As our concern and prayers go out to the citizens of West, Texas struggle to deal with the injuries and damages resulting from the April 17, 2013 explosion in the wake of the Boston bombing tragedy earlier in the week, the Solutions Law Press, Inc. is sharing the following resources and information provided by Congressman Sam Johnson’s office, which may be of help to individuals dealing with or affected by this heartbreaking tragedy in Texas.

Emergency information

Family Phone Lines:
To check on injured residents admitted to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center call (254) 202-1100

For family inquiries about patients at Scott & White call (888) 394-4947

Family inquiries about patients at Providence Health Center (254) 761-7200

Hotline for information on victims and survivors (254) 826-4115

Blood Donations:
Carter Blood Care Center will accept donations beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday in Waco

Providence Hospital will hold a blood drive between 11 am-5 pm

Scott & White Blood Donation Center accept donations starting at 8 am

Shelter:
First Baptist Church of Lott has room for anyone needing a place to stay. Call (254) 829-2321

The Aquilla ISD opened facilities for those seeking refuge.   Please report to the gym entrance.

Blair’s Cove Apartments in Waco offering housing to any West residents affected by the explosion at 2425 S. 21st St. (254) 447-0810

Latham Springs Baptist Camp is open to displaced residents at 134 Private Road 223 in Aquilla

The Abbott gym is open to displaced residents

Valley mills Nursing Home has rooms available for nursing home residents if placement is needed for any of the West nursing home residents. Call 254-932-6288.

First Baptist Church of Gholson is open for anyone who needs a place to stay

Gholson ISD open for those seeking shelter

Brazos Meadows Baptist Church at 625 S. Hewitt Dr., next to Castleman Creek Elementary will be open for anyone who needs a place to stay

Antioch Community Church at 501 North 20th Street in Waco is open to displaced residents

Alliance Auto Auction between Elm Mott and West on I-35 is open to anyone needing a place to stay

Penelope School is open for displaced residents at 309 Avenue D

Central United Methodist Church off Bagby Avenue near Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center is open overnight

American Legion Post 121 in Elm Mott is open for displaced residents

Sykora Family Ford in West has opened for residents who need a safe place to rest

Town Hall Estates in Hillsboro was taking in displaced residents

Google Document for Housing

Medical Assistance:
Central Texas Urgent Care clinics in Hewitt and Lacy Lakeview will remain open all night to treat those with minor injuries

HEB Pharmacy in the Woodway area is staying open all night to help accommodate West residents who may be injured and need prescriptions filled

Donation Locations:
The Extraco Events Center will be setting up to take donations starting tomorrow at 9:00 am. For information call 254-776-1660

The Home Depot store in Bellmead will be open all night for those who need plywood, generators, etc.

Both Peas & Tots and Smarty Pants consignment stores in Waco are accepting clothing donations in all sizes for those in West

Axtell High School will be taking any kind of donations at the school tomorrow! Please donate anything! The PALS organization is taking all donations and will be accepting tomorrow and Friday during school.

BCBSTX Member Resources

Earlier today, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas also shared an e-mail with its employer group plan sponsors containing resources for members of plans it insures or administers. 

BCBSTX News Alert: April 18, 2013Assistance Available for Members Impacted by Explosion at West, Texas, Fertilizer PlantDuring a crisis situation, you never know where you may end up. We at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) understand that a number of our members living, working or traveling in the West, Texas, area may be impacted and/or displaced as a result of the explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. plant that occurred yesterday, April 17.BCBSTX is prepared to assist our members by: Explaining the options for accessing care Helping to locate a network provider, hospital or dialysis center Assisting with early refills of prescription medications Working to ensure transition of care or continuity of care needs are met Accessing member identification information Please share this information with your employees: For an emergency situation, members should go directly to the nearest hospital. For non-emergency care needs, members can call the customer service number on the back of their member ID card to locate a network provider. When arriving at the participating doctor’s office or hospital, the member will need to present his/her BCBSTX ID card. If a member does not have his/her member ID card, needs help finding care or has coverage questions, our customer service representatives will assist them. They can also log in to Blue Access for MembersSM on the BCBSTX website or access our mobile site to search for a doctor, access their ID card and more. BlueCard® participants (indicated by a suitcase on the member ID card) can call the National BlueCard access number to be routed to the appropriate customer service center. Watch for continuing updates as we respond to the needs of our groups and members impacted by this tragedy. Please contact your BCBSTX account representative should you have any questions. Important Blue Cross Phone Numbers BCBSTX Customer Service for all group plan members: 800-521-2227 BCBSTX Customer Service for individual/family policyholders: 888-697-0683 BCBSTX Customer Service for Medicare Supplement policyholders: 800-654-9390 Federal Employee Information: 800-442-4607 National BlueCard access: 800-810-BLUE (2583)

