to be part of that.”

Marietta-based WellStar and Atlanta-based Piedmont serve a population of more than three million. The two health care systems have a combined 2,393 hospital beds, 10 hospitals, seven urgent care centers and more than 700 physicians in the Piedmont Physicians Group, Piedmont Heart Institute, and the WellStar Medical Group.

(Reprinted from the Marietta Daily Journal. Written by Rachel Miller, June 07, 2013. Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Styf leaves Kaiser for joint insurance plan WellStar Piedmont on target to offer health insurance in 2014)

Filed Under: Business Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: Dan Styf, Piedmont Healthcare, WellStar Health System

New Zaxby’s construction beginning near Sprayberry to employ up to 50

June 13, 2013 Leave a Comment

Construction is underway in east Cobb on a new Zaxby’s, the “quick casual” chain specializing in chicken fingers, wings and salads.

The eatery going up on Sandy Plains Road will mark the sixth Zaxby’s in Cobb with a Marietta address.

Franchisee Dustin Mullis, with partners Greg Shumate, Alex Koutouzis and Gregg Litchfield, plan to open the restaurant in August at 2756 Sandy Plains Road, near Sprayberry High School, according to a news release. The new restaurant will employ 40 to 50 people.

“We are excited to be bringing a Zaxby’s to this area of Marietta,” said Mullis, who, with his partners, owns the current Marietta location at 1347 Church Street Extension. “We realized this area is the perfect fit for the family atmosphere Zaxby’s represents. We’re looking forward to providing the same quality food and service that Marietta residents have come to expect from Zaxby’s.”

The new location will be the 14th for Cobb County and the 208th in Georgia for the chain. Zaxby’s operates more than 575 restaurants in 13 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The new 3,652-square-foot location will seat 74 people, with floor-to-ceiling brick walls, tables and booths, all complemented by an eclectic mix of photography, according to a news release. The restaurant will also have a drive-thru.

Zaxby’s provides chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, salads and other menu items that customers order and paid for at the counter, then pick up their meals when they are ready. The “quick-casual format” provides service and amenities that fall somewhere between fast-food and a sit-down restaurant.

“The key to success at Zaxby’s is a great smile and a willingness to learn and grow,” Mullis said. “We’re a different kind of restaurant with a different kind of attitude — from the food and service we provide to our customers to the respect we have for each other.” Candidates interested in employment should visit the 1347 Church Street Extension location Monday through Friday between 2 and 5 p.m. to apply.

Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley hatched the Athens-based chain in 1990.

(Reprinted from the Marietta Daily Journal, June 5, 2013. Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – New Zaxby’s construction beginning near Sprayberry to employ up to 50)

Filed Under: Business Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: East Cobb Business, Zaxby's

Detling Law Group Committed to Representing Injured Victims throughout Georgia

June 6, 2013 Leave a Comment

Should I hire a lawyer to handle my car accident claim? I get that question almost every day and the answer is….maybe. Settling your own insurance claim can be an intimidating experience, one that most people will only do a few times in their lives. And unfortunately, the person representing the insurance company is probably an experienced adjuster who handles hundreds of claims at a time. Doesn’t sound like a fair fight does it? But, you can succeed in these negotiations – if you’re
smart.

John F. Kennedy said to never negotiate out of fear or fear to negotiate. The President had a point, although I doubt he ever had to negotiate his own car accident claim. Luckily, if the other driver’s liability is clear then the insurance company will likely make an offer. A paltry offer, but an offer nonetheless. And this offer will generally remain on the table throughout the process. A bird in the hand.

Here are a few tips to maximize your offer:

1. Be careful what you say to the adjuster. Off-hand comments can seriously hurt your claim. And be very careful about agreeing to give a recorded statement.

2. Understand what the adjuster can and cannot do. Adjusters have limited “authority”, (how much money they can offer), to settle cases on their own and may have to go to a supervisor to request more authority. Help them by providing as much documentation of your damages and injuries as you can. Medical reports, not just bills, are critical.

3. Make sure your doctors use standardized injury and treatment codes, and that their records state that your injury was caused or made worse by the collision.

