This year we have worked extremely hard to totally redesign this years Employer Healthcare Congress. We stripped everything down to the shell, and gave it a complete upgrade from speakers and agenda topics, to new networking software, and excitingly, to a new city. We are going to Chicago, in a true convention center, and everyone is ecstatic for the conference to move to Chicagoland and to be centrally located in the United States.

The results have been amazing for us. The industry has seen the changes and spoken. Our attendance is up 93% compared to last year around this same time, and it keeps growing day by day. To View the 2011 List of Attendees, visit the conference website, EmPloyer healthcare Congress Part of that, I believe, is our investment in bringing in some of the brightest and best keynotes possible. This is an area where we focused heavily and tried to get innovative keynotes that are well known experts. We searched for those who not only inspire, but provide key insight we all need to stay motivated and to succeed in our business, passions and personal lives.

All of our KeyNote speakers are outstanding, but I believe my favorite would have to be John Casey, Director of International Benefits for Google with his topic, Creating the Healthiest Employee in the World. Google is at the cutting edge of innovation and everything they do is usually inspiring and successful. I can’t wait to see how they are changing the curve and making their employees healthier, more productive and lowering their costs.

I am very passionate about the power of social media. It is a very important topic for me to bring to the forefront for our attendees. Most of us know social media but don’t really understand it or know how to use it effectively. Social Media is being used for everything today; even enrolling and educating employees for benefits programs.

I diligently searched and was able to get Mitch Joel, who Mashable.com (the top rated social media website out there), rated Mitch as one of the top social media experts in the world and his book, Six Pixels of Separation was rated one of the top 5 social media books to read. As most companies in US healthcare and benefits initiate their plans in social media, this will be an eye opening and critical session.

Our outside the box keynote speaker this year is Bill Rancic, Season 1 Winner of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice. Bill competed on national television and is a true entrepreneur. We have brought Bill in specifically to discuss the challenges we are facing in the healthcare and insurance industry today and he will be teaching us the importance of becoming “adaptable.” Adaptability is critical for all of us to survive, and I couldn’t imagine a more important topic for us to be addressing, especially in the face of all the changes and obstacles our industries are facing with PPACA and the economy.

This year we are also adding in Global Benefits and have some of the largest multinational employers and insurance companies presenting on the growing trend of international benefits and providing case studies to attendees.

We have put a lot of effort into our Employer VIP program and even upgraded it to include Agents and Third Party Administrators. There have been so many requests for VIP Passes, sometimes it can be difficult to manage! Attendees will see a major difference in the number of employers, agents and TPA’s coming this year that qualified for our complementary passes and other benefits.

I really want to thank everyone who has made our magazines and the conference so successful. More importantly, you have helped us accomplish, in just three years, what many of our competitors who have been around for 20 years, have been unable to surpass. With your support, you have made us the the biggest benefits conference in the country for employers, agents, TPA’s and insurers.

-Jonathan Edelheit

The Voluntary Benefits Magazine, Corporate Wellness Magazine, Self Funding Magazine, and Healthcare Reform Magazine, in partnership with the Employer Healthcare Congress, traveled in June to one of the largest employer conferences in the country and conducted a survey of hundreds of top HR professionals nationwide.    The Survey touched upon Voluntary Benefits, Corporate Wellness, Self Funding, and Healthcare Reform.

Of the employers participating in the survey 46% had up to 1,000 lives, 35% had between 1,000 to 10,000 lives, and 19% had over 10,000 lives.  The Survey Results Found that:

Corporate Wellness

57% of respondents currently offer a Wellness Program, while 43% do not.

Voluntary Benefits

81% currently offer Voluntary Benefits to their employees, while 19% do not.

Self Funding

62% of respondents stated they self fund their medical plan, while 38% said they do not.

Healthcare Reform – Will it Increase Costs?

• An overall 76% felt healthcare costs would increase under healthcare reform; 57% of respondents felt that Healthcare Reform will significantly increase health insurance costs, while 11% felt it would lower healthcare costs.  19% felt it would just “increase” healthcare costs, but not significantly and 13% felt healthcare costs would remain the same.

Healthcare Reform – Will it be Positive or Negative for Business?

• 57% of respondents felt Healthcare Reform negatively affects their business while 43% believe it positively affects their business.

Healthcare Reform – Fine/Penalty for not buying insurance in 2014

65% of respondents felt that the $95 a year penalty for individuals who don’t buy health insurance in 2014 (increasing to $695 in 2016), is a large enough incentive to force people to buy health insurance.   35% of respondents felt it was not a large enough incentive to force people to buy health insurance.

Healthcare Reform – Destroying the Underwriting Process by Allowing Guarantee Issue and No Pre-ex in 2014

76% of respondents felt that starting in 2014, allowing any person to wait until they are sick to purchase health insurance and have immediate guaranteed coverage at the same price as a healthy person, would destroy the underwriting process, while 24% felt it would not.

Online Healthcare Information

78% of respondents felt that internet news, resource websites and social media are one of the most important sources for gathering information on healthcare issues, while 22% disagreed.