The tragedies in West and Boston are felt across the nation and the world.  The direct impact that these events have on the victims and their families is unimaginable and overwhelming.  Beyond the impact to those injured or killed and their families and friends, the unexpected and devastating losses and powerlessness stemming from these events also significantly impact those who never knew the victims.   As governments, health care providers, and communities work to redress the existing fallout and strengthen our defenses against future similar events and the media obsessively covers all real and suspected development, it is to be expected that these resultant concerns will draw the attention of children as well as adults across the nation.  Business and community leaders should expect that this absorption will naturally result in distraction and concern. In addition to exhibiting empathy for the victims and understanding for the horrid distraction of those observers impacted less directly, consider the opportunity to offer reassurance by reminding those in your workplaces and communities of the planning, resources and procedures that your community and organization has in place to prevent, mitigate and respond in the event of a family or community disaster.

For Help or More Information

If you need help reviewing and updating, administering or defending your group health or other employee benefit, human resources, insurance, health care matters or related documents or practices to respond to emerging health plan regulations, monitoring or commenting on these rules, defending your health plan or its administration, or other health or employee benefit, human resources or risk management concerns, please contact the author of this update, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer.

A Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefit Council, immediate past Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) RPTE Employee Benefits & Other Compensation Group and current Co-Chair of its Welfare Benefit Committee, Vice-Chair of the ABA TIPS Employee Benefits Committee, a council member of the ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits, and past Chair of the ABA Health Law Section Managed Care & Insurance Interest Group, Ms. Stamer is recognized, internationally, nationally and locally for her more than 24 years of work, advocacy, education and publications on cutting edge health and managed care, employee benefit, human resources and related workforce, insurance and financial services, and health care matters. 

A board certified labor and employment attorney widely known for her extensive and creative knowledge and experienced with these and other employment, employee benefit and compensation matters, Ms. Stamer continuously advises and assists employers, employee benefit plans, their sponsoring employers, fiduciaries, insurers, administrators, service providers, insurers and others to monitor and respond to evolving legal and operational requirements and to design, administer, document and defend medical and other welfare benefit, qualified and non-qualified deferred compensation and retirement, severance and other employee benefit, compensation, and human resources, management and other programs and practices tailored to the client’s human resources, employee benefits or other management goals.  A primary drafter of the Bolivian Social Security pension privatization law, Ms. Stamer also works extensively with management, service provider and other clients to monitor legislative and regulatory developments and to deal with Congressional and state legislators, regulators, and enforcement officials on regulatory, investigatory or enforcement concerns. 

Recognized in Who’s Who In American Professionals and both an American Bar Association (ABA) and a State Bar of Texas Fellow, Ms. Stamer serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Employee Benefits News, the editor and publisher of Solutions Law Press HR & Benefits Update and other Solutions Law Press Publications, and active in a multitude of other employee benefits, human resources and other professional and civic organizations.   She also is a widely published author and highly regarded speaker on these matters. Her insights on these and other matters appear in the Bureau of National Affairs, Spencer Publications, the Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Business Journal, the Houston Business Journal, Modern and many other national and local publications.   You can learn more about Ms. Stamer and her experience, review some of her other training, speaking, publications and other resources, and register to receive future updates about developments on these and other concerns from Ms. Stamer here.

About Solutions Law Press, Inc.™

Solutions Law Press, Inc.™ provides business risk management, legal compliance, management effectiveness and other resources, training and education on human resources, employee benefits, compensation, data security and privacy, health care, insurance, and other key compliance, risk management, internal controls and other key operational concerns. If you find this of interest, you also be interested in exploring other Solutions Law Press, Inc. ™ tools, products, training and other resources here.