4. Make sure the adjuster knows the details of the accident and whether there were any aggravating factors like their insured being intoxicated.

5. Don’t settle before you know the full extent of your injuries. Once you settle, you can’t make another claim for the same accident.

So how can a good attorney help?

First off, if your case involves no physical injury then you might not need a lawyer. But if you’re hurt, a lawyer with a good reputation will often get a better offer out of the gate. And an attorney will build your case from the ground up by understanding what questions to ask and what records to gather.

An attorney can work with your doctors to perfect your medical record. In fact, many good attorneys work with doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists who know the right way document your claim. And finally, experienced attorneys will not be afraid to take your case to trial if that is the only way to achieve just compensation.

At the Detling Law Group, each of our dedicated lawyers, paralegals, and investigators understand how to develop an injury claim from the beginning with an eye toward maximizing our client’s recovery. We invite you to learn about the outstanding professionals at our firm, the clients we serve, and the services that we provide. Feel free to call us at 404-310-4920 or to stop by our office. We’re located at 3020 Roswell Road, Suite 250, Marietta, GA 30062.

(Paid advertisement. Reprinted from the June/July 2013 issue of EAST COBBER. Written by By Chuck Detling)

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Filed Under: Business Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: Detling Law Group

Casebiers bring ol’ fashioned cuts to Marietta for four generations

June 5, 2013 Leave a Comment

Fourth-generation barber Clint Casebier poses with his father, Kerry Casebier, as Kerry holds a photograph of himself with his father, Wayne, and grandfather Edwin Casebier. Kerry is the owner of Terrace Barber Shop in Marietta where he and Clint work.

Terrace Barber Shop isn’t just any barber shop where men enjoy traditional haircuts like flat tops and straight razor shaves — it’s a family tradition where generations of barbers work.

“I grew up in a barber shop,” said Kerry Casebier, third generation barber and owner of Terrace Barber Shop in Marietta.

Four generations of Casebiers have been barbers including Kerry Casebier’s grandfather Edwin, father Wayne, and his son Clint, fourth-generation, who graduated from Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs and works at Terrace Barber Shop. Two other multi-generational barbers, Dean Holt (third) and Harvey Pfeiffer (second) work at the shop as well.

Kerry Casebier’s brothers, Kevin and Kraig, also barbered at the shop at one time. His wife, Debbie, and sister-in-law are stylists at other locations.

“It’s a family curse,” Kerry Casebier joked. The Casebiers have another son, Cody.

Terrace Barber Shop has been on Windy Hill Road since 1983 when his father moved from Louisville, Ky., and opened the shop.

“When (my dad) started they were the only business on the corner. We’re the oldest thing in the shopping center. From Terrell Mill down to the (Chattahoochee) river we might be the oldest running business in this area,” the west Cobb resident said.

Kerry Casebier’s mother preferred Kentucky so Casebier took over the shop in 1985. There were two things Casebier swore he would never do — cut hair and leave Kentucky.

“You see where I’m at and what I’m doing,” Casebier said, laughing. He started cutting hair at age 20.

“We’re too dumb to do anything else,” Casebier teased. “You try to do other things but it’s just something you migrate to. It starts out with what my dad told me. Start cutting hair and you can support yourself while you find something else you want to do.”

Barbering is in Casebier’s blood, and he likes the interaction with his clients. “I’ve never minded going to work. You get to meet a lot of interesting people. It wouldn’t be fun if you didn’t have relationships,” he said.

Listening is an important part of Casebier’s 60-hour workweek. He estimates he gives 20 haircuts per day, five days a week. “You’ve got to be able to listen to people and interpret what they want. You’ve got to have an artistic knack,” he said.

“We’re an old-fashioned barber shop. We’re not a salon. We have a lot of CEOs that come to get a haircut because they just want a haircut” Casebier said.

The shop is at 3000 Windy Hill Road SE at Windy Hill and Powers Ferry roads.

(Reprinted from The Marietta Daily Journal. Written by Sally Litchfield, May 26, 2013. Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Casebiers bring ol’ fashioned cuts to Marietta for four generations)