By Jonathan Edelheit

I think one of the problems we are facing with the declining health of Americans is that we are trying to tackle the problem on too large of a basis; a macro level, when we should be focusing on a micro level.  I think some insurance companies or employers think we can significantly change the way employees think, act and behave, and so we try to implement large programs to encourage these monumental changes.  The truth of the reality is that we need to think small, atfirst.  We need to get individuals to want to change, and it doesn’t need to be a big step.  Even a little step, can be like a ripple in a pond that has much larger implications, because once an individual takes that small step and  wants to become healthy, a true transformation will happen.   As an industry, we need to focus on where motivation lies at the core of the employees.

Our challenge is truly the fact of that matter that we are all busy in our daily work lives and caught up with family at home.  In today’s culture, it can be overwhelming to fully engage in a healthy lifestyle.  Between the constant distractions on TV, unhealthy food everywhere, and the fact walking has become an art form and we simply drive from place to pace, it can be a true challenge to eat right and find time to exercise.

Here’s a thought- Let’s stop focusing on saying that we want employees to “engage” in healthy behavior, and instead, focus on motivating employees to want to engage in one simple, healthy behavior.  If employees set an attainable goal, one that makes them feel better about themselves when they take action, they will strive  to achieve even more.  Once we can accomplish this, only then can we get employees to engage in an overall healthier lifestyle.

Assistant Editor, Jenny Dodson with Self Funding Magazine attended the 81st Annual convention for the National Association of Health Underwriters in San Antonio, Texas June 26-29, 2011. The National Association of Health Underwriters is made up of over 100,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans.

The first day they began with a very patriotic start as NAHU member Jennifer Davault sang the National Anthem followed by Past NAHU President, Donna Carnall leading the Pledge of Allegiance. CEO Janet Trautwein began the session with discussion surrounding some of the challenges and opportunities that faced the industry over the last year. She was joined on stage by the President of NAHU, Steve Selinsky and they both had a candid discussion on health care reform and the efforts made by NAHU to continue involvement with change in the Health Care industry. They both gave very positive outlooks on the future for agents in this industry. Following Janet and Steve’s discussions, Keynote speaker, Theo Androus gave an enthusiastic presentation on selling concepts as well as his experience as it relates to the selling process. The day wrapped up with a reception in the Exhibit Hall where attendees seemed to catch up with old friends and mingle with exhibitors.

The next day proved to be even more engaging as the morning kicked off with an Exhibitor Continental Breakfast featuring a variety of providers such as Conexis, Access Plans, USA, vsp, Humana, Vertafore and many more. In many Exhibitions you find exhibitors on their phones and basically uninterested in the networking experience. Here the exhibitors mentioned along with most at this conference came out from behind their displays and offered valuable information to the attendees leaving the impression that they truly wanted to be there and were enthusiastic about the networking taking place. This was followed by an energetic and hilarious motivational speech delivered by Jason Young, author of Culturetopia. In his opening remarks, he sarcastically referred to the book title by stating, “I chose that name of the book so it would be easy to Google.” This spawned laughter from the group that did not stop. In the end, Jason received a standing ovation for his motivational teambuilding speech. The rest of the day had various professional development breakout sessions. The Self Funding breakout sessions seemed well received. A particularly interesting presentation was delivered by Gerald W. Frye, President and owner of The Benefit Service Group, Inc where he gave NAHU members a discussion entitled “Get n the Driver’s Seat with the Right Strategy, Data and Tactical Execution.” He sited reasons for why data may not be up to the task of meaningful decision making on benefits due to various analytical data discrepancies. He further said that more attention to the way the data is developed and reported is needed. He gave insight on why a strategic plan for the agent’s clients’ benefits can be in need of realignment.

Another interesting touch at the conference were the Daily News Papers which detailed the previous day’s event and spoke of the events to come. The attendees seemed to feel this was a nice touch as many were heard discussing the candid photos that had been taken and printed during the event. The event was well attended and overall appeared to be an informative event for the members of NAHU.

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 13, 2011 – The Employer Healthcare Congress recently showcased each of its four publications at one of the largest Human Resources Conferences in US, which took place in Las Vegas this past week; the Corporate Wellness Magazine, Voluntary Benefits Magazine, Self Funding Magazine and Healthcare Reform Magazine.

Over 13,000 HR professionals and decision makers attended and the Employer Healthcare Congress was able to educate employers about the benefits of the Corporate Wellness, Voluntary Benefits, Self Funding & Workers Compensation, and Healthcare Reform industries.

The Employer Healthcare Congress had the opportunity to network and present to the HR professionals current trends in Corporate Wellness, Voluntary Benefits, Self Funding Healthcare and Healthcare Reform. The Employer Healthcare Congress was also able to spread awareness about its 3rd Annual Employer Healthcare Congress which will be held in Chicago, October 26th-28th.

A large area of interest for many of the employers HR professionals Employer Healthcare Congress connected with was the Employer Free VIP Pass. This year the Employer Healthcare Congress is providing complimentary registration to up to 400 HR professionals and Benefits Directors. The Employer Healthcare Congress proudly announced its 2011 Leadership Awards, recognizing leaders and innovators in the Corporate Wellness, Voluntary Benefits, and Self Funding industries. Many employer accepting their Leadership Award nominations and HR Professionals at the conference were interested in learning about participation in the Leadership Awards.