Other Helpful Resources & Other Information

If you found these updates of interest, you also be interested in one or more of the following other recent articles published in this electronic Solutions Law publications available for review here including:

• Sequester Will Cut ACA Small Businesses Health Care Tax Credits
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• OSHA Citation Of Michigan VA Reminder To Manage Workplace Safety
• Labor Department Targeting Businesses Violating Overtime, Other Wage & Hour Laws
• Wal-Mart Settlement Shows ADA Risks When Considering Employee Return To Work Accommodation Requests & Inquiries
• HHS Releases Final Rule on Health Insurance Market, Rate Review, Pre-Existing Conditions & Other ACA Market Reform Rules
• FTC, HIPAA Rules Require Health Plans & Employers Strengthen Data Security on Mobile Devices and Applications
• 3/13 JCEB Teleconference Explores Foreign Transferees: Outbound, Inbound, Equity And Treaty Issues
• Stamer Talks on “What the Wind Blew In: Coping with Health Care Reform: 2013 and Beyond” May 2 At 24th Annual RPTE Spring Symposia In Washington, D.C.
• IRS Will Begin Accepting Returns Claiming Education Credits By Mid-February
• IRS Shares Procedures Employers Use To Claim Increased Monthly Transit Benefit Exclusion Allowed By Administrative Taxpayer Relief Act
• Employers ACA Health Reforms Prohibit Using HRAs To Pay Individual Medical Policy Premiums & Impact Other HRA Arrangements
• ADA May Require Food Allergy Accommodation By Employers, Schools & Businesses
• Employer Deadline To Give ACA Notice of Exchange Coverage Options Delayed
• Texas Champion Bank Settlement of Charges of Illegal Lending Discrimination Reminder To Business To Tighten Business Practices
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• 2013 Tax Code Inflation Adjustments Announced
• Drop In Company Stock Value Held By Benefit Plans Puts Plans, Company, Management & Fiduciaries At Risk
• OCR Publishes Long-Anticipated Omnibus Restatement of HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification & Enforcement Rules
• OCR Gives HIPAA Guidance On Safety Disclosures
• IRS Offers New Simplified Option For Businesses Claiming Home Office Deductions For Home-Based Business Owners & Workers
• IRS Announces Cost of Living & American Taxpayer Relief Act Income Tax Adjustments
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• Tax Saver’s Credit Helps Low & Moderate Income Workers Save For Retirement; Possible Tool To Help Boost Their Participation In Employer Plans
• Self-Insured Health Plan Sponsors, Health Insurers Brace To Pay New ACA-Imposed Fees
• 1st OCR Small HIPAA Breach Settlement Shows Plans, Other Covered Entities At Risk From Small Breach Reports Too
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• Company President, Officer Can’t Use Bankruptcy To Avoid Liability For Using Plan Money For Company Operations
• Peter Madoff 10 Sentence For Defrauding ERISA Plans Reminder Manage Plan Investment Responsibilities
• $1.25M NLRB Backpay Order Highlights Risks of Mismanaging Union Risks In Health Care & Others M&A Deals
• As EEOC Steps Up ADA Accommodation Enforcement, New DOD Apple App, Other Resources Released
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• ARRA, Other Government Contractors Face Growing Enforcement & Audit Risks
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• Employer Pays $475,000 To Settle ADA Discrimination Lawsuit Challenging Medical Fitness Testing For EMTs, Firefighters & Other Public Safety Worker’s
• Employers & Plan Fiduciaries Reminded To Confirm Credentials & Bonding For Internal Staff, Plan Fiduciaries & Vendors Dealing With Benefits
• EBSA Updates Guidance On Fee Disclosure Requirements For 401(k) Plan Brokerage Window Arrangements
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If you or someone else you know would like to receive future updates about developments on these and other concerns, please be sure that we have your current contact information – including your preferred e-mail by creating or updating your profile at here.

For important information about this communication click here. THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER IS INCLUDED TO COMPLY WITH AND IN RESPONSE TO U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 230 REGULATIONS.  ANY STATEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN ARE NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN BY THE WRITER TO BE USED, AND NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN CAN BE USED BY YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON, FOR THE PURPOSE OF (1) AVOIDING PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED UNDER FEDERAL TAX LAW, OR (2) PROMOTING, MARKETING OR RECOMMENDING TO ANOTHER PARTY ANY TAX-RELATED TRANSACTION OR MATTER ADDRESSED HEREIN.

©2013 Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C.  Non-Exclusive License To Republish Granted To Solutions Law Press, Inc.  All Other Rights Reserved.