Jonathan Edelheit, CEO of the Employer Healthcare Congress stated, “It was crucial for the Employer Healthcare Congress to have a large presence as the SHRM event. We were able to network and build positive relationships with leading Employers. There was a valuable interest in our magazine and in this year’s event.” Jonathan continues, “Based on the positive response we received at this year’s SHRM event, this year’s Congress will have significantly larger participation from Employers and much larger participation in the VIP program.”

Many of the HR professionals the Employer Healthcare Congress spoke with regarding the VIP Program included companies like: Coca-Cola, Boeing, Chevron, Family Dollar, Abercrombie & Fitch, Denny’s, Red Bull, Ace Hardware, Procter & Gamble, and Amazon.

The Employer Healthcare Conference is one of the largest US healthcare conferences in the country with up to 1,500 attendees and up to 140 exhibitors and sponsors. The congress is made up of 4 cutting edge and innovative conferences: Corporate Wellness Conference, Voluntary Benefits and Limited Medical Conference, Self Funding Employer Healthcare and Workers Compensation Conference and the National Healthcare Reform Conference.

The conferences focus on employers and also the agents, brokers and consultants that advise employers. The Employer Healthcare Conference is focused on advanced education and intense networking and is the only US healthcare conference to implement proprietary networking software that allows attendees to pre-schedule up to 50 private one-on-one meetings at the conference to maximize their time and increase their opportunities for new business opportunities and partnerships.

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ – April 11, 2011 — Authentidate Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: ADAT), a provider of secure health information exchange, workflow management services and telehealth solutions, today announced that it has been selected by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) as a supplier for its Telehealth Program, already one of the largest in the world. Authentidate was one of 6 companies that were selected by the VA to receive a home telehealth contract for this program in connection with its recent request for proposal for home telehealth solutions. As an approved VA supplier, VA facilities throughout the country will be able to utilize Authentidate’s Electronic House Call™ (EHC) solution (developed by its ExpressMD™ joint venture), and its Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to remotely monitor patients and enhance patient care. The VA contract spans a five-year period, which consists of a one-year base period and four optional one-year renewal periods.

Authentidate’s remote patient monitoring solutions bring the kind of personalized care to patients in their homes that was previously only available in acute and post-acute care settings. Clinicians use the EHC or the IVR solution to remotely monitor their patients’ vital signs and gather additional pertinent information about their patients’ health to supplement in-person visits. Clinicians can review their patients’ remote monitoring session results securely using Authentidate’s  web-based  application and remotely  manage or adjust their patients care plans, medication reminders and related information.  Clinicians can also use the EHC to provide disease-specific education to their patients in real-time.

Healthcare providers are beginning to use remote patient monitoring to deliver better continuity of care, especially for patients with chronic illnesses. Telehealth solutions also benefit patients who are in need of regular monitoring but are located far from their physician or specialist. In addition, these patients generally show higher compliance with care plans, resulting in a reduction in hospital readmissions and overall improved outcomes.

Gavin Stewart, Senior Director of Business Development at Authentidate, said, “We are extremely happy to have been selected by the VA for this program. We look forward to working with the VA team to provide veterans with innovative monitoring solutions that help them better manage their health on a daily basis.”

Ben Benjamin, President of Authentidate, added “This news is genuinely significant for Authentidate and our shareholders. The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S. and has incorporated telehealth services in its important mission of providing medical care to veterans. As a provider of care coordination solutions, we are proud to be working with a well-known leader in the telehealth industry. We are ready, and eager, to provide excellent products, services and support to the VA.”

About Authentidate Holding Corp.

Authentidate Holding Corp. is a provider of secure health information exchange, workflow management services and telehealth solutions. The company’s software and web-based services enable healthcare organizations and other enterprises to increase revenues, reduce costs and enhance patient care by eliminating paper and manual work steps from clinical and administrative processes. The web-based services are delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS), and only require that customers have an Internet connection and web browser. The company’s healthcare customers and users include leading homecare companies, health systems and physician groups. These organizations utilize the company’s products and services to coordinate care for patients outside of acute-care.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.authentidate.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. When used in this release, the words “believe,”"anticipate,” “think,” “intend,” “plan,” “will be,” “expect,” and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements regarding future events and/or the future financial performance of the company are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or the actual future results of the company to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the availability of any needed financing, the company’s ability to implement its business plan for various applications of its technologies, the impact of competition, the management of growth, and the other risks and uncertainties that may be detailed from time to time in the company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation by the company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the company will be achieved.
Authentidate and Inscrybe are registered trademarks of Authentidate Holding Corp. ExpressMD and Electronic House Call are trademarks of ExpressMD Solutions, LLC. All other trade names are the property of their respective owners.

For: Authentidate Holding Corp.

Investor Contacts:

Robert Schatz

Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Assoc. LLC

(212) 370-4500; (212) 370-4505 fax